Darrell D Robinson

US Patent:

6584891, Jul 1, 2003

Filed:

Mar 15, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/525988

Inventors:

Donald Smith - Aberdeen WA
Scott McNeal - Aberdeen WA
Darrell Robinson - Aberdeen WA
David Doyle - Aberdeen WA
Michael Kindsvogel - Aberdeen WA

Assignee:

Enterprises International, Inc. - Hoquiam WA

International Classification:

B65B 1304

US Classification:

100 26, 100 31, 100 32, 100 29

Abstract:

Apparatus and methods for wire-tying one or more objects. A wire accumulating and feeding mechanism feeds the wire axially through the hollow axle of an accumulator drum and then out to a drive wheel. The wire is wrapped around the periphery of the drum to accumulate the wire during tensioning. A wire gripping mechanism is a simple, economical device including a gripper block having a wire receptacle formed therein, an opposing wall positioned proximate the wire receptacle, and in one embodiment a tapered gap formed in the gripper block proximate the wire receptacle and opposite from the opposing wall, and a gripper disc mounts in a gripper release lever constrained to move within the tapered gap and frictionally engageable with the length of wire disposed within the wire receptacle, the gripper disc being driven into the tapered gap by frictional engagement with the length of wire and pinching the length of wire against the opposing wall when the drive motor is operated in the tension direction. In an alternative embodiment the gripper release lever pinches the wire against the gripping wall. In another embodiment, an apparatus includes a track assembly including multiple modular segments forming a corner of the track.

US Patent:

D501858, Feb 15, 2005

Filed:

Oct 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

29/192662

Inventors:

Darrell D. Robinson - Elma WA, US

Assignee:

Enterprises International, Inc. - Hoquiam WA

International Classification:

1599

US Classification:

D15145

US Patent:

D502188, Feb 22, 2005

Filed:

Oct 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

29/192667

Inventors:

Darrell D. Robinson - Elma WA, US

Assignee:

Enterprises International, Inc. - Hoquiam WA

International Classification:

1599

US Classification:

D15145

US Patent:

D503942, Apr 12, 2005

Filed:

Oct 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

29/192668

Inventors:

Darrell D. Robinson - Elma WA, US

Assignee:

Enterprises International, Inc. - Hoquiam WA

International Classification:

1599

US Classification:

D15145

US Patent:

D504447, Apr 26, 2005

Filed:

Oct 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

29/192625

Inventors:

Darrell D. Robinson - Elma WA, US

Assignee:

Enterprises International, Inc. - Hoquiam WA

International Classification:

1599

US Classification:

D15145

US Patent:

D510585, Oct 11, 2005

Filed:

Oct 28, 2003

Appl. No.:

29/192624

Inventors:

Darrell D. Robinson - Elma WA, US

Assignee:

Enterprises International, Inc. - Hoquiam WA

International Classification:

1509

US Classification:

D15138

US Patent:

6968779, Nov 29, 2005

Filed:

Oct 30, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/285361

Inventors:

David R. Doyle - Aberdeen WA, US
Andrew D. Hall - Aberdeen WA, US
Darrell D. Robinson - Elma WA, US
Scott E. McNeal - Aberdeen WA, US
Donald A. Smith - Aberdeen WA, US

Assignee:

Enterprises International, Inc. - Hoquiam WA

International Classification:

B65B013/04
B65H051/22

US Classification:

100 2, 100 26, 100 29, 100 32, 2423649, 53582

Abstract:

Systems and methods for threading and feeding a length of wire into a wire-tying track, for withdrawing at least some of the wire from the wire-tying track to tension the wire around one or more objects, and for extracting waste wire from the system. The object of the invention herein being a feed and tension mechanism comprising a feed and tension wheel, an accumulator disk, a primary nip mechanism for frictionally engaging the wire at the contact region between the primary nip and the feed and tension wheel, a drive system having two independently operable motors, and wire guiding devices for directing and routing the wire through the feed and tension mechanism. The present invention may further comprise a supplementary nip mechanism to facilitate the threading of the wire into the mechanism, a wire stripping mechanism for extracting any waste wire from the mechanism, and a series of wire sensing devices in communication with a control system to sequence and control the operational cycles of the system. The feed and tension mechanism further includes a frame that structurally supports the major assemblies and attaches to the wire-tying machine.