US3589097A

US3589097A - Cigarette packers

Info

Publication number: US3589097A
Application number: US828255A
Authority: US
Inventors: Goffredo Gianese
Original assignee: AMF Inc
Current assignee: AMF Inc
Priority date: 1969-05-27
Filing date: 1969-05-27
Publication date: 1971-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 1988-06-29

Abstract

A cigarette packer in which the foil and paper webs are formed into discrete packages on a successive series of arbors contained on an endlessly moving conveyor including means for positioning, wrapping and folding the webs in successive order about the arbor.

Description

United States Patent (72] Inventor Goflredo-Gianese Bologna, Italy [21 1 Appl. No. 828,255

[22] Filed May 27, I969 [45] Patented June 29, 1971 [73] Assignec A.M.F. Incorporated [32] Priority June 8, 1968 33] Italy Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 734,371, June 4, 1968, now Patent No. 3,531,911, Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 734,372, June 4, 1968.

[54] CIGARETTE PACKERS 9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 53/63, 53/64,53/l92, 93/l2 C, 93/44, 93/36.0l

511 1116.0 113101/30, B3lb ll/26, B65b 43 10 501 FieldofSearch 53/192, 234, 225, 63, 64; 93/12 R, 12 c, 44, 44.1, 36.01

[56] References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 2,344,666 3/1944 A1611 93 12 2,512,922 6/1950 Dearsley.... 93 192 3,056,246 10 1962 Lyonetal 53/225x 3,311,034 3/1967 Whitakeretal. 53/192x Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Assistant Examiner-Neil Abrams Attorneys- George W. Price and Eli Weiss ABSTRACT: A cigarette packer in which the foil and paper webs are formed into discrete packages on a successive series of arbors contained on an endlessly moving conveyor including means for positioning, wrapping and folding the webs in successive order about the arbor.

PATENTEUJUNZSIQH 3.589.097.

SHEET 1 OF T INVI'ZN'I'OR. GOFFREDO GIANESE AT/TORNEY PATENTEUJUNZSH'H 3589097 SHEET 2 (IF 7 ATTORNEY PATENTEHJUNEQISH 3.589.097

SHEET 3 BF 7 IN VIJIN'I'UK GOFFREDO IANESE J ATTORNEY ATENTED JUN29 19m SHEET b 0F 7 PATENTED JUN29 an SHEET 7 UF 7 INVENTUK E S E GOFFREDO 52 ATTORNEY CIGARETTE PACKERS This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 734,371, filed June 4, I938, now US. Pat. No. 3,531,91 l; and of application Ser. No. 734,372, filed June 4,1968.

The present invention relates to packaging machines for rodlike articles and in particular to apparatus for packing cigarettes.

Described in copending application Ser. No. 734,372 filed June 4, 1968 is a packing machine for cigarettes or similar rodlike articles, comprising essentially a first endless articu lated chain consisting of a plurality of individual successive containers, each capable of containing a neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed; and a second endless articulated chain, consisting of a plurality of individual successive packmaking devices, each comprising means for forming on a suitable support, a wrapper, open at one end and destined to receive the group of cigarettes contained in a container of the first chain. The two chains are caused to move side by side around a drum in the area of which each container of the first chain is made to be in line with a packmaking device of the second chain. This drum is provided with means for axially transferring each group of cigarettes from a container of the first chain into the wrapper formed in the packmaking device of the second chain and for closing and ejecting from the machine the cigarette pack so formed.

With the exception of the section of the path on the drum on which the two chains are caused to move side by side, said two chains may have any path and pass in the area of any other devices.

Prior to the travel around the drum, the container chain passes in the area of a cigarette-feeding device which automatically feeds the desired number of neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed. This feeding device has been thoroughly described in our copending applications Ser. No. 734,371 filed June 4,1968 and Ser. No. 828,197 filed May 27, I969.

The present invention relates to the packmaking devices of the second chain in which an open wrapper is formed on a tube-shaped box and the cigarettes of an associated container of the first chain are automatically introduced therein. In its more general aspect, this invention is aimed at providing a wrapper-forming device for cigarette-packing machines in which a plurality of containers can move continuously, remaining at an equal distance from each other, along a first closed path, in a part of which these containers are sequentially filled with predetermined groups of neatly arranged cigarettes to be packed. Simultaneously a plurality of packmaking devices or wrapper-forming devices are also continuously moved at an equal distance from each other, along a second closed path, distinct from the first one and wherein a plurality of wrapper packs are made to correspond to the arranged groups of cigarettes. The first and second paths extend with a least one common section in which the containers and the packmaking devices move parallely side by side. In this path, each container is operatively associated with a respective packmaking device in such a way that no relative motion exists between the container and the associated packmaking device for at least an interval in which the grouped cigarettes may be transferred from the container into the completed package.

Substantially, in this device, each packmaking device ac cording to the invention consists of a box, open at both ends and corresponding substantially to the cigarette pack to be made; and of forming means to wrap, position, tension and fold, one after the other in succession around this box, an aluminum foil and a paper label destined to form together a cigarette pack wrapper. This box is mounted stationary on a conveying support, driven with a continuous motion along the above closed path, while the forming means are mounted on the support in such a way as to move freely around the box. Thus, the box remains stationary in relation to the forming means during the complete wrapper-forming cycle.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the containers are articulated between each other in. order to form a chain of containers regularly interspaced, extending along the firstclosed path; the supports of the packmaking devices are articulated between each other in order to form another chain along the second closed path. This chain extends on generally rectilinear sections in which the wrapper-forming means are actuated, according to a predetermined sequence, by associated cam profiles mounted fixedlly along these rectilinear sections, to give rise essentially to the formation of the wrappers around the tubular box. Said chain extends also on circumference arc-shaped path sections around a drum on which the two chains, of the containers and of the packmaking devices, travel side by side and at the same speed, with each container laterally corresponding with a respective packmaking device, where the cigarettes are transferred, neatly arranged in succession, from each container into the wrapper already formed on the associated packmaking device.

These and other features of the invention and the resulting advantages may be understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment illustrated as a nonrestrictive example in the attached drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevation of a cigarette-packing machine according to the invention.

FIG. 1A is an enlarged view of the machine of FIG. 1 in the area of the transferring drum and of the wrapper forming device.

FIG. 1B is a still further enlarged detail, corresponding to FIG. IA.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a wrapperforming device or packmaking device, of the packmaking device chain for the machine of FIG. 1 in an initial phase of the wrapper-forming cycle.

FIG. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 2, in a phase of the bottom folding of the inner foil wrapper.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show, in sequence, the forming phases of a complete wrapper in a packmaking device according to the invention, FIG. 4 being related to the formation of the inner foil wrapper, while FIG. 5 illustrates the phases ofa paper wrapper formation on an aluminum foil wrapper.

FIG. 6 shows the fundamental operating sequence of the wrapper-forming device (aluminum foil wrapping and folding and subsequent paper wrapping and folding).

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show respectively, the aluminum foil and paper web sensing unit, the correct aluminum foil wrapping sensing unit, the correct paper web wrapping sensing unit.

With reference to the drawings and, in particular, to FIG. 1, a cigarette-packing machine comprises a first endless articulated chain 1 and a second endless articulated chain 2, which are both conveniently guided by means of supporting rails, along two independent closed paths. Although the two chains may be inclined in relation to each other in any desired angle, it is preferred that chain 1 be substantially horizontal while chain 2 be substantially vertically. In any case, the two chains are to be associated with each other because they are each caused to pass around one of the two sprocket wheels, which are coaxial and integral to each other and form part of a single drum 3 mounted, free to rotate, on a fixed shaft 5. Chain 1 is driven also around at least wheel 6 which, in the illustrated example, is so positioned that the upper branch of this chain runs horizontally. Chain 2 is driven around a transmission comprising at least one and preferably two wheels 7, located, preferably, vertically at a certain distance over drum 3. The two endless chains 1 and 2, so coupled by drum 3, move in synchronism and at the same speed, in the direction of the arrows indicated in FIG. 1. This synchronous movement can be caused in any convenient manner and, for example, by actuating drum 3 or one or the other of wheels 6 and 7.

