CONTINUOUS CIRCULAR MOTION CASE PACKING AND DEPACKING APPARATUS AND METHOD

WIPO Patent Application WO2001028856

A9

An apparatus and method for continuously transferring articles from a pickup station to a release station using a circular, continuously rotating turret (B) is disclosed which includes a plurality of transfer arms (20) carried in a circular motion wherein pickup heads (22) carried by the transfer arms are converted from the circular motion to a straight-line motion during pick up of the articles (13) to provide a case packing machine having high speed and reliable operation. In accordance with the general aspects of the invention, a first conveyor is disclosed for conveying the articles to a pickup station and a second conveyor is provided for delivering the articles away from a release station. One of the first and second conveyors includes an arcuate conveyor section disposed below a congruent path of the pickup heads. At least one of the pickup and release stations is advantageously located over the arcuate conveyor section whereby high speed operation requiring only a small amount of machine floor space is provided. When utilized as a case packing machine, both the pickup heads and grid heads, which define a plurality of guides through which the articles are released at the case packing station, are moved in a translatory motion during article pick up.

HARTNESS THOMAS PATTERSON
WIERNICKI RICHARD M
DILLARD ROBERT LESLIE
SCOTT DAVID LEE
COOLEY DAVID N

PCT/US2000/027577

November 21, 2002

October 05, 2000

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HARTNESS INT INC (US)

B65B5/06; B65B21/18; B65B69/00; (IPC1-7): B65B5/08; B65B21/06; B65B21/18

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