JPH0454890Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is directed to wrapping objects to be packaged, particularly foodstuffs and other products in trays or other containers, using stretchable plastic films such as polyvinylidene chloride. This article relates to a packaging machine that uses Tsuchifilm for packaging.

[Prior Art] Generally, as a packaging machine, for example, by pushing up an object to be packaged supplied to a pedestal toward a stretch film supplied to a packaging section and stretched,
The article to be packaged is pressed against the stretch film, the film is held in a tensioned state, and the stretch film is folded under the article by the folding member to wrap the article, and then the wrapped article is carried out. something is known. The film folding device uses a folding tool to fold the stretch film into the underside of the packaged object, and includes a rear folding body that can be moved back and forth according to the method of supplying the stretch film, and a rear folding body that can be opened and closed in the width direction of the film. Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 1983-1987 has a mechanism for folding the film in the front-rear direction and width direction using provided left and right folding bodies.
It is disclosed in Publication No. 160230.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] In the above-mentioned conventional technology, the left and right folding bodies are pivotally attached to the support plate installed between the left and right rails so as to be rotatable in the left-right direction, and the folding body extends forward from this pivoting portion and extends from the support plate installed between the left and right rails. A guide groove is provided along the longitudinal direction, and guide pins attached to both left and right positions of the rear folding body are slidably connected to the guide groove, and the rear folding body is connected to the left and right rails. By sliding along the left and right folding bodies, the rear folding body slides toward the packaged object via the guide groove and the guide pin. It sneaks in between things in a V-shape,
Next, in conjunction with the forward folding operation of the rear folding body, the left and right folding bodies, which are still unfolded in a figure-of-eight shape, narrowly close inside to move the stretch film from the left and right sides of the packaged object to the cradle and the packaged object. It slips into the space by folding in a V-shape.

By the way, the above-mentioned film folding operation by the left and right folding bodies is performed under tension of the film, so when the left and right folding bodies narrowly close, the stretching force of the film is applied to the left and right folding bodies as a load, causing the left and right folding bodies to tighten at the shaft attachment part. Stress acts so that it is centered and tilts downward. As the left and right film folding operations are repeated while receiving such a load, the left and right folding bodies gradually change from a horizontal state to a downwardly inclined state centering on the shaft attachment part, and the front and back movement plane of the rear folding body and the left and right folding bodies become different from each other. The problem is that the clearance between the opening and closing movement plane increases, and as a result, the stretch film gets caught between the left and right folding bodies and the rear folding body during the film folding operation, making it impossible to perform the normal film folding operation. It was hot. In addition, trays with various types of bottoms have a problem in that the bottom of the tray gets caught in the clearance area and collapses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a packaging machine in which the left and right folding bodies are tilted downward during repeated film folding operations to adjust the clearance formed between the left and right folding bodies and the rear folding body.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention includes a film supply device that supplies stretch film to a packaging section position, a pedestal lifting device in which a pedestal is provided to be movable up and down below the packaging section position,
A packaged article supplying device that supplies the packaged articles onto the pedestal, a rear foldable body that is movable back and forth along the supply direction of the stretch film, and a rear foldable body that is arranged so that the width of the film is overlapped with the lower surface of the rear foldable body. a film folding device that folds the rear side and the widthwise side of the stretch film under the packaged object supplied to the packaging unit position by the rising of the pedestal, using a left and right folding body that can be opened and closed in the direction; The main body frame is provided with a carry-out device for carrying out the packaged object in which the film is folded, the base end portions of the left and right folding bodies are pivotally attached to the main body frame side, guide grooves are formed in the left and right folding bodies, and the rear folding body is A guide member provided on the body is slidably connected to the guide groove, the left and right folding bodies are provided to be rotatable in conjunction with the rear folding body, and the height of the base end portions of the left and right folding bodies is adjusted, This packaging machine is provided with a clearance adjustment device that adjusts the distance between the front and back movement plane of the rear folding body and the opening/closing movement plane of the left and right folding bodies.

[Example] FIGS. 5 and 6 show an overview of the overall configuration of the packaging machine.
A packaged article supplying device A is provided with a conveyor 4 for transporting the packaged articles 3 to the lower part of the packaging section 2, which is approximately the middle portion of the packaging section 2.

At the supply side end of the conveyor 4, a pedestal 5 is disposed on which the objects 3 to be packaged are fed and placed by the conveyor 4, and this pedestal 5 is connected to a lift 6 which is moved up and down by a drive section as appropriate. , and forms a pedestal lifting device B that stretches and holds the stretch film when the pedestal 5 is raised.

A roll body 8 in which a stretch film 7 is wound in a roll shape is rotatably held on the rear side of the main body frame 1. A pair of upper and lower endless belts 9 in the state of the film
A film feeding device C for transporting the film 7 to the position of the packaging section 2 is disposed on both sides of the upper part of the main body frame 1 in the front-rear direction. Stretch film 7 of the endless belt 9
A film cutting device D consisting of a cutter 10 for making perforations in the width direction of the stretch film 7 and film pressers 11 provided on both sides of the cutter 10 is provided at the insertion side end of the stretch film 7.

On the packaging section 2 side of the main body frame 1, there are a rear folding body 12 and a left and right folding body 13 that reciprocate back and forth along the bottom surface of the packaged object 3 pushed up by the pedestal lifting device B to separate it from the perforation. A film folding device AE is provided.

A carry-out device F is provided on the upper side of the main body frame 1 and includes a carry-out belt 14 that moves forward in contact with the upper surface of the package 3A, and a transfer body 15 on which the package 3A is placed and transferred.

Next, to explain the packaging order with reference to FIG. 7, the objects 3 such as trays containing products are transported from the front side of the main body frame 1 by the conveyor 4 of the object supplying device A as shown in FIGS. 7A to C. Packaging section 2 approximately in the middle
It is transferred to the lower part of the holder 5 and placed on the pedestal 5. At the same time as this packaged object 3 is transferred, the film feeding device C
The stretch film 7 pulled out from the roll body 8 is delivered to the packaging section 2 from the rear side of the main body frame 1.
The film is transported to the desired position while being sandwiched between a pair of upper and lower endless belts 9, and during the transport, perforations 16 are formed by the cutter 10 of the film cutting device D, and in this way, the film shown in FIGS. The series of stretch films 7 having perforations 16 formed therein are further transported to the packaging section 2.

In this manner, as shown in FIG. As shown in Figures D to F, the pedestal 5 is raised by the lift 6 of the pedestal elevating device B, pushes up the stretch film 7 supplied to the packaging section 2 from below, stretches it, and then folds it into the rear folding body 12 and the left and right folds. The body 13 is slid along the bottom surface of the pushed-up object 3 and separated from the perforation 16, and the edge of the stretch film 7 is folded in to form a package 3A. Figure 7G,
As shown in H, the paper is carried out to the front side of the main body frame 1 by the carrying out belt 14 and the transport body 15.

More specifically, in the packaging material supply device A, a tray 18 on which foodstuffs and other products 17 are placed
The packaged object 3 is transferred from the front side of the main body frame 1 toward the middle side of the main body frame 1, and while the tray 18 is placed on the fixed plate 19, as shown in FIGS. It is transferred by the L-shaped projecting plate 20 and pushed out onto the pedestal 5. The projecting plate 20 is attached to a pair of endless chains 4a of a conveyor 4 connected by a chain 22 to a motor 21 with a brake that moves at a preset speed so as to supply the objects 3 to be packaged. The projecting plate 20 is fixedly attached and moves along a guide groove 24 formed in the fixed plate 19. The fixed plate 19 is provided with a switch 2 for detecting the supply of the tray 18.
5 and a switch 25a for transferring the tray 18 onto the pedestal 5 in two steps.
8 is not supplied, it is stopped, and when it is supplied, it is transferred to the top of the pedestal 5 in two steps.

