US2412862A - Means and method for hermetic bag and tube closures - Google Patents

Means and method for hermetic bag and tube closures Download PDF

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US2412862A
US2412862A US459948A US45994842A US2412862A US 2412862 A US2412862 A US 2412862A US 459948 A US459948 A US 459948A US 45994842 A US45994842 A US 45994842A US 2412862 A US2412862 A US 2412862A
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liner
nozzle
sealing
mouth
cam
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US459948A
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Bergstein Samuel
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    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/02Applying adhesives or sealing liquids
    • B65B51/023Applying adhesives or sealing liquids using applicator nozzles

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  • My invention relates'to the formation of air and liquid tight closures in bag tubes,bags',"liners and the like. More and more products hitherto packaged in tin or glass'or other "rigid structures in which hermetic closures could be obtained are nowbeing-packaged inseale'd bags, and present restrictions on tin and other metals have acceleratedthe need for eii'icient hermetic end closures for flexible bagsand liners. Inmany packaging procedures the bags are' placed or formed in outer cartons," and oneaspect of the problem is the formation Qfendblosuresin"bags orliners which are alreadypositioned withina carton body.
  • the bags, bagtubes'Qrliners themselves may be formed fromavariet'yjof 'sheetlike materials including those hereinafter set forth:
  • the formation of lengthwise or "side "seams in these flexible tubular structures is not a serious problem and may be handled in a variety of known ways, although the principles of the present invention may likewise be applied to this'problem.”
  • the most serious problem is that of obtaining adependably liquid tight and hermetically sealedend or ends after a flexible; openend tubular structure" has been formed.” 7 h a y, V
  • heat sealing substances in film 'form'are available or where the heat sealing layer existsias a'cdati'rig on another substance heatsealablesubstancehas to be very thinjand usually isin the neighborhood of 1000 of 'an inch in'"thicknes's.
  • Atubed liner is characterized by a longitudinal seam, usuallya lapped seam.
  • Great difliculty is encountered in producing a tight end closure at 'thepoint 'where this lengthwise seamf crosses'the transverse end closure,be'- cause the relatively thin heat sealing films ⁇ do not provide sufficient surplus sealing medium: to bridge the-gapcreated by the extra thickness or thicknesses in the lengthwise seam.
  • There'is'thus a critical pointofleakagein such structures which mayprevent the production of a hermatic closure.
  • a medium which lis desirable for'flsealing purposes is in'm'any cases not suitable "for coating or "for film formation.
  • atypeof coating medium'havihg the quality'of heat scalability; being sufiiciently'fiexi'ble and havingsufficient anchoragetobe'used on a base such" -as"-icellulose acetate, may lack the single "vital characteristic *of'suflicient grease resistance.
  • such a coated sheet may not be suitable for fabricating into containers designed to hold grease or liquid oil, or products containing large quantities of oleaginous sub-
  • certain admixtures, of microcrystalline or amorphous waxes with synthetic resins may possess every desirable quality needed for the body of a container which is designed to hold grease or short 10 ening, but at the same time such mixtures may not be suitable for use as a coating onja fabric oils, and'are flexible; sanitary and resistant to dimensional changes due to atmospheric variations. And yet there is at present no commercial use of.
  • Uncoated Cellophane would not be subject to this Parchment or. gla ssi ne bylitselflis on iepeii nt'.
  • the long seam can bemade leaktight in form'-' ing the tube by'usingthe right'kind of adhesive to bring this aboutlff
  • ment is to be used'foroil, it, Willbe neces ryto use an oil-repellantadhesive; butjto make the end joints leaktightuus'ing' any of these base materials there is no process.
  • knownlunles's the sheeting is provided with a heatrsealable oilre sistant coating throughout the entire innersurface. In the case ofjparchment; such coating on the inner surface'would'serve butone purpose and that is to provide means, forlheat-sealing the top and bottom joints to bring about a-leaktight condition.
  • One of the objects ofrrly invention is that lof rendering the sealing material independent rof the base material.
  • I- may employ that type of base material best suited f or the ;par-' ticular service contemplated and that type ;of sealing material best suited to form a tight 0losure.
  • This is a mode-of attacking the problem far Wider in' its implications than anything hitherto possible. Itnot only permitssthe..use of a Wide variety of combinations ofi-sheetings and sealing mediums, but it obviates-the; almost impossible problem. of trying to produce a" a coatedsheet which has optimum ual ms for protecting the packaged materialand at thesame time optimum sealing" characteristics.
  • An object of my invention is the provision of a means and modeof operation permitting the use of the most desirable packaging materials for anygiven service.
  • Many of these materials are notvheat scalable at all andthe result has been that the art has notbeenable f u the i at a h rwise han- ⁇ in a te m 3:15 7140 Glassine is grea'se' resistant.
  • Figure 1 is a partial perspective ;view o famech-r anism-for treating bag tubes or the likepre parae to theformation of my end closures therein.
  • FIG. 1 taken along thelin es z 2, 3 3 anci lfl in thatfigure.
  • .liigure 5- is a sectional view illustrative ofa mode ofopening up the mouth of a liner-or bag tube.
  • Figure dis a sectional view. illustrative of a mode of introducing a sealing material-therein liigure 7'is asectional View related to Eigureifi a law by. h ine 1+1 th re ,andi lustra- 1 his 9 yerieua o onspta .noza ee ementat the start of and during the operation of introducing the sealing medium. l
  • Figure 8 is a similar view showing the nozzle in final position just before withdrawal and showing an exemplary relationship of the sealing material to the mouth of the bag tube.
  • Figure ll is a fragmentary sectional view through the apparatus of Figure 10 taken along the line H-H therein.
  • Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 12-42 in Figure 10.
  • Figure 13 is a perspective view of one end of a bag tube or similarstructure in which my seal has been effected.
  • Figure 1% is a fragmentary plan view showing the relation of pressure elements to the entering end of a bag tube.
  • Figure 15. is a, fragmentary plan view showing the relationship of the pressure elements to the trailing edge of a bag tube end.
  • Figures 16 and 17 are plan views showing respectively two stages in a modified operation of opening up a bag tubeend.
  • Figure 18 isa fragmentary plan view showing yet another mechanism for opening up a bag tube end.
  • Figure 21 is a diagrammatic illustration of another mode of treating bag tube ends to open them.
  • Figure 22 is a partial plan view of a mechanism related to that shown in Figure l but indicating the assembly to it of other elements such as those shown in Figures 6 and 10.
  • Figure 23 is an elevational view corresponding to Figure 22but showing certain parts in section.-
  • Figure 24 is a detail of means for operating pressure rollers and is related to Figure 23.as indicated by the line 24-24 therein.
  • Figure 25 is a partial plan viewof another means for pressing the treated mouths of liners or bag tubes.
  • Figure 26 is a sectional view taken along the.
  • Figure 27 is an enlarged plan view related to the showing of Figure 25.
  • Figure 28 is a detail of one of the pressing means employed in the apparatus of Figures 25
  • Figure 29 illustrates an initial relationship of a carton body containing a liner tube, and spreading means whereby the liner tube may be elon gated.
  • Figure 39 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrative of the operation of the spreading Figures 19 and 20 are fragmentary plan views t Figure 38 is a plan elevational View of a cam plate. a
  • Figure 39 is an enlarged plan view of certain mechanism shown in Figure 3'7.
  • Figure 40 is a fragmentary plan view detailing the construction of certain cam fc'lllotvefs'i Figure 41 is a sectional View takenalongtheline Hll in Figure 39.
  • Figure 42 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 42-42 in Figure 39.
  • Figure 43 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4343 in Figure 39.
  • Figure 44 is a sectional View taken along the broken line 44-44 in Figure 39.
  • this seam may be accomplished in any suitable fashion either by the fusing together of lapped Wall portions in a heat sea-lable" fabric or by the use of applied adhesive.
  • any lapping but unsecured edge portion of the inner member may be cut away or notched in that area where the hermetic end closure is to be formed, to the extent that the sealing material forming the end closure will contact thesealing material by which the longitudinal seam was formed.
  • Piccolyte is a trade name for a terpene resin manufactured by the Pennsylvania Industrial Chemical Company
  • Vistanex #6 is a trade name of a polybutene manufactured by Advance Solvents & Chemical Corp.
  • Vistac is a trade name for an oily hydrocarbon resin made by the same company. Equivalent substances of other makes may be used.
  • AYAA is a trade name for a polyvinylacetate resin manufactured by Carbide & Carbon Chemical Corporation
  • Staybellite is a hydrogenated rosin soldv under thlstrade name by Hercules Powder Company.
  • liners may be fed automatically or by hand into the machine partially illustrated in Figure 1. .
  • the liners I are gripped and moved along in timed spaced relationship by frictional gripping means 5, 6 on upper and lower traveling chains. These chains may be caused to move in suitable guides 8 and i0 mounted'on the machine.
  • the liners In their travel through the machine section of Figure 1, the liners first come beneath a holddown bar [3 which is spaced inwardly from the ends of the liners. The ends of the liners initially come above the end of a guide or sweep M which is curved or shaped so as to turn the ends of the liners over above the bar l3 as shown in Figure 3. At a further position in the path of travelof the liners the bar I4 is relieved as at Ma so thatanother bar 15 which engages beneath the turned over end of the liner can raise this end up until it occupies the vertical position shown in Figure 4.
  • the upraised end of the liner is substantially confined between members l5 and Ma, and further that the liner is somewhat humped about the outer edge of the bar l3,
  • the liner mouth is nevertheless closed or pinched, as it were, along a line spaced fromthe actual end of the liner.
  • the liner mouth is now in a position to be opened up as shown in Figure 5. This may be done, in one mode of operation, by means of an air blast issuing from a nozzle l6, and it will be noted in this figure that theactual mouth of the liner is opened up while the liner walls adjacent the mouth are kept closed by their configuration around and against the bars l5, [4a and I3. It is not necessary that the liner mouth be opened up throughout the length of the end of the liner nor opened up to any extent greater. than sufficient to permit the insertion of a nozzle I! which initially lies above the mouth of the liner in the position shown in Figure 5, but when the liner has been opened as shown, is moved downwardly into the liner mouth as shown in Figure 6. The position of the nozzle as initially inserted will be substantially that shown in Figure 7. But the liner is moving in the direction of the arrow in that figure, and it is my object to cause'the nozzle to introduce into the liners.
  • the nozzle is swung forwardly into the position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 7 at Ha. This causes a generous application of the sealing substance to the forward end or corner of the mouth of the liner. Then during the travel of the liner in the direction of the arrow, the nozzle is swung backwardly until at the conclusion of the application step it occupies the position shown at I'lb in Figure 7, insuring the application of sealing substance to the trailing end or corner of the liner mouth. Finally the nozzle is tilted forwardly again until it occupies the position shown at H in Figure 8, whereupon it is withdrawn so as not to interfere with the forward movement of the liner.
  • I may use any desired sealing substance irrespective of the nature of the liner walls and irrespective of their coated or uncoated condition.
  • the selection of the sealing substance can be based upon the function which it is to perform, and without regard to whether or not it is suitable for use as a precoating substance for the material of the liners.
  • I may employ adhesives which are rendered tacky by means of a solvent and which set through the evaporation of the solvent.
  • a sealin medium which is thermoplastic in its character, which may be applied in a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty condition effected through temperature, which in the condition of application will form a strong adhesive union with the walls of the liner and which, due to cooling, will set rapidly to provide the desired hermetic seal.
  • the sealing medium After the sealing medium has been applied, I prefer further to distribute it by the application of pressure to the walls of the liner. This may not in all instances be necessary; but it assures, first, that the sealing medium will contact the surfaces to be joined throughout an unbroken line across the mouth of the liner, second, it may be employed to spread the adhesive throughout desired areas of the surfaces to be joined so as to provide a seal of very considerable area, and
  • I may employ rollers as pressure members, which rollers have grooved contacting surfaces.
  • the rollers are indicated at 2
  • the showing in the figures is somewhat exaggerated and it will be understood that the quantity of sealing substance ordinarily employed is such as to form a thin film at 23.
  • the pro- 10 vision of a bead is thus a matter of additional insurance, especially at the points of plural thickness along the area of the longitudinal seam.
  • the same kind of insurance of adequate sealing at the ends of the mouth of the liner can be obtained by providing the rolls 2! and 22 with raised operating portions 2m and 22a which are of slightly lesser length than the length of themouth of the liner, and by timing these rolls with the travel of the liner in such a way as to produce attheends of the mouth thereof beads as shown at 21 and 28.
  • FIG. 13 shows one end of a sealed liner, the lapping parts of the-longitudinal seam being indicated at 3
  • This structure permits the pressing means 40 to follow the path of travel of the liner even though the chains have begun to diverge therefrom about the sprockets 3 5 and 33, until the pressing members are actually pulled away from the liner mouths by the brackets.
  • the pressing members may, if desired, be grooved as at 48.
  • the sealing medium will usually be applied in a warm, plastic and adhesive condition, and the function of the pressing members beyond that of distributing the sealing medium between the liner walls will normally be that of cooling and setting it. Where, however, a further plasticizing of the extruded sealing medium is required, it is not beyond the spirit of my invention to apply heat to the pressing elements, or'to incorporate electric heaters in them. And for some purposes, I may employ more than one set of pressing elements, one group being heated and the other unheated. Where desired, the pressing elements may be specially cooled.
  • FIGs 16 to 21 may be desirable to provide more positive means for opening up the bag tube mouths; Several of such means have been indicated in Figures 16 to 21.
  • Figures 16 and 17 I have shown a pair of rollers or discs 49 and 50. These discs have enlarged portions 49a and 50a which contact the liner mouth during its movement. These enlarged portions may be coated or covered with a pressure sensitive material which, adhering to the walls of the liner mouth, pull them apart as shown in Figure 17 as the rolls rotate. After the liner mouth has been thus opened, the pressure sensitive substances pull away from the liner mouths as shown.
  • the pressure sensitive coating can conveniently be applied to the surfaces of renewable tapes I, 52, removably fastened in some suitable fashion to the disc enlargements 49a and 5011.
  • FIG. 18 A variant mechanism and procedure is illustrated in Figure 18, where discs 53 and 54 are provided with extending means 53a and 54a which contact the liner walls as the discs rotate. Before they contact the liner walls, these raised areas are adapted to contact the surfaces of rolls 55 and 56 to which a suitable adhesive has been applied and which in turn apply this adhesive to the raised surfaces 53a, 54a.
  • a retarding means which first engages and retards the leading end of the liner mouth and then presses down on the top of the up-turned liner mouth will effect a positive opening.
  • a stop 62 may be provided on the bracket to limit the downward motion of the arm, and the weight of the arm may be relied upon to open up the liner mouth la, or the arm may be spring pressed, as is desired.
  • I may also employ vacuum members to open up the liner mouths.
  • FIGS 22 and 23 I have indicated a mechanism for closing the ends of liners, embodying a number of the features hitherto described. Like parts have been given like index numerals and will not be redescribed.
  • the chains which move the liners are indicated at 5a and 6a.
  • the machine is built on a suitable standard or base 03, and alongside the path of travel of the ends of the liners it bears a bracket 64. On this bracketin fixed position there is mounted the air nozzle I 6 for the air blast to open the liner mouths, where this expedient is employed.
  • the nozzle is connected by a conduit 65 to a valve 65 which in. turn is connected by a conduit 61 to a reservoir or pressure equalizer 68.
  • a pump 69' which may be driven by a motor 10 is connected tothe pressure equalizer.
  • a main drive shaft H which will be driven by a suitable prime mover, not shown.
  • This shaft bears a bevel gear 12 meshing with another bevel gear on a horizontal shaft 13 journaled in a bracket 14.
  • the shaft 13 carries a cam 15 against which the operating rod 16 of the valve 66 mayride.
  • the shaft H by means of bevel gears 11, a short shaft 18 and bevel gears 19, drives the sprocket over which the chain 5a passes.
  • a similar mechanical arrangement may be employed to drive the sprocket 8
  • a lever 84 is pivoted on the frame of the machine at one end as shown at 85. At its other end it is connected to the head 82 by a link 86. Intermediate the ends of the lever 84 I pivot a rod 81 which may be suitably guided on the frame of the machine as at 88, and bears at its lower end a cam follower 89. This cam follower contacts a cam on a horizontal shaft 9
  • is connected with shaft II by a bevel gear arrangement 93.
  • the shape of the cam and the timing of the elements is such that just after the leading end la of a liner passes the nozzle II, the nozzle II is lowered into the mouth of the liner which has been openedup by the air blast.
  • the nozzle I1 is raised to clear the liner mouth just before the trailing end of the liner mouth passes the position of the nozzle.
  • a tank 94 mounted on the bracket 54 and containing the sealing substance 95.
  • AWeight-like plunger 96 located above the sealing substance is intended by me to indicate that the sealing substance will be under pressure so that its delivery to the nozzle will be insured.
  • the tank 94 may be provided with electrical heating means 91.
  • a valve 98 is in connection with the tank 94 and is coupled to the nozzle II by a flexible conduit 99; In some instances it may be desired to heat this flexible conduit and I have diagrammatically shown an electrical heating means surrounding it at I00.
  • I connect this valve by means of a rod
  • I mount a pinion I04 on the nozzle bearing shaft 83.
  • This pinion meshes with the teeth of a rack I05 slide y ou ed in brackets or the like on the head 82.
  • Springs or other means I06 tend to maintain the rack I95 in such a position that the nozzle I! will be vertical; but it will be seen that if the rack I85 is moved downwardly or upwardly the nozzle II will swing in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction.
  • the rack I terminates downwardly in a cam follower IBI.
  • a cam I08 having a cam groove I05 is mounted on a shaft HI!
  • the roller 22 is mounted directly upon a shaft H3 journaled in a bracket Ht on the machine frame.
  • the shaft is connected by a bevel gear arrangement H5 with the main drive shaft II.
  • the shaft H3 bears a pinion H6 which meshes with the pin on H! on another shaft H8.
  • This latter shaft is journaled in an arm III) which is pivoted as at I 22 to the bracket H4 (see Figure 24).
  • the shaft H8 bears the roller 2!.
  • the shafts H 3 and H8 may be connected by a tension spring I'll by means of which the rollers 2
  • the carton user will square up or erect the carton, thus erecting the bag therein, will close the carton on one end and will thereafter fill it, effect a hermetic seal in the bag mouth, and close the carton on the other end.
  • Many lined cartons instead of being provided with bags closed at one end, are provided merely with liners open at both ends, and of tubular form. The carton user will erect these cartons, seal one end of the liner, close the same end of the carton, and then fill, seal and close the other end, as above described.
  • the carton bodies are carried along preferably in cages on the conveyor which grip them externally and maintain them in proper position to be acted upon by the various instrumentalitiesv Suitable cages for holding unfilled, unsealed and unclosed lined cartons in operative position and also for holding lined cartons which have been sealed and closed at one end and have also been filled, are shown in detail in the said application.
  • Such cages are diagrammatically indicated in the drawings hereof but have not been fully detailed and are not herein described at length.
  • the machine of the said application can be so operated that unfilled and unsealed cartons are placed in alternate ones of the cages while filled cartons are placed in the remainder for making the final seal in the liner and for closing the top of the carton.
  • the apparatus hereinafter described is applicable to such an operation also, and it will be sufficient to the skilled worker in the art to point out that the mechanism may be used to seal either end or both ends of a liner tube.
  • a carton I22 is shown as having a tubular liner lb.
  • the flaps of the carton have been bent down out of the way and will be suitably held by means in the machine while operations are proceeding on the liner.
  • the carton may be thoug.t of as traveling in the direction of the arrow.
  • a pair of spreader fingers I23 and I24 enter the open end of the liner with a downward movement and then spread apart as shown in Figure 30 to elongate or fishtail the liner mouth.
  • the elongated condition of the liner mouth may be maintained by a pair of rods I25 while the spreader fingers I23 and I24 are moved toward each other and withdrawn from the mouth of the liner.
  • the spreading means I may use any of those mechanisms detailed in the said patent and application referred to above.
  • the spread end of the liner comes between a pair of members I26 and I21. These members are shown in Figure 31 as suspended by arms I23 and I25 ⁇ . The entire mechanism Shown Figures 31 to 36 may be thought of as moving with the carton during its travel.
  • the first action is that of the arms I28, I29 in bringing the members I26 and IN against the flattened mouth of the liner so as to pinch it together along a line interspaced from the end of the liner'mouth. This pinching relationship will be maintained until after the sealing substance has been introduced into the liner mouth and distributed; and its purpose is to prevent sealing substance from passing beyond the pinch line established by members I25 and IZ'I'.
  • vacuum members I30 and I3I come against the sides of the liner mouth above the pinch line.
  • the vacuum is caused to be effective and the members I30, I3I are swung slightly away from each other whereby to open up the sealing substance.
  • Figure 33 shows the nozzle -I1 introduced into the mouth of the liner after bers I26 and I21 not only as pinching'members but as pressing members for distributing the They may be grooved as at I33 or otherwise as may be desired.
  • Their next action is illustrated in Figure where means not'there shown but hereinafter described, have "caused the members I26 and I21 to swing upwardly until they are substantially parallel and are exerting pressure against the seal to produce the effects hereinabove'set forth.
  • Figure 26 illustrates the relationship of the parts after the seal has been completed and after the members I26 and I21 have released the liner.
  • the machine comprises a frame I34 on which a conveyor I35 is mounted.
  • This conveyor bears spaced turrets I36 which in turn carry the cages I31 to which reference has already been made.
  • a part of the machine is shown, and the remainder of it will preferably have means for closing the carton flaps.
