Method and apparatus for forming groups of work products

A method of forming a generally continuous row of edge standing and aligned work products being advanced along a path of travel on a feed conveyor into separate groups of work products supplied to an infeed conveyor of a packaging machine, the infeed conveyor having a spaced series of flights for receiving respective ones of the groups of work products therein, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) moving a separator knife along the path of travel toward a home position;
• b) detecting the presence of said separator knife at said home position with an electronic home position detector, and in response thereto emitting a stop signal to stop the movement of the separator knife at said home position;
• c) accumulating the work products on the feed conveyor upstream of said home position;
• d) moving said separator knife and the accumulated work products from said home position in the direction of the path of travel in timed response to the movement of the flights of the infeed conveyor along the path of travel;
• e) withdrawing said separator knife from in front of the row of work products and releasing the row of work products for movement along the path of travel toward the packaging machine;
• f) inserting a second separator knife into the row of work products in timed relationship with the movement of the row of work products along the path of travel at a speed and direction substantially the same as the speed and direction of the work products along the path of travel;
• g) stopping the movement of said second separator knife at said home position and accumulating at least a portion of the row of work products on the feed conveyor upstream of said home position;
• and
• h) forming a group of work products as the remainder of the row of work products continues to move downstream along the path of travel away from said home position and into one of the flights of the infeed conveyor.

An apparatus for forming a generally continuous row of edge standing and aligned work products being carried on a feed conveyor along a path of travel into separate groups of work products supplied to an infeed conveyor of a packaging machine, the infeed conveyor having a spaced series of flights for receiving respective ones of the groups of work products therein, said apparatus comprising:

• at least one separator knife constructed and arranged to be moved in the direction of the path of travel with respect to the feed conveyor;
• cam means for inserting said at least one separator knife into the row of work products in timed relationship with the movement of the row of work products along the path of travel at a speed and direction substantially the same as the speed and direction of the row of work products along the path of travel;
• and
• a detector for emitting a detection signal in response to the detection of said at least one separator knife at a home position fixed along the path of travel;
• said cam means being constructed and arranged to stop said at least one separator knife at said home position in response to the emission of said detection signal so that said at least one separator knife accumulates at least a portion of the row of work products on the feed conveyor at said home position as the remainder of the row of work products continues to move downstream along the path of travel for forming a spaced group of work products moving away from said home position and toward the infeed conveyor, said cam means being further constructed and arranged to move said at least one separator knife from said home position in the direction of the path of travel in timed response to the movement of the flights of the infeed conveyor, and to withdraw said at least one separator knife from in front of the row of work products for releasing the row of work products for movement along the path of travel toward the packaging machine.

An apparatus for forming a generally continuous row of edge standing and aligned work products into separate groups of work products supplied to a packaging machine, said apparatus comprising:

• a framework;
• a continuously moving feed conveyor supported on said framework and extending along a path of travel toward the packaging machine;
• an infeed conveyor on said framework downstream of said feed conveyor and extending along the path of travel, said infeed conveyor having a continuously moving and spaced series of flights for carrying respective ones of the groups of work products therein;
• cam means for inserting a first separator knife into the row of work products in timed relationship with the movement of the row of work products on said feed conveyor at a speed and direction substantially the same as the speed and direction of the row of work products on said feed conveyor;
• said cam means being constructed and arranged to stop said first separator knife at a home position along the path of travel for accumulating the row of work products on said feed conveyor behind said first separator knife upstream of said home position, to move said first separator knife from said home position in the direction of the path of travel in timed response to the movement of the flights of the infeed conveyor along the path of travel, and to withdraw said first separator knife from in front of the row of work products for releasing the row of work products for movement along the path of travel toward the packaging machine;
• and
• a detector for emitting a detection signal in response to the arrival of said first separator knife at said home position;
• whereby said cam means stops said first separator knife at said home position in response to the emission of said detection signal for accumulating at least a portion of the row of work products at said home position upstream of said first separator knife as the remainder of the row of work products continues to move downstream along the path of travel to form a group of work products, said group of work products moving downstream along the path of travel and away from said home position and into one of the flights of the infeed conveyor.

A method of forming a generally continuous row of edge standing and aligned work products being advanced along a path of travel on a feed conveyor into separate groups of work products supplied to an infeed conveyor of a packaging machine, the infeed conveyor having a spaced series of flights for receiving respective ones of the groups of work products therein, said method comprising the steps of

• a) inserting a separator knife into the row of work products in timed relationship with the movement of the row of work products along the path of travel at a speed and direction substantially the same as the speed and direction of the work products along the path of travel;
• b) stopping the movement of said separator knife at a home position and accumulating at least a portion of the row of work products on the feed conveyor upstream of said separator knife;
• c) in response thereto, forming a first group of work products downstream of said separator knife as the remainder of the row of work products continues to move downstream along the path of travel toward the infeed conveyor;
• d) moving said separator knife and the accumulated work products from said home position in the direction of the path of travel in timed response to the movement of the flights of the infeed conveyor along the path of travel;
• e) withdrawing said separator knife from in front of the row of work products and releasing the row of work products for movement along the path of travel toward the packaging machine;
• f) inserting a second separator knife, spaced along the path of travel from said separator knife, into the row of work products in timed relationship with the movement of the row of work products along the path of travel at a speed and direction substantially the same as the speed and direction of the work products along the path of travel;
• g) stopping the movement of said second separator knife at said home position and accumulating at least a portion of the work products on the feed conveyor upstream of said second separator knife;
• h) in response thereto, forming a second group of work products downstream of said second separator knife as the remainder of the row of work products moves downstream along the path of travel toward the infeed conveyor;
• i) activating a first pair of air jets as each respective one of said separator knives is inserted into the row of work products to create an opening within the row of work products for the respective ones of said separator knives;
• and
• j) activating at least a second pair of air jets as each of said separator knives is inserted into the row of work products to hold the work products within said groups of work products in a generally upright edge standing orientation as said groups of work products are moved away from said home position and toward one of the flights of the infeed conveyor.

A method of forming a generally continuous row of edge standing and aligned work products being advanced along a path of travel on a feed conveyor into separate groups of work products supplied to an infeed conveyor of a packaging machine, the infeed conveyor having a spaced series of flights for receiving respective ones of the groups of work products therein, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) inserting a separator knife into the row of work products in timed relationship with the movement of the row of work products along the path of travel at a speed and direction substantially the same as the speed and direction of the work products along the path of travel;
• b) detecting the presence of said separator knife at a home position along the path of travel with a home position detector;
• c) in response thereto, emitting a stop signal to stop the movement of said separator knife at said home position and to accumulate at least a portion of the row of work products on the feed conveyor upstream of said separator knife;
• and
• d) forming a first group of work products downstream of said separator knife as the remainder of the row of work products continues to move downstream along the path of travel away from said separator knife toward the infeed conveyor.