FR2534223A1 - SOAP PACKAGING MACHINE - Google Patents

Abstract

IN THIS MACHINE, PIECES OF WRAPPING PAPER33 ARE BROUGHT TO A START POSITION AT THE SAME TIME AS ITEMS30, FOR EXAMPLE SOAPS. THE MACHINE INCLUDES A DRUM39 MOUNTED IN FRONT OF THE START POSITION OF ARTICLE 30 AND AGENCY TO ROTATE INTERMITTENTLY A U-TURN EACH TIME. A CASE PASSES RADIALLY THROUGH THE DRUM AND IS IN HORIZONTAL ALIGNMENT WITH STATION34 WHEN DRUM39 STOPS AND IT CAN CONTAIN ONLY ONE ITEM AT A TIME. A PUSHBUTTON38 ACTS EACH TIME THE DRUM39 STOPS, TO TRANSFER AN ARTICLE30 AND A PIECE OF PAPER33 FROM THE STATION34 INTO THE ADJACENT END OF THE CASE AND, THROUGH THIS ARTICLE30, IT EJECTS THE OTHER END OF THE CASE A PREVIOUS ARTICLE30 . THE ARTICLES30EJECTS OF THE DRUM39 ARE EVACUATED BY GOING THROUGH FINAL FOLDING MEANS BY AID WHICH THE WRAPPING OF THE ARTICLES IS COMPLETED, AND THE ARTICLES PASS POSSIBLY IN HOT SEALING MEANS.

Description

The present invention relates to a machine

  for packaging articles of approximately parallel shape

  elepiped, such as soap bars, comprising a station to which a series of pieces of wrapping paper are successively conveyed, each together with a corresponding article to be wrapped, the pieces of paper being conveyed one after the other to a departure and

  the corresponding articles being conveyed in juxtaposition.

  One type of a known machine for wrapping soap or similar tablets in paper comprises a unit which dispenses these tablets one by one and a unit which dispenses one by one of the corresponding pieces of wrapping paper Each piece of paper packaging

  usually consists of a flat wad of foil

  the superimposed, a sheet being intended to form an outer envelope for the soap and another sheet an inner envelope The outer wrapping paper is advantageously heat sealable and the machine also comprises a unit for sealing the wrapping paper Usually , in such packaging machines,

  each item to be packaged is propelled along a path

  rectilinear jectory at the beginning of which the article to be packed

  ler is brought together with a corresponding piece

  of wrapping paper Along this straight path

  line, are arranged a series of folding means which ma-

  nipulate the wrapping paper successively so as to fold it in a closed configuration around the article

  First of all, the paper of em-

  balling is folded around the lateral surface of the

  ticle so that the opposite edges of the paper protrude beyond the end faces of the article Then, in alignment with two opposite side faces of the side surface, the protruding parts of the paper are folded inwards, towards the end faces, so two opposing tabs are formed to finally close

M 534223

  the envelope, the tabs being folded one over the other

and then being sealed.

  Operation of the folding means of the series

  folding means is carried out practically in the reverse direction

  pays in advance of the item to be packaged; however, in packaging machines, the means of folding this first

  type are arranged in fixed positions on the path

  article roof Other means of folding including the ma-

  noeuvre occurs on the contrary in the same direction as the a-

  of the article to be packaged must describe their movement working in the same direction and are therefore mounted mobile

  along appropriate parts of the trajectory of the arti-

  cle To move in accordance with the necessary operating requirements, the folding means of this second type require complicated and large controls which make packaging machines difficult to

  build and order, very expensive and that they

an unacceptable volume.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine having a simple construction, compact dimensions and reliable operation, which can easily be adapted to package articles of rectangular shape of different dimensions and

  which is relatively inexpensive.

  A packaging machine according to the invention comprises

  takes up a drum adjacent to the position at which the

  paper rolls are conveyed, opposite the article to be packaged, the drum comprising a casing which passes through it radially and being arranged to rotate intermittently by half a turn, so as to stop at each half turn in a position such that the housing is aligned with the

  station, the housing also being arranged so as not to contain

  more than one of the articles to be wrapped at a time, a pusher actuated each time the rotation of the drum ceases to effect the transfer of the article and the corresponding piece of wrapping paper from the station to the adjacent terminal part of the and to achieve by means of this article the ejection of a previous article and the

  matching piece of wrapping paper across the

  at the end of the case, initial folding means mounted in the case and which come into action during the transfer to partially fold a piece of paper

  wrapping around the corresponding item and for-

  sea in the wrapping paper pairs of so-called

  the tabs, which hug the end faces of

  the article, means of transport intended to evacuate the

  ticle and the piece of wrapping paper ejected from the drum casing, and final folding means placed along the transport means, which complete the folding of the paper and the tabs and which fold the pairs of tabs one on the other other at each end The final folding means are advantageously followed by sealing means which heat seal the wrapping paper to close the

  wrapping paper around the item to be wrapped.