  • Such means are not germane to the present invention.
  • I have indicated a machine drive comprising a motor I38 and a gear box I39 by means of which a vertical shaft I40 is driven. This shaft may bear an end sprocket I4I' for the conveyor chain I35.
  • the upper end of the shaft is journaled in an upper frame structure I42 where it is connected by a bevel gear arrangement I43 to a stub shaft I44 bearing a sprocket I 45.
  • a chain I46 passes over this sprocket and another sprocket I41 on a stub shaft I48.
  • An interspaced stub shaft I49 is provided on the upper frame of the machine.
  • the shafts I48 and I49 bear sprockets I50 and I5I over which passes a chain I52.
  • This chain bears at intervals spreader assemblies I53 in the form of a housing to which the spreader fingers I23 and I24 are mounted. To operate these spreader fingers, I provide a cam track I54 in which is engaged. a cam follower I55.
  • This cam follower is pivotally connected to the upper ends of'the fingers I23 and I24 which fingers are slotted in the particular embodiment shown. Pins at the end of the housing I53 pass through these slots and the result of the movement of the cam follower I55 is to impart to the spreader fingers downward, outward, inward and upward motions which have already been described.
  • the stub shaft I49 also bears a gear I56 which meshes with a gear I51 on another shaft I58.
  • This shaft also bears a heart shaped cam I59.
  • a plunger I60 is slotted where it passes over the shaft I58 and carriesa pair of cam followers I6I and I62 bearing against the cam I59 at opposite sides thereof. A uniform translational move ment is thus imparted to the plunger I68 which goes-forward and returns once for each revolution of the shaft I58.
  • a shaft I63 is mounted on the upper frame-- work of the machine-and carries a pinion I64 with which a rack I65 meshes.
  • This rack is bolted or otherwise attached to the: plunger I60.
  • the shaft I63 also bears another-pinionI66 which 16 meshes with a rack I61 slidably mounted in brackets or slide bearings I68 and I69 on the upper framework of the machine.
  • the timing of the mechanism is such that the rack I61 moves with a carton in the direction of the arrow in Figure 37 for a certain distance, and then moves back in time to come into the same relationship with a succeeding carton and move forward with it.
  • To this rack I attach the operating instrumentalities which were referred to in connection with Figures 31 to 36.
  • the suspending arms I28 and I29 are fixed on the shafts I15 and I16 so that as these shafts rotate, the arms can swing the elements I26 and I21 to the respective positions shown in Figures 31 and 32.
  • the shafts I15 and I16 bear pinions I11 and I18. These pinions in turn mesh with a pair of intermediate pinions I19 and I86 mounted on studs on the arm I10.
  • Shaft I15 is thus tied to shaft I16 in such a manner that the two shafts will rock equally and in opposite directions when either is actuated.
  • I provide a rack I8I ( Figure 41) meshing with pinion I11 and held in that position by a bearing member I82.
  • This rack in turn is connected with a plunger I83 which extends to the other side of the rack I61 and bears a cam follower I84 conrelationship.
  • levers arefixed to a shaft I95 which passes between the arms I10 and I 1!. It will be under'stood from Figure 42 that as the shaft I95 turns ina counterclockwise direction, the lever arms I93 or I94 will pull upwardlyon the arms or links I9I and I92 and will swing the members 128 and I2? from the position shown in Figure 34, for example, to the position shown in Figure 35.
  • I afiix to it a pinion 1% which meshes with a rack I97.
  • This rack bears a cam follower I98 which, as shown in Figure 40, is of thesame character and has the same type of mounting as the cam follower I84.
  • the cam follower I93 contacts and is operated by a stationary cam I99 on the upper framework of the machine.
  • The'vacuum members I39 and I3I are mounted by means of depending arms from sleeves 200 and ZO-Iwhich surround. the shafts I15 and H6. They could be mounted on separate shafts between the arms H and Ill, but the sleeve c0nstruction just described is a more convenient one.
  • These sleeves as shown in Figure 43, bear pinions 202 and 203 which mesh with connecting pinions 204 and 295 mounted on studs on a channel shaped sheath 208 suspended from the sleeves.
  • a rack 201 engages with the pinion 202 and extends beyond the rack It! to bear a cam follower 208 engaging a stationary cam 2&9
  • cam follower 298 has a sin-"lilar mounting for a similar purpose as that described in connection with cam fo11ower I94.
  • the bracket 114 is stationarily affixed to the main frame of the machine. It may bear a valve 2 I9 connected t by aconduit 2II to a vacuum :pump and motor indicatedlat 2I2 'and 2L3. The valve in turn is connected by a flexible conduit 2M and branch conduits 2
  • the plunger .ZII of this valve may pass through thebracket I'M and engage directly and be operated by a cam 2118. ( Figure 44') which is mounted on the .plate H21which connects the arms l-llland (III. This plate is moving, so that the .cam :can operate the valve 2H1, the valve of course being stationary on bracket I14.
  • Imountj a head2 I19 in such manner as to be vertica-lly reciprocable onthe bracket I14.
  • On this head I mount a hollow shaft 22!] which is connected to a valve housing 2 2I
  • the valve housing bears the nozzle I].
  • avalve plunger as at 222 in Figure 46 and its actuating rod '22.,3ipasses through the head 2I9. It. maybe drawn tozclosed' position'by a compression springizdengaged between the head and a washer 225cm the operating rod.
  • I mount a lever member 226 pivotally on a part 2210f the bracket I14.
  • This lever member has an -;elong ated contacting surface fortheoperatingrod 223 .of the-valvesince the valve rod goes. up and downwith the head while the lever :does not.
  • the lever is .fulcrumed as at 22% in. Figure .39. Beyond the fulcrum it is pivoted to and 2:29 which .passes. through; a. hole in the bracket I114. This. rod bearsa cam follower .230
  • the head In order to move the head 2I9, and therefore the nozzle I 1, up and down, the head is connected by a link 23 2 to a lever arm 233 fixed to a shaft 234'journaled on the bracket I14 (see Figure One end of the shaft 234 bears anotherlever arm 235 which at its end carries a cam follower 236.
  • Thi cam follower is designed to ride in a cam track 237 formed in members 238 on the plate IIZ.
  • cam track 239 connected with the main cam track 231 by angularly related portions and the junctures of the main and side cam tracks are provided with switches 240 and MI. The purpose of this construction is to permit the side cam track 239 to bring about a lowering of the head while the operating mechanisms are traveling with thecarton, but to return the follower in track 231 so that no lowering of the head occurs on the return stroke.
  • I employ a construction somewhat similar to that described in connection with Figure 23.
  • On the hollow shaft 220 of the nozzle I mount adjacent the head I9 a pinion 242.
  • This construction isshown in Figure 45.
  • the rack x243 bears a rigid outwardly extending rod 2.416 which carries a cam follower .241, as shownin Figure 4.4.
  • Cam follower 247 whichis engaged by cam members 248 and 249 aflixed to the plate I12.
  • the machine. last described may be employed to form closures in either end of a'bagstube.
  • a machine erected,tubular lined cartons; may be run through and sealed and closed on the bottom end. Then they may be returned to the machine after filling and the upperclosureof the liner made together Withithe closureof theupper flaps. Or filled and unfilled cartons may be run through the machine engaged in alternate cages.
  • the machine embodies means for folding down the upstanding sealed mouth of the liner a; at 256 in Figure 37, andthereafter has means for folding over and closingior sealing,if desired) the carton flaps.
  • a method of hermetically sealingv the end of a flexible tubular bag or liner which comprises pressing together opposite walls thereof whereby to hold them against each other along a line spaced from the end of the liner, opening up the liner end so as to separate the said walls beyond the line of pressure and introducing a sealing medium into said open end in a continuous body to form a plastic, ribbon-like mass whereby to effect a seal above the line at which said walls are held together.
  • sealing medium as so introduced is a thermoplastic adhesive capable of forming a firm bond with said walls, and is in a heat-softened condition.
  • path means to press the walls thereof together along a line adjacent to but spacedfrom the liner end, means for opening up thelinerend beyond said line of pressure, nozzle means for 'ini troducing an adhesive into said opened'liner end in a continuous body soas to form a plastic ribbon-like mass, and means for manipulating outdistribute the plastic adhesive therein.
  • valve means means to actuate said valve means in time with the movement of said nozzle to cause said adhesive to issue in a continuous body from said nozzle While said nozzle is in said liner, and means acting to press the area of said liner beyond said line of pressure after the withdrawal of said nozzle to distribute the adhesive therein, said cam means being configured to cause said nozzle to enter the end of said liner, to rock forwardly in the direction of motion of the liner to deposit adhesive at the forward corner of the liner end, to rock rearwardly during the

Description

s. BERGSTEIN Dec. 17, 1946.
MEANS AND METHOD FOR HERMETIG BAG AND TUBE CLOSURES 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.- 28, 1942 INVENTOR. SAMUEL BIS/E68 7'El/V.
ATTORN EYS.
Dec. 17, 1946.
S. BERGSTEIN MEANS AND METHOD FOR HERME'IIC BAG AND TUBE CLOSURES 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1942 641M051. Bazaarsm.
ATTORNEYS.
s. BERGSTEIN 2,412,862 MEANS AND METHOD FOR HERMETIC BAG AND TUBE CLOSURES Dec. 17, 1946.
Filed Sept. 28, 1942 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Nag INVENTOR. EQGIS TEIM A T T O R N EYS "w z W A S Y. 1 -f B 22w ii M Dec. 17, 1946. 5 BERGSTEIN 2,412,862
MEANS AND METHOD FOR HERMETIC BAG AND TUBE CLOSURES Filed Sept. 28, 1942 l 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 h H INVOR. BY KSflMUEL 757M (m e, QI-M ATTORNEYS.
s. BERGSTEIN 2,412,862
MEANS AND METHOD FOR HERMETIC BAG AND TUBE CLOSURES Dec. 17, 1946. I
Filed Sept. 28, 1942 '7 Sheets-Shea 5 IN VENT OR. SAMUEL BA- GsTE/M BY ATTORNEYS.
Patented Dec. 17, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r 2,412,862 7 i MfiANshrniMETrmn FORfiERMiiTIdBAG h AND TUBE oLosUREs v sainiiel Berg stei'nfi Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to Bergstein, trustees Morris Bergstein and Frank David Application September 28, .1942; sear No; 459,948
My inventionrelates'to the formation of air and liquid tight closures in bag tubes,bags',"liners and the like. More and more products hitherto packaged in tin or glass'or other "rigid structures in which hermetic closures could be obtained are nowbeing-packaged inseale'd bags, and present restrictions on tin and other metals have acceleratedthe need for eii'icient hermetic end closures for flexible bagsand liners. Inmany packaging procedures the bags are' placed or formed in outer cartons," and oneaspect of the problem is the formation Qfendblosuresin"bags orliners which are alreadypositioned withina carton body. The bags, bagtubes'Qrliners themselves may be formed fromavariet'yjof 'sheetlike materials including those hereinafter set forth: The formation of lengthwise or "side "seams in these flexible tubular structures is not a serious problem and may be handled in a variety of known ways, although the principles of the present invention may likewise be applied to this'problem." In the formation'of liquid and -gas tight containers the most serious problem isthat of obtaining adependably liquid tight and hermetically sealedend or ends after a flexible; openend tubular structure" has been formed." 7 h a y, V
The *most effective and :widely" used approach to'this' problemat'-the present time is that of heat sealing. This; of course,-involves'making'the liner 'ofheat scalable -substance or of; material coated with a thermoplastic." A flexible tubular structure is provided," the inn'e'r surface of which at leastisof a thermoplasticbr' heatscalable ma"- terial, and the end closures are formedbybringing the opposite mouth walls together under-heat and pressure to form the end closure. These are, however, a number of difficulties connectedwith such a procedure, which in the light of the present invention, it is important :to note: i
1. Where suitable heat sealing substances in film 'form'are available or wherethe heat sealing layer existsias a'cdati'rig on another substance heatsealablesubstancehas to be very thinjand usually isin the neighborhood of 1000 of 'an inch in'"thicknes's. In'attem'pting by the use of heat and pressure to make an end closure in such a package; theflow of thefilm' itself or of aheat sealable co'ating under the localized heat and pressure of the operation tends to thin out an already thin filn'i at the" vital point of sealing, and is'frequentlyprodu'ctive" of pin holes; Some materials, such." as- "moistur'eproofl Cellophane, present this y-m aneven greater degree: The-normally used moisturefifobfi Cellophane consists ofa oel'- 14 Claims. (01. 93-15) j lulo'sebase approximately 1000 of an inch'thick coated with a moistureproof heat sealing lacquer film on'e'a'ch 'side,'the total thickness of the film being approximately $1 of an inch. So light a surface coatingis incapable of providing sufli cient' sealing medium to assure a dependable transverse err closure particularly in viewof the difiiculty next to be: discussed.
2 ;An'other principal difliculty is a mechanical onfirising'fromthe structure of the tubed liner inview of the thinness 'of the coating which has justbeen discussed. Atubed liner is characterized by a longitudinal seam, usuallya lapped seam. Great difliculty is encountered in producinga tight end closure at 'thepoint 'where this lengthwise seamf crosses'the transverse end closure,be'- cause the relatively thin heat sealing films {do not provide sufficient surplus sealing medium: to bridge the-gapcreated by the extra thickness or thicknesses in the lengthwise seam. There'is'thus a critical pointofleakagein such structures which mayprevent the production of a hermatic closure. i
This'p'roblem is still more, aggravatedwhen coated Cellophaneis laminated to, say, parchment; In that case, the underside of the overlapped seam is :about .002'5 inch or more thick, i. am'ore-than 5 times as thick as the total amount of coating on both o positesurfaces'of'the Cellophane. It has not hitherto been possible'toheatsal such-a'liner tightly. p q
3.- Under present conditions "due to shortages of rubber and other materials,manyheat sealingsheetings heretofore employed are no longer a'vailableif 4;" In' the packaging of' commodities in sealed liners by present methods the choiceof "linerma terials isunduly limited In most instancesthe type of material employed for the liner or bag itself is determined-principally lay-"the necessity of providing-for heat sealing the ends of the bag.
The requirerlnent for heat scalability therefore frequently" precludes the use of materia1sjwhich woul provide a better protection to the contents, or which would-be less *cirpeiisiva and sometimes leads tense use of materialsfdefinitely undesirablefor the particularpurpose; m M
5. A medium which lis desirable for'flsealing purposes is in'm'any cases not suitable "for coating or "for film formation. By way of example, atypeof coating medium'havihg the quality'of heat scalability; being sufiiciently'fiexi'ble and havingsufficient anchoragetobe'used on a base such" -as"-icellulose acetate, may lack the single "vital characteristic *of'suflicient grease resistance.
stances.
defectgbut could not'be heat-sealed;
3 Thus in spite of the inherent grease resistance of the acetate base itself, such a coated sheet may not be suitable for fabricating into containers designed to hold grease or liquid oil, or products containing large quantities of oleaginous sub- By way of another example; certain admixtures, of microcrystalline or amorphous waxes with synthetic resins may possess every desirable quality needed for the body of a container which is designed to hold grease or short 10 ening, but at the same time such mixtures may not be suitable for use as a coating onja fabric oils, and'are flexible; sanitary and resistant to dimensional changes due to atmospheric variations. And yet there is at present no commercial use of. these sheetings for such vital purposes flas theipackaging of oils or greases, or other fluids designed for the manufacture of bag tubesfbe cause the material itself is-inherently tacky,- or because it has qualities which prevent it from being handled readily in automatic machinery. Again the heat-sealable coating on Cellophane is to provide moisture protection as Well as'to make-- it possible to heat-seal; but while it doesprovide moisture protection to a degree, it is soluble in .oil, so that, ina container for oil, the. oil
eventually dissolves theicoatirig;material and hence will dissolve the heat seal .joint.
Uncoated Cellophane would not be subject to this Parchment or. gla ssi ne bylitselflis on iepeii nt'.
The long seam can bemade leaktight in form'-' ing the tube by'usingthe right'kind of adhesive to bring this aboutlff For instance, if th arch: ment is to be used'foroil, it, Willbe neces ryto use an oil-repellantadhesive; butjto make the end joints leaktightuus'ing' any of these base materials there is no process. knownlunles's the sheeting is provided with a heatrsealable oilre sistant coating throughout the entire innersurface. In the case ofjparchment; such coating on the inner surface'would'serve butone purpose and that is to provide means, forlheat-sealing the top and bottom joints to bring about a-leaktight condition.
material could not hitherto be made into a leak Y tight oil container without having a heat-seal able or. oil-resistant coating, (lo-extensive with the sheet material of'which the container is made. By my' process this material is made available in uncoated-con'dition.
The principal object of my the provision of means and-a method wherebygthese difiiculties and defects are overcome.
One of the objects ofrrly invention is that lof rendering the sealing material independent rof the base material. whereby I- may employ that type of base material best suited f or the ;par-' ticular service contemplated and that type ;of sealing material best suited to form a tight 0losure. This is a mode-of attacking the problem far Wider in' its implications than anything hitherto possible. Itnot only permitssthe..use of a Wide variety of combinations ofi-sheetings and sealing mediums, but it obviates-the; almost impossible problem. of trying to produce a" a coatedsheet which has optimum ual ms for protecting the packaged materialand at thesame time optimum sealing" characteristics. V
,Another object of my invention is the provision of a means and modeof operation permitting the use of the most desirable packaging materials for anygiven service. Many of these materials are notvheat scalable at all andthe result has been that the art has notbeenable f u the i at a h rwise han-{in a te m 3:15 7140 Glassine is grea'se' resistant. An. exemplary .of: the'packaged materials; 1
and semi-fluids, for the sole reason that an effective procedure for the formation of hermetic end closures in tubular structures made of these sheetings is lacking.
' It is an object of my invention to permit the formation of hermetically sealed packages from any type of film or fabric having desirable quali- :or similar T'structures in which the .body fabri'c can be chosen solely from thel standpoint'o'fl its protective effect on the contents of the package, and without regard to anyothe'r qualities, and a sealing medium"may'beemployed vwhich can be chosen as the. best onefor"'itsiunction.irrespective of its ability toform a self-sustaining film' or a coating on th'fabric itself which will not interfere With processing .'ope r'ations.'.
A very vital object of my invention is the IproQ- vision of means and aflmethod whereby the amount of sealingmedium availablein the operation of forming a hermetic end" closure can. be accurately controlled to the amount necessary for the purpose, without regard to any -characteristic of the fabric as a whole,.and in thisconnection it is an object of my invention toiprovi de V tubes, and similar structures which is applicable to packaging problems requiring vthevacuumization of flexible packages or the introduction and'retention of special gases {or the protection 7 These and other objects of inventionwhich ,will beset forth hereinaftenor will be apparent t n sk edei a t r on a in th s specifications; accomplish "by that procedure and by i that a construction and Li arrangement;:of parts. of which I 'shalll -nowvdescribe. certain exemplary embodiments? Reference ismadetothe drawings wherein; 1
Figure 1 is a partial perspective ;view o famech-r anism-for treating bag tubes or the likepre parae to theformation of my end closures therein.
. QFiures 2 3 and l'are respectiveiy fragmentary sectional views of portionsof the ;apparatusl.oi
Figure 1 taken along thelin es z 2, 3 3 anci lfl in thatfigure. .liigure 5- is a sectional view illustrative ofa mode ofopening up the mouth of a liner-or bag tube.
Figure dis ;a sectional view. illustrative of a mode of introducing a sealing material-therein liigure 7'is asectional View related to Eigureifi a law by. h ine 1+1 th re ,andi lustra- 1 his 9 yerieua o onspta .noza ee ementat the start of and during the operation of introducing the sealing medium. l
c Figure 8 is a similar view showing the nozzle in final position just before withdrawal and showing an exemplary relationship of the sealing material to the mouth of the bag tube. Figure 91's a sectional view related to Figure 8 as shown by the line 9-43. a
Figure 10 is a plan view of apparatus which may form a continuation of that shown in Figure 1, and illustrates a pressing operation performed on the ba tube and afterit has been treated as illustrated in Figures 6 to 9.
Figure ll is a fragmentary sectional view through the apparatus of Figure 10 taken along the line H-H therein.
Figure 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 12-42 in Figure 10.
Figure 13 is a perspective view of one end of a bag tube or similarstructure in which my seal has been effected.
Figure 1% is a fragmentary plan view showing the relation of pressure elements to the entering end of a bag tube.
Figure 15. is a, fragmentary plan view showing the relationship of the pressure elements to the trailing edge of a bag tube end.
Figures 16 and 17 are plan views showing respectively two stages in a modified operation of opening up a bag tubeend.
Figure 18 isa fragmentary plan view showing yet another mechanism for opening up a bag tube end.
showing two stages in the operation ofyet another bag tube end opening device.
Figure 21 is a diagrammatic illustration of another mode of treating bag tube ends to open them. i
Figure 22 is a partial plan view of a mechanism related to that shown in Figure l but indicating the assembly to it of other elements such as those shown in Figures 6 and 10.
Figure 23 is an elevational view corresponding to Figure 22but showing certain parts in section.-
Figure 24 is a detail of means for operating pressure rollers and is related to Figure 23.as indicated by the line 24-24 therein.
Figure 25 is a partial plan viewof another means for pressing the treated mouths of liners or bag tubes.
Figure 26 is a sectional view taken along the.
line 26-45 in Figure 25. a
Figure 27 is an enlarged plan view related to the showing of Figure 25.
Figure 28 is a detail of one of the pressing means employed in the apparatus of Figures 25 Figure 29 illustrates an initial relationship of a carton body containing a liner tube, and spreading means whereby the liner tube may be elon gated.
