Abstract: A method and apparatus for wrapping a folio ream. The method comprises pre-creasing a wrap sheet and driving the ream into the wrap sheet toward a fold position. A bubble of wrap is formed in the wrap sheet, which is cut while the ream advances, such that a lower flap of the wrap sheet extends beyond the rear edge of the ream. An upper flap fold is formed on the rear edge of the ream, and glue is applied to the lower flap as it is held flat via a vacuum. The lower flap of the wrap sheet is then folded in an upward direction, while the vacuum simultaneously applies a force to an opposite side of the lower flap to keep it flat during folding. The ream is reversed to compress the glue between the lower and upper flaps, forming a rear edge seam on the folio ream.

Abstract: An apparatus that wraps dinner flatware in a paper napkin in an automated manner and secures it with a paper label is disclosed. The apparatus includes input hoppers for knives, forks, spoons, and napkins which are located on the front and top part of the unit. Additionally, a roll of paper napkins and a roll of securing paper labels are provided on top with their own automatic dispensing means. A plastic cover secures the entire top of the invention to protect it from dust and dirt as well as accidental contact during operation. A series of ultraviolet radiation sources reduces and/or eliminates microbes and viruses either on the surface of the flatware or airborne inside the apparatus. Internal mechanisms then take one of each piece of flatware and fold and roll it in a napkin. The completed napkin unit then drops out the bottom where it is collected for use.

Abstract: An apparatus that wraps dinner flatware in a paper napkin in an automated manner and secures it with a paper label is disclosed. The apparatus includes input hoppers for knives, forks, spoons, and napkins which are located on the front and top part of the unit. Additionally, a roll of paper napkins and a roll of securing paper labels are provided on top with their own automatic dispensing means. A plastic cover secures the entire top of the invention to protect it from dust and dirt as well as accidental contact during operation. Internal mechanisms then take one of each piece of flatware and fold and roll it in a napkin. The completed napkin unit then drops out the bottom where it is collected for use.

Abstract: On a wrapping machine for conditioning stacks of products, a stack of products is conditioned inside a tubular wrapping by folding a sheet of heat-seal wrapping material into a U about the stack inside a radial seat of a wrapping wheel, and by bringing two opposite lateral flaps of the U-folded sheet of wrapping material into contact with each other by means of a folding gripper, the jaws of which have respective end sealing members, and oscillate about an axis of rotation of the wrapping wheel to move with respect to each other to and from a closed position, and to accompany the radial seat along part of a travelling step of the wrapping wheel.

Abstract: An apparatus that wraps dinner flatware in a paper napkin in an automated manner and secures it with a paper label is disclosed. The invention includes input hoppers for knives, forks, spoons, and napkins which are located on the front and top part of the unit. Additionally, a roll of paper napkins and a roll of securing paper labels are provided on top with their own automatic dispensing means. A plastic cover secures the entire top of the invention to protect it from dust and dirt as well as accidental contact during operation. Internal mechanisms then take one of each piece of flatware and fold and roll it in a napkin. The completed napkin unit then drops out the bottom of the invention, where it is collected for use. The invention is capable of processing up to 50 sets of flatware during one operating run. The use of the invention provides time and labor savings to restaurants and other eating establishments while producing rolled flatware secured in a paper napkin in fast and sanitary manner.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for wrapping a napkin around one or more utensils, wherein the utensils each have first end and a second ends defining a longitudinal axis. The utensil wrapping apparatus includes a utensil manipulator for placing the a utensil adjacent a surface of the napkin. First and second utensil engaging devices are provided for releasably engaging the first and second ends of the utensil and the portions of said napkin respectively adjacent the first and second ends of said utensil, such that said napkin and said utensil are held in a fixed relative position. A napkin guide for wrapping the napkin around the utensil, wherein the napkin guide is manipulable to orbit the longitudinal axis such that the napkin guide contacts the napkin and thereby wraps the napkin around said utensil.

