Abstract: There is provided a spacing conveyor mechanism 10 having a pair of spaced, identical drive chains 13, 14. A number of conveyors 20 are attached to the chains, each conveyor having a leading carriage 21 pivotally attached to one chain 13 and a trailing carriage 22 pivotally attached to the other chain 14. Connecting the each pair of leading/trailing carriages is a pair of rod 23 extending rearwardly from the leading carriage through corresponding holes in the trailing carriage. The carriages remain parallel throughout their path and the position of the carriages relative to each other are easily adjusted.

Abstract: The selection device includes a sensor unit which checks the flatness of the free surface of a sheet pack at an edge, and which moves vertically away from and into contact with the free surface of the pack; the sensor unit extends along an axis transversal to a direction of feed and operates a blade which defines the ream and is opposite and attached to the said sensor unit, moving with the unit near to the edge, and may be positioned parallel to the free surface of the pack; drive means are envisaged for the blade, to move it from a position away from the edge until it makes contact with the ream, at which point the blade penetrates the pack, and a position in which it defines a gap between the ream and the pack, in which the blade is turned about the transversal axis through an angle sufficient to allow the transfer means to penetrate the ream.

Abstract: A spacing conveyor mechanism (10) for conveying cans (11) along an article feed path (12) in a packaging machine for forming the cans into groups of cans is disclosed. The spacing conveyor mechanism has a pair of spaced drive sprockets (15) positioned along the article feed path, and over which an endless drive chain (14) is passed. A spaced series of carriages (17) are pivotally attached to the drive chain. Each of the carriages includes a conveyor (18), the conveyor having a plurality of recessed pockets (19) sized and shaped to engage one each of the cans therein.

Abstract: A packaging tape applicator for automatically applying packaging tape to groups of juxtaposed containers travelling along a conveyor comprises a gate mechanism movable between a holding position and a delivery position, for apportioning a continuous supply of individual containers into consecutive groups. Indexing means move along the conveyor in synchronized relation to the gate mechanism such that the indexing means are disposed in separating relation one between each consecutive pair of groups of juxtaposed containers. First and second packaging tape applicator mechanisms are positioned on opposite sides of the packaging tape applicator to apply first and second lengths of packaging tape to the groups of juxtaposed containers. First and second cutting mechanisms move in synchronized relation to the indexing means to cut the packaging tape, thereby separating the taped groups of juxtaposed containers one from another.

Abstract: There is provided an article conveyor mechanism comprising a drive chain 13 on which is pivotally mounted a number of carriages 16 each having a conveyor 17 secured thereto. Each conveyor 17 has a plurality of pockets 18. Each conveyor 16 has two pins 19, 20 for engaging in respective grooves 21, 22 which are identical to each other in shape, but which are offset. When the chain 13 is driven, the conveyors remain parallel to each other throughout their endless paths.

Abstract: A method of producing cartons of cigarettes, whereby groups of packets of cigarettes are formed wherein the packets are arranged in at least two side by side stacks, and wherein each packet in each stack is laid flat with its longer axis horizontal and aligned with the longer axis of a corresponding packet in the other stack; and each group is fed, crosswise to the longer axes of the packets and together with a flat blank from which to form a rigid hinged-lid wrapping, into a folding spindle, the bottom wall of which supports the group with the interposition of a panel of the blank corresponding to a lateral wall of the rigid wrapping.

Abstract: A loader for an automatic packaging machine has a plurality of input conveyor belts that run at successively slower speeds in order to bring products into a predetermined product density. A metering wheel picks up the products one at a time and delivers them to a metering conveyor belt having upstanding fences defining batch areas. The profile of the metering wheel may be changed, by substitution, in order to pick up another product. A product counter moves the metering conveyor belt a distance equal to one batch area responsive to a batch count indicating that the metering wheel has delivered a selected number of products to one of the batch areas. In one embodiment, the product is a tube of soda crackers. Down stream, the soda crackers are slid into position without abrading one tube of crackers against another tube of crackers. For horizontal layers, abrasion is avoided by using a variable width mandrel.

Abstract: A wrap around caser including a holding and moving robot is provided. The holding and moving robot holds a predetermined number of bottles collected in a collection station and moves the bottles onto a center section of a blank sheet located at a receiving station and in succession pushes the bottles and the blank sheet downward along a predetermined path defined in a folding station so as to have the blank sheet folded into the shape of a box-shaped case around the bottles. The bottles are not released until they are placed in the box-shaped case so that the casing operation is stable and may be carried out at an increased.

Abstract: A package rectifying apparatus designed to prevent a rearmost one of packages (3) from being toppled rearwardly to fall down even though the packages have been rectified so as to partially overlap with each other and also to enable the amount of overlap between each neighboring packages to be adjustable.

Abstract: A device is provided to combine printed products that are supplied to a folded envelope. A rotating conveying member is equipped with receiving pockets that are distributed over its circumference and can be closed and opened. The receiving pockets have an associated charging station for the envelopes and a supplying station for the enclosures on the opposite side of the conveying member as well as a subsequently connected removal station, with the charging station and the supplying station being connected by means of an undercut conveying region of the conveying member.

Abstract: The conveying arm is composed of a first lower portion by which products assembled for wrapping are restrained, and a supporting upper portion embodied integrally with the first, which affords two slots occupying the full width of the arm as measured transversely to the conveying direction and designed to couple with two respective rails; the first such slot is located in and accessible from the face of the upper portion directed toward the products, and functions as a sliding bearing, whilst the second slot is located to the rear of the first. The arm is fashioned in a deformable material and its deformability enhanced by a narrow extension of the rear slot, in such a way that the upper portion can be locked to and released from the rail swiftly by applying a corresponding force parallel to the conveying direction.

Abstract: A method and device for producing cartons of cigarettes from respective groups of equioriented packets forming a first and second row arranged one on top of and contacting the other, whereby the two rows of packets in each group are parted to enable the first row to be rotated substantially 180.degree. in relation to the second prior to restoring the first row to the superimposed mutually contacting position.

Abstract: A system whereby products are fed in orderly succession by a feed conveyor to the input conveyor of a machine for packing the products in pillow pack type wrappings; and whereby the products are transferred between the mutually aligned feed and input conveyors by means of at least one transportation head rotatable about its axis and which is moved by a hypocyclic drive along a substantially quadrilateral path, one side of which is aligned with, and extends along facing end portions of, the two conveyors.

Abstract: A system for loading product into a container comprises a conveyor with side by side staggered delivery portions, a pair of side by side bottom opening receptacles fed at different times by the deliver portions of the conveyor, a hopper moveable in an alternating manner to a product receiving position beneath each of the receptacles and a container holder below and fed by the hopper.

Abstract: A device for placing chocolates inserted into paper cups with upright, pleated edges into the bottom portion of candy boxes, with cartridges moved by a conveyor belt and having recesses or the like to accomodate the paper cups; a device for inserting the paper cups into the recesses in the cartridges; a device for inserting the chocolates into the paper cups and a device for transferring the paper cups filled with chocolates to the bottom portion of a candy box, wherein said cartridges have grooves extending from one side to the other side, with bridges disposed therebetween, with lateral indentations disposed facing one another at the locations of said paper cups.

Abstract: In the event of a fault in an individual machine of a production plant for producing large units in the form of boarded bundles of groups of small packs of paper tissues which comprises a folding machine for producing paper tissues and grouping these into stacks, a packing machine for enwrapping the stacks with a foil for forming a small pack, a stacker for forming groups of small packs, a bundle machine for enwrapping the groups with a foil for forming a bundle and a cartoning machine for inserting the bundles into a carton and for closing the same for forming large units, the further operation of the other individual machines of the production plant is quaranteed by incorporating a reservoir unit behind the packing machine with respect to the direction of production for receiving and temporarily storing small packs and for transferring small packs back into the production plant when required.

Abstract: An apparatus for boxing coin rolls comprising a hopper feeding coin rolls to a rotary orienting feeder that discharges the coin rolls through a discharge chute. A conveyer belt system receiving the coin rolls and transporting the same to a manifold. A manifold bypassing apparatus is operative upon the manifold being filled with coin rolls to cause excess coin rolls to be returned to the orienting feeder for re-entry into the conveyor belt system until the filled manifold is emptied and ready to receive a new supply of coin rolls.

Abstract: A packing machine for tomatoes or the like has a rear portion with a low backline pressure conveyor arranged into plural lanes divided by tapered walls. The rear portion of the machine is reciprocated sideways so that bulk tomatoes entering the rear of the machine are distributed among the several lanes. Tomatoes are transported to a station where a paddle wheel with flexible arms prevents the forward progress of tomatoes until sensing apparatus determines that a plurality of lane positions are filled by tomatoes. Then a row of tomatoes are discharged through a front chute into a single layer carton. An escrow lane has entry and exit control devices which are responsive to a manually operated switch to add further tomatoes to the carton. The carton is at an incline and reciprocates back-and-forth so that tomatoes nest in a single layer, and are packed more densely thereby. The machine can pack by weight or by count.

Abstract: Products to be formed into multiple packs are advanced, evenly spaced, towards a wrapper-forming zone and the flow of products is stopped cyclically within the zone so as to cause the formation of groups of products which are substantially packed together for insertion in respective packages.

Abstract: Discrete cigarette packets which are supplied by a packing machine are assembled into arrays in successive compartments of a first endless conveyor at a first station, and the pockets of a second conveyor accept arrays from successive filled compartments for stepwise transport to a second station where the arrays are draped into blanks in a wrapping machine to form cartons. The second conveyor is moved stepwise during successive intervals of idleness of the first conveyor, and the first conveyor is normally moved stepwise when the second conveyor is idle. The two conveyors cross each other at the first station. The arrays in the compartments extend transversely of the first conveyor, and the arrays in the pockets extend longitudinally of the second 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 device for group-wise packaging of objects such as jars, which device consists substantially of a frame (1), a belt-conveyor (12) carried by the frame, a grouping station disposed along the belt conveyor, a station for forming and feeding of a tray under the group, a station for arranging a covering material over the group of objects standing on the tray and a supply station (5) for the blanks (C) disposed standing in a row which are to be folded in each case into a tray; wherein the supply station (5) is provided with a carrier (9) for accomodating a second row of upright blanks (C), which carrier (9) can be conveyed from a first position for the arrangement of the row of blanks into a second delivery position and vice versa, so making it possible to arrange the blanks at a location that is more easily accessible for personnel and to doubling the time interval for replenishing the blanks, resulting in personnel having more time for supervising of the further packaging process.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to a method for ordering a coherent packaging line for storing in storage units or for intermediate buffering during a packaging process, wherein prior to the cutting into product portions, the packaging line discharged at the full process speed is wound onto winding plates and the winding formed is intermediately stored, so that then further process stages can be performed thereon, e.g. a singling or cutting at a random time and at a random process speed. The apparatus performing the method has a winding plate drive and winding plates drivable by it for winding a coherent packaging line, together with a supply mechanism for supplying empty winding plates to the winding plate drive and a conveying means for supplying a packaging line to the winding plates. Several supply means can be associated with one winding plate drive.

Abstract: An integrated circuit handler provides very high throughput rates and very low manual labor requirements. A sleeve handler portion provides nearly all of the sleeve handling needs of the handler, receiving periodic inputs of a plurality of sleeves, orienting and unloading the sleeves, reloading the sleeves and binning the sleeves according to output category. Once out of the sleeves, the integrated circuits are handled, in turn, by an input buffer, a transport mechanism which presents the integrated circuits to a workstation, a sort mechanism and an output buffer/sleeve loader mechanism. The particular embodiment disclosed in detail comprises a handler optimized for handling SOIC devices. No gravity-driven mechanisms are used in the handler. Throughput rates up to 60,000 parts per hour and more are possible.

Abstract: An apparatus for loading analytical slides in a cartridge comprising a tray on which inclined partition members having a width narrower than the width of the analytical slides are provided so as to form a row and a pushing out member which slides on said tray and engages the lower edge of the exposed portion of each analytical slide and push the slides out of said row of partition members into a receiver to stack the analytical slides pushed out from said tray.

