US2603925A - Heat-sealing wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE HEAT-summe WRAPPING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1948 MG Vf. N won July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 14, 1948 NNN July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 14, 1948 fa@ @wv I N VEN TOR.

Mya/#m NNN f C l1 NN f\ N. QN

July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 14, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

"LM 44444/ m7 July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed 00T.. 14, 1948 July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE 2,603,925.

HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE Filed oct. 14, 1948 1o sheets-sheet 6 INVEvToR. daim/(ML. 1474*, 41a

@auf

July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed 001'.. 14, 1948 July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE 2,603,925

HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 14, 1948 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 l Micra? Namens/Z Ma/Walrus I CORRW'OR Y v IN VEN TOR flfqv SH P i shi/TOIT 1x/L72 JWM M0112 July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING' MACHINE io- 'sheets-sheet 9 Filed 001'.. 14, 1948 xm. wm N, M .I. m wb XX fl. I HQQ.. .N Nilnuw A www Y ,v .N RN Y NNN. s s NNNH rk, NINHH July 22, 1952 G. A. MOORE A HEAT-SEALING WRAPPING MACHINE Filed oct. y14, '194s' Patented July 22, 1952 vH'Esris'r'zALI/isoiWRAPPING MACHINE George rlingtoniMcore,NewYork, Y. Application october 14, 194s, serial saisi:

9 claims. (01.534525) The present invention relates .to...heat sealing E;

wrapping machines, particularly adapted for pro# ducing filledpackages of cigarettes in asingle composite wrapper of foil laminated paper and in such manner thatwa superior package results,

with such complete sealing of. the vseams and folds that the cigarettes are protectedmore effectively than by the Vpackages now in rgeneral use.

A wrapper. particularly adaptedfor, use in the machine is a cut 'section o'fa duplex sheet material, which may befed from aroll thereof', and comprising aluminum foil bonded on one'surface vto a sheetl of `paper, the foilhaving a pattern at longitudinal seam fand Aend fold 'areas consisting of a normally `dryheat-,sealing material. Such a wrapper is, rfrom its physical standpOintS, ideally adapted to protect the contents of the packages, but involves many problems arising through high speed machine operations at the various stages, andwhere, for example, an opera,- tion must be performed in a `fraction of a second, where wrappersheet sections mustbe accurately measured, Aout fromv the roll, and positioned, whilst theieed4 from the roll is uninterrupted, and this in afraction cfa second, and where an assembly of cigarettes is forcibly projectedagainst the newly formed folds of a bottomofa package,

for ejectionr of the package-under conditions.

where the folds mustbe tacked resistant tosuch action in a small fraction of a second, etc., etc-.

The invention also relatesjto a method of packaging upon which method the machine is based.

The invention will be described with reference to the'accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. v1 is a schematic View in elevation showing at the left a cigarette-receiving turretand at the right a wrapper-forming turret, Awitljrweb feeding and cutting elements above the latter;

Fig. 1a is an enlarged section takeny generally on the line Irl-la, Fig. 1, showing the transfer of cigarettes into awrapper held -by an arbor of the wrapping turret; v i H Fig. 1b is an' enlarged sectional'view -takenvon the line Ib+llb, Fig.V lshowingthe bottom fold tacking step preliminary to thev transfer of ,cig'

arettes to the'package wrap;.

Fig. 1c is a view in elevation showing the `filled package on a support after ejection from the turret, the top closure folding tools being in position for closing the end folds only;

Fig'. 2Vv is a view in front elevation, partlybroken away, showing an embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a vi'ewin elevation'takenv at right angles to Fig. 2 and showing the deliveryend ofthe machine; .2'

Figfl is; a vrs eetion take'generally on the line 4-'4 of Fig. 2 (as ytothe wrapper web) showing the electric `eye-.beam arrangement;

Fig, 5 isa schematicperspective view show lzg elements;

a section of the webcontaining a signal spotfor the lelectric eye scanning devices;

Figure 6 is a sectional 'elevation' showinglthe drive shaft for the web feeding mechanism `and the elementswhich actuate .thejsame independently through a planetary gear'fr'om 'a motor which will be energized through the action of. the photo-electric.mechanism;

. Fig. '7 is a fragmentary elevation, partly in 'detted line taken along the line 1.-#1, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 isan enlarged fragmentary view 'showing a sectioriofthe wrapping turretv at which the wrapper isacted upon by `side seam, tol's` Fig. 9 is a schematic view partly.. section showing the action., of the bottom j aplfolding tools;

Fig. 10 is a view in elevation .somewhatenlarged with respect to Fig. 8, fandfshowing'the position of a side seam heating iron after withidrawal of the body folding. tuckers forming Ypart of the side seam mechanism;

Fig. 11 is. a. view in elevatiofrrtakeriat Aright angles to Fig. ,l0 `andshowing the same instrumentalities, with 'aQsidefseam iron down;

Fig. 41 2 is'aview similar to, Fig. `1l showing a side. seamrlon retracted;

Fig.; '13 .isa view partlyV in vsection.showing -a 'bodyclamp assembly including its supportand its movable clamp platej v Fig. 14'is a schematic view showing the bottom end fold tuckers, with respect to their action preliminary to the action of the side folding tool shown in Fig. 9;

Fig. 15jis a composite -view inperspective showing the manner of folding the wrapper b ody; l Fig. Y16 is aview similar to Fig. 15 showing the successive folding of 'the' bottom flaps; Fig. 17 is a plan' View of a wrapper blank `'showin'g by stipplethe adhesive pattern and by dotted lines the transverse lines of fold; Fig. l18 isv a general wiring diagram; Figlf19 is aschernatic View top plan taken generallyfon the line I 9''l9, Figf; Fig. 20 A(attire right hand side of Fig. '3) isfa detail rearj elevation of the chin and' discharge Fig. 21 isfan enlarged transverse'section taken generally onthejlin'e 21e-2|, Fig. 2, showing the package transfer initial to active movement;

Fig. 22 is a view similar 'to Fig. f20fshow ing the package transfer at jtheend* of ,anfactive Figsiis a view in "'elvaten taken .as gm angles with respect to Figures .21 `and `2 '2' -'to further villustrate.thetransfer mechanisrn-j` Fig. 29 is a view in elevation of the electric'.-

ried by swinging arm v,4'mou nted to swing about a shaft 5. Atfthe end of swinging arm 4 are two rollers 6:1: Vand 6. Roller 6 is a positively acting feed roller which is driven by 'a chain belt 1 from a sprocket wheel on shaft 5, the latterbeing indicated by the dotted lines 8.

.Arm 4 is Yswung downwardly and upwardly about shaft 5 by anysuitable means, as for example, a crank or cam arrangement (not shown) on shaft I6 (Fig. 6), Aand at an upward speed equivalent to the feeding action of 4roller 6, whereas in the downwardlmoyementof the arm there is a feeding ,action` and'alsof a'pushing action upon the web which projects below the rollers 6a: andg,V L, Y

A sprocket wheel 9, Fig. 6, is loosely mounted on shaftA 5 and its hub carries a Ygear I8 which is rotated by the action of a chain belt I leading toa `sprocketwheelon the shaft AII of a Vmotor I2.

The web is cut into sheet sections by a knife I3 which co-acts withV a fixed blade I4 (Fig. l). This knife is thrown linto action at the proper time by the means illustrated in `Figures 6 and 25, 26. Y`Reference. to` those Vfigures willA show that knife I3 is carried by any armv |331: which forms one arm of the bell crank, the latter having itshub carried by a Yshaft I4 supported in a bearing sleeve I5, thesecond arm Vof the bell crank arrangement, indicated at I3sc carrying a roller in the active channel of a cam I5.

' The control for accurate cut sheets Vseparated from the web, provisionsare made for exact registration of the point at which the web is cut, throughoutthe feed thereof. Reference to Figures 6 and 7, in conjunctionwithA Fig. and also Figures 25 and 26, will showY that Y the knife actuating cam I5 is mounted on a shaft .|6. that shaft carrying a pinion I'I driven by the gear I 8 on shaft 5. Loosely mounted on shaft,

5 is a, large sprocket wheel I9 which rotatably carries the small gears 20 of a planetary gear assembly which includes internally toothedV planetary gear 2| in mesh with which are the gears 20. The gears 20 also are in mesh with a gear 22 keyed to the shaft 5. -r

The large sprocket wheel I9 is driven by a chain belt 23 leading to a sprocket-on motor shaft II (Figz). Y.

Member 2| of the planetarygear Aarrangement is normally held motionless in the following manner: 'Ihe said gear 2| carries a worm wheel 24 engaged by a Worm 25 on a shaft 26, the latter carrying a sprocket wheel 21, driven by chain belt 28, from a motor-(not shown).y Thus rotation of sprocket'wheel I9 will compelrta- .4 tion of the small gears 20 relatively to the internal teeth of planetary member 2| and this will compel rotation of gear 22 fixed to shaft 5.

The rotation of the latter will cause active movement of the web feed (as hereinabove described). Except for slippage and hence short feed there gis no difficulty. The problem to be overcomeis periodic slippage and hence short feeding. Re-

' ferring torigme 5 the web is indicated at w and it Ywill be noted at Wx that a signal spot is shown,l whichwill be one of a series exactly spaced throughout the web. These signal spots are adapted to provide an interruption or contrast in light refraction from a beam generating element indicated at 3 0, Fig. 4, and a beam receiving relement 3|, the two constituting photoelectric cell-elements. e

VThe knife-actuating cam always throws vthe knife into vaction `at `a predetermined point of rotation of the cam-shaft I6, Fig. Gand 26.

The electric eye device' is in positive condition for throwing into action the motor and drive vele- Vments for member 2| of the planetary assembly,

until the beam of light vreaches the signal spot Wa: on the web. lThatsignal spot renders the electric eye momentarily ineffective. The electric v.eye device also isineiective when the Webfeed Vfrom the electric eye passing, for'example, from ground wire 24 to the switch, will be grounded via 35. ,4When, however, cam`32 lopens switch arm 3,3, the electric eye signal will 'not be grounded but will occur as a positive impulse to the motor control for member 2| of the"planetaryassembly. Innormal and accurate feeding stages of lthe web, Vcam 32 will operi the lswitchand'hold it open during reglistrationoffthe beam of light with signalspotWa. yInasmuch as the electric eye has no action'while the beamv oflight is on the signal spot, member 2| of the planetary assembly remains'n iotio'nless.V If, however, the feed of the web is short at the time, just prior tocutting ofthe web, and kwhen switch arm 33 is held `open by the cam, thesig'nal spot will not have reached the beam of light, and vimmediately the motor and drive elements 'for memberrZI ofthe planetary assemblywill give la quickl feeding impulseto'the web," bringing the signal spot Wx into registration with the beam of light before the switch contacts are closed. At that instant the knife is mechanically` actuated and the web accurately cut.` I v l Y Y f The sheet when cut` will lie in the position of Fig. 1 and immediately prior thereto the package Pz atV the top of the wrappingturret will have been ejected. Thus at the'instant of cutting a body clamp 36 will be moved t0 the left and the wrapper sheet will be partly folded around the arbor 31 as shown at the upperright handpor- Vtion of Fig. 1. f

Preliminary outline of operation. seaaences At this point an outline of theoperation sequences will be helpfulfor better4 understanding Y of the more detailed description later to be given `station D Where tuckers act first atthe left-and 4The lap-iron remainsy in' engagement Withthe longitudinal seamthrough a plurality ofthe successive stages. VAtstageE tools form-the bottom Y closure, and as the turretradvances the bottom closure folds are engaged at stage G -with tools including an electrically heated plate, thattack the bottom folds to semi-seal them. The tacking `is done in two stages; first, aplunger enters the arbor at the inside of the closure folds, and secondly, an electrically heated iron compresses the folds against the plunger, imparting heat to lightly activate the thermoplastic adhesive.

' The time permitted for thesemi-'sealing of the bottom closure folds is veryshort, For example, -in commercial operation the wrapping turret assembly may form and fill 125 packages per minute, and the semisealing actionupon the bottom folds will be less than% vof a second.

At stage A the ipackagewith its bottom;fold semi-sealed comes into', registerwith an arbor charged with cigarettes and the cigarettes are transferred to the. package, the latter still having an open top. The filled package is then moved to station B, at Whichstation a plungerenters the package arbor and pushes the cigarettes forwardly, thus stripping the package and its contained cigarettes from the arbor and into a trough. While in motion insaid trough the top mouth of the package is engaged by folding tools to formthe top closure, and inv their-advance, the packages meet a-heatedtacking iron which flattens .down the top closure foldsiandlightly tacks them Withheat. Invsuch'f-movementthe packages lie horizontal. y Theyy are then transferred from the trough to upright-position :with the top closure uppermost and passthroughithe well known revenue stamp application.-

From the revenue stamp applicator, the package reaches a sealer which comprises a pair of T6 "The bodylfoldifog ytn'dftltc1in-eea ctie-cf 'clamping Plat? Referring to Figuresl0 'to '1 fl3;"- inclusiva-.sit will be seen that the c1amp38'is a: U-shaped vmember mounted onja' box-like carrier ;39: The

base of member 39f'is apertured'- to receive two studs 40 whichv in turn .project through Aapertures in clamp138 and carry the clamp plate y8.73.

thin steel belts, one belt engaging Athe bottom of the package and the other belt engaging the top of the package. 'This sealer' is independently driven and runs .continuously regardless of the machine proper, Aand the speed is regulated to Vcarry the packages Without interference from KLpackages ejected from the stamp applicator as-` sembly. At the end of the belt sealer, the steel belts being electrically heated, is a final sealing and chill assembly which consists of upper and lower air cooled metallic'trough members" adapted rtoapply major pressure; along Aan intermediate .is completed by the chill.-assembly. 'It will be understood Whilethe opposed heated metallic belts will impose pressure up'on the ends of the packages, thisl pressure will be substantially less. than that. which would deform the circuit ends.` Y l 1 f ,y f

By means of'fa spring 38m' the clamp .plate 38m is Inormally held inthe position of Figure ,313.

yStudsflllbare connected-"l by asupporting plate 4|. -Box member 39` is given support by, an arm 42-ona shaft 42x' carried by the turret. Pivoted Ato box-'member 39ii`s one end of a-lever 43 on ashaft- 44. Atthe opposite end shaft dllcarries 4a plural-arm lever 45," o"n`e arm carrying a roller The initial tucker blade.- for the-short margin vof the wrapper Iis indicated at 453.A It' 'is 'carried byan arm 49 .pivoted on a'fbracket 50, arm-49 `having an extension .49m-connected f by link 5l with-a lever 52.` Lever. 52, ispivotedion the shaft 53 connectedby link 54=with1-a cross link 55 which in turn visv rconnectedwby linkwith a. shaft 5l...` Secured to the endof shaft 51115 `a lever arm `58 engaged.y by an 4koperating rbo159. This rod will be reciproca-ted atzthe proper-timeby a cam (not yshown).v I

The second tuckerbladeg'forjthe wide body -flap is indicated at 59'." .InjFigY 8 it A.is shown in only-a partial active movement.- -It is carried by anarm 6| pivoted on-shaft 62, the-latter be- `ing held by bracket 50. Tucker blade lisnorf mally retracted, jthis 'posi-tion being Vassured' by a spring, 63 engaging-an arm 64, -rthe latter with arm 611 being similarto a bell crank. The said l second-tucker blade 6| is operated atthe proper time through a bell crank lever (i5-which has a slotted end receiving a stud 6in: on arm 6l. Bell crankgis mounted on -shaft 66 and is swung into operation at the proper time by a cam (not shownon the machine) .Y K

Both tucker blades andparticularly blade 6i), are of thinv spring 'steel construction and have such va compressive wiping action upon the Wrapv'per that itis drawn tight at the corners of the package preliminaryto :the longitudinal seal, this turret.- l 46'! are controlled by arm '[2 ofthe lever and the enabling. formation of accurate end foldsand overcoming a serious diiiiculty in past mechanisms of the kind.` v`rv The Zongitiudgzfncl `seam Zap irons Theiongitudinal seam 12p irons are indicated vat A6'! and reference to Figures 8 to l2 inclusive will show that each lapv iron is pivoted to a carrier arm 68 leading toa split s leeveu on a shaft 10. This shaf-textends through a bearing inemberH carried by thejwrapping'turret andthe inner end of the'shaft carries aplural arm-lever. One arm lof the lever, indicated at 12, hasa roller 13` thereon 'controlled-'by fixed cam elements on the machine'andthesecond'arm13a: is engaged by a spring ,14 whichleads back to the The active movements' of .the lapiron releasing movements by, the ,springV engagingl arm 13a'. Each lap ironrcontains a heating element through which current is'fed by conductor 14a: from a `source of current. l v Y It will be seen from the f above that the; body clamp andthe lap seam irons are carriedby the wrapping turret, whereas the tucking irons .or

`bladesfor the side'seamare carried by a bracket mounted alongside the wrapping f turret and `in front thereof; Viewing Figure 8, itmay be considered thatithe tucking irons are beginning rtheir withdrawal motion andk that the uppermostla'p seam iron' is about to=descend to 'naldown po'- sition asin the position of a.like lap-.seam iron 61 shown at: the left ofthe guretowardthe bottom thereof. The wrapper will vnowbein the form shown at'the right hand of Figure 15 and ready to have applied thereto closure folding tools for the bottom. As shown inIFig.' 16, Ithese folds are performed by three successive steps.

vBy means'of the opposed folding irons V15-'the initial folds 16, Fig. 16, are made. Each of these two irons 15 isoarried by a pair of swinging arms 11 pivoted to a bracket 18.' The two pairs are connected byv equalizer links 19"'and 80,and the shaft`8| forl one ofthe arms'11 may haveconnected theretoV a lever82 leading to actuating mechanism,'such as a .cam arrangementby'which the folds 16 are quickly made througlrinward and outwardV movement of vtheV iron 15. At this point, referring to Fig. 16, the bottom flap 83 is folded down as .by a reciprocating blade 84,' Fig. 1.v IheV nal bottom closure flap 85 projects outwardly, and in the `movement of the turret flap 85 is folded down by 'coming into `contact with a roller 86, Fig. 1, so that the package; with its bottom closed by said fold reaches station F, Fig. 1, and then moves to station G forthe bottom semi-sealing operation. At this stage 4the plunger'shown in Fig. 1b at 81 entersv the arbor on'which the package is held and the bottom folds are pressed against an electrically heated plate 88, immediately after which theplungeris retracted. As hereinbefore stated this semi-sealing operation is'eifected in somewhat less than 2/6' of a second in normal commercial voperation'. If desired this operation may be repeated at station H. 'I'he turret then carries the arbor with its enveloping wrapper to station A for reception of Vthe group of cigarettes from an arbor of the leftv hand turret.

