Abstract: A flight lug assembly (5) for use on an article transport conveyor (50) is disclosed. The flight lug assembly includes a fill block (7) removably mounted on a flight lug (8), the flight lug being attached to the conveyor chain (35) of the article transport conveyor. The fill block is releasably locked on the flight lug by a spring clip (30) formed as a part of the flight lug, and having a normally biased position extending into engagement with a shoulder (20a, 20b) formed as a part of an elongate groove (19a, 19b) defined in the side surfaces (15, 16) of the fill block, and being in communication with at least a portion of an elongate flight lug slot (18a, 18b), respectively, defined in the respective side surfaces of the fill block, in which the flight lug is received.

Abstract: An article packaging machine for packaging articles such as beverage cans into open-ended containers and sealing the containers comprises a carton conveyor that defines a carton path. Open cartons are moved along the path and articles are directed in groups toward and into the cartons as they move along the path. An overhead flight assembly is provided and includes pusher lugs that engage and push the top portions of cartons along the carton path so that the cartons do not become skewed. The spacing between adjacent pusher lugs on the overhead flight assembly is adjusted automatically to accommodate relatively wider cartons or relatively narrower cartons so that human intervention is not required when setting up the machine to package different size cartons.

Abstract: An article packaging machine (11) for packaging articles such as bottles and cans in cardboard containers comprises a carton path along which cartons are moved to be loaded with articles. The carton path is adjustable in width to provide for use of the packaging machine with cartons of various sizes. A series of automatic retractable bed plate assemblies (26), (27), (28), (29) are provided on the machine for underlying and providing support to cartons moving along the carton path. The bed plates are pneumatically actuated and are adapted to be raised automatically into the carton path as the carton path is widened to provide progressively increasing support. Conversely, the bed plates are lowered automatically out of the carton path as the carton path is narrowed to accommodate the narrowing of the path.