MXPA97009291A - Method and apparatus for forming, filling and sealing containers continuously while joining me - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of forming, filling and continuously sealing containers with a continuous web of a fusible film material comprising the steps of: (a) providing the continuous web of the film material; weft to provide the facing sides bonded along the bottom edge; (c) seal upon placing the web on the vertical seal former having a plurality of vertical sealants and progressively forming each vertical seal as the web is moved continuously with the vertical sealant, while at the same time a sealing action is applied at a low temperature to allow the area of the film that is sealed to be progressively fused forming a series of bags arranged horizontally separated by vertical seals transversely extended from the weft leaving the sealed side edges of each bag separated mutually with the upper portions of each bag connected to adjacent bags and that each bag has opposite side walls that are not sealed along the top edge, (d) open the bags when separating the opposite side walls, (e) fill the bags, and (f) seal an upper portion of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled bags

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FORMING, FILLING AND SEALING CONTAINERS CONTINUOUSLY WHILE JOINING THEMSELVES. Technical Field The present invention relates to an improved packaging machine. More particularly, the invention pertains to an improved method and apparatus for forming, filling and sealing containers continuously while they are joined together to a continuous web of material. BACKGROUND OF THE ART The various devices of packaging machines of the prior art are known in the art. In general, packaging machines are classified into horizontal and vertical machines depending on the general direction of movement of the continuous web of material. The present invention relates to a horizontal packaging machine and is designed to operate in a continuous manner. In the manufacture and production of packaged items, the cost factors are highly related to the costs of materials. In the group of materials commonly found in film material webs, polyethylene is a heat-meltable synthetic film that has a relatively low cost compared to other film materials. However, traditional packaging methods do not work when polyethylene is used. With these principles in mind, the present machine was developed to produce polyethylene containers in a large-scale production base to be used to package products such as food powders. The machine and the method also allow the containers to be formed to have a capacity that can be expanded to receive a larger volume of filling. A number of US patents have been issued to the inventor identified above in connection with the various machines and methods of packaging machines, with the following list being only a brief representative list of some of the patents issued to serve as additional information. of the background within the field of horizontal packaging machines that operate continuously. Inventor Patent Number Issue date 3,453,799 Cloud et al. July 8, 1969 3,478,492 Cloud et al. November 18, 1969 3,505,776 Cloud April 14, 1970 3,579,898 Cloud August 10, 1971 As will be described in more detail herein below, the method and apparatus of the present invention differ from those previously proposed and employ a number of features novelties that make them highly advantageous over those of the prior art. Disclosure of the Invention The invention relates to a horizontal packaging machine and is designed to operate in a continuous manner using a continuous web of film material to form, fill and seal packages automatically. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for the manufacture of containers filled with a continuous web of material, said containers being formed, filled and sealed as they are joined together to the web of material. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for manufacturing containers filled with a polyethylene material to provide relatively inexpensive packaging costs. Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for the manufacture of filled containers having a separable horizontal seal to facilitate the opening of the filled container. Another object of the present invention is to provide a bag or cavity that can be filled to a greater degree than traditional bags or cavities, so that the bags or cavities are of bulky configuration. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a novel method and apparatus for forming vertical seals in the web of material to provide a series of pouches only partially separated by vertical seals. of mutuals before being filled only with the upper portions of each that are connected when the bags are joined during the filling operation. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a packaging machine for continuously forming filled bags with an improved and novel bag opening station employing suction applied to the opposite outer surfaces of the opposite side walls of each bag to open the bags. side walls of the bag to facilitate filling. It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for holding open bags in engagement with a filling funnel during filling. Still another object of the present invention relates to a new type of packaging machine to form continuously filled bags with a new type of clipping station, whereby the filled and sealed bags are separated from the continuous web simultaneously as the upper portion of the continuous web is cut. To achieve the foregoing and other objects, and in accordance with the purposes of the present invention, a method and apparatus for forming, filling and sealing the packages continuously with a continuous web of a fusible film material is provided. The method includes the steps of folding the continuous web to provide the facing sides bonded along the bottom edge and the seal in preparing the continuous web on the vertical seal former having a plurality of vertical sealants and progressively forming each seal vertical as the continuous web moves continuously with the vertical sealant while at the same time a low temperature sealing action is applied to allow the area of the film that is sealed to melt progressively. This