US2057464A - Packing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 13, w p WHITE PACKING APPARATUS Filed' Oct. 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 13, 1-936. wjP. WHITE PACKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 [wenfow 7/2 P W/ZZLZLLQ 0a. 13, 1936. r w. P. WHITE 2,057,464

' PACKING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 12, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 13, 1936 UNITED STATES:

meme APPARATUS I William r. We, Glencoe, m, asslgnor to White Cap Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware :Application Om r 12, 1931, Serial No. 508.320 1:. Claims. (01. 226-42) This invention relates to packing apparatus ofa type applicable to the packing otfoodstufis and the like in tumblers, jars, cans and similar containers.- v

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of. such apparatus which will operate automatically and with certainty and precision to accomplish the sealing .or closing of such contain ers, either under vacuum or otherwise, and accomplish avoluminous output per unit of time.

Another object of the invention is the provision of such apparatus adapted totunction in a canning "or packaging ;line" designed to carry on a continuous or progressive packing procedure, without involving special handling of the containers. v v j-.

Another object is thegprovision of such apps ratus which is readily'interchangeable or adaptable ior operation on containers of diilerent sizes.

Yet another object is. the provision of such apparatus having characteristics-which constitute effective safeguards to the machine itself, the material handled, and the operators.

Another object is the provision of. such apparatus which is easily operated and controlled, which is of strong and simple constructiom'and which, in relation to its output capacity, occupies but little space.

Other'obiects are the provision of improved structural, operating and adjustment features appropriate for use in such apparatus. 7

Other and further objects will be pointed out or indicated hereinafter,-or will be apparent ,to one skilled in the art upon an understandingot the invention or its employment in use. 1

For aid in thedisclosure of the invention and amarrangement wherein it may be embodied, I

iliustrate'in the accompanying drawings rorming a part of this specification one form of ma- Q chine or apparatus embodying the invention, but it is to beju'nderstood that this example, and thefollowingdescription thereof, are presented 'iorf F18. 4, a detail showing a view of a platen? I mounting device;

PATENT-"IOFFICE I Fig. 5, a sectional elevational view 01 the-same on substantially line 5-6 of Fig. 4; v

Fig. 6, a part plan and part horizontal sectional view on line 6-8 01 Fig. 3; Fig. 7, a horizontal sectional view on line atria-3;. v 4

Fig. 8, a detail in the nature of a side elevation of certain of the door control mechanism; and Fig. 9, a detail, in the nature of a sectional elevation on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Described generally, an apparatus embodying the invention comprises a sealing chamber or receiver provided with automatically shiftable drawal of a package or packages through'the opposite end; together with feeding or charging mechanism timed with the closure operating mechanism and operable to control the feed of packages to the receiver and-efiect the introduction oi packages thereinto at one end and the removal of packages through the other end; and

ing 01' closures or stoppers on packages in the receiver, and incidentally thereto the withdrawal "from and/or introduction into the receiver of air v I or other gaseous medium.' While the invention 5 inits broadest scope of novelty does not require the use thereof, an advantageous characteristic is 'aflorded by the provision of trays for holding 1 the packages or packing containers and for transniitting them to and from the sealing station, said trays being so related to the size of the packing containers and to the sealing and transmitting mechanism, as well as to the dimensions of the receiver, that they cooperate with said other elements and instrumentalities to effect the proper positioning of the packing containers in the receiverand in relationship to the sealing mechanism, and also the introduction of the packing containers into the receiver and their removal therefrom. The sealing mechanism, and various feathres thereof, are in themselves of novel and advantageous construction whereby the apparatus is adaptable withiacility to packing containers of various diameters and various heights for the obtaining of uniform results.

The nature of the invention, as well as of the various features thereof, may be ascertained in more detail by consideration of the illustrative 55 closures at opposite ends-which may be moved to positions such as to close the chamber andtc. positions such as to admit of the introduction of a package or packages at one end and withmechanism operating in timed relationship with the foregoing parts for accomplishing the sealembodiment shown in the drawings. and which particular embodiment will now be described.

As seen in Figs-1 and ti, side frame members iii are arranged to afford the requisite mountings and support for the receiver and operative mechanisms, the receiver ll being fixedly mounted thereon and being in the form or a' boxer re-- ceptacle'having conjoined top, bottom and side walls. From the latter, auxiliary frame members l2 extend upwardly to aiford mounting supports for portions 01' the sealing mechanism ashereinatter described, and tray guides it are associated with the side walls within the receiver.

Aliilned with the. chamber oi the receiver, and

terminating near the entrance end thereof (see Figs. 3 and 6) are a track way it and lateral retaining guides II, and below these .a pair of parallel guide rods It which constitute a mounting for a reciprocable slide member II. This slide member carries a pair 01' engaging mern-I hers or pawls i8 hinged to swing on a horizontal axis, and yieldably restrained by springs II in a.

limit position in which their noses are at an elevation slightly above the upper surface of the track members ll. The slide I1 is reciprocable on the guide rods it, its rearward limit position being thatindicated in full lines in Fig. 3, anti its forward limitposition being such as tobring the noses of the pawls II to the position indicatedindottedlinesinl lg.3,inwhichlatter ,position, it will be observed, their noses project a slight distance into the Adjacent the rearward limit position oi the pawls II, the upper surfaces oi the'traek ways It areinclined upwardly, and then continued rearwardlyata an elevation somewhat above the tops of the as indicated at it Doors 28 are provided for closing the opm ite ends of the receiver, and they are provided with suitable gaskets .on their inner taces-adapted to seat closelyagainsttheendsottherecelverto form air-tight joints. As seen inilgs. l and 6, thesedoorsaresupportedonleversorlinksli and 22, to the outer ends of whichthey are piv oted, the levers 2! being pivoted at their other ends to'the sides or the receiver at -24, and the levers 22 being lik pivoted to the sides of the receiver at II, arrangement being such that the levers of th respective doors are parallel and the leverpivots on the doorsare below the pivots 24 and 2! when the doors are closed against the ends oi the receiver. The weight of the swings the levers 2i upwardly as second-class levers, thus operating to move the doors slightly away from the ends of the receiver and to elevate them to positions illustrated in dotted lines,

where'they'are clear of the end openings of the receiver chamber. Upon downward movement.

of the slide bars 26, the doors-resume their closed position by gravity.'

The opening-andfplosingfl ements of the doors are effected imtiriiedjnelitionship tothc paw the door 2|.

reciprocatory movements or the slide II through the medium of the drive mechanism. The drive mechanism includes the prime mover 28 which through the medium 0; a belt drives the clutch gear ll which through appropriate clutch means drives gear II, which in turn drives gear 3| conjoined to gear 32. Gear 3! drives pinion 34 which meshes withgear 3!. The arrangement provides a speed-reducing train. The shaft 38,

-on which gear BI is mounted, carries a slot cam 31, which may be formed in gear 3!, and in this slot cam runs the roller 38 which is mounted on lever it, which lever is pivoted at its upper end on the machine frame at Ill. At its lower end lever 3O carries a' rod ll, slidable in a pivoted sleeve l2,'but yieldably restrained to a desired position by a spring 44. At its rearward end, rod II is pivoted to lever II, which is pivoted on the frame at GI, and which lever 45 has a rod 41 pivoted at its free end. This rod 1 has pivotal 1 connection with'the slide II at 48. Consequently,

as the slot cam 31 revolves, reciprocatory movementwill be imparted to the slide i1, moving it forwardly and'rearwardly on the guide rods it from one of its limit positions to the other. As seen'in Figs. 1,8 and 9, shaft it has conjoined thereto a pairof lifting cams ll, one at each sideofthemachineanduponthesecams llride therollersll whicharecarriedonthe slidebars II. Conseqmntly, as lifting'cams III are revolved byshattfl,theslidebarsll,andthedoors 20, wlllberaisedandloweredintimedrelationship with the reciproeatory movements oi slide i1. Thetimingissuohthatthei'orwardmovementoi' theslide llwillbeinitiatedafterthedoorshave been elevated,'and the return or rearward movement'oi the slide will be'partly effected beiore thedoors are restoredto their lower limit position. Acmtinuouslynmning belt conveyor l2 isassociatedand. alignedwiththerearwardendsor the track ways it. A plurality oisimilar rectangulartraystlisprovidedeach'beingoi'suitable dimensions to be guided on the track I4 and be ,-sccommodated in the receiver. illustrated in Fig. 2,.these trays are fitted-with removable positioning plates ti to receive packing containers oizthe tended size and-retain them in the desired spacing and'ar'e rsngementin the tray. The packing containers having been placedin the'trays .fllled with the material being packed, the bars with their charge'soi'containersareplacedonthebelt conveyor ".and moved by it onto the track ways ll, one after another. Since the conveyor '2 operates continuously, means is providedior controlling the advancing movem'enbof the trays'on the track w'ays Il -ll, so that they will ,be charged into the receiver in proper. timing with respect to the other operations of the machine.

Pivoted at '2, at one side 01' the track way, is

a lever, the free end of which extends into the path of upward movement of a roller I! carried by and projecting laterally from the lower portion or Conjoined to lever 64 by stub shaft 88 is a lever 61 which carries a stop member I extending laterally over the track way. where it maybe interposedinthepathoi atrayonthe latter. A spring .9 tends to hold the lever, 61

against a stop II, in which position of the lever .the stop member 68 is in the path of a tray on track way ll. Another atop lever carrying a stop member 12, is pivoted at "and conjoined by a stub shaft is to a crank arm 16. Crank arm 16 is connected to lever 64 by a link I1 and clevis it, link "having a limited extent oi sliding =movement the clevis,lagainstthe pressm'e of a spring I9. The extent of downward movement of the stop member I2 is limited by an abutment 80. In its lowered position, the stop member 12 is in f the path of movement of a tray'on track way H,

but isabove the path of movement of a tray on track way I. When the door is in closed or I {partly closed position, the parts occupy the positions illustrated in Fig. 3, thelstop' member 68 being in its lowered position and the stop member 'll in its raisedpo'sition where it is out of the path of a tray on track way I4. Hence, b operation; of the conveyor 52, trays may advanced on "track ways Il -J4 until the foremost tray abuts the stop member 88, the feeding force from the conveyor being transmitted from one tray to an.- other when the trays are in abutment with one 4 another. It the trays, when placed on the con--- '1 yeyorbelt, are spaced apartfr'om one another,

they will be moved into abutment when one of thetrays is held stationary on the trackway andv 1' thes-succeeding tray is brought'up to it by. the

' pontinuous movement of the conveyor, Conse- -quently, when a tray on track way I 4-is held by j stop member 68 against advancing movement, the n succeeding tray, on track way II, will be in abutof'theioremost tray, but at the same-time lowerf ing stop -'member 'l2 into thepath of the succeed ing tray; as indicated in the dotted linepositions I inFigL 1. When stop member GB -has been thus I slide n is advanced, and through the medium of iment with it, and the next tray, on conveyor belt 52, .will be in abutment with the tray on track.v

way I4, and all three Of-thesetrays be held stationary, the belt conveyor sliding under they r rearmost tray, but exertingon th'esame 'a continuous pressure tending to'advance'itfand to feed forward the trays ahead of-it.

When' door 20 is elevated to itsopen position,

. roller 85 engages lever 64, and swings it rearward- -ly, thus elevating stop member 88f1tomthe path removed from'thepath of thefforemost tray,

. pawls I8, which engage the rearward end of the '.forem'ost tray; will slide-that tray forwardly into the receiver; Ifthere is a tray already in the receiver, the tray which'is being advanced by the 1 slide I! will be moved into abutment with it and f the continued advancingmovement of the slide will move the preceding tray out. of the receiver,

through the discharge end, and onto the conveyor 83, which bears that tray away. The tray which is engaged by the pawls l8 at the same time be positioned thereby in the receiver chamber.

Meanwhile the succeeding tray is held stationary on the track wayby the stop member 12.

When the .doorsare lowered. the stop members 58 and I2 willbe restored to the positions shown in Fig. 3, whereupon the traywhich has been held on the track way ll willbe advanced by the action of conveyor 52 until its movement is arrested by stop member 68. In the return movement of "the slide II, the noses of the pawls I8 are depressed below the bottom of the tray on 'track way I4 until they'escapepast' the rearward on top of said tray upon the next opening movementofthe doors, and the tray thus held against end of that tray. whereupon they are elevated by their springs I9 to a' position where they will the -manner. abovedescribed V or sealing caps loosely applied- :beror they are introduced. ".Types of closure caps which machine-having the sealing ,illustrated "are shown infill; 1,590,787," although various other t'ypes 'of sealing closures-maybe used. j Fen-the] eaiing of such forward movement, spring 18 constituting a yielding medium through which the force is imparted from lever, to the crank arm I6. if,

from some accidental cause, a tray is only partly introduced into the receiver/chamber, at the propertlme'the doors 20 vyrillbelowered until arrested 'by j the or the packages therein, no harm to the machineinasmuch' as the "lowering, movement of the doors isfaccomplished by gravity. rather 171011 drive u l I I The sealing and exhausting mechanisms will ving connecnow be' described. It will'he understood that in use or. the form shown in this illustrative ;.embodiment th packing containers',[which' are brough machine in their closures et upon them [the receiver. yebe used in a closures on packing containers I-j'provldea vertically "'reciprocable head 8i "which ,carries four -verticalj .gposts 82 that extend into the receiver through appropriate packing glands'IM a'ndsupportfa platen 85' -wi thin .the receiver .gA'shaft 88 is'journ'aledin the frame and "carries a yoke 81: Four thrust links jatiare pivoted on. and depend from' the head a I, n and at their lower ends are connected in pairs by crank-f pins 88-and 88". A crank arm'80 is journaled'bnfa bearing 8| and has its'other erid jour- "nale' pn'the crankpin 89-". A doublecrank memberl82fzis journaled on a bearing; 94 and'has one of itsarms journaled onthe crankpin 88'and its othe'rl arm connected to'one arm of the yoke- 'me1nber-8'I by a pivoted link 85. A similar link Siconnectsthe other arm of the yoke member to 'thecrankjpin'88',

As in Fig. 1. the shaft 85 1s connected by a crank arm 91 with'a sleeve 98 carried on a rod 89 and restrained to a limit position'thereon by a spring I00. Rod 89 is connected at its lower end to a lever IIII which is pivoted'on the machine frame at I02 and-which carries a roller I04- ang'ements herein Patent No.

which rides in a slot cam I05 carried on the drive shaft. 86. Upon rotation of shaft 36, cam I05 is eifective on roller I04 to oscillate lever IOI' ver- .to the position there shown, whereby the rearward arm of yoke member 81 is lowered and the Upon forward end raised. Through the linkage and lever connection of yoke member 81 and links 88, the latter are thus drawn downwardly to .the position shown in Fig. 3, which lowers the head member 8| and thrusts downwardly the platen 85. Upon reverse rotation of shaft 86, the head member and platen are raised; Movement ofshaft 06 in each direction is inducedby cam I05'in timed relationship with the other operations of the machine. f

The platen 85 is a rigid plate member. and it carries a plurality of sealing anvils I06 distributed thereon in an arrangement corresponding to the arrangement of the container-spacing apertures of the positioning members. 6 I. Each anvil is carhorizontal plane, but due -.to their cushions may have slight angular movement individually.

A tray of packing containers, withtheir closure caps thereon, having been positioned in the receiver as above described, and the receiver doors having been moved to closed position, the platen is lowered, through operation of the means above described, to a position in which the sealing an--v vils are spaced but slightly'above the tops of the closurec'aps. This spacing is such as to permit the closure caps to rise slightly from the containers, to allow for withdrawal of air from within the latter, but the extent of movement'is so limited that the closure caps cannot be displaced from their desired axial positions on the containers. With the sealing devices in this position, the gas withdrawing and/or supplying operation is accomplished as hereinafter described and thereupon the platen is further lowered to the extent necessary to seat the closure caps fully upon the containers.

,To permit the accommodation of the sealing mechanism to containers of diflerent heights, the posts 82 are vertically adjustable on the head 8i through the medium of nuts I" threaded on the posts and rotatably retained in the head, which nuts have sprockets I08 conjoined thereto, whereby they may be rotated through the medium of a chain I08. (Fig. 7) operable by a driving sprocket III) and hand wheel III. The posts are held against rotation by means of locking bars II2, each of which'bars is secured to two of the posts by means of locking bolts I I4. Thus the posts '82 are adjustable as to elevation uniformly and simultaneously. In order to provide for the accurate leveling of the platen, the posts 82 are also adjustable individually by means of a screw driver or spanner engageable with kerfs- 82 upon removal of the locking bars. H2 and locking bolts II4.

To allow forinterchangeability of platens, the posts and platens are provided with a quickly demountable connection. As seen in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the posts have peripheral grooves adjacent their lower ends, and their lower ends seat in sockets in the upper side of the platen. Flat keys H5 are provided, each having a bifurcated end portion adapted-to straddle and fit in the grooved portion of the post, each key being connected to the platen by a bolt 8 and by the engagement of its bifurcated end portion under a keeper II'I connected to the platen at the opposite side of.

the post by a bolt 8. when the doors 20 are in the'elevated position, interchanging of platens may be. eflected quite quickly by lowering the posts 82 to give the necessary working clearance above the platens, then loosening the bolts H8 and Ill, withdrawing the ,keys, thus freeing the platen and permitting withdrawal of the posts from the sockets.

