Loading cases with items

A system for loading cases with items, the system comprising:

• an item delivery apparatus operable to deliver a plurality of items to a transfer station;
• a collation platform operable to support a group of items;
• a pedestal operable to support the group of items;
• a transfer apparatus operable to:
• transfer a plurality of items from the item delivery apparatus at the transfer station, to the collation platform, to form the group of items on the collation platform;
• and
• transfer the group of items from the collation platform to the pedestal;
• a fence and a fence support apparatus, wherein the fence is arranged to surround, on three sides, the group of items on the pedestal;
• a case movement apparatus located proximate the pedestal, the case movement apparatus operable to move an erected case blank in a path that sheaths, with an erected case blank, a group of items located on the pedestal;
• a first folding platform and a second folding platform, located on opposite longitudinal sides of the pedestal;
• wherein, in operation:
• the item delivery apparatus delivers the plurality of items to the transfer station;
• the transfer apparatus transfers a plurality of items from the item delivery apparatus at the transfer station, to the collation platform, to form a group of items on the collation platform;
• the transfer apparatus transfers the group of items from the collation platform to the pedestal;
• the case movement apparatus moves the erected case blank to sheath the group of items located on the pedestal;
• the case movement apparatus moves the erected case blank and the group of items held therein, in forward and rearward movements over the first folding platform, the pedestal and the second folding platform to thereby close a trailing bottom flap and a leading bottom flap of the erected case blank;
• and
• the fence support apparatus moves the fence vertically downward while the case movement apparatus moves the erected case blank to sheath the group of iterns.