US3358419A - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Packaging machine Download PDF

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US3358419A
US3358419A US359830A US35983064A US3358419A US 3358419 A US3358419 A US 3358419A US 359830 A US359830 A US 359830A US 35983064 A US35983064 A US 35983064A US 3358419 A US3358419 A US 3358419A
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Prior art keywords
webs
sealing
spout
pocket
carriers
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US359830A
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Elliott L Bjork
Cleon F Kern
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BARTELT ENGINEERING CO Inc
BARTELT ENGINEERING COMPANY Inc
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BARTELT ENGINEERING CO Inc
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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
    • B65B9/00Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/02Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material between opposed webs
    • B65B9/023Packaging fluent material

Definitions

  • This invention relates generally to machines for forming and filling packages comprising two sheets of material disposed in opposed face-to-face relation and sealed together along the side and end margins to define a compartment between the sheets enclosing a quantity of packaged material. More particularly, the invention relates to a machine for drawing two elongated webs of material into opposed face-to-face relation along opposite sides of a filling spout, sealing the webs together around the spout to form a pocket, advancing the webs longitudinally to move the pocket away from the spout, sealing the open end of the pocket after the latter is filled, and finally severing the completed package from the webs.
  • the Webs are sealed togeter around the compartments by two sealing units disposed on opposite sides of the webs level with the end of the filling spout and movable toward each other and the webs to press the latter together around the spout and, after a quantity of product is dispensed through the spout, operable to seal the open end of each pocket.
  • a reciprocating cut-off member spaced longitudinally along the Webs from the sealing units engages and severs the webs along the seals between adjacent completed compartments.
  • the general object of the present invention is to simplify the overall construction of a machine of the foregoing character so that the machine may be compact and relatively inexpensive in construction and operation.
  • a more specific object is to mount and operate the sealing units in a novel and extremely simple manner and utilize the units not only as means for sealing the webs together but also as means for advancing the webs through the machine.
  • Another object is to utilize the same simple drive elements that support and operate the sealing units for operating the cut-off device in timed relation with the sealing units.
  • FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative package formed by a machine embodying the novel features of the present invention.
  • FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a machine embodying the novel features of the invention.
  • FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 3.
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the operating mechanism of the machine.
  • FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 4 and illustrating one position of the sealing units.
  • FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing another position of the units.
  • FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing still another position.
  • a machine 10 for forming and filling packages 11 comprising two sheets of heat scalable material such as polyethylene disposed in opposed face-toface relation and sealed together around one or more capsules or compartments 12 containing the packaged product.
  • two elongated tubular compartments are formed between the sheets which are rectangular in shape and are sealed at 13 along the side margins and at 14 across the top and bottom margins.
  • the two compartments are separated by a central longitudinal seal 15.
  • two elongated webs 17 of package material are drawn off two supply rolls 18 (FIG. 3) journaled on posts 19 on opposite sides of the machine base 20 and are guided longitudinally with an intermittent motion into opposed face-to-face relation and along opposite sides of a pair of vertical filling spouts 21 having open lower ends for dispensing the product to be packaged
  • the means for guiding each web olf the supply roll and into the desired relation with the filling spouts comprise a set of horizontal rollers 22, 23, 24 and 25.
  • the fourth roller 25 is journaled on the base close to the adjacent sides of the filling spouts 21 and preferably is mounted on a bracket 27 which is adjustable toward and away from the spouts to position the roller to lead the web along the spouts precisely as desired.
  • the second roller 23 is journaled on the free lower end of a lever 28 pivoted at 29 at its upper end on the post 19 and spring-urged away from the spouts 21.
  • the lever yields toward the spouts when the tension in the web tends to increase as material is being fed through the machine, and swings back away from the spouts to strip additional material off the supply roll 18 when the webs are not feeding through the machine.
  • two sealing units 30 each including a sealing bar 31 projecting toward the webs 17 and toward each other at a sealing station 32 level with the lower end of the filling spout, and the opposed faces 33 of the bars are shaped to fit together around the spouts to seal the webs together and form two open-ended pockets 34 (see FIG. 8) in the webs around the spouts which, therefore, initially serve as mandrels for shaping the pockets.
  • identical and alined pairs of generally semi-cylindrical recesses 35 are formed in the upper portions of the sealing faces with the upper ends of the recesses opening through the top surfaces of the sealing bars.
  • each recess curves outwardly at 37 to the plane of the sealing face 33.
  • the flat portions of the faces are pressed together on opposite sides of the spouts to form the side seals 13, beneath the spouts to form the bottom seal 14, and between the spouts to form the dividing seal 15.
  • Heating elements 38 (FIG. 6) embedded in the seal bars 31 maintain the latter at a temperature sufliciently high to heat the portions of the webs pressed together between the bars and weld or fuse them together.
  • each pair of pockets 34 is formed in the webs 17, the latter are drawn downwardly through the machine 10 and another pair of pockets is formed at the sealing station 32 by pressing the sealing faces 31 together in the above manner.
  • the lower portions 3 of the sealing faces complete a pair of campartments 12 by closing the upper ends of the preceding pair of pockets as shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10.
