Patent ID: 8209945
Filing Date: 2012-07-03
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
1. A packaging system for directing products for subsequent enclosure in a covering material held on a product chute downstream thereof, comprising: an elongate, gravity-feed, breech-loading chute body defining a substantially enclosed channel with opposing open and unsealed ingress and egress ends and a substantially planar floor extending therebetween, wherein, in operative position, the breech loading chute body resides in a fixed position and orientation so that a longitudinally extending centerline of the breech-loading chute body slopes downward at an angle between horizontal and vertical in a direction of product travel so that the ingress end is above the egress end; an automated electronically controlled product stop member attached to the breech loading chute body proximate the egress end, wherein, in operation, the product stop member is in communication with an actuator that is configured to automatically direct the stop member to trap, then release, target products; and an elongate product chute residing downstream of and below the breech loading chute body, wherein the breech loading chute is configured to slidably successively advance target products through the breech loading chute body and drop a respective product to a location that is proximate an ingress end of the elongate product chute so that the respective target product is aligned with an ingress end portion of the product chute.