US2661882A

US2661882A - Packing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2661882A
Application number: US310198A
Authority: US
Inventors: Marshall E Francisco
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-09-18
Filing date: 1952-09-18
Publication date: 1953-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1970-12-08

Description

Dec. 8, 1953 M. E. FRANCISCO 2,661,882

7 PACKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l MARSHALL E. FRANCISCO INVENTOR HUEBNER, BEEHLER,

woRkEL a HERZ/G ATTORNEYS Dec. 8, 1953 M. E. FRANCISCO 2,661,882

PACKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 18, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 E vii 1'12"".

x Io,

MARSHALL E. FRANCISCO INVf/VTOP HUEBNER BEEHLER,

WORREL 8 HERZ/G ,4 7'70/PNEKS y BMW/M Dec. 8, 1953 M. E. FRANCISCO PACKING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 18, 1952 MARSHALL E. FRANCISCO R. G Ha & 5a 1 m 5 0 H w lw if 8 ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PACKING APPARATUS Marshall E. Francisco, San, Jose, Galir.., Application September 18, 1952, Serial No. 310198 (on. 22e 14).

r 8 Claims. 1.

The present.- invention relates: to a packing a l-- paratus adapted to receive a plurality of articles such as stuffed olives and the like, to be packed,

and to deposit-the same in a. jar, bottle, or other container thereforin predetermined attitudes and relations. as for display purposes.

The apparatus of the general character described in my copending patent application, filed April 5; 19-53, Serial No. 154,099, entitled "Automatte Packing Apparatus, and constitutes an improvement the-rein. The problemswhich theinvention constituting the subject matter of the above identified patent application has overcome are conveniently illustrated by reference to the packing of 'stufled olives in transparent glass bottles. $tufied olives are generally received in bulk from various Southern European sources and previously were handpacked in the United States into the small glass bottles of the type generally displayed in grocery stores, delicatessens, and, the like. Prior to the previous invention, the olives were selected from bulk and placed by hand with the aid oftwezersin the-bottles. with the stufilng outwardly disposed and'faced against the bottle walls so as exteriorly to present a smooth and pleasing appearance. The olives were eirculariy arrangedin the bottles and compacted 'sothat by theirown resiliencein the circ-ular arrangement, firm engagement with the Wal1s-of-the'bottles was maintained. successively superimposed circular layers of the i usually positioned in the container to provide vertical-alignment oiv corresponding olives in each layer in'staeked arrangement; This tedious. and expensiveprocess was at one time universal practice in the packing of stuffed olives andeven at the present is followed by many packers who have not yetbeen able t tmechanizetheir opera.- tion. Th labor for such hand packing, isof such extent that a substantial p'ortioriof the total cost of each bottleof olives resulsiromth'e packing operation.

Although the device of the previous invention was the first apparatus, known to the applicant capable of packing stuffed olives and the like in their containers in a speedy and economical manner, thea paratus underv certain conditions was subject to difiiculties which the pre ntervention has overcome.

In facing the olives outwardly v against their containers it is necessary that the olives be thrust outwardly. Thiswas accomplished by the Dre viousinvention bydrawi ga spreader :rod, hav ing an enlarged irus-to-conical'end. Portion, upwardly betweenpthe olives while the olives were olives were held. downwardly in position. Although entirely satisfactory in most instances, the, use, of such a, spreader rodoccasionally tips. the olives so that. the stumng thereof; is not displayed in the most advantageous positions.

An ject or the present invention is to provide for the outward thrusting of olives and, the like to f i g en agement. with a. container in which they are acked by an apparatus of the characterdescribed so as to; avoid the tipping: incident oth utilizationoia spreader-rod.

Another objeet is more economically to make available .to restaurants, bars, consumers, and the like, stu-fied olives and similar articles: frequently packed laytedious and expensive hand operations.

Another object to minimize the expenses and wasted-time incident tothe .packing' ofnfruit and. the like by hand in oonta'ners therefor under conditions requiring predetermined ordered ar rangement of the 'frui-t and proper facing thereof, as fordispl 'ypurposes.

