Abstract: In a method for packaging products at least one product to be packaged is placed in a bag by means of a bag filling device, after which a number of bags are placed in a box. The placing of the products in bags is synchronised with the placing of the bags in boxes and also the placing of the boxes in a direction of conveyance.

Abstract: An automated method for dispensing pharmaceuticals particularly tablets and capsules, and other small discrete objects, includes: receiving prescription information, selecting a container, labeling the container, dispensing the tablets or capsules into the labeled container, applying a closure to the filled, labeled container, and offloading the container to a designated location. Preferably, the tablets are dispensed with high speed dispensing bins that employ forced air to agitate and singulate the tablets. The other functions within the system are typically carried out at stations designed to offer speed, flexibility and precision to the dispensing operation.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading trays with vials receives vials from an input channel and transmits the vials through a discharge channel to a tray for processing, e.g. autoclaving. The vials are conveyed by rotation of a pusher wheel having a series of radially extending, biased fingers on the periphery thereof. An outer guide is located adjacent to the pusher wheel to form a channel for the vials being conveyed. The side edge of the pusher wheel and an opposed side edge of the guide are formed with a lateral protrusion at the upper portion thereof to prevent tipping of the vials.

Abstract: A system, and associated components and methodology, that automatically acquires data representative of the space left in each of a series of containers (32) in which one or more articles have been placed for packaging, and dispenses a controlled amount of dunnage material based on that data from a selected one of a plurality of dunnage dispensers (12). The system includes void volume data acquisition apparatus (11) for acquiring void volume data for the containers sequentially supplied thereto and for associating the sequentially acquired void volume data with the container. The system also includes a plurality of dunnage dispensers remotely located relative to the void volume data acquisition apparatus to dispense a controlled amount of dunnage material for insertion into one of the containers selectively transported to that dispenser from the void volume data acquisition apparatus.

Abstract: A packaging machine includes a grouper section having changeable lane sizes and a dual servo grouper that separates product into product sets and allow the product sets to accelerate to the lane chain speed in a controlled manner. The grouper section further includes disappearing lugs that pivot into the lanes via a cam surface provided in the lanes. The product rides upon a raised surface of the cam surface as the lug pushes the product set together down the lane, thus ensuring that no gaps are provided between product set members. A gripper/grid section of the packaging machine includes a bars that travel about a carousel with a gripper head assembly and a grid assembly pair moving up and down the bars as defined by cam surfaces within the gripper/grid section. The grid section is presented below the product set such that the product set is fed through the grid section in a one-way trip into a case. The gripper head assembly cam device and the case feed section both include height adjustment assemblies.

Abstract: A system and method of vertically loading a product into a carton includes a bucket assembly and a funnel forming a lower portion of the bucket assembly. An open carton having a scoreline between a machine-side flap and the opening is positioned underneath the bucket assembly and a gate of the bucket assembly is moved from a closed position to an open position away from the scoreline of the carton.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for the individual production of rigid containers that are open on one side, such as cones or cups, by inserting the containers into dimensionally stable individually produced sleeves which are matched to their external contour. The containers are transported through by a transport apparatus having a plurality of transport tracks lying beside one another under a discharge apparatus, which deposits the sleeves in the transport tracks. The discharge apparatus includes a support provided with discharge channels extending obliquely downward for the bar-shaped stacks of sleeves, a holding apparatus disposed downstream of the support, for the stacks of sleeves, and a transfer apparatus having a carriage which is provided with suction heads, can be moved back and forth above the transport tracks and draws the sleeves off the stacks of sleeves with its suction heads and deposits them on the transport tracks.

