Abstract: The present invention relates to a machine for automatically forming, filling, and closing bags made from a flexible film. The machine includes means suitable for generating at least one fold associated with the film that is to constitute a bag, so as to form at least one gusset in the final bag. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing such bags.

Abstract: A multiple automatic packing machine packs a material by continuously and repeatedly slitting a wide sheet-like packing material into a predetermined number of packing films fed from a take-up roll, seal-molding each of the packing films into a bag-like configuration by a vertical sealer and a lateral sealer, filling the material to be packed into each of the packing films, withdrawing each of the packing films by lowering the lateral sealer a portion equal to the length of the bag to be formed, raising the lowered lateral sealer back to a location before the lateral sealing by laterally opening the lateral sealer, and cutting a center line portion of the lateral seal of each of the packing films.

Abstract: A sanitary fill tube assembly includes an oval fill tube connected between an oval inlet tube and an oval spreader having a hollow interior with a piston valve member reciprocally mounted therein. The piston valve member is actuated by a plunger rod and is guided by a pair of arcuate guide slots formed in the spreader to accurately move the piston valve between open and closed position. The plunger rod and the piston valve member may include elongated internal passages therein and the piston valve member closely fits into a discharge outlet from the hollow interior of the spreader to accurately control and meter material being fed into a pouch. The piston valve member may be provided with a sharpened leading edge to cut off particulate material contacted thereby.

Abstract: A continuous lamina (3) is indexed through a forming station so as to be arranged around a tubular element (14); edges of the lamina (3) are welded together to form an unexpanded envelope (2a) which is then inflated when the envelope (2a) is closed in a die (11) through opposite sides of which said tubular element (14) passes; a container (2) formed by expanding said envelope (2a) is then filled and closed while a following envelope (2a) is being expanded.

Abstract: A forming roller or a supporting roller for a packaging material web used for a liquid container according to the present invention comprises a plurality of rollers with outer peripheral surface thereof curved in axial direction of a rotating shaft, and the plurality of rollers are arranged at positions for forming a planar packaging material web into tubular shape or at positions for supporting the packaging material web after it has been formed into tubular shape. Each roller is divided into a plurality of roller portions by planes perpendicular to a rotating shaft thereof. The packaging material web is passed between the plurality of rollers, and the surface of the packaging material web is brought into contact with outer peripheral surface of the plurality of rollers. When said packaging material web is transported, each of the divided roller portions of the rollers is independently rotated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wrapping and securing film about a load by positioning a first arm retaining an end portion of film toward the load, wrapping a layer of film about the first arm so the first arm is between the wrapped film and the load, withdrawing the first arm retaining the film from between the wrapped film and the load, and releasing the end portion of film retained by the first arm to position and secure a first film portion between the wrapped film and the load. The load is further wrapped and a second arm is subsequently positioned toward the load, and a layer of film is wrapped about the second arm so the second arm is between the wrapped film and the load. A roped film portion is captured and retained by the first and second second arms. The roped film is then severed and an end portion of the severed film is retained by the first arm for subsequently wrapping another load.

Abstract: A breathable girth former for a packaging machine for bathroom tissue and kitchen toweling rolls wherein the entrance funnel (preformer) has two halves resiliently mounted to conform to the product dimension most likely to jam in the downstream girth former. The funnel halves movement is transmitted to the girth tube former halves by a mechanical linkage to provide the same spacing as in the funnel.

Abstract: A residual product removing apparatus which can prevent a liquid food (12) from flowing out even when a seal portion (S) is cut at its center. A pair of cutting rails (31, 32) are disposed in a cutting jaw (15a), and a cutter (21) is disposed in a clearance (33) formed between the cutting rails (31, 32) to be movable in advancing and retracting directions. A packaging material is cut at opposing portions (11a, 11b) when the cutter (21) is advanced. Dollies (31a, 32a) are disposed along the cutting rails (31, 32). A pair of heating bodies are disposed in a heat sealing jaw (15b) so as to squeeze and seal the opposing portions (11a, 11b) of the packaging material in cooperation with the dollies (31a, 32a). A groove (38) is formed between the heating bodies. The tip of the cutter (21) enters the groove (38) when the cutter (21) is advanced, and the tip of the cutter (21) presses the packaging material when the cutter (21) is located at its retracted position.

