US3703066A — Apparatus for feeding heat shrinkable plastic fil…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 347 words

In a capping machine for heat sealing shrinkable film over the open mouth of a container, feeding means for continuously feeding sheets of the film from a roll of the same mounted on the machine, comprising: means reeving said film from the film roll downwardly beneath a tension rod of predetermined weight, said rod being freely mounted to move vertically in spaced brackets formed with an elongated opening to fake the film as it pays-out from the roll in excess of an immediate demand for same; superimposed plate means for receiving the free end of said film therebetween from the tension rod, said plate means being cut-out at forward edges to expose free edges of the film positioned therebetween; clamp means movably mounted on frame means; drive means for alternately driving said clamp means to positions adjacent to and removed from said forward edges; one-way cam means pivotally mounted to swing in one direction at each side of the said forward edges of the plate means, said one-way cam means being engageable with cooperating cam means carried by one of said clamp means, said respective cam means having a momentary dwell period to open said clamping means to provide for entry therein of the respective exposed free edges of the said film exposed between said plate means; spring means normally holding said clamp means closed over the exposed free edges of the said film upon disengagement of said respectively engaged cam means; said clamp means being returned by said drive means from the plate-adjacent clamping position, with said film, to a predetermined removed position in which a predetermined portion of said film has been drawn through said plates from the fake thereof; knife means likewise driven by said drive means to sever said film into said predetermined portions; elevator means supporting a container beneath said predetermined portion of film; and release means, actuated by said drive means when said clamp means is in said removed position and subsequent to the actuation of said knife means, constraining said clamp means to release said film portion over said container.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 347 words

In a capping machine for heat sealing shrinkable film over the open mouth of a container, feeding means for continuously feeding sheets of the film from a roll of the same mounted on the machine, comprising: means reeving said film from the film roll downwardly beneath a tension rod of predetermined weight, said rod being freely mounted to move vertically in spaced brackets formed with an elongated opening to fake the film as it pays-out from the roll in excess of an immediate demand for same; superimposed plate means for receiving the free end of said film therebetween from the tension rod, said plate means being cut-out at forward edges to expose free edges of the film positioned therebetween; clamp means movably mounted on frame means; drive means for alternately driving said clamp means to positions adjacent to and removed from said forward edges; one-way cam means pivotally mounted to swing in one direction at each side of the said forward edges of the plate means, said one-way cam means being engageable with cooperating cam means carried by one of said clamp means, said respective cam means having a momentary dwell period to open said clamping means to provide for entry therein of the respective exposed free edges of the said film exposed between said plate means; spring means normally holding said clamp means closed over the exposed free edges of the said film upon disengagement of said respectively engaged cam means; said clamp means being returned by said drive means from the plate-adjacent clamping position, with said film, to a predetermined removed position in which a predetermined portion of said film has been drawn through said plates from the fake thereof; knife means likewise driven by said drive means to sever said film into said predetermined portions; elevator means supporting a container beneath said predetermined portion of film; and release means, actuated by said drive means when said clamp means is in said removed position and subsequent to the actuation of said knife means, constraining said clamp means to release said film portion over said container.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 347 words

In a capping machine for heat sealing shrinkable film over the open mouth of a container, feeding means for continuously feeding sheets of the film from a roll of the same mounted on the machine, comprising: means reeving said film from the film roll downwardly beneath a tension rod of predetermined weight, said rod being freely mounted to move vertically in spaced brackets formed with an elongated opening to fake the film as it pays-out from the roll in excess of an immediate demand for same; superimposed plate means for receiving the free end of said film therebetween from the tension rod, said plate means being cut-out at forward edges to expose free edges of the film positioned therebetween; clamp means movably mounted on frame means; drive means for alternately driving said clamp means to positions adjacent to and removed from said forward edges; one-way cam means pivotally mounted to swing in one direction at each side of the said forward edges of the plate means, said one-way cam means being engageable with cooperating cam means carried by one of said clamp means, said respective cam means having a momentary dwell period to open said clamping means to provide for entry therein of the respective exposed free edges of the said film exposed between said plate means; spring means normally holding said clamp means closed over the exposed free edges of the said film upon disengagement of said respectively engaged cam means; said clamp means being returned by said drive means from the plate-adjacent clamping position, with said film, to a predetermined removed position in which a predetermined portion of said film has been drawn through said plates from the fake thereof; knife means likewise driven by said drive means to sever said film into said predetermined portions; elevator means supporting a container beneath said predetermined portion of film; and release means, actuated by said drive means when said clamp means is in said removed position and subsequent to the actuation of said knife means, constraining said clamp means to release said film portion over said container.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 347 words

