Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to an automatic machine for
forming in each cycle a knot in a thread, cord, or the like about
an object; it is applicable in particular in the preparation
of sausages and permits filled sausage casings to be tied
~- automatically with a knot known as a clove-hitc~ knot. Up
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until now there has not been a machine which gives entire
satisfaction in the automatic forming of such knots so that the
~ tying off of sausages is carried out manually, an operation
- which requires the exercise of considerable force and thus is
,~, 10 qui~e tedious.
The present invention overcomes such lack and pro-
vides a machine which functions automatically without human
;~ intervention.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine
suitable for operating at high speed, on the order of 20 knots
a minute. In the case of the tying of sausages, such speed is
adapted to the speed of production of a "sausage stuffer", which
is disposed upstream of the sausage tying machine and carries
out the filling of the sausage casings.
Another object of the invention is the provision of
a machine capable of operation without failure in a humid
atmosphere, such as is in the case in the preparation of
sausages.
In order to simplify terminology, the word "cord"
will be used hereinafter to designate a textile thread, a
; cord, twine, flexible metal strand, etc.
Accordingly, what is being broadly claimed herein is
a machine for automatically binding with a cord the end of a
sausage or the like longitudinal article, essentially comprising:
- means for unwinding a cord from a spool of binding cord a first
, tube axially movably and rotatably mounted in said machine and
having a first projection, said cord being adapted to be looped
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; 'around said first tube and first projection in a first step; a
'lisecond tube axially movably mounted in said machine relative to
said first tube, said cord being adapted to be looped around said ¦
¦Isecond tube in a second step;
and means operatively mounted in said machine and coacting
with said cord and first and second tubes to form a clove-hitch
~not around said longitudinal article when it has been positioned
in axial alignment with said first and second tubes.
¦¦ Fig. 1 is a side elevational schematic view of the machine
of the invention;
; Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view along line A-A of Fig.l; and
;I Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the machine illustrated in Figs.
l and 2.
Figs. 4 to 7 are schematic perspective views which illustrate
prog,essive portions of the cycle of operations of the machine; in
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some of these figures, the parts of the machine have been simpli-
Ified or deformed in order to facilitate comprehension of the oper-
,lation.
Referring now to Figs. l, 2 and 3 of the drawing, there isillustrated a cylindrical pipe l rigidly secured on a frame 20.
A plate is mounted at the right hand (Fig. 2) end of pipe l, the
llplate carrying a tube 2 coaxial of pipe l. The pipe l and the
Iplate 2 with tube 2 are separable by means of a small pneumatic
piston and cylinder arrangement 3, whereby the piston is connected
to the plate as illustrated in Fig. 2. The pla-te has two confron-
ting slits 21 through which the tying cord can be passed.
A rotor 6 rotates about the cylindrical pipe l. This rotor
6 can be rotatably supported by any suitable means including sche
~matically illustrated rollers 7 of which three are shown disposed
about the rotor 6 (see Fig. 1). A ratchet bar 9 serves to drive
'rotor 6 via a gear mechanism 8. A spindle 4 is mounted upon the
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¦Irotor 6.
¦ The spindle 4 is constructed as a simple pneumatically-driven~
gripper mechanism mounted in the rotor 6 which is capable of grip-
ping a tying cord. A double-acting pneumatic piston and~rcylinder
larrangement 5 is also within the rotor 6. This double-acting
~Ipneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement 5 coacts with the en-
- larged head 4b on piston rod 4a of the spindle 4 and can effect a
translatory motion on the spindle 4. The tying cord is gripped
¦¦between the head 4b and a part 4c of the rotor 6 when piston rod
4a is advanced to the right (Fig. 2).
¦I The supply of pressurized air for the spindle 4 and the
pneumatic piston and cylinder arrangement 5 is carried out via a
jrotary gasket when the pipe 1 is of relatively small diameter. In
¦¦the event the pipe 1 has a larger diameter, the supply of press-
~urized air is carried out by means of three flexible pipes which
¦!are housed in a flexible hose 12.
The flexible hose 12 can be wound on a drum 8a which forms
an extension of the gear mechanism 8.
The rotor 6 can be arrested in its rotational movement at a
¦predetermined location by means of a pneumatic indexing arrangemen :
11116.
The front portion of the pipe l has a pneumatically-actuated ¦
stopping arrangement 15. The stopping arragement 15, when in its ¦
rear-most withdrawn position/ unblocks the path for the spindle 4 ¦
~and permits the transfer of the spindle 4 into its active position
¦(see Fig. 1).
i ¦! A separating and passing rnechanism 13 operated by pneumatic I I
¦means 13a supports a pneumatically actuated pincer mechanism 14.
