| 摘要 |
hold-down element 40, for use with a rotary feeder rotating about a central axis, is claimed. The rotary feeder rotates and expands an expandable article, e.g. a carton, from a first location above a flight conveyor to a second location in a fully expanded state between upstanding lugs on the conveyor. The feeder and conveyor move in opposite directions. The hold-down element 40 holds down and secures the expanded article against the conveyor between the lugs after the expanded article has been released by the rotary feeder at the second location. The hold-down element 40 comprises an elongate member 44 adapted to maintain contact with the expanded article in the second location, and spacing means 46 having a first end attached to the rotary feeder and a second end attached to the elongated member for spacing the elongated member from the rotary feeder. The rotary feeder imparts a rotational motion to the spacing means and the elongate member. Member 44 has a continuously curved outer surface 45 so that a distance from the outer surface to the feeder continuously increases from one end 50 of member 44 to an opposite end 50. Member 44 maintains constant contact with a surface of the article during rotation of the feeder, such that the article surface remains tangent to surface 45, such that surface 45 consequently holds the article down during the rotation of the feeder, whereby the feeder smoothly disengages from the article surface without dislodging the article from the flight conveyor. |
