SINGLE LINE,DUAL STATION INDEXING PACKAGING MACHINE

Abstract: A method of, and a packaging machine for forming, filling and closing containers (94). In accordance with the method, container blanks, (87) are intermittently advanced in pairs along a container bottom end forming rotary path (90) for forming the bottom ends of the containers (94). The containers (94) are then transferred in pairs into a straight, single line filler path where they are intermittently advanced in pairs into a plurality of filling stations (131) and closing stations (133) for filling and closing the containers (94). The packaging machine includes an intermittently rotatable container bottom end former turret (90) having a pair of container mandrels (103) at each of a number of spaced work stations. Container blanks (87) are transferred onto the mandrels (103) and they are then moved through a container bottom end rotary forming path, and then transferred onto a straight, single line filler apparatus (122) which is disposed tangential to the rotatable container bottom end former turret (90). The bottom end formed containers (94) are intermittently advanced, or indexed, by pairs through the single line filler apparatus for filling the containers and through a heater (140) and sealing means (145) for closing the containers.

Description: SINGLE LINE, DUAL STATION INDEXING PACKAGING MACHINE This invention relates generally to the container packaging art, and more particularly, to a single line, dual station, indexing packaging machine for forming, filling and closing containers. BACKGROUND ART It is known in the container packaging art to provide automa¬ tic packaging machines for forming, filling and closing containers. However, a disadvantage of the prior art automatic container packag¬ ing machines is that they are large, expensive and complicated in structure. A further disadvantage of the prior art automatic con¬ tainer packaging machines is that each container packaging machine is designed with a particular structure for operation on one or more sizes of containers, and other type structures are provided in other packaging machines for operation on other sizes of containers, where- by interchange ability of parts between said prior art packaging machines is not achievable to any great extent. United States patent No. 3, 918, 236 discloses an automatic packaging machine for forming, filling and closing containers which includes a container bottom former turret which intermittently ad- vances containers along a container bottom end forming rotary path, in a single station indexing machine. Two formed containers are transferred to a "left hand turret" for filling and two formed con¬ tainers are transferred to a "right hand turret" for filling. The containers are filled and closed while advancing through a double indexing rotary path. Other examples of prior art packaging ma¬ chines are disclosed in U. S. patents Nos . 1, 893, 169, 3, 350, 837 and 3, 491, 506. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the container packaging art, and t a method and machine for forming, filling and closing containers. In accordance with the method of the present invention, container blanks are intermittently advanced in sets of pairs, of containers along a container bottom end forming rotary path and through a plurality of bottom end processing stations for forming the bottom ends of the containers. The bottom end formed containers are the transferred in pairs into a straight, single line filler path, and th are intermittently advanced in pairs into a plurality of filling and closing stations for filling and closing the containers . The packaging machine of the present invention includes an intermittently rotatable container bottom end former turret having a pair of container mandrels at each of a number of spaced work stations. A pair of container blank magazines are disposed adjac the container bottom end former turret, and means is provided fo transferring the container blanks from the magazines onto the pai of mandrels. A straight, single line filler apparatus is disposed adjacent the rotatable container bottom end former turret, and me is provided for transferring the containers in sets of pairs from t bottom end former turret onto a straight, single line filler appara for filling and closing the containers. The containers are dual ind ed, or indexed in pairs, through said single, line filler apparatus . The packaging machine of the present invention may be eon structed and arranged for processing a range of small size contai ers, or a range of intermediate size containers, or a range of lar size containers. An advantageous feature of the invention is that t rate of interchangeability of parts between the various model ma¬ chines for processing different size containers is higher than here tofore achievable by the prior art packaging machines. The advan ageous rate of interchangeability of parts results in lower produc costs, less inventory and less service parts . The packaging mac of the present invention is simpler than the prior art machines, easier to maintain as far as cleanliness and repair services are concerned. OMP IP BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front elevation view of a first illustrative pack¬ aging machine for forming, filling and closing gable top containers in accordance with the method and principles of the present invention. ~ Figure 2 is op plan view