This invention relates to an apparatus for forming a package from a plurality of containers and a wrap-around carrier blank. The apparatus includes a mechanism for transferring a blank from a hopper to a mechanism which applies the same to a group of bottles. The mechanism includes means for at least partially separating a lowermost blank from immediately adjacent blanks and a pair of articulately mounted gripping heads which prevent slippage between each gripped blank and the heads, as well as means for bowing each blank during the removal thereof. Articles about which the blanks are wrapped are bottom-supported by individual grouped supporting elements while being conveyed by pusher lugs. Means are provided for conveying different numbers of articles and/or different sizes thereof and means are provided for adjusting the relative position of each pusher lug and associated supporting elements depending upon the particular number and/or size of containers being conveyed. The pusher lugs are articulately carried by endless members to compensate for inaccurately sized articles and prevent breakage or damage thereto during the conveying operation.
This is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 862,567, entitled Package Forming Machine, filed Aug. 1, 1969, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,627,309 issued Dec. 14, 1971, which is in turn a division of my earlier copending application Ser. No. 670,882, entitled Package Forming Machine, filed Sept. 27, 1967, and now U.S. Pat. No. 3,550,754 issued Dec. 29, 1970.
The article being wrapped has a sheet of wrapping material draped over it so that it hangs down on each lateral side thereof. Initially the article travels on a conveyor which supports it along a central region. Thereafter the article is transferred to two supports which form part of two endless series and which travel with the conveyor. The supports are displaced laterally towards the conveyor while travelling with it until they are located beneath the edge regions of the article. The relative levels of the conveyor and supports are then changed so that the article is transferred to the supports. The supports and/or mechanical ploughs and/or air blasts overlap the hanging portions of the wrapping material along said central region. Thereafter the article is transferred to a further conveyor which engages the central region and holds the overlapping portions in place. Alternatively, air blasts can be used for this purpose, and where plastics film is being used, the air can be heated to seal the overlapping portions together.
A packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound type blank of foldable sheet material a group of bottles arranged in double line with pairs thereof transversely aligned, 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 on which a double line of the bottles are advanced in a path extending between a pair of parallel screw members which receive the bottles with the longer body dimension extending in the direction of advance of the bottles and which position the bottles in uniformly spaced relation and advance them beneath an overhead blank feeding mechanism which deposits blanks on successive groups of the bottles, the bottle and blank assemblies being then advanced to mechanism for partially folding the blanks about the bottles and finally to a forwarding conveyor mechanism which advances the assemblies through a mechanism for securing the ends of the blanks so that the blanks are in tight engagement with the bottles.
An article clip packaging machine for applying carton members to the article rims of preselected article groups. The machine has a conveyor with an infeed end for receiving preselected article groups. At least two carton member feeding structures are synchronized with the conveyor for placing carton base and carton top members, respectively, on the preselected article groups. A securing assembly attaches the carton base and top members to the rims of the article groups to provide article group carriers.
A method and machine for packing a product by means of a flat blank having a central portion supporting the product and in turn having first lateral wings, and two opposite lateral portions, each having second lateral wings; the method and machine provide for folding the first lateral wings using at least one folding body, which has a first and a second folding edge differently inclined with respect to each other, and is rotated about an axis of rotation so that the first folding edge folds a respective first lateral wing to a given angle of less than 90.degree., and the second folding edge folds corresponding second lateral wings to an angle of 90.degree.; the folding body is then rotated further about the axis of rotation so that the first folding edge completes the folding of the first lateral wing to 90.degree..
An apparatus for opening collapsed tubular cartons, filling the same with a plurality of product filled beverage cans, or the like, and closing the carton flaps wherein successive cartons, in flattened form, are fed onto a traveling conveyor with end closure flaps extending at opposite sides of the conveyor and double rows of the can units are advanced on infeed conveyor lines traveling along opposite sides of the carton conveyor while the carton carrying conveyor advances the cartons through associated mechanism which co-operates with the conveyor in opening the cartons into tubular form as they are advanced to a filling area or station where the cans are grouped and the required number guided into the opposite open ends of each carton by a series of traveling chains having can engaging lugs thereon which are spaced to properly group the cans and control their movement into the cartons in proper timed relation to the movement of the conveyor which then advances the filled cartons through associated mechanism for closing and locking the flaps at opposite ends of the cartons.