  • two additional pairs of shorter semi-cylindrical recesses 39 are formed in the lower portions of the sealing faces below the recesses 35 and in longitudinal alinement therewith. The upper ends of these recesses are spaced below the upper pair and the lower ends open downwardly through the lower surfaces of the seal bars.
  • the lower portions of the sealing faces engage the webs along the sides of the pockets and fiat portions 40 of the faces between the two sets of recesses form cross seals 41 closing the pockets.
  • the length of the pockets 34 as'initially formed preferably is such that the recesses 39 overlie the upper ends of the pockets and the flats 40 seal their upper end portions rather than increasing their length.
  • a cut-off device 43 engages the webs between adjacent pairs of compartments and severs the Webs along the cross seals 42 to form individual packages 11.
  • the cut-off device 43 comprises opposed blade and anvil members 44 and 45, respectively, each mounted on an enlongated rod 47 telescoped through ahorizontal bore 48 in a wing 49 projecting forwardly from a mounting plate 50 supported on the front side of the base 20.
  • the blade 44 and the anvil 43 are secured to the ends of the rods adjacent the webs so that back and forth reciprocation of the rods moves the blade and the anvil into engagement with opposite sides of the webs as shown in FIGS. 3 .and 7 between successive pairs of completed compartments 12.
  • the level of the c-ut-ofi device is adjustable by means of a screw 51 (FIGS. 3 and 4) journaled on the base for rotation in an axially fixed positioned with the upwardly extending shank 52 of the screw threaded through a lug 53 fast on the back of the supporting plate 50.
  • This lug projects rearwardly through and is slidably guided in' a vertically elongated slot 54 in the base.
  • the supporting plate may be raised and lowered to position the cut-off members 44 and 45 for engagement with the cross seals 41 at the precise level desired.
  • the sealing units 30 and the cut-off device 43 are mounted and operated in a novel manner which simplifies the overall construction of the machine and, in particular, the supporting and driving mechanism for the operating elements and permits the machine to be made compactly and relatively inexpensively.
  • the sealing units are supported on two rotary drive elements 55 for movement along orbital paths and serve not only as means for sealing the webs 17 but also as means for drawing the webs off the supply rolls 18, and the cut-off device is operated in an equally simple manner by the same rotary drive elements that support and operate the sealing units.
  • the drive elements 55 take the form of disks journaled on the :base for rotation in opposite directions about axes 57 disposed on opposite sides of the webs 17 and spaced from the latter, and the sealing bars are supported on a pair of carriers 58 each pivotally supported on one of the disks for orbital motion about the axis of the associated disk with the sealing bar projecting toward the webs from the carrier.
  • the disks are fast on the front ends of. two shafts 59 projecting through two sleeves 60 (see FIG. 4) preferably cast integrally with the base 20, and are journaled in antifriction bearings 61 in the sleeves for rotation about the parallel axes 57.
  • Fast on these shafts behind the base are two meshing spur gears 62 (FIGS. 4 and 7), one of the shafts being rotated by a suitable actuator (not shown) which thus rotates both disks 55 to operate the machine.
  • each carrier 58 is pivotally mounted on the associated drive disk 55 by means of a pin 63 fast at one end in a bar 64 slidably supported on the disk in a diametrical groove 65 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) and adjustably positioned along the groove by a screw 67 having a radial flange 68 adjacent its head fitted into notches 69 in the sidewalls of the groove.
  • the shank of the screw is threaded into one end of the bar 64, the upper end in the positions shown 1n the drawings, and the pivot pin 63 is threaded into and projects forwardly from the lower end portion of the bar to define a pivotal axis 70 spaced radially from axis 57 0f the associated disk 55.
  • each adjusting bar and the groove sidewalls are dovetail-shaped to mount the bar for back and forth sliding in the groove while holding the bar securely against forward movement out of the groove.
  • Each carrier 58 comprises a body of rectangular crosssection formed with a horizontal front-to-rear bore 71 through which the pivot pin 63 projects as shown in FIG. 4. Adjacent the front and rear ends of the bore are two anti-friction bearings 72 which pivotally mount the body on the pin. A nut 73 is threaded onto the front end of the pin to hold the carrier body on the pin.
  • a guide rod 74 perpendicular to the planes of the webs 17 is telescoped at its opposite ends into two alined horizontal bores 75 (FIGS. 4 and 5) in projections 77 preferably integral with the carriers and ofiset rearwardly from the webs.
  • the guide rod is fixed in one of the bores, the left one in this instance, and slides back and forth in the other to accommodate the back and forth movement of the carriers relative to each other during operation of the machine while holding the carriers in the attitudes shown in the drawings with the sealing bars 31 projecting horizontally toward each other at all times.
  • each sealing bar is mounted on the projecting end of an elongated horizontal rod 78 slidably guided in a bore 79 in the carrier.
  • each sealing bar there are four springs 80 for each sealing bar, each spring being seated at one end in a recess 81 in the sealing bar and the other end into a bore 82 (see FIG. 6) in the carrier and abutting against a plug 83 closing the end of the bore remote from the sealing bar.
  • the pivot pins 63 project through horizontally elongated slots 84 in the bars 78 intermediate the ends of the latter and abut against the ends of the slots as shown in FIGS. 8 through 10 to limit back and forth motion of the rods and the sealing bars relative to the carriers.
  • the lateral stroke of the two sealing units 30 is selected so that the sealing faces 33 engages the webs 17 at or near the highest point in the orbit of each unit, when one-half of the lateral stroke is completed and the carriers are about to begin to swing downwardly.
  • the sealing faces 33 engage the webs 17 when the units 30 have swung through arcs a of approximately ninety degrees from the starting positions shown in FIG. 8. Then, as the units swing downwardly through the next ninety degrees of orbital motion, indicated at b in FIG. 10, the carriers 58 continue to move toward each other and the sealing bars 78 yield relative to the carriers thereby compressing the springs 80 to increase the pressure on the webs between the sealing faces. Thus, a pair of pockets 34 is formed in the webs around the filling spouts.
  • the increased pressure is accompanied by downward movement of the sealing bars longitudinally of the webs to pull the newly formed pockets downwardly away from the spouts and draw fresh lengths of the webs over the spouts.
  • the product may be dispensed through the spouts into the pockets at this time.
  • the latter may be operated at a relatively high speed determined by the speed of rotation of the gears 62 and the disks 55. Moreover, all that is required is a simple rotary drive for one of the shafts 59 such as a motor (not shown) for continuously rotating the shaft in one direction. Such continuous rotation of one shaft continuously operates both sealing units in timed relation with each other, and the continuous orbital motion of the sealing units intermittently advances the webs 17.
  • two upright levers 85 are pivoted intermediate their ends on the base 20, herein on shouldered screws 87 threaded into lugs 38 on the wings 49, and are pivotally connected on opposite sides of the pivots to the carriers 58 and to the rods 47 supporting the cut-off members 44 and 45.
  • the pivotal connections between the levers and the rods comprise part cylindrical walls 89 formed on the lower ends of the levers and fitted in sockets 90 formed in the rods, while the pivotal connections between the upper end portions of the levers and the carriers are formed by rollers 91 journaled on the carriers and slidably received in longitudinal grooves 92 in the backs of the levers so that the upper pivots are movable longitudinally along the levers as the carriers move up and down.
  • the back and forth motion of the carriers 58 is transmitted to the cut-off members 44 and 45 which reciprocate back and forth in timed relation with the back and forth motion of the carriers but in opposite directions because the levers reverse the motion.
  • the knife 44 and the anvil 45 are retracted and spaced from the moving webs.
  • the cut-off elements move toward each other and the webs, engaging and severing the webs near the ends of the arcs d when the webs are stationary. Then, as the carriers swing back toward the webs through the initial arcs a preparatory to the indexing of the webs, the cut-off elements are being retracted.
  • the sole support for the sealing units 30 may be the two rotating drive elements, herein, the disks 55, which produce the desired motion of the sealing units to perform not only the sealing operation but also the web-feeding operation.
  • the radii of the orbits of the carriers and thus the lengths of the webs drawn through the machine during each orbit may be varied.
  • the same simple drive elements operate the cut-off device 43 in timed relation with the sealing units 30 to sever packages from the webs during dwell periods. The result is a machine that is extremely simple and compact in constrnction and relatively inexpensive to produce.
  • a base for forming and filling packages
  • two drive elements journaled on said base for rotation about parallel horizontal axes on opposite sides of said webs
  • means journaled on said base for rotation about parallel horizontal axes on opposite sides of said webs
  • means journaled on said base for rotation
  • a base having an open end for dispensing the product to be packaged
  • two sealing units disposed on opposite sides of said webs and each having carrier and a sealing bar projecting from said carrier toward said webs and opposing the bar on the other unit
  • said bars being mounted on said carriers for back and forth motion relative thereto between extended and retracted positions and having opposed sealing faces shaped to fit together around said spout and across said open end to seal the webs together between said faces and form an open-ended pocket in the webs

Description

PACKAGING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 15. 1964 Dec. 19, 1967 E, BJQRK EITAL PACKAGING MACHINE 4 SheetsSheet 5 Filed April 15. 1964 MVBMTQ L 62mm 4,. gg'o b C(gorgFj er'w a 4/ ,ww i
' QBTTQRMISY/ Dec. 19, 1967 BJORK ET AL 3,358,419
PACKAGING MACHINE Filed April 15. 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mvaw' w 6114:0111; l3 'orf CleonFQcerm @T'rc mozsyf United States Patent ()fiice 3,358,419 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 3,358,419 PACKAGING MACHINE Elliott L. Bjork and Cleon F. Kern, Dexter, Micl1., assignors to Bartelt Engineering Company, Inc., Rockford, 111., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 359,830 2 Claims. (Cl. 53-180) This invention relates generally to machines for forming and filling packages comprising two sheets of material disposed in opposed face-to-face relation and sealed together along the side and end margins to define a compartment between the sheets enclosing a quantity of packaged material. More particularly, the invention relates to a machine for drawing two elongated webs of material into opposed face-to-face relation along opposite sides of a filling spout, sealing the webs together around the spout to form a pocket, advancing the webs longitudinally to move the pocket away from the spout, sealing the open end of the pocket after the latter is filled, and finally severing the completed package from the webs.
