Standard Knapp Inc.

J Michael Weaver

Jeffrey Reilly

Rick Dolce

Emilio Cofrancesco

Donald C Button

Nick Pini

Al Bozzi

John Prete

Nilang Dalwadi

Alexander Bozzi

Jeff Reilly

Nicholas Pini

Joe Spagua

John L Raudat

Lloyd D Johnson

Vincent M Cassarino

Johnny W Stewart

Emilio Francesco

Orlando Sanchez, Ii

Orlando Ii Sanchez

A wraparound case includes a first blank component having no more than three panels including a closure panel, a first side panel and a second side panel and a second blank component includes a base panel portion having a first edge portion and a second edge portion, a third side panel, a fourth side panel, a first flap extending from the third side panel and a second flap extending from the fourth side panel. The first blank component and the second blank component are directly wrapable about a load with the third side panel being joinable to the first and second side panels and the first edge of the closure panel and the fourth side panel being joinable to the first and second side panels and the second edge of the closure panel. The first flap, the second flap and the base panel portion forming exactly one reclosable face.

Reclosable packing case and method of making same

A packaging machine includes a product belt, and an adjustment mechanism disposed at the product belt. The adjustment mechanism includes at least one hub movable about an axis of rotation, at least one support operably connected to the at least one hub, and at least one wrapping wand operably connected to the at least one support and movable by the support about the axis of rotation. The at least one wrapping wand is configured and disposed to position a wrapping material about an article to be wrapped. At least one adjustment mechanism is disposed at the axis of rotation. The adjustment mechanism is configured and disposed to alter a path of the at least one wrapping wand about the axis of rotation such that the path of the at least one wrapping wand maintains a constant distance from a product conveyed by the product belt.

Apparatus and method of product wrapping

An aim assembly includes a hub movable about a central axis and at least one support operably connected to the hub. At least one arm is operably connected to the at least one support and thereby movable about the central axis in a predetermined path. At least one adjustment mechanism is located at the central axis and is capable of altering the predetermined path during movement of the at least one support about the central axis. A method of operating an arm assembly includes locating at least one hub at a central axis and moving at least one arm about the central axis in a predetermined path. The at least one arm is operably connected to the at least one hub via at least one support. An adjustment mechanism is engaged thereby altering the predetermined path during movement of the at least one arm about the central axis.

A gripper head assembly for a product processing machine includes a gripper support and a plurality of grippers secured to the gripper support to grip a plurality of product routed through the product processing machine. The gripper head assembly is configured such that a spacing of the plurality of grippers is changeable relative to the gripper support. A product processing machine includes a grid assembly for guiding product to a destination and a gripper head assembly for gripping product and guiding the product into the grid assembly. The gripper head assembly includes a gripper support and a plurality of grippers secured to the gripper support to grip a plurality of product routed through the product processing machine. The gripper head assembly is configured such that a spacing of the plurality of grippers is changeable relative to the gripper support.

Adjustable gripper head assembly

A packaging machine includes a grouper section having changeable lane sizes and a dual servo grouper that separates product into product sets and allow the product sets to accelerate to the lane chain speed in a controlled manner. The grouper section further includes disappearing lugs that pivot into the lanes via a cam surface provided in the lanes. The product rides upon a raised surface of the cam surface as the lug pushes the product set together down the lane, thus ensuring that no gaps are provided between product set members. A gripper/grid section of the packaging machine includes a bars that travel about a carousel with a gripper head assembly and a grid assembly pair moving up and down the bars as defined by cam surfaces within the gripper/grid section. The grid section is presented below the product set such that the product set is fed through the grid section in a one-way trip into a case. The gripper head assembly cam device and the case feed section both include height adjustment assemblies.

Packaging machine

The packaging machine includes: a plurality of lane guides, the plurality of lane guides being spaced apart to form a plurality of lanes; a moveable conveyor belt having a first end and second end, the first end located beneath one of the plurality of lanes, the movable conveyor belt delivers the product to each of the plurality of lanes; a support device located at the plurality of lanes; and a shifting assembly attached to the plurality of lane guides. The method for packaging a case with a product includes: conveying a first plurality of the product to a first lane; supporting the first plurality of the product within the first lane; conveying a second plurality of the product to a second lane; shifting the first lane and the second lane in a first direction; and dropping the first plurality of the products into the case.

Packaging machine and method

Packaging machine including laterally movable conveyor

An improved case packer machine is disclosed, of the type where containers are dropped through grid fingers to an empty case positioned on a lift table. The case packer machine of the present invention includes a flap opener which includes a pair of shoes mounted to an air cylinder. The shoes are extended by the air cylinder to contact and open the leading flap. The lifting table of the present invention is motor driven and controlled to limit the shock loading experienced by the containers as they are positioned within the cases. The lifting table includes a pair spur gears driven by the motor in meshing arrangement with a pair rack gears each mounted to a table and a novel gear guide to maintain proper engagement between the racks and gears and further to provide for backlash adjustment between the gears.

Case packing machine and method

An improved case packer machine, of the type where containers are dropped through grid fingers to an empty case positioned on a lift table. The case packer machine of the present invention includes a flap opener which includes a pair of shoes mounted to an air cylinder. The shoes are extended by the air cylinder to contact and open the leading flap. The lifting table of the present invention is motor driven and controlled to limit the shock loading experienced by the containers as they are positioned within the cases. The lifting table includes a pair spur gears driven by the motor in meshing arrangement with a pair rack gears each mounted to a table and a novel gear guide to maintain proper engagement between the racks and gears and further to provide for backlash adjustment between the gears.

Case packing machine

A packer is provided with a continuous flow of side-by-side columns of plastic bottles that move down an inclined ramp and into a load station where groups or slugs of bottles are deposited into trays or cases. An overhead flight bar conveyor provides a gap between each such group and the cases move by line pressure through the load station. Neck ring guides are provided above the flight bar path to control the descent of the bottles into each case. The path of the flight bars assures that each slug or group is closely controlled, initially by the steep entry angle and as a result of the shallow V-shaped path defined by the angularly related linear active runs on the flight bars prior to entry into the load station and by a second active run forming an abrupt V at the entry to the load station and inclined toward the neck ring guides at the same angle defined by the first run.

Flight bar grouper for packer

In a packaging line adapted to feed articles into a packer and including lane guides defining lanes for columns of articles fed under line pressure to the packer, the lane guides are provided with an offset portion adapted to create a back pressure for reducing the line pressure at the packer. The offset portion provides sufficient resistance to the flow of articles so that the articles entering the packer are more readily accommodated, particularly articles of the type which are compressed by excessive line pressures and tend to upset the operation of the packer as a result of excessive or varying line pressure. The reduced line pressure permits operation of standard packing equipment for the handling of relatively soft and compressable cylindrical plastic bottles.

Product infeed line pressure controlling apparatus for packer

Round bottles are moved between side walls in a tightly packed configuration by an underlying conveyor in a packaging line that requires the bottles to be divided into a plurality of side-by-side lanes for entry into the packer. The divider has selectively movable panels that normally form a divergent funnel for the bottles to allow them to expand and to move into the lanes. Void detectors in each of the outside lanes provide a signal to move one or both panels outwardly to clear a jam of bottles in the funnel. After a delay, the panels return slowly to their normal positions where they remain until the void detectors signal another jam in the funnel.

Growing community of inventors

Madison, CT, United States of America

J Michael Weaver