US3923084A - Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets - Google Patents

Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3923084A
US3923084A US474164A US47416474A US3923084A US 3923084 A US3923084 A US 3923084A US 474164 A US474164 A US 474164A US 47416474 A US47416474 A US 47416474A US 3923084 A US3923084 A US 3923084A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
drum
conveyor means
station
filling
screw
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US474164A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ernest L Matthews
Ralph E Matthews
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Ropak Manufacturing Co Inc
Original Assignee
MATTHEWS MACHINE CO Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by MATTHEWS MACHINE CO Inc filed Critical MATTHEWS MACHINE CO Inc
Priority to US474164A priority Critical patent/US3923084A/en
Priority to AU80757/75A priority patent/AU472221B2/en
Priority to CA226,889A priority patent/CA1021301A/en
Priority to GB20590/75A priority patent/GB1489006A/en
Priority to US05/579,930 priority patent/US4007577A/en
Priority to JP6339575A priority patent/JPS5412878B2/ja
Priority to DE19752559779 priority patent/DE2559779A1/de
Priority to DE2523729A priority patent/DE2523729C3/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3923084A publication Critical patent/US3923084A/en
Assigned to MATTHEWS INDUSTRIES, INC. reassignment MATTHEWS INDUSTRIES, INC. CHANGE OF NAME (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). EFFECTIVE DATE: JULY 20, 1982 Assignors: MATTHEWS MACHINE COMPANY, INCORPORATED
Assigned to ROPAK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., DECATUR, ALABAMA, A CORP OF ALABAMA reassignment ROPAK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., DECATUR, ALABAMA, A CORP OF ALABAMA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: MATTHEWS INDUSTRIES, INC., A CORP OF ALA.
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • 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
    • B65B9/00—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, e.g. liquids or semiliquids, in flat, folded, or tubular webs of flexible sheet material; Subdividing filled flexible tubes to form packages
    • B65B9/06—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it
    • B65B9/08—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing
    • B65B9/087—Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it in a web folded and sealed transversely to form pockets which are subsequently filled and then closed by sealing the web advancing continuously
    • 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
    • B65B37/00—Supplying or feeding fluent-solid, plastic, or liquid material, or loose masses of small articles, to be packaged
    • B65B37/08—Supplying or feeding fluent-solid, plastic, or liquid material, or loose masses of small articles, to be packaged by rotary feeders
    • B65B37/10—Supplying or feeding fluent-solid, plastic, or liquid material, or loose masses of small articles, to be packaged by rotary feeders of screw type
    • 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
    • B65B43/00—Forming, feeding, opening or setting-up containers or receptacles in association with packaging
    • B65B43/26—Opening or distending bags; Opening, erecting, or setting-up boxes, cartons, or carton blanks
    • B65B43/265—Opening, erecting or setting-up boxes, cartons or carton blanks

