US3566573A - Method and apparatus for making compressible infusion package - Google Patents

Method and apparatus for making compressible infusion package Download PDF

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Publication number
US3566573A
US3566573A US780757A US3566573DA US3566573A US 3566573 A US3566573 A US 3566573A US 780757 A US780757 A US 780757A US 3566573D A US3566573D A US 3566573DA US 3566573 A US3566573 A US 3566573A
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string
bag
cover member
cover
fold
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US780757A
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Hans O Irmscher
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National Tea Packing Co Inc
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National Tea Packing Co Inc
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B29/00—Packaging of materials presenting special problems
    • B65B29/02—Packaging of substances, e.g. tea, which are intended to be infused in the package
    • B65B29/04—Attaching, or forming and attaching, string handles or tags to tea bags

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  • This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a compressible infusion package, and more particularly to machine and method improvements to the disclosure of my Pat. No. 3,143,834 patented Aug. 11, 1964.
  • the invention pertains to the making of a compressible infusion package, and more particularly to tea bag package in which a tea bag is combined with a folded cover member the wings of which are folded over the tea bag to engage the faces of the same and which in use are pressed between ones fingers to compress and squeeze the tea bag for the purpose of expelling residual fluid therefrom after an infusion step.
  • Tea bags are commonly made with suspending strings which function as a means for suspending and holding the tea bag for the act of immersion and withdrawal of the bag from the tea cup.
  • the tea bag cover member is associated with the string suspendable tea bag so that the wings of the cover normally embrace the dry tea bag, is withdrawn therefrom to serve as a handhold for the tea bag suspended during the infusion step and is then returned in position over the tea bag upon withdrawal from the tea cup for the compression step.
  • a flexible sheet member is folded over the tea bag to form a two-wing wrapper-cover therefor and the suspending string is wound about and encircles the assembly of the tea bag and wrapper-cover and is then anchored at its free end to the cover and more particularly to a slit in the fold on the cover, the said slit acting for detachably anchoring the free end of the string to the cover member.
  • the end of the suspending string is so anchored to the fold of the package assembly that the string may be readily detached from its anchored position by a simple pull applied to the end of the string.
  • the string also normally functions for firmly tying the wrapper-cover to the tea bag, with the result that a unitary firmed-up package is produced, highly serviceable for box-packaging handling.
  • the wrapper-cover member for the bag made of a heat insulating flexible sheet-material, such as a polystyrene foam, is precreased to produce a defined fold line therein before folding the cover member over the tea bag.
  • FIG. 1 is a face view of a completed compressible infusion package as made by the method and apparatus of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting the manner of using the package for the infusion and compression steps
  • FIG. 3 is a view of a flexible sheet member depicting the results of the operations performed thereon to form the individual cover member for the infusion bag;
  • FIG. 4 is a view of the elemental apparatus employed in the improved process of producing the compressible tea bag package
  • FIGS. 5 through 11 are sequential views, largely in diagrammatic form, depicting the various steps performed in the improved process for producing the infusion package of the invention
  • FIG. 12 is a vertical elevational view of the apparatus corresponding to the figure shown in FIG. 4, but showing the apparatus in more detailed form;
  • FIG. 13 is a view, shown to an enlarged scale, of parts of the apparatus depicted in FIG. 12 featuring the mechanism employed for operating upon the flexible sheet member to form the individual cover member, showing the relation of the latter to a tea bag to which such cover member is ready to be applied;
  • FIG. 14 is a top plan view of sheet feeding means shown particularly in FIG. 13 taken in section along the arcuate line 14- 14 thereof;
  • FIG. is a view, shown to an enlarged scale of the feeding means of FIG. 14 taken in section in the plane of the line 1515 thereof;
  • FIG. 16 is a top plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 12 taken in section in the plane of the line 16-16 thereof;
  • FIG. 17 is a plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 13 taken in section in the plane of the line 17-17 thereof;
  • FIG. 18 is a plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 13 taken in section along the broken line 1818 thereof;
  • FIG. 19 is a vertical elevational view of the mechanism employed (and operative at the bottom terminal point of the apparatus depicted in FIG. 13) for anchoring the end of the suspending string to the fold of the wrappercover of the infusion bag;
  • FIG. 20 is a view of FIG. 19 taken in section along the broken line' 20-20 thereof.
  • FIG. 21 is a view of one of the parts of the mechanism shown in FIG. 20 taken in section along the line 2121 thereof.
  • the compressible infusion package comprises an infusion such as a tea bag T, a suspending string S attached to an end such as to the top of the tea bag T and a flexible cover member C folded over the top and of the infusion bag and defining two wings w and w engaging the faces f and f of the infusion bag.
  • the said string is attached to the top end of the tea bag preferably by being stapled thereto as at 10, and the said string is loosely threaded through an orifice 12 at the fold 14 of the cover member C.
  • the said cover member is also formed with a slit 16 across its fold.
  • the string S is wound about and encircles the cover member C and the infusion bag T, the cover member then forming a wrapper for the tea bag and the free end 18 of the string S is drawn into the fold of the cover member C to produce therein the slit 16, thereby firmly tying the wrapper-cover to the tea bag and thereby detachably anchoring the string to the package.
  • the free end 18 of the string is also provided with a finger tab 20 attached thereto in a position above the part of the string which is detachably held in the cover. slit.
  • the cover member forms a wrapper embracing the faces of the bag; and the string wound about and encircling the bag-cover assembly and anchored in the foldslitof the cover forms a means for tightly and firmly tying the wrapper to the tea bag, with the result that a unitary firmed-up package is produced.
  • the integrity of the thus produced package is maintained in the steps of box-packaging a group of such tea bag packages, thereby enabling a uniform and compact assembling of the same in a box. 1
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings depict the manner of handling the package for consumer use.
  • the package is opened by grasping the finger tab 20 between the fingers of one hand and by then simply exerting a slight pull applied to the free end18 of the string S, thereby freeing this string end from the friction grip of the fold-slit 16.
  • the fingers of the other hand at the same time holding the cover-wrapper C, all as depicted in FIG. 2 of the drawings.
  • the string S and the bag T are then released while the cover-wrapper C is still finger held, with the result depicted in FIG.
  • the tea bag T falling to its suspended condition for the infusion or brewing step, the string S freely falling through the orifice 12 in the cover C until stopped by the engagement with the cover of the finger tab 20, the cover C serving as a handhold for the bag during the infusion or brewing step.
  • the finger tab 20 is then again grasped between the fingers of the user and the cover C is then returned to its position with its Wings w and w overlying the faces of the tea bag, the wings being then compressed between the users fingers for compressing and squeezing the tea bag to expel the residual fluid therein.
  • FIG. 4 of the drawings I show generically the method of the present invention for making the compressible infusion package.
  • the method comprises the steps of attaching at one station, designated as I, a string S to the top end of an infusion bag, such as the tea bag T, moving said bag, with said top end forward, together with the attached string S to a second station, designated as II, at which is positioned a flexible member which is to form the cover C, the said flexible member being provided with an orifice 12, then pulling the free section of said string S through said orifice at said section station II by means of a looper 22, continuing the movement of said bag T, end forward, into said flexible cover member, thereby folding said member thereat over the two faces of the bag, then continuing the movement of said bag and the folded cover member assembly through subsequent stations designated as III and IV, while holding the free section of said string S, this movement being accomplished by rotating the said assembly about or around said string, thereby winding the said string about and encircling said assembly and subsequently drawing the end portion 18
  • the described method is a continuous method of making the compressible infusion package, the steps of which will now be described more in detail.
  • the string material 24 for forming the individual strings S is fed from a continuing supply source or spool in the direction of the arrow 26.
  • the tea bags T held by grippers (later described) are deposited on a carrier wheel 28 which is intermittently rotated in the direction of the arrow 30 about a central axis defined by the shaft 32, and when a tea bag reaches the first position shown in FIG. 4, the grippers move the tea bag to the station I where the string material 24 is attached by means of a staple 10 to the tea bag end.
  • the string material is then cut or severed by means of the cutters 34, after which the bag T is returned to the carrier wheel 28, the movement of the bag from and to the carrier wheel being indicated by the double arrow 36.
  • the string S of the next preceding bag T is engaged by fingers of a first tensioning means 38-.
  • the bag T with its attached string is moved to station II by the rotation of the carrier wheel 28.
  • the tensioning means 38 is then moved with the gripped string S from the full line position to the dotted line (retracted) position shown in FIG. 4, the full cycle of movement of the same being indicated by the double arrow 40.
  • a looper 22 is moved upwardly through the orifice 12 of the cover material C, engages the string S and is then moved downwardly to a retracted condition, thereby pulling the string S through the said orifice, the looper in this operation being moved between the two dotted line positions shown in the drawings.
  • the flexible sheet material 42 for forming the cover member C is fed from a continuing supply source through a braking control device 44 to a feeding mechanism generally designated as 46 which embodies a means 48, 48 for precreasing the sheet 42 at spaced regions thereof to form defined and accurately spaced fold lines in the sheet, a cover member containing a mid-positioned fold line being thereupon severed from the sheet by the cutter 50.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the result of this feeding and pre creasing operation.
  • the continuously fed sheet material 42 provided with the spaced orifices 12, 12 and also with feeding notches 52, 52 (engaged by registering pins in the feeding mechanism 46) is precreased at 54, 54 at spaced regions of the sheet, aligned with certain of the feeding registered notches 52, 52, after which a cover member having an accurately located mid-positioned fold line 54 is severed from the forward end of the sheet.
  • the bag T On the carrier wheel 28, is moved, end forward, into the now severed flexible cover member C, thereby folding said cover member C about its feld line over the end of the bag T, the bag now with two wings of the cover engaging the faces thereof moving from station II to station III.
  • the bag and cover assembly is engaged between a set of interior plates and a set of exterior plates, described later, the bag and cover assembly moving in the spaces between the two sets of plates and being confined by the walls of these spaces.
  • the string S releasably held by the looper 22 is frictionally engaged by a tensioning mechanism generally designated as 56 having the two component parts 56' and 56 the string being thereby frictionally (and slidably) restrained by the tensioning mechanism.
