Mechanism for an automatic socking machine

Abstract

The mechanism comprises a floating mandrel that is movable to engage with a filler tube. A strand of netting sleeve material is mounted to encapsulate the floating mandrel. Traction wheels are used to support the mandrel and to move the netting sleeve material along the mandrel and over the filler tube. A cutter is mounted between the mandrel and the filler tube for cutting netting sleeves material from the strand of netting sleeve material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, comprising;
 a spool of a strand of netting sleeve material;   a tubular mandrel for opening and guiding said strand of netting sleeve material from said spool, said strand of netting sleeve material being expanded over a surface of said mandrel and covering an entire outside surface of said mandrel;   a tubular element connected with an end of said mandrel for receiving said netting sleeve thereon;   a first series of traction wheels mounted thereto in rolling contact with a surface of said strand of netting sleeve material over said mandrel; such that a rotation of said traction wheels causes said strand of netting sleeve material to move along said mandrel and onto said tubular element, and   a cutter mounted thereto for operation between said mandrel and said tubular element for cutting a netting sleeve from said strand of netting sleeve material.   
     
     
         2 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said traction wheels comprise four pairs of traction wheels and wherein each pair is mounted diametrically opposite from another one of said pairs of traction wheels relative to a cross-section of said mandrel. 
     
     
         3 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said cutter further comprises a stapler for selectively closing an end of said netting sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including a pull-back mechanism for bundling up said netting sleeve on said tubular element. 
     
     
         5 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said pull-back mechanism comprises two grippers movable back and forth along said tubular element. 
     
     
         6 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said pull-back mechanism comprises a pair of traction wheels mounted thereto for rolling contact against a surface of said tubular element. 
     
     
         7 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising two pairs of clamps mounted thereto for movement toward and away from said mandrel for selectively retaining said mandrel in a fixed position. 
     
     
         8 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a reference stopper for positioning said mandrel at a fixed location relative to said tubular element. 
     
     
         9 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said tubular element is a filling tube having a hollow core for filling said netting sleeve with product passing through said filling tube. 
     
     
         10 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 1 , further including an enlarged bulge on a connection of said mandrel to said tubular element. 
     
     
         11 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 10 , further including a second series of traction wheels mounted in rolling contact with said bulge. 
     
     
         12 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 9 , wherein said mandrel is set at an angle between a horizontal plane and a vertical plane, and said tubular element is movable between said vertical plane and said angle. 
     
     
         13 . The mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said tubular element is a bottomless basket, said bottomless basket having a handle selectively attachable thereto and a structure appropriate for deploying said netting sleeve bundled up thereon over a mussel growing rope in a natural mussel growing habitat. 
     
     
         14 . An automatic socking machine for making socks of mollusks, comprising;
 a primary funnel;   a conveyor for delivering mollusks into said primary funnel;   a sock-filling tube communicating with said primary funnel; and   a mechanism for dispensing a netting sleeve onto said sock-filling tube; said mechanism comprising;   a spool of a strand of netting sleeve material;   a mandrel for opening and guiding said strand of netting sleeve material from said spool, said strand of netting sleeve material being expanded over a surface of said mandrel, and covering an entire outside surface of said mandrel;   said mandrel being movable to engage with an end of said sock-filling tube, for receiving said strand of netting sleeve material thereon;   a first series of traction wheels mounted thereto in rolling contact with a surface of said strand of netting sleeve material over said mandrel; such that a rotation of said traction wheels causes said strand of netting sleeve material to move along said mandrel and onto said sock-filling tube, and   a cutter mounted thereto for operation between said mandrel and said sock-filling tube for cutting a netting sleeve from said strand of netting sleeve material.   
     
     
         15 . The automatic socking machine for making socks of mollusks as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein said mandrel is mounted along an angle between a horizontal plane and a vertical plane and said sock-filling tube is moveable as a pendulum between said vertical plane and said angle. 
     
     
         16 . A method for dispensing a netting sleeve onto a tubular element, comprising;
 sliding a strand of netting sleeve material over a mandrel;   connecting said mandrel with said tubular element;   sliding said strand of said netting sleeve material along said mandrel and onto said tubular element;   separating said tubular element from said mandrel; and   cutting a netting sleeve from said strand of netting sleeve material between said mandrel and said tubular element; and   closing an end of said netting sleeve.   
     
     
         17 . The method for dispensing a netting sleeve as claimed in  claim 16 , further including the steps of supporting said mandrel on traction wheels; and sliding said strand of netting sleeve material between a surface of said mandrel and rolling surfaces of said traction wheels. 
     
     
         18 . The method for dispensing a netting sleeve as claimed in  claim 16 , further including the step of bundling up said netting sleeve over said tubular element. 
     
     
         19 . The method for dispensing a netting sleeve as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein each of said step of connecting and said step of separating includes a movement of said tubular element relative to said mandrel along an axis of said mandrel. 
     
     
         20 . The method for dispensing a netting sleeve as claimed in  claim 19 , further including the step of moving said first tubular element away from said axis and installing second tubular element along said axis and repeating said steps of connecting, sliding; separating; cutting and closing in relation with said second tubular element.