US2746224A - Wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

May 22, 1956 E. s. WOLLETT WRAPPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 26, 1952 INVENTOR. ERNEST 8. WOLLETT y 1956 E. s. WOLLETT 2,746,224

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

26 ERNEST S. WOLLETT May 22, 1956 E. s. WOLLETT WRAPPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 26, 1952 MWVQQ 331 H V "H 5 m E T L m M L r V 0 A w. w T S YQ E N Y R B E Pg May 22, 1956 s. WOLLETT WRAPPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 2'5, 1952 JNVENTOR. ERNES T S. WOLLET 7' May 22, 1956 E. s. WOLLETT 2,746,224

WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 26, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 GLUINGI WRAPPEP'END CUTT NG: FOLDING FINAL SEALING SEAL'NG STATION 0 STATION 0 FOLDING UNIT 0AM SYSTEM ROTATION OF RECIPRQCATION RECIPROCATION DRIVING THE COLLARS OF THE OUTER OF THE END CLUTCH FOR v-- COLLAR SEALER BOTH UNITS CARRIAGE REcIPRocATIoN E FE J4 INVENTOR. ERNES 7 S. WOLLETT May 22, 1956 E. s. WOLLETT WRAPPING MACHINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Aug. 26, 1952 United States Patent ice 2,746,224 WRAPPING MACIHNE Ernest S Wollett, Washington, D. Ci, assignor to American Viscose Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa, a cerpora tion of Delaware Application August 26, 1952, Serial No. 306,443 20 Claims. (61. 53:20

This inventionrelates to improvements in packaging machines and particularly to machines that are adapted to wrap cylindrical or annular articles and to seal such articles from the atmosphere.

Many types of goods which may be packaged by machinery constructed in accordance with the present invention are manufactured to precise specifications which may be altered by adverse atmosphere or handling conditions and thus become unsatisfactory for use by the consumer. Rolls of cellophane, for example, are manufactured in an atmosphere carefully controlled as to humidity. cigarette manufacturers, for example, use great quantities of such rolls in packaging their product, and in order to obtain satisfactory operation of the complicated high-speed packaging machines they use, prefer to receive wrapping material maintained in substantially the conditions in which it left the manufacturer thereof. While the machine here; inafter specifically described is embodied as a machine for wrapping rolls of continuous strip cellophane or other film such as supplied to the cigarette manufacturer, the invention includes machines for Wrapping any articles of a generally cylindrical contour.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fully automatic apparatus for Wrapping generally cylindrical articles fed successively in a continuous stream thereto by a wrapping material supplied to the apparatus in continuous sheet form. It is also an object to provide a greatly simplified apparatus of a general type adaptedto apply sealed wrappers. Ancillary to the object just stated, it is an object to accomplish the folding and sealing of the wrapper about the ends of an article at a single station within the apparatus. Still another object is to provide apparatus capable of wrapping cylindrical articles at a rapid rate. It is also an object to provide an apparatus which is not dependent upon articles being formed to precise dimensions for satisfactory operation and which is capable of wrapping articles of different lengths and diameters with minor adjustments. Other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent from the following description of the invention and the drawing relating there'- toinwhich p l Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the machine, the principal purpose of this view being to illustfate most of the drive connections of the machine; V I I Fig. 2 is a schematic view of the drive connections illustrated in Fig. l as viewed transversely with respect to their axes;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of an article holding and feeding device viewed in the direction of the arrow III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the conveyor shown in Fig. 1 with portions cut away; I v

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the conveyor shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of the conveyor taken along line VIVI of Fig. 4 with portions of the tracks broken ay;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation in section of the apparatus;

2,746,224 Patented May 1956 Fig. 7a is a fragmentary view of a portion of the gluing carriage as viewed parallel to the plane of the wrapping sheet supported on the wrapping and gluing platform; t Fig. 8 is a plan view of a glue-applicating carriage shown inFig-.7;

Fig. 9 is an elevation taken along line IX--IX of Fig. 7 illustrating detailsof a sealing mechanism;

Fig. 10 is an elevation with portions cut away of the mechanism provided for folding the wrapper over the end surfaces of an article and for completing the sealing of ew pp n her t 2 i Fig, 19;; illustrates obliquely a packagewith portionsof the wrapper folded against the endfsllrfaces vof theenclosed article just before the pleated portions are pressed against the endsurfaces of the article; I

Fig. ll is a viewwith portions, removed of one of the opposed folding units shown in Fig. .10 as seen from a central longitudinal plane of the machine normal to the axisof the unit; m U

t Fig. 12 is a fragmentarysection view of a folding unit illustrating the relatiye position of portions thereofwhen the unit is retracted from its article-engaging position shown in Fig, 10; p

Fig. l3 is anelectrical circuit diagram of the apparatus ow h o tfi u e Fig. 14 is a developed view of cams for reciprocating the w r-f d n s; v

Figs. 15 to 18 are diagrammatic views of various cam systems of the folding mechanism in their relative positions at the instant of operation shown inFig. 10; U,

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary View with portions removed illustrating in plan arrangement a carriage for one of the folding h s sh ni i t .10; d M

g, 2 s a, f agmentary elevationof the mechanism, for rotating rotatable portions of a folding head shown in Fig. 10.

In. accordance with the present invention, apparatusds provided for producing a package'comprising a generally cylindrical article and a sealed wrapper stretched tightly thereab out. Ihe apparatusutilizes preferably av wrapper which may be rendered adherent to itself and to the article by the a'pplication of heat. The various portionsof, the apparatus are arranged and disposed with respect to a substantially straight runway for the articles extending through the apparatus whereby. the various operations necessary to the wrapping of the articles may be performed on each article as itprogresses. lengthwise of the runway. The apparatus cornprises related and cooperating mechanisms for (1) receiving successive articles from a storage point, spacingand advancing them intermittently into a wrapper-applying station, thereafter into a station in which the end portions of the wrappers ovep. hanging the articles are folded over the end surfaces of the articles and sealed through theapplication of heat and pressure, and then forwarding the wrapped articles to a discharge point; (2) advancing a continuous sheet of wrapping material toward the wrapper-applying station; (,3) rotating or rolling the article within the wrap'perat the wrapper-applying station ataratej such; as ,to produce tension in the sheet delivered by the sheet-advancing mechanism whereby the wrapping material is wrapped tightly about each article; ('4) cutting the sheet during an instant of rest of the sheet advancing and wrapping mechanisms ata point therealong spaced from the wrapping station; (5) supplying an adhesive to central areas of the tail end of the wrapper partlywr'apped about the article and the leading end of the. following wrapper just before the sheet is out between the two ends; (6) effecting further rotation of the artile within the wrapping station to complete the peripheral application of the .wrapperto the" article; (7) momentarily engaging and heating the vof rolls 6 rolling into position thereagainst.

concentric overlapping tail and leading end-sections of the cylindrically formed wrapper to seal the wrapper in a longitudinal direction before transferring the article and the wrapper to the second-named station; and (8) folding the cylindrical portions of the wrapper which project beyond'each end of the article inwardly over the ends of the article at the'second-named station, and applying heat and pressure to at least a portion of the folded'wrapper portions to seal the wrapper about the article.

Fig. 1 illustrates a plurality of rolls or packages 4, each having a core 6 distributed in series arrangement along, and resting by peripheral contact upon, a runway of the apparatus. Stations A, B, C, and D indicate various positions of the package 4 along the runway at which they are engaged or subject to manipulation by various mechanisms of the machines. The article or package 4may be, for example, a roll formed from a continuous strip of cellophane such as ordinarily used in wrapping cigarette packages of standard dimensions wound about a rigid pasteboard core. By way of illustration, the width of the rolls is 3 inches, the outer diameter thereof is approximately 9 /2 inches, and the inner diameter of the core is approximately 3 inches. The portion of the runway 5 extending away from station A to the right in Fig. 1 may be inclined upwardly a few degrees from the horizontal so that a number of the rolls may be loaded on the inclined portion to roll by gravity into station A. They are without wrappers at this point; as they leave station D, the wrapping thereof is entirely completed.

At station A, the packages 4 are successively engaged by a holding mechanism 7 which comprises two solenoids 8 and 9 mounted on a support 10, a lever 12 pivotably mounted at 14 on the support 10, another lever 15 pivotably connected to the lever 12 at 16 and pivotably connected to the 'machine frame at 18. The lever 12 has a dog or projection 19 which engages the nearest package 4 as it rolls down the runway 5 when the solenoid 9 is energized. The lever 15 has a projection 20 which holds a series of packages supported on the inclined portion of the runway 5 from-running into the machine toward the station B. Projection 20 is brought into its package-engaging position when the solenoid 8 is energized. Retraction of the projection 20 from this position is effected by operation of the solenoid 9 and accompanied by movement of projection 19 into its package-engaging position.

Projection 20 is mounted on the lever 15 so that the mechanism'7 operates more positively to hold the package when such holding is dependent upon projection 20. Pressure of impact exerted by a package thereagainst is transmitted primarily as a head-on force having some torque component tending to thrust the projection into a more positive locking position. Past experience has shown that when the projection 20 is integral with the lever 12, the projection 20 may be knocked out of its holding position by impact such as that caused by a plurality The operation of the solenoids 8 and 9 is coordinated with the operation of other portions of the wrapping machine as hereinafter described.

Supported immediately over the stations A, B, C, and D is the conveyor shown in greater detail in Figs. 4 to 6. The lengthwise direction of the conveyor is directly above and substantially parallel tothe general plane of the runway through the stations. In the embodiment illustrated, the conveyor comprises an endless chain 26 supported on two sprockets 27 and 28. Attached to the chain are seven sets of arms 30 and 31 which engage and control the movement of .the' packages. 6 lengthwise of the runway. Sprockets 27 and 28 are supported on shafts 32 and 33 respectively with the shaft 33 being extended beyond a guide track 34 to support a spur gear 35 which meshes with a gear 36 of equal diameter. Together, these gears constitute. a unit for reversing the drive transmitted from a drive shaft 38 which is .connected'by sprockets,

4 39 and 40 and a chain 41 to the countershaft 42 which supports the gear 36. The shaft 38 is intermittently rotated by operation of a one-revolution clutch 43 supported on the shaft 38. During operation of the machine, a

the drive member of the clutch 43 rotates continuously as a result of being connected'in fixed coaxial relationship with a sprocket 44 conected as hereinafter described with the main drive motor 45. The driven member of the clutch 43 rotates only upon a momentary withdrawal of its pawl 47 from the notch of the cam surface of the clutch by the plunger of a solenoid 4S. 7

The conveyor 25 is provided with spaced tracks 34 and 50 which are grooved along the mutually facing surfaces thereof to receive anti-frictional type rollers 51, as shown in Fig. 6, mounted on the ends of cross pins 52 and 53. The rollers 51-may be simply standard rollers orball bearings with the exterior surface of the outer race being used for rolling contact within the tracks 34 and 50. The semi-circular end-portions of the grooves in both tracks are of sufficient diameter, and the portions of the upper sections of the tracks are spaced with respect to thelower sections further apart than the outer diameter of the sprockets 27 and 28 so that the cross pins 52, 53 may extend laterally of the chain without pressure thereagainst or against the teeth of the sprockets. Each arm 30 and 31 has a bifurcate bearing portion through which extends one of the pins 52 and 53. The portion of each arm furthest away from the chain 26 is also bifurcate and apertured to receive a roller 71 or 72 and a supporting pin therefor extending through apertures in the legs of such bifurcate portions. The arm 31 is non-pivotally with respect to the links 61, 62 and therefore positively propels any package 4 in engagement with its roller 72 lengthwise of its path through the machine. As shown, portions of the arm 31 are secured by boltse54 to the links 61 and 62. The arm 31 has an extension 58 which may engage a lateral surface of the arm 30 to determine the maximum proximity to which the arm 30 may pivot with respect to the pin 53 toward the arm 31. Thefarm 30 is urgedtoward the arm 31 by a spring 59 having each end thereof fastened to an arm. The pins 52 and 53 are spaced by the links 61 and 62, each link having a hole through each end adapted to receive a pin. The assembly comprising the pins, the links, and the arms, is towed by the chain 26 by a pair of links 64 and 65 connected by a pin 66 to the chain and by'pins 67 and 68 to small apertured clevis-like extensions of the links conveyor. To obtain the disposition of the arms 30 and 31 as shown at station B wherein the roller of each arm engages a point along the peripheral surface of the package 4, the arms being separated somewhat as indicated by the separation of the extension 58 from thearm 30, sub-.

stantial separation of the arms is needed to enable the arms to drop into a forward and rearward position along the periphery of the roll as the assembly comprising the arms travels from the upper to the lower pass of the conveyor.

To facilitate this maneuver, the arm 34% is provided with an extension '74 and a small roller mounted on a side surface of the arm between the pin 53 and the roller 71. The extension 74 engages a stationary cam element 77 which swings the arm forward with respect to the direction of advancement of the chain 26 and away from the other arm 31. As this swinging movement is completed, the roller 75 advances under the upturned end-portion 78 of the generally semi-circular cam 79. The arm 30 is thus held closely to the .trackas the assembly to which it belongs is towed around the end portion of the conveyor. At the proper instant, the

solenoid 9 of the package-holding mechanism 7 is ener 5. gized and a package rolls into a position just forward of the arm 31 as it becomes aligned for'movemen't along the lower pass of the conveyor. Shortly thereafter, the roller 75 reaches the lower end of the cam 79, and the arm 30 swings downward to bring the roller 71 into engagement with the package as shown in station E.

The position of a package in station C is determined by the peripheries of a pair of wrapper-applying rolls 81 and 82. The disposition of rolls 81 and S2 and the length of the arm 39 is preferably that which will enable the package to seat in contact with the rolls 81 and 82 with the roller 71 approximately equidistant from the axis of either roll 81 or 82. The roller 71 serves in one of its functions to exert downward pressure which increases the traction or friction between the package 4 and the rolls 31 and 82. The roller 71 is centered above the rolls S1 and 82 and thus the tractive force exerted by the rolls on the package is approximately equal and substantial since these rolls are driven at a higher peripheral rate than are a pair of feed rolls 34 and 35 which advance a continuous sheet of wrapping material 86 from a supply roll 37.

It will be noted that in order for the roller 71 to be positioned centrally over the rolls 81 and 82, it is necessary for the conveyor to stop at the instant the center of gravity of the package 4 passes over the uppermost portion of the periphery of roll 81. When the conveyor stops at this point, the roll 4 will continue to roll forward and downward into position between the rolls 81 and 82 and to roll out of engagement with the roller 72 of the arm 31 and thus bring the roller 71 in position on the uppermost portion of the periphery of roll 4.

With reference to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the supply roll 87 is supported by means such as a pair of stands 38. The sheet passes from the supply roll over guide rolls 91, 92, and 93, and between the feed rolls 84 and 85. As shown, the feed roll 85 drives the roll 84- by gears located at the ends of the roll, each gear having a pitch diameter the same as that of the corresponding roll. The feed rolls are provided preferably with surfaces which have a high coefiicient of friction with respect to the wrapping materials so that the wrapping material may be easily snubbed against the pull exerted on the wrapping sheet by the Wrapper-applying rolls 81 and 82. High friction surfaces may be obtained by constructing the rolls at least partly from a resilient rubber-like material.

In order that the wrapping material may be properly supported in passing from the feed rolls to the wrapperapplying rolls, panel members 95 and 96 are provided with their upper surfaces lying in the plane normally assumed by the wrapping material in taut condition. If desired, additional panel members may be provided above each of said panel members to assist in limiting to the desired path the movement of the loose ends of the wrapping material after the severing of the sheet 86. A knife 98 moves along a pair of guide elements, such as element 99, which extend downwardly from the ends of a stationary blade 101. The knife 98 is supported on a bell-crank lever 162 and urged into engagement with the guide surfaces just mentioned by means such as a spring 103 attached thereto and to a portion of the bellcrank.

