Patents Assigned to Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.
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Patent number: 6001217Abstract: A cut and seal unit for sheet material, wherein an actuating unit has a single powered input, and two identical output transmissions linked to each other and to the input; the two output transmissions are connected to respective cut and seal tools, which are moved by the actuating unit along respective substantially ellipsoidal trajectories on either side of a path of the sheet material extending through the two trajectories, and cooperate cyclically with each other at a cut and seal station along the path to transversely cut and seal the sheet material.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 1998Date of Patent: December 14, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventors: Mario Spatafora, Fabrizio Tale'
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Patent number: 5988354Abstract: A unit for conveying elongated products, each having a respective longitudinal axis, and wherein a conveyor successively conveys the products with the respective longitudinal axes parallel to a given traveling direction and along a path extending along a conveying plane; and an orienting assembly is located along the path to orient the products by rotating the products 90.degree. about an axis of rotation crosswise to the conveying plane, so that the respective longitudinal axes of the products are crosswise to the traveling direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 1997Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A S.p.A.Inventors: Mario Spatafora, Fabrizio Tale'
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Patent number: 5983596Abstract: The invention relates to a device for screwing a cap on the neck of a container, said device comprising gripper means designed to tighten round the screw cap and to rotate it so as to screw it on to the neck of the container, actuating means designed to act on the gripper means in such a way as to rotate them about a longitudinal axis of the device, transmitting to them a drive torque that rotates the caps, and coupling elements fitted between the actuating means and the gripper means and designed to enable the transmission of torque and, when the torque exceeds a preset value, to interrupt it; means being envisaged for inhibiting transmission even when the torque falls below the preset value.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 1998Date of Patent: November 16, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventors: Carlo Corniani, Renzo Vesentini
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Patent number: 5937999Abstract: A conveyor for feeding push members along a path having at least one curved portion; each push member having a push appendix hinged to a flexible conveying member of the conveyor by a control device for keeping the appendix parallel to itself as the push member travels along at least part of the curved portion of the path; and the control device having a first lever supporting in rotary manner the appendix and connected to the flexible conveying member in rotary manner at one end and in rotary and axially-sliding manner at the other end; and a second lever, which rotates with respect to the first lever, is hinged to the appendix, and is inclined with respect to the first lever at an angle varying according to the curvature of the path.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 1998Date of Patent: August 17, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5927467Abstract: Products advancing en masse, typically candy or chocolates, are aligned by a device comprising a drum, and inside the drum, a rotating disc by which the products are taken up from an infeed belt, aligned and oriented exploiting centrifugal force and directed onto a conveyor belt extending toward a wrapping machine; the top surface of the rotating disc incorporates an upwardly directed portion of concave profile serving to establish a path along which the effects of centrifugal force on the advancing products are suitably counteracted and controlled.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 1997Date of Patent: July 27, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5927468Abstract: A method and unit for orienting pump-operated caps, whereby a disorderly succession of caps, each having an elongated head and a draw tube extending from the head, is fed on a conveying surface to an engaging station. At the engaging station the draw tube of each cap is engaged by an orienting seat and an elastic cord. The seat is movable with respect to the elastic cord, and cooperates with the elastic cord to rotate the cap about a respective axis of rotation crosswise to the conveying surface, so as to impart a given orientation to the cap.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 1997Date of Patent: July 27, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventors: Carlo Corniani, Ivo Bianchini
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Patent number: 5915523Abstract: A method and unit for ordering products, whereby the products, arranged with any timing, are timed as they are fed from a transfer station to a loading station through which gripping or loading elements travel at a given frequency and with a given timing; each product is fed at the transfer station into a respective supply pocket longer than the product and having a stop portion fed through the loading station with timing, and is moved inside the pocket by an air jet into a position contacting the stop portion.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1997Date of Patent: June 29, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.AInventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5906265Abstract: A method and device for supplying an orderly succession of randomly received products to a user machine, whereby a first and second conveyor, traveling at respective speeds, define a path having two portions of variable lengths complementary to each other, and which are connected at a movable transfer station by a pocket type transfer device for transferring the products from the first conveyor into respective pockets equally spaced with a given spacing along the second conveyor; the random distribution of the products on the first conveyor being adapted to the equal spacing of the pockets on the second conveyor by adjusting the speed at which the products arrive at the transfer station, and/or the position of the transfer station.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1997Date of Patent: May 25, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5896978Abstract: A unit for transferring products, wherein a conveyor belt successively feeds the products along a deformable conveying surface defined by the belt itself and extending through a product pickup station; and a deforming assembly is located beneath the conveying surface at the station, and provides for deforming the conveying surface to form, at the product fed through the station, two transverse dips, which are engaged by respective pickup elements to pick up the product.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1996Date of Patent: April 27, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5887701Abstract: A method and unit for forming and conveying groups of elongated products, whereby products, fed successively and continuously along a first path, are stacked along a guide by a stacking device to form a group, which is moved along the guide by a lifting device to the input of a second path, and is transferred, along the second path, into a conveying pocket moving along the second path; transfer into the conveying pocket being effected by means of a retaining pocket initially aligned with the guide and moving along the second path.