Patent US3922958A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3922958A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Packaging
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-03-01
•
Granted: 1975-12-02
•
Expires: 1994-03-01
Abstract
Abstract Method and apparatus for forming a package wherein two layers of wrapping film are continuously fed through a sealing station at a preselected velocity, the stroke length of a reciprocable sealing device at that station having a path parallel to that of the film feed so that it travels in a forward direction at the same linear speed as the film, the sealing device is brought into operative relationship with the layers of film during at least part of its forward travel in each cycle to produce a transverse sealing together of the two film layers, and the film layers are severed along a transverse line bounded on both sides by one of the transverse seals so as to form separate film tubes sealed along transverse edges but open at the longitudinal edges. The sealing mechanism comprises apparatus for traversing the film in a forward direction along a predetermined path and an articulated holding device for the film adapted to reciprocate along a path parallel to the path of the film and carrying the sealing device which is brought into operative relationship with the film layers during at least part of the forward motion of the articulated holding device.
Inventors
- 👤 Frederick Douglas Clavell Bate
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:22
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B43/00; B65B43/04; B65B43/06; B65B9/00; B65B9/02; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T156/00; Y10T156/12; Y10T156/1313
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of forming a package, which includes the steps of: continuously feeding two layers of wrapping film through a sealing station at a preselected velocity; selecting the cycle frequency of a reciprocable sealing device having a path parallel to that of the film feed to determine the distance between transverse seals formed by said sealing device on said two layers of wrapping film; selecting the stroke length of said sealing device so that it travels in a forward direction at the same linear speed as the film, and bringing the sealing device into operative relationship with the layers of film during at least part of its forward travel in each cycle to produce a transverse sealing together of the two film layers.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
123 words
A method of forming a package, which includes the steps of: continuously feeding two layers of wrapping film through a sealing station at a preselected velocity; selecting the cycle frequency of a reciprocable sealing device having a path parallel to that of the film feed to determine the distance between transverse seals formed by said sealing device on said two layers of wrapping film; selecting the stroke length of said sealing device so that it travels in a forward direction at the same linear speed as the film, and bringing the sealing device into operative relationship with the layers of film during at least part of its forward travel in each cycle to produce a transverse sealing together of the two film layers.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of forming a package as claimed in claim 1, in which the sealing device is maintained in a constant orientation relatively to the path of the film throughout the reciprocating cycle of the sealing device.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
65 words
A method of forming a package as claimed in claim 1, in which the film layers are severed during formation of a transverse seal along a transverse line bounded on both sides by said transverse seal, to separate a film tube in advance of said tranverse line from the following film; said film tube being sealed along tranverse edges but open at the longitudinal edges.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method forming a package as claimed in claim 1, in which the two layers of wrapping film travel in a forward direction on a continously moving conveyor and the sealing device has a compound movement in its forward traverse, including a movement perpendicular to and towards the conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method of forming a package according to claim 1, including gripping said two layers of film between a continuously moving conveyor and feed carriage reciprocable in unison with said reciprocable sealing device, whereby the nip on said film layers between said conveyor and said feed carriage travels during its motion in the direction of movement of said film so that there is no relative movement said nip and said layers of film.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A method of forming a package as claimed in claim 1, which includes heating a sealing device at least during the period that the sealing device is brought into operative relationship with the wrapping film.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method of forming a package as claimed in claim 4, in which after a package has been severed from the layers of film, said package is given a rapid forward movement relatively to the forwardly travelling film layers to separate that package completely from the following package.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method of forming a package according to claim 5, wherein said sealing device is brought into the operative relationship with said layers of film during only a part of the forward movement of said feed carriage.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
In the method defined in claim 1, the step of simultaneously with said transverse sealing operation severing said film layers along a line extending transversely across the transverse seal to thereby separate a film tube in advance of said transverse line from the following film.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of forming a package according to claim 5, wherein said feed carriage is maintained in engagement with said film layers throughout its cycle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
145 words
A sealing mechanism for sealing together two layers of wrapping film at longitudinally spaced apart position comprising, traversing means for traversing said two layers of film in a forward direction along a predetermined path; said traversing means including a continuously moving conveyor and holding means for nipping said two layers of film on to said conveyor; a mechanism for reciprocating said holding means along a path parallel to said predtermined path and a driving mechanism for both of said conveyor and said holding means, said driving mechanism including a variable device providing means for varying the cycle frequency of said reciprocable holding means relative to the linear speed of said film; a sealing device reciprocable with said holding means and mechanism for bringing said sealing device into operative relationship with said film layers during at least part of the forward motion of said holding means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
