Tube feeding mechanism for packaging machine

Sept. 22, 1964 r. _o. dorr 3,149,447

TUBE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINE

<img file="US3149447A_D0001.tif" />

Sept. 22, 1964 r. o. dorr 3,149,447

TUBE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR. PACKAGING MACHINE

Filed Dec. 8, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US3149447A_D0002.tif" />

/ .

<img file="US3149447A_D0003.tif" />

Sept. 22, 1964 r. o. dorr 3,149,447

TUBE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINE

Filed Dec. 8, 1961

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US3149447A_D0004.tif" />

Sept. 22, 1964

R. O. DORR

3,149,447

TUBE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINE

<img file="US3149447A_D0005.tif" />

<img file="US3149447A_D0006.tif" />

INVENTOR.

Robert 0. Dorr,

BY

3,149,447

Patented Sept. 22, 1964

United States Patent Office

3,149,447 TUBE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR PACKAGING MACHINE

Robert O. Don·, Mount Prospect, HI., assignor to Oscar Mayer &amp; Co., Inc., Chicago, HL, a corporation of Illinois

Filed Dec. 8,1961, Ser. No. 157,890 8 Claims. (Ci. 53—180)

This invention relates to packaging machinery and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a packaging machine of the type in which a continuous tube of flexible film material is advanced beyond the end of a hollow mandrel while the tube is filled with a product which is delivered through the mandrel. Thereafter, the filled tube is constricted at intervals and transverse seals are applied to form a series of individual packages.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a packaging machine of the type described wherein a continuous tube of relatively thin pliable material is applied in telescoped relation on a hollow tubular filling mandrel and improved mechanism for feeding the tube is associated with the mandrel so as to continuously advance the tube beyond the end of the mandrel while a product is delivered through the mandrel and into the tube.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide in a continuous tube type packaging machine an improved mechanism for advancing the tube as it is filled with a product through the mandrel which mechanism comprises pairs of driven rollers disposed on .opposite sides of the path of the tube as it leaves the mandrel, with the rollers being positioned so as to grip folded portions of the wall on opposite sides of the tube and positively advance the same at a controlled rate.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a tube feeding apparatus for a continuous tube forming and filling machine which comprises spaced pairs of feed rollers mounted adjacent the end of the forming and filling mandrel and disposed so as to grip between the rolls of the respective pairs portions of the wall of the tube which are directed into fold forming relation by guide members mounted on the mandrel together with a pair of squeeze rollers mounted on supporting frames which are pivoted for movement about the axis of rotation of the feed rollers.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a packaging machine wherein a tube is formed on a hollow mandrel and filled with a product delivered through the mandrel an apparatus adapted to be mounted at the end of the mandrel for gripping between pairs of driven feed rollers oppositely disposed, folded portions of the walls of the tube which apparatus includes roller supporting frames pivotally mounted in coaxial relation on shafts supporting the tube feeding rollers and carrying pressure rollers for engaging the unfolded wall portions of the tube so as to maintain pressure on the product delivered through the hollow mandrel whereby to exclude air from the tube and insure uniform filling thereof.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the apparatus which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a tube forming and filling machine having incorporated therein tube feeding or advancing mechanism which embodies the invention, portions of the machine being omitted or broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view, taken on the line 2—2 of FIGURE 1 and with portions broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevation, to an enlarged scale, of the tube feeding mechanism shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a partial cross section taken on the line 4—4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5—5 of FIGURE 3, with portions broken away;

FIGURE 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6—6 of FIGURE 1, with portions broken away; and

FIGURE 7 is a section taken on the line 7—Ί of FIGURE 6.

Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawings, 10 there is illustrated a portion of a packaging machine 10 which is adapted to form a continuous tube 11 from a web 12 of a relatively thin, pliable, transparent plastic film material and to divide the tube 11 into a series of connected packages 13 which are of cylindrical section and 15 which are closed at their opposite ends by metal sealing rings 14, there being two of the sealing rings 14 applied to constricted or gathered portions of the filled tube 11 between each package 13 and the next adjacent package, with space between the two closure rings or clips 14 so as 20 to permit the gathered portion to be severed for separating the packages 11.

The film material 12 is initially folded and longitudinally sealed to provide the tube 11 which is telescoped about a hollow tubular filling mandrel 15. The mandrel 25 15 is supported in vertically disposed relation on a top cross member 16 extending inwardly of a vertically positioned side member 17 and a tube forming collar 18, supported on a bracket 19, surrounds the upper end of the hollow mandrel 15. A heat sealing mechanism indicated ³⁰ at 20 is associated with the hollow mandrel 15 which is operable to form a continuous longitudinal seam in the margins of the film material 12 which are overlapped by passage of the film over the forming collar 18.

The hollow mandrel 15 is connected at its upper end ³⁵ to a product feeding mechanism (not shown) which delivers a product through the mandrel 15 and fills the tube 11 as it advances beyond the lower end 21 (FIGURE 3) of the mandrel 15. A tube feeding mechanism 22 is mounted at the lower end 21 of the mandrel 15 which ⁴θ advances the tube beyond the mandrel 15 to a tube . constricting and sealing head, indicated at 23, which is mounted for vertical reciprocation on the main frame of the packaging machine 10 and which constricts the downwardly advancing filled tube at intervals and places ^4a thereon the sealing members 14 to complete the packaging - operation and form the packages 13. The tube constricting and sealing head 23 is not described in detail since it does not form a part of the present invention. Reference may be had to Jensen and Eberman Patent No. 2,831,302, granted April 22, 1958, for details of this and other mech- anisms which are incorpoarted in the packaging machine and which are referred to herein.

A tube sizing ring 24 (FIGURES 1, 2 and 3) is supported on the mandrel 15 and carries a pair of fold form⁰ ing blades 25 and 25' which are in depending relation on opposite sides of the mandrel 15 and which form outwardly directed folds 26 and 26' (FIGURE 4) in the tube 11 as the tube approaches and enters the tube feeding mecha_6Q nism 22.

The tube feeding mechanism 22 comprises two pairs of cooperating tube feeding wheels or drive rollers 27, 27' and 28, 28'. The tube feeding wheels 27, 28 and 27', 28' are adjustably mounted on sleeve members 29 and 29' which are in turn keyed or otherwise fixed on drive shafts 30 and 30' so as to rotate with the drive shafts, the latter being disposed in parallel relation on opposite sides of the mandrel 15 adjacent the end 21. The shafts 30 and 30' extend forwardly of the bearing forming members 31 and 31' which are mounted on a cross frame member 32. The feed wheels 27, 27' and 28, 28' are each provided with a tube engaging tread member 33 which may be of

3,149,447 ³ rubber or like material and the respective wheels of each pair thereof 27, 28 and 27', 28' are axially spaced on the supporting shafts 30 and 30' so as to cooperate in gripping between the treads thereon portions 26 and 26' of the tube wall which are guided into fold forming relation by the blades 25 and 25'. The shafts 30 and 30' form pivotal supports for depending frame members 34 and 34' on the lower ends of which are supported tube engaging and pressure applying rollers 35 and 35'. These rollers 35 and 35' are mounted on driven shafts 36 and 36' which are journaled in frame members 34 and 34' and which carry at their forward ends pinions 37 and 37'. The pinions 37 and 37' engage with idler gears 38 and 38' which are mounted on stub shafts 40 and 40' and driven by pinions 41 and 41' secured on the shafts 30 and 30' so that the pressure applying rollers 35 and 35' are driven by the pinion gear arrangement from the shafts 30 and 30' and travel in the same direction as the feed wheels 27, 27' and 28, 28', that is, in the downward direction of the tube 11. The two supporting frame members 34 and 34' are connected so as to pivot simultaneously about the shafts 30 and 30' by means of a pair of gear segments 42 and 42' which are secured to the sleeve members 43 and 43'. The sleeve members 43 and 43' are rotatably mounted on the shafts 30 and 30' and form part of the respective frame members 34 and 34'. The frame members 34 and 34' are provided with guard plates 44 and 44' which cover the train of gears for driving the squeeze rollers 35 and 35'.

Pivotal movement of the frame members 34 and 34' about the pivot shafts 30 and 30' is controlled by a link mechanism 45 (FIGURES 1 to 3) which comprises a threaded pin 46 pivotally connected at one end to a cross rod 47 mounted on the one frame 34 and engaging in threaded relation within an axial bore 48 in the link member 49. The link member 49 extends through an aperture 50 in a bracket arm 51 and has a knob 52 on its outer end for rotating the same. The link member 49 has a shoulder forming peripheral flange 53 at its inner end which provides an abutment seat for one end of a compression spring 54, with a collar member 55 slidably mounted on the member 49 and seated against the bracket arm 51. The bracket arm 51 is mounted at its other end on the cross frame member 32 and extends forwardly thereof. Rotation of the knob 52 adjusts the position of the pressure or squeeze rollers 35 and 35' while the compression spring 54 permits separation of these rollers .against the force of the spring 54 and determines the pressure on the filled tube 11 as it leaves the end 21 of the mandrel 15.

The one shaft bearing or housing member 31' is mounted in fixed position on the frame member 32 while the other shaft bearing or housing member 31 has depending ears 56 and 56' at opposite ends thereof which have aligned bearing apertures for receiving the pivot forming pin 57. The pin 57 is mounted in the frame member 32 in parallel relation to the shafts 31 and 31' so that shaft housing 31 may be rocked or pivoted away from the shaft housing 31' to release the tube 11 or to open the tube gripping wheels 27, 27' and 28, 28' for initial threading of the tube. The two shaft housing members 31 and 31' are normally urged toward each other so as to hold the tube feeding wheels in gripping engagement with the tube by a connecting linkage which comprises the rod 58 pivotally connected at 60 to an upstanding bracket member 61 on the housing 31 and extending in sliding relation through an aperture in an upstanding bracket member 62 on the shaft housing 31' with a compression spring 63 mounted thereon between the bracket member 62 and stop nuts 64 on the threaded end of the rod 58. A cam type release member is mounted on the rod 58 which consists of an upstanding handle forming bar portion 65 with a bifurcated lower end portion 66 which straddles the bar 58 and is pivotally connected to the same at 67 and which has a cam surface 68 on the tail end bearing against the face of the bracket member 62 so that when the handle bar 65 is swung about the pivot 67 in the direction of the housing 31 to the position indicated in dotted line in FIGURE 7, the rod 58 is moved axially in the same direction against the force of the spring 63 and the tube gripping wheels 27, 27' and 28, 28' are opened and held in the open position until the handle 65 is returned to normal position in which the wheels are closed upon each other.

The two drive shafts 30 and 30' carry gears 70 and 71 which are connected in driving relation when the shaft housings 31 and 31' are in normal position as shown in FIGURE 6. The gear 71 is driven by a pinion 72 on a drive shaft 73 extending from a speed changing gear box 74 of a motor drive unit 75. When the drive wheels 27, 27' and 28, 28' are opened by movement of the cam release handle 65 the gears 70 and 71 are not separated entirely so that the drive is not wholly disconnected. The speed of operation may be controlled by controlling the operation of the motor gear unit 74.

In operating the apparatus the web 12 is guided over the forming collar 18 and down over the filling mandrel 15. The sealing mechanism 20 forms a longitudinally extending seal in overlapping marginal edges of the film 12 and the tube 11 is advanced over the sizing ring 24 with the side guide plates 25 and 25' forming outwardly extending fin-like folds 26 and 26' in the side walls of the tube 11 for engagement thereof between the feed wheels 27, 27' and 28, 28' which are disposed on opposite sides of the lower end of the mandrel 15 and which are opened by operation of the cam release handle 65 to receive the tube folds. The product is fed into the mandrel 15 under pressure and discharged into the tube 11 at the lower end 21 of the mandrel. The frame members 34 and 34' are adjusted by the mechanism 45 to engage the squeeze rollers 35 and 35' with the filled tube as it advances beyond the lower end 21 of the mandrel 15 with sufficient resilient pressure to compact the product in the tube and maintain the fill level above the end 21 of the mandrel whereby to exclude air as much as possible from the product as it fills the tube. The speed of rollers 27, 27' and 28, 28' is adjusted to permit the pressure fed product to be discharged in the proper quantity or density in the tube as it leaves the end 21 of the mandrel and the pressure rollers 35 and 35' are driven at the same speed through the connecting gear trains.

The feeding apparatus may be employed with different size mandrels since the feed wheels 27, 28 and 27', 28' may be adjusted on their respective mounting sleeves 29 and 29' in the axial direction of the shafts 30 and 30' to vary the spacing between the same.