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June 13, 1961
H. B. MILLER
'
2,987,864
WRAPPING DEVICE
Filed March 4, 1959
2 Sheets-Sheet 1
WW
ATTORNEY
June 13, 1961
H. B. MILLER
2,987,864
WRAPPING DEVICE
Filed March 4,_ 1959
519224
2 Sheets-Sheet 2
,.
395'
'I>‘1’
INVENTOR
BY
ATTORNEY
United States Patent 0
1
1C6
2,987,864
Patented June 13, 1961
1
2
WRAPPING DEVICE
2,987,864
Harmon Baker Miller, Atlanta, Ga., assignor to Miller &
than the level of the ?rst stationary platform for wrapping
the packaging sheet material from the packaging roller
is fed at substantially the same level from the starting
Miller, Inc., Atlanta, Ga., a corporation of Georgia
‘Filed Mar. 4, 1959, Ser. No. 797,286
1 Claim. (Cl. 53-390)
point at the bottom of the material roll 12 along the re
spective top surfaces of rollers 11 and at the ?rst sta
tionary platform. The forward movement of the web
from the roll to the platform is along substantially the
The present invention relates to improvements in
same horizontal level. At one end of the rollers a plate
packaging machines. More particularly, it pertains to a
15 of ?bre or other suitable material is interposed between
device for the direct wrapping or overwrapping of various 10 the frame and the ends of the rollers. A thumb screw
products and containers.
16 is threaded through the frame and presses against the
It is an object of the present invention to provide a
device which is especially suited for packaging produce
and has distinct advantages over other wrapping means.
It permits the use of low cost ?lm, wraps faster, uses less
plate 15 so that friction can be increased or decreased
against the ends of the rollers. This serves as a brake
whereby the rotation of the rollers can be slowed down
to increase the tension on the wrapping material as it is
pulled from the roll set on the rollers.
Positioned in the center of the frame forward of the
rollers is a wrapping surface or table 17 secured to each
wrap, the bag wrap and the overwrap. The sleeve wrap
side of the frame. The wrapping material in the ?rst
uses a minimum of ?lm and leaves both ends of the 20 instance is ‘pulled from the roll over the table 17 and
package exposed; it is suited for uniform size fruits,
the product to be wrapped is rolled in the material and
celery, corn, bananas, and the like, and may be used with
pulled forward. At the forward end of the table is a
orwithout trays or cartons. The bag wrap is a variation
hot wire 18 for cutting the wrapping material at the de
of the sleeve wrap with one end tucked under and heat
sired length. After the material wrapped around the
sealed; it is suited for products such as endive, asparagus 25 product has been cut off, it will be seen (FIGURES 1 and
and leaf lettuce where one end is left exposed, and is
2) that the material is on the table ready to receive the
usually used without trays or cartons. The overwrap
next product. In each wrapping operation the material
is the same as with other types of ?lm wrapping and has
is not cut o? until the wrapping has been completed. In
the ends tucked under and sealed; it is recommended for
this way, the material for the next operation is in its
grapes, ungraded fruits, beans, and the like, and is almost 30 proper place on the table. The table is provided with
always used with trays or cartons.
cutouts 17a to facilitate picking up the wrapping material
It is a further object of the invention to provide a
from the table preparatory to the next wrapping. The
packaging device which is sturdy and durable of construc
end of the wrapping material rolled around the product
tion and well suited to operate in a practical and e?‘icient
is preferably tucked under to make a neater package and
35
?lm per package, cuts ?lm inventory, and is portable.
It is extremely versatile in its use and basically lends
itself to three types of packages, namely, the sleeve
manner.
‘Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious
and will in part appear hereinafter.
the bottom of the package is touched against the hot
plate 19 with slight pressure, thereby making an instan
taneous seal of the package. If either or both ends of
The invention accordingly comprises the features of
the package are also to be sealed, the wrapping material
construction, combination of elements and arrangement
is
folded over the end and heat sealed by touching it
of parts, which will be exempli?ed in the construction 40 against the hot plate. The hot plate 19 is covered with
hereinafter set forth and the scope of the invention will
a sheet 20 of material to which heat scalable coatings
be indicated in the claims.
will not adhere when heat is applied and which will give
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects
even distribution of heat to the surface and prevent burn
of the invention, reference should be had to the follow
ing of the ?ngers, e.g. “Te?on” (polytetra?uorethylene
45
ing detailed description taken in connection with the ac
coated or impregnated glass fabric). This sheet is held
companying drawing, in which:
to the plate by screws 21 at the front and by springs 22
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the wrapping
at the back end.
machine embodying the present invention;
The electric current is fed into the device through
FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the machine;
line 23, one circuit of which runs through the thermostat
50
FIGURE 3 is a top plan view, similar to FIGURE 2,
24 to the heating element of the hot plate 19'. Such
with the top plate cut away along each side;
FIGURE 4 is a section view on the line 4—4 of
FIGURE 3 with the ?lm in position; and
thermostat permits setting the temperature to provide the
best seal under the particular work room temperature.
The sealing qualities of the ?lm are affected by tem
FIGURE 5 is an enlarged section view on the line
perature, dwell time and pressure. Accordingly, if the
55
5-5 of FIGURE 4.
Referring more particularly to the drawings there is
shown in FIGURE 1 a base frame 10 on which the vari
ous elements of the device are mounted.
At one end
are a pair of rollers 11 adapted to hold the necessary
temperature is set correctly, the dwell time will be very
short and only slight pressure on the hot plate will make
an instantaneous seal.
The other circuit of the line 23- runs to an on-o? switch
size roll of heat scalable wrapping ?lm or sheet material 60 25, a transformer, a coil 26, and the hot cutting wire
18‘. The cutting wire is set at the proper temperature,
12. The rollers 11 are set in ball bearing bushings 13
usually by the manufacturer, and requires no further
held in the frame by screws 14 (FIGURE 5). As shown
adjustment by the user. It will not cause burning by
in FIG. 4 the lower supporting rollers 11 for the material
roll 12 have .their respective top surfaces along a line 65 lightly touching but only upon steady pressure with the
?ngers.
which is not higher than the level of the ?rst platform,
This device has been described in sui?cient detail to
the ?rst platform which is at the forward end of table
make its operation apparent. Since certain changes may
17 and constitutes a ?rst stationary platform for wrapping
the package. As shown in FIG. 4 the second stationary
be made in the above construction and different embodi
. platform constitutes a working table surface for heat 70 ments of the invention could be made without depart
sealing. As a result of the speci?c location of the top
ing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter
surfaces of rollers 11 along a line which is not higher
contained in the above description or shown in the ac
asszeea
3
companying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative
and not in a limiting sense.
It is also to be understood that the following claim is
intended to cover all_ of the genericuand speci?c features
of the invention herein described, and all statements of
the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language,
might be'said to fall therebetween.
Having described my invention, what I claim as new
and desire to secure by Letters Pattent is:
V
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,
I
4
-
.
,
of said lower supportingirollers being mounted in said
base frame by bushings, a friction plate which is inter
posed between a mounting bushing at an end of each of
said rollers and the inner edge of said base frame to
increase the frictional engagement of said lower roller
with said inner edge of said frame and impart thereby
additional tensioning of said web in its forward travel
from said material supply roll to said table and a friction
plate adjusting device threaded through the edge of said
A packaging device having means for cutting sheet 10 frame and bearing against said friction plate to urge said
rollers into greater or lesser pressing engagement with
material fed thereto and means for heat sealing a pack
said frame'a'nd thereby'adjustably control-the tensioning
age Wrapped therein and comprising a base ‘frame,
of the web from said packaging material supply roll.’
a pair of spaced lower rollers mounted transversely
of said base frame for supporting a packaging mate
References Cited in the ?le of this patent
rial roll placed on said rollers, a table mounted on 15
said base frame having a stationary platform for wrapping
UNITED STATES PATENTS '
a package thereon, said lower supporting rollers for said
Re. 24,396v
Rumsey __V: _______ ______ Nov. 26,1957
material roll having their respective top surfaces along
a line which is not higher than the level of said wrapping
platform whereby packaging material in the form of a
947,007
2,445,080 ‘
Wheat _______ .._
'__._,Jan. 18', 1910
iPetskeyes ____ __‘ -___'_.._ July 13, 1948
web fed from the bottom of the material roll passes along
2,615,200
Cloud _______ __,___.._'_;; Oct; 28,’ 1,952
said respective top surface of said supporting rollers to
position said web at substantially the same level as said
wrapping platform in the forward travel of the material
across said lower supporting rollers to the wrapping 25
2,624,990
2,795,907
Allen ________ _.'______‘__ Jan. 13, 1953
Bestoso ______' _______ _.'._.'_“Iune 18, 1957
2,819,574
Maust _____ a. ____ ___.‘._,_ Jan. 14, 1958
2,827,743
Rumsey' _____ _____'_..__;..' Mar. 25, 1958
platform, said lower supporting rollers serving to tension.
said web in its forward travel, each of the ends of each
2,865,576
'Woellner ._.___ _________ __ Dec. 23, 1958
2,879,636
Zuercher ___________ __.. Mar. 31, 1959