Definitions

  • a high productivity packaging apparatus and method utilize a drum and a plurality of circularly arranged trap chambers, or traps, which communicate and rotate with the drum as an integral, compact unit.
  • the level of material to be packaged is sensed within the drum and material is fed intermittently into the drum by a positive screw feed to replace material withdrawn.
  • Each trap successively draws from the material stored within the drum a unit of material to be packaged, traps the unit, discharges any excess and during continued rotation directs the material toward a trap outlet for discharge at a discharge station in synchronism with the passage of packet containers.
  • the packet containers are formed in a continuous strip of heat settable, coated, sheet material (e.g., paper, which is slit, folded, and transversely or vertically sealed at spaced intervals), are opened by use of pressurized air immediately prior to filling, and after filling are longitudinally or horizontally sealed and then cut into individual packets. Registration marks on the strip are detected and are used as a means to adjust the location of the formed containers with reference to the trap outlets.
  • sheet material e.g., paper, which is slit, folded, and transversely or vertically sealed at spaced intervals
  • This invention pertains to fluid material measuring and dispensing, to the packaging art, and more particularly to condimenttype material packaging apparatus and methods for packaging individual serving type packages of, for example, sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, catsup, and the like.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,778 teaches employment of a rotating filling wheel or drum having a plurality of cam actuated trap chambers or traps mounted on the drum periphery and which drum holds the material to be packaged. Each trap fills with material, isolates one or more units of material and discharges material units into synchronized individual packets or containers to be filled. While a marked advance over the prior art, the trap operations have required many moving parts.
  • U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903 over which this invention marks an improvement, resides around the concept of maintaining a supply of fluid material to be packaged in a rotatable drum, rotating the drum at some uniform speed in a constant direction, and simultaneously rotating a set of traps, i.e., metering devices or trap chambers, which are arranged in a circular configuration and which are connected to and which rotate with the drum.
  • Each trap provides an elongated, non-linear, material flow path between an inlet and outlet and in the embodiments disclosed in the patent such path is of helical shape.
  • each trap is positioned so that the material to be packaged is drawn from the drum through the trap inlet and so as to locate itself at one end of the helical path.
  • the apparatus and method of the invention constitute improvements particularly upon the apparatus and method of U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903.
  • the present invention constitutes a number of specific improvements which collectively provide a substantially improved packaging apparatus and method over that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903.
  • the drum filling portion of the invention is applicable to packaging bottles, paper cartons, and the like, the description is directed to forming packets in a pliable sheet and packaging sugar and the like in such packets. From this description the broader applications of the new screw feed, filling drum and level control will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art.
  • the present invention reduces the length of run of the packaging paper, provides a means for maintaining registration of the packaging paper and particularly the vertical seal locations, utilizes an air suction device for positively opening the vertically sealed packets just prior to their being filled, provides a more compact filling drum structure than previously provided, provides an improved filling spout, utilizes a substantialiy improved horizontal sealing apparatus and method, provides a unique level control and, most importantly, provides a means for positively replenishing material in the drum at a controllable and uniform rate.
  • the registration system of the invention detects registration marks on the packaging paper prior to the paper being vertically sealed and then causes the paper effectively to move or drift with reference to the vertical sealer and in either direction as required so that accurate forming of the vertical seals is obtained.
  • the mentioned air opening device is designed effectively to suck the sides of the vertically sealed packets apart just prior to the packets receiving the filling spouts.
  • Compactness of the filling drum is obtained by forming the traps as part of the filling drum itself rather than by forming them separately and attaching the traps to the drum periphery as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903.
  • a pair of communicating sloped and horizontal screws are used to elevate the sugar or other material from a storage bin and transfer it into the filling drum as required.
  • the level control utilizes an improved oscillatory paddle and switch arrangement.
  • the paddle senses the material level, rotates a shaft on which the paddle is mounted, and actuates a switch which energizes a screw drive motor, causing the material supply screws to operate when and as needed.
  • the required horizontal seal is effected by an improved sealing apparatus and method designed to cause the horizontal paper surfaces requiring sealing to be sealed and to move back and forth between heated surfaces having constantly changing curvatures.
  • the overall effect of the invention improvements is to provide a machine capable in its design speed of exceeding 2,500 packets per minute based on forming two packet strips simultaneously and which in actual practice has maintained a production rate of 2,000 packets per minute.
  • the object is to provide a vastly improved packaging machine and method of packaging, and the various improvements will be seen as the description proceeds.
  • FIG. 1 is a front elevation view of the preferred embodiment of the packaging apparatus.
  • FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the packaging apparatus of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 3 is an enlarged front elevation view of the packaging apparatus control panel.
  • FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 1.
  • FIG. 5 is an enlarged front elevation view of the filling drum section and the filling spouts around the drum.
  • FIG. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged section of one of the trap measuring devices around the drum periphery.
  • FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of a filling spout employed in this invention.
  • FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the device of FIG. 7, the side not shown being a mirror image thereof.
  • FIG. 9 is a rear elevation view of the device of FIG.
  • FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the device of FIG. 7.
  • FIG. 1 1 is a side elevation view of a horizontal screw used by the invention in supplying material to the drum.
  • FIG. 12 is a fragmentary plan view of the vertical sealer arrangement and the paper-turning device.
  • FIG. 13 is an enlarged side elevation view of one of the vertical sealer heads of FIG. 12.
  • FIG. 14 is an end elevation view of an air opener used in this invention, two such openers being used in the embodiment described.
  • FIG. 15 is a plan view of the device of FIG. 14 and illustrating the air supply for the openers in a dual arrangement.
  • FIG. 16 is a plan view of the interior face of one of a pair of identical plates which make up the air opener.
  • FIG. 17 is a plan view of a section of the paper used in packaging the material and which is shown prior to being slit.
  • FIG. 18 is an enlarged end elevation view of a switch arrangement used to control the supply of material to the drum and filling spouts.
  • FIG. 19 is an end elevation view of the horizontal, wavy surfaced, heated sealers employed in the invention with the outside sealer bars being shown in dashed lines as for cleaning.
  • FIG. 20 is a top plan view of one pair of the two wavy sealer plates of FIG. 19 with dashed lines indicating the hollow tubular spaces reserved for the electrical heaters.
  • FIG. 21 is an end elevation view of one pair of the wavy sealer plates of FIG. 20.
  • FIG. 22 is a top plan view of the horizontal sealer of FIG. 19 and also showing a cutter arrangement adjacent thereto for severing the filled series of packets into individual packs.
  • FIG. 23 is a fragmentary elevation section of an alternative means of supply of material to the horizontal screw of FIG. 4.
  • FIG. 24 is a side view of a horizontally and vertically sealed filled packet strip prior to cutting.
  • the packager frame 30 consists of welded construction and as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is provided with floor mounting feet 31, a front reinforcing panel 32, a rear reinforcing panel 33 (shown in FIG. 2), a control box 35, and an inspection door 38.
  • the apparatus and method of the invention are specifically directed at the type of packaging used for forming individual packets or serving-type packages from heat settable paper, or the like, such as used for sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, catsup, and the like.
  • heat settable paper roll supply 40 mounted for rotation on an axle 41 having a weighted drag roll 42.
  • the packetforming paper 45 passes from the roll supply 40 over an idler guide roll 46 to a driven roller 50 which will be referred to as the bottom driven roller.
  • the driving arrangement for bottom driven roller 50 will be described later in connection with FIG. 2.
  • a weighted idler roll 51 prevents slippage of paper 45 around bottom driven roll 50.
  • Idler roll 51 can be flipped back out of contact with roll 50 when the machine is being threaded.
  • the paper 45 may be imprinted with appropriate advertising which may be used for registration purposes, or preferably, the paper is printed with longitudinally spaced registration marks 55 (FIG. 17) which may be detected by a registration optical detector 56 and through appropriate registration controls 57, later explained, used for purposes of registration.
  • An electrically heated bar 44 is provided for sealing the trailing end of a used roll to the leading end of a new roll. Bar 44 may be energized by a suitably placed switch 47 which is actuated by the drag roll 42 moving to a position corresponding to a depleted roll and which speeds up installation of a new roll. Switch 47 may also be used to actuate a warning signal and to stop the filling operation in the event the depleted roll is not observed by the operator.
  • the paper next passes over an idler roll 60 and then through a slitter-folder 61 which causes the paper to be slit into two half-sections 45a and 45b for each halfsection and folded as indicated in FIG. 12.
  • a single width paper could be employed and which would eliminate the use of slitter folder 61.
  • the use of a double width paper has been chosen though it should be understood that by duplicating the paper handling, sealing, filling, and cutting apparatus hereafter described, paper suitable to making up more than two packet-forming strips could be employed throughout the system being described.
  • the slitted and folded paper strips 45a, 45b after lerving a slitterfolder 61, are caused to pass over respective vertical sealing units 70, 71 such that strip 45a is caused to be vertically sealed by vertical sealer 71 and strip 45b is caused to be vertically sealed by vertical sealer 70.
  • the common problem of static electricity may be reduced by use of a conventional static eliminator bar 62 (FIG. 1). Since the slitters, folders, and vertical sealers referred to are well known, no detailed explanation of either is deemed to be required.
  • the vertical sealers 70, 71 are conventional and each constitutes a wheel-like arrangement on which are mounted a plurality of electrically heated sealing bars 75. As the respective heat sealable paper strips 45a, 45b move around the positively driven heater bars 75, the so-called vertical seals are formed. The space between each vertical seal eventually constitutes a container or packet for the material to be packaged.
  • the now vertically sealed and folded paper strips 45a, 45b are directed between respective pairs of driven knurled rollers 80 which are duplicated for each paper strip which is folded and which will be referred to as the top driven rollers and which are between pairs of smooth surfaced fixed rod guides 81.
  • Smaller knurled idler rollers 80a under spring load, fit against larger rollers 80.
  • Rollers 80a are spring loaded so that they may be backed off from rollers 80 when threading the paper between rollers 80, 80a.
  • Rollers 80, 80a are preferably hardened to reduce the effects of wear and it is desirable that a constant tension be upon the paper strips 45a, 45b as they pass around the respective vertical sealers 70, 71.
  • Constant tension upon strips 45a, 45b allows for quick and complete penetration of heat and facilitates obtaining a satisfactory vertical seal.
  • Rollers 80 are preferably slightly overdriven through a slip clutch in order to maintain proper tension.
  • Each paper strip continues its respective path over smooth surfaced rod guides 82 and each paper strip 45a, 45b, prior to being filled, enters a unique air opening device 83 which is shown in more detail in FIGS. 14, 15, and 16. It should be understood that for each paper strip there will be provided one such air opener 83 whose purpose is that of opening the now formed vertically sealed packets just prior to their moving to the position where they are to receive the material to be packaged,
  • each air opener 83 is provided with a suitable pressurized air supply through an air-supply tube 85.
  • the exact pressure is not critical and a suitable pressure can be obtained simply by observing the opening under a strobescopic light andadjusting the opening and pressure to obtain the desired opening effect.
  • the opener consists of a pair of spaced blocks 86, 87 having a plurality of formed depressions 88 which communicate with an air channel 89 which in turn receives air from air supply tube 85.
  • Aluminum blocks have been used but many other materials such as plastic, glass, or the like, could be similarly formed.
  • each packet container formed between each pair of vertical seals tend to be sucked outwardly towards the respective plates 86, 87 and which in turn tends to open the container. This is due to the venturi effect of the air exiting depressions 88 on the sides of each packet.
  • the mouth of the packet is caused to open and each paper strip 45a, 45b, after leaving its respective air opener 83, is time to cause the mouth of each respective opened packet to engage a respective filling spout 90 on the filling drum 91.
  • the innerand outer edges of the respective folded packet strips which pass position P-3 are caused to be bent or curved so as to generally follow the curvature of the drum as the strip packets move past position P-3 and around the horizontal axis of the drum 91.
  • This method of handling the portions of the packet strips being filled has been found in practice to assist in puckering and opening the packets for filling.
  • the packet strips in practice can be seen to pucker and open when moving in the arcuate path depicted in FIG. 5.
  • the inner and outer edges of the respective packet strips, while depicted as smooth curves in FIG. 5, will, of course, have some wrinkles conforming to being curved as shown.
  • the body (FIG. 4) of drum 91 is of one piece, pan-shaped, cast metal construction and has its front face covered by a transparent cover plate 127 which is secured by the screws 128 to provide a hollow drum or container for the material.
  • the body 125 is affix ed to the bearing tube 222 by means of screws 250, as later referred to, and is concentrically mounted with respect to its axis of rotation by means of bearings 251, 252.
  • the external peripheral wall 130 of the body 125 is provided with externally machined surfaces 131 (FIG. 6) on which are mounted the uniformly and peripherally spaced spouts 90 by means of screws 132 and which are associated with the metering and dispensing trap chambers 120.
  • traps of the invention act in fact as a means for receiving, metering, guiding, and discharging units of material on each rotation of drum 91.
