Wrapping compressible material

Abstract

Abstract Units of resilient compressed material are delivered at spaced intervals to the interior of a tubular wrapper supported by a wrapper carrier in encircling position about the upper and lower jaw members of an almost-closed or collapsed counter-balanced spout. Each of the jaw members has its own driven endless conveyor belt which cooperate to advance the compressed unit toward the almost-closed mouth of the spout, the thrust of the unit causing the counterbalanced jaws to open to allow the unit to pass therethrough. In timed relation thereto, the encircling tubular wrapper is moved by its carrier in the same direction and at the same speed as the advancing compressed unit as it emerges from the opened mouth of the spout. As the compressed resilient material emerges, it expands into pressure engagement with the encircling tubular wrapper. When the wrapper is held in encircling position about the almost-closed jaws, just prior to arrival of the next unit to be wrapped, upper and lower cover plates, above and below the moving jaw conveyors, are interposed between the moving jaw conveyor belts and the wrapper. In preferred embodiments, automatic means pick up a tubular wrapper from a supply of wrappers, spread open the picked-up wrapper in a desired position of orientation with respect to informational matter appearing thereon and also with respect to a carry-handle with which the wrapper is provided, and carry the picked-up wrapper in the desired position of orientation to an encircling position about the almost-closed jaws of the spout, in timed relation to the expected arrival of the next unit of resilient compressible material to be wrapped.

Inventors

• 👤 W Brady

Bibliographic Details