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 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 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: 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 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: A cartoner has a side seam gluer for forming flat folded cartons which are vertically oriented in a magazine for feeding into the cartoner. A conveyor having a horizontally-movable discharge chute feeds the flat folded cartons in a vertical orientation onto the feeder. The discharge chute moves horizontally to follow the increasing or decreasing supply of cartons and permits the accumulation of a supply of cartons sufficient to run the cartoner for about two minutes in the event of a jam in the side seam gluer.

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: Method and apparatus for transferring tubes such as metallic tooth paste tubes from a tube filler to product buckets of a cartoner. Tubes are delivered by a conveyor to a tube filler onto the circumferential surface of a rotary drum which has at least one pocket in its surface. The pocket picks up the tube deposited on the surface of the drum and drops the tube into continuously-moving product buckets below the drum. Three gates are spaced along the conveyor to maintain a proper spacing of the tubes so that the tubes do not bang into one another and so that only one at a time is deposited onto the circumferential surface of the drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for transferring pouches from a conveyor into product buckets of a cartoner. The pouches are deposited in shingled fashion in spaced groups on two slow moving parallel conveyors. Mounted on the same frame are two fast-moving conveyors which overlap the slower conveyors. At the junctions of the conveyors check and release mechanisms are provided which in the load engaging position raise the level of the slow conveyors above the fast ones and in the disengaged position raise the fast conveyors above the slow conveyors to facilitate the transfer. The pouches are transferred to the fast moving conveyors to increase the longitudinal separation between pouches. Two side-by-side groups of pouches are marshalled at the end of the fast moving conveyors by another check and release mechanism. The fast moving conveyors are swung alongside continuously moving product buckets, and during such swinging movement the pouches are deposited into the product buckets.