Abstract: A sweet-forming and wrapping machine includes feed rollers for feeding a rope of candy to a cutting mechanism and mechanism for transferring sweets cut from the leading end of the rope to a wrapping wheel, a wrapper being fed into the path of transfer of each sweet to the wrapping wheel. A detector operates in response to failure of the wrapper feed to stop the machine and also to divert the rope instantaneously out of its normal path of travel towards the cutting mechanism.

Abstract: In a process and machine for covering a tubular member, with a covering.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved apparatus for forming and overwrapping the batches of products commonly known in Italy as "sticks".To form batches of products either flat, one on top of the other, or tip to tip along one of their narrower sides, a first intermittently rotating head provided with radial compartments for accommodating the individual products is placed at the side of a second head that rotates intermittently around an axis perpendicular to that of the first rotating head, is coupled to a wrapping mechanism and is provided with radial compartments, each suitable for accommodating one batch of products.The said second rotating head and the wrapping mechanism are supported in such a way that they are able to move in the direction of the first head so that the second rotating head can arrive at two different stations to receive the individual products from the first rotating head. The said two stations, angularly interspaced by 90.degree.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for wrapping an object in a sheet. A retainer formed with a slot is moved along a work path. A piece of sheet is supplied across the opening of the slot; then the object is inserted into the slot and pushes the sheet to the back of the slot against the retainer, with the edges of the sheet sticking out between the object and the edges of the slot, with part of the surface of the object being free; then a pressure plate is placed adjacent to the free surface, the outward facing surface of this plate being smooth; then first one, and then the other, protruding edge of the sheet is wrapped round the object and over the pressure plate by an embracing arm, so that the edges of the sheet overlap; then these edges are joined by a joiner bearing against the smooth part of the pressure plate; and then the wrapped object is discharged from the retainer.

Abstract: In a machine for packaging articles, in particular cigarettes, an apparatus for folding cutout elements to obtain packets of the hinged-lid type, the apparatus comprising a drum adapted to rotate in a stepped manner and having peripheral recesses each adapted to receive a respective article and to displace the same along a plurality of folding stations, at the first of said stations a first folding operation being performed by simultaneously inserting said articles and the respective cutout elements into the respective recesses; at the last of said stations a last folding operation being performed by ejecting said articles and the respective cutout elements through an aperture; and the intermediate stations comprising fixed cam means engaging said cutout elements during movement of said drum, and mobile folding means engaging said cutout elements when the drum is stationary.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for folding and sealing the longitudinal end flaps of cigarette packs. The folding is performed by means including a rotating turret having a number of radially external pockets each adapted to receive a pack. The pocket axes extend parallel to the turret axis and the pockets are open at their ends, where the end flaps which project in the intermediate folding position project out of the pocket. Folding and sealing shoes are associated with each pocket and are mounted on both sides of the turret for both radial and axial movement. Due to this movement the folding and sealing shoes first fold inwardly the longitudinal end flap--which is positioned radially inwardly relative the turret axis and which has a closure strip, in such a manner that the closure strip engages with the inside of the opposing longitudinal end flap.

Abstract: A wrapping machine comprising an intermittently rotating wrapping wheel having individual pockets for receiving in succession an article to be wrapped and a wrapper, the wrapping wheel being operative during its rotation to fold the wrappers partially around the articles and to bring the pockets, each containing a partially wrapped article, in succession to a transfer station, and a continuously moving conveyor carrying a series of pushers, said pushers being arranged to move through the pockets of the wrapping wheel in succession as they reach and while they are stationary at the transfer station, to withdraw the partially wrapped articles from the pockets and traverse them in succession through a final wrapping station at which the wrap is completed.

Abstract: A cigarette pack 10 is pushed against a transversely held blank 11 of cellophane or polyethylene whereby the blank forms a U-shaped wrapping around the pack with outwardly extending end flaps 12, 13, 14 and side flaps 15, 16, and is thereafter inserted into a radial pocket 19 of an indexing turret 20. When the bottom side flap 16 is folded against the side of the pack by finger 23, it is held in position by its end flaps 14 engaging the end faces 27, 28 of folding cams 25, 26 through which vacuum pressure is applied. The suction is maintained until the top side flap 15 is subsequently folded over the pack by a guide member 24 and sealed to the flap 16 along a joint 17. The cams also serve to fold the flaps 12 against the ends of the pack as it is being inserted into the pocket.

Abstract: A device for profiling and shaping cuboid-shaped packages having blank parts fastened by gluing. Shaping chambers are disposed on a heated turret to enclose the packs until the glue sets. The shaping chambers have dimensions nearly corresponding to the desired shape of the packages. A wedge-shaped member is used with the shaping chambers to define profiling surfaces for delimiting the chamber. The turret is heated by circular heating bands located on opposite annular sides of the shaping chambers.

Abstract: The device for feeding candies to a wrapping machine comprises a first disc on which the candies are discharged in a disorderly manner, which first disc is provided with separating brushes, for causing the candies to be housed in pockets provided thereon. The said pockets are arranged on the discs along arc lengths, the diameter of the said arc lengths being equal to the diameter of the crown of receiving pockets arranged on a second disc, or feeding disc. The candies are transferred from the pockets in the first disc to the pockets of the crown of the second disc by means of an intermediate rotary transfer device, which is provided with grippers each of which takes from the first disc a group of candies arranged along an arc length and deposits said group on a corresponding arc length of the crown of receiving pockets in the second disc.

Abstract: In the hinged-lid type cigarette packets, the upper flap protruding from the front wide side of the inner wrapper should, for convenience in the use, be folded over the upper flap protruding from the rear wide side of the same inner wrapper. In some of the conventional soft type packeting machines the folding disposition of the upper flaps is exactly opposite to the one above described, and the present invention provides for a device which allows the use, in a hinged-lid type packeting machine, of a rotating wrapping head normally used in the soft type packeting machine, since said device reverses the folding disposition of the upper flaps.

Abstract: The disclosure is of a cigarette or like packet of composite foil, with lateral end flaps separated from inner neighboring longitudinal end flaps but continuously connected with outer longitudinal end flaps and folded in between the inner and outer end flaps with the formation of overlying triangular lappets. For making and filling the packet there is an apparatus with winding mandrels to roll the foil into a tube, and a turret having devices for filling the tube and forming it into a closed packet by folding end flaps.

Abstract: A device for guiding and holding cigarette batches in two seven-cigarette layers and an upper six-cigarette layer. The device has two opposite movable walls each having an upper end projecting toward the batch and at the level of the six-cigarette layer.

Abstract: A device to put the inner foil wrapper on soft packets in a very high speed cigarette packer comprises a head or wheel turning at intervals fitted with a number of radiating compartments capable of taking at most one bundle of cigarettes for packeting and a plurality of folding mechanisms including a folder with alternating movement.The wall of each compartment above the folder with alternating movement in the sense of rotation of the turning head or wheel comprises a thin plate. The folder with alternating movement carries a second thin plate towards the turning head or wheel so as to rebut during its forward movement the after end of the length of foil onto the surface of the former plate external to the corresponding compartment.

Abstract: A packet made from a foldable blank is provided in which at least two end flaps of the blank are interconnected by pressing together in an intermediate position projecting from the plane of the end wall and front wall of the packet and being folded over into the plane of the end wall and front wall. There is also provided an improved method of mechanically making and closing packets, in which the end flaps projecting from the front surfaces are pressed together and connected to one another by pressing jaws and then folded over towards the front surfaces and fixed in the plane of the front surface. The apparatus described is for use in such a method.

Abstract: Means for elevating cigarette packs from an endless conveyor and transferring such elevated packs to radial pockets of a star wheel rotated step where such packs are cellowrapped.

Abstract: There is provided a method of and apparatus for packing rod-shaped articles, especially cigarettes. A rotatable turret is used, into which blanks are introduced into pockets of the turret, with partial folding of the blanks, whereafter groups of articles are axially introduced into the blanks in pockets, the article groups being introduced alternately from opposite sides of the turret. There is also provided an apparatus whereby article groups can be ejected alternately on both sides of a magazine and also an apparatus wherein, to form article groups from three article rows or layers, the middle row containing fewer cigarettes than the top and bottom rows, a lateral chute wall of the magazine terminates above the region of the cigarette groups to be ejected, merely articles of the top and bottom rows being ejectable in this region via a recess in the entraining member associated with the lateral chute, such recess being at the height of the middle cigarette row.

