US2713959A - Can packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

July 26, 1955 I F. u. s. GILBERT ET AL cAN PACKAGING MACHINE INVENTORS FRANK u. s. GILBERT JOSEPH HARRISON, JR GEORGE A. KRUSE :1: BYaLI Ll.

ATTORNEYS y 1955 F. u. s. GILBERT ET AL 2,713,959

CAN PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 H J I i ii *in I M I lgiilr l5 M l1; ?'5 "3 37"': l 4

\ 4s E g E i I g 75 l i n 5 3 H g I l I 1 l 3 I} l I FIG. 2 4/ 65) 59 6l :l 63 I 1 62 [u ab mz xzwm JOSEPH HARRISON, JR.

GEORGE A. KRUSE 1 Y 6O 6L7 d F LE ATTORNEYS July 26, 1955 F. u. s. GILBERT ET AL CAN PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May 25, 1953 FIG. 8

. INVENTORS FRAN K U. S GILBERT JOSEPH, HARRISON, JR. GEORGE A- KRUSE 8&7

ATTO R N EYS July 26,

Filed May 25, 1953 F. U. S- GILBERT ET AL CAN PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 m i F m xz azea 2| JOSEPH 'HA'RRISON JR. 28 GEORGE A. KRusE' ATTORNEYS July 26, 1955 F. u. s. GILBERT ET AL CAN PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 25, 1953 o N. o9 8. No: fl w 6:

R Jr In m: w i u 9.1. 09 mo.

INVEN T 0R5 FRANK u. s. GILBERT JOSEPH HARRISON, JR. GEORGE A. KRUSE 8L1 l- 5M3)- ATTORNEYS July 26, 1955 Filed May 25, 1953 F. U. S. GILBERT ET AL CAN PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS FRANK U.S. GILBERT JOSEPH HARRISON, JR.

By GEORGE A. KRUSE ATTORNEYS July 26, 1955 Filed May 25, 1953 F. U. s. GILBERT ET AL CAN PACKAGING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet '7 INVENTORS FRANK u. s. GILBERT BY JOSEPH HARRISON, JR.

GEORGE A. mugs ATTYS July 1955 F. u. s. GILBERT ET AL 2,713,959

CAN PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 25, 1953 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 I V 20\ Q] l2l6 i FIG INVENTORA FRANK U. S.'GILBERT Y GEORGE A. KRUSE ELQEGH WWII ATTYS JOSEPH HARRISON, JR.

U. S- GILBERT ET AL CAN PACKAGING MACHINE July 26, 1955 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed May 25, 1953 FIG. l7

INVENTORS FRANK u. s. GILBERT JOSEPH HARRISON, JR. GEORGE A. KRUSE 206 Ed EFT- W1:

ATTYS.

CAN PACKAGiN G MACHINE Frank U. S..Giibert, Lakewood, Joseph Harrison, Jr., Cleveland, and George A. Kruse, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignors to The Cleveland Cleaner and Paste Co.,

' Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application May 25, 1953, Serial No. 357,092

20 Claims. (Cl. 226-15) The present invention relates to a packaging machine and particularly to a machine for packing filled cans in orderly rows and layers in cardboard cartons in which the cans may be conveniently stored, handled and shipped. This application is a continuation-in-part of our application for Can Packing Machine, Serial No. 254,494, filed November 2, 1951, now abandoned.

The advantages of packing cans by machine rather than by hand are obvious, and over the years many types of automatic and semi-automatic packing machines have been designed. Unfortunately, most of these machines are extremely complicated mechanically and are correspondingly costly to build and maintain. Servicing charges or costs amounting within two or three years to the original cost of a packing machine are common in the canning industry. Moreover, the structural intricacy and resulting high incidence of mechanical breakdown in packing machines necessitates either the employment of highly skilled maintenance personnel or the purchase of standby replacement machines in order to preclude shutdown of an entire canning operation because of the failure of the packing machine forming part of that operation. The only remaining alternative is to face the prospect of serious financial loss from the shutdown of an entire canning line for several days or weeks.

Another great disadvantage of semi-automatic packing machines in particular, in which loading and unloading of the cartons is done manually, has been their relatively low capacity due to operator fatigue. While loading of empty cartons is comparatively light work, any manual shifting or lifting of can-filled cartons incident to unloading is tiring work, particularly over a period of time, and the output of the machine is decreased accordingly to a rate well below its inherent capacity.

The present invention has for its object the provision of a can packing machine which is of relatively simple construction and which performs the packing operation rapidlyv and efiiciently. To provide continuous operation, prior can packaging machines have employed revolving turrets or rotors mounting members adapted'to receive groups of cans for packaging at a first station and to discharge the packaged cans at a second station. The complexity of these machines has been largely due to the problems involved in loading the cans onto and removing the packaged cans from the turret mounted members. We have greatly simplified this loading and unloading operation by providing can receiving members mounted to rotate about a given axis and which are loaded from an axial direction and unloaded in a radial direction as more fully explained below. Axial loading together with radial unloading can be readily accomplished with a minimum of parts. The mechanical sim- United States Patent 2,713,959 Patented July 26, 1955 ice an inexpensive distributing means to receive successively supplied single cans and to arrange them in grouped relation for reception of the can cartons.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and very simple unloading cradle in order to prevent operator fatigue by completely eliminating the necessity for any manual shifting of the cartons after they have been loaded with cans.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

plicity of the machine makes it relatively inexpensive,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the packaging head and the discharge end of the multiple can chute.

Figure 2 is a view taken along line 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view taken along line 3-3 in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view in cross-section taken on line 55 in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 in Figure l.

Figure 7 is a view taken along line 7-7 in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a view in cross-sectiontaken on line 88 in Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a view in cross-section taken on line- 9 -9 in Figure 13.

Figure 10 is a view in cross-section taken on line 10--10 in Figure 13.

Figure 11 is a view taken along line 11-11 in Figure 13.

Figure 12 is a view in side elevation of the can distributor.

Figure 13 is a plan view of the can distributor.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing an alternative embodiment of the invention and being partially broken away.

Figure 15 is a View taken along line 15-15 of Figure 14.

Figure 16 illustrates in detail the leaf-spring release which may be employed in the alternative embodiment.

Figure 17 is a view taken along line 1717 in Figure 14.

Figure 18 is a view taken along line 1818 in Figure 14.

The general organization of our invention may be best understood from an examination of Figures 1 and 8. Cans to be packed enter the machine on a conveyor 10 (Figure 8) and are distributed onto a feed chute 11 by a distributor generally indicated at 12. A can releasing mechanism 13 controls the release of the cans into one of a plurality of can receiving frames or receptacles 14 which intermittently travel in a path of rotation around the shaft 15. Boxes are placed over the frames at the uppermost station in this path of rotation and loaded boxes are released from the bottom of this path of rotation by means subsequently to be more fully described. The loaded boxes are released onto a suitable conveyor such as the illustrated roller conveyor 20 to be carried away from the packing machine.

The feed chute 10 is supported on the frame members 17, 18 and 19 and extends into the packing machine at an incline in order that the cans will feed themselves by gravity. As may be seen in Figures 1 and 8, the chute 10 may comprise L-beams 21 supported by the frame members, the cross members 22 and the upwardly'extending side members 23. To reduce sliding friction, pairs of longitudinally extending rods 25 may be provided in each individual chute passage. Cans illustrated in phantom in Figure 8 slide along the rods 25 and are laterally restrained by the upwardly extending flanges onthe L-beams 21.

As may be seen in Figures 1 and 4, the outer L-beams 21 have two inner notches 26 and two outer notches 27 cut therein adjacent the terminal end 40 of the can chute 10. The detent bars 28 and 29 mounted on the ends of the oscillating supports 30 and 31 are adapted to move into and out of position in the notches 26 and 27, alternately blocking and releasing the cans in their movement along the chute 10.

The actuation of the detent bars 28 and 29 is controlled by thecams 32 and 33 which are fixed for rotation with the shaft 15. The oscillating supports and 31 are fixed to the vertical shafts 34 and 35 which are mounted for oscillating movement in the bushings 36. These bushings are fixed to one of two opposite side plates 37 which are mounted on opposite sides of the feed chute 11. The side plates may be braced by cross members 38.

Blocks 80 and 81 are adjustably fixed to the vertical shafts 34 and 35 respectively. As may be seen most clearly in Figure 6, cam followers 82 are mounted on the blocks 80 for actuation by the cam 32, and cam followers 83 are mounted on the blocks 81 for actuation by the cam 33. The springs 84 extend between each of the blocks and fixed frame members and constantly urge the cam followers 82 and 83 toward their respective cams.

In this illustrated embodiment of the invention two frames or receptacles 14 are mounted for rotation with the shaft 15. The receptacles 14 are mounted on the transverse beams 42 which are pressed or otherwise fixed onto the shaft 15. Welded on the beams are longitudinal base plates 43 and radially outwardly extending side plates 44. Welded to each base plate 43 and its associated side plates 44 is a radially outwardly extending end plate 45.

Running longitudinally along the base plates 43 are pairs of rods 46. As may be seen in Figure 1, the rods 46 for a given receptacle 12 are stepped slightly down wardly from the rods 25 when the given receptacle 14 is in its uppermost position to permit cans discharging from the terminal end of the can chute to pass easily over onto the rods 46.

