Abstract: A pouch machine forms a series of pouches in a continuous web of pouch material by folding the web and then forming spaced side seals to define a pouch closed on three sides with an initially unsealed mouth on top. The pouch is opened to its maximum volume prior to filling by pressurizing the pouch. Pressurization is achieved by introducing a curtain of compressed air under a plate and passing the mouths of the pouches adjacent the plate and thus through the air curtain. The air curtain is preferably at least as wide as the mouth so the entire mouth is subjected to the air pressure, thereby causing the pouch to inflate to its maximum volume. Continuous web height control is provided to assure alignment of the web with the plate. A lip at the mouth may be formed by folding one edge of the pouch over prior to creation of the side seals. After filling the lip is folded back up prior to top sealing to make a balanced pouch.

Abstract: A packaging machine including packaging apparatus to form fill and seal a chain of connected packages, a cutting station to separate the packages, means to operate the forming, filling and sealing apparatus and cutting apparatus so as to cut more packages than are formed, filled and sealed during a given time period.

Abstract: An improved tuck roll apparatus includes a drive roll, backup roll and tuck roll driven by clutch for tensioning and driving a pouch web without slippage on said rolls and for feeding the web to a filler wheel of a pouch filling machine. The tuck roll apparatus drives and tensions the web directly from the vertical sealer and upstream web supply of a pouch forming, filling and sealing machine without requiring any other web drive between the sealer and the filler wheel. All drive slippage is accommodated in the clutch driving the rolls, and not by slippage between the web and the rolls.

Abstract: A machine for wrapping an article with a belt-like wrapping material of film, synthetic resin laminate or the like, includes a folding and opening unit having a length about a half of the wrapping material. The unit comprises an inverting guide, a raising guide, and a folding guide. The inverting guide has a straight inverting and guiding section transversely crossing the wrapping material at a right angle and a virtually straight slant guiding section connected with one end of the inverting and guiding section and inclined by about 45.degree.. The raising guide is included in a fixed horizontal plane defined by the inverting guide and crosses a meeting point of both guiding sections at a right angle for raising the wrapping material at about a right angle.

Abstract: A rotary knife apparatus for depositing filled pouches in preselected count stacks along a travelling product conveyor. The rotary knife apparatus includes a rotating disc valve intermediate negative and positive pressure sources on one side and a rotary knife hub on the other side. The rotating disc valve includes a plurality of arcuate slots and apertures which communicate with the negative and positive pressure sources and axial ports in the knife hub such that the knife hub holds and expels the filled pouches along defined segments of rotation of the knife hub. The rotating disc valve has a dynamically variable rotational speed relative to a rotational speed of the knife hub for changing a predetermined number of different angular drop-off points during a period of rotation of the knife hub to correspondingly change the preselected count of pouches in a stack.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a resealable tubular form fill package is provided. A supply of thin thermoplastic film is continuously fed over a filling spout and formed into a tubular shape by bringing the lateral edges of the film together in an abutting face-to-face relationship. The faces of the edges are brought together at a seal location to form a fin seal. A supply of zipper closure is continuously fed adjacent the film material and adhered to the film. The film and the zipper closure are sealed and cut to produce a form fill package having a zipper closure. The zipper closure and film may be cut and sealed simultaneously.

Abstract: A dual web, intermittent motion packaging machine consisting of two webs being pulled by a dual web feeder roller unit through a dual side heat sealing device and a dual bag cutting device for forming two sets of bags. The dual web feeder roller device is driven by an assembly of new shafts, clutches, electromagnetic brakes and gears so as to provide for adjustment in pulling the dual webs. The web feeder roller units are adjusted to main synchronization between the two webs. The bags are carried by a dual bag clamping device attached, preferably, to an endless horizontal indexing chain.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for the manufacturing of pouches. The system includes a pouch dispensing module, robotics module, filling and sealing module and a cartoning module. The robotics system is coupled with the other modules and loads containers with pouches for delivery to the filling and sealing module. The robotics module increases production and decreases costs of manufacturing the pouches.

