Machine for setting heat-shrinkable sleeves on objects from a continuous sheath

• US 6,523,331 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sleever International Company
• Original Assignee: Sleever International Company
• Inventors: Fresnel, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, THANH K
• Application Number:
  US09/554,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,013 Days
• Field of Search: 535/57, 535/85, 535/67, 532/91, 532/96, 532/98, 493/271, 493/273, 493/287, 493/288
• US Class Current: 53/557
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 9/14 Devices for distending tubes supplied in the flattened state
• CPC Class Codes: B65C 3/065 by placing tubular labels around the container applying preformed tubular sheathings of plastics in general B29C63/18; applying protective covers to closures B67B5/03

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine for fitting sleeves of heat-shrink plastics material on objects, the sleeves being taken from a continuous sheath that is rolled flat. In the invention, a horizontal shaping mandrel (40) is provided that comprises two torpedoes (41, 42) in axial alignment and interconnected by a thread-like central element (43), the two torpedoes having facing ends (45, 46) each with a pair of smooth chamfers, and each torpedo resting freely on an associated V support (60). The sheath drive means comprises two adjacent pinch wheels (25, 26) disposed symmetrically on either side of the thread-like element (43) between the two V-supports (60) and passing in the vicinity of the pairs of smooth chamfers of the torpedoes (41, 42), each wheel (25, 26) having a peripheral groove (65, 66) that is complementary to the groove of the other wheel so as to form a horizontal axis passage for said thread-like element.

Claims

1. A machine (1) for fitting sleeves of heat-shrink plastics material on objects (10), the sleeves being taken from a continuous sheath (20) that is rolled up flat, the machine including a shaping mandrel (40) over which the sheath passes to be expanded, sheath drive means (10) using motor-driven wheels which co-operate with an associated portion of the shaping mandrel to engage an open end of the sheath on an object, and cutter means (30) intervening between the shaping mandrel (40) and the object (10) so as to form a sleeve (80) associated with said object, wherein the shaping mandrel (40) is substantially horizontal and comprises two torpedoes (41, 42) in axial alignment interconnected by a flexible wire (43) anchored at both ends (52, 53) in said torpedoes, one of the anchored ends of the flexible wire (43) being releasable so as to enable the length of said flexible wire between said torpedoes to be adjusted, said flexible wire being formed of a steel wire having a diameter of about 1 mm, with an upstream torpedo (41) having an upstream end forming an insertion spatula (44) and a downstream end (45) with a pair of smooth chamfers, and a downstream torpedo (42) presenting an upstream end (46) with a pair of smooth chamfers and a downstream end (47) with a straight edge (51) adjacent to the cutter means (30), each torpedo (41, 42) of said mandrel resting freely in an associated V-support (60), and the sheath drive means (90) comprises, between the two V-supports (60), two adjacent pinch wheels (25, 26) disposed symmetrically on either side of the flexible wire (43) of the shaping mandrel (40) and passing in the vicinity of the chamfered smooth edges of the torpedoes (41, 42), each wheel (25, 26) having a peripheral groove (65, 66) complementary to that of the other wheel (26, 25) so as to form a horizontal axis passage (67) for said flexible wire.

2. A sleeve-fitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the insertion spatula (44) of the upstream torpedo (41) extends in a plane which is substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the continuous sheath is pinched between the two wheels (25, 26).

3. A sleeve-fitting machine according to claim 2, wherein the upstream torpedo (41) and/or the downstream torpedo (42) has two plane side facets (58, 59) substantially perpendicular to a plane in which the continuous sheath is pinched between the two wheels (25, 26).

4. A sleeve-fitting machine according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of smooth chamfers (48, 49) of the upstream and downstream torpedoes (41, 42) are formed by sloping plane facets disposed symmetrically about a midplane containing the flexible wire (43) and tangential to the two pinch wheels (25, 26).

5. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 4, wherein the pair of smooth chamfers (48) of the upstream torpedo (41) is formed by two plane facets sloping at about 30°

, and the two pinch wheels (25, 26) pass tangentially over said pair of smooth chamfers (48), while the pair of smooth chamfers (49) of the downstream torpedo (42) is formed by two plane facets that slope at a smaller angle.

6. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 5, wherein the pair of smooth chamfers (48) is defined by two fitted inserts (75), that are preferably interchangeable, having free facets constituting the sloping plane facets that co-operate with the pinch wheels (25, 26).

7. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 1, wherein a longitudinal slot (60.2) is provided in the bottom of the V-grooves of each torpedo support (60).

8. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 1, wherein the cutter means (30) comprise a, blade (31) carried by a rotary arm (32) on a horizontal axis, and said means is positioned in such a manner that its blade (31) is flush with the straight edge (51) of the downstream end (47) of the downstream torpedo (42).

9. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 8, wherein, the cutter blade (31) has two rectilinear cutting edges (31.1, 31.2) that meet at a leading edge (31.3).

10. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 9, wherein the two cutting edges (31.1, 31.2) are substantially perpendicular and arranged in such a manner that the leading edge (31.3) meets the top (20′

) of the sheath in the vicinity of a crease therein that results from said sheath passing over the insertion spatula (44) or between the two pinch wheels (25, 26).

11. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 1, wherein the two pinch wheels (25, 26) are peripherally coated in elastomer, and come into contact with each other on either side of their peripheral grooves (65, 66) which are trapezoidally shaped and present two facets (68, 69) sloping symmetrically about their midplane (P), forming a V that opens at an angle of about 60°

.

12. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 11, wherein the two pinch wheels (25, 26) are chamfered on their outer edges (70, 71).

13. A machine for fitting sleeves according to claim 1, wherein the two pinch wheels (25, 26) are mounted on a carrying structure (23) capable of pivoting, preferably about a vertical axis (19), so as to enable the drive means (90) as a whole to be offset laterally.