US2182700A

US2182700A - Apparatus for packaging products

Info

Publication number: US2182700A
Application number: US212197A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward A Muller
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-06-06
Filing date: 1938-06-06
Publication date: 1939-12-05
Anticipated expiration: 1956-12-05

Description

Dec. 5, 1939. ER 2,182,700.

I APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS Filed June 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l I4 fowa RD /1. M01. LEE

" INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 5, 1939.

E. A. MULLER 2,182,700

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS Filed June 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'F/Ci.4

i I I I I I I l l I I I I a I 6 I a I I I I I I I I I E I I I s a I I -"z m emazfim-lwvw i F/6-6 I j/ 45 I '55 jmirnmmmmnir fi EDWARD A Manna INVENTOR ATTO R N EYS Patented Dec. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING PRODUCTS Edward A. Muller, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application June 6,1938, Serial No. 212,197 2 Claims. 01. 93-2) This invention relates generally to improve ments in processes of packing and more especially to improvements in apparatus for facilitating wrapping packages in sheet material, such as Cellophane and the like.

It is presently customary to market many different types of products in packages wrapped in thin, essentially transparent sheet material, such as Cellophane or the like. It has been usual to wrap these products by hand, that is to say, the product was enveloped in a sheet of material of appropriate size and the end of the sheet gathered together with appropriate means for holding the same in sealed condition. This procedure has been unsatisfactory for several reasons, notably it has been difiicult to provide suitable sealing means for the end parts of the Cellophane which would present a neat and agreeable appearance. A further disadvantage is that the process being composed essentially of hand operations performed in sequence does not tend to make for uniformity of product. A still further disadvantage of the prior art process referred to is that it was often difficult especially with objects of irregular shape to properly envelop the object in sheet material preparatory to sealing the edges of said sheet.

It is among the more important objects of the present invention to provide new and improved means for wrapping packages particularly irregu-' larly shaped objects or packages in sheet material, such as Cellophane or the like whereby an essentially continuous covering of pleasant and attractive appearance is provided.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide means for facilitating wrapping of objects in an essentially continuous fibrous sheet wherein means are included for uniting end and edge portions of said sheet to present an attrac tive and permanent seal.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means for facilitating enveloping of an object especially an irregularly shaped object in a sheet of fibrous material wherebyend and edge, portions of said sheet are gathered together in a manner facilitating sealing thereof.

An important advantage of the package wrapping means according to the'present invention is that it can be adapted to use with automatic ,0 machinery or if preferred, can be used in conjunction with hand wrapping processes whereby in the latter instance, the product is of a uniformity not hitherto attained.

One of the more important features of the 5 novel package wrapping device accord g to the present invention is that it comprises relatively. few parts, each of which is characterized by simplicity and ruggedness of construction thereby minimizing initial cost of manufacture and rendering unlikely damage other than wear re- 5,.

sultant from ordinary use.

Other objects, advantages and features of the device according to the present invention willbe apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of the following description. 10

Regarded in certain of its broader aspects, the present invention comprises a device having an opening formed therein adapted to receive a package therein, the size of said opening being arranged whereby relatively small clearance is provided between the walls and the package, and one or more annular shaped members adapted to cooperate with said device for facilitating gathering together of end portions of sheet material positioned circumjacent said package, whereby 20 said end portions of said sheet material are arranged with respect to each other in a manner facilitating sealing thereof and closure of the wrapper.

In order to facilitate a fuller and. more com- 25 plete understanding of the present invention, a specific embodiment thereof will be hereinafter described, it being clearly understood, however, that the illustrated embodiment is given solely by. way of example and is non-limitative upon the 30 scope of the present invention except as expressed in the subjoined claims.

Referring then to the drawings: 1

Figure 1 is substantially a side elevational view of apackage provided with sealed wrapping ac- 35 cording to the present invention. Figure 2 is substantially a top plan view of the device according to the present invention used in facilitating wrapping of the package illustrated in Figure 1. 40

Figure 3 is essentially a vertical sectional view of Figure 2 taken along the line 3-3.

Figure 4 is'substantially a side elevational view illustrating another type of package wrapped by means including the device according to the present invention.

Figure 5 is substantially a top plan view ofthe device according to the present invention used in wrappingthe package illustrated in Figure 4,-and

Figure 6 is essentially a vertical sectional viewof Figure 5 taken along the line 6- 6.

Referring now especially to Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, it will be noted that thewrapped package generally designated by the numeral l0, comprises an essentially flat, substantially circular top portion generally designated by the numeral I I and an essentially spherical base portion generally designated by the numeral I2.

In wrapping the package, the sheet material is placed over the top H and the sides and edges of said sheet are gathered together and sealed near the center point of the base l2, as will be hereinafter described.

