Spacer-tray loading machine

摘要

A spacer-tray loading machine loads cans or other containers into nestable spacer trays. The spacer trays are shaped with a plurality of container-bottom receptacles in a row-column array and nest together when empty to form a stack. The spacer-tray loading machine comprises a multiple-lane container feeder for supplying containers arranged in parallel rows to a tray loading area of the machine. The number of lanes equals the number of columns of container-bottom receptacles in the spacer tray. The spacer-tray loading machine further comprises a stacked-tray supply conveyor for advancing a horizontal stack of trays towards a tray-withdrawal end of the stack. The spacer-track loading machine also includes a tray feeder utilizing a pivotally mounted pull-and-drop arm for withdrawing spacer trays one at a time from the stack and utilizing at least one air-blast nozzle for translating and reorienting the trays thus withdrawn to supply trays to the tray loading area in an approximately horizontal orientation below the rows of containers from the container feeder and with the rows of container-bottom receptacles of the trays extending substantially perpendicular to the rows of containers. The spacer-tray loading machine also comprises a metering tray loader for advancing containers and trays effectively in synchronism through the tray loading area and for seating bottom portions of the containers in the container-bottom receptacles of the trays as the containers and trays advance.