Abstract: A wrapped article and a method of packaging it in a wrapper of sealable material includes the steps of surrounding the article about its side faces with the wrapper, providing the wrapper with a longitudinal seam to obtain a wrapper sleeve projecting beyond the end faces; flattening the wrapper sleeve beyond the end faces and providing transverse seams in the wrapper sleeve beyond the end faces to obtain fins projecting therebeyond, folding each fin along a root edge thereof against the respective end face to extend parallel thereto; folding side margins of each fin through 180.degree. along respective side edges onto the fin; and folding an outer edge zone of each fin through 180.degree. along a respective top edge onto a respective end face.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating and conveying elongate items includes a first pair of side-by-side arranged conveyor belts driven in a conveying direction at identical speeds, a second pair of side-by-side arranged conveyor belts being in longitudinal alignment with the first conveyor belt pair and being driven in the conveying direction at identical speeds greater than the speed of the first conveyor pair. First and second item transfer locations spaced from one another in the conveying direction are defined between the two conveyor belt pairs to cause each item to assume an oblique orientation relative to the conveying direction, and a longitudinal clearance defined between the belts of the first and second conveyor pairs. A suction device including a suction opening aligned with the longitudinal clearance is provided for pressing the items against the conveyor belts.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus is divided into a plurality of end-to-end arranged conveyor tracks to advance flat items, in an edgewise upstanding, face-to-face engaging orientation to an item processing machine situated downstream of the conveyor apparatus. Each conveyor track is separately driven and is associated with a sensor which detects the extent of inclination of the items on the respective conveyor track. The drive of any individual conveyor track is de-energized if the items situated thereon assume an orientation having a steepness of predetermined extent and if, at the same time, the item processing machine and the drives of all conveyor tracks situated downstream of the individual conveyor track are at a standstill.

Abstract: A pneumatic hammer includes a cylinder tube, a piston received in the cylinder tube for reciprocation therein; a device for alternatingly introducing pressurized air into first and second cylinder chambers on either side of the piston for driving the piston back and forth and an exhaust arrangement for removing spent air from the cylinder into the ambient atmosphere. There is provided a coupling cylinder mounted within the hammer housing and generally coaxially surrounding the cylinder tube along a substantial length thereof. The support cylinder has a plurality of circumferentially distributed longitudinal ribs extending parallel to the cylinder tube. The longitudinal ribs are in contact with an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the cylinder tube.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming article groups each consisting of a plurality of edgewise upright oriented, generally flat stacked articles, includes a first conveyor for individually advancing the articles in a lying orientation; a second conveyor for receiving the articles from the first conveyor and for depositing the articles individually on a gathering channel in an edgewise upright orientation; a first article group shifting unit for periodically forming one group of articles of predetermined number from articles accumulating on the gathering channel as deposited by the second conveyor and for individually advancing that group on the gathering channel away from the second conveyor; a second article group shifting unit forming a second group of articles of predetermined number from articles accumulating on the gathering channel as deposited by the second conveyor, and simultaneously advancing the first and second groups on the gathering channel to a discharge end thereof.

Abstract: A packing for a flat, rectangular product includes a wrapper sheet surrounding the product at its large faces to form a sleeve which has face-to-face arranged end portions sealed together adjacent a longitudinal packing edge to form a fin seal. The end portions form, beyond the fin seal, an inner and an outer longitudinal panel. The wrapper sheet further has two opposite end closure flaps folded, from opposite longitudinal ends of the product, onto the sleeve on one of the large faces of the product, and the panels are folded onto the sleeve on the large face. The outer panel projects beyond the inner panel and covers the end closure flaps. A securing arrangement attaches the outer panel to the sleeve on the large face of the product.

Abstract: A method of charging a package with dosed bulk material, includes the steps of filling the package in a pre-filling station to an extent less than a desired final weight; weighing the partially filled package; determining the difference between actual and desired weight of the package; advancing the partially filled package to an after-filling station; and filling the package in the after-filling station with additional bulk material having a weight corresponding to the determined weight difference. Metering of the additional bulk material and readying the additional bulk material for delivery into the package are started before the package assumes a charging position in the after-filling station.

Abstract: A vibration damper comprises a housing defining a cavity; a damping mass accommodated for oscillation in the cavity between wall surfaces; and spring elements situated on two opposite sides of the damping mass. Each spring element is in engagement with the damping mass and a respective one of the wall surfaces for positioning the damping mass in the cavity. Each spring element has a shape selected to confer to the spring element a dynamic deformation behavior characterizing spherical bodies. Further, the spring elements, as viewed together, are arranged at least approximately symmetrically with respect to a central axis of the damping mass oriented parallel to the path of oscillation. The vibration damper also includes an arrangement for guiding the damping mass linearly along the path of oscillation.

Abstract: A packaging machine has, for wrapping flat, rectangular items in a wrapper sheet, a folding, sealing and conveying apparatus including an intermittently driven turntable, a plurality of pocket assemblies on the turntable, a charging station for radially introducing an article with a wrapper sheet in between first and second walls of a pocket assembly dwelling in the charging station, a sealing station for providing a longitudinal fin seal on previously superposed flaps of the wrapper sheet, and a discharge station for radially ejecting the article from the pocket assembly dwelling in the discharge station. There is further provided an extension affixed to the first wall of each pocket assembly at an angle to the first wall. Each extension has a support face cooperating with the sealing shoe of the sealing station as a countersupport. The apparatus also has a device for rotating each pocket assembly approximately 180.degree.

Abstract: An apparatus has a first conveyor and a second conveyor to which flat items are transferred, in a substantially lying orientation, from the first conveyor at a location of transfer; an item supporting arrangement forming part of the first conveyor and having a first item supporting surface defining a first plane; and a plurality of separate item carrying elements forming part of the second conveyor and spaced from one another parallel to the conveying direction of the second conveyor for advancing the items thereon. Each item carrying element has a second item supporting surface defining a second plane substantially identical in inclination for all the item carrying elements, and the second planes are at least approximately parallel to the first plane at least in the location of transfer.

Abstract: A reclosable package has a generally rectangular outer wrapper including a top closure formed of panels folded to one another and against a top face of the package; a flap constituting a continuation of one of the panels; and a hook-and-eye fastener having hook and eye components attachable to and separable from one another. One of the components is permanently affixed to a face of the flap and the other component is readily removably carried on the one component. After an initial opening of the package, one fastener component is transferable from the other for permanent attachment to the wrapper, and the flap may be positioned over the wrapper such that the fastener components are in alignment for engagement with one another.

Abstract: An apparatus for charging receptacles with groups of stacked articles includes a first conveyor for advancing article groups thereon towards a discharge end thereof; a second conveyor, situated below the first conveyor, for advancing receptacles to a filling position, a third conveyor for receiving the article groups from the discharge end of the first conveyor and advancing the article groups to a container dwelling in the filling position on the second conveyor and a pusher for sequentially pushing article groups from the discharge end of the first conveyor into the third conveyor. The third conveyor comprises a plurality of positioning devices, each having article group holding means, travelling sequentially and intermittently from the discharge end of the first conveyor downwardly to a location immediately above the filling position. The article groups are introduced from a respective positioning device into a respective container then situated in the filling position.

Abstract: A percussion tool comprising a housing; a tool bit movably supported by the housing for alternatingly executing forward and recoil strokes; a hammer piston supported in the housing and arranged for delivering consecutive blows at least indirectly to the tool bit for effecting the forward strokes thereof; a dampening chamber in the housing; an arrangement for introducing fluid into the dampening chamber for generating a dampening force therein; and a dampening piston supported in the housing and bounding the dampening chamber. The tool bit is connected with the dampening piston for effecting an axial displacement of the dampening piston into the dampening chamber by the tool bit during the recoil strokes thereof. There is further provided a control arrangement carried by the dampening piston for varying the dampening force of the fluid in the dampening chamber as function of a relative axial displacement between the dampening piston and the housing.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating article groups of predetermined length from an article stack of indefinite length, comprises a conveyor for advancing the article stack in a conveying direction; a pickup element arranged for a back-and-forth displacement parallel to the conveying direction and for being periodically abutted by a momentarily leading article of the stack; and at least two separating elements upstream of the pickup element and spaced from one another parallel to the conveying direction. The separating elements are moved towards the conveyor to introduce them into the article stack for forming a first article group between two separating elements and a second article group between the pickup element and the separating element adjacent the pickup element. The separating elements are also moved in synchronism with the pickup element, in the conveying direction away from the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing a uniform spacing between articles supported on and advanced by a conveyor in a conveying direction, comprises a carrier arranged for travel in the conveying direction at a speed less than that of the conveyor and a plurality of spacer units mounted uniformly spaced on the carrier. Each spacer unit includes a spacer gate having a working position in which the spacer gate is abutted by an article advanced by the conveyor and an idling position in which articles advanced by the conveyor pass by the spacer gate unhindered. Each spacer unit further has a sensor element supported upstream of the spacer gate and is displaceable by an article before the article abuts said spacer gate; and actuating mechanism operatively coupled to the sensor element and to the spacer gate which belongs to an immediately upstream located spacer unit for moving the last-named spacer gate from the idling position to the working position in response to a displacement of the sensor element by the article.

