US2369753A - Method of packaging sliced loaves - Google Patents

Description

1945- G. c. PAPENDICK METHOD OF PACKAGING SLICED LOAVES Original Filed April 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gjwucmim Feb. 20, 1945. c pAPENDlcK I 2,369,753

METHOD OF'PACKAGING SLICED LOAVES Original Filed April 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 20, 1945.

G. c. PAPENDICK 2,369,753

METHOD OF PACKAGING SLICED LOAVES Original Filed April 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Snowman;

1945- e. c. PAPENDICK METHOD PACKAGING SLICED LOAVES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed April 24, 1939 Patented Feb. 20, 1945 METHOD OF PACKAGING SLICED LOAVES Gustav C. Papendick, deceased, late of University City, Mo., by Elizabeth Pa'pendick, executrix, University City. Mo., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Elizabeth Papendick, University City, Mo.

Original application April 24, 1939, Serial No.

6 Claims.

This invention has todo with certain new and useful methods of handling and packaging sliced bread loaves, is related to the subject-matter of Letters Patent Nos. 2,247,692, 2,247,693. 2,247,694, and. 2,247,695, all of Jul 1, 1941, and No. 2,211,433, of August 13, 1940, and is a division of Letters PatentNo. 2,247,401, of July 1, 1941.

It has been discovered that. it is commercially desirable to recombine or assemble individually wrapped loaf fractions for further wrapping in a composite or multiple package. Such a multiple packaged fractionated loaf will remain fresh for a longer period of time, inasmuch as the housewife may open the outer wrap and remove a single separately wrapped fraction, leaving the remainder of the loaf in substantially doublewrapped approximately or substantially airtight Divided and this application April 3, 1941, Serial No. 386,628

condition until the first fraction has been completely consumed.

In addition, it has also been discovered that such a multiple wrapped fractionated package effectively solves the rather difficult and annoying problem encountered in merchandising composite packaged loaves, that is to say, loaves in which the fractions are of different kinds of bread, such as whole wheat, raisin, and white bread. Experience has demonstrated that the small family appreciates having a variety of different types of bread in the same package. Unfortunately, however, there is a tendency on the part of certain kinds of bread to absorb the flavor of other types of bread. White bread, for instance, when packaged compositely with whole wheat bread, will absorb a considerable amount of the whole wheat flavor and acquire a slightly modified taste, which, though not greatly objectionable,- is nevertheless unsatisfactory to the more or less discriminating and particular housewife. By separately wrapping the individual fractions, such absorption by the one of the flavor of another is obviated when such separated or individual fractions are assem-.

bled as a composite loaf in an outer wrapper.

It is evident, however, that since the price of bread is relatively low and the margin of profit small, composite and multiple wrapped sliced bread packaging must be accomplished at relatively high speed and low expense and without appreciably affecting the total cost of production or manufacture.

The invention hence has for its primary objects the provision of unique methods for preparing and handling multiple and composite wrapped sliced bread packages efficiently, economically, and conveniently, which do not add materially to the cost of production of the bread loaves, and

which are high-speed in operation and require a minimum of manual labor.

And with the above and other objects in view, the invention resides in the novel method steps of bread-handling and packaging presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings 4 sheets),

Figure 1 i a diagrammatic plan view, partly broken away, of bread-handling mechanism uniquely constructed and arranged for practicing a preferred form of bread-packaging method embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of the bread-handlingand packaging machine arrangement of Figure l;

FiguresB, 4, 5, 6, and 7 ar schematic views of unique machine arrangements for practicing modified methods of bread-handling and packaging of the invention;

Figures 8 and 9 are plan and side elevational views, respectively, of an additional unique machine arrangement for practicing a further modified method of bread-handling and packaging of the invention;

Figure 10 is a plan view of still another unique machine arrangement; for practicing particularly a modified method of composite loaf-handling and packaging of the invention; and

Figures 11 and 12 are fragmentary views of the method of practicing machine arrangement of Figure 10.

Referring now in more detail and by reference characters to the drawings, A designates a bread loafslicing and fractionating machine which includes a loaf conveyer I, a slicing mechanism 2. and a fractionating transfer conveyer 3, all preferably constructed in accordance with the disclosures of said previously filed co-pending applications.

At the discharge end of the transfer conveyer 3, is a so-called dead plate 4 bridging the gap between the transfer conveyer 3 and a longitudinally disposed rearwardly extending intake conveyer 5 of a substantially conventional first wrapping machine B having a discharge conveyer 6 disposed in spaced relation, and extending forwardly over the intake conveyer 5 and transfer conveyer 3.

Operatively mounted on the same plane as, and disposed at the forward end of, the discharge conveyer 6, is a switching mechanism C, which includes a short flight conveyer 'I and a pair of longitudinally extending side-guides 8 swingably mounted at their rearward end upon upstanding studs 9 and adapted for simultaneous oscillation from side to side in maintained parallelism for alternately guiding the forwardly traveling wrapped bread loaf fractions first to one side and then to the other side of a discharging dead plate 10.

Operatively disposed forwardly of the deadplate In, is an intake-conveyer H of a second wrapping machine D constructed and adapted for wrapping a package having a length equal to the combined length of two loaf fractions, the ma-- chine D having, in turn, a discharge conveyer l2 extending longitudinally rearwardly over, and in spaced relation from, the switching mechanism C and provided at its rear or discharge end with a flat receiving shell or platform 13, upon which the successive multiple wrapped packages may accumulate for suitable removal and shipment, all as best seen in Figures 1 and 2.

In use and practice, the unwrapped and unsliced full length bread loaves L are suitably disposed upon the feed conveyer I of the slicing machine A and progressed through the slicing mechanism 2 to the fractionating transfer conveyer 3, which operates to first divide the successive sliced loaves into, in the present instance, two. equal fractions 1 and to then deliver such fractions in a consecutive series across the dead plate 4 to the intake conveyer 5 of the wrapping machine B.

In the machine B, the individual fractions 1 are wrapped and delivered by the discharge conveyer 6 to the switching mechanism C, which latter operates and functions to re-align every successive two loaf fractions into end to end or axial pair-relation.

The so re-aligned pairs of loaf fractions 1 are successively delivered across the dead plate l0 to the intake conveyer I I of the second wrapping machine D, by which the each successively delivered loaf-fraction pair is wrapped as a unit in a double-section multiple wrapped package and the packages P delivered, in turn, by the conveyer 12 upon the platform or plate [3 for removal.

With reference now to the method of practicing arrangement of Figures 3 and 4, A is a slicing machine having a feed conveyer l4, slicing mechanism l5, and a fractionating transfer conveyer Hi, all preferably constructed in accordance with the disclosures of my said previously filed co-pending patent applications. Operatively disposed at the rear or discharge end of the transfer conveyer I6, is the laterally presented intake conveyer ll of a first or so-called primary wrapping machine B, which, at its forward or discharge end, is provided with a discharge conveyer l8 longitudinally extending forward over and in upwardly spaced relation from the slicing machine A, as shown.

Operatively mounted in the plane, and at the forward or discharge end, of the conveyer'lil, is a switching mechanism C, a dead plate l9, and an intake conveyer of a second or socalled secondary wrapping machine D, all operatively associated in a manner fully and particularly described in a co-pending application of Walter A. Thum, Patent No. 2,289,943, July 14, 1942.

The initially unsliced loaves L, on being passed through the slicing means l5, are each divided into, in the present instance, two fractions 1, l, which are shifted axially away from each other and disposed into consecutive alignment by the fractionating transfer conveyer l6 and consecutively discharged into the pockets of the conveyer I! for delivery into the primary wrapping machine B, by which each of said fractions is individually or separately wrapped. The so wrapped fractions 1, l, are then conveyed in consecutive order by the discharge conveyer I! to the switching mechanism 0, by which each successive two fractions are shifted again into axial alignment or normal loaf-forming relationship and in such re-aligned relation conveyed by the intake conveyer 20 into the second wrapping machine D, by which each succeeding pair of separately wrapped fractions is wrapped in an outer wrap in the formation substantially of a double wrapped fractionally divided full loaf, and the packages P delivered, in turn, by the conveyer l2 upon the platform or plate l3 for removal.

Again, with reference now to Figures 5 and 6. A is a slicing machine having a feed conveyer 2|, slicing means 22, and a fractionating transfer conveyer 23. The whole or unsliced loaves L, on being fed through the slicing means 22, are each subdivided into a pair of fractions f. f, and delivered upon the conveyer 23 and by which some of such fractions, as the fractions f, are successively discharged first on to a dead plate 23' and then upon a straight-run forwardly extending and upwardly inclined carry-over conveyer 24 to a second dead plate 24' and then delivered to the intake conveyer 25 of a so-called secondary wrapping machine D Meanwhile the other loaf fraction j are successively shifted axially away from the fractions 1 and delivered by the conveyer 23 upon the laterally extending intake conveyer 26 of a so-called primary wrapping machine B by which such fractions 1' are successively separately wrapped and then delivered by a forwardly extending discharge conveyer 21 upon a second laterally extending conveyer 28 and by the latter conveyed successively to and upon a dead plate 28 and then upon the conveyer 25 and into re-co-axial alignment with the separate, and as yet unwrapped, fraction I. The successive pairs of so re-aligned or end-to-end disposed fractions, each pair now comprising an unwrapped fraction 1 and a wrapped fraction j, are now by the conveyer 25 fed into the wrapping machine D and by sucn machine wrapped as a single full length loaf. From the machine D the successive packages, each now including an outer wrap enclosing one unwrapped loaf fraction f and one wrapped loaf fraction j, are, in turn, conveyed for removal by a conveyer 28 upon a discharge table, or the like, 28", as shown.

Figure 7 illustrates a spaced economizing and compact method practicing machine arrangement, which includes a slicing machine A having a rearwardly extending feed conveyer 29, slicing means 30, and a rearwardly extending transfer conveyer 3|. Operatively mounted at the discharge end of the transfer conveyer 3|, is an elevating mechanism 32 comprising a pair of spaced pulleys 33, 34, reeved about which is an endless conveyer belt 35 provided with a series of swingable plates 36 each having an inwardly projecting foot 31 for engagement during upward loaf-elevating movement of the belt 35 with a guide track 38. Operatively mounted in juxtaposition to the upper limit of travel of the elevating plates 36, is a reciprocatory push or pull off arm 39 actuable in timed relation with the elevating mechanism 32, all as best seen in Figure '7.

Also operatively mounted adjacent the upper limit of travel of the elevating conveyer 35 and longitudinally extending forwardly over the slicing machine A is a straight-line conveyer 40 for successively delivering the sliced bread loaves or loaf fractions, as the case may be, into the intake conveyer 4| of a wrapping machine 18 for delivery, in turn, by a conveyer 4| onto a discharge plate 4|" for removal.

In Figures 8 and 9, A is a loaf-slicing machine having an intake conveyer 42, slicing means 43. and a rearwardly extending fractionating transfer conveyer 44 adapted for simultaneously shifting the loaf fractions in co-axial pair alignment along separate paths, as at p, p, Figure 8. The loaf fractions moving along one of the paths will directly discharge onto a longitudinally rearwardly extending intake conveyer 45 of a so-called primary wrapping machine 3*, while the loaf fractions p moving along the other path will be shifted onto a laterally extending auxiliary transfer conveyer 45 for discharge by mechanical means 46 onto the intake conveyer 41 of another so-called primary wrapping machine B the conveyer 41, as best seen in Figure 8, longitudinally extending rearwardly in spaced parallel relation to the conveyer 45 of the machine B The wrapping machine B has a forwardly extending discharge conveyer 48 for delivering the wrapped loaf fractions to one side of the intake conveyer 49 of a so-called secondary wrapping machine D, while the other primary wrapping machine B has a similar forwardly extending dischargeconveyer 5H for delivering the wrapped loaf fractions p to a laterally extending auxiliary discharge conveyer 5|. by which latter the loaf fractions 12 are shifted to and upon the dead plate 5| and then to the other side of the intake conveyer 49 into respective co-axial full loaf-forming alignment with the loaf fractions p which have been delivered upon the intake conveyer 49 by the other discharge conveyer 48, each pair of wrapped fractions p, p, being again by the machine D wrapped endwise together in sigle loaf relation and delivered by a conveyer 5| upon a discharge plate 5|" for removal.