Abstract: A sealing condition monitoring apparatus detects in a real-time manner a defect in of sealing due to entry of foreign matter or due to a defect or malfunction of components of a sealing apparatus. There are provided a counter bar disposed at the forward end of a counter jaw for sealing a packaging container into which a liquid food is charged, and a sealing bar disposed at the forward end of a heat sealing jaw to face the counter bar. A packaging material is held between the sealing bar and the counter bar, and a pressing force is applied thereto for sealing. A sheet-shaped pressure sensor is provided on the surface of the counter bar for detecting the pressing force applied to the packaging material at each detection point. Also, there is provided a controller which compares data of the pressing force detected by the sheet-shaped pressure sensor and master data which are previously set to correspond to a pressing force for obtaining proper sealing conditions.

Abstract: A sanitary fill tube assembly includes a pair of large diameter fill tubes connected to a spreader having a rotary valve system mounted therein. The rotary valve system is actuated by pairs of actuator arms guided through openings in a manifold connected to the fill tubes to precisely move the rotary valve between open and closed position. The rotary valve includes elongated openings therein which are closely matched with and connected to the same size and shape passageways and discharge openings in the spreader so as to more accurately control and meter material being fed into a pouch, and to maintain the overall assembly in a sanitary condition.

Abstract: System and method for packing loose fill materials in bags to form cushions for use in protecting articles in shipping cartons. The bags are produced from a length of flexible plastic tubing which is gathered or bunched to form a coil which is disposed about the outlet of a loose fill dispenser. A section of the tubing is pulled from the coil, and its lower end is closed to form a bag which is then filled with loose fill material dispensed through the outlet. Another section of tubing is then pulled from the coil, and the tubing is drawn together to close the upper end of the first section and the lower end of the second section. The closed ends are secured with tape, and the tubing is severed to separate the first section from the second. The cushions thus formed are placed in the shipping cartons with the articles, and in some embodiments are compressed and reexpanded in conformance with the contour of the articles.

Abstract: A device for welding bags in a heat-sealable plastic material comprising two transverse welding parts (18, 18) carried by respective mobile support elements (20, 20) and means for driving the motion of said support elements, comprising at least, for each of said welding elements (18,18), a rotation drive shaft (26), a train-holder element (28) connected integrally to said drive shaft (26) to rotate together with the latter, a fixed cogged sun wheel (30) integral with the support structure (17), a first cogged planet wheel (32) integral with said element for supporting the welding part (20) and connected freely rotatingly around its own axis to said train-holder element (28) and driven to rotate by the latter, and a second intermediate cogged planet wheel (34) attached to said train-holder element (28) freely rotatingly around its own axis and driven to rotate by the latter.

Abstract: System and method for packing loose fill materials in bags to form cushions for use in protecting articles in shipping cartons. The bags are produced from a length of flexible plastic tubing which is gathered or bunched to form a coil which is disposed about the outlet of a loose fill dispenser. A section of the tubing is pulled from the coil, and its lower end is closed to form a bag which is then filled with loose fill material dispensed through the outlet. Another section of tubing is then pulled from the coil, and the tubing is drawn together to close the upper end of the first section and the lower end of the second section. The closed ends are secured with tape, and the tubing is severed to separate the first section from the second. The cushions thus formed are placed in the shipping cartons with the articles, and in some embodiments are compressed and reexpanded in conformance with the contour of the articles.

Abstract: A bag forming, filling, and sealing machine (10) for producing bag packages (1) has a tube forming device (7) comprised of a forming shoulder (18) and a forming tube (19) connected to it. In order to permit a bag forming, filling, and sealing machine (10) of this kind to produce bag packages (1) out of a single sheet of packaging material (15), with two longitudinal seams (11, 12) and two lateral seams (13, 14), the forming tube (19) has two sections (24, 25) connected to each other. The one section (24) connected to the forming tube (19) is inclined in relation to the incoming sheet of packaging material (15) by an angle (.alpha.). In addition, an element (28) for forming the one longitudinal seam (11) is connected to the forming tube (19). The tube forming device (17) cooperates with two diametrically opposed longitudinal seam sealers (33, 34) and a lateral seam sealer (41).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an apparatus for making a continuous welding joint. A material web (20) formed into a tube (8) is sealed along the longitudinal joint seam in that a joint heater (1), preferably an induction heater, is disposed in parallel along the longitudinal joint seam. The sealing operation takes place continuously in a point (18) where a compression device (2) consisting of a pressure roller (9) and a counter pressure roller (10) is provided. The compression device (2) is interconnected together with the joint heater (1), to form a moving unit which may move vertically up and down in relation to the sealing point (18).

Abstract: There is provided a heat sealing bar (19) having a heating ribbon (35) which endures repeated sealing operations. The heat sealing bar comprises a slender block-like bar body (31), an insulating layer (33) formed on the surface of the bar body (31), and a heating ribbon (35) fixed on the insulating layer (33). A heat pipe (41) is embedded in the bar body (31) along the heating ribbon (35). The heat pipe (41) transfers heat in the longitudinal direction of the heat sealing bar (19) from a portion of a small thermal load to a portion of a larger thermal load, thereby holding the entirety of the heat sealing bar uniform in temperature. Accordingly, the opposite ends and central portion of the heating ribbon (35) fall in a stationary state in the same temperature range as that for the rest of the heating ribbon.

Abstract: Equipment which automatically manufactures cushioning material by filling air inside polyvinyl alcohol laminated paper and sealing the filled material into individual bags. The manufacturing equipment 1 is provided with a material roll 20 on which a sheet material of polyvinyl alcohol laminated paper is wound. The sheet material 10 is rolled out by a feeding roller 40 from the material roll 20, and the sheet material 10 in a known length, adjusted by a length adjusting device 50 having a roller 42 which goes up and down, is supplied intermittently to a bag forming device 100 located downstream thereof. The bag forming device 100 is provided with a pipe member 105 and a sailor 110, which is a guide plate to reverse the sheet material 10 and form it into a tubular shape, and the sheet material 10 is fed along the pipe member 105 after being formed into a tubular shape. Feed rollers 130 and auxiliary belt 120 are arranged at the periphery of the pipe member 105.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine in which the cross sealing jaws move in the direction of the moving film during the sealing operation with the continuously moving tube. The drive for the cross sealing jaws include a pair of gear cases on opposite of the sealing jaws, each having two sets of spaced drive shafts. The drive shafts include cranks that impart rotary motion to a pair of link bases for the front and rear sealing jaw. Pairs of parallel links are pivotally connected at one end to the link bases and at the other end to the sealing jaws. The pivot connections of the parallel links include pressure or torsion members which bias the sealing jaws toward engagement.

Abstract: A convertible, vertical form, fill and seal packaging machine and method for making a variety of types and styles of bags and seals is disclosed. The machine produces durable, substantially air-tight bags at high speed and provides for the production of different size and make of bags and different amounts and types of product in the bags. The machine includes a film drive and pinch roll pair, a pair of film pull belts, and a pair of zipper drive rollers for pulling plastic film and zipper strip through the machine. The machine is convertible from one for producing reclosable edge fin seal bags to another for producing nonreclosable midline seal pillow type bags. Conversion from one to another is facilitated by having the pinch seal assembly mounted on a base plate which is releasably secured to a drawer-like device. This allows the pinch seal assembly to be pulled out of the machine, indexed 90.degree., and pushed back into the machine.

