US2892296A

US2892296A - Apparatus for forming multiple container packages

Info

Publication number: US2892296A
Application number: US620335A
Authority: US
Inventors: Constance M Fisher
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1956-11-05
Filing date: 1956-11-05
Publication date: 1959-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1976-06-30

Description

Juhe 3 0, 1 959 J. v. FISHER 2,892,296 APPARATUS FORVFORMING MULTIPLE CONTAINER PACKAGES Filed Nov. 5. 195a 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 JM Eyrm.

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June 30, 1959 J.,V; FISHER I 2,892,296

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APPARATUS FOR FORMING MULTIPLE CONTAINER PACKAGES Filed Nov. 5. 1956 I 4 Sheets-Sheet I5 I All EM r01? June 30, 1959 J. V. FISHER I 2,892,296

APPARATUS FOR FORMING MULTIPLE CONTAINER PACKAGES Filed Nov. 5. i956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 (Zia/ M 7171 57/99,

lrramugy United States Patent Q APPARATUS FOR FORWING MULTIPLE CONTAINER PACKAGES John V. Fisher, Los Angeles, Calif.; Constance M. Fisher, administratrix of the estate of said John V. Fisher, deceased Application November 5, 1956, Serial No. 620,335

27 Claims. (Cl. 53-134) This invention relates to improved apparatus for applying a holder to a group of cans or similar containers, to form an easily handled carry-home package, consisting of several (say, two, four or six) containers of beer, soft drinks, food, or the like. Certain features of the holder and its method of application are disclosed and claimed in my copending applications, Serial No. 614,719 filed October 8, 1956 on Multiple Container Package, Carrier Device, and Packaging Method; Serial No. 614,- 720 filed October 8, 1956 on Multiple Container Package and Carrier Device; and Serial No. 614,721 filed October 8, 1956 on Method of Assembling a Multiple Container Package (continuation of application Serial No. 343,468, filed March 19, 1953 on Can Package and Method).

The containers with which the present invention is concerned may be conventional metal cans, or any other type of container having a peripheral bead extending about one or both of its end walls. The holders utilized in the invention include specially formed sheet material bodies designed to tightly grip the peripheral beads of the containers in a manner securing the various containers to a single holder, but allowing detachment of the containers from the holder when desired.

The apparatus for applying these holders to the con tainer includes a conveyor or other support for receivingand supporting a group of the containers, together with means for feeding a holder to a position adjacent the containers, and means for then bending the sheet material holder in a manner efiecting its attachment to the containers. More specifically, the holder is first fed to a position in which a portion of the holder is received adjacent the side Wall of each container near its peripheral bead, following which other portions of the holder are bent to positions in which they extend at least partially across the ends of the containers, preferably across and essentially parallel to their top walls. These'bent portions of the holder carry tabs which are wedged tightly against the radially inner sides of the container beads by virtue of the bending of the sheet material, so that the engagement of the holder with the outer sides of the containers and with the inner sides of the beads acts to very positively attach the containers to the holder. The sheet material of the holder is desirably formed of a material having sufficient stiffness to remain in its bent position solely by virtue of that stiffness, and for that purpose may be formed of sheet metal, a suitable resinous plastic material (typically formed under heat), or the like.

The support for holding the containers may be a conveyor on which a series of groups of the containers are placed, and adapted to progressively advance those containers along a predetermined path. At a first location along that path, the holders may be fed to the different groups of containers from. a suitable feed unit, containing a supply of holders which are successively discharged from an end of the unit. Beyond the feed unit, there may be provided means for bending the holders 2,892,296 Patented June 30, 1959 ice into container gripping condition, preferably by means of a guide structure having a surface shaped to deflect and bend the sheet material during and by virtue of the advancement of the containers. Where the holder is formed of a thermoplastic resinous plastic material, this guide structure may be heated, to raise the temperature of the plastic to a value permitting it to be permanently bent to a holding position.

The holder may include a handle which is formed separately from the main body of the holder, in which case the applying apparatus includes means for attaching the handle to the holder body. This handle attaching apparatus may be located beyond the bending means along the conveyor path, to apply the handles after the bending of the holder body has been completed. Each of the holders may be applied to and hold two adjacent rows of containers, in which case the handles may be attached to the holders at locations between the two container rows.

The above and other features and objects of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the typical embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sideview of a preferred form of apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention for applying a holder to a number of cans or similar containers;

Fig. 2 is an plan View of the Fig. 1 apparatus;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side view of the apparatus taken at the location of the holder feeding unit, with the latter being partially broken away to show the interior;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the bending portion of the Fig. l apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 77 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a 6-can package assembled by the apparatus of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of one of the holders in its initial condition, together with the projection for engaging and advancing the holder, and the bending unit;

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are enlarged vertical sections taken on lines 10-10, 1111, 12--12 and 1313, respectively, of Fig. 5;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section taken on line 14-14 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 15 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a variational form of heated bending unit for use when the holder bodies are formed of resinous plastic material.