~¦The aforementioned two mechanisms traverse a path which is tan-
¦lgential relative to the outermost circumferential surface of the
¦Ipipe l and contact tangentially the pipe l.
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; When the rotor 6 is in its index position (the position illu-
strated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3), the aforementioned path traversed
¦Iby the separating and pressing mechanism 13 and pneumatically-
¦actuated pincer mechanism 14 is tangential to the internal shank
I'4a of the spindle 4. An opening of the grippers of the spindle
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4 permits the passage of the separating mechanism 13.
jl The pincer mechanism 14 permits the passage of the spindle 4 `
linto its projected position when the separating mechanism 13 is in
~its "upper" and "open" position.
A pneumatically actuated scissor mechanism 17 effects the
cutting of a tying cord between its two blades.
The tying cord 8 which is taken off a binding thread supply
29 is guided by means of guide rollers to the sausage-tying ma-
chine. This cord 8 can be tensioned by means of a pne~matically-
actuated tension mechanism 18. The fed cord 8 is cut by a pneu-
matically-actuated pincer mechanism 19. When the pneumatic pincer
Ilmechanism 19 has cut the binding thread, it retains it and the
¦Ipneumatically-actuated tensioner 18 causes a tension in the bind-
ing thread. I
~¦ The structure of the machine and the functions of its various¦
¦units having been described, there will now be described the oper-¦
ation of the machine as a whole by reference to schematic Figures
4,5,6 and 7.
Referring first to Figure 4:
j At the beginning of the cycle, the cord 8 is seized by the
cord separating and pressing means 13 which is then in an advanced
position: after a rotation of between 200 and 270 degrees of rotor
6 and the means 13, depending upon the length of the downstream
portion cf the cord desired, the cord pressing means 13 moves to
its retracted position and the cord retaining means 18 advances
into engagement with the tube 2. After such movement of the cord
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Iretaining means 18, the cord pressing means 13 advances, the se-
;Iparator 20 rises, and the nose of the separator engages the cord
and hangs up a loop of it as the separator moves up. The rotor
i,carrying the cord pressing means 13 then begins its rotation. The
- llcord retaining means 18 is retracted from the tube 2 and thus free~
a passage for the cord. At the end of the rotation of the rotor
land the cord pressing means 13, the cord pressing means passes
llbetween the jaws of the cord gripping means 24 carried by the se-
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parator 20.
The interlacing of the parts of the cord is ended; the cord
gripping means 24 closes and seizes the cord, the cord pressing
means 13 opens and frees the cord, and then goes back to its re- I
tracted position.
Referring now to Figure 5:
An article, for example an elongated filled sausage casing 34 !
is introduced into the pipe 1 and the tube. Such introduction
gives rise to a pneumatic signal which starts the operation of
tightening the knot. The tubes 1 and 2 separate, the rotor 6 per-
forms a return rotation (about 900). The pneumati.c gripper 30
Illocated at the entry of the knot forming portion of the machine
; ~Ipresses the length of the cord upstream of the section 8a of the
¦cord. The pulling cylinder 31 is actuated and pulls upon the
length of cord 8a into a salient portion between brake 30 and
fixed guide 31c. The separator 30 descends with its gripping
¦means 24, means 24 e~erting a traction upon the portion 8b of the
cord downstream of the knot. The knot is thus disposed upon the
object to be tied, in this case elongated sausage 34, and tightens
jaround the sausage by xeason of the concomitant actions of the
gripping means 24 and the pulling cylinder 31. The adjustable
¦~length of the path of movement of the separator 20 and its~gripping
Illmeans 24 define the length of the portion 8b of the cord~
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1, Referring now to Figures 6 and 7: ~
The pneumatic gripper 30 and the gripping means 24 open to frle
the upstream end 8a and the downstream end 8b of the cord, respec-
¦tively. The pressing means 13 advances to be ready to engage thecord. The tube 2 returns to its position against the tube 1, the
openings or notches 7 in tube 3 preventing the engagement of the
~¦runs of the cord by the tube. The rotor 9 begins a new working
rotation. The pressing means 13 in its open condition engages the
run of cord 8a. When the length of this run 8a located between
,such pressing means 13 and the previously formed knot attains the
desired length, the pressing means 13 closes in order to pull a
length of cord from its supply 29, such length of cord becoming
llthe length of cord downstream of a new knot to be formed and the
'Icutting means 27 travels across a path of the cord and cuts it.
