AU4044993A - Multiple container carriers and machine for installing carriers on containers - Google Patents

Description

MULTIPLECONTAINERCARRIERSANDMACHINEFORINSTALLINGCARRIERSO CONTAINERS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to apparatus for installing carriers for flanged articles and especially to carriers for beverage containers such as cans and bottles.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Applicants are aware of the following patents, the disclosure of which are incorporated by reference herein:

3,432,202 3,959,949 4,219,117

3,528,697 4,018,331 4,273,273

3,601,253 4,136,772 4,432,579

3,601,439 4,190,149 4,621,734

Four considerations have influenced the present invention and the development of applicants' carriers for flanged articles: reduction in the amount and/or cost of materials making up the carrier, adaptability to high-speed machine application in container filling and packaging lines, compatibility with existing containers and packaging practices, and consideration of the environmental impact of the carrier throughout the entire use cycle, from production of its constituent materials through final disposal.

Paper is derived from a renewable resource. It is inexpensive, recycleable, cleanly combustible, and ^' biodegradable. It is therefore an object of this invention to employ paper as the primary constituent of the carrier, preferably in the form of paperboard. To further the effort to recycle containers used with the carrier, it is an additional object of the invention, and of designs which practice the invention, to preserve the integrity of the carrier sufficiently when containers are removed that it can easily accept and retain empty containers and make their return convenient.

Unless it can completely replace existing methods and equipment, an innovation must harmonize with everything it cannot supplant, or it will fail to be adopted. It is therefore a further objective of this invention that it be adaptable to existing packaging machinery and practices and accommodate present and foreseen future container designs. In addition, applicants have developed equipment and methods specifically compatible with their carrier.

The following discussion is in terms of a modern necked beverage can, which has a cylindrical body fairing into a tapered section which reduces the diameter sufficiently that a lid seamed onto the top will have an overall diameter no larger than that of the cylindrical part of the body. However, it will be appreciated that the invention can use cylindrical cans by putting spacers in the can array and by placing the carrier holes further apart, as described herein. Similarly, the invention works equally well with bottles.

Applicants' invention in a beverage carrier uses a sheet of paperboard which is die cut with an array of circular holes, such as a rectangular array. Such an array matches the normal arrangement of cans in a carton or case and leaves uncommitted spaces within the array where finger-grip holes for handling the package can be located. Center-to-center spacing of the array is preferably (but not necessarily) equal to the major diameter of the container for which the carrier is designed, such as for necked cans. This feature partially relieves the paperboard sheet from the bending moment imposed by container weight, for when the containers' sides touch, their tendency to twist out of engagement with the carrier holes is greatly reduced. Plain cylindrical cans may also be used with suitable spacing for finger holes.

As further described herein, in relation to the preferred embodiment of this invention, the stock from which the carrier may be formed is preferably solid paperboard. The paperboard may be laminated for additional strength or decoration or may also be coated by clay coating or conventional methods of applying printable surfaces to paper. The carrier may have additional strengthening placed around the container holes, as described herein. The holes may be circular and may have a surrounding ring embossed in the paperboard. Numerous cuts form a series of projections or fingers that snap under a can flange, or other container chime, to hold the container. To prevent loss of the container completely through the sheet, the internal diameter of the surrounding ring is preferably less than the sum of twice the paperboard thickness and the container body diameter. To conserve strength in the areas between two opposed apertures, the cuts may be arranged to avoid the close approach of cuts from two adjacent apertures, as shown herein.

The design in the choice of finger width is not critical, however, too narrow fingers may buckle or twist under axial loading and provide little retaining force on the container. Too wide fingers may transmit sufficient torque to the sheet to make its edge ripple and corners turn down. With paperboard thickness adequate for 12-ounce cans, applicants have found that a width of twenty degrees of the circumference of the hole avoids both problems In the present invention the addition of a second ring embossed concentrically around the first ring mentioned above, as described herein, surprisingly provides a compliant member or area to take up the deformation at the base of a finger. This supplies a spring force to maintain the fingers in engagement with the container, and stiffens the surrounding sheet to minimize distortion from the desired planar shape. It is unnecessary to extend the outer embossed ring completely around an aperture, since the forces between adjacent apertures typically balance and reflect no torque on the sheet.

Scored lines which define hinges and bends in the prior art weaken any paper carrier and promote moisture absorption at those points, so that heavier material or more of it is required to insure safe carriage of the product. Embossing largely preserves the surface of the paperboard and reduces the material needed to produce a carrier.

Forming of the carrier from a flat sheet (with minor bumps of the embossed rings around the holes) facilitates preparation from roll stock and application to containers right in a packaging line at speeds compatible with modern equipment and material handling methods. For example, the edge of the flat carrier sheet can overlap the edges of adjacent carriers to permit stacking of interlocked groups for transportation, pallet storage, stacking in cold vaults, or retail display. In addition, the fingers retain sufficient strength even after containers have been removed to accept and hold empty containers and encourage their return for recycling. The upright posture of the fingers and the containers eliminates drainage of remnant beverages or rinse water, and the stacking of interlocking groups makes it convenient and tidy to accumulate a reasonable number in a given space.

Application of carriers to containers is not restricted to six packs in high-volume, high-speed situations. The same carrier configuration is suitable for different numbers and other sizes of containers although the invention works best with containers whose body diameter is larger than the flange or chime diameter by enough to accommodate the array of fingers and the embossed rings on which they are based, as in bottles and beverage cans. Besides the traditional 6-pack, the present invention works for 2-, 3-, 4-, 8-, 9-, 12-, 15-, 18- and 24-packs. Formed roll stock that feeds high-speed machines can also be used by simple manually-operated machines scaled to smaller volumes of product handled by distributors or retailers or by large machines and methods, as described herein.

Besides the recycling advantages of paper, dispensing with plastics derived from petroleum promotes independence of an imported raw material and removes a significant hazard to fish, waterfowl, and other wildlife known to be injured or killed by the joined plastic rings which represent the present standard of grouping flanged containers.

