Machine and Method for Placing an Insert Into an Article Carrier Cell

In general machines for placing an insert into an article carrier cell are known. One machine of this type is disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,381,452 which is owned by the assignee of this invention. In this arrangment, a machine is provided by which a single panel insert is lowered into a loaded article carrier cell. Since this type of insert is not effectively anchored, the insert can become dislodged by movement of the packaged bottles during transport.

According to this invention, a machine is provided for placing an insert having a main panel joined to a bottom panel into an article carrier cell, and comprises a frame, a vertically reciprocable insertion blade mounted on the frame and engageable with the insert in general proximity to the junction between the main and bottom panels and operable in conjunction with folding elements on the frame to fold and lower the insert into the cell.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multiple cell article carrier with an insert partially loaded therein;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of an insert blank to which this invention is applicable;

FIGS. 3A and 3B schematically depict successive stages of an insert loading operation for multiple cell article carriers arranged in series;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged end view of the machine constructed according to this invention as viewed from the outfeed end thereof;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view taken along the line designated 5--5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view taken along the line 6--6 in FIG. 4; and in which

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of a portion of an insertion blade constructed according to this invention.

In FIG. 1, the letter C generally designates a known eight cell basket style article carrier with insert I shown as being partially loaded therein. With particular reference to FIG. 2, insert I comprises a main panel 1 to the bottom edge of which bottom panel 2 is foldably joined along fold line 3. In addition auxiliary panel 4 is foldably joined to a side edge of main panel 1 along fold line 5 and, similarly, auxiliary panel 6 is foldably joined along the opposite side edge of main panel 1 along fold line 7. If desired auxiliary panels 4 and 6 may be eliminated from insert I without destroying the effectiveness or the integrity of the insert.

With reference to FIG. 4, only the left hand portion of the machine frame structure is shown in detail, it being understood that the opposite side of the machine frame embodies the same basic structure. More particularly base element 8 is provided to the upper surface of which a longitudinal channel 9 is suitable secured by any means such as welding. Similarly, a longitudinal channel 10 is disposed in a direction laterally opposite to longitudinal channel 9. In addition side plate 11 is secured to base element 8 by any suitable means such as welding.

The frame structure for the upper portion of the machine comprises upper crosshead support means 12 to the opposite sides of which support beams 13 and 14 are secured respectively by means of nut and bolt assemblies 15 and 16. To complete the basic frame structure, the upper portion of support 17 is secured to support beam 13 while the lower edge of support 17 is secured to plate 18. Finally plate 18 is supported on side plate 11 by means of cushioning bar 19.

For the purpose of storing inserts I, hopper structure H is provided, a portion of which is shown in FIG. 4. The hopper structure H comprises a pair of oppositely disposed blank retaining walls 20 (one of which is not observable in FIG. 4) together with a lower support rod 21 and an upper adjustable support rod 22. Although not shown a second lower support rod and a second upper support rod can be provided to insure proper stability of the inserts. In order to withdraw an insert I from the hopper a pair of suction cups 23 and 23a are provided and are mounted on oscillatable operating arms 24 and 24a which in turn are mounted on rod 25 in known manner.

In actual practice, normally three article carriers C are loaded into trays T, as shown in FIG. 6, and trays T are mounted on conveyor rollers in known manner. In order to provide proper registry of a cell of the article carriers C with the insertion means prior to the placing of an insert I into one of the carrier cells, stop probes 26 and 27 are actuated pneumatically in order to initially stop carrier movement. Subsequently lateral probes 28, 29 and 30 are pneumatically actuated and act to firmly engage and to push trays T against stop means such as longitudinal channel 10. All of the probes 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 are pneumatically operated in known manner by means of pneumatic cylinders 26a, 27a, 28a, 29a and 30a. By this means proper disposition of article carriers C is accomplished and destruction of the article carriers during an insert loading operation is prevented.

Therefore when the production line is stopped and the carriers C are properly positioned as shown in FIG. 6, the lowermost insert I in the hopper H is withdrawn by means of suction cups 23 and 23a. Subsequently the insert is placed on main platform 31 as best shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. Simultaneously with this operation bottom panel 2 of insert I is situated on blank engaging means 32. The area between main platform 31 and blank engaging means 32 is indicated by the letter X and defines a clearance space.

