GB2128956A - Packaging machines - Google Patents

Abstract

A packaging machine for loading a product 13 into cartons 11 comprises two parallel and adjacent conveyors 10, 12 carrying the cartons and the individual carton loads respectively and a third or transfer conveyor 14 mounted above the load carrying conveyor at an angle to it and carrying a series of dependent pusher plates 15 which engage individual carton loads and push them laterally into respective cartons, each pusher plate 15 being pivotally mounted about a substantially horizontal axis inclined to the length of the third conveyor 14 at the same angle as the angle between the third and second conveyor so as to be pivotable upwardly and away from the loaded carton. Each pusher plate 15 is spring loaded towards the inoperative disengaged position and is cam actuated to be held in the operative load engaging position during the loading movement and to be released on completion of the loading movement so as not to damage the carton load. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Packaging machines This invention relates to packaging machines for loading individual carton loads of a product into cartons.

Machines for this purpose are already known, comprising two parallel conveyors running side by side at the same speed, one carrying an evenly spaced series of cartons and the other carrying a similarly spaced series of individual carton loads (which may be individual products or batches of product) and a third conveyor mounted above the product-carrying conveyor at an angle to it and carrying a series of dependent pusher members for engaging individual carton loads and pushing them laterally into respective cartons on the other conveyor. It is important to position the end of the angled conveyor so that the pusher members do not push the product too far into the cartons. In practice, it has been found difficult to prevent the pusher members from damaging the product as they swing round the end of the angled conveyor.

According to the present invention, a packaging machine is provided for loading a product into cartons, comprising a first conveyor for carrying a series of cartons open at one end or side, a second conveyor parallel and adjacent to the first conveyor and adapted to run at the same speed for carrying a series of individual carton loads of the product, and a third conveyor mounted above the second conveyor at an angle to it and carrying a series of dependent pusher members adapted to engage individual carton loads of the product on the second conveyor and to push them laterally into respective cartons on the first conveyor, wherein each pusher member is pivotally mounted so that on completion of the movement of each individual carton load into a respective carton the pusher member can pivot backwards to disengage it from the load.

With this arrangement, the risk of damage to the product by the pusher member can be avoided, since the latter can be disengaged from the product at the instant that the loading movement is completed.

Conveniently each pusher member is spring-loaded towards the inoperative disengaged position and has a follower adapted to cooperate with a rail to hold the pusher member in the operative load-engaging position during the loading movement and to release the pusher member on completion of the loading movement. The spring loading then ensures that the pusher member disengages from the load on completion of the insertion of the load into the carton.

Preferably each pusher member is a plate mounted for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis which is inclined to the length of the third conveyor at the same angle as the angle between the third and second conveyors, so that in the operative position the pusher plate is vertical and parallel to the first and second conveyors. In this way one can ensure that the load is pushed straight into the carton without any lateral forces or distortion of the load.

The follower is preferably a roller mounted on an arm extending from a pivoting bracket carrying the pusher plate and each pusher plate is preferably pivotally mounted in an angled boss on the lower end of a vertical bracket which is secured to upper and lower synchronised chains forming the third conveyor.

To allow for circumstances in which the supply of cartons is interrupted, it is advantageous to be able to interrupt the transfer of the product from the second conveyor to the first conveyor by the pusher members. For this purpose, the rail is preferably adjustable between an operative condition in which it cooperates with the follower of each pusher member in turn to bring the pusher members into their operative load-engaging positions and an inoperative condition in which the rail does not contact the followers and leaves the pusher members in their inoperative position.

With the rail in its inoperative condition, the non-transferred loads of product will simply pass on down the second conveyor and can be collected at the end of it.

Preferably the rail includes a movable mounted ramp section at its end remote from the second conveyor for cooperating with the followers and bringing the pusher members into their operative positions, and the adjustment of the rail between its operative and inoperative conditions can be effected by moving the ramp section into a position where it does not contact the followers of the pusher members. For example, the ramp section may be pivotally movable about a vertical axis.

