The Mead Corporation

Meadwestvaco Packaging Systems, LLC

Will L Culpepper

Glenn Robinson

James J Feliks

James R Oliff

Johnny J Hunter

Dale K Scott

Jack S Cooley

An article transport, meterer and loader has a plurality of parallel lanes disposed above and in angular relation to a direction of transport of a plurality of article conveyors.

Article transport, meterer and loader

Methods of loading cartons in a packaging machine are provided. A method comprises providing cartons with an end opening having a width less than a pitch of flight bars of a packaging machine, and detachably affixing the cartons so that one carton is horizontally adjacent another and the combined end opening width of the horizontally adjacent cartons is substantially equal to the pitch of the flight bars. The method also includes placing the cartons between the flight bars so that the horizontally adjacent cartons are disposed within the pitch of flight bars and detaching the plurality of cartons from one another after the cartons have been loaded. Other embodiments are claimed and disclosed.

Method of loading cartons

Substantially tubular, or sleeve-type, cartons each with an end opening having a width less than a pitch of flight bars of a packaging machine but having a combined end opening equal to the pitch of the packaging machine are erected and placed between the flight bars. In one embodiment, the cartons are detachable affixed to one another. In another embodiment, the cartons are detachable affixed to one another in collapsed condition such that the composite collapsed carton formed thereby has dimensions substantially similar to a single carton loadable on the machine.

A carton feeder has a plurality of suction-cup stations for engaging cartons. A valve mechanism which includes a rotating valve, a stationary valve and a change-over valve selectively applies vacuums to different ones of the plurality of suction-cup stations such that particular combinations of suction-cup stations can be activated or deactivated to engage particular sizes and styles of cartons. Changeover of the application of vacuum is accomplished by changing the alignment of vacuum apertures in the changeover valve and vacuum apertures in the stationary valve with respect to another whereby a first alignment provides vacuum to a first combination of suction-cup stations and a second alignment provides vacuum to a second combination of suction-cup stations.

Adjustable carton feeder

A pair of concentrically mounted drive shafts are rotatable with respect to one another. Each drive shaft engages and drives at least one endless chain upon which lugs are mountable. A driven power shaft directly drives one of the drive shafts. The other drive shaft has a coaxially-mounted gear wheel that intermeshes with a pinion wheel that is rotatable and is interconnected with the driven power shaft such that when the pinion wheel is inhibited from rotating power is delivered from the driven power shaft through the locked pinion gear to the gear wheel and drive shaft affixed thereto.

Phase-adjustment mechanism

A flight bar frame which translates along a predetermined path is adapted for engaging and translating an article grouping of one or more articles while simultaneously engaging and translating a sheet of material above the article grouping. The sheet of material is urged downwardly into juxtaposition above the article grouping by means of a lowering guide assembly. The flight bar frame is adapted for passage therethrough of lowering guides of the lowering guide assembly.

Flight bar

Carton having divider panel for two-tier can package

Guide blocks (20) having guide ribs (22) are moved by an endless chain (30) above and in synchronization with conveyor systems (11, 13) carrying groups (1) of containers. The guide blocks (20) and guide ribs (22) form channels for engaging the tops of containers in rows of an uncovered array (3) of respective groups (1) of containers as each group (1) of containers is pushed laterally across the conveyors (11, 13) into cartons (9) which are transported by a third conveyor system (15) which is also synchronized with the other conveyor systems (11, 13).

Overhead can guide

In a method of forming a package of cylindrical beverage cans, a predetermined number of cans is arranged to define a first tier. An insert panel is placed onto the first tier, having formed therein a plurality of substantially circular debossments, each debossment having a diameter not greater than the can top diameter and not less than the can bottom diameter. The debossments are arranged so that one debossment is positioned concentrically on top of each can of the lower tier. Onto the insert panel is placed a second tier of cans by sliding movement of each can along the insert panel until the can is positioned with its bottom seated within one debossment. The first tier, insert panel and second tier are slid together as a unit into a carton through its open end.

Method of forming a package of beverage cans

A machine (10) for erecting end loading sleeve type cartons (20) having oppositely disposed panels has a hopper (11), a carton extraction wheel (28), an intermediary wheel (29), a delivery wheel (30) and a conveyor (13). The extraction wheel has reciprocal moving suction cups (32) for gripping and extracting a carton from the hopper. The intermediary wheels has suction cups (33, 34) for gripping and relaying the carton from the carton extraction wheel. The delivery wheels has suction cups (36, 37) for gripping and relaying the carton from the intermediary wheel while simultaneously separating the panels of the cartons.

Machine for erecting sleeve type cartons for loading

An adjustable flight bar system (10) for advancing articles along a predetermined path includes a pair of conveyor chains (11) and a series of adjustable flight bars (13). Each flight bar has a support member (23) and an auxiliary member (24) coupled to the support member through cross links (25). The auxiliary member is movable between a retracted position adjacent the support member and an extended position away from the support member to accommodate articles of different sizes.

Adjustable flight bar system

A container lid positioned atop a filled container is sealed to the top of the container by a vertically reciprocable sealing device engageable with the container lid, the container and lid being positioned on yieldable structure so as to avoid damage to the sealing apparatus or to the container being sealed which might occur due to the thrust of the sealing device.

Container sealing apparatus

A system for removing flanged containers from a packaging machine includes a pair of conveyor chains having horizontally spaced longitudinally movable working reaches, a plurality of yieldable clips secured to each of said chains and having container engaging edges disposed between the chains, movable structure for engaging filled and sealed containers and for moving such containers upwardly between the chains and into engagement with at least one clip on each of the chains to cause the clips to flex upwardly and to allow the container flange to move above the clips whereby the container is supported by the clips for movement out of the packaging machine.

Conveying system for removing containers from a packaging machine

Mechanism for feeding a container cover out of a hopper and on to a conveyor for subsequent application to a filled container includes a pivotally mounted oscillatable support arranged to move toward and away from the hopper, suction means rotatably mounted on the oscillatable support and engageable with a container cover for withdrawing the cover from the hopper together with control means interconnected with the suction means for imparting rotation to the suction means relative to the oscillatable support so as to position the suction means adjacent the conveyor for convenient deposit of the conveyor lid on to the conveyor.

Feeder mechanism

Apparatus for loading articles into trays where the articles are first separated into rows with a divider assembly, then separated into groups with a grouper assembly and then pushed onto a dead plate to form a load. Different divider and grouper assemblies are provided to make different load configurations. A tray blank is moved under the dead plate and pushed out from under the dead plate synchronously with the movement of the article load over the dead plate so that the article load is deposited on the tray blank. Thereafter, the flaps on the tray blank are folded to erect the tray around the group of articles. Mechanical folding mechanisms are provided to fold certain of the flaps on the tray without folding the other flaps. The method of loading the articles in the tray and forming the tray around the articles is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Covington, GA, United States of America

Will L Culpepper