Finger mounting apparatus for a case loading grid is disclosed. Pyramidal shaped blocks are fixed to conventional bars in a packing grid, and a plate is selectively fixed to the bottom face of a block. The plate has an opening to hold a finger. The same block can mount two or more types of plate to carry two or more different types of finger. A single plate can be removed from a grid without removing the entire grid, so the grid can be serviced without removing the entire grid.

A finger assembly includes a holder supported in depending position on a horizontal rail in the case loader. Fingers extend downwardly and outwardly from the holder and are resiliently clamped therein by a retaining member. An elongated fastener extends upwardly through the retaining member and has its upper end secured in the holder. The retaining member is spring biased upwardly against inturned fulcrum defining portions of each finger and said retaining member cooperates with a downwardly open cavity in the holder to define a plurality of finger sockets therebetween. The fingers are held for limited movement toward and away from centered positions associated with pockets defined in the case loader for the articles being loaded, and each finger is also adapted for limited lateral movement in its associated socket, at least when the finger is not in its centered position in a pocket. Two retaining member versions are disclosed, one with an axially symmetrical retaining member, and another with a four sided retainer to avoid the need for a depending skirt on the holder. These retaining members can be used with four fingers per pocket or article passageway, and with two fingers per pocket to reduce the number of holders and retainers (as well as the number of fingers) in a case loader capable of handling a given number of articles in a charge or slug.

A finger assembly supports up to four molded fingers in circumaxially spaced relationship so that each finger can guide a bottle dropped downwardly through a pocket defined by four such finger assemblies in a packing case loader. Each finger has a spoon shaped lower end designed to preclude destructive reverse bending of the molded finger as a result of interference with a case or other impediment. The fingers are preferably biased by individual return springs and may move laterally at least slightly to accommodate misalignment between them and the case. These springs may comprise individual coil compression springs or be defined in the form of petals or leaves integrally formed in a plastic part with a central opening such that this part can be mounted to the lower face of the retaining member and be held in place by the same retaining member fastener as used to assemble the holder and retainer.

A guide finger mounting apparatus including positioning member having two flat surfaces extending longitudinally of the member, a pair of spring drop finger means one engaging each flat surface on the positioned member and a clip means engaging the fingers and the positioning member to retain the finger means in operative engagement. Complementary interengaging means may be formed on the finger means and the positioning member to aid in preventing relative movement therebetween.

A guide finger mounting apparatus including positioning member having two flat surfaces extending longitudinally of the member, a pair of spring drop finger means one engaging each flat surface on the positioned member and a clip means engaging the fingers and the positioning member to retain the finger means in operative engagement. Complementary interengaging means may be formed on the finger means and the positioning member to aid in preventing relative movement therebetween.