Abstract: A machine for wrapping a plurality of articles into a package. The machine is provided with a film which comes in roll form and the film passes through a cutter but does not cut it entirely off. At the same time, generally parallel to the film there is a row of articles which are advanced and passed on to a guide which moves them onto the film. The film is then drawn after which the articles are advanced in unison and then the film is drawn about the articles. The group of articles are then passed on to rollers and into a shrink tunnel for shrinking of the film so as to tightly engage the articles. As the film is pulled into loops, the loops are supported by a vacuum conveyor so that the loops will stay ready for the eventual drawing of the film about the group of articles.

Abstract: This relates to apparatus for transferring flat members such as cartons from a supplly to an applying conveyor chain and the like wherein the supply is disposed above the conveyor and at an angle thereto. The apparatus is in the form of a rotary hopper that is also mounted for oscillatory movement towards and away from the supply and also parallel to the conveyor wherein when a member receiving carrier of the hopper is aligned with a member, the carrier is moved to pick up the member while the carrier presenting a member to the conveyor is advanced at substantially the same rate as the conveyor. The carriers are preferably in the form of suction cups which are valve actuated as the hopper rotates.

Abstract: This relates to an improvement in a lock for closure panels of a carton of a wrap around type. Most specifically, the lock is formed between a male panel and a female panel of an overall closure panel with the male panel being provided with a projecting tab and the female panel having a folded down terminal panel portion with a cutout therein which receives the tab. With the lock so partially formed, scores or creases are rolled into the tab after which the tab is first folded down alongside the terminal panel portion of the female panel and then the folding of the tab is continued so as to swing the terminal female panel portion up beneath the male panel with a nose of the projecting tab passing through a slot in the male panel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a can carrier for forming into a package and carrying one or more cans, normally six cans to form a six-pack. The can carrier is primarily formed of a sheet of readly foldable and deformable material including paperboard. For each can, the sheet is provided with a pair of cutouts defining foldable flaps. The flaps are foldable beneath the sheet with each pair of flaps being remote from one another. The result is that the connection between each flap and the sheet provides two layers of materials which are engagable beneath a can chime to interlock the can with the can carrier. The folded connection between each flap and the sheet may be reinforced by stretchable self shrinking glue disposed generally in the apex of the connection between each flap and the under side of the sheet. Another form of flap reinforcement is the bonding of a synthetic thread to the under side of the sheet and the flaps with the thread extending longitudinally of the sheets and the flaps.

Abstract: This relates to a transfer mechanism for transferring cartons from a magazine for such cartons. The mechanism includes first and second plates which are joined together for rotation in unison about a fixed shaft. The second plate has pivotally connected thereto a generally radially extending member to which there are connected parallel links which, in turn, are pivotally connected to a carrier in the form of a link parallel to the member and the carrier in turn carries a pair of suction type pickup heads. One of the parallel links extends beyond the other from the carrier and carries a cam follower which is engaged with a cam that is fixedly connected to the first plate for rotation therewith. The fixed shaft also carries a fixed gear which is meshed with a gear which is rotatably mounted on the first plate and which carries an eccentric pin engaged in a slot in the radially extending member to rock the same about its pivot.

Abstract: This relates to a wraparound carrier for the packaging of articles in two rows. Primarily the articles are bottles. The wraparound carrier is provided at each end with a trap gusset and a pair of end panels. The gusset is specifically configurated to fold beneath an arched shaped top of a conventional wraparound container so as to effect the maintaining of the formed configuration of the upper part of the wraparound carrier while holding the associated end panels in a planar relationship. Not only does the relationship between the gusset and end panels at each end of the carrier provide for a complete closing of the carrier such as desired in the packaging of certain beers and other products, but also even after the carrier has been opened and the bottles or like articles removed therefrom, the gusset and the associated end panels cooperate with one another to maintain the shape of the erected carrier so that the opened carrier may have replaced therein the used bottles for return.

Abstract: A wrapping machine wherein article units are wrapped by a shrinkable web to form a package. The machine includes a conveyor which includes an upper article supporting run. The conveyor has regularly spaced openings and associated with the rear of each opening is a web pulling bar. Article units are fed to the conveyor run in timed relation to conveyor movement and a series of retarder bars, moving at a slower rate, pull the web in front of each article unit to be wrapped with the article unit then bearing against the retarder bar and being slowed to the speed of the retarder bar with the conveyor moving therebeneath. A clamp bar moves down behind each article unit, draws the web down behind the article unit and then clamps the web to the article unit. In advance of this, and before the clamp bar engages the article unit, web drawing means engages the web between two adjacent article units and draws the same down into the associated conveyor opening and engages the web with the article pulling means.

Abstract: This relates to providing internal compression in packages of the type utilizing a wrap around carton. Instead of utilizing locking cut outs provided for receiving articles to be packaged, special compression cuts are formed in the closure panels of a wrap around carton so that the compression cuts are independent of the locking cut outs thereby permitting one chain and lug arrangement to be utilized in conjunction with numerous types of packages. The lugs are carried by compression chains located in a plane below the support plane of the articles to be packaged with the lugs being pivotally mounted on pins and normally having downwardly sloping positions for engaging in the compression cuts when the closure flaps are in their generally vertical depending position. The lugs are swingable upwardly to generally horizontal positions with the closure panels. Each lug carries a finger having a nose particularly configurated for automatically entering and centering within a compression cut.

Abstract: As a conditioning step for wrapping a plurality of articles in a low density polyethylene shrink film, perforations are formed in the shrink film for receiving machine elements utilized in performing the wrapping operation, the film being moved continuously between a pair of infeed rolls and a pair of outfeed rolls between which a rotatable mandrel is disposed and which includes perforating knives thereon for engaging the film while the film is moved continuously, the perforating knives being disposed on the opposite side of the web from a rotatable back up roll having cavities formed therein for receiving the ends of the perforating knives in such manner that the web is maintained under tension throughout the perforating process while the backup roll serves to prevent sidewise movement of the web due to web perforating action of the perforating knives.

Abstract: A wrapping machine wherein article units are wrapped by a shrinkable web to form a package. The machine includes a conveyor which includes an upper article supporting run. The conveyor has regularly spaced openings and associated with the rear of each opening is a web pulling bar. Article units are fed to the conveyor run in timed relation to conveyor movement and a series of retarder bars, moving at a slower rate, pull the web in front of each article unit to be wrapped with the article unit then bearing against the retarder bar and being slowed to the speed of the retarder bar with the conveyor moving therebeneath. A clamp bar moves down behind each article unit, draws the web down behind the article unit and then clamps the web to the article unit. In advance of this, and before the clamp bar engages the article unit, web drawing means engages the web between two adjacent article units and draws the same down into the associated conveyor opening and engages the web with the article pulling means.

Abstract: This relates to a wrapping machine of the type wherein a web is automatically wrapped about one or a group of articles to form a package. A continuous web is provided and this web has at regular intervals a series of transversely aligned cutouts. After the web has passed over the article or articles to be wrapped, the web between two adjacent sets of articles is hooked onto a web drawing member of an article transporting conveyor which is moving at a greater rate than the article being wrapped. A simple web pressing mechanism is provided for pressing the web down in front of the web drawing member and holding the web portion in a pressed condition until the advancing web drawing member engages fingers thereof into the cutouts in the web.

Abstract: This relates to providing internal compression in packages of the type utilizing a wrap around carton. Instead of utilizing locking cut outs provided for receiving articles to be packaged, special compression cuts are formed in the closure panels of a wrap around carton so that the compression cuts are independent of the locking cut outs thereby permitting one chain and lug arrangement to be utilized in conjunction with numerous types of packages. The lugs are carried by compression chains located in a plane below the support plane of the articles to be packaged with the lugs being pivotally mounted on pins and normally having downwardly sloping positions for engaging in the compression cuts when the closure flaps are in their generally vertical depending position. The lugs are swingable upwardly to generally horizontal positions with the closure panels. Each lug carries a finger having a nose particularly configurated for automatically entering and centering within a compression cut.

Abstract: This relates to the forming of shrink wrap packages. A continuous web predivided into wrap sections is delivered to moving article clusters and is drawn thereabout by a puller apparatus while article clusters are supported on a moving conveyor having openings therethrough at regularly spaced intervals. The article clusters are retarded relative to the conveyor so that the conveyor advances relative to the article clusters. The web is precut to define the individual wraps and the conveyor has adjacent each opening fingers for interlocking with the web to draw the web over a trailing article cluster. The wrap web is eventually clamped to the article cluster and as the conveyor continues to advance causes separation of the leading wrap section from the remainder of the web. The conveyor then moves a trailing flap under the article cluster and a forward flap is later moved under the article cluster and the trailing flap by discharge rollers.

Abstract: This relates to a transfer mechanism for transferring blanks from a hopper to a blank applying mechanism. Most particularly, the transfer mechanism includes an arm which is pivotally mounted and which arm carries at one end a suction head which is also pivotally mounted. A single drive shaft drives an eccentric which effects oscillation of the arm and a cam mechanism which effects oscillation of the suction head relative to the arm. The oscillation of the suction head relative to the arm is in the same direction as that of the arm whereby a blank carried by the suction head will rotate through a relatively great angle while the arm rotates or pivots through only a relatively small angle. For example, the arm pivot through an angle of 45.degree. while the suction head pivots through an angle of 90.degree. relative to the arm and thus through an arc of 135.degree..

Abstract: This relates to a closure interlock for closure panels of cartons of the wrap around type. Each closure interlock includes a primary locking tab on an outer closure panel and a secondary locking tab and primary and secondary locking shoulders on an inner closure panel. The locking tabs are generally in alignment and the locking shoulders are spaced a very short distance transversely of the length of the closure interlock. This permits a very shallow angle of entry of the secondary locking tabs so that the closure interlocks may be aligned with and generally underlie items being packaged within the associated carton.

Abstract: This relates to a closure interlock between closure panels of a carton of the wrap around type. The closure interlock provides for a primary locking tab on an outer one of the closure panels and a secondary locking tab on the inner one of the closure panels whereby a primary lock and a secondary lock may be formed generally in alignment longitudinally of the closure interlock thus providing for a savings of carton forming stock corresponding to the normal spacing of the primary lock and the secondary lock transversely of the general line of the closure interlock.

Abstract: This invention relates to a case can package wherein two twelve can-one-half case can packages are joined to form a one case can package by means of an overwrap. The package film of the one-half case can packages is provided on the outer surface thereof with a suitable overprint in the form of a resist which prevents bonding of the overwrap film thereto. The overwrap film interlocks with the cans of the two one-half case can packages to form a readily handleable one case package unit. The overwrap film is readily removable to present two one-half case can packages for individual sale. The overwrap joining the two one-half case can packages eliminates the need for the usual paper board tray, which is quite expensive, and at the same time provides for improved stacking of the can packages in case lots on pallets.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a web splicer wherein a running web is fed between two rolls into a nip therebetween and wherein a new web is joined to the running web in the nip by means of a joining strip which has a pressure sensitive adhesive on one face thereof, the joining strip being secured to the new web in projecting relation therefrom. The rolls are provided with grooves and a make-ready unit for the new web includes a support having fingers for positioning the splice strip with the fingers being movable down into the associated roll in grooves therein to present the joined strip and the new web to the associated roll. Detector means are provided for detecting the end of the running web and support positioning means are actuated by the detector to position the new web relative to the rolls.

Abstract: This invention relates to a shrink tunnel for heat shrinking film about products to form packages. Most particularly, this invention relates to a shrink tunnel for forming a package of a plurality of cans having a shrink film wrapped thereabout. The tunnel is particularly adapted for effecting the required shrinking of the shrink film about the cans to form a tight package while at the same time being so constructed to prevent undue distortion of a central portion of the shrink wrap whereby the shrink wrap may have a universal product code preprinted thereon with the product being substantially undistorted and readily scannable by a conventional electronic scanner to determine product identification and price.

Abstract: A system for packaging cans or similar articles which is characterized by a wrap-around style blank of paperboard, or other suitable sheet material, which is cut and scored to divide it into wall forming panels adapted to be wrapped about a row of the articles, so as to form an open ended tubular carton, with the blank having hinged terminal end panels in the form of narrow strips which are interleaved and secured so as to cooperate with adjoining panel portions in forming one of the carton walls, the end panels being seated by a hinging movement which draws the panels into tight wrap formation and which engages primary locking tabs on the terminal edge of the one end panel in cooperating locking apertures disposed at the hinge line of the other end panel while hinged secondary locking tabs which are cut from the material adjacent the hinge line of the one end panel are engaged in cooperating locking apertures which are cut in the material of the wall panel to which the other end panel is hingedly connected.