Filling and sealing system

Claim 2

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material, b. an elongated filling pipe having a discharge end and an inlet end, c. opposed rollers forming pressure nips with opposite sides of said pipe and engaging said tubing material therein, d. conveyor means in supporting engagement with said tubing material and including side conveyors having vertically extending reaches interposed between said opposed rollers and said tubing material, e. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, f. means for supplying filling material to said pipe adjacent said inlet end thereof, g. outlet means from said pipe at said discharge end thereof for discharging said filling material into said tubing material, h. means adjacent said inlet end of said pipe for severing said tubing at a point adjacent said pipe to free said tubing from said pipe, and i. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof.

Claim 3

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material, b. an elongated filling pipe having a discharge end and an inlet end, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said tubing, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying filling material to said pipe adjacent said inlet end thereof, f. outlet means from said pipe at said discharge end thereof for discharging said filling material into said tubing material, g. means adjacent said inlet end of said pipe for severing said tubing at a point adjacent said pipe to free said tubing from said pipe, h. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof, and i. means for controlling the amount of filling material deposited in said tubing including means for limiting expansion of said tubing as said filling material is deposited therein.

Claim 4

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material, b. an elongated filling pipe having a discharge end and an inlet end, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said tubing, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying filling material to said pipe adjacent said inlet end thereof, f. outlet means from said pipe at said discharge end thereof for discharging said filling material into said tubing material, g. means adjacent said inlet end of said pipe for severing said tubing at a point adjacent said pipe to free said tubing from said pipe, h. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof, and i. means for controlling the amount of filling material deposited in said tubing including means for limiting expansion of said tubing as said filling material is deposited therein.

Claim 5

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material, b. elongated, multiple filling pipe having discharge ends and inlet ends, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said tubing, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying filling material to said pipe adjacent said inlet ends thereof, f. single outlet means through which said multiple pipe discharge for discharging said filling material into said tubing material, g. means adjacent said inlet ends of said pipe for severing said tubing at a point adjacent said pipe to free said tubing from said pipe, and h. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof.

Claim 6

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material, b. elongated, multiple filling pipe having discharge ends and inlet ends, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said tubing, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying filling material to said pipe adjacent said inlet ends thereof, f. single outlet means through which said multiple pipe discharge for discharging said filling material into said tubing material, g. means adjacent said inlet ends of said pipe for severing said tubing at a point adjacent said pipe to free said tubing from said pipe, and h. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof.

Claim 7

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material, b. elongated, multiple filling pipe having discharge ends and inlet ends, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said tubing, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying filling material to said pipe adjacent said inlet end thereof, f. outlet means from said pipe comprising multiple outlets at spaced locations for discharging said filling material into said tubing material, g. means adjacent said inlet end of said pipe for severing said tubing at a point adjacent said pipe to free said tubing from said pipe, and h. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof.

Claim 8

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material, b. elongated, multiple filling pipe having discharge ends and inlet ends, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said tubing, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying filling material to said pipe adjacent said inlet end thereof, f. outlet means from said pipe comprising multiple outlets at spaced locations for discharging said filling material into said tubing material, g. means adjacent said inlet end of said pipe for severing said tubing at a point adjacent said pipe to free said tubing from said pipe, and h. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof.

Claim 15

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material divided into a plurality of serially interconnected compartments having open mouths and an elongated channel extending across said mouths of said compartments, b. means for depositing material to be packaged into said compartments consisting solely of an elongated filling pipe having inlet and outlet means, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said channel and said outlet means directed toward said compartments, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying said material to be packaged into said inlet means of said pipe, and f. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof with said material deposited in said compartments by said filling pipe contained therein.

Claim 16

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. means for holding a supply of tubing material divided into a plurality of serially interconnected compartments having open mouths and an elongated channel extending across said mouths of said compartments, b. means for depositing material to be packaged into said compartments consisting solely of an elongated filling pipe having inlet and outlet means, c. means for feeding said tubing material from said supply thereof along said pipe with said pipe received within said channel and said outlet means directed toward said compartments, d. means supporting said pipe while permitting said tubing material to be fed along said pipe, e. means for supplying said material to be packaged into said inlet means of said pipe, and f. means for sealing said tubing longitudinally thereof with said material deposited in said compartments by said filling pipe contained therein.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein: a. said controlling means comprises spaced plate members positioned on opposite sides of said pipe for limiting laterial expansion of said tubing material as it moves along said pipe.

Claim 18

The apparatus of claim 9 further comprising: a. means for adjusting the spacing between said plate members.

Claim 19

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said controlling means comprises: a. means for individually weighing the amount of filling material deposited in compartments formed in said tube, and b. means responsive to said weighing means for adjusting the spacing between said plate members and maintaining the amount of material deposited in said compartments within some preselected range of values.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising: a. means for supplying a gaseous material to at least one of said multiple pipes.

Claim 21

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein: a. one of said outlets is positioned adjacent said discharge end of said filling pipe, and b. said gaseous product is discharged through said one of said outlets.

