US1953195A - Bread wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

13 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ap 3, 1934. r E. 1.. SMITH ETAL BREAD WRAPPING MACHINE Filed- Feb. 11, 1932 April 3, 1934.

E. L. SMITH ET AL BREAD WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Feb. 11 1932 13 Sheets-Sheet 3 el- ATTO NEYS.

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April 1934. E. 1.. SMITH ET AL 1,953,195

' BREAD WRAPPING uAcaI'NE Filed Feb. 11, 193? 13 Sheets-Sheet l3 hill/WIMP:

ATTO EYS.

Patented Apr. 3, 1934 BREAD WRAPPING momma Elmer L. Smith, Longmeadow, and William Hoppe, Springfield, Mass, asslgnors to National Bread Wrapping Machine Company, Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application February H, iga'z, Serial No. 592,250

29 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for wrapping articles, and has particular reference to a machine for wrapping loaves of. bread in paraffin paper and for sealing the overlapping folds by heat. The object of the invention is to improve the construction and operation of prior wrapping machines in numerous particulars which will be described fully below. Among these are improvements in the means for feeding paper to' the machine, the means ior associating the article and wrapper initially, the manner of making the folds, the adjustment of the various folding and conveying devices, and the control of the amount of paper delivered at each cycle in accordance with the size of the article to be wrapped. A further object is to provide a machine which is capable of producing by simple changes two distinct types of wrap at\ the election of the user. Additional objects will'fappear from the following description and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine, looking from the side from which the articles to be wrapped are fed;

Fig. 2 is an elevation looking from the opposite side;

Fig. 3 is an end in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is aftop plan view with certain parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a central longitudinal section through the machine;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan of the article feeding-in conveyor and of the reciprocating article carrier, the latter being shown in its lowered position;

Fig. 'l and Fig. 8 are details of the plunger which moves the article-from the feeding-in conveyer to the reciprocating carrier, Fig. 8 being taken on line 8--8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail plan of the feeding-in conveyer with the parts in diiferent relations than in Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic representation, looking in the same direction as Figs. 1 and 5, of certain chains shown also on Fig. 2;

Fig. 11 is a central section through a portion of the paper feed control mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a section on line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a section through the inclined article feeding guideway;

Fig. 14 is a sectional detail, similar in some respects to a portion of Fig. 5, showing the paper feeding devices;

Figs. 15 and 16 are similar details showing the parts in different positions;

Fig. 17 is an enlarged detail plan of parts shown in Fig. 14;

Figs. 18, 19, and 20 are enlarged sections showing the action of the paper grippers;

Fig. 21 is a detail showing'the article feeler and elevation, looking from the left its associated elements, the parts being shown in the positions they occupy after the feeler has returned to its initial position after the omission of a loaf on the feeding-in conveyor;

Figs. 22, 23, and 24 are similar views showing successive stages in the article measuring oper ation;

Figs. 25 and 26 are similar views illustrating the action of the device when no loaf is present on the feeding-in conveyer;

Figs. 27 and 28 are details showing on an enlarged scale portions of the mechanism shown in Fig. 21;

Figs. 29, 30, 31 and 32 are detail views showing successive stages in the wrapping or an'ar-.

ticle FICE Fig. 33 is a detail looking from the left in Fig. 32, the end folding mechanism on one side only of the loaf being indicated;

Fig. 34 is a section on line 34-34 of Fig. 33; Fig. 35 is a detail similar to Fig. 33but showing a latter stage in the operation;

Fig. 361s a view of the wrapped article in the l Fig. 42 is a detail plan of certain mechanism 1 associated with the article feeding-in convey'er;

Figs. 43 to 47 inclusive are details corresponding generally to Figs. 33, 39, and 40, showing the operation of the machine when it is set to fold the final fold against the end of the article;

Fig. 48 is a gearing detail; f. Fgg. 49 is a detail of a modified form of paper Fig. 50 is a detail similar to Fig. 49 but showing the parts in different positions of operation;

Fig. 51 is a detail showing modified forms of the bridge plate over which the article is fed to the reciprocating carrier, and of the carrier itself; and

Figs. 52 and 53 are similar details showing the parts in different positions of operation.

Before considering the construction of the machine in detail, its general manner of operation will be considered. The loaves of bread are fed ,down an inclined chute, then crosswise by an intermittent conveyer against an adjustable stop, and finally are delivered by a plunger into a vertically reciprocating carrier. These parts are given numerals in the one hundreds. The leading end of a web of paper is grasped by one of a continuously moving series .of grippers and delivered, after having been cut to length, in front of the lowered position of the reciprocating carrier. The paper feed parts are numbered in the two hundreds. A control mechanism (numbered in the three hundreds) is provided for causing the length of the cut to be varied in accordance with the size of the article. As the reciprocating carrier ascends, it brings the partially wrapped package to a folding station where certain folders (numbered in the four hundreds) operate to turn over some of the end and bottom flaps. Finally, the article is carried horizontally through a folding channel (numbered in the five hundreds) in which the folds are completed and the flaps sealed. Operating mechanism common to these various groups are numbered below one hundred.