It will be noted that the radially outward side of each receptacle 14 and the longitudinally inward side (which faces the chute 10) of each receptacle 14 is completely open so that groups of stacked cans may be passed through both these sides.

Extending around one side of the packer just outside of the path of rotation of the receptacles 14 is a guide 50 most clearly illustrated in Figure 2. The guide 50 may comprise a pair of arcuate members 51 held in spaced relation at their upper ends by a cross member 52 and supported on the beams 53 which are in turn supported on the frame members 16 and 17. The guide 50 extends from a point just to one side of the upper station of the receptacles 14 to a point a short distance to one side of the lower station of the receptacles 14. Mounted between the frame members 16 and 17 near the base of the packer are a pair of beams 59 and a cross beam 60 supporting a pair of blocks 61. A shaft 62 is supported on each end by one of the blocks 61 and is surrounded by a sleeve 63 to which a pair of upstanding rods 64 are welded. A pair of stops 65 fixed to the blocks 61 limit the counterclockwise movement (as viewed in Figure 1 of the rods 64 about the shaft 62 to the full position of the rods 64 shown in Figure 1.

A reciprocating carriage 70, illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, is mounted for reciprocation along the upstanding rods 64. The carriage comprises a number of platform members 71, the back members 72 and 73, and the sleeves 74. A spring 75 extends between the back member 72 and a transverse frame member to constantly urge the carriage 70 upwardly and in a counterclockwise direction against the stops 65. The platform members 71 are so disposed as to fit between and below the top of the rollers 79, when the tension of the spring 75 is overcome and the carriage is drawn to its lowermost position, as will be more fully explained below.

The organization of the can distributor 12 is illustrated in Figures 8 to 12. A can conveyor belt is driven by a power roll 101 which, in turn, is actuated by any suitable motor means (not shown). The conveyor belt 100 may move through the bottom of a shallow channel 102 which supports the belt and acts as a guide for oncomurging of succeeding cans.

ing cans (Figure 10). The belt 100 is narrower than the inside of the channel 102 to make room for skid rods 103. The skid rods 103 extend beyond the discharge end of the conveyor belt 100 as do the sides of the channel 10. As most clearly seen in Figure 12, the bottom of the channel 10 stops just short of the power roll 101 to allow the belt 100 to pass down over the power roll for its return movement.

Mounted on fixed frame and support members 105, 106 and 107 are two bearings 108 and 109 which tiltably support a tilt table 110. Parallel can guide members 112 and 113 are fixed to the tilt table by vertical supports 114, 115 and 116.

To facilitate loading of cans onto the can distributor, the belt 100 and the tilt table are preferably inclined several degrees from the horizontal as shown in Figure 12. Longitudinal skid rods 117 are fastened to the tilt table 103 and are preferably stepped slightly down from the skid rods 103 to enable the cans to pass easily from one set of rods to the other.

Hinged to the rear of the vertical supports 114 and is a release frame comprising a rear bar 120, a front bar 121 and side bars 122 and 123. The front and rear bars are parallel to and on a level with each other. To make room for the passage of cans onto the tilt table, the side bar 123 is offset upwardly above the level of the front and rear bars. The rearmost end of the side bar 122 joins the rear bar at a common level, but the front end of this side bar is offset upwardly above the level of the front bar. I

Extending upwardly from the support member 107 is a fixed camming yoke 125 which engages the bottom side of the side bar 122. Also mounted on the support member 107 are a microswitch 127 and a solenoid 130. The pressure sensitive actuating button 128 of the microswitch extends into the terminal portion of the volume occupied by cans when the tilt table is fully loaded with cans. The solenoid 130 has an actuating arm 131 which bears against the vertical support 116 when the solenoid is actuated.

Leading away from the front side of the tilt table 110 are the rods 25. Leading ends of some of the L-beams 21 are angularly cut to act as plows in dividing the cans. An additional plow insert 135 may be provided between the two central L-beams 21. The L-beams 21 generally parallel the paths of their corresponding rods 25 to guide the two outside cans of each group of four cans down to the lower level of the feed chute 11 and the two inside cans to the upper level of the feed chute.