The pulling cylinder 31 returns to its at-rest position shown in ¦
'full lines in Figure 3; the cord pressing means 13 again assumes
¦lits retracted position in the rotor, and a new cycle begins.
The length of the upstream portion 8a of the cord is adjusted
',by adjusting the position of the cutting means 2-i with respect to
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the path of travel of the cord.
j The now tied object or sausage may be ejected automatically or
!Imanually from the extremity of the tube 2 or that of tube 1~ In
jlthe case of the use of the machine for tylng sausages in a meat
packing plant, the introduction of a new sausage wi]l initiate the
'ejection of the previously tied sausage. The order to tie the knot
may be given by an operator or by means of the preceding machine
in an assembly line, such as the sausage stuffer.
i The machine above-described may be utilized in a number of
applications wherein one wishes to form a self-tightening knot a- j
round an object. For the best utilization of the machine,
particularly in oxidizing or humid environments, the various
parts of the machine may be made of synthetic
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plastic materials or from non-corrodible metals; the absence of
electrically operated units and of ~rictional members such as
cams and the like makes the machine capable of long service
without breakdown.
Although the invention is illustrated and described
with refexence to one preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be
expressly understood that it is in no way limited to the dis-
closure of such a preferred embodiment, but is capable of
numerous modifications within the scope of the appended claims.
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SUPPLEMENTARY DISCLOSURE
~ further embodiment of the invention will now be
described.
The machine in accordance with this further embodi-
ment of the invention incorporates means for feeding cord, and
is characterized by the following:
- two aligned tubes carried by a frame and forming a
hollow arbor adapted to contain the object to be tied, such
tubes being disposed end to end and being associated with means
for alternately bringin~ them together in end to end engagement
and for separating them;
- a rotor carried by one of the tubes and guided in
rotation so as to turn about it, said rotor being associated with
driving means to carry out its turning movement;
- a cord pressing means carried by the rotor and
associated with driving means permitting it while rotating with
.; the rotor to move parallel to the axis of -the tubes between a
retracted position and an advanced position, the cord pressing
means being provided with a pressing element with means to move
it so that the cord is either pressed or freed;
- means for retaining the cord disposed in proximity
to the tubes in a longitudinal position intermediate the
retracted position and the advanced position of the cord pres-
sing means, said retaining means being associated with driving
means adapted to move radially with respect to the tubes so as to
, engage one of them and to retain the cord, or to move away from
the tube and to free the cord;
- a separator guided in a path passing in proximity to
the cord presser through such angle that the separator grips the
portion of the cord held between the cord pressing means and the
tubes, such separator being associated wlth means for driving it
along said path;
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- gripping means driven so as to allow it to be deposed
upon the trajectory or path of the cord pressing means and to
grip the cord at the end of the cycle so as to permit the
replenishing of the cord by the pressing means, said gripping
means being associated with driving means which opens and
closes it;
~ driven cutting means having at least one cutting
blade, such cutting means being moved to the path of the cord
between the path of the cord pressing means and one of the tubes
so as to cut the cord, such cutting means being movable away
from the path of the cord; and
- controlling means adapted to start or stop the various
driving and cord manipulating means described above at the
appropriate instant in the cycle. -
The manner of operation of the various means des-
cribed above is the same as has been described in the principal
disclosure. Notably in the case of the tying of sausages, the
machine is by preference operated to tie a knot with a double
loop; the controlling means is thus designed to cause, at
appropriate times in each cycle, a rotation of the rotor approxi-
mately equal to a total of 900 in view of the formation of the
two loops, two linear forward and return motions of the cord
retaining means with a motion of gripping and releasing the cord,
a forward and return movement of the cord retaining means, a
forward and return movement of the separator along its path, a
displacement of the cutting means with a return to its retracted
position, and a retraction of the two tubes from each other
with a return of the tubes to the position in which they abut.
As will be understood more fully below, the machine
produces a clo~e-hitch knot which is tightened around the object
(sausage or the like) and is then ready for a new cycle.
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In accordance with a preferred version of this embodi- ¦
lment, particularly for operation in a humid atmosphere, the
'driving means and the means for moving the various instrumenta-
~lities comprised single or double acting pneumatic cylinders,the cylinder driving the rotor being associated with a trans-
mlssion including a rack and pinions; the control means is of a
pn~umatic nature and includes pneumatic switching means and a
jpneumatic logic assuring the proper control of the cycle. Such
a machine dispenses entirely with means driven electrically
and is designed to operate without failure in a humid atmosphere,
l'in particular under those difficult conditions which exist
ilduring meat packing operations.
In the drawings, which form a part of the supplementary
¦! disclosure:
Figure 8 is a view in longitudinal vertical section of
¦the illustrative embodiment of the device, the section being
ltaken along the line 8-8 in Figure 9;
¦I Figure 9 is a view partially in section and partially in
I elevation of the machine of Figure 8, the portion of the
machine at the right being shown in section taken along the
¦ broken line 9-9 in Figure 8 and the remainder of the figure
'Ibeing shown in elevation;
j Figure 10 is a view in partial section through the
~machine of Figures 8 and 9, the portion of the machine at the
left being a view in horizontal section taken along the broken
line 10-10 in Figure 9, the remainder of the figure showing the
machine in plan;
¦i Figure 11 is a view in detail in longitudinal section;
; Figure 12 is a view in elevation of a part of the
machine at the right lower corner in Figure 10, the view being
taken in a direction upward in Figure 10, certain of the parts
being shown in vertical section:
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Figure 13 is a view in detail of another part of the machine,
the view being in elevation;
¦ Figure 14 is a view in detail of the part of the machine show~
in Figure 13, the view being partially in section and partially in
~jelevation, the section being taken along the broken line 14-14 in
,Figure 13.
Turning now to Figures 8, 9 and 10, the illustrative embodi-
¦ment of the machine there shown has a frame 1' generally in the
form of a parallelepiped which supports the various units of the
machine. As shown in Figure 8, affixed to the left hand side of
the frame there is a first tube 2', at the right hand end of which~
there is disposed a movable tube 3' coaxial with 2'. In the embod~
¦iment shown, the tube 3' is much shorter than tube 2', and is car-
¦Irled by a vertical plate 4' which is reciprocated by small pneuma-
tic cylinders 5' and 6', the cylinders reciprocating the plate 4'
and the tube 3' between the solid line and phantom line positions
thereof shows in Figure 8. Two openings or notches 7' are provi-
, ded in the left hand end of tube 3' to provide a passage for thetying cord 8' and to prevent full end engagement between the tubes
2' and 3' when the tube 3' is in its full line position. Such o
~penings are not needed if the object, such as a sausage, to be tied
by the cord is ejected from the tubes before the tube 3' reaches
its full position. In Figure 8 the cord, which is designated 8',
is shown in one of the positions which it assumes during the tying¦
cycle. I
A rotor 9' lS mounted on the frame for turning around tube 2 "!
the rotor being guided by rollers 10' mounted upon inwardly pro-
jecting portions of the frame. The rotor 9' is driven by a cylin-
der 11' through the intermediary of a transmission 12' which in-
1,
cludes plnions and a rack gear.
¦I Rotor 9' carries a cord pressing means 13' mounted upon the
'rotor and turning with it. The cord pressing means 13' is
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shown in detail in Figures 11 and 12. As there shown, means 13'
'is constituted by a first pressing element 13a against which the
second element 13b is forced by a singleacting pneumatic cylinder ~
~ having a retractiny spring 14a. The cord 8' is pressed between
- l,the elements 13a and 13b.
Furthermore, the cord pressing means 13' is driven lineally b
the piston rod lSa of a double acting pneumatic cylinder 15' which~
is also mounted in the rotor 1'. The cord pressing means 13' thusl
may be moved between a retracted position to the left, in the rotor
and an advanced positionl shown in Figures 8 and 11.
Compressed air is supplied to the cylinders 14' and 15' by
means including three flexible conduits disposed in a flexlble ca-
~sing 16' which is coiled upon and uncoiled from drums connected
to the rotor 9' and to the transmission, and a rotatable air trans
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mitting joint 17' located at the level of the transmission. It isl
to be noted that when the object to be tied is of small diameter,
or the tubes 2' and 3' are themselves of small diameter, the trans
mitting joint may be disposed directly upon the rotor to eliminate~
;the flexible conduits and casing.
Near the right hand end oE the tube 2' there is provided a
cord retaining means 18' disposed in a longitudinal position interi
mediate between the retracted (left) position and advanced (right)
position (Figure 8) of the cord pressing means 13'. Means 18' is I
associated with a double acting pneumatic cylinder 19' which movesj
the means 18' radially with respect to tlle tube 2' so as to move it
llagainst the tube as shown in Figure 9 or to retract it therefrom. I
I¦In its first, advanced position shown in Figure 8, means 18' is a-
lldapted to retain the cord, while in the second, retracted position
shown in Figure 9, it is positioned remote from the tube and leaves
open a path to the cord presser 13' regardless of whether the means
13' is in its advanced (forward) position or its retracted position
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Moreover, a separator 20' shown in detail in Figures 13 and
l14 is guided by inclined (Figure 8) column or rod 21' and recipro-¦
cated therealong by a double acting pneumatic cylinder 22'. Sepa-
rator 20' includes a curved nose the upper end 20a of which travel
ilalong a path T , T ~Figure () which is tangent to the external
ii 1 2
Iwall of tube 2' and tangent to the cord pressing means 13' when the
latter is in the predetermined angular position shown in Figure 9-
The cord pressing means 13' is moreover indented or grooved as
shown in Figure 11 to allow the nose of the separator to pass very
close to its internal shaft.
