Cartoning method and apparatus

In apparatus for packaging articles within a package volume having a generally rectangular cross-section, the package being formed from a carton blank having a continuous side-wall defining region and integral bottom and lid flaps extending outwardly therefrom, improved apparatus for filling and closing the carton blanks comprising:

• a rotary turret, said turret having a plurality of receiving cells, said receiving cells being of generally rectangular cross-sectional area and being open at a pair of opposite ends, said cells each defining an axis and said ends being disposed along said axis, a pair of adjacent walls of each of said cells being fixed in position and a second pair of adjacent cell defining walls being adjustable relative to oppositely disposed of said fixed walls whereby the width and height of said cells may be varied as a function of the format of a carton blank;
• means for causing said turret to rotate about an axis, said rotation causing means producing step-wise motion of said turret;
• means for erecting a carton blank to a tubular configuration having the carton end flaps extending outwardly at a pair of oppositely disposed open carton ends;
• means for inserting an erected carton blank in a cell of said turret at a first position of said turret;
• means for transferring articles to be packaged into an erected carton blank disposed in a cell of said turret;
• means located adjacent to said cell open ends along the path of motion thereof during rotation of said turret for folding the bottom and lid flaps of an erected carton blank inwardly to a closed position;
• means located adjacent to said cell open ends for applying adhesive to selected of said bottom and lid flaps of an erected carton blank, said adhesive applying means being located at a second position of said turret;
• and
• means for varying the spacing between oppositely disposed of said flap folding and adhesive applying means as a function of the carton blank format.