Fig. 16 is a representation of the fiat sheet material blank from which the holder body is formed, the blank being shown after the various apertures and slits are cut in the material, but before bending the material.

Before discussing the package forming apparatus of the present invention, it would perhaps be best to first describe in some detail the package which is to be formed by the apparatus, as well as the holder which is utilized in the package.

For this purpose, reference is first made to Fig. 8 of the drawings, showing the completed package 110, including six conventional metal cans 10, arranged in two parallel rows of three cans each, and held by a holder or carrier 11 including a one-piece body 12 and a wire handle 13. The body 12 is formed of a fairly stilt sheet material, which may be sheet metal or the like, or, as will be discussed more fully at a later point in this description, may be a resinous plastic material desirably shaped and applied under heat. As will be understood, the cans 10 may contain any of the conventional canned products, such as soft drinks, beer, food, etc, Each can has the'usual vertical 'cylindric'al'side wall 14, a horizontal top wall having a peripheral cylindrical bead 16 and a horizontal bottomwall (not shown) having a peripheral head 17. A "s seenfclearly in Figs. 10 to 13, the top bead 16 projects upwardly asubstantial distance beyondtop wall 15, and also "projects laterally a substantial distance beyond the cylindrical side wall 14 of the can. It will of course be understood that the cans 10 are of substantially rigid construction, to retain the illustrated configuration. The two rows of cans are inclosely spaced relation as seen in Fig. 8. The'strip of sheetmaterial 12 form- 'ing the body of carrier 11 is deformed to the configuration shown in Fig. '9,'and is thenj'plaeed in a position to be partially received'betwee nthe upper portions of the two rowsof cans, and 'to; partia l ly project upwardly andlaterally over the 'tops 'ofthe ,cans in the two rows. Referring particularly to Figs.9 and 10, the'carrier body 12 has two spaced generally vertical side portions '18 which initially fiare or divergesomewhat as 'theyextend upwardly, and which are receive'd'between the two rows of cans and are then bent to directly vertical positions. These two vertical portions 18'of theelement 12 are joined together at their lower edgesby four horizontal portions of that element lying in a common horizontal plane, the four portions including two short portions 19 at opposite ends ofbody 12,'and two'intermediate somewhat longer portions 20. Between these four bottom .wall portions 19 and 2t of ele'me'nt 12, this partcontains three somewhat elongated'ap'e'rtures 21 extending longitudinally of parts 12. I

The two portions of body 12 contain a pair of slots 22 which are slightlyelongated longitudinally of body '12 and within which the opposite ends of the U-shaped wire handle member 13 are received. These opposite ends 23 of the handle member are hooked slightly upwardly, as seen in Fig. 7, to engage the underside of portions 20 of'body 12 in a manner allowing the body 12 and connected cans to be lifted'by handle member 13. When the handle '13 is not in use, it falls downwardly to a retracted position in which the upper horizontal portion of handle 13 is received just slightly above the upper edges of top beads 16 of the cans.

. At the location of each of the three apertures 21 in the bottom wall 19-20 of body 12, the upwardly flaring portions 18 of body 12 form two strips 25 which engage twoof the cans 10. Immediately above these strips 25, element 12 contains horizontally elongated slots 26 for receiving the inner portions of the top beads of the six cans, respectively. The strips 25 may initially lie in the same upwardly flaring planes as the rest of the portions 18, but are subsequently curved essentially arcuately or cylindrically inwardly, essentially in correspondence with the curvature of the side walls 14 of the cans 1d, and are received directly against those side walls (see Fig. 11) beneath the laterally projecting top beads 16 of the cans. Each of the strips 25 has an upper horizontally extending edge 27, which is received substantially directly beneath the lower edge of the bead 16 of a corresp'onding can.

: arebent downwardly to the Fig. 13 position in the assembled condition of the package. The material which is etlit to form slots 26 is left attached at itsupper edge these portions 30 of body part 12, and is then turned or bent angularly downwardly and outwardly (perpendicular to the inclined portion 30 by which it is carried to form six tabs 31 which are engageable with the radially inner cylindrical surfaces 32 of the beads of the various cans 10, to form interlocks with the cans. Each of these tabs 31 is curved arcuately in a plane parallel to the flat inclined portion 30 by which it is carried, and the arcuate curvature of the tab corresponds to the arcuate curvature of the radially inner surface 32 of the top bead of an associatedcan, which surface is to be engaged by the tabs. By virtue of its manner of formation, each tab 31 is of somewhat greater axial extent at its two opposite ends 33 than at the central location 34 between those ends.

The slots 26 are considerably longer horizontally than vertically, to receive a somewhat extended portion of the top head 16 of'each of the cans 10. The bottom horizontal edge of each slot 26, defined by the upper edge .27 of the corresponding can engaging strip 25, is spaced horizontally beneath thehingeor fold line 29 a distance corresponding substantially to, or very slightly greater than, the vertic'al thickness of the top head 16 of the engaged can. The opposite ends of the slot are defined by two edges 35 lying in vertical-planes, with these edges and slotsextendingupwardly beyond hinge line 29 and into the inclined upper portions 30' of body part 12. The tabs '31are formed at a location such that when'portions '38 are bent downwardly from'their Fig. 11 positions to their Fig. 13 positions, this bending motion causes tabs 31 to bear tightly against the inner surfaces of beads 16,

to thus form a very tight gripping interlock with the can beads.

Referring now to Fig. 16, I have there shown a fiat sheet material blank which has been cut as required for the formation of my carrier or holder body 12, but which has'not as yet been bent to the Fig. 9 condition. As

seen in Fig. 16, the entire body 12 is formed of an elongated strip of material, which is cut out at three locations to form'the three spaced apertures 21 and the four bottom wall portions 19and 20. 'Also, the 'slots 22 are cut out as shovl n, and the three pairs of tabs and sin 26 are formed by cutting the blank along the U-shapcd lines represented at 31a in Fig. 16. The blank of Fig. '16 may then be folded along hinge lines 28 'and 29, and along the arcuate hinge lines 35 to form tabs 31.

Having now described in some detail the construction of the holders 11 which are'utilized for carrying the cans in "the Fig. 8"completed packag'e, we'mayproceed with a des'cription'of the apparatus which is utilized for applying the holders t'o'the cans. "Referring first to Figs. 1

'and 2, this apparatus may include an 'e'ndless flexible 'belt 40, whose opposite ends extend about and engage a'pair of'mounting wheels or drums 41, which 'are suitably mounted for rotation about a pair of spaced parallel horizontal axes 42. These wheels'41 are rotatably mounted .to a suitable frame or support structure represented at '43, which may rest on thefloor' surface 44. One of the wheels 41 is continuously rotatably driven, as by an electric motor represented at 45, whose speed may be reduced by a reduction'g'ear unit represented at 46. The motor and reduction gear unit may of course be mounted in any suitable manner to the frame structure 43. The belt 40 has an upper horizontal run 47' on which the containers 10 are supported, and which advances to the right as seen in Fig. 1,"to correspondingly advance the containers to the right in that figure. The upper run of the belt is of a suflicient size to receive and support a substantial number of successive groups of the cans 10, with each group consisting of six cans arranged in two parallel rows of, three cans each. As the cans advance to the right iniFigs. 1 and 2, a holder is applied to each of the groups of six cans, to thus form six-packs of the type shown in Fig. 8.

H At locations spaced along its length, the belt 40 carfies a series of parallel transverse projections 48, which project upwardly from the upper run 47 of the belt, and which are spaced at such intervals as to exactly receive and retain only one of the groups of six cans between each pair of successive projections 48. Thus, the projections 48 act to very positively advance the different groups of cans with the upper run 47 of the belt. The groups of cans are fed onto the left end of belt 40 in any suitable manner, as by any conventional type of feed mechanism (not shown), or the cans could of course be fed to the apparatus manually if desired. When each of the groups of six cans is fed on to the left end of the belt, the two rows of three cans each in that group are spaced laterally apart (transversely of the direction of advancement of the cans, and transversely of the rows) a distance somewhat greater than the spacing of these two rows in the final assembled package of Fig. 8. This somewhat increased spacing of the two rows is represented in Fig. 10, with the ultimate closer spacing being represented in Figs. 11, 12 and 13. As the cans advance to the right in Figs. 1 and 2, the two spaced rows of cans in each group engage a pair of stationary guide members 148, which are suitably mounted to frame 43 at opposite sides of the belt, and which progressively converge slightly toward one another in the direction of advancement of the cans, to gradually shift the two rows of cans toward one another to the closely spaced positions of Figs. 11 to 13.

The holder bodies 12 are fed to the successive groups of cans 10 from a vertically extending and vertically elongated chute or supply chamber 49, which is suitably mounted to the frame 43 in fixed relation thereto. The chute 49 projects upwardly above a central portion of the upper run 47 of belt 40, and at a location such that the lowermost holder body 12 contained within chute 49 is received directly above the space between the two rows of cans in each group of cans, as that group passes the location of chute 49. The chute is of substantially uniform rectangular horizontal section along its entire vertical extent, this horizontal section being of a size and shape to exactly receive and hold a series of vertically nested or stacked holder bodies 12 in chute 49, with these holder bodies having their longitudinal axes extending parallel to the direction of movement of the belt and the carried cans 10. To support the stack of nested holder bodies 12 in chute 49, the side walls 50 of the chute have lower portions which converge downwardly toward one another at 51, in correspondence with the angle of flare of the upper portions 30 of bodim 12, so that the lowermost body 12 is supported by portions 51 of the chute sidewalls in a predetermined position from which it may then be shifted horizontally and forwardly from the chute and onto one of the groups of cans 10. For effecting such'forward shifting (to the right as seen in Fig. l) of the lowermost body 12, the belt 47 is provided with a number of shifting fingers 52 which project upwardly from the forward sides of projections 48, and at the centers of those projections 48. The upper end of each finger 52 is bifurcated, as seen best in Fig. 9, with the two branches 52a of finger 52 being so located as to engage the rear extremity of the lowermost body 12 within chute 49, and to shift that lowermost body forwardly out of the chute in a manner to fall between the two rows of cans in the associated group of cans, and at exactly the right position for proper holding co-action with the cans. Since the holder bodies 12 are of a length somewhat shorter than the over-all length of a row of three cans, as seen best in Fig. 3, the upper ends or branches 52a of each finger 52 project forwardly a sufficient distance to insure proper positioning of the engaged holder body 12 relative to the associated cans. T 0 allow forward displacement of the lowermost holder body 12 by finger 52, the vertical front wall 53 of chute-49 contains an opening 54 at its lower end, which is shaped essentially in correspondence with the cross sectional configuration of the lowermost holder'body 12, to thus pass that body 12 forwardly from the chute through opening 54, while the rest of wall 53 positively prevents any 6 of the other bodies 12 from also being shifted forwardly. More specifically, opening 54 may have two upwardly flaring portions 55 through which the flaring portions 30 of the bottom holder body 12 may pass.

The upwardly flaring configuration of portions 18 and portions 30 of the holder'bodies permits them to nest rather completely one within the other, as seen in Fig. 4. In this nested relation, each of the bodies 12 above the bottom one has its lower portions 18 received within the corresponding portions of the next lower body 12, and also has its upper portions 30 received within the corresponding portions of the next lower body 12. The tabs 31 of one body 12 engage the portions 30 of the next lower body 12 at a location higher than the tabs 31 of that next lower body 12, so that the tabs of the upper body will slide along the portions 30 of the next lower body to facilitate the shifting of the lowermost body 12 out of the chute, without corresponding shifting of the other bodies. After one body 12 has moved out of the bottom position in the chute, the rest of the bodies of course fall downwardly in the chute by gravity to advance a next successive body 12 to the lowermost pick-up location.

As one of the bodies 12 is shifted forwardly from the bottom of chute 49, that body engages a guide structure 56 which is mounted stationarily to frame 43, as by a mounting frame member which is fragmentarily and typically represented at 57. This guide structure 56 acts to first deflect the body 12 downwardly through the full line position of Fig. 10 and to the broken line of that figure. The initial spacing of the two rows of containers is sufilcient to allow the

lower portions

18, 19 and 20 to thus slip downwardly between the two rows of cans. Such downward displacement of the holder body 12 is effected by providing the guide structure 56 with a leading portion 58, extending longitudinally of the path of can movement for reception between the portions 18 of the holder, and with this portion 58 having an under surface 59 which engages

portions

19 and 20 of body 12 and progressively advances downwardly to progressively displace that body 12 downwardly to the Fig. 10 broken line position. During such downward movement of body 12, the side guide rails 148 act to displace the two rows of cans laterally or transversely toward one another, toward the Fig. 11 closely spaced positions, to gradually bend or curve the portions 25 of holder 12 inwardly to assume substantially the curvature of the side walls 14 of the cans. Also, this action of the inwardly moving cans against portions 25 of body 12 bends those portions and portions 18 to vertically extending positions, from their initial slightly upwardly flaring positions. Thus, the undersurface 59 of guide structure 58 and the inward advancement of the cans caused by guide rails 148, result in the application of the holder 12 to the cans in a relation such that each pair of laterally opposed cans engages the holder in the manner represented in Fig. 11.

