Abstract: A shifting apparatus for objects such as eggs comprises a plurality of holders slidably carried on a substantially horizontal holder guide which is vertically movable. When the holder guide assumes an upper position, the holders are maximally spaced from each other for receiving a corresponding number of objects from above. A pitch changing mechanism causes the holders to slide on the holder guide, so that the holders are minimally spaced from each other when the holder guide assumes a lower position. In the lower position of the holder guide, a discharging mechanism causes the holders to discharge the received objects into a container located below.

Abstract: A system for packing containers into trays for transport and/or storage. First and second conveyor tracks are provided for transporting the containers and the trays, respectively, along substantially the same transport axis. The second track is disposed beneath the first track and is inclined upwardly so that the first and second tracks converge at a predetermined location adjacent to the downstream end of the first track. The inclined portion of the second track includes a flexible spring member, which cooperates with a guide member positioned on an undersurface of the first track to position each tray as it moves along the inclined portion of the second track so that the leading end of each tray clears the downstream end of the first track. Positioned downstream of the first and second tracks is a support member for journally supporting at least a portion of each tray as the containers are being packed into that particular tray.

Abstract: Disclosed is a machine for moving bakery pans in a stepwise fashion to enable rows of cups in the pans to be filled with dough packets. The rows of cups are spaced apart a predetermined distance which will vary depending upon the type of bakery product being made. The pans are carried by a converter and an indexing device is used to prevent these pans from being moved by the conveyor until individual rows of cups are filled with dough packets. The indexing device includes a helical arm mounted on a shaft which is removably coupled to an indexing motor that revolves the shaft through a 360.degree. turn and then momentarily stops to enable the cups to be filled with dough packets. The flights of the arm are spaced apart a distance corresponding to the spacing between rows of cups, with each flight having an edge which will engage a raised lip along the perimeter of the pan. The edge of the flight bearing against the lip of the pan prevents the pan from moving until the arm is rotated.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for packing vials into a case wherein vials are supplied through an infeed system and are organized into longitudinally extending rows defined between guide members. The guide rows or guide channels are adapted to grasp the vial below the neck for suspending it therebelow. The guide shoulders extending below the necks of the vials are not movable with respect to the guide members themselves. The guide assembly includes an inlet end through which vials enter for ordering into rows and the vial output end through which vials are removed upon placement into a case therebelow. The guide assembly is movable between an upper position and a lower position. In the lower position the vials extend to an intermediate position within the case such that removal of the case by the case pusher device will remove the vials from the guide channels and allow them to gently drop into the case as it is removed.

Abstract: Reusable plastic trays of the type adapted to transport large plastic soda bottles generally have cylindrical pockets for receiving the base of the bottle, and these pockets are uniformly spaced with respect to one another in each tray, and also with respect to adjacent bottles in adjacent trays at least when the trays are oriented in end-to-end relationship with respect to one another. This feature is one the present invention takes peculiar advantage of providing for orienting the bottles in two columns, and synchronizing bottle and tray movements so that the bottles can be lowered by their neck rings into the upwardly open pockets of the tray without necessity for periodically interrupting forward movement of the containers and of the trays in an improved continuous motion bottle packer especially suited for use with such reusable plastic trays.

Abstract: A spacer-tray loading machine loads cans or other containers into nestable spacer trays. The spacer trays are shaped with a plurality of container-bottom receptacles in a row-column array and nest together when empty to form a stack. The spacer-tray loading machine comprises a multiple-lane container feeder for supplying containers arranged in parallel rows to a tray loading area of the machine. The number of lanes equals the number of columns of container-bottom receptacles in the spacer tray. The spacer-tray loading machine further comprises a stacked-tray supply conveyor for advancing a horizontal stack of trays towards a tray-withdrawal end of the stack.

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: Articles, such as glass containers, are fed continuously in end-to-end relationship through a pin spacer adapted to provide a space between adjacent rows so that cross partitions can be fed therebetween. The articles are then grouped by s pin type grouper to provide predetermined members of article rows and columns in each group. The columns of articles are then spread slightly to allow longitudinal extending partitions to be fed between adjacent columns. At the same time flat tray blanks are withdrawn from a horizontally extending magazine and provided on a lug conveyor located below the path of the grouped articles and each blank is mated with a group of articles at a load station where the blank is formed around the articles by a pocket chain conveyor and article folding means operated in conjunction with an overhead flight bar conveyor which cooperates with the trailing portion of each pocket to fold all flaps provided on the tray blank.

Abstract: In a conveying system for transporting a sequence of articles to a suspending point in captured relation and then transporting them by vacuum suspension to a plurality of separate discharge stations, comprising the combination of:at least a pair of conveyor belts disposed in vertically spaced, overlapping relation to define an elongate nip therebetween extending from a capturing point to a suspending point, the upper of said belts extending beyond the suspending point and being provided with a series of openings extending longitudinally thereof;feed apparatus for feeding articles to the capturing point in sequentially spaced relation so as to be captured between the belts and transported therebetween to the suspending point;suction apparatus overlying the upper belt beyond the suspending point and defining a first chamber for subjecting the articles to vacuum through the openings to suspend them after they pass beyond the suspending point, the suction apparatus defining a plurality of further and separate cha

Abstract: A packaging system, in which a plurality of production machines supplying one high-capacity packaging machine has a plurality of readying devices and transfer apparatuses for the articles that are to be packaged. In order to transfer the readied articles gently and at the correct times to product buckets of the conveyor apparatus of the packaging machine, the individual transfer apparatuses are each driven by one highly dynamic electric motor in such a way that a dog of the transfer apparatus approaches a readied article slowly, then accelerates the article and then transfers the article at a synchronized speed to a bucket. The individual electric motors are controlled by a central guidance system having a process computer. The guidance system can be arbitrarily programmed such that the transfer apparatuses are not rigidly aligned with a certain succession of buckets of the conveyor apparatus, but instead can fill each successive bucket, depending on the operation of the production machines.

Abstract: A vertical cartoner assembly and method is for placing and assembling cartons over preselected product groups moved on a conveyor. The assembly has a frame structure having an elongated circular portion and vertically disposed drive shafts each having upper and lower chain sprockets. Continuous chains engage the upper and lower sprockets, and a power drive is provided to rotate one of the drive shafts. A continuous cam rail structure is mounted to the frame spacially intermediate the continuous chains. The continuous cam rail has downwardly and upwardly sloping sections. A plurality of vertical shafts are connected to the top and bottom chains. A carton holder body structure having a vertically disposed sleeve slidingly engages at least one of the vertical shafts. The carton holder body has a rearwardly extending cam follower for movement in the cam rail structure. The carton holder body structure has a pair of adjustable outwardly extending arms for receiving an opened and partially erected carton.

Abstract: Articles, such as glass containers, are fed continuously in end-to-end relationship through a pin spacer adapted to provide a space between adjacent rows so that cross partitions can be fed therebetween. The articles are then grouped by a pin type grouper to provide predetermined members of article rows and columns in each group. The columns of articles are then spread slightly to allow longitudinal extending partitions to be fed between adjacent columns. At the same time flat tray blanks are withdrawn from a horizontally extending magazine and provided on a lug conveyor located below the path of the grouped articles and each blank is mated with a group of articles at a load station where the blank is formed around the articles by a pocket chain conveyor and article folding means operated in conjunction with an overhead flight bar conveyor which cooperates with the trailing portion of each pocket to fold all flaps provided on the tray blank.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading trays with cut product typically meat chops is described, comprising a delivery conveyor (22) onto which are delivered the pieces of cut product (76) in sequence for movement to a delivery station (26), a tray conveyor (32) extending transversely to the delivery conveyor (22) and adapted to deliver in succession each of a plurality of trays (90) to the delivery station to receive cut product, and a product detector (94, 96) at the delivery station to detect the passage of each piece of cut product therethrough. The tray conveyor drive (230) operates in response to the detection of cut pieces by the detector (94, 96) to move the tray conveyor through a small amount sufficient to present the next available region of a tray to the delivery station, to receive the next piece of cut product so as to fill each tray in turn. A transfer conveyor (34) downstream from the delivery station moves the filled trays away from the delivery station.

