US2246268A - Wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

June 17, 1941-. E. L. SMITH WRAPPING MACHINEv 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS Filed Nov. 25, 1939 E. L. SMITH WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Nov. 25 1959 June 17, 1941.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR lb/m Zoraz J/v/rx/ BY ATTORNEYS June 17, 1941. L n- 2,246,268

wmrrme MACHINE Filed Nov. 25, 1939" s Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR 22/10? [mam J/x/n/ W ZWL 1 ATTORNEYS Patented June 17, 1941 WRAPPING MACHINE Elmer Lovell Smith, Iiongmeadom'Masa, assignor to Package Machinery Company, Springfield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 25, 1939, Serial No. 306,114

14 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanism for wrapping articles.

One object of the. invention is to provide a novel mechanism for producing a package which will have all the folds located upon one flat side of the article with the outsidefiap covering nearly all of that side so as to present a surface capable of bearing printing. A further object is to provide improved mechanism for' treating this final fiap prior to the time at which it is folded upon the article so as to cause the flap to have a slightinward convergence sufficient to prevent any appearance of flaring, which would normally occur as the various folds-were flattened out in folding down this last flap. A further object is to provide an improved mechanism in which the article may be conveyed through the complete machine by the action of continuously moving pushers only. A further object is to provide improved mechanism for producing a package capable of being sealed by a single band of sealing liquid applied during the folding operation.

In accordance with the preferred embodiment of-the invention the articles are delivered down a first wrapping channel in which they contact a wrapper, which is subsequently folded around the forward side and around onto the bottom of the article leaving a trailing extension behind the article and side folds turned completely around onto the bottom of the article. The article is then carried in a direction at right angles to the first in which process the rearward extension isgiven a slight convergence in order to avoid fiare,

and is then glued and turned at right angles'to a semi-circular arc in order that the direction of the delivery channel may be the same as that of the first channel.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of the first wrapping channel with the top plate omitted;

Fig. 2 is a section thereof on line 2-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section of the first channel on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 to 9 are details showing successive steps in the wrapping of the article in the first channel;

Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the partially wrapped article in the condition shown in Fig. 9;

Figs. 11 and 12 collectively are side elevational views of the second channel, the two views being continuations one of another on the line AA;

and being taken substantially on the line |2|2 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 13 is a section on line I 3-l3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 14 is'a section on line lL-ll of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is a detail of the operating mechanism for a forwarding device shown in Fig. 12;

Fig. 16 is a detail of a partially wrapped article taken on line l6--|6 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 17 is a detail of a partially wrapped article taken on line "-41 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 18 is ,a detail, looking in the direction of travel of the first channel, of an article shortly after being received in the second channel;

Fig. 19 is a detail, taken at a time shortly after that shown in Fig. 12', showing the operation of a rotary folder;

Fig. 20 is a bottom view of a package shortly I after the position of Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is a detailshowing the operation of the rear flap gluing device;

Fig. 22 is a detail showing the folder for turning down the rear flap of the wrapper; and

Fig. 23 is a detail showing the manner in which the article is delivered from the second channel conveyor.

The mechanism for delivering the articles to the machine and for feeding the wrapping material into place, as well as the main drive mechanism, is not essential to an understanding of the present invention and is not shown in detail herein. The articles a, which may he sticks of gum, are delivered in any suitable way in front of successive pushers 25 carried by a chain 26 which may be driven continuously in any desired manner. The pushers extend through a slot 21 in the bed-plate 28 of the first folding channel, and are generally T-shaped with the wide bar away from the conveyor. As the articles are advanced they contact a wrapper w delivered in place in any suitable manner. The feed. of the wrapper is so timed with respect to the motion of the article that, as is best seen in Fig. 4, the wrapper will be folded around the forward edge of the article with a long single ply rearward extension at the top anda short flap, slightly less in width than the article, at the bottom.

As the article in the condition of Fig. 4 is forwarded continuously through the wrapping channel the side portions of the wrapper contact tucking plates 29 only one of which appears in Fig. 1.

