Abstract: The present inventin is an apparatus and method for inserting articles into packages. The apparatus includes a dispensing assembly and a feeding assembly; and the dispensing assembly, in turn, includes a dispenser body, a gate and an actuator. The dispensor body defines a loading chamber for holding the articles, an inlet for conducting the articles into the loading chamber, and an outlet for dispensing the articles from the loading chamber. The gate is connected to the dispenser body for movement between a closed position, wherein the gate extends across the outlet of the dispenser body to hold the articles in the loading chamber, and an open position to allow the articles to pass through the outlet of the dispenser body. The actuator of the dispensing assembly is provided to move the gate from its closed position to its open position to dispense articles into the packages from the dispenser body.

Abstract: A system for storing and transporting can end members comprising multiple tray units having multiple parallel rows of elongated compartments for receiving and supporting stacks of end members. The tray units are nestable and stackable one upon another to provide palletized loads of both empty and filled tray units. End loading and unloading apparatus is provided to enable simultaneous loading and unloading full tray compartments by simultaneous lateral movement of all of the stacks of end members between the tray compartments and a shuttle tray unit whereat all the stacks of end members are stored prior to loading and unloading of the tray unit. The shuttle tray unit is loaded and unloaded by stacking units of a lesser number than the number of tray compartments.

Abstract: Loading apparatus (10, 110) for collecting particulate matter and directing it into a bag (B), including a generally planar base (11, 111) having a pair of spaced lateral edges (14, 15) and a pair of spaced ends (12, 13) joining the edges, a pair of side plates (20, 21; 120, 121) pivotally attached to said spaced lateral edges and movable between a storage position substantially parallel to said base and an operating position substantially perpendicular to said base, and means (60, 60) for temporarily positioning and retaining the bag when said side plates are in said operating position.

Abstract: A system for storing and transporting can end members comprising multiple tray units having multiple parallel rows of elongated compartment for receiving and supporting stacks of end members. The tray units are nestable and stackable one upon another to provide palletized loads of both empty and filled tray units. End loading and unloading apparatus is provided to enable simultaneous loading and unloading full tray compartments so simultaneous lateral movement of all of the stacks of end members between the tray compartments and a shuttle tray unit whereat all the stacks of end members are stored prior to loading and unloading of the tray unit. The shuttle tray unit is loaded and unloaded by stacking units of a lesser number than the number of tray compartments.

Abstract: A high speed automatic packaging machine is constructed from standardized modules in order to reduce cost and standardize operational and maintenance procedures. The standardized modules include conveyor chains trained over sprocket wheels to form modules which may be ganged to maintain synchronization of operations. Various types of mandrels may be attached to the conveyor chain in order to adapt the machine to load different types of products. The mandrels experience significant centrifugal forces as they go around the path defined by the sprocket wheels. To prevent the mandrels from slapping the conveyor chain when it is traveling at high speed, a leading end of the mandrel is pivotly connected to the chain while a trailing end of the mandrel is captured within a slot which allows the mandrel to go around the sprocket wheel without departing therefrom.

Abstract: A machine is provided with a movable chassis having adjustable brakes and a grain container having a rear tunnel defining a rear opening. A pliable plastic bag is fit to the tunnel with the bag bottom closing the opening. A bin on the chassis receives grain, e.g., from a truck and an auger transports the grain from the bin to an elevated position in the container that is above the height of the filled bag. The adjustable brakes are set to establish the level of grain pile in the container to cover the opening and thereby fill the bag. The brakes are independently controlled to provide limited steering.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in combination with a protective flexible tubular material which facilitates the use of tubular material for the temporary storage of palleted goods. The apparatus retains a folded store of tubular material, and rearwardly dispenses a layer of the tubular material from the folded store. The apparatus frame defines an entrance into the tubular material and has a skid plate which facilitates loading of palleted goods within the tubular material. An inexpensive storage system results.

Abstract: An upright immersion tube (92) is movable back and forth in its longitudinal direction between a takeover position in which a bushy plant (10) can be introduced into the immersion tube (92) and an immersed position in which the immersion tube is plunged through a spreader tube (40) into the vicinity of the bottom of a bag (12) which is being held open. The immersion tube (92) has a rear semi-tubular portion (96) with a hinged flap which is open in the takeover position but adapted to be moved into a closing position as the immersion tube (92) moves into the immersed position and, in said closing position, supplements the rear portion (96) so as to form a closed tube section. The spreader tube (40) has the profile contour of a ship's hull and engages between projecting bag edge zones (16) of a film web forming the bags (12) and being movable stepwise in the longitudinal direction of this contour.

Abstract: An apparatus for bagging produce or other articles which minimizes the impact received by the articles as they are put into bags. The apparatus includes a bag support which may be positioned at a reduced angle to the horizontal to decrease the height of fall of the produce into the bag, but which also eliminates the problem of the formation of a single layer of the articles in the bag. The bag support may be used in conjunction with other produce bagging devices conventional in the art for automated or semi-automated bagging of produce or other articles.

Abstract: A method and device for assisting a user with transferring an object supported by the device into a flexible storage container, the device comprising a substantially flat base member having a pair of opposed side edges and a pair of opposed end edges, a side wall extending substantially perpendicular from one surface of the base member along each of the two opposed side edges, and a protrusion member projecting substantially normal from the opposite surface of the base member, for providing a pivot about which the device can pivot, the protrusion member being positioned substantially along a traversed axis of the device and being spaced from each of the opposed end edges so that when the device is placed upon a flat support surface and the protrusion member engages that support surface, the device is pivotable about the protrusion member whereby only one end edge of the base member is able to contact that support surface at any given time thereby facilitating engagement with a storage container and transfer o

Abstract: Machine for filling containers with products, in a predetermined distribution includes simultaneous feed means, with as many vibratory ducts transporting respective rows of products and with corresponding unit supports thereof; at least one rotating frame with vertical pneumatic cylinders and with as many lower suction cups at their pistons, communicating with sources of vacuum; a carriage with alternating transverse displacement, with means of longitudinal advance for at least one pair of containers and with transverse barrier and constraint means for the products, both coordinated; and a process programming unit.

Abstract: An upright frame member has an upper handle and bottom support wheels. A forwardly projecting boom is secured to the upright frame and is of a length at least as long as tree branches of a tree to be mounted on the cart. A clamp is carried on the forward end of the boom capable of removably clamping a tree at the lower end of the trunk to the boom and supporting the tree on the cart in parallel relation with the upright frame. The upright frame and the boom are disposed relative to each other such that when the cart is laid down rearwardly the center of gravity of the cart and tree is offcenter toward the handle whereby the cart will rest unsupported in such laid down position and suspend the tree horizontally for bagging. A hook is provided on the upright frame for holding a bag in telescoped relation on the boom prior to use. In the method of bagging a tree, an open ended bag is first pulled in telescoping relation over the boom and attached to the hook on the upright frame.

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: An automatic packaging machine is custom constructed from standardized modules in order to reduce cost and standardize operational and maintenance procedures. The standardized modules include conveyor chain modules which may be ganged to maintain synchronization of operations. Various types of attached may be attached to the conveyor chain in order to mandrels adapt the machine to load different types of products. A cam pin guides and directs selective transfers of products when both box and product are present and to cancel transfer when one of said box or product is absent. One example of such a customized machine is a machine for loading golf balls.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading delicate fruit into standard sized fruit bins is disclosed. The apparatus includes a carriage, a cradle, a distributing conveyor which are controlled to automatically lower fruit into a bin in such a way as to minimize damage to fruit and to maximize efficiency of loading. The distributing conveyor includes a twisted conveyor belt that gently guides fruit to a discharge opening as the fruit moves along the belt.

Abstract: Pantihose garments are mounted on a card for purpose of display or sale, the card being inserted into one leg of the pantihose and parts of the pantihose unsupported by the card are folded and disposed to one side of the card-supported part of the leg. Exemplary machinery for so assembling the pantihose and card comprises a boarding machine which has a flat support with two support limbs for the pantihose legs; a dispenser places a card on one of the limbs and the pantihose is pulled waistband first onto the support and thereafter is pulled from the support toes first; the card slips from the limb as the pantihose is pulled off the support and is retained inside the pantihose leg which is stretched flat upon the card therein. Subsequently the pantihose is folded as aforesaid.

