AU484116B2 - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

62,646 /73 This invention relates to packaging and is

more particularly concerned with improvements in

machinery for the packaging of articles in groups

of a predetermined number by wrapping about successive

groups blanks of foldable sheet material so as to

tightly enclose each group in a tube forming carton

or carrier.

Wrapping machines have been developed hereto-

fore for applying wraparound types of foldable carrier

or carton blanks to assemblies of bottles or similar

products. Generally, the bottles have been of the type

having a body with a round contour and there has been

no need for any orientation of the bottles because of

the shape, and with the sides of the assembly being

substantially covered by the side walls of the carrier

or carton there has been no need to arrange the bottles

so as to show a particular bottle surface area. Also,

the groups of bottles have generally been assembled

in double row formation. A typical machine for this

type bottle wrapping operation is described in patent

No. 3,303,631, granted February 14,1967, to Robert

H. Ganz. The wraparound-type packaging operation has

been employed with the bottles arranged in a single row

or a single line grouping and the packaging has been

carried out with machinery originally designed for

accommodating groups of bottles in double row arrange-

ment, with relatively simple machinery modifications

to handle the single line grouping. However, when the

bottles have a non-circular body configuration and

orientation is desirable, available machinery hase-

48 4,1 16

62,6 4 6 n The invention therefore envisages an apparatus

for forming packages comprising groups of product

containers within wrapper blanks of foldable sheet

material, each product container having a body portion

with a cross-sectional dimension in one direction which

is greater than the corresponding dimension in a

direction transverse thereto, the apparatus comprising

infeed conveyor means with associated, laterally spaced,

oppositely rotatable auger members having cooperating

spiral grooves and arranged on rotation for receiving

successive said containers within the grooves and

for advancing the containers whilst positioning them

in a predetermined mutually aligned and spaced

relation, means for delivering successive said blanks

into horizontal and laterally overhanging disposition on

groups of the aligned and spaced containers, folding

means for folding the blanks about the containers to which

they are applied, and locking means for interlocking

cooperable locking configurations on marginal edge

portions of the blanks so as in the finished packages

to retain the blanks in tightly wrapped relation

about the containers.

The objects and advantages of the invention

will be apparent from a consideration of the bottle

packaging machine which is shown by way of illustration

in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURES la and lb constitute a plan view,

partially schematic, of a machine which embodies the

principal features of the invention and which is

especially designed for packaging in a wraparound

carrier or carton forming blank successive groups of

484.116

62.6 4 6 n3 bottles which have a non-circular configuration in

cross-section and which will be oriented by the machine to the position required for application of

the blanks to groups of the desired number;

FIGURES 2a and 2b constitute a side elevation

of the machine'shown in Figures la and lb with

portions thereof omitted and other portions shown

diagrammatically;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view, to an enlarged

scale, of the entrance end portion of the machine

shown in Figure la;

484,1 16

62,646 n3 Figure 4 is a cross sectional view, taken

on the line 4-4 of Figure la, to an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is a cross sectional view taken

on the line 5-5 Qf Figure la, to an enlarged scale;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken on

the line 6-6 of Figure Ib, to an enlarged scale;

Figure 7 is a cross sectional view taken on

the line 7-7 of Figure Ib, to an enlarged scale;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the bottle

package which the illustrated machine is designed

to produce; and

Figure 9 is a plan view of the wrapper blank

which is employed in operating the illustrated machine

to produce the package of Figure 8.

Referring first to Figures 8 and 9, the

package P which the illustrated machine is particularly

adapted to form comprises a group of bottles B in single

row alignment which are substantially enclosed in a

tubular carton formed by wrapping the blank W (Figure 9)

about the assembled bottles B. In forming the package

P the bottles B are assembled in a single line

arrangement with orientation to a uniform position,

a blank W is dropped on a predetermined number of the

bottles B and thereafter wrapped about the same. In

the form shown the bottles B have a generally parabolic

base D and upstanding tapered or flared side walls S

which are rounded and the lower portions of which

taper outwardly of a vertical axis while the upper

portions taper inwardly and merge at, the top into a

round mouth on which there is a cap C. Thus, the

4841 16

62,6 4 6 n3 bottle bodies have a cross section which is generally

parabolic and which has a dimension in one direction

greater than the corresponding dimensions in the

direction transverse thereto. The bottles B are arranged

in the package P in a uniformly positioned single line

or single row arrangement, with oppositely disposed

wider sides abutting, and with all sides being in

planes curved about vertical axes and tapered, first

outwardly and then inwardly, in a direction upwardly

of the base D.

The blank V is generally rectangular and is

cut and scored to provide a top wall forming panel

E having spaced apertures F for receiving the necks

of the bottles. Side wall panels G and H adjoin

the top wall panel E with the panel G having apertures

I which constitute locking apertures and the panel H

having apertures J spaced between the bottle apertures

F which are adapted to receive lugs on a chain which

advances the bottles during a part of the wrapping

operation. A relatively narrow bottom wall forming

panel K is flanked by a side wall forming panel

portion L on the one side and a like panel portion M

on the other side, both panel portions L and M being

provided with spaced apertures N and 0 for seating

therein portions of the bottle bottoms as seen in Figure

8. The panel portion L is adapted to co-operate with

the panel H in forming a side wall of the carton with

the combined panels being scored at R to permit the

outward bulging shown in Figure 8. The panel portion

M is scored at T for the same purpose. There is a

6 484.1 16

62,6 4 6 n3 the end margin hinged male locking panel V provided on Y for with locking fingers X and latching lugs femalelocking co-operation with the apertures I in the along the panel G, the latching lugs Y being spaced the locking score line Z which forms the hinge line for Y. panel V. The locking panel V with fingers X and lugs construction and the locking apertures I may be the same Henry Ganz as shown in patent No. 2,986,857 granted to forming on June 6, 1961 for connecting the bottom wall

panels.

The machine in Figures 1 and 2 comprises mech-

anism 10 at the entrance end thereof for orienting from an and spacing the bottles B which are received on the infeed conveyor 12, the bottles being advanced dimension conveyor 12 with the lesser cross sectional The extending transversely of the path of advance.

bottles are oriented and spaced by the mechanism 14 for and advanced beneath blank feeding mechanism

depositing successive wrapper blanks W on successive number. The groups of the bottles of a predetermined a bottle and blank assemblies are advanced through

blank folding mechanism 16 where the blanks are

wrapped about the bottle assemblies and the advance mechanism of the assemblies is taken over by a conveyor

18 with a co-operating bottle supporting or assembly

supporting chain mechanism 20 carrying the assemblies for through a locking and latching mechanism 22 G of interlocking the male and female portions V and operations, the wrappers W so as to complete the .packagirg in Figure 8. resulting in packages P which are illustrated 7 484,116

62,6 4 6 n3 The bottles B are delivered at the entrance

end of the illustrated machine on the conveyor 12

(Figures 1 to 3) with the bottles having their greatest

cross sectional dimension in the direction of advance

thereof and being in abutting engagement. The bottle

spacing and orienting mechanism 10 comprises a pair

of screw or auger members 23 and 24 having parallel,

laterally spaced shafts 25 and 26 which are journaled

in the machine frame members and disposed on opposite

sides of a path along which the bottles are advanced

while they are indexed, or spaced, and oriented

into a single line with uniform spacing and orientation.

The auger members 23 and 24 are spaced to accommodate

the bottles in the path along which they are advanced

by the co-operating spiral flanges or blades on the

members 23 and 24. The members 23 and 24 are driven

in proper timed relation in an identical manner by

motors 27 having chain drive connections 28 with

sprockets 30 carried on the ends of the respective

auger shafts 25 and 26. The auger member 23 is divided

into sections 23a, 23b, 23c and the auger member 24

is divided into sections 24a, 24b, 24c which are

disposed opposite the corresponding sections of member

23. The auger sections are provided with thread or

flange profiles designed to co-operate in spacing

the bottles which are delivered from the conveyor

12 in abutting relation and also in rotating the

bottles about a vertical axis through a 900 angle;

The screw or auger member 24 has a shaft portion 31,

extending along the section 24 a, with a cross sectional

8 484,1 16

62,646 n3 diameter which is relatively small so as to form a

relatively large spiral groove 32 running between

flange or thread sections 33, that is, the root

diameter and the pitch of the flange or thread have

dimensions sufficient to accommodate a bottle with.

the longest cross sectional dimension in the direction

of the path of advance as it enters between the two

auger members 23 and 24 on the conveyor 12. The

auger member 23 which is spaced laterally relative

to the auger member 24 has a relatively large root

diameter or shaft cross sectional diameter along

the section 23a, with thread or flange formations

having a relatively wide peripheral edge -and with a

pitch dimension sufficient to provide a spiral groove

36 separating the flange formations 35 having a concave

surface which is complementary to the convex surface

of the bottle side wall on the longest side thereof.