Beyond the leading portion 58 of guide structure 56, this structure has an essentially T-shaped portion 60 which acts to hold the body 12 in the Fig. 11 position, and to then bend portions 30 of body 12 through the Fig. 12 position to the Fig. 13 completely applied position. More specifically, the T-shaped portion 60 of strum ture 56 includes a continuation 61 of portion 58, which continuation has an undersur-face 62 extending horizontally and acting to engage the

bottom portions

19 and 20 of holder 12 to retain the holder in its downwardly displaced position. At the upper end of portion 61, the structure 56 has two portions 63 forming the head of the T-shaped cross section, and which portions extend in opposite lateral or transverse directions to engage and deflect the two portions 30 of body 12. Referring particularly to Figs. 9, 12 and 13, these portions 63 may be identical one with the other, and have undersurfaces 64 which progressively advance downwardly in the direction of advancement of the belt and cans, to bend portions 30 downwardly through the FigflZ position. and to the 3 ultimateEig. .13 p'ositionILlThe final. portions 65 of surfaces 64 may extend directly. horizontally,. to effect the,

advancement of the cans,..there.is provided a mechanism 66 for attaching the handles -13 to the holder bodies 12..

With. particular reference to Figs- 6 and 7, this mechanism .66 includes a horizontally elongated guide channel 67 which is shaped to receive a series of the handles 13 assembledin a manner similar to the way in which a series of staples are held within a conventional. stapling machine. ,This guide channel 67 extends transversely of the path of advancement of the cans, so that. the handles 13 are in proper positions over the..path. of the cans. A suitablespring68 at the outer end of channel 57 urges the wire handle elements 13 inwardly within the channel to the location of a narrow space 69 providedbetween the inner end of channel 57 and avertical guide member 70. This space. 69 is just wide enough to receivea single leading one of the handle elements 13, which may then be displaced downwardly by a narrow portion 71 of a plunger.72 adapted .to be actuated vertically by a solenoid 73. The apparatus is so positionedthat, when a handle. 13 is displaced downwardly by plunger 72, the handle will properly engage and be attached to. one of the holder bodies 12.- More specifically,.the lower ends 23 are displaced through slots 22 in body 12, the ends 23 being compressed slightly toward. one anotherto pass through these openings 22, andthen returning to a-relatively spread position, by virtue of the resilience of the handle material (typically spring metal), so thatthe'hook ends 23 of the handle engage the underside. of portions 20 of the body 12 to effectively support the body from the handle duringcarrying. In order to automatically effect the proper deflection. or compression of the two handle ends relatively. toward one another to pass downwardly through openings 22, these ends may be turned in a manner to provide inclined undersurfaces at 74 which are engageable with the ends of slots 22 in a manner automatically camming the handle. ends towardone another as a.

result of the downwardmovement of the handle .The solenoid is energized intermittently in timed relation to the advancement of belt .40, and at proper intervals to feed. one of the handles 13 to each of the holder bodies 12. Such timing may .be efiected by means of an electric switch75, connected into the energizing circuit to the solenoid, .and having an actuating arm 76 which is engaged by. lugs 77 formed at the bottoms of projections 48 to actuate the solenoid when each of the successive holders 12 is in a proper position to receive one of the handles 13.

When the packages reach the right end of the belt in Figs. 1 and 2, the various packages are in the completely assembled condition of Fig. 8. In this condition, each of the packages maybe easily carried as a unit by means of the upper handle 13 of the package, to thus facilitate handling of the packages in a store, and also to greatly facilitate the carrying of the cans from a store to the home of a-purchaser. When it is desired to remove one of the cans 10 from the holder 12, a user merely pulls the can in amanner causing its lower end to swing out.

wardly and upwardly away from the corresponding can at the other side of holder 12, so that this swinging movement of. the can bends the engaged portion of one of the portions30 of body 12 upwardly towards its Fig. ll inclined position, and thus breaks the interlock between body 11 and the can, so that the can may be easily removed. The other five cans remain: attached to the holder. until similarly removed.

The material from which body 12 is formed has sufli cient stiffness to remain in the Fig. 4 interlocked condition.=(with upper portions 30 extending horizontally and' substantially parallel to the top or end walls 15 of the cans) solely. by virtue of the stiffness of the sheet material, and without the necessity for any other means of holdingportions 30 in theinbent positions. Under present conditions relating to the costsof various materials,

it is preferred that.,part,20 be formed of sheet metal,

and typically .thin. sheetsteel, thoughit will be apparentthat, if desired, I. may employother similar still but bendablesheet materials, or a laminated combination of materials, as long as the material .used has sufficientstitfness to remain in the discussed.attachedcondition, and yet at the same time is. sufficiently flexible to permit making and breaking of. theinterlock when desired.

