Automatic magazine loader for supplying carton blanks to carton magazine

A method of loading a slug of carton blanks into a carton blank magazine, comprising:

• providing a carton handling system having a carriage assembly including a carton handling tool, the carriage assembly capable of moving the carton handling tool in two axes of motion to receive the slug of carton blanks and to position the slug of carton blanks in the carton blank magazine, a finger carried on the carton handling tool, and at least one sensor;
• receiving the slug of carton blanks by the carton handling tool;
• moving the slug of carton blanks toward an end of an advancing stack of blanks in the carton blank magazine;
• detecting whether a fallen carton blank carton is lying at the end of the advancing stack of blanks;
• lifting the fallen carton blank against a preceding blank carton at the end of the advancing stack of blanks with the finger;
• moving the slug of blanks toward the end of the advancing stack of blanks;
• and
• releasing the slug of blanks at the end of the advancing stack of blanks.