  Preferably, in a machine according to the invention

  tion, the case passing through the drum contains a block of dimensions similar to those of the article to be packaged, and which is placed in an end part of the housing, the

  rest of the boot being occupied by one of the items to be taken

  baller, the block being mounted in the casing so as to slide alternately from one end to the other in a diametrical direction of the drum, the displacement of the block being determined by an article during the transfer of this

  item from the station to the housing by the pushbutton -

  In a preferred machine according to the invention,

  the initial folding means comprise two profi blocks

  strips, which delimit the casing which crosses the drum in the lateral direction, and which are constructed and arranged so as to form a guide for the couli block;

  The initial folding means further comprise preferably

  two flat elements (plate-shaped), articulated on the drum and resiliently urged to apply against the sliding block, thus delimiting the housing

in the longitudinal direction.

  A machine according to the invention which comprises a sliding block preferably comprises a spindle extending

  depending on the length of the drum, and which starts on the block

  smoothing aforementioned, the end parts of the spindle passing through corresponding slots which extend in the diametrical direction of the drum, the end parts of the spindles being attacked by arms in integral forks

  which correspond to them and which are mounted for pivoting

  rotation of an axis extending in the longitudinal direction

of the drum.

  Preferably, in a machine according to the invention

  tion which comprises flat elements mounted to pivot, these elements are mounted in line with their respective longitudinal edges, the pivots being arranged in positions diametrically opposite to each other (relative to the drum);

  these hinge edges, as well as the other long edges

  the flat elements are suitably curved to facilitate the entry of the articles to be packed into the

  housing passing through the drum The housing is advantageous

  constructed and arranged so that when the drum

  bour is immobilized with the housing in the horizontal alignment

  zontal of the station, and that one of the flat elements is therefore placed above the sliding block and the other below, the lower flat element has its hinge edge

adjacent to the post.

  In the operation of a preferred machine

  according to the invention, a terminal part of the piece of paper

  packing pier is intended to remain outside the drum and to be attacked when the drum turns half a turn, by a semi-circular folding element which

  embraces the drum and is spaced from that drum a little

  short distance, so as to fold the paper over on the side

  of the item to be packaged which is visible at the outer end

  of the housing contained in the drum.

  The articles to be packaged are advantageously conveyed to the station by a conveyor belt which is driven by means of a gear train of the type called "horse head", taking its movement on a tree

  driven in continuous rotation, so as to stop each

only once the pusher operates.

  In a preferred machine according to the invention, the

  means of transport include a pair of chains

  born continuously, each of which has regular teeth

  loosely spaced along its length, arranged in pairs of aligned teeth, each comprising a tooth of one of

  two chains The means of transport preferably include

  in addition, feed belts opposed by

  which items discharged from the drum are transferred

  res to the pair of chains, these feed belts being intermittently driven at coordinated times

  in time with the movement of the drum.

  Other features and advantages of the

  vention will appear during the description which follows

  See the attached drawings, given only by way of example.

  ple, Figure 1 is a schematic plan view, partially broken away, of the packaging machine according to the invention;

  Figure 2 is a schematic elevational view

  front of the packaging machine; Figure 3 is a side elevational view of part of the machine; Figures 4 and 5 are schematic views

  in perspective which show various phases of functioning

  packaging machine; Figure 6 is a partial sectional view of part of the packaging machine; Figure 7 is a time diagram which indicates various relative movements in the operation of the machine; Figure 8 is a sectional view of a drum of the machine;

  Figures 9 and 10 are views with rear

  partial and partially in longitudinal section of the drum, which are taken in perpendicular planes

to one another.