Operation Cans to be packed are carried toward the distributor 12 by the conveyor belt 100. As each can passes the power roll 100 it continues to travel forward under the 1 hen four cans have passed onto the skid rods 117, the foremost can reaches the far end of the tilt table and contacts the button 128 of the microswitch 127. The microswitch is connected in series to the solenoid 130 so that when the microswitch is closed, the solenoid is energized. Arm 131 is drawn into the solenoid coil and bears against the vertical member 116 to tilt the table 110 forwardly against the tension of the spring 129. As the table begins to tilt, the juncture between the rear bar 129 and the side bar 123 moves forward to restrain oncoming movement by succeeding cans being urged forward by the belt 100. Meanwhile the inclined side bar 122 rides up on the fixed cam 125 causing the front bar 121 to raise in relation to the surface of the table 110. By the time the solenoid arm 131 reaches its fully withdrawn position, the front bar 121 clears the top of the cans which are then free to slide off the tilt table onto the rods 25. As the cans leave the tilt table, the microswitch 127 opens and the solenoid 130 is deenergized. The weight of the cans is sufficient to hold the table in its tilted position until the cans are completely discharged from the table. Thereupon the tension of the spring 129 returns the table 110 to its upright position and the solenoid arm 131 to its fully withdrawn position. A succeeding quartet of cans are then free to pass under the side bar 123 onto the tilt table 110.

The cans proceed down the four runways of the feed chute 11 to bear against the other cans previously received in this chute.

The release of the cans from the chute 11 is governed by the detent bars 28 and 29 which are controlled by the earns 32 and 33 mounted on the rotating shaft 15. The shaft 15 rotates in the direction indicated in Figure 6 so that the sequence of operation of the cam followers is as follows: Cam followers 83 drop into diametrically opposite cam cut-outs 141 and then are lifted out relatively slowly from these cut-outs. As the cam followers 83 leave the cut-outs 141, the cam followers 82 drop into the diametrically opposite cut-outs 140. After a dwell the followers 82 are again lifted from the cut-outs 140.

Translating the above sequence of operations of the cam followers into the corresponding operations of the detent bars 28 and 29, the detent bars operate as follows: Detent bars 28 and 29 are initially in their respective slots 26 and 27. Bars 29 are' then quickly raised from the slots 27 to release the dozen cans held within the can releasing mechanism. As bars 29 return into their slots 27, the bars 28 withdraw from the slots 26 to admit another dozen cans into the releasing mechanism. The

bars 28 then re-enter' the slots 26 to complete one full sequence of operations of the can releasing mechanism.

The cam 33 is angularly positioned with respect to the receptacles 14 so that a receptacle is in can receiving aligned position with the discharge end of the chute 11 when the cam followers 83 are in fully seated position in the cut-outs 141. Cans released from the chute 11 therefore slide into the receptacle 14 which is so positioned. An inverted carton is then placed over the top of the receptacle to surround the cans. The receptacle is then pushed manually in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2. The receptacle, carton and cans pass down along the arcuate guides 51 and the carton and cans are discharged onto the carriage 70. The weight of the loaded carton lowers and tilts the carriage 70 and the loaded carton is deposited on the conveyor 20. When the carton rolls down the conveyor 01f the carriage 70, the spring 75 is free to move the carriage to its upper position.

The deep cut-outs 141 together with the cam followers 182 act as detents to temporarily hold the receptacles 14 in stationary upright position upon the discharge of a loaded carton from the lower receptacle. After the then upper receptacle is loaded with a succeeding dozen cans, the restraint of the detent is easily overcome by manual pressure to again start the receptacles in clockwise rotation. I

Many variations in the above specific embodiment of the invention will occur to those familiar with packaging machinery. For instance, the discharge end of the chute 11 may be slightly tilted transversely and the cams 32 and 33 may be reset so that the receptacles 14 present themselves for loading in a rotative position beyond top dead center. With the use of relatively light springs 84 the machine could thus be arranged to continuously run itself by gravity. Conversely, the shaft 15 could be powered by a positive automatic drive. The placing of containers on the receptacles 14 could be performed automatically as well as by hand through providing a mechanism to lower one carton at a time at the top loading station in proper timed relation to the sequence of other operations. 5

Alternative embodiment In Figures 14 to 18 we have illustrated an alternative embodiment of the invention adapted to the packaging of relatively small cans which are to be packaged in multiple rows and in multiple layers. When a number of small cans are to be packaged together, care must be taken that the cans do not tumble and disarrange themselves in passing from the discharge end of the feed chute to the can receiving receptacles, and it may be preferable that the cans be positively guided in their oriented relation to their final position within the can receiving respectacle. The embodiment illustrated in Figures 14 to 18 illustrates one embodiment of the invention adapted to accomplish these objectives.

The general arrangement of the alternative embodiment is similar to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-7, and this alternative embodiment may utilize a can distributor (not shown) identical to that illustrated in Figures 8-13 except that the dimensions of the distributor are altered to accommodate a greater number of smaller cans on the tilt table whereby cans are distributed to a greater number of tracks or channels in the feed chute.

Because the alternative embodiment is similar to the initially illustrated embodiment, its various structural members will not be exhaustively and repetitively enumerated and described, but rather the following descrip tion will be restricted to differences from the initial embodiment.

In this alternative embodiment, then, a feed chute 200 is adapted to discharge cans into a loading guide assembly 210 which is mounted for reciprocating movement into and out of each of the carton-receiving frames or receptacles 220 when the receptacle is at rest in its loading position.

The end of the chute 200 supports eccentric detent rods 201 which are rotatively mounted between the top and bottom cross-beams 202 and 203. A sprocket 204 is associated with each detent rod and is chain driven from shaft 205 which in turn is geared to main shaft 206, as clearly illustrated in Figures 14, 15 and 18. The gear ratio between the shafts 205 and 206 is such that the detent rods 201 make one complete revolution for each half revolution of the shaft 206. The built-up round portions 208 on the rods 201 are projected out of and into the paths of travel of cans Within the loading chute, the relation of the parts being such that the portions 203 project into the paths of the cans when one of the cartonreceiving receptacles 220 is in loading position.

The loading guide assembly 210 is guided by fixed channels 219 having side flanges 211 and bottom flanges 212, the assembly 210 being guided for travel down along the bottom flanges 212 and into one of the receptacles 220. A weight 213 is aflixed to cables 214 which are anchored to the guide assembly 210. The guide assembly may have vertical side walls 215 and also a plurality of decks 216, the vertical walls and decks dividing the loading guide assembly into a number of compartments equivalent to the number of can-ways at the terminal end of the can chute 200. Intermediate'decks 216 contain upper and lower leaf springs 217 extending across the width thereof and illustrated in detail in Figure 16. The upper deck 216 contains a lower leaf spring only, and the lower deck 216 contains an upper leaf spring only.

Behind the upper station of the receptacles 220, bayonet blocks 221 and stop blocks 227 are mounted in fixed position on a support 222. The rear walls of the receptacles 220 comprise spaced cross-bars 225 between which the lowermost ends of the decks 216 project when the guide assembly is fully received within either of the receptacles 220, the leaf springs 21'! thus being wedged into withdrawn position by the bayonet blocks 221.

Mountedon the shaft 206 are a trip cam 230 and a detent cam 231. Suitably mounted between the lower ends of the guide channels 219 is a pivoted trip 235 which is yieldingly urged into engagement with the cam 230 by a light spring 236. Pivotally mounted on the frame structure is a detent 237 which is yieldingly urged into engagement with the cam 231 by a spring 238.

It is to be noted that for clarity of illustration the cams 230 and 231 are shown in Figure 14 at positions degrees removed from the rotative positions they actually occupy at the time one of the receptacles 220 is, as shown, at the loading station. It will be evident that the high and low points which can be seen on these cams are reproduced on the diametrically opposite sides of the cams so that the trip release and detent action of the cams is repeated twice for each complete cycle of the shaft 206.

Operation of alternative embodiment The relative relationship of the drive linkages for the rods 201 is such that cans at the end of the loading chute 200 are released by the rods 201 approximately at midpoint during the travel of either of the receptacles 221 from its top loading station to its bottom unloading station. The releasedcans thereupon pass into the guide assembly 210, being held therein by engagement with the projecting shoulders of the springs 217. As one of the receptacles 220 reaches the top station it is held at correct loading position by the interaction of the detent 237 and the cam 231, and the trip 235 is actuated by the cam 23d to release the guide assembly 210 for downward sliding movement into the aligned receptacle 22%. The weight of the cans in the assembly overbalances the weights 213 and the assembly 21% slides downwardly on the channel flanges 212 and thereupon also onto and along the radially inward wall 226 of the receptacle 220. The springs 217 are deflected by the wedging blocks 221 to be retracted thereby. As the springs 217 are fully retracted the leading edges of the decks 21.6 abut against the stop blocks 227, bringing the guide assembly 210 to a sharp stop. The inertia of the cans, however, causes them to continue to travel a slight distance until the leading cans rest against the cross-bars 225. Simultaneously the guide assembly 210, being no longer directly coupled to the weight of the cans but being merely slidingly engaged by the can bottoms, is free to be withdrawn by the weights 213, the spring 217 being held in retracted position by can tops or bottoms until the guide assembly 210 is substantially fully withdrawn from the receptacle 220. As the assembly 210 reaches its upper position, the trip 235 falls into latching position.

An inverted carton is thereupon placed over the loaded receptacle, and the receptacle is then manually pushed to initiate rotation of the shaft 206.

Although rotation of shaft 206 may be in either direction, arcuate members 251 are shown at the front of the illustration in Figure 14 to most clearly show the similarity to Figure 1. This would, of course, indicate clockwise rotation of the shaft 206 as seen in Figure 15. However it may be preferable to locate the arcuate members 251 on the opposite side of the assembly and to rotate the shaft 266 in the opposite direction should there be an installation where there is a large build-up of cans behind the discharge end of the chute 200. In such an installation it would be preferable to avoid rotation of the high shoulders 208 in a direction which would move them within the can guideways against the direction of can fiow. Such would be the case if the shaft 206 were rotated clockwise, as seen in Figure 15.

