Packaging machine

Claim 2

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, the conveyor includes a second drive chain spaced apart from the first-mentioned drive chain and is driven simultaneously therewith, each of the platens of the conveyor having a pair of clips on opposite sides thereof engageable with a portion of one of the drive chains to hold the platen onto the clip, and a platen release mounted on the base and being selectively engageable with the clips for releasing selectively the platens from the chains to remove the platens.

Claim 3

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, A plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, and a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable between adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously moving with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried in the adjacent platens, the blade defines a plane which is aligned with the straight line portion of the chain, whereby the blade enters the film at an acute angle to the length of the film and travels through the film at said acute angle to cut the film.

Claim 4

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, A plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, and a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable between adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously moving with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried in the adjacent platens, the blade defines a plane which is aligned with the straight line portion of the chain, whereby the blade enters the film at an acute angle to the length of the film and travels through the film at said acute angle to cut the film.

Claim 5

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, and a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with a portion of each platen for releasing the platen from the drive chain.

Claim 6

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, and a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with a portion of each platen for releasing the platen from the drive chain.

Claim 7

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, the conveyor includes an idler wheel rotatably mounted on the base, a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on the base spaced away from the idler wheel, said drive chain spaced from and parallel to the first-mentioned drive chain, said pair of drive chains mounted in engagement with the idler wheel and the drive sprocket, each of the chains having a plurality of platen supports, each of the platen supports having an outwardly-extending platen plate, each platen plate having a pin aperture contained therein, each of the platens having a platen body, a platen pin mounted on each of opposed sides of the platen body, each of said pins being positionable in a pin aperture of its respective platen plate, and a clip mounted on the platen and being engageable with the platen plate to hold the respective side of the platen in engagement with the platen plate and to hold the pin in its respective pin aperture.

Claim 8

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, the conveyor includes an idler wheel rotatably mounted on the base, a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on the base spaced away from the idler wheel, said drive chain spaced from and parallel to the first-mentioned drive chain, said pair of drive chains mounted in engagement with the idler wheel and the drive sprocket, each of the chains having a plurality of platen supports, each of the platen supports having an outwardly-extending platen plate, each platen plate having a pin aperture contained therein, each of the platens having a platen body, a platen pin mounted on each of opposed sides of the platen body, each of said pins being positionable in a pin aperture of its respective platen plate, and a clip mounted on the platen and being engageable with the platen plate to hold the respective side of the platen in engagement with the platen plate and to hold the pin in its respective pin aperture.

Claim 9

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, each of the platens having a cavity extending through the body of the platen for receiving a container, an ejector mounted below a portion of the conveyor and engageable with the containers carried by the platens to expel the containers from the respective platens as the platens are moved past the ejector, a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable betweeN adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously moving with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried in the adjacent platens, each of the platens of the container has a pin adjacent to one side thereof engageable with the drive chain for holding the respective platen on the drive chain and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the pin to hold the platen onto the drive chain, and a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with the clip and pin of each of the platens for releasing that platen from the drive chain.

Claim 10

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, each of the platens having a cavity extending through the body of the platen for receiving a container, an ejector mounted below a portion of the conveyor and engageable with the containers carried by the platens to expel the containers from the respective platens as the platens are moved past the ejector, a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable betweeN adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously moving with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried in the adjacent platens, each of the platens of the container has a pin adjacent to one side thereof engageable with the drive chain for holding the respective platen on the drive chain and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the pin to hold the platen onto the drive chain, and a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with the clip and pin of each of the platens for releasing that platen from the drive chain.

Claim 11

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with a portion of each platen for releasing that platen from the drive chain, and a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable between adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously moving with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried in the adjacent platens.

Claim 12

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with a portion of each platen for releasing that platen from the drive chain, and a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable between adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously moving with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried in the adjacent platens.

Claim 13

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, each of the platens of the conveyor has a pin adjacent to one side thereof engageable with the drive chain for holding the respective platen on the drive chain and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the pin to hold the platen onto the drive chain, and a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with each clip and each pin for releasing selectively the clip and forcing the pin out of engagement with the drive pin.

Claim 14

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, each of the platens of the conveyor has a pin adjacent to one side thereof engageable with the drive chain for holding the respective platen on the drive chain and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the pin to hold the platen onto the drive chain, and a platen release mounted on the base selectively engageable with each clip and each pin for releasing selectively the clip and forcing the pin out of engagement with the drive pin.

Claim 15

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable in between adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried by adjacent platens, wherein each of the platens of the conveyor has a pin adjacent to one side thereof engageable with the drive chain for holding the respective platen on the drive pin and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the pin to hold the platen onto the drive chain, and a platen release mounted on the base below a portion of the conveyor selectively engageable with each clip and each pin for releasing selectively the platen from the drive chain and disengaging the pin from engagement with the drive chain to release the platen.

Claim 16

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a slitting assembly mounted on the base, said slitting assembly including a blade movable in between adjacent platens transverse to the direction of movement of the platens and simultaneously with the platens for separating the continuous film applied to the containers carried by adjacent platens, wherein each of the platens of the conveyor has a pin adjacent to one side thereof engageable with the drive chain for holding the respective platen on the drive pin and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the pin to hold the platen onto the drive chain, and a platen release mounted on the base below a portion of the conveyor selectively engageable with each clip and each pin for releasing selectively the platen from the drive chain and disengaging the pin from engagement with the drive chain to release the platen.

Claim 17

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, each of the platens of the conveyor has a pin mounted therein adjacent to one side thereof releasably engageable with the drive chain and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the chain to hold the platen onto the drive chain, a release pivot mounted in the base adjacent to a portion of the drive chain, a release wheel shaft mounted on the release pivot offset from the center of the release pivot, and a release wheel rotatably mounted on the release wheel shaft and being rotatable on said shaft, said release wheel having a spring flange selectively engageable with a portion of a clip for disengaging the clip from a drive chain, said release wheel having an ejector body selectively engageable with a pin cooperative with the clip for forcing the pin out of engagement with the drive chain to release selectively the platen from the drive chain.

Claim 18

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, each of the platens of the conveyor has a pin mounted therein adjacent to one side thereof releasably engageable with the drive chain and a clip engaging the respective platen and a portion of the drive chain to cooperate with the chain to hold the platen onto the drive chain, a release pivot mounted in the base adjacent to a portion of the drive chain, a release wheel shaft mounted on the release pivot offset from the center of the release pivot, and a release wheel rotatably mounted on the release wheel shaft and being rotatable on said shaft, said release wheel having a spring flange selectively engageable with a portion of a clip for disengaging the clip from a drive chain, said release wheel having an ejector body selectively engageable with a pin cooperative with the clip for forcing the pin out of engagement with the drive chain to release selectively the platen from the drive chain.

Claim 19

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a housing pivotedly mounted on said base for being angularly positioned relative to the length of said continuous film, a movable chain mounted in the housing and being pivotal with the housing, said chain having a portion in a straight line positionable in at least two acute angles relative to the length of the chain by angular movement with the housing, a blade engageable with the film mounted on the chain to be moved thereby, a lock connected to the housing for selectively angularly positioning the housing and the straight line portion of the chain relative to the direction of the movement of the film, a drive connected to the drive sprocket and to the chain for moving the chain and the blade through the film, said drive having a pair of removable gears for determining the rate of movement of the blade through the film when the housing is positioned in a given angular position to cut the film in a given uniform selected length, and a second pair of removable gears for replacing the first-mentioned pair of removable gears for determining a second rate of movement of the blade through the film when the straight line portion of the chain is positioned in a second given angle to cut the film perpendicular to the length of the film in a second given selected length of the film.

Claim 20

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a housing pivotedly mounted on said base for being angularly positioned relative to the length of said continuous film, a movable chain mounted in the housing and being pivotal with the housing, said chain having a portion in a straight line positionable in at least two acute angles relative to the length of the chain by angular movement with the housing, a blade engageable with the film mounted on the chain to be moved thereby, a lock connected to the housing for selectively angularly positioning the housing and the straight line portion of the chain relative to the direction of the movement of the film, a drive connected to the drive sprocket and to the chain for moving the chain and the blade through the film, said drive having a pair of removable gears for determining the rate of movement of the blade through the film when the housing is positioned in a given angular position to cut the film in a given uniform selected length, and a second pair of removable gears for replacing the first-mentioned pair of removable gears for determining a second rate of movement of the blade through the film when the straight line portion of the chain is positioned in a second given angle to cut the film perpendicular to the length of the film in a second given selected length of the film.

Claim 21

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a continuous chain movably mounted relative to the conveyor, said continuous chain having a straight line portion positioned at an acute angle to The length of the film carried on the conveyor and extending across the width of the conveyor, said straight line portion of the chain being angularly positionable in respect to the length of the film, a lock for holding the straight line portion of the chain at a selected angle, a blade engageable with the film material mounted on the chain and movable across the film for separating the film, a drive connected to the chain for moving the blade through the film, said drive including a pair of removable gears regulating the rate of movement of the blade relative to the movement of the film to cut the film perpendicularly to the length of the film in a uniform selected length when the straight line portion of the chain is at a given acute angle, and a second pair of gears for replacing the first-mentioned pair of removable gears in the drive for determining a second rate of movement of the blade through the film when the straight line portion of the chain is positioned at a second given angle to cut the film perpendicular to the length of the film in a second given selected length of the film.

Claim 22

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a continuous chain movably mounted relative to the conveyor, said continuous chain having a straight line portion positioned at an acute angle to The length of the film carried on the conveyor and extending across the width of the conveyor, said straight line portion of the chain being angularly positionable in respect to the length of the film, a lock for holding the straight line portion of the chain at a selected angle, a blade engageable with the film material mounted on the chain and movable across the film for separating the film, a drive connected to the chain for moving the blade through the film, said drive including a pair of removable gears regulating the rate of movement of the blade relative to the movement of the film to cut the film perpendicularly to the length of the film in a uniform selected length when the straight line portion of the chain is at a given acute angle, and a second pair of gears for replacing the first-mentioned pair of removable gears in the drive for determining a second rate of movement of the blade through the film when the straight line portion of the chain is positioned at a second given angle to cut the film perpendicular to the length of the film in a second given selected length of the film.

Claim 23

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, the conveyor including an idler wheel rotatably mounted on the base, a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on the base spaced away from the idler wheel, a second drive chain spaced from and parallel to the first-mentioned drive chain, said pair of drive chains mounted in engagement with the idler wheel and the drive sprocket, each of the chains having a plurality of platen supports, each of the platen supports having an outwardly extending platen plate, each of said platen plates having a pin aperture contained therein, each of the platens having a platen body, a platen pin mounted on each of opposed sides of the platen body, each of the pins being positionable in the pin aperture of its respective platen plate, a clip mounted on the platen and being engageable with the platen plate to hold the respective side of the platen in engagement with the platen plate and to hold the pin in its respective pin aperture, a pair of release pivots mounted on opposed sides of the base, a release wheel shaft mounted on each of the release pivots offset from the center of the release pivot, a release wheel rotatably mounted on each of the release wheel shafts, each of said release wheels including a spring flange selectively engageable with the clip for disengaging the clip from the platen plate, each of said release wheels having an ejector body formed integral with the spring flange and selectively engageable with a platen pin for forcing the platen pin out of its respective pin aperture after the respective spring flange has disengaged the respective platen plate, and a control arm connected to both of the release pivots for selectively pivoting the release pivots for selectively placing the release wheel into engagement or out of engagement with the respective clips and pins, said control arm being positionable below a portion of the conveyor for catching platens released from the chains.

Claim 24

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, a plurality of platens releasably locked to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, the conveyor including an idler wheel rotatably mounted on the base, a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on the base spaced away from the idler wheel, a second drive chain spaced from and parallel to the first-mentioned drive chain, said pair of drive chains mounted in engagement with the idler wheel and the drive sprocket, each of the chains having a plurality of platen supports, each of the platen supports having an outwardly extending platen plate, each of said platen plates having a pin aperture contained therein, each of the platens having a platen body, a platen pin mounted on each of opposed sides of the platen body, each of the pins being positionable in the pin aperture of its respective platen plate, a clip mounted on the platen and being engageable with the platen plate to hold the respective side of the platen in engagement with the platen plate and to hold the pin in its respective pin aperture, a pair of release pivots mounted on opposed sides of the base, a release wheel shaft mounted on each of the release pivots offset from the center of the release pivot, a release wheel rotatably mounted on each of the release wheel shafts, each of said release wheels including a spring flange selectively engageable with the clip for disengaging the clip from the platen plate, each of said release wheels having an ejector body formed integral with the spring flange and selectively engageable with a platen pin for forcing the platen pin out of its respective pin aperture after the respective spring flange has disengaged the respective platen plate, and a control arm connected to both of the release pivots for selectively pivoting the release pivots for selectively placing the release wheel into engagement or out of engagement with the respective clips and pins, said control arm being positionable below a portion of the conveyor for catching platens released from the chains.

Claim 25

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, the conveyor having an idler wheel rotatably mounted on the base, a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on the base spaced away from the idler wheel, a second drive chain spaced from and parallel to the first-mentioned drive chain, said pair of drive chains mounted in engagement with the idler wheel and the drive sprocket, a plurality of platens releasably locKed to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, each of the chains having a plurality of platen supports, each of the platen supports having an outwardly-extending platen plate, each platen plate having a pin aperture contained therein, each of the platens having a platen body, a platen pin mounted on each of the opposed sides of the platen body, each of said pins being positionable in a pin aperture of its respective platen plate, a clip mounted on the platen and being engageable with the platen plate to hold the respective side of the platen in engagement with the platen plate and to hold the pin in its respective pin aperture, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a continuous chain mounted on the base, said continuous chain being movable relative to the conveyor, said continuous chain having a straight line portion positioned at an acute angle to the length of the film and extending across the width thereof, a blade engageable with the film mounted on the continuous chain to be moved thereby across the film to separate the film, said blade being movable between adjacent platens, said straight line portion of the continuous chain along with the blade carried thereby being selectively angularly positionable relative to the length of the film, means for holding the straight line portion of the continuous chain relative to the conveyor at a given selected angle, a drive connected to the continuous chain and being drivingly connected to the drive sprocket for moving the blade through the film between adjacent platens, a pair of removable gears constituting a portion of the drive for determining a rate of movement of the blade through the film relative to the movement of the film to cut the film perpendicularly to the length of the film in a given uniform selected length, and a second pair of gears being replaceable for the first-mentioned pair of removable gears for determining a second rate of movement of the blade through the film when the angle of the straight line portion of the continuous chain is at a second angle to cut the film perpendicularly to the length of the film in a second given selected length of the film.

Claim 26

A packaging machine including a base, a continuous conveyor mounted on the base, said conveyor including a drive chain, the conveyor having an idler wheel rotatably mounted on the base, a drive sprocket rotatably mounted on the base spaced away from the idler wheel, a second drive chain spaced from and parallel to the first-mentioned drive chain, said pair of drive chains mounted in engagement with the idler wheel and the drive sprocket, a plurality of platens releasably locKed to the drive chain, each of said platens adapted for carrying a container having an open side, means for driving the drive chain to move the conveyor, each of the chains having a plurality of platen supports, each of the platen supports having an outwardly-extending platen plate, each platen plate having a pin aperture contained therein, each of the platens having a platen body, a platen pin mounted on each of the opposed sides of the platen body, each of said pins being positionable in a pin aperture of its respective platen plate, a clip mounted on the platen and being engageable with the platen plate to hold the respective side of the platen in engagement with the platen plate and to hold the pin in its respective pin aperture, a sealing assembly mounted on the base and being cooperative with the conveyor, said sealing assembly including means for applying a continuous film of material to the open side of each of the containers carried by the platens, a continuous chain mounted on the base, said continuous chain being movable relative to the conveyor, said continuous chain having a straight line portion positioned at an acute angle to the length of the film and extending across the width thereof, a blade engageable with the film mounted on the continuous chain to be moved thereby across the film to separate the film, said blade being movable between adjacent platens, said straight line portion of the continuous chain along with the blade carried thereby being selectively angularly positionable relative to the length of the film, means for holding the straight line portion of the continuous chain relative to the conveyor at a given selected angle, a drive connected to the continuous chain and being drivingly connected to the drive sprocket for moving the blade through the film between adjacent platens, a pair of removable gears constituting a portion of the drive for determining a rate of movement of the blade through the film relative to the movement of the film to cut the film perpendicularly to the length of the film in a given uniform selected length, and a second pair of gears being replaceable for the first-mentioned pair of removable gears for determining a second rate of movement of the blade through the film when the angle of the straight line portion of the continuous chain is at a second angle to cut the film perpendicularly to the length of the film in a second given selected length of the film.