Machine for automatically tying the ends of sausages and the like

An automatic machine which at each cycle forms a knot in a cord about an object, comprising a frame, a source of supply of a cord, means for feeding the cord from its source of supply,

• two coaxial tubes carried by the frame and presenting a passage therewithin adapted to contain the object to be tied, such tubes being disposed end to end, means selectively driving at least one of the tubes to move them relatively toward and away from each other in an axial direction;
• a rotor carried by one of the tubes, means guiding it for rotation so as to be turned about such tube, and driving means for turning the rotor;
• a cord pressing means carried by the rotor, and driving means therefor permitting it, during rotation of the rotor, to move in a path substantially parallel to the axis of the tubes between a retracted position and an advanced position, such cord pressing means being provided with a pressing member associated with means for moving it permitting it to be moved to press the cord or free it;
• means for retaining the cord located in the proximity of the tubes in a longitudinal position intermediate between the retracted position and the advanced position of the cord pressing means, driving means for the cord retaining means for reciprocating it radially with respect to the tubes between a position in which it engages one of the tubes and a retracted position in which it moves radially outwardly from such tube;
• a separator guided in a path passing in proximity to the cord pressing means to an angular position determined by the cord pressing means, the separator being adapted to engage the run of the cord held between the cord presser and the tubes, and driving means for the separator which moves it along such path;
• a cord gripping means disposed to be positioned on the path of the cord pressing means and to grip the cord at the end of the cycle so as to permit the renewal of the supply of the cord by the cord pressing means, and means for operating selectively to open and close it;
• the cord gripping means which permits its closing or its opening;
• a cord cutting means, driving means for the cutting means which moves at least one cutting blade with which the cutting means is provided to cross the path of the cord between the cord pressing means and one of the tubes so as to cut the cord, after which it retracts the cutting means from the path of the cord;
• and control means adapted to start or stop the actions of the driving means and the means for moving the various above-defined operating means at appropriate times in the cycle.