GB810795A - Improvements in or relating to machine for packing containers into cases - Google Patents

Abstract

810,795. Packing-machines. EMHART MANUFACTURING CO. July 23, 1956, No. 22771/56. Class 94(1). [Also in Group XXX] In a machine for packing containers, e.g. gable top milk cartons, in cases, the cartons 9 are fed to the machine by a conveyer 11 and onto a load forming platform 13. When the correct number (in the embodiment shown it is nine) are assembled they are moved by a pusher head 26 under gripping fingers 83 and then lowered into an empty case 4 at A. The load forming platform 13 consists of a plurality of spaced supporting strips 14, between and slightly below which, fingers 41 connected to a pusher head 26, slide, see Figs. 1 and 10. When three cartons have moved onto it, the leading one operates a catch 42 which closes a switch 43 to operate an air motor 20, and this moves the pusher head 26 to the right, to place the cartons in the position shown in Fig. 1. A gate 27 attached to the pusher head 26 prevents further cartons 9 from entering the load forming platform 13. The pusher head 26 then returns to its original position as shown in Fig. 1 and three more cartons are moved onto the load forming platform 13 being pushed by other cartons on the conveyer 11. As before, the leading carton operates the catch 42 and this row of cartons is then pushed to the position shown in Fig. 1, moving the original row further to the right. The pusher head again returns to its original position, three more cartons move onto the load forming platform 13, and this forms a group for packing. This time the end carton in the first row is resting against an arm 54 and this operates a switch 57 which releases a catch 47 to allow the pusher head 26 to make a longer stroke in order to bring the cartons above an empty case 4 in position at A. Whilst this happens the cartons slide off the end of the load forming platform 13 onto the fingers 41 as shown in Fig. 6, where two rows of cartons have already done so. When the cartons are above the case 4, gripper fingers 83 supported by hanger plates 76 then contact ridges 10 on the top of the cartons 9 and support them as shown in Fig. 3. The pusher head 26 then retracts, leaving the cartons supported only by the fingers 83. The plates 76 are then lowered by an air motor 70 and the cartons drop through a funnel 8 into an empty case 4. The cartons are positioned accurately above the case by the funnel 8, which falls with the plates 76 until it is aligned in the mouth of the case 4 when it is held in position by stops 103. The gripper fingers 83 are then released, the funnel 8 and the plates 76 raised, the case 4 moved on along a conveyer 5 and the cycle of operations is repeated with a new load group which will have now been formed on the platform 13. Various electrical safety devices are incorporated in the machine to ensure that every operation takes place in the correct order and at the correct time and the machine is air operated.