Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

A temperature measurement and control apparatus (7) and a packaging film loading apparatus (9) for use in a horizontal packaging machine (5). The packaging machine includes a pair of counter-rotating sealing and crimping head assemblies (22, 23), each of which includes a plurality of sealing and crimping heads (32, 36), respectively, which are rotated past a first infrared sensor assembly (57) or a second infrared sensor assembly (61), respectively, for measuring the temperature thereof Each sealing and crimping head includes a generally arcuate sensing arc (80) mounted at the first end (77) thereof, the sensing arcs being rotated past either an upper infrared sensor (59) or a lower infrared sensor (63). The temperature measured by the infrared sensors is passed to a computer (29) where a temperature control program is executed, whereupon the computer signals the individual electrical heating elements (33) of the upper sealing and crimping head assembly, and the electrical heating elements (37) of lower sealing and crimping head assembly to control the temperature of each individual sealing and crimping head therein. A packaging film loading apparatus is also disclosed, which includes a film spool (204) rotatably mounted at one of its ends on a film spool support arm (206), and a double action cylinder (214) for moving the film spool support arm from a lowered loading position to a raised working position with respect to the packaging machine.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim