Apparatus for setting up and loading a tray

A method and apparatus for setting up and loading a tray includes means for withdrawing collapsed trays from a hopper and for forming those trays into a tubular structure and for subsequently manipulating end closure panels so as to close the ends of the tray, means for depositing the tray at a loading station together with article handling mechanisms for removing articles from a receiving station and then for transporting the articles to the loading station where the articles are released into the apertured top panel of the tray.

Trays of the type in which a plurality of article receiving apertures are 
formed in the top panel of a tray have customarily been loaded by hand. 
Such loading operations have inhibited the use of such trays for article 
shipping, storage and dispensing purposes. According to this invention 
automatic apparatus is provided for quickly and efficiently manipulating 
articles from a receiving station into the apertures formed in the top 
wall of a tray located at a loading station. The articles are supplied to 
a receiving station by conveyor means which operates in synchronism and 
intermittently alongside the path of movement of a tray which is withdrawn 
from a hopper, set-up and moved alongside the article conveyor to a 
loading station at which articles removed from the conveyor means at the 
receiving station are elevated and moved above and downwardly into 
cooperative relation with the apertures formed in the top wall of the tray 
at the loading station. 
An article handling mechanism constructed according to one form of this 
invention utilizes a plurality of horizontally spaced article engaging 
elements disposed about an article, each of said elements being angularly 
movable about a substantially vertical axis and each element having an 
article engaging surface and an article clearing surface disposed about 
its periphery. Operating means interconnected with each of the article 
engaging elements imparts limited angular movement thereto to cause the 
article clearing surfaces to move from an initial position adjacent to and 
in clearing relation with respect to the article and to cause the article 
engaging surface to engage the article. Thereafter transport means is 
employed for moving the elements and the article simultaneously. 
Apparatus for setting up collapsed trays having top, bottom and side walls 
interconnected along their side edges to form tubular structures and 
having end closure panels foldably joined to the ends of the bottom walls 
and including locking tabs engageable with apertures in the top walls 
includes a hopper in which collapsed trays are disposed, means for 
sequentially withdrawing the trays from the hopper, abutment means 
engageable with an edge of each tray during withdrawal from the hopper for 
initiating a setting up operation, panel separating means insertable 
through aperture means in the tray bottom wall for engaging the inner 
surface of one side wall to break any possible glue bond tending to hold 
the top and bottom walls together and to insure separating movement 
thereof, and probe means disposed in the path of movement of the tray 
during its withdrawal from the hopper and insertable through aperture 
means formed in the tray bottom wall for engaging the tray top wall to bow 
the top wall upwardly together with panel closing means for engaging the 
tray end closure panels and for causing the locking tabs thereon to enter 
corresponding apertures in the tray top wall while at least a part of the 
top wall is elevated by said probe means.

A tray of the type employed in conjunction with the present invention is 
fully disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,053,099 issued Oct. 11, 
1977 and assigned to the assignee of this invention. For the sake of 
completeness, a brief description of the tray is set forth below. 
In the drawings the numeral 1 designates the top wall of an article tray to 
the side edge 2 of which glue flap 3 is foldably joined. On the other side 
of top wall 1, a side wall 4 is foldably joined thereto along fold line 5 
while bottom wall 6 is foldably joined to side wall 4 along fold line 7. 
In addition side wall 8 is foldably joined to bottom wall 6 along fold 
line 9. End panel 10 is foldably joined to bottom wall 6 along fold line 
11 while in similar fashion end panel 12 is foldably joined to bottom wall 
6 along fold line 13. 
For the purpose of receiving the articles, a plurality of apertures A are 
formed in top wall 1. Each aperture A which is disposed adjacent an end of 
the carrier is provided with a locking surface S. Also formed in top wall 
1 are a pair of finger receiving apertures 14 and 15. To facilitate 
machine manipulation of the package, a plurality of machine element 
receiving apertures 16, 17, 18 and 19 are provided and are formed in 
bottom wall 6. 
A plurality of locking tabs 20, 21, 22 and 23 are formed along the top edge 
of end panel 10. In like manner locking tabs 24, 25, 26 and 27 are formed 
on end panel 12. The locking tabs are similarly constructed and in order 
to simplify the description of the various components, only one locking 
tab will be described in detail, it being understood that the same 
structure is embodied in each locking tab. Referring specifically to 
locking tab 24, a pair of spaced shoulders are designated by numerals 29 
and 30. Disposed adjacent shoulders 29 and 30 respectively and formed on 
the upper edge of end panel 12 are a pair of notches 31 and 32. 
Disposed generally intermediate two associated locking tabs and formed on 
the upper edge of end panel 10 are stabilizing tabs 33, 34 and 35. In like 
manner, a plurality of stabilizing tabs 36, 37 and 38 are formed on end 
panel 12. 
In order to manipulate the blank shown in FIG. 1A into the completed and 
set-up tray as shown in FIG. 1, it is simply necessary to fold top wall 1 
together with glue flap 3 upwardly and forwardly along fold line 5 into 
flat face contacting relation with bottom wall 6 and side wall 4. 
Thereafter an appropriate application of glue is made to glue flap 3. Side 
wall 8 is then folded upwardly along fold line 9 and an edge thereof 
becomes adhered to glue flap 3. The tray is then disposed in collapsed 
condition. 
In order to set up the tray, top wall 1 and bottom wall 6 are simply pulled 
apart and manipulated to a point where they are perpendicular to side 
walls 4 and 8. Thereafter each of the end panels 10 and 12 is folded 
upwardly along the respective fold lines 11 and 13 through an angle 
greater than 90.degree. and simultaneously locking tabs 20-27 are extended 
through their associated apertures A. The end panels 10 and 12 are then 
swung generally outwardly toward the respective ends of the tray whereby 
locking tabs 20-27 assume an abutting relationship with the associated 
locking surfaces S of apertures A. The tray then appears as shown in FIG. 
1. 
As is best shown in the overall side and end views designated in FIGS. 4 
and 5, a plurality of blanks B are disposed in a hopper generally 
designated by the numeral 41. The lowermost blank B is withdrawn 
downwardly and set up into completed position by the tray forming 
apparatus generally designated by the numeral 42. Motive means drives the 
set-up tray into a deposit station generally designated at 43 from whence 
the lowermost tray such as that designated at T8 is moved toward the left 
into a loading station generally designated by the numeral 44. Containers 
such as are designated at C and as shown in FIG. 2 are supplied on 
conveyor means generally designated by the numeral 45 to a receiving 
station generally designated by the numeral 46. Containers C at receiving 
station 46 are picked up and transported by article handling mechanisms M1 
and M2 constructed according to this invention to the loading station 
designated by the numeral 44 where the articles are deposited into a tray 
T9 at that station. After a loading operation is completed the loaded tray 
is moved out of the loading station 44 toward the left by a succeeding 
unloaded tray pushed from the bottom of the stack of trays at deposit 
station 43. 
As viewed in FIG. 4 the blanks B are oriented with their glue flap 3 and 
side wall 8 along their right hand or trailing edge. The lowermost blank B 
is withdrawn from hopper 41 by mechanism including suction cups 47 and 48 
which are mounted on reciprocable piston rod 49 driven by piston means 
disposed within cylinder 50. Downward movement of the lowermost blank from 
the hopper 41 causes the leading or left hand edge of the blank to engage 
the abutment surface 52 of abutment means 53 and by this means the setting 
up operation of the blank is initiated. This aspect of the apparatus is 
more fully disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 568,243 filed 
Apr. 15, 1975, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,660, and assigned to the assignee 
of this invention. 