  • the metering and dispensing traps 120 and their associated spouts 90 which are shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4 through 10, are adapted to package two packets simultaneously; however, more or fewer packets may be packaged with the appropriate modifications to the apparatus.
  • the packets are preferably in continuous strip form, as in FIGS. 1, 5, 12 and 13. However, discrete containers such as bottles or boxes, not shown, may be used with the drum or filling wheel portion of the invention apparatus.
  • Each metering and dispensing trap 120 is formed with a hollow, cylindrical opening 142 whose ends are closed by circular nylon discs 133, 134 held by set screws 140 (FIG. 6). Openings 142 are formed by equally, peripherally spaced holes bored through the cast-metal body 125 of drum 91. This construction both reduces construction and maintenance costs and lends itself to a more compact drum arrangement as contrasted with the traps which are separately formed and secured to the drums as taught in prior art U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903.
  • a cylindrical spaced block 136 is snugly fitted and centered in the interior of opening 142 and effectively divides opening 142 into two independent trap sections V and V
  • a pair of snugly fitted helical screws 138, 139 are located on opposite sides of spacer block 136. Screws 138, 139 provide respective helical flow paths for the material. Material is fed to trap section V, through inlet 143 and to trap section V through inlet 144.
  • Block 136 and screws 138, 139 are of nylon. While described as separate items, discs 133 and 134, screws 138 and 139, and block 136 are preferably molded from nylon as a single integral part for each trap assembly.
  • Inlets 143, 144 communicate with the interior of drum 91 and as drum 91 rotates the material residing inside drum 91 is forcibly injected into the trap inlets 143, 144 by gravitational and centrifugal forces.
  • FIGS. 8-10 show a preferred embodiment for packaging sugar and the like.
  • each spout 90 provides for the material to be expelled both through central, axially extending port 154 (FIG. 8) and a lateral port 155 which commu nicates with port 154 proximate the drum body 125.
  • Each spout 90 also includes a rigid, thin, tip portion 156 which first engages the packet opening which, as drum 91 rotates (see FIG. gradually inserts itself into the near full depth of the packet. The wider portion of the spout 90, containing ports 154 and 155, is
  • screw members 138, 139 follows the teaching of U.S. Pat. No. 3,631,903 but for a better understanding of the improvements related to the present invention it will be shown how they act to receive the material, measure out units of material, and then dispense the respective units of material through the improved filling spouts 90.
  • the trap when the trap is in the position P-l, FIG. 5, the left ends of the screws 138, 139, as seen in FIG. 6, will fill through the respective inlets 143, 144.
  • the trap As the trap moves on to position P-Z, the trap is inverted and excess material is dropped back into drum 91 through inlets 143, 144.
  • each trap section V V receives, measures off, stores, and discharges a unit of material on each rotation.
  • the improved trap construction, improved air opener, improved spout construction, improved horizontal sealing, improved registration, improved material feeding and sensing of the present invention all adapt themselves to utilizing the screw trapping concept at substantially higher production rates than heretofore obtained.
  • the traps will sequentially fill, dump excess material and move to the respective filling spouts 90, predetermined units of material which will always be of uniform amount.
  • the material unit is determined by the diameter, pitch, blade thickness, speed of rotation and nature of material, which factors, once determined and fixed, insure a uniformity in measuring the respective units. Further, simply by changing the pitch or diameter of the screw being employed, the volume in the material unit can be changed and in some cases simply by speeding or slowing rotation, the volume in the material unit can be changed.
  • a brush 78 and excess material guide 79 are employed to remove any excess material which clings to the spouts 90 prior to their moving back to a filling position.
  • Drum 91 always rotates in the same direction and the speed of rotation while constant for a given material is preferably adjusted to the nature of the material. That is, to gain maximum advantage of both gravitational and centrifugal forces the speed should be adjusted to be sufficiently fast so that the trap tends to fill in excess of one unit of material on each rotation, with the excess being eliminated by the fact that each respective trap when it inverts to position P-2 will retain only one unit of material.
  • Some paste-like and semi-liquid materials therefore, may be found compatible with the apparatus and method of the invention though they may require a different range of speed than is required for liquid and granular materials and in some cases the materials are expected to be heated and dried as part of the packaging process.
  • a storage bin 200 of welded metal or other suitable construction is employed.
  • Appropriate sloping walls 201 provide a limited volume base to facilitate pick-up, and rest on the floor.
  • Storage bin 200 is affixed to the machine frame 30 by suitable frame means and the operator dumps into bin 200, as required, material to be packaged which may be, for example, 100-pound bags of sugar.
  • the manner in which the material is elevated from the storage bin 200 to the level of the filling drum 91, the manner in which the material is then transferred into the filling drum and the manner in which a predetermined level is maintained in the filling drum 91 all constitute coordinated and important aspects of the invention.
  • a vertically sloped and positively driven screw 210 which mounts within a tube 211 which extends into the limitedvolume base of the storage bin 200.
  • chain 214 drives a gear 220 which rotates a separate horizontal screw 221 (FIGS. 4, 11 and 23) mounted inside a horizontal tube 222 which at its material recovery end communicates with tube 211.
  • the material to be packaged e.g., sugar
  • vertical screw 210 is then transferred to screw 221 and is then moved horizontally towards the filling drum 91 where it exits through a perforated cap 225.
  • the sugar or other material can be drawn from bin 200 in positive measured amounts and lumps can be broken up in transit.
  • drum 91 by sensing the material level in drum 91, as later explained, replacement material can be drawn into drum 91 as needed at a substantially uniform rate. Also, this method of replenishing drum 91 allows drum 91 to move at a relatively high rate of packaging since material replenishing can be done positively and at a fast rate.
  • Tube 222 is secured on its discharge end to drum 91 by means of bolts 250, as best shown in FIG. 4.
  • Tube 222 is also rotatably supported by bearings 251, 252 and at its opposite end is secured to the drive gear 255 by means of bolts 256.
  • Bearings 251, 252 are in turn supported by frame member 260 and hub member 261 which is secured to frame member 260 by bolts 262.
  • Turning of drive gear 255 thus causes drum 91 to rotate, I-Iowever, conveyor screw 221 is connected to be separately driven by means of gear 220 which mounts on conveyor screw 221 and is driven by chain 214 through gear 213.
  • Added bearing support for the tube 222 is provided by bearings 280, 281. What should be appreciated here is that this coaxial drum-screw arrangement allows drum 91 to rotate continuously and screw 221 to rotate intermittently about the same axis.
  • conveyor screw 221 is of a hollow construction as seen in FIGS. 4 and 11.
  • a shaft 290 extends through conveyor screw 221 and is supported by a bearing 291 mounted in cap 225.
  • a cap extension 292 mounts a material level sensing paddle 293 which can be adjusted radially by means of set screw 294.
  • shaft 290 rotates independently of conveyor screw 221 and also rotates independently of tube 222 which surrounds screw 221 and which drives drum 91.
  • drum 91 may be continuously turning with tube 222, screw 221 can be stationary and at the same time shaft 290 can be stationary.
  • drum 91 can be caused to rotate while screw 221 and shaft 290 remain stationary.
  • shaft 290 can shift its rotative position while screw 221 remains stationary or shaft 290 can be changing its rotative position at a time when screw 221 is turning.
  • the level control incorporates a two-position microswitch 300 having a two-position switch plunger 301 and supported on a frame member 302.
  • switch 300 When plunger 30] is depressed, switch 300 is closed and when plunger 301 is elevated,
  • switch 300 is opened.
  • Switch 300 is in circuit with the screw drive motor 202.
  • plunger 301 is depressed by means of a lever 310 rigidly secured to shaft 290 and plunger 301 is elevated by means of a lever 311 which is also rigidly mounted on shaft 290.
  • Levers 310, 311 have switch engaging pins 312, 313.
  • the paddle 293 also seen in FIG. 4 is shown in a vertical position corresponding to the drum being empty or substantially empty. In this empty condition, lever 310 will occupy the solid-line condition shown in FIG.
  • drum 91 will operate continuously, subject only to paper replacement and breakdowns, and paddle 293 will oscillate between vertical and off-vertical positions as drum 91 empties, refills, empties, refills, etc., and motor 202 will switch on and off in the same sequence.
  • the dual packet strips after being filled, are passed under a guide 350 and then into a horizontal sealing unit 355 whose details are important to the invention and are later explained.
  • horizontal sealing unit 355 whose details are important to the invention and are later explained.
  • the'now sealed packets are pulled through a conventional packet knife cutter 370 which is synchronized to cut through the vertical or transverse seals of the dual packet strips and drop the now individual packets into hopper 450 from which they drop to a suitable shipping container 375.
  • the shipping container 375 arrives below the knife cutter 370 on a conveyor 380, is filled below the knife cutter 370 and is then ejected by an appropriate means onto a discharge conveyor 381 for final packaging and shipment.
  • cam 390 In order to fill each container 375 with the same number of packets, there is provided a cam 390 which is secured and rotates with drum 91, as shown in FIG. 5. Cam 390 operates a counting switch 391 which in turn is connected to a counter control of conventional construction. Since the mechanism for receiving the shipping containers, counting the packets and ejecting the filled shipping containers follow conventional practice, the same are not dealt with in further detail.
  • the mechanism for pushing the shipping container 375 from the incoming conveyor 380 is schematically represented by mechanism 400 and the ejecting mechanism for pushing the filled shipping container 375 onto discharge conveyor 381 is schematically represented by mechanism 401 as best seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
  • Such mechanisms conventionally use pneumatic rams, or the like, with appropriate controls to perform the described functions.
  • the present invention offers a substantial improvement for packaging sugar, and the like, and accomplishes horizontal sealing in a completely novel manner which substantially overcomes many of the problems encountered in previous horizontal sealers.
  • the past practice during horizontal sealing has been to pass the vertically sealed and filled packets between two heated bars providing narrowly spaced straight opposed heated surfaces. This method has not accommodated to the problem of extraneous grains of material which are often found on the paper surfaces where the horizontal seal is made. Faulty seals are often made and the paper is often burned, resulting in rejected work.
  • maintenance problems have been substantial and particularly since any kind of heated surface which contacts sugar, or the like, requires periodic cleaning under the most ideal circumstances.
  • the horizontal sealing unit 355 comprises a base structure 410 which mounts on each side respective pairs of sealing bars 411, 412, 413 and 414. Each bar is in effect an electrically heated bar.
  • the mating surfaces of each pair of sealing bars 411, 412 e.g., follow a wavy path as best seen in FIGS. 20 and 22. That is, the paper being sealed is forced into contact with parallel, heated, opposed surfaces of changing curvature.
  • the contacting surfaces of the bars between which the packet paper is passed and horizontally sealed have heated areas on each bar approximating 6 inches X we inch.
  • Conventional tubular electric heaters are mounted in the hollow interiors of the respective sealing bars 411-414 and are energized by suitable electrical connections 420.
  • the outer sealing bars 411, 414 are pivoted as best shown in FIG. 19 and are provided with handles 425, 426.such that when pivoted inwardly to the dotted line positions shown in FIG. 19 the mating heated surfaces are available for cleaning, removal of burnt materials, and the like, such as encountered in normal packaging practice.
  • the changing bar surface curvatures used in the longitudinal sealers of the present invention tend to minimize packet burning because each side of the packet tends to be in only intermittent contact with a heated bar surface.
  • conventional straight bar surfaces afford the probability of bringing each side of the packet into continuous contact with a heated bar surface.
  • a further advantage of the longitudinal sealers of the invention is that uniformity in duration of contact between packet and heater surface is assured whereas the straight surfaces of conventional longitudinal sealers permit lateral flutter of the packet strip and, hence, intermittent contact.
  • a still further advantage is seen in the fact that the filling of packets in a packet strip tends to shorten the effective length of the bottom of the strip due to bulging of the packets and consequent concave pucker in the outside bottom of said packets, all of which tends to bow the packet strip upward between the filling and cutting operations.
  • the wavy gap between the two halves of each longitudinal sealer employed in the invention counters this tendency by causing the top edge of each corresponding packet strip to assume a sinusoidal shape and hence to effectively shorten the strip.
  • the packets once horizontally sealed are drawn between respective pairs of driven and idle rollers 430, 431 and 432, 433.
  • the rollers are provided with knurled surfaces to facilitate gripping the paper.
  • the packets then pass the respective knife blades 435, 436 from which they drop into a suitable hopper 450 for packaging into containers 375, as previously mentioned.
  • the usual hopper gate and its mechanism are not shown since the same follow conventional practice.
  • the register system employed makes use of conventional components of a photoelectric registration system available to the trade but incorporates these components in a unique manner useful to the purposes of the invention.
  • the pamphlets explain the basic operation of the so-called EMP Model 102 two-way registration system which has been found useful for the apparatus of this invention. With the description set forth in these pamphlets in mind, the photoelectric scanner 56, FIG.
  • the selector switch 49 establishes a correction zone as well as a dwell area between advance and retard and the differential 53 causes the paper to drift in either direction on the vertical sealers as later explained.
  • the vertical sealers 70, 71 are in turn positively driven at a constant speed by gear 54 which in turn is driven by the main drum gear 255 through gear boxes 58, 59 and connecting shaft 65.
  • the vertical sealer drive gear 54 drives a chain 66 which drives the rotating dial of selector switch 49 and also acts to drive the differential 53.
  • Differential 53 in turn drives through its differential mechanism a chain 67 which drives a gear 68 which drives the bottom drive roller 50 and a gear 69 which drives the top drive rollers 80 shown in FIG. 1.
  • the paper registration marks 55 shown in FIG. 17 are detected and, if registration is within defined limits, the bottom drive roller 50 and top drive rollers 80 continue to operate at some predetermined speed and the vertical seals are formed at properly spaced locations on vertical sealers 70, 71. However, if the registration marks lead or lag beyond defined limits, such fact is detected which causes the registration adjustment motor 52 to adjust the differential 53 so that gears 68, 69 either speed up or slow down as required which effectively causes the paper to drift or slide on the vertical sealers 70, 71 which in turn causes a relocation of the vertical seals to their proper positions with reference to the registration marks.
  • rollers 430, 432 are connected by shaft means, not shown, to be driven through an adjustable magnetic clutch 72, shown in FIG. 2.
  • Clutch 72 is in turn driven by chain 73 off gear 74 which is driven through shaft 75 and gear box 76 off the main drum gear 255.
  • the term vertical seal has been used to refer to the transverse, lateral or crosswise seal; the term horizontal seal to refer to the longitudinal or lengthwise seal at the outer edges opposite the folded packet bottom and the top of the packet to refer to the portion of the packet sealed by the horizontal or longitudinal seal.
  • the terms vertical and horizontal have been employed to simplify the description for those skilled in the art.
  • packaging operations may be carried out according to the invention with the transverse and longitudinal sealers operating and the seals being formed in orientations and positions different from those disclosed in the drawings.
  • the embodiment described illustrates only one such orientation.
  • the word paper has also been used in a generic sense to mean any packaging material suited to the invention. For example, while coated, heat settable paper has been mentioned, transparent polyethylene sheet material has also proven practical as an alternate method.
  • An apparatus for dividing fluid material into uniform units and for packing the units comprising:
  • a hollow cylindrical filling drum having a peripheral body portion and containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discrete units
  • each chamber having a hollow housing formed with said peripheral body portion and a helical screw member having its axis oriented parallel 5 to said central axis and fixed within said housing, each said chamber providing an open elongated fluid material flow path formed by said screw member and extending between an inlet communicating with the interior of said drum and an outlet laterally displaced along said flow path, said screw member being dimensioned to measure said unit; c. means for rotating said filling structure at a unimined angular range corresponding to a deplenished supply of material in said drum.
  • each chamber being adapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate its respective inlet with the interior of said drum at a first rotative station, to receive a portion of said fluid material into said flow path, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away from said first station all except a quantity equal to one unit of said material, and to guide said unit along said flow path towards said outlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon as said chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative station whereby said unit is discharged from said outlet during passage of said chamber past said second station;
  • conveyor means arranged to convey said material from said receptacle to said drum along a conveying path which conveying path at the drum receiving end includes horizontal screw conveyor means comprising a helical conveyor screw surrounding a hollow hub and adapted for rotation independent of said drum around said central axis and communicating at its discharge end with said drum interior and at its intake end with said storage receptacle and includes in addition to' said horizontal screw conveyor means an operatively associated additional screw conveyor means communicating at one lower end with the material in said storage receptacle and at the other end with the intake end of said horizontal screw conveyor means; and
  • leveling means independently controlling said conveyor means including said horizontal screw and additional screw conveyor means whereby said conveyor means may operate independently of said drum and being effective to operate said conveyor means intermittently as required to maintain a predetermined level of material in said container, said leveling means including a shaft mounted for rota- 3.
  • a hollow cylindrical filling drum having a peripheral body portion and containing a volume of fluid material to be dispensed in discrete units
  • each chamber having a hollow housing formed with said peripheral body portion and a helical screw member having its axis oriented parallel to said central axis and fixed within said housing, each said chamber providing an open elongated fluid material flow path formed by said screw member and extending between an inlet communicating with the interior of said drum and an outlet laterally displaced along said flow path, said screw member being dimensioned to measure said unit;
  • each chamber being adapted on each rotation and at said speed to communicate its respective inlet with the interior of said drum at a first rotative station, to receive a portion of said fluid material into said flow path, to discharge through said inlet as said chamber rotates away from said first station all except a quantity equal to one unit of said material, and to guide said unit along said flow path towards said outlet under the influence of the rotative forces asserted thereon as said chamber rotates at said speed towards a second rotative station whereby said unit is discharged from said outlet during passage of said chamber past said second station;
  • conveyor means arranged to convey said material from said receptacle to said drum along a conveying path which conveying pathat the drum receivtlon lmllepamlent of, within and extending the ing end includes horizontal screw conveyor means length of Said Said Shaft having one forward comprising a helical conveyor screw surrounding a end extending imo Said drum interior and having hollow hub and adapted for rotation independent mounted thereon a rotatable Sensing member for of said drum around said central axis and commucontacting and S nsing th level f Said material nicating at its discharge end with said drum interior and controlling the rotative position of said shaft d t it intak nd with said storage receptacle; according to such level, said shaft having a reard ward end mounting switch actuating means conf.
  • leveling means independently controlling said controlled by the rotative position of said shaft, and veyor means including said horizontal screw conelectric drive means controlled by said switchveyor means whereby said conveyor means may actuating means for simultaneously driving said screw conveyor means during those times when said sensing member rotates within some predeteroperate independently of said drum and being effective to operate said conveyor means intermittently as required to maintain a predetermined level of material in said container
  • said leveling means including a shaft mounted for rotation independent of, within and extending the length of said hub, said shaft having one forward end extending into said drum interior and having mounted thereon a rotatable sensing member for contacting and sensing the level of said material and controlling the rotative position of said shaft according to such level, said shaft having a rearward end mounting switch actuating means controlled by the rotative position of said shaft, and electric drive means controlled by said switch-actuating means for simultaneously driving said screw conveyor means during those times when said sensing member rotates within some predetermined angular range corresponding to a deplenished supply of material
  • said storage receptacle is located below and stores said material below the level of said horizontal screw conveyor means and said conveyor means comprises in addition to said horizontal screw conveyor means an operatively associated additional screw conveyor means communicating at one lower end with the material in said storage receptacle and the other end with the intake end of said horizontal screw conveyor means, and said leveling means simultaneously controls both said horizontal and additional screw conveyor means independently of said drum.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
  • Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
US474164A 1974-05-29 1974-05-29 Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets Expired - Lifetime US3923084A (en)

Priority Applications (8)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US474164A US3923084A (en) 1974-05-29 1974-05-29 Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets
AU80757/75A AU472221B2 (en) 1974-05-29 1975-05-02 Apparatus and method for packaging fluid materials in packets
CA226,889A CA1021301A (en) 1974-05-29 1975-05-14 Apparatus and method for packaging fluid materials in packets
GB20590/75A GB1489006A (en) 1974-05-29 1975-05-15 Apparatus and method for dividing and dispensing fluent materials into uniform volume units
US05/579,930 US4007577A (en) 1974-05-29 1975-05-22 Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets
JP6339575A JPS5412878B2 (de) 1974-05-29 1975-05-27
DE19752559779 DE2559779A1 (de) 1974-05-29 1975-05-28 Vorrichtung zum zufuehren von beuteln zu einer fuelleinrichtung und zum verschliessen der beutel
DE2523729A DE2523729C3 (de) 1974-05-29 1975-05-28 Füllstandregeleinrichtung für eine Vorrichtung zum Dosieren und Abpacken von fließfähigem Gut

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US474164A US3923084A (en) 1974-05-29 1974-05-29 Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US05/579,930 Division US4007577A (en) 1974-05-29 1975-05-22 Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3923084A true US3923084A (en) 1975-12-02

Family

ID=23882433

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US474164A Expired - Lifetime US3923084A (en) 1974-05-29 1974-05-29 Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US3923084A (de)
JP (1) JPS5412878B2 (de)
AU (1) AU472221B2 (de)
CA (1) CA1021301A (de)
DE (2) DE2559779A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1489006A (de)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0225722A1 (de) * 1985-11-20 1987-06-16 Ladislav Stephan Karpisek Lastumsetzstation
WO1989008584A1 (en) * 1988-03-16 1989-09-21 Ropak Manufacturing Company, Inc. Apparatus for packaging fluid materials into packets
US4939884A (en) * 1989-04-14 1990-07-10 Glenn Peters Honey stick machine
KR100414764B1 (ko) * 2001-07-27 2004-01-16 박근모 회전식 계량 공급장치에 의한 수평진행형 포장대 실링머신
US20040025475A1 (en) * 2002-08-09 2004-02-12 Hamilton Kathryn M. Straw-filling device
US20040187442A1 (en) * 2003-03-27 2004-09-30 Swf Companies, Inc. High-speed continuous action form-fill-seal apparatus
US20100199601A1 (en) * 2007-10-12 2010-08-12 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. Machine for manufacturing pouches containing a tobacco mixture
CN101973405A (zh) * 2010-08-16 2011-02-16 上海嘉迪机械有限公司 一种容积计量填料机
US20160347483A1 (en) * 2014-02-06 2016-12-01 Gima S.P.A. Unit and method for releasing product for extraction or infusion beverages in containers forming single-use capsules or pods
US9926470B2 (en) 2012-10-22 2018-03-27 Avery Dennison Corporation Hybrid material of crosslinked microgel particles dispersed in an adhesive
US20190112088A1 (en) * 2017-10-16 2019-04-18 Volm Companies, Inc. Automatic Bagging Machine Having Rollstock Support Spool
CN111572844A (zh) * 2020-05-19 2020-08-25 深圳市蓝丝腾科技有限公司 一种小型中药丸装袋设备

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN106516290B (zh) * 2016-12-15 2019-08-13 广州市赛康尼机械设备有限公司 旋转分流剔除装置
CN108423236A (zh) * 2018-02-08 2018-08-21 苏州友创金属制品有限公司 一种螺丝包装机
RU2730764C1 (ru) * 2020-04-21 2020-08-25 Общество с ограниченной ответственностью «Базис» Установка для упаковки продуктов в картонные коробки

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2292864A (en) * 1939-11-10 1942-08-11 Western Electric Co Apparatus for feeding articles
US2444985A (en) * 1944-04-04 1948-07-13 W J Savage Company Inc Fuel burner
US3570557A (en) * 1967-09-15 1971-03-16 Molins Machine Co Ltd Apparatus for producing composite filter plugs for cigarettes
US3592004A (en) * 1969-08-22 1971-07-13 Riegel Paper Corp Bag-pressing members for packaging machine
US3631903A (en) * 1970-02-05 1972-01-04 Clyde J Huggins Metering trap construction, apparatus and method for filling individual containers with fluid materials
US3753331A (en) * 1970-04-25 1973-08-21 Ikegai Iron Works Ltd Method of and means for facilitating a sealing of end flaps of a film

