Folding Machine
AssigneeMolins Limited
InventorsCarl Jones, Philip Haddow
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A folding machine for wrapping a bundle of cigarettes in metal-laminated paper. A partially wrapped bundle of cigarettes, including an unwrapped trailing end, is received in a pocket of a shuttle from a pusher. The shuttle comprises a top folder, two side folders and two bottom folders that are integrated with the shuttle and can operate on the partially unwrapped package along respective edges of its end face and produce a wrapped package in the pocket. Another pusher is configured to eject the wrapped package from the pocket of the shuttle. The shuttle also includes a gripper for gripping the partially wrapped bundle. The driving mechanism for the gripper is integrated with the driving mechanism for the shuttle.
Claims18
A machine for folding an end of a wrapper, comprising:
- a shuttle comprising a pocket for receiving a partially wrapped package from a first pusher, wherein the partially wrapped package includes an unwrapped trailing end and the shuttle comprises top, bottom and side folders configured to fold flaps of the partially unwrapped package along respective edges of the end face and produce a wrapped package in the pocket;
- and
- a second pusher configured to eject the wrapped package from the pocket of the shuttle.
A method of folding an end of a wrapper, comprising the steps of:
- introducing a partially wrapped package with an unwrapped trailing end into the pocket of a shuttle using a first pusher;
- folding the unwrapped trailing end of the package while it is received in the pocket using top, bottom and side folders that are integrated with the shuttle to produce a wrapped package;
- and
- ejecting the wrapped package from the pocket of the shuttle using a second pusher.
A machine for folding an end of a wrapper, comprising:
- a first pusher configured to push a partially wrapped package including an unwrapped trailing end;
- a shuttle comprising a pocket for receiving the partially wrapped package from the first pusher and a gripper configured to grip the partially wrapped package when is received in the pocket;
- a plurality of folders configured to fold the unwrapped trailing end and produce a wrapped package in the pocket;
- and
- a shuttle drive mechanism configured to reciprocate the shuttle relative to a fixed base, wherein the shuttle drive mechanism includes a cam and the gripper includes a cam follower so that a relative movement of the cam and the cam follower is configured to drive the gripper from a releasing position towards a gripping position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.