Abstract: An article delivery transferring device in a collective packing machine of stop waiting operation control system is provided.

Abstract: The machine for wrapping and grouping products of parallelepiped and/or flat shape is of the type in which the individual products are conveyed by a wrapping wheel and wrapped in accordance with the so-called "pointed end" wrapping manner.From said wheel the products pass to a conveying and overturning apparatus to be inverted before reaching a wheel for the formation and transfer of groups constituted by products disposed side-by-side edgewise with their contacting edges in a plane normal to the longitudinal dimension of said groups.This overturning enables the groups to be introduced into the cells of a wrapping wheel with their pointed ends facing the bottom of said cells.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically packing discrete articles into a kraft paper bale bag includes a magazine for holding a plurality of closed flat-folded bale bags in stacked relationships, a bale picker carrying vacuum-operated suction cups for attaching to a front sidewall of a bag positioned within an exit opening of the magazine upon the picker being moved adjacent to the opening and for opening the mouth of the bag upon the picker being moved in the opposite direction, duckbills adapted to be inserted into the mouth of the bag and cooperable with clamps for clamping the sidewalls of the bag therebetween, a reciprocating pusher for executing a series of short forward strokes to assemble into a group a predetermined number of articles that are successively positioned in front of the pusher, a counter for counting the forward strokes of the pusher to count the number of articles assembled and for causing the pusher to execute a long forward stroke upon a predetermined number of articles being assembled so as t

Abstract: A case lift apparatus having a case receiving platform and a powered lift cylinder operatively connected to the platform to raise and lower the same, and a pair of endless extensible belts operatively journalled on the platform in spaced parallel relation, with a horizontal course positioned slightly above the upper surface of the platform for support of cases on said platform and a lower course positioned below the platform; and a driving roll means below the platform to engage and drive the belts when the platform is at or approaching its lowered position.

Abstract: A packaging machine comprises a primary wrapper for applying wrappers to individual sweets, a collating mechanism for collating the wrapped sweets into batches and a batch wrapper for overwrapping the batches of sweets. Batching is effected by pushers on a chain conveyor which advance the sweets successively, along a support, the pushers normally tilting to disengage the sweets but the disengagement of every n.sup.th pusher with its sweet being delayed, where n is the number of sweets required in a batch. The machine can be readily modified to collate the sweets into batches in which the sweets lie flat or in an erect condition as desired.

Abstract: This relates to a metering device particularly adapted for separating articles being conveyed in end-to-end relation and in side-by-side rows into sets of transversely aligned articles with adjacent sets of articles being displaced in a direction transversely to the direction of movement of the articles so as to provide for the metering or separation of the articles of adjacent sets. To this end there is provided a metering device which includes a pair of endless conveyors having opposed runs and each endless conveyor including first and second sets of article supports or carriers with one set of such article supports or carriers of each conveyor being transversely offset and the article supports or carriers being of the same length in a longitudinal direction as the length of the articles or a unit multiple of such articles. The transverse offsetting of articles of longitudinally adjacent sets serves to automatically transverse the aligned articles of each set.

Abstract: In order to provide for the secure and orderly storage of flat objects on a carrier web, in particular unfilled plastic bags on a plastic carrier web, the invention provides a method and an apparatus for the sequential delivery of preformed plastic bags having a unilaterally extending attachment flap. The bags are delivered onto a moving carrier web also made of plastic film. Various alignment and positioning devices place the plastic bags seriatim on the carrier web while a heat-welding mechanism attaches the flap of each bag to the carrier web in a predetermined region. A tear line or perforation line permits subsequent removal of the bag from the web while the flap remains attached thereto. The apparatus includes power sources for the cyclic actuation of the alignment and welding mechanism in synchronism with the speed of delivery of the bags to and from the machine. The apparatus also includes a reciprocating storage container permitting the zig-zag layered stacking of the web with the attached bags.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved machine for wrapping and batching products wherein between a product entry position in a wrapping wheel and a position for the egress and expulsion of the products from the said wrapping wheel, provision is made for a position in which a device for grasping and rotating individual products is placed. This device has jaws for grasping the products and is provided with a two way movement along a sliding axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the wrapping wheel, and with a reciprocating movement around the said axis in time with the aforementioned two way movement, the said jaws being phased to match the opening and closing of the product grasping and transfer grippers with which the wrapping wheel is provided.

Abstract: Two parallel lines 13, 14 of six-packs 10 are continuously delivered to a stop device 38 and starting conveyor 19 disposed above a stationary platform 24 by a belt conveyor 15. The stop device and starting conveyor carry downwardly depending pins 39, 40; 22, 23 that are synchronously driven both transverse to and in the transport direction. These pins separate the six-packs into groups 18 of two and accelerate them to an intermediate conveyor 20 running at the same speed and comprising endless chains 30 mounting transverse bars 29 that pass through opening slots 26, 28 at the beginning and end of the conveyor 20 and engage the six-pack groups at their rear ends. The groups converge along the conveyor 20, at the end of which they are engaged by an end conveyor 21 in the form of a slide member 31 coupled to a pantograph linkage and driven by a chain drive 33.

Abstract: Assemblies of collated film sections and related prints, each belonging to a customer, are fed seriatim into a tray at the right-hand side of a horizontal table in front of a seated attendant so that the attendant can remove an assembly with the right hand while the left-hand opens the corresponding customer pocket which is held in a position of readiness at the left-hand side of the table. The attendant can observe the collating operation by inspecting successive film frames while the frames move above an illuminated window below and in front of the web of photographic paper with exposed and developed prints thereon. The pockets are removed seriatim from a magazine and are transported to the left-hand side of the table where the rear panel of an oncoming pocket is held by suction to facilitate the task of opening the pocket by pulling the front panel away from the rear panel.

Abstract: In a twin packaging machine composed of two packaging units each including a folding device, an inlet path for feeding objects to be packaged to the device, a member storing a sheet of packaging material, a device for cutting successive packaging foils from the sheet, and an outlet path for the finished packages, the longitudinal axes of the inlet and outlet paths lying at least approximately in a common vertical plane, the sheets of packaging material are arranged in juxtaposition between the outlet paths of the units and are disposed to enter into the devices from the side opposite that at which the objects to be packaged enter the devices, the machine is provided with a support, and the inlet and outlet paths and the sheets of packaging material of the two units are symmetrically arranged relative to the longitudinal axis of the support.

Abstract: Sausages or other articles having initial lengths several times longer than their final, packaged lengths are automatically severed to their proper dimensions, accumulated into multisausage clusters and then inserted into awaiting containers, all automatically. Each long initial length of material is initially severed into separate lengths, then gathered into side-by-side relationship with other severed lengths, then severed a second time into the final length. The final lengths are then arranged into generally cylindrically configured clusters for axial packing into the awaiting containers. Special handling techniques are used throughout the process so as to render the system fully automated without damaging the materials or failing to pack the prescribed number of materials into each container.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing lasagne noodles from the stripper of a high production pasta oven and packaging the noodles in a continuous processing line. The output of the stripper is split and directed along separate paths whereby the rate at which product is discharged to each path is reduced in half, as compared to conventional strippers. Conveyors transfer the respective split components of the stripper output away from the stripper and through successive accumulator, inspection and sawing stations. After departing from the sawing stations, the noodles are shingled into sub-components of a predetermined number of noodles and these sub-components are then displaced into containers for final packaging.

Abstract: The sequential formation of load patterns of certain configurations requires the removal from the pattern forming area of odd containers from between the patterns, as the patterns are automatically formed. To accomplish this, a reject conveyor, directed transversely to the direction of movement of the main feed conveyor, is located in the pattern forming area at the interface between the formed pattern and the pattern next to be formed. The containers are conveyed into the pattern forming area by the main conveyor such that the trailing edge of a first set of containers (formed load pattern), the leading edge of a second set of containers (load pattern next to be formed) and a third set of containers, comprising the containers between the load patterns (to be rejected), are situated on the reject conveyor.