US3164935A - Strip packaging machines - Google Patents

Description

J. H. STROOP STRIP PACKAGING MACHINES Jan. 12, 1965 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed June 22, 1957 WW I 1 aw INVENTOR. JoH/v /7. Snoop Jan. 12, 1965 J. H. STROOP 3,154,935

STRIP PACKAGING MACHINES Original Filed June 22, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOHN h. Jmoo BYMEV Jan. 12, 1965 J. H. STROOP 3,164,935

STRIP PACKAGING MACHINES Original Filed June 22, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 12, 1965 J. H. STROOP STRIP PACKAGING MACHINES 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Original Filed June 22, 1957 INVEN TOR. J fi. 572E001 JITOEA/EY Jan. 12, 1965 J. H. STROOP 3,164,935

STRIP PACKAGING MACHINES Original Filed June 22, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 1 INVHVTOR. i JOHN ,Sr/eoop l BY Jan. 12, 1965 J H. STROOP 3,164,935

STRIP PACKAGING MACHINES Original Filed June 22, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 207 IN VEN TOR.

Jan. 12, 1965 J. H. STROOP 3,164,935

STRIP PACKAGING MACHINES Original Filed June 22, 1957 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 i.l3. L T1 /2 i P ww; I 333 5223M III T 14 INVENTOR.

JOHN H- .S'TROOP BY M United States Patent STRIP PACKAGING MACHHJES John H. Stroop, New York, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Crompton & Knowles Corporation, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Original application June 22, 1957, Ser. No. 822,085, new Patent No. 3,054,236, dated Sept. 18, 1962. Divided and this application July 13, 1962, Ser. No. 209,737

8 Claims. (Cl. 53-178) This application is a division of my copending application Serial No- 822,085, filed June 22, 1957, for Multi- Purpose Packaging Machine, now Patent No. 3,054, 236.

This invention relates to strip packaging machines of the general character shown in my-patents:

John H. Stroop No. 2,248,471, July 8, 1 941 John H. Stroop No. 2,608,809, September 2, 1952 John H. Stroop No. 2,670,581, March 2, 1954 The object of this invention is to provide a machine of the type above indicated composed of 'a basic structure and a plurality of units referred to as machine blocks which may be selectively attached to the basic structure to enable the machine to carry on any one of a series of operations. Each machine block is made with great preeision and has mounted on it necessary individual parts which are completely adjusted relative to one another. Moreover, the individual machine blocks are arranged to be quickly attached in position on the basic structure by the simple manipulation of two bolts. The utility of the machine is briefly illustrated as follows:

Through the addition of block assemblies the simple operation of strip packaging tablets'in tworows can be expanded to four rows of tablets packaged at speeds of 1000 to .1200 per minute. QBy assembling another machine block the same basic machine can be converted to produce pouches containing multiple tablets, such as four, or even 'as many as one hundred, for example, produced at the rate of 300 pouches per minute Through the use of another block assembly these punches can be printedv ice of machine blocks and changed over from one operation to another. For example, the rolls of packaging material are mounted below the rotary die loeation'and are provided with means for slitting the web into two strips and guiding them outward and upward until they enter the die rolls in the machine block. Y

The'basic machine has the additional advantage of having a cabinet structure with hinged sides which can be swung open to lie in the operational plane of the machine which carries recording instruments, operation switches, dials and the like. At the same time the operator of the machine has ready access when the hinged sides are open to the web spool, operation-drive motors, cams, chain tracks, electronic equipment, temperature controls, differential mechanism, timing switches and all other necessary basic equipment required to function, motivate and drive the machine blocks assembled as part of the machine at any particular time. P

The structure and operation of the machine, together with a series of alternate machine blocks which constitutes one embodiment of this invention, are shown in the accompanying drawings, to which reference will now be had.

FIGURE 1 is a schematic drawing in perspective which illustrates the general principle of the machine without showing the details of the machine blocks.

FIG. 2 is a perspective elevation of the machine with machine blocks assembled together with a feed mecha- 1 i chine block including bearings adapted to receive rotary dies.

