Twin packaging line and metering system

Abstract

A packaging machine comprising two independent paths ( 26, 28 ) upon which articles (C) to be contained by a carton ( 6 ) are conveyed from an infeed end ( 56 ) to an integral tertiary packaging device ( 12, 24 ). Cartons directly output from said two independent paths are merged and combined with a tertiary package ( 8 ), the tertiary packages are conveyed along a transfer means out of said tertiary packaging device travelling at a speed the same as that of each of the two independent paths ( 26, 28 ).

1 . A packaging machine comprising at least two independent paths upon which primary articles to be contained in groups in secondary packages are conveyable from an infeed end of the packaging machine to an integral tertiary packaging device whereat secondary packages directly output from each of said two independent paths are merged and combined with a tertiary package blank wherein tertiary packages loaded with more than one secondary package are formed and conveyed along a transfer means out of said tertiary packaging device travelling at a speed substantially the same as the speed of each of the two independent paths upon which incoming primary articles are disposed. 
     
     
         2 . A packaging machine according to  claim 1  comprising a device for grouping articles operable to interact with primary articles disposed on two independent paths simultaneously. 
     
     
         3 . A packaging machine according to  claim 2 , the device for grouping articles being disposed between said two independent paths for grouping and metering primary articles conveyed on each of the two paths simultaneously, the device comprising spacer elements disposed back-to-back and coupled by a common drive means such that the spacer elements are operable in synchrony on the streams of primary articles disposed on said two independent paths. 
     
     
         4 . A packaging machine according to  claim 1  comprising a transfer conveyor for supplying a tertiary package blank to the tertiary packaging device for combination with the secondary packages being merged, the transfer conveyor having an infeed end disposed above or below a horizontal plane containing said two independent paths and being inclined such that an output end of the transfer conveyor is disposed between and in substantially co-planar alignment with an output end of said two independent paths whereat the secondary packages are merged and combined with the tertiary package blank. 
     
     
         5 . A packaging machine according to  claim 4  comprising a finishing device disposed upstream of said tertiary packaging device, the finishing device being structured and arranged to receive articles directly output from the tertiary packaging device, and to convey finished packages out of said finishing device along a transfer means travelling at the same speed as each of the paths upon which incoming primary articles are disposed. 
     
     
         6 . A packaging machine according to  claim 1  comprising a means for supply of secondary package blanks to each of the two independent paths for combination with the primary articles of each of those two independent paths; a means for supply of tertiary packages for combination with packaged primary articles output from each of the two independent paths, the means of supply of the tertiary package blanks disposed proximate to the means for supply of the secondary package blanks; and a single loading device operable to load, in turn, secondary package blanks and tertiary package blanks to the respective means for supplying secondary package blanks and tertiary package blanks. 
     
     
         7 . A device for grouping articles to be contained by a secondary carton, the device comprising a first series of spacer elements arranged to move along a pre-determined path, each spacer element operable to engage at least one article from a first infeed stream and to convey articles through a working reach of the device, the device further comprising a second series of spacer elements arranged to move along a similar pre-determined path, each spacer element of the second series operable to engage at least one article from a second infeed stream of articles, wherein a spacer element of the first series of spacer elements is coupled to a spacer element of the second series of spacer elements by a drive means such that the coupled spacer elements are conveyed at the same speed. 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 7  wherein the spacer elements of the first and second series are disposed back-to-back and operate on separate streams of primary articles disposed on separate independent conveyors to synchronise the processing of primary articles on said separate independent conveyors such that primary articles processed by the device as they are conveyed on each of said separate independent conveyors are similarly grouped and metered and output from the output end of their respective separate independent conveyor in synchrony. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 8  wherein spacer elements of the first series are coupled to spacer elements of the second series in pairs by means of a common bar and said pairs of spacer elements structured and arranged to follow a cam-path of the device to control and synchronise their journey through the working reach of the device. 
     
     
         10 . A loading device for supplying articles such as blanks to a machine for processing those articles, the loading device comprising a loading mechanism, a first conveyor for supplying pallets loaded with articles; a conveyor for removal of empty pallets and a first pallet lift wherein the conveyor for supplying pallets loaded with articles is disposed in substantially parallel alignment with the conveyor for removal of empty pallets such that full pallets are deliverable as empty pallets are removable. 
     
     
         11 . A loading device according to  claim 10  wherein the loading mechanism is operable to take articles from the loaded pallet and supply them to one or more in-feed points of a packaging machine and wherein the first pallet lift is operable to move a pallet from the first conveyor for supplying pallets loaded with articles to the conveyor for removal of empty pallets once the loading mechanism has taken articles from the loaded pallet. 
     
     
         12 . A loading device according to  claim 11  further comprising a second conveyor for supplying loaded pallets and a second pallet lift, wherein the same loading mechanism is also operable to take articles from a loaded pallet on the second conveyor and supply them to another in-feed point of a packaging machine and wherein the second pallet lift is operable to move a pallet from the second conveyor for supplying pallets to the said conveyor for removal of empty pallets, which conveyor for removal of empty pallets services both the first and second conveyors for supplying loaded pallets.