Packaging machine

Claim 2

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein said transition means is mounted so as to be disposed internally of the tubing and wherein said transition means has a passage providing for communication between the space in the mandrel above the transition means and the tubing below the transition means and having variable orifice means in said passage.

Claim 3

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein said transition means is mounted so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means comprises means extending laterally outward beyond opposite sides of the mandrel below the lower end of the mandrel for spreading the tubing flat, said spreading means having flat faces converging toward one another in downward direction, and having means for pressing opposed walls of the tubing against said converging faces and wherein said spreading means has a passage providing for communication between the space in the mandrel above said spreading means and the tubing below said spreading means, and having variable orifice means in said passage.

Claim 4

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein said transition means is mounted so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means comprises means extending laterally outward beyond opposite sides of the mandrel below the lower end of the mandrel for spreading the tubing flat, said spreading means having flat faces converging toward one another in downward direction, and having means for pressing opposed walls of the tubing against said converging faces and wherein said spreading means has a passage providing for communication between the space in the mandrel above said spreading means and the tubing below said spreading means, and having variable orifice means in said passage.

Claim 5

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein the means for delivering the product comprises a product supply reservoir above the mandrel, a product supply tube extending from the reservoir down through the mandrel adapted to deliver the product to the lower end of the tubing below the mandrel, said transition means being mounted on the lower end of said product supply tube below the lower end of the mandrel so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means has a passage providing for communication between the space in the mandrel above the transition means and the tubing below the transition means, and having variable orifice means in said passage.

Claim 6

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein the means for delivering the product comprises a product supply reservoir above the mandrel, a product supply tube extending from the reservoir down through the mandrel adapted to deliver the product to the lower end of the tubing below the mandrel, said transition means being mounted on the lower end of said product supply tube below the lower end of the mandrel so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means has a passage providing for communication between the space in the mandrel above the transition means and the tubing below the transition means, and having variable orifice means in said passage.

Claim 7

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein the means for delivering the product comprises a product supply reservoir above the mandrel, a product supply tube extending from the reservoir down through the mandrel adapted to deliver the product to the lower end of the tubing below the mandrel, said transition means being mounted on the lower end of said product supply tube below the lower end of the mandrel so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means comprises means extending laterally outward on opposite sides of said product supply tube beyond opposite sides of the mandrel below the lower end of the mandrel for spreading the tubing flat, said spreading means having flat faces converging toward one another in downward direction, and having means for pressing opposed walls of the tubing against said converging faces, wherein said spreading means has a passage providing for communication between the space in the mandrel above said spreading means and the tubing below said spreading means, and having variable orifice means in said passage.

Claim 8

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein the means for delivering the product comprises a product supply reservoir above the mandrel, a product supply tube extending from the reservoir down through the mandrel adapted to deliver the product to the lower end of the tubing below the mandrel, said transition means being mounted on the lower end of said product supply tube below the lower end of the mandrel so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means comprises means extending laterally outward on opposite sides of said product supply tube beyond opposite sides of the mandrel below the lower end of the mandrel for spreading the tubing flat, said spreading means having flat faces converging toward one another in downward direction, and having means for pressing opposed walls of the tubing against said converging faces, wherein said spreading means has a passage providing for communication between the space in the mandrel above said spreading means and the tubing below said spreading means, and having variable orifice means in said passage.

Claim 9

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein the means for delivering the product comprises a product supply reservoir above the mandrel, a product supply tube extending from the reservoir down through the mandrel adapted to deliver the product to the lower end of the tubing below the mandrel, said transition means being mounted on the lower end of said product supply tube below the lower end of the mandrel so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means comprises means extending laterally outward on opposite sides of said product supply tube beyond opposite sides of the mandrel below the lower end of the mandrel for spreading the tubing flat, said spreading means having flat faces converging toward one another in downward direction, and having means for pressing opposed walls of the tubing against said converging faces, wherein the product supply tube has a nozzle at its lower end and said spreading means comprises a central lower portion of the nozzle and two spreader wings flaring outward and downward from said central lower portion of the nozzle at diametrically opposite sides thereof, said central lower portion and said wings being of generally wedge-shaped cross section with inclined flat faces converging toward another in downward direction.

Claim 10

A form-fill-seal packaging machine having a generally vertical mandrel around which a web of packaging material is formed into tubing, the tubing being fed downward off the lower end of the mandrel and formed, below the lower end of the mandrel, with transverse seals constituting package end seals at package length intervals, said end seals being formed in a generally vertical plane, means for delivering the product to be packaged to the lower end of the tubing below the lower end of the mandrel, and means below the lower end of the mandrel for effecting transition of the cross section of the tubing from the cross section of the mandrel to a flattened cross section generally in said plane, wherein the means for delivering the product comprises a product supply reservoir above the mandrel, a product supply tube extending from the reservoir down through the mandrel adapted to deliver the product to the lower end of the tubing below the mandrel, said transition means being mounted on the lower end of said product supply tube below the lower end of the mandrel so as to be disposed internally of the tubing, wherein said transition means comprises means extending laterally outward on opposite sides of said product supply tube beyond opposite sides of the mandrel below the lower end of the mandrel for spreading the tubing flat, said spreading means having flat faces converging toward one another in downward direction, and having means for pressing opposed walls of the tubing against said converging faces, wherein the product supply tube has a nozzle at its lower end and said spreading means comprises a central lower portion of the nozzle and two spreader wings flaring outward and downward from said central lower portion of the nozzle at diametrically opposite sides thereof, said central lower portion and said wings being of generally wedge-shaped cross section with inclined flat faces converging toward another in downward direction.

Claim 11

A form-fill-seal packaging machine as set forth in claim 5 whErein said pressing means comprises a pair of presser plates and means for biasing said presser plates toward said flat faces.

Claim 12

A form-fill-seal packaging machine as set forth in claim 5 wherein one of said spreader wings has a passage providing for communication between the space in the tubing above said wings and the space below and between the wings.

Claim 13

A form-fill-seal packaging machine as set forth in claim 7 having a removable partial plug in said passage.

Claim 14

A form-fill-seal packaging machine as set forth in claim 7 wherein the nozzle has an annular valve seat therein, and a valve engageable with said seat operable by a rod extending down through the supply tube.

Claim 15

A form-fill-seal packaging machine as set forth in claim 9 wherein the nozzle is removably mounted at its upper end in a bell on the lower end of the product supply tube.