Abstract: An apparatus for wrapping groups of rolls of products with a sheet of film comprises a station for packaging and moving, with a stepping motion, in a predetermined direction, a succession of groups of products wrapped in a sheet of film, having an open front side defined by two opposite flaps, and means for closing the open side comprising a unit consisting of: two pairs of mobile elements, arranged side by side in said direction, to allow the flaps of film of the two groups of products arranged one after another to be brought together and closed; first movement means for the unit, allowing synchronized movement of the two pairs of elements, respectively, in the same direction as the groups, for one group feed step, bringing together and closing the flaps, and a movement opposite to said direction over a distance equal to the distance previously traveled, simultaneously with a feed step of the groups to be packaged, so as to position the unit at two further and subsequent groups of products to be closed.

Abstract: In a device for closing side ends of packages enclosing only one roll or one row of rolls in an automatic packaging machine, operating means are connected to the machine packaging line. A package, partially wrapped by a sheet, is fed to the packaging line in a forward direction, so that only the outer cylindrical surface of the package is touched by the operating means. The operating means translate and rotate the package about an axis, in the forward direction, so that edges of the sheet wrapping the package, during transferring along said packaging line, hit edges of stationary folding means situated beside the packaging line, and become twisted.

Abstract: The selection device includes a sensor unit which checks the flatness of the free surface of a sheet pack at an edge, and which moves vertically away from and into contact with the free surface of the pack; the sensor unit extends along an axis transversal to a direction of feed and operates a blade which defines the ream and is opposite and attached to the said sensor unit, moving with the unit near to the edge, and may be positioned parallel to the free surface of the pack; drive means are envisaged for the blade, to move it from a position away from the edge until it makes contact with the ream, at which point the blade penetrates the pack, and a position in which it defines a gap between the ream and the pack, in which the blade is turned about the transversal axis through an angle sufficient to allow the transfer means to penetrate the ream.

Abstract: The conveying arm is composed of a first lower portion by which products assembled for wrapping are restrained, and a supporting upper portion embodied integrally with the first, which affords two slots occupying the full width of the arm as measured transversely to the conveying direction and designed to couple with two respective rails; the first such slot is located in and accessible from the face of the upper portion directed toward the products, and functions as a sliding bearing, whilst the second slot is located to the rear of the first. The arm is fashioned in a deformable material and its deformability enhanced by a narrow extension of the rear slot, in such a way that the upper portion can be locked to and released from the rail swiftly by applying a corresponding force parallel to the conveying direction.

Abstract: In a machine for wrapping rolls of household paper in plastic film, the standard heat seal roller is modified by fitting an offset device in the form of a bar set forward of the revolving heated sector in relation to the path followed by the packs of rolls and in the direction of rotation of the roller; the bar projects radially from the roller, and impinges on the sheet of film wrapped around each pack of rolls directed into the heat seal station, causing the two overlapping edges to shift one in relation to the other such that the wrapping is slackened marginally before the edges are joined, affording space into which the rolls can expand once beyond the confines of the heat seal station.

Abstract: The semiautomatic equipment included a pair of horizontal knives disposed mutually parallel, adjustable for height, and positioned a short distance from the edge of a stack of sheets for penetrating the depth of one ream, selected previously by hand. The knives are carried slidably by a beam suspended over the stack of sheets between the rails of a frame and are therefore capable of relative movement parallel with the width of the stack. The knives are movably attached to the beam by way of a carriage having guides which provide a degree of movement parallel with the length of the stack, such that an operator can bring about the initial insertion by hand before applying an actuator to lock the knives to the carriage when fully penetrated within the stack of sheets. The entire assembly of beam, carriage and knives is traversed along the frame by further actuators that are triggered to operate by a sensor mounted to the knives, and thus causing the separated ream to be moved forward to a wrapping station.

Abstract: Reams of paper advancing in a horizontal direction on a first belt are straightened initially by interaction with a transverse vertical barrier, while wrapping paper is drawn out from below the first belt and directed onto a third belt; the paper is pulled upright into the path of the ream by the elevation of a first gate affording a gap of height at least equal to that of the ream whereupon the ream is directed through the gap, becoming partially enveloped by the paper, then stopped on the third belt while the wrapping paper is cut near to the gate and the trailing edge simultaneously moistened with gum. Finally a second gate identical to the first is raised at the entry to the third belt, drawing up the remaining portion of the paper, and the conveying direction is reversed to take the ream back through the relative gap; the ream is thus enveloped completely and the gummed edge of the wrapping paper flattened and secured.