It is thus an object of this invention to produce a carrier for beverage containers which is usable by both large and small scale carrier installing machines.

It is an object of this invention to produce carriers for beverage containers which can be made from web stock and applied as a continuous web in a beverage container ringing process. It is an object of this invention to produce a carrier for beverage containers from environmentally safe and degradable paper stock.

It is an object of this invention to produce a carrier for beverage containers which incorporates additional aperture strengthening structure.

It is an object of this invention to produce carriers which can be conveniently disposed of by biodegradation and/or incineration.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a machine capable of installing carriers for beverage containers in a modern beverage producing line.

It is an object of this invention to produce a machine for installing carriers for beverage containers which is inexpensive to build and purchase and which may be used on a small scale and powered by hand.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a machine for installing carriers for beverage containers which has positive locating, indexing and transfer of the carriers and the beverage containers.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a machine for installing carriers for beverage containers which has positive transfer pilots for indexing and locating the carriers in relation to the beverage containers.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following Description of the Drawings, the Drawings and the Description of the Preferred Embodiments.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view of a machine, according to the invention, for applying applicants' carrier; Figure 2 is a top view of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial view of a carrier web, according to the invention, for use in the machine of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a partial view of the machine of Figures 1 and 2 showing a web therein;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the plane of line 5-5 in Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a partial view of the machine of Figures 1 and 2 showing an array of cans therein;

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the machine of Figures 1 and 2 taken along the plane of line 7r-7 in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the machine of Figures 1 and 2 taken along the plane of line 8-8 in Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of the machine of Figures 1 and 2 taken along the plane of line 9-9 in Figure 7;

Figure 10 is a side view of an array of cans held in the carrier of the invention;

Figure 11 is a partial cross-sectional view of the can and carrier taken along the plane of line 11-11 in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a top plan view of a carrier of the invention;

Figure 13 is a detail view of the carrier of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of the carrier of the invention taken along the plane of line 14-14 in Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a top plan view of a carrier of the invention;

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a manually operated ringing machine according to the invention; Figure 17 is a partial top plan view of the machine of Figure 16;

Figure 18 is a partial cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 16;

Figure 19 is a further partial cross-sectional view of the machine of Figure 16;

Figure 20 is a partial top plan view of a modified carrier according to the invention;

Figure 21 is a partial top plan view of an additional carrier according to the invention;

Figure 22 is a plan view of a modified carrier adaptable for either 6-pack pairs or a unitary 12-pack carrier arrangement;

Figure 23 is a longitudinal schematic side view of a machine for feeding carrier of the alternate types seen in Fig. 22 into a flow of containers arranged for either 6— or 12-pack assembly;

Figure 24 is a longitudinal schematic plan view which represents what can be seen looking down on the view of Fig. 23;

Figure 25 is a transverse sectional detail taken at line 25-25 in Fig. 23;

Figure 26 is a plan view of a further modified hand operated machine for applying carriers to groups of containers in either 6- or 12-pack arrangements;

Figure 27 is a vertical view taken along line 27-27 in Fig. 26;

Figure 28 is a further fragmentary sectional view as seen along line 28-28 in Fig. 27;

Figure 29 is a plan view of still another modified operating machine for semiautomatic operation to apply carriers to groups of containers;

Figure 30 is a vertical view taken along line 30-30 in Figure 29; Figure 31 is a vertical view taken along line 31-31 in Figure 30;

Figure 32 is a schematic control system diagram for the semiautomatic machine of Figure 29; and

Figure 33 is a schematic diagram of a control system for a rotary actuator seen in Figure 32.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, in Figures 1 and 2 is shown a machine for applying the carriers of the invention to arrays of beverage containers such as cans or bottles. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 the carrier applying machine 50 has a lower array accumulating and positioning section 52 and an upper carrier applying section 54. Carrier applying section 54 takes web carriers from a roll of web 56 and transfers the web to the carrier applying section 54 by a timed transfer roll 58 as described herein. The array accumulating section 52 of machine 50 may be of a conventional design timed with carrier applying section 54. In a preferred embodiment herein the array accumulating section 52 is a machine of the invention described and shown herein which accepts beverage containers from a beverage filling line, not shown, and accumulates the beverage containers as 60 into arrays 62 on which the carriers 72 of the invention are installed. Arrays 62 may be any multiple, typically from 2 to 24, of beverage containers, but will most commonly be the 6 or 12 unit arrays common in the beverage art.

As shown in Figure 2, the arrays 62 of beverage containers 60 are accumulated via can positioning members 64. As shown in Figure 8, members 64 are moved into a mass of cans 60 by a cam guide system 66. Cam guide system 66 is shown in Figure 2, for example, as operating from one side of the machine section 52, it will be appreciated that a dual cammed machine can also be used in which a plurality of cams 62 engage cam positioning members 64 operating from both sides of the machine 52. In the interest of clarity, the slide support system, as shown in Figure 2, is abbreviated. It will be appreciated that slides 65 which propel can positioning members 64, as shown, will be supported throughout their travel, as is shown in the art.

As the arrays 62 of beverage containers 60 are accumulated and fed through the bottom section 52 of machine 50, on a conveyor 68, a web 70 of carriers 72 is fed through the upper section 54 of machine 50 and timed to match the transition of arrays 62 through the machine 50. Web 70 is fed from a roll 56 and passes over positioning roll 58 which positions the web 70 on the upper section 54 of machine 50. Positioning roll 58 has a series of spaced pilots 74 which engage web 70, as described herein. Upper section 54 of machine 50 also has a set of stations 76 mounted on chain mounts 78. Chain mounts 78 pass over two sprockets 80 which drives the chains over a closed path which, may be clockwise as shown in Figure 1. The drive rate for chain 78 is timed by suitable direct linkage to correspond to the rate of passage of arrays 62 through the lower portion 52 of machine 50. It being understood, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, that the transfer rate of arrays 62 through section 52 is governed by the can positioning members 64 which are driven by a set of sprockets 82 which drive chains 85 on which can positioning members 64 are mounted.

