Tray loading machine

A tray loading mechanism for moving accumulated charges of containers from an accumulating position into trays at a loading position through the unclosed end flaps of the trays to load the trays comprising:

• loading conveyor means including a plurality of pusher means movable between the accumulating and loading positions along an endless path, each of said pusher means adapted to move a charge of containers from the accumulating position into a tray at the loading position as said pusher means moves in a first direction along the endless path;
• drive means for moving said plurality of pusher means along the endless path in successive increments of movement so that all of said pusher means are first simultaneously moved along the endless path in the first direction for a first prescribed distance and then simultaneously moved along the endless path in the opposite direction for a second prescribed distance less than the first prescribed distance during each increment of movement so that said plurality of pusher means moves between the accumulating and loading positions in the first direction along the endless path, said first prescribed distance selected to cause one of said pusher means to move a charge of containers out of the accumulating position toward the loading position and to cause one of said pusher means to load a charge of containers into the tray at the loading position during each movement of said plurality of pusher means in the first direction, and said second prescribed distance selected to cause that pusher means loading a charge of containers into the tray at the loading position to move out of interference with the unclosed end flaps on the tray during movement of said pusher means in the second direction.