Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for winding bags. A winder in accordance with the present invention includes a dancer assembly for speed regulation, a haul-in assembly for receiving a film, and a tumbler assembly to receive the film from the haul-in assembly. The tumbler assembly increases the path length the film travels to either separate bags and/or to provide for interleaving.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for winding bags. A winder in accordance with the present invention includes a dancer assembly for speed regulation, a haul-in assembly for receiving a film, and a tumbler assembly to receive the film from the haul-in assembly. The tumbler assembly increases the path length the film travels to either separate bags and/or to provide for interleaving.

Abstract: A system for dampening deflections which occur in an elongate rotating fly-knife includes camming elements along the length of the beam carrying the fly-knife. A second beam spaced from the knife is also mounted for rotation and includes spaced apart camming elements adapted to rotate and contact the fly-knife camming elements at that point during the rotational cycle when the fly-knife will cut and/or perforate the material with which the apparatus of the present invention is employed. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the system is used to perforate, slit or cut plastic film, e.g., in the manufacture of bags. In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the system is used with a coversheet winding machine. The rotating beams of the invention are preferably driven by a single motor to maintain registration of the knife camming elements with the support beam camming elements.

Abstract: A machine for making plastic bags from plastic film utilizes a rotatable drum having an adjustable diameter. The drum is constructed of a plurality of slats and includes a gear mechanism adapted for infinite variation of the drum diameter between a first smaller diameter and second larger diameter. A sealing blanket is provided for the drum and is automatically adjusted for different drum diameters to provide proper tension of the film as it passes around the expandable drum. The gear mechanism is operated manually or automatically by a motor mounted in the drum and can alter the drum diameter while the machine is running.A chill roll, a rotary handle hole punching unit, a perforator/cutter station and phase variators are also included. When the machine is used to make bags having printed material thereon, a comparator unit may also be used.

Abstract: The rotary bag making machine of the present invention is adapted to make side seal bags having a plastic drawstring through a hem in the top of the bag. More specifically. The rotary bag machine of the present invention includes a two part, elongate sealing bar having sealing edges, the first part of which is heated to a first temperature for sealing two layers of plastic bag material and the second part of which is heated to a second higher temperature for sealing the six layers which are present when hems are formed with inserted drawstrings. The second part of the seal bar is not only designed to form the seal but to heat weld together the drawstring plastic so that it will not separate or tear apart when the bag is gathered and subsequently tied with the drawstring.

Abstract: A winder for making coreless rolls of pliable sheet material, such as plastic, cloth or paper, includes a cut-off section for severing a continuous strip of feed material to the desired length and a conveyor system downstream thereof. A portion of the conveyor is pivotable between a first and second position to feed spaced-apart winding rod assemblies. The rod assemblies each include a pair of elongate, spaced-apart rods and a mechanism for rotating the pair of rods to wrap the feed material into a coreless roll. The rod assemblies also include a system for collapsing one of the two rods toward the other when the winding of the roll is completed and it is desired to dispense the coreless roll. A finger mechanism is also provided for properly orienting the pair of rods to receive the leading end of the pliable material. By employing multiple winding assemblies and the pivotable conveyor system, the speed of the winder can be substantially increased.

Abstract: A winder for winding pliable material into coreless rolls includes a conveyor for bringing the material into proximity with a turret. The turret includes a plurality of spindles upon which the material is to be wound. Transfer of the material to the spindle is accomplished by a cluster of rollers which surround an individual spindle at the time of transfer. Ropes or belts pass around the rollers to assist in guiding the pliable material. An air blast also assists in the transfer. At least one of the rollers is pivotable from a first position to a second position. An empty spindle is brought into the transfer position during turret indexing. The system of the present invention also includes a collapsible spindle to facilitate removal of the finished roll. The diameter of the spindle is decreased as a push-off palm removes the roll from the spindle and is increased during retraction of the palm to prepare the spindle for attachment of the leading edge of the next roll.

Abstract: A machine for making plastic bags, such as trash or garbage bags, includes a rotary sealing drum of variable diameter, the drum including one or more sealing bars for cross-sealing a flattened plastic film tube passing through the machine. A blanket tensioning system surrounds the drum and is adjustable to compensate for different drum diameters. The sealed film passes over a chill roll after leaving the drum-blanket assembly and is drawn over folding boards by pull rolls. The sealed and folded film is then perforated by a fly knife and is preferably also cut on the sides to produce a connected series of bags which may easily be separated from one another to make the bags suitable for easy dispensing packages. A variator assembly may also be provided to insure a proper skirt length between the cut-perforation and the bag seal.

Abstract: A folder for sheets of pliable material, including bags, includes sets of conveying ropes and rollers to move the sheet from in-feed to discharge. One or more folding stations are provided, each of which includes a pneumatically-operated anvil with air holes which serves to create a fold in the material and change its direction of movement through the conveyor system. The final size of the product is determined by the number of folding steps employed. Control of the location of the fold, and hence the quality of the product is accomplished by control of the conveyor speed. An interrupt section is provided so that individual sheets of pliable material can be removed from perforated strips, e.g., in this production of garbage bags. Folded product is discharged into a pair of receiving trays, from which the product can be loaded into boxes or other packaging.

Abstract: A machine for making plastic bags, such as trash or garbage bags, includes a rotary sealing drum of variable diameter, the drum including one or more sealing bars for cross-sealing a flattened plastic film tube passing through the machine. A blanket tensioning system surrounds the drum and is adjustable to compensate for different drum diameters. The sealed film passes over a chill roll after leaving the drum-blanket assembly and is drawn over folding boards by pull rolls. The sealed and folded film is then perforated by a fly knife and is preferably also cut on the sides to produce a connected series of bags which may easily be separated from one another to make the bags suitable for easy dispensing packages. A variator assembly may also be provided to insure a proper skirt length between the cut-perforation and the bag seal.