Abstract: A method for operating a production and packaging installation for hygiene products, wherein the hygiene products are produced by a production machine, and the hygiene products produced are packaged by at least two packaging machines which are assigned to the production machine and are intended for packaging the hygiene products in particular so that they are ready for dispatch. At least two packaging machines assigned to a grouping conveyor form a machine group, wherein the performance of the packaging machines of the machine group are adapted automatically in accordance with the performance of the production machine and/or the individual performances available for the packaging machines of the machine group, and/or wherein the number of hygiene products with which the holders of the grouping conveyor are filled is selected automatically for each holder in dependence on which of the packaging machines the hygiene product of the respective holder is intended.

Abstract: Product can be conveyed on a divider conveyor (16) in the same orientation or perpendicular to the orientation as when transferred from an input conveyor (12) as well as at different locations in the pack pattern to be cased by moving the divider conveyor (16) perpendicular to the conveying direction and/or by varying the conveying speed of the divider conveyor (16). The divider conveyor (16) transfers product onto an upper containment plate (40) moveable to an inoperative position to transfer product to a lower containment plate (36) moveable to an inoperative position to transfer product to a table (28). Product can be compressed between the table (28) and the upper containment plate (40) and can be pushed by a loader plate (32) into a case when the table (28) is in its lower position.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for conveying articles, in particular product slices produced by simultaneous slicing of a plurality of food products or respective portions including a plurality of product slices, wherein the articles are conveyed in a conveying direction on a main conveying path in multitracks in desired arrangements formed by articles from different tracks, in particular in rows extending transverse to the conveying direction, incomplete arrangements of articles having at least one deficient point are expelled onto a secondary conveying path and desired arrangements are formed from the articles forming the incomplete arrangements.

Abstract: A system is provided that automatically stops a tractor as a function of a status of a round baler. This may include a controller such as a baler controller directly or indirectly detecting initial movement of an actuator that moves a wrapper assembly. Based on this detection, conditions for starting a wrap procedure may be determined either by actuator position or by a time period required for moving the wrapper assembly from a home position to a wrap start position. A time period required to bring the tractor to stop may be determined and compared with the time period required for the wrapper assembly to move from the home position to the wrap start position. The baler controller may send a tractor halt command signal for stopping the tractor to coordinate and synchronize bringing the tractor to a complete stop at the same time that the wrapping material is inserted and applied onto the bale at the beginning of a wrapping procedure.

Abstract: A feed trough for a grader or other solid object processing system. The feed trough includes a plurality of feed channels, each having at least one flexible flap extending from a discharge end for transitioning a product from the feed channel to a processing region. Two converging flexible flaps may extend from the discharge end and contact a processing channel for guiding product to the processing channel.

Abstract: The device for supplying an inlet line (L) of a packing machine with flat packs contained internally of a cardboard box (C), in batteries (B) of packs superposed on one another, comprises: a rest plate (1) provided with through-holes (11), for restingly receiving the base surface (CB) of the box (C), which includes a series of through-holes (F), a series of rods (2) and moving means (M) of the rods (2), activatable in such a way as to translate the rods (2) with respect to the plate (1).

Abstract: A method of loading a plurality of food items in multiple layers comprises collecting food items in a staging area in a first plurality of groups, each group having a plurality of food items. The first plurality of groups is displaced substantially simultaneously downwardly into an accumulating and storage area and thereby forming a plurality of first layer group. A second plurality of groups of food items is collected, each of the second plurality of groups having a plurality of food items. The second plurality of groups is displaced substantially simultaneously downwardly into the accumulating and storage area such that the second plurality of groups forms a plurality of second layer groups of food items superposed to the first layer groups, and thereby forming a plurality of two layer-groups. The plurality of two-layer groups of food items are displaced downwardly into a receptacle in a packing area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compact palletizers that include a stretch-wrap operation as the pallet is built. A four-sided compaction mechanism compresses the rough-built load to the final pallet size and then the entire layer is released to the pallet. Individual items or group of items are picked and placed onto a layer support device in a loose orientation. The loose orientation enables a much faster palletizing operation because the robotic arm that pick-and-places the item, the items, or the row of items, can travel much faster as it does not have to precisely locate the item, items, or row of items. During the time that a layer is being loosely constructed on the layer support device concurrent wrapping can occur.

