Grid set for an article loading machine

Claim 3

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said lower ends of said arms are spring biased inwardly toward the center of said passages for retarding the movement of said articles as said articles pass through said passages so that said articles are deposited gently into said carton.

Claim 4

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said guide members include, partitions carried between said passages having opposed upper surfaces tapering downwardly from an apex towards adjacent passages for directing said articles into said passages as said articles are dropped from said aligned rows above said grid set.

Claim 5

The apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein, said partitions have aligned downwardly extending fingers, said elongated spaced members being slotted for receiving a center finger of said aligned downwardly extending fingers of said partitions with the partitions bisecting said elongated members, a side of said rigid arms adjacent an upper end being at a right angle so as to fit in the intersection defined by said elongated spaced member and a partition, a locking ring carried in a horizontal slot in said elongated spaced member encompassing said rigid arms and said center finger of said partition for holding said rigid arms and said partition in position relative to said elongated spaced member, and a circular resilient member encompassing the upper ends of said arms at each intersection for pulling the upper ends of said arms towards said intersection while causing said lower ends of said arms to extend toward the center of said passages.

Claim 6

A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above said grid set and means for positioning empty cases below said grid set, the improvement comprising: a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending arms carried adjacent the corners of said passages, resilient means for biasing lower ends of said arms inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said case, whereby the movement of said bottles passing through said passages is retarded by said arms so that said bottles are deposited gently into said case.

Claim 7

A grid set for use on a bottle loading machine having means for positioning bottles in aligned rows above said grid set and means for positioning empty cases below said grid set, the improvement comprising: a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending arms carried adjacent the corners of said passages, resilient means for biasing lower ends of said arms inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said case, whereby the movement of said bottles passing through said passages is retarded by said arms so that said bottles are deposited gently into said case.

Claim 8

The grid set as set forth in claim 5 for depositing said bottles in cardboard cartons having walls and partitions defining compartments, said cartons being carried in said cases comprising: carton opening means carried on the lower ends of said arms for engaging said walls of said cartons for opening said compartments as said bottles are deposited in said cartons.

Claim 9

The grid set as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: means for pivotally attaching said arms to said elongated spaced members, said downwardly extending arms being rigid, and wherein said resilient means includes a spring for forcing said lower ends of said arms inwardly toward the center of said passages.

Claim 10

A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, and guide members spaced along said elongated spaced mEmbers defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said positioning arm comprising: an elongated rigid member; means adjacent an upper end of said elongated member for supporting said elongated member in a corner of said passage, and carton opening means carried adjacent a lower end of said elongated member for engaging the walls of said carton for opening said carton in order to aid in depositing said bottles therein.

Claim 11

A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, and guide members spaced along said elongated spaced mEmbers defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, said positioning arm comprising: an elongated rigid member; means adjacent an upper end of said elongated member for supporting said elongated member in a corner of said passage, and carton opening means carried adjacent a lower end of said elongated member for engaging the walls of said carton for opening said carton in order to aid in depositing said bottles therein.

Claim 12

The positioning arm as set forth in claim 8, wherein an upper portion of said elongated member is tapered inwardly so that said elongated rigid member can be pivotally attached to said elongated spaced members.

Claim 13

The positioning arm as set forth in claim 8, wherein said carton opening means includes an angle member carried adjacent a lower end of said elongated arm for engaging the walls of said carton for opening said carton.

Claim 14

A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, resilient means engaging an upper end of said positioning arm biasing a lower end inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said carton, comprising: an elongated rigid member, an upper portion of said elongated member being tapered inwardly, and means provided in an upper end of said rigid member for receiving said resilient means so as to bias a lower end of said elongated rigid member inwardly.

Claim 15

A positioning arm for use in a grid set on a bottle loading machine, wherein bottles are loaded from aligned rows carried above said grid set into a carton carried below said grid set, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said bottles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining passages through which said bottles pass for loading into said cases, resilient means engaging an upper end of said positioning arm biasing a lower end inwardly towards the center of said passages for engaging said bottles as said bottles are dropped from said aligned rows through said passages into said carton, comprising: an elongated rigid member, an upper portion of said elongated member being tapered inwardly, and means provided in an upper end of said rigid member for receiving said resilient means so as to bias a lower end of said elongated rigid member inwardly.