US3742676A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Packaging apparatus and method
Assignee: SPEIZMAN IND Inc
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Filing: 1971-04-30
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Granted: 1973-07-03
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Expires: 1991-04-30
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus and method for packaging hosiery in an automatic operation that sequentially folds the hosiery about an insert board, places the folded hosiery on an L-board, bags the L-board mounted hosiery, and seals the bags, with the hosiery advancing in a continuous lengthwise direction to and through the various operating stations. Hosiery is initially laid out lengthwise at a folding station at which the hosiery is partially folded automatically, with folding being completed as the hosiery advances lengthwise to a preliminary packaging station at which the folded hosiery advances onto an L-board and against the upstanding end flap thereof. The L-board mounted hosiery is advanced to a bagging station at which it is inserted lengthwise into a bag that is gripped to hold it stationary during hosiery insertion and is then ungripped to allow the bagged hosiery to advance to a bag closing station at which it advances against a stop that causes the hosiery to fully seat in the bag and positions the bag properly for sealing. After the bag is sealed it is turned over lengthwise by oscillation of a turning plate on which the bagged hosiery is received at the bag closing station, from which the bagged hosiery is removed after turning.
Inventors
- 👤 B Lawing
- 👤 C Rankin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:27
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B25/00; B65B25/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, comprising laying out the articles at a folding station, folding the articles lengthwise at said folding station, advancing the folded articles in a continuous lengthwise direction from said folding station through a preliminary packaging station, a bagging station, and a bag closing station, advancing the folded articles lengthwise onto package components as the folded articles advance lengthwise through said preliminary packaging station, inserting the preliminarily packaged articles lengthwise into bags as the articles advance lengthwise through said bagging station, closing the bags containing articles at said bag closing station, and removing the bagged articles from said bag closing station.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
109 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, comprising laying out the articles at a folding station, folding the articles lengthwise at said folding station, advancing the folded articles in a continuous lengthwise direction from said folding station through a preliminary packaging station, a bagging station, and a bag closing station, advancing the folded articles lengthwise onto package components as the folded articles advance lengthwise through said preliminary packaging station, inserting the preliminarily packaged articles lengthwise into bags as the articles advance lengthwise through said bagging station, closing the bags containing articles at said bag closing station, and removing the bagged articles from said bag closing station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said folding comprises partially folding the articles prior to advancing the articles and completing folding during said advancing of the articles from said folding station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said advancing the folded articles onto package components comprises placing generally flat package components in line with the advancing folded articles before the articles advance to said preliminary packaging station, and advancing the folded articles onto the package components.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 3 and characterized further by raising the folded articles as the articles advance to the package components to assure advance of the folded articles onto the package components.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 3 and characterized further in that the package components have upstanding transverse end flaps at the ends thereof that are leading with respect to the direction of article advance, and said advancing of the folded articles onto the package components advance the articles against the upstanding end flaps thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 5 and characterized further by placing the generally flat package components at said preliminary packaging station with their end flaps flat and folding the end flaps generally upright prior to advance of the folded articles against the flaps.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 1 and characterized further by opening the advancing article facing ends of bags at said bagging station before the articles advance thereto, gripping opposite edges of the opened bags to hold the bags stationary while the articles are being inserted thereinto, and ungripping the bags to allow bagged articles to advance.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 1 and characterized further by advancing the bagged articles against a transverse stop at said bag closing station to seat the articles fully in the bags and to position the bags properly for closing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 8 and characterized further in that the bags are made of heat-sealable material and have trailing open ends with closure flaps extending therefrom, and said bag closing comprises folding the closure flaps over the open ends and heat sealing the folded closure flaps to the bags.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 8 and characterized further by sliding the bagged articles down an incline as the bagged articles advance to said stop at said bag closing station prior to said bag closing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 1 and characterized further by turning the bagged articles over in the direction of advance after closing of the bags.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 11 and characterized further in that said turning of bagged articles comprises advancing the bagged articles onto a turning plate, and oscillating said turning plate in the direction of the article advance to turn the bagged articles and to return said turning plate to article receiving position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method of packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 12 and characterized further by advancing bagged articles onto said turning plate and against a stop to seat the articles fully in the bags and to position the bags properly for closing, said stop positioning the leading end of the bagged articles for bag turning upon oscillation of said turning plate.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
156 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, comprising a folding station, a preliminary packaging station, a bagging station, and a bag closing station, said stations being arranged in an aligned lengthwise sequence, a platform at said folding station for laying out articles thereon in lengthwise alignment with said station sequence and at which the articles are folded lengthwise, means for conveying folded articles in a lengthwise direction from said folding station to said preliminary packaging station, means for disposing folded articles lengthwise on package components at said preliminary packaging station, means for conveying preliminarily packaged articles in said lengthwise direction from said preliminary packaging station to said bagging station, means for inserting the preliminarily packaged articles lengthwise into bags at said bagging station, means for conveying bagged articles in said lengthwise direction from said bagging station to said bag closing station, and means for closing bags containing articles at said bag closing station.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
156 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, comprising a folding station, a preliminary packaging station, a bagging station, and a bag closing station, said stations being arranged in an aligned lengthwise sequence, a platform at said folding station for laying out articles thereon in lengthwise alignment with said station sequence and at which the articles are folded lengthwise, means for conveying folded articles in a lengthwise direction from said folding station to said preliminary packaging station, means for disposing folded articles lengthwise on package components at said preliminary packaging station, means for conveying preliminarily packaged articles in said lengthwise direction from said preliminary packaging station to said bagging station, means for inserting the preliminarily packaged articles lengthwise into bags at said bagging station, means for conveying bagged articles in said lengthwise direction from said bagging station to said bag closing station, and means for closing bags containing articles at said bag closing station.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 14 and characterized further by means at said folding station for partially folding articles prior to conveyance of articles from said folding station and for completing folding as the articles are conveyed from said folding station.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 14 and characterized further in that said means for disposing folded articles lengthwise on package components includes means for placing generally flat package components in line with the articles before the articles are conveyed to said preliminary packaging station.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
An apparatus or packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 16 and characterized further in that said means for disposing folded articles lengthwise on package components includes means for raising the articles as they are conveyed to said preliminary packaging station to assure advance of articles onto the package components.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
63 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 17 and characterized further in that said article raising means comprises a guide member projecting upwardly in the path of the articles adjacent and in advance of the package components and having an inclined surface on which the articles are guided upwardly into position for conveyance onto the package components.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
92 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 16 and characterized further in that said means for disposing folded articles lengthwise on package components includes means for yieldably retaining the package components in position for conveyance thereonto of folded articles, with the generally flat package components being positioned by said package component disposing means with upstanding transverse end flaps at the ends thereof that are leading with respect to the direction of article advance for advance of articles on the package components against the end flaps thereof.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 19 and characterized further in that said yieldably retaining means comprises suction means acting on the underside of disposed package components to resist lengthwise movement thereof and to hold the package components down for movement of folded articles thereonto.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
62 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 16 and characterized further by means at said preliminary packaging station for folding transverse end flaps of the package components upwardly at the ends thereof that are leading with respect to the direction of article advance for advance of articles on the package components against the end flaps thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
86 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 21 and characterized further in that said end flap folding means comprises a folding element disposed below the package component end flaps for pivoting against the end flaps, and means for pivoting said folding element upwardly to fold the end flaps and for retaining said folding element to allow the package components with articles thereon to pass over said folding element as the preliminarily packaged articles are conveyed from said preliminary packaging station.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 21 and characterized further in that said means for disposing folded articles lengthwise on packaging components includes a guide member projecting upwardly in the path of the articles adjacent and in advance of the package components to prevent movement of the package components during end flap folding thereof and having an inclined surface on which articles are guided upwardly into position for conveyance onto the package components.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
83 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 14 and characterized further in that said means for inserting preliminarily packaged articles lengthwise into bags comprises means for opening the advancing article facing ends of bags before the articles are conveyed to said bagging station, means for gripping opposite edges of the open bags to hold the bags stationary while articles are inserted thereinto as the articles advance and for ungripping the bags to allow bagged articles to advance.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 14 and characterized further by a transverse stop at said bag closing station in the path of advancing bags for stopping the bags and thereby seating the articles fully in the bags and positioning the bags properly for closing.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
92 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 25 and characterized further in that said means for closing bags includes a flap folding plate in the path of advancing bags and over which the bags are conveyed into bag closing position, means for pivoting said flap folding plate to fold closure flaps of the bags over the bags, and sealing means movable downwardly onto the folded closure flaps to seal the flaps to the bags while the flaps are held in folded position by said folding plate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
58 words
AN apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 25 and characterized further by a package supporting member at said bag closing station having a surface inclined downwardly in the direction of article advance for sliding thereon of bagged articles, said transverse stop being located on said inclined surface for stopping bagged articles thereon.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 27 and characterized further by a bag turning plate disposed on said inclined surface in advance of said stop for receipt of bagged articles thereon, and means for oscillating said turning plate in the direction of article advance to turn over bagged articles after bag closing and to return said turning plate to article receiving position.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 14 and characterized further by means at said bag closing station for turning bagged articles over in the direction of article advance after the bags have been closed.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus for packaging elongated flaccid articles, such as hosiery, according to claim 29 and characterized further in that said turning means comprises a turning plate disposed for receipt of bagged articles thereon, and means for oscillating said turning plate in the direction of article advance to turn over bagged articles after bag closing and to return said turning plate to article receiving position.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3514019A
Cited
US3448557A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-02 | 1977-01-01 | 1977-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-02 | 1981-01-01 | 1981-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-02 | 1985-01-01 | 1985-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |