Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
  • B65B65/02—Driving gear
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
  • B65B25/06—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
  • B65B25/10—Forming sector-shaped packages of cheese or like plastic products
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
  • B65B3/00—Packaging plastic material, semiliquids, liquids or mixed solids and liquids, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
  • B65B3/02—Machines characterised by the incorporation of means for making the containers or receptacles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a machine for wrapping a pasty, liquid or semi-liquid product, and in particular, a processed cheese or similar product.
• the wrapper for the product is made from a flat sheet of material, normally aluminium foil, having an appropriate shape, for example triangular, which is folded to form a shell-like body or container having a required shape, for example the shape of a solid with a triangular base, and a cover wrap consisting of another flat sheet of material having an appropriate shape, for example triangular, smaller in size than the sheet used to make the wrapper shell.
• Processed cheese wrapping machines known to prior art essentially comprise a supporting frame, means for preparing the wrapper sheets including means for cutting the sheets from a respective web of material unwound from a roll, means for preparing the cover sheets including means for cutting the sheets from a respective web of material, means for folding the wrapper sheet to form a shell, means for filling the product into the shell, and means for closing the shell including means for placing over the shell a corresponding cover sheet cut by the cutting means.
• the wrapper cover is cut from a web of material in an area above and adjacent to the filling area and is transferred by the cutting means directly to the means that apply it to the shell that has been filled with product.
• the food product is exposed to a serious risk of contamination by waste aluminium particles resulting from the cutting operations.
• the invention contemplates the provision of means for separating the drive area from the wrapper forming area.
• the separating means comprise a wall which extends in the lengthways direction of the machine.
• the separating means comprise at least one mobile surface from which the shafts used to drive the wrapping parts of the machine extend.
• the means for cutting the cover sheets are located well away from the means for filling the product into the wrapper shell.
• the quantity of cutting waste that reaches the food product is minimal and does not contaminate it.
• the cover sheet cutting means are positioned below the level at which the cover sheets are placed over the food product, so that cutting waste particles, which fall under the effect of gravity, do not contaminate the food product .
• the invention contemplates the provision of at least one partition separating the product dispensing means from the means for cutting the wrapping materials .
• Means are also advantageously provided for feeding and conveying the cover sheets to the area where they are applied.
• the means for feeding the wrapper being formed comprise a flat flexible lamina that supports a plurality of longitudinally spaced supporting elements.
• a conveyor made in this way is quick and easy to sanitise .
• blocks for supporting the wrapper cover sheets and/or blocks for supporting the wrapper shells are separably connected to the conveyor, in particular to the continuous longitudinal drive means of the conveyor. This greatly facilitates sanitising operations and appreciably reduces machine down time for cleaning the supporting elements.
• the invention also advantageously contemplates the provision of means for driving the parts that operate on the wrappers, said means comprising a longitudinal base plate and means for driving the base plate; the means for driving the base plate L comprise means for driving or oscillating through an angular interval, and means for compensating the movement imparted by the first drive means, in such manner that the working parts mounted on the longitudinal base plate L are made to follow a substantially horizontal path parallel to the path followed by the wrappers.
• Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a wrapping machine according to the present invention
• Figures 2 and 3 show two different working positions of the cover sheet cutting means in the machine according to the present invention
• Figure 4 is a cross section of the part of the machine according to the invention where the wrapper cover sheets are picked up and transferred;
• Figure 5 is a top view of the block for supporting and transferring the wrapper cover sheets according to the invention.
• Figures 6 and 7 are longitudinal sections of the means for picking up and positioning the wrapper cover sheets in two different working positions
• Figure 8 schematically illustrates the means for driving the working parts of the machine according to the invention.
• Figure 1 illustrates a longitudinal side view of the working part of the machine for wrapping a pasty product, in particular processed cheese, in suitable wrappers, preferably in the shape of a triangle or circular sector, essentially comprising a shell-like body made by folding a flat sheet of substantially triangular shape cut from a web of aluminium foil that is sealable on one side and closed by a cover, also made from a flat sheet with a substantially triangular shape but smaller in size than the sheet used to make the shell, and cut from a web of aluminium foil that is sealable on one side.
• the machine 10 extends principally lengthways and comprises a mounting frame 12 and a plurality of devices used to make the wrappers.
