The invention relates to a device for packaging articles of the same size or different sizes in film, comprising conveyors for moving the articles along a route at an essentially constant speed, feed devices for feeding two film webs at the top and bottom side of the article, parallel to the route, a separating and welding device for forming a separating weld across the route between successive -articles, which separating and welding device comprises a welding and cutting unit at one side and a counterpressure unit at the opposite side of the route, and also drive means for moving the welding and cutting unit along a closed path, the film webs for forming the separating weld being clamped over a part of this path between the welding and cutting unit and a contact face of the counterpressure unit, and the film webs during the clamping running at a speed which in magnitude and direction is essentially equal to that of the articles to be packaged.

Such devices are known. It is usual in their case, during the making of a separating weld, for the welding and cutting unit to be advanced parallel to and at the same speed as the articles to be packaged. The welding and cutting unit normally comprises cutter beams fixed at the top and bottom on a framework. The framework is moved back and forth parallel to the route, while relative to the framework the cutter beams are moved alternately towards and away from each other.

A drawback of these devices is that these separate periodic movements cause great accelerations, and consequently great forces in the device. The result of this is that a high degree of wear occurs, or only a limited number of articles can be processed per unit time.

A method and device for packaging containers and the like which are to be grouped together in packs are known per se from EP-A-0 388 606, in the case of which two film

webs are wrapped around continuously advancing packs of articles, and in the case of which a separating weld is formed between every two packs. The welding and cutting device in this case consists of a number of welding and cutting units fixed at regular intervals on an endless conveyor belt situated above a throughput route, and also of a number of counterpressure dies fixed at the same intervals on an endless conveyor belt situated below a throughput route. The counterpressure dies and welding and cutting units in the device press against each other to form the separating weld as they move along the route, and are returned to a starting point at some distance from the route. However, this design with a number of welding and cutting units fixed at regular intervals means that this device belongs to a different prior art, since it is intended for packaging articles of the same size in each case, and without radical alterations is only suitable for such use.

The object of the invention is then to eliminate the abovementioned disadvantages. For this purpose, in the case of the device according to the invention the path followed by the welding and cutting unit is a smooth curve, along which the speed is continuous, save in a possible rest position.

High packaging speeds can be obtained in this way, while only slight accelerations occur in the device. For proper functioning of the device, it is necessary for the curve to have a part lying essentially parallel to the route, which is at least equal in length to the distance required for making the separating weld, and for the curve to have a part on which the welding and cutting unit is sufficiently far away from the route to allow even the tallest article to be packaged through between the welding and cutting unit and the counter¬ pressure unit.

The smooth curve in this case is preferably an oval shape, which oval shape has a minimum radius of curvature in the part where the clamping of the film webs takes place, and a maximum radius of curvature in the part where the welding and cutting unit moves towards or away from the counterpressure unit. In this way, the part lying parallel to the route can be made as short as possible, so that the welding and cutting device does not undergo any unnecessary movement and is available as quickly as possible again for making the next weld, so that higher throughput speeds can be achieved, or shorter articles can be packaged.

The welding and cutting device advantageously comprises a transmission mechanism, consisting of a frame which can move in a rectilinear guide, a rotatable intermediate shaft in the frame, a fixed hinge shaft extending parallel to the intermediate shaft, a movable arm which is pivotally connected to the hinge shaft at one end, and at the other end is rotatably connected to an eccentric part of the intermediate shaft, and a rotary shaft which lies in line with the hinge shaft, transmission means being present between said shaft and the eccentric part of the intermediate shaft, in order to provide the rotary drive of the eccentric part of the intermediate shaft, and also two shafts which are rotatably disposed in the frame and are connected to the intermediate shaft in such a way that their speeds of rotation are equal in magnitude to that of the intermediate shaft, which two shafts are each provided with an eccentric arm, which arms are of equal lengths and have the same orientations in each position, and are each rotatably mounted with their eccentric end in a bearing plate for the welding and cutting unit. In this way, the welding and cutting device can be driven rotatably, for example by an electric motor with a single-stroke clutch, and the welding and cutting unit makes an elliptical movement, while maintaining the same orientation in each case.

The device can be provided with detection and

control means, which are designed to set the feed devices for the film webs in motion when an article to be packaged arrives at the welding and cutting unit, and after said article has passed through, to make the welding and cutting unit run through the closed path once, from a rest position situated thereon. It is thus possible to pack articles of widely differing sizes directly after one another, without the machine having to be adjusted between them.

