Package separator and corner cutting die for individual portions, and method

Claim 2

In the method of separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising packages equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows and which sheet includes longitudinally extending and transversely extending continuous, planar webs extending around the open sides of said cavities and a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and sealed to said webs comprising the steps of: a. supporting said package sheet for movement thereof longitudinally thereof in one direction successively to and past a web-bisecting station and a package-separating station and so moving said package sheet; b. bisecting each of said longitudinally extending webs at said bisecting station along a single line during said movement to form separate adjacent pairs of package strips each having a longitudinally extending row of filled and covered cavities connected by said transversely extending webs; c. progressively spacing said package strips apart in the plane of said webs during movement of said package sheet and package strips in said one direction; d. separating the packages of said package strips from each other at said package separating station by cutting out narrow strips of said transversely extending webs centrally positioned between adjacent pairs of cavities in each of said package strips along spaced lines extending nOrmal to the lengths of said package strips and curved divergently away from each other at their end portions forming rounded corners on the web around each cavity at each corner of each cavity.

Claim 3

The method as defined in claim 1, that includes the steps of: e. cutting at said package separating station each of the strips removed from said transversely extending webs into several smaller pieces simultaneously with the removal of subsequent strips from subsequent webs moved to said package separating station; and f. conducting said several pieces along an enclosed path to a discharge point away from said cutting station upon each of said strips being cut into several pieces.

Claim 4

The method as defined in claim 1, in which said package sheet includes marginal portions along its longitudinally extending edges that are coplanar with and wider than the webs between the cavities of said rows: e. cutting each of said marginal portions at said cutting station to a reduced width equal to substantially one half the width of said longitudinally extending webs simultaneously with bisecting said longitudinally extending webs; and f. conducting the portions removed from said marginal portions oppositely outwardly from said package sheet to spaced collecting points, and collecting said removed portions at said points.

Claim 5

The method as defined in claim 1 that includes the steps of: e. positively gripping said package sheet between opposed driving surfaces adjacent to but spaced from said cutting station before said sheet reaches said cutting station and at the same time frictionally gripping said package strips between friction surfaces permitting slippage of said surfaces relative to said package strips upon moving said friction surfaces in said one direction at a faster rate than said strips are moved by said driving surfaces; and f. simultaneously driving said opposed driving surfaces and said friction surfaces in said one direction at their points of engagement with said package sheet and package strips with said friction surfaces moving at a greater speed than said driving surfaces at their said respective points of engagement whereby movement of said package strips from said gripping surfaces past said cutting station and to said separating station will be uniform and said package strips will be free from distortion.

Claim 6

In the method of separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising packages equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows and which sheet includes longitudinously extending and transversely extending continuous, planar webs extending around the open sides of said cavities and a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and sealed to said webs, comprising the steps of: a. supporting said package sheet for movement thereof longitudinally thereof in one direction successively to and past a web-bisecting station and a package-separating station and so moving said package sheet; b. bisecting each of said longitudinally extending webs at said bisecting station along a single line during said movement to form separate adjacent pairs of package strips each having a longitudinally extending row of filled and covered cavities connected by said transversely extending webs; c. separating the packages of said package strips from each other at said package-separating station by cutting out narrow strips of said transversely extending webs centrally positioned between adjacent pairs of cavities in each of said package strips along spaced lines extending normal to the lengths of said package strips and curved divergently away from each other at their end portions forming rounded corners on the web around each cavity at each corner of each cavity; d. positively grippIng said package sheet between opposed driving surfaces adjacent to but spaced from said cutting station and at the same time frictionally gripping said package strips between friction surfaces permitting slippage of said surfaces relative to said package strips upon moving said friction surfaces in said one direction at a faster rate than said strips are moved by said driving surfaces; and e. simultaneously driving said opposed driving surfaces and said friction surfaces in said one direction at their points of engagement with said package sheet and package strips with said friction surfaces moving at a greater speed than said driving surfaces at their said respective points of engagement whereby movement of said package strips from said gripping surfaces past said cutting station and to said separating station will be uniform and said package strips will be free from distortion.

