Tray loading machine
First Claim
1. A tray loading mechanism for moving accumulated charges of containers from an accumulating position into trays at a loading position through the unclosed end flaps of the trays to load the trays comprising:
- loading conveyor means including a plurality of pusher means movable between the accumulating and loading positions along an endless path, each of said pusher means adapted to move a charge of containers from the accumulating position into a tray at the loading position as said pusher means moves in a first direction along the endless path;
drive means for moving said plurality of pusher means along the endless path in successive increments of movement so that all of said pusher means are first simultaneously moved along the endless path in the first direction for a first prescribed distance and then simultaneously moved along the endless path in the opposite direction for a second prescribed distance less than the first prescribed distance during each increment of movement so that said plurality of pusher means moves between the accumulating and loading positions in the first direction along the endless path, said first prescribed distance selected to cause one of said pusher means to move a charge of containers out of the accumulating position toward the loading position and to cause one of said pusher means to load a charge of containers into the tray at the loading position during each movement of said plurality of pusher means in the first direction, and said second prescribed distance selected to cause that pusher means loading a charge of containers into the tray at the loading position to move out of interference with the unclosed end flaps on the tray during movement of said pusher means in the second direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tray loading mechanism for moving accumulated charges of containers from an accumulating position into trays at a loading position through the unclosed end flaps on the trays including a loading conveyor with endless support means movable along an endless path and mounting a plurality of pusher assemblies thereon at equally spaced apart positions therealong for movement between the accumulating and loading positions. A clutch mechanism selectively connects a first drive unit to the loading conveyor to move the pusher assemblies in a first direction along the endless path and a brake mechanism selectively connects a second drive unit to the loading conveyor to move the pusher assemblies in the opposite direction along the endless path so that the pusher assemblies are incrementally advanced in the first direction around the endless path by the first drive unit to engage and move the charges of containers from the accumulating station into the trays at the loading station and retracted a short distance in the opposite direction by the second drive unit after each incremental advancement in the first direction so that the pusher assembly loading a charge of containers in the tray just clears the unclosed end flaps of the tray. The method of operation thereof is also disclosed.
89 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A tray loading mechanism for moving accumulated charges of containers from an accumulating position into trays at a loading position through the unclosed end flaps of the trays to load the trays comprising:
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loading conveyor means including a plurality of pusher means movable between the accumulating and loading positions along an endless path, each of said pusher means adapted to move a charge of containers from the accumulating position into a tray at the loading position as said pusher means moves in a first direction along the endless path; drive means for moving said plurality of pusher means along the endless path in successive increments of movement so that all of said pusher means are first simultaneously moved along the endless path in the first direction for a first prescribed distance and then simultaneously moved along the endless path in the opposite direction for a second prescribed distance less than the first prescribed distance during each increment of movement so that said plurality of pusher means moves between the accumulating and loading positions in the first direction along the endless path, said first prescribed distance selected to cause one of said pusher means to move a charge of containers out of the accumulating position toward the loading position and to cause one of said pusher means to load a charge of containers into the tray at the loading position during each movement of said plurality of pusher means in the first direction, and said second prescribed distance selected to cause that pusher means loading a charge of containers into the tray at the loading position to move out of interference with the unclosed end flaps on the tray during movement of said pusher means in the second direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of loading charges of containers from an accumulating position into a tray at a loading position through the unclosed end flaps on the tray comprising the steps of:
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(a) positioning a plurality of pusher members for movement along an endless path between the accumulating position and the loading position; (b) simultaneously advancing all of the pusher members along the endless path in a first direction in successive increments of movement of a first prescribed distance each so that during each increment of movement, one of the pusher members will move the accumulated charge of containers at the accumulating position toward the loading position and one of the pusher members will load a charge of containers into the tray at the loading position; and (c) after each increment of movement of all of the pusher members in the first direction, retracting all of the pusher members along the endless path in the opposite direction for a second prescribed distance sufficient for the pusher member at the tray to clear the end flaps thereof but less than the first prescribed distance so that the pusher members move from the accumulating position to the loading position and back to the accumulating position in the first direction along the endless path. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification