A packaging machine which has a station in which a thermoplastic packaging foil is heated to its thermoplastic state by contacting with the surface of a heating plate. The contacting surface of the heating plate has a plurality of raised zones adjacent to and surrounded by interconnected retracted zones which together form a venting channel for preventing the inclusion of any residual air between the foil and the contacting surface of the heating plate. The raised zones are generally convex in s...

A fastener for bundling wires or packaging other articles in which the ends of a smooth flexible plastic strap are inserted into parallel passageways through a plastic body and retained by locking ears extending into the passageways. An anchor member, formed from a single piece of spring sheet metal, includes a base portion, the two oppositely-extending locking ears and two intermediate oppositely-extending retaining ears that retain the anchor member within the body. The locking ears extend int...

The invention provides in a packaging machine, a locking device for securing together overlapping bottom panels of a wrapper wrapped about a group of articles, which device comprises tightening and locking components housed in a removable locking unit, said unit being movably mounted in the machine such that it can be moved transversely from a first operative position within the machine frame to a second non-operative position clear of the machine frame.

A packaging machine includes a magazine which has a plurality of vertical compartments open at the top and bottom and which is supported for steplike movement between first and second positions in a direction forming an acute angle to a horizontal reference. A pair of adjacent box supports are located below and are parallel to the path of movement of the magazine, and are vertically movable between positions closely adjacent and spaced from the bottom of the magazine. A feed mechanism supplies i...

A reel comprising spaced, parallel flanges between which is disposed a hub wherein the flanges comprise first and second outer side wall panels and the hub first and second longitudinal hub panels positioned between the first and second outer side wall panels at right angles thereto and reinforced panels disposed at the inner sides of the first and second outer side wall panels, said panels being so associated as to be formed of a single sheet of cardboard and to be folded to form a reel wherein...

A portable packaging machine for making a continuous ribbon of interconnected packets with each packet containing one or more pills or capsules. The machine has a unique single frame structure whereby the machine weighs less than fifty pounds to facilitate shipping, particularly in those instances where a fifty pound maximum is a factor. The frame is of open construction to provide increased air circulation. A message is imprinted on each packet by means of a stencil having a special stamp pad a...

A machine for packaging small objects such as medicinal pills, tablets or capsules has a path along which a carrying strip extends, passing through various stations as it does. At the first station information is printed on the strip. At the next side-by-side pockets are formed in the strip. Then comes a loading station where the pocketed carrying strip passes over a track located between two trays over which are spread the small objects that are to be loaded in pockets. Here the strip also pass...

A packaging machine has a loading station in which load items are loaded into a container. A load transport conveyor extends through the loading station. A load supporting compartment is formed on the conveyor. The compartment has a discharge passage opening from the trailing end thereof and a guide at the trailing end for guiding a load item toward the discharge passage. A receiver is located in said loading station for receiving a load item discharged from the load supporting compartment. A st...

A packaging machine for forming pouches from a continuous web having confronting sections adapted to provide opposed walls of the formed pouches. The machine includes sealing means for sealing the opposed bag walls together in longitudinally spaced-apart regions to provide the side seals of the formed pouches, and a cutting section for cutting the discrete pouches from the sealed continuous web. The machine has positively driven feed means for directing the continuous web material through the cu...

A packaging method and apparatus for making a package which comprises a generally rectangularly shaped article or group of articles encircled by a broad band of a highly-stretched, resilient, elastic plastics material. The method and apparatus use a plurality of elongated flat rigid arms to stretch the band, permit the article to be placed therein, and to then transfer the high compressive force of the stretched band from the arms to the corners of the article by moving the arms in the flat plan...