Patent ID: 6955032

Claim:
A shuttle packaging machine for continuously forming, loading and sealing a paperboard shipping carton, comprising, an elongate support structure, a shuttle device, means mounting the shuttle device on the support structure for longitudinal movement thereof in a predetermined path of travel through continuous cycle of operation between an initial position and a completion position, where a shipping carton is loaded and sealed, and for return of the shuttle to the initial position, and during said travel, the shuttle device being shuttled during flap folding operations, power means operatively connected to the shuttle device for reciprocatively moving the shuttle device through its path of travel, a magazine for containing collapsed shipping cartons positioned adjacent the initial position of the shuttle device, each collapsed shipping carton comprising opposed side walls and having minor vertical flaps and major horizontal end flaps for closing the ends of the shipping carton, a moveable carton holding means on the shuttle device shiftable during movement of the shuttle device from a hold down position to a position for engaging and removing a collapsed shipping carton from the magazine and return to the hold down position holding the shipping carton on the shuttle device, former structure on the shuttle device engaged by a shipping carton during movement of the holding means to erect the shipping carton into box-like configuration having the end flaps of the container disposed in an unfolded position, the shipping carton being horizontally oriented with both ends of the carton open, one end of the carton comprising a loading end and the other end comprising a non-loading end, a loading station located downstream of the magazine, first minor flap folding means for engaging one vertical minor end flap at the non-closing end of the carton for folding the end flap to a closed position during shuttle movement of the shuttle device by the power means sequentially first in a downstream direction then in an upstream direction and thereafter in a downstream direction, means for engaging and moving product from the loading station into the shipping carton through the open loading end after said one minor end flap is folded to the closed position, second minor flap folding means located downstream of the loading station for progressively folding the unfolded minor end flaps to the folded closed position, during a second shuttle movement of the shuttle device by the power means sequentially first in a downstream direction then in an upstream direction and thereafter in a downstream direction, and major flap folding means for engaging and folding the major flaps to the folded position, and means for applying an adhesive to all the flaps to seal the ends thereof, discharging the loaded sealed carton from the shuttle device and returning the shuttle device to its initial position.