Molins Plc

Jeffrey J Patchett

Michael J Cahill

Geoffrey W Vernon

Dennis Hinchcliffe

Thomas William Bailey

David Robert Seaward

James R Stembridge

Graham L Shirley

Peter White

Variable speed conveying apparatus

Article wrapping apparatus, particularly for wrapping cigarette packets in wrapper film, includes separate cutters (34A,14) respectively for severing a wrapper web into separate sections and for cutting the leading end of a tear strip attached to each section. Drive means (24) is provided for varying the path length of the web between the cutters. Separate drives (12,30) are provided respectively for the cutters and for the web, these being synchronized with a further separate drive for the articles. An air mover (32) assists feeding of the web towards the main cutter (34A); a further air mover (50) assists feeding of wrapper sections across and beyond the path of an article to be wrapped. Opposed belt conveyors (43,44) may be clamped together under action of air cylinders for feeding of wrapper sections without loss of timing.

Article wrapping apparatus

A wrapping machine, particularly for wrapping cigarette packets in wrapper film, includes a series of endless band conveyors (148, 152, 156, 166, 170) carrying pushers (150, 154, 158, 172) for moving successive packets (191) along a straight wrapping line. One of the pushers (158) is heated to seal a wrapper seam. Opposed heated band conveyors (166) simultaneously seal end folds of the wrapper. Packets are gripped between opposed conveyors (145, 148) immediately after intercepting a wrapper (100). Partially-wrapped packets are arranged to slide relative to surfaces (149, 153, 157, 180) to attain wrap tightness. Successive conveyors (e.g. 156, 170) are independently driven to allow phasing of the conveyors to vary the position at which packets are transferred between them.

Wrapping machines

Growing community of inventors

Coventry, United Kingdom

Jeffrey J Patchett