US2094402A

US2094402A - Mechanism for wrapping granular materials

Info

Publication number: US2094402A
Application number: US102416A
Authority: US
Inventors: Grover Frederick
Original assignee: Forgrove Machinery Co Ltd
Current assignee: Forgrove Machinery Co Ltd
Priority date: 1935-09-25
Filing date: 1936-09-24
Publication date: 1937-09-28
Anticipated expiration: 1954-09-28

Description

Sept. 28, 1937. F. GROVER MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANUIJAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 24, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANULAR MATERI Filed Sept. 24, 1936 ALIS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 28, 1937. F, GROVER 2,094,402

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 24, 1936 '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 28, 1937. F. GROVER MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 24, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 28, 1937. F. GROVER 2,094,402

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 24, 1956 1 Sheets-Sheet 5 F. GROVER se t. 28, 1937.

. MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Se t. 24, 1936 7 Sheets-Sheet Sept 28, 1937. GROVER 2,094,402

MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Sept. 24, 1955 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING GRANULAR MATERIALS Frederick Grover, Leeds, England, assignor to The Forgrove Machinery Company Limited,

Leeds, England 3 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for wrapping powder and other granular material (hereinafter referred to, for convenience, as granular material) in square or rectangular packets using paper or like wrapping material.

The object of the present invention is to provide mechanism for delivering measured quantities of the material, compressing the material so fed and wrapping it in packets.

By the term compressing"-used herein we do not means necessarily compressing the granular material so as to consolidate it but include lightly compressing the material into a loose mass.

According to this invention the mechanism 5 comprises, in combination, apparatus for feeding measured quantities of the granular material, a

trough adapted to receive said measured quantities of the material, a plunger adapted to prevent the material falling down said trough, means for raising and lowering said trough and plunger independently of each other, a folding box below said trough, means for feeding a wrapper over said box so that when the trough descends it pushes the wrapper down into the folding box and thereby turns up and tucks in the wrapper sides to form a cellule with a base and upstanding sides and also moves clear of said plunger to allow the material to fall down said trough and into the cellule, means movable beneath said folding box for receiving the cellule and the material contained therein, means for folding over parts of the upstanding sides of the cellule which project above the material, one on top of the other to form overlapping parts and means for sealing 35 the overlapping parts.

The arrangement is such that when the material is fed into said trough the plunger extends downwardly into the lower part of the trough which it fills completely so that it prevents the 40 material from falling down into the bottom of the trough. The trough first descends while the plunger remains stationary and when the trough has moved far enough to form the wrapper into a container the lower part of the trough moves 45 clear of the plunger so that the material now falls into the lower part of the trough and on to the base of the wrapper. When all the material has dropped, the plunger will descend and according to the quantity of material fed will 50 compress it in varying degrees of hardness.

The movable means for receiving the cellule and material to be packed therein may consist of a series of rectangular frames mounted on a chain adapted to be moved step by step so as to 55 bring the frames successively beneath the folding box. Each frame may be provided with a discharge plate having an operating plunger by which the finished packet can be ejected from the frame at the discharge position.

A form of construction of the wrapping mecha- 5 nism according to this invention is shown, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the combined feeding and wrapping mechanisms. 10

Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates the feeding mechanism for the granular material to be wrapped, the hopper for receiving the material and the cylinder for feed ing measured quantities of the material to the wrapping mechanism being shown respectively wholly and partly in section and the parts being shown in the first position of the feeding operation in which the cylinder coincides with the outlet of the hopper ready to receive the charge of granular material from the hopper.

Fig, 4 is a similar view of the same apparatus shown in Fig. 1 but showing the apparatus in the position in which the cylinder has been moved into the discharge position and in which the con- .tents of the cylinder have been wholly ejected into the wrapping mechanism; this view also showing part of the wrapping mechanism in the first position, namely, the position in which the granular material and the wrapper have been moved into positions ready for the commencement of the wrapping operation proper.

Fig. 5 is a view of the parts of the wrapping apparatus shown in Fig. 4 in the second position of the wrapping operation in which the trough has been moved down to carry the paper through the folding box and to deposit the granular material in the lower end of the trough.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same mechanism shown in Fig. 5 but showing the apparatus in the third position of the wrapping operation in which the trough has been retracted to allow the granular material to fall down into the cellule, while the plunger has been depressed to cause the granular material to be packed into the cellule.

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of the folding box drawn to an enlarged scale, the section being taken on the line 'l'l in Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the folding box.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 in Fig. 8.

Figs. 10 to 14 illustrate the wrapper in different stages of the folding operation.

Fig. 15 is a plan of an alternative form of the folding box.

Fig. 16 is a section on the line i$li inl'ig. 15.

Fig. 17 is a side elevation.

Figs. .18 and 19 are sections on the lines 18-]! and |9--l9 respectively in Fig. 17.

Figs. 20-22 illustrate the various steps in the wrapper folding operation with the alternative form of folding box.

The mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings comprises a feed hopper a for the material to be wrapped and a feeding cylinder b. The cylinder b is provided with trunnions b by which it is rockably mounted in hearings in the machines (not shown). One of the trunnions is provided with an arm I: which is operably connected by a link b to an operating lever b pivotally mounted on a fixed shaft 0 and adapted to be actuated by a cam (not shown) mounted on one of the main driving shafts d of the machine whereby the cylinder is rocked through an angle of about 60 from its filling position shown in Fig. 3, in which it is in alignment with the outlet :1 in the hopper, to its discharge position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, in which it is located above an inclined chute e and vice versa. The cylinder contains a plunger 1 with a stem I having a. lateral projection F engaging in the slotted arm g of a bell crank lever 11 pivoted on the shaft h and having its other arm 9 operatively connected by means of the link a to a slotted lever g which is also mounted on the shaft 0 and is operated by a cam (not shown) on the driving shaft 11.

This mechanism permits a measured quantity of the granular material to be drawn into the cylinder b when this is coincident with the outlet in the hopper and to be fed into the chute e.

The chute e constitutes the upper part of a. trough e slidably mounted on guide rods a so that it can be reciprocated vertically, said trough being adapted to receive a vertical plunger i which is guided by the trough itself. The plunger and trough are connected by linlm e and 1' respectively to levers e and i pivoted at e and i and adapted to be actuated by cams mount ed on one of the main shafts j of the machine.

Means is provided for feeding paper from a reel is (Fig. 2) into a position between the lower end of the trough when this is in the raised position shown in Fig. l and for severing a piece of paper from the reel to form the wrapper, which feeding mechanism may be of any suitable or usual form.

The paper is fed on to the top of a folding box which may be of the form shown in Figs. 7 to 9. This folding box is formed with two spaced

side members

1, 1 between which the trough is adapted to pass and extending between these side members are two cross members P, I having their upper edges or surfaces obliquely inclined to the path of the trough and situated below the tops of the two spaced side members. with this box when the wrapper is forced. by the descent of the trough, into the box, the wrapper m is first folded into the channel form shown in Fig. 10 by turning two of its edges marked 111. m so that the wrapper fits against the lower end and two opposite sides of the trough and leaves two oppositely extending channel parts which project laterally from the remaining sides of the trough. As the trough conidnuis to descend this trough co-operates with the cm members Z, l to intuck the oppositely extend ing channel parts as shown in Fig. 11 and fold them up to form the cellule shown in Hg. 12.

This operation of forming the wrapper into a cellule is eifected by moving the trough down from the position-shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 5, and in this movement the trough moves downwardly relatively to the plunger so that the opening e at the base of the chute, which in the position shown in Fig. l is closed by the plunger 1, is opened to allow the granular material to descend through the trough into the wrapper cellule formed as hereinbefore described.

The trough is then slightly raised from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 6 so that the granular material can completely fill the base of the cellule and the plungor is deprcsed to move the cellule into a rectangular frame 1L arranged to receive it and said plunger also acts to press the material down into the cellule and compress it to the desired extent.

The trough and plunger are now raised together and two side folders o and 0 act to turn over, on to the top of the compressed powder, two of the upstanding side portions of the wrapper cellule, so as to form the wrapper into the shape shown in 13. A back folder 0 is then moved to fold one of the remaining upstanding edges over on to the top of the folded side portions. The side folders o and o are each operated by a shaft 0 of which only one is shown in the which shaft is rocked about its axis to impart the necessary lateral movement to the folders by suitable mechanism (not shown) mounted on the shaft d. The back folder 0 is operated by a bell crank lever 0 which is also actuated by a cam (not shown) mounted on the shaft 41,

The rectangular frame 12 is carried by an endless chain indicated at 1: having a step by step motion under the action of a ratchet n and pawl 11 carried on a lever 11 which is actuated by an operating lever 11? rocked by a cam (not shown) on the shaft 9. After the third upstanding side of the wrapper has been folded by means of the back folder 0' on to the top of the package the chain moves forward so that the fourth upstanding side on the top of the package is folded over the previously folded sides by moving the package underneath the box q. Where waxed paper is used for the wrapping material, the box q is heated to provide a heated surface under which the packet passes so that the wax of the paper is melted.