Abstract: A longitudinal sealer for a bag maker-packaging machine is controlled such that when an abnormal condition is detected and the operation of the machine is stopped temporarily and then restarted after the abnormal condition is removed, the mechanism for moving the film and the heater for heating edge parts of the film to seal them together are deactivated and reactivated, but not both at the same time. Deactivation of the heater is delayed after that of the mechanism for moving the fill and/or reactivation of the movement of the film is delayed after that of the heater such that the film is certain to be longitudinally well sealed in spite of the interruption of the sealing operation.

Abstract: Sample bags are produced from webs of film material by forming longitudinal seams and longitudinally spaced transverse seams and by filling the bags with a sample product between forming the transverse seams. In order to make the bags easier to handle, the longitudinal seams are thickened so that the thickness of the seams is equal to the thickness of the center of the bag. Thickening is done by rolling or folding the seams or by adding frames or strips of additional material either between or outside the seam portions of the webs. The resulting bags are more easily stacked, handled and inserted into publications for distribution.

Abstract: A protective foam cushion-making apparatus dispenses reactive foam components into an interior space between two panels of plastic film to form protective foam cushions. The apparatus includes a supply of plastic film and a film a driving assembly, such as two pliable rollers. A foam component dispensing assembly is interposed between the film panels and injects reactive foam components into the interior space where they are mixed together to form a mass of expandable foam. The plastic film forms a flexible mixing chamber in the area between the two pliable rollers in which the reactive foam components are mixed together after they are dispensed from the foam dispensing assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing bag packages which includes an oscillation generator, a bearing frame which transmits oscillations in the longitudinal and/or crosswise direction to a forming pipe. The forming pipe and a forming shoulder of the apparatus are rigidly joined to one another. A longitudinal seam sealing device is also joined to the bearing frame. The oscillations serve the purpose of both low-friction transport of a tube via the forming shoulder and the forming pipe and of compacting the product.

Abstract: A bag maker-packaging machine uses three heaters to make bags, one for longitudinal sealing and two for transverse sealing. A device for automatically setting the temperatures of these three heaters includes a memory which stores temperature data from which an operator can retrieve a standard temperature, to which the longitudinal seal heater is to be set, by specifying the characteristics of the material to be used for making bags. Different temperatures, to which the two transverse seal heaters are to be set, are uniquely determined on the basis of the standard temperature. The standard temperature and the other temperatures thus determined may be displayed in different ways on one or more display devices.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal machine in which any of a selection of change parts assemblies can be slid into and out of mounting slots and secured in proper alignment by a hand operated toggle lock mechanism. A pair of stops are provide on the forming shoulder of the change part that correspond to the diameter of the forming tube. An articulated floating vacuum pull belt arrangement, having stops that engage the stops on the forming shoulder, automatically aligns itself with the change parts assembly. The film cage is adjustable for film tracking and can be tilted to a position that permits the film roll to be loaded without the need of a power hoist. The film tracking and film cage tilting are on a common axis, which simplifies the design and reduces the parts. The tiltable film cage has the added advantage of improving the access to the inside area of the machine when the film cage is tilted to the load position. This feature of the invention also reduces the overall size of the machine.

Abstract: In a device for the formation of the longitudinal seam of a tubular foil, a flexible foil is placed around a formatting tube by means of a formatting shoulder. The device has a transporting device for moving of the foil and the formed tubular foil. The invention provides two opposingly rotating sealing bands which are pressed against one another clamping the two longitudinal edges o the foil for welding of the longitudinal seam of the tubular foil. One of the sealing bands can be heated by means of a heating device. Both sealing bands can be heated and the device designed as a tubular bagging machine. The invention has the advantage that the deflection of the longitudinal seam from its true path is avoided.

