Casing machine and method

Claim 2

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton enclosing a plurality of articles without disrupting the arrangement thereof comprising: first means, disposed below some of the articles closest to said flap, supporting said closest articles; second means, below the remaining articles, supporting said remaining articles; means for closing said flap and removing said first means as support to transfer support of said closest articles from said first means to said flap.

Claim 3

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 1 wherein: said first means is at least one finger moveable from a first position supporting said articles to a second position not supporting said articles; and prior to moving said finger to said second position, said closing means raises said flap to a position adjacent the undersurface of said finger wherein the flap is capable of supporting said articles.

Claim 4

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 1 and further comprising: means for moving said carton and articles onto said first and second means from an adjacent station; platform means at said adjacent station for supporting said articles, and substantially coplanar with the supporting surfaces of said first and second means.

Claim 5

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 3 wherein: there is a gap between said platform means and said first supporting means; and said closing means bridges said gap in its raised position and unblocks said gap in its lowered position.

Claim 6

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 4 wherein: said first means is a plurality of spaced apart fingers moveable from a first position supporting said articles to a second position not supporting said articles, and interleaved with said closing means when said fingers are in said first position and said closing means is raised.

Claim 7

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 4 wherein: said first means is a plurality of spaced apart moveable fingers; and said second means is a plurality of strips which interleave with said fingers as said fingers move from a position supporting said articles to a position not supporting said articles.

Claim 8

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 4 and further comprising: means operable, while the articles are supported on said first and second means and said closing means is lowered, for lowering said carton to its final encasing height with said flap passing through said gap.

Claim 9

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 1 wherein: said articles are arranged in a plurality of horizontal rows; and said second means support all but one row of said articles.

Claim 10

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 1 wherein: said first means and said closing means pivot about axes parallel to the flap hinge.

Claim 11

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 1 and further comprising: platen means above said carton operable to push the carton down to a position wherein the hinge line of the bottom flap is adjacent the lower edge of the containers.

Claim 14

A casing device for encasing a plurality of articles in a carton having a body section and bottom flaps comprising: at least two stations; means for moving the articles from one station to the next; platform means at the first station for supporting said articles; support means for supporting said articles from below at the second station, a portion of said support means being moveable; means at said second station moveable from a first position to a second position for closing a bottom flap from below; and said support means and said flap closing means being arranged to transfer support for said articles from said support means to said bottom flap without disarranging said articles as said support means moves and said closing means moves from said first position to said second position.

Claim 15

A casing device for encasing a plurality of articles in a carton having a body section and bottom flaps comprising: at least two stations; means for moving the articles from one station to the next; platform means at the first station for supporting said articles; support means for supporting said articles from below at the second station, a portion of said support means being moveable; means at said second station moveable from a first position to a second position for closing a bottom flap from below; and said support means and said flap closing means being arranged to transfer support for said articles from said support means to said bottom flap without disarranging said articles as said support means moves and said closing means moves from said first position to said second position.

Claim 16

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 12 wherein: said flap closing means in said second position is interleaved with a portion of said support means to support said articles as they are moved from the first to the second station, and in said first position leaves a gap between said support means and said platform for receiving the open bottom flap.

Claim 17

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 13 and further comprising: means at said second station for lowering the carton until the hinge of the bottom flap is adjacent the lower edge of the articles.

Claim 18

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 12 and further comprising: a third station, said means for moving the articles also being adapted to move the articles and carton to the third station; and means for closing the leading flap of the carton as it moves from the second station to the third station.

Claim 19

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 15 and further comprising: means for closing the bottom side flaps of the carton and gluing them to the closed bottom end flaps.

Claim 20

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 12 wherein: said flap is the trailing bottom flap.

Claim 21

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 12 and further comprising: a platen disposed over said second station and moveable downward to lower a carton disposed around the articles to the deserved height.

Claim 22

Apparatus for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 12 wherein: said flap closing means partially closes said flap before said support means moves.

Claim 25

Method for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 20 and further comprising the steps of: partially closing a second flap opposite said first flap to a position below said support wherein the second flap is capable of supporting those articles close to said second flap; removing that portion of said support above said partially closed second flAp; and completely closing said second flap.

Claim 26

Method for folding a bottom flap of a carton as in claim 20 wherein said step of placing the carton includes the steps of: placing the carton around the articles with its bottom flaps above said support; moving the carton and articles to a position under a platen; and lowering the platen to lower the carton so that its bottom flaps extend below the platform.