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(11) | EP 0 646 527 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Packaging device |
| (57) The packaging sheet is applied to cover the contents and simultaneously seals them.
The sealing corresponding position of the packaging sheet A is moved toward or away
from by the adhering mechanism 3 to the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 fed out from the
tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2, thereby adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 are adhered
to the sealing corresponding position while being partially projected, thereafter
the packaging sheet A having the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2, C3 adhered thereto is
fed out by the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 to the packaging start position P1, thereby
in concurrent with the completion of the folding of the packaging sheet A during the
packaging operation, projected portions of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 are adhered. |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0001] This invention relates to a wrapping packaging device in which substantial rectangular-shaped contents such as many piled-up papers or books or longitudinal zig-zag folded and overlapped belt-like clothes or fabrics or accumulated many boxes are covered by a packaging sheet such as a craft paper, and more particularly, a device in which a packaging sheet is supplied by an elevator, the packaging sheet is applied along an outer surface of the content to seal the sheet with an adhesive tape while the packaging sheet and the content placed on a mounting surface of the elevator are being transported in a vertical direction from a packaging starting position under an ascending or descending of the elevator.
Description of the Prior Art
[0002] As this kind of packaging device, as disclosed in the gazette of Japanese Patent Publication No. 3-14685, there is provided a device in which a paper feeding table where a packaging sheet piled up at the side of the ascending or descending passage of the elevator is arranged to be directed toward the upper end of the ascending or descending passage and inclined upwardly, only one packaging sheet positioned at the downstream end of accumulating direction is separated and fed one-by-one and entire piled-up packaging sheets while being held in linear line form of the paper feeding table and supplied onto the elevator, the contents are placed on the predetermined position on this packaging sheet, the elevator is lowered to fold both ends of the packaging sheet into a substantial U-shape, then both ends are overlapped along the upper surface of the contents to complete the winding stage, subsequently, the wound contents are horizontally transported from the elevator toward the discharging table, thereby both side flats of each of the feeding end portions of the packaging sheet are folded inwardly along the side surfaces opened in the contents, thereafter the upper flap of each of the feeding ends is folded down along both side surfaces of the contents and concurrently an adhering tape fed out by a tape feeding mechanism is adhered to both overlapped ends of the packaging sheet and sealed, thereafter the lower flap is folded along the outside of the folded upper flap, then the extremity ends of the outermost overlapped lower flap are under an inward projecting movement of the guide is folded along the upper surface of the contents, the adhering tape fed out by the tape feeding mechanism is adhered to the upper surface of the contents together with the extremity end of the lower flap by an adhering mechanism and sealed.
[0003] In addition, as disclosed in the gazette of Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 3-11124, there is provided a device in which a paper feeding table where packaging sheets accumulated at the side of the ascending or descending passage of the elevator is mounted is inclined by about 45° toward the upper end of the ascending or descending passage and arranged, the feeding-out rollers acting as the sheet feeding mechanism are arranged above the packaging sheets accumulated on the paper feeding table while being held in a linear line state, only the packaging sheet positioned at the upper end is separated one-by-one under the rotation of the feeding-out rollers, fed out in a substantial horizontal direction onto the elevator, the elevator is lowered after the contents are placed on the predetermined position on the packaging sheet, thereby the packaging sheet is bent along both side surfaces of the contents into a substantial U-shape, thereafter both ends of these folded packaging sheets are overlapped along the upper surface of the contents by a winding mechanism to complete the winding operation and at the same time the feeding-out rollers are held by chains and the like and normally abutted against the packaging sheet at the downstream end in the accumulating direction by their own weights of the feeding-out rollers, thereby even after the packaging sheet on the sheet feeding table is decreased as the feeding-out operation is carried out, the packaging sheet is continuously fed out without being related to this operation.
[0004] However, in the prior art packaging device as described above, since the adhering tape is fed out and adhered to the sealing part corresponding to the position of the packaging sheet upon completion of the winding operation and the completion of the folding operation, this prior art device has some problems that an exclusive stage for adhering the adhering tape is necessary during the packaging stage of the contents and concurrently the tape feeding mechanism and the tape adhering mechanism are arranged at each of the positions corresponding to both of the wrapped ends of the wound packaging sheet and the position corresponding to the lower flap extremity end of both folded feeding-out ends, wherein guides to be used for winding or folding operation are disposed at these winding completing position and folding completing position, so that they must be arranged so as not to be interfered with these members, resulting in that size of the entire device becomes not only large but also configuration becomes complicated.
[0005] In addition, this prior art has another problem that it becomes necessary to arrange separating means utilizing an adhering power or a frictional power to make a positive separation of only one packaging sheet one-by-one positioned at the downstream end in the accumulating direction from the entire accumulated packaging sheets.
[0006] In addition, the paper feeding table where the packaging sheets are slantly accumulated while being held in a linear line state and the ascending or descending passage of the elevator are arranged side-by-side in a lateral direction, so that these arrangements of the problem that the inclined arranging space for the packaging sheet becomes necessary in a lateral direction separate from the ascending or descending passage of the elevator and correspondingly a device elongated in a lateral direction to cause a large-sized device.
[0007] In view of the foregoing, although it may be devised that an arranging space for the packaging sheet is reduced in a lateral direction to make an entire compact device by inclining the paper feeding table upto nearly its right angle, in this case, the arranging space for the packaging sheet is not only slightly elongated in a vertical direction from the ascending or descending passage of the elevator, but also the size of the packaging sheet in its winding direction is longer than two times of value in which a width size and a height size of the contents are added to each other, so that an arranging space for the packaging sheet is required to be longer in a linear line direction than an outer shape size of the contents, resulting in that it shows a problem that an entire device becomes large in its size.
[0008] Further, the paper feeding table where the accumulated packaging sheets are mounted is moved up and down, thereby the packaging sheet positioned at the downstream end is kept at the desired height without having any relation with that accumulated amount, a feeding-out length bending from the extremity end of the packaging sheet to the packaging starting position on the elevator is made nearly constant, although in this case, it is necessary to support the paper feeding table where the packaging sheets are accumulated in such a manner that it may be ascended or descended and to cooperatively arrange the ascending or descending driving part and it shows problem that the entire device becomes large size and at the same time its structure is complicated, supplementing of the packaging sheet becomes hard and costly.
[0009] In view of the aforesaid prior art circumstance, it is the first object of the present invention to perform a concurrent sealing of the packaging sheet while the sheet is being covered, its second object is to separate only one packaging sheet at the downstream end without utilizing any sucking power or frictional force, its third object is to keep a maximum sheet arranging space under a utilization of the dead space while only one packaging sheet at the downstream end may easily separated without utilizing sucking power or frictional force and its fourth object is to keep the packaging sheet at the downstream end at the specified position without being related to its accumulated amount while the packaging sheet is not moved up and down.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] Technical means provided by the present invention in order to solve the aforesaid problems is characterized by providing the tape feeding mechanism for feeding-out the adhering tape toward the packaging sheet before its supplying and supporting the same, the adhering mechanism for adhering the adhering tape moved toward and away from the fed-out adhering tape to cause a part of the adhering tape to be projected at the sealing corresponding position of the packaging sheet,and the sheet feeding mechanism for supplying the packaging sheet having the adhering tape adhered thereto along the feeding passage toward the packaging starting position onto the elevator.
[0012] Preferably, the packaging sheets accumulated below the ascending or descending passage of the elevator are stored substantially in the horizontal direction along the bottom surface of the frame and arranged, the extremity ends of these packaging sheets are bent upwardly along the side surface of the frame while being accumulated, and at the same time, the tape feeding-out mechanism is arranged in opposition to the extremity ends of the packaging sheets positioned at the downstream ends of the bent accumulating direction, the extremity ends of the bent packaging sheets while being accumulated are moved toward the bending direction and counter-bending direction, and the adhering mechanism to be moved toward and away from the adhering tape fed out by the tape feeding-out mechanism is reciprocably arranged.
[0013] In addition, preferably, the stopper abutting against the end edge of the packaging sheet is reciprocably arranged toward the extremity ends of the bent packaging sheets, the sensor is arranged near the extremity end of the packaging sheet bent by the adhering mechanism and at the same time the stopper is adjusted and moved in response to the output from the sensor.
[0014] Further, it is preferable that when the adhering mechanism changes its movement from the bending direction of the packaging sheet toward a counter-bending direction, there is provided a partial bending means for partially bending the extremity end of the bent packaging sheet in the counter-bending direction.
[0015] According to the aforesaid technical means, the present invention is constructed such that the sealing corresponding position of the packaging sheet is moved toward and away from, by the adhering mechanism to the adhering tape fed out from the tape feeding-out mechanism, thereby the adhering tape is partially projected and adhered to the sealing corresponding position, thereafter, the packaging sheet adhered with this adhering tape is fed out by the sheet feeding-out mechanism to the packaging starting position, thereby in concurrent with the completion of the folding of the packaging sheet during the packaging process, the projected part of the adhering tape is adhered.
