Patent ID: 7806250

Claim:
A loading carousel for packaging articles in containers, the loading carousel having a first side and a second side, the loading carousel comprising: a first rotatable support; a second rotatable support; a cam track comprising: a pickup cam profile on the first side of the loading carousel; and a loading cam profile on the second side of the loading carousel; and a plurality of carriers for carrying containers to be loaded with articles, the plurality of carriers are mounted around the first and second rotatable supports, the carriers being mounted for moving about a periphery of the loading carousel and for vertical translation defined by the cam track, the carriers are configured to carry containers from a pickup position at a first side of the loading carousel where the containers are picked up, to a loading position at a second side of the loading carousel where the containers are lowered onto articles, wherein the pickup cam profile defines a low pickup position of the carriers on the first side of the loading carousel wherein the carriers pickup a respective container to be loaded, and the loading cam profile defines a low loading position of the carriers on the second side of the loading carousel wherein the carriers lower the container to be loaded onto the articles.