Frame for a packaging machine

In a center folded or side sealing horizontal flow pack packaging machine having first and second sides suitable for packaging a product in heat sealed or cold welded plastic film, said packaging machine having mechanical operating components (200), an electrical control group, and a support frame (100) for supporting said mechanical operating components and said electrical control group, said mechanical operating components (200) including a feed belt (201) for feeding the product to the packaging machine, a reel of heat sealing plastic film (202), a welding group (203), a cut and sew group (204), and a discharge belt (205) for discharging packaged products from the packaging machine, said electrical control group including a box (5) housing said electrical control group for controlling the mechanical operating components (200), said support frame (100) including two spaced apart uprights (1) aligned along the first and second sides of said packaging machine, said mechanical operating components (200) being mounted cantilevered on said support frame (100) on the first side of said packaging machine at a height of about 70 to 90 centimeters and defining there below an open area, the improvement comprising:

• said support frame (100) further including an upper cantilevered support (102) disposed parallel to and vertically spaced from and aligned with said mechanical operating components (200), said upper cantilevered support (102) being supported by said two spaced apart uprights (1) at a height of more than 2 meters and supporting said box (5) housing the electrical control group for said mechanical operating components (200),
• whereby said mechanical operating components (200) are accessible to an operator of said packaging machine from the first and second sides of said packaging machine and the open area underlying the cantilevered mounted mechanical operating components (200) is open and accessible for cleaning.