Abstract: A water-soluble pouch suitable for use in machine dishwashing and which comprises a plurality of compartments in generally superposed or superposable relationship, each containing one or more detergent active or auxiliary components, and wherein the pouch has a volume of from about 5 to about 70 ml and a longitudinal/transverse aspect ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 1:8, preferably from about 1:1 to about 1:4. The water-soluble pouch allows for optimum delivery of dishwashing detergent. A process for the manufacture of multi-compartment pouches and a pack to contain the pouches are also disclosed.

Abstract: The device places filled and sealed collapsible containers. The device has a gripping unit with a number of finger pairs that correspond to the number of containers in a packing state. The gripping unit has a gripping state in which each finger is arranged to make a squeezing motion such that the contents of the container forms an inner counter-pressure structure to provide a well-defined grip.

Abstract: A system and method for multi-layer loading of food items such as frankfurters in a receptacle includes the steps of displacing groupings of frankfurters along a staging area, allowing the frankfurters to drop downwardly by gravity to an accumulation and storage area until at least two layers of frankfurters are accumulated and allowing the double layer of frankfurters to drop downwardly into a packing receptacle in a packing area.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compact palletizers that include a stretch-wrap operation as the pallet is built. Specifically, the present invention uses a robot to place items from a fixed infeed elevation either above or, alternatively, below the height of the finished load. A four-sided compression mechanism compresses the rough-built load to the final pallet size and then the entire layer is released to the pallet. Individual items or group of items are picked and placed onto a layer support device in a loose orientation. The loose orientation enables a much faster palletizing operation because the robotic arm that pick-and-places the item, the items, or the row of items, can travel much faster as it does not have to precisely locate the item, items, or row of items. During the time that a layer is being loosely constructed on the layer support device concurrent wrapping can occur.

Abstract: Cigarette cartons are boxed by a case packer comprising a frame mounted on a base, a feed unit supplying collapsed box blanks, a station at which the boxes are packed, a feed unit by which the cartons are directed along a path running perpendicular to a feed path followed by the blanks, also first and second folding and closing assemblies by which the top end face and the bottom end face of the erected box are formed. The machine base affords a plurality of mounting points arranged symmetrically on either side of a vertical median plane, passing longitudinally through the base, so that the position of the feed unit can be reversed in mirror image relative to the median plane, as also can the positions of the first folding and closing assembly and the second folding and closing assembly.

Abstract: A sheet handling device having at least one sheet feed path therethrough from an inlet to an outlet, the sheet feed path defined by a guide for directing sheet material from the inlet to the outlet. The sheet handling device comprising a plurality of processing sections located along the sheet feed path for performing a plurality of operations on sheet material being handled by the device. The processing sections including a central accumulator section, a collation section, a sheet folding section and at least one inserter section which are collectively located within a main chamber of the sheet handling device. The accumulator section is centrally located relative to the other processing sections and employs a vertically-oriented feed path to facilitate accumulation of sheet material while minimizing the spacing/gaps between adjacent sections. Furthermore, an access doorway is disposed over the processing stations to facilitate jam clearance.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling tubes with piles of disc-shaped articles, such as pills, comprising: two functional elements (5h, 5j), hinged at a horizontal axis (K) and mobile between a loading region (C), in which the functional elements (5h, 5j) provide at least a corresponding seating (6) for receiving and retaining a relative pill (3) released by a plurality of supply units (1), and a disengagement region (D) of the pill (3), at which the functional elements (5h, 5j) are rotated by ninety degrees and cooperate with gripping organs (11); the gripping organs (11) being mobile in a vertical direction in order to gather the pill (3) borne by the functional elements (5h, 5j) into the relative disengagement region (D), and to release the pill (3) internally of a corresponding tube (10) in phase relation with the movement of the functional elements (5h, 5j).

Abstract: An apparatus for loading containers with bags, wherein the apparatus is provided with a feed conveyor assembly, a loading unit, and a control designed for, each time, forming a layer of bags in the loading unit, which layer has dimensions substantially corresponding to the bottom dimensions of a container to be filled, and wherein the control is designed such that, each time, the loading unit places a wholly formed layer in the container to be filled. In the method, the bags are oriented in a feed conveyor assembly and placed from the feed conveyor assembly onto a bottom of a holder of a loading unit, wherein, subsequently, when the whole bottom of the holder of the loading unit has been filled with bags, this holder is lowered into a container to be filled and the bottom is released when the bottom of the holder is just above the bottom of the container to be filled or a layer of bags present in this container.

Abstract: A system and method for multi-layer loading of food items such as frankfurters in a receptacle includes the steps of displacing groupings of frankfurters along a staging area, allowing the frankfurters to drop downwardly by gravity to an accumulation and storage area until at least two layers of frankfurters are accumulated and allowing the double layer of frankfurters to drop downwardly into a packing receptacle in a packing area.

Abstract: A phased split-pitch barrel loader for a packaging machine has a leading loader arm assembly and a trailing loader arm assembly. Each loader arm assembly has a loader arm that carries a loader face on one end and the loader arm is extendable and retractable on guide rails. One loader arm is driven in a downstream direction by a first set of endless chains and the other is driven by a second set of endless chains. One of the endless chains can be advanced or retarded in phase relative to the other to move the loader arms further apart or closer together as they move in the downstream direction. This moves the loader faces further apart or closer together and the loader faces have fingers that interleave when the loader faces are brought together. Thus, a composite loader face having a predetermined area can be formed by moving the loader arm assemblies closer together or farther apart.

Abstract: A packaging device for grouping product items, especially semi-soft tissue paper packs (7), to a bundle of layered rows (L1, L2, L3) of said product items (7) having a supply line (1) including a main conveyor belt (5) constituently carrying and supplying a stream of product items (7) in a defined orientation along an infeed main path (6) to a transfer position (18), an elevator means (2) having a plurality of stack-forming receptacles (23) each receiving a grouped row (L1, L2, L3) of a specified number of said product items (7) in a chopped manner from the transfer position of said supply line (1) at an input end of the elevator means (2), wherein the elevator means (2) is adapted to successively displace the stacked grouped rows of product items (7) in a side-by-side relationship orthogonally to the infeed main path (6) to an output end of the elevator means (2), and an outfeed unit (3) engaging with the elevator means (2), commonly removing a specified number stacked grouped rows (L1, L2, L3) of said pr

Abstract: Cigarette cartons are boxed by a case packer comprising a frame mounted on a base, a feed unit supplying collapsed box blanks, a station at which the boxes are packed, a feed unit by which the cartons are directed along a path running perpendicular to a feed path followed by the blanks, also first and second folding and closing assemblies by which the top end face and the bottom end face of the erected box are formed. The machine base affords a plurality of mounting points arranged symmetrically on either side of a vertical median plane, passing longitudinally through the base, so that the position of the feed unit can be reversed in mirror image relative to the median plane, as also can the positions of the first folding and closing assembly and the second folding and closing assembly.

Abstract: A system and method of providing a product to a conveyor and/or carton includes a wheel and a plurality of carriers arranged in rows. A distance between each carrier in the plurality of carriers is adjustable as the product is transferred around a circumference of the wheel. Optionally, a height of each product relative to an adjacent product is likewise adjustable.

Abstract: A system and methods of use for assembling packages has one or more conveyors for advancing one or more product flavors into an accumulation of product units. At an accumulation area the accumulated product units are separated into a subset of pack units by a pack splitter which are then deposited onto an indexing conveyor. The pack units may be supported by a substrate. The pack units are advanced along the indexing conveyor for final package assembly.