  The packaging machine according to the invention comprises

  takes a machine frame 200 on which a main horizontal shaft 1 of the machine is rotatably mounted in bearings 2 and 3 The main shaft 1 is continuously driven in direction A by a unit (not shown) composed

  a variable speed motor and a gearbox

  swims, via a chain 4 which is engaged with a toothed wheel 5 keyed to the main shaft 1 A

  cam group 6 is also keyed to the main shaft

  pal 1, the cams being designed to print electrical signals to various parts of the machine, in phases

  appropriate for its operation.

  A bevel gear 7 is also keyed to the main shaft 1 and meshes with a bevel gear 8 keyed to one end of a horizontal shaft 9 which is perpendicular to the main shaft 1 The shaft 9 is mounted

  rotatable in steps 10, 11 and 12 and it rotates conti-

  nuately in a direction B, being driven by the main shaft

  cipal 1 A toothed wheel 13 (see also Figure 3) is mounted eccentrically on the shaft 9 and is keyed on this shaft A toothed wheel 14 is engaged with the toothed wheel 13 and also with a toothed wheel 15 which is keyed on a shaft 16 parallel to shaft 9 and mounted

  rotatable in bearings 17, 18 provided on the frame 200.

  A shaft 19 is carried by a pair of arms 20 and by a

  pair of arms 21, which are mounted to oscillate one at a

  turn of the shaft 16 and the other around the center of the toothed wheel 13 which is mounted eccentrically on the shaft 9 The gear train comprising the wheels 13, 14, 15 is of the type called head gear train horse, and it turns the continuous uniform rotation of the shaft 9 into

  a particular variable rotation of the shaft 16 In pro-

  suitably portioning the horse-head gear train, it is possible to ensure that the shaft 16 (which rotates mainly in direction C) ceases to rotate once or twice at each rotation cycle; in the case where the rotation stops twice during each cycle, there is a momentary reversal of the direction of rotation of the shaft 16, that is to say a momentary rotation of the shaft 1 6 in the opposite direction to the direction C, at reduced speed A toothed wheel

  22 is also keyed onto the shaft 16 and, through

  diary of a chain 23, this wheel drives a toothed wheel 24 keyed onto a shaft 25 rotatably mounted parallel to the shaft 16, in bearings 26 carried by the frame 200 A, roller 27 driving a conveyor belt 28

  is integral with the shaft 25 The belt 28 passes over a-

  deflection roller 29 Since the shaft 25 is driven

  born by the tree 16, it rotates in an intermittent mode

  the upper strand of the belt 28 therefore moves

  mainly in direction D, in accordance with the new

  tree 16, The articles to be packaged, for example soaps 30, are sent one after the other to the

  upper part of the belt 28, at the extreme part adjja-

  cente with the roller 27 The soaps 30 have a roughly parallelepiped shape and are gently deposited on the upper strand of the belt 28, by being placed by one of their large faces They are then transported by the belt in the direction D and come to rest by abutting against a previous soap: the head soap 30 is immobilized by contact with a fixed barrier 31

  (see figure 1) adjacent to the idler roller 29.

  So that the packaging machine can work-

  In a satisfactory manner, it is necessary that there be a minimum number of soaps in abutment against each other and, for this reason, there is provided, upstream of the barrier 31, a special detector device 32 which, in the absence of soaps 30 in the region of the device

  detector 32, interrupts the routing of pieces of paper

  packing pier 33 at a post 34 o the soap 30 arr-

  abutting against the barrier 31 is stopped.

  In the accompanying drawings, the wrapping paper is shown in a form comprising a single sheet of paper (for simplicity of representation); in most cases, one or more sheets are used

  additional wrapping paper and the term "mor-

  ceau ", as used in this specification to designate wrapping paper, should be considered

  may include more than one sheet of paper

  ballage when appropriate When using a piece of wrapping paper comprising several sheets

  to wrap an article in a machine according to the invention

  tion, the outer sheet of paper is advantageously of the heat sealable type, so that the packaged article can be enclosed in its packaging by an operation of

hot welding.

  In the operation of the packaging machine

  According to the invention, a piece of wrapping paper is delivered at a starting position at station 34, in an approximately flat state and in a vertical position. A lower region of the piece of paper, when it is in

  the starting position, is juxtaposed with the trans-

  carrier and to a bar of soap 30 which was stopped on the

  belt 28 by barrier 31; on the contrary, the surface

  of the piece of paper 33 is interposed between an inner pair 35 a of a set of idle rollers and the cooperating strand of a pair of small belts 36 (shown partially in FIG. 2) It is these belts 36 which, while circulating in direction F, deliver the pieces of wrapping paper 33 one after the other to the starting position at station 34 The belts 36 are driven by means of a suitable transmission device, which takes its movement on a toothed wheel 37 wedged on the shaft

main 1.

