Patent GB-1532653-A (GB)
Title: Wrapping machine
IPC: B31B3/32
Filed: 1975-08-28
Abstract: 1532653 Making and filling containers AMERICAN BRANDS Inc 28 Aug 1975 [3 Sept 1974] 35460/75 Headings B8C and B8K [Also in Division B5] A package comprises a length of heat sealable material wrapped around an article-for example cigarettes and provided with heat-sealed side, top and bottom fin seals. The material comprises an outer layer of cellophane, intermediate layers of polyethylene and aluminium foil and an inner layer of polyethylene. Mandrel wrapping.-A web of the material is fed to a hollow mandrel 90 on a turret 34 by a pair of feed rollers 64 mounted on a carriage which is vertically pivotable. A photo-electric detector 48 senses a line on the material and stops the rollers and actuates a cutter when the material is clamped against the mandrel by a U-shaped plate (100, Fig. 8, not shown). Air nozzles (79, Fig. 8) assist the advance of the material to the mandrel. A bar (98) and further air nozzles partially fold the material around the mandrel as it is advanced to the second station where a pair of bars (162, Fig. 10, not shown) connected by resilient strips pivot against the mandrel to complete the folding. The bars (162) are spring pressed against the mandrel and one bar is provided with a rubber cushion. Side and bottom fin seaming and folding.- A side fin seal is formed by jaws 176 closing on the edges of the material extending from an edge 219 of the mandrel. The jaws are closed by a fluid motor 186 acting through a parallelogram linkage 178 and are lowered by a shaft 190 through a lost-motion linkage. One jaw is heated by a cartridge 180 and the other jaw has a resilient friction pad 184 which extends beyond the bottom of the jaw and pulls the material tightly to the edge. At the third station the side fin seal is folded flat against the mandrel by a resilient blade (276, Fig. 12, not shown), a pair of pins (260, Fig. 13, not shown) urge the bottom edges of the opposed sides of the folded material apart, and a pair of jaws (249) fin seal the bottom. The jaws are oscillated through a parallelogram linkage. As the mandrel is moved to the fourth station, a fixed flute (282, Fig. 14, not shown) folds the bottom fin against the bottom of the mandrel and a pair of fingers (280) in conjunction with the plate fold the projecting ears of the fin into a position extending longitudinally of the mandrel. At the fifth position the ears are folded against the bottom. Mandrel filling and package discharging, &c.- At further station on the turret a ram 94 pushes cigarettes in the mandrel, labels can be applied and folded and the cigarettes ends can be tested. Back at the first station an ejector 96 pushes the package into a pocket (302) of a transfer wheel 292. A first pusher 294 feeds the package out of the wheel 292 into a channel. When a switch at the downstream end of the channel is contacted a second pusher 296 pushes a package in front of a third pusher 298 which feeds the package into a receptacle 368 of a chain conveyer.  Top fin sealing and folding.-At a first working station along the chain conveyer a blade (301, Fig. 23, not shown) and two spreader fingers (390) are lowered into the top of a package and the fingers moved outwardly to spread the top. A pair of bars 392 extend between the first and second stations and are pivoted inwardly to fold the top fin at these stations, the bars being recessed at the first station to avoid imprisoning the fingers (390). At third and fourth station a sealer (544) similar to the bottom sealer seals the top fin, and a cutter 346 cuts a notch in the fin. At the fifth and sixth station, a member (420) folds, and a plate (424) presses, the top fin down. At the seventh station an elevator (426) lifts the package from the receptacle into a housing causing the ears of the top fin to be folded downwardly. The housing is heated to set the folded formation of the top fin.