The horizontal chain I has a series of uniformly interspaced containers 8, consisting of boxes open at the top and at both sides. In the area of the upper horizontal branch of chain 1 and prior to that the position where the latter runs on drum 3, containers 8 pass under a feeding device 9 which introduces a neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed, one at a time, into each container 8 while the latter is moving continuously under them. The method used for this introduction forms the subject of the aforementioned patent applications. With reference to the example illustrated in FIG. 1, it will be sufficient to observe that infeed hopper 10 of feeding device 9 is subdivided at the bottom, into four

successive hoppers

110, 210, 310, 410 from the bottom of which there descends a plurality of single substantially vertical distributing channels 11, in each of which the cigarette is horizontally superimposed and oriented transversely to chain 1. Channels 11 members seven, three, three, seven, for each of the respective hoppers. So that at the delivery end of feeding device 9 all the compartments of each container 8 become filled with the preset number (generally twenty) of cigarettes which form as a whole a neatly arranged group of cigarettes to be packed.

Vertical chain 2 has a series of packmaking devices 12, equidistantly interspaced, in which the wrapper for the cigarettes to be packed is formed in synchronism with the formation of the neatly arranged groups of cigarettes in containers 8 of chain 1. Then, each group of cigarettes which has been found regular by appropriate sensing units 22 and, in particular, those described in other collateral patents of addition of the same owner, is automatically introduced by a container into the associated regular wrapper during the time chains 1, 2 rotate in synchronism on drum 3; then, the so formed pack is closed and expelled from the drum.

These packmaking devices 12, each comprise a prismatic tubular box 212 or arbor corresponding to the cigarette pack it is desired to form. This arbor 212 is fastened at one end to the respective chain 2 in such a way that the longitudinal axis of the box is oriented transversely to the chain and, in general, is substantially parallel to axis of rotation of drum 3. Furthermore, each packmaking device 12 comprises means adapted to pick up from appropriate distributors one or more webs, wrap them about tubular box 212 and fold them on one end of said box until the desired wrapper is formed. This wrapper consists normally of an inner web P8 of aluminum foil or the like and an outer web PC of normal paper or the like. These webs are fed to each packmaking device 12, by

distributors

20 and 22 respectively, which are located consecutively along the ascending section of the path of chain 2. For example, distributor 20 supplies to each packmaking device as it passes in front of it a foil web FS and distributor 22 subsequently supplies a normal paper web FC, cut to the desired length as from continuous bobbin-fed bands.

These webs are introduced by the distributors into each packmaking device 12 laterally to the respective tubular box 212 and grasped by forming elements, described hereafter in detail, which form part of the packmaking device. These forming elements roll the aforementioned webs successively one over the other while the arbor 212 remains stationary in relation to the forming components, i.e. it does not accomplish any relative motion of displacement or rotation in relation to its longitudinal axis. These wrapping elements also close the bottoms of the foil and paper wrappers on the free end of the stationary tubular box 212, after the introduction into the wrapper of the group of cigarettes formed on the associated chain 1. More specifically, each packmaking device 12 comprises a pair of

folding arms

200, 202 which are articulated with each other, similarly to tongs, around a trunnion 204. These arms step transversely, on opposite sides, over the fixed tubular box 212, the cross section of which has a prolonged rectangular shape, substantially equal to that of the cigarette pack to be produced. Arms 200,202 extend in the direction of the longer sides of this section and the fee end of each arm is bent inward almost at right angle to the arm in such a manner as to form

folding lips

205 and 205A respectively, in the area of one of the narrower sides 206 of tubular box 212.