In the film supply device C, FIGS. 5 and 6
As shown in the figure, the stretch film 7 pulled out from the roll body 8 which is rotatably held on the rear side of the main body frame 1 is guided to the upper side of the main body frame 1 by two guide rollers 27 and 28, and is guided to the upper side of the main body frame 1. The film is guided between a pair of upper and lower film feeding rubber rollers 29 and 30 which are rotatably installed on the film feeder 1. Rubber rollers 29, 30 for feeding the film
On the front side of the main body frame 1, a pair of upper and lower conveyor 4 drive and film feeding rubber rollers 31, 32 are installed at the same height as the film feeding rubber rollers 29, 30 at a distance from each other. A pair of upper and lower rollers 33 and 34 for the conveyor 4 are rotatably supported on both sides of the section. A pair of upper and lower endless belt conveyors 35 and 36 are spanned between the belt guide portions on both sides of the rubber rollers 31 and 32 and the rollers 33 and 34, respectively. A plurality of shafts 37 for pressing the upper belt conveyor 35 from above are supported on the side surface of the main body frame 1, and a film feeding traveling portion 3 of a pair of upper and lower endless belt conveyors 35, 36 is supported.
Upper and lower rollers 38 for guiding the rollers 5a and 36a are pivotally supported on the side surface of the main body frame 1. A motor 39 with a clutch brake is provided at the bottom of the main body frame 1, and is used to count the sine waveform of a pulse generator (not shown) attached to the rear of the motor and determine the film feed length using a clutch. A timing belt 45 includes a driving gear 40, gears 41 and 42 provided coaxially with the rubber rollers 29 and 30 for driving the conveyor 4 and gears 43 and 44 provided coaxially with the rubber rollers 31 and 32 for driving the conveyor 4 and the film feeding rubber rollers 29 and 30, respectively. The timing belt 45 connects the outer gears 41, 43 on the upper side and the gears 42, 42 on the lower side.
44 and the drive gear 40 in sequence. Therefore, the motor 39 rotates intermittently at the film feed length pitch set in advance by adjusting the pulse generator.
9 rotates the timing belt 45 and gear 4.
The film feeding rubber rollers 29, 30 and the conveyor 4 are driven through the film feeding rubber rollers 1, 42, 43, and 44, and the film feeding rubber rollers 31, 32 are rotated and the conveyor 4 is driven. Therefore, the series of stretch films 7 pulled out from the roll body 8 are guided by the guide rollers 27 and 28 in a continuous state and are sequentially sent between the upper and lower pair of rubber rollers 29 and 30 and between the rubber rollers 31 and 32. Both ends of the stretch film 7 are sandwiched between film feeding running portions 35a and 36a of a pair of upper and lower endless belt conveyors 35 and 36, and are intermittently conveyed.

In the pedestal lifting device B, as shown in FIG. 5, a pedestal 5 is disposed below the packaging section 2 of the main body frame 1, and a guide rod 46 vertically disposed on the pedestal 5 is fixed to the main body frame 1 side. The drive shaft of the motor 48 and the pedestal 5 are connected via a crank 49. Driven by the motor 48, the cradle 5 moves up and down while being guided by the guide rod 46 via the crank 49. When the article 3 to be packaged is supplied and placed on the pedestal 5 and the pedestal 5 is pushed up by the drive of the motor 48, the stretch film 7 supplied to the packaging section 2 is tensed and expanded. The pedestal 5 is formed by a plurality of substantially L-shaped mounting members 50 arranged on the left and right, each mounting member 50
are pivotably supported on the receiver 51 so as to be rotatable toward the center, and are always kept in a vertical state by the urging of a spring (not shown) to form a placement area for the packaged object 3. ing.

In the film folding device E, FIGS. 5 and 6
As shown in the figure, an aperture lever 13A is attached to the lower surface side of the fixed plate 52 installed on the main body frame 1 on the rear side of the packaging section 2.
The proximal ends of a pair of left and right folding bodies 13 having a pair of left and right folding bodies 13 at the tips thereof are supported by pivots 51 so as to be rotatable in the horizontal direction, and rails 54 are provided in the front-rear direction on both sides of the main body frame 1 of the packaging section 2, and the rails 54 54 are each provided with a moving body 55, and this moving body 5
5, both ends of the rear folding body 12 are fixed to the left and right folding bodies 13, and a guide groove 56 whose base side is curved inward in the length direction is formed in the left and right folding body 13.
6, the guide roller 57 provided on the rear folding body 12 engages, and as the rear folding body 12 operates, the rear folding body 12 and the left and right folding bodies 13 move forward and close in synchronization with each other, as shown in FIG. They are formed so as to perform a so-called three-way folding action on the packaged item 3 on the pedestal 5, as indicated by A, B, and C, in which the rear and both sides are interlocked with each other.