It will again be evident in connection with this alternative embodiment that many variations in the invention may occur to those having the benefit of our disclosure. It may very well be preferable, for instance, to provide power drives for the shaft 206 and for the advancement and retraction of the guide assembly, such drives being automatically actuated in correct sequence by timing switches, relays or microswitches, all as is conventional in the art of automatic electric control. Rapid powered withdrawal of the guide assembly 210 may be particularly desirable in order to avoid any tendency of the cans to ride upwardly on the decks 216 or even to frictionally engage the decks 216 to an extent preventing withdrawal of the assembly 210 by mere overbalancing weights. Can releasing means other than the rods 291 and can retaining means other than the springs 217 may be provided.

In view of the above disclosure of the two embodiments of our invention and of the additional possible variations from these embodiments, it will be evident that the scope of the invention is not to be narrowly restricted to any individual embodiment but is to be defined solely by the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A can packer comprising can handling means to receive cans in single file and to discharge cans in stacked rows bounded by a given rectangular geometric figure, said can handling means having a discharge end, a plurality of carton supporting can receiving rectangular forms defining a space substantially equal to that occupied by said geometric figure, said carton supporting can receiving forms being mounted for rotation around a given axis in the same planes of rotation and generating a cylindrical surface of rotation, said discharge end terminating at one side of said planes of rotation and lying within the axial projection of said cylindrical surface of rotation, said discharge end also extending substantially parallel to said given axis, means to intermittently advance said forms to a station opposite said discharge end, the sides of said rectangular forms facing radially outwardly from said given axis and the sides of said rectangular forms facing toward said one side being completely obstruction free, whereby cans may enter from said one side and be discharged radially outwardly, the remaining sides of said rectangular forms comprising can and carton supporting members, conveyor means extending through said planes of rotation below said cylindrical surface of rotation, and arcuate retaining means extending around one side of said cylindrical surface of rotation from a point above the mid-height level of said cylindrical surface to a point adjacent the bottom of said cylindrical surface.

2. In a can packaging machine a plurality of rectilinear receptacles mounted for rotation in the same planes of rotation about a given axis to define a path of rotation, said axis being substantially closer to the horizontal than to the vertical, each of said receptacles having an obstruction-free open side facing away from said axis and an obstruction-free open end facing toward one given longitudinal direction of said axis, each of said receptacles comprising an integral can receiving carbon supporting structure, guide means lying in said planes of rotation and just outside said path of rotation, said guide means extending from above the mid-point height of said path of rotation to a release point just short of the bottom of said path of rotation, at can chute substantially parallel to said given axis, said can chute extending toward said path of rotation from said given longitudinal direction and terminating at the boundary of said path of rotation at a loading station, the cross-sectional area of said can chute being substantially equal to the area of each of said obstruction-free open ends and means to intermittently advance said rectilinear receptacles for successive positioning at said loading station.

3. A mechanism as defined in claim 2 including two sets of escapement dogs movable into and out of the sides of said chute adjacent the terminal end thereof, said sets of dogs being fixed to ends of oscillating supports, said oscillating supports being pivoted about axes lying substantially within a plane normal to said given longitudinal direction, said means to intermittently advance said rectilinear frames also driving means to move that set of said dogs closest to the terminal end of said chute out of said chute when each of said rectilinear receptacles is successively positioned at said loading station.

4. In a can packaging machine rectilinear receptacles mounted for rotation in the same planes of rotation about a given axis to define a path of rotation having a periphery and two planar sides, a can chute substantially parallel to said given axis and terminating adjacent one of said planar sides, and just within said periphery means to intermittently advance said receptacles for positioning of successive receptacles in juxtaposition with said chute,

means to successively release sufficient numbers of cans from said chute to just fill said successively juxtapositioned receptacles whereupon each of said receptacles may be bonneted with an inverted open carton while filled with cans, arcuate fixed carton and can retaining means extending around said periphery from a point ofiset from the top of said periphery by a distance equal at least to half the width of said recptacles to a release point offset from the bottom of said periphery by a distance substantially equal to half the width of said receptacles whereby can-filled cartons will be released from the bottom of said periphery.

5. In a machine for packaging loaded cans, a rotating assembly comprising a plurality of rectangular receptacles mounted for rotation about a given axis past a first station and a second station, each of said receptacles having an open end to receive stacked rows of cans at said first station from a direction substantially parallel to said axis, each of said receptacles having an open outer side to discharge said stacked rows of cans in a radially outward direction at said second station, means to intermittently advance said receptacles from said first station to said second station and back to said first station, arcuate fixed retaining means partially surrounding the path of rotation of said rectangular receptacles and being spaced therefrom a distance less than the height of cans to be packaged, said arcuate fixed retaining means extending between said first and second stations and terminating just short of said second station.

6. A machine for packaging loaded cans as defined in claim 5 including a conveyor beneath said second station having movable members adapted to support and translate loaded cartons, a platform reciprocatable between said second station and said conveyor, said platform comprising spaced carton supporting members, said spaced members extending beyond and below the top of movable members when said platform is in its lowermost position, and resilient means urging said platform to its uppermost position whereby a loaded carton re ceived on said platform when it is in its uppermost position will lower said platform against the urging of said resilient means until the loaded carton is supported and translated on said movable member.

7. In a can packer, guide rods mounted for oscillation about a substantially horizontal axis, said oscillating ient means extending between a fixed member and said guided means together with said spaced carton supporting means, said resilient means being positioned to urge said rods rotatively and said guided means upwardly against said first stop means and said second stop means respectively, conveyor means having movable members 5 adapted to support and translate loaded cartons, said spaced carton supporting means being normally above said movable members but being lowered to a level with said movable members when the urging of said resilient means is overborne by the weight of a loaded carton deposited on said spaced carton supporting means.

8. A can packing machine comprising an inclined can chute, escapement dogs extendable into and out of said chute, said dogs being mounted to pivot about axes lying substantially in planes normal to the longitudinal direction of said chute, a plurality of carton receiving receptacles fixed around a rotatable shaft mounted substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction, said receptacles defining a path of rotation, each of said receptacles saidreceptacles, guide members extending around said rotatable shaft just outside said path of rotation and terminating at a release point adjacent the bottom of said path of rotation, a roller conveyor below said release point and positioned beneath said shaft, a platform comprising spaced rods, said platform being reciprocable between said release point and said conveyor, resilient means urging said platform toward its uppermost position, said rods fitting between the rollers of said conveyor when said platform is in its lowermost position.

9. A can packer comprising a plurality of carton supporting can receiving rectangular forms mounted for rotation around a given axis in the same planes of rotation and generating a cylindrical surface of rotation, chute means terminating at one side of said planes of rotation and lying within the axial projection of said cylindrical surface of rotation, said termination of said chute means extending substantially parallel to said given axis, means to intermittently advance said forms to a station opposite said termination of said chute means, the sides of said rectangular forms facing radially outwardly from said given axis and the sides of said rectangular forms facing toward said one side being completely obstruction free, whereby cans may enter from said one side and be discharged radially outwardly, the remaining sides of said rectangular forms comprising can and carton supporting members, conveyor means extending through said planes of rotation below said cylindrical surface of rotation, and arcuate retaining means extending around one side of said cylindrical surface of rotation from a point above the mid-height level of said cylindrical surface to a point adjacent the bottom of said cylindrical surface.

10. In a can packer, means to supply successive cans from a given direction, a tiltable normally upright oblong table aligned in said direction whereby a given number of cans may be received on said table, fixed guide means upstanding along the rear side of said table and fixed to said table and movable guide means extending parallel to the front side of said table whereby cans received on said table will be guided therealong in single file parallel to said direction, means to tilt said table about an axis parallel to said direction and means to simultaneously lift said movable guide means relative to said table where'- by cans received on said table will be discharged abreast from said front side of said table, a plural chute to receive said discharged cans, and means to return said table to its normally upright position.

11. A device as defined in claim 10 in which said movable guide means is supported by end members pivoted at said rear side of said table, said means to lift said movable guide means comprising a fixed cam member in sliding contact with one of said end members.

12. In a can packer, means to supply successive cans from a given direction, a tiltable normally upright oblong table aligned in said direction whereby a given number of cans may be received on said table, fixed guide means upstanding along the rear side of said table and fixed to said table and movable guide means extending parallel to the front side of said table whereby cans received on said table will be guided therealong in single file parallel to said direction, means to tilt said table about an axis parallel to said direction and means to simultaneously lift said movable guide means relative to said table whereby cans received on said table will be discharged abreast from said front side of said table, a plural chute to receive said discharged cans, and means to return said table to its normally upright position, said means to tilt said table comprising a microswitch mounted at the end of said table opposite to said direction from which cans are supplied, a solenoid connected in series with said microswitch and mounted on a fixed member, the arm of said solenoid being mounted to engage and tilt said table whereby when said table is filled with cans said microswitch will be contacted to actuate said solenoid.

