US3791100A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Bundling machine and process
Assignee: WELDOTORON Corp
•
Filing: 1971-02-04
•
Granted: 1974-02-12
•
Expires: 1991-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A bundling process and apparatus utilizes a conveying system which is coordinated with the movement of at least one wrapping bar for successively positioning one end of a length of enwrapping material in position on one end of an intermittently operated conveyor of the conveying system. An article to be wrapped is placed over the positioned end of the enwrapping material and then carried forward to rest fully on the conveyor, whereupon the conveyor stops. While the article is on the stationary conveyor, the wrapping bar travels a path encircling the conveyor and carries the opposite end of the enwrapping material around the article, positioning it so that as the article moves onto another conveyor of the system it laps the end positioned underneath the article, and the lap is then sealed and the enwrapping material heat shrunk to form a tight sleeve wrap or bundle. Means are provided for controlling the feed of the wrapping material from a continuous roll mounted beneath the conveying system, in the middle of the wrap bar travel path, for severing the proper length of material and for maintaining the leading end of the severed material in position on the end of the intermittent conveyor until the article is placed thereon.
Inventors
- 👤 A Monaghan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 12:41
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B41/00; B65B41/12; B65B11/00; B65B11/06; B65B11/08; B65B11/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
380 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input and an output end and an upper surface therebetween for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a first length of a wrapping material to said wrapping conveyor and placing the leading end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, said wrapper feeding means including means to suspend said first length of wrapping material across the path of said wrap bar, and means including said wrap bar to pick up the suspended length and advance it to the input end of said wrapping conveyor, article feeding means for passing at least a first article to be wrapped onto the input end of said wrapping conveyor and onto the leading end of the wrapping material, first sensing means actuated when said first article is positioned on said conveyor at a predetermined location, with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, for stopping said wrapping conveyor, means operable when said conveyor is stopped for starting the carrier means and wrap bar into motion along said path to convey the trailing end of said first length of wrapping material up over said first article and down in front of it, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, said wrapper feeding means being synchronized with said wrap bar for supplying a second length of wrapping material and advancing the leading end thereof to the input end of said conveyor while said wrap bar is conveying the trailing end of the first length up and over and down in front of said first article, and means operable after said wrapping material has been so conveyed about said first article for starting said wrapping conveyor into motion to pass said article onto said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
380 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input and an output end and an upper surface therebetween for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a first length of a wrapping material to said wrapping conveyor and placing the leading end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, said wrapper feeding means including means to suspend said first length of wrapping material across the path of said wrap bar, and means including said wrap bar to pick up the suspended length and advance it to the input end of said wrapping conveyor, article feeding means for passing at least a first article to be wrapped onto the input end of said wrapping conveyor and onto the leading end of the wrapping material, first sensing means actuated when said first article is positioned on said conveyor at a predetermined location, with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, for stopping said wrapping conveyor, means operable when said conveyor is stopped for starting the carrier means and wrap bar into motion along said path to convey the trailing end of said first length of wrapping material up over said first article and down in front of it, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, said wrapper feeding means being synchronized with said wrap bar for supplying a second length of wrapping material and advancing the leading end thereof to the input end of said conveyor while said wrap bar is conveying the trailing end of the first length up and over and down in front of said first article, and means operable after said wrapping material has been so conveyed about said first article for starting said wrapping conveyor into motion to pass said article onto said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, further including means associated with the package receiving means for sealing the overlapped ends of said wrapping material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the wrapping material is shrinkable film, and further including a shrink tunnel disposed in cooperative relation to said package receiving means for shrinking the wrapping material about said article after the overlapping ends have been sealed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said wrapper feeding means includes means to pick up the wrapping material at a point spaced from the input end of said wrapping conveyor and to invert said wrapping material from its initial condition so that its initially trailing end becomes its leading end and is presented to the input end of said wrapping conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
