Packaging apparatus

Claim 2

A wrapping apparatus having a wrapper-storage area, selecting and feeding means for individually selecting and feeding a flat one-piece wrapper from the storage area, a downwardly movable elevator platform for receiving a flat wrapper, drive means for positively lowering the elevator platform, commodity-feeding means for presenting and placing on the flat wrapper on the elevator platform a commodity to be wrapped, said commodityfeeding means comprising first advancing means for advancing a plurality of commodities, means for aligning said commodities, while advancing, into predetermined alignment, selecting means for selecting a predetermined number of aligned commodities, second advancing means for advancing the selected commodities and presenting said commodities to said elevator platform, said second advancing means advancing said commodities to said platform at a rate faster than the advancement of said commodities by said first advancing means, preventing for preventing unselected commodities from advancing to said platform when said second advancing means is advancing said selected commodities, wrapper-engaging means for juxtaposing opposed side portions of the wrapper between upper and lower stations through which the elevator platform downwardly moves whereby one pair of opposed side portions of the wrapper are juxtaposed to the commodity when it reaches the lower station, second wrapperengaging means to inwardly fold against the transverse sides of the commodity-wrapper portions extending from the lateral side wrapper panels, third wrapper engaging means to inwardly fold the bottom portion of wrapper sections extending from the bottom of the wrapper to upwardly fold them thereby to retain the minor portions juxtaposed to the transverse side of the commodity, further wrapper-folding means in advance of the lower station for juxtaposing the top panel of the wrapper to the commodity, advancing means for acting on the wrapper for advancing the partially wrapped commodity to said last-mentioned wrapperfolding means, and means for folding top panel sections extending from the top portion of the wrapper to the transverse sides of the commodity and to close the commodity in a fully wrapped manner.

Claim 3

A wrapping apparatus having a wrapper-storage area, selecting and feeding means individually selecting and feeding a flat one-piece wrapper from the storage area, said wrapper having a bottom panel, lateral side panels on either side of said bottom panel, and a top panel connected to one lateral side panel, with opposed pairs of Attached panels connected to each side of said bottom lateral and top panels, a downwardly movable elevator platform for receiving said flat wrapper, glue-applying means for applying glue to said opposed pairs of said side panels as said wrapper is advanced from said storage area to said elevator platform, drive means for positively lowering the elevator platform, commodity-feeding means for presenting and placing on the flat wrapper on the elevator platform a commodity to be wrapped, said commodity-feeding means comprising first advancing means for advancing a plurality of commodities, means for aligning said commodities, while advancing, into predetermined alignment, selecting means for selecting a predetermined number of aligned commodities, second advancing means for advancing the selected commodities and presenting said commodities to said elevator platform, said second advancing means advancing said commodities to said platform at a rate faster than the advancement of said commodities by said first advancing means, means for preventing unselected commodities from advancing to said platform when said second advancing means is advancing said selected commodities, wrapper-engaging means for juxtaposing opposed side portions of the wrapper between upper and lower stations through which the elevator platform downwardly moves whereby the lateral upper panels of the wrapper are juxtaposed to the commodity when it reaches the lower station, second wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold against the transverse sides of the commodity-wrapper portions extending from the lateral side wrapper panels, third wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold the bottom portions of wrapper sections extending from the bottom of the wrapper to upwardly fold them thereby to retain the minor portions juxtaposed to the transverse side of the commodity, further wrapper-folding means in advance of the lower station for juxtaposing the top panel of the wrapper to the commodity, advancing means for acting on the wrapper for advancing the partially wrapped commodity to said last-mentioned wrapper-folding means, and means for folding top panel sections extending from the top portion of the wrapper to the transverse sides of the commodity and to close the commodity in a fully wrapped manner.

