초록 ▼

Knitted netting is applied to products in a machine. A chute receives products serially through a receiving end, as from a conveyor, and discharges them serially into netting preferably rucked on the chute. As each product arrives at the product receiver, voiders operate to form a rope section of th

Knitted netting is applied to products in a machine. A chute receives products serially through a receiving end, as from a conveyor, and discharges them serially into netting preferably rucked on the chute. As each product arrives at the product receiver, voiders operate to form a rope section of the netting behind the product, at the chute's discharge end. The clipper also clips the netting, to complete the netting of the product, and clips to create the starting end of the next netted product. A netting handle former operates to loop the rope section behind the product, before clipping, to form a looped handle for a product in the rope section of the netting. The netting that is clipped behind the products is the netting formed into the loops, and thus, the clips that are put on by the clipper secure the loops in their size and condition. The product receiver is preferably a discharge tray, and product guides on the tray straighten the product, to align it for netting, and also co-operate with the voiders to help tighten the product packaging. The clipper is also preferably uniquely structured in its clip rails to contribute to tighter packaging. The clip rails are paired on one side of the machine, with one angled and extending through a near clipper die support to reach the die of a distant die support. The chute is gravity driven and includes product ribs or rails for centering and ease of movement of products. The handle former is an essentially two-part, mechanically actuated disc and clam shell construction that reaches for the netting, captures it, and rotates a loop into it, while tightening the packaging, in co-ordination with the voiders.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A product netting machine comprising:a base; a chute on the base having a receiving end for receiving products, and a discharge end for discharging products; a rucker for receiving netting and permitting netting to move with discharged products from the chute discharge end; a product receiver on

1. A product netting machine comprising:a base; a chute on the base having a receiving end for receiving products, and a discharge end for discharging products; a rucker for receiving netting and permitting netting to move with discharged products from the chute discharge end; a product receiver on the base at the discharge end of the chute; voiders on the base operated to form a rope section of the netting between the product receiver and the discharge end of the chute when a discharged product is on the product receiver; and a clipper on the base operated to clip the rope section of the netting, the clipper including at least two die supports, at least two punches mounted for movement on the die supports, at least two dies, a drive to intermittently drive the punches to the anvils, two clip rails mounted adjacent to each other on the same side of said die supports, one feed rail extending through one of the die supports to the other die support connecting one of said rails to said other die support, and clip pushers to feed clips from the rails to between the punches and the anvils; whereby successively netted and clipped products are formed by the product netting machine, and as a step of the netting and clipping, clips pass from one side to the other side of the die supports along the feed rail that extends across the one die support. 2. A product netting machine as in claim 1, the clipper moving in a central plane with outer sides generally parallel to the plane, and one clipper outer side being free of any outwardly extending clip rail; whereby successively netted and clipped products are formed by the product netting machine, and as an aspect of the machine, the clipper-free clipper outer side permits enhanced placement of clips.3. A product netting machine as in claim 1, one feed rail extending adjacent its respective die support perpendicular to the major plane of the die and one feed rail extending adjacent its respective die support at an angle to the perpendicular to the major plane of the die.4. A clipper for a product netting machine, the clipper comprising:at least two die supports; at least two punches mounted for movement on the die supports; at least two dies; a drive to intermittently drive the punches to the anvils; two clip rails mounted adjacent to each other on the same side of said die supports, one feed rail extending through one of the die supports to the other die support connecting one of said rails to said other die support; and clip pushers to feed clips from the rails to between the punches and the anvils; whereby successively netted and clipped products are formed by the product netting machine, and as a step of the netting and clipping, clips pass from one side to the other side of the die supports along the feed rail that extends across the one die support. 5. A clipper as in claim 4, the clipper moving in a central plane with outer sides generally parallel to the plane, and one clipper outer side being free of any outwardly extending clip rail;whereby successively netted and clipped products are formed by the product netting machine, and as an aspect of the machine, the clipper-free clipper outer side permits enhanced placement of clips. 6. A clipper as in claim 4, comprising one clip feed rail, a first feed rail, extending adjacent its respective die support, a first die support, perpendicular to the major plane of the respective die and one clip feed rail, a second feed rail, extending adjacent its respective other die support, a second die support, at an angle to the perpendicular to the major plane of the respective other die.7. A clipper as in claim 4, the first die support having a first clip-forming die and the second die support having a second clip-forming die, the first clip-forming die being angled to the major plane of the respective die and the second clip-forming die being perpendicular to the major plane of the respective other die.