Wrapmatic, Inc.

Tissue Machinery Company S.p.a.

T.m.c., Inc.

Sacmi Packaging S.p.a.

Davide Dall'omo

Christian Zagnoni

Andrea Cinotti

Fausto Pizzi

Alessandro Ponti

Matteo Pattuelli

Christian Zabnoni

Tiziano Gasperini

Gilberto Forni

Claudio Pederzani

A machine () for wrapping bundles () of roll products (), where the products () are grouped together in piles (), comprises a bundle () forming line (), equipped with a chain conveyor (), and a product () feed line () that serves the forming line (); the feed line () having an elevator () which is equipped with a product () supporting platform () and which is vertically mobile under the forming line () between a lowered position where it receives the products () and a raised position where it delivers the products () to the forming line (); a screw mechanism, fixed to a fixed machine mounting structure and screwed on a lead nut placed inside a mounting frame, adjusts the position of the chain conveyor, the pair of pulleys and the pusher rods relative to the raised position of the product supporting platform.

Machine for wrapping bundles of roll products

A unit for preparing groups () of products in layers (S) for palletizing comprises: a motor-driven element () for controlled pick up and release of the groups () of products from the first surface () to a second surface (), positioned by the side of the first surface (), for preparing a layer (S) of groups () of products; a logic unit () for controlling and programming the pick up and release element () and the second surface () to obtain individual layers (S) made up of two or more groups () of products on the second surface () by moving them along or around axes, transversal (Y) to the extension of the first surface (), parallel (X) with the extension of the first surface (), at a vertical height (Z) and according to an angle (&#x3b1;) of rotation about the vertical axis (Z); the pick up and release element () having independent drive units () designed to control the element () according to three of the controlled axes (X, Y, Z, &#x3b1;); the second preparation surface () having a drive unit () for controlling the second surface () along the remaining controlled axis (X, Y, Z, &#x3b1;) to place the groups () of products so as to form the layer (S), with an interface unit () inserted between the logic unit () and the element () and second surface (), allowing the four axes (X, Y, Z, &#x3b1;) to be coordinated in such a way as to form the layer (S).

Unit for preparing groups of products in layers for palletizing

In a station for forming a pile of layers of items, a surface receives layers of items to be transferred to a first support plane situated after the receiving surface. The items arranged in layers are moved along the receiving surfaces and the first support plane by driving chains connected by rods set crosswise to the receiving surface and support plane. The support plane is spaced apart from the receiving surface to define a window and a descending ramp is situated below the window. An additional conveyor formed by narrow slats or rolls, is situated at the window and is operated so that one flexible plate moves to cover and uncover the window, so that layers of items are alternately either carried from the receiving surface to the support plane or made to pass through the window and released on the descending ramp. The ramp can change inclination so as to connect the receiving surface to either one or the other of second and third support planes situated below the first support plane.

Three layer stacking station for forming a pile of items from the three layers

A unit for forming packs of products for a packaging machine comprises at least three feed surfaces () for layers of products () and a receiving station () for the layers of products (). The receiving station () comprises an elevator (), mobile only between a position for loading the products () and a position for releasing the products (), to transfer the layers of products () to a packaging machine (). The three feed surfaces () comprise synchronization means so that they simultaneously release the respective layers of products () onto the elevator ().

Unit and method for forming packs of products for a packaging machine

A method for producing a pack () for groups () of rolls of products comprises the following steps: forming of a tube of film () around a frame () forming a channel () for the passage of the product groups (); creation of a first seal (S) on the front edges () of the film (); insertion in the channel () of product groups (), fed until they are close to the closed front end () of the film (); further feeding of the product groups () with simultaneous feeding of the film () and formation of the further portion of the pack () beyond the frame (); creation of a second, longitudinal seal (S) on the overlapping longitudinal edges of the film () simultaneously with the further feed step; creation of a third seal (S) on the rear edges () of the film () designed to close the pack () at the rear of the product groups () bagged; between the step of insertion of product groups () in the channel () and the further feeding of the product groups (), there being a step of feeding the film () wound around the frame (), simultaneously with and in the same direction as the feeding of the product groups (), designed to allow a fixed distance (D) to be maintained between the closed front end () of the film () and the front end () of the product groups () fed forward.

Method for producing a pack for groups of products and machine for implementing said method

An apparatus for wrapping groups of rolls of products with a sheet of film comprises a station for packaging and moving, with a stepping motion, in a predetermined direction, a succession of groups of products wrapped in a sheet of film, having an open front side defined by two opposite flaps, and means for closing the open side comprising a unit consisting of: two pairs of mobile elements, arranged side by side in said direction, to allow the flaps of film of the two groups of products arranged one after another to be brought together and closed; first movement means for the unit, allowing synchronized movement of the two pairs of elements, respectively, in the same direction as the groups, for one group feed step, bringing together and closing the flaps, and a movement opposite to said direction over a distance equal to the distance previously traveled, simultaneously with a feed step of the groups to be packaged, so as to position the unit at two further and subsequent groups of products to be closed.

Apparatus for wrapping groups of rolls of products with a sheet of plastic film

In a device for closing side ends of packages enclosing only one roll or one row of rolls in an automatic packaging machine, operating apparatus are connected to the machine packaging line. A package, partially wrapped by a sheet, is fed to the packaging line in a forward direction, so that only the outer cylindrical surface of the package is touched by the operating apparatus. The operating apparatus translate and rotate the package about an axis, in the forward direction, so that edges of the sheet wrapping the package, during transferring along said packaging line, hit edges of stationary folding apparatus situated beside the packaging line, and become twisted.

Device for closing the side ends of a package enclosing one roll or rolls of material in an automatic packaging machine

The selection device includes a sensor unit which checks the flatness of the free surface of a sheet pack at an edge, and which moves vertically away from and into contact with the free surface of the pack; the sensor unit extends along an axis transversal to a direction of feed and operates a blade which defines the ream and is opposite and attached to the said sensor unit, moving with the unit near to the edge, and may be positioned parallel to the free surface of the pack; drive means are envisaged for the blade, to move it from a position away from the edge until it makes contact with the ream, at which point the blade penetrates the pack, and a position in which it defines a gap between the ream and the pack, in which the blade is turned about the transversal axis through an angle sufficient to allow the transfer means to penetrate the ream.

Device for the selection of large loose reams

The conveying arm is composed of a first lower portion by which products assembled for wrapping are restrained, and a supporting upper portion embodied integrally with the first, which affords two slots occupying the full width of the arm as measured transversely to the conveying direction and designed to couple with two respective rails; the first such slot is located in and accessible from the face of the upper portion directed toward the products, and functions as a sliding bearing, whilst the second slot is located to the rear of the first. The arm is fashioned in a deformable material and its deformability enhanced by a narrow extension of the rear slot, in such a way that the upper portion can be locked to and released from the rail swiftly by applying a corresponding force parallel to the conveying direction.

Quick-release conveying arm in machines for assembling and wrapping

In a machine for wrapping rolls of household paper in plastic film, the standard heat seal roller is modified by fitting an offset device in the form of a bar set forward of the revolving heated sector in relation to the path followed by the packs of rolls and in the direction of rotation of the roller; the bar projects radially from the roller, and impinges on the sheet of film wrapped around each pack of rolls directed into the heat seal station, causing the two overlapping edges to shift one in relation to the other such that the wrapping is slackened marginally before the edges are joined, affording space into which the rolls can expand once beyond the confines of the heat seal station.

Device for inducing slack in a wrapping film, associated with means for

The semiautomatic equipment included a pair of horizontal knives disposed mutually parallel, adjustable for height, and positioned a short distance from the edge of a stack of sheets for penetrating the depth of one ream, selected previously by hand. The knives are carried slidably by a beam suspended over the stack of sheets between the rails of a frame and are therefore capable of relative movement parallel with the width of the stack. The knives are movably attached to the beam by way of a carriage having guides which provide a degree of movement parallel with the length of the stack, such that an operator can bring about the initial insertion by hand before applying an actuator to lock the knives to the carriage when fully penetrated within the stack of sheets. The entire assembly of beam, carriage and knives is traversed along the frame by further actuators that are triggered to operate by a sensor mounted to the knives, and thus causing the separated ream to be moved forward to a wrapping station.

Semiautomatic equipment for the separation of loose large size reams

Reams of paper advancing in a horizontal direction on a first belt are straightened initially by interaction with a transverse vertical barrier, while wrapping paper is drawn out from below the first belt and directed onto a third belt; the paper is pulled upright into the path of the ream by the elevation of a first gate affording a gap of height at least equal to that of the ream whereupon the ream is directed through the gap, becoming partially enveloped by the paper, then stopped on the third belt while the wrapping paper is cut near to the gate and the trailing edge simultaneously moistened with gum. Finally a second gate identical to the first is raised at the entry to the third belt, drawing up the remaining portion of the paper, and the conveying direction is reversed to take the ream back through the relative gap; the ream is thus enveloped completely and the gummed edge of the wrapping paper flattened and secured.

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Bologna, Italy

Davide Dall'omo