Article feeding-in device At one side of the main frame is a bracket (Figs. 1 and 3) supporting the outer end of a table 101 (Figs. 6 and 7) and the lower end of an inclined article slideway 102. Upon this slideway are opposed side rails 103, each mounted on a pair of brackets 104 (Fig. 13) extending through a slot in the slideway and threaded upon spaced rods 106. The rods have right and left-hand threads on their opposite ends so that upon rotation of the rods the side rails will be moved simultaneously towards or away from each other. The rods are provided with a chain and sprocket connection 107, and one of them is provided with a handwheel 108 so that they can be rotated at one time by a single operation.

The iloaves are placed upon the slideway manually, and slide down it between the spaced rails until they strike against a stop plate 109 (Figs. 1 and 6). In this position they rest upon a plurality of spaced bars 110 between which run a pair of conveyer chains 111 and 112. At the end of the conveyer adjacent the feeding-in slideway these two chains are carried respectively by sprockets 113 and 114 (Fig. 1), freely journaled in a bracket 115 (Fig. 3) supported in ways 116 and held in adjusted position by a screw and nut connection 117. The conveyer formed by these chains is indicatedgenerically at 118.

At the opposite end of the conveyer the chains are mounted on sprockets 120 and 121 (Fig. '42),

the latter being fixed to a shaft 122 and the former clamped to it by an adjusting nut123. The purpose of this adjustment will appear below. Shaft 122 is journaled in a bracket 124 slidably mounted on rods 125 fixed in the frame 60. A bevel gear 126 on the shaft meshes with a similar gear 127 also journaled in the bracket 124 and splined to a shaft 128 rotatably mounted in the frame. A rod 1291s fixed against axial movement in the frame and has screw threaded connection with the bracket 124, whereby the bracket can be moved along on the rods 125 carrying the sprockets 120 and 121 with it. By this adjustment the end point of the feeding-in conveyer can be varied in accordance with the size of the loaf being operated on.

The shaft 128 bears a pinion 130 at its end, meshing with a gear 131 (Fig.2) forming the driven member of a Geneva movement, the driver of which is indicated at 132. This driving member is in the form of a gear meshing with a gear.

' 61 which in turn meshes with a gear 62 coupled sprockets which will be referred to in connection with other mechanisms, around a guide sprocket 65, and around a drive sprocket 66 on a shaft 6'7. A gear 68 on this shaft meshes with a pinion 69 on a power shaft '70 to which an electric motor (not shown) may be connected in any desired way.

By the construction described the chains 111 and 112 are advanced simultaneously and intermittently. Chains 111 carry pushers 135 and the chains 112 carrypushers 136, the two sets' of pushers being oppositely offset so that their active ends are inalignment (see Figs. 6 and 9). By backing off the nut 123 the pushers 135 can be shifted either to an inactive position adjacent the pushers 136 (Fig. 6) or to an active position spaced from them (Fig. 9). The former position is used for unsliced bread, when it is necessary only to push the rear of the loaf; and the latter position is used for sliced bread, when it is necessary to support both ends of the loaf to prevent the slices falling apart. In either case the nut 123 is maintained in its tightened condition after the chains have once'been adjusted, so that the two chains move as a unit while the machine is in operation.

During their travel along the bars 110 under the influence of the pushers, the'loaves are guided by a fixed side rail 140 (Fig. 6) andby an adjustable rail 141. The chains make two stops after picking up the loaf, one being approximately 143 (Figs. 6, '1, and a) slldable upon a guide rod 144 and connected by-a link 145.with a rocking lever 146. This lever bears a pair of cam rolls 147 and 148, contacting respectively with cams 149 and 150 on the transverse shaft 67 previously mentioned. By this means the plunger is moved at each cycle across the path of the then stationary feeding-in chains, to carry a loaf from them into the vertically reciprocating carrier which will now be described.

In feeding sliced bread the slideway 102 is preferably not used. The side guide 109 is removed and the delivery conveyer of a bread slicing machine put in its place. For sliced bread the conveyer is adjusted as in Fig. 9, with the paddles on the two chains forming a pocket. As the chains come to rest afterpassing around the sprockets 113, 114 the pocket is opened out due to the leading paddle, which has passed the sprocket, extending straight up and the trailing paddle standing at an angle. This facilitates the introduction of the sliced loaf. As soon as theconveyer resumes its motion the pocket closes. An electric limit switch 151 (Fig. 6) may serve to stop the machine when no bread arrives at the proper time.

