Hartness International, Inc.

Richard M Wiernicki

Thomas P Hartness

Robert Leslie Dillard

David Lee Scott

David Nelson Cooley

An apparatus and method is disclosed for processing containers or other articles by using continuous rotation of processing heads in a circular path about a single vertical axis and controlling the processing heads to independently rotate about a swivel axis causing them to move in a straight-line path while the heads are lowered to engage a group of containers or articles arranged in parallel rows. In this manner, a higher production apparatus and method are provided which is simpler, more reliable, requires less floor space, and easy to reconfigure for different applications.

Circular motion filling machine for processing parallel rows of containers and method

An apparatus and method for continuously transferring articles from a pickup station to a release station using a circular, continuously rotating turret is disclosed which includes a plurality of transfer arms carried in a circular motion wherein pickup heads carried by the transfer arms are converted from the circular motion to a straight-line motion during pick up of the articles to provide a case packing machine having high speed and reliable operation. In accordance with the general aspects of the invention, a first conveyor is disclosed for conveying the articles to a pickup station and a second conveyor is provided for delivering the articles away from a release station. One of the first and second conveyors includes an arcuate conveyor section disposed below a congruent path of the pickup heads. At least one of the pickup and release stations is advantageously located over the arcuate conveyor section whereby high speed operation requiring only a small amount of machine floor space is provided. When utilized as a case packing machine, both the pickup heads and grid heads, which define a plurality of guides through which the articles are released at the case packing station, are moved in a translatory motion during article pick up.

Continuous circular motion case packing and depacking apparatus and method

A packing apparatus which includes a feed conveyor adapted to convey articles to a pick up station and a case conveyor adapted to sequentially convey cases, having an open top and a plurality of flaps, to a feed station. Pick up and grid heads are provided and are adapted to pick up successive slugs of the articles at the pick up station and to sequentially deposit the slugs in each of the cases while they are in the release station. A removal conveyor is provided to successively receive the slug filled cases from the release station and pass them onto a case sealing apparatus which is arranged over the removal conveyor and is operative to apply an adhesive to certain of the flaps and to then move the flaps over the open top into a secured closed position.

Continuous circular motion case packing and closure apparatus and method

A continuous motion apparatus for depacking and packing articles in cases which includes a carriage which carries a plurality of transfer arms; a plurality of article pick-up heads carried by the transfer arms for picking up a group of the articles at a pick-up station to transfer the articles to a release station. In a case packing configuration of the invention, a slug metering section includes a slug feeder continuously receiving articles from an infeed conveyor. A revolving pin bar mechanism is carried in the slug metering section having a plurality of revolving pin bar assemblies to assist in forming the articles into successive groups or slugs of articles. The pin bar assemblies include spaced upstanding pins which are received in crevices between rear articles in a first slug and front articles in a second slug of articles to separate the articles for processing. A slug metering member, which can also have upstanding posts, is carried across the slug metering section and pivots in and out of a conveyance path of the articles in synchronism with the revolving pin bar mechanism to meter the articles. In the depacking configuration, a plurality of article gripper tubes are carried by each article pick-up head arranged in a matrix corresponding to the slug of articles. The gripper tubes have a grip position in which said articles are retained by the pick-up head at the pick-up station for transfer, and a release position in which the articles are released from the pick-up head at the release station. Advantageously, the gripper tubes have a first effective axial length for gripping articles at the pick-up station when the articles are in an upright configuration, and the gripper tubes have a second effective axial length which is compressed and shortened relative to the first axial length when striking an obstacle such as an inverted article to allow sufficient travel for all other gripper tubes to grip articles.

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Roebuck, SC, United States of America

Richard M Wiernicki