of -the packaging machine illustrat¬ ed in Figure 1, taken along the line 2-2 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows . Figure 3 is a front elevation view of packaging machine struc¬ ture added to the packaging machine of Figures 1 and 2, for folding the gable top of containers into a flat position, and sealing the same to form flat top containers . Figure 4 is a top plan view of the packaging machine structure illustrated in Figure 3, taken along the line 4-4 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows . Figure 5 is a front elevation view of a second illustrative packaging machine for forming, filling and enclosing flat top contain¬ ers in accordance with the method and principles of the present invention. Figure 6 is a top plan view of the packaging machine structure illustrated in Figure 5, taken along the line 6-6 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows . Figure 7 is a right end elevation view of the packaging machine structure illustrated in Figure 5, taken along the line 7-7 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows . Figure 8 is a top plan view of a third illustrative packaging machine for forming, filling and closing flat top containers in accord¬ ance with the method and principles of the present invention. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a first illustrative packaging ma- chine embodiment which illustrates the best mode of carrying out the method and principles of the present invention. The container forming, filling and closing machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is particu¬ larly adapted for use with gable top cartons or containers of the type shown: in the United States patents Nos . 3, 120, 333; 3, 185, 375; 3, 185, ' 376; 3, 270, 940; 3, 294, 310; and, 3, 406, 892. For a comple description of the gable top type of container which may be forme filled and closed by the machine illustrat ed in Figures 1 and 2, r ence may be had to the aforementioned patents. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the numeral 10 generally de nates a machine base which is provided with a plurality of suitabl support legs 11 for supporting the base on a floor surface 12. Th illustrative machine includes a pair of container blank magazines, generally indicated by the numerals 13 and 14, which are adapted supply conventional flat folded, side seamed tubular container bla 17 (Figure 1) to a rotary container bottom forming apparatus, gen ly indicated by the numeral 20. The container bottom forming ap tus 20 receives the container blanks 17 in sets of two, and then he folds and seals the container bottom closures in pairs so as to pr erected open-ended tubular containers indicated by the numeral 2 (Figures 1 and 2). The rotary container bottom forming apparatu moves clockwise with an intermittent or indexing motion, and car each set of two containers 22 through eight stations, after which t erected containers 22 are transferred in sets of two onto a single conveyor me ans, generally indicated by the numeral 23. The con means 23 then intermittently advances the bottom end formed cont ers 22 in sets of two along a single straight line filler path throu a plurality of filling and closing stations for filling and closing the containers. In accordance with the aforedescribed general procedure, container blanks 17 are withdrawn one at a time from each of the magazines 13 and 14 by appropriate vacuum nozzle or cup mechan which comprise container blank feeders generally indicated by the numerals 15 and 16. The container blank magazines 13 and 14 m be of any suitable conventional type magazines. A suitable contai blank magazine is shown in U. S. patent 3, 212, 413. The vacuum n zle carton feeder mechanisms 15 and 16 are primarily of a charac described in U. S. patent No. 2, 357, 535, and each comprises a pl ality of nozzles which project from a suitable housing to engage on panel of a container blank 17. The nozzles retract to withdraw a container blank 17 from the respective magazine 13 and 14, and t nozzles then rotate and carry the container blanks 17 to a dual co tainer station on the container bottom end forming rotary apparat or turret 20. The container feeders 15 and 16 square the containe blanks 17 into a general rectangular pos ition in the usual manner, and theji each of the squared container blanks 17 is moved upward onto an individual mandrel 24 on the container bottom end forming apparatus 20 by a suitable carton loader means, generally indicated by the- numeral 18 in Figure 1. A suitable carton loader means for loading cartons onto a mandrel is described in U. S. patent 3, 212, 413. The loader mechanism 18 has a loader arm long enough to engage the lower ends of both of the cartons 17 extracted by the feeders 15 and 16 and raise them up simultaneously onto individual mandrels 24. As shown in Figure 2, the container botto end rotary forming apparatus 20 is provided with eight stations, and each of these stations includes a pair of container mandrels 24. As shown in Figure 2, the magazine 13 would load a carton 17 onto the trailing mandrel in each set of pairs of mandrels, which is indicated by the numeral 2, and the magazine 14 would load a container blank 17 onto the leading mandrel in each set of pairs of mandrels, which is indicated by the numeral 1 in Figure 2. The mandrels 24 are preferably of the conventional four-post water-cooled type. It will be understood