Abstract: A shuttle packaging machine includes a support structure having a servomotor driven shuttle device mounted thereon. A transfer arm having suction cups clamps, removes and holds a shipping blank on the shuttle device during all of the packaging functions. The major and minor flaps of the shipping container are held open during the loading of the container. Tucking or folding plows and pneumatic cylinders fold and hold the major and minor flaps. The “shuttle action” of the shuttle device during loading and flap folding allows for a compact arrangement as well as minimizing the number of parts required.

Abstract: For packaging flat objects (4) using a packaging material (7) being supplied as a quasi-endless web, a string of bags (7?) being open on three sides and closed on one side is continuously formed and conveyed in a conveying direction. During conveyance the bags (7?) are each charged with at least one object (4), are severed from each other, and are then sealed with seams corresponding with the open bag sides. The depth of the bags during the step of forming the string of bags (7?) and/or the distance between the two lateral seams during the step of sealing are adjusted to the format of the object to be packaged (4), or to the width of the packaging material (7), respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a bait sack using a netting material comprises a filling collar having a tubular configuration and an inside surface for directing bait into the netting material. A forming sleeve has a tubular configuration and is disposed coaxially about the filling collar. A netting material is disposed between the filling collar and the forming sleeve. The filling collar and the forming sleeve are movable relative to each other to form a bait sack with the netting material.

Abstract: A form, fill and seal packaging machine bottom fills a carton. The machine includes a lid application station for applying a lid to the carton open top at an upper edge and means for removing the carton from the mandrel. The carton is positioned on a conveyor and is conveyed to a filling station disposed along the conveyor for filling product into the carton. After filling, the carton is indexed to a bottom flap folding station for folding the bottom flaps toward one another and a bottom fin sealing station for sealing a portion of the bottom wall flaps to one another to form an elongated fin. A bottom panel folding station folds the bottom panels toward one another to form a sealed bottom wall and a discharge station discharges the packages from the machine. A method for forming the carton and a carton formed by the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Capsules, for example for the delivery of pharmaceuticals, are produced from two films (18) of a water-soluble polymeric material, by deforming the films to form a multiplicity of recesses, and filling the recesses with a flowable filling material. This is performed using two adjacent rotary dies (14, 15), with recesses (16) into which the films (18) are deformed. The dies (14, 15) also act as electrodes for welding the films together by dielectric welding to form filled capsules (30). The capsules (30) can readily be separated from the resulting web. The polymeric material may be gelatin, or a water-soluble cellulose derivative such as hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, and may also contain a plasticizer.

Abstract: A machine for forming reclosable packaging includes a removable forming neck which can be replaced with different forming necks of various diameters. The machine has a mechanism (40) for attaching closure strips (P) onto a film that have lengths up to half the circumference of the smallest forming neck (10), and a mechanism (60)″ that makes the transverse welds (61, 62) along a length equal to at least equal half the circumference of the largest forming neck (10).

Abstract: The closure system of the present invention includes a pressure pad of conventional design which is urged against the external surfaces of a plurality of loosely associated overlying prefolded end side wall portions of the bottom end of a carton blank which is disposed on a mandrel which includes a backup pad disposed within the carton and contiguous to the internal surfaces of the prefolded end side wall portions to thereby capture the prefolded end side wall portions between the pressure pad and the backup pad.

Abstract: A waste storage device (21) includes an inlet aperture (12) and a length of flexible tubing (2) passing through the inlet aperture (12) from a cassette. The flexible tubing (2) is pinched by a par of rollers (111) which can have continuous surfaces or multiple paddles. The waste product is placed into the aperture (12) and the rollers (111) rotate drawing the waste product down into the device and pinching the storage bag above it. The operation can be manually or motor driven.

Abstract: A male or female tool in a wrapping machine for confinement of preferably or normally cuboid commodities in deformable sheet-like blanks of metallic foil or the like has at least one reciprocable, indexible and/or otherwise movable base portion or carrier of a lightweight material (e.g., a low-density fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material), and one or more wear-resistant liners overlying that surface or those surfaces of the carrier which participates or participate in deformation of a blank around the respective commodity. The liner can but need not be a laminate and can contain or consist of hardened steel, a ceramic material and/or others. Such liner can be bonded and/or mechanically affixed to the relevant surface or surfaces of the carrier.

Abstract: An automatic packaging machine for forming and filling a latching flip-top box uses a two part mandrel which are joined by a hinge. One of the two hinged parts has a roller thereon for following a cam track having a quarter turn spiral therein. As the roller follows the spiral causing one hinged part to move through a quarter turn causing the flip-top to fold over and be formed. A somewhat loose tab on the top edge of the bottom of the box is a latch tab which is caught when the flip-top folds over.