process forms a series of bags arranged horizontally separated by vertical seals that extend transversely from the continuous weft leaving the lateral edges of each bag separated from the others with the upper portions of each bag in connection with the adjacent bags and each bag it has opposite side walls not sealed along the top edge. The open bags are then filled before sealing the upper portion of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled bags. The upper portions are then cut from the continuous web to simultaneously separate the filled and sealed bags from the continuous web. According to one aspect of the invention, the continuous web has a surface coated with a releaseable substance and the step of sealing the upper edges of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled pouches provided for the facing facing sides. with the removable substance to remain separable after they are sealed together. According to another aspect of the invention, the vertical seal former includes a sealing drum with a plurality of circumferentially spaced sealing wires. The sealing wires are electrically connected in series. An electric current is applied to the sealing drum to generate a first electrical path between a first group of wires and a second electrical path between a second group of sealing wires. Each sealing wire moves progressively through the first group and the second group as the sealing drum rotates. In accordance still with another aspect of the invention, the bags are opened by providing the rotation of a pair of adjacently mounted vacuum strips mutually to provide an elongated channel therebetween. Each of the vacuum strips has a plurality of separate vacuum gates that extend around an outer surface of each vacuum strip. A suction force is applied through the vacuum gates of each vacuum band when the vacuum band travels through the elongated channel. The continuous web is then directed through the elongated channel so that each successive vacuum gate is provided to open the bag as the opposing outer surfaces of the opposite side walls of each bag are separately attracted by the suction force through of the vacuum gate. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent with reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, said drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the present invention; Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmented cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the present invention; Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmented side view of a vertical sealing drum of the present invention; Figure 6 is a simplified schematic view of the electrical wiring of the vertical seal drum employed in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 is a simplified schematic view of the electrical wiring of the vertical sealing drum employed in an alternate embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of the bag opening station taken along Figure 10; Figure 9 is a perspective view of the bag opening station taken in the region of line 9-9 of Figure 2; Figure 10 is a view of the upper part of the amplified fragmented plant of the station that opens the bags; Figure 11 is a view of the upper part of the amplified fragmented plant of the horizontal sealing station taken along line 11-11 of Figure 4; Figure 12 is a view of the upper part of the amplified fragmented plant of the trimming station taken along line 12-12 of Figure 4; Figure 13 is a schematic side view of the horizontal sealing station and the trimming station; Figure 4 is a view of the upper part of the plant with a partial sectional view of the vertical sealing drum; Figure 15 is a perspective view of the package produced by the present invention having a separable seal; Figure 16 is a perspective view of a package produced by the present invention having a permanent seal; Figure 17 is a partial perspective view of the filled bags connected to the continuous web before sealing and trimming them from the upper portions of the bags; Figure 18 is a partial perspective view of the filled bags of the prior art connected to the continuous web; Figure 19 is a simplified schematic view illustrating the manner in which the rotational drive energy is transferred from a single drive motor to the individual drive components of the present invention; Figure 20 is a perspective view of a stirring assembly of the bags of the preferred embodiment; Figure 21 is a perspective view of a pair of drive blocks having paths; Figure 22 is a perspective view of a mechanical clamp in a closed position prior to coupling with the path of the drive block; Figure 23 is a perspective view of a mechanical clamp which is actuated in an open position when it engages against the path of the drive block; Figure 24 is a perspective view of a mechanical clamp when moving along the path of the drive block; Figure 25 is a perspective view of a mechanical clamp in a closed position to secure the upper portion of the bag against the funnel; and Figure 26 is a perspective view of a mechanical clamp coupled against an inclined path when the funnel is removed from an open bag. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, a packaging machine 10 is illustrated in Figure 1. The present machine 10 is a horizontal type packaging machine and is capable of producing containers 12 with a high production percentage. The packages 12 are produced from a continuous strip or web of a film material 14 or from several continuous webs of film materials as desired.

