US1787773A - Article making and wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 6, 1931. F. L. BORCHERT 1,787,773

ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 10, 1925 ll Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan, 6, 1931. I F. L. BORCHERT 7 7 ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Original Filed Nov 10, 1923" 7 11 sheets-sheet 2 Jan. 6, 1931. F. 1.. BORCHERT ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Nov. 10

7 AMW F Jan. 6, 1931. F, L. BORCHERT 7 ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Original Filed Nov. 10, 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 13611517 f M 22 10 J3 119 124, EI'ZZQ. J15 2 Jan. 6, 1931. F. 1.. BORCHERT 1,787,773 7 ARTICLE'MAKING AND WRAPPING MYACHINIE Original FiledNov. 0, 1925 1-1 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 6, 1931. v F.VVL.'BORCHERT ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE original Filed Nov. 10 Q 1925 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jan. 6, 1931. F. L] BORCHERT I 1,

ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE I 10, 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed Nov.

Jan. 6, 1931. F. BORCHERT I 1, ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE Original Filed Nov 10, 1923 I ,11 Sheets-Sheet 8 Jan. "6, 1931. F. L. BORCHERT ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING MACHINE,

'11 Sheets- Sheet 9 Original Filed Nov. 10, 192s Original Filed Nov. 10, 1923 11 Sheets-Sheet 1O Jan. 6, 1931. F. L. 'BORCHERT 8 ARTICLE MAKING AND WRAPPING dams Original Filed Nov. 10, 19a; '11 Sheets-Sheet 11 JZo'e/LW WX, 42W

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 3 UNITED STATES rnnn L. 303mm, or noon-can, rumors-- v ARTICLE Maxine AND wmrrme 14cm] Original application filed November 10, 1993, Serial No. 873,905. Divided iand this application filed Augustii,1928. Serial No. 297,345. v v

i This is a division of my application Serial No. 673,905, filed'Nove'mber 10, 1923, now Patent No."l,687,707,; granted October 16, 1928, for confection making machine. My invention while applicable to the manufacture and wrapping of various articles, is especially designed for making and wrapping confections such as chocolate coated ars. The machine disclosed herein automatically cuts a cake or slab of ice cream into small blocks or bars for individual eatin coats the bars, and then Wraps the coated 'ars. The wrapped ice cream confections are then'ready for distribution and sale, it being customary,

however, to keep them at-a low temperature until delivered to the customer. My patent above mentioned, relatesto the manufacture of the confections, especially to the cutting and coating thereof. The cuttin mechanism per se isclaimed in m divisiona application Serial N 0. 198,617 fi ed. June 13', 1927, now

. Patent No. 1,687,708, granted October 16,

1928, and the work holding and transferring mechanism is claimed in my divisional application- Serial .No. 297,349 filed August 3, 1928. The present application relates more particularly to the combined machine for performing cutting, coating, and wrapping operations in the manufactureof various articles and commodities such as ice cream,

candy, cheese, cake, sugar, soa etc. in bar, lump and special form's. T e wrapping mechanism er se is claimedin my application Serial 0. 374,317, filed June 28, 1929, this being a division of the present application.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a machine for economically making and wrapping articles such as chocolate coated ice cream bars.

- Another'object is to provide the combined machine of the character described having mechanism for satisfactorily wrapping articles having irregular shapes or which in the course of production may vary in shape.- In this connection I have also aimed to provide mechanism for wrapping coated articles which will not crack or mar the coating in the event of irregularities in the shape or proportions of the articles.

Other objects and. attendant advantages Wlll be appreciated b those skilled in'this art as the invention be I stood b reference to the following description an considered in connection with the accompanying drawings,-in which- Figure 1 is atop view of a machine em bodying my invention;

comes better under Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the machine,

with the wrapping mechanism and some of the picker arms removed;

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlargedverticalsections Itaken substantially on the lines 3-3 and 4-4,

respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fi 5 is a horizontal section taken substant ally on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Figs.'6, 7 and 8 are vertical sections taken substantially on' the lines 6-6, 7--7 and;

8-8, respectivelyoof Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 isa top View of one of the picker arms removed;

, Fig. 10 is a side view of the picker arm; V Figs; 11, 12, and 13 are cross-sections taken on the lines 11-11, '12-12 and 13-13, re-

' spectively, of Fig. '10

- Fig. 14 is an enlarged vertical section -taken substantially on the line '14-14 of part on the line 14-14 Fig. 1, and taken in of Fig.15;

Fig. 15 is anenlarged top view of the wrapper-feeding mechanism and the wrapping mechanism shown inFig. 1; I Figs. 16, 17 and 118 are sectional view taken substantially on the lines 16-16,

17-17 and 18-18, respectively, of Fig. 15,

the vertical section of Fig. 17 being taken on .theline 17-17 of Fig. 14;-

Fig. 19 (Sheet 3) is a section taken, on the line 19-19 of Fig. 14;

Figs. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, and 25. are sections taken substantially on the lines- 20-20,

21- -21, 22 22, 2343, 24-24 and 25-25, respectively, of Fig. 14, showing in the last three figures the upper ends of the lifter bars; I 1

Figs. 26,27 and 28 are lifter bars'shown in Figs. 23', 24 and25, respectively;

Fig. 29 is a section taken substantially on top views of the V the line 3232 of Fig. 31 showing the upper end of the cam lifter bars;

Fig. 33 is an end view ofsaid wrapping unit;

Figs. 34, 35 and 36 are side views of one of the wrapping units showing the parts at different stages of the wrapping operation, as will be explained, more fully hereinafter;

Fig. 37 is a horizontal section taken sub stantially on the line 3737 of Fig. 34; Fig. 38 is a top section of one of the pairs of tucker fingers forming part of said wrapping unit; I

Fig. 39 is a section taken on the line39-39 of Fig. 38;

. Figs. 40 and 41 are top and side views, re

spectively, of one of the end folders used in said wrapping unit;

Fig. 42 is an enlarged vertical section taken.

, substantially on the line 42-42 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 43 is asection taken on the line 43-43 of Fig. 42;

Fig. 44 is an end view of the package-discharging means showing the relation of the delivery chute thereto; V

Fig. 45 is a face view, of one of the gripper plates forming part of said package-discharging means; I

Fig. 46 is a fragmentary View showing the action of one of the units of said packagedischarging means at one stage in its opera- .tion and Figs. 47 to 53 inclusive, are perspective views showing different stages in the wrapping of the bar, Fig. 53 showing the completely wrapped bar. r

While my invention in its several aspects is applicable to the manufacture and wrapping, or to the wrapping only of various commodities as mentioned above, it is in the pres- .ent instance embodied in a machine especially designed for the manufacture and wrapping of confection bars, such for example as ice cream bars. Taking this as one practical embodiment of my invention, the following description will-for'the purpose of clarity be directed to the functions of this particular machine. In this regard, it will be noted that the commodity is in the form of a small-block or bar; and it should be understood that in the use of the terms bar or block applicant contemplates any material or articles irrespective of their size or shape adapted to be handled, worked or wrapped by apparatus embodying the invention claimed herein.

Before entering into a detailed description v'hieh each bar is picked up by an impaling device referred to asa picker arm. A series of these picker arms, twelve in theprcscnt instance, are carried on a head, which will be indexed, moving the picker arms in succession from station to station. Each picker arm picks up a bar at the loading station and carries it by one or more indexing movements to a coating station. at which the bar is. lowered into a bath of chocolate and is then raised. permitting the surplus chocolate to drip off,

and that adhering, to set or harden. During succeeding indexing movements, the coating on the bar (still carried by its picker arm) will harden,-and when the bar reaches a wrap ping or discharging station it will be deliveredfrom the picker arm onto a wrapper. This wrapper has been fed from a strip or coil to'said wrapping station and cut off. The bar and'its wrapper will then be'acted upon by a Wrappingmechanism which folds in the ends of the wrapper, tucks in the corners of the side portions and thenv folds the sides over the tucked-inportions and the top of the bar, thus completely Wrapping the bar. The wrapped bar will then be discharged, as for example, into a delivery chute. The foregoing operations are all performed automatically in predetermined timed relation, a series I of bars being acted u on at all times, and a completely wrapped liar being delivered. at

eachindexing movement of the head. In

the present machine, there are three wrapping units or boxes carried ona head which 111- .dexes in timed relation with the picker arm head, but this is not essential to the invention as a single wrapping unit may be used.

Referring now to the drawings, and especially to Fig. 1, the picker arms 61 are carried in circumferentially spaced, radiating relation by a head or carrier 62, these reference numerals being generally applied.

nated by the letters A, B, and C, respectively, Fig. l. The head 62 will be indexed in step by stepmovements in a clockwise direction viewing said figure, causing the picker arms to be moved in succession from station to station, it being noted that the bars harden in the period between the stations B and C.

Referring more articularly to Sheets 1 to 5 inclusive with re erence to the construction and operation of picker arms 61 andhead. 62, it will be observed (Fig. 14) that the head has a vertical column 63 revoluble in bearings I The load-- 4 -1ng, coating and wrapping stations are desigscribed.

radial slots G Gi'n Which the pickerarms are mounted, as willlbepresently'morefully de-, Said cam casting is boltedto the; top. of the main frame designated generally by 67, which has front and back walls68-and 69, end Walls 71 and 72 anda top wall 73.

The mechanism which indexes the head 62,-

comprisesa main drive shaft 74 journaled in the frame and continuously dr ven by suitable means, suchas an electric motor75, connected) to Silld shaft through the agency of a; belt 76 and a wornrand gear 7'1 and 78' respective} ly,a secondary shaft 7 9 connected to the head by bevel gears 81 and 82'having a one to two ratio, and meansoperative between the shafts 74 and 79 for intermittently imparting a partial rotative movement to the latter. This means in'the present.instance-consists ofan eccentric 83 fixed to the shaft 74 and connected by a band 84 to a rocker arm 85 loose on the shaft .79 aratchet toothed disk -86 fixed to the shaft i9 and'having six equally spaced ratchet teeth 87 (Fig. 19), and a springpressed pawl or dog 88 carried by the rocker arm and adapted toengage said teeth. Upon each complete revolution of the main driving shaft 7 4 in acounter-clockwise direction viewing Fig. 3, the dog 88 which is in engagement with one of'the teeth 87 will bedrawn. downwardly during .the first'half revolution of the eccentric 83 untilit is carried into engagement with the face, of the next lower tooth,'and upon the-succeeding half revolution of the eccentric-83, the dogwill be moved upwardly, impartin rotative movement to the disk 86 in a clodhwise-.direction'viewing-, Fig. 19, for one-twelfth. of a revolution in a clockwise direction viewin'gFig. 1. It will thus be'noted that the secondaryshaft 7 9 and" parts connected thereto. will remain .at a. standstill during one-half-of a revolution of 89 adapted to be inserted in oneof the slots 66,

