It is common practice at present to transport ; containers of milk from the dairy or containers of other liquid products to a retailer, such as a supermarket, in a metal trolley. The metal trolley has an open front and several shelves which are hinged to the side walls of the trolley so that the shelves can be folded out of the way as and when necessary. Such trolleys are of standard dimensions. Containers for milk and other liquid products are usually cuboid cartons or blow-moulded plastics bottles having a handle. Plastics bottles for milk or other liquid products are typically of substantially the same height whether the bottle has a total volume of 2 pints, 4 pints, or 6 pints for example (and their metric equivalents of say 1 litre, 1.5 litres, 2 litres, etc.). The shelves of the trolley are typically spaced apart by a distance just greater than this standard height so that a layer of full containers can be stacked per shelf.

Consumers in countries using imperial measurements still like to purchase milk in 1 pint containers, especially 1 pint bottles having handles. The height of a standard 1 pint bottle is just greater than half the height of a 2 pint bottle. This prevents two layers of 1 pint bottles being stacked on each metal shelf of the trolley.

Accordingly, either only one layer of 1 pint bottles is stacked per trolley shelf, which is wasteful of space, or the trolley shelves are not used at all. In this latter case, a"slip sheet"in the form of a corrugated cardboard sheet is conventionally placed between each layer of 1 pint bottles in order to separate the layers of bottles from each other and to provide a stable support for the layer stacked on top of the sheet.

The containers such as bottles are usually loaded onto the trolley by a machine which collects say 40 bottles into a layer of bottles having a packing pattern of 5 x 8 bottles and then pushes the complete layer of bottles onto the trolley. When a slip sheet is to be inserted, an operator has to stop the bottle loading machine, manually place the slip sheet over the layer of bottles just loaded onto the trolley, and then restart the machine to load the next layer of bottles. Not only does this require a person constantly to monitor the loading machine, and to do so accurately, but it also means that the loading process is repeatedly interrupted. This inevitably delays the loading of trolleys and adds to costs. Furthermore, it is necessary to keep a supply of slip sheets adjacent the loading machine which is often inconvenient and wasteful of space.

It is also known for the loading of the bottles and slip sheets onto the trolley to be done entirely manually, with usually four people loading each trolley. This is clearly labour-intensive and is inefficient.

Furthermore, customers will often not completely empty a layer of containers from a trolley before starting to remove containers from a lower layer. In other words, a trolley in a retail outlet may after a short time contain several layers, each of which has only a few containers of product. This is inconvenient for the retailer as someone has to shuffle the containers around to ensure that customers empty the trolley of all containers.

There is therefore a need for an improved apparatus and method for loading a layer of containers in a trolley with a slip sheet between said layers.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided apparatus for loading a layer of containers in a packing pattern onto storage means, the apparatus comprising: a loader for loading a layer of containers in a packing pattern onto storage means; forming means for forming in situ a slip sheet; and, positioning means for causing a slip sheet to be positioned between layers of containers in a said storage means.

The apparatus provides for fast loading of containers onto a storage means. The loading can be substantially continuous. A slip sheet for positioning between layers of containers is formed in situ by the apparatus and it is therefore not necessary to keep a store of pre-formed slip sheets.

The apparatus may comprise means for feeding out material from a supply of material from which a slip sheet is formed at a rate to match the rate at which the loader loads a layer of containers onto a storage means.

A cutter may be provided for cutting the material to provide a slip sheet of the desired length. The cutter may be arranged to cut a slip sheet to a length such that a portion of a cut slip sheet overhangs a said layer of containers when a said cut slip sheet is positioned between layers of containers. A printer may be arranged to print on said overhang portion of a slip sheet. The destination of the containers or the name of a retailer can be printed on the overhang portion, for example. This makes it easier for the bottler (such as a dairy) to identify which loaded storage means (such as trolleys) are intended for which destinations.

The forming means may include a heater and mould for heating and moulding material to form a slip sheet to a desired shape. The apparatus may comprise a supply of

mouldable material from which the slip sheet is formed.

-Said material is preferably thermoformable plastics. Such material can be light and tough.

