Container machinery

Claim 3

A machine for forming a stack of cases from a moving line of cases in shingled configuration comprising means to engage the trailing edge of a case in said line which means is adapted to be progressed forwardly at a speed greater than the speed of movement of said line so that successive trailing edges are in turn engaged thereby, whereby that portion of the line forward of said first-mentioned trailing edge is gathered to form a stack of horizontal superimposed cases.

Claim 4

A machine for forming a stack of cases from a moving line of cases in shingled configuration comprising means to engage the trailing edge of a case in said line which means is adapted to be progressed forwardly at a speed greater than the speed of movement of said line so that successive trailing edges are in turn engaged thereby, whereby that portion of the line forward of said first-mentioned trailing edge is gathered to form a stack of horizontal superimposed cases.

Claim 5

A machine according to claim 2 including a plurality of conveyor belts disposed in side-by-side parallel spaced relationship and adapted to be fed with said line of cases in shingled configuration, said means for engaging the trailing edge of a case in said line comprising collecting arms adapted to be raised so as to protrude upwardly through the spaces between adjacent conveyor belts and to be moved forwardly at a speed greater than the speed of said belts so as to gather the cases on the belts forwardly thereof to form a stack.

Claim 6

A machine according to claim 3 wherein said collecting arms are adapted to be raised gradually as they move forwardly to a maximum height whence they continue to move forwardly at that height to push the completed stack forwardly before being lowered rapidly for return beneath the level of the conveyor belts to a position adjacent the rear of the machine ready for the following operational cycle.

Claim 7

A machine according to claim 4 having two identical chain drives lying in a vertical plane and disposed one above the other on each side of the machine, each chain drive comprising an endless chain extending around spaced sprocket wheels and over a support such that the upper run of the chain rises gradually from the rear of the machine to a maximum height and continues forwardly at that height to the forward sprocket wheel, a first horizontal bar lying transversely of the machine and connected by its opposed ends to the chains of the two upper chain drives respectively, a second horizontal bar lying transversely of the machine vertically beneath said first bar and connected by its opposed ends to the chains of the two lower chain drives respectively, each said collecting arm being arranged vertically and being connected to each of said bars for movement therewith.

Claim 8

A machine according to claim 4 having, on each side of the machine, a track which rises gradually from the rear of the machine to a maximum height and which continues forwardly at that height, an associated chain drive lying in a vertical plane and comprised by an endless chain extending around spaced sprocket wheels, the upper run of the chain being parallel with the rising portion of the track, and an arm whose forward end engages said track for reciprocatory movement therealong and whose rearward end is pivotally connected with said chain for movement therewith; a bar lying horizontally and transversely of the machine and connected by its opposed ends with the rear ends of the two arms on opposite sides of the machine respectively, said collecting arms being secured to said bar so as to extend upwardly therefrom.

Claim 9

A machine according to claim 4 having counting means responsive to the trailing edges of cases being fed onto the conveyor belts and adapted to initiate operation of the collecting arms each time a predetermined count of cAses corresponding with the number required in a stack is recorded.

Claim 10

A machine according to claim 5 having counting means responsive to the trailing edges of cases being fed onto the conveyor belts and adapted to initiate operation of the collecting arms each time a predetermined count of cases corresponding with the number required in a stack is recorded.

Claim 11

A machine according to claim 6 having counting means responsive to the trailing edges of cases being fed onto the conveyor belts and adapted to initiate operation of the collecting arms each time a predetermined count of cases corresponding with the number required in a stack is recorded.

Claim 12

A machine according to claim 4 having stop means adjacent the forward end of the machine against which the completed stack is moved in order to square same.

Claim 13

A machine according to claim 8 wherein said stop means is comprised by a door against which the stack can be pushed but which opens to allow onward transmission of the stack after squaring.

Claim 14

A machine according to claim 11 wherein said door is equipped with a magnetic catch.

Claim 15

A machine according to claim 4 having ramp means at the forward end of the machine onto which each stack is pushed and raised from contact with the conveyor belts to form a stop against which the following stack may be squared before the former is displaced by the following stack for onward transmission.

Claim 16

A machine according to claim 5 having ramp means at the forward end of the machine onto which each stack is pushed and raised from contact with the conveyor belts to form a stop against which the following stack may be squared before the former is displaced by the following stack for onward transmission.

Claim 17

A machine according to claim 6 having ramp means at the forward end of the machine onto which each stack is pushed and raised from contact with the conveyor belts to from a stop against which the following stack may be squared before the former is displaced by the following stack for onward transmission.