[0016] The adhering mechanism moves the extremity end of the packaging sheet in the bending direction while being accumulated to cause the extremity end to be abutted against the adhering tape fed out of the tape feeding-out mechanism and supported by it, thereby only the extremity end of the packaging sheet positioned at the lower end in the accumulating direction is held, thereafter, to the contrary of this state, the extremity end of the packaging sheet is moved in the counter-bending direction, the extremity end is moved away from the tape feeding-out mechanism, a recovering force of the packaging sheet returning toward its counter-bending direction is utilized, thereby the entire extremity end of another accumulated packaging sheet is forcibly pulled away from the extremity end of the downstream end packaging sheet held by the adhering tape.
[0017] In addition, the packaging sheet is bent while being accumulated between the ascending or descending passage of the elevator and the bottom surface and the side surface of the frame, the lower part and the side part of the ascending or descending passage become a continuous sheet installing space,the extremity ends of the accumulated packaging sheets are displaced from each other to show an acute angle, a close contact of the packaging sheets to each other is prevented as this positional displacement is generated.
[0018] Further, a part near the extremity end of the bend packaging sheet is detected by the sensor, and when its position does not reach the set position, the stopper is moved, thereby the extremity end of the packaging sheet is pushed out and the extremity end reaches the set position.
[0019] Furthermore, in concurrent with the operation of the extremity end of the packaging sheet is supplied from the sheet supporting means at the upstream side of the sheet supplying direction toward the sheet supplying direction, its sliding surface is moved toward the sheet supplying direction and pulled out, thereby the packaging sheet is not loosed downwardly while being supported on the sliding surface and applied to the downstream side sheet supporting means.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] Fig.1 is a longitudinal front elevational view in section for showing the packaging device to illustrate one preferred embodiment of the present invention and the packaging starting time and the packaging completion time are concurrently illustrated.
[0023] Fig.4 is a partial longitudinal front elevational view in section for showing in sequence the feeding-out stages of the packaging sheet.
[0024] Fig.5 is a partial longitudinal front elevational view in section for showing in sequence the winding stages.
[0025] Fig.6 is a partial enlarged cross sectional top plan view for showing the folding starting state of the side flap.
[0026] Fig.7 is a partial enlarged cross sectional top plan view for showing the state just before the completion of the folding of the side flap.
[0027] Fig.8 is a partial enlarged cross sectional top plan view for showing a folding-down starting state of the upper flap.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0028] Referring now to the drawings, one preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described as follows.
[0029] As shown in Figs.1 and 2, the preferred embodiment is constructed such that the packaging sheets A are piled up in a vertical direction and in a substantial horizontal direction on the paper feeding table 1 which can be ascended or descended in such a manner that their longitudinal directions may be coincided with a long width direction of the frame F, the extremity ends A1···corresponding to one longitudinal direction of each of these packaging sheets A ····are bent in a slant upward direction, the bending operation for bending the bent extremity ends A1····with the adhering mechanism 3 and the recovering operation for recovering them to the counter-bending direction are repeated, thereby each of the sealing corresponding positions arranged at the central right and left direction and both ends of the right and left direction of the extremity end A1' of the packaging sheet A positioned at the downstream end in the accumulating direction is adhered to the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 supported at the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2 to hold only the packaging sheet A at the downstream end, and at the same time the packaging sheet A having the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 adhered thereto is fed out one-by-one by the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 through the inverse L-shaped feeding-out passage A' onto the elevator 6.
[0030] The paper feeding table 1 is arranged along the bottom surface F1 of the frame F below the ascending or descending passage 6b of the elevator 6 to be described later, a substantial horizontal mounting surface 1a is laterally arranged at the central position of the right and left direction crossing at a right angle with the long width direction of the frame F in such a way that the surface may be reciprocated in a vertical direction, a length size of its right and left direction is formed shorter than the short size of the packaging sheet A of minimum size, the side guides 1b, 1b having U-shaped side surfaces are oppositely laterally arranged at the right and left sides of the mounting surface 1a in such a way that the guides may not be moved in a vertical direction, and the packaging sheets A ··· mounted and supported from the mounting surface 1a over side guides 1b, 1b.
[0031] The part of the mounting surface 1a opposing against the bottom surface of the bent part of each of the packaging sheet A··· bent upwardly along the side surface F2 of the frame F is bent in a slant upward direction, a resilient projection 1c such as a sponge, for example, is projected at the central position of the right and left direction of the bent part and forcibly contacted with the bottom surface of the bent part of each of the packaging sheets A ···, and at the same time a flexible pressing sheet 1d formed by material such as fluorine resin which may be slid upwardly from the resilient projection 1c is fixed on the mounting surface 1a, the pressing sheet 1d is wound around a rising lever 3a of the adhering mechanism 3 to be described later, pulled by the resilient member 1e such as a spring, for example, and mounted in a tensile form from the bottom surface of the bent part of each of the sheets A··· along the bottom surfaces of the extremity ends A1···.
[0032] Accordingly, the right and left central position of the bent part of each of the bent packaging sheet A··· is bulged out upwardly from the resilient projection 1c and bent in a bow-like form, and at the same time the mounting surface 1a is higher than the lower end of the inner surface of each of the side guides 1b,1b, thereby the substantial horizontal ends A2··· are bulged out upwardly, bent in a bow-like form, the extremity ends A1···are prevented from being buckled and released downwardly without being related to the accumulated amount of the packaging sheets A by these bent parts and the tensile pressing sheet 1d, an abutting guide 1f is arranged and fixed to the position opposing against the outer surface of the bent part of each of the packaging sheets A···, and the extremity ends A1···of the packaging sheets A ··· are further bent by the adhering mechanism 3 to be described later, the upper surface of the bent part of each of the packaging sheets A··· is pressed against the abutting guide 1f and bent.
[0033] In addition, the side guides 1b, 1b are supported in such a way that they may be adjusted and moved in a rightward and leftward direction, the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2 opposing to each of the sealing corresponding positions arranged at both right and left ends of the extremity end A1' of the packaging sheet A are cooperatively arranged above the side guides, an adjusting driving part such as a pulse cylinder, for example, is cooperatively arranged, the mechanisms are adjusted and moved by this adjusting and driving part by the same length in the rightward and leftward direction in corresponding to the size variation in a short direction of the packaging sheet A, the stopper 1g is vertically arranged at the position opposing to the end edge A2' of each of the mounted packaging sheets A in such a way that the stopper can be adjusted and moved in a long width direction of the frame F, the adjusting and driving part, such as a pulse cylinder, for example, is cooperatively arranged, the adjusting and driving part is controlled in its operation by the control part not illustrated, and the stopper 1g is moved horizontally in response to the output of a sensor 1h to be described later.
[0034] The sensor 1h is arranged near the extremity ends A1'··· of the bent packaging sheets A, more particularly, near the oscillating supporting surface 2d of the tape feeding-out mechanism 2 arranged at the central part to be described later, and when the extremity ends A1'··· of the packaging sheets A ···are passed through the adjusting and driving part of the stopper 1g through the aforesaid control part and further bent to be abutted against the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2, the sensor detects the position of the extremity end A' of the packaging sheet A positioned at the downstream end in the accumulating direction, and when the extremity end does not reach the setting position, the adjusting and driving part of the stopper 1g is operated until the extremity ends A1··· of the next packaging sheets A ···are further bent, the extremity ends A2'··· of the packaging sheets A ····are moved horizontally toward the extremity ends A1···of the packaging sheets A ···.
[0035] The tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2 are constructed such that the feeding-out rollers 2a, 2a, 2a oppositely abutting against the adhering surfaces of the rewound adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 and supporting surfaces 2b, 2b, 2b opposing against each of the non-adhered surfaces of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 and each of the feeding-out passages A' are arranged at the downstream ends of the tape feeding-out directions of the adhering tape rolls C, C, C rotatably supported, and the cutters 2c, 2c, 2c are crossed with the supporting surfaces 2b, 2b, 2b arranged to be projected out at the downstream ends from these feeding-out rollers 2a, 2a, 2a.
[0036] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tape feeding-out mechanism 2 opposing against the sealing corresponding position arranged at the central part in the right and left direction on the extremity end A1' of the packaging sheet A feeds out the adhering tape C1 from the adhering tape roll C along the supporting surface 2b in the right and left horizontal direction as shown in Fig.3, the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2 opposing against each of the sealing corresponding positions arranged at both ends in the right and left direction of the extremity ends A1' feed out the adhering tapes C2, C2 from the adhering tape rolls C, C along the supporting surfaces 2b, 2b in a vertical direction.
[0037] The oscillating and supporting surfaces 2b, 2b are cooperatively arranged in such a way that they may be projected out toward the feeding-out passage A' at the downstream ends of these supporting surfaces 2b, 2b, 2b, the projections 2e, 2e, 2e for preventing the double-sheet adhering are projected toward the feeding-out passage A' at each of the oscillating and supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d as required, each of the feeding-out rollers 2a, 2a, 2a, the cutters 2c, 2cx, 2c and the oscillating and supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d are cooperatively related with the driving part such as a stepping motor, for example.
[0038] The driving part for the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2 is controlled in its operation by the control part in the same manner as that of the adjusting driving part for the stopper 1g, the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d are spaced apart from the feeding-out passage of the packaging sheet A at the initial stage before feeding-out the packaging sheet A and waited there, the feeding-out rollers 2a, 2a, 2a are rotated after manual operation of the sheet feeding-out starting switch S1 or packaging starting switch S2 to be described later, each of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 is fed out from the adhering tape rolls C, C, C by a predetermined length up to the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d while applying the folding lines extending toward a tape feeding-out direction.
[0039] After the adhering mechanism 3 to be described later is moved in a direction approaching to the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d, only the cutter 2c for the tape feeding-out mechanism 2 opposing against the central feeding corresponding position is projected out, the oscillating supporting surface 2d is instantaneously projected toward the feeding-out passage A' just after cutting the adhering tape C1 and returned to the initial state, just after the pressing roller 4b of the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 to be described later is moved near the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d, the cutters 2c, 2c of the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2 opposing against both right and left sealing corresponding positions are projected, and just after cutting the adhering tapes C2, C2,these oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d are projected only for the predetermined time toward the feeding-out passage A' of the packaging sheet A, and returned to the initial state, and the feeding-out rollers 2a, 2a, 2a are slightly reverse rotated after cutting of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 as required.
[0040] Extension or retraction guides 2f, 2f formed by bending the resilient material such as a spring steel plate, for example, in a zig-zag form are placed between these tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2, thereby the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2 opposing against both right and left sealing corresponding positions can be adjusted and moved in the right and left direction in response to the size variation of the packaging sheets A ··· so as to prevent the extremity ends A1' of the packaging sheet A positioned at the downstream end in the accumulating direction from being advanced into between the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2.
[0041] The adhering mechanism 3 causes the substantial horizontal ring lever 3a against the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d of the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2 to be reciprocably supported on a direction moved toward and away while the extremity ends A1···of the packaging sheet A ···bent upwardly while being accumulated, and at the same time, the lever 3a is abutted against the bottom surfaces of the extremity ends A1···of the packaging sheets A ··· through the sliding surface 1f, the resilient member such as a sponge, for example, is fixed to the outer surface of the rising lever 3a. As required, even if the accumulating amount of the packaging sheets A ··· is reduced, it may be positively pushed against the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d.
[0042] The rising lever 3a is cooperatively related to the driving part such as a stepping motor, for example, to cause the rising lever 3a to be reciprocated by the driving part, and at the same time, the horizontal wedge lever 3b is oscillatably and laterally arranged at the position opposing against the lower part of the feeding-out roller 4a to be described later so as to construct a partial bending means, these oscillating pieces 3c, 3c are cooperatively provided with the resilient members 3d, 3d such as springs, the wedge lever 3b is always pressed in a direction approaching to the lower part of the feeding-out roller 4a, the fixed stoppers 3e, 3e abutted against the oscillating pieces 3c, 3c are arranged in the midway where the rising lever 3a is moved away from the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d of the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2, the wedge lever 3b is oscillated in a direction moving away from the lower part of the feeding-out roller 4a.
[0043] The driving part for the adhering mechanism 3 is controlled in its operation by the control part, the rising lever 3a is moved toward the direction in which the extremity ends A1···of the packaging sheets A ··· are returned to their linear line state at the initial condition before the feeding-out of the packaging sheet A, the packaging sheet A positioned at the downstream end in the accumulating direction is waited to be moved away from the abutting guide 1f and the oscillating supporting surface 2d of each of the feeding-out mechanisms 2, the rising lever 3a and the wedge lever 3b approached and moved in a direction in which the extremity ends A1··· of the packaging sheets A ····are bent after the adhering tapes C1, C2 fed out by each of the feeding-out rollers 2a, the extremity end A1' of the downstream end packaging sheet A is pressed against the oscillating supporting surface 2d of each of the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, thereafter, the rising lever 3a is delayed slower than the approaching moving speed in a direction opposite to the former direction, for example, the lever is moved at the speed of 1/3 of the approaching and moving speed, and the lever is moved away from the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d and returned to its initial state.
[0044] The sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 is comprised of the feeding-out roller 4a arranged to be lower than the oscillating supporting surface 2d of each of the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2 and the pressing roller 4b arranged to be reciprocably in a direction moving toward and away from the feeding-out roller 4a while holding the feeding-out passage A', wherein the packaging sheet A is held between these feeding-out roller 4a and the pressing roller 4b and bent in a corrugated form in a direction crossing at a right angle with the feeding-out passage A',thereby an advancing movement toward the feeding-out direction is increased to enable its upward transportation to be carried out.
[0045] The position opposing against the tape adhering mechanism 2 arranged at the central part of the pressing roller 4b is covered by non-adhering material 4c such as silicone rubber, for example, to prevent the adhering tape C1 from being adhered, the feeding-out roller 4a and the pressing roller 4b are cooperatively related with the driving part such as a stepping motor, for example, the feeding-out roller 4a is intermittently rotated by the driving part, and then the pressing roller 4b is reciprocated in respect to the feeding-out roller 4a.
[0046] The driving part for the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 is controlled in this operation by the control part, the pressing roller 4b is spaced apart from the feeding-out roller 4a and waited while the rotation of the feeding-out roller 4a is being stopped, the pressing roller 4b is approached to the feeding-out roller 4a after the rising lever 3a of the adhering mechanism 3 is moved away, the feeding-out roller 4a is rotated only while the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d of the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2 opposing against both right and left ends sealing corresponding positions, the packaging sheet A positioned at the downstream end in the accumulating direction being held between the feeding-out roller 4a and the pressing roller 4b is fed out to the sheet transporting mechanism 5 to be described later along the feeding-out passage A' while being bent in a corrugated form, and the pressing roller 4b is moved away from the feeding-out roller 4a after the elevator 6 to be described later is lifted up to its upper limit position and then it is returned to its initial state.
[0047] The sheet transporting mechanism 5 is constructed such that the transporting roller 5a and the pressing roller 5b acting as the upstream end sheet supporting means are arranged while holding the feeding-out passage A', each of a plurality of the pressing rollers 5b arranged at the adhering surfaces of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 adhered at each of the sealing corresponding position of the extremity end A1' of the packaging sheet A is reciprocably arranged at a position not interfering with the passing positions of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 in a direction moving toward or away from the transporting roller 5a, the driving part such as a stepping motor, for example, is cooperatively related to the transporting roller 5a and the pressing roller 5b, the transporting roller 5a is rotated by the driving part and further the pressing roller 5b is reciprocated against the transporting roller 5a.
[0048] The driving part for the sheet transporting mechanism 5 is controlled in its operation by the control part, the pressing roller 5b is moved away from the transporting roller 5a and waited while the transporting roller 5a is being stopped in its rotation, the pressing roller 5b is approached and pressed against the transporting roller 5a substantially in concurrent with the approaching movement of the pressing roller 4b of the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4, and at the same time the packaging sheet A fed out under the rotation of the transporting roller 5a is pushed out horizontally and transported up to the packaging starting position P1, and after the transported packaging sheet A is supplied to the downstream end sheet supporting means 5c to be described later, the pressing roller 5b is moved away from the transporting roller 5a, the rotation of the transporting roller 5a is stopped and it is returned to its initial state.
[0049] The downstream end sheet supporting means 5c is horizontally and laterally arranged in the right and left direction in the substantial same height as that of the upper end position of the transporting roller 5a, the downstream end of the downstream end sheet supporting means 5c is bent slantly and upwardly projected,and there is provided the feeding-out roller for feeding out the packaging sheet A supplied up to its upstream end (not illustrated) as required toward the downstream end projected slantly and upwardly.
[0050] The sliding surface 5d is arranged between the transporting roller 5a and the downstream end sheet supporting means 5c along the lower surface of the downstream end of the feeding-out passage A' in such a way that it may be fed out in the sheet supplying direction, the sliding surface 5d is formed by material such as fluorine resin, for example, which may easily be bent and slid, into a sheet form, the width size in the sheet supplying direction is longer than a distance from the transporting roller 5a to the downstream end sheet supporting means 5c and at the same time the length size in the right and left direction is substantially the same length as that of the maximum length size of the packaging sheet A. In addition, the sliding surface 5d is divided into a plurality of segments in the right and left direction so as not to interfere with the transporting roller 5a, the sliding surface is wound around the transporting roller 5a, the upstream end of the sliding surface 5d in the sheet supplying direction is fixed to each of the winding rods 5e, resiliently wound by a resilient member such as a spring, for example, the winding rods 5e are rotatably and laterally arranged below the transporting roller 5a, and the downstream ends are fixed to the upstream end winding guide 7 to be described later.