The closing motion of

arms

200, 202 around box 212 is determined by two

rectilinear cams

207, 207A (FIG. 6) which extend parallely to the path of the packmaking device 12 moving with chain 2 in the direction indicated by arrow F.

Coupling, between

cams

207, 207A and the

respective arms

200, 202, is achieved by means of tappet rods 209, 213, each of which is articulated at one end with a respective arm, while the other end is provided with a cam follower as for example, a wheel,'which rides on the corresponding profile of

cam

207, 207A. A third cam 210 is provided to cause a Ushaped stirrup 211 to oscillate at predetermined intervals around the pin 204. The stirrup 211 is provided with a tappet rod 211A attached at one end thereto and having its other end provided with a cam follower resting on the profile of cam 210. A feed roller 214 is fitted, free to rotate, to the inner end of the oscillating stirrup 211 and is connected via shaft 215 (see FIG. 2) to a friction wheel 216, the face of which is adapted to roll, at predetermined intervals, on either guide 217 or guide 235 located on either side of wheel 216 along a section of the path of chain 2. (FIG. 3)

Between tubular box 212 and arms 200 and 202 a guide plate 218 is located. This plate 218 is so bent as to form a loop which embraces in a forklike manner box 212 on the side opposite to side 206 of the box.

Two pressure listels or pads 219, 220 (FIG. 2) can be moved against side 206. These listels or pads are fastened to

respective supports

221, 222 which are mounted free to rotate around a pin 223. The oscillation of the pads to and from side 206 of tubular box 212 is determined, at preset intervals of time, by suitable cam profiles 224, 225, similar to

cam profiles

207, 207A and 210 so as to obtain oscillation of

supports

221, 222. Tappet rods 226, 227 similar to rods 209, 213 are also employed.

In the area of the open end of tubular box 212, opposite to the end which is integral with the fastening base 228, there are provided two opposed pairs of folding plates 229, 230 (FIG. 3) which form the bottom folds of the wrapper. Plates 229 are actuated, through respective articulating levers 229A, by tappet rods 232 which are actuated, at preset intervals of time, by cam profiles 232A similar to the above-mentioned ones in relation to

folding arms

200, 202 and

oscillating pads

219, 220. This actuation is such that plates 229 are moved periodically one towards the other in such a manner as to form two opposite wrapper bottom flaps. The other pair of plates 230 are mounted slidably one towards the other and are actuated by suitable cams 231A by means of transmission rods 231 to form, at preset intervals, the other two wrapper bottom flaps.

Each packmaking device 12 operates as described hereafter, in successive phases or steps. These successive steps are illustrated in FIG. 6 and are indicated with letters A through H in the order in which they occur in the packing machine.

At first (step A) an aluminum foil web is fed by distributor 20 to packmaking device 12 which is passing in front of it on chain 2. At this moment, folding

arms

200 and 202 are both open in relation to the upper face of the box. Thus web FS which arrives at packmaking device 12 from aluminum foil feeder 20 along the aluminum foil feed line LFS (see FIG. 1A), can be caused to advance on appropriate guides until its front edge rests on this face under roller 214. Subsequently (step B), as a consequence of the relative motion of chain 2 in relation to the above-specified cam profiles, roller 214 is lowered until it causes web F8 to adhere to box 212. At the same time, wheel 216 contacts guide 217 and begins to rotate in the direction of arrow F 1 and causes roller 214 to rotate in the same direction. Thus, web FS is caused to advance in such a manner as to insinuate itself between the surface of box 212 and curved guide 218 and is, therefore, forced to follow said guide, assuming a U-shaped around the box.

During the next step C, roller 214 is once again moved away from arbor 212, thus interrupting the dragging action of this roller on web FS while pad 219 is caused to oscillate towards the box until web FS is engaged against tooth 233 (FIG. 2) associated with support 221 of this pad, to perfectly position the web in relation to box 212. Subsequently, arm 200 accomplishes a first oscillation towards box 212 until spring-loaded pad 234 located on the arm 200 presses the web against the box, thus holding the web tightly.

In the subsequent step D, roller 214 is once again brought to adhere to web F5 on arbor 212. But this time, it rotates in the opposite direction to arrow Fll because wheel 216 has now been engaged by a guide 235 (FIG. 3) which stands on the op posite side of guide 217 in relation to shaft 215 and obviously? comes after this latter guide. Consequently, web FS tends to be shifted in the opposite direction to the one in which it is caused to advance around box 212. Now, the web is held by pad 234! whereby rotation of roller 214 serves only to tension and keep tensioned web P5. In the meantime, arm 200 accomplishes a further oscillation towards tubular box 212, whereby its extension 209 folds upward the lower flap of web which had remained so far engaged on tooth 233.

During the transition from step D to successive step E, pad 219 oscillates backward while roller 214 goes on rotating keeping tensioned aluminum foil FS.

Roller 214 keeps on engaging foil FS also in the successive step F in which also upper arm 202 oscillates against box 212, thus folding downward with its extension 205A the upper longitudinal flap of the web.

Then, step G follows. In this step roller 214 is lifted to disengage web FS while pad 220 oscillates forward until it presses, one against the other, the web flaps folded longitudinally along side 206 of tubular box 212. In step H, folding

arms

200, 202, pad 219 and roller 214 assume again the same positions they had in step A, while pad 220 keeps on holding the superimposed flaps of web FS. At this point, paper web FC is fed by the corresponding paper feeder 22.

Between steps G and H there occurs an intermediate step during which (see FIG. 3) upper and lower folders 229, associated to each other, effect the corresponding bottom folds of the foil wrapper, while folders 230 do not provide any foil folding.

The successive foil folding operations are illustrated in sequence from the top to the bottom in the perspective drawings of FIG. d.

Immediately after paper web PC is fed onto the foil which has just been folded on the box, paper wrapping and folding take place, substantially in the same manner as in foil folding steps B-G,just described, with the following differences:

a. in paper-folding steps B, C pad 220 keeps on holding the superimposed flaps of web FS.

b. in step D, pad 220 is caused to oscillate backward and thus clears tubular box with web FS wrapped on it, to enable folding arm 200 to make the paper wrapper bottom fold.

c. in a step following step G, side folding plates 230 form the corresponding paper folds, folding at the same time the side foil flaps which had remained open. Then, plate 229 completes the wrapper bottom folding. These operations are illustrated in sequence from the top to the bottom in the explanatory perspective representation of FIG. 5.

Thus there is successively formed on each tubular box 212, a complete wrapper I (FIG. 5) with one end closed and the other opened. The open end of the wrapper is at the side of the tubular box where fastening plate 228 by which the box is secured to the supports of chain 2 is located. This open end, in the area of drum 3, faces chain 1 of containers 8 and moves on said drum remaining always in line with the neatly arranged group of cigarettes in container 8 positioned opposite thereto. The cigarette transfer from a container 8 into the wrapper I formed on the associated arbor 212 the pack closing and the finished pack ejection from the machine form the subject of other patent applications. It should be remembered that the components which have made the bottom closing of wrapper I, that is, the pair of

folding plates

229, 230, will also close the top of the pack when the latter, after being slid out of the box 212 assume a symmetrical position in relation to these plates. This closing is effected in the area of the group of cams 231B, 2323 (FIG. 1A) which operate analogously to

cams

231A, 232A. It should also be noticed that folders 229 which effect the longitudinal folds of the wrapper bottom remain in active position, after the folding operation, to allow paste-drying, and are subsequently opened in the area of cams 231C while retaining pad 220 is opened in the area of the opening cam 225A. The group of

cams

207, 207A, 210, 224, 225 is mounted adjustably on a support 244 to effect variable pack dimensions as desired.

