Abstract: A method of expanding and feeding cartons to a filling line; the cartons being made of sheet material, presenting four walls defined by preformed bend lines, and being expanded as of an initial flattened configuration wherein each carton is arranged in two superimposed, substantially contacting layers, each defined by two adjacent walls of the carton; each carton being expanded by rotating each wall of each layer about an arc of over 90.degree. in relation to the other wall of the same layer and into a configuration causing yielding of the bend lines; and by only permitting each carton to assume its final parallelepiped-section configuration inside the conveyor pocket of the filling line.

Abstract: A pipelined system for removing the contents of sealed coin-collection boxes, wherein each box requires a set of different operations to be performed in seriatim to remove the box contents. The operations include removing a seal, opening a box lid, removing the box contents, resetting the lid and resealing the box. The pipelined system comprises a rotary surface for supporting a plurality of the boxes at spaced locations. Stationary surfaces mount a plurality of box-processing units at spaced stations to form a pipeline. The box-processing units, which are serially arranged and operate in parallel, include a seal-removal tool, a lid-opener tool, a box-inverter that dumps the box contents into a coin sorter/counter system, a lid-reset tool and a seal-insert tool.

Abstract: A bag maker-packaging machine uses three heaters to make bags, one for longitudinal sealing and two for transverse sealing. A device for automatically setting the temperatures of these three heaters includes a memory which stores temperature data from which an operator can retrieve a standard temperature, to which the longitudinal seal heater is to be set, by specifying the characteristics of the material to be used for making bags. Different temperatures, to which the two transverse seal heaters are to be set, are uniquely determined on the basis of the standard temperature. The standard temperature and the other temperatures thus determined may be displayed in different ways on one or more display devices.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus and process for producing and using the same is provided having a tubular lining material defining a hollow-space therein with the lining material being folded outwardly over itself providing a chamber in which a casing material is positioned circumferentially over an inner layer of the lining material.

Abstract: Apparatus (10) for partially setting up a blank (12) is disclosed including first suction cups (122) for removing the first blank (12) from a magazine (96). The first suction cups (122) are pivotally mounted to the ends of pivot arms (110) to move the first blank (12) up and over actuators (102) of the magazine (96) as the first blank (12) is moved forward out of the magazine (96). After the lower edge of the first blank (12) passes over the actuators (102), the lower portion of the blank (12) is supported in an intermediate position upon an abutment bar (106). While still secured to the first suction cups (122), second suction cups (78) are secured to the blank (12). The second suction cups (78) tilt the blank (12) to be parallel to and move with upstanding lugs (36) of a conveyor assembly (34). A forming die (38) pushes the blank (12) into the lugs (36) as the forming die (38), blank (12) and the lugs (36) move at a constant speed.

Abstract: Loading device, particularly for loading containers carried on a conveyor, including a vertically fixed funnel with a shutter arranged in the area of its delivery aperture. In order to ensure reliable loading of the containers in such a device, it is provided that lateral of the funnel, adjustable covering elements, such as slides, are arranged, which can be positioned close to the upper rims of the containers, which may vary in their vertical dimensions.

Abstract: The felling and bunching head for severing and grouping trees has a shear or saw or the like for severing trees, and an accumulation area for accumulating severed trees, extending rearwardly from the shear or saw, substantially outwardly and away from a centerline of said head. Taker and tucker arms are pivotally mounted to pivot towards and away from the accumulation area. The taker and tucker arms are mounted via pivotal connections located substantially outwardly from the shear or saw on the opposite side of the centerline from the accumulation area, on substantially the same axis. The taker and tucker arms have generally similar geometries facing the accumulation area, as viewed from above, thereby presenting generally similar geometries to trees in the accumulation area, thereby minimizing jostling of the trees when they are alternately held in the accumulation area by the taker arm and by the tucker arm.

Abstract: A method and article for protecting a container that contains a fluid.The method includes the steps of: (a) providing a container that holds a fluid and that has first and second ends, a side, and a length; (b) providing a conformable nonwoven web that contains at least 5 weight percent microfibers based on the weight of fibrous material in the nonwoven web, the conformable nonwoven web having a length in at least one dimension that is substantially greater than the length of the container; and (c) wrapping the conformable nonwoven web at least one full turn about the container such that (i) the container forms an axis about which the web is wrapped and (ii) first and second portions of the nonwoven web project axially from the first and second ends of the container.The article includes a conformable sleeve having a tubular body that has an opening sized to permit a container to enter the interior of the conformable sleeve.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for producing strapless bales of highly compressible textile fibers is disclosed, wherein a compressed block of the fibers is ejected and expanded into a flexible bag. The apparatus includes a supply chamber for supplying loose fibers to a tramping chamber which is stationary. A ram assembly repeatedly tramps the fibers to form a compacted fiber mass which is then formed into a compressed fiber block within a stationary compression chamber disposed in fiber transfer relation to the stationary tramping chamber. The compressed fiber block is ejected transverse to the compression chamber through an ejection sleeve about which an oversized flexible bag is fitted. Due to the fact that the bag is of a greater size than the cross section of the ejection sleeve and due to the stretch and flexibility of the bag, the compressible fibers in the compressed fiber block undergo an expansion process wherein the flexible bag is filled with the compressible fibers to form a strapless bale.

Abstract: A plastic packaging material which, when formed as a package having seams, will provide a predictable line of failure along a seam when the package is opened to prevent the package from tearing down the side. The predictable failure path is provided through a lamination process involving specific resins or blends of resins laminated in three (or more) layers in which an extruded inner layer forms a weak inner bond wholly within that inner layer to create the predictable line of failure and in which the process of forming the material does not inhibit processing speed, efficiency, and economics of materials used to provide this reliable openability.

Abstract: A case erector with A-B detect is disclosed. This case erector eliminates the need to sort A and B type cases and thus increases the rate at which boxes can be erected. Whether the case is an A or B type case determines how far into the case erector the flattened case is fed and whether the case is unfolded to the left or the right.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for filling and sealing flexible poly bags which are provided on a continuous roll. The apparatus has means for heat sealing filled bags. A drive mechanism conveys the bag into position for filling and sealing thereof. A clamp mechanism draws the bags into contact with the heat sealing means during the sealing process. A reverse actuation mechanism is provided for reversing the drive mechanism while the bag remains clamped so as to detach the bag at a perforation thereof. An interrupt means is also provided for disengaging the clamp mechanism when the clamp mechanism is interfered with by a foreign object. The interrupt means consists of an electrical circuit established through the clamp mechanism frame which circuit is broken when the clamp mechanism contacts a foreign object. Also provided is a guide mechanism for guiding the bags into engagement with the drive mechanism.

Abstract: A case sealing system utilizes a parallel link mechanism with a built-in locking positioning system to support a case sealer such as a taper, gluer or stapler or the like at a selected height above a support table whereby the height of the sealer above the table may be readily adjusted to accommodate different height packages. Preferably, the system will also include a pair of easily adjusted side guides that are moveable to positions to center different width packages relative to the center line of the sealer so that the equipment may be quickly and accurately be positioned to accommodate different sized packages.

Abstract: Heat-sealing device including mutually opposite active heads that are associated with respective counter-rotating driving shafts and are subjected to the action of cam elements that move the heads along a path that is partially parallel to a continuous tubular container that includes the products to be packaged. The oppositely arranged active heads, during the rotation of the respective counter-rotating driving shafts, move mutually closer to clamp the tubular container in the region that separates one product from the other and to perform the heat-sealing of that region and the cutting of the container that separates each package from the adjacent one.

Abstract: An improved method of constructing a cabinet drawer comprises joining the drawer end panels to the back of the drawer front panel and attaching a one piece unitary folded paperboard blank that defines both the bottom panel of the drawer and the back panel of the drawer. The bottom panel slides into a race defined by dado grooves in the drawer sides and front and the paperboard blank defining both the bottom panel and back panel is attached to the drawer by driving staples or other fasteners through the back panel into the back edges of the drawer sides.

Abstract: An improved apparatus and method for cooling asphalt, which includes a cooling zone, such as a cooling chamber through which coolants such as air and water are blown or drawn, and an elongated conveyor for transporting asphalt molds through said cooling zone after said asphalt molds have been lined with plastic and filled with hot asphalt.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sealing jaw for sealing thermoplastic materials or paper or cardboard coated with thermoplastic material, preferably packaging material. The sealing jaw is constructed from two ceramic materials, of which one is electrically insulating and the other electrically conductive: The electrically conductive ceramic material forms a continuous strand embedded in the insulating material and is, at or in the proximity of its end points, metallized so as to make good connection with an electric current source. The electrically conductive ceramic materials are treated with high pressure and heat so that they together form a pore-free, hard and abrasion-resistant body which can be applied to a steel rail.

Abstract: A veneer slicer includes a flitch drive assembly for reciprocating a flitch table. The drive assembly includes a timing belt coupling a drive motor output shaft to at least one driven wheel, wherein the driven wheel is connected to the flitch table by a connecting rod and the flitch table reciprocates in response to rotation of the driven wheel. The drive assembly can include a plurality of driven wheels and a single timing belt coupling the plurality of driven wheels to the output shaft. Alternatively, each driven wheel can be coupled to a drive shaft by a separate timing belt.

Abstract: In a packaging machine through which products are advanced singly and in succession along a wrapping line together with a heat-sealable wrapping film, the film is folded around each product to form a wrapper of tubular appearance with two facially confronting longitudinal edge margins, whereupon the temperature of the edge margins is raised by electromagnetic induction to soften the material in readiness for heat-sealing. The pressure required to fuse the heated confronting edge margins together is applied evenly from two opposite sides.

Abstract: To increase the output of packaging machines for cigarettes, a common cigarette stock, in particular a cigarette magazine, is assigned a plurality of independently working packaging units (11, 12, 13, 14). These are fed with cigarette groups, for packaging, by the cigarette magazine (10) via a common conveyor. The packaging units (11 to 14) consist of a folding unit (24), of a material unit and of a drive unit. Depending on the desired output, a pluraity of packaging units (11 to 14) can be combined as part of the packaging machine. The packaging units (11 to 14) are subdivided again into units to be handled independently, in particular into a folding unit (24), a material unit and a drive unit. These are exchangeable and, for the operation of the packaging machine, are connected functionally to one another.