Claim 7

In the method of separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising packages equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows and which sheet includes longitudinously extending and transversely extending continuous, planar webs extending around the open sides of said cavities and a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and sealed to said webs, comprising the steps of: a. supporting said package sheet for movement thereof longitudinally thereof in one direction successively to and past a web-bisecting station and a package-separating station and so moving said package sheet; b. bisecting each of said longitudinally extending webs at said bisecting station along a single line during said movement to form separate adjacent pairs of package strips each having a longitudinally extending row of filled and covered cavities connected by said transversely extending webs; c. separating the packages of said package strips from each other at said package-separating station by cutting out narrow strips of said transversely extending webs centrally positioned between adjacent pairs of cavities in each of said package strips along spaced lines extending normal to the lengths of said package strips and curved divergently away from each other at their end portions forming rounded corners on the web around each cavity at each corner of each cavity; d. positively grippIng said package sheet between opposed driving surfaces adjacent to but spaced from said cutting station and at the same time frictionally gripping said package strips between friction surfaces permitting slippage of said surfaces relative to said package strips upon moving said friction surfaces in said one direction at a faster rate than said strips are moved by said driving surfaces; and e. simultaneously driving said opposed driving surfaces and said friction surfaces in said one direction at their points of engagement with said package sheet and package strips with said friction surfaces moving at a greater speed than said driving surfaces at their said respective points of engagement whereby movement of said package strips from said gripping surfaces past said cutting station and to said separating station will be uniform and said package strips will be free from distortion.

Claim 8

In the method of separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising packages equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows and which sheet includes longitudinally extending and transversely extending continuous, planar webs extending around the open sides of said cavities and a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and sealed to said webs, comprising the steps of: a. supporting said package sheet for movement thereof longitudinally thereof in one direction successively to and past a web-bisecting station and a package-separating station and so moving said package sheet; b. bisecting each of said longitudinally extending webs at said bisecting station along a single line during said movement to form separate adjacent pairs of package strips each having a longitudinally extending row of filled and covered cavities connected by said transversely extending webs; c. separating the packages of said package strips from each other at said package-separating station by cutting out narrow strips of said transversely extending webs centrally positioned between adjacent pairs of cavities in each of said package strips along spaced lines extending normal to the lengths of said package strips and curved divergently away from each other at their end portions forming rounded corners on the web around each cavity at each corner of each cavity; d. cutting at said package-separating station each of the strips removed from said transversely extending webs into several smaller pieces simultaneously with the removal of subsequent strips from subsequent webs moved to said package-separating station; and e. conducting said several pieces along an enclosed path to a discharge point away from said cutting station upon each of said strips being cut into several pieces.

Claim 9

In the method of separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising packages equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows and which sheet includes longitudinally extending and transversely extending continuous, planar webs extending around the open sides of said cavities and a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and sealed to said webs, comprising the steps of: a. supporting said package sheet for movement thereof longitudinally thereof in one direction successively to and past a web-bisecting station and a package-separating station and so moving said package sheet; b. bisecting each of said longitudinally extending webs at said bisecting station along a single line during said movement to form separate adjacent pairs of package strips each having a longitudinally extending row of filled and covered cavities connected by said transversely extending webs; c. separating the packages of said package strips from each other at said package-separating station by cutting out narrow strips of said transversely extending webs centrally positioned between adjacent pairs of cavities in each of said package strips along spaced lines extending normal to the lengths of said package strips and curved divergently away from each other at their end portions forming rounded corners on the web around each cavity at each corner of each cavity; d. cutting at said package-separating station each of the strips removed from said transversely extending webs into several smaller pieces simultaneously with the removal of subsequent strips from subsequent webs moved to said package-separating station; and e. conducting said several pieces along an enclosed path to a discharge point away from said cutting station upon each of said strips being cut into several pieces.

