Method of and apparatus for feeding web material

May 7, 1940. d. e. maxfield 2,199,708

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WEB MATERIAL Filed May 4, 1938 ⁷ Sheets-Sheet 1

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May 7, 1940.

D. E. MAXFIELD

2,199,708

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WEB MATERIAL

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BY

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ATTORNEY.

May 7, 1940.

D. E. MAXFIELD

2.199,708

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING' WEB MATERIAL

Sheets-Sheet 3

Filed May 4, 1938

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May 7, 1940. d. e. maxfield 2.199,708

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WEB MATERIAL Filed May 4, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 4

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May 7, 1940. d. _E. maxfield 2.199,708

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WEB MATERIAL Filed May 4, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 5

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BY

INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY.

May 7, 1940. d. e. maxfield 2.199,708

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WEB MATERIAL

Filed May 4, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 6

<img file="US2199708A_D0008.tif" />

May 7, 1940.

D. E. MAXFIELD

2,199,708

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING WEB MATERIAL

Filed May 4, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 7

<img file="US2199708A_D0009.tif" />

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 7, 1940 2,199,708

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,199,708 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOB FEEDING WEB MATERIAL Daniel E. Maxfield, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Stokes and Smith Company, Philadelphia, Pa·, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application May 4, 1938, Serial No. 205,937 16 Claims. (Cl. 164—48)

My invention relates to methods of and apparatus for feeding web material which is formed and severed to constitute packages, containers or the like, or wrappers, labels, or the like.

In accordance with my Invention control elements are regularly and substantially equally spaced longitudinally of the web, and the feeding of the web is adjusted or controlled, not in accord with nor in response to the spacing between 10 any particular control elements on the web, nor in accord with the arrival of any particular control element at any particular position, but by adjusting the effective length of linear feed of the web by a series of very small and preferably 15 equal increments or decrements of predetermined magnitude so that the operation of registry or positioning of the web is characterized by web. feeding movements either increasing or decreasing in length, but nevertheless each increment 20 or decrement does not, except by occasional coincidence, precisely correct the web-feeding movement but does always correct the movement in the right direction, shortening it when it is too long and lengthening it when too short, all the 25 time hunting the average spacing of the control elements on the web; to obtain substantially similar location on the containers of printing, decorations, or the like, generically termed “designs”, recurrently appearing on the web material.

₃₀ In accordance with one form of my invention, exemplified by Figs. 1-10, the extent to which the web is advanced for different feeding movements thereof is varied, in accordance with responses of the detector, by changing the time of release of the web during the forward or feeding ⁰ strokes of a web-engaging clamp or gripper having a constant length of stroke; In another form of my invention, exemplified by Figs. 11-16, the extent of feed of the web for successive feeding movements is changed by varying the length of '^υ stroke of web-clamping mechanism without change in timing of the web-engaging gripper or equivalent; in still another form of my invention, exemplified by Figs. 17-20, the extent of forward or effective feed of the web is predeter’ mined by controlling the time of closure upon the web of the gripper mechanism during each return stroke thereof.

My invention further resides in the methods and in the features of construction and arrangement hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding of my invention and for illustration of various embodiments thereof, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings in which:

⁰⁰ Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a packaging machine with parts omitted and parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of web-clamping mecha00 nism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 Is a plan view of web-severing mechanism shown in Fig. 5 and corresponding with a similar mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of parts appearing in Fig. 5 and corresponding with similar parts shown In 5 Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the packaging machine of Fig. 1 with parts omitted and parts broken away;

Fig. 5α is a face view, on enlarged scale, of 10 one of the webs shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a modification of parts shown in Figs; 1 and 5;

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view, on enlarged scale, of adjustable control means for mecha- 15 nlsms of Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 8 is an end elevational view of parts appearing in Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 diagrammatically illustrates an electric circuit for control of mechanism shown in Figs. 20 7 and 8:

Fig. 10 is a timing chart referred to in explanation of the operation of the mechanism of Figs. 7 and 8;

Fig. 11 in perspective discloses the significant ₂5 elements of a modification of the packaging machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 12 is a front elevational view on enlarged scale of parts appearing in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is an end elevational view of parts ap- 30 pearing in Fig. 12;

Fig. 14 is a plan view of parts appearing in Fig. 11;

Figs. 15 and 16 are diagrams referred to in explanation of the construction of cam means ₃₅shown in Figs. 12 and 13;

Fig. 17 is a front elevational view of significant elements of still another modification of the packaging machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 18 is a plan view, partly in section, of web- ₄₀engaging mechanism of Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is a front elevational view of parts appearing in Fig. 18; and

Fig. 20 is an end elevational view of parts appearing in Fig. 17. _4f5

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the packaging machine there disclosed is suited to join the margins of webs of material thus to form tubes, each of which is transversely flattened and sealed at intervals longitudinally of the tube to form packages each of which is filled while still attached to the web, and is thereafter detached from the web by severance of the web material through a sealing section joining adjacent packages. In general, the machine is of the type disclosed in _βδUnited States Zwoyer Patent #1,986,422.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the motor I, mounted upon the shelf 2 extending between the legs 3 of the machine, drives the main shaft 4 through pulley 5 on the motor shaft, belt 6 which passes eo

3,190,708 over pulley 5 and the pulley 7 on the jack shaft 8, supported as by brackets 9, 10 from shelf 2, and sprocket 11, on shaft 8, connected by a chain 12 to the sprocket 13 on shaft 4. The turret 14 at the top of the machine which, by means of measuring tubes 36, feeds the.material with which the packages are to be filled from the hopper or supply duct 15 to the filling tubes 16 and I6A, is continuously driven from shaft 4 by the train of mechanism comprising sprocket 17 on shaft 4, chain 18, sprocket 19 on jack shaft 20, sprocket 21 on shaft 20, chain. 22, sprocket 23 on shaft 24 supported, as by brackets 25, 26 from the frame member 27 of the machine, pinion 28, on shaft 24, which engages the bevel gear 29 on the vertical shaft 30 which extends through and beyond the frame member 31 and to whose upper end is secured the sprocket 32 connected by chain 33 to sprocket 34 on shaft 35 to which is secured the turret head or plate 14.

From the under side of the turret plate 14 there extend a plurality of cylinders or measuring tubes 36 each in register with openings through plate 14 to receive a charge of material as it passes beneath the open end of the stationary supply hopper 15 or equivalent. The plate 37, suitably secured as by brackets 38 to the frame member 31 of the machine, serves to close the open bottoms of the cylinders 36 as they revolve with the turret head 14 except when each, in turn, passes over openings in plate 37 which are in register with the filling tubes 16 or I6A.

During each cycle of the package-forming mechanism hereinafter described, a pair of tubes 36 pass over and discharge their contents into the filling tubes, and thereafter pass beneath the hopper 15 for refilling.

From the rear of the upright frame members 39 of the machine there extend the U-shaped bearing members 40 for receiving a bar or rod 41 which supports the rolls or reels R, Ri of packaging material, which, for purposes of explanation, is assumed to be moisture-proof Cellophane, Pliofilm, or other material consisting of, impregnated with, or otherwise surfaced with a material which is adhesive or plastic when subjected to heat.

The web Wl from roll RI, Fig. 5, is threaded through the machine to pass beneath the idler bar or roll 42, thence upwardly between the elements of a registration-detector DA, hereinafter more fully described, thence over and under the tensioning rolls 43A, 44A on the spring-biased arm 45A (biasing spring not shown) pivotally mounted upon the extension 46A of frame member 39. and then upwardly and over the spreader 47A. Beyond the spreader web Wl is formed into a tube TA about the filling tube I6A by the forming tool 48A attached to the bracket 49A which is adjustably secured to the bar 50A (Fig. 1) extending downwardly from the frame member 31.

The web W from the other roll R of packaging material is similarly threaded through the machine and is formed into a tube T about the filling tube 16; the elements for guiding and forming web W are identified in Fig. 1 by the same reference characters, but with omission of the suffix “A”, utilized to identify the corresponding elements associated with web Wl.

The forming tools 48, 48A, which may be of construction more clearly shown in the aforesaid Zwoyer Patent #1,986,422, each shapes the associated web into the form of a tube and also effects overlap of the web margins at the front of the filling tubes It, ISA. The margins of each web are joined by application of heat and pressure to form a closed tube; specifically, the overlapping margins of web W are pressed together by the roll 51 in the core of which are disposed ^sseveral turns of wire electrically heated so as to raise roll St to temperature sufficient to soften the thermo-plastic or adhesive material of the overlapping web margins and so effect their union. 10

The roll BIA, Fig. 5, similarly operates upon the margins of the web Wl to form a closed or circumferentially continuous tube of web material about the filling tube 16A. The sealing rolls 51, 51A are respectively mounted upon 15 shafts 52, 52A individually supported by the frames 53, B3A pivotally mounted for angular movement in a horizontal plane upon the rod 54 extending downwardly from the frame member 31 of the machine. 20

During each cycle of the machine, the webs W, Wl are individually flattened below the lower ends of their respective filling tubes, and are drawn downwardly, by heated clamping tools G. GA which seal the tubes of web material 25 transversely thus to form containers closed at their lower ends but whose upper ends are open and in communication with the filling tubes 16, I6A for filling purposes. The feeding movement of each web also brings a previously formed 30 package beyond a knife mechanism, hereinafter described, which cuts the web to detach a filled and sealed package from the web material. A brake member, such as pivoted member B, Fig. 5, prevents the inertia of each roll of web material 35 from producing slack in the web material fed therefrom.

Because the mechanisms for feeding the webs W, Wl and for severing them to form individual packages are substantially identical, it is ₄₀necessary specifically to describe only the mechanism for feeding and cutting one of the webs; the corresponding elements of the feeding and cutting mechanisms for the two webs will be identified by the same reference characters but ₄₅the mechanism associated with the web Wl will have added thereto the suffix A.

Upon the main shaft 4 is mounted the cam 55 which effects reciprocation of the web-grippers G, GA downwardly from and back to their broken so line positions indicated in Fig. 1. The periphery of cam 55 is engaged by the roller 56 on pin 57 which extends from the yoke member 58 whose forked end straddles shaft 4 and which is connected by bar 59 to one arm 60 of a bell crank 55 lever pivoted at 61 to bracket 62 secured to the Under side of the frame member 27. The other arm 63 of the bell crank lever is slotted adjustably to receive the supporting stud for a roller 64 which engages the under side of the horizontal ⁰⁰extension 65 of member 66 adjustably secured as by the bolts 67 to the plunger 68 whose lower end passes through the bearing 62α afforded by bracket 62, and whose upper end passes beyond ... the top of the table or frame member 27. At- ^JJtached to or integral with the upper end of the plunger 68 is a cross arm 69 whose opposite ends provide bearings for the lower ends of the shafts 70, 70A which extend through the web-gripping -₀devices G, GA. The shafts 71, 7IA extending ' parallel to and closely adjacent the shafts 70, 70A respectively pass through the cross member 69 and the top 27 of the machine frame; the upper ends of the shafts 70, 71 and 70A, 7IA pass 75

9,109,708 through and are guided by the frame member II below the feeding turret 14 of the machine. .

As more clearly appears in Pig. 3, the shafts HA, 70A pass between the two halves of the Web5 gripper device GA. The two gripper members ha, 7JA are biased toward each other by the springs 74A, 75A which respectively encircle the pins 7IA, 77A extending through member 73A and attached to member 72A. When the shafts 10 IgA and 71A are in the angular position shown in Fig. 2, the springs 74A, 75A are effective to hold the corrugated, web-engaging jaws 7IA, 79A in clamping engagement with web WI. The jaws 7βΑ, 79A are heated, preferably electrically, as in 15 aforesaid Zwoyer patent, to soften the thermoplastic or adhesive surface of the web and so form, during their clamping engagement with the tube TA, a flattened sealing section extending transversely thereof.

When the shafts 70A and 7IA are concurrently moved in the same direction through a substantial angle, as hereinafter described, the cam members 80A, 8IA secured respectively to shafts 70A and 71A effect separation of the grip25 per jaws and so release the web or tube TA.

The under surface of gripper members 72A. 73A engage the spacer members 82A, 83A supported respectvely by the sprockets 84A, 85A on the shafts 70A, 71 A. The upper surfaces of the 30 gripper members are engaged by the flanged members 86A, 87A suitably secured to shafts 7IA and 70A. The sprockets 88A and 84A are connected by chain 88A to effect rotation of the shafts in unison when one of them is actuated as hereln35 after described. , .

The shafts 70 and 71 support the similar webclamping device G whose jaws are moved toward and from web-clamping position by angular movements of the shafts 70, 71.

io During rotation of shaft 4 the cam 55 effects reciprocation of the cross member 69 to effect vertical reciprocation of the two web-clamping devices G, GA. Substantially at the top of the stroke of the cross member 69, the shafts 71 and ,- 7 SA are rotated as hereinafter described to effect closure of the jaws of the two grippers G, GA so that during their downward movement both webs are pulled downwardly with respect to their associated .filling tubes 16, I6A. The flattening

-, 1 and sealing action of grippers G, GA completes the sealing of a pair of filled containers and seals the bottom of a pair of containers whose upper ends are open for filling through tubes S 6,16A.

Before the cross arm 69 reaches the bottom -- of its stroke, the web-feeding devices G, GA are individually controlled, as hereinafter described, to release the webs W.WI.

The length of the stroke of the cross member @9 and the parts movable therewith is ad_fn justable to suit the machine for making packages of different lengths. Referring to Fig 5, when the roll 64 is clamped near the outer erid of the slot in the oscillatory arm 63, the vertical stroke of the cross member .69 which _(!-, carries the grippers G, GA is substantially longer than when the adjusted position of roller 64 on the slotted arm 63 is nearer the pivot 61. With the arrangement shown in Fig. 5, a change in position of roller 64 with respect to the axis of rota-,, tion of the lever arm 63 not only changes the ‘ ’ length of the stroke of member 69 but also affects its position at the bottom of its stroke; the shorter the stroke, the higher the lowermost position of cross-arm 69 unless member 66 on plunger 68 75 is readjusted. By recourse to the construction shown in 17g. β, the length of stroke may be varied to suit different lengths of the package without change Of the position of the cross arm 18 at the bottom of its stroke. The advantage of the modification will become more apparent after subsequent description of the severance of the webs to detach packages therefrom. .

Tn the construction shown in Fig. 6, the slot 68b, instead of being radial like the slot 63A, Fig. 5, is substantially parallel to the end face of the. member 65 when plunger 68 is pt the bottom of its stroke; therefore, adjustment of roller 64 to various positions along slot 68b to obtain various lengths of stroke of the plunger 68 does not change the lowermost position of the plunger or ¹⁵of the grippers G, GA movable therewith.

The opening and closing movements of the gripper mechanism G are controlled by barrel cam 89, Fig. 1, rotatable with shaft 90 driven from main shaft 4 of the machine by the bevel gears 81, 92 secured, respectively, to shaft 4 and shaft 90. The periphery of cam 89 continuously engages the roller 98 at the lower end of the vertically reclprocable member 94 whose upper end is pivoted to one arm of a bell-crank lever 95 25 supported by bracket 96 on the upper surface of the table member 27 of the machine. The other arm of the bell-crank lever is connected by link 97 to the rack member 98 slidable within a guide member 99 attached to or integral with 30 the frame member 39 of the machine. The rack 98 is continuously ih mesh with the elongated gear 100 attached to shaft 71. Throughout the vertical reciprocation of the gripper frame 69, the gear 100 remains in engagement with the rack ⁰⁰in order that cam 89 may effect opening and closing of the gripper jaws at desired times in a cycle of reciprocation of the gripper.

Similarly, the cam 89A through the bell-crank lever 95A and rack 98A effects rotation of gear 40 Ι00Α at different times in the cycle of rotation of gripper frame 69 to effect opening and closing movements of the gripper GA.

The bell-crank levers 95, 95A are biased, as by the springs ΙΟΙ, 101 A, to maintain engagement 45 of the cam followers 93, 93A with cams 89, 89A respectively.

The motion of the racks 98, 98A is also utilized to effect operation of the knife mechanisms K, KA which sever the completed packages from 50 the webbing; rack 98A, in addition to maintaining continuous engagement with gear 100A on the reciprocable gripper frame, is continuously in mesh with gear I02A, Fig. .4, on shaft I03A, whose upper end is received by a bearing in the 55 extension 804, Fig. 5, of the standard 105 which is suitably attached to the top of frame member 27 near the front of the machine. Gear I OSA is continuously in engagement with gear I06A on shaft 8 07A extending parallel to shaft 103A co and whose lower end is received by a bearing in the frame member 27. Above gear I06A, Fig. 5, shaft 107A extends through the standard extension 104 and through the web-cutting mechanism KA which comprises two knives I08A and I09A G5 guided for reciprocation in a horizontal plane by the structure 110A. The gear 111A on shaft 107A engages a rack integral or attached to the upper blade 108A and gear II2A, also on shaft 107A, engages a rack on the opposite side of the lower 70 blade 109A. Therefore, for rotation of the shaft I07A in one direction the upper and lower knives move toward each other to sever web WI and for reverse rotation of shaft I07A the knives move from their web-severing position. As more 75

3,199,708 clearly appears in Fig. 3, the web WI passes downwardly through an aperture defined by the cutting or shearing edge at the forward end of the lower blade 108A and the cutting or shearing edge of the upper blade 109A. Consequently, as shaft I07A, Fig. 3, rotates in clockwise direction, both blades move toward the “cutting line” X—X, Fig. 3, to sever the web WI. The mechanism for cutting the web W is similar and the corresponding parts are identified by the same reference characters with omission of the suffix A.

The two cutting heads K and KA are carried by a common member 138 adjustably secured to the standard 105 as by the bolt 139 which extends through an elongated slot in member 138. As indicated in Fig. 5, the cutting heads are adjustable in unison by the hand-wheel 113 at the lower end of a threaded shaft 114 which extends through the stationary frame member 27 and is threadably received by the extension 115 of the support 138 for the two cutting heads.

Provision for vertical adjustment of the cutting heads is not necessary when there is utilized the modified arrangement shown in Fig. 6, which, as previously explained, insures that the frame 69 always has a definite lower position regardless of the adjustment of roller 64 to procure different lengths of package by adjustment of the stroke of frame 69.

As thus far described, the cams 55, 89 and 89A make one revolution per cycle of the machine; the cam 55 effects, during one revolution thereof, one upward and downward stroke of the gripper frame 69; and during one revolution of cams 89, 99A, the grippers are opened and closed, and the knives are closed and opened. As hereinafter more fully described, the webs W and WI are fed during the downward movement of the gripper frame 69, and at or somewhat before the end of the downward movement of the grippers their jaws are opened to release the webs and the knives sever the webs to detach completed packages which are discharged from the machine by chutes 116, II6A.

The webs W and WI are often provided with recurrent printing or decorative matter which it is desired shall appear in the individual packages at a definite position similar for all of packages. For various reasons, such as the effect of atmospheric conditions upon the web material during the printing or while in the packaging machine, it is ordinarily not possible to attain exact or substantially exact registration of the printing or decorative matter, exemplified in Fig. 5A, as appearing upon the individual packages, by forming or cutting all packages to exactly the same length.

In the packaging machine shown in Figs. 1-9, there are provided detectors D, DA for inspecting the registration of the printed matter or design on the webs and for advancing or retarding the gripper opening and web-severing operations effected in the next cycle of the machine, thus to correct for inaccuracies of register of the recurrent designs or equivalent as they appear on the web and so avoid cumulation of variations in the spacing between the designs.

In Figs. 7 and 8 there is disclosed a control mechanism responsive to detector DA for shifting the timing of the gripper GA and of the cutting mechanism KA in the cycle of reciprocation of plunger 68; it is to be understood a similar mechanism is utilized to vary the timing of the gripper G and web-severing mechanism K in accordance with the response of a registration detector D (not shown). Hie cam ISA is slidably keyed to shaft 90A, Figs. 7 and 8, and is provided with a grooved collar ΙΠΑ for receiving rollers carried by the yoke H8A at the upper end of arm I ISA pivoted intermediate its 5 ends on the bracket I20A attached to the frame of the machine. The lower forked ends 121A of the lever I ISA embrace pins 122A extending from the member I23A threadably received by the shaft I24A whose ends are supported respec- 10 tively by aforesaid bracket I20A and bracket I25A. To shaft 124A are attached the spaced ratchet members I26A, I27A. The bell-crank lever 128A mounted upon shaft I24A for angular reciprocation with respect thereto is provided 15 at its upper end with a roller I29A for engaging the groove I30A of cam member 131A secured to shaft 90. The cam groove is so cut and the cam is so positioned on shaft 90A that while the web-feeding plunger 60 is at rest, and there- ²⁰fore while the webs W and WI are stationary, the bell-crank lever I20A is swung toward and from the position shown in Fig. 7 to effect rotation of shaft 124A in one direction or the other by engagement of one or the other of pawls 132A, 25 133A, carried by the lower arm of the bell-crank lever I23A with ratchet I26A or ratchet I27A. The arm 134A, secured to the same shaft to which the pawls I32A and I33A are attached, is connected at its lower end, as by link I35A, to the 30 core or armature 136A of a solenoid or equivalent electromagnetic device I37A. The spring I38A compressed between the pawl 132A and the block I39A rotatably mounted in the stationary support I40A biases the pawl 132A into engagement 35 with the ratchet I27A, and concurrently biases the pawl I33A out of engagement with ratchet 127A; therefore, if solenoid I37A is not energized during the aforesaid to and fi movement of the bell-crank lever I28A, the shaft I24A is 40 moved in counterclockwise direction, Fig. 7, during the return stroke of the bell-crank lever to the position of Fig. 7. If, on the other hand, the solenoid I37A is energized during the angular reciprocation of the bell-crank lever, the pawl 45 I33A is pulled by core 136A to engage the ratchet I27A, and during the forward stroke of the bellcrank lever from the position of Fig. 7 effects rotation of the shaft 124A in clockwise direction, Fig. 7. ₅₀

Upon each of the webs W, WI is a series of opaque spots or marks O each having the same position with respect to printed or other matter on the web which is to appear in the packages successively cut therefrom; the spacing between 55 adjacent spots, therefore, corresponds to the nominal average length of the packages to be cut from that Web. The marks or control elements O may be part of the designs or printing on the web or they may be in addition thereto 60 and, in any event, they possess a distinguishing characteristic suited for the selected type of detector; in the particular arrangements herein disclosed; the light transmission characteristic of the registration marks is different from that 65 of adjacent web portions; for another type of detector, the control elements O may be of electrical conductivity different from that of adjacent web portions; for example, they may be dabs or strips of conductive substance or, less 70 desirably, perforations in the web; in all modifications the detector observes the web while stationary.

Whether or not the solenoid I37A is energized or deenergized at that portion of each cycle of 75

2.199,708 5 _ the machine during which the bell-crank lever 128 is angularly reciprocated, depends upon the position of a registration mark or control element, specifically an opaque spot O, on the web

Wi then stationary, with respect to a beam of light, or other radiation, emitted by the lamp LA, Fig. 9, or equivalent source of radiation, such as an electrically heated resistor, and directed' toward a radiation responsive device CA such as a photo-cell, thermocouple, or the like. The photo-cell CA and lamp LA, Figs. 5 and 9, are preferably disposed in individual housings which are closed except for narrow slits in alignment with each other and between which the web Wi passes. The radiation may be concentrated by a suitable optical system comprising one or more mirrors or lenses. If the web Wi at the end of a feeding stroke comes to rest with an opaque spot O, in alignment with the slots or apertures in the two housings, the photo-cell does not receive radiation from the transmitter lamp LA or equivalent and, consequently, in the particular system disclosed,,the solenoid 131A is not energized with the result the shaft I24A during os- cillation of arm I28A is moved in counterclockwise direction to move cam 89A to the right with respect to the position shown in Fig. 8. Because of the shape of the cam, which is hereinafter described, the result of this change in position is to effect release of the web and severance thereof earlier than before in the next downward stroke of the gripper frame with the results that the package severed from the web is slightly shorter than the preceding package and that a succeed- ing opaque spot on the web may to greater or lesser extent intercept the path of the radiation from LA to CA. For every subsequent cycle of the machine, the time of release of the grippers will be still further advanced, still further re- during the distance between successively formed seals, until, when the web comes to rest at the end of a feeding stroke, the beam from the lamp LI is not obscured or is sufficiently less obscured by one of the series of registration marks or con.. trol elements O on the web. Thereupon the solenoid 137 A is energized during the oscillation of the bell-crank lever I28A with the result that the shaft I24A is rotated in clockwise direction to move cam 89A to the left along shaft 98A and 50 therefore effect release of the grippers and websevering movement of the knives of cutting head KA later in the downward stroke of plunger 68 with the result the distance between successively formed seals is increased and the package cut in 55 the subsequent cycle of the machine is slightly longer than before: and for every subsequent cycle of the machine, the time of release of the web by gripper GA is more and more retarded still further increasing the distance between sucΛ0 cessively formed seals until eventually, when the web is at rest at the end of a feeding stroke, an opaque spot O on the web again intercepts sufficient radiation from LA to CA to cause deenergization of the solenoid I37A.

For every cycle of the machine, each of the webs W, Wi is inspected by its respective registration detector D or DA and, in accordance with the position of a registration index or control element O on each web, it is predetermined whether in the next feeding stroke of the individual web, the time of release of the web from its feeding gripper and the time of operation of its individual severing means is made to occur earlier or later in the web-feeding stroke of plung75 er 68 in effect to shift the location of the con tainers formed by the sealing operations of the gripper mechanism with respect to the designs on the web between the seals. Thus the proper positioning of the designs on the containers is effected by control of the package-forming mecha- 5 nism itself and not by any additional mechanism operating upon the web prior to package-forming operations thereon. Although both grippers G and GI are carried by one and the same reciprocating frame 69, the extents to which the webs 10 W and WI are fed in any particular cycle of the machine may differ depending upon the prior responses of the detectors D, DA individual to the webs; for example, the response of detectors D and DA while the webs W and Wi are concur- 15 rently stationary may be such that in the next downward stroke of the gripper frame the extent of feed of web W is less than in the prior cycle, whereas the extent of feed of web WI is greater than in the prior cycle, and, in all cases, 20 the extent to which each of webs W, WI is fed in a particular cycle of the machine is greater or less than the extent of feed in the prior cycle and in the subsequent cycle. The vertical distance from the cutting of each cuting head to the 25 uppermost position of the associated gripper device remains constant for any given adjustment of cutting-head support 138.

In the particular packaging machine shown in Figs. 1-9, the cam 55 is so constructed 30 that, as appears from the timing diagram, Fig. 10, the plunger 68 is at rest in its uppermost position from about zero degrees to about 50° of the machine cycle; consequently, during that part of the cycle the web- 35 clamping devices G, GA, are at rest in their dotted line positions of Fig. 1. During that interval the cam followers 93, 93A ride from the high part of nams 89, 89A, respectively, allowing the springs ΙΟΙ, I8IA, to move the racks 88, 98A to the right, ₄₀Fig. 1, to effect rotation of shaft 78, 71, 78A and 71 A, in such direction that the jaws of the clamping devices G, GA close upon the tubes T, TA of web material below the lower ends of the filling tube 16, 16A, thus, as previously described, to seal ₄₅the upper ends of filled packages and concurrently to form and close the bottoms of containers about to be filled: this same movement of the racks 98, 98A, effects rotation of shafts 107. 167A, in direction to separate the knives of the two cut- ₅₀ting heads K, KA, to permit the filled packages as yet unsevered from the web to pass between the knives during the subsequent downward movement of the web-feeding devices G, GA.

The downward movement of plunger 68 and therefore of the web-clamping devices G, GA, begins at about 50° of the machine cycle and continues to about 230° thereof: the length of the plunger stroke, and therefore the maximum possible extent of feed of the webs W, WI, depends upon the setting of the member 64, as previously described.

Each of the barrel cams 89, 89A, is so constructed that during the downward movement of the plunger 68 the cam followers 93, 93A rise from 65 the low part of cams 89, 89A to the high part thereof to effect movement of the racks 98, 98A to'the left, Fig. 1, thus individually to effect release of the webs W, WI from the feeding devices G, GA; and substantially concurrently with re- 70 lease of each web the knife mechanism K or KA operated by the same rack which effects web release severs the web to detach therefrom a filled package. Although both webs W, WI are concurrently clamped, the time at which each web is 75

9,199,708 β

released and severed during descent of the plunger 68 depends upon the response of the registration-detecting device associated with that particular web, as previously herein described. For 5 example, and again referring to Fig. 10, when the responses of the registration detector D or DA have been such that the cam follower 93 is at the lower end of cam 89 as viewed in Fig. 10, or cam follower 93A near the right edge of cam 98A as 10 viewed in Fig. 8, the cam follower 93 or 93A, as the case may be, meets the rise of the cam early in the downward stroke of the plunger, for example, at about 105° of the machine cycle, thus to effect release of the web and severance of the end pack16 age early in the downward movement of plunger 68. To take the other extreme condition, when the prior responses of the registration detector D or DA have been such that the cam follower 93 or 93A is near the other edge of the associated 20 cam 83 or 89A—upper extent of cam adjustment, Fig. 10—the cam follower does not meet the rise of the cam until about 225° of the machine cycle, or just before the bottom limit of the downward stroke of the plunger 88. For intermediate posi25 tions of cams 89, 89A, the times of release of the grippers G, GA and of the operations of cutting mechanisms K, KA are correspondingly predetermined. Thus, the extent of feed of each of the webs W, Wl, in a particular cycle of the machine, 30 depends upon the positions of the cams 89, 89A with respect to cam followers 93, 93A which positions are subject to individual control by the registration detectors D, DA.

Reverting to Fig. 10, the plunger 68 remains at 35 its lowermost position for a brief time, for example, from about 230° to 240° of the machine cycle, and then returns at accelerated rate to its uppermost position in from about 240° to 360° of the cycle. During the upward movement of the 40 plunger, both sets of gripper jaws are open to clear the filled containers whose upper ends are to be closed by the next clamping movement of the jaws.

In each cycle of the machine two packages are ₄₅ filled and two packages are cut from the webs W, Wl; although all packages cut from the webs are approximately of the same length, each package from each of the webs is slightly longer or shorter than the immediately preceding or im50 mediately following package, and the length of a package cut from one web may be either shorter, longer or equal to the package severed from the other web in the same cycle of the machine.

In the modification of my invention shown in 55 Figs. 11-14, packages are formed from two webs of packaging material by mechanism similar to that of Figs. 1-9 and for convenience and brevity the corresponding elements of both modifications are Identified by the same reference characters. 30 In the modification of Figs. 11-14, there are provided individual feeding plungers for each of the web clamping devices G, GA and the length of stroke of each of these feeding plungers is capable of being adjusted independently of the other in 35 accordance with the response of its associated registration detector D or DA. Moreover, it is also characteristic of the modification of Figs. 11-14, unlike the modification of Figs. 1 to 9, that the time at which each web is clamped, the time 70 at which it is released, and the time at which it is severed all remain the same in all cycles of the machine and are the same for both webs.

Referring to Fig. 11, the two racks 98, 98A of Fig. 1 are replaced by a single rack 980 which 75 engages the gear 100 which controls the opening and closing of the web-clamping device G and also engages gear Ι00Α which controls the opening and closure of the gripper GA; the movements of the rack 980 are controlled by a single nonad just able cam 890 which replaces the two ad- 5 justable cams 89 and 89A of Fig. 1. The periphery of the cam 890 is in continuous engagement with the cam follower 930 carried by arm 940 pivotally connected to the bell-crank lever 96A connected by link 97A to the aforesaid rack 980. The 10 cam 890 is so cut that the jaws of the grippers G and GA close upon the respective webs W, Wl by movement ending at about 50° of the machine cycle and are concurrently opened near the bottom of the strokes of their respective plungers 15 680, 680A which, in the particular construction shown, are at rest at the bottom of their stroke from about 230° to about 240° of the machine cycle. The rack 980 is also in mesh with gears 102, I02A, Fig. 14, for operating the knives of the 20 web-cutting heads K, KA, as in the modification of Figs. 1-9, so that concurrently with closing movement of the gripper jaws, both sets of knives open to avoid obstruction to the packages about to be fed therebetween, and so that concurrently 25 with opening of the grippers G, GA, the two sets of knives in the heads K, KA, are concurrently operated to sever packages from the webs W, Wl.

