Process for forming partitioned film packages and apparatus for use therein

Claim 2

A process for forming a series of partitioned film packages comprising: a. drawing a web of pliable film material into a cylindrical forming member so as to bring the web''s edges together in overlapping relationship and thereby form said web into a tube, and advancing said tube through and past said forming member; b. feeding a layer of pliable film material through said forming member and advancing said layer within said advancing tube at a rate substantially equal to the rate of advancement of said tube; c. bringing said advancing tube into a confronting relationship with sealing means adapted to produce a seal between facing surface zones of said web adjacent the overlapping edges thereof in a manner such as to form, as the tube advances, a continuous linear juncture adjacent the edges of said web substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said tube; d. discharging two streams of fluent material into said advancing tube on opposite sides of said advancing layer of pliable film material, the material discharged on one side of said layer being different in composition from that discharged on the other; e. bringing the filled portion of said advancing tube into periodic engagement with constricting and sealing means which constricts said tube around said layer of pliable film material at spaced intervals and applies a pair of successive encircling closure means to said tube in each constricted area; and f. severing said tube in the constricted areas between each pair of closure means.

Claim 3

A process of claim 1 wherein said tube advances continuously.

Claim 4

A process of claim 1 wherein said layer of pliable film material is tubular, a first stream of fluent material being discharged into, and a second stream outside, said tubular layer.

Claim 5

A process of claim 1 wherein said layer of pliable film material is a strip which spans said tube so that both of its edges engage the tube wall.

Claim 6

A process of claim 4 wherein said streams of fluent material are discharged from tubular filling members which extend through said forming member, said tube is advanced by frictional engagement thereof with tubeadvancing means at a location between said sealing means and the discharge ends of said tubular filling members, and said strip is advanced along with said tube by virtue of being constricted therewith.

Claim 7

A process for forming a series of partitioned film packages comprising: a. drawing a first and a second web of pliable film material into a first and a second cylindrical forming member, respectively, so as to bring each web''s edges together in overlapping relationship and thereby form said first web into a first tube and said second web into a second tube; b. advancing said first tube through the past said first forming member and bringing said advancing tube into a confronting relationship with a first sealing means adapted to produce a seal between facing surface zones of said first web adjacent the overlapping edges thereof in a manner such as to form, as said first tube advances, a linear juncture adjacent the overlapping edges of said first web substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said first tube; c. advancing said second tube through the past said second forming member; d. subsequent to having brought said first tube into confronting relationship with said sealing means, feeding said first tube through said second forming member and advancing said first tube while nested within said advancing second tube at a rate substantially equal to the rate of advancement of said second tube; e. bringing said second tube into a confronting relationship with a second sealing means adapted to produce a seal between facing surface zones of said second web adjacent the ovErlapping edges thereof in a manner such as to form, as said second tube advances, a continuous linear juncture adjacent the overlapping edges of said second web substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second tube; f. discharging a first stream of fluent material into said first tube and a second stream of fluent material into the space between the walls of the nested tubes, the material in said first stream being different in composition from that in said second stream; g. bringing the filled portion of said advancing nested tubes into periodic engagement with constricting and sealing means which jointly constricts the tubes at spaced intervals and applies a pair of successive encircling closure means to the tubes in each constricted area; and h. severing said tubes in the constricted areas between each pair of closure means.

Claim 8

A process for forming a series of partitioned film packages comprising: a. drawing a first and a second web of pliable film material into a first and a second cylindrical forming member, respectively, so as to bring each web''s edges together in overlapping relationship and thereby form said first web into a first tube and said second web into a second tube; b. advancing said first tube through the past said first forming member and bringing said advancing tube into a confronting relationship with a first sealing means adapted to produce a seal between facing surface zones of said first web adjacent the overlapping edges thereof in a manner such as to form, as said first tube advances, a linear juncture adjacent the overlapping edges of said first web substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said first tube; c. advancing said second tube through the past said second forming member; d. subsequent to having brought said first tube into confronting relationship with said sealing means, feeding said first tube through said second forming member and advancing said first tube while nested within said advancing second tube at a rate substantially equal to the rate of advancement of said second tube; e. bringing said second tube into a confronting relationship with a second sealing means adapted to produce a seal between facing surface zones of said second web adjacent the ovErlapping edges thereof in a manner such as to form, as said second tube advances, a continuous linear juncture adjacent the overlapping edges of said second web substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said second tube; f. discharging a first stream of fluent material into said first tube and a second stream of fluent material into the space between the walls of the nested tubes, the material in said first stream being different in composition from that in said second stream; g. bringing the filled portion of said advancing nested tubes into periodic engagement with constricting and sealing means which jointly constricts the tubes at spaced intervals and applies a pair of successive encircling closure means to the tubes in each constricted area; and h. severing said tubes in the constricted areas between each pair of closure means.

Claim 9

A process of claim 6 wherein said tubes advance continuously.

Claim 10

A process of claim 6 wherein said first stream of fluent material is discharged from a first tubular filling member which extends through both said first and second forming members, and said second stream of fluent material is discharged from a second tubular filling member which extends through said second forming member.

Claim 11

A process of claim 8 wherein said first tube is advanced by frictional engagement thereof with a first tube-advancing means at a location between said first sealing means and said second forming member, and said second tube is advanced by frictional engagement thereof with a second tube-advancing means at a location between said second sealing means and the discharge ends of said first and second tubular filling members.

Claim 12

A process of claim 8 wherein said first and second tubes are advanced by frictional engagement thereof with tube-advancing means at a location between said second sealing means and the discharge ends of said first and second tubular filling members.

Claim 13

Apparatus for filling and advancing two nested tubes of pliable film material jointly closed at one end comprising: a. a first tubular filling member adapted to pass into a first tube of pliable film material for discharging a fluent material therein; b. a second tubular filling member adapted to pass into a second tube of pliable film material for discharging a fluent material therein and therewith into said first tube of pliable film material, the diameter of said second tube being smaller than that of the first; c. a first drive means adapted to engage the second tube of pliable film material prior to the passage thereof into said first tube of pliable film material and to advance said second tube; d. a second drive means adapted to engage and advance the first tube of pliable film material, the discharge ends of said first and second filling members being located between said second drive means and a zone where the nested first and second tubes are jointly closed; e. means associated with said first and second tubes for measuring the rate of advance thereof; and f. means associated with the advance-rate-measuring means for adjusting the rate of advance of one of said tubes so that it substantially equals the rate of advance of the other.

Claim 14

Apparatus for filling and advancing two nested tubes of pliable film material jointly closed at one end comprising: a. a first tubular filling member adapted to pass into a first tube of pliable film material for discharging a fluent material therein; b. a second tubular filling member adapted to pass into a second tube of pliable film material for discharging a fluent material therein and therewith into said first tube of pliable film material, the diameter of said second tube being smaller than that of the first; c. a first drive means adapted to engage the second tube of pliable film material prior to the passage thereof into said first tube of pliable film material and to advance said second tube; d. a second drive means adapted to engage and advance the first tube of pliable film material, the discharge ends of said first and second filling members being located between said second drive means and a zone where the nested first and second tubes are jointly closed; e. means associated with said first and second tubes for measuring the rate of advance thereof; and f. means associated with the advance-rate-measuring means for adjusting the rate of advance of one of said tubes so that it substantially equals the rate of advance of the other.