Since the glue flap 3 and side wall 8 are located at the right hand edge of 
the blanks B as viewed in FIG. 4, there may be a tendency for glue to 
inhibit setting up of the blank. In order to insure that the blank will 
set up properly, panel separating means 54 is employed. Panel separating 
means 54 includes an arm 55 pivoted at pin 56 to plate 49a on which 
suction cups 47 and 48 are mounted. Panel separating means 54 also 
includes finger like structures 57 which are two in number and which swing 
through the apertures 16 and 17 formed in the bottom wall 6 of the tray. A 
torsion spring (not shown) disposed about pivot pin 56 biases fingers 57 
clockwise. These fingers engage the side wall 8 to which the glue flap 3 
is secured and insure that the carton will set up properly into tubular 
condition. Operation in a clockwise direction of the fingers 57 as viewed 
in FIG. 4 is effected by the torsion spring about shaft 56. A nut 59 
threaded to rod 58 at its lower end together with fixed element 60 having 
an aperture through which rod 58 extends functions to rotate fingers 57 
counterclockwise as the plate 49a reaches its upper limit of travel. This 
action allows vacuum cups 47 and 48 to engage the lowermost tray. 
Thereafter downward movement of the tray and suction cups frees the 
fingers 57 to return in clockwise direction about shaft 56. 
In order to facilitate closing the end panels 10 and 12, it is necessary to 
cause the top panel 1 to bow upwardly and by this means to allow the 
locking tabs 20-27 disposed along the top edges of the end closure panels 
such as 10 and 12 to enter the corresponding apertures as described. For 
this purpose a probe 61 is pivoted about pivot pin 62 and biased by 
tension spring 63 toward counterclockwise rotation about pivot 62. Spring 
63 is anchored on support structure 64. Thus as the lowermost blank B is 
drawn downwardly, the two forks of probe 61 enter apertures 18 and 19 
formed in bottom wall 6 of the tray. These probes then engage the top wall 
at approximately the areas indicated at X and Y in FIG. 1 and thus impart 
an upward bowing action to the top wall as is indicated schematically in 
FIG. 4. With the top wall bowed upwardly as indicated in FIG. 4, the tray 
is moved toward the left and the end panels 10 and 12 are engaged by 
static plows 67 and 68 as best shown in FIG. 12. Static plows 67a and 68a 
shown in FIG. 12 engage top wall 1 and urge that wall downwardly to 
complete the locking action. This movement plows the end panels inwardly 
and allows the locks to enter their appropriate apertures and the tray is 
then complete and simultaneously probe 61 swings counterclockwise about 
its pivot 62 and disengages the tray apertures. 
Motion of the tray from the position immediately beneath the hopper 41 to 
the deposit station 43 is effected by means of a fluid motor having an 
operating piston rod 69 driven by a cylinder 70 in known manner. Return 
movement causes finger 69a to engage rod 61b of crank 61a and to swing 
probe 61 to the upright solid line position to engage a succeeding tray 
since parts 61, 61a and 61b are integral. 
As is best shown in FIG. 13 a tray occupying the position designated at T2 
in dotted lines is supported by horizontal level support rods 71 and 72. 
Movement of the tray from the position underneath the hopper through the 
position designated at T2 and into deposit station 43 is controlled by 
means of a frame structure generally designated at 73 in FIG. 12. Frame 73 
includes a cross bar 74 which engages the trailing edge of the tray 
together with side walls 75 and 76. During the period when the tray rests 
completely on support rods 71 and 72, and within the confines of frame 73, 
the tray is under control. When the tray arrives at the position 
designated T3 however, special means are provided to insure that the 
leading edge E1 of the tray T3 is fully supported in cantilever like 
fashion while the trailing edge is still supported by the left hand ends 
of bars 71 and 72. Such structure includes release means generally 
designated at 77 and 78. Release means 77 is pivoted at 79 to the frame 
bar 75 and is biased by compression spring 80 for clockwise rotation about 
pivot 79. Guide 81 is outwardly tapered and engages the release element as 
shown in FIG. 12 and thus allows the release means 77 to swing in a 
clockwise direction due to the action of compression spring 80 and thus 
releases the leading edge E1 of tray T3 at the same instant that the 
trailing edge E2 clears the left hand ends of rods 71 and 72. By this 
means straight downward free fall of tray T3 is effected so that an 
accumulation of trays such as those indicated at T3-T8 in FIG. 4 is 
effected at deposit station 43. 
