US2780042A - Infusion package manufacture - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 5, 1957 H. O. IRMSCHER INFUSION PACKAGE MANUFACTURE Filed Oct. 11, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A Tl% Feb. 5, 1957 H. o. IRMSCHER 2,780,042

INFUSION PACKAGE MANUFACTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 11, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

ATTOX/Vf) Feb. 5, 1957 H. o. IRMSCHER 2,780,042

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I 1 5. 55a x} \&\\, 2;; I 10 11 6 336345 351- gw jsd 2 m y 36 \m l \U \I r ;i\\ W /j i a. a E a 50 v INVEN TOR. I .11 3 1 1,. 5 31 5% 0 WWW Feb. 5, 1957 H. o. IRMSCHER INFUSION PACKAGE MANUFACTURE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 11, 1952 IN V EN TOR. ///)/v 0 MMJcM/e INFUSION PACKAGE MANUFACTURE.

Hans 0. Irmscher, Uniondale, N. Y., assignor to National geakPacking Company, Inc., a corporation of New Application October 11, 1952, Serial No. 314,257 r 2 Claims. (CI. 53-57) This invention relates to the manufacture of infusion packages made with a heat-sealing coated web-strip filter sheet material. More particularly, the invention is directed to an improved tension-feed control and heat-sealing web-strip splicing seam joint machine portion incorporated in high speed, fully automatic machines, such as, for example, in the manufacture of tea-balls, or other packages utilizing a heat-sealed coated web-strip filter sheet material, said machine web-strip splicing portion being installed for convenient use as required, or as herein shown adjoining to cooperate with a roll supply source of said web-strip sheet material which includes a tension-controlled feed means for said strip sheet material automatically passing to the machine and serving to reduce to a minimum spoilage and loss of operational time due to defective or damaged web-strip sheet material, or to replace required web-strip sheet material supply from a roll source when exhausted.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide an improvement of the character described comprising an assembly of parts which shall be compactly arranged for convenient operation during quantity production, which shall automatically act to control the machine operation when the supply of said web-strip sheet material being fed is defective, damaged or exhausted, which shall continuously feed the web-strip sheet material to the machine as required for continuous high-speed manufacturing of packages, which improvement shall be capable of being incorporated into or operated in conjunction with highspeed automatic package manufacture to provide a smooth running, dependable and reliable operational installation, which shall include a slack take-up and heatsealing joint splicing means of simple construction, which shall be capable to act in cooperation with other automatic means, such as, an inspection control, for said machine operation, and which shall be practical and efiicient to a high degree of use.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

This invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described and of which the scope of the application will be indicated in the following claims.

I In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one possible illustrative embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a portion of a super high-speed automatic packaging machine having incorporated as a portion thereof of a heat-sealing webstrip filter sheet material seam-joint splicer and tensionfeed control constructed to embody the invention.

Figs. 2, 3, and ,4 are enlarged cross-sectional views taken on line 22 in Fig. 1, line 3-3 in Fig. 2, and line 4-4 in Fig. 3, respectively, showing details of parts of the web-strip sheet material tension-feed control forming part of an electrical circuit for automatically stopping the machine operation when defective or damaged web-strip sheet material is fed, or said web-strip sheet material from the roll source supply is exhausted. Fig. 4, in addi:

nited States Patent 2,780,042 Patented Feb. 5, 1957 tion, includes a simplified diagrammatic portion showing the electrical connections and circuit.

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged front and side elevational views, respectively, of the parts of the heat-sealing webstrip seam-joint splicer shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged top plan view of the splicer shown in Figs. 5 and 6 'but showing a portion of the swingably mounted heater die broken away to fully expose the splicer base and the web-strip sheet material in position for heat-sealing a seam-joint.

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional View taken on line 8-8 in Fig. 7 showing disposition of the splicer base parts, and the path of travel of the web-strip sheet material indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged cross-sectional view similar to Fig. 8, but showing the heater die in position to form the seam-joint splice.

