Packaging apparatus with improved product loader

Claim 1

PACKAGING APPARATUS OF THE TYPE INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF PACKAGE SUPPORTING ELEMENTS MOUNTED IN AN ENDLESS LOOP FOR PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT AROUND THAT LOOP, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PACKAGE SUPPORTING ELEMENTS WITH AN INTERMITTENT INDEXING MOTION SO THAT VARIOUS PACKAGE FORMING OPERATIONS CAN BE PERFORMED DURING THE DWELL PERIOD BETWEEN EACH ADVANCING STEP, SAID ELEMENTS HAVING MEANS TO HOLD PACKAGE SECTIONS SHAPED TO RECEIVE PRODUCTS TO BE PACKAGED, SAID ELEMENTS IN A PORTION OF SAID LOOP BEING ARRANGED TO SUPPORT SAID PACKAGE SECTIONS WITH THE OPENINGS THEREOF FACING UPWARDS TO RECEIVE PRODUCTS FROM ABOVE; A CONVEYOR ARRANGED TO BRING THE PRODUCTS TO A POSITION ABOVE SAID LOOP PORTION AND INCLUDING ENDLESS BELT MEANS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT THE PRODUCTS AND TO TRANSFER THEM TO A POSITION IMMEDIATELY ABOVE ONE OF THE PACKAGE SECTIONS IN SAID LOOP PORTION, MEANS MOUNTING THE OUTPUT END OF SAID CONVEYOR BELT MEANS FOR TRANSLATORY MOVEMENT HAVING A VERTICAL COMPONENT TO SHIFT SAID OUTPUT END DOWN TOWARDS THE WAITING UNFILLED PACKAGE SECTION, AND CONTROL MEANS SYNCHRONIZED WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID ENDLESS LOOP OF ELEMENTS FOR EFFECTING SAID TRANSLATORY MOVEMENT TOWARDS THE WAITING PACKAGE SECTION TO DEPOSIT THEREIN THE PRODUCTS AS THEY LEAVE SAID CONVEYOR, SAID CONTROL MEANS INCLUDING MEANS OPERATIVE TO SHIFT SAID CONVEYOR BELT MEANS DOWN TOWARDS THE WAITING PACKAGE SECTION DURING THE DWELL PERIOD BETWEEN INDEXING STEPS.