This elevator or carrier, indicated generically at 153, consists of a crosshead 155 vertically reciprocable in ways 156 (Figs. 3, 5, and 6). A link 157 is secured to each end of the crosshead and is pivoted to an arm 158 secured to a rockshaft 159. The ends of the links are oppositely threaded so that the elevator can be raised or lowered by loosening the usual lock nuts and turning the links. At one end of this rock shaft is a slotted arm 160 (Fig. 2) receiving a block 161 pivotally carried at one end of a lever 162 rocking upon a shaft 163. The other end of this lever is connected by a link 164 with'a crank 165 on the stroke.

, 1. 5amshaft 67. By this linkage the carrier is reciprocated from its lowered position to its elevated position with a slight dwell at each end of its Thelength of this dwell may be varied by changing the length of the crank 165. The relative duration of the dwells at the top and bottom may be varied by changing the length of the link 164.

Mounted for sidewise sliding movement on the crosshead are a pair of brackets 170 (Fig. '6) each threaded to one branch of a right and left-hand screw 171 journaled in the crosshead and having an adjusting nut 172 in its center. Each bracket bears a side tucking plate 173 adapted to receive the ends of, the loaf and to form the initial end folds in the wrapper. A pair of posts 174 (Fig. 3) are vertically mounted on the crosshead, hearing at their top a plate 175 serving as an upper bearing for one end of a threaded rod 176, the lower end of which projects through the crosshead and carries an adjusting nut 177. A bracket 178 (Fig. 5) is mounted for vertical sliding movement on the posts 174 and has threaded engagement with the rod 176 so that it can be raised and lowered by turning the nut 177. Upon this bracket a top folding plate 179 is yieldingly mounted. The several folding plates cooperate with a bottom plate 180 on the crosshead to form an adjustable folding pocket operating to make certain initial folds in the package as shown in Fig. 31 and as will be described fully below.

In front of the plate 180 when it is in its lowered position is a bridge plate 181 having a normal position as shown in Fig. 30 and an inactive position as shown in Fig. 29. When in normal position the plate forms a part of the horizontal surface comprising the table 71, the bars 110 and the plate 180. When in active position the plate is shifted out of the way to permit the passage of the paper grippers as will appear later. To permit this movement the bridge plate is carried at each end upon a bell crank 182 (Fig. 29) pivoted at 183 to the frame and connected by a link 184 with a lever 185 (Fig. 5) carrying a cam roll 186 pressed by a spring 187 against a cam 188 on a shaft 72. This shaft is driven (Fig. 10) by a pair of chains 73 passing around sprockets 74 upon it, around sprockets on a shaft 76, and around driving sprockets 77 coupled for rotation during the normal action of the machine with the sprocket 63 previously mentioned.

Mounted uponv the frame in front of the reciprocating crosshead 155 isa rod 190 (Fig. 6) upon which slide a pair of brackets 191. Each bracket is threaded upon a right and left screw 192 which preserves the brackets in horizontal position and permits them to be adjusted simul-- taneously towards and from each other by rotating the rod. Fold breakers 193 are mounted on each bracket, vserving both to guide the articles between the plates 173 and to give preliminary form to the initial end tucks.

Paper feed mechanism the paper rolls, and when swung back'will be locked in position by the lug 204. -Also carried by the bracket 203 are plates having a plurality in Figs. 17 to 20.

' device.

of slanting guideways 206 formed in them to receive the ends of slacktake-up rolls 207.- The paper web is led under the lowermost roll, and as the pull upon it by the feeding devices increases the rolls 207 will be picked up progreseasy and its subsequent drawing out accompanied by suflicient resistance to cause the roll 200 to rotate.

In the form of paper feed illustrated in detail in Figs. 11, 12, and 14-to 20 the web w first passes over a guide plate 208 and under a pivoted bar 209 or equivalent device to prevent retrograde movement. It then passes between a roll 210 and a segmental roll 211, which are not true feeding rollers but deliver only a constant short length at each rotation, between a rotatable cutter 212 and its cooperating backing roll 213, and finally between a small roll 214 and a supporting plate 215. For present purposes the paper web can be considered ashaving been left in the position shown in Fig. 14, in which it projects slightly past the plate 215.

The projecting end of the web is grasped by. one of a series of' grippers mounted upon chains 216 which move continuously during the normal operation of the machine. These chains each pass around a driving sprocket 217 on the shaft 72, an adjustable sprocket 218, and a pair of idle sprockets 219. The sprocket 218 is carried by an arm 220 adjustable by a bolt and slot connection to the frame as shown at 221 in Fig. 1. The

grippers are generically indicated at 222 and their detailed construction and operation are shown Three grippers are shown in the preferred form, spaced equally along the chains.