Abstract: A heat-sealing device for liquid-filled tubes has a pair of openable pressing members 23, 24. One of the pressing members, 23, is provided in a pressing face 31 thereof with upper and lower two pressing pads 34, 35 extending in parallel to each other for pressing the tube T along and at respective opposite sides of each of the portions to be cut. The other pressing member 24 is provided in a pressing face 36 thereof with a U-shaped high-frequency coil 38 having upper and lower two straight portions 42, 43 extending in parallel to each other for heating the tube T along and at the respective sides of each portion to be cut. The pressing face 36 of the other pressing member 24 has upper and lower sealer portions 44, 45 each divided into a primary sealing portion 51, secondary sealing portion 52 and tertiary sealing portion 53.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for producing bag packs of plastic foil containing liquid or viscous contents. The production method, which may be divided into two parts, relates first to a method of producing the packaging material and secondly a method of using the packaging material for producing bag packs.The packaging material is produced in that a hose of plastic foil is extruded and, while the material is still warm, flattened so that the insides of the plastic hose come into contact with one another and are brought to adhere to one another in a readily rupturable mechanical bond, so-called blocking. The flattened plastic hose is printed with the desired text or decor, whereafter the flattened hose (6) is divided into part webs (7) each of the desired width and decor.

Abstract: A narrow profile forming collar for forming thermoplastic tubes from a continuous web has a soldered and welded sheet metal construction which provides a compact, rigid forming collar particularly adapted to replace wide profile forming collars. A small unobtrusive mounting bracket is contained fully within the envelope of the forming collar, except for mounting surfaces on the opposite ends which are utilized to support the fill tube and, if needed, an auxiliary web feed roll.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for continuously forming hermetically sealed packages of a food item. A continuous web of thermoplastic material is folded and continuously formed with a hermetic longitudinal seal. The food item is inserted between inner surfaces of the tubular web member, which is then flattened to form a thin slice. A hermetic cross-seal is continuously formed transverse to the longitudinal seal. The web can be cooled before the cross-seals are formed.

Abstract: A bag forming, filling and sealing machine for producing bag packages with a base or block bottom comprising a forming tube whose lower part has two segments that accomplish a transition from a circular inlet cross section to a rectangular outlet cross section via a square intermediate cross section. As a result of the intermediate cross section, differences in length longitudinally along the jacket lines from the circular inlet cross section to the rectangular outlet cross section of the forming tube are virtually equalized. As a result, bulging and corrugation of the packaging material at the side faces of the bag packages is virtually precluded.

Abstract: In a packaging machine through which products are advanced singly and in succession along a wrapping line together with a heat-sealable wrapping film, the film is folded around each product to form a wrapper of tubular appearance with two facially confronting longitudinal edge margins, whereupon the temperature of the edge margins is raised by electromagnetic induction to soften the material in readiness for heat-sealing. The pressure required to fuse the heated confronting edge margins together is applied evenly from two opposite sides.

Abstract: A residual product removing apparatus which can prevent a liquid food (12) from flowing out even when a seal portion (S) is cut at its center. A pair of cutting rails (31, 32) are disposed in a cutting jaw (15a), and a cutter (21) is disposed in a clearance (33) formed between the cutting rails (31, 32) to be movable in advancing and retracting directions. A packaging material is cut at opposing portions (11a, 11b) when the cutter (21) is advanced. Dollies (31a, 32a) are disposed along the cutting rails (31, 32). A pair of heating bodies are disposed in a heat sealing jaw (15b) so as to squeeze and seal the opposing portions (11a, 11b) of the packaging material in cooperation with the dollies (31a, 32a). A groove (38) is formed between the heating bodies. The tip of the cutter (21) enters the groove (38) when the cutter (21) is advanced, and the tip of the cutter (21) presses the packaging material when the cutter (21) is located at its retracted position.

Abstract: A device for sealing bags or packages in a heat-sealable plastic material containing a predefined portion of product, wherein a tubular strip is longitudinally fed and filled while said sealing device, by welding the opposite edges of said tubular strip, defines a plurality of packages individually containing said predetermined portion of product, said sealing device comprising two welding plates or elements transverse to said strip and opposite one to the other and which are carried by a respective mobile support element.

Abstract: A platen seal for a vertical form fill and seal machine which uses unsupported polyethylene films to wrap products which require absolute seal integrity. The platen includes a set of lateral seal members in the form of wings on the top and bottom of the platen to seal gaps between platen segments without causing burn through of the film.

Abstract: An apparatus for sealing a thermoplastic-coated packaging material, the material having at least one layer of a metal foil, includes an inductor having at least three substantially parallel, spaced apart conductors. A method for forming sealed, filled packages and a method for sealing packaging material are also provided.

Abstract: A bag making machine for making bags from a sealable film is disclosed, wherein the heatable film is advanced along forming tubes. Most particularly, the invention is concerned with a bag making machine for the parallel manufacture, especially of tubular bag packings of a low width made from a foil cut into a plurality of strips of identical width, with the strips being continuously and cyclically formed around a corresponding number of parallel tubes.

Abstract: A bag maker bends an elongated bag-forming film into a tubular shape, moves it longitudinally along a path, seals its mutually overlapping side edges into a tubular shape, fills it with articles to be packaged and simultaneously seals it transversely with a transverse sealer to make individual filled bags. The transverse sealer has a pair of seal jaws opposite each other across the path of the film, each adapted to move in a D-shaped closed trajectory and inwardly towards each other to transversely seal the film over a seal area. A pair of shutters is disposed on the seal jaws so as to each move behind corresponding one of the seal jaws when moving downward. These shutters are biased inward towards each other and normally protrude inwardly from the inward-facing surfaces of the seal jaws so as to prevent articles intended for the next bag to be produced will not be caught between the seal jaws when transverse sealing is effected.

Abstract: A rotary packaging machine including a pair of cooperating stripper bars (17) which engage the bag material (15) prior to the sealing jaws (16) engaging the bag material (15). The stripper bars (17) have attached to them or formed integral therewith, bag shields (30). The bag shields (30) are arcuate so as to generally extend along an arcuate path having a fixed axis extending from the pivot axis (32) of the supporting lever (26) for the stripper bar (17).

Abstract: A counter rotating or reciprocating frame is pivotally connected at one end to a main frame and has a pair of sealing and cutting jaws counter-rotatably connected at the other end. A main drive transfers drive motion to a end seal drive on the reciprocating frame which rotates the upper and lower sealing jaws. The main drive transfer also provides drive motion for a linear drive which converts the drive motion into a linear drive motion. A linear drive transfer mechanism transfers the linear drive motion to the reciprocating frame. The motion of a reciprocating frame and the frequency of the upper and lower sealing jaws engaging are synchronized such that a longitudinal tube of flexible wrapping material engaged at specific locations to form end seals and end cuts in the longitudinal tube of flexible wrapping material which create individual flexible packages.

Abstract: A cross-sealing device for a tubular-bag packaging machine operable with stripping rods moved along the plastic foil tube to be sealed, which stripping rods assure that the sealing surfaces are free of packaging material prior to the sealing task. A drive is provided for the stripping rods which is mechanically robust and makes it possible to adapt the stripping paths on the plastic foil tube to the special requirements. Belt drives are provided for this purpose which are driven independently of the cross-sealing jaws and are controlled by a position controller controlling the position of the stripping rods.

Abstract: A novel apparatus and method for manufacturing flexible, reclosable containers is described herein. A continuous web of flexible film is formed into a tube around a forming tube. The lateral edges of the continuous web are guided so as to extend substantially perpendicularly from the forming tube, thereby forming a longitudinal seam. A pair of interlocked continuous fastener profile strips are then directed downwardly into the seam between the lateral edges of the film. Intermittent impulse sealing bars are utilized for heating the exterior surfaces of the seam so as to heatseal the bases of the fastener strips to the interior surfaces of the seam. Vertical longitudinal sealing bars are further provided externally from the impulse sealing bars which seal the longitudinal seam proximate the lateral edges of the continuous web. A pair of transverse sealing bars form the top seal of a first container and the bottom seal of a second container.

