Apparatus for evacuating and sealing rectangular packages

Claim 2

ln an apparatus for evacuating and sealing rectangular packages, including a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis thereof, a plurality of vacuum hoods, each defining a vacuum chamber, arranged circumferentially on said turntable and means for lifting each vacuum hood into an open position in which a package to be evacuated and sealed is received and for lowering each vacuum hood into a sealed, closed position, the improvement comprising (a) a first surface provided on each hood within the vacuum chamber; (b) an abutment means arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood; each abutment means including a second surface; and (c) means for supporting the abutment means and for displacing the abutment means radially outwardly with respect to said vertical axis in the direction of said first surface for displacing a package towards said first surface by said second surface and engaging the package at opposite sides by said first and second surfaces in the closed position of the respective vacuum hood.

Claim 3

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a pair of cooperating package grasping jaws arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood for engaging the package at opposite sides adjacent the sides to be engaged by said first and second surfaces.

Claim 4

An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of the jaws of each said pair is pivotally supported.

Claim 5

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising (d) a base plate arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood for engaging a bottom of the package received by the vacuum hood; and (e) means for supporting and vertically displacing said base plate.

Claim 6

An apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising (d) seal applying means supported by said turntable below each said vacuum hood for sealing a top of the package received by the vacuum hood; and (e) hold-down plates secured to said seal applying means; said hold-down plates being arranged to engage a top surface of said package during sealing of said top.

Claim 7

An apparatus as defined in claim 5, wherein said seal applying means comprises a pair of cooperating sealing jaws; one of said hold-down plates being secured to one of said sealing jaws.

Claim 8

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said abutment means and said means for supporting and displacing the abutment means are arranged for pushing the packages off said turntable in a radially outward direction from under the vacuum hood when said vacuum hood is in said open position.

Claim 9

An apparatus as defined in claim 7, further comprising a removal device situated radially externally of said turntable; said removal device including cooperating removal jaws for grasping packages pushed radially outwardly by said abutment means and a conveyor receiving articles from said removal jaws for transporting the packages away from said turntable.

Claim 10

An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising (d) a linear conveyor means arranged generally tangentially to said turntable for transporting packages to and from said turntable; (e) means for displacing packages to be evacuated and sealed from said linear conveyor means onto said turntable radially with respect to said vertical axis and perpendicularly to a direction of conveyance of said linear conveyor means; and (f) means for displacing evacuated and sealed packages from said turntable onto said linear conveyor means radially to said vertical axis and perpendicularly to said direction of conveyance.

Claim 11

In an apparatus for evacuating and sealing rectangular packages having a top face, a bottom face and four side faces, including a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis thereof, a plurality of vacuum hoods, each defining a vacuum chamber, arranged circumferentially on said turntable and means for lifting each vacuum hood into an open position in which a package to be evacuated and sealed is received and for lowering each vacuum hood into a sealed, closed position, the improvement comprising (a) a first surface provided on each hood within the vacuum chamber; (b) an abutment means arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood; each abutment means including a second surface; (c) means for supporting the abutment means and for displacing the abutment means radially outwardly with respect to said vertical axis in the direction of said first surface for displacing a package towards said first surface by said second surface and engaging the package at opposite sides by said first and second surfaces in the closed position of the respective vacuum hood; (d) a pair of cooperating package grasping jaws arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood for engaging the package at opposite sides adjacent the sides to be engaged by said first and second surfaces; (e) a base plate arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood for engaging a bottom of the package received by the vacuum hood; (f) means for supporting and vertically displacing said base plate; (g) sealing means supported by said turntable below each said vacuum hood for sealing a top of the package received by the vacuum hood; (h) hold-down plates secured to said sealing means; said hold-down plates being arranged to engage a top surface of said package during sealing of said top; and (i) said first and second surfaces, said package grasping jaws, said base plate and said hold-down plates simultaneously engaging the four sides, the bottom and the top of the package during an operational phase in the course of evacuating and sealing.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for evacuating and sealing rectangular packages having a top face, a bottom face and four side faces, including a turntable rotatable about a vertical axis thereof, a plurality of vacuum hoods, each defining a vacuum chamber, arranged circumferentially on said turntable and means for lifting each vacuum hood into an open position in which a package to be evacuated and sealed is received and for lowering each vacuum hood into a sealed, closed position, the improvement comprising (a) a first surface provided on each hood within the vacuum chamber; (b) an abutment means arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood; each abutment means including a second surface; (c) means for supporting the abutment means and for displacing the abutment means radially outwardly with respect to said vertical axis in the direction of said first surface for displacing a package towards said first surface by said second surface and engaging the package at opposite sides by said first and second surfaces in the closed position of the respective vacuum hood; (d) a pair of cooperating package grasping jaws arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood for engaging the package at opposite sides adjacent the sides to be engaged by said first and second surfaces; (e) a base plate arranged on said turntable below each said vacuum hood for engaging a bottom of the package received by the vacuum hood; (f) means for supporting and vertically displacing said base plate; (g) sealing means supported by said turntable below each said vacuum hood for sealing a top of the package received by the vacuum hood; (h) hold-down plates secured to said sealing means; said hold-down plates being arranged to engage a top surface of said package during sealing of said top; and (i) said first and second surfaces, said package grasping jaws, said base plate and said hold-down plates simultaneously engaging the four sides, the bottom and the top of the package during an operational phase in the course of evacuating and sealing.