Claim 4

A wrapping apparatus having a wrapper-storage area, selecting and feeding means individually selecting and feeding a flat one-piece wrapper from the storage area, said wrapper having a bottom panel, lateral side panels on either side of said bottom panel, and a top panel connected to one lateral side panel, with opposed pairs of Attached panels connected to each side of said bottom lateral and top panels, a downwardly movable elevator platform for receiving said flat wrapper, glue-applying means for applying glue to said opposed pairs of said side panels as said wrapper is advanced from said storage area to said elevator platform, drive means for positively lowering the elevator platform, commodity-feeding means for presenting and placing on the flat wrapper on the elevator platform a commodity to be wrapped, said commodity-feeding means comprising first advancing means for advancing a plurality of commodities, means for aligning said commodities, while advancing, into predetermined alignment, selecting means for selecting a predetermined number of aligned commodities, second advancing means for advancing the selected commodities and presenting said commodities to said elevator platform, said second advancing means advancing said commodities to said platform at a rate faster than the advancement of said commodities by said first advancing means, means for preventing unselected commodities from advancing to said platform when said second advancing means is advancing said selected commodities, wrapper-engaging means for juxtaposing opposed side portions of the wrapper between upper and lower stations through which the elevator platform downwardly moves whereby the lateral upper panels of the wrapper are juxtaposed to the commodity when it reaches the lower station, second wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold against the transverse sides of the commodity-wrapper portions extending from the lateral side wrapper panels, third wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold the bottom portions of wrapper sections extending from the bottom of the wrapper to upwardly fold them thereby to retain the minor portions juxtaposed to the transverse side of the commodity, further wrapper-folding means in advance of the lower station for juxtaposing the top panel of the wrapper to the commodity, advancing means for acting on the wrapper for advancing the partially wrapped commodity to said last-mentioned wrapper-folding means, and means for folding top panel sections extending from the top portion of the wrapper to the transverse sides of the commodity and to close the commodity in a fully wrapped manner.

Claim 5

A wrapping apparatus having a wrapper-storage area, selecting and feeding means for individually selecting and feeding a flat one-piece wrapper from the storage area, said wrapper having a bottom panel, lateral side panels on either side of said bottom panel, and a top panel connected to one lateral side panel, with opposed pairs of attached panels connected to each side of said bottom lateral and top panels, a downwardly movable elevator platform for receiving said flat wrapper, drive means for positively lowering the elevator platform, commodity-feeding means for presenting and placing on the flat wrapper on the elevator platform a commodity to be wrapped, said commodity-feeding means comprising first advancing means for advancing a plurality of commodities, means for aligning said commodities, while advancing, into predetermined alignment, selecting means for selecting a predetermine number of aligned commodities, second advancing means for advancing the selected commodities and presenting said commodities to said elevator platform, said second advancing means advancing said commodities to said platform at a rate faster than the advancement of said commodities by said first advancing means, means for preventing unselected commodities from advancing to said platform when said second advancing means is advancing said selected commodities, wrapper-engaging means for juxtaposing opposed side portions of the wrapper between upper and lower stations through which the elevator platform downwardly moves whereby the lateral upper panels of the wrapper are juxtaposed to the commodity when it reaches the lower station, second wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold against the transverse sides of the commodity-wrapper porTions extending from the lateral side wrapper panels, third wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold the bottom portions of wrapper sections extending from the bottom of the wrapper to upwardly fold them thereby to retain the minor portions juxtaposed to the transverse side of the commodity, said third wrapper-engaging means leaving said bottom portions of wrapper sections extending outwardly, glue-applying means at said lower station for applying glue to said minor portions of wrapper material, further wrapper-folding means in advance of the lower station for juxtaposing the top panel of the wrapper to the commodity, advancing means for acting on the wrapper for advancing the partially wrapped commodity to said last-mentioned wrapper-folding means, and means for folding top panel sections extending from the top portion of the wrapper to the transverse sides of the commodity and to close the commodity in a fully wrapped manner.

Claim 6

A wrapping apparatus having a wrapper-storage area, selecting and feeding means for individually selecting and feeding a flat one-piece wrapper from the storage area, said wrapper having a bottom panel, lateral side panels on either side of said bottom panel, and a top panel connected to one lateral side panel, with opposed pairs of attached panels connected to each side of said bottom lateral and top panels, a downwardly movable elevator platform for receiving said flat wrapper, drive means for positively lowering the elevator platform, commodity-feeding means for presenting and placing on the flat wrapper on the elevator platform a commodity to be wrapped, said commodity-feeding means comprising first advancing means for advancing a plurality of commodities, means for aligning said commodities, while advancing, into predetermined alignment, selecting means for selecting a predetermine number of aligned commodities, second advancing means for advancing the selected commodities and presenting said commodities to said elevator platform, said second advancing means advancing said commodities to said platform at a rate faster than the advancement of said commodities by said first advancing means, means for preventing unselected commodities from advancing to said platform when said second advancing means is advancing said selected commodities, wrapper-engaging means for juxtaposing opposed side portions of the wrapper between upper and lower stations through which the elevator platform downwardly moves whereby the lateral upper panels of the wrapper are juxtaposed to the commodity when it reaches the lower station, second wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold against the transverse sides of the commodity-wrapper porTions extending from the lateral side wrapper panels, third wrapper-engaging means to inwardly fold the bottom portions of wrapper sections extending from the bottom of the wrapper to upwardly fold them thereby to retain the minor portions juxtaposed to the transverse side of the commodity, said third wrapper-engaging means leaving said bottom portions of wrapper sections extending outwardly, glue-applying means at said lower station for applying glue to said minor portions of wrapper material, further wrapper-folding means in advance of the lower station for juxtaposing the top panel of the wrapper to the commodity, advancing means for acting on the wrapper for advancing the partially wrapped commodity to said last-mentioned wrapper-folding means, and means for folding top panel sections extending from the top portion of the wrapper to the transverse sides of the commodity and to close the commodity in a fully wrapped manner.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said wrapper-selecting and feeding means comprises first means for engaging the lowermost wrapper of a stack of wrappers in said storage area, said first means advancing a selected wrapper to second and third wrapper-advancing means, said second and third wrapper-advancing means engaging and controlling the advancement of said wrapper for advancing said wrapper to said elevator platform, and fourth wrapper-advancing means for advancing the wrapper into position on said elevator platform.

