Carton loading machine

In a carton loading machine, there is provided a mechanism which will initially displace one row of cylindrical-shaped objects with respect to its adjacent row such that load items in one row are located in a staggered relationship with respect to the load items in the adjacent row. The load items are then displaced into the open end of a container. When the assembled load is substantially fully located within the container, the movement of one row is arrested while the movement of the other row continues until the items of the adjacent rows are arranged in a side-by-side relationship. This serves to permit the width of the accumulated load to be reduced until the load is substantially fully located in a carton and thereafter the load is rearranged to its maximum width to fit in a close fitting relationship within the carton. In addition, the carton loading machine has a load transporting conveyor which extends in a continuous path from a load accumulating station through a load separating station and load transfer station and back to the load accumulating station with the load supporting surface of the conveyor horizontally arranged so that it is capable of returning a load which is not displaced into a carton to the load accumulating station so that it can be recycled without the need to halt the operation of the machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to carton loading machines. 
Carton loading machines are commonly used to load a carton through an open 
end. In the known mechanisms, difficulty has been experienced in 
attempting to load cylindrical-shaped items such as cans or bottles 
through an open end of a carton without providing a substantial clearance 
between the load and the side walls of the carton. While a substantial 
clearance facilitates the loading of the carton, this same clearance is 
undesirable when the items are loaded into the carton because it permits 
the items to move within the carton when the carton is loaded and this is 
very undesirable. The freedom of movement within the carton can result in 
the containers colliding with one another to a sufficient extent to damage 
or break the container. Furthermore, this freedom of movement can be very 
dangerous when transporting a large load of cartons by means of a 
transport vehicle because it permits the load to shift relative to the 
vehicle. 
A further difficulty which is experienced in carton-loading machines is 
that while a load may be correctly positioned for transfer into a carton, 
the carton may not be located in the carton confining compartment into 
which the load is to be transferred. In these circumstances, it is 
necessary to interrupt the operation of the carton loading machine in 
order to remove the load which cannot be accommodated. This interruption 
reduces the productivity because it creates downtime. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a carton loading 
machine which will serve to stagger the load items prior to the loading of 
the load items into the open end of a carton to effectively reduce the 
width of load. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carton loading 
mechanism which will align staggered load items with one another after 
they have been loaded into an open carton so as to effectively increase 
the width of the assembled load to provide a close fitting relationship 
within the carton. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carton-loading 
machine in which the load transporting conveyor serves to return loads 
which are not transferred into a carton to the load assembly station so 
that the rejected loads can be reintroduced into the carton loading 
station. 
According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided in a 
loading machine for loading cylinderical shaped objects into a container 
which has a load accumulating compartment in which cylindrical-shaped load 
items are initially assembled in a first array in which at least two 
single file rows of load items are arranged with the load items of one row 
located in side-by-side alignment with respect to the load items of each 
adjacent row, each row of load items having a nesting recess located 
between each adjacent load item which extends laterally inwardly thereof, 
and a pusher member mounted for movement along the length of said 
compartment to push an accumulated load from said compartment through an 
open end of said compartment, the improvement wherein said pusher member 
comprises a pushing end which is directed toward the open end of the 
compartment, said pushing end having a pushing face for each row of load 
items, adjacent pushing faces comprising a first pushing face and a second 
pushing face, the first pushing face being spaced from the second pushing 
face in the direction of movement of the pushing member along the load 
confining compartment such that the first pushing face will make contact 
with a first of said rows of load items before the second pushing face 
makes contact with the adjacent second row thereby causing the load items 
of first row to be longitudinally displaced with respect to the load items 
of the second row such that the load items of the first row are aligned 
with the nesting recesses of the second row such that the assembled load 
may be free to assume a more compact array as it is discharged from the 
load confining compartment into a carton. 
