Form, fill and seal machine

A machine for forming, filling and sealing packages of different sizes and shapes comprising:

• a selection of change parts,
• a machine frame including precision support surfaces that are adapted to support a change part in a predetermined fixed position thereon;
• each change part, of said selection of change parts, having uniform surfaces that complement said precision support surfaces of said machine frame, such that said uniform surfaces of said change part can engage said precision support surfaces of said machine frame at a lock position;
• a lock mechanism for locking said change part at the lock position on said machine frame;
• each change part, of said selection of change parts, including a forming shoulder and a vertically extending forming tube, said forming shoulder and forming tube being shaped and sized to form a uniquely shaped and sized package;
• said forming shoulder including reference surfaces that have a fixed ratio to the diameter of said forming tube;
• a pair of drive belt assemblies mounted on said machine frame such that said vertically extending forming tube is located between the drive belt assemblies;
• each drive belt assembly including a mounting member that is pivotally mounted on said machine frame and an elongated support that is pivotally carried by said mounting member, said elongated supports having an upper drive pulley and a lower driven pulley mounted thereon;
• each of said elongated supports including a stop that is adjacent to a reference surface on said forming tube;
• a biasing device connected to both of said mounting members and causing said mounting members to pivot in opposite directions about their pivotal mounts on said machine frame such that said stops engage said reference surfaces on said forming shoulder.

A method of mounting a change part on a form, fill and seal machine such that the pull belt assemblies are aligned and require no further adjustment comprising the steps of:

• a. selecting a change part, that includes a forming tube, that meets the size and shape requirements of a desired package;
• b. placing the selected change part on the form fill and seal machine such that complementary machined surfaces on the change part and on the machine are adjacent;
• c. locking said change part on the machine with the complementary machined surfaces engaged;
• d. moving the pull belt assemblies toward each other and toward opposite sides of the forming tube;
• e. engaging stop surfaces on the change part with stops on the upper portion of the pull belt assemblies;
• f. continuing to move the pull belt assemblies toward each other and toward opposite sides of the forming tube after the stops on the upper portions of the pull belt assemblies engage the stop surfaces on the change part until the lower portion of the pull belt assemblies make line contact with the forming tube.

A machine for forming, filling and sealing packages of different sizes and shapes comprising:

• a machine frame that is adapted to support a change part in a predetermined fixed position thereon;
• a change part that can be supported on said machine frame at a lock position;
• lock mechanism for locking said change part at the lock position on said machine frame;
• said change part including a forming shoulder, a vertically extending forming tube and reference surfaces that have a fixed ratio to the diameter of said forming tube;
• a pair of drive belt assemblies mounted on said machine frame such that said vertically extending forming tube is located between the drive belt assemblies;
• each drive belt assembly including a pivotally mounted elongated support having an upper drive pulley and a lower driven pulley mounted thereon;
• each of said elongated supports including a stop that is adjacent to a reference surface on said forming tube;
• a biasing device connecting said drive belt assemblies and causing said elongated support to pivot in opposite directions such that said stops engage said reference surfaces on said forming shoulder.

A method of mounting a change part on a form, fill and seal machine such that the pull belt assemblies are aligned and require no further adjustment comprising the steps of:

• a. placing the selected change part on the form fill and seal machine such that complementary machined surfaces on the change part and on the machine are adjacent;
• b. locking said change part on the machine with the complementary machined surfaces engaged;
• c. moving the pull belt assemblies toward each other and toward opposite sides of the forming tube;
• d. engaging stop surfaces on the change part with stops on the upper portion of the pull belt assemblies;
• e. continuing to move the pull belt assemblies toward each other and toward opposite sides of the forming tube after the stops on the upper portions of the pull belt assemblies engage the stop surfaces on the change part until the lower portion of the pull belt assemblies make line contact with the forming tube.

A form, fill and seal machine for making packages of predetermined size and shape from a continuous sheet of film comprising:

• a continuous sheet of film in the form of a film roll supported on the machine during operation such that it can be replaced when exhausted or when a film of a different type is to be used, said film roll when full having a predetermined diameter;
• a machine frame including a plurality of vertical columns that are interconnected by a plurality of horizontal support members, said vertical columns including bases that are adapted to rest on the machine support surface, one of said horizontal support members, the rear support member, extending across the lower back of the machine, above the machine support surface a distance approximately equal to said predetermined diameter;
• a film cage, upon which said film roll is carried, mounted on said rear support member about a horizontal pivot axis, said film cage being pivotable about and movable horizontally along said horizontal pivot axis, said film cage being pivotable between an inclined operating position, at which its upper portion is located toward the central region of the machine and its bottom portion extends rearward of the back of the machine, and a vertical loading position, said film cage extending downward below said pivot axis at least a distance equal to half of said predetermined diameter, film roll mounts carried by said film cage at a level below said horizontal pivot axis and at a distance of approximately half of said predetermined diameter when said film cage is in the vertical loading position such that said film roll can be mounted on said film roll mounts with out lifting the film roll;
• said film cage being movable horizontally along said horizontal pivot axis for the purpose of tracking the film dispersed from the film roll to align it with the package forming components of the machine.