Apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of articles

Apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of generally flat, compressible articles, such as disposable diapers, comprising,

• means positioned generally at one of said apparatus for successively receiving the articles and for positioning the articles successively in a longitudinally extending row;
• means for moving a group of a predetermined number of the articles from said receiving and positioning means in a generally longitudinal path of travel to generally the other end of said apparatus and for longitudinally compressing the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for positioning banding material across the path of travel of the group of articles and for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles as the group is moved to the other end of said apparatus;
• means for moving the banding material around the trailing end of the group of compressed articles positioned at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for sealing the banding material together in encircling relation around the compressed group of articles;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said article moving and compressing means, said band material moving means and said band material sealing means for sequentially controlling and operating these said means for the compressing and banding operation by said apparatus, said control means comprising a source of electrical energy, an electrical circuit means respectively connected between said source of electrical energy, said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means and said banding material sealing means for selectively supplying electrical energy therebetween for sequentially and automatically operating same, means connected in said electric circuit means and with said article compressing and moving means for sensing and counting the articles as they are successively received by said receiving and positioning means for operating said article moving and compressing means after sensing and counting a predetermined number of articles, first limit switch means connected in said electrical circuit means for being actuated upon the positioning of the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus for compression thereof, and timing switch means connected in said electrical circuit means for being initially actuated by said first limit switch means upon its actuation for automatically and sequentially operating said banding material moving means and said banding material sealing means for the banding operation and for preparing said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means and said banding material sealing means for the next article compressing and banding operation.

Apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of generally flat, compressible articles, such as disposable diapers, comprising:

• means positioned generally at one end of said apparatus for successively receivng the articles and for positioning the articles successively in a longitudinally extending row;
• means for moving a group of a predetermined number of the articles from said receiving and positioning means in a generally longitudinal path of travel to generally the other end of said apparatus and for longitudinally compressing the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for positioning banding material across the path of travel of the group of articles and for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles as the group is moved to the other end of said apparatus;
• means for moving the banding material around the trailing end of the group of compressed articles positioned at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for sealing the banding material together in encircling relation around the compressed group of articles;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said article moving and compressing means, said band material moving means and said band material sealing means for sequentially controlling and operating these said means for the compressing and banding operation by said apparatus, said control means comprising a source of electrical energy, an electrical circuit means respectively connected between said source of electrical energy and said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means and said banding material sealing means for selectively supplying electrical energy therebetween for sequentially operating same, automatic operating means including means connected in said electrical circuit means and with said article compressing and moving means for sensing and counting the articles as they are successively received by said receiving and positioning means for operating said article moving and compressing means after sensing and counting a predetermined number of articles, first limit switch means connected in said electrical circuit means for being actuated upon the positioning of the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus for compression thereof, and timing switch means connected in said electrical circuit means for being initially actuated by said first switch means upon its actuation for automatically and sequentially operating said banding material moving means and said banding material sealing means for the banding operation and for preparing said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means and said banding material sealing means for the next article compressing and banding operation, manual operating means including separate manually operated switches connected in said electrical circuit means for being opened and closed for manually controlling operation of said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means and said banding material sealing means, and manually actuated selecting switch means connected in said electrical circuit for being operated to render said automatic operating means inactive when manual operation of said apparatus is desired and for being operated to activate said automatic operating means when automatic operation of said apparatus is desired.

Apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of generally flat, compressible articles, such as disposable diapers, comprising

• means positioned generally at one end of said apparatus for successively receiving the articles and for positioning the articles successively in a longitudinally extending row;
• means for moving a group of a predetermined number of the articles from said receiving and positioning means in a generally longitudinal path of travel to generally the other end of said apparatus and for longitudinally compressing the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for positioning banding material across the path of travel of the group of articles and for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles as the group is moved to the other end of said apparatus;
• means for moving the banding material around the trailing end of the group of compressed articles positioned at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for sealing the banding material together in encircling relation around the compressed group of articles;
• ejector means for ejecting a compressed and banded group of articles from said apparatus after completion of the compressing and banding operations;
• and
• control means including a source of electrical energy, electrical circuit means respectively connected between said source of electrical energry and said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means, said banding material sealing means and said ejector means for selectively supplying electrical energy therebetween for sequentially operating same, and separate manually operated switches connected in said electrical circuit means for being opened and closed for manually controlling operation of said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means, said banding material sealing means and said ejector means.

Apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of generally flat, compressible articles, such as disposable diapers, comprising

• means positioned generally at one end of said apparatus for successively receiving the articles and for positioning the articles successively in a longitudinally extending row;
• means for moving a group of a predetermined number of the articles from said receiving and positioning means in a generally longitudinal path of travel to generally the other end of said apparatus and for longitudinally compressing the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for positioning banding material across the path of travel of the group of articles and for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles as the group is moved to the other end of said apparatus;
• means for moving the banding material around the trialing end of the group of compressed articles positioned at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for sealing the banding material together in encircling relation around the compressed group of articles;
• ejector means for ejecting a compressed and banded group of articles from said apparatus after completion of the compressing and banding operations;
• and
• control means including a source of electrical energy, an electrical circuit means respectively connected between said source of electrical energy, said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means, said banding material sealing means and said ejector means for sequentially supplying electrical energy therebetween for sequentially and automatically operating same, means connected in said electric circuit means and with said article compressing and moving means for sensing and counting the articles as they are successively received by said receiving and positioning means for operating said article moving and compressing means after sensing and counting a predetermined number of articles, first limit switch means connected in said electrical circuit means for being actuated upon positioning of the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus for compression thereof, and timing switch means connected in said electrical circuit means for being initially actuated by said first switch means upon its actuation for automatically and sequentially operating said banding material moving means, said banding material sealing means and said ejector means for the banding and ejecting operations and for preparing said article moving and compressing means, said banding material moving means, said banding material sealing means and said ejector means for the next article compressing, banding and ejecting operation.

Apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of generally flat, compressible articles, such as disposable diapers, comprising

• means comprising an elongate longitudinally extending chamber having a bottom portion defining longitudinally extending slot means therein, side portions and an open top and being dimensioned for successively and snugly receiving the articles at one end thereof oriented in generally vertically and transversely extending positions, for allowing positioning of the articles at the one end thereof in a longitudinally extending row, and for allowing movement of the articles from the one end thereof to the other end thereof for the compressing and banding operation while maintaining the generally vertical and transverse orientation of the articles, said side portions defining an opening therethrough for providing a transversely extending passageway across said chamber;
• stop block means positioned at generally the other end of said chamber in the path of travel of the articles for stopping movement of the articles from the one end of said chamber to the other end of said chamber;
• means including a longitudinally extending endless chain having the upper flight thereof positioned adjacent and below said slot means in said bottom portion of said chamber and extending from the one end of said chamber to the other end of said chamber, a plurality of compression fingers carried by and extending outwardly from said endless chain in predetermined spaced relationship for extending through said slot means in said bottom portion of said chamber for contact with the articles, and fluid operated drive means connected with said endless chain for being selectively operated to rotate said chain for positioning a respective one of said compression fingers in contact with the rear of the longitudinally extending row of a predetermined number of articles received in said chamber and for moving the group of articles to the other end of said chamber into engagement with said stop block means and for cooperating therewith to longitudinally compress the group of articles;
• turntable means rotatably mounted on each longitudinal side of said chamber adjacent said transverse opening therethrough for carrying respective supply rolls of heat sealable banding material being joined together and extending therefrom across the path of the group of articles and being joined together and for rotating to unwind the banding material when the group of articles is longitudinally moved into contact with the banding material and forwardly thereof for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles;
• means including pusher plate means movably mounted adjacent and slightly forwardly of said turntable means for movement into engagement with the banding material extending along one side of the group of articles and across the path of travel of the group of articles through said transverse opening in said chamber for carrying the banding material therewith to position the banding material around the trailing end of the compressed group of articles, and fluid operated drive means connected with said pusher plate means for selective reciprocating movement thereof;
• means including hot wire means positioned in cooperative relation to said pusher plate means for being contacted by the banding material as said pusher plate means moves the banding material around the trailing end of the compressed group of articles for heat sealing the banding material together around the compressed group of articles, severing such banding material from that extending from said turntable means and heat sealing together the thus formed ends of the banding material extending from said turntable means and temperature limited heating means connected with said hot wire means and with said control means for selectively heating said hot wire and for stopping the heating thereof when said hot wire reaches a predetermined temperature;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said drive means for said endless chain and compression fingers, said drive means for said banding material pusher plate and said heating means for said hot wire for sequentially controlling and operating same for the compressing and banding operation by said apparatus.