Claim 8

An apparatus, as defined in claim 2, wherein said glue-applying means comprises a pair of glue baths beneath said wrapper-storage area, glue-applying wheels rotatable in said baths, rotatable glue segments in contact with said wheels, means for rotating said glue-applying wheels and segments, said glue segments having glue-applying surfaces about a portion of the circumference thereof adapted to apply glue to a wrapper blank advanced by said wrapper-selecting and feeding means, and means for retaining said wrapper in contact with said glue segments as said wrapper is advanced.

Claim 9

An apparatus, as defined in claim 5, wherein said wrapper includes a manufacturer''s flap, said glue-applying segments including means for applying glue to the wrapper along one lateral side panel thereof in the area to which the manufacturer''s flap is adapted to be secured to.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said third wrapper-engaging means comprises a wrapper-engaging bar spaced above said lower station whereby when said commodity is lowered on said elevator platform, said bar upwardly folds the bottom portions of wrapper sections extending from said bottom panel upwardly.

Claim 11

An apparatus, as defined in claim 2, wherein said second wrapping-engaging means comprises movable arms adapted to inwardly fold said transverse sides of the commodity-wrapper portions extending from the lateral side panels and means for actuating said arms as the elevator platform descends.

Claim 12

An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said drive means for lowering the elevator platform, said commodity-feeding means and said advancing means for acting on the commodity are driven by a common drive system, said drive system comprising a rotatable shaft mounting a plurality of eccentric cams, means for rotating said rotatable shaft and connecting means connecting said drive means for lowering said elevator platform, and said commodity-feeding means to said eccentric cams.

Claim 13

An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said commodity-feeding means comprises a pair os spaced-apart upper and lower commodity-feeding systems, each system being adapted to supply an array of commodities to the elevator platform, and including first advancing means for advancing a plurality of commodities toward said elevator platform, means for aligning a plurality of commodities into an aligned array while being advanced by advancing means, said lower system including second advancing and selecting means for selecting and feeding to said elevator platform, in thE feeding direction of said first advancing means a predetermined number of the aligned array of commodities at a speed greater than the speed of advancement of the commodities by said first advancing means, said upper system including second advancing and selecting means for advancing and selecting, in the feeding direction of said first advancing means, a predetermined number of aligned array of commodities at a speed greater than the speed of advancement of said first advancing means, said upper and lower systems each including means for preventing unselected aligned commodities from advancing past the leading point at which said commodities were selected by said second means, first retaining and supporting means for receiving the selected advanced aligned array from said second means of said upper system, second retaining means for retaining and supporting a selected aligned array, said second retaining and supporting means being located in operative relationship to said first retaining and supporting means and to the point of advancement of an aligned array by said second advancing means of said lower system, first placing means for placing a selected aligned array from said first retaining and supporting means onto said second retaining and supporting means, second placing means for placing an aligned array from said second retaining and supporting means into juxtaposition with an array of commodities advanced by said second advancing means from said lower system, means for operating said second advancing means of said upper and lower systems in unison whereby said lower system advances a selected aligned array to said elevator platform and said second advancing means of said upper system advances a selected aligned array to said first supporting means, means for actuating said second placing means and said second advancing means of said lower system in unison whereby said second placing means places a selected aligned array from said second retaining means in juxtaposition with an advanced array from said second system, and means for operating said first placing means in conjunction with said second placing means whereby said first placing means places a selected aligned commodity from said first retaining means onto said second retaining means after said second placing means has removed an array therefrom.