Box filler for produce packaging

Abstract

A 'weigh/fill' type box filler for cherries, cherries and similar small produce that incrementally moves and fills an array of individual packaging bags within conventional packing boxes. The box filler includes a box conveyer, a producer conveyer, a metering gate, a weigh/fill scale assembly and three independent box lifters. The box conveyer moves the packing boxes incrementally over the weigh/fill scale assembly to position each row of bags within successive packing boxes beneath the metering gate. As one packing box is incrementally moved across the weigh/fill scale assembly and each row of bags is weigh/filled, the box lifters sequentially raise the adjacent preceding and following packing boxes out of contact with the weigh/fill scale assembly. The metering gate uses independently actuated gate paddles to selectively control the flow of produce into the individual bags first at a high volume 'gross' fill rate and finishing with a lower volume or “fine” fill rate.