Packaging machine

Sept. 19, 1967

Filed Dec. 15. 1964

J. H. YERKEY

PACKAGING MACHINE

3,342,017

Sheets-Sheet 1

<img file="US3342017A_D0001.tif" />

Sept. 19, 1967

Filed Dec. 15, 1964

J. H. YERKEY

PACKAGING MACHINE

3,342,017

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US3342017A_D0002.tif" />

Sept. 19, 1967

Filed Dec. 15, 1964

J. H. YERKEY

PACKAGING MACHINE

3,342,017

Sheets-Sheet 3

<img file="US3342017A_D0003.tif" />

<img file="US3342017A_D0004.tif" />

INVENTOR

John H. Yorkey

J ATTORNEY

BY

Sept 19, 1967

3,342,017

J. H. YERKEY

PACKAGING MACHINE

Filed Dec. 15, 1964

Sheets-Sheet 4

<img file="US3342017A_D0005.tif" />

John H. Y@rk@y

<img file="US3342017A_D0006.tif" />

<img file="US3342017A_D0007.tif" />

attorney

United States Patent Office 3,342,017 ____________ Patented Sept. 19, 1967

3,342,017 PACKAGING MACHINE John H. Yerkey, 3005 Ailsa Ave., Baltimore, Md. 21214 Filed Dec. 15, 1964, Ser. No. 418,462 10 Ciaims. (Cl. 53—255) the head shown in an operative position therein and the spreader omitted for clarity;

. FIG. 8 is a view of the control center above showing its swivel mount and the removable upper roller mount· and

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section, through the right end portion of the .drawsleeve illustrating the use of the finger notch for withdrawal of wrapper sleeve with the article.

. Referring now to the details of the drawings as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be noted the packaging machine of this invention consists of a pipe frame 10 which stands with adjustable feet 12 on a base 14. At one end of this frame 10, members 16 extend to support a roll of flattened tubular encasing stock 18 on a pair of journals 20.

The. stock 18 unwinds from a split spool assembly 42 as indicated in FIG. 4, as it is used and passes over a guide assembly 22 clamped to a support 24. A pair of spaced check plates 26 are mounted on the side pieces 28 of the guide assembly 22 as shown best in FIG. 3. These keep the stock 18 centered on the roller 30 and guide it over the head end 32 of a drawsleeve assembly 34.

A yoke 36 of the frame 10 supports one end of the arawsleeve assembly 34 by means of a swiveled control center 38. The other end of the drawsleeve rests on a Y-shaped support 40 at the other end of the frame 10.

The stock. 18 may be of any tubular material but transparent plashc is preferred for neat packaging. The stock 18 is obtained flattened and in large rolls. These are placed on the spool assembly 42 by loosening a clamp 44 on TX°° ^{haIf 46}’,^{and slidin}S it off of the hollow axle 48. When re-assembled, the spool assembly 42 and roll ^of stock rotates on a shaft 50 extending through the journals 20 and the hollow axle 48

With reference now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the drawsleeve assembly 34 consists of the previously mentioned head huL ³ff-5^Se™^re? ^{t0 a larger} diameter polished thin wall adapter 55.' ^x”^u“^ucu ^™g • ^The^^ad, t^{nd 32 consists of} two parts, adapter 55 and piece 56A (shown as made up of parts 56 and 58 which ,,, - ---------------- -- _au- _r^{be f}°™.^ed integrally) held together by a machine chored drawsleeve applicator to facilitate the encasement ^4o , °P^tlonalIy a threepiece assembly 55, 56 and

------- ....... ⁵⁸ may be used, where parts 56 and 58 are separate pieces.. In either case, an upper inner roller 51 and a lower inner roller 54 are loosely captivated intermediate

KO ^h® ^asse“^bJy ^{and ex}tend above the surface thereof. These are designated as “inner” because they iⁿi^he ^^{buIar stock 18 when ;t is dra}wn over the head end 32. Also within the stock 18, operating to _________ _____ the^ti^^th r? ^{is a} spreader 57 secured on from the following, detailed specification and the accom- 55 wings 59. ^{&amp; 32 a}”^{d haVmg smooth contollr}ed __n1^^{s St0C},^k °^{pens i(; passes over the head} 32 and the Th!¹i,⁵⁴lrt°^d.^{thence over the adapter 55} and finally wHt ⁵²’^{1S a manuall}y Performed operation as will be described later.

The control center 38 consists of an open rectangular frame comprising a lower roller mount 60 and an upper roller mount 62 as best shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The upper mount 62 is held to the lower mount 60 by knurled clamping nuts 64. The lower mount 60 is mounted upon ^{65 a}r^P^^{Ot p0St} f⁶ coincident with the vertical center line of the control center 38. This post 66 is secured to a clamp block 68 on a crosspiece 70 which depends from honzontal journals 72 in the upper ends of the yoke 36 of the machine frame 10. ³

With special reference to FIG. 5, it should be noted that the drawsleeve assembly 34 is captured by the outwardly protruding rollers 51 and 54 of the head 32 even

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

An apparatus is provided for encasing an article in a tubular, wrapper, the apparatus having a drawsleeve for containing the article and fitting within the tubular wrapper, a support on which to rest the wrapping end of the drawsleeve, a pivotal support for the opposite end of the drawsleeve so that the drawsleeve can be pivoted away from the rest support to facilitate moving the tubular wrapper along the drawsleeve, with said opposite end of the drawsleeve having rollers mounted thereon and with the pivotal support including rollers which embrace the drawsleeve rollers to prevent longitudinal movement of the drawsleeve.

This invention relates generally to the art of packaging. More particularly, this invention pertains to a machine for encasing elongated articles in a slip-over wrapper.

Many articles of merchandise are difficult to wrap because they are too long for standard widths of wrapping stock. In such, circumstances, the articles are usually en° cased longitudinally in the wrapper stock. In either case, there always results an unsightly seam which distracts from the appearance of the package.

A seamless (or neatly factory seamed) tubing stock of .plastic and the like is available in rolls for the packaging industry. This, however, is very difficult to draw over an elongated article of much length and yet have a close fit. Consequently, such tubing stock has been mainly used for small packets. . ----.- p-jiuucli mm _wall

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide ^{40 52 by means} of a smoothly rounded reducing an arrangement. for rapidly encasing elongated objects ^{a a fir}with a close fitting tubular wrapper from a continuous roll of stock.

^Another object of this invention is to provide an anof an article with a close fitting tubular wrapping stocking, wherein. the drawsleeve is held against moving longitudinally with the drawing force.

Another object of this invention is to provide an anchored internal dilater for expanding continuously moving tubular stock.

. Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent and understood panying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a packaging machine incorporating features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a left end elevation of the framework of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is. an enlarged detail view of the material guide assembly viewed in the direction of the arrows 3__3 of

FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of a stockspool assembly;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section of the control center assembly taken on line 5—5 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 6 is a horizontal section, somewhat enlarged, taken on line 6—6 of FIG. 5 showing details of the drawsleeve head;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the control center with

3,342,017 though these parts are covered by the tubular stock 18. This is done by providing embracing rollers 74, 76 (upper outside) and a pair, reference numeral 76 (lower outside). The “outside” nomenclature refers to their operating exteriorly of the tubular stock 18.

When the upper roller mount 62 is firmly pressed down so that it engages pins 80 in its notches 82, the head 32 is initially centered with the axis of the journals 72 by adjusting threaded rod assemblies 84 on which the control center 38 swings. It will be noted the latter is free j to swivel and tilt when the drawsleeve assembly 34 is raised from its cradle or yoke 49 without unduly distorting the flow of tubular stock 18 over the head end 32 because the pivoting is centered there.

The machine is prepared for service by pushing the tubular stock 18 all the way over the tube 52 and extending over a finger notch 86 cut in its end.

In operation an article to be wrapped, 88, such as a rug, curtain or the like is rolled up and inserted into the tube 52 (see FIG. 9). The article 88 and tubular stock 18 are grasped together by the fingers at the notch 86 and both are drawn from the tube 52. This pulls more stock from the supply roll on spool assembly 42 onwardly over the spreader 56, the head 32, and tube 52, ready for the insertion of the next article 88. Although this action may tend to pull the drawsleeve assembly 34 in the same direction, the control center 38 effectively retains it in position.

The tubular stock 18 is cut with scissors at the end of each article when it is withdrawn and the stock tucked inside or heat sealed or tied in a pucker as desired.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.