Pouch machine for making maximum volume pouch

A filler wheel for a rotary pouch machine of the type which forms a series of pouches in a web of pouch material, the pouches being defined by front and back panels joined by side seals and a closed bottom, the tops of the pouches prior to filling being open to define a mouth, comprising:

• a vacuum transfer wheel mounted for rotation and having a plurality of lands on its periphery for receiving and temporarily fixing thereto the side seals of the web of pouches fed into the transfer wheel at an entry point;
• and
• air delivery means for creating a curtain of pressurized air in the path of the pouch mouths downstream of the entry point, the curtain having a width such that the entire mouth of the pouch is exposed at one time to a zone of high pressure air.

In a pouch machine of the type which forms a series of pouches in a web of pouch material, the pouches being defined by front and back panels joined by side seals and a closed bottom, the tops of the pouches prior to filling being open to define a mouth, an improved method of opening the pouches to their maximum volume prior to filling, comprising the step of:

• subjecting the full extent of the mouth of a pouch at one time to a zone of compressed air thereby pressurizing the pouch to an internal pressure high enough to separate substantially all unsealed portions of the front and back panels from one another.

In a pouch machine of the type which forms a series of pouches in a web of pouch material, the pouches being defined by front and back panels joined by side seals and a closed bottom, the tops of the pouches prior to filling being open to define a mouth, an improved method of opening the pouches to their maximum volume prior to filling, comprising the steps of temporarily restricting air flow in the vicinity of the mouth of a pouch and then pressurizing the pouch to an internal pressure high enough to separate substantially all unsealed portions of the front and back panels from one another.

In a rotary pouch machine of the type which forms a series of pouches in a moving web of pouch material, a web position control apparatus comprising guide means in supporting engagement with the moving web, the guide means including a pair of nip rollers guiding the web therebetween, the nip rollers being mounted for rotation in a bracket which is movable in a direction transverse to the web, means for sensing the web position, and an actuator for moving the bracket in response to the sensed position to cause the guide means to adjust the web position as needed to maintain it at a prescribed location.

In a rotary pouch machine of the type having a base including a web supply stand for paying out a web of pouch material having side edges, and a plow adjustably mounted on the base downstream of the web supply stand and having a forming edge about which the web of pouch material is folded to define a longitudinal fold line in the web, an improved method of controlling the location of the fold line relative to the side edges, comprising the steps of:

• detecting deviation of the web from a desired lateral position relative to the plow's forming edge;
• and
• driving the plow's forming edge in a direction counteracting any lateral deviation of the web so as to maintain the fold line in a selected position intermediate the edges of the web.

In a pouch machine of the type which forms a series of pouches in a web of pouch material, the pouches being defined by front and back panels joined by side seals and a closed bottom, the tops of the pouches prior to filling being open to define a mouth, the improvement comprising means for forming a lip at the mouth comprising a plow engageable with the top edge of one of the panels prior to formation of the side seals, the plow being arranged to fold a portion of said top edge down such that said panel has a smaller height than the other panel.