Form and seal unit for a machine for packaging pourable food products

Apparatus for forming and sealing packages containing a pourable product comprising:

• a frame;
• a pair of forming assemblies mounted on the frame and movable vertically relative to the frame, the forming assemblies each including a pair of sealing jaws mounted on arms movable about an axis between an open and closed position;
• guide member for guiding a tube of packaging material in a vertical direction relative to the frame, the jaws of the respective forming assemblies being position on opposite sides of the guide member when in the open position and upon moving to a closed position the jaws pinch the tube of packaging material between the jaws;
• each forming assembly having a spring biasing the sealing jaws toward a closed position;
• each forming assembly have a pair of forming flaps spaced from the axis a greater distance then the sealing jaws, the forming flaps having a pair of rollers;
• a fixed cam mounted on the frame and having a first cam surface in position to be engaged by the pair of rollers, the fixed cam having a second cam surface, the first cam surfaces being spaced vertically from the second cam surfaces, the first cam surface being formed to open the sealing jaws upon upward movement of the forming assembly relative to the frame, and the second cam surface being formed to close the sealing jaws and the forming flaps upon downward movement of the forming assembly relative to the frame, each forming assembly having a pair of cams for engagement with a pair of fixed guide rollers during downward movement of the forming assembly, said fixed guide rollers being secured to said frame.