For the purpose of moving the lowermost tray such as T8 at deposit station 
43 into loading station 44, a cylinder 82 is provided and includes a 
piston rod 83 arranged to drive pusher bar 83a toward the left. This 
movement slides the lowermost tray T8 out of the loading station and 
underneath trays T3-T7 and into the receiving station and thus causes the 
tray to occupy the position designated at T9. 
Subsequent manipulations of the tray and of the container C are effected by 
parts driven by motor 84 which by means of endless driving elements 85 
imparts rotary motion to gear box 86 and in turn to the driving element 87 
by means of endless driving element 88. Rotation of gear box 87 imparts 
operative motion to endless drive element 89 which drives sprocket 90 and 
endless element 91 and imparts rotary motion in a counterclockwise 
direction to sprocket 92. This motion causes the upper working reach of 
conveyor 93 to move from right to left. The right hand end of conveyor 93 
is disposed about idler sprocket 94. Mounted on conveyor 93 are standards 
96 between which containers such as C are disposed. A belt conveyor (not 
shown) brings the articles to conveyor 93. If desired conveyor 93 may be 
shortened so that its right hand end is disposed behind deposit station 43 
in which event the infeed belt would be disposed adjacent that station. 
Containers C as shown in FIG. 5 are brought to the receiving station 6 by 
this means. Since receiving station 46 is immediately behind loading 
station 44 as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, it is simply necessary to 
elevate the containers such as C1, C2 and the other containers in a group 
and to transport those containers over to the loading station 44 where 
they are deposited in the tray T9. 
The containers C are engaged and released by article engaging means 
constructed according to this invention as is best shown in FIGS. 3, 6, 7, 
8 and 9 and which constitute components of article handling mechanisms M1 
and M2 and which are movable vertically into and out of the vacant spaces 
or voids between the articles which are contiguous as is apparent from 
FIGS. 8 and 9. Fifteen article engaging elements designated by the 
numerals 97-111 respectively are rotatably mounted in a base plate 112 
which is secured to a support element 113 and which forms journal 
mountings for the article engaging elements 97-111 of mechanism M1. These 
elements are anchored by cross-bars 112c and bolts 112b. As is apparent in 
FIGS. 6 and 7, each article engaging element is provided with a crank such 
as is indicated in FIG. 7 by the numerals 114b, 115b and 116b. Article 
engaging elements such as 103a, 104a and 105a are provided with cranks 
117b, 118b and 119b and constitute components of article handling 
mechanism M2. Of course all the operating elements are provided with 
cranks but all the cranks are not shown in the drawings. 
For the purpose of imparting angular motion through approximately 
45.degree. to all of the article engaging elements, a common operating 
member 120 and a similar common operating member 120a are provided. Common 
operating plate 120 is connected by means of bolts 121b, 122b and 123b 
with the cranks 114b, 115b and 116b. In like fashion the common operating 
member 120a is interconnected by bolts 124b, 125b and 126b with the cranks 
117b, 118b and 119b. 
From the description thus far it is apparent that bodily movement imparted 
to the plates such as the common operating members 120 and 120a causes 
simultaneous operation of all of the cranks and such rotation is 
accompanied by angular movement of all of the article engaging elements. 
Since the containers C have tapered sides as is obvious from FIG. 2 and 
since each article engaging element is provided with at least one article 
engaging surface such as that indicated at 127 in FIG. 3 and an article 
clearing surface such as that indicated at FIG. 3, it is apparent that 
FIG. 8 depicts all of the article engaging elements of mechanism M1 with 
their article clearing surfaces adjacent one of the containers C to permit 
relative vertical movement between the article engaging elements and the 
containers C so that the containers C do no move with the article engaging 
elements. When the article engaging elements are moved by the common 
operating members such as 120 or 120a to the position shown in mechanism 
M2 in FIG. 9, the article engaging surface or surfaces such as 127 of each 
article engaging element are firmly in contact with the side wall of an 
adjacent container C. Thus vertical movement of the article engaging 
elements upward results in simultaneous lifting of all the containers C. 
For the purpose of securing the common operating elements such as 120 and 
120a in the position indicated in FIG. 8 or the position indicated in FIG. 
