Yarn knotter and method for forming two knots in one yarn

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a yarn knotter for forming two knots in a pair of yarn strands. The yarn knotter comprises a drive pulley that is intermittently rotatable about a drive axis, and a knotter hook that is rotatably driven by the drive pulley about a knotter axis, for forming two consecutive knots in the pair of yarn strands by two complete revolutions of the knotter hook with one revolution of the drive pulley. Furthermore, the yarn knotter comprises a yarn holder for clamping the pair of yarn strands between a first clamping element and a second clamping element of the yarn holder that is rotatably driven by the drive pulley, as well as a yarn knife for severing the pair of yarn strands.

[0002] Twine knotters or tying machines are primarily used in mobile baling presses for forming bundles of straw, hay, silage, and similar materials, as well as in the recycling industry, for example, for bundling paper, textiles, thin sheet metal, and the like. Tying or bundling devices equipped with such twine knotters can also be part of packaging systems for tying packs, bales, or bundles made of other suitable materials.

[0003] In stationary or mobile bale or large bale presses, the material to be pressed is compacted into a generally rectangular cross-section bale chamber and pressed into a rectangular bale. This bale is then divided into cuboid-shaped bales (also commonly called square bales). The top and bottom sides, as well as the outer sides, are strapped lengthwise along the bale chamber with several strands of twine, which are then knotted before the bale is ejected.

[0004] A twine knotter as described above is known, for example, from EP 1 745 691 B1. Several of these twine knotters are jointly driven by a knotter shaft. Each twine knotter has a drive disk that is threaded onto the knotter shaft and connected to it in a rotationally fixed manner. The drive disk has several toothed sections over partial circumferences that mesh with pinions of drive components, such as the knotter hook and the rotatable clamping element of the twine holder, in order to drive them in rotation. The toothed sections are combined into two groups of toothed sections, each of which serves to form one of the two knots. The toothed sections of a group are arranged at different diameters and offset from one another over the circumference. The pinions of the drive components are also offset from one another over the circumference and arranged on the diameter of the respective toothed section.The toothed sections for driving the twine holder are arranged in the direction of rotation of the drive disc in advance of the toothed sections driving the knotter hook in such a way that when a knot is formed, the twine holder begins to rotate before the knotter hook.

[0005] With this arrangement, two knots can be tied with one full rotation of the drive pulley. Twine holders with a driver and a twine holder are used. The driver consists of several spaced-apart driver discs, between which a comb-like twine holder engages. The driver is driven to rotate around a driver axis, which is aligned approximately in the direction of the yarn feed to the knotter. The twine is then clamped between the driver and the twine holder.

[0006] A disadvantage of the described yarn knotter according to the state of the art is that between the formation of two knots a yarn residue is created which is not knotted with the pair of yarn strands on the bundle and falls loosely onto the bundle as waste.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to provide a yarn knotter and a method for forming knots in which yarn residue is avoided.

[0008] The problem is solved by a twine knotter having a drive pulley driven intermittently about a drive axis and a knotter hook driven by the drive pulley to rotate about a knotter axis for forming two successive knots in the pair of twine strands by two complete revolutions of the knotter hook for one revolution of the drive pulley. Furthermore, the twine knotter has a twine holder for clamping the pair of twine strands between a first clamping element and a second clamping element of the twine holder driven rotatably by the drive pulley, as well as a twine knife for severing the pair of twine strands. The rotatable second clamping element of the twine holder is driven by the drive pulley to rotate about a twine holder axis in such a way that the rotatable second clamping element completes two revolutions for one revolution of the drive pulley.Furthermore, the twine holder axis and the knotter axis form an angle of less than 45° with each other when viewed in the direction of the drive shaft.

[0009] This twine knotter, in the form of a double knotter in which two knots are tied with one full rotation of the drive pulley, uses a rotatable second clamping element of the twine holder which, in contrast to known twine knotters, is driven to rotate about a twine holder axis which forms an angle of less than 45° with the knotter axis. The twine holder axis is aligned transversely to the feed direction of the twine strand pair. With this design of the twine knotter, in which the rotatable second clamping element of the twine holder completes two full rotations with one full rotation of the drive pulley, the twine knife pulls the twine strand pair out of the twine holder after the second knot has been formed without severing it. This is achieved by the complete rotation of the rotatable second clamping element at the time the twine knife reaches the twine strand pair after the second knot has been formed.This is because the pair of yarn strands is no longer clamped in the yarn holder and can be pulled out of the yarn holder by the yarn knife.

[0010] A further advantage is that the knotting hook rotates in the same direction for both knots, ensuring that both knots are tied in the same direction. Preferably, a twisted yarn is used, which, when the knotting hook rotates in the specified direction, is slightly unraveled against the twist direction of the yarn. Because no yarn tail is created during knotting, a longer yarn tail is available when the loop is pulled over the knotting hook and thus for knotting. This allows two loop knots to be tied one after the other, which are stronger than pull-through knots.

[0011] In this arrangement, in an exemplary embodiment of the twine knotter, the twine holder axis and the knotter axis can enclose an angle of less than 40°, in particular less than 35°, with each other when viewed in the direction of the drive shaft.

[0012] Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment of the twine knotter, the twine holder axis and the knotter axis can enclose an angle of more than 15°, in particular more than 20°, with each other when viewed in the direction of the drive shaft.

[0013] The yarn holder axis may intersect the drive axis or cross it at a distance less than an outer diameter of the drive pulley.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment, the twine knotter may further comprise a knot removal lever for stripping a first loop in the twine strand pair and forming the first knot after a full rotation of the knotter hook. Thus, a loop for forming a knot can be actively removed from the knotter hook to ensure secure knot formation.

[0015] A yarn knife for cutting the pair of yarn strands can be arranged on the knot puller lever so that the pair of yarn strands can be cut during or after the loop is pulled off to form the first knot.

[0016] Alternatively, the yarn knife can also be arranged on the rotatable second clamping element of the yarn holder, so that the cutting of the pair of yarn strands can take place independently of the pulling off of the loop to form the first knot.

[0017] The first clamping element of the yarn holder can be stationary. The stationary first clamping element and the rotatable second clamping element of the yarn holder can each have a recess extending radially to the yarn holder axis for receiving the pair of yarn strands.

[0018] The first clamping element and the rotatable second clamping element of the yarn holder can each have mutually facing clamping surfaces for clamping the pair of yarn strands. The clamping surfaces facing each other in the direction of the yarn holder axis can be conical and complementary to each other. The mutually facing clamping surfaces can also be flat, for example, at a right angle to the yarn holder axis.

[0019] To drive the second clamping element of the twine holder, the drive pulley can have two twine holder toothing sections, each extending partially circumferentially around the drive axis and having the same radial distance from the drive axis. To drive the knotter hook, the drive pulley can have two knotter hook toothing sections, each extending partially circumferentially around the drive axis and having the same radial distance from the drive axis.

[0020] When the drive pulley is driven in rotation, the twine holder toothing sections overlap with a pinion of the second clamping element of the twine holder at certain rotation angles, meshing with it and thus driving it. At a different radius, the knotter hook toothing sections overlap with a pinion of the knotter hook at certain rotation angles, meshing with it and driving it.

[0021] The twine holder toothed sections and the knotter hook toothed sections are divided into groups of one twine holder toothed section and one knotter hook toothed section each to form one of the two knots. The groups of toothed sections are arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction, so that the second clamping element and the knotter hook are each driven intermittently twice in succession during one rotation of the drive disk to form two knots consecutively.

[0022] The twine holder toothing sections and the knotter hook toothing sections can each be arranged at different distances from the drive axis.

[0023] Alternatively, it can also be provided that the twine holder toothed section and the knotter hook toothed section of a group of toothed sections for forming one of the knots are each formed by a common toothed section. This means that the twine holder toothed sections and the knotter hook toothed sections are arranged at the same distance from the drive axis. The two toothed sections therefore each serve both to drive the second clamping element of the twine holder and to drive the knotter hook. The common toothed sections are arranged offset from one another around the circumference.

[0024] Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method for forming two knots in a yarn by means of a yarn knotter described above, the method comprising the following process sequence: 1. Feeding a pair of yarn strands by means of a yarn feed device over the knotting hook to the yarn holder, 2. Rotating the knotting hook through a full revolution to form a first loop in the pair of yarn strands for a first knot, 3. Rotating the rotatable second clamping element to clamp the pair of yarn strands in the yarn holder, wherein the rotation of the rotatable second clamping element begins after at least partial rotation of the knotting hook and at least partial formation of the first loop, 4. Severing the pair of yarn strands between the knotting hook and the yarn holder after the pair of yarn strands has been clamped in the yarn holder, 5. Pulling the first loop off the knotting hook to form the first knot, 6. Feeding the pair of yarn strands by means of the yarn feed device from the yarn holder over the knotting hook, 7. Rotating the knotting hook through a full revolution to form a second loop in the pair of yarn strands for a second knot, 8.Rotating the rotatable second clamping element to release the pair of yarn strands from the yarn holder, wherein the rotation of the rotatable second clamping element begins only after at least partial rotation of the knotting hook and at least partial formation of the first loop, and 9. Pulling the second loop off the knotting hook to form the second knot.

[0025] The fact that, after at least partial rotation of the knotting hook and at least partial formation of the loop for the second knot, the pair of yarn strands clamped in the yarn holder is released by rotating the rotating clamping element ensures that the yarn knife can no longer sever the pair of yarn strands. Instead, the yarn knife pulls the pair of yarn strands out of the released yarn holder. This prevents yarn residue.

[0026] The severing of the pair of yarn strands after the formation of the second knot can be carried out by further rotating the rotatable second clamping element, wherein the yarn knife is arranged on the rotatable second clamping element and severing the pair of yarn strands.

[0027] The pulling off of the first loop to form the first knot and the pulling off of the second loop to form the second knot can be done by moving a knot pulling lever.

[0028] The twine pair can also be severed using a twine knife on the knot-pulling lever when the loop is pulled off the knotter hook. In this case, no twine knife is located on the rotating second clamping element. Alternatively, the twine pair can also be severed using a fixed twine knife on a knotter frame.

[0029] In an exemplary embodiment of the method, it can be provided that the first clamping element is stationary and, like the rotatable second clamping element, has a recess extending radially to the yarn holder axis for receiving the pair of yarn strands. To clamp the pair of yarn strands after at least partially forming the first loop, the rotatable second clamping element is rotated to a rotational position in which the recess of the rotatable second clamping element and the recess of the first clamping element are oriented so as to overlap with one another. The pair of yarn strands is then fed into the recesses of the two clamping elements, and finally the rotatable second clamping element is rotated further until the pair of yarn strands is clamped between the clamping surfaces of the clamping elements.

[0030] After the pair of yarn strands has been cut, the rotatable second clamping element can be rotated further until the rotation position at the beginning of the rotation is reached and the rotation is paused.

