Apparatus for packaging extrudable material

Claim 2

Packaging apparatus for bulk extrudable material comprising an extruding apparatus adapted to extrude a bar of extrudable material to be packaged, molding means comprising a series of molds adapted, in use, to be presented to the extruding apparatus in sequence so that the bar of material is extruded into each mold in turn as the mold is presented to the extruding apparatus, a cut-off knife adapted to cut off a block of the material being packaged from the bar, indexing means adapted to index movement of the molds so that when a mold has been filled with material, the mold will be moved to a next station where the article to be packaged is covered with a covering selected from an envelope, bag or tube, and ejecting means at a next station adapted to eject the covered block of material from the mold for sealing of the cover about the article.

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a back up plate is provided within each mold during filling thereof, and back up plate actuating means are provided the extrusions of the bar of material into the mold causing the material to press against the back up plate so that the material is filled into the mold under pressure which pressure is controlled by control means controlling said actuating means.

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein a connecting means is provided between said extruding apparatus and said mold when the mold is at the filling position so that the mold may be filled under pressure generated by said extruding apparatus.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said connecting means comprises a tube having a retractable telescopic section.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said telescopic apparatus is extendable and retractable by at least one piston and cylinder assembly.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said moulds are provided on a rotatable member and indexing means being provided so that successive molds are brought before the extruding means for filling.

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein a weighing station is provided arranged adjacent said rotatable member so that the weight of a filled mold may be taken on load cells with electronic read and print out and means activating a servo-motor to adjust ramstroke of filing station on subsecant blocks and the weight of the filling adjusted as necessary.

Claim 9

Packaging apparatus comprising an extruding apparatus adapted to extrude a bar of extrudable material to be packaged, molding means comprising a series of molds adapted, in use, to be presented to the extruding apparatus in sequence so that the bar of material is extruded into each mold in turn as the mold is presented to the extruding apparatus, cutting off means adapted to cut off a block of the material to be packaged from the bar, indexing means adapted to index movement of the molds so that when a mold has been filled with material, the mold will be moved to a next station where the article to be packaged is covered with a covering selected from an envelope, bag or tube, ejecting means at a next station adapted to eject the covered block of material from the mold for sealing of the cover about the article, a back-up plate within each mold during filing thereof, and backup plate actuating means, the extrusions of the bar of material into the mold causing the material to press against the back-up plate so that the material is filled into the mold under pressure which pressure is controlled by control means controlling said actuating means, said back pressure plate held to the bar of material by a piston and cylinder arrangement and a regulating valve arranged to release excess pressure from the cylinder as the mold fills.

Claim 10

Packaging apparatus comprising an extruding apparatus adapted to extrude a bar of extrudable material to be packaged, molding means comprising a series of molds adapted, in use, to be presented to the extruding apparatus in sequence so that the bar of material is extruded into each mold in turn as the mold is presented to the extruding apparatus, cutting off means adapted to cut off a block of the material to be packaged from the bar, indexing means adapted to index movement of the molds so that when a mold has been filled with material, the mold will be moved to a next station where the article to be packaged is covered with a covering selected from an envelope, bag or tube, ejecting means at a next station adapted to eject the covered block of material from the mold for sealing of the cover about the article, a back-up plate within each mold during filing thereof, and backup plate actuating means, the extrusions of the bar of material into the mold causing the material to press against the back-up plate so that the material is filled into the mold under pressure which pressure is controlled by control means controlling said actuating means, said back pressure plate held to the bar of material by a piston and cylinder arrangement and a regulating valve arranged to release excess pressure from the cylinder as the mold fills.

Claim 11

Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said back pressure plate is connected to sAid piston and cylinder arrangement through a connecting device such that the back pressure plate may be disconnected from the piston and cylinder arrangement.

Claim 12

Packaging apparatus comprising an extruding apparatus adapted to extrude a bar of extrudable material to be packaged, molding means comprising a series of molds adapted, in use, to be presented to the extruding apparatus in sequence so that the bar of material is extruded into each mold in turn as the mold is presented to the extruding apparatus, cutting off means adapted to cut-off a block of the material to be packaged from the bar, indexing means adapted to index movements of the molds so that when a mold has been filled with material, the mold will be moved to a next station where the articles to be packaged are covered with a covering selected from an envelope, bag or tube, ejecting means at a next station adapted to eject the covered block of material from the mold for sealing of the cover about the article, a table on to which the covered article is ejected for sealing, and the sealed article being is passed to a conveyor chamber having a moving floor and sides so that the article is confined to substantially predetermined dimensions during its conveyance through said conveyor.

Claim 13

Packaging apparatus comprising an extruding apparatus adapted to extrude a bar of extrudable material to be packaged, molding means comprising a series of molds adapted, in use, to be presented to the extruding apparatus in sequence so that the bar of material is extruded into each mold in turn as the mold is presented to the extruding apparatus, cutting off means adapted to cut-off a block of the material to be packaged from the bar, indexing means adapted to index movements of the molds so that when a mold has been filled with material, the mold will be moved to a next station where the articles to be packaged are covered with a covering selected from an envelope, bag or tube, ejecting means at a next station adapted to eject the covered block of material from the mold for sealing of the cover about the article, a table on to which the covered article is ejected for sealing, and the sealed article being is passed to a conveyor chamber having a moving floor and sides so that the article is confined to substantially predetermined dimensions during its conveyance through said conveyor.

Claim 14

Apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the packaged article is delivered to palletizing means comprising a movable raisable and lowerable platform, means adapted to supply a pallet from a supply of such pallets to said platform, a loading tray movable in two directions and onto which articles to be palletized are placed, moving means adapted to move said loading tray in its two directions and unloading means comprising a bar adapted to sweep articles off the loading tray as the latter moves below the loading means so that the articles fall onto a pallet disposed below the loading tray.

Claim 15

Apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein said raisable and lowerable platform is moved to dispositions such that as the articles are deposited on the pallet the pallet can be lowered to receive a further layer of articles.