Machine for filing cartons

Claim 2

In a machine for filling cartons having opposed side panels, opposed end panels and open upper ends, the combination of, a frame, a carrier on said frame operable to support a succession of spaced cartons and advance the same open end up along a predetermined path through a filling station with one of the end panels of each carton forming the leading end of the carton, and means in a filling station for engaging the end panels and pressing one toward the other to bow at least one of said side panels of each carton away from the other side panel to spread the carton for receiving a charge of product at the filling station.

Claim 3

The machine of claim 1 in which said means comprise a pair of pivoted fingers, said fingers being movable in unison from positions out of engagement with the end panels to positions in engagement with the end panels.

Claim 4

In a machine for filling cartons having opposed end panels, opposed side panels and open upper ends, the combination of, a frame, a first carrier on said frame operable to support a succession of spaced cartons and advance the same open end up along a first predetermined path through a filling station with one of the end panels of each carton forming the leading end of the carton, a second cArrier on said frame, at least one pair of opposed fingers each mounted on said second carrier to pivot about a vertical axis, said second carrier being operable to move said fingers along a second path coextensive with said first path from a point ahead of the filling station to a point beyond the filling station in timed relation with the advance of the cartons, and means operable when said paths are coextensive to pivot the fingers toward one another and into engagement with the end panels of one of the cartons to press the end panels toward one another and thereby bow at least one of said side panels away from the other side panel to spread the carton for receiving a charge of product at the filling station.

Claim 5

In a machine for filling cartons having opposed end panels, opposed side panels and open upper ends, the combination of, a frame, a first carrier on said frame operable to support a succession of spaced cartons and advance the same open end up along a first predetermined path through a filling station with one of the end panels of each carton forming the leading end of the carton, a second cArrier on said frame, at least one pair of opposed fingers each mounted on said second carrier to pivot about a vertical axis, said second carrier being operable to move said fingers along a second path coextensive with said first path from a point ahead of the filling station to a point beyond the filling station in timed relation with the advance of the cartons, and means operable when said paths are coextensive to pivot the fingers toward one another and into engagement with the end panels of one of the cartons to press the end panels toward one another and thereby bow at least one of said side panels away from the other side panel to spread the carton for receiving a charge of product at the filling station.

Claim 6

In a machine for filling cartons having opposed end panels, opposed side panels and open upper ends, the combination of, a frame, a first carrier on said frame operable to support a succession of spaced cartons and advance the same open end up along a first predetermined path through a filling station with one of the end panels of each carton forming the leading end of the carton, a second carrier on said frame, a number of pairs of opposed fingers supported on said second carrier with each finger being mounted to pivot about a vertical axis, the fingers of each pair normally being spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing between the end panels of each carton, said second carrier being operable to move said pairs of fingers in timed relation with the advance of the cartons along a second path which becomes coextensive with said first path from a point ahead of the filling station and which remains coextensive with said first path to a point beyond the filling station and being operable to move successive pairs of fingers into registry with successive cartons as said pairs of fingers and said cartons pass said point at which said paths become coextensive so that one finger of each pair is positioned ahead of the leading end panel and the other finger is positioned behind the trailing end panel of the respective carton as the latter approaches said filling station, and means therefore pivoting the fingers of each pair toward one another and into engagement with the end panels of the respective carton to press the end panels toward one another and thereby bow at least one of said side panels away from the other side panel to spread the carton for receiving a charge of product at the filling station.