As is best shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the tucking plates have their forward end beveled and slanting in toward. the article as indicated at 30, and are preferably formed as narrowed extensions of .a plate 31 secured to the bed plate. The extensions Il may thus be made very narrow without sacrificing rigidity. The function of these plates is to form tucks b at each end of the wrapper as is shown in Fig. 5. After leaving the tucking members the sides of the wrapper are pushed upwardly and are creased by stationary blades 32 arising from plates 33 secured to the bed plate. These creases form at either side of the article plate of the second folding channel.

a fold line in the side extensions of the wrapper and at the same time force the lower flaps upwardly so that when the composite side flaps are subsequently turned down a neat fold will be produced. This folding of the side fiaps c is brought about by the beveled portion 34 of a stationary folder 35 and brings the flap to thevcondition shown in Fig. '7. The fiap is then engaged by a stationary plow folder 26 and turned underneath the article as shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

It will be seen that in thiscondition the wrapper completely incloses the article except for its rear edge and that it has a single ply rearward extension (1 at the top and marginal portions at the bottom formed by the fiaps c which have been turned around onto the bottom of the article. In the condition of Fig. 9' and 10 the rearward extensions of the flaps c are spaced from the flap d and itis to the consolidation of these two portions of the wrapper that the next part of the wrapping machine relates. through the second wrapping channel it may be noted that the first wrappin channel is provided with spring pressed top plates 31, 38 and 39, the latter'of which has its side portions beveled off as shownat 40 in Fig. 13. These several top plates are mounted on pins 4| passing through a bar 42 suitably supported as at 43, springs 44 being interposed between the bar 42 and the top plates to hold the latter yieldably against the articles.

The articles in the condition of Figs. 9 and 10 are delivered by the pushers 25 successively onto the bottom plate 45 of the second wrapping wrapper channel as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and are forwarded along it by L-shaped pushers 46 carried by a continuously moving chain conveyor 41 which may be supported and driven in any suitable manner. It should be noted that the first conveyor 26 is on one side of the line of articles and the conveyor 41 is on'the other side so that they do not interfere. The condition of the article at the time of the transfer from one conveyor to the other is best shown in Fig. 13. When the article is received upon the floor 45 of the channel the trailing extension at one side is supported upon a stationary block 50 while the extension of the other side is supported by a block having a tapered surface 52, the space 83 between the blocks serving for the passage of the pushers 25. By tapering the block 5| in the manner shown the fiap originally resting on it will be guided during the start of its travel down Before passing naturally by being pushed along a creasing plate (Fig. 11) lying at the edge of the bottom This plate may be secured to the channel bottom by screws ,5! as shown :in Fig. 3 and .has an initially tapered portion 58 and ar intermediate tapered portion 59 (Fig. 12) leading up to the final creasing portion 8!. In fact as far as this flap is concerned, the two stage nature of the creasing plate is unnecessary and the plate could be made to rise immediately to the level of the portion 60.

with respect to the rear edge of these flaps,

however, it will be apparent that, instead of causing the fiap to taper inwardly, the action of .the creaser plate would be to cause the flap to become flared outwardly, which is the reverse of the condition desired. To correct this condition a continuously rotating creaser and folder BI is mounted on a shaft 52 and driven by any suitable mechanism in timed relation to the chain 41. The shaft makes one revolution for each passage of an article but the radius of the rotating folder is chosen sufilciently large so that it ,has a peripheral speed in excess of the forward speed of the article. This causes the folder to sweep the rear curved edge of the flap forwardly as shown in Fig. 19 and then by contact of an ironing portion 52' with a hardened stationary block 53 to crease the fold and cause the flap to be retained in this condition. It will be noted that prior to the operation of the rotating folder the flaps have been partially elevated by the creaser 56 as shown in Fig. 18. The creaser plate not only furnishes support for the flaps but by its height regulates exactly the amount of inward taper which will be given to the rear fiap by the rotating folder.

After passing the rotating folder the articles are carried by the pushers 45 past the elevated portion 60 of the creasing plate, which presses the .fiaps against a stationary top plate 54 and holds them tightly in creased'position. The article then passes by a glue dauber carried upon a rotating shaft 65 driven in timed relation with the conveyor so as to contact the central portion of each extending flap d as shown in Fig. 21. This dauber is also adapted to'contact a roller 66 dipping into a tank (not shown) containing a sealing liquid and provided with the usual doctor plate 51.

Still continuing their passage down the second folding channel, the composite flaps cd then strike against a stationary folder 68 and are turned thereby vertically downwardly as shown the second channel in the direction shown by the arrow 54 while the flap at the other side will engage this beveled surface edge on and will be turned up into its normal position without danger of catching.

It is desirable in order to preserve the neat appearance of the article that when the composite ilap cd is folded underneath the article it should not overhang the article at its ends.

in Figs. 22 and 23. With the fiaps in this condition the partially wrapped article is disposed by the pusher 46 in the position indicated at a in Fig. 12. A transfer finger Ill, having a motion in an elliptical path Ii, moves the article from the position a to the end of the second channel into a position indicated at a." in Fig. 14. To give the ger III the desired motion it is mounted upon the upper end of an arm 12 pivoted at 13 to a crank 14 rotating about a shaft 15. The lower end of the arm is pivoted at 16 to an arm ll freely swinging upon a stationary pivot I8.

