Patent ID: 6098380
Filing Date: 2000-08-08
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
Apparatus for shaping a travelling web into a tubular form in a form-fill process, comprising:a fixed guide for the web, said guide defining a track for guidance of the web,said track having a leading end in a direction of web travel and an exit end spaced from said leading end in the travel direction, the track tapering in said travel direction from the leading end of the track, whereby the track has a width that is narrower at the exit end,said web comprising a central portion and side marginal portions to opposite sides of the central portion, the guide track being engaged with said central portion from said leading end to said exit end, the side marginal portions of the web overlapping the tapering guide track towards said exit end the web leaving said exit end in an open tubular form,a forming tube having an external circumference larger than said width of the track exit end and providing a shaping surface for the web following the guide track in the direction of web travel, the web being given a tubular form on said surface and opposite side edges of the web being brought together,said forming tube having a longitudinal axis directed obliquely to the guide track and said axis extending to intersect the guide track,means for placing the web under tension comprising traction elements adjacent the forming tube drawing the web in its travel direction along the guide track and forming tube, said side edges of the web being gripped by said traction elements as the web travels along the tube.