that each one of the eight stations on the container bottom end rotary forming apparatus 20 is provided with a pair of mandrels 24 which may be of any conventional type, as for example, of the type shown and described in U. S. patent No. 3, 303, 761. As shown in Figure 2, the container bottom end forming ap¬ paratus or turret 20 indexes in an intermittent motion so as to move the various stations thereon in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2. As illustrated in Figure 2, the container bottom end rotary forming apparatus 20 includes first and second load stations, at each of which is disposed a pair of mandrels 24. Each of the sta¬ tions receives a blank 17, as described above. The pair of erected containers 17 on the mandrels 24 are indexed from the second load station to a bottom end heating station indicated by the numeral 25 - (Figure 2), Any suitable container bottom heating apparatus may be used, as for example, the heating apparatus disclosed in U. S. patents Nos. 3, 249, 025 and 3, 392, 458. A pair of containers 17 after being heated at the bottom end heating station 25 is then indexed in a single movement to the next station 26 which is a tucking station. It will also be understood that any suitable container tucker apparatus may be employed for tucking the bottom end of the containers 17, as for example, the container tucker apparatus as shown in U. S. patent No. 3, 166, 994; 3, 187, 647; and, 3, 398, 659. OMPI IPO After the bottom ends of the containers 17 have been tucked, and tacked if desired, the containers are then moved in an intermit tent or indexing motion through a pair of bottom sealing stations 27 and 28. Any suitable conventional bottom end sealing means may b employed at the sealing stations 27 and 28, as for example, the se ing means disclosed in U. S. patent No. 3, 347, 017. After the second sealing station 28, the containers 22 are t indexed clockwise to an open station 29, and thence indexed again the rotary container bottom end forming turret is moved again to a discharge or container strip station 30. As illustrated in Figure 1, a pair of bottom end formed containers 22 are simultaneously strip from the pair of mandrels 24 at the strip station 30. The pair of c tainers 22 are transferred downwardly by a suitable vacuum cup means, indicated generally by the numeral 31 in Figure 1. The vacuum cup means 31 is moved upwardly by a suitable air cylinder the like, so as to engage the lower ends of the pair of formed conta ers 22 at the strip station 30, and strip them off the mandrels 24 at that station, and moved them downwardly into separate positions o a single straight line suitable conveyor means, generally indicated by the numeral 23. » The carton conveyor means 23 may be of any suitable type, for example, a chain type conveyor of the type illustrated in U. S. patent No. 3, 239, 995. The chain type conveyor shown in the last tioned patent includes upper and lower chain courses which extend horizontally above a slide bar 38, along which the cartons 22 are moved by the chains. Each of the containers 22 is engaged by finge or plates fixed to the links of the upper and lower chains, respectiv The chains, as indicated by the numeral 21 in Figure 2, are traine over suitable idler sprockets 32 at the entrance end of the conveyor and over suitable drive sprockets 33 at the exit end of the conveyor The sprockets 32 and 33 are mounted on suitable vertical shafts, a indicated by the numeral 37 in Figure 2. As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, a pair of bottom end form containers 22 are moved from the strip station 30 to the left, in an intermittent or double indexing motion into a dating station indicated by the numeral 34. The containers 22 are then indexed by pairs in intermittent, double indexing manner to the next station 35 which is top end break station. 'Any suitable conventional dating and top end closure panel break apparatuses may be employed at the stations 3 and 35. A suitable top end breaker apparatus is shown and describ in U. S. patent No. 3, 207, 049. The containers 22 are then double indexed whereby in the next position the leading container 22 of each pair is in the first fill station 50. and the..trailing, carton 22 is in an open station 36. The packaging machine 10 illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is adapted for filling large cartons or containers, as half-gallon containers and similar metric size containers, and it is provided with a suitable eight station filler apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 39. The eight filler stations are indicated by the numeral 50 in Figure 1. The filler apparatus 39 has eight filler tubes which are each disposed over one of the eight filler stations 50, and which are indicated by the numerals 41 through 48. A leading container 22 of a pair of indexed containers would receive a quarter fill portion from each of the fill tubes 41, 43, 45 and 47, as it is indexed past the filler-means 39. The trailing container 22 in each pair of indexed containers would receive four equal fill portions from the fill tubes 42, 44, 46 and 48 as it is indexed past the filling means 39. . The filler means 39 is connected to a suitable source of fluid being packaged in the containers 22, as for example, a suitable source of milk. The filler apparatus 39 may be any suitable conventional filler apparatus as,, for example, a piston or spray type filler apparatus of the type illustrated in either one' of U. S. patents Nos . 