Abstract: The machine comprises: a reel (3) with means (4, 104) for controlled unwinding therefrom of film (30) for closing the trays; first means (5) which are situated underneath the said reel and around which the film is deflected so as to pass from a descending path to a horizontal path; counter-die means (12) for supporting at least one tray (V) horizontally, along the upper edge (Z), with a predefined orientation and for displacing it horizontally underneath the said horizontal section of film, with entry via the said first means (5) for deviating the said film and with feeding in synchronism with the film which gradually closes the tray at the top; means (5) situated downstream of the first film deviating means (31), for sealingly welding the film onto the upper edge of the tray; means (27) situated upstream of the said first deviating means (5) for blowing an appropriate amount of the modified atmosphere at appropriate pressure values into the open part of the tray which advances underneath the film until the t

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing longitudinal overlapping edges of tubular thermoplastic film. The apparatus comprises a fixed block (31) for guiding and holding the overlapping edges and a sealing head (6) spaced from the fixed block for directing jets of hot air onto the overlapping edges of the film guided on the fixed block. The sealing head (6) is movably mounted such that the sealing head is positioned a short distance from the film as the film is advancing and the sealing head is withdrawn from the film when the film is stop.

Abstract: A machine for the packaging of products with stretchable and thermoplastic film, comprising of a tubularization means comprising a tubular forming head device having an inlet and an outlet, for the tubularization of a wrapping film taken from a feeding bobbin and means for the longitudinal tight-seal welding of the superimposed edges of such tubularization film; means which alternate in the transversal grip of the head of the tubular wrapping which comes out from the tubularization means, which are pre-arranged for the longitudinal movement of the wrapping, to longitudinally stretch it and to perform on same at least two transversal, parallel and tight seal weldings, a transversal cut placed between the weldings and to retain the wrapping upstream and downstream of the two welded zones separated by the cut; means for the cyclical introduction of a product through the inlet of the tubularization means and through the outlet of the tubularization means thereby advancing the tubular wrapping film; means to tempo

Abstract: An upper jaw of the gripper is provided posteriorly to a fulcrum shaft, with opposed portions for a double effect cooperation with an eccentric element keyed on the shaft which controls the orientation of the gripper. The opening and closure movement of the gripper, in an appropriate phase of the distributor (D) of the film, is ensured by the cooperation of a roller of an action lever of the fulcrum shaft with a cam-function lever, horizontally fulcrumed with one end of a support fixed to the frame of the machine and provided on the other end with a trigger and hook device which, when actuated by the roller, deactivates and allows the lifting of the lever via an elastic return device. Subsequent to the lifting, the gripper closes and grasps the film from the distributor.

Abstract: A film folding and supplying apparatus for machines for packaging products with stretchable film comprising a pleating means for folding ends of a film traveling in a direction, to modify the width of the film in such a manner that the last edges of the film on the bottom of a product to be wrapped do not laterally project from the bottom of the product. The pleating means cooperates with rolling friction of the traveling film and comprises an elongate, flat and fixed guide having longitudinal edges with projecting rows of flat, idle and rounded edges wheels; and respective lateral guides having projecting rows of flat, idle and wheels with rounded edges which fold the film.

Abstract: The blade (12) which is to make the transverse cut of the film in the product packaging station is fixed in the lower part of the grooved section (11) which forms part of the front folder (9) of the packaging machine and has its cutting edge facing downwards. The film to be cut (102) is raised against this blade by a parallel grooved bar (13) with rounded and preferably staggered edges, which in an intermediate phase before its own working travel is also used to raise the section of the film which will have to be cut subsequently, to dispose the film in the correct position for gripping by the lateral grippers (6) of the packaging machine. The said film raising bar is preferably driven by means of a link block, by and electric motor (22) with electronic rotation speed and phase control, controlled by the processor of the packaging machine.

Abstract: A packaging machine which carries out the conventional packaging of products with a stretchable and gas-tight film is housed in a main chamber (1) which is seable and contains a modified and controlled atmosphere suitable for the conservation of the product to be packaged. The product enters and leaves the main chamber by passing through corresponding sealable airlock chambers (7, 8) provided with corresponding automatic doors (107, 207, 108, 208) and in any case designed to provide a seal with respect to the external environment and to the main chamber to which these chambers are attached. When the outer sides of the airlock chambers are opened, their inner sides are closed, so that the modified and controlled atmosphere cannot issue from the main chamber.

Abstract: The catches (10) of the brackets (5) which can be made inactive by the elevator when the elevator is in the low position are designed to interact with corresponding cams (20, 21, 22) of different angular extents, keyed to a shaft (17) which is driven by a motor (22) whose speed and phase are electronically controlled and which is supported rotatably by the base of the machine. When a product is fed onto the elevator and its dimensions are measured by known means which then determine the travel of the film unwinding gripper in the packaging station, if necessary the cam shaft is made to rotate through a distance capable of causing the oscillation of the catches of the brackets which are to be disengaged, so that when the elevator rises the unnecessary brackets are already disengaged and oscillate slowly downwards.

Abstract: The film, which is cyclically extended in the station for wrapping the product, is acted on by a jet of hot air supplied from a therm-electric generator controlled by a control logic unit which through suitable sensors measures the ambient temperature and the temperature of the film and controls any other inputs, so that the film is kept in optimal and substantially constant conditions to react without tearing to the pre-stretching and/or stretching to which it is normally subjected in the product packaging cycle.