The continuous web is formed of a polyethylene film material, which provides a cheap packaging material. Additionally, the continuous frame can be previously printed. For purposes of clarification, the term polyethylene will also include any of the polyethylene type materials having similar properties and characteristics, which are known as a meltable film material. In a preferred embodiment, the continuous web to be used in this packaging is coated with a release agent, such as ZEELON 318 which is a HDPE / LDPE / EVA coextruded cast film having a caliber of 1.75 mils. However, it is understood that other types of releasable substances or films can also be used. When a releasable substance is used during the sealing process this allows the laminations of the film to be peeled off. The separation may comprise the separation of one coating in a lamination from another coating in a facing lamination. With other types of removable film, the raw material of the same film is separated so that the separation may not necessarily occur strictly between the facing layers of the release liner. So, the characteristics of the detachment action depends on the coating and the material used. As will be described later, the use of a releasable substance allows the creation of a separable or divisible seal, which is highly desirable for containers filled with powder or other materials to allow a simple opening. With reference to Figure 2, a coiled roll of the continuous weft 14 of the film material is mounted for rotation in a frame or structure 16. A suitable strip groove 18 is connected to the frame 16 to fold the weft 14 to provide the sides facing 20 joined along the lower edge 22 (Figure 1) of the web 14. In an alternate embodiment, the web 14 is coated with the release agent as described above. A strip razor 24 of the conventional type is connected to the router 18 to separate the lower edge 22 of the weft 14 to produce two separate facing sides 20 having facing surfaces of the coated substance. The facing sides 20 are then directed through a horizontal sealer 26, which is a sealant by the heat of a hot rod of the conventional type. It has been found that a temperature of approximately 74.80 ° C (160 ° F) used with the ZEELON 318 film having a caliber of 1.75 mils produces a separate removable or low temperature seal 28 sufficient to seal the facing sides of the film. along the bottom edge 22 so that the facing sides coated with the release substance can be detached separately, as illustrated in Figure 15. The use of a separate release seal 28 along the bottom edge 22 is highly advantageous when packaging products such as food powders. During the subsequent filling process, the surfaces of the weft 14 can be powdered with a thin layer of the present product which will weaken the seal at a low temperature 18. However, when packaged products such as nuts or bolts, this detachable detachable seal 28 can be applied along the upper edge 30. When a detachable detachable seal 28 is not desired, and the formed lower edge V formed originally replaces the need for the seal 28. With reference to Figure 2, a guide roller 32 directs the weft on a vertical seal former 34. The vertical seal former 34 has a seal switch or drum 36 mounted for rotation on the table 38. The seal drum 36 has a plurality of elongated circumferentially spaced vertical sealants 40 mounted on it. an outer surface of the sealing drum, as best illustrated in Figure 5. With reference to Figure 5, each vertical sealant 40 t It has a sealing wire 42 longitudinally extended and mounted on a surface of the external sealant 44 of the vertical sealant 40. Each sealing wire 42 is in snap engagement with the weft 14, which extends around the sealant drum 36. In the formation of the vertical seals 46, the sealing wires 42 are pressing against the weft 14 to progressively form the vertical seals 46 of the weft 14 which moves continuously with the vertical sealant 40 while at the same time applying the sealing action to low temperature to allow the area of the film to be sealed so that it is formed or cooked progressively. When the vertical seal is formed, the facing sides 20 of the weft 14 are fused together along the sealing wire 42, with the sealing wire fused through the weft 14, having formed a vertical seal 46 along the length of the seal. each adjacent side of the sealing wire 42. Once the vertical seals 46 have been trimmed, a series of bags arranged horizontally have been produced. The bags 48 are partially separated one from the other by the vertical seals 46 which extend transversely of the weft 14. Therefore, the side edges 50 of each bag 48 are separated from the adjoining pockets with the upper portions 52 of the bag. each bag 48 connected with the adjacent bags and having the opposite side walls 54 of each unsealed bag along the upper edge 56. As better illustrated in Figure 5, the vertical seals 46 extend from a lower edge 58 of the bag 48 towards the upper portion 52 of the bag 48 and does not extend transversely across the entire surface of the frame so that each bag 48 is still connected with the adjacent bags 48. With reference to Figure 1 and 14, the vertical seal former 34 includes a circular internal connecting wheel or ring 60 connected to the sealing drum 36 connected for rotation therewith. The internal connecting wheel 60 has a plurality of circumferentially spaced electrical contact points 62. Preferably, these points 62 are rectangularly shaped brass insert elements that are mounted along a perimeter 66 of the connecting wheel 60. A pair of separate electric carbon contact brushes 68 of conventional design are mounted on a plate 70, which is connected to the table 38. The brushes 68 are subsequently in an electrical coupling under pressure with the internal connecting wheel 60. The brushes connects to a positive terminal and a negative terminal of a power supply (not shown) to produce an electric current through the brushes 68. The contact points 62 and the sealing wires 42 are electrically connected by wires in series with a plurality of wire conductors 71 connected by conventional methods to provide a first electrical path between a first group 72 of sealing wires 42 and the contact points 62 and a second electrical path between a second group 74 of sealing wires 42 and the contact points 62. Since the brushes 68 remain in one position fixed, in operation, each sealing wire 42 will move progressively through the first group 72 and subsequently to the second group 74 as the sealant drum 36 rotates. Furthermore, since the contact points 62 are contained in segments, the electrical circuits formed through the first and second electrical paths will have pulsation effects when the brush 68 cross over one contact point 62 towards another. Since the brushes 68 are not equally spaced along the perimeter of the internal connecting wheel 60, the first electrical path is an electrical path of a smaller resistance and has an electrical current greater than the second electrical path. This is an important feature because it allows the vertical seals 46 to form slowly with increasing temperatures progressively. Through experimentation, it has been found that an electric current of approximately 35 volts works well. The first electrical path generally has an electrical current at a range of 2 to 5 amps, while the second electrical path will have an electrical current at a range of 0.5 to 1.5 amps. As previously described, the sealing wires 42 and the contact points 62 are connected by wires together. There is an equal number of contact points 62 with the sealing wires 42. Therefore, by changing the wiring configuration, it is possible to disconnect certain sealing wires 42, so that the size of the bag 48 can be adjusted. For example, Figure 7 illustrates the general concept of the wiring of each sealing wire 42 at a contact point 62, so that each sealing wire 42 along the sealing drum 36 will be activated by energy. Therefore, the width of a bag 48 will be determined by the horizontal distance between the sealing wires 42. In Figure 6, the concept of wiring is provided for the wiring of each sealing wire 42, so that the width of bag 48 may generally be double * The circuitry for achieving the electrical wiring and electrical functions previously described will be understandable to those skilled in the art of the present disclosure. Alternate methods may be used to heat the wires, if desired, in place of the preferred shape as shown and described herein. Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, after the weft 14 has been directed against the sealing drum 36, a strip coated with an elastic rubber or TEFLON 76 is guided and driven by the rollers 78, 80, 82 and 84 to move the band in a synchronized movement with the sealing drum 36, so that the band 76 will be pressed against the sealing drum 36 with the weft 14 between them to provide the support for the weft 14 during the vertical sealing process . A pressure roller 86 is mounted for rotation in the table 38 in a snap engagement against the band 76 which is against the circumferential outer surface 88 of the sealing drum 36 to assist in the separation of the vertical seals 46. With reference to Figure 9, the roller 90 directs the weft 14 from the vertical seal former 34 to the station opening the bags 92. The station opening the bags 92 includes the rotation of a pair of vacuum strips 94 extended between the front rollers 96 and the back rollers 98. Preferably, the front rollers 96 have annular channels 100 for fixed positioning of the vacuum strips 94. A plurality of gear teeth 102 are connected to the front rollers 96 within the channels 100 to engage with the holes of the gear teeth 104. contained in the vacuum band 94 to prevent it from coming off, the importance of them will become clear with the following disclosure. The facing portions 106 of the adjacent sections of the vacuum strips define an elongate channel 108. Each of the vacuum strips 94 has a plurality of equally spaced vacuum gates 110 that extend through the outer surface 113 of each band. vacuum 94. Preferably, a pair of vertically aligned vacuum gates 110 are provided in a horizontally spaced manner, as described below. With reference to Figure 3, a pair of suction channels 112 are provided. The channels extend between the front roller 96 and the rear roller 98 and are adjacent an inner surface 114 of the vacuum band 94. The channels 112 have a pair of parallel elongated slots 116. the slots 116 are in a corresponding vertical alignment with the vacuum gates 110 to allow passage of air therethrough, as best shown in Figure 3. A vacuum hose 118 has a first end 120 in a fluid air connection with each channel 112. A second end 122 of the vacuum hose is connected to the vacuum device of conventional design (not shown) to produce the suction forces. Preferably, 7.62 cm (3.0 inches) of Mercury (Hg) provides adequate pressure. Each channel 112 has a guide end portion 124 (Figure 8) extending from a first end 117 (Figure 2) of the channel 112 and extending partially around a perimeter 95 of the front roller 96 and spatially adjacent with a portion of the annular channel 100, as best illustrated in Figures 8-10. The guide end portions 124 contain the elongated slots 116, as well as a slot 126 to allow the teeth of the gear 102 to rotate without engagement with the guide end portion. In operation, the suction forces travel through the vacuum gates 110 of each vacuum band 94 when the vacuum band 94 travels through the elongated channel 108. The facing surfaces 130 of the vacuum bands 94 define a narrow channel. 132 to first direct the web 14 through it when it enters the station that opens the bags, as shown in Figure 8. In operation, each successive vacuum gate 110 is approximately in horizontal alignment with a central portion of each bag successive 48 to facilitate opening of the bag 48 as the opposite outer surfaces of the side walls 54 of each bag 48 are progressively attracted by the suction force which is applied from the vacuum gates 110. An air jet device 138 of Conventional design is provided to assist in the separation of the opposite side walls of each bag 48 by directing a stream of air to the portions 52 (Figure 5) of the bag 48 when the bag is first opened as it passes through the narrow channel 132 (Figure 8). As shown in Figure 10, while the web 14 continues through the elongate channel 108, the distance between the vacuum webs has increased to correspond to the distance at which the opposite side walls are separated. It is important to note that the horizontal separation between the vacuum gates will be less than the width of the bags to compensate for the decreased width of the bag 48, when the side walls are separated. For example, it has been found that a separation of 10.16 c (4.0 inches) is required between the vacuum gates when the width of the bags is 11.43 cm (4.5 inches). The sealed side edges 50 of each bag 48 that are separated from the adjoining bags 48 are a significant improvement over prior art, shown in Figure 18, wherein the sealed side edges 50 are connected to the adjacent bags 48. In the present invention, the bags can be filled to a greater degree allowing the bags to take on a bulging configuration or appearance as shown in FIG. Figure 17. Since the bags 48 can be filled to this