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US 5,546,734 AGranted
Packaging machine and method of packaging articles
AssigneeRiverhood International Corporation
InventorsFrank Moncrief, Kelly W. Ziegler, Michael Hiney, Dennis Grimm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A continuous motion, end loading packaging machine forms article groups of a predetermined number and configuration using a flight type article selector. The packaging machine is flexible in its ability to package articles of different heights and diameters in various product configurations. The packaging machine includes adjustable guide rails to selectively change product infeed lane widths. The machine also phase adjusts the selector flights, and allows for easy selector flight replacement.
Claims30
A packaging machine for processing articles along a longitudinal path and for directing the articles into a container, comprising:
- (a) article infeed means for arranging said articles in discrete lanes of a first width, said article infeed means being adjustable to accommodate and arrange articles of different diameters;
- (b) article selection means disposed adjacent to and cooperating with said article infeed means for selecting a predetermined number of articles from said article infeed means and arranging said predetermined number of articles into an article group;
- (c) container transport means disposed adjacent to and functioning in timed relationship with said article selection means for positioning said container to receive articles from said article selection means;
- and
- (d) container supply means disposed adjacent to and functioning in timed relationship with said container transport means for supplying containers to said container transport means;
- said article infeed means comprising a first guide rail section having spaced parallel guide rails defining said lanes of said first width and said article infeed means being adjustable by sliding said guide rails to define lanes of a second width;
- said article infeed means also comprising a second guide rail section having spaced parallel guide rails defining said lanes of said first width and being adjustable by sliding said guide rails to define lanes of said second width, said guide rails in said second guide rail section being at an angle to said guide rails in said first guide rail section;
- said packaging machine further comprising a first corner guide rail section having spaced guide rails defining lanes of said second width, said first corner guide rail section being inserted between said first guide rail section and said second guide rail section and mating with said first guide rail section and said second guide rail section when said lanes of said first guide rail section and said second guide rail section are at said second width.
5 more elements
A packaging machine for processing articles along a longitudinal path and for directing the articles into a container, comprising:
- (a) article infeed means for arranging said articles in discrete lanes of a first width, said article infeed means being adjustable to accommodate and arrange articles of different diameters;
- (b) article selection means disposed adjacent to and cooperating with said article infeed means for selecting a predetermined number of articles from said article infeed means and arranging said predetermined number of articles into an article group;
- (c) container transport means disposed adjacent to and functioning in timed relationship with said article selection means for positioning said container to receive articles from said article selection means;
- and
- (d) container supply means disposed adjacent to and functioning in timed relationship with said container transport means for supplying containers to said container transport means;
- said article infeed means comprising a first guide rail section having spaced parallel guide rails defining said lanes of said first width and said article infeed means being adjustable by sliding said guide rails to define lanes of a second width;
- said article infeed means also comprising article flow control means for interrupting the movement of said articles along said lanes and toward said article selection means wherein positions of said article flow control means are adjusted with said sliding of said guide rails.
4 more elements
A packaging machine for inserting articles into containers, said packaging machine comprising:
- a first infeed conveyor;
- guide rails disposed over said first infect conveyor, said guide rails being spaced apart from one another to define infeed lanes, said guide rails defining a first rail section having an inlet end and an outlet end;
- a second conveyor disposed along a longitudinal axis and positioned adjacent said first infeed conveyor, flight retaining fasteners attached to and carried by said second conveyor, transversely extending selector flights mounted to said second conveyor in successive relationship, fastening means on said selector flights for releasably attaching said selector flights to said flight retaining fasteners, said selector flights being spaced apart from one another to define pockets between successive flights;
- and
- a third conveyor positioned adjacent said second conveyor and synchronized in timed relationship with said second conveyor;
- wherein said fastening means is incorporated into said selector flights;
- and wherein said selector flights have a width ww equal to:
- ##EQU3## wherein P is a machine pitch, u is a number of articles between successive selector flights, d is an article diameter, .alpha. is an angle between said guide rails and said longitudinal axis, and C.sub.1 is a clearance distance.
5 more elements
A packaging machine for inserting articles into containers, said packaging machine comprising:
- a first infeed conveyor;
- guide rail, disposed over said first infeed conveyor, said guide rails being spaced apart from one another to define infeed lanes, said guide rails defining a first rail section having an inlet end and an outlet end;
- a second conveyor disposed along a longitudinal axis and positioned adjacent said first infeed conveyor, flight retaining fasteners attached to and carried by said second conveyor, transversely extending selector flights mounted to said second conveyor in successive relationship, fastening means on said selector flights for releasably attaching said selector flights to said flight retaining fasteners, said selector flights being spaced apart to define pockets between successive flights;
- and
- a third conveyor positioned adjacent to said second conveyor and synchronized in timed relationship with said second conveyor;
- wherein said fastening means is incorporated into said selector flights;
- and wherein said selector flights have a height h equal to:
- ##EQU4## where U is a number of articles between successive selector flights, d is an article diameter, and .alpha. is an angle between said guide rails and said longitudinal axis.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.