Claims
- 1. In the production of packages each comprising a unit of product having opposite ends and a flexible film wrapper wrapped around the unit, the wrapper initially being wider than the length of the unit from end-to-end and initially extending outwardly beyond at least one of the ends of the unit to form four closure flaps overlying said end, a first flap constituting a first side flap, a second flap constituting a first end flap, a third flap constituting a second end flap, and a fourth flap constituting a second side flap, the method of folding over the second end flap comprising:
- continuously feeding packages forward one after another in a predetermined path in a horizontal plane at a predetermined speed with the packages extending transversely with respect to the direction of feed and with a trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper extending laterally outwardly at one side of said path, and with the packages spaced at intervals along said path,
- and, as the packages are so fed forward, moving a yieldable folding member in said horizontal plane laterally inwardly and forwardly into yielding engagement with the trailing side of said trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper of each package, and moving said yieldable folding member linearly forward in said horizontal plane in the direction of movement of the package at a higher speed than the speed of the package to fold over said trailing portion on said end of the product to form said second end flap, and then moving said yieldable folding member forwardly and laterally outwardly in said horizontal plane away from said folded-over second end flap, said linearly forward movement of said yieldable folding member being in a straight-line path generally parallel to the direction of package movement for a distance at least equal to the length of said second end flap as measured from the trailing side of said trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper to the end edge of the second end flap, the yieldable folding member maintaining contact with the second end flap to wipe the second end flap against said end of the product during at least said linearly forward movement substantially over the entire length of the second end flap from a corner of the package toward said end edge of the second end flap.
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the yieldable folding member is maintained in part in yielding contact with the folded-over second end flap as it moves forwardly and laterally outwardly in said horizontal plane away from the folded-over second end flap.
- 3. The method of claim 1 wherein the wrapper initially extends outwardly beyond both ends of the product, each end of the wrapper being folded over to form said four closure flaps at each end of the unit, the packages being fed forward with a trailing portion of each extending end of the wrapper extending laterally outwardly at each side of said path, and wherein a yieldable folding member is moved in said horizontal plane laterally inwardly and forwardly into yielding engagement with said trailing portion of each extending end of the wrapper, and each yieldable folding member is moved linearly forward in said horizontal plane in the direction of movement of the package at said higher speed to fold over said trailing portions on each end of the unit to form said second end flap at each end, and both yieldable folding members are then moved forwardly and laterally outwardly in said horizontal plane away from the folded-over second end flaps.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein each folding member comprises a brush which is moved in an endless path in said horizontal plane having an inner straight horizontal reach wherein the brush moves forward, an outer return horizontal reach wherein the brush moves rearward, a horizontal forward end reach wherein the brush moves around from the inner reach to the return reach, and a horizontal rearward end reach wherein the brush moves around from the outer return reach to the inner reach, and wherein each brush is moved relative to said endless path as it moves around in said forward end reach in such a manner that part of the brush is maintained in contact with the respective folded-over second end flap during an initial portion of the movement of the brush around in said forward end reach, said inner straight horizontal reach having a length at least equal to the length of said second end flap as measured from the trailing side of said trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper to the end edge of the second end flap.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein each brush has a leading end and a trailing end in respect to its direction of movement and is swung about a vertical axis adjacent its leading end as it moves around in said forward end reach in such manner that the trailing end portion of the brush is maintained in contact with the respective folded-over second end flap during said initial portion of the movement of the brush around in said forward end reach.
- 6. The method of claim 4 wherein said inner straight horizontal reach has a length of at least equal to the overall length of the end of a package.
- 7. The method of claim 1 wherein said linearly forward movement of said yieldable folding member is in a straight-line path for a distance at least equal to the overall length of the end of a package.
- 8. In apparatus for the production of packages each comprising a unit of product having opposite ends and a flexible film wrapper wrapped around the unit, the wrapper initially being wider than the length of the unit from end-to-end and initially extending outwardly beyond at least one of the ends of the unit, production of the packages comprising folding over said end of the wrapper on said end of the unit to form four closure flaps overlying said end, a first flap constituting a first side flap, a second flap constituting a first end flap, a third flap constituting a second end flap, and a fourth flap constituting a second side flap, means for folding over the second end flap comprising:
- means for continuously feeding packages forward one after another in a predetermined path in a horizontal plane at a predetermined speed with the packages extending transversely with respect to the direction of feed and with a trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper extending laterally outwardly at one side of said path, and with the packages spaced at intervals along said path;
- a yieldable folding member, and
- means operable as the packages are so fed forward for moving the yieldable folding member in said horizontal plane laterally inwardly and forward into yielding engagement with the trailing side of each package, and moving said yieldable folding member linearly forward in said horizontal plane in the direction of movement of the package at a higher speed than the speed of the package to fold over said trailing portion on said end of the product to form said second end flap, and then moving said yieldable folding member forwardly and laterally outwardly in said horizontal plane away from said folded-over second end flap, said linearly forward movement of said yieldable folding member being in a straight-line path generally parallel to the direction of package movement for a distance at least equal to the length of said second end flap as measured from the trailing side of said trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper to the end edge of the second end flap, and for maintaining the yieldable folding member in contact with the second end flap to wipe the second end flap against said end of the product during at least said linearly forward movement substantially over the entire length of the second end flap from a corner of the package toward said end edge of the second end flap.
- 9. In apparatus as set forth in claim 8, the yieldable folding member comprising a brush, the means for moving the brush being operable to move it laterally inwardly and forwardly for engagement of its bristles with the trailing side of said trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper, then to move it linearly forward, and then to move it forwardly and laterally outwardly away from the folded-over second end flap, the means for moving the brush including means for maintaining it in part in yielding contact with the folded-over second end flap as it moves forwardly and laterally outwardly away from the folded-over second end flap.
- 10. In apparatus as set forth in claim 8 for the production of packages each having a wrapper which initially extends outwardly beyond both ends of the product, each end of the wrapper being folded over to form said four closure flaps at each end of the unit, the packages being fed forward in said horizontal plane with a trailing portion of each extending end of the wrapper extending laterally outwardly at each side of said path, said apparatus having a yieldable folding member for each end of the wrapper, and means operable as the packages are fed forward for moving each yieldable folding member in said horizontal plane laterally inwardly and forwardly into yielding engagement with said trailing portion of each extending end of the wrapper, and each yieldable folding member is moved linearly forward in said horizontal plane in the direction of movement of the package at said higher speed to fold over said trailing portions on each end of the unit to form said second end flap at each end, and both yieldable folding members are then moved forwardly and laterally outwardly in said horizontal plane away from the folded-over second end flaps.
- 11. In apparatus as set forth in claim 10, each yieldable folding member comprising a brush, the means for moving each brush comprising an endless conveyor having an inner straight reach wherein the brush moves forward in said horizontal plane, an outer return reach wherein the brush moves rearward in said horizontal plane, a forward end reach wherein the brush moves around from the inner reach to the outer reach in said horizontal plane, and a rearward end reach wherein the brush moves around from the outer return reach to the inner reach in said horizontal plane, and means mounted on each brush conveyor carrying the respective brush for movement relative to the endless path of said conveyor as the brush moves around in said forward end reach in such manner that part of the brush is maintained in contact with the respective fold-over second end flap during an initial portion of the movement of the brush around in said forward end reach, said inner straight horizontal reach having a length at least equal to the length of said second end flap as measured from the trailing side of said trailing portion of the extending end of the wrapper to the end edge of the second end flap.
- 12. In apparatus as set forth in claim 11, the carrying means for each brush being removably mounted on the respective conveyor.
- 13. In apparatus as set forth in claim 11, each brush having a leading end and a trailing end in respect to its direction of movement, said carrying means for each brush comprising first and second brackets mounted on the conveyor, the first leading the second, means pivotally mounting the brush on the first bracket for swinging movement about a vertical axis adjacent its leading end, an arm pivotally mounted on the second bracket for swinging movement about a vertical axis, and means pivotally mounting the brush on the arm for swinging movement about a vertical axis adjacent the trailing end of the folding member.
- 14. In apparatus as set forth in claim 13, each bracket being removably mounted on the respective conveyor.
- 15. In apparatus as set forth in claim 14, each brush conveyor being a chain conveyor having an upper chain and a lower chain, each chain comprising links interconnected by tubular pins, each bracket having a set of pins at its upper end retractably entered in tubular pins of the upper chain and a set of pins at its lower end retractably entered in tubular pins of the lower chain.
- 16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said inner straight horizontal reach has a length at least equal to the overall length of the end of a package.
- 17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said linearly forward movement of said yieldable folding member is in a straight-line path for a distance at least equal to the overall length of the end of a package.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 592,776, filed Oct. 4, 1990 now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (14)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
1164311 |
Feb 1964 |
DEX |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
592776 |
Oct 1990 |
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