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1997Date of Patent: March 30, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5885348Abstract: A gumming device wherein a gumming roller is fitted in rotary manner to a frame so as to rotate about its own longitudinal axis, and presents a substantially cylindrical outer surface for receiving an adhesive substance; a scraper element is positioned substantially contacting the outer surface and downstream, in a traveling direction of the outer surface, from a device for supplying the adhesive substance, to remove the adhesive substance from the outer surface; and the scraper element is guided in a direction crosswise to the longitudinal axis of the gumming roller by a guide device, and is moved along the guide device by an elastic push device for automatically taking up any slack between the scraper element and the outer surface of the gumming roller.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 1996Date of Patent: March 23, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5881860Abstract: A method of conveying products, whereby a product is fed by a conveying device along a path to a pickup station, through which is fed a gripping member for picking up the product; the product is secured to the conveying device, and a position of the product is detected to regulate the conveying device and feed the product to the pickup station in time with the gripping member.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 1997Date of Patent: March 16, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.AInventors: Marco Zecchi, Roberto Degli Esposti, Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5877457Abstract: Unit for filling containers with powders, said unit comprising a measuring device envisaged for introducing a predetermined quantity of powder into a container located on a support equipment sustained by a weighing unit provided for controlling the measuring device during the filling phase of the container itself; said support equipment being provided with a shaking device which moves the container on a substantially orbital plane, in alternate directions or according to substantially orbital oscillations, in such a way as to tamp the powder inside the container itself during its filling.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 1997Date of Patent: March 2, 1999Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventors: Carlo Corniani, Gianpiero Zanini
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Patent number: 5842558Abstract: A pusher that translates products (3) along a straight first path (4) extending along a substantially horizontal conveying surface (5) has a transmission assembly (21) for moving the pusher (8) along a closed second path (11) having a conveying portion coincident with the first path (4) from the input to the output ends (6,7) and a return portion (12) outside the first path (4). The pusher (8) is connected to the transmission assembly (21) so as to maintain a constant angular position in relation to the straight conveying direction (4a) along the first path (4), and oscillate about a first axis (30) that is crosswise to the second path (11) when moving along the return portion (12) of the second path (11).Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 1995Date of Patent: December 1, 1998Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5823738Abstract: A method and unit for forming stacks of articles, whereby the articles are conveyed on a conveying surface and in a first traveling direction to a pickup station, and are lifted successively in a second traveling direction, crosswise to the first direction, off the conveying surface at the pickup station and transferred on to a further surface, higher than the conveying surface, to form, on the higher surface, a stack presenting at least two superimposed, mutually contacting articles; the articles being conveyed and the stacks of articles being formed continuously and substantially seamlessly.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1996Date of Patent: October 20, 1998Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.P.A.Inventors: Mario Spatafora, Fabrizio Tale'
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Patent number: 5806279Abstract: A method and unit for packing products in sealed packages, whereby a sealed pillow pack wrapping formed about a respective product is fed along a path extending through a wrapping station where a band is looped about a central body of the sealed wrapping and about two end tabs of the sealed wrapping to form a tubular overwrapping; the two end tabs having been folded beforehand on to a large lateral surface of the central body.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 1996Date of Patent: September 15, 1998Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5791124Abstract: A method and machine for wrapping groups of products, whereby, by means of a U-shaped shuttle with its concavity facing upwards, groups of products are fed successively to the loading station of a wrapping conveyor coplanar with the shuttle and traveling in a direction crosswise to the traveling direction of the shuttle; and a U-shaped folding spindle with its concavity facing the shuttle is brought into contact with the central panel of a blank fed into the loading station by the wrapping conveyor, and receives a group from the shuttle prior to the blank being folded about the spindle to form a tray, and prior to the spindle being withdrawn from the tray.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 1995Date of Patent: August 11, 1998Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A.S.p.a.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5776248Abstract: A gumming device includes a frame and a gumming roller fitted in a rotary manner to the frame. The device includes a circuit circulating a cooling fluid, the circuit including a first and second portion, the first portion extending through the roller and having two opposite ends, at least one of which is connected to the second portion. The device also includes a seal connecting the two portions of the circuit in a rotary and fluidtight manner, the gumming roller being removably connected to the second portion and including a normally-closed valve controlling the opposite ends of the first portion. The frame includes a shoulder cooperating with and maintaining the valve in an open position when the gumming roller is fitted to the frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 1996Date of Patent: July 7, 1998Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5772150Abstract: A reel change device whereby a first strip, unwound off a runout reel, and a second strip, unwound off a new reel, are fed along an S-shaped path defined by two adjacent suction conveyor rollers with selectively-activated suction devices; the speed and timing of the strips are synchronized; the strips are then cut simultaneously along a first portion of the path, defined by the first roller, and are connected end-to-end as they travel at constant speed along a second portion of the path; and the cut-off portion of the second strip is fed by the first roller to a disposal container.Type: GrantFiled: July 15, 1996Date of Patent: June 30, 1998Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventor: Mario Spatafora
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Patent number: 5755907Abstract: Tubular wrappings, formed from a sheet with superimposed longitudinal lateral portions and made of partly metal and partly heat-sealable material, are sealed longitudinally by successively feeding the wrappings, by means of a conveyor, in a first given direction and along a given path through a sealing station; by varying the traveling speed of the wrappings in relation to the conveyor so as to successively impart to the wrappings a pause at the sealing station; and by induction heating, for an adjustable length of time during the relative pause, the metal part of the sheet of each wrapping along the relative superimposed longitudinal lateral portions, to melt the heat-sealable part of the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 1996Date of Patent: May 26, 1998Assignee: Azionaria Costruzioni Macchine Automatiche A.C.M.A. S.p.A.Inventors: Mario Spatafora, Andrea Berti