That is, while the rear folding body 12 moves forward toward the object to be packaged 3, the stretch film 7 is moved toward the object to be packaged while the tip of the stretch film 7 is retained between a receiving rod 61 and a fixing plate 62, which will be described later. 3 from the rear side between the pedestal 5 and the object to be packaged 3 while folding in a V-shape. Furthermore, in conjunction with the forward folding operation of the rear folding body 12, the left and right folding bodies 13, which are still unfolded in a figure-eight shape, narrowly close inward to receive the stretch film 7 from the left and right sides of the packaged object 3. 5 and the object to be packaged 3 while being folded in a V-shape. Similarly to the folding finger section, the front end of the stretch film 7 is clamped and fixed between the holder 61 and the fixing plate 62, and the stretch film 7 is stretched inward while hooking both ends of the front edge thereof. action is taken.

More specifically, a torque motor 58 is provided below the main body frame 1 as shown in FIG. 5, and the moving body 55 is connected to the drive shaft of the torque motor 58 via a crank 60. 3 placed thereon is pressed against the stretch film 7 supplied to the packaging section 2, the rear folding body 12 is guided to the movable body 55 and the rail 54 via the crank 60 by the drive of the torque motor 58. being moved forward. As the rear folding body 12 moves, the stretch film 7 is removed from the perforation 16.
are separated, and the left and right folding bodies 13 are guided by the guide grooves 56 and guide rollers 57 to the pivot shaft 53.
The stretch film 7 rotates toward the center and slides along the bottom surface of the object to be packaged 3 that is pushed up.
The edges are folded in from three sides to form a package 3a. In this case, a plurality of mounting members 5 forming a pedestal 5
0 allows the folding bodies 12 and 13 to move because they are pressed by the left and right folding bodies 13 and rotate toward the center as shown in FIG. 8C.

As shown in FIG. 5, on the front end side of the film feeding running sections 35a and 36a, a support rod 16 is installed on the main body frame 1 at a position slightly above the stretch film 7. At a lower position of the stretch film 7, there is a fixing plate 62 to which rubber or the like is attached for clamping and fixing the tip side of the stretch film 7.
The fixing plate 62 is fixed to a pivot shaft 63 rotatably installed on the main body frame 1, one end of a link 64 is fixed to the pivot shaft 63, and the other end of the link 64 is connected to the drive shaft of a torque motor 65. They are connected via a link 66, an engagement groove 67, and an engagement roller 68 provided in the. Therefore, when the link 64 is rotated by the drive of the torque motor 65, the pivot shaft 63 is rotated via the engagement roller 68 and the engagement groove 67, and thereby the fixed plate 62 fixed to the pivot shaft 63 is rotated. Receive the tip side of the stretch film 7 with the rod 6
Fasten it to 1.

In the unloading device F, as shown in FIG. The wrapped package 3A is transferred onto a transfer body 15 having a built-in heat sealer 69, and during this transfer, the front end of the film 7 is folded under the tray 18, and then transferred onto the transfer body 15.
After being sealed, it is sent out by the transfer belt 70.

Then, when the tray 18 carrying the products 17 is fed manually or automatically onto the fixing plate 19 as shown in FIG. 7A, the switch 15 is turned on.
As a result, the conveyor 4 is actuated, and the projecting plate 20 fixed to the endless chain 4A of the conveyor 4 pushes the tray 18, and the tray 18 is moved as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C.
8 is transferred toward the lower position of the packaging section 2 while sliding it on the fixing plate 19. At the same time as the conveyor 4 is activated, the film feed rubber roller 2 is fed at a preset feed amount by adjusting the pulse generator.
9, 30 and the conveyor 4 are operated, and the stretch film 7 pulled out from the roll body 8 is fed one step. Here, the film feeding rubber roller 2
As shown in FIG. 7B, the cutter 10 cuts into the stretch film 7 stretched between the rubber rollers 31 and 32 for driving the conveyor 4 and for feeding the film, thereby forming perforations 16. Next, the rubber rollers 29, 30 and the conveyor 4 are operated to transport the series of stretch films 7 with perforations 16 formed therein by one more step, thereby supplying the stretch films 7 to the packaging section 2 as shown in FIG. 7C. do.
In this case, the stretch film 7 is
An endless belt conveyor 3 sandwiched between rubber rollers 9 and 30 and rubber rollers 31 and 32 and having a pair of upper and lower edges on both sides thereof.
5, 36 film feeding running sections 35a, 36a
is fed to the packaging section 2 position while being sandwiched between the
Both ends of the film feeding running sections 35a, 36a are pressed by a plurality of upper and lower rollers 38 that guide them in a meandering state.

The object to be packaged 3 is placed on the pedestal 5 in this way, and at the same time the fixing plate 62 is moved to the pivot 6 as shown in FIG. 7D.
3, the front end of the stretch film 7 is clamped and fixed between the support rod 61 and the lift 6 operates, and the support 5 is guided by the guide rod 46 and raised to the packaging section 2. The supplied stretch film 7 is pushed up from the bottom side as shown in FIG. 7E and FIG. The stretch film 7 is separated from the eye 16, and in conjunction with the rear folding body 12, the left and right folding bodies 13 form a mounting member 5 that forms a mounting portion for the pedestal 5.
The stretch film 7 is folded into the bottom of the tray 18 from three sides and wrapped on the rear folding body 13. The body 3a is now placed. Thereafter, the pedestal 5 is lowered and the fixing plate 62 fixing the front end of the stretch film 7 also returns to release the fixation. At the same time, as shown in FIGS. 7F and 7G, the upper side of the package 3a is transferred by the carry-out belt 14, and the lower side is transferred by the carry-out roller 71, so that the package 3a is transferred onto the carry-out belt conveyor 72. As a result, the stretch film 7 on the front side of the tray 18 is also folded into the lower surface of the tray 18, and is sealed by the heat of the heat sealer 69 on the delivery belt conveyor 70, and is delivered by the delivery belt 70. Then folded body 1
2 and 13 return.

The film folding device E of the packaging machine thus constructed is provided with a clearance adjustment device G for adjusting the clearance between the front-rear movement plane of the rear folding body 12 and the opening/closing plane of the left and right folding bodies 13. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, this clearance adjustment device G has a rectangular flange 7 in which a guide roller 57 fitted in a guide groove 56 is inserted from the lower surface side of the left and right folding body 13 via a resin washer 74.
A screw 77 with a step 77A at the end of the support 76 is screwed into the rear folding body 12. As a result, the guide rail 57 is connected to the lower surface of the rear folding body 12 and the resin washer 74.
It is configured to rotate around a support shaft 76 between the two. And the guide rail 57 and the support shaft 7
6 constitute a guide member 57A, and the guide member 57A provided on the left and right folding bodies 13 is slidably connected to the guide groove 56. On the other hand, the pivot shaft 53 that supports the base ends of the left and right folding bodies 13 on the lower surface of the fixed plate 52 is connected to the left and right folding bodies 13 as shown in FIGS.
A cylindrical portion 79B of a collar 79 with a resin flange 79A having a T-shaped cross section is fitted into the through hole 78 of No. 3 from the lower surface side, and a square head is inserted from the upper surface side of the through hole 78 via a resin washer 80. A pivot shaft 53, which is a screw having a portion 53A, is loosely inserted into the cylindrical portion 79B, and a first nut 81 is screwed into the insertion portion of the pivot shaft 53 toward the flange 79A side, and the threaded end of the pivot shaft 53 is fixed as described above. It is constructed by screwing into a screw hole 82 of the plate 52 and screwing a second nut 83 into the screw insertion end of the pivot 53. When adjusting the clearance, the second nut 83 is loosened, and a tool such as a spanner is engaged with the square head 53A to rotate the pivot shaft 53 in one direction. As a result, the pivot 53 relative to the fixed plate 52
is lowered, and the base end portions of the left and right folding bodies 13, which are integrated by the pivot 53, the collar 79, the washer 80, and the first nut 81, move downward as shown in FIG. 4 using the guide roller 57 as a fulcrum. . Therefore, the leading ends of the left and right folding bodies 13 move upward using the guide roller 57 as a fulcrum, and the left and right folding bodies 13 tilt upward, so that the clearance between the left and right folding bodies 13 and the front end of the rear folding body 12 can be adjusted to a small value. , then screw the second nut 83. Incidentally, when the pivot shaft 53 is rotated in the other direction, the left and right folding bodies 13 are tilted in the opposite direction, so that an appropriate clearance adjustment is possible. Therefore, as the film folding operation is repeated, the left and right folding bodies 13 gradually become downward due to the tension of the film, and the stretch film 7 is sandwiched between the left and right folding bodies 13 and the rear folding body 12. If such a clearance occurs, the clearance can be easily adjusted to a smaller value by operating the second nut 83 and rotating the pivot shaft 53. Therefore, problems such as the film 7 being caught in the clearance area or the bottom of the rectangular tray 18 can be prevented.

Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the overall structure of the packaging machine can be adapted to various types, such as the one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 56-35578 which clamps and feeds the film.

[Effects of the invention] The present invention includes a film feeding device that supplies stretch film to a packaging section position, a pedestal lifting device in which a pedestal is provided to be movable up and down below the packaging section position,
A packaged article supplying device that supplies the packaged articles onto the pedestal, a rear foldable body that is movable back and forth along the supply direction of the stretch film, and a rear foldable body that is arranged so that the width of the film is overlapped with the lower surface of the rear foldable body. a film folding device that folds the rear side and the widthwise side of the stretch film under the packaged object supplied to the packaging unit position by the rising of the pedestal, using a left and right folding body that can be opened and closed in the direction; The main body frame is provided with a carry-out device for carrying out the packaged object in which the film is folded, the base end portions of the left and right folding bodies are pivotally attached to the main body frame side, guide grooves are formed in the left and right folding bodies, and the rear folding body is A guide member provided on the body is slidably connected to the guide groove, the left and right foldable bodies are provided to be rotatable in conjunction with the rear foldable body, and the height of the base end portions of the left and right foldable bodies is adjusted. , a clearance adjustment device is provided for adjusting the distance between the front and back movement plane of the rear folding body and the opening/closing movement plane of the left and right folding bodies, and by adjusting the clearance, accurate film folding operation can be performed over a long period of time. We can provide packaging machines.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 8 show an embodiment of the present invention,
Figures 1 to 4 show the clearance adjustment device, Figure 1 is a plan view, Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line A-A in Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an enlarged line taken along line B-B in Figure 1. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line CC in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the packaging machine, FIG. 6 is a plan view of the same, and FIG. 7 is A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, Figure 8 A,
B and C are operation state diagrams in the packaged state. 2... Packaging department, 3... Item to be packaged, 12, 13...
...Folding body, 56...Guide groove, 57A...Guide member, A...Packaged object supply device, B...Passage lifting device, C...Film supply device, D...Film cutting device, E... ...Film folding device, F...Unloading device, G...Clearance adjustment device.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] a film supply device that supplies stretch film to a packaging section position; a pedestal elevating device that has a pedestal movable up and down below the packaging section position; and a packaged object that supplies the packaged item onto the pedestal. The above-mentioned cradle is equipped with a material supply device, a rear foldable body that can be moved back and forth along the stretch film supply direction, and a left and right foldable body that can be opened and closed in the width direction of the film while overlapping the lower surface of the rear foldable body. a film folding device that folds the rear side and the widthwise side of the stretch film under the packaged product supplied to the packaging unit position by the rising of the film; and a carry-out device that carries out the packaged product with the film folded therein. The main body frame is equipped with
The base end portions of the left and right folding bodies are pivotally connected to the main frame side, a guide groove is formed in the left and right folding bodies, a guide member provided on the rear folding body is slidably connected to the guide groove, and the left and right folding bodies are slidably connected to the guide groove. The folding body is provided to be rotatable in conjunction with the rear folding body, and by adjusting the height of the base end portions of the left and right folding bodies, the distance between the longitudinal movement plane of the rear folding body and the opening/closing movement plane of the left and right folding bodies is adjusted. A packaging machine characterized by being provided with a clearance adjustment device.