3, 195, 781 and 3, 334, 668. Another suitable filler apparatus which may be optionally employed is one which is used by the Ex-Cell-O Corporation of roy, Michigan, on its packaging machines, Models QMD and QM2D, and known as the "AccuFiller". After receiving the last fill portion from the filler apparatus 39, the filled cartons 22 are double indexed by the conveyor 23 through a two station de-foamer apparatus . The de-foamer stations are indi¬ cated by the numeral 53 in Figure 1, and the de-foaming tubes are indicated by the numerals 52. Any suitable conventional de-foamer apparatus may be employed in conjunction with the filler apparatus 39. After the de-foaming stations 53, the containers 22 are double indexed by the conveyor 23 into one of the top end tucking stations 55 of a suitable top end tucking apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 54. The top end tucking apparatus 54 may be any suitable conventional type as, for example, it may be of the type disclosed and described in U. S. patent No. 3, 918, 236. The top end tucking operation results in further breaking or flexing of the top end closure elements about their score lines . OMPI The conveyor 23 next indexes the containers 22 in pairs through a four-station top end heating apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 56, and which includes four stations 57. The top end heating apparatus 56 may be any suitable conventional type, as for example, it may be of the type shown in either of U. S. patents Nos. 3, 309, 841 or 3, 370, 399. After the heating operation, the conveyor 23 next indexes the containers 22 in pairs through a two station top end closing operation, and then through a two station top end-sealing operation. The numer- al 59 designates the top end closing stations and the numeral 61 desig¬ nates the top end sealing stations. The numeral 58 generally desig¬ nates the top end closing apparatus, and the -numeral 60 generally indicates the sealing apparatus. Any suitable conventional top end closing and sealing apparatus may be employed as, for example, the top end closing and sealing apparatus disclosed in U. S. patent 3, 370, 399 A suitable ultrasonic sealing means which may optionally be employed is one which is used by the Ex-Cell-O Corporation of Troy, Michigan, on its packaging machines known as Models QMD and QM2D. After the containers 22 have been sealed, they are moved in an indexing or intermittent movement to a two station unload or discharge position indicated by the numeral 62 from where they are unloaded by any suitable unloading apparatus onto a suitable discharge conveyor or the like for conveying the filled and sealed containers to a further processing station for delivery purposes. The machine of the present invention may be provided with any suitable operator's control me ans. The machine of the present invention is provided with a suitable electric drive motor 63 which is provided with a suitable gear reducer means and an output drive shaft 64 that is connected by any suitable drive me ans with the bottom end forming turret 20 and the conveyor me ans 23 for driving the same. The other filling and closing units which require power are also opera- tively connected to the output shaft 64 for driving said units. Any suitable control circuit means may be employed for controlling the operations of the various units of the machine since the control circuit means does not form any part of the present invention. The machine of the present invention provides a small, inex¬ pensive and simplified machine for providing maximum production in a minimum amount of space. The single line, dual station indexing machine of the present invention is simple and less expensive to make than a continuous motion packaging machine since it has fewer operating parts. The various filling and closing units are adjustably mounted on the machine base 10- at -their respective stations to per¬ mit adjusting of these units to ove-rcome any stretching of the chains for the conveyor 23. The single line, dual station indexing structure of the present invention provides a machine which provides a maxim¬ um of production in a minimum amount of floor space, and a machine that is clean, simple and easy to service. The various portions of the filling and closing units at each of the stations are accessible so as to provide quick and easy servicing of the same. For the one-half gallon machine shown in Figures 1 and 2, the various stations are spaced five inches apart, and this spacing can be maintained because of the adjustability of the various station units, even though a chain type conveyor me ans is employed. The packaging machine illustrat- ed in Figures 1 and 2 can fill and close one hundred gable top, half- gallon containers per minute, although it only moves at the rate of fifty containers per minute, because the machine is working or pro¬ cessing two containers at a time. Another advantage of the machine of the present invention is that maximum interchange-ability of parts is provided between machines for processing containers of various capacities or sizes. « The container packaging machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 forms, fills, closes and seals containers with gable tops, either straight or slanted. If it is desired to convert the container packag- ing machine of Figures 1 and 2 to a