Tetra Laval Holdings & Finance S.a.

The Mead Corporation

Roy A Johnson

Mark W Davidson

Alessandro Morselli

Robert H Ganz

Mathias N Coulomb

Giorgio Santoni

Joshua Alexander

Folding apparatus () for folding sheet packaging elements (), comprising main conveying means (), configured to sequentially receive the packaging elements () from a feeding station () and to advance each packaging element () along a first path (A), forming means (), carried by the main conveying means () and configured to cooperate in use with a first face () of each packaging element () while the packaging element () is advanced along the first path (A), and folding means (), advanced by auxiliary conveying means () along a second path (Q), having a first portion (Q) distinct from the first path (A) and a second portion (Q), which is in common with the first path (A) and along which the folding means () cooperate with a second face (), opposite the first face (), of each packaging element () to fold the packaging element () against the forming means ().

Folding apparatus for folding sheet packaging elements

There is described a magazine () for sheet packaging elements () in which side portions () of said packaging elements () are held in a vertical position by transport and support branches () of main and secondary units () and said packaging elements () are advanced in respective conveying spaces () along a path (P) parallel to said transport and support branches () of said main and secondary units (). The packaging elements () are advanced along said path (P) from an inlet section () to an outlet section (). During conveying, batches () of packaging elements () are formed between an accumulation unit () and an auxiliary conveying unit () so that said packaging elements () are advanced in said batches () towards an end packaging station.

Magazine for sheet packaging elements

As a conditioning step for wrapping a plurality of articles in a low density polyethylene shrink film, perforations are formed in the shrink film for receiving machine elements utilized in performing the wrapping operation, the film being moved continuously between a pair of infeed rolls and a pair of outfeed rolls between which a rotatable mandrel is disposed and which includes perforating knives thereon for engaging the film while the film is moved continuously, the perforating knives being disposed on the opposite side of the web from a rotatable back up roll having cavities formed therein for receiving the ends of the perforating knives in such manner that the web is maintained under tension throughout the perforating process while the backup roll serves to prevent sidewise movement of the web due to web perforating action of the perforating knives.

Web perforating apparatus

For applying heat to groups of articles disposed within a wrapper of shrink film whose ends are overlapped and disposed below the articles, a tunnel is provided including a conveyor through the tunnel having air passages therethrough and on which the groups of articles are disposed while being moved through the tunnel, a heater disposed below the conveyor, a primary fan for driving air through the heater and into a conduit which directs heated air through the passages in the conveyor and directly to the overlapped ends of the wrapper together with a fan and conduit for directing heated air at a lower temperature to the ends and sides of the groups of articles.

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Marietta, GA, United States of America

Roy A Johnson