145 words
A sealing mechanism for sealing together two layers of wrapping film at longitudinally spaced apart position comprising, traversing means for traversing said two layers of film in a forward direction along a predetermined path; said traversing means including a continuously moving conveyor and holding means for nipping said two layers of film on to said conveyor; a mechanism for reciprocating said holding means along a path parallel to said predtermined path and a driving mechanism for both of said conveyor and said holding means, said driving mechanism including a variable device providing means for varying the cycle frequency of said reciprocable holding means relative to the linear speed of said film; a sealing device reciprocable with said holding means and mechanism for bringing said sealing device into operative relationship with said film layers during at least part of the forward motion of said holding means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
72 words
A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 11, wherein said driving mechanism includes a first cam mechanism geared to said conveyor and adapted to produce reciprocation of said holding means, and a second mechanism geared to said conveyor and adapted to produce movement of said sealing device towards said conveyor during that part of the cycle of said holding means when said sealing device is required to carry out its sealing function.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 11, in which the length of stroke of the holding means is adjustable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 11, in which the holding means is adapted to remain in a constant orientation relatively to the path of movement of the layers of film.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 11, in which the holding means comprises a carriage having a pair of rollers for engagement with the film.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 15, in which the rollers are each geared to an endless chain driven at a linear speed directly related to that of the conveyor element.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
51 words
A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 15, in which at least one roller of the carriage is adapted to be given a sudden rotation at the end of the forward movement of the carriage, for the purpose of pulling a tube of film away from the following bulk of film.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
28 words
A sealing mechanism as claimed in claim 13, in which the means for causing reciprocation of the holding means comprises an oscillating motion transmitter of variable stroke length.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
138 words
In a packaging machine, means for continuously feeding two superposed webs of wrapping material along a horizontal path, means providing a continuously moving conveyor flight underlying the leading ends of said superposed webs, and means for forming the leading ends of said webs into successive separate tubes of said material comprising means vertically movable into engagement with the uppermost web while said superposed webs are moving along said conveyor flight for forming narrow transverse longitudinally spaced heat sealed areas across the moving webs while at the same time transversely severing the webs within said areas to form separate tubes of said material and movable vertically away from said uppermost web after each tube is severed, and means for effecting said vertical movements in timed relation while reciprocating said movable means longitudinally of said path between said vertical movements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
138 words
In a packaging machine, means for continuously feeding two superposed webs of wrapping material along a horizontal path, means providing a continuously moving conveyor flight underlying the leading ends of said superposed webs, and means for forming the leading ends of said webs into successive separate tubes of said material comprising means vertically movable into engagement with the uppermost web while said superposed webs are moving along said conveyor flight for forming narrow transverse longitudinally spaced heat sealed areas across the moving webs while at the same time transversely severing the webs within said areas to form separate tubes of said material and movable vertically away from said uppermost web after each tube is severed, and means for effecting said vertical movements in timed relation while reciprocating said movable means longitudinally of said path between said vertical movements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
94 words
In a packaging machine, means for feeding two superposed webs of wrapping material in a longitudinal path, means for providing narrow transverse seal areas extending across the moving webs in predetermined spaced relation longitudinally of said path, means for severing said webs transversely within saiD sealed areas to form separate tubes of said material at the leading ends of said webs, and means synchronized with said sealing and severing means for automatically displacing each said formed tube a predetermined distance forwardly of the leading ends of the webs from which it has been separated.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
94 words
In a packaging machine, means for feeding two superposed webs of wrapping material in a longitudinal path, means for providing narrow transverse seal areas extending across the moving webs in predetermined spaced relation longitudinally of said path, means for severing said webs transversely within saiD sealed areas to form separate tubes of said material at the leading ends of said webs, and means synchronized with said sealing and severing means for automatically displacing each said formed tube a predetermined distance forwardly of the leading ends of the webs from which it has been separated.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
In the packaging machine defined in claim 20, said severing means being disposed to sever the webs at the time of sealing.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
29 words
In the packaging machine defined in claim 20, said means for displacing said tubes comprising means for accelerating the speed of movement of each severed tube along said path.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2272251A
Cited
US2492530A
Cited
US2698046A
Cited
US2884988A
Cited
US3058403A
Cited
US3735673A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-12-01 | 1979-06-02 | 1979-12-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-12-01 | 1983-06-02 | 1983-12-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-12-01 | 1987-06-02 | 1987-12-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |