US3827211A

US3827211A - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: US3827211A
Application number: US00320312A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Zavatone; J Myers
Original assignee: Federal Paper Board Co Inc
Current assignee: Federal Paper Board Co Inc
Priority date: 1973-01-02
Filing date: 1973-01-02
Publication date: 1974-08-06
Anticipated expiration: 1991-08-06
Also published as: CA999513A; NL7400019A; FR2212269A1; BE809326A; FR2212269B1; GB1462301A; AU6264673A

Abstract

A packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound-type blank of foldable sheet material a group of bottles in single line arrangement, which bottles are characterized by a body configuration having a larger cross sectional dimension in one direction than in the direction transverse thereto, the machine comprising an infeed conveyor with associated, parallel screw members which orient the bottles so that the longer body dimension extends transversely of the path of advance of the bottles and spaces the bottles uniformly for advance beneath an overhead blank feeding mechanism to a mechanism for folding the blanks about the bottles and finally to a group forwarding conveyor which advances the bottle and folded blank assemblies through a mechanism for securing the ends of the blanks in tight engagement about the bottles.

Description

nited States Patent [191 Zavatone et a1.

[1 11 3,827,211 [451 Aug. 6, 1974 PACKAGING MACHINE [75] Inventors: James Zavatone, Englewood; John H. Myers, Bergenfield, both of NJ.

[73] Assigneei Federal Paper Board Company, Inc.,

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Guy A. Greenawalt [57] ABSTRACT A packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound-type blank of foldable sheet material a group of bottles in single line arrangement, which bottles are characterized by a body configuration having a larger cross sectional dimension in one direction than in the direction transverse thereto, the machine comprising an infeed conveyor with associated, parallel screw members which orient the bottles so that the longer body dimension extends transversely of the path of advance of the bottles and spaces the bottles uniformly for advance beneath an overhead blank feeding mechanism to a mechanism for folding the blanks about the bottles and finally to a group forwarding conveyor which advances the bottle and folded blank assemblies through a mechanism for securing the ends of the blanks in tight engagement about the bottles.

16 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PATENTED m1; 6W4

" mamn PATENTEDAUB 6I974 SHEEY 3 BF 5 PATENTEB AUG 61374 sum SN 5 D DIXIE TXTTTYTKJ PACKAGING MACHINE This invention relates to packaging and is more particularly concerned with improvements in machinery for the packaging of articles in groups of a predetermined number by wrapping about successive groups blanks of foldable sheet material so as to tightly enclose each group in a tube forming carton or carrier.

Wrapping machines have been developed heretofore for applying wraparound types of foldable carrier or carton blanks to assemblies of bottles or similar products. Generally, the bottles have been of the type having a body with a round contour and there has been no need for any orientation of the bottles because of the shape, and with the sides of the assembly being substantially covered by the side walls of the carrier or carton there has been no need to arrange the bottles so as to show a particular bottle surface area. Also, the groups of bottles have generally been assembled in double row formation. A typical machine for this type bottle wrapping operation is described in US. Pat. No. 3,303,631, granted Feb. 14, 1967, to Robert H. Ganz. The wraparoundtype packaging operation has been employed with the bottles arranged in a single row or a single line grouping and the packaging has been carried out with machinery originally designed for accommodating groups of bottles in double row arrangement, with relatively simple machinery modifications to handle the single line grouping. However, when the bottles have a non-circular body configuration and orientation is desirable, available machinery has not been found satisfactory. It is a general object, therefore, to provide an improved machine for wrapping groups of bottles and similar articles, in a wraparound blank, which machine is capable of accommodating articles having a body configuration which is non-circular, with the articles being fed to the machine in a position which requires orientation to another position and the machine being adapted to be operated at a relatively high speed to orient the articles to the desired position and to fold successive blanks into tightly wrapped engagement about successive groups of the articles.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for wrapping groups of bottles or similar articles in a wraparound carton, or carrier blank, where it is necessary or desirable, to first orient the articles so as to have them arranged uniformly in a single row and apply a cut and scored wrapper blank of foldable sheet material to successive groups of articles of the desired number, to thereafter advance the groups of articles to mechanism for folding the blanks about the groups of articles and secure the same so as to form a package in which the articles are in tightly wrapped engagement in an open ended tubular carton.

