Packaging Apparatus

Packaging apparatus have heretofore been made, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,612,016; 3,172,435; 3,298,288 and 3,364,651, in which flattened carton blanks are set up or erected at a carton set-up station, and then advanced in step fashion past several stations including a bottom carton closing station, a filling station, and a top carton closing station. In the packaging apparatus disclosed in the foregoing mentioned patents, the cartons were guided between laterally spaced carton guides for movement along a path past the several stations, and a reciprocating type transfer mechanism was provided that included slides at opposite sides of the path and fingers resiliently mounted on the slides at spaced locations therealong to project into the path and engage the cartons during forward movement of the slides and to be cammed out of the path during retraction of the slides. Such resilient fingers, however, only engaged the cartons adjacent their trailing corners and the side panels of the cartons that extended transversely between the guide rails were not supported across therewith during advancement of the cartons. In packaging apparatus using such prior reciprocating type transfers mechanisms, cartons that where weakened by tear strips formed in the carton and cartons that were formed of relatively light weight stock, sometimes tended to buckle or deform and cause a jam in the packaging apparatus.

It is the object of the present invention to overcome the problems of carton distortion and buckling sometimes encountered in the prior packaging apparatus by providing a packaging apparatus having an improved transfer mechanism which supports the cartons across their entire width during advance of the cartons through the packaging apparatus.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a packaging apparatus having a filling station and laterally spaced carton guides for guiding cartons for movement along a path past the filling station, a conveyor means including at least one elongated carrier member paralleling the path having a plurality of transverse pusher fingers rigid with the carrier member at spaced locations therealong and extending in a direction crosswise of the path, first and second carrier drives spaced apart in a direction lengthwise of the carrier member and offset from one side of the path with each carrier drive including a set of four sprockets arranged in a generally rectangular pattern and an endless chain entrained around the sprockets of each set, first and second connector means rotatably connecting the carrier member to the endless chain of the first and second carrier drives, means for driving the chains of the first and second carrier drives in one direction and at the same speed, the sprockets of each set being arranged such that the chains of the first and second carrier drives, when driven in the one direction, move the carrier member in a horizontal closed loop course of generally rectangular configuration with rounded corners, the course having inward and outward runs extending respectively toward and away from the path and forward and return runs extending generally lengthwise of the path, and the fingers of the carrier member having a length sufficient to span the space between the lateral carton guides on the forward run and being retracted out of the path on the return run.

These, together with other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the packaging apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the packaging apparatus with portions of the housing broken away to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view taken on the plane 3--3 of FIG. 1 with parts of the housing broken away;

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view taken on the plane 4--4 of FIG. 1 with parts of the housing broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane 5--5 of FIG. 1, and showing parts on a larger scale;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane 6--6 of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 7, 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic views illustrating the carton conveyor mechanism in different moved positions;

FIG. 11 is a front view of the packaging machine;

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a carton of the type adapted to be erected, filled and closed by the packaging machine; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the plane 13--13 of FIG. 2.

The packaging apparatus is generally adapted for use in filling cartons but is particularly advantageous for use in erecting, filling and closing generally rectangular cartons of a type that are initially supplied in a flattened condition. The cartons may, for example, be of the type designated generally by the letter X in FIG. 12 having first and second rectangular side panels P1 and P2 interconnected along score lines to rectangular end panels P3 and P4. The cartons are initially in a flattened condition with one end panel P3 and one side panel P1 at one side of the flattened carton and the other side panel P2 and end Panel P3 at the other side of the flattened carton. Means such as upper end closure flaps U1-U4 are commonly provided on the upper ends of panels P1-P4 for closing the upper end of the cartons and means such as lower closure flaps L1-L4 are provided on the lower ends of the panels P1-P4 for closing the lower ends of the cartons. The size of the cartons as well as the configuration and sequence for folding the flaps can of course be different from that shown.

The packaging apparatus in general includes laterally spaced carton guides 21 and 22 for guiding cartons for movement along a linear path; a conveyor mechanism 23 for advancing cartons in step fashion along the path between the guide rails 21 and 22; a carton magazine 24 at one end of the path for storing a quantity of carton blanks in a flattened condition; a carton infeed mechanism 25 operable in timed relation with the conveyor 23 for feeding cartons from the magazine to a carton infeed station at one end of the path and for opening and erecting the carton; and a carton filler 26 at a filling station intermediate the ends of the path. In addition, the packaging apparatus includes a lower flap folding mechanism 27 intermediate the carton infeed station and the filler station for closing the flaps on the lower end of the carton, and an upper flap folding mechanism 28 intermediate the filler station and the end of the path closing the flaps on the upper end of the carton. Infeed carton support rails 29 are provided to underlie and support the cartons as they are advanced from the lower flap folding station to the filling station, and outfeed carton support rails 30 are provided to underlie and support the cartons as they are advanced from the filling station to delivery end of the carton guides. The conveyor mechanism 23 is intermittently operated as the cartons are filled at the filling station to advance the cartons in step fashion past the several stations.