  The packaging machine according to the invention comprises

  further takes a pusher 38 reciprocating, mounted at station 34 and arranged to work transversely to the direction of movement of the belt 28 When it is on

  the point of starting its active movement (in the state re-

  presented in FIGS. 1 and 2), the pusher 38 is placed adjacent to the soap bar 30 which is fixed, in abutment against the barrier 31, on the side of the bar soap which is at

  opposite of the sheet of paper 33 in the position of

  part The active movement of the pusher 38 is represented in the diagrams SO and SV of FIG. 7, which schematically represent the horizontal and vertical movements of the pusher 38 in an operating cycle of the packaging machine In its movement working in the direction G , the pusher 38 moves approximately horizontally (part 501 and SV 1 of FIG. 7), almost touching the strand

  upper belt 28; during this movement, the push-

  evening 38 pushes the soap against the aforementioned lower region of the piece of wrapping paper 33 placed in its

  starting position and transfers the soap 30 and the mor-

  wrapping paper 33 inside a drum 39

  which is adjacent to the starting position of the piece of pa-

  packing pier 33, on the other side of the trans belt

carrier 28.

  In the operation of the packaging machine

  ge, when the pusher 38 attacks the soap 30 placed in abutment against the barrier 31, the belt driven as

  it was described above by the tree 16) is immobile (by-

  tie Ni of diagram N in FIG. 7) or, better still, is about to begin the small momentary return movement in the opposite direction to direction D When the belt 28 is stationary, the load exerted by the soaps located upstream of the soap 30 at station 34, and which is applied to the soap located in the station during the movement of the belt in the direction D stops; in case the

  horse-head gear train is designed to provo-

  quer a small momentary reversal of the direction of movement of the belt, this short reversal removes

  the possible residual friction force exerted on the soap-

  net which is ejected from the belt at this time by the pusher 38 between the penultimate soap and the barrier

  31 At the inner end of its active movement and

  during an initial period of its return movement, the

  pusher is raised (part SV 2 of the SV diagram) to pre-

  then feel a waiting period in the lifted position

  vee (part SV 3); however, during the return movement (part 502 of the diagram SQ), the pusher 38 passes over a new soap bar 30 which, carried by the belt 28 (part N 2 of diagram N) is about to Stop

  against the barrier 31 During the final part of its movement

  return and the first part of its movement ac-

  tif, the pusher 38 descends (part SV 4) to then return to its position slightly above the level of the upper strand of the conveyor belt 28 The pusher 28 consists of a projecting part of a connecting rod

  type of deformable parallelogram which includes two biel-

  parallel lettes 40, 41, the latter being carried by

  an arm 42 At one of its ends, the arm 42 is solid

  of an axis 44, rotatably mounted in bearings 45 pareal-

  connected to shaft 1 and, at its other end, it is articulated

  lé by an axis 46 on the parallel link 41 The biellet-

  te parallel 40 is fixed to a sleeve 47 which is rotatably mounted on the axis 44 and it is connected to the pusher 38 by a hinge pin 48 The pusher 38 is also connected to the other parallel link 41 by an axis of articulation 49 A connecting rod 50 is articulated on the parallel rod 40 and on an eccentric 53, by appropriate articulation joints 51 and 52 respectively The eccentric

  43 is keyed onto the shaft 1 An arm 54 is also solidified

  of the axis 44 and carries a roller 55 which attacks an axial cam 56 keyed onto the shaft 9, the connection between the roller 55 and the cam 56 being held by a spring 57 which extends between the arms 54 and the 200 packing machine frame

(shown in Figure 2).

  On the shaft 9, a wheel is also keyed

  toothed 58, of a type known under the designation wheel

  tee "in Z"; this type of toothed wheel has a groove if-

  cloudy 58 a which flows from one side to the other of the wheel, In the groove 58 a of the wheel 58, are engaged a succession of

  rollers 59 of a transmission wheel 60 The wheel 60 is

  clothed on one end of an arm 61 which is parallel to -

  the shaft 1 and rotatably mounted in bearings 62 on the frame; a drum 39 is carried by an extension of the shaft 61 The drum 39 is designed to rotate at intervals in the direction H of a half-turn each time, around the axis ss which constitutes both the axis of the drum 39 and that of the shaft 61 (FIGS. 4, 5 and 10) with a type-of

  specially determined movement.

  As can be seen by referring more specifically

  especially in Figures 8, 9 and 10, the drum comprises essentially

  two longitudinal elements 63 a, 63 b which are

  connected to each other 'and to a head 66 keyed on an ar-

  bre 61 by screws 64 a (screwed in 64 b), 65 The two elements

  elements 63 a, 63 b together define a common external cylindrical surface 67 (which completely surrounds the end portions of elements 63 a and 63 b and surrounds the rest of the drum for a limited distance in two regions

  diametrically opposed) The two elements 63 a, 63 b deli-

  lead a parallelepipedal passage 68 which is defined by two longitudinal walls 69 a, 69 b and two side walls b, and which open into flat parts 71 a, 71 b and 72 a, 72 b - (formed by parallel planes defined by strings from the base of the cylindrical surface 67) Two blocks 73 are fixed respectively to the walls 70 b; the blocks 73 extend in the diametrical direction of the drum 39 and,

  without overflowing beyond the cylindrical surface 67, they

  border flat parts 71 a, 71 b and 72 a, 72 b, the block 73 having symmetrical end parts 74 and of a special chamfered shape The fixing screws 76 provided for the fixing of these blocks are received in the parts - base 75 of the block 73 Between each wall 70 b and the corresponding block 73, a space is formed which opens on the center of the passage 68 through a slot 78 formed in the blocks and which extends parallel to the walls 69 a, 69 b The blocks 73 are arranged at equal distance from the walls 69 a, 69 b Fork parts of the arms 79 penetrate into the space 77, the arms 79 being articulated in passages 80 machined in the element 63 a The arms 79 are actually wedged, by means

  pins 81, on the end parts of an oscil-

  lant 82 which is mounted longitudinally inside the element 63 a, to pivot in bearings 83 mounted

  in element 63 a The forks of the arms 79 attack each

  cune a corresponding roller 84 mounted at the end of a spindle 85 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the drum, the ends of the spindle 85 projecting from a block 86 and passing through the slot 78 The block 86, the

  dimensions roughly correspond to those of a soap-

  te 30 to be packaged, is slightly thicker than that of block 73 and it is housed in a case 87 which is located in passage 68 and defined laterally by blocks-73 and longitudinally by two opposite elements 88 a, 88 b onnosed and plate-shaped, which are mounted

  to pivot and are elastically stressed to apply

  quer against the large corresponding faces of block 86.

  In the case 87, the block 86 is able to slide with a certain friction along the block 73 and it can also pivot slightly around the axis 85.

  block 86 can occur properly and without re-

  leaping or twisting because the guidance is effective

  cement provided by the slot 78 and by the two arms 79 which pivot together and attack the rollers mounted on the

  ends of spindle 85 carried by block 86.

  When the block 86 is at one end of the case 87, that is to say against one of its stops (FIGS. 4, 5, 8 and 10), the remaining part of the housing can only be occupied by a single bar 30 The two elements 88 a, 88 b extend beyond the flat parts 71 a, 71 b and 72 a, 72 b, to reach the cylindrical surface 67 and their longitudinal edges are curved symmetrically to facilitate the entry of a bar of soap 30 between these two plates The two elements 88 a, 88 b are articulated on the drum, along their respective longitudinal edges which are diametrically opposed to each other relative to the

  drum and which are bent and fixed to longitu-

  corresponding channels 89 a, 89 b The axes 89 a, 89 b are therefore placed respectively along the flattened areas 71 a and 72 b

  and their ends are machined to turn on the pins

  screw 90 corresponding to each half turn of the drum

  bour 49, the elements 88 a, 88 b are arranged approximately horizontally and the lower element (88 b in FIG. 6) has its axis 89 b disposed adjacent to the station 34 in which the soaps 30 and pieces of paper d 'packaging