FIG. 3A is a seetional'elevation on the line 3A 3A- ofFIG.3,. i FIG. 4 is aperspective of. a machine block which ineludes rotary dies mounted inposition and feed escapement mechanism adapted to supply a plurality of tablets or small articles to be packaged.

FIG. 5- is a partially sectional elevation showing a machine bloek with mechanism peculiarly adapted to feed powder or other finely divided material into the pouches which the pouches are filled with powders or other finely divided material. I

The flexibility of the machine is further illustrated by the fact that the basic machine may begin with pouch forming machine blocks without registration and then, if

of the strip package.

FIG. 6 is. a sectional plan view on the line 6--6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 5 but shows an alternative mechanism adapted to feed liquid into the pouches formed in the packaging machine. i

" FIG. 8 is a sectional plan view on the line 8-45 of FIG. 7..

s FIG. 9 isa plan'view, FIG. 10 a partially sectional elevation, and FIG. 11 'anend elevation of a' machine block hav'ing sponge feeder rolls and cutting knives indesired, may be modified to provider'egistration and again I furthermodified to give'automatic control.

.A machine block may be completely assembled to include a rotor head, dies and escapement'mechanism for handling a plurality of tablets or other small articles. This may be retained with all of its parts most carefully ad- 'justed and held ready for use at any time, and when not or delay-when the machine is modified by the substitution which is of utmost importance when the webs carry eluded therein.

"FIG. 1 1A isja View showing thedriving chain.

FIG. 12 illustrates the mechanism for compensating for any tendency for the two strips of which the packages.

are formedlto get outv of register. In other words, the

meehan'ismis adapted, to automatically maintain the webs of which the packages are formed in complete register,

I printed or illustrative insignia. Usually the'pouehes have FIG, 14 is a top view ofthe same in whiehbroken lines indicate 'the'hinged mounting of the pane ls. I Having special reference to the schematic diagram" such insignia on both sides and must bekept in register with one another.

FIG. 13 is .a frontelevation of' the basic machine \m'th its doors open to constitute instrument panels, and

of FIG. 1, the primary or basic element of the machine 1 comprises a housing 10 having a base extension 11 to increase its stability, an uppereabinet secti0n-12, the V side elements of which are hinged to open out as hereinafter explained. Web roll cutters and guides are offset from the machine in FIG. 1 for convenience of description, but these elements form a part of the primary machine and include a web roll 13, a web cutter 14, a guide plate having a triangular notch over which the web 16 passes. The two webs formed by the cutter extend laterally out from the guide plate and upward over guides 17 and 18. Thence the webs approach each other and pass over guides 19 and downward between die rolls where the pouches are formed and filled. In forming simple pouches of relatively large size to receive powdered or granular material or a quantity of capsules, no preforming of pockets in the webs is necessary and no rollers are provided for that purpose. For convenience, the two parts of the divided web strips 16 are marked 16a and 16b.

Machine blocks designated 21, 22 and 23 are alternative frames in which die rollers may be mounted. A machine block 24 is a photo scanning and signaling element which may or may not be required. 25 represents a machine block adapted for feeding tablets, 26 a ma chine block adapted for feeding liquids, and 27 a ma-- chine block adapted for feeding powders, granules or the like. 28 represents a machine block which is particularly adapted for feeding the material to be packaged.

It is significant that the web roll is mounted inside of the housing of the main machine and nearer the bottom, the web being drawn out through a slot 30 in the front of the housing. The guide plate 15 turns the web strips 16a and 16b outwardly, and they then pass upwardly at the front of the machine and do not interfere with the introduction of machine blocks such as 21, 22 and 23- whieh carry the die rolls. 7'

Having generally described the arrangement and adjustability of the machine and machine blocks, reference may now be directed to FIG. 2 in which corresponding parts have the same reference characters. 7

As here shown, one machine block 20 has rolls 31 provided with lugs 32, over which the webs pass, and thus have pocket indentations preformed therein. The webs thence pass upwardly and wrap around the die rolls 35 where strip packages are formed.

A feed and escapement mechanism, which is shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, may be rigidly attached and form a part of one machine block or, on the other hand, the feed and escapement mechanism -may constitute a separate machine block, as it is frequently desirable to sub stitute a special feed mechanism for powders and llquids as hereinafter described. There is, however, considerable advantage to be gained by making the feed and escapement mechanism a definite part of the machine block as shown in FIG. 4, so that the assembled machine block needs only to be mounted on the housing of the basic 7 machine and no readjustment of parts is necessary.

By reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, such a machine block may readily'be understood, and it comprises a frame 46 having opposite ends provided with slots, as shown at 41 and 42, within which are mounted bearing blocks 43 and 44. As shown, the bearing blocks 43 are in a fixed central position, whereas the bearing blocks 44 are mounted in the bearing block race 45, and each of them' may be adjusted by a screw 46, whichis provided with adjusting nut 47 and lock nut 43. As shown in these FIGS. 3 and 4, adjusting screws are located at the four corners of the frame and serve to adjust bearing blocks 44 to the exact position required.

Journaled in the bearing blocks 43 is a pair of rotary die rolls 50 having the usualpockets 51. ,Journaled in bearing blocks 44are rolls 52 having lugs 53 which preform pockets in the web strips 16a and 16b, as they pass over these rolls. The lugs 53 on the rolls 52 correspond in location and in number to the pockets '51 on the "rolls 50, and preferably the webstrips" pass from guides 18 through the notched opening-54 of. the frame 40 and then pass upward between pocket forming roll 52 and adjacent die roll 56, over which the web strip wraps and passes downwardly between the die rolls in the usual manner.

The machine blocks are often made up as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 with a set of die rolls and a set of rolls for preforming pockets in the webs mounted in the same frame. However, it is not usual to mount the transverse sealing rolls, such as shown in FIG. 2, in the same frame with the die rolls and, in fact, a separate machine block would usually be employed, because the position of the transversesealing rolls would vary with respect to the die rolls, depending on the size of the pockets or pouches being formed in the machine.

As shown in FIG. 2, an additional machine block 60 is mounted on the front of the machine housing and carries a pair of cutter rolls 61 and 62 adapted to make periodic transverse cuts in the strip package between pockets and may also make a longitudinal cut segregating the strip package into individual sealed packages.

A feed trough 63 is mounted on the frame 46 and attached thereto, as shown in FIG. 4, is a feed hopper 64 which delivers the tablets or other solid objects into several vertical troughs 65. An agitator mechanism com prised of a perforated strip 66 is adapted to slide back and forth in response to finger 67 which extends upwardly through a hole 68 in the strip 66. The finger is a part of and extends from a pivoted block 69 which is spring pressed in one direction by spring 70 and moves against the spring by the action of a roller 71 on the lower end of the block 69 which contacts a rotary cam 72. The tablets are fed from the main storage hopper '75, as shown in FIG. 1, to the feed hopper 64 so that the channels 65 are kept filled with tablets or other solid articles to be packaged.

The pellets are individually, or in multiples, allowed to feed down into the pockets by an escapement mechanism which comprises small fingers 78 which are mounted in a plate 155 attached to an escapement plate 156. Escapernent plate 156 is mounted so that it is pushed periodically and carries with it the escapement fingers by the action of cam 157 mounted on the end of one of the die rolls.

From each trough 65 the pellets are released individually by escapement pins 78, the arrangement being such that the pellets from the several troughs are dropped simultaneously into the preformed pockets between the webs just before the web strips 16a and 1612 are heat sealed to each other.

The storage hopper is a machine block which is capable of being attached and put into use or removed, according to the requirements of the operator. For example, if the machine block 40 having the hopper and escapement mechanism permanently attached to it, is to be used, then in that case the storage hopper machine block will also be attached to discharge the tablets into the machine hopper.

