Apparatus and method for automatically forming and sealing pliable containers

Claim 1

An apparatus for automatically forming and sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising: a body frame; a mandrel drum rotatably secured to said body frame; a plurality of mandrel arms radially projecting from said mandrel drum; a pilot flange extending outwardly from each of said mandrel arm, said pilot flange situated in a plane normal to the axis of the mandrel arm; sealing head secured to the extremity of each of said mandrel arm for applying an internal sealing pressure to the folds of a folded container end, said sealing means having at least the face thereof in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said pilot flange and axially spaced therefrom, said sealing head having a pressure land situatEd on the face thereof comprised of a plurality of planes each having different elevations and sealing ribs superimposed upon said pressure land and slightly projecting therefrom; forming means movably secured to said body frame for folding the end of a container, said forming means being positioned opposite at least one of said sealing means, said forming means having spanker means operable in preset planes and crimper means operable in a different plane, said spanker means comprised of a pair of juxtapositioned impact blades attached to an arm pivotally secured to the body frame so as to be simultaneously movable on both sides of the crimper means, said blades having outwardly divergently flaring ends which compress the container at the break line against the corner of the sealing head thereby facilitating the folding of the container end at that juncture and wherein said crimper means is comprised of a pair of blades having an eccentric cam configuration rotatably mounted in the same plane on a movable elongated arm pivotally secured to said body frame; means for activating said crimping means; means for activating said spanker means; means for heating the plastic-coated container surface to an adhesive condition, said means being positioned opposite at least another of said sealing means; anvil means, the operative face thereof lying in one plane, movably secured to said body frame positioned opposite still another of said sealing means for compressing the folded end against said sealing means; means for activating said anvil means; and means for rotating said mandrel drum.

Claim 2

An apparatus for automatically forming and sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising: a body frame; a mandrel drum rotatably secured to said body frame; a plurality of mandrel arms radially projecting from said mandrel drum; a pilot flange extending outwardly from each of said mandrel arm, said pilot flange situated in a plane normal to the axis of the mandrel arm; sealing head secured to the extremity of each of said mandrel arm for applying an internal sealing pressure to the folds of a folded container end, said sealing means having at least the face thereof in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said pilot flange and axially spaced therefrom, said sealing head having a pressure land situatEd on the face thereof comprised of a plurality of planes each having different elevations and sealing ribs superimposed upon said pressure land and slightly projecting therefrom; forming means movably secured to said body frame for folding the end of a container, said forming means being positioned opposite at least one of said sealing means, said forming means having spanker means operable in preset planes and crimper means operable in a different plane, said spanker means comprised of a pair of juxtapositioned impact blades attached to an arm pivotally secured to the body frame so as to be simultaneously movable on both sides of the crimper means, said blades having outwardly divergently flaring ends which compress the container at the break line against the corner of the sealing head thereby facilitating the folding of the container end at that juncture and wherein said crimper means is comprised of a pair of blades having an eccentric cam configuration rotatably mounted in the same plane on a movable elongated arm pivotally secured to said body frame; means for activating said crimping means; means for activating said spanker means; means for heating the plastic-coated container surface to an adhesive condition, said means being positioned opposite at least another of said sealing means; anvil means, the operative face thereof lying in one plane, movably secured to said body frame positioned opposite still another of said sealing means for compressing the folded end against said sealing means; means for activating said anvil means; and means for rotating said mandrel drum.

Claim 20

A method of automatically forming and sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising the steps of: positioning a container to be formed and sealed over a pilot flange and a stationary sealing head which are in spatial and parallel alignment with each other so that the multilevelled pressure land and intermittently continuous sealing ribs carried by the face of said sealing head are in a predetermined position relative to said container, and the end thereof which is to be formed and sealed is uppermost; convergingly rotating a pair of crimper blades in the same plane thereby inwardly folding the opposite sides of the container end together so as to cause the other sides thereof to buckle inwardly; while said crimper blades remain in their convergent position in engagement with said container end, pressing a pair of spanker blades against the bend of the buckled portion of the container end thereby swaging the container material located at said bend and folding said buckled portion; heating said folded container end from an external heat source until the plastic coating thereof has acquired an adhesive condition; pressing a movable abutment anvil the face of which lies in one plane againSt the heated folded container end thereby compressing said end between the anvil face and the face of the stationary sealing head so that the internal folds of the folded container end are accommodated by the various elevations of the multilevelled pressure land and the intermittently continuous sealing ribs impress a predetermined sealing pattern upon said internal folds of the folded container end; maintaining said anvil pressure until fusion of the folds of the folded container end occurs; and removing said container from said pilot flange and said sealing head.

