CA1065819A - Apparatus for forming and filling flexible tubing in production of tampons - Google Patents
Apparatus for forming and filling flexible tubing in production of tamponsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1065819A CA1065819A CA311,227A CA311227A CA1065819A CA 1065819 A CA1065819 A CA 1065819A CA 311227 A CA311227 A CA 311227A CA 1065819 A CA1065819 A CA 1065819A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- tubing
- transfer wheel
- filling material
- charges
- transfer
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure An apparatus is described for forming tampon sacks by forming and filling a continuous length of flexible tubing at predetermined spaced apart intervals with measured charges of filling material. The apparatus comprises a rotary transfer wheel having a peripheral surface for receiving and advancing the tubing, means for driving said transfer wheel, and tube closing means co-acting with said transfer wheel to sequentially close the tubing at spaced apart points by pinching the tubing against the peripheral surface of said transfer wheel, whereby measured charges of filling material sequentially propelled through the tubing in timed relation to the sequential closing of the tubing will be captured between the ad-jacent points at which the tubing is closed.
Description
~o~
This invention relates to the manufacture of tampons and has to do more particularly with the formation of tubular overwraps or tampon sacks and the filling of such sacks with an absorptive aggregate as an incident of their formation. It is a divisional of application Serial No. 240,439, filed November 25, 1975.
This invention is concerned with the manufacture of ~
tampons of the type disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent No. 3,315,601, dated June 11, 1974, and entitled QCatamenial kggregate Absorbent Body". In accordance with the teachings of the said patent, the tampon comprises an aggregate com-posed of individual pieces o~ absorbent, foam-like material encased within a flexible, fluid-permeable overwrap in the nature of a tubular sack closed at its opposite ends, the ends of the sack being gathered inwardly and secured to form end closures or seals. A withdrawal string is attached to one end o the sack and the sack is inverted to form it into rosette shape, the end o~ the sack opposite the withdrawal string being displaced inwardly to form a cavity in the overwrap, thereby forming a tampon structure in which the absorbent aggregate is encased by an overwrap having an exterior portion forrnirlg the exterior surface o~ the tampon and a re-entrant portion Eormin~ the surface of the cavity.
Subsequent to the ~ormation of the tampon into rosette shape, it is radially compressed and enclosed in a tube-type inserter ~rom which the tampon may be ejected in its intended position of use.
The present invention has to do with apparatus and procedures for forming and filling the tubular sacks in a high speed, continuous operation to provide a continuous series of filled sacks which are in condition to be trans-ferred to succeeding processing apparatus for the com-pletion of the sack forming operations. In particular, the present invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for metering the aggregate into discrete charges and loading the charges into the tubed sack-forming material as an in-cident of the formation of the completed sacks.
In part the present invention may utilize the tube forming techniques taught in commonly owned United States patent 3,982,37~, issued September 28, 1976. In accordance with the teachings of this patent, a continuous web of sack-forming material is printed with adhesive at spaced apart intervals at which end closures for the sacks are to be formed, the adhesive dried, and the web tubed aro~md a hollow mandrel with the longitudinal edges of the web over-lapped and sealed to form the longitudinal seam of the tubing.
The present invention embodies similar tube forming techniques to the extent that a web of tube forming material will be pr~printed with adhesive, the adhesive dried, and the web tubed and seamed about a hollow mandrel. However, in accord-ance with the said application, the hollow mandrel about which the tubing is ~ormed is provided adjacent its trailing end with a ~unnel~like hopper into which measured increments of absorbent aggregate are sequentially deposited from a source of supply, as by means of a series of continuously moving measuring cups having displaceable bottoms adapted ; to open as the cups pass over the hopper. As each charge of aggregate is deposited in the hopper, the charge is subjected to a blast of air which acts to propel the mat-erial through the mandrel and into the tubed web. In
This invention relates to the manufacture of tampons and has to do more particularly with the formation of tubular overwraps or tampon sacks and the filling of such sacks with an absorptive aggregate as an incident of their formation. It is a divisional of application Serial No. 240,439, filed November 25, 1975.
This invention is concerned with the manufacture of ~
tampons of the type disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent No. 3,315,601, dated June 11, 1974, and entitled QCatamenial kggregate Absorbent Body". In accordance with the teachings of the said patent, the tampon comprises an aggregate com-posed of individual pieces o~ absorbent, foam-like material encased within a flexible, fluid-permeable overwrap in the nature of a tubular sack closed at its opposite ends, the ends of the sack being gathered inwardly and secured to form end closures or seals. A withdrawal string is attached to one end o the sack and the sack is inverted to form it into rosette shape, the end o~ the sack opposite the withdrawal string being displaced inwardly to form a cavity in the overwrap, thereby forming a tampon structure in which the absorbent aggregate is encased by an overwrap having an exterior portion forrnirlg the exterior surface o~ the tampon and a re-entrant portion Eormin~ the surface of the cavity.
Subsequent to the ~ormation of the tampon into rosette shape, it is radially compressed and enclosed in a tube-type inserter ~rom which the tampon may be ejected in its intended position of use.
The present invention has to do with apparatus and procedures for forming and filling the tubular sacks in a high speed, continuous operation to provide a continuous series of filled sacks which are in condition to be trans-ferred to succeeding processing apparatus for the com-pletion of the sack forming operations. In particular, the present invention contemplates the provision of apparatus for metering the aggregate into discrete charges and loading the charges into the tubed sack-forming material as an in-cident of the formation of the completed sacks.
In part the present invention may utilize the tube forming techniques taught in commonly owned United States patent 3,982,37~, issued September 28, 1976. In accordance with the teachings of this patent, a continuous web of sack-forming material is printed with adhesive at spaced apart intervals at which end closures for the sacks are to be formed, the adhesive dried, and the web tubed aro~md a hollow mandrel with the longitudinal edges of the web over-lapped and sealed to form the longitudinal seam of the tubing.
The present invention embodies similar tube forming techniques to the extent that a web of tube forming material will be pr~printed with adhesive, the adhesive dried, and the web tubed and seamed about a hollow mandrel. However, in accord-ance with the said application, the hollow mandrel about which the tubing is ~ormed is provided adjacent its trailing end with a ~unnel~like hopper into which measured increments of absorbent aggregate are sequentially deposited from a source of supply, as by means of a series of continuously moving measuring cups having displaceable bottoms adapted ; to open as the cups pass over the hopper. As each charge of aggregate is deposited in the hopper, the charge is subjected to a blast of air which acts to propel the mat-erial through the mandrel and into the tubed web. In
2 _ 'i' .: . .: ~ . '.
~s~
distinction to the foregoing, the present invention con-templates the provision of a loading gun having a rotary loading wheel which accurately meters and delivers charges of aggregate to the mandrel in a continuous high speed operation.
The aforesaid application also teaches the provision of a rotating turret having a plurality of pleating and sealing stations which sequentially engage and gather the tubing and seal it together in the areas of the previously applied adhesive to form a continuous series oE sacks.
As the leading end closure of each successive sack is formed, a charge of aggregate introduced into the tubing through the mandrel is propelled through the tubing so that the charge comes to rest against the leading end closure of the sack being formed, whereupon the formation of the next successive end closure completes the sack and encloses the deposited charge of material. In contrast, the present invention contemplates the provision of apparatus coacting with the aforementioned loading gun to align and position the charges of aggregate in the tubing at predetermined intervals cor-responding to the length of the sacks being formed and transfer the filled tubing to additional mechanism for ~ealin~
the sacks.
While its utility is not so limited, the present invention is specifically intended for use in conjunction with the apparatus and procedures taught in commonly owned United States Patent 3,940,169. In accordance with the invention taught in the last named patent, a rotating drum is provided carrying about its periphery a plurality of identical operating heads equally spaced from each other. A con-tinuous tube of flexible overwrap material having measured
~s~
distinction to the foregoing, the present invention con-templates the provision of a loading gun having a rotary loading wheel which accurately meters and delivers charges of aggregate to the mandrel in a continuous high speed operation.
The aforesaid application also teaches the provision of a rotating turret having a plurality of pleating and sealing stations which sequentially engage and gather the tubing and seal it together in the areas of the previously applied adhesive to form a continuous series oE sacks.
As the leading end closure of each successive sack is formed, a charge of aggregate introduced into the tubing through the mandrel is propelled through the tubing so that the charge comes to rest against the leading end closure of the sack being formed, whereupon the formation of the next successive end closure completes the sack and encloses the deposited charge of material. In contrast, the present invention contemplates the provision of apparatus coacting with the aforementioned loading gun to align and position the charges of aggregate in the tubing at predetermined intervals cor-responding to the length of the sacks being formed and transfer the filled tubing to additional mechanism for ~ealin~
the sacks.
While its utility is not so limited, the present invention is specifically intended for use in conjunction with the apparatus and procedures taught in commonly owned United States Patent 3,940,169. In accordance with the invention taught in the last named patent, a rotating drum is provided carrying about its periphery a plurality of identical operating heads equally spaced from each other. A con-tinuous tube of flexible overwrap material having measured
- 3 -~s~
increments of aggregate or filling material within the tube at predetermined spaced apart intervals is engaged by the heads as the drum rotates. Each head is provided with operating components which first pleats a segment of the tubing at an intended end closure and clamps it in pleated condition, one of the clamps en~aging the tubing at the position of a glue stripe, whereupon the clamp is heated to activate the adhesive and seal the tube. A string meter-ing device, in cooperation with a string tensioner, meters 10 an appropriate length of string to a needle and the needle `~
engages the string and perforates the tubing carrying the -s~ring through the perforation. A spreader-pliers there-after passes within the string loop formed by the needle and to either side of the needle so as to engage the free ends of the string, the string having been previously cut by a string clamp and shear assembly. The needle is then retracted and the spreader-pliers draw the free ends of the string throu~h the loop to form a simple loop knot, whereupon the tubing is severed and the individual sack so-formed is suspended by its string from the spreader-pliers and displaced for pick-up by a transfer means which conveys the tampon sack to addikional apparatus ~or subsequent ; processing. q'he present invention constitutes the means for forming and supplying the filled tubing to the apparatus jus~t described.