A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a packaging machine for enclosing assemblies or groups of bottles or similar articles in wraparound carrier or carton forming blanks of paperboard or other foldable sheet material of a suitable character wherein the machine is capable of packaging bottles of noncircular body configuration which are arranged in single row grouping, the machine having in-line apparatus for spacing and orienting the bottles so that correspondin g cross sectional dimensionsextend in the same direction and for advancing the bottles beneath a blank feeding mechanism which is operable to deposit a blank on successive groups of bottles together with apparatus for folding the blanks and securing them in tight engagement about the successive bottle groups.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a bottle wrapping machine which is capable of assembling bottles or similar articles in single row arrangement and in groups of a predetermined number and enclosing each successive group in a wraparound blank of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material, a mechanism for orienting and spacing in uniform single line arrangement bottles of the type having a non-circular body configuration with a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is appreciably greater than in a direction which is transverse relative thereto.

Still another object of the invention is to provide in a machine for wrapping a carrier or carton forming blank about a group of bottles arranged in a single row, a mechanism for orienting bottles having a body configuration which is non-circular in cross section and which has curved surfaces, the mechanism being in the form of a pair of screw members arranged in parallel relation on opposite sides of a path along which the bottles are advanced under the guidance of co-operating spiral threads on the screw members which threads are arranged to orient and space the bottles so that they are advanced in uniformly spaced and oriented relation while wrappers are deposited on successive groups of the bottles after which the bottle and wrapper assemblies are advanced to a wrapper applying mechanism.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the bottle packaging machine which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGS. 1a and 1b constitute a plan view, partially schematic, of a machine which embodies the principal features of the invention and which is especially designed for packaging in a wraparound carrier or carton forming blank successive groups of bottles which have a non-circular configuration in cross section and which will be oriented by the machine to the position required for application of the blanks to groups of the desired number;

FIGS. 2a and 2b constitute a side elevation of the machine shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b with portions thereof omitted and other portions shown diagramatically;

FIG. 3 is a plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the entrance end portion of the machine shown in FIG. la;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. Ia, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1a, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of FIG. 1b, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 77 of FIG. lb, to an enlarged scale;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bottle package which the illustrated machine is designed to produce; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the wrapper blank which is employed in operating the illustrated machine to produce the package of FIG. 8.

Referring first to FIGS. 8 and 9, the package P which the illustrated machine is particularly adapted to form comprises a group of bottles B in single row alignment which are substantially enclosed in a tubular carton formed by wrapping the blank W (FIG. 9) about the assembled bottles B. In forming the package P the bottles B are assembled in a single line arrangement with orientation to a uniform position, a blank W is dropped on a predetermined number of the bottles B and thereafter wrapped about the same. In the form shown the bottles B have a generally parabolic base D and upstanding tapered or flared side walls S which are rounded and the lower portions of which taper outwardly of a vertical axis while the upper portions taper inwardly and merge at the top into a round mouth on which there is a cap C. Thus, the bottle bodies have a cross section which is generally parabolic and which has a dimension in one direction greater than the corresponding dimension in the direction transverse thereto. The bottles B are arranged in the package P in a uniformly positioned single line or single row arrangement, with oppositely disposed wider sides abutting, and with all sides being in planes curved about vertical axes and tapered, first outwardly and then inwardly, in a direction upwardly of the base D.

The blank W is generally rectangular and is cut and scored to provide a top wall forming panel E having spaced apertures F for receiving the necks of the bottles. Side wall panels G and H adjoin the top wall panel E with the panel G having apertures I which constitute locking apertures and the panel I-I having apertures J spaced between the bottle apertures F which are adapted to receive lugs on a chain which advances the bottles during a part of the wrapping operation. A relatively narrow bottom wall forming panel K is flanked by a side wall forming panel portion L on the one side and a like panel portion M on the other side, both panel portions L and M being provided with spaced apertures N and O for seating therein portions of the bottle bottoms as seen in FIG. 8. The panel portion L is adapted to co-operate with the panel H in forming a side wall of the carton with the combined panels being scored at R to permit the outward bulging shown in FIG. 8. The panel portion M is scored at T for the same purpose. There is a hinged male locking panel V provided on the end margin with locking fingers X and latching lugs Y for co-operation with the apertures I in the female locking panel G, the latching lugs Y being spaced along the score line Z which forms the hinge line for the locking panel V. The locking panel V with fingers X and lugs Y and the locking apertures I may be the same construction as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,857 granted to Henry Ganz on June 6, 1961 for connecting the bottom wall forming panels.