Claim 21

A method of automatically forming and sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising the steps of: positioning a container to be formed and sealed over a pilot flange and a stationary sealing head which are in spatial and parallel alignment with each other so that the multilevelled pressure land and intermittently continuous sealing ribs carried by the face of said sealing head are in a predetermined position relative to said container, and the end thereof which is to be formed and sealed is uppermost; convergingly rotating a pair of crimper blades in the same plane thereby inwardly folding the opposite sides of the container end together so as to cause the other sides thereof to buckle inwardly; while said crimper blades remain in their convergent position in engagement with said container end, pressing a pair of spanker blades against the bend of the buckled portion of the container end thereby swaging the container material located at said bend and folding said buckled portion; heating said folded container end from an external heat source until the plastic coating thereof has acquired an adhesive condition; pressing a movable abutment anvil the face of which lies in one plane againSt the heated folded container end thereby compressing said end between the anvil face and the face of the stationary sealing head so that the internal folds of the folded container end are accommodated by the various elevations of the multilevelled pressure land and the intermittently continuous sealing ribs impress a predetermined sealing pattern upon said internal folds of the folded container end; maintaining said anvil pressure until fusion of the folds of the folded container end occurs; and removing said container from said pilot flange and said sealing head.

Claim 22

A method of automatically forming and sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising the steps of: positioning a container to be formed and sealed over a pilot flange and a stationary sealing head so that one end thereof is uppermost; inwardly folding the opposite sides of said container end by a converging force until the remainder of the sides of said container end buckle inwardly; prior to the release of said converging force, applying a pressure to the bend of the buckled portion of the container end in parallel planes on both sides of the plane in which the converging force is applied and extending normally to the plane of the converging force; heating said folded container end until the plastic coating thereof is in an adhesive condition; compressing said heated end against the stationary sealing head so that a predetermined sealing pattern is impressed upon the internal folds of the folded container end; and removing said container from said pilot flange and stationary sealing head.

Claim 23

A method of automatically forming and sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising the steps of: positioning a container to be formed and sealed over a pilot flange and a stationary sealing head so that one end thereof is uppermost; inwardly folding the opposite sides of said container end by a converging force until the remainder of the sides of said container end buckle inwardly; prior to the release of said converging force, applying a pressure to the bend of the buckled portion of the container end in parallel planes on both sides of the plane in which the converging force is applied and extending normally to the plane of the converging force; heating said folded container end until the plastic coating thereof is in an adhesive condition; compressing said heated end against the stationary sealing head so that a predetermined sealing pattern is impressed upon the internal folds of the folded container end; and removing said container from said pilot flange and stationary sealing head.

Claim 26

A method for automatically forming pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising the steps of: inwardly folding the opposite sides of said container end by a converging force until the remainder of the sides of said container end buckle inwardly; and prior to the release of said converging force, applying a pressure to the bend of the buckled portion of the container end in parallel planes on both sides of the plane in which the converging force is applied and extending normally to the plane of the converging force.

Claim 27

A method for automatically forming pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface, comprising the steps of: inwardly folding the opposite sides of said container end by a converging force until the remainder of the sides of said container end buckle inwardly; and prior to the release of said converging force, applying a pressure to the bend of the buckled portion of the container end in parallel planes on both sides of the plane in which the converging force is applied and extending normally to the plane of the converging force.

Claim 28

A method for automatically sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface and mounted on a pilot flange and stationary sealing head having a face comprised of multilevelled pressure land and intermittently continuous sealing ribs carried by said sealing head face, comprising the steps of: heating the folded end of said container end until the plastic coating thereof is in an adhesive condition; compressing said heated end between a movable abutment anvil the face of which lies in one plane and the face of said sealing head so that the internal folds of the folded container end are accommodated by the various elevations of the multilevelled pressure land and the intermittently continuous sealing ribs impress a predetermined continuous sealing pattern upon said internal folds of the folded container end; and maintaining said anvil pressure until fusion of the folds of the folded container end occurs.

Claim 29

A method for automatically sealing pliable containers having a plastic-coated surface and mounted on a pilot flange and stationary sealing head having a face comprised of multilevelled pressure land and intermittently continuous sealing ribs carried by said sealing head face, comprising the steps of: heating the folded end of said container end until the plastic coating thereof is in an adhesive condition; compressing said heated end between a movable abutment anvil the face of which lies in one plane and the face of said sealing head so that the internal folds of the folded container end are accommodated by the various elevations of the multilevelled pressure land and the intermittently continuous sealing ribs impress a predetermined continuous sealing pattern upon said internal folds of the folded container end; and maintaining said anvil pressure until fusion of the folds of the folded container end occurs.