US4020614A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Packing strips of material
Assignee: Armour Food Co
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Filing: 1974-06-24
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Granted: 1977-05-03
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Expires: 1994-06-24
Abstract
Abstract A method of packing strips of material such as bacon by feeding a film over a rotating stepped roll, feeding strips or slices of the material onto the film over the steps of this roll, picking up the slices from the roll in shingled relationship with film interleaved between the slices, and then compacting the shingled strips by passing them from a conveyor driven at one speed to a conveyor driven at a slower speed. A machine is disclosed having mechanical and automatic controls for timing the respective functions in accordance with the operation of the slicer and for synchronizing the elements of the machine.
Inventors
- 👤 James P. Smithers
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-10 00:44
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B25/00; B65B25/06; B65B25/08; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S53/00; Y10S53/01
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
124 words
In a method for packing strips of material the steps of rotating a roll in an angular direction such that its top surface moves forwardly, said roll having a step thereon, said step having a front side, a high point and a rear side, passing a film over said roll while said roll is in rotation whereby said film forms a cover over said step, passing a strip of material forwardly in a substantially horizontal direction toward an upper portion of said roll until said strip is caught by said high point of said step while covered by said film, whereby said strip is moved by rotation of said roll into place on said rear side of said step while covered by said film.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
124 words
In a method for packing strips of material the steps of rotating a roll in an angular direction such that its top surface moves forwardly, said roll having a step thereon, said step having a front side, a high point and a rear side, passing a film over said roll while said roll is in rotation whereby said film forms a cover over said step, passing a strip of material forwardly in a substantially horizontal direction toward an upper portion of said roll until said strip is caught by said high point of said step while covered by said film, whereby said strip is moved by rotation of said roll into place on said rear side of said step while covered by said film.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method of packing units as set forth in claim 1 wherein said strip of material is a strip of bacon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method of packing units as set forth in claim 1 in which said strip is moved by said rotation forwardly in a substantially horizontal direction without substantial turning of the strip until it comes to rest on said rear side of said step.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method as set forth in claim 3 including the step of removing said film with said strip thereon from said rotating roll after said unit has come to rest on said rear side of step.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said strip of material is caught by said high point while said high point is ascending on the rear side of said roll and wherein said unit is removed from said roll while said high point is descending on the front side of said roll.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method as set forth in claim 4 wherein said film is removed by running a conveyor belt under said film and within an annular groove in said roll to a point below said step while said step has said strip resting thereon, and lifting said film with said strip thereon on said belt away from said roll.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
A method as set forth in claim 4 including the step of drawing a vacuum at one area on said roll under said film before said high point catches said strip, said area including said one side of said step, and relieving said vacuum after said strip has come to rest on said one side and before said film with said strip thereon is removed from said roll.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a method of packing strips of material in which said strips have flat sides and in which film is passed over a rotating roll, the improvement comprising passing said strips horizontally with their flat sides substantially horizontal onto the film on an upper portion of said roll while said portion is ascending on one side of said roll, and removing said film with said strips thereon while said strips are descending on the other side of said roll while avoiding substantial turning of said strips and while said strips still have their flat sides substantially horizontal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
97 words
In a method of packing strips of material in which said strips have flat sides and in which film is passed over a rotating roll, the improvement comprising passing said strips horizontally with their flat sides substantially horizontal onto the film on an upper portion of said roll while said portion is ascending on one side of said roll, and removing said film with said strips thereon while said strips are descending on the other side of said roll while avoiding substantial turning of said strips and while said strips still have their flat sides substantially horizontal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
A method as set forth in claim 8 in which said strips are bacon slices.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as set forth in claim 9 in which said slices are passed onto the film with its lean edge forward and its fatty edge rearward with respect to the direction of movement of said slice.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
146 words
In a method for packing slices of bacon the steps of rotating a stepped roll in an angular direction such that its top steps move forwardly, each of said steps having a front side, a high point, and a rear side, passing a film over said roll while said roll is in rotation whereby said film forms a cover over said steps, passing a plurality of said slices of bacon forwardly in sequence in a substantially horizontal direction toward an upper portion of said roll until each of said slices is in turn caught by said high point of one of said steps and moved by rotation by said roll into place on the rear side of one of said steps while said side is covered by said film, and removing said film and said slices from said roll while said roll is still in rotation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
146 words
In a method for packing slices of bacon the steps of rotating a stepped roll in an angular direction such that its top steps move forwardly, each of said steps having a front side, a high point, and a rear side, passing a film over said roll while said roll is in rotation whereby said film forms a cover over said steps, passing a plurality of said slices of bacon forwardly in sequence in a substantially horizontal direction toward an upper portion of said roll until each of said slices is in turn caught by said high point of one of said steps and moved by rotation by said roll into place on the rear side of one of said steps while said side is covered by said film, and removing said film and said slices from said roll while said roll is still in rotation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method as set forth in claim 11 in which said slices are removed in shingled relationship with a fold of said film therebetween.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
34 words
A method as set forth in claim12 in which when said slices are removed said fold is along a line rearward of the forward edge of the slice on each side of the fold.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as set forth in claim 13 in which said bacon slices have one edge which is relatively lean and another efge which is relatively fat and in which said slices are passed forwardly with their lean edges foremost.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
In a method for packing strips of material, the steps of rotating a roll in an angular direction such that its top surface moves forwardly, said roll having a step thereon, said step having a front side, a high point, and a rear side, passing a film over said roll while said roll is in rotation whereby said film forms a cover over said step, placing said strip on the rear side of said step and lifting said film with said strip thereon from said rear side of said step.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
In a method for packing strips of material, the steps of rotating a roll in an angular direction such that its top surface moves forwardly, said roll having a step thereon, said step having a front side, a high point, and a rear side, passing a film over said roll while said roll is in rotation whereby said film forms a cover over said step, placing said strip on the rear side of said step and lifting said film with said strip thereon from said rear side of said step.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-05-02 | 1980-11-01 | 1981-05-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-02 | 1984-11-01 | 1985-05-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-02 | 1988-11-01 | 1989-05-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |