Drive mechanism and methods of grouping articles

An apparatus comprising:

• a frame defining a machine direction;
• a first transport member operatively engaged with the frame;
• a second transport member operatively engaged with the frame;
• a third transport member operatively engaged with the frame;
• a first carriage drive mechanism comprising a first carriage drive sprocket, a first carriage idler sprocket, and a first carriage drive belt operatively engaged with the first carriage drive sprocket and the first carriage idler sprocket, wherein the first carriage drive belt is operatively connected with the first transport member such that the first carriage drive belt moves the first transport member in the machine direction about an endless loop;
• and
• a second carriage drive mechanism comprising a second carriage drive sprocket, a second carriage idler sprocket, and a second carriage drive belt operatively engaged with the second carriage drive sprocket and the second carriage idler sprocket, wherein the second carriage drive belt is operatively connected with the second transport member such that the second carriage drive belt moves the second transport member in the machine direction about an endless loop;
• and
• a third carriage drive mechanism comprising a third carriage drive sprocket, a third carriage idler sprocket, and a third carriage drive belt operatively engaged with the third carriage drive sprocket and the third carriage idler sprocket, wherein the third carriage drive belt is operatively connected with the third transport member such that the third carriage drive belt moves the third transport member in the machine direction about an endless loop,
• wherein the first carriage idler sprocket, the second carriage drive sprocket, and the third carriage idler sprocket are arranged in a side-by-side configuration and are configured to rotate about a first axis of rotation, wherein the second carriage drive sprocket is disposed between the first and third carriage idler sprockets, wherein the first carriage drive sprocket, the second carriage idler sprocket, and the third carriage drive sprocket are arranged in a side-by-side configuration and are configured to rotate about a second axis of rotation, and wherein the second carriage idler sprocket is disposed between the first and third carriage drive sprocket.

A method of grouping articles, the method comprising the steps of:

• advancing an infeed carrier surface in a first direction;
• advancing an outfeed carrier surface in a second direction;
• intermittently rotating a first carriage drive sprocket about a first axis of rotation to intermittently advance a first carriage drive belt in a third direction about an endless loop, wherein the first carriage drive belt is operatively engaged with the first carriage drive sprocket, wherein a first transport member is operatively connected with the first carriage drive belt, and wherein the first carriage drive belt intermittently advances the first transport member in the third direction from an article receiving zone adjacent to the infeed carrier surface to an article discharge zone adjacent to the outfeed carrier surface;
• sequentially advancing one or more first articles from the infeed carrier surface onto the first transport member;
• advancing the one or more first articles on the first transport member in the third direction from the article receiving zone to the article discharge zone;
• advancing the one or more first articles in the second direction from the first transport member onto the outfeed carrier surface;
• intermittently rotating a second carriage drive sprocket about a second axis of rotation to intermittently advance a second carriage drive belt in the third direction about an endless loop, wherein the second carriage drive belt is operatively engaged with the second carriage drive sprocket, wherein a second transport member is operatively connected with the second carriage drive belt, and wherein the second carriage drive belt intermittently advances the second transport member in the third direction from the article receiving zone to the article discharge zone;
• sequentially advancing one or more second articles from the infeed carrier surface onto the second transport member;
• advancing the one or more second articles in the third direction on the second transport member from the article receiving zone to the article discharge zone;
• advancing the one or more second articles in the second direction from the second transport member onto the outfeed carrier surface;
• intermittently rotating a third carriage drive sprocket about the first axis of rotation to intermittently advance a third carriage drive belt in the third direction about an endless loop, wherein the third carriage drive belt is operatively engaged with the third carriage drive sprocket, wherein a third transport member is operatively connected with the third carriage drive belt, and wherein the third carriage drive belt intermittently advances the third transport member in the third direction from the article receiving zone to the article discharge zone;
• sequentially advancing one or more third articles from the infeed carrier surface onto the third transport member;
• advancing the one or more third articles in the third direction on the third transport member from the article receiving zone to the article discharge zone;
• and
• advancing the one or more third articles in the second direction from the third transport member onto the outfeed carrier surface.