Speed control for packaging apparatus

Claim 2

In an apparatus for packaging articles, the combination of a wrapping station, means for supporting and feeding a continuous sheet of flexible wrapping material into and through said wrapping station at a predetermined constant linear velocity, an endless conveyor having a portion extending into said wrapping station and supporting a plurality of said articles in aligned uniformly spaced relationship for movement in the same direction as the wrapping material and successively into contact with the wrapping material, and a drive mechanism coupled to said conveyor and imparting to the conveyor a cyclic motion for advancing the conveyor continuously first at said predetermined velocity during a period of contact of each article with both the conveyor and the wrapping material, next at a higher velocity to reduce the spacing between that article and the next successive article, and then at a velocity decreasing to said predetermined velocity.

Claim 3

The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein said drive mechanism includes differential gearing having first and second terminal members rotatable about parallel axes, a carrier mounted to rotate about the axis of said second terminal member and having a driving connection with said first terminal member, a shaft journaled in said carrier and rotatable about an axis parallel to said first terminal axis, an intermediate driving member on said shaft and having a driving connection with said second terminal member, and means controlling the angular position of said shaft and said intermediate member relative to said carrier and operable to vary such angular position during rotation of the carrier to provide a corresponding variation in the angular velocity of said second terminal member relative to the angular velocity of said first terminal member.

Claim 4

The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein said shaft of said intermediate member carries a follower, and a cam is mounted adjacent the path of said follower during rotation of said carrier and engages said follower to vary the angular position of the shaft and the follower relative to the carrier.

Claim 5

The apparatus defined in claim 3, wherein said cam provides an endless stationary cam track symmetrical about a center on the axis of said carrier and imparting to said cam follower during each revolution of the carrier similar periodic variations of angular position relative to the carrier.

Claim 6

The apparatus defined in claim 4, wherein said cam track is oval in shape to provide two cycles of periodic motion during each revolution of said carrier.

Claim 7

The apparatus defined in claim 2, wherein said drive mechanism includes a rotary output member coupled to said conveyor and drive elements coupling said second terminal member of said differential to said output member and including means for adjusting the relative angular positions of said second terminal member and said output member to advance and retract the position of said conveyor with respect to said wrapping material.

Claim 8

Packaging apparatus having, in combination, an endless conveyor for advancing articles to be packaGed into an operating station, article engaging means at said station movable at a constant velocity and adapted to receive successive articles at said station spaced apart by first predetermined equal intervals, said conveyor having article engaging members spaced apart equal distances along the conveyor and adapted to receive said articles with the articles spaced apart by second predetermined equal intervals different from said first intervals, a source of constant speed rotary power, and a drive mechanism coupling said power source and said conveyor and operable to convert the constant speed of the power source to a periodically varying speed of said conveyor to change the spacing of said articles from said second intervals to said first intervals and bring the articles to said constant velocity as the articles reach said station and contact said article engaging means.

Claim 9

Packaging apparatus having, in combination, an endless conveyor for advancing articles to be packaGed into an operating station, article engaging means at said station movable at a constant velocity and adapted to receive successive articles at said station spaced apart by first predetermined equal intervals, said conveyor having article engaging members spaced apart equal distances along the conveyor and adapted to receive said articles with the articles spaced apart by second predetermined equal intervals different from said first intervals, a source of constant speed rotary power, and a drive mechanism coupling said power source and said conveyor and operable to convert the constant speed of the power source to a periodically varying speed of said conveyor to change the spacing of said articles from said second intervals to said first intervals and bring the articles to said constant velocity as the articles reach said station and contact said article engaging means.