Abstract: An inventive method, system and apparatus are provided for syringe handling, and more particularly, for syringe labeling, filling and capping operations. To facilitate syringe handling, an inventive apparatus includes a plurality of syringe bodies interconnected in a predetermined orientation by a belt. Such belt may be of pliable construction and may define a predetermined spacing in between adjacent ones of the syringe bodies, such predetermined spacing corresponding with a distance between holders provided in a handling apparatus. The syringe handling apparatus may provide for the placement of contents-related information on belt segments between adjacent syringe bodies and for separating the belt segments, wherein a flap is left interconnected to each syringe body. The syringe handling apparatus may alternatively or also provide for automated filling of the syringe bodies wherein cap removal, filling and cap replacement operations are completed free from manual handling.

Abstract: A device and a method for serially depositing a filamentary strand into several cans of a can creel with a traversable depositing device. The depositing device comprises a conveyance means which is held in such a manner that it can be moved and which can be guided into several depositing positions. The strand is fed continuously to the conveyance means and from each depositing position at least one of the cans of the can creel can be filled by the conveyance means. In order to make the filling of a plurality of cans in the can creel as rapid and flexible as possible, the depositing device comprises a robot with a multi-axis robot arm, where the robot carries the conveyance means at the free end of its robot arm. Thus, the conveyance means can be guided, in its positioning as well as in its movements for filling the can, by the multi-axis robot arm of the robot.

Abstract: The invention finds application in the field of systems for orderly packaging of plastic preforms in carton boxes. The system comprises a manipulator unit (6), having a vacuum gripping head (23) and one or more units (10) for handling and inserting separators (12) in the carton box (13) to be filled. The head (23) comprises a plurality of compartments (30) conforming to the shape of the performs (2) whereas the separator (12) has a plurality of partitions (12a) parallel to one of its sides and equally spaced at a distance at least corresponding to the length of the preform (2).

Abstract: A magazine and tube dispensing method is provided. The magazine includes a receiving compartment for temporarily receiving unfilled tubes intended for filling with a flowable product, the compartment being formed with a movable outer rail wall. A gate assembly downstream from the receiving compartment includes a constriction passageway formed between a lateral inner wall and a lateral member wall allowing downward gravity feed of tubes only in a single file. The lateral member wall is movable in a direction toward or away from the lateral inner wall and integrally movable as a member of the outer rail wall, thereby adjusting a cross-sectional dimension of the passageway to accommodate processing of different diameter tubes.

Abstract: In a machine for packaging articles into boxes, an articles feeding line is formed by two runs and extends beside the machine according to different possible configurations. The runs can be oriented on a horizontal plane, independently, so as to allow different possible arrangements of the machine with respect to a production line. Likewise, an articles outlet line can be arranged in alignment with longitudinal extension of the machine or perpendicular to longitudinal extension of the machine, to allow the machine to be connected with working units arranged either in alignment or perpendicular to the machine.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for supplying and processing packages arranged on carrier elements, especially drinks packages, using a continuous conveyor belt on which the carrier elements are arranged. The aim of the invention is to be able to further process carrier elements which are continuously supplied by means of a conveyor belt in a processing station in a reliable manner with few technical resources. To this end, two advancing rollers are provided to the right and to the left of the conveyor belt, the rotational axes thereof being perpendicular to the plane of the conveyor belt; two rotating clock belts are provided in the running direction of the conveyor belt, behind the advancing rollers; said clock belts rotate in a plane parallel to the plane of the conveyor belt, and respectively comprise a strand facing the other clock belt; and the strands facing each other run parallel to each other, at a distance corresponding to the width of the carrier elements.

Abstract: A semi-automated packaging apparatus allows for an operator to fill a presented container without contaminating the container rim. The presentation of an empty container and subsequent removal of a filled container are performed automatically under control of the operator. The apparatus comprises a plurality of separate, removable modules including: a de-nester module for separating the containers from a stack; a container-presenting module for moving the currently de-nested container into position to be filled by an operator and subsequently removing a filled container; a removable tray with a central opening to allow an operator to place foodstuffs in the presented container; and a user interface module, coupled to each of the other modules for allowing the selection of the proper container opening dimensions (associated with the proper tray selection) and depth dimension (associated with the proper movement of the container-presenting module), as well as to control the “pace” of the packaging operation.