The device according to the present invention is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 and comprises an essentially fiat base l4 and a substantially hollow, essentially cylindrical guide member 15 positioned on said base. The interior of the guide [5 is provided with an opening is larger but only slightly larger than the package ID, at the place of its greatest diameter whereby sheet wrapping material I'l, positioned circumjacent said largest part of said package is snugly pressed against the package by the portions of the guide member l5, defining the opening IS. The upper portion of the guide member i5 is of relatively greater interior diameter and defines an opening l8 and ledge l9, adapted to receive an essentially annular member 29 which rests upon said ladge I9, substantially as shown in Figure 3. One surface 2| of the annular member 25, is curved to conform with curved side portions of the package lll whereby the wrapping materialil positioned circumjacent said package is pressed thereagainst.

A second annular member 23 lesser in diameter than the interior of the annular member 20 hereinabove described, is provided and serves to gather together side and edge portions of the wrapping material I! as will be hereinafter described.

In use, a crinkled edged cup-like shape is formed of the sheet wrapping material and the object positioned therein with the edges of the cup extending upwardly and the top of the package resting on the bottom of the cup. The object with the wrapper positioned circumjacent thereto is then positioned within the cup l5 and the annular shaped guide member 25 is then placed within the cup 15 and against the package whereby the edge and end portions of the wrapping material are moved toward the axis of the annular member 26. The ring or annular member 23 is then positioned upon the end and edge portions of ,the wrapping material, whereby said end and edge portions are moved into adjacency with respect to each other and disposed in essentially a common plane, thereby facilitating application of a seal 24 thereto for holding said edge and end portions in relatively fixed position. After proper adhesion between seal and wrapping is attained, the annular members 23 and 25 are removed and the package disengaged from the guide l5.

Referring now especially to Figure 4, 5 and 6, it will be noted that a package generally designated by the numeral 4E8 possessing an essentially frusto-conic'al base portion 4!, cylindrical intermediate portion 42 and substantially flat top portion 43 is provided with wrapping 44 having edge and end portions joined by a closure seal 45 substantially as shown in Figure 4.

Referring now especially to Figures 5 and 6, it will be noted that a base 58 carrying supporting members 5| and 52 serves as mounting for plate 53, having an essentially circular opening 54 formed therein, said plate 53 being arranged in spaced parallelism relative to said base 55. The package being wrapped 45', as positioned in a crinklededge cup 44- iormed of the sheet wrapping material and is positioned within the opening 54 of. the plate 53, whereby the edges of said opening snugly press said wrapping material against the side portions of the package or object 40. It will be understood of course, that the crinkled edge portions of the wrapping material extend upwardly from the plate 53. A ring 55 is then positioned on and pressed against the end and edge portions 56 of the cup 44, whereby said end and edge portions are moved into adjacency relative to each other and are disposed in substantially a common plane whereby sealing of said end and edge portions with a closure 45 is facilitated.

After adhesion is secured between closure 45 and edge portions 55 of the wrapper 44, the annular member 55 is removed and the wrapped package taken from within the opening 54 of the plate 53.

It will be noted referring to Figures 3 and 6 particularly that during operation of the novel package wrapping and sealing means according to the present invention, that the crinkled edge portions of the package wrapper are moved into adjacency with respect to each other and disposed in a common plane by axial movement of the

annular members

23 and 55 respectively, whereby sealing and closure of said end and edge portions of said wrapping material is at least. largely facilitated.

It is to be understood that this improvement is capable of. extended application and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawings nor to the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes and modifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of the invention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the type described for facilitating closing and sealing of a crinkled edge package Wrapper comprising a guide block having an opening formed therein adapted to receive said package with said wrapper loosely positioned circumjacent thereto, the interior contour of said 1 opening substantially conforming to the outline of the package whereby the wrapper is snugly pressed against the sides of said package; a first annulus, receivable within said opening in said block and on the free extended end and edge portions of said wrapper, the contour of said first annulus adjacent said package substantially conforming to the outline of said package whereby said wrapper is pressed snugly against said packageand the free end and edge portions of said wrapper are moved toward the axis of said annulus; and a second annulus, receivable within said opening in said first annulus and on the free extended end and edge portions of said wrapper, whereby axial movement of said annulus member toward said package causes said end and edge portions of said wrapper to approach each other and dispose themselves in substantially a common plane.

2. A device of the type described for facilitating closing and sealing of a crinkled edge package wrapper comprising a guide block having an opening formed therein adapted to receive said package with said wrapper loosely positioned circumjacent thereto, the interior contour of said opening substantially conforming to the outline of the package whereby the wrapper is adapted to be snugly pressed against the sides of said package with the free end and crinkled edge portions of said wrapper extending outwardly causes said end and edge portions of said wrapper through said opening; and a ring-like member, to approach each other and to dispose themshaped to be received within said opening in said selves in substantially a common plane facilitatblock and on the free extended end and edge poring engagement of an adhesive closure therewith, tions of said wrapper, whereby axial movement of. a 6 said ring-like member toward said package v EDWARD A. MULLER.