Abstract: A coin wrapping machine includes a coin denomination selecting device for selecting the denomination of coins to be wrapped, a coin discrimination and counter device for discriminating and counting the coins to be wrapped, a coin stacking device for stacking a predetermined number of coins, a coin wrapping device for wrapping a wrapping paper around the stacked coins and crimping both ends of the wrapping paper, and a speed setting device for setting the operating speed of wrapping rollers to a predetermined speed and setting the moving speed of a crimping device to a predetermined speed.

Abstract: A high-speed folding unit (1) for producing, from pillow-pack packets (3), sealed parallelepiped packages (2) containing pourable food products, the unit having a continuous conveyor (21) for feeding the packets (3) along a forming path (B); a number of folding devices (24, 25, 26) located along the forming path (B); a heating device (27) acting on fold portions (15, 16) of each packet (3) to melt and seal the fold portions (15, 16) onto respective walls (12, 11) of the packet (3); and a final pressing device (28) cooperating with each packet (3) to hold the fold portions (15, 16) on the respective walls (12, 11) as the fold portions (15, 16) cool; the folding devices (24, 25, 26) and the final pressing device (28) having a number of interacting members (44, 50, 55, 58, 70, 71, 72) interacting with the packets (3), and which are of fixed size, and cooperate with the packets (3) by virtue of the movement of the conveyor (21).

Abstract: An apparatus for performing a global planarization of a surface of a deformable layer of a wafer on a production scale. The apparatus includes a chamber having a pressing surface and containing a rigid plate and a flexible pressing member or "puck" disposed between the rigid plate and the pressing surface. A wafer having a deformable outermost layer is placed on the flexible pressing member so the deformable layer of the wafer is directly opposite and substantially parallel to the pressing surface. Force is applied to the rigid plate which propagates through the flexible pressing member to press the deformable layer of the wafer against the pressing surface. Preferably, a bellows arrangement is used to ensure a uniformly applied force to the rigid plate. The flexible puck serves to provide a self adjusting mode of uniformly distributing the applied force to the wafer ensuring the formation of a high quality planar surface.

Abstract: A method of packaging an article comprises wrapping the article in a plastic film; and heat sealing the film using a sealing apparatus comprising a main sealing element, and a second sealing element attached at an angle to the main sealing element, and shorter than the main sealing element, such that when the film is sealed, a sealed notch that can be used to initiate opening of the package is made. A package comprises an article wrapped in a plastic film, the film being heat sealed to form a seal, the seal comprising a main seal, and a second seal attached at an angle to the main seal, and shorter than the main seal, and defining a sealed notch that can be used to initiate opening of the package. A sealing apparatus for making an easily opened package comprises a main sealing element, and a second sealing element attached at an angle to the main sealing element, and shorter than the main sealing element, and capable of creating a sealed notch that can be used to initiate opening of the package.

Abstract: A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, an arrangement and a method for applying covers to package trays in an automated machine for the highspeed individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures.

Abstract: A method for packing an inflatable airbag of a passenger restraint system of a motor vehicle into a housing, wherein the airbag includes a fabric envelope stored in a housing when not in use and is automatically inflated by a gas generator into a form of use when activated, includes the steps of firstly bringing the airbag into the form of use and secondly contacting the airbag in the form of use by mechanical folding aids and pushing the mechanical folding aids into the airbag. At least one first fold is formed so as to be arranged in a single fabric layer on the gas generator so that gas, produced by the gas generator for inflating the airbag when activated, directly impacts on the single fabric layer of the at least one first fold without flowing along other fold surfaces.

Abstract: Electrostatic phototechnology is used to package microgram quantities of fine powders such as drugs in discrete capsule and tablet form. An electrostatic "image" having a given size and charge density is exposed to ionized drug powder to attract a known amount of drug to the image. The resultant drug "image", is then transferred to a an open ended capsule, a partially formed tablet or edible wafer or belt. The capsule is then sealed, i.e. by capping, or the tablet finished.

Abstract: A carrier tape suitable for facilitating in-line washing of components for use in pick-and-place operations. The components are loaded into their respective pockets after emerging from one or more forming machines, with the components having lubricant remaining thereon, and are placed into respective pockets of the carrier tape with lubricant remaining on the components. The carrier tape has a plurality of pockets for receiving respective components, with the pockets having washing openings through which cleaning fluid is imparted to the components and allowed to drain from the pockets as the pockets are passed through washing and drying stations. After being washed and dried, a cover strip is detachably adhered to the carrier tape to maintain the components in their respective pockets.

Abstract: A machine for the automated packaging of armed sutures or; in effect, surgical needles having sutures attached thereto and, more particularly, a suture capture and tensioning arrangement in an automated machine for the high-speed individualized packaging of single or individual surgical needles each having an attached suture into a tray and detachable cover providing a suture package utilized for the packaging of the individual or single needles and attached sutures.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for manufacturing articles, such as syringe barrels, substantially free from contaminants. The apparatus is an enclosure defining at least a class 100 and MCB-3 environment, and includes a molding isolation module and a packaging isolation module. Any contaminants that may exist within the enclosure are removed by the use of horizontal and vertical laminar airflows directed into air filter units. Further, the molding temperature may be selected such that it renders the fabricated articles substantially free from contaminants. The molding isolation module and packaging isolation module keep the fabricated articles substantially free from contaminants from the time the articles are molded to the time the articles are placed in sealed containers for shipment.

