Method for forming a compressed grouping of objects

A compression apparatus for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping and transferring said compressed grouping, said apparatus comprising:

• a. a rotatable body including a receiving area positioned on the perimeter of said rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position
• b. a compression member positioned on an end of said rotatable body and surrounding a portion of a side of said rotatable body, said compression member having an inclining portion commencing from a start position located on the side of said compression member facing the longitudinal center of said rotatable body and inclining toward the longitudinal center of said rotatable body to a transfer position, said start position aligned adjacent said receiving position, wherein said objects received in said receiving area are compressed into said compressed grouping by relative motion between said rotatable body and said compression member;
• and
• c. a transfer conveyor located longitudinally through said rotatable body having a capture member for capturing said compressed grouping at said transfer position and transporting said compressed grouping to a packaging device.

A method for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping and transferring said compressed grouping, said apparatus comprising a rotatable body including a receiving area positioned on the perimeter of said rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position and a transfer conveyor located longitudinally adjacent said rotatable body at a transfer position and includes a compression member for forcing an end object in said receiving area into said other objects to compress said objects into a compressed grouping and transport said compressed grouping away from said transfer position, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving a plurality of objects from said infeed conveyor into said receiving area at said receiving position;
• b. rotating said rotatable body to said transfer position;
• c. pausing said rotation of said rotatable body when said receiving area having said plurality of objects reaches said transfer position;
• d. positioning said compression member immediately behind an end object from said receiving area when said objects arrive at said transfer position;
• e. compressing said objects together to form a compressed grouping by forcing said compression member into said remaining objects;
• and
• f. transporting said compressed grouping away from said transfer position during said pausing of the rotation of said rotatable body.

A method for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping and transferring said compressed grouping with an apparatus comprising a rotatable body including a receiving area positioned on the perimeter of said rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position, a compression member positioned on an end of said rotatable body and surrounding a portion of a side of said rotatable body, said compression member having an inclining portion commencing from a start position located on the side of said compression member facing the longitudinal center of said rotatable body and inclining toward the longitudinal center of said rotatable body to a transfer position, said start position located adjacent said receiving position, and a transfer conveyor located longitudinally adjacent said rotatable body and including a capturing member for capturing said compressed grouping at said transfer position, said method comprising the steps of:

• a. receiving a plurality of objects from said infeed conveyor into one of said receiving areas at said receiving position;
• b. compressing said plurality of objects by rotating said rotatable body and said compression member relative to one another so that the object received from said infeed conveyor and positioned adjacent said start position of said compression member is forced toward the longitudinal center of said rotatable body by riding along said inclined portion;
• c. pausing said rotation of said rotatable body when said receiving area having said compressed grouping reaches said transfer position;
• d. positioning said capturing member around said compressed grouping when said compressed grouping arrives at said transfer position;
• e. conveying said compressed grouping out of said receiving area at said transfer position and along said transfer conveyor.

An apparatus for compressing a plurality of objects into a compressed grouping and transferring said compressed grouping to a packaging device, said apparatus comprising:

• a. a rotatable body including a plurality of receiving areas positioned around the circumference of said rotatable body for receiving a plurality of objects in expanded arrangement from an infeed conveyor at a receiving position, said infeed conveyor including a plurality of individual lanes;
• b. a first compression member positioned on one end of said rotatable body adjacent said receiving areas and surrounding a portion of a side of said rotatable body;
• c. a second compression member positioned on the other end of said rotatable body and surrounding a portion of the side of said cylinder, said first and second compression members having an inclining portion commencing from a start position on the side of each said compression member facing the longitudinal center of said rotatable body and inclining toward the longitudinal center of said rotatable body to a transfer position, said start position located adjacent said receiving position, wherein said objects received in said receiving area are compressed into a group by relative motion between said rotatable body and said compression members;
• and
• d. a transfer conveyor located longitudinally through said rotatable body having a first capture element and a second capture element for capturing said compressed grouping at said transfer position and transporting said compressed grouping out of said receiving area and away from said transfer position.