Abstract: Apparatus for removing defective knocked down carton blanks, from a carton erecting machine. In one embodiment opposed sets of tractors for clamping the selected unit and driving it from the conveyor line with moving tractive belts. A sensing device detects carton blanks to be ejected by determining if they can be erected by the machine. Non-conforming blanks are returned to an unerected condition and a control device activated by the sensing device controls activation of the ejecting mechanism to quickly and automatically eject the defective carton blank.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring articles from one or more supply conveyors to one or more conveyors feeding cartoners. Articles are fed from the supply conveyors into a compartmented drum. The drum rotates and drops the articles onto the conveyors feeding the cartoners.

Abstract: A tube holder is adapted to be positioned in a ring on the conveyor of the tube filling machine. The tube holder is cup-shaped and has a central, generally cylindrical, tube gripper consisting of eight upwardly extending fingers. The fingers have radially inwardly directed pads on their upper ends. The fingers lean radially inwardly. When a tube is placed in them, they flex outwardly and provide a friction grip to the tube.

Abstract: A web is folded upon itself and transversely sealed. The web is cut into individual pouches which are fed into gripper units, on an endless conveyor, each having a fixed leading jaw and a movable trailing jaw which grip the leading and trailing edges of the pouches. To open a pouch, the trailing jaw is moved toward the fixed jaw by a cam and held in position by friction. Each opened pouch is carried around a filler unit where it is filled. Thereafter, a cam causes said jaws to spread apart, stretching the mouth of the pouch, where it is sealed in a heat sealer.

Abstract: A magazine for conveying cartons to a metering wheel. The magazine has a stack conveyor holding the bulk of the cartons in the magazine and a feed conveyor downstream from the stack conveyor. The two conveyors are separated by an upper inclined stop and lower ramp that keeps the cartons on the stack conveyor from applying pressure to the cartons on the feed conveyor.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for sealing the end of a thermoplastic tube wherein a tapered mandrel is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the tube and is inserted into the tube to force direct contact of the tube with the mandrel. After the contacted surface has fused, the mandrel is raised and a heated jet of air expands the tube, allowing the mandrel to be withdrawn. Jaws clamp the mandrel surfaces together to form the seal.

Abstract: Apparatus for removing defective knocked down carton blanks, from a carton erecting machine. In one embodiment opposed sets of tractors for clamping the selected unit and driving it from the conveyor line with moving tractive belts. A sensing device detects carton blanks to be ejected by determining if they can be erected by the machine. Non-conforming blanks are returned to an unerected condition and a control device activated by the sensing device controls activation of the ejecting mechanism to quickly and automatically eject the defective carton blank.

Abstract: Apparatus for adjusting the knives of a pouch form, fill, seal machine. The knives are to cut pouches from a web. The knives are mounted in a generally cylindrical cage for radial sliding movement with respect to the cage. An axially movable cone inside the cage has slots in its conical surface that receive the inner ends of the knives. A screw is provided to move the cone axially to change the radial position of the knives.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for feeding carton blanks to a side seam gluer. The blanks are removed from the discharge end of a conveyor by a friction belt so as to shingle the blanks. The shingled blanks are delivered to a feed hopper in such a way that the feed hopper maintains a constant height of carton blanks. The blanks are fed, one at a time, from the feed hopper.

Abstract: Pouch filling apparatus having a horizontal rotatable drum, an inclined spout plate rotatably mounted above the drum and a metering wheel mounted above the spout plate. A plurality of duck bill spouts are mounted on the spout plate and a plurality of cams are mounted on the drum. The duck bill spouts carry cam followers that engage the cams as the inclined spout plate moves the spouts downwardly with respect to the drum that carries the cams.

Abstract: A cartoner has a generally horizontal magazine and a rotary feeder at the discharge end of the magazine, the rotary feeder having a knife that is generally parallel to the plane of the cartons to slice the cartons one at a time from the stack in the magazine. A mechanism is provided for pivoting the plane of the slicing blade to follow the plane of the upper edges of the cartons in the event that the cartons become twisted in the magazine.

