US3672119A

US3672119A - Apparatus for packaging articles

Info

Publication number: US3672119A
Application number: US38143A
Authority: US
Inventors: Larry C Gess
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: LC GESS Inc A CORP OF OHIO
Priority date: 1970-05-18
Filing date: 1970-05-18
Publication date: 1972-06-27
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-27

Abstract

A machine is provided for packaging articles in flexible sheet material. An improved, simplified drive for the machine operates components thereof with a minimum of controls and mechanical elements. The machine includes a feeder that supplies articles to an escapement which delivers a predetermined number of the articles to a package enclosure as it is being formed of the flexible sheet material. The sheet material is in strip form and is longitudinally advanced by feed rolls at intervals, the contents being printed on the material which is subsequently transversely sealed, when stopped. After the material is sealed, it can be separated into individual packages. The drive for the machine includes means for operating the sealing devices, the escapement, and the printer, in timed relationship through a single drive shaft. The machine also includes closure members for temporarily closing a portion of the sheet material before articles are supplied thereto, prior to the material being permanently sealed.

Description

United States Patent Gess [54] APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES [72] Inventor: Larry C. Gess, 1255 Fir Drive, Toledo,

Ohio 43612 221 Filed: May 18,1970

21 Appl.No.: 38,143

[52] U.S. Cl ..53/l3l, 53/180, 53/183 [51 ....B65b 61/02, B65b 9/06 [58] Field ofSearch ..53/l31, 180, 183

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,481,099 12/1969 Clancy ..53/l80 X 3,293,824 12/1966 Dorr ...53/l31 3,507,092 4/1970 Wickersheim ...53/1 31 3,611,658 10/1971 Dwyer ..53/l3l [451 June 27, 1972 Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Attorney-Allen D. Gutchess, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT A machine is provided for packaging articles in flexible sheet material. An improved, simplified drive for the machine operates components thereof with a minimum of controls and mechanical elements. The machine includes a feeder that supplies articles to an escapement which delivers a predetermined number of the articles to a package enclosure as it is being formed of the flexible sheet material. The sheet material is in strip form and is longitudinally advanced by feed rolls at intervals, the contents being printed on the material which is sub sequently transversely sealed, when stopped. After the material is sealed, it can be separated into individual packages. The drive for the machine includes means for operating the sealing devices, the escapement, and the printer, in timed relationship through a single drive shaft. The machine also includes closure members for temporarily closing a portion of the sheet material before articles are supplied thereto, prior to the material being permanently sealed.

13 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTED 2 I97? I 3.672.119

SHEET 10F 5 INV ORI mtminauuev m2 3, 672.1 19

SHEET 2 OF 5 INVENTOR.

Q Gays Mam/z A-rroau EV LAmv PATENTEDJUMZ? 1972 3572.119

SHEET 3 OF 5 FIG. 3

I N VENTOR.

LAQR C. @953 A-rromaeq PATENTEnJun zv m2 3,672.1 19

SHEET l BF 5 INVENTOR. mam C..QESS

Ami-(DER damjzzw/t PATENTEDJUNZ? m2 3.672.119

sum 5 or s INVENTOR. kmzm C. Gess A'rrom i APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING ARTICLES This invention relates to a packaging machine and more particularly to an article-packaging machine having an improved drive arrangement.

Numerous machines are known in the art for packaging small articles in individual enclosures of flexible sheet material. Such machines as heretofore known, however, have tended to be unduly cumbersome, heavy, complicated, expensive, and high in maintenance costs. The machine according to the invention, and particularly with the improved drive arrangement therefor, is relatively small, simple, reliable, maintenance-free, and inexpensive.

The new machine is particularly adapted for use in hospitals. More and more, a need has arisen in hospitals for individually packaging and labeling single doses of tablets or capsules for patients. With the tablets carefully sealed and labeled, it is assured that the proper patient receives the proper medicine, thereby minimizing the possibility of mistakes and wastefulness, as occurs when medicines are dispensed from common, large containers. The package also remains sealed up to the time of delivery to the bedside of the patient to avoid contamination. Further, with the indicia showing the contents applied to the package at the time the tablet is inserted, the identification of the medicine remains with it to the time of delivery to thepatient to avoid possible errors.

