Abstract: The invention relates to a device for a packaging machine to form groups of products and insert them into cartons at a cartoning station. The device comprises a stacking line equipped with a controlled outfeed hopper in which an alternating product presser operates. The stacking line comprises a container located at the bottom of the hopper and having a tongue inside it designed to retain the products forming the group which thus grows downwards towards an endwall of the container. The container moves alternately from a position in which it is connected with the hopper to a position in which it is connected with the cartoning station where the group is extracted from the container and transferred to the carton. The tongue is actuated by linear actuating means synchronized with the packaging machine by programmable control means and providing the enable signal to cut off the hopper to allow the container to move to the cartoning station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for applying an article to the interior surface of a flexible package is provided which includes the application of articles to a flexible web of packaging material at a point along a web feed path which minimizes the likelihood of article separation downstream. Specifically, the present method and apparatus includes a driving system for pulling a web of material through a feed path, a tube former having an inlet positioned along the feed path for receiving the web of material and an article applicator for applying articles onto an interior package surface of the web of material at the inlet of the tube former. In this manner, the article is delivered to the web downstream of the upper edge of the tube former thereby minimizing inadvertent separation of the article from the web as experienced in conventional machines as the web passes over the upper edge of the tube former.

Abstract: A machine for making sealed liquid pouches with a free-floating straw inside the pouch is described. The machine comprises a vertical pouch former which forms a continuous plastic film tube from a film sheet with the plastic film tube disposed about a liquid dispensing spout. A straw convecting tube also extends to one side of the liquid dispensing spout inside the tube. A straw is released through the convecting tube at predetermined intervals in synchronism with a transverse sealer which forms a bottom and top edge seal of pouches as liquid is continuously dispensed through the liquid dispensing tube. The plastic film tube is maintained in a transversely expanded condition during the filling of the pouch and is advanced by an engagement mechanism between the sealing cycles.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating individual items from a bandolier of adjacent items have a seam between the items. A pair of upper jaws and a pair of lower jaws open and close horizontally to clamp and release the respective seam. The pair of lower jaws pull the bandolier downwardly through the opened pair of upper jaws. The seam is cut while the pair of upper jaws close to grasp an adjacent seam. The pair of lower jaws open to release the separated item to a delivery system and the pair of lower jaws move upwardly to be adjacent to, and below, the pair of upper jaws. The pair of lower jaws close and the sequence is repeated. At least one sensor identifies an identification feature on the items and transmits signals to a control unit to actuate movement of the pair of upper jaws and the pair of lower jaws. Preferably, a second sensor system assures that separation is only at the respective seams. A method of use is disclosed.

Abstract: A device for bending and transferring leaflets into box-shaped casings including a transfer head including elastically openable tapering end portions which cooperate with preforming edges and forming elements rotatably supported in a bending station to bend the side flaps of a leaflet. The transfer head picks up the bent leaflet from the bending station to transfer the bent leaflet into a box-shaped casing. The stop position of the transfer head in the bending station, as well as position of the tapering end portions during bending of the side flaps, can be adjusted depending on the type of paper of which the leaflet is made.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine for forming packaging on the basis of film that includes complementary closure strips, the machine comprising: feeder means for feeding onto the film a closure means comprising two support webs provided with at least a first longitudinal assembly constituted by two complementary strips and with a second longitudinal assembly disposed at a distance from the first, urging means for urging the support webs towards each other between the two longitudinal assemblies, and two rectilinear guides suitable for penetrating respectively into the gaps between each pair of lateral edges of the support webs. The present invention also provides a method, the resulting packages, and closure means for this purpose.

Abstract: A device for introducing sleeves into cases for compact discs and the like, includes an assembly for withdrawing each time a single sleeve from a storage device. The withdrawing assembly transfer the sleeves to a feeding surface, substantially horizontal, in the region of a line for feeding these sleeves to further processing devices. An inserting head with gripping means for keeping the sleeve fed to the feeding surface, and with folding rollers for folding two edges of the sleeve over fold-around pieces, takes over and inserts the sleeve into an underlying case. The inserting head is moved between a sleeves gripping position and a position in which it inserts the sleeve in the case, that is in open configuration on a conveyor.

Abstract: A method of preventing or reducing the incidence of staphylococci and other infections as a result of surgical or medical treatment procedures is implemented by inserting into or attaching to each sterile package containing a tool, implement, or implantable for use in such a procedure at least one impregnable swab containing a solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 packaged in a separate sterile pack, for use by the surgeon, therapist, or assistant in wiping down the tool, implement, or implantable, as the case may be, before use to maintain the sterility thereof in such procedure. The solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is in a concentration of about 3% by volume. A plurality of separate sterile packs may be inserted in or attached to the sterile package, in which each of the sterile packs contains at least one swab impregnated with a solution of H.sub.2 O.sub.2 in such concentration.

Abstract: A packaging system and method according to the invention are generally characterized by a cushioning conversion machine for forming and dispensing cut sections of a cushioning product through a discharge outlet, an inclined dispensing chute for sequentially receiving the cut sections of the cushioning product, a cut section presence detector for detecting the presence of a cut section on the inclined chute at a pick-up location remote from the discharge outlet of the conversion machine, and a controller which initiates dispensing of a cut section of cushioning product in response to a detected absence of a cut section by the cut section presence detector.

Abstract: A web of wrapping material for use in a cigarette packing machine is drawn off a roll and is advanced lengthwise, first by a single pneumatic belt conveyor which attracts an intermediate portion of the web, and thereupon by two additional pneumatic conveyors each of which attracts one of the two marginal portions of the web. The web is severed by a cross cutter between the first conveyor and the additional conveyors to yield a series of successive blanks, and such blanks are draped around successive arrays of unwrapped cigarettes or around successive cigarette packets which are advanced across the path for successive wrappers between the two additional conveyors.

Abstract: A round baler having a tailgate, pivotally connected to a main frame, operative between a closed position during which a bale is being formed, and an open position during which a formed bale is being discharged. A sledge assembly, mounted on the main frame for movement between a bale starting position and a full bale position, has at least two transverse cylindrical rolls mounted in spaced relationship along an arcuate path. An apron, supported along a continuous path on the main frame and tailgate by a plurality of rotatable guide members, includes an inner course that cooperates with the transverse rolls on the sledge assembly to define a bale forming chamber. The apron is driven along a continuous path in the same direction as the outer surfaces of the transverse rolls. A dispensing assembly dispenses wrapping material into the bale forming chamber between the adjacent outer surfaces of the transverse rolls for wrapping the cylindrical package of crop material.

Abstract: A system and method for manufacturing pocketed compound nested coil springs includes inserting a compressed, preferably pocketed, smaller coil spring into a horizontally oriented larger coil spring either prior to compressing and inserting the outer coil spring into pocket material or after the larger coil spring has been pocketed thereby requiring the first spring to be inserted into and through an opening in the pocket material.

Abstract: Clothing apparel is vended by forming the clothing apparel into a compact shape, inserting the clothing apparel and a container, and vending the clothing material and container from a standard beverage vending machine.

Abstract: A process for applying a biobarrier member to a vent opening in a foil member used for medical device packaging. The process provides for cutting a biobarrier member from a roll of stock and sealing the biobarrier member about the vent opening in the foil member. The seal is tested for integrity and the biobarrier member is tested for porosity.

Abstract: A method and a support for supporting a package in a steam sterilizer, featuring support members configured and positioned to support only at least a portion of at least two opposed side edges, but not a side face, of the package. A diamond shape is particularly preferred for the support members as, when rotated at an angle, its facets provide line contact with appropriate side edges of the package.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compressing a row of vertically arranged, wrapped disposable articles, by pushing on three sides of a six-sided row of the articles, while confining the other 3 sides of the row with a confining surface. One of those confining surfaces, a gate, is movable into and out of its confining position, and prevents blow-out of the middle portion of the row that otherwise occurs in the absence of the gate.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing and packaging a photographic film has a film supply unit for unreeling and cutting off a film roll of an elongate photographic film, and supplying a sized film, a film winding unit for winding the sized film around a spool thereby to produce a roll, a cartridge production unit for crimping a cap on an end of a rounded barrel plate thereby to produce a one-end-open cartridge, an assembling unit for inserting the roll into the one-end-open cartridge and thereafter crimping a cap on an opposite open end of the one-end-open cartridge thereby to produce a film-contained cartridge, and an encasing unit for placing the film-contained cartridge into a case and attaching a case cap to an open end of the case thereby to produce a packaged product. The film supply unit, the film winding unit, and the assembling unit are accommodated altogether in a dark chamber.

Abstract: A method of marking and packaging golf balls in which each golf ball in a box or package is marked with a common multi-digit indicia and by a separate marking separately identifying each ball in the box or package and in which all of the golf balls in another box or package are marked with another common multi-digit indicia which differs from the previous package according to a predetermined sequence.

Abstract: A device in the form of a funnel (1) and comprising a holder (2) and a folded bag (36), for filling a container (8) such as an oil barrel or a standard container such as a type IBC, in such a manner that the bag forms an insulated lining between the product, e.g. oil, with which the container has to be filled, and the actual container. The device further comprises a lining (24) for mounting in the container's filling opening (10), and in the lining there is mounted a bottom member (22) which is surrounded by the bottom of the bag (36), the latter and the bottom member being pushed into the bag's main part from the top and down through the bag's opening (23). When the container is filled the funnel (1) is first screwed by means of the lining (24) into the filling opening (10), and a supply pipe (14) with enclosed push rod (18) is pushed down through the holder (2), passing the bag (36) in an evacuated state down to the bottom of the container.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging article goods, such as paper goods, forming a stack comprises a conveyor adapted to carry a continuous stack formed by identical individual articles, such as envelopes, and a displacer device located along one side of the stack advancing path and provided with a detector for a count article constituted by one of identical articles and protruding from the stack. A separator element is adapted to penetrate into the stack for producing a gap between a stack portion to be separated first from the stack and the rest of the stack. The apparatus also includes a pusher element which is located at the front of the separator element in the advancing direction of the conveyor and is adapted to move across the stack advancing path for displacing the stack portion to a further processing unit located along the other side of the advancing path. The separator element is aligned with a gripper which is adapted to clasp the protruding count article and then release it to be left in the stack.