US3031810A - Filled container caser - Google Patents

Description

May 1, 1962 Filed Dec.

D. M LEOD FILLED CONTAINER CASER 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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May 1, 1962 D. MaCLEOD 3,031,810

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Ana/fey May 1, 1962 D. M LEOD 3,031,810

FILLED CONTAINER CASER Filed Dec. 11, 1959 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 nunnuuuuuuunnunuu nu I 51 INVENTOR. 450 Z58 flow/21.0 MACLE00 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 I INVENTOR. flan Aw Mm: L500 I. W I Auowey D. M LEOD FILLED CONTAINER CASER May 1, 1962 Filed Dec.

May 1, 1962 Filed Dec. 11, 1959 D. M LEOD FILLED CONTAINER CASER 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 3 48 INVENTOR.

DONALD M/lcL M @6206 Ana/76] May 1, 1962 D. M LEOD FILLED CONTAINER CASER 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Dec. 11, 1959 Dom L0 Mao L500 Artur/7e May 1, 1962 D. M CLEOD FILLED CONTAINER CASER 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Dec. 11, 1959 advarvvv INVENTOR D cwnu) Mm: L500 fittoryey May 1, 1962 D. M LEOD FILLED CONTAINER CASER Filed Dec. 11, 1959 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 ll l DaNn L0 MAC L500 ilnited States PatentOfiice 3&3 1,8 in Patented May 1, 1952 containers are delivered to retail dispensers and which cases are utilized in the delivery of the containersv to homes, retail outlets, and the like.

The present application discloses improvements in the construction and operation of the casing machine over the disclosure in the pending application of Donald Mac- Leod for Filled Container Caser, Serial Number 722,345 filed March 18, 1958, now US. Patent No. 2,975,569.

These cardboard containers, generally referred to as bottles, are made in a plurality of sizes to contain a half gallon, a quart, a pint and a half pint. The cardboard or carton containers are also made in a size between the half pint and pint, nominally designated as a third quart, for containing mixed drinks, such as chocolate milk, and which containers are adapted to have the contents shaken before consumption.

It is the practice to utilize the same size case for each of the sizes of cardboard containers above set forth with a case holding a full layer of half gallon or quart, containers upstanding from the case bottom, two full layers of the third quart containers, a full layer and a partial layer of pints, said partial layer including one-half or three-quarter the number of containers forming a full layer, and half pints being, generally, disposed in three layers in the case and including two full layers and a third partial layer.

The caser of the present invention is adapted to be adjusted for automatically loading each case with the proper number of carton containers regardless of the size being cased.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a casing machine that automatically and expeditiously cases filled containers or cartons with the desired number thereof.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a casing machine which automatically, in effect, counts the number of filled containers in a case and upon reaching the desired number of filled containers in the case etfects a repeat cycle.

It is also an object of this invention to provide, in conjunction with the caser, case conveying means which automatically positions a case with respect to the caser and prevents operation of the caser unless the case is properly positioned with respect to the caser.

It is a further and specific object of the present invention to provide a caser for casing filled carton type containers and which caser passes filled containers through various stages and positions between the receiving thereof and the casing thereof and which positions and operations are interlocked to prevent a subsequent operation prior to the completion of a previous operation.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention should be readily apparent by reference to the following specification considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and it is to be understood that any modifications may be made in the exact structural details there shown and described, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from or exceeding the spirit of the invention. i

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of the casing machine of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1 as seen particularly from the left hand side of said FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is, in the main, a top plan view of the caser of the present invention with certain parts being shown in section as seen from line 3-3 on FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, sectional view through a portion of the machine as seen from line 44 on FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a view transversely of FIG. 4 as seen from line 55 on said FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, transverse, sectional view through the machine in a plane above that of FIG. 3 on FIG. 2 as seen from line 6-5 on said FIG. 2.

, FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view of the electric control circuit for efiecting and controlling the operation of the machine.

7 FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the hydraulic mechanism included in the operating mechanism of certain portions of the machine.

FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of the pneumatic control and actuating mechanism of certain parts of the machine.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic view of the motor control system and control current source for controlling and operating the machine.

FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of a carton container adapted to be cased by the machine of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is an end elevation of the container of FIG. ll.

FIG. 13 is a transverse, sectional View through the container as seen from line 13-13 on FIG. 11.

FIG. 14 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational and sectional view of the elevator adjusting means.

FIG. 15 is a view similar to FIG. 7 and is a diagrammatic view of a modified electric control circuit in the operating mechanism of certain portions of the machine.

Throughout the several views of the drawings similar reference characters are employed to denote the same or similar parts.

The machine of the present invention, as noted above, is for depositing a given number of filled paper containers of milk and the like into a box or basket generally referred to as a case. The machine itself is generally referred to as a caser since it cases a number of said filled containers.

Briefly the container is made of cardboard formed of a single blank scored and folded to have a rectangle cross section as illustrated in FIGS. l1, l2 and 13.

As illustrated in said FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, the container comprises a bottom 20 from the edges of which upstand walls 21, at right angles to one another, to provide the said container with a transverse cross section rectangular in area. Two opposed of the walls are inwardly bent at their upper ends to be between the remaining two opposed walls, as illustrated :at 22 and 23 in FIG. 11. The remaining two opposed walls extend for the full height of the container and incline toward one another with one of said walls having at its upper end a flap 24 folded over the upper end of the opposed wall and with the said overlapped members secured to one another as by a wire staple 25, as illustrated in FIG. 12. This construction is well known and the overlapped upper ends of the containers is referred to as a gable, indicated in the drawings by the reference numeral 26.

The said containers are each of a similar construction and are provided in a number of capacities such as half pint, third quart, full pint, quart and half gallon and which containers vary in area as well as in vertical height. The chief variation in said containers is in height, in so far as the half pint, third quart, full pint and quarts are concerned, and with said containers each having their side walls of the same width, while the half gallon container is not only of greater height but also has its walls of a greater width.

The boxes or cases into which the above containers are placed are identical in size and form and it is obvious that more individual containers of smaller capacity can be put into such a box or case than can the larger capacity containers. The customary practice is to put a single layer of half gallon and quart containers in a case to upstand from the bottom thereof, while with pints it is customary to put a full layer on the case bottom together with -a half or three quarters layer of pints on top of the said full layer with said incomplete layer of pints tilting over while on top of the bottom layer, with third quart containers two full layers are placed in each case while with half pints there is generally added a third layer containing one half or three quarter the number of containers in a full layer. Regardless of the capacity of the individual containers in the cases no case is filled beyond its upper edge so that said cases may be stacked one on top of another.

The case filling machine or caser of the present invention is adapted to be adjusted for properly loading the cases with each of the above mentioned sizes of filled containers.

The caser or case filling machine of the present invention comprises a frame including spaced end uprights 27 and 28 which support laterally extending portions of the machine together with similarly spaced centrally located uprights 29 and 31!. In order to adjust the vertical height of the machine as well as to dispose the operating tables of the machine in a horizontal plane, each of said uprights is provided at its lower end with a jack or leveling screw 31. The outer uprights are joined at their upper ends by means of a transverse member 32 and on which the aforementioned working tables are mounted.

The intermediate uprights 29 and 30 extend considerably above the transverse member 32 and provide the support for the actual casing or elevator mechanism as will presently be made clear. At one side, the left side, as seen in the drawings there is provided the means for bringing the filled containers to the machine and which means or mechanism comprises an endless conveyer 33 which extends either from a filling machine, not shown in the drawings as it forms no part of the present invention, or the said conveyer 33 extends from the filling machine discharge conveyer, and, again, which conveyer is not disclosed in the drawings. The loading conveyer 33, in efiect a linked chain, is suitably supported by a frame-work including side members 34 and 35 which support at one end a shaft 36 having on its inner end a driving pulley or sprocket 37 for the said conveyer 33. Secured to the outer end of the shaft 36 is an actuating chain sprocket 38 about which is trained an endless sprocket chain 39. The chain 39, in turn, is trained about a sprocket 40 secured to a shaft 41 which forms part of a suitable speed reducer 42 connected with and driven by a shaft 43 of electric motor 44. The motor 44 is conveniently mounted on a platform 45 supported by the machine frame through suitable uprights 46 carried by the main frame elements 29, 31 and 32.

The conveyer chain 33 is illustrated as adapted to support and convey a row of containers to the casing machine and side rails 34 and 35 are arranged with respect to one another for properly and efficiently positioning said containers when they reach the discharge end of the conveyer 33 and which discharge end is at the end thereof at which the actuating drum or sprocket 37 is connected.

The discharge'of the filled containers from the conveyer 33 is onto a supporting plate 47, which for convenience in description may be termed an accumulating platform, which is fixed and supported by the transverse frame member 32 or suitable supports carried thereby.

The said filled containers are moved on the said fixed table or platform 47 to a stop plate 48 upstanding from the said table 47 at its forward end, opposite to that of the conveyer 33.

Outwardly of the platform or table 47 and its end stop plate 4-8 there is provided a limit switch 4950 mounted in position through appropriate supporting members including angle iron 51. The limit switch 49-50 is a commercial switch of the kind including two pairs of contacts, of which one pair of contacts 49 are normally open while the second pair of contacts 50 are normally closed, see FIG. 7. The normally open contacts or switch 49 is closed by the filled containers when a full load, herein said full load of containers being four, are positioned on the accumulator platform or plate 47. Said switch or contacts are closed through an actuator 52 carried by the housing 53 of said switch 49-50 with said actuator 52 projecting through an aperture formed in the stop plate 48.

The contacts 50, normally closed, are simultaneously opened upon the closing of the contact-s 49, and, as will subsequently be made clear, the switch or contacts 50 are in an alarm circuit operable to insure the proper functioning of the machine.

One side of the accumulator table 47 is provided by an upstanding plate 54 which actually is a pusher and has at its end nearest the conveyer 37 a fence 55. Substan-- tially centrally of the pusher 54 it is connected through a clevis connection 56 with one end of a piston rod 57 which has at its other end a piston 58 disposed in a piston cylinder 59. The said cylinder 59 is suitably supported on framing mechanism supplied by the main frame and its transverse supporting mechanism and is believed amply clear from the drawings without a specific description: thereof. The piston cylinder 59 has connected with its opposite ends, respectively, conduits 6'0 and 61 which, in turn, terminate in a valve housing 62. The valve housing 62 has disposed therein, see diagrammatic view, FIG. 8, a valve sleeve 63 in which is disposed a spool type valve 64 having lands 65, 66 and 67 thereon with connecting circumferential grooves therebetween.

As shown in said FIG. '8 the valve sleeve 63 is provided with additional ports and with one of which ports one end of conduit 68 is connected with said conduit 68 having its other end connected with the outlet of anhydraulic pump 69. The said pump 69 has its inlet connected by a conduit 70 with a sump or tank 71 con taining an hydraulic medium. The pipe or conduit 68 has connected therewith a pressure regulating valve 72 to determine the working pressure in the system. Addi-- tional ports in the valve sleeve 63 has connected there-- with one end of a discharge pipe or conduit 73 which terminates in the sump or tank 71.

As illustrated in FIG. 8 the valve 64 is positioned for connecting the hydraulic medium from the pump 69 with. the conduit 61 and right hand end, as seen in FIG. 3, of the cylinder 59 for actuating the piston therein to the left and fully retracting the fence 55 and pusher 54 to the position thereof illustrated in said FIG. 3.

The valve 64 has extending from one side thereof avalve stem 74 which acts as the core of an electromagnetic solenoid coil 75, disposed within a housing connected to the valve housing 62 while the said valve '64 has extending from its other side a similar valve stem 76 likewise forming the core of an electromagnetic solenoid coil 77. The said valve and its operating solenoids are commercially obtainable items and are believed to be well known, it is to be remembered that the energization of either one causes a corresponding shift in the valve 64 and a subsequent operation of the piston controlled thereby. Each of the said electromagnetic solenoids is under the control of a switch as will presently be made clear.

As is obvious, the caser of the present invention is electrically and hydraulically actuated and the electric control circuit is diagrammatically illustrated with accepted electrical symbols in FIG. 7. The operation of which along with the mechanisms controlled thereby will be described in the sequence of describing a complete cycle of the machine. Assuming, as we did above, that the filling machine is in operation for successively filling containers and which are closed or sealed after being filled, as shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, and the said filled containers delivered in a substantially continuous stream from the loading conveyor 33 to the accumulating table 47, and that when the limit switch contacts '49 are closed the following operation takes place.

As seen in FIG. 7 and assuming for the moment that the right and left hand vertical lines are electric wires or conductors 78 and 79 and are connected with an electric current source of appropriate voltage to operate the control mechanism, such voltage will generally be of approximately 110 volts A.C. Assuming that the circuit is otherwise in order, and, as will be noted, from FIG. 7, that one side of limit switch '49 has extending therefrom a wire 80 that terminates in the current source wire 78 with said wire 80 including normally closed relay switch contact 81 controlled by a relay switch solenoid to be subsequently pointed out. The other side of said limit switch 49 has connected therewith a wire 82 terminating in one side of a normally open limit switch 8 3. At this time the said limit switch 83 is closed, as follows:

The normally open limit switch 83 is located adjacent, what may be termed, a carriage 84 and onto which the filled containers are transferred by the pusher 54 from the accumulator table 47, as will presently be made clear, and said carriage 84 is presently in its retracted position wherefore the said normally open limit switch 83 is now closed.

As seen in said FIG. 7 said limit switch 83 has its other side connected with the other current feed wire 79, said connection being by way of a wire 85 that includes a solenoid coil 86 of a relay switch. The solenoid coil 86 controls a movable switch member 87 operable between fixed switch contacts 88 and 89. The movable switch member 87 is normally closed with the switch contact 88 and is connected with the switch contact 89, after being disconnected from its switch contact 88, upon the energization of the relay switch solenoid coil 86.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the accumulation of a full load of filled containers on the accumulator table 47 closes the limit switch 49 and completes an electric circuit for energizing relay switch solenoid coil 86 and actuates movable switch member 87. The movable switch member 87 is connected through a wire 90 with the control circuit current feed wire 78 while the engageable or fixed contacts 88 and 89 are respectively connected by wires 91 and 92 with the other control circuit current feed wire '79. The circuit wire 92 includes the electromagnetic solenoid coil 77 while the circuit wire 91 includes the electromagnetic solenoid 75 of the valve 64.

The energization of the relay switch solenoid coil 86 closes the circuit including the normally open switch contact 89 and thereby completes an electric circuit through the hydraulic valve actuating solenoid 77. As seen in FIG. 8 the energization of the solenoid 77 shifts the valve 64 for thereby connecting the hydraulic pump pressure conduit 68 with the conduit 60 to the outer or left hand end of the cylinder 59, as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, for actuating the piston 58 therein to the right. This actuation of the piston 58 carries with it the pusher 54 for shifting the accumulated filled containers on the accumulator table 47 onto the aforementioned carriage 84.

It should be noted that the parts are so designed that the accumulated filled containers on the table 47, regardless of the capacity of said containers, are completely and fully shifted onto the carriage 84.

For the purpose of insuring proper movement of the pusher 54 it has projecting from its rear surface one or more guide bars, two being shown, 93 and 94, which, respectively pass through a guide block 95 and 96 carried by and upstanding from a portion of the machine frame. For convenience, the guide block 96 is taken advantage of to support a limit switch 97 including an actuating arm 98. The actuating arm 98 of the limit switch 97 is adapted to be engaged and operated by an abutment 99 conveniently carried by guide bar 94 through an arm 100 secured to said guide bar 94. The said limit switch is operated when the pusher 54 has fully and completely transferred the filled containers from the accumulator table 47 to the carriage 84.

The limit switch 97 as shown in FIG. 7 is a normally closed switch and has one side thereof connected by a Wire 101 with the current supply or feed wire 78. The other side of said limit switch 97 has connected therewith one end of a wire 102 that terminates in a movable switch member 103 which is substantially similar to the movable switch member 87 and is movable between fixed switch contacts 104 and 105. The movable switch member 103 is under the control of the relay switch solenoid coil 86 in the same manner that the movable switch member 87 is controlled by said relay switch solenoid coil 86. The movable switch member 103 is biased toward its contact 104 and which is, therefore, its normally closed contact and said switch contact 104 is connected by a wire 106 through circuit functioning indicating mechanism with the other current feed wire 79. The normally open switch contact is connected by a wire 107 with the wire 85 at a point between the limit switch 83 and. the relay switch solenoid coil 86 and thereby with current feed wire 79 and, as will presently be obvious, acts as a holding switch for the said coil 86.

In other words the closing of limit switch 49 by the accumulation of the desired number of filled containers on accumulator table 47 effects the operation of the pusher and which will push said containers beyond the limit switch thereby allowing it to open but since the movable switch member 103 is now in contact with its normally open contact 105 and the limit switch 97 is closed the current will continue to flow through solenoid switch coil 86 for maintaining its movable members 103 and 87 in contact with their normally open contacts, namely, respectively, 105 and 39.