While there is elsewhere described a system of detectors which assures a completely reliable automatic operation of the packing machine, as regards the fixed wrapper-forming tubeshaped box according to this invention, this system involves essentially the detection of the foil feed, ofthe correct foil web wrapping, of the outer paper label feed and of the correct paper web wrapping.

As regards the detection of the foil and paper feed, the sensing or feeling means of the detecting device, are photoelectric cells 236 (FIG. 7) associated with light sources 237. This combination is so located as to face webs FS (FC as they are supplied to the wrapper-forming devices by the

respective feeders

20 and 22. The absence of a web determines the energization of the photoelectric cell and the consequent emission of a signal which can be memorized by the detecting system, for example, in a motion adjuster, to prevent the continuation of the forming operations in the area of the defective or missing foil wrapper, as well as the picking up of the cigarettes from the hopper by the container associated with the packmaking device in which the' defective foil wrapping has been noticed.

Detection of the correct foil wrapping is provided by aphotoelectric cell 238 and an associated light source 239, aligned along the longitudinal axis of tubular box 212, in order that the light beam from the source to the cell passes through the opening of the box. This arrangement enables to detect the closing of the foil wrapper bottom and consequently also the correct foil wrapping.

If photoelectric cell 238 detects a wrong foil wrapping, the corresponding signal sent to the detecting system and, for example, to the above motion adjuster which could be of the magnetic drum type, determines the following conditions:

a. The cigarettes are not picked up from hopper 10, preventing the filling of the picking carriage or container 8 which is associated with the packmalcing device on which the paper wrapper formation defect has been noticed.

b. The element which transfers the cigarettes from the container to the corresponding packmaking device is not actuated.

c. The whole packing machine is automatically stopped with a certain delay to enable the wrapper-forming carriage with the defective wrapper to reach an accessible area.

Detection of the correct paper web wrapping (FIG. 9) involves the use of two electrically

conductive plates

240, 241 which are fitted, interspaced and insulated between each other, along the contacting surface of pad 219. These plates are connected to one end of two

flexible wires

242, 243 of which the other end is connected to a corresponding input of the general detecting system of the packing machine. When pad 219 is caused to oscillate against the side of box 212, if paper web PC has not been fed or ifa paper web FC, regularly fed, has been wrongly wrapped on the box, foil FS will remain uncovered whereby when pad 219 contacts it, the foil will establish an electrical continuity between

contacts

240 and 241. This gives rise, in the general detecting system of the packing machine, to a wrapping defect detecting impulse. If web PC has been regularly wrapped, its nonconductivity will maintain the above contacts insulated whereby no impulse will be generated in the detecting system. The paper wrapper defeet detecting impulse is memorized by the detecting system of the machine and will be used to lock the cigarette plungers on the packing drum 3 when the defective wrapper will be in the area of the packing section on said drum. This impulse determines also the delayed stop of the machine, for example, by means of a delay unit, to bring the defective wrapper forming device in an accessible position.

From the above description, it appears evident that the invention, which fundamentally relates to the formation of a complete wrapper around a tubular box which remains always stationary in relation to the wrapper-forming elements, in all the wrapper-forming steps, enables to achieve packmaking devices or forming devices relatively simple and consequently quite compact or occupying little space. This is a practically essential requisite in an automatic packing machine where these devices are fitted, free to move, in such a manner as to form a chain and are destined to move at even considerably high speeds. These requisites could hardly be satisfied with conventional packmaking devices of the movable tubular box type on account of the higher intrinsic complexity of these devices. Furthermore, the set of successive detectors provided for the wrapper-forming device according to the invention, enables the packer to operate quite safely and reduces to the minimum the stoppages for service operations.

