An apparatus for producing packaging, in particular composite packaging for liquid foodstuffs, having a cross-sectional area that decreases in the pour-out direction in the gable region. The packaging is composed of a sleeve having a gable region having a plurality of gable faces and a pouring element. The apparatus has at least one rotatable mandrel wheel having a plurality of mandrels for holding the sleeves. Additionally, a method for producing such packaging and a gable press for use with the aforementioned apparatus. In order to allow easier and more cost-effective production, it is proposed that the apparatus has a gable press, assigned to a single mandrel wheel position, for folding the gable region, for connecting all the gable faces of the gable region of the sleeve to the pouring element and for sealing the protruding ears in the same mandrel wheel position.

Folding unit for forming an empty cardboard box; the folding unit has a mandrel, around which a blank is folded to form the empty cardboard box. The mandrel has at least two parts, which are mobile in respect to one another between an expanded configuration, in which the two parts are further from one another so as to confer a maximum size to the mandrel, and a contracted configuration, in which the two parts are closer to one another so as to confer a minimum size to the mandrel.

An adjustable pouch machine comprises a vertical sealer module forms transverse seals between two plies of a pouch web to partially define a plurality of pouches. Rollers selectively tension and relax the web on the vertically oriented wheel, allowing them to drop away from heated lands on emergency and cycle stops. A filler wheel has a plurality of adjustable gripper units mounted directly thereon for transporting independent separate pouches cut from the pouch web. An adjustable knife is selectively provided with changeable knife hub sets to handle a variety of pouch sizes where a filler wheel alternately first fills and seals pouches in a train. Gear linkage accommodates variation in distance between hubs of different sets. Various embodiments, apparatus and methods are described.

The invention relates to a method for forming package bodies open at one end from package sleeves open at both ends for the manufacture of filled packages. In order to allow packages with a cross section which is neither square nor rectangular to be formed more simply and reliably, the package sleeves are kept ready for further processing in a stack, folded flat along at least two folded edges running in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeve, the flat-folded package sleeves are transferred in succession from the stack to a forming station, the package sleeves are unfolded in a forming station and the unfolded package sleeves are, in the forming station, pushed onto a mandrel in order to close, in particular seal, a longitudinal end of the package sleeve.

A device for shaping the gable surfaces of packages with a slanted gable is shown and described, including: a conveyor system with cells fixed to it to receive the packages, at least one gable folder to fold a fin seam in the gable region of the packages and at least two ear folders to fold ears in the gable region of the packages. In order to enable rapid and reliable shaping of the gable even in packages with slanted gables, it is proposed that both the gable folder and the ear folders be mounted movably relative to the conveyor system and the packages to be transported therewith. A method for shaping the gable surfaces of packages with a slanted gable is also shown and described.

Shown and described is a device for producing packaging, in particular for processing package sleeves, comprising: a mandrel wheel with a mandrel wheel shaft with a central axis, a plurality of mandrels fastened to the mandrel wheel shaft, wherein the mandrels form at least one mandrel group, whose mandrels are arranged in a plane perpendicular to the central axis of the mandrel wheel shaft, at least one first processing station which is arranged on the mandrel wheel and comprises a drive, and a mandrel wheel drive to drive the mandrel wheel shaft. In order to facilitate a particular flexible mode of driving the device, it is proposed that the mandrel wheel drive is mechanically uncouple from the drive the at least one processing station.

The present invention provides a shaping tool for shaping a package formed of a foldable blank, the tool comprising: —an overhead conveyor comprising a plurality of downwardly protruding spaced apart counter-means; —a first conveyor extending between a receiving end towards an output end, and adapted to receive the foldable blank from an incoming conveying line at the receiving end and to position the foldable blank below one of the downwardly protruding counter-means; —a shaping station extending away from the receiving end, the shaping station comprising: a pair of parallel shaping tracks, each positioned on one side of the first conveyor, the pair of generally parallel shaping tracks comprising a plurality of pairs of independently movable shaping lugs, each pair of shaping lugs having a predetermined shape and adapted to receive one of the foldable blanks there-between; the pair of lugs movable towards each other to form a package having a desired shape.

The present invention provides a shaping tool for shaping a package formed of a foldable blank, the tool comprising: —an overhead conveyor comprising a plurality of downwardly protruding spaced apart counter-means; —a first conveyor extending between a receiving end towards an output end, and adapted to receive the foldable blank from an incoming conveying line at the receiving end and to position the foldable blank below one of the downwardly protruding counter-means; —a shaping station extending away from the receiving end, the shaping station comprising: a pair of parallel shaping tracks, each positioned on one side of the first conveyor, the pair of generally parallel shaping tracks comprising a plurality of pairs of independently movable shaping lugs, each pair of shaping lugs having a predetermined shape and adapted to receive one of the foldable blanks there-between; the pair of lugs movable towards each other to form a package having a desired shape.

A device is depicted and described for the single-sided closure of packaging sleeves for the production of composite packages, in particular carton/plastic-composite packages, by forming by means of a mandrel wheel with a plurality of mandrels arranged distributed uniformly over the circumference and directed radially outwards, which pass successively through several processing stations in the circumferential direction of the mandrel wheel, wherein each mandrel has a head on its free end, on which the folding sections to be closed of the packaging sleeve slid onto the mandrel are folded and sealed in the closed position, and wherein the head of the mandrel is designed to be variable in its outer dimensions. In order to reliably ensure a reliable and in particular a pocket-free sealing of the end area of the packaging sleeve on the mandrel, it is provided that at least two corner segments of the head are variable in their position, that the mandrel in its interior has at least one axially movable tappet for the adjustment of the head geometry and that the corner segments of the head are designed as pivot elements, which can be brought from a sealing position into a retracted position.

Described and illustrated is a device for at least partially unfolding package sleeves, having a magazine comprising a stack formed from package sleeves, wherein the package sleeves of the stack are folded flat around at least two folding edges extending in the longitudinal direction of the package sleeves and wherein a gripper is provided for gripping a side of the package sleeves facing away from the stack and for moving, in particular pulling, the package sleeves along a withdrawal transport path with the folding edges into grooves of at least one receptacle of a moulding station and wherein the grooves are spaced so that the folding edges of the package sleeves are spaced apart further in the magazine than in the grooves. In order to further prevent operational malfunctions and allow a more reliable and largely malfunction-free production of packaging bodies which are open on one side from package sleeves which are open on both sides, it is provided that a drive is assigned to the gripper and/or the grooves for moving the package sleeve section gripped by the gripper first along the withdrawal transport path across a groove plane which connects the grooves, then back against the withdrawal transport path across the groove plane, and then again along the withdrawal transport path across the groove plane.