Abstract: A packaging and conveying system for packaging a bundle of cigarettes or other smoking articles into a pre-formed pack. The system includes conveying means for conveying closed empty packs to a turret wheel having a plurality of slots wherein each slot is sized to receive an empty closed pack. Means are provided to remove the packs from the turret wheel at preselected locations in alignment with means to open the pack. The open packs are then conveyed to a bundle inserting station wherein a bundle of cigarettes are inserted into the packs. From the bundle inserting station, the packs are conveyed to a package closure means and then conveyed away to storage or further packing for shipment.

Abstract: A disposable enclosed container is provided which is loaded with product from an end and accessed through a hooded top for dispensing of product. An end construction comprising a leading minor flap panel, a trailing minor flap panel, an inner major flap panel, an intermediate minor flap panel, and an outer major flap panel allows a blank to be assembled into a sleeve for loading of product and to be subsequently assembled into a container which may be opened into a tray and hooded top for dispensing of product. An apparatus for erecting and loading the sleeve, and then assembling the ends of the sleeve to form the container is also disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of conveying, queuing and transferring articles laterally in a direction different from the original direction of conveyance utilizing a cam means to harness the movement of an indexing conveyor system.

Abstract: An ergonomically improved hand loading cartoner bucket is provided with inwardly tapered open side pockets for the operator's hand(s) which are sized such that the product being placed into the bucket cannot shift to the side. Such cartoner buckets provide the operator with greater ease of access during loading and therefore improved overall efficiency.

Abstract: A stacking station for receiving empty containers stacked in superposed relationship and a stacking station for receiving full containers which are also stacked in superposed relationship are disposed side-by-side while arranged at a right angle relative thereto and adjacent the empty container stacking station is a station for filling the containers. When viewed from above the apparatus forms an angle with the empty container stacking station as the angle corner. In normal use that permits the apparatus to be used in a space-saving fashion in such a way that the two stacking stations can be set up at the end of a production machine from which articles are to be taken while the filling station extends on the discharge side of a machine of that kind for component ejection.

Abstract: An apparatus, located downstream of a packaging line for packaging of blister packs, works in conjunction with a carton ready-making line and comprises three devices positioned along a conveyor having an upper surface fitted with crosspieces to delimit seats designed to receive said blister packs. The first device transfers the blister packs from the packaging line to the seats, keeping the blister packs with the blisters turned upwards, while the second device, positioned downstream of a station, fills empty seats, where faulty blister packs where placed and from where the faulty blister packs where removed, with non-defective blister packs, the second device feeding itself with non-defective blister packs taken from the seats. The third device forms stacks of blister packs, folds an information leaflet, and inserts the stacks, together with the leaflet, into cartons coming from the carton ready making line.

Abstract: In a carton loading machine, there is provided a mechanism which will initially displace one row of cylindrical-shaped objects with respect to its adjacent row such that load items in one row are located in a staggered relationship with respect to the load items in the adjacent row. The load items are then displaced into the open end of a container. When the assembled load is substantially fully located within the container, the movement of one row is arrested while the movement of the other row continues until the items of the adjacent rows are arranged in a side-by-side relationship. This serves to permit the width of the accumulated load to be reduced until the load is substantially fully located in a carton and thereafter the load is rearranged to its maximum width to fit in a close fitting relationship within the carton.

Abstract: A tray-like mandrel for an automatic packaging machine has a telescoping bottom so that it may be made wide in order to receive a product or narrow in order to fit into a box. The telescoping is controlled by a slot track cam extending along a path followed by the mandrel. A cam follower riding in the slot track adjusts the tray width.