In case the operator desires to package powdered or granular 'substances,.another machine block the operating parts'of which are shownin FIGS. 5 and 6, will be substituted for the machine block 40 and the feed mechanism designated 64 and the storage hopper 75, and its parts will not be employed.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 a frame, 80, which corresponds to the frame 40, has a pair of primary die rollers 81 mounted. in the frame with bearings 43. A pair of sealing rollers 82, also located in the usual manner, are mounted in a separate frame 3 which forms a separate machine block, is mounted on the machine base and may be fixed at a desired position relative to the machine block carrying the die'rolls, determinedby the size of the desired pouch being filled. The sealing rollers produce transverse seals closing the ends of the pouches. Web strips 83 and 84 correspond to 16a and 16b and wrap around the rollers .81 and continue downward between-the sealing rollers 82. As clearly shown in FIG. 6, the die roll-' ers 81, which are heated in the usual manner, have collars 85 and 86 near their ends and a central collar 87.

The arrangementis such that the web strips are pressed together and heat sealed along their longitudinal edges, as indicated at 87 and 88 and in the center as indicated at 89. Two feeder mandrels 90 project downwardly from supporting plate 91, extend between the die rolls in the openings formed by the collars-85, 86 and 87 and end, as shown in FIG. 5, at 92 close to the sealing rollers 82, which operate to press the web strips together and form a transverse seal, thereby closing the pockets first at the bottom. This arrangement does not in any way interfere with the feeding of finely divided or granular material into the mandrels 90 from the top.

As the webs progress, and after the pockets have been filled, the next transverse seal formed by the sealing rollers 82 closes and seals the top of the packages which in the meantime have received a measured quantity of the granular material being packaged.

In FIGS. 5 and 6 a mechanism is. shown for feeding measured quantities of granular material to be packaged. 95 is a hopper into which the granular material is'introduced, and from which it is'elevated by an auger 96 in a conveyor tube 97. The auger'96 is rotated by a gear 98 and pinion 99. As the granular material is carried up in the tube 97 it soon reaches discharge opening 100 having a guide lip 101. The frame 80 has slots 110 in which bearing blocks 111 are slidably mounted. Attached to the shaft 105 is, a gear wheel 112 which meshes with a rack 113. The rack is at the outer end of a piston rod 114 which is actuated in any suitable fashion within cylinder 115, as for example by'air or by solenoid. The

motion of the piston rod 114 and of the rack 113 is reciprocal. In one position, as shown in full lines in FIG.

which is :continuously being discharged from the opening 100.

A doctor blade 169 is mounted in a relatively fixed position and rests on top of the cup or pocket 102. This arrangement is such that when piston rod 113 is retracted, therack cannot cause the gear to turn because the arm 104 cannotiswing'since it is held down by the doctor blade 160. However, when the piston rod 113 retracts, the first movement is one of drawing the shaft 105 with its bearings 111 to the back end of the slots 110 in which they are located. This movement isnot great but is sufficient so that the cup moves across and is raked by the doctor blade, after which the arms 104 are free and the further action of the piston 113.causes them to quickly swing over and dump the contents of the cups into the top'of the hollow-mandrels90. H i

{ The pockets intheir'upside-down position are directly over theopenupper end of the mandrels 90,and the action is' so sudden that none of the granular material falls out'of the pockets in transit but is forcibly dumped when the pocket element strikes the supporting plate 91. Thus a measured quantity of granular material is discharged into each mandrel, falls downwardly therein, as ,shown in FIG. 5, and becomes sealed into the pockets making large size packages-and hence only two are shown. It should, however, be understood that .a. single FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a machine block which may be substituted for that shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, when it is desired to fill the strip packages with liquid or semiliquid substances. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, 120 indicates a frame, which corresponds to frame 80 and frame 40, and has mounted therein a pair of die rolls 121 each of which, as illustrated in FIG. 8, has a plurality of corresponding collars 122 which heat seal the web strips 124 longitudinally and leave spaces between seals into which filler mandrels 125 extend. The liquid or semiliquid substance to be packaged is contained in a pressure storage tank 126 from which it flows through a check valve 127 into a pocket in measuring plunger 130. A flexible tube or hose 131 connects the pocket to the outer end of the mandrel 125 and does not interfere with the reciprocating action of the. 'measuring plunger 130 which is actuated by cam 170. The stroke of the meas uring plunger 130 is determined by an adjustment of a screw mechanism 171. The quantity of liquid picked up' amount of liquid will enter the pocket and will be trans-' mitted thence through the flexible hose 131 and discharged into the top of the hollow mandrel 125. The amount of large package may be made'ata time or three ormo re smaller ones, depending on, the size of themachine; the

requirements ofthe' trade and the desire of the operator.

