Method of and apparatus for forming, filling and sealing packages

Apparatus for forming, filling and sealing packages comprising:

• (a) means for forming flexible packaging material into tubing, the tubing extending downwardly;
• (b) means for feeding the tubing downwardly;
• (c) means for transversely sealing the tubing at package length intervals, a quantity of the product with which the packages are to be filled being delivered into the tubing during an interval of time between successive sealing operations;
• (d) said transverse sealing means comprising a pair of sealing members and means for moving said sealing members relatively to one another between an open position clear of the tubing and a closed position in sealing engagement with the tubing;
• (e) said sealing members being operable in a generally horizontal fixed plane, the tubing being intermittently fed downwardly between the sealing members one package length increment when the sealing members are open, the sealing members then closing on the tubing;
• (f) means operable after the delivery of the product into the tubing and before the next seal is made to form a contraction in the tubing above the level of the next seal to be made and transmitting the contraction down on the tubing from above to below said level, the next seal then being made;
• characterized in that:
• (1) said contraction forming means comprises a pair of stripper members movable relative to one another from an open position to a closed position in engagement with and squeezing the tubing, and movable up and down relative to the tubing;
• (2) the stripper members are closed on the tubing above the sealing members after the delivery of the product into the tubing and before the next seal is made, the closed stripper members being moved down on the tubing between the sealing members from above to below the sealing members as the sealing members close to form the next seal and before the next seal is made;
• (3) the stripper members are carried by means supported by the sealing members, said stripper member carrying means being operable to move the stripper members down from their raised to their lowered position with the stripper members in their closed position and to move the stripper members up to their raised position, the stripper members being opened for the next cycle of operation,
• (4) said stripper member carrying means comprises a pair of carriers, one at each side of the apparatus, a first pair of parallelogram linkage means interconnecting one of the sealing members and the carriers, a second pair of parallelogram linkage means interconnecting the other of the sealing members and the carriers, the stripper members comprising rods extending transversely of the apparatus and means for moving said stripper rods on the carriers toward and away from one another.

Apparatus for forming, filling and sealing package comprising:

• means for forming flexible packaging material into tubing;
• a pair of sealing members extending transversely of the tubing for forming transverse seals across the tubing at package length intervals, the tubing extending down between the sealing members;
• means for moving the sealing members relatively to one another between an open position spaced from one another enabling relative movement of the tubing and sealing members to provide a package length of tubing extending down from the level of the sealing members, and a closed position in sealing engagement with the tubing;
• a quantity of the product with which the packages are to be filled being delivered into the tubing during the interval between successive closing operations of the sealing members;
• said apparatus being characterized in having:
• a pair of stripper members extending transversely of the tubing generally parallel to the sealing members, the tubing extending down between the stripper members;
• the stripper members being movable relatively to one another, and relatively to the sealing members and the tubing, between an open position enabling the stated relative movement of the tubing and sealing members to provide the said package length of tubing extending down from the level of the sealing members, and a closed position in engagement with and squeezing the tubing;
• the stripper members also being movable up and down relative to the sealing members, being movable from a lowered position below the level of the sealing members upwardly between the sealing members to a raised position above the level of the sealing members, and movable downwardly between the sealing members to the lowered position;
• and
• means operable after the delivery of the product to close the stripper members when in their raised position to squeeze the tubing, then operable as the sealing members close to move the stripper members down from their raised to their lowered position with the stripper members remaining closed to squeeze any product which may have been in the tubing above the level of the lowered position of the stripper members down to the latter level and below the level of the sealing members, and subsequently operable as the sealing members open to move the stripper members to their raised position for the next cycle;
• wherein the stripper members are carried by means supported by the sealing members, said stripper member carrying means being operable to move the stripper members down from their raised to their lowered position with the stripper members in their closed position and to move the stripper members up to their raised position, the stripper members being opened for the next cycle of operation;
• said stripper member carrying means comprising a pair of carriers, one at each side of the apparatus, a first pair of parallelogram linkage means interconnecting one of the sealing members and the carriers, a second pair of parallelogram linkage means interconnecting the other of the sealing members and the carriers, the stripper members comprising rods extending transversely of the apparatus and means mounting said stripper rods on the carriers for movement toward and away from one another.