The packing of fruit for delivery to markets at home and abroad is subject to demanding standards in order to ensure consumer satisfaction at the point of sale.

Extensive and detailed regulations have been enforced to ensure adherence to quality standards and other requirements. Thus the packing materials, construction, marking as to content and origin, consistency of size and product type and quality of fruit are specified, for example. In particular, this invention is concerned with the packing of fruit and similar produce in boxes of cartons, which also has to conform to strict standards. These standards are the more important when produce is for shipping to distant markets.

The regulations require that all fruit in one carton is substantially uniform in quality, colour, size and shape and of only one variety and must be throughout firmly packed, but not so tightly that the fruit is bruised or distorted. The cartons must be packed so as to be full at the shipping harbour which requires that for citrus the top 50% of fruit in the top layer in a carton must project above the top of the carton at the packing house, to allow for settling. Exporters can be subjected to rejection of produce at the shipping harbour and/or be debited for spoiled fruit. Packing patterns are laid down for various kinds of fruit and must be complied with. Each layer of fruit must be packed in a pattern selected from the permitted options, according to the selected size of carton and the number of layers permitted is regulated.

The packing of fruit is thus subject to serious requirements and advanced standards must be met by packing machines. Packing machines are preferable to hand packing because they become less expensive when handling large volumes of produce. However, the substitution of a machine for the skills of hand packing is not an easy task, existing machines suffer from various disadvantages, of which may be mentioned complexity and excessive cost, inflexibility to adapt to different situations and an inability of some machines to handle non-round produce.

PRIOR ART The art exhibits varying approaches to meeting these challenges. Thus US patent 4 329 831 discloses a machine by which each layer of a fruit is arranged initially on a packing head which is then tilted to place the whole layer into an inclined carton, to be followed by the next layer, until full. This machine handles cantaloupes, which are nearly spherical. US patent 4 981 008 discloses a tomato packing machine which uses lanes in which the tomatoes are arraigned and after discharge the carton is reciprocated to shake the tomatoes into nested layers. A manually controlled switch is used to add further tomatoes to the carton. US patent 5 743 068 discloses a citrus fruit packing machine which relies on fruit falling into pre- arranged depressions on a conveyor belt and suction cups which then lift the fruits and deposit them into a carton in that pattern. This machine does achieve non- contact packing of the fruits, but it cannot attempt different patterns, without rebuilding.

THE INVENTION The present invention provides an automated depositor unit for a packing machine which unit can sequentially deposit various types of fruit or other objects into a carton or box in a selected pattern, by virtue of the depositor being capable of its delivery orifice or orifices being movable in at least two, preferably in three axes in space, relative to a packing station on which cartons or boxes are positioned for <BR> <BR> <BR> -packin-g ; the-depositor-c-ortrolaed-by-ac&num -a&num or-s which-themselves-are-commanded-bp- algorithms loaded in computer memory and selected according to the dimensions of carton to be filled and the packing pattern to be adopted. The depositor unit is fed by a feeder installation with a linear sequence of fruit and thence to its delivery orifice or each of its delivery orifices, with suitable controls to the flow of the fruit or objects so that one fruit or object at a time is deposited by the or each orifice. The cartons or boxes are delivered to a packing station in the machine at which the packing takes place and moved on by. conveyor once full. More than one carton at a time can be packed on the packing station in certain circumstances.

The same mechanical components of machine can thus pack many different patterns into different carton sizes, different fruits or objects can be handled and this versatility is enabled by the use of software which is inexpensive compared to a plurality of different mechanical machines or sub-components for modification of a basic machine.

In this sense, the depositor unit can be conceived of almost as a specialised robot, having mechanical versatility with software control. In particular, the software modules are adapted to enable the depositor to deposit in a selected one of several alternative packing patterns.

