Patent ID: 6748725
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
A method of continuously transferring articles between a pickup station and a release station comprising:feeding a plurality of articles along a linear path through a pickup station; conveying cases along a case transport path; providing a plurality of pickup heads arranged in a circle to rotate about a single vertical axis; providing a release station along said main radial path where the articles are released and deposited after pickup; rotating pickup heads about the central axis along a main radial path causing the pickup heads to depart from the main radial path by swiveling the pickup heads about a secondary swivel axis to move in a straight line path through the article pickup station; returning the pickup heads to the radial path after passing through the pickup station; and causing said pickup heads to move without swiveling along the main radial path; and releasing the articles at the release station along the radial path.