Packaging machine including a folding, sealing and conveying apparatus

In a packaging machine including a folding, sealing and conveying apparatus for individually wrapping generally flat, rectangular items in a wrapper sheet;

• the apparatus including a turntable having a rotary axis;
• drive means for rotating said turntable in increments;
• a plurality of pocket assemblies arranged in a circular array on said turntable;
• each pocket assembly including first and second walls arranged to engage, with respective wall faces, opposite faces of the article for holding the article in the pocket assembly;
• the apparatus further including a charging station being situated adjacent said turntable and being arranged for introducing, in a direction generally radially inwardly relative to said axis, an article with a wrapper sheet in between said first and second walls of a pocket assembly dwelling in the charging station;
• a sealing station being situated adjacent said turntable, spaced from said charging station and having a sealing shoe arranged for providing a longitudinal fin seal on superposed flaps of the wrapper sheet;
• folding means situated between said charging station and said sealing station for superposing said flaps as the respective article, held in the pocket assembly, travels from said charging station into said sealing station;
• and a discharge station being situated adjacent said turntable, spaced from said charging station and said sealing station and being arranged for ejecting, in a direction generally radially outwardly relative to said axis, an article wrapped in the wrapper sheet, from the pocket assembly dwelling in the discharge station;
• said wall faces of said first and second walls being oriented radially in said charging station and said discharge station;
• the improvement comprising
• (a) an extension affixed to the first wall of each said pocket assembly and being oriented at an angle to said first wall;
• said extension having a support face cooperating with said folding means and with said sealing shoe as a countersupport therefor for backing up said flaps of said wrapper sheet;
• and
• (b) turning means for rotating each said pocket assembly approximately 180.degree. relative to said turntable for setting said extension into a radially relatively outward position in said charging station and a radially relatively inward position in said discharge station.