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An overhead packaging machine with articulating lugs is mountable along a product packaging system for the application of cartons such as wrap-style cartons about sets or groups of products. The overhead packaging machine includes a lug conveyor having a series of articulating lug assemblies mounted

An overhead packaging machine with articulating lugs is mountable along a product packaging system for the application of cartons such as wrap-style cartons about sets or groups of products. The overhead packaging machine includes a lug conveyor having a series of articulating lug assemblies mounted thereto and which are moved along a path of travel for engaging the groups of products with their cartons applied thereto. Each of the articulating lug assemblies includes a pair of articulating lugs mounted to a carriage, which articulating lugs are moveable into engaging positions for engaging the cartons applied to the groups of products as the groups of products are moved along their path of travel for folding and locking of the cartons thereabout. After the cartons have been applied and secured about their product groups, the articulating lugs can be moved to non-engaging positions, out of engagement with the cartons and/or product groups as the packaged product groups are moved away from the overhead packaging machine, while the articulating lug assemblies can be moved along a return path of travel for engaging a next product group.

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1. A system for packaging products moving along a path of travel, comprising: a product conveyor extending along the path of travel and along which the products are moved;a frame;an overhead lug conveyor section extending along the frame and including a lug conveyor moving along an elliptical path;a

1. A system for packaging products moving along a path of travel, comprising: a product conveyor extending along the path of travel and along which the products are moved;a frame;an overhead lug conveyor section extending along the frame and including a lug conveyor moving along an elliptical path;at least one cam track extending along the lug conveyor section and along the path of travel of the products; anda series of articulating lugs mounted along the lug conveyor at spaced intervals, each of the articulating lugs comprising; a body pivotally mounted, about an axis substantially parallel to the path of travel, to a carrier and including a downwardly projecting engaging portion configured to engage at least one product of a group of products when the body is pivoted to a position to engage a packaging material received over the group of products for moving the packaging material substantially in alignment with the movement of the group of products along their path of travel by the product conveyor; anda cam rod extending from the body and adapted to engage and move along the at least one cam track for moving the body between an engaging position in operative pushing engagement with the packaging material and with the engaging portion engaging the at least one product of the group of products, to maintain and move the packaging material with the group of products, and a non-engaging position out of engagement with the packaging material and the group of products after the packaging material has been wrapped about the group of products. 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a series of product pusher elements mounted along the lug conveyor of the overhead lug conveyor section adjacent the articulating lugs for engaging and urging the groups of products along their path of travel with the movement of the packaging material applied thereto. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the articulating lugs are arranged in pairs with the articulating lugs of each pair mounted on opposite sides of the path of travel of the products. 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one cam track comprises a first cam track extending along an upper portion of the lug conveyor section and along which the cam rods of the articulating lugs are received for maintaining the articulating lugs in their non-engaging positions. 5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one cam track comprises a second cam track extending along the lug conveyor and having an angled cam surface, and further comprises a transition guide for guiding the cam rods of the articulating lugs between the first and second cam tracks to cause movement of the articulating lugs between their non-engaging and engaging positions. 6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a series of folding rods mounted along the path of travel of the products, in position to engage and urge side portions of the packaging material toward a wrapping position along the groups of products. 7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a series of brackets connecting the lug conveyor section to the frame, and an actuator linked to at least one of the brackets for adjusting a position of the lug conveyor section with respect to the frame. 8. A system for packaging products moving along a path of travel, comprising: a product conveyor extending along the path of travel and along which the products are moved;a frame;an overhead lug conveyor section extending along the frame and including a lug conveyor moving along an elliptical path;at least one cam track extending along the lug conveyor section and along the path of travel;a plurality of articulating lug assemblies mounted in spaced intervals along the overhead lug conveyor section, each articulating lug assembly of the plurality of articulating lug assemblies comprising pairs of opposing articulating lugs; andat least one product pusher element mounted substantially adjacent to at least one pair of the pairs of opposing articulating lugs, the at least one product pusher element engages and urges a set of the products along the path of travel,wherein each articulating lug of one or more of the pairs of opposing articulating lugs comprises:a body adapted to engage a packaging material received over a group of the products and move the packaging material substantially in alignment with the movement of the group of the products along the path of travel; anda cam rod extending from the body and adapted to engage and move along the at least one cam track for guiding the body between an engaging position to engage and move the packing material with the group of products, and a non-engaging position out of engagement with the packaging material after the packaging material has been wrapped about the group of products; andwherein the at least one cam track comprises a first cam track having a first cam surface, a second cam track having a second cam surface oriented at an angle with respect to the first cam surface, and a guide track section extending between the first and second cam tracks for guiding the cam rods of the articulating lugs between the first and second cam tracks. 9. The system of claim 8, wherein the guide track section can be removed so as to cause the cam rods of the articulating lugs to be maintained along the first cam track and the articulating lugs to be maintained in their non-engaging positions. 10. A method of packaging groups of products, comprising: moving packing material over the groups of products along path of travel;moving articulating lug assemblies toward a set of products of the groups of products, each at least one of the articulating lug assemblies including a pair of articulating lugs each having a body pivotable between a non-engaging position and an engaging position for engaging the packing material and at least one product of the set of products as the body is pivoted toward the engaging position with the packing material projecting downwardly from the body;engaging at least one product of the set of products with a product pusher element positioned substantially adjacent to the pair of articulating lugs to urge the set of products along the path of travel;as the groups of products are moved along the path of travel, maintaining and moving the packing material in position on the set of products along the path of travel with the articulating lugs;folding the packing material about the set of products; andmoving the articulating lugs to their non-engaging positions out of engagement with the packing material. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the articulating lug assemblies about an overhead lug conveyor along the path of travel. 12. The method of claim 10, further comprising moving the pair of articulating lugs to the engaging position for engaging the packing material as the articulating lug assemblies moves with the set of products along the path of travel. 13. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving a cam pin mounted to at least one articulating lug of the pair of articulating lugs along a first cam track to maintain the at least one articulating lug of the pair of articulating lugs in the non-engaging position, and transitioning the cam pin to a second cam track to cause the at least one articulating lug of the pair of articulating lugs to move to the engaging position. 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising moving the cam pin of the at least one articulating lug of the pair of articulating lugs along the second cam track to maintain the at least one articulating lug of the pair of articulating lugs in engagement with the packing material as the packing material is folded about the set of products. 15. The method of claim 14, further comprising transitioning the cam pin of the at least one articulating lug of the pair of articulating lugs from the second cam track to the first cam track to move the at least one articulating lug of the pair of articulating tugs out of engagement with the packing material. 16. The method of claim 10, wherein folding the packing material about the set of products comprises engaging side portions of the packing material with folding rods positioned on each side of the product conveyor, and as the set of products move between the folding rods, urging the side portions of the packing material toward a position wrapped about the set of products. 17. An overhead packaging machine for controlling movement of packing material applied in position overlying groups of products, comprising: a conveyor extending above a path of travel of the groups of products;a plurality of articulating lug assemblies comprising pairs of opposing articulating lugs mounted in a substantially adjacent spaced series extending about the conveyor along the path of travel and pivotable to move along a path transverse to the path of travel toward sets of products of the groups of products;wherein at least one articulating lug of the pairs of opposing articulating lugs comprises a body with an engaging portion projecting downwardly from the body and a cam pin projecting from an upper portion of the body and with the at least one articulating lug movable between a non-engaging position and an engaging position wherein the body is in pushing contact with the packing material applied to the set of products and the engaging portion of the body of the lug engages a lip or edge of a product of the set of products for moving the packing material in conjunction with movement of the group of products along the path of travel as the packing material is wrapped about the groups of products; anda series of cam tracks extending along the conveyor and adapted to be engaged by the cam pin of the at least one articulating lug of each of the pairs of opposing articulating lugs for controlling the position of the at least one articulating lug. 18. The overhead packaging machine of claim 17, further comprising a product pusher element for urging the product groups forwardly along the path of travel. 19. The overhead packaging machine of claim 17, wherein the series of cam tracks comprises a first cam track extending about the conveyor and having a cam surface along which the cam pin of the at least one articulating lug of the pairs of opposing articulating lugs is moved to maintain the at least one articulating lug in the non-engaging position, and a second cam track having an angled cam surface, wherein as the cam pin of the at least one articulating lug of the pairs of opposing articulating lugs is moved along the angled cam surface, the at least one articulating lug is maintained in the engaging position for contacting and moving the packing material with the set of products. 20. The overhead packaging machine of claim 19, wherein the series of cam tracks further comprises a guide track section for guiding the cam pin of the at least one articulating lug of the pairs of articulating lugs assembly between the first and second cam tracks. 21. The overhead packaging machine of claim 17, further comprising a series of folding rods mounted along the path of travel of the products, in position to engage and urge side portions of the packing material toward a wrapping position along the groups of products. 22. The overhead packaging machine of claim 17, wherein the pairs of opposing articulating lugs are pivotally mounted to a carriage mounted along the conveyor on opposite sides thereof, one or more of the articulating lugs of the pairs of opposing articulating lugs further comprising a body configured to fit about the set of products and engage the packing material applied thereto. 23. An overhead packaging machine for controlling movement of cartons applied in positions overlying groups of products as the cartons are wrapped about their groups of products, comprising: a product conveyor along which the groups of products are moved along a path of travel;an overhead conveyor extending along the path of travel of the groups of products;a plurality of articulating lug assemblies mounted in spaced series along the overhead conveyor and moving along a path into engagement with the groups of products moving along the product conveyor;wherein each articulating lug assembly comprises a pair of articulating lugs pivotally mounted on opposite sides of a carriage carried along the overhead conveyor, with each of the articulating lugs further comprising a body having a lower portion configured to fit under a lip or edge of a product of an engaged group of products, and a cam pin projecting from an upper portion of the body, wherein the pair of articulating lugs is pivotable toward the product in a direction transverse to the path of travel; anda series of cam tracks extending along each side of the overhead conveyor and each adapted to be engaged by the cam pins of the articulating lugs of each articulating lug assembly for controlling the pivoting of the articulating lugs between a non-engaging position and an engaging position wherein the bodies of the lugs are in pushing contact with the cartons applied to the engaged groups of products and the lower portions of the bodies are engaging the lip or edge of products of the engaged group of products for moving the cartons in conjunction with the movement of the engaged groups of products along the path of travel as the cartons are wrapped around the engaged groups of products.