Layer pad apparatus

Claim 2

In a case packer including a frame, a platform, an object conveyor for conveying objects onto said platform, a box conveyor operable to carry boxes to a loading position beneath said platform, a lifting head positioned over said platform and adapted to engage a layer of objects for lifting and moving downwardly thereof into a box at said loading position, and means for moving said platform between a position adjacent said object conveyor and a removed position where it is no longer under said lifting head, the improvement for inserting a layer pad between objects in the box which comprises a rack for layer pads mounted on said frame, means for repeatedly engaging one of said layer pads in said rack and moving the layer pad to an intermediate position above said loading position and below said lifting head, said engaging means comprises an arm and a carriage movably mounted on said frame, said arm being movable back and forth from a position engaging said layer pad to said carriage, said carriage being movable back and forth from said arm to said box receiving said layer pad, and means for actuating said engaging means to place a layer pad in said intermediate position before some of the downward strokes of said lifting head whereby the layer pad is forced into the box upon downward movement of said lifting head carrying a layer of objects.

Claim 3

In a case packer including a frame, a platform, an object conveyor for conveying objects onto said platform, a box conveyor operable to carry boxes to a loading position beneath said platform, a lifting head positioned over said platform and adapted to engage a layer of objects for lifting and moving downwardly thereof into a box at said loading position, and means for moving said platform between a position adjacent said object conveyor and a removed position where it is no longer under said lifting head, the improvement for inserting a layer pad between objects in the box which comprises a rack for layer pads mounted on said frame, means for repeatedly engaging one of said layer pads in said rack and moving the layer pad to an intermediate position above said loading position and below said lifting head, and means for actuating said engaging means to place a layer pad in said intermediate position before some of the downward strokes of said lifting head whereby the layer pad is forced into the box upon downward movement of said lifting head carrying a layer of objects and wherein said engaging means comprises an arm swingably mounted on said frame and adapted to grasp said layer pad and move it to a horizontal position located forwardly of said intermediate position, and a carriage secured to said platform and movable with said platform, said carriage being movable with said platform to said horizontal position to pick up said layer pad and movable with said platform to said intermediate position to deposit said layer pad.

Claim 4

In a case packer including a frame, a platform, an object conveyor for conveying objects onto said platform, a box conveyor operable to carry boxes to a loading position beneath said platform, a lifting head positioned over said platform and adapted to engage a layer of objects for lifting and moving downwardly thereof into a box at said loading position, and means for moving said platform between a position adjacent said object conveyor and a removed position where it is no longer under said lifting head, the improvement for inserting a layer pad between objects in the box which comprises a rack for layer pads mounted on said frame, means for repeatedly engaging one of said layer pads in said rack and moving the layer pad to an intermediate position above said loading position and below said lifting head, and means for actuating said engaging means to place a layer pad in said intermediate position before some of the downward strokes of said lifting head whereby the layer pad is forced into the box upon downward movement of said lifting head carrying a layer of objects and wherein said engaging means comprises an arm swingably mounted on said frame and adapted to grasp said layer pad and move it to a horizontal position located forwardly of said intermediate position, and a carriage secured to said platform and movable with said platform, said carriage being movable with said platform to said horizontal position to pick up said layer pad and movable with said platform to said intermediate position to deposit said layer pad.

Claim 5

In a case packer including a frame, a platform, an object conveyor for conveying objects onto said platform, a box conveyor operable to carry boxes to a loading position beneath said platform, a lifting head positioned over said platform and adapted to engage a layer of objects for lifting and moving downwardly thereof into a box at said loading position, and means for moving said platform between a position adjacent said object conveyor and a removed position where it is no longer under said lifting head, the improvement for inserting a layer pad between objects in the box which comprises a rack for layer pads mounted on said frame, means for repeatedly engaging one of said layer pads in said rack and moving the layer pad to an intermediate position above said loading position and below said lifting head, and means for actuating said engaging means to place a layer pad in said intermediate position before some of the downward strokes of said lifting head whereby the layer pad is forced into the box upon downward movement of said lifting head carrying a layer of objects and wherein said engaging means comprises an arm having vacuum cups mounted at the distal end thereof, said arm being swingably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motor connecting said arm and said frame for moving said arm back and forth from a position engaging said layer pad to a position wherein said layer pad is moved to a horizontal position, said means for engaging and moving further comprising a carriage connected to said platform and movable with said platform, lug means mounted on said carriage and adapted to engage and horizontally move said layer pad to said intermediate position, stationary stop means fixed to said frame and having a sloping forward surface for guiding said layer pad over said stationary stop means, said stationary stop means having a vertical rear surface for engaging said layer pad to hold it in the intermediate position.

Claim 6

In a case packer including a frame, a platform, an object conveyor for conveying objects onto said platform, a box conveyor operable to carry boxes to a loading position beneath said platform, a lifting head positioned over said platform and adapted to engage a layer of objects for lifting and moving downwardly thereof into a box at said loading position, and means for moving said platform between a position adjacent said object conveyor and a removed position where it is no longer under said lifting head, the improvement for inserting a layer pad between objects in the box which comprises a rack for layer pads mounted on said frame, means for repeatedly engaging one of said layer pads in said rack and moving the layer pad to an intermediate position above said loading position and below said lifting head, and means for actuating said engaging means to place a layer pad in said intermediate position before some of the downward strokes of said lifting head whereby the layer pad is forced into the box upon downward movement of said lifting head carrying a layer of objects and wherein said engaging means comprises an arm having vacuum cups mounted at the distal end thereof, said arm being swingably mounted on said frame, a hydraulic motor connecting said arm and said frame for moving said arm back and forth from a position engaging said layer pad to a position wherein said layer pad is moved to a horizontal position, said means for engaging and moving further comprising a carriage connected to said platform and movable with said platform, lug means mounted on said carriage and adapted to engage and horizontally move said layer pad to said intermediate position, stationary stop means fixed to said frame and having a sloping forward surface for guiding said layer pad over said stationary stop means, said stationary stop means having a vertical rear surface for engaging said layer pad to hold it in the intermediate position.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said carriage includes a pair of side elements each of which has an inwardly facing slot formed therein, said side elements each including a pair of inwardly projecting parallel ribs spaced one above the other, said ribs of each side element defining said slots, both of said lower ribs extending a greater distance forwardly of said carriage than said upper ribs to permit said vacuum cups and arm to move said layer pad to a position aligned with but spaced forwardly of said slots, and further stationary stop means mounted on said frame and positioned forwardly of said horizontal position of said layer pad, said further stationary stop means being operable to block forward movement of said layer pad when said carriage moves forwardly.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said rack for layer pads is fixedly mounted on a horizontally extending bar, a pair of bearing mounting members each fixedly mounted to said frame on opposite sides of said rack, each of said bearing mounting members having a pair of bearings mounted thereon which are spaced apart, a pair of shafts each mounted for rotation in and extending between the bearings of a respective one of said bearing mounting members, said shafts being externally threaded, said horizontally extending bar having a pair of openings therethrough which are internally threaded and which threadedly receive said shafts, a pair of sprockets each having a equal number of teeth and each fixed to a respective one of said shafts, and a chain received on said sprockets and coupling them together whereby rotation of one shaft produces an equal rotation of the other shaft.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said rack includes a pair of downwardly and rearwardly tilted guide members, said layer pads being cradled within said guide members, projections extending through the walls of said guide members and blocking the movement of layer pads, said arm and vacuum cups operating to pull one layer pad at a time past the blocking action of said projections.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said further stationary stop means are adjustable forwardly and rearwardly as to position.