If a resinous plastic..material. .is utilized, it, may. be a thermoplastic material, suchas a stiflhvinyl chloride, .an acrylic .resLn such as methyl:. methacryl ate-(Lucite), or

polystyrene,: withv the plastic beingshaped under heatto the Fig-.9 condition either, from fiatsstock or by injection-molding After the plastic ,-bodies.- 12 have been shapedto the. Fig. .9 condition, theseebodies .are-filled in nested condition into thechutea49 of Figs; 1 .and 2,

and maybe applied'to the cans byapparatuswhich is identical-to that shown; in.Figs:.land 2. except for the manner of formation of the guide unit-68. Specifically,

I substitute for this guide unit a slightly variationaltype of unit such as that shown in Fig. 16, which mayhave the same external-configuration as the guide of Figs. 1

tic when engaged by the guide unit 68a. -More. sp,ecifically, the plastic is raised to a temperature whichmartially softens it and permits its bending to the Fig. .13

position, followingv which the plasticis pennitted to ccol and harden and thus remain permanently in the Fig.;13

position,;without tendency -to return to the original posi- The heating of course shouldnotbe at a high enough temperature to destroy the generalzshape, of por-;-.

tion.

tions. 30 01 tabs 31 or to damage the body/alongits hinge" lines or other-areas. Also, the plastic must be sufficiently. rflexible,-.even when cooled and 'hardened,.-to

allow forced upward distortionof portions 30 fanienough to permit removal ofthe cans from the'holder'.

While I have typicallyrepresented apparatus for:forming a.package. including .six cansyit willofcourse be ap. parent that theholder and :apparatusv could be easily. de-

signed along...theisame principles lto providezpackagesiine eluding dilferent: numbers of cans; for instance; only two 3.: cans (one at eachsideof the carrier), or four cans(two 1-7 at each side).

I claim:

1. Apparatus .for applying a hol'der to a plurality of containers each having a side wall andian end-:wallwith a peripheral bead, saidlholder. being formed: of sheettmaterial having for association .witheach containensa first portion for engaging .said side wall of the contain'en-"and: a second portioncarryinga tabadapted tobe wedged against the innerside of the containergbeadby bending of the second portionrelative to the first; said apparatus comprising .meansfor' supportinga group of saidcontainers in closely proximate side by side positions,-means- .1 forfeeding said holder to a position adjacent said group i V of containers with said first portions of the holder "alongside theside walls-of the containers,- and means then on. erable to engageand bend said second portions-of the w holder" body relative to said first portions in directions to swing said second portions toward -said-e'nd walls of the containersand'to positions of extension across the 1 ends'of thecontainersin proximity .to said. end walls and to thereby wedge saidtabs against the radially inner. sides I of said beads. to attachnthe containers to the holder.

means for supporting the containers include a conveyor for advancing the containers along a predetermined path past said means for feeding and bending said holder.

3. Apparatus as recited in claim 1, in which said means for feeding the holder comprise a structure for containing a series of such holders and having an opening through which the holders are fed individually to successive groups of said containers.

4. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side Wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container of one of said groups, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container bead by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatuscomprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance said groups along a predetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said dilierent groups of containers, and means along said path then operable to bend said second portions of the holders relative to said first portions thereof in directions to swing said sec ond portions toward said end walls of the containers and to positions of extension across the ends of the containers in proximity to said end Walls and to thereby.

wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to one of said groups of containers.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, in which said conveyor is an endless member moving along an endless path and on the upper surface of which said groups of containers are supported for advancement therewith.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, in which said conveyor is an endless member moving along an endless path and on the upper surface of which said groups of containers are supported for advancement therewith, said endless member having projections at spaced locations therealong for engaging and advancing said groups of containers.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, in which said means for feeding said holders comprise a feed structure for containing a supply of said holders and having an opening at one end through which said holders are successively fed to the different groups of containers.

8. Apparatus as recited in claim 4, in which said means for feeding said holders comprise a feed structure for containing a supply of said holders and having an opening at one end through which said holders are successively fed to the diiierent groups of containers, and means for successively displacing leading ones of said holders from said feed structure to the different groups of containers.

9. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having a first portion to be received between two rows of said containers in one of said groups and having second portions carrying tabs adapted to be wedged against the inner sides of the beads of the containers in said two rows by bending of the second portions relative to the first portions; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance them along a predetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said diiferent groups of containers and with said first portions received between said rows of each group, and means along said path then operable to engage said second portions of the holders and bend them relative to said first portions in directions to swing said second portions toward said end walls of the two rows of containers. of each group and to positions of extension across the ends of the containers in proximity to said end walls and to thereby wedge 7 said tabs against the inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to both rows of containers in one of said groups.

10. Apparatus for applying a holder to a plurality of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, said holder being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container head by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising means for supporting a group of said containers in closely proximate side by side positions, means for feeding said holder to a position adjacent said group of containers with said first portions of the holder aiongside the side walls of the containers, means then operable to engage and bend said second portions of the holder body relative to said first portions to positions of extentension across said ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach the containers to the holder, and means for attaching a separately formed handle to said holder.

11. Apparatus for applying a holder to a plurarity of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, said holder being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container head by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprisingmeans for supporting a group of said containers in closely proximate side by side positions, means for feeding said holder to a position adjacent said group of containers with saidfirst portions of the holder alongside the side walls of the containers, means then operable to engage and bend said second portions of the holder body relative to said first portions to positions of extension across the ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach the containers to the holder, and means for attaching a separately formed handle to said holder after said bending of the holder.

12. Apparatus for applying a holder to a plurality of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, said holder being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container bead by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising means for supporting a group of said containers in closely proximate side by side positions, means for feeding said holder to a position adjacent said group of containers with said first portions of the holder alongside the side walls of the containers, means then operable to engage and bend said second portions or the holder body relative to said first portions to positions of extension across said ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach the containers to the holder, means for holding a supply of handles, and a movable plunger operable to displace one of said handles from said supply thereof to a position of attachment to said holder.

13. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container of one of said groups, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container head by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groupsof containers and. toadvance said groups along a predeterll v a r mined, path, means at a first. locationalong said. path operable to feed successive holders to said dilferent groups of containers,-and meansalong said path then' said holders are successively fed to the different groupsof containers, and means advancing with said conveyor and operable to engage said holders and successively displace them from said feedstructure to said different groups of containers. 7

14. Apparatuszfor applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead,-each of said holders being formed of sheet material having, for association with each, container of one of said groups, a first portion for engaging ,said. side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner sideof the container head by bending of the second portion relative to the first; .saidv apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance said groups along apredetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive:holders to said different groups of containers, and means along said path then operable to bend said-second portionsof the holders rela-- tive to saidfirst portions thereof to positions of extension across the ends of the containerstandto thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to one of said groupsof containers,

said means for feeding said holderscomprising a feed structure for containing a supply of said holders and having an opening at one end through which said-holders are successively fed to the different groups of containers,

and a series'of projections carriedbyand advancing with said conveyor and each operable to engage a leadingtainer of one of said groups, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner I sideof the container head by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said "groups tabs against the radiallyinner sides of said beads to attach each holder to one of-said groups of containers, said bending wmeans comprisingaguide unit having a surface positioned to engage saidsecond portions of the holder.

as the latter advances with the conveyor and shaped to progressively deflect said second portions as a result of said advancementandin a direction eifecting said bend-- ing. of thesecond portionsacross the ends of the containers. 1

16. Apparatus forapplying holders to a series of: groups of containerseach having a side wall andan end wall witha peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having, for association With eachc'on- -tainer of one of said groups, a firstiportion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container bead by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance said groups along apredetermined path, means at a first location alongsaid path operable to feed successive holders to said different groups of containers, and means along said path then operable to bend said second portions of the holders relative to said first portions thereof to positions of extension across the ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially'inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to one ofsaid groups of containers, said means for feeding said holders comprising a feed structure for contain ing a supply of saidholders and having an opening at one, end through which said holders are successively fed to the different groups of containers, and means advance ing .with said conveyor and operable to engage said holders and successively displace them from said feed structure. to said different groups of containers, said bending means comprising a guide unit having a surface positioned to engage said second portions of the holder as the latter advances with the conveyor and shaped to progressively deflect said second portions as a result of said;.advancement and in a direction effecting said bending of the second portions across the ends of the containers.

17. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container of one of said vgroups, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container head by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance said groups along a predetermined path, meansat a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said different groups of containers, and means along said path then operable to bend said second portions of the holders relative to said first portions thereof to positions of extension across the ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to one of said groups of containers, said means for feeding said holders comprising a feed structure for containing a supply of said holders and having an opening at one end through which said holders are successively fed to the different groups of containers, and means advancing with said conveyor and operable to engage said holders and successively displace them from said feed structure to said different groups of containers, said bending means comprising a guideunit having a surface positioned to engage said second portions of the holder as the latter advances with the conveyor and shaped to progressively deflect said' second portions as a result of said advancement and in a direction effecting said bending of the second portions across the ends of the containers, said apparatus including means beyond said bending means operable to attach separately formed handles to said holders.

18. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side Wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container of one of said groups, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedgedv said'groups of containers and to advance said groups 13 along a predetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said ditferent groups of containers, means along said path then operable to bend said second portions of the holders relative to said first portions thereof to positions of extension across the ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to one of said groups of containers, and means beyond said bending means operable to attach separately formed handles to said holders.

19. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having a first portion to be received between two rows of said containers in one of said groups and having second portions carrying tabs adapted to be wedged against the inner sides of the beads of the containers in said two rows by bending of the second portions relative to the first portions; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance them along a predetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said difierent groups of containers and with said first portions received between said rows of each group, and means along said path then operable to engage said second portions of the holders and bend them relative to said first portions to positions of extension across said ends of the two rows of containers of each group and to thereby wedge said tabs against the inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to both rows of containers in one of said groups, said bending means comprising a guide structure having surfaces positioned to engage said second portions of the holders as the latter advance with the container and shaped to progressively deflect said second portions as a result of said advancement and in a direction effecting said bending of the second portions across the ends of the containers.

20. Apparatus as recited in claim 19, in which said guide structure is of T-shaped cross section, having a base portion projecting between the two rows of containers and having oppositely directed head portions for engaging and bending the holder.

21. Apparatus as recited in claim 20, in which said feeding means comprise a feed structure forming a chute receiving a series of holders, and a plurality of projections advancing with the conveyor for engaging said holders and advancing them successively from said chute to the various groups of containers.

22. Apparatus as recited in claim 21, including means beyond said guide structure operable to successively attach wire handles to said holders at locations between said two rows of each group of containers.

23. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end Wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having a first portion to be received between two rows of said containers in one of said groups and having second portions carrying tabs adapted to bc wedged against the inner sides of the heads of the containers in said two rows by bending of the second portions relative to the first portions; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance them along a predetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said different groups of containers and with said first portions received between said rows of each group, and means along said path then operable to engage said second portions of the holders and bend them relative to said first portions to positions of extension across said ends of the two rows of containers of each group and to thereby wedge said tabs against the inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to both rows of containers in one of said groups, and means beyond said bending means operable to successively attach handles to said holders at locations between said two rows of each group of containers.

24. Apparatus for applying a holder to a plurality of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, said holder being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container, at first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container head by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising means for supporting a group of said containers in closely proximate side by side positions, means for feeding said holder to a position adjacent said group of containers with said first portions of the holder alongside the side walls of the containers, and means then operable to engage and bend said second portions of the holder body relative to said first portions to positions of extension across said ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach the containers to the holder, said holder being formed of resinous plastic material, said bending means including means for heating said plastic material of the holder to facilitate said bending thereof.

25. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having, for association with each container of one of said groups, a first portion for engaging said side wall of the container and a second portion carrying a tab adapted to be wedged against the inner side of the container bead by bending of the second portion relative to the first; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance said groups along a predetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said difierent groups of containers, and means along said path then operable to bend said second portions of the holders relative to said first portions thereof to positions of extension across the ends of the containers and to thereby wedge said tabs against the radially inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to one of said groups of containers, said holders being formed of resinous plastic material, said bending means comprising a guide unit having a surface positioned to engage said second portions of the holder as the latter advances with the conveyor and shaped to progressively deflect said second portions as a result of said advancement and in a direction efiecting said bending of the second portions across the ends of the containers, and a heater for heating said guide unit to facilitate said bending of the holders.

26. Apparatus for applying holders to a series of groups of containers each having a side wall and an end wall with a peripheral bead, each of said holders being formed of sheet material having a first portion to be received between two rows of said containers in one of said groups and having second portions carrying tabs adapted to be wedged against the inner sides of the beads of the containers in said two rows by bending of the second portions relative to the first portions; said apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to receive and support said groups of containers and to advance them along a predetermined path, means at a first location along said path operable to feed successive holders to said different groups of containers and with said first portions received between said rows of each group, means along said path then operable to engage said second portions of the holders and bend them relative to said first portions to positions of extension across said ends of the two rows of containers of each group and to thereby wedge said tabs against the inner sides of said beads to attach each holder to both rows of containers in one of said groups, and means for shifting said two rows of containers of each of said groups laterally toward one another after 151 said first portion of the associated hOIdelhflS been received between the two rows.

27. Apparatus as recited in claim 26, in which said shifting means include guide means at opposite sides of the container path for progressively deflecting the 5 containers inwardly as a result of their advancement.

16' 4 Referen'ces'Cited in the file'of this patent UNITED STATES :PATENTS 2,739,430 I; Griswold ii'mmh Mar. 27,1956 2,747,348 RoseL; May 28, 1956