Each gripper is carried by a bar 223 extending between the chains and secured to them as shown in Fig. 17. To the bar is secured an angle iron 224 having its position fixed relative to the chain links, and spaced bearings for a square bar 225. A second angle iron 226 is secured to the square bar, forming the movable member of the gripper. Spring fingers 227, secured along one side of the angleand projecting slightly beyond it, serve to press the paper against the end of the relatively stationary gripper member 224, as shown in Fig. 19.

The grippers are normally held closed, or in the position of Fig. 19, by springs 228 stretched between pins 229 on the square shaft and a plate 230 secured to the stationary angle 224. In their paper gripping and releasing positions the grippers are positively opened during the continuous motion of the chains by stationarycam plates operating against a roll 231 carried on an arm 232 secured to the square shaft. For opening the gripper to receive the paper a .cam plate 238 is mounted as shown in Figs. 14, 18, and 19; for opening the gripper to releasethe sheet a cam plate 234 serves as shown in Figs. 14 and 20. In both positionsthe stationary angle 224 is guided by fixed rails 235 so that the gripper is under positive control. The cam plates are preferably secured to. the frame by slotted connections, as indicated in Fig. 18. so as to permit of slight adjustment. This adjustment is used to vary the location of the leading edge of the sheet relative to the article and, once set, is not ordinarily disturbed, the grippers opening and closing in constant timed relation to the wrapping mechanism irrespective of the operation of the loaf measuring As'will be described later, this mechanism operates by varying the timing of the knife which 'severs the wrapper sheet from the leading end of the web; the grippers grasping and releasing the paper at the same point in the cycle in all cases but drawing out more paper before the knife acts in the case of a large loaf than in the :case of a small one.

The motion of the paper feed, including the grippers, the cutting means, and the supplementary feed rollers, is primarily derived from the sprocket 77 which is under the control of the Lloaf detecting device. For the present purpose the assumption can be made that the supply of loaves is continuous, in which case the sprocket 77 is in constant rotation. The chain 73 which passes around this sprocket passes also around a sprocket '74, driving the gripper chains, and around a sprocket 75 mounted loosely upon a shaft 76. As shown in Fig. 11, this sprocket is supported on the shaft between the frame 60 .and :a collar 240, and has a hub 241 projecting through .the frame. A carrier 242 is fixed upon the gear jhub carrying a pair of planetary gears 243 travel- ;ing around an internal gear 244 which for pres- .ent purposes can be regarded as stationary. As the planetary gears are drawn around in their rorbit by the continuous rotation of sprocket 75 they are forced to rotate as shown in Fig. 12. These gears also mesh with a gear 245 secured on the shaft 76, and their rotation is imparted 1110 it. Unless some change is made in the set- =ting,of the internal gear 244-a matter which will be considered in connection with the loaf measuring device-the shaft 76 may be considered as rotating continuously at all times when sprocket 75 is rotating. The planetary gearing acts as will be described to vary' the angular timing between the shaft and the sprocket, rather than to interfere with the rotation given to the shaft.

As shown in Fig. 5, the shaft 76 bears the driving member 246 of a Geneva movement, the driven member of which is mounted on a gear 247. This gear (Fig. 48) meshes with a pinion 248 on the shaft of the segmental roll 211, the roll 211 and the overlying roll 210 being connected by gearing 249, as shown in Fig. 1. The gear 247 also meshes with a gear 250 on the :shaft of the knife backing roll 213. The shaft of the knife 212 is provided with a gear 251 meshing with the gear 250, the several ratio ibeing preferably such that the knife rotates once for each rotation of the rolls 210, 211, and the backing roll (which has two knife receiving .grooves) rotateshalf as fast.

The coaction between the grippers 222 and'the zremaining feeding and cutting mechanism will now be described, a constant loaf size being as- :sumed for the present. In Fig. 14 the rolls 210, 211, and 213 and the cutter 212 are .shown in their rest positions. The leading edge of the paper web w has been fed out in the previous cycle so that it projects slightly beyond the support 215. A gripper 222 is carried upwardly along the guide 235 as shown in Fig. 18, its roll 231 snapping off the edge of cam 233 (Fig. 19) just as the gripping member 226 comes into position overlying the end of the paper. As the gripper closes the leading end of the web is bent around the edge of the stationary gripper member, being pressed against the end of this memher by the fingers 227 and against its inner surface by the end of the angle iron 226. This gripping action extends through the entire width of the web and due to this and also to the bending over of the paper end gives a very firm hold.

It will be noted that at the time when the web is seized by the grippers the latter are moving vertically upwardly so that they have a relatively slight pulling effect on the paper. The grippers immediately begin their travel around the adjacent sprocket 219, giving to the web an acceleration from a state of rest up to a speed equal to the linear speed of the chains 216 when the gripper has reached its horizontal rim. This action of the grippers is of great importance, as the strain on the 'web in starting its motion'is greatly reduced.

