GB1595690A

GB1595690A - Method of and apparatus for inserting filled bag-shaped containers into boxes or cartons

Info

Publication number: GB1595690A
Application number: GB2493278A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-07-07
Filing date: 1978-05-31
Publication date: 1981-08-12
Also published as: DE2730799C2; DE2730799A1

Description

(54) A METHOD OF AN APPARATUS FOR INSERTING FILLED, BAG-SHAPED CONTAINERS INTO BOXES OR CARTONS (71) I, OTTMAR LINGENFELDER, of Auf dem Kyberg 27, 8024 -- Deisenhofen Federal Republic of Germany, of German nationality, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a method of and apparatus for inserting filled bag-shaped containers, more particularly flat bags, into despatch or display boxes, or cartons, and has as its object the provision of such a method and apparatus therefor in a convenient form.

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of inserting filled bag-shaped containers into despatch or display boxes, or cartons, comprising the steps of feeding the containers to a conveying system which has a plurality of compartments for receiving the containers, each compartment extending transversely to the conveying direction, conveying said containers to an ejector station, causing an ejector system and a buffer store to move in synchronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system when a preselected number of containers has reached the ejector station ejecting the preselected number of containers from the compartments of the conveying system to said buffer store whilst the ejector system and the buffer store are moving in synchronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system, the containers being initially loosely arranged in said buffer store and subsequently pressed closely against each other before moving the closely packed containers into a position directly in front of the opening of a box or carton to be filled, and loading the closely packed containers into said box or carton.

The advantage of this method is that the operation of filling the compartments of the conveyor system can be continued independently of ejecting a preselected number of containers from the compartments and the ejector system will have no idle or waiting times, given optimum matching of the operating steps "ejecting a preselected number of containers", "compressing the containers", "inserting the containers into the carton" and "feeding fresh containers." The packing rate in the improved method according to the invention can be substantially increased, which is a specially important feature in view of the present increase in the popularity of bag-shaped containers for packaging foodstuffs. Even a continuous drive of the conveyor system is possible with the present method.

It is however important to ensure that the ejector system and the buffer store move in synchronism with the conveyor system to ensure reliable operation.

Preferably, the ejector system and buffer store are returned to their starting position after preselected number of containers have been ejected into the buffer store.

Preferably, as soon as the preselected number of containers have reached the ejector station the ejector system and the buffer store are coupled to the conveyor system by means of a coupling and are again uncoupled as soon as the preselected number of containers have been ejected into the buffer store.

Conveniently, an end sensor disposed in the ejector station indicates whether the pres-lected number of containers is disposed in the ejector station.

However, it is also feasible for the synchronised motion to be obtained by separate drives for the ejector system and/or buffer store.

An intermittent drive in which the conveying system advances by one compartment at a time after each supply of one or a predefined number of containers into a compartment is advantageous instead of a continuous drive for the conveyor system. Such an intermittent drive is trouble-resistant and can be simply controlled by means of a sensor disposed in the container feed system.

According to a further aspect of the invention, there is provided apparatus for perform ing the method according to said one aspect of the invention, comprising a container feed system, an ejector system, a buffer store, a conveyor system for receiving containers from said feed system and for conveying said containers to an ejector station, said conveyor system having a plurality of compartments each of which extends transversely to the conveying direction, means for supporting the ejector system and the buffer store for reciprocating movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the conveying system, means for causing the ejector system and the buffer store to move in synchronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system when a preselected number of containers has reached the ejector station, the ejector system being arranged to eject the preselected number of containers from the compartments of the conveying system to said buffer store whilst the ejector system and the buffer store are moving in synchronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system, a container thrust system for pressing containers, ejected from the compartments of the conveying system to the buffer store, closely against each other, means for moving the closely packed containers into a position directly in front of the opening of a box or carton to be filled, and a loading system for loading the closely packed containers into the box or carton.

Advantageously, the conveyor system extends horizontally. However, the conveyor system may extend vertically or at an angle to the vertical.

The invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is diagrammatic lay-out illustrating one embodiment of the method according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating the system shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of a container feed device of the system shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a side view on an enlarged scale of part of the conveyor system; Figure 5 is a side view on an enlarged scale of part of another embodiment of the conveyor system; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece on which cartons to be filled are pushed; Figure 7 is a side view on an enlarged scale of part of yet another embodiment of the conveyor system; and Figure 8 is a coupling for the saddle.

