AU606446B2 - Carton loading and closing machine - Google Patents

Description

Aij-AI-2079/88 niJa 4 4 WORLDINTE TU 0 T EC1a12erna'i:02,uI Bu' u PCT INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 4 (1 International Publication Number: WO 89/ 00132 7/20, 5/02 Al (43) International Publication Date: 12 January 1989 (12.01.89) (21) International Application Number: PCT/AU88/00249 (81) Designated States: AT (European patent), AU, BE (European patent), CH (European patent), DE (Euro- (22) International Filing Date: 7 July 1988 (07.07.88) pean patent), DK, FI, FR (European patent), GB (European patent), IT (European patent), JP, LU (European patent), NL (European patent), NO, SE (31) Priority Application Number: PI 2997 (European patent), US.

(32) Priority Date: 7 July 1987 (07.07.87) Published (33) Priority Country: AU With international search report.

(71) Applicant (for all designated States except US): VISY hisocu ontains the BOARD PROPERTIES PTY. LTD. [AU/AU]; made under 262-266 Edwardes Street, Reservoir, VIC 3073 a endmeits corre for (72) Inventor; and t I- Inventor/Applicant (for US only) WHITE, Christopher, Eric [GB/AU]; 8 Fordhams Road, Eltham, VIC 3095 s J.P. 23 MAR 198 (74)Agent: SANDERCOCK, SMITH BEADLE; 207 Riversdale Road, Hawthorn, VIC 3122

AUSTRALIAN

3 0 JAN1989 PATENT OFFICE (54) Title: CARTON LOADING AND CLOSING MACHINE (57) Abstract A carton loading and closing machine comprising a carton opening mechanism (29) adapted to remove a flat carton from a magazine (26) to a park position means for folding the side flaps at the bottom of the carton outwardly, means for loading product into carton through its open bottom, means for indexing the loaded carton forwardly over cam means (11) for folding the leading end flap (El) under the product, trailing end flap closing means (12) having a slot adapted to receive the trailing end flap and means (20, 21) for causing said trailing end flap (Et) to be folded to the closed position as said folding means (12) is moved transversely with respect to the stationary carton and means for closing the side flaps and the top flaps of the carton.

ii WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 1 TITLE: CARTON LOADING AND CLOSING MACHINE Field of the Invention: This invention relates to carton loading and closing machines.

Background of the Invention: Machines for the automatic and semi-automatic loading and closing of cartons are widely used in a number of different forms. The most widely used machines may be divided into three categories: a) manual carton-overproduct machines, b) top loading machines involving either manual loading or loading by means of drop or place packers and c) bottom loading machines.

It is self evident that the avoidance of any manual loading operation is desirable since the labour component is becoming increasingly expensive and the speed of operation of the machine has an inherent operator dependent speed limitation. By the same token, the capital cost of the maching is an important factor. With the exception of drop or place packers, which are expensive, most known automatic machines are limited by the number of cartons which can be loaded and closed in a predetermined time. At present, such lower cost machines are limited to practically achievable speeds of the order of ten to twelve cartons per minute, which are approximately the speeds which can be achieved by a very skilled operator.

Automated bottom loading machines are considered to be the most cost effective means of loading since they do not require the cost of a special loading robot of the type needed for a top loading machine, and they have the advantage of providing positive location of the carton at the position in which the products to be packaged are loaded into the carton. Although the reason is not particularly apparent, carton-over-product loading machines require either a skilled operator or a complex mechanism to ensure that the carton properly engages the array of products to be packaged during each loading operation.

The attractiveness of bottom loading machines has to date been limited by their restricted speeds of operation WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 2 1 and the major restrictions on the speed of operation would 2 appear to be due primarily to the mechanism for initially 3 opening the folded carton and for moving it to the loading 4 position, and the mechanism for closing the bottom of the carton after the product has been loaded.

6 In the case of one known bottom loading machine, the 7 speed of operation of the carton opening mechanism is 8 restricted by the positioning of the carton manipulating arm 9 at the leading part of the carton so that the mechanism must be withdrawn over the carton before any loading operation 11 may take place. In the case of the bottom flap closing 12 operation, the speed of one known mechanism is severely 13 restricted by the requirement that one end flap is first 14 closed by forward movement of the loaded carton through a standard closing plough followed by rotation of the carton 16 to locate the other flap in a closing slot following which 17 the flap is closed by further forward movement through a 18 closing plough. The above factors cause a significant 19 slowing of the loading and closing operation and also serve to complicate the mechanisms which are used in the machine.

21 In addition to the above, most known machines are 22 restricted by the complexity of the operations necessary for 23 converting the machine for the loading of cartons of 24 different sizes. In most cases, the conversion operation is so complex that it is more practical to restrict each 26 machine to the loading and closing of a particular size of 27 carton. This is clearly not economic both in terms of 28 capital cost and efficiency of use of equipment and factory 29 space.

Summary of Invention and Objects: 31 It is the object of the present invention to provide an 32 improved carton loading and closing machine in which the 33 above deficiencies of the prior art are at least 34 ameliorated.

Accordingly, the invention provides a carton loading 36 and closing machine comprising means for locating an open 37 carton in a first predetermined position, means for loading 38 said carton through the open bottom flaps of said carton at F- WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 3 1 said first predetermined position, means for moving said 2 carton forwardly to a second predetermined position over 3 means for folding the leading end flap of said carton to the 4 closed position under said packaged products, second flap folding means mounted for movement transversely of said 6 carton at said second predetermined position to fold said 7 trailing end flap against said packaged products, said 8 second flap folding means including an upper surface 9 defining an opening for receiving said trailing flap and means for causing said trailing flap to be folded to the 11 closed position as said second flap folding means is moved 12 transversely with respect to said carton.

13 In another aspect, the invention provides a method of 14 loading and closing a carton comprising the steps of locating an open carton in a first predetermined position 16 with the lowermost flaps of said carton open, loading the 17 products to be packaged into said carton through said open 18 bottom flaps at said first predetermined position, moving 19 said carton forwardly to a second predetermined position and folding the leading end flap of said carton to its closed 21 position under the packaged products during said forward 22 movement, and closing the trailing end flap of said carton 23 to its closed position under said packaged products while 24 said carton is held stationary at said second predetermined position.

26 It will be appreciated from the above that the carton 27 loading and closing machine and method defined produce a 28 partly closed carton with only one forward movement of the 29 carton, with no rotary movement of the carton being required. Since both the first and second predetermined 31 positions of the carton may be accurately defined, the 32 carton may be indexed to such positions quite rapidly and 33 since the trailing end flap is closed by movement of a 34 closing means rather than by movement of the carton, this operation may also be achieved more rapidly than in the case 36 of prior art machines, using otherwise "dead time" of the 37 machine. While no mention is made in the above definitions 38 of the closing of the side flaps or the top flaps of the WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 4 carton, this operation may be achieved in a straightforward manner by existing carton closing techniques which need not be further defined in the present specification.

A further advantage of the defined machine and method is that the indexing positions of the first and second predetermined positions are defined by the rear face of the carton and accordingly the size of the carton being loaded and closed does not affect either the nature of the carton opening mechanism which presents the carton to the first predetermined position, and which is described in greater detail below, or the means for closing the trailing end flap which is located at the trailing edge of the carton in the second predetermined position. These factors result in significant simplification of the changes which are required to accommodate cartons of different size.

The machine defined above is associated with a carton opening mechanism which presents the carton in the open state at the first predetermined position. While a preferred carton opening mechanism will be described below, it should be appreciated that the machine as defined above may be used with varying degrees of efficiency with.- any carton opening mechanism. However, for maximum efficiency, the carton opening mechanism to be defined below is preferred.

