Wrapping Machine and Method for Ovate Articles

Abstract

A machine for wrapping ovate articles (P) comprises at least a conveyor mean ( 2 ), elongated and positioned horizontally in an operation condition, for the articles (P). The machine ( 1 ) comprises also a feeding wheel ( 25 ) with rotation axis perpendicular to the conveyor mean ( 2 ) and fit to feed this latter with the articles (P) roughly rolled up in wrapping sheet.

1 ) Machine for wrapping ovate shaped articles comprising at least a conveyor mean ( 2 ), elongated and positioned horizontally in an operation condition, for the articles (P), said machine ( 1 ) being characterized in that it comprises a feeding wheel ( 25 ) with rotation axis perpendicular in respect to the conveyor mean ( 2 ) and fit to feed this latter with the articles (P) roughly rolled up in wrapping sheet. 
   
   
       2 ) Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the feeding wheel ( 25 ) is provided with a plurality of feeding pincers ( 26 ), each of them being fitted to take an article and to put it in a housing ( 3 ). 
   
   
       3 ) Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that each feeding pincers ( 26 ) comprises a couple of arms ( 27 ,  28 ) positioned approximately tangential in respect to the feeding wheel ( 25 ). 
   
   
       4 ) Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the arms ( 27 ,  28 ) of each feeding pincers ( 26 ) are movable for opening and closing on respective planes parallel to the rotation axis of the feeding wheel ( 25 ). 
   
   
       5 ) Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the arms ( 27 ,  28 ) of each feeding pincers ( 26 ) are movable for opening at a mutual distance bigger than the width of the conveyor mean ( 2 ). 
   
   
       6 ) Machine according to  claim 5  characterized in that an arm ( 27 ) is driven for opening and for closing by respective cam means ( 29 ) and that the other arm is driven for opening by a respective cam mean ( 30 ) and is driven for closing by a spring mean ( 31 ). 
   
   
       7 ) Machine according to  claim 5  characterized in that the external ends of the arms ( 27 ,  28 ) are provided with respective matching means ( 32 ,  33 ) for the article (P). 
   
   
       8 ) Machine according to  claim 7  characterized in that that the matching means ( 32 ,  33 ) are fixed in a free swiveling manner to the arms ( 27 ,  28 ) to allow the free rotation of the articles (P). 
   
   
       9 ) Machine according to  claim 8  characterized in that it comprises a circumference sector guide ( 34 ), coaxial to the feeding wheel ( 25 ), and fit to match the articles (P) fed by said wheel ( 25 ) to provoke the rotation thereof and to obtain the partial adherence of the wrapping sheet to the articles. 
   
   
       10 ) Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that it comprises a rotating inlet wheel ( 40 ) fit to grasp the articles (P) together with the sheets, to roll up roughly, in cooperation with folders, said sheet around the articles and to transfer these latter to the feeding wheel ( 25 ). 
   
   
       11 ) Machine according to  claim 10  characterized in that the inlet wheel ( 40 ) and the feeding wheel ( 25 ) are adjacent and coplanar. 
   
   
       12 ) Machine according to  claim 10  characterized in that the inlet wheel ( 40 ) includes a set of radial pincers ( 41 ). 
   
   
       13 ) Machine according to  claim 12  characterized in that the radial pincers ( 41 ) comprises a couple of jaws ( 42 ,  43 ) movable for opening and for closing on a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the inlet wheel ( 40 ). 
   
   
       14 ) Machine according to  claim 10  characterized in that the wheels ( 25 ,  40 ) are driven by means of driving means in synchronous motion with the conveyor mean ( 2 ) in intermittent or continuous motion. 
   
   
       15 ) Machine according to  claim 1  characterized in that the conveyor mean ( 2 ) is equipped with a plurality of housings ( 3 ) each of them fit to contain an article (P), roughly rolled up in a wrapping sheet, released inside it by the feeding wheel ( 25 ). 
   
   
       16 ) Machine according to  claim 15  characterized in that it comprises a movable matching mean ( 4 ) faced to the conveyor mean ( 2 ) and fit to match a portion of the articles rolled up in the sheets and contained in the housings ( 3 ). 
   
   
       17 ) Machine according to  claim 10  characterized in that each housing ( 3 ) is provided with a seat ( 8 ) roughly cylindrical, with geometric axis approximately perpendicular to the direction of the transport speed (VT). 
   
   
       18 ) Machine according to  claim 17  characterized in that each seat ( 8 ) is provided with an extension ( 9 ) of the portion of the housing ( 3 ) arranged downstream in respect to the pointing direction of the transport vector speed (VT). 
   
   
       19 ) Machine according to  claim 16  characterized in that the movable matching mean ( 4 ) is supported by translation means ( 16 ) for the moving of the matching mean ( 4 ) itself between an operation distance from the conveyor mean ( 2 ) and a maximum moving away distance from this latter. 
   
   
       20 ) Machine according to  claim 19  characterized in that the translation means ( 16 ) comprises a supporting frame of the movable matching mean ( 4 ) sliding and driven by respective actuator mean and transmission means without retrograde motion or with safety stops. 
   
   
       21 ) (canceled) 
   
   
       22 ) A method according to  claim 24 , and further comprising the step of allowing the free rotation of the article by means of swiveling matching devices of the feeding pincers and setting a side portion of the swiveling article to match with a circumference sector guide during rotation of the feeding wheel to obtain at least partial adherence of the sheet to said side portion. 
   
   
       23 ) A method according to  claim 24 , and further comprising the step of placing the article in a housing of the conveyor by opening of the feeding pincers and depositing the article when the feeding pincers are at the minimum distance from the housing. 
   
   
       24 ) A method for wrapping an ovate shaped article by means of the machine of  claim 1  comprising the steps of:
 a. rolling the article in a wrapping sheet by an inlet wheel provided with radial pincers to grasp side portions of the article;   b. grasping the upper and lower portions of the article (P) by feeding pincers of the feeding wheel; and   c. transferring the article (P) and releasing it in a conveyor by rotating the feeding wheel.