US2277688A - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

March 31, 1942. J. CATTONAR ETAL PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 J EI'HN E X FTUNAR -BY|3EIEIREE ULM Mam mgwaa March 31, 1942.

J. CATTONAR [:Tl'AL 2,277,638

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS JEIHN BAT'IEINAR EEEIFEIBEI EILM amamm vflpmflflotb v v ATTORNEYS March 31, 1942.

J. CATTONAR ETAL PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 WWW U T S ST H MAE M MD Sn 0 W n m E Y D 5 March 31, 1942 J. cA-f'roNAR EIAL PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 5 R M T E H ABM m N E E. J W

March 31, 1942. CATTONAR ET AL 2,277,688

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1958 7 Sheets-Sheet s ,INVENTORS JUHN [ZATTEINAR BYGEZIIIR'BEZ EJLM ATTORN..Y

Mireh 31, 1942; CATTONAR ETAL 2,277,688

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1938 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INV ENTORS JEIHN CATT'EINAR GEEIREE EILM W8W/9Q7M7QW ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 31, 1942 PACKAGING MACHINE John Cattonar, Brooklyn,

and George 01m,

Astoria, N. Y., assignors to Edward Ermold 00., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 8, 1938, Serial No. 218,214

31 Claims.

The invention relates to the art of packaging and it particularly relates to machines for placing bottles and other containers in boxes and simple conveying mechanisms used in all bottling plants.

The invention further has for its object to provide means whereby beers and carbonated beverages may be packaged without shocks and falls. lest the contents be disturbed; the same for sparkling wines. while for still" wines and other "still" beverages the same conditions may be observed at least in part.

Further. it is an object to provide a machine whereby containers of milk and cream may be boxed without dropping them into their cases so that all dang-er of the contents of the bottles being forced up to unseal the bottles thus rendering the sanitary sealing" useless) will be eliminated.

Again, it is an object to provide a bottle, etc., packaging machine by the use of which the labels, stamps and other printed matter on them will not be scratched, defaced. or otherwise damaged by springs or guides pressing too hard on them in order to break the violence oftheir free fall into the cases.

Boxes and cases which are to be used over and over again for local distribution (as in the case of those for beer. sodas, milk, etc.) are generally made of wood. while those for shipment out of the home town" and which are not to be used over again are usual y constructed of corrugated cardboard: it is therefore a further object of the invention to provide a packaging machine which will so operate that the delivery and shipping cases into which the bottles etc. are packed will not be damaged by the packaging operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a system of case feeding which does not require any turning around of the cases; consequently no extra effort need be spent in replacing propr-rly the filled cases on the case conveyor in order to make them continue their travel through the plant in the same direction when they leave the machine as they were traveling when they entered the machine.

Again, it is an object to provide a machine which can be built in any size desired, whereby any size cases (containing one to twelve tiers or rows of bottle spaces with, for instance, one to twenty-four bottle spaces per tier) can be fed to and past the filling station and filled one or more rows or tiers at a time.

Further, the invention has for its object to provide an improved bottle-placing mechanism which by simply adjusting the parts can be used for receiving bottles of difierent sizes and placing them into cases of corresponding sizes.

Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends the invention still further resides in the novel details of construction, combination and arrangements of parts, all of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description, and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is aside elevation of the machine with the side wall at the infeed side removed.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view illustrating those parts which are located above the line 3--3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. 1

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail plan and partsectional view of parts of the machine showing their relative positions after twelve bottles are slid over to the trap floor; the floor is shown shifted over to the right with the floor strips in position to support the bottles; the stopper is drawn back, the bottle feeder shut off, the longitudinal guiding strips are down out of the way and the jaws of the.gripper' are located just above the tops of the bottles.

Fig. 5 is a view looking at Fig. 4 from right to left in that figure, Fig. 5 being set on end for convenience of comparison with Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an elevation looking from bottom to top in Fig. 4.

Fig. '7 is a detail elevational view of the loading mechanism, showing the relative positions of the parts thereof with the lower ends of the springs at their lowest position inside of the pockets which the bottles are intended to occupy.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 but with the bottles entering the pockets and spreading the spring-baskets open, thereby squaring the partitions which form the said pockets.

Fig. 9 is a' view similar to Figs and 8, showing the same mechanism with the parts in the relative positions they assume when the bottles .plates I and 2 (see Figs 4 and 5).

to the bottom of the case; the lower ends of the are about to be freed to drop the short distance to lever 3| or distributor a: (see Figs. 1 and 11). The connecting rod 38 may be connected springs having reached the necks of the bottles 1 where their pressure on the bottles will be the 7 minimum. 5 v

Fig. 10 is a detail elevation showing the arrangement of the stroke distributor for the case the case pusher. Y Y Fig. 11 is a section on the line of Fig. '10.

four largebottlesf each, or twelve bottles per case.

Fig.13 is a detail view of the-mechanism shown in Fig. 7, looking'from'right 'toleft'in Fig. 7;

Fig. 14 is an enlarged detail view of -a portion of a gripper, partly in elevation and, partly in section.

Fig. 15' is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 14, looking from right to left in Fig. 14, and

also showing the gripper jaw |4'|, lowered to;

reach a shorter or'lower bottle.

.feeder which is fastened to the sprocket that carries the chain of the feeder, and a-portion of 'the chain itself with the cross barthat carries to point 28 when the distributor '38 (Fig. 12) is used. I v

' The distributor 32 is designed to. impart two long and two short strokes to the case-feeding or transferring cross-conveyor. As shown in Fig.

10 and Fig. 11, the distributor 32 is fastened to sprocket 44 and has four radial recesses of which two long ones 33, 33 and two short ones 34, 34

are 'altemated and diametrically opposite to each other. The lever 3| embraces the hub of distributor disc 32 and swings on it. The lever is builthollow and in the housing'35 so formed is a pawl 36 of which the stem carries a compression spring 31 which compels pawl 36 to remain in contact with the walls of the recesses Fig. 16 is a detail view showing the trap floor with a portion of the slider, the parts-being in the position at the forward stroke of the slider,

the bottles being indicated as resting on the strips I21.

Fig. 17 is a view slider at the limit of its return stroke and 1 indicating how the bottles are dropped between the strips I21. v

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, in which like numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in all figures,.| and 2 represent respectively the back and front frames or wall-plates of the machine (cal g'the plate 2 on the infeed side the front plate) These plates have suitable bearings 3 for the ain or cam shaft 5, and bearings 4 for the rock-shaft 2s.

application of power thereto in any of the usual similar toFig. l6 with the 33 and 34. The swing of the lever 3| will be the same at very cycle of the machine, 1. e., equal to the peripheral length of the large recess 33 so that in one stroke it will bring pawl 36 from the point shown in Fig. 10 to the equivalent point inside of I recess 34 and with its return stroke it will impart to the case feeder a long stroke.

' The lever 3|"will next swing back from the engaging point of recess 34 to almost the middle of the next large recess 33 and with its return stroke pawl 36 will slide idly on the walls of recess 33until it hits the engaging point of recess 33 and for the remaining part only of its return stroke will impart to the case-feeder the so-called "short stroke which will be equal to the peripheral length of recess 34. To this point in two strokes one case will be filled and with a complete revolution of distributor 32 four strokes will have been imparted to the case-feeder and two cases with four tiers of six bottles each will have been filled, each case containing twentyfour' bottles.

The .same principl applies to the distributor disc 38 of Fig. 12.which has six recesses, of which two are long 4|, 4|, and four are short, 42, 42,

ways (not shown) as, for example, by being operatively connected to the bottling machine,

or by direct motor-drivenconnections, as is common practice and, per se, is not part of the invention. The speed of rotation of shaft 5 must,

43, 43. In this casethe long stroke is shorter than in distributor 32. Therefore when disc 38 isto be used, connecting rod 38 is attached at .point 28 to lever 25 where a shorter basic stroke is available. With six strokes of lever 3| one complete revolution of disc 38 will have been =made and two cases of three tiers of four bottles .eacli will have been fed through the machine and filled, one tier of four bottles at a time, each however, be synchronized to that of the filled bottle delivery conveyor (not shown) of the bottling plant employing the present invention.

and I2 of the bottle feeder. The shaft 8 also has a driving sprocket l3 around which, and a sprocket l5 on the driven shaft [6, the transmission chain 4 p sses (see Figs. 1 and 2).

The shaft I6 ha a driving sprocket l6 around which, and around an idler sprocket l8, the chain H of the outfeedv or discharge conveyor passes.

The bottle feeder chains II and I2 pass around sprockets 9 and 28 at the infeed orfront side of the machin and extend across betweenthe Thereare three cams on shaft 5. i. e., cams 2|, 22 and 23.

The track of cam 2| engages the. roller 24 of P case containing twelve bottles.

Sprocket 44 is keyed fast on shaft 58 and at the other end of the case feeder sprocket 45 is keyed fast to shaft 5|. These sprockets 44 and 45 carry a chain 46. sprocket 41 is keyed to shaft 5|Land sprocket 48 is keyed to shaft 5|. These sprockets carry a chain 49. The shaft 56 runs in bearings 52 and 53 in frames or wall-plates 2 and respectively, and'shaft 5| runs in bearings 54 and 55 in the plates 2 and respectively.

.Chains 46 and 49 carry standard attachments 56 to which are fastened cross bars 51 squarely connecting the two chains. On cross bars 51 are mounted the case pushers.

-.of two side brackets 58 which, with rollers 59,

serve to bring the case to the proper place on the discharger, and an angle 60 between the two' 48, with their respective chains 46 and 49, end

At the other side,

They each consist shafts 50 and i) can be moved a convenient distance forward or backward in order to bring to the loading lines shorter or longer caseswithout disconnecting or disturbing in any way the distributor and relative mechanism.

The cases entering the machine (infeed)- ride on rollers 6| first and then over rollers 62 to.a certain point where their infeedis arrested by a guide I16 which runs alongside of plate I, and the box is thereby lined up properly with the grippers. From this point the cases are taken along by the case pushers on bars 51 and fed through the loading lines or station. While being loaded the cases ride on rollers 63 and when filled rollers 59 on the brackets 58 will push the cases over roller 64 onto the discharge or outfeed conveyor (discharger). Brackets 65, fastened on plate 2 support roller 6|; brackets 66 and 68. fastened on plate 2 support rollers 62 and 63; and brackets 61 and 68, fastened on plate I, support rollers 62 and 63 also. Roller 64 is supported by its own brackets fastened on the frame of the discharger.

Case pusher 12 on discharge chain I1 will ride the filled cases on two series of rollers and II and discharge them from the machine.

Brackets 13 and 14, fastened on plate I, support sprocket I6,'andbracket 80, fastened on plate 2, supports sprocket I8 of the discharger. The discharger chain I1 has flat links which run on angles 15. These angles, together with bars 16 and 11, form the frame for the rollers 10 and H. and of the whole discharger; and the whole is supported by the plates I and 2 of the machine.

To facilitate the discharge of the cases, an exi tension of the discharge conveyor is built outside the frame. Rollers 10" and H framed in angles 15, and bars 18 and 19 constitute the extension which is supported by wall-plate I. Bearing 13- supports shaft I6 of sprockets I5 and I6 at the far end.

In the slot 29 of the long arm of lever is fastened one end of connecting rod 8I of which the other end connects with one end of lever 82. Lever 82 has its other end keyed fast on shaft 83. With this arrangement an oscillating motion is imparted to shaft 83 which works in bearings 84 and 85. Levers 86 and 81, also keyed fast to shaft 83, carry at their other ends rollers 88 which roll in slots 89 of bearings 90 and 9| fastened on bottle slider 92.

Slider 92 slides in its side guides 93 at the side of the plate 2 and 94 at the side of the plate I. With this arrangement, oscillations of shaft 83 are translated, into'linear motion of slid-er92 which will slide twelve bottles over to the trap floor. Slot 29 in lever 25 will permit adjustments of strokes for slider 92 in order to bring to the desired place on the trap floor, bottles of different diameters.

Fastened to the side of slider 92, at the near side of Figs. 1. and 6, is a shoe 95 which, when going forward with slider 92, will'press down on roller 96 which is fastened at about the middle of lever 91. Lever 91 is connected to lever 98 at which connection point they carry rollers 99 and at their other ends they connect, lever 91 with point I00 of lever I02, and 98 with point IOI of lever I03. One end of lever I02 connects, through link I04. to shutter I06, while the other end is pivoted at I08. The corresponding end of lever I03 connects, through link I05, with shutter I01 opposite to shutter I06 on the feeder, and the other end of the lever is pivoted at I09.

The action of shutting off the bottle feed is III now quite evident. By the action of shoe 95, levers 91 and 98 are lowered at their common connection point, rollers 99 will roll down into guide IIO. This motion will drag levers I02 and I03 toward the center of the feeder, and by means of links I04 and I05 and shutters I06 and I01 will shut off the bottle feeder. Tension springs I I I will return the mechanism to its former position when shoe releases its pressure on roller 96 on the return stroke of slider 92.

A brace 91 is hinged on lever 91, on which brace a longitudinal guiding strip 91 is fastened (see Figs. 4 and 6)..

A brace 98 is hinged to lever 98 and a longitudinal guiding strip 98 is secured to the brace 98. J

On cross plate 99 is fastened a longitudinal guid ng strip 99 that is located between and parallel to strips 91 and 98*.

It will readily be seen that when, by the action of shoe 95, levers 91 and 98 are lowered, hinged rraces 9'1 and 98 will also be lowered and longitudinal braces or strips 91*, 98 and 99 will be brought down sufliciently to be out of the way of oncoming bottles being slid, by slider 92, from the bottle infeed conveyors II and I2 into position beneath the bottle grippers.

The shutters I06 and I01 slide in guides H2 and H3.

At the far end of the bottle infeeders proper is a bottle infeed stopping device comprising a stopper II4 having two stems that slide in the hubs of bottle guide II5, between which and the stopper I I4, on the stems are compression springs I I6. A1; the opposite side of guide II5, the stems of stopper II4 are fast on a cross bracket II1 which carries a roller II8 that engages in the track of guide II9 fastened on slider 92. This mechanism is constructed to measure a length of six bottles-twelve in two linesand when the sl der 92 moves forward, track II9, engaging roller II8, will force stopper II4 backward not only preventing jamming of the bottles but also giving a convenient clearance between them to facilitate sliding them over to the trap floor.

To an extension of slider 92, at the end near guide 94, is bolted a bracket I20 which at its end carries-a roller I 2I that engages in slot I22 of trap floor I23. The trap floor I23"is a cast frame with a prominence for slot I22, one side sliding in guide I 24 covered by a cover I25 and the other side being supported by a cross bar I26.

Across the sides and fastened on them the floor carries vertically disposed strips I21. As will be seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 4, the floor is shifted. by action of roller I2I in slot I22, to the right when slider 92 slides over the twelve bottles; thus strips I21 are broughtinto position for the bottles to slide on and be supported.

Cross uides II5, I28, I29 and I30, fastened on cover I25, will hold the bottles at their sides and will keep them divided in twos. By the return stroke of slider 92, floor I23 will be shifted to the left and so strips I21 will be moved to the spaces under guides I28, I29 and I30, or between the botles which at this point will be handled by the gripper carriage.

The gripper carriage is separately actioned by cam 22 on shaft 5. The track of cam 22 engages roller I3I of lever I32, one end of which is connected to link I33 and the other end of which is pivoted on shaft 26. The short arm of lever I34 connects with link I33, while its long arm connects wih link I35. The levers fulcrum is on shaft I36 to which it is keyed fast. A lever I38 is also keyed at'one end fast on shaft I36, while the other end connects with link I39. Shaft I36 oscillates in its bearings which are fastened on plates I and 2, and levers I34 and 138 are connected to the gripper carriage by means of links I35 and I39; a brace I31 connects lever I34 with lever I38 so asto form, with them, a rigid frame.

