Accumulator and Collator for Packaging Apparatus

摘要

A packaging machine (10) including packaging apparatus (12) to form a chain of connected packages (18), a cutting station (28) to separate the packages (18) having a controllable variable speed drive, an accumulator (60) between the packaging apparatus (10) and cutting station (28) to accumulate the chain of packages (18), and control means to vary the speed of operation of the cutting station (28) in response to the accumulation on the accumulator (60). The accumulator (60) in its preferred form is a conveyor (60). A unique control device (44) is provided which receives the completed package chain (16) and delivers it for further processing.