# US 9,751,650 B2 · Apparatus and method relating to flow wrapping > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,751,650 B2 - Document ID: US9751650B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/008,221 - Filed: 2016-01-27 - Published: 2016-07-28 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-28 - Assignees: Vancebuild Limited - Applicants: Vancebuild Limited - Inventors: Anthony John Cannell-Smith - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9751650B2 ## CPC - B65B 35/44: by endless belts or chains {(B65B35/405 takes precedence)} - B65B 9/06: Enclosing successive articles, or quantities of material, in a longitudinally-folded web, or in a web folded into a tube about the articles or quantities of material placed upon it - B65B 11/12: and then to form closing folds of similar form at opposite ends of the tube - B65B 35/58: Turning articles by positively-acting means, e.g. to present labelled portions in uppermost position - B65G 47/082: {grouping articles in rows} - B65G 47/252: about an axis substantially perpendicular to the conveying direction - B65B 5/061: {Filled bags} - B65B 5/064: {Potato chips} - B65B 59/005: {Adjustable conveying means} - B65B 2220/14: Adding more than one type of material or article to the same package - B65B 2220/16: Packaging contents into primary and secondary packaging - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A flow wrapping apparatus displaces a number of packs from a first location where the packs are self-standing on their lower region to a second location where the packs are on edge to form a substantially horizontal stack. The apparatus includes first and second conveyors with a number of individually displaceable hands. The hands of the first conveyor displace packs from a first location where the packs are self-standing on their lower region to a second location where the packs are on edge. At least one of the hands of the second conveyor cooperates with at least one of the hands of the first conveyor to hold packs on their edge to form a substantially horizontal stack. A pair of individually displaceable hands of the second conveyor displace the stack towards a flow wrapping station. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for presenting a number of packs for flow wrapping, where each pack has a lower region, an upper region and an edge region, said edge region being provided between said lower and upper regions, said apparatus displacing a number of packs from a first location where the packs are self-standing on their lower region to a second location where the packs are on edge to form a substantially horizontal stack; said apparatus comprising: a first conveyor and a second conveyor, both of said conveyors having a number of individually displaceable hands; wherein said first conveyor is an endless conveyor incorporating a track along which each of said individually displaceable hands can be individually displaced, in use; wherein the hands of said first conveyor displace packs by scooping these up from beneath from a first location where the packs are self-standing on their lower region to a second location where the packs are on edge whilst being held by said hands of said first conveyor, and at least one of said hands of said second conveyor cooperates with at least one of said hands of said first conveyor to hold packs on their edge to form a substantially horizontal stack; and a pair of individually displaceable hands of said second conveyor is located above said horizontal stack; said pair of hands being configured to hold at the forward and rearward most portions of said formed substantially horizontal stack and displace said stack towards a flow wrapping station. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second conveyor is an endless conveyor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the packs are displaced along a pathway, said first conveyor being provided on a first side of the pathway and said second conveyor being provided on a second side of the pathway. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the packs are displaced along a pathway, said first conveyor being located underneath said pathway and said second conveyor being located above said pathway. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first conveyor is provided immediately before said second conveyor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second conveyor is provided above a further conveyor, the substantially horizontal stack being carried on said further conveyor prior to entry into a flow wrapper. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first conveyor comprises individually displaceable hands which are L-shaped. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said L-shaped hands incorporate an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being in a substantially upright position when employed for holding a substantially horizontal stack of packs, said lower portion extending substantially perpendicular to said upper portion, said upper and lower portion collaborating for holding the substantially horizontal stack at least at the rear of the stack. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said upper portion incorporates at least two finger portions separated by a gap. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the individually displaceable hands of said second conveyor incorporate one or more fingers which are shaped and configured to pass, in use, through the gap between the fingers of the hands of said first conveyor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for varying the distance between hands dependent upon a predetermined number or the property of packs in a stack. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for displacing said hands only when a predetermined number of packs have been stacked. ### Claim 13 A method of presenting a number of packs for flow wrapping, where each pack has a lower region, an upper region and an edge region, said edge region being provided between said lower and upper regions, the method comprising the steps of: providing a first conveyor and a second conveyor, both of which having a number of individually displaceable hands; said first conveyor being an endless conveyor incorporating a track along which each of said individually displaceable hands can be individually displaced, in use; scooping up the packs from beneath by displacing the hands of a first conveyor from a first location where the packs are self-standing on their lower region to a second location where the packs are on edge whilst being held by said hands of said first conveyor; holding packs on their edge by cooperation of at least one hand of said first conveyor with at least one hand of said second conveyor to form a substantially horizontal stack; displacing a pair of hands of said second conveyor which is located above said horizontal stack; said pair of hands being configured to hold said formed substantially horizontal stack at the forward and rearward most portions of said substantially horizontal stack; and presenting said substantially horizontal stack to a flow wrapping station. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, comprising the step of displacing said packs along a pathway with said first conveyor being provided on a first side of the pathway and said second conveyor being provided on a second side of the pathway. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, comprising the step of displacing said packs along a pathway with said first conveyor being located underneath said pathway and said second conveyor being located above said pathway. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method according to claim 15, comprising the further step of providing said second conveyor above a further conveyor on which the substantially horizontal stack is carried prior to entry into a flow wrapper. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of providing individually displaceable hands which are L-shaped. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, comprising the step of providing L-shaped hands with an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion being in a substantially upright position when employed for holding a substantially horizontal stack of packs, said lower portion extending substantially perpendicular to said upper portion, said upper and lower portion collaborating for holding the substantially horizontal stack at least at the rear of the stack. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, comprising the step of providing said upper portion of said L-shaped hands with at least two finger portions separated by a gap. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of providing the individually displaceable hands of said second conveyor with one or more fingers which are shaped and configured to pass, in use, through the gap between the fingers of the hands of said first conveyor. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of varying the distance between hands dependent upon a predetermined number of packs in a stack. ### Claim 22 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of displacing said hands only when a predetermined number of packs have been stacked. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said individually displaceable hands can be individually displaced along said track so as to adjust spacing between said individually displaceable hands along a length of said track.