US3031815A - Packaging machine feed apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS l1 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 17, 1958 My Ammuwm" May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG 3 PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 17, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 Elli? g4 w 47/03 mo May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG 3,031,315

PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 17, 1958 ll Sheets-Sheet 3 May 1, 1962 K. V. FORSBERG PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS 11 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed Oct. 17, 1958 May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 1'7, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 Z06 Z07 I FIG. 8.

May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG 3,031,815

PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 17, .1958

ll Sheets-Sheet 6 I] 261 l T Z65; 2// 2/9 220 A M FIG. 9.

May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG 3,031, 1

PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 17, 1958 ll Sheets-Sheet y 1962 K. v. FORSBERG 3,031,815

PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 17, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 K 5/7 FIG ./2.

345 54/322 15/ O A 6 w g .723 342 33 "356 1357 7/5"; 127 i i 555 559 1 i O i 425 y 1962 K. v. FORSBERG I 3,031,815

PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Y Original Filed Oct. 17, 1958 ll Sheets-Sheet 9 May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Fil'ed Oct. 17, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 kvm May 1, 1962 K. v. FORSBERG PACKAGING MACHINE FEED APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 1?, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet 1.1.

mm MW xwmw United States Patent 3,031,815 PACKAGING MACHENE FEED APPARATUS Karl Viking Forsberg, Kristalloogen 114, Hagersten, Sweden Original application Oct. 17, 1958, Ser. No. 767,989, new

Patent No. 3,001,342, dated Sept. 26, 1961. Divided and this application Oct. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 60,430

9 Claims. (Cl. 53-191) This is a divisional application of my co-pending application Serial No. 767,989, filed October 17, 1958, now US. Patent No. 3,001,342, which was a continuation-inpart of my now abandoned application, Serial No. 490,031, filed February 23, 1955, and of my now abandoned application, Serial No. 717,861, filed February 27, 1958. Thisinvention relates generally to the art of forming and filling sealed bags or pouches and more particularly article handling mechanism as applicable to an automatic machine for forming, filling, and sealing a bag or pouch formed from flat film.

With the increasing popularity of the use of prepackaging in the merchandising of foodstuffs and other merchandise where the material is packaged in individual packages suitable for resale at retail or for unit consumption, a need has arisen for an automatic machine which would form and fill such packages and which could be converted readily to the packaging of a variety of different articles. It is a principal object of this invention to provide a simple machine which fills this need efiiciently and economically and is provided with a new and novel article handling mechanism.

A feature of the operation of this machine is that the forward edge of a continuous length of strip material, preferably a flexible film or foil formed of a thermoplastic material, is caught, held, and advanced to a position remote from the initial feeding position. The strip is then folded in its cross direction at a predetermined distance from its end and the opposite sides of the fold are clamped together at a point removed from the opposed free edges of the folded portion. The material to be packaged is placed inside the folded portion either before or after the clamping action is complete as will "be described in detail later. The folded portion is removed from the remainder of the strip and is finally sealed along the three open edges. Provision may also be made for conducting the sealing operation in a sealed chamber whereby the interior of the sealed pouch may, upon sealing, contain either a partial vacuum or a desired inert gas.

A feature of the article handling mechanism according to the present invention is the provision of an automatic conveyer system in which a supply conveyer and a transfer conveyer cooperate in automatically feeding to a feed device on the packaging machine solid materials having a reasonably regular shape and capable of being handled as a unit for packaging as individual units without further attention by the machine operator. The transfer conveyer-is automatically positioned to receive individual units of material from the supply conveyer, which operates step-wise, and then deliver them to the feed device of the packaging machine and is retractable out of its receiving position so that a feed device can carry out further operations in inserting the material to be packaged in a bag or pocket of film packaging material.

The particular machine described hereinafter and to which the invention is applied consists of a means for holding a roll or a supply of film, a means for feeding the film, a reciprocating catching and holding means, adapted to grasp the forward edge of the strip of film at a point adjacent the feeding means and to advance the forward edge of the filrn to a point remote from the 3,03Ldl5 ice feeding means, a means for forming a transverse fold in the strip between the feeding means and the catching and holding means; clamping members arranged to engage the two opposite sides of the fold inside the longitudinal edges of the strip; cutting means for removing the fold from the remainder of the strip and means for sealing the three open ends of the fold outside the clamping means.

The details of one embodiment of such a machine can be seen by reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packing machine of the type provided with article handling mechanism according to the invention;

16. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the film packaging material feed mechanism of the machine shown in FIG. 1 with certain details omitted;

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-section taken in the vicinity of the line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a detailed View of the clamping means of the machine in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a detailed side view of the sealing device of the machine in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a detailed end view of the sealing device shown in FIG. 5;

. FIG. 7 is a simplified detail view of a filling device of the machine in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic side elevation of a modification of the machine in FIG. 1 embodying a vacuum chamber;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged and partially sectional side elevation view showing the arrangement of the elements internally and externally of the vacuum chamber shown inFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevation view partially in section illustrating the valve arrangements for exhausting free air from the vacuum chamber of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a cross-section of a modified film feed and cut-off device;

FIG. 12 is a plan view showing the details of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is a simplified schematic side elevation illustrating an automatic conveyer feed and filling system ac cording to the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a detailed side view of a. modified filling mechanism;

1 1G. 15 is a detailed elevation showing in greater detail elements of the mechanism of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a detailed elevation showing in greater detail elements of the mechanism of FEGURE 15.

According to the drawings the packaging machine is provided with a frame 8 on which is mounted a roll or web 9 of a flexible film packaging material 10, as for example, synthetic thermoplastic polymer film. The web 9 is rotatably supported on a shaft rotatably supported by brackets 11 fixed to the frame 8. When fed to the machine as later herein described, the film passes over a guide roll 12 and between a pair of driven feed rolls 14 and 15, disposed parallel one over the other and journaled on a side wall or plate 13 of frame 8. The feed rolls 14, 15 are provided with identical gears 16 (FIG. 2) fixed thereto and in meshing engagement at opposite ends of the shafts of the rolls so that when one of the rolls is rotatably driven, as will be described later, the other roll will rotate an equal angular distance but in an opposite direction.

An electric motor 17 mounted on the lower part of the frame 8 drives a main drive shaft 18 by means of a transmission consisting of a gear box 19 and an endless chain drive 2% The shaft 18 is supported by an upstanding extension on frame 8 and carries a number of cam disks adapted to cause various synchronized operations in the machine. The shaft 13 also drives a cam shaft 21, journaled above it, by means of a chain drive 22. The chain drive is so arranged that both shafts rotate at the same speed. The speed of rotation of the shafts 1.8 and 21 is such that they rotate one revolution for each cycle of the machine.

The feed rolls 14 and 15 are driven from the main drive shaft 18 by a cam 23 on the drive shaft 18 which engages a cam follower 24 mounted on a rockable lever 25, pivotally mounted on a pivot 26. A swivel rod 27 connects the opposite or free end of the lever 25 to a lever arm 28 which projects radially from a sleeve 29 which is fixed to a shaft 3% journaled in oppositely disposed brackets 31. A semi-circular cradle 32 is fixed to one end of the shaft 3t and the two opposite ends of a chain 33 are fixed at diametrically opposite positions on the cradle 32. The chain 33 passes over a chain wheel or drive sprocket 34 which is fastened to one end of a shaft 35 of the lower feed roll 15. The cam 23 constantly engages the cam follower 24 so that as shaft 13 rotates a rocking movement is imparted to the rockable lever 26 and the swivel rod 27, and lever 23, cradle 32 make one reciprocal or cyclical motion for each revolution of the drive shaft 18, advancing the film material in step-by-step movements as hereafter more fully described.

