Apparatus for applying a tubular member over a container

An apparatus for applying a tubular member over an article at an application station comprising:

• supply means for providing a supply of individual tubular members;
• a pair of opposed gripping members for mechanically gripping the tubular member, said gripping members disposed on a rotatable wheel member disposed between said supply means and said application station such that the gripping members may be repeatedly conveyed in a circular path from the supply means to the application station and back to the supply means, each of said gripping members being movable towards and away from each other;
• a pair of circular cam members of varying depth disposed adjacent said rotatable wheel members and a cam follower connted to each gripping member for moving said gripping members away from each other as they are being B moved to the application station, each cam follower being biased against one of said cam members such that as said wheel member rotates, each cam follower tracks the path of its respective cam member and affects the desired movement of said gripping members relative to one another;
• means for selectively applying a vacuum to said gripping members after they have mechanically gripped the tubular member and as said gripping members are moved away from each other such that said tubular member is opened when it is adjacent to the application station;
• conveyor means for conveying the article to the application station at a speed greater than that at which the gripping members are moved to the application station such that at the application station the article meets and is threaded into the opened tubular member and pulls the tubular member fully open around the article;
• and
• means for selectively disconnecting the vacuum to the gripping members when they are at the application station such that the tubular member is released therefrom and can rest around the article.

An apparatus for applying a tubular member over an article at an application station comprising:

• means for providing a continuous web of flattened tubular material;
• means for cutting an individual tubular member from the terminal portion of the web;
• a rotatable wheel member disposed between said cutting means and the application station, said wheel member including at least one pair of opposed gripping members which are movable to and away from each other, the rotation of said wheel member effecting the movement of said gripping members along a circular path from said cutting means to the application station and back;
• scanning means disposed adjacent the cutting means for detecting when said gripping members are approaching said cutting means;
• feed rollers for feeding a predetermined amount of the web to said cutting means;
• means for rotating said feed rollers a predetermined distance corresponding to the amount of the web to be cut;
• control means responsive to said scanning means for actuating said rotating means upon detecting that the gripping members are approaching the cutting means;
• control means responsive to the rotation of said feed rollers said predetermined distance for actuating said cutting means;
• means for moving said gripping members towards each other as the rotation of said wheel member causes said gripping members to approach said cutting means such that said gripping members contact opposed faces of the tubular member cut by said cutting means and mechanically grip said tubular member;
• means for moving said gripping members away from each other as the rotation of said wheel causes said gripping members to move away from said cutting means and toward the application station;
• means for selectively applying a vacuum to said gripping members after they have mechanically gripped the tubular member and as said gripping members are moved away from each other and toward the application station such that said tubular member is opened as it is conveyed by the gripping members to the application station;
• conveyor means for conveying the article to the application station at a speed greater than that at which the gripping members are moved to the application station such that at the application station the article meets and is threaded into the opened tubular member and pulls the tubular member fully open around the article;
• and
• means for selectively disconnecting the vacuum from the gripping members when they are at the application station such that the tubular member is released therefrom and can rest around the article.

An apparatus for applying a tubular member over an article at an application station comprising:

• means for providing a continuous web of flattened tubular material;
• means for cutting an individual tubular member from the terminal portion of the web;
• means for feeding a predetermined amount of the web to said cutting means;
• a rotatable wheel member disposed between said cutting means and the application station, said wheel member including at least one pair of opposed gripping members which are movable to and away from each other, the rotation of said wheel member effecting the movement of said gripping members along a circular path from said cutting means to the application station and back;
• a pair of circular cam members of varying depth disposed adjacent said rotatable wheel member and a cam follower connected to each gripping member for moving said gripping members towards each other as the rotation of said wheel member causes said gripping members to approach said cutting means such that said gripping members contact opposed faces of the tubular member cut by said cutting means and mechanically grip said tubular member and for moving said gripping members away from each other as the rotation of said wheel member causes said gripping members to move away from said cutting means and toward the application station, each cam follower being biased against one of said cam members such that as said wheel member rotates, each cam follower tracks the path of its respective cam member and effects the desired movement of said gripping members relative to one another;
• means for selectively applying a vacuum to said gripping members after they have mechanically gripped the tubular member and as said gripping members are moved away from each other and toward the application station such that said tubular members is opened as it is conveyed by the gripping members to the application station;
• conveyor means for conveying the article to the application station at a speed greater than that at which the gripping members are moved to the application station such that at the application station the article meets and is threaded into the opened tubular members and pulls the tubular member fully open around the article;
• and
• means for selectively disconnecting the vacuum from the gripping members when they are at the application station such that the tubular member is released therefrom and can rest around the article.