The invention thus extends to a packing machine which incorporates a depositor according to the invention.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the depositor comprises three chutes each of which has its delivery orifice, with the controls having the facility to disable one or more of the chutes. The algorithms can be programmed so that a row, for example, of five objects can be deposited in two steps, first three using all chutes, followed by an appropriate translation of the orifices and depositing the additional two. Other sequences of operation clearly can be programmed. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <P>Ieastnof-the-thr-ee-degr-ees-of-fr-eedom-of-the-or- ifiGes-of-the-depositor-aFe-tn- accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention provided by polar swinging or angular movement of an arm. The other degrees can be provided by axial translation (extension and retraction) along the arm and by linear translation orthogonal to the arm. The inclusion of angular movement of an arm in the movements of the delivery chutes confers an important advantage that the depositor can deposit objects under a lip of a carton. Cartons have become increasingly used in preference to wooden boxes for cost reasons. However, one of the stratagems used to get adequate rigidity and crushing resistance when stacked, is to provide a lip or overhang at least two top edges of the sides of the carton. Hence a row of objects, e. g. fresh produce, against that side must be underneath the lip. The angling effect of the polar or angular movement of the arm makes this possible.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, three essentially parallel depositor chutes are provided, mounted in a cradle which is capable of angular movement about an axis which passes through the chutes but is orthogonal to them, the cradle being translatable linearly in the direction of the axis and the spacing between at least two of the chutes being adjustable. A convenient arrangement can be for the packing station to be movable in one axis, e. g. upwardly or downwardly, with the depositor having two degrees of freedom which combined with the ability of the packing station to move readily, gives the preferred three degrees of relative movement.

The feeder installation preferably comprises a bin in which the objects are accumulated, with upwardly inclined conveyors having paddles to lift individually the objects out of the bin and raise them to a station from which they can move under action of gravity with suitable control to feed the objects to the depositor.

The invention will be more fully described by way of an example of a fruit packing machine in accordance with two preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings :- figures 1 to 22 show a first embodiment, in which figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine, figure 2 is a plan view of the machine, figure 3 is a left side elevation of the machine, figure 4 is a front elevation of the machine, figure 5 is a perspective view of the depositor unit of the machine, figure 6 is a front elevation of the depositor unit, figure 7 is a left side elevation of the depositor unit, figure 8 is a plan view of components of the cradle, figure 9 is a front elevation of the cradle, figure 10 is a right side elevation of the cradle, figure 11 is a perspective view of components of the cradle of the depositor, figure 12 is a rear elevation of the cradle, figure 13 is a plan view of components of the cradle, figure 14 is a right side elevation of the cradle, figure 15 is a plan of the unit, figure 16 is a front elevation of the unit, figure 17 is an underneath view of the unit, figure 18 is a fight side elevation of the unit, figure 19 is a perspective view of the central chute of the depositor, figure 20 is a right side elevation of the chute, figure 21 is a front elevation of the chute, figure 22 is a plan view of the chute, figure 23 is a schematic drawing of packing patterns for an A24 box with actuation information for the depositor, figure 24 is a similar drawing for the D64 box, figures 25 to 27 are schematic drawings showing three degrees of movement of the depositor shown in the preceding figures, figures 28 to 39 show a second embodiment, in which, figure 28 is an isometric view of the packing machine, figure 29 is a side elevation of the machine, figure 30 is an isometric view of the depositor, figure 31 is a plan view of the depositor, figure 32 is a rear elevation of the depositor, figure 33 is a side elevation of the depositor, figure 34 is an isometric view of components of the depositor, shown"exploded", figure 35 is a rear elevation of the components,"exploded", figure 36 is an isometric view of a packing station of the nachine, figure 37 is a plan view of the packing station, figure 38 is a side elevation of the station, and figure 39 is a front elevation of the station.

THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in figures 1 to 4, the fruit packing machine 1 is especially for citrus, particularly oranges and also for apples. The machine comprises a feeder installation 2, a depositor unit 3 and a packing station 4 for cartons. These parts of the machine are held in a frame 5. The feeder installation comprises a bin 6 and three elevators or conveyor belts 7, 8 and 9 with paddles on them (not shown) which lift fruit from the bottom of the bin. The elevators are driven by a motor 10 via drive pulley 11 onto belt 12. Idler pulleys 18 are provided at the bottom of the elevators. The elevators deliver fruit in linear sequence on each elevator to tracks 13a, 13b and 13c which lead the fruit to the chutes 14, 15 and 16 of the depositor unit. The depositor units are each able to deposit fruit into cartons located on the packing station. A chute 17 supplies cartons for successive packing with actuator cylinders 18 and 18a. The packing station can be raised and lowered (by means not shown) to accommodate successive layers of fruit packed into the carton, so that the relative distance between the depositor and packing station is adjusted in this way.

Figures 5 to 22 show the depositor unit and its components in more detail.