Another object automatically and -mechani-- orally to pack articles in selected numbers in pre determined relation and attitudes in containers" provided therefoix I Another object: is to provid -an improved me-' chanical packing' aid adapted- Simultaneously to position a plurality of articles in predeterhuned circular arrangement in a'container therefor and upon release or the articles in the containers tourge the same diall'y outwardly in predeterminedattitudes.

Anotherv obj coi is able holding and and the like ad'ap to provide improved release positioning means for fruit dependably to supportand release the i-same withaininimu'm of damage thereto.

Otheroosect's are to prov de improved elements andarrangements thereof in a device of the character-and-for the purpo es set forth that is dependable ihopeiatioaeeohomicai a produce and rapid in the performance ofits packing function. Further objects and adv'ahta'ge's will become. apparent in the subsequent description the specification. r 1

In the drawings: V Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevati n partially in vertical section" of apacking apparatus em-. bodyin'g theprinciples of -the'- present invention; Fig; 3 is aseouon taken on line $52 of ig.1, Fig. ii -is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section of a releasable-holdingdevice for olives and the like utilize'xi in the apparatus of the present invention taken approximately ihfiheposition'oe one a ainr'zgfi." I

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the structure shown in Fig 3 taken in a plane normal to the section of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the device taken in the approximate position indicated by line 5-5 on the vertical section of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the device in the approximate position indicated by line 6-6 on the vertical section of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 .is a transverse section of the device in the approximate position indicated by line 1-1 on the vertical section of Fig. '3.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section of the device in the approximate position indicated by line 8-8 on the vertical section of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective of an ejector utilized in the releasable holding device.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective of a holding device and manipulating rod utilized therewith shown with the ejector removed therefrom. Fig. 11 is a vertical section-of an olive bottle and fragmentarily enlarged portion of the packing apparatus of the present invention as viewed at the loading station subsequent to the packing of four layers of olives in the bottle.

Fig. 12 is similar to Fig. 11 but shows the described structure positioned to locate a pair of successive layers of olives in the bottle. i Fig. 13 is similar to Fig. 12 but illustrates a successive step in which holding fingers are withdrawn from the olives while the olives are held downwardly in the bottle and thrust radially of the bottle into facing engagement therewith.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of a packing head illustrating the radial thrusting of olives during release therefrom.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings:

Preliminary to a description of the packing head of the present invention, attention is invited to associated structureshown in Figs; 1 and 2, part of which constitutes the subject matter of a United States patentapplication in the process of preparation. Any .suitable support frame is represented generally at 10 having a horizontal table [I mounted thereon providing an opening 12 therethrough ata packing locus. A sub-table I3 is located beneath the table II in parallel relation thereto. A conveyor belt I 4 or any other suitable means of conveying bottles t5 to the packing locus is mounted for travel in the subtable directly beneath the opening l2.

A star wheel ll, of well known form, is rotatably mounted in the sub-table I3 on a substantially vertical shaft 18 and is driven by means not shown so as periodically to locate a bottle l5 in alignment with the opening 12 and to retain the bottle in such alignment until packed. An arm [9 is pivotally mounted on the sub-table transversely of the belt I4 from the star wheel I! and is urged by a spring 20 into bottle engagement so that the bottle is dependably held in star wheel engagement.

A spider member 22 is mounted on the table H in spanning relation to the opening 12 and provides'a cylindrical guide portion 23 in axial alignment with the opening and in elevatedspaced relation to the table I I.