Figs. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views taken on lines 1010 and 11--11 in Fig. 9, respectively, showing details of splicer base parts and position of the web-strip sheet material during the heat-sealing seam-joint splicing operation, and

Fig. 12 is a bottom plan view of the splicer base shown in Figs. 7 to 11.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 20 denotes generally an improved web-strip sheet material tension-feed control and heat-sealing seam-joint splicer construction embodying the invention, and when incorporated in a fully automatic infusion package manufacturing machine A (only a fragmentary portion of which is shown in Fig. 1), serves to reduce to a minimum spoilage and loss of operational time due to defective, damaged or exhausted web-strip sheet material W being fed for the manufacturing of filled packages by said machine A. The latter may be constructed and operated like that fully disclosed in applicants United States Letters Patent No. 2,475,617, granted July 12, 1949, orthat as set forth in applicants co-pending application, Ser. No. 79,034, filed March 1, 1949, or in application Ser. No. 306,764 filed August 28, 1952.

Machine A as herein shown may also include a suitable measuring device D, as for example, like that shown in applicants United States Letters Patent No. 2,490,056, grant-ed December 6, 1949, to supply in proper timed relation measured quantities of fluent material, such as tea T, and as herein shown, for filling hag forming sections M to produce the filled packages like those produced as described and shown in said co-pending application Ser. No. 79,034. Said filled packages may have the bag forming sections or unfilled envelopes M formed from a transluscent, heat-sealing coated, filter web-strip sheet material W or other similar web material unreeled from a suitably arranged supply roll R.

The heat-sealing filter web-strip sheet material W may be of any suitable foraminous construction, such as filter paper or a like base layer coated as at C with a dry thermosetting plastic lamina.

It has been found in practice that a 6% pound fibrous stock sheet of approximately .001 inch thick of high wet tensile strength forms a practical filter paper base layer for the web-strip sheet material W, and .a copolymer of vinyl chloride and vinyl acetate forms a suitable coating C to provide a pewious, dry and extremely thin lamina of normally less than .0005 inch thick which does not materially affect the filtering capacity of said layer. About three ounces of said vinyl lamina uniformly spread over one surface of each pound of said layer forms porous coating C.

As part of machine A, there also may be provided a suitable automatic inspection means control I for supervising and detecting defective package section filling operations as shown and fully described in applicants co-pending application, Ser. No. 134,634, filed December 23, 194-9, now U. S. Patent No. 2,715,807, granted August 23, 1955.

In the manner fully disclosed in my said Letters Patent No. 2,475,617, machine A. may be utilized to manufacture tea balls and has said web-strip sheet material W continuously fed from supply roll R which is suitably mounted to turn on an axle shaft 21. The latter extends horizontally above the level of floor F and may be rigidly supported to overhang an end frame S of machine A from rack bracket 22 at a spaced distance from said end frame S.

Said rack bracket 22 may also carry a suitable webstrip sheet material unwinding and slack take-up means 23 which forms part of the tension-feed control of construction 29, said means 23 being positioned to direct said web-strip sheet material W longitudinally along machine A to pass through a folder member or former H for providing a folded closed bottom and an open top for each bag forming section M, said folded sheet material W being gripped transversely the length thereof between continuously moving pairs of closely spaced pincer jaws G of machine portion A in providing said bag forming sections M, as shown in Fig. l. Said jaws G are carried on an tip-facing run of an endless conveyor belt Y and may be effectively controlled to open and close in the same manner and by suitable means such as described in detail in my said Letters Patent No, 2,475,617.

Each pair of jaws G may be U-shaped or forked to grip the folded strip material W transversely after passing through said folder member H to form successive upstanding empty bag forming sections M, each of the latter extending between the forked portions of each pair of jaws G to leave the edges of said bag sections M open to project above the upper level of said jaws G prior to filling and heat-sealing top closure seam thereafter.

As the empty open ended bag forming sections M continuously travel with said jaws G carried by belt chain Y, they may be filled through the bag section top openings with infusion material, such as tea leaves T, during continuous movement thereof under measuring device D,

after which said filled bag sections M1 each pass in the V path of light beams projected by supervising inspection means control I in the manner fully described and shown in my said co-pending application Ser. No. 134,634.

Rack bracket 22 may be of the angle hanger type which not only supports axle shaft 21 but also provides suitable mounting for a pair of spaced apart vertically aligned rollers 24 and 25 to freely turn on horizontally extending axle shafts 24a and 25a, respectively, both may be in parallel alignment above said roll axle shaft 21. As seen from Fig. 1, said rack bracket 22 may in addition serve to carry upper and lower spaced apart rollers 26 and 27, respectively, which may be mounted to freely turn on horizontally disposed shafts 26a and 27a, respectively. Rollers 26 and 27 may be positioned in vertical alignment between frame end S, and said rollers 24 and 25 below the level of the latter.

As seen from Figs. 1 and 5, web-strip sheet material W after being unreeled from roll R is zigzag threaded successively about a movably mounted weighted slack take-up roller 23, rollers 25, 27 and 24 and then passes in an upwardly direction under upper roller 26 of the webstrip sheet material unreeling and slack take-up means 23 to ride over a stretcher bar 29 advancing horizontally to a heat-sealing seam-joint splicer 3% which forms part of said construction 26.

Slack take-up roller 28 may be horizontally mounted in alignment with said rollers 24, 25, 26 and 27 for turning between a pair of guide bars 23a with oppositely extending shaft ends 2% of said roller 28 slidably carried in parallelly aligned elongated slots 230 of said bars 28a. The latter may be secured at upper ends thereof, as at 28d, to rack bracket 22 so that roller .28 is guided in the above described mounting to be acted upon by gravity to unravel web-strip sheet material W from roll R when said strip material W is drawn-fed by the operation of machine A, that is, by the movement of the leading portion of said folded strip material W engaged between grippers G and advancing with conveyor Y through machine A, as is clear from Fig. 1..

As shown in Figs. 1, 5, and 6, seam-joint splicer 30 may be mounted on horizontally extending clamp plate 3% which is carried by an upwardly extending portion 22:: of rack bracket 22, as at bolted connection 22b, to project outwardly above the level of frame end S. Said bolted clamp plate Twila rigidly secures an L-inverted angle bar 3012 to which horizontally disposed spaced apart extended bearing blocks 29a may be firmly fastened as by screws 29.) to support the ends of said stretcher bar 29, as is clear from Figs. 5, 6, 7, 10, ll and 12.

Said angle bar 30b also has secured to a horizontally extending portion thereof positioned between said bearing blocks 29a, as by screw bolts 30c, a suitable cradle or jig 31 for adjustably supporting a pressure receiving base 32. Spaced apart nut-locking level adjusting screws 31a are provided to extend up through jig 31 and serve as a rigid level support for under side 32a of said pressure receiving base 32, as is clear from Figs. 10, 11 and 12.

Pressure receiving base 32 may be constructed to include suitably rigid sheet material, such as steel plate 32b, which provides horizontal leveling of said under side 32a, steel plate 32b having a heat-insulated cushioning layer 320 to provide, when required, a suitably positioned surface whereon splicing of a desired heat-sealed lap joint-seam for the web-strip sheet material W, as is clear from Figs. 6, 8, 9 and 10.

Partially extending over layer 320 and beyond horizontal portion of angle bar 36b an under-slideway plate 33 and cover plate 33a secured in any suitable manner by spaced apart screws 33b in position for parallel alignment over said slideway plate 33 may be provided, said cover plate 33a being spaced from the latter by side strip shims 330 so that two thicknesses of the web-strip sheet material W may be freely drawn over slideway plate 33 and under cover plate 33a, as is clear from Figs. 8, l0 and 11.

Since cover plate 33a extends over the region where the heat-sealed splicing operation of the web-strip sheet material W is to be carried out, said cover plate 33a may be slotted, notched, and slit as at 33d, 33e, and 33 respectively, as shown in Fig. 7.

