High speed carton feeding/turning system

An apparatus for feeding and turning successive cartons during transition between in-line infeed and take away conveyors comprising

• an intermediate conveyor section in between said conveyors defining a substantially horizontal flow path with first and second sides;
• a plurality of drive elements laterally spaced and extending in-line along said path underneath said cartons for feeding and turning of said cartons;
• retarding means positioned along the edge of said first side of said path to engage an adjacent corner of each carton to assist the turning action during the forward feeding;
• said retarding means comprising an endless member defining a substantially horizontal plane parallel to said flow path and a substantially straight operative run along said edge of the first side of the flow path;
• a plurality of extensible fingers on said member for engaging said adjacent corner of the selected carton along the path;
• means for actuating a selected one of said fingers to extend it into the edge of said path for capturing the carton corner;
• and sensor means positioned along said infeed conveyor for selecting said one of said fingers for assisting in the carton turning action;
• progressive driving means for said elements providing a differential speed across said path for the combined positive feeding and turning of the cartons;
• said driving means operating to relatively drive said elements from slow adjacent said first side of said path to fast along the second side;
• whereby said elements positively feed/turn said cartons along said path while said retarding means assists in turning.

A method for feeding and turning successive cartons during transition as the cartons move between in-line infeed and take away conveyors comprising the steps of:

• providing a substantially horizontal flow path with first and second sides between said conveyors;
• supporting along said flow path the bottom of each successive carton at laterally spaced locations;
• moving a portion of each carton at each support location in a progressively increasing manner from the first to the second side of the flow path so as to provide a differential speed across the path for combined positive feeding and turning of the cartons;
• engaging the bottom of said carton along substantially continuous lines at said spaced locations for moving said carton at the differential speed across said path;
• sensing the leading edge of each successive carton adjacent the downstream end of said infeed conveyor;
• extending said finger into said flow path along said edge of the first side in response thereto;
• engaging the leading corner of each carton by a moving finger along the edge of said first side of said path;
• moving said finger at a slightly slower speed than the speed at the support location adjacent said edge along said first side to assist in turning by retarding the movement of this portion of the carton relative to the remaining portions;
• whereby to provide improved feeding/turning of said cartons along said path while assisting in turning by retarding the portion of the carton along said edge of the first edge of the flow path.

A method for feeding and turning successive cartons during transition as the cartons move between in-line infeed and take away conveyors comprising the steps of:

• providing a substantially horizontal flow path with first and second sides between said conveyors;
• squaring each successive carton upstream of said flow path;
• supporting along said flow path the bottom of each successive carton at laterally spaced locations;
• moving a portion of each carton at each support location in a progressively increasing manner from the first to the second side of the flow path so as to provide a differential speed across the path for combined positive feeding and turning of the cartons;
• engaging the leading corner of each carton by a moving finger along the edge of said first side of said path;
• moving said finger at a slightly slower speed than the speed at the support location adjacent said edge along said first side to assist in turning by retarding the movement of this portion of the carton relative to the remaining portions;
• whereby to provide improved feeding/turning of said cartons along said path while assisting in turning by retarding the portion of the carton along said edge of the first edge of the flow path.

An apparatus for feeding and turning successive cartons through a substantially 90.degree. angle during substantially continuous transition between in-line infeed and take away conveyors comprising:

• an intermediate conveyor section in between said conveyors defining a substantially horizontal flow path with first and second sides;
• a plurality of drive elements laterally spaced and extending in-line along substantially the full length of said path underneath said cartons for feeding and full turning of said cartons through said angle;
• retarding means positioned along substantially the full length of the edge of said first side of said path to engage an adjacent corner of each carton to combine with said drive elements for the full turning action during the forward feeding along said path;
• progressive driving means for said elements providing a differential speed across said path for the combined positive, substantially continuous and progressive feeding and turning of the cartons;
• said driving means operating to relatively drive said elements substantially continuously from slow adjacent said first side of said path to fast along the second side;
• whereby said elements positively feed/turn said cartons along substantially the full length of said path while said retarding means combines with said elements in full turning.

A method for feeding and turning successive cartons through a substantially 90.degree. angle during substantially continuous transition as the cartons move between in-line feed and take away conveyors comprising the steps of:

• providing a substantially horizontal flow path with first and second sides between said conveyors;
• supporting along substantially the full length of said flow path the bottom of each successive carton at laterally spaced locations;
• moving a portion of each carton at each support location in a progressively increasing manner from the first to the second side of the flow path so as to provide a differential speed across the path for combined positive feeding, and full, substantially 90.degree. and continuous turning of the cartons;
• engaging the leading corner of each carton by a moving finger along the edge of said first side of said path;
• moving said finger at a slightly slower speed than the speed at the support location adjacent said edge along said first side to combine in the full turning by retarding the movement of this portion of the carton relative to the remaining portions;
• whereby to provide substantially continuous feeding/substantially 90.degree. turning of said cartons along said path while combining in said turning by retarding the portion of the carton by said finger along substantially the full length of the first edge of the flow path.

An apparatus for feeding and turning successive cartons through a substantially 90.degree. angle during substantially continuous transition between in-line infeed and take away conveyors comprising:

• an intermediate conveyor section in between said conveyors defining a substantially in-line horizontal flow path with first and second sides;
• a plurality of drive elements laterally spaced and extending in-line along substantially the full length of said path underneath said cartons for feeding and turning of said cartons through said angle;
• retarding means positioned along substantially the full length of the edge of said first side of said path to engage an adjacent corner of each carton to combine with said elements to provide the turning action during the forward in-line feeding;
• progressive driving means for said elements providing a differential speed across said path for the combined positive and progressive in-line feeding and turning of the cartons;
• said driving means operating to relatively drive said elements from slow adjacent said first side of said path to fast along the second side;
• whereby said elements positively feed/turn said cartons along substantially the full length of said path while said retarding means combines with said elements in full turning.