point, the width between the vertical seals during the sealing process should be greater than the size of the container required by the end user because the additional film material should afford to compensate for this bulge. Referring now to Figure 3, the bag 48 shown full for illustrative purposes, but it is recognized that on line 3-3 of Figure 2 this bag 48 should be empty. To reduce the possibility of a full bag 48 which is brought freely by the suction forces by securing the frame 14 to the vacuum strips 94 due to gravity, an underlying conveyor 140 is provided to support a lower portion 142 of the filled bag. The conveyor 140 is of conventional design and is regulated for synchronized movement with the frame 14. In a preferred embodiment shown in Figure 20, the conveyor 140 is replaced with a bag stirring assembly 200. The bag stirring assembly creates a vibratory action engaging against a lower portion 202 of the bag 48 to place the product inside the lower part of the bag when the bag is filled. The placement of the product allows an effective filling of the bags 48, especially when packaging a food powder. The bag agitation assembly 200 includes a flat elongate member 204 that vibrationally engages against the bags 48. The elongate member 204 is connected to a pair of downwardly extending support arms 206, 207, which are mounted eccentrically to a cam mount 208, 209 of conventional design. The cam assembly 208, 209 is rotatably driven by a drive assembly (not shown) of conventional design. In operation, the drive assembly rotates the cam assemblies 208, 209 at a high speed rate to transfer the eccentric or reciprocal movement to the support arms 206, 207, which in turn produces the vibratory type of action that is needed to assist in placing the contents into the bags 48. As a result of providing a rotatable assembly of the bags 200 located strategically in contact with the filled bags 48, certain advantages can occur. For this purpose, when the bags 48 are agitated, the contents are caused to settle or expand on the side walls 54 of the bags to increase the volumetric capacity of each bag, as shown in Figure 17. The the bags 200 place additional stress on the forces required to support the bags 48. The additional stress may also be created when the filled bags 48 are filled with a heavier product. To compensate for this additional effort, a number of options are available. For example, a larger vacuum device having an increasing suction capacity can be used by the vacuum band 94, as previously described, to support the weight of the product during that bag placement process. Preferably, the mechanical clamps 212 are used to help support the bags 48. With reference to Figure 4, the filling station 144 is provided to fill the open bags 48. In a mode designed to package a food powder, the volumetric distribution Regulated dust is transported in an underlying conveyor 146. The speed of the conveyor can be regulated automatically in proportion to the speed of movement of the bags. An endless chain of funnels 148 of known design is mounted for rotation, so that the underlying funnel 150 will be partially inserted into each open bag 48, while the bag is directed through the elongated channel, as shown in FIG. Figure 3. Additionally, the speed of the funnel movement is regulated at the speed of the bags. The refill station 144 (Figure 4) comprises a stationary product dispenser 152 mounted on a frame 154 fixed to the table 38. The dispenser 152 includes a hopper 156 for storing and feeding a product 158 (Figure 3), such as powder. It is understood that other types of filling methods can be employed with the features of the present invention. With reference to Figures 20-26, mechanical clamps 212 are shown to prevent the bag, when refilled, from being pulled away from the funnel to ensure proper filling of the bag. Clamps 212 are pivotally mounted on both sides 214, 215 (Figure 3) of each funnel 150. Clamps 212 include a hinge assembly 213 for pivotal movement and are driven with a torsion spring 217. A leading end 216 of the clamp 212 has a clamp pad 218 for snap-fit engagement with the upper portion 220 on each side of the bag 222, 223 (Figure 3) of the bag 48 against a respective side 214, 215 of the funnel 150. Each clamp 212 has a curved arm member 224 for actuating the clamp 212 from a closed position to an open position. In operation, when each funnel 150 is inserted into the open bag 48, the arm members 224 of the clamps 212 on the respective sides 214, 215 of the funnel 150 engage against the fixed path 226 of a drive block 225 placed in each side of the funnel 150, as shown in Figures 21-25. When the funnel 150 is lowered and inserted into the bag 48, the arm members 224 push the clamp 212 to open to allow the respective upper portion 220 on each side of the bag 222, 223 to be inserted between the funnel 150 and the clamp pad 218. The path 226 slopes progressively towards down to assist in the descent of the funnel into the bag 48, as well as allowing the open clamp 212 to close. Once the funnel has been inserted into the bag, the funnel has been moved to a position where the path 226 ends, allowing the clamp to be spring-loaded for a coupling against the upper portion 220 of the bag 48. Progression is shown in Figures 22-25. Each bag 48 subsequently travels with the associated funnel 150 during the filling procedure previously described. It will be understood that when the mechanical clamps 212 are employed, once the clamps are engaged in the bag as the web 14 travels through the elongate channel 108, the suction through the vacuum band 94 need not be larger and may be larger. discontinuous from this point, for example, by not extending into the elongated slots past this point. After each bag 48 has been refilled, the respective arm members 224 of the clamps 212 on the sides 214, 215 of the funnel 150 engage against an inclined path 228 positioned on each side of the funnel, as shown in Figure 26 Before the funnel 150 is attracted out of the filled bag 48, the arm members 224 engage the upward inclined path 228 to progressively push the clamp 212 to open free of the respective upper portion 220 on each side of the bag 222, 223. Referring now to Figures 11-13, once the bags 48 have been filled, the frame 14 is directed