Abstract: The apparatus for wrapping compressible box-like articles (10) such as a stock of newspapers or magazines, with a web-like wrapping material (12). The apparatus has three serially arranged belt conveyors (16, 18, 20), and the second belt conveyor (18) is in the form of a bearing table (24) which can be rotated about a vertical axis (26). The bearing table mounts two pressure-exerting members (30, 32). The article (10′) which is to be wrapped is introduced in a compressed state, by the first belt conveyor (16), into a wrap-around channel (42) which is formed by the table (24) and one of the pressure-exerting members (30), and the wrapping material (70) is positioned around the article in the form of a U. At the same time, the article (10), which has been previously wrapped in this way, is transferred to the third belt conveyor (20).

Abstract: Disclosed is a process and an apparatus for assembly-packaging pellet-like articles in units of a predetermined, characterized in that a pellet-like articles group is ejected toward a packaging film locating at a stand-by position to be gripped together with the packaging film half-wrapped around the pellet-like article group by an article holding means; overlapping edges of the packaging film gripped by the article holding means are put together and preheat-seated, followed by sealing thereof to form a sealed rib; the sealed rib is folded down along the barrel of the pellet-like article group and heat-sealed; each open end portion of the tubular packaging film is gussetted and partially sealed; the gussetted and partially sealed portions are sealed fully to form sealed tabs, and the unnecessary portions of the tabs are cut off; and the sealed tabs are folded down along end faces of the assembled pellet-like article group and heat-seated.

Abstract: A roll wrapping machine includes a roll infeed conveyor; a roll wrapping station having a film curtain, sealing bars and a pusher for pushing the roll into the curtain and past the bars; and a roll orienter on the infeed conveyor. The orienter receives each roll fed down the conveyor, spins the roll and releases the roll with the roll tail in a known circumferential location so that the tail of the roll is in the six o'clock position when the roll is received at the wrapping station and is not caught between the plastic curtain film during sealing.

Abstract: A method of producing a film wrapped package enables the package to have a bottom seam which is offset from the center-line of the tray and thus lends itself to pre-printing relatively large labels on the bottom of the package without interference from the bottom seam.

Abstract: An annular article-wrapping member is includes a shrinkable wrapping material which is wound on the outer periphery of an annular article to be wrapped in such a manner that the direction of shrinkage of the shrinkable wrapping material coincides with a circumferential direction of the outer periphery of the annular article. The overlapped portions of the wrapping material subsequently are joined together. The shrinkable wrapping material is heated to be shrunk to provide an intermediate wrapping member having sleeve openings having a diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the annular article. Sleeve forming portions of the intermediate wrapping member together in a ring-shape along an inner periphery of the annular article. The portion of the shrinkable wrapping material disposed inwardly of the joined portion is removed by cutting, thereby obtaining the annular article-wrapping member.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring stacked and individual flexible products of variable height such as signatures to a wrapping machine having a continous packaging film includes a conveyor unit for transporting the signatures along a path substantially parallel to the packaging film, a main pushing unit for advancing the signatures transversely across the conveyor unit into the packaging film and a second pushing unit selectively engageable with the packaging film and travelling in advance of the signatures for adjusting the tension of the packaging film to prevent distortion of the signatures during wrapping.

Abstract: A film wrapping apparatus is presented herein wherein a support structure supports a work surface at which items are wrapped in film. A drawer assembly is carried by the support structure below the work surface and includes a drawer carried by the support structure for slidable horizontal movement between a drawer pulled out position and a drawer pushed in position. A pair of cradle rollers are carried by the drawer and support a roll of film as the roll rotates about its axis as film is pulled from the roll. A film gripper grips the leading edge of the film and pulls the film from the roll as the gripper is displaced from a first position below the work surface to a second position proximate to the work surface. The film gripper is actuated so as to move from the first position to the second position as the drawer is moved toward its pushed in retracted position.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically applying a pressure-sensitive tab to the edge of a mailer which includes a feed spool of pressure-sensitive tape. The pressure-sensitive tape is fed through a tape slot of a tape guide block from where it is wound upon a driven windup spool. A pneumatically driven (or, if desired, solenoid driven) punch and die arrangement is positioned so that upon actuation, the die cuts a circular segment of the tape and wiper arms apply the circular cut tape segment to the edges of a mailer. This can be done while the edges of the mailer are stationary or moving parallel to the direction of the tape.

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved tag banding apparatus which conveys a tag to a stop position, positions tags one-by-one and accumulates the tags in a stack, and bands the stacks in a connected series.

Abstract: Apparatus for packaging a plurality of articles, such as ends for beverage containers, using a plurality of accumulating cages and a plurality of transfer cages to feed an accumulated plurality of container ends in succession into a packaging station wherein the accumulated plurality of container ends are positioned between portions of a first continuous strip of a flexible material permitting passage of at least a gaseous substance and a second continuous strip having a thermally reactive surface facing the first continuous strip and superposed portions of the first and second continuous strips surrounding the accumulated plurality of container ends are sealed together to form interconnected plurality of sealed compartments each having an accumulated plurality of container ends confined therein.

Abstract: A machine for packaging plural types of products inside a plastic stretchable film, including a bundling unit and a complete sealing unit. The bundling unit includes a device for longitudinally stretching a film web segment before wrapping it around the articles, a device for wrapping the stretched and tensioned film around the periphery of the articles, as well as a sealing device adapted to join both ends of the film segment which has been stretched and tightly wrapped around the articles to be packaged. The complete sealing unit includes a device for transversely stretching the side edges of the film segment used for bundling, protruding out of the sides of the bundled articles, and a device for sealing closed the film wrapping around the bundled articles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for packing an elongated body, for example a stack of covers or lids, by wrapping the body and folding the protruding portion of the wrapper from two opposing sides relative to each of the end faces such that two tapering flaps are formed and then applying a sealing tape to only the two tapering flaps.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for packaging an article with a thermoplastic resin film in which the film is rolled on the two rolls on both side so that an intermediate region thereof may be extended in tension condition between the rolls, and an article to be packaged is fed through a space between the rolls so as to push against the extended intermediate region of the film and be wrapped therewith, and overlapped portions of the wrapping film are set in parallel with the surface of the article and are fused together, and at the same time are cut so that there may be obtained such a fused adhesion line on the overlapped portions of the film that extends in the lateral width of the film and is longer in length than the width of the film, so that there is obtained the packaged article in which the fused overlapped portions of the packaging film is laid along on the surface of the article and, on the other hand, there is obtained an intermediate region of the film which is extended between the two rolls a

Abstract: An automatic bag system for supermarket check-out counters is disclosed. An open top loading compartment is provided adjacent to the check-out clerk and a roll of plastic material is mounted to feed sheet plastic over the open top of the loading compartment. The loading compartment is provided with transversely opposed vertical slots and guide rollers rotatively secured at the top of the slots. Upon loading purchased items into the loading compartment above the plastic material, the plastic material will be urged interiorly of the loading compartment and will assume the shape of the compartment interior configuration. The guide rollers and the vertical slots cooperate to form left and right vertical seams in the plastic material as the compartment is loaded. The left and right seams are heat sealed upon completion of the loading operations to form a finished plastic package with the purchased items contained therewithin.

Abstract: An apparatus for wrapping articles of the type wherein articles are advanced along an article path into a curtain of heat sealable wrapping material, and upper and lower jaw assemblies are sequentially moved laterally of the article path into positions at the trail side of the article and then forwardly along the article path in a sealing run. The lower jaw assemblies each include a pair of spaced clamping jaw members having a jaw opening therebetween and a rotary heat sealing and cutting member is mounted for movement into and out of the jaw opening as the lower jaw assemblies move past a zone intermediate the ends of the sealing run. The upper jaw assemblies include upper jaw carriers that are guided for movement in a fixed path along the sealing run and upper jaw members that are shiftable relative to the upper jaw carriers.