In the multiple composite loaf package machine arrangement shown in Figures l0, ll, 12, A is a loaf slicing machine which includes a feed conveyer 52, slicing mechanism 53, and a fractionating rearwardly extending transfer conveyer 54. Disposed horizontally over the conveyer 54 and extending transversely across the discharge side of the slicing mechanism 53, is a delivery plate 55 having a rearwardly projecting tongue or hold-back portion 56 extending longitudinally outwardly overthe transfer conveyer 54 and having a transverse dimension substantially the same as half the length of the delivery plate 55 so as to extend substantially from the mid point to one side margin thereof, all as best seen in Figure 10. Operatively mounted on the framework of the slicing mechanism 53, is an outwardly projecting lug 53 for swingably supporting a conventional hold-down plate h. also as best seen in Figure 10..

The transfer conveyer 54 is further provided with a pair of side guides 51 each having an inwardly extending oblique portion 58. Also supported over the transverse conveyer 54 intermediate the side guides 51, is a center guide havin a rearwardly extending free-swinging switch guide 59, the transfer conveyer 54 being also provided with a plurality of conventional chaindriven flight bars 60, all as best seen in Figure and for purposes presently fully appearing.

Operatively mounted at the discharge end of the transfer conveyer 54, is the conventional laterally extending intake conveyer 5| of an initial or so-called primary wrapping machine 3' adapted for .wrapping loaf fractions and provided at its discharge end with a delivery conveyer 62 longitudinally extending forwardly in spaced parallel relation to the conveyers 52, I4.

Operatively mounted at the discharge end of the conveyer 62, is a fraction re-aligning mechanism C. a dead plate 43, and an intake conveyer 64 operatively associated with a secondary wrapping machine D preferably constructed and operatively associated in a manner more fully disclosed and described in the co-pending application of Walter A. Thum for patent for Article r handling machinery, Serial No. 257,836, filed V February 23, 1939.

If, for example, it should be desired to prepare a composite package containing a half fraction of whole wheat bread and a half fraction of white bread, a. plurality of full unsliced white loaves X may be placed upon the slicing machine feed conveyer 52 in alternate sequence with full unsliced whole wheat loaves Y. The loaves X, Y, are successively fed through the slicing mechanism 53 and issue upon the delivery plate 55 and each loaf divided into component fractions :1, x, and y, y, respectively. As will be seen by reference to Figures 10 and 11, the one fraction :1: of the first white loaf X will move directly down upon the transfer conveyer 54 in front of an oncoming flight rod 60. This fraction :0 is manually removed, so that the first loaf fraction to be deposited upon the transfer conveyer 54 will be the succeeding whole wheat fraction 1!. Meanwhile the white fraction x will have moved forwardly over the tongue or hold-back plate 55 and will be deposited in front of the next succeeding flight rod 50.

Following the deposition of the fraction 2:, a subsequent white fraction :4: and thereafter a subsequent whole wheat fraction 11' will be successively deposited for the ultimate formation of a second composite loaf.

As will also be seen in Figure 10, this operates so as to feed the white loaf fractions 2:, :2, into the pockets of the intake conveyer 6| in heel to heel relationship. Similarly the whole wheat loaf fractions 11, y, are also fed to the intake conveyer in heel to heel" relationship. Thus, in every instance, the two loaf fractions which follow each other consecutively with their respective or open soft ends in adjacent proximity will always be a pair consisting of one white fraction :1: and one whole wheat fraction 11' or conversely one white fraction 1." and one whole wheat fraction 11. The fractions 1:, :c, y, 11', are separately wrapped in the primary wrapping machine 13 and are fed by the delivery mechanism 52, to the switching mechanism C by which latter the loaf fractions are deposited upon first one side and then the other side of the dead plate 63, each loaf fraction being, in turn, pushed from the dead plate 63 to the intake conveyer 64 of the secondary wrapping machine D by an oncoming loaf fraction. The switching mechanism C is so timed with relation to the movement of the intake conveyer 64, so that a loaf fraction 2: and a loaf fraction 11 or a loaf fraction 1: or a loaf fraction y, as the case may be, are deposited in axially aligned or end-to-end loaf-forming relationship upon the intake conveyer 54 for ultimate disposition by the machine D within an.

outer wrapping in the formation of an outer wrapped and packaged composite loaf comprising 4- a aaoavos a pair of also separately wrapped different loaf fractions;

If it is desired to omit the elongated tongue 56 of the delivery plate 55 and operate the transfer conveyer 54 for simple loaf fractionation, then composite packaging may be achieved simply by removing the first loaf fraction 1:, for instance, as it is delivered into the switching mechanism and, at the same time, retarding for one half cycle the forward movement of the intake conveyer 64 of the secondary wrapping machine D.-

Under such circumstances, it-will be seen that initially a white fraction x will be deposited on one side of the dead plate I and then a whole wheat fraction 1/ will be deposited on the other side of the dead plate 83, forming a composite loaf. The two fractions 2:, u, will be successively pushed off the dead plate It into the delayed intake conveyer 64 for dispodtion in an outer wrapper, as'above described.

Thus the baker is enabled to most economically, conveniently, and speedily wrap and double wrap loaf fractions for commercial delivery by the baker to consumers in a manner conserving the freshness and tastiness of the loaf, and it should be understood that changes and modifications in the form, construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of the method practicing machine arrangements may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is- 1, That method of packaging a baked bread loaf which comprises slicing the loaf, subdividing the loaf into two separate fractions, progressing one fraction along a straight line path, progressing the second fraction along a laterally divergent path, individually wrapping said second fraction, returning said wrapped second fraction into end-to-end loaf-forming alignment with the first fraction, and wrapping the two fractions in the formation of a unitary package.

2. The method of packaging a bread loaf which comprises slicing the bread loaf, subdividing the sliced loaf into two fractions, shifting one of the fractions along a path oblique to the path of the other fraction in selected horizontal plane, individually wrapping the fractions, progressing the wrapped fractions reversely in a plane spaced from the first selected plane, shifting the fractions for re-alignment into full loaf formation,

and wrapping the re-aligned fractions in an outer wrapping in the forma'tionof a unitary full loafsized package.

3. The method of packaging a bread loaf which comprises slicing the bread loaf, subdividing the sliced loaf into two fractions, shifting one of the fractions along a path at right angles to the path of the other fraction in selected horizontal plane, individually wrapping the fractions, progressing the wrapped fractions reversely in a plane spaced from the first selected plane, shifting the fractions for re-alignment into full loaf formation, and wrapping the re-aligned fractions in an outer wrapping in the formation of a unitary full loaf-sized package.

4. The method of packaging a bread loaf which comprises slicing the bread loaf, subdividing the sliced loaf into two fractions, shifting one of the fractions along a path at right angles to the path of the other fraction in selected horizontal path, individually wrapping the fractions, progressing the wrapped fractions reversely in a path spaced from the first selected path, shifting the fractions for re-alignment into full loaf formation, and wrapping the re-aligned fractions in an outer wrapping in the formation of a unitary full loaf-sized package.

5. The method of packaging bread loaves which comprises subdividing the sliced loaves into a plurality of fractions, separately wrapping the divided fractions, elevating the wrapped fractions to a predetermined level, progressing the wrapped fractions along a predetermined path at said level, recombining the wrapped fractions into single formation, and wrapping the recombined wrapped fractions in an outer wrapping in the formation of a single full loaf-sized package.

6. The method of packaging bread loaves which comprises subdividing the sliced loaves into a plurality of fractions, separately wrapping the divided fractions, elevating the wrapped frac: tions to a predetermined level, progressing the wrapped fractions along a predetermined path at said level, recombining the wrapped fractions into single loaf formation, wrapping the recombined wrapped fractions in an outer wrapping in the formation of a single full loaf-sized package, and discharging the full sized loaf packages at a second level spaced upwardly from the predetermined level.

ELIZABETH PAPENDICK, Ezecutrizc of the Estate of Gustav C. Papendick,

Deceased.

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