Patent GB-1231681-A (GB)
IPC: B65B11/12
Filed: 1969-04-01
Abstract: 1,231,681. Folding wrappers. E. WALTHER. 1 April, 1969 [25 April, 1968], No. 16895/69. Heading B8C. Articles G are continuously conveyed along a folding path by grippers 23 which hold a wrapper H against top and side faces of each article, preferably yieldingly, as folding members 61, 63, 65 and 67 successively move transversely into the folding path and move also in the direction of movement of the articles each to sweep an edge portion of the wrapper, projecting beyond a side face of the article G, against a bottom face of the article G. The projecting edge portion of the wrapper H may precede the article in the direction of movement thereof, e.g. if the articles move vertically downwardly. In a preferred, Fig. 1 embodiment, the articles G are vertically upwardly conveyed through the folding path by the grippers 23, which are detachably mounted on opposed endless belts 19, passing over supporting plates 25, and to which the articles G are transferred by a lifting ram 37, which may exert a suction effect, into the path of which ram 37 the articles G are transversely displaced from an intermittently driven conveyer belt 33 by a pusher 39. Each article G is engaged by the ram 37, as it passes through an apertured supporting plate adjacent the conveyer 33, and is displaced through an aperture 43 of a plate 41 wherefrom it engages with its upper face a wrapping material blank H, e.g. of tin foil, regenerated cellulose, or laminated plastics, which is then downwardly folded by a brush 45 along each side of the article, and retained by the brush 45 in this position until engaged by the grippers 23. Each of the folding members 61, 63, 65, 67 are displaceable transversely into and out of the folding path of the articles G along a shaft, e.g. 27 or 29, about which they also arcuately reciprocate to engage and fold a downwardly projecting edge portion of the wrapper, and then disengage therefrom. As each article with the wrapper H folded thereon is released at the top of the vertical path by separation of the grippers 23, it is supported from beneath by a retaining plate 71, performing similar movements to the folding members, against an upper yieldable stop 47, as it is tranoversely displaced by a pusher 53, reciprocable along a shaft 29, on to a horizontal conveyer belt which may be driven intermittently. The conveyer belts 19 are continuously driven, but the intermittent actions of the other parts of the apparatus are controlled from the connecting rod (75) of a driven crank (73), Fig. 3 (not shown), which connecting rod (75) is mounted also to a rocking lever (77). In an alternative arrangement for effecting the movements of a pair of successive folding members, e.g. (61, 63), Figs. 4 and 5 (not shown), one of the members (61) is fixed on one side of the folding path, to a shaft (87), which is axially reciprocated and the other (63) is pivotally mounted thereon but axially reciprocable thereon on the other side of the path. The transverse movements of the members into and out of the folding path is alternately effected by axial reciprocation of the shaft (87), and the arcuate folding reciprocation is effected either by a cam track or by adjustable length links (97 and 99) each between a fixed point (101) and. the mounting of each member on the shaft (87) In the Fig. 8 embodiment, for effecting the folding operation shown in Fig. 7, wherein the grippers 23 carried by endless belts (not shown) receive each article with the blank folded only along and projecting downwardly below two opposite sides of the article, and projecting outwardly from the ends of the article, the downwardly projecting ends R of the blank are successively folded against the bottom face of the article by folding members 105, which are carried by the grippers 23, through guides 103, whereof they are successively transversely reciprocated into folding operation by cam tracks 109, the right-hand member 105 remaining engaged to retain the blank against the bottom face of the article G during the subsequent folding operation preformed at the end faces of the article G. The lower portions Str of the outwardly projecting blank portions St are successively upwardly folded against the end faces of the article G by folding members 111 and 113 which are mounted on shafts 115, 117 which alternately perform an axial and arcuate reciprocatory movement to effect the folding action. The lateral portion Sts of the blank are then inwardly folded by a pair of pivotally interconnected jaws 121, located on each side of the folding passage and actuated by a rod connection 123 from the member 111. The upper portions Sto are then downwardly folded by stationary members 129. In alternatives to the Figs. 2 and 8 embodiments (not shown), the articles travel upwardly and then horizontally to effect the folding of the last edge portions of the blank about the article. It is also stated that the spacing of the articles may be twice that of the folding members, which perform alternate idling strokes, or half that of the folding members when folding operations are simultaneously performed only in alternate articles. The folding elements 61 and 62 of the Fig. 2 embodiment, may be employed in combination with the elements 105 of the Fig. 8 embodiment.