as shown in Fig. 14, with a. recess91 engaged beneath a retaining plate fixed tothetop of the head 62. Each picker arm rests intermediate its ends on one of several supports,

thereby. holding the outerendof the-picker arm, which is adapted to carry a barat the desired elevation. During the greater part of the operation the picker arms ride intermediate their ends on the top; ed e 92 of the cam casting, which edge is-shape toprovide 6icam surfaces which will be noted hereinafter ment, this means comprises a in the order of their function for controlling movements of the picker arms. f v My. invention contemplates the provision of. a novel form of pick ng. or impaling elementswhich will penetrate and carry a comparatively soft barwithout 'marring 5 it and which leave a v maximum surface of the bar exposed forcoating. 'In thepresent'embodiwire fingers or prongs 93 slida ly mounted in the outer end of the picker arm and attached to a slide95 adapted to be niovedlengthwise v on the shank for advancing andretracting the fingers or picker elements. Said wire fingers 93 are guided at theirouterends in-tubular hold had by the fingers. I It will be observed that by lowering the picker arm to a lesser degree than shown, the wire fingers will. enter the bar at spaced points, the distance between which may be varied according to the location of the stop surface 98 above mentioned, In practice, the distance between-these penetration points may be varied byraising or lowering thestop surface 98, and the extent of rojection" of the fingers may alsobe varie by v greater or lessmovement of the slide 95, thus.

accommodating the pick-erarm to barsof clifferent sizes andv consistency. It will be observed thatwire picker fingers of this kind do not to any. appreciable degree mar the bar, that practically'the entire surface of the bar is exposed for coating, and that when the fingers arewithdrawn there is only a-very small hole, or at the most two such holes, not covered by the coating material. It follows that this picker means does not appreciably mar.

the product, and in f the present case the coating material sealsthe ice .cream barexcept for the small opening or openingsleft by the wire fingers. It will also he observedthat by reason of' this construction, the, elements which hold the bar are" confined within the same. when it is. immersed in a coating mate'- rial; and only a-small portion of the picker arm comes in contact with such material, so that after the picker fingers have been with drawn they are not covered'with coating ma; terial, nor does'this materialinterfere in any way detrimentalito theop'eration'of the pick ers. The work holding and transferring pairof flexible,

"80 extensions 96 so arranged that the wires will.

the bar will be carried with itby reason of the 95 I means just described is claimed in my divisional application, Serial No, 297,349, filed e'appa'ratus creambars to theyloading station will now be described; reference being had pa'rticularlyto Figs." 3 to 8 inclusive; This apparatus per se is claimed inmy divisional application, SerialNo."198 ,617, filed June 13 1927. On the front wall 68 of'the frame is tlieieon'fo -"moving its cream-carrying portion 103'back and forth'betwen a receiving position beneath the slab of ice cream and aading st'ationz The means for reciprocating the cream bar slide will be presently de scribed. Above said bed is sup orte'd. ahopper in whiohbne or more brie sfo'rslabs'of ice cream 'ma'yfeed downwardly by gravity,

and from the bottom of which bars will be cut and de osited on said bar-receivingportion 103 0 the slide'102. This hopper'and the cutter assembly ly-by 104, detachably secured to the outer end of the bed bracket 101 by'means of a nut andbolt 105' and locating pinsa's-shown in'Fig. 4. Said bracket 104 is shaped to provide a'throat 106 overlying the bed 101; and in this throat is detachably mountedthe lower end of a hopper 107. The

hopper, adapted to be'filled with one or more bricks of cream from the top, is in'closed save for an opening 108 onone side; with a water jacket 1.09." This water jacket is forthe purpose of temperin the hopper or chute,

or in other words, or preventing the ice cream from freeiing to the "walls'or guiding i'aces in the chute, and in" this way interfering n'ith freegravityfeed of the pream brick 111. On the other hand, if the ice cream is of a. kind that does not solidify to the same degree as ordinarylcream the jacket may be packed with-,ice-so that the walls or guides in thehopperwill be kept cold and have notendency to melt the cream. 7

The cream brick in the hopper normally rests ion'a pair of cutter blades 112 supported beneath the bracket 104 andfabove the slide 102 from horizontal ledges 113 over-'reach'ng the bed 101'; "These blades, rectangular in form as shown inFig. 5, and comparatively thin asshown in Fig. 7, eachhave a cutt ng edge 114 and are adapted tobe simultaneously advanced toward ea ch other in' the plane in which they are supported so ast bring' the cutting edges together ijn'a cuttingaction'; When closed, the brick of cream 111 rests u on andvis supported by these cutting shown in Fig.

