Patent ID: 7062890

Claim:
Packing machine ( 52 ) comprising: a wrapping conveyor ( 64 ; 69 ) moving along a wrapping path and having a plurality of recesses ( 65 ; 71 ) each of which is designed to receive a respective article ( 54 ) together with a respective wrapping sheet ( 2 ); and a plurality of folding stations successively arranged along the wrapping path, each folding station comprising folding means ( 66 ; 72 ) arranged to cooperate with the wrapping sheets ( 2 ) to fold the same around respective articles ( 54 ); wherein the folding means ( 66 ; 72 ) in at least one of the folding station comprise a folding device ( 1 ) comprising a fixed block ( 4 ) having a flat first surface ( 5 ); a movable block ( 6 ) having a flat second surface ( 7 ); and an actuating device ( 8 ) for activating the movable block ( 6 ) to rotate the movable block ( 6 ) between a rest position, in which said first and second surface ( 5 , 7 ) are coplanar and define a supporting surface for a flat wrapping sheet ( 2 ) to be folded, and a work position, in which said first and second surface ( 5 , 7 ) form an angle of less than 180°; the packing machine ( 52 ) is characterized in that said first and second surface ( 5 , 7 ) are contiguous and blend along a fold line ( 3 ); said actuating device ( 8 ) comprising an articulated parallelogram transmission ( 10 ), in turn comprising a first and a second connecting rod ( 20 , 21 ) and a first and a second crank ( 22 , 23 ); said first and said second crank ( 22 , 23 ) being hinged to said fixed block ( 4 ) to rotate, with respect to the fixed block ( 4 ), about respective first axes ( 42 , 43 ) parallel to the fold line ( 3 ); said first and said second connecting rod ( 20 , 21 ) being hinged to said movable block ( 6 ) to rotate, with respect to the movable block ( 6 ), about respective second axes ( 28 , 29 ) parallel to said fold line ( 3 ); and said movable block ( 6 ) defining a further crank rotating, with respect to the fixed block ( 4 ), about a virtual hinge having a third axis ( 11 ) coincident with said fold line ( 3 ).