The gripper carriage consists of two cross bars I 40 and HI. Their ends are fastened to sliding heads I43 and I45 which slide vertically in guides I44 fastened on plates I and 2. Six double grippers are set into the carriage and each gripper consists of a part I46 that has two legs at the ends of which are attached jaws I41 designed to fit the shape of the neck of the bottle and at one arm of which is a roller I48. The whole of gripper part I46 swings on cross shaft I42. Parts I49 and I50, fastened on cross bars I40 and I,

also carry at their free ends two jaws I41 and do not swing but are rigid with cross bars I40-I4I. The gripper jaws I41 are adjustable on the ends of the gripper legs by means of set screws and slots; this permits jaws I41 to be lifted up or lowered down in order to reach higher or lower bottles. Tension springs I5I, attached one end to one leg of part I46 and-the other end to the opposite part of I49, tend to force the two legs of part I46 against the legs of parts I49 and I50, respectively, so looking the necks of the bottles. A beveled bar I52, having its ends fastened to plates I and 2, and a beveled bar I53, supported by braces I54 and I55, are located at convenient levels for rollers I48 to strike and roll on, thus freeing and locking the bottles at the desired times. Braces I56 and I51 serve to connect and serve as frames for beveled bars I52 and I53.

When the twelve bottles are slid over floor I23, jaws I 41 are just above the tops of the bottles (see Fig. 6), rollers I48 are-on the side of bar I52; the mechanism connected to cam 22 will lower the grippers carriage, rollers I48 will roll over bevel of bar I52, freeing springs I5I to act on the legs of the grippers and so lock the necks of the bottles into jaws I41; as trap floor I23 will have been shifted to the left toward plate 2, the bottles locked to jaws I41, together with the gripper carriage, will start their downward travel toward the empty case below .until rollers I48 will strike on beveled bar I53, and thereby cause the jaws to open and so free the bottles.

The track of cam 23, on shaft 5, engages a roller I58 on the short arm of lever I59 whose long arm carries a roller I6I which rolls in a horizontal guide I63 of a vertical shaft I65. The fulcrum of lever I59 is on the shaft 26 to which it is keyed fast. So also is one end of lever I60 whose other end has a roller I62 which rolls in a horizontal guide I64 of vertical shaft I66. Vertical shaft I65 slides in bearings I61 and I68 on plate 2, while vertical shaft I66 slides in bearings I69 and I10 fastened on plate I opposite to bearings I61 and I68.

To a downward projection of guides I63 and I64 are attached the extended arms of the spring baskets frame "I which has a longitudinal bar I12 and cross bars I13 fastened on frame I" itself, thereby forming a system of twelve squares. Over the bars and end frame of which the spring basket labyrinth is made are folded and fastened the springs, of which sixteen double-leafed springs I14 and sixteen single-leafed springs I 15 form the twelve spring baskets through which the twelve bottles or containers are to be lowered.

Figs. 14 and 15 show the springs I5I,'one end of each of which is hooked to a projection I49 on the side of the bar I49 which does not swing, being fastened to the bar I40 of the gripper carriage; the other ends of the springs I5I are similarly hooked up at I46 to the other leg of part I46 (not shown in Fig. 14, but shown in Fig. 1),

which does swing on the shaft I42 of the gripper carriage. It will be apparent from Fig. 7 that when rollers I48 strike on beveled bar I53, part I46 with its two legs at the left of the bottles (two rows) will sWing freeing the bottles, while parts I49 and I50, their legs, one each, on the right of the bottles, will remain immovable, being fast on bars I40 and HI respectively of the gripper carriage.

The adjustment of the jaws I41 of the grippe for the handling of shorter or taller bottles is accomplished as follows: the end of the legs of parts I46, I 49 and I50 have a prominence I82 running lengthwise which fits and slides into a groove milled on jaws I41. A slot I83 is also cut in each of the jaws I41 and in the slot slides a set screw I84 that fastens the jaws I 41 in any required position on parts I46, I49 and I50 to suit the height of the bottles to be" handled.

As shown in Fig. 13, the crate C being fed into the machine (left to right) is stopped by a guiding rail I16 (hereinbefore referred to) which will also serve to align and guide the crates through the loading lines.

Rods I18, fast on rails I16 and I11, slide into sleeves I19 which are flanged and fastened to frame-plates I and 2 respectively. Nuts I outside of the frame-plates I and 2 serve to adjusting purposes; if shorter or longer boxes are to be fed, while compression springs I8I will take the thrust of slightly unequal boxes.