For the purpose of lowering insert I into a carrier cell, insertion blade 33 is mounted on piston rod 34 and is provided with guide means 35. In addition insertion blade 33 is reciprocably operable by pneumatic means through pneumatic cylinder 36. Therefore actuation of insertion blade 33 causes guide means 35 to slide in a vertical direction along guide plate 37 which is fixedly mounted to blank engaging means 32 by means of nut and bolt assembly 38.

Blank engaging means 32 is secured to the frame by means of brackets 39, 40 and 41. Brackets 40 and 41 are respectively secured at one end thereof to the ends of bracket 39 by means of nut and bolt assemblies 42 and 43 and blank engaging means 32 is secured to plate 39 by nut and bolt assemblies 44 and 45.

Main platform 31 is welded along one edge thereof to brackets 40 and 41 and secured at the other end thereof to frame assemblies 46 and 47. In addition, as best shown in FIG. 5, plows 48 and 49 are provided and are suitably secured to main platform 31 by means of bolts 50 and 51 respectively.

With insert I disposed in the position shown by dotted lines in FIG. 5 and with the article carriers C positioned as shown in FIG. 6, insertion blade 33 is pneumatically actuated through pneumatic cylinder 36 which causes insertion blade 33 to begin its descent. Subsequently the lower edge 52 of insertion blade 33 comes into contact with insert I generally in coincidence with fold line 3. This operation causes main panel 1 and auxiliary panels 4 and 6 to slide off of main platform 31 and similarly causes bottom panel 2 to slide off of blank engaging means 32. Simultaneously bottom panel 2 and main panel 1 swing into angular relation to each other so that bottom panel 2 is disposed between blade 33 and the prongs 32a and 32b of blank engaging means 32 and with main panel 1 disposed between blade 33 and the edge 31a of platform 31. Simultaneously auxiliary panels 4 and 6 slidably engage plows 49 and 48 respectively which cause auxiliary panels 4 and 6 to rotate about fold lines 5 and 7 respectively through angles greater than 90.degree. so as to envelope the upwardly folded bottom panel 2.

As insertion blade 33 reaches its lowest point of descent side panels 4 and 6 clear plows 49 and 48 and respectively swing outwardly. Bottom panel 2 then swings away from main panel 1 and into flat face contacting relation with the bottom of the associated article carrier cell due to the inherent "fight" of the material. As insertion blade 33 is withdrawn auxiliary panels 4 and 6 occupy positions generally perpendicular to main panel 1 due to the "fight" of the material causing these panels to engage carrier partitions P1 and P2. The various elements of insert I then occupy the positions generally shown in FIG. 6. Insert I at this point is fully loaded into the article carrier cell which is then ready to receive a primary package such as a bottle.

Due to the fact that bottles are of many sizes, it follows that basket style carriers such as C are of widely varying dimensions. Thus the insertion blades 33a, 33b and 33c are adjustable horizontally from right to left and vice versa and viewed in FIGS. 3A, 3B. In addition the insertion blades may be used in special sequences in order to render the machine adaptable for different sizes of article carriers C without unduly increasing the size of the machine. For example in FIG. 3A insertion blade 33a is aligned with a cell of carrier C2 in tray T1 while insertion blades 33b and 33c are aligned respectively with cells of carriers C1 and C3 in tray T2. Simultaneous downward movement of all of the insertion blades 33a, 33b and 33c loads insert I2 into carrier C2 of tray T1, I1, into carrier C1 of tray T2 and I3 into carrier C3 of tray T2. After this operation trays T1 and T2 and a succeeding tray T3 are moved incrementally to the left to bring a succeeding tray T3 into position as shown in FIG. 3B. Downward movement of all of the insertion blades repeats the operation previously described so as to effect insertion into carrier C2 of tray T2 and into carriers C1 and C3 of tray T3. Since carriers C1 and C3 of tray T2 have already been loaded as represented in FIG. 3A, the loading of carrier C2 in tray T2 as shown in FIG. 3B completes the placement of an insert into all carriers of tray T2. The operation then is repeated in sequence.

The procedure shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is illustrative only, it being understood that other sequences may be employed for different sizes of bottles and for different sizes of carriers.

While the carriers in certain views of the drawings are shown as mounted in trays, it will be understood that for some applications of the invention trays may not be used particularly in instances where the carriers are unusually large.