for 'c'utting' and feeding the' actiongthe lower end of the brick' will be bolted a bracket designated generally by 99, having formed at its top a flat'horizonta'l bed 101; disposed ina plane radial withrespect'to the head6 2. A cream bar slide'or carrier desig-*- natedgenerally-by 102 rests'on the bed 101' nndis adapted to be reciprocated lengthwise position which I have describedabove as the are carried on a" bracket.

scribed. 111 v of the cutter-blades, it'will be noted that theyades. QWhen the blades are retracted, the

' mama's brick feeds down by gravity and rests on the bar-receiving portion 103 of the. slide, as Upon-the next succeeding severed, thus 'leavin a-"cream bar onthe slide 102, which will be ed tofthe loadin stationby a cross portion 116. Each side portion.

115of said slide has a pair of fixed-upstanding pins 117, upon each of which is mounted a pa-i r of rollers 118 and119. The rollers 118 are" disposed in slots 121, in the ledges 113 parallel with the movement of the slide, and

therollers119 are disposed in angular slots 122'i'n'the cutter blades; Each of the pins 117 reaches above the led es 113' and has an enlarged-head 123 beneath which is located,

a -removable latch member 124. These latch members are bifurcated at their ends so asto be received under the heads-123, and a suitable flatsprlng 125 is providedonthe top of each l'atch' memberoverlying one of the heads 123 for preventing displacement of the parts.

Itwill be seen that upon removal'o'f the latch member, the cutter operating slide and the cutter blades will fall from position so that action of its roller-119 on the \vallsof the slots 122, the cutter blades to be fed to closed and opened ositions 'for the nu ose deirtherregard to the movement are held'against lengthwise displacement by the action of the rollers-126 in the slot 127, thus resisting the end thrust imposed by the action of the angular slots 122 and reducing the end thrust friction to a minimum.- It follows fronrthe foregoing that when the cutter feed, bar moves inwardlyfrom its retracted posit-ion, that is, to the right view- .ing'Fi'g. 3, the cutter blades will be closed on the brick of cream severing the lowermost end portion, which constituting the bar to.

be subsequently coated and wrapped, rests on the cre-am'slide is-above mentioned and is adapted to be carried to the loading station by movement ofsuch slide. After this cream-bar has been removed from the loadingstation by the impaling picker armas will be presently described, the cream bar slide will be retracted until its receiving portion 103"underl'ies the bricklll; and upon the return stroke of the cutter feed bar the e, the side portions 115 cutter blades will be retracted, permitting the brick to feed down by. gravityyand rest on said portion 103. It will be noted that when the creambarl slide is in its-advanced Iposition, its rear end 102' underlies the brick so as tocatch any lrippings therefrom.

Mechanism is provided for operating the cutter feed bar 129, the cream bar slide 102 and the picker finger slide 95 in coroperating relation. This mechanism, bestshown in Figs. 3, 5, (i, 7and Sisopcrated from the 139 joinedby an inclined slot portion 141.

Inthe normal or retracted position of the cam slide shown in- Fig. 3, there are three'rollers 142, 143 and 144disposed in the upper slot portion 138. The roller 142 is carried by alever 145 disposed betweensaid camslide and the inner housing member 135, said lever being pivotally mounted at 146- and connected at 147 to the cutter feed bar. .The roller 143 is carried bya'lever 148 pivoted at 149 between said cam slide and theouter housing member 136, said lever being. pivotally connected by a pin andslot 151 to the cream bar slide -10.2. The'roller 144 is carried by a lever 152 pivotally mounted at 153 on the inner end of the bed 101, this lever having a broad-operating enld 154 adapted to actuate the slide 95 ofthe picker arm located at the loading station. Q When the rocker arm 131 is swu'ng'to the right viewing Fig. 3, by the action of the eccentric 83, the cam slide 134 will be moved to the right, thereby causing the inclined cam slot, 141 to actuate the rollers142, 143 and 144 in succession. Theroller 142 will be operated toswing the lever 145 in a clockwise direction, thereby moving the cutter feed bar to the right and closing the cutter blades. Tl1e'roller 143, will next be operated by said inclined cam portion 141 to swing the lever 148 in a clockwisefdirec tion, and thereby advance the cream bar slide 102 for positioning the cut-off cream bar at the loading station. The roller 144 will then be operated by said cam portion 141 for mov' ing the lever 152 in a counter-clockwise direction for projecting the picker fingersint'o the cream bar D at the loading station as above described. It will be observed that the cutter blades will be held closed'and the cream barslide 102 stationary (by reasonof the rollers 142 and 143 moving idly in the,

slot portion 139) during projection of the picker finge'rs; and that'upon movement of the rocker arm 131 in the opposite direction, said rollers 142, 143 and 144 will be operated in inverse order for'returning the operated parts to the starting position. In this regard, the term starting position is simply used for purposeof clarity in describing. the operation, since the rocker arm 131 moves continuouslybut at a slow speed.