The preferred carton opening mechanism preferably comprises means for holding a multiplicity of folded cartons, means for lifting a carton from said multiplicity by one end panel of said carton, means for moving the carton from its initial position to an intermediate position adjacent said first predetermined position and for rotating the carton through 1800 during said movement so that the said lifting means is located at the rearmost end panel of the carton, and fixed rail means located to one side of said intermediate position and against which a leading corner of said carton engages whereby. part of said rotary movement of said carton causes the carton to be fully opened when located at said intermediate position, and means for indexing said carton from said intermediate position to said WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 1 first predetermined position with the side flaps of said 2 carton extending laterally to either side of the carton and 3 said end flaps extending downwardly from said carton.

4 The principle advantages of the above arrangement are: As a result of the partial rotation of the carton 6 from the pickup point to the intermediate position results 7 in the means for lifting the carton from the multiplicity of 8 cartons being located at the rearmost panel of the carton 9 when erected, thereby enabling the lifting means to retract directly to the pickup position without in any way 11 inhibiting the progress of the carton to the next position.

12 The use of a fixed rail against which the carton 13 engages to cause its opening or erection enables the 14 mechanism to be used for different sized cartons without significant adjustments to the mechanism.

16 The mechanism preferably includes a fixed finger which 17 temporarily engages the trailing walls of the carton during 18 the initial pickup operation to "break" the carton to a 19 slightly open position whereby the carton is less resistant to the subsequent opening operation on engagement with the 21 fixed rail.

22 It will be appreciated that when the above mechanism is 23 used in combination with the carton loading and closing 24 machine defined above, the efficiencies of operation of the loading and closing machine are able to be maximized due to 26 the ability of the mechanism to operate at relatively high 27 speeds. In a preferred form of the above defined mechanism, 28 the means for lifting cartons from the multiplicity of 29 cartons comprises an arm carrying a vertically oriented pair of suction cups of known form which adhere to the surface of 31 the carton end wall to lift a carton from a magazine 32 carrying said multiplicity of cartons. In a particularly 33 preferred arrangement, the suction cups are positioned so as 34 to engage one end wall of the carton at a position adjacent the crease line between that end wall and the exposed side 36 wall of the carton. This "off-centre" pickup point assists 37 in initially opening the carton as the mechanism rotates 38 from its initial pickup position to the intermediate

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WO 89/00132 PCT,'AU88/00249 6 -6- 1 position where the leading corner of the carton first 2 engages the fixed rail.

3 The mechanism by which the above carton pickup and 4 erection is achieved is not important to the invention and may comprise a combination of cams and tracks and chain 6 drives or any other acceptable mechanical mechanism for 7 causing the necessary motions.

8 Brief Description of the Drawings: 9 One preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in 11 which: 12 Figure 1 is a perspective view of a carton erecting, 13 loading and closing machine embodying the invention; 14 Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the loading and 16 flap closing section of the machine taken along the line 3-3 17 in Fig. 2; 18 Figures 4a, b, c to 7a, b, c are secti-onal plan views 19 taken along the line 4-4 in Fig. 3 and along the lines b-b and c-c respectively of Figs. 4 to 7; 21 Figure 8 is a plan view of a modified bottom end flap 22 closing mechanism; 23 Figure 9 is a sectional elevation of the mechanism of 24 Fig. 8 taken along the line 9-9; Figure 10 is a plan view of a further modified bottom 26 end flap closing mechanism, and 27 Figure 11 is a front elevation of the carton pickup and 28 erecting mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and taken along 29 the line 11-11 in Fig. 2.

Description of Preferred Embodiment: 31 Referring firstly to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, 32 the carton erecting, loading and closing machine will be 33 seen to comprise a carton erecting mechanism 1, a carton 34 loading mechanism 2 for loading products into a carton C, a trailing end flap closing mechanism 3 and a bottom side flap 36 and top flap closing mechanism 4 of known construction which 37 does not form part of the present invention.