[0051] At the packaging start position P1, the reference guides 21, 21 opposing against each of a set of opposing side surfaces P1, P1 of the contents B and the vertical reference surface 22 opposing against one of at least remaining side surfaces B2, B2 are arranged above the elevator 6 to be described later, and when the contents B placed on the packaging starting position P1 enclosed by these members, the side surfaces B1, B1, B2 of the contents B are abutted against each of the reference guides 21, 21 and the reference surfaces 22, 22 and their positions are set.
[0052] The elevator 6 is laterally arranged before the reference guides 21, 21 in such a manner that it may be reciprocated in a vertical direction, the width size of the mounting surface 6a in the long width direction of the frame F, that is, in the supplying direction of the packaging sheet A set by the sheet transporting mechanism 5 is formed into a size where two pieces of contents B of the maximum size are mounted side-by-side in the sheet feeding direction, the length size in the right and left direction is formed into a such a size where the contents B of the maximum size can be mounted in the right and left direction and at the same time, the driving part such as a stepping motor, for example, is cooperatively arranged to ascend or descend the mounting surface 6a by the driving part.
[0053] The driving part of the elevator 6 is controlled in its operation by the control part, the mounting surface 6a is lifted up to its upper limit position and waited under the initial condition before feeding-out the packaging sheet A, the mounting surface 6a is descended down to a position near its lower limit position substantially in concurrent with the starting operation of the feeding-out roller 4a of the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4, and the mounting surface 6a is lifted up to its upper limit position just after the winding guides 7, 7 to be described later are moved to a position just below the reference guides 21, 21 and then the mounting surface 6a is approached to the winding guides 7, 7.
[0054] Then, as the contents B is mounted on the packaging sheet A and the sheet pressers 7b, 7b are moved away from the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7, the upper surface B3 of the contents B is descended down to the lower limit position below the winding guides 7, 7 and compressive receiving plates 8, 8 and subsequently the upper surface B3 of the contents B is ascended by a predetermined amount until it is forcibly contacted with the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 and at the same time it is slightly descended after the downstream side winding guide 7 is projected up to the central upper positions of the compressive receiving plates 8, 8, the mounting surface 6a is ascended or descended in such a way that the lateral folding guides 9····to be described later are opposed against the desired height positions of both side flaps A4··· without any relation to the height size of the contents B, and it is lifted upon completion of the advancement of the pusher 10 and returned to its initial state.
[0055] A pair of winding guides 7, 7 for winding the packaging sheet A around the contents B, compressive receiving plates 8, 8 which can be projected into the ascending or descending passage 6e of the elevator 6 opposing against the upper surface B3 of the descended contents B, the lateral folding guides 9 for folding each of both side flaps A4···of the expanded end parts A3, A3 of the wound packaging sheet A along each of the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the contents B are arranged in the midway of the ascending or descending passage of the contents B by the elevator 6, the pusher 10 is provided for horizontally transporting the contents B along the mounting surface 6a of the descended elevator 6 toward the sheet supplying direction and at the same time the upper holding guides 11, 11 for holding the lower flaps A5, A5 of the expanded ends A3, A3 of the horizontal transported packaging sheet A along the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the contents B, the folding guides 12, 12 are arranged above the upper holding guides 11, 11 in order to fold down the upper flaps A6, A6 of the expanded ends A3, A3 along the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the contents B.
[0056] The winding guides 7, 7 are formed into plates in which their upper surfaces 7a, 7a are substantially kept horizontal and opposing inner ends 7b, 7b are in parallel with the side surfaces B1, B1 closed under winding of the descended contents B, their length size in the right and left direction is longer than the length size of the contents B of the maximum size, resilient members 7c, 7c such as a sponge or a leaf spring, for example, are fixed to the lower surface of it as required, they may be arranged below the reference guides 21, 21 in a vertical direction and in such a manner that they may be reciprocated in a sheet supplying direction along the upper surface B3 of the descended contents B, the driving part such as a stepping motor, for example, is cooperatively arranged to each of them, and they may be moved up and down and alternatively reciprocated by these driving parts.
[0057] The driving parts for the winding guides 7, 7 are controlled in their operations by the control part, the winding guides 7 are arranged at the upstream side in the sheet supplying direction under the initial state before the packaging sheet A is fed out toward the transporting roller 5a of the sheet transporting mechanism 5 by the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 is waited near the transporting roller 5a or at a position just below the reference guide 21, the winding guide 7 arranged at the downstream side is waited at each of the central upper positions of the compressive receiving plates 8, 8, the downstream end winding guide 7 is moved near the downstream end supporting means 5c in concurrent with the advancing movement of the pusher 10 to be described later. The upstream end winding guide 7 is moved in the sheet supplying direction at the same speed as the supplying speed of the packaging sheet A after the extremity end A1' of the packaging sheet A pushed out and supplied by the transporting roller 5a and the pressing roller 5b reaches the upstream side winding guide 7 and then the upstream side winding guide 7 is approached to the downstream side winding guide 7.
[0058] Extremity end A1' of the supplied packaging sheet A is moved from the upstream side winding guide 7 onto the downstream side winding guide 7, and moved from the downstream winding guide 7 onto the downstream supporting means 5c, thereafter each of both winding guides 7, 7 is moved in a counter sheet supplying direction up to the position just below the reference guides 21, 21, each of the upper surfaces 7a, 7a is slightly moved upward as the elevator 6 is ascended to its upper limit position, the inner ends 7b 7b are arranged in the substantial same vertical plane as the upstream and downstream both side surfaces B1, B1 of the contents B in the sheet supplying direction and the winding guides 7, 7 are slightly moved down as the elevator 6 is descended, they are projected by a predetermined amount in a direction approaching to each other just after the elevator 6 is descended down to its lower limit position.
[0059] In addition, just after the elevator 6 is slightly ascended and the upper surface B3 of the contents B is placed against the compressive receiving plates 8, 8, the upstream side winding guide 7 is projected to the central part of the upper surface B3 of the contents B, thereby downstream winding guide 7 is projected with a slight delay and approached to the upstream side winding guide 7, and upon completion of this approaching, the upstream side winding guide 7 is returned and moved in a counter sheet supplying direction, the downstream winding guide 7 is projected up to the central upper positions of the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 and returned to its initial state.
[0060] Further, the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7 are provided with the sheet pressers 7d··· comprised of weights, for example, in such a way that they may be moved toward and away from in the vertical direction, these sheet pressers 7d ··· are arranged so as not to interfere with the passing position of the adhering tape C1 adhered in advance to the packaging sheet A, and arranged to interfere with the passing position of the adhering tape C1 adhered in advance only to the upper surface 7a of the downstream side winding guide 7, and at the same time, a superior feeding sheet is adhered to the bottom surface of the tape as required, each of the sheet pressers 7d··· is cooperatively related to the driving parts 7e, 7e such as solenoids, for example, arranged above the sheet pressers, the sheet pressers 7d ····are moved up and down by these driving parts 7e, 7e to be moved toward and away from the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7.
[0061] The driving parts 7e, 7e for the sheet pressers 7d ··· are controlled in their operations by the control part, the sheet pressers 7d ··· are moved up under the initial state before the packaging sheet A is fed out to the transporting roller 5a of the sheet transporting mechanism 5, the sheet pressers 7d are moved away from the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7 , the sheet pressers 7d··· are moved down just below the elevator 6 is ascended up to its upper limit position, as the sheet pressers 7d ··· are forcibly contacted to the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7 , the sheet pressers 7d ···are moved up under the operation of the packaging start switch S2 to be described later and moved away from the winding guides 7, 7, the sheet pressers 7d ···are moved down just after the elevator 6 is descended down to its lower limit position and the sheet pressers 7d ···forcibly contacted to the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7 and the sheet pressers 7d··· are moved up upon completion of approaching of the winding guides 7, 7 and returned to their initial states.
[0062] The compressive receiving plates 8, 8 are processed at the upper surfaces with non-adhering processing by coating non-adhesive agent such as silicone coating,for example, the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 are arranged in such a manner that they may be reciprocated in the right and left direction toward between the winding guides 7, 7 and the upper surface B3 of the descended contents B out of the ascending or descending passage 6b of the elevator 6, the width size in the sheet supplying direction when the plates are projected at least into the ascending or descending passage 6b is substantially the same as the width size in the sheet supplying direction of the contents B, both ends of it in each of the sheet supplying direction are arranged just above both ends of the upper surface B3 of the contents B in the sheet supplying direction, and these compressive receiving plates 8, 8 are cooperatively related with the driving parts such as a stepping motor, for example, and each of the plates is moved in the right and left direction by these driving parts.
[0063] The driving parts for the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 are controlled in their operations by the control part, the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 are waited out of the ascending or descending passage 6b of the elevator 6 where they do not interfere with the ascending of the packaging sheet A and the contents B with the elevator 6 at the initial state before the packaging sheet A is fed out to the transporting roller 5a of the sheet transporting mechanism 5. The packaging is started, the plates projected above the contents B descended just after the descending of the elevator 6 to cause the right and left ends of the upper surface B3 of the contents B to be engaged to each other, resulting in that the winding guides 7, 7 are approached to each other and just after the elevator 6 is slightly descended, the plates are returned and moved from above the contents B out of the ascending or descending passage 6b of the elevator 6 and returned to the initial state.