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 system for loading friable nuclear fuel pellets into sintering boats from a pellet press which ejects newly made pellets. A chute receives the ejected pellets and discharges them into an upright bowl at a location towards the top of the bowl near its inner surface with a tangential horizontal component of velocity. The bowl, which has an open smaller diameter bottom, is rotated such that the bowl near the pellet-discharge location has a velocity which generally matches the magnitude and direction of the horizontal component of the velocity of the pellets at the discharge location. A conveyor moves a line of adjacently positioned boats horizontally beneath the bottom of the bowl. A flexible strap which cushions the pellets as they enter a sintering boat also acts as a seal between boats.

Abstract: An egg sorting and packing device comprising means for measuring the weights of eggs supplied, means for storing a plurality of egg weights measured by the measuring means, means for selecting eggs to be combined such that the total weight of eggs per one pack falls within a predetermined weight range by properly selecting and combining the eggs without being restricted by the weight-based class divisions, and means for packing the eggs selected by the selecting means.

Abstract: An egg packing apparatus includes an endless conveyor including a plurality of rotatable parallel rollers each provided with a plurality of abutments in the form of annular flanges. The flanges of any one roller are aligned with flanges on other rollers to form a plurality of transport channels or feed paths extending to respective guide chutes. The guide chutes are each defined by a pair of opposing side walls, a pivotably mounted plate member and an additional wall opposite the plate member 36, the additional wall being provided with a V-shaped portion extending inwardly towards the plate member so that the guide chute has a decreased width in a central region. Upon the deposition of an egg on the plate member with the narrow end of the egg is contact with one of the side walls of the guide chute, the plate member is pivoted and the large end of the egg is temporarily held between the additional wall and the plate member, allowing the narrow end of the egg to swing downwardly.

Abstract: Food products are packaged with a conveyor for carrying the food products to be packaged and a conveyor adapted to travel discontinuously for carrying open-topped containers beneath the leading edge of the food-product carrying conveyor at which point the container-carrying conveyor is inclined downwards in the direction of travel at an acute angle of less than 60.degree. to the horizontal so that the food product articles which fall off the leading edge of the food-carrying conveyor are consecutively received by for filling the container in a compact row with the food product articles. A container-supporting conveyor means may be utilized for advancing and urging the containers into position for filling at the successive stopping positions.

Abstract: A system for packing containers, such as beverage containers, into corresponding transport trays is comprised of a first conveyor track on which the containers are transported and a second conveyor track on which the trays are transported. A portion of the second conveyor track is inclined with respect to the first conveyor track so that the first and the second tracks converge at a predetermined location. A plurality of relatively flat, elongated support members are mounted at the downstream end of the first track adjacent to the predetermined location for journally supporting a discrete group of containers while the containers are being packed into the corresponding tray.

Abstract: An apparatus for packaging articles of roughly equal size in package means therefor and method of making such apparatus are provided wherein such apparatus comprises a first conveyor device for the articles with the first conveyor device having a plurality of receptacles each for receiving and supporting an individual one of the articles, a second conveyor device for moving a plurality of packages for the articles, and a transfer device for transferring a predetermined number of the articles from the first conveyor device into associated packages therefor wherein the first and second conveyor devices have portions thereof in parallel facing relation and the apparatus further comprises a drive for operating the conveyor devices in a continuous non-indexing manner to thereby continuously package the predetermined number of articles in an associated package.

Abstract: A blank for forming a wrap-around carton is delivered to a moving support carriage which is moved to a station where the moving carriage receives a predetermined number of articles to be packaged. The carriage, with the articles resting on the bottom portion of the blank, is moved downstream while cams actuate tucker fingers which pivot up to fold the tuck flaps of the blank toward each other, causing the end and side panels to be elevated. Another cam actuates a pusher bar which pivots up to push the articles. The carton blank and the articles are thus positively moved through subsequent flap folding and gluing stations, avoiding the problems which can arise due to the use of separate means for moving the articles and the carton blank. A cam operated hinged plate is used to segregate the leading articles at the entry to the machine.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring elongated parts, such as spark plug insulator bodies, travelling in a single row, end to end, on a first conveyor to a receptacle travelling on a second conveyor, the parts being placed each in a part-holding cavity in an insert in the receptacle, the part-holding cavity being disposed in consecutive rows. A part pick-up member picks up parts one at a time at the end of the first conveyor and transfers each part to the receptacle in which the part is placed substantially vertically with its end in a part-holding cavity in the insert. Sensors distinguish between good and defective parts at the location where the parts are picked up at the end of the first conveyor such that defective parts are rejected and the part pick-up member picks up only non-defective parts. Sensors detect fallen-over parts in the receptacle and stop loading in the event that parts are not properly placed in the holding cavities in the receptacle insert.

Abstract: A system and method for packing containers, such as beverage containers, into a transport tray is comprised of a first conveyor track on which the containers are transported and a second conveyor track on which the trays are transported. A portion of the second conveyor track is inclined with respect to the first conveyor track so that the first and second tracks converge at a predetermined location. A packing ramp is pivotally mounted at the downstream end of the first track adjacent to the predetermined location at which the two tracks converge. The packing ramp is moved upwardly to an inclined position when the ramp is in contact with either the leading or the trailing edge of a tray. The containers are packed into the tray in sequence from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the tray while the tray is on the inclined portion of the second track. A plurality of sensors, such as photoeyes, is used in conjunction with a computer to control the operation of the system.

Abstract: A machine for feeding beverage cans to open-ended carrier sleeves of varying capacities. When loading relatively small carrier sleeves, inboard conveyors and associated metering screws feed groups of cans to a flight bar conveyor which moves the groups through the open ends of the carrier sleeves. When loading relatively large carrier sleeves, outboard conveyors and associated metering screws are also operated after first replacing the inboard screws with screws able to separate cans into larger groups, the same size as those formed by the outboard screws. This arrangement feeds larger groups of cans which are then fed to the larger carrier sleeves. In one embodiment each conveyor comprises a longer upstream conveyor and a shorter downstream conveyor spaced a short distance therefrom to allow the flight bars to travel through the space between the conveyors when moving from the end of their upward run to the beginning of their horizontal downstream run.

Abstract: Apparatus for loading articles into trays where the articles are first separated into rows with a divider assembly, then separated into groups with a grouper assembly and then pushed onto a dead plate to form a load. Different divider and grouper assemblies are provided to make different load configurations. A tray blank is moved under the dead plate and pushed out from under the dead plate synchronously with the movement of the article load over the dead plate so that the article load is deposited on the tray blank. Thereafter, the flaps on the tray blank are folded to erect the tray around the group of articles. Mechanical folding mechanisms are provided to fold certain of the flaps on the tray without folding the other flaps. The method of loading the articles in the tray and forming the tray around the articles is also disclosed.

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: The present invention relates to an apparatus for packaging portions of an extrudable product, such as butter or margarine. The entire apparatus is driven by a single motor with all operations being synchronized therewith. The pliable product is pumped through an extruder, cut into portions, and deposited on one layer of channeled substrate and covered with another layer of substrate, which has an adhesive applied thereto. The substrates are then drawn between compression rollers and cut between the product portions and the product portions automatically fed to trays. As each tray is filled, a rapid advance moves the tray forward a predetermined amount so that the product portions will continue to feed into the next tray. As the trays move forward, they are removed from the entire apparatus for either shipment and/or storage. The adhesive holds the upper substrate to the lower substrate for enclosing the product portion.

