Packaging machine with interchangeable container supports and cam-operated cutter

Cutting apparatus in a packaging machine of the type adapted for applying and securing a web of material to a container comprising:

• a rotatable cutter including at least three equally circumferentially spaced cutting edges secured in fixed positions thereon;
• a conveyor having spaced container supports thereon which are adapted to support containers to which a continuous web of material is adapted to be applied and secured;
• support means for rotatably supporting said cutter immediately adjacent said conveyor;
• camming means cooperating with said cutter for intermittently rotating said cutter, said camming means including a camming projection for each of said cutting edges, each of said camming projections being offset circumferentially from its respective cutting edge;
• projection means projecting outwardly from said container supports for cooperation with said camming projections, one of said projection means being located on each of the container supports, whereby said camming projections are successively engaged by said projection means during operation of the conveyor for intermittent rotation of said cutter such that said cutting edges will rotate through the plane of the web material to sever the material between adjacent ones of said container supports.

A packaging machine for applying and securing a web of material to containers comprising:

• conveyor means for supporting and conveying containers in one direction along a path, said conveyor means including a plurality of spaced, container supports mounted thereon;
• web applying, securing and cutting means for applying and securing a continuous web of material to the containers supported by the container supports as they move along said conveyor means and for severing said web between said container supports;
• said container supports being uniform, said web applying, securing and cutting means including an intermittently rotatable cutter having at least three cutting edges spaced therearound and secured in fixed positions, camming means offset from each of said cutting edges for rotating said cutter, and a single projection on each of said container supports for engaging said camming means whereby said projections and camming means rotate said cutter such that said cutting edges rotate into and out of the spaces between said container supports to sever the web of material therebetween;
• said conveyor means includes means for interchangeably mounting container supports of different sizes, said camming and projection means allowing proper rotation of said cutter and proper cutting of said web material between said container supports without changing or adjusting said cutter even when different sizes of container supports are used.

A packaging machine for applying and securing a web of material to containers comprising:

• conveyor means for supporting and conveying containers in one direction along a path, said conveyor means including a plurality of spaced, container supports mounted thereon;
• web applying, securing and cutting means for applying and securing a continuous web of material to the containers supported by the container supports as they move along said conveyor means and for severing said web between said container supports;
• said conveyor means including a pair of parallel, endless conveyor chains including pivot pins at each joint of said chain, said pivot pins extending inwardly from each chain toward one another and being axially aligned across said conveyor means with one another, drive means for driving said chains in a closed path in one direction, and chain support means for supporting said chains along one portion of said path at a predetermined level below said web applying, securing and cutting means;
• said container supports each including a pair of end surfaces with a pair of spaced apertures in each end surface, said supports being received intermediate said chains such that they extend transversely therebetween, a spaced pair of said chain pins slidably and removably received in said support end surface apertures;
• means on said container supports for providing clearance for pins on said chain not received in said apertures;
• said chains being sufficiently flexible laterally of said supports to allow insertion and removal of said supports at at least one position along said conveyor path whereby different sizes of container supports each with the same spacing of apertures in their end surfaces may be interchangeably inserted and removed from said chains at at least said one position with the spacing between said supports depending on the width of said supports.

A packaging machine for applying and securing a web of material to containers comprising:

• conveyor means for supporting and conveying containers in one direction along a path, said conveyor means including a plurality of spaced, container supports mounted thereon;
• web applying and securing means for applying and securing a continuous web of material to the containers supported by the container supports as they move along said conveyor means;
• cutting means for severing said web between said container supports;
• said conveyor means including a pair of parallel, endless conveyor chains including pivot pins at each joint of said chains, said pivot pins extending inwardly from each chain toward one another and being axially aligned across said conveyor means with one another, drive means for driving said chains in a closed path in one direction, and chain support means for supporting said chains along one portion of said path at a predetermined level below said web applying and securing means and said cutting means;
• said container supports each including opposite ends, said opposite ends each having pin receiving means for removably receiving a pair of said pivot pins therein;
• means on said container supports for providing clearance for pins on said chain not received in said pin receiving means;
• said supports being received intermediate said chains such that they extend transversely therebetween;
• said chains being sufficiently flexible laterally of said supports to allow insertion and removal of said supports at at least one position along said conveyor path whereby different sizes of container supports each with the same pin receiving means in their opposite ends may be interchangeably inserted and removed from said chains at at least said one position with the spacing between said supports depending on the width of said supports.