[0064] The lateral folding guides 9···are arranged such that only the two guides are placed below the winding guides 7, 7 and oppositely against the vertical intermediate positions of both side flaps A4··· of the extending-out ends A3, A3 on the same plane as the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the wound contents B and placed at the downstream side from the contents B in the sheet supplying direction in such a manner that they may be reciprocated in the sheet feeding direction, and at the same time, two guides positioned at the downstream side from the contents B are arranged in such a manner that they may not be moved in the sheet supplying direction, each of the lateral intermediate positions is rotatably supported in the folding direction of the side flaps A4···, abutting portions 9a ··· opposing substantially in parallel to the closed side surfaces B1, B1 at the initial state spaced apart from the contents B are formed at one half of the linear inner surface opposing against the contents B, and the folding portions 9b ··· opposing against in substantial parallel with the side flaps A4···at the initial state spaced apart from the contents B are formed at the other half part of the inner surface.
[0065] In addition, these lateral folding guides 9··· descend the folding portions 9b ··· toward the lower flaps A5, A5 by the predetermined height as the abutting portions 9a ··· and the side flaps A4···are abutted against to each other and each of the intermediate portions of the inner surfaces slides over four corners of the side surfaces B1, B1, B2, B2 of the contents B by 1/4 rotation. In the case that the extending length of each of the extending end portions A3 are longer than the half of the width size of each of the opened side surfaces B2, the elevator 6 and the upper folding guides 11, 11 are descended by the predetermined height substantially corresponding to a descending amount of the folding portions 9b···,and in turn, in the case that the extending length of each of the extending end portions A3 is shorter than the half of the width size of each of the opened side surfaces B2, the elevator 6 and the upper folding guides 11, 11 are ascended by the predetermined height in such a manner that the lower end of the descended folding portions 9b··· reach the bottom surface B4 of the contents B.
[0066] The lateral folding guides 9, 9 at the upstream side are cooperatively provided with the driving parts such as a stepping motor, for example, these driving parts are operated in their operations by the control part, the abutting portions 9a, 9a and the folding portions 9b, 9b are waited at the positions where they may not interfere with the descending of the packaging sheet A and the contents B by the elevator 6, the abutting portions 9a, 9a are moved in the same direction in substantial concurrence with the advancing movement of the pusher 10 to be described later, thereby abutted against the closed upstream side surface B1 of the contents B, the folding portions 9b, 9b are located, their advancing movements are stopped at the positions near the rotated downstream lateral holding guides 9, 9, they are retracted toward the upstream side upon completion of transporting of the contents B by the pusher 10, thereafter returning projections 9c, 9c are abutted against and engaged with them after their retraction, they are forcibly rotated in a reverse direction opposite to the folding direction and returned to the initial state.
[0067] The downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 have temporary holding portions 9d, 9d such as permanent magnets or electromagnets, for example, the abutting portions 9a, 9a are waited in substantial parallel with the closed downstream side surface B1 of the contents B transported by the pusher 10, and at the same time, lower ends of these abutting portions 9b, 9b are formed with slant cam surfaces 9e, 9e, as the side flaps A4, A4 are abutted, slant cam surfaces 9e, 9e rotated toward the folding direction and the upward inclined sides 11a, 11a of the ascending upper folding guides 11, 11 are abutted and engaged to each other, thereby these lateral folding guides 9, 9 are forcibly rotated in a reverse direction opposite to the folding direction and returned to their initial stages.
[0068] The pusher 10 is reciprocably arranged in the sheet supplying direction in opposition to the closed upstream-side surface B1 while passing vertically through the elevator 6 and winding contents B, upper end of the vertical transporting surface 10a is arranged below the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 and at the same time the driving part such as a stepping motor, for example, is cooperatively arranged and the pushing surface 10a is reciprocated by these driving parts.
[0069] The driving part for the pusher 10 is controlled in its operation by the control part, the pushing surface 10a is waited in the same vertical plane as the upstream side surface B1 in the sheet supplying direction of the contents B, the pushing surface 10a is abutted to advance substantially in concurrent with the advancing of the upstream lateral folding guides 9, 9 toward the downstream side, it is stopped at the position where the closed downstream side surface B1 of the contents B is abutted against the downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9, and it is moved forward again after the upstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 are advanced to the desired positions of the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the contents B, it is stopped at the position where it is advanced to the downstream side from the arranged position of the downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9, it is retracted toward the upstream side during ascending of the elevator 6 or just after completion of the ascending operation and it is returned to the initial state.
[0070] The upper folding guides 11, 11 are placed on the same horizontal surface as those of the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the wound contents B and vertically arranged near the downstream side from the waiting positions of the downstream lateral folding guides 9, 9, upper slant sides 11a, 11a opposing against the lower flaps A5, A5 are formed at the upper ends, supported in such a way that they may be moved up and down, upper slant sides 11a, 11a are adjusted and moved as to be slightly higher than the mounting surface 6a during its descending without relation with the descending amount of the elevator 6, upon completion of the advancing movement of the pusher 10, it is ascended from the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the contents B, it is abutted against the lower flaps A5, A5 transported by the pusher 10, folded along the opened sides B2, B2 and further it is ascended in the same speed as that of it when the elevator 6 is ascended.
[0071] The folding guides 12, 12 are constructed such that the supporting frames 12b, 12b are arranged above the upper folding guides 12, 12 in correspondence with the variation in size of the length of the contents B and adjustably moved in the right and left direction, each of the inner ends 12a, 12a supported at these supporting frames 12b, 12b in such a way that they may be reciprocated in the right and left contacting direction, and at the same time there are provided weights 12c, 12c for applying the specified pressure in the direction to cause the inner ends 12a, 12a to be approached to each other, stoppers 12d, 12d not enabling the inner ends 12a, 12a to be projected and to cause the upper surface B3 of the contents B due to the ascending of the elevator 6, thereby its engagement is released to enable the inner ends 12a, 12a to be projected, and returning means 12e, 12e for moving the projected inner ends 12a, 12a in a reverse direction opposite to the projecting direction and engaging them with the stoppers 12d, 12d.
[0072] In turn, an input means 23 such as a key pad, for example, for inputting an outer shape and a size of each of the packaging sheet A and the contents B and sheet feeding-out starting switch S1 as well as the packaging start switch S2 are arranged at the upper surface of the device where the packaging starting position P1 is arranged, the inputting means 23 is communicated with the aforesaid sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 and the sheet transporting mechanism 5 through the control part, the driving part for the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 and the driving part for the sheet transporting mechanism 5 are controlled in their operations in response to the result of calculation at the control part by re-inputting variably every time the outer shapes and the sizes of the packaging sheet A and the contents B are changed, thereby the feeding-out amount of the packaging sheet A is adjusted in such a manner that the extremity ends A1' of the overlapped packaging sheets A wound without being related to the changing in size may be arranged at the central position of the sheet supplying direction of the upper surface B3 of the contents B and the winding ending form may become constant and at the same time the inputted value is displayed to a displaying part 23a such as CRT.
[0073] The sheet feeding-out start switch S1 and the packaging start switch S2 are communicated with the driving part for the aforesaid tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2, the driving part for the adhering mechanism 3, the driving part for the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4, the driving part for the sheet transporting mechanism 5, the driving part for the elevator 6, the driving part for the winding guides 7, 7, the driving part for the compressive receiving plates 8, 8, the driving part for the lateral folding guides 9···, the driving part for the pusher 10, and the driving part for the upper folding guides 11, 11. The sheet feeding-out start switch S1 is manually operated, thereby the driving part for the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2, the driving part for the adhering mechanism 3, the driving part for the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4, and the driving part for the sheet transporting mechanism 5 are operated in sequence to cause one sheet of the packaging sheet A to be supplied to the packaging start position P1.
[0074] Under this condition, the contents B is placed on the packaging start position P1, the packaging start switch S2 is manually operated, thereby the driving part for the elevator 6, the driving part for the winding guides 7, 7, the driving part for the compressive receiving plates 8, 8, the driving part for the lateral folding guides 9···,the driving part for the pusher 10, and the driving part for the upper folding guides 11, 11 are operated in sequence, and in concurrent with the starting of the packaging of the contents B, the driving part for the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2, the driving part for the adhering mechanism 3, the driving part for the sheet supplying mechanism 4, and the driving part for the sheet transporting mechanism 5 are operated in sequence and the next one packaging sheet A is supplied to the packaging start position P1.
[0075] In addition, the packaging completing position P2 arranged at the downstream side from the packaging start position P1 is arranged at the supporting means resiliently projected along the bottom surface B4 of the contents B ascended by the elevator 6 near the folding guides 12, 12, thus the supporting means is comprised of latches 13···· having a small projecting amount projected toward the right and left ends of the bottom surface B4 through the resilient members 3a ··· such as springs, for example, from the supporting frames 12b, 12b of the folding guides 12, 12, and a latch 14 having a large projecting amount projecting to a substantial central part of the bottom surface B4 with being fed in or fed out to the recess 6c formed at the downstream end of the mounting surface 6a, the upper end surfaces of these latches 13····14 are arranged at the substantial same height position as that of the surface of the folding guides 12, 12 and the bottom surface B4 of the contents B is supported while being projected.
