Magazine and method of feeding articles

Abstract

A magazine for holding a plurality of articles, such as cartons, which are to be singularly withdrawn at a downstream end, and a method of feeding articles. The magazine includes guides, spaced apart by a distance greater than the width of the cartons in their folded condition, thereby creating a gap between an inner guide surface and one of the edges of the cartons. A pair of stoppers oppositely project toward each other and are spaced apart by a distance less than the width of the cartons, to thereby hold the most downstream carton in a position to facilitate its withdrawal at the discharge end of the magazine. The stoppers are positioned to engage the particular edges of the cartons of which the distance between them is not apt to be variable, to thereby reduce the likelihood of the cartons becoming jammed within the magazine. At least one feed roller projects from one inner guide surface toward the other inner guide surface upstream of the discharge end. At least one carton is engaged between the roller and the other inner guide surface to isolate a predetermined number of folded cartons downstream of the feed roller from a second predetermined quantity of folded cartons upstream of the feed roller. Further, due to the engagement of the edges of the most downstream carton and the stoppers, as the carton is withdrawn from the magazine, the carton is more fully opened to thereby facilitate its subsequent complete opening. A supply conveyor is provided upstream of the guide surfaces. The supply conveyor and the feed roller can be driven synchronously in response to the sensing of a reduction in the quantity of cartons in the downstream portion of the magazine.