GB1582452A

GB1582452A - Wrapping machines

Info

Publication number: GB1582452A
Application number: GB551277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: S H & C Overseas Holdings Ltd
Current assignee: S H & C Overseas Holdings Ltd
Priority date: 1977-07-18
Filing date: 1977-07-18
Publication date: 1981-01-07
Also published as: JPS5440797A

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO WRAPPING MACHINES (71) We, S. H. & C. OVERSEAS HOLD- INGS LIMITED, of Bel Royal House, 20/22 Halkett Place, Jersey, Channel Islands, a British Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to apparatus for forming items into stacks, and to a wrapping machine comprising such apparatus.

According to the invention there is provided a stack forming apparatus comprising means arranged to form a plurality of stacks of abutting items in spaced-apart channels on receipt of a row of the items from means for organising the items into rows in a direction extending transversely of the channels, and means arranged to convey successive ones of said stacks of abutting items from each of said channels as discrete stacks.

The stack-forming apparatus can conveniently be provided in a wrapping machine that comprises wrapping apparatus arranged to receive said discrete stacks of. abutting items from said conveyor means and to wrap said discrete stacks from two or more channels simultaneously.

The machine of the invention has the advantage over known wrapping machines which are capable of producing only a single wrapped package at a time of doubling or even trebling production rates where only a small package, using in some respects less than the full capacity of the machine, is required.

The items may each mave the form of a short cylinder typically with a circular periphery and may comprise for example medicated or unmedicated sweets, or the like.

The invention will be more readily under- stood from the following illustrative description, with reference to the drawings, of a stack forming apparatus and of a wrapping machine embodying the invention; in which: Figure 1 shows a schematic arrangement of the machine; and Figure 2 shows a plan of the stack forming apparatus in detail.

The wrapping machine is arranged for producing packages each containing a plurality of items, herein referred to as tablets, stacked together in the form of a short cylinder.

Referring to the drawings, at the input end of the machine, there is provided a container for the tablets in the form of a hopper 2. Tablets 3 are drawn from the bottom of the hopper through an aperture by means of a feeder plate 4, which is mechanically or electrically vibrated to impart the desired movement to the tablets and to ensure a free flow. The hopper aperture through which the feeder plate 4 operates is so shaped that the tablets 3 lie on their sides on the feeder plate 4 in a single layer.

The feeder plate 4 transfers the single layer of tablets 3 onto a mesh 6 that is apertured so as to retain whole tablets thereon but to allow any broken pieces to fall below to waste. From the mesh 6, the tablets 3 pass on to a displacement device in which they are. turned on to their edges by means of a plurality of vertically reciprocable dividers 8 operating through longitudinal slits in a support plate for the tablets.

The dividers 8 form with the portions of the support plate therebetween a plurality of channels 10 each of only sufficient width for the tablets 3 to stand on their edges, with one tablet lined up behind the other along each channel. Movement of the tablets 3 along the channels 10 can be by rolling if the tablet edges are circular, assisted by a mechanically induced vibratory movement longitudinally of the channels if need be.

The number of channels provided in the machine determines the maximum number of tablets which can be wrapped by the machine into a single package at one time or simultaneously into two or three packages, - depending on the number of further processing channels provided in the machine.

At the downstream end of the channels 10 a checking device 12 is fitted so that each tablet of a group of tablets leaves its channel substantially simultaneously with the others of the group, and enters an aligned row of pockets 14 for the group in which the tablets of the group are subjected to end pressure to compact them together into a simultaneous pair of stacks.

Referring to Figure 2, the checking device 12 comprises at its leading end a nylon brush 16 mounted on a horizontal rod 17 which is arranged to rotate about its axis to allow the tablets to pass thereunder only one row at a time. The tablets 3 are thus separated into aligned rows transversely of the vane dividers 8, so that they are located as a group in individual pockets 14. The checking device 12 further comprises at its trailing end a transverse bar 18 that assists in maintaining the tablets 3 in rows. Whilst being retained longitudinally by the pockets 14, the tablets 3 are maintained in their transverse separation by a plurality of parallel plates or vanes 20 of the checking device 12.

The tablets of each row are next formed into stacks 22 in a plurality of streams 24, the illustrated apparatus being arranged to produce two such streams whereby the tablets of a stack abut one another and are longitudinally retained in pockets 25.

The streaming is effected by means of a wedge element 26, adjustable guiding blocks 28 and the vanes 20.

The wedging element 26 is arranged with its apex 30 adjacent the downstream end of the checking device 12 and divides the tablets of a group into the two transversely spaced streams 24. Although as shown each stream receives equal numbers of tablets, the positioning and/or shaping of the apex 30 of the wedging element 26 may be such that unequal division is effected.

