Patent ID: 7673434

Claim:
A filling machine for filling a tubular packaging material, comprising: (a) a first rotary member rotatably disposed downstream of a longitudinal sealing device with respect to the conveyance direction of the tubular packaging material and disposed inside the tubular packaging material and in contact with a seam at a longitudinally sealed portion of the tubular packaging material being fed; (b) a second rotary member rotatably disposed in opposition to the first rotary member and in contact with an exterior surface of the seam of the packaging material pinched between the first and second rotary members; (c) a force applying member urging the first rotary member outward of the tubular packaging material and against the second rotary member, wherein the force-applying member is a torsion bar with one end fixed and extending from the fixed end to a distal free end on which the first rotary member is mounted, and further comprising a filling pipe extending within the tubular packaging material, and wherein the one end of the torsion bar is fixed to the filling pipe; (d) a rotation detection signal generator for generating a rotation detection signal in association with rotation of at least one of the first and second rotary members; and (e) monitoring processing means for reading, as a reference signal, the rotation detection signal detected when at least one of the first and second rotary members is rotated normally, such that a traveling speed of the tubular packaging material and a circumferential speed of the at least one of the first and second rotary members are substantially equal to each other; then reading a rotary detection signal at predetermined timing and comparing the read detection signal with the reference signal so as to detect abnormality of rotation of both of the first and second rotary members when both of the first and second rotary members are not rotated normally, such that the traveling speed of the tubular packaging material and a circumferential speed of both of the first and second rotary members are not substantially equal to each other.