A 'gooseneck housing 25 is rigidly mounted on the table II and extended over the opening I2. A hearing 26 is mounted in the housing in vertical concentric alignment with the opening. A rack gear 21 is slidably mounted. in the bearing 25 for reciprocal elevational movement, and a packing head, indicated generally by the numeral 28 is coupled to the rack gear at 29 and provides a lower end slidably mounted in the guide portion 23 of the spider member 22. The significant structure of the packing head will subsequently be described, it being sufficient at this point to observe that the packing head is elevationally reciprocated between a loading station, illustrated in Fig. 1, and a succession of elevationally spaced packing positions in a bottle l5 so as to pack successive layers of olives or other articles therein. The system for vertically reciprocating the rack gear and the'packing head coupled thereto in the manner described is to constitute the subject matter of a patent application now in the process I of preparation but for purposes of disclosing an operable entity, attention is briefly devoted thereto at this point.

A pinion 34 is rotatably mounted in the housing 25 in mesh with the rack gear 21 and has a driving pinion 35 integral therewith. A sector gear 35 is rotatably mounted in the housing as at.3| for reciprocal pivotal movement. A lever 38 is upwardly extended from the sector gear and itwill be evident that pivotal movement of the lever serves to impart reciprocal rectilinear movement to the rack gear 21 and packing device 28.

So that the upper limit of reciprocal movement of the rack gear 21 and packing head 28 may be constantly maintained and the lower limit Of the movement be regulated to achieve the elevational stepped progression for the packing of successive layers of olives, a slide member 42 is mounted on the lever 38 and provides a downwardly dis-.- posed concave cam surface 43. A compression spring 44 is provided between the slide member and a head 45 mounted on the upper end of the leverand serves to urge the slide member downwardly. I

A bracket 48 is mounted in the housing 25 and provides a vertical guide channel 49 therein vertically aligned with the pivotal mounting 3 1 of the sector 36. A'bar 56 is mounted in the channel 49 for reciprocal elevational movement and mounts a cam positioning roller :5l on the upper end thereof in engagement with the cam surface 43.

. A shaft 52' is rotatably mounted horizontally the housing in vertical alignment below the bar 50. A progression cam 53 is removably mounted on the shaft for unitary rotational movement therewith in any suitable manner. A cam following roller 56 is rotatably mounted on the lower end of the bar and rests on the cam 53. Asthe cam 53 rotates in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, the bar 50 is elevated, elevating the slide member 42 on the lever 38.

A pair of pillow blocks 51 are mounted in the housing 25 and provide a pair of slide bearings 58 in horizontal alignment with the mounting 31 of the sector gear 38. A pair of shafts 59 are mounted in the bearings for axial reciprocal movement toward and from said mounting 3'1. The shafts and their respective bearings are preferably complementarily splined and. grooved so that the shafts cannot rotate in the bearings but are restricted to axial reciprocation therein. An internal closed cam fill is rigidly mounted between the shafts in a substantially vertical plane. A push-pull arm 6| pivotally interconnects the slide member 42 and the cam 80.

' A shaft 54 is journaled in the housing 25 in substantially right angular relation to the aligned shafts '59 and mounts a sprocket thereon. A crank 65 is externally extended from the shaft into the closedcam E0. Driven connection is made to the drive shaft 61 of an electric motor or 38 and sector gear 36, a ratchet wheel 12 ismounted on thesh-aft 52: A pawlarmwis pivoted-onthctshait; and mountsa-pawl H mratchet. wheet engagement. An eccentric l having a. sprocket iii integrali therewith is rotatably mountedin the housingin substantial alignment with theratchet; wheels. A pnsh-pull-armpivotsmterconnectsthe eccentric and thepawl arm. eccentric. is; rotated: synchronously with the crank 66 by means of a chaincmfitted toithe sprocket wand: about thetriple isprocket GEmQimtQd-Qnthedrive shaft 611. Thelpackmg. hadzm includes an elongated rod iiopinned to the racheear 21;: Ashest.. shown. inl igs 3 4 and.

