Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and methods for wire-tying bundles of objects

US6584891B1 · kind B1 · utility

39Cited by
19References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 15, 2000
Grant dateJul 1, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 15, 2020

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65B13/28
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for wire-tying one or more objects. A wire accumulating and feeding mechanism feeds the wire axially through the hollow axle of an accumulator drum and then out to a drive wheel. The wire is wrapped around the periphery of the drum to accumulate the wire during tensioning. A wire gripping mechanism is a simple, economical device including a gripper block having a wire receptacle formed therein, an opposing wall positioned proximate the wire receptacle, and in one embodiment a tapered gap formed in the gripper block proximate the wire receptacle and opposite from the opposing wall, and a gripper disc mounts in a gripper release lever constrained to move within the tapered gap and frictionally engageable with the length of wire disposed within the wire receptacle, the gripper disc being driven into the tapered gap by frictional engagement with the length of wire and pinching the length of wire against the opposing wall when the drive motor is operated in the tension direction. In an alternative embodiment the gripper release lever pinches the wire against the gripping wall. In another embodiment, an apparatus includes a track assembly including multiple modular …

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.