Abstract: A continuous and automatic system and method for packing a container with a utensil applied thereto in a carton forms a finished package. Initially, the containers travel along an infeed conveyor and are transferred by a transferring device to flighted belt. The transferring device includes a first sensor for sensing the presence of a backlog of the containers at the transferring device and for enabling the transferring device when the backlog is sensed. After being placed on the flighted belt, the containers have a respective wrapped utensil applied thereto. The applying device includes a second sensor which senses a presence of each successive container. A feedback device is also used for matching a selected line speed of the containers on the flighted belt with a transferring speed of the transferring device. Finally, each container with the utensil applied thereto is placed in a carton by a suitable cartoning device.

Abstract: A machine (10) for loading product onto trays or the like is shown in the preferred embodiment including paddles (16) pivotally mounted to spaced, horizontally arranged chains (30) located above the conveyor (12). A cam track (46) arranged above the chains (30) is engaged by cam followers (48) mounted on the paddles (16). The chains (30) are mounted at an angle relative to the conveyor (12). The paddles (16) are moved by the chains (30) to move longitudinally at the same speed as the product on the conveyor (12) while being held parallel to the movement direction of the conveyor (12) by the followers (48) engaging the cam track (46) to thus simultaneously move laterally across the conveyor (12) to push product located intermediate lugs (14) on the conveyor (12).

Abstract: A vinyl siding panel package system is disclosed that prefolds corrugated paper blanks and then forms panel containers that are packed with a pre-specified number of panels. The panel packer receives a plurality of panels from a panel extrusion operator, re-orients panels into desired combinations and packs each combination, up to the limit, in a waiting container. The loaded container is sent to a container closing operation whereby the lid is sealed around the container body, and the container is weighed. A palletizer transports a loaded container from the closer to a waiting pallet.

Abstract: A bag filling and closing apparatus includes a filling station (10) in which the material to be filled in (22) is pushed into a prefabricated bag (24). A device (50, 52, 54, 56) is provided for pulling the bags onto the filling machine as is a device for spreading open and holding the bags. Next to the filling station (10), there is disposed at least one supply and/or intake station (12, 14) for bags, each station being equipped with a device (50, 52, 54, 56) for pulling the bags onto the apparatus. A carriage (30) is movable back and forth between the filling station (10) and the supply and intake station (12, 14) carries the spreading and holding device (28, 30, 44, 46) for the bags. The bags can therefore be picked up and spread open in the supply and intake station (12, 14) and can be transferred to the filling station (10) in that position. Preferably, two supply and intake stations are provided on opposite sides of the filling station (10 ).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for packaging items, for example herring, sardines or similar fishes in cans, is provided. The fish are conveyed at continuous speed lying on a conveyor with a predetermined longitudinal and transversal orientation. The foremost fish on the conveyor is moved while maintaining its orientation to a first compartment in a line of compartments adjacent the path of the conveyor. The next following fish on the conveyor is moved correspondingly to the next following compartment in the line, until the number of fishes in the compartments equals the number of fishes to be canned in one can. The line of compartments is then shifted away from the conveyor to a can, while the fishes are turned around their longitudinal axis within the compartments to a predefined position. Finally, the fishes are pressed out of the compartments and into the can.

Abstract: The invention comtemplates the automatic tagging of seedling transplants which have been or are about to be inserted in the prepared soil within individual cells of matrices (e.g. 3.times.4 matrices of cells). The tags are stacked and retained in individual vertically extending magazines which are above and in transversely spaced array, across the path of the row-by-row indexed conveyor advance of each successive matrix. The tags of each stack are retained by lateral side-edge lug formations of each magazine, at the otherwise open bottom end of the magazine. A tag-picker arm carries an elastomeric suction cup which is configurated, in its horizontal pick-off relation with the bottom face of the bottom tag, to engage and arcuately deform the tag, thus removing or decreasing magazine-lug restraint and affording an initial extracting displacement wherein the arched tag can be downwardly displaced, essentially without shear or other interaction with the next-adjacent and other remaining tags in the magazine.