Abstract: A device for wrapping a plurality of objects together into a tape-wrapped bundle includes a frame having an open-mouth recess, a quantity of one-sided cohesive tape, a pair of advance rollers mounted on the frame and selectively operable to advance a length of the tape, with the sticky substance thereon facing away from the recess, across the mouth of the recess such that, when objects are thereafter inserted into the recess, the advanced tape length will be gathered in the recess, a pair of relatively movable jaws, mounted on the frame and operatively arranged to selectively press together portions of the leading and trailing tape parts proximate the mouth of the recess, a wiping blade mounted on the pressing member for horizontal movement therewith but mounted for selective vertical movement relative thereto for progressively increasing the length of such pressed-together portions in a direction toward the objects, and a guillotine cutting blade assembly for cutting the extreme ends of the leading and trail

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for packaging a row of covers placed coaxially of one another in a sheet of packaging material, comprising successively in the packaging direction: a feed station for the row of covers; a wrapping station for wrapping said row of covers in said sheet; a folding station for folding end wall and longitudinal fold edges of the sheet wrapped around the row of covers; and adhesive station for adhering fold edges to the packaging; and transport means for transporting the row of covers, which is characterized in that the folding station comprises gripping means gripping onto the wrapped packaging material from outside, which means hold the packaging material away from the row of covers during forming of the longitudinal fold.

Abstract: Method and apparatus, to be utilized by a newspaper carrier on a "vehicle route," for mechanically folding and bagging newspapers and like articles. A continuous length of heat-sealable polymeric film, wider than the newspaper or other article, is arranged along a generally horizontal feed path to form a folding station. The newspaper or like article is fed to the folding station of apparatus in parallel overlying relation to the film. A vertically reciprocal, motorized folder bar extends transversely across and above the film at a point substantially centrally located in the folding station. The folder bar is movable between an upper position above the feed path and a lower position below the feed path where there is formed a pouch of film surrounding the folded newspaper.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for packaging a row of mutually coaxially placed disc-shaped lids, in a sheet of packing material, comprising successively in the direction of progress of packaging: a feeding station for the row of members; a wrapping station for wrapping the row of members in the sheet; a folding station for the folding of the wrapped sheet; a sticking station for the sticking of the folded flaps to the package; further transportation members for transportation of the row of members; and a unit for supplying the packing material, situated between the feeding station and the wrapping station, characterized in that the feeding station is provided with at least two feeding units for the lids, and with a feeding table which is slidable between each of the two feeding units and the wrapping station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in the packaging of cigarettes which eliminates interior package edges which interfere with reinsertion into a cigarette package of partially withdrawn cigarettes. The creation of interfering internal edges if avoided by employment of a novel technique for the folding of the package inner wrapper about a block of cigarettes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for wrapping packages with heat shrinkable material, wherein one or more bands of heat shrinkable material are wrapped about each package at the same time the film material is applied. The bands are heated and shrunk with the film material to produce a tightly secured, reinforced package. The package can comprise either a single object or a group of objects wrapped together in a bundle.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for wrapping a resiliently stretchable film wrap around a group of articles stacked on a pallet, with the film wrap tensioned to a desired tension, by feeding the film wrap along a feed path from supply rolls to a wrapping station, with tension rollers placed serially along the feed path such that the film wrap is coupled for movement with the surface of each tension roller, the tension rollers being driven so that the surface speeds of the serially located roller surfaces differ from one another in order to stretch and tension the film wrap to a given tension, and the stretched and tensioned film wrap being applied to the stacked articles with essentially uniform tension in the film wrap around the periphery of the unit load.

Abstract: This invention relates to a machine (10) for packaging products in heat-shrinkable film, of the so-called bundling machine type, in which the film (65) fed from opposing reels (67) and (68) is made to pass over a product support platform (17) which is lowered into a vertically extending chamber (13) comprising at its top an aperture (16) which can be closed alternately by said support platform (17) and by a lateral panel (18) which is mobile horizontally when said platform (17) is in its lowered position.Within said chamber (13) there are positioned film welding means (51) and (52) and means (19) and (20) for heating the film when wrapped and welded about the product (66) in order to cause its heat-shrinkage. Furthermore, in a position corresponding with said aperture (16) of the chamber (13), means (80) are provided for lifting the film into a position above said support platform (17) when this latter has been raised in order to close the chamber (13) and carries the finished package (102).

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a band wrapping machine which, using one web of heat-sealing material, attends to the packaging of a plurality of boxes or products. The machine is equipped with one roll of the said material that is placed above the horizontal packaging surface and extends vertically up to and across a first horizontal roller positioned beneath the said surface, the axis of this being parallel to that of the said roll and parallel to the devices for cutting and welding the web, that is to say, perpendicular to the horizontal direction in which the parcels of boxes are infed, the said first roller being movable vertically under the action of the pull exerted by the web since this, downstream of the said first roller, is inserted in between a pair of drive rollers that are only able to move in the direction through which the web is unwound from the roll.

