Vertical cartoning assembly and method

A cartoner assembly for placing cartons vertically onto a moving stream of preselected product groups comprising:

• (a) a frame structure having drive means mounted thereon,
• (b) opposing top and bottom sprockets having rotatable vertically disposed shafts, one said shaft being driven by said drive means,
• (c) continuous chains in communication with said top and bottom sprockets,
• (d) a continuous cam rail structure located spacially intermediate said continuous chains, said rail structure having downwardly and upwardly sloping sections,
• (e) a plurality of vertical shaft pairs respectively connected to said top and bottom chains,
• (f) a plurality of basket structures with outwardly extending flight arms slidingly mounted on said vertical shafts and having a cam follower extending from the rear thereof for placement and movement in said cam rail structure, and
• (g) a carton transfer device for the placement of cartons between the flight arms of said baskets structures.

A process for vertically lowering partially erected and opened cartons onto moving preselected product groups comprising:

• (a) providing a line conveyor for moving preselected product groups,
• (b) providing a cartoner assembly having a frame, a carton transfer device, a cam rail structure having sloping sections, and a continuous supply of carton receiving baskets for engagement with said cam rail structure and for lowering cartons onto the product groups,
• (c) providing a supply of flat and folded cartons for said cartoner assembly,
• (d) placing individual cartons from said carton supply into the carton holders of said cartoner assembly,
• (e) lowering and guiding said carton baskets onto the moving product groups,
• (f) sealing the cartons beneath said product groups, and
• (g) removing the cartoned products from the line conveyor.