Hartness International, Inc.

E Leon Hopkins

Thomas S Hartness

The invention disclosed is an apparatus for automatically aligning and feeding articles on an article loading machine between dividers to form lanes of articles. The apparatus includes a pivoting guide chute which swings back and forth across a conveyor to discharge a predetermined number of articles intermittently into parallel lanes through actuation of jaws and/or a presser bar clamp assembly. An indexing assembly for the guide chute is provided which includes a double acting pneumatic cylinder and a connecting block which is slidably mounted and connected to the piston of the double acting cylinder. The connecting block has a plurality of interconnected guide slots in its upper surface with a stop position at each end of each slot. A second pneumatic cylinder having a cam follower which slides within the guide slots, blocks and releases the cam follower at each stop and thereby frees the first cylinder to move the chute to the next lane. A full charge of compressed air is kept on the drive cylinder at all times so that quick and positive lane indexing takes place. A pivotal guide bar assembly is provided which guides an article discharged from the chute towards a lane entrance.

Apparatus for aligning articles in parallel rows

Apparatus is disclosed for opening the major and minor flaps of a box container being conveyed on an article loading machine designated generally as (A). The apparatus includes a flap opening foot (54) carried on the end of a rocker shaft (46) which is, in turn, carried on a carriage (48). The end of the rocker shaft is attached to a bell-crank lever having an arm (80) and a pin (82) which travels in a cam slot (52) formed in an elongated guide plate (50). The guide plate (50) is clamped onto the edge of a side flap engaging plate (68). The slot (52) is contoured to impart a rocking motion to the foot (54) through the bell-crank linkage so that the foot dips under a closed flap (16a) of the box and lifts it toward an open position. An elastic cord (110) engages the flap and retains it in the open position. A rear minor flap opening device is illustrated at (102) which includes a claw (104). The arm (102) is pivotable and as the box (16) is conveyed therebeneath, the claw (104) catches a closed end flap (16d). The forward conveyance of box (16) causes the flap to unfold toward its open position and when engaged by the elastic cord (110) the flap is pushed fully open and held therein. The side flaps (16d) and (16c) remain held by flap engaging pairs of plates (68) and (69).

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Greenville, SC, United States of America

E Leon Hopkins