In the drawings the bottles are indicated by the letter B, and the boxes, cases or crates by the letter C. When in the specification and claims we use the terms boxes, cases or crates, it is to be understood that these terms are interchangeable and are not terms of limitation.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is thought that the complete construction, operation and advantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art, and we desire it to be understood that changes in the details of the construction, arrangement and design of the parts may readily be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In a machine of the class described, having an infeed station, an outfeed station and a filling station for the crates, means to locate in a predetermined position the crate at the infeed station, the filling station being located between the infeed and outfeed stations, means continuously feeding the bottles to the machine at the filling station, means to locate the bottles at the filling station in proper positions for lowering into crate pockets beneath, means to arrest the infeeding of bottles when a desired row has been located above the crate until the same shall have been deposited into the crate, means to grip the bottles above the crate and lower the same into the crate together, said gripping means including gripping jaws which are normally located above the bottle necks and means to move the jaws down over the bottle necks into gripping engagement therewith, and spring baskets through which the bottles are lowered and by which the bottles are guided into the crate, and means for lowering the baskets into and lifting them out of the crate, the complete loading operation for the crate being conducted in a plurality of stages or steps during the time the crate is passed from the infeed to the outfeed station.

2. In a machine of the class described, wherein crates having compartments arranged in iongitudinal and transverse rows are passed from an infeed to an outfeed station through an intermediate station, the combination of bottle infeeding conveyors for delivering bottles in two or more longitudinal rows side by side to the intermediate station, means for bodily moving the crates laterally from the infeed through the intermediate to the outfeed station, by alternate long and short steps for purposes described, and mans for placing the rows of bottles as a unit into the case, said last named means including vertically movable bottle-neck gripping jaws, one set for each row of bottles, said jaws being normally located directly above the bottles and constructed to be lowered to the bottles, and means to operate said jaws simultaneously for the purrow bottle infeed conveyor, a slider for pushing the bottles from the bottle infeed conveyor, a bottle feed cut-off located at a fixed place at the side of the machine where the bottles enter, a bottle row partition'between each two rows of bottles, and means actuated by said slider as it moves from position to position for lowering said partition to clear the bottles, actuating said bottle feed cut-off and arresting the feeding of bottles to the machine after a predetermined number have entered. I

4. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeed conveyor, a slider for pushing the bottles from the bottle infeed conveyor, a bottle feed cut-off at the side of the machine where the bottles enter, means actuated by said slider as it moves from position to position for actuating said bottle feed cut-off and arresting the feeding of bottles to the machine after a' predetermined number have entered, said actuated means comprising a shutter for each bottle row, a system of levers and links to operate the shutters, and a shoe carried by said slider to co-operate with said lever and link system to move the shutters to closed position as said slider advances.

5'. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeed conveyor, a slider for pushing the bottles from the bottle infeed conveyor, a bottle feed cut-ofi at the side of the machine where the bottles enter, means actuated by said slider as it moves from position to position for actuating said bottle feed cut-off and arresting the feed ing of bottles to the machine after a predetermined number have entered, means comprising a shutter for each bottle row, a system of levers and links to operate the shutters, a shoe carried by said slider to cooperate with said lever and link system to move the shutters to closed position as said slider advances, and spring means to return the shutters to open position as said slider retreats.

6. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeeding mechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles on the conveyor after a predetermined number have entered the machine, vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding the bottles on theconveyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles off the conveyor onto the trap floor, and meansactuated 'by said slider as it advances forioperating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guiding strips to free the row of bottles, and means to open the trap floor to permit the bottles to be lowered therethrough and 'means to grip the bottles before the trap floor is opened and to lower the bottles after the trap floor has been opened. I i

7. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeeding mechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles on the conveyor after a predetermined number have entered ,the machine, vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding the bottles on the conveyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles off the conveyor onto the trap floor, means actuated by said slider as it advances for operating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guiding strips to free the row of bottles, said arresting means including a shutter, a lever for moving saidshutter to and fro, a guiding strip carrier, a link connecting said lever to said carrier, a shoe on said slider and engaging a member on said lever to move it to close said shutter and withdraw said guiding strips during the forward movement of said slider, and means operable on the return movement of the slider for again opening the shutter and restoring said guide strips. I

8. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeeding mechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles on the conveyor after a predetermined number have entered the machine, vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding thebottles on the consaid actuated veyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles oil the conveyor onto the trap floor, means actuated by said slider as it advances for operating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guiding strips to free the row of bottles, and means for operating said trapiloor to open and close the same in harmony with the movements of the slider, and means to grip 'thefbottles before the trap floor is opened and to lower the bottles through the opening after the trap floor has been opened.

9. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor, a bottle infeeding mechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles on the conveyor after a predetermined number have entered the machine, vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding the bottles on the conveyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles off the conveyor onto the trap floor, means actuated by said slider as it advances for operating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guiding strips to free the row of bottles, said trap floor having spaced apart bottle-rest strips, the spaces between adjacent strips being wide enough to permit the bottles to pass through the floor when the floor has been shifted tomove the bottle-rest strips from under the bottles, means for shifting said trap floor to open and close,",

the same in harmony with the movements of the slider, said last named means comprising means to slidably mount the trap floor, and means connecting the slider with the trap fioor to move the trap floor parts to their open or release position during the return movement of said slider, and means to grip the bottles and lower them through the trap floor spaces when the trap floor is in the open position.

p when said floor has been moved to open posi- 10. In a machine of the class described, a. trap floor, a bottle infeeding mechanism including a conveyor, means to arrest the following bottles on the conveyor after a predetermined number have entered the machine, vertical longitudinal guiding strips for holding the bottles on the conveyor in line, a slider to push the row of bottles oil the conveyor onto the trap floor, means actuated by said slider as it advances for operating said bottle-arresting means and withdrawing said guiding strips to free the row of bottles, said arresting means including a shutter, a lever for moving said shutter to and fro, a guiding strip carrier, 9. link connecting said lever to said carrier, a shoe on said slider and engaging a member on said lever to move it to close said shutter and withdraw said guiding strips during the forward movement of said slider, means operable on the return movement of the slider for again opening the shutter and restoring said guide strips, means for operating said trap floor to open and close the same in harmony with the movements of the slider, said last named means comprising means to slidably mount the.