~ e~erence is also made to commonly owned United States Patent 4,006,515, issued February 8, 1977, which teaches ; apparatus and .. . . . . . . . .. . ....... .. . .
~ -~.¢65~
procedures for receiving the completed tampon sacks formed by the heads on the aforementioned rotating drum, the sacks being transferred by their strings to a rotary turret having a multiplicity of assemblying stations mounted about its periphery, the assembly stations each being provided with means for forming a tampon sack into rosette shape, compact-ing it, and inserting it into a tube-type inserter.
As should now be evident, the present invention comprises a part of an integrated system for the manufacture of tampons, commencing with the basic raw materials which are fabricated and assembled into a finished product in a high speed, continuous series of operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is provided apparatus for forming and filling a continuous length of flexible tubing at predetermined spaced apart intervals with measured charges of filling material com-prising a rotary transfer wheel having a peripheral surface for receiving and advancing the tubing, means for driving : 20 said transfer wheel, and tube closing means coacting with said transfer whe~l to sequentially close the tubing at spaced apart points by p.inching the tubing against -the peripheral surEace o~ said transfer wheel, whereby measured charges of filling material sequentially propelled through the tubing in timed relation to the sequential closing of the tubing will be c~ptured between the adjacent points at which the tubing is closed. The absorbent aggregate is delivered from a source of supply to a surge hopper. In the event the aggregate is composed of t~o or more different ;
30 materials, it will be understood that the materials will :
have been weighted and admixed in the desired proportions ' , . .
., :
r - ~
prior to delivery to the surge hopper. The aggregate is fed from the hopper to the loading gun by a screw-type feeder which controls the rate at which the aggregate is fed, the delivery system including means for fluffing the aggregate to a uniform consistency as it is fed to the loading gun.
The loading gun is made up of two basic parts, namely, a rotary loading turret and a discharge nozzle. The turret comprises a rotary wheel having tubular pockets extending ~rom one side of the wheel to the other at equally spaced apart intervals around a pitch circle of the wheel. These pockets represent charge areas having a volume corresponding to the charge of aggregate to be introduced into each sack.
The rear or trailing ends of the pockets are covered by screening and are in communication with stationary ~acuum shoes juxtaposed to the trailing surface of the wheel.
As the wheel rotates, the pockets are sequentially presented to a filling port for aggregate fed from the surge hopper, the aggregate being drawn into the pockets by vacuum and the pockets ~illed with the desired amount of ag~regate which can be controlled by the magnitude oE vacuum drawn on the pockets. ~acuu~ is utilized to hold the ag~regate in the pockets until the pockets are sequentially presented to the trailing end of the discharge nozzle, at which point the pockets pass beyond the vacuum shoe and their screened trailing ends exposed to the atmosphere. ~
The discharge nozzle acts as an ejector, a high velocity' stream of air being introduced into the nozzle adjacent its trailing end which acts to form a low pressure zone at the trailing end of the nozzle, and as the pockets rotate into registry with the trailing end of the nozzle, a net ~6S~
pressure differential is created between the front endof the pocket and its trailing end, which is exposed to atmospheric pressure, causing the charge of aggregate and the air behind it to be entrained in the high velocity air stream flowing forwardly through the nozzle, thereby propelling the charge through the nozzle.
The discharge nozzle is connected to an elongated hollow tu~ular mandrel about which the sack forming material is tubed. To this end, a web of the tube-forming material may be unwound from a supply roll, passed through an ad-hesive printer which applies spaced apart transverse stripes of heat activatable adhesive to the web in areas which ulti-mately will be sealed to form end closures for the sacks, whereupon the adhesive will be dried and the web advanced over a folding board which guides the web between the hollow `mandrel and a forming shoe which folds the web about the mandrel and juxtaposes its opposite side edges to form a tube, an adhesive applicator being provided to apply ad-hesive to a marginal edge of the web immediately prior to 20 the overlapping of the web edges, the adhesive thus being inter- `
posed between the overlapping edges of the web to form a longitudinal seam. Thus a continuous length o formed tubing is withdrawn from the mandrel, and the discrete charges of aggregate propelled through the mandrel by the discharge ~`
nozzle are entrained in the tubing.
In accordance with an embodiment, a lugged bel-t is located ;
a short distance beyond the discharge end of the mandrel ~ -~
which pinches and holds the tubing against a rotary transfer wheel at spaced apart intervals corresponding to the unit lengths of the tampon sacks being formed. The lugged belt and the transfer wheel will be driven in timed relation to .
~6~
the rotation of the loading wheel and, as each charge of aggregate is blown through the tubing, a lug on the belt ;
will be timed to pinch closed the tubing and hence stop the ..
movement of the charge as it reaches the lug, thereby posi- . .
tioning the charge within the tubing, the next succeeding lug engaging the tubing rearwardly vf the charge, the charge thereby being captured between adjacent lugs and, as successive charges are captured in like manner, the tubing is filled in ~.
sausage fashion w~ith uniformly spaced apart discrete charges of aggregate.
The periphery of the transfer wheel against which the : tubing is pinched by the lugged belt is perforated in the areas between the points at which the lugs contact the wheel, the perforations being operatively connected to a vacuum port so that vacuum will be drawn on the side o~
the tubing in contact with the perforations, thereby holding the tubing in contact with the transfer wheel as the wheel rotates away from the lugged belt. In addition, the per- .
forations are located to maintain the charges of aggregate as discrete shapes within the tubing at the desired spaced apart intervals and the vacuum also prevents small particles of aggregate ~rom bouncing around as the charges are blown again5t the lug~ed belt. A~ the transfer wheel rotates away ~rom the lugged belt, the vacuum will terminate and . ;
; the filled tubing preferably will be transferred into the pleating and clamping jaws of the apparatus described in aforementioned U.S. Pa~tent 3,9~0,169. Thus, at start- : :
up, the leading end of the tubing will be threaded around the trans~er wheel and into the pleating and clampi~g jaws, the jaws acting to remove the tubing from the transfer wheel as it approaches the rotating drum on which the heads .
' ': '. ~ . ' . . ' ' ' ' '' : ': ' ~o~s~
carrying the sets of jaws are mounted.
It is also preferred to provide a transfer tube ex-tending between the transfer wheel and the heads on the rotary drum through which the filled tubing is passed to maintain the tubing under restraint as it spans the distance between the transfer wheel and the heads on the drum. The transfer tube is of restricted cross-sectional dimensions such that sufficient pressure will be applied to the filled tubing to hold the discrete charges of aggregate in fixed positlon in the tubing as transfer is effected, thereby preventing the areas of the tubing between charges, i.e., in the areas where end closures are to be formed, from becoming contamlnated by particles of aggre8ate. In addition, the configuration of the transfer tube at its discharge end is such that the opposite sides oE the tubing will be flattened to oval shape and turned so that the tubing will enter between the pleating and clamping ~aws with the ~ajor axis of the oval aligned with the opposing sets of jaws, This asslsts in eliminating wrinkles in the tubing as it is pre- ;
sented to the ~aws.
In order to maintain proper registry of the tubing during transfer~ wlth par~icular reference to the alignment oE the transverse adhesive stripes on the tubing relative to the pleating and clamping iaws on the heads to which the tubing is transferred, the transfer wheel is provided with a series of pivotally mounted ad~ustment plates adapted to be cammed inwardly and outwardly against the tubing as it contacts the transfer wheel, the plates acting to vary the pitch diameter of the transfer wheel to vary the feed rate of the tubing between its poi~t of contact with the transfer ~a96Sli3~
.:
wheel and the point at which it is engaged by the pleating and clamping jaws to which the tubing is transferred, thereby effec-tively increasing or decreasing its speed of travel. If, for example, the adhevise stripes overrun the jaws, i.e., the adhesive stripes move ahead of their desired position of registry, the adjustable plates may be moved inwardly to there-by decrease the pitch diameter of the transfer wheel and hence effectively reduce its speed until exact registry is re-established. Conversely, if the adhesive stripes fall behind their intended point of registry, by moving the adjustment plates outwardly, the pitch diameter of the wheel is increased and the speed of the tubing is increased until exact registry is reestablished. Preferably, the ad~ustment plates will be spring biased to an inward or retracted position, with servo~actuated cam means provided to effect adjusting move-ment of the plates. To this end, a sensor is provided, preferably in the transfer tube, the sensor being responsive ;
to the transverse stripes of adhesive on the tubing as they ;
pass the sensor.
~ V ~ C
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus in accordance with the present invention with certain parts broken away.
FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illus~
trated in FIGURE 1 with certain parts broken away.
FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary schematic plan view illustrating the closing and filling of the tubing.
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view with parts broken away illustrating the loading gun assembly.
FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the load-ing wheel.
' -- 10 ~ :
~o~
FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view similar to FIGURE 5 illustrating the vacuum plenum.
FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the induction nozzle forming a part of the discharge no~zle assembly.
FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view with parts broken away illustra~ing the transfer wheel and t~be closing lùgged belt~
FIGURE 9 is a partial plan view with parts broken away illustrating details of the transfer wheel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRE:D EMBODIMENT
Reference is first made to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the dra~ings for an understanding of the general organi-zation and operation of the apparatus. me machine frame 1 constitutes a support for the various operating components, a web of tube forming material, indicated at 2J being threaded around conventioanl idler rolls, tension adjust- ! '`' ~' ment means and the like for delivery to a folding board 3 which guides the web between the hollow mandrel 4 and a forming shoe 5 acting to fold the web around the mandrel. ;;~
The technique for folding the web around the mandrel is known to the art; the details can be ound in commonly owned ~ ~`
U. S~ Patent No. 3~445,897, dated May 27, 1969, and entitled ~Method Of Making Sanitary Napkins And The Like". Essen-tially, the opposite side ed~es of the web are folded about the mandrel and overlapped, with the application of adhesive from an applicator 6 forming a longitudinal seam for the tubing, the seam forming adhesive being set by a chilled roll 7.
It will be understood that prior to being led `:.
8~
into the present apparatus, the web 2 of tube forming material preferably will have been preprinted with trans-verse stripes of adhesive lying at spaced apart intervals corresponding to the length of the tubular sacks being formed, and the adhesive dried by suitable drying means so that adhesive stripes will be non-tacky by the time the web reaches the apparatus of the present invention. It will be further understood that the specific nature of the adhesive printing and drying apparatus does not consti~ute a limitation on the present invention, although exemplary apparatus for such purpose can be found in previously mentioned U.S. Patent 3,982,374.
: As seen in Figure 2, a conduit 8 delivers the filling material, such as the foam aggregate utilized in the manufacture of tampon sacks, from a source of supply (not shown to the surge hopper 9 which provides sufficient cap-acity to insure a continuous supply of the aggregate or filling material for introduction into the tubing formed from the web 2. The filling material preferably will be blown through the conduit 8 and will enter the top of the surge hopper tangentially and drop into the hopper while the conveying air excapes through porous filter material 10 at the upper end of the hopper. I~ desired, level detectors may be provided in ~he hopper to control the quantity of filling material delivered to the hopper.
A volumetric screw feeder 11, driven by variable speed drive means 12, extends through the lower portion of the hopper and acts to deliver the filling material from the hopper 9 to a head box 13 which contains a limited quantity of filling material and is continuously filled by the screw feeder 12 when the apparatus i5 in operation.
~ 12 -.
~58~
High and low ultrasonic level detectors of known character,indicated generally at 14, are mounted on the opposite sides of the head box, and are operatively connected through circuitry, diagrammatically indicated at 15, to the variable speed drive means 12 for the screw feeder 11. The level - detectors will either speed-up or slow down the screw feeder depending upon the operating speed of the apparatus and the usaae of the filling material.
The filling material is fed from the head box 13 to the rotary loading turret assembly, indicated generally at 16, by means of a rotary delivery tube 17 which communicates through conduit 18 with a filling port 19 in the cover plate or shroud 20 forming a part of the loading turret 16.
The rotary delivery tube 17 is driven by a constant speed motor and gear reducer, indicated at 21. Preferably, the delivery tube 17 will have a series of longitudinally ex- ;
tending slots 22 in the area of the head box 13, such arrange-ment acting to fluff the filling material to essentially uniform consistency and preventing it from compacting as it is delivered to the loading turret.
Referring next to Figure 4, the principal components of the loading turret comprise a rotary loading wheel 23 moun-ted on drive shaft 24 by an adjustable mounting hub 25 ~ixed to the loading turret and extending through an opening 25a in the shroud, the shroud 20 including an annular flange 26 sur-rounding the periphery of loading wheel 23 and fixedly secured to vacuum plenum 27 which closes the rear or trailing side of the loading wheel. The drive shaft 24 extends through an opening 28 in the vacuu~ plenum and, as seen in Figure 1, the drive shaft is connected to a worm gear reducer 29 driven from line shaft 3G operatively connected to a suitable prime mover, such as an electric motor (not shown). A mounting bracket 31 mounts the entire loading turret assembly on an upper portion ~o~B~
of the machine frame, indicated at 32, which also mountsbracket 31a supporting the worm gear reducer 29.
As seen in FIGURE S~ the loading wheel 23 is provided with a series of equally spaced apart open ended pockets 33 which extend through the loading wheel, the trailing ends of the pockets, i,e., the ends facing the vacuum plenum 27, being covered by screening 34 which will be of a slze to retain the filling material within the pockets. In a preferred embodiment, the loading wheel 23 is proviided with twenty such pockets equally spaced around the face of the loading wheel.
The vacuum plenum 27, as best seen in FIGURE 6, is provided with three vacuum manifolds, the first being a filling manifold 35 at the top of the plenum where it lies opposite the delivery conduit 18. A second or holding manifold 36 extends partially around the plenum, terminat-ing short of the vent port 37. A third or pre~fill vacuum manifold 38 extPnds around the remainder of the plenum, terminating short of the filling manifold 35. As will be evident from FIGURE 4, the filling manifold 35 terminates short of the rear surface of the plenum, vacuum being drawn on the manifold 35 by means oE a vacuum conduit 39 which will be connected to a source oE vncuum (not shown). Prefer-ably, the vacuum conduit 39 will communicate with the filling manifold 35 at its center and hence lie directly opposite its fllling port 19. A vacuum conduit 40 communicates with holding maniford 36, which also terminates short of the rear surace of the plenum, the conduit 40 preferably lying at the upper or leading end of the manifold 36. In similar fashion, a vacuum conduit 41 communicates with the pre-fill - 14 _ .. ..
~a9651~9 manifold 38~ preferably at its bot~om or leading end.
As the loading wheel 23 rotates in the direction of arrow A seen in FIGURE 4, which is in a clockwise direction, vacuum will be drawn on the pockets 33 as they sequentially rotate into communication with the filling manifold 35~ and filling material will be drawn into the pockets through delivery conduit 18 and filling port 19.
The quantity of filling material drawn into the pocke~s may be varied by varying the strength of the vacuum drawn on the filling manifold. Preferably, the inside surface of the shroud will be provided with a plastic wear surface which rubs against the surface of the loading wheel, and a similar wear surface will be provided on the end of the rotating delivery tube 17 in the event its discbarge end is ~uxtaposet to the surface o the loading wheel. Such wear surfaces tend to maintain the filling material and any residual crumbs in the path of travel of the pockets.
In order to minimi~e the bleed-off of the filling vacuum ; drawn through the manifold 35, it is preferred that the annular flange 26 of the shroud be provided with a plastic shoe which rubs against the peripheral edge of the loading wheel in the area of the filling manifold. This assures that all of the air flow induced by the filling vacuum will pass through the filling material delivered from the head box.
As the loading wheel rotates, the ~reshly filled pockets come into communication with holding vacuum manifold 3~ which acts to maintain the charges of filling material within the pockets. It is preferred, however, to draw a slightly stronger vacuum on the manifold 36 so that the :.
.. . . . . .
)6S1~
charges of filling material will be drawn deeper into the pockets and hence inwardly of the leading surface of the loading wheel. Since the pockets are traveling through a high vacuum region of the loading wheel, any loose filling material or crumbs which are in the area eventually will be drawn into one of the pockets. I~ has been found that -~
the amount of spillage is insuffic~ent to effect the desired weight of the charges being formed.
As the pockets come into co~munication with the vent por~ 37 in the vacuum plenum~ the charg~s will be discharged from the pockets in a manner which will be described in detail hereinafter. As rotation continues, the pre-fill vacuum manifold 38 is utilized to contain any residual filling material or crumbs, or the contents of non-discharged pockets, until the pockets again reach the filling manifold 35. The pre-fill manifold preferably will be operated at the same vacuum as the holding manifold. A
.
window 42 is formed in the shroud 20 throughout a substan~
tial portion of the extend of manifold 38, the window having perforations 43 which permit air to flow through the pockets to the vacuum manifold 38. A similar perforated window i9 provlded ln the region of holding manifold 36 for the same purpose; in addition, the windows, which are preferably clear plastic, permit observation of the filling material in the pockets.
The charges of filling material are discharged from the pockets 33 through a discharge nozzle 44, seen in FIGURES 1 and 2~ the nozzle having a mounting block 45 at its trailing or upstream end which has a pilot flange 46 received in opening 47 in the shroud 20 (see FIGURE 4), the ~L065~:L9 ~:
opening 47 being in axial alignment with the vent port 37. The leading or downstream end of the discharge nozzle 44 communicates with the mandrel 4 about which the web material 2 is tubed, the mandrel preferably extending in prolongation of the discharge noæzle. If desired, the discharge nvzæle and mandrel may be formed as a single unit.
As seen in FIGURE 7, the discharge noæzle 44 ` ~;~
tenminates within the mounting block 45 in an enlarged tapered throat 48 in which a tapered induction nozæle 49 is received, the induction nozzle being mounted on the pilot flange 46 and lying in spaced relation to the tapered throat 48 so as to define an annular air passage 50 there-between. Air under pressure is introduced into the air passage 50 through passageway 51 in block 45, the passage-way being connected to a conduit 52 which supplies air under pressure to the discharge nozzle from a compressor or other source of air under pressure (not shown). The induction noæzle 49 and air passage 50 act as an air inductor, high pressure air flowing through the air passage S0 being accelerated as the diameter of the air passage ``
decreases~ the air beinR propelled into and through the discharge nozzle 44. Such air flow results in a low pressure area at the mouth 53 of the induction nozzle, which causes atmospheric air to be drawn through the hollow interior 54 of the induction nozzle.