On each side of the apex 30 a channel 32 is formed that is bound at each outer edge by one of the guide blocks 28 such that the channels converge downstream. At least some of the vanes 20 extend into the channels 32. As the tablets 3 of each row leave the device 12 they are guided into the channels 32 and due to the gradual leaving behind of the separating vanes 20 from sub stacks and finally stacks 22 of abutting tablets, the tablets being retained in pockets throughout this transition. The blocks 28 are pivotally mounted at their downstream ends for transverse movement so as to vary the end pressure on the rows as they are formed into the stacks 22.It will be appreciated that the reduction in the width occupied by the tablets 3 is a consequence of the disappearance of the vanes 20 from the path of the tablets, as well as of the restricting effect of the wedging element 26 and guiding blocks 28; The two stacks of tablets are then transferred to a wrapping device 34 by vertical movement of each pocket 25 upwardly to bring the stack of tablets it contains to below a pair of arms 36, 38. The tablets 3 are then mechanically lifited between the arms which then close to engage the stack Two endless woven cotton belts are applied around the arms to assist wrapping the stacks. A wrapper is fed between the pocket and the arms before the upward movement so that this movement causes the wrapper to be partially wrapped around the stack.The pair of arms is one of form such pairs carried on a wrapper head rotatable about a horizontal axis, the wrapping of simultaneous stacks being effected by wrapping head 40 and respective wrapping head belts.

The wrapping heads rotate intermittently in steps, the first movement is to complete the wrapping around the circumference and also to effect an end folding and sealing station at which the packaging is completed.

The first movement of the arms is completed at a discharge station at which the arms are separated to release the completed package. The arms then complete the cycle by returning to the lowermost or loading position over the associated pockets from which stacks of tablets have meanwhile been fed.

The individual wrappers are fed from a pair of pre-printed rolls 44, 46, cut to length by cutter 48, and if necessary taken past an adhesive applicator, prior to being fed to the wrapping heads. If required, an inner wrapper or liner may be fed to the wrapping head in underlying relation with the outer wrapper, so as to be formed around the tablets together with it.

Wrapping machines embodying the stack forming apparatus of the invention are powered electrically and incorporate appropriate arrangements for co-ordinating and controlling the various operating parts. The machine conveniently also includes appropriate means for testing for packages which are in any way deficient and for rejecting these.

The wrapping machine described can of course be modified in various ways within the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A stack-forming apparatus comprising means arranged to form a plurality of stacks of abutting items in spaced-apart channels on receipt of a row of the items from means for organising the items into rows in a direction extending transversely of the channels, and means arranged to