' The granular material as "shown in the drawingsy'is continually agitated by a 'pumphaving centripital blades 1161, which are mountedatthevbottom of a rotary sleeive 162 andvare rotated by a gear wheel "163. actuated by worm 164. I l

liquid picked up with each stroke of the plunger depends entirely on the distance that, the plunger travels and the area of the measuring pocket within it. I

Transverse sealing rollers 140 correspond to the sealing rollers 82 of FIG. .5 and actto transversely heat seal the web strips 124 and thus close the lower ends of the packages just before a measured quantity of liquid or semiliquid material is forced fromthe measuring pocket 130 through fiexibletube 131 and is discharged through mandre'l intothe package. "As soon as the strip package moves downwardly another transverse seal is made by the sealing rollers '140, thus closing the packages at'the top.

. While I have described only the mechanism for a single package, it will be understood that there will be as many mandrels as there are pockets tobe filled and as many flexible tubes'and measuring pockets, all of whichwill'be coupled with pressure storage tank 126. For example, in

the arrangement shown in FIG. 8, there will be four mandrels and four pipes but it is clear that a single series of pockets maybe made and filled, or two or more, depending on the size and quantity of packages which are desired.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, another machine'block is here illustrated which comprises 'generally a pair of feed rolls and a cutter mechanism whichv is peculiarly adapted to sever the strip packages atthe seals While avoiding the yery troublesome tendency for the web packaging material i on the face of the knife instead of p-roceedingin a continuous downwardflowas desired.

The machine' block here shown comprises a frame 280 in which is mounted a pair of sponge puller rolls 281 aiid' 282 having end shaft extensions 283 mounted in bearing blocks 284, which as shown in -FIG. 10 are mounted in bearing'block races 285 at the outer and inner endof frame 280. At the inner end of rollers 282 the shaft 283 extends beyond the frame;--280-and has mounted thereon alsprocket wheel 286. Also mounted on the frame, as shown in FIG. 10 is a cam 290 driven by sprocket 291.

' Two bearing lugs 292 and 293 are-mounted on the bottom of theframej 28.0 at opposite sides for carrying asIiding just after it is severed toride rod 294 having a collar 295 aflixed thereon. Another block 296 is attached to the slidable rod 294, and spring 298 between the bearing block 292 and the block 296 tends to force the rod 294 against the buffer 299 which is mounted on the adjusting screw 300 supported from the frame 280 by bracket 301. attached to the block 296 moves back and forth as rod 294 is reciprocated by the action of cam 290. This moving blade 302 cooperates with a stationary blade 303, which is attached to the frame 280 and has a beveled edge which cooperates with the moving blade.

The cam 290 has a notch with a radial surface 304 and, as the cam is rotated in a clockwise direction, it pushes against the block 295 and moves the slidable rod 294 against the action of the spring 298. The cam is so shaped that the movement of the block 295 and of the rod 294 is adequate to produce a scissor-like cut in'the sealed section of the strip package which is being pulled down wardly through the sponge rolls 281 and 282 and is then quickly returned to open position against the spring 298.

A bumper 299 may be of rubber or like elastic material, and its position is adjusted by the screw 300 so that the end of the rod 294 in its backward movement strikes against the buffer, and the block 295 does not contact the actuating surface 304 of cam 290, butonly a small clearance is provided.

The moving blade 302, as clearly shown in FIG. 11, is attached at one end to block 296 and at the opposite end is guided by a pair of small rollers 305. Y

Centrally attached to the moving blade 302 is a block 306. A clearance follower 307 having end lugs 308 is mounted on the ground surface of the moving blade 302 and is attached by a wire spring 309 which extends through block 306 and through holes in the lugs 3081 The clearance follower is so arranged that when the movable knife is operated, it makes a cut thus severing the strip package, permitting the lower part to immediately drop. The upper part of the strip tends to ride on the movable blade and the clearance follower by the action of the spring wire 309 pushes it off the knife. a

This simple mechanism has overcome a'difliculty which has existed in transverse cutters for strip packages and has given repeated trouble in the past.

