Packaging Machine With Phased Split-Pitch Barrel Loader

摘要

A phased split-pitch barrel loader for a packaging machine has a leading loader aim assembly and a trailing loader arm assembly. Each loader arm assembly has a loader arm that carries a loader face on one end and the loader aim is extendable and retractable on guide rails. One loader arm is driven in a downstream direction by a first set of endless chains and the other is driven by a second set of endless chains. One of the endless chains can be advanced or retarded in phase relative to the other to move the loader arms further apart or closer together as they move in the downstream direction. This moves the loader faces further apart or closer together and the loader faces have fingers that interleave when the loader faces are brought together. Thus, a composite loader face having a predetermined area can be formed by moving the loader assemblies closer together or farther apart. The composite loader face is sized in each case to correspond to groups of articles such as beverage cans of different sizes and/or different configurations.

主权项

1. A method of adjusting the composite profile of pusher faces of a barrel loader to correspond to the profile of articles to be pushed, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) configuring first and second pusher face members to interleave with each other as they are brought together to define a composite profile; (b) mounting the first and second pusher face members to the ends of extendable pusher rods; (c) varying the distance between the first and second pusher rods to bring the pusher face members together or apart until the pusher face members define a composite profile of a predetermined size.