Packaging machinery

A packaging machine for forming downwardly moving packaging material into bags containing product, comprising a pair of sealing jaws mounted directly or indirectly on parallel shafts for rotation in opposite directions on opposite sides of the path of the packaging material so that the jaws engage the packaging material simultaneously on opposite sides to form successive horizontal seals, and stripping means comprising, in association with the sealing jaw on each side of the path of the packaging material, a pair of stripper carriers mounted for independent and continuous rotation on the corresponding shaft at or near the respective ends thereof, or about an axis parallel to the shaft, a horizontal stripper bar mounted at its respective ends on the two stripper carriers and arranged to be movable with respect to the stripper carriers so that the stripper bar can engage the packaging film along a predetermined vertical stripping path along which, in cooperation with a similar stripper bar associated with the sealing jaw on the other side of the packaging material, it acts to displace downwards any product which might otherwise be trapped in the area of the seal, the stripper carriers being arranged to be driven at a rotational speed faster than the rotational speed of the shafts at least while the stripper bars are performing each stripping operation,

• wherein the stripper bar moves at a greater angular velocity than the corresponding sealing jaw as it approaches the packaging material in preparation for performing a stripping operation.