US3444666A - Automatic wrapping apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 20, 1969 s. A. ABANDOS 3,444,666

AUTOMATIC WRAQPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 5. 1966 Sheet I of 4 Geo/ye A. Ja/a'fla aJ INVENTOR.

A TI'OAMEYJ BY Magda. 4

y 1969 v G. ALSARANDOS 3,444,666

AUTOMATIC WRAPPING APPARATUS Sheet 2 M4 Geo/ye A. Jere/70%.:

- INVENTOR.

BY 9 Rand ATTORNEYS y 0, 1969 G. A. SARANDOS A AUTOMATIC WRAPPING APPARATUS Filedoct. 5. 1966 Sheet 3 of 4 Geo/ye 14. Jarawao:

7 BY 440 M .& RM! 4 x1 T'I'ORNE YS May 20, 1969 a. A. sARANnos 7 AUTOMATIC WRAPPING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 5. 1966 Sheet 4 or 4 Geo/ye ,4. Jarawam 39 e INVENTOR.

39f BY f,

11' 'I'TORNI'I YS United States Patent US. Cl. 53-167 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic wrapping apparatus for automatically wrapping a product having a handle or other projection extending from its body.

Briefly, the present invention provides means for automatically wrapping a deodorant product or the like which has a handle or other projection extending from its body. While the following description relates specifically to deodorant products, it should be understood that the range of products which may be wrapped by the appara tus of the present invention is not so limited. Also, as will be described, the apparatus of the present invention may be readily modified to automatically wrap a wide range of differently shaped bodies.

Certain deodorant products must be wrapped to prevent their chemical content, usually paradichlorobenzene, from decomposing upon being exposed to the atmosphere. The deodorant product wrapped by the apparatus of the present invention is a unit in the form of a solid body with a handle, usually wire or the like, extending from one point of the body. Such unit is generaly employed as a deodorant aid in conjunction with bathroom fixtures such as urinals and toilets. The handle is provided for the purpose of attaching the unit to the bathroom fixture to prevent it from being flushed into the sewer line or from being rapidly decomposed by constant washing over or submersion in the water contained within the fixture. Generally, the handle is bent by hand into the form of a book which is then placed over the upper rim of the bathroom fixture to suspend the chemical body of the unit in the desired location within the fixture.

Because the chemical body of the deodorant unit decomposes upon exposure to the atmosphere, it is necessary to wrap the body immediately after its manufacture to protect it until it is ready to be used. While prior art machinery has heretofore been available for the automatic wrapping of deodorant blocks which do not have handles or other projections, no such machinery has been available for automatically wrapping deodorant blocks or units which have a handle or other projection. As a consequence, such blocks or units with handles or other projections have required the more expensive and time consuming procedure of hand wrapping.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus which automatically wraps deodorant blocks or units having a handle or projection, or any simliar product.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a single apparatus for automatically wrapping products having projections as well as products lacking such projections.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a single apparatus for automatically wrapping products having projections as well as products lacking such projections wherein the body of the product may assume a wide range of shapes.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for automatically wrapping a product having a handle or other projection extending from its 3,444,666 Patented May 20, 1969 body in a protective covering wherein the protective covering closely adheres to the base of the handle or projection to form a substantially air-tight seal about the body of the product and the base of the handle or projection.

It is an object of the present invention to provide means for automatically placing a protective covering about a product having a body portion with a projection or handle extending from the body portion whereby the body portion of the product is completely Wrapped in the protective covering with the covering being tightly drawn about and enclosing the base of the projection to provide a substantially air-tight package about the product.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for eliminating costly and time consuming hand wrapping procedures.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of one form of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevation, partly in section, taken along the line 3- 3 of FIG. 2, illustrating one operating position of certain moving components of the invention;

FIG. 3A illustrates the components of FIG. 3 in a second operating position;

FIG. 4 is a partial elevation taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2 illustrating, by solid and dotted line convention, two operating positions of a component of the present invention;

FIGS. 58A illustrate progressive steps in the folding operation of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a partial elevation illustrating in greater detail several important operative components of the apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged plan view illustrating one form of operation of the folding blades of the present invention.