Abstract: A stretchable film is used whose width is substantially equal to that of the bottom of an article of the largest format which can be processed by the packaging machine. The film is characterized by considerable stretchability and a low elastic memory when stretched. The portion of film cyclically introduced into the wrapping station is normally subjected to longitudinal pre-stretching which has the function of decreasing the width of the film, and the extent of this pre-stretching is variable according to the dimensions of the article to be wrapped, so that the portion of film has a width proportionate to the corresponding dimension of the article to be wrapped.

Abstract: A portion of film, with a length proportionate to the dimensions and to the characteristics of the product to be wrapped, is subjected to a transverse pre-stretching, the extent of which is also proportionate to the said parameters. The film is held at one end by a fixed dispenser (30) and at the other end by a movable rear clamp (61), which conveniently reduce the longitudinal tension of the film, both in pre-stretching and during the subsequent lifting of the product. In this phase, the side clamps (78-178) approach each other to reduce the pre-stretching, and are then inserted under the product and are opened, to extend the side flaps of the film under the product.

Abstract: A portion of film, with a length proportionate to the dimensions and to the characteristics of the product to be wrapped, is subjected to a transverse pre-stretching, the extent of which is also proportionate to the said parameters. The film is held at one end by a fixed dispenser (30) and at the other end by a movable rear clamp (61), which conveniently reduce the longitudinal tension of the film, both in pre-stretching and during the subsequent lifting of the product. In this phase, the side clamps (78-178) approach each other to reduce the pre-stretching, and are then inserted under the product and are opened, to extend the side flaps of the film under the product.

Abstract: A check-out counter for supermarkets and the like, including a cashier station (2) before which a conveying device (6) is located and next to which, on each side, a scanner (3) provided with a monitor (4) and connected to a keyboard (5) for the items manual recording is positioned, as well as a mobile barrier (12) and a photocell (16) both being connected to the scanner (3) and suitable to control the access to a bag-dispensing device (18) placed next to the conveying device (6).

Abstract: A stretcher-injector device to be applied to wrapping machines is disclosed, which is suitable to be inserted into each of the two lateral film sleeves resulting from the wrapping at the two opposite sides of the package not covered by the film wrapping; it is actuated pneumatically both to stretch the film in order to assure its airtightness, and to carry out the atmosphere change inside the package, e.g. of food products.

Abstract: Apparatus suitable for disposition in supermarkets and the like for dispensing, in open condition, plastic or otherwise flexible bags for receiving therein articles purchased on site. The apparatus includes a reel formed of a continuous web of bags serially attached together in end-to-end relation, and a device for unwinding the continuous web from the reel and for advancing the web so as to transport the leading bag to a bag opening and retaining device. At the opening device, the leading bag is detached from the continuous web, a pair of relatively movable grippers grasps the opposite faces of and opens the bag, and the opened bag is supported by a vertically-movable loading platform as articles are introduced into the bag through a hopper located immediately above the platform-supported open bag.

Abstract: Apparatus for self-service scanning, registering and bagging a product purchased in a supermarket. The apparatus comprises a unit (1) for dispensing and opening a single plastic bag from a continuous strip wound in a reel, a balance (2) for weighing the item to be purchased, a reel supporting device (3) which feeds the strip of bags to the dispensing and opening unit (1), and a unit comprising a scanner (6) and a computer (7).

Abstract: Apparatus for dispensing and opening plastic bags from a continuous strip wound in a reel apt to detach from it a bag (4) at a time, open it and keep it open below a mouth (8) through which a customer may insert into the underposed bag (4) the items he purchased, the apparatus comprises also a scanner (5) connected through a computer (7) to a shutter (11, 11') located on the mouth (8) so that the computer (7) controls the opening of the shutters (11, 11') and the inhibition of the scanner (5) when it has registered an item, and controls the reactivation of the scanner (5) and the closing of the shutters (11, 11') when the registered item has entered the bag (4) through the mouth (8).

Abstract: A checkout counter for supermarkets and the like incorporates therewithin dual bag feeding apparatus, each operable for automatically dispensing, delivering, opening and retaining a flexible bag in a position and location suitable for the convenient introduction of purchased articles into the bags. The checkout counter includes two continuous web reels of successively attached flexible bags, two hoppers below each of which an open bag is retained and through each of which purchased articles are selectively insertable into the underlying bag as the articles are checked by the cashier-operator, and two collecting stations into which filled bags are ejected from the checkout counter interior and from which the customer may retrieve the filled bags.

Abstract: A welding and die cutting device for an apparatus for automatically forming bags on demand from an elongated web of film is selectively switchable between a first operating mode in which the formed bags are provided with unitary handles and a second operating mode in which the formed bags are fully closed and no handles are formed thereon. A first one of a pair of reciprocatable mobile holders carries a welding counter-plate to which is mounted a horizontal blade for transverse cutting and separation of formed bags from the web. A plurality of substantially vertical blades for longitudinally cutting the web to form handles on a bag being formed are carried on and depend outwardly from a bladeholder that is interposed between the first mobile holder and the counter-plate. The bladeholder is slidably and elastically linked to the first mobile holder for movement therewith and relative thereto.

Abstract: A bag opening device for supermarket check-out counters incorporating plastic bag dispensing machines, comprising two slides capable of mutual approaching and departing motion along a horizontal rail in a symmetrical direction with respect to a central position where the plastic bag to be opened is located; on each slide (7,8) is mounted a pair of rollers (1, 1' and 2, 2') in contact with each other, said pair of rollers being operated by a motor-reducer (13, 13') so as to simultaneously rotate the rollers of one pair in an opposite direction compared with the rollers of the other pair, said pairs of rollers being apt to come in contact with the opposite sides of a plastic bag (12) for grasping the sides and then pulling the sides apart, and subsequently to rotate in the opposite direction for releasing the sides of the bag from the grip of the rollers.