  33 correspondents are debited one after the other A proxi-

  mite from the other flat parts 72 a, 71 b, pairs of cavi-

  tees are provided in the walls 69 a, 69 b, and, in these

  cavities are partially accommodated with corresponding springs 91

  dants which tend to apply the elements 88 a, 88 b against

  block 86 The movement of elements 88 a, 88 b in antagonism

  nism with respect to the springs 91 is limited by stop screws-92 housed in the part 63 a, 63 b near the flattened zones 72 a, 71 b and adjustable in cavities 93 of the part 63 a, 63 b On will see that the elements 88 a, 88 b extend longitudinally so as not to obstruct the spaces 77 but that the blocks 73 remain interposed

  between them, leaving some free space between them-

  same and the elements 88 a, 88 b The position is such that at each half-turn, the drum 39 is stopped (part TI of the diagram, figure T 7) with the housing 87 in alignment with the station 34 and with the block 86 housed at the end of the housing 87 which is directed towards the station 34 Under these conditions, the pusher 38 transfers a soap 30 and a piece of wrapping paper 33 into the end of the housing 87 which is adjacent to the station 34, the soap 30 pushing the block 86 at the other end of the housing 87 (furthest from the station 34) At the end of this maneuver (see FIG. 4), the

  piece of wrapping paper 33 is partially ex-

  inside the drum 39 Inside the drum 39, the mor-

  this wrapping paper 33 mistletoe was handled during the transfer between the first folding members (comprising the block 73 and the sheet metal elements 88 a, 88 b in the form of plates) is partially folded around the soap (left part in FIG. 4), by covering an upper face, a vertical face and almost half of its lower face; moreover, in line with each end face of the soap bar 30, the piece of paper 33 has been shaped to form a flap 94 a and to form the preliminary perimeters 85 a and 95 b of tongues At this stage, the drum 39 turns half a turn in the H direction (part T 2 of diagram T) During this rotation, there does not occur inside the housing 87 any movement of the soap 30 or of the block 86, but the edge of the paper packing 33 which is still outside the tongue 39 is separated from its contact with the belts

  36 and the rollers 35 a, and a guideq 97 a, for entering into

  tact with a folding element 97, curved in a vault, of semicircular shape (FIGS. 2 and 8) The guide 97 a extends upwards parallel to the small belts 36, starting from the curved folding element 97 which is placed in fixed position, around an upper part of the drum 39, remaining slightly spaced therefrom At the end of

  the rotation (figure 5), the orientation of the shoemaker is invert-

  sée so that the block 86 is again adjacent to the station 34 and that the soap 30 and the wrapping paper are about to emerge from the drum 39, the parts and areas which were initially directed upwards when the soap 30 was adjacent to station 34, now being directed downward Furthermore, the folding member 97 has

  now plated the piece of wrapping paper 33 con-

  be the other vertical face of the soap 30.

  The transfer into the drum 39 of a new soap 30 and a new piece of paper 33 by the

  consecutive operation of the pusher 38 determines a displacement

* block 86 in the housing 87, displacement which, relative to the packaging machine, always occurs in the direction G (Figures 2 and 8) but which, relative to the housing 87, is in the opposite direction of movement previous The new movement of block 86 determines the ejection outside of the case 87 of the soap 30 which was previously already partially wrapped in a piece of wrapping paper 33 When it is ejected from the case 87 of the drum 39 , the soap bar 30 passes under a folding lip 98 and is then interposed between two small belts 99 a, 99 b (respectively upper and lower) and its piece of wrapping paper 33 cooperates with stationary folding members 100 aligned on the faces

  terminals of the soap bar Folding of the wrapping paper

  the line 33 around the soap bar 30 ends when this paper hits the folding lip 98 and, under the action of the

  folding members 100, in line with each of the termi-

  nales (right parts in Figure 4), another flap

  94 b is formed and the pair of tabs 95 b, 96 b is finished

  However, the small belts 99 a, 99 b are not

  still driven by their respective drive rollers

  tifs 101, 102 but they do not hinder the ejection of the soap, because these rollers are mounted on

  corresponding trees 103, 104 with interposition of mechanical

  freewheeling nisms 105 corresponding.

  The shaft 103 is rotatably mounted in bearings 106 (FIG. 6) on a plate 107 which has a slot 107a through which the belt 99 protrudes and which also carries a rotary deflection roller 108 for guiding the belt 99 a The plate 107 also has the folding lip 98 Furthermore, the shaft 103 carries, keyed onto it, a toothed wheel 109 which is engaged with one of the toothed wheels 110; the toothed wheels 110 are keyed onto a shaft 111 rotatably mounted in bearings 112 provided on the frame 200 of the machine A chain 113 is attacked by the other of the toothed wheels 110 and attacks

  also toothed wheels 114, 115 (respectively clave-

  tees on shafts 61, 104) and a tension wheel 116.

