US3287878A

US3287878A - Apparatus for producing tetrahedron containers provided with an access aperture

Info

Publication number: US3287878A
Authority: US
Inventors: George A Mobley
Original assignee: Clemson Industries Inc
Current assignee: Clemson Industries Inc
Priority date: 1963-02-25
Filing date: 1963-02-25
Publication date: 1966-11-29
Anticipated expiration: 1983-11-29
Also published as: CH437108A; NL6401783A; DK109708C; BR6457073D0; BE644300A; GB1030643A

Description

G. A. MOBLEY Nov. 29, 1966 3,287,878 OVIDED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING TETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PR WITH AN ACCESS APERTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 momzOw v v 1? m r mOmDOm INVENTOR. GEORGE A. MOBLEY ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1966 G. A. MOBLEY 3,2fi7fi78 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING TETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH AN ACCESS APERTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1965 INVENTOR. GEORG A. MOBLEY ATTORNEY G. A. MOBLEY Nov. 29, 1966 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING TETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PR WITH AN ACCESS APERTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 INVENTOR.

AT TO RNEY United States Patent 3,287,878 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING TETRAHEDRON CONTAINERS PROVIDED WITH AN ACCESS APERTURE George A. Mobley, Spartanburg, S.C., assignor to Milliken Tetra Pair, 2 Division of Clemson Industries, Inc., Pacolet, S.C., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 260,587 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-133) This invention relates to apparatus for producing tetrahedron containers provided with an access aperture in a wall thereof covered by a removable tape heatsealed to the container.

Tetrahedron containers are rapidly gaining acceptance as containers for a wide variety of liquids, despite certain difficulties associated with the use of the containers, because of the substantial economies realized by the use thereof instead of the conventional rectangular containers. One of the problems associated with the use of tetrahedron containers is that by the very nature by which the containers are formed, it is difiicult to provide means for obtaining access to the contents of the container.

It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus and methods for producing sealed tetrahedron containers having an access aperture in a wall thereof covered by a tape heat-sealed to the container wall.

Another object is to provide such apparatus which provides an unsealed portion on the tape to facilitate its removal.

Still another object is to provide apparatus which pro vides such unsealed portion on the tape which projects outwardly from the container walls so as to provide a readily locatable pull tab.

Still a future object is to provide apparatus readily mountable on existing commercial apparatus which form sealed tetrahedron containers.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains.

The apparatus and methods of this invention employ heat sealing means which reciproca-bly travel with the sheet material used to form the containers while segments of the tape are being pressed against the sheet of material in a heated condition. A-n unsealed portion of the tape, to provide a pull tab, is produced by positioning the heat sealing means with respect to the tape segments so that a portion of the segment remains unheated. A wing effect, provided by the unsealed portion of the tape projecting outwardly from the walls of the containers can be provided by positioning the access aperture on the tetrahedron container at approximately that apex of a wall of the container which is uppermost when the container is resting on the wall opposite the aperturebearing wall, with the uppermost end of the tape segment being the unsealed end. If the width of the tape is such that it is wider than the apex portion of the aperturebearing wall which the unsealed end portion covers, the end portion will project outwardly from the aperturebearing wall. As that end portion is unsealed, it will also project outwardly from the walls adjacent the aperturebearing wall.

The above-described tetrahedron containers can be produced by modifying the methods and apparatus described in US. Patent Nos. 2,738,631; 2,741,079; 2,784,- 540; 2,821,250; 2,832,271; 2,869,299 and 2,895,731. If the container is to be formed and filled under aseptic conditions, then the procedure and apparatus disclosed Patented Nov. 29, 1966 in US. Patent Nos. 2,918,770; 2,928,219; 3,063,211 and 3,063,845 can be employed. The mechanism for providing the tab seals will be mounted on such apparatus between the point where the paper stock is unrolled and the point where the partially formed container is filled with its contents. Certain of the containers which can be formed following the methods and employing the apparatus of this invention provide the subject matter of copending application Serial Number 260,594, filed on even date herewith, now Patent No. 3,166,226.

The apparatus and methods of this invention employ laminated stock material, the innermost lamina of which is .a layer of thermoplastic material substantially impervious and inert to the contents of the container, such containers being now well known in the art. The laminated material used to form these containers is ordinarily one or more layers of paper laminated to one or more layers of polyethylene or polypropylene so that the face of the laminated material which will form the inner face of the container will present a liquid impervious face to the contents. The outermost lamina is ordinarily moisture resistant, either by being formed of a layer of wet strength paper or of a lamina of thermoplastic material such as wax or polyethylene, or both. The container will bear the conventional transverse sealed seams and longitudinal butt, i.e., inside face to inside face, seam or lapped, i.e. inside face to outside face, seam. Although the apparatus and methods of this invention can provide a tape covered aperture at any point on any wall of the tetrahedron container, except at the longitudinal or transverse seam areas, such an aperture is ordinarily and preferably provided near the apex which is uppermost of a wall which faces upward when the container rests on the opposite wall. This access aperture will ordinarily be a small round hole which, if the container is a pint or half-pint size, will be about the size which will receive a drinking straw. This opening or aperture is sealed by a tape which covers the opening and is bonded to the outer face of the portion of the wall bearing the aperture by the thermoplastic material which forms at least the inner face of the tape, thus providing a seal which resists accidental unsealing. As stated above, to insure that the tape can be removed properly and readily, the apparatus is ordinarily arranged so that there is provided an end portion on the tape, preferably the uppermost portion, which is not sealed to the container wall, thus providing a pull tab. The unsealed edge portion preferably extends outwardly away from the container walls. Such an arrangement permits even a small child to remove the tape without instruction. The tape is preferably formed of paper laminated to polyethylene or paper impregnated with polyethylene, polypropylene, or wax.

This invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view ofa tetrahedron container forming apparatus with attached aperture forming mechanism which incorporates a tape applicator mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a simplified front planar view of a tape seal forming mechanism of this invention;

FIGURE 3 is a simplified side planar view of the mechanism of FIGURE 2 taken along line 11-11;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a sealed tetrahedron container having sealed opening in the wall thereof which can be formed by the apparatus shown in FIGURES 13;

FIGURE 5 is a highly enlarged cross-sectional view 3 of the opening bearing portion of the wall of the tetrahedron container shown in FIGURE 4.

As shown in FIGURE 1, a roll of paper 10, of the type shown in cross-section in FIGURE 5 is guided by

guides

20, 21, 22 and 23, through tube forming means 30, into contact with longitudinal seam forming heat sealing means (not shown), filling means 31, transverse.

seam forming heater bars 32 and 33, and tranverse seam cutting means (not shown), of an apparatus of the type described in the above-mentioned patents to form the individual tetrahedron cartons 34.

A punch mechanism is provided on the apparatus and arranged to operate in timed relationship with the transverse seam forming bars 32 and 33, so that pairs of holes 11 and 12 will be properly positioned on pairs of the completed containers 34, by a punch cam 43 mounted on the drive shaft 44 which also drives the heater bars 32 and 33. At the proper moment in relationship to the action of these heater bars, the cam 43 closes switch 45 which completes circuit 46, connected to an source, thus causing plunger of solenoid 51 to be driven downward, striking a punch lever 52 pivotally mounted by pivot 53 to punch frame 54, which frame is also pivotally mounted by a pivot 55 to avoid tearing the stock 10 by the movement of the stock while the

punches

56 and 57 are pressed through the stock. The downward movement of punch lever 52 forces the spring loaded

punches

56 and 57 through the paper stock, thus producing a pair of spaced holes 11 and 12 in the paper stock. As switch 45 is only momentarily closed by punch cam 43, the

punches

56 and 57 are quickly withdrawn from the paper stock by

springs

58 and 59. The paper stock bearing the pairs of holes then moves toward the tape sealing mechanism over a bed 60 of the carriage body 61 thereof. The carriage body is slidably mounted on the tetrahedron forming apparatus so as to be reciprocally movable a short distance parallel with the movement of the paper stock. Mounted on the carriage body 61 are a pair of rolls of

tapes

62 and 63 intermittently advanced by a pair of tape feed driven rolls 64 and 65 which Work cooperatively with tape feed pressure rolls 66 and 67 to advance the

free ends

68 and 69 of the

tapes

62 and 63 which project past a pair of guide slots 70 and 71, which slots also act as one member each of a pair of scissor type cutting devices which intermittently cut the projecting

ends

68 and 69 of the

tapes

62 and 63 to provide the tab seals 13 and 14 covering apertures 11 and 12. Also mounted on the carriage body 61 are a pair of pressure cylinders 72 and 73 having air actuated piston rods 74 and 75 on which are mounted electrically heated heater platens 76 and 77, each connected to an source. To provide unsealed portions on the severed tapes 13 and 14, the heater platens 76 and '77 have a width less than the width of the

tapes

62 and 63 or are positioned with respect to the

ends

68 and 69 thereof so that a portion of the tape ends are not sealed to the stock, thus providing pull tabs on the tetrahedron containers 34 when formed. Mounted on the heater platens 76 and 77 are moving

cutting edges

78 and 79 which provide the other member of the scissor type tape cutting devices. Also mounted on the carriage body 61 is a tape feed cylinder 81 which, through its piston rod 82, a clevis 83, crank 84 and one way clutch 85 tape feed linkage, intermittently advances the

tape feed rolls

62 and 63 and thus advances

tape ends

68 and 60.

Mounted in a fixed manner on the tetrahedron forming apparatus, to detect when the carriage body 61 reaches its station closest to the punch mechanism 40 is a threeway tape feed valve 90, joined by a flexible hose 91 to tape feed cylinder 81 and also connected by a second hose 92 to a source of compressed air 93. Similarly mounted is an end-of-stroke bleeder valve 94, connected by a hose 95 to a four-way bistable valve 96. Also fixed mounted on the tetrahedron forming apparatus is a carriage return cylinder 97, connected by a hose 98 to fourway valve 96. Four-way valve 96 is connected by flexible hose 99 and hoses 99a and 99b to pressure cylinders 72 and 73, and is connected by hose 100 to the source of compressed air 93, and by hose 101 to a cam bleeder valve 102 activated by bleeder valve cam 103 mounted on drive shaft 44. Cams 43 and 103 are mounted on shaft 44 so that cam bleeder valve 43 is activated when a pair of holes 11 and 12 are properly positioned under heater platens 76 and 77.

FIGURES 2 and 3 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the above-described tape sealing mechanism. As shown in these drawings, a tape feed mounting frame 201 is rigidly mounted on the tetrahedron container forming mechanism adjacent the area where the feed stock 10 is unrolled, as shown schematically illustrated in FIGURE 1, so that the stock passes through the tape feed mechanism between the area where the apertures are made in the stock and the area where the stock is formed into containers. Slidably mounted on the mounting frame 201, by means of a pair of

slide rods

202 and 203 is the carriage body 205. Low friction mounting and movement is achieved by

ball bushings

206 and 207 mounted in

bushing tubes

208 and 209. The ends 68 and 69 of the rolls of

tapes

62 and 63, shown in FIGURE 1, are fed into the carriage body 205 by a pair of tape slides 211 and a pair of tape slide lids 212, each of which is provided in two parts, i.e., an outer section 212a, which is raisable by means of hinge 213 to facilitate loading of the tape, and an inner section 212b, which is spring loaded by tape slide lid spring 214. Tape slide 211 is mounted on the carriage body by tape slide holder 215. The tape slide 211 and the inner section 21212 of the tape slide lid 212 have

open portions

216 and 217 to permit the

tapes

62 and 63 to be intermittently advanced by the pair of driven tape feed rolls 64 and 65 (only one of which is visible in FIGURE 3), each of which is mounted above a tape slide 211 on the carriage body 205 by tape feed roll shaft 218 for coaction with tape feed pressure rolls 66 and 67 (only one of which is visible in FIGURE 3) which are rotatably mounted, by shaft 219 on spring loaded tape feed pressure roll arm 220, On carriage body 205 by tape feed pressure roll arm shaft 221. Tape feed driven rolls 64 and 65 have multiple grooves 222 in their tape engaging surfaces for obtaining positive and nonslipping engagement with

tapes

62 and 63. Each of tape feed driven rolls 64 and 65 are rotated counterclockwise by means of a one-way clutch system 85 which rotates the tape feed driven rolls 64 and 65 a partial turn with each upstroke of the tape feed piston rod 82 of the tape feed cylinder 81. The tape feed piston rod 82 is joined to the one-way clutch system 85 by means of a tape feed clevis 83 joined through pin 83a to tape feed crank 84. Slots 70 and 71 are provided in

stationary blade members

225 and 226 to receive the

ends

68 and 69 of the

tapes

62 and 63 after leaving the pair of tape slides 211. These slots 70 and 71 are canted with respect to the horizontal plane of the carriage body to permit the tape ends to be cut with a scissors-like action. The

bottom cutting edges

227 and 228 of the slots 70 and 71 provide the cutting edges of the

stationary blade members

225 and 226.

