Machine for automated boxing of soft stacked items

A device for use in boxing pliable objects having a footprint area into boxes and for use in combination with a conveyor upon which the pliable objects to be boxed are moved off of a terminal end thereof, the boxing device being loaded adjacent to the terminal end of the conveyor and adapted to receive objects moving off of the terminal end, the boxing device comprising:

• a trapdoor unit having sliding trays each having a length and a width and inside facing edges, the trapdoor unit having a front and a rear, the trapdoor being moveable between a first orientation wherein the trays are slanted downwardly from the front to the rear, and a second orientation wherein the trays are generally horizontal, the sliding trays further being adapted to move between a closed position wherein the facing edges are in proximity with each other, and an opened position wherein the trays are slid apart with the facing edges of the two trays separated from each other by a distance sufficiently large to pass the footprint area of the object;
• a box conveying unit having a means to move boxes from a first position spaced away from underneath the trays of the trapdoor unit to a second position that is aligned below the horizontally positioned trays, of the trapdoor unit and to a third position distant the second position;
• and
• a control unit that controls the operation of trapdoor unit and the box conveying unit.

A device for use in boxing a plurality of columns of pliable objects having a footprint area into an equal plurality of boxes and for use in combination with a conveyor upon which the plurality of columns of pliable objects to be boxed are moved off of a terminal end thereof, the boxing device being located adjacent to the terminal end of the conveyor and adapted to receive the plurality of columns of pliable objects moving off of the terminal end, the boxing device comprising:

• a trapdoor unit having sliding trays each having a length and a width and inside facing edges, the trapdoor unit having a front region and a rear region, a retaining wall on its rear region spaced above the trays, moveable side walls perpendicular to the retaining wall and spaced above the trays, and at least one divider above the co-planar trays, wherein the retaining wall, the moveable side walls, and the at least one divider align the plurality of objects onto the trays of the trapdoor unit precisely above the open boxes positioned therebelow, and wherein the trapdoor are moveable between a first orientation wherein the trays are slanted downwardly from the front to the rear, and a second orientation wherein the trays are generally horizontal, the sliding trays further being adapted to be rapidly and simultaneously moved apart from a closed position, wherein the facing edges are in proximity with each other and adapted to receive the plurality of objects thereon, to an opened position, wherein the trays are slid apart with the facing edges of the two trays separated from each other by a distance sufficiently large to pass the footprint areas of the plurality of objects;
• a box conveying unit having a means to move an equal plurality of empty, open boxes from a first position spaced away from underneath the trays of the trapdoor unit to a second position wherein the boxes are aligned below the horizontally positioned trays of the trapdoor unit, and to a third position distance the second position;
• a tamping unit with a tamping plate adapted to be moved from a raised position above the box to a lower position to tamp the objects into the box;
• and
• a control unit that controls the operation of trapdoor unit, the box conveying unit, and the tramping unit.

A device for use in packaging objects having a length and width into boxes and for use in combination with a conveyor device upon which the objects to be boxed are placed, the conveyor device having a terminal end, the boxing device being placed adjacent to the terminal end of the conveying device, the boxing device comprising:

• a trapdoor unit having at least two co-planar trays each having inside facing edges, the trapdoor unit having a front and a rear, the at least two trays being adapted to move between a closed position wherein the facing edges are in close contact with each other, and an opened position wherein the trays remain co-planar with the facing edges of the two trays separated from each other by a distance, the trapdoor further being moveable between a first orientation wherein the two trays are on a plane that is slanted downwardly from the front to the rear, and a second orientation wherein the two trays are generally horizontal;
• a box conveying unit having a means to move boxes from a first position spaced away from underneath the trays of the trapdoor unit to a second position that is aligned below the horizontally positioned trays of the trapdoor unit;
• and
• a control unit that controls the operation of the trapdoor unit and the box conveying unit and includes a sensor that detects whenever the box conveying unit n the first position is not loaded with a box.

A device for use in packaging objects having a length and width into boxes and for use in combination with a conveyor device upon which the objects to be boxed are placed, the conveyor device having a terminal end, the boxing device being placed adjacent to the terminal end of the conveying device, the boxing device comprising:

• a trapdoor unit having at least two co-planar trays each having inside facing edges, the trapdoor unit having a front and a rear, the at least two trays being adapted to move between a closed position wherein the facing edges are in close contact with each other, and an opened position wherein the trays remain co-planar with the facing edges of the two trays separated from each other by a distance, the trapdoor further being moveable between a first orientation wherein the two trays are on a plane that is slanted downwardly from the front to the rear, and a second orientation wherein the two trays are generally horizontal;
• a box conveying unit having a means to move boxes from a first position spaced away from underneath the trays of the trapdoor unit to a second position that is aligned below the horizontally positioned trays of the trapdoor unit, wherein the box conveying unit is manually loaded with;
• and
• a control unit that controls the operation of the trapdoor unit and the box conveying unit.

A device for use in packaging objects having a length and width into boxes and for use in combination with a conveyor device upon which the objects to be boxed are placed, the conveyor device having a terminal end, the boxing device being placed adjacent to the terminal end of the conveying device, the boxing device comprising:

• a trapdoor unit having at east two co-planar trays each having inside facing edges, the trapdoor unit having a front and a rear, the at least two trays being adapted to move between a closed position wherein the facing edges are in close contact with each other, and an opened position wherein the trays remain co-planar with the facing edges of the two trays separated from each other by a distance, the trapdoor further being moveable between a first orientation wherein the two trays are on a plane that is slanted downwardly from the front to the rear, and a second orientation wherein the two trays are generally horizontal;
• a box conveying unit having a means to move boxes from a first position spaced away from underneath the trays of the trapdoor unit to a second position that s aligned below the horizontally positioned trays of the trapdoor unit, and a means to move the box loaded with objects from the second position, to a third position comprising a sliding track way distant the second position;
• and
• a control unit that controls the operation of the trapdoor unit and the box conveying unit.

A device for use in packaging objects having a length and width into boxes and for use in combination with a conveyor device upon which the objects to be boxed are placed, the conveyor device having a terminal end, the boxing device being placed adjacent to the terminal end of the conveying device, the boxing device comprising:

• a trapdoor unit having at least two co-planar trays each having inside facing edges, the trapdoor unit having a front and a rear, the at least two trays being adapted to move between a closed position wherein the facing edges are in close contact:with each other, and an opened posit on wherein the trays remain co-planar with the facing edges of the two trays separated from each other by a distance, the trapdoor further being moveable between a first orientation wherein the two trays are on a plane that is slanted downwardly from the front to the rear, and a second orientation wherein the two trays are generally horizontal;
• a box conveying unit having a moveable platform, including box guides for placement of empty boxes, the moveable platform moving boxes from a first position spaced away from underneath the trays of the trapdoor unit to a second position comprising a track that is aligned below the horizontally positioned trays of the trapdoor unit, the moveable platform thereafter being returned to the first position for reloading with empty boxes;
• and
• a control unit that controls the operation of the trapdoor unit and the box conveying unit.

A device for use in packaging objects having a length and width into boxes and for use in combination with a conveyor device upon which the objects to be boxed are placed, the conveyor device having a terminal end, the boxing device being placed adjacent to the terminal end of the conveying device, the boxing device comprising:

• a trapdoor unit having at least two co-planar trays with friction reducing means, each tray having inside facing edges, the trapdoor unit having a front and a rear, the at least two trays being adapted to move between a closed position wherein the acing edges are in close contact with each other, and an opened position wherein the trays remain co-planar with the facing edges of the two trays separated from each other by a distance, the trapdoor further being moveable between a first orientation wherein the two trays are on a plane that is slanted downwardly from the front to the rear, and a second orientation wherein the two trays are generally horizontal;
• a box conveying unit having a means to move boxes from a first position spaced away from underneath the trays of the trapdoor unit to a second position that is aligned below the horizontally positioned trays of the trapdoor unit;
• and
• a control unit that controls the operation of the trapdoor unit and the box conveying unit.