The application of a section of wrapping material to a package supported on the rolls 81 and 82 occurs in two stages. As the package drops in place on the wrapperapplying rolls, the wrapper-applying rolls and the feed rolls commence turning, and the leading portion of the section of the wrapper sheet 86 having an upwardly-facing wet glued area passes between the roll 31 and the package 4. The glued area is immediately adhered to the peripheral surface of the roll 4. The feed rolls and wrapper-applying rolls continue rotation until a major portion of the roll 4 is covered with the wrapper. At the instant the rolls stop, a glue-applicator carriage 105 moves into position to bting glue-applying elements 106 .1 nt ei aesma t hfihe Pa ar e s p fi s wrapping material resting on the panel members and 96 The glue-applicator carriage comprises four rollers 109 which travel within channel shaped parallel tracks 11d and 111 extending horizontally along lateral frame portions of the machine spaced laterally and downwardly with respect to the runway of the packages 4. A forward transverse member 112 of the carriage is pivotable on its longitudinal axis so that when a pair of rollers 115 and 114 mounted thereon engage a pair of stationary cams 116 and 117, the transverse member 112 is tilted to swing an arm 118 attached thereto downwardly to carry the lower edge of the elongate glue-applying element107 and the lower surface of the small piston-like glue applying element 166 into engagement with the sheet 86. The sheet-engaging surfaces of the elements 107 and 106 comprise preferably a resilient material such as a rubber-like vulcanizate. The element 107 may be constructed with a lower serrated edge so that the application of an excessive amount of glue may be avoided.

As shown, the stationary knife blade 101 is provided with an aperture 121 back of its shearing edge so that the element 166 may be depressed therethrough to engage the wrapping material. The element 107 is of such a length as to distribute an elongate pattern of glue upon the center portion of the tail end of a section of the sheet 86 constituting a wrapper to be applied to a package. The purpose of the glue applied by the element 107 is to adhere those sections of the overlapping leadihg and tail end portions of the wrapper which are disposed upon the periphery of the package 4 and are not accessible to heat-sealing members which are thereafter applied to portions of the wrapper extending laterally beyond the ends of the package 4. The element 106 places a small patch of glue on the leading end of each wrapper adjacent the cut made thereafter by the knife 98 so that the wrapper may be immediately and positively attached to the package 4 when passing between roll 81 and the package.

The tiltable portion of the carriage 105, i. e., member's 112, 118 and the rollers 114 and 115, is tiltable so that elements 106, 107 may engage the wrapping material while disposed at an inclination with the direction of travel of the carriage and yet such tiltable portion may be oriented as soon as the carriage moves backwardly out of engagement with the cams 116 and 117 to assume a horizontal position wherein the elements 106 and N7 may ride across the peripheral surface of a glue-applying roll 124. When the tiltable portion of the carriage assumes this position, the lower surfaces of the elements 106 and 107 rest substantially in the same horizontal plane.

The glue-supplying mechanism comprises the roll 124, another roll 125 parallel thereto, and a container 126 in which the rolls are supported. The rolls are supported with slight clearance between their peripheral surfaces which permit the development of a thin film of the glue upon the surface of the roll 124. The rolls 124 and 125 may be connected as shown in driving relationship by gears 128 and 129 attached coaxially to respective rolls; the roll 124 is connected in drive relationship withanother portion of the machine as hereinafter described. The carriage is reciprocated along the tracks and 111 by two linkage systems, one of which is shown connected to one crank section of a two-throw crank shaft 131. Each linkage system comprises a connecting rod 132, a lever 133 supported on a stationary pivot at 134 and connected to the connecting rod 132 at 135, and a. link 136 connecting one side of the carriage to the upper ertremity of the lever 133.

At station C the section of wrapping material 86 applied to the roll 4 assumes a cylindrical shape extending beyond the periphery of a package from each end thereof for a distance which may be almost equal to the radius of the package. The rolls of cellophane referred to herein as the articles to be wrapped have a diameter ofapproximately 9 /2 inches and an inner core diameter of about 3 inches. it is desired that the portion extending beyond the periphery of the roll extend when folded over the end at least to a point within the inner circumference of the core 6. Since the radial distance from the outer diameter of the roll or package 4 to the inner diameter of the core is approximately 3%. inches, the extension of the wrapping material beyond the end of the package 4 must be in excess of 3% inches, preferably in the neighborhood of 4 inches so as to allow sufficient material of the wrapper to be positively engaged by a heat-sealing means which enters the core at station D.

It is necessary to seal the overlapping leading and tail portions of the wrapper which extend from the ends thereof in a direction parallel to the axis of the package. This operation isaccomplished at station C in the presently described embodiment by mechanisms forv applying heat and pressure. 7 Referring to Figs. 7 and 9, the mechanism provided comprises two pairs of members disposed at opposite sides of the station C. The members may pass toward each other to clamp therebetween an axially-extending portion 0 a wrapper 138. For example, one member of the pair disposed to the right of the package 4 as viewed in Fig. 9 consists of an arcuate cradle 139 supported on a reciprocable slide rod 140 which slides in a vertical direction lengthwise of itself within a guide 141. The other member comprises a heater 142 mounted on a bell-crank 143. The bell-crank i pivoted on a stationary axis at 144 which permits movement of the heater 142 between the position shown wherein it engages the inner cylindrical surface of the wrapper 138 to the position shown in dotted line. The latter position is that of the bell-crank and heater shown in full line in Fig. 13, as viewed from above. The cams 146 and 147 are supported on a shaft 148 and are arranged relative to the shaft so that after the cradle 139 reaches its uppermost position wherein it supports the wrapper 138 along its outer surface, the heater 142 moves into engagement with the portion of the wrapper overlying the cradle. The linkage system connecting the cam to the bell-crank 143 is such as to urge the heater with some pressure against the wrapper. The earn 147 is so shaped as to maintain contact of the heater with the wrapper for sufficient time to render the thermoplastic coating of the wrapping material adherent and to bring about a sealed condition between the overlapping wrapper portions. The operation of the wrapper applying rolls 81 and 82 is so coordinated with the heat-sealing mechanism just described that the rolls rotate the package 4 supported thereon to dispose overlapping portions of thenow cylindrically formed wrapper extending from opposite ends of the cradle immediately over the upper surfaces of the cradles 139. The overlapping portions are thus placed in a position in which they may be subjected to pressure between the cradles and the corresponding heaters 142. While the heatsealing mechanism for one side of the wrapper at station C has just been described, such operation is duplicated by members of similar construction disposed at the opposite side of station C, such as illustrated in Fig. 9. The left and right side heat-sealing mechanisms are operated by separate pairs of cams 146 and 147 keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 148.

The linkage system responsive to the ram 146 for moving the heater 142 and the bell-crank 143 comprises a lever 151 attached to a stationary pivot at 152, a cam follower 153 attached to the lever 15]., and a link 154 connecting the lever 151 with the bell-crank 143. Means such as a spring 155, for urging the cam follower 153 against the periphery of the cam 147 is provided.

Station D is spaced with respect to station C so that a package 4, with the wrapper 138 tightly wrapped therearound in a cylindrical form and carried between a pair of arms 30 and 31, stops normally within the depression 157 by depressing a switch-engaging device 158 (see Fig.

4) which extends above the surface of the depression at station D in the absence of a package resting therein. By operation of an electrical and mechanical clutch system connected with the switch 157 hereinafter described, mechanism for folding the projecting portions of the Wrap-- per over the ends of the roll 4, as shown in Fig. 10, isbrought into operation. As the portion of this mechanism which folds and seals the portion of the wrapper extending from one end of the package may be exactly similar to that for fol-ding the portion of the wrapper extending from the opposite end of the roll 4, only one portion of the mechanism on one side need be described in detail.

Supported on opposite sides of station D are identical folding head units 160 and 161. Each unit comprises a carriage 163 and a support member 164 (see Fig. 12) attached rigidly thereto by a pair of struts 165. The support member 164 supports on the sleeve portion thereof a collar 166, the outer diameter of which is complementary to the inner diameter of another collar 167 which may slide in an axial direction along the peripheralsurface of the collar 166. The member 164 also has a central bore complementary to the external cylindrical surface of a tubular member 169 and through which the member 169 is readily slidable. The carriage 163 has rollers 171 for engagin horizontal surfaces of two spaced channel-shaped tracks 173 fixed to the frame of the machine. The carriage also has rollers 174 supported on vertical axes whereby they may engage vertical surfaces of the channel members to reduce friction and to avoid any wobble in the movement of the carriage along its respective tracks. The carriages 163 and the other portions of the folding units and 161 supported thereon are traversable toward and away from the package 4 at station D in a direction parallel to its axis.

spect to their common axis to effect duplicate movements of the carriage in opposite directions.

