US2692060A - Tobacco stick pulling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

R. D. JOY

TOBACCO STICK PULLING APPARA US Oct. 19, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 2, 1952 %-mmf,@Mm um data/77:27:

Oct. 19, 1954 R. D. JOY 2,6 2,060

TQBACCO STICK PULLING Filed Sept. 2, 1952 5 Sheets-sheet 2 I INVENTOR.

Raymond D. (/09 yam 11W 49m 14/! orxveys Oct. 19, 1954 R. o. JOY 2 692,060

TOBACCO STICK PULLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 2, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l 62 f \JO i T llllll II- l iflmmmmr W/ I INVENTOR.

Raymond 0. day

roam

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for facilitating the stripping of cured, looped tobacco from a lath or stick on which they are supported.

conventionally, bunches of tobacco leaves are cured by spacing said bunches longitudinally of a stick or lath, a single cord being extended length-wise of the stick, from side to side thereof, and being looped, at intervals spaced along its length, about the several bunches of tobacco leaves.

When the leaves have been properly cured, they must be removed from their associated stick, and heretofore, the operation has, in general, been carried out manually. It will be appreciated that this operation is somewhat tedious, particularly when a large number of sticks or laths are involved. In each instance, the card must be cut at several locations along its length, to disengage the bunched tobacco leaves from the loops of the cord, after which the freed bunches must be suitably stacked, and the cut lengths of cord removed from the stick.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a self-contained, unitary apparatus adapted, by reason of a novel arrangement of the components thereof, to cut the tobacco-engaging cord at the desired locations, stack the freed bunches of tobacco neatly, and clean the cut lengths of cord from the stick. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character referred to wherein the several operations set forth above will be carried out automatically, it being necessary merely that an attendant be provided for feeding the sticks carrying the bunches into one end of the apparatus, with an off-bearer being utilized at the other end of the apparatus to remove the cleaned sticks for re-use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the character referred to wherein means will be provided that will engage the freed bunches of tobacco when said bunches are cut away from the stick, in such a manner as to cause said bunches to fall into a neat stack.

Still another object of the invention is to provide, in an. apparatus of the character stated, a guideway for the tobacco sticks, said guideway being defined by a series of rollers so arranged relative to the stick fed through the guideway thereby as to cause said stick to be properly positioned within the guideway at all times, thereby to locate the stick properly for cutting of the cord.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as stated wherein a cord cleaning means will be provided, said cord cleaning means being so formed as to engage the several cut lengths of cords after the tobacco bunches have been freed, in a manner whereby said cut lengths will all be cleaned eificiently from the stick.

Yet another object is to provide an apparatus of the character referred to which will be simple in construction, rugged, and substantially trouble free in operation.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawings, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a stripping apparatus formed in accordance with the present invention, an upper feed belt being shown in section;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional View, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1, the apparatus being illustrated as it appears when in use during the stripping of bunches of tobacco from a stick;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, on an enlarged scale, showing that portion of the apparatus disposed at the inlet end thereof, as it appears when in use; and

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral H] has been applied generally, to designate a frame. It is proposed that this frame will be formed of fiat iron and angle iron material throughout, the several portions of the frame being welded or otherwise fixedly connected to provide a suitably rigid, open framework adapted to support the movable parts of the apparatus.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, the frame Ill includes a pair of inclined front legs l2 (Figure 2), and a pair of vertically disposed rear legs l 4. Referring to Figure l, the upper ends of the front and rear legs located at opposite sides of the frame are connected by outer side rails I 6 extending longitudinally of the frame, each side rail being welded or otherwise fixedly secured, at its opposite ends, to a front leg l2 and a rear leg I 4. A rear cross member i8 is rigid at its opposite ends with the rear ends of the side rails l6, and extends transversely of one end of the frame, a front cross member 28' being rigid at its opposite ends with the frcnt ends of the side rails, and extending transversely of the frame in parallelism with the cross member l8,

Extending longitudinally of the frame, in spaced, parallel relation, are outer longitudinal brace members 22, said brace members being welded at their opposite ends to the respective cross members I8, 20. Inner longitudinal brace members 24 are disposed in parallel relation, in close proximity to the longitudinal center line of the frame, the inner brace members 24 also being fixedly secured at their opposite ends to the cross members I8, 20.