Abstract: Methods of converting pitch on a pouch machine include using a standard drive table with above table change parts including sealer wheel, filler wheel and knife. The sealer wheels and filler wheels are retained at respectively the same diameters to facilitate use of the common drive and to facilitate maintenance of the pouch web path through the machine for all pouch pitch ranges. Pouch stations on the sealer and filler wheels are not limited to whole degree movements and pouch web speeds are preferably maintained constantly for all pouch pitch ranges.

Abstract: Vertical sealer apparatus in a pouch form, fill and seal machine capable of reducing undesirable vertical seal growth along a web of heat-sealable material. The apparatus includes a drum cast of aluminum and having a plurality of elongated slots directed along either side of a plurality of radially extending heated land areas which contact the web to form transverse seals. The apparatus further includes a fan to blow air through the elongated slots in the drum and along either side of the land areas to cool the web during intermittent operation of the vertical sealer apparatus.

Abstract: A system for packaging, storing and dispensing discrete quantities of fluid has front and back sheets of fluid impervious material bonded together along seal lines to define a plurality of tubular containment channels including fill ports and discharge ports, and to define a filling manifold including a common fill port connected by a conduit to the separate fill ports. Each discharge port is provided with a frangibly capped, hollow dispensing tube and the seal lines further define cuffs releasably sealed about the dispensing tubes. After the channels are filled with fluid introduced at the common fill port, the sheets are further bonded to close the fill ports, and the filling manifold portion is removed.

Abstract: An automatic packing and sealing machine comprising a front conveyor set, a fast locating device for quickly adjusting and locating the front conveyor set and a sensing device for sensing an article passing therethrough. The sensing device employs a close contact block and a shade board connected therewith. The close contact block is upward swung by the passing article to make the shade board shade a close contact switch so as to actuate a sealing blade for sealing operation. An auxiliary film-pulling device is used to pull the plastic film so as to avoid that an excessively high article cannot be actually clamped by a clamping device and the plastic film packing the article loosen therefrom or the sealing portion is crimped. An elevator device is used to adjust the level of the sealing blade seat to suit various heights of the packed articles. The sealing blade has an arch joint portion which will not thrust the plastic film during the sealing operation.

Abstract: A machine for making and positioning plastic bags, constituted by a frame which includes: a feeder (3) for a band of plastic (B); a device (6) for creating a bellows-like fold in the band; a device (10) for cutting and fusing the band; a conveyor belt (18); a filling unit for filling the bags with a product; a nozzle for inflating the bags to insert the products; a device (25) for securing the bags so as to arrange them at the same angle as the product.

Abstract: A packaging machine including packaging apparatus to form a chain of connected packages, a cutting station to separate the packages having a controllable variable speed drive, an accumulator between the packaging apparatus and cutting station to accumulate the chain of packages, and control means to vary the speed of operation of the cutting station in response to the accumulation in the accumulator. The accumulator in its preferred form is a conveyor. A unique control device is provided which receives the completed package chain and delivers it for further processing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for filling successive pouches which are interconnected in a continuous web by a tubular top portion. Material is dispensed into the pouches by an elongated filling pipe and a mass flow meter monitors the amount of material dispensed through the filling pipe. The rate at which the web is conveyed along the filling pipe is controlled in response to the measured mass flow of the material whereby the amount of material dispensed into each pouch is accurately controlled.

Abstract: A machine and method for forming, filling and sealing closed individual pinch pouches includes a support for holding a continuous supply of material having a solid bleached sulfate board or paper board surface and a heat sealable plastic coating on one side. A folding apparatus folds the web material onto itself with the heat sealable surface facing itself with a gusset at the fold. Drive rollers pull the material from the source through the folding apparatus. Heating bars form a seal between selected portions of the material by sealing the heat sealable surfaces at intermittent portions. A cutter cuts the material through the seal and forms a blank having opposed sealed edges extending to the gusset and an open edge opposite the gusset. A hammer pushes the gusset of the blank inward to spread apart opposed surfaces of the blank. An injector forces a flowable substance into the blank through the open edge.

Abstract: A method for the production of flexible pouches each possessing a sealed product-containing pocket and incorporating an integral collar-shaped structure located externally of the pocket to enable suspending of the pouch from a support. More specifically, the method contemplates the sequential in-line production or manufacture of such flexible pouches which are essentially constituted from a sealable, flexible packaging material and which may consist of either a single-layer film material or of a multi-layered laminate so as to enable the containment in the pouches of the most varied types of products possessing widely different properties. In addition to the foregoing, also disclosed is a flexible pouch having a sealed product-containing pocket and incorporating an integral collar-shaped structure which is produced by the inventive method.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for successively forming foam filled cushions for packaging purposes of the type in which a bag containing foam precursors is added to a container so that as the foam precursors form foam, the bag forms a custom cushion adjacent objects in the container. The method comprises attaching an adhesive strip to the longitudinal edges of a pair of sheets of plastic film material being advanced along predetermined paths of travel in face to face contact from a stock supply, and between which sheets a foamable composition is injected, to thereby join the sheets together and form one edge of the bag, while periodically sealing the leading edge and the trailing edge of the sheets together transversely to the path of travel to form a bag while periodically severing a completed bag from the next succeeding bag being formed.

Abstract: A vacuum means for detecting transverse seal areas dividing unsealed areas in adjacent plies of a moving, multiple ply web includes vacuum ports defining a gap through which the web moves. Unsealed web areas are sucked against the ports. When a sealed area enters the gap, it is sucked to one or the other port, uncovering the opposite port. The ensuing pressure differential is sensed to indicate a seal entering or passing the gap. Seal signals are produced and used to control accurate cutting at the seals to separate the web into individual pouches. Control and circuitry apparatus and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for encapsulating three dimensional articles on one side of a bag formed by a bag making machine. A conventional bag making machine is modified configuring the drawrollers to allow for passage of the three-dimensional article. Additionally, a feeding station is used which acquires the article, moves the article to a gluing station where an adhesive is applied to the article. The feeding station then moves the article into a fold formed in the bag. The fold is sealed and the bag subsequently formed.

Abstract: The present invention includes a process and apparatus for producing highly specialized individual product pouches with high efficiency and simplicity at production speeds that are easily obtainable with present day forming machines, particularly, horizontal-type form-fill-seal machines. The subject process and apparatus advantageously form pouches from a continuous supply of flexible web material by folding the flexible web material into two side walls and a bottom gusset and performing one or more forming operations on only one of the gusset portion and lower side wall combinations at one time. Such forming operations may include any operation which physically or perspectively alters the appearance or nature of the pouches. After at least one such forming operation is conducted, a plurality of side seals are provided to define at least one specialized pouch.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming film packaging from a webbing of film which also fills, seals and separates the packaging which includes a housing with a film supply means located adjacent the upstream end thereof to supply film webbing for support upon a longitudinally extending support bar mounted within the housing. The support carries the film webbing to a side sealing station and a side cutting station for forming the individual packages as well as a top slitting station for forming an opening in the uppermost portion of the webbing to facilitate bottom loading of product therein. The webbing is then transported to a loading station where the webbing is clamped by an upstream film clamping device and a downstream film clamping device and wherein the opening is made open by a first and second pouch opening clamping device oriented obliquely angularly with respect to the path of movement of the film webbing therealong.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for producing bag-like packs including a continuous strand (17) which is formed from packaging material folded in a V-shape and having transverse seams (15). Prepared portions (21) of fibrous filling material are pushed into pockets (18), open at the side, during the continuous transporting of the strand (17) by the apparatus. Thereafter, the pockets (18) are closed at a longitudinal seam (16) formed during the continuous transporting. The packs are formed by being severed from the strand (17). The strand (17) and the portions (21) are transported by synchronously running endless conveyors, and specifically by a spreading ring (27) and a portion turret (35), respectively. The above-mentioned conveyors are mounted axially parallel to each other such that, with synchronous running, the portions (21) are pushed radially out of the portion turret (35) into the pockets (18).

