Patent GB-623816-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to wrapping machines
IPC: B65B11/32
Filed: 1946-08-26
Abstract: 623,816. Packeting by wrapping-up. MACKENZIE, W. E., and OXO, Ltd. Aug. 26, 1946, No. 25453. [Class 94(i)] In a wrapping-machine the article to be wrapped is guided into a carrier member with its wrapping to fold the wrapping partly around the article in such a manner that no pressure is applied directly to the article, the partly wrapped article thereafter being carried by the same carrier through various wrapping and sealing stages of the machine for effecting complete wrapping of the article without pressing against the latter, the sealing operation being effected without acting upon the article within the wrapping by applying heat and pressure direct to the overlapping edges of the wrapping prior to folding them against the article. In wrapping articles of cube form, e.g. oblong form, the wrapping machine may comprise a rotor 1 provided with a plurality of carrier members 9 which are moved intermittently by partial rotation of the rotor 1 to bring the carriers 9 successively into positions opposite stations or stages " A," " B," " C," " D," " E " for effecting a particular wrapping and/or sealing operation. In wrapping cubes of meat extract, strips of wrapping material 3, e.g. that having the Registered Trade Mark "Cellophane," which are automatically cut off, are passed on to a plate 2 at the stage " A." A cube 4 is delivered transversely by a reciprocating plunger on to the strip, placed between a pair of gripping members 5, which are then moved downwardly to grip the wrapping 3 between them, and a pair of members 7. The members 5 and 7 then move together downwardly between a pair of members 8 of a carrier 9 to fold the wrapping vertically upward. A reciprocating plunger 10 may act as a locating member. The members 5 and the plunger 10 then move upwardly and the carrier 9 moves to the stage " B," after which the members 7 rise to their original position. At stage " B " packing pieces 12 are fed into the open ends of the wrapping 3 to locate the cube 4. Folding and sealing elements 14 heated, e.g. by an element 15, are moved towards the carrier 9 to the positions shown in Fig. 9, the rod 13 being positioned between the top edges 3a, the elements 14 then moving to grip the top edges which fold against the rod 13, underneath which the elements 14 are moved, to fold and seal them into the lip 11. The wrapping material may be pretreated with a heat sealing medium, or be self binding on heating. The packing pieces 12 are withdrawn, the elements 13 and 14 moved away and carrier 9 moved to the stage " C," during which passage the lip 11 is acted upon by a wiper to bring it flush against the top of the cube. The carrier 9 then passes between two pairs of rollers 16, one pair at the top of the cube and one pair below, carrying segmental folding members 17, the said rollers 16 being carried at the end of arms 18, pivoting towards one another. In operation each segment 17 is rotated and a flat side of each segment engages the end of the wrapping, and during movement of the arms 18 the segments are rotated eventually to become aligned and parallel with the end faces as shown in Fig. 18, a lip 11a being obtained. Convenient gearing to swing the arms 18 comprises jaws 19 having rack portions 20 engaging gearwheels 21 which engage sectors 22 attached to the segments 17 which are rotated partially to present flat sides to the cube 4. The segments 17 are then opened, the carrier 9 is moved to the stage " D " and is located between pairs of elements 23 heated, e.g. by elements 24, movable towards one another to grip the lips 11a, Fig. 20, to seal them. The two stages " C " and " D " may be combined. Carrier 9 is then moved to stage " E," the wrapped cube 4 released from it and fed through feed mechanism whereby the lips 11a and portions 11b are folded against the cube, e.g. by a block 25, Fig. 1, having a profile 26. The cube 4 enters a trough 27, in which reciprocates horizontally a plunger feeding single cubes to a chute 28, through which the cube is fed by a vertically reciprocating plunger. To prevent cubes passing into the machine unwrapped an electrically operated cut-out device may be provided in circuit with the electrical power control apparatus acting to prevent cubes being fed to the machine when the feed of the wrapping material is interrupted, to stop the supply of wrapping material to the machine when the supply of cubes fails and to stop the machine when the supply of cartons on the cartoning machine, associated with the wrapping machine, is interrupted. Specification 615,100 is referred to.