like the; rod hasa lower end; which amounts asu-hylindrical head. at. thereon; A plmalitvofinairs oi elongated transversely flat resilient. fin ers 821 are. mounted; on the head in asubstantia lv ilzcular arran ement and. endwardl ex.- e. dad downwardly-r therefrom. The. fingers. pr. inner.- edges and outer edges.' and the d essers f: ach. are" mounted on the. head ran versely substanti lly parallel to. a. plane. radiahto the headbpassed michvay-therebetween, hai-fin ers oi. achnair: are .alsolongitudinallyarcuate to provide facing concavesnriaces 83; dapted o. receive therebetween. articles; to be pack diahdare ehdwardly convergent therefrom alt-g5; 'Lfhe article holding receptacles: defined: is the. fa ing; concave surfaces 813' may be. at a emmam lev on to. pachclimsun the. like; in a. in lczlaver 1: mayb atdiiier nt elevations so s o each ap umality 01% layers. during: each packma t r-1Eor llh tnative c nvenience, a form is hawmwith: wh ch two laversof. :olivesare. packed each con isting-of a cal-.11 or a xiallv aliened olives.

and-w th: t e. li s the-.adiacentlayers right.

modemsel ted; .asshowa. in. Fi 7.; audit. of gapfi 1 si nificance is the.,form.:of.;the fin gets :wbicllz' en dahly-holds olives or the like-in Qndered arrangemeht; and: upon release. thereof -i ss-thesame u w r v' mm engage?" meat, with; thesbottle I15; Qnefinger. of; each; pair is, dextrorsal-ly twisted its convergent portion, al d -thel opposite finger Simst-rorsaI-Iy twisted so;

ihatltherinner dg s. of; the fingers of: each pair;

ahp zoach each other; 1 endwa-rdly of; ther fingers: tqhas-beem found; that. the utilization of this iqramqof fineehobtiates themed. for a spreadin gin of -thecharacter described in-, copendin patent.application:reierred -to andoi: article; tine gingprdisolacem n incidenatheretm Althou h thglinner and-{outer edsesyofieach fingeiiarevsuh stantially parallel from the top; 01? each; fingerhroughout most. of. it length; the. inner edge thereoilsphliquely. slanted toward: its; respective; outer edg adjacent. tQthe. extendedend-or each. finger; further to. facilitate.outward-thnustine of; heart 'clesd rine ischarge.

"A: cylindrical; sleeve 81, is, sIidably. mounted. c n ca ly n the. rod; 8;u*-.io.r endwardmover: ment relative thereto by, slide bearings .88. A. sleeve preferably extends from a portion: adjacent to the head 8!- into the housingfii;

- c-rossheadwjector or hold-ing member-embest shownlin-Figfl; isrigidly-mounted onthe sleeve. bwmeans of a pair'oi arms 9 landprovid'es an eiectingaelement: ill-extendedbetweezrthe pairs ojsifingersitm on the upperlevel of the packing lieadi mm all pair ofi eieetop elements lit-down- V cam followerstodraw,

watery theme-e between the fing'ers a2 ofthe lower level. The head!!! i's -vertically' grooved slidabl'y to receive-the arms9l which are-screwthreadably or otherwise mounted within the sleeve. A compression spring 94' is mounted'con centricallyon the-rod flounder compression between the-head H and the lower slide bearing 88. The spring urges the head and fingers downwardlyrelative to the elector so that: ejecting: elements 92 and Sideline upper-limits for olive-or other article hol'dingreceptacles defined between the fingers;

As described tov this point, it; will beevident that the ejector and-fingers are vertically'recip roca'ted together: upon rotationxof the drive shaft: G L In order to eject. olives. or other articles. from between the fingers at the: lower: limits. of recipro cation of the. packing head: 28.; itisnecess'aryto. holdthe' sleeve. 8:7. and ejector 911 downwardly upon initial return-travel oi theirod 8.0, head 8il', and fingers, 82. Thus, as: the fingers are returned upwardly,.. the ejecting elements can hold. the; olivesin placeand the outwardly flared character of the fingers urgeqthe olives slidably outwardly: into facing. engagement with'the bottle.