Abstract: A dancer assembly for feeding a web of film having ports extending therefrom to a former for folding the web of film. The apparatus includes a dancer having a roller located between two tracks that allow the roller to move vertically along the tracks. The web of film being fed around the roller and vertically upwards toward the former. A quarter turn member for changing the flow path of the film from a substantially horizontal flow path to a substantially vertical flow path. And a member for moving horizontally, as a unit, the dancer and quarter turn member while maintaining a fixed spacial orientation of the dancer and the quarter turn. A method of feeding a web of film to a former is also provided.

Abstract: Apparatus for printing, folding, and sealing a one-piece form sheet to prepare a self-mailer. The apparatus includes a substantially conventional printer, which may be a laser printer, suitable for use with a personal computer. The printer is mounted above and outputs printed form sheets downwards to a folder sealer for folding and sealing to prepare a self-mailer. The folder sealer includes a folder having a central and peripheral rollers and curved, one-sided, open buckle chutes for folding the form sheet and delivering it to a transport which extends under the printer. The folder sealer also includes moistening apparatus for moistening areas on the form sheet to which a remoistable glue has been applied.

Abstract: Heated seal bars are located on opposite sides of an elongated strip of heat sealable material adapted to be advanced with a step-by-step motion. When the strip dwells, the bars are shifted linearly inwardly into engagement with the strip to form a heat seal and then are retracted linearly a short distance away from the strip to permit the strip to advance through its next step. If an abnormal condition prevents the strip from advancing, the bars are retracted linearly to a parked position in which the bars are spaced a substantial distance away from the strip in order to prevent the heat radiating from the bars from damaging the stopped strip.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a web of interconnected bags from a semitubular web of material, in which pockets are formed at a first side of the web and a second side of the web adjacent a first of two longitudinal outer edges of the web. At least one continuous strip is inserted into the pockets before separation of the bags. The strips are cut to predetermined lengths, and their ends are fastened together. The web is welded together along transverse lines substantially perpendicular to the pockets for producing one bag at a time, which is conveyed transversely substantially perpendicular to the direction motion of the web. The pockets project at one of the two sides of the web beyond the pockets on the other side of the web substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the web. Each bag is welded and conveyed substantially perpendicular to the direction of motion of the web.

Abstract: Apparatus for shifting particulate material from one end of a pouch toward the other. In pouch form, fill, seal apparatus, a web of pouches is filled, the material tending to lodge in the bottom portion of each pouch. A pair of twisted belts pass the web on an upper and lower run wherein the bottom of the pouch is elevated as it passes over the belts to cause a product within the pouches to redistribute itself uniformly throughout the pouch.

Abstract: Pouches in an interconnected strip are advanced edgewise to a cut-off station where the leading pouch is severed from the strip. Prior to being severed, the leading pouch is gripped by a transfer mechanism which lifts the severed pouch upwardly into pouch clamps carried on the opposing inboard runs of two chains adapted to advance the pouch broadwise through a filling section and along a path extending at right angles to the path of the pouch strip. Before being filled, the pouches are opened by shifting portions of the inboard runs of the two chains laterally toward one another and by pulling the side panels of the pouch away from one another with suction cups. The chains are adapted to be simultaneously adjusted in laterally opposite directions and through equal distances to enable the machine to be changed over to run pouches of different width while keeping pouches of all widths centered with respect to a common datum line as the pouches are advanced through the filling section.

Abstract: An improved form, fill, seal and separate packaging machine for reclosable containers is accomplished by a plurality of stations disposed along a path of travel of a thermoplastic web including means to attach a pair of mated, resealable closure strips to the base web. The machine is intermittent in its operation, with movement of the web through the machine controlled so that the various steps of applying the closure strips, forming, filling, sealing and separating the reclosable containers are performed during periodic stops of the machine. The machine is further characterized by its use of two pairs of web belts to move the web through the machine. A first pair of web belts initially receive the folded web stock and partially form and completely fill the containers. The second pair of web belts overlap with the downstream end of the first pair of belts, but are disposed lower than the first belts.