With the foregoing arrangement, as the filled pockets 33 are presented to pilot flange 46, atmospheric air will be drawn into the pockets 33 through vent port 37 ln the vacuum plenum 27, and as this atmospheric air -~LO~
passes through the pockets it will purge the charges of filling material from the pockets and propel them through the hollow interior 54 of the induction nozzle for entrain- :
ment in the high pressure stream of air flowing through discharge nozzle 44 from air passage 50~ Thus, as the sharge of filling material in each successive pocket is presented to the discharge nozzle, the charge is propelled through the discharge nozzle:44 and the hollow mandrel 4 and into the flexible tubing which extends forwardly beyond the mandrel~
In order to provide for smooth and quiet opera-tion of the discharge nozzle 44, provision is made for a continuous flow of air through the hollow in~arior 54 of the induction nozzle 49. To this end, and as seen in FIGURE 4, outwardly opening chambers 55 are provided in the loading wheel 23 intermediate the pockets 33, and perfora-tions 56 extend between the chambers 55 and the front face .~ of the loading wheel. As each of the chambers 55 rotatesinto alignment with the induction nozzle, the outermost end of the chamber communicates with an air scoop 57, atmos-pheric air thus being drawn into the inductlon nozzle through chambers 55 and perforations 56, when the chambers are in communication with the air scoop.
If desired, a second or back-up induction nozzle, indicated generally at 58, of the same construction as nozzle 49~ may be mounted at the rear of the vent port 37. Normally, the air will simply flow into the vent port through the hollow interior of the second induction nozzle. If~ however, the discharge nozzle 44 or the induction nozzle 49 in the head 45 becomes plugged with filling material, such plug can - 18 _ ~58~L~
can be dislodged by introducing air under pressure into the back-up induction nozzle 58, thereby eliminating the necessity for disassembling the parts to remove the plug. .
A tube transfer wheel assembly, indicated generally at 59, and a lugged belt assembly, indicated generally at 60~ lie beyond the discharge end of the mandrel
increments of aggregate or filling material within the tube at predetermined spaced apart intervals is engaged by the heads as the drum rotates. Each head is provided with operating components which first pleats a segment of the tubing at an intended end closure and clamps it in pleated condition, one of the clamps en~aging the tubing at the position of a glue stripe, whereupon the clamp is heated to activate the adhesive and seal the tube. A string meter-ing device, in cooperation with a string tensioner, meters 10 an appropriate length of string to a needle and the needle `~
engages the string and perforates the tubing carrying the -s~ring through the perforation. A spreader-pliers there-after passes within the string loop formed by the needle and to either side of the needle so as to engage the free ends of the string, the string having been previously cut by a string clamp and shear assembly. The needle is then retracted and the spreader-pliers draw the free ends of the string throu~h the loop to form a simple loop knot, whereupon the tubing is severed and the individual sack so-formed is suspended by its string from the spreader-pliers and displaced for pick-up by a transfer means which conveys the tampon sack to addikional apparatus ~or subsequent ; processing. q'he present invention constitutes the means for forming and supplying the filled tubing to the apparatus jus~t described.
~ e~erence is also made to commonly owned United States Patent 4,006,515, issued February 8, 1977, which teaches ; apparatus and .. . . . . . . . .. . ....... .. . .
~ -~.¢65~
procedures for receiving the completed tampon sacks formed by the heads on the aforementioned rotating drum, the sacks being transferred by their strings to a rotary turret having a multiplicity of assemblying stations mounted about its periphery, the assembly stations each being provided with means for forming a tampon sack into rosette shape, compact-ing it, and inserting it into a tube-type inserter.
As should now be evident, the present invention comprises a part of an integrated system for the manufacture of tampons, commencing with the basic raw materials which are fabricated and assembled into a finished product in a high speed, continuous series of operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention there is provided apparatus for forming and filling a continuous length of flexible tubing at predetermined spaced apart intervals with measured charges of filling material com-prising a rotary transfer wheel having a peripheral surface for receiving and advancing the tubing, means for driving : 20 said transfer wheel, and tube closing means coacting with said transfer whe~l to sequentially close the tubing at spaced apart points by p.inching the tubing against -the peripheral surEace o~ said transfer wheel, whereby measured charges of filling material sequentially propelled through the tubing in timed relation to the sequential closing of the tubing will be c~ptured between the adjacent points at which the tubing is closed. The absorbent aggregate is delivered from a source of supply to a surge hopper. In the event the aggregate is composed of t~o or more different ;
30 materials, it will be understood that the materials will :
have been weighted and admixed in the desired proportions ' , . .
., :
r - ~
prior to delivery to the surge hopper. The aggregate is fed from the hopper to the loading gun by a screw-type feeder which controls the rate at which the aggregate is fed, the delivery system including means for fluffing the aggregate to a uniform consistency as it is fed to the loading gun.
The loading gun is made up of two basic parts, namely, a rotary loading turret and a discharge nozzle. The turret comprises a rotary wheel having tubular pockets extending ~rom one side of the wheel to the other at equally spaced apart intervals around a pitch circle of the wheel. These pockets represent charge areas having a volume corresponding to the charge of aggregate to be introduced into each sack.
The rear or trailing ends of the pockets are covered by screening and are in communication with stationary ~acuum shoes juxtaposed to the trailing surface of the wheel.
As the wheel rotates, the pockets are sequentially presented to a filling port for aggregate fed from the surge hopper, the aggregate being drawn into the pockets by vacuum and the pockets ~illed with the desired amount of ag~regate which can be controlled by the magnitude oE vacuum drawn on the pockets. ~acuu~ is utilized to hold the ag~regate in the pockets until the pockets are sequentially presented to the trailing end of the discharge nozzle, at which point the pockets pass beyond the vacuum shoe and their screened trailing ends exposed to the atmosphere. ~
The discharge nozzle acts as an ejector, a high velocity' stream of air being introduced into the nozzle adjacent its trailing end which acts to form a low pressure zone at the trailing end of the nozzle, and as the pockets rotate into registry with the trailing end of the nozzle, a net ~6S~
pressure differential is created between the front endof the pocket and its trailing end, which is exposed to atmospheric pressure, causing the charge of aggregate and the air behind it to be entrained in the high velocity air stream flowing forwardly through the nozzle, thereby propelling the charge through the nozzle.
The discharge nozzle is connected to an elongated hollow tu~ular mandrel about which the sack forming material is tubed. To this end, a web of the tube-forming material may be unwound from a supply roll, passed through an ad-hesive printer which applies spaced apart transverse stripes of heat activatable adhesive to the web in areas which ulti-mately will be sealed to form end closures for the sacks, whereupon the adhesive will be dried and the web advanced over a folding board which guides the web between the hollow `mandrel and a forming shoe which folds the web about the mandrel and juxtaposes its opposite side edges to form a tube, an adhesive applicator being provided to apply ad-hesive to a marginal edge of the web immediately prior to 20 the overlapping of the web edges, the adhesive thus being inter- `
posed between the overlapping edges of the web to form a longitudinal seam. Thus a continuous length o formed tubing is withdrawn from the mandrel, and the discrete charges of aggregate propelled through the mandrel by the discharge ~`
nozzle are entrained in the tubing.
In accordance with an embodiment, a lugged bel-t is located ;
a short distance beyond the discharge end of the mandrel ~ -~
which pinches and holds the tubing against a rotary transfer wheel at spaced apart intervals corresponding to the unit lengths of the tampon sacks being formed. The lugged belt and the transfer wheel will be driven in timed relation to .
~6~
the rotation of the loading wheel and, as each charge of aggregate is blown through the tubing, a lug on the belt ;
will be timed to pinch closed the tubing and hence stop the ..
movement of the charge as it reaches the lug, thereby posi- . .
tioning the charge within the tubing, the next succeeding lug engaging the tubing rearwardly vf the charge, the charge thereby being captured between adjacent lugs and, as successive charges are captured in like manner, the tubing is filled in ~.
sausage fashion w~ith uniformly spaced apart discrete charges of aggregate.
The periphery of the transfer wheel against which the : tubing is pinched by the lugged belt is perforated in the areas between the points at which the lugs contact the wheel, the perforations being operatively connected to a vacuum port so that vacuum will be drawn on the side o~
the tubing in contact with the perforations, thereby holding the tubing in contact with the transfer wheel as the wheel rotates away from the lugged belt. In addition, the per- .
forations are located to maintain the charges of aggregate as discrete shapes within the tubing at the desired spaced apart intervals and the vacuum also prevents small particles of aggregate ~rom bouncing around as the charges are blown again5t the lug~ed belt. A~ the transfer wheel rotates away ~rom the lugged belt, the vacuum will terminate and . ;
; the filled tubing preferably will be transferred into the pleating and clamping jaws of the apparatus described in aforementioned U.S. Pa~tent 3,9~0,169. Thus, at start- : :
up, the leading end of the tubing will be threaded around the trans~er wheel and into the pleating and clampi~g jaws, the jaws acting to remove the tubing from the transfer wheel as it approaches the rotating drum on which the heads .
' ': '. ~ . ' . . ' ' ' ' '' : ': ' ~o~s~
carrying the sets of jaws are mounted.