Before entering into a detailed description of individual components of the apparatus of the present invention, a general functional description of some of the operations performed by the invention will be useful. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the illustrated form of the apparatus of the present invention includes a first conveyor indicated generally at 10. The conveyor 10 transfers the deodorant units 11, comprising a handle 23 and a body portion 30, from left to right in the direction of the arrow as the endless chains 13 and 13a move in a clockwise direction about the sprockets indicated generally at 17 and 17a.

The units 11 are held in place and are properly spaced from each other as they move along the conveyor 10 by the small projections 14 and '14a on the chains 13 and respectively. As the projections 14 and 141:: reach the sprockets 17b, the unit 11 is transferred to the pad 15a: of an elevator mechanism indicated generally at 15. While a deordorant unit 11 is thus being placed on the pad 15a, a measured sheet 18 of a thermoplastic wrapping material 18a, such as cellophane or the like, is simultaneously positioned over the top of the unit 11. When a proper amount of the wrapping materials has been fed out over the unit 11, the knives or cutters '19 are activated to sever a sheet 18 from the wrapping material supply roll 18b. The pad 15a and the unit 11 are then driven up into the cylindrical cavity 16a of a die 16 to draw the wrapping sheet 18 down around the sides o the unit 11. As may best be understood by referring to FIG. 9, the unit 11 is elevated through the die cavity 16a and positioned in an opening 25 formed in a circular plate 26. When the unit 11 is properly positioned in the opening 25, the undersurface of the unit 11 is above the blades 20, 21 and 22 used in folding the sheet 118 about the unit 11. As the pad 15a withdraws through the die cavity 16a, the folding blades 21 and 22 close in below the unit 11 taking it from the pad 15a and, subsequently, in cooperation with the blade 20, folding and closing the wrapping 18 about the under side of the unit 11.

When the blades 20, 21 and 22 have folded the wrapping 18, they withdraw to their initial positions, the plate 26 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 2, carrying the unit 11 over a heated surface 37 to a new position. The heat conductive surface 3-7 is heated by a heating unit 12 to a temperature high enough to render the wrapping 18 self-adhesive to bond overlap-ping folds. As the unit '11 continues its movement with the opening or slot 25 of the moving plate 26, the folds at the bottom of the unit 11 in the wrapping 18 are automatically heat sealed and the wrapping 18 is crimped tightly about the base of the handle 23. The handle 23 is then bent by a reciprocating multiple purpose element 46, and the completely wrapped unit 11 is ejected onto a second conveyor indicated generally at 24.

Considering the invention now in greater detail, attention is first directed to FIG. 1 'of the drawings wherein the exterior case 28 is illustrated as containing representative means indicated generally at 27 for imparting a desired reciprocating or rotating movement to various components of the apparatus.

It should be understood that the mechanism 27 to be described herein does not contribute to the novel aspects of the present invention and is illustrated merely as a schematic representation of means capable of providing the desired movements for certain operative components of the invention. Appropriate means are well known to those having ordinary skill in the art and any of such means which are capable of effecting the 'desired movements in properly timed sequence may be substituted for the exemplary means to be described.

The representative mechanism 27 comprises an electric motor M which drives the belts '101 and 106. The belt 101 drives a reduction gear G which in turn drives a belt 102. The belt 102 drives the power wheel W. A clucth C takes up the slack in the belt 102 to activate the power wheel W. The wheel W has two projections 103 and 104 extending respectively from its two sides. The projection 103 engages a power arm 41 and drives it upwardly during the upper portion of the movement of the projection 103. The power arm 41, when thus driven by projection 103, raises the elevator 15 and closes the cutters 19 while it simultaneously opens or withdraws the blade from its position over the cavity 161:. At the lower portions of its revolving movement, the projection 103 drives the arm 105 which acts as a clutch to tighten the belt 106 for a purpose to be described. The projection 104, disposed on the power wheel W at the side opposite the projection 103, drives the power arm 40 during the upper positions of its revolving movement with the wheel W and drives the arm 107 during the lower positions of its revolution. The arm 40 closes the blades 21 and 22 when it is engaged and activated by the projection 104. The arm 107 :draws a reciprocating multipurpose element indicated generally at 46 downwardly when activated by the projection 104 by drawing a central shaft 45 through a hollow shaft 110. The wheel W drives a belt 108 which in turn drives the conveyor 10.

As before mentioned, the belt 106 is tightened by the action of arm 105 to act as a clutch. The belt 106 is connected to the motor M and when the belt 106 is tightened, it drives the twisted belt 109 which in turn rotates the hollow shaft 110 at its lower end. The hollow shaft 110 is connected at its upper end to the plate 26.

A belt 111 drives the rollers 112 to feed the wrapping material 18a between the die cavity 16a and the elevator pad 15a.

As best understood from reference to FIG. 2 of the .4 drawings, the two moving drive chains 13 and 13a of the conveyor 10 receive the handle 23 and body 30, respectively, of the unit 11. The projections 14a and 14 are designed to accommodate the body 30 and handle 23 of the unit 11 as shown. While a specific conveyor means 10 has been described, it will be understood that any means which performs the functions of positioning, spacing and transporting the units 11 in the desired manner may be substituted for the conveyor 10 as illustrated herein. Thus, merely by way of example, the conveyor 10' may be a flexible belt mounted on rollers corresponding to the sprockets 17 and 17b, with appropriately placed projections, corresponding to projections 14 and 14a, being attached to the belt.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, when the unit 11 reaches the sprocket 17, its momentum and direction cooperate with the projections 14 and 14a to place the unit 11 on the pad 15a of the elevator 15. The projections 14 and 14a also insue proper alignment of the unit handle 23 with a slot 16e of the die 16 as the unit 11 is placed on the pad 15a.

Concurrently with the positioning of the unit 11 on the pad 15a, the Wrapping material 18a, supplied from the roll 18b, is fed out as illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings so that the sheet 18 is positioned between the unit 11 and the die 16. When a suificient amount of material has been provided, the knives 19 sever the sheet 18 from the supply 18a. A rod 32 mounted as illustrated, assists in keeping the wrapping sheet 18 elevated in the proper position above the unit 11. A second bent rod 33 also assists in positioning the sheet 18 as well as serving to guide the handle 23 into the slot 16:: of the die 16.

As best shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the die cavity 16a is provided at its lower end with a brush 16b. The base of the brush 16b is secured to the inner cylindrical surface of the die cavity 16a and the bristles of the brush 16b extend into the interior of the cavity As the unit 11 is driven up into the die cavity 16a, the brush 16b acts to resiliently draw the wrapping 18 down against the sides of the body of the unit 11. The bristles of the brush 16b overlap or cross at the point 160 causing the wrapping 18 to be pulled against the top portion of the base of the handle 23 as it spreads the bristles at 16a in its upward movement through the cavity 16a.

Referring to FIGS. 5A and 9, when the pad 15:: reaches the highest point in its movement through the cavity 161:, the wrapping 18 is pulled down over the unit 11 in the manner illustrated. In this latter position, the top of the unit.11 engages a spring loaded press 34 which is mounted on a rigid support element 36. The support element 36 is adjustably mounted on the vertical members 29 and 35, which are spaced from the plate 26 to provide adequate clearance from the moving handles 23 extending from the plate 26. As the elevator pad 15a begins to retreat down the cavity 16a, the blades 21 and 22 are activated by the drive arm 40 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 10, and begin to close over the cavity 16a and under the bottom of the unit 11. When the blades 21 and 22 have closed partially over the cavity 16a but before they strike the pad 151:, the elevator 15 retracts to remove the pad 15a from the path of the closing blades 21 and 22. The unit 11 is thus prevented from falling back toward the cavity 16a as the pad 15a retracts by the presence of blades 21 and 22 as they move into the position illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings.

During operation of the machine, the momentum imparted to unit 11 by the upward driving force of the elevator 15 prevents the unit 11 from immediately changing its direction with the change in direction of the retreating pad 15a. As a consequence, the closing of the folding blades 21 and 22 may be timed to allow ample opportunity for the pad 15a to remove completely from the path of the closing blades.

The movement of the blades 21 and 22 illustrated in FIG. 6 of the drawings effects the corresponding folds in the wrapping 18 indicated by the arrows in FIG. 6.

As the blades 21 and 22 begin to retreat to their initial positions, the blade 20, disposed below the blades 21 and 22, is activated by the power arm 41 and begins to close over the cavity 16a and under the blades 21 and 22. The described movement of the blade 20 effects the corresponding fold in the wrapping 18 illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 7A of the drawings.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, while the blade 20 withdraws, the unit 11 is displaced in the direction of the arrow by a counter-clockwise movement of the plate 26. This latter movement of the plate 26 and the unit 11 effects the final fold in the wrapping sequence as illustrated by the arrow in FIG. 8A of the drawings and also acts to position the succeeding opening 25 over the cavity 16a. Thus, with reference to FIG. 9 of the drawings, the final fold in the wrapping 18 results when the unit 11 is pulled across the top rim 16 of the die 16 and onto the heated surface 37.

As the wrapped unit 11 moves with plate 26, the Wrapping 18 at the bottom surface of the unit 11 is heated sufi'iciently to render the wrapping material 18 plastic causing the folds in the wrapping to adhere to each other. A heat conductive lip 42 projecting slightly above the heated surface 37 serves the dual function of compressing the wrapping 18 against the under side of the base of the handle 23 and conducting the heat from the heating unit 12 and the surface 37 to the base 6f the handle 23 to thus fuse the wrapping 18 at that point. The net result of the compressing and heating steps is a tight seal of the wrapping 18 around the base of the handle 23.

The central shaft 45 reciprocates upwardly and downwardly between two positions as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 of the drawings. The multipurpose element 46 is rigidly secured to the shaft 45 and reciprocates therewith.

As best illustrated by dotted and solid line convention in FIG. 4 of the drawings, an alignment fork 47, secured by an arm 48 to the reciprocating element 46 aligns the unit handle 23 immediately below the fork on the downward stroke of its reciprocating movement.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 3A of the drawings, the bending tool 49 and a spring loaded clamp 50 are attached by an arm 51 to the element 46. The tool 49 bends the wire handle 23 as the shaft 45 moves downwardly. The spring loaded clamp 50 performs the dual function of stabilizing the unit 11 against the bending force imparted by the tool 49 as well as pressing the folds in the wrapping 18 at the bottom of the unit 11 firmly against the hot surface 37 thus improving the fusing of the folded material 18.

Referring to FIG. 2 of the drawings, a punch 53 depends from the end of an arm 54 which in turn is attached to the reciprocating element 46. As the shaft 45 moves downwardly, the punch 53 strikes the unit 11 freeing it from the opening 25 and allowing it to fall on the conveyor 24.

A balance arm 55 extending in the direction illustrated in FIG. 2 of the drawings carries a rod 56 at its end. The rod 56 extends through openings 57 in the plate 26 and strikes the surface 37 as the shaft 45 moves downwardly. The resultant force imparted to the shaft 45 by the arm 55 and rod 56 on striking the surface 37 compensates for the binding forces imparted to the shaft 45 by the fork 47, the clamp 50, the tool 49 and the punch 53.

It may be appreciated that the reciprocating motion of the shaft 45 activates each of the components of the multiple purpose element 46 simultaneously. Thus, on the downward movement of the shaft 45, the fork 47 aligns the handle of a first unit 11; the tool 49 and clamp 50 respectively bend the handle 23 and bear down on the body 30 of the next preceding unit 11; the punch 53 knocks the unit 11, twice removed from the first unit 11, from the aperture 25; and, the bar 56 strikes the surface 37 to prevent the shaft 45 from binding.

