Abstract: An apparatus for packing cases with stacked rolled product. The apparatus can include a shuttle for receiving stacked rolled product, the shuttle operatively positioned to receive the stacked rolled product and translate the stacked rolled product from a first position to a second position. A rotatable and translatable loading head can be operatively positioned to receive the stacked rolled product from the second position of the shuttle. A first loading pusher can be operatively positioned to push the stacked rolled product from the second position of the shuttle to the loading head. A carton conveyor can be operatively positioned to convey open cartons to receive the stacked rolled product from the loading head.

Abstract: A device (30, 40) for the transfer of a plurality of watch components (2) arranged on a first support (10) to their arrangement on a second support (20), wherein it comprises an inlet surface (31, 41) comprising inlet orifices (33, 43) so arranged as to correspond to a first arrangement of the watch components (2) on a first support (10), an outlet surface (32, 42) comprising outlet orifices (34, 44) so arranged as to correspond to a second arrangement of the watch components (2) on a second support (20), and guide elements (35, 45) adapted to guide the watch components (2) automatically from the inlet orifices (33, 43) to the outlet orifices (34, 44).

Abstract: A system for packing a flow of first and second mirrored, irregular tetrahedral packages, each package has two sealed fins, two isosceles right triangle panels and two elongated right triangle panels, where the two isosceles right triangle panels share a leg, and the two elongated right triangle panels share a hypotenuse. The system includes a divider, conveyor, first packing carrier, a first robot picker, a second package carrier and a second robot picker.

Abstract: Machine (1) for packaging articles (2) inside containers (3), a conveyor (6) is provided with a longitudinally movable transporting section (7) for feeding the articles (2) in a given direction (D) and along a given conveying path (P); a robot (23), which is arranged along the conveying path (P) and controlled by an operating and control device depending on detection at least of the position of each article (2) on the transporting section (7), picks up single articles (2) from the transporting section (7) and transfers each picked-up article (2) inside a container (3); the transporting section (7) is delimited transversely by two side walls (18) stabilizing the position and direction of each article (2) with respect to the transporting section (7); on the latter the articles (2) are stably seated between the side walls (18), one behind another in a row, in the conveying direction (D).

Abstract: This invention is directed to film wrapped and heat shrunk bundles of gabled containers to form bundles that can be stacked on pallets and not be constrained by the gables in determining the size of the bundles. This is accomplished by nesting the gable containers on a conveyor on their side. The nesting of the gable containers on their side provides a stable structure that can be moved on a conveyor to be film wrapped. After film wrapping, the containers are conveyed to a heat shrink tunnel to form bundles of gable containers that can be placed on a pallet.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for the individual production of rigid containers that are open on one side, such as cones or cups, by inserting the containers into dimensionally stable individually produced sleeves which are matched to their external contour. The containers are transported through by a transport apparatus having a plurality of transport tracks lying beside one another under a discharge apparatus, which deposits the sleeves in the transport tracks. The discharge apparatus includes a support provided with discharge channels extending obliquely downward for the bar-shaped stacks of sleeves, a holding apparatus disposed downstream of the support, for the stacks of sleeves, and a transfer apparatus having a carriage which is provided with suction heads, can be moved back and forth above the transport tracks and draws the sleeves off the stacks of sleeves with its suction heads and deposits them on the transport tracks.

Abstract: A package (10) for a bulb (12) having a bulbous, light-emitting end (14) and a socket end (16), has a first thin-walled plastic body (18a) arrayed along a longitudinal axis (20) and having a closed end (22) and an open end (24), the open end (24) having a diameter D transverse to the longitudinal axis sufficient to admit insertion of the bulbous, light emitting end (14) of the bulb (12), the closed end (22) of the first thin-walled plastic body (18a) formed with at least one internal surface support (26) extending away from the longitudinal axis (20) in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis and substantially contiguous with a curve of the bulbous light emitting end (14), the open end (24) providing a circumferential coupling area (28); and a second thin-walled plastic body (18b) formed with a socket receiving end (32) and a mating coupling area (34) formed to conform to the circumferential coupling area (28) and coupled thereto.

