In an apparatus for fitting together cup-like or pot-like containers and packaging carriers which engage same and which are supplied by a guide means to the containers which are carried by a conveyor member, to form a packaging unit, the invention seeks to make it possible for the assembly operation to be performed by machine with a high level of through-put capacity and a wide capacity for adaptation to different sizes and quantities of containers or groups of containers. For that purpose, at least one holder means (20) which temporarily receives the containers (1) which are intended for a packaging carrier (3), from the conveyor member (13), is disposed movably above the conveyor member (13), the substantially horizontal path of movement of the holder means extending between an array of pressure members (60) and abutment members (31), disposed downstream of the guide means (26) for the packaging carriers and forming a pressing station (25), said path of movement downstream of said array touching a discharge conveyor. The operation of supplying the containers (1) and also the operation of removing the packaging unit (1, 3) can be carried out by a single conveyor member (13) which extends beneath the path of movement of the holder means.
An apparatus for use in packaging containers and associated lids together includes a moveable gantry with a first support portion and a second support portion alongside the first support portion. The first and second support portions are sized and configured to support the containers and the lids. A container path and a lid path are included along which containers and lids, respectively, are directed to the gantry. The gantry has a first orientation in which the first support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers and the second support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids. The gantry also has a second orientation in which the gantry is repositioned such that the first support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids and the second support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers.
An apparatus for use in packaging containers and associated lids together includes a moveable gantry with a first support portion and a second support portion alongside the first support portion. The first and second support portions are sized and configured to support the containers and the lids. A container path and a lid path are included along which containers and lids, respectively, are directed to the gantry. The gantry has a first orientation in which the first support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers and the second support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids. The gantry also has a second orientation in which the gantry is repositioned such that the first support portion is aligned with the lid path to receive lids and the second support portion is aligned with the container path to receive containers.
The present invention is, in one embodiment, an apparatus for placing an insert within a nested group of taco shells. The insert placement apparatus comprises a vertical shaft, a horizontal shaft, a first pillow block, a second pillow block, a vacuum cup, a horizontal timing belt, an air cylinder, and a servomotor. The vacuum cup is adapted to transport the insert. The first pillow block has a bore therethrough for receiving the horizontal shaft. The second pillow block is supported off of the first pillow block and has a bore therethrough for receiving the vertical shaft. The vacuum cup is suspended off of the vertical shaft. The horizontal belt is routed around a drive pulley and a second pulley and is interconnected to the first pillow block. The servomotor is interconnected to the drive pulley. The servomotor causes the timing belt to displace the first pillow block along the horizontal shaft, thereby causing the vacuum cup to displace horizontally. The air cylinder is adapted to vertically displace the vertical shaft through the second pillow block. This causes the vacuum cup to displace vertically.
