Hobart Corporation

Other

Fritz F Treiber

Dallas A Margraf

Lee E Trouteaud

Russell E Bowers

Robert M Rogers

Donald H Blackburn

Francis E Graham

Glenn R Stockmeier

Norbert C Warner

Manual wrap stations for handwrapping of trayed products in film are arranged in back-to-back fashion. They have a common wrap surface between them to provide a reduced-cost, space-saving tandem or dual hand wrap station. Two operators face each other during wrapping and alternately use the common wrap surface. In a preferred form, the wrap surface is either a weighing scale platter itself or the platter can be alongside a separate wrap surface. In either such form, the system enables weighing, computing, label printing and hand labeling of wrapped products without loss of productivity. The arrangement eliminates the need for an additional computing scale and label printer, such as would be necessary to obtain the same productivity with separate wrap stations using such equipment. An audible signal is provided to indicate that the scale has completed a weighing, enabling ease of the operators' pacing of their alternating manual functions, without each having to watch the other's actions. One operator can take a shorter break in his action and return, without disrupting the functioning of the other.

Tandem handwrap stations and method for stretch film

Automatic package shingling device deposits packages exiting from an end of a package conveyor onto an elongated platter moving in coordination with package movement below the package conveyor. Controls are provided to arrest package feed when a first platter is filled, until such time as a second, empty platter is placed into package-receiving position.

Package plattering device and method

An elevator package wrapping machine comprises a film gripper for initially drawing fixed lengths of film into the machine. While the film is held by the film gripper and side clamps, a package is elevated into the film such that the height of the package draws a first addition to the film drawn by the gripper, if required. Film side and rear underfolders fold the lateral edges of the film and the rear edge of the film extending from the film source under the packages, respectively. A film cutter is provided for severing the film from its source as the packages are being wrapped, and the cutter is controlled such that the timing of its operation is based on package length. By timing the operation of the film cutter to correspond to package length, a second film addition may be drawn by the rear underfolder during package wrapping, if required. Since the film may be cut on the fly as it is being drawn by the rear underfolder, the cutter preferably comprises a heated member and a brake which is applied to the film prior to severance such that the film is substantially stopped and stretched to thereby be cleanly severed and retract from the heated member to prevent fouling.

Package wrapping method and machine

Packages to be wrapped, weighed and labeled are fed manually into an infeed station of a wrapping and weighing machine from an operator's position. A conveyor then carries them to a wrapping station. The packages are automatically wrapped at the wrapping station and returned to a weighing scale positioned above the infeed station at the operator's position where the packages are weighed and a label is printed adjacent the weighing scale and within convenient reach of the operator. The label is then manually applied by the operator as the wrapped and weighed package is removed from the scale. The wrapping station engages in continued cyclic operation so long as there are any packages in the machine. However, the conveyor operates on a demand basis in response to the placement of packages into the infeed. When a package is sensed, the conveyor goes through one operating cycle in synchronism with the operation of the wrapping station.

Package wrapping and weighing system

A label transfer arm having a central axis and comprising a socket body with a transfer nozzle rotatably mounted therein engages labels delivered to a label pickup station and transfers them to a label delivery station. An applicator head strips the labels from the transfer arm and moves them along a fixed path from the label delivery station to a package labeling station to apply the labels to packages. Transfer arm guiding rails are positioned on either side of the label transfer arm for engaging an eccentric collar attached to the transfer nozzle to thereby orient the transfer nozzle into a fixed angular orientation about the central axis of the transfer arm when the transfer arm is at the label delivery station. An operator-controllable selector ring is rotatably mounted to the socket body of the arm and is freely rotatable between selected locations defined by detents. The selector ring is coupled to the transfer nozzle by a torsion spring such that an operator can select one of at least two different angular orientations of the transfer nozzle about the central axis of the transfer arm when the arm is located at the label pickup station. By selecting the angular orientation of the arm at the label pickup station and forcing the arm into a fixed angular orientation at the label delivery station, a label held by the transfer arm is rotated about the central axis of the arm by an angle equal to the difference between the selected angular orientation and the fixed angular orientation.

Apparatus for label transfer

Packages to be wrapped, weighed and labeled are fed into an infeed station of a wrapping and weighing machine from an operator's position. The packages are automatically wrapped and returned to a weighing scale positioned above the infeed station at the operator's position where the packages are weighed and a label is printed adjacent the weighing scale and within convenient reach of the operator. The label is then manually applied by the operator as the wrapped and weighed package is removed from the scale. Since the scale is within convenient reach of the operator, packages which are too large to be wrapped by the machine, or which need to be repriced due to mark-down or the like, can be manually weighed and labeled or relabeled from the operator's position.

A method for positioning articles to be processed by a machine is performed by apparatus comprising first and second article guide members which convergently extend into an article entryway along which articles are conveyed. The guide members are spring biased into an article positioning orientation across at least a portion of the entryway and maintained in that article positioning orientation by first and second levers extending beneath the article entryway and including an interlock. The interlock releases the article guide members only upon an article contacting both of the guide members. The interlock comprises a release slot and at least one locking notch extending from one side of one end of the slot on one lever and a pin for engaging the slot and locking notch on the other lever. When the pin is engaged in the locking notch, the first and second guide members are retained in a package positioning orientation such that an article engages one or the other of the package guides and is moved laterally to a desired position by the guide as the article is conveyed along the entryway. Upon engaging both guide members, the pin is removed from the locking notch and moves within the slot to release the guide members and permit the positioned package to progress along the entryway toward a processing station of the machine.

Package positioning apparatus and method

A label transfer arm having a central axis and comprising a socket body with a transfer nozzle rotatably mounted therein engages labels delivered to a label pickup station and transfers them to a label delivery station. An applicator head strips the labels from the transfer arm and moves them along a fixed path from the label delivery station to a package labeling station to apply the labels to packages. Transfer arm guiding rails are positioned on either side of the label transfer arm for engaging an eccentric collar attached to the transfer nozzle to thereby orient the transfer nozzle into a fixed angular orientation about the central axis of the transfer arm when the transfer arm is at the label delivery station. An operator-controllable selector ring is rotatably mounted to the socket body of the arm and is freely rotatable between selected locations defined by detents. The selector ring is coupled to the transfer nozzle by a torsion spring such that an operator can select one of at least two different angular orientations of the transfer nozzle about the central axis of the transfer arm when the arm is located at the lable pickup station. By selecting the angular orientation of the arm at the label pickup station and forcing the arm into a fixed angular orientation at the label delivery station, a label held by the transfer arm is rotated about the central axis of the arm by an angle equal to the difference between the selected angular orientation and the fixed angular orientation.

A method and apparatus for package labeling is incorporated into a packaging machine wherein packages to be wrapped and labeled are conveyed from a package input station to a package wrapping and labeling station whereat an elevator raises packages into sections of wrapping material which are then wrapped about the packages. A label supply delivers labels for the packages to a label delivery station, and a label applicator is positioned over the elevator for receiving the labels from the label delivery station and applying them to sections of wrapping material prior to packages being wrapped therein. The labeling arrangement is best adapted for use in a packaging machine wherein the wrapping material is stretch film, and the sections of wrapping material are prestretched prior to application of labels thereto.

Method and apparatus for package labeling

A knife roll assembly for a meat tenderizer includes a plurality of disc-shaped knife blades, each having a peripheral cutting edge and a central shaft-receiving opening. Each of the blades defines a cluster of holes extending through the blade between the opening and the blade periphery. The blades are supported in groups by several molded members that also maintain a predetermined spacing between adjacent blades. The molded material extends radially between adjacent pairs of blades from the central opening and beyond the holes, terminating short of the cutting edges. The molded material further passes through each hole of the blades of a group to define one of a plurality of unitary blade modules, each module including the blade support member and the group of blades interconnected by the member. The modules are placed on a shaft by passing the shaft through the central openings of the blades with the modules disposed with their end surfaces in mutual contact. The modules are secured to the shaft with their end surfaces maintained in contact.

Knife roll assembly for a meat tenderizer

An improved film cutter for severing sheets of soft stretch film which is drawn in a plane into a wrapping machine from a continuous source of such film comprises a first elongated knife blade extending laterally across the plane defined by the film and having a serrated cutting edge facing the film. A knife bracket extends laterally across the opposite side of the film plane and forms a channel such that the first knife blade may be moved or inserted into the channel to sever the film. The knife bracket comprises an elongated first member, with a knife mounting bar secured thereto and spaced therefrom to define the channel. The knife mounting bar includes a flange extending away from the channel and toward the film oriented at an acute angle to the knife mounting bar such that the extended edge of the flange forms a thin film contacting edge of the channel. A second knife blade is secured parallel to the knife mounting bar and spaced therefrom, with the second knife blade having a serrated cutting edge facing the film and extending in the channel to a point short of the film contacting edge of the channel.

Film cutter

Labels are positioned within selected labeling regions on packages processed by a packaging system or carried by a package conveyor by means of horizontally shifting a package labeler relative to packages to be labeled in response to package dimensions which define the edges of the packages. Label positioning is illustrated in an integrated packaging machine wherein packages are weighed, wrapped and labeled. Packages are weighed at an input tray of the machine and at least one horizontal package dimension is measured and represented by package signals as a package is transported to an elevator, which raises the package into a section of wrapping material which is then wrapped about the package as one or more labels are applied. A price labeler positioned over the elevator generates price labels for the packages in response to weight signals. A label applicator also positioned over the elevator receives and applies labels to the packages as they are being wrapped. The label applicator is shifted horizontally in response to the package signals to position labels on the packages within selected labeling regions. The label positioning method and apparatus of the present invention are generally applicable and may be used to apply any labels, for example, hi-lite information labels or price labels to packages.

Sheets of wrapping film are drawn into a wrapping machine from a continuous film source to accommodate large girth packages. Predetermined lengths of film corresponding to the entering lengths of the packages to be wrapped are initially drawn into the machine, with additional film being drawn in accordance with the girth dimensions of the packages. In a first embodiment, the additional film is drawn from the source by fully elevating packages into the film with the stress thus produced pulling the additional film required. In a second embodiment, a secondary package pusher is connected to a rear underfolder such that as the film is folded beneath a package, any portion of the package exceeding a given length is pushed from the wrapping station beyond a film edge-engaging position to draw additional film approximately equal in length to the extended portion of the package. In a third embodiment, the film is drawn from the source by means of a gripper which is pivoted to draw additional film in accordance with the girth of a package as determined by the entering length of the package.

Extended film draw for film wrapping machine

Packages which may drop from an elevator or other package supporting/conveying apparatus in a package elevating wrapping machine are caught by a package catcher comprising a pan having upwardly extending edges which is coupled to the elevator and reciprocated therewith. The pan is supported in a generally horizontal attitude to receive dropped packages. A package guide is positioned adjacent to a package feed-in tray to direct packages which may drop to the pan. The edge of the pan which extends toward the package guide is preferably angularly oriented and lengthened to be substantially aligned with the package guide when the elevator is in its lowered position. The distal end of the lengthened pan edge is maintained in close proximity to the package guide throughout the reciprocating motion of the elevator and package catcher to facilitate passage of a dropped package to the pan.

Growing community of inventors

Centerville, OH, United States of America

Fritz F Treiber