The positions of the units 160 and 161 are illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11 at that instant at which the folding of the projecting portions of the wrapper has been completed and the heat sealing mechanism is positioned for forcing wrapper portions into the core of the package to bring about sealed relationship betwen the core and heated portions of the wrapper forced thereagainst. In the position of the units shown in Fig. 10, the carriages, by operation of the cam mechanism comprising the cams 180, are at their Further-' closest position during their operating cycle. more, it will be observed that the collar 167 is shifted along the outer surface of the collar 166 away from the shoulder 182 to swing fingers 183, supported by the collars as hereinafter described, toward an alignment which is closely to,

but not quite parallel to, the axis of the two tubular members 169. Pivotably attached to each finger on the portion thereof closest to the package 4 is a pad 184 which has a flat surface which engages the wrapper. A spring 185 urges the pad 184 into the alignment with respect to the finger shown in Fig. l2 wherein the collar 167 is shown resting back against the shoulder 182 of the member 164. Fig. 12 illustrates the relative positions of the parts at the beginning of the folding operation.

As the folding operation commences and the-collar 167 is shifted away from the shoulder 182, the pads 184 are brought inwardly against the portions of the wrapper projecting beyond the ends of the package 4, and the pads align themselves automatically in accordance with the gradually changing angle taken by such wrapper portions relative to the end surface of the package as they fold inwardly toward the axis of the roll. At the end of the movement of the collar 167 away from the shoulder 182, the fingers are at the position shown in Fig. 10, and the folds of the Wrapper between those areas engaged by the pads extend outwardly between adjacent pads. The pads 184 are spaced properly to permit the development and extension therebetween of such folds, the spacing being preferably not less than about of an inch when the pads are engaged squarely with the ends of the package 4. Fig. a illustrates such folds or pleats, i. e., pleats 138a of the wrapper 138 as they extend radially and axially along each end of the package 4 at the completion of the axis movement of the collar 167 from the shoulder 182 but before the folds are pressed over the areas 138]: between the folds. These areas are circumscribed by dotted line and indicate the surfaces engaged by the pads at this instant of operation.

By twisting force applied to the collar 167 of each unit, such torque being applied to the respective collars of both units in opposite directions, the pads are traversed in an arcuate path concentric to the axis of th package 4 to withdraw the folds that extend from between the pads and to pass the pads over such folds so as to press them tightly against the ends of the package. Thereafter, the tubular members 169 of the respective units move in toward the core of the package. Heaters 186, mounted on the ends of members 169, have tapered surfaces 187 of which the greatest diameter is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the core. The heaters enter the core to apply heat and pressure to the portion of the wrapper engaged by them. The wrapper is provided with a thermoplastic coating, and when heated sufiiciently is sealed in this manner to the inner surface of the core. The gathered material of the wrapper is thoroughly pressed and adhered together to etfectively seal the material of the package wound about the core from the atmosphere. The shoulder 188 of each heater engages wrapping material overlying each end of the core to effect further sealing of the package.

The number of pads and fingers provided by a single unit is not critical. However, the number of pads and the area covered by them should be such as to provide complete and eflicient pressing of the folds formed therebetween during the turning of collars 166 and 167 about the So that the rollers 190 will be retained in the slts 192, an 193 shown in Fig. 11, it may be seen that each folding unit of the embodiment herein shown and described has 12 sets of fingers and pads. The movement of the fingers 183 is effected as the result of the rollers 190 and 191 attached thereto being free to move within slots 192 and 193 respectively. The slot 193 and the roller 191 are preferably larger than slots 192 and roller 190 respectively so that the shoulder formed at 195 will function as a stop for preventing movement of the roller 191 into the slot 192. So that the rollers 190 will be retained in the slots 192, on annular plate or spider member 197 having radially extending slots is bolted to the face of the collar 166. The slots of the plate 197 are of sufiicient width to permit extension therethrough of the fingers 183 therebetween but narrow enough to retain each pair of rollers 190 disposed on the opposite sides of the portion of each finger extending into a slot 192 within the latter slot, i. e., the width of the slots of plate 197 is much less than the width of the slots 192. In similar fashion, a plurality of separate elements 198 are bolted to the collar 167 to form a narrow slot extending lengthwise of each slot 193 for extension therethrough of the portion of the finger 183 on which another pair of rollers 191 are mounted.

The collar 166 may turn with respect to the sleeve portion of the support 164. Referring to Fig. 12, it will be seen that the collar 166 is supported between the radially extending surface 201 and a nut 2.02 in threaded relationship with the sleeve portion of the member 164. Thus, while the support member 164 is fastened integrally to the carriage 163 and is not free to rotate, the collar 166 may rotate thereabout when following the rotation of the sleeve 167 originating through cam action to be hereinafter described. The sleeve 166 turns with the sleeve 167 as the result of torque transmitted thereto through the fingers 183.

lldorions executed by the folding units It should be recognized that four distinct and independent motions are entailed in the operation of the folding units and 161; each motion is executed by each unit and is initiated by a cam on a cam shaft 205. These motions are namely (1) reciprocation of each unit as the result of the movement of the carriage 163 along respective channels 173 in a direction parallel to the axis of the package 4 supported in station B to bring the units into positions whereby the package 4 is accessible to wrapper-working portions of the units; (2) movement of the collar 167 in an axial direction relative to the collar 166 and the support member 164 to change the angular relationship of the fingers with the axis of the units whereby the pads 184 of each unit are swung into engagement with wrapper portions; (3) rotation of the assembly comprising collars 166 and 167, the fingers 183 and pads 184 attached thereto relative to the supporting member 164 to accomplish the laying-over and flattening of radially extending folds or pleats made in the wrapper on each end-surface of the package 4; and ,(4) movement of the tubular member 169 relative to and through the supporting member 164 to accomplish a final step of sealing the wrapper around the package. The system for reciprocating the units 160 and 161 in their entirety, i. e., the first motion referred to in this paragraph, is hereinbefore described.

Proceeding now to the system for obtaining the secondnamed motion, a cam 206 fixed to the shaft 205 is engaged by a cam follower 207 mounted on a lever 208 between its connection with a link 209 and its stationary pivotal anchorag .10,- The link 209 is connected to the lever by a universal joint 211. The link 209 is connected by a universal joint 213 to any suitable rigid extension of the collar 167 such as that comprising a pair of studs 212 extending axially from portions of the collar 167 spaced along a common circumference and an arcuate member 214 secured to the ends of the studs remote from the collar with an extension 215 of the arcuate member in pivotal connection with the universal joint 213.

The third of the above-indicated motions is obtained by a cam 213. also mounted on the shaft 205 which engages a cam follower 219 attached to a lever 220 intermediately of its stationary pivotal anchorage 221 and the connection of the lever with a link 222. A universal joint 223 is used to connect the link 222 and the lever 220. The link 222 is connected to a bell crank 224 which pivots on an axis (shaft 225) that is fixed with respect to the carriage 163 and the supporting member 164 of either unit. Such an axis is provided by a pair of horizontally aligned apertures in the struts by Which the supporting member 164 of each unit is supported on its respective carriage. A shaft 225 extends fro t b lr nk 22 through h s p ax t a link .26, shcwnm r d s nc ly in unit 1 e at the other end of the shaft. The upper end-portions of the bell-crank 224 and the link 226 carry stub shafts 22 8 and 229 and rollets mounted thereon which work within vertically elongated slots of a pair of horizontal arms 231 secured to diametrically oppositely disposed portions of a ring 233. This ring rides slidably within a circumferential groove 234 of the collar 167. The ring 233 is constructed preferably in two halves which may e bolted together to facilitate installation and removal from the collar. As a result of the collar being rotatable wtih respect to the 11 ring, the collar 167 may be shifted both axially with respect to the collar 166 and rotated relative to the support-- 240 is anchored pivotably at 241; its other end portion is.

connected to a link 242 by a universal joint 243 to the elbow pivot of a bell-crank 245. The lower end portion 246 of the bell-crank is connected to a rigid extension 247 of the carriage 163. Theupper end-portion of the bell-crank 245 is slotted to receive a pin or other pivotal element 249 extending from a collar 250 secured to the end-portion of the tubular member 169. The bell-crank 245 is preferably constructed in right and left portions spaced by means such as elements 252 and 253. The tubular member 169 travels in an axial direction through an accurately fitting bore within the sleeve portion of the supporting member 164.

The hollow passageway of the tube 169 permits the extension therethrough of a two-wire cable 255 for supplying electrical energy to the heater 187.

The employment of universal joints in the linkage systerns for effecting the motions of the folding units 160 and 161 enable these motions to be performed independently of one another at any position of the unit along the ambit of the carriage. The linkage systems are preferably constructed of resiliently extensible and compressible members incorporating, e. g., springs which absorb shock in the case of any misadjustrnent or jamming of the folding mechanism to thus enable the apparatus illustrated by Fig. 10, to operate without serious damage. The members 176 of each unit are interconnected by a tension spring 257 which prevents slackness in the execution of the first described motion, i. e., the movement of the units toward and away from each other.

Adjustment of the units for package width have right-hand and left-hand threaded hub portions in I threaded relationship with an adjusting screw 263 supported rotatably in frame portions 259 of the machine below the cam shaft 205. Manual rotation of a wheel 264 attached to the screw results in shifting of the cams 180 toward or away from each other.

Drive system of the machine All movable portions of the machine are driven by a single motor 45 with the aid of four one-revolution clutches, solenoids for actuating the clutches, and six elec trical switches for closing the solenoid circuits at the proper time. Refering now to Figs. 1 and 2, the motor 45 is connected to a gear reduction unit 270. The power out- 1 put shaft 271 of the unit is provided with two sprockets, one being connected to a sprocket 272 attached fixedly to the driving member of a one-revolution clutch 274 cncentrically about the cam shaft 205. The notched operating periphery 275 on the driven member of the clutch 274 is engaged by a pawl 276 which may be Withdrawn from the notch of the periphery 275 by operation of a solenoid The other sprocket mounted on the output shaft 271 is connected by a chain 281 to a sprocket 282 keyed to a' shaft 283. The shaft 283 supports a spur gear 284 and a sprocket 285. The spur gear continues the transmission of power to other portions of the machine exclusive of the V conveyor 25 and the wrapper folding mechanism driven from shaft 205. .The sprocket 285 is connected by a chain 287 to the sprocket 44 of the conveyor assembly. The gear 284 is one of three spur gears of equal pitch diameter (the other two identified by numerals 288 and 289) connected in series meshing relationship. Gears 288 and 289 are attached in fixed relationship to the driven members of one- revolution clutches 291 and 292 respectively. The driven member of the clutch 292 is fixed to the shaft 294. Energizing of a solenoid 295 results in operation of the one-revolution clutch 292 and rotation of the cams 146 and 147 mounted on the shaft 294. Fixed to the shaft 294 is also a sprocket 296 connected by a chain 297 to a sprocket 298 mounted on the shaft 299 drivenby the.

one-way clutch 291. The sprocket 298 and a cam 301 attached thereto may turn independently of the shaft 299.

The cam 301 (see Fig. 7) engages a roller 302 attachedto the knife-operating bell-crank 102.

Fixed to the shaft 294 is another sprocket 393 connected by a chain 304 to a sprocket 305 mounted on the double-throw crank shaft 131 which as hereinbefore described in detail reciprocates the glue-applicator carriage 105. Still another sprocket 307 is mounted on the shaft 294 and connected by a chain to a sprocket 308 mounted on a short countershaft 309. The countershaft carries another sprocket 31%) connected by a chain 311 to the sprocket 312 connected in fixed coaxial relationship to the glue roll 125. Thus, the shaft 294 is connected in direct drive relationship with the sealing mechanism of station C illustrated in Figs. 7 and 9, the knife blade 93 which cuts the wrapper portions, the glue-applicator carriage, and the glue supplying rolls in addition to carrying the drive transmission of power to the one-way clutch 291.

The shaft 299, attached to the driven member of the clutch 291, rotates for one revolution when the clutch is actuated by operation of a control solenoid 315 therefor. The primary function of the shaft 299 is to drive the feed rolls 84 and and the wrapper appiying rolls 181 and 182. Adequaterctation of these rolls is obtained from one revolution of the shaft 299 through a step-up mechanism. Accordingly, the shaft 299 has a spur gear 317 in mesh with a spur gear 313 mounted on a counter-shaft carrying a large sprocket 319. The

large sprocket is connected by a chain 320 to a relatively small sprocket 321 mounted on the shaft 322 of the roll 85. Mounted also on the shaft 322 is an additional sprocket 323 connected by a chain 324 with a sprocket 325 carried on the shaft 326 which supports the wrapper-applying roll 82. 7

Operation The operation of the apparatus hereinbefore described -may be considered as depending upon a primary cycle which comprises motions of apparatus resulting in the application of the wrapper at station C. This cycle is initiated by movement of the conveyor 25 providing, of course, that the conveyor places a package 4 in station C. A secondary cycle relating to the operation of the folding units and 161 is initiated also by a movement of the conveyor resulting in the positioning of a package 4 at the station D. Later occurring portions of these two cycles are not necessarily in exact synchronism. However, it is essential that the secondary cycle of folding the ends of the wrapper about the roll 4 be completed at the completion of the primary cycle so that successive rolls may be simultaneously placed in sta tions C and D to initiate repetition of the cycles.

The primary cycle commences by a movement of the bell-crank 143 which brings the heat-applying sealing element 142 to the upright position (shown diagrammatically in plan view in Fig. 13 and in dotted outline in Fig. 9). The bell-crank has attached thereto a switch actuator.334 which may comprise an arm 335, a lever 336 pivotally attached thereto carrying a roller 337.

13 The lever 336 is urged against a stop surface of the arm by a spring- 338. During an upward stroke of the bellcrank, the roller depresses a button 340 of the switch 330 to complete the circuit for energizing the coil of the solenoid 48. During the downward stroke of the bellcrank, the lever 336 swings away from the stop surface of the arm 335 andal-lows the roller to pass over the button- 340= without depressing it.

Energi-zation of the solenoid- 48 instantly disengages the pawl of the one-revolution clutch- 43 which controls the movement of the conveyor. Simultaneously, however; the solenoid 9 connected to the switch 330 of the package holding mechanism 7 is energized, and a roll 4 rolls down the runway 5 from station A- a-nd is: caught between a set of arms 30' and 31 of the conveyor and carried to station E. The package previously held at station. B moves into station C between the wrapperapplying rolls 81 and 82. As the package settles between rolls 81 and 82, the plunger or trigger 342 (see Fig. 4) of a switch actuator 343 (similar in operating principle to the actuator of switch 330) is depressed, and a. switch 344 is closed. The coil of a solenoid 315 for controlling the one-revolution. clutch 291 is thereby energized. The pawl operated by the solenoid 315 is lifted from a notch 345 of the clutch cam to allow the shaft 299, which drives the feeding and wrapping rolls, to rotate.

Positioned about three-quarters of the way between the stations B and C along the track 50 of the conveyor is a switch 352 (see Fig. 4) which is engaged by the hubportion of each arm 30 as each pair of arms so and 31 pass by the switch. The switch 352 controls the circuit to the solenoid 8 of the feed rack 7. Thus, before the completion of each conveyor movement, the projection 20 of the lever 15 of the feed rack is returned to its position for preventing the movement of the packages 6 down the runway 5.

After approximately two-thirds of a turn of the shaft 299, a cam switch 346, the cam portion 347 of which is mounted on the shaft 299, closes the electrical circuit to the solenoid 295. This solenoid controls the one-revolution clutch 292 mounted on the shaft 29d from which the knife 98, glue-applicating carriage 105, the glue rolls 124, 125, and the sealing elements 139 and 142 are driven. The shaft 299 continues in operation to complete about five-sixths of a revolution until notch 34% is engaged by the pawl of the clutch 291. At this instant the glue-applicating carriage 105 has been moved to the position shown in Fig. 7 whereby the glue-carrying elements 106 and 107 engage the sheet material and the carriage is ready to back away from the cams 116. A slight further rotation of the shaft 294 (about three-sixteenths of a revolution) carries the node of the cam 301 under the roller 302 of the knife-operating bellcrank whereby the sheet is severed. At this instant the cam port on 351 of a cam-operated switch 350 mounted on the shaft 294, rotates into position to close the switch, and the clutch 291 is again actuated to operate the feeding and wrapper-applying rolls so as to complete the wrapping of the tail end of the wrapper about the package 4 in station C.

As the shaft 294 in the meantime continues to rotate, the sealing element 139 and 142 are brought into contact with the outside and inside surfaces of the portion of the wrapper extending outwardly from the roll 4 just as the wrapper-applying rolls stop. The halting of the latter corresponds to engagement of the pawl 291 in the notch 345. The shaft 294, however, continues to operate until the cams 146 and 147 have completely retracted the sealing elements from their position in contact with the wrapper. In arriving at this completely retracted position, the switch actuator 334 attached to the bell-crank engages the switch 330, and the primary cycle is again initiated.

Figs. 7 and 13 represent an instant during the primary cycle in which the operating of the feeding rolls and the wrapping rolls ishalted and. the pawl. of the solenoid 315 is locked in the notch 348 of the clutch 291. The knife 98- is shown as having almost completed its downward stroke as indicated by the positionof node of cant 30 1. The cam 146- is shown inthe position wherein the follower therefor has been raised to bring the element 139 into wrapper-engaging position. The bellcrank 143 is about to be lowered since the node of the cam 147 is just starting to engage the follower 153.

The cam surface 353 of the clutch is in movement at this instant and Fig. 13 shows the extent of rotation of the cam surface relative to the pawl. The position of the notch 354 indicates the amount of rotation of the shaft 294 which will occur before it stops. The node 356 of the cam 351 is shown in the position wherein it is about to close the switch 350 which will initiate the second and final movement of the wrapping rolls.

Considering now the cycle of the folding mechanism illustrated in Figs. 10 to 12, Figs. 14 to 18 indicate simultaneous positions of various cam surfaces of the folding mechanism at the instant in which the mechanism is depicted in Fig. 10. Fig. 14 represents a plane development of the right and left cylindrical cams 180 with cam followers 178 positioned within the cam grooves 179. The cam followers 178 are shown at the stage of almost maximum separation but are about to be forced toward each other. As the cam followers move toward each other, the lovers 176 will be tilted in such a manner as to carry the folding units and 161 away from each other.

Figure 15 indicates that, at the same instant, the node of the cam 206 has substantially passed under the follower 207, and the twisting movement of the two units is about to be reversed and the collars 166 and 167 returned to the normal orientation in which they remain during periods of rest for the shaft 205 and for the greater part of its rotation.

Fig. 16 indicates that just about the same time the return twisting motion starts, but after the units have started to move apart, the collar 167 moves in an axial direction along the surface of collar 166 toward the shoulder 182 to return the pads 184 and adjacent portions of the fingers 183 to outwardly radially disposed positions. Fig. 17 shows that a steepsided surface of node 358 on the cam 238 is about to pass under the follower 239 to effect sudden withdrawal of the tubular members 169 and the heaters 187 from the core of the package 6.

Fig. 18 indicates the position of the notched cam surface of the clutch 266 relative to the notch 359. When the notched surface engages the pawl 268, the cam shaft 205 will stop rotating thus completing one movement cycle of the folding mechanism. The angular distance between the pawl 268 and the notch 359 is suflicient to return all of the mechanisms represented in Figs. 14 to 17 to a normal position of rest wherein the units 160 and 161 are completely retracted, and the pads are disposed in an outward position.

Apparatus is thus provided by the present invention by which packages or articles of generally cylindrical contour may be wrapped with extreme tightness, if desired, "to make the wrapped package highly self-supporting, less readily deformable, and able to stand rough handling. An outstanding advantage derived from upparatus constructed in accordance with the principles embodied in the machine herein described is that larger cylindrically-shaped articles may be neatly packaged within a sealed wrapper than is practical with any known apparatus of the prior art. The apparatus, moreover, is entirely automatic and capable of applying a completely sealed wrapper. As automatic wrapping machines tend to be highly complex, the construction of the machine of the present invention is relatively simple when compared with the machines available from the prior art for accomplishing the various necessary operations involved in placing a tight sealed wrapper about an article. The machine of the present invention has the further advantages of being easily adapted or adjusted for wrapping articles varying in diameter and width and is capable of wrapping, with adjustment or attention, articles which vary to a minor extent as to width and diameter within a single lot.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without, departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for wrapping articles having cylindrical peripheries comprising a stationary runway therefor having at least two stations spaced therealong, a conveyor spaced laterally from the runway but extending generally lengthwise therewith, the conveyor comprising spaced portions extending transversely with respect to the length of the runway for successively engaging and propelling the articles therealong, means for intermittently driving the conveyor whereby an article is moved lengthwise of the runway into, and another article is moved out of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor, means for passing a continuous sheet material toward the station nearer the receiving end of the runway, means for cutting successive sections of the sheet into wrappers, means for applying an adhesive to the leading end-portion and the tail end-portion of the inner surface of each wrapper, means for engaging and winding successive wrappers about successive articles in said station, means responsive to the wrapper-winding means for actuating the cutting means and adhesive-applying means and operating these means in timed relationship, means disposed at opposite sides of another of said sta-, tions for folding and pressing portions of the wrapper overhanging the end surfaces of each article against said surfaces, and means connected with said wrapper-winding means for actuating the driving means for the conveyor for the duration of one movement thereof.

2. Apparatus for wrapping articles having cylindrical peripheries comprising a stationary runway therefor having at least two stations spaced therealong, a conveyor spaced over the runway but extending generally length wise therewith, the conveyor comprising spaced portions extending transversely with respect to the length of the runway for successively engaging and propelling the articles along the runway, the cylindrical peripheries of the articles resting on the runway with the axes thereof in transverse relation with the length of the runway, means for intermittently driving the conveyor in separate successive advancing movements whereby an article is moved lengthwise of the runway into, and another article is moved out of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor, means for passing a continuous sheet material toward the station nearer the receiving end of the runway, means for cutting successive sections of the sheet into wrappers, means for applying an adhesive to the leading end-portion and the tail endportion of the inner surface of each wrapper, means for engaging and winding successive wrappers about successive articles in said station, means responsive to the wrapper-winding means for actuating the cutting means and adhesive-applying means and operating these means in timed relationship, means disposed at opposite sides of another of said stations for folding and pressing portions of the wrapper overhanging the end surfaces of each article against said surfaces, means for rotating said folding means relative to each end of the article and the wrapper, said runway having a depression for positioning the articles in the folding station in coaxial relation with the axis about which the folding means is rotated, and means connected with said wrapper-winding means peripheries comprising a stationary runway having at least for actuating the driving means for the conveyor for the duration of one movement thereof. a

3. Apparatus for wrapping articles having cylindrical two stations spaced therealong, conveying means spaced over the runway but extending generally lengthwise therewith, the conveyor comprising spaced portions extending transversely with respect to the length of the runway for successively engaging and propelling the articles along the runway, the cylindrical peripheries of the articles resting on the runway with the axes thereof in transverse relation with the length of the runway, means for intermittently driving the conveyor in separate successive advancing movements whereby an article is moved lengthwise of the runway into, and another article is moved out of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor, means for passing a continuous sheet material toward the station nearer the receiving end of the runway, means for cutting successive sections of the sheet into wrappers, means for applying an adhesive to the leading end-portion and the tail end-portion of the inner surface of each wrapper, means for engaging and winding successive wrappers about successive articles in said station, means disposed at opposite sides of another of said runway having a depression for positioning the articles in the folding station in coaxial relation with the axis about which the folding means is rotated, and means connected in timed relation with the folding means for heating and pressing radially inner portions of such folded overhanging portions to a small concentric area at each end of the package, said heating means being movable transversely with respect to the runway for movement toward and away from the latter-named station to engage the ends of the wrapped article supported in such station without interference with the folding and pressing means.

4. Apparatus for wrapping articles havingcylindrical peripheries comprising a stationary runway therefor having at least two stations spaced therealong, conveying means spaced over the runway but extending generally lengthwise therewith, the conveyor comprising spaced portions extending transversely with respect to the length of the runway for successively engaging and propelling the articles along the runway, the cylindrical peripheries of the articles resting on the runway with the axes thereof in transverse relation with the length of the runway,

means for intermittently driving the conveyor in separate successive advancing movements whereby an article is moved lengthwise of the runway into, and another article is moved out of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor, means for advancing a continuous sheet toward the station nearer the receiving end of the runway into tangency with the periphery of an article supported therein, means for applying an adhesive to the sheet at two fixed points longitudinally spaced therealong, means for severing the sheet between said points to form each successive section of the sheet'into a wrapper, said advancing means operating in two separate movements to wind each wrapper onto an article and the adhesive applying means and the cutting means being connected in timed relationship with the conveyor to operate in the order named during the time interval between said movements, and means disposed at opposite sides of another of said stations for folding and pressing portions of the wrapper overhanging the end surfaces of each article against said surfaces.

5. Apparatus for wrapping articles having cylindrical peripheries comprising a stationary runway therefor having at least two stations spaced therealong, conveying means extending generally lengthwise with respect to the runway, the conveyor comprising spaced portions extendall,

amaze;

ing transversely with respect to the length of the runway for successively engaging and propelling the articles along the runway, the cylindrical peripheries of the articles resting on the runway with the axes thereof in transverse relation with the length of the runway, means for intermittently driving the conveyor whereby an article is moved lengthwise of the runway into, and another article is moved out of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor, means for advancing a continuous sheet material along a fixed path extending toward one of the stations into tangency with the periphery of an article supported therein, means for applying an adhesive to the sheet at spaced points along the path, means for severing the sheet between the spaced points to provide successively formed Wrappers, means for rotating the article within said station to wind a wrapper thereabout, two pairs of movable elements mounted for engaging the outer and inner surfaces of concentrically overlapping sections of the wrapper in the portions thereof overhanging the end surfaces of the article, each pair of elements being movable toward and away from each other and meeting generally at the circumference of one of the overhanging portions of the wrapper, means for heating at least one element of each pair, and driving means for connecting the various named means and the elements in timed driving relationship whereby the sheet is advanced in two separate movements between movements of the conveyor, the adhesive applying means and the severing means engage, in the order named, the sheet between said two movements of the advancing means, and the elements engage the wrapper portions after the latter movement of the advancing means.

6. Apparatus as described in claim comprising means disposed at opposite sides of a station spaced from the first-named station in the direction of conveyor movement along said runway for folding and pressing portions of the wrapper overhanging the end surfaces of each article against said surfaces.

7. Apparatus for wrapping articles having cylindrical peripheries comprising a stationary runway having at least two stations spaced therealong, conveying means spaced over the runway but extending generally lengthwise therewith, the conveyor comprising spaced portions extending transversely with respect to the length of' the runway for successively engaging and propelling the articles along the runway, means for intermittently driving the conveyor in separate successive advancing movements whereby an article is moved lengthwise of the runway into, and another article is moved outside of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor, means for advancing a continuous sheet of wrapping material along a path extending into tangency with the periphery of an article supported within the station nearer the receiving end of the runway, means operating between successive movements of the conveyor for rotating the article in two movements separated by a time interval through an angle greater than 360 within said station, means for applying an adhesive to the sheet at two stationary points linearly spaced along said path and spaced from said station, means for severing the sheet between said points, means for actuating the adhesive applying means and the severing means during said time interval, means supported adjacent the other station comprising two sets of spaced elements disposed concentrically with respect to a common axis for engaging areas spaced along an outer circumference of the portion of the wrapper overhanging each end of an article supported in the secondnamed station, means for guiding substantially simultaneously each element of both sets in a radially inwardly and axially extending path toward the respective end surface of the article engaged by each set of elements, said elements being spaced apart when firmly engaged with a said end surfaces to form a fold of said wrapper portions between each pair of adjacent elements, means for simultaneously rotating the sets of elements while engaged 18 with said end surfaces in opposite directions, and heating means supported at each side of the second-named station and disposed for axial movement into and out of engagement with portions of the wrapper covering the end surfaces of the article disposed radially within such portions as are engaged by each set of elements.

8. Apparatus for wrapping articles having cylindrical peripheries comprising a runway adapted for the rolling of said articles therealong on their peripheries, said runway having two stations spaced therealong, conveying means spaced over the runway for engaging, spacing, and propelling the articles along the runway, means for intermittently driving the conveyor in separate successive advancing movements whereby an article is moved into, and another article is moved lengthwise of the runway outside of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor, means for advancing a continuous sheet of wrapping material along a path extending toward the station nearer the receiving end of the runway into tangency with the periphery of an article supported within the station, means for operating between successive movements of the conveyor for rotating the article through an angle greater than 360 within said station, means for controlling the rotating means whereby the rotation of the article comprises two movements separated by a time interval, means for applying an adhesive to the sheet at two points spaced along said path and spaced from said station, means for severing the sheet between said points, means for actuating the adhesive applying means and the severing means, in the order named, during said time interval, means supported adjacent the other station comprising two sets of spaced elements for engaging areas spaced along an outer circumference of each portion of the wrapper overhanging an end-surface of an article supported in the second-named station, means for guiding substantially simultaneously each element in a radially inwardly and axially extending path toward the respective end-surface which receives the overhanging wrapper portion engaged by such element, said elements being spaced apart when firmly engaged with said end-surfaces to form a fold of said wrapper portion between each pair of adjacent elements, means for simultaneously rotating the sets of elements while engaged with the ends in opposite directions, and heating means supported at each side of the second named station and disposed for axial movement into engagement with portions of the wrapper covering the end-surfaces of the article disposed radially within such' portions as are engaged by each set of elements.

9. Apparatus for wrapping articles having cylindrical peripheries comprising a stationary runway therefor having at least two stations spaced therealong and adapted for the rolling of the articles therealong, one station comprising a pair of parallel rolls extending transversely of the runway along opposite sides of a gap therein, the peripheries of the rolls being approximately contiguous with article supporting surfaces of adjacent portions of the runway and being spaced to engage peripheral portions of an article within the lower half of its circumference; conveying means spaced over the runway but extending generally lengthwise therewith, the conveyor comprising spaced portions extending transversely with respect to the length of the runway for successively en gaging and propelling the articles along the runway; means for intermittently driving the conveyor in separate successive advancing movements whereby an article is moved into, and another article is moved out of, each station with each advance movement of the conveyor; means for advancing a continuous sheet along a fixed path into tangency with one of said pair of parallel rolls; means for applying an adhesive to the sheet at two spaced points along the path spaced from the point of tangency thereof with said roll; means for severing the sheet between the points; means for driving the sheet advancing means and at least one of the pairs of rolls simultanein the order named during said time interval; and means disposed at opposite sides of a station spaced from the first-named station in the direction of article advancement for folding and pressing portions of the wrapper which overhang the end surfaces of the article against said surfaces.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the conveyor comprises pairs of article engaging anns connected to an endless flexible member, each pair comprising a forward pivotably mounted arm and a rearward arm spaced longitudinally of said member to engage respectively forward and rearward peripheral portions of an article, each pair of arms being spaced with respect to other pairs so that the distance between the pivots of corresponding arms is equal to the distance traversed by the conveyor during a single advance movement.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein the article engaging portions of the arm comprises rollers, and means is provided for stopping the conveyor to position the arms nearest the station having the pair of parallel rolls with the roller of the forward arm in engagement with a peripheral surface of an article supported on said rolls approximately equidistant from the surfaces of both rolls engaged by the article, and means for urging said roller against the article.

12. Apparatus for wrapping articles having substantially cylindrical peripheries comprising means for placing a sheet wrapper about a cylindrical surface of such an article with resulting cylindrically formed portions of the wrapper overhanging each end of the article, two sets of spaced elements, each set arranged approximately concentrically with respect to a common axis along spaced circles, means for supporting one of said articles and the wrapper thereof in approximately concentric relationship with the axis of said sets of elements, means for guiding the elements of each set simultaneously radially-inwardly and axially toward the adjacent end of the article thereby engagingthe overhanging portions of the wrapper and folding them against respective end surfaces of the article, said elements being spaced apart and firmly engaging the wrapper against said end surfaces to form a pleated portion of the wrapper between each pair of adjacent elements, means for simultaneously rotating the sets of elements while engaged with said end surface in opposite directions with respect to said axis to press the pleated portions flatly against the end surface of the article, heating means supported at each side of the second-named station for reciprocal movement through a central open space surrounded by each set of elements into and out of engagement with portions of the wrapper covering end surfaces of the article disposed radially within those areas engaged by the elements, said heating means being connected in drive relation with the means for rotating the sets of elements to engage the wrapper during .an instant of engagement of the wrapper by the elements and said flattened condition of said pleated portions. of the wrapper against the end portions of the article.

