Abstract: Gussetted packages having openable and reclosable interlocking seals, the seals having male and female portions, snap detents, and formed transversely to the direction of film flow. The packaging film is provided at package length intervals with thermoformable strips secured thereto transversely to the running length of the film, and is fed to a modified standard vertical form, fill and seal packaging machine with gussets forming tooling where the film is formed into a bag with the thermoformable strips inside at the upper end of the bag, product deposited into the bag, the bag sealed, the reclosable interlocking seal formed, and the bag severed from the next bag being formed. The reclosable seal provides auditory and tactile indications of seal closing. Some packages are formed with the thermoformable strips in the gusset, and some are formed with the gusset free of strip material.

Abstract: Gussetted packages having openable and reclosable interlocking seals and a method and apparatus for making the same, the seals having male and female portions, snap detents, and formed transversely to the direction of film flow. The packaging film is provided at package length intervals with thermoformable strips secured thereto transversely to the running length of the film, and is fed to a modified standard vertical form, fill and seal packaging machine with gussets forming tooling where the film is formed into a bag with the thermoformable strips inside at the upper end of the bag, product deposited into the bag, the bag sealed, the reclosable interlocking seal formed, and the bag severed from the next bag being formed. The reclosable seal provides auditory and tactile indications of seal closing. Some packages are formed with the thermoformable strips in the gusset, and some are formed with the gusset free of strip material.

Abstract: A conveyor module adapted to receive products thereon for translating and simultaneously rotating the product 90° in going from its infeed end to its outfeed end. An endless chain is deployed about spaced-apart sprocket wheels, one at the infeed end and one at the outfeed end and a plurality of product support plates are linked to the chain by a coupler that permits rotation of the support plate about an axis that is perpendicular to the support plate. The support plate carries a cam follower that is adapted to engage a cam track that is configured to impart the 90° rotation to the support plate as the endless chain carries the support plate between the infeed end and the outfeed end.

Abstract: A gussetting machine having adjustable spans between the gussetting fingers. The gussetting fingers on opposite sides of a wrapper move in opposite directions driven by rotating a spline shaft which engages a hub having an angled bore therethrough such that the surface of the hub nutates with a pitch and yaw motion. A housing riding on the surface of the hub experiences the pitch and yaw motions. A bracket surrounding the hub has a shaft for allowing the hub to rotate about the pitch axis. A the bracket is pivotably mounted on a pivot block to allow the bracket to yaw. Gussetting arms attached to the brackets swing back and forth in opposite directions simultaneously. The angled bores in the hubs are 180 degrees offset from each other such that the gussetting arms move in unison in opposite directions. The angles of the bores can be increased for larger gussetting arm swings or decreased for smaller gussetting arm swings.

Abstract: An in line feed method and apparatus for forming slugs of incoming items, which are standing on edge and aligned front-to-back is disclosed. The process uses a conveyor belt and a vacuum chamber aligned end to end for separating the flow of items and creating slugs. The items introduced to the system are on a conveyor belt. The belt is periodically stopped and the items blocked from being sucked into the vacuum chamber. While the product is blocked from entering the vacuum chamber a moving finger which travels through the chamber is introduced at the mouth of the vacuum chamber and the items are released from the conveyor belt such that they are sucked into the vacuum chamber but are limited by and stack up against the finger. In this manner slugs are formed.