Figure 39 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrative of the operation of the spreading Figures 19 and 20 are fragmentary plan views t Figure 38 is a plan elevational View of a cam plate. a
Figure 39 is an enlarged plan view of certain mechanism shown in Figure 3'7. V
Figure 40 is a fragmentary plan view detailing the construction of certain cam fc'lllotvefs'i Figure 41 is a sectional View takenalongtheline Hll in Figure 39.
Figure 42 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 42-42 in Figure 39.
Figure 43 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 4343 in Figure 39.
Figure 44 is a sectional View taken along the broken line 44-44 in Figure 39.
Figure 45 is an elevational viewrelated to Figure 44 as indicated by the line 45-45 in Figure 44.
Figure 46 is a perspective detail of a valve mechanism.
Briefly in the practice of my invention I achieve a closure by pressing the walls of the liner together along a line across the liner mouth but spaced from the actual liner end, then open ing up the liner mouth beyond this line of pres sure, then introducing between the surfaces tobe joined together a sealing medium in suchquantities as may be desired, and finally pressing the parts together to form a joint whichpro vides a tight seal. The final pressing accom-- plishes three purposes: first, it flattens out theadhesive material, thus providing a wide joint. The width depends on the nature and volume of adhesive material used. Second, it causes the molten adhesive to set or cool more quickly-. Third, it causes the opposite sides of the mouth to adhere to each other over the entire seam area. Without such pressing of the mouth after the adhesive has been introduced, a seal can be formed, but since the sealing material would be in the form of an irregular mass, it would be difficult to fold the sealed area without throwing an undue strain upon the lining material and so injuring it; also, without the pressure the bond is not secured as tightly and furthermore it also takes considerably longer to cause the adhesive to set or cool.
. For reasons indicated above, I shall describe my invention in connection with the formation of end closures in bag tubes which have already 77 been formed, it being understood that the specific sired fabric about a former or mandrel, and
effecting a continuous longitudinal seam therein. The formation of this seam may be accomplished in any suitable fashion either by the fusing together of lapped Wall portions in a heat sea-lable" fabric or by the use of applied adhesive. The
a chief difficulties inherent in the production of hermetically sealed bags and liners are notresident in the formation of the longitudinal'seam,
as much as in the formation of end closuresfjor reasons which have already been given. Consequently, .I do not detail the various modes for forming the longitudinal seam, and merely state that where a hermetic seal is to be formedin the liner, bagor similar structure, it is usually necessaryto provide a-longitudinal seamofsuch char acter that any jply which laps another on the interior of the bag tube or liner shall be thoroughly adhered to the overlying ply to the very edge of the interior ply. If this is not done, a channel may be left between the lapping plies in the longitudinal seam of the liner which will pass through the hermetic end seal, thus nullifying the effect of it. Where it is inconvenient to provide for the adhesive juncture of the inner lapping member out to its very edge, any lapping but unsecured edge portion of the inner member may be cut away or notched in that area where the hermetic end closure is to be formed, to the extent that the sealing material forming the end closure will contact thesealing material by which the longitudinal seam was formed.
In the practice of my invention, I am not limited as to the webs, films, or laminated materials which may be employed in manufacturing my liners. The substance mentioned above, and many others may be used, due regard being had for the relationship of their characteristics to the particular materials being packaged. Similarly, I am not limited as to the employable adhesives. I prefer to employ thermoplastic adhesives. The following formulae are given as exemplary merely, and not as limiting.
mary problem of moisture or waterproofing, such as milk, fruit juices, etc., the following adhesives maybe used:
Formula 1 Per cent Piccolyte '70 Vistanex #6 Formula 2 Per cent Micro-crystalline wax 60 Vistanex 6 l5 Vistac l0 Purified wood rosin s 15 In the above formulae, Piccolyte is a trade name for a terpene resin manufactured by the Pennsylvania Industrial Chemical Company, Vistanex #6 is a trade name of a polybutene manufactured by Advance Solvents & Chemical Corp., andVistac is a trade name for an oily hydrocarbon resin made by the same company. Equivalent substances of other makes may be used.
If the'product to be packaged presents 'a primary problem of oil or grease resistance in the liner, I may employ such formulae as the following: I
Formula 3 In the above formulae, AYAA is a trade name for a polyvinylacetate resin manufactured by Carbide & Carbon Chemical Corporation, and, Staybellite is a hydrogenated rosin soldv under thlstrade name by Hercules Powder Company.
Equivalent substances of other makes may be suitable fashion, it may be cut apart. into individual bag lengths, and these individual bag lengths which hereinafter will be referred to by the term liners may be fed automatically or by hand into the machine partially illustrated in Figure 1. .Here the liners I are gripped and moved along in timed spaced relationship by frictional gripping means 5, 6 on upper and lower traveling chains. These chains may be caused to move in suitable guides 8 and i0 mounted'on the machine. Some of the operations hereinafter described require timing of the liners, and to this end the position of the liners may be determined by suitable pins (not shown) on the lower chain or chains. As many of the chain pairs as may be required for suitable conveyance will be provided.
In their travel through the machine section of Figure 1, the liners first come beneath a holddown bar [3 which is spaced inwardly from the ends of the liners. The ends of the liners initially come above the end of a guide or sweep M which is curved or shaped so as to turn the ends of the liners over above the bar l3 as shown in Figure 3. At a further position in the path of travelof the liners the bar I4 is relieved as at Ma so thatanother bar 15 which engages beneath the turned over end of the liner can raise this end up until it occupies the vertical position shown in Figure 4. It will be noted in this figure that the upraised end of the liner is substantially confined between members l5 and Ma, and further that the liner is somewhat humped about the outer edge of the bar l3, Thus, without producing such frictional relationships between the liner and the various bars as would interfere with the conveyance of the liner in its path of travel, the liner mouth is nevertheless closed or pinched, as it were, along a line spaced fromthe actual end of the liner.
The liner mouthis now in a position to be opened up as shown in Figure 5. This may be done, in one mode of operation, by means of an air blast issuing from a nozzle l6, and it will be noted in this figure that theactual mouth of the liner is opened up while the liner walls adjacent the mouth are kept closed by their configuration around and against the bars l5, [4a and I3. It is not necessary that the liner mouth be opened up throughout the length of the end of the liner nor opened up to any extent greater. than sufficient to permit the insertion of a nozzle I! which initially lies above the mouth of the liner in the position shown in Figure 5, but when the liner has been opened as shown, is moved downwardly into the liner mouth as shown in Figure 6. The position of the nozzle as initially inserted will be substantially that shown in Figure 7. But the liner is moving in the direction of the arrow in that figure, and it is my object to cause'the nozzle to introduce into the liners.
quantity of sealing substance which will be sub-- cess'at the ends, as at 19 and I90. To attain this,
as soon as the nozzle has been introduced into the liner mouth it is swung forwardly into the position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 7 at Ha. This causes a generous application of the sealing substance to the forward end or corner of the mouth of the liner. Then during the travel of the liner in the direction of the arrow, the nozzle is swung backwardly until at the conclusion of the application step it occupies the position shown at I'lb in Figure 7, insuring the application of sealing substance to the trailing end or corner of the liner mouth. Finally the nozzle is tilted forwardly again until it occupies the position shown at H in Figure 8, whereupon it is withdrawn so as not to interfere with the forward movement of the liner. Mechanism for accomplishing these movements of the nozzle will hereinafter be described; but the procedural features which I have just outlined insure a proper initial distribution of the seal ng substance. I have indicated diagrammatically in Figures 6 to 8 a valve 29 to control the flow of sealing substance through the nozzle. It will be clear that the flow will not be initiated until after the nozzle is inserted in the mouth of the liner and that it will be terminated prior to the withdrawal of the nozzle. The volume of the sealing substance passing through the nozzle in a given length of time will be controlled either by the valve 20 or by other means.
As indicated, I may use any desired sealing substance irrespective of the nature of the liner walls and irrespective of their coated or uncoated condition. In other words, the selection of the sealing substance can be based upon the function which it is to perform, and without regard to whether or not it is suitable for use as a precoating substance for the material of the liners. I may employ adhesives which are rendered tacky by means of a solvent and which set through the evaporation of the solvent. I may use adhesives which set up through the application of heat; but for most uses, I prefer to apply a sealin medium which is thermoplastic in its character, which may be applied in a liquid, semi-liquid or pasty condition effected through temperature, which in the condition of application will form a strong adhesive union with the walls of the liner and which, due to cooling, will set rapidly to provide the desired hermetic seal.
After the sealing medium has been applied, I prefer further to distribute it by the application of pressure to the walls of the liner. This may not in all instances be necessary; but it assures, first, that the sealing medium will contact the surfaces to be joined throughout an unbroken line across the mouth of the liner, second, it may be employed to spread the adhesive throughout desired areas of the surfaces to be joined so as to provide a seal of very considerable area, and
' third, it may be caused to produce particular eonfigurations in the adhesive to promote the en.- ciency of the seal. Thus, as indicated in Figures 8 to 10 inclusive, I may employ rollers as pressure members, which rollers have grooved contacting surfaces. The rollers are indicated at 2| and 22 and their surfaces are shown grooved so that the application of pressure not only forms a film of the sealing substance 23 between the walls of the mouth of the liner, but also forms a thickened rib or bead 25 extending across the mouth of the liner. The showing in the figures is somewhat exaggerated and it will be understood that the quantity of sealing substance ordinarily employed is such as to form a thin film at 23. The pro- 10 vision of a bead is thus a matter of additional insurance, especially at the points of plural thickness along the area of the longitudinal seam.
As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the same kind of insurance of adequate sealing at the ends of the mouth of the liner can be obtained by providing the rolls 2! and 22 with raised operating portions 2m and 22a which are of slightly lesser length than the length of themouth of the liner, and by timing these rolls with the travel of the liner in such a way as to produce attheends of the mouth thereof beads as shown at 21 and 28.
When the end closure has been completely formed, apair of guide members 29 and 30 may be employed to return the upraised end of the liner to the horizontal position as shown in Figure 12. Figure 13 shows one end of a sealed liner, the lapping parts of the-longitudinal seam being indicated at 3|.
The beads 25, 2'! and 23 hereinabove described are, I find, useful in rapidly effecting a tight seal; but they may be eliminated and the walls of the mouth of the liner between which the sealing sub: stance has been applied may merely be pressed together in such a way as to produce adhesion and distribute the sealing substance in the form of a film between the areas of the liner tobe joined together. Pressing rollers are not the only pressing means which may be employed. In Figures 25 to 28 inclusive I have shown another form of means comprising a pair of endless chains 32 and 33 arranged horizontally so as to pass around pair of sheaves or sprockets 34, 35 and 36, 31. One at least of each of these pairs of sprockets will be driven. Where the chains approach each other they are arranged to travel with the liner ends; but the sprockets 35 and 37 are spaced further from each other than the sprockets 34 and 36 so as to provide a gradual pressing action. The chains themselves bear brackets or the like 38 and 39 in Figures 27 and 26 to which actual pressin means 43 may be attached. I prefer to provide these pressing means with headed studs d6 which pass through holes in the ears or brackets and which bear tension springs 4! engaging at one end of the head of the stud and engaging at the other end the bracket 38 or 39. This structure permits the pressing means 40 to follow the path of travel of the liner even though the chains have begun to diverge therefrom about the sprockets 3 5 and 33, until the pressing members are actually pulled away from the liner mouths by the brackets. The pressing members may, if desired, be grooved as at 48.