As shown in Figure 5, drive chains 78 have roller guides 84 which pass through upper guides 86 and lower guides 88, as described herein. Each of stations 76 incorporates a set of stripper assemblies 90 which receive the web 70 from the transfer roll 58. As shown in Figure 3 web 70 is formed to correspond to the array of beverage containers accumulated in machine 50 with individual carriers being separated by scorelines 92. Scoreline 92 is through the thickness of web 70 leaving a small portion of the web intact as the stations 76 advance along chain 78 over sprocket 80, as shown in Figure 1. The separation of stations 76 around the circumference of sprocket 80 ruptures the web along scoreline 92 creating separated individual carriers 70. The separated carriers are then positioned over the array 62 formed in the lower section 52 of machine 50, and a carrier 72 is installed on an array by strippers 90, as described herein. The completed array with the installed carrier 72 is then transferred out of the machine on conveyor 68, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Scoreline 92 is made up of a series of scores which extend through web 70. The scores may vary in number and length, as known in the art. The purpose of the scores is to weaken the web 70 sufficiently that the web reproducibly separates cleanly along scoreline 92 when stations 76 travel around sprocket 80. However, the web 70 should retain sufficient strength at the scoreline 92 to retain the integrity of web 70 prior to separation of stations 76 on sprocket 80. We have found that linear scores on the order of 92 and 98% of the width of web 70 are sufficient, preferably about 97%.

Referring in more detail to Figures 4 and 5, as the web 70 passes over transfer roll 58 pilots 74 on transfer roll 58 engage the finger holes 94 in each carrier 72. As the transfer roll 58 passes web 70 over stations 76 stripper assemblies 90 engage holes 96 in carriers 72 and strip the web 70 from transfer roll 58, as described further herein. During this portion of the operation chain 78 is guided through guides 86 at the upper portion of section 54 by rollers 84. Stripper assemblies 90 also have a set of cam rollers 89 the operation of which is described herein. In the upper portion of section 54, guides 95 engage cam rollers 89, as shown in Figure 4, to stabilize stripper assembly 90. Stations 76 traverse around sprocket 80, as shown, in a clockwise direction and pass over the array 62 of beverage containers which have been accumulted in section 52 of machine 50. In the lower portion of section 54 rollers 84 engage guides 88 which control the elevation of stations 76. During the operation of section 54 lower section 52 acts to accumulate arrays 62 of beverage containers 60, shown here as necked cans, though the operation is essentially the same for bottles or standard cylindrical cans. As conveyor 68 passes through section 52 it is driven by chain 85 over sprockets 82 operating in a counterclockwise direction as shown in Figure 1.

Chain 85 has mounted thereon a series of cam followers or rollers 98 which engage camming surface 100. Mounted on rollers 98 are a series of slides 102, each of which has at its upper extremity, as shown in Figure 2, a can positioning member 64 which acts as a sliding fence and stop to accumulate and position arrays 62 of beverage containers. As chain 85 advances through machine 52 rollers 98 engage camming surface 100 which slides elements 102 into the machine pressing can positioning members 64, at spaced locations, through the mass of cans 60 to accumulate the desired arrays of beverage containers 60, as shown. It will be appreciated that other sizes of arrays can be accumulated, but the six unit array is representative. The arrays 62 are held by can positioning members 64 and pass in unison therewith through machine section 52. Chain 85 is timed and driven, for example by direct linkage or other conventional means, to correspond to the transit of carriers 72 on stripper assemblies 90 and are indexed so that carriers 72 and holes 96 therein are positioned directly above the tops of beverage containers 60, as shown.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that Figures 2 and 9 have been abbreviated for clarity. Slides 102 may be supported throughout the full range of their travel by suitable bearings or other members, not shown. Further the length of slides 102 may be chosen to be sufficiently long that guides 103 remain fully in contact with slides 102 over the full extent of the travel of slides 102.

As further shown in Figures 6 and 9, when carriers 72 are positioned above arrays 62 camming surface 108 activates stripper assembly 90 to force carrier 72 down over the tops of the beverage containers 60 in array 62 to form a completed assembled array and carrier. Camming surface 108 is located in the lower portion of upper section 54 of machine 50, as shown in more detail in Figure 9.

The operation of stripper assemblies 90 may be understood more fully by reference to Figures 1 and 9. As shown in Figures 1, web 70 is transferred to transfer roll 58 where pilots 74 engage finger holes 94 of web 70. Transfer roll 58 rotates in a counter clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1, with web 70 passing over transfer roll 58. As web 70 passes beneath transfer roll 58, holes 96 in web 70, the beverage container engaging holes, are engaged over a second set of pilots 104 which are a part of stripper assembly 90. Section 110 are biased downwardly by springs 106, as shown in Figure 5, so that the pilots 104 project into holes 96 of carrier 72 when receiving carriers 72 from transfer roll 58. Stripper assemblies 90 are part of stations 76 and chain 78, as shown, and travel with chain 78 around section 54 of the machine 50. At the bottom of section 54 the stripper assemblies 90 engage and are indexed with arrays 62 of beverage containers 60.

As the arrays 62 and stripper assemblies 90 pass through the lower portion of section 54, and the upper portion of section 52, rollers 84 on traveling chain 78 engage a guide track 88 which stabilizes stations 76 and the stripper assemblies 90. Simultaneously, rollers 89 engage camming tracks 108, as shown in Figure 9. Camming tracks 108 force stripping sections 110 of stripper assemblies 90 down against carrier 72 and force the carrier 72 into engagement with the beverage containers 60 of array 62, as shown in Figure 9, to install the carrier 72 onto the array 60. As chain 78 and stripper assemblies 90 pass further through section 54 rollers 89 and camming track 108 disengage stripping sections 110 and stripper assemblies 90 return to their original configuration with stripping sections 110 once again retracted by springs 106 and pilots 104 are again ready to reengage additional portions of web 70, as described herein. As shown in Figure 9, pilots 104 may be sized to be received into the inner diameter of a can chime or flange to provide additional indexing and locating function. As the conveyor 68 of section 52 continues its travel the arrays 62 of beverage container 60, with installed carriers 72, exit from the machine 50 and are ready for further processing and transportation to the point of sale.

