Abstract: A belt transfer section for use in a right angle carton blank feeder. The belt transfer section nips the leading edge of articles leaving a feeding mechanism and moves them to another feeding mechanism operating at right angles to the first mechanism. The belt transfer section moves the articles along a diagonal path connecting the paths of movement on the other feeding mechanisms. Articles are moved by the belt transfer section at a speed greater than the speeds of the other feeding mechanisms according to the ratio of the length of the diagonal path, considered as the hypotenuse of an imaginary right triangle, to the other legs of the triangle.

Abstract: A clip-type carrier is provided with an outer wrap having a top panel overlying and adhered to the support body of the carrier. Side panels of partial or full height are connected to the top panel of the outer wrap and either end panels or a bottom panel or both connect the side panels. Other package variations are formed by wrapping a plurality of carrier units together, including packages formed by wrapping stacked carrier units. The basic carrier unit may be formed in a first module or packaging station from which the units are sent by conveyor to one of a plurality of other wrapping modules, depending on the style of package desired.

Abstract: A neck clip bottle carrier having a handle panel extending up from the angled side panels. The lower edges of openings in the side panels engage the undersides of bottle flanges to support the bottles. The openings continue into the handle panel, and the upper edges also engage the undersides of the bottle flanges when the handle panel is folded down. This maintains the handle panel below the tops of the bottles to allow the carriers to be stacked. One of the openings extending into the handle panel is a handle opening. The upper edge of the handle opening is of arcuate shape in order to distribute lifting and carrying stresses into the side panels.

Abstract: A carrier containing a plurality of layers of articles, such as beverage cans, arranged in stacked end-to-end fashion. The carrier is fully enclosed and is formed with overlapping top panel flaps which produce an area of double thickness between handle openings in the flaps. A reinforcing sheet on the underside of the top panel in the double layer area protects against tearing, while stress relief lines in the form of score lines extending from the ends of the handle opening to the corners of the carrier provide for distribution of lifting and carrying stresses. A separator sheet preventing direct contact between stacked articles extends between layers and may include distortable areas aligned with the articles. Downward pressure on the upper layer causes the bottom of an article to force the distortable area into a recess in the top of the next lower article.

Abstract: A cartoner assembly loading article groups into open carton sleeves. The cartoner assembly comprises an article infeed mechanism supplying at least one stream of articles, an article selecting mechanism intersecting the article infeed mechanism to form and move a stream of article groups of a predetermined pattern, a carton supply mechanism synchronized and moving parallel with said article selecting mechanism to provide cartons with open ends facing the moving article groups, and an article group transfer mechanism constructed and arranged to move article groups into the open ends of the carton sleeves.

Abstract: This relates to a transfer mechanism for transferring cartons from a magazine for such cartons. The mechanism includes first and second plates which are joined together for rotation in unison about a fixed shaft. The second plate has pivotally connected thereto a generally radially extending member to which there are connected parallel links which, in turn, are pivotally connected to a carrier in the form of a link parallel to the member and the carrier in turn carries a pair of suction type pickup heads. One of the parallel links extends beyond the other from the carrier and carries a cam follower which is engaged with a cam that is fixedly connected to the first plate for rotation therewith. The fixed shaft also carries a fixed gear which is meshed with a gear which is rotatably mounted on the first plate and which carries an eccentric pin engaged in a slot in the radially extending member to rock the same about its pivot.

Abstract: A carrier containing a plurality of layers of articles arranged in stacked end-to-end fashion. The carrier is fully enclosed and is formed with overlapping top panel flaps which produce an area of double thickness between handle openings in the flaps. A reinforcing sheet on the underside of the top panel in the double layer area protects against tearing, while stress relief lines in the form of score lines extending from the ends of the handle opening to the corners of the carrier provide for distribution of lifting and carrying stresses.

Abstract: A basket-style carrier having a top panel for enclosing the carrier. The top panel comprises flaps foldably connected to the side panels which contain openings through which a top portion of articles packaged in the carrier extend. The flaps also include at least one fold line extending parallel to the side panels, allowing the flaps to be folded over so that their free ends extend to and contact the center partition of the carrier. This biases the top panel flap edges against the center partition and an edge of the opening against the underside of flanges or other transversely extending projections of the articles packaged in the carrier. The handle in a center partition may be designed as a three-ply reinforced handle.

Abstract: An article rotating assembly and process for rotating articles to a predetermined orientation on a moving conveyor. The assembly comprises movable article control structures and cooperating vertical motion and rotational motion assemblies which are synchronized with the conveyor. Each article control structure is constructed and arranged for vertical and rotational movement above the moving conveyor and is controlled by cam follower and guide track structures to engage and rotate articles on the moving conveyor to a predetermined orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for merging articles on multiple infeed lines into a single outfeed line. The apparatus comprises a frame structure with an infeed end and an outfeed end, and at least two side transfer conveyors, each with a pair of parallel upstanding belts separated a predetermined distance and forming a central conveyance path. The side transfer conveyors are alternately operable to convey a predetermined number of articles to the outfeed end. A guide rail structure is located at the outfeed end and is aligned with the side transfer conveyors to direct output articles into a single line configuration.

Abstract: A hexagonal basket-style carrier formed from a unitary blank. Each side panel is connected to a triangular bottom panel section forming a segment of the bottom panel of the carrier. The bottom panel sections are connected by triangular tuck panels having folds which extend up into the interior of the carrier on opposite sides of the handle to divide the carrier into cells. Tabs on the ends of the handle are connected with slots in the carrier to hold the handle and bottom panel in place.

Abstract: Integral retaining means in an open-ended wrap-around carrier for preventing the spaced bottom portions of articles such as tapered tubs from engaging each other and escaping the carrier through the open end. The bottom panel is comprised of inner and outer mechanically connected flaps. The outer bottom panel flap contains a retainer flap at each end connected along a fold line overlying the inner edge of an opening in the inner bottom panel flap. The retainer flaps extend up into the interior of the carrier through the openings in the inner bottom panel flap, and include spaced converging fold lines which create angled side walls for engaging the bottom portions of the articles.

Abstract: A sleeve-type article carrier and a blank for forming the same. The end panels of the carrier comprise overlapping end flaps which overlie dust flaps such that a single stripe of adhesive can be used to adhere the overlapping end flap to the overlapped end flap and to the underlying dust flaps. The end flaps and dust flaps are dimensioned so that the blank can be die cut from a web of no greater width than is used in producing blanks of conventional design.

Abstract: A carrier for articles such as beverage cans of the type that grip the top portions of the cans so as to suspend them from the carrier. The upper ends of the cans extend through apertures in the bottom panel of the carrier, and the chimes or lips of the cans are engaged by locking tabs surrounding the aperture. Glue flaps foldably connected to the bottom panel adjacent the can apertures by connecting flap segments overlie the upper ends of the cans. The connecting flap segments contain support tabs which assist in supporting the cans, thereby providing support substantially throughout the circumference of the cans.

Abstract: An article carrier having handle openings in the end panels. Handle openings are provided in end panel flaps connected to the top panel. The end panel flaps overlie a second layer of material also containing handle openings so that the handle openings in the end panel flaps are aligned with the handle openings in the second layer, thus providing handle openings of double thickness. The second layer may be a flap connected to an inner top panel layer underlying the top panel or it may comprise end panel flaps connected to the side panels.

Abstract: A modified glue flap of a folding carton blank for preventing glue from being squeezed out during the step of adhering the glue flap to the opposite end panel. The face of the glue flap engaged by the glue back-up wheel includes a protrusion near the trailing edge of the flap. Engagement of the protrusion by the back-up wheel causes the glue wheel to skip the trailing area of the flap. The absence of glue in this area prevents glue from being squeezed out when sealing pressure is subsequently applied to the glue flap and the opposite end panel. The protrusion may take the form of an embossed ridge, forming a channel on the opposite side of the protrusion for receiving any excess glue which would have been squeezed out.