US2627709A - Candy wrapping machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP- I 2,627,709

CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1951 l0 Sheets-Sheet l Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP 2,627,709

CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1951 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR Them/arr I SM/ M5140 ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP 2,627,709

CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1951 10 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Q: I INVENTOR I Theodore ZJMkr/bz/pp b 5e BY 53 a (Q Q Zmzqfl 71Z7 ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP ,6

CANDY WRAPP ING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1951 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 6

- INVENTOR 772M022? ZJci/Z 'aksupp BY 7 A; LA, 4 1 fiwyxzg ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP 2,627,709

CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE FIG. 8

133 135124 141 I f: A, i zf fl yuz 142 ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 4, 1951 ATTO RN EYS BY a: 0

INVENTO mead/e I'Jcifi'cisupp Edr. 9 0:.

Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE l0 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed. May 4, 1951 LII- Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. SCHLICKSUPP 2,527,709

CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1951 l0 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 25

INVENT R Them/are )EJafi/zc supp BY j XMJ zw, 0

ATTORNEYS Feb. 10, 1953 T. F. scHLlcksuPP 2,527,709

CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE Filed May 4, 1951 l0 Sheets-Sheet 9 FIG.3O

INVENT R Mamba if Jail/c1874) BY Z 64%; azaw, 4

ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 10, 1953 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFlCE CANDY WRAPPING MACHINE Theodore F. Schlicksupp, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application May 4, 1951, Serial No. 224,594

This invention relates to machines for individually wrapping small articles, and more particularly to machines for wrapping pieces of candy.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved candy wrapping machine adapted to wrap pieces of candy fed to and through the machine in rapid succession without at any time stopping the progressive movement of the pieces of candy through the machine thereby giving the machine a large capacity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a candy wrapping machine which is especially adapted for wrapping fragile pieces of candy such as chocolate covered cherries without damaging or injuring them.

A further object is to provide a candy wrapping machine having improved mechanism for feeding to the machine a continuous strip of the wrapping material, such as metal foil, and for cutting from the strip pieces of suitable length for wraping the individual pieces of candy.

Still another object is to provide a candy wrapping machine of the kind referred to in the preceding paragraph having the necessary adjustments whereby the machine can wrap lots of candy in which the pieces in one lot differ in size, within certain limits, from those in another lot, and whereby the feeding and cutting mechanism for the wrapping material will so feed and cut it that the pieces cut from the strip of wrapping material will have the proper length for the pieces of candy being wrapped.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detail description of the machine.

' A candy Wrapping machine embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the entire machine excepting the feeding mechanism for the metal foil, the section being taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, certain portions being broken away to expose underlying parts.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, certain portions being broken away to expose underlying parts.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the cam that operates the foil gripping fingers.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 65 of Fig. 2 with certain portions broken away to expose underlying parts.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line 13 Claims. (Cl. 53-42) in T-l of Fig. 2, a portion of the foot treadle therein shown being broken away to expose underlying parts.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the foil feeding and cutting mechanism showing a strip of foil being fed forward by it so that an end portion of the strip will lie over a piece of candy to be Wrapped and so that when the end portion of the strip is severed by the cutting knives the severed piece of foil will be in a centered or symmetrical relation with the piece of candy.

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Fig. 8 showing the foil feeding and cutting mechanism delivering larger pieces of foil for wrapping larger pieces of candy.

Fig. 10 is a vertical section through the foil feed rolls and cutting knives, the section being taken on the line Ill-4B of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a front elevation of the foil cutting knives.

Fig. 11a is a horizontal section taken on the line lial la of Fig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the upper portion of the foil feeding and cutting mechanism.

Fig. 13 is an end elevation of the foil feeding and cutting mechanism as viewed from the end where the cutting knives are located.

Fig. 14 is a vertical section taken on the line M-Hi of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a view corresponding to the upper portion of Fig. 14 showing the parts in a different position.

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section through the cam shaft of the foil feeding and cutting mechanism, the section being taken on the line l6l6 of Fig. 13.

Fig. 1'? is a horizontal section taken on the line llil of Fig. 13 showing the rocker arm shaft of the foil feeding and cutting mechanism and the rocker arms with their cam follower rollers mounted on the shaft.

Fig. 18 (on the same sheet as Fig. 1) is a plan view of part of the mechanism which causes foil to be fed by the foil feeding mechanism only when a piece of candy is present in the next pocket of the carrier disc approaching the foil feeding mechanism.

Fig. 19 is a vertical section through the foil feeding and cuttingmechanism taken on the line i8-l9 ofFig. 13, showing the parts adjusted for delivering the largest piece of foil that the mechanism is capable of delivering.

Fig. 20 is a view corresponding to the upper portion of Fig. 19 showing the parts adjusted for delivering the smallest piece of foil that the mechanism is capable of delivering.

Fig. 21 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one of the ball clutches forming part of the foil feeding mechanism.

Fig, 22 is an enlarged vertical section taken on the line 2222 of Fig. 20.

Fig. 23 is a side elevation of the yielding roller under which each piece of wrapped candy passes as it is being discharged from the machine to compress the inwardly folded portions of the foil under the piece of candy.

Fig. 24 is a plan view of one of the rubber candygripping rings in its normal or contracted condition in which it is capable of gripping a piece of candy,

Fig. 25 is a view corresponding to Fig. 24 showing the rubber ring expanded to a size which permits it to receive or discharge a piece of candy.

Fig. 26 is a partial vertical section showing the cutting knives cutting a piece of foil from the end of the strip and showing a piece of candy being moved intoposition under the severed piece of foil, the direction of movement of the piece of candy in this view being away from the reader.

Fig. 27 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 2l-2l of Fig. 26 showing the piece of candy (now moving toward the left in this figure) an instant before it is moved onto a plunger which will rais it into contact with the severed piece of foil.

Figs. 28, 29 and 30 are vertical sections similar Fig. 31 is a vertical section showing the piece of candy and the folded down foil being pushed upwardly still farther by the plunger into one of the candy grippers.

Fig. 32 is a vertical section showing the piece of candy and the folded down foil just after being gripped by the candy gripper, the plunger having receded in this View, and

Fig. 33 is a diagrammatic development view showing th sequence of operations during the wrapping of a piece of candy in a piece of metal foil.

In general, the machine in its preferred form comprises a rotary carrier disc having a series of open-bottom pockets. This disc rotates over a stationary candy supporting surface such that pieces of candy to be wrapped and that are fed by the operator successively into the pockets as they pass in succession past a candy feeding station are each slid by the carrier disc over the stationary surface along a circular path to the opposite side of the machine where the metal foil is fed to the machine. Here a continuous strip of the metal foil is fed forward toward the center of the machine at right angles to the path along which each piece of candy travels as it passes the foil feeding mechanism.

Each piece of candy moves under a portion of the foil strip that has been fed forward and the leading edge of the foil strip is held down by gripper fingers while a pair .of knives sever from the foil strip a piece of foil in which is to be wrapped the piece of candy lying under the severed piece of foil. At this time, and while the piece of candy is still being moved in its circular path, one of a circular series of vertically movable plungers which are carried by a rotary structure and that move past the foil feeding mechanism in the manner hereinafter described, rises through an arcuate slot in the support on which the piece of candy has been moving up to this time and the piece of candy moves onto the upper end of the plunger.