The forming means is preferably arranged to form a slip sheet which is substantially planar and has first and second opposed sides, the first side having a plurality of recesses each for receiving the top of a respective container in a layer of containers on which the slip sheet is placed in use. Because the tops of the containers in the layer are received in the recesses of the slip sheet in use, the tops of the containers of the layer can be effectively trapped by the slip sheet, thus preventing customers removing containers from that layer unless and until the slip sheet has been removed. Thus, in practice, layers of containers above the slip sheet will normally have to be completely emptied from a trolley and the slip sheet then removed before customers can gain access to the containers of the layer.

The forming means may be arranged such that each recess is provided by a collar projecting from the first side of a formed slip sheet. The slip sheet thereby maintains the relative position of containers in a layer on which the slip sheet is placed.

The forming means is also preferably arranged such that the second side of a formed slip sheet is substantially smooth so that a layer of containers in a packing pattern can slide along said second side. This facilitates loading of containers onto the slip sheet.

The forming means is conveniently arranged such that the second side of a formed slip sheet has a depression corresponding to each collar so that plural slip sheets are stackable with the collars of one slip sheet being received in the depressions of an adjacent slip sheet.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of loading a layer of containers in a packing pattern onto storage means, the method comprising the steps of: loading layers of containers in respective packing patterns onto storage means; forming in situ slip sheets; and, positioning a slip sheet between respective layers of containers in the storage means.

The material from which the slip sheet is formed is preferably fed out from a supply of said material at a rate to match the rate at which the loader loads layers of containers onto the storage means.

The method preferably comprises the step of cutting fed-out material to provide a slip sheet of the desired length. The material may be cut to a length to provide a slip sheet of a length such that a portion of a cut slip sheet overhangs a layer of containers in the storage means.

The overhang portion of a slip sheet can be printed upon.

The method may comprise the step of thermoforming material to form a slip sheet of a desired shape.

A slip sheet is preferably formed to be substantially planar with first and second opposed sides, the first side having a plurality of recesses each for receiving the top of a respective container in a layer of containers on which the slip sheet is placed in use. The slip sheet is preferably formed so that each recess is provided by a collar projecting from the first side. The second side of the slip sheet is preferably formed to be substantially smooth so that a layer of containers in a packing pattern can slide along said second side.

The second side of the slip sheet may conveniently be formed to have a depression corresponding to each collar so

that plural slip sheets are stackable with the collars of one slip sheet being received in the depressions of an adjacent slip sheet.

Thus, in various aspects and preferred embodiments, the present invention provides apparatus which can not only load a layer of containers (in a desired packing pattern) onto a storage means such as a trolley, but which also can place a slip sheet either over the tops of a layer or underneath a layer of containers, either before or after the containers have been loaded onto the storage means.

The machine can be set up to load the containers and to place the slip sheets automatically. There is no need for an operator to monitor the machine constantly and to stop the machine at frequent intervals merely to manually place a slip sheet over a layer of containers. The slip sheet can conveniently be practically continuously supplied (for example, from a roll feed) and can be moulded and/or cut in situ as and when required. If desired, the slip sheet can be printed on according to the intended destination or source of the product contained in the containers for example.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of a first example of apparatus in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic perspective view of a trolley; Fig. 3 is a plan view from above of means in said for forming a packing pattern of containers; Fig. 4 is a schematic side elevation of a second example of apparatus in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an example of a slip sheet; and, Fig. 6 is a detailed partial view of a slip sheet between two containers.

In Figure 1 there is shown apparatus 1 for loading containers 2, such as bottles 2 having handles, onto a trolley 3. The trolley 3 is a standard wheeled trolley which is open at the front 4 to allow containers 2 to be loaded onto and removed from the trolley 3. The trolley 3 may have shelves (not shown) which are hinged to respective side walls 5,6 so that the shelves can be folded up out of the way as and when necessary.

The apparatus 1 is primarily intended for use at a dairy so that the dairy can automatically load filled containers 2 onto trolleys 3 for subsequent transport to a retailer such as a supermarket. The retailer will simply place the trolleys 3 on the shop floor so that customers can remove the filled containers 2 from the trolley 3 for purchase.