Abstract: A machine for wrapping articles of substantially rectangular parallelepiped form comprises a first tumble box which partially forms a wrapper to a generally U-shaped configuration about an article, a long seam heater which cooperates with the first tumble box to complete the initial wrapping operation and seals the long seam of the wrapper, and second, third, and fourth tumble boxes which tuck and fold the ends of the wrapper inwardly against opposite end of the article and complete the wrapping operation. Each tumble box has an ejector mechanism operated by a rack and gear segment. The long seam heater has means for dumping articles therefrom when the machine stops for any reason. Package ends folds are made while the partially wrapped article is held substantially square by a tumble box. Another machine for wrapping a product which comprises individual pieces standing on edge and arranged in end-to-end relation utilizes three tumble boxes and a long seam heater.

Abstract: A method and apparatus adapted for automatically and continuously forming a completely sealed package having fin type seals and made from a heat-sealable wrapping foil. The process basically embodies the steps of holding a portion of the foil adjacent the article to be packaged, folding the remaining portion of the foil about the article to be packaged so that opposing side edges of the foil are moved towards each other, heat sealing together the opposed side edges of the foil to form a side fin seal, forming a bottom fin from the foil for the package, heat sealing the bottom fin to form a bottom fin seal, forming a top fin from the foil for the package, and heat sealing the top fin to form a top fin seal.

Abstract: A wrapper, especially a mailing wrapper is secured to printed matter, such as a newspaper, by folding the paper with a wrapper strip loosely resting on the outside of the paper. After the folding, one end of the wrapper strip extends from the folded paper so that after tilting the paper and the extending wrapper strip the latter is wrapped around the paper. The wrapper strip is long enough to have a protruding end even after the folding and wrapping. The protruding end is then bent over the other wrapper strip end to overlap the latter whereupon the two ends are secured to each other, for example by gluing. In the present apparatus, a paper is advanced in a first direction into a position above a slot. A wrapper strip is advanced in a second direction extending at a right angle to said first direction to a position below said slot.

Abstract: A device for sealing wrapping material on pieces of candy or similar products, in what is known as the "soap" style of wrapping, and for exiting the products, in their sealed wraps, from the wrapping machine. Each wrapped product is first received in a correspondingly dimensioned pocket of a horizontal conveyor disk, which intermittently conveys the product along a sequence of plates, comprising a presser plate, a first heat-welding plate, and a first cooling plate. The presser plate eliminates bulges of the sides of the product, created during the wrapping. It presses other sides of the product, with folded tabs of the wrap thereon, into the pocket. The heat-welding plate then seals portions of the wrap on a then exposed side of the product.

Abstract: The closure flap folding device includes a first conveying means arranged to convey envelopes having open closure flaps into a rotating receiver. The receiver includes a pair of spaced discs mounted on a shaft and the discs have a plurality of radially extending spaced slots therein forming radially extending fingers therebetween. The fingers have a generally square peripheral edge portion and resilient members secured thereto that extend into adjacent slots. An adjustable guide member is positioned between the spaced discs and positions the envelopes within the slot so that the closure flap score line is aligned with the square peripheral edge of the adjacent finger. An arcuate flap folding member is positioned around a portion of the discs and has a portion that converges toward the outer peripheral edge of the discs. As the receiver rotates the closure flaps of the envelopes in the slots contacts the inner surface of the arcuate folding member and the closure flap is partially folded along the score line.

Abstract: A single gum stick wrapping machine has a rotary transfer mechanism for successively conveying single sticks of gum from breaker wheels to a folding wheel where each stick picks up a wrapper and is conveyed through folding and creasing sections where the wrapper is partially folded around the stick and the ends of the wrapper are folded, creased and tucked. The wrapping operation is completed while the partially wrapped stick is conveyed from the folding wheel to a stacker at the discharge end of the machine by another rotary transfer mechanism. Rotary label wrapping mechanism may be provided for applying a label or outer wrapper to each stick.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring soap bars to be wrapped from a lower feed conveyor to an upper wrapping conveyor, with the purpose of avoiding any scratches or dents on the freshly manufactured soap bars due to sliding against fixed parts. The apparatus comprises, arranged on the lower conveyor, a plurality of containers open at the top and presenting in plan a cross-like section, so as to leave free the corner portions of the soap bars carried thereby. The soap bars are taken off from the containers of said lower conveyor by composite cradles arranged on a rotating turntable conveyor having its axis of rotation horizontal and orthogonal with respect to the lower conveyor. The composite cradles consist of two cradle halves which are opened during their descent towards the lower conveyor, so as to pass through this conveyor and position themselves beneath a soap bar-carrying container.

Abstract: A device for sealing candies in wrappers comprises a rotary disk with circumferential compartments, each receptive of a candy wrapped in tip style, with folded tips of the wrap upwardly exposed. The disk conveys the so-received candies, intermittently, past a presser, which presses each candy into its compartment to provide the candy with its proper shape and dimensions. The disk then conveys the so-shaped and dimensioned candy to devices which heat-seal the folded tips and then cool the candy.

Abstract: A rotary article-transfer apparatus, specifically intended for use in a sweet-wrapping apparatus, comprises a rotatable main support, a pocket support slidably mounted on the main support provided with an article receiving pocket, a cam follower mounted on the pocket support and arranged in engagement with a cam track arranged about the axis of rotation of the main support so that, upon rotation of the main support, an article fed to the pocket at one circumferential position, e.g., a feeding position, at a given radial distance from the axis of rotation is moved to another circumferential position, e.g., a twisting position, at a different radial distance from that axis.

Abstract: This invention relates to cigarette packaging machines having continuously moving wrapper forming and closing devices. The wrapper forming devices including arbors on which wrappers are formed being rotated 90.degree. on their longitudinal axes during closure of the bottoms of the wrappers and returning to their original position to be filled and transferred to the wrapper closing devices which have holding means for individual packs which are pivoted 90.degree. during closure of the tops or mouths of the packs.

Abstract: A packing machine for cigarettes comprises a carton blank reservoir, a carton blank hopper, a blank feeding device, a blank transfer conveyor, a bundle drum, a packet forming drum, a packet stacking unit and a packet orientation unit.Carton blanks are removed one at a time from the hopper by a suction device and fed intermittently by the transfer conveyor to a position adjacent a pocket in the packet forming drum, the blank then being pushed into the pocket so as to partially form it into a carton. Whilst on the transfer conveyor adhesive is applied to certain parts of the blank and initial holding of the blank takes place.Foil wrapped bundles of cigarettes are pushed, two at a time, into pockets provided on the bundle drum and transferred one at a time into a partially formed carton contained in a pocket on the packet forming drum.

Abstract: An intermittently rotating wrapping head has a plurality of movable peripheric radial grippers carried in succession to halt at an infeed station in order to grasp individual products around which wrapping material has been folded in a U by an infeed channel. A wrapping track then fashions a `soap` or `diamond` wrap for this purpose, a pair of folding fingers is provided along the wrapping track, on opposite sides of the infeed channel. Each folding finger consists of a blade placed tangentially to the path described by the individual products as they move between the grippers of the wrapping head and of two plate shaped members positioned above the blade, spaced at a distance equal to the dimension of the individual products perpendicularly to the movement plane of the wrapping head.

Abstract: Bag strips, filled with dosed portions of the substance to be packages, are fed continuously into the machine and the bags are formed solely by folding operations and closed by staples. A series of manufacturing units are continuously circulated along a conveyance path from a initial station, at which a thread-tag strand is fed to the machine and the bag strips are fed to the machine, past stations in which the bags are folded, erected, provided with a top closure, flattened and removed after separation from the strip.

Abstract: A packing machine wherein a first feeding unit supplies groups of cigarettes into successive mandrels of a first turret which is driven stepwise and moves successive mandrels into register with first and second supplying devices for tinfoil blanks and paper blanks which are thereupon draped around the mandrels to form open-ended packs. The packs and the groups of cigarettes are transferred simultaneously from successive mandrels into successive pockets of a second turret on which the packs are closed.

Abstract: A method of producing a container, such as a flip-top cigarette packet, is disclosed. The method includes the initial step of folding an elongate blank at a fold line so that first and second portions of the blank on respective opposite sides of the fold line are brought into mutually facing relationship, and the subsequent steps of folding the first such portion to form the main body of the container and folding the second such portion to form the lid of the container, the latter folding step being carried out whilst the lid portion remains hingedly connected with the main body at the fold line. Also disclosed is apparatus comprising respective folding means to perform the three folding operations referred to above.