Abstract: Trapezoidal sections are simultaneously heat sealed and cut from a long strip of sheet plastic folded over double or in tubular form. Cutting one long corner and inserting air opens the interior volume of the trapezoid. Crimping the long ends horizontally, with the trapezoidal plane held vertically, and heat sealing one bottom end forms a tent-shaped bag. The paint bags are placed in a molded tote tray and gang filled through the cut ends and a number of the cut ends heat sealed simultaneously by a bar sealer. The molded tote tray is also used to transport and display the paint bags. Each paint bag fits into a paint applicator having a tent-shaped receiving space directly contacting a paint pad with multiple holes. The paint bag is punctured and squeezed to supply paint continuously to the pad through the holes. A tubular sheet of plastic creates disposable paint bags filled through one of the bottom ends before sealing. Folded over plastic sheets create open-topped refillable paint bags.

Abstract: A web is folded upon itself and transversely sealed. The web is cut into individual pouches which are fed into gripper units, on an endless conveyor, each having a fixed leading jaw and a movable trailing jaw which grip the leading and trailing edges of the pouches. To open a pouch, the trailing jaw is moved toward the fixed jaw by a cam and held in position by friction. Each opened pouch is carried around a filler unit where it is filled. Thereafter, a cam causes said jaws to spread apart, stretching the mouth of the pouch, where it is sealed in a heat sealer.

Abstract: A form, fill, seal and separate packaging machine for reclosable containers is accomplished by a plurality of stations disposed along a path of travel of a thermoplastic web including a pair of mated, resealable closure strips present on the base web. The machine is intermittent in its operation, with movement of the web through the machine controlled so that the various steps of forming, filling, sealing and separating the reclosable containers are performed during periodic stops of the machine. The machine is further characterized by its use of two pairs of web belts to move the web through the machine. A first pair of web belts initially receive the folded web stock and partially form and completely fill the containers. The second pair of web belts overlap with the downstream end of the first pair of belts, but are disposed lower than the first belts.

Abstract: A self-service check-out counter for cashier-unattended use and operation includes an laser scanner for automated reading of product identification codes borne by articles to be purchased, a keyboard for manual entry of article-identifying information, a variety of indicators and signalling devices for instructing actions by the customer, devices for preventing pilferage, fraud and inadvertent errors and an integral bag forming apparatus for manufacturing custom-formed bags on-site at the counter and on demand and, preferably, custom-sized to conform to the volume of articles to be packed in the bags. A customer individually scans articles to be purchased and the scanned data is verified through comparison with stored product identifying information. Following verification of each article, customer placement of the article into the bag forming apparatus in enabled and a bag preferably conforming to the volume of articles purchased in manufactured within the check-out counter.

Abstract: For the purpose of producing filled foil-containers adapted to stand upon their bases, container-parts having tubular parts are initially deep-drawn, in a strip of foil, on each side of centerline running in the direction of travel, the said tubular parts running towards the edges of the foil but terminating at a distance therefrom. Thereafter, the foil-parts lying on each side of the centerline are heated and are folded up about the said centerline, which thereby becomes a fold-line to form open containers which are then sealed, at a first sealing station around their peripheries, except for the perpheries of the upwardly projecting tubular parts. The edges of the foil are then spread apart in the vicinity of the said tubular parts, through which the containers are filled. The spreading is released and the containers are sealed, in a second sealing station in such a manner as to close the peripheries of the said tubular parts also.