For the purpose of periodically interrupting: the .reciprocalmovement: oft'the ejector G0; a. titbular brake: hOllsing efia isamounted in the housing: 25. radially of the sleeve;- vA:paiffcn? jam/s39!- are: pivotall-y mounted m'thehonsing as atllaiandrare loosely fitted-to theavsleeve ttl; as'best shownziin Fig; 2. The laws are preferably providediwith; any suitable brake? shoes; 95.. A- spring hill) is: mountedv under compression. between. the-jaws and serves. to urge thejawsoutwardlyfromthe sleeve for free movement. orthe; sleevew-tth tlio rodi 8.13;. To actuate the jaws; aJpainoficamWayS; til-i which diverge toward the; sleeve are: pro:- vided in the jaws. A brake-rod I07; is slidably mounted in the make; housing: 361 and- .nivotally mounts: a yoke i103 .thereorr having cam followers: 4:6 4. rotatably mounted on. opposite thereofi in rolling camway engagement; a

The, brake rod 102:. extended firom the hon-S.- ingaawayzfrom thezsleeve and mounts-.a colla-r k118i thereon which; serves to: holdi: a compression spring lli t betweem 71 31610113111 and brake housing: 96 so as to urge the rod away from the sleeve sw as to release'thejaws 9. 7% 'frromrthe closing: effect of the;oamsfollowersatiidc Ashaft H-il isrctatably mountedin. therhousing; 25 in; alignment with; the brake rod. Hi2. andz l rovidessaz cam= if! i: thereon periodicallyell j eable Wihih thebrake rodritoz forcethe: same towardjthm sleeve to' cause: the; the jaws: together so asatm hold the: sleeve.-

against. movement with A brake sprocket .l liz is-rotatably mounted: imthe, housing 25: and-.has.--:driven conn'ectiom to: the sprocket; 68:-by meansoiax chain. I I31. or bevelgears H4 provide tween the; brake-sprocket: and; the shaft .l" I

Operation.

Theoperation; of the packing apparatus A of the: present. invention-a believed to be clearly v apparentiand" is briefiy summarized at this point.

Although the means for reciprocating the-pack ing: head-28 in the specified manner described has: been: referred to income detail; it is tov'be emphasized that theginstant application' isprin cipally: concerned withtlie packing; head itselt,

Empty bottles i ii are ied totlie packing 'flocu's aligne'd belowthe opening ii' fby any suitable means-"and held successiinely-irrprecise packing driving connection beof the packing operation, the packing head 28 is elevated to its loading station, as shown in- Fig. 1, and stufied olives 30 or other articles to be packed are manually or otherwise positioned in the fingers, as shown in Fig. 6.

Upon actuation of the drive shaft 61, the crank 66 is rotated and by engagement with the internal cam B, the cam and shafts 59 reciprocate horizontally. As the cam moves to the right, as viewed in Fig. 1, the lever 38 is pivoted into the position shown in dashed line, lowering the packing head into the bottle I5 so that the lowermost olives held between the fingers 82 are rested upon the bottom of the bottle. Upon return travelof the cam 60 to raise the packing head, the cam Hi actuates the brake rod 102 to clamp the jaws 91 tightly about the sleeve 31 holding the sleeve and ejectors 90 intheir lowermost position against the urging of the spring 94. As demonstrated in Fig. 14, as the fingers move upwardly relative to the olives, the downwardly convergent twisted portions of the fingers thrust the olives radially outwardly into facing engagement with the bottle. Not only do the twisted surfaces of the fingers urge the olives outwardly into the position shown in full line in Fig. 14, but such thrusting is substantially aided by the oblique inner edges 85 which slant outwardly and ride against the olives. The effect of the edges is such that immediately upon being packed, slight depression lines H6 are evident on the olives which gradually disappear.

The shape of the cam III is such that the jaws 91 are released as soon as the fingers are withdrawn from the olives and under the influence 'of the spring 94 the sleeve 81 and the ejector 90 are returned to their initial position in the packing head 28.