Referring primarily to figures 5 to 7, the chutes 14, 15 and 16 are mounted in a cradle 19 which is suspended from frame components 20 and the tracks 13a, 13b and 13c have their delivery ends connected at 21, 22 and 23 to the chutes. The cradle 19 is pivotal as indicated by arrow 24 (in figure 7) driven by an indexable motor 25 and suitable gearing down 25. 1. This allows the delivery orifices 26, 27 and 28 of the chutes to be positioned at selectable positions for sequential deposit of rows of fruit, as indicated by arrow 29. The cradle is translatable from left to right and back by means of slides 46 running in racks 47, actuated by a cylinder 48. The three chutes of the depositor can thus be moved to left and right, in addition to the spacing between the chutes being adjustable.

Referring particularly to figures 8 to 16 the spacing between two chutes can be varied by actuators in the form of cranks 30 and 31 on front and back sides of the cradle and links 32, 33, 34 and 35 on front and back sides of the cradle. The two outer chutes are mounted on tracks 36 and 37 inside the front and back of the cradle and slide on these tracks, the central chute being fixed in position. The cranks are driven by belts 38 and 39 at front and back, running on the pulleys 40 and 41 at front and 42 and 43 at back. At the back the belt also runs over a drive pulley 44 of an indexable motor 45.

Referring particularly to figures 15 to 22, the depositor chutes 14, 15 and 16 are in two parts, defining an octagonal space with two of the sides of the octagon open, this provides a guidance which is capable of accommodating a range of sizes of fruit. Above the chutes are actuating pistons 14. 1, 15. 1 and 16. 1 which are pneumatically energised, to push one fruit at a time into positions in the cartons defined by the positioning of the orifices 26, 27 and 28 of the chutes. The fruit enter the chutes at openings 14. 2, 15. 2 and 16. 2 and in the two outer chutes stack down to the orifices where an openable flap 50 on the two outer chutes allows one fruit at a time to be pushed down by the piston into position in a carton. Quite a firm push ofseverat kiiogramsfofcsjiecessacy-Ihe-ceatraLchute-has-ftextbte-finge ps- 51 which allow only one fruit to be accepted into the chute at a time, the actuator piston pushes the fruit past these fingers to deliver a fruit, for this reason the stroke of the central piston is longer than the stroke of the two outer pistons. The reason for this detail will become apparent in the course of the description with reference to figures 23 and 24.

Referring to figure 23, the various patterns which the packing machine can pack into an A24 box are shown in a column 60 with the designations"40","48","56"and so on to"125", figures which refer to the total number of fruits which can be packed into the box in the various configurations, in this case citrus. The column at 61 shows schematic elevation views of the packing in the box, lines 62 showing the number of levels packed in each pattern. Thus the views show that 40 fruits are packed in four levels of ten, 48 in four levels of twelve, and so on. The column at 62 shows how the depositor packs each level of any of the possible required patterns.

Taking the first example in column 62 of the 40 fruits box, the rows are packed in sequence starting at one long edge of the box with row 63, then row 64 and then the pattern of rows is repeated (see also column 60). In row 63 the three chutes of the depositor are set at a spacing apart which equals to spacing between the first three fruits to be packed at locations indicated by small circles 65, 66 and 67. It may be noted that these spacings are selected so that the fruits touch each other firmly but not too hard to cause spoilage and allowing for normal shrinkage of the fruit during shipping. It is the necessity to allow for shrinkage that the fruits require a firm push of several kilograms to be placed in their position in a row. The depositor is then actuated simultaneously in two ways, firstly it is swung as indicated by arrow 24 in figure 7 so that the orifices 26, 27 and 28 are positioned above the row 64 ; secondly the spacing between the chutes is reduced by actuation of the cranks 30 and 31 to the required spacing of the outer chutes for the positions 68 and 69. The outer chutes only then have their pistons actuated to deliver the <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> _fuits-at-the-target-positions-indica-ted-by-circles-68-and- 69 . The-middle-chute- makes no delivery at its position at 70 so that two fruits are delivered in row 64 (see column 60 as well). Repetition of these two row patterns completes that level and the packing station then drops by the distance of one level, as shown in column 61, and the next level is packed. Whereas the illustrated level is packed in four rows of 3-2-3-2 fruits as shown, the next level is packed in four rows of 2-3-2-3 fruits, to nest well in the fruits of the previous level, and so on.

Taking the next example in column 62, the 48 fruits box, the three chutes all deliver in all four rows, the depositor being moved to left and right as required by the actuator 48 shown in figure 7. The next level has the mirror image packing to again provide nesting of fruits between levels.

