Abstract: A carton pulling assembly pulls a partially formed carton from a mandrel on a form, fill and seal packaging machine. The machine has a vacuum source for providing a vacuum and includes a machine controller. The partially formed carton has a sealed bottom wall. The carton pulling assembly includes a carton puller element movable in a reciprocating manner toward and away from the mandrel. A vacuum head assembly is mounted to the carton puller element for reciprocating movement therewith. The vacuum head assembly includes a cylinder and a finger configured for reciprocating movement within the cylinder having a suction element mounted thereto. The finger has a vacuum channel for communicating vacuum from the cylinder to the suction element. The finger is movable between an extended position in which the suction element contacts and engages the partially formed carton sealed bottom wall and a retracted position in which the reciprocating finger pulls the carton from the mandrel.

Abstract: A carton pulling assembly pulls a partially formed carton from a mandrel on a form, fill and seal packaging machine. The machine has a vacuum source for providing a vacuum and includes a machine controller. The partially formed carton has a sealed bottom wall. The carton pulling assembly includes a carton puller element movable in a reciprocating manner toward and away from the mandrel. A vacuum head assembly is mounted to the carton puller element for reciprocating movement therewith. The vacuum head assembly includes a cylinder and a finger configured for reciprocating movement within the cylinder having a suction element mounted thereto. The finger has a vacuum channel for communicating vacuum from the cylinder to the suction element. The finger is movable between an extended position in which the suction element contacts and engages the partially formed carton sealed bottom wall and a retracted position in which the reciprocating finger pulls the carton from the mandrel.

Abstract: A packaging that is capable to simultaneously process cartons having two different cross-sections, or to convert from processing a carton having one cross-section to a processing cartons having another cross-section. Using TETRA REX.RTM. gable top cartons as an example, a dual line packaging machine may process cartons having a 95 mm.times.70 mm cross-section on one line and process cartons having a 95 mm.times.95 mm cross-section on the other line. The packaging machine may have eccentric housing column for simple adjustments of the width of the lines.