Abstract: A plastic bag is formed, filled, sealed and separated from continuous webs of plastic material. The webs pass downwardly between complementary U-shaped heat sealing jaws that reciprocate and cooperate to provide seams which form a pocket that is closed after it has been filled from above and indexed downwardly. The top seam of one pocket is formed simultaneously with the bottom seam of an adjacent pocket and a weakened line of juncture is provided therebetween. Grippers carried on the heat sealing jaws engage opposite sides of the plastic webs above the location of the top seam of the filled pocket and cooperate with a separator that tensions the webs along the weakened line to rupture the filled pocket from the webs while the webs are still in a thermally weakened condition.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of wrapping various products in packaging obtained from a strip. In the method, the strip is longitudinally folded along its center so as to form two longitudinal portions which are longitudinally coupled. The portions are then joined along transverse junction lines which define compartments having upwardly open mouths for inserting material. The compartments are then separated at the transverse junction lines, thus obtaining a set of independent bags which remain joined together at lateral areas near the mouth. The resulting bags are suspended from a conveyor travelling along a closed path in a loop. According to the invention, the path travelled by the bags is inside the path of the conveyor so that opposite corners of the bag mouths are brought together and consequently loosen the borders bounding the mouth so that metering means can be inserted along a circular portion of the path of the conveyor so that a preset amount of material can be discharged into the bags.

Abstract: In pouch packs for tobacco or the like of the "side-folding pouch" type, it is difficult to make a hermetic closure for the orifice of a pocket of the pouch pack, because accumulations of material impeding the provision of a closing seam or the like arise in the edge regions as a result of the construction of the pack. For this reason, the pouch pack is spread out to the full width of the blank in the region of the orifice for the provision of a closing seam, the closing seam is then made and the projecting lengths of material thus formed in the region of a covering tab are folded over inwards against the latter. This results in a pouch pack which is closed in an absolutely leak-proof manner and which has an essentially cuboid shape after completion.

Abstract: A web of pouches is carried around a rotating drum. Above the drum is a filler. The filler has a lower stationary plate with an arcuate slot in it. Above the stationary plate are two rotating plates which are vertically-spaced apart. The plates have aligned holes forming cups. A hopper is located above the rotating plates to pour product onto the rotating plates. A separator is located between the rotating plates and overlies the slot in the stationary plate whereby the lower primary cups are filled through the upper secondary cups and are discharged into pouches through the slot in the stationary plate while the separator holds back the product in the upper secondary cups.

Abstract: A method for folding and sealing sheets comprises feeding a sheet forward along a path, bulging a portion of the sheet, folding said bulged portion, adhering a portion of the sheet face to face to a portion thereof trailing backward of the fold, and passing the formed fold forward. Apparatus for folding and sealing sheets comprises means for feeding a sheet, means for bulging a portion of the sheet, means for folding the bulged portion, and means for adhering a sheet portion face to face to a portion thereof trailing the fold. Apparatus for enhancing the security of information on a front side of a sheet comprises said apparatus for folding and sealing sheets, where a plurality of folds are provided and the front side of said sheet is concealed from view inside said folds, said folds being sealed along the lateral side edge portions thereof. Address information may be applied adjacent the trailing edge of said sheet, and the trailing edge portion is folded to expose the address information to view.

Abstract: A plastic bag is formed, filled, sealed and separated from a continuous web of longitudinally folded plastic material. The web passes downwardly between complementary L-shaped heat sealing jaws that reciprocate and cooperate to provide seams which form a pocket that is closed after it has been filled from above and indexed downwardly. The top seam of one pocket is formed simultaneously with the bottom seam of an adjacent pocket and a weakened line of juncture is provided therebetween. Grippers carried on the heat sealing jaws engage opposite sides of the plastic web above the location of the top seam of the filled pocket and cooperate with a separator that tensions the web along the weakened line to rupture the filled pocket from the web while the web is still in a thermally weakened condition.

Abstract: Rectangular blanks of laminated cardboard are converted into containers for foodstuffs or the like in an apparatus wherein the central portion of a blank is clamped between two coaxial tools one of which has a concave blank-contacting surface and the other of which has a complementary convex blank-contacting surface. The tools can enter the cavity of a matrix with edges at one end of the cavity serving to cooperate with edges bounding the surfaces of the two tools so as to define pronounced boundaries between the clamped portion and the adjacent outer portions of the blank. The tool with the concave front surface is caused to penetrate into the cavity and to push the other tool in front of it whereby the outer portions of the blank are converted into a pair of sidewalls with convex outer sides.