Figure 1 shows in diagrammatic form a process routine. First, the bag-shaped containers are supplied by a container feed device 1 to a conveying system 3 and from there to an ejector station 4 having an ejector system 5 and, as soon as a specific number of containers has reached the ejector station, they are pushed by means of the ejector system 5 into a buffer store 7. In the said buffer store the containers, initially in loosely adjacent configuration by means of their flat sides, are tightly compressed by a container thrust system in a direction approximately perpendicular to their flat sides.

Subsequently the unit of containers, which is thus tightly packed, is mcved into a position 11 directly upstream of the opening of a carton that is to be filled and is pushed into the opened carton by means of a push-in system which acts in the direction of the flat sides of the containers.

The ejector system 5, disposed on one side of the conveyor system 3, and the buffer store 7, disposed on the other side of the conveying system and opposite to the ejector system 5, are moved in synchronism with the conveyor system 3 as soon as the pre-selected number of containers reaches the ejector station 4. The containers disposed in compartments of the conveying system pushed therefrom into the buffer store while the ejector system 5 and the buffer store 7 move in synchronism into the positions 5' and 7' respectively. This obviates the need for stopping the conveyor system 3 during the ejection operation.

Fig. 2 shows an amplified embodiment of an insertion machine 2 for performing the method according to Fig. 1.

First, bag-shaped containers 17, hereinafter referred to as flat bags, pass from a filling and glueing station, not shown, over the container feed device 1, constructed as a chute, into compartments 15 of the approximately horizontally extending conveying system 3. The sliding surface of the chute 63 is provided with a sensor 67 which indicates that one flat bag or a defined number of flat bags has passed the chute and has been supplied to a compartment 15 of the conveying system 3 which is constructed as a compartment chain. The sensor is also the switch for the intermittent drive 69 and after one or a defined number of bags has passed by, the conveying system 3 advances in each case by one compartment.As shown in Fig. 3 the sliding surface 63 is arranged to pivot about an axis 61 which is adjacent to the container feed device 1 and is associated with a chain sprocket wheel 55 that engages into the compartment chain so that the pitch can be adjusted in dependence on the weight of the bags that are to be packaged, together with their contents or in dependence on the frictional coefficient of the bag material or in dependence on the height of the ejector opening of a preceding apparatus (see Fig. 3).

As shown in Fig. 3 the support surface 65 of the compartment which is to be filled is situated slightly below the sliding surface 63 so that two or more bags can be supplied to a single compartment without the risk of bunching. If only one bag is provided for each compartment it is sufficient if the support surface 63 of the compartment that is to be filled is situated at the same height as the sliding surface 63.

To facilitate feeding the chute has lateral guides 85, 87 which converge in hopper configuration.

A conveyor belt from whose end the bags drop into the compartments 15 of the conveyor system 3 can be used as feed system in place of the chute.

The flat bags 17 in the compartments 15 which are open at the top and on the sides are supplied to an ejector station 4. As soon as an end sensor 21, for example arranged in Fig. 1 above the compartment 15, indicates that the pre-defined number of flat bags has reached the ejector station 4 the ejector system 5 and the buffer store 7 will couple with the conveyor system 3 and will be entrained thereby in the conveying direction F. As shown in Fig. 2 the ejector system 5 and the buffer store 7 are mounted on a common saddle 84 which is slidable parallel with the conveying direction F. The saddle has a coupling 56 with a coup- ling pin 58 which engages with the conveyor system 3. The coupling pin 58 can be reciprocated, for example by means of a pneumatically or hydraulically controlled piston-cylinder unit.

In the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2 the conveyor system 3 takes the form of a compartment chain and each compartment 15 is formed by two L-shaped plates which are mounted on two circulating chains 57, 59 arranged parallel with each other and adapted to circulate on two double-chain sprocket wheels 53, 55. As soon as the sensor indicates that the pre-selected number of flat bags, which are to be pushed out of the compartments 15, has reached the ejector station 4, the coupling pin 58, situated beneath one chain 57 or 59, moves upwardly and engages with the chain.

The saddle 84 and therefore the ejector system 5 and the buffer store 7 then move together with the conveyor system 3 in the conveying direction F.

The saddle 84 is reciprocatingly supported on two guide rods 89, 91, mounted parallel to the conveying direction in the housing of the apparatus 2 and the guide bearings are designated with the numerals 93, 95. While the saddle 84 is entrained in the conveying direction F the flat bags 17 are pushed out of the compartments 15 into the buffer store 7 by means of the ejector system 5 in the direction of the compartments 15, i.e. transversely to the conveying direction F. The ejector system 5 comprises a pneumatically or hydraulically operable piston-cylinder unit 47, 49 and a thrust plate 51 which is interchangeably mounted on the free end of the piston-cylinder unit 47, 49. The piston-cylinder unit 47, 49 is fixedly coupled to the frame or housing of the machine 2 by means of a bearing plate 83.The pre-selected number of containers or flat bags which are to be pushed from the compartments 15 into the buffer store 7 is defined by the length of the thrust plate 51 which corresponds approximately to a multiple of the width of one compartment 15. The end sensor 21 comes into operation at the moment at which it is reached by the flat bag 17 which leads in the conveying direction F. The end sensor 21 is a sensor which operates capacitatively or induc tively and therefore without physical contact and by comparison with mechanical or electro mechanical switches offers the advantage that it is relatively insensitive to the ingress of dirt.

If the thrust plate 51 is to be exhanged for a longer thrust plate with the consequence that the pre-selected number of flat bags to be pushed out of the compartments is increased, the end sensor 21 will have to be displaced in the conveying direction F. The position of the end sensor is fixed by means of two screws 74.

As shown in Fig. 2 the buffer store 7 has a vertically adjustable deck 23 on to which the flat bags are pushed by means of the ejector system 5. To this end the flat bags are pushed into the space which is defined by the con tainer thrust system 9 and the wall 31 opposite to the thrust system and associated with the buffer store 7. This space forms a kind of pressure chamber 33 because the flat bags which are initially still loosely arranged with their flat sides in adjacent configuration are pressed against each other by means of the container thrust system 9 in a direction perpendicular to their flat sides so that subsequently they bear closely upon each other with their flat sides and form a tightly packed unit. The pressure applied by the thrust system 9 on the flat bags is dimensioned so that the material in the bags is not crushed or otherwise destroyed.

The thrust system 9 comprises a pneumatic ally or hydraulically operable piston-cylinder unit 25, 27 and a thrust plate 29 which is interchangeable at the free end of the piston rod 27 that acts parallel with the conveying direction. Depending on the pre-selected num ber of containers or flat bags the container thrust system 9 is arranged to slide on the deck 23 of the buffer store 7 parallel to the thrust direction. The deck 23 has a slot 77 to a permit such sliding motion. The position of the thrust system can be fixed by means of a screw 78.

The thrust plate 29 has approximately the same surface dimensions as the flat sides of the flat bags which are to be thrust against each other. However, it can also be larger or slightly smaller.

The deck 23 of the buffer store 7 can be raised to the opening 11, situated above the ejector system 5 and associated with the carton 19 to be filled, by means of a pneumatically or hydraulically controlled piston-cylinder unit 35, 37 which is mounted on the bottom of the frame or housing of the machine 2. Two guide rods 79, 81 are also provided to ensure reliable guiding of the deck 23.

As shown in broken lines in Fig. 2 the carton is placed on or mounted on a mouthpiece 39 which is disposed above the ejector system 5 at the same height as the oppositely disposed loading system 13. The flat bags which have been raised to this height and are pressed against each other by means of the thrust system 9, and are pushed by means of the loading system 13 through the said mouthpiece into the opened carton 19. The loading system is mounted above ejector system and opposite the mouthpiece 39 on the frame or housing of the machine 2. Said system comprises a pneumatically or hydraulically controlled piston-cylinder unit 41, 43 and a thrust plate which is interchangeably mounted on the free end of the piston rod 43 nearest to the mouthpiece 39 the length and width of the said thrust plate corresponding approximately to the internal length and width of the mouthpiece 39.The loading system 13 can however also be mounted on the saddle 84 above the ejector system 5.

Logically, the thrust plate 45 of the loading system 13, is slightly shorter than the thrust plate 51 of the ejector system 5 because after being pushed out of the compartments 1S, the first bags will be pressed more closely or more densely against each other, i.e. they will occupy less space.

Fig. 2 shows all systems in their inoperative or starting position. The coupling pin 58 again releases the saddle 84 after the flat bags have been pushed into the buffer store 7. The saddle 84 is then pushed back into its starting position by means of a pneumatically or hydraulically controlled piston-cylinder unit 99, 101. The push-out, compression and carton loading operations are repeated when the flat bags 17 are pushed into the carton 19. To prevent flat bags being pushed through the mouthpiece 39 without a carton 19 being mounted thereon a switch, not shown, more particularly an electromechanical switch, is disposed on the mouthpiece and is adapted to release the push-in system only when a carton is mounted on the mouthpiece.

It has been found that it is sufficient if the height of the compartments amounts to approximately half the width of the flat bags which are to be packaged. The bags can then be readily pushed out of the compartments even without a thrust plate 51 constructed in comb configuration.

It is advantageous to provide the top edge of the thrust plate 51 with a bead or to bend it in the thrust direction to prevent the flat bags positioning themselves upright while they are being pushed out of the compartments 15.

As indicated in Fig. 2, the conveyor system 3 is constructed in the form of a compartment chain. The compartments are formed by Lshaped plates which are mounted on two chains 57, 59 which are arranged parallel with each other and circulate over two double-chain sprocket wheels 53, 55. The reference numeral 71 refers to a bearing pedestal which is mounted on the bottom of the machine housing and is provided for the double-chain sprocket wheel 53.

It is advantageous to bend the shorter limb at the free end 107 so that it constantly projects with the least possible distance under the edge of the preceding plate (Fig. 4) so that jamming of a bag between the shorter member of the plate 106, preferably bolted on to the conveyor chains and acting as bag support and secured between the chains 57, 59 on the one hand and the longer limb 103 of a directly previously occupied plate 108 (see Figs. 4 and 5) even when flat bags 17 drop from the sliding surface 63 into a compartment 15 under the least favourable conditions. Fig. 5 shows a further development of the embodiment according to Fig. 4. In the region of the edges the longer limbs of the plates defining the compartments 15 in Fig. 5 each have indentation 105 orientated against the conveying direction F and shaped in the form of a ridge in Fig. 5.If the narrow side of a flat bag meets the indentation of the previously occupied plate 108 the latter will be deflected on to the support surface 65 of the plate 106 which is to be occupied. There will then be no risk of the narrow side of a bag being jammed between two successive plates 106, 108.

Fig. 7 shows another advantageous embodiment of the L-shaped plates 106, 108. In the region of their edges each of the L-shaped plates 106, 108 is bent twice so that in the edge range the cross-section of the plates is approximately saddle-roof-shaped. The shorter members of the plates are mounted on the conveyor chains so that their free ends always project slightly into the space beneath the sloping edges of the preceding plates. This ensures that no bags can be jammed between two successive plates 106, 108.

Jamming can also be prevented by mounting the L-shaped plates on a hinged chain When inserting thicker bags into carton it is possible to replace the compartment plates 106, 108, shown in Fig. 5, by plates in which the limbs mounted on the chains 57, 59 are longer than the members 103 which define the compartments 15.

Fig. 6 shows a mouthpiece 39 the upper boundary 34 of which can be vertically adjusted by means of three screws 38 and whose righthand lateral boundary 40 is laterally slidable in a slot 44 of the upper frame part 42. The position of the upper boundary 34 is fixed by lock nuts 36 and the position of the lateral boundary 40 is fixed by screws 46 in the slot 44. The mouthpiece illustrated in Fig. 6 can therefore be adjusted in accordance with the length and width of the carton that is to be filled. Advantageously the drive 69 is provided with a stepping mechanism, not shown, for example a Geneva mechanism or a ratchet lock, if intermittent feed is applied to the compartment chain.

Fig. 8 shows a preferred coupling for en training the saddle 84. The coupling shown in Fig. 8 cooperates with a third chain 157 which is arranged parallel to the chains 57, 59 and is driven in synchronism therewith. Advantageously the third 157 circulates over two chain sprocket wheels which are not shown and are mounted on the extended shaft for the double-chain sprocket wheels 53, 55.

The coupling itself comprises a rack segment 161 situated beneath the chain 157 and a complementary rack segment 163 which is arranged to reciprocate above the chain 157. Advantageously the top rack segment 163 is detachably mounted on the free end of the piston rod associated with a pneumatic or hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 165. The piston-cylinder unit 165 as well as the bottom rack segment 161 are mounted on the saddle 84. As soon as the pre-selected number of containers has reached the ejector station the piston-cylinder unit 161 will be actuated and the top rack segment 163 is moved downwardly towards the bottom rack segment 161 and the chain 157, which passes between the rack segments 161, 163, will be clamped.

