GB1213434A - Package and method of packaging - Google Patents

Abstract

1,213,434. Packaging. JOHN LEWIS Inc. 25 April, 1969 [9 Oct., 1968], No. 21317/69. Heading B8C. A method of packaging a series of flat wooden sticks 46, or the like, comprises the steps of axially tensioning a longitudinally folded strip of flexible material such as a paper tape 6 having a series of spaced punched holes 18 on both sides of the fold to accept the elongated articles snugly without tearing the tape, inserting each article into a pair of corresponding holes 18 so that the plane of each article is parallel to the fold line of the strip, and unfolding the strip to a substantially planar condition while maintaining the axial tension. As shown, the folded paper tape 6, passes between punch and die wheels 10, 12 which are mounted upon a table 4 and punch out the two series of holes 18, passes around a spring-loaded idler wheel 20, and is drawn along an arcuate guide 22. The latter is pivoted to the table 4 at 32, has a vertical guide wall 26 with an upper inverted channel portion 24, and is urged clockwise in to its limiting position, Fig. 1, by a spring 38. A split rim conveyer wheel 50 has axially aligned slots 51 which continuously accept sticks 46 from a hopper 48 complete filling being ascertained by a reserve magazine 70. The wheel 50 rotates under spring pressed pressure plates 72, 74 to deliver the sticks to a stick insertion station where the top point of the wheel 50 coincides with the series of holes 18 in the tape, the projecting ends of the sticks, at one side, being pushed away from the guide 22 by an angled portion 87 of the table before reaching the insertion station. Immediately after the termination of the support wall 26 of the guide 22 the sticks contact a guide 88 with a projection 94 to be pushed fully home into the tape 6, a freely rotatable wheel 96 providing back-up for the tape 6. The latter then passes over idler pulleys 98, 104, and a tensioning pulley 100, and is wound, with constant tension, on to a spool 122 which is friction driven, through a rubber tyred wheel 120, from an electric motor and gear-box 110 which also drives the conveyer wheel 50 having an internal chain 56 which drives a sprocket 58 secured to a shaft 60. A sprocket 62 mounted on the shaft 60 drives, through a chain 69, a further sprocket 66 whose shaft 68 drives the punch and die wheels 10; 12 through right angle gearing, not shown.