String packaging apparatus and method

• US 5,209,042 A
• Filed: 10/02/1992
• Issued: 05/11/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: James H. Rickard
• Original Assignee: James H. Rickard
• Inventors: Rickard, James H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Coan, James F.
• Application Number:
  US07/955,653
• Time in Patent Office: 221 Days
• Field of Search: 53/430, 53/116, 53/119, 53/118, 53/409, 53/204, 53/252, 53/258, 53/255, 53/260, 53/284.3, 53/573, 53/572, 53/571
• US Class Current: 53/430
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/045 in bags
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 63/04 for folding or winding articles, e.g. gloves or stockings

Abstract

A package comprising a resilient musical instrument string in coiled form and contained within an envelope is made by winding the string into a coil at a winding station and within a generally C-shaped opening in an insert plate. The opening is partially defined by a generally radially inwardly open groove and further defined by a mouth which opens radially outwardly through the forward end of the plate. The groove provides partial support for the coil, an unsupported portion of the coil being disposed within the region of the mouth. The plate is advanced from the winding station to a packaging station where the forward end portion of the plate and the coil carried by the plate are inserted into an envelope. A clamping mechanism at the packaging station engages opposite sides of the envelope in the region of the mouth and grips and holds the envelope and an unsupported portion of the coil disposed within the envelope. While the envelope and the coil therein are held by the clamping mechanism the insert plate is withdrawn from the envelope and separated from the resilient coil which moves through the mouth.

Claims

1. Apparatus for forming a package including an envelope containing a resilient flexible string in the form of a coil, said apparatus comprising insert means for positioning within an envelope a coil to be packaged and including an insert number having an opening therein partially defined by radially inwardly open groove means for receiving and supporting a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the coil to be packaged and further defined by a radially outwardly open mouth, the coil having an unsupported portion in the region of said mouth, means for moving into the envelope said insert means and the coil supported by said insert means, clamping means for engaging opposing outer surface portions of the envelope in the region of said unsupported portion of the coil within the envelope to simultaneously grip and hold the envelope and the unsupported portion therein, and means for moving said insert member and said clamping means in generally radially opposite directions relative to each other to withdraw said insert means from the envelope and separate the coil from said insert means by movement of the coil through said mouth whereby the coil remains within the envelope.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said opening comprises a generally C-shaped opening.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said groove means comprises a partially circular groove having end portions terminating at said mouth.

4. Apparatus for forming a package as set forth in claim 1 including winding means for receiving a string to be packaged and forming the string into a coil within said opening.

5. Apparatus for forming a package as set forth in claim 4 wherein the coil formed by said winding means resiliently diametrically expands into said groove means.

6. Apparatus for forming a package as set forth in claim 4 wherein aid winding means cooperates with the insert means to form the string into a coil.

7. Apparatus for forming a package as set forth in claim 5 wherein the string is drawn into said opening by said winding means and said insert means cooperates with said winding means to apply drag to the string as the string is drawing in said opening.

8. Apparatus for forming a package as set forth in claim 7, wherein said insert means includes a stripper plate disposed generally adjacent an associated side of said opening for receiving said winding means therethrough and retaining within said opening the coil formed by said winding means.

9. Apparatus for forming a package as set forth in claim 4 wherein said winding means comprises a winding hub and means for supporting said winding hub for axial movement into and out of said opening and for rotation within said opening, means for moving said winding hub into and out of said opening, and means for rotating said winding hub within said opening.

10. Apparatus for forming a package as set forth in claim 9 including means for supporting the string to be packaged between said winding hub and said opening and wherein said winding hub has a slot therein for capturing an associated portion of the string as the winding hub moves into said opening.

11. Apparatus for forming a package including a generally rectangular envelope having a front panel and a back panel connected together along three side edges and defining an envelope mouth and a closure flap connected along a fold line to the fourth side edge of the back panel, and a resilient flexible string in the form of a coil contained within the envelope, said apparatus comprising a winding station and a package forming station, insert means for positioning within an envelope a coil to be packaged and including a horizontally elongate and vertically disposed insert plate having a generally C-shaped opening at its forward end partially defined by radially inwardly open groove means for receiving a coil to be packaged and further defined by a radially forwardly open mouth, means for supporting said insert plate for reciprocal forward and rearward movement between a winding position wherein said opening is disposed at said winding station and an inserting position wherein said opening is disposed at said packaging station, means for supporting a string at said winding station, winding means at said winding station including a winding hub supported for axially movement into and out of said opening and for rotation within said opening when said insert means is in its winding position and having a slot therein for capturing the string as winding hub moves into said opening, means for moving said winding hub into and out of said opening, means for rotating said winding hub in a winding direction within said opening, said winding hub cooperating with said insert plate in its winding position to form the string into a coil within said opening, said groove means receiving the coil formed by said winding means and supporting a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the coil, the coil having an unsupported portion in the region of said mouth, means for supporting an envelope at said packaging station to receive the forward end portion of said insert means when said insert plate is in its inserting position, clamping means at said packaging station for engaging opposing outer surface portions of the front and rear panels of the envelope and gripping and holding the envelope and an unsupported portion of the coil disposed between the front and rear panels and supported within said C-shaped opening, and means for moving the insert plate from its packaging position toward its winding position while the envelope and the coil contained therein are gripped and held by said clamping means to withdraw the insert plate from the envelope and separate the coil within the envelope from the insert plate by movement of the coil through said mouth, whereby the coil remains disposed within the envelope.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including an envelope dispensing magazine disposed in generally opposing relation to said packaging station and said envelope holding means comprises means for receiving an envelope from aid envelope dispensing magazine and for moving the envelope to and supporting the envelope at said packaging station.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 including flap closing means supported at said packaging station for moving the envelope closing flap to closed position after the insert means has been withdrawn from the envelope.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including a string receiving station and trolley means for receiving a string at said receiving station and moving it to and supporting it at the winding station.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the string is received by the trolley means in a generally horizontally oriented position and moves to a generally vertically depending position relative to said trolley means during the movement of said trolley means from said string receiving station to said winding station.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 including means for rotating said winding hub in a direction opposite said winding direction.

17. A method for packaging a resilient flexible string comprising the steps of winding a string to be packaged about an axis to form the string into a coil, providing inserting means having an opening partially defined by radially inwardly open groove means for supporting the coil along only a portion of its outer circumferential surface and a radially outwardly open mouth, inserting the inserting means and the coil supported thereby into an envelope, applying clamping force to opposite sides of the envelope to grip and hold the envelope and an unsupported portion of the coil disposed within the envelope between the opposite sides, and withdrawing the inserting means from the envelope while the clamping force is applied to the envelope and unsupported portion of the coil contained within the envelope to separate said inserting means from the coil by movement of the coil through said mouth.

18. A method for packaging a resilient flexible string as set forth in claim 17 including the additional step of expanding the coil radially outwardly into supporting engagement with said groove means.

19. A method for packaging a resilient flexible string as set forth in claim 18 wherein the step of expanding the coil is further characterized as allowing the coil to resiliently expand within said opening.

20. A method for packaging a resilient flexible string as set forth in claim 17 wherein the step of winding is performed within the said opening.