Abstract: A handling device for conveying layered cellulose products (1), such as cotton wool pads formed successively during production, between a production station (2) and a packaging station (3) is provided with an intermediate storage system (4) with at least one pair of separate holding chambers (5, 6) for the serial holding of the cellulose products (1) delivered successively from the production station (2) to the packaging station (3) and for the transfer of the cellulose products (1) held in this way as a package (67) into a respective conveying cartridge (10). One holding chamber (5) of the pair can be coupled to the outlet of the production station (2) at the same time the other holding chamber (6) is in a transfer station (11) and is coupled to a conveying cartridge (10).

Abstract: Systems are provided whereby a container lid may be transferred from a supply stack and be repositioned relative to an awaiting container using a substantially constant-rate reciprocal drive. The systems most preferably include a reciprocally displaceable mounting block carrying a rotatable transfer arm. The transfer arm, in turn, carries a pick-up head so that the pick-up head is rotatable with the transfer arm. The pick-up head rotation is controlled by a rack-and-pinion mechanical control assembly having a pair of opposed compression springs, a gear rack mounted between the opposed compression springs, and a pinion gear meshed with the gear rack and connected to the transfer arm. The gear rack includes a control rod which is slidably coupled to the mounting block during reciprocal displacements thereof.

Abstract: A drug filling machine has a plurality of feeders containing a plurality of different kinds of drugs. A plurality of drugs are discharged from one or some or the feeders into a vial. A sealing unit is provided for sealing the mouth of the vial with a transparent sheet. The sealing unit includes a sheet presser for pushing the transparent sheet into the mouth of the vial to form a sealing sheet having a tray-shaped section, a cutter for cutting the transparent sheet into a predetermined shape, and a heater for fusing the transparent sheet to the top end of the vial to seal the mouth of the vial.

Abstract: A packaging machine for packaging articles into cartons has a carton conveyor for conveying an open-ended carton through the machine, an article infeed for directing articles along an infeed path toward the carton conveyor, and an article group-forming conveyor comprising a plurality of spaced metering bars moving along the conveyor for intersecting the infeed path to separate articles into groups of predetermined pattern. The metering bars at a first end of the group-forming conveyor are disposed away from cartons on the carton conveyor and, during movement along the group-forming conveyor, are moved laterally to extend at least partially between adjacent ones of the cartons. The group-forming conveyor further includes a series of carriers, the metering bars being detachably mounted to selected ones of the carriers in a predetermined pattern.

Abstract: In a commissioning system (1) comprising at least one central belt (3) for receiving products to be taken from a stock (16) by commissioners and to be assembled according to an order, and a conveying installation (8) to move away in collecting containers (9) the products transferred at a transfer site (3a) at the end of the central belt (3), containers (14) are adjacently arranged below the central belt (3) to receive the products, and a pre-determined number of the adjacently arranged containers (14) each define a respective commissioning region (B.sub.1, B.sub.2, B.sub.3, . . . B.sub.n) for a commissioner (A to F), a pre-determined number of product types on stock (16) is associated to each commissioning region (B.sub.1, B.sub.2, B.sub.3, . . . B.sub.n), and at least one of the commissioning regions neighboring a respective commissioning region forms a supplementary commissioning region to that commissioning region.

Abstract: An improved package and method for manufacturing extruded monofilament string trimmer line incorporates preconditioning of the line to provide a high moisture content. The line then is packaged in a sealed package with a removable cap to permit withdrawal of line from the package. A moisture-laden sponge may be placed within the bottom of the package to maintain a high humidity within the package. Copper chloride or cobalt chloride salts also may be coated on the line, or added to the plastic forming the line to provide a color indication of the relative moisture content of the line.

Abstract: A packaging machine for packaging articles into cartons has a carton conveyor including an endless series of carton conveying elements in which adjacent carton conveying elements are carried in similar but independent first and second endless series, the first endless series being adjustable relative to the second endless series so that the spacing between adjacent conveying elements can be varied in accordance with the size of a carton to be processed through the machine, the first and second endless series being adapted to operate in synchronism during processing of cartons through the machine.

Abstract: Apparatus for making flexible packages having an openable and resealable interlocking closure from a continuous web of flexible film, the closure being formed transversely to the direction of film flow at the consumer preferred position across one end of the package during package formation at line speed. The system utilizes a converter device mounted atop or adjacent to standard packaging apparatus to form a small amount of the running packaging film into the resealable closure structure as an integral part of the film extending transversely to the long dimension of the package. The converter functions with both horizontal and vertical form/fill/seal wrapping machines and with overwrap packagers, and uses diverse packaging films such as polypropylene, polyester, polyvinyl chloride, high and medium density polyethylene and various film laminations.

Abstract: A wear plate for use in a rotary capping machine used to apply caps onto the upper threaded neck of a series of plastic containers, having a generally cylindrical body with an outer cylindrical periphery with a diameter and a pedaloid base with spaced pads separated by radial recesses extending from a center recess, as the containers are moved along a circular path by a star wheel with outwardly protruding pockets supporting the necks of the containers. The wear plate being a flat ring rotated in unison with the star wheel about a machine axis and adapted to support the containers, the ring having an upwardly facing flat surface and a series of container receiving nests movable in the circular path as the ring is rotated, each of the nests having an inner flat area and at least one elongated bar-like abutment projecting upwardly from the flat surface a given vertical distance and extending in a direction radial of the inner area.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging mattresses and including a furling drum having a roll-forming chamber defined by a plurality of circumferentially arranged rotatable rollers located downstream of a substantially nozzle-shaped feeding area of the drum, with the rollers having a surface pattern defined by a plurality of circumferentially spaced from each other mattress-engaging elements providing for rolling of a mattress into a roll and enabling movement of the mattress in an axial direction; and a forming tube provided downstream of the furling drum for wrapping the rolled mattress, with the forming tube having a diameter greater than a diameter of the furling drum.