Abstract: An automatic packaging machine for forming and filling a latching flip-top box uses a two part mandrel which are joined by a hinge. One of the two hinged parts has a roller thereon for following a cam track having a quarter turn spiral therein. As the roller follows the spiral causing one hinged part to move through a quarter turn causing the flip-top to fold over and be formed. A somewhat loose tab on the top edge of the bottom of the box is a latch tab which is caught when the flip-top folds over.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making a beverage container which contains an instant beverage material individually sealed within the beverage container by a filter disk and an insert disk combination. The apparatus includes a mandrel having a flange and a forming die which is slideably mounted on the mandrel. The forming die has a chamfered outer surface which fits into a beverage container and an inner stepped portion which is configured to engage the flange of the mandrel and receive the filter disk and insert disk to be inserted into a beverage container. A funnel press is provided which has a funnel portion and a press portion. The press portion mates with the mandrel and forming die to draw a portion of the filter disk into the mandrel to simultaneously form a pocket in and crimp a filter disk which is subsequently loaded with an instant beverage material using the funnel portion.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for automatically molding defined three-dimensional foam cushions. The apparatus comprises means for preparing a bag from plastic film material and for enclosing a foamable composition in the plastic bag, means for concurrently aligning a mold with the plastic bag and the bag preparing means, means for placing the bag containing the foamable composition into the aligned mold as the foamable composition begins to form foam, and means for maintaining the bag in the mold until the foamable composition has substantially finished forming foam in a shape conforming to the mold.

Abstract: In an apparatus for extruding plastic into a length of parison in the form of a vertically oriented hollow tube, molding a container from the parison and for filling the container with liquid product, the apparatus having a extruder, with a parison head, for forming the parison, a hot knife for cutting the parison to a selected length with concomitant release of plastic particulates, gripping apparatus for maintaining an opening at a top of the cut parison, a sealer for sealing a bottom of the cut parison, vacuum apparatus for molding the container with a temporary top opening, an extendable and retractable nozzle for filling the molded container through the temporary top opening with the liquid product and a sealer for sealing the filled container, the improvement including an outer shroud for surrounding the extruder, including the parison head, with H.E.P.A.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for automatically feeding from a roll successive pairs of inflatable packaging bags each having a common intermediate inflation channel to present the end bag upon a base platform for receiving an item-to-be-packaged, and then to fold the other bag of the pair thereover to envelope the same; and then sealing the enveloping bags to provide a package of appropriate item size, inflating the bags through the inflation channel, and finally severing the inflated package from the roll.

Abstract: A device is provided to combine printed products that are supplied to a folded envelope. A rotating conveying member is equipped with receiving pockets that are distributed over its circumference and can be closed and opened. The receiving pockets have an associated charging station for the envelopes and a supplying station for the enclosures on the opposite side of the conveying member as well as a subsequently connected removal station, with the charging station and the supplying station being connected by means of an undercut conveying region of the conveying member.

Abstract: A method for filling packaging including an outer paper packaging member and an inner plastic film bag member with a filling material that is contained in a filling material container arranged above the packaging. The method includes, in the vicinity of the filling material container, forming the plastic film bag member from a tubular film by providing a welded seam along a lower edge. The bag is spread apart at an open upper edge. The plastic film bag member is separated from the tubular film. The plastic film bag member is inserted over the filling material container. The filling material container is lowered together with the plastic film bag member into the outer packaging member. The filling material container is emptied into the plastic film bag member. The material filling container is moved back to a starting position above the packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling flexible bags includes an endless conveyor having a generally horizontally oriented upper run; and a plurality of bag holders mounted on the conveyor and distributed therealong. Each bag holder includes two cooperating plates extending upwardly from the upper (working) run of the conveyor and movable towards and away from one another.

Abstract: The packaging of articles grouped to form generally cuboid shaped package contents of variable dimensions includes the erection of carton blanks to form open-ended tubular receivers, insertion of the grouped articles into such an erected carton and folding and glueing end flaps to close the carton about the article group. The filling of the cartons with the article groups and the closing of the cartons takes place on a turret having cells which are adjustable in size to match the incoming erected carton.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging products in a bag of plastic material comprises means for transporting step by step a continuous tube-like material web with upper and lower layers lying flat one upon the other, a cutting unit for making a cut in the upper layer of the material web, a separating and stretching unit for moving the upper and lower layers away from each other and towards each other, respectively, at the location of the cut, a filling station for filling a formed bag still contained in the material web with the product to be packed and a sealing unit for applying a seal between the upper and lower layers of the material web. The sealing unit makes a strip-like seal extending transverse to the material web and extending in the longitudinal direction of the material web on both sides of the seal. The sealing unit further comprises a cutting means for cutting through the material web at the location of the seal.

