Abstract: An automatic loading and unloading system is provided for loading articles supplied from a first location at a rate commensurate with the rate at which articles are supplied from the first location into trays and for unloading the articles from the trays for transport to a second location at a rate commensurate with the demand for articles at the second location, and for balancing a supply of articles loaded onto trays with variations in both the rate of supply thereof and the rate of demand therefor. The system includes a tray loading station, and a tray loading apparatus for loading articles supplied from the first location into trays at tray loading station. An infeed device feeds articles to the loading apparatus in a predetermined, orderly fashion. At a stacking station, a stacking device stacks article-filled trays to form a supply thereof for use on demand. An outfeed device delivers articles on demand to the second location in a predetermined, orderly fashion.

Abstract: An automatic loading and unloading system is provided for loading articles supplied from a first location at a rate commensurate with the rate at which articles are supplied from the first location into trays and for unloading the articles from the trays for transport to a second location at a rate commensurate with the demand for articles at the second location, and for balancing a supply of articles loaded onto trays with variations in both the rate of supply thereof and the rate of demand therefor. The system includes a tray loading station, and a tray loading apparatus for loading articles supplied from the first location into trays at tray loading station. An infeed device feeds articles to the loading apparatus in a predetermined, orderly fashion. At a stacking station, a stacking device stacks article-filled trays to form a supply thereof for use on demand. An outfeed device delivers articles on demand to the second location in a predetermined, orderly fashion.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling and packaging articles such as can ends is capable of receiving a continuous flow of articles and automatically delivering groups of articles of a prescribed number, disposed in a nested condition, to a packaging station. The apparatus comprises a plurality of generally parallel elongate lanes for simultaneously handling articles, one of the lanes being articles to the packaging station. A transport aligned for delivering arrangement linearly advances articles along at least the one aligned lane toward the packaging station. A pick-and-place device is selectively movable between positions in alignment with each of the lanes for selectively transferring articles to the one aligned lane from the other lanes. A control apparatus controls a predetermined sequence of operation of the transport arrangement and of the pick-and-place device for providing a substantially continuous supply of articles to the packaging station.

Abstract: A carton feeding apparatus delivers a stack of cartons from a supply thereof in a supply pocket located such that the bottom of the stack of cartons carried therein is at a first vertical level relative to a receiving conveyor located such that the bottom of a stack of cartons received thereby is located at a second vertical level higher than the first vertical level. The apparatus comprises outfeed apparatus located for delivering cartons to the conveyor and loader apparatus movable between a first position in registry with the supply pocket and a second position in registry with the outfeed apparatus for transporting a stack of cartons therebetween. A lift apparatus is provided for lifting a stack of cartons from the supply pocket to the loader apparatus. A transfer apparatus is provided for transferring a stack of cartons from the loader apparatus to the outfeed apparatus.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in an article handling apparatus capable of receiving a continuous flow of articles such as can ends and automatically counting and separating a stack of articles of a prescribed number disposed in a facewise stacked relation for delivery to a packing station or the like. The apparatus comprises an elongate trough for handling a plurality of can ends in stacked, facewise engagement, a counting arrangement for counting the number of can ends passing a predesignated location up to a predetermined number, and a mechanism for separating this predetermined number from the flow of articles upon the counting thereof and transporting the articles from said counting station.

Abstract: An automatic loading and unloading system is provided for loading articles supplied from a first location at a rate commensurate with the rate at which articles are supplied from the first location into trays and for unloading the articles from the trays for transport to a second location at a rate commensurate with the demand for articles at the second location, and for balancing a supply of articles loaded onto trays with variations in both the rate of supply thereof and the rate of demand therefor. The system includes a tray loading station, and a tray loading apparatus for loading articles supplied from the first location into trays at tray loading station. An infeed device feeds articles to the loading apparatus in a predetermined, orderly fashion. At a stacking station, a stacking device stacks article-filled trays to form a supply thereof for use on demand. An outfeed device delivers articles on demand to the second location in a predetermined, orderly fashion.

Abstract: A can end counting system comprises an elongate trough-like member for receiving and guiding a plurality of can ends in a substantially upright, nested condition. The trough-like member defines a longitudinal axis and has an entrance end and an exit end relative to the direction of travel of can ends therethrough. A pusher is provided adjacent the entrance end of the trough-like member for pushing the can ends therealong. A resisting apparatus is located along the trough-like member for engaging the can ends in a fashion for maintaining a controlled degree of resistance of the can ends relative to the pusher so as to maintain the can ends in the desired upright and nested condition as they travel through the trough-like member.

Abstract: A scroll strip conveyor system comprises a conveyor belt for carrying a series of relatively flat scroll strips thereon in a flat, edge-to-edge spaced apart condition. An inspection station is located along the conveyor for inspecting the scroll strips to identify rejects. An ejector is provided for ejecting the rejects from the conveyor belt. A hopper feed apparatus is located at a terminal end of the conveyor belt for receiving the scroll strips therefrom one by one in an edge-to-edge condition and for redirecting the scroll strips into a parallel surface-to-surface spaced apart condition to be stacked in flat, surface-to-surface abutting condition in a hopper.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for de-palletizing and de-bagging stacks of articles such as can ends is disclosed. The de-palletizing apparatus removes a single layer of bags and discharges single bags of articles in seriatim order to a tilt tray comprising part of the de-bagging apparatus. The tilt tray moves the bag of articles to a vertical position, and inserts the bagged articles in a movable pocket at a loading station. Opposed clamps engage the bottom of the bag and a pin below the bag is forced upwardly, thereby pushing the articles in the bag upwardly so as to form a void at the bag bottom. The movable pocket is then moved past a slitter station, where the bag bottom is severed and discarded, to a de-bagging station. The opposed clamps are released, and a second set of movable clamps engage the bag to force the bag upwardly. As the bag moves upwardly, a pair of opposed rollers draw the bag off the stacked articles. The now-debagged stack of articles is moved to a discharge station.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for supplying can ends or the like to a downstream processing unit, such as a rotary carousel feeder unit or the like comprises a generally horizontal trough section for accumulating in stacked array can ends delivered from an upstream source. A transfer pocket is disposed generally vertically above and to one end of the trough section for receiving a quantity of can ends in stacked array from the trough section. An intermediate transition chute of generally arcuate configuration extends upwardly from the trough section to the transfer pocket to interconnect the two. A transport arrangement is provided for separating out and driving a quantity of the stacked accumulated ends in the trough section along the trough section and through the arcuate chute and further into the transfer pocket. A retaining arrangement is provided for maintaining the quantity of stacked ends in the vertically disposed transfer pocket upon retraction of the transport arrangement.

Abstract: A reversed can end ejector system is provided for detecting and ejecting a can end in reverse orientation with respect to a moving stack of otherwise similarly aligned and nested can ends. This system comprises an optical detection apparatus including a light-emitting portion for emitting light in a direction toward the path of travel and a light-detecting portion located adjacent said path of travel. The optical detection apparatus is responsive to one of the presence or absence of light incidence upon its light-detecting portion for producing a control signal. An ejector is movable relative to the stack for contacting and ejecting a reversed can end therefrom and an actuator is coupled with the ejector and responsive to the control signal for driving the ejector in a direction for contacting and ejecting the reversed can end from the stack.

Abstract: An article infeed unit includes a plurality of carrier pocket devices movable to and away from an article delivery station, and a confronting receiver pocket is mounted at the delivery station. The receiver pocket has upstanding sides, and the sides are partly defined by vertical margins confronting the carrier pocket. On demand, a spreader cam operates to spread the receiver pocket side margins apart from one another, so as to accommodate passage of the articles from the carrier pocket into the receiving pocket. At the bottom of the receiving pocket, a base plate is inserted, and the inserted articles rest upon this base member. After the spreader cam is withdrawn, the receiver pocket sides close around the articles. Thereafter, the base plate is withdrawn, and the received articles to descend through the receiver pocket toward a processing device.

Abstract: Apparatus for de-palletizing and de-bagging stacks of articles such as can ends is disclosed. The de-palletizing apparatus discharges single bags of articles in seriatim order to a tilt tray comprising part of the de-bagging apparatus. The tilt tray delivers the bagged articles to a movable vertically oriented de-bagger pocket at a first or loading station. Opposed clamps engage the bottom of the bag and a pin below the bag is forced upwardly, thereby pushing the articles in the bag upwardly so as to form a void within the bag at the bag bottom. The movable pocket is then swung past a slitter station, where the bag bottom is severed and discarded. The now-severed bag and articles move to a second or de-bagging station, the bottom clamps are released, and a second set of clamps gently engages the bag. These clamps are moved upwardly to push and drag the bag upwardly from the stack of articles. As the bag moves upwardly, it is engaged in the nip of opposed rollers and drawn off and discarded.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method and apparatus for the automatic handling and bagging of articles, such as can ends, and thereafter depositing filled bags of said article on a pallet member in such a manner as to provide a plurality of layers of filled, palletized bags. The apparatus includes a receiving station which can handle a continuous flow of articles and provide individual stacks of articles disposed in facewise relationship for delivery to a bagging station. At the bagging station the stack of articles is automatically disposed with a bag to provide a filled bag. A collating station is provided which receives the filled bags from the bagging station and temporarily stores a layer of a number of filled bags in generally side-by-side horizontal disposition prior to palletizing. The collating station includes a discharger for depositing a layer of filled bags onto a palletizing station.

Abstract: Apparatus for supplying a stack of can ends or the like to a downstream processing unit is provided. The apparatus comprises a transport system having a trough for accumulating, in stacked array, can ends delivered from an upstream source. Transport clamp means engage at least some of the stacked, accumulated can ends, and a transport drive moves the clamp means and can ends along the trough to a transfer station. The transfer system includes a pocket for supporting a stack of can ends transported thereinto by the transport means. A transfer clamp means engages at least some of the upstream can ends inserted into the pocket. A shelf is inserted into the pocket bottom for supporting the stack of can ends in the pocket when the transfer clamp means are withdrawn. The stack of can ends supported on the shelf can then be transferred to a carousel-type rotory infeed unit, or to a bagging machine, or to some other sort of downstream processing unit.

Abstract: A conveyor system is arranged for transporting and spacing can ends by means of confronting flexible conveyor belts which are spaced apart to grip can ends at the edges, in combination with means for frictionally engaging the can ends in the space between the conveyor belts.

Abstract: A magnetic rail is arranged for use in a conveyor system and includes permanent magnets arranged either in alternately interspersed relationship or in checkerboard pattern regarding relative north and south polarities; and the individual magnets are advantageously selected to have a dimension in the direction of belt travel which is less than the diameter of tinplate containers being transported. When the magnetic rail is used in the bleed-off section of the system, the magnets are selected to be of progressively diminishing transverse dimension relative to the direction of belt travel in order to gradually reduce mangetic attraction as the containers pass down the belt.

Abstract: A magnetic conveyor has a directional transition zone in which magnetically permeable pole plates are arranged with permanent magnets underlying the traveling belt. Magnetic elements of comparatively large magnetic moment per unit volume are situated in the space between the belt and the pole plates in order to concentrate the available lines of magnetic flux in the transition zone.

Abstract: A magnetic rail arrangement for use in a conveyor system comprises parallel runs of permanent magnets spaced laterally apart to receive bucking magnet means therebetween. This rail arrangement controls magnetic flux between the permanent magnet runs.

Abstract: The present application discloses a method and apparatus for receiving a flow of can ends automatically separating from said flow a stack having a predetermined number of can ends. The disclosure further includes apparatus for conveying the counted stack of ends to a bagging station wherein bagging can be effected either manually or automatically. In addition, the present disclosure relates to novel automatic bagging apparatus, as well as apparatus for receiving and storing the packaged ends from the bagging station.