The rail is also preferably mounted so as to be able to yield against spring pressure to allow a pusher member to yield if it encounters an obstruction. For example, the rail may be mounted for pivotal yielding movement by means of transverse arms extending from the rail and pivoted about a horizontal axis parallel to the rail, the spring pressure being provided by springs acting on the transverse arms. A stop switch for arresting the machine may be arranged to be actuated by a rod connected to one of the transverse arms.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a packaging machine in accordance with the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view, to a larger scale, of the third or transfer conveyor, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, to a larger scale again, on line Ill-Ill of Fig. 2, Figure 4 is a simplified view from the left of Fig. 3 and looking down the length of the product carrying conveyor, showing one of the pusher plates in operative position, Figure 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but showing a pusher plate in inoperative position, Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 but at right angles to the length of the third or transfer conveyor and thus at an angle to the length of the product carrying conveyor, Figure 7 is an elevation of the third or transfer conveyor taken from the right hand side of Fig. 2, Figure 8 is a detailed view from the left hand end of Fig. 7, and Figure 9 is a plan view showing the lower part of the third or transfer conveyor.

In the embodiment illustrated, the packaging machine comprises a first conveyor 10 for carrying a series of cartons 11, a second conveyor 1 2 parallel and adjacent to the conveyor 10 and running at the same speed, for carrying a series of individual carton loads 1 3 of the product, and a third or transfer conveyor 14 mounted above the conveyor 1 2 at an angle to it. The third conveyor 14 carries a series of pusher plates 1 5 adapted to engage the individual carton loads 1 3 and to push them laterally into respective cartons 11 on the conveyor 10.The speed of the conveyor 14 is such that the component of the velocity of the pusher plates 15, as they travel up the left hand side of conveyor 14 in the loading movement, is equa! to the speed of the conveyors 10 and 12, so that the motion imparted to the carton loads 1 3 is purely a transverse motion into the cartons 11. The cartons 11 are disposed with their adjacent ends 1 6 open. Their sides 1 7 and ends 1 8 have been erected into the vertical position but their lids 1 9 with sealing flaps 20 have not been folded over into the closed position.

This configuration of the cartons is not essential, however, and other configurations may be used provided that the adjacent end or side is left open for insertion of the carton load 13.

If the pusher plates 1 5 were rigidly attached to the conveyor 14, it would be difficult to ensure that they did not damage the individual carton loads as they swept round the end of the conveyor 14, in the position of the pusher plate 1 5 shown in Fig. 1 in broken lines. To avoid this danger, the pusher plates 1 5 in the machine of the present invention are pivotally mounted so that on completion of the movement of each individual carton load 1 3 into its respective carton 11, the pusher member can pivot backwards to disengage it from the load.

The third or transfer conveyor 14 comprises upper and lower synchronised chains 21,22 running around pairs of sprockets 23,24 (Figs. 2 and 3) and carrying a series of vertical brakets 25 each of which is attached to both chains by angle brackets 26. The centre part of each bracket 25 is guided by a horizontal rail 27. At its lower end, each bracket 25 carries an angled boss 28 in which is journalled a bracket 29 carrying a respective pusher plate 1 5 and an arm 30 on the end of which is mounted a roller 31. The roller 31 is arranged to cooperate with a horizontal rail 32 so as to hold the pusher plate 1 5 in the operative load engaging vertical position shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6 during the loading movement.A tension spring 33 is connected between a lug 34 on the bracket 29 and an anchorage 35 on the bracket 25 so as to load the pusher plate 1 5 towards the inoperative and disengaged position shown at the right hand side of Fig. 3 and in Fig. 5. As can be seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the axis of the boss 28 about which the pusher plate 1 5 pivots is substantially horizontal and is inclined to the length of the conveyor 1 4 at the same angle as the angle between the conveyors 14 and 12, so that in the operative position the pusher plate 1 5 is vertical and parallel to the first and second conveyors.

The rail 32, at its end remote from the carton-carrying conveyor 10, includes a ramp section 36 (see Figs. 7 to 9). The ramp section 36 cooperates with the follower rollers 31 so as to bring the pusher plates 15 into their operative positions after they have travelled round the pulleys 24 and commenced the loading movement towards the carton carrying conveyor 10. The cooperation of the ramp section 36 with the rollers 31 is illustrated in particular in Fig. 8. After passing the ramp section 36, the rollers 31 continue along the rail 32 as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6 in normal operation so that the pusher plates 1 5 carry out their function of engaging the carton loads 1 3 and pushing them laterally into the cartons 11.On completion of the loading movement, the roller 31 of the respective pusher plate 1 5 reaches the end of the rail 32, whereupon the spring 33 retracts the pusher plate 1 5 into the position shown in Fig. 5 and in the right hand side of Fig. 3.