9, tension springs such as are indicated at 129 are provided. These 
tension springs are anchored at one end to a pin 130 which is secured to a 
plate such as 112 or 112a while the other end of each spring 129 is 
secured to a pin 131 which is secured to common operating member such as 
120 or 120a. The springs 129 are thus positioned so that they act as a 
toggle and hold the plate such as 120 or 120a either in the position shown 
in FIG. 8 or in the position represented in FIG. 9 against either the stop 
132 on the one hand or 133 on the other. 
The transport mechanism M1 such as that associated with the operating 
member 120 is adjusted with the article engaging elements occupying their 
release positions as indicated in FIG. 8 and such mechanism is lowered 
into a group of containers such as are indicated at C1 and C2 at the 
receiving station 44. Simultaneously an article handling mechanism M2 such 
as that associated with main operating member 120a is disposed at the 
loading station with containers C supported thereby and with the article 
engaging elements occupying the positions indicated in FIG. 9. 
Simultaneous movement of operating member 120 and 120a causes the article 
engaging elements at the receiving station to move from the positions 
indicated in FIG. 8 to the positions indicated in FIG. 9 and thus 
conditions the mechanism for lifting the articles off the conveyor 93. 
Simultaneously movement of the article engaging elements at the tray 
loading station from the position represented in FIG. 9 to that 
represented in FIG. 8 causes the articles held by mechanism M2 associated 
with operating member 120a to be deposited into a tray such as T9. 
In one embodiment of the invention each article handling mechanism such as 
M1 and M2 is arranged to handle eight containers as is represented in 
FIGS. 8 and 9. The trays however are arranged to handle 24 containers. 
Thus in accordance with one feature of the invention a tray located at T9 
is first moved to the left as viewed in FIG. 5 to its ultimate left hand 
position represented in that figure. This movement is effected as shown in 
FIG. 4 by shaft 140 driven from gear box 87 and on which is fixedly 
mounted a cam 141. Cam 141 is provided with a groove not shown in FIG. 4 
and in which a cam follower 142 rides. Cam 142 is mounted on an arm 143. 
Arm 143 is fixed to oscillatable shaft 144 to the upper end of which an 
arm 145 is rigidly secured. Arm 145 is connected to pin 146 and in turn to 
support frame 147 in which tray T9 is disposed so that rotation of cam 141 
imparts angular oscillatory movement to arm 145 and in appropriately timed 
relation initially moves the tray such as T9 completely to the left as 
shown in FIG. 5. After eight articles are loaded on the right hand end of 
the tray, arm 145 begins a retracting action due to the action of cam 141 
and associated parts and moves the frame 147 by two increments toward the 
right. The first such incremental movement allows an additional eight 
articles to be deposited in the two middle rows and a final incremental 
movement of frame 147 causes the tray T9 to move to its outermost position 
to the right at which position a third group of eight articles is 
deposited in the two end rows of apertures. When the tray is completely 
loaded, it is simply pushed off to the left as viewed in FIG. 4 onto a 
suitable conveyor (not shown) by a subsequent unloaded tray such as that 
indicated at T8 and the process is repeated. 
As is evident from FIG. 7 in order to cause the mechanisms M1 and M2 to 
change places, that is, to cause mechanism M1 to move from the receiving 
station 46 to the loading station 47, it is necessary that the shaft 150 
as shown in FIG. 7 be rotated intermittently. FIG. 7 shows mechanisms M1 
and M2 in their upper positions. 
As is apparent in FIGS. 10 and 11 shaft 140 includes an inner shaft 140a 
and an outer concentric tubular shaft 140b. Driving effort from shaft 140a 
effects clockwise rotation of sprocket 151 as viewed in FIG. 10 and 
through chain 152 drives sprocket 153 and output shaft 154. Shaft 154 
operates elements in driving device 155 which is conventional and which 
includes an output sprocket 156 which drives shaft 150 and which operates 
intermittently. In one application of the invention sprocket 156 drives 
chain 156a and sprocket 156b mounted on shaft 140a operates through 
180.degree. and then remains stationary for the succeeding 180.degree. 
while the input shaft 154 operates continuously and at a constant speed. 