Angular braces 28 can be provided (Figure 1), to rigidify the frame, said braces 26 extending between the cross member 20 and the respective front legs I2.

It will be understood that the frame can, of course, be braced at any other location, if de-' sired.

Disposed in longitudinal contact with the respective inner brace members 22 are support bars 21 (Figures 1 and 2), said support bars being formed of angle iron material, and overlying the respective inner brace members 22. The support bars 21 are coterminous with their associated brace members 22, and are adapted to provide supports for other parts of the apparatus to be described hereinafter.

Bolted or otherwise fixedly secured to the respective side rails Hi to the cross member 20, are elongated, flat support arms 28, said arms converging toward the front or inlet end of the apparatus, as best shown in Figure 1.

The convergent ends of the support arms 28 are spaced apart, at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the apparatus, and mounted on said convergent ends are parallel, fiat, extension arms 30. The extension arms 30 are in parallelism with the longitudinal center line of the frame, as shown in Figure 1, and are adjustable longitudinal of the frame, upon the support arms 28, for a purpose to be made apparent. To provide the adjustable connection of the extension arms 30 to their associated support arms 28, I form in each extension arm a longitudinal slot 3|, receiving a connecting bolt or equivalent fastening element 33, that projects upwardly through said slot, from the underlying end portion of the support arm 28. It will be understood that when the extension arm 30 of each support arm has been adjusted to a selected position longitudinally of the frame, the bolt 33 can be tightened or otherwise moved into clamping engagement with the extension arm, thus to hold the extension arm in the selected position to which it has been adjusted.

Formed in the free ends of the respective extension arms 30 are openings receiving vertically disposed stub shafts 32, the openings of the extension arms being of slot-like formation, as shown at 34, thus to permit the stub shafts to be shifted to selected positions longitudinally of their associated extension arms. In each position to which the stub shafts are shifted, they are fixedly retained by means of a lock nut 36 threaded upon the lower end of each stub shaft (Figure 2).

Carried by the stub shafts 32 are sleeve-type bearings, supporting pulleys 38. The pulleys 38 are spaced transversely of the frame, and constitute front guide pulleys for the bunches of tobacco T.

Trained about the respective pulleys 38 are tobacco carrier belts 40, said belts extending about rear tobacco guide pulleys 42 rotatably mounted upon stub shafts 44 extending upwardly from the inner ends of the extension arms 30.

The purpose of the slots 34 is to permit the respective pulleys 38, 42 to be adjusted as to the distance therebetween, thus to impart a selected amount of tension to the belts 4i! trained about said pulleys.

It will be understood that when the pulleys 38 and the pulleys 42 are oppositely rotated, the carrier belts 40 will engage between them the bunches of tobacco T in the manner shown in Figure 4, at a location spaced below the upper ends of said bunches, thus to center the bunches relative to a stick S associated therewith, as an initial step in the operation of stripping the bunches from the stick.

It is desirable that the leaves of the tobacco bunches be held against accidental entanglement with the rear pulleys 42, and to this end guard assemblies 46 are provided. Each guard assembly includes an arcuate plate, the plates of the guard assemblies extending about adjacent portions of the pulleys 42 in the manner shown in Figure 1, thus to keep the leaves of the tobacco bunches from becoming entangled with said pulleys. The arcuate plates of the guard assemblies are flanged at their lower ends (see Figure 2), and are bolted to the respective extension arms 30.

Mounted upon the mid-length portion of the cross member 28 is an upstanding fulcrum bracket 48, and welded or otherwise fixedly secured to said bracket, at a location intermediate the opposite ends of the bracket, is the inner end of a horizontally disposed knife support arm 50.

As will be noted from Figure 2, the knife support arm 50 is extended forwardly from the fulcrum bracket 48, the free or outer end of the knife support arm terminating above the guard assemblies 46, and being disposed immediately between the rear guide pulleys 42. Bolted or otherwise fixedly attached to said free end of the knife support arm 50 is a spreader plate 52, said plate being of substantially triangular formation (see Figure 1), and having a pointed end coinciding with the longitudinal center line of the apparatus. From Figure 3, it will be seen that the pointed end of the spreader plate 52 is so disposed as to extend between the upper or cord engaged ends of the tobacco bunches T, thus to cause said upper ends of the bunches to be urged laterally and outwardly from the opposite sides of this stick S from which the bunches are suspended.