The sheet material 10 used to form the tetrahedron containers 34 is fed through throat 230 of carriage body 205 so that the aperture bearing portion of the sheet material is positioned under the

ends

68 and 69 of the

tapes

62 and 63 which project beyond the

stationary blades

225 and 226. Mounted to the carriage body 205 by pressure pad mounting 231, to provide a resilient support for the sheet material 10 below the heater platen portion of the tape seal mechanism, is a pressure pad assembly 232, including a pressure pad holder 233. Tightly mounted on the upper surface of pressure pad holder 233 is a pair of rubber or other

resilient pressure pads

234 and 235 separated by a pressure pad spacer 236. Covering the upper surface of the pressure pads and spacer is a low friction and heat resistant polyfiuoroethylene (Teflon) pressure pad cover 237. Slippage of the

pressure pads

234 and 235 and pressure pad spacer 236 in pressure pad holder 233 is prevented by pressure pad stops 238 secured to the pressure holder 233.

Mounted on a forward plate 240 of carriage body 205 for vertical alignment respectively with slots 70 and 71 of

stationary blades

225 and 226 by means of upper and lower

pressure cylinder heads

241 and 242 are a pair 72 and 73 of pressure cylinders, having respective downwardly projecting piston rods 74 and 75. Mounted to these piston rods respectively are

piston rod feet

243 and 244 on each of which is mounted a heater platen 76 and 77, respectively, but separated therefrom by a first 247 and second 248 layer of thermal insulation. Each heater platen is provided with a cavity 249 in which is mounted an electrical heater 251 having terminals 252a and 25212 connected to an source. Also mounted on each of heater platens 76 and 77 are

respective platen blades

78 and 79 arranged for sliding contact with

stationary blades

225 and 226, which provide the moving

cutting edges

256 and 257 to work cooperatively with

stationary cutting edges

227 and 228 to shear the

end portions

68 and 69 of

tapes

62 and 63 which project outwardly from slots 70 and 71. The bottom faces of platens 76 and 77 provide

pressure surfaces

258 and 259 to hold the severed ends of the tapes tightly against respective aperture hearing portions of the sheet material 10. These pressure surfaces have respective

indented portions

261 and 262 so that the width of the pressure surfaces is less than the width of

tapes

62 and 63, thereby leaving a portion on each of the severed tape ends 13 and 14, shown in FIG- URE l, unsealed to the sheet material 10, which provides the pull tab 407 shown on the container shownin FIG- URE 4. If the recessed portion is provided on only a corner of the platens 76 and 77, then only one corner of the tape end will remain unsealed to the sheet material 10.

Mounted so that its push rod 121 can contact a stop 264 provided on the carriage body 205 is carriage return cylinder 97. Also mounted on the carriage body 205 is a cam assembly 266 having tapered ends which provide a tape feed cam 266a and end-of-stroke cam 266b, respectively. Vertically mounted on the tape feed mechanism mounting frame 201 by valve mount 268 are threeway tape feed valve 90 and end-of-stroke bleeder valve 94. Mounted below each of these valves on the tape feed assembly mounting frame 201 are a pair of

cam follower arms

271 and 272, which are mounted through respective hinge pins 273 and 274 for up-and-down hinged motion. Attached to the end of

cam follower arms

271 and 272 are respective cam follower rollers 275 and 276 which contact feed cam 266a and end-of-stroke cam 266b, respectively, and in so doing raise push rod 110 of threeway tape feed valve 90 and push rod 120 of end-of-stroke bleeder valve 94, respectively.