Before the gripper has reached the position shown in Fig. 15 the rolls and the cutter begin to move, and in Fig. 16 the cutter has reached its operating point. Preferably, the cutter is provided with a friction pad 252 (Fig. 14) which presses the web against the backing roll 213, and the surface speed of the pad and backing roll is made slightly higher than the speed with which the web is being drawn out by the grippers. The rolls 210, 211 have surface speeds substantially equal to the speed of the grippers, andserve both to hold the paper taut during cutting and to feed out an additional length beyond the cutters. When the severing operation is completed the rolls 210, 211 have not, as shown in Fig. 16, finished their active rotation, and as they continue they draw out an additional length ofthe paper web and project it into the position of Fig. 14.

As the grippers continue with the severed wrapper sheet s a clamp .255 descends upon it so as to exert a. drag against the rear end of the sheet until the grippers release it. When this occurs the sheet remains suspended in front of the carrier, as indicated in Fig. 29. The clamp is carried on a shaft 256 which also (Fig. 2) carries an arm 257 bearing at its end a cam roll running on a suitable cam on the shaft of sprocket 63. A spring 258 draws the arm against the cam, so that a yielding pressurev of the clamp against the underlying paper supporting table 259 is secured. The clamp is released after the package is seated in the carrier, the paper being drawn out under the clamp, as shown in Figs. 30 and 31, to secure a tight wrap.

Loaf measuring device The length of each wrapper severed is automatically varied to correspond with the height of the loaf which is to receive it. In the present case the mechanism which measures the loaf also controls the paper feed so that no paper is fed if a loaf is missing from the cross-chain conveyer.

4 The loaf detector and measurer is a plate 300 (Fig. 21) mounted upon a free link 301 and a bell crank 302 positioned to give to the plate a parallel up and down motion. A roll 303 on the bell crank bears against a cam 304 secured for rotation with the constantly driven sprocket 63.

The weight of the plate keeps the roll against the cam except when the plate is held elevated by a loaf. Normally, the cam holds the plate in the elevated position of Fig. 21 in which it will clear any loaf passing under. Once during each cycle,

at a time when theintermittent pushers 136 stop 4-7 if i just as well have been considered in the position If no loaf is present the plate descends to the position of Fig. 26. i

In its loaf measuring function, which will first be considered, the plate acts toset the internal.

gear 244 through the following mechanism. Secured adjustably to the internal gear by a bolt and slot connection 305' (Fig. 21) is a gear segment 306. Meshing with this segment is a second segment 307 forming one arm of a three-part lever pivoted on a shaft 308. ,A second branch 309 of this lever bears a cam roll coacting with a cam 310 rotating constantlywiththe cam 304. A third branch 311 is joined by a link 312 with a slide 313 movable in bearings 314 on the frame, and is connected to the frame by a spring 315 so as to urge the roll against the cam. The end of the slide 313 is formed at anangle and is fitted with looking teeth 316 (Fig. 2'7) adapted to coact with similar teeth on an. abutment 31'7 mounted loaf is not present at all. s As a starting point, let

us assume that the slide 313 is held by the spring 315 against the abutment 317, retaining the vert-ical slide 318 in a. position to which it had been lowered by a previous operation. This initial position of the slide 318 may vary considerably, depending upon the size of the preceding loaf or whether that loaf was missing, but will not vary the subsequentoperatiori In Fig. 21the slide 318 is shown as lowered to the position itassumes (Fig. 26) when no loaf is present, but it could of Fig. 24 in which it is left after measuring a loaf. t

The cam roll 303 is shown in Fig. 21 as just having raised the plate 300 to its highest position. Here it rests for half a cycle, while a loaf is fed in under it and the, cam 304 turns through substantially half a revolution. When the lobe of the cam 304 passes the roll the plate is free to descend until it rests upon the top of the then i stationary loaf (Fig. 22). Cam 310 moves with the cam 304, and just after the position of Fig. 22 it comes in contact ,with the roll on the three- .armed lever actuating the slide 313, causing the slide to be drawnto the right inFig. 23 and releasing the teeth 316 from engagement with those on the vertical slide 313. This latter slide is now free to rise under, the influencesof spring 320 until it contacts with theroll 321. As the position of. roll 321 is dependent on that of the plate 300v and, therefore,on the height of the loaf a being, measured the elevation of the slide 318 is directly proportional to the height of the loaf.

The lobe of .cain310 isof comparatively small angular extent, and, thethreearmed lever is almost at once released, permitting the slide 313 to move to the left in Fig. 24 until contacts'with the abutment 317., The contacting faces of the slide 313 and the abutment 317 being formed on .amount likewise directly proportional to the size of the loaf., Referring again to Figs. 11 and 12, it will be seen that rotating the internal gear 244 will change the angular relationship between the drive sprocket '75 and the shaft 76. This is most easily seen if the sprocket is assumed to be at rest and the gear 244 is given a small rotation. With the sprocket at rest the carrier 242 and the pivots of the planetary gears 243 will be at rest also. Any rotation given to the annular gear will cause a rotation 'ofgears 243 on their pivots and a corresponding rotation of the gear 245 and the shaft '76. The rotation of shaft 76 relative to the sprocket of course occurs whenever the internal gear 244 is displaced, and is independent of whether the sprocket '75 is in rotation as in the actual case, or is at rest as in the arbitrarily assumed case above.

The effect of the angular displacement of the shaft '76 relative to its driving sprocket is to vary the timing of the knife 212 and its associated parts, all driven by the shaft '76, with relation to the grippers 222, which are in constant timed relation to the main machine in common with sprocket '76. The leading edge of the web is thus grasped by the grippers ataninvariant point in the cycle, but the time of cut is varied in accordance with the measured height of the loaf. Any delay in cutting of the web,which is being steadily drawn out by the grippers, results in the severan'ce of a longer sheet. Variations in the length of web when the overlap of the folds at the bottom of the loaf is to be changed are taken care of by the adjustment 305, this overlap then being held constant irrespective of'loaf size by theautomatic control just described. 1

As stated above, the plate 300 also'serves to disconnect the paper feed entirely whenno loaf is present. For this purpose the bellcrank 302 is provided with a dog 325(Figs. 21 and 28) adapted to contact with the tail of a; pawl'326 pivotally connected at 327 to the cam 304. A single tooth ratchet 328 is secured to the sprocket '77 (Fig. 10) with which the pawl normally engages. When there is no loaf present the plate 300 descendsas in Fig.'26, shifting the bell crank 302 far scent of the plate the pawl will once more be lifted across the ratchet tooth. If a loaf has been fed the plate will be held elevated as in Fig. 22 and the dog 325 kept out of the path of the pawl. The latter will then be forced into the ratchet tooth by the usual pawl spring and the paper feeding cycle will be resumed.

' The plate 300 is preferably moved to detect the presence and size of a loaf while the feeding-in conveyer is at rest, and moves out of contact with thearticle before the conveyer resumes its motion. This manner of operation is ofespecial advantage when delicate articles such as loaves of sliced'bread are being operated on.

Folding devices sheet s which is suspended in front of the loaf by the clamp 255. During the delivery of the sheet into this position by the grippers the bridge plate 181 is in the inactive position of Fig. 29; as soon as the grippers are past the bridge plate moves back to its normal horizontal position (Fig. 30). This both gives a continuous table for the loaf to move over and shifts the hanging sheet s into proximity to the loaf.

As the plunger 143 pushes the loaf into the carrier the initial bottom fold b is made by the plate 180, the two initial end tucks c are made by the plates 193 and 173, and the paper is drawn across the top of the loaf by the plate 179. Due to the fact that where the final folds are to be upon the bottom of the leaf the plate 180 is made shorter than the loaf, a pair of fiaps d are left hanging downwardly from the loaf end after the tucks c are formed. These flaps may not hang down as straight as shown in the drawings, particularly when the modified bridge plate 194 is used, but will be swung down when the folds f are made. As the carrier rises the trailing end of the sheet s is folded over the side of the loaf by a stationary member 400, preferably supported on vertically slidable racks 401 (Fig. 5) controlled by pinions 402 and an easily accessible handle 403 (Fig. 1) to accommodate changes in average loaf height.

A pair of stationary end folders 405 (Figs. 3 and 33) are mounted for a slight pivotal movement upon shafts 406 supported by spaced carriages 407 slidable upon a cross rod 408 (Fig. 4). A rod 409 is threaded with a right and a left-hand screw into the two carriages and bears a handle 410 so that the carriages may be shifted simultaneously towards or away from the center line of the machine. An oscillating shaft 411 is journaled in the frames 60, and bears at one end an arm 412 (Fig. 2) joined by a link 413 with an arm 414. This latter arm is pivoted on the frame of the machine and bears a cam roll 415 coasting with a cam 416 on a short shaft also bearing a sprocket 417 over which the chain 64 passes. The cam 416 is thus in continuous rotation. In order to prevent the roll from following the cam in certain cases, a hook 418 is provided on the frame adapted to engage a pin on the arm 414 and hold the latter in an inactive position. The purpose of this inactive positon will appear below in considering an alternative form of fold.

