Abstract: A high speed feeder for cartons being fed into a cartoner includes both mechanical and fluid flow environments for precisely delivering cartons. A preferably inclined conveyor receives cartons stacked on their edges and in a generally vertical orientation. A rotating metering wheel at the downstream end of the conveyor engages the top edges of the cartons and separates them one at a time from the incoming stack. A blower is provided to direct air onto the cartons adjacent the metering wheel to (a) blow the cartons against the metering wheel, (b) blow air between the first and second cartons of the stack as the metering wheel separates the first from the second, and (c) blow the cartons down to a horizontal attitude. Horizontal feed chains having feed lugs receive the horizontal cartons and advance them one at a time into the cartoner. Vacuum nozzles are provided to aid in controlling carton placement on the feed chains and lugs throughout a broad range of feed speeds. Methods are included.

Abstract: In a cartoning machine, a conveyor conveys flat folded cartons with their end flaps projecting laterally. A rotating disk having a horizontally-projecting pin engages the flaps in timed relation to their longitudinal movement to press a lower major flap downwardly. When in a downward attitude, the major flap is engaged by a plow or hold-down guide which holds the flap during erection of the carton and loading of the carton.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a flip top carton wherein the top of the carton has a front flap and side flaps, each having a lower section folded upon the body of the carton and a middle section folded on the lower section. The apparatus has a former associated with a conventional cartoning machine which projects into an erected tubular carton spreading the front and side flaps while inwardly pressing the top portion of the carton to fold the lower section on the top portion of the carton and the middle section on the lower section to form a collar. The apparatus further includes a glue station for applying glue to the internal surfaces of the overlying middle and lower sections. The apparatus further includes compression sections for pressing the lower and middle sections to which glue has been applied together to complete the formation of the collar.

Abstract: In carton feeding apparatus, a rotary member having a blade which passes behind a leading carton in a group of vertically-oriented cartons to separate the leading carton from the adjacent carton. A lockout member is pivotally mounted on the rotary member and is adapted to be moved in a generally axial direction toward the incoming cartons to block the cartons from engagement by the blade.

Abstract: A perimeter guard for a machine wherein a plurality of vertical posts are spaced about a machine. Each post is H-shaped and has lateral flanges projecting from it to create vertical channels on each side of the post. A transparent window is slidably mounted in one set of perimeter channels to form an upper guard and a lower pannel is slidably mounted in the other set of opposed channels.A counterbalance is provided for the windows and a detent is provided for locking the lower panels in their lowermost position or in a raised position.

Abstract: A high speed feeder for cartons being fed into a cartoner includes both mechanical and fluid flow environments for precisely delivering cartons. A preferably inclined conveyor receives cartons stacked on their edges and in a generally vertical orientation. A rotating metering wheel at the downstream end of the conveyor engages the top edges of the cartons and separates them one at a time from the incoming stack. A blower is provided to direct air onto the cartons adjacent the metering wheel to (a) blow the cartons against the metering wheel, (b) blow air between the first and second cartons of the stack as the metering wheel separates the first from the second, and (c) blow the cartons down to a horizontal attitude. Horizontal feed chains having feed lugs receive the horizontal cartons and advance them one at a time into the cartoner. Vacuum nozzles are provided to aid in controlling carton placement on the feed chains and lugs throughout a broad range of feed speeds. Methods are included.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for erecting cartons wherein a flat folded carton blank is conveyed to the apparatus where it is momentarily stopped. Suction cups pull the underside of the blank downwardly against a breaker bar to bow the underside downwardly pulling the leading and trailing ends of the blank toward each other and thus bowing the upper carton side upwardly. With the carton thus partially opened, an overhead opening element rotates into engagement with a trailing side panel of the carton to swing it through an arc of about 90.degree. until it is substantially vertical. An overbreak element thereafter engages the now vertical trailing side panel and swings it through another 90.degree. to overbreak the carton. In this condition, the carton is conveyed out of the erecting apparatus and into transport lugs of the transport conveyor of a cartoner.

Abstract: Flat open carton blanks are fed by a conveyor past two rotating plows located on each side of the conveyor. A first plow is located upstream of the second plow, and a glue applicator is located in a position to apply glue to one edge of the blank. A stationary plow or wedge is located ahead of each rotating plow. As the blank is advanced, a first panel is folded upon the blank by the first rotating plow. Glue is applied to the edge of the first panel. As the blank is conveyed past the second rotating plow, a panel on the opposite side of the blank is folded upon the blank with its edge in contact with the glue applied to the edge of the first panel. The thus folded blank is passed through the nip of press rolls to press the two glued edges together. A diverter is provided to reject double folded blanks.Upstream of the first plow are at least two sets of creasing rolls which back-break at least two preformed score lines in the blank to facilitate opening of the glued blank on a cartoner.

Abstract: A magazine and feeder for carton blanks. The magazine has two stages and a pair of independently-driven rollers located between the two stages, which rollers support the major portion of the stack of carton blanks. Below the lower stage is an ejector mechanism which has a suction cup for pulling blanks downwardly one at a time and cooperating pressure and feed rolls for driving each blank individually out of the magazine. Assist rolls are also provided to assure proper alignment of the blanks as they are thrust out of the magazine. The lower stage includes a detector finger which is operatively connected to the independent drives for the rollers to cause the rollers to rotate from time-to-time to drop carton blanks into the lower stage, thereby replenishing the supply as blanks are fed from the ejector mechanism into the magazine.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for erecting cartons wherein a flat folded carton blank is conveyed to the apparatus where it is momentarily stopped. Suction cups pull the under side of the blank downwardly against a breaker bar to bow the under side downwardly pulling the leading and trailing ends of the blank toward each other and thus bowing the upper carton side upwardly. With the carton thus partially opened, an overhead opening element rotates into engagement with a trailing side panel of the carton to swing it through an arc of about 90.degree. until it is substantially vertical. An overbreak element thereafter engages the now vertical trailing side panel and swings it through another 90.degree. to overbreak the carton. In this condition, the carton is conveyed out of the erecting apparatus and into transport lugs of the transport conveyor of a cartoner.

Abstract: Flat open carton blanks are fed by a conveyor past two rotating plows located on each side of the conveyor. A first plow is located upstream of the second plow, and a glue applicator is located between the two plows. A stationary plow or wedge is located ahead of each rotating plow. As the blank is advanced, a first panel is folded upon the blank by the first rotating plow. Glue is applied to the edge of the first panel. As the blank is conveyed past the second rotating plow, a panel on the opposite side of the blank is folded upon the blank with its edge in contact with the glue applied to the edge of the first panel. The thus folded blank is passed through the nip of press rolls to press the two glued edges together. A diverter is provided to reject double folded blanks.

Abstract: In a cartoning machine, a series of L-shaped product buckets mounted on a chain conveyor and a series of inverted L-shaped tamper-confiner elements mounted on a conveyor chain overlying the product buckets, the tamper-confiner elements being cammed to form, with the product buckets, a gradually closing, generally rectangular compartment whose inside dimensions are substantially the same as the carton into which the product is to be inserted. The structure permits the gradual shaping of a pouch to the size necessary for insertion into a carton.