The containers 2 pass from a filling machine (not shown) to the loading apparatus 1 down a line 7 shown in Figure 3. In an example, when a row of eight containers 2 reaches the end 8 of the line 7, a first pusher 9 is operated to move the row of containers 2 off the line 7 and in front of a second pusher 10. When five rows of containers 2 have been moved in front of the second pusher 10, the second pusher 10 is operated to push the whole layer of containers 2 in the packing pattern of 5 x 8 containers onto the trolley 3 which is itself supported in the apparatus 1 as shown in Figure 1.

The apparatus 1 includes a roll holder 11 which supports a roll of material 12 from which a slip sheet 13 is formed. The roll holder 11 feeds out the material 12 at a rate to match the formation of the layers of containers 2 and their subsequent loading onto the trolley 3.

In this example, the containers 2 are pushed from the delivery line 7 onto the end portion of the material 12 by the first pusher 9. Feed out of the material 12 is automatically halted whilst containers 2 are being loaded onto the end of the material 12.

When a complete packing pattern of containers 2 has been formed on the end portion of the material 12, the second pusher 10 pushes the containers 2 forwards onto the trolley 3. At the same time, feed out of the material 12 is automatically resumed at the same speed as the containers 2 are moved. Accordingly, the portion of the material 12 on which the containers 2 stand moves with the containers 2 onto the trolley 3. When the containers 2 have been pushed fully onto the trolley 3 by the second pusher 10, cutting blades 14 are operated to cut the material 12 to the required length to provide the slip sheet 13. The second pusher 10 is then withdrawn and feed out of the material 12 halted to allow a further layer of containers 2 to be formed on the material 12. At the same time, the trolley 3 is moved downwards to allow the next layer of containers 2 and their slip sheet 13 to be pushed forwards into the trolley 3 on top of the previously loaded layer of containers 2.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the cutting blades 14 are positioned a small distance from the trolley 3 so that the slip sheet 13 is cut to a length slightly greater than the depth _ from back to front of the trolley 3. The slip sheet 13 is thereby provided with a projecting portion or overhang 13'. Text can be printed by a printer 15 onto the

uncut material 12 at positions which will correspond to the overhang 13'as the material 12 is fed out from the roll holder 11. The text may include the name of the retailer to whom the trolley 3 of loaded filled containers 2 will be delivered. Not only does this provide a method of advertising for the retailer, more importantly for the dairy or other producer of the filled containers 2 it provides a very simple way of identifying the intended destination for the loaded trolley 3. As will be appreciated, many dairies supply several retailers and it can be difficult to keep a note of the intended destination of a loaded trolley 3. The material 12 in this case should obviously be suitable for printing on and may be plastics but is preferably cardboard or some other fibre-based material for example. The overhangs 13'of all of the slip sheets 13 can be folded down as shown in Figure 2 after loading of the trolley 3 has been completed and the trolley 3 has been removed from the loading apparatus 1.

It will be appreciated that the slip sheet 13 can alternatively be cut and placed on the tops of the containers 2, rather than placing the containers 2 on top of the slip sheet 13, prior to loading the containers 2 and slip sheet 13 onto the trolley 3.

A further example of apparatus 1 for loading containers 2, such as bottles 2 having handles, onto a trolley 3 is shown in Figure 3. Parts which correspond to parts of the apparatus 1 shown in Figure 1 have the same reference numerals and will not be further described.

In the example shown in Figure 3, the material 12 for the slip sheet 13 is preferably a mouldable material which is rigid, lightweight and cheap to produce such as thermoformable plastics. A particularly suitable material is the polypropylene-based material disclosed in our

WO-A-96/04120. This material is easily thermoformable and is very light and tough.

The material 12 is fed out from the roll holder 11 in step with the loading of containers 2 onto the trolley 3 by the second pusher 10. The material 12 is initially passed between heating elements 20 which heat the material 12 so that it can be moulded. The heated material 12 then passes between moulding plates 21 which mould the material 12 to the desired shape (which will be discussed further below).

On passing out of the moulding plates 21, the projecting end of the material 12 is held by suckers 22 whilst the material 12 is cut by cutting blades 14 positioned between the moulding plates 21 and the suckers 22 to the desired length. (It will be noted that, where a thermoformable plastics material is used for the slip sheet 13, it can be difficult to fold such material so overhangs 13'are unlikely to be provided. A printer is therefore not shown in the example of Figure 4, though of course one could be provided is desired and the material 12 is suitable for the purpose.) After the material 12 has been cut to provide the slip sheet 13, the suckers 22 are lowered to place the slip sheet 13 over a layer of containers 2 formed in and by the apparatus 1. The containers 2 and slip sheet 13 are then advanced into the trolley 3 by the second pusher 10.