330 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input and an output end and an upper surface therebetween for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a length of a wrapping material to said wrapping conveyor and placing the leading end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, said wrapper feeding means including means for holding said wrapping material to extend across the path of the wrap bar, and means for advancing the wrap bar into the extended wrapping material to pick it up and carry it on the wrap bar as it passes along its path toward the input end of the wrapping conveyor, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto the input end of said wrapping conveyor and onto the leading end of the wrapping material, first sensing means actuated when said article is positioned on said conveyor at a predetermined location, with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, for stopping said wrapping conveyor, means operable when said conveyor is stopped for starting the carrier means and wrap bar into motion along said path to convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over the article and down in front of it, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, and means operable after said wrapping material has been so conveyed about the article for starting said wrapping conveyor into motion to pass said article onto said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
330 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input and an output end and an upper surface therebetween for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a length of a wrapping material to said wrapping conveyor and placing the leading end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, said wrapper feeding means including means for holding said wrapping material to extend across the path of the wrap bar, and means for advancing the wrap bar into the extended wrapping material to pick it up and carry it on the wrap bar as it passes along its path toward the input end of the wrapping conveyor, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto the input end of said wrapping conveyor and onto the leading end of the wrapping material, first sensing means actuated when said article is positioned on said conveyor at a predetermined location, with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, for stopping said wrapping conveyor, means operable when said conveyor is stopped for starting the carrier means and wrap bar into motion along said path to convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over the article and down in front of it, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, and means operable after said wrapping material has been so conveyed about the article for starting said wrapping conveyor into motion to pass said article onto said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as in claim 5, further including means providing a surface adjacent the wrap bar path near the input end of the wrapping conveyor, wherein the Wrap bar is circular in cross-section and rotatable about its own axis and it presses against and rotates along said surface, with the wrapping material therebetween, to advance one end of the wrapping material toward the input end of the wrapping conveyor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as in claim 6, further including a cut-off means to cut the wrapping material into sheets, wherein the wrap bar presses the wrapping material it carries against said surface to tension said wrapping material against said cut-off means to cut off a sheet as it is being carried by the wrap bar.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as in claim 6, wherein a substantial portion of the surface of said cooperating means is substantially vertical and the lower end thereof is at an angle thereto to provide a meeting surface for the wrap bar.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
264 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input end and an output end and a surface therebetween for supporting successive articles to be wrapped, a package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, a supply of wrapping material, means for advancing a portion of said wrapping material into the path traversed by said wrap bar and maintaining it across said path, means for advancing said wrap bar along its path into said wrapping material to transport said wrapping material to a ready position at the input end of said wrapping conveyor with the leading end of said wrapping material above the upper surface of the wrapping conveyor adjacent its input end, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto said wrapping conveyor to rest on said conveyor, with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, means for continuing the travel of said wrap bar along its path, once the article is located on said wrapping conveyor, to convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over said article and down in front of said article, and means for forwarding said article to said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath said article, as it moves from said wrapping conveyor to said package receiving means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
264 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input end and an output end and a surface therebetween for supporting successive articles to be wrapped, a package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, a supply of wrapping material, means for advancing a portion of said wrapping material into the path traversed by said wrap bar and maintaining it across said path, means for advancing said wrap bar along its path into said wrapping material to transport said wrapping material to a ready position at the input end of said wrapping conveyor with the leading end of said wrapping material above the upper surface of the wrapping conveyor adjacent its input end, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto said wrapping conveyor to rest on said conveyor, with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, means for continuing the travel of said wrap bar along its path, once the article is located on said wrapping conveyor, to convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over said article and down in front of said article, and means for forwarding said article to said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath said article, as it moves from said wrapping conveyor to said package receiving means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, wherein said carrier means is an endless conveyor which carries the wrap bar and completely encircles the wrapping conveyor.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus as in claim 10, wherein there are two wrap bars carried by the endless conveyor at substantially diametrically opposite points thereof, wherein said wrap bars alternate in transporting lengths of wrapping material to said ready position and in conveying said lengths of wrapping material about successive articles, and wherein one such wrap bar transports a length of said wrapping material to said ready position while the other wrap bar is conveying another length of wrapping material from the ready position about an article.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
48 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, further including wrapper advancing means independent of said wrapping conveyor, operable when an article has reached a predetermined location on said wrapping conveyor, for advancing the wrapping material with the article to cause it to advance along the wrapping conveyor with the article.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
74 words
Apparatus as in claim 12, wherein said wrapper advancing means is a substantially vertical conveyor located adjacent the path of the wrap bar, wherein the wrapping material extends downwardly between the wrap bar and the substantially vertical conveyor when its leading end is above the wrapping conveyor at its input end, and wherein the wrapping material is advanced by actuating the substantially verticle conveyor to rotate the wrap bar and advance the wrapping material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, further including means providing a surface adjaCent the wrap bar path near the input end of the wrapping conveyor, wherein the wrap bar is circular in cross-section and rotatable about its own axis and it presses against and rotates along said surface, with the wrapping material therebetween, to advance one end of the wrapping material toward the input end of the wrapping conveyor.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as in claim 14, further including a cut-off means to cut the wrapping material into sheets, wherein the wrap bar presses the wrapping material it carries against said surface to tension said wrapping material against said cut-off means to cut off a sheet as it is being carried by the wrap bar.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
76 words
Apparatus as in claim 9, further including sensing means actuated when an article reaches a predetermined location on said wrapping conveyor for stopping said wrapping conveyor and starting the carrier means in motion to pass the wrap bar about the article while it is stationary on the wrapping conveyor, and means for starting said wrapping conveyor into motion, to advance the article to the package receiving means, once the wrap bar has passed about the article.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus as in claim 16, wherein said carrier means carries two wrap bars positioned diametrically opposite to one another along said wrap bar path, and further including means to advance said wrap bars one-half revolution along said wrap bar path each time said carrier means is started into operation by said sensing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
244 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input end and an output end and a surface therebetween for supporting successive articles to be wrapped, a package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, conveyor means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, a supply of wrapping material located under said wrapping conveyor and within the area encircled by said wrap bar, means for advancing a portion of said wrapping material to hang downwardly across the path traversed by said wrap bar, means for advancing said wrap bar along its path into said wrapping material to transport said wrapping material to a ready position at the input end of said wrapping conveyor, with the leading end of said wrapping material above the upper surface of the wrapping conveyor adjacent its input end, means for continuing the travel of said wrap bar along its path to wrap an article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, said wrap bar conveying the trailing end of said wrapping material up over said article and down in front of said article, and means for forwarding said article to said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath said article, as it moves from said wrapping conveyor to said package receiving means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
244 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input end and an output end and a surface therebetween for supporting successive articles to be wrapped, a package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, conveyor means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, a supply of wrapping material located under said wrapping conveyor and within the area encircled by said wrap bar, means for advancing a portion of said wrapping material to hang downwardly across the path traversed by said wrap bar, means for advancing said wrap bar along its path into said wrapping material to transport said wrapping material to a ready position at the input end of said wrapping conveyor, with the leading end of said wrapping material above the upper surface of the wrapping conveyor adjacent its input end, means for continuing the travel of said wrap bar along its path to wrap an article resting on the leading end of said wrapping material, said wrap bar conveying the trailing end of said wrapping material up over said article and down in front of said article, and means for forwarding said article to said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath said article, as it moves from said wrapping conveyor to said package receiving means.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
316 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input end and an output end for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a length of a wrapping material to said wrapping conveyor and placing one end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, said wrapper feeding means including means to advance a length of wrapping film from a supply roll of such film across said wrap bar path, means to cut off a predetermined length of such film to form a sheet thereof, and means including said wrap bar to pick up such sheet and invert it end-for-end to place the end thereof which has just been cut above the upper surface of the input end of the wrapping conveyOr, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto said wrapping conveyor to rest on said conveyor with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of the sheet of wrapping material, driving means for said carrier means to move the wrap bar along said path to convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over the article and down in front of it, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, and driving means for said wrapping conveyor for advancing said conveyor to pass the article from said wrapping conveyor onto the package receiving means, after said wrapping material has been conveyed about the article, to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