The plunger lifts the piece of candy into contact with the severed piece of foil and then lifts both the piece of candy and the piece of foil and pushes them through a brush ring having inwardly extending bristles which fold the piece of foil down around the piece of candy as the piece of candy rises through the brush ring. One of these brush rings is mounted on the above-mentioned rotary structure above each of the plungers. Mounted on this rotary structure above each of the brush rings is a candy gripping device into which the piece of candy with its folded down piece of foil is pushed by the plunger after it is pushed through the brush ring.

The candy gripping device then grips the piece of candy after which the plunger recedes leaving the piece of candy suspended by the candy griping device. Each of the plungers when it reaches this position is lowered below the support on which each piece of candy slides during the first 180 of its travel and continues its movement to the place where it is again raised to pick up the piece of candy to be wrapped.

The piece of foil in which each piece of candy is wrapped is of such size that when it is folded down over a piece of candy the foil extends downwardly a short distance below the bottom of the piece of candy and the four corners of the piece of foil point downwardly in the nature of flaps. The candy gripper in which the piece of candy is now gripped, and which is now continuing the movement of the piece of candy in its circular path, is then rotated about its own axis of a revolution. This is to bring one of the downwardly extending flaps or corners of the piece of foil to a position in which it is at the forward or leading side of the piece of candy.

Immediately thereafter the piece of candy approaches a wiping blade which is lifted so that it wipes against the leading downwardly extending flap or corner on the piece of foil and folds it back to a position in the same plane as the bottom of the piece of candy. The instant this is accomplished the wiping blade is lowered so as not to disturb the other downwardly extending flaps or corners of the piece of foil. During further movement of the piece of candy in the candy gripping device the piece of candy is turned about its own axis to bring the next downwardly extending flap or corner of the piece of foil to the leading side of the piece of candy and this flap is similarly folded under by a second wiping blade.

This operation is repeated until all four flaps or corners of the piece of foil have been folded under the piece of candy into parallel relation with the bottom of the piece of candy. Each piece of candy thus wrapped is then discharged onto a rotary disc which moves the wrapped pieces of candy successively under a yielding roller which gives a final compression or creasing action to the folded under flaps whereupon the pieces of candy are deflected off of this rotating disc and collected at a discharge point.

The above-mentioned rotary structure which carries the vertically movable plungers, the

brush rings, and the candy grippers, rotates about an axis which is in eccentric relation with the axis about which rotates the carrier disc that slides the pieces of candy along the supporting surface up to the foil feeding mechanism; and the plungers, brush rings, and candy grippers are mounted on the rotary structure so they all move in a circular path having a smaller diameter than the diameter of the circular path in which the pieces of candy are moved by the carrier disc. The relationship between the parts is such that as the pockets on the carrier disc move past a feed table from which the operator deposits pieces of candy in them they travel along an arcuate path which lies outwardly of the arcuate path along which the various devices on the rotary structure move at this part of the machine.

In other words, while the candy pockets on the carrier disc are moving past the feed table they project out from under the rotary structure and the parts carried by it so as to give the operator free access to them. However, at the opposite side of the machine, where the foil feeding mechanism is located, the arcuate paths of the plungers on the rotary structure and the candy pockets on the carrier disc coincide throughout a short distance so that each candy pocket moves a piece of candy directly over one of the plungers until the plunger rises and lifts the piece of candy clear of the candy pocket and into contact with the severed piece of metal foil as above described.

In the particular machine illustrated in the drawings there are twelve candy pockets in the carrier disc and eight sets of plungers, brush rings, and candy grippers. Therefore, to bring one of the candy pockets with its piece of candy to a position in front of the foil feeding mechanism simultaneously with one of the plungers the carrier disc and the rotary structure carrying the plungers, brush rings, and candy grippers, are located at a speed ratio of 8:12.

The foil feeding and cutting mechanism has an adjusting handle the position of which determines the amount of foil fed forward in a given time and the position of the cutting knives relative to the path followed by the piece of candy as it passes under the piece of foil out off by the knives. for wrapping relatively large pieces of candy the handle is adjusted to increase the amount of foil fed forward in a given time and to move the cutting knives rearwardly away from the path of travel of the piece of candy. This causes a larger piece of foil to be severed from the foil strip which extends an equal distance inwardly and outwardly of the piece of candy. When the machine is used for wrappingsmaller pieces of candy the handle is adjusted in the opposite direction to feed a smaller amount of foil forward in a given time and to move the cutting knives closer to the path of travel of the piece of candy.

Still another feature of the machine is the provision of means whereby no metal foil will be fed forward by the foil feeding mechanism if there is no piece of candy in the next pocket of the carrier disc which is approaching the foil feeding mechanism.

The main frame l of the machine (Fig. 2) supports a casting 2 the upper wall of which constitutes the above-mentioned support on which the pieces of candy rest as they are being moved from the feed table to the foil feeding and out- When the machine is used ting mechanism. The feed table is shown at 3 and is in the nature of a shelf supported by the machine frame. The rotary carrier disc which moves the pieces of candy while they are supported on the upper surface of the casting 2 is shown at 4. The foil feeding mechanism is represented by broken lines at the right of Fig. 2 and is denoted in general by the reference numeral 5. f

The carrier disc 4 is supported near its oute periphery on pins 6 (see also Fig. 6) which are carried by the casting 2 and which project a short distance above the upper surface of this casting. The carrier disc 4 has a central opening I. An internal annular gear 8 is connected to the inner edge portion of the carrier disc 4 and rests in a recess 9 formed in the upper inner edge of the annular casting 2. The gear 8 is rotatably supported in this recess and is driven in the manner hereinafter described. The pins 6 and the gear 8 support the carrier disc 4 so that it is spaced a slight distance above the upper surface of the casting 2 as shown in Fig. 2. When the gear 8 is rotated it rotates the carrier disc 4 and the outer edge of the carrier disc slides on the supporting pins 6.

As best shown in Figs. 1 and 6 the carrier disc 4 has a circular series of pockets Ill each of which is adapted to receive one of the pieces of candy to be wrapped. The pockets'lll are bottomless in that they do not support the pieces of candy but they are each shaped to fit the contour of one of the pieces of candy to be wrapped while the piece of candy is actually supported on the upper surface of the casting 2. Each of the pockets is preferably formed in a small removable disc [I (Figs. 1, 2 and 6) fitting in an opening in the main carrier disc 4. This makes it possible to remove the discs and replace them by another set having pockets of the appropriate shape and size to accommodate the shape and size of the particular pieces of candy to be wrapped by the machine.

The pockets should have a size and shape such that each pocket, when a piece of candy is placed therein by the operator, will sufficiently confine the piece of candy to guide it to the proper position to be picked up by one of the rising plungers previously referred to. Each of the small discs II, as best shown in Figs. 26-30, has a-peripheral flange l2 by which it is supported by the main carrier disc 4. Each disc H i held in proper fixed position with respect to the main carrier disc 4 by a removable pin inserted through the edge of the main disc 4 and projecting into a recess in the edge of the disc H. One of these pins is shown in dotted lines at $3 in Fig. 6.

The main carrier disc 4 also has a serie of slots I 4 extending through it (Fig. 6). These slots are substantially tangential to the inner opening 1 in the carrier disc and each of them at its outer end joins the pocket H) in one of the small discs ll. These tangential slot accommodate the vertically movable plu'ngers as will hereinafter appear.

In order to facilitate positioning and removal of the carrier disc 4 it is preferably divided into several sections, the particular carrier disc shown in the drawings being divided. into three sections each of which has a circumferential extent of about Each section is supported at its outer edge by the above-described pins 6 projecting upwardly from the casting 2, and is connected at its inner edge to the annular gear 3 by upwardly projecting pins l5 (Fig. 2) carried by the gear and fitting in corresponding openings in the section of the carrier disc. Thus. the carrier disc sections can be lifted out of place leaving the ear 8 undisturbed.

The frame I of the machine supports a fixed center post 16 (Figs. 2 and 6) which passes upwardly through the center opening 7 of the carrier disc. Rotatably mounted on the post it is a sleeve I! on the lower end of which is fitted a plunger-carrying casting is (Fig. 2) which rotates with the sleeve. A number of plunger guide tubes [9 are each supported at its upper end by this casting. A plunger is mounted to slide vertically in each of the tubes I 9. At its upper end each plunger ha an enlarged head adapted to support one of the pieces of candy to be wrapped as will hereinafter appear.

A cam roller 22 is attached to the lower end of each of the plungers 20. Each of the plunger guide tubes l9 has a vertical slot 23 in its outer side to accommodate the mounting pin or axle of the corresponding cam roller 22 and thus permit the plunger within the guide tube to move vertically in it. The cam rollers 22 are actuated by a cam track 24 mounted on the frame 3 and which encircles the machine.

Located just above the plunger casting l8, and also fitted on the sleeve I! so that it rotates unitarily with the plunger casting, is another cast-ing 25 to which is connected a circular series of brush rings 26 (see also Fig. 4). One of these brush rings is located above each of the plungers 20. Each brush ring ha bristles 27 mounted in it which extend radially inward to ward the center of the ring.

Above the brush ring casting 25 there is another casting 28 (Fig. 2) which is also fitted on the sleeve i! so that it rotates in unison with the plunger casting and the brush ring casting. A number of guide tubes 29 are each supported near its lower end by this casting 28. One of these guide tubes is located directly over and concentric with each of the brush rings. A cam rod 30 is mounted to slide vertically in each of the guide tubes 29 and has a cam roller 3| secured Rotatably mounted on the lower end of each of the cam rod guide tubes 29 is a Geneva wheel 36 (Fig. 2). Four candy gripper arms 31 are located under each Geneva wheel, each arm being pivoted at its upper end to a suspension member 31m see also Fig. 3) secured to the Geneva wheel at its lower side. The lower ends of the arms 31 carry a candy gripping rubber ring 38. One of these rubber rings is shown in plan view in Fig. 24. It has four radially projecting ears 39 each having an opening to receive the lower end of one of the arms 31.

Each of the pivot pins 40 which suspends one of the candy gripper arms 3'! from the suspension member 31a also suspends a cam roller arm 4! (Fig. 2) having at its lower end a cam roller 42 adapted to be actuated by the cam 31a. Each cam roller arm 4| has pivotal movement about the axis of the pivot 40 independently of the cor- 1 responding candy gripper arm 31, but, as shown in Fig. 31, when the cam roller arms 4! are moved gripper arm 31 by means of a pin 43 on the cam roller arm which engages the inner end of an adjustable set screw 44 on the corresponding candy gripper arm.

This causes the lower ends of the candy i per arms 37 to stretch or expand the rubber candy gripping ring 38 from the position shown in Figs. 24 and 32 to the position shown in Figs. 25 and .31. When the cam 3la releases the cam roller arms 61 the rubber ring 38 returns to its normal position and thereby returns the arms 31 and 4|, to their normal positions. By adjusting the set screws 45 the position of thelower ends of arms 3? may be varied to accommodate them to candy gripping rings 38 of difierent sizes.

The brush ring casting 25 also supports a thin annular plate 45 (Fig. 2) spaced a short distance above the carrier disc 4. This plate has a circular series of openings 46 (see also Fig. 4) each of which lies directly over one of the plungers 20, and constitutes a shelf onto which the forward end of the foil strip F is fed by the feed rolls 4'! and 48 of the foil feeding mechanism as shown in Fig. 2. By the time a predetermined amount of metal foil has been fed onto the plate 45 one of the openings 46 therein lies directly under the portion of the foil strip that is so fed onto the plate 45 and which will be out off by the cutting knives.

A circular series of foil gripping devices 49, one of which appears in plan view in Fig. 4, are each pivotally supported by the brush ring casting 25 (Fig. 2), there being one of these foil gripping devices adjacent each opening 45 in the plate 45. Each foil gripping device 49 has two foil gripping fingers 59 (Fig. 4) at the end of each of which there is a button 5! of soft material such as rubber (Fig. 2). Each foil gripping device is pivoted intermediate its ends on a depending support carried by the brush ring casting 25, and is actuated by a rod 52 pivoted to it (Fig. 2) and which is guided at its lower end in the brush ring casting 25 and at its upper end in the next higher casting 2B. A stationary cam sleeve 53 (Fig. 2) secured to the post 16 has a cam face 54 at its lower edge which actuates the rods 52. This cam sleeve is shown by itself in Fig. 5.

The cam face 54 is so shaped that after a predetermined amoimt of metal foil-has been fed forward by the feed rolls 4'! and 48 over one of the openings 46 in the plate 45 the corresponding foil gripping device 49 is actuated to lower its gripping fingers into contact with the forward edge portion of the metal foil. This is immediately after the forwardly fed portion of the metal foil has been severed from the main strip of foil. Thus, as soon as a piece of foil has been severed from the main strip, it is gripped against the plate 45 by one of the foil gripping devices and the piece of foil therefore moves along with the plate 45 until one of the plungers 2E] lifts a piece of candy into contact with the severed piece of foil and starts lifting the piece of foil upwardly along with the piece of candy. At this time the foil gripping device is again actuated to release its grip on the piece of metal foil.

The rotary brush ring casting 25 also supports a cam ring 55 (Fig. 2). The upper edge of this ring constitutes a cam face which actuates the wiper blades that fold in the corners of the metal foil which extend down below the piece of candy after the piece of candy and the piece of metal foil have been pushed up through the brush ring to thereby fold the piece of foil down around the piece of candy. There are four of these wiper blades each designated 55 in Fig. 4. Their exact location circumferen-tially of the machine will be made clear later on. Each wiper blade is carried by an arm 51 pivoted on a horizontal pin 55 (see also Fig. 2) which extends inwa-ldly from a bracket arm 55 that is attached to and depends from th upper stationary casting 34. Each of the arms that carries one of the wiper blades 55 also carries a cam follower roller 60 (Figs. 2 and 4) which is actuatd by the cam ring 55. This cam ring, raises and lowers each wiper blade 55 at the proper time as will be clear when the operation of the machine is later described.

