Patent ID: 6799409
Filing Date: 2004-10-05
Classification: A01J,B65B

Abstract:
Machine for manufacturing and packaging formed bodies (F) of a mouldable substance (M), comprisinga loading section (16), on which strip-shaped packaging material (P) arranged at least approximately horizontally is longitudinally movable, a shaping wheel (20) which is rotatable about a central axis (22) and has a cylindrical peripheral surface (24) as well as a plurality of moulds (32) disposed at angular intervals around said central axis (22), a filling area (34), through which the moulds (32) are movable in succession in order to be filled with substance (M), a dwell area (36), after travelling through which the substance (M) contained in the mould (32) is a packageable formed body (F), a deposit area (38) which is disposed above the loading section (16) in such a way that each formed body (F) may be deposited from its mould (32) directly on the packaging material (P), and a device (18) for wrapping the formed bodies (F) situated on the packaging material (P), characterized in that said central axis (22) is disposed transversely at a distance (D) above the loading section (16), the shaping wheel (20) is drivable at a peripheral speed (28) which approximately corresponds to that of a slip-free rolling on the longitudinally moving strip-shaped packaging material (P), the moulds (32) are disposed, starting from the cylindrical peripheral surface (24) of the shaping wheel (20), radially in relation to the latter's central axis (22), each mould (32) contains a separate piston (50) which is movable back and forth between a retracted position for filling the mould (32) with substance (M) and an advanced position for ejecting the consolidated formed body (F) in a radially outward direction onto the packaging material (P), the device (18) for wrapping the formed bodies (F) lying on the strip-shaped packaging material (P) is formed substantially by: a bending section (100) for upward bending of the mutually opposite side edges (R) of the strip-shaped packaging material (P), a longitudinal sealing unit (102) for joining together the two edges (R) of the strip-shaped packaging material (P), which therefore assumes a tubular shape, and a transverse sealing unit (104) for forming transverse seams in the strip-shaped packaging material (P) between successive formed bodies (F), and in that associated with the shaping wheel (20), the longitudinal sealing unit (102) and the transverse sealing unit (104) are drives (26, 30, 108), which may be synchronized with one another, for manufacturing and depositing the formed bodies (F) and for moving and sealing the packaging material (P), and characterized in that the distance (D) between the central axis (22) of the shaping wheel (20) and the loading section (16) is adjustable for adaptation to formed bodies (F) of differing height (H).