The respective root diameters, pitch distances and

spacing between the two auger members 23 and 24 is such

that the bottles B advancing from the conveyor 12 in

abutting relation are spaced or indexed, as indicated

by bottle B1 in Figure 3, and axial rotation is initiated,

as indicated by bottle B2. The section 24b of the

auger 24 has the pitch decreased and the root diameter

progressively increased as shown in Figure 3 while the

oppositely disposed section 23b of the auger member 23

has a decreased root diameter and a decreased pitch so

as to complete the rotation of the bottles, as indicated

by bottles B3 and B4, when they reach the section 24c

of the auger member 24 and the oppositely disposed 9 484116

62,6 4 6 n3 section 23c of the auger member 23. Auger sections 23c 4 and 2 c have a root diameter and a pitch which correspond

and the flanges are disposed relative to each other

so as to provide spiral grooves 40 and 41 having con-

cave surfaces which are complementary to the surfaces

of the bottles on the shorter sides thereof in which

the bottles are confined in their turned position and

advanced in the path between the two augers 23 and 24.

A blank feeding mechanism 14 is arranged

above the sections 23c and 24 c of the auger conveyor

assembly 10 with provision for dispensing successive

blanks W in a manner which results in the deposit of

each blank on a group of bottles advancing in the path

between the two auger members 23 and 24. The blank

feeding or dispensing apparatus 14 is illustrated

schematically in Figure 2a. Blank dispensing

mechanisms of the type employed are well known.

Typical blank dispensers of this type are shown in

patents Nos. 3,303,631, granted February 14, 1967 and

3,627,309, granted November 14, 1971, to Robert H. Ganz.

The bottles B are supported at the entrance

end of the spacing and orienting auger apparatus 10 on

the infeed conveyor 12 which may be a chain conveyor

carried on a sprocket 42 (Figure 2a) on a suitable

cross shaft 43. As the bottles are advanced along the

sections 23c and 2 4 c of the auger conveyor assembly,

their support is taken over by a bottom conveyor which

has a double chain 44 carried on pairs of sprockets

and 46 on suitable cross shafts 47 and 48. The chain

members 44 carry spaced lugs 50 for engaging the trailing

484,1 16

62.6 4 6 n3 sides or ends of the bottles so as to advance the

same in uniform spaced relation to a point beyond

the end of the auger assembly 10 where the bottle

and blank assemblies are moved onto a support blade

or dead plate 51 and their advance is taken over by

a chain 52 traveling in a horizontal plane at one side

of the path. The wrapper blanks W are deposited on the

bottles, as shown in Figures 2a and 4, with the panel

E centered over a group of bottles and the apertures

F aligned to receive the bottle tops. Each successive

blank W is supported at the side margins by guide rail

forming angle bars 53, 53'. The one side margin

support rail 53, on which the edge of panel G rests,

terminates as the leading edge of the blank W reaches

the plow forming end 54 of an elongate bar 55 which

extends at the same side of the path above the forward-

ing conveyor chain 52. On- the other side of the path,

which is clear of conveyor elements in this area, the

support rail 53', on which the edge of panel V is

carried, terminates short of a fold down blade 56 which

is mounted on the cross shaft 57. The shaft 57 is

journaled in a frame member 58 and carries on its

other end a sprocket 60 driven by a chain 61 running

from sprocket 62 on a drive shaft 63. Shaft 63 is

journaled in the frame member 64 and carries a

sprocket 65 having a chain connection 66 with a

suitable driving motor. The folding blade or plate

56 is operative to fold down the side wall panel H

and the adjoining portions of the blank while the

blank section or panel G is being folded down on the

11 484.116

62.6 4 6 n other side of the path by the plow forming bar

The forwarding chain 52 has bottle engaging

lugs 70 spaced along the length thereof so as to

divide the bottles into groups and to space the groups

in accordance with the design and timing of the

deposit of the blanks WV. In the machine illustrated

the blanks W are designed to package groups of six

bottles and the lugs 70 are spaced accordingly. The

chain 52 is mounted on sprockets 71, 72, 73 and 74

so that a run of the chain between the sprockets 72

and 73 will advance the successive bottle and blank

assemblies along the supporting plate 51 with proper

spacing between each assembly. The chain 52 is located

at an elevation to bring the lugs 70 into engagement

with the bottles B at a point below the bottom edge

of the blank panel G, as shown in Figure 5. The

chain supporting sprockets 71, 72, 73 and 74 are

mounted on suitable., vertically disposed shafts 71',

72', 73' and 74' and provision is made for driving the chain 52 at the proper speed for advancing the

bottle and blank assemblies in spaced group arrangement.