Integral with the rearwardly diverging side edges of the spreader plate 52 are upwardly inclined, laterally projected knives 54, having cutting edges disposed obliquely to the path of movement of the stick S. As a result, when the upper ends of the bunches are spread by the plate 52, the cord 0, which is looped about the upper ends of the several bunches, will be tensioned, and will be disposed transversely of the cutting edges of the knives. By reason of the oblique disposition of said cutting edges, said cords will be cut, during movement of the stick longitudinally of the apparatus, the cord being cut at several locations spaced along its length, at opposite sides of the stick.

It is desirable that the stick S be disposed in a predetermined position while being fed through the apparatus, to insure the proper location of the cord C relative to the cutting edges of the knives 54, and to this end, a front presser roller 56 is provided, spaced vertically of and above the spreader plate and knives. Trained about the front presser roller 55 is a wide presser belt 58, said belt being adapted to engage the top surface of the stick S when the stick is fed along the guideway provided therefor on the frame.

The purpose of the belt 58 is to hold the cut lengths of the cord C upon the stick, at this stage of the operation, said belt also serving to retain the stick in a predetermined position in which it is aligned longitudinally with the longitudinal center line of the apparatus.

The belt 58 is of the endless type and is trained about a rear presser roll 60, the rear presser roll being formed to a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the front presser roll 56.

To provide for a rotatable mounting of the front presser roll 56, said front presser roll is mounted upon a shaft 62 journaled at its opposite ends in the opposite legs of a U-shaped yoke or bracket 54. The bracket 64 is provided with a stud 66, said stud being fixedly secured to the bight of the bracket, and extending into one end of a tubular rock arm 68. The end of the arm 56 into which the stud 65 extends is formed (Figure 3) with a longitudinal slot it receiving a lug l2 projecting laterally and outwardly from the stud 66.

The stud 66 is threaded, as shown in Figure 3, and engaged with the threads of the stud is an adjusting nut 13, bearing upon the adjacent end of the arm 68.

It will be understood that on rotation of the adjusting nut 73, the bracket M will be adjusted toward or away from the adjacent end of the arm 68, as desired, this adjustment being for the purpose of imparting a proper tension to the belt 58.

Rigid with that end of the arm 68 remote from the pulley 56 is the bight of a U-shaped yoke it, the legs of which embrace the rear presser roller Bil. Journaled at its opposite ends in said legs of the yoke 76 is a shaft 18 on which the roller 50 is rotatably mounted.

The ends of the shaft 18 project beyond their associated legs of the yoke 16, and are received in openings formed in the upper ends of vertically disposed standards 80. In this way, the yoke 16 is connected at opposite sides thereof to the standards 8%], the connection being a pivotal connection.

Intermediate its opposite ends, the rockable arm 68 is embraced by and is supported upon the upper end of the fulcrum bracket 48, said bracket 48 being formed, at said upper end thereof, with fork arms lli straddling the arm 8%.

By reason of this arrangement, it is seen that on upward movement of the standards 85], the pulley or roller 66 will be shifted upwardly, the arm 68 rocking about a transverse axis disposed at a location corresponding to that at which the arm 68 is supported upon the bracket 48. Up ward movement of the roller 66 will, of course, result in downward movement of the roller 55.

Intermediate the opposite ends of the respective standards 80, I provide stick guide rollers 82, said rollers rotating in horizontal planes, and being spaced laterally of the longitudinal center line of the apparatus, as shown in Figure l. The rollers 82 engage opposite sides of the stick S, to aid in the proper positioning of the stick during movement of the stick from end to end of the frame.

The portions of the standards Bl) on which the guide rollers 82 are rotatably mounted are reduced relative to the upper ends of said standards, and are slidable in support sleeves 84 rigidly mounted upon the respective support barsZ'l.

The lower ends of'the standards project below the sleeves 84, as shown in Figure 2, and circumposed about said lower ends of the stand-- ards are coiled compression springs 86, said springs having their upper ends abutting against the undersides of the support bars 21, and their lower ends abutting against cross pins 88 provided upon the standards 80.