Abstract: A lettuce packing machine for the packing of heads of lettuce in corrugated, carboard cartons is disclosed. A lettuce head holding tray is loaded with lettuce. Thereafter, the tray is utilized to pack cartons. The lettuce head holding trays has discrete lettuce receiving cells upwardly exposed. Each tray contains four columns of cells, each column of cells being three wide for a capacity of 12 heads of lettuce. Each discrete lettuce receiving cell in the tray is defined by four semirigid, flexible sides, which sides extend downwardly and inwardly, are elastically biased and form an inverted pyramid-like profile truncated at an open bottom. The lettuce head holding tray is loaded at a picking station and conveyed to a packing station. When the lettuce head holding tray arrives at the packing station, a packing apparatus having discrete plungers--one for each cell--unloads the tray overlying a box to be packed.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for placing objects inside inflated balloons. The apparatus includes a walled enclosure having a balloon nozzle opening of a predetermined size and shape about which a balloon mouth within a predetermined size range is sealingly receivable. The enclosure also includes an access opening through which a user's arm is sealing receivable. A port is also provided for supplying an inflation gas into the enclosure. In operation, the object to be placed within the balloon is placed within the enclosure and a balloon mouth is stretched about the balloon opening. A user's arm is inserted through the access opening to grasp the object and move the object through the balloon opening and into the inflated balloon.

Abstract: A sliced bread stacking apparatus (10) comprising a base unit (11) a vertical support unit (12) and an inclined loaf support unit (13) adapted to suspend and support a loaf of bread (100) at an elevated location during the process of slicing, stacking, and bagging of the individual slices (101) of the loaf of bread.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading delicate fruit into standard sized fruit bins 10 wherein carriage 50, cradle 60, and distributing conveyor 40 are controlled to automatically lower fruit into bin 10 in such a way as to minimize damage to fruit and to maximize efficiency of loading.

Abstract: Mail inserting and collating apparatus includes an envelope conveyor for continuously conveying envelopes along a first path; a plurality of envelope carriers mounted on the envelope conveyor and movable therewith, for holding the envelopes; an insert conveyor for continuously conveying a plurality of inserts along a second path, at least a portion of the second path running substantially parallel and adjacent to the first path; a plurality of pockets mounted on the insert conveyor and movable therewith, for holding the inserts; a rotatable kicker roller for removing a lowermost insert from a stack of inserts and moving the lowermost insert toward a pocket adjacent the stack, the kicker roller having an arcuate rubber projecting surface for engaging the lowermost insert from the stack during rotation of the kicker roller and a vacuum port extending through the kicker roller and terminating in the projecting surface; a drive for intermittently rotating the kicker roller; a vacuum supply for supplying a vacuum

Abstract: A pillow (10) has a filler comprised of a foam rubber core (16) around which is spirally wrapped a polyester fiber batting (28). Circular end walls (13) are formed by drawing together extensions of a tubular casing (12) after the filler has been thereinto inserted in a pre-compressed condition. A method of making the pillow comprises snugly fitting an end of the extended casing (12) over the small end of a tapered tube (33), placing the rolled core (16) and batting (28) into a plastic bag (34), pushing the bag (34) and filler through the large end of the tapered tube (33) into the extended casing, removing the casing (12) from the tapered tube (33), removing the bag from the free end of the casing (12), and then forming the casing end walls (13) by pulling and tying drawstrings (27).

Abstract: A bag inserter for inserting a liquid filled bag into a preselected position within a container. A funnel receives and guides the bag into the container. The funnel has a bag receiving aperture for guiding the bag into a tapered bag forming section. The bag passes into a bag discharge chute beneath the bag forming section and then through a bag discharge aperture formed at a substantial vertical angle across the lower end of the chute. Container positioning means are provided for positioning a container to receive the bag with a bag receiving aperture of the container adjacent the discharge aperture and with a wall of the container opposite the container bag receiving aperture at approximately the same angle at which the bag discharge aperture intersects the bag discharge chute.

