US2237911A - Package and method of wrapping and banding - Google Patents

Description

April 8, 1941. J. A. NEUMAIR PACKAGE AND METHOD OF WRAPPING AND BANDING Original Filed Aug. 22, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet l 3 Inventor attorney April 1941- J. A. NEUMAIR. 2.237.911

PACKAGE AND METHOD OF WRAPPING AND BANDING Original Filed Aug. 22 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F1H;ll. E

attorney 3nventor April 1941- J. A. NEUMAIR 2.237.911

PACKAGE AND METHOD OE WRAPPING AND SANDING Original Filed Aug. 22, 1932 s Sheets-Sheet a ISnnentor WWW Gttorncg Patented Apr. 8, 1941 PACKAGE AND METHOD OF AND BANDING Joseph A. Neumair, Hollis, N. Y., assignor to Int ernational Cigar Machinery Company, a corporation of New Jersey Original application August 22, 1932, Serial No. 629,959.. Divided and this application April 15,

1937, Serial No. 137,039

6 Claims; (Cl; 93-2) This invention relates to an improved package and method of packaging, and constitutes a division of my co-pending application S. N. 629,959, filed August 22, 1932, issued April 20, 1937, as Patent No. 2,077,431, covering wrapping machines,

particularly machines operating on cigars orother articles and capable of handling flexible wrapping materials such ior example as the thin transparent cellulosic material known by the trade name of Cellophane.

An important object of the invention is to produce a cigar package using the above mentioned material wherein the package is sealed throughout without the use of heat. Another Object of the invention is to provide a method and artlcle employing a plicated or bellows type end fold and a longitudinal lock seam. To this end, it is also an object to retain the end folds in position by mechanical crimping not requiring heat, and of a type which is particularly efficient in overcoming the natural resilience of the above mentioned materials.

With'these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in a certain method and packages which will be hereinafter fully described andlthen specifically set iorth in the claims hereunto appended.

in the accompanying drawings, which form a acters of reference indicate the same or like parts, Figs. 1-7 inclusive show the sequence of applicable to'a wide variety of articles other thanv i part of this specification and in which like char- The'method employed in carrying the intend transversely of the fold line.

The package employed in carrying the invencrimping the material on the fold line with corrugated crimps, the corrugations of which extion into efiect comprises a tube surrounding the article to be packaged and having a longitudinal lock seam, the tube having its ends plicated, flattened and turned back on the end of the cigar,

the portions of the tube end adjacent thehinge line formed by turning back the ends, having a corrugated crimp to retain the material in posi-. tion, thereby producing a sealed package without employing either heat sealing or gluing.

While the invention will be referred to and disclosed in' connection with cigars, it should be thoroughlyunderstood that the invention is cigars, particularly those of, an elongated round or polygonal shape or of stick shape. It will be noted that owing to the fact that one phase of the invention is to dispense with heat for closing or sealing wrapping material with which heat has hitherto been used, the machine is particularly useful with an article liable to injury from heat, of which cigars, chocolate coated articles and silk or silk covered articles are cited by way of example.

A pair of conveyor chains I32 running over sprockets (not shown) have attached at spaced intervals, yokes 2ll carrying pins M2 on which are pivoted fingers H3 and 2 connected by springs (not, shown) whereby they are held against the sides of the inserted cigars. The cigars, or like articles, are designated generally by the reference character C. The U-shaped' fingers -2l3 have furcations 2| 1 (engaging with the member 393), and the other furcations of the fingers have gear segments 2l8 meshing withgear segments 2i9 of the U-shaped fingers 2H.

When the cigars are insertedin the pockets formed by the fingers H3 and. 2, they are intermittently carried away to a handling unit (not shown) wherein they are banded.

It will be noted that the gripper fingers 2l32|4 acting onlibne cigar consist of two co acting sets or pairs of opposed'grippers on the chains 132; the two sets being spaced lengthwise the bands inside or outside the wrapper by mechanism which neednot be shown.

As soon as the chain I32 stops its movement the bell crank levers 393 are actuated in such a way that the upper free parts press against .the

extending ends ill of the U-shaped gripper fingers M8. the gear segments N8 of which are in engagement with gear segments 2 l 9 thereby opening the grippers. In the meantime, shaft 4M has come up and met with its lifter plate 404, the cigar C. The clamping fingers 398 have also moved upward and are caused to close and clamp the cigar ,C which then is transferred into the pockets of the wrapper chain (Figs. 1-4).

It will be noted from the above and Figs. 1 to '7 that during this transfer there is at all times a positive grip on the cigar. Even at the moment when the wrapper pocket walls 429 open to receive and transfer fingers 388 open to release the cigar, said cigar is securely gripped from above and below by plunger 404 and tension plate 436.

As the cigar C reaches the wrapper blank A,

positioned across the path of the ascending ci- 429 which fold the Cellophane" smoothly over the sides of the cigar at station I of the wrapper chain. The cigar C is taken by the wrapper chain to an intermediate idler station and then to a third station where the bottom or longitudinal lock seam is made by a lock seam fold mechanism (Figs. 8-13).

