Inventors:
Gary L. Dieckbernd - Roscoe IL
James W. Oberle - Machesney Park IL
Assignee:
APV Crepaco, Inc. - Rockford IL
International Classification:
B65B 1108
B65B 902
B65B 5702
Abstract:
An apparatus for wrapping articles of the type wherein articles are advanced along an article path into a curtain of heat sealable wrapping material, and upper and lower jaw assemblies are sequentially moved laterally of the article path into positions at the trail side of the article and then forwardly along the article path in a sealing run. The lower jaw assemblies each include a pair of spaced clamping jaw members having a jaw opening therebetween and a rotary heat sealing and cutting member is mounted for movement into and out of the jaw opening as the lower jaw assemblies move past a zone intermediate the ends of the sealing run. The upper jaw assemblies include upper jaw carriers that are guided for movement in a fixed path along the sealing run and upper jaw members that are shiftable relative to the upper jaw carriers. Cams are movable between an operative position to cam the upper jaw member downwardly into clamping engagement with the lower jaw during movement along the sealing run, and an inoperative position to allow the upper jaw members to remain out of clamping engagement with the lower jaw assembly.