GB1462817A - Apparatus and method for orienting and case packing eared containers - Google Patents

Abstract

1462817 Packaging eared containers in cartons; endless conveyers R A HEISLER 25 June 1974 [26 June 1973] 28180/74 Headings B8C and B8A A container or containers is/are fed into each end of a carton by pushers 116 having fingers 122, 123 and arms 128, 129 to engage and hold ears 33 which support or are for supporting bails on the containers. In the embodiment shown, as a pair of containers are pushed into an end of the carton the edges of the container move under pressed plates causing the containers to rotate so that an ear on each container moves under the end of a pivotally mounted finger 122 or 123 and engages an arm 128 or 129 which slides over the container surface. There is a separate container feed conveyer on each side of the carton. Containers may be guided from a single supply conveyer to the feed conveyers by a rail which engage the bails extending vertically upwards from the container, a diverter (80, Fig. 6, not shown) being swung by each container as it enters one feed conveyer to deflect the bail of the next container along the other conveyer. Alternatively each feed conveyer may have its own bail attaching apparatus and have a rub rail to rotate each container until an ear on the container engages a stop rail. In this case then is a single finger on each pusher arranged to be positioned between the ears of a pair of container and the arms clamp the ears against the finger. If only one container is pushed into each end of a carton half the pusher shown in Fig. 8 is used. Suction grippers feed a carton blank from a magazine and erect it. Following container insertion glue is applied to end flaps after they have been folded in and a pneumatic actuator (187, Fig. 19, not shown) then pivots further arms (195, 196) to fold in the remaining end flaps. The flaps may be stapled instead of being glued.