Patent ID: 6016639
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
An apparatus for wrapping an ice cream sandwich with a wrap, said wrap having a rear bottom tuck panel, said apparatus comprising:an elevator for raising said ice cream sandwich upwardly from a supply position at which said ice cream sandwich is supplied to said elevator, to a wrapping position at which said wrap extends over the top of and is draped along the sides of said ice cream sandwich, said elevator including a platform having a supporting surface for supporting said ice cream sandwich;a conveyor positioned substantially adjacent said platform when said elevator is moved to said wrapping position, said conveyor including a conveyor surface substantially coplanar with said supporting surface when said elevator is moved to said wrapping position, wherein said ice cream sandwich can be pushed from said supporting surface to a conveyor position on said conveyor surface;a shoe movable in an infeed direction toward and into abutment with said ice cream sandwich when said ice cream sandwich is supported on said supporting surface in said wrapping position, said shoe including a rear tucker for wrapping a rear bottom tuck panel of said wrap underneath said ice cream sandwich as said shoe travels in said infeed direction toward said ice cream sandwich, and a pusher fixedly connected with said rear tucker for pushing said ice cream sandwich from said supporting surface onto said conveyor surface during continued movement in said infeed direction toward and into abutment with said ice cream sandwich;conveyor walls extending substantially perpendicular to and on opposite sides of said conveyor surface, each of said conveyor walls having an inner surface, said inner surfaces substantially defining the outer boundaries of a frictional path; anda friction member adapted to extend into said frictional path and engage said ice cream sandwich when said ice cream sandwich is in said conveyor position, so as to resist movement of said ice cream sandwich in a direction opposite said infeed direction.