316 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input end and an output end for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a length of a wrapping material to said wrapping conveyor and placing one end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, said wrapper feeding means including means to advance a length of wrapping film from a supply roll of such film across said wrap bar path, means to cut off a predetermined length of such film to form a sheet thereof, and means including said wrap bar to pick up such sheet and invert it end-for-end to place the end thereof which has just been cut above the upper surface of the input end of the wrapping conveyOr, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto said wrapping conveyor to rest on said conveyor with at least part of said article resting on the leading end of the sheet of wrapping material, driving means for said carrier means to move the wrap bar along said path to convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over the article and down in front of it, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, and driving means for said wrapping conveyor for advancing said conveyor to pass the article from said wrapping conveyor onto the package receiving means, after said wrapping material has been conveyed about the article, to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus as in claim 19, wherein the wrapping material is shrinkable film, further including means associated with the package receiving means for sealing the overlapped ends of said shrinkable film, and a shrink tunnel disposed in cooperative relation to said package receiving means for shrinking said film about said article after the overlapping ends have been sealed.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
339 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input and an output end and an upper surface therebetween for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a length of a wrapping material to waid wrapping conveyor and placing the leading end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, with the remainder thereof extending downwardly off said wrapping conveyor and passing adjacent said wrap bar, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto the input end of said wrapping conveyor and onto the leading end of the wrapping material, wrapper advance means, operable after said article has reached the input end of said conveyor and passed onto the leading end of the wrapping material, for advancing said wrapping material with the article to cause it to pass along the wrapping conveyor with the article, said wrapper advance means including an endless conveyor surface on the opposite side of said downwardly extending wrapping material from said wrap bar, which rotates against the wrap bar, with the wrapping material located therebetween, to advance said wrapping material with the article, means for advancing the carrier means to advance the wrap bar along its path and convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over the article, once the article has passed fully onto said wrapping conveyor, and, then down in front of the article, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, and means operable after said wrapping material has been so conveyed about the article for forwarding said article onto said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
339 words
Automatic packaging apparatus comprising a wrapping conveyor having an input and an output end and an upper surface therebetween for supporting and conveying successive articles to be wrapped, package receiving means adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor but spaced therefrom, carrier means carrying at least one wrap bar along a path which encircles said wrapping conveyor to wrap wrapping material about an article on said conveyor, wrapper feeding means supplying a length of a wrapping material to waid wrapping conveyor and placing the leading end thereof above the upper surface of said conveyor adjacent its input end, with the remainder thereof extending downwardly off said wrapping conveyor and passing adjacent said wrap bar, article feeding means for passing at least one article to be wrapped onto the input end of said wrapping conveyor and onto the leading end of the wrapping material, wrapper advance means, operable after said article has reached the input end of said conveyor and passed onto the leading end of the wrapping material, for advancing said wrapping material with the article to cause it to pass along the wrapping conveyor with the article, said wrapper advance means including an endless conveyor surface on the opposite side of said downwardly extending wrapping material from said wrap bar, which rotates against the wrap bar, with the wrapping material located therebetween, to advance said wrapping material with the article, means for advancing the carrier means to advance the wrap bar along its path and convey the trailing end of said wrapping material up over the article, once the article has passed fully onto said wrapping conveyor, and, then down in front of the article, adjacent the output end of said wrapping conveyor, while the leading end of the wrapping material remains restrained underneath said article, and means operable after said wrapping material has been so conveyed about the article for forwarding said article onto said package receiving means to cause the trailing end of said wrapping material to overlap the leading end thereof, underneath the article.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as in claim 21, wherein the wrap bar is circular in cross-section and rotatable about its own axis.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3276184A
Cited
US3540187A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-11 | 1977-08-13 | 1978-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-11 | 1981-08-13 | 1982-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-11 | 1985-08-13 | 1986-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |