Abstract: Apparatus for assembling articles in succession into horizontal groups of sidewise adjacent articles and for transferring the article groups to an unloading station. The apparatus includes a feed conveyor for feeding articles in succession to an article loading station, an endless pusher conveyor having an upper run extending forwardly along a generally horizontal path from the article loading station to a group unloading station, and first and second endless type control conveyors each having an upper run extending forwardly along the generally horizontal path from the loading station past the unloading station.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus for feeding, erecting, loading and closing cartons. The packaging apparatus comprises a generally vertically extending carton transfer mechanism for advancing cartons upwardly in step fashion from a carton infeed station adjacent the lower end of the carton transfer mechanism past a carton loading station and to a carton discharge station at the upper end of the carton transfer mechanism. A carton transfer mechanism that includes laterally spaced carton guides that are open at the front and rear sides and transfer slides that are reciprocable along the carton guides. A carton magazine supports a stack of cartons adjacent the open front side of the carton guides and a carton infeed mechanism is mounted for movement in a plane parallel to and between the guides to withdraw cartons from the end of the stack and feed the cartons with open end leading into a position between the guides.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus for assembling wrapped stick confections from a multi-lane packaging machine into groups with the stick ends of the wrapped stick confections overlapping. The packaging apparatus comprises endless type first and second conveyors each having product pushers at uniformly spaced locations therealong for advancing stick confections crosswise of their length from a loading station sequentially past a weighing station and an ejecting station to a stacking station. Mechanism is provided at the loading station for feeding wrapped stick confections from the multi-lane wrapping machine into the pockets on first and second conveyors with the stick ends in juxtaposition.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making bag-type packages from strip web material in which a lead end portion of strip web material is formed around a forward end portion of a mandrel and the sleeve is advanced with the mandrel during at least a portion of the forward stroke of the mandrel. A sleeve opening device on the lead end of the mandrel is extended through the end of the sleeve to open the sleeve and the mandrel is retracted and transversely sealed and severed at a location inwardly of its open end to form a bag. A turret is provided for gripping the open end of the bag at a bag loading station and transferring the bag with its open end up sequentially to a bag filling station and to a top closing and sealing station.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding web material from a supply roll to processing equipment of the type that exerts an intermittent pulley force on the web during intermittent advance through the processing equipment. The web feed apparatus includes a brake for controlling unwinding rotation of the web supply roll which is operated under the control of a dancer to decrease the braking action when the web is fed at a rate faster than the rate at which it unwinds from the supply roll. The web feed apparatus also includes web feed rollers arranged to drive both sides of a folded web while both sides of the web are under the same tension.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for filling open-top containers with a flowable semi-solid material in which the material is discharged in substantially continuous fashion to a downwardly opening nozzle. An empty container is elevated into partial telescoping relative with the nozzle and moves downwardly as it is filled. The filled container is moved crosswise of the nozzle and the vertical position of the container relative to the nozzle is controlled during movement crosswise of the nozzle to initially maintain the upper edge of the filled container below the lowre edge of the nozzle at its discharge side to shear off material at a level above the top of the container and to thereafter move the filled container upwardly sufficient to cause the trailing upper edge of the filled container to substantially wipe across the lower edge of the nozzle at the discharge side thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing material into containers as they are advanced by a conveyor. The dispensing apparatus includes a nozzle having a product outlet at its lower end, a crank connected to the nozzle for moving the nozzle in an upright closed loop course, a dispenser control mounted for oscillation about a swing axis above the crank axis, and mechanism connecting the nozzle to the dispenser control for relative sliding movement so that the nozzle oscillates about the swing axis and also reciprocates relative to the dispenser control as the nozzle is moved in its closed loop course. Valve mechanism on the nozzle is operated between its open and closed positions in response to reciprocation of the nozzle toward and away from the dispenser outlet.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus for erecting, filling and closing generally rectangular cartons which are supplied in an initially flattened condition. The packaging apparatus has a filling station, lateral carton guides for guiding cartons from a carton infeed station past the filling station to a delivery station. An elongated carrier member extends along the path and has rigid pusher fingers at spaced locations therealong extending crosswise of the path, and the carrier members are driven by spaced carrier drives each including four sprockets and a chain entrained around the sprockets and connected to the carrier members to move them in a generally rectangular closed loop course.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus having a filling station, a downwardly opening nozzle at the filling station for dispensing a stream of semi-fluid material, means for advancing containers past the filling station, and container elevator means at the filling station for lifting a container into a position in which the upper portion of the container extends around the nozzle. Continuously driven container feed rollers are mounted at opposite sides of the nozzle and are operated in timed relation with the container elevator, first toward the nozzle to feed the container upwardly along the nozzle and then away from the nozzle to allow the container to move down as it is filled.

Abstract: A packaging apparatus for erecting, filling and closing paperboard cartons of a type that are initially supplied in a flattened condition and have four body panels, lower closure flaps; and an open top, and a separate plastic cover. The packaging apparatus opens and erects the paperboard cartons in an inverted position and advances the cartons while inverted along a path past a filling station. Covers are fed to a position below the cartons and are pressed into the open ends of the cartons as they are advanced along the path and before they reach the filling station. The lower closure flaps are thereafter folded to close the cartons.

Abstract: A tension controlled apparatus for feeding web material from a supply source to processing equipment of the type that exerts a pulling force on the web, the apparatus including a drive wheel and a driven wheel mounted for rotation about an axis parallel to the drive wheel and for shifting movement toward and away from the drive wheel, a web feed roller connected coaxially to the driven wheel for rotation thereby and means for guiding the web material to cause it to wrap part way around the web feed roller as it passes from the supply source to the processing equipment and exits from the web feed roller in an exiting direction having a substantial component in a direction to shift the driven wheel into driving engagement with the drive wheel in response to tension applied by the processing machine on the web of material exiting from the feed roller.

Abstract: A machine for wrapping elongated articles of the type in which the machine advances a strip of wrapping material past a loading station, folds the strip into a tube around the articles and longitudinally seals the strip as it is advanced past a longitudinal sealing station, and thereafter transversely seals the tube between the articles and severs the tube to form separate packages.

Abstract: The machine of this invention applies successive lengths of tape, such as tear-tape, to a continuously moving products, such as a web about to be die cut for forming boxes. The application of the tapes is registration-correlated with the product. Self-adhesive tape is drawn from a roll by a capstan roll which provides a controlled feed of the tape to an applicator wheel. The applicator wheel draws the tape around the applicator wheel, holding it by suction. When a predetermined length on the applicator wheel has passed a cut-off point, that length is cut off, and then the wheel presses its adhesive face against the moving web. The applicator wheel has the same peripheral speed as the web, but the capstan roll, though rotating with it, is substantially smaller and has a lower peripheral speed.

Abstract: Adjustable cam actuated switch mechanism of the type in which the switch is operated by a rotating cam means on a timing shaft. The cam means includes a cam plate that is rotatable relative to the timing shaft and the cam plate is adjustably connected to the shaft through a differential gear mechanism including a pair of spur gears of like pitch diameter but having relatively different number of teeth, one of which is drivingly connected to the timing shaft and the other of which is drivingly connected to the cam plate and a pinion gear that meshes with both spur gears and is carried by a housing that encloses the spur gears and which is rotatable relative to the timing shaft to angularly adjust the cam relative to the shaft.