The machine is driven from an electric motor 5| (Fig. 2) mounted so that its armature rotates about a vertical axis. A drive pulley 62 is secured to the upper end of the armature shaft and is connected by means of a belt 53 with a driven pulley 64 which rotates about the axis of a vertical drive shaft 55 rotatably mounted in the frame of the machine. The pulley (5% may be operatively connected to and disconnected from the drive shaft 65 by a friction clutch which constitutes no part of the invention and therefore need not be described in detail. It is sufficient to note that when a foot treadle 65 is in the position shown in Fig. 2 the friction clutch is engaged and the pulley 54 then imparts rotation to the drive shaft 65. When the foot treadle G6 is moved counterclockwise about the axis of its shaft 61 the friction clutch is disengaged and the rotating pulley 64 Will then not impart rotation to the drive shaft 65. The foot treadle 65 remains in either position to which it is moved by the operator.

The upper end of the drive shaft 65 has secured to it a pinion 68 which meshes with an in ernal gear 59 secured to the under surface of the plunger casting [8. Thus, when the drive shaft 55 is rotating it rotates the annular gear 69, the plunger casting IS, the sleeve ii, and all of the other parts mounted on this sleeve including the brush ring casting 25 and the casting 28 which carries the candy grippers and the cam rods 30. The plungers, the brush rings, the plate 45 onto which the metal foil is fed, the foil grippers, the cam ring 55 which actuates the wiper blades, the candy grippers, and the cam rods 35 therefore all rotate in unison. The parts which do not rotate include the cam track 2:! which actuates the plungers 29, the casting 2 on whose upper surface the pieces of candy are moved by the carrier disc from the feed table to the foil feeding mechanism, the feed table 3, the foil feeding and cutting mechanism, the wiper blades that are actuated by the cam ring 55, the cam sleeve 53, and the cam track 33 which actuates the cam rods 30.

It should be noted that the recess 9 in the casting 2 that guides and supports the annular gear 8 for driving the carrier disc 4 is in eccentric relation with the aXis of the post it about which rotate all rotary parts of the machine except the carrier disc 4. This eccentric relation is such that the carrier disc 1 rotates about an axis which is closer to the feed table 3 than is the axis of the post It about which the other rotary parts rotate. Also, the radius of the circular path followed by the plungers, brush rings, candy grippers, etc. is smaller than the radius of the circular path followed by the feed pockets it in the carrier disc 4.

The arrangement is such that these two circu lar paths are superimposed throughout a short distance as each plunger moves past the foil feeding mechanism. Thus, each piece of candy is brought by one of the pockets to a position over one of the plungers 20 while the plunger is moving in front of the foil feeding mechanism, This will be clear from Figs. 1 and 6'. Fig. 1 also makes it clear that because of the arrangement just described the pockets 10 in the carrier disc 4 when moving past the feed table 3 will project out beyond the other parts of the machine thus giving the operator free access to the pockets so that he can easily deposit a piece of candy in each pocket as it passes the feed table.

The internal gear 8 which is connected to the carrier disc 4 is driven by a gear 10 secured to the plunger casting l8. Thus, rotation of this casting imparts rotation to the carrier disc 4. In the particular machine illustrated in the drawings there are twelve pockets in the carrier disc 4 but only eight sets of plungers, brush rings, and candy grippers. The gears 10 and 8 are therefore so related that the speed ratio between the carrier disc 4 and the rotating structure which carries the plungers, etc. is 8:12 and this causes one of the pockets in the carrier disc to bring a piece of candy to a position in front of the foil feeding mechanism at the same time that one of the plungers reaches a position under this I piece of candy.

While the plungers 20 are moving from the feed table to the opposite side of the machine where the foil feeding mechanism is located they are in their lowered position so that the heads 2| on the plungers move under the top wall of the casting 2. When each plunger is raised at the foil feeding station to push a piece of candy and a piece of foil through the brush ring and into one of the candy grippers the plunger must, of course, be permitted to project through the upper wall of the casting 2 and for this reason an arcuate slot H (Fig.6) is provided in the upper wall of this casting which extends from a position in front of the foil feeding mechanism in a counterclockwise direction in Fig. 6 through almost This permits each plunger while revolving about the axis of the post It to be raised from its lowest position (in which the head on the plunger is below the upper wall of the casting 2) to its highest position in which it moves the piece of candy into the rubber candy gripping ring 38 and then back to its lowest position in which the head of the plunger is again below the upper wall of the casting 2. A small thin rectangular plate 12 (Figs. 1 and 6) is secured to the upper surface of the casting 2 so that it lies over the leading end of the arcuate slot II in front of the foil feeding mechanism. As will hereinafter appear, each piece of candy as it is pushed along the surface of the casting 2 slides over this plate 12 and during this time one of the plungers moves up so that its head lies close to the under surface of the plate 12 and then moves horizontally so that as the plunger head emerges from under the plate 12 the piece of candy being pushed off of it moves gently onto the head of the plunger without a precipitous drop.

The foil feeding and cutting mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 8-22, inclusive. It has two side plates 13 and 14 (Figs. 1, 8, 9, 12, 13, 19, 20 and 22) which are secured at their forward ends to the main-frame of the machine. There is a notch I5 in the upper edge of each plate near its outer end as best shown in Fig. 12. These notches are in transverse alignment and support the spindle or axle I8 of a roll ll of metal foil in strip form. The strip of foil F passes from the roll I? under a roller I8, between the feed rolls 41 and 48, and thence through the cutting knives hereinafter described (see particularly Fig. 12).

The lower feed roll 48 is rotatably mounted in a pair of side plates 19 (Figs. 8-10, 12, 19, 20 and 22) at the outer side of each of which there is secured a rack 80 having teeth on its under surface. These racks are supported by and slide longitudinally in a pair of blocks 8| (see particularly Fig. 22) one of which is secured to the inner side of one outer plate 73 of the foil feeding mechanism and the other of which is secured to the inner side of the other outer plate 14, each of the blocks 8| having a longitudinal recess 82 in its inner face to receive the corresponding outwardly projecting rack 80. Thus.

the blocks 8! constitute stationary guides in which the racks 80 and the framework which supports the lower feed roll can slide longitudinally.

A portion of each block 8| is cut away at its under side as shown in Figs. 19 and 20 to expose some of the teeth at the under side of each rack and a pinion 83 meshes with each rack where its teeth are thus exposed (Figs. 19 and 20). The two pinions 83 are mounted on a shaft 84 journalled at its ends in the main side plates I3 and I4 of the foil feeding mechanism. The shaft 84 has secured to it a handle 85 (Figs. 1, 12, 19 and 20). This handle may be rotated throughout 90 to any one of a number of selected positions between the dotted line position shown in Fig. 19 and the dotted line position shown in Fig. 20. A pin at the end of the handle removably engages in one of an arcuate series of openings 86 in each of its selected positions to retain the handle in the position to which it has been moved. Rotation of the handle in either direction adjusts the frame carrying the lower feed roll either forward orbackward a predetermined amount depending upon the position 7 g to which the handle 85 is turned.

A pair of rods 81 and 88 (Figs. 1, 12, 19 and extend between the side plates I9 that rotatably support the lower feed roll. The axis of these rods lie in the same horizontal plane and the rods are spaced apart longitudinally of the foil feeding mechanism. The innermost one of these rods appears in Fig. 22 and as best shown in this figure the rods are clamped between the plates 19 by screws 89. The rods pass through a block 90 the upper surface of which constitutes a support for the strip of foil F as it is passing to the feed rolls 4! and 48 as shown in Fig. 10.

The rod 81 and 88 also pass through a pair of plates BI and 92 (Figs. 1, 19, 20 and 22) which extend downwardly some distance below the block 90 as best shown in Fig. 22 where they support, among other things. the gears which drive the feed rolls. As also best shown in Fig. 22 the plates BI and 92 are held against the side faces of the block 90 and in spaced relation with the plates I9 that carry the lower feed roll by a pair of spacing sleeves 93. and the plates SI and 92 at its opposite sides move unitarily with the plates I9 that support the lower feed roll and these parts are adjusted longitudinally of the foil feeding mechanism by turning the handle 85. V

The upper feed roll 4! is rotatably carried between the inner ends of a pair of arm 94 and 95 (Figs. 4, 12, 19 and 20'). These arms are se- Thus, the block 90 cured to the ends of a shaft 96 which is rotatably mounted in a pair of ears 9'! (Figs. 1, 12, 19 and 20) which extend outwardly from the block 90. Thus, when the plates I9 (in which the lower feed roller is mounted) and the block are adjusting longitudinally of the foil feeding mechanism by turning the handle 85 the shaft 96 on which the supporting arms 94 of the upper feed roll are mounted also move with them.

A depending arm 98 is secured at its upper end to the central portion of the shaft 96 as best shown in Figs. 1, l9 and 20. This arm is pivotally connected at its lower end to the core of an electric solenoid 99 (Fig. 19) which is attached to the depending plates 9| and 92. Thus, when these plates are moved by the handle 85 the solenoid move with them. When the solenoid is energized it swings the arm 98 to the broken line position shown in Fig. 19 and hence turns the shaft 96 and swings the arms 94 and about the axis of this shaft to lift the upper feed roll 41 out of contact with the strip of foil being fed between the two feed rolls. A coil spring I00 returns the arm 98 and the upper feed roll to normal position when the solenoid is de-energized. However, gears I0! secured to the upper feed roll 41 at its opposite ends remain in mesh with corresponding gears I02 secured to the lower feed roll 48 at its opposite ends. When the lower feed roll is driven by the gears hereinafter described the upper feed roll is therefore driven from it even when the feed rolls are slightly separated by energization of the solenoid 99.

A rocker arm I03 is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at the inner side of each of the main side plates I3 and 14 (Figs. 19 and 20). One end of each of the rocker arms is provided with a slot I04 and its other end is pivotally connected to the upper end of a link I05. The lower end of each link I85 (Fig. 19) is pivotally connected to a rocker arm I08 (Fig. 19). As shown in Fig. 17 the two rocker arms I08 are each mounted to oscillate freely on a sleeve I01 surrounding a rocker arm shaft I 08 which is secured at its ends to the main side plates I3 and "I l (see also Figs. 13 and 19). Each rocker arm I05 carries a roller I09 constituting a cam follower.

Secured between the main side plates I3 and 74 just below the rocker arm shaft I08 is a cam shaft I I0 (Figs. 13 and 19). A rotatable sleeve III (Fig. 16) is mounted on the shaft H0 and near each end of this sleeve is secured a cam I I2. The sleeve I I I is rotated by means of a gear II Ia secured to it and which is driven from a pinion I I lb on the vertical driv shaft 85 of the machine (Figs. 2 and 19). Each of the cams I I2 actuates one of the cam follower rollers I99 to oscillate the corresponding rocker arm I 06 and thereby oscillate the corresponding rocker anm I03 through one of the links I05 (Fig. 19). A coil spring 06a is connected to each link I05 to keep the corresponding cam follower roller I09 in engagement with its cam II2. For a reason which will later appear the two cams II2 are angularly displaced relative to each other so that the rocker arms I03 (Fig. 9) oscillate in opposite directions throughout most of their movement.

Referring to Fig. 22, there is clamped at the outer side of each of the plates 9! and 92 (constituting part of the structure which moves with the feed rolls when they are adjusted longitudinally of the foil feeding mechanism), a cup-like member II3. A gear H4 is rotatably mounted on each of these cup-like members, one of these gears meshing with the gear at one end of the lower feed roll and the other meshing with the gear at the other end of the lower feed roll. Secured to the gear II I is the inner member N of a ball clutch shown by itself in Fig. 21. An outer member lI-6 of the ball clutch has a hub portion III rotatably fitting within the cup-like member I I3.

At the periphery of the inner member H5 of the ball clutch there are a number of clearances H8 (Fig. 21) each providing an inclined surf-ace I I9 in opposed relation to an interior cylindrical surface I26 on the outer member H6 of the ball clutch. In each of the clearances II'S there is positioned a spring pressed ball I2I. The arrangement is such that if the outer member Iii; of the clutch is rotated in a counter-clockwise.direction as viewed in Fig. 21 it will impart rotation to the inner member Me of the clutch, but rotation of the outer member in the opposite direction will not impart rotation to the inner manber. The outer member of the clutch carries a pin I22. One of these pins appears in Fig. 19, and it will be seen from this figure that the pin engages in the slot Iii-l of one of the rocker arms I03 above described.

The cams H2 which operate the rocker arms IE3 are angularly displaced on the ii slightly less than 180. Therefore, during the major part of the movement of the rocker arms I93 one rocker arm will be moving one pin 22 in a direction to rotate the feed roils through the corresponding ball clutch while the other rocker arm will be moving the other pin I22 in a direction that will not rotate the feed rolls through the corresponding ball clutch, but the joint action of the two rocker arms Hi3 will cause continuous rotation of the feed rolls except for a brief interval of time during which the two rock er arms are simultaneously moving in a direction in which neither ball clutch will transmit rotati-on to the feed rolls. The forward feeding of the strip of metal foil will therefore be momentarily interrupted during this brief interval, and it is at this time that the cutting knives sever a piece from the end of the foil strip.

The cutting knives comprise a fixed plate I23 and a relatively movable plate 24 (Figs. 10 and 11) The fixed plate has an elongated horizontal slot I the upper edge of which is beveled to form a knife edge I25. The movable plate I24 slides against the inner face of the fixed plate I23 and has a beveled upper edge l2! which constitutes a knife edge which cooperates with the knife edge I23 on the fixed plate I23. It is apparent that when the foil strip is fed through the slot I25 and the movable plate I24 is moved upwardly the two cutting edges will sever a piece from the end of the foil strip F as depicted in Fig. 10.

