US2795094A - Packaging device - Google Patents

Description

Jun 11, 1957 ;s 2,795,094

PACKAGING DEVICE Filed March 1, 1954 INVENTOR EDWARD M SCHILD ATTORNEY United States Patent" Ofii ce V 2,195,0 94 Patented June 1 1 1 957 PACKAGING DEVICE 1 Edward M; Schild,"Bayside,-N. Y.

ApplicationMarch 1, 1954, Serial No. 413,175

1 Claim. (Cl.-53258) This invention relates to the art of packaging devices and particularly concerns a novel device for packing a plurality of elongated cylindrical articles in thin plastic bags.

The invention is particularly concerned with packaging frankfurters, sausages and the like in cellophane or polyethylene bags but is not limited thereto. Any articles having an elongated rather cylindrical shape can be packaged by means of the present invention. The invention is adapted to packaging foodstuffs, inedible articles, and

so on.

Automatic high speed packaging devices have been developed for use in mass production processes. These machines are very complex and expensive. Where limited quantities of articles are to be packaged, there has existed the need for a relatively simple manually operated device to pack one bag or container at a time prior to sealing as in a vacuum sealing operation which hermetically seals the package. Manual loading of individual bags is not fast enough if articles are loaded one at a time and the resulting pack is not sufficiently uniform and pleasing in appearance.

It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a device for packing a plurality of similarly shaped articles in a bag in a uniform compact arrangement;

It is a further object to provide a packaging device for packing a plurality of frankfurters or the like in a plastic bag.

It is a further object to provide a relatively simple, manually operated device for loading a plastic bag with elongated cylindrically shaped articles.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken together with the drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying the invention.

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on lines 2-2, 3-3, and 4.4 respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a stacking member employed in the device.-

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view of a modification of the invention.

In Figs. 1, 2, .3 and 5 are shown a generally U-shaped stacking member 10 having a hat bottom and flat upstanding side walls. The stacking member may be made of metal pressed into the shape shown in Pig. 5. A pair of lugs 1'1 extend outwardly from the sides of stacking member, near the top edges of the side walls. Stacking member 10 is disposed between the side walls 12 of the packaging device. The walls 12 are undercut at intermediate points to provide grooves or slots 13: in which fit the lugs '11 of the stacking member 10. The side walls 12 are secured to a front plate 14 by screws 15. Plate '14 is L-shaped as shown in Fig. 2 and is secured at its base in clamping member 16 to table T. One or more screws 17 hold the clamping member to the table. A plunger 18 passes through an opening 19 in plates 14. Pusher plate'20 is secured at the inner endi The side'wa'lls' 12'are part of a U-Tshaped member .23'

which has. abut-tom plate portion 24 which extends outwardly, beyond the ends of side walls 12 and terminates in a roundedend (The side walls 12 .have the slanted endsD as shown in-Figs. l and.2.

In operation of the device, a plurality of frank-furter s areplaced 'in stacking mernber 10 in side by; side relationship as shown in Fig. landimp'lurality of layers. as shown in Fig. 3.1 PlungerlS is initiallyin' the fully;

retracted'position shown in :Fig. 1." A plastic bag B is fitted over the ends D and E of the U-shaped member 23 and plunger 18 is pushed forward. Stacking member 10 is held by the slots I13 while the frankfurters are pushed forward together into the bag in a single plunger movement.

In Figs. 1 and 4 the bag B is shown loaded with the frankfurters P. A U-shaped band 25 is then placed over the packed bag. The band has a flanged section S along each side which serves to grip the packed bag B so that it can be lifted from the packaging device and easily carried to a suitable sealing machine fOI closing and sealing the package. When the plunger is released it returns to the initial position shown in Fig. 1 as the spring tension is released.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification of the invention adapted for packing a cardboard member I along with frankfurters F. The cardboard member is generally U-shaped and will ordinarily carry indicia identifying the source and nature of the contents of the package. To pack member I, it is necessary to provide the stacking member 10' with grooves G in the sides of the stacking member. The pusher plate 20' has curved sides having serrations with projections and indentations matching the grooves G and slidable loosely therein. When pusher plate 20' is pushed forward by plunger 18 the frankfur-ters F and member I are all together pushed into the bag B at the end of the packaging device. Stacking member 10 is provided with lugs in the same manner as lugs 11 of stacking member 10.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the device disclosed is not limited to packing frankfurters as described. Any elongated generally cylindrical article whether foodstuff or not can be packed equally efiiciently with the disclosed device. Among other foodstuffs which may be packageable with the disclosed device may be listed pickles, macaroni, bread sticks, and so on; and among non-food items may be listed candles, cigars, clothespins and similarly shaped articles. Regardless of the particular articles packed, the articles will always be arranged in neatly stacked layers in completely uniform array. This type of package is well recognized as superior for storage and shipping purposes, and its neat appearance improves its salability when a transparent bag is used to hold the packed articles.

Although a limited number of embodiments of the invention has been disclosed the invention is not to be construed as limited thereto. The invention is to be construed as limited only by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A packaging device comprising a bracket which is adapted to be mounted on a table, a bracket of generally L shape which is engageable with the first mentioned bracket and adapted to be removably secured to said table by means of said first mentioned bracket, a generally U-shaped holder supported by said L-shaped bracket in a generally horizontal position a spaced distance above the table, said U-shaped holder having a pair of spaced parallel'longitudinally corrugated sidewalls and a flat bottom wall, the L-shaped bracket supporting said U-shaped holder beingdisposed to extend across the back of said U-shapedliolder tdd'efiue a backwall'there far; a horizontally extending rod slidably mounted in said L-shaped bracket, the forwardend of said rod'pro jetting into' said U-shaped holder, at pusher plate seemed to said forward end of the rod, the side-edges ofsaid' pusher plate being corrugated tofit intothe corrugations in, the sidewallsof said U-shaped holder with suflicient clearance to permit of movement of said pusher plate longitudinally of the corrugation'sin"said "side walls,

flat side walls and a bottom wall and adapted to receive and hold a plurality of food products, said con tainer being of a size to fit into said U-shaped holder between its corrugated side walls, and a bag which is adapted to be slipped over said holder and the container mounted therein from the forward end of said holder in the direction of its back end, said pusher plate being adapted, when said rod is moved forwardly against the action of said spring, to push said container together with its food contents out of the holder and into the bag while at the same time pushing the bag off the holder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,422,196 Gray July 11, 1922 2,147,818 Lang Feb. 21, 1939 2,555,584 Fairbanl; June 5, 1951

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