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided 
in a carton loading machine of the type in which carton retaining 
compartments and load confining compartments are associated with one 
another and are simultaniously driven through a carton loading station in 
transverse alignment with one another on a carton conveyor and on a load 
transporting conveyor respectively, and wherein a pusher member is located 
in each load confining compartment for movement therealong between a 
retracted position and an extended position to drive a load from a load 
confining compartment into the carton retaining compartment with which it 
is associated and aligned, and wherein from time to time a carton is not 
located in a load receptive manner in a carton confining compartment which 
is aligned with a loaded load confining compartment into which a load 
should not be transferred during movement through the loading station, the 
improvement of carton detecting means for detecting the presence of a 
nonreceptive carton retaining compartment in said loading station, said 
carton detecting means communicating with the pusher means of the load 
confining compartment which is associated with the nonreceptive 
compartment to retain said pusher means in said retracted position such 
that the load which is aligned with the nonreceptive compartment is 
retained on the load transporting compartment and is transported out the 
load transfer station on the load transporting conveyor. 
According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided 
a loading machine for loading cylindrical-shaped load items into a 
container comprising a load separating station in which a plurality of 
items are accumulated into orderly loading groups, a load transfer station 
in which each loading group is loaded into a carton, a load transporting 
conveyor having a forward run which is mounted for movement along a path 
of travel which extends into and through the load separating station and 
through the load transfer station, said load transporting conveyor having 
first and second side edges which extend longitudinally thereof, guide 
means dividing a first portion of the forward run of the load transporting 
conveyor into a plurality of longitudinally extending load guiding 
slipways which are arranged in a side-by-side relationship, each slipway 
having a discharge end opening into the load separating station along a 
discharge plane which is angularly inclined, with respect to the direction 
of movement of the forward run of the load transporting conveyor, from the 
first side edge to the second side edge of the load transporting conveyor 
whereby load items are successively released from the slipways at spaced 
points along the path of travel of the load transporting conveyor, a load 
transfer conveyor having a forward run which is arranged in a side-by-side 
relationship with respect to the first side edge of the load transporting 
conveyor and extends into and through the load separating station and 
through the load transfer station, a plurality of load divider members 
extending transversely of the load transfer conveyor, said load divider 
members being spaced from one another to form transversely extending load 
accumulating compartments therebetween, said load separating members being 
mounted on said load transfer conveyor for lateral movement between a 
first retracted position and a second extended position, each divider 
member having a leading end which is directed toward the load transfer 
conveyor, displacement means for moving the load divider members laterally 
with respect to the load transfer conveyor to cause the leading ends of 
the divider members to traverse the load transporting conveyor along a 
second inclined plane which extends parallel to and in close proximity to 
said discharge plane to separate load items which are located downstream 
of the leading end of the divider means from load items which are located 
upstream thereof to sequentially admit at least one load item from each 
slipway into each load accumulating compartment, load discharge means in 
each load accumulating compartment, said load discharge means being 
mounted for movement along its associated load accumulating compartment 
from the first edge of the load transporting conveyor to the second edge 
thereof during movement of the load accumulating compartment through the 
load transfer station to discharge an accumulated load from each load 
accumulating compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral 10 refers 
generally to a carton loading machine constructed in accordance with an 
embodiment of the present invention. 
The carton loading machine has a load accumulating station 12, a load 
separating station 14 and a load transfer station 16. The carton loading 
machine 10 also has a load transporting conveyor 18 and a carton 
transporting conveyor 20. The load transporting conveyor 18 has a forward 
run portion 18a which extends in a side-by-side relationship with respect 
to the carton conveyor 20. The load transporting conveyor 18 also has a 
return run section 18b which extends between opposite ends of the forward 
run section 18a. It will be noted that the load supporting surface 22 of 
the load transporting conveyor 18 extends in a horizontal plane over its 
entire length with the result that it is capable of transporting a load in 
a continuous path which extends through the stations 12, 14 and 16 and 
back to the station 12. 
