Package making – Apparatus for forming or partially forming receptacle and... – Forming a pocket or pouch by folding and side sealing
Patent
1997-03-19
1999-01-26
Coan, James F.
Package making
Apparatus for forming or partially forming receptacle and...
Forming a pocket or pouch by folding and side sealing
532847, 533841, B65B 102, B65B 908, B65B 4346
Patent
active
058626530
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
As its title indicates, the invention proposed herein consists of a device for handling flexible packages, of the type used in horizontal packing machines that are used to form packets from a heat-sealable complex sheet, fill them with the product to be packed and heat-seal the openings when they are full. The device includes scissors for cutting the packets that are formed continuously from the complex sheet, a packet-lifting mechanism and a revolving mechanism that moves horizontally. The revolving mechanism consists of a moving chain, and several sets of carrying clips that are attached horizontally to the outer sides of the chain. The carrying clips pick up the packets supplied by the lifting clips at a collection station, move them horizontally through the packing machine filling and sealing stations and finally release them at a packet release station.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
At present there are devices for handling flexible packages or containers, and more specifically packets, that include a revolving mechanism that moves along a vertical plane, while the two driving and driven sections of the chain move along a horizontal plane at different heights. Therefore, when the packets are being filled by the packing machine, the product that is being poured into the packets sometimes spills onto the chains and moving parts of the device, causing the device to break down or malfunction. As a result, the moving parts must be cleaned at regular intervals to remove any product that has been spilt.
After picking up the packets, these devices have to carry them through the different stations of the packing machine to which they are attached, open the packets to fill them and then stretch the packet opening so that it can be heat-sealed. For the aforementioned reasons, these well-known devices are highly complex in mechanical terms, and this affects their final price.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The device described herein includes at least one scissors for cutting the packets formed continuously from a complex sheet, a packet-lifting mechanism that picks up the packets when they have been cut, and a revolving mechanism equipped with several sets of clips that carry the packets through the filling and sealing stations of the packing machine, and finally release them in a packet release station.
The revolving mechanism moves along a closed horizontal plane and consists of a chain driven by a power unit that makes it move intermittently; attached horizontally to the outer sides of the chain there are several sets of carrying clips that pick up the packets supplied by the lifting pins at the collection station.
At each side of the revolving mechanism chain there are guides to prevent it from bending and vibrating while it is moving.
The packet-lifting mechanism includes two parallel clips that move up and down on a bracket located above the revolving mechanism. The packets are very close to each other when they are picked up by the clips, so one of the chain guides is vertical and the other is oblique. Consequently, as the clips move upwards, each packet moves away from the next packet, making it easier for each set of revolving mechanism clips to pick up one packet.
In the invention, each set of clips consists of one central clip and two side clips; the central clips have a fixed arm and two lateral presser arms operated by two springs that press them against the fixed arm, keeping them in the closed position. The side clips have a folding arm mounted on a bracket, attached to the chain by a vertical shaft to make it possible to fold or unfold the arms horizontally, taking the ends of the side clips closer to or further from the central clip, and a spring-operated presser arm that moves the folding arm.
Attached to the side of the side clip folding arms is an appendage equipped with an end wheel; on one of these side clips, the end wheel is mounted on top of the appendage and, on the other, below it, as a result of which the end wheels are at different heights.
These end wheels
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patent: 4509313 (1985-04-01), Koppe
patent: 5058364 (1991-10-01), Seiden et al.
patent: 5564252 (1996-10-01), Adelmann
International Search Report No. PCT/ES96/00089, dated July 25, 1996, 3 pp.
Bossar, S.A.
Coan James F.
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