Wrapper end folding and sealing apparatus

An apparatus for folding and sealing upper and lower end portions of a heat sealable wrapper at the end of articles as the articles are advanced comprising:

• a. an endless type article conveyor having an upper run and article pusher means at a preselected pitch distance along the article conveyor for engaging the trailing side of the articles to advance the articles and wrapper in a forward direction along a generally horizontal path of travel with upper and lower end portions of the wrapper extending laterally from the article conveyor;
• b. an endless type upper and lower finger conveyors disposed alongside the article conveyor, said upper and lower finger conveyors having inlet runs that converge in said forward direction at a shallow acute angle respectively from above and below said upper run of the article conveyor and forward runs extending forwardly from the respective inlet run in vertically spaced relation, the inlet runs of said upper and lower finger conveyors converging toward the upper run of the article conveyor at locations intermediate the ends thereof and offset in a direction lengthwise of the upper run of the article conveyor whereby to effect sequential folding of the end portions of the wrapper, said upper and lower finger conveyors each having a plurality of film folding fingers extending respectively downwardly and upwardly from the upper and lower finger conveyors as they move along the inlet and forward runs thereof for engaging the upper and lower end portions of the wrapper to fold the same respectively downwardly and upwardly into overlapping relation at the ends of the article, said fingers being arranged in groups at said preselected pitch distance along the respective finger conveyor means for driving the finger conveyors in timed relation with the article conveyor with the fingers at the trailing end of each group of fingers disposed forwardly of the article pusher means on the article conveyor as the article pusher means moves along the forward run of the finger conveyors and
• c. wrapper seal means for sealing the overlapping upper and lower end portions of the wrapper to each other as the articles are advanced by the article conveyor past said forward runs of the finger conveyors.