The mounting for the knife plates comprises a U-shaped member I28 (Fig.8) which extends between the side plates it in which the lower feed roll is mounted. It is secured between these plates by screws I29. The foil strip F passes under the central portion of this U-shaped member through a suitable clearance which is provided for this purpose. Extending transversely of the feed mechanism under the member I28 is a block I30 (Fig. 10) which is attached at its ends to the ends of the member I28 by vertical screws I3I (Figs. 8 and 10). In this way the block I3?) is supported by' the U-shaped member I28. The upper surface of the block I38 constitutes a sup- 14 port for the strip of metal foil after it leaves the feed rolls ii and 48.

Bearing against the inner side of the movable knife blade I24 is a transversely extending bar I32 (Figs. 8, 10 and 11a). Two screws I33 are screwed into this member and extend horizontally and outwardly from it. They pass through openings in both knife blades and are each surrounded by a sleeve I34 (Figs. 10 and 11a). Each screw I33 with its sleeve extends into a cavity I35 formed in the outer vertical face of the block I30. The rear end of each sleeve I34 has a shoulder I35 between which and the bottom of the cavity I35 a coil spring I3? is positioned.

The coil springs I3? thus yieldingly urge the screws I33 and their sleeves I34 outwardly causing the bar I32 to press the movable knife blade I24 into close contact with the stationary knife plate I23. That side of the bar I32 which is adjacent the movable knife plate has a series of projections I32a (Fig. 11a) which engage the surface of the movable knife plate at small areas thereby reducing the amount of friction between this bar and the movable knife plate. 32a engage the surface of the movable knife plate at regions which lie between the openings in this plate as shown in Fig. 11a. Since the sleeves I'M. on the screws I33 pass through openings in the fixed knife plate I23 with a close fit they constitute a fixed support for this knife plate. They pass through vertically elongated slots I38 (Fig. 11) in the movable knife plate I24 in such a way that this knife plate is permitted to move vertically throughout a limited distance but is restrained against lateral movement.

The movable knife plate I24 is provided at each end with a circular opening I39 (Fig. 11). These openings receive the inner ends of a pair of actuating arms I46 (Fig. 11) which are pivotally mounted at their outer ends on the shaft of the lower feed roll as best shown in Fig. 19. The inner end of each arm I40 where it engages in the circular opening I39 in the movable knife plate has a spherical contour as viewed in vertical cross section thus providing a kind of ball-and-socket connection between each of the arms I40 and the movable knife plate. The two arms I40 are interconnected by a cross rod I4I (Figs. 11 and 19) which in turn is connected by means of a link I42 to a rocker arm I43 (Fig. 19) mounted on the central portion of the previously described rocker arm shaft I08 (Figs. 13 and 1'7). This rocker arm is keyed to the sleeve Ill! which surrounds the rocker arm shaft (Fig. 17).

The rocker arm I43 carries a cam follower roller Hi4 which engages at its periphery in a. circumferentia1 groove I45 (Figs. 14 and 16) formed in the periphery of a cam I46 secured to the sleeve l I I that rotates on the cam shaft I II]. A pin I41 extends transversely through the cam I46 so that it extends laterally across the circumferential groove I45 in the periphery of the cam. Thus, as will be apparent from Fig. 14, the pin I41 constitutes the dwell on the cam. When the pin engages the cam follower roller I44 on the rocker arm I43 it momentarily lifts the rocker arm (Fig. 14) and moves the movable knife plate I24 upwardly to sever the foil strip. The movable knife blade is returned to normal position and the cam follower roller I44 is yieldingly held in engagement with the cam I46 by a coil spring I48 (Fig. 14) which acts on the end of an arm I49 also keyed to the sleeve IIl'l on the rocker arm shaft I98 (Fig. 17). This arm I49 performs another function as will later appear.

The projections It will be noted from the foregoing description that the knives are mounted on the movable structure which may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly, i. e., toward or away from the main portion of the machine by movement of the handle 85.

In addition to the parts above described the foil feeding mechanism includes a pair of guide plates I and I5I (Figs. 1, 8 and 9). These plates have Openings in them to receive the cross rods 81 and 88 (Fig. 1) on which each of the plates may slide transversely of the foil feed mechanism. A transversely extending adjusting shaft I52 (Fig. 8) is mounted to rotate in the plates 19 that carry the lower feed roil and extends loosely through the block 90 (Fig. 10). It has oppositely threaded end portions I53 and I56 (Fig. 8) each of which has threaded engagement with one of the guide plates. By turning a knob I55 on the end of the shaft I52 the two guide plates I56 and I5I may be simultaneously adjusted toward or away from each other to accommodate foil strips of different widths. As best shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 19 the guide plates have portions which extend outwardly far enough to engage the sides of the supply roll 11 of metal foil and thereby maintain this roll of foil in a central position in the foil feeding mechanism.

. As each piece of candy approaches the foil feeding mechanism it engages the curved end of a foil-feed control arm i56 (Fig. 1) which is pivoted to swing in a horizontal plane about a fixed pivot I51. As will soon appear, when a piece of candy is present in the particular pocket of the carrier disc that is passing the curved end of the arm I56 the piece of candy will press outwardly on this arm and cause the strip of metal foil to be advanced by the feed rolls while v the piece of candy is moving toward the foil feeding mechanism, but if no piece of candy is present in such pocket then the arm i56 will be permitted to swing inwardly and this results in rendering the feed rolls ineffective to feed the foil strip during the time this pocket in the carrier disc is moving from the arm I56 to the foil feedingmechanism.

The arm i56 is pivotally connected to a rod I58 which passes loosely through a cylindrical block I59 swiveled on the end of a lever I60 which is pivoted intermediate its ends at I St on a stationary plate I62 (see also Fig. 18). A coil spring I63 surrounds the rod I58 and is located between a shoulder on this rod and the swivel block 559 on the lever I60. When a piece of candy engages the curved end of the arm I56 this arm is swung in a clockwise direction about its pivot I51 and by means of the rod 153 and the spring I53 swings the lever I 66 about its pivot I6I in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1. This causes a pin I64 carried by the end of the lever I69 (Fig. 18) to engage a spring arm I65 on a microswitch I66 and actuate this arm and the switch to thereby break the electric circuit of the solenoid 99 (Fig. 19).

This permits the coil spring I06 (Fig. 19) to swing the arm 98 in a direction to lower the upper feed roll into engagement with the strip of metal foil thereby causing the rotating feed rolls to advance the strip of foil. It will be noted from Figs. 14 and 17 that when the dwell I41 on the cam I46 lifts the cam follower roller I44 and its rocker arm I43 to raise the movable knife blade and sever the foil strip, the arm I49 is also raised because, as above stated, this arm is keyed to the same sleeve I 01 on the rocker arm shaft I08 that the rocker arm I43 is keyed to. Therefore. every time the foil strip is severed by the knives a vertical rod I61 (Fig. 14) pivotally connected to the end of the arm I49 is lifted and then immediately lowered.

The upper end of this rod passes through the plate I62. Slidably mounted on the upper end of the rod I61 above the plate I62 is a sleeve I68 on the lower end of which there is a disc I69. A second disc I19 is secured to the extreme upper end of the rod I61, and a coil spring III located between this disc and the disc I69 yieldingly urges the latter disc downwardly on the rod I61 into engagement with a shoulder I12 on this rod. If a piece of candy is pressing on the foil-feed control arm I56 and thus holding the arm I60 in a position in which its pin I61 is pressing against the arm I65 of the microswitch (this being the position of the arm I69 shown in Fig. 14), then when the rod I61 is lifted at this time its shoulder I12 will lift the disc I69 and when the rod I61 is again lowered an instant later (before the piece of candy has moved completely past the control arm I56), the disc I69 will return to the position shown in Fig. 14 alongside of the end of the lever I60.

This blocks the movement of the lever I60 and holds it in the position to which it has been moved by the action of the piece of candy pressing on the control arm I56. Thus, even after the piece of candy moves beyond the control arm I56 the lever I60 remains locked in the position to which it has been moved by the piece of candy and the foil strip will continue to be advanced by the feed rolls until the next operation of the cutting knives when the rod I61 will be again raised and lowered. If there is no piece of candy in the pocket of the carrier disc which is passing the control arm 56, upward movement of the rod I61 (Fig. 14) will lift the disc I69 as before but this time the spring arm I65 on the microswitch will swing the lever I66 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 and this will move the curved end of the control arm I56 inward, since there is no piece of candy to hold it in its outward position. When the rod I61 descends, the disc I69 will now strike the upper surface of the end of lever I 60 as shown in Fig. 15 and as the rod I 61 continues its downward movement the spring I1I will be compressed.

In this position of the parts the microswitch energizes the solenoid 99 (Fig. 19) and lifts the upper feed roll out of contact with the foil strip and thus renders the feed rolls ineifective to advance the foil strip. The parts will remain in this position until a piece of candy again actuates the control arm I56 as above described thus moving the end of the lever I60 back to the position shown in Fig. 14. The coil spring I63 surrounding the rod I58 (Fig. 1) provides a yielding connection between the control arm I56 and the lever I60 so that even though the amount of movement of the lever 60 is limited, the control arm I56 can be moved a greater distance by relatively large pieces of candy than by relatively small ones.

Each piece of candy is moved by the machine from the feed table 3 at the left of Fig. 1 through approximately 450 and is then released by its candy gripping ring 33 so that the piece of candy falls by gravity onto a rotating discharge disc I13 shown in Figs. 1 and 23. This disc rotates about the axis of a vertical rod I14 (Fig. 23) and carries a rubber ring I15 at its periphery which bears against the cam ring 55 that actuates the small 17 wiping blades 56. Thus, rotation of this cam ring causes rotation of the discharge disc I13. As the wrapped pieces of candy fall on this disc they are carried by it in a circular path as shown in Fig. 1 and each piece of candy passes under a yielding rubber covered conical roller I16.

The roller I is mounted to rotate freely on a spindle I11 (Fig. 23) which is hinged at I18 to the upper end of the rod I14. An arcuate guard or guide I19 carried by the outer end of the spindle I11 confines the pieces of candy on the rotating disc I13 until they pass under the roller I16. In passing under this roller each piece of candy is subjected to vertical pressure to ccmpress and crease the folds of metal foil under its bottom surface. After the piece of candy passes under the roller I16 a deflector arm I50 (Fig. 1) reflects them off of the rotating disc and into a suitable receptacle. At the inner end of the con-- ical roller I16 there is a conical friction wheel I81 which bears on the upper surface of a friction disc 182 which rotates with the disc H3.

Thus, rotation of the discharge disc H3 imparts rotation to the roller I16, the adjacent surfaces of the discharge disc and the roller moving in the same direction. The lower end of the rod ilfl has threaded connection with a stationary bracket I83 and a knurled knob I84 is secured to the rod so that by turning this knob the rod can be adjusted vertically .in the bracket. This raises or lowers the conical roller I16, its friction wheel WI, and the friction disc I82 relative to the discharge disc I13. There is thus provided an adjustment by which the size of the gap between the conical roller I16 and the upper surface of the discharge disc I13 may be adjusted to suit the size of the particular pieces of candy being wrapped by the machine.

The operation of the machine will now be described. The piecesof candy to be wrapped by the machine are placed on the feed table 3 (Fig. 1), one such piece of candy being represented at C. The operator presses'on the treadle Iii:v (Fig. 2) in the proper direction to start the machine. As the pockets It! in the carrier disc 4 (Fig. 1) pass the feed table the operator places one piece of candy in each of the pockets. The path followed by one piece of candy and the operations performed upon it will be described from here on. The carrier disc moves the piece of candy through 180 from the feed table to a position adjacent the foil feeding mechanism.

As the piece of candy is moved past the foilfeed control arm I56 it presses on this arm and causes the upper feed roll (which is continuously rotating with the lower feed roll) to be lowered into contact with the foil strip. A predetermined amount of metal foil will be fed forward by the feed rolls whereupon the cutting knives will operate to cut a piece from the end of the foil strip. If at the time the cutting knives operate, a succeeding piece of candy is pressing on the foil-feed control arm I55 more metal foil will be fed by the feed rolls for this succeeding piece of candy. I

If there is a piece of candy in each pocket of the carrier disc the foil-feed control arm I55 will be continuously held in its outward position so that the feeding action of the metal foil will not be be interrupted except during the short intervals when the knives sever a piece from the end of the foil strip, but if a piece of candy is not present in any particular pocket of the carrier disc as such pocket *passes the'foil-feed control arm I56 no metal foil will' 'be fed by the feed rolls during the time'that this pocket travels from the control arm to the foil feeding mechanism.

The parts ofthe machineare-so timed that; as much foil is fed jinwardly'beyond thepathpf travel of the pieces ofcandy as exists from such path to the cutting knives. In other words, a piece of candy will be centeredlongitudinally of a severed piece of foil at the time the piece is cut from the foil strip as depicted in Figs. 8 and 9. When it is desired to Wrap relatively large pieces of candy a relatively wide strip of metal foil should be used. Figs. 8 and 9 show respectively relatively narrow and relatively wide strips of foil in the foil feeding mechanism for wrapping relatively small and relatively large pieces of candy.

For relatively large pieces of candy the foil feeding mechanism should feed a greater amount of foil between cutting operations so that more foil will project inwardly beyond the piece of candy to be wrapped, and in order to preserve the symmetrical relationship between the piece of candy and the severed piece of foil the cutting knives should bemoved farther away from the path of travel of the piece of candy. In Figs. 8 and 9 it is assumed that the cutting knives have just operated or are just ready to operate. InFig. 8 the proper amount of metal foil has been fed forward to wrap a piece of candy of the particular size indicated in this figure and the handle (Figs. 19, and 20) has been adjusted to so posi tion the cutting knives that the same amount of metal foil will extend inwardly and outwardly of the piece of candy.

In Fig. 9 the handle 85 has been shifted to a different position to move the cutting knives farther to the right and to cause a'greater amount of metal foil to be fed forward by the feed rolls before the strip is severed to preserve the symmetrical relation between the; severed piece of foil and the piece of candy tobe wrapped. The reason why movement ofthe handle 85 does both of these things, i. e., shifts the position of the knives and at the same time alters the amount of foil fed forward between cutting operations, will be apparentfrom Figs. island 20.

When the handle 85 is turned, the cutting knives; the gears I I4 that drive the feed rolls, the ball clutches associated with these gears, and the pins I22 on the ball clutches, all move as a unit either to the right or left as viewed in Figs. 19 and 20, While the rocker arms I03 which oscillate on fixed portions of the machine frame remain relatively stationary. Thus, as the handle 35 is turned to move the cutting knives toward the left in Fig. 19, i. e., closer to the path of travel of the piece of candy, the pins I22 on the ball clutches will be moved farther into the slots I M in the rocker arms I03. -I-Ience, therocker arms will impart a shorter stroke to the pins I22 and less foil will be fed forward by thefeed rolls between operations of the cutting knives.

Adjustment of the cutting knives in the opposite direction by the handle 85 has the opposite effect, namely, movementof thepins I22 outwardly in the slots I04 of the rocker arms I03 to thereby lengthen the stroke imparted to the pins by the rocker arms resulting in a greater amount of foil being fed forward by the feed-rolls between operations of the cutting knives. Thus, the closer the knives areto the pathof travel of the piece of candy the-smaller will be the amount of foil fed forward by the feed rolls between operations of the cutting knives and the farther the cutting knives are adjustedfrom the path of travel of the; piece of candy the greater will be the amount of foil fed forward between operations of the cutting knives .to preserve the longitudinal centered relationship between the severed piece of foil and the piece of candy to be wrapped regardless of the size of the piece or ay As a piece of foil is severed from the foil strip the foil gripping fingers 59 (Figs. 2 and 4) are lowered to grip theinner edge of the severed piece of foil'against the plate 45. As soon as the piece of foil is severed from the strip of foil it therefore starts moving circumferentially with the plate 4'5 while the piece of candy being pushed by the carrier disc continues its movement under the severed piece of foil. The piece of candy is now supported on and moving'over the thin rectangular plate 12 (Fig. 1). Fig. 26 shows the piece of candy thus moving over the plate 3.? under a piece of foil that has just been severed by the cutting knives and that has just been gripped by the gripping fingers B. In this view the piece of candy is moving away from the reader. At this time the plunger 2% that has reached the foil feeding mechanism is moved upwardly a short distance by a jog or onset 185 in the cam tract: 24' asshow'n in the lower part oi Fig. 33 at position'If The amount of upward movement imparted to the plunger by this jog in the cam track brings the he'adil of the plunger very close to the under surface of the thin platen and then the plunger head moves horizontally until it emerges from under this plate. Fig. 27 shows the piece of candy just before it reaches the edge of the thin plate'lZ (themovementof the piece of candy in this figure being toward the left) and shows the plunger and its headmoving along horizontally under this plate.

It should be remembered that the plunger-s are moved along in their circular path at a slightly greater speed than the pieces of candy are moved by the carrier disc. In Fig. 2'7 the plunger therein shown has not quite caught up totheplece of candy moving on the plate 72. However, by the time the piece of candy moves off ofthe edge oi the plate 12 the plunger will have caught up with it and the piece of candy will thereforemove' onto' the header the plunger as depicted in Fig. 28. Since the plate 12 is very thin and since the plunger head at this time is moving horizontally in" close proximity to the under surface at this plate there is no precipitous drop as the candy moves onto the head of the plunger.

At'this time a rise 188 in the cam track 2 3 (Fig. 33) causes the plunger to start rising through the arcuate slot H in the surface of the casting 2 "under which the plunger has been moving up to: this time. The plunger lifts the piece of candy into contact with the severed piece of foil as shown inFig. 29. At this time the piece of candy is in centered relation with the severed piece" of foil transversely of the foil strip. The gripper fingers 5-8 new release the severed piece offoil and further upward movement of the plunger pushes the piece of candy and the piece or; severed foil through the brushring 26 that is located'above the plunger as depicted in Fig. 30 and position II of Fig. 33.

The bristles -21 ofthe brush ring fold the piece of foil downaround the piece of candy. When thefplung'er reaches the highest position to which it is moved by the rise l 86 in thecam track 24 (Fig. '33) the piece of candy and the folded down piece of foil occupya position in one of the rub- 20 her candy gripping rings 35 as depicted at position III of this figure: See also Fig. 31 which shows on an enlarged scale the position of the parts when the piece of candy is in this position.

The rubber ring 33 is now open or expanded because the cam rod 35 has been moved up by the rise IS? in the cam track 33 to a point where the cam 3111 on this rod is between the rollers 42 on the roller arms ll thereby'moving the lower ends of the arms 37 apart to open the rubber ring. During the next small amount of progression of the cam rod 3%! along its circular path from posit-ion III it will be raised slightly more by the rise 1 8'! of the cam track 33. This moves the cam 3 la above the rollers 42 thus permitting them and the arms 31 to move inwardly and allow the rubber ring 38 to contract and grip the piece of candy as shown in Fig. 32. It should be understood that the rubber ring is of appropriate size to grip, when fully contracted, .a piece of candy of given size without squeezing it hard enough to injure it.

The rubber rings may be removed and replaced by another set of rings which are suitable for gripping pieces of candy of the particular kind to be wrapped by the machine. Immediately after the piece of candy is gripped by the rubber ring 38, and during further progression of the plunger 29 along its circular path, a downwardly inclined portion [88 of the cam track 24 lowers the plunger while the piece of candy remains gripped in the candy gripping ring. This is depicted at position IV of Fig. 33. The four corners of the piece of metal foil are now pointing downwardly but it should be noted that in order .to bring one of these corners .to the leading side of the piece of candy the candy must be rotated /3 of a revolution.

This is accomplished by a stationary pin 188 which in position IV of Fig. 33 is about to be engaged by the progressing Geneva wheel 38 which when turned by the pin will also turn all of the arms depending below it and will thus turn the candy gripping ring. The position which this pin 89 occupies circumferentially of the machine is shown in Fig- 3. After the candy gripping ring has progressed a short distance beyond position IV of Fig. 33 the end of the pin I89 will engage the Geneva wheel 36 and turn it $4; of a revolution to bring one of the downwardly extending corners of the metal foil to the leading side of the piece of C nd and as soon as this is accomplished one of the dwells on the cam ring 55 will lift one of the arms 57 carrying a wiper blade 58 and cause this blade to wipe against the forward downwardly extending corner of the metal foil and fold it under against the bottom of the piece of candy. The instant this is accomplished the wiper blade 53 is immediately lowered by the cam ring 55 so that it will not disturb the other downwardy extending corners of the metal foil.

In position V of Fig. 33 the Geneva wheel 35 has reached a pair of pins I (see also Fig. 3) and in passing these pins the Geneva wheel will be turned two revolutions or 90 to bring the next downwardly extending corner of the metal foil to the leading side of the piece of candy whereupon the next wiper blade 56 is raised and lowered as before to fold under this corner. It will also be noted from position V of Fig. 33 that the plunger 23 has now been lowered far enough by its cam track 24. to bring its head Zl below the top wall of the casting- 2 and from hereon to the

Images