  • the string S is laid over one side of the bag and cover assembly as clearly shown in FIG. 4.
  • the assembly thus far produced is transferred to another rotatable carrier 58 rotatable in a direction opposite to that of carrier 28, as indicated by the arrow 60.
  • the carrier 58 rotatable about an axis defined by the shaft 62 carries sets of gripper fingers, described later, pivotally oscillatable on the carrier 58, the said fingers being movable from a closed condition at station III to open position at station IV. In the finger closed position at station III the embryo package assembly produced is transferred from the carrier wheel 28 to the carrier 58.
  • the embryo bag assembly is moved by the carrier 58, held between the said fingers from station III to station IV.
  • the string S is engaged by a fourth set of tension means 64; and as the embryo assembly is rotated from the station HI to the station IV position, the string S completes its encirclement, under tension, of the bag and cover assembly, the assembly being maintained in its flattened state.
  • grippers 66 movable over the are designated by the arrow 68, take hold of the end 18 of the string S and move the same from the full line position shown in FIG. 4, over the fold of the cover member, cutting into the fold and producing the slit 16 therein, the slit thereupon forming the means for firmly anchoring the string in the cover member.
  • the assembly thus produced moves to the station V position where adhesive tab material 70 fed from a continuing supply source is severed into sections, folded and then applied by known means to the string ends 18 to form the finger tabs 20.
  • FIGS. 5 to 11 of the drawings The method steps and the apparatus operations just described are diagrammatically shown in sequence in FIGS. 5 to 11 of the drawings, the results of the machine and method improvements involved in the present invention being depicted in these figures.
  • This cover member is accurately positioned with reference to the tea bag T moving into engagement therewith, the fold line being in a position for precise alignment with the stapled end of the tea bag (FIGS. 5 to 7).
  • the tea bag in its continued movement engages the cover member at its fold line, and the wings of the cover member fold themselves over the faces of the tea bag in a self-folding operation (FIGS. 8 and 9).
  • the wrapper cover (FIGS. 8 to 10)
  • the end 18 is forcibly drawn over and into the fold line 14 of the cover member, cutting the slit 16 therein for anchoring the string end (FIGS. 10 and 11).
  • the string S is kept under constant tension and control first by the tensioning gripping fingers 38, then by the two component tensioning parts 56 and 56 of the tensioning mechanism 56 and finally by the tensioning means 64, from which latter the string is drawn by the grippers 66.
  • the component parts of the tensioning mechanism act as controls or guides for the movement of the looper 22 from the point when the looper first engages the string (FIG. 6) to the point where the string moves into the last tensioning means 64 (FIG. 9).
  • This mechanism includes the feeding means 46 which comprises an intermittently rotating wheel which, as aforesaid, embodies the precreasing means 48, the said wheel rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow 72 about the axis 74.
  • the precreasing means 48 consists of blades anchored at spaced points (3 such blades being shown) and extending as best indicated in FIGS. 4 and 13 from the periphery 76 of the wheel.
  • the continuous sheet stock 42 guided by the idler wheel 78 is trained over the wheel and is moved with said wheel by means of spaced sets of feeding and registration pins 80, 80 (see FIGS. 13-15) anchored at spaced points to the wheel and also extending above the periphery thereof, said pins functioning to receive the perforations 52, 52 in the sheet 42.
  • the said pins are aligned with the precreasing blades 54, the alignment of the pins and the blades serving to accurately determine the fold line of a produced cover member and to move the same in alignment with the receiving end of the infusion bag.
  • a cam plate 82 Fixed to one side of the wheel is a cam plate 82 formed with depressed cam areas 84 located in alignment with the said pins and blades. Cooperating with the rim of the cam plate and movable into the cam areas thereof is a cam follower 85 controlling a resilient wheel 86 rotatably mounted on a lever 88 under the influence of an expansion spring 90 (see FIG. 4).
  • a cam follower 85 controlling a resilient wheel 86 rotatably mounted on a lever 88 under the influence of an expansion spring 90 (see FIG. 4).
  • the feeding wheel 46 in its continued movement moves the sheet stock 42 for positioning an end of the sheet stock for the cutting of an end section thereof to form the cover member and for positioning the same for alignment reception of the tea bag T as previously described.
  • the sheet stock is moved between guide elements 91, 91 onto and over plate members 92 and 94 integral, respectively, with a set of exterior plates 96 and a set of interior plates 98 (see particularly FIGS. 13 and 17), the previously cut end of the sheet stock being stopped by a frame part 100.
  • the cover member is thereupon cut from the sheet stock by the cutters 50 previously referred to. It may be here pointed out that the assembly of the tea bag T and folding cover member C move in and are confined by the walls of the space 102 between the two sets of plates 96 and 98, as best shown in FIGS. 13, 17, and 18.
  • FIGS. 12, 13 and 16 taken in connection with FIG. 4 of the drawings.
  • the first tensioning means 38 engages the string S between stations I and II and moves the same between the full and dotted line positions depicted in FIG. 4.
  • This tensioning means comprises the fixed and spring-influenced plier gripper members 38 and 38 respectively, which when the tensioning means 38 is moved toward the string S, opens to receive the string, which latter becomes lodged between the inner end of a raised lip 38 formed in the plier member 38 and a recess formed in the plier member 38 The string S is thereby gripped for its desired movement to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 4, the string nevertheless being slidably (and frictionally) held by the tensioning plier mechanism 38.
  • the means for moving this tensioning mechanism 38 between its stated positions comprises a lever 104, to which the plier member 38 is affixed, the said lever fulcrumed at 106 is movable about its fulcrum by a linkagelever 108 (FIG. 12) connected by link 109 to a lever 110 fulcrumed at 111, in turn connected to a link 112 attached to an operating lever 114 movable by a cam 116.
  • this described operating mechanism also serves to move the movable member 50 of the cutter 50; and to this end, this movable cutter member pressed into sliding condition by a leaf spring 118 is attached pivotally at 120 to the lever 110 as best shown in FIG. 12.
  • the string S is received by and frictionally held in the plier elements of the tensioning means 38 just prior to the cutting of the string by the cutter elements 34, and the cutter 50, 50 for severing the end cover member from the sheet stock 42 is operated upon the retracting movement of the tensioning means 38.
  • FIGS. 12, 13 and 16 to 18, taken with FIG. 4 I show in greater detail the means for moving the tea bag T relative to and into the sheet cover member S at the fold line 54 thereof, folding said cover member about said fold line of the tea bag and moving the produced assembly to station III where it is partly wound about the string S.
  • This means comprises the carrier wheel 2-8 with its appurtenant parts for receiving, gripping and moving sequential tea bags through the space 102, which latter forms a progressively decreasing throat from station II to station III (FIGS. 4 and 12).
  • the carrier wheel 28 comprises two spaced plates 122 and 124, the front plate 122 being fully shown in FIG. 12 and both plates being indicated in FIGS. 16 and 17, spacedly connected together by means of the shaft 32 therefor and also by additional means to be described presently.
  • the front plate 122 carries a plurality in number) of gripper devices generally designated as G and the rear plate carries a plurality of complemental gripper devices generally designated as G, each complemental set of gripper devices G and G functioning to receive and grip the edges of a tea bag T and carry the same through to the releasing station III of the apparatus (see FIGS. 12, 16 and 17).
  • Each complemental set of gripped devices is moved on the carrier Wheel 28 between retracted positions a, a and an extended position b particularly shown in FIG. 12.
  • Each gripper device comprises a holder 126 on which is mounted a movable gripper member 128 and a fixed gripper member 130 (see particularly FIGS. 16 and 17).
  • the movable gripper member 128, tensioned by spring 131 is provided with a cam follower 132.
  • complemental cam followers 132 engage cam members 134 (FIG. 17) for relatively moving the gripper members to open and close the same.
  • the gripper devices G mounted on the front plate and the gripper devices G mounted on the rear plate of the carrier are of the same but complemental structure as most clearly depicted in FIG. 17.
  • Each set of complemental gripper devices G and G is moved between the designated a and b positions referred to by the following means:
  • Each frontally mounted gripper device G is moved by two parallel arms 136 and 138, to one end of each of which arms the holder 126 of the gripper device is pivotally connected as at 140 and 142 respectively (FIG. 12), the said arms being rotatably mounted on the plate 122 about axes defined by their mounting shafts 144 and 146 respectively, the arm 136 forming part of a lever, the other arm 148 of which is provided at its end with a cam follower 150.
  • a cam 152 Associated with the front plate 122 or made a part thereof.
  • the complemental gripper devices G are mounted on the rear plate 124 of the wheel carrier by means of arms corresponding to the arms 136 and 138, pivotally connected in the same way to the holders 126 therefor, such arms being rotatably mounted in the same way as the arms 136 and 138 on the rear plate 124, except that such arms for the rear plate are devoid of the additional lever arms 148.
  • Each rear plate gripping device G is moved with its complemental front plate gripper device by means of the shaft 144 of an arm 136 to which shaft the rear corresponding arm is fixed.
  • Each shaft 144 at the rear carrier plate 124 carries a gear 156 which meshes with a pinion 158 rotatable on said rear plate; and the shaft 160 of said pinion carries, in the region or space between the plates 122 and 124, a finger 162 movable between a retracted position 0 and an extended position d (FIG. 12) for the purpose of engaging and providing a back-up support for the string S when it is engaged to be gripped by the jaws of the gripper 38 (see FIG. 4).
  • the shafts 144 and 146 which connect the described arms on the opposite plates of the carrier 28 as well as the shafts 160 define the means additional to the axis shaft 32 for uniting the plates 122 and 124 of the carrier.
  • the rotatable carrier 58 (to which the tea bags are transferred at station III) comprises a plate 164 carrying a plurality (three in number) of gripper mechanisms G G for receiving the assemblies of the tea bags and cover members at station III from the carrier wheel 28 and for moving the same to station IV and for finally depositing the completed assembled tea packages to station V (FIG. 4).
  • Each gripper mechanism G comprises movable jaws 166 and 168 between and within which are leaf springs 170 and 172 (serving to increase the gripping power of the gripper mechanism), the said jaws being movable between an open position shown at station HI to a closed position, which remains closed at station IV for the endstrmg anchoring step (FIG. 12), after which the jaws are again opened to deposit the completed assembly to station V (FIG. 4).
  • the gripper jaw 168 is slotted at 169 (FIG. 20) where the cover slit is to be formed.
  • the gripper jaw 166 is made integral with a compound arm 174 fixed to a shaft 176 rotatable in the plate 164, said compound arm carrying a rotatable cam follower 178 (see FIGS. 12 and 20) and provided with a finger 180 for anchoring one end of a compression spring 182, the other end of which is anchored against a fixed part 184 on the plate 164 (FIG. 12).
  • the other gripper jaw 168 is also made integral with a compound arm 186 fixed to a shaft 188 rotatable in the plate 164.
  • the tensioning mechanisms 56', 56 and 64 are all mounted on and between the exterior plate set 96, 96, best shown in part in FIGS. 17 and 18.
  • the tensioning mechanism 56 is mounted between a block member 198 and a block member 200 secured by pins 202, 202 to the said plates 96, 96; the tensioning mechanisms 56', 56 are mounted on the block member 200, and the tensioning mechanism 64 is attached to one of the plate members 96 (best seen in FIG. 18).
  • the mounting of these mechanisms is effected by pivotally mounting the mechanism '56 on a pin 204 fixed into the block 200, the mounting of the mechanism 56 is effected by pivotally mounting the same on a pin 206 fixed into the block 200, and the mounting of the mechanism 64 is effected by atfixing the same to the inside plate 96 by means of the pins 208 and 210 (FIG. 13).
  • the tensioning mechanism 56 comprises the lever arms 212 and 214 fulcrumed on the mounting pin 204, the front arms of which define the gripping jZilWS of the tensioning mechanism, the rear arms being tensioned by a spring 216 to move the jaws to their closed and tensioning positions.
  • the tensioning mechanism 56 is of a similar structure comprising levers 212' and 214 (see FIG. 13) fulcrumed about the mounting pin 206, the front arms of which also define the gripping jaws of the tensioning mechanism, the rear arms being tensioned by a spring 216' for urging the jaws to their closed position.
  • the looper 22 in its movement from the point of engaging the string S, threading the same through the orifice 12 of a cover member and drawing the same through the tensioning mechanisms 56 and 56 (see FIGS. 6 to 9), is itself controlled and guided in its said movement.
  • This is accomplished by structuring the tensioning mechanisms 56' and 56 assisted by other parts of the plates 96, 96, to receive and acurately guide the extended movement of the looper 22.
  • the gripper jaws of the tensioning mechanisms 56' and 56 are contoured at their outer ends as, for example, at 218 (FIG.
  • the inner end of the block 198 is suitably grooved as at 220 and an additional contoured guide 222 is formed at the lower end of the plates 96 (FIG. 13). Pins 223 between the jaws of the levers 212, 214 and 212', 214' are provided to center the levers.
  • the tensioning mechanism 64 takes over the control of the string by receiving and slidably gripping the free end of the string for and during the completion of its winding operation about the tea bag and cover member assembly (see FIGS. 9 to 11).
  • This tensioning mechanism is so designed as to apply an increased tension to the string end to enable the final operation of string-cutting the cover fold to be properly effected.
  • This tensioning mechanism 64 is made to comprise a fixed member 224 attached to the inner plate 96 (FIG. 18) and a movable member 226 pivoted at 228 to the fixed member influenced to a closed gripping position by means of the spring 230.
  • FIGS. 19 to 21 I show the means (already previously depicted generally as pliers 66) for positively gripping and drawing the end portion '18 of the now wound string S from the elements of the last tensioning mechanism 64 into the fold 14 of the wrapper-cover C (the latter held between the jaws of a gripper mechanism G acting to cut the slit in said fold and anchoring the string end therein.
  • pliers 66 for positively gripping and drawing the end portion '18 of the now wound string S from the elements of the last tensioning mechanism 64 into the fold 14 of the wrapper-cover C (the latter held between the jaws of a gripper mechanism G acting to cut the slit in said fold and anchoring the string end therein.
  • the plier means 66 (FIG. 21) comprises a movable plier element 240 pivoted to a stationary plier element 242, the movable element being movable to plier open position by means of a right angle lever 244 fulcrumed at 246 to the stationary plier element 242 and movable to a closed position (as shown in FIG. 21) by means of a spring 248 anchored as shown in FIG. 21 between parts of the movable and fixed plier elements.
  • the string S when the plier elements are opened is firmly caught between an end recess 250 in the movable plier element and the edge 252 of the stationary plier element.
  • Opening of the pliers is effected by actuation of the lever 244 by a cam follower 254 at the end of an arm thereof moved by the actuation of a U-shaped cam 256, the said cam being oscillatably pivoted about the pins 258, 258 carried by a mounting plate 260.
  • the pliers 66 is mounted for oscillatory movement on the mounting plate 260 and is oscillated thereon by the following means: the stationary element of the pliers is attached to a base 262 fixed to a shaft 264 rotatably mounted in the plate 260 to which shaft is fixed a partial 1 1 pinion 266 meshing with a partial gear 268 which latter is provided with an actuating arm 270 connected for its operation to a link 272.
  • the cam 256 is moved in the opposite direction thereby enabling the jaws of the pliers to be spring closed and to thereby firmly grip the string.
  • the string is forcibly drawn over the cover fold to produce the slit therein and to anchor the string end therein.
  • the cam 256 is brought into operation to open the plier jaws to release the string.
  • the pinion-gear combination is then moved in a return direction (opposite to the indicated arrows) to return the parts to the position shown in FIG. 19.
  • the operation of the pliers 66 is efiected by means coordinated with the movement of the looper 22.
  • the means for coordinating the movement of these parts comprises a cam 274 (bottom of FIG. 12) engaging a cam follower 276 fixed to a lever 278 fulcrumed at 280, to the end of which lever is connected a link 282 the other end of which link is pivoted to an arm 284 in turn pivotally mounted at 286.
  • To the arm 284 is also pivoted the upper end of the link 272 (see both FIGS. 12 and 19).
  • rotation of the cam 274 will be seen to effect the oscillation of the link 272 and its connected partial gear 268.
  • the looper 22 is coordinately oscillated by this same described actuating means by having the said looper attached at its lower end to a branch 284' of said arm 284 (see FIG. 12).
  • This cover member is accurately positioned with reference to the tea bag T moving into engagement therewith, the fold line being in a position for precise alignment with the stapled end of the tea bag (FIGS. 5 to 7).
  • the tea bag in its continued movement engages the cover member at its fold line, and wings of the cover members fold themselves over the faces of the tea bag in a self-folding operation (FIGS.
  • the string S is wound about the assembly of the bag and wrapper cover (FIGS. 8 to 10), the end 18 is forcibly drawn over and into the fold line 14 of the cover member, cutting the slit 16 therein for anchoring the string end (FIGS. 10 and 11).
  • the string S is kept under constant tension and control first by the tensioning gripping means 38, then by the two component tensioning mechanism 56' and 56 and finally by the tensioning mechanism 64, from which latter the string is forcibly drawn by the plier grippers 66.
  • the component parts of the tensioning mechanism 56 act as controls or guides for the movement of the looper 22 from the point when the looper first engages the string (FIG. 6) to the point where the string moves into the last tensioning means 64 (FIG. 9).
  • the method of making a compressible infusion package which comprises the steps of precreasing a flexible sheet member to produce a defined fold line therein, moving an infusion bag, to an end of which is attached a suspending string, relative toand into said sheet member at the fold line thereof, thereby folding said sheet member about its fold line on said infusion bag and thereby forming two wings of a cover member engaging the faces of the infusion bag, winding said string about and encircling the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag, then cutting a slit in the fold line of the cover member and detachably anchoring the free end of said string in said slit.
  • the method of making a compressible infusion package which comprises the steps of attaching a suspending string to one end of an infusion bag, precreasing a flexible sheet member provided with an orifice to produce a defined fold line therein at said orifice, threading the free end of said string through the orifice, moving said infusion bag at its said end relatively to and into said flexible sheet member at the fold line thereof and thereby folding said sheet member about its fold line over said end of and over the infusion bag and thereby forming two wings of a cover member engaging the faces of the infusion bag, winding said string about and encircling the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag, and then cutting a slit in the fold line and drawing the end portion of said string into the fold line of said cover member, thereby firmly tying the cover member to the bag and detachably anchoring the string in said cover member.
  • An apparatus for making a compressible infusion package comprising means for precreasing a flexible sheet member to produce a defined fold line therein, means for moving an infusion bag, at an end of which is attached a suspending string, relative to and into said sheet member at the fold line thereof, thereby folding said sheet member about its fold line over said infusion bag and thereby forming two Wings of a cover member engaging the faces of the infusion bag, and mechanism winding said string about and encircling the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag, said mechanism including-a means for forcibly drawing the free end of the string into the fold line of the cover member, thereby cutting a slit therein, the slit acting for detachably anchoring the free end of said string to the cover member.
  • the referred to means comprises pliers mounted for movement of the jaws thereof into the path of the tensioned string and means for opening the jaws of the pliers for receiving and for closing the jaws for gripping the string in the operation of forcibly drawing the same into the cover fold and for then opening the jaws of the pliers to release the string.
  • the said last recited means comprises a cam follower connected to said pliers, a cam movable to engage the cam follower to effect the opening of the jaws of the pliers, and means acting on the jaws of the pliers to close the same for gripping engagement with the string.
  • a mechanism for controlling the movement of the string through its operations comprising a looper member movable through the orifice of said cover member for engaging the bag-unattached end of the string in a loop formed therein, threading it through the orifice and moving the string in its operation of being partially wound about said assembly, a first tensioning element for slidably gripping the string during its orifice threading operation, second and third tensioning elements for slidably gripping the string during its said winding operation, the said second and third gripping elements being structure to receive and guide the said looper member
  • a fourth tensioning element positioned in relation to the third tensioning element to receive and slidably gri the string for and during the completion of its winding operation about said assembly.
