Apparatus for sectioning thermoplastic sheath and placing resulting sleeves around containers
First Claim
1. An apparatus for automatic cutting at a programmed rate heat-shrinkable plastic sheaths into sleeves and placing the sleeves around containers, the sleeves being suitable for then being heat-shrunk around the containers, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor;
a frame;
means for heat-shrinking the sleeves;
means on said frame for feeding a plastic sheath in flat form and for conveying it as a continuous web under predetermined tension conditions;
at least one hollow mandrel;
at least one vertical assembly means on said frame for cutting the sheath into sleeves and for supplying the sleeves around said hollow mandrel on which the continuous sheath is to be engaged, the assembly means including at least the following stations;
(a) means for removing pleats and fold lines on the flat sheath;
(b) means for cutting the sheath into the sleeves;
(c) staged means for automatically regulating height and rate of the cutting and at the same time for making it possible to keep said mandrel in its vertical position; and
(d) means for guiding and ejecting the sleeves downward from said mandrel, these sleeves being automatically placed around the containers to be covered which are travelling on said conveyor, said conveyor being operatively associated with said means for heat-shrinking the sleeves around the containers.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for automatic cutting at a programmed rate of heat shrinkable plastic sheaths into sections or sleeves suitable for being placed and then heat-shrunk around containers. The apparatus includes means for feeding the plastic sheath in flat and then transporting it under predetermined tension conditions, and at least one vertical assembly for cutting the sheath and supplying the resulting sections or sleeves. The assembly includes four stages or stations positioned around a hollow mandrel on which the continuous sheath is engaged. The stations are constituted respectively by (1) means for eliminating the fold lines or the like from the flat sheath; (2) means for cutting the sheath; (3) staged means at the same time making it possible to keep the mandrel in vertical position and automatically regulating the height and rate of the cutting; and (4) means for guiding and ejecting the sleeves downward from the mandrel. The ejected sleeves are automatically placed around the containers to be covered which are travelling on a conveyor operatively associated with a device for heat-shrinking the sleeves on the containers.
15 Citations
9 Claims
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1. An apparatus for automatic cutting at a programmed rate heat-shrinkable plastic sheaths into sleeves and placing the sleeves around containers, the sleeves being suitable for then being heat-shrunk around the containers, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor;
a frame;
means for heat-shrinking the sleeves;
means on said frame for feeding a plastic sheath in flat form and for conveying it as a continuous web under predetermined tension conditions;
at least one hollow mandrel;
at least one vertical assembly means on said frame for cutting the sheath into sleeves and for supplying the sleeves around said hollow mandrel on which the continuous sheath is to be engaged, the assembly means including at least the following stations;(a) means for removing pleats and fold lines on the flat sheath; (b) means for cutting the sheath into the sleeves; (c) staged means for automatically regulating height and rate of the cutting and at the same time for making it possible to keep said mandrel in its vertical position; and (d) means for guiding and ejecting the sleeves downward from said mandrel, these sleeves being automatically placed around the containers to be covered which are travelling on said conveyor, said conveyor being operatively associated with said means for heat-shrinking the sleeves around the containers. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- a conveyor;
Specification