Abstract: A form-fill-seal type packaging machine with a transverse sealer having a pair of seal jaws is initially operated for a number of cycles without introducing any articles to be packaged into bags which are being formed from an elongated thermoplastic film, and values of a selected physical variable indicative of the separation between the seal jaws are detected. From an average of these detected values and known variations in the thickness of the film, a standard range is determined for the selected physical variable. When the packaging is operated thereafter with articles introduced into the bags, the same physical variable is measured as each bag is transversely sealed and, if the measured value is outside the standard range, a warning is outputted or the film is not cut across the sealed position into two separated packages. The physical variable to be selected may be the torque on the motor which serves to move the seal jaws towards each other.

Abstract: Packets are produced by forming a continuous web (W) of packaging material into a tubular form around a tube (4) through which the packet filling material is delivered, the individual packets being sealed and severed from the web as each dose of filling material is delivered. A valve (24) to control the dosing is provided at the exit end of the delivery tube. The sealing and severing of the packets is performed by mutually transverse pairs of rotors (36, 38) the arms (92) of which interdigitate to make successive seals in mutually transverse directions, so forming tetrahedral packets.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for registering the level of contents in a packaging material tube which is formed in a packaging machine and is continuously supplied with contents and sealed-off transversely for the formation of individual packaging containers filled with contents are previously known and include, int. al. sensing devices located in the packaging material tube. In order to facilitate cleaning and sterilization of the packaging machine, use is made, in the method according to the present invention, exclusively of sensing devices located outside the packaging material tube (6), in the form of a device (15) sensing the outside temperature of the packaging material tube (6), the device being, via a master unit (17), connected to a feeder device (12) which, in response to the signal of the sensing device (15) via the master unit (17), is regulated so that contents (18) are supplied at a suitable rate to the lower end of the packaging material tube (6).

Abstract: A continuous vertical form-fill-seal packaging machine is disclosed, along with a related method, utilizing a synchronized product clamp for staging/settling each product batch. The film feeding, carriage driving, sealing jaw movement, as well as the clamp operation, are computer controlled. In the continuous film/tube feed mode, the sealing jaws move in a modified sine wave motion with the film; the clamp for staging the product batches moving in a similar manner, but 180.degree. out-of-phase. Each product batch is released by the clamp adjacent to the sealing jaws so that the drop to the blousing plates and eventually into the bag being formed is minimized. The clamp is vibrated to further enhance the coalescing and settling function.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and system for sealing filled bags with headers using high speed automated bag sealing apparatus using a header strip aligned against a side of said bag in a predetermined position and simultaneously sealing said bag and said header strips to said bag with said high speed automated bag sealing apparatus.

Abstract: An improved stripping and sealing operation in a form, fill and seal packaging system is provided. Stepper and servo motors are computer controlled including by a 3-axis coordinator operating the X and Y motion of the sealing jaws, as well as the Y' motion of the film/tube feed. The Y motion is provided by oscillatory driving movement of the carriage to move the stripper/sealing jaws in a substantially constant modified sine wave profile. The Y' motion is variable and tracks the carriage to precisely size and form the bag. Blousing is also provided by tube/carriage relative motion also induced by varying the film/tube feed.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing, filling, and sealing bags out of a tube including a molding tube and a traveling inner tube that has a nozzle attached to it, against whose base a square bottom for a bag is folded. The nozzle is moved with a grasping device at the same speed as the feed velocity of the tube and parallel to it. The grasping device is disposed on a transverse seam jaw housing, which for its part can be moved along the feed path of the tube. Using the apparatus according to the invention and the process applicable to it, square bottoms can be folded in bags during a continuous feed of the tube, which gives rise to an especially high output of the apparatus.

Abstract: A packing machine includes a frame on a bottom of which a motor is mounted which has a rotary shaft laterally protruding therefrom. A sprocket train is securely mounted around the rotary shaft of the motor to rotate therewith. A chain train is mounted in the frame for co-operating with the sprocket train. A first sealing module is mounted on the side portion of the frame and is driven by the chain train for coupling the two opposite edges of the plastic film together. A second sealing module is mounted on the side portion of the frame below the first sealing module and is driven by the chain train for sealing the bottom end of the plastic film. A guiding device is mounted on the side portion of the frame for introducing the plastic film to smoothly move through the first sealing module and the second sealing module.