Operable sealing mechanism for a strapping band

An operable sealing mechanism comprising:

• a first gripper for holding a top end of a strapping band, which is annularly placed around an article to be strapped;
• a band driving roller for feeding out the strapping band and winding the strapping band around the article by pulling back the strapping band to tension while the top end of the strapping band is held;
• a second gripper for holding a rear portion of the strapping band wound around the article to keep the strapping band wound around the article;
• and
• a compression member for cutting the rear portion of the strapping band and pressing and bonding the top end and the rear portion together, the strapping band being kept wound;
• an engageable pawl holding unit further provided on a rear side of the second gripper;
• the engageable pawl holding unit comprising:
• an engageable pawl member provided so as to be swingable along a feeding path of the strapping band;
• a holding member provided on an opposite side of the engageable pawl member across the feeding path of the strapping band;
• and
• a spring unit having a spring directly connected to and urging the engageable pawl member forwardly in a feeding direction of the feeding path so as to press a pawl tip of the engageable pawl member against the strapping band;
• wherein the engageable pawl member allows the strapping band to move in a direction to pull back and prevents the strapping band from being fed out in the feeding direction by sandwiching and holding the strapping band between the pawl tip and the holding member when a force for feeding the strapping band in the feeding direction is applied to the strapping band.