摘要 |
The invention greatly increases the versatility and the speed at which an automatic packaging machine may fill boxes or other containers. Two fill stations are provided for alternately filling empty boxes as they move in single file past two separate fill stations. If no empty box is available to receive the product, a transfer cup is diverted and travels over one of two alternate paths at the fill station would otherwise fill the missing box. The product dumped from any non-diverted transfer cup goes into a corresponding box. The product dumped from any diverted transfer cup is returned to the start of the fill cycle. This way, the machine may simultaneously (i) fill one box with two separate products, (ii) fill alternate boxes with two different products or product volumes, or (iii) fill different kinds of boxes with product. A swing arm enables a part to be moved at each of the fill stations so that it may be repaired, maintained or cleaned without having to disassemble the machine. The resulting machine not only acts much faster, but also is able to simultaneously handle different products, and boxes in many different ways.
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