After the pusher 54 has completely transferred the load from the accumulator table 47 to the carriage 84 the limit switch 49 is opened to break its circuit and the limit swich 97 is opened by the abutment 99 and thereby interrupting the circuit through said limit switch 97 and effecting a de-energization of the relay switch solenoid coil 86 and permitting the movable switch members 87 and 103 to return to their normal positions for thereby de-energizing the hydraulic valve shifting electro-magnetic solenoid 77. At the same time the movable switch member 87 in returning to its normally closed position with switch contact 88 completes an electric circuit from the control current source wire 78 by way of wire 90, movable switch member 87, contact 88 and wire 91 to current source wire '79 for thereby energizing the hydraulic valve electro-magnetic solenoid coil 75 and shifting the valve 64 to the position illustrated in FIG. 8 for again connecting the hydraulic medium with conduit 61 for returning the piston 58 and the pusher 54 to their normal positions as illustrated in FIG. 3.

The limit switch 97 has mechanically connected there with a second normally open limit switch 108 which operates a counting mechanism that counts the number of containers, that is, groups of containers, shifted from the accumulator plate onto the carriage, in the casing of half pints, one-third quarts, pints and quart containers, they being four in number, and which counting mechanism at the proper time effects the further operation of the machine. The said counting mechanism is designated in the trade as a rotary switch and as used herein may be such a commercial switch as manufactured by Automatic Electric Company and exemplified in their Type 44 rotary switch. Such a switch is diagrammatically illustrated in H6. 7 and having the elements and parts thereof diagrammatically illustrated and which counter has its said diagrammatically illustrated parts enclosed in a broken line box identified by the reference numeral 19%.

g It should be noted that the limit switch 168 is not physically a part of the said rotary switch but is located at a point remote therefrom and, as noted above, is in fact mechani ally connected with limit switch $7 to be operated thereby or simultaneously in connection therewith.

Similarly a manually operable switch, to be subsequently identified and referred to, is not in physical contact with the rotary switch but is in a convenient position with respect to the operator for operating the rotary switch.

The said rotary switch 109 is primarily concerned with and operated by direct current while the rest of the control circuit is operated by and includes alternating current. Accordingly, there is provided a current rectifier 1% having one side thereof connected by a wire 11 1 with the control circuit feed wire 78 while the other side of said current rectifier 110 is connected by a wire 112 with the second control circuit feed wire 79. The rectifier 111? has one of its output terminals, preferably the positive terminal, connected by a wire 113 with one side of the said limit switch 108; this switch is preferably and hereinafter will be termed the counter switch. The counter switch 108 has its other side connected by a wire 1114 with, for convenience, the other output or negative terminal of the rectifier 119 which in turn has connected therewith one end of a wire 115 that terminates at one end of an electro-niagnet coil 116 of an electro-magnet 117. The said electro-magnetic coil 116 has its other side connected by a wire 118 with the wire 112 which extends from the rectifier 110.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the closing of the counter switch 1% completed an electrical circuit from the positive pole or outlet of the rectifier 110 through I wire 113, said counter switch 108, wires 114 and 115, electromagnet coil 116 and wires 118 and 112 back to the negative pole or outlet of the rectifier 11b. The completion of this circuit sets up the operation of the counter.

The counter 1419 includes a central operating shaft 119 on which is mounted, in the example of the rotary switch (counter) herein shown, three movable contacts 120, 121 and 122. Associated with each movable contact are a plurality of fixed contacts each illustrated in the drawings as arranged in a fragment of a circle and respectively identified by the reference numerals 123, 124 and 125. The said groups of fixed contacts are known as banks and in connection with the present application the bank 123 is utilized for manually re-setting the counter, as will subsequently be made clear, while the bank 124 is employed as a homing bank, in reality, an automatic resetting of the rotary switch, and the bank 125 as the control switch for the operation of the machine upon ac cumulation of the desired number of containers on the carriage 84.

Associated with the electro-rnagnet 117 is an armature 126 pivotly mounted at 1.27 to a fixed support. The armature 126 has associated therewith a ratchet locking and positioning member 123 which conveniently takes the form of a plurality of ratchet teeth to cooperate with the teeth of a ratchet wheel 129 secured to one end of the rotary switch shaft 119. The armature 126 is normally urged toward the ratchet wheel 129 by a spring 130 and which spring, in reality, is the counter or rotary switch operating motor. Secured to the armature 126, so as to partake of its movements on the pivot 127, is a ratchet pawl 131 with said pawl having a pivot connection at 132 with the armature 126 whereby it is oscillated or actuated into operative engagement with the ratchet wheel 12?. In order to insure the operative engagement of the pawl 131 and ratchet wheel 129 the said pawl is spring biased at 133 toward the ratchet wheel. A yieldable detent 134 is provided to cooperate with the ratchet wheel 129 to hold same and the shaft 119 against movement except as eifected by the pawl 131.

Continuing with the electrical connections of the several par-ts of the rotary switch it should be noted that the rectifier output plus terminal has connected therewith one end of a wire 1 35 that has its other end connected with movable contact 121 associated with fixed bank contacts 124. It should be noted that said bank contacts 124 are eleven in number, actually each of the other bank contacts 123 and are similarly eleven in number. Referring to the bank contacts 124 it will be noted that contacts numbered 4 and 5 are electrically bridged at 136 and have respectively extending therefrom wires 137 and 138 with wire 137 terminating in a wire 139 extending from the wire 115, and with said wire 137 including a manually operable selector switch 140 which is, as shown in the drawings, closed since, in so far as the present description is concerned, it is considered that the machine is casing quart size containers; it should be noted, and as will later be made clear the said selector switch 14%) is open when, for example, pint size containers are being cased. The wire 138 from the rotary switch bank contact 5 terminates in a fixed contact 141 of a selector switch which is operable when plural layers of filled containers are placed in a case, as will he subsequently made clear. Contacts 6 and 7 of the contact bank 124 have respectively extending therefrom wires 142 and 143 which terminate in the last mentioned selector switch with the wire 14-2 connected with a movable switch member 144 while the wire 143 terminates in a second fixed contact 145. The said contact 7 of the bank of contacts 124 is further bridged with each of the bank contacts respectively numbered 8', 9 and 10 by the electrical bridge or wire 146 and which in turn is connected by a wire 147 with the wire 139.

The movable contact 122 associated with the fixed contacts bank 125 has connected therewith one end of a wire 148 which has its other end connected with the wire 111 from the control circuit feed wire 78 and therefore carries alternating current. The said bank of fixed contacts 125 has its contacts numbered 1 and 2 as unconnected with any part of the control mechanism While its contact number 3 has connected therewith one end of a wire 149 that terminates at one side of normally open contacts 150 which are associated with and operated by the electromagnet 117 upon the energization thereof and the operation of the armature 126 as will subsequently be made clear. The other side of the said normally open contacts 150 are connected by a wire 151 with one end of the solenoid coil 152 of a solenoid switch and which solenoid switch coil 152 has its other side connected by a wire 15?: terminating in the control circuit feed wire 7%.

The bank contacts 125 has extending from its contacts numbered 5 and 6, respectively, wires 154 and 155 which terminate, respectively, in fixed contacts 156 and 157 that cooperate with a movable contact 158, selectively manually positionable, and from which movable contact 158 extends a wire 159 terminating in the wire 149 at a point between the bank contacts 125 and normally open switch contacts 150, and with said wire 159 having therein a manually operable selector switch 15%, adapted to be closed when casing pint containers and since, as noted above, the circuit is being described as casing quart containers the said switch 160 is illustrated in its open position.

Continuing now with the operation of the machine and since a first row or load of containers was shifted from the accumulator table 47 to the carriage 84 and the limit switch 97 and counter switch 1% were operated, the said limit switch '97 causing the energization of the solenoid coil 75 and thereby the immediate return of the pusher leaving a first row of containers on said carriage 84. At

the same time the closing of the counter switch 108 completed the electric circuit above traced for energizing electromagnet 117 and actuating the armature 126 for unlocking the ratchet wheel 127 and positioning the pawl 1 31. Since the pusher immediately returned the counter switch 108 opened thereby de-energizing the electromagnet 117.

The de-energization of the electro-magnet 1-17 permitted the driving spring 130, tensioned by the actuation of the armature 126 by the electro-magnet 117, to operate the said pawl 131 in a forward direction and thereby advance the shaft 119 and the movable contacts 120, 121 and 12 2 from the initial or home position thereof to the contacts numbered 1 in each of the contact banks 123, 124 and 125. Since, at this time and as will later be made clear there is no current to movable contact 12!) nothing occurs through this bank. The movable contact 121, being connected through a wire 135 with the rectifier output (plus) terminal effects no operation because its said number 1 terminal is unconnected with any part of the machine. The same thing holds true with respect to the movable contact 122 of bank contacts 125 since the said bank contact 1 is unconnected with any part of control mechanism even though the movable contact is connected through the Wires 148 and 111 with the control circuit feed wire 78.

