Patent GB-1096283-A (GB)
Title: Assembly and packaging apparatus
IPC: B65B11/54
Filed: 1966-06-24
Abstract: 1,096,283. Conveyers; packaging. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. June 24, 1966 [July 13, 1965], No. 28426/66. Headings B8A and B8C. [Also in Division B5] Meat patties 44 are successively transferred from a patty conveyer 42 to bread slices 45 on a conveyer 43, by the conjoint movement of a pusher 140, and a platform 148 on to which the patty 44 is delivered by the conveyer 42, from their positions shown in Figs. 4 and 6, to a position overlying the slice 45. The platform 148 is retracted while the pusher 140 is held in its extended position thereby effecting the transfer of the patty 44 to the slice 45. Each patty is dislodged from the conveyer 42 by the action of protruberances (347) (Fig. 7, not shown) on the drive roller (345) of the conveyer. The machine also comprises a bun storage chamber (60) (Fig. 1, not shown) leading via a slicer (66) to passages (62), (64), from either of which bun slices may be selected for feed to the bun slice conveyer 43. Extending parallel with the latter is the meat patty conveyer 42 which extends from a patty dispenser (84) via an oven (82) to the platform 148 at the sandwich assembly area. The latter includes transfer heads (94), (92), for sauce and cheese. The dispenser (84) normally dispenses one patty on the conveyer 42 for every other index of the bands 87-89 of the conveyer 42, but if a double sandwich is required a patty is dispensed for every index of the bands. Completion of formation of sandwich: After patty delivery the part sandwiches thereby produced are delivered successively to a position lying upon a wrapper sheet (215) above an aperture 161 controlled by trap doors 170, 171. The latter open to allow the sandwich and wrapper to drop into a cup (167) (Figs. 20(b) and 29, not shown), in which it is retained by vacuum supplied through a connection (204), ports (208), and ports (209). On the next-index of the conveyer 72, the sandwich is completed by the addition of a further slice 45 (this has no overlying patty) (Figs. 20c and 20d, not shown). The cup 167 is then lowered by the operation of cam-actuated links (191), (192) (Fig. 20e, not shown) until the vacuum connection (204) engages a stop 219 (Fig. 30, not shown) thereby resulting in relative movement between a plate (168) on which the sandwich rests and a vacuum seal ring (210). Wrapping of sandwich: The sandwich is thus released from the vacuum and the wrapper neck is engaged by gathering arms (360), (361), (Figs. 21A, 21B, 22 and 25, not shown). The package thus formed is fed to crimping wheels (375), (376). The wheel 375 carries pins (380) (Fig; 26, not shown) which pierce opposed gathered portions of the wrapper 215 and are received within the split periphery of the wheel (376) (which comprises discs (376A), (376B)). The package is stripped from the pins (380) by a bar (373) (Fig. 24A, not shown) and is delivered to a driven roller conveyer 98 and thereby to a final delivery endless conveyer 99. Wrapper feed and severance. A web of thermoplastic wrapper material is fed from a supply roll 225 via pulleys (241), (242) (Fig. 10, not shown) under the action of a pair of endless conveyer chains (244), (245) (Fig. 11, not shown). The latter engage the opposed edges of the material by pins (253) (Fig. 12, not shown) carried by arms (252) rigid with the respective chains (244), (245). At a leading position relative to the sandwich forming station (i.e. above the cup 167) stripper levers (255) are engaged by rollers 249, 250, to strip the wrapper from the pins (253) (Fig. 12, not shown). The-wrapper is cut off from the web by an electrically heated wire (281) (Figs. 13-17, not shown). The wire 281 is carried by a bar 290 which is upwardly movable against springs 294 when the wrapper is lifted by a cam-actuated block 297.