Referring in more detail to Figures 10 through 15, 20 and 21, the carrier 72 of the invention may be more fully understood. Carrier 72, as shown in Figure 12, will ring a six unit array of necked cans. Carrier 172, shown in Figure 15, will ring a twelve unit array of necked cans. Carrier 272, shown in Figure 21, will ring a four unit array of screw cap bottles. These carriers may be made of a flat sheet of paperboard punched and embossed with the structural features described herein. The carriers may be formed from paperboard web stock by a punching, slotting and scoring operation using a conventionally formed array of dies, for example by rotary die cutting of a continuous paperboard web, as is known in the art. The carriers are preferably made in the form of a continuous web 70, as shown in Figure 3, with parting lines 92 scored in the web 70. The carriers may have squared corners, angled corners such as shown in Figure 12, rounded corners as shown in Figure 15 or other configurations, as desired.

Applicants have found that a coated natural craft board of high wet strength and good printability on one side is suitable for use in producing carriers 72, 172 and 272. The paperboard should be sufficient to maintain strength throughout the converting process, through distribution and on to the retail customer and ultimate user.

Applicants have found that paperboard having the following properties is suitable for producing the carriers of the invention. TABLE 1 Caliper Basis Test Dry Taber Stiffness Mullen App. Weight MD CD MD CD Density .030 108 735 780 880 770 203 3.60

The paperboard may be coated, for example by clay coating or other techniques suitable for receiving printing, or may be embossed or laminated by other conventional processes. A slip clay coating of the type used on white board or food grade board is suitable for applicants' process and web and makes a satisfactory surface for receiving printing, such as advertising or other product indicia.

Applicants* web may also include additional additives as known in the art, for example, additives imparting additional wet strength to the product to prevent it breaking down in the presence of water vapor or losing strength, for example, on being cycled into and out of refrigeration. These additives are conventional in the paper making art.

Applicants have found that the paperboard described above is highly suitable as an environmentally satisfactory carrier product since it readily looses integrity on immersion in water or on being exposed to the elements, for example, in a landfill. As a preferable method of disposal it may be readily incinerated.

Referring further to Figures 12, 15 and 21, it can be seen that applicants incorporate a series of scores 120 spaced circumferentially around apertures 96, 196 and 296. Scores 120 form a series of roughly rectangular tabs or fingers 122 that snap under the flange or chime 124 of a beverage container such as a can 60 or a screw capped bottle 260, as shown. These tabs 122 prevent loss of the container through the carrier 72 or 272 when the container is under the influence of its own wieght. Surrounding the apertures 96, 196 and 296 are a series of circumferential rings 126, 128 which are formed by embossing the paperboard, for example, during diecutting, as known in the art. Details of rings 126, 128 are shown in Figures 11, 13 and 14. The rings 126, 128 form a plurality of concentric corrugations which extend at least partially around the apertures 96, 196 and 296, as shown. It is preferred that the internal diameter of the adjacent or inner most surrounding ring 126 be less than the sum of twice the paperboard thickness and the container body diameter.

Further, it is preferred that the arrangement of the radial slots 120 forming the tabs 122 be as indicated in Figure 20 to further strengthen the area between two opposed apertures 96, 196 or 296. As shown, slots 120 on adjacent apertures 96 are offset so that they do not extend along a common line. This reduces the tendency of a tear starting in a slot 120 to extend through an adjacent slot 120 into an adjacent aperture 96, leading to inadvertent removal of a beverage container. Further, slots 120 preferably terminate at a location spaced from inner ring 126, as shown in Figures 13 and 14. By spacing the terminus of slot 120 from ring 120, we have found that the embossed ring acts as a stop which resists the extension of slot 120 beyond ring 126 during the ringing process, and subsequently, thus maintinaing the integrity and strengh of the carrier 72, 172, 272. Further, the corrugation 126 increases the spring property of the carrier 72, 172, 272 to maintain contact between a container 60 and tabs 122. The second corrugation 128 increases the spring property. In addition, rings 126 and 128 further strengthen the carrier in the vicinity of the apertures 96, 196, 296 to add shear and torsional strength.

As shown in Figure 21, as in the case with screw cap bottles 260 or cylindrical cans, for example, the areas between adjacent containers can be reinforced by an additional stiffening member 250 which adds rigidity to the carrier, as shown in 272.

Figure 21 shows a modified carrier 272 which is sized to permit it to be used on arrays of containers such as screw top bottles 260. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the apertures 296 are sized and spaced to permit cooperation with the neck of a screw top bottle 260 and tabs or walls 120 support the screw cap 297 of the bottles, as shown. If desired, the additional web 250 may^" be laminated with carrier 272 between finger hole apertures 294 to provide additional stiffness and strength to web 272, as shown. The additional strength and stiffness provided by ply 250 may be useful where heavy bottles, such as glass bottle pints or quarts, are carried by the carrier 272. In all other aspects the operation of carrier 272 and its method of installation is as described previously herein.

Referring now to Figures 16-19, a manually operated ringing device 200 is shown. Ringing device 200 has a framework 202 above which is mounted a roll 256 on which is wound a web 70 of carriers 72, as previously described. Web 70 is fed manually from roll 256 through a set of guides 204 mounted in the frame 202 of machine 200, as shown. Web 70 is inserted through guides 204 until the web abuts against stop 206, as shown in Figure 18. Within the framework 202 of machine 200 are sidewalls 208 and a backwall 209, as shown, which act to position an array of beverage containers in machine 200. As shown, in Figure 18, the device holds two six unit arrays of necked cans. As shown in Figure 18, the arrays are separated by a wall 212 which terminates in a knife edge 214 in an upper extremity, as shown. Web 70 of carrier 72 is positioned by guides 204 and stop 206 to lie just above the upper extremities of beverage containers 60. Mounted at the upper portion of machine 200 is a fixed mount 216 having a pivot 218, as shown. Lever 220 is pivoted at pivot 218 as shown in Figure 19 and is connected by an additional pivot 222 to a plate 224, as shown. Mounted in the lower side of plate 224 is a subordinate plate 226 on which are mounted a plurality of ringing strippers 210, as shown. Strippers 210 are mounted in an array to correspond to the array of beverage containers accumulated in device 200. Strippers 210 are spaced along a centerline forming a gap 230 as shown, which is positioned directly above knife edge 214.