As the cigar arrives at'the intermediate station, the cigar has partly moved over folding plate 5" (Fig. 9) then by a swing of lever 585 the folding plate 590 tucks the hanging edges of the blank A into the groove of folding plate 59! (Fig. 10) and then retreats again (Fig. 11). thereby forming from the blank A, an envelope or tubular wrapping E, the ends of which pro- Ject beyond the ends of the cigar. Then folding plate Eli makes one half of a revolution causing the lock seani to project in the opposite direction and interlocking the tucked ends.

The clamping pocket walls or plates 42!! then take the cigar to station IV (Fig. 13). In order to prevent the lock seam from opening and to cover the gap between a stationary supporting plate 598, the bridge 5 swings in this space. As the cigar is pushed upon the same, the lock seam of envelope E is ironed smooth. For this purpose the bridge extends substantially the entire distance between plates, 68! and 583. when the cigar reaches supporting plate 583, bridge "4 will swing backward and folding plate 59f returns to its original position. Plate593 holds the lock seam while the cigar is at the following stations IV, V and VI, where the end folds of the envelope E are made.

As envelope E is now a tube open and projecting beyond the cigar at both ends, end folding mechanisms are provided to fold these projecting end portions.

The entire end fold mechanism consists of a bellows folding or tucking and flattening mechanism at station IV, (Figs. 14-19) a guiding or fold retaining mechanism (Figs. -22) between station IV and station V, a creasing mechanism (Figs. 23-25) at station V, and a crimping mechanism (Figs. 26-28) for crinkling or corrugating the creased end, op rating at station VI.

The bellows folding mechanism at station IV, consists of a pair of narrow tuck fingers 604 and a pair of wide folding and flattening fingers 606.

The folding operations (Figs. 14 to 19) are performed in such a manner that tuck fingers 604 and "I are opened and moved forward to the cigar C in an ariial direction over and clearing the ends of envelope E (Figs. 14 and 15). Then fingers 804 and 605 close in on the envelope end until they exert light spring pressure on the elgar at the base of the taper. The fingers then move backward again (Figs. 16 and 17). The narrow tuck fingers 604 tuck and iron in the sides'oi the envelope E (Fig. 17), while the wide folding fingers 605, trailing the tuck fingers a little, flatten or press together top and bottom folds of the envelope. Both sets of fingers ride on the cigar under light spring pressure.

In order to hold the and fold until it reaches station V, a pair of swingabie guide fingers 62! come down on the fold (Fig. 19) and prevent the same from opening up again, which is, because of the resilient nature of the wrapping material, likely to occur. On its way to station V, where the end told is to be creased, thefolded end passes furthermore through a pair of stationary guide fingers 630 (Figs. 20 to 22), so that the fold is guarded and held until it reaches the creasing mechanism at station V. It will be seen that the bellows fold is positively held list by the several guiding, creasing and crimping mechanisms until finally crimped.

The creasing mechanism (Figs. 23-25), consists of a pair of creaser dies 6 H mounted on a pair of supporting lugs 642.

As soon as the folded ends of the enveloped cigar arrive between the open creaser dies I4| (Fig. 23), the latter close and crease the folded ends of the envelope together (Fig. 24) along a transverse crease or fold line. Then the creaser dies 8 open again and folding finger 854, which is actuated by a link 655, swings forward to fold the overhanging end of the creased fold smoothly back on the lower part of the envelope E (Fig. 25). The folding finger 654 remains in this po sition, acting as a guide while the enveloped cigar is moved towards station VI, by the wrapper chain. As soon as the enveloped cigar reaches guide plate 66! of the crimper for holding the doubled back portion in position (Fig. 26), folding finger i returns to its original position.

The crimping mechanism (Figs. 26-28), consists of a pair of corrugated or crinkly surfaced crimper jaws 662 mounted on a pair of clamping lugs 663 which are pivoted to stud 664, held by supporting head 665 attached to a yieldingly mounted stud (not shown). Lugs 863 are equipped with levers 661 which are pivoted by means of links 668 to a double crank 669 mounted on shaft 612 which is supported by head piece 665. The double crank-and links serve to form a double. tog le for providing considerable pressure from opposite directions. Guide plate I is mounted stationarily to pivots 864 on head 'piece 865.

The corrugations of the jaws 662 are of V cross section. This crimp, particularly across a crease is effective in locking the fold and in overcoming the resilience of the material. at the extreme tip and where, with an accordion pleat, the crimp joins the taper of the package end.

In order to prevent breakage of parts or excess pressure on the wrapper, the head 66 is supported by a yielding horizontal stud, as previously noted. Parallel to, this stud is mounted a safety stud 680. When crimper jaws 662, which are actuated from double crank 668 close to is designed to operate.

taken to station VII (Fig. where it is trans-' ferred from the pockets of the wrapper chain into the grippers of a conveyor chain I. This transfer mechanism is of the same type and construction as the one described and used for transferring the cigar C from the bander chain I32 into /the pockets of the wrapper chain.

When the enveloped cigar C arrives at station VII, Fig. 5, the clamping lugs 429'are opened. In the meantime the lifter plate 404 has come up to meet the enveloped cigar (Fig. 5). At the same time, clamping fingers. 398 are in open position directly underneath the open clamping lugs 42!. The enveloped cigar C held between top guide plate 436 and lifter plate 404 is then guided in between the two clamping fingers 398 which immediately close and together with lifter plate 404 (Fig, 6), transfer the enveloped ,cigar into the open grippers of the second conveyor chain 68L As soon as the enveloped cigar C is placed in the gripper fingers 213 and 2H, bell crank lever 699 releases extending end 2|! and fingers H3 and 2 close, due to being suitably biased to closing position, as hereinbefore mentioned. At the same time, clamping fingers 398 open again and together with lifter plate 404 go downward to their lowermost position. The enveloped cigar C is then conveyed by chain Gill towards the delivery end of the machine.

If it is desired to apply the band B afterthe cigar is enveloped, the banding mechanism can be attached above the second conveyor chain 681.

The cigar and wrapper sheet are pushed into opened pockets on the wrapper chain while the cigar is lightly but continuously gripped between opposite surfaces to prevent displacement of the cigar at the high speeds at which the machine The pocket walls close on the cigar before the cigar completes its upward movement to pull the wrapper down tightly on the top and corners of/the cigar. The depending edges of the wrapper are then lapped and lock seamed as previously described ,to form a tube projecting at either end beyond the cigar.

The tube ends are then plicated orbellows folded by tuckers followedby flattening fingers (Figs. 14 to 28) both of which are lightly spring pressed to ride down the taper of the cigar to closely lit and iron the folded wrapping or envelope against the cigar ends of variable shape without danger of breaking the cigar. This ironing and flattening has a stretching action on the.

lock seam which prevents gapping. Since cellulosic material most used with this machine is quite resilient guides 629 and the inner surfaces 'of the flatteners and crimpers employed cooperate to continuously hold the previously made folds till the final crimp is made.

The bellows fold is then crimped totransversely crease it and the end portion beyond the crimp folded back and in order to maintain this position of the material a series of sharp crinkles or corrugations of V cross-section are crimped into the material transversely of the crease or fold line. This has the effect of locking the folds and the sharp angles'and apparently the stretching of the material at the apexes-iakes the resilience out of the material where crimped.

The sharp grooves form accordion pleats having a spear. oint formation which serves to neatly merge the crimped portion into the chisel shaped package end, and to prevent the crlmped point from opening up at this point, the spear shaped .points apparently taking the resilience out of the material at this location. By the foregoing, the heat sealing commonly employed is rendered unnecessary. Since heat sealed packages of the transparent cellulose materials often open up at the seam and ends unless enough heat is used as to hurt the appearance of the material and endanger the cigar, the methodof closure just described and the resulting package have substantial advantages.

What is claimed is:

1. A "Cellophane wrapped cigar package comprising a cigar and a tube of "Cellophane having its end bent back on a hinge line beyond the end of the cigar and crimped with a corrugated crimp extending transversely across said hinge line and lengthwise with respect to the cigar, the corrugations of said crimp being terminated at a region beyond which the reverted end of the tube is crimp-free, and said crimp being self-retentive exclusively by virtue of adhesivefree folds compressed beyond the elastic limit of the Cellophane! 2. A package comprising a tube of pliable wraping material enclosing an article and having its ends plicated and turned back on the ends of the article, said tube being made of somewhat resilient material capable of taking a set when folded and compressed beyond its elastic limit, the hinge line formed by turning back the ends having a corrugated crimp to retain the material in position, said crimp extending transversely of the hinge line and lengthwise of the tube, being self-retentive exclusively by virtue of its adhesive-free folds compressed beyond the elastic lim- 3. A wrapped cigar package comprising a cigar and a tube of somewhat resilient, pliable material having an elastic limit of the order which characterizes Cellophane," each end of said tube being bent back on a hinge line beyond an end of the cigar and crimped with a corrugated crimp, the corrugations of which run across the hinge line and lengthwise with respect to the cigar, all of said corrugations extending in continuous wave-.form bodily across the breadth of the crimp, and extending through the mean plane of the crimp.

4. The method of wrapping cigars and the like in Cellophane which comprises wrapping somewhat resilient C ellophane circumferentially about the cigar to form a tube with the end portions of the tube extending beyond the end of the cigar, tucking in opposite sidesof the tube of the cigar with a series of sharp crimps having a generally v-shaped cross-section extending across said hinge line of the fold at the pro,- jectlng portion of the tube to take the elasticity out of the material and close the end of the tube,

said crimp being self retentive exclusively by virtue of adhesive-free folds compressed beyond the elastic limit of the Cellophane.

. 5. The method of wrapping cigars and the like in Cellophane which comprises wrapping a sheet of somewhat resilient Cellophane about the cigar with the end portion of the tube extending beyond the end of the cigar, flattening said projecting portions of the tube to iorm component plies, reverting the end 01' each of said projecting portions about a transverse hinge line,

and crimping the flattened portions thus associated to form a series of sharp crimps adjoining each other in continuous waves across the width oi. said flattened portions, to close the tube. iorming a flat,,tight tube-end, said crimp

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