Abstract: A cartoner having a main drive and elements such as transport lugs, product bucket elements that are adjustable to accommodate different sizes of cartons. The disclosure is directed to automatic means for varying the positions of those elements automatically using the power of the main drive to accomplish the adjustment.

Abstract: A web of pouches is carried around a rotating drum. Above the drum is a filler. The filler has a lower stationary plate with an arcuate slot in it. Above the stationary plate are two rotating plates which are vertically-spaced apart. The plates have aligned holes forming cups. A hopper is located above the rotating plates to pour product onto the rotating plates. A separator is located between the rotating plates and overlies the slot in the stationary plate whereby the lower primary cups are filled through the upper secondary cups and are discharged into pouches through the slot in the stationary plate while the separator holds back the product in the upper secondary cups.

Abstract: Apparatus for cartoning liquid-filled pouches. A horizontal intermittent motion cartoner conveys cartons in a vertical orientation. At a first station, a hole is formed in a lower major flap. At a second station, glue is applied in a circular pattern around the hole. The flaps are then closed with the glue exposed to the inside bottom of the carton. A liquid-filled pouch is deposited by gravity into the carton. The upper portion of the pouch is tamped within the carton and the upper flaps closed and sealed.

Abstract: In a cartoning machine, apparatus for erecting a carton. The apparatus includes a channel-shaped element having spaced parallel walls and suction cups between the walls of the channel-shaped element. The channel-shaped element engages a carton in a magazine. The suction cups draw the carton into the area between the walls of the channel-shaped element and in so doing cause the carton to open.

Abstract: Apparatus for feeding flat folded cartons from a stationary magazine to a continuously moving conveyor. The magazine has a choke at its discharge end formed from parallel guides which are spaced apart a distance less than the distance between the two folded edges of the cartons. A rotary carrier is located adjacent the magazine and the conveyor. A plurality of planetary members with attached suction cups are rotatably mounted on the carrier. A fixed cam cooperates with cam followers mounted on the planetary members to cause the planetary members to rotate on their own axes as the carrier rotates to pick up cartons from the magazine, open them and deposit them gently between transport lugs on the conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus transforms a single file of articles on a conveyor into separated batches of articles on the conveyor. The batches of articles are discharged into receptacles such as product buckets. The separation of the articles into batches provides sufficient time between the batch discharges to index successive receptacles into position at the discharge end of the single file conveyor.

Abstract: A high speed feeder for cartons being fed into a cartoner includes both mechanical and fluid flow environments for precisely delivering cartons. A preferably inclined conveyor receives cartons stacked on their edges and in a generally vertical orientation. A rotating metering wheel at the downstream end of the conveyor engages the top edges of the cartons and separates them one at a time from the incoming stack. A blower is provided to direct air onto the cartons adjacent the metering wheel to (a) blow the cartons against the metering wheel, (b) blow air between the first and second cartons of the stack as the metering wheel separates the first from the second, and (c) blow the cartons down to a horizontal attitude. Horizontal feed chains having feed lugs receive the horizontal cartons and advance them one at a time into the cartoner. Vacuum nozzles are provided to aid in controlling carton placement on the feed chains and lugs throughout a broad range of feed speeds. Methods are included.

Abstract: A barrel loader for a cartoner having a product conveyor and a carton conveyor. A plurality of pusher heads are carried on two spaced endless chains. A cam track between the chains cooperates with cam followers on the heads to cam the heads toward the product conveyor to thrust product into the cartons. A switch on the cam track diverts a pusher head from the cam track upon detecting the absence of a carton with which the pusher head is associated.

Abstract: In a cartoner for filling and sealing tubular cartons wherein the cartons are carried between leading and trailing transport lugs, a mechanism for squaring the cartons consisting of inclining a leading lug in a rearward direction to engage a corner of a carton to hold the carton in an erect, squared attitude.