Theframeis then carriedby thechainto a number of stations for subsequent operations to be performed. At the first station a cold plate 1' is provided adapted to be pressed down on to thepackage so'astosealthetopfoldsasthe wax cools. At the second station a labelling device of any suitable or usual form is provided and a plate 3 is arranged to press a transversely fed and summed label on to the top of the packet. At the last station a pressure plate t is provided to flatten the label well down on the packet. nae chain then can-la the frame into the discharge position and the packets are then ejected from the rectangular frame by a discharge plunger I. mounted in the base of the rectangular frame and adapted to be actuated by suitable mechanism (not shown) to eject the packet on to a trough o.

The cold plate 1- and the pressure plates 3 and t are carried by a single arm 10 pivotally mounted atio onthemachineand connectedbyalinkw' cammotsbown) ontheshafti.

It will be understood that the chain n will carry a number of the rectangular frames n which are so arranged that when one of the frames is underneath the folding box other frames will be located concurrently at the first, second and third stations so that the packages and the frames at said stations can be acted upon simultaneously by the various devices carried on the arm w.

A retractable stop n carried on an arm n which is adapted to be reciprocated by suitable mechanism n operated by the link n from an arm n which is actuated by a cam (not shown) on the shaft d in order to prevent premature displacement of the rectangular frame from the folding position.

It will be understood that the shafts d, 7' and p will be suitably interconnected by chain or other gearing which will ensure that these shafts are driven in timed relationship to each other.

Alternatively, instead of using a folding box of the form described and illustrated in Figs. 1-9, the folding box may be of the form shown in Figs. 15-19 and comprise a top part :1: having a central opening x and slots x x x .1: extending diagonally outward from each corner of said central opening, and a box-like part 1: having side members x", :c, 1: x forming a continuation of the sides of the central opening 1: two of the opposed side members 0:", x being plain and the others, :0, ar being each formed with guiding and folding slots at, 3: extending obliquely across the side members. With this folding box, the wrapper is first forced by the trough into the top part a: in order to fold in the four sides of the wrapper and form four outwardly projecting ears, one at each corner of the package as shown in Fig. 20, and, on continued movement, the sides of the box-like part fold the ears in each pair inwardly toward each other and on to one of the four sides of the package with one of the ears in each pair overlapping the other ear, as shown in Fig. 21, so as to form the cellule hereinbefore referred to, after which the upstanding sides are folded over as shown in Fig. 22.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. Mechanism for wrapping granular material comprising, in combination, a non-tilting chute to receive the granular material, a hollow trough forming a lower part of the chute, a plunger fitting closely in the hollow trough whereby it acts to prevent the granular material from falling out of the chute and into the trough, means for feeding a wrapper beneath the hollow trough,

' means for lowering and raising said trough so as to cause it to push the wrapper down and also to move the trough clear of the plunger in order to allow the granular material to fall out of the chute through the trough and on to the wrapping material, and a folding box in the path of. movement of the trough, said box having four fixed sides for upturning four sides of the wrapping material on to the sides of the trough to form a cellule, as it is moved through the folding box.

2. Mechanism for wrapping granular material comprising, in combination, a non-tilting chute to receive the granular material, a hollow trough forming a lower part of the chute, a plunger fitting closely in the hollow trough whereby it acts to prevent the granular material from falling out of the chute and into the trough, means for feeding a wrapper beneath the hollow trough, means for lowering and raising said trough so as to cause it to push the wrapper down and also to move the trough clear of the plunger in order to allow the granular material to fall out of the chute, through the trough and on to the wrapping material, a folding box in the path of movement of the trough, said box having four fixed sides for upturning four sides of the wrapping material on to the sides of the trough to form a cellule as it is moved through the said box and means for raising and lowering said plunger to cause it to compress the granular material in the cellule.

3. Mechanism for wrapping granular material comprising, in combination, a non-tilting chute to receive the granular material, a hollow trough forming a lower part of the chute, a plunger fitting closely in the hollow trough whereby it acts to prevent the granular material from falling out of the chute and into the trough, means for feeding a wrapper beneath the hollow trough, means for lowering and raising said trough so as to cause it to push the wrapper down and also to move the trough clear of the plunger in order to allow the granular material to fall out of v the chute, through the trough and on to the wrapping material, a folding box in the path of movement of the trough, said box having four fixed sides for upturning four sides of the wrapping material on to the sides of the trough to form a cellule as it is moved through the said box, a rectangular frame below said folding box to receive the cellule, and means for raising and lowering said plunger to cause it to compress the granular material in the rectangular frame.

FREDERICK GROVER.