The various mechanisms of the packaging machine are supported on a frame structure that includes a generally horizontal base 31, an upright rear frame 32 at the rear of the base, front frame sections 33 that are relatively lower than the rear frame 32 and which are interconnected to the rear frame by a generally horizontal intermediate frame 34. The lateral carton guide 21 is mounted on the forward end of housings 36 and 37 that are mounted on the rear frame 32 and extend forwardly therefrom in generally cantilever fashion. The other carton guide rail 22 is mounted on the upper end of posts 38 supported on the frong frame 33. The lateral carton guides 21 and 22 are conventiently in the form of opposed U-shaped channels that define guide rails along their lengthwise extending edges, and one of the lateral carton guides 22 is conveniently adjustably mounted for movement toward and away from the other lateral carton guide 21, to accommodate cartons of different size.

The lateral carton guides 21 and 22 have a height less than the height of the containers and the conveyor mechanism 23 includes upper and lower elongated carrier members 41 and 41' each having a plurality of transverse pusher fingers rigid with the respective carrier member at spaced locations therealong. In the embodiment shown, the upper and lower carrier members 41 and 41' have nine carton pusher fingers designated 41a-41i. The upper and lower carrier members 41 and 41' extend parallel to the lateral carton guide 21 and the pusher fingers 41a-41i are rigid with the upper and lower carrier members and extend generally horizontaly respectively above and below the lateral carton guide 21 in a direction crosswise of the path between the lateral carton guides. The upper and lower carrier members 41 and 41' are rigidly interconnected as by tie bars 40 (FIG. 2) to move in unison.

The upper and lower carrier members are driven in a generally rectangular closed loop course by first and second carrier drives 42 and 43 respectively mounted on housings 36 and 37. The carrier drives 42 and 43 are of like construction and the same numbers are used to designate corresponding parts. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 7-10, each carrier drive includes an upper set of four sprockets designated 45a-45d arranged in a generally rectangular pattern and a similar lower set of four sprockets also designated 45a-45d and arranged in a rectangular pattern below corresponding sprockets of the upper set, and upper and lower endless chains 46 entrained about the upper and lower sets of sprockets. As best shown in FIG. 5, corresponding ones of the upper and lower sets of sprockets 45a-45d are secured to opposite ends of shafts 44 supported for rotation by suitable bearings in sleeves 49 on the housings 36 and 37 and, preferably, one of the sprockets such as 45d of each set is arranged for limited adjustment relative to the other sprockets of the set to enable tightening of the chain 46. First and second upper connector means 47, 48 rotatably connect the upper carrier member 41 to the endless chains 46 on the first and second carrier drives 42 and 43 and, similarly, first and second lower connector means 47 and 48 connect the lower carrier member 41' to the lower endless chains 46 on the first and second carrier drives. Each connector means 47 and 48 is connected to a link of the respective chain and includes a bearing to rotatably connect the chain to the respective carrier member.

The upper and lower chains 46 on the first and second carrier drives are driven in one direction and at the same speed. This is advantageously achieved by upper and lower drive sprockets 51 that respectively mesh with the upper and lower chains of each carrier drive. The sprockets 51 are disposed externally of the endless chains 46 in meshing engagement thereiwth and are mounted on vertical drive shafts 52. Drive shafts 52 extend downwardly and are connected through right angle drives 53 to a drive shaft 54. Shaft 54 is connected to the output of a cycle drive mechanism such as a one revolution clutch 56, the input of which is connected through a preferably variable speed drive including pulley 57, belt 58 and pulley 59, to a drive motor 61.

As previously described, the sprockets 45a-45d of each set are arranged in a generally rectangular pattern in a horizontal plane and are offset to one side of the lateral carton guide 21. When the chains 46 are driven in one direction, they move the upper and lower carrier members in a closed loop course of generally rectangular configuration with rounded corners corresponding to the path of connectors 47 and 48 as they move with chains around the sprockets 45a-45d. The closed loop course of each carrier member has an inward run as the connectors 47 and 48 move from the sprocket 45d to the sprocket 45a; a forward run as the connector members move from the sprocket 45a to the sprocket 45b; an outward run as the connector members move from the sprocket 45b to the sprocket 45c and a return run as the connector members move from sprocket 45c to sprocket 45d. The pusher fingers 41a-41i have a length sufficient to span the space between the lateral carton guides 21 and 22 during the forward run of the carrier members and the return and inward runs are made sufficiently long to retract the fingers out of the path during the return run of the carrier members. As will be seen, the connectors 47 and 48 and hence the carrier members move at a generally constant velocity in one direction as they traverse the straight portion of the run between adjacent sprockets and there is a deceleration of the carrier members in one direction and an acceleration of the carrier members in a direction transverse to the previous direction as the connectors move around the sprockets. Thus, the carrier members are not subjected to abrupt changes in velocity during changes in their direction of movement.

The cycle drive mechanism 56 is of the type which is operative, when actuated, to drive the upper and lower carrier members through one complete closed loop course and then stop the upper and lower carrier members. For example, the cycle drive mechanism 56 can be a one revolution clutch which is operative, when actuated, to drive the shaft 54 through one revolution, and the right angle drives 53 and sprockets 51 selected so as to drive the chains 46 through one complete closed loop course when the shaft 54 is driven through one revolution. For reasons pointed out hereinafter, the cycle drive mechanism is advantageously arranged to stop the carrier members 41 at a preselected location along their forward run as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, after the connector members have passed around the sprocket 45a and started along the straight portion of the forward run. With this arrangement, the carrier members are stopped in a position in which the fingers 41a-41extend across the space between the lateral carton guides 21 and 22.

The carton magazine 24 supports a stack of cartons in a flattened condition with the flattened carton at one end of the stack spaced from the lateral carton guide 21. The carton magazine 24 and carton feed mechanism 25 may, for example, be of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,418,893 to which reference is made for a more complete description of its construction and operation. In general, the carton magazine has magazine carton guides 65 and 66 extending generally perpendicular to the lateral carton guides 21 and 22 and spaced apart a distance less than the width of the flattened cartons so that the cartons extend obliquely between the guides 65 and 66 as shown in FIG. 1. The flattened cartons are yieldably urged forwardly in the magazine and a carton stop 68 is provided on the end of the magazine guides 66 to stop the cartons. The carton feed mechanism 25 includes a plurality of vacuum operated grippers 71 mounted on arms 72 that are pivoted in an upright axis 73 for movement between a position in which the vacuum grippers are adjacent the end of the lateral carton guide 21, to a position in which the vacuum operated grippers engage an end panel on the end carton of the stack, and then back to its initial position. The vacuum operated grippers are operated in timed relation with the conveyor mechanism as by a cam 76 (FIGS. 2 and 4) on the main drive shaft 54, which cam operates a cam follower on a pivoted lever 78 that is connected through a link 79 to an arm 81 on the shaft 73. The feed mechanism is normally in its retracted position shown in FIG. 7 with the vacuum operated cup 71 positioned adjacent the lateral carton guide 21 and the operation of the carton feed mechanism is timed so that the arms swing forwardly to move the grippers 71 into engagement with the end panel on a carton in the stack as shown in FIG. 8 after the carrier members have been advanced a distance at least sufficient to move the preceding carton away from the carton infeed station. The grippers 71 engage the end panel on the end carton in the stack and when the arms are returned to their normal position as shown in FIG. 10, the grippers 71 pull the end panel of the end carton off the stack and move it into engagement with the lateral carton guide 21 at the carton infeed station. As the end panel on the end carton is moved to the carton infeed station, a side panel engages a carton cam member 83 on the end of the guide rail 22 to open the carton. The pusher finger 41a is positioned on the carrier members at a location to engage the trailing side panel of the carton at the carton infeed station, while the carton is held by the vacuum operated grippers 71, when the carrier members 41 move inwardly along their inward run as shown in FIG. 10, to thereby aid in squaring the carton and to thereafter advance the carton therewith forwardly along the forward run of the carrier members. Lower flap folding mechanism is provided for folding the flaps on the lower end of the carton to close the same as the carton is advanced along the path away from the carton infeed station. The lower flap folding mechanism will vary with the flap configuration of the lower end of the carton and the flap folding sequence utilized for closing the lower flaps. In the embodiment shown, the lower flap folding mechanism 27 includes a member 91 mounted for swinging movement about a horizontal axis at a location to engage the lower trailing flap of a carton at a flap folding station, and suitable plows (not shown) for infolding the lower lead flap and the side flaps on the lower end of the carton as it is advanced along the path. It is also desirable to open and depress the lead flap at the upper end of the carton forwardly prior to filling, and an upper flap engaging member 98 is swingably mounted on a shaft 99 at a location to engage the lead flap on the upper end of the carton to deflect the lead flap forwardly when the carton is at the aforementioned flap folding station. The lower flap folder 91 and the upper flap depressor 98 are operated in timed relation with the conveyor and are conveniently operated from cam 93 (FIGS. 2 and 13) that oscillates a lever 100 secured to a shaft 121. One end of the lever 100 is connected through a link 94 to an arm 95 on the shaft of the lower flap folder. The other end of the lever 100 is connected through a link 101 connected to an arm 102 on the shaft 99 for the upper flap depressor 98. Thus, cam 93 operates to cause lower flap folding member 91 to swing upwardly while simultaneously causing upper flap depressor 98 to swing downwardly.

The fingers 41a on the carrier members operate to advance a carton from the carton infeed station to the flap folding station and fingers 41b are spaced from the fingers 41a a distance slightly less than the maximum travel T (FIG. 7) of the carrier members in a direction parallel to the carrier path and are arranged to engage the trail side of the carton at the flap folding station. In order to stablize the container at the flap folding station during folding of the lower trail flap and depressing of the upper lead flap, an auxiliary finger 41x is conveniently mounted on the carrier members and spaced forwardly from the pusher fingers 41b a distance only slightly greater than the width of the cartons measured in the direction lengthwise of the path, to extend closely adjacent the lead side of the carton engaged by the pusher fingers 41b. Finger 41c is spaced forwardly from the finger 41b a distance slightly less than the maximum forward travel T of the carrier members and the finger 41d is similarly spaced from the finger 41c and is located in relation to the nozzle 26 to advance a carton to a filling station below the nozzle, when the carrier members reach the end of the their forward travel.

The fill nozzle 26 is connected to a source of product supply. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the filler nozzle is of a type which is operative to continuously dispense a stream of semi-fluid or plastic material such as ice cream. As best shown in FIG. 6, the infeed carton support rails 29 are disposed at a level to support the cartons with their upper ends spaced substantially below the nozzle 26 as the cartons are advanced to the filling station, to avoid interference with the continuously emerging stream of material from the nozzle. A carton elevator mechanism 105 (FIG. 3) is provided for elevating the carton at the fill station into a position in which at least the upper portion of the carton extends around the nozzle. The carbon elevator mechanism 105 is mounted on an arm 106 for swinging movement about the axis of the shaft 107 and the elevator mechanism is operated in timed relation with the conveyor mechanism as by a cam 108 having a cam follower connected through a linkage 109 to an arm 110 on the shaft 107 (see FIG. 2). Operation of the carton elevator mechanism is timed so that the carton is elevated into a position around the nozzle as soon as the carrier members reach the forward end of the their travel in which the finger 41d advances a carton into position at the filling station, and the carrier members then continue their closed loop course and return to their starting position shown in FIG. 7. As the carton at the filling station is filled, it moves downwardly and depresses the elevator. When the elevator reaches a predetermined position in which the upper end of the carton is adjacent the lower end of the nozzle, it actuates a switch, such as an electric or pneumatic switch. Which controls actuation of the cycle drive mechanism 56, to drive the carrier members through a succeeding closed loop course. The cam 108 is operative when the cycle drive mechanism drives shaft 54, to first rapidly lower the carton elevator so that a succeeding carton can be advanced to the filling station and thereafter elevate the carton at the filling station, as previously described. The outfeed carton support rails 30 are disposed at a level above the infeed carton support rails and such as to support the carton as it is moved across the nozzle.

Since material is being continuously dispensed from the nozzle 26, it is desirable to move the carton at the filling station crosswise of the filling nozzle and away from the filling station as soon as it is filled. The fingers 41e on the carrier member are spaced from the preceding fingers 41d a distance less than the travel T of the carrier members and are located so as to extend closely adjacent the trail side of the carton at the filling station, when the carrier members are in their stop position shown in FIG. 7. Thus, fingers 41e operate to advance the filled container away from the filling station while the fingers 41d operate to advance a succeeding container into position at the filling station below the nozzle. The end portion of the pusher finger 41e is beveled and inclined as shown at 41e' in FIGS. 1 and 6 to depress the lead flap on the upper end of the carton engaged by pusher 41d, as the carrier members move inwardly from the position shown in FIG. 10 to the position shown in FIG. 7. This assures that the lead flap on the next carton to be advanced to the filling station will not engage material emerging from the nozzle.

Finger 41f is spaced from the finger 41e a distance slightly less than the travel T of the carrier members and similarly fingers 41g, 41h and 41i are spaced from the preceding container a corresponding distance.

An upper flap folding mechanism is provided for closing the flaps on the upper end of the carton. This upper flap folding mechanism will vary dependent upon the type of flaps and the flap folding sequence utilized. In the embodiment illustrated, it is conveniently of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,651 and which includes an elongated arm 115 (FIG. 1) having a shaft 116 mounted for turning movement about an axis oblique to the path of travel of the carton, and the arm is swingable from a position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 extending generally lengthwise of the path, to a position as shown in phantom in FIG. 7 extending crosswise of the path. The arm 115 is operated in timed relation with a conveyor mechanism from the shaft 121 through an arm 123, a link 122 to arm attached to the shaft 116. As more fully described in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,651, the arm 115 is operative when moved to the position shown in FIG. 1 to depress an upper flap on the carton laterally outwardly of the carton to facilitate infolding of the lead and trail flaps, and is operative when moved to a position crosswise of the carton to fold the trail flap on the carton forwardly. Plows 124 are provided for folding the lead and end flaps on the upper end of the carton to close the same as it is advanced toward the outlet end of the carton guides.

From the foregoing it is thought the construction and operation of the packaging apparatus will be readily understood. The packaging apparatus is intermittently operated to cycle the machine each time a carton is filled at the filling station. The carrier members are normally stopped in a position shown in FIG. 1 in which the fingers 41a-41i extend crosswise between the lateral carton guides with fingers 41a-41c and 41f-41i in engagement with the trail side of the cartons. When a carton at the filling station is filled, it actuates a switch that operates the cycle control 56 to move the carrier members from their normal position shown in FIG. 7, through a closed loop course sequentially forwardly as shown in FIG. 8, then outwardly as shown in FIG. 9, then rearwardly as shown in FIG. 10, and then back to the normal or stop position shown in FIG. 7. As the carrier members 41 move forwardly, finger 41a advances a carton away from the carton infeed station and finger 41b advances a carton past the lower flap folding mechanism and the upper flap depressing mechanism. The auxiliary finger 41x extends alongside the lead side of the carton engaged by the fingers 41b to stabilize and support the carton during flap folding. Finger 41e moves a filled container away from a position below the nozzle as the carrier members are moved forwardly and finger 41d moves the next succeeding container into position below the nozzle. Fingers 41g, 41h and 41i advance the cartons in step fashion past the upper flap folding mechanism.

The carton infeed mechanism 25 is operated after the finger 41a has advanced a carton away from the carton infeed station, and the gripper members are moved into engagement with an end panel on the face of the carton at the end of the stack as shown in FIG. 8 and then back to move the end panel on that carton into engagement with the guide rail 21 at the infeed station as shown in FIG. 10. A cam member 83 engages the side panel of the carton as it is moved off the stack to the infeed station and deflects the carton past its square position as shown in FIG. 10. As the carrier members move along their inward run, fingers 41a engage the trail side of the carton at the infeed station to initially square the carton, and to thereafter advance the carton along the path until the carrier members stop in the position shown in FIG. 7. The fingers on the carrier members extend fully across the space between the lateral guides 21 and 22 to fully support the trail side of the cartons during advancement and while the carrier members are in their stop position shown in FIG. 7. The sprockets 45a-45d and chains 46 drive the carrier members at a substantially constant velocity along the straight portions of the generally rectangular course, and gradually decelerate motion of the carrier members in one direction while accelerating motion of the carrier members in a relatively transverse direction, at the rounded corners of the course. Further, the disclosed carrier and carrier drive enable use of auxiliary fingers such as 41x which are spaced from a preceding pusher finger a distance only slightly greater than the depth of the carton measured along the path, to stabilize the cartons at one or more stations, as desired. In addition it will be seen that the generally straight inward motion imparted to the carrier members by the disclosed sprocket and chain carrier drive, can be advantageously utilized to aid in squaring the carton at the carton infeed station, and to deflect or manipulate end flaps on the cartons at the other stations.