The packing head is returned to the position shown in Fig. 1 at which the fingers are again loaded. In the meantime, the pawl 14 has moved the progression cam 53 a single step so that the slide member 42 is now somewhat elevated on the lever increasing the lever arm effect thereof and decreasing the distance of travel of the sector gear 36 incident to reciprocation of the cam 60.

As the lever is then pivoted, the packing head 28 is again lowered into the bottle H5 but be cause of the reduced pivotal movement of the lever, the head descends a distance only sufficient to postiion the next layer of olives on those previously packed. It will be apparent that by substitution of cams, 53 of various sizes and shapes, the device can be adapted to various olive sizes, packing heads adapted to locate one or more layers at a time, and the like.

Again the brake operates to retain the ejector at the lower limit of travel while the fingers 82 are withdrawn from the olives to thrust the olives outwardly against the bottle subsequent to which the brake is released and the operations repeated until the bottle is filled.

Upon return travel of the packing head 28 from the bottle after having positioned the uppermost layer therein, the cam 53 rotates past its high point so that the follower 54 and bar 50 drop to their initial position and as a new bottle is fed to packing position, the apparatus is automatically conditioned for repeated operation.

The packing apparatus of the present invention has made possible accurate mechanical place packing of olives and the like into containers, and the urging of the olives into facing engagement with the bottles for most advantageous display. The utilization of the fingers described avoids all displacement of the olives from desired position incident to their lateral thrusting. The device has been entirely successful durin extensive operation.

7 Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and apparatus.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a packing apparatus of the character described, a packing head comprising a mounting member, a pair of elongated resilient fingers mounted on the mounting member and extended therefrom, said fingers being adapted to receive articles to be packed therebetween and being oppositely twisted to define an outwardly flared article discharge path therebetween endwardly of the fingers, and means movable relatively longitudinally between the fingers adapted to urge articles longitudinally of the fingers along the outwardly flared discharge path whereby the articles are released from-the fingers and thrust outwardly therefrom.

2. In a packing apparatus adapted simultaneously to place a plurality of articles in predetermined arrangement in a container therefor and to urge the articles outwardly in the container comprising a mounting member mounted for reciprocal rectilinear movement between a predetermined loading station and packing station, a plurality-of pairs of elongated fingers mounted on the mounting member and endwardly extended therefrom in the direction of the packing station, the fingers of each pair being longitudinally arcuate to define an article holding receptacle therebetween and having convergent ends oppositely twisted to provide an outwardly flared article discharge path endwardly of the fingers, and means for retaining articles at the packing station upon return movement of the mounting means and the fingers whereby the fingers are withdrawn from the articles forcing the articles outwardly as they are traversed by the outwardly flared portions of the fingers.

3. In a packing apparatus of the character described, a packing head comprising a substantially cylindrical head, a plurality of pairs of elongated resilient fingers mounted on the head in a circular arrangement having inner edges and outer edges and being endwardly extended from the head, the fingers of each pair being longitudinally arcuate providing facing concavities and being endwardly convergent, the endwardly convergent portions of the fingers of each pair being oppositely twisted with the inner edges of the fingers advanced toward each other longitudinally of the fingers, and means mounted on the head for relative movement endwardly of the fingers having ejector portions extended between the fingers of each pair.

4. A packing apparatus adapted simultaneously to place a plurality of articles in predeterminedcircular arrangement in a container therefor and to urge the articles radially outwardly in their circular arrangement comprising an elongated rod, a substantially cylindrical head finger being sinistrorsally twisted between the re- 2 ceptacle and its extended end to define an outwardly fiared article path of travel between the fingers, means mounting the rod and endwardly reciprocating the same between a loading station and a packing station, and means responsive to endward reciprocation of the rod for retaining articles at the packing station upon return movement of the rod therefrom while the fingers are withdrawn from the articles forcing the articles outwardly as they traverse the outwardly fiared portions of the fingers.