machine capable of providing universal flat top containers, then the additional structure illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 may be added to the structure of Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, a machine base extension, generally indicated by the numeral 66, is operatively attached by any suitable means to the machine base 10 of the structure of Figures 1 and 2, and it is provided with suitable support legs 67. A container conveyor means, generally indicated by the numeral 68, is operative¬ ly mounted on the top of the machine base extension 66 for carrying the containers 22 through the steps of gable tab heating and folding over the gable top ends of the containers and sealing them in a flat position to form flat top containers. The added container conveyor means 68 is a chain type con¬ veyor constructed the same as the container conveyor 2-3 for the packaging machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The conveyor means 68 includes upper and lower chain courses which extent OMPI horizontally above a container slide bar 73 which forms a continu tion of the container slide bar 38 of the conveyor structure shown Figure 1. The conveyor chains are indicated by the numeral 69 i Figure 4, and they are trained over suitable idler sprockets 70 at the discharge end of the conveyor 68, and over suitable drive sprockeis72 which are mounted on the idler sprocket shafts 37 of t conveyor structure 23 of Figure 2, so that the added conveyor me 68 is also driven by the same power means that drives the convey means 23 of the machine structure of Figure 2. The idler sprocke 70 are operatively mounted on suitable vertical shafts, as indicate by the numerals 71 in Figure 4. The added structure of Figures 3 and 4, includes a four- station heater means, generally indicated by the numeral 74, for heating the gable top tab, and each of the heater stations is indicat by the numeral 75. The heater means 74 may be any suitable con ventional type, as for example, it may be similar to the heater structure employed for the container top end heating means 56 in t structure of Figure 1. The added conveyor means 68 intermittent moves the gable top filled and closed containers, in sets of two co tainers, from the discharge station 62 of the structure of Figures and 2 through the heater means 74, arAI thence through an eight - station folding and sealing means, generally indicated by the nume 76 in Figure 3, for folding the slant gable tops of the containers 2 over to form flat top containers 78 of the type illustrated in U. S. patents Nos . 3, 869, 078 and 4, 085, 885. The eight stations of the folding and sealing means 76 are designated by the numeral 77 in Figures 3 and 4. The filled flat top containers 78 formed by the structure of Figures 3 and 4 are then conveyed onto a suitable dis charge conveyor, or the like, for conveying the filled flat top con- tainers to a further processing station for delivery purposes . Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a packaging machine made in accordance with the principles of the present invention for formin filling and closing containers known as universal flat top container which have a tab on the top for sealing down the top. end closure panels to form a flat top container. U. S. patents Nos. 3, 896, 078 and 4, 085, 885 illustrate flat top containers which may be process by the packaging machine illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7. The packaging machine illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7 is constructed and arranged to operate in the same manner as the pa aging machine illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, with a difference bei that the structure illustrated in Figs. 3. and 4 for folding over and sealing flat the tops of the containers has been incorporated in the machine of Figures 5, 6 and 7 to provide a single unit. A further dif¬ ference is that the packaging machine illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7 is adapted for processing smaller size of containers . In one em¬ bodiment, the machine of Figures 5, 6 and 7 may be made with 2- 1/4" square cross section statioiB-for processing cartons or con¬ tainers having a capacity of 4, 6, 8 or 10 ounces. Another embodi¬ ment of the machine of Figures 5, 6 and 7 may be made with 2-3 /4 " square cross section stations for processing quart size containers, or liter size containers . The center line of the processing stations are spaced 4" apart so that the machine structure of Figures 5, 6 and 7 is designed to run either the aforementioned smaller size containers or the larger size containers by simply interchanging the mandrels on. the bottom end rotary former turret and various other filling and closing components along the container filler processing line. However, the basic overall structure is the same between machines of the type shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7, regardless of the size containers they are adapted to process . Figures 5, 6 and 7 illustrate a second embodiment of the in¬ vention. As shown in Figure 5, the numeral 80 generally designates a machine base which is provided with a plurality of suitable support legs 81 for supporting the base 80 on a floor surface 82. As shown in Figure 2, a pair of container blank magazines, generally indicated by the numerals 83 and 84 are operatively mounted on the base 80 and they are