Abstract: An apparatus (blank unit) for feeding blanks to an article to be wrapped is disclosed. In the feeding of blanks (13) or of a web of material (14) made from critical packaging materials (thin foils), suction conveyors (32 . . . 37) are used which transport, guide and retain the web of material (14). An optimum guidance of the web of material (14) is ensured when lateral elongated suction conveyors (32, 33) reach below a pack track (15). Additionally, shorter suction conveyors (34 . . . 37) are disposed above the pack track (15) in the region of the web of material (14). To adjust the blank unit to different widths of the web of material (14), the lateral elongated suction conveyors (32, 33) can be displaced transversely relative to one another. Moreover, individual shorter suction conveyors (34 . . . 37) can be removed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for placing sleeves on bottles and other objects is disclosed. In particular, a high speed method and apparatus having a plurality of sleeving stations for placing sleeves on bottles is disclosed. Each sleeving station includes a circularly arranged set of relatively movable parallel pins which are operable to contract or expand. A label transporter deposits a sleeve on the pins when they are contracted. The pins expand to stretch the sleeve. A bottle and the pins are then moved relative to one another to place the bottle inside the stretched sleeve. A gas flow is provided between the bottle and the sleeve to reduce friction. The sleeved bottle is then stripped from the pins. The method occurs without starts and stops by the bottle or the sleeve and is thus capable of very high production rates.

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing agitator balls into aerosol cans being transported thereunder is disclosed. The apparatus includes a one or more rotary ball supply heads each receiving agitator balls at its inlet and conveying same to its outlet for dispensing into the aerosol cans. Each ball supply head includes a rotatable inner plate having a plurality of arm members rotatably attached thereto, a spacer member interposed between adjacent arm members, a cover member and an adjustable bar cam which operatively contacts the arms members and rotationally positions same to form a pocket defined by the arm member, spacer member and the inner surface of the cover member for the receipt and retention of an agitator ball as it is being conveyed through the rotary ball supply head.

Abstract: The method is performed on a tape banding machine with a winding tape made of a paper tape coated with plastic or lacquer which forms at least one tensionable loop. The loop is severed after tightening and binding the winding tape. When forming the loop, the tape banding machine directs the plastic or lacquer layer of a winding tape which is coated on one side onto its uncoated surface made of porous paper. Where the winding tape is coated on both sides, the plastic layers are directed onto each other. The free end is bound to the aforementioned winding tape by ultrasonic cold welding. The flat working surface of the sonotrode of a tape banding machine is divided into sections by at least one recess; it consists of preferably small grid surfaces. The recesses are preferably grooves which run in a lengthwise direction and at an angle of 30.degree.-60.degree. to this lengthwise direction.

Abstract: Apparatus (1) for removing excess air from sealed packages so as to prevent ballooning. The apparatus (1) comprises a first conveyor belt (3) along which the packages move through the apparatus (1). The conveyor (3) Is driven by two rollers (4 and 5) and is also arranged to vibrate, by means of vibrator (2), in order to settle the contents, e.g. rice, in the packages throughout the operation. When a package is in a predetermined position, as determined by a sensor, such as a photoelectric cell (7), the package is punctured by a suitable device such as a spike (8). As the package continues down the conveyor (3), excess air is removed from the package by means of a spring loaded conveyor (19) which is biased against the package. As spring loaded conveyor (19) is pressed against the package, air in the package Is forced out through the hole made by spike (8).

