US3589091A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for wrapping or labeling a package
Assignee: Cloud Machine Corp
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Filing: 1968-09-06
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Granted: 1971-06-29
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Expires: 1988-09-06
Abstract
Abstract A method of applying a label or a wrapping to a package, wherein the label material has a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, the material slowly shrinks toward its original size, comprising the steps of: stretching the material; wrapping the material loosely around the container to be labeled or wrapped; cutting the wrapping material to the proper size; sealing the adjacent ends of the wrapping material to form a loose fitting wrap around the package; and allowing the wrapping material to shrink toward the original size thereof to form a tightly fitting wrap around the package. One of several apparatus for performing the above-described method includes: a supporting frame providing a horizontally disposed surface; means for supplying a continuous strip of the wrapping material; means for stretching the wrapping material; means for feeding the wrapping material adjacent to the container in a configuration approximating the shape of the container to be wrapped; means for cutting and sealing the wrapping material to form a loosely fitting band or wrap around the container; and means for conveying the containers to a position for receiving the wrapping material and also to a position wherein the wrapping material will be cut and sealed by the sealing means.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles E Cloud
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 04:12
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B53/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising: providing a material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; training the wrapping material around a selectively braked roll and then around a continuously driven roll; selectively braking said first-mentioned roll while continuing to drive said last-mentioned roll to stretch the material therebetween; forming said stretched material about the article; sealing and cutting the free ends of the material to form a wrap around the article; and permitting said material to return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
101 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising: providing a material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; training the wrapping material around a selectively braked roll and then around a continuously driven roll; selectively braking said first-mentioned roll while continuing to drive said last-mentioned roll to stretch the material therebetween; forming said stretched material about the article; sealing and cutting the free ends of the material to form a wrap around the article; and permitting said material to return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising the steps of: conveying a Series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material adjacent said conveyed series of articles, said continuous strip of wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; stretching a portion of said strip of wrapping material; forming the stretched portion of the continuous strip of wrapping material into a tube-shaped configuration around the article; sealing the loose, adjacent edges of the tube-shaped wrap; cutting the tube-shaped wrap both in front of and behind the article; sealing the opposed loose ends of the tube-shaped wrap to form a loosely fitting, sealed wrapping around the article; and permitting the loosely fitting wrap to return toward its original size to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising the steps of: conveying a Series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material adjacent said conveyed series of articles, said continuous strip of wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; stretching a portion of said strip of wrapping material; forming the stretched portion of the continuous strip of wrapping material into a tube-shaped configuration around the article; sealing the loose, adjacent edges of the tube-shaped wrap; cutting the tube-shaped wrap both in front of and behind the article; sealing the opposed loose ends of the tube-shaped wrap to form a loosely fitting, sealed wrapping around the article; and permitting the loosely fitting wrap to return toward its original size to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising the steps of: conveying an equally spaced series of articles; providing a strip of wrapping material on opposed sides of the article, said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; stretching said strips of wrapping material; forming said stretched strips of wrapping material into a loosely fitting wrap around the article; sealing one strip of wrapping material to the other strip by locally heating the strips in regions ahead of and behind the articles to form a sealed, loosely fitting wrap around the article; and permitting said wrapping material to return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
122 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising the steps of: conveying an equally spaced series of articles; providing a strip of wrapping material on opposed sides of the article, said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; stretching said strips of wrapping material; forming said stretched strips of wrapping material into a loosely fitting wrap around the article; sealing one strip of wrapping material to the other strip by locally heating the strips in regions ahead of and behind the articles to form a sealed, loosely fitting wrap around the article; and permitting said wrapping material to return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising the steps of: conveying a series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed sides of the conveyed articles, said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; stretching a portion of each said strip of wrapping material; forming the stretched portion of each said continuous strip around the article to form a loosely fitting wrap therearound; cutting said formed portions of each said continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed ends of the article; sealing one cut strip of wrapping material to other strip of wrapping material by locally heating the strips in regions ahead of and behind the articles to form a sealed loosely fitting wrap around the package; and permitting said wrapping material to slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising the steps of: conveying a series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed sides of the conveyed articles, said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; stretching a portion of each said strip of wrapping material; forming the stretched portion of each said continuous strip around the article to form a loosely fitting wrap therearound; cutting said formed portions of each said continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed ends of the article; sealing one cut strip of wrapping material to other strip of wrapping material by locally heating the strips in regions ahead of and behind the articles to form a sealed loosely fitting wrap around the package; and permitting said wrapping material to slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of forming a wrap around an article as defined in claim 2, further characterized by: said cutting and sealing steps for the opposed loose ends being performed contemporaneously by moving a heated wire into contact with said wrapping material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method of wrapping an article as defined in claim 6, further characterized by: said cutting and sealing steps being performed contemporaneously by moving a heated wire into contact with the material.