This invention relates to an arrangement for cutting the binding wires on bales, such as pulp bales, paper bales and the like.

Papenna ±ng pulp after its manufacture is pressed and bound with bind¬ ing wire to form bales to be transported to the paper mill. In the mill, the pulp is again to be solved , requiring the wire to be removed from the bales, ϊhe wire can be cut by hand or machine. In this connection, it is important to ensure that no wire follows along with the pulp, because this can cause severe damages on the equipment procrssing the papermaking pulp.

Various mechanical cutting arrangements are known, at which two opposed cutting steels with cutting teeth co-operate with each other. See, for example, EP-PS 4 923. By displacing the cutting steels relative to each other the binding wire is hooked-up between the teeth and cut. Special retaining means are located in connection to the cutting arrangements to prevent the wire from following along with the pulp.

According to the present invention, the binding wire of the bale can be cut effectively and simultaneously be retained in the cutting arrangement. Ηe characterizing features of the invention are apparent from the attached claims.

The invention is descrined in greater detail in the following, with reference to the accoπpanying Figures showing an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 1 shows an arrangement according to the invention where the cutting members are in position for de-wiring.

Fig. 2 shows the cutting members in connection to a bale,*.

Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the cutting members where a binding wire is in position to be cut.

Fig. -4 shows a detail in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a schematic lateral view of the cutting and, respectively, counter steels of the cutting members.

Fig. 6 is a view from above of the cutting and, respectively, counter steels of the cutting members.

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Fig. 7 shows the arrangement with the cutting members in lifted position.

Fig. 8 is a cross-section of an alternative design of the cutting members.

Fig. 9 is a schematic lateral view of the -cutting and counter steels of the cutting members in Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is a schematic lateral view of the cutting and clamp steels of the cuttingmembers in Fig. 8.

The arrangement shown comprises an conveyor 1 for transporting bales 2 to and traa. thδ de**-wiring station. In this station, a lifting means 3 for the bale is located which coπprises a vertically adjustable lifting plate 4 located below and a holding-on plate 5 above the same. Both these plates are provided with points 6 and, respectively, 7 for fixing the bale in lifted position.

Foldabll cutting arms 8 and, respectively, 9 are provided to be pressed against two neigl±ouring sides of the bale 2. Two wire holders 10 and, respectively, ϊl , preferably in the form of round bars, are provided to be folded down against the upper surface of the bale adjacent the sides where the cutting members make contact.

In connection to the cutting arms 8, 9, guide rails are located and intended to guide the cut-off binding wires to reeling means 13 of known desigi. ^"'

On the cuttin arms 8, 9, cutting members are located which are in the form of two long etitting and, respectively, counter steels 14 and, respectively, 15 which are movable relative one another. The mutual displacement of the cutting members is effected by means of a cylinder lβ, which is connected to the movable cutting member 14. The cutting member 14 is pr-σided ^' with a plurality of teeth 17, which have an upwardly projecting part 18. Beneath each of the teeth 17 a pocket 19 is located. The height of the pocket 19, which is defined by the lower flank 20- of the cutting tooth 17, decreases gradually inward

* beneath the tooth. The counter steel 15 also is provided with a plur¬ ality of teeth-21. The counter steel further has a bevelled portion 22, which extends from the side a distance inward beneath the teeth 17 of the cutting steel 14. Said bevelling in lies that the shortest

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distance between the counter steel 15 and the lower flank of the cutting teeth 17 is in the cutting position 23, i.e. in the place where the cutting takes place.

The pitch between the cutting teeth 17 varies along the cutting steel, so that no similtanesous cuttings take place. As an alternative, of course, the pitch between the teeth 21 of the counter steel can be varied. The stroke length of the cylinder is adjusted so ateato ensure that all binding wires are cut.