• the invention contemplates the provision of means for preparing the wrapper sheets including means (not illustrated in Figure 1) for unwinding a web of aluminium from a roll, cutting means, consisting of a rotary knife, labelled 14 in Figure 1, located at a transversal end of the machine, labelled Tl in Figure 1.
• the cutting means 14 for making the wrapper sheets cut a web of aluminium foil into suitably shaped longitudinal strips, the web being fed in a direction transversal to the longitudinal direction in which the machine extends being the principal direction in which the wrappers or wrapper elements are fed.
• the cutting operations are performed as the web moves forward with continuous feed motion.
• the cutting means 14, the web roll, the means for feeding the web, and the other working devices, are mounted on a transversal wall 12' of the frame.
• the suitably shaped longitudinal strips are then cut transversely at 16 using a similar rotary knife but with a transversal cutting blade, which enables the strips to be cut into separate sheets with a generally triangular shape.
• the web cut into strips must be turned through 90° in such manner that the strips are moved apart and their direction of feed changes from transversal to longitudinal.
• Each wrapper sheet cut in this way is delivered by the unit 18 to the revolving assembly unit 20 which has already received from the unit 22 the tear strip for opening the wrapper of the processed cheese portion.
• the machine also comprises means, labelled 24 in Figure 1, for cutting tear strips from a tape 26 of plastic film unwound from a corresponding roll 28.
• the cutting of the tear strips occurs with stop/start motion, the tear strips being cut and delivered to the tear strip conveyor means 22 while the latter are stopped, and then transferred to the assembling means 20 while the latter are in motion.
• the numeral 19 in Figure 1 denotes the means or roller for heating and sealing the tear strips to the wrapper sheets. Downstream of the area where the tear strips and wrapper sheets are delivered, there are means for dispensing a label to each sheet on the side opposite that where the tear strip is applied, said means being denoted in their entirety by the numeral 30 in Figure 1. These means comprise a transfer belt 31 that delivers a label to each sheet while the assembling means 20 rotate .
• the means for transferring the wrapper sheets are denoted in their entirety by the numeral 32.
• These transfer means consist of a conveyor belt and carry the wrapper sheets towards the means that feed them while the wrapper is being formed, the latter means consisting of an endless conveyor, labelled 34, which is trained around end wheels 36, 38.
• the conveyor 34 which has an active upper section and a lower return section, comprises a flexible lamina of stainless steel and presents a plurality of elements for supporting the wrappers being formed and the covers to be placed over them, as described in more detail below.
• the area where the wrappers are formed includes means for folding each wrapper sheet to form a shell, the folding means being labelled 38 in their entirety and being preferably of the type described in more detail in European patent application EP 1094005, in the name of the same Applicant as the present, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
• the sheets pass from the transfer means 32 to the conveyor means 34 that feed them to the upper surface of the hopper, push them through the hopper and feed them out in the folded shell shape onto the supporting elements 35.
• the machine according to the invention extends lengthways and, downstream of the forming area, includes means for filling the pasty product into the wrapper shells, said filling means comprising dispensing nozzles 40 mounted on a mobile unit 42 enabling a charge of pasty product to be dispensed into each wrapper shell while the wrapper shells continue moving continuously.
• the unit for dispensing the food product is denoted in its entirety by the numeral 39.
• the cover for applying the covers to the wrapper shells filled with pasty product, there is a unit downstream of the unit 39.
• This unit is labelled 44 and comprises means 46 for gripping and releasing the covers, which are carried by supporting and drive means 48 to perform a reverse movement such that they can be placed on the shells travelling on the conveyor 34.
• the covers are applied while the conveyor 34 moves and the means 46 carrying the covers move lengthways at the same speed as the conveyor, and in the same way as the dispensing nozzles and the other wrapping parts downstream.
• the unit 44 for applying the covers is described in more detail below.
• the numeral 50 denotes means for folding the upper flaps of the shell over the cover so as to retain the latter.
• These folding means comprise folding elements, labelled 52, which fold the upper portions of the side walls of each wrapper shell, constituting flaps for closing the top of the wrapper, in such a way as to position the flaps horizontally over the cover while the wrapper shells continue moving.