The last fold is accomplished by pushing the article in a direction opposite to that of the first conveyor over a folding member as indicated in Fig. 14. This turns the composite flap cd over upon the bottom of the article and causes the sealing liquid previously applied to seal the wrapper firmly in position. It may be desirable in many cases not to have the completely wrapped articles traveling in a direction opposite 1 to that of the first conveyorand for this purpose along the plate 85 by contact of the successive v articles. The fingers 83 are preferably forked as at 81 to straddle the guide 8|.

I claim: 1. A wrapping machine comprising means for depositing at a-station a partially wrapped article having a trailing wrapper extension, means a for conveying the article away from said station,

opposed stationary creasing members one located in the path of the wrapper extension of a wrapper being so. conveyed, and the other substantially in the plane of one side of the article, said first named creasing member-being tapered to roll the forward sides of the extension tothe rear side of the wrapper extension, means for rotating the segmental creasing member in the direction of movement of the article but at a faster speed to cause the rear side of the wrapper extension to-be rolled towards its center and to press it against said block, and'folding means operable to turn said flattened wrapper exten-, sion onto a face of the article.

4. A wrapping machine comprising means for depositing at a station a partially wrapped article having a trailing wrapper extension, means for conveying the article away from said station in a direction transverse to said trailing wrapper extension, opposed stationary creasing members one located in the path of the wrapper extension of a wrapper being so conveyed and the other located substantially in the plane of one side of the article, said first named creasing member wards its center and to flatten said forward edge in that condition, a movable creasing member,

meansfor moving said movable creasing member in the direction of movement of the article but at a faster speed to cause the rear side of the wrapper extension to be rolled towards its center and to press it against said second named stationary-creasing member, and folding means operable to turn said flattened wrapper extension onto a face of the article.

2. A wrapping machine comprising means for depositing ata station a partially wrapped artifor moving said movable creasing member in the direction of movement of the article but at a faster speed to cause'the rear side of the wrapper extension to be rolled towards its center and to press it against said second named stationary creasing member, means for flattening said rear side of the wrapper extension partially before the movable creasing member engages it, and

folding means operable to turn said flattened wrapper extension onto a face of the article.

3. A wrapping machine comprising means for depositing at a station a partially wrapped article having a trailing wrapper extension, means for conveying the article away from said station in a direction transverse to said trailing wrapper extension, opposed stationary creasing m'embers one located in the path of the wrapper extension of a wrapper being so conveyed and the other located substantially in the plane of one side of the article, said first named creasing member being tapered to roll the forward side of the wrapper extension towards its center and to flatten said forward edge by pressing it against the second named creasing member, a continuously rotating segmental creasing member, a

being tapered to roll the forward side of the wrapper extension towards its center and to fiatten said forward edge by pressing it against the second named creasing member, a continuously rotating segmental creasing member, a hard block substantially in the plane of the first named creasing member and. against which the rotating creasing member is positioned to press the rear side' of the wrapper extension, means for rotating the segmental creasing member in the direction of movement of the article but at a faster speed to cause the rear side of the wrapper extension to be rolled towards its center and to press it against said block, means for flattening said rear side of the wrapper extension partially before the movable creasing member engages it, and folding means operable to turn said flattenedwrapper extension onto a face of the article.

5. In a wrapping machine, two folding channels arranged at right angles to each other, a continuously moving first conveyor positioned adjacent the first channel and having one or more pushers projecting into said channel and of a size to contact the article near its center only, the path of said pushers being such as to deposit the article in line with the second folding channel, wrapper feeding means for. locating a wrapper in front of an article advanced by the first conveyor in such a position that it will be folded over one face of the article substantially to but not beyond the pusher and over the opposite face of the article beyond the pusher, folding means positioned adjacent the first channel to fold the side portions of the wrapper onto the first-named face of the article, a second continuously moving conveyor positioned adjacent the second folding channel on the opposite side from the first conveyor and having one or more pushers contacting the folded side portion of successive articles to carry them through the second channel, and means for completing the folding of the wrapper around the article.

6. In a wrapping machine, two folding channels arranged at right angles to each other, a continuously moving first conveyor positioned adjacent the first channel and having one or more pushers projecting into said channel and of a size to contact the article near its center only, the path of said pushers being such as to deposit the article in line with the secondfolding channel, wrapper feeding means for locating a wrapper in front of an article advanced by the first conveyor in such a position that it will be folded over one face of the article substantially to but not beyond the pusher and over the opposite face of the article and beyond the pusher, folding means positioned adjacent the first channel to fold the side portions of the wrapper onto the first-named face of the article, a second continuously moving conveyor. positioned adjacent the second folding channel on the opposite side from the first conveyor and having one or more pushers contacting the folded side portions of successive articles to carry them through the second channel, means disposed along the second channel to crease and flatten the unfolded part of the wrapper into a single outstanding fiap, and means for folding said fiap against the article.