Abstract: A water-soluble pouch suitable for use in machine dishwashing and which comprises a plurality of compartments in generally superposed or superposable relationship, each containing one or more detergent active or auxiliary components, and wherein the pouch has a volume of from about 5 to about 70 ml and a longitudinal/transverse aspect ratio in the range from about 2:1 to about 1:8, preferably from about 1:1 to about 1:4. The water-soluble pouch allows for optimum delivery of dishwashing detergent. A process for the manufacture of multi-compartment pouches and a pack to contain the pouches are also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is, in one embodiment, an apparatus for placing an insert within a nested group of taco shells. The insert placement apparatus comprises a vertical shaft, a horizontal shaft, a first pillow block, a second pillow block, a vacuum cup, a horizontal timing belt, an air cylinder, and a servomotor. The vacuum cup is adapted to transport the insert. The first pillow block has a bore therethrough for receiving the horizontal shaft. The second pillow block is supported off of the first pillow block and has a bore therethrough for receiving the vertical shaft. The vacuum cup is suspended off of the vertical shaft. The horizontal belt is routed around a drive pulley and a second pulley and is interconnected to the first pillow block. The servomotor is interconnected to the drive pulley. The servomotor causes the timing belt to displace the first pillow block along the horizontal shaft, thereby causing the vacuum cup to displace horizontally.

Abstract: Unit for packaging and palletizing rolls of paper comprising a bagging and/or forming machine adapted to sort packages of said rolls into batches or to bag said sorted loose packages in a plastic bag, and a palletizing station comprising at lease one manipulator provided with grippers to handle loose packages of delivered products from said bagging and/or forming machine. The products are conveyed to said palletizing station with a predetermined stepped sequence and spaced from one another in at least one row on a conveyer element, wherein said at least one robot and said bagging and/or forming machine are interconnected and are programmed respectively to sort said products in batches of different forms and dimensions according to a sequence which is continuously variable to form a layer of a pallet with different batches of products adjacent to and engaged with one another.

Abstract: An automatic packing device for filling containers with products, includes: two separate feed stations, each adapted to arrange a stream of products in parallel rows; elements capable of picking up alternately, in each feed station and depositing in the container, a number of products forming a layer of the container. Each feed station includes: a conveyor having a plurality of articulated transverse profiles; elements for pivoting two successive profiles in opposite directions of rotation between a first position in which the profiles form a transverse trough in the shape of a V, and a second position in which the profiles form a ridge in the shape of an inverted V, so as to form waves of products on the conveyor; a plurality of channels disposed as a longitudinal continuation of the conveyor.

Abstract: A method of loading a tray with at least one layer of items includes forming a plurality items into a group of items, moving the first group in a first generally horizontal direction so that the items are received through a top opening of the tray to form a layer of items that at least partially covers the upper surface of said base. The method also includes moving the tray loaded with the group of items in a generally vertical direction. The vertical direction may be downward. The tray may then be moved again in a horizontal direction. Also a system is provided to perform the aforesaid method.

Abstract: In a device for transferring articles in a controlled configuration from a feeding line to a receiving line, an oscillating arm having suction grippers picks up the articles, arranged in a first configuration, at an inlet station and transfer the articles up to an outlet station. The oscillating arm and grippers release the articles at the outlet station in a second configuration. A plurality of collecting compartments receive the articles in the second configuration. During transferring, guiding cams cooperate with the grippers for changing uniformly the distance between the articles from the first configuration to the second configuration. Pushers convey then the articles in the collecting compartments into seats made in the receiving line.

Abstract: A structural frame assembly that is adapted to support a chute of a sorting machine, the frame assembly including two laterally spaced beams and at least one cross-beam interconnecting the two laterally spaced beams, the beams and the at least one cross-beam including a projecting edge thereon.

Abstract: A packing system for articles. According to one embodiment of the invention, a receiving and dropping assembly comprising one or more doors that are displaceable between a holding configuration and a dropping configuration. The doors define a receptacle while in the holding configuration. The receptacle receives and holds an article, which is received by a leading edge of the article being guided by guide surfaces in the doors. The doors drop the article being held while in the dropping configuration. An output conveyor line receives the articles dropped by the receiving and dropping assembly. A controller controls the dropping and conveyance of the articles to convey the dropped articles along the output conveyor line in predetermined arrays. A pick-and-place robot system picks up the articles or arrays of articles from the output conveyor line and places the picked up articles in receptacles.

Abstract: Assembly and method for collecting together different goods to form a pack and to pack these in an outer packaging. Streams of goods are always fed to a collection conveyor with feed conveyors. Each stream consists of the same goods and these are buffered at the discharge end of the feed conveyor. At a suitable point in time these are placed on the collection conveyor using an ejection device. The collection conveyor consists of a number of track compartments that move past the conveyor. A group of goods placed one after the other is arranged in each track compartment, which group is ultimately compacted to give a pack.

Abstract: A pattern former for assembling wrapped bakery products into predetermined patterns includes a vacuum turntable comprising a perforated plate which is driven by a belt extending around the periphery of the vacuum turntable and actuated by a motor. A first transfer apparatus includes a pusher plate which moves groups of wrapped bakery products onto the vacuum turntable and which retracts to facilitate the formation of a subsequent group of wrapped bakery products as a previous group is being transferred to the vacuum turntable. A second transfer apparatus includes a pusher plate which moves assembled patterns of wrapped bakery products from the vacuum turntable into bakery trays and which is retractable to the facilitate the assembly of a subsequent pattern of wrapped bakery products as a previous pattern is being transferred to a bakery tray.

Abstract: A method of loading a tray with at least one layer of items includes forming a plurality items into a group of items, moving the first group in a first generally horizontal direction so that the items are received through a top opening of the tray to form a layer of items that at least partially covers the upper surface of said base. The method also includes moving the tray loaded with the group of items in a generally vertical direction. The vertical direction may be downward. The tray may then be moved again in a horizontal direction. Also a system is provided to perform the aforesaid method.

Abstract: Container packing system for use with conveyed articles. The system includes a carton having four sidewalls with four carton upper edges and four carton lower edges. Four upper flaps are connected to the respective upper edges and four lower flaps are connected to the respective four lower edges. The sidewalls define a carton inner space sized to receive therein a layer of the conveyed articles. A movable support platform receives thereon the conveyed articles and is sized for location in the carton space between the sidewalls. The support platform is actuatable to move between the upper edges and the lower edges. Two of the lower flaps are folded inwardly and upwardly towards a lower surface of the movable support platform. A method of using the system to pack a carton is also provided.

Abstract: Plant for packaging comprising, a packaging and bagging rolls of paper, includes a packaging machine (12) designed to produce packs of rolls with a pre-set sequence and a bagging machine (12) and to arrange them according to a plurality of layers, each of which is made up of one or more rows of packs, and to insert said layers into a partially formed bag which is closed after the layers have been inserted. Set between the packaging machine (12) and the bagging machine (16) is a conveying assembly (14) which operates in a cadenced way together with the packaging machine (12) and the bagging machine (16).

Abstract: A system and method for packaging oriented containers in a container carrier wherein a plurality of containers are fed into an orientation wheel including one or more chucks. Each chuck engages one end of the container and rotates the container into an oriented position. A transfer belt having a plurality of tactile fingers is operatively connected to the orientation wheel and transfers an oriented container nested within the tactile fingers in a fixed rotational position from the orientation wheel to a packaging machine. In a method of packaging containers according to this invention, multiple containers are positioned within the carrier in one or more rotational positions based upon the desired appearance of the package.