• the numeral 54 denotes means for supporting and driving the folding elements 52, said means being similar to the ones for the product dispensing nozzles and for applying the covers.
• the numeral 56 denotes means for sealing the covers to the shells and comprising sealing elements 58 and means, labelled 60 in their entirety, for supporting and driving the sealing elements 58 in such a way that the sealing elements follow the continuous motion of the wrapper shells.
• the numeral 62 denotes means, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, for transferring the wrappers to the conveyors that feed them to the collating device 68.
• the device 68 is located at the end T2 of the machine.
• the transfer means are driven by means, labelled 64, similar to the drive means of the other working parts of the machine and comprising means, labelled 66, for engaging and transferring the fully wrapped processed cheese portions.
• the machine also includes means for preparing the cover sheets, said means comprising elements, labelled 70, for cutting and delivering the cover sheets from a web of aluminium foil 72 unwound from a roll 74.
• the cutting elements are located under the means 32 that transfer the wrapper sheets from the area where the wrapper sheets are prepared to the area where the wrapper shells are formed.
• these cutting means are located at a level below the height at which the product dispensing nozzles work and also below the level of the wrapper feed belt.
• Means are provided for gripping, transferring and delivering the cover sheets to the means that convey the cover sheets to the area where they are applied to the filled wrapper shells.
• the means for delivering the cover sheets take the form of a revolving element, schematically illustrated in Figure 1, denoted by the numeral 76.
• the means for picking up, transferring and delivering the cover sheets comprise pickup elements 78, which, as the element 76 revolves, impinge, at an angular position downstream of the pickup position, on elements for conveying the cover sheets located on the conveyor belt 34 at alternate positions relative to the recessed supporting elements 35 carrying the wrapper shells.
• the elements 80 for picking up and conveying the cover sheets are aligned with the recessed elements 35 for supporting the wrapper shells, as described in more detail below.
• the cover sheet carried by one of the supporting elements 80 is associated by the aforementioned cover sheet transfer drive elements 48, with a wrapper shell located in the supporting element 35 immediately following the supporting element 80.
• a partition wall is provided between the area where the wrapper materials are cut and formed and the area where the pasty product is dispensed by the nozzles 40 into the wrapper shells.
• the partition wall has an opening 83 at the top of it to allow the passage of the active section 34' of the conveyor 34 and an opening 35' at the bottom of it to allow the passage of the return section 34" of the conveyor 34.
• the partition 84 thus keeps the dust resulting from cutting operations on the wrapper materials in a well-defined upstream area of the machine, preventing it from reaching the product dispensing area where the product is exposed.
• the partition - which may isolate the different parts of the machine almost completely from each other, as in this case - might only partly isolate the parts of the machine it divides, leaving spaces open where the infiltration of cutting waste and dirt is unlikely.
• the partition wall 84 might be limited to the upper area of the machine, just above and just below the active section of the conveyor 34.
• the special design of the conveyor 34 itself constitutes a barrier against the infiltration of waste to a certain extent.
• the machine also features a longitudinal cover CT that isolates the working area and has a plurality of doors SP for accessing the different components of the machine.
• Figure 2 illustrates the area where cutting of the wrapper cover sheet is performed.
• the web 72 of aluminium foil of suitable thickness is trained around a series of feed rollers 102, 104 and drive rollers 106 located upstream of the cutting means 70.
• the cutting means 70 comprise a head 108 mounted on a stem
• the transfer and delivery means 76 have on them a plurality of these contact cover sheet contact and retaining heads 112 mounted on a revolving body 114. In the embodiment illustrated, there are four heads 112 positioned at angular intervals of 90° from each other.
• the cutting head is retracted to enable the wheel 114 to turn, carrying the cover sheet C supporting and conveying units towards the means for gripping and conveying the cover sheet towards the application area.
• FIG. 3 illustrates the transfer of the cover sheet, with the assembly 112, 114 kept in a condition of angular motion, without stopping the feed motion, so as to enable the cover sheet to be transferred.
• the conveyor belt 34 continues moving.
• each cover sheet is delivered to the respective support 80 at a point in time between the moment one pickup element 112 reaches the cover sheet cutting means and the moment the next pickup element reaches the same cutting means.
• the cover sheet on the supporting unit 112 is transferred by interference with a suitable surface 140 of it that engages and retains the supporting element labelled 80.
• the supporting element 80 comprises a body of the device 130 which is supported by the steel lamina 37, which constitutes the conveyor belt 34 and comprises a part 132 above and a part 134 below the lamina connected to each other through a hole, not illustrated in the drawings, made in the lamina 37.
• the upper body 132 comprises an outside body and an inside portion 136 for supporting the cover sheet comprising a suitably shaped base 138 with an upper engagement and retaining surface 140 with holes in it designed to create a negative pressure allowing the cover sheet C to be retained by suction.
• the base 138 of the inside body 136 is mounted on a stem 137 which extends upwards or outside the edge of the body 132, so as to pick up the cover sheet C from the transfer means 112, as shown in Figure 3.
• the body forming the recessed supporting elements of the wrapper shell comprise a body 230 having an upper part 232 and a lower part 234 which can be associated with opposite faces of the lamina 37 constituting the conveyor belt 34 and which are also connected to each other through a hole made in the lamina.
• the passage of the cut cover sheet C from the supporting and transfer means 112 on the revolving wheel driven by the central shaft 111 occurs when the upper surface 118 of the element 112 comes into contact with the upper surface 140 of the mobile body 138 on the outside of the edge of the body 132, and when suction changes from one body to the other, that is to say, when suction is switched off in the transfer head 112 and switched on in the base of the mobile body 138 of the cover sheet supporting element 80.
• the wheel 114 is made to turn at the same speed as the conveyor 34 so that the contact surfaces of the elements 112, 118 move at the same tangential speed.
• the wheel 114 is rotated with stop/start motion whereby it is stopped when the cover sheet C is cut and received by one of the transfer heads 112, then started, accelerated and moved at a constant angular speed to enable transfer of the cover sheet and then decelerated when the next head 112 approaches the cutting area and then stops in the position for receiving the next cover sheet C.
• the element 138 for receiving and retaining the cover sheet C protrudes because the supporting body 132 consists of an upper portion 132a and an intermediate supporting portion, both made of plastic, mounted on a base 132c, made of metal, but which might be made of another suitable material, such as plastic for example, and which is fixedly connected to the steel lamina constituting the continuous element of the endless conveyor belt 34 of the machine.
• the intermediate portion 132c is fixedly connected to the base 132c, whilst the upper portion 132a is axially mobile relative to the fixed intermediate portion 132b.
• the upper portion 132a has a cup-shaped body 141 from which a sleeve-like portion 143 with a smaller diameter extends downwardly and fits axially into the cylindrical cavity of a circular wall 145 of the intermediate portion 132b, with an interposed spring, labelled 147 in Figure 4, exerting a pushing action between the transversal surface of an annular shoulder portion 146 of the intermediate portion 132b, which extends radially inwards from the lower edge of the circular wall 145, and the lower transversal surface 141a of the cup-shaped body 141.
• the sleeve-like portion has a lower transversal edge 149, that contacts the upper surface of the transversal shoulder portion 146 of the intermediate body 132b, when the latter is pushed downwards, as described in more detail below, causing the base 138 that supports the cover sheet C to protrude outwardly.
• cam means consist of the circumferential cam, schematically illustrated in Figure 4, labelled 150, which acts in conjunction with a wheel 152, attached to the upper body 132a by a pin 154 that fits into a corresponding hole made in a second sleeve 155 located radially on the outside of the first sleeve 143 and is axially guided on the outer cylindrical surface 132 'b of the body 132b.
• Both the plastic portions 132a, 132b have an axial hole which accommodates the stem 137 that mounts the cover sheet supporting portion 138.
• the supporting body 138 and the related stem 137 are made of a plastic material. Plastic is easy to clean in a washing machine, which means the component and hence the conveyor belt can be quickly and easily sanitised.
• the stem 137 that mounts the base 138 is hollow to enable the passage of suction from a wide chamber 139 that communicates with the outside atmosphere through the holes 142.
• the stem 137 has an outside profile that is shaped to match the inside of the intermediate portion 132b in which it is inserted, thus constituting means for radial and axial retention of the cover sheet supporting base 138.
• the intermediate portion 132b in turn presents a downwardly protruding sleeve 132"b which slides inside, and in peripheral contact with, a cylindrical receiving body 132d made inside the base 132c, and extends to the other side of the supporting lamina 37 to a point in the proximity of the suction cup 156.
• the hollow stem 137 is wider at its top end, labelled 137a, and narrower at its bottom end, labelled 137b, which extends downwardly and leads into the suction cup 156 which is switched on when the cover sheet is picked up and switched off when the body 80 reaches the top section 34a of the upwardly turning conveyor (see Figure 2) .
• a lock pin which is associated with the fixed base 132 and which fits into a matching hole in the protruding sleeve 132"b, passing through the holes 162a in the base 132c and in the cylindrical body 132d.
• This pin labelled 160, has an end 160a which extends to the outside of the base, while its intermediate section passes through an enlarged seat made in said base 132c, this seat being labelled 162 in Figure 4.
• the inlet opening 163 of the seat 162 is closed by a bolt-like fastener 164 which is centrally hollow to allow the passage of the pin 160 and which defines, with its outer edge 164a, an annular shoulder which contacts a spring that acts on a radially protruding, annular element 167, and which is associated with the pin 160, so as to push the latter into, and hold it in, the radial hole made in the protruding sleeve of the body 132c.
• a bolt-like fastener 164 which is centrally hollow to allow the passage of the pin 160 and which defines, with its outer edge 164a, an annular shoulder which contacts a spring that acts on a radially protruding, annular element 167, and which is associated with the pin 160, so as to push the latter into, and hold it in, the radial hole made in the protruding sleeve of the body 132c.
• the cover sheet supporting assembly 132 can be quickly and easily dismantled into its component parts, that is, the cover sheet supporting portions 138, 137, the upper portion 132a and the intermediate portion 132b.
• the pin 160 therefore constitutes axial connecting means which are elastically maintained in the engaged condition by the spring 165. To disengage, it is sufficient to pull the end 160a of the pin 160 in a radial direction opposite the action exerted by the spring 165 in order to release the fixed portion 132b and the cover sheet supporting portion 138, which can thus be pulled out of the support. At the same time, the upper portion 132a and the fixed portion 138a can be removed.
• the upper portion 132a of the cover sheet supporting block 80 constitutes means for laterally containing and retaining the cover sheet on the supporting body 132.
• suction is not required to keep the cover sheet on the supporting body as it travels all the way to the means that position on the wrapper shell downstream.
• the wrapper shell supporting block can also be easily dismantled from its fixed mounting base for quick and effective cleaning and sanitising in an automatic washing machine.
• the supporting elements are all easy to dismantle, being assembled in quick- release fashion, permitting all the elements to be rapidly substituted and reducing machine downtime to a minimum.
• Figures 3 and 6 schematically illustrates the block 35 that supports the wrapper being formed, the structure of this block simpler than that of the cover sheet supporting block 80 and comprising a main body 232a which is mounted on a metal base 232c fixed to the lamina 37 of the conveyor 3 .
• the portion 232a of the block 35 consists of a cup-shaped or hollow body with an axial cavity having the shape of a triangle or circular sector, within which a wrapper shell is rested with its underside resting on the bottom of the supporting body.
• the bottom of this housing 332a for the wrapper shell is axially mobile and consists of a plate 238, mounted on a stem 237, which extends downwardly and has a free bottom end that engages with means, which are not illustrated in the drawings, for driving it in the vertical direction.
• the bottom end of the stem 237 passes through, and is supported in an axially slidable manner by, a sleeve 232" that protrudes downwardly from the cup-shaped body 232a and fits into the hole inside the fixed base 232c.
• the means for retaining the cup-shaped body 232a consist of a retaining pin, identical to the pin 160 described above, which supports the cup-shaped body in a vertical direction and which is elastically maintained in the engaged condition in exactly the same way as described for the block 80.
• the steel lamina 37 thus has suitable width and length, as well as a plurality of longitudinally spaced holes for fixing the bases and engagement elements for the teeth of the drive wheels.
• Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the device, labelled 44 in Figure 1, for picking up and applying the cover sheet.
• the elements 46 for picking up the cover sheet extend horizontally and are shaped to match the shape of the cover sheet.
