GB575080A - Improvements in or relating to the wrapping of block-shaped articles - Google Patents

Abstract

575,080. Packing-machines. ROSE, A. G., GILBERT, J. A., and ROSE BROS. (GAINSBOROUGH), Ltd. Feb. 26, 1944, No. 3606. [Class 94 (i)] Block-shaped articles 11 such as blocks of chocolates, or ice cream are wrapped by feeding them by pushers 21 on continuously moving conveyers 18 in a direction at right-angles to that of the packing material 26 which is fed in unison and after passing a guide 29 is cut by knives 32 in such a manner that the block 11 engages the centre of the cut sheet and the block and wrapper are fed into a pocket 34 of a pocket-wheel 36 rotated by Geneva mechanism in stages of 45‹. The trailing edges 46 of the pockets are pivoted and controlled by a cam which opens them out against spring action while a block 11 surrounded at the front, upper, and lower edges by the partially folded wrapper is fed into a pocket by means of transferring devices 37, formed with recesses 38 to register the block correctly, and operated by a pair of parallel motion linkages 39, 41 operated by an eccentric 42 and a cam 43. The devices 37 are accelerated to move the blocks clear of the pushers, and are then decelerated to push the block gently into the pockets. As the wheel 36 rotates the wrapping is completed in the following stages. A plate 53 folds one edge of the wrapper over the uncovered edge of the block, and then the portion of this edge which extends beyond the block is folded by a reciprocating folder 54 so as to overlap one of the formed folds, the edge 46 being opened to permit of the folding action. The portions extending beyond each end of the block are then folded by a pair of rotary folders 58 which press one side thereof towards its opposing side so as partially to form pairs of side flaps, and then side folders 59 and 64 act in sequence to form an end flap having a triangular portion extending in a transverse direction as shown in Fig. 7. The side folders are articulated at 61, and their tips are controlled by cams to follow a path appropriate to the natural lines of folding. At the delivery station the trailing edge 46 is again opened and the wrapped article ejected by pushers 66 to a collecting station, the triangular portions of the end flaps being folded underneath the block by means of curved slots 69. The blocks are fed to the slotted feed table 16 by means of a pusher 17 and belts 14, which co-operate with a falling registering device 13 to which the blocks 11 are fed by a belt conveyer 12. Side guides 23 are fitted adjustably to the table 16.