Taking the next example of the 56 fruits box, the fruits are packed in rows alternately of 3 fruits and 4 fruits. To achieve 4 fruits deposited in a row, the depositor takes two steps. The first row of 4 fruits shown at 71, first two fruits are deposited by the left outer and middle chute at positions 73 and 74, then the depositor is moved to the right by actuator 48 (figure 7) and two fruits are delivered by the middle and right outer chutes at positions 75 and 76. The next row of fruits at 72 is a simultaneous deposit by the depositor of the three fruits at the three locations shown. The pattern is then repeated in the remaining two rows.

The example of the 64 fruits box uses four rows of four fruits each, deposited as in the row 71.

The example of the 72 fruits box requires rows of five fruits and four fruits, the five fruit rows are deposited in two steps as indicated at row 77, by first depositing three fruits simultaneously and then two fruits in manners which may be understood from the above descriptions. The further examples can similarly be understood from the aforegoing.

The column at 78 indicates how the depositor swings on its axis as indicated by arrow-24- (figur-e-to- !-ocate-the-or-fECes-for-each-r-ow-to-be-paek-ed: T-e-smal-f- height variation can be compensated for by adjusting the height of the packing station. View 79 shows adjustments for four rows, view 80 for five rows and view 81 for six rows.

Figure 24 shows similar analyses for operation of the depositor for the D64 boxes, where the rows can run parallel to a short side of the box, hence up to 16 rows are accommodated for, in these examples. This illustrates the versatility of the machine for packing various sizes of boxes and packing patterns, in some configurations two boxes can be packed at a time.

Figure 25 shows the swinging movement which the depositor is capable of. The broken lines 90 and 91 indicate a lip at the top edge 92 and 93 respectively of a carton and how the depositor can deposit under the lip.

Figure 26 shows how the three depositors can be translated to the left 94 relative to the frame 95 and to the right 96 relative to the frame 95.

Figure 27 shows how the spacing between the three depositors can be widened as at 98 or narrowed as at 97.

Figures 28 to 39 show a machine which is more compact in overall length, given advantage in a packing hall since more can be located in the hall. Many features of this embodiment are the same as those of the previous embodiment described above. Accordingly that description is referred to, to supplement what is set out below, so as to avoid repetition.

The machine 101 comprises again a feeder installation 102, a depositor unit 103 and a packing station 104. The parts of the machine are held in a frame 105.

The feeder installation comprises three conveyors which have fingers 107 arranged in pairs which lift fruit (e. g. oranges or apples) from a bin (not shown). The spacing between accommQdatesJQttsmall_frviL1DLand_large_fruit 1Q9Xhr fingers are covered with a soft foamed plastic for gentle handling of the oranges.

The oranges are lifted over the top of the conveyors and fall into three chutes (only one chute 110 is visible in figure 29) of the depositor unit. Again the inner surfaces of the chutes are soft.

As shown also in figures 30 to 33, at the lower ends of the chutes a delivery means for the fruit is provided again being three depositors, but which are different from the previous embodiment. Three sets of four belts each are provided, each set of four belts being one depositor. The belts run on drive pulleys 111 and idler pulleys 112 (the belts are not shown in figures 30 to 35 to facilitate illustration of the pulleys). The drive pulleys are mounted on two shafts 113 and 114 which are continuously driven by motors 115 and 116 respectively. Backing plates 117 are provided behind each belt to incline it inwardly so that each set of four belts embrace a fruit between them. At the lower ends of each of the three sets of belts are openable flaps 118 which tend to come together to hold a fruit at the lower end of each of the belts. The flaps are pneumatically actuated to tend to close but can flex open when a fruit is delivered by each of the belts. The pneumatic pressure can be varied or adjusted and can be actuated in synchrony with the delivery of fruits.

The flaps could be spring loaded, however. Each of the driven pulleys is mounted freely to rotate on the shafts 113 and 114 but a pneumatically operable clutch is provided for each pair of pulleys to connect the pulleys with the rotation of the shaft momentarily when a fruit is to be delivered.

The depositors can be transtated from left to right and swung forward and backward in the same way as the previous embodiment and that description is referred to.

As shown also in figures 34 and 35, the pneumatic clutches receive air via connections 119 at stations 120 which are located between each pair of pulleys. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <P>The air isZed viLpassagesXhG stationl2QtQthvlutchwssembliesS Actuation of the clutches allows the drive pulleys selectively to be driven at the moments that a fruit is to be delivered to a crate via the flaps. As soon as the pulleys are driven the belts advance a fruit to be placed. The idler pulleys are mounted to freewheel on shafts 122 which are mounted on downwardly depending extensions 123 of the stations 120. These extensions also provide for the mounting of the backing plates and the flaps.

Additional views of the packing station are shown in figures 36 to 39. A significant difference is that the platform 130 can take two boxes, which are to be filled while on the platform. The height can again be adjusted, by means of a raise structure 131 and 132 on each side, using belt drives actuated by cylinder 140. The platform can also be moved forward and backward as indicated by arrows 133 and 134 in figure 37. When moved forward (towards the conveyor) a second, rearward located box can be packed and a further supply of boxes moves forward as well to remain in contact with the rear of the platform. To provide for this, the supply of boxes is held in the frame 135, resting on a conveyor belt 136 (figure 29), which delivers the box in unison with the forward movement of the platform. With the forward movement, a box lying ahead of the platform on apron 137, which has already been packed, is pushed onto the conveyor belt 138. When the platform is moved rearward the boxes slide over the platform, leaving one on the apron and an empty box is deposited on the rearward part of the platform. The cycle repeats then, progressively packing boxes and delivering them to the conveyor.

REFERENCE NUMERALS 1 fruit packing machine 2 feeder unit 3 depositor unit 4 packing station 5 frame 6 bin for feeder unit 7 conveyor belt of feeder unit 8 conveyor belt of feeder unit 9 conveyor belt of feeder unit 10 motor for conveyors 11 drive pulley 12 belt for conveyor belts 13 tracks leading to chutes 13a tracks leading to chutes 13b tracks leading to chutes 14 chutes of depositor unit 15 chutes of depositor unit 16 chutes of depositor unit 14. 1 actuator piston 15. 1 actuator piston 16. 1 actuator piston 14. 2 opening for fruit 15. 2 opening for fruit 16. 2 opening for fruit 17 chute for cartons to be packed 18 actuator cylinder for cartons 18a actuator cylinder for cartons 19 cradle for chutes 20 frame components 21 delivery end of tracks 22 delivery end of tracks 23 delivery end of tracks 24 arrow showing pivotal (polar) adjustment 25 indexable motor 26 orifices for fruit delivery 27 orifices for fruit delivery 28 orifices for fruit delivery 29 arrow showing orifice movement 30 cranks to vary spacing of depositors 31 cranks to vary spacing of depositors 32 links operated by cranks 33 links operated by cranks 34 links operated by cranks 35 links operated by cranks 36 tracks for outer chutes 37 tracks for outer chutes 38 belts to drive cranks 39 belts to drive cranks 40 pulleys for belts 41 pulleys for belts 42 pulleys for belts 43 pulleys for belts 44 drive pulley of indexable motor 45 indexable motor 46 slides for cradle 47 racks for cradle 48 cylinder to actuate cradle <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 49<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 50 openable flap 51 flexible fingers 60 column showing packing patterns 61 column showing elevations of packing layers 62 packing levels 63 first packing row 64 second packing row 65 location first three fruits 66 location first three fruits 67 location first three fruits 68 location next two fruits 69 location next two fruits 70 location middle depositor, no delivery 71 first row of four fruits 72 second row of three fruits 73 deposit by left outer chute 74 deposit by middle chute 75 deposit by middle chute 76 deposit by right outer chute 77 first row, four fruits 78 column showing swinging (polar movement) of depositors 79 adjustments for four rows 80 adjustments for five rows 81 adjustments for six rows 90 lip at top edge of box 91 lip at top edge of box 92 box edge 93 box edge 94 left movement of depositors 95 frame 96 right movement of depositors 97 narrow setting- 98 wide setting 100- 101 machine 102 feeder 103 depositer unit 104 packing station 105 frame 106- 107 fingers of conveyors 108 small fruit 109 large fruit 110 chute 111 drive pulleys 112 idler pulleys <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 113 shafts<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 114 shafts 115 motors 116 motors 117 backing plates 118 openable flaps 119 connections 120 stations 121 clutch assemblies 122 shafts 123 downwardly depending extensions 130 platform 131 raise structure 132 raise structure 133 arrows 134 arrows 135 frame 136 conveyor belt 137 apron 138 conveyor belt