Abstract: A case loading machine and method of operation is described for positioning at least two flexible bags, having an unstable product therein, in a case and in side-by-side contact with one another. A case engaging and displacement mechanism is positionable inside a case from an open top end of the case whereby to divide the case into compartments of predetermined size. The mechanism holds the case at a loading position with one of the compartments aligned at a bag receiving position. A bag engaging and transfer mechanism engages one of the bags from a bag filling position and transfers it into the aligned compartment. The bag engaging and transfer mechanism is provided with a compression compartment to compress the flexible bag and displace the unstable product therein whereby the bag is sized to enter into the aligned compartment. The case is then displaced to align another compartment at the loading position to receive a further bag.

Abstract: A collator includes a first conveyor having a discharge end and a second receiving conveyor positioned below the discharge end of the first conveyor. As each product bag falls toward the second conveyor, an air blast assists in uprighting the bag. The second conveyor may be temporarily operated at a high speed to separate the product bags into groups. A deflector may be mounted at the discharge end of the second conveyor for directing product bags into containers.

Abstract: A device for placing pipes (5′) into a case (1) and taking pipes (5) out therefrom, wherein the pipes (5) are placed in stacks (2, 3, 4) each with one pipe across, and wherein the stacks are supported laterally by supports (6, 7, 8, 9) projecting upwardly from the bottom of the case (1). The bottom of the case 91) is provided with apertures (10, 11), and the case (1) is carried by a tilting device (13) capable of raising and lowering the case 91), respectively, and of turning it about an axis (14) parallel to the pipes (5) within the case (1), to take an unloading position and a loading position, respectively, wherein the supports (6, 7, 8, 9) are nearly horizontal, flushing with a substantially horizontal support for pipes (5), and wherein a pushing device (16) is adapted to be guided through the apertures (10, 11) in the nearly vertical bottom of the case (1), in order to push pipes (5) laterally out of the case (1), upon said support, which may be a conveyor belt or another conveyor (12).

Abstract: Device for packaging groups, i.e. layers (14), of packages (10) in a carton (11) or the like, and individually arriving packages (10) are collected in the area of a grouping station (23) so as to form rows of packages (13), and the latter are pushed off in the transverse direction by a transverse slide (28) onto a collecting plate (29) in order to establish layers (14) comprising a plurality of rows of packages (13). The complete layers (14) are handled by a lifting conveyer (33) and delivered to the carton (11).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method and an apparatus (1) for packaging series of articles (3) in different formations (71). According to the invention, articles for each formation (71) are fed in mutually opposite directions (69, 70) by longitudinal conveyors (2) towards a common receiving zone (6) for collecting and stacking of articles (3), where first articles are stopped and transferred laterally by lateral conveyors (15) to a first collecting means (25) for collecting part of a stack (72) of two formations (71) of articles, whereupon a so collected part is released to a second collecting means (34) for collecting the remainder of a complete stack (72) by way of stopping and transferring second articles. The complete stack (72) is then moved onwards for further handling and packaging, and the latter movement is provided to be carried out during the first collecting step.

Abstract: A loading head for loading food articles into packaging includes a transfer conveyor in operable communication with a source of articles to be loaded. The transfer conveyor communicates the articles from an upper receiving position to a lower loading position. A first drive drives the transfer conveyor at a variable speed. A second drive oscillates the transfer conveyor between a first position and a second position. A controller is in operable association with the first and second drives for varying the driving speed of the transfer conveyor as a function of the position of the transfer conveyor. An article holder is disposed at the loading position for receipt of a transferred article.

Abstract: A coin packaging device has a table, to which a mass of coins of identical denomination may be supplied, and a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder being arranged to receive coins one by one through an open end, thereby stacking a predetermined number of coins thus received into a pile of coins. Furthermore, the device has means for distributing the coins across the table. The table is provided with a plurality of openings large enough for allowing the coins to pass therethrough. The open end of each respective cylinder is arranged to receive coins from a respective one of the openings in the table.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filling a shell body with sub-projectiles in a predefined geometric arrangement and in a very short time without creating shifting errors is provided. Prior to filling the shell body, the sub-projectiles may be combined into layers which are as thick as the length of the sub-projectiles and which extend in planes transverse to a longitudinal axis of the shell body. The sub-projectiles take up a position in the layer which corresponds to their geometric arrangement in a hollow chamber of the shell body. During the combination, the outer periphery of the layers may be shaped so that, following insertion of the layer into the hollow chamber, the sub-projectiles may be held there and fixed against relative rotation while maintaining the previously formed geometric arrangement. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the outer periphery of the layers may assume a hexagonal shape where the axes of the cylindrical sub-projectiles are aligned with the longitudinal axis of the shell body.