Abstract: Each individual cone is conveyed, while it is laying on its side, to a predetermined point. Prior to reaching the predetermined point, an edible adhesive is at or adjacent to the base of each cone. At the predetermined point, a paper wrap is applied to the cone and adhered thereto. The first cone is then stacked with a second cone in a repeated fashion to form a sleeve of cones, followed by packing of the sleeve of cones for transport.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for shifting objects from a first conveyor to a container transferred by a second conveyor. The apparatus includes a holder guide, a displacing mechanism for moving the holder guide, a plurality of holders carried by the holder guide and spaced from each other for receiving the objects from the first conveyor. The holders are movable on the holder guide. A pitch changing mechanism is mounted for selectively causing the holders to move on the holder guide in response to the movement of the holder guide. A discharging mechanism causes the holders to discharge the received objects into the container. The pitch changing mechanism includes a first cam arranged adjacent to at least one of the holders for selectively causing the one of the holders to move on the holder guide. The pitch changing mechanism further includes a second cam held in contact with the first cam for positionally adjusting the first cam.

Abstract: A method is provided for manufacturing liquid dispensers of the general type having a body 10 presenting a pocket 16, a glass ampule 12 received in the body and enclosing a liquid to be dispensed, and a porous element 14 covering the pocket of the body. The method includes arranging a plurality of bodies 10 in a row, bottom ends up, on a tray, and placing ampules 12 in the pockets 16. A strip 72 of porous material is aligned over the pockets of the bodies and secured in place. Thereafter, the strip is cross cut into individual elements to complete the manufacture of the liquid dispensers. The securing step is preferably carried out by ultrasonically welding the porous material to the bodies so that it is not necessary to use adhesives. The cross-cutting step is preferably carried out by pressing a heated wire through the strip of porous material at a position intermediate each pair of adjacent bodies. An apparatus for carrying out manufacture of the dispensers is also provided.

Abstract: A system for transporting by gravity a single-file series of elongate, tapered articles along an inclined transport path for distribution into receiving slots. The system includes a hopper for holding a supply of the articles and a pair of adjacently parallel rotating cylinders for holding the articles in suspended, sliding contact therebetween. A cleated conveyor belt carries the articles from the bottom of the hopper to a point above the cylinders and drops them onto said cylinders. The base of the hopper defines an inclined movement path to thereby convey articles which might fall from the cylinders back to the conveyor belt. The articles are thus fed by the conveyor onto the cylinders and slide along the gap therebetween to an end location. A series of three gates manipulates the articles one at a time to drop in a vertical orientation into an array of narrowly-tailored receiving slots in a packing rack.

Abstract: A plurality of ice cream cones can have a removable protective covering applied thereto. An conveyor belt moves each cone of a plurality of conveying cones to a predetermined point. Prior to reaching the predetermined point, an edible adhesive is applied to the base of each cone. At the predetermined point, paper is applied to the base of the cone and adhered thereto. The cones are then stacked and packed for transport.

Abstract: An egg packer apparatus is disclosed having baskets mounted on a transport moveable in a continuous path. The baskets have side-by-side compartments and move from an upright loading position to an inverted position at an unloading station. In the inverted position, the eggs roll along a cover to provide lateral movement of each egg in the direction of its pointed end. The unloading station has chutes to receive only the blunt end half of the egg as it rolls along. The egg drops into the chute blunt end first and then topples forwardly down the chute and drops pointed end downwardly into the egg flat.

Abstract: An apparatus for automated loading of pipette tips (26) into storage containers or racks (28). The apparatus (21, 21a) includes a tip-orienting roller assembly (22, 22a) for orienting the tips (26) in side-by-side contact and general parallel alignment, and a spacer assembly (24, 24a) which engages the tips (26) and pushes them from the orienting assembly (22) while simultaneously spacing them at a spacing suitable for insertion into a storage container or rack (28) having spaced apart tip-receiving openings (81). In the preferred embodiment, the tip orienting assembly (22) is provided by a vibratory feeder (30) which feeds a pair of spaced apart and inclined counter-rotating rollers (36, 37), and the spacer assembly (24) pushes the tips (26) between the rollers (36, 37) and into an intermediate transfer nest assembly (27, 27a). The nest assembly (27, 27a) transfers between the roller assembly (23) and the pipette tip rack or box (28).

Abstract: The method of packing into boxes ice cream cones comprises the following operative steps: positioning of at least one basket (C) with the ice creams G, in position with at least one empty box (S) which is open upwards; lifting and removal of two parallel rows of ice creams from their seats in the basket; composite rotation of the two rows of ice creams, upwards and in opposite directions through 90.degree.

Abstract: An automated apparatus and method for identifying, picking up, placing and packaging a plurality of different packaging a plurality of different types of items such as utensils. Utensils are deposited onto a conveyor belt system that separates clusters of utensils and transports them to an identification site where a vision system identifies them by type, location and orientation and to a pick-up site where they are selectively picked up and placed in a collection pan to form a desired utensil set. When the collection pan has a desired utensil set, it is emptied into a placement bucket on a movable bucket conveyor which transports the set to an automatic bagging machine. The set may be supplemented with napkins dispensed from an automated napkin dispenser or other with other items from other machines operatively connected to the system.

Abstract: Frozen dessert cones made from a cooked batter capable of having lower and higher moisture contents, which respectively cause the cone to assume dimensionally contracted and expanded states, are provided with sanitary jackets while in their dimensionally contracted state. When the cooked batter forming the cone attains a higher moisture content, the cone will dimensionally expand against the walls of the sanitary jacket thereby exerting a restraining force against removal of the jacket from the cone. The sanitary jacket is applied to an interior handle region of a cone so that the sanitary jacket will nest with the exterior surface of a downstream cone handle when stacked therewithin. A chute is provided so as to align and direct the sanitary jacket with respect to the interior handle region of the cone. A stream of pressurized fluid (e.g., air) is then preferably directed against the sanitary jacket so as to propel the same into a seated relationship with the interior handle region.

Abstract: A packing device for articles having directionality that includes imaging means for taking an image of the articles, means for recognizing the direction of the articles, first memory means for storing the direction of the articles, second memory means for storing the direction of the articles to be packed into a container, and means for calculating the difference in angle between the directions stored in the first and second memory means. The direction of the robot hand for grasping the articles is controlled by the output of the calculating means.

Abstract: A device is provided for packing elongated products, e.g. carrots, in weighed quantities which comprises a weighing station (10) with a plurality of scales (12) arranged parallel to one another and including weighed-products containers (14). The weighed products drop through a series of swiveling feed hoppers (16) and selectively through one or the other of two separate series of guiding chutes (18, 20) onto one of two conveyor belts (22, 24) each associated with a respective one of the series of chutes. In order to avoid damage to the products and to accelerate the discharge thereof onto the conveyor belts (22, 24) in the direction of movement of the conveyor belts, intermediate baffles of each series of guiding chutes are curved or bent in such a manner that the elongated products are deflected while maintaining an essentially parallel alignment in the direction of movement of the relevant conveyor belt (22, 24).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for packaging items, for example herring, sardines or similar fishes in cans, is provided. The fish are conveyed at continuous speed lying on a conveyor with a predetermined longitudinal and transversal orientation. The foremost fish on the conveyor is moved while maintaining its orientation to a first compartment in a line of compartments adjacent the path of the conveyor. The next following fish on the conveyor is moved correspondingly to the next following compartment in the line, until the number of fishes in the compartments equals the number of fishes to be canned in one can. The line of compartments is then shifted away from the conveyor to a can, while the fishes are turned around their longitudinal axis within the compartments to a predefined position. Finally, the fishes are pressed out of the compartments and into the can.

Abstract: A shifting apparatus for objects such as eggs comprises a plurality of holders slidably carried on a substantially horizontal holder guide which is vertically movable. When the holder guide assumes an upper position, the holders are maximally spaced from each other for receiving a corresponding number of objects from above. A pitch changing mechanism causes the holders to slide on the holder guide, so that the holders are minimally spaced from each other when the holder guide assumes a lower position. In the lower position of the holder guide, a discharging mechanism causes the holders to discharge the received objects into a container located below.

Abstract: A carton loading machine for loading cartons which have first and second side closure flaps each comprising a proximal panel and a distal panel. The machine includes a tucking mechanism which serves to fold the distal panels into a face-to-face relationship with their associated proximal panels and thereafter, if folds the proximal panels inwardly along their hinge connection with the side walls of the carton while setting the distal panels at an oblique angle with respect to the side walls of the carton.