[0031] An embodiment of a twine knotter according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. Figure 1 a side view in the direction of the axis of the knotter shaft of a twine knotter mounted on a baler for forming two knots, Figure 2 the twine knotter according to Figure 1 with the knotter hook and the twine holder in a starting position when feeding the twine strand pair by means of the press needle, Figure 3 the twine knotter according to Figure 1 with the knotter hook in an intermediate position and the twine holder in a starting position after feeding the twine strand pair, Figure 4 the twine knotter according to Figure 1with the knotter hook after a full turn to form a loop for a first knot and the twine holder in an intermediate position, Figure 5 the twine knotter according to Figure 1 after cutting the pair of twine strands between the knotter hook and the twine holder, Figure 6, the twine knotter according to Figure 1 with the knotter hook and the twine holder in a starting position when the twine pair is fed again via the knotter hook starting from the twine holder, Figure 7 the twine knotter according to Figure 1 shortly before the second knot is pulled off, Figure 8 is a perspective view of the twine holder, Figure 9 is a further perspective view of the twine holder, Figure 10 is a side view of a pressed bale strapped with twine, and Figure 11 is a side view in the direction of the axis of the knotter shaft of a twine knotter attached to a baler for forming two knots in an alternative embodiment.

[0032] In Figure 1an upper wall 1 of a press channel 2 is shown, through which the material to be pressed, e.g. straw, is conveyed in the conveying direction 3, whereby a pressed bale 29 is formed from the material to be pressed. Above the upper wall 1, a knotter shaft 4 extending transversely across the width of the press channel 2 is rotatably mounted about a drive axis A, on which, depending on the width of the press channel 2, several twine knotters 10 can be arranged. Each twine knotter 10 is assigned a binding twine loop or strapping made of a first twine strand 5 and a second twine strand 7, which in the embodiment of the Figure 1 by forming two knots, which are produced by the twine knotter 10. From the front side (not shown) of the pressed bale 29 leading in the conveying direction 3, which is in the Figure 1The first twine strand 5 of the binding twine runs over the top of the bale 29 and is located to the right of the twine knotter 10 as shown in the illustration. The first twine strand 5 is held by not shown Figure 1 held taut by means arranged to the left of the twine knotter 10. A strand section is tensioned by means arranged outside the twine knotter 10. A press needle 6 of a yarn feed device guides a second yarn strand 7 of the binding twine upwards from below around the rear end of the pressed bale 29 in the direction of arrow 8, so that the second yarn strand 7 can be brought together with the first yarn strand 5 in the area of ​​the twine knotter 10 to form a yarn strand pair 5, 7 and knotted.

[0033] The twine knotter 10 comprises a knotter hook 9 which is pivoted in a knotter frame 11 about an angle transverse to the knotter shaft 4, preferably radially, according to Figure 1obliquely upwards directed knotter axis K is rotatable and is driven about this knotter axis K via a pinion 12.

[0034] A yarn knife 13 is arranged to be movable transverse to the yarn strands 5, 7 in order to cut the yarn after knot formation.

[0035] A knot removal lever 14 is pivotally mounted about an axis E of a shaft journal 15 in a bearing in the knotter frame 11 and is thereby guided by a roller which is in Figure 1 located behind the shaft journal 15 and therefore not visible, which is guided in a groove 17 of a drive pulley 20 driven to rotate about the drive axis A. The non-circular course of the groove 17 causes the pivoting movement of the knot removal lever 14 for removing a knot from the knotting hook 9.

[0036] A twine holder 18 holds the twine strands 5, 7 in position during certain working phases of the knotter hook 9 and the twine knife 13. The twine holder 18 comprises a first clamping element 21 and a rotatable second clamping element 22. In the illustrated embodiment, the first clamping element 21 is stationary relative to the knotter frame 11. The rotatable second clamping element 22 is rotatable about a twine holder axis G. The twine holder axis G and the knotter axis K, viewed in the direction of the drive axis A, form an angle of approximately 22° with each other. The rotatable second clamping element 22 is mounted by a shaft 39 in a bearing on the knotter frame 11. The rotatable second clamping element 22 is driven via a pinion 19.