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising: conveying a series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material adjacent said conveyed series of articles, said continuous strip of wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; feeding said continuous strip of wrapping material between a first pair of driven rollers; then feeding said wrapping material between a second pair of driven rollers; driving said second pair of driven rollers at a faster rate of speed than said first pair of driven rollers to stretch said material; forming the stretched portion of the continuous strip of wrapping material into a tube-shaped configuration around the article; sealing the loose, adjacent edges of the tube-shaped wrap; CUTTING the tube-shaped wrap both in front of and behind the article; sealing the opposed loose ends of the tube-shaped wrap to form a loosely fitting, sealed wrapping around the article; and permitting the loosely fitting wrap to return toward its original size to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
177 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising: conveying a series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material adjacent said conveyed series of articles, said continuous strip of wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; feeding said continuous strip of wrapping material between a first pair of driven rollers; then feeding said wrapping material between a second pair of driven rollers; driving said second pair of driven rollers at a faster rate of speed than said first pair of driven rollers to stretch said material; forming the stretched portion of the continuous strip of wrapping material into a tube-shaped configuration around the article; sealing the loose, adjacent edges of the tube-shaped wrap; CUTTING the tube-shaped wrap both in front of and behind the article; sealing the opposed loose ends of the tube-shaped wrap to form a loosely fitting, sealed wrapping around the article; and permitting the loosely fitting wrap to return toward its original size to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising: conveying a series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed sides of the conveyed articles, said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; training said continuous strip of material around a selectively braked roller; then training the continuous strip of material around a continuously driven roller; and selectively braking said first-mentioned roller to stretch the material disposed between said first and said second rollers forming the stretched portion of each said continuous strip around the article to form a loosely fitting wrap therearound; cutting said formed portions of each said continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed ends of the article; sealing the loose ends of one cut strip of wrapping material to the adjacent loose ends of the other strip of wrapping material to form a sealed, loosely fitting wrap around the package; and permitting said wrapping material to slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
179 words
A method of wrapping an article comprising: conveying a series of equally spaced articles; providing a continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed sides of the conveyed articles, said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; training said continuous strip of material around a selectively braked roller; then training the continuous strip of material around a continuously driven roller; and selectively braking said first-mentioned roller to stretch the material disposed between said first and said second rollers forming the stretched portion of each said continuous strip around the article to form a loosely fitting wrap therearound; cutting said formed portions of each said continuous strip of wrapping material on opposed ends of the article; sealing the loose ends of one cut strip of wrapping material to the adjacent loose ends of the other strip of wrapping material to form a sealed, loosely fitting wrap around the package; and permitting said wrapping material to slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrap around the article.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for applying a wrapping to an article comprising: a framework providing an elongated supporting surface; means supported by said surface for supplying a continuous strip of a wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; means stretching said wrapping material said means including a selectively braked roll about which the material may be trained therearound, a continuously driven roll about which material may be trained therearound, and means for selectively braking said first-mentioned roll to stretch a portion of the material; means forming stretched portions of the material in a loosely fitting wrap around the article; means cutting the wrapping material; and means sealing the loose, adjacent edges of the cut wrapping material to form a loosely fitting wrap around the article, whereby said loosely fitting wrap of material will slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
157 words
An apparatus for applying a wrapping to an article comprising: a framework providing an elongated supporting surface; means supported by said surface for supplying a continuous strip of a wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; means stretching said wrapping material said means including a selectively braked roll about which the material may be trained therearound, a continuously driven roll about which material may be trained therearound, and means for selectively braking said first-mentioned roll to stretch a portion of the material; means forming stretched portions of the material in a loosely fitting wrap around the article; means cutting the wrapping material; and means sealing the loose, adjacent edges of the cut wrapping material to form a loosely fitting wrap around the article, whereby said loosely fitting wrap of material will slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus for applying a wrapping to an article comprising: a framework providing an elongated supporting surface; conveying means supported by said framework for conveying an equally spaced series of the articles to be wrapped along said elongated supporting surface; means dispensing two continuous strips of a wrapping material, said continuous strips of said wrapping material being dispensed on opposed sides of the article, and said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; means supported by said elongated surface for stretching each said continuous strip of said wrapping material; means supported by said surface and moving parallel to and at the same rate of speed as said conveying means for engaging said continuous strips of said wrapping material to form the same around opposed sides of the article to be wrapped; means moving with said engaging means for cutting said continuous strips of wrapping material both in front of and behind the article to be wrapped; and means moving with said engaging means for sealing the cut end portion of one of said strips of said wrapping material to the adjacent cut end portions of said other strip of said wrapping material to form a continuous band of said wrapping material around the article, whereby said band of said wrappIng material will slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
238 words
An apparatus for applying a wrapping to an article comprising: a framework providing an elongated supporting surface; conveying means supported by said framework for conveying an equally spaced series of the articles to be wrapped along said elongated supporting surface; means dispensing two continuous strips of a wrapping material, said continuous strips of said wrapping material being dispensed on opposed sides of the article, and said wrapping material having a memory characteristic, i.e. when stretched, said material slowly returns toward the original size thereof; means supported by said elongated surface for stretching each said continuous strip of said wrapping material; means supported by said surface and moving parallel to and at the same rate of speed as said conveying means for engaging said continuous strips of said wrapping material to form the same around opposed sides of the article to be wrapped; means moving with said engaging means for cutting said continuous strips of wrapping material both in front of and behind the article to be wrapped; and means moving with said engaging means for sealing the cut end portion of one of said strips of said wrapping material to the adjacent cut end portions of said other strip of said wrapping material to form a continuous band of said wrapping material around the article, whereby said band of said wrappIng material will slowly return toward the original size thereof to form a taut wrapping around the article.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
267 words
An apparatus for wrapping an article as defined in claim 10, wherein said means stretching each said continuous strip of said wrapping material comprises: a selectively braked roll rotatably supported on said supporting surface and having the continuous strip of wrapping material trained therearound; a continuously driven roll rotatably supported on said supporting surface and spaced from said selectively braked roll and being adapted to have the continuous strip of wrapping material trained therearound and held in driving engagement therewith; braking means engaging said selectively braked roll for preventing the rotation thereof; means driving said continuously driven wheel; means providing a cam surface rotating coincidentally with said continuously driven roll; electrical switch means supported by said supporting surface and positioned to be periodically engaged by said cam means, said electrical switch means being actuated when engaged by said cam means; a second electrical switch means supported by said supporting surface and disposed adjacent to the path of movement of the continuous strip of wrapping material as it passes from said selectively braked roll to said continuously driven roll, said second electrical switch means being actuated in response to one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced, optically opaque markings on the wrapping material passing thereby; an electric power source; and electrical conductive means connecting said first electrical switch, said second electrical switch, said power source and said electrically actuated brake means to cause said brake means to be actuated when both said first and said second electrical switch means are actuated and to cause said brake means to be deactuated when said first electrical switch means is deactiviated.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
188 words
An apparatus for wrapping an article as defined in claim 10, wherein said means engaging said continuous strips of said wrapping material comprises: a first chain conveying means disposed on one side of said article-conveying means; a second chain conveying means disposed on the other side of said article-conveying means, said first and said second chain conveying means each having a path of movement parallel with and adjacent to said article-conveying means, and each said conveying means traveling at the same rate of speed as said article conveying means; a first series of equally spaced gripping fingers attached to and traveling with said first chain conveying means; a second series of equally spaced gripping fingers attached to and traveling with said second chain conveying means, each said gripping finger of said first series being arranged to be in register with a corresponding gripping finger of said second series to grip said continuous strips of said wrapping material therebetween at a point in front of each article to be wrapped as said gripping fingers travel through the path of movement parallel with and adjacent to said article conveying means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
83 words
An apparatus for wrapping an article as defined in claim 12, wherein said cutting means and said sealing means comprises: an elongated, horizontally disposed, electrical heating element attached to each gripping finger of one of said first or said second series of gripping fingers, said heating element being arranged to contact said strips of film for cutting the same and melting the cut, adjacent end portions to form a seal therebetween; and means electrically connecting said heating element to an electrical supply source.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-06-28 | 1974-12-28 | 1975-06-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-06-28 | 1978-12-28 | 1979-06-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-06-28 | 1982-12-28 | 1983-06-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |