Abstract: An article packaging machine comprises a frame, a carton conveyor mounted to the frame for conveying cartons along a carton path, and an infeed conveyor assembly for grouping articles such as beverage cans into groups of predetermined size and moving them toward and into open cartons moving along the carton path. When the cartons are packed with articles, adhesive is applied to the flaps of their open ends and the flaps are folded over onto themselves. A spring biased free floating compression section has a pair of opposed compression belt assemblies that are yieldably spring biased toward each other to apply pressure to the ends of the containers to set the adhesive, thus sealing the ends of the packaged cartons shut. When the cartons are sealed, they are ejected from the packaging machine by a pair of opposed ejector belt assemblies.

Abstract: There is provided a heat sealing bar (19) having a heating ribbon (35) which endures repeated sealing operations. The heat sealing bar comprises a slender block-like bar body (31), an insulating layer (33) formed on the surface of the bar body (31), and a heating ribbon (35) fixed on the insulating layer (33). A heat pipe (41) is embedded in the bar body (31) along the heating ribbon (35). The heat pipe (41) transfers heat in the longitudinal direction of the heat sealing bar (19) from a portion of a small thermal load to a portion of a larger thermal load, thereby holding the entirety of the heat sealing bar uniform in temperature. Accordingly, the opposite ends and central portion of the heating ribbon (35) fall in a stationary state in the same temperature range as that for the rest of the heating ribbon.

Abstract: A bandolier (20) of serially connected premium items (18) are fed by a vacuum conveyor (26) to a rotary cutter (14), with the bandolier (20) being sandwiched against the vacuum conveyor (26) by an overhead conveyor (32). The shaft (40) of the rotary cutter (14) is rotated by a servo-motor (42) such that its blade (46) engages the bandolier (20) with a linear speed which cuts the initial item (18) from the bandolier (20) and pushes and accelerates the cut item (18) into a carton (52) moving in a carton path (53). The linear speed of the bandolier (20) in the feed path (27) is tied to the linear speed of the cartons (52) in the carton path (53) while rotation of the shaft (40) is controlled by an optical sensor (38) which senses movement of the bandolier (20) by the vacuum conveyor (26).

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for opening sheet-like material, such as packaging paper, around a cylindrical object, which device comprises a support for the object as well as a carrier which is movable relative to the support over a predetermined path length and provided with at least a pair of wheels. The rotation shafts of the wheels enclose an angle, such that during the movement of the carrier the wheel peripheries exert a force on the sheet-like material directed towards each other in order to pull the sheet-like material more tightly around the object and to form a buckle or standing fold. The carrier is also provided with a cutting member which is situated behind the pair of wheels in the direction of movement.

Abstract: A bag loading device for sorting and storing in bags various medicaments and the like having a plurality of independently pivotable elongated funnels arranged longitudinally in two parallel rows. The funnels can be positioned for easy placement of a collecting bag on the discharge end and pivoted to disposed the bag underneath the funnel and secure it for filling--all within a framed unit which allows for multiple bags simultaneously.

Abstract: An automated apparatus for controlling the automatic packaging of contact lenses in a contact lens fabrication facility includes: a first robotic transfer device for periodically transferring a first predetermined amount of individual packages from an inspection station to an intermediate consolidation buffer and depositing the packages on the consolidation buffer; a control device for tracking and identifying each individual contact lens conveyed from the inspection station to the consolidation buffer and including memory and logic circuits for staring the identity of individual packages containing contact lenses that have been previously determined at the inspection station as being out of specification, and, generating a signal to enable the first robotic device to discard any individual package identified as out of specification; and, a second robotic assembly for periodically transferring a second predetermined amount of individual packages from the consolidation buffer to a second processing station, th

Abstract: There is disclosed a press-on cap having a flat top with a cylindrical skirt with an annular tear band defined by a pair of annular score lines, and with at least two annular inner beads which seat in annular grooves in the neck of a bottle. The cap skirt extends below the lower score line of the annular tear band to form a tamper-proof ring which is bonded by laser radiation at least one, preferably two, spots to the neck of the plastic bottle. The spot bonds preferably have a diameter no greater than about 0.15 inch. The invention also comprises a bottle filler line which includes a capping station in which caps are applied and pressed downwardly over the narrow necks of the bottles which have been filled with a liquid such as milk or non-carbonated beverage, and a cap bonding station in which the capped and filled bottles are passed between laser beam effectors which are pulsed momentarily to spot bond the tamper-proof rings of the caps to the necks of the bottles.

Abstract: A method for sterilizing an article supported in a housing is provided. The method includes placing an article in a housing, introducing pressurized steam and a sterilizing gas into the housing and closing the housing. The sterilizing gas may be mixture of ethylene oxide/carbon dioxide or ethylene oxide/nitrogen. The percent by volume of ethylene oxide in the housing at the conclusion of the sterilizing gas introducing step may range from at least about 2% to about 25% by volume. The present invention is particularly well suited for use with a form-fill-seal process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a self-propelling branch remover with the aid of which relatively large branches on trees, but even whole trees, can be gripped and capped.For this purpose, either so-called felling saws have previously been used, which were attached to the front end of a hydraulic crane and gripped the trunk with claws and sawed it off using a pivotable capping saw. The other solution was that of a worker who was lifted in a lifting basket up to the relevant place and carried out the work there manually using a saw. In both cases, the sawn-off parts dropped down in an uncontrolled manner since even the felling saws did indeed hold the piece tight, but could not hold it in the original position since they could not be used to transmit a torque to the crane arm. The attachment was effected by means of two universal joints.In the present case, this is prevented in that a connection between the felling saw unit and the machine frame is selected, which can absorb both bending forces and torques.

Abstract: Packaging assembly intended for the extemporaneous preparation of suspensions or solutions of a solid active product in a liquid product, the active product having been freeze-dried and being contained in a flask A, and the liquid product being contained in a flask B closed by a dropper (30), a connection member (16) enabling to put in communication the two flasks for the purpose, in a first step, to cause the liquid product to pass from flask B into flask A containing the solid product, then, in a second step, to reverse the assembly and aspirate into flask B the suspension or solution thus formed. Flask A containing the active product is closed by an elastic stopper (10) having a central perforation (12) closed by a perforable operculum (14) which is perforated by the dropper when the flasks are put in communication by means of the connection member.

Abstract: In a sheet wrapping body producing apparatus, an oxygen absorbing strip sheet supplied from an oxygen absorbing sheet supplying shaft is cut out by a first rotary die cut unit to make an oxygen absorbing sheet tip. The tip is transported in such a manner to prevent the misalignment by a delivery drum unit and a first transportation belt unit. During the transportation, a breathing layer strip sheet is supplied on a transporting surface of the first transportation belt unit, on which the oxygen absorbing sheet tip is placed. Also, a strip cover film is placed on the oxygen absorbing sheet tip. Then, a rotary seal unit seals the breathing layer strip sheet and strip cover film, and the sealed portion is cut by a second rotary die cut unit. Accordingly, a sheet wrapping body can be produced at high speeds.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling the input of articles at the start-up phase of a packaging machine of the type having at least one article conveyance lane and an article grouping mechanism constructed and arranged to meter articles moving in the conveyance lane into predetermined groups, comprising:(a) at least one stop post aligned for extension into the conveyance lane, the stop post further being disposed at an infeed end of the article grouping mechanism;(b) means to actuate the stop post, whereby the stop post is extendible and retractable in the article conveyance lane, the stop post impeding travel of articles in the lane when extended and permitting travel of articles in the lane when retracted; and(c) means to coordinate actuation of the means to actuate with operation of the article grouping mechanism.

Abstract: Sample bags are produced from webs of film material by forming longitudinal seams and longitudinally spaced transverse seams and by filling the bags with a sample product between forming the transverse seams. In order to make the bags easier to handle, the longitudinal seams are thickened so that the thickness of the seams is equal to the thickness of the center of the bag. Thickening is done by rolling or folding the seams or by adding frames or strips of additional material either between or outside the seam portions of the webs. The resulting bags are more easily stacked, handled and inserted into publications for distribution.

Abstract: A method for wrapping a bale of compressed, resilient fibers comprises the steps of: providing a reusable bale wrap kit. The kit includes at least two pieces. Each piece, when joined with the other piece, is adapted for substantially enclosing and containing the bale of compressed, resilient fibers. Mushroom and loop fasteners are located along an edge portion of each piece and are adapted for joining the pieces to one another. Uncompressed, resilient fibers are provided. A portion of the uncompressed, resilient fibers are surrounded with the kit. Those fibers are compressed, and the mushroom and loop fasteners are engaged.

Abstract: A method for lighttightly packaging a stack of light-sensitive photographic sheets in a lighttight holder comprising a rectangular tray-like base and a cover therefore, which comprises the steps of:placing one light- and dusttight wrapping foil on said base, said wrapping foil extending beyond the periphery of said base,disposing said stack of sheets onto said wrapping foil so that the wrapping foil becomes displaced in the base and is made to conform to the inner space thereof,placing another light- and dusttight wrapping foil on said loaded stack of sheets,placing a cover on said loaded base, the two wrapping foils protruding between the base and its cover,cutting simultaneously the protruding portions of the wrapping foils, andlighttightly sealing the cover to the base.

Abstract: A method and an equipment for the sealing of a film of material for wrapping for product, according to which film, wrapped about the products, which are fed in ordered sequence and arranged at predetermined intervals along a packaging line in order to form a tubular envelope having two specific parts respectively defined by two overlapped longitudinal edges and two opposed walls included between two adjacent products and destined to be connected by means of a heat seal, is pre-heated at the specific parts brushing them by means of a beam of radiant electromagnetic energy.

Abstract: Flap tucker assembly and cam actuators for tucking and/or closing a box container flap. One or more flap tucker assemblies, the major elements of which include a slider body, a pivotable tucker blade and a face closer assembly, are carried by a tucker transporter system which presents members of the tucker assembly to be reciprocatingly actuated by cam operators to horizontally and transversely actuate the slide body, to vertically actuate the pivotable tucker blade, and to horizontally and transversely actuate the face closer assembly in sequence as the flap tucker assembly is carried parallel to a box container conveyor.

Abstract: A flap opening apparatus wherein envelopes are sequentially conveyed past a jet nozzle, which delivers timed blasts of air to open the flaps of each envelope. A computer controller tracks the position of the envelopes by a shaft encoder, and activates the jet nozzle when each envelope is correctly positioned. The opened flaps of the envelopes are held in an open position by a plate so that mail materials may be inserted into the envelopes.

Abstract: An article packaging machine for packaging articles such as beverage cans into open-ended containers and sealing the containers comprises a carton conveyor that defines a carton path. Open cartons are moved along the path and articles are directed in groups toward and into the cartons as they move along the path. An overhead flight assembly is provided and includes pusher lugs that engage and push the top portions of cartons along the carton path so that the cartons do not become skewed. The spacing between adjacent pusher lugs on the overhead flight assembly is adjusted automatically to accommodate relatively wider cartons or relatively narrower cartons so that human intervention is not required when setting up the machine to package different size cartons.

Abstract: A vacuum cylinder is disclosed. The vacuum cylinder may be used in an envelope manufacturing machine, or machines for manufacturing other articles, to facilitate folding of articles about a preformed fold line, such as envelope seal flaps, during the manufacturing process. The vacuum cylinder has at least two rows of suction holes which are arranged at least substantially adjacent to each other and preferably overlap to a certain extent.