초록 ▼

Articles, such as glass containers, are fed continuously in end-to-end relationship through a pin spacer adapted to provide a space between adjacent rows so that cross partitions can be fed therebetween. The articles are then grouped by s pin type grouper to provide predetermined members of article

Articles, such as glass containers, are fed continuously in end-to-end relationship through a pin spacer adapted to provide a space between adjacent rows so that cross partitions can be fed therebetween. The articles are then grouped by s pin type grouper to provide predetermined members of article rows and columns in each group. The columns of articles are then spread slightly to allow longitudinal extending partitions to be fed between adjacent columns. At the same time flat tray blanks are withdrawn from a horizontally extending magazine and provided on a lug conveyor located below the path of the grouped articles and each blank is mated with a group of articles at a load station where the blank is formed around the articles by a pocket chain conveyor and article folding means operated in conjunction with an overhead flight bar conveyor which cooperates with the trailing portion of each pocket to fold all flaps provided on the tray blank.

대표청구항 ▼

A continuous motion tray forming and product loading machine comprising: a plurality of side-by-side individual lane conveyors for advancing cylindrical articles in the downstream direction in end-to-end relationship and in side-by-side rows, each said lane conveyor including a single chain, and lin

A continuous motion tray forming and product loading machine comprising: a plurality of side-by-side individual lane conveyors for advancing cylindrical articles in the downstream direction in end-to-end relationship and in side-by-side rows, each said lane conveyor including a single chain, and links of said chain carrying plates that support the articles in a horizontal plane, first article engaging pin means for slowing the articles to create a space between adjacent rows, said individual lane conveyors continuously moving beneath the spaced rows of articles and beyond the downstream end of said article engaging pin means, second means for engaging groups of article rows so separated by said first article engaging pin means for handling groups downstream of said spaced rows and downstream of said first article engaging pin means, said individual lane conveyors also moving the rows of articles continuously through and at least to the downstream end of said second means, said first article engaging pin means comprising laterally spaced pin conveyor chains, a plurality of pin supporting flights supported by said laterally spaced chains, certain of said flights having cam follower rollers, said flights being pivotably moveable of said flights relative to said chain, camming means for said cam rollers, said camming means provided subadjacent to said horizontal plane, said camming means being movable longitudinally relative to the path of said pin conveyor chains, and adjustment means for moving said camming means to vary the angle at which said pins penetrate said horizontal plane to accommodate articles of different body diameter, and means defining a load station and means for feeding tray blanks to the lower station from a position below said horizontal plane, and pocket defining conveyor means for moving the tray blanks and article groups out of the load station.