Abstract: A pouch filling apparatus for filling pouches with product as the pouches travel around a filler wheel includes a hopper wheel carrying a plurality of hoppers over a sector of the filler wheel empty of pouches. The filler wheel carries a plurality of product dispensing units having an upper accumulation chamber. The hopper wheel and the filler wheel counter-rotate in timed relation so that individual product dispensing units and hoppers cross paths at a product transfer station to allow product to be dropped from a hopper into the accumulation chamber of a product dispensing unit. The filler wheel then rotates to a filling station and the product is released from the accumulation chamber into a pouch travelling along the pouch conveyor.

Abstract: An end effector for a robot for material handling of a stack of carton blanks or other items is disclosed. The end effector includes a pair of movable abutment members which engage opposing side edges of the blanks to thereby lift, transfer or manipulate the carton blanks for transfer to another material handling operation or station. Even though the individual blanks may be flexible, the end effector according to this invention grasps the stack of blanks on opposing side edges thereof to lift the stack of blanks without the need for inverting or otherwise repositioning the stack as required by prior art end effectors. A tab or other feature on the blanks may be utilized by the abutment members when engaging the blanks in order to assist the lifting of the stack.

Abstract: An improved tuck roll apparatus includes a drive roll, backup roll and tuck roll driven by clutch for tensioning and driving a pouch web without slippage on said rolls and for feeding the web to a filler wheel of a pouch filling machine. The tuck roll apparatus drives and tensions the web directly from the vertical sealer and upstream web supply of a pouch forming, filling and sealing machine without requiring any other web drive between the sealer and the filler wheel. All drive slippage is accommodated in the clutch driving the rolls, and not by slippage between the web and the rolls.

Abstract: A cartoner for loading products into cartons and for sealing the ends of product cartons as the cartons move along a carton path therein comprises a tuck module located at a position on the cartoner along the carton path for engaging an end flap of the product carton and tucking a portion of the end flap into the carton to seal the carton end and a glue module, selectively interchangeable with the tuck module at the position along the carton path, for engaging an end flap of a product carton and gluing the end flap to a portion of the carton such that a single cartoner may be used to seal cartons by selectively tucking or gluing the end flaps.

Abstract: A product transfer apparatus for transferring individual product from a rotary feeding station to downstream apparatus such as a cartoner conveyor in preselected count stacks for subsequent discharge at a cartoner machine. Stacks of product are formed by dropping the product into stacks on a transfer conveyor and from there dropping the stacks directly into buckets of a cartoner conveyor. A transfer bucket conveyor is disposed beneath and transverse to an axis of the rotary feeding station and includes an upper fill run and a lower discharge run of product transfer buckets. The cartoner conveyor is disposed beneath and aligned with the transfer bucket conveyor and includes a series of cartoner product buckets operating in speed register with the lower run of product transfer buckets for receiving the preselected count stacks from the lower discharge run.

Abstract: A rotary knife apparatus for depositing filled pouches in preselected count stacks along a travelling product conveyor. The rotary knife apparatus includes a rotating disc valve intermediate negative and positive pressure sources on one side and a rotary knife hub on the other side. The rotating disc valve includes a plurality of arcuate slots and apertures which communicate with the negative and positive pressure sources and axial ports in the knife hub such that the knife hub holds and expels the filled pouches along defined segments of rotation of the knife hub. The rotating disc valve has a dynamically variable rotational speed relative to a rotational speed of the knife hub for changing a predetermined number of different angular drop-off points during a period of rotation of the knife hub to correspondingly change the preselected count of pouches in a stack.

Abstract: A rotary disc feeder includes a rotary plate with a plurality of radial slots and sliders disposed in the slots. The sliders are cam adjusted to define, respective volumetric chambers between their ends and the slot ends. The cams are carried on a rotational cam carrier positioned by an axially reciprocable but non-rotary positioner. The size of the volumetric chambers is adjusted on the fly. A hopper drops product into the chambers rotating thereunder. Product is dropped from the chambers through a slot in a shutter plate angularly spaced from the hopper. The chambers have a relatively extensive, open cross-section compared to chamber length and small doses of light density, static sensitive product is measured and dispensed rapidly.

Abstract: Vertical sealer apparatus in a pouch form, fill and seal machine capable of reducing undesirable vertical seal growth along a web of heat-sealable material. The apparatus includes a drum cast of aluminum and having a plurality of elongated slots directed along either side of a plurality of radially extending heated land areas which contact the web to form transverse seals. The apparatus further includes a fan to blow air through the elongated slots in the drum and along either side of the land areas to cool the web during intermittent operation of the vertical sealer apparatus.

Abstract: Methods of converting pitch on a pouch machine include using a standard drive table with above table change parts including sealer wheel, filler wheel and knife. The sealer wheels and filler wheels are retained at respectively the same diameters to facilitate use of the common drive and to facilitate maintenance of the pouch web path through the machine for all pouch pitch ranges. Pouch stations on the sealer and filler wheels are not limited to whole degree movements and pouch web speeds are preferably maintained constantly for all pouch pitch ranges.

Abstract: An end flap sealer for a cartoning machine for performing the step of closing and sealing at least one of the end flaps of each carton travelling along the conveyor of the cartoning machine. The cartoning machine includes a movable closer plow mounted adjacent the conveyor and having a top edge that slopes downwardly toward the approaching cartons on the conveyor of the cartoning machine. The closer plow is attached to a sliding member that is reciprocated to extend the closer plow above the conveyor of the cartoning machine as the carton moves adjacent the closer plow to fold the outermost end flap into a closed position against the other end flaps of the carton. The sliding rod is preferably angled toward the approaching cartons on the conveyor, such that the plow has components of motion both toward and away from entering cartons. The plow can be extended earlier and retracted sooner, providing increased compression duration and increasing cartoning speeds.

Abstract: A quick-disconnect lug for transporting cartons along the conveyor of a cartoning machine. The lug includes a base member for attachment to studs extending from the endless chain of the conveyor. The base member preferably has a pair of slots or recesses extending upwardly from its bottom edge for receiving the studs. A latch member is pivotally attached to the base member and includes a hooked end that acts to firmly engage one of the studs in a slot to lock the lug onto the conveyor chain. A spring member on the latch arm keeps the hooked end in a normally closed position to retain the hooked stud in a locked position. The pivot point of the latch member is positioned between the lever end and the hooked end of the spring member. The lever end may be moved downwardly to pivot the hooked end of the spring member out of the recess to allow a stud to be engaged or disengaged from the recess during machine set-up or changeover. Lugs are reset quickly and without tools.

Abstract: A transfer apparatus for transferring groups of shingled pouches from a pouch conveyor to the product buckets of a bucket conveyor. The shingled pouches are conveyed in groups on a pouch conveyor having an oscillating end. A drop box or accumulation chamber for accumulating the shingled pouches in stacks and then releasing the stacks at the appropriate time into the product buckets of the bucket conveyor is interposed at the discharge end of the pouch conveyor. The drop box is operatively interconnected with the oscillating end of the pouch conveyor and pouches are accumulated in stacked form therein. The drop box includes a drop gate that is opened in timed relation to the oscillating movements of the pouch conveyor as well as the linear movement of the bucket conveyor in order to release the stacks of pouches into the individual buckets of the bucket conveyor at the appropriate time.

Abstract: A pouch conditioner inverts a group of pouches, urges them together while conditioning the by vibrating them, reinverts them and deposits them into a confine container. Product is more evenly dispersed throughout the pouch, reducing the maximum pouch thickness and allowing packaging of a group of pouches in a smaller case than possible with pouches having product which is settled in the pouch bottom.

Abstract: A feeder wheel has a top surface and a peripheral edge, with volumetric measuring cavities upon at one end to said top surface and at a lower end to said edge. An endless belt is entrained about a portion of the edge, covering cavity outlets open to said edge, but said belt is pulled away from said edge by a pulley at one side of the wheel. Product is dispensed from the cavities when their outlets are uncovered by the belt as the wheel turns. The cavities are filled by dropping product onto the top surface of the wheel and by gradually plowing the product over and into the cavities. The final plow is slightly curved over a number of cavities so the last product cut is gently performed to increase repeatable volumetric accuracy of product in each cavity.

Abstract: A vacuum means for detecting transverse seal areas dividing unsealed areas in adjacent plies of a moving, multiple ply web includes vacuum ports defining a gap through which the web moves. Unsealed web areas are sucked against the ports. When a sealed area enters the gap, it is sucked to one or the other port, uncovering the opposite port. The ensuing pressure differential is sensed to indicate a seal entering or passing the gap. Seal signals are produced and used to control accurate cutting at the seals to separate the web into individual pouches. Control and circuitry apparatus and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A pouch form, fill seal apparatus includes a cutter having a plurality of radially extending knives and package guides which are simultaneously adjustable independently of the knives to accommodate a wider range of pouch chord variations due to pouch size or product fills.

Abstract: Pouch transfer apparatus for positioning over and generally transverse to the upstream end of a multiple lane pouch conveyor. The apparatus includes a transfer wheel carrying a plurality of suction heads about its outer periphery for picking pouches off a cutting apparatus that has cut a pouch strip into individual pouches. The transfer wheel distributes the individual pouches at three predetermined angular drop-off positions during the rotation of the transfer wheel. The suction heads are divided into three series or flights, i.e., a first series for dropping pouches into a near lane of the pouch conveyor, a second series for dropping pouches into a middle lane of the pouch conveyor, and a third series for dropping pouches into a far lane of the pouch conveyor. Positive pressure is supplied to each suction head at its drop-off point to eject the pouch into the appropriate conveyor lane.

Abstract: A web of pouches is fed past a detector. Inflating mechanism inflates individual pouches to create individual profiles. The detector responds to the appearance of a preselected distance between the surface of the pouch and the detector as each pouch passes the detector.

Abstract: Apparatus for shifting particulate material from one end of a pouch toward the other. In pouch form, fill, seal apparatus, a web of pouches is filled, the material tending to lodge in the bottom portion of each pouch. A pair of twisted belts pass the web on an upper and lower run wherein the bottom of the pouch is elevated as it passes over the belts to cause a product within the pouches to redistribute itself uniformly throughout the pouch.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for controlling the discharge of packages from a conveyor utilizing a rotary stop having a generally planar first surface selectively positionable to blocking and discharge positions; in one embodiment, the rotary stop further having a generally volute-shaped second surface connecting edges of the first surface such that the first surface blocks package discharge when the stop is in the blocking position and the second surface permits discharge when the stop is in the discharge position, and in another embodiment the rotary stop having a generally finger-shaped projection, one side of which forms the first surface. A separate ejector is provided to complete discharge of partially discharged packages by pushing such packages off the conveyor.