Abstract: A package including a base portion formed of a semi-rigid material so as to be self-supporting. The base portion has a plurality of receptacles, each of which is individually separably joined to all adjacent receptacles by a connecting rim flange. The receptacles are disposed in a plurality of columns and rows in the base portion and the receptacles each have an opening defined by the connecting rim flange and extend from the connecting rim flange on one side thereof. The package also includes a cover portion joined to the base portion for entirely covering the receptacle openings including a plurality of cover segments disposed in a plurality of columns and rows. The cover segments each cooperate with the connecting rim flange of one of the receptacles and each are individually separably joined to all adjacent cover segments.

Abstract: A machine for erecting, loading and closing an end loading carton. The machine has a dispenser station in which a knocked-down carton is removed from a storage magazine and deposited in the form of an open sleeve. A top closure station is provided in which the top closure flaps are folded along their hinge lines from their open position to their closed position. A collar flap tucking station is provided in which the collar flaps of the carton are folded inwardly. A loading station is provided in which load items are inserted through a loading opening in the top of the otherwise closed container. A load tamping station is provided in which the load items are tamped to permit the top closure flaps of the carton to assume a locking position with respect to the load item. A discharge station is provided in which loaded cartons are discharged from the carton support assemblies.

Abstract: In a method of grouping, orienting, and packing articles such as ice-cream cones, the cones are advanced in rows on conveyors while being grouped and oriented, and are subsequently gripped in groups by a gripping device. Through suction heads gripping their respective groups, the gripping device is adapted to situate the groups in an open packing box. To permit the process to be carried out at a relatively high speed and low noise level, the articles are initially advanced in a first advancing direction while lying directly on a first endless and continuously running conveyor. They are then received in groups by a second endless and continuously running conveyor, which lifts the cones into contact with the suction heads of the gripping device while the mutual distance of the cones is being adjusted. The transfer of the cones from the first conveyor and through the second conveyor to the gripping device is carried out without stopping the advancing movement of the cones.

Abstract: The high density packaging of generally conical articles is effected by mechanism which feeds two rows of the suspended articles onto a conveyor so that the articles lie on their sides in a single horizontal row arrangement aligned in spaced relation along the path of travel imparted by the conveyor. This arrangement is such that the articles lie in head-to-toe relation. At a downstream region, the progress of the articles is arrested so that they sequentially crowd into touching relation define a contiguous sequence. Transfer mechanism transfer a group of articles from the sequence as a layer and deposits the layer in a receptacle. The transfer mechanism then transfers a second group in the receptacle as a layer nested with the first layer. To achieve high density, the second group of articles has an orientation relative to the sequence which is different from that of the first group.

Abstract: A load orienting receptacle for a carton loading machine for use in loading lightbulbs into an open end of a carton. The receptacle has a trough in which a slipway extends to an open discharge end. The slipway has an open upper end for admitting a lightbulb to a load orienting portion thereof spaced inwardly from the discharge end. The load orienting portion has opposite sides which converge downwardly to form a downwardly directed laterally inclined chute. The opposite sides are spaced from one another a sufficient distance to support the bulbous end of a light bulb above the bottom of the trough while permitting the narrow end thereof to be laterally deflected as it passes downwardly along the chute to come to rest in the trough thereby to laterally offset the narrow end with respect to the bulbous end of the bulb prior to discharge through the open discharge end of the trough.

Abstract: A system for packaging into cartons cones for ice-cream and other cornet-like articles coming loosely from a production unit wherein in a first processing station (A) splitting of the cone feed main stream into a plurality of individual sub-streams occurs. In a second processing station (B) a temporary cone-storage field is made up, the cones being orderly marshalled in a number of rows, the cone axes being vertical with the cone tips upside down and the cones being closely spaced apart from each other. From said second processing station (B) the cone rows are transferred into a third processing station (C), wherein, for each cone row, a belt having evenly spaced apart bores is provided for receiving individual cones. Each belt is independently motorized for stepwise forward motion. As a predetermined number of bores in each belt carries as many cones as there are bores, a cone-grasping unit (E) draws the cone row and transfers it into empty cartons.

Abstract: Strip sections holding securing elements such as nails or screws are stacked, for example, in cartons so that the nail heads or screw heads come to rest in alternate opposite directions. For this purpose the strips slide down an inclined guide chute in a given direction until the heads are held by support elements which are movable alternately and laterally outwardly substantially at right angles to said given direction. Thus, one support element still supports the heads while the other support is withdrawn from the holding position whereby the strips, as they fall downwardly, rotate alternately, through an angle of 90.degree. whereupon the strips are intercepted, for example, by a tiltable chute.

Abstract: Machines for loading fish in boxes having a first conveyor supporting a series of transport containers and serving to transfer fish sideways while each is disposed in its respective transport container in a preselected position with the heads of fish in adjacent containers facing in opposite directions and the bellies directed upwards. The fish transfer is made from one or a pair of cooperating feeders to a second conveyor having a series of catch devices adapted to engage their respective fish and effect transfer thereof to an associated box for deposition therein. The two conveyors are arranged to be driven at a uniform speed in a continuous circulatory movement. The relative disposition of the conveyors is such that local regions of the paths of movement of the catch devices and the transport containers coincide enabling the catch devices to engage their respective fish in the transport containers one after the other.

Abstract: Apparatus for filling a receptacle with oblong articles such as spinning bobbins and the like, the articles having an identical shape and being parallel with respect to each other, a feed path for articles having a directing device at its receiving end, directing them to a receptacle, being an oblong intermediate space or container subdivided into compartments by partitions extending in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the intermediate space or container, as far as the bottom of the same, while in a longitudinal direction over the surface of said feed path, a pair of guide rulers are arranged, movable from a position in which the articles are guided toward a particular compartment, to a position in which the articles are guided toward another compartment.

Abstract: An improvement on a packing machine for packing whole fish in tins, especially brisling, young herring, sardines or the like. The machine has a chain- or belt-conveyor with holders for each individual fish and a feed device, carrying fish which have been given a uniform orientation in respective supply means positioned on both sides of the conveyor. The holders on the chain or belt conveyor are arranged such that they can be lowered flush with or below the transport plane of the conveyor, such that a plurality of fish lie freely movable at the end section of the packing machine. A transfer conveyor overlaps said first conveyor and moves at a lower linear velocity than said first conveyor. Means are arranged at the transfer conveyor for pushing the fish together.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for loading a plurality of articles into a receptacle having parallel rows of openings each of which is adapted to receive a respective one of the articles. The apparatus comprises at least one loading station, and preferably two loading stations, each loading station including means for guiding and supporting the articles in a row parallel to and spaced above and laterally of a row of the openings to be filled with the row of articles. The guiding and supporting means include movable guide means for engaging the row of articles laterally. The apparatus further includes means for moving the movable guide means between a position in which the movable guide means laterally engages the row of articles and a position in which the movable guide means is disengaged from the row of articles.

Abstract: Method for packaging in a carton full size yarn packages by a yarn producing machine provided with a plurality of yarn package producing units. A predetermined number of full size yarn packages are firstly doffed from the corresponding spindles of the yarn producing machine at once by means of the bobbins chucks which are displaceable as one group, and each doffed yarn package is wrapped separately by a film bag while holding by the corresponding bobbin chuck. Next the yarn packages wrapped with the corresponding film bags are deposited at once into a space of a carton by displacing the bobbin chucks, and after releasing the gripping of the yarn packages by the respective bobbin chucks, these bobbin chucks are displaced to their standby positions.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for handling substacks of business forms to develop balanced stacks for packing wherein alternate substacks are rotated 90.degree. incident to the formation of a stack whereby the glued edges are alternately reversed.

Abstract: Poultry dropped from a conveyor line at a weighing station is automatically packed into containers by a container filling machine positioned below the weighing station. The birds received in the machine from the weighing station are rammed into an accumulator from which they are dropped into a container that is supported and periodically reorientated on a turntable. When fully loaded, the container is displaced from the turntable by an empty container to begin another operational cycle. Signal feedback sensors and control logic govern automatic operation of the machine through fluid power operated devices.

Abstract: An arrangement for stacking tetrahedral packing units in layers in a space-saving manner in a prismatic collective container from the bottom up in which the bottom wall of the container is provided with an array of openings through which a corresponding array of supporting members are inserted and engage respectively with an inclined wall of each of six regular tetrahedral packing units which form the bottommost layer. When the bottom layer has been so loaded into the container three additional six-unit layers are loaded in succession into the container after which the supports can then be withdrawn and the four layers so loaded into the container will be automatically retained in the position in which they have been stacked.