US2451617A - Packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19 1948. M. J. GREBowlr-:c

PACKAGING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 15, 1945 Oct. 19 1948. M. J. GREBowlEc PACKAGING MACHINE Oct. 19 1948. M. J. GREBowlEc 2,451,617

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A RNEY MIU-mig d. EREEUWIELE.

Patented Oct. 19, 1948 UNTED STATES ENT orFicE 2,451,617A PACKAGING MACHINE Application May 15, 1945, Serial No. 593,923

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to packaging machines, and particularly a machine for successively separating a continuous row of interengaged articles into groups of a desired number and successively feeding each group into a carton designed to receive the group of articles in their interengaged relation. The machine is especially intended for the packaging of belt links of the type used for ammunition belts, and wherein each link consists of two axially spaced and aligned end bands and an intermediate axially offset band integrally connected to the end bands, this intermediate band of each link adapted to be interengaged in the space between the end bands of the forwardly adjacent link. The interengaged links are hingedly connected by the engagement therewith of the cartridges, each cartridge being engaged with the two end bands of one link and the interengaged intermediate band of the adjacent link.

Upon occasion it becomes necessary to de-link the ammunition belt by removing the cartridges, and this `operation is performed in a de-linking machineinto which the ammunition belt is fed, the cartridges being successively withdrawn therefrom so that the individual links become loose and free to separate from each other as the cartridges are disengaged therefrom. It is proposed in the present invention to provide a packaging machine into which the interengaged links are continuously fed from the de-linking machine, While still remaining in interengaged relation with each other, to the end that packaging of the link's may be carried out without the operation, heretofore required, of manually re-arranging the separated links in interengaged relation, thus effecting a great saving of time in the packaging of the links and protecting them from such damage as is apt t take place under the previous practice of directing the loose links from the de-linking machine into barrels.

A further object is to provide a packaging machine in which the row of interengaged links is adapted to have the desired number of links to be packaged, as for example ten links, separated from interengaged relation with the following links in the row, and thereupon ejected into the carton, and to this end it is proposed to provide ejector feed means arranged to engage the end bands of the last link of the group to be ejected, so that upon ejecting movement thereof these end bands are disengaged from the intermediate link of the succeeding link in the row.

It is further proposed to provide actuating means for effecting the intermittent operation of 2 the ejector feed means adapted to be actuated by the foremost link of the group to be fed, and arranged to be engaged by the forwardly projecting intermediate band of this foremost link under the forward feed pressure of the fully interengaged group of links to be ejected.

A further obj ect is to provide a packaging machine in which pressure means is provided for assembling and maintaining the links of each group to be separated and ejected in their fully interengaged relationv With each. other.

A further object is to provide a packaging machine in which the movement of the row of articles therethrough is imparted thereto through the intermittent movement of the adjacent delinking machine, wherein indexing means is Iprovided to intermittently feed the successive links of the ammunition belt into position to have the cartridges successively removed.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the packaging machine according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention, and showing a portion of the ammunition belt lie-linking machine associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a plan View.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, partially broken away and on an enlarged scale, of the packaging machine, taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the dot-and-dash lines showing the actuated position of the ejector slide control lever.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing the ejector slide actuating means in the position to which it is moved by operation of the control lever to the dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the fully projected position of the ejector slide.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan View, showing the ejector slide actuating means in the position to which it is moved by the full projection of the ejector slide, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken along the line 1 1 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional View, taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the chute member of the machine, partially broken away, and with is the associated parts of the machine normally mounted thereon removed.

Fig. is a bottom plan view of the chute member. l

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of one of the pressure spring retaining clips employed in the machine.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the'pressure springs. Y

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of yone of the ammunition Ibelt links of the type illustrated as being packaged in the illustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention.

Similar reference `characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several gures of the drawings.

Referring to ythe drawings, the packaging machine according to the illustrated exemplary embodiment of t-he invention, is shown associated with an ammunition belt de-linking machine EG provided with an indexing gear Il which intermittently feeds the ammunition belt to successively bring 'the cartridges I2 into position to be Withdrawn from the belt, as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, by a suitable extractor mechanism, not shown. The belt -is made up of a series of interengaged or meshed link members of the type illustrated in Fig. 13, each consisting of forward and rearward axially aligned and axially lspaced end bands I3 and it, and an axially offset intermediate tband i5 integrally connected to the end bands by extended web portions I3 and Il of the end bands. The forward end band I3 is tapered to receive the reduced diameter neck portion of the cartridge, while the rearward end band Ii `and the intermediate band I5 are of substantially cylindrical form to receive the body of the cartridge, and in practice the links are interengaged so that the intermediate band I5 lof one link engages Ibetween the end bands I 3 and I@ of the adjacent link, a cartridge being inserted through the aligned bands Iii, i5 and I3 to thereby hingedly connect the links.