structurally and functionally the same as the magazines 13 and 14 of the first embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. Container blanks 87 are withdrawn from the magazines 83 and 84, and squared, by container blank feeders 85 and 86, respectively, and carried to con- tainer load stations 91 and 92 in the same manner as in the first em¬ bodiment of Figures 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 5, the packaging machine of Figures 5, 6 and 7 is provided with a suitable electric drive motor 88 which has an output shaft 89 for driving all the moving parts employed in the machine in the same manner as the motor 63 for the first embodiment of Figures 1 and 2. A container bottom end rotary forming apparatus or turret, generally indicated by the numeral.90 is operatively disposed on the base 80 adjacent the magazines 83 and 84. A container blank loader apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 102, moves a OMPI WIPO container blank 87 upwardly from each of the container load statio 91 and 92, onto a mandrel 103 on a container bottom end rotary forming turret generally indicated by the numeral 90. The contain blank feeders 85 and 86, the loader apparatus 102, and the contain bottom end former turret 90 are structurally and functionally the same as the corresponding parts in the first embodiment of Figure 1 and 2. As shown in Figure 5, the container bottom end former turret 90 moves the container blanks 87 clockwise in pairs, in an intermittent movement, through a heating station 106, a bottom en tuck station 107, two seal stations 108 and 109, and an open statio 110 to a container strip station 111. A suitable container stripper means, generally indicated by the numeral 93, simultaneously mo a pair of bottom end formed containers 94 at the strip station 111 downwardly from their mandrels 103 into a pair of adjacent separa positions on a single straight chain type conveyor me ans, generall indicated by the numeral 95. The container stripper means 93 and the conveyor means 95 are structurally and functionally the same the corresponding parts in the first embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 The conveyor means 95 includes upper and lower chain courses of chains 97, a container slide bar 96, idler sprockets 98, and drive sprockets 99. The conveyor means 95 is disposed tan- gentially relative to the container bottom end former turret 90 in t same manner as the conveyor means for said first embodiment. As viewed in Figure 5, the container bottom end former turret 90 is disposed at the left end of the conveyor means 95 and may be termed a right hand machine as compared to the left hand machine of Figures 1 and 2. The bottom end formed containers 94 are moved in pairs b the conveyor means 95 in an intermittent movement through a seri of filling, closing and sealing operations in the same manner as in the first embodiment. The containers 94 are indexed through an idle station 114, and . through a tamp and top end breaker me ans, generally indicated by the numeral 117, and which includes the ta station 115, the breaker station 116, and the tamp station 118. The conveyor means 95 next indexes the containers 94, by pairs, through a filler and de-foamer station area, generally indi¬ cated by the numeral 122, which includes four fill stations two de-foam stations 132. A filler apparatus, generally indicated by the numeral 121 has four filler tubes 123, 124, 125 and 126 for filling the containers 94- in two shots or two one-half fill portions as they are indexed by pairs through the fill stations 131. The numeral 121 ' in Figure 6 indicates a modification that could easily be made to provide a larger capacity filler me ans for a larger size container to provide a filling operation in three fill portions. As shown in Figure 5, two de-foamer tubes 127 and 128 are operatively disposed over, the two de-foam stations 132. The filler and de-foamer me ans 121 is structurally and functionally the same as the filler and de-foamer means 39 of the first described embodiment. After leaving the de-foamer stations 132, the containers 94 are indexed through a number of top end closing stations 133. The top end closure means is generally indicated by the numeral 134, (Figure 5) and it is structurally and functionally the same as the top end closure means 54 of the first described embodiment. The containers 94 are indexed. from the top end closure sta¬ tions 133 to a pair of sealing stations 136 at which the top gable ends are sealed by a suitable conventional sonic sealing means, generally indicated by the numeral 135. It will be understood that other suit¬ able sealing me ans may be employed instead of the sonic seal me ans 135. The containers 94 are next indexed through a pair of further seal stations 138 where the slant gable top ends are further engaged by a suitable conventional pressure means 137. After leaving the pressure means 137, the cartons 94 are moved through an idle station 139 and thence through a number of heating stations 141 where they are heated by a suitable heater means, generally indicated by the numeral 140, and which is structurally and functionally the same as the heater means 74 employed in the modification structure shown in Figures 3 and 4. The heated slant gable top ends of the containers 94 are next folded over by a suitable sealing me ans, generally indicated by the numeral 145, which com¬ prises an elongated water