chine oiT said conveyor, a trap floor onto which the bottles are pushed, and means operated by the advance movement of said slider for moving said shutter to keep out following bottles after the line or row of bottles in the machine on the conveyor shall have engaged said stopper, means operated by the movement of said slider for retracting said stopper as said slider starts its for-'- ward movement, and means operated by the movement of the slider for closing the. trap floor prior to pushing over the bottles thereon on the return movement of the slider,

-12. .In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeeding conveyor extending across theimafrom saidconveyor and for opening the trap floor chine for delivering bottles in a row, a shutter cut-ofi at the ingoing side of the conveyor, a stopper toward which the bottles are Ied by said conveyor, a slider for simultaneously pushing all bottles that are on the conveyor within the machine off said conveyor, a trap floor onto which the bottles are pushed, means operated by the advance movement of said slider for moving said shutter to keep out following bottles after the line or row of bottles in the machine on the conveyor shall have engaged said stopper, means operated by the movement of said slider for retracting said stopper as said slider starts its forward movement, means operated by the movement of the slider for closing the trap floor prior to pushing over the bottles thereon from said conveyor and for opening the trap floor on the return movement of the slider, a bottle gripper over the trap floor, and means to actuate said gripper to grip said bottles by their necks while they are on the trap floor and hold them while the trap floor opens and for passing the bottles.

down through the openings of the trap floor tion;

13. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeeding conveyor extending across the machine for delivering bottles in a row, a shutter cut-oiI at the ingoing side of the conveyor, a stopper toward'which the bottles are fed by said conveyor, a slider for simultaneously pushing all bottles that are on the conveyor within the machine oif said conveyor, a trap floor onto which the bottles are pushed, means operated by the advance movement of said slider for moving said shutter to keep out following bottles after-the line or row of bottles in the machine on the conveyor shall have engaged said stopper, means operated by the movement of said slider for retracting said stopper as said slider starts its forward movement, means operated by the movement-of the slider for "closing" the trap floor priori to pushing over the bottles thereon from said conveyor and for opening the trap floor on the return movement of the slider, a bottle gripper over the trap floor, means to actuate said gripper to grip said bottles by their necks while they are on the trap floor and hold them while the trap floor opens and for passing the bottles down through the openings of the trap floor when said floor has beenmoved to open position, and means to release said grippers from the bottle necks after the bottles have been lowered a desired distance through the trap floor.

14. In a machine of the class described, a bottle infeeding conveyor extending across the machine for delivering bottles in a row, a shutter cut-ofi at the ingoing side of the conveyor, a stopper toward which the bottles are fed by said conveyor, a slider for simultaneously pushing all bottles that are on the conveyor within the machine ofl said conveyor, a trap floor onto which the bottles are pushed, 'means operated by the advance movement or said slider for moving said shutter to keep out following bottles after the line or row of bottles in the machine on the conveyor shallhave engaged said stopper, means I operated by the movement or said slider for retracting'said stopper as said slider starts its forward movement, means operated by the movement of the slider for closing the trap floor prior tovpushing over the bottles thereon from said conveyor and for opening the trap floor on @the return movement of the slider, a bottle gripperover the trap floor, means to actuate said gripper to grip said bottles by their necks while they are on the trap floor and hold them while the trap floor opens and for passing the bottles down through the openings or the trap floor when said floor has been moved to open'? posi- -tion, means to release said grippers from the bottle necks after the bottles have been lowered a desired distance through the trap floor, and spring baskets beneath the trap floor to receive the bottles as they pass below the trap floor, and

means causing said baskets to follow the contained bottles during a portion of their lowering movement, said bottles being free to be passed through said baskets when released from said grippers,

15. In a machine oi the'class described, a bottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism, in-

eluding a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads are supportedfor vertical movement,

a cross-shaft extending between said heads, a gripper carriage including said heads, a gripper bar, fixed to said carriage, a cooperating gripper bar pivotedon said cross-shaft, said gripper bars each having a, gripping jaw, co+operating one with the other to grip and hold a bottle by its neck adjacent its mouth, an arm on said shaft, spring means continuously urging said jaws to grip, means to raise and lower said gripper carriage, and means cooperating with said arm to open said jaws at the upper limit of the movement of the carriage and again at the lower extremity of the movement of said carriage for gripping and lowering and then releasing a bottle. 16. In a machine of the class described, a bottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism, including a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads are supported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extending between said heads, a gripper carriage including said heads, a gripper bar fixed to said carriage, a cooperating gripper bar pivoted on said cross-shaft, said gripper bars each having a gripping jaw, cooperating one with. the other to grip and hold a bottle by its neck adjacent its mouth, an arm on said shaft, spring means continuously urging said jaws to grip, means to raise and lower said gripper carriage, means cooperating with said arm to open said jaws at the upper limit of the movement of the carriage and again at the lower extremity of the movement of said carriage for gripping and lowering and then releasing a bottle, a trap floor to receive the bottles to be cased, a case-conveyor beneath said floor for positioning cases to receive the bottles from the bottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism, timed means to open the trap floor after the bottles have been gripped and through the openings in which floor the bottles are lowered, spring baskets beneath the trap fioor and above the level of the case beneath, and means for holding the baskets close to the trap fioor first to receive the bottles, then lowering the baskets with the contained bottles into the case and then moving the baskets out of the case along the bottles upwardly, the bottlereleasing means being efiective to release the bottles when the lower ends of the basket springs, on the return movement, are over the shoulders of the bottles.

17. In a machine of the class described, a bottle ripping, lowering and releasing mechanism, including a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads are supported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extending between said heads, a gripper carriage including said heads, a gripper bar fixed to said carriage, a cooperating gripper bar pivoted on said cross-shaft, said gripper bars each having a gripping jaw, cooperating one with the other to grip and hold a bottle by its neck adjacent its mouth, an arm on said shaft, spring means continuously urging said jaws to grip, means to raise and lower said gripper cariiage, means cooperating with said arm to open said jaws at the upper limit of the movement of the carriage and again at the lower extremity of the movement of said carriage for gripping and lowering and then releasing a bottle, a trap floor to receive the bottles to be cased, a caseconveyor beneath said floor for positioning cases to receive the bottles from the bottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism, timed means to open the trap fioor after the bottles have been gripped and through the openings in which floor tiie bottles are lowered, spring baskets beneath the trap floor and above the level of the case beneath, and means for holding the baskets close to the trap floor first to receive the bottles, then lowering the baskets with the contained bottles into the case and then moving the baskets out of the case along the bottles upwardly, the bottle releasing means being effective to release the bottles when the lower ends of the basket springs, on the return movement, are over the shoulders of the bottles, said spring baskets each including a frame and depending spring-fingers whose lower ends curve inwardly together, said ends being spread by the passing bottle serving to center the pocket of the case which receives the bottle.

18. In a machine of the class described, a trap floor comprising a skeleton frame having cross strips, means to mount said frame for endwise sliding movement, a bottle infeed conveyor parallel to the trap floor, a slider to push a row of bottles from said conveyor onto the cross strips of said frame as the slider moves forward, and connections between said slider and said trap floor for moving the trap floor to withdraw the cross strips from beneath the bottles so that the bottles may pass through the floor between adjacent cross strips, as said slider returns to its inactive or rearward position.

19. In a machine of the class described, a bottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism,

including a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads are supported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extending between said heads, a gripper carriage including said heads, a gripper bar fixed to said carriage, a co-operating gripper bar pivoted on said cross-shaft, adjustable gripping jaws secured to said gripper bars and cooperative one with the other to grip and hold a bottle by its neck, spring means continuously urging said jaws to grip, means to raise and lower said gripper carriage, and means co-operating with said pivoted gripper bar for opening said jaws to receive and release a bottle.

20. In a machine for packaging bottles in cases, having a plurality of rows and tiers of bottle-receiving pockets, a loading station where bottles are placed in the cases in a plurality of rows at a time, an endless chain conveyor having a series of case pushers'spacedapart a greater distance than the width of the cases, and means to move said conveyor in steps, first in a long step to bring a case into place to receive bottles in at least two rows of pockets and then in a shorter step to bring at least another two rows of pockets into position to receive other bottles at the loading station, and means to place at least two rows of bottles in a case at a time.

21. In a machine for packaging bottles in cases, having a plurality of rows and tiers of bottle-receiving pockets, a loading station where bottles are placed in the cases in a row or rows at a time, an endless chain conveyor having a series of case pushers spaced apart a greater distance than the width of the cases, means to move said conveyor in steps, first in a long step to bring a case into place to receive bottles in at least one row of pockets and then in a shorter step to bring at least another row of pockets into position to receive other bottles at the loading station, said conveyor-moving means including a distributor disc, a conveyor driving sprocket to which said disc is attached, said disc having suitably spaced ratchet-like recesses, a swinging lever carrying a disc-engaging pawl, and powerapplying timed means to swing said lever.

22. In a machine of the class described, a frame having an opening through which the cases to be filled are serially inserted, a case stopper against which the cases are placed on their insertion into the machine, a case conveyor running transversely of the direction in which the cases are inserted and having pushers tom ve the cases transversely away from the place where they are introduced, said case stopper com rising a yieldable guide rail, rods attached to he backof said guide rail, flxed sleeves on said frame through which said rods pass, nuts on the outerends of said rods, and springs on said rods and said sleeves between said guide rail and said frame.

23. In a machine of the class described, a frame having an opening through which the cases to be filled are serially inserted, a case stopper against which the cases are placed on their insertion into the machine, a case conveyor running transversely of the direction in which said cases are inserted and having at least one pusher to move the cases transversely away from the place where they are introduced, said case stop-- per comprising a yieldable guide rail, and a pair of spring loaded guide rails yield-ably and adjustably mounted on said frame and spaced apart to receive the cases pushed from the place where they were first received in the machine, said pair of guide rails being designed to receive between them and to center and guide cases of various lengths.