As already indicated, the sealing medium will usually be applied in a warm, plastic and adhesive condition, and the function of the pressing members beyond that of distributing the sealing medium between the liner walls will normally be that of cooling and setting it. Where, however, a further plasticizing of the extruded sealing medium is required, it is not beyond the spirit of my invention to apply heat to the pressing elements, or'to incorporate electric heaters in them. And for some purposes, I may employ more than one set of pressing elements, one group being heated and the other unheated. Where desired, the pressing elements may be specially cooled.
For most fabrics used in the production of bag tubes, I have found that the air blast from the nozzle [6 i sufficient to open up the mouth of the liner to permit the insertion of the nozzle 17. In instances where the material of the bag tube is extremely flimsy in its character, or where the cutting means tends to burr the materials, or
where for any other reason the edges of the mouth of the bag tube may tend to adhere together, it-
may be desirable to provide more positive means for opening up the bag tube mouths; Several of such means have been indicated in Figures 16 to 21. In Figures 16 and 17 I have shown a pair of rollers or discs 49 and 50. These discs have enlarged portions 49a and 50a which contact the liner mouth during its movement. These enlarged portions may be coated or covered with a pressure sensitive material which, adhering to the walls of the liner mouth, pull them apart as shown in Figure 17 as the rolls rotate. After the liner mouth has been thus opened, the pressure sensitive substances pull away from the liner mouths as shown. The pressure sensitive coating can conveniently be applied to the surfaces of renewable tapes I, 52, removably fastened in some suitable fashion to the disc enlargements 49a and 5011.
A variant mechanism and procedure is illustrated in Figure 18, where discs 53 and 54 are provided with extending means 53a and 54a which contact the liner walls as the discs rotate. Before they contact the liner walls, these raised areas are adapted to contact the surfaces of rolls 55 and 56 to which a suitable adhesive has been applied and which in turn apply this adhesive to the raised surfaces 53a, 54a.
In Figures 19 and 20 I have shown a mechanism employing frictional contact with the liner walls to open up the liner mouth. The operation of this mechanism is based upon the fact that if the juxtaposed liner walls are frictionally engaged on each side by opposed means, and the means moved relative to each other so as to effect a relative displacement of the walls, these walls, by reason of their interconnection at the end of the liner mouth, will be caused to separate as indicated in Figure 20. I employ for this purpose a pair of rotating discs or rolls 51 and 58 which have extended frictional contacting surfaces 51a and 58a. I may provide frictional contacting surfaces of the same radius and drive them at different speeds, or if it is more cone venient to arrange the shafts bearing rolls 5'! and 58 to rotate at the same speed, I can gain my effect by employing a different effective radius for the frictional contacting members 51a and 58a, which produces a different effective linear speed of these elements.
For relatively heavy and stiff fabrics for the walls of the liner, a retarding means which first engages and retards the leading end of the liner mouth and then presses down on the top of the up-turned liner mouth will effect a positive opening. I have illustrated this in Figure 21 where on a suitable bracket 59 I have mounted an arm 60 hearing a contacting roller 6 l. A stop 62 may be provided on the bracket to limit the downward motion of the arm, and the weight of the arm may be relied upon to open up the liner mouth la, or the arm may be spring pressed, as is desired.
As hereinafter set forth in connection with a particular machine embodiment, I may also employ vacuum members to open up the liner mouths.
In Figures 22 and 23 I have indicated a mechanism for closing the ends of liners, embodying a number of the features hitherto described. Like parts have been given like index numerals and will not be redescribed. The chains which move the liners are indicated at 5a and 6a. The machine is built on a suitable standard or base 03, and alongside the path of travel of the ends of the liners it bears a bracket 64. On this bracketin fixed position there is mounted the air nozzle I 6 for the air blast to open the liner mouths, where this expedient is employed. The nozzle is connected by a conduit 65 to a valve 65 which in. turn is connected by a conduit 61 to a reservoir or pressure equalizer 68. A pump 69'which may be driven by a motor 10 is connected tothe pressure equalizer.
In the figures I have shown a main drive shaft H which will be driven by a suitable prime mover, not shown. This shaft bears a bevel gear 12 meshing with another bevel gear on a horizontal shaft 13 journaled in a bracket 14. The shaft 13 carries a cam 15 against which the operating rod 16 of the valve 66 mayride. By these means it is possible to time the turning on and off of the air blast through the nozzle [6 with the movement of liners through the machine.
It will be noted that the shaft H by means of bevel gears 11, a short shaft 18 and bevel gears 19, drives the sprocket over which the chain 5a passes. A similar mechanical arrangement, not detailed in the drawings, may be employed to drive the sprocket 8| over which the chain 6a passes.
On the bracket 64 I mount a vertically slidable head 82. On this head, on'a shaft 83 there is mounted the nozzle I! for the sealing substance. The head 02 is moved up and down in guideways on the bracket 64 by means next to be described. A lever 84 is pivoted on the frame of the machine at one end as shown at 85. At its other end it is connected to the head 82 by a link 86. Intermediate the ends of the lever 84 I pivot a rod 81 which may be suitably guided on the frame of the machine as at 88, and bears at its lower end a cam follower 89. This cam follower contacts a cam on a horizontal shaft 9| which is journaled in a bracket 92 on the machine frame. The shaft 9| is connected with shaft II by a bevel gear arrangement 93. The shape of the cam and the timing of the elements is such that just after the leading end la of a liner passes the nozzle II, the nozzle II is lowered into the mouth of the liner which has been openedup by the air blast. The nozzle I1 is raised to clear the liner mouth just before the trailing end of the liner mouth passes the position of the nozzle.
To feed the nozzle I have shown a tank 94 mounted on the bracket 54 and containing the sealing substance 95. AWeight-like plunger 96 located above the sealing substance is intended by me to indicate that the sealing substance will be under pressure so that its delivery to the nozzle will be insured. The tank 94 may be provided with electrical heating means 91. A valve 98 is in connection with the tank 94 and is coupled to the nozzle II by a flexible conduit 99; In some instances it may be desired to heat this flexible conduit and I have diagrammatically shown an electrical heating means surrounding it at I00.
In order-to control the flow and timing of the sealing substance through the operationof the valve 90, I connect this valve by means of a rod |0l to a cam follower I02 bearing against a'cam I03 mounted, in the exemplary embodiment, directly upon the shaft 1|.
In order to accomplish the swinging movement of the nozzle which has hereinabove been described and is best illustrated in Figure 7, I mount a pinion I04 on the nozzle bearing shaft 83. This pinion meshes with the teeth of a rack I05 slide y ou ed in brackets or the like on the head 82. Springs or other means I06 tend to maintain the rack I95 in such a position that the nozzle I! will be vertical; but it will be seen that if the rack I85 is moved downwardly or upwardly the nozzle II will swing in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The rack I terminates downwardly in a cam follower IBI. A cam I08 having a cam groove I05 is mounted on a shaft HI! journaled in a bracket II I on the frame of the machine. This shaft is connected by a bevel gear arrangement H2 with the main drive shaft II. The cam groove IE9 is not co-extensive with the periphery of the cam I98. When the head 82 is up-raised, carrying the nozzle IT to its inoperative position, the cam follower I 81 is not engaged by the cam at all. But when the head 82 is lowered, the cam follower IGI enters the cam groove I29 and the swinging motion described in connection with Figure 7 is accomplished by the shape of the cam groove I99 as the cam follower rides in it during a portion of the revolution of the cam I08.
I have shown the pressing rollers 2| and 22 in the mechanism of Figure 22. The roller 22 is mounted directly upon a shaft H3 journaled in a bracket Ht on the machine frame. The shaft is connected by a bevel gear arrangement H5 with the main drive shaft II. At its upper end the shaft H3 bears a pinion H6 which meshes with the pin on H! on another shaft H8. This latter shaft is journaled in an arm III) which is pivoted as at I 22 to the bracket H4 (see Figure 24). The shaft H8 bears the roller 2!. The shafts H 3 and H8 may be connected by a tension spring I'll by means of which the rollers 2| and 22 may be caused to exert the desired pressure on the liner mouth.
I have thus far described a machine which employs the principle of my invention in effecting an end closur in liners of bag tube form. Normally such liners will then be deposited upon carton or container blanks which may then be tubed about the liner. This produces a lined carton and container, which may be made as such by the box manufacturer and shipped to the box user. The bag will normally have been adhered to a plurality of the carton walls. It will be evident to the skilled worker in the art, in the light of the teachings herein made, that the mechanism of Figures 22 and 23, with the addition of simple means to move the carton flaps out of the way, may be employed to seal an end of a bag tube which is already in a carton and adhered to the walls thereof.
The carton user will square up or erect the carton, thus erecting the bag therein, will close the carton on one end and will thereafter fill it, effect a hermetic seal in the bag mouth, and close the carton on the other end. Many lined cartons however, instead of being provided with bags closed at one end, are provided merely with liners open at both ends, and of tubular form. The carton user will erect these cartons, seal one end of the liner, close the same end of the carton, and then fill, seal and close the other end, as above described. I shall now set forth a mechanism embodying the principle ofmy invention and useful both for sealing one end of a squared up bag after it has been filled and for sealing of the end of a bag tube in a carton. I shall describe in this connection such mechanism as is employed for effecting the hermetic seal in the liner. Such mechanism'may be adapted to a wide variety of carton handlin machinery. I prefer to employ such a machine as is set forth in the 14 copending application of myself and Van Guelpen, Serial No. 450,704. In these machines erected cartons are caused to travel in a fixed path by means of a conveyor and during their travel their orientation is changed from time to time so that fixed folding members may operate upon the various flaps of the carton to effect the closure thereof. In the last mentioned application, the carton bodies are carried along preferably in cages on the conveyor which grip them externally and maintain them in proper position to be acted upon by the various instrumentalitiesv Suitable cages for holding unfilled, unsealed and unclosed lined cartons in operative position and also for holding lined cartons which have been sealed and closed at one end and have also been filled, are shown in detail in the said application. Such cages are diagrammatically indicated in the drawings hereof but have not been fully detailed and are not herein described at length.
The machine of the said application can be so operated that unfilled and unsealed cartons are placed in alternate ones of the cages while filled cartons are placed in the remainder for making the final seal in the liner and for closing the top of the carton. The apparatus hereinafter described is applicable to such an operation also, and it will be sufficient to the skilled worker in the art to point out that the mechanism may be used to seal either end or both ends of a liner tube.