[0037] For double knotters according to the example shown Figure 1Two nodes are generated during one revolution of the drive disk 20. The pinions 12, 19 are driven by two groups, in the illustrated embodiment of pairs, of toothed sections 23, 24 and 25, 26, respectively, which are arranged on the Figure 1are arranged on the flat side of the drive disk 20 facing the viewer in the region of its outer edge. The two toothed sections 24, 26 (yarn holder toothed sections) for driving the yarn holder 18 are identical to one another and have the same radial distance from the drive axis A of the drive disk 20, so that when the drive disk 20 rotates, they can only engage with the pinion 19 for driving the rotatable second clamping element 22. The two toothed sections 23, 25 (knotting hook toothed sections) for driving the knotting hook 9 are also identical to one another and have the same radial distance from the drive axis A of the drive disk 20, wherein the toothed sections 23, 25 (knotting hook toothed sections) for driving the knotting hook 9 are arranged radially further outward than the toothed sections 24, 26 (twine holder toothed sections) for driving the twine holder 18.The toothed sections 24, 26 (twine holder toothed sections) for driving the twine holder 18 are arranged such that they only drive the pinion 12 for driving the knotting hook 9.

[0038] Figure 11 shows an alternative design of the toothed sections, wherein components which are identical to components of the embodiment according to Figures 1 to 7 corresponds, are provided with the same reference numerals. According to the alternative embodiment, the pinions 12, 19 are driven by two individual toothed sections 38, 39, which have the same distance from the drive axis A. The twine holder toothed section and the knotter hook toothed section of each group are formed by a single common toothed section 38, 39. In other words, each individual common toothed section thus replaces a group of toothed sections 24, 25, 26, 27 according to the Figures 1 to 7illustrated embodiment. Each individual toothed section meshes with both the pinion 19 for driving the rotatable second clamping element 22 and the pinion 12 for driving the knotting hook 9. This is particularly possible because, as will be explained in more detail below, when a knot is formed, the knotting hook 9 begins to rotate first, followed by the rotatable second clamping element 22. The pinion 19 for driving the rotatable second clamping element 22 and the pinion 12 for driving the knotting hook 9 are arranged at the same distance from the drive axis A.

[0039] The Figure 1The twine knotter 10 shown produces two knots in succession with one rotation of the drive disk 20. A first knot connects the lower second twine strand 7 coming up behind on the rear end of the pressed bale 29 with the upper first twine strand 5, thereby forming a closed binding twine loop that wraps around the pressed bale 29. A second knot connects the twine strand coming up on the front end of the subsequent pressed bale with the twine strand running on the top side of the subsequent pressed bale, thereby forming a new binding twine loop for the newly formed pressed bale into which the pressed bale is pressed. The binding twine is severed between the knots, so that the successive pressed bales are separated from one another.

[0040] The knotter hook has a knotter mouth formed by a hook part 27 and a knotter tongue 28. The knotter tongue 28 forms a two-armed lever pivotally mounted about a pivot axis, one arm of which (tongue part) interacts with the hook part 27 of the knotter hook 9 to form the knotter mouth, and on the other arm of which a tongue roller (not shown here) is rotatably mounted.

[0041] The opening of the knotter mouth is achieved by the fact that when the knotter hook 9 rotates, the tongue roller runs over a cam surface (not shown here), whereby the tongue roller is raised and the tongue part is lifted from the hook part 27.

[0042] The Figures 2 to 7 illustrate the process for forming two knots 16, 33 in a yarn by means of the yarn knotter 10 according to Figure 1 .

[0043] First, a pair of yarn strands, consisting of the first yarn strand 5 and the second yarn strand 7, is placed by means of a press needle 6 of a yarn feed device over the hook part 27 and over the knotting tongue 28 of the knotting hook 9 in the direction of the yarn holder 18, as can be seen in particular from Figure 2 is evident. In the Figure 2 In the position shown, the knotting hook 9 is in a starting position in which the hook part 27 of the knotting hook 9 is arranged at least approximately parallel to the drive axis A of the knotting shaft 4. Furthermore, the twine holder 18, in particular the rotatable second clamping element 22, is in a starting position relative to the stationary first clamping element 21.

[0044] The knotting hook is then rotated about the knotting axis K in a direction in which the hook part 27 of the knotting hook 9 initially moves away from the yarn holder 18, whereby a first loop for forming a first knot 16 is formed in the yarn strand pair 5, 7 around the knotting hook 9, as shown in Figure 3 can be seen. The pair of yarn strands 5, 7 fed by the press needle 6 is already located in the catching area of ​​a catching arm 30 of the yarn holder, which is fastened to the rotatable second clamping element 22 and forms a circumferential catching area around the yarn holder axis G, in which the pair of yarn strands 5, 7 can be received.

[0045] The rotating second clamping element 22 then begins to rotate relative to the stationary first clamping element 21 about the yarn holder axis G. As a result, the pair of yarn strands 5, 7 is held in the area between the catch arm 30 and the rotating second clamping element 22 and inserted into radial recesses 31, 32 on the stationary first clamping element 21 and the rotating second clamping element 22. By further rotating the rotating second clamping element 22, the pair of yarn strands 5, 7 is then clamped between two mutually facing clamping surfaces 34, 35 on the stationary first clamping element 21 and the rotating second clamping element 22.

[0046] The radial recesses 31, 32 are particularly in the Figures 8 and 9 to recognize. The Figures 8 and 9show the twine holder 18 in a perspective view, wherein the fixed first clamping element 21 and the rotatable second clamping element 22 are shown partially pulled apart along the twine holder axis G. It can be seen that the rotatable second clamping element 22 has a shaft 36 with which the second clamping element 22 is rotatably mounted about the twine holder axis G in a bearing bore 37 of the first clamping element 21 and in a bearing bore (not shown here) of the knotter frame 11.

[0047] In the illustrated embodiment, the clamping surfaces are conical. In another conceivable design, the clamping surfaces could also be designed differently, for example, as flat surfaces perpendicular to the yarn holder axis G.

[0048] At this point, the knotter hook 9 has been turned back to its original position, as shown in Figure 4can be seen. In the meantime, the knotting tongue 28 was briefly lifted from the hook part 27, so that the section of the twine strand pair 5, 7 located between the knotting hook 9 and the twine holder 18 was taken up into the knotting mouth, whereby the term knotting mouth refers to the area between the hook part 27 and the opened knotting tongue 28, which is raised relative to the hook part 27. In Figure 4 the knotting tongue 28 is again shown in its closed position relative to the hook part 27, in which the yarn strand pair 5, 7 is clamped on the knotting hook 9.

[0049] The knotting hook 9 initially remains in this initial position, whereby the rotatable second clamping element 22 of the twine holder 18 is rotated further, so that the twine knife 13 attached to the rotatable second clamping element 22 cuts the twine strand pair 5, 7 between the knotting hook 9 and the twine holder 18 by the rotation of the rotatable second clamping element 22, as shown in Figure 5is shown. In this position, the rotatable second clamping element 22 is again in its starting position, with a first section of the pair of yarn strands 5, 7 being clamped on the knotting hook 9 and a second section of the pair of yarn strands 5, 7 being clamped in the yarn holder 18.

[0050] The press needle 6 now moves back to its starting position away from the yarn knotter 10, whereby the section of the yarn strand pair 5, 7 guided by the press needle 6 remains clamped in the yarn holder 18.

[0051] Subsequently, the knot removal lever 14 is pivoted in the direction in which the hook portion 27 of the knotting hook 9 is aligned and thereby pulls the loop on the knotting hook 9 over the portion of the yarn strand pair 5, 7 clamped by the knotting tongue 28 and thereby forms a first knot 16.

[0052] By further movement of the press needle 6, the section of the yarn strand pair 5, 7 clamped in the yarn holder 18 is placed over the hook section 27 and the knotting tongue 28 of the knotting hook 9. The knotting lever 14 is moved back to its original position.