By reason of this construction, it will be seen that a stick S fed under the rear presser roller 68 will urge said presser roller upwardly, against the restraining action of the springs 86. When, however, the stick has passed'fully beyond the rear presser roller, the springs 86, tending to expand, will return the rear presser roller to the normal position thereof shown in Figure 2, in which position the front presser roller 56 will be elevated to a sufiicient extent to receive the next stick S to be fed through the machine.

The tobacco earrierbelts 40 are adapted to be driven from a suitable source of power, and to this end, drive belts 90 are provided, said drive belts being trained about drive pulleys 94 mounted upon the opposite ends of a drive shaft 96. The drive shaft 96 is disposed transversely of the frame, and is journaled in bearings 98 mounted upon the respective support bars '21.

For the purpose of rotating the drive shaft 56 at a selected rate of speed, I provide reduction gearing designated generally at I00, said reduction gearing being powered from a motor H12 mounted upon a motor support plate 104 secured to the frame Ill.

The drive belts 90 are extended about driven pulleys 92, said pulleys being keyed or otherwise secured to the upper ends of the stub shafts 94.

By reason of this construction, it is seen that operation of the motor Hi2 will be effective to transmit movement to the carrier belts 40, at a selected, reduced rate of speed.

To further assist in the proper positioning of the stick S during movement of said stick longitudinally of the frame, and also to provide a means for feeding the stick longitudinally of the apparatus, I provide a stick feed roller IGB, said roller being keyed or otherwise attached to the drive shaft 96, for rotation with said drive shaft. The feed roller I06 is mounted for rotation in a vertical plane, and is aligned with the longitudinal center line of the guideway through which the stick S is to be fed, as best shown in Figure 1. The feed roller I05 is disposed below and slightly forwardly of the rear presser roller 60, and engages the underside of the stick, to insure movement of said stick along the guideway, in cooperation with the presser roller 60, which will be exerting a downward pressure against the upper surface of the stick tending to hold the stick in frictional engagement with the feed roller I 06.

Mounted rearwa'rdly of and aligned with the roller I06 is in idler roller I08, mounted rotatably upon a shaft journaled at its opposite ends between the support bars 21.

As shown in Figure 2, a cord wiping means l in is provided, said means being mounted upon the bracket 76, adjacent the periphery of the rear presser roller 60. The means H0 is formed as an angular finger, and has the function of engaging any cut lengths of cord that may tend to stick to the belt 58 when the stick S passes out from under the pulley 60.

It may be noted that when a cord C is attached to a stick S, the opposite ends of said cord are tied about the respective ends of thestick, and accordingly, will not have been cut by the knives 54, said knives acting only upon those portions of the cord looped about the bunches of tobacco leaves '1'. Therefore, means H4 is provided, that cuts the cord at the opposite ends of the stick, said means comprising a hook-shaped knife pivotally mounted upon a bracket I I2 and spring urged in a direction to hold the cutting or hook-shaped end of the knife against the underside of the stick.

As a last step in the operation, the cut lengths of cord are cleaned from the stick so as to leave the stick ready for re-use. The means for cleaning the cut lengths of cord from the stick has been shown in Figures 1 and 2, and comprises a frame H6 of inverted U-shape, the legs of which are connected to the respective support bars 21. The frame H6 is disposed in a plane obliquely related to the stick S moving thereunder, and has a plurality of depending, spring steel fingers H8 adapted to wipe over the upper surface and sides of the stick. Thus, when the stick passes under the finger support frame H6, said fingers will flex as shown in Figure 2, and will engage the cut lengths of cord to clean said lengths from the stick.

Considering the functional characteristics of the apparatus, it may be noted, at the outset, that conventionally, the sticks 6 may vary as to cross sectional shape and size. Further, it is common practice for the cord to be knotted at one end to the stick, said cord being extended from side to side of the stick as shown in Figure 3, and being looped, at intervals spaced along its length, around the upper ends of the bunches T, said bunches being thus suspended from opposite sides of the stick. When the stick, with the bunches suspended therefrom, is fed into the inlet end of the apparatus, it moves into a guideway disposed longitudinally and centrally of the apparatus, and defined by the several rollers 55, 60, 82, W6, and H18.