To provide for the holding of the doors in the elevated position, a stop pin I 28 (see Figs. 8 and 9) is fitted in the guide ofone of the slide bars 26, and that bar is provided with a seat III for the stop pin. By pressing inwardly on the stop pin, it may be thrust into the seat I2I when the latter comes into register with it in the ,course of movement of the slide bar, and when so seated,

the stop pin will hold the bar against returningv downwardly, thus holding the doors in the elevated position even though the operation of the drive mechanism continuea.

For controlling the withdrawal and introduction of gas, as for example exhausting of air from the receiver chamber, a valve I22 is mounted on the side of the receiver and controls communication between an inlet passage I24 into the receiver chamber and pipe connection I2! which leads to the receiver of an air pump or the like. A cam I26 is arranged to operate lever and link mechanism I21 to shift the positions of the valve, in timed relationship with the operation of the machine, so as to 'open and close communication between the inlet connection I24 and the pipe I25, and betweenjhe inlet connection and inlet opening I28, at proper intervals. Thus, when it is desired toexhaust air from the packages before sealing, the pipe I2! is connected with the receiver and an exhaust pump, which may be continuously operated from an independent source, and the timing of the cam I28 is such as to place the inlet connection I24 in communication with the pipe I2! after the sealing anvils I06 have been lowered to the pause position adjacent the closure caps on the packing containers, so that air will. be withdrawn from the receiver and hence from within the packages just prior to'the final downward or sealini movement of the platen. After such sealing movement of the platen, the valve is shifted to the relief position, wherein communication between the inlet connection I24 and the pipe I2l is closed and communication between the inlet connection and the relief or inlet opening I28 is opened.

The clutch mechanism through which rotation is transmitted from the clutch gear 28 to gear 38 may be controlled by a manuaily'operable clutch lever I80, and a kick-out device III may be provided to be positioned in the path of a cam I32, when desired, to accomplish the throwing out of the clutch automatically upon completion of an operation cycle of the machine.

In operation, the trays, each with its comple- "rnent of filled packing containers in it, are placed on the conveyor 52, and the closure caps placed loosely on the containers, and by operation of the continuously running conveyor the trays are fed successively onto the track way I4 and brought into abutment with one another and advanced until the foremost tray is stopped by the stop member 88. Upon the opening movement of the doors, and the forward movement of the slide II, the foremost tray is pushed into the receiver, whence it ejects the preceding tray onto the bearing-oil? conveyor 88. Meanwhile the tray on the track way I4 is held by the stop I2, but is released soon after the closing movement of the doorsstarts, whereupon said tray is ad-' vanced along the track way I4 by the pressure of the following trays, while the slide I1 is re-' turning rearwardly. After the doors 2| have .reached their closed position, the platen 8! is form in succession, periodically operated feeding means for. moving successive trays individually from said track way onto said platform, said travs adapted forcooperation with one another a ranged to guide said trays to said sealing plat to effect displacement of a preceding tray from the platform by movement 'of a tray thereonto, stop means for limiting movement of atray on the track way, and means operated in timed re-. lationship with said feeding means to render arranged to guide trays successivelyto the sealing platform, periodically operated feeding means for moving a tray from the track way onto the sealing platform, two stop members arranged for 3. Packing apparatus comprising, in combination, a sealing platform, sealing means operable above the same, a plurality of trays for holding packing receptacles, a track way arranged to guide trays successively to the sealing platform,

periodically operated feeding means for'moving a tray from the track way onto the sealing platform, two stop members arranged for cooperation respectively with two juxtaposed trays von the track way to limit their forward movement thereon, and means operating in timed relationship with the feeding means to move one of said stop members to its tray-stopping position and the other stop member from its tray-stopping positionand vice versa. 1

I 4. Packing apparatus comprising, in combination, a receiverhaving opposite end openings, closures movable to and from positions in which they close said end openings air tight, sealing means operable in the receiver, a plurality of. trays for holding packing containers, periodically operated feeding means operable to move trays successively into the receiver through one of its end openings. and thereby displace preceding trays from the receiver through the other end opening, means associated with the other end opening for bearing away trays displaced from the receiver, and means for actuating the closure-moving means and feeding means in timed relationship, said feeding means including a tray-engaging member movable into andout of opening for bearing away trays displaced from the receiver, means for actuating the closuremoving means and feedingmeans in timed rela tionship, means for presenting trays to the feeding-me as in succession, and'means for stopping th \t ays in predetermined position with respect t8 s id feeding means.