In such machines, the Webs are sealed togeter around the compartments by two sealing units disposed on opposite sides of the webs level with the end of the filling spout and movable toward each other and the webs to press the latter together around the spout and, after a quantity of product is dispensed through the spout, operable to seal the open end of each pocket. A reciprocating cut-off member spaced longitudinally along the Webs from the sealing units engages and severs the webs along the seals between adjacent completed compartments.
The general object of the present invention is to simplify the overall construction of a machine of the foregoing character so that the machine may be compact and relatively inexpensive in construction and operation.
A more specific object is to mount and operate the sealing units in a novel and extremely simple manner and utilize the units not only as means for sealing the webs together but also as means for advancing the webs through the machine.
Another object is to utilize the same simple drive elements that support and operate the sealing units for operating the cut-off device in timed relation with the sealing units.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an illustrative package formed by a machine embodying the novel features of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a machine embodying the novel features of the invention.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIG. 4.
FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the operating mechanism of the machine.
FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 4 and illustrating one position of the sealing units.
FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing another position of the units.
FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 9 showing still another position.
As shown in the drawings for purposes of illustration, the
invention is embodied in a machine 10 for forming and filling packages 11 comprising two sheets of heat scalable material such as polyethylene disposed in opposed face-toface relation and sealed together around one or more capsules or compartments 12 containing the packaged product. In this instance, two elongated tubular compartments are formed between the sheets which are rectangular in shape and are sealed at 13 along the side margins and at 14 across the top and bottom margins. The two compartments are separated by a central longitudinal seal 15.
In the illustrative machine 10 for forming and filling packages 11 with two compartments 12, two elongated webs 17 of package material are drawn off two supply rolls 18 (FIG. 3) journaled on posts 19 on opposite sides of the machine base 20 and are guided longitudinally with an intermittent motion into opposed face-to-face relation and along opposite sides of a pair of vertical filling spouts 21 having open lower ends for dispensing the product to be packaged Herein, the means for guiding each web olf the supply roll and into the desired relation with the filling spouts comprise a set of horizontal rollers 22, 23, 24 and 25. The web'first comes tangentially oif the bottom of the supply roll generally toward the filling spouts and then reverses its direction around the first guide roller 22 which is journaled on the post 19. Then the web again reverses itself around the second roller 23 on the post and extends back toward the filling spouts and over the third roller 24. The fourth roller 25 is journaled on the base close to the adjacent sides of the filling spouts 21 and preferably is mounted on a bracket 27 which is adjustable toward and away from the spouts to position the roller to lead the web along the spouts precisely as desired.
To maintain a substantially constant tension in the web 17, the second roller 23 is journaled on the free lower end of a lever 28 pivoted at 29 at its upper end on the post 19 and spring-urged away from the spouts 21. Thus, the lever yields toward the spouts when the tension in the web tends to increase as material is being fed through the machine, and swings back away from the spouts to strip additional material off the supply roll 18 when the webs are not feeding through the machine.
Mounted on the machine base 20 on opposite sides of the filling spouts 21 are two sealing units 30 each including a sealing bar 31 projecting toward the webs 17 and toward each other at a sealing station 32 level with the lower end of the filling spout, and the opposed faces 33 of the bars are shaped to fit together around the spouts to seal the webs together and form two open-ended pockets 34 (see FIG. 8) in the webs around the spouts which, therefore, initially serve as mandrels for shaping the pockets. For this purpose, identical and alined pairs of generally semi-cylindrical recesses 35 are formed in the upper portions of the sealing faces with the upper ends of the recesses opening through the top surfaces of the sealing bars. The lower end wall of each recess curves outwardly at 37 to the plane of the sealing face 33. Thus, when the sealing faces are pressed together on opposite sides of the webs and the filling spouts, the flat portions of the faces are pressed together on opposite sides of the spouts to form the side seals 13, beneath the spouts to form the bottom seal 14, and between the spouts to form the dividing seal 15. Heating elements 38 (FIG. 6) embedded in the seal bars 31 maintain the latter at a temperature sufliciently high to heat the portions of the webs pressed together between the bars and weld or fuse them together.
After each pair of pockets 34 is formed in the webs 17, the latter are drawn downwardly through the machine 10 and another pair of pockets is formed at the sealing station 32 by pressing the sealing faces 31 together in the above manner. At the same time, the lower portions 3 of the sealing faces complete a pair of campartments 12 by closing the upper ends of the preceding pair of pockets as shown in FIGS. 3, 9 and 10. For this purpose, two additional pairs of shorter semi-cylindrical recesses 39 are formed in the lower portions of the sealing faces below the recesses 35 and in longitudinal alinement therewith. The upper ends of these recesses are spaced below the upper pair and the lower ends open downwardly through the lower surfaces of the seal bars. Thus, the lower portions of the sealing faces engage the webs along the sides of the pockets and fiat portions 40 of the faces between the two sets of recesses form cross seals 41 closing the pockets.
The length of the pockets 34 as'initially formed preferably is such that the recesses 39 overlie the upper ends of the pockets and the flats 40 seal their upper end portions rather than increasing their length.
During continued operation of the machine 10, successive longitudinally spaced pairs of compartments 12 are formed in the webs 17 as shown in PEG. 3 and are lowered step by step into a cut-01f station 42 spaced below the sealing station 32. At the cut-off station, a cut-off device 43 engages the webs between adjacent pairs of compartments and severs the Webs along the cross seals 42 to form individual packages 11. Herein, the cut-off device 43 comprises opposed blade and anvil members 44 and 45, respectively, each mounted on an enlongated rod 47 telescoped through ahorizontal bore 48 in a wing 49 projecting forwardly from a mounting plate 50 supported on the front side of the base 20. The blade 44 and the anvil 43 are secured to the ends of the rods adjacent the webs so that back and forth reciprocation of the rods moves the blade and the anvil into engagement with opposite sides of the webs as shown in FIGS. 3 .and 7 between successive pairs of completed compartments 12. The level of the c-ut-ofi device is adjustable by means of a screw 51 (FIGS. 3 and 4) journaled on the base for rotation in an axially fixed positioned with the upwardly extending shank 52 of the screw threaded through a lug 53 fast on the back of the supporting plate 50. This lug projects rearwardly through and is slidably guided in' a vertically elongated slot 54 in the base. Thus, by turning the screw 51, the supporting plate may be raised and lowered to position the cut-off members 44 and 45 for engagement with the cross seals 41 at the precise level desired.
In accordance with the present invention, the sealing units 30 and the cut-off device 43 are mounted and operated in a novel manner which simplifies the overall construction of the machine and, in particular, the supporting and driving mechanism for the operating elements and permits the machine to be made compactly and relatively inexpensively. For these purposes, the sealing units are supported on two rotary drive elements 55 for movement along orbital paths and serve not only as means for sealing the webs 17 but also as means for drawing the webs off the supply rolls 18, and the cut-off device is operated in an equally simple manner by the same rotary drive elements that support and operate the sealing units.
To support and move the sealing bars 31 through their motions, the drive elements 55 take the form of disks journaled on the :base for rotation in opposite directions about axes 57 disposed on opposite sides of the webs 17 and spaced from the latter, and the sealing bars are supported on a pair of carriers 58 each pivotally supported on one of the disks for orbital motion about the axis of the associated disk with the sealing bar projecting toward the webs from the carrier. Herein, the disks are fast on the front ends of. two shafts 59 projecting through two sleeves 60 (see FIG. 4) preferably cast integrally with the base 20, and are journaled in antifriction bearings 61 in the sleeves for rotation about the parallel axes 57. Fast on these shafts behind the base are two meshing spur gears 62 (FIGS. 4 and 7), one of the shafts being rotated by a suitable actuator (not shown) which thus rotates both disks 55 to operate the machine.
As shown most clearly in FIGS. 4 and 7, each carrier 58 is pivotally mounted on the associated drive disk 55 by means of a pin 63 fast at one end in a bar 64 slidably supported on the disk in a diametrical groove 65 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) and adjustably positioned along the groove by a screw 67 having a radial flange 68 adjacent its head fitted into notches 69 in the sidewalls of the groove. The shank of the screw is threaded into one end of the bar 64, the upper end in the positions shown 1n the drawings, and the pivot pin 63 is threaded into and projects forwardly from the lower end portion of the bar to define a pivotal axis 70 spaced radially from axis 57 0f the associated disk 55.
As shown in FIG. 6, the rear or inner portions of each adjusting bar and the groove sidewalls are dovetail-shaped to mount the bar for back and forth sliding in the groove while holding the bar securely against forward movement out of the groove.
Each carrier 58 comprises a body of rectangular crosssection formed with a horizontal front-to-rear bore 71 through which the pivot pin 63 projects as shown in FIG. 4. Adjacent the front and rear ends of the bore are two anti-friction bearings 72 which pivotally mount the body on the pin. A nut 73 is threaded onto the front end of the pin to hold the carrier body on the pin. Thus, it will be seen that adjustment of the bar 64 along the groove 65 varies the spacing of the pin 63 and the pivotal axis 70 of the carrier from the axis 57 of the associated drive disk 55 to increase or decrease the diameter of the orbit of the carrier.
To maintain the carriers in the same attitude throughout their orbits, a guide rod 74 perpendicular to the planes of the webs 17 is telescoped at its opposite ends into two alined horizontal bores 75 (FIGS. 4 and 5) in projections 77 preferably integral with the carriers and ofiset rearwardly from the webs. The guide rod is fixed in one of the bores, the left one in this instance, and slides back and forth in the other to accommodate the back and forth movement of the carriers relative to each other during operation of the machine while holding the carriers in the attitudes shown in the drawings with the sealing bars 31 projecting horizontally toward each other at all times.
In order that the simple orbital motion of the carriers 58 about the axes 57 may be used to produce longitudinal motion of the sealing bars 31 along the webs 17 while the bars are pressed against opposite sides of the webs, the bars mounted on the carriers for reciprocating movement to yield relative to the carriers as the latter continue toward the Webs after the sealing faces 33 engage the webs and are pressed tightly together. For this purpose, each sealing bar is mounted on the projecting end of an elongated horizontal rod 78 slidably guided in a bore 79 in the carrier. Coiled compression springs 80 acting be-,
tween the carrier and the sealing bar urge the latter away from the carrier into an extended position (FIGS. 7, 8 and 9) and yield to permit the bar to move into a retracted position (FIG. 10) closer to the carriers. Herein, there are four springs 80 for each sealing bar, each spring being seated at one end in a recess 81 in the sealing bar and the other end into a bore 82 (see FIG. 6) in the carrier and abutting against a plug 83 closing the end of the bore remote from the sealing bar. The pivot pins 63 project through horizontally elongated slots 84 in the bars 78 intermediate the ends of the latter and abut against the ends of the slots as shown in FIGS. 8 through 10 to limit back and forth motion of the rods and the sealing bars relative to the carriers.
With this arrangement, rotation of the gears 62 and the disks 55 in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 7 swings the pins 63 and thus the carriers 58 about the disk axes 57 along circular orbits having radii determined by the adjustment of the bars 64 in the grooves 65 in the disks, moving the carriers from the starting positions shown in FIG. 8 first upwardly and toward the webs 17 and the filling spouts 21, then arcuately downwardly along the webs, then farther downwardly and away from the webs, and then back upwardly toward the starting positions. By proper positioning of the disks 55 and adjustment of the bars 64 relative to the disks, the lateral stroke of the two sealing units 30 is selected so that the sealing faces 33 engages the webs 17 at or near the highest point in the orbit of each unit, when one-half of the lateral stroke is completed and the carriers are about to begin to swing downwardly.
As shown in FIG. 9, the sealing faces 33 engage the webs 17 when the units 30 have swung through arcs a of approximately ninety degrees from the starting positions shown in FIG. 8. Then, as the units swing downwardly through the next ninety degrees of orbital motion, indicated at b in FIG. 10, the carriers 58 continue to move toward each other and the sealing bars 78 yield relative to the carriers thereby compressing the springs 80 to increase the pressure on the webs between the sealing faces. Thus, a pair of pockets 34 is formed in the webs around the filling spouts. Of course, the increased pressure is accompanied by downward movement of the sealing bars longitudinally of the webs to pull the newly formed pockets downwardly away from the spouts and draw fresh lengths of the webs over the spouts. The product may be dispensed through the spouts into the pockets at this time.
As the sealing units 30 continue through the next ninety degrees, indicated at c, and the pins 63 swing toward the the broken line positions in FIG. 10, pressure on the webs 17 gradually is relieved as the carriers 58 move away from each other and the springs 80 extend to urge the sealing bars outwardly toward their extended positions. This action of the springs, however, maintains the engagement of the sealing faces with the webs so that the units continue to pull the webs downwardly until the sealing bars are completely extended.
This occurs when the are c is completed and the carriers being to swing upwardly through the remaining ninety degree arcs d from positions shown in broken lines in FIG. back to the positions in FIG. 8. Thus, the carriers continue to swing away from the webs and pull the sealing faces 33 completely out of engagement with the webs and return to their starting positions shown in FIG. 8. During the next orbit or cycle, the faces 33 again engage the webs to form the next set of pockets 34 between the upper portions of the faces While the flat portions 40 close the upper ends of the preceding pair of pockets.
Because of the simplicity of the structure and the positive action of the sealing units 30, the latter may be operated at a relatively high speed determined by the speed of rotation of the gears 62 and the disks 55. Moreover, all that is required is a simple rotary drive for one of the shafts 59 such as a motor (not shown) for continuously rotating the shaft in one direction. Such continuous rotation of one shaft continuously operates both sealing units in timed relation with each other, and the continuous orbital motion of the sealing units intermittently advances the webs 17.
To operate the cut-off device 43 in timed relation with the sealing units 30 and the advance of the webs 17, two upright levers 85 are pivoted intermediate their ends on the base 20, herein on shouldered screws 87 threaded into lugs 38 on the wings 49, and are pivotally connected on opposite sides of the pivots to the carriers 58 and to the rods 47 supporting the cut-off members 44 and 45. The pivotal connections between the levers and the rods comprise part cylindrical walls 89 formed on the lower ends of the levers and fitted in sockets 90 formed in the rods, while the pivotal connections between the upper end portions of the levers and the carriers are formed by rollers 91 journaled on the carriers and slidably received in longitudinal grooves 92 in the backs of the levers so that the upper pivots are movable longitudinally along the levers as the carriers move up and down.
Through this mechanism, the back and forth motion of the carriers 58 is transmitted to the cut-off members 44 and 45 which reciprocate back and forth in timed relation with the back and forth motion of the carriers but in opposite directions because the levers reverse the motion. Thus, as the pins 63 and the carriers move downwardly through the arcs b and c with the sealing bars 31 in engagement with the webs 17, the knife 44 and the anvil 45 are retracted and spaced from the moving webs. As the pivot pins and the carriers move away from the webs during the arcs c and d, however, the cut-off elements move toward each other and the webs, engaging and severing the webs near the ends of the arcs d when the webs are stationary. Then, as the carriers swing back toward the webs through the initial arcs a preparatory to the indexing of the webs, the cut-off elements are being retracted.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the sole support for the sealing units 30 may be the two rotating drive elements, herein, the disks 55, which produce the desired motion of the sealing units to perform not only the sealing operation but also the web-feeding operation. By adjusting the position of the pivot pin 63 for the carriers relative to the disk axes 57, the radii of the orbits of the carriers and thus the lengths of the webs drawn through the machine during each orbit may be varied. In addition, the same simple drive elements operate the cut-off device 43 in timed relation with the sealing units 30 to sever packages from the webs during dwell periods. The result is a machine that is extremely simple and compact in constrnction and relatively inexpensive to produce.
