Patent GB-655570-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the packing of dried fruit, vegetables and the like
IPC: B65B11/02
Filed: 1947-12-16
Abstract: 655,570. Packing dried fruits &c. DUBOIS, G. A. Dec. 16, 1947, No. 33102. Convention date, May 20, 1942. [Class 94(i)] In apparatus for packing dried fruits, vegetables &c. comprising a mould 5 for receiving a packing sheet 6, a frame 8, means for compressing the dried fruit 12 in the frame, and means for removing the frame by sliding it, the mould'5 is provided with open angles which permit the material of the packing sheet to pass freely out of the mould as shown at 10. The compressing means comprises a press, Fig. 8, on a plate 26 of which are placed the frame and mould. The plate 26 is vertically reciprocable by a rod 22 under the action of a cam (not shown) on a main electrically-driven shaft of the press. An upper plate 28 is slidably mounted by pins 31 and a plunger 29 in a fixed head 30 of the press. Upward movement 'of the plunger 29 is limited by a stop, Fig. 12, (not shown) which is manually adjustable at 35 and is resisted by a spring 33. Downward movement is limited by a further stop (not shown). The plate 28 is dimensioned and aligned to pass within the frame 8 and compresses the dried fruit &c. as the plate 26 rises, near the limit of upward movement. Pins 9 on the frame 8, engage hooks 38, Fig. 21, which are freely pivoted at corresponding corners of the head 30. On downward movement of the plate 26 the frame 8 is. retained by the hooks 38 and withdrawn from the mould. A forked member rigid with each side of the plate 26 has prongs 27, each of which engage a surface on a respective hook 38 so that the latter are deflected to release the pins 9 and frame 8 at the end of the downward movement of the plate 26. Rollers 41, 48 which are raised by extensions 42 of the plate 26 are actuated against return springs, by respective linkage 43, 45 connected with cams on the main drive-shaft, to fold over the flaps 62 of the wrapper. The roller 48 is heated by an electric element (not shown) so that the overlapping flaps of the wrapper are sealed. The mould is then placed on a carriage 58 of a further machine, Fig. 25. The carriage 58 is reciprocable longitudinally on rails 56 by an electric motor acting through a linkage, Fig. 26, (not shown) and is also guided by a longitudinal rod 72 centrally disposed between the rails 56 and provided with a coiled-spring stop 73, 74 to cushion the travel of the carriage. The carriage 58 carries upright slides 59 in which holders 61 for folding members 62 are mounted for vertically-adjustable movement to suit the depth of package. The slides 59 are laterally-adustable on the carriage 58 to suit the length of package. The length by which the folding members 62 project from their holders 61 is adjustable in accordance with the width of the package: In placing the package in position on the carriage 58, two of the unfolded sides of the wrapper, i.e. one at each end of one long side of the package, are engaged and turned down against the respective ends of the package by the folding members 61. The carriage is then projected rightwards (see Fig. 25) on the rails 56. This movement causes the remaining unfolded wrapper-sides to be turned down on the ends of the package, by folding members 78 carried by holders 77 which are adjustably mounted on slides 75 in a similar manner to the mounting of the members 61 on the slides 59. The slides 75 however, are rigid with the rails 56, the width between which is adjustable by means of threaded rods operated by handles 65. On further movement of the package, its unfolded bottom flaps are engaged in upwardly-inclined slots in side plates 80 which fold them against the ends of the package. On further movement, pins (not shown) formed on the outside of the mould are engaged by upwardly-inclined surfaces of the side-plates 80 so that the mould is detached from the package. The plates 80 carry electric heating elements and are pressed by springs, Fig.' 32, (not shown) acting against fixed plates 87, so that the previously-folded side and bottom flaps of the wrapper are sealed against the package.