The distance to be travelled by the welding and cutting unit can be reduced by making the counterpressure unit also carry out a movement, in which it is placed at a distance from the route and is moved to a position adjacent to the route in synchronism with the welding and cutting unit each time a separating weld is being formed, the path travelled by the counterpressure unit being a smooth curve along which the speed is continuous.

The counterpressure unit is preferably spring- mounted under pre-tension, in such a way that it can be pressed away from the route by the welding and cutting unit. In this way, the counterpressure unit can accommodate the curve of the path travelled by the welding and cutting unit while the separating weld is being made. In addition, for this purpose the counterpressure unit can comprise a conveyor belt or a roller with an elastic surface which serves as the contact surface of the counterpressure unit. The elastic surface can be pressed in by the welding and cutting unit during the formation of the separating weld, which makes it easier to accommodate the curve of the path travelled by said unit. The counterpressure unit in this case is preferably provided with a silicone rubber cladding, with a layer of elastic foam underneath.

It is advantageous to provide the feed devices with tensioning means, which hold at least one film web under tension during the passage of each, article to be packaged, and which release the tension from it after the passage of an article, for the purpose of making a separating weld. This promotes the formation of a flawless welded join and

cut seam. This is further improved by a device in which the welding and cutting unit comprises an elongated cutter, which is enclosed on either side by welding faces lying in one plane, which welding faces extend along said cutter and at right angles to the cutting device thereof.

The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the drawing of a packaging device according to the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of a part of the packaging device, in which the separating and welding device is in a rest position;

Figs. 2 and 3, show views corresponding to Fig. 1 of the separating and welding device in different positions; and Fig. 4 shows a detail of Fig. 3 on a larger scale. Fig. 1 shows an article 1 to be packaged, which article moves along route 2 of the packaging machine. The route 2 is formed by a conveyor belt 3 and a counter¬ pressure roller 4. The article 1 is supplied to the packaging machine by a conveyor belt 5, and is discharged by a conveyor belt 3 to other parts of the packaging device, including a device for welding the film webs parallel to the route. Two film webs are used for packaging the article 1: a lower film 6 and an upper film 7, which come from stock rolls which are not shown. A lower pair 8 of rolls and an upper pair 9 of rolls are used to feed the film webs 6 and 7 respectively. The lower film 6 and upper film 7 have already been welded to each other along a seam 10 during an earlier welding and cutting operation. A separating and welding device 15 is used for producing a separating weld at right angles to the film webs behind the advancing article 1. Said device comprises a welding and cutting unit 16, which can be moved by means of a drive mechanism 17 and a rectilinear guide 18, which is fixed in the packaging machine.

The drive mechanism 17 and the rectilinear guide 18 are arranged in such a way that the welding and cutting

unit 16 can carry out an elliptical movement. For this pur¬ pose, a movable arm 20 and a gear wheel 21 are rotatably fixed on a hinge shaft 22, which is fixed in the packaging machine. A gear wheel 23 which can rotate on the bearing pin 24 fixed on the movable arm 20, and thus also a gear wheel 25, can be driven by rotating the gear wheel 21 in the direction of the arrow shown therein. The gear wheel 25 is fixed to a shaft 26, which projects rotatably through the movable arm 20 and at the other end is provided with a crank 28, which in turn is fixed to a shaft 30. The shaft 30 is provided with a gear wheel 31 fixed thereto, and projects into a movable frame 32 of the separating and welding device 15. The frame 32 is slidable on the rectilinear guide 18. When the gear wheel 25, and thus the crank 28, is rotated, the frame 32 moves up and down. Since the gear wheels 21, 23, 25 have equal numbers of identical teeth, one rotation of gear wheel 21 causes an up and down movement of the frame 32 along the guide.

Mounted on the frame 32 are also two gear wheels 34 and 35, which mesh with the gear wheel 31. These three gear wheels 31, 34, 35 also have the same number of teeth. The gear wheels 34 and 35 are connected by means of a crank 36, 37 respectively to a bearing plate 38, the cranks 36 and 37 always pointing in the same direction. The arrows shown in the gear wheels here again indicate the direction of movement of the gear wheels 31, 34 and 35. The welding and cutting unit 16 is placed at an angle relative to the rectilinear guide 18 by means of a wedge 41, which is accommodated between the welding and cutting unit 16 and the bearing plate 38.

Opposite the separating and welding device 15, and at the opposite side of the route 2, lies the counter¬ pressure roller 4, which is accommodated at a fixed point in the packaging machine. The counterpressure roller 4 has a steel core 45, which is clad with a resilient foam layer 46 and an outer casing 47. The outer casing 47 is made of silicone rubber. The counterpressure roller 4 is heated on

the outer perimeter by a heating element 50.

When the welding and cutting unit 15 presses against the counterpressure roller 4, the latter moves down a little, thus accommodating the curve of the path travelled by the former. For this purpose, the counterpressure roller 4 is pressed by a spring 11 under pre-tension against an adjustable stop in the form of the adjusting screw 12, which is adjustable relative to the machine by means of block 13, and can turn about the shaft 14 fixed to the machine.

Provision is made along the route 2 for a photo¬ electric cell 52, which detects the arrival at the welding and cutting unit of the article to be packaged, and then by means of control devices (not shown) makes the pairs of rolls 8, 9 rotate, in order to feed film. After the passage of the article 1, the photoelectric cell 52, again by means of control devices, activates the welding and cutting unit, which then makes a new separating weld at the right side of the article 1 during the passage through the elliptical curve A. It is thus possible to package articles of widely differing lengths directly after one another. The upper film 7 is relieved of tension by a tension release lever 55 before each separating weld is produced. This tension release reduces the stresses occurring in the film, which makes it possible to use very thin film.

The separating and welding device works as follows: The article 1 is brought in by the conveyor belt 5, and comes into contact with the upper film 6 and lower film 7, which have been welded together, at approximately the level of the counterpressure roller 4. The article 1 is moved further and then takes the two film webs 6 and 7 being simultaneously supplied by the lower and upper pair of rolls 8 and 9 along with it. The separating and welding device 15 is now situated at some distance from the route in a rest position, as shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the photoelectric cell 52 detects the end of the passage of the article l, it transmits a signal for activation of the

separating and welding device 15.

Fig. 2 shows the welding and cutting unit 16 in the position furthest to the right.

Fig. 3 shows the separating and welding device 15 at the moment of welding and separating. Shortly before this, the tension release lever 55 is moved to the left for this purpose, with the result that a part of the upper film 7 can sink onto the lower film 6. The heated welding and cutting unit 16 presses the two film webs onto the counterpressure roller 4. This is shown in detail in Fig. 4.

What is essential for the invention is that the welding and cutting unit 16 near the lowest point of its movement path, viewed in the direction of throughput, should run at a speed which corresponds to the speed of the still advancing article l. Since the outer perimeter of the counterpressure roller 4 is also moving at this speed, a short route for producing the separating weld therefore results, and the article does not need to undergo any change in speed.

Fig. 4 shows a detail of the contact between the cutting/welding beam 16 and the lower roller 4. The welding and cutting unit has two heated welding elements 53 and 54 and between them a cutter beam 55, which is also heated. When the bottom part of the movement route is being passed through, the welding and cutting unit presses into the spring-loaded counterpressure roller 4. This is possible through the composition of the counterpressure roller with the steel core 45, the elastic foam layer 46 and the outer casing 47 of silicone rubber. In practice, the compression amounts to a few millimetres.

This gives rise to a short route for producing the separating weld, which consists of two parallel welded seams, between which the film webs 6 and 7 are severed by the cutter beam 55. The heat required for the welding and cutting is supplied not only by the welding and cutting unit 16, but also by the counterpressure roller 4, which is

heated on the outside by the heating element 50. This means that less heat needs to be supplied by the welding and cutting unit 16, and the separating weld can be produced in the available short time. For synchronisation of the movements of the counterpressure roller 4 and of the welding and cutting unit 16, the drive of the gear wheel 21 is taken directly from the drive of the counterpressure roller 4, which is connected by means of a chain transmission and a single- stage clutch to a drive motor, with the result that, after the activation of the clutch by the photoelectric cell 52, the welding and cutting unit just passes once through the ellipse. A simple synchronisation of the entire packaging machine is obtained by also connecting the conveyor belt 3 to the same drive.

The wedge 41 between the welding and cutting unit 16 and the welding and cutting unit holder 38 ensures that the two welding elements 53 and 54 come into contact simultaneously with the film web 7. The distance over which the frame 32 moves along the rectilinear guide 18 can be altered by adjusting the length of the crank 28.

The device shown in the figures can thus package articles of widely differing heights and lengths at great speed, while the accelerations occurring in the device are greatly reduced, due to the fact that the welding and cutting unit passes through a smooth curve, rather than an angular one.