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for wrapping roll material around a round bale within a bale forming chamber of a round baler including a drive belt tensioner idler, a wrapping material brake and a wrapping material cut-off knife all disposed on a carriage that is articulated between a wrapping material feeding position and a cut-off/stop position. When baling is completed, a signal is provided for movement to the feeding position at which time the wrapping material is held taught to maintain bale compression. After sensor data are fed back to a controller to signal feeding has proceeded for the desired length of time and/or to deploy the desired length of wrapping material, the device articulates to the cut-off position to sever the wrapping material to allow completion of the bale wrapping procedure. A crop recycling mechanism can also be provided to re-feed stray crop material into the baling chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring bag packs (10) containing sensitive loose material to a collective packer for the introduction of the packs into a carton or the like. To compensate for the difference in performance rates of a production machine (bag packer) for the packs (10) and the collective packer, there is provided a conveying device (17) with at least two conveyor belts (18, 19) which act as compensating conveyors. The packs (10) are fed to a special collecting station (16) by the conveying device (17). This collecting station comprises an intermediate band (35) and a group band (43). In the region of the intermediate band (35), the packs (10) are spaced out at a distance so they can be detected. In the region of the group band (43), a pack group (11) is formed from packs (10) lying tightly next to one another.

Abstract: The end of a length of stretch film enveloping a pallet is restrained, prior to being heat-sealed, by a gripping mechanism that can be traversed toward and away from the pallet, and is capable of contracting longitudinally in a direction parallel to the plane occupied by the tail end of the film, transversely to the wrapping direction, from a position of engagement in which the gripping surfaces are spaced apart and uniformly in contact with the film over its maximum width, to a position of restraint in which the selfsame surfaces are drawn together, pinching the film to produce a uniform succession of folds and thus narrowing the material to a width that can be accommodated fully by the heat-seal plate.

Abstract: Method for filling a pressure capsule for spray cans, in particular for fing a pressure capsule (5) consisting of a reservoir (7) with a discharge opening (8) and a pressure regulator (9) with a valve (10) which works in conjunction with the above-mentioned discharge opening (8), characterized in that the pressure capsule (5) is filled by creating an external pressure difference at the pressure regulator (9), such that the discharge opening (8) is cleared and the reservoir (7) is filled via this opening (8).

Abstract: A compost bagging machine is described including a wheeled frame having a tunnel mounted thereon which is adapted to receive the opened mouth of a bag. The inside surface of the tunnel is provided with a plurality of spaced-apart flutes which create air channels in the material within the bag. An elongated perforated pipe is also positioned within the material in the bag and the bagging machine moves relative to the bag during the bagging operation. The presence of air in the channels created by the flutes and the air present in the perforated pipe ensures that sufficient air will be present in the mass to achieve complete decomposition of the material.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a device and method for feeding a cut loose-leaf material such as, for example tobacco, from a weight scale; dropping the tobacco into a hopper; compressing the tobacco into the desired size, shape, and density; and packaging the loose-leaf tobacco product. Packaging is accomplished by wrapping an inner foil and overwrap label around an arbor on a rotating arbor wheel. The package is constructed in various stages as the arbor wheel rotates to various positions. The inner foil is fed and wrapped around the arbor without extending the foil below the body of the package so that the foil does not form a bottom end. The foil extends above the body of the package and is folded to form a top end. An outer label having a sufficient length to extend past the top and bottom of the arbor is overwrapped about the foil innerwrap. The overwrap label extending past the bottom of the arbor is folded and glued over the foil innerwrap to form a top end to the package.

Abstract: A substantially L-shaped grasping bar is hingedly attached to the hinge stile and the latch stile of a door. An upper surface of the latch stile attachment is placed adjacent the underside of the latch handle so that upon lifting the grasping bar, the latch is activated and the door can be easily manipulated by a wheelchair-bound person.

Abstract: A mobile apparatus detachably connected to a source of pressurized fluid for wrapping palletized load with a film and which includes a rotating arm rotatably mounted to a movable support frame, a carriage rail attached to the rotating arm, a film carriage in slidable engagement with the carriage rail for dispensing the film to the load, a pneumatic carriage lift cylinder for selectively actuating the movement of the film carriage along the carriage rail, a pneumatic drive assembly for selectively actuating rotational movement of the rotating arm, and a control panel attached to the frame and detachably connected to the pressurized fluid source for selectively controlling the carriage lift cylinder and the drive assembly.