cooled pressure rail 146. The pressure rail 146 has a curved front end which cams or folds over the slant gable top of the containers to a flat position and successive indexing movements under the water cooled pressure rail 146 seals a hold down tab on the folded over slant gable top to form a flat top filled container. -The water cooled pressure rail 146 is structurally and functionally the same as the water cooled pressure rail 76 shown in the modification of Figures 3 and 4, and it is a convention al t ^e ^^ of pressure rail. The numeral 147 in Figure 5 generally indicates a filler calibration control lever. Figure 8 illustrates a packaging machine made in accordanc with the principles of the present invention, and which comprises a twin unit that includes the machine structure of Figures 5, 6 and 7, and a mirror image of the same. The parts of the packaging mach of Figure 8 which are the same as the parts of the machine shown i Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 have been marked with the same reference numerals followed by the small letters "a" and "b" to illustrate the corresponding parts of the twin machine. The twin part s of the packaging machine of Figure 8 functions in the same manner as the packaging machine illustrated in Figures 5 through 7, but the produ tion is greater. The packaging machine of Figure 8 conveys the filled and closed flat top containers from the ends of the machine conveyor means onto a further pair of discharge conveyors, genera indicated by the numerals l-50a and 150b. The packaging machine illustrated in Figures 5, 6 and 7 is capable of processing one hundred and fifty containers per minute of the small cross section type containers, as for example, contain ers of four, six, eight or ten ounce sizes. The packaging machine of Figures 5, 6 and 7 can process one hundred and twenty-five con¬ tainers of the larger type quart or liter size container. The twin packaging machine illustrated in Figure 8 is capable of processing three hundred containers per minute of the aforementioned small cross section sizes. It is also capable of having its mandrels and other necessary parts interchanged to process a larger size contai such as a quart or liter size container at 250 containers per minute An advantageous feature of the packaging machines illustrat in Figures 1 and 5 is that the rate of interchangeability of parts be- tween these two machines, that is, the left hand and right hand ma¬ chines of one size, is very high, and it has been found to be about a proximately ninety-two percent. The rate of interchangeability of between the small cross section container (Figure 5) right hand ma chine and a quart size right hand machine (Figure 5 with a filler 12 is about ninety-one percent. The rate of interchangeability betwee the right hand quart size machine and the half-gallon size (Figures and 2) machine is about thirty- five percent. The interchangeability advantage of the packaging machine of the present invention results in lowered production costs, less inventory of parts, and less serv parts required in the field. O WI INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The packaging machine of the present invention is adapted for use in packaging liquid products, granular products, and simi¬ lar products capable of being loaded into a container from a flow type filler apparatus, as for example, various dairy products, ■ ■-- •- soft drinks-, flow. able-solid flood .products., .and liquid type products such as oils and the like. OMPI Λ,. WIPO

Claims: C L A I M S 1. A method of forming, filling and closing containers com prising the steps of forming the bottom ends of containers, filling t containers, and closing and sealing the top ends of the containers, characterized by the steps of : (a) intermittently advancing containers in sets of a plura of containers along a container bottom end forming rotary path into a plurality of bottom, end processing stations having plural position for forming the bottom ends of the containers; (b) transferring simultaneously a plurality of the bottom end formed containers into a straight, single line filler path; and, (c) intermittently advancing the bottom end formed con¬ tainers in sets of a plurality of containers along- the straight, singl line filler path into a plurality of filling and closing stations for fill and closing the containers. 2. The method of forming, filling and closing containers as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that : (a) the sets of a plurality of containers are intermittentl advanced along the bottom end forming rotary path at a speed equal to the speed at which the sets of plurality of containers are intermi tently advanced along the straight, single line filler path. 3. The method of forming, filling and closing containers as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: (a) each of the sets of a plurality of containers includes least two containers, and each set of at least two containers is inde ed along the bottom end forming rotary path and along the straight, single line filler path to advance at least two containers during eac intermittent advancement. 4. A method of forming, filling and closing containers as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: (a) said containers are gable top containers. 