Packaging machine

A packaging machine comprising

• a pair of hoppers for receiving a supply of flowable material, each said hopper having a plurality of outlet nozzles in a base thereof for outflow of a plurality of streams of the flowable material;
• a pair of rotatable dumper shafts, each said shaft being disposed below a respective hopper, each said dumper shaft having a plurality of flow measuring means thereon, each said measuring means being disposed below a respective hopper outlet nozzle and including a plurality of material receiving chambers circumferentially disposed about said shaft, each said chamber being of adjustable size to receive varying amounts of material from a respective outlet nozzle;
• a plurality of guide tubes, each said tube being aligned with a respective measuring means to guide a measured amount of material therethrough;
• means for moving a pair of continuous sheets over said guide tubes;
• means for sealing the continuous sheets to each other between and alongside said guide tubes;
• and
• a pair of rotatable seal bars below said guide tubes for sealing the sheets to each other transversely of said guide tubes to define sequentially spaced packets containing measured amounts of the material.

A packaging machine comprising

• at least one guide tube for receiving a measured amount of material;
• means for moving a pair of continuous sheets over said guide tube;
• means for sealing the continuous sheets to each other alongside said guide tube;
• sealing means for sealing the sheets to each other transversely of said guide tube to define sequentially spaced packets of material;
• a pair of conduits adjacent said guide tube and extending to the lower end of said guide tube;
• and
• suction means connected to said conduits to evacuate the region surrounding the lower end of said guide tube.

A packaging machine comprising

• a hopper for receiving a supply of flowable material, said hopper having a plurality of outlet nozzles in a base thereof for outflow of a plurality of streams of the flowable material;
• a rotatable dumper shaft below said hopper, said dumper shaft having a plurality of flow measuring means thereon, each said measuring means being disposed below a respective hopper outlet nozzle and including a plurality of material receiving chambers circumferentially disposed about said shaft, each said chamber being of adjustable size to receive varying amounts of material from a respective outlet nozzle;
• an agitator means including a series of vertically reciprocal depending fingers, each said finger being disposed within a respective outlet nozzle;
• a plurality of guide tubes, each said tube being aligned with a respective measuring means to guide a measured amount of material therethrough;
• means for moving a pair of continuous sheets over said guide tubes;
• means for sealing the continuous sheets to each other between and alongside said guide tubes;
• a pair of rotatable seal bars below said guide tubes for sealing the sheets to each other transversely of said guide tubes to define sequentially spaced packets containing measured amounts of the material.

A packaging machine comprising

• a hopper for receiving a supply of flowable material, said hopper having a plurality of outlet nozzles in a base thereof for outflow of a plurality of streams of the flowable material;
• a rotatable dumper shaft below said hopper, said dumper shaft having a plurality of flow measuring means thereon, each said measuring means being disposed below a respective hopper outlet nozzle and including a plurality of material receiving chambers circumferentially disposed about said shaft, each said chamber being of adjustable size to receive varying amounts of material from a respective outlet nozzle;
• a plurality of guide tubes, each said tube being aligned with a respective measuring means to guide a measured amount of material therethrough;
• means for moving a pair of continuous sheets over said guide tubes;
• means for sealing the continuous sheets to each other between and alongside said guide tubes;
• a pair of rotatable seal bars below said guide tubes for sealing the sheets to each other transversely of said guide tubes to define sequentially spaced packets containing measured amounts of the material;
• and
• a cutting means downstream of said seal bars for severing sequentially formed packets from said sheets, said cutting means including an orbitally movable cutting blade and an orbitally movable shear plate for engaging and severing said sheets therebetween while pulling said sheets to slightly stretch said sheets.