The machine in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises mechanism at the entrance end thereof for orienting and spacing the bottles B which are received from an infeed conveyor 12, the bottles being advanced on the conveyor 12 with the lesser cross sectional dimension extending transversely of the path of advance. The bottles are oriented and spaced by the mechanism 10 and advanced beneath blank feeding mechanism 14 for depositing successive wrapper blanks W on successive groups of the bottles of a predetermined number. The bottle and blank assemblies are advanced through a blank folding mechanism 16 where the blanks are wrapped about the bottle assemblies and the advance of the assemblies is taken over by a conveyor mechanism 18 with a co-operating bottle supporting or assembly supporting chain mechanism 20 carrying the assemblies through a locking and latching mechanism 22 for interlocking the male and female portions Vand G of the wrappers W so as to complete the packaging operations, resulting in packages P which are illustrated in FIG. 8.

The bottles B are deliverd at the entrance end of the illustrated machine on the conveyor 12 (FIGS. 1 to 3) with the bottles having their greatest cross sectional dimension in the direction of advance thereof and being in abutting engagement. The bottle spacing and orienting mechanism 10 comprises a pair of screw or

auger members

23 and 24 having parallel, laterally spaced

shafts

25 and 26 which are journaled in the machine frame members and disposed on opposite sides of a path along which the bottles are advanced while they are indexed, or spaced, and oriented into a single line with uniform spacing and orientation. The

auger members

23 and 24 are spaced to accommodate the bottles in the path along which they are advanced by the cooperating spiral flanges or blades on the

members

23 and 24. The

members

23 and 24 are driven in proper timed relation in an identical manner by motors 27 having chain drive connections 28 with sprockets 30 carried on the ends of the

respective auger shafts

25 and 26. The auger member 23 is divided into sections 23a, 23b, 23c and the auger member 24 is divided into sections 24a, 24b, 240 which are disposed opposite the corresponding sections of member 23. The auger sections are provided with thread or flange porfiles designed to co-operate in spacing the bottles which are delivered from the conveyor 12 in abutting relation and also in rotating the bottles about a vertical axis through a angle. The screw or auger member 24 has a shaft portion 31, extending along the section 24a, with a cross sectional diameter which is relatively small so as to form a relatively large spiral groove 32 running between flange or thread sections 33, that is, the root diameter and the pitch of the flange or thread have di mensions sufficient to accommodate a bottle with the longest cross sectional dimension in the direction of the path of advance as it enters between the two

auger members

23 and 24 on the conveyor 12. The auger member 23 which is spaced laterally relative to the auger member 24 has a relatively large root diameter or shaft cross sectional diameter along the section 23a, with thread or flange formations 35 having a relatively wide peripheral edge and with a pitch dimension suffrcient to provide a spiral groove 36 separating the flange formations 35 having a concave surface which is complementary to the convex surface of the bottle side wall on the longest side thereof. The respective root diameters, pitch distances and spacing between the two

auger members

23 and 24 is such that the bottles B advancing from the conveyor 12 in abutting relation are spaced or indexed, as indicated by bottle B1 in FIG. 3, and axial rotation is initiated, as indicated by bottle B2. The section 24b of the auger 24 has the pitch decreased and the root diameter progressively increased as shown in FIG. 3 while the oppositely disposed section 23b of the auger member 23 has a decreased root diameter and a decreased pitch so as to complete the rotation of the bottles, as indicated by bottles B3 and B4, when they reach the section 240 of the auger member 24 and the oppositely disposed section 230 of the auger member 23. Auger sections 23c and 240 have a root diameter and a pitch which correspond and the flanges are disposed relative to each other so as to provide spiral grooves 40 and 41 having concave surfaces which are complementary to the surfaces of the bottles on the shorter sides thereof in which the bottles are confined in their turned position and advanced in the path between the two

angers

23 and 24.

A blank feeding mechanism 14 is arranged above the sections 23c and 24c of the auger conveyor assembly with provision for dispensing successive blanks W in a manner which results in the deposit of each blank on a group of bottles advancing in the path between the two

auger members

23 and 24. The blank feeding or dispensing apparatus 14 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 2a. Blank dispensing mechanismsof the type employed arewell known. Typical blank dispensers of this type are shown in US. Pat. Nos. 3,303,631, granted Feb. 14, 1967 and 3,627,309, granted Nov. 14, 1971, to Robert H. Ganz.

The bottles B are supported at the entrance end of the spacing and orienting auger apparatus 10 on the infeed conveyor 12 which may be a chain conveyor carried on a sprocket 42 (FIG. 2a) on a suitable cross shaft 43. As the bottles are advanced along the sections 23c and 24c of the auger conveyor assembly, their support is taken over by a bottom conveyor which has a double chain 44 carried on pairs of sprockets 45 and 46 on suitable cross shafts 47 and 48. The chain members 44 carry spaced lugs 50 for engaging the trailing sides or ends of the bottles so as to advance the same in uniform spaced relation to a point beyond the end of the auger assembly 10 where the bottle and blank assemblies are moved onto a support blade or dead plate 51 and their advance is taken over by a chain 52 traveling in a horizontal plane at one side of the path. The wrapper blanks W are deposited on the bottles, as shown in FIGS. 2a and 4, with the panel E centered over a group of bottles and the apertures F aligned to receive the bottle tops. Each successive blank W is supported at the side margins by guide rail forming angle bars 53, 53'. The one side margin support rail 53, on which the edge of panel G rests, terminates as the leading edge of the blank W reaches the plow forming end 54 of an elongate bar 55 which extends at the same side of the path above the forwarding conveyor chain 52. On the other side of the path, which is clear of conveyor elements in this area, the support rail 53', on which the edge of panel V is carried, terminates short of a fold down blade 56 which is mounted on the cross shaft 57. The shaft 57 is journaled in a frame member 58 and carries on its other end a sprocket 60 driven by a chain 61 running from sprocket 62 on a drive shaft 63. Shaft 63 is journaled in the frame member 64 and carries a sprocket 65 having a chain connection 66 with a suitable driving motor. The folding balde or plate 56 is operative to fold down the side wall panel H and the adjoining portions of the blank while the blank section or panel G is being folded down on the other side of the path by the plow forming bar 55.

The forwarding chain 52 has bottle engaging lugs 70 spaced along the length thereof so as to divide the bottles into groups and to space the groups in accordance with the design and timing of the deposit of the blanks W. In the machine illustrated the blanks W are designed to package groups of six bottles and the lugs 70 are spaced accordingly. The chain 52 is mounted on sprockets 71, 72, 73 and 74 so that a run of the chain between the sprockets 72 and 73 will advance the successive bottle and blank assemblies along the supporting plate 51 with proper spacing between each assembly. The chain 52 is located at an elevation to bring the lugs into engagement with the bottles B at a point below the bottom edge of the blank panel G, as shown in FIG. 5. Tl-Ie chain supporting sprockets 71, 72, 73 and 74 are mounted on suitable, vertically disposed shafts 71, 72', 73' and 74 and provision is made for driving the chain 52 at the proper speed for advancing the bottle and blahk assemblies in spaced group arrangement. As the bottles are grouped by the lugs 70 on the chain 52 and advanced along the dead plate 51 the top panel E is forced down onto the bottles by cantilever arms or bars 75 (FIGS. 2a, 2b, 5, 6 and 7) carried on a traveling chain 76. Chain 76 is mounted for travel in a vertical plane on the same side of the path of movement as the grouping chain 52. The movement of the chain 76 and the laterally extending bars 75 is synchronized with the movement of chain 52 and the spacing of the cantilever bars 75 is in accord with the spacing of the lugs 70 on the conveyor 52. The chain 76 is carried on

sprockets

77, 78, 79 and 80 which are mounted on suitably supported cross shafts and con nected with a driving means (not shown).

As the assemblies of bottles and blanks are advanced along the dead plate 51 by the lugs 70 on the grouping chain 52 beyond the fold down blade or wheel 56 a dual chain assembly 18 (FIGS. 1a, 1b, 5, 6 and 7), on the opposite side of the machine, takes over the support and advance of the bottle and blank assemblies. An upper chain 81 has bottle engaging lugs or fingers 82 which enter between the bottles through the aper tures J in the blank section or panel H which is in a vertical plane at this point. The lugs 82 are grouped and spaced on the traveling chain 81 according to the spacing and grouping of the lugs 70 on the chain 52. The bottle and blank assemblies are supported by fingers 83 on a lower traveling chain 84, the support fingers 83 being spaced on the chain 84 so as to pass through the bottle heel holes N and engage beneath the bottles in bottle supporting relation as shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, the chain having appropriate guide and support means associated therewith to take the weight of the bottles. The

chains

81 and 84 of the assembly are carried on axially spaced pairs of sprocket members mounted on vertically disposed shafts, the top chain running on

sprockets

85, 86, 87, 88 and 89 which are mounted on

vertical shafts

90, 91, 92, 93 and 94, re spectively, and paired with sprockets 85, 86', 87', 88' and 89' on which the lower chain 84 is running, each pair of sprockets being on a common shaft and one of the shafts being driven by a suitable connection with a power drive means (not shown).

As the assemblies advance toward the leading end of the dead plate 51 the depending blank panels K, M and V of each blank (FIGS. 5 and 6) are folded into hori zontal position beneath the bottle assemblies by the vertically disposed plow forming plate member 95.

As the bottle and blank assemblies advance along the folding plow and the bottles move off the end of the dead plate 51, which terminates near the forward end of the folding plow 95, and the fingers 83 carry the assemblies forward to the bottom conveyor 20 (FIG. 2b) which comprises chain 96 running on

sprockets

97, 98, 99 and 100 carried on

cross shafts

101, 102, 103 and 104 and driven by a suitable connection with a power drive means (not shown).

A folding plate or disc 105 (FIGS. 1b, 2b and 7) is carried on the shaft 101 at the entrance to conveyor 20 which operates to fold the panels M and V upwardly and direct the locking panel V between the horizontally disposed

plate members

106 and 107 at the entrance to the locking mechanism 22. The

plate members

106 and 107 are curved at the entrance end and the lowermost plate member 107 has an outwardly tapered inner edge 108 so as to funnel the locking panel V between the plates and swing the same on the hinge line Z to bring the locking tab members Y into the co-operating locking apertures l. The locking and latching mechanism 22 may be the construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,857, granted June 6, 1961, to Henry Ganz, modified so as to interlock the panels on the side wall instead of on the bottom of the assembly.

The operation of the machine will be understood from the foregoing description. The bottles B enter the machine on the single line conveyor 12 where they are in abutting relation with the longest cross sectional dimension in the plane of advance. They enter between the parallel auger members and are indexed and oriented by the latter to bring them into an axially rotated position where the longest cross sectional dimension is transverse of the path of advance and the bottles are in closely spaced relation. As the bottles advance a wraparound bank is deposited on each group of bottles by a blank feed mechanism 14, with the advance of the bottle and blank assemblies being taken over by the bottom conveyor 44 which extends to a bottom support plate 51 where the further advance of the assemblies is by means of a group advancing conveyor 52 at one side only of the machine while the opposite side is left free for operation of a blank folding mechanism 16. Beyond the folding mechanism 16 and on the samd side of the work path a pair of vertically spaced

chains

81 and 82 take over advance and support of the assemblies and carry them past a folding and blank end panel securing mechanism 22 assisted by a bottom conveyor 96.

We claim:

1. A packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound blank of foldable sheet material a group of articles having the general shape of bottles in single line arrangement, which articles are characterized by a body configuration having a larger cross sectional dimension in one direction than in the direction transverse thereto, the machine comprising an infeed conveyor with associated, laterally spaced, parallel auger members having co-operating spiral grooves in which the articles are received and which orient the articles so that the longer body dimension extends transversely of the path of advance thereof and which spaces the articles uniformly for advance beneath an overhead mechanism for feeding blanks onto successive groups of a predetermined number of articles, a mechanism at one side of the path of advance of the article and blank assemblies for folding the blanks about successive groups of articles, a group forwarding conveyor at the opposite side of said path which advances the assemblies through said folding mechanism, and mechanism for securing the ends of the blanks to form a tubular container about the articles which mechanism is disposed at one side of said path and a traveling conveyor at the opposite side of said path having means for supporting the articles and for drawing the blanks tightly around the articles while the ends of the blanks are secured.

2. A packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound blank of foldable sheet material a group of articles having the general shape of bottles in single line arrangement, which articles are characterized by a body configuration having a larger cross sectional dimension in one direction than in the direction transverse thereto, the machine comprising an infeed conveyor with associated, laterally spaced, parallel auger members having co-operating spiral grooves in which the articles are received and which are constructed to orient the articles by rotation through approximately a angle and which arranges the articles with uniform spacing for advancing beneath an overhead mechanism for depositing blanks onto successive groups of a predetermined number of articles, a folding mechanism at one side of the path of advance of the article and blank assemblies for wrapping successive blanks about the associated articles, a group forming conveyor at the opposite side of said path which advances the assemblies through said folding mechanism, and mechanism at one side of said path for securing overlapping ends of the blanks so as to form tubular containers about the articles, which mechanism is disposed at one side of said path, and a traveling conveyor assembly at the opposite side of said path having means for drawing the blanks tightly around the articles while the ends of the blanks are secured.

3. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said articles have a body configuration with curved surfaces and at least one of said auger members has a spiral groove with an article engaging surface which is curved according to the curvature of the article body so that as the article is advanced along the spiral groove the article may rotate about its vertical axis.

4. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said articles have a body configuration characterized by a curved surface which seats in the spiral groove of one of said auger members so that the articles may rotate as they are advanced and urged about a vertical axis by the configuration of the co-operating spiral groove of the other auger member.

5. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said articles are supported on a bottom conveyor as they are advanced between said parallel auger members.

6. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said auger grooves have a changing contour as the articles advance between the same whereby the simultaneously space and orient said articles as they advance between said auger members.

7. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said folding mechanism comprises an elongate plow member on one side of the path of advance of the article and blank assemblies which is operative to fold down a laterally projecting blank portion and retain the same in depending position along one side of the articles while the blank portion on the opposite side is folded down.

8. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said group forming conveyor comprises an endless traveling chain extending in a lateral plane with a run thereof traversing a path along the one side of the machine and having article engaging lugs spaced to advance the articles in groups and in spaced relation.

9. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said traveling conveyor at the opposite side of said conveyor comprises vertically spaced, endless traveling chains operating in horizontal planes with the uppermost chain having spaced article engaging lugs and the bottom chain having spaced fingers thereon which engage the bottom wall forming panel of said blank so as to draw the blank'tightly around the assembled articles.

10. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said group forming conveyor has an associated conveyor with spaced article engaging bars thereon which travel in a path above the top wall forming panel of said blank and engage the articles so as to hold the same in upright position.

11. An apparatus for assembling in uniform orientation and upright single row arrangement successive groups of product containers having the general form of bottles, with a body portion having a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is greater than the corresponding dimension in a direction transverse thereto, and for wrapping a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material having end panels with interengaging locking means about each group thereof to form a package, said apparatus comprising an in-line arrangement of successive conveyor mechanisms which co-operate in positioning the containers uniformly and in spaced row forming relation and in dividing the containers into groups while continuously advancing the same, said conveyor mechanisms including a pair of parallel spaced augers constructed to receive the containers between them and to advance the containers with the greater cross sectional dimension of each container extending in the same direction, means for delivering successive wrapper blanks from an overhead supply of said blanks and for depositing each of the blanks on a group of spaced containers, means for folding the blanks about the successive groups of containers with the blank end panels along one side of each container group and means disposed along the corresponding side of the apparatus for engaging the locking means on said end panels so as to tightly wrap the blanks about the containers.

12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said in-line arrangement of conveyor mechanisms includes a container supporting bottom conveyor associated with said pair of spaced augers, said pair of said augers being disposed along opposite sides of said bottom conveyor and having co-operating spiral grooves in which the containers are received and which are constructed so as to position the containers with corresponding cross sectional dimensions in the same direction and in aligned and spaced relation.

13. An apparatus for assembling in uniform orientation and single row arrangement successive groups of product containers having the general form of bottles, with a body portion having a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is greater than the corresponding dimension in a direction transverse thereto, and for wrapping a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material having end panels with interengaging locking means about each group thereof to form a package, said apparatus comprising an in-line arrangement of conveyor mechanisms which co-operate in positioning and spacing the containers and in dividing the containers into groups while advancing the same, said in-line arrangement of conveyor mechanisms including an infeed bottom conveyor on which the containers are advanced in miscellaneous array and co-operating, laterally spaced augers having grooves at the entrance end which are of a configuration to receive the containers and which conform generally to the configuration of opposite sides of the containers and whch change their configuration in the direction of advance of the containers so as to turn said containers to a generally uniform in-line position, means for delivering successive wrapper blanks from an overhead supply of said blanks and for depositing the blanks on successive groups of containers, and means for folding the blanks about the successive groups of containers and for engaging the locking means so as to tightly wrap the blanks about the same.