6. Packing apparatus comprising, in combination, a receiifer having opposite end openings,

- closures for said end openings, the receiver in its closed condition being susceptible of evacuation of air to sub-atmospheric pressure, closure operating means for controlling opening and closing movements of said closures,-se aling means operable in the receiver, said receiver provided with a gas inlet, a valve for controllingadmission of gas through said inlet, a continuously operating conveyor for presenting packing containers ad-" ja/cent one of the end openings of the receiver,

means for detaining packing containers presented by said last mentioned means, feeding means .for moving packing containers into the receivertthrough one of its end openings, and means for operating said closure operating means, sealing means, feeding means and valve periodicaily in timed relationship.

7.. Packing apparatus comprising, in combinaftion, an air-tight receiver having opposite end openings closed by movable'closures, means for moving the closures to open and closed positions,

a plurality of package holders movable serially into the receiver through one end opening and out of the receiver through the opposite end opening, feeding means operable to move a package holder into the receiver and transmit movement by way of said package holder to a preceding package holder in the receiver, said feeding means including a reciprocating element movable into the receiver through an end opening to position the package holder in the receiver and means for actuating said feeding means and 'closure operating means in timed relationship.

8. In apparatus for sealing packing vessels, in combination, a plurality oftrays each adapted to hold a plurality of packing vessels, a receiver adapted to accommodate one tray at a time, sealing means operable in said receiver, said receiver having opposite end openings and movable closures therefor adapted to closethem airtight,a track way adjacent one of said end o'penings, means for moving trays on said track way in succession -to a position adjacent said end opening, feeding means operable on respective trays to feed them successively into the receiver and position them therein withtheir packing vessels in position to be engaged by the sealing means, means for bearing away the successive trays as they are displaced from the receiver,

. and means controlling operation of said closures,

feeding means and sealing means in timed relationship.

9. In an apparatus for sealing packing vessels, in combination, a receiver adapted to be closed air-tight, said receiver having opposite end openings, movable closures for said end openings,

package sealing means operable in said receiver,

means for elevating the closures away from the end openings, a support adjacent one of said end openings, a plurality of trays movable on said support, feeding means for moving successive trays from said support into the receiver and positioning them therein in cooperative relationship to the sealing means while said closures are elevated, means associated with the other end opening for hearing away trays displaced from the receiver, and means for actuating the feeding means and closure elevating'means in timed relation.

10. Packing apparatus comprising, in combi nation, a receiver having opposite end openings, closures adapted to seat on said receiver under influence of gravityto close said openings, actuatingqneans operating cyclically to elevate said closures to open position and to control their descent to closed position, and means operating in timed relationship with said actuating means for track way,

moving packing containers into the receiver when the closures are in elevated position.

11. Packing apparatus as specified in claim 10 and including selectively operable means for retaining said closures in elevated position independently of operation of said actuating means.

12. Packing apparatus comprising, in combination,-a sealing platform, a track way leading to said platform, continuously operating feeding means for moving a series of containers to said intermittently operating feeding means operable to engage the foremost container on the track way and move it onto the sealing platform, a movable stop member arranged to arrest the foremost container on the track way in a position where it may be operably engaged by the intermittent feeding means, and means operated in timed relationship with said intermittent feeding means to move said stop member and thereby release the container to the intermittent feeding means.

13. Packing apparatus comprising, in combination, a receiver casing having opposite end openings, movable closures for closing said end openings, closure-supporting links pivoted in pairs to each of opposite marginal sides of the closures, the links which are pivoted to respective closures being arranged in parallel spaced relationship and being pivoted at the sides of the receiver casing at a distance from the closures for swinging in vertical planes to permit elevation of the closures to positions above the end openings, thrust links each having pivotal cooperation with' one of the closure-supporting links of respective closures, and an operating member having pivotal connection with said thrust links, said operating member being operable to move said thrust links longitudinally toward the closure-supporting links with which they cooperate, to swing said closure-supporting links in vertical arcs and elevate the closures.

WILLIAM P. WHITE.

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