GB2184086A - Blister pack apparatus and feeder apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Foil material 20 is heated and has blisters formed at a blister forming station 29 and the blisters are then filled at a feeding station 30. The blisters are sealed at a sealing station 32 with lidding material and a blanking operation is then effected to blank off the individual packs. The blanking operation may be set for a wide variety of widths of pack without the need to change the blanking tools. This is achieved by using a two-stage banking operation. In the first stage, radiused corners of the packs are formed by punching tools 100 forming cutouts in opposite sides of the web of sealed blisters and in the second stage a straight cut between opposed cut-outs is made by transverse punch tool 106 to separate off the individual pack. In order correctly to match the straight cut with the radiused corners, an accurate indexing operation is effected by engagement of fingers 97 with lateral slots 98 formed together with the radiused corners by punch tools 99 and the lateral edge material containing the slots is blanked off by tools 107 at the final blanking operation. The feeding station comprises a pocketted cordless belt in which tablets from a hopper are retained by a plate 74 and reciprocable shutter 76 with the latter is retracted to release a predetermined number of counted tablets into the spaced blisters formed in the web 20 upon stopping of the belt (Figs. 12 and 13). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Blister pack apparatus and feeder apparatus The present invention relates to blister pack apparatus, to feeder apparatus, to methods of forming blister packs and to methods of feeding.

Blister pack machines are used extensively throughout the world by pharmaceutical companies for packaging medicaments. Such medicaments may be coated or uncoated tablets, hard or soft gelatine capsules, ampoules, vials or dragees. Such machines may also be used in the food packaging industry to form socalled blister trays for packaging fresh produce. Other branches of the packaging industry also make use of similar packages for packaging a wide variety of items.

In the pharmaceutical industry, the medicaments are encapsulated within pockets formed in thermoformable strip material which pockets are sealed by lidding material. Usually, the strip material is PVC and the lidding material is aluminium foil or plastics material. The sealing of the lidding material to the pocket containing material is usually effected by heat sealing. Following packaging of the medicaments, individual packs are blanked from the continuous strip emerging from the apparatus.

The size of each pack will depend upon the medicament size, and the number contained in each pack. As will be appreciated, the user is able to extract the medicaments, e.g. tablets, by pushing them through the aluminium foil lidding material.

Known blister pack machines are very expensive and are mainly produced in Germany and Italy. Owing to the very wide range of medicaments which must be packaged, a wide variety of size of blister packs are required.

Known machines require special setting up for each size of pack and usually approximately seven separate tools must be exchanged in each setting up operation. This causes increased capital expenditure and gives rise to considerable down time when a machine must be reset for a new pack. Since the individual packs must be severed from the continuous strip produced by the machine, and since this severing operation is to take place automatically, it will be appreciated that resetting of the machine also involves resetting of the cutting operation. This can easily give rise to problems in maintaining cutting accuracy.

It is therefore desired to provide a method of accommodating various widths of film material without the need for tool replacement at the blanking station. In view of the fact that it is normally desired to provide a blister pack having straight edges and rounded corners, the blanking tool must likewise be provided with a straight section and two spaced rounded sections. If the tool is to be adjustable, it will be necessary to provide means for adjusting the spacing between the rounded sections. This would clearly be impractical with a single tool.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided blister pack apparatus comprising: means for forming pockets in a formable film material; means for inserting items in the said pockets; means for applying lidding material to close said pockets and to form a laminated strip; and means for severing individual blister packs from said strip, said severing means comprising a first stage having means for forming lateral cut-outs in opposite sides of said strip and a second stage having means for forming a substantially straight cut to join to opposed cut-outs to separate an individual pack.

Such apparatus may be arranged to produce a pack having straight edges and rounded corners, each of said cut-outs being positioned and shaped to provide at least part of a rounded corner of at least one pack.

Preferably, each cut-out provides at least part of a rounded corner of two successive packs.

The second stage preferably has two edging means for removing opposite edge portions from said strip.

Means may be provided for adjusting the lateral spacing between said two edging means. This enables the blanking operation to accommodate varying widths of strip without the need to replace the blanking tool.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing blister packs in which: pockets are formed in a formable material; items are inserted into said pockets; lidding material is applied to close said pockets and to form a laminated strip; and individual blister packs are severed from said strip, the severing operation comprising a first stage in which lateral cutouts are formed in opposite side edges of the strip and a second stage in which a substantially straight cut is provided to join two opposed cut-outs to separate an individual pack.