The rack segments engage positively with the chain links of the chain 157. The saddle 84 will then move in synchronism with the con veyor system. As soon as the ejection operation is completed the top rack segment 163 is again raised and the chain 157 is thus released. The saddle 84 can then be pushed back into its starting position by means of the piston cylinder unit 99, 101 (Fig. 2).

Chain supports 167, 169 are provided up stream and downstream of the bottom rack segment 161 to ensure that in the unlocked state the chain 157 can pass without obstruc tion between the rack segments 161, 163. The support surfaces of the chain supports 167, 169 are slightly raised with respect to the teeth of the bottom rack segment 161. In the un locked state the chain 157 therefore passes over the teeth of the bottom rack segment 161 with out touching them.

Advantageously the chain supports 167, 169 are constructed of anti-friction plastics.

The above-described coupling for entraining the saddle 84 can also be arranged so that the coupling elements 161, 163 can be pressed laterally against the chain 157. A non-positive connection can then be obtained between the chain 157 and the clutch elements 161, 163. In this case the clutch elements comprise simple, for example blockshaped compression pads instead of rack segments.

The buffer store may have two or more decks and the loading system may comprise two thrust plates disposed one above the other but separated from each other, by means of which the containers situated in the two-deck buffer store can be inserted in two-deck operation into a carton of corresponding width.

Reference is made in my copending British Patent Application No. 24930/78 (Serial No.

1,59t,689).

In one aspect this latter Application relates to a method of inserting filled bag-shaped containers having substantially flat sides into despatch or display boxes or cartons, the method comprising the steps of feeding the containers to a conveying system which has a plurality of compartments for receiving the containers, each compartment extending transversely to the conveying direction, conveying the containers to an ejector station, ejecting a preselected number of containers at the ejector station from said compartments to a buffer store initially the containers are loosely arranged with their substantially flat sides adjacent to one another, subsequently pressing the containers in the buffer store closely against each other wherein pressure is applied to the bagshaped containers by a thrust plate movable in a direction substantially normal to the substantiaily flat side of said containers, moving the closely packed containers to a position directly in front of the opening of a box or carton to be filled and loading the tightly packed containers into the box or carton.

In another aspect, this latter Application relates to apparatus for performing the method described immediately above, comprising a container feed system, a conveying system which has a plurality of compartments for receiving the containers from the feed system and for conveying the containers to an ejector station, each compartment extending transversely to the conveying direction, a buffer store, an ejector system for ejecting a pre selected number of containers at the ejector station from said compartments to the buffer store, a container thrust-system having a movable thrust plate for pressing the containers closely against each other in the buffer store, means for moving the closely packed containers into a loading position, and a loading system for moving the closely packed containers from the loading position into the box or carton.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A method of inserting filled bag-shaped containers into despatch or display boxes, or cartons, comprising the steps of feeding the containers to a conveying system which has a plurality of compartments for receiving the containers, each compartment extending transversely to the conveying direction, conveying said containers to an ejector station, causing an ejector system and a buffer store to move in synchronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system when a preselected number of containers has reached the ejector station, ejecting the preselected number of containers from the compartments of the conveying system to said buffer store whilst the ejector system and the buffer store are moving in syn

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. training the saddle 84. The coupling shown in Fig. 8 cooperates with a third chain 157 which is arranged parallel to the chains 57, 59 and is driven in synchronism therewith. Advantageously the third 157 circulates over two chain sprocket wheels which are not shown and are mounted on the extended shaft for the double-chain sprocket wheels 53, 55. The coupling itself comprises a rack segment 161 situated beneath the chain 157 and a complementary rack segment 163 which is arranged to reciprocate above the chain 157. Advantageously the top rack segment 163 is detachably mounted on the free end of the piston rod associated with a pneumatic or hydraulic piston-cylinder unit 165. The piston-cylinder unit 165 as well as the bottom rack segment 161 are mounted on the saddle 84. As soon as the pre-selected number of containers has reached the ejector station the piston-cylinder unit 161 will be actuated and the top rack segment 163 is moved downwardly towards the bottom rack segment 161 and the chain 157, which passes between the rack segments 161, 163, will be clamped. The rack segments engage positively with the chain links of the chain 157. The saddle 84 will then move in synchronism with the con veyor system. As soon as the ejection operation is completed the top rack segment 163 is again raised and the chain 157 is thus released. The saddle 84 can then be pushed back into its starting position by means of the piston cylinder unit 99, 101 (Fig. 2). Chain supports 167, 169 are provided up stream and downstream of the bottom rack segment 161 to ensure that in the unlocked state the chain 157 can pass without obstruc tion between the rack segments 161, 163. The support surfaces of the chain supports 167, 169 are slightly raised with respect to the teeth of the bottom rack segment 161. In the un locked state the chain 157 therefore passes over the teeth of the bottom rack segment 161 with out touching them. Advantageously the chain supports 167, 169 are constructed of anti-friction plastics. The above-described coupling for entraining the saddle 84 can also be arranged so that the coupling elements 161, 163 can be pressed laterally against the chain 157. A non-positive connection can then be obtained between the chain 157 and the clutch elements 161, 163. In this case the clutch elements comprise simple, for example blockshaped compression pads instead of rack segments. The buffer store may have two or more decks and the loading system may comprise two thrust plates disposed one above the other but separated from each other, by means of which the containers situated in the two-deck buffer store can be inserted in two-deck operation into a carton of corresponding width. Reference is made in my copending British Patent Application No. 24930/78 (Serial No.