The slip sheet 13 could alternatively be placed over the containers 2 after the containers 2 have been loaded onto the trolley 3.

As a further alternative, the containers 2 can be placed on top of the slip sheet 13, rather than the slip sheet 13 being placed over the tops of the containers 2, prior to loading the containers 2 and slip sheet 13 onto the trolley 3.

The slip sheet 13 provided by the second example of the apparatus shown in Figure 4 is preferably formed by the moulding plates 21 with a plurality of recesses 30 on a first side 31. Each recess 30 is"blind" (i. e. is closed at one end) and is circular with a diameter great enough to receive the top 32 of a standard bottle 2 used typically for containing milk, for example. The outside diameter of a typical cap of a bottle 2 is about 38mm. The inside diameter of the recess 30 may therefore typically be about 42mm. In the preferred embodiment, where the slip sheet 13 is used to separate and support layers of bottles 2 in a standard trolley 3, there is a regular rectangular array of 5 x 8 recesses 30 in the sheet 13 to receive and support the standard packing pattern of 5 x 8 bottles 2 per layer.

Each recess 30 is provided by a collar 32 which is upstanding or projects from the first side 31 of the sheet 13. The collars 33 are pressed into the sheet 13 by the moulding plates 21 with the mould creating corresponding circular depressions 34 in the second side 35 of the sheet 13. It will be appreciated that the collars 33 of one sheet 13 can be received in the depressions 34 of an adjacent sheet 13, thereby allowing the sheets 13 to be stacked in a nested configuration if desired. It will be seen that the first side 31 of the slip sheet 13 is ridged with the collars 33 whereas the second side 35 is substantially smooth.

A slip sheet 13 is placed on the tops 32 of a complete layer of bottles 2 with the tops 32 of a complete layer of bottles 2 with the tops 32 of the bottles 2 being received in the recesses 30. A second layer of bottles 2'can then be loaded on top of the first slip sheet 13. As can be seen from Figure 6, the base 36 of the bottles 2'is wider than the outermost periphery of the depressions 34 so that the bottles 2'of the second layer are fully supported by

the slip sheet 13. Thus, the slip sheet 13 serves to maintain the relative orientation, configuration and spacing of the bottles 2 of the layer on top of which it is placed whilst also providing a support for the bottles 2' of the layer supported by the slip sheet 13. The slip sheet 13 also prevents customers from removing bottles 2 from a layer until the slip sheet 13 has been removed because the tops 31 of those bottles 2 are trapped or held captive in the recesses 30 of the slip sheet 13 by the collars 32. This encourages customers to completely empty a layer of bottles 2 before the slip sheet 13 below that layer is removed to allow access to the layer of bottles 2 below. Because the second side 35 of the slip sheet 13 is substantially smooth and the diameter of each annular depression 34 is less than the width of the bottom 36 of a bottle 2, the bottles 2 can easily be slid onto and along the second side 35 of the slip sheet 2 during loading, which facilitates automatic loading of the trolley 3 using the apparatus 1.

Indeed, whilst the slip sheet 13 has been described as being in part for supporting a layer of bottles 2 on top of the slip sheet 13, it could be used simply to retain the tops 32 of a layer of bottles 2 even if the layer of bottles 2'above is supported by a metal shelf of the trolley 3. This use of the slip sheet 13 will encourage customers to empty the layer above before removing the slip sheet 13 to gain access to the bottles 2 of the layer previously trapped by the slip sheet 13.

Embodiments of the present invention have been described with particular reference to the examples illustrated. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made to the examples described within the scope of the present invention. For example, instead of using the first pusher 9 to move the row of containers 2 off the line 7 and in front of the

second pusher 10, the containers 2 coming down the line 7 may pass into a diverter which splits the main line 7 into five lines. Each of the five lines receives containers 2 from the main line 7 and passes containers 2 onto a pre- assembly plate. When a packing pattern of 5 x 8 containers 2 is formed on the pre-assembly plate, the second pusher 10 is operated to push the packing pattern of 5 x 8 containers onto a trolley 3.