In operation, when tape feed cam 266a contacts cam follower roller 275, thereby causing cam follower arm 271 to lift push rod 110 of three-way tape feed valve 90, tape feed cylinder 81 is thereby connected through tube 91, three-Way tape feed valve 90 and tube 92 to compressed air source 93. This air pressure forces piston rod 82 upward, overcoming .the means (which can be a spring or lower air pressure) within the cylinder 81 which normally holds piston rod 82 in extended position. This upward movement causes feed rolls 64 and 65 to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, thereby advancing

tapes

62 and 63 so that their ends'68 and 69 protrude from slots 70 and 71 a predetermined distance sufficient to cover apertures 11 and 12 in sheet material 10. At a predetermined time later, when cam 103 strikes push rod 111 of bleeder valve 102, air is released from cavity 112 of four-way valve 96. This produces a differential air pressure within the four-way valve 96 which causes internal piston 113 to shift position and to move into cavity 112, carrying with it internal shuttle valve 114, thereby (a) connecting the carriage return cylinder 97 through pipe 98 with exhaust pipe 115 of four-way valve 96. The resulting release of air from carriage return cylinder 97 permits its push rod 121 to retract and thus allow the carriage body 205 to move in the direction of sheet stock 10 flow, when actuated in the manner described below, and (b) connecting the pressure cylinders 72 and 73 with the source of compressed air 93. The resulting air pressure actuates these cylinders, overcoming the means (which can be a spring or lower air pressure) within the cylinders which normally hold their piston rods 74 and 75 in their upward position, thus causing rods 74 and 75 to move heated platens 76 and 77 downward past slots 70 and 71 and their

shearing edges

227 and 228 so that ends 68and 69 are sheared from

tapes

62 and 63 by the cutting action of

edges

256 and 257 of

platen blades

78 and 79 against

stationary blades

225 and 226. These sheared ends are immediately thereafter pressed firmly against paper stock 10 over a pair of holes 11 and 12 by the platen pressure surfaces 258 and 259 of heater platens 76 and 77. The pressure of these platens against the paper stock causes the carriage body 205 to move along with the moving paper stock, thus providing the required time for the severed tape ends 68 and 69 to be heat sealed to the paper stock. When the carriage body and its associated parts travel a predetermined distance, as partially shown in phantom in FIGURE 1, end-of-stroke cam 266b contacts cam follower roller 276, thereby causing ca-m follower arm 272 to lift push rod 120 of end-of-strokebleeder valve 94, thereby bleeding air from hose and from the side of four-way valve 96 opposite cavity 112.

Four-way valve 96 is equipped with a pressure equalizing capillary passage 116. After the air pressure has been bled from cavity 112 by bleeder valve 102 (which immediately closes again as cam 103 moves past push rod 111) and the piston 113 and shuttle valve 114 have shifted into cavity 112, passage 116 permits air pressure to build up again. This action again equalizes the air pressure between the two ends of piston 113. Thus, when air is thereafter bled from the opposite side of the four-way valve 96 by bleeder valve 94, an air pressure differential will once again exist on the two sides of piston 113, which causes the piston to return to the position shown in FIGURE 1. This latter valve action (a) releases the air from pressure cylinders 72 and 73 by connecting them to exhaust pipe 115 of the four-way valve 96, causing the cylinders to draw the heater platens 76 and 77 away from the paper stock 10, and (b) connects the carriage return cylinder 97 to the source of compressed air 93 through tube 98, four-way valve 96 and tube 100, causing its push rod 121 to rapidly return the carriage body to its original position, thereby causing tape feed cam 266a to engage roller 275 of cam follower arm 271 and lifting push rod of three-way tape feed valve 90, and the above-described cycle then begins again. It will be apparent from the above discussion that any or all of the air actuation can be replaced by hydraulic operation.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the tetrahedron container 401, having the usual transverse seams 402 and 403, has an opening 404 positioned at the uppermost apex 405 of the wall 406 facing upward when the container 401 rests on the wall opposite to the opening bearing wall 406. The opening 404 is sealed by a tape 407 covering the opening 404 and sealed to the portion of the wall 406 surrounding the opening 404. An end portion 408 of the tape is unsealed to the container to provide a pull tab for removing the tape when access to the contents of the container is desired. The unsealed end portion 408 extends outwardly from the walls of the container, as shown in FIGURE 4, to provide a winged effect to the tab, thus making it easy to locate, an important feature when the container is used by young children or persons with poor vision. ,An optional feature is an uncoated strip 409 along the container wall 406 when the wall is coated with Wax or other material which would 7 tend to interfere with the sealing of the tape 407 to the wall 406.

Details of the construction of the container wall 406 and the tape 407 of the container 401 are shown in' FIGURE along with the manner in which the tape is sealed to the wall. The wall 406 shown in FIGURE 5 is a laminated paper consisting essentially of two

layers

501 and 502 of wet strength paper alternated by two

layers

503 and 504 of polyethylene, one of which layers 504 forms the interior face of the wall 406. The tape 407 covering the opening 404 is a laminated tape having an outer paper layer 505 and an inner polyethylene layer 506. The seal between the tape 407 and the paper lamina 502 of wall 406 in the container 401 shown in the drawings is achieved by heat sealing which caused some of the polyethylene lamina 506 of the tape 407 to penetrate into the outer portion 507 of the most exteriorly positioned paper lamina 502 of wall 406 so that the polyethylene is infused around the fibers in that portion of the lamina. This can be seen when the tape is pulled from the container. A thin layer of fibers from the paper lamina 502 can be seen imbedded in the polyethylene lamina 506. The heat sealing causes a bead which can be a shallow bead 507 or a deep bead 50-7 to be for-med about the edge of the opening 404. This tends to reduce edge wicking into paper lamina 502 or eliminate such wicking when the bead 507' penetrates deeply enough into the opening 404 to bond with the polyethylene lamina 504 of the wall 406 of the container. This is particularly important if the paper lamina has low wet strength, in which case it is most desirable for the bead to penetrate into the opening 404 until a liquid tight seal is achieved between the innermost positioned polyethylene lamina 503 and bead 507. The heat sealing causes a recessed portion 509 in the tape 407 as a result of the portion of the tape being drawn into the opening 404. As also shown in FIGURE 4, a portion 408 of the tape 407 is left unsealed to the container to provide a pull tab for removing the tape.

The stock used to make the tetrahedron containers can be for-med of a wide variety of laminated products, e.g., a polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinylchloride, ployvinyl acetate, nylon, polyester, or other thermoplastic film or layers laminated to paper, fabric, aluminum foil, lead foil or other suitabe packaging material. The tape used to form the seal over the aperture can be constructed wholly of one of the above thermoplastic materials or it can also be a laminated product like the container stock. Generally, a polyethylene-paper laminated product is preferred for both. 7

The size and shape of the opening or aperture in the container will depend upon its intended use, i.e., whether or not it is to be used as a pouring opening or as an opening for insertion of a drinking straw. However, a round hole about to is preferred when the container is a half-pint or pint size containing milk or a soft drink.

The tape can be colored so as to blend or contrast with the container wall and can bear printing such as advertising or instructions on opening the container.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for providing external tape seals over a series of pairs of apertures in a moving sheet of material, arranged for attachment on a tetrahedron container forming machine also having an attachment which forms pairs of apertures in the moving sheet in timed relationship with the mechanism which forms the containers so as to produce a multiplicity of tetrahedron containers, each having a tape sealed access aperture in a wall thereof, comprising (a) a pair of tape guide means to position ends of a .pair of lengths of heat scalable tape proximate a face of the sheet so that a pair of apertures in the sheet and the end portions of the lengths af tape 8 are in alignment at a moment during the movement of the sheet;

(b) air piston actuated tape feed means to intermittently advance the tapes in a direction transverse to the direction of the web movement a metered amount so as to present successive pairs of end portions of the tapes providing the tape seals when the air piston is connected to the supply of actuating air;

(c) a pair of electrically heated heaters, each having a heated face for heat sealing severed end portions of the lengths of tape to the sheet, reciprocally movable in a direction normal to the direction of the movement of the sheet between a first position away from the sheet more distantly than the terminal portions of the tape guide means, and a second position at which the heaters press the severed end portions to the sheet;

(d) a frame carrying the heaters which is reciprocally and freely movable between a first position, where the heaters move from their first to their second position and where the heated faces of the heaters are each in alignment respectively with the end portions of the lengths of tapes when the heaters reach their second position, and a second position spaced from the first position in the direction of the movement of the sheet a distance less than the distance between successive pairs of apertures in the sheet, where the heaters return from their second to their first position; I V

(e) a pair of tape cutting means each comprising a pair of cutting members, one of which members is mounted on the frame and provides the terminal portion of one 'of the tape guide means when the frame is in its first position and one of which members is mounted on one of the heaters in sliding arrangement with the first member to provide a shearing action to sever an end portion from each of the tapes each time the heaters move from their first to their second position;

(f) means to move the frame from its second to its first position comprising an air actuated piston which, when connected to the supply of actuating air, moves the frame from its second position to its first position at a speed such that the frame reaches its first position before an unsealed aperture reaches that position;

(g) a pair of air actuated pistons mounted on the frame and to which the heaters are mounted which, when connected to the supply of actuating air, move the heaters from their first to their second position and which when disconnected from the supply of actuating air, move the heaters from their second to their first position;

(h) means to move the frame from its first to its second position comprising a bed, mounted to the frame, over which the moving sheet passes and which provides a stop for the heaters so that the sheet is clamped between the heaters and the bed in non-slipping arrangement while the heaters are in their second position;

.(i) a first sensing means which, when the frame reaches its second position, opens a valve, thereby connecting the frame moving air pistonto the supply of actuating air, and closes .a valve, thereby disconnecting the pair of heater bearing air pistons from their supply of actuating air;

(3') a second sensing means which, when the frame reaches its first position, opens a valve thereby connecting the tape feeding piston to the supply of actuating air, and

(k) a third sensing means, actuated i-n timed relationship to the means actuating the aperture forming attachment, which opens a valve thereby connecting the pair of air pistons to their supply of actuating air, and closes a valve, thereby discon- 9 necting the frame moving piston from the supply of actuating air.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein that portion of that surface of each heater which contacts the tape end and which is nearest the corresponding portion of the other heater has an indented portion positioned over a tape end so that a transverse portion of that tape end remains unsealed to the sheet.

3. Apparatus for providing tape seals over .a series of apertures in a moving sheet of material, comprising tape feed means to intermittently advance a length of heat sealable tape a metered amount, tape cutting means to intermittently sever successive end portions from the tape so as to provide an end portion for each aperture, movable heater means having a heated face for heat sealing an end portion of the tape to the sheet, heater moving means to move the heater means between a first position away from the sheet and a second position where the heated face of the heater means is pressed against the moving sheet, tape guide means to position an end portion of the tape between the heated face of the heater means and the sheet, over the path taken by the apertures, so that the end portion of the tape and the heated face are in alignment when the heater means is in its second position, a frame, on which the heater means is mounted, reciprocally movable between a first position, where the heater means moves from its first to its second position and where the heated face of the heater means and the end portion of the tape are in alignment when the heater means reaches its second position, and a second position in spaced relationship from the first position in the direction of the movement of the sheet, where the heater means moves from its second toward its first position, means to move the frame from its second to its first position at a speed such that the frame reaches its first position before an unsealed aperture in the sheet reaches that position, means to move the heater means from its first to its second position when an end portion of the tape and an aperture in the sheet are in alignment, means to move the frame from its first to its second position at a speed such that during such movement of the frame the heated face of the heater means, the end portion of the tape and an aperture in the sheet remain in alignment, and means to move the heater means from its second to its first position when the frame reaches its second position, said tape cutting means comprising a first cutting edge provided by a member mounted on the heater means and .arranged for slidable cutting contact with a second cutting edge provided by a member mounted on the frame, so that the movement of the heater means from its first to second position severs an end portion from the tape just before the heater means reaches its second position.

4. Apparatus for providing tape seals over a series of apertures in a moving sheet of material, comprising tape feed means to intermittently advance a length of heat sealable tape a metered amount, tape cutting means to intermittently sever successive end portions from the tape so as to provide an end portion for each aperture, movable heater means having a heated face for heat sealing an end portion of the tape to the sheet, heater moving means to move the heater means between a first position away from the sheet and a second position where the heated face of the heater means is pressed against the moving sheet, tape guide means to position an end portion of the tape between the heated face of the heater means and the sheet, over the path taken by the apertures, so that the end portion of the tape and the heated face are in alignment when the heater means is in its second position, a frame, on which the heater means is mounted, reciprocally movable between a first position, where the heater means moves from its first to its second position and where the heated face of the heater means and the end portion of the tape are in alignment when the heater means reaches its second position, and a second position in spaced relationship from the first position in the direction of the movement of the sheet, where the heater means moves from its second toward its first position, means to move the frame from its second to its first position at a speed such that the frame reaches its first position before an unsealed aperture in the sheet reaches that position, means to move the heater means from its first to its second position when an end portion of the tape and an aperture in the sheet are in alignment, means to move the frame from its first to its second position at a speed such that during such movement of the frame the heated face of the heater means, the end portion of the tape and an aperture in the sheet remain in alignment, and means to move the heater means from its second to its first position when the frame reaches its second position, said means to move the frame from its second to its first position comprising an air piston actuated by sensing means which detects when the frame has reached its second position, wherein the tape feed means comprises an air piston actuated by sensing means which detects when the frame has reached its first position, and wherein the means to move the heater means comprises an air piston actuated, in timed relationship to the position of an aperture with respect to the heater means, by sensing means which causes the air piston to move the heater means to its second position and actuated, when the frame reaches its second position, by sensing means which causes the air piston to move the heater means to its first position.

5. The structure of claim 3 wherein said heater means seals only a portion of said heat sealable material to said sheet material whereby a porton of said heat sealable material is not sealed to said sheet material to provide a means to readily pull said heat sealable material from said sheet material to expose the hole formed by said forming means.

6. The structure of claim 5 wherein the containers formed are tetrahedrons.

7. Apparatus to provide a plurality of tetrahedron shaped liquid impervious containers with sealed openings therein comprising: means for supplying sheet material to said apparatus, said sheet material having a lamina of thermoplastic material substantially liquid impervious, means to advance said sheet material, hole forming means operably associated with said sheet material to periodically form a plurality of pairs of holes in said advancing sheet of material, each of said pairs of holes being spaced from the next adjacent pairs of holes, means to simultaneously place a strip of heat sealable material over each hole of said pair of holes, means to heat seal a portion of each of said heat sealable strips to said sheet material to close each of said holes and to leave a portion of said heat sealable strips unsealed to provide a means to readily pull said heat sealable strips from said sheet material to expose the hole formed therein, means to form said sheet material into a plurality of tetrahedrons and means to sever said sheet material between each of said pairs of holes and between the holes in each pair.

8. Apparatus to provide a plurality of shaped containers with sealed openings therein comprising: means for supplying sheet material to said apparatus, means to advance said sheet material, hole forming means operably associated with said sheet material to periodically form a plurality of pairs of holes in said advancing sheet of material, each of said pairs of holes being spaced from the next adjacent pairs of holes, means to simultaneously place a strip of heat sealable material over each hole of said pair of holes, means to heat seal a portion of each of said heat sealable strips to said sheet material to close each of said holes and to leave a portion of said heat sealable strips unsealed to provide a means to readily pull said heat sealable strips from said sheet material to expose the hole formed therein, means to form said sheet material into a plurality of containers and means to sever said sheet material between each of said pairs of holes and between the holes in each pair. 554,398

References Cited by the Examiner 2%;???

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 566:149

2,418,392 4/1947 Bender 5314 X 3,011,293 12/1961 Rado 5314 3,022,618 2/ 1962 Schwartz et a1. 53-180 X 3,193,978 7/1965 Bader 5314 12 FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1957 Belgium.

9/ 195 6 France.

2/ 1933 Great Britain. 8/ 1957 Italy.

FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

L. S. BOUCHARD, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

8. APPARATUS TO PROVIDE A PLURALITY OF SHAPED CONTAINERS WITH SEALED OPENINGS THEREIN COMPRISING: MEANS FOR SUPPLYING SHEET MATERIAL TO SAID APPARATUS, MEANS TO ADVANCE SAID SHEET MATERIAL, HOLE FORMING MEANS OPERABLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SHEET MATERIAL TO PERIODICALLY FORM A PLURALITY OF PAIRS OF HOLES IN SAID ADVANCING SHEET OF MATERIAL, EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF HOLES BEING SPACED FROM THE NEXT ADJACENT PAIRS OF HOLES, MEANS TO SIMULTANEOUSLY PLACE A STRIP OF HEAT SEALABLE MATERIAL OVER EACH HOLE OF SAID PAIR OF HOLES, MEANS TO HEAT SEAL A PORTION OF EACH OF SAID HEAT SEALABLE STRIPS TO SAID SHEET MATERIAL TO CLOSE EACH OF SAID HOLES AND TO LEAVE A PORTION OF SAID HEAT SEALABLE STRIPS UNSEALED TO PROVIDE A MEANS TO READILY PULL SAID HEAT SEALABLE STRIPS FROM SAID SHEET MATERIAL TO EXPOSE THE HOLE FORMED THEREIN, MEANS TO FORM SAID SHEET MATERIAL INTO A PLURALITY OF CONTAINERS AND MEANS TO SEVER SAID SHEET MATERIAL BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF HOLES AND BETWEEN THE HOLES IN EACH PAIR.