The pusher plate 1 5 is thus immediately disengaged from the carton load and all risk of damage to the load is avoided.

In order to allow for circumstances in which there is an interruption in the supply of cartons 11, the ramp section 36 is mounted for rotation about a vertical axis from the operative position shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 to an inoperative position in which it does not contact the follower rollers 31 and thus allows the pusher plates 1 5 to travel up the left hand side of conveyor 14 in the inoperative or disengaged position shown in Fig. 5. To effect this movement of the ramp section 36, it is secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft 37 whose upper end carries a small lever 38 connected to a hydraulic ram 39. The hydraulic ram 39 may be under the control of the operator or it may be linked to carton detecting mechanism so that it is operated whenever there is an interruption in the carton supply.

In order to avoid damage to the machine if one of the pusher plates 1 5 encounters an obstruction during the loading movement, the rail 32 is mounted so as to be able to yield against spring pressure, as shown in Fig. 3.

The rail 32 is mounted by means of transverse arms 40, of which only one can be seen in Fig. 3, which extend from the rail 32 and are pivoted about a horizontal axis parallel to the rail in a fixed part 41 of the machine. A substantially vertical rod 42 is connected at its lower end to one of the arms 40 and at its upper end passes through another fixed part 43 of the machine. A compression spring 44 provides the spring pressure to maintain the rail 32 in its normal position but allows it to yield if the pusher plate 1 5 meets an obstruction. The upper end of the rod 42 is connected to a stop switch 45 so as to actuate it on upward yielding movement of the rail 32 and thereby to arrest the machine.

Claims (11)

1. A packaging machine for loading a product into cartons, comprising a first conveyor for carrying a series of cartons open at one end or side, a second conveyor parallel and adjacent to the first conveyor and adapted to run at the same speed for carrying a series of individual carton loads of the product, and a third conveyor mounted above the second conveyor at an angle to it and carrying a series of dependent pusher members adapted to engage individual carton loads of the product on the second conveyor and to push them laterally into respective cartons on the first conveyor, wherein each pusher member is pivotally mounted so that on completion of the movement of each individual carton load into a respective carton the pusher member can pivot backwards to disengage it from the load.

2. A packaging machine according to claim 1 wherein each pusher member is spring-loaded towards the inoperative disengaged position and has a follower adapted to cooperate with a rail to hold the pusher member in the operative load-engaging position during the loading movement and to release the pusher member on completion of the loading movement.

3. A packaging machine according to claim 2 wherein each pusher member is a plate mounted for pivotal movement about a substantially horizontal axis which is inclined to the length of the third conveyor at the same angle as the angle between the third and second conveyors, so that in the operative position the pusher plate is vertical and parallel to the first and second conveyors.

4. A packaging machine according to claim 3 wherein the follower is a roller mounted on an arm extending from a pivoting bracket carrying the pusher plate.

5. A packaging machine according to claim 3 or 4 wherein each pusher plate is pivotally mounted in an angled boss on the lower end of a vertical bracket which is secured to upper and lower synchronised chains forming the third conveyor.

6. A packaging machine according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the rail is adjustable between an operative condition in which it cooperates with the follower of each pusher member in turn to bring the pusher members into their operative load-engaging positions and an inoperative condition in which the rail does not contact the followers and leaves the pusher members in their inoperative position.

7. A packaging machine according to claim 6 wherein the rail includes a movably mounted ramp section at its end remote from the second conveyor for cooperating with the followers and bringing the pusher members into their operative positions, and the adjustment of the rail between its operative and inoperative conditions can be effected by moving the ramp section into a position where it does not contact the followers of the pusher members.

8. A packaging machine according to claim 9 wherein the ramp section is pivotally movable about a vertical axis.

9. A packaging machine according to any one of claims 2 to 8 wherein the rail is mounted so as to be able to yield against spring pressure to allow a pusher member to yield if it encounters an obstruction.

10. A packaging machine according to claim 9 wherein the rail is mounted for pivotal yielding movement by means of transverse arms extending from the rail and pivoted about a horizontal axis parallel to the rail, the spring pressure being provided by springs acting on the transverse arms.

11. A packaging machine according to claim 10 wherein a stop switch for arresting the machine is arranged to be actuated by a rod connected to one of the transverse arms.

1 2. A packaging machine for loading a product endwise into cartons, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.