It should be noted that during movement of the pusher '54 for shifting the filled containers from the accumulator table 47, the fence 55 of the pusher 54 prevented further discharge of filled containers from the conveyor 33 efiecting, in effect, a stacking up of the containers while the conveyor moved therebeneath. The withdrawal of the pusher 54 to its retracted normal position carried with it, of course, the fence 55 so that the said filled containers on the conveyor 33 immediately commence accumulating on the accumulator table 47 by being pushed by the coutainers of the conveyor 33 until the load switch 19 is again closed whereupon the cycle above described is repeated.

In the specific example illustrated in the drawings there is required the accumulation of four loads of filled containers, each load of four filled containers, which means that at the completion of the fourth load transfer there are sixteen filled containers on the carriage 84 and which is the exact number of containers required to cover the bottom of the box or case into which the said filled containers are being disposed.

The carriage 84- comprises a carriage table or platform 161 having as a part thereof a side plate 162 and a back plate 163 which together position the load on said carriage. The carriage table or platform 161 is provided on its under surface, since said platform or table is of relatively thin material, with transverse reinforcing members 164- and longitudinally extending reinforcing members 165. The reinforcing members 165 are disposed in vertical alignment with similarly extending members or rails 166 carried by a longitudinally movable frame 167. The frame 167, is formed of angle irons in end abutment with one another and includes longitudinally extending angle irons 168 and 169 which constitute or form, in effect, the support for the carriage as a whole in its movement.

As seen in FIG. the longitudinally extending angle iron 168 has connected with its one leg a roller 170 disposed in a trackway 171 formed between longitudinally extending bars 172 and 173 which are secured to and projecting from a transverse frame or supporting member, specifically identified by the reference numeral 174 in said FIG. 5.

Carried by a second transverse frame member, specifically identified in FIGS. 4 and 5 by the reference numeral 175, are upstanding end supports or blocks 176 and 177 in which is secured a longitudinally extending guide bar 178. The guide bar 178 has mounted on it a bearing block 179 which is in turn secured to the up- 10 standing leg of the angle iron 169 of the carriage frame 167.

The carriage frame 167 through a plurality of links 180, which are arranged in pairs inwardly of the opposite ends thereof, has floatingly connected therewith the said carriage table or platform 161, see FIGS. 4 and 5. Said links, in pairs, are, respectively, pivoted at one end by pivot 181 with the carriage table or platform depending members and said links are at their other ends pivotly connected at 182 with the frame longitudinal members 166. The arrangement is such that in normal position the carriage table or platform 161 has its longitudinal reinforcing members 165 each disposed on a frame longitudinal member 166 immediately there below, as clearly illustrated in FIG. 5. The parts are yieldably retained in this position by means of one or more springs 183 each spring having one end abutting with an end of the carriage depending member 166 and the other end abutting with the upstanding leg of the front element of the carriage frame 167 and which element is identified in FIG. 4 by the reference numeral 184. .Any suitable or desirable means may be employed, such as the inwardly projecting boss 185, for retaining the spring 183 in its operative position.

The carriage including the bottom frame 167 and the table or platform 161 is adapted to be shifted upwardly, as seen in FIG. 3, or to the left, as seen in FIG. 4, for positioning the load filled containers thereon with respect to the elevating mechanism preparatory to being lowered into a case. In order to effect the carriage movemerit a connecting bracket 186 is conveniently secured to the upper surface of the guide or bearing block 179 to have connected therewith, through a pivotal connection 187, one end of a piston rod 138 which extends from a piston 189 disposed in a cylinder 190 conveniently mounted on a portion of the main frame, such for example, the transverse frame member 175. The cylinder 190 has connected with its opposite ends suitable conduits 191 and 192 through which a hydraulic medium is supplied to the cylinder for reversely actuating the pis ton 189 and correspondingly actuating the carriage 84.

Continuing with the operation of the machine a second and a third transfer of four filled containers each from the accumulating table to the carriage occurs without changing any of the control circuits as above traced except that the movable contacts 120, 121 and 122 are each advanced through their contacts marked 2 and are now on contacts marked 3. The fourth transfer, however, of the filled containers upon the closing of the counter switch 108 sets in operation the mechanism for actuating the carriage to the position for having its load of filled containers engaged by an elevating mechanism and lowered into the waiting case or basket.

As was noted above the third contact of the contact bank 125 is connected through a wire 149', normally open contacts 150 and the solenoid switch coil 152 with the control circuit feed Wire 79. Therefore, the closing of the counter switch 103 at this time in completing a circuit energizing the electro-magnet 117 effects the closing of the said normally open contacts 150. At this time and with the movable contact 122 on contact 3 of the bank contacts 125 an electrical circuit is completed from control circuit feed wire 78 through wires 111 and 148, movable contact 122, contact number 3 of bank contacts 125, wire 149, normally open, now closed, contacts 150, Wire 151, solenoid control switch coil 152 and wire 153 back to the other control circuit feed wire 79. The said solenoid coil 152 has its other side connected by a wire 193 with the control circuit feed wire 73 and with said wire 193 including normally closed, now closed, switch contacts 194 and normally open, now closed, switch contacts 195: The switch contacts 195 are under the control of the solenoid switch coil 152 and were, therefore, closed upon the energization of said coil 152 and said normally open, now closed, contacts 195 act as a holding circuit for the solenoid coil 152.

This fourth transfer of filled containers from the accumulating table to the carriage, similar to each of the preceding transfers, upon closing the counter switch 1% opened the pusher reversing switch 97 for thereby reversing the pusher to its initial position to permit accumulation of filled containers on the accumulator table or platform.

The above noted normally closed contacts 81 in the circuit including the limit switch '49, operated by an accumulated load of filled containers on the accumulator plate, is under control of the solenoid coil 152 and since said solenoid coil is now being energized the said normally closed contacts 81 are now open for thereby preventing the operation of the pusher even though the limit switch 49 is closed.

The solenoid switch coil 152, also, has under its control a pair of normally open switch contacts 196 having one side thereof connected by a wire 197 with the control circuit feed wire 78. From the foregoing it will be noted that the closing of the counting switch 108 for the fourth time energizes relay switch solenoid coil 152 for closing contacts 195 and maintaining the circuit for the said relay switch solenoid coil 152 and at the same time breaking the circuit which includes relay switch solenoid coil 86 for thereby preventing the operation of the pusher mechanism which includes the limit switch 49 should the accumulator table receive a load of filled containers prior to the complete retraction of the carriage and its positioning in readiness for said subsequent load.

The energization of the relay switch solenoid coil 152. also closes normally open relay switch contacts 196 which are electrically connected by a wire 197 with the control current source wire 78 and are further connected through a wire 198 with the second control current source wire '79. In the wire 198 is an air pressure switch 199 which is normally closed, and so illustrated in FIG. 7, and which switch will be presently further identified. Also in the wire 198 is a limit switch 200 normally open and, again, so shown in the drawings.

The limit switch 200 is a part of the elevator mechanism which lowers the filled containers into the basket or case for subsequent delivery to dispensers of the filled containers. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the limit switch 200 is mounted on or carried by a portion of the elevator mechanism, specifically by the cylinder thereof, as will later be made clear. The said switch 200 includes a movable actuator 201 adapted to be engaged by an abutment 202 upon the upward movement of the elevator mechanism and said switch 200 is, in view of the illustration in FIG. 1, now closed and for the present description of the control mechanism the said switch 200 in FIG. 7 is closed and wherefore an electric circuit from the current supply wire 78 is now flowing through wire 197, normally open now closed limit switch 2% and with current likewise flowing through solenoid 203 of a hydraulic control valve mechanism now to be described.

As was noted above the cylinder 19%} has connected with its opposite ends conduits 191 and 192 and which conduits terminate in a control valve mechanism 2.04, shown in elevation in FIG. 3 and in diagrammatic detail in FIG. 8. As shown in said FIG. 8 the said conduits 191 and 192 terminate in suitable ports in a valve sleeve 205 which has disposed therein a spool type valve 2% which, similar to the valve member 64, is provided with a plurality of lands identified by the same reference numerals as above, forming between them circumferential connecting grooves for alternately connecting the said pipes or conduits 191 and 192 with the pressure pipe or conduit 68 from the hydraulic medium pump 69 and with the discharge pipe or conduit 73 and the tank or sump 71. As illustrated in the drawings, particularly FIG. 8, the pressure pipe or conduit 68, particularly by the position of its valve 2%, is connected with the pipe or conduit 191 for thereby holding the piston 189 in the position illustrated therefor in FIG. 3 and holding the carirage mechanism 84 in its retracted position and at this time the pipe or conduit 192 is connected with the hydraulic medium sump or tank by way of the discharge pipe or conduit 73. The completion of the electric circuit by the fourth closing of the counter switch 1% energized the solenoid 2% and which solenoid 263 similar to the solenoid 77, above, is associated with the valve 266 for shifting same to its second position, namely, to the left hand end of the valve sleeve 295 as illustrated in FIG. 8 for thereby connecting the hydraulic pressure pipe or conduit 68 with the pipe or conduit 192 and the lower end of the cylinder 19% as seen in FIG. 3. The connection causes piston 189 to move upwardly in the cylinder 190 to carry with it the piston rod 188 and carriage mechanism =84 with its load of filled containers.