As the front end of the stick is engaged by the presser belt 58 and the front presser roller 56, the first bunch of tobacco leaves will be engaged, intermediate its ends, between the pulleys 38, thus to center the bunches relative to the stick S in the manner shown in Figure 3.

As the stick continues its movement along the guideway, the ponted end of the spreader plate will extend between the cord-engaged upper ends of the bunches, and will bias said upper ends outwardly from the opposite sides of the stick, thus to tension the cord C at locations spaced along its length, and position said cord for cutting by the knives 54.

Even though the bunches will now have been cut away from the stick, they will be held upwardly, at this stage of the operation, by reason of their engagement between the carrier belts 40. When, however, the bunches move out of engagement with said carrier belts, they will gravitate to a location below the frame. By reason of the momentum given the bunches due to movement of said bunches along the carrier belts, said bunches will tend to fall toward the right when they are viewed as in Figure 2, as they gravitate to the floor surface.

Meanwhile, the lower ends of the bunches will have been engaged by a trip bar I20 extending between and fixedly connected at its opposite ends to the respective inclined legs E2. The re- 8 sult will be that the bunches will fall in the manner shown in Figure 2, and will be disposed horizontally when they strike the fioor surface, thus to be neatly stacked upon said surface.

As the stick continues its movement along the guideway, the front end of the stick will be engaged between the rear presser roller 60 and the pulleys I06, I08. The roller 69 will shift upwardly against the action of the springs 86, in the manner hereinbefore described, to accommodate sticks of different cross sectional thicknesses, while still holding said sticks properly positioned in the guideway. Movement of the sticks laterally of the guideway is prevented, of course, by the side guide rollers 82, which will be in rollable engagement with the opposite side surfaces of the stick.

The cut lengths of cord will, at this stage of the operation, be held in engagement with the stick S by the belt 58.

As the stick passes out of engagement with the rollers 60, I06, I08, any out lengths tending to adhere to the belt 58 will be wiped therefrom by the means Hll. The knotted ends of the cord will then be cut by the knife H4, and any remaining lengths of cord on the stick will be cleaned therefrom by the fingers I It.

It will be seen that the apparatus constituting the present invention is thus capable of receiving sticks having conventionally suspended bunches of tobacco, the apparatus automatically acting upon the sticks, bunches, and cord in a manner effective to cut the bunches away, stack them neatly in a pile beneath the frame, and clean the sticks for subsequent re use.

It is believed clear that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles of operation and the means presently devised to carry out said principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in c0nstruction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for stripping bunches of tobacco leaves from sticks at opposite sides of which they are suspended by a cord looped thereabout, com-' prising: a frame having a guideway; stick-feeding means on the frame disposed adjacent said guideway and arranged for feeding a stick therealong; a spreader mounted in the guideway for urging the cord-engaged bunches laterally and outwardly from the respective sides of their associated stick, thereby to tension said cord; knife means on the frame disposed adjacent said spreader in the path of the tensioned cord for cutting the same, thereby to free the cord-engaged bunches for gravitation from the stick; and cord-wiping means on the frame disposed proximate the guideway to clean cut lengths of cord from the stick.

2. Apparatus for stripping bunches of tobacco leaves from a stick at opposite sides of which they are suspended in a longitudinal series by a single cord looped about the stick, comprising: a frame having an elongated, longitudinal guideway; stick-feeding means on the frame disposed adjacent said guideway and arranged for feeding a stick therealong; a spreader mounted in the guideway for urging successively following,

cord-engaged bunches laterally and outwardly from the respective sides of their associated stick on feeding of the stick longitudinally of the guideway, thereby to tension said cord; knife means on the frame disposed in close proximity to said spreader in the path of the tensioned cord for cutting the same, thereby to free the cordengaged bunches for gravitation from the stick; and cord-wiping means on the frame disposed proximate the guideway in the path of the cut lengths of cord, to clean said cut lengths from the stick.

3. Apparatus for stripping bunches of tobacco leaves from a stick at opposite sides of which they are suspended in a longitudinal series by a single cord looped about the stick, comprising: a frame having an elongated, longitudinal guideway; a series of rollers on the frame spaced longitudinally of said guideway and arranged for feeding a stick therealong; a spreader mounted in the guideway below the roller at one end of the series, for urging successively following, cordengaged bunches laterally and outwardly from the respective sides of their associated stick responsive to feeding of the stick longitudinally of the guideway, thereby to tension said cord; knife means on the frame disposed in close proximity to said spreader in the path of the tensioned cord for cutting the same, thereby to free the cordengaged bunches for gravitation from the stick; and cord wiping means on the frame disposed proximate the guideway in the path of the cut lengths of cord, to clean said out lengths from the stick.

4. Apparatus for stripping bunches of tobacco leaves from a stick at opposite sides of which they are suspended in a longitudinal series by a single cord looped about the stick, comprising: a frame having an elongated, longitudinal guideway; a series of rollers on the frame spaced longitudinally of said guideway and arranged for feeding a stick therealong; a triangular spreader plate mounted in the guideway below the roller at one end of the roller series and having a pointed end extending between the bunches for urging successively following, cord-engaged bunches laterally and outwardly from the respective sides of their associated stick responsive to feeding of the stick longitudinally of the guideway, thereby to tension said cord; a pair of knives formed upon opposite sides of the spreader plate in the path of the tensioned cord for cutting the same, thereby to free the cord-engaged bunches for gravitation from the stick; and cord-wiping means on the frame disposed proximate the guideway adjacent the other end of said series of rollers in the path of the cut lengths of cord, and adapted for cleaning said cut lengths from the stick.

5. Apparatus for stripping bunches of tobacco leaves from a stick at opposite sides of which they are suspended in a longitudinal series by a single cord looped about the stick, comprising: a frame having an elongated, longitudinal guideway; a series of rollers on the frame spaced longitudinally of said guideway and arranged for feeding a stick therealong; means associated with at least one of said rollers yieldably urging the same in the direction of the guideway and adapted for disposing said stick in a predetermined position within the guideway; a triangular spreader plate mounted in the guideway below the roller at one end of the roller series and having a pointed end extendible between the bunches when said stick is positioned within the guideway for urging successively following, cordengaged bunches laterally and downwardly from the respective sides of their associated stick responsive to feeding of the stick longitudinally of the guideway, thereby to tension said cord; a pair of knives formed upon opposite sides of the spreader plate and disposed in the path of the tensioned cord in said position of the stick for cutting said cord, thereby to free the cordengaged bunches for gravitation from the stick; and cord-wiping means on the frame disposed proximate the guideway adjacent the other end of said series of rollers in the path of the cut lengths of cord, and adapted for cleaning said out lengths from the stick.

6. Apparatus for stripping bunches of tobacco leaves from a stick at opposite sides of which they ar suspended in a longitudinal series by a single cord looped about the stick, comprising: a frame having an elongated, longitudinal guideway; pairs of pulleys mounted on the frame at opposite sides of and below one end of said guideway; belts trained about the pulleys of said pairs to provide means engaging said bunches at opposite sides thereof to center the bunches relative to their associated stick; a series of rollers on the frame spaced longitudinally of said guideway and arranged for feeding a stick therealong; means associated with at least one of said rollers yieldably urging the same in the direction of the guideway and adapted for disposing said stick in a predetermined position thereon; a triangular spreader plate mounted in the guideway below the roller at one end of the roller series and having a pointed end extendible between the upper ends of the centered bunches for urging successively following, cord-engaged bunches laterally and outwardly from the respective sides of their associated stick responsive to feeding of the stick longitudinally of the guideway, thereby to tension said cord; a pair of knives formed upon opposite sides of the spreader plate in the path of the tensioned cord for cutting the same, thereby to free the cord-engaged bunches for gravitation from the stick; and cord-wiping means on the frame disposed proximate the guideway adjacent the other end of said series of rollers in the path of th cut lengths of cord, and adapted for cleaning said out lengths from the stick.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,862,192 Michaux, Jr, June 7, 1932 2,131,499 Cruse Sept. 2'7, 1938 2,463,276 I-Irabarchuk Mar. 1, 1949 2,538,698 McNeill Jan. 16, 1951

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