A cartoning apparatus for loading loose media, such as spaghetti, vermicelli, or other loose, into a carton, wherein the apparatus is provided with bucket structures, platens, actuators, and a loading assembly which are all moved along parallel predetermined paths. The bucket structures include forward and rearward ends whereby the bucket structures may be translated such that the forward end may be disposed adjacent an aligned open carton, and the rearward end may receive loading assembly. Such rearward end is provided with a funnel structure which cooperates with a self-aligning pusher foot comprising part of the loading assembly to effectuate alignment and mating receipt of the pusher foot with a cavity defined by the bucket structure. The platen is preferably provided with indexing ears which are matingly received with corresponding indexing notches provided on the bucket structure for precisely positioning and holding of the platen in its proper position and orientation so that the media is maintained below a top surface of the carton.
An ergonomically improved hand loading cartoner bucket is provided with inwardly tapered open side pockets for the operator's hand(s) which are sized such that the product being placed into the bucket cannot shift to the side. Such cartoner buckets provide the operator with greater ease of access during loading and therefore improved overall efficiency.
A parallel linkage loading apparatus designed to be made part of a larger case packing machine which has a special retraction operation to improve efficiency. The push plate (ram) of the apparatus is lifted up and around in a pre-determined path as it is retracted, instead of pulling horizontally straight back. This retraction motion allows for the simultaneous positioning of subsequent sets of the product material (under the lifting push plate), avoiding the delay associated with waiting for this positioning after full retraction. Immediately upon completion of the retraction operation, the push plate may extend forward again, without delay, to push the waiting product materials into the next waiting case.