The small-scale semi-diagrammatic view of FIG. 11A illustrates the chain drive for an assembly'including machine block 80 having rotary dies 81 and a sprocket wheel 81a, a machine block 93 having sealing rollers 82 driven by sprocket 82a, the machine block 280 of FIGS. 9, and 11, the sponge puller rolls 281 and 282 driven by sprocket wheel 286 and cam 290 driven by sprocket 291. A drive motor 350 has a sprocket wheel 351 which operates continuously in one direction as shown by the arrow. Drive chain from the sprocket 351 passes around a take-up sprocket 352 mounted on a pivoted arm 353 which puts tension on the chain by reason of spring 354. The chain then continues over drive sprockets 355 and 356, thence over sprocket 81a, continuesdownward over sprocket 82a and around sprocket 286, .thence over a sprocket 310 mounted on bracket 31 1, thence the chaincontinues over sprocket291 which drivesthe cam and returns to the motor sprocket351. v V

Bracket 311 is pivoted at 360 and maybe swung backward or forward by an adjusting screw 361 which extends through the housing of the machine and has a thumb nut 362 which may readily be adjusted'to position the sprocket 310.

If the cut madeby the reciprocating cutter of FIG. 10 is too low or too high, an adjustment of the thumb nut 362 causes the drive chain to'move in one direction or the other so as to make a rotary adjustment at the die 7 rolls 81, the transverse sealingrolls 32 and the puller against the chain by the spring 354 keeps the chain always at the .desired tension fol-correct operation, .although A moving scissor blade 302' the whole position of the chain is adjusted as above de-' scribed.

It will be understood that the drive motor 350 and the sprockets are all located within the body of the machine housing into which the shafts of the rollers extend, and therefore the-chain drive may be easily and quickly uncoupled in case only one or two machine blocks are employed.

Furthermore, the adjusting screw 361 may be unpinned from the bracket 311 so as to permit the ready removal of the machine block 280 if this is not required for any particular operation.

All of the parts which have been described, together constitute a complete machine block which may be readily attached to or detached from the frame of the primary machine, a section 312 of which is shown in FIG. 9, by means of heavy bolts 313 which extend through close fitting holes 314 in the body of the machine with the bolt head preferably seated in a counter-sunk hole 316. The frame 280 has precision tapped holes 317 to receive the bolts 313. While the machine blocks as shown and described in these FIGS. 9, l0 and 11 and in the other figures already described, are comparatively heavy, the inner surface is machined so that it can be mounted in exactly fitted contact with theouter surface of the machine body, and only two of the heavy bolts above described are necessary to maintain it in exactly the correct relation to the other parts of the machine.

It will be noted that the sprockets such as 286, 291 and 310, with their mountings all project beyond the inner surface of the frame, but they are not close to the side'of the frame 230 and extend into the opening in the body of the machine and can thus readily be driven by motors located inside the machine body.

Referring to FIG. 12, there is here illustrated a registration control mechanism which will now be described:

200 represents a web which may have insignia printed thereon, one such being indicated at 201. If the insignia, of which it will be understood there is a very large number, uniformly spaced along the web, pass a predetermined spot 202 at the proper interval, the electric eye will not actuate the relay circuit, but if the insignia become slightly out of register, the electric eye mechanism 203 will immediately actuate the relay which will act in the usual manner through the control circuits and will cause one or the other of the switches 204 and 205 to be energized and electric current to be conducted either to solenoid 206 or to solenoid 207, as the case may be. If solenoid 207 is actuated, a dog 208 is pushed into the notches of the dog ring 209 and locks it against turning, or if solenoid 206 is actuated, dog 210 locks dog ring 211.

As shown in the drawing, the registration control device includes a housing 212 which is fastened onto the end of shaft 213 by pin 214, and therefore the housing and What it contains rotates with the shaft 213 as it is driven by main chain drive 215 and sprocket wheel 216 mounted on shaft 213. Worm gear 217 is mounted on the shaft 213 within the housing and engages worm 218 on a transverse shaft 219 which a mounted on its outer end a gear wheel 220. A differential is mounted in the housing 212 and consists of an inner rotatable shaft 225 on which dog wheel 209 is mounted. Shaft 225 also carries a beveled gear 226 which meshes with differential beveled gear 227. A second beveled gear 228 corresponds to 226 and is attached to a rotatable sleeve 229 having a dog ring 211 attached to it at its outer end. The beveled gears 226 and 228 mesh with-the differential beveled gear 227 which is mounted on shaft 230 and carries gear wheel 231 which is coupled to gear 220 by an intermediate gear wheel 232.

'A commutator disc 234 is mounted on shaft 235 having a sprocket wheel 236 which is coupled to a similar sprocket wheel 237 on a shaft 238 of the axle of one of the sealer rolls.

The sprockets 236 and 237 are interconnected by the usual chain 240. The. two sealer rolls one of the solenoids 2% or 2W will be actuated and one of the dogs will then lock either dog wheel 2519 or dog Wheel 211, as the case may be. immediately the differential will act to very slightly adjust the transverse sealer rolls and produce its sealing action exactly at the point where it is desired that it should take place hetween the printed insignia on the webs.

Referring to FIGS. 13 and 14, the upper part of the body of the machine constitutes a cabinet with finished surfaces 32% parallel to one another and spaced to form an opening 321 so that machine blocks may be mounted on the finished surfaces 32% and bridge the opening 321 with driving parts extending inside the machine. The face of the machine also has finished surfaces 322 on which the web guides 17 and 18 are mounted as already shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. One of the upper web guides 15, as shown in FIG. 13, instead of being firmly attached to the machine surface 322, is preferably mounted on the bracket 324 which is attached to the surface 322 by heavy thumb screw 325 so that the position of this guide 118 may be slightly modified to adjust between the web strips 'and insure that they are completely in register when they carry printed matter or insignia, as already explained.

Mounted on the frame of the machine is an electriceye scanner 326 which may be adjusted along the Web by screw 327 which extends through a lug 322;. The upper cabinet part of the machine has doors 330 of L- shaped contour which are hinged at 331 andhave front panels 332- on which instrumentsare mounted and side panels 333 which are adapted to close the machine at the" back when swung into closed position, as indicated in broken lines in PEG. 114. When the panels are swung open, the instrument panel surfaces 332 are parallel with the front surfaces of the machine. 7

As indicated in FIGS. 13 and 14, there are electric meters 34d and 341, and heater control switches 34 2 and 3 53 may for example be mounted from the right-hand panel. 011 the. left-hand panel a relay circuit instrument 344 and a vibrator feed control-switch 3 .5 are provided. The arrangement is particularly effective since 2. The structure of claim 1 in which a hopper and an auger elevator provide a cascade discharge for the granular material into the cup in its fillingposition.

axis and swinging the arm so that'the filled cup is 3. A strip packaging machine comprising die rolls' mounted to cooperate and each having collars spaced thereon and in contact with the corresponding collars of the cooperating die rolls whereby annular spaces are provided between collars, a hollowmandrel extending downwardly from above intofeach annular space, means for feediir web strips over and between the die rolls, an axle frame,,bearing blocks siidably mounted in the frame, an axle mounted for rotary movement in the bearing blocks, a gear wheel affixed to the axle, a toothed rack meshing with the gear wheel and means for reciprocating the rack, at least one arm attached to the axle and having a measuring cup at its end, a hopper containing the granular material to be fed, a vertical tube opening into the hopper at the bottom and having a dischargeopening near the top, an auger elevator for continuously lifting granular ma terial and cascading it out of the discharge opening, and a doctor blade for holding the arm against rotation and raking the filled cup during a portion of the strolre of the reciprocating rack, permitted by the movement of the sliding bearing blocks, said rack thereafter rocking the discharged into the top of the open mandrel.

4. The structure of claim 3 having driving means for continuously operating the auger elevator.

only the faces of the instruments need appear on the 1 outer surface of the panels, whereas the instruments themselves are on the back of the panels and swing inside of the machine casing'when the shutters are closed.

I claim:

1. A strip packaging machine comprising die rolls mounted to cooperate and eachvhaving collars spaced thereon and in contact with the corresponding collars of the cooperating die rolls whereby annular spaces are provided between collars, a hollow mandrelextending downwardly from above into each annular space, means for feeding web strips over and between the die rolls, an axle frame, bearing blocks mounted in the frame, an axle mounted for rotary movement in the bearing blocks, a

gear wheel affixed to the axle, a toothed rack meshing rectly into the top of the hollow mandrel at the opposite end of the stroke of the rack. l

5. A strip packaging machine comprising .die rolls mounted to cooperate andceach having collars spaced thereon and in contact with the corresponding collars of the cooperating rolls whereby anular spaces are provided between collars, a hollow mandrel extending downwardly from above into each of said annular spaces, means for feeding web strips over and between the die rolls, a hopper containing granular material to be fed, a shaft mounted at a spaced distance from the mandrels, arms attached to the shaft, each having a measuring cup at its outer end and means for oscillating the shaft whereby each measuring cup is in an upright position wherioscillated away from the mandrel and is in a reverse posi tion when oscillated toward the mandrel and is adapted to dump its contents into the top of the corresponding mandrel.

6. The structure of claim 5, in which is provided means for continuously cascading the material from. the hopper into, the path of each measuring cup in its upright position. r .7. 'l"he structure of claim 5 in which an auger feed mechanism continuously lifts the material from the hopper and causes it to cascade into the path of each measuring cup in its upright position.

8; A strip packaging machine comprising die rolls mounted to cooperate and each having collars spaced thereon and in contact with the corresponding collars of the cooperating rolls whereby annular spaces are provided between collars, ahollow mandrel extending downwardly from above into each. of said annular spaces, means for feeding web strips over and between the die rolls, a hop- .per containing granular material to be fed, a shaft mount- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES, PATENTS 1,625,461 '4/27 Files 53 -180 XR 2,245,827 6/41 Salfisberg 53-180 XR 2,361,052 10/44 Patterson 53180 XR Y FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

TRAVIS s. MCGEHEE, Examiner.

12/56 Stirn et al. Q 53-480 0 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3 ,164 ,935 January 12 1965 John Stroop rs in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified that error appea etters Patent should read as ent requiring correction and that the said L corrected below.

1ine Z4, for "127", first occurrence, read Column 6,

for "a", second occurrence,

-- 172 column 8, line 59, read has Signed and sealed this 1st day of June 1963'.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER ERNEST W. SWIDER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims (1)

1. 5. A STRIP PACKAGING MACHINE COMPRISING DIE ROLLS MOUNTED TO COOPERATE AND EACH HAVING COLLARS SPACED THEREON AND IN CONTACT WITH THE CORRESPONDING COLLARS OF THE COOPERATING ROLLS WHEREBY ANNULAR SPACES ARE PROVIDED BETWEEN COLLARS, A HOLLOW MANDREL EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM ABOVE INTO EACH OF SAID ANNULAR SPACES, MEANS FOR FEEDING WEB STRIPS OVER AND BETWEEN THE DIE ROLLS, A HOPPER CONTAINING GRANULAR MATERIAL TO BE FED, A SHAFT MOUNTED AT A SPACED DISTANCE FROM THE MANDRELS, ARMS ATTACHED TO THE SHAFT, EACH HAVING A MEASURING CUP AT ITS OUTER END AND MEANS FOR OSCILLATING THE SHAFT WHEREBY EACH MEASURING CUP IS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WHEN OSCILLATED AWAY FROM THE MANDREL AND IS IN A REVERSE POSITION WHEN OSCILLATED TOWARD THE MANDREL AND IS ADAPTED TO DUMP ITS CONTENTS INTO THE TOP OF THE CORRESPONDING MANDREL.

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