Presses – Binding – Binder tighteners and joiners
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-10
2001-09-04
Gerrity, Stephen F. (Department: 3721)
Presses
Binding
Binder tighteners and joiners
C100S03300R, C140S093600, C140S115000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283017
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to tying or binding bales of compressed material. Specifically, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for tying and securing wires or other binding devices wrapped around such bales.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Various types of bulk materials are shipped, stored, and otherwise processed and distributed in the form of compressed bales. For example, cotton is processed into compressed bales so that a great amount of cotton may be stored and shipped in a smaller space. Bales are also easier and more efficient to handle than the loose bulk material. It is generally known to wrap such bales of compressible material with wire or other elongated binding devices to keep the bales in a compressed form, such as for shipping and storage. Wire is often most preferable for its low cost and the ease with which it is handled.
One method of forming a bale directs the compressible material into an automatic baler where it is pressed into a bale by a ram and then moved by the ram through the baler. Continuous wire strands extend across the bale path at different heights on the bale, and as the bale moves through the baler, the wire strands are wrapped around the front end and sides of the bale. An automatic tying system then engages the bale and wire strands and ties the wire strands around the bale, such as by twisting together the overlapped ends of the wire strands. Examples of various automatic balers and tying methods are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,120,238; 4,155,296; 4,167,902, and 4,459,904. While automatic tying apparatuses have proven suitable for baling and tying compressed bales in certain applications, they generally require complex, expensive machinery which has to automatically manipulate and twist the wires and bales together to form the bale.
Alternatively, certain baling applications require hand splicing or tying of the wires wrapped around a bale in order to reduce the complexities and costs associated with automatic tying systems. Furthermore, the particular material being baled may dictate that hand tying is required, because of the complexities involved in trying to design an automatic tying apparatus.
Hand tying or splicing mechanisms in the prior art have provided a means for splicing or tying two wires together, such as to bind a bale. However, many such devices are bulky and complicated to utilize. Furthermore, they do not address the unique problems and scenarios which exist when bale wire ends are being tied together around a bale of compressed material.
Still further, many such splicers are made for wires which have overlapped ends which stay neatly together, whereas the overlapped ends of wires wrapped around compressed bales tend to want to separate before and during twisting. The separation of the wire ends while they are being tied together will degrade the strength of the knot or may even prevent the formation of a proper knot.
Another drawback in the prior art is the necessity of having to wrap the ends of the wires together numerous times in order for the ends to be properly secured together. This will often require multiple movements, such as multiple rotations of the elements of the tying mechanisms, which slows the tying process and reduces the overall efficiency of the process. This may also be particularly tiresome to a person doing the tying in the case of a manual mechanism. However, if the wire twist or knot is not adequately formed around the bale, the bale might not hold together.
Therefore, there is a need for a mechanism which rapidly and adequately ties and secures a wire or other similar binding device around a bale of compressed material.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive apparatus for tying a wire around a bale rapidly and easily.
It is another objective of the present invention to handle and tie wire wrapped around bales while keeping the overlapped ends of the wire together.
It is a further objective of the present invention to wrap and tie bales with a strong durable twist or knot which has sufficient strength to hold the bales together even during handling.
It is still another objective of the present invention to bind and tie a bale of compressible material quickly and efficiently with continuous strands of baling wire.
These and other objectives will become more readily apparent from the Summary of the Invention and Detailed Description set forth hereinbelow.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The apparatus of the present invention for tying and binding bales of compressed bulk material comprises a housing which contains a twister pinion and worm gear in operable communication with the twister pinion. The worm gear is coupled through the housing to a drive mechanism including a drive motor which drives the gear and turns the twister pinion. One side of the housing includes a channel for capturing two overlapped ends of a wire and directing those overlapped ends into an appropriately formed slot in the twister pinion. When the twister pinion turns, the wire ends are twisted together and a knot is formed.
The twister pinion of the invention is rotatably mounted within the housing, and specifically within cap bushings at either end of the twister pinion. Yokes are positioned between the ends of the pinion and the bushings for smooth rotation of the pinion. The motor-driven worm gear provides for relatively rapid and easy rotation of the twister pinion to efficiently form the proper twist or knot.
In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the twister pinion has a slot formed therein to receive the overlapped wire end. The slot extends from an outer periphery of the pinion to a center rotational pinion axis. The pinion further comprises a sloped surface formed therein proximate at least one end of the slot. In a preferred embodiment, both ends of the slot include a sloped surface which slopes from an end of the pinion both longitudinally to the longitudinal center and radially toward the center rotational axis of the pinion. When the overlapped wire ends for twisting are inserted into the slot, the sloped surfaces engage portions of the overlapped ends. As the pinion rotates to form the twist, the sloped surfaces direct the opposite ends of the overlapped portion toward the center rotational axis of the twister pinion. In that way, the overlapped wire ends are maintained in the center of rotation of the pinion for proper twisting. Furthermore, as the twister pinion rotates, the ends of the wire are kept from moving radially outward to the periphery of the twister pinion which may prevent the formation of a proper knot and actually may prevent rotation of the twister pinion.
The twister pinion further comprises a pair of projections, one extending generally perpendicular to the plane of the pinion slot on either side of the slot. The projections extend toward each other proximate the longitudinal center of the pinion and leave a gap therebetween for gripping a section of the overlapped wire ends. The spacing of the gap between the projections will depend upon the size of the wire being twisted. The projections maintain the section of the overlapped wire ends next to each other and generally prevent a center section of the overlapped wire ends from being twisted together when the twist is formed. The projections are preferably located toward the center of the slot so that the center of the wire sections is held generally stationary relative the pinion while the remaining portion of the wire sections is twisted as the pinion rotates.
The cap bushings and yokes each include a narrow slot section in the center thereof for holding outer sections of the overlapped wire ends stationary. As the pinion twists, the center of the overlapped section is twisted while the outer ends are held stationary, thus forming a strong twist. The present invention provides a strong, durable, and properly formed twist which has sufficient strength to hold the bales together, even during handling. The motor drive of the worm gear provides for rapid
Johnson Gerald L.
Wiedel John
Gerrity Stephen F.
L & P Property Management Company
Wood Herron & Evans L.L.P.
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