14. An apparatus for assembling in uniform orientation and single row arrangement successive groups of product containers having the general form of bottles, with a body portion having a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is greater than the corresponding dimension in a direction transverse thereto, and for wrapping a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material having aend panels with interengaging locking means about each group thereof to form a package, said apparatus comprising an in-line arrangement of conveyor mechanisms which co-operate in positioning and spacing the containers and in dividing the containers into groups while advancing the same, said in-line conveyor mechanism including a container supporting conveyor at the entrance end of the apparatus with associated container indexing and positioning mechanism, and a laterally extending group forming conveyor disposed on one side of the path of advance of the containers, means for delivering successive wrapper blanks from an overhead supply of said blanks and for depositing the blanks on successive groups of containers, means for folding the blanks about the successive groups of containers which includes a fold forming element disposed at the opposite side of the path of advance of the containers in an area which is free of container supporting and spacing members, said fold forming element being operative to fold a blank side wall panel into engagement with the container side walls, and means for engaging the locking means so as to tightly wrap the blanks about the containers.

15. An apparatus for assembling in uniform orientation and single row arrangement successive groups of product containers having the general form of bottles, with a body portion having a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is greater than the corresponding dimension in a direction transverse thereto, and for wrapping a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material having end panels with interengaging locking means about each group thereof to form a package, said apparatus comprising an in-line arrangement of conveyor mechanisms which co-operate in positioning and spacing the containers and in dividing the containers into groups while advancing the same, said in-line conveyor mechanism including upper and lower endless chain conveyors operating in laterally extending parallel planes at one side of the apparatus and each carrying container engaging lugs which are arranged to advance the containers in groups and in spaced relation, means for delivering successive wrapper blanks from an overhead supply of said blanks and for depositing the blanks on successive groups of containers, means for folding the blanks about the successive groups of containers including a rotatable blank folding plate at the opposite side of the apparatus for turning down panel portions of the blanks along that side of the container groups and means for engaging the locking means so as to tightly wrap the blanks about the containers.

16. An apparatus for assembling in uniform orientation and single row arrangement successive groups of product containers having the general form of bottles, with a body portion having a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is greater than the corresponding dimension in a direction transverse thereto, and for wrapping a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material having end panels with interengaging locking means about each group thereof to form a package, said apparatus comprising an in-line arrangement of conveyor mechanisms which co-operate in poelements on the free margins of the blank end panels. =1: =4:

Claims

2. A packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound blank of foldable sheet material a group of articles having the general shape of bottles in single line arrangement, which articles are characterized by a body configuration having a larger cross sectional dimension in one direction than in the direction transverse thereto, the machine comprising an infeed conveyor with associated, laterally spaced, parallel auger members having co-operating spiral grooves in which the articles are received and which are constructed to orient the articles by rotation through approximately a 90* angle and which arranges the articles with uniform spacing for advancing beneath an overhead mechanism for depositing blanks onto successive groups of a predetermined number of articles, a folding mechanism at one side of the path of advance of the article and blank assemblies for wrapping successive blanks about the associated articles, a group forming conveyor at the opposite side of said path which advances the assemblies through said folding mechanism, and mechanism at one side of said path for securing overlapping ends of the blanks so as to form tubular containers about the articles, which mechanism is disposed at one side of said path, and a traveling conveyor assembly at the opposite side of said path having means for drawing the blanks tightly around the articles while the ends of the blanks are secured.

9. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said traveling conveyor at the opposite side of said conveyor comprises vertically spaced, endless traveling chains operating in horizontal planes with the uppermost chain having spaced article engaging lugs and the bottom chain having spaced fingers thereon which engage the bottom wall forming panel of said blank so as to draw the blank tightly around the assembled articles.

16. An apparatus for assembling in uniform orientation and single row arrangement successive groups of product containers having the general form of bottles, with a body portion having a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is greater than the corresponding dimension in a direction transverse thereto, and for wrapping a generally rectangular blank of foldable sheet material having end panels with interengaging locking means about each group thereof to form a package, said apparatus comprising an in-line arrangement of conveyor mechanisms which co-operate in positioning and in dividing the containers into groups while advancing the same, means for delivering successive wrapper blanks from an overhead supply of said blanks and for depositing the blanks on successive groups of containers, means for folding the blanks about the successive groups of containers and means for engaging the locking means so as to tightly wrap the blanks about the containers which lock engaging means is located along one side of said apparatus and is operative to interengage co-operating locking and latching elements on the free margins of the blank end panels.