Claim 10

The method as defined in claim 6, in which said package sheet includes marginal portions along its longitudinally extending edges that are coplanar with and wider than the webs between the cavities of said rows: f. cutting each of said marginal portions at said cutting station to a reduced width equal to substantially one half the width of said longitudinally extending webs simultaneously with bisecting said longitudinally extending webs; and g. conducting the portions removed from said marginal portions oppositely outwardly from said package sheet to spaced collecting points, and collecting said removed portions at said points.

Claim 11

Apparatus for separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising filled packages, equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows, and which sheet includes longitudinally extenDing and transversely extending, planar webs continuous at their junctures extending around the open sides of said cavities with a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and the contents of said cavities and sealed to said webs: a. supporting means for supporting said package sheet for movement longitudinally thereof in one direction along a path of travel; b. moving means in engagement with said package sheet for so moving the latter along said path; c. a row of spaced cutters extending transversely across path with each cutter supported in cutting engagement with said longitudinally extending webs at points spaced from the packages of said longitudinally extending rows thereof for separating said package sheet along single lines respectively at said cutters into longitudinally extending package strips upon said movement of said sheet in said one direction whereby a longitudinally extending row of said packages respectively connected with each other by a transversely extending web will be in each package strip after passing said cutters, with a portion of said longitudinally extending webs on each strip at opposite sides of the packages thereof; d. cutting means extending transversely of said package strips spaced from said cutters in said one direction, actuatable for simultaneous movement into cutting engagement with the transversely extending webs of said package strip along lines spaced between adjacent pairs of packages of said package strip for separating the packages of said package strips into individual packages, and actuating means for so actuating said cutting means; e. said cutting means including arcuately extending cutting edges for cutting rounded corners on the web portions extending around each of said packages at the juncture between said transversely extending web portions and said longitudinally extending web portions.

Claim 12

Apparatus for separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising filled packages, equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows, and which sheet includes longitudinally extenDing and transversely extending, planar webs continuous at their junctures extending around the open sides of said cavities with a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and the contents of said cavities and sealed to said webs: a. supporting means for supporting said package sheet for movement longitudinally thereof in one direction along a path of travel; b. moving means in engagement with said package sheet for so moving the latter along said path; c. a row of spaced cutters extending transversely across path with each cutter supported in cutting engagement with said longitudinally extending webs at points spaced from the packages of said longitudinally extending rows thereof for separating said package sheet along single lines respectively at said cutters into longitudinally extending package strips upon said movement of said sheet in said one direction whereby a longitudinally extending row of said packages respectively connected with each other by a transversely extending web will be in each package strip after passing said cutters, with a portion of said longitudinally extending webs on each strip at opposite sides of the packages thereof; d. cutting means extending transversely of said package strips spaced from said cutters in said one direction, actuatable for simultaneous movement into cutting engagement with the transversely extending webs of said package strip along lines spaced between adjacent pairs of packages of said package strip for separating the packages of said package strips into individual packages, and actuating means for so actuating said cutting means; e. said cutting means including arcuately extending cutting edges for cutting rounded corners on the web portions extending around each of said packages at the juncture between said transversely extending web portions and said longitudinally extending web portions.

Claim 13

In apparatus as defined in claim 8: f. spacing means between said cutters and said cutting means for spacing said package strips apart at said cutting; and g. said arcuately extending cutting edges of said cutting means extending into the spacer between said strips to insure cutting said rounded corners irrespective of slight displacement of said strips in the plane thereof relative to said cutting means.

Claim 14

In apparatus as defined in claim 8: f. said cutting means comprising a die having pairs of straight, parallel cutting edges in side-by-side relation supported in positions for cutting a narrow strip of transverse web material from the transverse webs between the adjacent packages of said package strips to said juncture with said longitudinal web portions and said arcuate cutting edges being arcuate divergently extending continuations of said parallel straight cutting edges.

Claim 15

In apparatus as defined in claim 8: f. said moving means including power driven web-gripping wheels positioned one above the other in vertically opposed relation at opposite sides of certain of said webs in anti-slipping gripping relation with the latter and supported for rotation about axes extending normal to the direction of movement of said package sheet; and g. power means connected with said wheels for rotating them in a direction for so moving said package sheet at a predetermined rate of speed.

Claim 16

In apparatus as defined in claim 11: h. said moving means further including friction wheels in pairs with one wheel of each pair above the other in vertically opposed relation at opposite sides of the web portions of said package strips in frictional engagement with said web portions, and supported for rotation about axes extending normal to the direction of movement of said package strips; i. means for yieldably engaging one of the wheels of said pairs toward the other for application of pressure against the web portions between said pairs of wheels; and j. power means connected with one of the wheels of said pairs for driving them in a direction for tending to drive said package strips in said one direction at a faster rate than the rate at which said package sheet and package strip is moved whereby the lengths of said package strips between said gripping wheels and said friction wheels will be held taut and free from distortion by said friction wheels.

Claim 17

Apparatus for separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising filled packages, equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows, and which sheet includes longitudinally extending and transversely extending, planar webs continuous at their junctures extending around the open sides of said cavities with a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and the contents of said cavities and sealed to said webs: a. supporting means for supporting said package sheet for movement longitudinally thereof in one direction along a path of travel; b. moving means in engagement with said package sheet for so moving the latter along said path; c. first cutting means supported at a point along said path and actuatable for approximately bisecting said longitudinally extending webs along straight parallel lines to form longitudinally extending separated package strips each including a longitudinally extending row of said cavities connected by said transversely extending webs and portions of said longitudinally extending webs along opposite sides of each longitudinal row of cavities; d. second cutting means spaced from said first cutting means in said one direction simultaneously actuatable for approximately bisecting said transverse webs along parallel lines spaced between adjacent pairs of cavities in said package strips and arcuately divergent at their terminal ends across said portions of said longitudinally extending webs to thereby separate the package strips into individual packages each having a continuous web with straight edges with rounded corners; and e. means for actuating said first cutting means and means for actuating said second cutting means for so cutting said longitudinally extending webs and said transverse webs.

Claim 18

Apparatus for separating into separate, individual packages a continuous, elongated package sheet having parallel, spaced rows of filled and covered cavities arranged longitudinally of said package sheet in side-by-side relation with said cavities comprising filled packages, equally spaced apart and in alignment at right angles to said rows providing transversely extending rows, and which sheet includes longitudinally extending and transversely extending, planar webs continuous at their junctures extending around the open sides of said cavities with a planar cover sheet extending across said open sides and the contents of said cavities and sealed to said webs: a. supporting means for supporting said package sheet for movement longitudinally thereof in one direction along a path of travel; b. moving means in engagement with said package sheet for so moving the latter along said path; c. first cutting means supported at a point along said path and actuatable for approximately bisecting said longitudinally extending webs along straight parallel lines to form longitudinally extending separated package strips each including a longitudinally extending row of said cavities connected by said transversely extending webs and portions of said longitudinally extending webs along opposite sides of each longitudinal row of cavities; d. second cutting means spaced from said first cutting means in said one direction simultaneously actuatable for approximately bisecting said transverse webs along parallel lines spaced between adjacent pairs of cavities in said package strips and arcuately divergent at their terminal ends across said portions of said longitudinally extending webs to thereby separate the package strips into individual packages each having a continuous web with straight edges with rounded corners; and e. means for actuating said first cutting means and means for actuating said second cutting means for so cutting said longitudinally extending webs and said transverse webs.

Claim 19

In apparatus as defined in claim 13: f. said moving means including positive web-gripping means in positive gripping relation with longitudinally extending webs of said package sheet, and driving means for actuating said web gripping means intermittently for intermittently moving said package sheet in said one direction past said first cutting means; g. friction means in frictional engagement with longitudinally extending portions of the webs on said package strips between said first and said second cutting means and adjacent to the latter, said friction means being supported for movement in said one direction and driving means connected with said friction means for moving the latter in said one direction at an accelerated speed relative to said web-gripping means.