Utensil Wrapping Apparatus

Abstract

A utensil wrapping apparatus including belt rollers, conveyor belts, a bracket assembly, napkin folders, fold actuators, and a rolling station is provided. The conveyor belts wound around the belt rollers accommodate and convey a napkin with one or more utensils placed thereon from an entry end to a release end of the conveyor belts. The bracket assembly folds a leading corner of the napkin over the utensils. The napkin folders, actuated by the fold actuators, fold opposing corners of the napkin around the utensils. The rolling station receives and initiates rolling and tucking of the napkin folded around the utensils. A set of rolling belts in the rolling station moving in a direction counter to movement of the conveyor belts rolls the napkin folded around the utensils and facilitates conveyance of the rolled napkin with the utensils over the conveyor belts to a release end of the conveyor belts.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A utensil wrapping apparatus comprising:
 a primary conveyor frame defined by opposing side walls;   a first set of belt rollers operably connected substantially perpendicular to said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame via roller axles, wherein said first set of belt rollers rolls on corresponding said roller axles;   a set of conveyor belts wound around said first set of belt rollers, wherein said set of conveyor belts accommodates and conveys a napkin and one or more utensils placed on said napkin from an entry end towards a release end of said set of conveyor belts;   a bracket assembly positioned above said set of conveyor belts and rigidly connected to said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame for folding a leading corner of said conveyed napkin over said one or more utensils;   at least two napkin folders positioned proximal to said bracket assembly and hingedly connected to said upper ends of said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame for folding opposing corners of said conveyed napkin with said folded leading corner around said one or more utensils;   at least two fold actuators operably attached to said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame for actuating said at least two napkin folders for facilitating said folding of said opposing corners of said conveyed napkin with said folded leading corner around said one or more utensils by said at least two napkin folders; and   a rolling station positioned proximal to said bracket assembly and said at least two fold actuators, said rolling station comprising:
 a secondary conveyor frame positioned above said set of conveyor belts via first brackets rigidly connected to said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame; 
 a roll starter and tuck assembly rotatably connected to one of a plurality of roller shafts for receiving and initiating rolling and tucking of said conveyed napkin folded around said one or more utensils, said roller shafts operably connected to said secondary conveyor frame; 
 a second set of belt rollers mounted on and rolling on corresponding other of said roller shafts; 
 at least one drive roller operably connected to said second set of belt rollers and mounted on a conveyor shaft for driving said second set of belt rollers, said conveyor shaft operably connected substantially perpendicular to said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame via second brackets; and 
 a set of rolling belts wound around said second set of belt rollers driven by said at least one drive roller and moving in a direction counter to movement of said set of conveyor belts for rolling said conveyed napkin folded around said one or more utensils over said set of conveyor belts and facilitating conveyance of said rolled napkin with said one or more utensils over said set of conveyor belts to said release end of said set of conveyor belts. 
   
     
     
         2 . The utensil wrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a staging member rigidly connected substantially perpendicular to upper ends of said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame for accommodating and supporting said napkin and said one or more utensils placed on said napkin on said set of conveyor belts. 
     
     
         3 . The utensil wrapping apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a control panel fixed to one of said opposing side walls of said primary conveyor frame for triggering said folding and said rolling of said conveyed napkin around said one or more utensils.