US2721019A - Apparatus for packaging merchandise - Google Patents

Description

J. E. GAUVREAU PPARATUS FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE Filed Dec. 22, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet l Joseph E. Gauvreaw.

ATTORNEY 1955 J. E. GAUVREAU 2,721,019

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE Filed Dec. 22, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w U m g lag 1\ 5| 2 SI N k 9 '9 m l I d) a T3 II I l l I I I I.

INVENTOR/ JosephE Gauvr'eaw.

ATTORNEY Oct. 18, 1955 J. E. GAUVREAU APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING MERCHANDISE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ed Dec. 22, 1952 Jbseph E. Gauvreczw.

ATTORNEY United States Patent Somerville, Mass, assignor to E. F. Somerville, Mass., a corporation of Joseph E. Gauvreau,

Kemp Corp., Massachusetts Application December 22, 1952, Serial No. 327,260

7 Claims. (Cl. 226-68) My present invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, packaging merchandise, and more particularly to an improved method of packaging nuts and similar fruit.

The invention is particularly important in the packaging of nuts and like fruit, as such fruit rapidly turns rancid on exposure to ordinary oxygen laden air.

The primary object of the invention therefore, is an improved method of packaging nuts and the like, and wherein the same are immersed in an atmosphere comprised of a non-oxygen, inert gas. The transition of the nuts to the non-oxygen inert gas takes place so quickly after the cooking of the nuts, that the danger of the nuts becoming rancid is practically nil.

In the packaging process, the nuts are maintained in a non-oxygen, inert gas, then placed in a plastic container, weighed, and the container then sealed up, and finally the filled container is placed in a container, such as a box or carton, for sale to the buyer, thus assuring that the nuts are delivered to the consumer entirely free from rancidity.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of my improved apparatus, and by means of which my improved method may be practised.

Fig. 1 is a top plan view;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation, looking from the left in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the apparatus, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail, in section, showing the method of assembling the frame parts of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings designates generally a substantially rectangular casing mounted at any convenient height on the legs 11. The casing 10 is preferably made of angle iron frame members 12 forming the supporting elements of a number of transparent panels, so that the interior of the casing is visible at all times. The panels are preferably made of transparent Lucite, although any other suitable material may be employed. The angle iron frame members 12 are welded into panels (see Fig. 5) and the Lucite panels are secured to the angle iron 12 by wing bolts 13, a gasket 14 of sponge rubber, or its equivalent, being used to hold the elements in position and in operative relation with respect to each other.

On the top surface of the casing 10 is a cone-shaped hopper member 15, the smaller end of which is in communication with the interior of the casing 10, while the upper end is closed. Extending through the upper closed end of the hopper member 15 is one end of a pipe or tube 16 and through which may pass the shelled nuts to be packaged. The pipe or tube 16 is connected to a source of supply of nuts to be packaged. To ensure cleanliness there is provided on the top of the cone shaped hopper member 15, and communicating with the interior thereof, a hopper clean out 17. This enables the operator to periodically clean out the hopper member 15 and all parts associated therewith.

18 designates a pipe or conduit, leading from a source 2,721,019 Patented Oct. 18, 1955 of supply (not shown) of an inert gas, such as nitrogen or helium, and under any desired pressure. Connected to the pipe 18 is a pipe 19 communicating with the interior of the hopper 15, and therefore a supply of an inert gas, under pressure, is supplied to the hopper 15, and to the interior of the casing 10, at all times.

Within the rectangular casing 10, and below the hopper 15, is a framework 19a and on such framework, below the discharge end of the hopper 15, is a multi-chambered member 20. This chamber 20 is rotatably mounted, on a vertical axis, and is rotated at any desired speed by power delivered through the motor 21. On the framework 19a, and extending downwardly therethrough, is a discharge tunnel or outlet 22.

On the front of the casing 10, in front of the multichambered member 20, is provided a removable closure member 23, which permits access to the interior of the casing 10 at any time desired. Also, on the front of the casing 10, below the removable closure member 23, are preferably circular openings, and closing such openings are cone-shaped hollow members 25 of flexible, pliable material, as rubber. In effecting such closure, I preferably clamp the peripheral edge of the cone-shaped hollow members 25 to the outer face of the Lucite panel by means of clamping rings 26, and the wing bolts 13. The operators forearms may be inserted through cone-shaped hollow members 25 into the interior of the casing 10, where she controls the operation of the multi-chamber member 20. The bags to be filled may be inserted into the inert gas filled casing 10 through the member 27 provided with the removable cover 28. Such bags may be placed in a pile 29 on the floor of the casing 10 within easy reach of the operator.

As shown, there are four cone-shaped hollow members 25, thus providing space for two operators, acting as a team, for filling and sealing the bags containing the nuts. Such operators act as a team and therefore, each operator is enabled to use both hands in performing his or her duties, and surer, better and swifter work results.

When the operator-positioned at the leftas viewed in Fig. 2, fills a bag from the multi-chambered member 20, she places the same on the floor of the rectangular casing 10, and to the right, and into position to be readily to be readily handled by the operator occupying the position at the right of the structure shown in Fig. 2.

Within the casing 10, in the position to be occupied by the second operator, is located a sealing device 25a, which seals the open end of a filled bag under heat and pressure, and by the act of the operator in pressing on the treadle 31. When the sealing operation is performed, the operator drops the sealed bag into the chute 30, thus directing the sealed bag onto the conveyor 32, which deposits it on a table or other support and prior to its being shipped.

To ensure a non-oxygen atmosphere at all times in the enclosed portions of the apparatus, I provide the tube or pipe 18 connected to a source of supply of any suitable inert gas and under suitable pressure. In the pipe 18 is located the usual pressure guage 33, and a control valve 34. From the pipe 18 inert gas flows through the pipe 19 into the funnel 15; also from the pipe 18 flows the gas through the pipes 35, 36, 37 and 38 into the interior of the casing 10.

For the periodic testing of the inert gas to determine its fitness I provide a test valve 39, leading into the casing 10 and through which a sample of the inert gas may be Withdrawn from the casing for testing purposes.

In operation, the inert gas may be allowed to flow through the pipe 19, into the hopper 15 under slight pressure, until all traces of oxygen laden atmosphere is removed and forced from the casing 10.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for packaging material in a conditioned tures therethrough for the reception of the hands of an operator stationed on the exterior of the chamber, flexible means attached to the said side panel for contacting an operators hands disposed in said apertures and for sealing the apertures with the operators hand therein against the passage of gas, and means for supplying a conditioned atmosphere to the interior of the chamber.

2. An apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which the last mentioned means is effective to continuously supply a conditioned atmosphere to the interior of the chamber.

3. An apparatus for packaging materials in a conditioned atmosphere comprising a chamber having a top panel, a bottom panel, and side panels, one of said side panels being transparent, means, including a hopper, for continuously feeding material to be packaged from the exterior to the interior of the chamber through the top panel, means for discharging packaged material through the bottom panel, said transparent panel having apertures therethrough for the receptionof the hands of an operator stationed on the exterior of the chamber, flexible means attached to the said side panel for contacting the hands of the operator disposed in the said apertures and for sealing the apertures with the operators hands therein against the passage of gas, and means for supplyinga conditioned atmosphere to the hopper and to the interior of the chamber.

4. An apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which the interior of the chamber is provided with a package filling station at one point behind the transparent panel and a package sealing station at another point behind the transparent panel, and in which the transparent panel is provided with a pair of said apertures in front of each station, whereby one operator engaged in the filling of packages at the filling station may transfer the filled packages to another operator engaged in sealing the packages.

5. An apparatus as defined by claim 4 in which the means for discharging packaged material from the chamber is disposed between the sealing station and the corresponding apertures for the operator thereof.

6. An apparatus for packaging material comprising a chamber, a hopper above said chamber, said hopper having an outletextending into the interior of the chamber, means for feeding material to be packaged into the hopper, means for discharging an inert gas into the hopper for concurrent fiow into the chamber With the material to be packaged, said chamber having an opening remote from the hopper outlet for discharging packaged material from the chamber, said chamber having a transparent panel with hand holes between the hopper outlet and said opening, and flexible means for sealing said holes when the hands of an operator are disposed therein.

7. An apparatus as defined by claim 6 and means ina dependent of said hopper for discharging an inert gas into the chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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