Patent GB-1300952-A (GB)
Title: Method of packing
Inventor: LEVENSON GERALD ISAAC PASTERNA
IPC: B65B25/14
Filed: 1969-02-14
Abstract: 1300952 Seaming non-metallic sheet material KODAK Ltd 12 Feb 1970 [14 Feb 1969] 8211/69 Heading B5K [Also in Division B8] Pieces of photographic film are packaged by inserting a piece of film into an open-ended holder, folding a web of packaging material over the open end of the holder, clamping the film piece relative to the folded web, withdrawing the holder and sealing the web along three sides thereof to form a complete package. In the arrangement according to Figs. 5, 6 and 8, web material 34 formed from first and second webs 35, 36 welded together, is fed from a feeding unit 30, in lengths to a pack forming unit 32 in timed relationship with the feeding of film material 41 from a unit 31 which notches the material 41 and severs it to form film pieces 75 which are then transferred to a position accessible to an operator. The feeding unit 30 comprises a slide 53 which is arranged to push a severed length of web 34 into a shoot 61. The unit 31 comprises a press-tool unit 74 which forms notches on both edges of the film corresponding to the width of a film piece 75 to be formed, and a shuttle feeder 82 which draws in the notched film web 41 and feeds it to a cropping unit 89 which severs the notched web into the film pieces 75. The pieces are then ejected through a channel 107 into a transfer magazine 92, Figs. 10, 11, 13 and 14, which comprises a slide 100 having six apertures 103 each arranged to receive a film piece 75 and each having aligned therewith a spring loaded indexing stop 104 which is engageable with a first rail 105 in one position of the slide and engageable with a second rail 106 in another position of the slide. The unit 32 comprises slidable members 123, 124 carrying a pivotally mounted fork member 127 having tines 129 thereon. A first platform 131 is mounted between brackets 125, 126 and a second platform 132 is located adjacent to and coplanar with platform 131 when the members 123, 124 are in their positions shown. Guides 133, 134 for locating the web 34 are provided on the platforms 131, 132. The fork 127 is apertured to engage the guides when pivoted to the Fig. 13 position and the platform 132 is arranged to be moved upwardly prior to insertion of the fork 127 into a welding press 47, Fig. 5, whereupon that portion of the web 34 on the platform 132 is pulled over the top of the fork 127. The welding press 47 comprises pairs of heads 135, 136 and upper and lower clamps 137, 138 each part of which clamp the film piece between the folds of the web 34. The head 135 has a "tear-seal" type electrode of a chromium-copper alloy and the head 136 has a flute electrode faced with a replaceable pad of heat and electrically insulating material. Tunnels for the circulation of a cooling fluid are provided in the head 135. A suction bar 139 engages the upper layer of the web during insertion of the fork into the press to maintain tension in the web. Arms 140 eject the web after the welding step, into a shoot 142. In operation, the fork is initially in the Fig. 14 position and a cut length of web 34 is fed from the shoot 61 on to platforms 131, 132. The fork is then pivoted to the Fig. 13 position, the film pieces are removed from the magazine 92 by an operator and placed between the tines 129. Operation of the units 30, 31, 32 is then initiated by the operator to fill each of the apertures 103 with a film piece, which pieces are then withdrawn and loaded on to the fork 127. The automatic units of the apparatus are powered by pneumatic cylinders with the exception of slide 53 which preferably is powered hydraulically. The pneumatic cylinders are controlled by conventional pneumatic valves which are controlled by a low pressure fluid logic or fluidic control system utilizing turbulence amplifiers. Relays may be used for signalling from fluid to power pressures and from fluidic pressures to the electrical control system of the R.F. welding press 47. The feed of cut lengths of web 34 to the platforms 131, 132 and of the film pieces 75 to the fork 127 may be automatic. In the arrangement according to Figs. 1-4 of the Provisional Specification (not shown), film pieces (14) are inserted between tines (13) of a fork member (10) and a web (15) of material is folded over the member (10). A clamping plate (21) is applied to the fork member (10) and spring clips (23) released to clamp the film pieces to the web. The assembly is then transferred to a press where the fork member is withdrawn and the web is sealed along side portions (17), (18) and across the open portion (19). A plurality of fork members may be supported in a turret for positioning the film pieces, applying the folded web, applying the clamping means, inserting the assembly into a press for sealing, and releasing the packages from the clamping means. Specification 1,212,192 is referred to.