Abstract: An installation for packaging tablets in a blister strip moving beneath a bulk feed device for tablets, the installation includes a distribution system comprising a mounting stand (1) for motorized control elements which has an attachment surface (100) provided with at least two sets of fixing members (41, 42) for detachably mounting thereon at least two interchangeable distribution units, each in working relationship with at least some of said motorized control elements in order to drive corresponding parts to execute the distribution of the tablets between the bulk feed device and the blister strip. Such interchangeable units may preferably include at least one dispersion-based distribution unit with rotating brushes in succession above the travel path of the blister strip, and at least one channel-based distribution unit with descending guide ramps for the tablets.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding a blister band moved in a forward direction, with a number of interconnected walls defining a bottom closed by the blister band set in motion, to define a chamber. At least two units are arranged in series and separated by a plate, and operate in the chamber. An article supply leads to each unit of the chamber for feeding articles onto the blister band in motion, while a brush works near the plate and near a fore wall in counter-rotation with respect to the forward direction of the blister band to reject possible articles not entered into the blisters of the band or placed in the blisters in double.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging products in boxes provided with a supporting footing, a box feeding magazine, at least one pick-up device, at least one feeder conveyor of products to be placed in the boxes, at least one rotating carousel for receiving in a plurality of peripheral receptacles that have one open side, from the pick-up device, the boxes in a parallelepipedal configuration, and with axial pusher elements. The feeder conveyor has a loop element provided with supporting cups for the products to be placed in boxes.

Abstract: In a container carrier system and method for use in an automated process for filling containers of multiple sizes, pucks of various sizes are inserted into compartments of container pallets to allow containers of different sizes to be held in the compartments. A puck configuration subsystem can be used to configure each pallet to hold a desired combination of containers of two or more container sizes by inserting and removing pucks from the compartments. A pallet conveyor can be used to transport configured pallets from the puck configuration subsystem to the filling process and return empty pallets to the puck configuration subsystem for reconfiguration.

Abstract: Beverage bottle handling and filling machine for containers, such as bottles and cans, with lifting devices to lift the containers by the mouth or neck upward to engage beverage discharge openings to permit filling. The filling machine has a piston/cylinder arrangement that is designed to be pressurized to exert a force on the lifting device in the direction of the initial upward movement to tighten the seal between the bottle mouth and the discharge opening. The cylinder chamber is realized in the form of a duct for permitting flow of pressure media to pressurize the container and the piston/cylinder arrangement.

Abstract: Apparatus for packaging articles in clear clamshell packages includes a pair of parallel relatively narrow, laterally spaced apart conveyor belts that support there-between a package in open position by its opposing side peripheries. A stack of packages is supported in nested configuration adjacent the front end of the conveyor and de-nester mechanism withdraws packages there-from and places them on the conveyor. As the package is advanced a robotic arm picks and places articles of commerce and associated product information card in the package cavity. A rotating roller coated with UV-responsive adhesive coats raised male surfaces of the advancing package. Next an air knife sends a jet of air upwardly to cause the open package lid to rotate upwardly to cover the article-receiving portion. A driven roller presses the lid downwardly to fully close it and cause the adhesive coated surfaces to fully engage the corresponding grooves on the article-receiving portion.

Abstract: In an apparatus for filling a blister band with products, two or more work units are carried by relative carriages and have hoppers fed with different kinds of products. The products are then supplied to discharge conduits leading to the blisters of the band. Strips are fastened to lower ends of the discharge conduits and match with the upper surface of the blister band. The carriages are operated in a to-and-fro motion, so as to center, the lower ends of the discharge conduits with respect to the blisters, and to maintain this centering for a prefixed time. The holes remain coaxial to the lower ends of the conduits, situated above, to allow passage of one product from each discharge conduit to a blister.

Abstract: Damage or deformation of a container in a processing device downstream a convey path is prevented. A filling device includes a filling unit (1), star wheel (2), and timing screw (3). Containers (10) are supplied to the timing screw (3) by a conveyor (6) along a convey path. A container control apparatus includes a control member (11) which controls supply and stop of the containers (10) before the timing screw (3), a driving unit (13) which drives the control member (11), and a sensor (35) which detects a state of the timing screw (3) such as a rotation angle. When the containers (10) are to be stopped, the driving unit (13) controls the control member (11) under the control of a control unit (30) to stop the containers (10) in accordance with a detection result of the sensor (35).

Abstract: An improved bagger or bag dispenser for supplying bags attached to strips in a bag assembly to a workstation includes a reversible drive that pulls the bag assembly from a supply to the work station and returns unused bags to the supply when changing bag assemblies. The bagger includes a winding spool having tapered ribs and valleys.

Abstract: An inventive method, system and apparatus are provided for syringe handling, and more particularly, for syringe labeling, filling and capping operations. To facilitate syringe handling, an inventive apparatus includes a plurality of syringe bodies interconnected in a predetermined orientation by a belt. Such belt may be of pliable construction and may define a predetermined spacing in between adjacent ones of the syringe bodies, such predetermined spacing corresponding with a distance between holders provided in a handling apparatus. The syringe handling apparatus may provide for the placement of contents-related information on belt segments between adjacent syringe bodies and for separating the belt segments, wherein a flap is left interconnected to each syringe body. The syringe handling apparatus may alternatively or also provide for automated filling of the syringe bodies wherein cap removal, filling and cap replacement operations are completed free from manual handling.

Abstract: A conveyor advances a web horizontally parallel to rows of upwardly open pockets formed in the web underneath a loader having a plurality of object-filled passages each having a downwardly open mouth open immediately above a respective one of the rows of pockets. As the sheet is advanced underneath the loader the objects drop out of the mouths into the pockets. Respective arms are pivotal on the loader downstream of the mouths at each of the rows about a horizontal transverse axis and have upwardly deflectable lower ends normally positioned immediately above the sheet. These lower arm ends are horizontally engageable with any of the objects projecting upwardly out of the respective pocket so that, as the sheet is advanced, the arm lower ends horizontally strikes any upwardly projecting objects and then pivots up while sliding the projecting object up out of the respective pocket.

Abstract: In an apparatus for feeding articles to a blister band, a box-like container, situated close to said band, is fed by a delivering device with a quantity of articles such as to allow accumulation of the articles on the surface of the band. A brush strikes and pushes the articles in a direction opposite to a forwarding direction of the band. A sensor, downstream of the brush, detects the thickness of the layer of articles on the band and interacts with the brush to maintain substantially constant the thickness of the layer of articles.

Abstract: According to a method for selecting and feeding articles to blisters or containers, a first hopper filled with unselected articles feeds a second main hopper with selected size-matching articles, by means of a tapered inlet section. Size non-matching articles get jammed and stopped within the tapered inlet sections and are removed by means of a shutter hinged to each inlet section. A sensor detects when the flow of size-matching articles is interrupted. According to a second embodiment the inlet sections are replaced by swinging tubular portions. The shutters and tubular portions can be operated cyclically, thus avoiding the need for the sensor. An apparatus is also described for carrying out the method.

Abstract: A packing method and system are disclosed which system includes a first platform having a product support surface for supporting a product and a second platform for supporting a box into which the product is to be packed. After a box is received on and secured to the second platform, the second platform is rotated so that the open top of the box faces the first platform and moved toward the first platform until the box substantially surrounds the product on the product support surface. The first and second platforms are then rotated simultaneously so that the product is transferred from the product support to the box, and the full box is discharged to a discharge conveyor.

Abstract: A blister packaging machine comprises a forming station in which a plurality of cup-shaped depressions can be formed into a bottom sheet, a filing station, in which a product can be filled into the cup-shaped depressions, and a downstream sealing station, in which a cover sheet can be sealed onto the bottom sheet. The filling station comprises a brush box disposed above the bottom sheet, in which several rotatably driven roller brushes are disposed parallel to each other. The roller brushes are connected to a rotary drive which is received in a drive gearbox disposed next to the brush box. A magnetic coupling is thereby provided for transmitting a drive motion of the rotary drive to the roller brushes through a wall of the drive gearbox.

Abstract: An automated, fully programmable, and adaptable device fills straws or straw-like packages with any type of flowing, or flowable, liquid. A straw is dropped from a hopper down chutes into a capture area where it is held and filled with liquid, after which it is sealed. The straw dropping, capture, filling, and sealing actions are preferably automatically controlled by a preprogrammed electronic controller. The major elements of a typical embodiment of the invention include means for dropping a straw or other receptacle into a fixed mounting position consistently, optional means for heating fluids throughout the fill process, means for filling the receptacle, and means for sealing the receptacle. The straw hopper has a retractable slide plate at its base that slides back to allow only one straw at a time to fall through the chutes into the capture area. In the preferred embodiment, the slide plate at the bottom of the hopper moves back and forth in a predefined fully programmable sequence.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming packages of pre-cooked meals. The package comprises a tray enclosed at least partially by a card sleeve having top and bottom faces and two opposing side walls. The forming apparatus includes a series of forming tools mounted for movement at spaced intervals and each forming tool is provided for the reception of a sleeve in a blank flattened form. As the sleeve is introduced into the forming tool the sleeve is moved to the erected condition, the tray is inserted in the erected sleeve and the formed package removed from the forming tool.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting packaged material into packaging means is described. In the region of an insertion device and a preinsertion device, a packaged-material conveyor device and a packaging-means conveyor device are provided. The insertion device has at least one insertion tappet, and the preinsertion device has a covering tongue corresponding to the insertion tappet. The insertion tappets and covering tongue can be guided essentially transversely to a direction of motion of the conveyor devices, which motions can each be generated by means of a respective servomotor drive mechanism, coupled to the insertion tappet and to the covering tongue. The insertion device and the preinsertion device are adjustable in oscillating fashion parallel to the direction of motion of the conveyor devices via a further servomotor drive mechanism coupled to them, and the drive mechanisms are triggerable separately via a drive control mechanism.

Abstract: An inventive method, system and apparatus are provided for syringe handling, and more particularly, for syringe labeling, filling and capping operations. To facilitate syringe handling, an inventive apparatus includes a plurality of syringe bodies interconnected in a predetermined orientation by a belt. Such belt may be of pliable construction and may define a predetermined spacing in between adjacent ones of the syringe bodies, such predetermined spacing corresponding with a distance between holders provided in a handling apparatus. The syringe handling apparatus may provide for the placement of contents-related information on belt segments between adjacent syringe bodies and for separating the belt segments, wherein a flap is left interconnected to each syringe body. The syringe handling apparatus may alternatively or also provide for automated filling of the syringe bodies wherein cap removal, filling and cap replacement operations are completed free from manual handling.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mushroom packing apparatus comprising a grading conveyor and a plurality of locations distributed under a longitudinal axis of the grading conveyor, each location being provided, in use, with a container for collecting the mushrooms as they are deposited from the grading conveyor. The apparatus is arranged to weigh the respective container at each location and to facilitate removal of the loaded container once the loaded container has reached a predetermined weight, the apparatus being further adapted to replace each loaded container with an empty container once the respective loaded container has reached a predetermined weight.

Abstract: An automated solid pharmaceutical product packaging machine includes a plurality of temporary storage members for receiving a plurality of solid pharmaceutical products in a plurality of cavities. The use of the temporary storage cavities enables the machine to process several prescriptions simultaneously. Advantageously, at least one of the temporary storage members is capable of being automatically displaced in a vertical direction in order to increase the capacity of the overall filling system for processing a greater number of solid pharmaceutical products while minimizing the overall footprint of the device.

Abstract: A cosmetic material sheet which comprises a sheet substrate 1 having, on an upper surface thereof, a large number of concave portions 5 arranged in a checkered pattern, a foundation layer 6 provided at a given position on the upper surface of the sheet substrate 1 in a state of covering arbitrary concave portions 5 out of a large number of concave portions 5, and a protective cover 3 attached releaseably on the upper surface of the sheet substrate 1 in a state of covering the foundation layer 6, wherein each concave portion 5 has an oblong shape in a plan view and has a bottom part thereof formed into a curved plane of a dish shape.

Abstract: A blister packaging machine comprises a combination load/offload station having a blister magazine that is filled from the outside of the machine rather than the inside of the machine. The load mechanism includes a pick and place mechanism that is adapted to place individual blisters into nesting trays on a rotary carousel. The offload mechanism includes a pick and output mechanism that is adapted to pick formed blister packages from the nesting trays and output them into a collection bin. The load mechanism is arranged to cooperate with the offload mechanism without interference. The load and offload mechanism may be incorporated into a six station blister packaging machine.

Abstract: An inventive method, system and apparatus are provided for syringe handling, and more particularly, for syringe labeling, filling and capping operations. To facilitate syringe handling, an inventive apparatus includes a plurality of syringe bodies interconnected in a predetermined orientation by a belt. Such belt may be of pliable construction and may define a predetermined spacing in between adjacent ones of the syringe bodies, such predetermined spacing corresponding with a distance between holders provided in a handling apparatus. The syringe handling apparatus may provide for the placement of contents-related information on belt segments between adjacent syringe bodies and for separating the belt segments, wherein a flap is left interconnected to each syringe body. The syringe handling apparatus may alternatively or also provide for automated filling of the syringe bodies wherein cap removal, filling and cap replacement operations are completed free from manual handling.

Abstract: In a method for inserting piece goods (S) into containers (B) by a picking line, the relative speed between the feed of the containers (B) and the feed of the piece goods (S) is controlled in the area of the picking line. In this case, the relative speed is controlled as a function of a filling level of at least one storage element (3, 3?, 3?, 4). This method permits efficient transfer of piece goods into containers with the most complete filling possible of the containers, irrespective of the manner of the relative transport direction of the piece goods and containers. It is suitable both for cocurrent and for countercurrent systems.

Abstract: This machine can automatically load packages of various sizes and shapes into containers in a variety of pack patterns. The machine has a package infeed system that transfers the package to a package locating system that locates the package at a stationary package placement location. A package placement vertical drive picks up the package from the stationary package placement location and can rotate the package about a vertical axis as well as lowering the package into the container and releasing it at the proper location. The package placement vertical drive grips the package by vacuum. It includes a quick attach and detach vacuum head which enables the rapid change-over of the system. The machine includes a case conveyor that moves the container along the longitudinal axis of the machine as well as to the left or right in a direction normal to the longitudinal axis of the machine.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that allow meat logs to be manually loaded into a slicing station and thereafter be continuously automatically processed at the slicing station, a harping station, and an insertion station for automated packaging thereof without the need for handling of the meat stacks by workers. To this end, the slicing station is effective to form smaller sections or chubs from the meat logs and to do so such that the chubs are provided with substantially parallel flat end-faces to ensure that high quality meat slices are generated therefrom. The chubs are then transported to the harping station where each of the chubs undergoes a single cutting operation, thus simultaneously forming the meat slices therefrom and substantially maintaining the slices in the configuration of the chubs for generating well-formed stacks of the slices.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting surgical needles in needle parks. The apparatus has a frame, a needle block slidably mounted to the frame, a shuttle member slidably mounted to the frame, and a pick-up head. The needle block has a plurality of guide members spaced apart to receive at least one surgical needle and at least one needle park. The apparatus is used in a method of automatically loading surgical needles into the needle parks of surgical suture packages.

Abstract: There is provided an automated packaging apparatus for depositing a predetermined number of pills into a series of containers. The packaging apparatus includes a plurality of independently rotatable rotary slats. Each rotary slat includes an outer peripheral edge portion and the rotary slats are configured so that the outer peripheral edge portions define a common interior space. Each outer peripheral edge portion also defines an inner surface and a plurality of pill apertures. The pill apertures are configured to receive one of the pills from the common interior space at a first position and transmit the pill outside the rotary slats at a second position. A conveyor is configured to move a plurality of open containers along a predetermined path of travel and position each of the containers adjacent a respective rotary slat to define a delivery path that extends between the second position of the rotary slat and the container. At least one drive motor is in driving engagement for rotating the rotary slats.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a produce bagging machine including a filling station positioned on a support frame, and including a filling chute movable to a first position for receiving produce from a produce supply and to a second position for delivering the produce into a bag. The filling chute may preferably be shaped as a box having a first opening positioned at an upper end for receiving produce, an interior cavity for therein holding the produce, and a second opening or door positioned at a lower end for therethrough delivering the produce. The filling chute door panels form angled walls at the lower end of the interior cavity so as to thereby guide individual pieces of elongated produce, preferably carrots, into substantially parallel alignment as the produce is delivered. Thus, the machine is useful for bagging elongated produce such as carrots in large, institutional sized bags of approximately fifty pounds capacity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a material handling system and method for a product to be manually processed by an operator (O) at a work-station (10). The material handling system (100) includes: batch delivery means (20) for automatically delivering batches of the product to the work-station (10) on an “as required” or “on demand” basis for manual processing by the operator; and packing container delivery means (60) for automatically delivering individual packing containers (61) to the work-station on an “as required” or “on demand” basis for filling with the product after manual processing by the operator.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading an object into a package includes a loading fork 60, a conveyor 18 for delivering the product to said loading fork 60, a loading horn 110, said loading horn 110 and said loading fork 60 being movalbe relative to each other to place said bag over said product. A system for loading an object into a package includes a loading fork 60 to receive an object from a conveyor 18, loading apparatus 22 to load the object into a package while located on the loading fork 60 and means to transfer the object and package together from the loading fork to a takeaway conveyor 20. A method of loading an object into a package is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling a plurality of tubes is disclosed. The apparatus includes a positioning device that directs a tube from a hopper to a labeler where a label is applied to the tube. The positioning device further directs the tube to one of a plurality of filling stations where a continuous flow of filling material is dispensed into the tube. The tube is then directed to a capping device where a cap is applied to an end of the tube.

Abstract: A system for loading retorts, sterilization systems, and the like. The preferred embodiment of the present system provides both loading and unloading modules, the loading module designed to automatically load fragile containers, in mass and layer by layer into a self-supporting cube array of stacked trays nested in a basket frame. The unloader module automatically unloads the cube array layer by layer after the contents of the cube array are processed in mass. The stack of trays, or batch cube remain as an intact, stacked unit throughout the entire retort process. A hydraulic ram which is associated with each the loader and unloader, lifting the batch cube from the basket frame and indexing the batch cube vertically during the loading/unloading process, respectfully. Each layer in the stack is either loaded or unloaded as that layer is positioned in the home position.

Abstract: A drive for a carrier tape used in conjunction with a pick and place module of a machine for inspecting and handling advances the carrier tape to its desired position in two steps. Using the number of sprocket holes between compartments in the tape (n holes), the first step is n−1 sprocket holes. The second step takes the carrier tape the remaining distance to complete the advance to the distance equal to n sprocket holes. The tape is driven by friction rollers not by the use of the sprocket holes. The presence of a device in a compartment and its proper positioning in the compartment is also inspected.

Abstract: A machine for conveying and moving into position tubes (124), the machine including a chute (42) with a vertical feed station for said tubes, conveyor belts (12) and a motor (31) for moving said conveyor belts, characterized in that said conveyor belts have two areas, namely an area (121) for loading said tubes and an area (122) for positioning said tubes, and a longitudinal recess co-operating with pressing means (44) for inserting said tubes into said positioning area during longitudinal movement of said belts under said chute (42).