The carriage mechanism '84 moves until it is arrested and stopped. The carriage table or platform 161, see FIG. 4, has at its inner end one or more rollers 207, preferably two, see FIG. 3 freely rotatable on the axle bolt carried by a bracket 208 depending from the under surface of the said carriage platform 161. In the path of thesaid roller 207 the frame of the machine is provided with an abutment 2&9 that engages with the rollers 207 for thereby arresting the movement of the said carriage table or platform 161. The stopping of the movement of the carriage table or platform 161 does not stop the movement of the carriage supporting frame 167 but actually permits the continued movement of said carriage frame. The continued movement of the carriage frame 167 with the stopping of the table or platform 161 causes said table or platform to be elevated through the links since, as is obvious from FIG. 4, the movement of the carriage frame will tend to move the pivots 182 forwardly and cause the links to move therewith and oscillate them about said pivots to a position to dispose the said links other pivot 181 in a position vertically of the said pivots 182. The purpose of this construction, as will later be made clear, is to permit the freeing of the loaded containers from the carriage prior to the withdrawal of the carriage from beneath the said filled containers.

The carriage mechanism frame 167 has, see FIG. 3, upstanding therefrom an abutment 210 which when the carriage mechanism 84 reaches its innermost position and with its table or platform 161 elevated, engages the movable element or switch actuator 2:11 of a limit switch 212 carried by the frame of the machine in the vicinity of the stop 209.

As illustrated in FIG. 7 the limit switch 212 is a normally open switch and has one side thereof connected by a wire 213 with the control current supply wire 7 8. The other side of the said limit switch 212 is connected by a wire 214 with the other control current supply wire 79 and with said wire 214 including the solenoid coil 215 of a relay switch. The relay switch of solenoid coil 215 includes the normally closed switch contacts 194 in wire 193 and which normally closed switch contacts 194 are now opened for breaking the above described holding circuit that includes relay switch solenoid coil 152 for thereby de-energizing said relay switch solenoid 152 and opening, normally open, relay switch contacts 196 for breaking the above described electrical circuit including the valve electro-magnetic solenoid 293.

The energization of the relay switch solenoid coil 215 also closed normally open switch contacts 216 which have one side thereof connected by a wire 217 with the Control current supply wire 7 8 and which normally open, now closed, relay switch contacts 216 have their other side connected in part by a wire 218, a strap 219 and a wire 22%} with the other control current supply wire 79 and with said wire 220 including tnerein the solenoid coil 221, of a relay switch. The relay switch of the solenoid coil 221 has associated therewith normally open, now closed, relay switch contacts 222 and which have one side thereof connected with the control current supply wire 78 through a wire 223 which includes normally closed, now closed, limit switches 224 and 225. The normally open now closed relay switch contacts 222 have their other side connected through a wire 226 with the other control current supply wire 79 and which wire 226 includes an electro-magnetic solenoid 227 of a compressed air control valve 228 diagrammatically illustrated in the pneumatic circuit in FIG. 9. It should be noted that the strap wire 219 extends between or connects the wires 218 and 226.

As will be noted in FIG. 3 each of the filled containers has its closing flap, known in the trade as a gable, and indicated in FIGS. 11 and 12 by the numeral 26, extending in the same direction and which is the direction of movement of the carriage mechanism 84 as above described. The said movement of the carriage mechanism carries the filled containers to a position to be gripped or grasped by a gripper mechanism forming a part .of the elevator mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the gripper mechanism comprises a fixed jaw 229 for each filled container and located on one side of each container gable. The said fixed jaws 229 are carried by a suitable framework including depending end members such as shown at 230 in FIG. 1 and in which is oscillatably or rotatably mounted nods or bars 231, there being as many such rods or bars as there are rows of filled containers. Secured to and movable with said bars or rods 231 is a movable jaw 232, there being as many movable jaws as there are fixed jaws 229. Connected with each rod or bar 231 at each end thereof and to upstand therefrom is a lever 233 with said levers at the similar ends of the rods or bars 231 having their upper ends pivotally connected through a strap 234. To insure the proper operation of the movable jaws there is, preferably, a lever 233 at each end of each bar or rod 231 which have their upper ends connected by a similar strap 234; said lever and strap mechanism for one end of the rods or bars 231 being illustrated in FIG. 1, in elevation, and the said lever and strap arrangement for the other ends of said rods or bars 231 being illustrated in FIG. 3, in plan. The said levers and straps are connected for uniform and simultaneous operation by means of a tie bar 235, shown fragmentarily in FIG. 3 and extending from the strap at the back end of the gripper mechanism. The said tie bar 235 is connected, substantially midway of its length, to the outer end of a piston rod 236 projecting from a cylinder 237 which is carried by a horizontal plate 238 forming a part of the flame .of the gripper mechanism. The said gripper mechanism is a part of the filled container elevator mechanism, as noted above, and as will presently be made clear.

The gripper cylinder 237 is diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 9 and is shown as having extending from opposite ends thereof conduits 238 and 239. FIG. 9 further diagrammatically illustrates the piston rod 236 as having at its inner end a piston 240 with the conduits 238 and 239 on opposite sides of said piston 240. The pipes or conduits 238 and 239 have their other ends connected with the air Valve 228 and as illustrated has the pressure pipe or conduit 238 connected for actuating the piston 240 to an open position for the gripper mechanism. The energization of the solenoid 227 effects the shifting of the valve 228 for connecting the pipe or conduit 239 with the air pressure line 241 and simultaneously connecting the conduit 238 with the exhaust pressure line 242 or atmosphere. This then permits the piston 240 to be actuated and through the piston rod 236 operate the gripper movable jaws 232 for now gripping the gables f the filled containers located within the gripper device.

Disposed in the pressure line 239 is a pressure switch mechanism 243 illustrated in FIG. 9 as including the above identified normally closed switch 199 and additionally including a normally open switch 244. As diagrammatically illustrated in said FIG. 9 the pressure switch 243 includes a diaphragm 245 which elfects the 14 opening and closing of the switches 199 and 244 and which diaphragm is operated by the pressure in the pressure line 239 and for which purpose the said pressure switch mechanism 243 is connected by a pipe or conduit 246 with the said pressure line 239.

As illustrated in FIG. 7 the normally open pressure switch 244 has connected at one side thereof wire 247 terminating in wire 198 and control circuit feed wire 78 and which wire 247 includes an electromagnetic solenoid 248. The other side of the normally open pressure switch 244 is connected by a wire 249 with the current source supply wire 78.

From the foregoing it should be noted that after sufficient pressure has been built up in the gripper cylinder 243 to securely grip each of the filled containers said pressure closes the switch 244 and opens the normally closed switch 199 for thereby rendering the circuit including the same inoperative so that the subsequent closing of the normally open switch contacts 196 will not complete the circuit.

The electro-rnagnetic solenoid 248 is. connected with the valve stem 74 of the valve 206 for returning said valve 286 to the position thereof illustrated in FIG. 8 for retracting the carriage mechanism 84 to its position for receiving a subsequent load of filled containers from the accumulator table 47. Upon full retraction of the carriage mechanism 84 the normally open limit switch 83 is closed for thereby readying the circuit including the same and which circuit is subsequently closed by the closing of the limit switch 49 upon the completion of an accumulated load on the accumulator table 47 as above pointed out and whereupon the cycle including the pusher 54 is started.

The limit switch 83 is in reality a double switch in cluding normally open limit switch 250 which is in the electric conduit or wire 218 extending from the normally open relay switch contacts 216 and with said wire 218 further including electro-magnetic solenoid coil 251 connected by wire 252 with the current supply wire 79. Also included in the wire 218 is the normally open relay switch contacts 253 and the normally closed relay switch contacts 254.

The normally open relay switch contacts 253 are under the control of the relay switch solenoid coil 255 which is included in an electric conductor or wire 256 extending between the control current wires 78 and 79. Included also in the electric conduit or wire 256 is normally open limit switch 257 which is a part of the positioning mechanism for the case into which the filled containers are now to be disposed.

The limit switch 257 is located on the frame of the machine or at least on the supplemental frame which carries a conveyer mechanism indicated in general by the reference numeral 258 on which the container cases are mounted to have loaded therein the filled containers. The said limit switch 257 is closed by a case, indicated by the reference numeral 259, see FIG. 1, and therefore may be considered as closing the said circuit and including the relay switch solenoid coil 255.