through the horizontal sealing device 160 and a cutting or cutting device 162. The screen 14 is driven by engaging the front drive rollers 164 and engaging the rear drive rollers 166. The front drive rollers and the rear rollers that interconnect for rotation by the TEFLON strips 168 which press-fit with the opposite side walls of the bag jointly, while the weft 14 is driven between the elongated retention members 170. The retention members 170 which are operatively connected to a rack 174 have external absorbent surfaces 172 for pressing the formed horizontal seal 176, while cooling. To form a permanent seal, it has been found that a temperature of 133.65 ° C (275 ° F) works well, considering that a releasable seal can be formed alternately at this point, as previously described using a temperature of 70.40 ° C. (160 ° F). The horizontal sealing device 160 is of conventional design and employs a nichrome ribbon to form a horizontal seal 176 by sealing the upper edges of the opposite side walls of each bag 48 together to close the filled bags 48. The horizontal seal 176 it will be applied to the weft 14 to extend below a the uppermost end 178 of the vertical seal 46. This is important so that when the trimming device 162 cuts the upper portions of the weft, the guiding bags will be simultaneously separated from the weft . The trimming device 162 is also of conventional design and known to those skilled in the art. Referring now to Figure 19, a simplified schematic view illustrates the manner in which the rotational drive energy is transferred from a single drive motor 180 to the individual drive components with the illustrated rotating bands, pulleys and arrows. Drive assemblies for packaging machines are known in the art, so no additional description is needed with the schematic view which in itself is explanatory for a person skilled in the art. Figure 19 additionally corresponds to the plan view of Figure 2. In general, the simple motor 180 is mounted below the table 38, so that all the interconnected drive components will be in mutual synchronization in a mutual manner. The motor 180 rotates the arrow 181, which in turn rotates the pulleys 182, 183. The pulley 182 is connected to the pulleys 184, 185, which in turn are connected to a right-angle gearbox 192 of a conventional design, which is connected to the pulley 186 which rotates the drum 36. The pulleys 187, 188 and 189 are connected to the pulley 184 to transfer the rotational energy to rotate the web 14. The pulley 183 is connected to the pulley 190, which is used to operate the string of the funnels 148. The control elements provide the synchronization so that the elements of the drive assembly can be adjusted and regulated in a mutual relationship. This technique is known and no further discussions of these control elements are needed. Although the invention has been described with reference to some embodiments, the novel device is not intended to be limited thereto, but it is intended that its modifications be included within the broad scope and spirit of the above disclosure, and of the following claims and of the attached drawings.

Claims (26)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as above it is considered of our property that contained in the following: CLAIMS 1. A method of forming, filling and continuous sealing of containers with a continuous web of a fusible film material comprising the steps of : (a) provide the continuous plot of the film material; (b) folding the frame to provide the facing sides joined along the bottom edge; (c) sealing upon placing the strip on the vertical seal former having a plurality of vertical sealants and progressively forming each vertical seal as the web is moved continuously with the vertical sealant, while at the same time applying an action of sealed at low temperature to allow the area of the film to be sealed to be progressively fused forming a series of horizontally disposed bags separated by vertical seals transversely extending the weft leaving the sealed side edges of each bag separated with each other upper portions of each bag connected to the adjacent bags and that each bag has opposite side walls that are not sealed along the upper edge; (d) opening the bags by separating the opposite side walls; (e) fill the bags; and (f) sealing an upper portion of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled bags. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of trimming the upper portions of the web to simultaneously separate the filled and sealed pouches from the web. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of opening the bags includes the steps of applying suction to each bag to progressively attract the opposite side walls separately, and directing the air stream to the upper portions of the bags to assist in the separation of the opposite side walls of each bag. The method of claim 1, wherein the web has a surface coated with a releasable substance and the step of sealing the top edges of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled pouches provided for the facing sides coated with the release substance to remain manually removable by the consumer after they have been sealed together. The method of claim 1, wherein the sealing step when placing the weft on a vertical seal former includes the steps of rotating the sealant drum of the vertical seal former having a plurality of circumferentially spaced sealing wires connected electrically in series, and to provide an electrical current to the sealing drum to generate a first electric path between a first group of sealing wires and a second electric path between a second group of sealing wires, each sealing wire progressively moves to through the first group and the second group as the sealing drum rotates. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of releasably fastening the upper portions of each bag with a corresponding inserted funnel, when each bag travels with the associated funnel. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of supporting a lower portion of each bag, while filling the bag and providing a regulated volumetric distribution of powder. 