It is also preferred to provide a transfer tube ex-tending between the transfer wheel and the heads on the rotary drum through which the filled tubing is passed to maintain the tubing under restraint as it spans the distance between the transfer wheel and the heads on the drum. The transfer tube is of restricted cross-sectional dimensions such that sufficient pressure will be applied to the filled tubing to hold the discrete charges of aggregate in fixed positlon in the tubing as transfer is effected, thereby preventing the areas of the tubing between charges, i.e., in the areas where end closures are to be formed, from becoming contamlnated by particles of aggre8ate. In addition, the configuration of the transfer tube at its discharge end is such that the opposite sides oE the tubing will be flattened to oval shape and turned so that the tubing will enter between the pleating and clamping ~aws with the ~ajor axis of the oval aligned with the opposing sets of jaws, This asslsts in eliminating wrinkles in the tubing as it is pre- ;
sented to the ~aws.
In order to maintain proper registry of the tubing during transfer~ wlth par~icular reference to the alignment oE the transverse adhesive stripes on the tubing relative to the pleating and clamping iaws on the heads to which the tubing is transferred, the transfer wheel is provided with a series of pivotally mounted ad~ustment plates adapted to be cammed inwardly and outwardly against the tubing as it contacts the transfer wheel, the plates acting to vary the pitch diameter of the transfer wheel to vary the feed rate of the tubing between its poi~t of contact with the transfer ~a96Sli3~
.:
wheel and the point at which it is engaged by the pleating and clamping jaws to which the tubing is transferred, thereby effec-tively increasing or decreasing its speed of travel. If, for example, the adhevise stripes overrun the jaws, i.e., the adhesive stripes move ahead of their desired position of registry, the adjustable plates may be moved inwardly to there-by decrease the pitch diameter of the transfer wheel and hence effectively reduce its speed until exact registry is re-established. Conversely, if the adhesive stripes fall behind their intended point of registry, by moving the adjustment plates outwardly, the pitch diameter of the wheel is increased and the speed of the tubing is increased until exact registry is reestablished. Preferably, the ad~ustment plates will be spring biased to an inward or retracted position, with servo~actuated cam means provided to effect adjusting move-ment of the plates. To this end, a sensor is provided, preferably in the transfer tube, the sensor being responsive ;
to the transverse stripes of adhesive on the tubing as they ;
pass the sensor.
~ V ~ C
FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus in accordance with the present invention with certain parts broken away.
FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus illus~
trated in FIGURE 1 with certain parts broken away.
FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary schematic plan view illustrating the closing and filling of the tubing.
FIGURE 4 is a perspective view with parts broken away illustrating the loading gun assembly.
FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the load-ing wheel.
' -- 10 ~ :
~o~
FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view similar to FIGURE 5 illustrating the vacuum plenum.
FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the induction nozzle forming a part of the discharge no~zle assembly.
FIGURE 8 is an exploded perspective view with parts broken away illustra~ing the transfer wheel and t~be closing lùgged belt~
FIGURE 9 is a partial plan view with parts broken away illustrating details of the transfer wheel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRE:D EMBODIMENT
Reference is first made to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the dra~ings for an understanding of the general organi-zation and operation of the apparatus. me machine frame 1 constitutes a support for the various operating components, a web of tube forming material, indicated at 2J being threaded around conventioanl idler rolls, tension adjust- ! '`' ~' ment means and the like for delivery to a folding board 3 which guides the web between the hollow mandrel 4 and a forming shoe 5 acting to fold the web around the mandrel. ;;~
The technique for folding the web around the mandrel is known to the art; the details can be ound in commonly owned ~ ~`
U. S~ Patent No. 3~445,897, dated May 27, 1969, and entitled ~Method Of Making Sanitary Napkins And The Like". Essen-tially, the opposite side ed~es of the web are folded about the mandrel and overlapped, with the application of adhesive from an applicator 6 forming a longitudinal seam for the tubing, the seam forming adhesive being set by a chilled roll 7.
It will be understood that prior to being led `:.
8~
into the present apparatus, the web 2 of tube forming material preferably will have been preprinted with trans-verse stripes of adhesive lying at spaced apart intervals corresponding to the length of the tubular sacks being formed, and the adhesive dried by suitable drying means so that adhesive stripes will be non-tacky by the time the web reaches the apparatus of the present invention. It will be further understood that the specific nature of the adhesive printing and drying apparatus does not consti~ute a limitation on the present invention, although exemplary apparatus for such purpose can be found in previously mentioned U.S. Patent 3,982,374.
: As seen in Figure 2, a conduit 8 delivers the filling material, such as the foam aggregate utilized in the manufacture of tampon sacks, from a source of supply (not shown to the surge hopper 9 which provides sufficient cap-acity to insure a continuous supply of the aggregate or filling material for introduction into the tubing formed from the web 2. The filling material preferably will be blown through the conduit 8 and will enter the top of the surge hopper tangentially and drop into the hopper while the conveying air excapes through porous filter material 10 at the upper end of the hopper. I~ desired, level detectors may be provided in ~he hopper to control the quantity of filling material delivered to the hopper.
A volumetric screw feeder 11, driven by variable speed drive means 12, extends through the lower portion of the hopper and acts to deliver the filling material from the hopper 9 to a head box 13 which contains a limited quantity of filling material and is continuously filled by the screw feeder 12 when the apparatus i5 in operation.
~ 12 -.
~58~
High and low ultrasonic level detectors of known character,indicated generally at 14, are mounted on the opposite sides of the head box, and are operatively connected through circuitry, diagrammatically indicated at 15, to the variable speed drive means 12 for the screw feeder 11. The level - detectors will either speed-up or slow down the screw feeder depending upon the operating speed of the apparatus and the usaae of the filling material.
The filling material is fed from the head box 13 to the rotary loading turret assembly, indicated generally at 16, by means of a rotary delivery tube 17 which communicates through conduit 18 with a filling port 19 in the cover plate or shroud 20 forming a part of the loading turret 16.
The rotary delivery tube 17 is driven by a constant speed motor and gear reducer, indicated at 21. Preferably, the delivery tube 17 will have a series of longitudinally ex- ;
tending slots 22 in the area of the head box 13, such arrange-ment acting to fluff the filling material to essentially uniform consistency and preventing it from compacting as it is delivered to the loading turret.
Referring next to Figure 4, the principal components of the loading turret comprise a rotary loading wheel 23 moun-ted on drive shaft 24 by an adjustable mounting hub 25 ~ixed to the loading turret and extending through an opening 25a in the shroud, the shroud 20 including an annular flange 26 sur-rounding the periphery of loading wheel 23 and fixedly secured to vacuum plenum 27 which closes the rear or trailing side of the loading wheel. The drive shaft 24 extends through an opening 28 in the vacuu~ plenum and, as seen in Figure 1, the drive shaft is connected to a worm gear reducer 29 driven from line shaft 3G operatively connected to a suitable prime mover, such as an electric motor (not shown). A mounting bracket 31 mounts the entire loading turret assembly on an upper portion ~o~B~
of the machine frame, indicated at 32, which also mountsbracket 31a supporting the worm gear reducer 29.
As seen in FIGURE S~ the loading wheel 23 is provided with a series of equally spaced apart open ended pockets 33 which extend through the loading wheel, the trailing ends of the pockets, i,e., the ends facing the vacuum plenum 27, being covered by screening 34 which will be of a slze to retain the filling material within the pockets. In a preferred embodiment, the loading wheel 23 is proviided with twenty such pockets equally spaced around the face of the loading wheel.
The vacuum plenum 27, as best seen in FIGURE 6, is provided with three vacuum manifolds, the first being a filling manifold 35 at the top of the plenum where it lies opposite the delivery conduit 18. A second or holding manifold 36 extends partially around the plenum, terminat-ing short of the vent port 37. A third or pre~fill vacuum manifold 38 extPnds around the remainder of the plenum, terminating short of the filling manifold 35. As will be evident from FIGURE 4, the filling manifold 35 terminates short of the rear surface of the plenum, vacuum being drawn on the manifold 35 by means oE a vacuum conduit 39 which will be connected to a source oE vncuum (not shown). Prefer-ably, the vacuum conduit 39 will communicate with the filling manifold 35 at its center and hence lie directly opposite its fllling port 19. A vacuum conduit 40 communicates with holding maniford 36, which also terminates short of the rear surace of the plenum, the conduit 40 preferably lying at the upper or leading end of the manifold 36. In similar fashion, a vacuum conduit 41 communicates with the pre-fill - 14 _ .. ..
~a9651~9 manifold 38~ preferably at its bot~om or leading end.
As the loading wheel 23 rotates in the direction of arrow A seen in FIGURE 4, which is in a clockwise direction, vacuum will be drawn on the pockets 33 as they sequentially rotate into communication with the filling manifold 35~ and filling material will be drawn into the pockets through delivery conduit 18 and filling port 19.
The quantity of filling material drawn into the pocke~s may be varied by varying the strength of the vacuum drawn on the filling manifold. Preferably, the inside surface of the shroud will be provided with a plastic wear surface which rubs against the surface of the loading wheel, and a similar wear surface will be provided on the end of the rotating delivery tube 17 in the event its discbarge end is ~uxtaposet to the surface o the loading wheel. Such wear surfaces tend to maintain the filling material and any residual crumbs in the path of travel of the pockets.