Abstract: Packaging apparatus for production of display packages in which an item is packaged on a card sealed under a transparent film, the cards each having a window being carried through the apparatus on jigs which are indexed around in an endless path travelling from a card-applying station to a film-applying station, a packing station, a heat-sealing station, a package ejection station and back to the card-applying station, with automatic application of a card to each jig at the card-applying station.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for cutting photographic film into individual negatives and placing the cut negatives into envelopes. The invention utilizes a permeable conveyor and vacuum fan arrangement to transport the negatives after they are severed by the cutting mechanism. A pair of opposed fan assemblies located on either side of continuous feed envelopes serve to open an individual envelope. The opened envelope is located in close proximity to the conveyor. In this configuration, an individual negative, retained by suction against the permeable conveyor, can be delivered to the opened envelope extending off the edge of the conveyor track and entering the open envelope. A burst of air may be used to ensure the individual negative's placement into the envelope. A computer coordinates and controls various functions of operations, including transportation movement of the negative and envelopes and printing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for packaging a fragile product (8) in a folding carton (19), the problem being to carry out the forming of the folding carton blank (1), the filling of the carton (19) and the closing of the carton (19) automatically in a continuous movement without damaging the fragile product (8). To solve this problem, the invention proposes transporting the folding carton blank (1) in a constant direction, involving initial partial pre-forming of the blank (1), which is then filled with the product (8) and closed with overlapping (12) lid flaps (5), after which the filled blank (1,19) is turned through 90.degree. around a vertical axis and is subsequently closed in a continuous forward movement.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method of enclosing a vehicle seat elastomeric foam bun assembly with a prefitted cover. In a preferred embodiment the bun assembly is enclosed with a generally impermeable cylindrical bag having a lower coefficient of friction with the bun assembly foam than the coefficient of friction of the cover with the bun assembly foam. One end of the bag is connected with a vacuum source to sealably adhere the bag to the bun assembly and to connect the bun assembly. The bun assembly is then enclosed by the cover. The bag is then removed from between the cover and the bun assembly by ejecting the bun assembly out the open end of the bag while holding one end of the bag fixed.

Abstract: In a sheet slider means used in a packaging system in which flat sheets are taken, one by one, out of a magazine and are delivered by a magazine conveyor, each sheet being transferred to a case transporting conveyor located adjacent the magazine conveyor and flaps of the sheet being folded and pressed for joining purposes, a high-speed wrapping machine has sheet sliders guided by guide rails and slidable in a direction at right angles to the direction in which the magazine conveyor is advanced, a device for continuously transferring the sheets in a flat fashion onto buckets formed by sheet guides provided on the case transporting conveyor, the conveyor being driven synchronously with the magazine conveyor, and a plurality of vertically and transversely adjustable press rods and press brushes provided at the upper portion of an entrance in the magazine conveyor for pressing the sheets.

Abstract: A machine for boxing items in groups, in particular sticks of sweets or similar, on which the sticks are fed in successive layers into a compartment for forming the aforementioned groups, which compartment is open vertically and designed to move, along a supporting surface, between a loading position and a bending position; in which bending position, each group is placed on the center portion of a respective blank which is bent about the group by a box-shaped bending assembly; the aforementioned bending operation being performed in two stages, during the first of which, the aforementioned bending assembly moves in relation to the blank and the group which are stationary, and during the second of which, the group and the blank are moved through the bending assembly by virtue of two opposed pushers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for blow molding in a single form-fill-seal operation a droplet dispenser bottle which delivers fluid in precise, uniform drops rather than the streamlets produced by similar bottles of earlier design. The method and apparatus is such that the desired amount of fluid is dispensed from the bottle regardless of how hard the bottle is squeezed. Depending on the needs of the packager, the method and apparatus can be made to form the orifice to precisely control droplet size and/or weight. The droplet dispenser bottle can be molded in virtually any shape desired to hold up to approximately two ounces of fluid.

Abstract: A device is provided for enclosing fish bait in a permeable mesh bag using a base with a well therein into which the central portion of such mesh may be depressed and wherein the bait may be placed in the mesh. A pair of metal plates are provided which act to close over the bait the mesh protruding from the well.

Abstract: There is described an apparatus for automatically boxing cylindrical goods with the same size, with means for aligning said goods and move same by gravity to a filling station, as well as means for discharging the filled boxes. A suitable box is also described.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of pre-filled ampuls and hypodermic needles where an ampul is formed by injection-moulding and blow-moulding. The ampul is filled with medicaments at the blow-moulding stage and a hypodermic needle is then affixed to the ampul.

Abstract: There is shown apparatus and method for producing a container preferably made or constructed of heat sealable material. Shaping of the container is by forming and not heat stretching or other distortions. In the depicted examples of the container the travelling strip is formed with a midwidth transverse cut leaving on and at each edge a carrier strip. The formed container is preferably filled with a product and then a cover to retain the product is brought to this container and heat sealed in place by the apparatus. After this filling and sealing, the package is further severed at the prior transverse cut to make separate packages.

Abstract: Apparatus having a vacuum arrangement for reaching up to grip a flat carton blank and to draw the blank downwardly onto a support. As the blank is moved downwardly, it is drawn into an expanding U formation ready to receive a load of articles which are moved along a path and onto the bottom of the deposited blank, after which the blank is folded into a carton and secured relative the article load. While the loading, folding and securing operations are taking place, the vacuum arrangement moves back to grip the next carton blank that is to be loaded. The apparatus for moving each load inwardly on to the deposited blank allows for the formation of another load while the moving is taking place, said apparatus moving outwardly over the newly formed load.

Abstract: There is shown apparatus and method for producing a container preferably made or constructed of heat sealable material. Shaping of the container is by forming and not heat stretching or other distortion. In the depicted examples of the container the travelling strip is formed with a midwidth transverse cut leaving on and at each edge a carrier strip. The formed container is preferably filled with a product and then a cover to retain the product is brought to this container and heat sealed in place by the apparatus. After this filling and sealing, the package is further severed at the prior transverse cut to make separate packages.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging a substance in closed bags formed from two continuous ribbons of a thin fragile material in which the ribbons are sealed to each other as they pass downwardly between first and second pairs of horizontal nipping rollers. A bag open at the top is produced from a portion of the ribbons by sealing and is filled with a predetermined amount of the substance to be packaged. The top of the bag is subsequently sealed to close the bag after the ribbons have advanced downwardly a predetermined distance. These operations take place sequentially on successive portions of the ribbons as they advance toward the second pair of nipping rollers, forming a series of sealed bags. At least one of the first pair of nipping rollers has a generally smooth annular concave portion extending between the end portions thereof, while at least one of the second pair of nipping rollers has a generally cylindrical portion of reduced diameter extending between its end portions.

Abstract: Containers such as those used for food stuffs having a generally frusto-conical initial shape are constrained into a forming die during the handling of the containers for injecting quantities of edibles and the like therein such that the containers are constrained to enter a die having a generally square configuration and then, while still in the die, the containers are filled with food or other material and a square lid is fed into position above the filled container and placed thereon to maintain the square configuration of the upper end thereof. The resulting containers provide a much more efficient packaging for equal volumes of product when compared with the more conventional frusto-conical shape containers. The invention is particularly well-adapted to packaging ice cream and the like.

Abstract: A packaging machine is described in which articles or groups of articles are wrapped in a sleeve of stretch-wrap material. The machine includes a sleeve feeding and cutting assembly for drawing the leading end portion from a roll of stretch-wrap tubing, for opening the leading end, and for severing the leading end portion from the remainder of the roll to form a sleeve. A gripping assembly grips the open leading end and draws the sleeve onto a pair of relatively movable stretching plates. The plates are movable apart to stretch the sleeve to a size greater than the article or group of articles that it is required to wrap. A pusher is arranged to push the article or group of articles into the stretched sleeve. A discharge assembly is arranged to draw the sleeve and article or articles in unison away from the stretching plates.

Abstract: An automatic machine for packing products of parallelepiped shape including a magazine for the boxes and a magazine for the lids. A line is provided for infeeding parallelepiped shaped products. A pusher is positioned to transfer the products from the infeed line exit to the central area of a box. A presser which acts on the product is arranged to push downwards the box and products a distance corresponding to the height of the products. Support locators which, with the step-by-step downward motion brought about by the presser, are fixed and cause the front and rear sections of the box to be folded upwards. A line is provided for moving forward the boxes, after their flaps are closed by the mounted fixed locators. A number of opposed rollers are arranged at the sides at the infeed line exit, for pressing the lateral sections against the flaps in order to permit them to be glued.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a disposable fluid dispensing tube. The apparatus includes a rotatably mounted turret which is adapted to receive tubes. Tubes mounted in the turret are indexed through stations positioned around the periphery of the turret. At each station an operation is performed on the tube and at the final station a filled and sealed dispenser tube is discharged from the turret.In the practice of the preferred method of the invention, operations performed upon the tube include mounting a nozzle on the end of the tube, securing the nozzle to the tube, sealing the end of the nozzle, filling the tube, positioning a plunger in the other end of the tube and releasably securing the plunger to the tube.

Abstract: A device is provided for enclosing fish bait in a permeable mesh bag using a base with a well therein into which the central portion of such mesh may be depressed and wherein the bait may be placed in the mesh. A pair of metal plates are provided which act to close over the bait the mesh protruding from the well.