Equipment and materials
the Cady 10000 Micrometer, it reportedly offers precise readings down to 0.0001 in. on cellophane, polyethylene and other films, as well as on laminates, paper, foil, tissue, sheet stock and coated materials. The instrument consists of a cast base with 4-in. throat. Its anvil shaft is coil-spring loaded, with compensation for uniform pressure from the %6-in.-diameter anvil. According to the company, pressure p.s.i. meets all industry standards. The anvil, raised by lever for insertion of the material to be calipered, has an adjusting gear for resetting the indicator blade on the instrument's direct-reading dial to exact zero when required. E. J. Cady & Co., River Forest, III.
Packet former, filler and sealer
Brown Filling Machine's Multiple Packeter Model II is designed for filling powders or liquids into packets made of film, foil, paper, laminates and other heat-sealable materials. Operating at a rated speed of up to 300 packets per minute, the machine forms, fills and seals packets ranging in size from 1 by 1 in. to 8 by 8 in. Electric eyes register printing on both sides of the packets, which can be delivered individually or in perforated or jointed strips. The unit which is interchangeable for all-powder, all-liquid or simultaneous liquid-and-powder operation has divided hoppers to permit mixed filling of two different powders. Other cited features include highly accurate filling and sharp product cut-off control to eliminate leakers, stringers and faulty seals in packets containing free-flowing or viscous liquids. Brown Filling Machine Co., Fitchburg, Mass.
Automatic checkweigher for bulky packages
Toledo Scale's new Model 9460 automatic checkweigher, designed to handle packages or bags weighing between 25 and 200 lbs., is claimed to be accurate within 0.1%. Equipped with a belt-type, motorized - conveyor weigh system, the unit accommodates approximately 20 packages per minute, checking them in motion against a predetermined weight. An under-over-zero indicator mounted atop the machine provides a visual check of the weight of items in relation to the desired weight. This attachment is quickly adjustable to different package weights, the supplier says. Also available is an electric pilot-light unit, here shown mounted on the left side of the checkweigher. It consists of five color-coded lights to show the weight zone (OK, OK-heavy, OK-light, over, under) into which the item being weighed falls. Toledo Scale Co., 1097 Telegraph Rd., Toledo 1, O,
Packaging-tape dispenser
A manual "feather-touch feed" packaging-tape dispenser that will handle any size tape from 1 to 4 in. wide has been introduced by Seal-O-Matic. The unit features a "subway" feed, tape guides on the cutting strap and an aluminum water box. Seal-O-Matic Dispenser Corp., 169 Murray St., Newark.
Premixed urethane-foam components cut costs
Lower handling costs and reduced possibility of mixing errors are the advantages claimed by Allied Chemical for its new two-part package containing premixed components of Plaskon urethane foams. The two types of foam, PFR 500 and PFR
501, can be foamed or sprayed in place for such packaging applications as void fillers and insulation. The premixed components come in two separate steel drums. According to the supplier, controlled density from batch to batch formerly a technical operation thus becomes merely a matter of mixing the ingredients from each drum in predetermined quantities to obtain a lightweight, tough foam. Allied Chemical Corp., Plastics & Coal Chemicals Div., 40 Rector St., New York 6.
Improved bread-wrapper end labels
Designed to offer easy opening and secure reclosure of bread wrappers is Pollock's "Zip-Open" strip-perforated end label. It is another indication of a recent trend toward making the standard bread wrapper more convenient for consumers to use (see Modern Packaging, Aug., 1958, p. 136). The label is
glued on both sides, but the center portion is unglued so it can be easily stripped off along its parallel perforation lines to expose the ends of the bread wrapper without tearing it. According to Pollock, opening is made even more easy by new methods of folding and closing the ends of the bread wrapper, which require a minor change (or no change at all) on the automatic wrapping machine.
The company reports also that improvements in paper stock, printing inks and cylinder and production techniques have led to the development of its new "Spot-Lite" series of end labels for bread wrappers. According to the supplier, the paper stock used is whiter and brighter, to provide a better base for the printing inks. It also is claimed to be more opaque, to minimize show-through of colors on the wrapper ends. Further details, including a brochure containing label samples, are available from the company. Pollock Paper Corp., Sub. St. Regis Paper Co., 2236 Cockrell St., Dallas 22.
High-speed counting machine
Designed for use by packagers in the pharmaceutical field is Delta's new Model E universal counting machine. It reportedly is capable of counting up to 12,000 bottles of 100 tablets or capsules per hour. Available with two to 10 orientation channels, the unit handles the complete range of compressed tablets or capsules with extreme accuracy and offers one-minute change-over, the supplier claims. In operation, the items are fed from a supply hopper to a conveyor belt traversed with special orientation guides. From the belt, they pass through a detector unit and a flow divider, then are funneled individually into bottles. As each bottle accumulates the desired quantity, tablet flow is automatically interrupted by the flow divider. When all bottles are full, the machine positions a new group of bottles under the filling spouts and the cycle is automatically repeated. Delta Engineering, Corp., Melrose, Mass.
Continuous, uninterrupted gluing
FMC's Model 405 gluer reportedly can glue more than 7,000 wraps on standard shirt boxes (13Β½ by 9ΒΌ by 2 in.) without interruption. The unit has two compartments for mixing and feeding. As glue is being fed to rollers from the bottom section, a second supply is mixed in the top to be transferred by a valve when needed. Thermostatic control plus constant circulation of exposed [Continued on page 1671