Abstract: In a cartoning machine which wraps cartons about preformed blocks of objects, it is proposed to insert a new carton one after the other into the block feed line before the preceding carton has left the insertion zone, with temporary partial overlap of the cartons, so as to reduce the distance between the successive fed blocks. Furthermore, in the insertion station, the blocks of objects are fed by transverse bars carried in a projecting manner from a chain conveyor disposed entirely on that side of the feed line opposite the side from which the cartons are inserted.

Abstract: An apparatus for charging receptacles with groups of stacked articles includes a first conveyor for advancing article groups thereon towards a discharge end thereof; a second conveyor, situated below the first conveyor, for advancing receptacles to a filling position, a third conveyor for receiving the article groups from the discharge end of the first conveyor and advancing the article groups to a container dwelling in the filling position on the second conveyor and a pusher for sequentially pushing article groups from the discharge end of the first conveyor into the third conveyor. The third conveyor comprises a plurality of positioning devices, each having article group holding means, travelling sequentially and intermittently from the discharge end of the first conveyor downwardly to a location immediately above the filling position. The article groups are introduced from a respective positioning device into a respective container then situated in the filling position.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring parts travelling in a single row on a first conveyor to a receptacle travelling on a second conveyor, the parts being placed in the receptacle in consecutive rows of a plurality of the parts. A part loader, comprising an elbow-joint arm having a pivotable first arm and a second arm mounted on the end of the first arm pivotable relative to the first arm, supports a part pick-up member mounted on the end of the second arm which picks up at least one part from the end of the first conveyor and transfers the part to the receptacle on the second conveyor. Alternatively, the part pick-up member is adapted to pick up a row of parts from the first conveyor and to place one row of parts in the part receptacle, or to rotate a part during transfer from the first conveyor to the part receptacle.

Abstract: An apparatus for automatically collecting and packing a selected number of units of vertically oriented breakable product into a carton is disclosed. The apparatus includes a frame and a collecting assembly mounted to the frame. The collecting assembly includes collecting support apparatus for indexing forward, counting and collecting a row of units of products in a vertical orientation until a selected number of such units of products is collected. The apparatus of the present invention also includes a feed station operatively aligned with the collecting support apparatus such that the feed station receives a row of collected product from the collecting support apparatus.

Abstract: A yeast cake loader loads yeast cakes into shallow open-top boxes in a reciprocating motion. The yeast cakes are smoothly lowered by a resiliently bendable surface which resiliently bends under the weight of the yeast cakes during loading. A ram pushes a block of yeast cakes across the resiliently bendable surface, which operates to move the box as well. When the box is full and has been moved a distance of one box width, the ram retracts and a new box is supplied under the resiliently bendable surface. The resiliently bendable surface then returns to its initial position. Additional yeast cakes are supplied in front of the ram, and the cycle is repeated.

Abstract: A machine for packaging eggs of the type having an egg orienting and aligning device for arranging the eggs, supplied at random by a conveyor, in successive cross rows of a predetermined number, an orienting device for orienting the eggs in each cross row with their blunt ends directed in the direction of forward movement with the longitudinal axes of the eggs equally spaced in each row at a first distance, and a transfer device for transferring the successive cross rows of the eggs so oriented to successive corresponding cross rows of the egg holding recesses of egg trays or the like, the centers of these recesses being spaced at a second smaller lateral distance.

Abstract: A rotary packer has pendulously supported grids spaced around a circular orbit that includes a discharge station where each grid mates with a case to be loaded with articles dropped from the grid. Two adjacent grids are required to be so mated, at least during movement of one grid toward and the other grid out of the discharge station. The cases are moved at matching speeds by advancing the odd numbered cases with a first case conveyor and providing a second case conveyor for the even numbered cases.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring elongated parts travelling on a first conveyor to a receptacle travelling on a second conveyor, the parts being placed singly in consecutive rows in the receptacle in a substantially vertical position. The apparatus comprises a part pick-up unit having a part pick-up member mounted on a slide. The part pick-up unit is positioned such as to enable the part pick-up member to pick up a part at the end of the first conveyor, and the part pick-up member, mounted on the output shaft of a rotary actuator, is rotated such as to rotate the part from a horizontal position to a vertical position during travel of the part pick-up unit and of the slide from the part pick-up position to the part-loading position.

Abstract: A system for loading nuclear fuel pellets into a sintering boat from a pellet press which discharges newly-made pellets. The loading system includes apparatus for receiving the pellets from the press and inserting them into an upward vertically positioned channel, a horizontally positioned rotatable drum with at least one longitudinally aligned circumferential channel, previously mentioned, for holding a row of pellets, a drum rotating mechanism, a device for pushing the pellets out of a below-horizontally positioned channel, an incline to receive the pushed out pellets, a sintering boat/incline positioner to allow the pellets to leave the incline adjacent the position in the sintering boat of the next-to-be-stacked pellet row, and a controller to coordinate system component operation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for loading parts from the end of a first conveyor to holding cavities in an insert in a receptacle travelling on a second conveyor and being indexed by the second conveyor to locate each row relative to a part-loading unit. The insert is located within the receptacle and the holding cavities in the insert are located and sized by expandable probes disposed in a row and introduced simultaneously each in a cavity of a row of the insert and held expanded in each cavity, while an already located and sized row of cavities is being loaded with parts, one cavity at a time.

Abstract: The device comprises sets of paddles hinge connected at preset distances from one another to closed loop entrainment chains, rotatively mounted around a drum, on the exterior thereof, for discharging tubes into individual boxes which are arranged on an intermittently operated feeding belt moving beneath said discharge drum, there being further provided control means for controlling the intermittent feeding movement of said paddle entrainment means synchronously with the box feeding means, thereby the paddles in each set are caused to progressively enter a box during the final stroke thereof into a position underlying the discharge drum, and then stay within the box during the time when the latter's bins are being filled in succession, and lastly progressively move out of the box upon completion of the filling step.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for transferring parts travelling in a single row on a first conveyor to a receptacle travelling on a second conveyor, the parts being placed in the receptacle in consecutive rows of a plurality of the parts. A part loader, comprising an elbow-joint arm having a pivotable first arm and a second arm mounted on the end of the first arm pivotable relative to the first arm, supports a part pick-up member mounted on the end of the second arm which picks up at least one part from the end of the first conveyor and transfers the part to the receptacle on the second conveyor. Alternatively, the part pick-up member is adapted to pick up a row of parts from the first conveyor and to place one row of parts in the part receptacle, or to rotate a part during transfer from the first conveyor to the part receptacle.

Abstract: Case packer apparatus including endless driven conveyor, article gripper, and carrier bars for the article gripper which depend therefrom and where the conveyor has a downwardly extending reach connecting a pickup station to an article deposit station, the carrier and gripper being operatively connected to the conveyor as case packer groups spaced longitudinally of the conveyor, and where leading and trailing cross bars engaging rows of leading and trailing articles carried by each article group are present and where positioning structure for the cross bars secure them to end carrier bars of and/or to end portions of the carriages of the case packer groups in different manners.

Abstract: A case loader for loading pet beverage or other product bottles with a prominent neck flange in cases includes support rails spaced by gaps which support the bottles by the neck flange in suspended condition as they are moved by pusher bars from a grouping station to a case filling station.

Abstract: A packaging machine includes a magazine which has a plurality of vertical compartments open at the top and bottom and which is supported for steplike movement between first and second positions in a direction forming an acute angle to a horizontal reference. A pair of adjacent box supports are located below and are parallel to the path of movement of the magazine, and are vertically movable between positions closely adjacent and spaced from the bottom of the magazine. A feed mechanism supplies individual packages to a fixed location above the path of movement of the magazine, the packages dropping into respective magazine compartments as the magazine moves. The feed mechanism can include a shaping mechanism at such fixed location to uniformly shape the individual packages. An inclined guideway supplies boxes to one of the box supports.

