Patent GB-1426343-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus and method for skin packaging articles
IPC: B65B11/52
Filed: 1973-07-16
Abstract: 1426343 Apparatus and method for skin packaging articles US PACKAGING CORP 16 July 1973 33815/73 Heading B8C Apparatus for skin packaging articles between a substrate 16 and thermoplastic film 108 comprises support means 110 for the substrate and articles carried thereon; heating means 30 for heat-deforming a length of thermoplastic film; means 50 for moving the substrate beneath the length of film 108 so that the substrate and articles carried thereon are in skin packaging position, means 168 for relatively moving the heated length of film and the substrate in engagement for skin packaging the articles between the film and the substrate; heat-control means 140 carried by said heating means movable in one position to reflect heat to the film during the film-forming operation and in another position to shield the film from heat during the skin packaging operation and preferably means for removing the skin packaged articles. In operation, an operator places the air-impervious substrate, or backing board 16 on top of the loading console 18 and then places the products through the openings in a vertically reciprocal template 14, which has been lowered to a position adjacent the board 16 in accordance with the setting on a control panel. At the next predetermined time the board 16 and the template 14 are transferred, in the direction of the arrow 20, to the heater and skin packer 22 having the supply roll 24 for the thermoplastic film web mounted on one side, the film 108 being fed into the skin packer 22 in the direction of arrow 26. After the skin packaging operation the package moves in the direction of arrows 28, 32 toward, and through, a first slitter 30 until it is arrested by a stop 34 the package then changing its direction to travel, as indicated by arrow 36, and pass through a second slitter 36 which individually separates the finished products for take-out by a standard conveyer. The template 14 is supported, in a cantilever manner, on two side arms 40 each of which is carried by two vertical rods 42, which project through slots 44 in the console table 18 and which are movable up and down by a cylinder 56 on a carriage 50. The latter is horizontally reciprocal along a support shaft 46 and carries three retractible, spring-loaded, pushers 64 which, in their raised positions, engage behind the board 16. Forward movement of the carriage 50 deposits the board 16, with its products, upon a foraminous platen board 110 fitted within the suction box 168 connected, by piping 164, 166, to a vacuum pump, the template 14 being raised and the carriage 50 retracted after the positioning of the board 16. After the film 108 has been advanced from the supply roll across a gasket 98 and around an opening 96 in the fixed top 94 of the skin packer and a frame 100, pivoted to the packer top 94 and lined with a gasket 104, has been lowered to securely frame the film over the opening 96, reflector shields 142, rotatably carried between supports 136, 138 of the heating unit 30 secured by rods 132 above the platen board 110, are pivoted in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 7, by rack-and-pinion mechanism 146, 148 to uncover associated elongated resistance units 140 so that the framed film portion is heated, Fig. 6. When the film is deformed sufficiently the platen board 110 and heater 30 are raised together and the deflectors 142 are rotated to their closed positions excess heat exhausting through the top opening 158 of the heater and a vacuum being applied to the suction box 168 so that the film is drawn down over, and sealed to the board 16 around, each article. The frame 100 is then raised to free the film and allow it to be drawn away from the roll 24 toward the first slitter 30. The latter comprises two vertical frame members 214, 216 which co-operate respectively with an intermediate, and side-trimming rotary, knives 204 and 225 mounted respectively on shafts 218, 234, the shaft carrying, inoperatively, spare knives 224. The knives 224 and 234 are moved into, and out of, the operational position by means of cylinders 226 and 240 respectively. A cross-cut knife 232, driven by a cable-cylinder arrangement, Fig. 15, not shown, and located between the rolls 206, 210, severs the film from the package to free it for passage to a second set of slitters 38 which is constructed in a similar manner, and at right angles to, the first slitter 30. A similar kind of cablecylinder driving arrangement, Fig. 15, not shown, may be employed to drive the frame 50. The template 14 may be omitted.