After the picker fingers. have entered th cream bar at theloading or receiving station A theuhead 62 .will' be indexed, movin the picker bar along the cam surface 155, Fig.2, slightly elevating the picker arm and upon the next succeeding indexing movement this picker arm will drop intov a depression-156 in the cam bracket, thus immersing the cream bar in a bath of chocolate or any. other edible coating material contained vin a. tank 157.

This tank, arcuate in shapeas shown in Fig. 1, so as to underlie the cream bars, is supported on the frame by brackets 158. A suitable heating element designated diagrammatically by dotted lines'15'9 in Fig. 2, keeps the coating material at a proper consistency. The bar will remain immersed until the'next indexing movement of the head 62, when wardlytoward thedipping en d, as noted by dotted .lines 162, Fig.2. V The coatedbars will now be carried by successive indexing of the head 62 to a position overthe wrappingstation C at which each bar is discharged into a wrapping mechanism. ,During the period betweenraising the bar from the chocolate bath to the time that it rcaches thisstation, the coatingwillharden orsetsufliciently to permit. of t e bar being wrapped. Thecombmed mechanism'for cutting and coating the bars and for discharging them is claimed in my parent application,

Serial No. 673,905, filed November 10, 1923,

Patent No. 1,687,707.

Mechanism is provided for feeding. a suit able wrapper'to said station C, so that the coated bar may be lowered onto the wrapper and then'be raised by the wrapping mechanism which will be presently described. The

wrappers are preferably fed to said station from a strip and cut'ofil'. As shown in Figs. 15 and -17, the wrapperstrip 163, taken from a roll 164 suitably supported on the frame,

passes'over a stationary support 165 and between fixed and movable gripping'elements '166 and'167 carried by a slide 168, which is adapted to berec'ip'rocated by a lever 169 for feeding'the leading end of the wrapper between fixed and stationary shear blades 171 and 172 respectively, and onto a wrapper table formed by the separated parts 173 and 174, shown in-section in Fig. 14. Said support and table parts are carried on and slide 168. W-ir'e riders 178 rest or-float on the wrap'perat each side of the opening 176 for preventing the wrapper from buckling.

These riders may be supported in any suitable manner, and at points are attached to a cross piece 179, which likewise restsor floats ion the wrapper and is retained at its ends in vertical guide slots 181 in the sidewalls otthefsupport 165. The movable gripping element'167 is fixed to a shaft 182 mounted on the slide 168, which shaft carriesa fixed crank arm 183, the pin 184 of which. is disposed in' a slot 185 n the upper endflof the lever 169 The movable gripping'element 167 isbeveled'on its lower end, providing a gripping edge 186, and has on the side oppositefrom said gripping edge a finger 187-adapted to be depressed by hand at the will of the operators for withdrawing said gripping edge from thev paper. As shown stroke, thereby feeding the.- leading end- 189 of thewrapper ontov the wrapper table 173174 and beneath the wire hold;do'wn fingers 191' above said table. Upon the back stroke .of theleve'r 169, the thrust of the lever on the pin 184 will swing the crank arm 183 in a counter-clockwise direction viewing Fig. '17, thereby likewise swinging the gr1p-,

, 'ping'element'167 and withdrawing its edge 186 from the wrapper. Thus on the back stroke, flthe'gripping elements 166 and 167 pass idly beneath and-above the wrapper. Immediately uponreversal of the stroke, the forward pressure of the lever 169 will be transmitted to the gripping element 167, swinging it in a clockwise direction so as to causeits gripping edge to press down on the wrapper and take holdof .it with a pressure which increases with the resistance of the wrapper. to move with the gripper elements. It will be observed at this point that the lever l68 by reason ofits connection through the crank arm 183 and gshaft182 with the slide 168, moves the latter in the feed f and return strokes, said arm 183 being limited in its backmovement by striking a stop 192 on the slide. These feed and return strokes are imparted to the lever 169 by a link 193 connected to the lower endof the lever and operated by a cam 194 (Figs. 17 and 22) fixed to the main drive or cam, shaft .74, thelink being suspended at one end of said shaft 74 and carrying cam follower rollers 195.

: After having been fed to the wrapper table against the top end-of a rotary cylindrical cam 202. This end of the cam has four'equal- 1y spaced depressions 203 into each of which the roller drops abruptly and will then be raised by-Ithe inclinedcam" portions 204 when the cam is rotated as will be-described hereinafter. I 1 1 Each time the roller 199 drops into a depression 203, the blade 172 will obviously be lowered in" a quick' shearing action, thereby severing the wrapper. The link 198 may be swung in a clockwise'direction about its pivot onthe'leve'n106 (viewing Fig. 16) until the pivotal connection between the blade 172 and saidlink lies above a line between the lever pivots, thereby holding the blade in an'inoperative position. The cam 202 is so timed that the'blade 172 willbe operatedin a shearing action after each wrapper has been fed 1n'F1g.;17, the lever 169 wh1ch is pivoted on i 1 the-frame at 188, has been swungm a clockwise direction to the full limit. of its feed to the wrapper table. j I,