Abstract: A bottle divider grid assembly including a plurality of lower dividers for channeling downwardly moving bottles into specified arrays with plastic and/or metal guiding fingers secured onto guide support assemblies, secured into slots defined in the upper and/or lower portions of the lower dividers. The guide support assemblies are removable for maintenance in a manner specifically facilitated by easily removable locking devices. These locking devices are made easily removable by usage of a spring plunger device or a simple single screw which allows complete removal of the guide support assemblies. Also, there can be divider panels positioned immediately above the lower dividers to guide the bottles neatly on the bottle supply conveyor into paths which are then guided downwardly by the guide support assemblies into the pre-chosen arrays.

Abstract: A yeast cake loader loads yeast cakes into shallow open-top boxes in a reciprocating motion. The yeast cakes are smoothly lowered by a resiliently bendable surface which resiliently bends under the weight of the yeast cakes during loading. A ram pushes a block of yeast cakes across the resiliently bendable surface, which operates to move the box as well. When the box is full and has been moved a distance of one box width, the ram retracts and a new box is supplied under the resiliently bendable surface. The resiliently bendable surface then returns to its initial position. Additional yeast cakes are supplied in front of the ram, and the cycle is repeated.

Abstract: An item is placed into a relatively close fitting pliant bag by first turning the bag inside out over a horizontal ring mounted over a work surface on at least one upright support leg. Desirably, at least half of the peripheral extent of the ring is unsupported to facilitate pulling the bag over the ring and to facilitate removal of the bagged item. The item is placed within the ring in contact with the interior surface of the bottom of the bag and then moved downward through the ring, pulling the open top of the bag up, over, and through the ring. This turns the bag right side out, with the item inside. The ring has circumferentially spaced openings on its upper surface leading to a hollow interior that communicates via a valve to a source of pressurized air.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises an inclined chute to which the articles are delivered in portions and from which they slide down into a tray which oscillates in a horizontal direction together with the chute. The tray is open at its end remote from the chute and at the top, but closed on its remaining sides. The tray is pivotally supported in extensions of the chute side walls so that it can pivot between a horizontal loading position and a vertical discharge position. In front of the open end of the tray there is provided a vertical plate which is coupled to the chute and the tray in such a way that in the horizontal position of the tray it closes the open tray end while in response to the pivoting of the tray to vertical position it is moved some distance down into the mouth of a subjacent bag, substantially retaining its vertical orientation. During the emptying of the tray the plate functions as one of the walls defining a discharge opening through which the articles are transferred to the bag.

Abstract: A bag placer which automatically takes a bag from a stack, opens and shapes the bag and places such bag on a spout so that compressed material, such as insulation, glass wool and the like, can be rammed into the bag through the spout. The bag placer is particularly suited for plastic bags which are difficult to handle and open and place on a spout.

Abstract: A packaging machine includes a magazine which has a plurality of vertical compartments open at the top and bottom and which is supported for steplike movement between first and second positions in a direction forming an acute angle to a horizontal reference. A pair of adjacent box supports are located below and are parallel to the path of movement of the magazine, and are vertically movable between positions closely adjacent and spaced from the bottom of the magazine. A feed mechanism supplies individual packages to a fixed location above the path of movement of the magazine, the packages dropping into respective magazine compartments as the magazine moves. The feed mechanism can include a shaping mechanism at such fixed location to uniformly shape the individual packages. An inclined guideway supplies boxes to one of the box supports.

Abstract: A flexible container filling machine handles individual containers by severing the leading container from a continuous web of such containers which is fed into the filling machine. Each container includes a spout communicating with the interior of the container and a cap for closing that spout. The cap and spout of the leading container are pushed to a filling station where they are engaged by a cap handler and spout holder, respectively. The leading container is then severed from the web. A discharge chute, including a releasable container support, is positioned beneath the severed container and a supporting carton is positioned and elevated beneath the discharge chute. The cap is removed from the spout of the severed leading container and the severed container is filled with a metered amount of liquid. The cap is returned to close the filled container. The cap, spout and container support are then released to allow the filled container to fall into the waiting support carton.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for baling a tow of textile filaments, in which when a container has been filled, the tow is cut automatically in such a way that the end of the cut tow connected to the tow in the container falls on the side of the container, the other end of the cut tow forming the beginning of the tow for the new container, being constantly gripped during the filling of the new container, at a location which is beyond the maximum oscillating portion of the tow laying guide. The gripped end is released after the new container has been completely filled.

Abstract: A bottle packer grid assembly is disclosed which is capable of packing two cases simultaneously wherein the construction provides the capability for each individual single case grid section to be separately removable from the surrounding support structure. The configuration of the packer grid basically includes four transverse members and preferably five longitudinally extending members which divide the bottles to be packed into grids of variable numbers of rows and columns, the most common being 4.times.6. Preferably a dead plate support is positioned to hold one bottle in between the two cases being loaded in order to better maintain alignment with the cases positioned therebelow. The cooperation of a plurality of pin means with the transversely extending members which define apertures therein for receiving the pin means allows two arrays of 4.times.6 with a dead bottle position therebetween and yet allow upon removal of certain pins the easy maintenance of a specific bottle receiving cell.

Abstract: A reader-filler machine adapted to insert a discrete strip of microfilm having a series of image frames into a selected channel of a microfiche jacket. The jacket is provided with parallel channels each having an entry slot adjacent the front end. The machine includes a film drive mechanism which cooperates with an optical viewer. The film strip is advanced by the mechanism along the track of a track block which terminates adjacent the front end of a pivoted table which is spring-loaded. The block includes a pair of pressure fingers projecting from either side of the track exit and a pair of flat locating guides flanking the fingers. In operation, the user first tilts the table downwardly with respect to the track exit and places the jacket thereon to cause the guides to enter the channels on opposite sides of the channel to be loaded, thereby orienting the selected channel with respect to the track exit.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method of packaging commodities in a flexible wrapper. The apparatus includes first and second stations with a wrapper engaging assembly moving between the first and second stations, wrapper cutting and sealing means which severs a bag length from a continuous roll of flexible material, a component for opening the open leading end of the wrapper at the second station, a funnel which is preferably expandable and which engages the open mouth of the wrapper so as to permit loading of the commodity into the wrapper, and a further assembly which seals the open mouth of the bag length, preferably under vacuum, by having a component preferably in the form of a pair of fingers which engages the mouth of the bag to place it under tension whereafter a sealing assembly seals the mouth of the bag to form an improved weld across the mouth of the bag.

Abstract: A bale bagging apparatus for placing a bag having an open end and a closed end over an elongated bale transported transversely along a conveyor, the apparatus having a stop reciprocable toward and from the bale to retain the bale at a bagging station along the conveyor; an open ended sleeve adapted to receive the bag externally and to telescope over the bale, the sleeve reciprocating in a path which is normal to the conveyor and extends across the station from a bag receiving position to a stripped position; and elements for stopping movement of the bale along the conveyor when the bale is aligned with the sleeve, so that a stroke of the sleeve from the receiving position into the stripped position strips the bag from the sleeve over the bale.

Abstract: The present device comprises a bag filling apparatus which will clamp and hold a bag onto an output spout which forces in material such as pulverized or loose fill cellulose fiber used in insulation, and provides means for holding the bag in place, and providing a compressive force against the material as it is placed into the bag so that the material is forced into the bag and has substantial density when the bag is filled. The device includes means for automatically releasing the bag holder when the bag is filled a preselected amount.

Abstract: Apparatus for inserting a charge of nested, uniformly-shaped articles into a container such as a cannister. A charge of the articles, which may be uniformly-shaped articles and may be fragile articles such as farinaceous food chips, is separated by a metering unit from a supply of such articles and transferred into a hollow sleeve member. The filled sleeve member is rotated to a container-receiving position in which a container, such as a cardboard or paperboard cannister having one open end, is positioned over the filled sleeve member. The filled sleeve and container are then rotated to a release position in which the container, with the charge of nested, uniformly-shaped articles therein, is released from the sleeve member onto a receiver such as a conveyor which moves the filled container for further processing, for example purging with an inert gas and closing the open end.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming individual containers from a length of an unexpanded continuous tube of expandable net-like material having an open end portion and a length several times longer than the length of the individual containers to be formed therefrom wherein a working length of the unexpanded continuous material is expandably opened by expansion means defining a container forming cavity; a container forming length portion of the continuous material, including the open end portion which is closed, is turned inside-out by placing goods to be packaged in the container forming cavity to cause the container forming portion to be located and expanded in the cavity with the closed end at the bottom of the cavity; and the end of the container forming portion containing the goods opposite the closed end is then severed from the continuous tube of material to form a separate individual package of goods.