Referring first to Figures 29 to 36 inclusive, I have shown therein in a diagrammatic form a series of operations and instrumentalities suitable for the operations referred to. A carton I22 is shown as having a tubular liner lb. The flaps of the carton have been bent down out of the way and will be suitably held by means in the machine while operations are proceeding on the liner. The carton may be thoug.t of as traveling in the direction of the arrow. A pair of spreader fingers I23 and I24 enter the open end of the liner with a downward movement and then spread apart as shown in Figure 30 to elongate or fishtail the liner mouth. When this occurs, the elongated condition of the liner mouth may be maintained by a pair of rods I25 while the spreader fingers I23 and I24 are moved toward each other and withdrawn from the mouth of the liner. For the spreading means I may use any of those mechanisms detailed in the said patent and application referred to above. During the further travel of the carton, the spread end of the liner comes between a pair of members I26 and I21. These members are shown in Figure 31 as suspended by arms I23 and I25}. The entire mechanism Shown Figures 31 to 36 may be thought of as moving with the carton during its travel. The first action is that of the arms I28, I29 in bringing the members I26 and IN against the flattened mouth of the liner so as to pinch it together along a line interspaced from the end of the liner'mouth. This pinching relationship will be maintained until after the sealing substance has been introduced into the liner mouth and distributed; and its purpose is to prevent sealing substance from passing beyond the pinch line established by members I25 and IZ'I'.
Next, vacuum members I30 and I3I come against the sides of the liner mouth above the pinch line. The vacuum is caused to be effective and the members I30, I3I are swung slightly away from each other whereby to open up the sealing substance.
mouth of the liner. Figure 33 shows the nozzle -I1 introduced into the mouth of the liner after bers I26 and I21 not only as pinching'members but as pressing members for distributing the They may be grooved as at I33 or otherwise as may be desired. Their next action is illustrated in Figure where means not'there shown but hereinafter described, have "caused the members I26 and I21 to swing upwardly until they are substantially parallel and are exerting pressure against the seal to produce the effects hereinabove'set forth. Figure 26 illustrates the relationship of the parts after the seal has been completed and after the members I26 and I21 have released the liner.
In the remainder of the figures I have detailed a portion of a machine embodying mechanism for performing these operations. The machine comprises a frame I34 on which a conveyor I35 is mounted. This conveyor bears spaced turrets I36 which in turn carry the cages I31 to which reference has already been made. A part of the machine is shown, and the remainder of it will preferably have means for closing the carton flaps. Such means are not germane to the present invention. I have indicated a machine drive comprising a motor I38 and a gear box I39 by means of which a vertical shaft I40 is driven. This shaft may bear an end sprocket I4I' for the conveyor chain I35. The upper end of the shaft is journaled in an upper frame structure I42 where it is connected by a bevel gear arrangement I43 to a stub shaft I44 bearing a sprocket I 45. A chain I46 passes over this sprocket and another sprocket I41 on a stub shaft I48. An interspaced stub shaft I49 is provided on the upper frame of the machine. The shafts I48 and I49 bear sprockets I50 and I5I over which passes a chain I52. This chain bears at intervals spreader assemblies I53 in the form of a housing to which the spreader fingers I23 and I24 are mounted. To operate these spreader fingers, I provide a cam track I54 in which is engaged. a cam follower I55. This cam follower is pivotally connected to the upper ends of'the fingers I23 and I24 which fingers are slotted in the particular embodiment shown. Pins at the end of the housing I53 pass through these slots and the result of the movement of the cam follower I55 is to impart to the spreader fingers downward, outward, inward and upward motions which have already been described.
The stub shaft I49 also bears a gear I56 which meshes with a gear I51 on another shaft I58. This shaft also bears a heart shaped cam I59. A plunger I60 is slotted where it passes over the shaft I58 and carriesa pair of cam followers I6I and I62 bearing against the cam I59 at opposite sides thereof. A uniform translational move ment is thus imparted to the plunger I68 which goes-forward and returns once for each revolution of the shaft I58. I v
A shaft I63 is mounted on the upper frame-- work of the machine-and carries a pinion I64 with which a rack I65 meshes. This rack is bolted or otherwise attached to the: plunger I60. The shaft I63 also bears another-pinionI66 which 16 meshes with a rack I61 slidably mounted in brackets or slide bearings I68 and I69 on the upper framework of the machine. The timing of the mechanism is such that the rack I61 moves with a carton in the direction of the arrow in Figure 37 for a certain distance, and then moves back in time to come into the same relationship with a succeeding carton and move forward with it. To this rack I attach the operating instrumentalities which were referred to in connection with Figures 31 to 36. This is accomplished by attaching .to the rack I61 (Figures 39 and 44) a pair of arms I10 and HI. These arms are connected by a plate I12, and if greater-support is desired, the plate I12 may be caused to ride on one or more rollers I13 pivoted on a stationary bracket I14 on the main machine frame. A pair of shafts I15 and I16 extend between the arms I10 and I1! andare J'ournaled therein. The members I26 and I21 are suspended from these shafts by the arms I28 and I29 of which there are counterparts at each end of the members I26 and I21. The suspending arms I28 and I29 are fixed on the shafts I15 and I16 so that as these shafts rotate, the arms can swing the elements I26 and I21 to the respective positions shown in Figures 31 and 32. Beyond the arm-I10 the shafts I15 and I16 bear pinions I11 and I18. These pinions in turn mesh with a pair of intermediate pinions I19 and I86 mounted on studs on the arm I10. Shaft I15 is thus tied to shaft I16 in such a manner that the two shafts will rock equally and in opposite directions when either is actuated. To actuate the shafts, I provide a rack I8I (Figure 41) meshing with pinion I11 and held in that position by a bearing member I82. This rack in turn is connected with a plunger I83 which extends to the other side of the rack I61 and bears a cam follower I84 conrelationship.
It is not desired to move these members during the return stroke of the rack I61. To this end, instead of mounting the cam follower I84 directly upon the plunger I83, I mount it. to an arm or pair of arms I36 which in turn are pivoted to the plunger. The arm or arms bears a stop I81 and is controlled by a spring I88. On the forward stroke of the rack I61 the arm or arms I86 come into general alignment with the plunger I83, and the rack is operated. On the return stroke the arm or arms I66 assume the position shown in Figure 40 and become inoperative to move the rack. The plunger I83 will be controlled by a spring I89 and will preferably be provided with stop means I90 impinging against the rack I61.
Continuing with the description of the mecha .of the member I26 and one of the=arms I92 at each end of the member I21. Each pair of arms is connected respectively with a lever I93 por I94.
These levers arefixed to a shaft I95 which passes between the arms I10 and I 1!. It will be under'stood from Figure 42 that as the shaft I95 turns ina counterclockwise direction, the lever arms I93 or I94 will pull upwardlyon the arms or links I9I and I92 and will swing the members 128 and I2? from the position shown in Figure 34, for example, to the position shown in Figure 35. To operate the shaft 195, as best shown in Figures 39 and 42, I afiix to it a pinion 1% which meshes with a rack I97. This rack bears a cam follower I98 which, as shown in Figure 40, is of thesame character and has the same type of mounting as the cam follower I84. The cam follower I93 contacts and is operated by a stationary cam I99 on the upper framework of the machine.
- The'vacuum members I39 and I3I are mounted by means of depending arms from sleeves 200 and ZO-Iwhich surround. the shafts I15 and H6. They could be mounted on separate shafts between the arms H and Ill, but the sleeve c0nstruction just described is a more convenient one. These sleeves as shown in Figure 43, bear pinions 202 and 203 which mesh with connecting pinions 204 and 295 mounted on studs on a channel shaped sheath 208 suspended from the sleeves. A rack 201 engages with the pinion 202 and extends beyond the rack It! to bear a cam follower 208 engaging a stationary cam 2&9
on the upper framework of the machine. As shown in Figure 40, the cam follower 298 has a sin-"lilar mounting for a similar purpose as that described in connection with cam fo11ower I94.
From the description thus far, it will be evident that as the rack I61 moves, it carries with it the several instrumentalities and their operating agencies, and that these instrumentalities are caused to perform the functions illustrated in Figures 31 to 36 through the agency of the stationary cams I85, I99 and 209, as the instrumentalities travel with the cartons.
The bracket 114, as has already been pointed out, is stationarily affixed to the main frame of the machine. It may bear a valve 2 I9 connected t by aconduit 2II to a vacuum :pump and motor indicatedlat 2I2 'and 2L3. The valve in turn is connected by a flexible conduit 2M and branch conduits 2| 5 and. M6 to the vacuum means I35! and I:3JI.. The plunger .ZII of this valve may pass through thebracket I'M and engage directly and be operated by a cam 2118. (Figure 44') which is mounted on the .plate H21which connects the arms l-llland (III. This plate is moving, so that the .cam :can operate the valve 2H1, the valve of course being stationary on bracket I14.
Imountj a head2 I19 in such manner as to be vertica-lly reciprocable onthe bracket I14. On this head I mount a hollow shaft 22!] which is connected to a valve housing 2 2I The valve housing bears the nozzle I]. In the valve housing there is avalve plunger as at 222 in Figure 46 and its actuating rod '22.,3ipasses through the head 2I9. It. maybe drawn tozclosed' position'by a compression springizdengaged between the head and a washer 225cm the operating rod. To move the operating rod, I mount a lever member 226 pivotally on a part 2210f the bracket I14. This lever member has an -;elong ated contacting surface fortheoperatingrod 223 .of the-valvesince the valve rod goes. up and downwith the head while the lever :does not. The lever is .fulcrumed as at 22% in. Figure .39. Beyond the fulcrum it is pivoted to and 2:29 which .passes. through; a. hole in the bracket I114. This. rod bearsa cam follower .230
which is pivoted to the rod 229 and carries astop as shown. It is that kind of a cam follower which will be operated by a cam when moving in one direction but not in the other. It will of course have a spring control (not shown). It is operated by the cam 23] afiixed to the plate I72.
In order to move the head 2I9, and therefore the nozzle I 1, up and down, the head is connected by a link 23 2 to a lever arm 233 fixed to a shaft 234'journaled on the bracket I14 (see Figure One end of the shaft 234 bears anotherlever arm 235 which at its end carries a cam follower 236. Thi cam follower is designed to ride in a cam track 237 formed in members 238 on the plate IIZ. There is aside cam track 239 connected with the main cam track 231 by angularly related portions and the junctures of the main and side cam tracks are provided with switches 240 and MI. The purpose of this construction is to permit the side cam track 239 to bring about a lowering of the head while the operating mechanisms are traveling with thecarton, but to return the follower in track 231 so that no lowering of the head occurs on the return stroke.
To bring about the swinging movement of the nozzle ll illustrated in Figure '7, I employ a construction somewhat similar to that described in connection with Figure 23. On the hollow shaft 220 of the nozzle I mount adjacent the head I9 a pinion 242. This meshes with a rack 243 slidably mounted on the head 2I9 and urged to a neutral position in which the nozzle I1 is vertical by means of springs 244 and 245. This construction isshown in Figure 45. The rack x243 bears a rigid outwardly extending rod 2.416 which carries a cam follower .241, as shownin Figure 4.4. Cam follower 247 whichis engaged by cam members 248 and 249 aflixed to the plate I12. The shape of these members can best :beappreciated from Figure 38 where between them they forma track 259 within which the .cam follower 24'! is adapted to be encaged, but only when the head 219 is in lowered position. This will occur of course only during the travel of the cam plate .I'IZand its associated mechanism with the carton in the forward direction of the machine. On the return traverse, whenthe head 2I9 is raised, the cam follower 241 will lie .above the member 248, as shown in Figure 44.
In Figure .37 I have shown, supported above the. machine onthe upper frame member I42, a tank or.re servoir.2 5:l for sealing substance 25.2. Again Ishaveindicateddiagrammatically electrical heatins means :253 and. a plunger 254 indicative of the fact ,that. the sealingsubstance is maintained under some pressure. The reservoir is connected to the .valve 22I by a flexiblefconduit or aconduit a -portion of which is flexible as at 25.5. Electrical heat may be applied .to the. conduit or a portion thereof asd-iagrammatically indicated at 256.
As already indicated, the machine. last described may be employed to form closures in either end of a'bagstube. In one operationon such a machine" erected,tubular lined cartons; may be run through and sealed and closed on the bottom end. Then they may be returned to the machine after filling and the upperclosureof the liner made together Withithe closureof theupper flaps. Or filled and unfilled cartons may be run through the machine engaged in alternate cages. The machine embodies means for folding down the upstanding sealed mouth of the liner a; at 256 in Figure 37, andthereafter has means for folding over and closingior sealing,if desired) the carton flaps.
Modifications may be made in. my invention 19 without departing from the spirit of it. Having thus described my invention; what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: I
l. A method of hermetically sealingv the end of a flexible tubular bag or liner which comprises pressing together opposite walls thereof whereby to hold them against each other along a line spaced from the end of the liner, opening up the liner end so as to separate the said walls beyond the line of pressure and introducing a sealing medium into said open end in a continuous body to form a plastic, ribbon-like mass whereby to effect a seal above the line at which said walls are held together.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the sealing medium as so introduced is a thermoplastic adhesive capable of forming a firm bond with said walls, and is in a heat-softened condition.
3. The process claimed in claim l'wherein the introduction of sealing medium is carried on progressively :along the line at which said walls are held together whereby to distribute itsubstantially evenly along said line. j
V 4. The process claimed in claim 1 wherein the introduction of sealing medium is effected progressively along the line at which said walls are held together, whereby to distribute it substantially evenly along said line, andwherein the said walls above the said line are thereafter pressed together whereby to effect a further distribution of said sealing medium therebetween, and to pro-' duce awider area of sealing. 5. The method of sealing an end of a flexible tubular bag'or liner, which comprisesbringing' together opposite walls thereof along a line spaced from the liner end, and pressing said walls together along said line, opening up said liner end beyond said line of pressure, inserting. a nozzle therein, causing a plastic sealing medium to extrude from said nozzle in acontinuous ribbon,
and moving the nozzle relative to said baglend so as to distribute said continuous ribbon of sealing medium within the liner end adjacent to said line. of pressure, and substantially" 'coterminous therewith.
6. The process claimed said bag or liner is in' motion during the introduction' of adhesive therein and wherein the said nozzle is first introduced into the liner end, moved forwardly in the direction of motion of the liner to deposit sealing medium at the leading termi'-' nus'of the liner and then moved backwardly to apply the medium along said line of pressure and at the'trailing terminus thereof, then moved forwardly to accommodate'the motion of the liner,
and finally withdrawn therefrom. V v
7. The process claimed in claim 1 wherein the said bag or liner is in motion during the introduction of adhesive therein and wherein the said nozzle is first introduced into the liner end, moved forwardly in the direction of motion of the liner to deposit sealing medium at the. leading terminus of the liner, then moved backwardly to apply the medium along said line of pressure and at the trailing terminus thereof, then moved forwardly to accommodate the motion of the liner, and finally withdrawn therefrom, and in which after the introduction of said sealing medium, the said walls above thefirst mentioned line ofpressure are pressed together so as to effect a further distribution of said sealing medium, and to produce.
in claim wherein the across the liner spaced from the actual mouth thereof, separating said walls above said line of pressure, introducing a sealing medium therein in a continuous body so as to form a plastic, ribbonlike mass, again juxtaposing said walls and spreading said medium by outside manipulation above the line of pressure whereby to insure a continuous adhesive juncture between said walls, extending fully across said liner.
9. In a machine for the purpose described, means to press together opposite wall portionsof a liner or the like along a line across said portions but spaced from the ends thereof toprevent the downward displacement flow of an adhesive substance introduced therein, means to separate said wall portions beyond said line of pressure, and means to introduce between said wall portions an adhesive substance in a continuous body and in a, condition to bond with said wall portions, so as to form a plastic, ribbon-like mass for effecting a seal above said line of pressure.
10. In a machine for the purpose described, means to press together opposite wall portions of a liner or the like along a line across said portions but spaced from the ends thereof, means to separate said wall portions beyond said line of pressure, and means to introduce between said wall portions an adhesive substance in a continuous body to form a plastic ribbon-like mass, and in a condition to bond with said wall portions, and means for imparting to said last mentioned means movement with respect to said wall portions whereby to deposit said adhesive substance along said line of pressure.
11. In a machine for the purpose means to press together opposite wallportions .of
a liner or the like along a line across said, Portions but spaced from the endsthereof to vpr.e-. vent the downward flow of an adhesive substance. introduced therein, means to separate said wall,
portions beyond said line of pressure, and means to introduce between said wall portions anadhesive substance in a continuous body to form a plastic ribbon-like mass, and in a condition to bond with said'wall portions, and means for-imhesive and widen the area'of sealing.
12. In a machine for closing the open end of a tubular liner means for moving the liner in. a
, path, means to press the walls thereof together along a line adjacent to but spacedfrom the liner end, means for opening up thelinerend beyond said line of pressure, nozzle means for 'ini troducing an adhesive into said opened'liner end in a continuous body soas to form a plastic ribbon-like mass, and means for manipulating outdistribute the plastic adhesive therein.
side surfaces of the liner end thereafter so asto" 13. In a machine for sealing-the "open 'end of a I a liner included in a carton,means for moving the carton in a path and in erected condition, spread ing means for entering the 'end of theliner and acting to spread and flatten it, means traveling with the carton to press the flattened walls of the 1 liner together along a line of pressure adjacent but spaced from the 1iner.end,'me'ans for opening up the liner end beyond the line of pressure, nozzle means for introducing into said liner end a sealing adhesive in a-icontinuous' body so asto form :a plastic, ribbon-.-like 'massfandmeai'isfordescribed,
from,
21 pressing the liner end after the introduction of adhesive therein, said means acting to displace said adhesive so as to insure the formation of a complete seal all across the liner opening.
14. In a machine for sealing the end of a tubular liner, means for pressing together the walls of said liner adjacent but spaced from the end thereof, means for opening .up the end of said liner beyond the line of pressure thereon, a head, a nozzle rockably mounted on said head, and a cam means to actuate said nozzle to cause said nozzle to enter the open end of said liner, to rock while in said liner, and to be withdrawn therea connection between said nozzle and a source of supply of adhesive substance, valve means, means to actuate said valve means in time with the movement of said nozzle to cause said adhesive to issue in a continuous body from said nozzle While said nozzle is in said liner, and means acting to press the area of said liner beyond said line of pressure after the withdrawal of said nozzle to distribute the adhesive therein, said cam means being configured to cause said nozzle to enter the end of said liner, to rock forwardly in the direction of motion of the liner to deposit adhesive at the forward corner of the liner end, to rock rearwardly during the further motion of the liner to distribute adhesive along the line of pressure therein to the rear corner thereof, then to rock forwardly and be withdrawn.
SAMUEL BERGSTEIN.
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Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2519102A (en) * 1946-11-22 1950-08-15 Robert Morris Bergstein Method and apparatus for sealing containers
US2634564A (en) * 1948-01-15 1953-04-14 Bergstein Samuel Machine for sealing the ends of wrapped articles
US2740244A (en) * 1950-11-18 1956-04-03 Belli August Bag sealing machine
US3111796A (en) * 1961-04-10 1963-11-26 Fmc Corp Method for closing and sealing containers
US3151427A (en) * 1961-04-10 1964-10-06 Fmc Corp Method for adhesively bonding surfaces
US3596431A (en) * 1969-06-27 1971-08-03 Davis Machine Corp Method and apparatus for compressing and wrapping bags
US3648574A (en) * 1969-11-21 1972-03-14 L & M Mfg And Supply Inc Apparatus for setting up folded corrugated containers
US4232629A (en) * 1978-07-13 1980-11-11 Phillips Petroleum Company Dispensing nozzle
US5243808A (en) * 1992-09-01 1993-09-14 Kliklok Corporation Flanged carton sealing apparatus and method
US5887412A (en) * 1996-08-16 1999-03-30 Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. Packaging machine, material and method
US20060094580A1 (en) * 2004-11-01 2006-05-04 Hudson-Sharp Machine Co. Apparatus for sealing bag bottom

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2519102A (en) * 1946-11-22 1950-08-15 Robert Morris Bergstein Method and apparatus for sealing containers
US2634564A (en) * 1948-01-15 1953-04-14 Bergstein Samuel Machine for sealing the ends of wrapped articles
US2740244A (en) * 1950-11-18 1956-04-03 Belli August Bag sealing machine
US3111796A (en) * 1961-04-10 1963-11-26 Fmc Corp Method for closing and sealing containers
US3151427A (en) * 1961-04-10 1964-10-06 Fmc Corp Method for adhesively bonding surfaces
US3596431A (en) * 1969-06-27 1971-08-03 Davis Machine Corp Method and apparatus for compressing and wrapping bags
US3648574A (en) * 1969-11-21 1972-03-14 L & M Mfg And Supply Inc Apparatus for setting up folded corrugated containers
US4232629A (en) * 1978-07-13 1980-11-11 Phillips Petroleum Company Dispensing nozzle
US5243808A (en) * 1992-09-01 1993-09-14 Kliklok Corporation Flanged carton sealing apparatus and method
US5887412A (en) * 1996-08-16 1999-03-30 Automated Packaging Systems, Inc. Packaging machine, material and method
US20060094580A1 (en) * 2004-11-01 2006-05-04 Hudson-Sharp Machine Co. Apparatus for sealing bag bottom
US7172546B2 (en) * 2004-11-01 2007-02-06 Hudson-Sharp Machine Co. Apparatus for sealing bag bottom

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