38 Since the carton erecting mechanism 1 is not essential

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WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 7 1 to the present invention, the loading and trailing end flap 2 folding mechanisms 2 and 3 will now be further described.

3 As will be noted from Figures 1 to 3, the carton C which 4 has been erected by the mechanism 1 is indexed to a first predetermined position, or loading position, L with the side 6 flaps S of the carton C extending perpendicularly from the 7 sides of the carton C and the end flaps E extending 8 downwardly as shown in Figure 3. The side flaps S are moved 9 to the position shown in Figure 2 by a known "plough" arrangement P 1 commonly used in the industry which causes 11 movement of the flaps as the carton C is transferred from 12 the intermediate position A (Fig. 2) which may be a "park" 13 position if desired by the erecting mechanism 1 to the 14 loading position L. Similarly, the mechanism for achieving indexing movement of the carton is not shown in detail and 16 may again take any suitable form known in the industry, such 17 as the chain and dog mechanism W shown schematically in 18 Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, or any other suitable form 19 of mechanism, such as a flight bar system.

The loading mechanism 2 comprises a product elevator 21 comprising a platform 6 supported by brackets 7 carried by 22 vertical guide rails 8 for vertical reciprocal movement by 23 any suitable mechanical means B. The elevator 5 is shown in 24 its elevated position in solid outline and in its lowered position in broken outline. The product P is loaded onto 26 the platform in predetermined arrays adapted to fill the 27 carton C by a lnown collating mechanism D.

28 It will be appreciated from the above description that 29 a carton C is delivered by the erecting mechanism 1 to the loading position L and is positively held in that position 31 by indexing lugs 9 and 10 on an indexing conveyor (not 32 shown), as shown schematically in Figures 2 and 2 of the 33 drawings. The product array P is then elevated vertically 34 by the elevator 5 and enters the carton C through the open bottom flaps S and E. While the platform 6 remains in its 36 elevated position, the carton and enclosed product array P 37 is indexed forwardly onto the end flap closing mechanism 3, 38 during which operation the leading end flap E 1 engages a

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wo 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 8 flap closing cam or bridging plate 11 adjacent the side of the mechanism 3 whereby the flap E 1 is positioned under the product array P. During the same movement, the trailing end flap Et is cammed by the plate 11 and the surface of the platform 6 to a perpendicular trailing position as shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The side flaps S remain in the same position.

The trailing end flap closing mechanism 3 will be seen to comprise a shuttle platform 12, which is shown in greater detail ii. Yigures 4 to 7 of the drawings, having a generally planar upper surface 14 in which a shaped slot 15 is formed.

The slot 15 has an entry portion 16, a transfer portion 17 and an exit portion 18 through which the trailing flap Et is adapted to pass. The entry portion 16 has an upwardly directed lip 19 which is adapted to capture the trailing end flap Et while the exit portion 18 has a downwardly directed lip 20 which ensures that the then folded flap Et exits smoothly onto the top surface 14 of the shuttle 12. A shaped camming rod or "plough" 21 extends across the shuttle 12 under the surface 14 intersecting the slot portion 17 and 18 in the manner shown most clearly in Figure 4 of the drawings. The camming rod 21 operates to turn the trailing end flap Et, from the position, as shown in Figure through just over 1800 to its closed position under the product array P.

The shuttle 12 is supported for its transverse movement on linear bearings 22, 23 and is reciprocated by any suitable mechanism, such as a chain drive mechanism or a pneumatic cylinder (not shown).