Claim 7

In a machine for filling cartons having opposed end panels, opposed side panels and open upper ends, the combination of, a frame, a first carrier on said frame operable to support a succession of spaced cartons and advance the same open end up along a first predetermined path through a filling station with one of the end panels of each carton forming the leading end of the carton, a second carrier on said frame, a number of pairs of opposed fingers supported on said second carrier with each finger being mounted to pivot about a vertical axis, the fingers of each pair normally being spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing between the end panels of each carton, said second carrier being operable to move said pairs of fingers in timed relation with the advance of the cartons along a second path which becomes coextensive with said first path from a point ahead of the filling station and which remains coextensive with said first path to a point beyond the filling station and being operable to move successive pairs of fingers into registry with successive cartons as said pairs of fingers and said cartons pass said point at which said paths become coextensive so that one finger of each pair is positioned ahead of the leading end panel and the other finger is positioned behind the trailing end panel of the respective carton as the latter approaches said filling station, and means therefore pivoting the fingers of each pair toward one another and into engagement with the end panels of the respective carton to press the end panels toward one another and thereby bow at least one of said side panels away from the other side panel to spread the carton for receiving a charge of product at the filling station.

Claim 8

In a machine for filling cartons having opposed end panels, opposed side panels and open upper ends, the combination of, a frame, a first carrier on said frame operable to support a succession of spaced cartons and advance the same open end up along a first predetermined path through a filling station with one of the end panels of each carton forming the leading end of the carton, said first path being substantially straight to a first point ahead of the filling station, arcuate to a second point beyond the filling station and thereafter straight, a second carrier on said frame, a number of pairs of opposed fingers supported on and spaced along said second carrier with each finger being mounted to pivot about a vertical axis, said fingers of each pair normally being spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing between the end panels of each carton, said second carrier being operable to move said fingers in timed relation with the advance of the cartons along a circular path having a portion coextensive with said arcuate portion of said first path and being operable to move successive pairs of fingers into registry with successive cartons as said pairs of fingers and said cartons pass said point at which said paths become coextensive so that one finger of each pair is positioned ahead of the leading end panel and the other finger is positioned behind the trailing end panel of the respective carton, means operable thereafter to pivot the fingers of each pair toward one another and into engagement with the end panels of the respective carton to press the end paNels toward one another and thereby bow at least one of said side panels away from the other side panel to spread the carton for receiving a charge of product at the filling station, means operable after the carton has been advanced beyond the filling station for pivoting said fingers away from one another to release the filled carton, and said second carrier thereafter being operable to move said pairs of fingers out of registry with the filled cartons as the cartons move past said second point thereby to free the filled carton.

Claim 9

In a machine for filling cartons having opposed end panels, opposed side panels and open upper ends, the combination of, a frame, a first carrier on said frame operable to support a succession of spaced cartons and advance the same open end up along a first predetermined path through a filling station with one of the end panels of each carton forming the leading end of the carton, said first path being substantially straight to a first point ahead of the filling station, arcuate to a second point beyond the filling station and thereafter straight, a second carrier on said frame, a number of pairs of opposed fingers supported on and spaced along said second carrier with each finger being mounted to pivot about a vertical axis, said fingers of each pair normally being spaced apart a distance greater than the spacing between the end panels of each carton, said second carrier being operable to move said fingers in timed relation with the advance of the cartons along a circular path having a portion coextensive with said arcuate portion of said first path and being operable to move successive pairs of fingers into registry with successive cartons as said pairs of fingers and said cartons pass said point at which said paths become coextensive so that one finger of each pair is positioned ahead of the leading end panel and the other finger is positioned behind the trailing end panel of the respective carton, means operable thereafter to pivot the fingers of each pair toward one another and into engagement with the end panels of the respective carton to press the end paNels toward one another and thereby bow at least one of said side panels away from the other side panel to spread the carton for receiving a charge of product at the filling station, means operable after the carton has been advanced beyond the filling station for pivoting said fingers away from one another to release the filled carton, and said second carrier thereafter being operable to move said pairs of fingers out of registry with the filled cartons as the cartons move past said second point thereby to free the filled carton.

Claim 10

The machine of claim 5 in which said second carrier is a circular member mounted to rotate about a vertical axis, said pairs of fingers being angularly spaced about the periphery of said member, and further including a pivot member mounting one finger of each pair and the adjacent finger of the adjacent pair to pivot about a common vertical axis.

Claim 11

The machine of claim 5 in which said means to pivot the fingers of each pair includes an actuator common to each pair and pivotally connected to each of said fingers.