GB1149693A - Improvements in vertical stacker - Google Patents

Abstract

1,149,693. Packaging-machines; stacking. TEXTILE MACHINE WORKS. 5 Dec., 1966 [14 Dec., 1965], No. 54407/66. Heading B8C. In a stacking apparatus of the type in which articles are added to the base of the stack by being elevated past stack supporting ledges, the ledges are moved clear of the ascending articles automatically by means carried by the elevator. The machine described forms stacks and inserts them into cartons, means, not detailed, being provided to set up collapsed cartons and gum and seal the carton flaps after filling. Belts, as shown, provide sealing pressure while the gum sets. Articles P are fed in by a conveyer 12 to lie on rails 26 above the elevator 30. The stack supporting ledges 37 are mounted on pivoted arms 71, 72 linked to move simultaneously, Fig. 5 (not shown). The arm 71 carries a cam 80 which is engaged by a follower 86 on the elevator to pivot the arms outwards to remove the ledges from the path of the articles , being raised. The cam 80 is mounted on spring- biased linkage 81, 82 so arranged that, on the downward stroke of the elevator, the follower pivots the cam clear and the ledges, returned to their inner positions by a spring 79, support the stack. As the elevator raises two horizontally aligned articles at each stroke, two piles are formed and these are advanced by pushers 34, 35, arranged as shown, to each engage over the height of two articles at different levels. The pushers move in unison and on each stroke, they together move the leading pile of four articles into a carton while the trailing pile of two articles is moved to the leading position. The inward movement of the ledges may be adjusted for different article widths.