Abstract: An apparatus for making sealed packages from two superposed, sealable flexible wrapper sheets, has first and second convex support rings which are radially adjacent for guiding respective first and second wrapper sheets towards one another. First and second sealing discs are supported coaxially with the respective support rings at opposite sides thereof. The sealing discs form sealing disc pairs for longitudinally pressing and sealing together the wrapper sheets along opposite edge zones thereof to form longitudinal seams. There are further provided deflecting rollers situated upstream of the respective support rings for defining loop-around paths for the wrapper sheets on the respective support rings. Each support ring carries a shaping element for shaping the wrapper sheets immediately upstream of the sealing discs. The apparatus also has a sealing station for providing a transverse cutter for severing the sealed sheets into predetermined lengths whereby packages of defined dimensions are obtained.

Abstract: A packing machine for making filled and sealed bags from superposed wrapper sheets, has a pair of cooperating sealing rollers for providing longitudinal seams on the superposed wrapper sheets passed therebetween; a mechanism for rotating unidirectionally the sealing rollers in first and second consecutive steps for providing the longitudinal seams in two consecutive length portions, each corresponding to one-half of the predetermined length; a pair of cooperating sealing shoes movable towards and away from one another for assuming, respectively, a sealing position to provide a transverse seam on the superposed wrapper sheets and an idling position; and a mechanism for moving the sealing shoes, while in the sealing position, codirectionally with the travelling direction of the wrapper sheets during a period in which one of the two steps is performed and for moving the sealing shoes, while in the idling position, against the travelling direction during a period in which the other of the two steps is performed.

Abstract: An apparatus for metering bulk material includes a downwardly open supply chute; a metering screw having an intake length portion for receiving bulk material from the supply chute; a motor operatively connected to the metering screw for imparting rotation thereto; and a tubular metering screw casing accommodating the metering screw and arranged for guiding therein the bulk material advanced by the metering screw during rotation thereof. The metering screw is oriented obliquely with respect to the horizontal. There is further provided a spout supported at the discharge end of the metering screw and arranged for receiving the bulk material advanced thereby. The spout has a downwardly curving configuration and a substantially vertically downwardly oriented outlet opening.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a single-fin wrapper sleeve about articles advanced through the apparatus, comprises a conveyor for advancing the articles in a conveying direction and in a plane of conveyance and a shaping body having a vertical longitudinal halving plane extending parallel to the conveying direction and perpendicularly to the plane of conveyance. The shaping body includes a first main forming surface including a planar surface portion and a second main forming surface joining the first main forming surface downstream as viewed in the conveying direction. The second main forming surface has a gradually closing tubular shape surrounding the conveyor and a longitudinal slot extending underneath the plane of conveyance parallel to the conveying direction and symmetrically with respect to the halving plane.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing bulk material comprises a supply chute having an outlet; an openable and closable gate in the supply chute for controlling discharge of the bulk material from the outlet; and a downwardly oriented funnel extending below the outlet of the supply chute. The funnel includes an inlet zone for receiving material from the supply chute; a discharge opening situated below the inlet zone for discharging material from the apparatus; a generally planar wall extending from the inlet zone to the discharge opening; and a constricted flow passage area below the inlet zone. A rotor of flat construction is situated in the inlet zone in the vicinity of the funnel wall between the outlet of the supply chute and the constricted flow passage area.