24. In a machine of the class described, wherein crates having compartments arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows are passed from an infeed to an outfeed station through an intermediate station, the combination of bottle infeeding means for delivering bottles in rows to the intermediate station, means for bodily moving the crates laterally from the infeed station through the intermediate station to the outfeed station by first a long step to locate the first row of crate pockets to receive bottles and then by a shorter step to locate succeeding rows of crate pockets in position to receive bottles, said cratemoving means comprising an endless conveyor, a distributor disc, a conveyor driving sprocket to which said disc is attached, said disc having suitable spaced ratchet-like recesses, a swinging lever carrying a disc-engaging pawl, and powerapplying timed means to swing said lever.

25. In a machine of the class described, a bottle gripping, lowering and releasing mechanism including a pair of sliding heads, means in which said heads are supported for vertical movement, a cross-shaft extending between said heads, two cross-bars connecting said heads and lying one to each side of said shaft, a gripper bar fixed to each cross-bar, a duplex gripper bar mounted on said cross-shaft one bar of which duplex gripper bar cooperates with one of said fixed gripper bars and the other bar of which cooperates with the other fixed gripper bar, said gripper bars each having a gripper jaw, said gripper bars being formed to grip two spacedapart bottles at a time, springs connecting the fixed gripper bars to the pivoted gripper bars for continuously urging the jaws to close, means to lower and raise said heads and the parts carried thereby, and means cooperating with said lowering and raising means and said duplex gripper bar for opening said jaws at the upper and lower positions of said heads respectively.

26. In a machine of the class described, in combination, means to enter empty crates endwise into the machine by movement in one direction, means to discharge filled crates endwise from the machine in the same direction, the two aforesaid means being laterally spaced apart, means for bodilymoving the crates sidewise from the first mentioned means to the second mentioned means through a filling station,

amuse means to feed bottles in at least one row in the direction of said first and second means above the level of the crates at the filling station, spring-finger baskets at the filling station above the level of the crates and below the level of the bottle feeding means, means to grip the bottles at the filling station, lower them into the baskets, lower the baskets and bottles together into the crates and thereafter release the bottles and withdraw the bottle gripping means and the baskets from the crates.

27. In a machine of the class described, wherein crates having compartments arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows are passed from an infeed to an outfeed station through an intermediate station, the combination of bottle infeeding conveyors for delivering bottles in two or more longitudinal rows side by side to the intermediate station, means for bodily moving the crates laterally from the infeed through the intermediate to the outfeed station, by alternate long and short steps for purposes described, and means for placing the rows of bottles as a unit into the case, said last named means including a set of bottle grippersnormally located at a higher level than that 01 the tops of the bottles to be lowered and means for operating the grippers to grip all rows of bottles and simultaneously lower them into the crates.

28. In a packaging machine, the combinations of a bottle infeed'conveyor; a bottle feed cut-off for segregating a predetermined number of bottles fed to the, machine by said bottle infeed conveyor; arresting means for stopping the feeding of bottles after said predetermined number have entered the machine; strips at each side of the infeed conveyor within the machine; means for lowering said strips from their initial position; a slider at a right angle to the infeed conveyor for pushing thepredetermined number of bottles off the infeed conveyor; means actuated by said slider as said slider moves during a portion of its forward stroke only, to operate during such portion of the stroke, the bottle feed cutoil, and to operate the strip lowering means to lower the strips; and spring means for returning said strips and said bottle infeed conveyor to their initial positions as said slider is returning to its initial position to enable a new predetermined number of bottles to be fed intothe machine guided by said strips.

29. In a bottle packaging machine, a spring basket member consisting of leaves for surrounding the bottom and body of a bottle, means for lowering the basket with the bottle into a case, and means for withdrawing the leaves from the bottle by an upward movement along the body of the bottle after said bottle has entered a pocket in the case to be filled, means for gripping the neck of the-bottle for feeding the bottle 1 into a pocket in a case when surrounded by said leaves, and means for releasing the gripping means from the neck of the bottle when the end of said spring leaves have reached the shoulder of the bottle.

30. In a packaging machine, a case-support adapted to receive an empty case at the side of the machine and enable its conveyance longitudinally of the machine in a direction at rightangles to the direction of its entry, a springthe case with the end of the case along said guide-bar, a second spring-actuated guide-bar parallel with the first guide-bar, and spaced from said guide-bar about the length of a case, in order that both guide-bars act to clampingly hold between them the said case as it is being pushed longitudinally of the machine by the pusher, said guide-bar having a curved end to enable the cases to freely enter within the guidebar, a bottle-loading device in the path of the case for loading bottles into the lengthwise compartments of the case while the case is being held in proper position in respect to the loading device by the parallel guide-bars, and a conveyor for discharging the loaded cases disposed beyond the loading device for receiving loaded cases when the cases are freed of the parallel guidebars.

31. In a bottle-packaging machine, the combination of means for supporting a bottle fed thereto and arranged above a case to be loaded, said supporting means being within about onehalf the diameter of the bottle, said supporting means being under the bottle and acting as the sole support for the bottle, a bottle-neck gripping means for gripping the neck of the bottle, means for withdrawing said bottle-supporting means to enable the bottle to drop save for the gripping means said withdrawing means being movable not more than one-half the diameter of the bottle to enable the bottle to drop, means for moving the bottle-gripping means with the bottle below the bottle-supporting means, said bottle gripping means gripping the bottle neck before the bottle-supporting means are withdrawn, and upon the withdrawal lowering the bottle to a compartment of the case to be loaded.

JOHN CA'I'IONAR.

GEORGE OLM.

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