Method of and apparatus for forming packages

In a package forming apparatus including a forming tube with an outer surface and a downwardly extending internal bore that extends between an upper rim and a lower rim of the forming tube, said forming tube being of a size and shape to receive a supply of hose-shaped wrapping material fitting telescopically about the outer surface of the tube with a portion of the wrapping material extending over the upper rim of the tube and downwardly through the internal bore;

• wherein said improvement comprises a gate positioned below the lower rim of the forming tube;
• means for moving the gate between a position in alignment with the bore of the forming tube for supporting the portion of wraping material inside the forming tube as a quantity of articles to be packaged are filled into the portion of wrapping material and a position out of alignment with said bore for allowing the portion of wrapping material in the forming tube and the articles to be packaged therein to drop downwardly through the bore to a position below the gate whereby another portion of hose-shaped wrapping material is fed into the bore for reception of the next batch of articles to be packaged;
• and means for fastening the hose-shaped material in a tightly gathered together manner at a location located laterally of the line of fall from the lower rim of the forming tube by a distance sufficient for the gate to be moved to an article supporting position.

In a package forming apparatus including a forming tube with an outer surface and a downwardly extending internal bore that extends between an upper rim and a lower rim of the forming tube, said forming tube having means for receiving a supply of hose-shaped wrapping material fitting telescopically about the outer surface of the tube with a portion of the wrapping material extending over the upper rim of the tube and downwardly through the internal bore;

• means for feeding articles to be packaged into the hose-shaped wrapping material within the forming tube bore;
• means for fastening the hose-shaped wrapping material in a tightly gathered together manner at a location below the lower rim of the forming tube;
• wherein said improvement comprises a gate positioned at a location above the fastening means and below the lower rim of the forming tube;
• means for moving the gate between a position in alignment with the internal bore of the forming tube for supporting the portion of wrapping material inside the forming tube bore as the articles to be packaged are fed into that portion of wrapping material and a position out of alignment with said bore for allowing the portion of wrapping material and the articles to be packaged to drop downwardly through the bore to a position below the gate whereby another portion of wrapping material is fed into the bore for reception of the next batch of articles to be packaged;
• and means for severing the hose-shaped material at a location located laterally of the line of fall from the lower rim of the forming tube by a distance sufficient for the gate to be moved to an article supporting position.

A method of forming a package comprised of articles wrapped in a hose-shaped wrapper, said method comprising the steps of providing a generally vertically oriented forming tube and a supply of hose-shaped wrapping material pleated axially and fitting telescopically about the outer surface of the tube with a portion of the wrapping material extending over the upper rim of the tube and downwardly through the tube bore to a position below the lower rim of the tube;

• gathering the end of the wrapping material together and applying a fastener thereto;
• filling the portion of wrapping material inside the tube bore with a quantity of articles to be packaged while supporting the wrapping material and the accumulated articles at a position directly below the tube;
• removing the support from the wrapping material and accumulated articles upon completion of the filling operation to drop at least some of the articles in the wrapping material from the position of support downwardly to the fastened end of the wrapping material thereby causing a downward pull on the wrapping material to break up any bridging of any other articles in the tube so that all of the articles pass downwardly through the tube bore to a position therebelow and another portion of hose-shaped wrapping material is fed into the internal bore for the reception of the next batch of articles to be packaged;
• returning the support to a position below the tube for supporting said next batch of articles;
• and severing the wrapping material at a location located laterally of the line of fall from the lower rim of the forming tube by a distance sufficient for the support to be moved to an article supporting position, said material being severed above said quantity of articles to be packaged.