We claim as our invention:
1. In a machine for forming and filling packages, the combination of, a base; a vertical filling spout having an open lower end for dispensing the product to be packaged; means for guiding two elongated webs of heat seaable material longitudinally along opposite sides of said spout and downwardly in opposed face-to-face relation past said open end; two sealing units disposed on opposite sides of said webs in starting positions level with said open end and each including a carrier, a sealing bar projecting horizontally from said carrier toward said webs and the opposing bar on the other unit, opposed sealing faces on said bars shaped to fit together around said spout and across said open end to seal the webs together and form an open-ended pocket in the webs, means mounting said sealing bars on said carriers for back and forth movement relative thereto toward the webs into extended positions and away from the webs into retracted positions, and springs urging said sealing bars toward said extended positions; two drive elements journaled on said base for rotation about parallel horizontal axes on opposite sides of said webs; means journaling each carrier on one of said elements for rotation relative thereto about a horizontal pivotal axis spaced radially from the axis of the element, means for maintaining said carriers in a preselected attitude with said bars projecting horizontally toward said webs whereby rotation of said elements in opposite directions from said starting positions swings said carriers through orbital paths first toward each other and to press said sealing faces against the webs and form a first pocket therein, then gradually closer together to shift said sealing bars toward their retracted positions while compressing said springs and moving said bars downwardly away from said spout to draw fresh lengths of the webs over the spout, then gradually away from the webs to permit said bars to return to their extended positions while continuing to move the bars downwardly in engagement with the webs, and finally away from the webs to withdraw said faces from engagement with the webs and swing said units upwardly to said starting positions preparatory to another orbit and the formation of a second pocket longitudinally spaced from said first pocket, means on said sealing faces for closing the open end of said first pocket as the units form said second pocket, a cut-01f device below said sealing units comprising a pair of cut-01f members mounted on said base on opposite sides of said webs for back and forth horizontal movement toward and away from each other to sever said webs between successive closed pockets, and mechanism for operating said cut-off device in timed relation with said sealing units comprising a pair of upright levers disposed on opposite sides of said webs, each lever being pivoted intermediate its ends on said base between the cut-off member and the sealing unit on the same side of the webs for rocking of the ends of the lever toward and away from the webs, a first pivotal connection between the cut-off member and the lower end of the lever, and a second pivotal connection between the sealing unit and the upper end of the lever, said second pivotal connection being movable longitudinally along said lever to accom modate vertical movement of said sealing unit while transmitting the horizontal movement of the unit to the cut-oh" member.
2. In a machine for forming and filling packages, the combination of, a base, a filling spout having an open end for dispensing the product to be packaged, means for guiding two elongated webs of heat scalable material longitudinally along opposite sides of said spout and in opposed face-to-face relation past said open end, two sealing units disposed on opposite sides of said webs and each having carrier and a sealing bar projecting from said carrier toward said webs and opposing the bar on the other unit, said bars being mounted on said carriers for back and forth motion relative thereto between extended and retracted positions and having opposed sealing faces shaped to fit together around said spout and across said open end to seal the webs together between said faces and form an open-ended pocket in the webs, mechanism for imparting orbital motions to said carriers and thereby moving said bars toward each other and against said webs to form a first pocket around said spout, then longitudinally-of the webs away from said spout to draw the pocket away from the spout while drawing fresh lengths of the webs over the spout, and then away from the webs and back to their original positions preparatory to another orbit and the formation of a second pocket longitudinally spaced from said first pocket, means on said sealing faces for closing and sealing the open end of said first pocket as the units form said second pocket, -a cut-01f device mounted on said base and including two members disposed on opposite sides of said webs and engageable with the webs between successive pockets to sever the webs, at least one of said members being supported for back and forth reciprocation toward and away from the webs, and means for transmitting the back and forth motion of one of said carriers to said one member to reciprocate the latter back and forth in timed relation with said sealing units.
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,606,412 8/ 1952 Salfisberg 53-180 X 2,950,588 8/ 1960 Gausman 5328 X 2,978,853 4/1961 Price 53-178 3,055,154 9/1962 Markley et a1. 53182 3,074,214- 1/1963 Schneider et al 53-180 FOREIGN PATENTS 491,372 3/1953 Canada.
TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.
FRANK E. BAILEY, Examiner.