Slot 33d which extends transversely the width of cover plate 33a is made to conform to the size and shape of a movably mounted pressure die 34, and spaced apart notches 3312 with intermediately positioned slit 33f provide finger access to adjust the web-strip sheet material W in arranging and making the heat-sealed joint on said slideway plate 33, as is clear from Figs. 7 and 9.

Pressure die 34 may be of any suitable construction, and as here shown, comprises casing 34a having an impression surface area 34b made to be positioned for extending all the way across the width of the Web-strip sheet material W to be spliced, and is so proportioned and may be mounted so as to be manually swung into, through and out of slot 33d so that said surface area 34b can be brought into proper position for the heat-sealing operation of the spliced joint-seam J, as is clear from Figs. 5, 6 and 9.

Pressure die 34 may be carried for limited movement through a suitably loose coupling rocking connection 340 attached at a mid-portion of a lever 34d which terminates at the free end thereof in handle 34c, said lever 34d being hinged to swing on rock shaft 34], the latter being mounted to turn in spaced end bearings of upstanding stanchion arms 34g, as is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Stanchion arms 34g may be rigidly mounted by extension support 34h from horizontal portion as angle bar 3% and lever 34d may normally be retained in uplifted or elevated position with pressure die 34 raised to clear cover plate 33a by suitable means, such as arcuately-shaped compression spring 34 extending between lever 34d and a socket fitting 34k bolted to stanchion arm 34g, as shown in Fig. 6.

For regulating the temperature of pressure die 34, there may be provided an electric thermostatically controlled heater 35 of any well understood construction. Said electric heater 35 may be fitted to extend longitudinally through pressure die 34 and connect with a suitable electric power source (not shown) by wiring 35a which passes through an angle fitting 35b and flexibly armored conduit 35c of any well understood approved construction.

As is fully disclosed in my said co-pending application Ser. No. 134,634, inspection means control I may be operated in timed relation through suitable power transmission E with respect to the movement of bag sections M and MI carried by jaws G with conveyor Y. As indicated in the diagram portion of Fig. 4, said control I may include a photo-electric eye relay K of any Well known make connected in circuit with one or more off and on push button switches Q, magnetic motor starter line control switch N for the motor power drive shaft P for operating all the various other portions of machine A.

Directly concerned with automatic control of machine A in the present embodiment of the electrical portion of the invention, there may be provided in connection with said roller 27 a construction in which the latter serves as a circuit switch control means. To that end, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4, a contact 270 terminating a leaf spring jumper 27d may be mounted on an arm 27e which is secured to rack bracket 22 and electrically grounded by being suitably connected, for example, with machine frame S. Contact 270 is positioned to eletrically connect, that is, to firmly rub the surface of roller 27 beyond portion thereof over which web-strip sheet material W rides, said roller 27 being made of any electric current conducting material, such as any suitable metal.

For completing said electric circuit control construction means served by roller 27, there is also provided a second contact 27g terminating a leaf spring jumper 27h which is also mounted on said arm 27e at a spaced distance from jumper 27d but is electrically insulated from said arm 27c by an insulation block 27k. Contact 27g is positioned to normally ride over the surface of the portion of web-strip sheet material W which passes about roller 27, as is clear from Figs. 1 to 4.

Jumper 27h may be electrically connected in circuit in any well understood manner and, as here shown in simplified form as part of Fig. 4, has a suitable wire lead 27m extending to a relay control R of magnetic motor control switch N for automatically stopping motor drive P when said relay control R is energized.

In addition to motor drive P, machine A may have the working parts manually operated for testing, servicing, maintenance and adjustment by turning handle wheel 36 as required.

From the above description and drawing, the practical operation of the invention applied to or incorporated in packaging machine A will now be readily understood.

As seen from Fig. 1, said filter paper sheet material W in a web-strip having a thermosetting plastic lamina coating C as it unreels from the roll R, the supply source, has the advancing portion thereof confined and directed to slack take-up means 23 in a zigzag path, successively moving about slack take-up roller 28 then about rollers 25, 27, 24 and 26. From the latter, the path of travel of web-strip sheet material W passes up over stretcher bar 29 and then horizontally with web-strip material coat ing C up-facing, said strip web material W being longitudinally folded by former H after passing over slideway plate 33 and under cover plate 33a of splicer 30.

Folded web-strip material W with coating C in face to face relation, as is described in detail in my said Patent No. 2,475,617, or in the construction shown and decribed in my co-pending application Ser. No. 306,764, filed August 28, 1952, isthen caused to be engaged by gripper G and drawn with the advancing movement of conveyor Y to form temporary bag sections M with open tops extending above the level of said gripper G. When said open top sections M, during their continuously advancing movement, approach the said device D, measured charges of the filler T are delivered to the passing section M to provide filled bag section M1 which is automatically inspected by said control means I in the manner fully described in my said co-pending application Ser. No. 134,634.

Thereafter, said filled sections M1 may be completed by machine A as infusion packages, such as tea balls, shown and described in my said Patent No. 2,475,617 and said co-pending application Ser. No. 306,764.

Web-strip sheet material unwinding and slack take-up means 23 is thus seen to be operated by the drawing ofi or pull exerted on said folded web-strip sheet material W in the forming of bag forming sections M and M1 with the advancing movement of the gripper G carried by machine conveyor Y. Since unreeling of said web-strip sheet material W from rollR requires exertion of degrees of force of wide range due to the character of friction and adhesion present between wound layers of web-strip sheet material W forming roll R, said zigzagging of webstrip sheet material W with the gnavity action of slack take-up roller 28 is effective to assist in equalizing the feeding tension of web-strip sheet material W to fold former H as a taut, wrinkle-free and crease-free smootl1- coated sheet for the manufacturing operation to form said bag sections M by machine A.

As seen in Fig. 1, roller shaft ends 2812 are guided in the elongated slots 280 so that roller 28 moves along bars 28a under the influence of gravity to loop any unreeled existing slack of web-strip sheet material W between roll R and the other rollers of said take-up means 23, said web-strip sheet material W being fed with coating C thereof up-facing to advance horizontally from stretcher bar 29 through splicer 30.

In the manufacture of tea balls by machine A, webstrip sheet material W supplied in a full roll R is sufiicient to produce about 25,000 bag sections M, and in order to reduce to a minimum any possible loss of operating production should the web-strip sheet material W require replenishing by insertion of a new full roll R, or when the unreeling of the roll R should the Web-strip sheet material W be found damaged, torn or otherwise imperfect, then the operation of machine A must be interrupted and stopped either to splice a leading end of web-strip sheet material W of a replenishing roll R to the end of roll R supplying web-strip sheet material W threaded through machine A, or to cut out and remove any damaged, torn or imperfect portion of the webstrip sheet material W.

Said interruption and stoppage of the machine operation in the above described construction is automatically controlled, for as seen from the simplified diagram portion of Fig. 4, said stoppage takes place when contact 27g is grounded on roller 27, that is, when web-strip sheet material W thereat ceases to be interposed whereby relay control R is energized and made eflective to actuate magnetic motor switch control N to open the circuit for stopping motor drive P in the well understood manner.

Normal production operation can be readily and expeditiously restored on again insulating contact 27g from roller 27 after web-strip sheet material W has been re plenished, or the damaged, torn or imperfect portion thereof cut out at splicer 30 whereat suitable shearing means, as for example, suitable scissors, edge trimmer, or sharp tear-cutting edges 33g along cover plate slot 33d, may be provided to sever the web-strip sheet material W transversely the length thereof so that border edges of the severed portions of said web-strip sheet material W may form into lap seamfioint I when positioned and heatsealed, as is clear from Figs. Sand-9.

For properly positioning said border severed portions to form lap seam-joint J on splicer 30, hand wheel 36 may be utilized and roll R manipulated to bring said border severed portions together, notches 33s and slit 33 of cover plate 33a permitting ready finger access manipulation. By supplying electrical power to wiring 35a for thermostatically controlling heating of heater 35 to a predetermined desired temperature and then swinging lever 34d down from its elevated position shown in Figs. and 6 to that shown in Fig. 9, pressure die surface 34a is brought into position for heat-sealing lap seam-joint J, as is clear from Fig. -9. Magnetic starter switch control N may be energized to again start the operation of machine A by pressing starting switch button Q and the web-strip sheet material W will then continue to be properly fed as required. Said heat-sealed lap seam-joint I during the above described operation in splicer 30 forms a reliable splice between pressure die surface 34a and adjustably positioned cushioned insert 32c of pressure receiving base 32.

it is thus seen that there are provided improved constructions in which the objects of the invention are achieved and which are well adapted to meet all conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments may be made in the above invention for use for different purposes and as various changes might be made in the embodiments and method above set forth, it is understood that all the above matters here set forth or shown in the accompanyingdrawing are to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Thus having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a packaging machine of the character described having a source supply means of web-strip filter sheet material having a thermosetting coating supplied from a roll, the combination of means for constantly advancing said sheet material along a feeding path for producing bag forming sections in series sequence, an electrically operated power-drive for said advancing and bag section forming means, a slack take-up means positioned in said path to provide tension for fiat-stretching said sheet material being unreeled from said roll, said slack take-up means including a plurality of spaced apart rollers about which said sheet material is successively wound, one of said rollers being constructed and arranged to form part of an electric circuit for controlling stoppage of said advancing and bag section forming means with a portion of said sheet material being drawn partially around said last mentioned roller to normally serve as an insulator, a spring-pressed electric contact bearing on said insulator sheet material positioned to complete the circuit when the latter is displaced from thereunder onexhaustion or damage of said sheet material, another of said rollers positioned to take off the sheet material directly from said roll, a movable bearing mounting for said last mentioned roller to permit raising and lowering thereof on path between said slack take-up .means and said advancing and bag section forming means including an electrical- .ly;heated:thermostatically controlled die rnovabiy mounted to extend .across said path for applying heat-sealing pressure to form a required seam-joint connection for said sheet material.

2. In a fullyautomatically operating high speed packaging machine of the character described equipped to expedite restoration of operations after stoppages and cut down outeoffservice time, damage and spoilage, a source supply means for providing web-strip filter sheet material having on one surface thereof a thermosetting coating from stroll in flat stretchedcondition, means for constantly advancing said sheetmaterial along a path in manufacturing bagforming sections in consecutive series, slack take-up means positioned in said path for providing tension to the flatstretched sheet material unreeled from said roll, means for folding said flat stretched sheet material in position spaced to receive the flat stretched sheet material from said slack take-up means longitudinal portions of said surface coating being positioned in face to face relation, a seam-joint splicer interposed to extend across said path between said slack take-up means and said folding means, said advancing means including a power-drive means, said slack takeup means having a portion interconnected to stop said advancing means on exhaustion or damage of said sheet material passing the slack take-up means, said splicer including a thermostatically controlled heated die movably mounted for positioning along said path to provide a lap seamjoint connection across the length of said sheet material on stoppage of said advancing means, a measuring filler device mounted along said path for delivery of charges to said manufacturing bag sections being manufactured, and an inspection control :for making said ,powendrive means ineffective, said inspection control having a common member associated with said slack takeup interconnecting portion for stopping the advancing means when a defectively filled bag section advancing along said path passes said inspection control.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 993,255 Knott May 23, 1911 1,149,018 Beregh Aug. 3, 1915 1,261,056 Pfohl Apr. 2, 1918 2,014,765 Hoppe Sept. 17, 1935 2,017,450 Van Veen Oct. 15, 1935 2,058,005 Donnellan Oct. 20, 1936 2,200,293 Pelosi May 14, 1940 2,269,533 Howard Jan. 13, 1942 2,395,531 Bemis Feb. 26, 1946 2,555,758 Noble et al. June 5, 1951 2,636,731 Howard Apr. 28, 1953 2,641,095 Burbank June 9, 1953 2,685,769 Conti Aug. 10, 1954

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