Since the limit switch 257, for the present is to be considered as closed by the case 259 and will remain closed so long as said case is positioned .as in FIG. 1, the relay switch solenoid coil 255 is energized for closing the normally open relay switch contacts 253 and thereby effecting a circuit from the electric current source wire 78 by way of wire 217, normally closed now closed relay switch contacts 254, normally open now closed relay switch contacts 253, normally open now closed relay switch 250 for energizing electro-magnetic solenoid 251 which has its other side connected by a portion of the wire 252 with the electric current supply wire 79.

The electro-magnetic solenoid 251 is associated with the valve stem 76 of a valve 260 which is a part of a valve mechanism similar to valve mechanisms 62 and 294. The valve 260, is therefore provided with lands to form therebetween connecting grooves for connecting the hydraulic pressure line 68 alternately with hydraulic conduits or pipes 261 or 262 and connecting the other of said pipes or conduits with the hydraulic return line 73 and the tank or sump 71. The valve 25d controls the operation of a piston 263 disposed in a cylinder 2&4 and extending vertically of the central part of the machine frame. The piston rod 255 has secured to its lower end a plate 266 which forms a part of the frame which carries the filled containers gripper mechanism.

The cylinder 264 has connected with its upper end the other end of the pipe or conduit 261 while the lower end of said cylinder has connected therewith the other end of the pipe or conduit 262.

From the foregoing it will be noted that upon the gripping of the filled containers by the gripper jaws and upon the building up of sufficient pressure to indicate said containers are properly gripped the carriage mechanism 84 is retracted to its position for receiving a new load. Upon the full retraction of the carriage mechanism 84 and the proper clamping of a case beneath the gripper mechanism the limit switch 83 is closed and the limit switch 257 is closed for thereby permitting the lowering of the gripper mechanism to the bottom of its stroke to deposit the filled containers on the case bottom.

During the operation of the carriage mechanism 84 from its retracted position to its position beneath the gripper means and return to its normal load receiving position, the rotary step switch or counter mechanism 109 was re-setting itself preparatory for the next cycle. Upon the closing of the counter switch 108 for the fourth time and the completion of the electrical circuit which opened the normally closed switch 81 the electro-magnet 117 actuated or loaded the armature 126, in the same manner that had been effected on each of the three preceding transfers, and upon the retraction of the pusher from its said fourth advance the counter switch 108 again opened to de-energize the electro-magnet 117 and permit the spring or drive operation of the armature 126 and advancement of the movable contacts 12%, 121 and 122 to the contact 4 of their respective bank contacts.

The advancement of the movable contact 121 to its bank contact 4 set up an electric circuit from the rectifier output positive terminal through wire 135, movable contact 121, contact 4 of bank contacts 124, wire 137, including closed selector switch 140, wire 139, normally closed, now closed, switch contacts 267 in said wire 139 and which wire 139 terminates in the wire 115 to the electro-magnet coil 116 and which normally closed contacts 267 are opened upon energization of said electro-magnet 117. The electric circuit being described continues from the other end of the electro-magnet coil 116 through wires 118 and 112 to the other, negative, terminal of the current rectifier 110. This circuit obviously energizes the electro-magnet 117 for actuating the armature 126 and loading its spring 136. As soon as the electro-magnet 117 is energized the normally closed contacts 267 are opened for tie-energizing the electromagnet 117 and thereby permitting the advance of the movable contacts 120, 121 and 122 to contact 5 of their respective bank contacts.

The advancement of the movable contact 121 to contact 5 of its bank contacts 124 completes the same circuit as above described, but including the bridge or wire 136 between contacts 5 and 4 of bank contacts 124. This causes the advancement of the movable contacts 120, 121 and 122 to contact 6 of their respective bank contacts.

The advancement of the movable contact 121 to contact 6 of bank contacts 124 effects the completion of an electrical circuit in the main as above pointed out for bank contacts 4 and 5. Specifically this circuit includes the wire 135 from the plus outlet terminal of rectifier 115), movable contact 121, contact 6 of contact bank 124, wire 142, movable and fixed contacts 144 and 145 of switch indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 141a,

wire 143, bridging or-wire 146 of contacts 7, 8, 9 and 19 of bank contacts 124, wires 147 and 139, normally closed now closed contacts 267, wire 115, electro-magnet coil 116 and wires 118 and 112 back to the other or negative output terminal of the rectifier 11%. This electrical circuit again energizes the electro-magnet 117 and substantially, immediately breaks the circuit and causes the advancement of said movable contacts 120, 121 and 122 to contact 7 of their respective bank contacts.

The advancement of the movable contact 121 to contact 7 of its bank contacts 124 again completes an electrical circuit as above described in connection with bank contact 6 except that the switch 141a is now bypassed, the circuit being complete through the bridging 146 to wire 147 and on through the magnetic coil of the electro-magnet 117. The completion of the electric circuit again advances the movable contacts 129, 121 and 122 to their bank contacts 8, 9 and 11 each time completing an electric circuit to etfect the self advance or homing of the movable contacts. 7

Upon the advancement of the said movable contacts from their respective bank contacts 10 to their respective bank contacts 11 the circuit is broken since the homing bank contacts 124 does not have its contact 11 electrically connected with any circuit.

It should be here noted that the positioning of each of the movable contacts 120, 121 and 122 on contact 11 of their respective bank contacts 123, 124 and 125 is the equivalent of the positioning of said movable contacts as illustrated in FIG. 7. This is accomplished, in the physical embodiment of the counter mechanism or rotary stepping switch 109, by supplying the shaft 119 with three equally spaced movable contacts for each bank of fixed contacts and which movable contacts in succession eifect the cycle of operation as above described.

' In order to complete the description of said counter mechanism or rotary stepping switch 109 and establish the purpose of the above noted re-setting bank of contacts 123 it will be noted that the movable contact 120 has connected therewith one end of a wire 268 which has its other end connected with a manually operable switch 269 and which switch 269 has its other side connected by a wire 270 with the wire 113 and therefore the outlet positive terminal of the rectifier 110. It will further be noted that the'said re-setting bank contacts 1 through 6 are each electrically connected with one another through a wire or bridge 271 and with said contact 6 having connected thereto the end of the Wire 1339..

The switch 269 is a manually starting switch and is employed to insure the counter mechanism being in its initial or home position before the initial starting of a machine cycle. Assuming that the machine had previously been stopped with the movable contacts 121 121 and 122 on a fixed contact other than its initial or home contact, the closing of the manual starting switch will complete an electric circuit from the output'positive terminal of the current rectifier through Wires 113 and 270, starting switch 269, wire 268, movable contact 120, the particular bank contact 1 to 6 of bank contacts 123 on which said movable contact last stopped, bridge or wire 271 and wire 139 for completing the electro-magnet circuit and advancing the movable contacts as above pointed out. The holding of the starting switch 269 closed will repeat the advancement of the movable contacts at least through contact 6 whereupon the movable contact 121 of the homing bank contacts 124 will take over and complete the homing of the said movable contacts 120, 121 and 122 to the positions thereof illustrated in FIG. 7.

From the foregoing it will thus .be seen that the counting mechanism or rotary stepping switch 11 is automatically re-set after the operation of the carriage mechanism 84 preparatory to a subsequent operation thereof upon the transfer thereof of a load of filled containers.

Continuing with the assumption that the machine is 17 operating on or casing quart size containers, as illustrated in the drawings, a manually operated selector switch 272, located at the upper end of the said central part of the machine frame structure, see FIG. 1, is maintained closed during the casing of quart size filled containers and which switch 272, see FIG. 7, has one side thereof connected by a wire 273 with the control current feed wire 78 while its other side is connected by a wire 273a with a wire 274- that extends between the control current feed wires 78 and 79 and with said wire 274 including a relay switch solenoid coil 275, normally open relay switch contacts 276 and normally open, now closed, relay switch contacts 277. The selector switch 272, being closed, during the movement of the elevator mechanism energizes said relay switch solenoid coil 275 for the closing of the relay switch contacts 276 and which contacts 276 act as a holding contact for the said relay switch solenoid coil 275.

It should be noted that the circuit including normally closed limit switch 225 is provided with a bypass circuit which includes a wire 278 having one end connected with the control circuit wire 223 at a point between said normally closed limit switch 225 and normally open relay switch contacts 222. Said bypass circuit wire 278 has therein a manually operable switch 279 which is open, and so illustrated, when filled containers of a quart size are being loaded or cased and which switch is closed when other sizes of filled containers are being loaded or cased, as will presently be made clear. The said bypass circuit wire 278 in addition to the switch 279 includes normally closed relay switch contacts 280 which are associated with and under the control of relay switch solenoid coil 275 and while said normally closed switch contacts 2% are now closed the bypass circuit wire 278 is not complete due to the open switch 279 therein.