In examining the sequence of operations effected upon a single unit 11, it should first be noted that the plate 26 rotates in a counter clockwise direction in discrete steps of 45 as it carries the unit 11 to different phases of treatment. Thus, the unit 11 is introduced into an opening 25 of the plate 26 by the previously described action of the elevator 15. When the shaft 45 is in its highest position, the plate 26 rotates in a first step of 45. Each cycle of the apparatus causes the shaft 45 to move from a high position to a low position and back to a high position. The plate 26 remains stationary during the movement of the shaft 45. Upon completion of each cycle, the plate 26 quickly rotates 45 and stops. The first three such cycles carry the unit 11 along the heated surface 37 and position the handle 23 of the unit 11 under the fork 47. The next downward movement of the shaft 45 corrects the alignment of the handle 23 of the unit 11 by the centering action of the V-slot fork 47. When the shaft 45 returns to the highest position, the plate 26 again rotates 45. This latter movement by the plate 26 moves the unit 11 into position below the arm 51 where it is acted upon by the tool 49 and clamp 50 by the next downward motion of the shaft 45. Thereafter, when the shaft 45 has completed its downward motion and has returned to its highest position, the unit 11 is moved by another 45 rotation of the plate 26 below the punch 53 where the next downward movement of the shaft causes it to be ejected onto the conveyor 24.

It will be remembered that when the plate 26 carries several units 11 in the aperture 25, each cycle of the shaft simultaneously effects a different operation on each of several units 11 as hereinbefore described.

Reference is again made to FIG. 9 of the drawings where it may be seen that each of the openings 25 in the plate 26 is provided with a depending rim 43. The rim 43 extends below the level of the folding blades 21 and 22 and is cut away, as illustrated, to permit the blades 21 and 22 to close over the cavity 16a as hereinbefore described without striking the rim 43. A notch 44 is provided in the rim 43 preventing the handle 23 from being displaced as the folding blades 20, 21 and 22 close in under the unit 11. The notch 44 also assists in maintaining proper alignment of the handle 23 for succeeding steps of the wrapping sequence.

The operation of the folding blades 20, 21 and 22 may best be seen by reference to FIG. 10 of the drawings. The blades 21 and 22, are activated, respectively, by the L-shaped member 38 and the mechanism indicated generally at 39. Thus, the L-shaped member 38 pivots about the fixed pin 29 upon movement of the arm 40 (to the left in the illustration of FIG. 10), elfecting a downward or closing movement of the blade 21 through the guides 58 and 58a. The mechanism 39 activating the blade 22 includes a link 39a rigidly attached to a pin 39b which in turn is rigidly attached to a member 390. A pin 39d projects up from the end of the member 39c and is received by a slot 39e in a second member 39f. The member 39 is hinged at one end to the fixed pin 39g and at the other end receives in the slot 39:: a pin 39h which is attached to the blade 22. The mechanism 39 operates as follows: as the arm 40 moves to the left, the link 39a rotates the pin 39b which in turn rotates the member 390 in a counter-clockwise direction; the movement of the member 390 causes the pin 39d, acting through the slot 39e, to rotate the member 39 about the pin 39g in a clockwise direction; the member 39 acting through the slot 39e drives the pin 39h which in turn slides the blade 22 upwardly and to the right along the guides 58b and 58c.

A very important feature of the apparatus of the present invention is effected by disposing the blade 22 at an acute angle with respect to the unit handle 23. Thus as illustrated in FIG. 10, the blade 22 is disposed at an angle of approximately 45 with respect to the unit handle 23. The illustrated angular relationship between the blade 22 and the handle 23 effects a winding of the wrapping 18 about the base of the handle 23 as the blade 22 closes, thus providing a very tight seal.

