Thiele Engineering Company

Paxall, Inc.

Charles C Beck

Gregory S Anderson

A device for use in packaging apparatus in which an article is carried on a first conveyor and is transferred to a second conveyor during continuous motion of the conveyors. A transfer mechanism including a cam follower is engageable by a cam track underlying the first conveyor to actuate the transfer mechanism for effecting the transfer operation. A selective direction or bypass device engages the cam follower to guide it to either engagement with the cam track to either effect a transfer operation or to bypass the cam track so that the transfer operation is not effected. The bypass device includes a guide track that engages the cam follower that is mounted on a pivot pin on a frame member of the first conveyor adjacent to the upstream ends of the first conveyor and the cam track. The guide track is movable laterally with respect to the cam track and has a quarter circular profile so as to engage the cam follower as the cam follower travels about the conveyor sprocket. The guide track is automatically pivoted in response to a sensed condition on the first and second conveyor by a pneumatic cylinder operatively connected to the guide track.

Selective product feed apparatus

Apparatus for automatically folding the end closure of a carton of rectangular cross section which includes a cover panel hinged to a rear sidewall of the carton and a pair of flanking gusset panels which are each respectively hinged to one edge of the cover panel and to an adjacent sidewall. The carton is continuously moved along a conveyor path with one of the gusset panels leading and the other trailing. A folding head moves along a parallel conveyor path and translates to a location adjacent the carton. An abutment adjacent the conveyor path contacts the leading gusset panel and folds it inward along a line at about a 45.degree. angle to its hinged edges. An arm mounted on the folding head is caused to swing relative to the conveyor to fold the trailing gusset panel inward along a line at about a 45.degree. angle to its hinged edges.

Growing community of inventors

Bloomington, MN, United States of America

Charles C Beck