US3358420A - Apparatus for wrapping with flexible heat sealable material - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 19, 1967 R J. FELLNER ETAL 3,358,420

EALABLB MATEEIAL APPAEATUS FOR E'I'EAFPiNG WITH FLEXIBLE HEAT 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed day 25, 1967 INVENTORS P. J. FELLNER BY: E. S. M/CK/EW/GZ Dec. 19, 1967 J FELLNER ETAL. 3,358,420

APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING WITH FLEXIBLE HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL Filed May 25, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS BJ. FELLNEI? BY 55. MICK/EW/CZ United States Patent 3,358,420 APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING WITH FLEXIBLE HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL Phillip J. Fellner and Edward S. Mickiewicz, Racine,

Wis., assignors to Sturtevant Industries, Inc., Sturtevant,

Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Filed May 25, 1967, Ser. No. 641,232 5 Claims. (Cl. 53-390) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Brief description of the invention The invention relates to and provides an aid for manual packaging of an article or filled receptacle with soft, flexible, thermoplastic material by drawing the material from a roll and completely overwrapping the article, placing the article on a pedestal and substantially simultaneously cutting the partially wrapped article free from the remainder of the rolled material by means of an advantageously positioned hot wire, and stretching and pulling the outwardly extending ends of the wrapping material tightly downwardly over the edges of the article and under it to completely and tightly wrap the article regardless of its shape. The wrapping process is all done without the necessity of at any time releasing or losing hold of the wrapping material.

The introduction of soft or Pliofihn material into the food wrapping industry has resulted in a number of objectionable features in the use of such material. It has been found that due to its ready adherence to any surface, and particularly to itself, it must be supplied in rolls rather than cut sheets as previously supplied. When wrapping by hand, it must be used as it is unrolled from the roll in order to eliminate handling problems. Wrapping equipment has been developed which enables an operator to pull out a predetermined length of paper, overwrap and underwrap the article by moving it toward the operator and automatically cutting the sheet of material as it is moved toward the operator. The outwardly extending edges of the wrapping material are tucked under by hand and the package placed on a hot plate to seal the bottom of the package. The outwardly extending ends may be pulled across the bottom of the package if the operator holds the package in his hand and folds one end at a time. Such prior art apparatus is shown generally in the United States Patent No. 3,176,443 which issued on Apr. 6, 1965, to William Klamp, and over which the present invention is an improvement.

Generallyflhe invention provides improved apparatus for wrappingan article in soft, Pliofilm, heat scalable material which are very fast and simple in operation and tightly and completely wraps the article of varying configurations, and which permits the quick and easy wrapping of the material against the bottom of the package, assuring a seal across the bottom edges which is subsequently heat sealed.

With the present invention, there is no bunching of the wrapping material on the bottom of the package, and a smooth and fiat bottom of the finished package is assured as one having a good seal.

Brief description of the drawings FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus made in accordance with the present invention, the view being taken from the operators side, certain parts shown as being broken away;

FIGURES 2 to 7 are fragmentary, perspective views, taken from the side opposite to that shown in FIGURE 1, and showing the series of steps in wrapping an article in accordance with the present invention.

Preferred embodiment of the invention The wrapping apparatus provided by the present invention includes a frame F supported on the floor or other convenient surface, which frame has an upper end, which may include a table top T, located at a height convenient to the operator. A number of rolls R (only one shown) of soft Pliofilm material M may be rotatably supported on the lower portion of the frame whereby a particular type or width of roll may be selected for drawing material therefrom. The material M is drawn up by its free end 1 through the laterally extending passage 2 in the upper end of the frame. The article, which may be in a tray 3, is then wrapped by the operator and placed on the heated conveyor 4 located adjacent the apparatus whereby the conveyor acts to heat seal the bottom of the completed package.

For convenience of description, the side of the apparatus toward the operator will be referred to as the rear side, while that remote from him the front side. The other two opposite sides may be characterized as the lateral sides.

The articles to be wrapped are fed to the apparatus by an endless conveyor or other means (not shown), and in wrapping operations of this character, extreme speed of wrapping is important. With the present invention, an article can be wrapped in an extremely simple, fast and easy manner.

Referring more specifically to the Wrapping apparatus, a first support 5 is provided adjacent the upper end of the frame and is of a width less than that of the article A so that when the article A is placed thereon, the lateral sides A1 and A2 of the article extend laterally beyond the width of the first support. The support is shown as a plate member which is inclined at an angle which extends upwardly in a direction away from the operator.' The support 5 is thus elevated or positioned to provide clearance beneath the article, when resting on the support, to enable the operators fingers to easily move under the article.

Prior to commencing the wrapping operation, the wrapping material, which is very adhesive to itself or anything it comes in contact with, extends upwardly through the passage 2 and has its free end 1 resting on the top of the table adjacent the operator whose hands only are shown. This is the position the edge assumed after the termination of the previous wrapping operation.

To commence the wrapping operation, the operator would insert his fingers into the passage 2 at either side of the material M (FIGURE 1), then grasp the material adjacent its free leading edge 1 and lift it upwardly (FIG- URE 2) asuflicient distance so that when he then moves the free end of the wrapping material over the article (FIGURE 3), it is sufiiciently long to extend completely around the front edge of the article which is located remote from the operator.

In FIGURE 3 it will be noted the material is being rolled around the front edge of the package by the operators fingers so that the wrapping material completely and smoothly covers the entire length of the forward edge I of the article (FIGURE 4) and the operators hands are has also tightly stretched the material over the article in the general sweeping motion away from himself and then back underneath the forward edge of the article. Because of the fact that the article A extends laterally to each side of the support and has clearance underneath, the operator can, with one smooth sweeping motion, completely overwrap the material and locate the leading edge 1 of the material under the article A without bunching of the Wrapping material.

The operator then moves the article toward himself and, as shown in FIGURE 5, has placed it on a second support located adjacent their rear or operators side of the apparatus. It will be noted that the support 10 is formed as a pedestal and is also of a width considerably less than the article to be wrapped so that the article, now in the partially wrapped form, extends laterally over either side of the second support. The second support 10 is also elevated sufiiciently so that adequate clearance is provided thereunder for the operators hands as will presently appear. When in the position shown in FIG- URE 5, the operator moves his hands laterally outward from one another, tautly stretching the wrapping material laterally over both the top and bottom of the article and it will be noted that in this position, the wrapping material is smooth, and evenly and tautly drawn across the entire article. It should be noted that all of the motion of the operator to this point has been in one continuous sweeping or looping motion of his hands. The material around the article has also been severed from its roll as will now appear.

The material is severed from its supply roll R immediately after the operator has stretched the material laterally across the bottom of the article, and as the partially completed package is being set down on the second support. The heat severing means 14 is conventional and includes the hot wire 15 which is electrically energized in the conventional manner and is secured by appropriate insulators 16. This wire is located above the rearwardly and downwardly inclined surface 17 of the table top and as the partially completed package is set on the pedestal, the material comes into contact with the wire, immediately severing it. This forms a new leading edge 1a (FIGURE 7) of the material which is ready for the next wrapping operation.

After the severing operation, as shown in FIGURE 6, the operator then commences to immediately push his hands downwardly below the level of the article and, with a continuous sweeping movement, brings his hands towards one another beneath the article, and then raises it (FIGURE 7). This is possible due to the clearance provided under the article at each side thereof and the relative dimensions of the support and article.

The operator has thus lifted the package ofl? the support and his hands at this time (FIGURE 7) are still moving one another and pressing or smoothing the lateral ends of the material tightly and firmly against the bottom of the package P. Simultaneously the operators hands are moving toward the conveyor 4 on which it i placed for heat sealing of the entire bottom ofthe package.

In addition to the angled platelike support 5 shown in the figures, any suitable means may be installed on the top of the frame for holding the package in the elevated position and providing the necessary clearance under each lateral side of the package. For example, the support 5 may take the form of a simple bar which is adjustably inserted in a series of holes in the table top. Thus, the bar may be adjusted to accommodate packages of various sizes or shapes.

Recapitulation The wrapping apparatus provided by the present invention permits su orting the article with its lateral sides free, drawing the inaterial over the article and then under its front edge thereby tautly overwrapping the article,

lifting the overwrapped article and moving it so as to underwrap it and simultaneously pulling the material in laterally opposite directions thereby stretching it taut laterally over both the bottom and top of the article, again supporting said partially wrapped article with its lateral ends free and substantially simultaneously urging that material which extends from the partially wrapped article against a heated severing means, pulling the free lateral ends of the material downwardly around the lateral sides of the article and under the article, smoothly pressing those ends along the bottom of the package so formed, and then heat sealing the bottom.

All of the above motions are continuous and very rapid and the operator at all times has definite and positive control of the wrapping material, it being unnecessary to shift the weight of the package from one hand to the other in order to tightly wrap the material completely around the article. This is possible even during that portion of the wrapping method movement where the lateral ends of the material are brought underneath the partially formed package and smoothed along its under side.

Whenever a food product of varying outer configuration is placed in a tray, it is difiicult to be sure that the ends of the wrapping material are sealed if they are not pulled into tight engagement with these edges. By supporting the package in a position where the operator can pull the material under the package, a seal is assured completely along all of the edges of the package.

After the package is completely wrapped, it is placed on the hot conveyor where the heat of the belt will seal the ends of the material to the bottom of the package. If a heat shrinkable material is used, a heat tunnel may be placed on the end of the conveyor to shrink the material if required.

We claim:

1. Hand wrapping apparatus for wrapping an article with flexible, soft and thermoplastic wrapping material, said apparatus comprising, a frame having an upper end located at a height convenient for an operator standing at a rear side thereof; a first support adjacent said upper end and at a front side thereof which is opposite to that rear side at which said operator stands, said first support adapted to support an article while being overwrapped, a second support adjacent said upper end of said frame and located adjacent the rear side thereof, a heated severing device extending laterally across said upper end of said frame and located between said supports for severing said wrapping material on contact therewith, and passage means extending laterally across said upper end of said frame and located between said first support and said severing means whereby a leading edge of said wrapping material may be drawn by said operator upwardly through said passage means from said frame and overwrapping the article on said first support, said severing means adapted to sever material moved thereagainst after the overwrapped article is underwrapped by being moved over said severing means towards said second support, said second support being of a lateral width less than said passage means and less than that of the article to be wrapped and mounted to provide clearance under the laterally opposite sides of an article resting thereon.

2. Hand wrapping apparatus for wrapping an article with flexible, soft and thermoplastic wrapping material, said apparatus comprising; a frame having a front side, a rear side, laterally opposite sides, and also having an upper end located at a height convenient for an operator standing at said rear side thereof; a first support adjacent said upper end and front side of said frame, said first support being of a lateral width less than that of the article to be wrapped so that the lateral sides of the latter extend laterally beyond the sides of said first support, said first support also being positioned so that there is clearance beneath said laterally extending sides of said article when on said first support, a second support adjacent said upper end of said frame and located adjacent the rear side thereof, a heated severing device extending laterally across said upper end of said frame and located between said supports for severing said wrapping material on contact therewith, and passage means extending laterally across said upper end of said frame and located between said first support and said severing means whereby a leading edge of said wrapping material may be drawn by said operator upwardly through said passage means from said frame and over an article on said first support, and over the article front edge which is remote from said operator and then beneath said laterally extending sides of said article, said second support also being of a lateral width less than said passage means and also less than that of the article to be wrapped and mounted to provide clearance under the laterally opposite sides of the article resting thereon, said severing means adapted to sever the material extending from the partially wrapped article after the latter is underwrapped by being moved over said severing means and placed on said second support.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further characterized in that said second support comprises an elevated pedestal located below the height of said severing means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further characterized in that said second support comprises an elevated pedestal located below the height of said severing means.

5. A wrapping apparatus comprising, a package supporting means for supporting an article to be wrapped in plastic wrapping material, said article including a flat tray support; passage means extending laterally across the rear end of said supporting means, means for storing a roll of plastic sheet material below said supporting means; the end of said plastic sheet material being adapted to be drawn upward through said passage means adjacent one edge of said supporting means and over the top of an article located on the supporting means; a severing device for severing the plastic sheet material moved thereagainst disposed adjacent the said one edge of the supporting means, below its upper surface; and a support pedestal disposed on the other side of said severing device; said support pedestal being of such size and location that a package placed on the pedestal can be tightly underwrapped in the wrapping paper, said pedestal also being of a lateral width less than that of said passage means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,725,699 12/ 1955 Rumsey 5 3-420 2,987,864 6/1961 Miller 53-390 3,176,443 4/1965 Klamp 53390 WILLIAM W. DYER, JR., Primary Examiner. N. ABRAMS, Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. HAND WRAPPING APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING AN ARTICLE WITH FLEXIBLE, SOFT AND THERMOPLASTIC WRAPPING MATERIAL, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING, A FRAME HAVING AN UPPER END LOCATED AT A HEIGHT CONVENINET FOR AN OPERATOR STANDING AT A REAR SIDE THEREOF; A FIRST SUPPORT ADJACENT SAID UPPER END AND AT A FRONT SIDE THEREOF WHICH IS OPPOSITE TO THAT REAR SIDE AT WHICH SAID OPERATOR STANDS, SAID FIRST SUPPORT ADAPTED TO SUPPORT AN ARTICLE WHILE BEING OVERWRAPPED, A SECOND SUPPORT ADJACENT SAID UPPER END OF SAID FRAME AND LOCATED ADJACENT THE REAR SIDE THEREOF, A HEATED SERVING DEVICE EXTENDING LATERALLY ACROSS SAID UPPER END OF SAID FRAME AND LOCATED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTS FOR SEVERING SAID WRAPPING MATERIAL ON CONTACT THEREWITH, AND PASSAGE MEANS EXTENDING LATERALLY ACROSS SAID UPPER END OF SAID FRAME AND LOCATED BETWEEN SAID FIRST SUPPORT AND SAID SEVERING MEANS WHEREBY A LEADING EDGE OF SAID WRAPPING MATERIAL MAY BE DRAWN BY SAID OPERATOR UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID PASSAGE MEANS FROM SAID FRAME AND OVERWRAPPING THE ARTICLE ON SAID FIRST SUPPORT, SAID SEVERING MEANS ADAPTED TO SEVER MATERIAL MOVED THEREAGAINST AFTER THE OVERWRAPPED ARTICLE IS UNDERWRAPPED BY BEING MOVED OVER SAID SEVERING MEANS TOWARDS SAID SECOND SUPPORT, SAID SECOND SUPPORT BEING OF A LATERAL WIDTH LESS THAN SAID PASSAGE MEANS AND LEGS THAN THAT OF THE ARTICLE TO BE WRAPPED AND MOUNTED TO PROVIDE CLEARANCE UNDER THE LATERALLY OPPOSITE SIDES OF AN ARTICLE RESTING THEREON.

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