  • a pliers positioned in relation to said fourth tensioning element for gripping the end of the string and drawing the same out of the fourth tensioning element over the fold of the wrapper cover to cut a string retaining slit in the wrapper cover fold.

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Abstract

AN IMPROVED METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING AN INFUSION SUCH AS A TEA BAG PACKAGE, THE PACKAGE COMPRISING THE ASSEMBLY OF AN INFUSION BAG AND A WRAPPER-COVER FOLDED OVER ONE END OF AND OVER THE FACES OF THE BAG THE SUSPENDING STRING OF THE BAG BEING WOUND ABOUT THE ASSEMBLY AND THE FREE END OF THE STRING BEING DETACHABLY ANCHORED IN A SLIT FORMED IN THE FOLD OF THE WRAPPERCOVER, THE METHOD AND MACHINE IMPROVEMENTS CENTERING ABOUT THE PRECREASING OF THE COVER MEMBER TO PRODUCE A DEFINED FOLD LINE THEREIN, THE DRAWING OF THE FREE END OF THE STRING AFTER THE WINDING OPERATION TO STRING-CUT THE SLIT IN THE WRAPPER-COVER FOLD AND THE TENSIONING CONTROL OF THE STRING THROUGH ALL THE OPERATIONS AND STEPS OF THE MACHINE AND METHOD.

Description

March 2, 1971 [RMSCHER 7 3,566,573
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5. 1968 8 SheetsSheet 2 INVENTOR HANS a. nwso/z/e March 1971 H. o. IRMSCHER 3,
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5. 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR H/M/S 0 Mama/2 Y L ATTORNEY March 2, 1971 H. o. IRMSCHER 3,566,573
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5. 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 //6 FIG. [2
INVENTOR H/Ws 0. 09/1 150/15? g r BY ATTORNEY March 1971 v H. o. IRMSCHER 3,566,573
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5. 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR H/l/VS O-MMSCHER ATTORNEY March 2, 1971 Q ER 3,566,573
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 March 2, 1971 H. O. IRMSCHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5) 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 Q. at
March 2, 1971 H. o. IRMSCHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Filed Dec. 5, 1968 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 FIG. 20
INVENTOR f/fl/VS 0. MMSCl/Er? v r Vi a-1".
ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,566,573 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAIHN G COMPRESSIBLE INFUSION PACKAGE Hans 0. Irmscher, Malverne, N.Y., assignor to National Tea Packing (10., Inc., Long Island City, N.Y. Filed Dec. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 780,757 Int. Cl. B651) 29/04 U.S. CI. 53-14 16 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLGSURE An improved method and machine for making an infusion such as a tea bag package, the package comprising the assembly of an infusion bag and a wrapper-cover folded over one end of and over the faces of the bag, the suspending string of the bag being wound about the assembly and the free end of the string being detachably anchored in a slit formed in the fold of the wrappercover, the method and machine improvements centering about the precreasing of the cover member to produce a defined fold line therein, the drawing of the free end of the string after the winding operation to string-cut the slit in the Wrapper-cover fold and the tensioning control of the string through all the operations and steps of the machine and method.
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for making a compressible infusion package, and more particularly to machine and method improvements to the disclosure of my Pat. No. 3,143,834 patented Aug. 11, 1964.
The invention pertains to the making of a compressible infusion package, and more particularly to tea bag package in which a tea bag is combined with a folded cover member the wings of which are folded over the tea bag to engage the faces of the same and which in use are pressed between ones fingers to compress and squeeze the tea bag for the purpose of expelling residual fluid therefrom after an infusion step. Tea bags are commonly made with suspending strings which function as a means for suspending and holding the tea bag for the act of immersion and withdrawal of the bag from the tea cup. The tea bag cover member is associated with the string suspendable tea bag so that the wings of the cover normally embrace the dry tea bag, is withdrawn therefrom to serve as a handhold for the tea bag suspended during the infusion step and is then returned in position over the tea bag upon withdrawal from the tea cup for the compression step.
In the method disclosed in my said prior patent, a flexible sheet member is folded over the tea bag to form a two-wing wrapper-cover therefor and the suspending string is wound about and encircles the assembly of the tea bag and wrapper-cover and is then anchored at its free end to the cover and more particularly to a slit in the fold on the cover, the said slit acting for detachably anchoring the free end of the string to the cover member. The end of the suspending string is so anchored to the fold of the package assembly that the string may be readily detached from its anchored position by a simple pull applied to the end of the string. The string also normally functions for firmly tying the wrapper-cover to the tea bag, with the result that a unitary firmed-up package is produced, highly serviceable for box-packaging handling.
The machine and method improvements of my present invention to the disclosure of my aforesaid patent center about the following objects and provisions:
(1) The wrapper-cover member for the bag, made of a heat insulating flexible sheet-material, such as a polystyrene foam, is precreased to produce a defined fold line therein before folding the cover member over the tea bag.
This accomplishes a number of desired results, namely (a) cracking of the sheet material at the fold is obviated and a clean, straightly creased fold is produced, (b) the cover member folds more readily at its defined fold line when folded over the faces of the tea bag, a self-folding operation in effect taking place, and (c) with a controlled feeding of the flexible sheet material, from which the cover member is severed, associated with the precreasing operation, an accurate positioning of the cover member with reference to a relatively movable tea bag is obtained with the result that the fold line is located in precisionreception of the tea bag for the folding operation,
(2) The anchoring of the free end of the suspending string to the fold of the wrapper-cover member, after winding the string about and encircling the assembly of the wrapper-cover member and the infusion bag, is effected by forcibly drawing the end of the string over and into the fold line, the string thereby cutting a slit in the fold line, the string-cut slit forming the means for detachably anchoring the string in the fold of the cover member. With this step and the machine parts used therefor, preslitting of the flexible sheet material, with its attendant disadvantages, is precluded, other difliculties incident to locating the string end with reference to a pre-arranged slit are avoided, and a neater, more attractive end product, of which a clean straight fold is a factor, is attained; and
(3) The tensioning of the string from the point of its severance from a string supply and the attachment of one of its ends to the tea bag to the point of the attachment of its free end to the wrapper-cover fold, and the maintenance of this tensioning through the sequence of operations of the method, is achieved by an improved tensioning mechanism. This improved mechanism effects one of the diflicult tasks of a machine of the character involved, namely to keep under constant control the movement of a free-end string through a sequence and series of machine and method operations.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my present invention relates to the machine and method improvements as sought to be defined in the appended claims, taken together with the following specification and the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a face view of a completed compressible infusion package as made by the method and apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting the manner of using the package for the infusion and compression steps;
FIG. 3 is a view of a flexible sheet member depicting the results of the operations performed thereon to form the individual cover member for the infusion bag;
FIG. 4 is a view of the elemental apparatus employed in the improved process of producing the compressible tea bag package;
FIGS. 5 through 11 are sequential views, largely in diagrammatic form, depicting the various steps performed in the improved process for producing the infusion package of the invention;
FIG. 12 is a vertical elevational view of the apparatus corresponding to the figure shown in FIG. 4, but showing the apparatus in more detailed form;
FIG. 13 is a view, shown to an enlarged scale, of parts of the apparatus depicted in FIG. 12 featuring the mechanism employed for operating upon the flexible sheet member to form the individual cover member, showing the relation of the latter to a tea bag to which such cover member is ready to be applied;
FIG. 14 is a top plan view of sheet feeding means shown particularly in FIG. 13 taken in section along the arcuate line 14- 14 thereof;
FIG. is a view, shown to an enlarged scale of the feeding means of FIG. 14 taken in section in the plane of the line 1515 thereof;
FIG. 16 is a top plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 12 taken in section in the plane of the line 16-16 thereof;
FIG. 17 is a plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 13 taken in section in the plane of the line 17-17 thereof;
FIG. 18 is a plan view of that part of the apparatus of FIG. 13 taken in section along the broken line 1818 thereof;
FIG. 19 is a vertical elevational view of the mechanism employed (and operative at the bottom terminal point of the apparatus depicted in FIG. 13) for anchoring the end of the suspending string to the fold of the wrappercover of the infusion bag;
FIG. 20 is a view of FIG. 19 taken in section along the broken line' 20-20 thereof; and
FIG. 21 is a view of one of the parts of the mechanism shown in FIG. 20 taken in section along the line 2121 thereof.
The method and apparatus of the invention may first be described generically by reference to FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawings.
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the compressible infusion package comprises an infusion such as a tea bag T, a suspending string S attached to an end such as to the top of the tea bag T and a flexible cover member C folded over the top and of the infusion bag and defining two wings w and w engaging the faces f and f of the infusion bag. The said string is attached to the top end of the tea bag preferably by being stapled thereto as at 10, and the said string is loosely threaded through an orifice 12 at the fold 14 of the cover member C. The said cover member is also formed with a slit 16 across its fold. To form the package, the string S is wound about and encircles the cover member C and the infusion bag T, the cover member then forming a wrapper for the tea bag and the free end 18 of the string S is drawn into the fold of the cover member C to produce therein the slit 16, thereby firmly tying the wrapper-cover to the tea bag and thereby detachably anchoring the string to the package. The free end 18 of the string is also provided with a finger tab 20 attached thereto in a position above the part of the string which is detachably held in the cover. slit.
1 In this composite package, as depicted in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the cover member forms a wrapper embracing the faces of the bag; and the string wound about and encircling the bag-cover assembly and anchored in the foldslitof the cover forms a means for tightly and firmly tying the wrapper to the tea bag, with the result that a unitary firmed-up package is produced. The integrity of the thus produced package is maintained in the steps of box-packaging a group of such tea bag packages, thereby enabling a uniform and compact assembling of the same in a box. 1
FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings depict the manner of handling the package for consumer use. The package is opened by grasping the finger tab 20 between the fingers of one hand and by then simply exerting a slight pull applied to the free end18 of the string S, thereby freeing this string end from the friction grip of the fold-slit 16. the fingers of the other hand at the same time holding the cover-wrapper C, all as depicted in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The string S and the bag T are then released while the cover-wrapper C is still finger held, with the result depicted in FIG. 2 of the drawings, the tea bag T falling to its suspended condition for the infusion or brewing step, the string S freely falling through the orifice 12 in the cover C until stopped by the engagement with the cover of the finger tab 20, the cover C serving as a handhold for the bag during the infusion or brewing step. Upon withdrawal of the tea bag from the tea cup the finger tab 20 is then again grasped between the fingers of the user and the cover C is then returned to its position with its Wings w and w overlying the faces of the tea bag, the wings being then compressed between the users fingers for compressing and squeezing the tea bag to expel the residual fluid therein.
In FIG. 4 of the drawings I show generically the method of the present invention for making the compressible infusion package. Considered in its generic aspects, the method comprises the steps of attaching at one station, designated as I, a string S to the top end of an infusion bag, such as the tea bag T, moving said bag, with said top end forward, together with the attached string S to a second station, designated as II, at which is positioned a flexible member which is to form the cover C, the said flexible member being provided with an orifice 12, then pulling the free section of said string S through said orifice at said section station II by means of a looper 22, continuing the movement of said bag T, end forward, into said flexible cover member, thereby folding said member thereat over the two faces of the bag, then continuing the movement of said bag and the folded cover member assembly through subsequent stations designated as III and IV, while holding the free section of said string S, this movement being accomplished by rotating the said assembly about or around said string, thereby winding the said string about and encircling said assembly and subsequently drawing the end portion 18 of said string S at the station IV through the fold of the cover member C to produce the anchoring slit 16. Thereafter at a station, designated as V, where the assembly from station IV is deposited, the terminal tab 20 is attached to the string end :18.
The described method is a continuous method of making the compressible infusion package, the steps of which will now be described more in detail. a
The string material 24 for forming the individual strings S is fed from a continuing supply source or spool in the direction of the arrow 26. The tea bags T held by grippers (later described) are deposited on a carrier wheel 28 which is intermittently rotated in the direction of the arrow 30 about a central axis defined by the shaft 32, and when a tea bag reaches the first position shown in FIG. 4, the grippers move the tea bag to the station I where the string material 24 is attached by means of a staple 10 to the tea bag end. The string material is then cut or severed by means of the cutters 34, after which the bag T is returned to the carrier wheel 28, the movement of the bag from and to the carrier wheel being indicated by the double arrow 36. Just prior to the string severing operation the string S of the next preceding bag T is engaged by fingers of a first tensioning means 38-.
In the next step of the process the bag T with its attached string is moved to station II by the rotation of the carrier wheel 28. The tensioning means 38 is then moved with the gripped string S from the full line position to the dotted line (retracted) position shown in FIG. 4, the full cycle of movement of the same being indicated by the double arrow 40. In the retracted and thus held position of the string S a looper 22 is moved upwardly through the orifice 12 of the cover material C, engages the string S and is then moved downwardly to a retracted condition, thereby pulling the string S through the said orifice, the looper in this operation being moved between the two dotted line positions shown in the drawings.
During the movement of the bag from station I to station II, the flexible sheet material 42 for forming the cover member C is fed from a continuing supply source through a braking control device 44 to a feeding mechanism generally designated as 46 which embodies a means 48, 48 for precreasing the sheet 42 at spaced regions thereof to form defined and accurately spaced fold lines in the sheet, a cover member containing a mid-positioned fold line being thereupon severed from the sheet by the cutter 50.
FIG. 3 illustrates the result of this feeding and pre creasing operation. The continuously fed sheet material 42 provided with the spaced orifices 12, 12 and also with feeding notches 52, 52 (engaged by registering pins in the feeding mechanism 46) is precreased at 54, 54 at spaced regions of the sheet, aligned with certain of the feeding registered notches 52, 52, after which a cover member having an accurately located mid-positioned fold line 54 is severed from the forward end of the sheet.
In the next step of the process the bag T, on the carrier wheel 28, is moved, end forward, into the now severed flexible cover member C, thereby folding said cover member C about its feld line over the end of the bag T, the bag now with two wings of the cover engaging the faces thereof moving from station II to station III. In this movement the bag and cover assembly is engaged between a set of interior plates and a set of exterior plates, described later, the bag and cover assembly moving in the spaces between the two sets of plates and being confined by the walls of these spaces. In this movement the string S, releasably held by the looper 22 is frictionally engaged by a tensioning mechanism generally designated as 56 having the two component parts 56' and 56 the string being thereby frictionally (and slidably) restrained by the tensioning mechanism. In this movement the string S is laid over one side of the bag and cover assembly as clearly shown in FIG. 4.
In the next step of the process the assembly thus far produced is transferred to another rotatable carrier 58 rotatable in a direction opposite to that of carrier 28, as indicated by the arrow 60. The carrier 58 rotatable about an axis defined by the shaft 62 carries sets of gripper fingers, described later, pivotally oscillatable on the carrier 58, the said fingers being movable from a closed condition at station III to open position at station IV. In the finger closed position at station III the embryo package assembly produced is transferred from the carrier wheel 28 to the carrier 58. It will be noted that the body of the bag T, just released from the space between the interior and exterior plate sets is in a fiat condition with the wings of the cover C firmly in contact with the faces of the bag T, the string S adding its eifect by exerting a pull on the outer face of the embryo assembly.
In the next step of the process the embryo bag assembly is moved by the carrier 58, held between the said fingers from station III to station IV. During this movement the string S is engaged by a fourth set of tension means 64; and as the embryo assembly is rotated from the station HI to the station IV position, the string S completes its encirclement, under tension, of the bag and cover assembly, the assembly being maintained in its flattened state. At this station IV grippers 66 movable over the are designated by the arrow 68, take hold of the end 18 of the string S and move the same from the full line position shown in FIG. 4, over the fold of the cover member, cutting into the fold and producing the slit 16 therein, the slit thereupon forming the means for firmly anchoring the string in the cover member.
In the next step of the process the assembly thus produced moves to the station V position where adhesive tab material 70 fed from a continuing supply source is severed into sections, folded and then applied by known means to the string ends 18 to form the finger tabs 20.
The method steps and the apparatus operations just described are diagrammatically shown in sequence in FIGS. 5 to 11 of the drawings, the results of the machine and method improvements involved in the present invention being depicted in these figures. The wrapper-cover member C severed at 50 from continuously fed sheet stock 42, precreased at 54, forms a defined fold line thereat (FIGS. 5 and 6). This cover member is accurately positioned with reference to the tea bag T moving into engagement therewith, the fold line being in a position for precise alignment with the stapled end of the tea bag (FIGS. 5 to 7). The tea bag in its continued movement engages the cover member at its fold line, and the wings of the cover member fold themselves over the faces of the tea bag in a self-folding operation (FIGS. 8 and 9). After the string S is wound about the assembly of the tea bag the wrapper cover (FIGS. 8 to 10), the end 18 is forcibly drawn over and into the fold line 14 of the cover member, cutting the slit 16 therein for anchoring the string end (FIGS. 10 and 11).. Throughout these depicted operations, the string S is kept under constant tension and control first by the tensioning gripping fingers 38, then by the two component tensioning parts 56 and 56 of the tensioning mechanism 56 and finally by the tensioning means 64, from which latter the string is drawn by the grippers 66. The component parts of the tensioning mechanism act as controls or guides for the movement of the looper 22 from the point when the looper first engages the string (FIG. 6) to the point where the string moves into the last tensioning means 64 (FIG. 9).
The mechanism for forming and positioning the wrapper-cover member will now be described in more detail, this being shown in FIGS. 12 to 16, taken in connection with FIG. 4 of the drawings. This mechanism includes the feeding means 46 which comprises an intermittently rotating wheel which, as aforesaid, embodies the precreasing means 48, the said wheel rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow 72 about the axis 74. The precreasing means 48 consists of blades anchored at spaced points (3 such blades being shown) and extending as best indicated in FIGS. 4 and 13 from the periphery 76 of the wheel. The continuous sheet stock 42 guided by the idler wheel 78 is trained over the wheel and is moved with said wheel by means of spaced sets of feeding and registration pins 80, 80 (see FIGS. 13-15) anchored at spaced points to the wheel and also extending above the periphery thereof, said pins functioning to receive the perforations 52, 52 in the sheet 42. The said pins are aligned with the precreasing blades 54, the alignment of the pins and the blades serving to accurately determine the fold line of a produced cover member and to move the same in alignment with the receiving end of the infusion bag.
Fixed to one side of the wheel is a cam plate 82 formed with depressed cam areas 84 located in alignment with the said pins and blades. Cooperating with the rim of the cam plate and movable into the cam areas thereof is a cam follower 85 controlling a resilient wheel 86 rotatably mounted on a lever 88 under the influence of an expansion spring 90 (see FIG. 4). In the rotation of the feeding wheel 46 and the positive feeding of the sheet stock 42 by the pins 80, 80 thereof, when the cam follower 85 moves into a cam area 84, the sheet stock is pressed by the wheel 86, and at its underneath surface, is impressed by the forced engagement with a blade 48, and there is thereby produced in the sheet stock the defined fold line (54).
The feeding wheel 46 in its continued movement moves the sheet stock 42 for positioning an end of the sheet stock for the cutting of an end section thereof to form the cover member and for positioning the same for alignment reception of the tea bag T as previously described. In this continued feeding operation, the sheet stock is moved between guide elements 91, 91 onto and over plate members 92 and 94 integral, respectively, with a set of exterior plates 96 and a set of interior plates 98 (see particularly FIGS. 13 and 17), the previously cut end of the sheet stock being stopped by a frame part 100. The cover member is thereupon cut from the sheet stock by the cutters 50 previously referred to. It may be here pointed out that the assembly of the tea bag T and folding cover member C move in and are confined by the walls of the space 102 between the two sets of plates 96 and 98, as best shown in FIGS. 13, 17, and 18.
The mechanism for coordinating the cutting of the string and the action on the string by the first tensioning means 28 will now be described more in detail, this being best shown in FIGS. 12, 13 and 16 taken in connection with FIG. 4 of the drawings. As already described, when a tea bag reaches station I (FIG. 4) the first tensioning means 38 engages the string S between stations I and II and moves the same between the full and dotted line positions depicted in FIG. 4.
This tensioning means, best shown in FIG. 16 comprises the fixed and spring-influenced plier gripper members 38 and 38 respectively, which when the tensioning means 38 is moved toward the string S, opens to receive the string, which latter becomes lodged between the inner end of a raised lip 38 formed in the plier member 38 and a recess formed in the plier member 38 The string S is thereby gripped for its desired movement to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 4, the string nevertheless being slidably (and frictionally) held by the tensioning plier mechanism 38.
The means for moving this tensioning mechanism 38 between its stated positions comprises a lever 104, to which the plier member 38 is affixed, the said lever fulcrumed at 106 is movable about its fulcrum by a linkagelever 108 (FIG. 12) connected by link 109 to a lever 110 fulcrumed at 111, in turn connected to a link 112 attached to an operating lever 114 movable by a cam 116. Preferably, this described operating mechanism also serves to move the movable member 50 of the cutter 50; and to this end, this movable cutter member pressed into sliding condition by a leaf spring 118 is attached pivotally at 120 to the lever 110 as best shown in FIG. 12. With this described structure the string S is received by and frictionally held in the plier elements of the tensioning means 38 just prior to the cutting of the string by the cutter elements 34, and the cutter 50, 50 for severing the end cover member from the sheet stock 42 is operated upon the retracting movement of the tensioning means 38.
In FIGS. 12, 13 and 16 to 18, taken with FIG. 4 I show in greater detail the means for moving the tea bag T relative to and into the sheet cover member S at the fold line 54 thereof, folding said cover member about said fold line of the tea bag and moving the produced assembly to station III where it is partly wound about the string S. This means comprises the carrier wheel 2-8 with its appurtenant parts for receiving, gripping and moving sequential tea bags through the space 102, which latter forms a progressively decreasing throat from station II to station III (FIGS. 4 and 12).
The carrier wheel 28 comprises two spaced plates 122 and 124, the front plate 122 being fully shown in FIG. 12 and both plates being indicated in FIGS. 16 and 17, spacedly connected together by means of the shaft 32 therefor and also by additional means to be described presently. The front plate 122 carries a plurality in number) of gripper devices generally designated as G and the rear plate carries a plurality of complemental gripper devices generally designated as G, each complemental set of gripper devices G and G functioning to receive and grip the edges of a tea bag T and carry the same through to the releasing station III of the apparatus (see FIGS. 12, 16 and 17).
Each complemental set of gripped devices is moved on the carrier Wheel 28 between retracted positions a, a and an extended position b particularly shown in FIG. 12. Each gripper device comprises a holder 126 on which is mounted a movable gripper member 128 and a fixed gripper member 130 (see particularly FIGS. 16 and 17). The movable gripper member 128, tensioned by spring 131 is provided with a cam follower 132. In the rotational movement of the carrier, complemental cam followers 132 engage cam members 134 (FIG. 17) for relatively moving the gripper members to open and close the same. The gripper devices G mounted on the front plate and the gripper devices G mounted on the rear plate of the carrier are of the same but complemental structure as most clearly depicted in FIG. 17.
Each set of complemental gripper devices G and G is moved between the designated a and b positions referred to by the following means: Each frontally mounted gripper device G is moved by two parallel arms 136 and 138, to one end of each of which arms the holder 126 of the gripper device is pivotally connected as at 140 and 142 respectively (FIG. 12), the said arms being rotatably mounted on the plate 122 about axes defined by their mounting shafts 144 and 146 respectively, the arm 136 forming part of a lever, the other arm 148 of which is provided at its end with a cam follower 150. Associated with the front plate 122 or made a part thereof is a cam 152 (FIG. 12). The complemental gripper devices G are mounted on the rear plate 124 of the wheel carrier by means of arms corresponding to the arms 136 and 138, pivotally connected in the same way to the holders 126 therefor, such arms being rotatably mounted in the same way as the arms 136 and 138 on the rear plate 124, except that such arms for the rear plate are devoid of the additional lever arms 148. Each rear plate gripping device G is moved with its complemental front plate gripper device by means of the shaft 144 of an arm 136 to which shaft the rear corresponding arm is fixed.
By means of this construction, it will be seen that as the carrier 28 is rotated, movement of the cam followers 150 in and by the cam 152 'will effect the movement of each complemental set of gripper devices between the retracted a, a positions to the extended b position referred to. When moving between the a and the b position and returning to an a position (FIG. 12), the jaws of the complemental gripper devices are opened and then closed by the engagement of the cam followers 132 with the cams 134 (FIG. 17). Such movement receives and grips the edges of a tea bag to move the same into the throat defined by the space 102. At station III the cam followers 132 engage other cam parts 154 (FIG. 12) where the gripper jaws are again opened to release a tea bag for transfer to the oppositely rotating carrier 58.
Each shaft 144 at the rear carrier plate 124 carries a gear 156 which meshes with a pinion 158 rotatable on said rear plate; and the shaft 160 of said pinion carries, in the region or space between the plates 122 and 124, a finger 162 movable between a retracted position 0 and an extended position d (FIG. 12) for the purpose of engaging and providing a back-up support for the string S when it is engaged to be gripped by the jaws of the gripper 38 (see FIG. 4). The shafts 144 and 146 which connect the described arms on the opposite plates of the carrier 28 as well as the shafts 160 define the means additional to the axis shaft 32 for uniting the plates 122 and 124 of the carrier.
The rotatable carrier 58 (to which the tea bags are transferred at station III) comprises a plate 164 carrying a plurality (three in number) of gripper mechanisms G G for receiving the assemblies of the tea bags and cover members at station III from the carrier wheel 28 and for moving the same to station IV and for finally depositing the completed assembled tea packages to station V (FIG. 4).
Each gripper mechanism G comprises movable jaws 166 and 168 between and within which are leaf springs 170 and 172 (serving to increase the gripping power of the gripper mechanism), the said jaws being movable between an open position shown at station HI to a closed position, which remains closed at station IV for the endstrmg anchoring step (FIG. 12), after which the jaws are again opened to deposit the completed assembly to station V (FIG. 4). The gripper jaw 168 is slotted at 169 (FIG. 20) where the cover slit is to be formed.
For supporting and moving the gripper jaws, the gripper jaw 166 is made integral with a compound arm 174 fixed to a shaft 176 rotatable in the plate 164, said compound arm carrying a rotatable cam follower 178 (see FIGS. 12 and 20) and provided with a finger 180 for anchoring one end of a compression spring 182, the other end of which is anchored against a fixed part 184 on the plate 164 (FIG. 12). The other gripper jaw 168 is also made integral with a compound arm 186 fixed to a shaft 188 rotatable in the plate 164. These gripper jaws and the supporting arms therefor are mounted at the front of the plate 164 as best depicted in FIGS. 12 and 20. At the rear side of the plate 164 the shafts 176 and 188 are connected by meshing gears 190 and 192 keyed to the shafts 176 and 188. Cooperating with the cam followers 178 are provided cam members 194 and 196 located in the path of movement of the cam followers (FIG. 12). By means of this construction, it wall be seen that upon the engagement of a cam follower 178 with a cam the jaws of the gripping mechanism G will be opened, movement of the arm 174 being transmitted by the gears 190 and 192 to cooperatively move the arm 186, and upon the disengagement of the cam follower the jaws will be moved to a closed position by means of the now compressed spring 182. Thus when a cam follower 17-8 is engaged by the cam 194 the jaws of a gripper mechanism G will be moved to open position in the manner shown in station 111 of FIG. 12 for the reception of a tea bag and cover assembly, and when the cam follower is then disengaged from the cam the jaws will be spring closed at station I01 to grip and transfer the assembly to station IV for the final operation of attaching the end of the string S to the fold of the cover member as heretofore outlined and as will be further detailed below. In the further movement of the carrier 58, the cam follower 178 will be engaged by the cam 196 to open the jaws of the gripper mechanism to permit the movement of a completed assembly package from the station IV to the station V (FIG. 4).
The control under continued tension of the movement of the string S through the various operations thereof, the tensioning being effected by the tensioning mechanisms 38, 56', 56 and 64, has already been described with reference to FIG. 4 and the sequential views of FIGS. 5 through 11, with the tensioning control of the string maintained up through the step of anchoring the end of the string in the fold of the cover member C. The detailed structure of the first tensioning mechanism, namely, the movable gripper means 38, has also already been described. The detailed structure of the cooperative tensioning mechanisms 56', 56 and 64 and the cooperation therewith of the looper 22, factors in effecting the desired control of the free end of the string S up to its anchoring point, will now be described.
The tensioning mechanisms 56', 56 and 64 are all mounted on and between the exterior plate set 96, 96, best shown in part in FIGS. 17 and 18. The tensioning mechanism 56 is mounted between a block member 198 and a block member 200 secured by pins 202, 202 to the said plates 96, 96; the tensioning mechanisms 56', 56 are mounted on the block member 200, and the tensioning mechanism 64 is attached to one of the plate members 96 (best seen in FIG. 18). The mounting of these mechanisms is effected by pivotally mounting the mechanism '56 on a pin 204 fixed into the block 200, the mounting of the mechanism 56 is effected by pivotally mounting the same on a pin 206 fixed into the block 200, and the mounting of the mechanism 64 is effected by atfixing the same to the inside plate 96 by means of the pins 208 and 210 (FIG. 13).
The tensioning mechanism 56 comprises the lever arms 212 and 214 fulcrumed on the mounting pin 204, the front arms of which define the gripping jZilWS of the tensioning mechanism, the rear arms being tensioned by a spring 216 to move the jaws to their closed and tensioning positions. The tensioning mechanism 56 is of a similar structure comprising levers 212' and 214 (see FIG. 13) fulcrumed about the mounting pin 206, the front arms of which also define the gripping jaws of the tensioning mechanism, the rear arms being tensioned by a spring 216' for urging the jaws to their closed position.
