454,864. Wrapping-machines. MOLINS, H. B., 2, Evelyn Street, Deptford, and ISAACS, M. H., 7, Thavies Inn, both in London, [Representatives of MOLINS, W. E.] April 8, 1935, No. 10824. [Class 94 (i)] The machine is of the type in which articles to be wrapped are moved in succession into engagement with wrapping material which is being moved lengthwise, the articles and material being then moved lengthwise while the material is formed into open ended tubular form about the articles. According to the invention, means are provided to engage the articles after they have been moved into engage. ment with the material, to positively maintain the spacing. The articles 40, Fig. 5, are applied to a wrapper 30, to which a line 39 of adhesive has been applied, while moving in the direction of the arrow. The wrapper is folded into tubular formation about the article as shown in Fig. 8, the axis of the tube being in the direction of movement. The article is then moved transversely and turned through a right angle, the folds 83, 86.. 88, Fig. 11, are made at the ends and a line 102 of adhesive is applied. The flap 87 is turned down, and the extremity thereof is turned up, as shown in Fig. 13, to form a tab to facilitate inspecting. The machine is shown in plan in Fig. 1. The articles 40 are fed by an endless band 41 to a stop 42, from which point it is forwarded to a wrapper. The wrappers are severed from a band 33, Fig. 3, by knives 31, 32, and are carried by endless bands 34, 35 past an adhesive applying device 36. The blanks are carried into a horizontal path and are received by an endless conveyer 39. The bands 34, 35 and the conveyer may have rubber or like surfaces. An article 40 is fed from the stop 42 by a pusher 43 on a conveyer 44, moving in timed relationship with the speed of the blanks, and arranged to position an article on each blank as shown in Fig. 5. The conveyer 39 feeds the article and blank lengthwise between twisted endless bands 46, 47, which fold the wrapper into U- formation about the article, the article being still controlled by the pusher 43. The control continues until just before the upstanding edges of the wrapper are turned down by folders 48, 49, to cause the tubular form shown in Fig. 8. The fold is turned down slightly in advance of the other, and the seam is secured by a heating element 56. The partially wrapped articles are delivered on to a stationary plate 58, and rotary members 59, 60 grip them and move them against stops 61, 62. Projections 70, 71 on the stops partially fold the open ends of the tubular wrappers. A plunger 72, Fig. 1, moves the article transversely of the previous movement beneath a brush 76, and a pusher 77, Fig. 4 on a conveyer 78 moves the article through an arc of 90‹, during which movement it is controlled by a brush 80. The partly folded ends spring open to substantially their former shape, and are refolded by stationary folders 81, 82 to form the folds 83, Fig. 11, after which rotating folders 84, 85, form the folds 86. The triangular parts 89 of the broad flaps 87, 88 are creased by rollers 90 ... 93, Fig. 4, and the flaps are both folded upwards by folders 94, 95. A line 102 of adhesive is applied by wheels 96, 97 and folders 103 turn down the flaps 88. The unsecured portion of the flap 88 is folded up by a folder 104 and the folded up portion may be coloured to render it distinctive. The packages may be heated and stacked in any suitable manner. The wrapper blanks may be of a length equal to or shorter than the length of the article, and the end closing mechanism is not used. In a modified construction, a continuous web of wrapping material is applied in tube form to the articles and is severed between the articles to form separate partly wrapped packets, which are then closed at the ends as described above. A continuous web 33, Fig. 14, is fed from a reel 33a by an endless belt 105 past a magazine 106 from which an article is deposited on the web, which then passes to folding means 111 .. 113, adhesive applying means 114, locating devices 117, and a severing device 125. The magazine is inclined as shown in Fig. 16, and the lowermost article is supported by an inclined plate 107 above the web 33. A plunger moves at the same speed as the web to force the article from the magazine, the shape of the plate 107 turning the article into the vertical position shown. The belt 105 feeds the assembly between guides 109, 110 to slotted guides 111 .. 113 which progressively turn the web into a U-shape about the. article. A wheel 114 applies a line of adhesive and the locating device 117 arranges the articles on the web at points midway between the points at which the webs are to be severed. The device comprises a rotating disc 118, Fig. 19, carrying four pivoted spring-urged fingers 119 actuated by a stationary cam 121 to engage the rear end of each article and place it correctly. The upstanding edges of the U-shaped wrapper are now folded down by elements 123, Fig. 14 the seam being secured by a heating element 56. The tube, with the articles in spaced relation therein, passes through an aperture 127 in a ledger plate 126, Fig. 23, and is severed by a knife 123 mounted to have a transverse movement and at the same time a longitudinal movement corresponding to the feed of the tube. The knife is rotated by a pulley 136 and belt 137 connecting to a driving pulley 138 sliding on a spindle 135. The severed lengths are carried away by belts 150,. 151 for closing as described with reference to Fig. 1.