Articulated strap chute and guide means therefor

Claim 1

In a strapping installation of the character described, in combination, means defining a strapping station, a flexible strap chute for guiding a length of strapping endwise and forwardly across the strapping station and beneath an article disposed at said station, a guide channel for said chute and within which the latter is slidable endwise between a retracted position wherein the chute is disposed substantially wholly within the confines of the channel and a projected position wherein at least a major portion of the chute is projected forwardly from the channel, said channel embodying a relatively short horizontal distal section the forward end of which is disposed below the level of the article and a relatively long proximate vertical storage section which extends upwardly alongside the article and in close proximity thereto, internal tracks coextensive with said guide channel, said chute being unidirectionally flexible so that it may follow the contour of the guide channel during retraction thereinto and projection therefrom and so that the projected portion thereof is self-supporting in cantilever, said strap chute being of an articulated nature and consisting of a series of relatively short chute bodies hingedly connected together in end-to-end fashion and having cooperating abutments on the opposed ends of each adjacnet pair of chute bodies, said abutments being effective when in engagement with each other to maintain such adjacent pair of chute bodies in linear alignment, said chute bodies being provided with antifriction guide members thereon which are slidable in said tracks, guide means disposed between said channel and article for directing said length of strapping endwise into the proximate end of a projected portion of the chute, and means for selectively projecting and retracting said chute.