Abstract: Articles, such as glass containers, are fed continuously in end-to-end relationship through a pin spacer adapted to provide a space between adjacent rows so that cross partitions can be fed therebetween. The articles are then grouped by s pin type grouper to provide predetermined members of article rows and columns in each group. The columns of articles are then spread slightly to allow longitudinal extending partitions to be fed between adjacent columns. At the same time flat tray blanks are withdrawn from a horizontally extending magazine and provided on a lug conveyor located below the path of the grouped articles and each blank is mated with a group of articles at a load station where the blank is formed around the articles by a pocket chain conveyor and article folding means operated in conjunction with an overhead flight bar conveyor which cooperates with the trailing portion of each pocket to fold all flaps provided on the tray blank.

Abstract: Articles, such as glass containers, are fed continuously in end-to-end relationship through a pin spacer adapted to provide a space between adjacent rows so that cross partitions can be fed therebetween. The articles are then grouped by a pin type grouper to provide predetermined members of article rows and columns in each group. The columns of articles are then spread slightly to allow longitudinal extending partitions to be fed between adjacent columns. At the same time flat tray blanks are withdrawn from a horizontally extending magazine and provided on a lug conveyor located below the path of the grouped articles and each blank is mated with a group of articles at a load station where the blank is formed around the articles by a pocket chain conveyor and article folding means operated in conjunction with an overhead flight bar conveyor which cooperates with the trailing portion of each pocket to fold all flaps provided on the tray blank.

Abstract: Three wheels rotate together to achieve sequential movement of the leading top flap of a conventional packing case such that the case has its top flaps out-folded prior to the arrival of the case at a load station in a continuous motion packer.

Abstract: Two chain conveyor systems have two sets of grouper pins mounted on flight bars at a predetermined pitch so that the pins move upwardly between articles fed through a common upper run of the chain conveyors. One chain conveyor system is driven at a speed that varies sinusoidally and is synchronized with the speed of the articles. The other chain conveyor system is driven through a differential device so that its pins move at a speed which varies oppositely to the one chain conveyor system. Also disclosed is an improved chain conveyor and outfeed lug conveyor system for such a grouper.

Abstract: A finger assembly supports up to four molded fingers in circumaxially spaced relationship so that each finger can guide a bottle dropped downwardly through a pocket defined by four such finger assemblies in a packing case loader. Each finger has a spoon shaped lower end designed to preclude destructive reverse bending of the molded finger as a result of interference with a case or other impediment. The fingers are preferably biased by individual return springs and may move laterally at least slightly to accommodate misalignment between them and the case. These springs may comprise individual coil compression springs or be defined in the form of petals or leaves integrally formed in a plastic part with a central opening such that this part can be mounted to the lower face of the retaining member and be held in place by the same retaining member fastener as used to assemble the holder and retainer.

Abstract: A drop packer has a conventional shifting grid, with a funnel structure to guide the dropped articles into a packing case provided therebelow. The case is lifted to mate with funnel and has a resiliently biased platform to absorb the impact of the articles dropped into the case. The grid has control arms to lower each article at a controlled rate for at least an initial portion of its descent.

Abstract: A rotary packer has pendulously supported grids spaced around a circular orbit that includes a discharge station where each grid mates with a case to be loaded with articles dropped from the grid. Two adjacent grids are required to be so mated, at least during movement of one grid toward and the other grid out of the discharge station. The cases are moved at matching speeds by advancing the odd numbered cases with a first case conveyor and providing a second case conveyor for the even numbered cases.

Abstract: Cardboard packing cases, which have been loaded with bottles or the like, are fed to apparatus for severing the top flap connecting tabs at diagonally opposite corners of the case. These tabs are provided to hold the top flaps of the case in place during loading, but must be severed prior to closing and/or gluing of the top flaps at a succeeding stage in the packing of the product. The apparatus includes an infeed station where the cases are separated, by slowing each case on a flight bar conveyor having its flight spaced less than the length of the case, and then accelerating the case on the infeed conveyor to match the speed of a pocket chain conveyor. The case has its forward end lifted, and opposite corners tilted, on this pocket chain conveyor to spread the top flaps at the two corners of the case without connecting tabs. Guide plates on either side of the pocket chain conveyor serve to guide the case so that fixed knives cut both tabs without necessity for turning the case through 90 degrees.