To operate manual carrier installing machine 200, an array of containers 60 is placed into the machine manually and positioned by abutment against walls 208 and 209. Web 70 is manually advanced through guide 204 into an abutting relationship with stop 206. In this position parting lines 92 between adjacent carriers 72 in web 70 are located above knife edge 214 and at the upper edge of a secondary knife edge or shear 232, as shown. When the beverage containers 60 are in position and web 70 is fully advanced against stop 206, lever 220 is manually moved downwardly in a direction shown in Figure 19.

Strippers 210 contact the surface of web 70 and press apertures 96 over the flanges or chimes of beverage containers 60 to engage the tabs 120 of carrier 72 with the flanges or chimes 124 of beverage containers 60, as shown in Figure 11. Knife edge 214 separates the center parting line 92 between adjacent carriers 72 and shear 232 fractures the parting line 92 at the left edge of the array. The completed installed carriers 72 and arrays of containers 60 may then be manually removed from the machine 200 and the procedure can be repeated to produce additional arrays. It will be appreciated that this description is directed at producing two six unit arrays, but the same device could be used to produce twelve unit arrays by removing the center spacer 212 and knife edge 214 and by using a different spacing of strippers 210. In many cases it would be most convenient to have two separate stripping plates 226, one for a twelve unit array and one for two six unit arrays. As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, the strippers 210 on the twelve unit array plate are arranged to match the spacing of a twelve unit carrier such as shown in Figure 15. Alternatively, a carrier 172 having an additional gap at the center can be used without changing the spacing of strippers 210, if knife edge 214 is removed.

Turning now to Figs. 22, 23, 24 and 25 there is disclosed a modified machine for applying modified container carriers in an organization of either a pair of 6-packs or a single 12-pack of containers. Since the 12— ack arrangement of containers is essentially a pair of 6-pack containers, it is believed that the description of the 12-pack carrier will apply substantially equally to the 6-pack carrier when processed in the machine for the larger carrier. Thus Fig. 22 is a plan view of a typical carrier 300 adapted to accommodate twelve containers. The arrangement of this character is chosen so that the container apertures 299 are grouped in sets of six 301 and 302 with a space 303 separating set 301 from set 302. That space will allow for feeding pairs of 6-pack carriers in the same machine with a minimum of changes. As seen in Fig. 22 the carrier 300 is formed with finger openings 304 so that either form of carrier 300, or 301-302 will have conveniently spaced finger openings 304.

The machine of Figs. 23 and 24 is arranged with a container feeder conveyor 305 which brings containers 60 into the orbit of the carrier applying mechanism 307. The containers 60 may be in 12-pack organization (shown), or in a pair of side-by-side 6-pack organizations (See Fig. 24) by the use of a stream divider fence 308 of any desired type that will guide the pre-separated 6-pack containers into the machine for the application of carriers to each 6-pack group of containers 60.

The view of Fig. 24 is a schematic plan view of the assembly of components that make up the machine 307 of Fig. 23 in a stretched out view. This view of Fig. 24 is intended to illustrate the events that take place from the carrier feed magazine 309 to the feeding of a string of carriers 300 of the character seen in Fig. 22. The movement of the individual carriers 300 from the magazine 309 is effected by a reciprocating feed knife 309A operated by a crank drive 310 which activates the feed knife 309A to displace the bottom one of a stack of carriers 300 so it can be received between accelerating driven rolls 83 and cooperating gravity rolls 312 (Fig. 25) which feeds each carrier into a guide 71 where a series of forwarding roll sets 59 serve to advance the carriers 300 in a butted stream toward a carrier transfer timing belt 61.

Turning to Fig. 25 there is shown a transverse sectional view along line 25-25 (Fig. 23) to show that there is a guide 71 formed of opposing plates separated by a shim 72 to create a channel through which carriers 300 are propelled by being pinched between lower driven friction rolls and upper gravity idler rolls which contact the carriers through slots cut in the guide. Weight of the gravity rolls 312 is chosen to limit the force imparted to carriers 300 by the driven rolls 83 running at slightly higher than line speed by driving belt 314 shown in the Fig. 24. As is schematically indicated in Fig. 24, there is provided a power source P for driving a line shaft S that carries a plurality of bevel gears BGl, BG2 and BG3 which rotate in a clockwise direction when viewed at the input end at the power source P. The gear BGl engages a bevel gear A on the shaft Al which drives the sprocket in a clockwise direction for the chain 78 in the mechanism 307. A second bevel, gear B on a shaft Bl is engaged by the line shaft bevel gear BG2 to drive the timing belt 61 operated on wheels WI and W2. The wheel WI on shaft Bl receives its power from the line shaft bevel gear BG2. Finally the shaft 83A on which the pinch rolls 83 are mounted has a bevel gear C which is driven from line shaft bevel gear BG3. It is, of course, understood that the common line shaft S which brings driving energy into shafts Al, Bl and 83A is located at a convenient elevation along side the assembly illustrated in Fig. 24, which elevation may or may not be the same as the elevation of the respective driven shafts Al, Bl and 83A. However, it is common practice to provide chain drives that extend in vertical directions to carry the drive energy into the elevations where shafts Al, Bl and 83A can be connected up. It is believed that such common provisions do not require a specific drawing disclosure. The principle to be considered is to keep the various shafts in synchronized speeds for the various operations to be performed.

Vertical stiffness of guide 71 is imparted by support guides 315 at either side which function also as pillow blocks for the driven rolls 83 and retainers for the gravity rolls 312. The first roll set 83 encountered by carriers 300 has a larger diameter than succeeding rolls to accelerate the carriers 300 from the magazine 309 and advance it into contact with the leading carrier to form a substantially solid stream of butted carriers 300 approaching the transfer timing belt 61.

The transfer timing belt 61 is shown in greater detail in Fig. 23 where it can be seen that the belt is formed with a series of spaced pilots 74 to engage the finger holes 304 (See Fig. 22) in the carriers 300 so the container apertures 299 will synchronize with the pilots 104 formed in the applying stations 77. It has been pointed out before that the timing belt 61 is tied into the shaft S so it has a speed that is synchronized with the chain 78. The pilots 104 are projections on the outwardly presented face on each station 77 which are presented to the apertures 299 in each of the carriers 300 as each carrier is presented so its apertures fit onto the pilot projections 104 for the purpose of stripping the carriers away from the belt 61. The transfer of each carrier 300 from the belt 61 onto the applying station 77 is effected by the action of the belt 61 which presses the carrier 300 onto station 77 against the chain resistance of guide 86 so the pilots 104 fit into the container apertures 299 and strip the carrier 300 off the belt 61. Thus, each station 77 continues on with the conveyor chain 78 and is presented to the prearranged array 62 of containers 60 in a manner similar to that illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7.

As seen in Figs. 23 and 24 each station 77, with a carrier 300 retained thereon by reason of the fit of carrier container apertures 299 onto the pilots 104, approaches the incoming conveyed arrays of containers 60, the lower chain guide assembly 88 (see Fig. 1) places the station 77 in position such that the carrier 300 is forced down so the array of apertures held by the station 77 aligns with the array 62 of containers 60 and effect the transfer of each carrier 300 as it is timed to match with the containers 60. With the exception of the spacing of separator arms 64 spanning two containers shown in Fig. 2, that same arrangement spanning three containers will be incorporated in the machine seen in Fig. 23. Thus the embodiments shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 8 will not be repeated here. As the chain 78 continues on, the array of containers 60 with the carrier 300 installed will pass beyond the orbit of the chain and be ready for further processing and/or transport to the place where a sale can be transacted.

Fig. 24 shows differences from Fig. 2. For example, there are four files of containers 60, separated by divider rail 308 into two streams of two files from a point near the beginning of conveyor 305 to a point where carriers are in place on containers 60 in the several arrays ; and container positioning means 308 to form arrays of containers 60 which are three containers long.

It will be appreciated that variations on the teaching above are also feasible. If the flexibility of changing from 6- to 12-packs with minimum setup is not required, a station for 12-packs can be made without the additional clearance down the centerline to allow for the margins of 6-packs. Also, container positioning members 64 can extend across four containers, eliminating the expense of providing one set driven from the other side of the machine, at the expense of stiffer machine parts to resist larger forces at a longer lever arm.

In the prior application, Serial No. 687,331, a disclosure of a manually operated ringing device 200 is shown in Figs. 16-19. In that disclosure, the term "ringing" implied that the carrier apertures are pressed over the flanges or chimes of beverage containers 60. Thus, the containers are assembled with the carrier apertures ringing the containers to form a 6-pack or a 12-pack. A further embodiment of a manual carrier applicator is shown in Figs. 26-28 to accommodate either single carriers or a web of connected carriers.

Fig. 26 is a top view of a modified manual container carrier applicator which has a frame 316 carrying bearings 317 for cam shafts 318. Each shaft 318 carries a pair of levers 319, and these levers carry rollers 320 which engage in channels 321 to suspend the stripper mounting plate 322 within frame 316 which guides the motion produced by rotation of cam levers 319 as operating lever 323 is moved by the operator. Spring means 324 between stop 325 and frame 316 biases the stripper mounting plate 322 upward, rotating cam shafts 318 clockwise as seen in Fig. 28. The two cam shafts 318 are connected by chain 326 through suitable sprockets 318A to rotate together and maintain stripper mounting plate 322 level throughout its travel.

With the stripper mounting plate 322 in its up position (See Fig. 27), a group of twelve containers 60 can be inserted from the front on top of support 327 (Fig. 26) until the containers abut the back stop

328 and are constrained between side stops 329 and the divider wall 330 which divides the space to form two groups of six containers. Containers 60 may be held for ringing in a corrugated tray pack 331 supplied by the bottler or placed in a tray supplied with the assembling machine. A web of carriers 300 can be inserted by hand into the side of machine (Fig. 27) over the supporting ledge 332 until the leading edge abuts the web stop 333 (Fig. 27); there finger holes 94 in the web are pressed over locating pins 334 on the ledge 332 to maintain the carrier in positive location during assembly with containers and prevents the web from falling away when the carrier is cut off the web.

Pulling down on operating lever 323 rotates shafts 318 which actuate cam levers 319 through the common chain connection 326 thereby causing the stripper mounting plate 322 to descend. At the start of the down stroke pilot pins 335 (shown in Fig. 28) enter finger holes 94. Further down travel of the plate 322 causes it to press the carrier past the inner end of the ledge 332 which acts as a shear 336 to cut the carrier web during movement of the stripper plate 322 downwardly . Further down travel presses the stripper plate 322 against the carrier web that has been cut off from the rest of the web on the ledge 332. Final down travel snaps the carrier out of guides 337 and forces the web over the container necks. As seen in Fig. 28 there are guides 337 (one being seen) which support the opposite advancing edges of each carrier 300. The guides are constructed of a block having a notch 337A formed in its inner edge, and that notch becomes a groove by the placement of a spring steel plate 337B secured in position on the underside of the block 337 by a suitable screw or bolt. The guide assembled in this fashion is made so that when the carrier 300 is pressed down by the stripper plate 322 the supported edges of the carrier are caused to snap out of the groove which is permitted by the yielding of the spring steel plate 337B. If a removable knife edge 338 is in place on the divider wall 330, the carrier web will be broken apart in the final increment of travel, making sub-arrays of two adjacent 6-packs; but if the knife edge 338 is not in place a carrier for a 12-pack is formed.