The cutting steel 14 is mounted in bearings between slide bearings 24 and, Bespectively, 25, of which the bearing 24 is designed so as to be able to take up forces perpendicularly to the bale side. The counter steel 15 is secured by screw in an attachment section 26, in which also a holder-on 27 is secured by screw. The cutting members 14, 15, thus, are held together between the attachment section 2β and holder-on 27 by means of a number of pretensioned screws. Said holder-on 27 also is designed so as to make an upsetting on the wire in connection with its cutting, see Fig. 3-

The embodiment shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10 di fers from the one described above substantially in that the cutting steel 28 is stationary and the counter steel 29 is movable. The teeth of the counter steel 29 are elongated so as to extend higher than the teeth 31 of the cutting steel. The cutting members in this version, besides, are provided with a movable clamp steel 3 comprising teeth 33 having the same pitch between the teeth as for the teeth 31. The clamp steel 32 is gάided by the slide bearing 34, which in its turn is screwn on the attachment section 35.

The bale 2 to be de-wired is transported by the conveyor 1 to the de- -wiring station where the position of the bale is indicated and the conveyor is stopped. The bale possibly also is straightened upward. The bale then is lifted by the lower lifting plate 4 against the upper holding-on plate 5 and fixed between these plates by means of the points 6, 7. The cutting arms 8, 9 are folded down and pressed against the bale. When the bale height exceeds about 400 mm, both cutting arms can operate simultaneously on different levels. At lower bale height the cutting arms must be positioned on the same level and operate in sequence one after the other.

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At the same time when the cuttimg arms 8,9 are folded down, also the wire holders 10,11 ^' are folded down against the upper surface of the bale 2 in order to fix the binding wires during the cutting oper¬ ation and the subsequent lifting of the wires to the reeling means.

The cutting is carried out in such a manner, that the cutting arms are brought to contact the bale 2 so that the teeth 17 of the cutting steel 14 with tjieir upwardly projecting portion 18 penetrate a distance into the bale, preferably about 5 mm. Thereafter the cutting steel 14 moves by means of the cylinder 16 whereby the binding wires are caught by the cutting teeth 17 and led down into the pocket 19 where the binding wire is clamped between the lower flank 20 of the cutting teeth and the bevelled portion 22 of the counter steel 15. Due to the shortest distance between the counter steel 15 and the lower flank of the cutting teeth being in the cutting position 23, the binding wire always is clamped most safely just in this position. The cutting then takes plac between the teeth 17 of the cutting steel and the teeth 21 of the counter steel. If the binding wire would be stretched to such an extent that it is torn before having arrived at the cutting position, the design of the pocket 19 and counter steel 15 will imply that the wire break will occur just in the cutting position 23. It is hereby ensured that the binding wire always breaks in this position, irrespective whether it is cut or torn. Owing to the varying pitch between the cutting teeth 17 along the cutting steel 14, no cuttings take place simultaneously. This prevents overload of the αutting arrangement and ensures troublefree de-wiring.

After the cutting, the cutting arms 8, 9 are folded upward and outward with the clamped wire ends. The wires are guided by the guide rails 12 inwat to the reeling means 13 at the same time as the wire holders 10, 11 are lifted upward. Simultaneously with the movement of the cutting members 14, 15 and their release of the wire ends, the reeling devices 13 sta_t rotating whereby the wires are reeled to bobbins, which are re ovted from the arrangement. The reeling of the wires takes place in a conventional manner by means of known equipment.

After the removal of the wires, the lifting plate 4 of the lifting means 3 is lowered, so that the bale 2 again is placed on the conveyor 1,

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which starts and carries away the de-wired bale for slushing at the same time as a new bale is transported to the de-wiring station, and the entire sequence is repeated.

At the embodiment according to Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the cutting coπmences with the teeth 30 of the counter steel 29 penetrating a distance into the bale. Upon movement of the counter steel 29,the binding wires are caught by the teeth 30 and moved into the pocket 19 beneath the teeth 31 of the cutting steel 28. The wires are cut after the same principle as at the embodiment described above. Simultaneously with the cutting, also a clanping takes place in that during the final part of the movement of the counter steel 29 the clamp steel 32 moves in the same direction and clamps the wires between the teeth 31 and 33. The movement is effected by means of a dog from the counter steel 29. The reciprocatory movement, for example, takes place by means of a spring.

The invention, of course, is not restricted to the embodiments described above, but can be varied within the scope of the invention idea.

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