Claim 22

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. an unwind stand for holding in roll form a web of tubing having upper and lower edges and spaced heat seal lines extending from said bottom edge to a point spaced from said upper edge, b. an elongated pipe having a discharge end with an outlet therefrom positioned adjacent said unwind stand and extending downstream therefrom, c. means supporting said pipe with said pipe inclined upwardly from the horizontal in a downstream direction from said discharge end to an inlet end thereof, d. said pipe being adapted to be received in said tube between upper ends of said seal lines and said upper edge of said tubing material, e. a conveyor having a substantially horizontally oriented reach extending substantially coextensively with said pipe and adapted to engage said bottom edge of said tubing material, f. a pair of conveyors having opposed, substantially vertically oriented reaches adapted to engage opposite sides of said tubing material, g. adjustably spaced plate members positioned within said pair of conveyors and controlling the spacing betweeen said vertically oriented reaches, h. rollers forming pressure nips with said pipe and adapted to receive said tubing material in said nips, i. means positioned adjacent said inlet end of said pipe for continuously severing said tubing material adjacent said pipe. j. means for continuously sealing said tube in a continuous seal intersecting upper ends of said spaced seal lines, and k. means for supplying a fluent filling material to said pipe for ejection from said outlet into said tube.

Claim 23

Filling and sealing apparatus comprising: a. an unwind stand for holding in roll form a web of tubing having upper and lower edges and spaced heat seal lines extending from said bottom edge to a point spaced from said upper edge, b. an elongated pipe having a discharge end with an outlet therefrom positioned adjacent said unwind stand and extending downstream therefrom, c. means supporting said pipe with said pipe inclined upwardly from the horizontal in a downstream direction from said discharge end to an inlet end thereof, d. said pipe being adapted to be received in said tube between upper ends of said seal lines and said upper edge of said tubing material, e. a conveyor having a substantially horizontally oriented reach extending substantially coextensively with said pipe and adapted to engage said bottom edge of said tubing material, f. a pair of conveyors having opposed, substantially vertically oriented reaches adapted to engage opposite sides of said tubing material, g. adjustably spaced plate members positioned within said pair of conveyors and controlling the spacing betweeen said vertically oriented reaches, h. rollers forming pressure nips with said pipe and adapted to receive said tubing material in said nips, i. means positioned adjacent said inlet end of said pipe for continuously severing said tubing material adjacent said pipe. j. means for continuously sealing said tube in a continuous seal intersecting upper ends of said spaced seal lines, and k. means for supplying a fluent filling material to said pipe for ejection from said outlet into said tube.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: a. said feeding means includes conveyor means in supporting relationship to said tubing material.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 15 wherein: a. said conveyor means includes conveyors having opposed, substantially vertically oriented reaches in engagement with opposite sides of said tubing material.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein: a. said conveyor means includes a conveyor having a reach extending substantially normal to said substantially vertically oriented reaches and engaging a bottom edge of said tubing material.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: a. said feeding means includes opposed rollers forming pressure nips with opposite sides of said pipe and engaging said tubing material therein.

Claim 28

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein: a. said feeding means further includes conveyor means in supporting engagement with said tubing material.

Claim 29

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein: a. said conveyor means includes side conveyors having vertically extending reaches interposed between said opposed rollers and said tubing material.

Claim 30

The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising: a. means for Controlling the amount of material deposited in said compartments.

Claim 31

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein: a. said controlling means comprises means for limiting expansion of said tubing as said material is deposited in said compartments.

Claim 32

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said controlling means comprises: a. means for metering flow of said material from said pipe.

Claim 33

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein: a. said filling pipe comprises multiple pipe received in said tubing material.

Claim 34

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein: a. said outlet means comprises a single outlet through which said multiple pipes discharge.

Claim 35

The apparatus of claim 24 wherein: a. said outlet means comprises multiple outlets at spaced locations through which said multiple pipes discharge.

Claim 38

The method of claim 27 further comprising: a. progressively elevating said tube during downstream movement thereof along said pipe to allow excess material deposited in one of said compartments to spill over into following compartments upstream thereof.

Claim 39

The method of claim 27 further comprising: a. controlling the amount of material deposited in said compartments.

Claim 40

The method of claim 29 wherein said step of controlling said amount of material deposited in said compartments comprises: a. limiting expansion of said compartments as material is deposited therein.

Claim 41

The method of claim 29 wherein said step of controlling said amount of material deposited in said compartments comprises: a. weighing each of said compartments individually after they are filled, and b. automatically controlling expansion of said compartments as material is deposited therein in response to the weight of said filled compartments.

Claim 42

The method of claim 29 wherein said step of controlling said amount of material deposited in said compartments comprises: a. metering flow of said material through said pipe.

Claim 43

The method of claim 27 wherein said step of depositing material in said compartments comprises: a. supplying said material to said tube at spaced locations therealong.

Claim 44

The method of claim 33 wherein said step of supplying material to said tube at spaced locations therealong comprises: a. supplying a gaseous material to said tube in at least one spaced location therealong.

Claim 45

The method of claim 34 wherein said step of supplying a gaseous material to said tube comprises: a. supplying said gaseous material at a location adjacent said outlet means of said pipe.