of cigarettes to the bottom closed wrapper As shown in Fig. 1a, a cigarettev filled arbor of the cigarette feed turret will come into register with an arbor of the wrapping turret at vstation A. At this point `a plunger. 89, Figure la,` enters the appropriate arbor 'of j the cigarette vfeed turret and transfers the cigarettes into the arbor `of the wrapping turret, which arbor is encircled by the bottom closed package. Although Fig. 1 does not show a stop plate forrestrainingthe package, such a .plate may be used as indicated atV 90, Fig. la. The lledpackages then. are brought to position B at which time a forwardly The transfer moving plunger 9| enters the open top of the lled package on the arbor, and, pressing upon thefends of therfcigarettes, transfers thelled package to a trough 92, Fig. 1c, and in registration with the tuckers 93 on shaftsllll.v 'Ihese vshafts are'quickly oscillated to produce tucks in the top of the package the same as shown at 16 in'Fig. 16, at the left hand sideof that gure. Irl its progression, the-top of thepackage'then `package are securely heat sealed.

receives the *samesuccessive e'nd folding. Voperations as described'with respectto' flaps 83A and85 v'of the bottom'closure, Fig.16. Asthe packages advance in the Atrough 'they pass througha zone -Where a heated tacking ir'onfindicated by dotted lines 9|),"Fig;v 1,' engages the top closure folds to natten them out-and lightly tack them with heat. ATheipackages are then transferred ifrom the jinitialftrough into which they are placed upright with the top closure uppermost, as now described.

The mechanism i' 'Atf-th'e end of thetrough 92 is a stop plate 95 which has a limited movement'sufcient for the package to be received in a carrier on anv arm '91 -carried by an oscillating shaft 98',` 'Fig. 2l. I`Arm91'also"carri'es a curvedfstop' plateSS adapted packages yreceive revenue stamps and pass under zal-reciprocating platen |02, Fig. 1*, which nattens out the stamps `and eacH'package nally reaches the end/of the trough "|00 ready to be transferred kto the steel belt sealer and its associated devices by which the top'and lbottom closures of each The safety` lock forme package transfer It has hereinbefore been'described that when the packages have reached theendof the trough 92 they give a limited movement to aplate 95, each package in successionLfPlate 95 is vcarried by aV swinging-bracket |03 andthe bracket is connected to a rod |04 (Figs. '21 and 24) which leads to awlatch arm |05 pivoted at |06 and having a nose'or latch dog 105x, Fig.'` 2, :in the path of a member of the"mechanism'which transfers the packages'-from' the trough |00 to the belt sealer holding 's aid transfer mechanism out of operation-should, for vany reason, a package not be received upon plate 95. Thus each transfer of apackage to` a-Ybeltsealer requires that a preceding package Iengage and move plate 95 at the end of the initial trough 92. To this end 'the transfer mechanism, for transferring pack- In the-position of'th'e'parts shown in Fig. 2,

rock arm` |01 is on the high' point of the actuating cam, and latching dog I05a: has been moved to theleftand thus out4 of register with lever `armi l0. It may be assumed that the foremost package Vin `the initial trough 92 has pressed plate 95 outwardly. Thus, the latching dog 05a: is held in neutral position andthe transfer vmechanism has beenl free to carry a package from the second trough |00 to the'belt-sealer.

If there is no package at the 'engl` of trough 92 and -plate 95 liesV inwardly close'thereto, the latching 'dog |0511: will be moved to vertical position and rock arm |01 will remain-outwardly,

escasas lap Seam heating members .in .suecessionspand rifleans` ,for successively-proieeting assemblies of.

cigarettes fromthe .arborsand against 'saidpreliminarily .tacked bottomfolds-,of the .Wrappers thereby discharging the thus lled lOpen top pack-- ages, a receiving member for :jsaid discharged packages, means for producing multiplefolds in the top of each package means for tacking said top folds whilst the package is supported in said holding medium and means for'conveying the packages,` tolapoint offdischarge, inr combination withmeans forapplying'heatand pressure in saidconveyiii'grmovement. fora time dwell Vcompletely, sealing said top .andi bottom folds. l

.1.2; ,A machine lforzwrapping cigarettes and the likelconstructedxinaccordance with claim 1, in combination .with lmeans :for imparting .vibrational. movementto the packages by the heat and pressure:means applied to the. top and bottom folds insaid conveying movement .of thepackages to the point'of discharge.

3.v .A'machine foriwra'pping cigarettes and the like vconstructed .in accordance Vwith -claim 1 in combination with vmeans Vfor conveying the packages to a point of dischargeby means of elements exerting heat and" pressure on the top and bottom folds, in combination with heat-absorption pressure elements at the discharge point .for the packages, the latterw elements being adapted to engage and pressupon the top and bottom folds in an intermediate line area Well inwardlyof the major sidewalls ofthe package. Y -V 4. `A machine for wrapping cigarettes and the like constructed-in accordancewith claim' 1 inwhich the means for applying rapid application of heat and pressure to-said bottom folds to preliminarily tack the same consists vofia--heate'dplate in register with the arbors as -theyfare moved on and with the turret, a plunger plate, and means forv rapidly' reciprocating said plunger plate into and out f the arbors in succession and into lcontact with the bottom folds-of successivepackages` f 5.- In a -machine -for wrapping cigarettes andy the likej-a rotary turret carrying open-'vend-arbors,` means for feeding'a wrapping'sheetinto registerv with an appropriate one of the arbors, meansfor mation of a wrapper on an appropriate arbor during `a partial rotation of said turret, means for producing multiple folds A*at the bottom Yend of each longitudinallyy seamed wrapper on its arbor, means for applying rapid application of heat and pressure to said bottom folds tovpreliminarily tack-the same, means for releasing the lap seam heating members in succession, vand means for successively projecting assemblies of cigarettes from the arbors and against said preliminarily .tacked bottom folds of the wrappers thereby discharging the thus filled opentop packages,y a lreceiving member .for said.discharged packages means for producing multiple folds in the top of each package, meansfor tacking said g top folds, means for successively-.turning.the packagesapproximately 90, means for pushing the packages in succession -betweennpper and lower heated metallic belts adaptedtocompletely seal the top and bottom closure folds.4 Y. .f

6. `Amachine for wrappinggcig arettes and the' likeconstructed in, accordance withclaim 5, in which the means for 1successively turning the packages approximately ,90,jconsists of a lever having a U-shaped package receivingA member and an overlying guard plate to form a stop for packages back of thatbeing transferred, in combination with a movable stop plate for that package which is brought into VVturning position, said stop plate being movable, and means including said movablev stop plate for vcontrolling the means' for pushing the packages-into succession between the upperV and lower heated lmetallic belts.

7. In a machine for wrapping cigarettes and the like constructedV in'accordance with claim 5, in combination with a movable stop plate infront of the means for successively turning the packages, said plate being moved by each package as it reaches position for turning,.the means for pushing. the packages. into succession between .the upper and lower heated. metallic belts consisting of ai pusher plate, a reciprocable lever for actuating said plate, a rotary cam having a high point for actuating said reciprocable lever, latch means normally .holding lthe reciprocable lever and the cam lever in neutral' position, and means intermediate said stop plate and said latch meanswhereb-y the latter is released upon movement of the stop plate by a cigarette package brought to turning position.

3. A machine for Wrapping cigarettes and the like constructed in accordance with claim 1 in which the means for wrapping the sheets about the arbors on the rotary turret consists, for each arbor, of a U-shaped clamp, in combination with two flexible blades, and opposed levers adapted to actuate said blades withwiping action upon the opposite sides ofthe sheet preliminary to movement of the reciprocable heating iron into movement against the `lap sidev seam provided by the action of said flexible blades, and means for retracting said blades. Y Q

9. A machine for wrapping cigarettes and the like constructed in accordance with claim l in combination with heat absorption pressure elements at the point of discharge of the packages, said elements consisting vvof upper and lower members having opposedtroughs abutting the top and bottom folds of the packages, each trough being formed with a central longitudinal rib adapted to engage and press upon the abutting folds inv an intermediate line area inwardly of the major side walls of the package, said troughs beingl carried by heat radiation elements.

GEORGEy ARLINGTQN' Moons.

REFERENCES A o I'rED' The following referencesare of record in the file of this Ipatent: 's

May l, 1945

Images