With reference to FIG. 2 of the drawings, it will be seen that a carton 
dispenser and opening mechanism which is generally identified by the 
reference numeral 24 is provided for the purposes of dispensing a 
knock-down carton 26 onto the conveyor 28 and simultaneously opening the 
carton. A sensor device 30 is provided which serves to determine whether 
or not a carton has been opened and correctly positioned on the conveyor 
28 so as to be receptive to a load. 
Carton dispenser mechanisms such as the dispenser mechanism 24 are well 
known as is the carton conveyor 28 and will not therefore be described in 
detail. 
The load items 32 each have a cylindrical body portion and may be in the 
form of a bottle, jar or can or the like. A plurality of guide rails 34 
are arranged in a spaced parallel relationship and extend along the 
portion of the forward run of the conveyor which extends into the load 
separating station 14. Slipways 36 are formed between adjacent pairs of 
guide rails. The slipways 36 extend in a side-by-side parallel 
relationship and each has a discharge end 38 which opens into the load 
separating station 14 along a discharge plane 40 which is angularly 
inclined with respect to the direction of forward movement A of the 
forward run 18a. 
A plurality of load divider members 42 are each mounted for movement on a 
third conveyor 41 for movement through the load separating station 14 and 
load transfer station 16. The load divider blades 42 extend in a spaced 
parallel relationship and cooperate with one another to form load 
accumulating compartments 44 therebetween. The load divider blades 42 are 
mounted to reciprocate to and fro across the load transfer conveyor as 
they are driven by the conveyor 41 through the load separating and 
transfer stations 14 and 16. The displacement mechanism which is used for 
displacing the divider members 42 includes a first guide track 46 which 
has an angled lead-in portion 48 which serves to insure that the blades 
are withdrawn. A guide track 50 extends from the guide rail 46 and has a 
first portion of its length 52a which is angularly inclined so that it 
extends in a spaced parallel relationship with respect to the discharge 
plane 40. The guide track 50 has a second portion of its length 50b which 
extends parallel to the direction of forward movement of the load transfer 
conveyor and a third portion of its length 50c which is angularly inclined 
forwardly and laterally away from the load transporting conveyor. Each of 
the divider blades 42 has an angularly inclined face 43 at its outer end 
so that it presents a narrow leading edge to the load separating station. 
A pusher assembly 60 is provided for each load accumulating compartment. 
The pusher assembly 60 includes an arm 62 and a pusher head 64. The pusher 
head 64 has fixed pushing faces 66 and movable pushing faces 68 which are 
arranged in a side-by-side relationship. Compression springs 70 serve to 
normally urge the movable pushing faces 68 to the extended position. The 
movable pushing faces 68 are movable between an extended position in which 
they are spaced forwardly from the fixed pushing faces 66 and a retracted 
position in which they are coplannar with the fixed pushing faces 66. 
The pusher arms 62 are each mounted on the conveyor 44 for movement to the 
stations 14 and 16 and for movement along their associated load confining 
compartment between a retracted position and an extended position as shown 
in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The guide track assembly which serves to guide 
the movement of the pusher assembly 60 includes a guide rail 71 which has 
a lead-in portion 72 which serves to ensure that the pusher is correctly 
withdrawn before it enters the load separating station. A guide track 74 
extends from the guide rail 71 to a diverter mechanism 76 from which 
branch lines 78 and 80 extend. The branch line 78 has an angularly 
inclined portion 78a, a short longitudinally extending portion 78b and a 
second angularly inclined portion 78c. The second angularly inclined 
portion 78c merges with the branch line 80. 
In use, items such as bottles or cans enter the load accumulating station 
from a bottling or canning machine and are driven by the load transporting 
conveyor 18 into the slipways 36 to be arranged in an orderly single file 
configuration. As the load divider members and pusher assembly is driven 
through the load separating and load transfer stations 14 and 16, the 
follower 52 of each load divider member 42 will initially be driven along 
the angularly inclined section 50a of the guide track 50 such that the 
arrow leading end thereof is directed along the angularly inclined 
discharge plane 40 and passes across the discharge end 38 of each slipway 
36 so that it will separate the load items which are located on either 
side of the discharge plane 40 to accumulate a load of items within the 
load accumulating compartment 44 located between adjacent divider members 
42. 
Simultaneously, the carton dispenser and opening mechanism 24 is activated 
in an attempt to provide an open carton on the conveyor 28 in alignment 
with each load accumulating compartment. The sensor 30 serves to determine 
whether or not the carton dispenser mechanism has been successful. If the 
sensor 30 determines that an open carton is not correctly located in 
alignment with a particular load accumulating station, the diverter 
mechanism 76 will be activated to ensure that the follower 54 of the 
pusher arm 62 which is aligned with the nonreceptive carton confining 
compartment of the conveyor 28 is guided along the branch line 80 such 
that the load associated therewith remains on the load supporting surface 
22 of the conveyor 18 and is returned to the load accumulating station 12. 
It will be apparent that because the accumulated load which is not 
required remains on the load transporting conveyor and is returned by the 
load transporting conveyor to the load accumulating station, it is not 
necessary to interrupt the carton loading operation in circumstances where 
a carton is not operably positioned to receive an accumulated load. 
When the sensor 30 determines that a carton is operably located in 
alignment with a load accumulating compartment, the diverter mechanism 76 
is activated to cause the follower 54 of the associated pusher arm to 
travel along the branch line 78. The initial movement along the angularly 
inclined portion 78a will result in the movable pusher faces 68 moving 
forward into engagement with the column of load items with which they are 
aligned as shown at 90 in FIG. 2. As a result, the load items of the first 
row will be longitudinally displaced with respect to the load items of the 
second row such that the load items of the first row are aligned with the 
nesting recesses of the load items of the second row. Continued movment of 
the follower 54 along the inclined track 78 drives the accumulated load 
into the open end of a carton 26. Because the load items of one row are 
aligned with the nesting recesses of the load items of the adjacent row, 
it is possible to reduce the width of the assembled load as the load items 
are driven into the open end of the carton simply by contact between the 
load items in the side walls of the carton. The load items will continued 
to be driven into the carton in this staggered array until the follower 54 
approaches the longitudinally extending portion 78b of the branch line 78. 
As the follower 54 approaches the section 78b, the load items which were 
previously displaced by the movable pushing faces 68 will contact the back 
wall 26a of the carton into which they have been loaded such that their 
forward movement will be arrested. The pusher arm 62 will, however, 
continue to move toward the back wall 26a of the container. As a result, 
the compression springs 70 will be compressed until the movable pushing 
faces 68 and the fixed pushing faces 66 are aligned with one another as 
shown at 92. The movement of the fixed pushing faces 66 into alignment 
with the movable pushing faces causes the load items in the adjacent 
columns to be rearranged in a side-by-side aligned relationship with the 
result that the width of the accumulated load is increased. This increase 
in the width of the accumulated load will serve to cause the load to fit 
in a close-fitting relationship within the carton into which it is loaded. 
Continued movement of the pusher members and the load divider members 
causes both to be driven along the angularly inclined portions 78c and 50c 
of their guide tracks such that they are withdrawn and returned to their 
retracted position. The conveyor 41 serves to return the pusher assembly 
and the load divider members to the load separating station to repeat the 
process on a continuous basis. 
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides 
a carton loading machine which is capable of high-speed operation when 
loading cylindrical-shaped objects into an open end of a carton. The 
machine makes allowance for the recycling of a load which is not displaced 
from the carton transporting conveyor when a carton is not operably 
located in alignment with its load accumulating compartment. In addition, 
the pusher mechanism which is used to displace the load into the carton is 
designed to arrange the load so that it may have a reduced width until the 
load is substantially fully located within the carton at which time the 
load items are displaced relative to one another to maximize the width of 
the load.