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. processing channels provided in the machine. At the downstream end of the channels 10 a checking device 12 is fitted so that each tablet of a group of tablets leaves its channel substantially simultaneously with the others of the group, and enters an aligned row of pockets 14 for the group in which the tablets of the group are subjected to end pressure to compact them together into a simultaneous pair of stacks. Referring to Figure 2, the checking device 12 comprises at its leading end a nylon brush 16 mounted on a horizontal rod 17 which is arranged to rotate about its axis to allow the tablets to pass thereunder only one row at a time. The tablets 3 are thus separated into aligned rows transversely of the vane dividers 8, so that they are located as a group in individual pockets 14. The checking device 12 further comprises at its trailing end a transverse bar 18 that assists in maintaining the tablets 3 in rows. Whilst being retained longitudinally by the pockets 14, the tablets 3 are maintained in their transverse separation by a plurality of parallel plates or vanes 20 of the checking device 12. The tablets of each row are next formed into stacks 22 in a plurality of streams 24, the illustrated apparatus being arranged to produce two such streams whereby the tablets of a stack abut one another and are longitudinally retained in pockets 25. The streaming is effected by means of a wedge element 26, adjustable guiding blocks 28 and the vanes 20. The wedging element 26 is arranged with its apex 30 adjacent the downstream end of the checking device 12 and divides the tablets of a group into the two transversely spaced streams 24. Although as shown each stream receives equal numbers of tablets, the positioning and/or shaping of the apex 30 of the wedging element 26 may be such that unequal division is effected. On each side of the apex 30 a channel 32 is formed that is bound at each outer edge by one of the guide blocks 28 such that the channels converge downstream. At least some of the vanes 20 extend into the channels 32. As the tablets 3 of each row leave the device 12 they are guided into the channels 32 and due to the gradual leaving behind of the separating vanes 20 from sub stacks and finally stacks 22 of abutting tablets, the tablets being retained in pockets throughout this transition. The blocks 28 are pivotally mounted at their downstream ends for transverse movement so as to vary the end pressure on the rows as they are formed into the stacks 22.It will be appreciated that the reduction in the width occupied by the tablets 3 is a consequence of the disappearance of the vanes 20 from the path of the tablets, as well as of the restricting effect of the wedging element 26 and guiding blocks 28; The two stacks of tablets are then transferred to a wrapping device 34 by vertical movement of each pocket 25 upwardly to bring the stack of tablets it contains to below a pair of arms 36, 38. The tablets 3 are then mechanically lifited between the arms which then close to engage the stack Two endless woven cotton belts are applied around the arms to assist wrapping the stacks. A wrapper is fed between the pocket and the arms before the upward movement so that this movement causes the wrapper to be partially wrapped around the stack.The pair of arms is one of form such pairs carried on a wrapper head rotatable about a horizontal axis, the wrapping of simultaneous stacks being effected by wrapping head 40 and respective wrapping head belts. The wrapping heads rotate intermittently in steps, the first movement is to complete the wrapping around the circumference and also to effect an end folding and sealing station at which the packaging is completed. The first movement of the arms is completed at a discharge station at which the arms are separated to release the completed package. The arms then complete the cycle by returning to the lowermost or loading position over the associated pockets from which stacks of tablets have meanwhile been fed. The individual wrappers are fed from a pair of pre-printed rolls 44, 46, cut to length by cutter 48, and if necessary taken past an adhesive applicator, prior to being fed to the wrapping heads. If required, an inner wrapper or liner may be fed to the wrapping head in underlying relation with the outer wrapper, so as to be formed around the tablets together with it. Wrapping machines embodying the stack forming apparatus of the invention are powered electrically and incorporate appropriate arrangements for co-ordinating and controlling the various operating parts. The machine conveniently also includes appropriate means for testing for packages which are in any way deficient and for rejecting these. The wrapping machine described can of course be modified in various ways within the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A stack-forming apparatus comprising means arranged to form a plurality of stacks of abutting items in spaced-apart channels on receipt of a row of the items from means for organising the items into rows in a direction extending transversely of the channels, and means arranged to

convey successive ones of said stacks of abutting items from each of said channels as discrete stacks.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said conveyor means comprises a respective conveyor for each of said channels and each conveyor has spaced therealong pockets each of which is arranged to receive one of said stacks of abutting items.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said abutting items are disposed in said stacks to extend transversely of said channels.

4. A stack-forming apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

5. A wrapping machine for producing wrapped packages, the machine comprising a stack-forming apparatus according to any preceding claim, and wrapping apparatus arranged to receive said discrete stacks of abutting items from said conveyor means and to wrap said discrete stacks from two or more channels simultaneously.

6. A wrapping machine according to claim 5, wherein the wrapping apparatus comprises a rotatably-mounted wrapping device disposed above said channels and having at least one pair of arms arranged to receive therebetween one of said discrete stacks from each of said two or more channels, and supply means for supplying wrapping material to the wrapping device such that the stacks are wrapped in the material on removal from the channels.

7. A wrapping machine according to claim 6, wherein the paired arms of the wrapping device are arranged to close around a stack of abutting items and to complete circumferential wrapping and to effect end folding of the wrapping material during rotational movement of the wrapping device, said arms subsequently being arranged to open to allow discharge of the wrapped package.

8. A wrapping machine according to claim 6 or 7, wherein an endless woven cotton belt is wrapped around said arms of the wrapping device to assist the wrapping of the stacks.

9. A wrapping machine according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the wrapping apparatus is arranged to apply an inner wrapper and an outer wrapper to each of said stacks.

10. A wrapping machine according to any of claims 5 to 9, in which the forming means comprises means defining channels of width which reduce in the direction of movement of the items.

11. A wrapping machine according to claim 10, in which the channel defining means comprises a wedge-shaped element between each adjacent pair of streams.

12. A wrapping machine according to claim 11, having a plurality of guiding vanes, guiding the items to the forming means less than all of the vanes extending into the channels.

13. A wrapping machine according to claim 12, wherein one or more of the vanes extends along each side of the wedge element beyond the wedge apex.

14. A wrapping machine according to claim 12, wherein a plurality of the vanes extend to different lengths into each channel.

15. A wrapping machine according to any of claims 5 to 14, wherein the organising means comprises a plurality of parallel transversely spaced guide vanes and means arranged periodically to interrupt movement of the items in file so as to separate said aligned transverse rows.

16. A wrapping machine according to claim 15, wherein the guide vanes extend upstream and downstream of said interrupting means.

17. A wrapping machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.