Rope tightener and strapping attachment for a mechanical cardboard baler

Abstract

A cardboard baler compacts a bundle of material by drawing the cardboard upwardly towards a compacting bearing member supported by the frame of the baler. The baler is provided with a string, cord or rope tightening mechanism which relies on a hand-actuated ratchet-like mechanism to draw two portions of the rope towards each other so that the rope may be tied to secure a bundle of cardboard. The rope tightening mechanism is supported by the frame of the cardboard baler when it is in use.

1 . A baling device for compacting an amount of material into a bundle comprising:
 a) a rack frame having a base end;   b) a compacting bearing member carried by the rack frame;   c) a movable compacting platform slideably connected to the rack frame for sliding within the rack frame towards the compacting bearing member; and   d) a winch carried by the rack frame and connected to the compacting platform through a flexible linkage, the winch being positioned to wind the flexible linkage about an axle mounted therein in order to move said movable compacting plane upwardly towards the compacting bearing member.   
   
   
       2 . The baling device as in  claim 1  comprising an inclined rack plane along which the compacting platform moves wherein the rack plane is inclined from the vertical, extending upwardly from the front side of the base end of the rack frame and inwardly towards the winch carried within the rack frame and wherein the rack plane is delimited by a pair of parallel guide members which carry the compacting platform. 
   
   
       3 . The baling device as in  claim 2  wherein the pair of parallel guide members are U-shaped channels in cross-section. 
   
   
       4 . The baling device as in  claim 2  comprising:
 a) a pair of upright frame members extending from the bottom of the rack frame to connect respectively with one of the guide members at a respective upper apex, and   b) a pair of lateral bracing members extending respectively between one of the upright frame members and a guide member to support or serve as at least a portion of the bearing member.   
   
   
       5 . The baling device as in  claim 1  comprising a rope tightening mechanism coupled to said rack frame, the rope tightening mechanism being positioned for drawing two portions of a rope, enveloping a compacted bundle, towards each other so that the rope may be tied to secure the bundle. 
   
   
       6 . The baling device as in  claim 5  wherein said rope tightening mechanism comprises:
 a) first and second rope anchors for detachably engaging first and second portions of the rope;   b) the first, fixed, rope anchor being carried by the rack frame or by a ratchet mechanism carried by the rack frame in a fixed relationship to the rack frame, and   c) the second, displaceable, rope anchor being carried by the ratchet mechanism, the ratchet mechanism being positioned for drawing the first and second anchors, with rope engaged thereto, towards each other.   
   
   
       7 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism as in  claim 6  wherein at least one of the anchors has a slot formed therein shaped to retain a knotted portion of the rope with a loop present beyond such knotted portion of the rope. 
   
   
       8 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism in  claim 6  wherein at least one of the anchors comprises a rope clamp to engage one of the portions of the rope, the rope clamp being in the form of an eccentrically mounted cylinder with a rope-engaging cylindrical surface positioned adjacent to an anvil whereby a portion of the rope may be positioned between the cylinder and the anvil and held in place by rotation of the cylinder until the rope is pinched between the cylinder and the anvil. 
   
   
       9 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism as in  claim 6  wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises:
 a) a rod having at least one anchor affixed thereto, and   
     wherein the rope tightening mechanism is mounted adjacent to and outboard of the side of the bearing member so as to align the rod across the outer surface of the material to be compacted. 
   
   
       10 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism as in  claim 9  wherein the ratchet mechanism comprises:
 a) first and second wedge plates each mounted on the rod, each wedge plate being dimensioned for sliding engagement along the rod when oriented in a plane extending outwardly in a perpendicular direction to the length of the rod, and being dimensioned for jamming engagement with the rod when the respective wedge plate is canted at an angle from such perpendicular direction and an attempt is made to move such wedge plate with respect to the rod in a direction that will increase its canting angle, and   b) a handgrip coupled to the rod and connected to effect engagement with the rod through the first wedge plate whereby, upon activation of the handgrip, the rod is advanced with respect to the handgrip and, upon deactivation of the handgrip, the second wedge plate resists movement of the rod in the reverse direction.   
   
   
       11 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism as in  claim 9  wherein the side of the bearing member along which the rope tightening mechanism is mounted is provided with a groove and the anchor mounted on the rod includes a protruding guide that slides within the groove, stabilizing the anchor against rotation on the rod. 
   
   
       12 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism as in  claim 11  wherein the anchor carried on the rod is the anchor which comprises a rope clamp in the form of an eccentrically mounted cylinder with a rope-engaging cylindrical surface positioned adjacent to an anvil whereby a portion of the rope may be positioned between the cylinder and the anvil and held in place by rotation of the cylinder until the rope is pinched between the cylinder and the anvil. 
   
   
       13 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism as in  claim 12  wherein the other anchor has a slot formed therein shaped to retain a knotted portion of the rope with a loop present beyond such knotted portion of the rope. 
   
   
       14 . The baling device and rope tightening mechanism as in  claim 13  wherein the other anchor with a slot formed therein is supported in place by the rack frame at a location on or adjacent to such rod.