In order to minimi~e the bleed-off of the filling vacuum ; drawn through the manifold 35, it is preferred that the annular flange 26 of the shroud be provided with a plastic shoe which rubs against the peripheral edge of the loading wheel in the area of the filling manifold. This assures that all of the air flow induced by the filling vacuum will pass through the filling material delivered from the head box.
As the loading wheel rotates, the ~reshly filled pockets come into communication with holding vacuum manifold 3~ which acts to maintain the charges of filling material within the pockets. It is preferred, however, to draw a slightly stronger vacuum on the manifold 36 so that the :.
.. . . . . .
)6S1~
charges of filling material will be drawn deeper into the pockets and hence inwardly of the leading surface of the loading wheel. Since the pockets are traveling through a high vacuum region of the loading wheel, any loose filling material or crumbs which are in the area eventually will be drawn into one of the pockets. I~ has been found that -~
the amount of spillage is insuffic~ent to effect the desired weight of the charges being formed.
As the pockets come into co~munication with the vent por~ 37 in the vacuum plenum~ the charg~s will be discharged from the pockets in a manner which will be described in detail hereinafter. As rotation continues, the pre-fill vacuum manifold 38 is utilized to contain any residual filling material or crumbs, or the contents of non-discharged pockets, until the pockets again reach the filling manifold 35. The pre-fill manifold preferably will be operated at the same vacuum as the holding manifold. A
.
window 42 is formed in the shroud 20 throughout a substan~
tial portion of the extend of manifold 38, the window having perforations 43 which permit air to flow through the pockets to the vacuum manifold 38. A similar perforated window i9 provlded ln the region of holding manifold 36 for the same purpose; in addition, the windows, which are preferably clear plastic, permit observation of the filling material in the pockets.
The charges of filling material are discharged from the pockets 33 through a discharge nozzle 44, seen in FIGURES 1 and 2~ the nozzle having a mounting block 45 at its trailing or upstream end which has a pilot flange 46 received in opening 47 in the shroud 20 (see FIGURE 4), the ~L065~:L9 ~:
opening 47 being in axial alignment with the vent port 37. The leading or downstream end of the discharge nozzle 44 communicates with the mandrel 4 about which the web material 2 is tubed, the mandrel preferably extending in prolongation of the discharge noæzle. If desired, the discharge nvzæle and mandrel may be formed as a single unit.
As seen in FIGURE 7, the discharge noæzle 44 ` ~;~
tenminates within the mounting block 45 in an enlarged tapered throat 48 in which a tapered induction nozæle 49 is received, the induction nozzle being mounted on the pilot flange 46 and lying in spaced relation to the tapered throat 48 so as to define an annular air passage 50 there-between. Air under pressure is introduced into the air passage 50 through passageway 51 in block 45, the passage-way being connected to a conduit 52 which supplies air under pressure to the discharge nozzle from a compressor or other source of air under pressure (not shown). The induction noæzle 49 and air passage 50 act as an air inductor, high pressure air flowing through the air passage S0 being accelerated as the diameter of the air passage ``
decreases~ the air beinR propelled into and through the discharge nozzle 44. Such air flow results in a low pressure area at the mouth 53 of the induction nozzle, which causes atmospheric air to be drawn through the hollow interior 54 of the induction nozzle.
With the foregoing arrangement, as the filled pockets 33 are presented to pilot flange 46, atmospheric air will be drawn into the pockets 33 through vent port 37 ln the vacuum plenum 27, and as this atmospheric air -~LO~
passes through the pockets it will purge the charges of filling material from the pockets and propel them through the hollow interior 54 of the induction nozzle for entrain- :
ment in the high pressure stream of air flowing through discharge nozzle 44 from air passage 50~ Thus, as the sharge of filling material in each successive pocket is presented to the discharge nozzle, the charge is propelled through the discharge nozzle:44 and the hollow mandrel 4 and into the flexible tubing which extends forwardly beyond the mandrel~
In order to provide for smooth and quiet opera-tion of the discharge nozzle 44, provision is made for a continuous flow of air through the hollow in~arior 54 of the induction nozzle 49. To this end, and as seen in FIGURE 4, outwardly opening chambers 55 are provided in the loading wheel 23 intermediate the pockets 33, and perfora-tions 56 extend between the chambers 55 and the front face .~ of the loading wheel. As each of the chambers 55 rotatesinto alignment with the induction nozzle, the outermost end of the chamber communicates with an air scoop 57, atmos-pheric air thus being drawn into the inductlon nozzle through chambers 55 and perforations 56, when the chambers are in communication with the air scoop.
If desired, a second or back-up induction nozzle, indicated generally at 58, of the same construction as nozzle 49~ may be mounted at the rear of the vent port 37. Normally, the air will simply flow into the vent port through the hollow interior of the second induction nozzle. If~ however, the discharge nozzle 44 or the induction nozzle 49 in the head 45 becomes plugged with filling material, such plug can - 18 _ ~58~L~
can be dislodged by introducing air under pressure into the back-up induction nozzle 58, thereby eliminating the necessity for disassembling the parts to remove the plug. .
A tube transfer wheel assembly, indicated generally at 59, and a lugged belt assembly, indicated generally at 60~ lie beyond the discharge end of the mandrel
4 in a position to receive the formed tubing from the mandrel in essentially tangential relaeion to thP periphery of the transfer wheel~
As best seen in FIGURE 8, the transfer wheel assembly has a vertically disposed wheel shaft 61 which is hollow and fixedly secured at its lowermost end to the machine frame~ A cone-shaped body 62 is rotatably mounted .
on ~he shaft 61 by means of a hub 63 secured to gear belt pulley 64 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of power for driving the transfer wheel in timed relation to ~he loading wheel, although for timing purposes it is preferred to drive the transfer wheel from the apparatus to which the filled tubing is being transferred, thereby .
assuring proper registry o the sack deining lengths of tubing with the ~aws whlch seal the tubi-n~ it being under-stood that under such circumstances the speed oE rotation :
of the loading wheel will be synchronized wlth the speed of operation of the apparatus to which the filled tubing ~ :
is being delivered.
The transfer wheel assembly includes a lower disc 65 having spaced apart grooves 66 extending about its periphery, the lower dlsc mounting spacer bars 67 which support an upper disc 68 rotatably journaled on the shaft 61. Grooves 69 are ormed about the periphery of the upper .
- 19 - .
.. : :. . , . : . . , :
~6S~Lg :
disc in vertical alignment with the grooves 66 in the lower disc. These aligned sets of grooves provide a positive drive for the lugged belt assembly 60, which comprises an endless belt 70 passing around idler rolls 71 and 72 mDunted S on a support 73. An ad~ustment means 74 is provided to tighten the belt 70 and to push it against the transfer wheel. The belt 70 is provided with a spaced apart series of lugs 75, preferably six in number, the lugs having reduced end sections 76 and 77 at their lower and upper ends, respectively, adapted to engage in the sets of grooves 66 and 69 in the lower and upper discs~ respectively, of the transfer wheel assembly. Thus~ the belt 70 is driven by and in timed relation to the rotation of the transfer wheel~
The perlphery of the transfer wheel is defined ; 15 by a series of plates 78 having hollow lnteriors 79, the plates being pivotally mounted at their leading ends between ad~acent pairs of spacer bars 67 by means of pivot pins 80~
the plates thus being pivotally mounted for inward and out-ward movement. Sets of perforations 81 extend between the outer surfaces of the plates 78 and their hollow interiors 79~ which open upwardly for communications with vacuum ports 82 in the upper disc 68. A statlonary vacuum manifold 83 overlies the upper disc 68, the vacuum manifold having an elongated vacuum port 84 positioned to communicate with the ports 82 as the disc 68 rotatesO Vacuum is drawn on the maniEold 83 thorugh the hollow wheel shaft 61, as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 8~ the lowermost end of the hollow shaft being connected to a source of vacuum (not shown).
As will be seen in FIGURE 9, the positioning of the plates 78 is such ~hat the center portions oE the ~D6S~
lugs 75 will pinch against the plates adjacent their hinged ends. Thus, when the tubing from the mandrel is passed between the transfer wheel and the lugged belt, the lugs will close the tubing and provide stops for the charges of filling material propelled through the tubing, and each time a lug pinches the tubing against a plate on the transfer wheel assembly, a fresh charge o~ filling material will be propelled through the tubing. This action is dia-grammatically illustrated in FI~URE 3 wherein the length of tubing 85 is initially engaged and clamped against the transfer wheel by the lug 75a, whereupon a charge of filling material 86 propelled through the mandrel 4 and tubing 85 cones to rest against the pinched portion of the tubing lying between the lug 75a and the plate 78a on the transfer wheel. ~IGURE 3 also illustrates the capture of the next preceding charge of filling material 86a between the lugs 75a and 75b, it being understood that the ad~acent lugs -are spaced apart by a distance equal to the length of the sacks being formed, with the lugs contacting the tubing in registry with the preappliet transverse adhesive stripes.
In the embodiment illustrated the tubing is also pinched b~ lug 75c~ with the charge of filling material 86b captured between lugs 75b and 75c. In this connection~ the purpose ; of providing the perforations 81 in the outer surfaces ofthe plates 78 is to draw vacuum on the tubing in the area of the charges of filling material as they come to rest at the lugs, the vacuum serving to hold the charges in dis-crete condition and also prevent small articles from bounc-ing around as the charges are stopped by the lugs. Prefer-ablyg the vacuum perforations 81 in the plates terminate ' ' .
. :.