It will be appreciated that in view of the fact that the blanking operation is divided into two stages, it is very important accurately to adjust the apparatus to ensure that the substantially straight cut is made exactly tangentially to rounded portions of the cut-out, where the cut-out has such rounded portions.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided blister pack apparatus comprising: means for forming pockets in a formable film material; means for inserting items into said pockets; means for applying lidding material to seal said pockets and to form a laminated strip; means for providing apertures or slots on at least one edge of said strip; and means for engaging said apertures or slots and for performing indexing movement for location and indexing of said strip.

Preferably, said means for providing is arranged to provide apertures or slots on each edge of said strip.

Preferably, said means for providing is arranged to produce a series of apertures for slots at regular intervals.

The engaging means preferably comprises at least one finger member arranged to engage in an aperture or slot.

Two finger members are preferably provided for simultaneous engagement with two spaced apertures or slots in at least one strip edge.

Most preferably, two finger members are provided for simultaneous engagement with two spaced apertures or slots on each edge of said strip.

Said inserting means preferably comprises means for collecting said items from a supply station, means for transporting the items to a discharge station, and means for discharging said items into respective pockets at said discharge station.

In the above, reference is made to means for inserting items into the pockets. One method of achieving this is to employ a tablet feeder. Tablet feeders are used extensively throughout the world by pharmaceutical companies engaged in the manufacturing and packaging of tablets. Such feeders are often used in conjunction with blister pack machines.

Tablet feeders however are fairly expensive because they have to be adapted to suit the characteristics of various medicaments. Some tablets, because they are sugar coated, slide very easily when fed into their packaging from vibratory hoppers or vertical or angled guide shoots arranged in rows. In such a method, the tablets are collected into the pockets of the preformed blister web as it passes beneath. on the other hand, other tablets are uncoated and are therefore more difficult to feed owing to their surface roughness. With such tablets, efficient loading can only be achieved by hand or various brushing methods. In such methods, it is often unavoidable that additional weight is applied to the pockets as the tablet is pushed or brushed into position. This may cause stretching of the production web.

An object of the invention is to provide feeding apparatus which can cater for a large range of medicaments in tablet form or the like whilst avoiding applying excessive load to the web material.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided feeder apparatus comprising means for collecting items from a supply station, means for transporting the items to a discharge station, and means for discharging said items at a plurality of spaced locations at a discharge station.

Said transporting means preferably comprises an endless belt, said collecting means preferably comprises pockets in said belt, and said discharge means preferably comprises a releaseable shutter means.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing blister packs in which pockets are formed in a formable film material, items are inserted into said pockets, lidding material is applied to seal said pockets and to form a laminated strip, apertures or slots are provided on at least one edge of the strip, and the apertues or slots are engaged by means performing indexing movement so that the strip is located and indexed.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of feeding items from a supply station to a discharge station in which the items are discharged at a plurality of spaced locations at said discharge station.

The said formable film material is preferably thermoformable.

The lidding material may be aluminium foil or plastics foil.

The formable film material may be PVC, PVC plus PVDC, PVC plus PE, PVC plus ACLAR, polystyrene, HIPS, or a laminate of the above.

The lidding material is preferably applied by heat sealing.

The items may be coated or uncoated tablets, hard or soft gelatine capsules, ampoules, vials, dragees, or the like.

The pockets may have a depth of 12 or 14mm.

The pockets may be formed by a suction mechanism which may or may not be plug assisted.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure la shows a first blister pack which may be formed by means of apparatus according to the invention; Figure ib shows a further form of blister pack which may be formed by apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2a shows a further form of package which may be formed by means of apparatus according to the invention; Figure 2b shows a further form of package which may be formed by apparatus according to the invention; Figure 3 shows a diagrammatic side elevational view of blister pack apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 shows a perspective view of a material supply station of the apparatus according to Fig. 3; ; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a gripping station of the apparatus according to Fig. 3; Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a heater station of apparatus according to Fig.