As the bottles are grouped by the lugs 70 on the chain

52 and advanced along the dead plate 51 the top panel

E is forced down onto the bottles by cantilever arms or

bars 75 (Figures 2a, 2b, 5, 6 and 7) carried on a

traveling chain 76. Chain 76 is mounted for travel in

a vertical plane on the same side of the path of

movement as the grouping chain 52. The movement of the chain 76 and the laterally extending bars 75 is

synchronized with the movement of chain 52 and the 12 484.116

62,6 4 6 n3 spacing of the cantilever bars 75 is in accord with

the spacing of the lugs 70 on the conveyor 52. The

chain 76 is carried on sprockets 77, 78, 79 and

which are mounted on suitably supported cross shafts

and connected with a driving means (not shown).

As the assemblies of bottles and blanks are

advanced along the dead plate 51 by the lugs 70 on the

grouping chain 52 beyond the fold down blade or wheel

56 a dual chain assembly 18 (Figures la, lb, 5, 6 and

on the opposite side of the machine, takes over the. support and advance of the bottle and blank assemblies.

An upper chain 81 has bottle engaging lugs or fingers

82 which enter between the bottles through the apertures

J in the blank section or panel H which is in a vertical

plane at this point. The lugs 82 are grouped and

spaced on the traveling chain 81 according to the

spacing and grouping, of the lugs 70 on the chain 52.

The bottle and blank assemblies are supported by

fingers 83 on a lower traveling chain 84, the support

fingers 83.being spaced on the chain 84 so as to

pass through the bottle heel holes N and engage

beneath the bottles in bottle supporting relation as

shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, the chain having

appropriate guide and support means associated

therewith to take the weight of the bottles. The

chains 81 and 84 of the assembly 18 are carried on

axially spaced pairs of sprocket members mounted on

vertically disposed shafts, the top chain running on sprockets 85, 86, 87, 88 and 89 which are mounted on

vertical shafts 90, 91, 92, 93 and 94, respectively,

and paired with sprockets 8 5 86', 87', 88' and 89'

13 484,1 16

62,6 4 6 on which the lower chain 84 is running, each pair of

sprockets being on a common shaft and one of the shafts

being driven by a suitable connection with a power

drive means (not shown).

As the assemblies advance toward the leading end of the dead plate 51 the depending blank panels

K, M and V of each blank (Figures 5 and 6) are folded

into horizontal position beneath the bottle assemblies

by the vertically disposed plow forming plate member

As the bottle and blank assemblies advance along the folding plow 95 the bottles move off the end

of the dead plate 51, which terminates near the forward

end of the folding plow 95, and the fingers 83 carry

the assemblies forward to the bottom conveyor

(Figure 2b) which comprises chain 96 running on sprockets 97, 98, 99 and 100 carried on cross shafts

101, 102, 103 and 104 and driven by a suitable

connection with a power drive means (not shown). A folding plate or disc 105 (Figures Ib, 2b and 7) is carried on the shaft 101 at the entrance to

conveyor 20 which operates to fold the panels M and

V upwardly and direct the locking panel V between the

horizontally disposed plate members 106 and 107 at the

entrance to the locking mechanism 22. The plate members 106 and 107 are curved at the entrance end and the

lowermost plate member 107 has an outwardly tapered

inner edge 108 so as to funnel the locking panel V

between the plates and swing the same on the hinge line Z to bring the locking tab members Y into the co-

operating locking apertures I. The locking and latching 14 4841 16

62.6 4 6 73 mechanism 22 may be the construction disclosed in

patent No. 2,986,857, granted June 6, 1961, to Henry

Ganz, modified so as to interlock the panels on the

side wall instead of on the bottom of the assembly.

The operation of the machine will be under-

stood from the foregoing description. The bottles B

enter the machine on the single line conveyor 12 where

they are in abutting relation with the longest cross

sectional dimension in the plane of advance. They

enter between the parallel auger members and are in-

dexed and oriented by the latter to bring them into an

axially rotated position where the longest cross

sectional dimension is transverse of the path of

advance and the bottles are in closely spaced relation.

As the bottles advance a wraparound blank is deposited

on each group of bottles by a blank feed mechanism 14,

with the advance of.the bottle and blank assemblies

being taken over by the bottom conveyor 44 which extends

to a bottom support plate 51 where the further advance

of the assemblies is by means of a group advancing

conveyor 52 at one side only of the machine while the

opposite side is left free for operation of a blank

folding mechanism 16. Beyond the folding mechanism 16

and on the same side of the work path a pair of

vertically spaced chains 81 and 82 take over advance

and support of the assemblies and carry them past a

folding and blank end panel securing mechanism 22

assisted by a bottom conveyor 96.

484.116

Claims (1)

1. 62,6 46 n3 THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:-

   1. An apparatus for forming packages comprising groups of product containers within wrapper blanks of

   foldable sheet material,each product container having a

   body portion with a cross sectional dimension in one

   direction which is greater than the corresponding

   dimension in a direction transverse thereto, the apparatus

   comprising infeed conveyor means with associated, laterally

   spaced, oppositely rotatable auger members having

   cooperating spiral grooves and arranged on rotation

   for receiving successive said containers within the

   grooves and for advancing the containers whilst

   positioning them in a predetermined mutually aligned

   and spaced relation, means for delivering successive

   said blanks into horizontal and laterally overhanging

   disposition on groups of the aligned and spaced containers,

   folding means for folding the blanks about the containers

   to which*they are applied, and locking means for

   interlocking cooperable locking configurations on

   marginal edge portions of the blanks so as in the

   finished packages to retain the blanks in tightly wrapped

   relation about the containers.

   2. An apparatus according to claim 1, which

   includes a container supporting conveyor arranged for

   feeding the containers between the auger members.

   3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, arranged for producing packages having their product

   containers in single row arrangement and with their in-

   terlocked locking configurations located along one of

   their sides, the said locking means being disposed on the

   16 48 4.1 16

   62.6 4 6 n3 side of the path of advance of the containers appropriate

   to the said one side of the packages, the apparatus

   further comprising a laterally extending group forming

   conveyor disposed downstream of the auger members on

   the same side of the container path of advance as the

   locking means but upstream of the same, the folding

   means comprising first fold-down means disposed above

   the group forming conveyor on the same side of

   the container path of advance for folding down into engagement with the container side walls the overhanging

   portions of the blanks along that side of the path of advance, and second fold-down means disposed on the

   opposite side of the path of advance in an area which is

   free of container supporting and spacing members and

   arranged for folding down into engagement with the

   container side walls the overhanging portions of the

   blanks along the said opposite side of the path of advance,.the apparatus further comprising travelling

   conveyor means disposed at said opposite side and having container engaging members arranged to extend through

   apertures in the overhanging portions of the blanks

   downturned by the second fold-down means whereby to

   advance and support the container and blank assemblies,

   the folding means further comprising means operable

   upon the blanks while supported by the said travelling

   conveyor means to complete the folding of the blanks around the groups of containers for subsequent interlocking

   of the locking configurations by the locking means.

   4. An apparatus according to any one of the

   preceding claims, which includes means arranged for

   operation while the folding-means is operative upon the

   17 484116

   62,64 6 m blanks, to apply downward pressure to the parts of the

   blanks overlying the containers and having the

   overhanging portions along either side.

   An apparatus according to claim 3 or claim 4,

   wherein said first fold-down means comprise an elongate plow member.

   6. An apparatus according to any one of claims

   3 to 5, wherein said group forming conveyor comprises

   an endless travelling chain extending in a lateral

   plane with a run thereof traversing a path along the

   first said side of the container path of advance and

   having article engaging lugs spaced to advance the

   containers in grouped and spaced relation. 7. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3.

   to 6, wherein said travelling conveyor means comprises

   two vertically spaced, endless travelling chains arranged

   to operate in horizontal planes with the uppermost chain

   having spaced article engaging lugs and the bottom chain

   having spaced fingers thereon, the fingers being arranged

   for extending through apertures in the blanks into

   container-supporting engagement with the bottoms of the

   containers, and being furthermore arranged to engage

   the free peripheral edges of the said apertures in a

   manner to draw the blanks tightly around the containers. 8. An apparatus substantially as herein

   described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 9. A package produced by an apparatus as claimed

   in any one of the preceding claims. DATED this 30th Day of May, 1977.

   FEDERAL PAPER BOARD COMPANY, INC.

   By Its Patent Attorneys:

   CLEMENT HACK CO.

   Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia. 18 484,116

   62,6 46 rn4

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