N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

  1. 2. IN A MACHINE FOR FORMING AND FILLING PACKAGES, THE COMBINATION OF, A BASE, A FILLING SPOUT HAVING AN OPEN END FOR DISPENSING THE PRODUCT TO BE PACKAGED, MEANS FOR GUIDING TWO ELONGATED WEBS OF HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL LONGITUDINALLY ALONG OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID SPOUT AND IN OPPOSED FACE-TO-FACE RELATION PAST SAID OPEN END, TWO SEALING UNITS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WEBS AND EACH HAVING CARRIER AND A SEALING BAR PROJECTING FROM SAID CARRIER TOWARD SAID WEBS AND OPPOSING THE BAR ON THE OTHER UNIT, SAID BARS BEING MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIERS FOR BACK AND FORTH MOTION RELATIVE THERETO BETWEEN EXTENDED AND RETRACTED POSITIONS AND HAVING OPPOSED SEALING FACES SHAPED TO FIT TOGETHER AROUND SAID SPOUT AND ACROSS SAID OPEN END TO SEAL THE WEBS TOGETHER BETWEEN SAID FACES AND FORM AN OPEN-ENDED POCKET IN THE WEBS, MECHANISM FOR IMPARTING ORBITAL MOTIONS TO SAID CARIERS AND THEREBY MOVING SAID BARS TOWARD EACH OTHER AND AGAINST SAID WEBS TO FORM A FIRST POCKET AROUND SAID SPOUT, THEN LONGITUDINALLY OF THE WEBS AWAY FROM SAID SPOUT TO DRAW THE POCKET AWAY FROM THE SPOUT WHILE DRAWING FRESH LENGTHS OF THE WEBS OVER THE SPOUT, AND THEN AWAY FROM THE WEBS AND BACK TO THEIR ORIGINAL POSITIONS PREPARATORY TO ANOTHER ORBIT AND THE FORMATION OF A SECOND POCKET LONGITUDINALLY SPACED FROM SAID FIRST POCKET, MEANS ON SAID SEALING FACES FOR CLOSING AND SEALING THE OPEN END OF SAID FIRST POCKET AS THE UNITS FORM SAID SECOND POCKET, A CUT-OFF DEVICE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE AND INCLUDING TWO MEMBERS DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID WEBS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE WEBS BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE POCKETS TO SEVER THE WEBS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS BEING SUPPORTED FOR BACK AND FORTH RECIPROCATION TOWARD AND AWAY FROM THE WEBS, AND MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING THE BACK AND FORTH MOTION OF ONE OF SAID CARRIERS TO SAID ONE MEMBER TO RECIPROCATE THE LATTER BACK AND FORTH IN TIMED RELATION WITH SAID SEALING UNITS.
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Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3449888A (en) * 1965-09-15 1969-06-17 Hayssen Mfg Co Packaging machine
US3485010A (en) * 1967-11-15 1969-12-23 Tabak & Ind Masch Device for driving package-forming jaws of a packing machine
US3738081A (en) * 1970-06-08 1973-06-12 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Device for uniting parallel and oppositely disposed wall portions of a tube by transverse welding seams
WO1981001432A1 (en) * 1979-11-13 1981-05-28 O Larsen Method and apparatus for producting and laying a ballasted mat for ground stabilization
US5724789A (en) * 1993-11-01 1998-03-10 Corella; Arthur P. Multi-compartment package, system and method
US20060202396A1 (en) * 2003-01-21 2006-09-14 Richard Merken-Schiller Method and device for permanently deforming a fexible film material

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2606412A (en) * 1948-03-18 1952-08-12 Ivers Lee Co Method of making sealed packages
CA491372A (en) * 1953-03-17 The Pad-Y-Wax Company Packaging machines
US2950588A (en) * 1958-12-24 1960-08-30 Hayssen Mfg Company Automatic packaging machines
US2978853A (en) * 1959-01-23 1961-04-11 Lipton Inc Thomas J Apparatus for producing multipocket packages
US3055154A (en) * 1957-11-04 1962-09-25 Lynch Corp Draw type wrapping machine
US3074214A (en) * 1959-06-05 1963-01-22 Procter & Gamble Rotary type packaging machine

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CA491372A (en) * 1953-03-17 The Pad-Y-Wax Company Packaging machines
US2606412A (en) * 1948-03-18 1952-08-12 Ivers Lee Co Method of making sealed packages
US3055154A (en) * 1957-11-04 1962-09-25 Lynch Corp Draw type wrapping machine
US2950588A (en) * 1958-12-24 1960-08-30 Hayssen Mfg Company Automatic packaging machines
US2978853A (en) * 1959-01-23 1961-04-11 Lipton Inc Thomas J Apparatus for producing multipocket packages
US3074214A (en) * 1959-06-05 1963-01-22 Procter & Gamble Rotary type packaging machine

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3449888A (en) * 1965-09-15 1969-06-17 Hayssen Mfg Co Packaging machine
US3485010A (en) * 1967-11-15 1969-12-23 Tabak & Ind Masch Device for driving package-forming jaws of a packing machine
US3738081A (en) * 1970-06-08 1973-06-12 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Device for uniting parallel and oppositely disposed wall portions of a tube by transverse welding seams
WO1981001432A1 (en) * 1979-11-13 1981-05-28 O Larsen Method and apparatus for producting and laying a ballasted mat for ground stabilization
US5724789A (en) * 1993-11-01 1998-03-10 Corella; Arthur P. Multi-compartment package, system and method
US20060202396A1 (en) * 2003-01-21 2006-09-14 Richard Merken-Schiller Method and device for permanently deforming a fexible film material
US7516598B2 (en) * 2003-01-21 2009-04-14 Mars Incorporated Method and device for permanently deforming a flexible film material

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