Just after the wrapper has been cut as'described, a picker arm with a coated bar having 'been -moved into reg stration with the wrapper, will be lowered'so as to bring the bar down onto the wrapperand through the opening between 'thet able parts 173 and 17 4, thus carrying the wrapper ahead of it and into a wrapping box, or unit, which will be presently described. Inwardly projecting guides 200 at the sides ofthewra'pper table between the table parts 173 and 174 intercept the intermediate portions of the wrapper'in its down ward passage to the platen andserve to pre vent the wrapper from tipping endwise. When the bar and wrapper have been so positioned, the picker fingers will be withdrawn from the bar and the picker arm will be raised, To this end, the cylindricalwall of the cam casting is cut away as at 209 for free vertical movement of thepickcr arm. When each arm reaches this passage, it will ride onto the upper end of an upstanding .cam bar 211 which carries a roller 212 following-a cam. 213 (Fig. 20) fixed to the shaft 74. This cam is so shaped and positioned on said shaft astolower and raise each picker arm and its coated bar at theproper times. r 'lhc picker fingers 'will be withdrawn from the bar when the latter is in the lowered position by theaction of the a lever 214 (Fig. 14) the upper end-215 of which is normally in a position'beyond the outer side of the picker finger slide 95, so that when the latter is lowered into the path-of said lever'end 215, .the lever 214 indexing movement. picker arm. head 63 and the shaft205 are bya Cam 2 2 (F1gL23)'fixed'to the shaft74 fourth bar as isdone at present.

may be swung in a. counter-clockwise directionabout 'its pivot/216 as shown in Fig. 14, forwithdrawing the picker fingers. A cam 217 (Fig; '21).fixed to the slia ft-74,operates the lever 214: for withdrawing the picker fingers, and when the lever is released-by the cam, will be returned to said normal position byany suitable means, at present by gravity.

The wrapping mechanism will now'be described. In the present machine, I have provided. three wrapping units or boxes, each similar in'constrnction and operation, mounted in equally spaced relation-to index about a vertical shaft 205, which is journale-d in a.

bearing casting 206 fixed to the top wallof the by reason 'of their contact with the inner.

frame as best shownin Fig. 14. This shaft is adapted to be indexed by-rotative movementof the-shaft .79 by means of bevel gears207 and 208 having :a ratio of two to one; Inasmuchas the shaft 7 9-is given a rotative movement of one-twelfth of a revolution to each; complete revolution'of the main drive shaft 74, the .shaft 205 will be moved 120 degrees or one-third of a revolution upon 'each In other Swords, the

simultaneously indexed, the former onetwelfth of arevolution and the latteronethird, for the purpose of bringing-a wrap ping unit and a picker arm c-a-rry'ing'a coated bar into registrat on. however, is notessential' asa single wrapping This arrangement,

direetlybelow the platen between the sides 223 of each end folder and carrying screws 227, eachof which passes through a cam slot 228 in tliesh'iwcr end of the adjacent side 223. A; spring 229 interposed between the platen 218 and the part 226, best shown in Fig. 32, normally i'irges the latter to a lowermost position, so as to hold the end folders-in the retracted or open position shown in this figure. .The wrapper 189 and a coated bar are liereshowii onthe top of the platen on which they havebeen placed by the picker arm as described above, it being noted that'theends of theiwrapper have been partially folded in edges of the folding portions 225. This position" of the bar andwrapper is also shown in Fig. 48. Upon raising the part 226, the screw pins 227 will swing the end folders on theirrespective pivots, thereby swinging the upper'foldin'gportions thereof inwardly, to thepositionshown in Fig. 34, so as to fold the endsofthe wrapperdown over'the top, of the bar. Thisfolding op'eration is also shown in Fig. 49. A lifter bar 231 operated serves to lift the part'226, it being. noted,

Figs. "26 and 27, that this lifter bar-has a T-shaped head 233 for holding the part 226 level, so'as to operate bothend folders alike. The next folding operation to be." performed is to tuck in the upper corners 234 of unitm'ay be used i pla f th th h theside portions of the wrappers, this bein hereinforwrapping each bar instead of every The mechanism of each wrapping unit is assembled around a horizontal table or platen 218 formed-integrally with a platen frame 219,

' these platen frames being carriedin radial spoke-like relation by and about'a hub 221.

Inasmuch as the wrapping units arersimis lar in construction and operation, adescription of one will sufiice. Referring more particularly to Figs. 14, 17 and 31 to41 inclusive,

,it will be observed that thep'latenproper 218 has a flat top substantially the same length and width as the bar to bewrapped. Mounted upon or associated with the platen frame are devices for folding the-wrapper about the bar in the course of wrapping it, these devices being operated hycams on the shaft 74gas will be described later, when the wrapping unit-is located below the w'rapperstation G. On each end portion of the platen framc is pivotally mounted an end i'oldcr member designated gencrally by 222 shown in-dct-ailin Figsr40 and 41. 7 Each end folder has'in the present instance side l1l0lllb21's223Straddling the'plateii frame 219and pivotal'ly cons nected thereto byascrew 224. "The upper" p r v to each pair; of tuckers at the rear of their end of eaeliend folderis shaped'to provide angular folding portions'225; and means pro- 2340f the wrapper will be held fiat'against' the 'sides of the coated bar and that the side portion of thewrapper pulled in by these tuckers will crease substantially along the I lower taperededgef236 of the tuckers. Each tucker is pivotally mounted on'a' frame 238 which in turn, is pivotally' mounted concentrically'withthe-end folders 222, that is, on

the screw pivots 224 above mentioned. As-

shown'in Figs. 38 and "39, each tucker 235 has laterally turned portions 239 hinged on pintles 241, at present formed fron'i a single picce'ot wire 242, which pintles pass through I partsof the frame 238 as shown iii said fig iii-cs, andaroretained in position .thercby..