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2292864A (en) * 1939-11-10 1942-08-11 Western Electric Co Apparatus for feeding articles
US2444985A (en) * 1944-04-04 1948-07-13 W J Savage Company Inc Fuel burner
US3570557A (en) * 1967-09-15 1971-03-16 Molins Machine Co Ltd Apparatus for producing composite filter plugs for cigarettes
US3592004A (en) * 1969-08-22 1971-07-13 Riegel Paper Corp Bag-pressing members for packaging machine
US3631903A (en) * 1970-02-05 1972-01-04 Clyde J Huggins Metering trap construction, apparatus and method for filling individual containers with fluid materials
US3753331A (en) * 1970-04-25 1973-08-21 Ikegai Iron Works Ltd Method of and means for facilitating a sealing of end flaps of a film

Cited By (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0225722A1 (de) * 1985-11-20 1987-06-16 Ladislav Stephan Karpisek Lastumsetzstation
WO1989008584A1 (en) * 1988-03-16 1989-09-21 Ropak Manufacturing Company, Inc. Apparatus for packaging fluid materials into packets
US4884599A (en) * 1988-03-16 1989-12-05 Ropak Manufacturing Company, Inc. Apparatus for packaging fluid materials into packets
US4939884A (en) * 1989-04-14 1990-07-10 Glenn Peters Honey stick machine
KR100414764B1 (ko) * 2001-07-27 2004-01-16 박근모 회전식 계량 공급장치에 의한 수평진행형 포장대 실링머신
US7047709B2 (en) 2002-08-09 2006-05-23 Hamilton Kathryn M Straw-filling device
US20040025475A1 (en) * 2002-08-09 2004-02-12 Hamilton Kathryn M. Straw-filling device
US20040187442A1 (en) * 2003-03-27 2004-09-30 Swf Companies, Inc. High-speed continuous action form-fill-seal apparatus
US6966166B2 (en) 2003-03-27 2005-11-22 Swf Companies, Inc. High-speed continuous action form-fill-seal machine and methods
US20100199601A1 (en) * 2007-10-12 2010-08-12 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. Machine for manufacturing pouches containing a tobacco mixture
US8402720B2 (en) * 2007-10-12 2013-03-26 Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A. Machine for manufacturing pouches containing a tobacco mixture
CN101973405A (zh) * 2010-08-16 2011-02-16 上海嘉迪机械有限公司 一种容积计量填料机
US9926470B2 (en) 2012-10-22 2018-03-27 Avery Dennison Corporation Hybrid material of crosslinked microgel particles dispersed in an adhesive
US20160347483A1 (en) * 2014-02-06 2016-12-01 Gima S.P.A. Unit and method for releasing product for extraction or infusion beverages in containers forming single-use capsules or pods
US10913554B2 (en) * 2014-02-06 2021-02-09 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Unit and method for releasing product for extraction or infusion beverages in containers forming single-use capsules or pods
US20190112088A1 (en) * 2017-10-16 2019-04-18 Volm Companies, Inc. Automatic Bagging Machine Having Rollstock Support Spool
US10815019B2 (en) * 2017-10-16 2020-10-27 Volm Companies, Inc. Automatic bagging machine having rollstock support spool
CN111572844A (zh) * 2020-05-19 2020-08-25 深圳市蓝丝腾科技有限公司 一种小型中药丸装袋设备

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU8075775A (en) 1976-05-20
DE2523729B2 (de) 1979-05-10
AU472221B2 (en) 1976-05-20
DE2523729A1 (de) 1975-12-11
JPS512587A (de) 1976-01-10
DE2559779A1 (de) 1977-11-10
GB1489006A (en) 1977-10-19
DE2523729C3 (de) 1980-01-17
CA1021301A (en) 1977-11-22
JPS5412878B2 (de) 1979-05-25

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3923084A (en) Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets
US4067173A (en) Packaging machine
US8757167B1 (en) Precise snuff portion packaging machine
DK2129581T3 (en) Machine and method for producing bags of kohæsionsløst material
US4090344A (en) Method and apparatus for automatically filling bags with particulate materials
US3631903A (en) Metering trap construction, apparatus and method for filling individual containers with fluid materials
US1545513A (en) Machine for molding and wrapping plastic and analogous material
EP1698555B1 (de) Verpackungsmaschine mit wägevorrichtung
EA028845B1 (ru) Ротационная упаковочная машина и способ наполнения пакетов
US4007577A (en) Apparatus for packaging fluid materials in packets
US6612347B2 (en) Apparatus for metering and packaging bulk particulate material
US3813847A (en) Container filling and producing machine
US3371461A (en) Method and apparatus for charging a packet or container with a flowable material
US2277783A (en) Machine for bag forming, filling, and sealing articles in cellulose bags
US9221227B2 (en) Method and machine for producing bags containing fiber material
US3008278A (en) Method and apparatus for forming, filling and sealing bags
US2913018A (en) Apparatus for filling receptacles with volumetrically measured quantities of pulverant material
US1916515A (en) Package making machine
US4348852A (en) Method and apparatus for packaging loose material
US2826881A (en) Packaging machine
US4012889A (en) Packaging machine
US2007788A (en) Mechanism for inverting filled containers
US2775083A (en) Package forming and filling apparatus
US3517708A (en) Machine and method for transferring predetermined amounts of material
EP0615507A1 (de) Verfahren zum verpacken

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCF Information on status: patent grant

Free format text: PATENTED FILE - (OLD CASE ADDED FOR FILE TRACKING PURPOSES)

AS Assignment

Owner name: ROPAK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., DECATUR, ALABAM

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:MATTHEWS INDUSTRIES, INC., A CORP OF ALA.;REEL/FRAME:004490/0863

Effective date: 19851025

Owner name: MATTHEWS INDUSTRIES, INC.

Free format text: CHANGE OF NAME;ASSIGNOR:MATTHEWS MACHINE COMPANY, INCORPORATED;REEL/FRAME:004490/0857

Effective date: 19820715