The manner in which the shuttle 12 operates to inwardly fold the trailing end flap Et will be more clearly understood from a consideration of Figures 4 to 7 of the drawings, which show the several stages in the flap folding movement of the shuttle 12. In Figure 4, the carton C containing product P (not shown in Fig. 4(a) or has been indexed forwardly to a position where the leading end flap E 1 has been folded under the product by the cam 11 (not shown in Figs. 4 to and the product is partly supported i: i

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i, r i -I WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 -9 1 by the support track of the machine and partly by the upper 2 surface 14 to the shuttle 12. In this position, the trailing 3 end flap Et is aligned with the entry portion 16 of the slot 4 15, with the upwardly directed lip 19 positioned to engage the upper surface of the end flap Et as the shuttle is moved 6 transversely past the position of the carton C. As the flap 7 Et enters the transfer portion 17, the flap Et assumes the 8 position shown in Fig. 5(b) and one of its side edges is 9 engaged by the rod 21 and the flap Et is turned by the rod 21, as the shuttle 12 continues its transverse movement, to 11 the position shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Further 12 transverse movement of the shuttle 12 causes the flap E to 13 be engaged by the downwardly directed lip 20 which completes 14 the flap turning operation as the flap Et leaves the slot through the exit portion 18, at which point it is fully 16 folded under the product P, as shown in Fig. 7 of the 17 drawings. It will be appreciated that the trailing end flap 18 closing operation described above takes place during an 19 otherwise "dead time" of the machine and is achieved without any forward or reverse movement of the carton C. In this 21 way, the overall length of the machine may be significantly 22 reduced compared with prior art loading and flap closing 23 machines.

24 Following the trailing flap folding operation, the carton C is indexed forwardly under the flap folding 26 mechanism 4 which folds the top and bottom side flaps S in a 27 known manner which does not require further description. It 28 will be seen from Figure 3 of the drawings that the top end 29 flaps of the carton C may be folded to the closed position as the carton C is located in the loading position L 31 although they may also be closed at the next indexing 32 station.

33 Referring now to Figures 1, 2 and 11 of the drawings, 34 the preferred carton erecting mechanism 1 will now be briefly described. The mechanism will be seen to comprise a 36 supporting frame 25 having a magazine 26 for supporting a 37 stack of carton C on their edges with the side panels and 38 end and side flaps disposed in a substantially vertical r i WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 1 2 3 4 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 19 21 22 23 24 26 27 28 29 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 plane adjacent the end of the support frame 25. The magazine 26 has an adjustable fitting 27 having a downwardly projecting pin 28 which engages the upper edges of the cartons and serves to "break" each carton slightly open as it is withdrawn from the stack. A carton transporting/opening device 29 includes a support plate carrying a pair of vertically arranged suction cups 31, and an outwardly extending arm 40 fixed to one vertical edge of the plate 30 by hinge means 41 and carrying a suction cup 42 in a slot 43 in the arm 40 in a manner which allows pivotal movement of the arm 40 with respect to the plate 30 while the suction cup 42 adheres to one side wall of the carton C.

The arm 40 is spring biased, by means not shown, to adopt the rest position shown in Figure 2 of the drawings immediately a carton C is released from the magazine 26. A pneumatic ram 44 is connected between the plate 30 and the arm 40 and is operated as the carton moves from the magazine 26 to the intermediate position A to positively move the side wall to which the suction cup 42 is attached towards the open position. This serves tb resist any likelihood of the crease line C 1 buckling inwardly to inhibit proper opening of the carton C.

To facilitate rotational and translatory movement of the carton C, the plate 30 is mounted on a vertical post 32 which is movable longitudinally of the frame 25 from the pickup position adjacent the magazine 26 to the intermediate or "park" position A ready for indexing into the loading position L. The mechanism by which the rotary and longitudinal movement of the lifting mechanism 29 is achieved is not important to the invention and is therefore not shown in the drawings. It may comprise a combination of cam tracks and chain drives designed to achieve the necessary motions.

The transporting/opening mechanism 1 further comprises a fixed rail 33 (Fig. 2) positioned to one side of the desired intermediate or "park" position A for the carton C.

The fixed rail 33 is adapted to be engaged by the carton C as it is moved towards the intermediate position to

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WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 11 1 facilitate the final erection of the carton as shown in Fig.