The elevator mechanism continues to descend toward the bottom of the case or box and just before the filled cartons reach the bottom of said case or box they are released from the gripper mechanism and the elevator mechanism returned to its upper position, by mechanism now to be described. The gripper and elevator mechanisms include, as noted above, the plate 266 to which the piston 265 is connected with said connection, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 4, including a knuckle or pivot joint 231 and with the ends of said plate 266 welded or otherwise secured to a pair of upright members 282 and 233 which constitute the elevator frame and which upright members 252 and 283 have their upper ends connected to opposed sides of a pair of strap plates 234. One of the said plates, preferably the one to the front of the machine, has at its upper end a cam box 285 in which is mounted the means for operating the limit switches 224 and 225 at the proper moment and depending upon which size of filled containers is being boxed or cased.

Any suitable or desirable means may be employed for this purpose, that shown in the drawings comprising a pair of aligned shafts 256 and 237 each journaled in the up er and lower walls of the control mechanism or cam box 285. The shafts 286 and 287 project above the said control box and each, respectively, is provided with a knob 28% and 259 whereby said shafts are rotated and to insure their simultaneous rotation or angular adjustment, since their angular positions with respect to one another is important, the said shafts are interconnected by a pair of intermeshed gears or pinions 290. Mounted on said shafts are fingers or cams with shaft 287 having thereon fingers 291, 292, 293 and 294 while the shaft 286 has thereon the fingers or cams 295,. 296 and 297.

The elevator mechanism including the control box 285 is guided in its Vertical movement by guide blocks 298 from each end of each of the strap plates 284, or from each corner of the frame, with said guide blocks each having centrally thereof a guide rod 299 which has its upper end suitably secured to an upper transverse frame member 3%. The said guide rods 299 have their lower ends secured in or to a transverse frame member 301 which conveniently includes a part of the motor supporting frame 46, above identified.

For the present description of the machine, it is assumed that the control box 285 has its shafts operated to the positions whereby the finger or cam 291 is forwardly projecting. The said finger or cam 291 in its operative position will engage and open limit switch 225 which, as seen in FIG. 1, is mounted on a tansverse frame member 3S2.

The limit switch 225 is provided with an oscillatable or rotatable actuator 393 located in the path of movement of the finger or cam 291 and the parts are so related to one another that the finger 291 actuates the limit switch 225 for opening the same when the filled containers, as noted above, are just above the bottom of the box or case and the said opening of the limit switch causes the release of said filled containers as follows.

The air control valve 228 was shifted, as noted above, by the electromagnetic solenoid 227 to effect the operation of the said gripper jaws. As seen in FIG. 9 the shifting of said valve 228 to the right for thereby connecting the air pressure line 241 with the cylinder line or conduit 239. This shifting of the said valve 228i was against the resistance of a spring 3554- and the opening of the normally closed limit switch 225 de-energized the said electromagnetic solenoid 227 for thereby relieving the tension in the spring 334-, and permitting the said spring to shift the valve 228 to the position thereof illustrated in said FIG. 9 and which may be termed the normal open position of said valve and thereby connecting the air pressure line 241 with the cylinder 237 on the side of the piston for opening the clamp or gripper jaws on the containers.

The said operation of the valve 22% thereby released the pressure switch 243 and permitting the closing of the normally closed switch contacts 199 and the opening of the normally open switch contacts 244 for subsequent operation of the electro-magnetic solenoid 203.

More importantly, at this time, the opening of the normally closed limit switch 225 broke or disconnected the electric circuit including relay switch solenoid coil 221 for thereby permitting the closing of normally closed relay switch contacts 365 which are in the control circuit or wire 252 a portion of which was above referred to and which wire includes electro-magnetic solenoid 306.

The electromagnetic solenoid 3% is associated with the valve stem 74 of the valve 260 and returns the said valve 26% to the position illustrated therefor in FIG. 8 for thereby connecting the hydraulic pressure line (it; with the pipe or conduit 252 and the lower end of the elevator cylinder 264 for causing the upward movement of the piston 263 therein. This upward movement of the piston 263 continues until the said piston reaches its uppermost position.

It will be noted that the limit switch 225 is in reality a double switch including the normally closed switch contacts 225 and also including normally open limit switch contacts 307 and which switch 387 is included in an electric conduit or wire 3-23 extending between the control circuit current wires 78 and 79 with said wire 398 including normally open relay switch contacts 399, under the control of relay switch solenoid coil 275 now energized and wherefore said normally open relay switch contacts 3&9 are closed, and said electrical conduit or wire 3% further includes the relay switch solenoid coil 319 of a relay switch which controls the normally closed relay switch contacts 277 and 254. The closing of the limit switch 307, however, completes the electric circuit for energizing the relay switch solenoid coil 33.4) and sheets the closing of the relay switch holding switch contacts 311 which are normally open. The said normally open, now closed, relay switch contacts 311 are included in the electric conduit or wire 312 which extends from the control circuit current wire 79 to the wire 308 at a point between the normally open relay switch contacts 309 and relay switch solenoid coil 31%}. Included in the electric conduit or wire 312 are normally open relay switch contacts 313 which are under the control of relay switch solenoid coil 255 and now energized by the closed, though normally open, limit switch 257 and which limit switch 257 is closed by the case being loaded.

The energization of the relay switch solenoid coil 310 opened normally closed relay switch contacts 314 which are under the control of said relay switch solenoid coil 310. The said normally closed relay switch contacts 314 are included in an electric conductor or wire 315 extending from a point between the limit switch 257 and the relay switch solenoid 255 with said electric conduit or Wire 3155 including an electror-magnetic solenoid 316.

The electro-magnetic solenoid 316, see FIG. 9, is associated with air valve 317 and which valve 317 insofar as the present description is concerned, and as disclosed in the drawing, is in its left hand position against the resistance of the spring 318. In this position compressed air in conduit or pipe 319 is prevented from flowing through the said valve. At this time a branch air line or conduit 329 extends to an air control valve 321 and with a second air conduit 322 carrying air to a valve mechanism 323. Extending from the valve mechanism 317 is a restricted air line 324 that terminates in a valve shifting mechanism 325 for the valve mechanism. 323 and which valve mechanism 323 is a normally closed valve Wherefore actuated to the position shown in FIG. 9 by the spring 326. Extending from the valve mechanism 323 is an air conduit 327 which passes through an air flow regulator 328 to one end of a cylinder 329 in which is disposed a piston 33% that has projecting from it a piston rod 331 connected with mechanism for clamping the box or case 259 in the position illustrated in FIG. 1 and which, as noted above, is the loading position for the case. The actuation of the piston 33@, as will presently be made clear, is against the resistance of a spring 332.

From the foregoing it should be noted that upon the closing of limit switch 257 by the case and the completion of the circuit including the electro-magnetic solenoid 316 the valve mechanism 317 was actuated to permit a flow therethrough which was through the conduit or line 324- for energizing the air valve shifter 325 and shifting said valve 323 from its normally closed position to an open position for thereby connecting t air pressure line 319 through conduits or air pressure lines 323 and 322 with the conduit 327 and actuating the case clamping piston 330.

The energization of the relay switch solenoid coil 310 by the closing of the normally open limit switch contacts 307 opens the relay switch normally closed contacts 314 thereby de-energizing the solenoid 316 and permits the spring 318 to return the valve 317 to the position illustrated in FIG. 9 and connect the line 327 to the atmosphere thereby rendering the valve shifter 325 inoperative and the return of the valve 323 to its normal position by the spring 326 and thereby connect the case clamping cylinder 329 to atmosphere and permit the spring 332 to release the clamp piston so that the case with its load may be released. It should be noted that there is a time delay mechanism 333 in the air line to delay withdrawal of the piston 330 to insure clearance of the filled case by the elevator. v

The energizationof the solenoid 316 by the positioning of the case, as noted above, shifted the valve 317 from its normally closed position to its open position thereby permitted the flow of compressed air into the line 324 to open the normally closed valve 323 and permit flow therethrough from the conduit 322 to the conduit 327. This flow of air in conduit or line 327 also caused a flow of air in the conduit or line 334 to a valve actuator 335 associated with the normally open valve 321 and which is illustrated in its normally open position under the influence spring 336. Therefore, the shifting of the valve 323 to its normally closed position and connecting the pipe or line 327 to exhaust also connects, the line or pipe 334 to the exhaust and effects the de-energization of the valve actuator 335 and the shifting of the, said valve 321 to its normally open position and permit flow therethrough from the conduit 326. This, flow of air from the said valve 321 to a valve 337, by way of pipe or conduit 338, also efiects an air flow through a pipe or conduit 339 to a valve actuator 344 associated with the said valve 337. This flow of air in the conduit 339 is restricted so that a time delay is provided before the said valve actuator is permitted to actuate the said valve 337 against its spring 341 to shift it from its normal position for connecting the air flow in conduit 338 with the conduit 342 including air flow control valve 343 and the cylinder 344. The cylinder 344 includes a piston 345 with a piston rod 346 connected, as will later be made clear, with a case ejector mechanism. The shifting of the piston 345 in a case ejecting direction is against the yielding resistance of a spring 347.