[0076] The latch 14 having a large projecting amount is constructed such that a rising piece 14b is arranged on the base 14a arranged lower than the lower limit position of the mounting surface 6a in such a manner that it may be resiliently located in the sheet supplying direction, the resilient member 14c such as a spring, for example, is placed between the rising piece 14b and the side surface F3 of the frame to cause the rising piece 14b to be always pressed toward the upstream-side.
[0078] At first, the sheet supplying start switch S1 is manually operated, the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2, 2 are started to operate to feed out each of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 up to each of the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d and support them, and subsequently the rising lever 3a of the adhering mechanism 3 and the pressing sheet 1d are moved in a bending direction while holding the extremity ends A1··· of the upward bent packaging sheets A ··· as shown in Fig.4(a), the entire packaging sheets A ··· are bent along the abutting guide 1f and at the same time the extremity end A1' of the packaging sheet A positioned at the downstream end in the accumulating direction is forcibly contacted to the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d and each of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 is partially projected and partially adhered at the feeding corresponding positions arranged at the central part of the extremity ends A1' and both right and left ends.
[0079] In the case that the position of the extremity end A1' is detected by the sensor 1h in this case and the extremity end A1' does not reach up to the setting position, the stopper 1g is moved to push out the accumulated packaging sheets A ··· along the pressing sheet 1d, thereby, the extremity end A1' of the downstream side packaging sheet A to be bent reaches the setting position, and in concurrent with this operation, the wedge lever 3b partially holds the extremity ends A1··· of the packaging sheets A ··· by the resilient members 3d, 3d and forcibly presses them against the lower part of the feeding-out roller 4a and thus a part of each of the extremity ends A1··· is bent along the outer circumferential surface of the feeding-out roller 4a.
[0080] The cutter 2c of the tape feeding-out mechanism 2 opposing against the central sealing corresponding position is projected only as shown in Fig.3 to cut the adhering tape C1, thereby with a slight delay, its oscillating supporting surface 2d is projected toward the feeding-out passage A' of the packaging sheet A to adhere the adhering tape C1 over the entire right and left direction.
[0081] Thereafter, the rising lever 3a starts gradually its movement toward the reverse direction, only the rising lever 3a is slowly moved away from the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d, 2d as shown in Fig.4(b), although the rising lever 3b partially holds the extremity ends A1···· of the packaging sheets A ··· by the resilient members 3d, 3d and is continued to forcibly press against the lower part of the feeding-out roller 4a, resulting in that a recovering force to be returned in a counter-bending direction is applied to the upper extremity ends A1'···· to cause other accumulated extremity ends A1' to be forcibly pulled apart from the extremity end A1' of the downstream end packaging sheet A adhered to the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 and then they enter between these members to release their close contacted condition.
[0082] This pulling-out operation is effective in the case that the accumulated amount of the packaging sheets as shown is less, the packaging sheets can be separated positively up to the final one sheet, thereafter the wedge lever 3b is also moved away from the lower part of the feeding-out roller 4a as shown in Fig.4(c), returned together with the rising lever 3a in a counter-bending direction, during this returning operation, oscillating pieces 3c, 3c are abutted against the fixed stoppers 3e, 3e, the wedge lever 3b is oscillated in a direction moving apart from the lower part of the feeding-out roller 4a.
[0083] Subsequent to this operation, the pressing roller 4b is entered as shown in Fig.4(d) between the entire extremity ends A1····of the packaging sheets A ····returned in a counter-bending direction and the extremity end A1 of the downstream end packaging sheet A and forcibly contacted with the feeding-out roller 4a, thereafter, the cutters 2c, 2c of the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2 opposing against both right and left sealing corresponding positions are projected to cut the adhering tapes C2, C2, just after this operation, each of the oscillating supporting surfaces 2d, 2d is projected toward the feeding-out passage A' and in concurrent with this operation, the feeding-out roller 4a is rotated to cause the downstream end rising sheet A having the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 adhered thereto is fed out toward the sheet transporting mechanism 5 along the feeding-out passage A'.
[0084] With a little delay, the extremity end A1' of the fed-out packaging sheet A advances between the transporting roller 5a and the pressing roller 5b of the sheet transporting mechanism 5, the packaging sheet A is horizontally supplied towards the packaging start position P1 under the rotation of the transporting roller 5a, the sliding surface 5d is slid against the supporting roller 5a and is not fed out.
[0085] As the extremity end A1' of the fed-out and supplied packaging sheet A reaches near the supporting roller 5a or the upstream side winding guide 7 waiting at the position just below the reference guide 21, the upstream side winding guide 7 starts to move in the sheet supplying direction at the same speed as the supplying speed of the packaging sheet A, and along with this, the sliding surface 5d fixed to the upstream side winding guide 7 is also pulled in the sheet supplying direction, thereby the sliding surface 5d is rewound from the winding rod 5e, and pulled out in the sheet supplying direction along the lower surface at the downstream side of the feeding-out passage A' at the same speed as the supplying speed of the packaging sheet A.
[0086] Accordingly, the packaging A is supported on the sliding surface 5d, pushed out and supplied without being loosened downwardly, thereafter as the upstream side winding guide 7 is moved near the downstream side winding guide 7 and stopped, its extremity ends A1' are moved from the sliding surface 5d onto the downstream side winding guide 7, and further moved from the downstream side winding guide 7 onto the downstream side supporting means 5c and at the same time, extreme end A1' is guided slantly and upwardly as shown in Fig.1 along the downstream side supporting means 5c and the transporting through the transporting roller 5a is completed.
[0087] Upon completion of the supplying of the packaging sheet A, as the elevator 6 is ascended to its upper limit position, the winding guides 7, 7 are moved to the positions just below the reference guides 21, 21 are slightly moved upwardly as shown in Fig.1, thereafter the sheet pressers 7d··· are moved downwardly to hold the packaging sheet A supplied between the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7 to prevent the positional displacement of the packaging sheet A and under this condition, as the contents B is position set on the packaging sheet A and mounted there, the packaging sheet A is bent by the weight of the contents B to cause the lower surface B4 of the contents B to be abutted against the mounting surface 6a of the elevator 6.
[0088] Thereafter, upon manual operation of the packaging start switch S2, the sheet pressers 7d····· are moved upwardly to release the holding of the packaging sheet A, the elevator 6 starts to descend, thereby the packaging sheet A is held in a substantial U-shape along the bottom surface B4 of the contents B and both sides B1, B1 as shown in Fig.5(a) and upon stopping of the descending operation of the elevator 6, the sheet pressers 7d····are moved downwardly to hold the packaging sheet A between the upper surfaces 6a, 6a of the winding guides 6, 6 and then substantially in concurrent with this operation, the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 are projected above the contents B.
[0089] Subsequently, after the winding guides 7, 7 are projected by a predetermined amount in their approaching directions, the elevator 6 is slightly ascended as shown in Fig.5(b) to cause the outer surfaces B3 of the contents B to be engaged with the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 and at the same time the contents B is held between the mounting surface 6a and the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 in such a manner that the contents B may not be moved and the contents B is compressed in a vertical direction, thereby each of both side surfaces B1, B1 of the contents B and the packaging sheet A opposing against these side surfaces is loosened in a vertical direction, although just after it, upstream side winding guide 7 is projected as shown in Fig.5(c) and subsequently the downstream end winding guide 7 is projected as shown in Fig.5(d).
[0090] With such an arrangement, each of the extremity end 1 and the end part A2 of the packaging sheet A is wound and closely contacted in U-shape along the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7, inner ends 7d, 7d and the resilient members 7c, 7c, a loosed end portion of the packaging sheet A is pulled upwardly through the frictional resistances, its winding is fastened, and as the winding guides 7, 7 are protected after the loosening of the packaging sheet A is eliminated, the tension applied to the packaging sheet A is larger than the frictional resistance between the packaging sheet A and the winding guides 7, 7, resulting in that each of the packaging sheets A is pulled out from between the upper surfaces 7a, 7a of the winding guides 7, 7 and the sheet pressers 7d ···, end portions A2 of the packaging sheet A is folded at first along the upper surface B3 of the contents B as shown in Fig.5(c).
[0091] Then, the extremity end A1 of the packaging sheet A is also pulled out as shown in Fig.5(d), at this time, adhering surface of the adhesive tape C1 is adhered to the bottom surface of the downstream side sheet presser 7d arranged so as to be interfered with the passing position of the adhering tape C adhered in advance to cause the leading end A1' to be stopped, thereby the packaging sheet A is further fastened and folded along the upper surface B3 of the contents B and at the same time the folded end A2' and end portion A1' while being drawn are pushed against the upper surface B3 of the contents B by resilient members 7c, 7c so as to prevent each of them from being pulled out.
[0092] Subsequently, the sheet pressers 7d ···are moved upwardly as shown in Fig.5(e), the downstream side winding guide 7 is projected up to the central upper positions of the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 as shown in Fig.5(f), the extremity end A1' of the packaging sheet is overlapped on the outside of the end portion A2' and at the same time, the overlapped end A2' and end A1' are held by the lower resilient member 7c of the downstream side winding guide 7 and the upper surface B3 of the contents B, the projected portions of the adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 adhered to the extremity end A1' are pushed against the end A2', adhering tapes C1, C2, C2 are adhered so as to seal them.
[0093] Subsequently, the elevator 6 is slightly descended as shown in Fig.5(g), the compression of the content B is loosened, then the compressive receiving plates 8, 8 are pulled out to complete the winding stage, thereafter the contents B is transported under the advancing movement of the pusher 10, and as shown in Fig.6, the side surface B1 of the closed downstream side is abutted against the abutting portions 9a, 9a of the downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 and at this time, the contents B is held and position set immovably between the temporary stopped pusher 10 and the downstream side abutting portions 9a, 9a temporarily held by the temporary holding portions 9d, 9d.
[0094] Under this condition, each of the abutting portions 9a, 9a is abutted against the winding closed downstream side surface B1 of the contents B, the folding portions 9b, 9b are descended toward the lower flaps A5, A5 of the expanding end portions A3, A3 as each of the inner surface intermediate portions slides over the corners between the upstream side surface B1 and the opened side surfaces B2, B2 by 1/4 rotation, thereby, entire upstream side flaps A4, A4 are pulled downwardly, upper portions of base ends of these side flaps A4, A4 are tightly folded along the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the contents B while pressing against the corner.
[0095] Subsequently, contents B is transported again with the pusher 10, the folding portions 9b, 9b are descended toward the lower flaps A, A5 as the inner surface intermediate portions of the downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 slide over the corners between the downstream side surface B1 and opened side surfaces B2, B2 by 1/4 rotation, thereby entire downstream side flaps A4, A4 are pulled downwardly, upper portions of base ends of these side flaps A4, A4 are tightly folded while being pressed against the corners.
[0096] The contents B passes between the inner surfaces of the abutted and rotated lateral holding guides 9···· and guided to the downstream side of the mounting surface 6a, base end portions of lower flaps A5, A5 are abutted against the upper slant sides 11a, 11a of the upper folding guides 11, 11 slightly higher than the mounting surface 6a of the elevator 6 and folded, thereby the folded side flaps A4 ··· are prevented from being loosened.
[0097] Subsequently, the closed downstream side surface B1 of the contents B transported by the pusher 10 abutted against a rising piece 14b of the latch 14 having a large projecting amount waited at the upstream end as shown by a two-dotted line of Fig.7, its subsequent transportation causes the contents B to be pushed downwardly while the rising piece 14b being press contacted to the closed downstream side surface B1, and when the contents B reaches the predetermined position, the advancing movement of the pusher 10 is completed.
[0098] Substantially in concurrent with this operation, the upstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 are abutted against and engaged with the returning projections 9c, 9c as shown in Fig.8 during their retracting operation, thereby the upstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 are forcibly rotated in a reverse direction and returned to its initial state, subsequently, upper folding guides 11, 11 are ascended to cause the lower flaps A5, A5 to be folded outside flaps A4···concurrently the upper slant sides 11a, 11a are abutted against and engaged with the slant cam surfaces 9e, 9e of the downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9, thereby the downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 are forcibly rotated in a reverse direction and returned to their initial states.
[0099] Subsequently, the mounting surface 6a of the elevator 6 is ascended, pushes up the contents B along the pushing surface 10a advanced and stopped, the rising piece 14b of the latch 14 having a large projecting amount, and the folding guides 11, 11 ascended and the upper surface B3 of the ascending contents B is struck against the stoppers 12d, 12d of folding guides 12, 12, resulting in that inner ends 12a, 12a of the folding guides 12, 12 are pushed against the opened side surfaces B2, B2 of the contents B at a specified pressure by the weights 12c, 12c.
[0100] With such an arrangement as above, the upper flaps A6, A6 are gradually folded down while being rubbed downwardly, overlapped on outside of the lower flaps A5, A5, as shown in Fig.1, in the case that the projecting length of the upper flaps A6, A6 is shorter than the height size of the contents B, the adhering tapes C2, C2 adhered to the extremity ends of the upper flaps A6, A6 while being tensioned downwardly by the inner ends 12a, 12a of the folding guides 12, 12 are adhered to the lower flaps A5, A5, the sealing and edge folding step is completed. In addition, in the case that the projecting length of the upper flaps A6, A6 is longer than the height size of the contents B and the extremity ends of the flaps A6, A6 are projected downwardly from the bottom surface B4 of the contents B upon completion of the folding-down operation, the inner ends 12a, 12a of the folding guides 12, 12 are projected along the bottom surface B4 of the contents B by the weights 12c, 12c when the contents B being ascended completely passes between the inner ends 12a, 12a of the folding guides 12, 12, thereby latches 13 ··· of small projecting amount are projected along the right and left ends of the bottom surface B4, and also the rising piece 14b of the latch 14 having a large projecting amount is projected along the bottom surface B4 up to near the central part.
[0101] When the mounting surface 6a of the elevator 6 is descended after the contents B is supported by these latches 13····, 14, inner ends 12a, 12a of the folding guides 12, 12 are projected further by the weights 12c, 12c, extremity ends of the upper flaps A6, A6 are folded along the bottom surface B4 of the contents B, and at the same time, they are adhered by the adhering tapes C2, C2 adhered at these ends and then they are sealed.
[0102] Contents B of which folding is completed is started for its packaging, the elevator 6 starts to descend even if the folding guides 12, 12 are moved in a removing direction to each other, they are supported by latches 13····, 14 so that they are not be ascended, in the case that the next contents B is packaged without removing the contents B of which packaging is completed, these contents B are piled on the latches 13····.
[0103] In addition, in the case that the size of the packaging sheets A ····is changed, the control part automatically adjusts and moves the side guides 1b, 1b or stopper 1i in response to the size inputted data and as the side guides 1b, 1b are moved, the tape feeding-out mechanisms 2, 2 opposing to the sealing corresponding positions at the right and left ends are moved in the right and left direction, and then a feeding amount of the packaging sheet A caused by the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 and the sheet transporting mechanism 5 is automatically changed.
[0104] In the case that that the outer shape and size of the contents B is changed and its height size is changed, the control part automatically changes the feeding-out amount of the packaging sheet A by the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 and the sheet transporting mechanism 5, automatically changes the descending amount of the elevator 6 and the height position of the upper folding guides 11, 11, and when the width size of the contents B is changed, the control part automatically changes the feeding-out amount of the packaging sheet A caused by the sheet feeding-out mechanism 4 and the sheet transporting mechanism 5. Each of the reference guides 21, 21 and the winding guides 7, 7 is moved in the sheet supplying direction, the spacing of them is automatically changed, and when the length size of the contents B is changed, each of the upper folding guides 11, 11 and the folding guides 12, 12 is moved in the right and left direction and their space is automatically changed.
[0105] In the aforesaid preferred embodiment, the packaging sheet A is folded in a substantial U-shape along both side surfaces B1, B2 of the contents B under the descending of the elevator 6 and wound, the preferred embodiment is not limited to this form, the upper surface of the contents may be abutted against the packaging sheet supplied upwardly as the elevator 6 is ascended, thereby the packaging sheet A may be folded in an inverse U-shape along both side surfaces B1, B1 of the contents B and wound.
[0106] The lower flaps A5, A5 are folded up, thereafter the upper flaps A6, A6 are folded down to be overlapped on the outside of the lower flaps A5, A5, the preferred embodiment may not be limited to this form, for example, after the upper flaps A6, A6 are folded down by the folding-down guides arranged between the downstream side lateral folding guides 9, 9 and the upper folding guides 11, 11, thereafter the lower flaps A5, A5 are folded and overlapped by the upper folding guides 11, 11, the extremity ends of these lower flaps A5, A5 may be sealed by the adhering tapes adhering in advance, and the extremity ends of the folded up lower flaps A5, A5 may be sealed by the adhering tapes adhered in advance after folding along the upper surface B3 of the contents B through the projecting movements of the folding guides 12, 12.
[0107] Since the present invention has the aforesaid configuration, the present invention has the following advantages.
1) The sealing corresponding position of the packaging sheet is moved toward and away
from the adhering tape fed out from the tape feeding-out mechanism by the adhering
mechanism, thereby a part of the adhering tape is projected and adhered to the sealing
corresponding position, thereafter, the packaging sheet having the adhering tape adhered
thereto is fed out by the sheet feeding-out mechanism to the packaging start position,
thereby in concurrent with the completion of the folding of the packaging sheet during
the packaging process, the projected part of the adhering tape is adhered and the
sealing can be performed simultaneously while the packaging sheet is being packaged.
Accordingly, as compared with the prior art packaging device in which each of the
adhering tapes is fed out upon completion of the winding and upon completion of the
folding and adhered to the sealing corresponding position of the packaging sheet,
exclusive stage for adhering tapes during the packaging stage of the contents B is
not necessary and at the same time each of the tape feeding-out mechanism and the
adhering mechanism is not required to arrange at the positions opposing against the
overlapped both ends of the packaging sheet wound and the position opposing against
the lower flap extremity end of each of both folded and fed-out ends, resulting in
that the entire device can be made small and its structure is also simplified.
2) The adhering mechanism moves the extremity end of the packaging sheet while the
sheets being accumulated, and abuts the sheet against the adhering tape fed out and
supported by the tape feeding-out mechanism, thereby only the extremity end of the
packaging sheet located at the downstream end in its accumulating direction is held,
thereafter, the extremity end of the packaging sheet is moved in a counter-bending
direction and moved away from the tape feeding-out mechanism, thereby a recovering
force of the packaging sheet returning in the counter-bending direction is utilized,
an entire extremity end of the downstream side packaging sheet held at the adhering
tape from the extremity end of the other accumulated packaging sheet is forcibly pulled
out, resulting in that the adhering force or frictional force is not utilized and
only one downstream side packaging sheet can be separated.
As compared with the prior art packaging device in which it is required to have separately
a separating means utilizing the adhering or frictional force in order to perform
a positive separation of only one packaging sheet positioned at the downstream end
in the accumulating direction from entire accumulated packaging sheets, the present
invention does not require any separate arrangement of the separating means, its structure
is simplified and entire device can be made small.
3) The packaging sheets are bent while being accumulated between the ascending or
descending passage of the elevator and the bottom surface and side surfaces of the
frame, lower part and side parts of the ascending or descending passage become a continuous
sheet arranging space, and at the same time each of the extremity ends of the accumulated
packaging sheets is displaced from each other to show an acute angle, cross contact
of the packaging sheets themselves in this positional displacement can be prevented,
so that the maximum sheet arranging space can be assured under utilization of the
dead space while only one downstream end packaging sheet may easily be separated without
utilizing any adhering force or frictional force.
Accordingly, as compared with the prior art packaging device having the paper feeding
table where the packaging sheets are slantly accumulated while being kept in their
linear line state and the ascending or descending passage of the elevator is arranged
side-by-side in a lateral direction, the present invention can store the long packaging
sheet in a compact manner without changing a size of the entire device in a lateral
direction and a vertical direction for the packaging sheet.
4) A part near the extremity end of the bent packaging sheet is detected by a sensor,
it is moved when its position does not reach the set position, thereby the extremity
end of the packaging sheet is pushed out and the extremity end reaches the set position,
so that the downstream side packaging sheet can be kept at the specified position
without moving up and down the packaging sheet without any relation with the accumulated
amount.
Accordingly, compared with the prior art system in which the accumulated packaging
sheets are moved up and down and the packaging sheet located at the downstream end
is maintained at the desired height without being related to the accumulated amount,
the present invention provides a compact entire device without forming any large-size,
a simplified structure and a supplementing of the packaging sheet are more easily
be attained and its cost can be reduced.
5) The slipping surface is moved in the sheet supplying direction to pull out the packaging sheet in concurrent with the extremity end of the packaging sheet is supplied in the sheet supplying direction from the downstream end sheet supporting means in the sheet supplying direction, thereby the packaging sheet is being supported on the slipping surface and applied over the downstream end sheet supporting means without being loosed downwardly, so that the packaging sheet can be supplied without being supported in the sheet supplying direction, and the feeding mechanism such as a feeding belt may not be laterally arranged in the sheet supplying direction, so the structure is simplified and correspondingly its cost can be reduced.
1. A packaging device in which a packaging sheet is supplied above an elevator, the packaging
sheet covers along an outer surface of contents and an adhering tape seals the packaging
sheet while the packaging sheet and the contents are placed on a mounting surface
of said elevator being transported in a vertical direction under an ascending or descending
of the elevator from the packaging start position characterized in that the same is
comprised of a tape feeding-out mechanism for feeding-out said adhering tape toward
the packaging sheet before supplying it and supporting it, an adhering mechanism moved
toward and away from the fed-out adhering tape and for adhering the adhering tape
to a sealing corresponding position of the packaging sheet with its one part being
projected, and a sheet feeding-out mechanism for supplying the packaging sheet adhered
with the adhering tape above the elevator along the feeding-out passage toward the
packaging start position.
2. A packaging device according to Claim 1 in which the packaging sheet is wound around
the contents in a tubular form, a sealing corresponding position for adhering the
adhering tape by the adhering mechanism with its part being projected is one end in
the winding direction of the packaging sheet overlapped outside through the winding
operation.
3. A packaging device according to Claim 2 in which the sheet feeding-out mechanism is
controlled in such a manner that the winding operation is carried out without any
relation to the changing of a size of the packaging sheet for the contents, and the
extremity ends of the overlapped packaging sheets at the outside are arranged at the
central position in the sheet supplying direction of the contents.
4. A packaging device according to Claim 2 for holding each of the extended ends of the
packaging sheets projecting within a rectangular tubular form from the opened side
surface of the contents along the opened side surfaces, a sealing corresponding position
for adhering the adhering tape by the adhering mechanism with its part being projected
is the extremity end of each of the flaps overlapped at the outermost part being crossed
at a right angle with the winding direction and folded thereof.
5. A packaging device according to Claim 1 in which accumulated packaging sheets are
separated one-by-one by the sheet feeding-out mechanism and supplied above the elevator,
wherein the packaging sheets accumulated below the ascending or descending passage
of said elevator are stored and arranged in a substantial horizontal direction along
the bottom surface of a frame, the extremity ends of these packaging sheets are bent
upwardly along the side surfaces of the frame while being accumulated, and at same
time, the tape feeding-out mechanism is arranged to oppose against the extremity end
of the packaging sheet positioned at the downstream end in the bent accumulating direction,
the extremity end of the bent packaging sheet while being accumulated is moved in
a bending direction and in a counter-bending direction and an adhering mechanism moved
toward and away from the adhering tape fed out by the tape feeding-out mechanism is
arranged to be reciprocable.
6. A packaging device according to Claim 5 in which the stopper abutting against the
extremity end of the packaging sheet is arranged in such a manner that it may be reciprocated
toward the extremity end of the bent packaging sheet, a sensor is arranged near the
extremity end of the packaging sheet bent by the adhering mechanism, and the stopper
is adjusted and moved in response to an output from the sensor.
7. A packaging device according to Claim 5 in which when the adhering mechanism changes
a movement of the packaging sheet from its bending direction to its counter bending
direction, a partial bending means for folding partially an extremity end of the bent
packaging sheet in the counter-bending direction while being accumulated is arranged.
8. A packaging device according to Claim 1 in which a downstream end of feeding-out passage
for the packaging sheet is arranged to be crossed at a right angle with the ascending
or descending passage of an elevator, a pair of sheet supporting means extending in
a direction crossing at a right angle with the sheet supplying direction while holding
the ascending or descending passage of the elevator, a slipping surface is arranged
over these both sheet supporting means along the lower surface of the feeding-out
passage in such a way that it may be fed out or fed in a sheet supplying direction,
the slipping surface is cooperated with the supplying of the packaging sheet and moved
in the sheet supplying direction.
9. A packaging device in which a packaging sheet is separated one-by-one by a sheet feeding-out
mechanism from accumulated packaging sheets, supplied above an elevator, and a packaging
sheet covers along outer surfaces of the contents while the packaging sheet and the
contents mounted on a mounting surface of said elevator being transported in a vertical
direction under the ascending or descending of the elevator from the packaging start
position, resulting in that accumulated packaging sheets are stored and arranged in
a substantial horizontal manner along the bottom surface of the frame below the ascending
or descending passage of said elevator, the extremity ends of these packaging sheets
are bent upwardly along the side surfaces of the frame while being accumulated, and
the feeding-out passage for the packaging sheet is arranged from the extremity ends
of the packaging sheets toward above the elevator.
10. A packaging device according to Claim 9 in which a stopper abutted against the extremity
end of the packaging sheet is arranged in such a manner that it may be reciprocated
toward the extremity end of the bent packaging sheet along the bottom surface of the
frame, a sensor is arranged near the extremity end of the bent packaging sheet, and
the stopper is adjusted and moved in response to an output from the sensor.
11. A packaging device according to Claim 9 in which the downstream end of the feeding-out
passage for the packaging sheet is arranged to be crossed at a right angle with the
ascending or descending passage of the elevator, a pair of sheet supporting means
extending in a direction crossing at a right angle with the sheet supplying direction
laterally arranged with an ascending or descending passage of the elevator being held
thereby, a slipping surface is arranged at these both sheet supporting means in such
a manner that it may be fed out or fed in in the sheet supplying direction along the
lower surface of the feeding-out passage.