Abstract: An endless chain passing about a constantly rotating driving wheel and a chain-tensioning driven wheel carries alternately-disposed first and second rollers, with object-driving fingers on the first rollers. Along the upper run of the chain is a fixed ramp having a lower rolling track for the first rollers and an upper rolling track for the second rollers whereby the chain is accordion-folded at a location corresponding to a zone on a table for intermittently receiving objects to be delivered between the fingers. After the fixed ramp is a vertically-reciprocating mobile ramp which produces an intermittent stopping of the fingers in said zone, while allowing the objects taken-up to leave the table with the chain unfolded and hence with a regular pitch and at constant speed.

Abstract: The invention discloses a line-combiner apparatus for receiving two lines of packages in a production line, such as six or eight packs of containers filled with a beer or beverage product, and combining them into a single line of packages without interference and at rates on the order of 200 pieces per minute. The packs delivered from two wrap machines are carried by separate infeed conveyors in the initial section of the apparatus driven at a speed to randomly space packages in each of the lines. The second section of the apparatus includes individual chains engaging the bottom of packages of each line and the chains each have spring-loaded fingers spaced therealong which protrude in the plane of the packages at predetermined spacings. The finger-carrying chains running at the same speed have their fingers 180.degree. out of phase with each other so that the fingers are alternately spaced (staggered).

Abstract: A packaging machine having spaced parallel flight bars movable in such manner as to engage and push groups of articles through the machine is provided with guide means for diverting the direction of movement of the articles in a direction transverse to the path of movement thereof and is also provided with cam controlled pusher blocks slidably mounted on the flight bars and arranged to engage the rearmost article in one row of articles so as to push that row of articles ahead relative to the other row of articles and by this means to maintain the group of articles in a substantially rectilinear arrangement thereby to prevent inadvertent dislodgment of partitioning inserts disposed within the article group such as might be caused by undue racking of the articles from a rectilinear arrangement to the configuration of a rhomboid.

Abstract: A sprocket wheel for use with an elevator device that employs endless flexible belts having a plurality of teeth attached to the inner surface thereof. The sprocket wheel includes a disc which has the periphery thereof formed with planar and arcuate surfaces and has driver members spaced outwardly from the opposite sides of the disc for engaging the teeth of the belt.