Strapping machine and system

Claim 1

IN AN AUTOMATIC BRICK HACKING AND STRAPPING SYSTEM HAVING AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR, A PLURALITY OF WORKING STATIONS INCLUDING A DISCHARGE STATION ARRANGED IN SUCCESSION ALONG THE CONVEYOR, AND HACKING JIGS FOR RECEIVING BRICKS HACKED IN LOTS THEREON FOR PACKAGING, SAID JIGS BEING ADAPTED TO BE PERIODICALLY INDEXED ALONG THE CONVEYOR TO SUCCESSIVE STATIONS, THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN THE HACKING JIG HAS A BED FORMED BY TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING ROLLERS, A FIRST LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GENERALLY UPRIGHT SIDE WALL FORMED BY GENERALLY UPRIGHT ROLLERS, AND A SECOND TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING GENERALLY UPRIGHT END WALL; SAID SIDE AND END WALLS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO EACH OTHER AND TO THE BED, SAID BED BEING LONGITUDINALLY AND TRANSVERSELY INCLINED FROM THE HORIZONTAL DOWNWARDLY TOWARD SAID SIDE AND END WALLS, SAID JIG HAVING LONGITUDINALLY SPACED TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING STRAP CHUTES INTERMEDIATE AND OUTWARDLY OF THE ROLLERS OF THE BED AND SIDE WALL FOR GUIDING STRAPS AROUND A SIDE AND THE BOTTOM OF THE JIG; WHEREIN THE PLURALITY OF STATIONS INCLUDES A STRAPPING STATION WHERE STRAPPING IS FED THROUGH THE STRAP CHUTES OF THE JIG AND IS TENSIONED AND SEALED TO PACKAGE THE BRICKS HACKED ONTO THE BED OF THE JIG AGAINST THE SIDE AND END WALLS; AND WHEREIN THE HACKING AND STRAPPING SYSTEM FURTHER COMPRISES MEANS FOR AUTOMATICALLY REVERSING THE LONGITUDINAL INCLINATION OF THE JIG BED OF THE HACKING JIG AT THE DISCHARGED STATION AND THEREBY CAUSE A BRICK PACKAGE ON THE JIG TO BE AUTOMATICALLY CONVEYED BY THE ROLLERS FORMING THE BED OFF THE JIG, AND A DISCHARGE CONVEYOR AT THE DISCHARGE STATION ADAPTED FOR RECEIVING THE BRICK PACKAGE AS IT IS AUTOMATICALLY CONVEYED OFF THE BED.