Apparatus and method for packaging articles in a flexible wrapping material

A process for packaging articles in flexible wrappers, comprising the steps of:

• providing a rotatable turret having at least two apertures and at least two hollow mandrels secured thereto wherein each hollow mandrel is communicatively aligned with one of said apertures and whereby the turret is adapted to rotatively index said mandrels from a tubular film stock-receiving station to a tubular film stock-dispensing station;
• providing a supply of flat-folded tubular film wrapper stock material at the stock-receiving station;
• advancing the tubular film wrapper stock material about a guide bullet means adapted to open said flat-folded tubular film wrapper stock material and guide said material onto an external periphery of a hollow mandrel at said stock-receiving station to build-up tubular film wrapper stock material on the external periphery of said hollow mandrel;
• severing the tubular film wrapper stock material on said external surface from the supply of tubular film wrapper stock material at the stock-receiving station;
• closing a severed end of the build-up of tubular film wrapper stock material at the stock-receiving station;
• rotating the turret to index the hollow mandrel and the tubular film wrapper stock material on the external surface thereof from said stock-receiving station to said stock-dispensing station;
• and
• dispensing said tubular film wrapper stock material from the external periphery of the hollow mandrel at the stock-dispensing station;
• advancing articles through an aperture in said turret and through an interior of the hollow mandrel at the stock-dispensing station whereby the articles are inserted within said tubular film wrapper stock material.

Apparatus adapted to package an article in a wrapper comprising:

• rotatable turret means defining at least two apertures;
• at least two hollow tubular mandrel means secured to said turret means wherein each hollow tubular mandrel means is communicatively aligned with a respective aperture;
• a stock-receiving station comprising:
• guide bullet means adapted to open and guide a supply of tubular film wrapper stock material onto an external periphery of a hollow tubular mandrel located at said stock-dispensing station;
• means adapted to advance supply of tubular film wrapper stock material about said guide bullet means and onto said external periphery of said hollow tubular mandrel means to provide a build-up of said tubular film wrapper stock material onto said external periphery;
• and
• means adapted to sever said build-up from said tubular film wrapper stock material;
• and a stock-dispensing station comprising:
• means adapted to dispense the build-up in the form of wrappers;
• and
• loading ram means adapted to pass an article through an interior of said hollow tubular mandrel means and to insert said article into said wrapper;
• wherein said rotatable turret means is adapted to index said hollow tubular mandrel means between said stock-receiving station and said stock-dispensing station.