Patents Assigned to Barbara A. Nordstrom
  • Patent number: 5946884
    Abstract: A machine and method for wrapping cylindrical workpieces such as rolls of bathroom tissue and paper towel. The machine includes a workpiece infeed conveyor, a wrapping film feeder, a rotating carousel having a plurality of pockets, an oscillating exit conveyor, a discharge conveyor, and a sealing conveyor. A piece of wrapping film supplied by the wrapping film feeder is perforated and burst into a single sheet. The film sheet and a workpiece are directed into a pocket in the rotating carousel whereby the sheet is banded around the periphery of the workpiece by a clamping plate, underfolder plate, and brush secured by heat sealing the film sheet to itself. The banded workpieces are ejected from the rotating carousel onto an exit conveyor which passes the workpieces to a discharge conveyor which in turn conveys the workpieces through a sealing conveyor. Folding mechanisms for folding the wrapping film sheet extending beyond the ends of the workpieces are disclosed. The method of wrapping is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignees: John E. Nordstrom, Barbara A. Nordstrom
    Inventors: John E. Nordstrom, Christopher J. Rusch
  • Patent number: 5575135
    Abstract: A process and a machine for supplying paper to a machine for wrapping plastic wrap around workpieces. A glue is applied to the paper at a distance from the wrapping machine sufficient for the glue to dry before it is fed into the wrapping machine. Next, the wrapping machine wraps the paper around a workpiece such that the glue is located between at least two layers of the paper. Then heat sufficient to activate the glue is applied to one of the two layers of the paper. Then heat sufficient to activate the glue is applied to one of the two layers of the paper. The layers of the paper being held in place for a sufficient time to allow the glue to adhere to the layers of paper. The machine having a wrapping machine for wrapping a portion of the web around the workpieces to form a package and a glue application station for applying heat activated glue to an area of the web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Barbara A. Nordstrom
    Inventor: John E. Nordstrom
  • Patent number: 5566531
    Abstract: A machine and process for wrapping workpieces, typically napkins. The machine having an infeed conveyor from which workpieces are feed to a poly film supply apparatus, via a conveyor assembly, that distributes a predetermined portion of the poly film supply apparatus around the workpieces to form a horizontally disposed U having a first tail and a second tail of poly film wrap. The conveyor assembly has two conveyor belts that are arranged so that the end of the first conveyor belt meets an end of the second conveyor belt. The second conveyor belt is mounted on a pulley system that allows the end of the second conveyor belt to move away from the end of the first conveyor belt after the workpieces have transferred to the second conveyor belt so that a gap between the two belts is presented. A folder folds down the first tail of poly film wrap. A second folder and a sealer bar come up through the gap and fold up the second tail against the first and seal it in place.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Assignees: John E. Nordstrom, Barbara A. Nordstrom
    Inventors: John E. Nordstrom, Christopher J. Rusch
  • Patent number: 5038549
    Abstract: A stacking packaging machine and a process for stacking and packaging resilient workpieces. The workpieces are usually rolled paper products. The machine is comprised of an input conveyor, an elevator, cams, workpiece holders, a packaging film feeder and an output conveyor. A first group of workpieces is placed upon the elevator by the input conveyor and the elevator is lowered. The workpiece holders are brought into place. A second group of workpieces are fed into the holders and held above the first group. The elevator begins to rise and the second group of workpieces are released. The stacked workpieces rise on the elevator toward the output conveyor. Packaging film is fed over the stacked workpieces. The film drapes over the workpieces as they rise preventing any workpieces from falling off the stack. The workpieces enter the output conveyor and are moved to final processing. The timing of the whole sequence is controlled by the cams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1991
    Assignees: John E. Nordstrom, Barbara A. Nordstrom
    Inventor: John E. Nordstrom
  • Patent number: 4624096
    Abstract: A machine for packaging objects such as rolls of paper comprises a direction changing loading wheel to feed objects and groups of objects into closely grouped orientation in the wrapping machine for high speed passage through the machine in a continuous motion generally in a single direction and substantially at a single speed. A wrapper supply mechanism feeds sheets of wrapping material to lie between conveying belts above the article to be wrapped with the leading edge of the wrapper substantially ahead of the article or group of articles to be wrapped. A pair of vacuum wheels alongside the path of the article on axes skewed slightly outwardly from the article path pull the wrapper down in front of the article and allow it to pass underneath as the article passes so that the wrapper becomes wrapped around the top, front and bottom of the articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1983
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1986
    Assignee: Barbara Nordstrom
    Inventor: John E. Nordstrom
  • Patent number: 4426825
    Abstract: A machine for packaging objects such as rolls of paper comprises a direction changing loading wheel to feed objects and groups of objects into closely grouped orientation in the wrapping machine for high speed passage through the machine in a continuous motion generally in a single direction and substantially at a single speed. A wrapper supply mechanism feeds sheets of wrapping material to lie between conveying belts above the article to be wrapped with the leading edge of the wrapper substantially ahead of the article or group of articles to be wrapped. A pair of vacuum wheels alongside the path of the article on axes skewed slightly outwardly from the article path pull the wrapper down in front of the article and allow it to pass underneath as the article passes so that the wrapper becomes wrapped around the top, front and bottom of the articles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 24, 1984
    Assignee: Barbara A. Nordstrom
    Inventor: John E. Nordstrom