Pinch sealer drive mechanism

A pinch sealer drive mechanism for a form, fill and seal machine or the like comprising:

• a crank mounted on a shaft having levers at positions spaced 180.degree. apart relative to a rotational axis of said shaft;
• two links having first ends connected respectively to each of said levers, at least one of said links having a dogleg to avoid interference with the other during 180.degree. rotary motion of said crank;
• a pair of rod-mounted elongated sliders each having first and second extremities with the first extremities thereof connected respectively to second ends of said links with the rod-mounted elongated sliders being substantially parallel to an extended axis of said shaft and oppositely disposed relative thereto, said sliders most remote relative position corresponding to one extreme of said shaft motion and most proximate position corresponding to the other extreme of said shaft motion;
• the second extremities of said rod-mounted elongated sliders being spaced horizontally from and having a direction of motion parallel to that of said first extremities;
• means for moving said second extremities of said rod-mounted elongated sliders in unison with said first extremities of said rod-mounted sliders;
• pinch sealing means having two bars, each bar being secured to a corresponding slider of said pair of rod-mounted elongated sliders;
• and
• a bi-directional rotary actuator with at least about a 180.degree. range of motion, said actuator being coupled to rotate said crank through approximately 180.degree. of motion.

In a form, fill and seal machine, a pinch sealer drive mechanism comprising:

• an independently controlled bi-directional rotary actuator having a shaft with a 180.degree. range of motion;
• a crank coupled to the end of said shaft and having levers at positions spaced 180.degree. apart relative to the axis of said shaft;
• two oppositely disposed links having first ends connected respectively to each of said levers, each said link having a dogleg to avoid interference with the other during 180.degree. rotary motion of said crank;
• a pair of elongated rod-mounted sliders each having first and second extremities with said first extremities connected respectively to second ends of said links with said sliders longitudinal axis generally parallel to the axis of said shaft and said sliders most remote relative position corresponding to one extreme of said shaft motion and most proximate relative position corresponding to the other extreme of said shaft motion;
• the second extremities of said elongated rod-mounted sliders being spaced horizontally from and having a direction of motion parallel to that of said first extremities of said elongated rod-mounted sliders;
• means for moving said second extremities of said elongated rod-mounted sliders in unison with said first extremities of said elongated rod-mounted sliders;
• and
• pinch sealing means having two bars, each bar having its two ends secured to corresponding extremities of one of said rod-mounted sliders.

In a form, fill and seal machine, a pinch sealer mechanism comprising:

• a crank mounted on a shaft and having levers at positions spaced 180.degree. apart relative to the axis of said shaft;
• a pair of links each having first ends and second ends with said first ends connected respectively to each of said levers, at least one link having a dogleg to avoid interference with the other during 180.degree. rotary motion of said crank;
• a pair of elongated rod-mounted sliders each having first extremities and second extremities and with said first extremities connected respectively to said second ends of said links with the sliders' most remote relative position corresponding to one extreme of said crank motion and their most proximate position corresponding to the other extreme of said crank motion;
• a toothed pulley mounted on said shaft to rotate with said crank;
• a second shaft mounted with its axis parallel to and widely displaced from that of the first said shaft;
• a second toothed pulley fixedly mounted on said second shaft in alignment with the first said toothed pulley;
• a belt mounted on and coupling the first said toothed pulley and said second toothed pulley;
• a third toothed pulley fixedly mounted on said second shaft substantially axially displaced from said second toothed pulley;
• a third shaft mounted with its axis colinear with that of the first said shaft;
• a fourth toothed pulley mounted on said third shaft in alignment with said third toothed pulley;
• a second belt mounted on and coupling said third toothed pulley and said fourth toothed pulley;
• a second crank mounted on said third shaft to rotate with said fourth pulley and having levers at positions spaced 180.degree. apart relative to the axis of said third shaft;
• a second pair of links each having first ends and second ends with said first ends connected respectively to each of the last said levers, at least one link of said second pair of links having a dogleg to avoid interference with the other during 180.degree. rotary motion of said second crank;
• said second extremities of said pair of rod-mounted sliders being connected respectively to second ends of said second pair of links with the sliders most remote relative position corresponding to one extreme of said second crank motion and most proximate position corresponding to the other extreme of said second crank motion;
• an independently controlled bi-directional rotary actuator having a shaft coupled to rotate said cranks through about 180.degree.;
• and
• pinch sealing means having two bars, each bar being attached to one of said pair of sliders.