초록 ▼

A spacer-tray loading machine loads cans or other containers into nestable spacer trays. The spacer trays are shaped with a plurality of container-bottom receptacles in a row-column array and nest together when empty to form a stack. The spacer-tray loading machine comprises a multiple-lane containe

A spacer-tray loading machine loads cans or other containers into nestable spacer trays. The spacer trays are shaped with a plurality of container-bottom receptacles in a row-column array and nest together when empty to form a stack. The spacer-tray loading machine comprises a multiple-lane container feeder for supplying containers arranged in parallel rows to a tray loading area of the machine. The number of lanes equals the number of columns of container-bottom receptacles in the spacer tray. The spacer-tray loading machine further comprises a stacked-tray supply conveyor for advancing a horizontal stack of trays towards a tray-withdrawal end of the stack. The spacer-track loading machine also includes a tray feeder utilizing a pivotally mounted pull-and-drop arm for withdrawing spacer trays one at a time from the stack and utilizing at least one air-blast nozzle for translating and reorienting the trays thus withdrawn to supply trays to the tray loading area in an approximately horizontal orientation below the rows of containers from the container feeder and with the rows of container-bottom receptacles of the trays extending substantially perpendicular to the rows of containers. The spacer-tray loading machine also comprises a metering tray loader for advancing containers and trays effectively in synchronism through the tray loading area and for seating bottom portions of the containers in the container-bottom receptacles of the trays as the containers and trays advance.

대표청구항 ▼

A tray loading machine for loading containers into trays comprising: (a) a rotatable metering wheel for inserting said containers into said trays; (b) tray input queue means for providing said metering wheel with a supply of trays; (c) a tray supply line for supplying stacked trays to said metering

A tray loading machine for loading containers into trays comprising: (a) a rotatable metering wheel for inserting said containers into said trays; (b) tray input queue means for providing said metering wheel with a supply of trays; (c) a tray supply line for supplying stacked trays to said metering wheel; (d) tray feeding means for individually selecting a most downstream tray from said stacked tray supply line and transferring said most downstream tray to said tray input queue, said tray feeding means having: (i) a retainer frame through which said trays pass one at a time from said tray supply line; (ii) a plurality of retainer blades to mate with and selectively engage retainer cutouts located in said trays; (iii) a pivotally mounted pull-and-drop arm pivotable between a tray-contact orientation in which a most downstream tray of said stacked trays is contacted and retained, and a tray-drop orientation in which said contacted anD retained tray may be dropped; (iv) a plurality of pull-and-drop suckers mounted to said pull-and-drop arm, said pull-and-drop suckers having surfaces to mate with said contacted and retained tray so as to firmly hold said contacted and retained tray while said pull-and-drop arm pivots from said tray-contact orientation to said tray-drop orientation; and (v) orientation means to selectively urge and orient said spacer tray into said input queue; (e) container input queue means for providing said metering wheel with a supply of containers; (f) wherein said rotatable metering wheel urges containers from said container input queue means against said trays from said tray input queue means so as to insert said containers into said trays.