Abstract: Groups, separated by periodic spaces and each containing n articles gathered together, are formed from a regular flow of articles. This result is achieved by means of a thrust element which periodically penetrates the input flow of articles, bringing about the desired accumulation as a result of a forward acceleration or thrust performed beginning with the articles which are to be in the upstream position, in the direction of advance of the articles, within each group. The preferred application is for automatic packaging plants.

Abstract: For the transportation of articles or of groups of articles between a fixed, predetermined receiving position (20) and a likewise predetermined, fixed set-down position (19), in particular within a folding carton (11) which is open at the top, use is made of a lifting conveyor (21) which transports a lifting head (18) back and forth exclusively along a predetermined inverted U-shaped movement path. The movement path is provided by: two upright vertical movement legs, namely in the set-down position (19), on the one hand, and on the other hand, in the receiving position (20); and a top, horizontal conveying section which interconnects the top of the two vertical movement legs and which is of unchangeable horizontal length.

Abstract: An automated packaging system that can simultaneously process a single case or a plurality of cases and can be adjusted to accommodate packages and cases of various sizes. Individual packages are fed to the packaging system on the package conveyor. The packages are recognized by the system when they energize an electric eye which causes the package to be elevated above the conveying surface of the package conveyor and stopped below a pick and place mechanism. The individual packages are elevated by plates having upper surfaces that extend through slots in the conveying surface and are stopped by vacuum cups carried by the upper surfaces of the plates. The upper surfaces of the plates are inclined which causes the packages to climb the incline which functions to decelerate the movement of the package.

Abstract: A case packer has a product-supplying mechanism for transporting packaged products sequentially to a product-aligning mechanism including a plurality of conveyors arranged longitudinally towards a packing unit for packing a container with these transported products. The aligning mechanism starts to move intermittently every time a product is delivered from the supplying mechanism so as to sequentially align them. The aligned products are thereafter moved in a continuous motion towards the packing unit. Each conveyor of the aligning mechanism is again caused to move in the same intermittent mode of motion every time the products aligned thereon are discharged therefrom.

Abstract: A packer is provided with a continuous flow of side-by-side columns of plastic bottles that move down an inclined ramp and into a load station where groups or slugs of bottles are deposited into trays or cases. An overhead flight bar conveyor provides a gap between each such group and the cases move by line pressure through the load station. Neck ring guides are provided above the flight bar path to control the descent of the bottles into each case. The path of the flight bars assures that each slug or group is closely controlled, initially by the steep entry angle and as a result of the shallow V-shaped path defined by the angularly related linear active runs on the flight bars prior to entry into the load station and by a second active run forming an abrupt V at the entry to the load station and inclined toward the neck ring guides at the same angle defined by the first run.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for loading items, such as fruit, into a container such as a fruit bin with an open top face. The bin is transported on rollers to a tiltable cradle that grasps the cradle and tilts it to a loading orientation in which the bin face opens sideways. A wide endless belt conveyor positioned adjacent the cradle has a leading edge of the belt that shifts from a retracted position outside the container to an extended position projecting through the open face into the bin. The leading edge of the conveyor is retracted from the bin as the conveyor belt is running to deliver a horizontal layer of fruit from the conveyor surface into the bin. A height adjuster moves the cradle down (in the loading orientation) after the layer of items is delivered into the container, to provide clearance for delivering a subsequent layer of items from the conveyor.