5. In a packing apparatus of the character described, a substantially cylindrical head mounted for endward reciprocal rectilinear movement, 'a plurality of pairs of elongated transversely fiat resilient fingers mounted on the head in a substantially circular arrangement and endwardly extended therefrom, the fingers providing inner edges and outer edges and the fingers of each pair being mounted on the head transversely substantially parallel to a plane radial to the head midway between the fingers, the fingers of each pair also being longitudinally arcuate to provide facing concave surfaces adapted to receive therebetween articles to be packed and being endwardly convergent therefrom, the convergent portion of a finger of each pair being dextrorsally twisted and the convergent portion of the opposite finger being sinistrorsally twisted whereby the inner edges approach each other endwardly of the fingers, said approaching inner edges being convergent relative to their respective outer edges, and ejector means slidably mounted on the head for relative movement longitudinally thereof having portions extended between the fingers of each pair.

6. A packing device, adapted simultaneously to place a plurality of olives or other ovoid articles in predetermined substantially circular arrange ment in a container therefor and to urge the articles radially outwardly in their circular arrangement, comprising an elongated rod, driving means connected to the rod adapted to reciprocate the same between a predetermined loading station and a plurality of successively elevated packing stations, a head mounted on the rod, pairs of elongated resilient fingers mounted on the head substantially concentrically of the rod and endwardly extended therefrom, the fingers providing inner edges and outer edges and the fingers of each pair being mounted on the head transversely parallel to a plane radial to the head passed midway therebetween, the fingers of each pair also being longitudinally arcuate to provide facing concave surfaces adapted to receive therebetween the articles to be packed, and being endwardly convergent therefrom, the convergent portion of a finger of each pair being dextrorsally twisted and the convergent portion of the opposite finger being sinistrorsally twisted whereby the inner edges approach each other endwardly of the fingers, a sleeve slidably mounted on the rod, a cross head having ejector portions disposed between the fingers arm means interconnecting the cross-head and the sleeve in predetermined spaced relation, a compression spring mounted concentrically of the rod between the head on the rod and the sleeve urging the sleeve and cross head endwardly of the rod away from the extended ends of the fingers, a releasable friction brake engageable with the sleeve, and a synchronous actuating linkage interconnecting the brake and the rod reciprocating means for momentarily restraining the sleeve and cross head downwardly during initial return movement of the rod at the successively elevated packing stations.

7. In a packing apparatus adapted simultaneously to place a plurality of articles in predetermined arrangement in a container therefor and to urge the articles outwardly against sides of the container into pressed engagement thereagainst comprising a mounting member mounted for reciprocal movement between a predetermined loading station and packing station, pairs of resilient fingers mounted on the mounting member in substantially circular arrangement and extended therefrom, the fingers of each pair defining an article holding receptacle therebetween having a discharge path extended away from the mounting member and directed outwardly away from the other pairs of fingers, the fingers being disposed within a container when the mounting member is at its packing station and being retracted from the container when the mounting member is in its loading station, and means for retaining articles borne by the fingers within the container upon return movement of the mounting means to loading station whereby the fingers are withdrawn from the articles and by their outwardly directed pathways force the articles outwardly into pressed engagement with the sides of the container.

8. In a packing apparatus adapted simultaneously to place a plurality of articles in predetermined arrangement in a container therefor and to urge the articles outwardly in the container comprising a mounting member mounted for reciprocal movement between a predetermined loading station and packing station, a plurality of pairs of elongated resilient fingers mounted on the mounting member in a circular arrangement having inner edges and outer edges and being endwardly extended from the head, the fingers of each pair being longitudinally arcuate providing facing concavities and being endwardly convergent, the endwardly convergent portions of the fingers of each pair being oppositely twisted with the inner edges of the fingers advanced toward each other longitudinally of the fingers, the fingers of each pair being adapted slidably to receive articles to be packed therebetween, and means for retaining articles at the packing station upon return movement of the mounting means and the fingers whereby the fingers are withdrawn from the articles forcing the articles outwardly as they are traversed by the inner edges of the fingers.

MARSHALL E. FRANCISCO.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,500,939 Howell July 8, 1924 2,500,647 Schulthess Mar. 14, 1950