Machine for forming wrap-around shipper packages

Abstract

A packaging machine in which the shipper package is formed from a carton blank which is wrapped around the article to be shipped. The packaging machine includes a loading station having a loading mechanism for loading an article into each compartment as the compartments move continuously through the loading station. The loading mechanism includes a loading platform disposed above the path of travel of the article receiving compartments and wiper blades mounted for movement along the loading platform in the direction of travel of the compartments to remove an article deposited on the loading platform and to deposit it in a compartment as the compartment moves out from under the loading platform. A wrapping station is provided wherein the article receiving compartments are moved longitudinally through the wrapping station on a conveyor and are moved laterally of the conveyor so as to project over an edge of the conveyor when passing through the wrapping station. A carton blank locating mechanisms also provide for stripping a carton blank from a stack of knocked down blanks, partially folding the blank and locating the blank in the partial folded condition in the path of travel of the article receiving compartment. Detectors are provided for detecting the presence or absence of an article in the article receiving compartments after the loading station and for detecting the presence or absence of a wrapper after the wrapping station so as to prevent the formation of a carton without any contents located therein and to prevent the discharge of the contents from the article receiving compartment into the same receiver which receives the correctly wrapped packages.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.