3; Figure 7 shows a perspective view of a pocket forming station for use in the apparatus according to Fig. 3; Figure 8 shows a scrap view of film material having pockets formed therein; Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a cooling station and apparatus for tool exchange; Figure 10 shows a perspective view of the lower section of a tablet inserting station of the apparatus according to Fig. 3; Figure 11 shows a perspective view of the upper part of the tablet inserting station of Fig. 10; Figure 12 shows a side elevational view of a feeder arrangement for use at the inserting station of Figs. 10 and 11; Figure 13 shows an end elevational view of the feeder arrangement of Fig. 12; Figure 14 shows a perspective view of a lidding station for use in the apparatus according to Fig. 3;; Figure 15 shows a perspective view of an indexing station for use in the apparatus according to Fig. 3; Figure 16 shows a perspective view of the indexing and cutting operation of the foil as carried out in the apparatus according to Fig.

3; Figure 17 shows a diagrammatic view of a carton forming operation; Figure 18 shows an indexing drum for use in conjunction with the indexing station; and Figure 19 shows a feed station for lidding material.

Figures la and 1b illustrate finished blister pack products consisting of PVC material 20, having blisters 21 containing tablets 22 and closed by a heat sealed aluminium backing foil 23 having radius corners 24. Thus, the tablets are encapsulated.

Figs. 2a and 2b show other packaging types suitable for example for cheeses, jam, butter and sauces. The range of applications is extensive and such packages are applicable to many other products even outside the food packaging industry.

Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatic view of a blister pack machine having a plurality of processing stations which will be described in outline in the following.

Described simply, thermoformable film material 20 is taken from a supply reel 201 and is heated at a heating station 28 before pockets are formed at a pocket forming station 29. The material is then cooled at a cooling station 56 and passes to an inserting station where tablets are fed by a device 30 into the individual pockets. The foil then passes to a sealing station where an aluminium lidding material, supplied from a reel 41, is heat sealed to the foil to seal the tablets in the pockets.

The thus laminated strip is then advanced to a cutting station 34 where individual packs are severed from the strip.

It will be apparent that not all these operations can readily be effected while the strip is moving continuously. Therefore, the film material is moved intermittently through the apparatus in an indexed movement. This enables the pockets to be formed in groups and enables the individual packs to be severed in synchronism with the indexing movement. The manner in which the indexed movement is achieved will be described in more detail hereinafter.

In the first part of its travel, the material 20 advances between a pair of feed rollers 36 and 37, passes over a dancing roller 38, and over some guide fingers 39 before reaching stationery grippers 40. Beneath the path of the material through the machine, pairs of reciprocating beams 26 and 27 are provided whose motion may be adjusted by an adjustable indexing drum 27a. Attached to beams 26 are three pairs of grippers 25a, 25b and 25c. The opening and closing of the grippers is controlled by cam mechanisms.

By means of the reciprocating action of the beams 26 and the gripping action of the three pairs of grippers, the film material is intermittently advanced, thus indexed, through the first set of stations of the apparatus. The first of these stations is the heating station 28.

The material is heated at this station to place it in a plastic condition suitable for thermoforming which is carried out in a deep drawing operation at a station 29 to form the pockets.

After cooling at the cooling station 56, the tablets or other medicaments are inserted into the individual pockets.

Indexing motion following the lidding station 32 is achieved differently. First the laminated material reaches a slot punching index station 33 where slots and cut-outs are punched in each edge of the laminated strip. Finger members are then inserted into the slots and used to advance the laminated strip a precisely determined distance towards the blanking station 34 where the individual packs are severed from the strip.

Reference will now be made to Fig. 4 which shows the material supply station in more detail. The PVC material 20 is taken from a supply reel 201 and is then passed between the two take off rollers 36 and 37. The upper roller 37 is spring loaded onto the lower roller 36 which acts as the drive roller. The material then feeds around the dancing roller 38. Two proximity switches 42 control drive of the looped material, through a reduction geared motion, by drive roller 36. This control action operates such that when the dancing roller 38 is moved upwards, by action of the machine indexing motion pulling the material 20 through the machine, and reaches the upper proximity switch 42, drive roller 36 takes more material 20 from the reel 201 until the roller 38 reaches the lower proximity switch 42 when the drive stops.

In order to load a new reel 201, which is rather heavy, a support bracket 43 may be swung away from its central position by a handle 44 and the bracket may then be lowered in the manner of a jack by turning a hand wheel 45 which is coupled to a jacking shaft 47 via a pair of bevelled gears 46. A new reel 201 may then be rolled to the machine, positioned facing forward as shown at 48, and may then be engaged with the bracket 43. The turning location arbour is placed inside the core of the roll and then the bracket 43 is lifted up by the jacking shaft 47 so that a steadying roller 49 rests on a cam plate 50.