2 2. It will be appreciated from the above that the suction 3 cups 31 and 42 will be attached to a source of suction (not 4 shown) to facilitate the positive gripping of each carton C by the mechanism 29.

6 The transporting/opening mechanism 29 is positioned so 7 that each carton C is engaged by the suction cups 30 on its 8 exposed end wall and by the suction cup 42 on the exposed 9 side wall. As the carton is initially withdrawn from the magazine 26, the pin 28 momentarily anchors the trailing 11 panels of the carton C thereby "breaking" open slightly the 12 carton C as it is withdrawn from the magazine 26. The 13 mechanism 29 then moves from the pickup position adjacent 14 the magazine 26 to the "park" position A shown in Figure 2 at the same time rotating through approximately 1800. This 16 movement, as well as actuation of the ram 44, serves to 17 further open the carton and as the leading corner of the 18 carton engages the fixed rail 33 and the lifting mechanism 19 29 continues to rotate and move towards the "park" position A, the carton C will be fully opened with the side flaps S 21 and the end flaps E directed upwardly and downwardly as 22 shown in Figure 2.

23 It will be appreciated that since the carton C is 24 rotated as described above, the lifting mechanism 29 is disposed in the "park" position A to the rear of the carton 26 C so that the mechanism 29 may be withdrawn to its pickup 27 position without in any way inhibiting the continued forward 28 movement of the carton C. Thus, the mechanism may return to 29 pick up a further carton C as the preceding carton C is loaded in the manner described above thereby improving the 31 efficiency of operation of the combination of the 32 transporting/erecting mechanism 29 and the loading and 33 closing mechanism.

34 As mentioned above, the transporting/opening mechanism 29 may be replaced by another mechanism although a mechanism 36 in which the transporting mechanism is finally disposed at 37 the rearmost panel of the carton is to be preferred for the 38 reasons outlined above. Similarly, the trailing end flap WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 12 1 closing mechanism 3 may be replaced by any other suitable 2 mechanism which performs a similar function. For example, 3 one shortcoming of the shuttle mechanism 12 described above 4 is that it is somewhat longer than may be desired where the space in which the machine must operate is somewhat limited.

6 In such a situation, the shuttle mechanism 12 may be 7 significantly shortened and its operation modified so that 8 movement in one direction causes the trailing flap Et to 9 enter the entry portion of the slot 15 whereupon a cam or arm pushes the flap slightly towards its closing direction 11 whereupon the shuttle is moved in the opposite direction 12 whereby a cam rod or plough similar to item 21 engages the 13 flap to push it fully to its closed position. While some 14 reversal of direction is required in this modification, the time taken to close the flap Et should not be significantly 16 greater than the time taken to perform the same operation in 17 the previous embodiment.

18 A modified form of shuttle mechanism 12 is shown in 19 Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings. In this arrangement, the upper surface 14 of the shuttle is formed with a somewhat 21 similarly shaped slot 15 having an entry portion 16 a I I 22 transfer portion 17 and an exit portion 18 through which 23 the trailing flap Et is adapted to pass. In this embodiment 24 however, the entry portion 16 does not have an upwardly directed lip as in the previous embodiment, but rather has a 26 shaped flap 19a hinged to the upper surface 14 at 19b and 27 having a downwardly depending cam 19c (Fig. 9) which is 28 adapted to be engaged by a cam following 19d fixed to the 29 rod 19e of an air cylinder 19f, by means of which the flap 19a may be elevated to the position shown in Fig. 9 from the 31 flat or planar position shown in Fig. 8 in which an 32 essentially planar surface is presented. The shuttle is also

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33 provided with a camming rod 21 and the exit portion 18 has 34 a downwardly directed to surface 20 by means of which the trailing flap Et of the carton C is folded in the manner 36 described in the previous embodiment.

