GB1175387A - Packaging Assembly for Folding Film about Articles. - Google Patents

Abstract

1,175,387. Wrapping groups of articles. AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER CORP. OF AMERICA. 8 Dec., 1967 [3 Jan., 1967], No. 55867/67. Heading B8C. Apparatus for forming a continuous film envelope around rows of objects, e.g. cans, advanced into the apparatus, comprises a collar formed from a trapezium-shaped guide plate and a top plate, beneath and parallel to the guide plate, and forming, with side plates and a pair of bottom plates, a passage through which the objects can pass, together with means for retaining the moving film and folding it around the leading edges of the plates. Rows of cans 16 are fed into the apparatus 10 which folds about them a heat-shrinkable plastics film 14. The film first travels horizontally, from a roller 52a, along the top face of the guide plate 20 and then folds around the leading edge 20a of this plate, the central part 56 of the film moving vertically downwards, Fig. 3, and the marginal parts moving inwardly under the plate 20, over folding bars 42, and then down the outer faces of side plates 24. The central part of the film next folds under the leading edge of a top plate 28 and moves along the lower face of this plate in the direction 70 to form the upper part of envelope 14a, whilst the lateral parts of the film fold around angled edges 26 of the side plates 24 to form the sides of the envelope, and also around angled edges 26a, Fig. 2, of bottom plates 30 to form overlapping base flaps of the envelope, these flaps being subsequently sealed together at 77, Fig. 3 (sealing not described). In order to facilitate initial feeding of the film, the apparatus can be raised, e.g. by cylinders 75, Fig. 1, and the bottom plates 30 are pivotable downwardly, Fig. 5 (not shown). The folding bars 42 can be swung horizontally about pins 44, Fig. 2, and are secured in their operative position by a cross-piece 62 connecting their ends. The film is drawn continuously through the apparatus by devices (not shown) on endless chains 100 which engage the can and film assembly. Certain leading edges of the plates in the apparatus are at angles of substantially 45 degrees to the direction of article movement, but may differ slightly from this value to give better film flow. The envelope 14a is subsequently cut transversely at intervals and heat-shrunk to produce individual packages each containing for example, six cans.