• the blocks 46 are mounted on a longitudinal element or base plate L, which supports longitudinally two cover sheet pickup blocks and transversally a number equal to the rows of wrapper shells, preferably, as in this case, two rows of wrappers.
• This device makes it possible, by keeping the longitudinal element L parallel to the feed belt, to lower the blocks 46 into contact with the cover sheet C and its support 138, by compressing the spring 158, while the block 80 continues to move, then to raise the blocks 46, causing them to move back and then down again so that the blocks and the cover sheets on them are carried to the blocks 35 that follow, each of which has a wrapper shell V on it, which has already been filled with processed cheese, and finally, to position the cover sheet C on the top surface of the product inside the wrapper shell V.
• the means for engaging and driving the cover sheet C pickup and delivery block follows the linear motion of the block 35 so that, when the suction through the holes 170 is switched off, the cover sheet C is released onto the wrapper shell to close the top of the wrapper.
• the longitudinal base plate L supporting the elements 46 has blades 49 on it for keeping the top flaps of the wrapper side walls apart to prevent them from interfering with the positioning of the cover sheet on the top of the product inside the wrapper shell.
• the blades 49 which are pivoted at point 49', are designed to keep the flaps at the heel end of the wrapper apart.
• the suction element 46 for picking up and releasing the cover sheets is mounted on the end of a shaft 47 which slides vertically relative to the base plate L.
• the base plate L moves down towards the wrapper shell, carrying the blades 49 into contact with the upper flaps of the wrapper shell extending past the edge of the product inside the wrapper.
• the blades are then rotated in such a way as to move wrapper flaps apart.
• the shaft 47 moves down relative to the base plate L and carries the suction element 46 to the cover sheet release position.
• the blades 49 act as guides helping to centre the cover sheet on the suction element 46. All these operations are carried out while the base plate L moves in a horizontal direction parallel to the belt 34 carrying the wrappers.
• a similar operation is contemplates for picking up the cover sheets from the respective support 80. During this step, however, as shown in Figure 6, the blades 49 are kept apart on the outside so as not to interfere with the cover sheet pickup operation.
• Figure 8 shows the advantageous configuration of the means for driving the elements 46, 46 of the device for picking up and positioning the cover sheets, as well as those of the other devices, labelled 42, 50, 60, 62 which drive, respectively, the product dispensing nozzles 40, the elements 52 for folding the wrapper flaps over the cover sheet already positioned by the means 48, the sealing elements 58, and the outfeed or transfer paddles 66.
• the present means for applying the cover sheets over the full wrapper shells comprise, as shown in Figure 8, a horizontal longitudinal element or base plate L, which is only schematically illustrated and which mounts a plurality of working elements 46, arranged in respective longitudinal and transversal rows. In this particular embodiment, there are two longitudinal rows and two transversal rows (making a total of four cover sheet application elements 46) .
• each of the base plates of the other working parts of the machine are designed to mount four working elements 52, 58, 66, arranged in the same way, with the exception of the base plate of the product dispensing nozzles 40 which mounts two longitudinal rows of nozzles 40 but four transversal rows of nozzles 40, making a total of eight nozzles for simultaneously filling eight wrappers, whilst the other parts simultaneously operate on only four wrappers.
• the invention -thus contemplates the provision of means for driving the parts 40, 46, 52, 58, 66 that operate on the wrapper, said means comprising the longitudinal base plate L, which is designed to mount a plurality of working parts and means for driving the base plate L along longitudinal forward and return movements, where the forward movement at least partly includes the working stroke of the parts operating on the wrappers, at least a section of said working stroke being substantially horizontal and parallel to the path followed by the wrappers.
• the means for driving the base plate L comprise means for driving or oscillating through an angular interval, and means for compensating the movement imparted by the first drive means, in such manner that the working parts 46 (and the other similar parts) mounted on the longitudinal base plate L are made to follow a substantially horizontal path parallel to the path followed by the wrappers being formed.
• first drive means and the second drive (or compensation) means cause the base plate L to perform an arc- shaped return stroke at a height above the level where the forward, working stroke of the working parts is performed.
• the means for driving the base plate L are designed to keep the base plate oriented in the same direction which, in the present embodiment of the invention, is a horizontal direction.
• the base plate L is associated with connecting rods Bl, B2 pivoted on each side of the base plate L through suitable hinges essentially comprising hinge pins Cl and C2.
• connecting rods Bl, B2 are pivoted, through hinges constituted by respective shafts C3, C4, to circular plates attached to central shafts Al, A2, which impart on the circular plates an oscillating motion such that they travel through angular forward and return strokes, as indicated by the arrows FR1 and FR2 in Figure 8.
• the means for driving the base plate L comprise first and second connecting rods Bl, B2 hinged at their lower ends to the ends of the base plate L.
• the first and second connecting rods Bl, B2 are connected to and supported by respective shafts C3, C4 which are rotationally driven along arc- shaped paths by respective rotary plates or discs PI, P2, to which they are connected in such a way that they can rotate freely so as to keep the base plate oriented horizontally.
• Means are provided for driving the discs PI and P2 to perform forward and return angular movements of predetermined extent. These means are not illustrated in detail and may be of any type well known to experts in the trade. In Figure 8, these means are schematically illustrated and labelled MR.
• the angular oscillation means MR acting on the shafts Al and A2 simultaneously rotate the drive discs or plates PI and P2.
• Means are also provided for oscillating the connecting rods Bl, B2 in the direction indicated by the angular arrows FC1 and FC2, so that, during the working strokes of the working parts acting on the wrappers, the vertical movements of the hinge shafts C3, C4 are compensated and the base plate L moves along a horizontal path at the same height as the wrappers. More specifically, the oscillating, vertical compensation movement is accomplished by rotational drive means MO which act on an extension of the pin C4 attached to connecting rod B2 in such a way as to drive the connecting rod B2 according to an oscillating path FC2.
• the other connecting rod being connected in a freely rotatable manner to the shaft C3, is driven along with it according to a corresponding oscillating path FC1, thanks to the four-point linkage type connection created by the base plate L.
• the plates PI and P2 are mounted in corresponding circular openings 01, 02 made in the longitudinal partition wall I in the machine, extending vertically and longitudinally and separating the working area of the machine where the wrappers are formed by the working parts described above from the mechanisms that drive these working parts.
• the shafts C3, C4 mounting the connecting rods Bl, B2 project from the longitudinal partition wall I of the frame (or from the discs Pi, P2) by a defined length, thus constituting means for transversely positioning the working parts relative to the wrappers which the working parts operate on. Thanks to the four-point linkage type drive mechanism formed by the base plate L, drive is extremely "clean" and there is no risk of contamination of the food product by the working parts that operate on the wrappers .
• the present embodiment of the machine advantageously comprises means for separating the drive area (motors, and transmission and drive mechanisms) from the wrapper forming area.
• These separation means consist essentially of the partition wall I which extends along the full length of the machine.
• the partition wall I is vertical and its height is preferably the same as that of the machine.
• the separation advantageously further comprise mobile surfaces PI, P2, from which there extend the shafts C3, C4 which mount and drive the working parts that operate on the wrappers.
• the mobile surfaces also constitute means for driving the working parts.
• the unit that dispenses or feeds the food product can be disconnected from the rest of the machine.
• This unit is associated with an independent frame 12a mounted on swivelling wheels W which enable it to be easily moved to another part of the production facility for washing.
• suitable means are provided for easily connecting and disconnecting the independent part of the 12a to and from the min body of the frame 12.
• the components mounted on the independent frame 12a comprise means for connecting to pipes for feeding the food product, but which might also be equipped with a tank or hopper for the food product, a metering unit, pipes connecting the metering unit to the dispensing nozzles, pipes connecting the product tank to the metering unit, a longitudinal partition wall I' and means for driving the nozzles 40.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Auxiliary Devices For And Details Of Packaging Control (AREA)
• Dairy Products (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=11440083

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (4)

Cited By (2)

Family Cites Families (6)

• 2002
  • 2002-04-24 IT IT2002BO000237A patent/ITBO20020237A1/it unknown
• 2003
  • 2003-04-22 EP EP03712608A patent/EP1506118A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2003-04-22 AU AU2003216695A patent/AU2003216695A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2003-04-22 WO PCT/IB2003/001625 patent/WO2003091104A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation

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