37 The advantage provided by the above alternative shuttle 38 12 is that the flap 19a may be elevated by means of a timed WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 13 1 valve operation to open the entry portion 16 to receive the 2 flap Et as the shuttle moves transversely under the carton 3 C. When the shuttle reaches the position similar to that 4 shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, the flap 19a may be lowered and the shuttle 12 return to its rest position as the next 6 carton C is moved into a position similar to that shown in 7 Fig. 4 of the drawings. In this way, time is saved and the 8 operation may be accelerated accordingly. It will be 9 appreciated that the upwardly directed lip 19 of the previous embodiment prevents this time saving being 11 achieved.

12 In the alternative form shown in Figure 10 of the Vt 13 drawings, the width of the shuttle 12 is effectively 14 halved and a removable support 19 is secured to one edge to provide support for the carton C in the position 16 corresponding substantially to that shown in Figure 4 of the 17 drawings. The length of the portion 19' corresponds to the 18 width of the carton C, and the portion 19 is removable so 19 that cartons of different sizes may be accommodated without 1 replacing the shuttle completely. The portion 19 defines 21 an edge 16 past which the trailing end flap Et is allowed 22 to move as the shuttle 12 moves transversely under the V V 23 carton C. The longitudinal edge 15 corresponds to the slot 24 15 and guides the flap Et towards a shaped camming plate 21 which curves inwardly and upwardly towards the trailing edge 26 of a slot 18 in the upper surface 14 of the shuttle 27 12 The plate 21,, performs the same function as the 28 camming rod 21 in the previous embodiment. In the present 29 embodiment, the plate 21:, may be cast from aluminium or moulded from some suitably rigid plastics material. It will 31 be appreciated that as the shuttle 12:, moves under the 32 carton C, the trailing flap Et drops past the edge 16,1 and 33 assumes the position adjacent the longitudinal edge 34 until it is engaged by the camming plate 21 which turns the flap Et towards the closing position whereupon it exits from I 36 the slot 18,t and rests on the upper surface 14:1 of the 37 shuttle 12t,. It will also be appreciated that a camming 38 plate similar to 21,v may be used in the previous described i ij; ii- I WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 14 1 embodiments. In this modified arrangement, the removable 2 support 19,, not only supports the carton, but also performs 3 the camming function performed by bridging plate 11 in the 4 first embodiment. Thus, the width of the cam and shuttle portion of the machine is reduced, thereby allowing an 6 overall reduction in the length of the machine.

7 As mentioned briefly at the beginning of this 8 specification, the arrangements described above also have 9 the advantage of requiring less adjustment to accommodate cartons of different sizes than machines according to the 11 prior art. This results primarily from the use of the fixed 12 rail 33 and the indexing of the cartons to positions 13 dictated by the rearmost face of the carton in each 14 operative position. By indexing at the rear face, the length of the carton is not important and only minimal 16 adjustment is required to compensate for different widths.

17 In this regard-the shuttle 12 is designed to accommodate end 18 flap widths of all dimensions, the entry portion 20 of the 19 slot 15 being wide enough for this purpose. This also results in the mechanism for collating the products for 21 delivery to the platform 6 being easier to adjust for 22 changes in carton dimension.

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Claims (4)