5. A method of forming, filling and closing containers as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that it includes the steps (a) folding the gable top over and sealing the same in the folded over condition to produce filled and closed flat top container OM WIP 6. A packaging machine for forming, filling and closing con¬ tainers, comprising a container bottom end former turret, and a container- filler- apparatus including container top end closing and • sealing means, c h ar a ct e r i z e d in that :- (a) the container bottom end former turret is a rotatable container bottom end former turret having a plurality of container mandrels at each of a plurality of spaced work positions on said . turret; (b) a plurality of container blank magazines is disposed adjacent said container bottom end former turret; (c) there is means for transferring container blanks from said container blank magazines and expanding the blanks, and loading the blanks onto said container bottom end former turret on said plur¬ ality of mandrels at each of said spaced work positions, at a plurality of container load stations; (d) a straight, single line filler apparatus is disposed ad¬ j acent said rotatable container bottom end former turret; (e) there is means for transferring to the filler apparatus a plurality of bottom end farmed containers, fro each of said plurality of mandrels on the container bottom end former turret, at a container strip station; and, (f) there is means for intermittently rotating the container bottom end former turret and for operating the filler apparatus in an intermittent motion. 7. A container packaging machine as claimed in claim 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that : (a) the container bottom end former turret is intermittently rotated at the same speed as the intermittent operation speed of the straight, single line filler apparatus. 8. A container packaging machine as claime d in claim 7, c h ar a c t e r i z e d in- that : (a) said plurality of mandrels at a work position on the con¬ tainer bottom end former turret includes at least two mandrels for holding at least two container blanks, so that at least two containers are intermittently advanced with each intermittent advancement of the container bottom end former turret and each intermittent opera¬ tion of the filler apparatus . OMPI 9. A container packaging machine as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that : (a) said container bottom end former turret comprises multi-station turret with loading, bottom end heating, bottom end tucking, bottom end sealing and stripping stations; and, (b) said filler apparatus comprises a multi-station, sin line apparatus with a plurality of loading, top end breaking, filler top end tucking, top end heating, top end closing and sealing stati 10. A container packaging machine as claimed in claim 9, c aracterized in that: (a) each of the stations on said straight, single line fill apparatus is provided with at least two container positions for pro cessing at least two containers at each station. 11. A container packaging machine as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that: (a) said straight, single line filler apparatus includes a straight line container conveyor means having one end disposed at the container strip station of the container bottom end former tur for receiving at least two bottom end formed containers during e transfer operation of bottom end formed containers to the filler a paratus. 12. A container packaging machine as claimed in claim 1 characterized in that : (a) said straight line conveyor means is tangentially dis posed relative to the container bottom end former turret. 13. A container packaging machine as claimed in any one claims 11 or 12, characterized in that: (a) said filler apparatus includes a plurality of containe filling and closing mechanisms adjustably disposed at said loading top end breaking, filler top end tucking, top end heating, and top closing and sealing stations along said straight line conveyor mea 14. A container packaging machine as claimed in any one of claims 11, 12 or 13, c aracterized in that; (a) said containers are gable top containers. 15. A container packaging machine as claimed in claim 14, characterized in that: (a) said filler apparatus is provided with. eans for folding over the gable top of each container; and, ■ (b) means for sealing the folded over gable tops to provide filled and closed flat top containers. 16. A container packaging machine as claimed in any one of claims 11 through 15, characterized in that: (a) said rotatable container bottom end former turret is disposed at the right end of the filler apparatus conveyor means, as said container packaging machine is viewed from the front side thereof. 17. A container packaging machine as claimed in any one of claims 11 through 15, characterized in that: (a) said rotatable container bottom end former turret is disposed at the left end of the filler apparatus conveyor means, as said container packaging machine is viewed from the front side thereof. 18. A container packaging machine comprised of the packaging machines as claimed in claims 16 and 17, characterized in that; (a) the container packaging machines as claimed in claims 16 and 17 are disposed with their rotatable container bottom end former turrets adjacent each other on a common base to form a twin container packaging machine. OMPI Λ, WIPO -

Inventors: ALLEN R, KAUFFMAN I
Applicants: ALLEN R, KAUFFMAN I
Application year: 1978
Main classification: B65B43
IPC codes: B65B3