Infeed apparatus for carton loading machines
OwnerHans Hagedorninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for assembling predetermined numbers of containers into groups, and then successively shifting the groups into a machine where they are loaded in cartons. The apparatus can simultaneously assemble two groups of containers, and superimpose one group upon the other before the two groups are simultaneously moved into the loading machine.
Claims19
Apparatus for grouping containers and feeding the groups to a carton loading machine, comprising a smooth-surfaced endless conveyor having a receiver end for receiving containers to be loaded into cartons and a discharge end, a platform at the discharge end of the conveyor and positioned to receive containers therefrom, a guide overlying the conveyor at the discharge end thereof, said guide being divided by a plurality of laterally spaced partitions into a plurality of open-ended channels extending longitudinally of the conveyor and terminating in inner ends near said platform, a stationary guide section overlying said conveyor between said guide and said platform, said guide section including a plurality of spaced partitions forming open-ended channels normally aligned with the partitions and channels, respectively, of said guide, means for pivotably supporting said partitions of said guide so that the inner ends thereof can be shifted laterally out of alignment with the partitions of said guide section, said conveyor moving containers successively into and through the channels and on to and across the platform in rows, stop means above the platform and spaced a distance from the conveyor and said guide partitions to be engaged by containers when a predetermined number of containers in the rows are moved on to the platform, power means connected to the guide partition inner ends for shifting said ends laterally into positions opposite the adjacent ends of the rows of containers on the platform, and operating means at said stop means and operatively connected to said power means and operated by containers at the stop means to cause the power means to laterally shift the inner ends of the partitions of the guide out of alignment with the partitions of the guide section when said predetermined number of containers are on the platform so as to lock the containers on the platform.
Apparatus for grouping containers and feeding the groups to carton loading machines, comprising first and second feeding sections, each said feeding section comprising a smooth-surfaced endless conveyor having a receiver end for receiving containers to be loaded into cartons and a discharge end, a platform at the discharge end of the conveyor and positioned to receive containers therefrom, a guide overlying the conveyor at the discharge end thereof, said guide being divided by a plurality of laterally spaced partitions into a plurality of open-ended channels extending longitudinally of the conveyor and terminating in inner ends near said platform, a stationary guide section overlying said conveyor between said guide and said platform, said guide section including a plurality of spaced partitions forming open-ended channels normally aligned with the partitions and channels, respectively, of said guide, means for pivotably supporting said partitions of said guide so that the inner ends thereof can be shifted laterally out of alignment with the partitions of said guide section, said conveyor moving containers successively into and through the channels and on to and across the platform in rows, stop means above the platform and spaced a distance from the conveyor and said guide partitions to be engaged by containers when a predetermined number of containers in the rows are moved on to the platform, power means connected to the guide partition inner ends for shifting said ends laterally into positions opposite the adjacent ends of the rows of containers on the platform, and operating means at said stop means and operatively connected to said power means and operated by containers at the stop means to cause the power means to laterally shift the inner ends of the partitions of the guide out of alignment with the partitions of the guide section when said predetermined number of containers are on the platform so as to lock the containers on the platform, the conveyor and platform of the first feeding section being higher than the conveyor and platform of the second feeding section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.