Adjustable pouch forming, filling and sealing apparatus and methods

Abstract

An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two piles of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An adjustable pouch sealing and filling machine comprising:
 a vertical sealer for forming transverse seals between two plies of a pouch web and including a vertical sealer wheel;   a filler wheel comprising one of a plurality of filler wheels for selectively operably coupling to said sealing and filling machine, said plurality of filler wheels having vacuum lands mountable thereon at effectively different radial positions than vacuum lands on others of said plurality of filler wheels to accommodate pouches in a wide range of widths dependent on the filler wheel operably coupled to said sealing and filling machine.   
     
     
         15 . A machine as in  claim 14  wherein each of said plurality of filler wheels include vacuum lands providing different effective land diameters on one filler wheel varying from the effective land diameters of other filler wheels in said plurality. 
     
     
         16 . An adjustable pouch filler wheel for a pouch machine including an annulus, a set of vacuum lands on said filler wheel for engaging seals between pouches in a pouch web entrained on said annulus, and the radial position of said vacuum lands on said filler wheel being adjustable to accommodate a wide range of pouch widths. 
     
     
         17 . A filler wheel as in  claim 16  including a vacuum turret having a plural of vacuum ports operably connected to provide vacuum to said lands throughout the radial extension of said lands. 
     
     
         18 . An adjustable pouch filler including a filler wheel and a plurality of vacuum lands movable on said filler wheel to varied radial positions on said wheel. 
     
     
         19 . A filler wheel as in  claim 18  including a vacuum turret having a plurality of vacuum ports operably connected to provide vacuum to said lands throughout the radial position of said vacuum lands on said wheel. 
     
     
         20 - 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . A method of filling pouches comprising the steps of:
 feeding separate pouches toward a generally horizontal filler wheel, engaging leading and trailing edges of said pouches with respective leading and trailing jaws carried on said horizontal filler wheel; and selectively pivoting said trailing jaw on an axis generally perpendicular to said horizontal filler wheel to accommodate pouches of varied widths.   
     
     
         55 . A method as in  claim 54  including transporting filled pouches through a top sealer and selectively moving said top sealer away from said pouches when said filler wheel stops. 
     
     
         56 . A method as in  claim 55  including engaging upper edges of sealed pouches above a position where said pouches are engaged by said jaws for releasing pouches from said jaws and moving pouches away from said filler wheel. 
     
     
         57 . A method as in  claim 56  including sequentially releasing a leading jaw then a trailing jaw from a pouch as its upper edge is engaged. 
     
     
         58 . A method as in  claim 54  including discharging pouches from said horizontal filler wheel and orienting discharging pouches horizontally. 
     
     
         59 . A method of filling transversely sealed pouches in a train of pouches including the steps of:
 engaging and supporting transverse seals in said train on vacuum lands carried on a first wheel; and   selectively substituting for said first wheel a second wheel having vacuum lands at a different radial position on said second wheel than the radial position of vacuum lands on said first wheel.   
     
     
         60 . A method of filling transversely sealed pouches in a train of pouches including the steps of:
 engaging and supporting transversely spaced seals between pouches on radially adjustable vacuum lands; and   selectively radially adjusting said radially adjustable vacuum lands for other pouch trains where said transversely spaced seals are spaced at another distance apart than the distance between transversely spaced seals of one pouch train.   
     
     
         61 - 62 . (canceled) 
     
     
         63 . A method of handling filled, sealed and separate pouches carried between leading and trailing jaws, including the steps of:
 introducing a top portion of the leading edge of a pouch between two opposed belts;   releasing a leading jaw from a leading edge of the pouch;   transporting said pouch between said belts; and   thereafter releasing a trailing jaw from a trailing edge of said pouch.   
     
     
         64 . (canceled)