Patent GB-134224-A (GB)
IPC: B65B11/30
Abstract: 134,224. Hoste, M. March 7, 1919, [Convention date]. Packeting by wrapping-up.-In a machine for wrapping-up small regular articles such as caramels, meat-extract cubes, and the like, the articles are carried to the wrapping-up stations by grippers consisting of a movable jaw which is controlled by two springs of different strength and remains parallel to a rigid jaw in opening and closing, the arrangement enabling the machine to wrap-up articles of different thickness. The machine shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 comprises a plate or cross 5 provided with four grippers 7 which pass through the stations I - - IV, Fig. 1, the plate being rotated intermittingly through a quarter-revolution by gearing comprising a mutilated pinion 33, Fig. 2, and then being locked by a detent 36 which engages a notched wheel 39 and is operated by a cam 35. The grippers each consist of a rigid jaw 9, and a parallel, movable jaw 12 which is guided by a sleeve 10 on the rigid jaw. A spring 19 is arranged underneath a plunger 11 on the movable jaw, and a spring 18 is arranged between a part of the movable jaw and a plunger 16, which is guided by a sleeve 10 and engages a stationary cam-plate 4. The spring 19 overcomes the spring 18 and holds the movable jaw in the elevated position except when the cam-plate is operative to depress the plunger 16. The rigid jaw is provided with a slide 22 which is urged outwards by a spring 25 and is formed with a recess 24, an incline 26, and a hole 21, co-operating with a pin 20 on the plunger 11. The articles 97 are fed to the machine by a conveyer, such as an endless band 53, and each article is arrested adjacent to the station I by a stop 56, Fig. 1, a reciprocating pusher 57 then pushing the article over a yielding table 51, Fig. 3, and into the gripper that is at the station I. The wrapping-paper 61, Fig. 3, passes from a roll 62 and between guide-rollers 63 and intermittingly-driven feed-rollers 64, the free end of the paper hanging between the table 51 and a stationary knife 40 which co-operates with a swing- ing knife 40. In operation, a gripper arrives at the station I with the slide in position beneath the movable jaw, and an article 97 and the paper 61 are, by means of the pusher 57, forced underneath the rounded lower edge of the knife 40 and into contact with the slide 22. The paper is thereby stretched and is cut when the movable knife is operated. If an article is not presented, the paper is not stretched and the knives are unable to cut. The table 51 is mounted on a spring 52 and can yield in accordance with the thickness of the article. The further movement of the pusher causes the slide 22 to move inwards and the article and the paper to move into the space between the rigid and movable jaws of the gripper, the paper being thereby folded around three sides of the article. The movable jaw is provided with a spring plunger 13, Fig. 2, for smoothing the paper. In the inwards movement of the slide 22, the pin 20 rides up the incline 26 to open the movable jaw, and then drops into the hole 21. In the movement of the gripper to the station II, the horizontally-projecting part of the paper is turned into the vertical position by a stationary guide 96, Fig. 1. When the gripper arrives at the station II, the movable jaw is permitted by the cam-plate 4 to rise slightly, and a reciprocating blade 68 enters the space between the article and the movable jaw and folds the vertical part of the paper on to the article. When the gripper arrives at the station III, the movable jaw is again closed by the cam-plate 4 and the outwardly-projecting parts of the paper are turned upwards and over the ends of the article by means of two triangular blades 79 which are mounted on a vertically-movable rod 80 and pass between the jaws and arms 8 on the rigid jaw. When the gripper arrives at the station IV, the cam-plate 4 allows the movable jaw to rise a sufficient distance to permit of the pin 20 releasing the slide 22, which thereupon moves outwards under the influence of the spring 25 and discharges the article from the gripper into a shoot 88. The shoot is widest at the inlet and is provided with a lid 89, Fig. 1, adapted to complete the wrapping-up operation by folding downwards the triangular end-flaps that are formed at the station III. The lid is provided with a spring blade 90 for pressing the articles. The articles are moved through the shoot by means of a reciprocating arm 91, Fig. 2.