Patent ID: 6662534
Filing Date: 2003-12-16
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
An apparatus for charging tubular packaging containers with a stack of flat items, comprising:(a) a supply conveyor for advancing the items in an advancing direction; (b) a plurality of intermediate containers; (c) a transporting device carrying said intermediate containers and including means for moving said transporting device to consecutively advance said intermediate containers in a traveling path into a first station and a second station; (d) first loading means for loading, in said first station, a stack of items from said supply conveyor into the intermediate container dwelling in said first station; (e) means for positioning a packaging container in said second station for receiving the stack of items from said intermediate container dwelling in said second station; (f) second loading means in said second station for loading, in said second station, the stack of items from said intermediate container into the packaging container; (g) rotating means for rotating each said intermediate container about an axis perpendicular to said advancing direction from a first angular position in said first station into a second angular position in said second station during travel of the intermediate container from said first station into said second station and for rotating the intermediate container about said axis from said second angular position in said second station into said first angular position in said first station during travel of the intermediate container from said second station into said first station; and (h) removing means in said second station for carrying away a filled packaging container from said second station; wherein said traveling path is circular and said rotating means includes a plurality of first shafts each connected with a respective said intermediate container; and further wherein said transporting device comprises: (a) a platform rotatably supporting said first shafts; (b) a second shaft affixed to said platform; and (c) a motor connected to said second shaft for rotating said platform.