Abstract: An automatic packaging machine is custom constructed from standardized modules in order to reduce cost and standardize operational and maintenance procedures. The standardized modules include conveyor chain modules which may be ganged to maintain synchronization of operations. Various types of attached may be attached to the conveyor chain in order to mandrels adapt the machine to load different types of products. A cam pin guides and directs selective transfers of products when both box and product are present and to cancel transfer when one of said box or product is absent. One example of such a customized machine is a machine for loading golf balls.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting bean curd into pieces of the fixed size and packing them. This apparatus does automatically transporting, cutting and packing of bean curd under water in a water tank. Therefore, this apparatus requires no manual operation, is sanitary, involves high production capacity and is free from production of bean curd of broken shape.

Abstract: An apparatus for the sequential loading of a plurality of cartons with articles, such as plastic bags and the like, and more particularly, an indexing system for such an apparatus to increase the rate of feed of the cartons to bag-loading stations which are contained in the apparatus.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for forming a shrink-wrapped package from polyolefin film which overcomes the problems of forming the bottom lap seal of the tubular package formed from the film and initial low strength of the heat seal at the forward end of the package, by positioning the static sealer for the bottom lap seal upstream from the heat sealer for the forward end of the package and by using a ram to move packages into the tubular package but to stop them short of the heat seal at the forward end of the package.

Abstract: The apparatus arranges in groups bags, dispensed by an automatic device, arranged one next to the other, and resting on a common same plane. The apparatus comprises a reception station for the bags dispensed by the device superimposed on one another. A conveyor with successive seats moves intermittently below the station, and a multiple expeller intersects the station to introduce the bags contained therein into corresponding housings of the conveyor. Selective control members for the control of said conveyor and of said expeller adapted to establish a correspondence between stepwise advancements of the conveyor seats thereof filled with groups of a preset number of bags.

Abstract: In a carton loading machine, there is provided a mechanism which will initially displace one row of cylindrical-shaped objects with respect to its adjacent row such that load items in one row are located in a staggered relationship with respect to the load items in the adjacent row. The load items are then displaced into the open end of a container. When the assembled load is substantially fully located within the container, the movement of one row is arrested while the movement of the other row continues until the items of the adjacent rows are arranged in a side-by-side relationship. This serves to permit the width of the accumulated load to be reduced until the load is substantially fully located in a carton and thereafter the load is rearranged to its maximum width to fit in a close fitting relationship within the carton.

Abstract: In a load transporting conveyor of the type which has a plurality of load confining compartments located thereon which are transported by the conveyor along a load transporting path, there is provided a load settling mechanism. The load settling mechanism includes a load support platform which forms a bottom wall of each compartment. Resilient suspension members support the bottom wall with respect to the conveyor such that it is free to vibrate with respect to the conveyor. A vibration activator mechanism is located along the load transporting path so as to engage successive load support platforms as they are transported along the load transporting path to cause the load support platform to vibrate to thereby vibrate any load which is located thereon to cause the load to settle into the load confining compartment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cassette system for inserting a rod inside a tubular basic element. The system consists of at least two elongated plate-shaped cassettes provided with transverse channels as well as of a shank whereby the rods placed in channels of one cassette can be pushed into the tubular basic elements placed in channels of the other cassette after placing the cassettes in alignment with each other. The invention relates also to an apparatus for manufacturing a subcutaneous prophylactic capsule, comprising a tubular basic element and a hormone rod placed therein.

Abstract: In a boxing plant for cones and/or conoids which at its inlet are disposed in groups of a certain number each, an apparatus for feeding groups of cones in an orientated and ordered arrangement to boxes comprises a first section (A) in which groups of cones (11) positioned on a container tray (12) in an essentially horizontal plane are orientated in a predetermined manner on opposite sides so that they all lie with their tails pointing towards the center, and a second section (B) in which they are discharged from the container trays (12) onto racks (15) and the cones (11) on one side are offset relative to the cones on the other side, and then moved while offset onto a central region (16) which can be opened in the manner of a sliding door above boxes (17) and in which the cones (11) disposed side by side in a head-tail arrangement are compacted (18) into matrices (44) having the same dimensions as the boxes and are then allowed to fall into the boxes by opening the sliding door.

Abstract: An envelope handling system for removing envelopes from an upper level conveyor, placing them in stacks on a lower level bucket conveyor, removing the stacks from the bucket, conveyor and side-loading them into cartons, sealing the cartons, conveying the cartons to a packing area, and forming the cartons into a horizontal column for placement into shipping containers. The system includes a spider feeder for removing the envelopes from an upper level conveyor and discharging them downwardly in a vertical direction, pivoting bottom fingers for receiving envelopes from the feeder and collecting them into a stack, hold back fingers for intercepting envelopes in a second stack above the bottom fingers, and transfer fingers for compressing a stack collected on the bottom fingers and urging the bottom fingers downwardly to place the stack onto the conveyor.

Abstract: An automated apparatus for transporting, lining-up and stowing cylindrical fragile bodies. It promotes efficiency of the stowing operation and ensures sanitation during stowing. Furthermore it disposes cylindrical fragile bodies within receptacles in a compact manner.

Abstract: A case packing apparatus having a conveyor for moving a plurality of articles seriatim in a first direction to a location where means substantially perpendicular to the conveyor move a predetermined number of articles in the perpendicular direction into a case to form a layer within the case.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging articles having a conveyor; means associated with the conveyor for forming groups of articles and moving the groups independently of other articles on the conveyor; means for moving the groups of articles transversely to the conveyor; an elevator for receiving said groups of articles in stacked groupings; and means for moving the stacked groupings into a carton. Means are also provided for assembling and closing the carton upon receipt of the stacked groupings.

Abstract: High speed dairy casing methods and apparatus assemble columns of filled containers arriving on two infeed conveyors, transfer one, two or more columns to an assembly ramp adjoining each conveyor, and then sweep the assembled columns from the conveyor and the ramp together across the ramp to an adjacent loading zone for casing, leaving the assembly ramp free for assembling succeeding columns while case loading is proceeding. Preferably two infeed conveyors deliver filled containers into two separate assembly zones with their ramps flanking a central loading zone, and a pusher with two extended positions propels each single column from its conveyor onto the assembly ramp, and then propels the final column with the assembled columns together across the ramp to the loading zone as the pusher advances to its remote extended position.

Abstract: A tire handling system capable of automatically performing a series of tire handling operations including sorting of the tires from a production/inspection line according to types and sizes, stacking the sorted tires, and shelving the stacks of tires in frame pallets. The tire handling system incorporates a novel tire supplying device which supplies the sorted tire to the tire stacking device in one-by-one fashion, a tire inverting device disposed between the tire supplying device and the tire stacking device and adapted for selectively inverting tires conveyed along the sorting line, and an automatic tire shelving device for shelving the stacks of tires. These devices have simple constructions but yet are capable of performing the supplying, inverting and shelving operations with a high degree of reliability.

Abstract: An automobile packaging machine having a conveyor which travels over a fixed and closed path. A plurality of carriers are mounted at fixed intervals along the conveyor. A tray having a fixed physical dimensions, is mounted on the carrier to carry an object having the same dimensions. The tray is releasably locked onto the carrier by a detent and a set screw associated with interconnectors. A spring biased detent indexes the position of said tray on said carrier. Then, a set screw is tightened to lock the tray in place. This way trays may be changed quickly and easily.

Abstract: A device for use in packaging apparatus in which an article is carried on a first conveyor and is transferred to a second conveyor during continuous motion of the conveyors. A transfer mechanism including a cam follower is engageable by a cam track underlying the first conveyor to actuate the transfer mechanism for effecting the transfer operation. A selective direction or bypass device engages the cam follower to guide it to either engagement with the cam track to either effect a transfer operation or to bypass the cam track so that the transfer operation is not effected. The bypass device includes a guide track that engages the cam follower that is mounted on a pivot pin on a frame member of the first conveyor adjacent to the upstream ends of the first conveyor and the cam track. The guide track is movable laterally with respect to the cam track and has a quarter circular profile so as to engage the cam follower as the cam follower travels about the conveyor sprocket.

Abstract: A cartoning apparatus for loading loose media, such as spaghetti, vermicelli, or other loose, into a carton, wherein the apparatus is provided with bucket structures, platens, actuators, and a loading assembly which are all moved along parallel predetermined paths. The bucket structures include forward and rearward ends whereby the bucket structures may be translated such that the forward end may be disposed adjacent an aligned open carton, and the rearward end may receive loading assembly. Such rearward end is provided with a funnel structure which cooperates with a self-aligning pusher foot comprising part of the loading assembly to effectuate alignment and mating receipt of the pusher foot with a cavity defined by the bucket structure.

Abstract: Packaging apparatus for facilitating the rapid hand packing of fragile ingredients such as used in salads. Mechanisms are provided to transport empty containers to a filling station, introducing the ingredients by a hard raking procedure into the container and then further moving the containers to a weighing station and finally passing them for sealing and packaging. Facilities are included so that containers of a number of different sizes can be accommodated.

Abstract: The apparatus for introducing blister-type products and the like into boxes, comprises a carousel rotatable about a horizontal axis and composed of box retention means, angularly distributed around the axis and a product distribution drum. On the product distribution drum a plurality of containers adapted for containing the products, and a corresponding plurality of pushers, are mounted slideable in a direction extending parallel to the axis and aligned with the box retention means. Fixed annular-cams are provided for controlling the sliding of the containers and the pushers so as to perform in succession the approach of each container to a related box and the introduction of the pusher into the container so as to push the products into the box.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying continuous corrugated elongated members having a conveying belt which conveys the corrugated members in the longitudinal direction thereof, a rotor which has open slots for receiving the corrugated members and which is rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis of the rotor, a driving device for intermittently rotating the rotor, a transferring device for forcing the corrugated members fed by the conveying device into the open slots, a plurality of cartridges having grooves for receiving the corrugated members, a carrier for intermittently carrying the cartridges in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and a pusher for pushing the corrugated members received in the open slots of the rotor out of the open slots into the receiving grooves of the cartridges.

Abstract: A high-speed packing machine includes a magazine holding a plurality of flat case-forming sheets having a plurality of folding lines. These sheets are formed into U-shaped cases one after another and the cases are transported by a case conveyor. The articles to be packed are supplied by an article conveyor extending along the case conveyor. A dead plate extends from the article conveyor for receiving the articles from the article conveyor. A plurality of flight bars are provided above the dead plate for receiving the articles from the dead plate. The flight bars are movable synchronously with the article conveyor. A plurality of pushers are movable along guide rails extending below the dead plate for supplying the articles from the flight bars to the U-shaped cases on the case conveyor traveling synchronously with the article conveyor. The pushers are movable along a path extending at an angle to the conveyors.

Abstract: The known type of front and rear flap folding apparatus in a wraparound caser in the prior art is improved in that the folding apparatus comprises front flap folding means in which when an article is fed from a dead plate onto a flat blank sheet that is being transported as placed on a sheet receiver of a case transporting conveyor, front flap folding guide members mounted to the case transporting conveyor are erected by a roller follower which rolls along a cam rail to fold the front flap of the sheet, rear flap folding means in which after the article has been fed onto the sheet, rear flap folding guide members mounted to the case transporting conveyor are erected by a roller follower which rolls along a cam rail to fold the rear flap of the sheet, and combined guide and press members which press the article and the sheet while guiding the article upon the above-mentioned folding operations to prevent them from rising up from the sheet receiver.