Since up to several hundred packages of each of several different tablets or capsules are needed by an average or larger size hospital daily, a machine for packaging such is a necessity. The instant machine meets this need and is particularly suitable for hospitals since the machine is small and relatively simle, requiring less space and maintenance, and being easy to operate by hospital personnel of limited skill.

The machine includes means for supporting a supply of flexible sheet material in strip form which is advanced intermittently along a predetermined path and folded into U-shape configuration, forming a longitudinally-extending trough. The articles, specifically tablets or capsules, are placed in a hopper having a circular rotating bottom which centrifugally urges the articles to the outer edge thereof. At this point, the articles are confined in a row and directed to an escapement which reciprocates to feed a predetermined number of the articles down a chute and into the trough formed by the sheet material. The sheet material, as it advances, moves around a stationary guide plate having an edge associated with the chute to direct the articles into the trough of the material. The upper free edges of the material are then sealed by rollers which also advance the strip, and as transversely-disposed portions are sealed by reciprocating sealing devices. The material can then be perforated or severed along lines generally bi-secting the transversely-sealed portions to provide individually, fullysealed packages.

As the U-shaped material advances past the guide plate, one side of the material moves between the plate and a printing tape which advances intermittently along one side of the guide plate. A reciprocating printing head then moves the printing tape against the surface of the flexible sheet material to provide indicia which indicates the contents of the package.

In accordance with the invention, a new simplified drive arrangement is provided for various components of the machine. A single drive shaft is used to pivotally drive additional shafts which operate the escapement to move a predetermined number of articles from the hopper to the chute for directing them into the trough of the sheet material, which move the printing head against the printing tape to apply indicia to the sheet material and also advance the printing tape, and which operate the sealing devices to seal transverse portions of the strip of flexible sheet material. The machine further includes closure means for closing off or actually restricting transversely-disposed portions of the sheet material to retain the article therein, prior to the sealing members permanently sealing the sheet material along the transverse portions.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the invention to provide a packaging machine having an improved, simplified drive arrangement therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a packaging machine which is less complicated, more maintenance-free, and more reliable than those heretofore known.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall view in perspective from an upper angle of a packaging machine embodying the invention, with certain drive means for components thereof being shown somewhat schematically;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view in elevation, taken from the left end of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a somewhat schematic view in perspective of the drive arrangement for the components of the machine;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in perspective of closure and sealing means of the machine of FIG. I; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, right-side view in elevation of the closure and sealing means of FIG. 5.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the article-packaging machine according to the invention comprises a housing 10 having an upper flat supporting platform 11. The housing 10 encloses a drive system for the machine to be discussed subsequently while the supporting platform 11 provides a mounting base for certain machine components. An article hopper 12 is mounted on the platform 11 and includes a cylindrical wall 13 extending upwardly and open at both the top and bottom. A guide flange or web 14 projects inwardly from an intermediate portion of the side of the cylindrical wall 13 and extends around approximately one-half the internal circumference of the wall 13. The web increases in width as it approaches an opening 14a in the wall 13. A depending flange 15 extends downwardly from the guide web 14 and is spaced from the cylindrical wall 13 to provide an arcuate guide passage between the wall 13 and the depending flange l5 having a discharge opening near the opening 14a in the wall 13. The arcuate guide passage communicates with an article receiving cavity 16 in an escapement 17 when the latter is in a retracted or receiving position to supply a predetermined number of the articles or pills into the cavity. With the escapement 17 in the receiving position, the web 14 is wide enough to direct articles in the hopper 12 past the end of the escape ment 17(see FIG. 2).

The escapement I7 is in the form of an elongate rectangular block which is secured to an actuating slide 18 through suitable means such as a screw 19 and a pin 20. This method of attachment facilitates removal of the escapement from the slide 18 so that it can be readily replaced by another escapement containing a cavity of different size so as to accommodate different sizes of articles or number of them. The slide 18 has transversely-extending guide flanges 21 received in ways 22 to guide the escapement 17 in a reciprocatory path in the opening of the hopper wall 13. A gear rack 23 is affixed to the lower surface of the slide 18 and meshes with a pinion 24 located below the slide 18 and mounted on a shaft 24a to impart the reciprocatory movement to the escapement.

A guide chute 25 is positioned to receive the articles discharged from the escapement cavity 16 as the escapement 17 moves out of the hopper l2 and the articles drop out of the bottom of the cavity 16. These articles are then directed into the packaging material to be discussed subsequently.

The articles or pills in the hopper 12 are supported on a rotatable flat disc or table 26 which forms the bottom of the hopper. As the disc rotates, centrifugal force urges the articles toward and against the wall 13 and with the disc 26 rotating in a clockwise direction, as shown in FIG. I, the articles tend to be moved into the guide track formed between the depending flange l5 and the wall 13. Those articles not received in the guide track move along the inner surface of the depending flange l5 and are directed past the rear end of the escapement 17 so as to continue to move in a generally circular path until finally received in the guide track. When in the track, they are constantly urged toward the eseapement l7 and toward the cavity 16 by the rotating disc 26. The disc 26 is mounted on a central shaft 27 extending downwardly therefrom and into the housing 10.

A supply reel or spool 28 is rotatably mounted on vertical brackets 29 with flexible sheet material in the form of a strip or web 30 wound on the reel 28. This material preferably is of a cohesive, pressure-sensitive type and forms a seal when pressed together. The entire strip need not be cohesive but only the portions to be sealed, namely the longitudinal edges of the strip and spaced, transverse portions thereof. The strip of sheet material is guided below a roller 31 and is then formed by guides 31a into a U-shaped configuration, forming a longitudinally-extending trough, with free ends of the material extending upwardly. The U-shaped strip then advances around a vertically-disposed guide plate or member 32 which is supported by and extends downwardly from the platform 11. The guide plate 32 forms an inclined guide or cam end 32a which is engaged by the articles falling from the chute 25 and directs them into the trough formed by the strip 30. The strip 30 is moved in an intermittent manner by a pair of feed rolls 33 located downstream of the chute 25 and engaging the upper edge portions of the opposite sides of the U-shaped strip. The feed rolls 33 are effective not only to advance the strip 30 but to press together the upper edge portions and seal them, after the article has been inserted. The rolls 33 are affixed to vertically-disposed drive shafts 34 which extend downwardly into the housing and are operated in an intermittent manner to impart the step-by-step movement to the strip 30 of packaging material.

indicia describing articles contained in the packaging material is applied to the strip 30 in the intervals between the advancing movements thereof. With the indicia printed substantially at the same time the articles are inserted, the chances of mistake in the identification, particularly when pills or capsules are being packaged, are held to a minimum, thereby assuring that the patient will receive the prescribed pills. To impart the indicia to one side of the U-shaped strip 30, a roll of printing tape 35 is located on a supply spool 35a. The tape 35 is of a commercially available type and can be in the form of metal foil or other sheet material for supplying the printing to the strip. The tape 35 passes from the supply spool below the guide plate 32, up along the side thereof, and over a guide 35b. The printing tape 35 then moves from the guide plate 35b to a take-up reel 36. The one side of the U-shaped strip 30 thereby is located between the tape 35 and the guide plate 32. The guide plate 32 has a pad or cushion mounted thereon, preferably of a Teflon-coated rubber, to provide a backing against which the strip 30 is supported during printmg.

Printing of the indicia through the tape 35 is achieved by a printing head or block 37 which is horizontally movable toward and away from the tape 35. The face of the printing head 37 carries suitable printing type and when moved forwardly, the type engages the tape 35 and through it imprints or impresses the desired indicia on the side of the strip 30. When necessary, the printing head 37 can be heated, depending on the type of printing tape employed. I

A gear rack 38 is located on a lower portion of the printing head 37 and meshes with a pinion gear 39 mounted on a shaft 40. The pinion gear 39 is driven with an arcuate movement to impart a reciprocating movement to the printing head.