1,59t,689).

chronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system, the containers being initially loosely arranged in said buffer store and subsequently pressed closely against each other before moving the closely packed containers into a position directly in front of the opening of a box or carton to be filled, and loading the closely packed containers into said box or carton.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the containers are filled flat bags, the bags being arranged in the buffer store their flat sides adjacent to one another, pressure being applied to the bags in the buffer store in a direction normal or substantially normal to their flat sides and the bags being loaded into the carton in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to their flat sides.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the ejector system and buffer store are returned to their starting position after the preselected number of containers have been ejected into the buffer store.

4. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein as soon as the preselected number of containers have reached the ejector station the ejector system and the buffer store are coupled to the conveyor system by means of a coupling and are again uncoupled as soon as the preselected number of containers have been ejected into the buffer store.

5. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an end sensor disposed in the ejector station indicates whether the preselected number of containers is disposed in the ejector station.

6. A method according to claim 3, or claim 4 or 5 when dependent on claim 3, wherein the operating steps of ejecting the containers from the compartments of the conveyor system into the buffer store, pressing together of the containers, inserting the containers into the box or carton and return of the ejector system and buffer store into their starting positions occupies only as much time as elapses until a further preselected number of containers again reaches the ejector station.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the conveyor system is intermittently driven and after each or a predefined number of containers has been fed into a compartment the conveyor system advances by one compartment.

8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the conveyor system is continuously driven.

9. Apparatus for performing a method according to claim 1, comprising a container feed system, an ejector system, a buffer store, a conveyor system for receiving containers from said feed system and for conveying said containers to an ejector station, said conveyor system having a plurality of compartments each of which extends transversely to the con veying direction, means for supporting the ejector system and the buffer store for recipro cating movement in a direction parallel to the direction of movement of the conveying system, means for causing the ejector system and the buffer store to move in synchronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system when a preselected number of containers has reached the ejector station, the ejector system being arranged to eject the preselected number of containers from the compartments of the conveying system to said buffer store whilst the ejector system and the buffer store are moving in synchronism with and in the same direction as the conveying system, a container thrust system for pressing containers, ejected from the compartments of the conveying system to the buffer store, closely against each other, means for moving the closely packed container into a position directly in front of the opening of a box or carton to be filled, and a loading system for loading the closely packed containers into the box or carton.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, where in the ejector system and the buffer store are mounted on a common saddle.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claims 9 or 10, wherein the buffer store is disposed on the side of the conveyor system which is opposite to the ejector system.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, where in the saddle is provided with a clutch by means of which the saddle and therefore the ejector system and buffer store can be coupled to the conveyor system as soon as the pre selected number of containers reaches the ejector station.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein there is provided a fluid pressure actuated piston-cylinder unit which acts in opposition to the conveying direction and by means of which the ejector system and the buffer store can be pushed back into their starting position after the containers have been ejected into the buffer store.

14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the loading system for inserting the containers into the carton is arranged in stationary form.

15. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 or 13, wherein the loading system together with the ejector system and buffer store is mounted on the saddle and is therefore arranged for reciprocating movement in a direction parallel to the conveying direction.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15, wherein the ejector station is provided with an end sensor which indicates that the preselected number of containers is situated in the ejector station and which triggers synchronized motion of the ejector system and buffer store with the conveyor system.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the end sensor is constructed as an electromechanical switch or a switch operating by a capacitative or inductive principle.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16 or 17, wherein the end sensor is arranged to slide in a direction parallel to the conveying direction.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 18, wherein the buffer store has at least one deck which can be moved out of the direct range of action of the ejector system and on which said deck the containers are ejected from the compartments associated with the conveying system.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the buffer store has two or more decks.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19 or 20, wherein the container thrust system comprises a fluid pressure actuated piston-cylinder unit which is disposed on the deck of the buffer store and comprises a thrust plate which is mounted on the free end of the piston rod.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the thrust plate together with an oppositely disposed wall of the buffer store forms a pressure chamber into which the containers are ejected and are compressed into a closely packed unit.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21 or 22, wherein the surface dimension of the thrust plate corresponds approximately to that of the flat sides associated with the containers which are to be packaged.

24. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 23, wherein the thrust plate is interchangeably mounted on the free end of the piston rod associated with the pistoncylinder unit.

25. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 24, wherein the container thrust system is disposed in the buffer store so as to slide therein parallel with the thrust direction in accordance with the preselected number of containers which are to be filled into the box or carton.

26. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 21 to 25, wherein the deck of the buffer store can be moved by means of a fluid pres sure actuated piston-cylinder unit into a posi tion outside the range of action of the ejector system.

27. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 26, wherein outside the range of action of the ejector system the buffer store is provided with a mouthpiece for receiving a box or carton which is to be filled, and the loading system for inserting into the box or carton the tightly pressed containers moved in front of the mouthpiece is situated opposite thereto.

28. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the loading system comprises a fluid pressure actuated piston-cylinder unit and a thrust plate, the length and width of which corresponds approximately to the internal length and width or the mouthpiece.

29. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27 when dependent on claim 20, wherein the loading system comprises two thrust plates, disposed one above the other separated from each other, by means of which the containers situated in the two-deck buffer store can be inserted in two-deck operation into a carton of corresponding width.

30. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 29, wherein the ejector system comprises a fluid pressure actuated piston cylinder unit and a thrust plate which extends substantially parallel to the conveying direction and is interchangeably mounted on the free end of the piston rod and whose length defines the selected number of containers which are to bc ejected from compartments of the conveyor system.

31. Apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the length of the thrust plate corresponds to a multiple of the compartment width

32. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 35, wherein the conveyor system is constructed in the form of a compartment chain and the height of the individual compartments corresponds approximately to half the width of the containers which are to be packaged.

33. Apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein the individual compartments are mounted on two chains, arranged parallel to each ether and extending over two double-chain sprocket wheels.

34. Apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein the individual compartments are mounted on a hinged chain.

35. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 34, wherein the container feed device is constructed in the form of a chute which is supported so as to pivot about a horizontal axis normal to the conveying direction.

36. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the chute surface is disposed slightly above the container support surface of the compartment which is to be filled at that time so that two or more containers can be supplied to a compartment without risk of bunching.

37. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35 or claim 36, wherein the feeder device is provided with a sensor which switches on the drive of the conveyor system when one or a specified number of containers passes by, so that the conveyor system advances by one compartment at a time.

38. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 37, wherein a mouthpiece for supporting cartons is provided, the length and width of the mouthpiece being adjuslble in accordance with the length and width of the cartons in use.

39. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the clutch comprises two coupling elements cooperable with a third chain which is arranged in parallel to the conveyor system and is drivable in synchronism therewith.

40. Apparatus as claimed in claim 39, wherein the coupling elements are constructed in the form of rack segments engageable with the chain links of the chain.

41. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 34, wherein the compartments are formed by L-shaped plates one limb of which is mounted on the circulating chains and the other limb of which defines the internal width of the compartments.

42. Apparatus as claimed in claim 41, wherein the L-shaped plates are bent at least twice in the region of their edges so that in the region of their edges the plates have an approximately saddle-roof-shaped cross-section.

43. Apparatus as claimed in claim 42, wherein the limbs of the L-shaped plates which are mounted on the circulating chains are so mounted thereon that the free ends of the said limbs project for a short distance beneath the edge of a preceding plate.

44. A method of inserting filled bag-shaped containers into despatch or display boxes, or cartons, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

45. Apparatus for inserting filled bag-shaped containers into despatch or display boxes, or cartons substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.