Wraparound closure clip applying mechanism

[57] ABSTRACT

A closure clip forming and applying mechanism which is adapted to be incorporated in a packaging machine of the type which feeds materials to be packaged into a continuous tube of relatively thin pliable packing film and which has a reciprocating head in which there are movable plates for constricting the tube at axially spaced intervals and for applying to the constricted portion of the tube pairs of spaced closure clips which are formed into a U-shape on an associated anvil and delivered to the reciprocating head, with the latter including clip applying punch members and cooperating means to tilt the U-Shaped clips as they are delivered to the head and thereafter to Wrap the legs around the constricted tube material so that the ends lap each other.

Claims, 15 Drawing Figures

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PATENTED mar 51974

3,795,083

SHEET 1 OF 3

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PATENTED MAR 51974

3,795,083

SHEET 2 OF 3

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PATENTED MAR 51974

3,795,083

SHEET 3 GF 3

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3,795.

WRAPAROUND CLOSURE CLIP APPLYING MECHANISM

This invention relates to packaging machines and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a 5 machine of the type which feeds material to be packaged into a continuous tube of relatively thin pliable packaging film and which constricts the tube at intervals and applies to the constricted portion of the tube metal closure clips. 10

A number of packaging machines have heretofore been developed and used successfully in packaging a variety of products which comprise a mechanism for advancing a continuous tube of thin pliable packaging film along a hollow mandrel through which a product ¹⁵is supplied to the tube with associated mechanism for constricting the tube at intervals and for preforming pairs of closure forming metal bands and applying the same to the constricted tube area so as to form the end closures when the constricted tube is severed between ²⁰the closely spaced seal forming clips of each pair thereof. One such machine is disclosed in Jensen nd Eberman U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,302. It includes a reciprocable constricting and sealing head together with associated mechanism for forming pairs of generally Ushaped closure forming metal clips or bands which are transferred to the constricting and sealing head for application to the constricted areas of the tube. A modified form of the mechanism for forming the clips and ₃₀applying the same which adapts the machine to the use of a round wire clip is disclosed in Tracy U.S. Pat. No. 3,380,226. While prior machines of this type have been used for packaging various products in a satisfactory manner it has been found that the package produced by 35 such machines can be improved, particularly with respect to the end closure seal, by modifying the design of the machine so that it will form and apply round wire closure clips, which, when applied, completely encircle the constricted tube material with the ends overlap- 40 ping, and it is a general object of this invention to provide a machine of the type described which will produce a package with an improved seal through the application of wraparound type closure clips.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide 45 in a packaging machine of the type referred to wherein a tubular casing of thin pliant skin-like material is advanced in telescoping relation along a filling mandrel, an improved casing-constricting and sealing head with gripping means for removing metal clips from an anvil ⁵⁰on which the clips are initially formed into a U-shape and associated means for clinching the clips about constricted portions of the casing in a wrap-around, endoverlapping arrangement, resulting in the application of successive pairs of tightly curled closure members ⁵⁵which provide an improved seal for adjacent ends of successive lengths of the filled casing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a tube-forming, closing and filling apparatus of the type described having an improved tube-constricting and ⁶⁰closure-applying head and associated mechanism which is adapted to preliminarily form lengths of round wire into U-shaped clips and to transfer pairs of the clips from the forming mechanism to the tube constricting and closure-applying head having means to apply and clinch the clips about constricted portions of the tube with the ends of each clip lapping each other

083 so that the clip is applied in a tight wraparound arrangement.

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:

FIG. 1 is a partial side elevation of a packaging machine having incorporated therein mechanism embodying the principal features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2—2 of FIG. 1, to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away, the view showing the mechanism for preliminarily forming the round wire closure clips into U-shape on a reciprocably mounted anvil member on which the clips are transferred to a tube-constricting and clipapplying head;.

FIG. 3 is a partial front elevation taken on the line 3—3 of FIG. 2, the view showing the mechanism for preliminarily forming the clips and transferring the same to the tube-constricting and clip-applying head;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the clipforming anvil and transfer member;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 5—5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross section taken on the line 6—6 of FIG. 1 to an enlarged scale, the view showing the tubeconstricting and closure clip-applying head;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the tubeconstricting and closure-applying elements in tubeengaging or closed position;

FIGS. 8 A and 8B constitute a vertical section taken on the line 8—8 of FIG. 7, to a larger scale;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the tube-constricting and clip-applying head of FIGS. 6 to 8, the view being to a larger scale with portions of the topmost constricting plate broken away and the tube-constricting and clip-applying elements being in a partially closed position;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 10—40 of FIG. 6, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken on the line 11—11 of FIG. 6, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 12 is an elevation, with portions broken away of the package produced by the machine;

FIG. 13 is a cross section taken on line 13—13 of FIG. 12 to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view of the ends of certain clip engaging parts shown in FIG. 10.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a portion of a packaging machine for forming a continuous tube T from a web W which is folded about a hollow tubular mandrel 10, to which a flowable product is supplied, with the tube T being advanced to a vertically reciprocating tube-constricting and closureapplying head 11 which is mounted for vertical reciprocation above a clip-forming apparatus indicated at 12. The aforementioned apparatus is supported on a vertically disposed frame 14 which carries associated mechanism for supplying a product to the mandrel 10, for supporting a roll of the film W, longitudinal sealforming mechanism and drive means for the same, all of which may be constructed in accordance with the disclosure in Jensen and Eberman U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,302 to which reference is made for details not specifically described herein.

3,795,083

The web W is fed around a forming collar 15 and onto the mandrel 10 where it is formed into a tube and its overlapped margins are sealed longitudinally by suitable sealing mechanism (not shown). The tube T is filled with a product through the hollow mandrel 10 and advanced below the same by a suitable feeding roll mechanism 16 which grips a portion of the tube and continuously advances the same to the vertically reciprocating head 11, the latter being supported for reciprocation in a vertical path on frame side members 17 and moved in its vertical path by reciprocation of associated supporting rods or slides 18 (FIG. 8B).

Closure clips 20 (FIG. 5) are preliminarily formed into (J-shape from two strands of round wire 21 by the clip-forming mechanism 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The clipforming wire 21 is fed from a suitable supply (not shown) by a pair of intermittently driven feed rolls 22 and 23 which are suitably mounted for wire gripping co-operation on a portion of the support frame. The clip-forming mechanism comprises an anvil member 25 which is mounted on the top of a vertically reciprocating rod 25'. The rod 25' may be reciprocated as described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,302. The anvil member 25, which is shaped as shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, is guided for movement in a guide block 26 having a trackway 26' and secured to a supporting bracket 27. A severing and forming mechanism is mounted in opposed relation to the anvil member 25 on the supporting bracket 27. It comprises a horizontally reciprocating plate member 28 which is mounted in an operating trackway 29 in the bracket 27 and which is held in position therein by a cover plate 30. The forming plate 28 is reciprocated laterally of the bracket 27 by means of a three piece linkage 31 which has the end of one link 32 pivoted at 33 to reciprocating plate 28. The associated link 34 is pivoted to the bracket 27 at 35. The three links are pivotally connected at 36. The third link 37 operates in guideway slot 38 and is pivotally connected at 39 to the upper end of the vertically reciprocating cam rod 40 which has a suitable connection (not shown) with the drive mechanism for the machine. The forming plate 28 is provided with a recess 41 on the edge thereof shaped to co-operate with a vertical edge portion 42 on the anvil 25 in forming a pair of closure members 20 around the same. A pair of vertically spaced punch or ejector members 43 (FIG. 3) are arranged in bores 44 which communicate with the recess 41 on the edge of the forming plate 28 and one of the ends of each ejector member 43 extends into the recess 41. The other ends of the ejector members 43 are headed and backed by compression springs 45 which are in enlarged bores 46 so that the ejector members 43 are urged toward thee anvil 25 to prevent return of preformed closure members 20 upon return movement of the forming plate 28. The one forward edge of the forming plate 28 co-operates with the end edges of elongate guidewayforming bores 47 in a cutting block 48 (FIGS. 2 and 5) through which the wire stock is fed, to sever lengths of wire of the proper size for forming the clips 20. The cutting block 48 is mounted in a recess.49 in the forward end of a mounting bracket 50 which is bolted or otherwise secured on the support bracket 27. A compression spring 51 urges the cutting block insert 48 forwardly in the recess 49 for co-operation with the cutting edge on the forming plate 28. The guidewayforming bores 47 for the wires 21 have a cross-sectional diameter larger than the corresponding dimension of the wires 21 with an end portion 52 which tapers inwardly as shown in FIG. 5 and co-operates with the cutting edge on the forming plate 28 in providing a rounded over edge 53 where the wire is cut. This edge is disposed adjacent the filled portion of the tube when the clip 20 is applied. The forward portion 42 of the mandrel 25 is shaped or cut away, as indicated at 54, (FIG. 4) to provide a seat for the clips 20 with the bottom thereof tapering upwardly so as to permit wipe-off of the clips as hereinafter described. The clips are formed in a U-shape on the anvil 25. The anvil 25 has rib-like formations 55 and the clip-forming wire is swaged onto these rib-like formations so that the clips 20 are held on the anvil 25 during transfer to the constricting and applying head 11. The anvil member 25 and the clip-forming plate 28 are operated in timed relation with the movement of the tube-constricting and closure-applying elements in the head 11, as hereinafter described.

The tube-constricting and closure-applying head 11 as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8A, 8B and 9 corresponds basically to the head shown and described in Tracy U.S. Pat. No. 3,3 80,226. It comprises a transversely extending or transversely disposed, generally rectangular frame 60 which is provided at opposite ends with depending support rods or arms 18 extending generally vertically and located inwardly of the side frame members 17. The rods 18 are adapted to be reciprocated in an axial path in the manner set out in U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,302. The head 11 carries a mechanism for constricting the filled tube T at predetermined spaced intervals and for simultaneously positioning and clinching around the constricted area, in spaced relation, a pair of closure bands or clips 20 which are preformed and delivered to the head 11 in timed relation to the movement of the constricting mechanism by the clipforming and transfer apparatus 12 described above. The head 11 (FIGS. 6 to 11) includes oppositely disposed end blocks 61 and 62 which are slidably mounted in an identical manner in the frame 60, each of the blocks being provided along its side edges with guide strips 63 and the frame 60 being provided with recessed guideway-forming portions 64 resulting from the positioning of plates or strips 64' which are secured to the frame 60 in a suitable manner, with the guide strips 63 extending into the guide recesses 64 and permitting the blocks 61 and 62 to slide toward and from each other. The slide blocks 61 and 62 are provided with cam slots 65 and 66, respectively, which extend transversely of the frame member 60. The cam slots 65 and 66 are adapted to receive cam rollers 67 and 67' respectively, which are carried on the outer ends of cam arms 68, the latter being mounted in the top ends of vertically extending operating shafts 69 which are connected at their bottom ends in driving relation to drive mechanism for the machine.

Block 61 has secured to its inner edge a plurality of relatively thin, inwardly projecting tube-constricting plate members which are of generally rectangular shape and which comprise top and bottom plates 71,72 and four intermediate plates 73, 74, 75 and 76 which are arranged in spaced relation between the top and bottom plates 71 and 72. Each of the tube-constricting plates is provided on an inner free end with an inwardly opening generally V-shaped slot 77 which merges at the apex with a pocket-forming slot 78 having a semicircular terminus. The constricting plates are secured

3,795,083 on slide block 61 by means of laterally spaced block members 79 and 80 (FIG. 9) which have inwardly projecting slotted portions for receiving the outer edge portions of the plates and which are in turn secured on the inner edge of slide block 61 by means of conventional fasteners. The constricting plates 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 are held in superimposed relation on the supporting members 79 and 80 by means of a pair of removable headed pins 81 which pass through cooperating aligned apertures provided in the plates and the supporting members, thereby providing for ready disassembly of the plates from the block 61 and the supporting members 79 and 80.

Closure clip holding and applying mechanisms 82 and 82' are arranged in sliding relation between the top plate 71 and the next adjacent plate 73 and between the bottom plate 72 and the next adjacent plate 76 (FIGS. 6 to 9). These mechanisms are identical and only the top mechanism 82 will be described. It comprises a relatively narrow, generally rectangular center plate 85 which is secured by removable pin 86 to a small block 87, th latter being slidably mounted in the recess 88 in the slide block 61 between the plate supporting members 79 and 80. The plate 85 which forms the clip-engaging punch is reduced in width at 89, near its end, and terminates in a clip-engaging end edge 90 which is provided with a recess 90', the long axis of which is at an angle to the longitudinal plane of the punch. A pair of clip-engaging side plate members or fingers 91 and 91' are arranged in parallel reciprocating relation on opposite sides of the punch plate 85 with straight trailing end portions thereof guided by pairs of laterally spaced pins 92 and 92' on the slide block 61. Lateral movement of the plates or fingers 91 and 91' is controlled at their forward ends by pins 93 and 93' (FIG. 7) depending from the top plate 71, the oppositely disposed outer edge of the plates 91 and 91' serving as stops operating against the pins 93 and 93'. At the inner oppositely disposed edges of the plates 91 and 91' there is a tapered or beveled portion at 94 and 94' to receive the leg portions of a U-shaped clip 20 from the anvil member 25 and to tilt the clip out of the plane of the fingers. The bight portions of clips 20 seat in upper and lower inclined grooves 140 and 140', respectively, in the end of clip punch 85 which are tilted in opposite directions as shown in FIGS. 10 and 14. The fingers 91 and 91' are urged forwardly or inwardly in the direction of the center of the frame 60 by a spring pulled plate or slide member 95 (FIGS. 6, 7 and 9) which is slidably mounted on the top constricting plate 71 with a pair of headed pins 96 and 96' extending downwardly through elongated keyhole-shaped guide apertures 97 and 97' (FIG. 9) in the constricting plate 71. A tension spring 98 is connected at one end to a pin 99 upstanding on the top constricting plate 71 and at the other end to a punched up lug 99' on the slide plate 95. The headed portions of the pins 96 and 96' engage shoulders 100, 100' on the clip-engaging fingers 91, 91'. The movement of the slide plate 95 is limited by the fingers 91 and 91' bearing against the pins 93 and 93'. The inclined edge portions 94 and 94' on the fingers 91 and 91' and the recess 140 (FIGS. 10 and 14) in the end 90 of the punch plate 85 define a pocket for receiving the closure-forming clip 20 which is delivered thereto by the forming anvil 25. The small slide block 87 which carries the clip punch plate 85 is secured to and its movement is controlled by top plate or cam member 101 which is of rectangular shape and which is slidably mounted on the top face of the slide block 61. The cam plate 101 has a small block 102 attached to its lower face at the outer margin thereof and the block 102 is seated in recess 103 in the outer edge of slide block 61. The block 102 is urged in the outer direction by compression spring 104 which is seated at one end in a pocket-forming bore on the inner side of the block 102 and at the other end in a pocket-forming bore in the outer side or edge of the slide block 61. The cam plate 101 is provided with a cam slot 105, the inner edge of which constitutes a cam track adapted to be engaged by the cam roller 67 as the latter travels in the cam slot 65 in the slide block 61.

The slide block 62 at the opposite end of the frame 60 carries, in inwardly extending relation thereon, casing Or tube-constricting plates for co-operation with the constricting plates carried on the slide block 61 and also clincher plate mechanisms 106 and 106' for cooperation with the clip-holding and clinching mechanisms 82 and 82', only one of which will be described in detail since they are of the same construction. The clincher plate mechanisms 106 and 106' are arranged in vertically spaced relation on opposite sides of the central, inwardly extending knife member 107. These mechanisms include clincher support plates 108 and 108' which are secured in recesses 109 at the inner edge of slide block 62 by cap screws 110 and extend inwardly within the frame 60 toward the slide block 61 at the other end thereof. The topmost support plate 108 is provided at its inner edge with a generally rectangular slot or recess 111 which extends inwardly toward the edge of the plate and provides space for receiving the end portions of the fingers 91 and 91' when the blocks 61, 62 are moved toward each other, the fingers 91 and 91' carrying the clips 20. A central T-shaped recess 112 at the edge of the plate 108 receives a correspondingly shaped clip-clinching insert 113 of relatively hard metal which has an inner edge 114 providing a clinching surface for engagement with the free ends of legs of the clip 20. The inner edge 114 (FIG. 11) has a pair of parallel grooves 114', 114 which are in the plane of the clinching insert 113 and which are adapted to receive the ends of the tilted clips 20. The clip-engaging ends of the fingers 91 and 91' are aligned with the punch-forming insert 113 by engagement in the recess 111 during the clinching operation. The knife member 107 which is located in vertically spaced relation between the rectangular support plates 108 and 108' is in the form of an elongate rectangular plate with the diagonal cutting edge at its inner end. It is connected at its outer end to the plates 108 and 108' by a removable pin 115 which passes through vertically aligned apertures therein.

Upper and lower constricting plates 116 and 117 are arranged on opposite sides of the knife 107 with their outer upper and lower faces, respectively, in spaced relation with the adjacent inner faces of the clincher plates 108 and 108'. The clincher plates 108 and 108', knife 107 and the constricting plates 116 and 117 are all received within one end of a guideway forming housing 118 which is detachably connected with the slide block 62. The housing 118 comprises side members 120 which are connected by top and bottom constricting plates 121 and 122, with the latter being rigidly secured at opposite side margins to the top and bottom faces of the side members 120, and cooperating

3,795,083 therewith to form a hollow casing of less width than the inside diameter of the cross frame 60. The side members 120 of the housing 118 are provided with vertically spaced, longitudinally extending guideways forming longitudinal slots for receiving the side edges of the clincher support plates 108, 108' and the constricting plates while at the inner ends they are provided with vertically spaced guideway forming slots for receiving the marginal edges of the constricting plates 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 which are secured to and extend inwardly of the inner edge of the slide block 61.

The housing 118 is secured to an L-shaped slide member 125 (FIG. 8B) which has a block-like base portion 126 mounted for sliding movement in a rectangular recess 127 in the slide block 62. The recess 127 opens on the upper face of the slide block 62 and extends inwardly of the inner edge thereof a greater distance than the recess 109 so that there is sufficient clearance for limited sliding movement of the slide member 125 relative to slide block 62. The housing 118 is secured to the relatively thin plate-like stem or leg portion of the L-shaped slide member 125 which extends in the direction of slide block along the lower face of the knife 107 with an upwardly opening guideway-forming recess 128 therein for the knife 107. The housing 118 is connected to the L-shaped slide member by removable pins 130 which engage in suitable sligned apertures provided in the plate members 108, 108', 121 and 122 and in the slide member 125. The slide member 125 is slotted at 131 to accomodate the pin 115 and permit the same to slide relative to the slide block 62, the clincher support plates 108,108' and the knife 107.

The clincher support plates 108 and 108' are slotted at 132 to accomodate the pins 130 and permit relative movement between the housing 118 and the clincher plate and knife assembly. The constricting plates 116, 117, 121, 122 are each provided on the edges which are in facing relation with the slide block 61 with an inwardly extending V-shaped slot 133 having the apex thereof in the form of a semicircle. The constricting plates 116, 117, 121 and 122 are arranged with the slotted edges sligned for cooperation with the slotted edges on the constricting plates 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 which are carried on the slide block 61 and which interleave with the plates 116, 117, 121 and 122 when the slide blocks 61 and 62 move toward each other for the casing or tube-constricting operation. Filler plates are secured on the faces of the constricting plates 116, 117, 121 and 122 which are generally triangular shaped, the end portion of the apex having the concave shape of the pocket forming recess in the constricting plates and being in alignment with the apex portion of the slots 133. The end portions of the filler plates prevent the tube material from bulging into the spaces between the constricting plates and also help to hold the legs of the closure clips in alignment as they arc clinched on the constricted tube or casing.

The slide member 125 is controlled in its movement relative to the slide block 62 by a rectangular cam plate 134 which is mounted for sliding movement on the top of the slide block 62 and which is secured at its inner margin to the top face of the slide member 125 by bolts 135. The plate 134 is provided with a cam slot 136 which receives the cam roller 67'. and which is shaped to provide for the desired reciprocating movement of the casing-constricting, closure-clinching and knife members carried by the slide member 125. At its rear edge the cam plate 134 is guided relative to the slide block 62 by a guide pin 137 which extends into the cooperating guide slot 138 in the plate 134.

In operating the slide blocks 61 and 62 to accomplish the casing-constricting and closure-applying movements the cam roller 67 is first operated to move the slide block 61 inwardly a sufficient distance to receive between the ends of the fingers 91 and 91' the closure clips 20 from reciprocating anvil 25. The anvil 25 is retracted vertically out of the horizontal path of the slide blocks 61 and 62 and then cam rollers 67 and 67' are operated to move the slide blocks 61 ahd 62 toward each other and the filled casing until the casing is fully constricted in the V-shaped slots in the ends of the interleaved constricting plates on the respective slide blocks.

As the constricting operation is completed, the ends of the leg portions of the closure clips 20 which have, been tilted by the fingers 91, 91' and their bight portions seated in the grooves 140 and 140' so that they are positioned at an angle at which the ends are aligned with alternate grooves 114' and 114” in the clipclinching insert 113 and thereby forced around the constricted area of the casing with the ends of the leg portions of each of the clips overlapping each other as shown in FIG. 12 with the rounded end 53 of each clip positioned closest to the filled portion of the tube. The finger members 91 and 91' which are Urged inwardly in the direction of the spring pressed slide member 95 are engaged by the inner ends of the clincher elements 113 and retracted as clinching progresses. The severing knife 107 is moved inwardly with the clincher support plates 108 and 108' and the casing is severed between closure clips 20 as they are applied. As the slide blocks 61 and 62 begin their return movement cam roller 67 engages the high point on the cam edge on the plate 101 and the plate 85 is moved inwardly relative to the remainder of the mechanism a sufficient distance against the action of spring 98 to function as an ejector for insuring that the closures 20 move out of the pockets in which they are seated during the clinching operation and there is no tendency for them to follow the retracting members on the slide block 61. The movement of this mechanism is, of course, timed so that the proper sequence of operations is obtained.