Importance

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Abstract

A vertical form, fill and seal packaging machine has a tube former for receiving flexible packaging material in thin flat strip form and progressively juxtaposing opposite longitudinal edge portions thereof in parallel vertically extending relationship to provide a depending tube open at the top. A side sealer attaches the vertically extending overlapping edge portions and an end sealer provides vertically spaced horizontally extending transverse or end seals across the tube. A product dispenser discharges measured quantities of product into the tube interior through the former and through the open upper end of the tube. Tube feed means comprise first and second pairs of vertically spaced rolls respectively on opposite external sides of the tube of packaging material and first and second tube feeding belts respectively trained over said pairs of rolls. Inner runs of the belts engage the tube and have vertically extending perforate portions. Vacuum generating means communicate with the perforate portions of the inner runs to cause the belts to grip the tube and back-up means within the tube provide for frictional tube feeding action. A preliminary flat film advancing means is interposed between the source of packaging material and the tube former and is operable intermittently in timed relationship with the tube advancing means beneath the tube former. A servo motor drives both the tube advancing means and the preliminary flat film advancing means through a cog belt-pulley arrangement, or alternatively, three servo motors respectively drive the belts of tube advancing means and the preliminary flat film feed means.

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First Claim