Automatic packaging machine

An automatic machine for the continuous packaging of articles into containers which are thermoformed from a thermoplastic film (1) and are sealed by a sealing filme (7) of heat-sealable material, both of said films having a path of travel, said machine comprising

• (a) operative stations comprising
• (i) a thermoforming station (4) at which cavities or pockets (C) for containing the articles are formed in the thermoplastic film;
• (ii) a filling station (5) at which the articles are introduced into the formed cavities (C);
• (iii) a heat sealing station (6) at which the sealing film (7) is sealed to close the cavities filled with articles;
• and
• (iv) a cutting station (8) at which the thus obtained filled and sealed containers are separated from one another;
• (b) said operative stations (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) being movably mounted on rectilinear guides (11, 12) which are parallel to the path of travel of the films (1, 7);
• (c) said operative stations gripping the film at each operative cycle and moving together with the gripped film in a direction of advancement of the machine, and releasing the film prior to starting the reverse movement back to the initial point of their operative cycle;
• (d) there being at least one gripper device (13) movably mounted on said rectilinear guides for gripping the longitudinal edges of said films (1, 7), to grip the films and move in said direction of advancement while the operative stations effect their reverse movement and to release the film and return to their initial position while the operative stations grip the film and move in said direction of advancement;
• (e) a cylindrical cam (24) for producing alternative movement in opposite directions of said operative stations (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and said gripper device (13), said cam having its axis parallel to said rectilinear guides (11, 12) and a groove (24, 124) engaged by two cam followers (21, 21') angularly spaced at 180.degree. from each other, one of said cam followers (21, 21') being connected to the operative stations (4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and the other cam follower being connected to the gripper device (13).