Apparatus for binding elongate products

Claim 1

An apparatus for automatically binding elongate products discharged from a finishing station, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one tray assembly including a plurality of tray members disposed parallel to the elongate products and spaced longitudinally thereof for receiving and storing the elongate products at a first position; (b) at least one conveyor including an endless belt and a pair of first and second sprocket wheels, said endless belt being engaged at its opposite inner ends with the pair of said first and second sprocket wheels and extending transversely of said tray assembly, said tray assembly being secured on said endless belt for transporting the products from the first position via a second position to a third position; (c) at least one continuous, thermally contractable binding strip disposed in the second position and extending vertically through a path of travel of said tray assembly in registry with a space between said tray members; (d) at least one welder-cutter disposed in the third position and including a pair of spaced upper and lower blades extending in vertical registry with each other, said upper and lower blades being vertically movable toward and away from each other for welding said binding strip to provide a binding band for encircling the elongate products in said tray assembly; (e) a printer disposed adjacent to said binding strip for printing product specifications for each group of the elongate products while the products are received and stored in said tray assembly at the first position; and (f) at least one nozzle disposed in the third position and opening upwardly for ejecting hot air toward and across the thermally-contractable binding band remotely from the printed specifications to hold the elongate products tightly together.

Claim 2

An apparatus for automatically binding elongate products discharged from a finishing station, said apparatus comprising: (a) at least one tray assembly including a plurality of tray members disposed parallel to the elongate products and spaced longitudinally thereof for receiving and storing the elongate products at a first position; (b) at least one conveyor including an endless belt and a pair of first and second sprocket wheels, said endless belt being engaged at its opposite inner ends with the pair of said first and second sprocket wheels and extending transversely of said tray assembly, said tray assembly being secured on said endless belt for transporting the products from the first position via a second position to a third position; (c) at least one continuous, thermally contractable binding strip disposed in the second position and extending vertically through a path of travel of said tray assembly in registry with a space between said tray members; (d) at least one welder-cutter disposed in the third position and including a pair of spaced upper and lower blades extending in vertical registry with each other, said upper and lower blades being vertically movable toward and away from each other for welding said binding strip to provide a binding band for encircling the elongate products in said tray assembly; (e) a printer disposed adjacent to said binding strip for printing product specifications for each group of the elongate products while the products are received and stored in said tray assembly at the first position; and (f) at least one nozzle disposed in the third position and opening upwardly for ejecting hot air toward and across the thermally-contractable binding band remotely from the printed specifications to hold the elongate products tightly together.