As heretofore described in the sequential views of FIGS. 5 to 11, the looper 22 in its movement from the point of engaging the string S, threading the same through the orifice 12 of a cover member and drawing the same through the tensioning mechanisms 56 and 56 (see FIGS. 6 to 9), is itself controlled and guided in its said movement. This is accomplished by structuring the tensioning mechanisms 56' and 56 assisted by other parts of the plates 96, 96, to receive and acurately guide the extended movement of the looper 22. To accomplish this the gripper jaws of the tensioning mechanisms 56' and 56 are contoured at their outer ends as, for example, at 218 (FIG. 17), to receive and guide the movement of the looper, the movement of the looper through and between the gripper jaws of the two tensioning mechanisms being best shown in FIG. 13 of the drawings. For assisting this guidance of the looper movement, the inner end of the block 198 is suitably grooved as at 220 and an additional contoured guide 222 is formed at the lower end of the plates 96 (FIG. 13). Pins 223 between the jaws of the levers 212, 214 and 212', 214' are provided to center the levers.
As heretofore set forth, after the looper 22 draws the string S through the tensioning mechanism 56 the tensioning mechanism 64 takes over the control of the string by receiving and slidably gripping the free end of the string for and during the completion of its winding operation about the tea bag and cover member assembly (see FIGS. 9 to 11). This tensioning mechanism is so designed as to apply an increased tension to the string end to enable the final operation of string-cutting the cover fold to be properly effected. This tensioning mechanism 64 is made to comprise a fixed member 224 attached to the inner plate 96 (FIG. 18) and a movable member 226 pivoted at 228 to the fixed member influenced to a closed gripping position by means of the spring 230. Lodged between these members is a guide wheel 232 rotatable on the mounting pin 208. Cooperating with the members 224 and 226 there is provided a pressure plate 234 spring-pressed by the leaf spring 236 (FIG. 13). By means of this construction the string S, upon the movement of the carrier 58 from station III to station VI (see FIG. 4 and FIGS. 9 through 11), is withdrawn from the jaws of the tensioning mechanism 56 is moved between the plate members 224 and 226 to be tensioned thereby, then about the guide wheel 232, and finally into an end groove 238 formed in the pressure plate 234, the string end being there held under increased tension for its final anchoring operation.
In FIGS. 19 to 21, I show the means (already previously depicted generally as pliers 66) for positively gripping and drawing the end portion '18 of the now wound string S from the elements of the last tensioning mechanism 64 into the fold 14 of the wrapper-cover C (the latter held between the jaws of a gripper mechanism G acting to cut the slit in said fold and anchoring the string end therein.
The plier means 66 (FIG. 21) comprises a movable plier element 240 pivoted to a stationary plier element 242, the movable element being movable to plier open position by means of a right angle lever 244 fulcrumed at 246 to the stationary plier element 242 and movable to a closed position (as shown in FIG. 21) by means of a spring 248 anchored as shown in FIG. 21 between parts of the movable and fixed plier elements. The string S when the plier elements are opened is firmly caught between an end recess 250 in the movable plier element and the edge 252 of the stationary plier element. Opening of the pliers is effected by actuation of the lever 244 by a cam follower 254 at the end of an arm thereof moved by the actuation of a U-shaped cam 256, the said cam being oscillatably pivoted about the pins 258, 258 carried by a mounting plate 260.
The pliers 66 is mounted for oscillatory movement on the mounting plate 260 and is oscillated thereon by the following means: the stationary element of the pliers is attached to a base 262 fixed to a shaft 264 rotatably mounted in the plate 260 to which shaft is fixed a partial 1 1 pinion 266 meshing with a partial gear 268 which latter is provided with an actuating arm 270 connected for its operation to a link 272.
By means of this construction the following sequence of operations takes place in gripping and drawing the end of the string S into and cutting a slit in the fold of the cover of the tea package, this sequence being indicated by the arrows applied to FIGS. 19 through 21. Upon the movement of the gear and pinion, 268 and 266 (in the indicated directions), the pliers 66 is moved to engage the strings S (FIG. 19). In this movement the elements of the pliers are moved to open the jaws thereof by the sidewise movement of the cam 256 thereby effecting its engagement with the cam follower 254 which is being rotatably moved with the pliers 66, the jaws of the pliers being thereby opened to engage the string end. In the continued movement of these parts in the indicated directions the cam 256 is moved in the opposite direction thereby enabling the jaws of the pliers to be spring closed and to thereby firmly grip the string. In the continued movement of the pliers in the indicated direction, the string is forcibly drawn over the cover fold to produce the slit therein and to anchor the string end therein. Again the cam 256 is brought into operation to open the plier jaws to release the string. The pinion-gear combination is then moved in a return direction (opposite to the indicated arrows) to return the parts to the position shown in FIG. 19.
The operation of the pliers 66 is efiected by means coordinated with the movement of the looper 22. The means for coordinating the movement of these parts comprises a cam 274 (bottom of FIG. 12) engaging a cam follower 276 fixed to a lever 278 fulcrumed at 280, to the end of which lever is connected a link 282 the other end of which link is pivoted to an arm 284 in turn pivotally mounted at 286. To the arm 284 is also pivoted the upper end of the link 272 (see both FIGS. 12 and 19). By means of this structure rotation of the cam 274 will be seen to effect the oscillation of the link 272 and its connected partial gear 268. The looper 22 is coordinately oscillated by this same described actuating means by having the said looper attached at its lower end to a branch 284' of said arm 284 (see FIG. 12).
The operation of the above described apparatus will be apparent from the above detailed description of the means and mechanisms thereof; and such operation may be here recapitulated by reference to the description already given in connection with FIGS. 5 to 11 of the drawings. A wrapper-cover member C severed by the cutter 50 from a continuously fed sheet stock 42, is precreased at 54, forming a defined fold line thereat (FIGS. 5 and 6). This cover member is accurately positioned with reference to the tea bag T moving into engagement therewith, the fold line being in a position for precise alignment with the stapled end of the tea bag (FIGS. 5 to 7). The tea bag in its continued movement engages the cover member at its fold line, and wings of the cover members fold themselves over the faces of the tea bag in a self-folding operation (FIGS. 8 and 9). After the string S is wound about the assembly of the bag and wrapper cover (FIGS. 8 to 10), the end 18 is forcibly drawn over and into the fold line 14 of the cover member, cutting the slit 16 therein for anchoring the string end (FIGS. 10 and 11). Throughout these depicted operations, the string S is kept under constant tension and control first by the tensioning gripping means 38, then by the two component tensioning mechanism 56' and 56 and finally by the tensioning mechanism 64, from which latter the string is forcibly drawn by the plier grippers 66. The component parts of the tensioning mechanism 56 act as controls or guides for the movement of the looper 22 from the point when the looper first engages the string (FIG. 6) to the point where the string moves into the last tensioning means 64 (FIG. 9).
It will be apparent that many changes may be made in the details of the different mechanisms employed in the described apparatus without departing from the invention set forth in the following claims.
I claim:
1. The method of making a compressible infusion package which comprises the steps of precreasing a flexible sheet member to produce a defined fold line therein, moving an infusion bag, to an end of which is attached a suspending string, relative toand into said sheet member at the fold line thereof, thereby folding said sheet member about its fold line on said infusion bag and thereby forming two wings of a cover member engaging the faces of the infusion bag, winding said string about and encircling the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag, then cutting a slit in the fold line of the cover member and detachably anchoring the free end of said string in said slit.
2. The method of claim 1, in which the free end of the string is forcibly drawn into the fold line of the cover member, thereby cutting a slit thereat, the slit acting for detachably anchoring the free end of said string to the cover member.
3. The method of claim 1 in which said flexible sheet member has an orifice located at its fold line, and the free end of said suspending string is threaded through said orifice when the infusion bag is moved relative to said sheet member into the fold line thereof.
4. The method of making a compressible infusion package which comprises the steps of attaching a suspending string to one end of an infusion bag, precreasing a flexible sheet member provided with an orifice to produce a defined fold line therein at said orifice, threading the free end of said string through the orifice, moving said infusion bag at its said end relatively to and into said flexible sheet member at the fold line thereof and thereby folding said sheet member about its fold line over said end of and over the infusion bag and thereby forming two wings of a cover member engaging the faces of the infusion bag, winding said string about and encircling the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag, and then cutting a slit in the fold line and drawing the end portion of said string into the fold line of said cover member, thereby firmly tying the cover member to the bag and detachably anchoring the string in said cover member.
5. The method of claim 4, in which the drawing of the end portion of the string into the fold line of said cover produces a slit thereat, the slit acting as a detachable anchoring means for the string.
6. An apparatus for making a compressible infusion package comprising means for precreasing a flexible sheet member to produce a defined fold line therein, means for moving an infusion bag, at an end of which is attached a suspending string, relative to and into said sheet member at the fold line thereof, thereby folding said sheet member about its fold line over said infusion bag and thereby forming two Wings of a cover member engaging the faces of the infusion bag, and mechanism winding said string about and encircling the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag, said mechanism including-a means for forcibly drawing the free end of the string into the fold line of the cover member, thereby cutting a slit therein, the slit acting for detachably anchoring the free end of said string to the cover member.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, in which said flexible sheet member has an orifice located at its fold line, and with which there is provided means for threading the free end of said suspending string through said orifice when the infusion bag is moved relative to the sheet member.
8. In the apparatus of claim 6, means for applying continuous tension to the string as it is wound about the assembly of the cover member and infusion bag and the free end of the string is anchored to the cover member.
9. In a method for making a compressible infusion package in which a flexible sheet member is folded over the faces of an infusion bag to form a cover member therefor and a suspending string attached at one of its ends to the bag is wound about the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag and the free end of the string is detachably anchored to the fold of said cover member, the step of tensioning and maintaining a tension on said string through its winding and anchoring operations and the step of positively gripping and forcibly drawing the end portion of said string while held under tension into the fold of said cover thereby cutting a slit in said fold, the slit acting for detachably anchoring the string in said fold.