As will be noted from FIG. 1 the case 253 is to the left of its conveyer and held there by a clamp shoe 348 and that the upper left hand corner of the case is against a block or a shoe 34%. Upon the case receiving its load the clamp shoe is released, as above pointed out, whereupon the pneumatic mechanism above described comes into operation for shifting the said case 259 away from or laterally of the stop 35%, whereupon the case with its load is transported from beneath the elevator mechanism. Due to the time delay and retracting mechanisms built into the ejector system the said ejector shoe is actuated and after shifting the loaded case clear of the stop is retracted so as not to interfere with the empty case being brought into engagement with the said stop 350.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the deenergization of the solenoid 316 not only effects an unclamping of the filled case but at the same time effects the operation of a filled case ejector mechanism for shifting the said full case from the loading position and permitting the placement of an empty case in position to be loaded.

The positioning of the empty case again closes the limit switch 257 to permit the depositing therein of filled containers. The cycle of the mechanism had been progressing as above set forth so that a new load of filled containers are now on the carriage mechanism 84 for transfer to the elevator.

As was noted above the cycle. of the machine just described was for handling sealed containers of a quart size.

and which containers are deposited in a single row, per case, on the bottom thereof. As was noted above when operating on or loading pints into a case it is desired that an upper layer, such as a half layer, or a three-fourths layer, is to be placed upon the full layer on the case bottom. Assuming now that pint size containers are to be cased, and that a half layer of filled containers are to be placed on the full layer in the case, certain adjustment are made in the machine and in the electric control circuit, said adjustment in the electric circuit being the opening of the manually operable switch and the closing of the manually operable switches 16d and 279 and, if not already effected the positioning of the movable contact 144 into engagement with fixed contact 145 of switch 141a and the positioningof movable contact 153 into engagement with fixed contact 156 of switch 15611. The said switch 156a has, for convenience, been so designated in its entirety and includes fixed contacts 156 and E57 and movable contact 158 with said movable contact being mechanically tied or connected with the movable contact of switch 141a for simultaneous movement of the movable contacts 144 and 158.

It will be appreciated that the accumulator table 47 and carriage platform 161 remain in the same plane regardless of the size of the container being loaded in the machine and that, therefore, the distance between the bottoms of said container and the bottom of the.

basket or case 259 remains the same and necessitates the same distance of travel of said container bottoms. However, in view of the fact that the said containers are of different heights, that is, decreasing in height from, for example, the quart, to the pint, to the third quart, and to the half pint, the gripper mechanism must be lowered to a position for receiving the smaller height containers. To elfect this adjustment the entire elevator mechanism along with the piston and cylinder mechanism are lowered thereby permitting the piston to travel to the same point before releasing its load after the gripping of the smaller height containers. Any suitable or desirable means may be provided to accomplish this result, preferably, at this time, the means illustrated in the drawings being utilized and which means specifically are as follows.

As seen in FIG. 2 the uprights of the machine frame are joined by a horizontal frame member 351 in which is mounted a guide bushing 352 secured in position by a flange 353 and with said flange disposed on the upper surface of the horizontal frame member 351 and with the sleeve thereof depending below said frame member. Disposed in said sleeve is a rod or bar 354 having projecting from one side thereof a key 355 that passes through a suitable keyway 356 formed through the bushing 352. The bar 354 has secured to its lower end a clevis head 357 including a slot 358 in which is disposed a tongue 359 carried by and upwardly projecting from a cylinder head 36% at the upper end of the cylinder 264. The said cylinder head 360 has connected therewith the pipe or conduit 2-62. The clevis 357 and the cylinder head tongue 35? are connected to one another by a pin 361 which extends therethrough.

The upper end of the rod or bar 354 is provided with screw threads 362 in threaded engagement with a nut 363. The nut 363 is rotatably mounted in a bushing or sleeve 36 i and which nut 363 has a flange at its lower end engaging a lower surface of the sleeve 364 and the said nut 363 has at its upper end a screw collar 365 which engages the upper surface of the sleeve 364. The sleeve 364 has a radial flange 366 through which it is secured to a transverse frame member 367 at the upper ends of the central frame uprights. The screw collar 365 includes a sprocket 368 about which is trained a sprocket chain 369. The sprocket chain 369 is in turn trained around a driving sprocket 370 at the upper end of a shaft 371 rotatably journaled in a suitable bearing 372 carried by one of the framing uprights. The shaft 371 above the sprocket 379 is provided with an actuating handle or lever 373.

The upper end of the said rod or bar 354 has secured to it a collar 374 and which collar operates the normally open limit switch 272 for closing same when the machine is adjusted for loading or casing filled quarts and which limit switch is therefore open at the commencement of a cycle which loads or cases filled containers of a size other than said quarts.

From the foregoing it will be noted that actuation of the nut 363 through the handle or lever 373 and sprocket chain 369 in the desired direction will cause the screw 362 to be lowered and with it, since it is integral, the rod or bar 354 and elevator cylinder 264 along with its piston 263 and the parts carried thereby which, of course, includes the gripper mechanism at the lower end of the said piston rod. Since the gripper mechanism includes the transverse plate 266', to which the elevator frame members 232 and 233 are attached and which inturn carry the connecting plates 284 and guide block 298 the entire elevator mechanism is accordingly vertically adjusted. The machine is further adjusted through the knobs 238 and 239, which in the case of loading pint containers, effects the withdrawal of the finger 291 on the shaft 287 and the bringing into play of fingers or cams 292 and 23 5 respectively on said shafts 287 and 286.

With these adjustments in the machine structure and the control circuit the machine is started in motion by operating the hydraulic pump motor and the filled container conveyer motor 44.

The machine functions, initially, substantially the same as above described which includes the accumulation of four successive rows of filled containers on the accumulator table 47 each closing the limit switch 49 and counter switch 108 which through the fourth closing thereof caused the cycle above described in lowering of a full layer of filled containers into the case.

The complete shifting of the carriage mechanisms to its operative position with respect to the gripper mechanism efiects the operation of said gripper mechanism in the same manner as above set forth but at the same time sets in operation supplemental control mechanism through the counter mechanism 109, as follows:

With the machine set for casing pints, particularly when it is desired to place a half second layer in the case, the closing of the counter switch 108 the fourth time and through the movable contact 122 while energizing the solenoid 152 for preventing the operation of the machine until the carriage mechanism 84 has been returned to its normal position does not eifect the discharge of the case from its loading position nor does the counter mechanism 109 return to its normal or home position. This holding of the counter mechanism against homing is effected because the manually operable switch 140 being new open the movable switch 121 upon reaching contact 4 of bank contacts 124 does not complete an electric circuit through the Wire 137. From this it follows that the shifting of the fifth load of filled containers from the platform has the same effect as the shifting of the first load of the original layer. When, however, the sixth load is shifted and with the movable contact 122 on contact 5 of bank contacts 125 the closing or" the counter switch 108 then completes an electric circuit through the energization of the e1ectro-magnet 117 and the closing thereby of normally open switch contacts 155 as follows:

From control circuit feed wire 78 through wires 111 and 148, movable contact 122, contact 5 of bank contacts 125, wire 154, fixed contact 156, movable contact 158, wire 159 including now closed manually operable selector switch 160, normally open now closed contacts 150, wire 15-1, solenoid switch coil 152 and wire 153 to the control circuit feed wire 79. The energization of said solenoid switch coil 15?. closes its own normally open now closed holding contacts 195 as well as closing normally open contacts 196 and opening normally closed contacts 83 and permits the operation of the machine to the extent of discharging the now filled case and positioning an empty case for subsequent loading.

At this time also the advancement of the movable contact 121 to contact 6 of bank contacts 124 upon the opening of the limit switch 108 effects the homing of the counter switch through the said circuits as above described upon the said movable contact 121 reaching contact 6 of bank contacts 124- when the said selector switch was closed.

As was noted above it is sometimes desirable, purely a users choice, to place a'three-quarter second layer in the case and in order to accomplish this the movable contact 144 of manually operable switch 141a is shifted from the fixed contact 145 to the fixed contact 141 and simultaneously the movable contact 153 of the switch 156a is shifted from its fixed contact 156 to the fixed contact 157. With said switches 141a and 156a so adjusted it is believed obvious that the discharging of the loaded case is prohibited until after the transfer of the seventh load from the accumulator table since: it is only after the said seventh transfer and with the movable contact 122 on contact 6 of bank contacts 125 that the control mechanism is set up for the shifting of the filled case. Also it is believed obvious that with the switches 141a and 156a in their above identified adjusted posi-

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