  The shaft 104 is rotatably mounted in bearings 117 From each

  that side of the small belt 99b, two toothed wheels 118 rotate freely on the shaft 104 and are embraced by a pair of chains 119 driven by drive wheels (not shown); these drive wheels are keyed onto a shaft (not shown) which is driven by means of a chain 120 taking its movement on a toothed wheel 121

  keyed to the main drive shaft 1 of the ma-

China.

  The chains 119 carry teeth 122 regularly.

  spaced apart which are designed to propel soap-

  sharp along support rails 123 and evacuating them In fact, the teeth 122 of the upper strand of chains 119 protrude above the plane of the rails 123 and are continuously driven in direction I, that is to say in agreement with the direction G according to which the partially wrapped soap is ejected from the casing 87 of the drum 39 by the action exerted by the pusher 38 on a next soap 30 The upper strand of the belt 99 b and the lower strand of the belt 99 a intermittently move in the same direction (see for example the rotation indicated by the direction L on the shaft 104) As soon as a soap bar 30 is ejected from the drum 39, the latter undergoes a rotation H and, in this way, the strands of the belts 99 a, 99 b are set in motion and immediately force the soap to advance sufficiently so that a corresponding pair of teeth 122 (one tooth from each of the chains of the pair of chains 119) is engaged behind the soap, these teeth

  then transporting the soap along the rails 123.

  As is well known, the tabs 96 b, 95 b can be folded under the action of transport, executed from this

  way, partially wrapped soap.

  In the packaging machine according to the invention described in this specification, the tongues 96 b, 95 b are attacked by corresponding parts of the

  stationary helical folding 124 which ensures successi-

  bending these tabs and then applying them

  cation one on the other, by folding them against the end faces of the soap bar These tabs are then

  welded to each other by hot plates- (not shown

  sent) side by side along the length of the rails 123. A hot plate 125 is stationary mounted above the path of the soap and ensures the assembly by welding of the two edges of the piece of paper

  33 which are superimposed to close the envelope

soap.

  To access the path of the soap bars, for example, to inspect the active components of the machine, it is intended that the hot plate 125 can be lifted by rotation around hinges parallel to the direction I provided on the frame 200 of the machine d 'packaging.

  It is also intended that the plate 107 can be lifted.

  rotated around the shaft 111, with respect to which it is rotatably mounted The delivery of a piece of wrapping paper 33 to station 34 (delivery made by the belts 36 in contact with the roller 35 a) is completed when a lower edge of piece 33 enters

  in contact with a stationary support 127 (Figure 2).

  At this time (which is designated by x-x in FIG. 7), the pusher 38, which has already started its active movement, pushes a soap bar 34 and the latter pushes the piece of

  wrapping paper 33 corresponding to this movement

  ment (at the instant corresponding to y-y), the piece of wrapping paper (which is guided between the rollers 35 a and the

  support 127) is clamped between the soap 30 and the block 86.

  Naturally, it can be envisaged that the drum 39 can be arranged to turn half a turn, not

  in the H direction, but in the opposite direction in some cases.

  In this case, in its working movement G, the pusher 38 would push the soap against an upper zone of the piece of wrapping paper placed in a vertical starting position (zone which must however be free), and, in addition, the folding member-87 would follow the lower arc

  of the drum 39 and, if the heating plate 125 were necessary

  saire, this plate would be positioned below the

trajectory of the soaps.

  Naturally, it can be arranged that, in certain machines according to the invention, the pusher 38 can only move in the horizontal direction without being lifted during the return movement, and that the means of transport intended for removing the soap from the drum 39 may be different from belts 98, 99

and toothed chains 119.

Claims (9)