In order to prevent the lower feed roll from having the same reciprocal motion and in order to provide a mechanism whereby the length of film fed in each cycle of the machine may be variably adjusted the lower feed roll 15 is driven in the following manner. The inner face of the chain sprocket 34, which is rotatably mounted on shaft 35, is provided with one element 36 of a dog clutch. A cooperating element 37 of the dog clutch is keyed to the shaft 35 in such a way that it may move axially thereon, but is prevented from any rotational movement in relation to the shaft.

In order to drive folding means, which means will be described in detail later, a similar dog clutch arrangement is provided on the opposite end of shaft 35 beyond roll 15. This latter dog clutch consists of a clutch member 38, which is fixed to shaft 35, and a cooperating clutch member 39 which is fixed to a sleeve 40 which is slidable axially on the shaft 35. The two movable clutch members 37 and 39 are connected by a rod 41 which is actuated by a spring 42 to normally hold the clutch members axially spaced apart in a disengaged condition. The rod 41 is also operatively connected to an armature of a solenoid 43, which upon actuation causes the rod 41 to move against the action of the spring and to engage both clutches. The solenoid 43 is energized by actuation of a switch 44 (FIG. I) which is controlled by a cam disk 4-5 mounted on the shaft 21. The circuit through solenoid 43 is closed during a certain part of each turn of shaft 21 and during this period of time the dog clutches are engaged so the sprocket 34 is in driving connection with the roll 15. Roll 15' drives roll 14 through gears 16. The pressure between feed rolls 14 and 15 may be adjusted in a conventional manner by means of adjusting screws 46.

The exact length of film to be advanced during each cycle of operation can be adjusted by adjusting the relative turning positions of cam disks 23 and 45. In so doing, of course, the clutches are engaged only during that portion of the cycle when sprocket 34 is rotating in a direction to cause rolls 14 and 15 to advance the film. Variations in the length of strip advanced in each cycle can be accomplished by having the clutches engaged before sprocket 34 begins its motion.

At the beginning of each cycle of operations the forward or leading end of the strip 10 of film is in the same vertical plane as a shear or cutting member 47. When a new roll or web of film is inserted in the machine the leading end of the strip of film may be advanced to this position by turning shaft 21 manually by means of a wheel 455. The first step in the cycle of operations is to catch the forward end of the film with a pair of tongs or grippers which hold the forward end of the film firmly during subsequent operations.

The tongs consist of a pair of upper jaws 49 and a lower plate 59. Upper jaws 49 are axially separated from each other and are adapted to press the strip against the lower plate 50. The lower plate 50 is secured to a horizontal yoke 51 carried by a shaft 52. This shaft 52 is journaled in the ends of two parallel levers 53, both of which are secured to a common shaft 55. Shaft 55 is journaled in two uprights 54 attached to the frame 8. The yoke 51 and associated plate 59 are maintained in a horizontal position by means of pins or the like which project from the outside of the yoke and slidably engage horizontal guide slots formed in the inner sides of the uprights 54.

In order to open or close the tongs, jaws 49 of the tongs are secured to shaft 52. An arm 56 which is attached to shaft 52 is connected to the armature of a solenoid 57 which in turn is attached to the yoke 51. The tongs are normally held open by means of a spring, not shown. The action of the solenoid, when energized, overcomes the action of the spring and turns shaft 52 in such a direction that jaws 49 engage plate 50 and thereby engage any film interposed therebetween.

The tongs are capable of advancing and retreating and this motion of the tongs is controlled by a lever 58 fastened to one end of shaft 55. A rod 59 (FIG. 3), which is slidably supported by a support, not shown, is hinged to the outer end of the lever 58. The opposite end of the rod 59 carries a cam follower 60 which engages the periphery of a cam disk 61 mounted on shaft 21. A spring (not shown) urges the cam follower toward the camming surface of the cam disk.

In the operation of the machine the open tongs are moved by the cam disk 61 toward the forward edge of strip 10 of film which is located in the cutting plane of cutter 47. At the forward end of the stroke, the film is interposed between jaws 49 and lower plate 50 of the tongs and at this instant cam disk 61 on shaft 21 actuates a contact spring of the switch 62 to close an electrical circuit (not shown) through solenoid 57 thereby swinging the upper tong jaws 49 toward plate 50 to grasp the forward edge of the strip of film. While the grip is maintained the tongs are then returned to their initial position by the action of the cam disk 61 and at the same time the rotation of feel rolls 14 and 15 is started to advance the strip.

The feed of the strip continues after the tongs have returned-to their initial position, and in timed relation to the rotation of the rolls 14 and 15 a horizontal ruler 64 is moved downwards to engage the strip in its cross direction between the tongs and the rolls to form the advanced portion of the strip into a fold 65. The depth of the fold will be dependent on the duration of the feeding. It is obvious that due to the folding motion, the ruler 64 must be moved downwardly at a speed exactly one-half as great as the feed speed of rolls 14 and 15.

The ruler d4 is driven in the following manner. The opposite ends of ruler 64 are secured to a pair of chains 65 and 67 in a parallelogram arrangement. One chain 65 passes over chain wheel or sprocket 69 fixed to a driven shaft 68 and a sprocket 72 which is fastened to another shaft 71. The two shafts 68 and 71 are journaled in the frame plates or side walls 13 in parallel arrangement one above the other. The chain 67 passes over a sprocket 7t fastened at the other end of the shaft 68, a sprocket (not shown) at the end of shaft 71 and a sprocket 73 mounted on a shaft 74. Another chain 75 passes over a sprocket 76 which is also mounted on the shaft 74 and passes over another sprocket 77 which is mounted on the sleeve 46.

As mentioned above clutch member 39 connected to sleeve 40 is engaged at the same time as roll 15 is connected. As a result chain 67 causes shaft 68 to rotate simultaneously with roll 15 so that horizontal ruler 64 is moved in a downward direction during the time that strip of the film is being advanced. The diameters of the sprockets 76 and 77 are so dimensioned that ruler 64 moves at half the peripheral speed of rolls 14 and 15. When the clutches of shaft are disengaged, the rotation of the feed rolls 14 and 1S and the downward movement of ruler 64 cease simultaneously. When the drive to ruler 64 is released the ruler is quickly returned to its upper or rest position by means of a helical spring 78 which is inserted between shaft 6 8 and frame plate 13 and is anchored at one end and has the opposite end fixed to the shaft 68. For reasons which are obvious, the distance between the rest position of the ruler and the position at which the ruler first contacts the film is adjusted so that the distance is equal to one-half of the horizontal distance traveled by the tongs during the retreating position of the stroke.

The fold having been formed, the next step in the operation is to place the material to be packaged into the fold. The exact sequence of operations of this particular step depend to a large degree upon the nature of the material to be packaged. Where, for example, the ma erial to be packaged consists entirely or partially of a liquid, or consists of a plurality of small pieces, it is important that the open ends of the fold be pressed together to form a pocket that is open only on the top and is entirely tight along the side edges before the goods are inserted in the fold. If, on the other hand, the goods to be packaged consist of a material such as slices of meat, which is substantially dry and which has structural stability, it is possible to place such material into the fold before the open ends of the fold are pressed together. In either case, since the seams which are subsequently formed are formed by pressing or by heating and pressing, it is important that the edges of the film of the fold in the area where the seal is to be made he kept dry and clean.