1. 3. The machine of claim 2, wherein said opening (15) is in the form of a narrow slot having said first, second and third portions (16,17,18), said upper surface (14) being formed with an upwardly extending lip (19) along the trailing edge of said first portion (16) of said slot and a downwardly extending lip (20) associated with the trailing edge of said third portion (18) of said slot
2. 4. The machine of claim 2 or 3, wherein said means for causing said trailing flap to be folded includes a camming rod (21) extending generally diagonally to the direction of travel of said shuttle means (12) and intersecting said second portion (17) and said third portion (18) of said opening or slot The machine of claim 3, wherein said first portion of said slot is defined by a pivoted plate (19a) capable of being elevated from a position in which it is generally co- planar with said upper surface (14) to an elevated position in which the trailing edge of said first portion (19) of said slot (15) is upwardly inclined to receive the trailing end flap (Et).
3. 6. The machine of claim 2, wherein said opening is a generally rectangular opening formed in one edge of said shuttle means to define said first and second portions said third portion (18 comprising a slot (18 formed in said upper surface and opening to said second portion and a camming surface (21 extending from said slot and laterally of said second portion to cause folding of said trailing end flap (Et) to the closed position.
4. 7. A carton loading and closing machine, comprising means (30,31) for removing a collapsed carton from a stack and arranged to contact at least one end wall of the carton, means (29) for unfolding the carton into a generally 2;1 .i -1 l li(l*l-iX~ i iiiil WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 17 1 rectangular. state and for locating said unfolded carton in a 2 first predetermined position said unfolding and 3 locating means including a rail (33) against which said 4 unfolding means causes said carton to be engaged with one side wall of said carton being located against or adjacent 6 to said rail, said means (30,31) for removing said carton 7 being adapted to turn through about 1800 so that when the 8 unfolded carton is located in said predetermined position 9 said removing means is located adjacent the rear most end wall of the carton, means for moving said carton to a 11 second predetermined position with the bottom side flaps 12 of the carton extending outwardly from the sides, means (2) 13 for loading said carton through the open bottom flaps of 14 said carton at said second predetermined position means for moving said loaded carton to a third predetermined 16 position and for folding-a the end flap (E 1 at the 17 B'9gf of the carton to its closed position-,- means (3,12) 18 for folding the other end flap at the bottom of the carton 19 to its closed position while the carton is held stationary at said third predetermined position, said first, second and 21 third predetermined positions being defined by the rear end 22 wall of the carton whereby the size of carton being loaded 23 and closed by said machine may be altered to accommodate a 24 wide range of different carton sizes without structural alteration of the machine. 26 8. The machine of claim 7, wherein said second flap 27 folding means is as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6. 28 9. A carton transporting and opening mechanism 29 comprising means (26) for holding a multiplicity of folded cartons means (29) for lifting one of said cartons (C) 31 from said multiplicity by at least one end panel of said 32 carton, means for moving the carton from its initial 33 position through an intermediate position to a first 34 predetermined position and for rotating said carton through about 1800 during said movement whereby the lifting 36 means is located at the rear most end panel of said carton 37 and fixed rail means (33) located to one side of said intermediate position and against which a leading corner 0CO i,0 WO 89/00132 PCT/AU88/00249 18 1 of said carton engages whereby part of said rotary movement 2 of said carton causes the carton to be fully opened when 3 located at said first predetermined position 4 10. The mechanism of claim 9, wherein said lifting means further includes a hinged arm (40) extending laterally from 6 said lifting means (29) and carrying means (42) for engaging 7 the adjacent side wall of said carton, said arm (40) having 8 means (44) for rotating said arm in a direction tending to 9 open the carton as said lifting means lifts a carton from said multiplicity. 11 11. The mechansim of claim 10, wherein said movement of 12 said arm is achieved by spring biasing means, said arm 13 further including means (44) for positively pivoting said 14 arm (40) in the carton opening direction as said carton is transported towards said first predetermined position 16 12. The machine of any one of claim 1 to 8 further 17 including the carton opening mechanism defined in any one 18 claims 9 to 11. 19 13. A method of loading and closing a carton comprising the steps of locating an open carton in a first predetermined 21 position with the lowermost flaps of said carton open, 22 loading the products to be packaged into said carton through 23 said open bottom flaps at said first predetermined position 24 moving said carton forwardly to a second predetermined Fusition and folding the leading end flap of 26 said carton to its closed position under the packaged 27 products during said forward movement, and closing the 28 trailing end flap of said carton to its closed position 29 under said packaged products while said carton is held stationary at said second predetermined position.