Thus shaft 150 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 operates through 180.degree. to 
cause the mechanism M1 to move to the position occupied by mechanism M2 
and likewise moves mechanism M2 to the position occupied by mechanism M1 
during the 180.degree. rotating period of shaft 150. During the dwell 
period of shaft 150 vertical movement is imparted to mechanisms M1 and M2. 
Since shaft 140b operates intermittently from box 155, chain 89 and 
conveyor 93 and cam 141 operate intermittently and in synchronism with the 
other parts. 
As is best shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, main support plate 112 of mechanism M1 
is affixed to vertically slidable plate 160 to which a bracket 161 is 
bolted by bolts 162. Bracket 161 is provided with arcuate elements 163 
which seat in the inner periphery of a ring structure R having side 
flanges 164. Arcuate elements 163 are secured by pins 165 to brackets 161. 
In like fashion mechanism M2 is arranged so that its support plate 112a is 
secured to vertically movable element 160a which is secured by bolts 162a 
to bracket 161a. Pin 165a secures arcuate element 163a within the channel 
like flanges 164 of the ring R. 
In order to move the parts from the uppermost position where M1 and M2 are 
at the same level as indicated in FIG. 7 to their lowermost positions as 
indicated in FIG. 5, it is simply necessary to rotate operating arm 166 
pivoted at fixed pivot 167 in a clockwise direction about pivot 167 to the 
position shown in FIG. 5. This action lowers the bracket 161 somewhat and 
lowers the bracket 161a a greater amount due to the difference in distance 
of these brackets from the pivot 167. This lowering and subsequent reverse 
elevation of the transport means comprising ring R and brackets 161 and 
161a and parts associated therewith is effected during the dwell time or 
non-rotating period of the shaft 150. 
For the purpose of imparting rocking movement to operating arm 166, the 
mechanism shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 is employed. Rotation of shaft 140a 
through chain 152 imparts rotary motion to sprocket 153. This motion 
rotates cam 168 in which a cam groove 169 is formed. Cam follower 170 
rides in groove 169 and is mounted on lever 171 pivoted to fixed pivot 
172. Thus rotation of cam 168 imparts oscillatory movement to arm 171. 
This movement imparts bodily movement to rod 173 pivoted at 174 to arm 171 
and in turn effects a rocking action of operating arm 166 about its pivot 
167. This rocking motion is apparent in FIG. 5 where the arm 166 is shown 
in its extreme position wherein the mechanisms M1 and M2 occupy their 
lowermost positions. As the cam 168 rotates, cam follower 170 is caused to 
swing farther away from the center of rotation of shaft 154 and thus 
causes elevation of mechanisms M1 and M2 due to the tension force imparted 
to link 173 which in turn rocks the operating arm 166 in a 
counterclockwise direction about pivot 167 to cause the parts to assume 
the topmost positions represented in FIG. 7. 
For the purpose of imparting operating movement to the operating plates 120 
and 120a, a cam surface 168a is affixed to the outer periphery of cam 168. 
This cam at the proper time engages a cam follower 175a which causes a 
pair of vertically disposed operator rods 175 only one of which is 
observable in FIG. 4 to swing about pivot 176 so as to cause rods 175 to 
engage simultaneously the operating plates 120 and 120a of both the 
mechanisms M1 and M2. This simultaneous operation causes one mechanism 
such as M1 to move for example from the condition represented by FIG. 8 so 
that represented by FIG. 9 at the receiving station so as to cause 
mechanism M1 to pick up containers. Simultaneously the mechanism such as 
M2 is moved from the condition represented in FIG. 9 to that represented 
in FIG. 8 at the loading station and thus causes the mechanism M2 to 
deposit containers in the tray T9. Once the cam surface 168a moves past 
the cam follower 175a the two vertical elements 175 pivoted at 176 return 
to vertical positions and the parts of the article engaging elements 
remain in the positions described due to the over center toggle action of 
the springs 129.