  1 machine for packaging articles of approximately parallelepiped shape, for example soaps (30), comprising a station to which a series of pieces (33) of wrapping paper are successively conveyed, each together with a corresponding article to be wrapped , the pieces of paper being routed one   after the other at a departure station and the corresponding articles   being placed in juxtaposition, characterized in that it comprises a drum (39) placed in a position adjacent to the starting position, opposite the article (30) to be packaged, the drum (39) having a housing (87) which passes through it radially and being arranged to rotate by   intermittent half a turn, so as to stop at each   only turn around in a position such as the housing (87)   is aligned with the station (34), the housing (87) being also   arranged so as not to contain more than one of the articles (30) to be packaged at the same time, a pusher (38) actuated each time the rotation of the drum (39) ceases to effect the transfer of the article (30) and a corresponding piece of wrapping paper (33) from the station (34) in the adjacent terminal part of the housing and for effecting by means of the article (30) the ejection of a previous article (30) and of the piece of wrapping paper (33) corresponding by the other end of the case (87), initial folding means (73, 73; 88 a, 88 b) mounted in the housing (87) and   that go into action during the transfer to fold by-   a piece of wrapping paper (33) around the corresponding article (30) and to form in the piece   wrapping paper (33) the blanks (95 a, 96 a) of paper   res of "tongues" (95 b, 96 b) which follow the termi-   nales of the article (30), means of transport (99 a, 99 b,   119) intended to evacuate the article (30) and the piece of paper   packing pier (33) unloaded from the boot (87) of the drum (39), and final folding means (100, 124) placed along the transport means (99 a, 99 b) which complete the folding of the paper and tabs (95 b, 96 b) and which fold the pairs of tabs (95 b, 96 b) one over the other to each end.   2 machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises heat sealing means (125) intended to seal the wrapping paper (33) to close the wrapping around the article, arranged in a position adjacent to the transport means (119), downstream of the final folding means (100, 124) o   3 Machine according to one of claims 1 and   2, characterized in that the shoemaker (87) contains a block   (86) of dimensions roughly analogous to those of an article   key (30) to be packaged, placed in an end part of the case (87), the rest of the case (87) being occupied by one of the articles (30) to be packaged, the block (86) being mounted in the case ( 87) to slide alternately one   end to end of the housing (87) in a direction di-   metric with respect to the drum (39), the displacement of the block (86) being caused by an article (30) to be packaged during the transfer of this article from the station (34) to the housing (87) under the action of the pusher (38) )   4 Machine according to claim 3, character-   in that the block (86) has an axis (85) which extends   in the longitudinal direction of the drum and whose parts   terminal ties protrude through slots (78)   laid according to the diameters of the drum (39) and are atta-   ques by corresponding fork-shaped arms (79), integral with one another, which are pivotally mounted   about an axis (82) which extends in the direction longi- tudinal of the drum (39).   Machine according to one of claims 3 and   4, characterized in that the initial folding means (73, 73, 88 a, 88 b) comprise two profiled blocks (73, 73) which delimit the jer box (87) in the lateral direction, which are constructed and arranged in so as to form a guide for the block (86) and further comprise two elements (88 a, 88 b) in the form of plates, articulated on the drum (39) and elastically urged to bear against the block (86), and which delimit the housing (87) in the   longitudinal direction of the drum (39).   6 Machine according to claim 5, character-   sée in that the plate-shaped elements (88 a, 88 b) are mounted on the drum (39) to pivot along their respective longitudinal edges (89 a, 89 b) which are diametrically opposed to each other with respect to the drum (39), the articulation edges (89 a, 89 b), as well as the other longitudinal edges of these elements, being curved to facilitate the entry of the articles (39) to be packaged in the housing (87), the housing (87) being constructed and arranged so that, when immobilized in the horizontal alignment of the station (34), one of the plate-shaped elements (88a, 88b) is disposed above the block (86) and the other below this block, the lower element (88 b)   having its hinge edge (89 b) adjacent to the station (34).   7 Machine according to one of claims 1 to   6, characterized in that one end of the piece of wrapping paper (33) is intended to remain outside the drum (39) during the operation of the machine to be attacked during the drum's half-turn of rotation (39) by a bending member (97) of curved shape, mounted   around the drum (39) and slightly spaced therefrom.   8 Machine according to one of claims 1 to   7, characterized in that the articles (30) to be packaged are   conveyed one by one to the station (34) by a conveyor belt   teuse (28) which is driven by a shaft (9) in continuous rotation, by means of a gear mechanism (13, 14, 15) of the so-called "horse head" type, so as to   stop each time the pusher (38) acts.   9 Machine according to one of claims 1 to   8, characterized in that the means of transport (99 a, 99 b,   119) include a pair of chains (119) driven   continuously and fitted with pairs of teeth (122) regularly   spaced apart, each chain (119) carrying a tooth (122) of each pair and opposite supply belts (99 a, 99 b) transferring the articles (30) ejected from the drum (39) to the chains (119), these feeding belts (99 a,   99 b) being intermittently driven at co-ordinate instants   given with the movement of the drum (39).