13. Apparatus for folding a cylindrically shaped sheetlike material over a radially-extending annular surface in concentric relation therewith comprising means for holding said annular surface substantially stationary and an assembly comprising a set of spaced elements arranged approximately concentric with respect to the axis of the surface and the cylindrically shaped material, means for moving the assembly in a direction parallel to said axis to carry elements into adjacent radially outward disposition with respect to the cylindrically shaped material,

2% said elements having substantially fiat faces adapted to engage the outer surface of said material, means for supporting the elements whereby the elements are self-aligning with respect to the surface of the sheet material, means for actuating the support means, means for swinging the support means of all elements simultaneously to move said elements over a path extending radially inwardly and lengthwise of the axis toward said annular surface and to force the sheet material against said surface, said elements being spaced apart when the sheet material lies against said annular surface to form a fold in the sheet material between each pair of adjacent elements, means for rotating the set of elements about said axis to press the folds substantially into the plane of the annular surface, and pressure-sealing means mounted for moving lengthwise of the axis to engage the portion of the wrapping material that is surrounded by the elements, said sealing means being connected in synchronism with the rotating means to effect engagement of the wrapper approximately concurrently with completion of the pressing of the wrapper folds.

14. Apparatus for folding a cylindrically shaped sheet material against a radially-extending annular surface in concentric relation therewith comprising means for holding the annular surface substantially stationary and an assembly comprising a carriage mounted for movement in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of the cylindrically shaped material and the annular surface, a support member attached to the carriage having a central bore and an exterior cylindrical surface substantially concentric to the bore, an annular collar supported on a cylindrical surface having a plurality of radially extending slots within the surface thereof facing said annular surface, said collar having an outer cylindrical surface, another annular collar supported on said exterior surface of the first-named collar, said latter-named collar having an annular surface concentric with said axis facing toward the fiat surface, the latter-named collar also having radially extending slots extending along said annular surface of the second collar, each slot of the outer collar being in radial alignment with a slot of the inner collar, a plurality of similar bifurcate members, one leg of each member extending into a slot of the inner collar and the other leg extending into the slot of the outer collar, said legs having rollers mounted thereon within the respective slots, means secured to the face of each collar for retaining said rollers within the respective slots, each of said arms having an elongate portion extending away from its legs within a plane parallel to the axis of the support member, an element supported pivotably on an end portion of each arm disposed away from its legs, the pivotal axis of each element extending transversely of the support member axis, means for moving the outer collar in an axial direction with respect to the inner collar, means connected with the outer collar for rotating it relative to the support member, said inner collar rotating with the outer collar as a result of its connection therewith through said arms, a straight elongate hollow member fitting in slidable engagement with the inner surface of the support member defined by the bore, a heating element mounted on the end portion thereof disposed outside the bore toward the region for supporting the flat surface and the cylindrical sheet of material, means for reciprocating the hollow member lengthwise of the axis of the support member and means for synchronously connecting said moving means, the rotating means, the reciprocating means, and means for reciprocating the carriage.

15. Apparatus for wrapping a sheet of material around a cylindrical article comprising a pair of spaced wrapping rolls supported on parallel axes, a pair of fixed rolls supported on parallel axes with little or no clearance between them adapting the fixed rolls to engage both sides of the sheet material, means for guiding the sheet extending between the feed rolls and one of the wrapping rolls, a runway for the article extending in a direction Ward portion of the periphery of an article resting on the that is transverse with respect to the axes of the wraprunway, the forward arm of each pair being pivotable on ping rolls and approximately tangent to the wrapping an axis generally parallel to said axes of the rolls ad acent roll with which the guide means is associated, means for the flexible member stop means for limiting the pivotal synchronously and intermittently driving the feed rolls movement of the forward arm toward the rear arm reand the wrapping rolls, the wrapping rolls being driven silient means for urging the forward arm about its pivot at a more rapid peripheral rate than the feed rolls, means toward the rear arm means for intermittently driving the spaced from the runway for conveying articles into and flexible member, means for driving the rolls in a direction out of a position wherein they engage both of the wrapto foiward the wrapping material thereacross and to roping rolls, the conveying means comprising resilient tate an article supported on the rolls, and means for synmeans for engagin a portion of the periphery of the cnronizing both of said driving means whereby each pair article positioned on the wrapping rolls in approximately of arms of the conveyor is successively stopped in a posiopposed relation with those portions of the periphery ention at which the article, after being carried into engagegaged by said rolls to maintain sa1d position of the artiment with one of the rolls but not quite into engagement cle during rotation of the rolls, means for severing the with the other roll, moves out of contact by gravity with sheet transversely of its length, the severing means bein the rear arm into concurrent engagement with both rolls, supported for movement into engagement with the sheet the article-engaging forward arm being positioned to a transversely with respect to the length of the guiding more rearward position on the periphery of the article means between the feed rolls and the wrapping rolls, and wherein it is substantially equidistant from each of the means Connected synchronously with the mg means rolls, said resilient means acting on the forward arm to for actuating the severing means during a period of rest urge it against said periphery thereby increasing frictional of said rolls. contact of the article with both rolls.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 comprising a car- 19. Apparatus as defined in claim 18 comprising a cam riage, glue-applicating elements supported on the carriage, follower mounted on the forward arm and a stationary said guiding means extending at an inclination with the cam member for engaging said cam follower extending plane of the wrapping material supported by the guide backwardly along a path of the flexible member from means, said applicating elements being disposed on the said supporting means the end portion of the cam surface carriage to engage areas of the sheet supported by the that is furthest removed from said support means being guld me ns 1 a v n f and t0 th r r f th Path spaced from the path of the member to engage the cam traversed by said severing means, means for reciprocating follower in the normal position thereof defined by the the carriage Connected in syhchronl'sm with th -dIi stop means, the cam surface extending progressively 111g means to Carry the pp g elements Into closer to the path of the member to tilt the forward arm gagemeht With the Sheet J PTIOI t0 Sevfifallce Thereof closely adjacent to the member as the pair of arms adby the severing means. vance into ad acent relationship with the support means App as defined in Claim 15 Wheffil'n the COII- whereby the forward arm clears the periphery of an arveyihg means comprises rotatable means mounted ticle to permit engagement of the article by the rear arm n y thereon Wlth 1ts am extending generally parallel 20 Apparatus as defined In Clalm 18 wherein Said arms to that of The pp T0115, Control means for pp g comprise rollers as the portions thereof for engaging the the conveying means with respect to a package supported i l in said station to dispose said rotatable means in engage- 40 ment with a portion of the periphery of the article ap- References Cited in the file of this patent proximately equidistant from each of the wrapping rolls UNITED STATES PATENTS whereby the article is urged against each roll with substantially equal pressure. 751,885 Webster 1904 18. Apparatus for wrapping a sheet of material around 8661223 Rltty Sept 1907 a cylindrical article comprising a pair of spaced rolls, 10261049 Power May 1912 means for feeding the sheet into tangency with one of the 1,335,294 Knapp 1915 rolls, a runway for the article extending in a direction 1,351,809 Sutherland Sept 1920 hat i transverse to the axes of the rolls and approxi- 1,542,782 Van Sluys June 1925 mately tangent to the periphery of one of the rolls, a con- 1,629,525 Parsons May 1927 veyor for rolling the articles along the runway comprising 117411752 Armory 1929 an endless flexible member, means for supporting a sec- 1,904,613 raren Apr. 18, 193% tion of the flexible member substantially parallel to the 1,962,651 Wan June r way and disposed to guide the member generally 2,049,759 BlPsser 1936 2066 414 Milmoe Jan. 5, 1937 centrally and transversely over the rolls, a plurality of r pairs of arms attached to said conveyor at uniformly 2, 6 ,344 Delegard Nov. 4, 1941 spaced positions lengthwise thereof, the article-engaging ,277,039 Smden Mar. 24, 194i portions of each pair of arms being spaced longitudinally 63,751 Schultz Nov. 28, 194

of the flexible member to engage a forward and a rear- 90,127 Sandberg Mar. 25, 1952

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