In the case where the material to be packaged is partially fluid and for that reason the side edges of the fold must be closed before the material is placed into the fold, two clamps are arranged to grip the folded portion of the strip, one clamp slightly inside of each edge. The two clamps are also arranged to move a slight distance upwards and towards each other after gripping the fold so that the fold of film between the clamps opens slightly and thereby becomes easier to fill. The construction details of such a device are shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4.

The two clamps have the approximate shape of flatjawed pliers 79 (FIG. 4) the jaws of which are carried by two parallel, horizontal shafts 80 and 81. The shafts 30 and 81 are journaled in vertical plates S2 secured to the ends of a horizontal plate forming a table 33 (FIG. 3). The plate or table 83 is supported by and guided on vertical columns 84 in such a manner that the plate 83 can be moved vertically. A bell crank 85 is fastened to the end of shaft 30 and another bell crank 86 is fastened to the end of the shaft 81. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 4 the two bell cranks cooperate with each other in that a pin on the end of one of the bell cranks engages in a slot at the end of the other. A compression spring 87 disposed between the opposite ends of the bell cranks maintains the cranks in -a normally closed position so that the fiat-jawed pliers 79 is biased to a closed position. The two bell cranks are actuated by means of a link 88, one end of which is pivotally mounted on the bell crank 85 and the other end of which is connected to a lever 89 which in turn is pivotally mounted on the frame. The free end of lever 89 carries a cam follower 90 which continuously contacts the periphery of a cam disk 91 mounted on shaft 21. The arrangement is such that cam disk 91 holds the pliers or clamps 79 open during a part of its rotation and during the rest of its rotation permits spring 87 to bias them to a closed position.

The jaws of pliers 79 are secured to sleeves 92 and 93 (FIG. 3) which are capable of axial movement along shafts 80 and 81, but are prevented from rotational movement by means of key-ways formed in the shafts. The sleeves 92 carrying one pair of pliers 79 may be fixed by set screws to shafts 80 and 81 in a position determined by the size of the package. Sleeves 93 of the second pair of pliers 79 are connected by means of a transverse plate 94 which plate may be moved toward sleeves 92 along shafts 80 and 81 against the action of compression springs 95. The motion of plate 94 is controlled by a rod '96, one end of which is fastened to the side of the plate 94 and the other end to the support 82. A sleeve 97 is rotatably journaled on rod 96 and has one end shaped as a cam surface which contacts a pin 98 inserted in rod 96. Sleeve 97 in turn is connected to one end of a lever 99 (FIG. 1). The other end of lever 99 is connected by means of a swivel rod 100 to another lever 101 which is pivotably journaled on the same shaft pivot as lever 89. The lever 101 carries a cam follower which contacts the periphery of cam disk 102 mounted on the cam shaft 21. Thus, when lever system 99-101 is actuated by the cam disk 102, sleeve 97 is turned so that its cam surface engages pin 98 to force rod 96 and therefore pliers 79 which are fixed to sleeves 93 slightly inwards against the action of springs 95.

The table 83 is moved vertically by a double-armed lever 103 (FIGS. 3 and 4) which is pivotably journaled in a support 104. One of the ends of lever 103 is linked to the under side of plate 83 and the opposite end of lever 103 carries a cam follower 105 which contacts the periphery of cam disk 106 secured to the cam shaft 21.

In the operation of the pliers 79 by means of the mechanism just described, the pliers grasp the fold of the strip of film as soon as ruler 64 has returned to its initial position. Thereafter table 83 is lifted and one pair of pliers '79 is moved inwardly substantially simultaneously. These movements tend to open the free edge of the pocket so that filling will be facilitated. The clamps 79 are maintained in this position during both the filling and the cutting operations.

A device specially designed to facilitate the filling is shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. A funnel 107 is suspended between the upper ends of two parallel, approximately vertical rods 108. The lower ends of the rods 108 are connected by means of a horizontal rod 109. The approximately vertical rods 108 are slidably supported by guide bushings 110 mounted on the frame at an intermediate point on rods 10$. The portion of the horizontal rod 109 between rods 108 is surrounded by sleeve 111 which is formed at one end of a bell crank 112. The bell crank 112 is rotatably supported by shaft 30 and its opposite end is coupled, by means of a link 113, to a lever 114 which is journaled on the shaft pivot 26. A cam follower 115 which is mounted on the lever 114 contacts the periphery of an operating cam disk 116 which is mounted on the main drive shaft 19. The operating cam 116 is so constructed as to hold funnel 107 in a raised position. At the proper time in the cycle of operations the funnel is lowered so that its orifice is a little below and inside the opening of the pocket, thereby keeping the top sealing edge of the pocket clean to facilitate sealing. The material to be packaged can be placed into the funnel either manually or automatically either when the funnel is in its raised position or in its lowered position. After a suflicient time for filling the pocket the funnel is returned to its raised position.

The funnel 107 is formed in a wedge shape (with two rectangular sides and two triangular sides) so that it may be introduced into the opening of the pocket. The rearmost rectangular side 117 acts as a shutter, the upper end of which is attached to a shaft 118. This shaft 118 is journaled in brackets 119 which project from rods 108. A bell crank 120 is fixed to one end of the shaft 118. One end of hell crank 120 is drawn inwards towards adjacent rod 108 by spring 121. The other end of the bell crank 120 is linked to a rod 122 which extends downwardly and is guided in a sleeve 123 fastened to the upstanding rods 1%. The rod 122 carries a projecting pin 124 which is so positioned as to engage a stop 125 on the frame of the machine when the funnel 167 is lowered. The shutter 117 of funnel 107 is maintained in a normally closed position by means of a ratchet wheel 126 secured to shaft 118 outside bell crank 120 and a rockable pawl 127.

In the operation of the funnel, as the funnel is moved downwardly the pawl 127 is lifted by a pin 1128 projecting from the frame. This pin is located on the frame so as to actuate the pawl when the lower end of the funnel has been introduced into the opening of the pocket. When the pawl 127 is lifted the ratchet wheel 126 is released and the bell crank 120 is drawn by the spring 121 clockwise so as to open the shutter 117. When the funnel is returned to the initial raised position the pin 124 hits the stop 125 whereby the rod 122 is drawn downwardly thereby returning the shutter -117 to its closed position and permitting the pawl 127 to again lock the ratchet wheel 126.

Since the funnel 107 is kept closed until it has been introduced into the opening of the bag or pocket, the goods to be packaged may be placed in the funnel even While the funnel is in its raised position. Doing so reduces the time necessary for the filling operations. At approximately the same time as the funnel 107 returns to its raised position, the electric current energizing the solenoid 57 is cut off, thereby releasing the upper jaws 49 of the tongs from the lower plate 50 thus releasing the leading end of the strip. At approximately the same time plate or table 83 is returned to its lower position and the clamps 79 are permitted to return to their outer position.

Also, at approximately the same time the cutting member 47 is actuated to cut the filled pocket from the rest of the strip. The cutting member 47 consists of a knife having one end pivoted in the frame. The other end of the knife is connected to one end of a double-armed lever 130 which is pivoted in supports 131 by means of a link 129. The opposite end of lever 130 carries a cam follower which contacts the periphery of a cam 13:2 mounted on shaft 21. The cutting action is between the cutting member 47 and a horizontal knife 133 which is mounted on the frame.

By virtue of the several actions the two ends of the now filled folded portions are released and the film in the folded portion is stretched towards a flattened position to facilitate sealing. The actual sealing operation can be performed by many of a number of known sealing devices, the most convenient of which, if the film is made of thermoplastic material, supply heat under pressure.

The arrangement of the sealing device is shown in FIGS. and 6. Two rectangular plates 134 are arranged opposite each other on either side of the folded portion of the film. Each plate is carried by parallel arms 135 and 136 and each pair of parallel arms is secured to a shaft 137 journaled in the frame. The shafts 137 of the two plates are arranged in parallel to each other and at some distance from each other. A pair of stub levers 13 8, each of which is formed as an extension of respective arms 135, cooperate with each other in a pin or slot arrangement so that both plates are moved simultaneously in opposite directions when one of the shafts is rotated. An arm 139 is'fixed to one of themshafts 137. This arm 139 is connected by means of a link 14% to a lever 141 which is pivoted in the frame. The pivoted lever 141 carries a cam follower 142 which is in contact with the periphery of cam disk 143 mounted on the cam shaft 21.

Each plate 134 is provided with three metal heater elen1ents'14 (FIG. 6) on the side adjacent the film. Heater elements 144 contain insulated resistance coils connected in series by wires 145 which in turn are connected to a source of electricity, not shown. it is preferable to cover and 10 of the drawing.

the heater elements 144 with a thin coating of a heat resistant, nonadherent substance such as poly (tetrafluorethylene) e.g. Teflon, and the heater elements 144 are so arranged that in combination they will press together from both sides of the film along the three open edges of the film outside the clamps 79.

As shown in FIG. 6 guide slots such as horizontal guide slots 146 may be provided in both the above-mentioned plates 134 so that one or more of the heater elements 144 may be moved to adjust to the size of the bag. The temperature of the heating elements may be controlled in a conventional manner such as by a thermostat, not shown.

The cam 163 is adjusted to actuate the lever system 1394.41 to advance the heating plates 134 toward the bag and link heating elements 144 into pressing contact with the film immediately after the machine has completed the operation described above. After a suitable time has elapsed for sealing the film the cam permits lever system 139-141 and therefore, plates 134 to return to their normal opened position by the action of a spring not shown, which may be mounted in a suitable place.

After heating plates 134 have returned to their normal open position the clamps 79 are released and returned to their normal open position. The filled and sealed pouch, since it lacks any support, fails, and is discharged from the machine through a chute 1d? shown in FIG. 1. At this point in the cycle, all of the parts of the machine have returned to their initial positions and the machine is ready to begin a new cycle of operations.

If it is desired, a second web of strip material 148 may be provided on a support journaled in a bracket below roll 9. The material from this web passes over a roll 12 beneath the other film 10 and can provide a par tial or complete overwrap of the pouch depending upon its width. A narrow strip, intended for identification purposes, is indicated at 150. This second strip should be made of a thermoplastic material or should have its upper surface coated with a thermosplastic material so that it may adhere to the pouch during the sealing operation.

A modified version of the machine adapted to provide pouches which are sealed in the presence of either a vacuum or an inert atmosphere is shown in FIGS. 8, 9 These drawings are somewhat simplified in view of the fact that the majority of the elements are the same as in the machine described above.

As shown in FIG. 8, the modified machine is provided with a frame 204 having oppositely disposed brackets 205 which rotatably support thereon a web 296 of a package forming material, which is at least pressure scalable and is preferably heat and pressure scalable. A continuous strip 207 of material from web 2% is advanced longitudinally and intermittently between feed rolls 208 by a feed or advancing mechanism. Grippers 21%) are provided for advancing the strip of material in cooperation with the feed mechanism supported on support members 2tl9. The grippers 210 in their normal position are remote from feed rolls 2% but may be advanced toward rolls 2% and are adapted to grip the leading edge of strip 2%! then to pull the leading edge of strip 267 through the conversion zone of the machine where subsequent conversion operations are performed in forming the package and filling it.

After the grippers 210 have gripped the leading edge of the strip of film and as the grippers return to their normal advanced position a cyclically operated straight edge, not shown, which is disposed across the strip at a point between grippers 210 and feed rolls 2&8 is moved downwardly to fold the section of film transversely and thereby form a depending bag or container section. Rolls 2&3 advance a sufiicient length of film to form a fold and the straight edge is returned to its initial raised position.

In a position on the machine immediately beneath the area defined by the stroke of grippers 210 there is disposed an air-tight vacuumizing chamber consisting of a body portion 211 mounted in a fixed position on the frame of the machine and a pivot ably mounted cover portion 212 which is cyclically operable between a closed and an open position- In FIG. 8 the cover portion 212 is shown in its closed position in solid lines and in its open position in broken lines. Cover 212 is supported by two extensions 213 disposed on opposite sides of the cover. Extensions 213 are pivotably mounted on shaft 214 which extends between them and is supported by a bracket mounted on the frame. A spring 215 constantly urges cover 212 toward the open position. A linkage system designated generally as 216 and provided with a cam follower as shown is actuated by a cam 218 so that when so actuated the force of the spring 215 is overcome and the cover is held in a closed position. The cam 218 is mounted on a shaft 217 which shaft corresponds to shaft 21 in FIG. 1. The cover 212 is maintained in an open position until the folding operation is completed on the film. At the end of the folding operation the depending container section is disposed in a position generally between the open portions of the chamber with the lower portion of the fold extending somewhat lower than the upper end of the open chamber portions.

While the folded container section is in this position it is filled with the material to be packaged therein. The filling operation is identical to that described above and the folded container element may be gripped as above.

Transfer pincers (FIG. 9) consisting of a pair of cooperating plates 219 and 220 are provided to support the folded container sections while being filled and to transfer the filled container sections into the vacuum chamber after the filling operation is complete. These pincers are illustrative of the type that may be used if it is not necessary to roll the edges of the fold against leakage. The plates 219 and 220 are fixed to a pair of cooperating cranks 221 and 222 pivotably mounted on pins or pivots 223 and 224 disposed in a block 225 which is displaceable between a raised and a lowered position by a connecting rod 227 which is fixed to a lower portion 226 of the block 225 as shown. The connecting rod 227 enters the vacuum chamber through a stuffing box 228. The rod 227 is displaced in an axial direction by a lever mounted on a pivot 230 and provided with a cam follower 231 which rides on the profile of a cam 232. This cam 232 is mounted on a shaft 233 which connects to the shaft 19 in FIG. 1 and is contoured to raise and lower the transfer pincers in timed relationship with the container section folding operation so that the pincers are in the raised position during the filling operation.

This arrangement is shown in greater detail in FIG. 9 wherein pincers 219 and 220 are shown in their lower position inside the closed vacuum chamber. The crank 222 is provided with a pin 234 engaged by a forked portion of the other crank 221. A spring 235 constantly urges the pin 234 downwardly so that the cranks 221 and 222 tends to be rotatably driven in opposite directions and the plate 219 and 220 are constantly urged towards a face-to-face position.

The crank 221 is provided with a projection 236 on the end of which is provided a roller 237 adapted to ride on the face of a head 238 at all times whether the block 225 is in its raised or its lowered position. The roller 237 is maintained in contact with the head 238 by means of the force exerted by the spring 235.

The head 238 is mounted on a connecting rod 239 Whioh enters the vacuum chamber through a stuffing box 240. The opposite end of rod 239 is provided with a cam follower, not shown, which cooperates with a cam, not shown, which is mounted on shaft 217. A spring 241 mounted around connecting rod 239 forces the cam follower into contact with the cam. By means of this linkage head 238 may be moved to the right and to the left as shown in PEG. 9. When the head is in its normal left hand position, the transfer pincers are in their open position. When the head 238 is in its right hand or advanced position, the pincers are in their closed position.

In the operation of the machine the pincers are main tained in their open and raised position during the folding operation. The pincers are closed in timed relationship with the filling operation. After the filling operation is completed and the pincers closed, the forward end of the strip of film is released by the grippers 210 and the folded section is severed from the remainder of the film by means of a cutting device, not shown. While the pincers are maintained in their closed position to grasp the container section, the pincers are moved in their lower position by the action of cam follower 231 and cam 232. At this point the covered container portion is entirely within the vacuum chamber and the cover 212 of the vacuum chamber is then closed by the action of the cam 218 as described above. It will, of course, be understood that the forward edges of the cover 212 and body portion 211 of the vacuum chamber meet in mating arrangement and are provided with a suitable gasketing member to form an air-tight fit.

The air within the closed vacuum chamber and therefore, within the container section is removed by a vacuum pump or other suitable source of vacuum, not shown. The chamber body 211 is provided with an opening 242 (FIG. 10) which provides communication between the interior of the chamber and a valve housing 243 which communicates, through a port 244, with a duct 245 which leads to the vacuum source. A piston 246 reciprocable in the housing 243 opens and closes the port 244 in timed relation with the opening and closing of the vacuum chamber. The piston 246 is fixed to a connecting rod 247, at the other end of which is provided a cross head 248 which is fixed to a link 249 which extends substantially parallel to the connecting rod 247 but externally of the housing. The link 249 is pivotably connected at 250 to the one end of a lever 251 which in turn is pivotably mounted at its midpoint by a pin 253 to a bracket 252. The opposite end of the lever 251 is provided with a cam follower 254 which cooperates with the profile of a cam 255 which is mounted on the shaft 233. A spring 256 is provided to urge the cam follower into contact with the cam. The cam 255 is so profiled that when a portion 257 thereof is in engagement with the follower 254 the piston 246 maintains port 244 in a closed position. When the follower 252 drops into a recessed portion of the cam as shown in FIG. 10 the piston 246 is withdrawn thereby placing the port 244 into communication with the interior of the vacuum chamber. The cam is so contoured that a vacuum is drawn on the chamber only when the chamber is closed.

In the event that it is desired to charge the interior of the packing section with an inert atmosphere such as an atmosphere of nitrogen, a mechanism for admitting such a gas into the chamber after the Vacuum has been drawn can be provided.

In order to seal the individual container sections and thereby form permanently sealed packages, heat and pressure applying sealing are provided internally of the vacuum chamber. It has been found that if the heater elements are constructed according to FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein separate elements are applied to the film simultaneously there may emst, under certain conditions, minute cracks between the top seam and the side scams which permit the entry of air. For this reason, when making a partially vacuumized package, or a package that is filled with inert gas, it is preferable to use either a pair of continuous heating elements so that a continuous seal is formed about all three margins of the pouch in cases Where a single size pouch is to be made on the machine or to provide for the sequential operation of the heating elements as will be described in detail below where adjustability is necessary.

In a preferred embodiment of the latter instance, one set of heater elements is mounted on the cover 212.

These are indicated in FIG. 9 as parts 258 and 259' where'- in part 258 is a heater element provided for the top seam and 259 is one of a pair of heater elements provided for the side seams. The other element in this pair is omitted for clarity in the drawing. A cooperating top seam heater element 26s? is attached to a connecting rod 261 which is guided in a guide 262. The other end of the connecting rod 261 is journaled in a crank 266 as indicated at 269. The crank 266 is pivotably mounted on a shaft 268. Side seam heating elements 263 which cooperate with the corresponding elements 259 are mounted on a plate 264 which is connected to a connecting rod 272 which is supported in the guide 265. The opposite end of the connecting rod 272 is journaled as indicated at 270 to the end of the crank 267. The other end of the crank 267 is pivotably mounted on the shaft 268. The cranks 266 and 267 may be moved from a position wherein the corresponding heater elements are out of contact with the film to a position Where the corresponding heater elements are in contact with the film applying pressure thereto. For the sake of clarity the drive mechanisms are not shown in detail. However, to each crank there is attached a rod such as that shown in the case of the rod 271 attached to the crank 266. Each rod passes through a stuffing box similar to stuifing box 240 and is driven in a manner similar to the rod 239 by cams mounted on the shaft 217.

To provide for adjustability of package size the plate 264 is provided with slots so that elements 263 may be moved at will. A similar provision is made in the plate on which element 259 is mounted. In the event that a single size package is to be made, it is desirable to provide a single sealing element which would form a continuous. seal about all three margins of the package. The elements 258 and 260 may be removed and the continuous element substituted for elements 259 and 263. In such an event crank 266 would either be inactivated or removed.

With the separately actuated elements 260 and 263, either element may be actuated before the other. In normal operation the side seal is formed first by moving crank 267 to its forward position. The crank 267 is then returned to its normal position so that elements 263 are removed from the film and rod 227 is elevated slightly to elevate pincers 219 and 220 and thus the pouch. Thereupon crank 266 is actuated to form the top seam through the cooperation of heating elements 258 and 260. In this manner, a slight overlap of the side seams and the top seam may be provided, thus avoiding the possibility of a minute passage being formed.

Alternatively, it is sometimes preferable to form the top seam prior to the side seam. This is particularly true where the particular film used has a tendency to roll up with the application of heat. In this event crank 266 is actuated first and after this crank has been permitted to return to its normal position, the pouch is lowered slightly by movement of rod 227, and then crank 267 is actuated.

Another alternative, a variation of the action described in the preceding paragraph, permits the formation of superior side seams in instances where the film used is very flexible and is liable to form wrinkles in the seam unless the area to be seamed is maintained under tension. Under these circumstances it is preferable to replace pineers 211.9 and 22% with the type illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 where the film is grasped near its edges and outside the material to be packaged and where the pincers are capable of limited lateral motion. The pincers are spread to stretch the film laterally before the crank 266 is actuated to form the top seam. Then crank 266 is returned to its normal position and the pouch is lowered slightly by the movement of rod 227 to permit the side seam portions to overlap the top seam. However, before crank 267 is actuated, crank 266 is reactuated to bring the top seam heating elements 258 and 269 into contact 12 with the filni. Rod 227 is then lowered a slight addi-' tional amount to bring the film in the side seam under tension and finally crank 267 is actuated to form the side seams.

After the individual packages are formed and sealed, the vacuum in the chamber is broken by a valve consisting of a disk valve member 273 which seals an opening 274 provided in the wall of body portion 211 of the vacuum chamber. A spring 284 placed between the valve 273 and the machine framework shown as 276 constantly biases the valve disk member 273 to a seated position. One end of operating rod 275 is connected to the valve member 273 and the other end is connected to lever 279 by a pivot shown in 278. Lever 272, in turn, is pivotably mounted on a pivot 280 on the bracket fl. A cam follower 282 is mounted on the opposite end of lever 279 and this cam follower rides on the periphery of a earn 283 mounted on the shaft 233. The action of the spring 284 urges the cam follower 232 into contact with cam 283. The cam 283 is so contoured that following the sealing of each container section it actuates the lever 279, thereby compressing spring 284 and unseating the valve 273 to break the vacuum.

Immediately after the vacuum is broken the cover 212 is returned to its open position and the pincer plates 219 and .220 are released, thus releasing the sealed package. The package drops into a chute 285, which is fixed to the support block 225 and is raised and lowered therewith.

The cover member 212 is provided with a normally closed gate 288 which seals an opening 239 in the wall of cover 212. The gate 288 is provided with a packing member 287 for effecting an airtight seal and is fixed to an arm of a two-arm lever 29% pivotably mounted at its midpoint in a pivot 25 1 on a bracket 292. The upper arm of lever 290 carries a ruler 293 which engages a bevelled lower surface of a bracket 294 which in turn is fastened to the frame of the machine alongside the vacuum chamber. The bevelled lower surface of the bracket 294 is so shaped as to cause the gate 288 to open as the cover 212 opens. A spring, not shown, urges the gate 288 toward a closed position.

It will be appreciated that the operability of the film feed and the film catching and holding means disclosed above depends in part upon using a plastic film that has sulficient rigidity so that the forward end of the strip of film extending slightly beyond the cutting member (e.g. 47) should not bend under its own weight. Otherwise the end of the film would not be in a position to be gripped by the catching and holding means, e.g. the tongs indicated at 49 and 50. Most flexible films are sufiiciently rigid that the small length of film extending beyond the cutting means does not deflect under its own weight sulficiently to cause any difiiculty. However, there are certain limp films which are insufiiciently rigid, either due to the thinness of the gauge of the film or due to the inherent physical characteristics of the substance forming the film, that the projecting end portion will'not stick out but rather will fold downwardly, thereby falling out of reach of the catching and holding means.

In such instances of the apparatus for the present invention can be modified by providing a film supporting means; by adjusting the length of the forward stroke of the catching and holding means; and by revising the configuration or" the tongs comprising the catching and holding means as shown in detail in FIGS. 11 and 12.

As shown in FIG. 11, a film supporting means indicated at 391 is provided between feed rolls 14 and 15 and the cutting member 47. The film supporting means 3&1 consists of support block 392 which extends across the width of the apparatus and is fastened to the frame, a support plate hinge 3% fastened to the rearward edge of the support block 3%2 and a film support plate 304 which is located above the support block 302 and attached thereto by means of the hinge 333. A spring 3&5 which is inserted in a recess 3% in the upper surface of the support block 302 normally urges the forward edge of the plate 304 away from the upper surface of the block 302. The extent to which the plate 304 is urged away from the block 302 is controlled by a plunger 315 which passes through the spring 305 and extends through the block 302. An adjustable stop ring 316 fastened to the extremity of plunger 315 beyond block 302 provides for adjustment of the distance. The film 10, when advanced by rolls 14 and i5, rides on top of the support plate 304. The support plate 304 extends to a point just short of the cuttingline of the cutter blades 307 and 308 at tached to the cutting member 47 and to the support block 302 respectively. The rearward side of the cutting memer 47 is provided with a spring loaded depresser member 309 which consists of a depresser foot 311, a depresser foot support block 312, spring member 313, and an adjustable stop ring 314. A spring 313 urges the lower face of the depresser foot downwardly, and the length of the stroke is adjusted by the stop ring 314 so that the depresser foot 311 is out of contact with the film when the cutting. member 47 is in its raised position. However, when the cutting member 47 is actuated during the cutting portion of the cycle of the apparatus, the depresser foot 311 contacts the surface of the film 10 and the depresser support plate 304 until the support plate 304 comes into firm contact with the support block 302 before the knife blades 307 and 308 both contact the film. The force exerted by the spring 313 on the support plate 304 is, of course, sufficient to overcome the force exerted by the spring 305.

The outer extremity of each of the upper jaws 49 and lower plate 50 of the tong mechanism are provided with extender plates 317 and 313 respectively. These extender plates extend between the blades 307 and 308 when the tong mechanism is in its fully extended position. As shown in FIG. 12, the outer edge of the extender plates 317 and 318 and the outer edge of the support plate 304 are serrated. The serrations on support plates 317 and 318 match and interfit the serrations on plate 304. The preferred form of interfitting serrations are the square notches shown in FIG. 12, although other configurations of notches may be employed with equal eifectiveness.

In this manner the film 10 is supported at least in part to a point beyond that where it is contacted by the film catching and holding means. In addition, the lifting action of the support plate 304 insures that an extension 318 of the plate 50 will clear the film during the advanced stroke even if there is a slight drape of the film in the notched areas of the forward edge of the plate 304 or if the end of the film extends slightly beyond the edge of the plate 304.

A preferred example of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 13-15 which illustrate an automatic conveyer feed and a filling system especially adapted for use when packaging solid material having a reasonably regular shape and capable of being handled as a unit, such as, for example, half pound to one pound units of sliced cheese or sliced luncheon meat. In FIG. 13, an apparatus similar to that shown in FIG. 8 is provided with a supply conveyer 321, which is provided with a plurality of pockets for individual units, a retractable transfer conveyer 322 and a specialized feeding device 323. In the operation of this modified apparatus, after each unit is prepared for packaging, the operator merely places the unit in the next vacant pocket on the supply conveyer 321. Thereafter the device, as will be described in more detail below, automatically packages each unit without requiring the further attention of the operator.

The supply conveyer 321 passes over rollers 324 and 325 which are mounted on separate shafts 326 and 327 respectively. The shafts 326 and 327 are journaled on side plates 32%; which in turn are fastened to the frame 329. The supply conveyer 321 consists of a plurality of individual bands arranged side by side with a space approximately equal to the width of each hand between 14 each band. The bands are provided with projections 331 arranged at equal spacings at the outside of each band to provide the end walls of pockets 332.

The drive for the supply conveyer 321 is provided by a linkage consisting of a crank 333 fastened to the end of a shaft 334, a tie-rod 335 and a drive plate 336 rotat-ably journaled on a shaft 327. The drive plate 336 is provided with a pawl 337 which engages in slots 338 located at properly spaced intervals along the outer edge of a drive wheel 339. The drive wheel 339 is fastened to shaft 327. The shaft 334 is connected by a one-to-one pulley drive 341 to the shaft 233. It will be remembered that shaft 233 makes one revolution during each cycle of the ma chine and therefore because of the one-to-one drive the shaft 334 also makes one revolution per cycle of the machine. The motion of the drive plate 336 and the action of pawl 337 engaging in slots 33S advances the supply conveyer 321 a distance exactly equal to the length of one pocket for each cycle of the machine.

The retractable transfer conveyor 322 consists of a plurality of bands having the same width and the same spacing as the bands of the supply conveyer 321. The bands comprising the transfer conveyer 322 pass around rollers 341 and 342. The roller 341 is rotatably journaled on the side plates 328. The roller 342 is rotatably journaled in conveyer side plates 343 which in turn are rotatably journaled on the roller 341. A crank 344, rotatably journaled on roller 341, is attached to the side plates 343. The free end of the crank 344 is attached by a linkage consisting of a rod 345 and a crank 346 to a cam follower 347 which rides on the surface of a earn 348, which in turn is attached to the shaft 334. The transfer conveyer 322 is driven by a suitable drive (not shown) attached to the shaft 324 and hence to the supply conveyer 321.

A slide 349 is provided between conveyer 321 and transfer conveyer 322. The slide 349 consists of a plurality of parallel metal strips arranged to lie in the spaces between the bands forming both conveyer 321 and transfer conveyer 322. The slide 349 is attached to the side plates 328.

The feed device 323, which will be described in greater detail below, has (FIG. 15 a lower jaw which consists of a series of parallel fingers 350 which are arranged to lie between the bands which make up the transfer conveyer 322.

in the operation of the machine, individual units 351 to be packaged are placed in consecutive pockets 332 of conveyer 321. During each cycle of the operation of the machine, the supply conveyer 321 advances a distance equal to the length of one pocket. As a consequence, the units of material 351 contained in each respective pocket 332 are delivered successively on to the slide 349 and thence on to the transfer conveyer 322. The action of the transfer conveyer 322 moves the unit over the fingers 360 of a lower jaw 352 of the feed device 323. After this occurs, through the action of the cam follower 347 riding on the contoured surface of the earn 348, the transfer conveyer 322 is rotatably retracted downwardly around shaft 341 to the position shown in FIG. 13 in dotted lines. In the retracted position the conveyer 322 is out of the way of the movement of the feed device 323. After the feed device 323 has returned to its normal position as hereinafter described, the action of the cam 348 returns the conveyer 322 to its normal raised position and the apparatus is in position to supply another unit of material to the feed device at the proper interval in the sequence of operations.

The feeding device 323 (FIGS. 14 and 15) consists of a lower jaw 352 and an upper jaw 353. The lower jaw 352 may consist of a plurality of parallel strips of metal or fingers 360, especially when feed device 323 is intended 15 ed (FIG. 16) by bars 354 and 355 which run across the width of the apparatus and are in turn attached to a pair of end plates 356, one of which is located at each end of bars 354, and 355.

The upper jaw 3'53 may also be composed of fingers 357 which are located in parallel and matching relation with fingers 363 and the lower jaw 352. The upper fingers are attached to and supported by bars 358 and 359 which likewise run across the width of the apparatus and are attached to and supported by a pair of end plates 361 one of which is-located at each end of bars 358 and 359. The end plates 361 are attached to and separated from the other end plates 356 by a pair of levers 362, the upper ends of which are rotatably journaled on a shaft 363 which passes through the end plates 361 and the lower ends of which are rotatably journaled on a shaft 364, which passes through the other end plates 356.

The jaws are maintained in a normally open position by the action of a spring 365 which is mounted between the bar 35? of the upper jaw 353 and a rearward extension 366 of a finger 366 of the lower jaw 352. The action of the spring 365 tends to pull the lever 262 to an upward position which in turn pulls the upper jaw 353 to an upward and backward position relative to the lower jaw 352.

The upper and lower jaws are moved to a closed position by the action of pairs of operating levers 367 and 363. One end of the operating lever 368 is rotatably journaled at 376 on the end plates 356 and the other end is rotatably journaled at one end of levers 367. The opposite end of levers 367 is rotatably journaled to shaft 363 at the end of levers 362. One of the pair of levers 368 is provided with an angularly disposed extension 369 which extends above and in the general direction of lever 367. A wheel 371 is rotatably journaled to the end of the extension 369 of lever 368. When wheel 371 is pressed toward end plate 356 the action of levers 362 and 367, and 363 rotates levers 362 forwardly around shaft 364. This causes the upper jaw 363 to move forward and toward the lower jaw 352. A cam 3-72 with a raised portion and a notched portion is rotatably journaled to end plate 356 at 370 and is fixed to lever 368. As the wheel 371 is depressed and as lever 362 is rotated forwardly about shaft 364, the lever 368 is rotated forward about pivot 370. This rotates the cam 371. After this motion has continued to the desired degree and the two jaws have achieved the desired proximity a spring loaded locking arm 373 engages the notch in the cam 372. The spring loaded locking arm 373 consists of locking stub 374 and a locking arm extender 375' both of which are fixed to a shaft 376 which in turn is rotatably journaled to the end plate 356. The locking stub 374 and the locking arm extender 375 are located on opposite sides of the end plate 356. After the locking stub 374 has engaged the notch on the cam 3'72, pressure on the wheel 371 can be released without releasing the jaws.

The rotation of the cam 372 as the jaws close brings the raised portion of the cam 372 into an upward position in the view shown in FIG. 15. The side plate 361 of upper jaw 353 is provided with a rearward extension 377. The extension 377 is provided with a wheel or roller 378 which is rotatably journaled thereon in a proper position to contact the raised portion of the cam 372 when t .e upper jaw 353 has been depressed toward the lower jaw 352 to the desired extent. The interaction of the wheel 3'73 and the raised portion of the cam 372 forces the forward end of fingers 357 of the upper jaw 353 toward the forward end of the fingers 360 of the lower jaw 352. There is a further extension 379 of extension 377 which is angularly disposed to end plate 361 at a point beyond the location of wheel 378. The end of extension 379 is provided with a wheel 331 rotatably journaled thereon, the function of which will be described below.

The feed mechanism 323 is fixed to the machine and operates in the following manner. The machine is provided with a pair of upstanding side plates 382. The side plates 332? are provided with a pair of parallel slots 333 and 384. The feed mechanism 323 is provided with two pairs of rollers 335 and 386 adapted to engage respectively in slots 333 and slots 334. The rollers 385 are rotatably journaled at the ends of shaft 364 beyond end plates 356. The rollers 386 are rotatably journaled to end plates 356. The center of rotation of roller 336 and the center of rotation of roller 335 are located on the apexes of the extremities of the hypotenuse of a right triangle, the sides of which lie in a vertical and horizontal plane respectively, and have a length equal to the center spacing of slots 383 and 384. The slot 383 is longer than slot 384 by a distance at least equal to twice the distance between the center lines ofslots 383 and 384, the excess length being applied equally to both ends of slot 333. The rollers 335 and 336 both have a diameter substantially equal to the width of slots 383 and 384 respectively. A rod 337 which is the same as rod 122 of FIG. 1, and which operates in an identical manner is rotatably journaled to the shaft 364. As in the case of rod 122 of FIG. 1, the rod 387 is capable of limited vertical motion.

The arrangement of rollers 385 and 386 in conjunction with slots 383 and 384 is such that when rod 387 is dcpressed'the feeding device 323 can move only if jaws 352 and 353 are disposed in either a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane. Since rod 337 is fastened to shaft 364, the tendency when the rod 387 is depressed, is for the feeding mechanism to tilt over into the vertical plane. To make certain this action takes place, the inner surface of the side plate 332 is provided with a baffle plate 333, which is so located as to contact the end plate 356 of the feed mechanism 323 if feed mechanism 323 starts to move in a horizontal position, and since baffie plate 333 is located behind slots 383 and 384 it forces the feed mechanism 323 into the vertical position.

One of the pairs of side plates 382 is provided with an upwardly extending rearward extension 389' to which is rotatably journaled at 391 an arm 39 2. This arm 392 is located so as to contact wheel 371 of the lever extension 369 when the feed mechanism 323 is in its upper position. By means of a cam operated mechanism, indicated by an actuating rod 393, the arm 392 may be depressed atthe proper point in the cycle of the machine to move the upper jaw 353 towards the lower jaw 352 of the feed mechanism 323, so that the fingers 357 and 36 6 thereof will press against and retain any material contained there between. The actuating rod 393 is actuated by a cam mechanism (not shown), having a cam attached to the shaft 233 shown in FIG. 8.

The cycle of operation of the feed device, starting at the portion in the cycle wherein the feed device 323 is in its upper position with the jaws open and with feed or transfer conveyer 322 (FIG. 13) in its raised position, is first that a portion of material to be packaged is fed to the transfer conveyer 322 to the top of the lower jaw 352. As the cycle of the machine progresses the transfer conveyor 322 is rotatably retracted, arm 332 is depressed into contact with roller 371, thereby lowering and advancing the upper jaw 353 and grasping the material to be packaged between the upper jaw 353 and the lower jaw 352. The upper jaw 353 is then locked in a closed position by the action of cam 372 and locking arm 373 and the arm 332 is returned toits normal raised position. After the fold is formed in the packaging material 267 (FIG. 14) rod 337 is depressed, thereby rotating the feeddevice 323 into a vertical attitude and drawing the ends of the jaws 352 and 353 into the fold of the wrapping material 2417 as shown in FIG. 14.

The support member 269 of the machine is provided with a trip arm 394- fixed thereto, adapted to engage locking arm extension 375 of the feed mechanism 323. Thus when the feed mechanism 323, while disposed in a vertical attitude, nears the end of its downward motion the trip arm 349 engages the locking arm extension 375 forcing the locking arm extension 375 rearwardly and thereby disengaging the locking stop 374 of the locking arm 373 from the notch in cam 372. This permits the jaws to separate and to release the material tobe packaged into the fold. The wheel 381, of the end plate extension 379, is adapted to engage and ride against the side of the bafiie plate 388 as the jaws start to open and thereby limit the degree to which the jaws are capable of opening until the jaws are clear of the fold in the film material 2&7. After the material has been released in this way the feed mechanism 323 is permitted to return to its raised position by the raising rod 387. When the wheel 38]; passes the upper edge of the bafiie plate 383 the jaws return to their fully open position and when roller 386 reaches the top of its corresponding slot 384, the feed mechanism 323 returns to its horizontal attitude, thereby completing the feed cycle.

It will be understood, of course, that other variations and modifications are possible without deviating from the inventive concept contained in the specific embodiments set forth in this specification.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for forming, filling and sealing packages having a reciprocably driven filling means, said filling means including support means comprising a plurality of separated axially extending elongated fingers disposed substantially in parallelism and operable to grasp and hold the material to be packaged and means for moving said filling means with said product into a predetermined position to facilitate forming a sealed package, means for feeding the material to be packaged to said filling means comprising an intermittently driven supply conveyer, an intermittently driven transfer conveyer disposed to receive said material from said supply conveyer and deliver the material to be packaged into said filling means, said transfer conveyer and said supply conveyer each comprising a plurality of intermittently driven parallel endless bands having a width narrower than the spacing between said fingers of said filling means and spaced from each other by a space greater than the width of said fingers, slide means between said supply conveyer and said transfer conveyer providing a path of travel for said material between the conveyers, said slide means comprising a series of substantially parallel plates aligned with the spacer between the bands of the supply conveyer and the transfer conveyer, and means for selectively retracting said transfer conveyer from the path of the filling means.

2. In a machine according to claim 1, including means rotatably supporting an end of said transfer conveyer adjacent to the supply conveyer whereby an opposite end thereof remote from the transfer conveyer may be rotatably retracted from the path of the filling means.

3. in a machine according to claim 1, in which said transfer conveyer comprises pulleys rotatably supporting said endless bands and having pivotal axes for rotation thereon, a pair of side plates supporting and separating said pulleys, support means for the supply conveyer, a support member adjacent to and supported by said support means for the supply conveyor, a crank attached to one of said side plates, said conveyer being rotatably journaled on said support plates on the pivotal axis of some of said pulleys disposed adjacent to the supply conveyer, a reciprocably driven arm attached to said crank operable to rotatably retract said transfer conveyer out of the path of the filling means by rotation about said pulley axis.

4. In a machine according to claim 1, including a common drive means for driving the supply conveyer and the transfer conveyer.

5. In a machine for forming, filling and sealing packages having means for forming a package by creating a pendent transverse fold in a continuous length of packaging material, filling means for inserting material to be packaged in said fold which comprises a pair of elongated gripping members, means for maintaining said gripping members in a selected horizontal position, means for inserting the material to be packaged between the gripping members, means for operating the gripping members toward each other to a closed position to retain the material therebetween, means for releasably retaining the gripping members in said closed position, means for moving said gripping members to a lowered vertical position wherein the extremities of the gripping members are disposed within the fold, means for opening the gripping members to release the material contained therebetween when the gripping members are in said lowered condition, means for returning'the gripping members to said selected elevated horizontal position, said gripping members comprising lower gripping members consisting of a plurality of spaced elongated fingers in parallelism, said means for inserting the material to be packaged between the gripping members comprising a transfer conveyer consisting of a plurality of driven parallel endless bands having a width narrower than the space between said fingers and a spacing between the bands wider than the width of said fingers, and when both the filling means and the transfer conveyer are in said elevated horizontal position the bands of the transfer conveyer are disposed higher than the fingers of the lower gripping member.

6. In a machine according to claim 5, including means rotatably supporting said transfer conveyer at an end remote from the filling means thereby to allow the transfer conveyer to be rotatably retracted from the path of the filling means when the filling means moves from its elevated horizontal position to its lowered vertical position.

7. In a machine according to claim 6, including means provided to move the filling means vertically within the length of the slots.

8. In a machine for forming, filling and sealing packages having means for forming a package by creating a pendent transverse fold in a continuous length of packaging material, filling means for inserting material to be packaged in said fold which comprises a pair of elongated gripping members, means for maintaining said gripping members in a selected horizontal position, means for inserting the material to be packaged between the gripping members, means for operating the gripping members toward each other to a closed position to retain the material therebetween, means for releasably retaining the gripping members in a closed position, means for moving said gripping members to a lowered vertical position wherein the extremities of the gripping members are disposed within the fold, means for opening the gripping members to release the material contained therebetween, when the gripping members are in said lowered condition, means for returning the gripping members to said selected elevated horizontal position, a pair of upraised oppositely disposed plates attached to the machine supporting said filling means, each plate having'a pair of separated vertical slots, a pair of wheels on each side of the filling means disposed to ride within said slots, the axes of each pair of said wheels being located in positions corresponding to the apexes at the extremities of the hypotenuse of a triangle, and the sides of said triangle being disposed in a vertical and horizontal plane respectively when the filling means is in a horizontal plane and the side correspending to the horizontal plane has a length equal to the center line spacing the slots.

9. In a machine according to claim 8, means on at least one of said upraised plates disposed to contact an underneath portion of the filling means when the filling means is in its horizontal position and movable to clear the filling means when the filling means is in the vertical position whereby the filling means cannot be moved to the lower position except in its vertical position.

(References on following page)

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