The pintles 2411aresubstantiallyradial with respect to the pivot pins 224. A contractile spring 243 interposedbetween and connected "hinged mounting, servesito normally hold the tuckers in the open position shown in F igs.

31, '32 andv33. It will be further observed stroke. This comprises a part 226 disposed that each tucker'has a curved rear end244,

' sition the .tuckers have already v enteredon the tucking operation;

The next operation is to foldthe projecting which in this open. position, is disposed at the rear of an upstanding stop 245, fixed to the platen frame, asbest shown inlfig. 32. Means is provided for swin ing thetucker frames 238 inwardly, thislleing done by screw pins 246 which engage in slots 217, said screw pins being carried-by said bars 248, as best shown in Figs. 31 and 33, jointed and held in rigidrelative relation by cross bars 249, best shown in Figs. 31 and 32.. Said side bars 248 are adapted to be lifted .by a lifter bar 251 operated by a cam .252 (Fig.25) fixed to the shaft 74, itbeing observed that thelifter bar251 has a head provided with ends 253 best shown in Figs. 28 and;3 7, which lie beneath the sidebars 248 andare adapted to raise these sidebars evenly, at the four;

corners soas to uniformly operate the tuckers at both ends of the platen. 1t will beobserved that normally the lifter. ends 253 are .with

drawnbelow the side bar 248 as shown in Fig. 32, so that the weight ofthese sidebars holds the tucker frames 23S and thetuckersin the retracted open position hereinshown. \Vhen the lifterbar 251 is raised bythe action ofthe cam252 as will-be obvious, the tucker frames 238 will be swungfinwardly about their respective pivots from the'position shown Fig. 32,-to that in Fig. 35. 'The' tuckers 235,'ho'.wever, remainopen until their ends 244 strike the stops 245, and being 'retarded'thereby cause the ,tuckers to swing inv wardly on theres pective hinges in a quick movement. In this particular instance, the

tucking'operation commences shortly after the ends of the wrapper havebeen foldedin, so that as shown inv Fig. 34, when the end folders 225 have. reached the foldingpo- I sides upw ardly in the manner shown in Fig.

51. This is done by sidefolders. 254,one be: mg positioned at each side of the platen218 and having right angular parts providing a flat top portion'and .a vertical :portiOn, the latterfof which are rigidly connected by a U-shaped piece 255, it being noted, Fig.,17,

that the vertical portions of the parts 254 and 255 are disposed between the parts 226 andv 248. This sidefolder unit normally rests on stop lugs 250projected from each 'side of the platen-frame 219,.thereby holding thetop horizontal portions or wings of this folder unit flush with thetop of the platen 218.

Upon raising thisslde folder u1-1it,.'t he pro jccting sides 237 of the wrapper which over-' lies said wings; will be raised or folded upwardly by the latterv over the tucked-in corners of the wrapper inthe manner shown in Figs. 36 and'51. The side folder is raised by a lifter bar 2 56loperated by a cam .257 fixed to the shaft 74, the lifter bar having a head 258 which engages the lower ends of the side lifter, as will be obviousf It will be noted at thispoint, however, that just after starting the side folding operation, that is, after [theslde folders 254 have been raised above the top of the platen and have started to. fold the sides of the" wrapper, the tuckers will bequickly released and retracted so as to be out ofthe way of the side foldingoperation- The end folders are, however,still held in the folding position, asshown in Fig. 51. v q p I There remains now the top folding operations for completely wrappingzthe bar. In the presentinstance, the upstanding sides 237 of thewrapper are folded down-over the topv after the wrapping unit has been indexed.

Both the end and side-folders225-and 254 are held in their respectiveifolding positions while the platenis-bein indexed the first time. To'this end, one o the side folders is equipped with a shoe 259,"(Figs. 17 and .42)

upstanding portion 263, which carries a package discharging means which will be presently described. The track 26lreaches from the point 264adjacent to the wrapping lifter bars to the point265 (Figs. and'42) at which it steps down to a level 266 and terminates. at I 267. --When the wrapping unit reaches the end of this first indexing movement which I term the second wrapping statron, the part 226 rides offthe track 261 onto thelower level 266, thereby withdrawing the end folders, this being shown in Fig. 42. The first top fold will be made at this station by a foldingmember 268 in the form of a lever pivotally mounted on a fixed pin 269 andhaying a side folding end 271 reaching the full length of the bar as shown also in .Fig. 29; The upper end 272 of this lever .is adapted. to follow the under edge ofthe cylindrical cam-202, which normally holds the .lever with its folded end 271 elevated as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 42. When a depression 273 in said cam is reached, the lever' Wlll enter it 7 under pressure of a suitable spring 274, which imparts a rapid movement to the lever in a counter-clockwise direction viewing said figure, causing it to fold one of the upstanding sides of the wrapper down over the top of the bar, as shown in Fig. 52. There are three equally spaced depressions 273 in said cam, so arranged as to actuate the top folder lever immediately after each wrapping unit is moved to the second station.

en the wrapping unit' is again indexed, the top fold lever 268 will be retracted by the cylindrical cam as will be obvious.

