Abstract: A wrapping machine of the horizontal form, fill and seal type, in which a continuously moving web strip is formed into a tube of thermoplastic material, has introduced therein a file of longitudinally spaced articles. A transverse sealing and cutting mechanism, coordinated with the lengths of each article and with the velocity of the tube, seals and cuts the web between articles to produce individually wrapped articles. To conserve wrapping material and to produce a wrinkle-free tight wrap, there is disclosed tucking devices, cooperating with the sealing and cutting mechanism, which, in addition to tucking, creates smooth well-defined folds at the ends of each package. More particularly, the tucking devices are in one embodiment, rotated about axes located on either side of the web tube path with the speed of rotation being such that the tucking devices closely approximate the speed of the web since tucking occurs during web movement.

Abstract: An article wrapping machine has superposed shafts geared together that mount opposed rotary crimping heads for crimping the wrapping between the articles. A knife blade is radially movable in a slot in the upper crimping head and is projected into a recess in the lower crimping head for severing the wrapping between a string of articles. The blade actuating mechanism comprises a rod axially movable in a bore in the shaft that mounts the upper crimping head. A pair of bell cranks is provided for projecting and retracting the blade. An intermediate portion of each bell crank is pivoted to the crimping head. An outer or free end portion of each crank is pivoted to the blade and the inner ends are pivoted to the rod. The bell cranks are disposed so that the pivotal connections to the blade pass "over center" and the geometry of the arrangement is such that there is virtually no axial or slicing motion of the blade during its radial movement.