13. In a can packer, means to supply successive cans from a given direction, a tiltable normally upright oblong table aligned in said direction whereby a given number of cans may be received on said table, fixed guide means upstanding along the rear side of said table and fixed to said table and movable guide means extending parallel to the front side of said table whereby cans received on said table will be guided therealong in single file parallel to said direction, means to tilt said table about an axis parallel to said direction and means to simultaneously lift said movable guide means relative to said table whereby cans received on said table will be discharged abreast from said front side of said table, a plural chute to receive said discharged cans, and means to return said table to its normally upright position, escapement dogs extendable into and out of said chute, said dogs being mounted to pivot about axes lying substantially in planes normal to the longitudinal direction of said chute, a plurality of carton receiving receptacles fixed around a rotatable shaft mounted substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction, said receptacles defining a path of rotation, each of said receptacles when it is near its topmost rotative position presenting an obstruction-free open end to the discharge end of said chute, each of said receptacles. when it is near its lowest rotative position presenting an obstruction-free open bottom to the base of said machine, means to actuate said escapement dogs in timed relation with the rotation of said receptacles, guide members extending around said rotatable shaft just outside said path of rotation and terminating at a release point adjacent the bottom of said path of rotation, a roller conveyor below said release point and positioned beneath said shaft, a platform comprising spaced rods, said platform being reciprocable between said release point and said conveyor, resilient means urging said platform toward its uppermost position, said rods fitting between the rollers of said conveyor when said platform is in its lowermost position.

14. A can packer comprising a plural chute, a rotating assembly comprising a plurality of rectangular receptacles mounted for intermittent rotation about a given axis past a first station and a second station, each of said receptacles having an open end to receive arrays of cans at said first station from the discharge end of said plural chute in a direction substantially parallel to said axis, each of said receptacles having an open outer side to discharge said arrays of cans in a radially outward direction at said second station, means to intermittently advance said receptacles from said first station to said second station and back to said first station, means to discharge arrays of cans from said discharge end of said plural chute in timed relation with the intermittent advance of said receptacles, each of said receptacles comprising an integral can receiving carton supporting structure.

15. A can packer as defined in claim 14 including arcuate fixed retainin means partially surrounding the path of rotation of said rectangular receptacles, said arcuate fixed retaining means extending between said first and second stations and terminating just short of said second station.

16. A can packer comprising means to supply cans successively from a given direction, a plural chute comprising a plurality of co-extending individual chutes, dividing means to distribute successively supplied'cans into said plural chute, a rotating assembly comprising a plurality of receptacles mounted on a shaft for intermittent rotation with said shaft past a first station and a second station, each of said receptacles having an open end to receive stacked rows of cans at said first station from the discharge end of said plural chute in a direction substantially parallel to said axis, each of said receptacles having an open outer side to discharge said stacked rows of cans in a radially outward direction at said second station, means to intermittently advance said receptacles from said first station to said second station and back to said first station, each of said receptacles comprising a can receiving carton supporting structure, first dogs extending into said chute, a first cam on said shaft, a first linkage actuated by said first cam to withdraw said first dogs from said chute when one of said receptacles is at said first station and to insert said first dogs in said chute when one of said receptacles has angularly advanced away from said first station, second dogs extending into said chute, a second cam on said shaft, a second linkage actuated by said second cam to reciprocate said second dogs out of and back into said chute once during each insertion of said first dogs in said chute.

17. A can packer as defined in claim 16, said first dogs being spaced longitudinally along said chute from said second dogs a first distance, said open end of each of said receptacles being spaced from the end opposite said open end a second distance, said first and second distances differing by less than the diameter of cans to be packed.

18. A machine for packaging loaded cans as defined in claim 17 including a conveyor beneath said second station having movable members adapted to support and translate loaded cartons, a platform reciprocable between said second station and said conveyor, said platform comprising spaced carton supporting members, said spaced members extending beyond and below the top of movable members when said platform is in its lowermost position, and resilient means urging said platform to its uppermost position whereby a loaded carton received on said platform when it is in its uppermost position will lower said platform against the urging of said resilient means until the loaded carton is supported and translated on said movable member.

19. A can packer comprising grouping means to receive cans in single file and to discharge cans in groups of stacked rows in a first direction, rotatable means to receive said groups of cans and covering cartons at a first station and to translate the covered cans away from said first station in planes normal to said first direction to a second station, guide means to retain the covered cans in said rotatable means until they are carried to said second station, reciprocable carton receiving means located below said second station, said planes of rotation being closer to the vertical than to the horizontal, said first station being located above said second station.

20. A can packer as defined in claim 19 wherein said rotatable means comprises a plurality of angularly and evenly spaced receptacles mounted on a rotatable shaft extending parallel to said first direction, each of said receptacles having a first open side facing the discharge end of said grouping means and a second open side facing radially outwardly from said shaft.

No references cited.

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