Adjacent the indexing gear I I there is provided a downwardly curved guide plate i8 upon which the links move from, Ithe indexing gear through the intermittent indexing movement of the gear following each cartridge extracting operation, an upper guide arm i9 being provided to engage the upper sides of the links to retain them in interengaged relation. According to the invention the interengaged links move from the guide IS into the feed `chute of the packaging machine and are propelled therethrough through the feeding force of the indexing gear.

The packaging machine comprises an elongated horizontally disposed chute member of rectangular cross-section consisting of a top strip 253, a bottom strip 2E and Side strips 22-22, the latter being provi-ded upon their inner sides adjacent their upper and lower edges with angular seating recesses in which the side edges of the -t-op and bottom strips are engaged and secured by screws The vertical dep-th of the recesses 2,3 is slightly greater than the thickness of the -top and bottom strips, so that the outer surfaces of the latter are slightly inset with respect to the upper and lower edge surfaces of the side strips, and which are adapted to provide lslideway surfaces for the ejector slide Vof the machine, as will presently more fully appear. At its rforward end the bottom strip projects beyond the forward edge of the top strip to provide a support for the article receiving carton C, as shown by dot-and-dash 4. lines in Fig. 1, the forward ends of the side strips being provided at their lower edges with forwardly projecting supporting portions 25 to support the forwardly projecting end of the bottom strip.

Carton guides 26-25 are secured upon the forward ends of the side strips 2?.-22 and project above the forwardly projecting portions Z5, their inner Ifaces being inclined to provide va converging entrance for the convenient engagement of the open end of the carton with the end of the chute. lThe rearward ends of these carton guides provide abutment stops 2'I-2'I upon lthe outer sides of the chute member to limit the forward ejecting movement of the ejector feed slide, as will presently more fully appear.

At its rearward end the chute has secured to its under side a cross bar 2S, which projects outwardly at each side and is -secured to the forward end of the curved guide I8 by means of bolts .2e-12S. At a point intermediate its ends, the chute is supported by means of a vertical support member 3d secured to the chute bottom and provided with a horizontal-base 3| bolted to the ibase 32 of the (ie-linking machine.

The ejector feed slide is slidably mounted for reciprocating movement upon the chute, and compri-ses side plates 33-33, provided upon their inner faces with slideway channels Sli having sliding engagement with the sides of the chute member, la top plate 35 secured upon the upper ends of the side plates, and a bottom plate 33 secured upon the lower ends. The forward edge of the bottom plate 3e is rearwardly spaced from the forward end-s of the side plates 33, and at the lower corners of the side plates, below the chute member and forwardly of the bottom plate 36, there is pivotally mounted a cross shaft Sl' upon which are secured ejector fingers 38 and 39, these fingers projecting at an inclined angle upwardly and forwardly through longitudinal slots 4'0-40 provided along the side edges of the chute lbottom ZI. The slots ill extend from Ia point contiguous to the forward end of the chute bottom Ato a point within the ejector feed slide in the retracted position of the latter. Centrally of the cross shaft 37 Ithere is secured a rearwardly projecting finger control arm QI, normally resting upon the upper surface of the bottom plate 35 and engaged by the forward end of a leaf spring i2 secured Ito the bottom plate by means of bolts 4th-53. The angular relation of the control arm I to the ejector fingers is such that in the normal article ejecting position, as shown in Figs. l and 5, the ejector ngers project Iinto the chute into position to engage behind the end bands I3 and I i of `one of the link members, the yield-ability of the =leaf spring lI2 permitting the ejector fingers to Ibe pressed in counter-clockwise direction, to permit the forward feed of the links over the fingers in the retracted position of the ejector feed slide, and to permit the ngers to ride under the links during the retracting movement of the ejector feed slide.

Projecting movement is imparted to the ejector feed slide lby a piston rod 44 connected at its yfor-- ward end to an angular bracket secured yupon the under side of the bottom plate 36 by the bolts 53, the piston 'head 44' at the rearward end of Ithe rod being engaged in an air cylinder 43 supported upon the chute bottom in brackets IVI-41. Retracting movement is imparted to ythe slide by a pair of helical Icompression spring 48-48 connected at Atheir forward ends to studs 49 at each side of the slide and connected at their rearward ends to screws 58 secured upon the projecting ends of the cross bar 28 at the rearward end of the chute member. Longitudinally adjustable stop screws 5l-5l are provided at each `side of the upper end of the chute support 38 and are engaged bythe rearward edges of the side plates 33 of the slide to limit the retracted position of the slide under the pull of the springs 48.

Compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder through an air feed pipe 52 extending from the rearward end of the air cylinder to a control valve 53 secured upon the chute top, the compressed air being supplied to the control valve through an air supply pipe 54, preferably having a shut off cock 55 inserted therein to enable the air supply to be shut off when the machine is inoperative. The control valve is provided with a vertically disposed cylindrical bore 56, to which three radial ports extend, one port 51 being connected to the air supply pipe 54, a second port 58 being connected to the air feed pipe 52, and a third port 59 being the exhaust port and opening to the atmosphere. The port 58 connected to the feed pipe 52 and the exhaust port 59 are in the same horizontal plane, while the port 51 connected to the air supply pipe 54 is in a downwardly olset horizontal plane, for a purpose presently to be more fully described.

Within the bore 56 there is secured a cylindri- 5;@

cal bushing 60 provided with circular ports 6l and 62, respectively in register with the ports` `51 and 59, and with a vertically elongated port 63 having its upper end in register with the port 58 connected to the air feed pipe 52 and in the f horizontal plane of the exhaust port 59, while its lower end is in the horizontal plane of the port 51 connected to the air supply pipe 54.

Slidably engaged within the bushing is a cylindrical valve core 64 provided at its lower end with a flange 65 disposed beneath the lower end of the bushing 66, this lower end of the bushing being upwardly spaced from the base of the bore 56 to provide a space in which the flange 65 moves during the upward and downward sliding movement of the valve core, abutment of the flange with the lower end of the bushing limiting the upward movement, and the abutment of the lower end of the core with the bottom of the bore limiting the downward movement. This movement is predetermined to correspond to the vertical offset distance between the air supply port 51 and the feed and exhaust ports 58 and 59. Intermediate its ends the Valve core is provided with an annular groove 66 adapted in the raised position of the core to register with the feed port 58 and the exhaust port 59, and in the lowered position of the core to register with the lower end of the vertically elongated slot 63 and the air supply port 51.

Thus in the raised position of the core, Figs. 3 and 5, the air cylinder 44 is in communication with the atmosphere through the pipe 52, the port l58, the upper end of the slot 63, the groove 66, the port 62 and the exhaust port 59. In the lowered position of the core, Fig. 4, compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder through the air supply pipe 54, the port 51, the port 6 l the groove 66, the slot 63, the port 58 and the feed pipe 52, to cause the ejector feed slide to be projected forwardly.

The core 64 is provided with a stepped axial bore 61, in the upper reduced passage of which is engaged a plunger 68 provided at its lower end with a flange 69 normally forced upwardly against the step of the bore by a helical spring 10 disposed within the lower enlarged passage, this spring being retained by a threaded plug 1| screwed in the lower threaded end of the bore. The valve core is normally retained in its raised position by means of springs 12, connected between studs 13--13 at each side of the upper end of the core and a lift lever 14, the latter being of bell crank form and pivotally mounted by means of a cross pin 15 in a bracket member 16 secured upon the upper side of the valve body.

The downwardly extending arm of the lift lever is engaged at the forward side of a collar 11 secured upon a horizontally disposed valve control rod 18, having sliding bearing at its rearward end in a passage 19 of the bracket 16, and at its forward end in a bracket secured to the forward end of the chute top, a movement limiting collar 82 being secured upon the forward end of the control rod forwardly of the bracket 88". A collar 83 is secured upon the rod 18 in rearwardly spaced relation to the bracket 80, and a helical spring 84 is disposed between the co1- lar 83 and the bracket 80 normally exerting rearward pressure upon the rod 18 to engage the movement limiting collar 82 with the bracket 86. In this retracted position of the rod 18 the springs 12 of the lift lever 14 retain the valve core in its raised position. The resistance of these springs however, is less than that of the plunger spring 10 within the core, so that, upon downward pressure being applied to the end of plunger 68, the springs 12 yield while the spring 1U resists compression, and therefore the core is pressed downwardly by the plunger.

Automatic actuation of the valve to cause the feed slide to be projected is accomplished through cooperation of the valve control means with the foremost link being fed in the chute, and at a point where the chute contains a continuous line of fully interengaged links and the feeding force of the indexing gear II transmits sulcient pressure to the foremost link to impart movement to the valve control means. For this purpose there is provided a valve control lever 85 pivotally mounted near its forward end in a bracket 86 secured to the chute top, the forward end of the control lever being provided with a downwardly projecting contact portion 81, disposed in a slot 88 in the forward end of the chute top and normally having its lower surface projecting within the chute in the path of the intermediate bend portion I5 of the foremost link member.

Upon the rearward end of the control lever there is secured an extension bracket member 89 engaged through the passage of the ejector feed slide between the chute top and the top plate 35 of the slide, this bracket member being bent upwardly at the rear of the feed slide and being provided at its upper end with a laterally disposed bearing support portion 90. The bracket member 89 is normally maintained in its raised position by means of a helical spring 9! disposed beneath the rearward arm of the control lever 85 and having its ends engaged in pockets 92 and 93 respectively provided in the lever and the chute top. Upon the under side of the bearing support portion S9 there is pivotally mounted by means of a pivot stud 94 a valve check lever 95 normally projecting directly above the plunger 63 of the air valve, being yieldably held in this position against a stop lug 96 by means of a spring 91 connected between an outwardly projecting arm 98 of the valve check lever and a spring arm 99 secured to 'i7 the upper end of the bracket member. The valve check -lever is provided with an actuating nger IED projecting outwardly at the opposite side from the arm 98 and normally disposed slightly forwardly of and in upwardly raised relation to a collar IBI secured to the valve control rod i3, whereby downward valve actuating movement of the bracket member B8 is adapted to dispose the end of the actuating linger 50% forwardly in the path of the collar ll, as will presently more fully appear.

A lever equalizer arm H82 is pivotally mounted at its rearward end upon a bracket Eil?, secured upon the chute top at one side of the valve control lever 35, and projects forwardly to a point slightly rearwardly of the mounting bracket of the valve control lever, being engaged intermediate its ends with a horizontally projecting pin I0@ secured to the valve control'lever. The forwardV end of the equalizer arm normally projects above the valve control lever 55 and in the forwardly projected position of the feed slide is adapted to be engaged thereby to retain the Valve control lever in its actuated position, as shown in Fig, 5. Due to the off center location of the pivot of the control lever, and the tolerance between the lever and the ejector slide in its projected positions, the lever equalizer arm functions to maintain the necessary depressed position of the control lever, and consequently, a constant pressure on the valve plunger 68 controlling the valve action. Y

Upon the upper side of the ejector feed slide there is secured a valve rod actuating bracket IE5 having a recess IEa in its upper end engaged by the valve control rod '18. Upon the forward movement of the slide'the bracket engages the collar B3 of the control rod to move it forwardly for the purpose of actuating the air control valve to its position to effect retraction of the slide, as will presently more fully appear.

The top strip 2l of the chute member is provided along its rearward portion with a pair of longitudinally aligned slots ISS- It disposed at one side of the longitudinal center line, so that the inner edges of the end bands 'le of the belt links are in line therewith, a pressure leaf spring Il being secured upon the dividing portion of the top strip between the two slots and projecting downwardly within the forwardly disposed slot to engage the upper surfaces of the end bands Ill and the intermediate bands i5 of the interengaged links, so that as they are fed into the chute under the feeding force of the indexing gear pressure is exerted thereon to cause them to fully interengage with each other.

Along the forward portion of the top strip and directly beneath the valve control lever 85 there are provided two longitudinally aligned pairs of parallel slots IDE-|88, disposed forwardly and rearwardly of the pocket 93 in which the spring 9| is engaged. The strips between the slots provide longitudinally extending ribs it-39 upon which are mounted a series of aligning springs I I 0 arranged to engage the forward group of links in the chute after they pass forwardly of the ejector fingers of the slide to retain these links in fully interengaged or meshed relation. These springs are of hair pin form and are each secured by a clip I I I of inverted U-shape which straddles the rib IS and is secured thereto by a screw I I2, the bight of the spring being engaged about the screw beneath the top of the clip and its side legs extending downwardly at a forward angle at each side of the rib with their lower ends projecting lever 35.

Sil

into the passage-way of the chute, these ends being curved to engage the upper sides of the intermediate band portion I5 of the links with a wiping action as the links are fed forwardly.

A guard plate l i3 is secured to the bracket 8U, and serves to protect the hands of the operator as the cartons are successively placed at the end of the chute, and also holds the cover flap of the carton in open position.

The operation is as follows:

As shown in Fig. 3 the continuous row of interengaged linkshas reached a point in the chute member, under the propelling force from the indexing gear I I of the de-linking machine, where the intermediate band I5 of the foremost link is about to engage and operate the valve control Further propelling movement causes the band l5 of the foremost link to engage beneath the contact portion 8l of the valve control lever, as shown by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 3, causing the control lever to be moved to its depressed position, as shown in Figs. 4, and. 5 and depressing the core 64 of the control valve. In this position of the valve core compressed air fiows from the supply pipe 54 through the Valve to the feed pipe 52, and thence to the air cylinder Ll, causing the piston rod to be projected for.- wardly to impart forward movement to the ejector feed slide. WAt the point where the air valve is actuated there are ten fully interengaged link members disposed forwardly of the ejector fingers 33 and Se, which respectively engage behind the end bands I3 and I 4 of the tenth link, and as the slide is moved forwardly the group of ten links is ejected into the carton C, the last link of the group being disengaged from the inter: mediate band I5 of the following linkin the chute, as shown in Fig. 5.

ing the portion of the projecting movet the eiector feed slide into engagement the limit stops il, the bracket 85 engages the of the Valve control rod 'I8 moving it y to the position shownin Figs. 5 and 6. l causes the collar le! to engage the actuating finger of the valve check lever 95, swinging it in counter-clockwise direction to disengage the check lever from the upper end of the valve phfnger 58. At the same time the collar 'Il of the ontroi rod swings the lift lever i@ upwardly, and ll of the springs 'i2 the valve core allowing the control rod 'I8 and the conev trol lever to resume their normal positions, as shov-:n in Fig. 3. As the foremost link in the rchute ches the Contact portion B? of the vcontrol lever, the cycle is repeated and another group of ten continuing automatically as long as the links are propelled forwardly in a continuing line in the chute.

The form of the invention illustrated in the "ngs described herein is typicalandillusive only, and it is evident that the invention is ce.L able of embodiments in other forms, all fallwithin the scope of the appended claims, which are to be broadly construed.-

V"ffl'iat is claimed is:

l, ln a packaging machine for packaging aj group of a predetermined number of articles ab ranged in a row, a chute member having an en is ejected -into the carton, the action thustrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey A a continuous row of articles toward said exit end 1means for retracting said slide, control means for effecting the actuation of said projecting stroke ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the last article of a predetermined group of articles disposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, contact means engageable by the first article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said control means to effect the projection of said slide, and contact means engageable by said slide in its projected position arranged to actuate said control means to eifect the termination of the projecting stroke and allow the retracting means to eiect retraction of said slide.

2. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of articles arranged in a row, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of articles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, pneumatic projecting means for projecting said slide, spring means for retracting said slide, air valve control means for effecting the actuation of said pneumatic projecting means, ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the last article of a predetermined group of articles dispose forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, contact means engageable by the first article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said air valve control means to effect the projection of said slide, and contact means engageable by said slide in its projected position arranged to actuate said air valve control means to permit the retraction of said slide under the action of said spring means.

3. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of articles arranged in a row, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of articles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, pneum; projecting means for projecting said slide, spring means for retracting said slide, air valve control means for efecting the actuation of said pneumatic projecting means, ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the last article of a predetermined group or articles disposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, a control lever having contact means engageable by the first article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said air valve control means to effect the projection of said slide, and a reciprocatory control rod having contact means engageable by said slide in its projected position arranged to actuate said air valve control means to permit the retraction of said slide under the action of said spring means.

e. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of articles ar ranged in a row, a chute lnember having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to ccnvey a continuous row of articles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, pneumatic projecting means for projecting said slide, spring means for retracting said slide, air valve control means for effecting the actuation of Cil Cil

said pneumatic projecting means, ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the last article of a predetermined group of articles disposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, a control lever having contact means engageable by the rst article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said air Valve control means to eiiect the projection of said slide, an equalizer arm cooperating with said control lever and engageable by said slide in its projected position to maintain the actuated position of said control lever, and contact means engageable by said slide in its projected position arranged to actuate said air valve control means to permit the retraction of said slide under the actuation of said spring means 5. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articles is longitudinally interengaged with an adjacent article, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to con; vey a continuous row of interengaged articles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide, retracting means for retraoting said slide, control means for effecting the actuation of said projecting means, ejector fingers carried by said slide engageable with the last article of a predetermined group of articles disposed forwardly of said ejector fingers in the retracted position of said slide, and contact means engageable by the first article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said control means to eiect the projection of said slide, whereby said last article engaged by said iingers is longitudinally disengaged from the following interengaged article and said predetermined group is ejected.

6. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articles comprises an intermediate portion and two end portions adapted to be longitudinally interengaged with the intermediate portion of an adjacent article, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged articles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, a reciproca' tory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide, retracting means for retracting said slide, control means for effecting the actuation of said projecting means, ejector fingers carried by said slide engageable with a rearwardly disposed interengaging portion of the last article of a predetermined group of articles disposed forwardly of said ejector ngers in the retracted position of said slide, and contact means engageable by a forwardly disposed interengaging portion of the rst article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said control means to effect the projection of said slide, whereby said last article engaged by said fingers is longitudinally disengaged from the following interengaged article and said predetermined group is ejected.

7. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articles comprises an intermediate portion and two end portions adapted to be longitudinally interengaged with the intermediate portion of an adjacent succeeding article, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged articles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide, retracting means for retracting said slide, control means for effecting the actuation of said projecting means, a pair of ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the two end portions of the last article of a predetermined group of articles disposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, and contact means engageable by the intermediate portion of the rst article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said control means to eifect the projection of said slide, whereby said last article is longitudinally disengaged from the following interengaged article and said predetermined group is ejected.

8. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articles comprises an intermediate portion and two end portions adapted to be longitudinally interengaged with the intermediate portion of an adjacent succeeding article, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged articles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide, retracting means for retracting said slide, control means for eifecting the actuation of said projecting means, a pair of ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the two end portions of the last article of a predetermined group of articles disposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, pressure means within said chute member arranged to successively yieldably engage the intermediate portion of the articles of said predetermined group in opposition to saidnpropelling force as the articles are fed through the chute, and contact means engageable by the intermediate portion of said rst article of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said control means to effect the projection of said slide, whereby said last article is longitudinally disengaged from the following interengaged article and said predetermined group is ejected.

9. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of cartridge belt linksvr arranged in a row and wherein each of said links comprises an intermediate loop and two end loops adapted to be longitudinally interengaged with the intermediate loop of an adjacent succeeding link, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged links toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said links into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide, retracting means for retracting said slide, control means for effecting the actuation of said projecting means, ejector means carried by said slide engageable with said two end loops of the last link of a predetermined group of links disposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, and contact means engageable by the intermediate loop of the first link of said predetermined group of links arranged to actuate said control means to effect the projection of said slide, whereby said last link is longitudinally disengaged from the following interengaged link and said predetermined group is ejected.

10. n combination with a de-linking machine for de-linking cartridge link belts having an indexing gear for feeding said link belt, a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number of links arranged in a row and wherein each of said links is longitudinally interengaged With an adjacent link, comprising a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged links toward said exit end as the propelling force of .said indexing gear feeds said links into said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide, retracting means for retracting said slide, control means for eiecting the actuation of said projecting means, ejector lingers carried by said slide engageable with the last link of a predetermined group of links disposed forwardly of said ejector fingers in the retracted position of said slide, and Contact means engageable by the rst link of said predetermined group of links arranged to actuate said control means to effect the projection of said slide, whereby said last link engaged by said iingers is longitudinally disengaged from the following interengaged link and said predetermined group is ejected.

MICHAEL J. GREBOWIEC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,568,082 Mitton Jan. 5, 1926 1,673,014 Morrison June 12, 1928 2,277,688 Cattonar et al Mar. 31, 1942

Images