Returning to the shaft 411, the carriages 407 have forks 420 (Figs. 3 and 4) extending into grooves in a pair of bevel gears 421. These gears are freely slidable upon the shaft 411 but are splined thereto as at 422 so that while they move back and forth with the carriages they always oscillate with the shaft. A spiral gear 423 is secured to each of the bevel gears and meshes with a similar gear 424, on a shaft 425 journaled on the carriage. Upon this shaft is a segmental cam 426 (Fig. 33) engaging a roll .427 mounted upon-an arm 428 secured to the pivot shaft 406 of each folder 405. The cams are so shaped as to give to the folders during the oscillation of the shaft in one direction a slight movement toward the end of the article, as shown by a comparison of Figs. 33 and 37. During the ascent of the ver tically reciprocating carrier the folders are spaced as in Fig. 33 so as to facilitate the entrance of the loaf between them. As the carrier rises, upper end folds e are made in the wrapper by these stationary plates.

On each of the carriages 407 is a bevel gear 430 meshing with the corresponding gear 421. At the lower end of the shaft of each of these gears is an arm 431 carrying a folder 432. The shaft 411 is given its oscillation just after the loaf has been raised by the carrier into position between the side folders 405. This oscillation causes the folders 432 to swing from their inactive position of Fig. 34 to the folding position of Fig. 35. By this motion the third end folds f are made, overlying at this'time the folders 405.

Shortly after the period shown in Fig. 34 opposed bottom folders 435 are caused to move underneath the loaf, causing the flaps d and the corresponding flaps g to be turned under the plate 180. This condition is shown in Figs. 35, 36, and 37. It will be observed that at this period there are three folding blades superposed at each end of the loaf: the side plates 173 of the carrier, overlying the folds c and themselves covered by the folds e; the folders 405, overlying the folds e and themselves covered by the folds f; and finally the folders 432. These flaps are laid against the end of the article in consecutive order, as seen from a comparison of Figs. 31, 32,. and 36. A further point of importance is that while two of the three folders referred to are buried within the overlying folds, the loaf can be moved to the right in Fig. 32 without removing any of the folders. Each fold opens to the left of the loaf (still referring to the direction as in Fig. 32) so that the folders could be pulled out to the left, or the loaf moved to the right, without any disturbance. A some-- what similar but less complex situation occurs under the loaf, where the bottom plate 180 overlies the fold b and is itself covered by the folds d, g; these folds in turn being covered by the folders 435. In this case also the loaf can be moved to: the right without shifting the folders.

For operating the folders 435 they are each. carried on a bracket 436 pivotally connected to links 437 and 438. Link 437 is freely pivoted to the carriage 407 at 439. Link 438 is fastened to the shaft 425 which supports the folder operating cam 426, so that the folder 435 will be oscillated periodically from the position of Fig. 33 to thatof Fig. 37.

The loaf is now in the condition shown in Figs-1. 38 and 39, in which all folds have been made: except the last bottom flap h and are held in place by the folders which made them. The loaf. is now engaged by one pair of one of a series of? pairs of pushers 500 carried by an intermittently acting chain hereinafter described, and passing;

between the top plate 179 and the side of folders:

173. The partially wrapped loaf is moved out? of the carrier onto the bed plate 440 of the de livery channel. At the end of this plate a pad or spring 441 serves as an abutment against whiclr the central part of the flap h is pressed when the: carrier rises (Fig. 32 by a spring pressed roll 442 on the carrier. As the loaf is carried onto the plate 440 the flap h is drawn tightly around the lower corner of the loaf by the friction exertedon it by the pad 441 and the roll 442.

Before considering the heat sealing and delivering mechanism the modified manner of fold-- ing shown in Figs. 43 to 47 will be described. This type of folding places the flaps d, 9 against the ends of the loaf instead of underneath it as in the folding method previously discussed, and is preferred for some types of product. It is, for example, preferred in wrapping sliced bread on account of the increased facility with which single slices can be removed from the package. To change to this modified type of folding, a wide bottom plate 180' is preferably substituted on the i the priorcasc.

carrier, the folders 432 and 435 are locked back by the hook 418 so that they are wholly inactive, and a side wall 450' having a fold turning slot 451 substituted for the plain side wall 450 used in the first method. In some cases the presence of the folding slot 451 may not be objectionable with the folding method of Fig. 40, and in such cases the slotted side walls 450' may be left permanently in place. The wide bottom plate 180' is not essential, particularly when the modified bridge plate 194 to be described later is used, but is preferred where all the folding is done with the folds against. the loaf endsince it avoids changing the width of the plate when the length of loaf is changed. Theincrease in the width of the plate 180 where desired may be accomplished either by replacing it or by adding side extensions to a permanently installed central section. The

only essential change is the looking back of the folders 432 and 435, the remainingfolders then cooperating to make the modified form of fold rather than the originally described Sevigne type.

Figs. 29 to 33 represent either method of folding equally, with the exception that where a wide plate 180' is used the flaps it stand out horizontally instead of hanging vertically as in Fig. 33. If the narrower plate, 180 is retained the flaps d may sag somewhat, but will be folded up when the fold it is made. The folds b, c, e, and h, are made by the plates 180', 173, 405, and 440 as in Flap f is made by contact with the ends of guide walls 450' instead of by the movable plates 432. Flaps d and g are turned upwardly by contact with the slots 451 instead of being turned under by the plates 435. The order in which the folds are made is also somewhat different in the two cases. In the first. method, in which a modifled Sevigne foldis produced, the order in which the flaps are folded is b, c, e, 1, do, h. In the second method, producing a modified single point fold, the order is b, c, e, h, 1, do.

Scaling and delivering mechanism The pushers 500 are arranged in pairs (Fig. 3) on parallel chains 501 running over driven sprockets 502 and idle sprockets 503 controlled by a tightening device. The shaft 504 on which the sprockets 502 are mounted bears a gear 505 meshing with a gear 506 formed as the driven member of a Geneva movement. A Geneva driving member 507 is rotatable on a shaft 508 also bearing a sprocket 509 around which passes the general drive chain 64. By this-mechanism the pushers 500 are carried intermittently through distances equal to the spacing between them in Fig. 5. .Guide pieces 510 (Fig. 5) direct the chains in straight line paths on both the active and inactive runs.

Shaft 504 also bears a pulley 515 around which runs-a belt 516 (Fig. 5) passing between the pairs p of pushers 500. This belt also runs around idle pulleys 517 and 518 secured to the frame, around an idle pulley 519 mounted on swinging arms 520, and around pulleys 521 and'522 carried on the arms of bell cranks 523. The belt 516 rests yieldingly upon the upper sides of the wrapped loaves, pressing them equally against the table irrespective of irregularities in their height.

In order to assist in the sealing of the wrappers where light waxed paper is usd a pair of rolls 525 are rotatably mounted in a tank 526, into which a suitably driven pump indicated at 527 in Fig. 4 delivers molten wax from a reservoir 528 (Fig. 5); The plate 440 is heated by electrical units shown at 529, the reservoir 528 so that the carriages 407 and 533 will be moved in unison by the turning of handle 410.

The wrapped loaves are delivered by the pushers 500 upon a slatted conveyer 540 mounted upon sprockets 541 and 542 (Fig. 5). Upon the shaft of the latteris a sprocket 543 (Fig. 2). A chain 544 passes around this sprocket, around a sprocket 545 on a shaft 546 directly above the sprocket 543, under a tightening sprocket 547, and around a sprocket 548 upon the shaft of gear 61. The conveyer 540 is thus given a continuous motion in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 4. The

shaft 546 is splined at 550 (Fig. 4) to receive bevel gears 551 mounted to reciprocate with carriages 552 slidably mounted on cross rods 553 and having threaded connection with right and left screws 554. The two screws 554- are joined by a chain and sprocket connection 555 and one of them bears a handle 556 so that the carriage can be moved simultaneously toward or away from each other. Each carriage has a vertical shaft bearing a bevel gear 557 meshing with one of the bevel gears 551, and with sprockets (not shown) for vertically spaced chains 558 connected by slats 559. These slats are guided by spring pressed bars 560 mounted on the carriages to hold the slats against the ends of the loaves.

Adjustment It is preferable to reduce as much as is practi-.

cal the number of adjustments which need to be made. All of the size adjustments can be made sTmply, as by rotating a hand wheel, and certain of the movements have already been referred to as joined together for simultaneous operation. The shaft409 carries at its end a sprocket joined by a chain (Fig. 2). passing around a sprocket 81 on the end of the adjustment shaft 129 (Fig. 42) for the feeding-in conveyer, and around suitable idle sprockets directing it around otherwise interfering portions of the machine.

Modifiedform of paper feed The form of paper feed shown in Figs. 49 and 50 is in some cases preferable on account of the decrease in the weight of the parts operated by the measuring device and on account of an improvement in the simplicity of the mechanism. The modification deals only with the manner in which the web is cut and held in position to be drawn out by the grippers, which operate as before.

0n the shaft 76, which it will be recalled is varied in its timing relative to the gripper chains 216 by the size of the loaf to be wrapped, is placed a cam 265 instead of the Genevadrive member 246. A lever 266 is pivoted to the frame and bears a roll 267 held against the cam by a spring 268. Upon a shaft 269 is mounted an arm 270 and a lever 271 carrying cooperating knife members 272 and 273. Arm 270 is coupled to lever 266 by alink 274, and the rear end of lever 271 is similarly connected by a link 275. Thus as the cam 2'76 rotates, the knife members 2'72 and 273 will be moved by each other from the posi-

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