Abstract: At first, a semihose is made with a label fold (2) as well as a bag fold (3), whose free ends overlap with each other, whereby the free edge of the bag fold (3) is disposed on the outside. The labels 6 which are inserted in the longitudinal direction of the semihose control the forward movement of the semihose within the device in such a manner that separating weld seams (4) as well as adjacent perforations (5) are always made between successive labels (6). A sealing weld seam (7) is made after filling the bag, so as to close the bag.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a unique method for packaging a product in individual packets constructed of a sheet of flexible material. In the method of the present invention, a sheet of flexible packaging material is formed into a generally U-shaped channel having spaced apart vertical sidewalls. The facing surfaces of the sidewalls are sealed at horizontally spaced apart locations to define a plurality of open top packets. A predetermined amount of a flowable product is introduced into each of the open top packets. Next, the upper corner portions of each individual packet are sealed and a prdetermined portion is cut from each upper corner. The upper corner portions of each packet then are pulled away from one another in a generally horizontal direction to urge the spaced apart upper marginal edges of the sidewalls of the packet toward one another. After the upper corner portions have been pulled away from one another, the upper marginal edges of the packets are sealed together to close the packet.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for forming packages from continuous folded sheets. A sheet is folded and formed into bags by bonding and cutting. Prior to the formation of the bags, plates are introduced between the sheets. The plates are mounted so that they can separate from one another to open the bags after the bags have been fully formed, so that the material can be introduced into the bags. Instead of plates, the elements for opening the bags can be wires, suction elements or blowers.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging snuff ready for use in the form of portions enclosed, for example, in a paper sachet (3,9) from a snuff store. The apparatus is characterizing in that the portioning means (3,9) is arranged to compress the snuff portion in a portion pocket (9), wherewith each portion pocket comprises a through-passing opening in a portion conveyor (4). The compressed snuff portions are blown by pneumatic means (11,14) to an intended position in a packaging band (16).

Abstract: Cam driven apparatus for positioning a folded film relative to a film spreading and clamping assembly and which holds an open end of the film, while the film is sealed to form a bag. A cam driven pedestal, in turn, aligns the thus prepared bag with a filling assembly where the bag is grasped and rammed full of produce or the like, before being sealed.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing pocketed coil springs is provided. The apparatus includes a pair of weld heads and an adjustment assembly for moving the heads longitudinally or transversely from each other. The relative position of the weld lines in a fabric passing beneath the heads can accordingly be set with precision. This is accomplished by rotating one of the heads about two axes, one extending through the head and a second axis extending parallel to the first at a selected distance therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically packaging folded hosiery into a pouch having a pouch closing flap in which a first means automatically forms the pouch and flap of a single sheet of plastic film with one face of a double-faced adhesive tape adhesively attached to the pouch, in which a second means automatically inserts the folded hosiery into the pouch while adhesively attaching the other face of the double-faced adhesive tape already on the pouch to the flap to close the pouch with the hosiery therein and in which a suction transfer arm automatically transfers the pouch and flap as made by the first means to the second means to insert the hosiery into the pouch.

Abstract: A method for folding and sealing sheets comprises feeding a sheet forward along a path, bulging a portion of the sheet, folding said bulged portion, adhering a portion of the sheet face to face to a portion thereof trailing backward of the fold, and passing the formed fold forward. Apparatus for folding and sealing sheets comprises means for feeding a sheet, means for bulging a portion of the sheet, means for folding the bulged portion, and means for adhering a sheet portion face to face to a portion thereof trailing the fold. Apparatus for enhancing the security of information on a front side of a sheet comprises said apparatus for folding and sealing sheets, where a plurality of folds are provided and the front side of said sheet is concealed from view inside said folds, said folds being sealed along the lateral side edge portions thereof. Address information may be applied adjacent the trailing edge of said sheet, and the trailing edge portion is folded to expose the address information to view.