Abstract: A stretch wrapping machine includes a web dispenser and a rotatable support for providing relative rotation between the web dispenser and load to wrap a web of packaging material around the load. Cooperating bearing members engage each other for supporting the rotatable support and permitting the rotation of the rotatable support. One of the bearing members is mounted on the rotatable support and the other bearing member is mounted on the fixed support. One of the bearing members includes a track of resilient material and the other bearing member includes a roller surface which rolls along the track of resilient material.

Abstract: A crop bagging machine is provided with a movable chassis having adjustable brakes and a grain container having a rear tunnel defining a rear opening. A pliable plastic bag is fit to the tunnel with the bag bottom closing the opening. A bin on the chassis receives grain, e.g., from a truck and an auger transports the grain from the bin to an elevated position in the container that is above the height of the filled bag. The adjustable brakes are set to establish the level of grain pile in the container to cover the opening and thereby fill the bag. The brakes are independently controlled to provide limited steering. An additional embodiment of the invention shows downsizing for reduction in cost and in dimension for compatibility with conventional shipping containers while further providing adjustability in tunnel size to accommodate variation in bag diameter. A further additional embodiment provides for a modified conveyor system for the grain that utilizes air flow.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for securing a sheet of material about a flower pot for providing a decorative cover to the flower pot, using a band applicator with an object opening. The sheet of material is held in place on the flower pot and the flower pot with the sheet of material held there about is inserted into the object opening of the band applicator. The band applicator applies a band about the sheet of material and the flower pot whereby the sheet of material is secured to the flower pot via the band.

Abstract: A packing apparatus capable of permitting drawing-out of a band from a band guide arch structure to be regularly accomplished in order, to thereby improve durability of the apparatus and prevent damage to the band. Flaps each are formed of a lightweight metal material into an L-shape in section, and are provided at one edge thereof with a flange and formed at a portion thereof in proximity to the other edge thereof with a pair of threaded holes. The flaps are arranged in a manner to be contiguous to each other in order in such a manner that a forward end of each of the flaps defined in a direction of delivery of the band is positioned under a rearward end of the flap forwardly adjacent thereto while aligning threaded holes of the adjacent flaps with each other. Also, the flaps which are arranged at each of corner sections of a band way are curvedly connected to each other while forming an overlapped portion of an acute fan shape between each adjacent two flaps.

Abstract: Documents printed by high speed laser printers are automatically handled to verify, track, handle, and deposit them in appropriate shipping containers. The system is modular so that it can be configured to suit the needs of a wide variety of users, and includes document transport conveyors, transfer conveyors, and container transport conveyors. A paper sheet having bar coding is associated with each group of documents and the bar coding is sensed to determine where to route the document (what shipping container it should be placed in), and also optionally other document handling procedures, such as plastic shrink wrapping and/or banding. Documents are conveyed to a number of different filling stations with containers passing underneath the filling stations. When the destination bar coding on a group of documents at a filling station matches the bar coding on the container underneath that filling station, dump paddles are activated to drop the group of documents into the container.

Abstract: A stretch wrapping apparatus includes a dispenser for dispensing stretch wrap packaging material. The dispenser includes upstream and downstream prestretch rollers for engaging and stretching stretch wrap packaging material. The dispenser also includes an intermediate orienting roller positioned between the upstream and downstream prestretch rollers. The intermediate orienting roller abuts one of the upstream and downstream prestretch rollers, and is spaced from the other of the upstream and downstream prestretch rollers. Relative rotation is provided between the dispenser and the load to wrap the stretch wrap packaging material around the load.

Abstract: A wire winding and tying machine useful in the winding of steel wire strands or the like includes a tie stock dispenser that delivers a pre cut length of tie stock to a platform. A banking unit picks up the tie stock and delivers it to a position above pre wound strands. The hanking unit includes rockable arms that press the tie stock ends about the wound strands to a position to engage a twister that winds the tie stock about the strands.