Packaging machine with phased split-pitch barrel loader

A continuous motion packaging machine for packaging groups of articles into paperboard cartons as the cartons move in a downstream direction, the packaging machine comprising:

• an infeed section for arranging the articles in lanes and moving the articles in a predetermined direction;
• a selector section adjacent the infeed section and configured to receive the articles from the infeed section and arrange the articles into groups of grouped articles of a predetermined configuration;
• a can flight adjacent the selector section and including can bays defined between dividers for receiving the grouped articles from the selector section and moving the grouped articles in the downstream direction;
• a carton flight on a first side of the can flight, the carton flight positioning open ends of the cartons to face the can bays and moving the cartons in synchronization with the can bays in the downstream direction;
• and
• a barrel loader on a second side of the can flight for pushing the grouped articles out of the can bays and into the open ends of the cartons;
• the barrel loader including loader arm assemblies aligned and movable in the downstream direction synchronously with corresponding can bays of the can bays, each loader arm assembly having a leading loader arm movable laterally through a can bay of the can bays and carried in the downstream direction by at least a first chain and a trailing loader arm movable laterally through the can bay and carried in the downstream direction by at least a second chain;
• the first chain being driven by a first sprocket and the second chain being driven by a second sprocket, the first sprocket being adjustable in phase with respect to the second sprocket to advance or retard the first chain with respect to the second chain.