Abstract: A conveyor system for flanged containers includes downwardly inclined, laterally-spaced rails for supporting the flanges of the containers as the containers move by gravity toward a take-away conveyor. Control means are provided for permitting each container to move by gravity on the rails into engagement with a leading edge of an adjacent aperture in the take-away conveyor with flanges of each container still supported by a lower section of the spaced rails. Preferably the lower section is movable, and an actuating system is provided for moving it to positively direct a lower trailing end of each container into its adjacent aperture.

Abstract: Small glass bottles of unstable configuration are drop packed in several stages to fill a packing case capable of holding a relatively large number of such bottles. Separate slugs of articles are formed to fill predetermined portions of the case in a method which permits use of a conventional drop packer grid.

Abstract: A device is disclosed which grips and transfers articles from one conveyor to another conveyor or to containers on another conveyor. The incoming conveyed articles are sensed and the drive mechanism of an overhead vacuum conveyor which grips and transfers the articles is adjusted automatically to align a gripper with an article.

Abstract: The packaging machine illustrated and described herein is adaptable to loading bottles or cartons into cases. The machine includes a frame, a spider mechanism rotatably mounted on the frame for transporting containers to be loaded, a guide plate located adjacent the edge of the path of the spider mechanism and extending along a predetermined circumferential lower portion thereof, a chute for conveying cases past the guide plate, an opening formed through a wall of the chute adjacent the upper edge of the guide plate for communication with the open ends of the cases, a stop mechanism for controlling the movement of the cases past the opening in an indexing manner, and control means for controlling the simultaneous indexing of the stop mechanism and the spider mechanism so as to assure that each successive layer of containers will be fed by the spider mechanism so as to slide through the opening into the space of the next available row within the respective cases.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for loading containers into a carrier tray having individual rows of cutouts for receiving the containers. The apparatus includes feed control conveyors for spacing the containers at a uniform predetermined distance and a gating mechanism for directing the containers into a plurality of feed lines. The feed lines include feed-control screws which cooperate to advance the containers so that a container is discharged from the end of each feed line simultaneously, the discharge containers being laterally aligned in a transverse row. A container conveyor advances the aligned containers discharged from the feed lines. A tray conveyor underlying the container conveyor receives and advances carrier trays so that the aligned containers reach the discharge end of the container conveyor simultaneously with a row of cutouts in a tray, the containers falling downwardly directly into the row of cutouts in the tray.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing cross wound yarn spools into an open top transport container utilizing a vertically extending dropping channel. The channel is raised and lowered into the transport container for guiding and directing the spools of yarn into the container. The container with the dropping channel provided therein is selectively moved for depositing the spools in a plurality of longitudinal rows.

Abstract: Set-up open top bottle carriers having apertured bottom walls are continuously supplied in abutting relationship by conveyor means to a loading station while bottles are moved continuously along a dead plate having its outfeed end at said loading station, and a plurality of positioning pins mounted on endless means which is movable in synchronism with movement of the bottles along the dead plate are disposed below the outfeed end of the dead plate and arranged so that the positioning pins enter apertures in the bottoms of the cartons thereby to insure that bottles fed off of the outfeed ends of the dead plate are dropped into the carton therebelow, the bottles being guided during their downward fall into the carton by parts of the pusher means which moves the bottles along the dead plate and downward movement of the bottles being arrested by a cushioned stop due to engagement with the positioning pins which are yieldably mounted.

Abstract: A machine and method which serves to introduce measured amounts of different items (e.g., pieces of different fruits) into containers such as cans or jars. Features of the machine and method include high filing speed, straight-line movement of means carrying separate measured amounts of the items, volumetric measuring pockets that are adjustable, and simplicity of construction and operation. Preferably the machine also incorporates means for orienting, slicing, and depositing a predetermined number of cherry halves into the containers.