A method and apparatus are disclosed for transferring discrete articles between two paths, in particular for casing or uncasing of articles such as bottles. The articles are advanced in groups in a first path, either in a case or without a case, and when they reach a transfer station all articles of a respective group are engaged and raised and at the same time moved laterally for deposition in another path. If the articles are originally in a case they are removed and deposited in the other path in uncased condition, or if the articles are originally in uncased condition they are moved to the other path and deposited in a case.
This disclosure is of apparatus which picks up a plurality of tapered cups containing any of a variety of products, such cups being closed with lids or heat sealing, moves such cups as a unit in a vertical lift, and then deposits such cups as a unit in a vertical discharge into a tray.
The invention relates to an article processing apparatus which is preferred for use in a capper which attaches a cap to a vessel. The apparatus includes a processing head, which is provided with four capping mechanisms. Each capping mechanisms on the processing head takes hold of a cap on feeder means. The processing head is then translated to a position over a conveyor and moves in tracking relationship with four vessels which are being conveyed by the conveyor to attach each cap carried by the capping mechanism to associated underlying vessel. The attachment of a cap to a vessel while the processing head moves in tracking relationship with vessels on the conveyor provides an article processing apparatus which has its processing capability enhanced as compared with the prior art.
For the transportation of articles or of groups of articles between a fixed, predetermined receiving position (20) and a likewise predetermined, fixed set-down position (19), in particular within a folding carton (11) which is open at the top, use is made of a lifting conveyor (21) which transports a lifting head (18) back and forth exclusively along a predetermined inverted U-shaped movement path. The movement path is provided by: two upright vertical movement legs, namely in the set-down position (19), on the one hand, and on the other hand, in the receiving position (20); and a top, horizontal conveying section which interconnects the top of the two vertical movement legs and which is of unchangeable horizontal length.
A method of constraining a product while packaging and an apparatus to carry out the method. The product is positioned in a constraint cage having constraining fingers or plates on all four sides of the product in a first position. The constraint cage is then moved from the first position to a second position where packaging is performed by lowering a case over the product while the product is continuously constrained by either the cage or the case or both. Thereafter, the case is conveyed with the enclosed product while closing the major and minor flaps of the case.
5720156 - Case packing apparatus and method - Owned by Roberts Systems, Inc. (Charlotte, NC) [*] Notice:The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to August 26, 2016 has been disclaimed.
An integrated and automated case packing device and method is disclosed. The device and method uses multiple stations to: separate a flattened case from a supply of such cases, detect whether the case in an A or B-type case, open the case according to the type of case, place a predetermined number of imbricated articles into a group standing on edge, move that group under the erected case, place the case over the stationary group, close the flaps to the case, and move the case downstream to a case invertor.