.. .. . . . . ~ . ...
short of the ends of the plates remote from the ends contacted by the lugs, thereby retaining the charge toward the front of the sack lengths being formed.
As seen in Figure 2, an elongated transfer tube 87 is provided to receive the filled tubing upo~ its passage beyond the lugged belt assembly 60, the filled tubing enter-ing the transfer tube at its mouth or leading end 88 lying just beyond the termination of the lugged belt and the transfer wheel vacuum. The initial section of the trans-fer tube is of a diameter which will compress the charges of filling material within the tubing so that the areas between the charges do not become contaminated by particles or crumbs of filling material. Toward its discharge end the transfer tube is flattened so as to be of oval cross-section, as indlcated at 89, and the transfer tube is turned or twisted at an angle corresponding to the angle of the jaws to which the filled tubing is to be transferred. In this connection, it is preferred to transfer the filled tubing to the apparatus disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Patent 3,940,169, the subject apparatus serving to gather and seal the tubing at the points which were previously pinched together, followed by the attachment of a withdrawal string to each ~ack so formed and the severence of the tubing into individual sacks.
In order to obtain accurate registry between the pre-printed tr~nsverse stripes of adhesive on the tubing and the sealing jaws of the apparatus to which the filled tubing is transferred, adjustment means are provided to effectively vary the speed of travel of the tubing without altering the ;S8~
speed of rotation of the transfer wheel. To this end, the pivotally mounted plates 78 which define the periphery of the transfer wheel are biased inwardly by springs 90 secured at their outermost ends to the plates and at their innermost ends to the undersurface of overlying upper disc 68. The plates also mount cam rollers 91 adapted to ; engage a cam track 92 mounted on rack 93 operatively con- ;~
nected to a servo-mechanism 94. As the transfer wheel assembly rotates, the cam rollers 91 will successively engage the cam track 92 and, depending upon the extent to which the cam track has been extended by the servo-mechanism, the plates will be moved outwardly from their fully retracted position in which their free end edges seat against the spacer bars 67.
Inward and outward movement of the cam track 92 is controlled by a sensor 95 on the transfer tube 87 which detects the location of the transverse stripes of adhesive on the tubing. If the adhesive stripes are falling behind their desired point of registry, the servo-mechanism 94 will be actuated through circuit means diagrammatically indicated at 96 to move the cam ~rack 92 outwardly, there-by pivotlng the plates outwardly and hence inCreflsing the feed rate of the tubin~ during tran~fer. IE, on the other hand, the adjesive stripes run ahead of their intended point of registry~ the sensor 95 will actuate the servo-mechanism 94 to retract the cam track 93~ thereby permitting the plates 78 to pivot inwardly under the influence of their springs 90. Such movement decreases the feed rate of the tubing until exact registry is reestablished.
As should now be apparent, the instant invention .. .. , . , . , , ~ .
: `
~658~1L9 provides apparatus and procedures for forming and filling tampon sacks with absorptive aggregate in a continuous~
high speed operation. In its apparatus aspects, the inven-tion contemplates the various components by means of which the charges of filling material are formed and propelled into the tubing, the tubing closed and the charges of filling material captured and retained at the desired spaced apart intervalsg followed by the transfer of the filled tubing to succeeding apparatus for additional pro-10 cessing. In its method aspects, the invention contem-plates the techniques and procedures by means of which the charges of filling material are formed, propelled, captured and maintained within the tubing at the desired intervals.
While various modifications of the invention have already been set forth, additional modifications and variations will undoubtedly occur to the worker in the art upon reading this specification; accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited 20 other than in the manner set forth in the claims which follow. By way of example of additional modifications~ if it i8 desired to form the filled tubing into packets hav-ing flat or fin-type end closures, heating elements may be provided in association with the lugs on the belt or 25 with the areas of the transfer wheel contacted by the lugs, thereby effecting reactivation of the adhesive stripes and the sealing together of the tubing as an incident of the closing of the tubing and the introduction of the charges of filling material. Similar considerations would apply 30 in the event the web material from which the tubing is formed _ 24 -~065~
is inherently heat sealable. While the use of the transfer tube is preferred to maintain the charges of filling material in discrete condition as the filled tubing spans the distance between the ~ransfer wheel and the apparatus to which it is being delivered9 if the nature of the filling material is such that transfer may be effected without using the transfer tube, the filled tubing may be maintained -in contact with the transfer wheel until it approaches the apparatus to which it is being transferred, whereupon it may be led directly to such apparatus. :
.
As best seen in FIGURE 8, the transfer wheel assembly has a vertically disposed wheel shaft 61 which is hollow and fixedly secured at its lowermost end to the machine frame~ A cone-shaped body 62 is rotatably mounted .
on ~he shaft 61 by means of a hub 63 secured to gear belt pulley 64 adapted to be connected to a suitable source of power for driving the transfer wheel in timed relation to ~he loading wheel, although for timing purposes it is preferred to drive the transfer wheel from the apparatus to which the filled tubing is being transferred, thereby .
assuring proper registry o the sack deining lengths of tubing with the ~aws whlch seal the tubi-n~ it being under-stood that under such circumstances the speed oE rotation :
of the loading wheel will be synchronized wlth the speed of operation of the apparatus to which the filled tubing ~ :
is being delivered.
The transfer wheel assembly includes a lower disc 65 having spaced apart grooves 66 extending about its periphery, the lower dlsc mounting spacer bars 67 which support an upper disc 68 rotatably journaled on the shaft 61. Grooves 69 are ormed about the periphery of the upper .
- 19 - .
.. : :. . , . : . . , :
~6S~Lg :
disc in vertical alignment with the grooves 66 in the lower disc. These aligned sets of grooves provide a positive drive for the lugged belt assembly 60, which comprises an endless belt 70 passing around idler rolls 71 and 72 mDunted S on a support 73. An ad~ustment means 74 is provided to tighten the belt 70 and to push it against the transfer wheel. The belt 70 is provided with a spaced apart series of lugs 75, preferably six in number, the lugs having reduced end sections 76 and 77 at their lower and upper ends, respectively, adapted to engage in the sets of grooves 66 and 69 in the lower and upper discs~ respectively, of the transfer wheel assembly. Thus~ the belt 70 is driven by and in timed relation to the rotation of the transfer wheel~
The perlphery of the transfer wheel is defined ; 15 by a series of plates 78 having hollow lnteriors 79, the plates being pivotally mounted at their leading ends between ad~acent pairs of spacer bars 67 by means of pivot pins 80~
the plates thus being pivotally mounted for inward and out-ward movement. Sets of perforations 81 extend between the outer surfaces of the plates 78 and their hollow interiors 79~ which open upwardly for communications with vacuum ports 82 in the upper disc 68. A statlonary vacuum manifold 83 overlies the upper disc 68, the vacuum manifold having an elongated vacuum port 84 positioned to communicate with the ports 82 as the disc 68 rotatesO Vacuum is drawn on the maniEold 83 thorugh the hollow wheel shaft 61, as indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 8~ the lowermost end of the hollow shaft being connected to a source of vacuum (not shown).
As will be seen in FIGURE 9, the positioning of the plates 78 is such ~hat the center portions oE the ~D6S~
lugs 75 will pinch against the plates adjacent their hinged ends. Thus, when the tubing from the mandrel is passed between the transfer wheel and the lugged belt, the lugs will close the tubing and provide stops for the charges of filling material propelled through the tubing, and each time a lug pinches the tubing against a plate on the transfer wheel assembly, a fresh charge o~ filling material will be propelled through the tubing. This action is dia-grammatically illustrated in FI~URE 3 wherein the length of tubing 85 is initially engaged and clamped against the transfer wheel by the lug 75a, whereupon a charge of filling material 86 propelled through the mandrel 4 and tubing 85 cones to rest against the pinched portion of the tubing lying between the lug 75a and the plate 78a on the transfer wheel. ~IGURE 3 also illustrates the capture of the next preceding charge of filling material 86a between the lugs 75a and 75b, it being understood that the ad~acent lugs -are spaced apart by a distance equal to the length of the sacks being formed, with the lugs contacting the tubing in registry with the preappliet transverse adhesive stripes.
In the embodiment illustrated the tubing is also pinched b~ lug 75c~ with the charge of filling material 86b captured between lugs 75b and 75c. In this connection~ the purpose ; of providing the perforations 81 in the outer surfaces ofthe plates 78 is to draw vacuum on the tubing in the area of the charges of filling material as they come to rest at the lugs, the vacuum serving to hold the charges in dis-crete condition and also prevent small articles from bounc-ing around as the charges are stopped by the lugs. Prefer-ablyg the vacuum perforations 81 in the plates terminate ' ' .
. :.
.. .. . . . . ~ . ...
short of the ends of the plates remote from the ends contacted by the lugs, thereby retaining the charge toward the front of the sack lengths being formed.
As seen in Figure 2, an elongated transfer tube 87 is provided to receive the filled tubing upo~ its passage beyond the lugged belt assembly 60, the filled tubing enter-ing the transfer tube at its mouth or leading end 88 lying just beyond the termination of the lugged belt and the transfer wheel vacuum. The initial section of the trans-fer tube is of a diameter which will compress the charges of filling material within the tubing so that the areas between the charges do not become contaminated by particles or crumbs of filling material. Toward its discharge end the transfer tube is flattened so as to be of oval cross-section, as indlcated at 89, and the transfer tube is turned or twisted at an angle corresponding to the angle of the jaws to which the filled tubing is to be transferred. In this connection, it is preferred to transfer the filled tubing to the apparatus disclosed in aforementioned U.S. Patent 3,940,169, the subject apparatus serving to gather and seal the tubing at the points which were previously pinched together, followed by the attachment of a withdrawal string to each ~ack so formed and the severence of the tubing into individual sacks.