7. In a wrapping machine, two folding channels arranged at right angles to each other, a continuously moving first conveyor positioned adjacent the first channel and having one or more pushers projecting into said channel and of a size to contact the article near its center only, the path of said pushers being such as to deposit the article in line with the second folding channel, wrapper feeding means for locating a wrapper in front of an article advanced by the first conveyor in such a position that it will be folded over one face of the article substantially to but not beyond the pusher and over the opposite face of the article beyond the pusher, folding means positioned adjacent the first channel to fold the side portions of the wrapper onto the tioned to fold said flap upon the article during the ejection of the article.

8. In a wrapping machine, two folding channels arranged at right angles to each other, a continuously moving first conveyor positioned adjacent the first channel and having one or more pushers projecting into said channel and of a size to contact the article near its center only, the path of said pushers being such as to deposit the article in line with the second folding channel, wrapper feeding means for locating a wrapper in front of an article advanced by the first conveyor in such a position that it will be folded over one face of the article substantially to but not beyond the pusher and over the opposite face of the article and beyond the pusher, folding means positioned adjacent the first channel to fold the side portions of the wrapper onto the first-named face of the article, a second continuously moving conveyor positioned adjacent the second folding channel on the opposite side from the first conveyor and having one or more pushers contacting the folded side portions of successive articles to carry them through the second channel, means disposed along the second channel to crease and flatten the unfolded part of the wrapper into a single outstanding flap, means for turning said flap at right angles to the article, means for ejecting the. article at right angles to the second channel, a folder positioned to fold said fiap upon the article during the ejection of the'article, and a delivery conveyor curving reversely over said second channel to deliver the articles parallel to the articles in the. first channel. a

9. In a wrapping machine, means for folding a wrapper around an article with an extension having a single ply portion beyond one face of the article and unconnected marginal portions beyond the opposite face 01' the article, creasing means for flattening the marginal portions against the single ply portion, and means for folding against the article the composite flap thus produced.

10. In a wrapping machine, means for folding a wrapper around an article with an extension having a single ply portion beyond one face of the article and unconnectedmarginal portions beyond the opposite face of the article, creasing means acting on said marginal portions from opposite sides of the article to roll said marginal portions into slightly converging relation and to flatten them against the single ply portion, and means for folding against the article the composite flap thus produced.

11. In a wrapping macine, a slotted folding channel, a conveyor having pushers passing through said slot for conveying an article along the folding channel, folding means adjacent the channel to fold a wrapper around an article with a rearward extension having unconnected marginal portions beyond one face of the article, a second channel at right angles to the first, means for conveying the article along the second channel, an article support positioned adjacent the pointof transfer from one channel to the other, said support being slotted to permit the passage of the pushers of the first conveyor and being beveled towards the slot on atleast one side to engage and fold against'the article one of said marginal portions as the movement of the article through the second channel begins, and means to complete the folding of the wrapper around the article.

12. In a wrapping machine, a folding channel, means for conveying an article along the folding channel, foldingmeans adjacent the channel to fold a wrapper around an article with a rear- Ward extension having a single ply portion beyon'done face of the article and unconnected marginal portions beyond the other face of the article, a second channel at right angles to the first, means for conveying the article along the secondchanneL'folding means operative during the travel of the article through the second channel for creasing said marginal portions of the extension against the single ply portion and folding the composite flap thus produced about the lineof connection between said single ply portion and the body of the wrapper, means for ejecting the article from the second channel, and means operable upon said ejection to fold said composite flap against the face of the article opposite said line of connection.

13. A wrapping machine comprising means for folding a wrapper about an article so as to cover one end and two mutually opposed surfaces adjacent thereto and to provide a wrapper extension projecting beyond the second end from one of said opposed surfaces only, tucking plates operable to tuck against the sides of the article the marginal wrapper extensions projecting laterally from the first-named article end, means for folding against the second of said opposed surfaces the multi-ply marginal wrapper portions thus formed, leaving unconnected singleply wrapper extensions projecting beyond the erally from the first-named article end, means second article end from the second of said opposed surfaces, means for flattening said unconnected single-ply extensions against the wrapper extension projecting from the first of said opposed surfaces, and means for folding said fiattened extension onto the second .of said opposed surfaces.

14. A wrapping machine comprising means for folding a wrapper about an article so as to cover one end and two mutually opposed surfaces adjacent thereto and to provide a wrapper exten-' sion projecting beyond the second end from one of said opposed surfaces only, tucking plates operable to tuck against the sides of the article the marginal wrapper extensions projecting lat-

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