[0053] The knotting hook 9 is then rotated, as for forming the first knot 16, in order to form a second loop in the yarn strand pair 5, 7. After partial rotation of the knotting hook 9 and at least partial formation of the second loop, the rotatable second clamping element 22 of the yarn holder 18 is rotated again until the yarn strand pair 5, 7 clamped between the hook part 27 and the knotting tongue 28 is released again. This occurs because the end of the yarn strand pair 5, 7 previously clamped in the yarn holder 18 is located in the radial recesses 31, 32 of the clamping elements 21, 22. This ensures that upon further rotation of the rotatable second clamping element 22, the yarn knife 13 attached to it can no longer cut the yarn strand pair 5, 7, but is pushed out of the yarn holder 18 without cutting. Subsequently, the knot removal lever 14 moves again in the direction of the hook part 27 to remove the second knot 33.

[0054] Figure 10 shows a schematic side view of a pressed bale 29 that is completely strapped by twine strands 5, 7. During a knotting process or a complete operation of the twine knotter, a first knot 16 is tied, which completes the strapping of the pressed bale 29. Subsequently, a second knot 33 is tied in the same operation to form a loop into which another pressed bale can be pressed. List of reference symbols

[0055] 1Wall 2Press channel 3Conveying direction 4Knotting shaft 5First twine strand 6Press needle 7Second twine strand 8Arrow 9Knotting hook 10Twine knotter 11Knotting frame 12Pinion 13Twine knife 14Knotting take-off lever 15Shaft journal 16First knot 17Groove 18Twine holder 19Pinion 20Drive pulley 21First clamping element 22Second clamping element 23Tooth section 24Tooth section 25Tooth section 26Tooth section 27Hook part 28Knotting tongue 29Press bale 30Catching arm 31Recess 32Recess 33Second knot 34Clamping surface 35Clamping surface 36Shaft 37Bearing bore 38Common Gear section 39common gear section ADrive axis Eaxis GTin holder axis KKknotter axis

Claims

1. Twine knotter (10) for forming two knots (16, 33) in a pair of twine strands comprising: a drive pulley (20) driven intermittently rotatably about a drive axis (A), a bill hook (9) rotatably driven by the drive pulley (20) about a knotter axis (K) to form two successive knots (16, 33) in the pair of twine strands (5, 7) by two complete rotations of the bill hook (9) in one rotation of the drive pulley (20), a twine holding device (18) for clamping the pair of twine strands (5, 7) between a first clamping element (21) and a second clamping element (22) of the twine holding device (18), the second clamping element being rotatably driven by the drive pulley (20), and a twine knife (13) for cutting the pair of twine strands (5, 7), characterized in that the rotatable second clamping element (22) of the twine holding device (18) is driven rotatably about a twine holder axis (G) by the drive pulley (20) in such a way that the rotatable second clamping element (22) completes two rotations for one rotation of the drive pulley (20), and that the twine holder axis (G) and the knotter axis (K), viewed in the direction of the drive axis (A), enclose an angle of less than 45° with one another.

2. Twine knotter according to claim 1, characterized in that the twine holder axis (G) and the knotter axis (K), viewed in the direction of the drive axis (A), enclose an angle of less than 40°, in particular less than 35°, with one another.

3. Twine knotter according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the twine holder axis (G) and the knotter axis (K), viewed in the direction of the drive axis (A), enclose an angle of more than 15°, in particular more than 20°, with one another.

4. Twine knotter according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the twine holder axis (G) intersects the drive axis (A) or crosses the drive axis at a distance, which is less than a largest outer diameter of the drive pulley (20).

5. Twine knotter according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the twine knotter further comprises a knot pull-off arm (14) for pulling off a loop in the pair of twine strands (5, 7) and forming a knot (16, 33) after one full rotation of the bill hook (9).

6. Twine knotter according to claim 5, characterized in that a twine knife (13) for severing the pair of twine strands (5, 7) is arranged on the knot pull-off arm (14).