- and 42.

. The remaining upstanding side portion of the'wrapper willbe'folded down as shown in Fig. 53'by'a second top folder designated generally by 275, during the indexing of the unit-from the second to the third station,said top folder 275 bein best shown in Figs. 15 This fol er pivotally-suspended from a pin 276 carried by a part of the stationary support 3 263, is substantially flat from end to. end and arcuate 'in'shape as shown in dotted lines in Fig-15, its leading end 277 being turned upwardly andits opposite-end being cut away to provide'aniopening 278 for passage of thepackage discharging means, leaving" narrow portions 279, which ride over-the second top fold of the wrapper and hold it down until the wrapped bar has been picked up by said discharging means, which will be presently described.

The tendency of the longer end of the top folder 275 to drop more thana few degrees beyond the position shown in Fig.42, is limited by contact of the folder between itsleading edge 277 and the'pin 276 against the ad jacent underside of the bracket carrying said pin.- Viewing Fig. 42, it will be manifest that when the Wrapping unit indexes to the third station, the remaining upstanding side portion of the wrapper will be brought into contact with the leading edge 277 of the'second top folder 275, and will be carried under said folder and folded thereby, down over the firsttop fold. During the first part of this indexing movementthe top folding lever 268 will be retracted and the shoe 259 will ride off the track 261, thereby partially lowering the side folders 254 so-that the leading folder 254 will notinterfere with the top folder 275 on the uppermost fold of the wrapper. After the indexing unit has been vsuiliciently advanced under the top folder. 275 to insure its holding both top folds down in position, the shoe 259 will ride off the lower track 266, thereby allowing the side folders 254 to drop to their normal position and releasing the raised bar from any propelling connection other than frictional contact with the platen or the wrapping unit.

,At the time the wrapped bar isthus 'released and while it is-still riding over the top fold ends 279, it will be grasped-by a pairof gripper plates forming part of a package-dischargingmeans, which will be now described, reference being had particularly to Figs. 14, 15. 42, 44, 45 and 46. Thismeans comprises a head 2 81 equipped with three, equally spaced gripping units '(Fig. 44), the head being fixedtoa shaft 282 journaled in a bearing 283 carried by the above mentioned casting 263, and saidshaft carrying a fixed bevel gear 284 meshing with a bevelgear 285' on the upper end of the-indexing hub 221 (Fig. 14). This package-discharging device is. locatedat a point between the second and third stations to,which the wrapping units are indexed,'these stations being identified by the osition of the wrapping units as shown in ig. 15. Each gripping device on'the head 281 comprises a fixed and a movablefgripper plate286 and 287, respectively, and a helical spring-288 attached at its smaller end to the :headbetween said gripper plates. Each movable plate 287 I normally held in closed position against the head by a compression spring 289 is adapted to be positivelymoved to an overhanging s'top'295 on the outer end of the .wedge-pre'vents displacement thereof. The inclined edge 294 of each wedge is adapted to be brought into contact with a stationary earn 296, shown in Figsp42 and 46-for the purpose of forcing thewedge outwardly and swinging the gripper 287 to an open position for widening the opening between the grippers, sothat they may; receive one of the wrapped bars. Viewing Fig. 15, it will be observed-that the package-discharging head revolves in a plane intersecting the path of the wrapped bars, and that the gripper plates moving in a counter-clockwise direction viewing Fig, 44, pass between the top folder parts 279'." Said discharging' head 281 and the wrapping units are in such timed relation that during each indexing movement a wrapped package will be carried beneath said top fold portions 279 and between a pair of downwardly moving gripper plates, one of which has been opened as shown in Fig. 46, so as to clear the trailing end of the wrapped bar or package. After the package comes into registration with this gripping unit it will be brought into contact with the spring 288 thereof, which will be'slightly compressed holding the folded ends of the wrapper down. After the package passes a vertical plane intersecting the center of the head 281, the gripper plate 287 will be released by the wedge 291 riding off the cam 296, and will be moved by pressure of the spring 289 into gripping engagement with the package. This engagement of the gripper- plates 286 and 287 and of the spring 288 with the package is suflicient to holdthe package'which will beilifted from the" platen and 'car ried upwardly to the uppermost position shown in Fig. 44 upon the next succeeding indexing movementf Upon the following indexing movement, the package will be carried by the grippers into a delivery chute 297, which is cut away at 298 for clearance of the gripper plates. Viewing Figs. 15 and 44 it will be obvious that inasmuch as the ends of the package project beyond the grippers and will be carried onto the bottom wall of the chute, the

Images