Thus in its passage, the nose of the separator 20' catches
¦the portion of the cord which is held between the tube 2' and the
cord pressing means 13'.
It is to be noted that the angular position above-referred
jto of the cord pressing means 13' itself is determined in a very
precise manner by the arresting of the rotor by a stopping means ;
provided for this purpose; in the embodiment shown, such rotor
stopping means is shown at 23 in Figures 9 and 10; means 23 con-
stituted by a stopping finger driven by a smal]. pneumatic cylinder,
¦a small shoulder 23a (Figure 10) disposed on the rotor engaging
~the stopping finger when the finger is in its radially inner, ad-
¦~vanced position.
The separator 20' carries a gripping means 24 disposed in the
jlconcavity of the curved separator and being adapted to be advanced
¦into the position shown in Figure 14 during the travel of the sep-¦
arator. Means 24 is constituted by a fixed jaw 24a and a movable ¦
jaw 24b driven by a double acting pneumatic cylinder 25. When the~
iaw 24b is retracted, the two jaws 24a and 24b leave a space be- I
¦tween them sufficient to permit passage of the cord pressing means¦
~13; in the closed positionof means 24, the jaw 24b is advanced a-
gainst the jaw 24a.
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j Thus at the upper end of its travel, after having gripped
.~ iand hung up a loop of the cord, the nose 20a of the separator 20' !
~is in such position that its curve approximates concentricity with¦
` ,the tubes 2' and 3' and an annular passage is formed for the cord
pressing means 13' between the nose of the separator and the tubes,
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in the course of its turning movement the cord pressing means 13'
in its advanced position travels along the path Cl, C2 (Figure 14),
passes between the jaws of thegripping means 24, and thus leads the
. Ilcord to pass between the jaws thereof. This permits the means 24 ¦
to grip the cord to allow the run of the cord downstream to tighten
the knot, and also to assure the presentation of a new length of
'.cord by the cord pressing means for the following cycle. I
; . Il An adjustable stop 26 (Figure 9) associated with the separator
l120', in the embodiment shown, mounted upon the column or rod 21'
I~.which guides it, permits the adjustment of the length of the run
jof the cord downstream of the knot.
A cutting means 27, shown in Figures 9 and 10, permits the
cord to be cut off. Means 27 in the embodiment shown has a single
blade 27a, which, under the action oE a peumatic cylinder 28, can
. Ibe advanced across the path of the cord between the tube 2' and
jlthe path of the cord pressing means 13'. It is to be understood
~that it is possible to employ as a cutting means a scissor-type
jdevice having two blades.
The cord is supplied from a ball or package thereof disposed
in a container 29 and is guided by annular guides in its passage
from the container 29 to the work zone as shown in Figures 8 and 9
A cord tensioning means is disposed downstream of the cord
supply 29 between two guides; such means incorporates a pneumatic 1l
brake 30 which retards the unwi.nding of the cord, a fixed guide ¦ .
31c and a means 31 for pulling the cord, means 31 being disposed
downstream of the brake 30 and upstream of guide 31c. Means 31
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lincludes a pneumatic cylinder 31a carrying at the end of its
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piston rod a bushing 31b through which the cord passes. When the I
piston rod of cylinder 31a is retracted, as shown in phantom linesl
in Figure 10, a salient zone is formed in the cord 8' between
brake 30 and the fixed guide 31c.
; The machine is completed by a pneumatic control means which
starts or stops the action of the various cylinders at the appro- ¦
'priate times in the cycle. Such pneumatic control means may be
one well known in the pneumatic control art; such control means
32 incorporates pneumatic valves, of the type receiving escaped
lair. As shown in Figures 3 and 9, means 32 is disposed along a
horizontally reciprocable rack 33 which has openings 32a there-
,Ithrough to permit the passage of compressed air at the correct
times to various air receivers. The rack is driven by the trans-
mission 12' in such manner as to move it transversely of the
'machine during the course of a cycle.
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