7. Twine knotter according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a twine knife (13) for severing the pair of twine strands (5, 7) is arranged on the rotatable second clamping element (22) of the twine holding device (18).

8. Twine knotter according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first clamping element (21) is stationary and that the stationary first clamping element (21) and the rotatable second clamping element (22) of the twine holding device (18) each have a recess (31, 32), running radially with respect to the twine holder axis (G), for receiving the pair of twine strands (5, 7).

9. Twine knotter according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the first clamping element (21) and the rotatable second clamping element (22) of the twine holding device (18) each have mutually facing clamping surfaces (34, 35) for clamping the pair of twine strands (5, 7), and that the clamping surfaces (34, 35) facing each other are conical and complementary to each other.

10. Twine knotter according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the drive pulley (20) has two toothing sections (38, 39) for driving the second clamping element (22) of the twine holding device (18) and for driving the bill hook (9), respectively, which each extend partially in the circumferential direction about the drive axis (A).

11. Method of forming two knots (16, 33) in a twine by means of a twine knotter (10) according to claim 1, the method comprising the following sequence of method steps:

1. Feeding a pair of twine strands (5, 7) by means of a twine feeding device (6) over the bill hook (9) to the twine holding device, 2. Rotating the bill hook (9) one full turn to form a first loop in the pair of twine strands (5, 7) for a first knot (16), 3. Rotating said rotatable second clamping element (22) for clamping said pair of twine strands (5, 7) in said twine holding device (18), wherein said rotating of said rotatable second clamping element (22) starts after at least partial rotation of said bill hook (9) and at least partial formation of said first loop, 4. Cutting the pair of twine strands (5, 7) between the bill hook (9) and the twine holding device (18) after the pair of twine strands (5, 7) has been clamped in the twine holding device, 5. Pulling the first loop off the bill hook (9) to form the first knot (16), 6. Feeding the pair of twine strands (5, 7) by means of the twine feeding device (6) from the twine holding device over the bill hook (9), 7. Rotating the bill hook (9) one full turn to form a second loop in the pair of twine strands (5, 7) for a second knot (33), 8. Rotating said rotatable second clamping element (22) to release said pair of twine strands (5, 7) from said twine holding device (18), said rotating of said rotatable second clamping element (22) starts after at least partial rotation of said bill hook (9) and at least partial formation of said first loop, and 9. Pulling the second loop off the bill hook (9) to form the second knot (33).

12. Method according to claim 11, characterized in that the severing of the pair of twine strands (5, 7) is effected by further twisting of the rotatable second clamping element (22) with a twine knife (13) attached to the rotatable second clamping element (22).

13. Method according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the pulling off of a loop for forming one of the knots (16, 33) is effected by a knot pull-off arm (14).

14. Method according to claim 13, characterized in that the severing of the pair of twine strands (13) is effected by means of a twine knife on the knot pull-off arm (14) when a loop is pulled off the bill hook (9) to form one of the knots (16, 33).

15. Method according to any one of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that the first clamping element (21) is stationary and that the stationary first clamping element (21) and the rotatable second clamping element (22) of the twine holding device (18) each have a recess (31, 32), running radially with respect to the twine holder axis (G), for receiving the pair of twine strands (5, 7), that, in order to clamp the pair of twine strands (5, 7) after at least partial formation of the first loop, the rotatable second clamping element (22) is rotated to a rotational position in which the recess of the rotatable second clamping element (22) and the recess of the stationary first clamping element (21) are oriented in overlapping relationship with one another, that the pair of twine strands (5, 7) is then fed into the recesses of the two clamping elements (21, 22), and that finally the rotatable second clamping element (22) is rotated further until the pair of twine strands (5, 7) is clamped between the clamping surfaces (34, 35) of the two clamping elements (21, 22).

16. Method according to any one of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that, after the pair of twine strands (5, 7) has been severed, the rotatable second clamping element (22) continues to be rotated until the rotational position at the start of rotation is reached and the rotation is paused.