US3462915A

US3462915A - Wrapping machines

Info

Publication number: US3462915A
Application number: US772463A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew W Anderson
Original assignee: Scandia Packaging Machinery Co
Current assignee: Scandia Packaging Machinery Co
Priority date: 1968-10-18
Filing date: 1968-10-18
Publication date: 1969-08-26
Anticipated expiration: 1986-08-26

Description

Aug. 26, 1969 A. v9. ANDERSON WRAPPING mcamns 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 18, 1968 R m u v m wmw m M05950 Aug. 26, 1969 A. w. ANDERSON WRAPPING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1968 INVENTOR 4N0?! W W AA/DHS0 Y A rro ENE Y United States Patent Int. Cl. B651) 49/04, 11/08 US. Cl. 53-230 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention consists of the provision in a wrapping machine of adjustable, hinged folding means or tucker blades for folding the bottom, laterally projecting ends of a wrapper and means for adjustably raising and lowering the folder about the hinged mounting.

This invention relates to wrapping machines and more particularly stated to machines of this type in which the wrapper sheet and article to be wrapped are fed through folding and tucking mechanism which tucks and folds the edge portions of the wrapper sheet against the ends and around the ends of the article being wrapped.

In order to enable such wrapping machines to wrap articles of different dimensions or sizes the folders or tuckers must have different dimensions and various sizes of tucker blades must be provided.

This invention has for its salient object to provide folding or tucking blades so constructed and so mounted as to permit their use with articles of varying sizes and heights.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the drawings which form a part of this application and in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view in perspective showing Wrapping mechanism embodying the invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view in perspective showing the folding and tucking mechanism at the two sides of the path of travel of the article and wrapper.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the article and wrapper, the wrapper being disposed around the article in the position taken after the initial tucks have been taken therein.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the next stage in the folding operation in which the laterally extending flaps at the bottom of the wrapper have been folded upwardly against the ends of the wrapper.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 3 and 4 but showing the wrapper with the top flap folded down against the ends of the article and over the upwardly folded bottom flaps.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the folding mechanism for one side of the article taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 7 is an edge elevation of the structure shown in FIG. 6 taken at right angles thereto taken on line 77 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 8 shows the adjustable tucker blade adjusted to its upper position to accommodate an article of greater height as shown in FIG. 7.

In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings there is shown a platform or support having a longitudinal slot therein 21 and on the two sides of the slot there are mounted folding and tucking means for folding and tucking a wrapper around an article to be wrapped. The articles to be wrapped designated 22 are fed along the platform 20 above the slot 21 by lugs or pushers 23 which are mounted on rods extending between two feed chains 25 and 25.

3,462,915 Patented Aug. 26, 1969 As shown in Patent No. 2,374,172 a wrapper sheet is fed from a supply roll through cutting mechanism and extends downwardly thruogh a transverse slot in the table or support 20. The wrapper sheet is thus fed in the path of travel of the articles to be wrapped and is engaged by the articles and is thus folded across the top, across the advance end and beneath the article to be wrapped.

As the article and wrapper are fed through the tucking and folding mechanism the projecting ends at the front face of the article are tucked against the sides of the article as shown at 31 in FIG. 3 by stationary tucker blades 32 and 33. These tucks are shown in FIG. 3. As shown in this figure the edges of the top and bottom portions of the wrapper extend laterally beyond the edges of the article. As the article and wrapper advance along the platform from the tucker blades 32 and 33 the bottom flaps 34 are folded against the side edges of the article as shown in FIG. 4 by engagement with

folding edges

35 and 36 and folding edges 37 and 38 formed on the rear upper edges of adjustable folding and tucking blades 40'. These tucker blades or folding blades 40 are hinged at 41 at their rear ends to hinges mounted on the plate 42 adjustably mounted on platform 20 and can be swung vertically from the position shown in FIG. 7 to the position shown in FIG. 8. It will be noted that the packages 22A shown in FIG. 7 are not as deep or thick as those shown at 22B in FIG. 8 in which figure the tucker blade 40 has been swung upwardly.

The vertical adjustment of the blades is accomplished by means of a thumbscrew 45 which is threaded through an elongated strip 46 which extends rearwardly and is connected to the hinge and platform. As the thumbscrew 45 is turned the blades is raised or lowered as the case may be since the lower end of the thumbscrew as shown at 47 engages a fixed support.

As the wrapper and article progress through the folding mechanism the upper laterally extending flaps 48 engage the rear edge 49 of the plate 50 and are gunded against the curved edge 51 so that these flaps are folded downwardly from the position shown in FIG. 4- to the position shown in FIG. 5.

From the showing in FIG. 2 it will be noted that the wrapper tucking and folding mechanism mounted on the plate 42 which in turn is mounted on platform 20 on opposite sides of the slot 21 are adjustable toward and away from each other to accommodate packages of different sizes.

A cover plate 52 is mounted above the path of travel of the article and wrapper and the wrapper is initially folded across the top and advanced end and bottom of the article by the edge of the slot and by the rear edge or corner 53 of the cover plate 52.

The front edge of the cover plate 52 has secured thereto

strips

55 and 56 which engage the top portion of the wrapper which extends over the upper surface of the article to be wrapped as the articles and wrapper are fed along the platform 20.

From the foregoing specification it will be seen that simple, practical and eflicient means has been provided for folding a wrapper around the article to be wrapped and by simple adjustments the folding and tucking mechanism can be accommodate to fold and tuck wrappers around articles of varying heights.

Although one specific embodiment of the invention has been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that he invention is capable of modification and that changes in the construction and in the arrangement of the various cooperating parts may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as expressed in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a wrapping machine having means for feeding a Wrapper and article to be wrapped with the lateral ends of the wrapper extending beyond the sides of the article and stationary folding means for folding the front, top and bottom projecting ends of the wrapper against the sides of the article, the improvement comprising hinged mounting means for the bottom folder and means for adjustably raising and lowering the folder about the hinged mountmg.

4 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1966 Zucker 53230 US. Cl. X.R.