In the manual machine (Fig. 28) the springs 324 are typically not strong enough to quickly overcome both friction of the carrier against the position locating pilots 335 and the weight of the stripper plate 322 in raising the whole operating assembly. This prevents lever 323 from springing up in an uncontrolled fashion and injuring an operator. Raising lever 323 causes the cam rollers 320 to bear against the upper flange of channels 321 to raise the stripper plate 322 from the assembled package of containers which can then be removed from the machine to permit reloading for another cycle. The manual machine of Fig. 26 may be conveniently mounted on a roll-around table which has a lower shelf holding a box of carriers in web form. The web is boxed in an accordian-fold fashion for easy feeding after each cycle.

A further modified embodiment is shown in Figs. 29-32, the object of which is to provide for a way of applying container carriers by the operation of a semiautomatic machine. In this embodiment, the general construction of the modified machine is quite similar to the embodiment described in Figs. 23-28 which is a manually operated machine to apply carriers of the character seen at 300 in Fig. 22 onto an array of containers. With reference first to the machine seen in Figs. 29 and 30 it is equivalent to the machine seen in Figs. 26 and 27 respectively. The manual lever 323 is removed and is replaced by a pneumatic rotary actuator 340 controlled by a three-way solenoid valve 341. The actuator 340 may be a Rotac brand, Model CG-34-2V of Ex-Cell-O Co. of Michigan. The air pressure source (not shown) is sufficient to have the sealed vane in the rotary actuator 340 drive the chain connected shafts 318 for moving the stripper plate 322 in a direction to apply a carrier 300 onto an array of containers 60. The air pressure flow is controlled by valve 341 which maintains the air pressure on the vane 342 in actuator 340 long enough to assure completion of the operating cycle of applying a carrier 300 onto a preassembled array of containers. That cycle will operate the drive chain 326 on shafts 318 to move the stripper plate 322 through its carrier application onto the complements of containers 60 manually moved into the machine of Fig. 30.

Referring to Fig. 33, it can be appreciated that the pneumatic rotary actuator 340 is equipped with a swing vane 342 that is suitably sealed so air leakage does not occur. That vane 342 is connected to one of the shafts 318 which press the stripper plate 322 down to sever the lead carrier 300 from a web of carriers placed on the apron 339 (Fig. 29) in position to be moved into the machine by rotary friction wheels 343 mounted on a common shaft 344 operated by a motor 345 when a new carrier is required. Thus, in Fig. 32, the motor 345 is energized by the closed contacts 347 of a mechanical switch mounted in the path of the containers being manually loaded into the machine. Any suitable means can be used in this circuit, but it is preferred that contacts 347 can be associated with an photoelectric sensor 348 when it receives light beam 351 (Fig. 30) back from the reflective surface 350 so long as contact 356A of switch 356 is closed. When energized, motor 345 drives friction wheels 343 to move the web of carriers 300 into position in the machine to actuate switch 356 (Fig. 30) opening contact 356A to stop motor 345 and closing contact 356B. A series of normally open switches 359-362 are interposed between contact 357 and solenoid 363. Thus, to energize solenoid 363 a complement of containers 60 must be manually inserted in the machine (Fig. 30) so containers can actuate the switches 359-362 positioned on a backstop 364 to close each of those switches, with the result that the solenoid 363 is energized to move the valve 364 into position for allowing pressure air from supply conduit 365 to enter the rotary actuator 340 and swing the vane 342 in a direction to rotate one shaft 318 and by the chain 326 to rotate the second shaft 318, thereby driving the stripper plate 322 in a direction to shear the lead carrier 300 from the web of carriers, snap that carrier out of its guides 337 (one shown in Fig. 28), and position it on the complement of containers 60.

When the stripper plate 322 displaces the carrier from holding switch 356 in its second position with contact 356B closed, switch 356 returns to its first position with contact 356A closed, solenoid 363 is deenergized, and the spring return in the solenoid will switch the valve to exhaust the actuator 340. To prevent the rotary actuator from failing to complete a full swing of the vane, the air exhaust conduit 366 is directed through a flow restrictor 367 which delays the escape of the air while the residual pressure completes a desired stroke of the vane 342. Until the complement of containers 60 has been removed the contacts 347 remain open and the motor 345 is not energized to move a second or a subsequent carrier into position to actuate the switch 356 from contact 356A to contact 356B. The air pressure in the actuator 340 needs to be retained long enough for the vane 342 to complete its stroke before the springs 324 are able to raise the stripper plate 322 and rotate the shafts 318 in a clockwise sense so the vane 342 is returned to its starting position by the escape of the air through the restriction 367. Only when the containers 60 are removed will the contacts 347 close to continue the control sequence to repeat its semiautomatic operation. It is understood that the sensing of the insertian and removal of containers can be by means of a triggering device like a feeler arm on a switch which performs an equivalent function to the photocontrol.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description of either form of the machine operates for the purpose of installing carriers onto arrays of containers for unitizing a predetermin ed number of containers in the array for subsequent manual handling. Such a machine comprises a suitable means for supporting a supply of preformed carriers, either in continuous strip or individual sheets, means for identifying the individual carriers in such a supply thereof, means for moving containers into the machine in a predetermined array for individualizing the container arrays, means for moving the identified individual carriers into the machine in a predetermined position relative to the predetermined container arrays, and thereafter providing means for installing identified individual carriers on selected predetermined container arrays so that the combination of carrier and container array is unified to make it convenient for subsequent manual handling of the unified array of containers. Such a machine can be either one that is manually operated as is illustrated in Fig. 26, power operated as illustrated in Fig. 30, or it can be a machine that is suitably constructed for installing the carriers on container arrays substantially continuously.

The foregoing specification has set forth the best mode of operation of apparatus for feeding carriers into positions with a stream of containers so the containers are grouped in any convenient arrays of containers not necessarily limited to either 6-pack relation or 12-pack relation. There is also set forth a best mode apparatus for manually applying carriers to groups of containers, or for semiautomatically applying carriers to groups of containers. It is appreciated that modifications may come to mind from this disclosure, and all such modifications are to be included within the scope of the invention.

Claims (33)

CLAIMS:

1. Carrier for a container having a carrier engaging element, the carrier having a planar portion having a container receiving aperture therein, the planar portion having means for engaging a container at the periphery of the aperture, the carrier having means for strengthening the carrier in an area of the planar portion adjacent to the container receiving aperture.

2. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the strengthening means is adjacent to the container engaging means.

3. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the strengthening means provides increased resiliency to the container engaging means.

4. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the container engaging means includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced tabs at the periphery of the aperture.

5. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the strengthening means includes a corrugated score extending at least partially around the aperture.

6. The carrier of claim 5 wherein the carrier has a second corrugated score concentric to the aperture and extending at least partially around the aperture.

7. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the carrier has a plurality of container receiving apertures, the apertures having container engaging means, the container engaging means including a plurality of circumferentially spaced tabs at the peripheries of the apertures, the tabs being formed by radial slots extending outwardly from the periphery of the apertures.

8. The carrier of claim 7 wherein the slots of adjacent apertures are offset.

9. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the carrier engaging means includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced tabs at the periphery of the aperture and wherein the strengthening means includes a corrugated score extending at least partially around the aperture, the circumferentially spaced tabs being formed by radial slots extending outwardly from the periphery of the aperture, the radial slots extending toward the corrugated score but terminating at a location spaced therefrom.

10. The carrier of claim 1 where the carrier has a plurality of container receiving apertures.

11. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes means for engaging a can.

12. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes means for engaging a bottle.

13. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes means for engaging a necked can.

14. The carrier of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes means for cooperating with container ringing machines for installation on an array of containers.

15. A carrier for an array of containers having flanged carrier engaging elements, the carrier having a planar portion having container receiving apertures therein, the carrier having means for engaging containers at the periphery of the apertures, the container engaging means including a plurality of circumferentially spaced tabs at the periphery of the apertures, the tabs being formed by radially extending slots extending outwardly from the periphery of the apertures, the carrier including means for increasing the resiliency of the carrier and including means for strengthening the carrier in an area of the planar portion adjacent to the container receiving apertures, the resiliency increasing and strengthening means including a plurality of corrugated rings extending at least partially around the apertures and the radial slots, the radial slots extending toward the innermost corrugated ring but terminating at a location spaced therefrom, the corrugated rings adding torsional and shear strength to the planar portion of the carrier and adding additional container engaging resiliency to the container engaging tabs.

16. A machine for installing carriers on arrays of containers comprising means for receiving a web of preformed carriers, means for guiding the web into the machine and means for indexing the web with arrays of containers, the machine having means for ringing the arrays with the carriers the ringing means forcing an indexed carrier onto a cooperating array.

17. The machine of claim 16 wherein the machine is manually operated.

18. The machine of claim 16 wherein the machine is a high speed machine mechanically driven by a power source.

19. The machine of claim 16 wherein the machine has pilot means for receiving a web of carrier and transferring the carriers to an array of containers.

20. The machine of claim 16 wherein the machine has a second pilot means for receiving the carriers and indexing the carriers with arrays of containers and wherein the machine has means for stripping the carriers from the second pilot means and installing the carriers on arrays of containers.

21. A machine for installing carriers onto arrays of containers for unitizing a predetermined number of containers in the array for manual handling, the machine comprising: a) means for supporting a supply of preformed carriers; b) means for identifying the individual carriers in said supply thereof; c) means for moving containers into the machine in predetermined arrays for individualizing the arrays; d) means for moving identified individual carriers into the machine into a predetermined position relative to the predetermined container arrays; and e) means for installing identified individual carriers on predetermined container arrays for unitizing the array of containers for subsequent manual handling.

22. The machine of claim 21 wherein the machine is manually operated.

23. The machine of claim 21 wherein means for moving containers into the machine and means for moving identified individual carriers are coordinated for installing the carriers on container arrays substantially continuously.

24. The machine of claim 21 wherein the means for supporting a supply of preformed carriers is a magazine of separate carriers.

25. The machine of claim 21 wherein means provided for substantially displacing preformed carriers from said magazine is coordinated with means for moving container arrays into the machine.

26. A machine for installing carriers onto arrays of containers to unite the containers as a group for subsequent group handling, the machine including a) a frame constructed with a first space to receive carriers and a second space to receive arrays of containers, said first and second spaces being in alignment; b) means in said frame defining separate openings for guiding carriers and arrays of containers into said aligned first and second spaces; and c) pressure applying means having a path of movement in said frame for effecting the forceful installation of carriers onto arrays of containers.

27. The machine set forth in claim 26 wherein said guiding means for the carriers is formed with notched means for releasibly supporting the carrier by its edges.

28. The machine set forth in claim 26 wherein said first and second spaces are in substantially vertical alignment with the first space over said second space.

29. The machine set forth in claim 26 wherein said guiding means for the carriers is disposed between said first and second spaces to support the carriers in the path of movement of said pressure applying means.

30. The machine set forth in claim 26 wherein said second space is constructed with first means to segregate the container arrays into side-by-side subarrays; and second means carried by said first means in position to subdivide said carriers to correspond with said segregated container arrays.

31. The machine set forth in claim 26 wherein said pressure applying means is manually operable.

32. The machine set forth in claim 26 wherein said pressure applying means is operatively connected to a fluid pressure actuator responsive to a system of controls comprising a) motor means operative to move carriers into said first space, b) sensing means responsive to the movement of arrays of containers into or out of said second space for interrupting the operation of said motor means, and c) switch means responsive to the arrival of arrays of containers in said second space for energizing said fluid pressure actuator to operate said pressure applying means for installing carriers onto arrays of containers.

33. The machine set forth in claim 26 wherein said system of controls is dependent for its function upon the manual insertion of arrays of containers in said second space.