Grid for article caser apparatus

Claim 2

In a grid for an article caser supplying rows of abutted articles for deposit into a case, the grid including longitudinally extending partition means, retractible longitudinally extending article slide support members, and spring drop fingers defining individual drop areas for individual articles, a plurality of individual drop areas being formed in longitudinally aligned relation between each adjacent pair of said partition means, and characterized by a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to said partition means, said drop fingers of said pairs being operatively positioned on said partition members with the upper ends of such drop fingers at progressively lower levels in at least one direction from one part of the grid except for the drop fingers at at least one end of the grid.

Claim 3

In a grid as in claim 1 where said drop fingers extending perpendicularly to said partition means have beveled and curved upper ends to prevent articles from catching on the upper ends of such drop fingers.

Claim 4

In a grid as in claim 1 where the upper ends of said drop fingers are progressively lower in both directions from a center portion of the grid.

Claim 5

In a grid as in claim 1 especially adapted for processing square articles having some curvature at the bottom corners thereof, two of said drop fingers for longitudinally abutting drop areas being mounted on a common flange extending perpendicularly to said partition means to form a thin assembly for engaging a pair of abutted articles to separate them longitudinally of the grid as the articles are dropped through the grid.

Claim 6

In a grid as in claim 1 where the lower ends of said drop fingers are horizontally aligned.

Claim 7

In a grid for an article caser supplying rows of abutted articles for deposit into a case, the grid including longitudinally extending partition means, retractible longitudinally extending article slide support members, and spring drop fingers on and depending from the partition means and defining individual drop areas for individual articles, a plurality of individual drop areas being formed in longitudinally aligned relation between each adjacent pair of said partition means, a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to said partition means, and characterized by said drop fingers of said pairs being operatively positioned on said partition members with the upper ends of such drOp fingers at progressively lower levels in both upstream and downstream directions from a longitudinally centered part of the grid; each drop area having an upstream and a downstream transversely extending drop finger and the upper ends of each drop fingers being at different levels.

Claim 8

In a grid for an article caser supplying rows of abutted articles for deposit into a case, the grid including longitudinally extending partition means, retractible longitudinally extending article slide support members, and spring drop fingers on and depending from the partition means and defining individual drop areas for individual articles, a plurality of individual drop areas being formed in longitudinally aligned relation between each adjacent pair of said partition means, a pair of drop fingers for each drop area extending perpendicularly to said partition means, and characterized by said drop fingers of said pairs being operatively positioned on said partition members with the upper ends of such drOp fingers at progressively lower levels in both upstream and downstream directions from a longitudinally centered part of the grid; each drop area having an upstream and a downstream transversely extending drop finger and the upper ends of each drop fingers being at different levels.

Claim 9

In a grid for an article caser as in claim 6 where both upstream and downstream end drop areas are provided in the grid, and where the upstream drop finger for the upstream end drop area has its upper end higher than the upper end of the downstream drop finger for such area, and the downstream drop finger of the end downstream drop area has its upper end higher than the upper end of the upstream drop finger for such area.