it is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment which has been described and illustrated but that many changes could be made, mainly as regards construction without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

lclaim:

l. A packaging machine for rodlike articles comprising a conveyor moving in a closed path, said conveyor having fix edly mounted thereon a plurality of spaced independent open ended arbors each mounted on the conveyor with its longitudinal axis transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor a U-shaped member secured to said conveyor and extending about said arbor, the open end of said U-shaped member lying parallel to the axis of said arbor and exposing one side thereof, a roller, means mounting said roller on a movable support adjacent said arbor, said movable support being fixed to said conveyor so as to be conjointly movable with said arbor on said conveyor and pivotable relative thereto to move the roller toward the surface of said arbor, means for feeding foil or paper web to said arbor through the open end of said U-shaped member between the surface of said arbor and said roller, and means for causing said roller to pivot to engage the web and slide the same about the surface of said arbor between it and the surface of said U-shaped member to thereby cause said web to assume the shape of said arbor.

2. The device according to claim 1 in which means for folding the web about the arbor comprises a pair of pivotally connected arms encircling said arbor, said arms being pivoted about an axis lying parallel to the axis of said arbor and to the exterior of the bight of the U-shaped member to permit the free ends thereof to engage said web at opposed edges of the exposed side of said arbor to thereby fold the web about the arbor in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof.

3. The device according to claim 2 including a pair of pivoting arms positionable along the exposed side of the arbor and movable to engage the edges of the web and adjust its position prior to folding.

4. The device according to claim 3 including a stop member adapted to engage the web and hold the same against the action of the roller, a pair of movable pressure pads, means supporting each of said pads independently for movement against the exposed side of the arbor and means to impress said pads against the web after the web has been folded across the free side of the arbor.

5. The device according to claim 4, including means for providing the package with bottom folds comprising an upper and a lower pressure plate, means for movably mounting said plates in opposed directions to each other in a common plane parallel to the end of said arbor and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof and means for moving said plate to effect the folding of the web after said web is folded about the exposed side of said arbor.

6. The device according to claim 1 including a second conveyor having a plurality of containers in which a predetermined number of articles are arranged, said containers corresponding in number and position to the number and position of said arbors, said conveyors extending about coaxial arcuate members during a portion of their travel, extending rectilinearly in angular directions therefrom during the remainder of their travel the containers being filled with said articles and said packages wrapped in the rectilinear sections of travel, the device including means for transfering said articles to said packs in the arcuate section.

7. The device according to claim 6 including means for independently feeding a foil web and a paper web and means for synchronizing the action of said roller with the feeding of said web so as to successively wrap first the foil web and then the paper web about the arbor.

8. The device according to claim 7 including means for transfering articles from the first conveyor into the formed pack and means for creating the top fold on said pack.

9. The device according to claim 8 including means for detecting the presence or absence of a foil, and means for producing a signal indicative thereof, and means for preventing operation of paper wrapper mechanism in the absence ofa properly formed foil and for preventing transfer of the articles in absence ofa properly formed foil or paper wrapper.

Claims

1. A packaging machine for rodlike articles comprising a conveyor moving in a closed path, said conveyor having fixedly mounted thereon a plurality of spaced independent open ended arbors each mounted on the conveyor with its longitudinal axis transverse to the direction of movement of said conveyor a Ushaped member secured to said conveyor and extending about said arbor, the open end of said U-shaped member lying parallel to the axis of said arbor and exposing one side thereof, a roller, means mounting said roller on a movable support adjacent said arbor, said movable support being fixed to said conveyor so as to be conjointly movable with said arbor on said conveyor and pivotable relative thereto to move the roller toward the surface of said arbor, means for feeding foil or paper web to said arbor through the open end of said U-shaped member between the surface of said arbor and said roller, and means for causing said roller to pivot to engage the web and slide the same about the surface of said arbor between it and the surface of said U-shaped member to thereby cause said web to assume the shape of said arbor.

9. The device according to claim 8 including means for detecting the presence or absence of a foil, and means for producing a signal indicative thereof, and means for preventing operation of paper wrapper mechanism in the absence of a properly formed foil and for preventing transfer of the articles in absence of a properly formed foil or paper wrapper.