8. A continuous forming, filling and sealing method of containers having a peelable seal comprising the steps of: (a) providing a continuous weft of a polyethylene film material having a surface coated with a peelable substance; (b) folding the weft to provide facing sides coated with a peelable substance bonded along the bottom edge; (c) separating the web along the bottom edge; (d) sealing the facing sides along the lower edge so that the facing sides coated with the releasable substance can be peeled apart; (e) forming the vertical seals in the weft to provide a series of horizontally disposed bags separated by vertical seals transversely extending the weft leaving the sealed side edges of each bag separated from each other with the upper portions of the seam. each bag connected to the adjacent bags and that each bag has opposite side walls that are not sealed along the top edge; (f) opening the bags by separating the opposite side walls; (g) filling the bags; (h) sealing the upper portion of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled bags; and (i) trimming the upper portions of the weft to simultaneously separate the filled and sealed bags from the weft. 9. A method of forming, filling and sealing containers continuously, comprising the steps of: (a) providing a continuous web of a film material; (b) folding the weft to provide the facing sides joined along a lower edge; (c) forming the vertical seals in the weft to provide a series of horizontally disposed bags separated by vertical seals transversely extending the weft leaving the sealed side edges of each bag separated from each other with the upper portions of each bags connected to the adjacent bags and having opposite side walls of each bag that is not sealed along the top edge; (b) folding the weft to provide the facing sides joined along the bottom edge, (c) forming the vertical seals in the weft to provide a series of horizontally disposed bags separated by the vertical seals transversely extending the weft leaving the wefts. sealed side edges of each bag separated from one with respect to each other with the upper portions of each bag connected to the adjacent bags and that each bag has opposite side walls that are not sealed along the upper edge; (d) rotating a pair of adjacently mounted vacuum strips mutually to provide an elongated channel therebetween, each of the vacuum strips having a plurality of equally spaced vacuum gates extending around an external surface of each vacuum band; (e) applying a suction force through the vacuum gates of each vacuum band when the vacuum band travels through the elongated channel; (f) directing the web through the elongated channel so that each successive vacuum gate is in an approximate horizontal alignment with the central portion of a successive pocket to provide the opening of the bag according to the opposite outer surfaces of the opposite side walls from each bag are progressively attracted separately by the suction force through the vacuum gate; (g) filling the bags; and (h) sealing the upper edges of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled bags. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of forming the vertical seals includes sealing upon placing the weft on the vertical seal former having a plurality of vertical sealants and progressively forming each vertical seal as the weft moves. Continuously with the vertical sealant, while at the same time a low temperature sealing action is applied to allow the area of the film being sealed to be progressively cooked. 11. A method for forming vertical seals for use in a packaging machine having a continuous web of a film material having opposite sides, comprising the sealing steps when placing the weft on the vertical seal former having a plurality of vertical sealers and progressively forming each vertical seal as the weft moves continuously with the vertical sealant, while at the same time applying a low temperature sealing action to allow the area of the film being sealed to be progressively cooked into a series of horizontally disposed bags separated by vertical seals that extend transversely of the weft, leaving the sealed side edges of each bag to be sealed. separate each other with the upper portions of each bag connected to the adjacent bags and each bag has opposite side walls that are not sealed along the upper edge. The method of claim 11, wherein the sealing step when placing the weft on the vertical seal former includes the steps of rotating the seal drum of the vertical seal former having a plurality of circumferentially spaced sealing wires connected electrically in series, and by providing an electrical current to the sealant drum to generate a first electrical path between a first group of sealing wires and a second electrical path between a second group of sealing wires, each sealing wire progressively moves to through a first group and the second group as the sealing drum rotates. The method of claim 12, wherein the first electrical path is an electrical path of a smaller resistance and has an electrical current greater than the second electrical path. The method of claim 13, wherein the electric current supplied to the sealing drum consists of approximately 35 volts, the first electric path has an electric current at a range of 2 to 5 amps and the second electric path has an electric current at an interval of 0.5 to 1.5 amps. 15. A method for opening the bags in a continuous web of a film material for use in a packaging machine, the web has bags arranged horizontally separated by vertical seals transversely extending the web and has opposite side walls of each bag that does not is sealed at an upper edge, the method comprises the steps of: (a) rotating a pair of mutually mounted vacuum strips mutually to provide an elongated channel therebetween, each of the vacuum strips extending around the outer surface of each vacuum band; (b) applying a suction force through the vacuum gates of each vacuum band when the vacuum band travels through the elongated channel; and (c) directing the web through the elongated channel - such that each successive vacuum gate is in an approximate horizontal alignment with the central portion of a successive pocket to provide the opening of the bag according to the opposite outer surfaces of the walls opposite sides of each bag are progressively attracted apart by the suction force through the vacuum gate. 16. A packaging apparatus, comprising: (a) elements for feeding a continuous web of a fusible film material having facing sides; (b) a vertical seal former having a sealant drum mounted for rotation, the seal drum has a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical sealants, each vertical seal having a sealing wire mounted for a snap coupling with the weft for progressively form each vertical seal as the web moves continuously with the rotating sealing drum to form a series of horizontally disposed bags separated by vertical seals, the vertical seals extend transversely of the web from a lower edge of the bag to a portion top of the bag with the upper portions of each bag connected to the adjacent bags; (c) elements for opening the bags by separating the opposite side walls of the bags; (d) items to fill the bags; and (e) elements for sealing an upper portion of the opposite side walls of each bag together to close the filled balls. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the vertical seal former includes an internal connection wheel connected to the seal drum, the internal connection wheel has a plurality of circumferentially spaced electrical contact points, a pair of contact brushes electrical components separated in a snap-in coupling with the internal connecting wheel, elements for receiving an electric current electrically connected to the brushes, and wiring elements for the electrical connection with the contact points and the sealing wires in series to provide a first electrical path between a first group of sealing wires and the contact points and a second electrical path between a second group of sealing wires and the contact points. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the wiring element is adjustable to electrically rewire the sealing drum, so that the number of sealing wires are electrically disconnected to produce the horizontally disposed bags having an increased width . 19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a pressurized roller mounted for rotation for snap engagement against the circumferential outer surface of the seal drum. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising clamp elements mounted on opposite sides of a funnel of said replenishing elements for securing the upper portions of the bag in an engagement facing the respective opposite sides of said funnel. The apparatus of claim 20 further comprising elements mounted adjacent to the filling elements for driving the clamp elements to an open position to facilitate insertion of the funnel into the open end of the bag and elements mounted adjacent to the elements of the bag. refilled to drive the clamp elements to the open position to facilitate removal of the funnel from the open end of the bag after the filling of the bags has been completed. 22. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the web has a surface coated with a release agent. 23. The vertical stamp former for use with a continuous weft of a fusible film material having facing sides, the device comprises a sealing drum mounted for rotation, the sealing drum has a plurality of circumferentially spaced vertical sealants, each vertical sealant has a sealing wire mounted for snap engagement with the weft to progressively form each vertical seal conformally the weft is continuously moved with the rotating sealant drum to provide a series of horizontally disposed bags separated by vertical seals, the vertical seals extend transversely from the weft from a lower edge of the bag to an upper portion of the bag with the upper portions of each bag connected to the adjacent bags. 24. The vertical seal former of claim 23, further comprising a web that moves in a synchronized movement with the web by a snap coupling against the seal drum with the web between them. 25. The vertical seal former of claim 24, wherein the continuous web of the fusible film material is a paper free film material formed of polyethylene. 26. A packaging apparatus for opening bags in a continuous weft of a film material, the weft has bags arranged horizontally separated by vertical seals transversely extending the weft and having the opposite side walls of each bag which is not sealed to along the upper edge, the apparatus comprises: (a) elements for rotating a pair of vacuum strips mounted rotatably adjacent one to the other to provide an elongated channel therebetween, each of the vacuum strips having a plurality of Separate vacuum gates extended around an external surface of each vacuum band; (b) elements for applying a suction force through the vacuum gates of each vacuum band when the vacuum band travels through the elongated channel; (c) elements for directing the web through an elongated channel such that each successive vacuum gate is in an approximate horizontal alignment with a central portion of a successive pocket to provide the opening of the bag according to the opposite external surface of the bags. Opposite side walls of each bag are progressively attracted by the suction force through the vacuum gates. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A method for the continuous forming, filling and sealing of containers with a continuous web (14) of a polyethylene film material including the steps of folding the web (14) to provide the facing sides (20) together along the lower edge (22) and of sealing when placing the weft (14) on the vertical seal former (34) having a plurality of vertical sealants (40) and progressively forming each vertical seal (46) as the weft (14) moves continuously with the vertical sealant (40), while at the same time a low temperature sealing action is applied which allows the area of the film that is sealed to be progressively fused. This process forms a series of horizontally disposed bags (48) separated by the vertical seals (46) transversely extended from the weft (14) leaving the sealed side edges (50) of each bag (48) partially separated in a mutual manner with the portions top (529) of each bag (48), remaining also connected with the adjacent bags (48) and having opposite side walls (54) of each bag (48) that is not sealed along the upper edge (56) before the A packaging apparatus 10 is also provided for forming, filling and continuously sealing containers (12), each having an expanded lower end (142) capable of receiving a greater amount of filling.