Abstract: A multi-unit package comprising a cellulosic tray with a group of articles in the tray and a flexible film sheet extending over the group of articles and overlapping the tray side walls where the film sheet has been first bonded to the outside of the tray side walls while leaving an unattached skirt portion between the first bond and the edge of the film sheet and where the unattached skirt portion has been heat bonded to the outside of the tray side walls subsequent to the first bond to cause the skirt portion to lie in juxtaposition with the outside of the tray side walls to enhance the effective transparency of the skirt portion. The method and apparatus for forming the package is also contemplated by the disclosure.

Abstract: A machine for wrapping tape about an article in which a suppy of tape with adhesive on one side thereof is fed across a pair of spaced stationary jaws along a feeding platform and cut to a size for the bundle to be wrapped. The bundle to be wrapped is placed in the jaws, and against the tape, while holding bars, that reciprocate in the jaws, engage the ends of the tape, and move the tape upwardly about the bundle. Pincher jaws are provided and are located across the upstanding ends of the tape. The jaws squeeze the two ends together to secure the bundle and ejecting means move the bundle out of the jaws.

Abstract: A roll-wrapping apparatus and method where rolls are wrapped with an envelope of heat-shrink plastic film with a label positioned between the envelope and roll and electrostatically bonded to the film. The bond prevents misalignment of the label prior to heat shrinking of the film onto the roll.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for wrapping a roll with a welded closed snug envelope of transparent heat shrink plastic film and a label accurately positioned between the roll and envelope away from the weld bead closing the envelope.

Abstract: A device for wrapping a sheet material about an object is disclosed such as a heat shrinkable plastic material about a container in a shrink bundling process. The device is able to cover both the top and the bottom of the container or in the alternative cover only the top of the container with the use of auxiliary glue guns. The device comprises a frame having a conveyor for moving the container. A first sealing member includes a plurality of sealing elements rotatably mounted on a hub which is journaled to the frame. A second sealing member is slidably mounted to the frame for cooperation with one of the plurality of sealing elements. The sheet material extends between the first and second sealing members whereat the second sealing member engages a first of the plurality of sealing elements to sever the sheet material at the leading edge of the object. Rotation of the first sealing member positions a second of the plurality of sealing elements adjacent the second sealing member.

Abstract: A machine in which a wrapping film extends across a path in which articles to be packaged are moved. The film is drawn from supply rolls above and below the path as an article or group of articles is moved along the path. The film is brought together and sealed behind the article or group of articles to form a tube, the tube is severed from the remaining film, and the remaining film is sealed together. The tube is then thermally shrunk. A cutting and sealing bar movable along a path inclined at an acute angle with the conveying path in part wraps the film about the article or group of articles, and severs and seals the film. An upright frame carries and guides the cutting and sealing bar and is adjustable about a pivot in the plane of the conveying path to vary the angle at which the cutting and sealing bar moves with respect to the conveying path. A film supply roll is carried by the frame so the path of the film from the supply roll relative to the frame is independent of the frame adjustment.

Abstract: In a wrap-around packaging machine by means of which a film loop is wrapped around a plurality of objects, the film passes through a slit provided in a rotary tensioning roller at an end of which a driving pulley is fastened. A rope is wound around the driving pulley. One end of the rope is connected to a traction device and the other end is connected to a restoring device. The tensioning roller by the operation of the traction device can be rotated from a first defined position in which the film freely passes through the slit of the tensioning roller into a second position in which the film is clamped at the tensioning roller and the film loop is tensioned. Then after welding or heat sealing of the film loop the traction device is made inoperative and the restoring device operates in order to move back the tensioning roller into its defined first position.

Abstract: A machine for packaging sundry articles between two weldable plastics material sheets is disclosed, in which provision is made for the formation of a top sheet loop to cope with different tallnesses of the articles as they are being packaged and sealed between the plastics sheet: undue sheet tensions are prevented as well as undue slackening of the sheet.Waste of plastics material is also efficiently done away with.

Abstract: A heat-seal type wrapping apparatus which operates by wrapping successive pieces of candy at regular intervals in a plastic film being unwound from a reel and being formed into a cylinder, subjecting the cylinder of plastic film to longitudinal heat seal along its overlapping margins and then to transverse heat seal between adjacent wrapped pieces of candy, and centrally severing the transversely heat-sealed regions. The apparatus comprises a device for preheating the overlapping margins of the film to a suitable temperature prior to the longitudinal heat seal and a device for preheating transverse heat-seal regions to a suitable temperature prior to the transverse heat seal, thereby ensuring satisfactory heat seal both longitudinal and transverse.

Abstract: In apparatus for packaging objects by enclosing them in a tube of packaging material, which tube presents two projecting longitudinal flaps which are subsequently welded together to form a longitudinal seam, a flat nozzle is inserted between the flaps ahead of the longitudinal seam welding location and is connected to a suction source for extracting air from each package being formed.

Abstract: A stretch wrap packaging machine packages articles received on trays, and can handle various different article geometries and tray sizes without modification. In an initial phase of a wrapping operation film is sleeve wrapped around an article and tray by elevating the article and tray upwardly against a horizontally stretched length of film to draw the film over the article and tray and downwardly along and beyond both ends of the article and tray, and by then joining the downwardly extending film portions below the tray and cutting them from the film supply through the use of a heat-seal and cut-off device having a heated wire which supplies heat to the film, to perform the heat-seal and cut-off functions, by radiation and without engaging the film.

Abstract: The disclosure is of apparatus including a pallet load which is to be wrapped with film, the pallet and load being horizontally movable along a straight-line path from a loading area to a wrapping station. At the wrapping station, there are a fixed vertical roll of wrapping film and a movable vertical roll of wrapping film, and the film to be wrapped around the load extends, as a curtain, between the two rolls. When the pallet load is moved into the wrapping station, it is pushed into the curtain of film which partially encloses the load, and the movable roll is driven toward the fixed roll to complete the wrapping of the film about the load and to provide a region where two layers of film overlap each other. With the load thus completely enclosed, a clamping bar secures the seal area, and a heat-sealing device is used to seal the overlapping layers of film to complete the wrap.

Abstract: Groups of spaced, aligned articles such as tape rolls are fed in succession to a station at which a heat-shrinkable film wrap is placed around the group of articles and sealed in a manner permitting looseness in the wrap. The group is then fed to a table conveyor leading to a heat shrink oven. To maintain positioning of the articles before reaching the table conveyor, a swinging gate maintains frictional engagement with the package.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for packing a stack of loads with synthetic resin films each possessing heat contractility. A plurality of loads are stacked on a pair of synthetic resin films placed in crossed relationship on an elevating table. The elevating table is movable downward from its upper extreme position so that the synthetic resin films are continuously supplied to cover side peripheries of the loads. Adjacent rib portions formed by side edges of the synthetic resin films covering the side peripheries of the loads are joined during downward movement of the elevating table. Upper opposing portions of each of the synthetic resin films are bent toward each other and joined together on the upper surface of the stacked loads on the elevating table. The synthetic resin films covering the loads are heated so that the films shrink.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an improvement in a machine for automatically wrapping articles with a sheet of shrinkable plastic film to form individual packages. It is proposed to provide the machine with a support roller over which partially formed packages pass with the support roller having associated therewith a brake for retarding the rotation of the roller in timed relation to the passage of partially formed packages with the roller, when braked, frictionally engaging a leading bottom panel of the sheet material so as to tighten the sheet material around the article being packaged. The brake is automatically released as the rear half of the package engages the roller so as to permit the freedom of movement of the rear half of the package thereover.

Abstract: A device for tightly wrapping objects is provided which includes suction boxes for holding the wrapping paper under tension as it is wrapped around the object. The holding of the wrapping paper using suction boxes permits the paper to be tightly tensioned around the object regardless of the smoothness of the surface of the wrapping paper. The wrapping paper is folded across the bottom of the object by cooperation between a plate means positioned under the object and the movement of holding means which holds the object.