In order to obtain accurate registry between the pre-printed tr~nsverse stripes of adhesive on the tubing and the sealing jaws of the apparatus to which the filled tubing is transferred, adjustment means are provided to effectively vary the speed of travel of the tubing without altering the ;S8~
speed of rotation of the transfer wheel. To this end, the pivotally mounted plates 78 which define the periphery of the transfer wheel are biased inwardly by springs 90 secured at their outermost ends to the plates and at their innermost ends to the undersurface of overlying upper disc 68. The plates also mount cam rollers 91 adapted to ; engage a cam track 92 mounted on rack 93 operatively con- ;~
nected to a servo-mechanism 94. As the transfer wheel assembly rotates, the cam rollers 91 will successively engage the cam track 92 and, depending upon the extent to which the cam track has been extended by the servo-mechanism, the plates will be moved outwardly from their fully retracted position in which their free end edges seat against the spacer bars 67.
Inward and outward movement of the cam track 92 is controlled by a sensor 95 on the transfer tube 87 which detects the location of the transverse stripes of adhesive on the tubing. If the adhesive stripes are falling behind their desired point of registry, the servo-mechanism 94 will be actuated through circuit means diagrammatically indicated at 96 to move the cam ~rack 92 outwardly, there-by pivotlng the plates outwardly and hence inCreflsing the feed rate of the tubin~ during tran~fer. IE, on the other hand, the adjesive stripes run ahead of their intended point of registry~ the sensor 95 will actuate the servo-mechanism 94 to retract the cam track 93~ thereby permitting the plates 78 to pivot inwardly under the influence of their springs 90. Such movement decreases the feed rate of the tubing until exact registry is reestablished.
As should now be apparent, the instant invention .. .. , . , . , , ~ .
: `
~658~1L9 provides apparatus and procedures for forming and filling tampon sacks with absorptive aggregate in a continuous~
high speed operation. In its apparatus aspects, the inven-tion contemplates the various components by means of which the charges of filling material are formed and propelled into the tubing, the tubing closed and the charges of filling material captured and retained at the desired spaced apart intervalsg followed by the transfer of the filled tubing to succeeding apparatus for additional pro-10 cessing. In its method aspects, the invention contem-plates the techniques and procedures by means of which the charges of filling material are formed, propelled, captured and maintained within the tubing at the desired intervals.
While various modifications of the invention have already been set forth, additional modifications and variations will undoubtedly occur to the worker in the art upon reading this specification; accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited 20 other than in the manner set forth in the claims which follow. By way of example of additional modifications~ if it i8 desired to form the filled tubing into packets hav-ing flat or fin-type end closures, heating elements may be provided in association with the lugs on the belt or 25 with the areas of the transfer wheel contacted by the lugs, thereby effecting reactivation of the adhesive stripes and the sealing together of the tubing as an incident of the closing of the tubing and the introduction of the charges of filling material. Similar considerations would apply 30 in the event the web material from which the tubing is formed _ 24 -~065~
is inherently heat sealable. While the use of the transfer tube is preferred to maintain the charges of filling material in discrete condition as the filled tubing spans the distance between the ~ransfer wheel and the apparatus to which it is being delivered9 if the nature of the filling material is such that transfer may be effected without using the transfer tube, the filled tubing may be maintained -in contact with the transfer wheel until it approaches the apparatus to which it is being transferred, whereupon it may be led directly to such apparatus. :
.
Claims (12)
1. Apparatus for forming and filling a continuous length of flexible tubing at predetermined spaced apart intervals with measured charges of filling material,comprising a rotary transfer wheel having a peripheral surface for receiving and advancing the tubing, means for driving said transfer wheel, and tube closing means coacting with said transfer wheel to sequentially close the tubing at spaced apart points by pinching the tubing against the peripheral surface of said transfer wheel, whereby measured charges of filling material sequentially propelled through the tubing in timed relation to the sequential closing of the tubing will be captured between the adjacent points at which the tubing is closed.
2. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 wherein said tube closing means comprises an endless belt having spaced apart lugs positioned to contact the periphery of said transfer wheel, and means for driving said belt in timed relation to the rotation of said transfer wheel.
3. The apparatus claimed in claim 2 wherein the means for driving said belt in timed relation to said transfer wheel comprises grooves on the periphery of the transfer wheel engageable by the lugs on said belt, whereby said belt is driven by said transfer wheel.
4. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 including vacuum means on said transfer wheel for drawing vacuum on the tubing while the tubing is in contact with the peripheral surface of the transfer wheel.
5. The apparatus claimed in claim 4 wherein said vacuum means comprises a series of hollow plates defining the periphery of said transfer wheel, said plates having perforations in their outermost surfaces in communication with their hollow interiors, and a vacuum manifold posi-tioned to sequentially communicate with the hollow interiors of said plates as said transfer wheel rotates.
6. The apparatus claimed in claim 5 wherein said hollow plates are pivotally mounted along one side edge for inward and outward movement, whereby to vary the effective diameter of said transfer wheel, and adjustment means operatively connected to said plates for selectively ad-justing their positions.
7. The apparatus claimed in claim 6 wherein said ad-justment means comprises cam followers mounted on said plates, a movably mounted cam track positioned to be con-tacted by said cam followers, and servo means for moving said cam track.
8. The apparatus claimed in claim 7 including spring means normally biasing said hollow plates inwardly.
9. The apparatus claimed in claim 1 including means associated with said transfer wheel for compacting the spaced apart charges of filling material positioned within the tubing to maintain the charges in fixed position therein.
10. The apparatus claimed in claim 9 wherein the means for compacting the charges of filling material comprises means for drawing a vacuum on the tubing in the areas occupied by the charges of filling material.
11. The apparatus claimed in claim 9 wherein the means for compacting the charges of filling material comprises a transfer tube having an open leading end positioned to receive the tubing from the transfer wheel at a point remote from the point at which the tubing is closed, said transfer tube having a restricted diameter of a size to compress the charges of filling material within the tubing.
12. The apparatus claimed in claim 11 wherein the trans-fer tube has a discharge end for delivering the filled tubing to the jaws of apparatus for closing and sealing the tubing to form filled and closed sacks, the discharge end of said transfer tube being flattened to ovalshape in cross-section and turned so as to discharge the tubing in close proximity to the jaws of the apparatus to which it is delivered.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA311,227A CA1065819A (en) | 1974-12-27 | 1978-09-13 | Apparatus for forming and filling flexible tubing in production of tampons |
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US05/536,832 US4019306A (en) | 1974-12-27 | 1974-12-27 | Apparatus for forming tampon sacks and filling same with aggregate |
| CA240,439A CA1052334A (en) | 1974-12-27 | 1975-11-25 | Apparatus and procedure for forming tampon sacks and filling same with aggregate |
| CA311,227A CA1065819A (en) | 1974-12-27 | 1978-09-13 | Apparatus for forming and filling flexible tubing in production of tampons |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1065819A true CA1065819A (en) | 1979-11-06 |
Family
ID=27164216
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA311,227A Expired CA1065819A (en) | 1974-12-27 | 1978-09-13 | Apparatus for forming and filling flexible tubing in production of tampons |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1065819A (en) |
-
1978
- 1978-09-13 CA CA311,227A patent/CA1065819A/en not_active Expired
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US6805174B2 (en) | Dual station applicator wheels for filling cavities with metered amounts of particulate material | |
| JP4290000B2 (en) | Dual station applicator wheel that fills the cavity with a metered amount of particulate material | |
| JP5806729B2 (en) | High speed pouch making machine | |
| US7849889B2 (en) | Applicator wheel for filling cavities with metered amounts of particulate material | |
| US6723033B1 (en) | Method and apparatus for producing particle bearing filter rod | |
| US4353198A (en) | Pouch forming and filling apparatus | |
| EP0023128B1 (en) | Method and apparatus for manufacturing tea bags and the like | |
| JPH11503947A (en) | Continuous production process and apparatus for elongation of fluid absorber from strand | |
| IE900086L (en) | Packaging machine | |
| US4509313A (en) | Pouch forming and filling apparatus | |
| GB1574581A (en) | Production of packages | |
| US4019306A (en) | Apparatus for forming tampon sacks and filling same with aggregate | |
| EP1156721B1 (en) | Method and apparatus for producing particle bearing filter rod | |
| US3982374A (en) | Apparatus and method for continuously forming and filling tampon sacks | |
| US4108299A (en) | Apparatus and method for delivering tampon sacks and inserter parts to an assembly turret | |
| GB1334242A (en) | Packaging material into individual pouches | |
| US4045946A (en) | Apparatus for continuously forming and filling tampon sacks | |
| US3371461A (en) | Method and apparatus for charging a packet or container with a flowable material | |
| CA1065819A (en) | Apparatus for forming and filling flexible tubing in production of tampons | |
| US4571927A (en) | Packing apparatus | |
| US3545345A (en) | Method and apparatus for making cigarette filter tips | |
| US6178724B1 (en) | Container forming apparatus and method | |
| US3200558A (en) | Bag closer and sealer | |
| IE39753L (en) | Making bags from tubular webs | |
| CN108557155B (en) | Full-automatic material-adsorbing, forming, filling, sealing and packaging equipment |