With the webs W, Wl are associated the individual registration detectors D, DA, similar to 30 those described in connection with Figs. 1-9, each of which control the energization of an electromagnetic device such as solenoid 137A which determines which of the pawls 132A, I33A, is effective during an oscillation of the arm 128A which 35 oscillation is timed to occur in each cycle of the machine while the webs are stationary. If solenoid 137A is energized during oscillation of arm I28A, the cam 560A is moved in one direction along shaft 400, and conversely if the solenoid 40 137A is not energized during oscillation of arm 128A, the barrel cam 550A is moved in opposite direction axially of its shaft. In like manner, the detector D controls the position of cam 550 longitudinally of shaft 400. The control of the posi- 45 tions of each of barrel cams 550 and 550A of Fig. 11, in accordance with the alignment or misalignment of successive opaque spots or control elements O on the webs W, Wl, is effected by an arrangement identical with that shown in Figs. 7 53 and 8 and previously explained. In the modification of Figs. 11-14, the rotation or angular adjustment of shaft I24A is utilized to shift the position of cam 550A which, as will hereinafter appear, controls the stroke of the gripper GA, _RRwhereas, in the modification of Figs. 1-9 the angular adjustment of shaft 124A controls the setting of cam 89A to vary in a cycle of the machine the time of release of the jaws of the web-clamping mechanism GA.

Reverting to Figs. 11,12 and 13, the periphery of cam 550A is engaged by the cam follower 560 carried by the rack member 590 which is in mesh with the gear sector 600 integral with or attached to the lever 630 to whose free end is connected 35 the roller 64 for engagement with the under surface of the member 66 suitably secured to the feeding plunger 680A. For each revolution of cam 550A the plunger 680A makes one complete cycle of its vertical rectilinear reciprocation; 70 therefore, for each revolution of the cam 650 the web-clamping device G moves to and from its lowermost position from which to the cutting plane of head KA the distance is fixed or predetermined. The length of the stroke of each of 75 #,190,70β *

Is moving upwardly, but the average speed of&lt;he piling»* during this part of a particular cycle depends upon the axial position of cam SHA with respect to its follower B·· during that oycj®· _

The timing relations of cams BIO and SBOA to cam BOO are similar or identical so that both grippers G, GA and both knife mechanisms K, KA operate concurrently in all cycles of the machine. But because of the Independence of the axial positions of. cams ΒΙΟ, B50A, the lengths of the pack- w ages cut from the webs W, Wl in any particular cycle of the machine may be and usually are different. „ '

In the modification whose significant components are shown in Figs. 17 to 20, the web Wl, 15 from which packages, labels or wrappers are to be cut, is intermittently fed by a gripper mechanism having a constant length of stroke, ana proper registry of printed or other matter with _ respect to the packages or wrappers cut from the web is maintained by shifting the time at which the web is clamped by the gripper mechanism during its return or non-feeding stroke. For brevity and clarity, elements having the same purpose or function as elements of the modiflca- 25 tion of Fig. 1 are identified by the same reference characters. , , . .

For each revolution of cam 55, which rotates once for each cycle of the machine, the plunger 68 carrying the web-gripping mechanism GA : makes one cycle of reciprocation. The length of stroke of the plunger, and therefore the maximum feed of web Wl for making packages or labels of desired average or nominal length, is predetermined by the setting of roller 64 in the slotted oscillatory arm 63.

For purpose of explanation of a specific embodiment of this modification, it is assumed that the web Wl is of Cellophane or other transparent or translucent webbing material, and that the recurrent registration marks or control elements O on the webbing are opaque spots.

In front of web Wl, adjacent the uppermost position of the web-gripping device GA, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 17, there is disposed a mirror MA or equivalent for reflecting light from source LA to the photo-cell CA or equivalent, under conditions hereinafter specified, as also does shroud 140 which is to prevent stray-light, other than from lamp LA, actuating photo-cell CA. The shroud may either be fixed or reciprocable with the gripper structure GA. The lamp and photo-cell are carried by and move with the gripper mechanism GA during its reciprocation. There is also mounted upon or carried by the gripper mechanism GA and electromagnet I37A, Fig. 18, Whose armature 136A is connected by link 135A to a latch 150 whose hooked end engages the pin 151 on arm 152 to restrain the gripper jaws 78α, 79α out of engagement with the web W . When the solenoid 137 A is energized, latch 150 is moved in clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 18, to release the arm 152, whereupon the springs 74A, 75A effect closure of the gripper jaws upon the web. ,

As the gripper mechanism GA approaches the lower limit, of its feeding movement, the adjustably fixed cam 153, Figs. 18 and 19, engages the roller 154 on arm 152, causing the arm to move in clockwise direction to the position shown in Fig. 70 18. Because of the attachment of arm 152 to shaft 70A and of the connection between shaft 70A and 7IA effected by the chain 88A and sprockets 84A and 85 A on shafts 70 A, 71 A, the gripper jaws are separated by the cams 80A, 81A 75

SO the plungers BIO, IIOA depends, in the particular cycle of the machine, upon the axial adjustments of the cams BIO, BBOA. Wh«i cam ^M9A, for example, is moved to the right from its poeitton β shown in Fig. 11, the length of stroke of the plunger BBOA, and therefore the feed of the web Wl, is increased and conversely, when cam IWA is moved to the left of its position shown in Fig.

11, the stroke of plunger BBOA is shortened to decrease the length of package cut from the web. Although both sets of grippers G and GA open and close at the same time in the cycle of the machine, the extent to which they feed their respective webs depends upon the settings of the cams 550, 550A. The length of stroke of each of the plungers 680, 680A is always either increasing or decreasing, depending upon the responses of the associated registration detectors so to vary the distance between successively formed seals and thus shift the location of the containers formed by the sealing operations with respect to the designs between the seals. In the particular arrangement shown, the length of stroke of each of the plungers is progressively increased for successive cycles of the machine until the registration detector associated with the web observes an opaque spot O on the web while stationary at the end of a feeding stroke; thereupon, the length of stroke is incrementally decreased in the following cycles until, in a subsequent cycle, the registration detector is actuated by partial or complete absence of a control element to effort energization of the solenoid associated with stroke-controlling mechanism for that web, whereupon the length of stroke is again increased.

The construction of cams 556 and 550A is best understood from, Figs. 12,13,15 and 16. Because these cams are identical in construction, only one of them, cam 550A, needs to be specifically described. Cam 550A throughout-its length within the angle between 223° and 240°, corresponding to the bottom dwell of the plunger 680A, is of constant radius, thus insuring that regardless of the axial position of cam 550A the lowermost posit/g tion of the gripper device GA is always the same: otherwise stated, that segment of the cam corresponding to the portion of the machine cycle between 230° and 240° is a segment of a cylinder. Within the angle between 0° and 50° of the machine cycle for which the plunger 680A is at rest in its uppermost position, the radius of cam 550A progressively decreases from the large end of the cam, Fig. 15, to the small end of the cam, Fig. 16, thus providing for different uppermost positions of gripper device GA in accordance with the re⁶⁸ sponses of the detector DA; this segment of the cam may therefore be considered as a segment of a truncated cone whose maximum radius determines the maximum stroke of plunger 680A _en and whose minimum radius determines the minimum stroke of the plunger. For each intermediate position of cam 550A with respect to its follower 560, the stroke of plunger 680A is correspondingly predetermined within the aforesaid «β limits. In the machine described, the ratio of the ⁸⁸ maximum to the minimum stroke is about two to one; specifically, the maximum stroke is about 6” and the minimum stroke about 3”.

From 50° to 230° of every machine cycle, the to plunger 680 is moving downwardly but the average speed at which the plunger moves downwardly in a particular cycle depends upon the axial position of cam 550A with respect to the cam follower 560 during that cycle. From 240° to 360° of every cycle of the machine, the plunger 680 β®

9,199,708 on shafts TOA, 71A to release the web Wl. This movement of arm 152 also permits the spring IBS to reset the latch ISO to the position Indicated in Fig. 18.

⁸ The gripper jaws remain open during the subsequent upward movement of the plunger St until radiation from the lamp LA or equivalent is reflected by the mirror MA into the photo-cell, whereupon the electromagnet UTA is energized 10 to effect closure of the gripper jaws upon the web, as above described. The mirror MA should be so located with reference to the nominal normal position of the opaque spot as to overlap It but not to extend below it. For any particular 15 return stroke of the gripper mechanism GA, the time at which the photo-cell receives light from the lamp is dependent upon the position of opaque spot 0 on the then stationary web with respect to the reflector MA. Because the web is 20 gripped before the end of the return stroke, at least that part of it adjacent the grippers is reversely fed to an extent dependent upon the remaining distance to be travelled by the gripper in its return stroke; with the net result, the actual 2β or forward feed of the web is less than the constant distance in the forward stroke for which the web remains gripped by an amount corresponding with the variable distance, in the immediately prior return stroke, for which the web was, in a sense, reversely fed. For example, if the lower edge of an opaque spot O is approximately at the same level as the lower edge of the mirror, the gripper mechanism must return substantially to its uppermost position before the mirror MA is capable of reflecting light from the lamp into the photo-cell, and accordingly, under this circumstance, the amount of webbing fed or actually advanced by the gripper mechanism in its next downward stroke is appreciably greater 4® than when, for example, the upper edge of an opaque spot O registers with the lower edge of the mirror, in which event the mirror reflects light to the photo-cell substantially before the gripper mechanism GA reaches its uppermost position.

In the latter case, the net result of the early closure of the gripper mechanism during its return stroke is that of reduced extent of feed of the web . in the next downward stroke of the gripper mechanism. The severing of the web may take _δ0 place at or within the particular web spacing adjacent the opaque spot observed or at or within a web spacing removed therefrom a predetermined number of spacings.

The variations in the timing of the closure of _5g the gripper mechanism are always such as to maintain an approximately correct register of the printed matter on the packages or wrappers cut from the webbing by web-severing mechanism generally similar to or identical with web60 severing mechanism KA of Fig. 1. The length of the opaque spot with the web must obviously be greater than the maximum variations in the length of web spacing.

If desired, the movement of the plunger 68 may, 6g as in the modification of Fig. 1, be utilized to effect feed of more than one web, and in such case, it is to be understood that with each gripper mechanism, there is to be associated an individual control arrangement such as disclosed 70 and described in connection with the single gripper mechanism GA of Figs. 17 to 20.

With the web-feeding mechanism of Figs. 17 to 20 there may be utilized apparatus for forming the web into containers which are filled and 70 sealed before the webbing is cut to detach the filled packages, all as disclosed In the modifications previously described herein; and conversely, it is to be understood the web-feeding arrangements shown In Figs. 1 to 10, and Figs. 11 to 19 may be utilized to cut individual wrappers from ⁸the webbing for subsequent use as In a wrapping or packaging machine. For brevity in the appended claims, the term “wrapper”, unless inconsistent with the context, is used to comprehend wrappers, labels, or the like, which are applied 10 either before or after their severance from the web.