Patent GB-1438604-A (GB)
Title: Machine for packaging goods having a central hole
IPC: B65D85/06
Filed: 1974-05-16
Abstract: 1438604 Machine for packing goods having a central opening SOC D'APPLICATIONS THERMIQUES 16 May 1974 [17 May 1973] 21932/74 Heading B8C A machine for packaging goods, such as ring shaped goods having a central hole 3, e.g. a motor vehicle tyre 2 in a flexible film of plastics material 6, Fig. 2, comprises means 22 for feeding a band 6 of the film and severing the band transversely, movable primary and secondary gripping means 7, 8 respectively for gripping the band of film 6 along its two longitudinal edges evenly distributed around a common symmetrical axis 9 allowing a length of tubular sheath to be formed from the band of film open and parallel to said axis; a primary drive means 10 to move the primary gripping means 7 towards and away from said axis; a secondary drive means 11 for effecting relative axial displacement of means 12 for holding the goods to be packaged in relation to the primary gripping means 7; a tertiary drive 13 for effecting relative axial displacement of the secondary gripping means 8 in relation to the primary gripping means 7 for bringing the former to bear against the latter, and means 45 for joining the two end portions of the length of tubular sheath 6 while held about the goods 2 by the primary and secondary gripping means respectively, whereby the goods 2 are packaged in the film 6. As shown, the end of a plastics film 6, wound upon a bobbin 21, is gripped between a pair of rollers 27, 27 carried by a vertical frame 24 which is swung, by a motor 26, Fig. 2, about a pivot 25 a strip of film 6, severed by a cutter 23, being advanced so that its upper and lower longitudinal edges are gripped by grippers 42, 31 carried respectively by the secondary and primary gripping means 8, 7. The gripping means 7 comprises a set of radial arms 28 which are pivoted to a hub 29 carried by a hollow axle 30, rotatably mounted in bearings 82, and which are connected by links 34 to a hub 32 secured to the lower end of a rod 33, the latter being axially slidably, but non-rotatably, mounted within the hollow axle 30. The gripping means 8 comprises a bell 39 which is fixed to a sleeve 40 which is axially slidably, but non-rotatably, mounted on the axle 30. In operation the axle 30 is rotated for one revolution by a motor 79 and chain drive 80 to form the film strip 6 into a tubular sheath held respectively at its upper and lower edges by the gripping devices 42 and 31. The primary drive means 10, comprising a pneumatic ram 36 and a universal joint 47, is operated to push the rod 33 down the axle 30 and separate the hubs 29, 32 so that the arms 28 pivot downwards, Fig. 4, the gripping means 8 being correspondingly lowered simultaneously by the tertiary drive means 13 including a motor 57 and a threaded rod 56 which threadedly engages a bracket 46 which carries the gripping means 8. The tyre 2 to be packaged, previously positioned concentrically below the gripping means 7 on an insertion device 15, is gripped the arms 61a, 61b of the holding means 12 as they move towards each other, the holding means being moved upwardly by the secondary drive means 11, which comprises a motor 76 and a threaded shaft drive 75, so that the lower end of the sleeve 6 passes through the hole 3 of the tyre 2, Fig. 5. The arms 28 are then spread to the position shown in Fig. 6 by operating the motor 36 the arms 61a, 61b of the holding means 12 being moved apart by a drive device 71, 64 which rotates a pair of spaced rollers 66a, 66b so that they lie in a plane at right angles to the plane 16, Fig. 2, to release the tyre as the holding means 12 is moved downwards to its initial position. The motor 57 is again energized to move the gripping means 8 downwardly until the bell 39 rests upon the arms 28 and the two end portions of the tubular sheath, which completely encloses the tyre, are pressed together, Fig. 7, and are united by a set of electrodes 45 which are carried by a disc 43 which is pivotally mounted, by bearings 47, in the bracket 46 and which is urged away from the bell 39 by a spring 49. The motors 57, 36 are then actuated to move the bell 39 upwards and turn the arms 28 downwards so that the packaged tyre 2 drops on to the insertion means 15 by means of which it can be removed from the machine.