10. In an apparatus for making a compressible infusion package in which a flexible sheet member is folded over the faces of an infusion bag to form a cover member therefor and a suspending string attached at one of its ends to the bag is wound about the assembly of said formed cover member and infusion bag and the free end of the string is detachably anchored to the fold of said cover member, mechanism for tensioning and maintaining a tension on said string through its winding and anchoring operations, and means for positively gripping and forcibly drawing the end portion of said string from said tensioning mechanism and into the fold of said cover thereby cutting a slit in said fold, the slit acting as the detachable anchoring means for the string.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, in which the referred to means comprises pliers mounted for movement of the jaws thereof into the path of the tensioned string and means for opening the jaws of the pliers for receiving and for closing the jaws for gripping the string in the operation of forcibly drawing the same into the cover fold and for then opening the jaws of the pliers to release the string.
12. The apparatus of claim 11, in which the said last recited means comprises a cam follower connected to said pliers, a cam movable to engage the cam follower to effect the opening of the jaws of the pliers, and means acting on the jaws of the pliers to close the same for gripping engagement with the string.
13. In an apparatus for making a compressible infusion package in which a flexible cover member is folded over the end of and over the faces of an infusion bag to produce a wrapper-cover for the bag and the bag-attached and suspending string of the bag is threaded through an orifice at the fold of the cover member and is then wound about the assembly of the infusion bag and wrapper-cover and the free end of the string is then detachably attached to the wrapper-cover, a mechanism for controlling the movement of the string through its operations comprising a looper member movable through the orifice of said cover member for engaging the bag-unattached end of the string in a loop formed therein, threading it through the orifice and moving the string in its operation of being partially wound about said assembly, a first tensioning element for slidably gripping the string during its orifice threading operation, second and third tensioning elements for slidably gripping the string during its said winding operation, the said second and third gripping elements being structure to receive and guide the said looper member in its move ment through the cover member orifice and its movement during the said winding operation.
14. The mechanism of claim 13 in which the first tensioning element is movable into gripping engagement with the string and the second and third tensioning elements are stationarily mounted.
15. In combination with the mechanism of claim 13, a fourth tensioning element positioned in relation to the third tensioning element to receive and slidably gri the string for and during the completion of its winding operation about said assembly.
16. In combination with the apparatus of claim 15, a pliers positioned in relation to said fourth tensioning element for gripping the end of the string and drawing the same out of the fourth tensioning element over the fold of the wrapper cover to cut a string retaining slit in the wrapper cover fold.
References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,016 7/1943 Nadeau et a1 53208X 2,740,244 4/1956 Bell 53-137 3,143,834 8/1964 Irmscher 53134X 3,345,795 10/ 1967 Anderson 53-29X 3,458,969 8/1969 Hudson 53-137 T HERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53134; 99-77.1
US780757A 1968-12-03 1968-12-03 Method and apparatus for making compressible infusion package Expired - Lifetime US3566573A (en)

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US3774369A (en) * 1970-06-03 1973-11-27 P Klar Machine for equipment of tea bags with a tag and a holding thread
US4288224A (en) * 1979-03-06 1981-09-08 Ima - Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus for securing a suspension thread to filter bags for infusion products
US4605123A (en) * 1983-12-15 1986-08-12 Ethyl Corporation Infusion package
US4731974A (en) * 1985-06-28 1988-03-22 I.M.A. - Industria Macchine Automatiche - S.P.A. Machines for producing infusion filter bags and their individual packaging in an outer envelope
DE3807761A1 (en) * 1987-03-09 1988-09-22 Cestind Centro Studi Ind DEVICE FOR PACKING FILTER BAGS IN HUELLEN
JPS63503301A (en) * 1986-05-15 1988-12-02 クリスティ　ヒュー　パトリック Method and apparatus for manufacturing leachable bag holders
US4829742A (en) * 1987-03-09 1989-05-16 Centind - Centro Studi Industriali - S.R.L. Automatic machine for the continuous production of dual-use filter sachets for infusion products
US4961301A (en) * 1989-04-13 1990-10-09 Federico Bonomelli Process and apparatus for the continuous manufacture of filter paper bags for infusions, provided with thread and tag
US5478581A (en) * 1991-02-27 1995-12-26 Christie; Hugh P. Infusible pouch and cover
US5657712A (en) * 1994-07-08 1997-08-19 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Method for attaching a tag to a tea bag
US5870880A (en) * 1995-04-04 1999-02-16 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Machine for providing infusion bags with finger tab labels attached thereto by interconnecting threads and labeled infusion bags produced thereby
WO2001019682A1 (en) * 1999-09-15 2001-03-22 Maisa Italia S.R.L. Apparatus for attaching a tag and a thread to a filter bag
WO2001062600A1 (en) * 2000-02-22 2001-08-30 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Method and machine for wrapping infusion bags in outer envelopes
WO2001081197A1 (en) * 2000-04-19 2001-11-01 Stemmler Joerg Tea bag package
US6453639B1 (en) * 1999-06-08 2002-09-24 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Machine for making filter bags for products for infusion
US6807793B1 (en) * 2002-07-23 2004-10-26 Tecnomeccanica S.R.L. Apparatus for preparing and feeding the materials used to make a filter bag for infusion products
CN101992868A (en) * 2010-08-12 2011-03-30 凯迈(洛阳)机电有限公司 Tea bag packer
US20170240305A1 (en) * 2014-08-28 2017-08-24 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. Apparatus for producing packages of infusion products
US20200346796A1 (en) * 2019-05-02 2020-11-05 Teepack Spezialmaschinen Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for making a pouch provided with a wrapping and containing a brewable material
US11708184B2 (en) 2020-08-31 2023-07-25 Teepack Spezialmaschinen Gmbh & Co. Kg Device for manufacturing a pouch accommodated in a wrapping
US11999517B2 (en) * 2020-05-12 2024-06-04 Teepack Spezialmaschinen Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for manufacturing a bag received in an envelope

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3774369A (en) * 1970-06-03 1973-11-27 P Klar Machine for equipment of tea bags with a tag and a holding thread
US4288224A (en) * 1979-03-06 1981-09-08 Ima - Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus for securing a suspension thread to filter bags for infusion products
US4382355A (en) * 1979-03-06 1983-05-10 I.M.A. - Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Apparatus for the application of a thread having a label attached to it to a strip of filter paper in a machine for the automatic production of filter bags for the products to be infused
US4605123A (en) * 1983-12-15 1986-08-12 Ethyl Corporation Infusion package
US4731974A (en) * 1985-06-28 1988-03-22 I.M.A. - Industria Macchine Automatiche - S.P.A. Machines for producing infusion filter bags and their individual packaging in an outer envelope
JPS63503301A (en) * 1986-05-15 1988-12-02 クリスティ　ヒュー　パトリック Method and apparatus for manufacturing leachable bag holders
US4880651A (en) * 1986-05-15 1989-11-14 Christie Hugh P Method of and apparatus for producing infusible bag holders
US4829742A (en) * 1987-03-09 1989-05-16 Centind - Centro Studi Industriali - S.R.L. Automatic machine for the continuous production of dual-use filter sachets for infusion products
US4853071A (en) * 1987-03-09 1989-08-01 Cestind - Centro Studi Industriali-S.R.L. Apparatus for the conditioning in envelopes of individual dual-use filter sachets in amchines for the continuous production of such filter sachets
DE3807761A1 (en) * 1987-03-09 1988-09-22 Cestind Centro Studi Ind DEVICE FOR PACKING FILTER BAGS IN HUELLEN
US4961301A (en) * 1989-04-13 1990-10-09 Federico Bonomelli Process and apparatus for the continuous manufacture of filter paper bags for infusions, provided with thread and tag
US5478581A (en) * 1991-02-27 1995-12-26 Christie; Hugh P. Infusible pouch and cover
US5657712A (en) * 1994-07-08 1997-08-19 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Method for attaching a tag to a tea bag
US5870880A (en) * 1995-04-04 1999-02-16 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Machine for providing infusion bags with finger tab labels attached thereto by interconnecting threads and labeled infusion bags produced thereby
US6453639B1 (en) * 1999-06-08 2002-09-24 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Machine for making filter bags for products for infusion
WO2001019682A1 (en) * 1999-09-15 2001-03-22 Maisa Italia S.R.L. Apparatus for attaching a tag and a thread to a filter bag
WO2001062600A1 (en) * 2000-02-22 2001-08-30 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Method and machine for wrapping infusion bags in outer envelopes
US6637175B2 (en) 2000-02-22 2003-10-28 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Method and machine for wrapping infusion bags in outer envelopes
WO2001081197A1 (en) * 2000-04-19 2001-11-01 Stemmler Joerg Tea bag package
US20030164313A1 (en) * 2000-04-19 2003-09-04 Jeorg Stemmler Tea bag package
US7147879B2 (en) 2000-04-19 2006-12-12 Joerg Stemmler Tea bag package
US6807793B1 (en) * 2002-07-23 2004-10-26 Tecnomeccanica S.R.L. Apparatus for preparing and feeding the materials used to make a filter bag for infusion products
CN101992868A (en) * 2010-08-12 2011-03-30 凯迈(洛阳)机电有限公司 Tea bag packer
CN101992868B (en) * 2010-08-12 2012-07-04 凯迈(洛阳)机电有限公司 Tea bag packer
US20170240305A1 (en) * 2014-08-28 2017-08-24 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. Apparatus for producing packages of infusion products
US10457432B2 (en) * 2014-08-28 2019-10-29 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. Apparatus for producing packages of infusion products
US20200346796A1 (en) * 2019-05-02 2020-11-05 Teepack Spezialmaschinen Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for making a pouch provided with a wrapping and containing a brewable material
US11685561B2 (en) * 2019-05-02 2023-06-27 Teepack Spezialmaschinen Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for making a pouch provided with a wrapping and containing a brewable material
US11999517B2 (en) * 2020-05-12 2024-06-04 Teepack Spezialmaschinen Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for manufacturing a bag received in an envelope
US11708184B2 (en) 2020-08-31 2023-07-25 Teepack Spezialmaschinen Gmbh & Co. Kg Device for manufacturing a pouch accommodated in a wrapping

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