Abstract: There is disclosed apparatus for incorporation in conventional bottle capping or bottle filling and capping machines to improve the handling of plastic bottles with pre-threaded screw caps and with a three dimensional bottom surface commonly employed and referred to as a petaloid shape. The normal flat table surface on which bottles rest while the cap is being screwed on is replaced with a surface having upstanding, radially-arranged fingers positioned to extend into all or most of the spaces between the lobes in the bottom of the petaloid bottle at each bottle capping station and form a nest for such bottles. Generally conventional bottle receiver and guide elements cause the bottles to assume a position substantially upright and coaxial with the center of the array of fingers for the particular bottle capping station. One embodiment of the apparatus includes a depression in the table surface to receive the bottom of a petaloid bottle and the fingers are located in that depression.

Abstract: A method and unit for folding packing blanks along preformed bend lines defining, on each blank, a central panel, and two lateral panels located on either side of the central panel and each having at least one foldable tab; a clamping device and a folding device being provided, and cooperating with each other to fold the lateral panels and the respective tab while maintaining the respective blank clamped in a folding position in which the central panel of the blank is clamped rigidly between a plate of the clamping device and a large lateral surface of a product to be packed by means of the blank.

Abstract: A sealing device, for use in a mailing machine having a moistener for applying moistening fluid to flaps of envelopes being transported through the mailing machine, includes a first device, having a first surface, for applying pressure to a moistened envelope flap via the first surface; and a second device, having a second surface opposite the first surface, for applying pressure to the moistened envelope flap via the second surface. The first and second surfaces operatively cooperate together to apply pressure to and seal the moistened envelope flap. Furthermore, in the inventive device, moistening fluid is transferred on to the first surface from the moistened flap during sealing of the moistened flap by the first and second surfaces, and the first and second surfaces are aligned relative to each other such that at times when the moistened envelope is transported away from the sealing device moistening fluid is not transferred from the first surface to the second surface.

Abstract: A breathable girth former for a packaging machine for bathroom tissue and kitchen toweling rolls wherein the entrance funnel (preformer) has two halves resiliently mounted to conform to the product dimension most likely to jam in the downstream girth former. The funnel halves movement is transmitted to the girth tube former halves by a mechanical linkage to provide the same spacing as in the funnel.

Abstract: A sanitary fill tube assembly includes a pair of large diameter fill tubes connected to a spreader having a rotary valve system mounted therein. The rotary valve system is actuated by pairs of actuator arms guided through openings in a manifold connected to the fill tubes to precisely move the rotary valve between open and closed position. The rotary valve includes elongated openings therein which are closely matched with and connected to the same size and shape passageways and discharge openings in the spreader so as to more accurately control and meter material being fed into a pouch, and to maintain the overall assembly in a sanitary condition.

Abstract: System and method for packing loose fill materials in bags to form cushions for use in protecting articles in shipping cartons. The bags are produced from a length of flexible plastic tubing which is gathered or bunched to form a coil which is disposed about the outlet of a loose fill dispenser. A section of the tubing is pulled from the coil, and its lower end is closed to form a bag which is then filled with loose fill material dispensed through the outlet. Another section of tubing is then pulled from the coil, and the tubing is drawn together to close the upper end of the first section and the lower end of the second section. The closed ends are secured with tape, and the tubing is severed to separate the first section from the second. The cushions thus formed are placed in the shipping cartons with the articles, and in some embodiments are compressed and reexpanded in conformance with the contour of the articles.

Abstract: The process relates to the fitting of a bottom of a package formed from a tubular body (1) of non-round section. The open end of the body (1) is inserted between two fixed opposed jaws (M1, M2). Since the distance between the jaws (M1, M2) is less than the distance between the clamped portions (2, 3), the portions (4, 5) which are not clamped deform. Thus, when fitting the bottom, the air escapes and by applying a clamping force to the side walls of the package (1), some of the air still in the body (1) is evacuated before sealing.