Movement of the tape 35 is achieved through a pair of pull rollers 41 mounted above and below the tape adjacent the take-up spool 36. The upper roller 41 has a shaft 41a on which a pinion 42 is rotatably mounted and engageable therewith through a one-way clutch 42a. The pinion 42 engages a gear rack 43 mounted on the printing head 37. A sheave 44 is mounted on the shaft 41a of the roller 41 and is connected by a belt 45 in the form of an O-ring to a sheave 46 affixed to a shaft of the reel 36. The one-way clutch 42a causes the pull rollers 41 to advance the tape 35 on retracting movement of the printing head 37 away from the guide plate 32. When the printing head moves forwardly, the pinion 42 simply rotates on the shaft 41a.

During intervals between movements of the strip 30, transverse portions of the strip are sealed to close the ends of the package. Sealing devices in the form of a pair of blocks or

members

47 and 48 are used to press the strip 30 together along the transverse portions and effect the seal. if desired, the sealing blocks 47 and 48 can have centrally-located serrated edges or projections therealong to perforate the strip centrally of the sealed portions so that the strip can subsequently be separated into individual packages along the perforated lines. The sealing blocks 47 and 48 are slidably mounted on guide rods 49 to guide the blocks in paths toward and away from the strip 30 and each other. The blocks have gear racks 50 afiixed thereto which mesh with pinions 51 to impart the reciprocating movement to the slide blocks. The pinions 51 are mounted on drive shafts 52 extending into the housing 10 where they are driven by means to be discussed subsequently. An extension or flange 53 extends outwardly from the block 47 and has a slot 54 therein through which the associated drive shaft 52 extends.

Cutter blades

55 and 56 are employed to sever the individual packages when the perforations are not used. The

cutter blades

55 and 56 are pivotally supported on an upper pin 56 for pivotal movement toward and away from the strip 30. Generally vertical slots 58 are located in the lower portions of the

blades

55 and 56 to receive drive pins 59. The pins 59 extend from the

blocks

47 and 48 and specifically from the flange 53 for the block 47. When the

blocks

47 and 48 move toward one another to seal the strip 30, they simultaneously move the

blades

55 and 56 toward and beyond one another in overlapping relationship to sever the packages from the continuous web. The

blades

55 and 56 are located one package width, or a given number of package widths, beyond the sealing blocks 47 and 48 to enable the packages to be severed at the same time that other packages are being sealed.

The drive system for operating the various components of the packaging machine, in timed relationships, is relatively simple and maintenance free. Power is derived from an electric motor 60 which, through a gear reduction box 61, rotates a main drive sprocket 62. The sprocket 62 is connected by a chain 63 to a driven sprocket 64 mounted on a shaft 65. As second sprocket 66 on the shaft rotates with the sprocket 64 and drives the table 26 and its shaft 27 through a chain 67 and a sprocket 68. The table 26 thereby is continuously rotated as long as the motor 60 is energized. A sprocket 69 on the shaft 27 rotates with the sprocket 68 and, through a chain 70, drives a sprocket 71. The sprocket 71 is free to rotate relative to the shaft 34 except when an electromagnetic clutch 72 is energized. The clutch 72 periodically is energized long enough to advance the strip 30 a distance equal to one package width through the feed roll 33.

When an electromagnetic clutch 73 is energized, the sprocket 64 is connected to the shaft 65 and rotates a cam disc 74. The clutch 73 is energized when the clutch 72 is de-energized so that all motions achieved through the cam disc 74 occur with the packaging material strip 30 at rest. The clutch 73 is energized long enough to drive the cam disc 74 though one complete revolution. At the end of one revolution, a spring-loaded roller 75 is received in a notch 76 of the cam disc 74 to assure that the disc 74 will be rotated exactly one revolution each time. The roller 75 is mounted on a slide 77 received in a slot 78 of a link 79. A spring 80 is located below the link 79 to urge the roller 75 toward the cam disc 74. The link 79 is pivotally connected to the cam disc 74 by a pin 81 and, in turn, is connected by a pin 82 to a shaft arm 83. The arm 83 is affixed to a lower end of the shaft 40, below a supporting member 84 which also spaces apart the shafts 65 and 40. When the cam disc 74 rotates through one revolution, the shaft 40 and the arm 83 pivot back and forth through an included angle of about 48.

The shaft 40 extends upwardly to the printer feed pinion 39 to operate the printing head 37 as discussed previously. The shaft 40 also operates an intermediate arm 85 thereon, causing it to move through an arcuate path having an included angle of about 48. The arm 85 imparts the same arcuate movement directly to an intermediate disc or member 86 through a link 87 pivoted to the arm 85 by a pin 88 and to the disc 86 by a pin 89. The disc 86 is affixed to the escapement shaft 24a which drives the escapement 17 through one complete back and forth stroke by pivotal movement of the pinion 24. At the same time, the direct arcuate movement is imparted to an arm 90 affixed to the right hand shaft 52 for the sealing block 47. This is achieved through a lower link 91 connected to the disc 86 by a pin 92 and to the arm 90 by a pin 93. The sealing block 48 is similarly driven through the left hand shaft 52 by an arm 94 connected thereto. An upper link 95 connects the intermediate disc 86 and the arm 94, being pivotally connected to these members respectively by

pins

96 and 97.

From the above, it will be seen that all of the components which operate when the packaging material strip 30 is at rest are operated directly through the single rotation of the cam disc 74. The single revolution causes the shaft 40 to sweep through its arcuate path and back to its original position which causes the printing head 37 to move forwardly against the one side of the packaging material 30, with the tape 35 therebetween, and then back to its retracted position. During the latter movement of the printing head 37, the rollers 41 cause the printing tape 35 to advance a predetermined increment by movement of the roller 41 through the one-way clutch 41a.

The pivotal movement of the intermediate disc 86 also imparts the same movement to the shaft 24a causing the escapement 17 to move the recess 16 out of the hopper 12 and enable the article in the recess 16 to drop through the chute 25 and into the space between the sides of the packaging material, and causing the escapement to move into the hopper. 12 again. This motion is accomplished througharcuate movement of the pinion 24 meshing with the rack 23. Similarly, the motion of the disc 86 is directly imparted to the shafts 52 through the arms 90 and 94 to cause the sealing blocks to move together to press the cohesive portions of the material 30 together to seal them, and for the blocks to then move apart. This motion is accomplished through arcuate movement of the pinions 51 meshing with the racks 50. That movement of the blocks also moves the

cutter blades

55 and 56, when used, to sever the sealed packages along lines centrally of the transverse sealed portions, as shown in FIG. 1. This direct drive arrangement is of the utmost simplicity, being low in manufacturing cost and maintenance, and high in reliabiliy With the direct drive and with the sealing blocks 47 and 48 moving toward one another as the escapement 17 moves an article out of the hopper 12 to the chute 25, it is possible for the article to move through the trough formed by the strip 30 beyond the sealing blocks 47 and 48 to a previously sealed package portion; in that case two articles can be inserted in one package and none in the following package. This could be overcome by employing various gear drives which would cause the

blocks

47 and 48 to close sooner, but this decreases the simplicity of the drive and increases the cost thereof. Therefore, to close the package portions earlier, a pair of closure plates 98 and 99 (FIGS. 5 and 6) are employed with the sealing blocks 47 and 48. These plates have rear guide blocks 100 and 101 received on the lower guide rods 49 along the back edges of the sealing blocks 47 and 48. The closure plates have lower protruding edges 102 which engage one another below the package strip 30 when the plates are moved together. The plates further have recessed upper edges 103 which push the sides of the material strip 30 toward one another but do not cause them to be pressed together when the protruding portions 102 are in contact, as shown somewhat schematically in fig. 6. Thus, the

plates

98 and 99 do not seal the package strip but prevent passage of the articles into a previous package portion.

The plates are urged toward one another by a spring 104 connected between pins 105 and 106 and the plates move toward one another as soon as the sealing blocks 47 and are so moved by the shaft 52. However, since the plates protrude beyond the sealing blocks, they move into position adjacent the strip material sooner than the sealing blocks to prevent articles passing therebeyond. Since the

closure plates

98 and 99 do not engage the packaging material strip 30 fully, the strip 30 can still advance even after the

plates

98 and 99 are in their closed position, if the advancing movement is not completed by that time. To aid in directing the

plates

98 and 99, pins 107 extend outwardly from the sides of the

blocks

47 and 48 and are received in slots 108 of the closure plates, if desired. However, these are not essential.

in the operation of the drive for the packaging machine, the packaging material strip 30 is provided with spaced black portions or marks 109 (FIG. 1). 10. An electric eye or similar light-sensing device 110 provides a light portion 111 on one side of an edge of the strip 30 and a light-sensitive receiver 112 on the other side of the strip edge. Also, a limit switch LS (FIG. 2) is mounted on the side wall in the housing 10 and is engaged by the slide of the printing head 37 each'time it is in its retracted position.

With the strip 30 advancing, when the light-sensing device 110 senses one of the black marks 109, it de-energizes the electromagnetic clutch 72 and disconnects the sprocket 71 from the shaft 34 to stop rotation of the advance rolls 33. The device 110 simultaneously energizes the clutch 73. The packaging material 30 is then stopped and the various components, except for the feed rolls 33, are then operated through one cycle. When the printing head 37 returns to its original retracted position, its slide contacts the limit switch LS which then energizes the magnetic clutch 72 and de-energizes the clutch 73 to advance the strip 30 until the sensing device 110 senses the next mark 109.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, one of the sealing blocks 47 and 48 can be provided with a rubber facing strip 113 to provide a cushion and more uniform pressure. The other block can have a small knife blade 114 to provide a short tear line in the transversely sealed portions of the packages to facilitate subsequent opening.

Various modifications of the above described embodiment of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art and it is to be understood that such modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention, if they are within the spirit and the tenor of the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. in a packaging machine comprising means for supporting a source of sheet material, means for formingthe sheet material into a generally U-shaped configuration, means for printing indicia on the side of the U-shaped sheet material, means for delivering a predetermined number of articles toward the U- shaped sheet material, means for advancing the sheet material and sealing together edges thereof, and sealing members positioned to seal the U-shaped sheet material along transverselydisposed portions, the improvement comprising drive means for operating said advancing and sealing means for the sheet material, and separate drive means for simultaneously directlyoperating said delivering means, said printing means, and said sealing members when the sheet material is stationary, said separate drive means comprising rack and pinion means associated with each of said delivering means, said printing means, and said sealing members, a first rotatable member, means for driving said rotatable member through one revolution and effective to impart one complete cycle to each of said delivering means and said printing means, a second rotatable member driven by said first rotatable member in an arcuate path, link means connected to said second rotatable member and effective to. drive said rack and pinion means of said sealing members to impart one complete cycle to said sealing members.

2. In a packaging machine comprising means for supporting a source of sheet material, means for forming the sheet material into a generally U-shaped configuration, means for printing indicia on the side of the U-shaped sheet material, means for delivering a predetermined number of articles toward the U- shaped sheet material, means for advancing the sheet material and sealing together edges thereof, and sealing members positioned to seal the U-shaped sheet material along transverselydisposed portions, the improvement comprising drive means for operating said advancing and sealing means for the sheet material, separate drive means for simultaneously directly operating said delivering means, said printing means, and said sealing members when the sheet material is stationary, and two closure plates, one supported by each of said sealing members, said closure plates extending toward one another beyond said sealing members, said closure plates being effective to close a portion of the sheet material to prevent an article from passing thereby prior to the sheet material being sealed by said sealing members.

3. A packaging machine according to claim 2 characterized further by resilient means connecting said closure plates and urging them toward one another.

4. A packaging machine according to claim 3 characterized further by means connecting said closure plates and the respective sealing members to limit the movement of said closure plates toward one another as determined by the positions of said sealing members.

5. A packaging machine according to claim 2 characterized further by said closure plates having protruding edges which engage one another to one side of said sheet material and adjacent recess edges which restrict but do not seal the packaging material.

6. In a packaging machine comprising means for supporting a source of sheet material, means for forming the sheet material into a generally U-shaped configuration, means for delivering a predetermined number of articles toward the U-shaped sheet material, means for advancing and sealing edges of the sheet material, and sealing members positioned to seal the U- shaped sheet material along transversely-disposed portions, the improvement comprising two closure plates associated with said sealing members, said closure plates being effective to engage and restrict space between the sides of the U-shaped sheet material prior to the sides being sealed by said sealing members.

7. A packaging machine according to claim 6 characterized further by resilient means connecting said closure plates and urging them toward one another.

8. A packaging machine according to claim 7 characterized by said closure plates being engaged by said sealing members and limited in their movement toward one another by said sealing members.

9. A packaging machine according to claim 6 characterized by drive means for simultaneously operating said delivering means, and said sealing members when the sheet material is stationary.

10. A packaging machine according to claim 9 charac terized further by separate drive means for operating said advancing and sealing means for the sheet material.

11. A packaging machine according to claim 9 characterized by said drive means comprising rack and pinion means associated with each of said delivering means and said sealing members.

12. A packaging machine according to claim 9 characterized further by said drive means comprising a rotatable member, and means for driving said rotatable member through one revolution and effective to impart one complete cycle to each of said delivering means and to said sealing members.

13. A packaging machine according to claim 12 characterized further by link and disc means connecting said rotatable member with said delivering means and said sealing members.

l i t i i

Claims

1. In a packaging machine comprising means for supporting a source of sheet material, means for forming the sheet material into a generally U-shaped configuration, means for printing indicia on the side of the U-shaped sheet material, means for delivering a predetermined number of articles toward the U-shaped sheet material, means for advancing the sheet material and sealing together edges thereof, and sealing members positioned to seal the U-shaped sheet material along transversely-disposed portions, the improvement comprising drive means for operating said advancing and sealing means for the sheet material, and separate drive means for simultaneously directly operating said delivering means, said printing means, and said sealing members when the sheet material is stationary, said separate drive means comprising rack and pinion means associated with each of said delivering means, said printing means, and said sealing members, a first rotatable member, means for driving said rotatable member through one revolution and effective to impart one complete cycle to each of said delivering means and said printing means, a second rotatable member driven by said first rotatable member in an arcuate path, link means connected to said second rotatable member and effective to drive said rack and pinion means of said sealing members to impart one complete cycle to said sealing members.

2. In a packaging machine comprising means for supporting a source of sheet material, means for forming the sheet material into a generally U-shaped configuration, means for printing indicia on the side of the U-shaped sheet material, means for delivering a predetermined number of articles toward the U-shaped sheet material, means for advancing the sheet material and sealing together edges thereof, and sealing members positioned to seal the U-shaped sheet material along transversely-disposed portions, the improvement comprising drive means for operating said advancing and sealing means for the sheet material, separate drive means for simultaneously directly operating said delivering means, said printing means, and said sealing members when the sheet material is stationary, and two closure plates, one supported by each of said sealing members, said closure plates extending toward one another beyond said sealing members, said closure plates being effective to close a portion of the sheet material to prevent an article from Passing thereby prior to the sheet material being sealed by said sealing members.

6. In a packaging machine comprising means for supporting a source of sheet material, means for forming the sheet material into a generally U-shaped configuration, means for delivering a predetermined number of articles toward the U-shaped sheet material, means for advancing and sealing edges of the sheet material, and sealing members positioned to seal the U-shaped sheet material along transversely-disposed portions, the improvement comprising two closure plates associated with said sealing members, said closure plates being effective to engage and restrict space between the sides of the U-shaped sheet material prior to the sides being sealed by said sealing members.

10. A packaging machine according to claim 9 characterized further by separate drive means for operating said advancing and sealing means for the sheet material.