Automatic feed circuit for dunnage converter

Abstract

A dunnage converter mechanism for producing relatively low density pad-like cushioning dunnage product from flexible sheet-like stock material in roll form. The converter includes means for pulling the sheet-like stock material from a supply roll thereof into the mechanism while causing inward rolling of the lateral edges of the sheet-like stock material, resulting in a pad-like cushioning product emitted from the machine, with the product having lateral relatively resilient pillow-like portions and a central connecting section holding the pillow-like portions together in generally side-by-side attached relation. A settable control means is provided in an associated control circuit coupled to the electric drive motor for the converter mechanism, for selectively providing for programming the motor for actuation thereof during selected predetermined periods of time, whereby the pad-like dunnage product can be produced by the mechanism for a selected period of time of a plurality of time periods without any further action being needed on the part of a machine operator, after which the mechanism automatically shuts down production of the cushioning product. The settable control includes a selector module for selecting one of a plurality of time periods (e.g. seconds, minutes or hours) together with means for selecting ranges of said selected one time period, so that various lengths or runs of the produced cushioning product can be automatically provided.