In a capping machine for heat sealing shrinkable film over the open mouth of a container, feeding means for continuously feeding sheets of the film from a roll of the same mounted on the machine, comprising: means reeving said film from the film roll downwardly beneath a tension rod of predetermined weight, said rod being freely mounted to move vertically in spaced brackets formed with an elongated opening to fake the film as it pays-out from the roll in excess of an immediate demand for same; superimposed plate means for receiving the free end of said film therebetween from the tension rod, said plate means being cut-out at forward edges to expose free edges of the film positioned therebetween; clamp means movably mounted on frame means; drive means for alternately driving said clamp means to positions adjacent to and removed from said forward edges; one-way cam means pivotally mounted to swing in one direction at each side of the said forward edges of the plate means, said one-way cam means being engageable with cooperating cam means carried by one of said clamp means, said respective cam means having a momentary dwell period to open said clamping means to provide for entry therein of the respective exposed free edges of the said film exposed between said plate means; spring means normally holding said clamp means closed over the exposed free edges of the said film upon disengagement of said respectively engaged cam means; said clamp means being returned by said drive means from the plate-adjacent clamping position, with said film, to a predetermined removed position in which a predetermined portion of said film has been drawn through said plates from the fake thereof; knife means likewise driven by said drive means to sever said film into said predetermined portions; elevator means supporting a container beneath said predetermined portion of film; and release means, actuated by said drive means when said clamp means is in said removed position and subsequent to the actuation of said knife means, constraining said clamp means to release said film portion over said container.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 63 words

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said feeding means further comprises second clamp means, synchronized with said knife means and driven by said drive means, engaging said film means to maintain same in position between said plate means during and subsequent to severing said film and immediately prior to the gripping of said free edges thereof by the first said clamp means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 52 words

The invention described in claim 1, wherein said clamp means comprises a fixed upper bar and laterally extending film gripping means, and a movable lower film gripping means coacting therewith to clamp said film between said laterally extending means carried by the fixed upper bar and said movable lower film gripping means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 106 words

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said clamp means comprises a fixed upper bar and laterally extending film gripping means, and a movable lower film gripping means coacting therewith to clamp said film between said laterally extending means carried by the fixed upper bar and said movable lower film gripping means; and wherein said one-way cam means engages said movable lower film gripping means to open said clamp means immediately prior to the achievement of its plate-adjacent clamping position and subsequently disengages said lower film gripping means, at said plate-adjacent position, to permit said clamp means to grip said exposed free edges of said film.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 234 words

A container capping machine for feeding sheets of suitable flexible heat shrink plastic film from a supply roll of such material into the machine, said machine having means for feeding said material in single ply into position between feed plates for a predetermined exposure therebetween of the free edge of the material, clamp means for gripping and pulling said shEet from between said plates forward in the machine to an area above a container to be capped with said material, a cutting means for transversely severing a portion of the pulled-out material of a predetermined size to provide a cap for a container supported below the pulled-out portion, said cutting means including a spring biased film holding rod adapted to engage the film through the upper position guide plate simultaneously with the severing action of said cutting means, means to release the free edge of the said pulled-out portion, an elevator for raising said container with said severed pulled-out portion into a heating and sealing chamber for capping said container therein with said material, and drive means for providing synchronization of the film material advance, film clamping means reciprocation, forward pull-out of a predetermined portion of material, material cutting with said cutting means, release of said film clamping means and elevation of said cut portion and and container with said elevator means to capping and sealing position in said chamber in timed successive steps.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 234 words

A container capping machine for feeding sheets of suitable flexible heat shrink plastic film from a supply roll of such material into the machine, said machine having means for feeding said material in single ply into position between feed plates for a predetermined exposure therebetween of the free edge of the material, clamp means for gripping and pulling said shEet from between said plates forward in the machine to an area above a container to be capped with said material, a cutting means for transversely severing a portion of the pulled-out material of a predetermined size to provide a cap for a container supported below the pulled-out portion, said cutting means including a spring biased film holding rod adapted to engage the film through the upper position guide plate simultaneously with the severing action of said cutting means, means to release the free edge of the said pulled-out portion, an elevator for raising said container with said severed pulled-out portion into a heating and sealing chamber for capping said container therein with said material, and drive means for providing synchronization of the film material advance, film clamping means reciprocation, forward pull-out of a predetermined portion of material, material cutting with said cutting means, release of said film clamping means and elevation of said cut portion and and container with said elevator means to capping and sealing position in said chamber in timed successive steps.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 41 words

In a capping machine for heat sealing shrinkable film over the open mouth of a container as described in claim 5, wherein the said feed plates are vertically adjustable with respect to each other to vary the distance between the same.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 68 words

A container capping machine as described in claim 5, wherein said cutting means includes a cross head bar, a knife blade, a pair of connecting rods mounting said blade on said bar, eccentric drive means acting on said bar to actuate said bar to a film cutting position and return spring means acting against said cross head bar to bias said knife blade away from said cutting position.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 66 words

A container capping machine as described in claim 7, wherein said means to release the free edge of the pulled-out portion comprises a cross bar, connecting rods carried by said bar, eccentric drive means for reciprocating said cross bar with said rods to move downward to open said clamp means after said knife means has severed a portion of the pulled-out film for capping a container.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-11-21	1976-05-22	1976-11-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-11-21	1980-05-22	1980-11-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-11-21	1984-05-22	1984-11-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for feeding heat shrinkable plastic film and capping containers therewith

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