The reel may then be pushed towards the centre of the machine until a drop location pin registers with the bracket 43.

Fig. 5 shows how the guide fingers 39 may be adjusted for guiding different widths of web base material 20. The spacing of the stationary grippers 40 is also adjustable. It will be appreciated that the upper jaw of each gripper 40 rises and falls to ungrip or grip the material in each cycle whilst the opposite action takes place in respect of the indexing grippers 25a.

Coming now to Fig. 6, the material 20 is indexed through the heating station 28 having a pair of heated platten plates the upper one of which is hinged to permit cleaning. The gap between the plates when in the closed position is adjustable by means of a set screw 28a. Each plate is provided with a suitable electrical heating cartridge or plate heaters 51.

Referring now to Fig. 7, the pocket forming operation is shown in more detail. The blister forming station 29 comprises a lower plate 52, which is water cooled, and carries a forming plate 53. This plate 53 may be exchanged to permit formation of different pocket sizes.

An upper plate 54 may be lowered to clamp the material 20 between the upper and lower plates. Suction may be applied to the lower plate in order to form the pocket by suction action. In addition, if desired, plugs 55 may be provided to assist formation of the pockets. Following formation of a set of pockets, the material 20 is indexed forward.

Fig. 8 shows a scrap section of material having formed pockets.

Referring now to Fig. 9, the cooling station 56 is illustrated in more detail. An upper water cooled plate 56a is mounted for pivotable motion between a closed position in which it is in contact with the web material 20 and an open position which allows ready access for a tool loading arrangement for loading a new tool 57a into the pocket forming station 29.

As illustrated, the tool 57a is bolted to a rotatable bracket 58 which may be rotated about a shaft 60 by a handle lever 59. When the jig carrying the tool 57a is swung to the illustrated position, it may then be pushed forward on the shaft 60 so that the tool enters the loading area of the pocket forming station 29 and may then be bolted into position. Securing bolt 61 are then removed from the tool and the jig arrangement is swung back out of the path of the material 20. The cooling plate 56 may then be swung back onto its stop for cooling operation.

As the material 20 passes through the cooling station 56 and then advances to the tablet loading station 30, the web material 20 with the formed pockets must be supported adequately to avoid damaging the pockets and to ensure that the material does not sag. This is achieved by means of a special adjustable platform 31 illustrated in more detail in Fig.

10.

The support surface for the web material 20 is formed by a plurality of blades 62 which are sufficiently thin to engage the web material 20 between a pair of adjacent pockets.

For any particular pattern of-pockets, the blades 62 may be set into an appropriate support position and clamped by means of a clamping screw 69.

The setting operation is carried out as follows. First a chain 64 is actuated to turn a sprocket 65 which thus turns a jacking screw 66 to lift up support blocks 67 to clear a group of setting blades 63. Although not illustrated, there is a similar jacking arrangement provided at each of the four corners of the platform. Clamping blocks 68 may then be released by loosening the clamping screw 69 thus allowing the protruding upper blades of the platform to drop onto their support blocks 67, there being one such support block 67 at each end of the platform. The setting blade block 70 may then be removed and the blades 63 unclamped by release of screw 71.

The setting blades may then be set into the correct position and the screw 71 re-tightened. The setting block 70 is then returned to its operational mounted position. Upon returning the platform unit to its lowered position by operating the jacking arrangement 64, 65, 66 and 67, the blades 62, which extend the whole length of the platform, meet the setting blade 63 and are thus pushed up to the desired setting distance. Them may then be clamped by blocks 68 and clamping screw 69.

Figs. 11 to 13 show the tablet loading station. Referring first to Fig. 11, it is diagrammatically illustrated how the tablet loading belt 73 having pockets 72 has its pockets closed by a backing plate 74 which extends, as shown clearly in Fig. 12, from an upper loading station to the lower discharge station. The belt 73 passes around an idler drum 75 and then across the top of a shutter gate 76, so that the tablets in their pockets lie on top of the shutter gate 76. Upon removal of the shutter gate, with both the endless belt 73 and the web based material 20 in a stationary position after indexing, the tablets fall into the pockets of the web based material 20 as illustrated in Fig. 12 at 77.

Referring now to Fig. 12, the automatic tablet feeder 30 is illustrated in more detail. The endless belt 73 consists of PVC strip with formed blister pockets for containing the tablets. The material for forming the belt 73 may be obtained as a strip length from the production of a blister pack machined immediately following the blister forming station. The strip is cut to an appropriate length and a butt joint formed by heat sealing or taping. The belt is positioned on two drum discs 78 and 79 whose peripheral surface is machined to accommodate the blister pockets. The belt also passes around the idler roller 75 illustrated also in Fig. 11. The belt is driven by means of the upper drum disc 78 which is linked to a variable speed reduction geared motor 80 by a drive belt 81 which passes over a timing wheel 82.The slipping of the belt 73 is prevented by engagement of the blister pockets with the machine surface of the drums 78 and 79 and the idler wheel 75. As illustrated in Fig. 12, the belt moves up an angled plane 83 forming one wall of a gravity tablet feed hopper 84 whilst supported by a guide plate 85.

Tablets 72 are collected by the belt pockets and are held into their pockets on their downward journey by the retaining plate 74 until they reach the shutter gate 76. A photo cell 86 is provided in order to permit setting of operation for any desired number of rows of tablets. Upon counting a predetermined number of rows, e.g. from 1 to 6, a signal may be generated to stop operation of the drive motor 80.

Thus, the operation sequence is as follows: switch on of the motor 80, drive of the belt for a predetermined number of rows, switch off of the motor 80, activation of a solenoid air valve (not shown) to operate an air cylinder 87 which, via a lever 88, activates the shutter gate 76 which is fixed to lateral trunnions 89 as illustrated in Fig. 13. Thus the tablets drop into the pockets of the web material 20.

When the air cylinder 87 has completed its stroke, a reed switch on the cylinder signals the motor 80 to continue rotation and also signais the solonoid air valve to cause the shutter gate 76 to return to its closing position to allow the cycle to repeat.

As illustrated in Fig. 12, the feed hopper contains three separate pockets for containing tablets to ensure that each pocket of the belt is filied with a tablet.

Reference will now be made to Fig. 14 which illustrates the sealing station 32 in more detail. Web material 23, now loaded with tablets, is indexed into the sealing station 32 in synchronism with feed of the lidding foil 90 from a supply drum 81 of lidding material which passes around an idler roller before the base material and lidding foil advance together to the sealing station. At the sealing station itself, there is provided a lower water cooled plate 91 and an upper heated platten 94 having a knurled surface for forming a good adhesive joint between the base material and the lidding material. The lower plate 91 is supported by a plate 92 mounted for reciprocating action in order to clamp the material firmly against the heated platten 94. As illustrated, the platten 94 has a replaceable tool portion 94a on which the knurling is provided.The tool portion 94a is provided with a dove tail shape for ready replacement and thus the sealing station may be set for all pitch sizes.

Reference will now be made to Fig. 15 which illustrates the punching and blanking station. It will be recalled from Fig. 1a and 1b that it is desired to form a blister pack having straight sides and rounded radius corners 24.

In order to achieve this, in principle a blanking tool must be provided which has a long central straight portion and curved portions at the ends. However, such a blanking tool does not permit its length to be aitered to provide adjustment for blister packs of differing widths.

This problem is solved by means of the illustrated blanking station by dividing the blanking operation into two stages. In a first stage, the radius corner portions are formed and in a second operation the blister pack is separated by a long straight cut. In order that the straight cut is exactly aligned with the radius corners, in order to avoid creating a stepped configuration, it is clearly essential that the movement of the web material is indexed extremely accurately in the blanking station. This is achieved by cutting lateral slots in the web material which are engaged by finger members during the blanking operations.

Referring now to Fig. 15, two punch tools 99 and 100 are illustrated on the left hand side of the web material. In fact, of course, such punching tools will be provided on each side of the web material. The punching tool 99 is provided to produce a lateral slot in the edge material of the web which will eventually be waste material. The second blanking tool 100 is shaped to create the radius corner portions of the individual packs. As illustrated, it is arranged to create two radius portions simultaneously on adjoining packs. Simultaneously of course two radius portions are formed on the opposite edge of the web material. Additionally a finger member 97 engages into the slot formed by the blanking tool 99 in the preceding blanking operation.

Thus, by means of tools 99 and 100 and fingers 97, the web material is advanced to the next blanking station at which an elongate blade 106 descends to blank off the individual packs. Owing to the engagement of the fingers 97 and tools 99 in the lateral slots, it is possible to set the machine sufficiently accurately that the elongate cut formed by tool 106 is aligned precisely with the radius corner portions produced by the blanking tool 100.

Adjustment of the axial position of each finger 97 is provided by mounting the finger on an elongate rack 102 whose axial position may be adjusted by loosening or tightening a set screw 105. Reciprocating motion of the finger 97 is achieved by rotation of a pinion 103 which meshes with the rack 102 on each side of the web material. Vertical motion of the fingers 97 to engage in the slots is achieved by a lower cam arrangement which is not illustrated in detail.

It will be appreciated that the punch tools 99 and 100 cooperate with a punch guide block 96 on each side of the web material. In addition, a clamping plate 100 is provided to clamp the edge of the web material before the punch tools 99 and 100 make their stroke.

During the indexing movement, the punch tools 99 and 100 are engaged with the web material and thus, with the addition of the fingers 97, the web material is supported at four points in the lateral slots 98.

Thus, the slotting, cut out and indexing operation occurs as follows. The punch guide blocks 96 are lifted up on each side to a position supporting the edges of the web material. This action also lifts the pair of fingers 97 which register in the forward pair of rectangluar slots 98. Downward movement is now imparted to the upper punch tools 99 and 100 on each side so that the pressure plate 101 clamps the edge of the material as the punches continue their stroke to form the lateral cut outs and slots. Immediately following this, the machine index movement takes place with the punches 99 and 100 still in engagement with the web material so that, in conjunction with the fingers 97, four-point accurate location is achieved for presentation of the material to the blanking station.After completion of the indexing movement, the punches 99 and 100 and the pressure plate 101 are lifted clear and the punch die blocks 96 and locating fingers 97 drop down so that the unit can return to repeat the sequence of operations for the next cycle.

Fig. 15 also illustrates the blanking station 34. The web material having received its lateral cut outs and slots is advanced to the blanking head at which pressure plates, not illustrated, bear down on the top of the web to hold it firmly in position whilst the punch tool 106 descends to blank off the individual pack and lateral punch tools 107 blank off the edge material. The position of the lateral punch plates 107 is adjustable by rotation of a shaft 108 which has left hand and right hand lead screws to move both lateral plates 107 simultaneously to set for different widths of pack. Fig. 16 illustrates more clearly what happens to the web material during the blanking operation. The tool 106 blanks out a long narrow rectangular strip which merges precisely with the radius corners previously produced by the tool 100.Simultaneously, the edge portions 110 are removed by the lateral punch tools 107.

After emerging from the blanking stations 34, the finished pack slides down tilted rails (not illustrated) and is presented to a cartoning station 35. Prepunched and printed cartoning material 111 is loaded from a rising pack platform onto a continuously moving conveyor 112. During this operation, the top face of the packaging material is provided with an adhesive coating by means of an overhead glueing roller which is not illustrated. The finished pack from the blanking station gradually drops down on the inclined rails above its carton until the blisters of the finished pack enter the holes of the carton 113 and the assembly then passes beneath a pressure roller 114 which squeezes the glued carton face to the finished pack face. Several folding operations then occur in sequence to complete the carton.A first turnover fold is made as at 115, a second fold at 116, a third fold at 117, a fourth fold at 118, a fifth fold at 119 and at 120 the carton is rotated by 90 and a flap tucked in to complete the product.

Returning to Fig. 3 for a moment, it will be recalled that the indexing motion is synchronised by reciprocating beams 26 and 27 which run the length of the machine. The axial position of the beams is set by means of an indexing device 27a illustrated in more detail in Fig. 18. The indexing device comprises a drum 122 having a scale to set for differing index requirements. The drum is rotated by 180 backwards and forwards during each cycle. This imparts a linear movement to a connecting rod 123 which is coupled to a lever 124 which is coupled via a shaft to a further lever 125 connected by a link 126 to a cross beam 121. Beam 121 is coupled directly to the reciprocating beams 26 and 27.It will be apparent that setting of the position of the connecting rod 23 against the scale on the drum 122 will adjust the axial position of the reciprocating beams 26 and 27.

Finally, reference will now be made to Fig.

19 which illustrates the feed arrangement for the lidding material. As already mentioned, the material is fed from a supply roll 41 and is drawn off from this reel to pass over a guide roller 129, beneath a dancing roller 130, over a third guide roller 131 and subsequent guide rollers 132 and 133. The loop of material created by the dancing roller 130 is controlled by means of proximity switches in a similar manner to that illustrated in Fig. 4. Drive in this case however comes from the central shaft 134 of the reel 41. Shaft 134 is mounted on a plate 135 which is mounted for swinging away from the centre of the machine towards the outside to simplify reloading with lidding material.

Claims (26)

1. Blister pack apparatus comprising: means for forming pockets in a formable film material; means for inserting items into said pockets; means for applying lidding material to seal said pockets and to form a laminated strip; means for providing apertures or slots on at least one edge of said strip; and means for engaging said apertures or slots and for performing indexing movement for location and indexing of said strip.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said providing means is arranged to provide apertures or slots on each edge of said strip.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said means for providing is arranged to produce a series of apertures or slots at reg'ular intervals.

4. Apparatus according to any one of the precding claims wherein said engaging means comprises at least one finger member arranged to engage in an aperture or slot.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein two finger members are provided for simultaneous engagement with two spaced apertures or slots in at least one strip edge.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 when dependent on claim 2 wherein two finger members are provided for simultaneous engagement with two spaced apertures or slots on each edge of said strip.

7. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said inserting means comprises means for collecting said items from a supply station, means for transporting the items to a discharge station; and means for discharging said items into respective pockets at said discharge station.

8. A method of manufacturing blister packs in which pockets are formed in a film material, items are inserted into said pockets, lidding material is applied to close each said pocket and to form a laminated strip, apertures or slots are provided on at least one edge of the strip, and the apertures or slots are engaged by means performing indexing movement so that the strip is located and indexed.

9. Feeder apparatus comprising means for collecting items from a supply station, means for transporting the item to a discharge station and means for discharging said items at a plurality of spaced locations at a discharge station.

10. Apparatus according to claim 7 or 9 wherein said transporting means comprises an endless belt, said collecting means comprises pockets in said belt, and said discharge means comprises a releasable shutter means.

11. A method of feeding items from a supply station to a discharge station in which the items are discharged at a plurality of spaced locations at said discharge station.

12. Blister pack apparatus comprising: means for forming pockets in a formable film material; means for inserting items into said pockets; means for applying lidding material to close said pockets and to form a laminated strip; and means for severing individual blister packs from said strip, said severing means comprises a first stage having means for forming lateral cut-outs in opposite sides of said strip and a second stage having means for forming a substantially straight cut to join two opposed cut-outs to separate an individual pack.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 arranged to produce a pack having straight edges and rounded corners, wherein each of said cut-outs is positioned and shaped to provide at least part of a rounded corner of at least one pack.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein each cut-out provides at least part of a rounded corner of two successive packs.

15. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 14 wherein said second s.dge has two edging means for removing opposite edge portions from said strip.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein means is provided for adjusting the lateral spacing between said two edging means.

17. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 15 wherein said first stage has means for providing apertures or slots in at least one edge of said strip, and means for engaging in said apertures or slots to index movement of said strip.

18. Apparatus according to any one of claims 12 to 17 wherein means is provided for adjusting the lateral spacing between the means for forming cut-outs at opposite sides of the strip.

19. A method of manufacturing blister packs in which: pockets are formed in a formable material; items are inserted into said pockets, lidding material is applied to close said pockets and to form a laminated strip; and individual blister packs are severed from said strip, the severing operation comprising a first stage in which lateral cut-outs are formed in opposite side edges of the strip and a second stage in which a substantially straight cut is provided to join two opposed cut-outs to separate an individual pack.

20. Support table apparatus comprising a plurality of plate members in face-to-face abutment and releasable clamping means for clamping the plate members in a set relative position, whereby edges of said plate members provide a support surface of adjustable contour.

21. Support table apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

22. Blister pack apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

23. Feeder apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference to Fig. 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings.

24. A method of manufacturing blister packs according to claim 8 or 19 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

25. A method of feeding items substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

26. Any features of the blister pack apparatus or method novel singly or in novel combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.