Abstract: A system for aligning and packing substantially flat objects moving on a conveyor line in irregularly spaced and, nonaligned rows includes a mechanism for separating the rows and aligning the objects and also for feeding the aligned objects onto another conveyor. A packing mechanism transfers the aligned objects from a loading area to a container. An additional device places a strip of protective material on top of the layer of objects. A moving means vertically moves the container a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the object being packed in preparation for the reception of an additional layer of objects. Another transfer device moves the filled container from the loading area and replaces it with an empty container. Another transfer moves the filled container to provide room for the next container and an additional device transfers a supply of empty containers in preparation for another container being placed in the loading area.

Abstract: Mail inserting and collating apparatus includes an envelope conveyor for continuously conveying envelopes along a first path; a plurality of envelope carriers mounted on the envelope conveyor and movable therewith, for holding the envelopes; an insert conveyor for continuously conveying a plurality of inserts along a second path, at least a portion of the second path running substantially parallel and adjacent to the first path; a plurality of pockets mounted on the insert conveyor and movable therewith, for holding the inserts; a rotatable kicker roller for removing a lowermost insert from a stack of inserts and moving the lowermost insert toward a pocket adjacent the stack, the kicker roller having an arcuate rubber projecting surface for engaging the lowermost insert from the stack during rotation of the kicker roller and a vacuum port extending through the kicker roller and terminating in the projecting surface; a drive for intermittently rotating the kicker roller; a vacuum supply for supplying a vacuum

Abstract: Apparatus for automatically loading stacks of sliced food products into package receptacles. The sliced food products are transported from a first conveyor to a loading station having a drop station positioned over and aligned with a series of package receptacles which are indexed intermittently through the loading station. A retractable pusher arm having a pusher mounted thereon is driven in the loading station to engage and sweep a stack of sliced product into the drop station, and then is retracted and returned to its initial ready position to perform the next sweeping action on a subsequent stack of sliced food product. A ram is mounted in the drop station in a normally inactivated position over the stack of sliced product when the product is swept therein by the pusher.

Abstract: An apparatus and method by which a single operator, at a single station, can pack pre-counted slugs of flat folded cartons, or trays, in one or more layers, in corrugated cases for discharge to a case taper several times faster than with manual packing by several operators. The "flats" are advanced in a longitudinal path on a secondary apron of a stacker, erect on one edge, pre-counted and divided into slugs, so that the single operator can slide each slug longitudinally past a one-way back stop onto a transfer table. The slug may be turned on its longitudinal axis by the operator for inspection and then compressed longitudinally by a ram against the back stop. The operator has already been presented with a single, flat, tubular case, from a stack of such cases, with the leading flaps folded back, and has manually erected the case and inserted it in a case gripper preferably poised above the table, thereby closing the minor bottom closure flaps.

Abstract: Apparatus for making cartons with arrays of cigarette packs therein has a conveyor which transports the arrays to a transfer station and a feeding unit which delivers successive blanks to the transfer station so that a freshly delivered blank is adjacent to one side of the foremost array on the conveyor. A tubular deforming member is pivotable about a horizontal axis between a first position in which an inlet of its chamber is adjacent to the transfer station so that a plunger can be caused to transfer the foremost array into the deforming member with simultaneous partial draping of the adjacent blank around the transferred array, and a second position in which the inlet is located at a level below an outlet of the deforming member. A pusher is thereupon caused to enter the deforming member by way of the inlet and to move the array and the deformed blank upwardly into a receiving unit with attendant further deformation of the blank.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing liquid impregnated fabric wipes and packaging the wipes in a container. Fabric material in sheet form is initially passed through a folder to fold the side edge of the sheet, and the folded sheet then travels over a pair of liquid impregnating tubes where liquid is discharged from slots in the tubes against opposite faces of the folded sheet material. After impregnation with the liquid, several sheets are placed together in superimposed form and cut into short lengths to form wipes. The wipes are supported along their side edges by two pair of cooperating endless conveyor belts and as the wipes move along the conveyor, a reciprocating platen moves downwardly between the spaced belts to eject the wipes from the belts onto a conveyor or pack the wipes into a container.

Abstract: A case packer for loading open side cases and trays with generally upright articles includes apparatus for controlling the location of the case flaps during the loading operation. A pair of doors is interposed in the path of the articles being loaded. The articles contact the doors, which swing open to push the side flaps out of the way. A plow-like strip is employed to control the location of the case bottom flap. The case blanks are stored in generally vertical stacks in an open-bottom hopper. The blanks are folded and supported so that pulling the lowest blank downwardly partially unfolds the blank before it is deposited onto a conveyor. The conveyor completes the unfolding process while transporting the case to the article loading station.

Abstract: A box indexing table delivers a group of empty boxes from a main conveyor to a box loading machine. The loaded boxes are pushed onto a full box conveyor. Both the main conveyor and the full box conveyor extend completely across the table. The capacity of the loading equipment can be expanded in modular fashion by adding modular tables.

Abstract: A device for continuously feeding (synchronizing) essentially flat articles of the luxury-food or food industry, especially bars or strips of chocolate, to a packaging machine, in which carriers in a transport assembly introduce the articles into a tube of wrapping material and shape them into individual packages with it, characterized in that an infeed (25) for the articles (1) that operates transversely with respect to and is synchronized with a transport mechanism (3a) that operates at a constant speed and is equipped with carriers (3) is positioned upstream of the transport mechanism and in that buffers (30) for the articles arriving on the infeed are positioned between the carriers and controlled in such a way that the articles will enter the tube (5) of wrapping material in sequence and in a direction derived from the infeed and transport directions.

Abstract: Packaging apparatus for facilitating the rapid hand packing of fragile ingredients such as used in salads. Mechanisms are provided to transport empty containers to a filling station, introducing the ingredients by a hand raking procedure into the container and then further moving the containers to a weighing station and finally passing then for sealing and packaging.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for packing batches of cigarettes, in which batches B are transferred from a hopper 10 into compression boxes 16 of an intermittent conveyor 14, and are then packaged (e.g. in soft packs) while passing along continuous conveyors 22, 30 and 38. Compressed batches B are transferred into U-shaped foil wrappers F1 in compartments 28 of the conveyor 22, when folding flaps 88 fold over the two sides of the wrapper before the transfer is completed (FIG. 4). In a modification, the batches are formed from a continuous stream of cigarettes (FIGS. 8 and 9), and any voids V in the stream are filled by an intermittent acceleration rotor 350 (FIG. 11).

Abstract: A mechanism for loading cassettes into soft-poly boxes which employs a poly box hopper and a cassette hopper. Poly boxes are advanced one after another by a pusher from the poly box hopper to successive stations for opening the box lid, loading the cassette into the box, closing the box lid and restacking the loaded box, in seriatim. The poly boxes index each succeeding poly box along a guideway by a pusher which pushes the poly boxes end to end therealong. At the lid opener station, the box is clamped and the lid is forced upwardly and skewed so as to properly enter a guidepath as the box travels to the next station. The cassette loading station properly orients a cassette and forces it into the waiting box with proper indexing and a forceful biasing downward of the cassette into the box. At the lid closure station, the cassette is fully forced into the box and the lid is forcefully closed thereon.

Abstract: There is disclosed a packaging assembly for inserting a plurality of small diameter tubes into a packaging container wherein the assembly is comprised of a container rotor, a tube supply rotor and an injection rotor mounted in keyed relationship on a shaft driven by a motor and wherein the container rotor includes a channel for receiving the packaging container, the supply rotor includes a channel for receiving a preselect quantity of the small diameter tubes and wherein the injection rotor includes a channel for receiving in reciprocating relationship a plurality of rod member and wherein said channels of the rotors are in co-axial alignment with one another whereby a reciprocating movement of the rod member inserts the plurality of small diameter tubes into the packaging container.