Abstract: Two chain conveyor systems have two sets of grouper pins mounted on flight bars at a predetermined pitch so that the pins move upwardly between articles fed through a common upper run of the chain conveyors. One chain conveyor system is driven at a speed that varies sinusoidally and is synchronized with the speed of the articles. The other chain conveyor system is driven through a differential means so that its pins move at a speed which varies oppositely to the one chain conveyor system.

Abstract: A case feeding apparatus moves open cases onto a lift table where each case is moved upwardly onto the funnel portion of a shifting grid structure so that a slug of articles can be deposited therein. Line pressure advances the cases toward a retractable stop and side belts move the cases individually into an intermittently operated pair of case conveyors capable of handling cases of different size. Arrival of a case at the lift table triggers both the raising and lowering of the lift table and an indexing device controls the case conveyor cycle. The cases have their side flaps folded down by side guides to maintain the case in laterally centered positioned on the lift table and each case conveyor has either pusher lugs or leading lugs to control case position longitudinally.

Abstract: A paperboard tray blank has minimum height h in relation to the diameter D of the cans in the tray such that this diameter is equal to or greater than three times said height. The tray is formed from the blank by gluing corner tabs to the side walls or flaps, and the glue joint is compressed in a unique compression unit. The corner tabs have a length greater than the height h of the side and end walls so that the corners of the tray are provided with a tapered configuration which results in the ends of these corner tabs being engageable with the cans within the tray. The compression unit yieldably engages the outside of the tray to set the glue.

Abstract: An infeed conveyor drive has a speed pulse selectively applied thereto when the line brakes release articles held back on the conveyor for movement into a case packer grid. One way clutches couple the conveyor to a variable speed drive unit for producing a speed pulse of any desired magnitude.

Abstract: A plurality of grids are mounted individually on spokes of a wheel so that each grid moves through an article infeed station where groups of articles are fed into the grids without interrupting their forward speed. The orbit of the grids is such that each grid also moves through a discharge station where the article groups are dropped into packing cases again without interrupting the motion of the articles in the direction of a packing case conveyor.

Abstract: A finger assembly includes a holder supported in depending position on a horizontal rail in the case loader. Fingers extend downwardly and outwardly from the holder and are resiliently clamped therein by a retaining member. An elongated fastener extends upwardly through the retaining member and has its upper end secured in the holder. The retaining member is spring biased upwardly against inturned fulcrum defining portions of each finger and said retaining member cooperates with a downwardly open cavity in the holder to define a plurality of finger sockets therebetween. The fingers are held for limited movement toward and away from centered positions associated with pockets defined in the case loader for the articles being loaded, and each finger is also adapted for limited lateral movement in its associated socket, at least when the finger is not in its centered position in a pocket.

Abstract: Small glass bottles of unstable configuration are drop packed in several stages to fill a packing case capable of holding a relatively large number of such bottles. Separate slugs of articles are formed to fill predetermined portions of the case in a method which permits use of a conventional drop packer grid.

Abstract: A case packer has a grid with fixed lane guides to receive columns of articles in an array which can be isolated from articles on the infeed conveyor by upright posts on a shifting plate. The articles to be dropped are supported on a shifting grid which moves with the shifting plate up to a predetermined point where the plate and posts stop and the grid moves further and in a downstream direction to separate the articles being dropped from those held back by the posts.

Abstract: Three packing cases are disclosed each having a tray and a top portion so assembled that abutting marginal edges of the side and end panels of the tray and cover are adapted to support one case stacked upon another without relying upon the columnar strength of the contents of the case, and where the tray and cover individually have a vertical height significantly less than the height of the product contained in the case. The tray and cover are fabricated from a multiple ply corrugated cardboard material and conventionally formed from generally flat rectangulr blanks with uniquely arranged end flaps such that the flaps can be glued to the tray and nevertheless easily disassembled for purposes of displaying the contents of the tray after the cover has been removed.

Abstract: The shifting grid frame assembly of a drop packer has removable subassemblies so that the grid frame need not be removed for replacement to setup the packer for a different size product. The funnel portion of the grid is itself removable from the grid assembly, as are the riding strips along which the product moves into the grid.