In an apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of generally flat, compressible articles, such as disposable diapers;

• the improvement of
• means for successively and snugly receiving the articles oriented in generally vertically and transversely extending positions, for allowing positioning of the articles in a longitudinally extending row, for moving a group of a predetermined number of the articles in a forward longitudinal path of travel while maintaining the generally vertical and transverse orientation of the articles, and for compressing the group of articles;
• means for banding the compressed group of articles comprising turntable means rotatably mounted on each longitudinal side of the path of travel of the group of articles for carrying respective supply rolls of heat sealable material extending therefrom across the path of travel of the group of articles and being joined together and for rotating to unwind the banding material when the group of articles is longitudinally moved into contact with the banding material and forwardly thereof for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles, selectively driven pusher plate means movably mounted adjacent and slightly forwardly of said turntable means for movement into engagement with the banding material extending along one side of the group of articles and across the path of travel of the group of articles for engaging and carrying the banding material therewith to position the banding material around the trailing end of the compressed group of articles, and hot wire means positioned in cooperative relationship to said pusher plate means for being contacted by the banding material as said pusher plate means moves the banding material around the trailing end of the compressed group of articles for heat sealing the banding material around the compressed group of articles, severing such banding material from that extending from said turntable means and heat sealing together the thus formed ends of the banding material extending from said turntable means;
• and
• brake means operatively connected therewith for stopping the rotation of said turntable means when movement of the group of articles has stopped to prevent excessive unwinding of the banding material comprising a respective, elongate arm pivotally mounted intermediate thereof on each of said turntable means and having each end thereof extending outwardly from the outside periphery of said turntable means, friction brake means mounted on one end of said arm for frictionally engaging the outer periphery of said turntable means to brake rotation thereof, roll means mounted on the other end of said arm for receiving the banding material therearound extending from the respective supply roll, and biasing means connected with said arm for biasing said arm in a direction for engagement of said friction brake means with said turntable means, whereby contact by the moving group of articles with the banding material will cause a force on said roll means to cause pivoting of said arms against the bias of said biasing means to cause disengagement of said friction brake means with said turntable means to allow the rotation of said turntable means and unwinding of the banding material from the supply rolls during continued movement of the group of articles.

Apparatus for compressing and banding a predetermined number of generally flat, compressible articles, such as disposable diapers, comprising:

• means positioned generally at one end of said apparatus for successively receiving the articles and for positioning the articles successively in a longitudinally extending row;
• means for moving a group of a predetermined number of the articles from said receiving and positioning means in a generally longitudinal path of travel to generally the other end of said apparatus and for longitudinally compressing the group of articles at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for positioning banding material across the path of travel of the group of articles and for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles as the group is moved to the other end of said apparatus comprising turntable means rotatably mounted on each longitudinal side of the path of travel of the group of articles from the one end to the other end of said apparatus for carrying respective supply rolls of banding material joined together and extending therefrom across the path of travel of the group of articles and for rotating to unwind the banding material when the group of articles is longitudinally moved into contact with the banding material and moved forwardly thereof for allowing the banding material to position itself around the leading end and sides of the group of articles as the group is moved forwardly thereof to the other end of said apparatus, and brake means operatively connected with said turntable means for stopping rotation of said turntable means when movement of the group of articles has stopped to prevent excessive unwinding of the banding material, said brake means comprising a respective, elongate arm pivotally mounted intermediate thereof on each of said turntable means and having each end thereof extending outwardly from the outside periphery of said turntable means, friction brake means mounted on one end of said arm for frictionally engaging the outer periphery of said turntable means to brake rotation thereof, roll means mounted on the other end of said arm for receiving the banding material therearound extending from the respective supply roll, and biasing means connected with said arm for biasing said arm in a direction for engagement of said friction brake means with said turntable means, whereby, contact by the moving group of articles with the banding material will cause a force on said roll means to cause pivoting of said arms against the bias of said biasing means to cause disengagement of said friction brake means with said turntable means to allow rotation of said turntable means and unwinding of the banding material from the supply rolls during continued movement of the group of articles;
• means for moving the banding material around the trailing end of the group of compressed articles positioned at the other end of said apparatus;
• means for sealing the banding material together in encircling relation around the compressed group of articles;
• and
• control means operatively connected to said article moving and compressing means, said band material moving means and said band material sealing means for sequentially controlling and operating these said means for the compressing and banding operation by said apparatus.