Although the foregoing description has related specifically to automatic wrapping of deodorant units in the form of a truncated cone, it will be appreciated that the apparatus of the present invention may, by minor modification, be adapted to wrap many differently shaped units. Thus, the apparatus of the present invention may be modified to automatically wrap semicylindrical units by appropriate modification of the pad 15a, the cavity 16a, and the plate opening 25. By Way of example rather than limitation, for automatic wrapping of a semicylindrical unit, the circular pad 15a may be replaced by a semicircular pad; the cavity 16a may be divided longitudinally with an insert element with appropriate brushes atttached to the insert to conform the shape of the cavity to the semicylindrical unit; the circular opening 25 may also be fitted with an insert to conform the shape of the opening to the shape of the deodorant unit; and the shape of the blade 20 may be appropriately modified to effect the appropraite folding action. Moreover, it will also be apparent that the apparatus of the present invention is capable of automatically wrapping units having no projections extending from their bodies as well as units having projections without modification. This is of particular importance in reducing down time in converting between wrapping units having projections and those without projections in a single, multi-purpose apparatus.

Although only a single preferred form of the automatic wrapping apparatus of the present invention has been disclosed, many modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for automatically wrapping a unit having a handle or other projection extending from a body comprising:

(a) die means for receiving a unit and having a slot through which a projection on said body may extend;

(b) elevator means for elevating said unit into said die means with said projection extending into said slot;

() wrapping material supply means for providing a sheet of wrapping material between said elevator means and said die means;

'(d) folding means for folding the sheet of wrapping material about said body and the base of said projection in overlapping folds; said folding means having folding blades adapted to pass adjacent to and on each side of said projection for folding said wrapping material under said unit while leaving said projection substantially uncovered; and

(e) transporting means for moving said unit to different stages of production.-

2. The apparatus of claim 1 above including:

(a) conveyor means for depositing said unit on said elevator means;

(b) a slot provided in said die means for receiving said projection;

(0) brush means disposed along the interior of said die cavity for resiliently drawing the wrapping sheet down around the sides of said body;

(d) first reciprocating means for aligning said pro jection;

(e) second reciprocating means for bending said projection;

(rf) third reciprocating means for holding and pressing said body while said second reciprocating means bends said projection;

(g) fourth reciprocating means for ejecting said unit from said transporting means; and (h) fifth reciprocating means for effecting a balancing force against the forces exerted by said first, second, third and fourth reciprocating means. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 above including means for crimping and adhering the overlapping folds of the wrapping material about the base of said projection.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 above wherein:

(a) said folding means includes plural folding blades wherein at least one of said blades is disposed for movement at an acute angle with respect to said projection; and

(b) said means for crimping and adhering includes heating means for rendering the folds of the wrapping material plastic to fuse the overlapping folds of wrapping material to each other.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 above further including reciprocating means for aligning and bending said projection, said reciprocating means further including means for ejecting said units and means for balancing the forces exerted by said reciprocating means.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 above including:

(a) heating surface means for rendering the wrapping material plastic to cause the folds in the wrapping material to fuse;

(b) heat conductive lip means projecting from said heating surface means for crimping and heat fusing the wrapping material about the base of said projection; and

(c) reciprocating means attached to a shaft, wherein said reciprocating means includes means for aligning said projection, means for bending said projection and pressing said unit against said heating surface means, means for ejecting said unit from said transporting means, and, means for preventing said shaft from binding.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 above wherein:

(a) said die mean-s includes brush bristles extending into the interior of said die cavity to draw the wrapping material down around the top and sides of said unit;

(b) said folding means includes plural folding blades wherein at least one of said plural folding blades is disposed at an angle of less than 90 with respect to said projection for winding said Wrapping material in overlapping folds about the base of said projection; and

(c) said transporting means includes a plate having plural openings, said openings further including depending, cut away, notches rims for holding said projection.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 above wherein said brush bristles overlap and cross 'at said slot to draw the wrapping material down about the base of said projection when said unit is transported through said die.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS THERON E. 'CONDON, Primary Examiner.

N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner.

US. 'Cl. X.'R.

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