US3908332A

US3908332A - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: US3908332A
Application number: US413796A
Authority: US
Inventors: William W Ebbinghaus; John H Myers
Original assignee: Federal Paper Board Co Inc
Current assignee: Federal Paper Board Co Inc; Riverwood Natural Resources Corp
Priority date: 1973-11-08
Filing date: 1973-11-08
Publication date: 1975-09-30
Anticipated expiration: 1992-09-30
Also published as: CA1012880A; FR2250673B3; FR2250673A1

Abstract

A packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound type blank of foldable sheet material a group of bottles arranged in double line with pairs thereof transversely aligned, which bottles are characterized by a body configuration having a larger cross sectional dimension in one direction than in the direction transverse thereto, the machine comprising an infeed conveyor on which a double line of the bottles are advanced in a path extending between a pair of parallel screw members which receive the bottles with the longer body dimension extending in the direction of advance of the bottles and which position the bottles in uniformly spaced relation and advance them beneath an overhead blank feeding mechanism which deposits blanks on successive groups of the bottles, the bottle and blank assemblies being then advanced to mechanism for partially folding the blanks about the bottles and finally to a forwarding conveyor mechanism which advances the assemblies through a mechanism for securing the ends of the blanks so that the blanks are in tight engagement with the bottles.

Description

TJnited States Patent Ebbinghaus et a1.

[751 Inventors: William W. Ebbinghaus, River Vale; John H. Myers. Bergenfield. both of NJ.

[73] Assignce: Federal Paper Board Company. lnc.,

Montvale. NJ.

[22] Filed: Nov. 8. 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 413,796

[52] US. Cl. 53/48; 198/34; 198/213 [51] Int. Cl. 1. B65B 21/04; B6513 2l/24 [58] Field of Search 53/48, 49. 26, 209-, 198/22 R, 22 B, 34 A, 213

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2.730.226 1/1956 Day et a1. 198/213 X 2.824.318 2/1958 Marzolf 198/213 x 2.962.846 12/1960 Marindin.. 29/208 B 3.004.650 10/1961 Pettee 198/34 A 3,367,086 2/1968 Ganz 53/48 3,545,165 12/1970- GrecnWalL... 53/48 X 3.766704 10/1973 Ganz 53/48 3.827.21 1 8/1974 Zavatone ct a1. 53/48 PACKAGING MACHINE FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS United Kingdom 198/34 A Primary Examiner-Robert L. Spruill Atlorney, Agent, or FirmGuy A. Greenawalt ABSTRACT rial a group of bottles arranged in double line withpairs thereof transversely aligned, which bottles are characterized by a body 'configuration having a larger cross sectional dimension in one direction than in the direction transverse thereto, the machine comprising an infeed conveyor on which a double line of the bottles are advanced in a path extending between a pair of parallel screw members which receive the bottles with the longer body dimension extending in the direction of advance of the bottles and which position, the bottles in uniformly spaced relation and advance them beneath an overhead blank feeding mechanism which deposits blanks on successive groups of the bottles, the bottle and blank assemblies being then advanced to mechanism for partially folding the blanks about the bottles and finally to a forwarding conveyor mechanism which advances the assemblies through a mechanism for securing the ends of the blanks so that the blanks are in tight engagement with the bottles. 1

7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures US. Patent Sept. 50,1975 Sheet 2 of4 3,908,332

TF1E1-4- B 1 ZN r US. Patent Sept. 30,1975 Sheet 3 of4 U.S. Patent 'Sept. 30,1975 Sheet4 0f4 3,908,332

1 PACKAGING MACHINE for packaging bottles or articles of similar shape in groupsof a predetermined number by wrapping about successive groups cut and scored blanks of foldable sheet material so'asto tightly enclose each group in a tube forming carton or carrier.

Wrapping machines have been developed heretofore for applying wraparound types of foldable carrier or carton blanks to assemblies of bottles or articles of like character. Generally, the bottles have been of a conventional type having a body with a round shape and there has been no need for any orientation of the bottles because of the shape nor any need for arranging the bottles in any particular orientation in the carton. Generally, the bottles in the wraparound type package have been assembled in double row formation. A typical machine for performing this type bottle wrapping operation is described in US. Pat. No. 3,303,631, granted Feb. 14, 1967, to Robert H. Ganz. In some other packaging operations employing the wraparound type blank, the bottles have been arranged in a single row or single line grouping and the packaging has been carried out by modified machinery originally designed for accommodating groups of bottles in double row formation. Very little modification of the machinery has been required to handle the single line grouping. However, when the bottles have a non-circular body configuration and the blank is apertured to receive the bottle necks, some arrangement must be made to place the bottles in a uniform arrangement so as to accept the blank and to permit it to be properly folded and the ends thereof connected. Suitable machinery for wrapping groups of one type of bottles of non-circular cross section in a single line arrangement, is disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 320,312, filed Jan. 2, 1973, by James F. Zavatone and John Myers now U.S. Pat. No. 3,827,211, issued Aug. 6, I974. Packaging some bottles of this general type in double row formation has presented problems and it is a general object of the present invention to "provide an improved machine for wrapping groups of bottles or similar articles in a wraparound blank, in double line or double row formation, which machine is capable of accommodating bottles having a body configuration which is noncircular with provision for assembling the bottles in a uniform position and in a double line arrangement, and retaining the same in alignment while the blank is deposited thereon and the bottle and blank assembly is advanced for operation by a mechanism for folding the blank about the bottles and wrapping the same in tight engagement about the groups thereof.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide A still more specific object of the invention is to provide a packaging machine for enclosing assemblies or groups of bottles or similar articles in wraparound carton or carrier forming blanks of paperboard or similar foldable sheet material wherein the machine is capable of packaging bottles having a curved body configuraan improved machine for wrapping groups of bottles or similar articles of similar shape in a wraparound carton or carrier blank where it is desirable to arrange the bottles in double line or double row formation for wrapping and to advance the same with uniform spacing to a mechanism for applying a cut and scored wrapper blank to successive groups of the bottles of the desired number, thereafter to advance the bottle and blank assemblies to mechanism for folding the blanks about the groups and securing the same so as to form packages in which the bottles are held in tightly wrapped engagement in the folded wrapper blank.

tion which are arranged in double row grouping, and wherein the machine has in-line apparatus for spacing and holding the bottles in proper orientation so that corresponding cross sectional dimensions extend in the same direction and means for advancing bottles to the blank feeding mechanism which is operable to deposit the blanks on successive groups of bottles, together with apparatus for folding the blanks and securing them in tight engagement about the successive bottle gro'ups. Another object of the invention is to provide a bottle wrapping machine which is capable of assembling bottles or similar articles in double row arrangement and in groups of a predetermined number and which is also capable of enclosing successive groups in a wraparound blank of paper-board or similar foldable sheet material, the machine including a mechanism for spacing the bottles in uniform double line arrangement when the bottles are of a type having a curved body configuration with a cross sectional dimension in one direction which is appreciably greater than in the direction which is transverse relative thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for wrapping carton forming blanks about groups of bottles in double row formation when the bottles have a body configuration which is non-circular in cross section and which has curved leading and trailing surfaces when in upright position in the carton, the mechanism including a pair of screw members which are arranged in parallel relation on opposite sides of the path along which the bottles are advanced which screw members have co-operating spiral threads arranged to engage the bottles so that the bottles are held at three circumferentially spaced points and advanced in uniform spaced relation while the wrapper forming blanks are deposited on successive groups of the bottles, after which the bottle and blank assemblies are advanced through a blank applying mechanism.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be-apparent from a consideration of the bottle packaging machine which is shown by way of illustra tion in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view, showing a machine which embodies the principal features of the invention and which is especially designed for packaging, in wraparound carton forming blanks, successive groups of bottles of a generally oval configuration in cross section and which will advance a double line of bottles in properly oriented and spaced relation for application of the carrier blanks-to groups of the bottles of the desired number;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mechanism of FIG. 1, with portions broken away or omitted;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view, to an enlarged scale, and with portions broken away, the view being taken on the line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view, to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away, the view being taken on the line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view, to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away, the view being taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional, view to an enlarged scale and with portions broken away, the view being taken on the line 66 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the bottle package which the illustrated machine is designed to produce;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the wrapper or carton blank which is employed in the illustrated machine to produce the package of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing a suitable drive arrangement for the moving elements of the illustrated machine.

Referring first to FIGS. 7 and 8, the package P, which the illustrated machine is adapted to form, comprises a group of bottles B in double row alignment and edge abutting relation which are substantially enclosed in a tubular carton formed by wrapping the blank W (FIG. 8) ako ut the assembled bottles B. In forming the package P the bottles B are assembled in a double line arrangement with orientation to a uniform position and spacing, a blank W is dropped on a predetermined number of bottles B and thereafter each bottle and blank assembly is advanced through mechanism which wraps the blank about the bottle assembly.

In the form shown the bottles B (FIGS. 2 to 6) have a base or bottom shape which is generally parabolic, and an upstanding curved side wall contour, with the longer side wall portions extending upwardly to a small tapered neck portion on the mouth of which there is a round cap. The shorter side wall portions taper outwardly and upwardly a short distance from the bottom and merge with inwardly and upwardly tapered top portions which extend to a round neck and mouth on which the cap is received. The shape of the bottles is such when they are advanced, as for example, from a label applying apparatus where a label is applied to the longer and flatter side face, in single line arrangement, the leading and trailing edge faces, due to the relatively small curvature, may overlap and result in irregular spacing of the bottles. The bottles B are arranged in the package P in a uniformly positioned double row or double line arrangement with oppositely disposed inner sides or faces of each pair thereof abutting and extending upwardly in a generally straight line engagement (FIG. 6).

The blank W (FIG. 8) is generally rectangular and is cut and scored to provide a top wall forming panel E having spaced apertures F for receiving necks of pairs of the bottles 8 when arranged in paired transverse alignment. Side wall panels G and H adjoin the top wall panel B and are separated therefrom by hinge forming score lines I and .1, respectively. The side wall panels G and H extend to score lines K and L forming hinge lines for relatively narrow, bottom wall forming panels M and N on the end margins of the blank. The one bottom wall forming panel M is provided with spaced apertures R which constitute female locking elements while the bottom wall panel N at the opposite end of the blank is provided with locking and latching assemblies S which constitute male locking elements for cooperation with the apertures R in holding the panels M and N in connected relation in the final form of the package. Each of the locking and latching assemblies S is hinged on a transverse hinge line T which is interrupted by generally C-shaped cutting lines, forming primary locking elements or lugs V, with latching fingers W on the opposite margin or edge of each assembly S. Each of the side wall panels G and H is provided Pat.

the bottom edge thereof with spaced apertures X which interrupt the hinge lines K and L and which are adapted to receive lugs on achain which advances the bottles during a part of the wrapping operation. Score lines Y and Z are in parallel, spaced relation with the score lines K andL, and connect the apertures X along the top margins thereof so as to permit outward bulging to some degree in the finished package, as indicated in FIG. 7. The locking panel assemblies S and the apertures X may be of the construction shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,857, granted to Henry R Ganz, on June 6, 1961, for connecting the bottom wall forming panels M and N.

The machine illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises bottle feeding mechanism 10 at the entrance end thereof which may be in the form of a double chain infeed conveyor for advancing a double row of bottles B, the latter being advanced on the conveyor 12 with the lesser cross sectional dimension extending transversely of the path of advance, that is, with the narrow side faces abutting. The bottles are advanced to a parallel screw mechanism 14 extending beneath a blank feeding mechanism 16 which deposits on successive groups of bottles, wrapper .or carton forming blanks W. The bottle and blank assemblies are advanced through a blank folding mechanism 18 where the carton side wall forming panels are folded down about the outer sides of the bottle assemblies and the bottom wall panels are folded beneath the same. The advance of the assemblies is taken over by a horizontally disposed conveyor mechanism 20 which carries the assemblies through a locking and latching mechanism 22. The mechanism 22 interengages and locks the male and female locking elements of the wrappers W so as to complete the packaging operations, resulting in packages P, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 7.

The bottles B are delivered at the entrance end of the illustrated machine on the conveyor 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2), the bottles being positioned with their greatest cross sectional dimension in the'direction of advance and generally having their narrow edge faces in abutting engagement or overlapping somewhat since the conveyor 12 is generally operating at a relatively high speed in a production line and delivering bottles from high speed filling or labeling machines. The two lines of the bottles are separated by a vertically disposed plate 24 which extends along the mechanism 14 and into a portion of the mechanism 18 and which co-operates with associated mechanismin holding the bottles in alignment. The bottles generally advance in the two lines in transverse paired arrangement.

The bottle aligning and spacing mechanism 14 comprises a pair of

screw members

25 and 26 which are mounted on parallel, laterally spaced

shafts

27 and 28 journaled in fixed machine frame members and disposed on opposite sides of the path along which the bottles are advanced while they are spaced and held in properly oriented and uniform spaced position. The screw or

auger members

25 and 26 are spaced to accommodate the two lines of bottles in the path along which they are advanced on the bottom plate 30 by cooperating spiral flanges or blades 31 and 32 on the auger members. .The

auger members

25 and 26 are connected to the main drivemechanism or other suitable drive means by sprocket and chain drive members indicated at 33 and 34 and aredriven in proper timed relation so as to hold the bottles B in transversely aligned pairs as they are advanced to a position for deposit of a wrapper blank W on a group thereof. The blades 31 and 32 are constructed and have a root diameter and pitch dimension such that each bottle B is engaged at two points, that is, on the curved leading and trailing edges or faces adjacent the outermost side face while the innermost side face engages the separating center plate 24, thus providing a three point, or tripod support for the bottle and holding the bottles in uniformly spaced relation and accurate alignment for receiving the blanks W.

The blank feeding mechanism 16 extends above the infeed conveyor 12 at the entrance portion of the aligning mechanism 14. The blank feeding mechanism 16 comprises a feed chain assembly 35 having pusher lugs 36 spaced to advance successive blanks W for discharge beneath a fixed, downwardly tilted guide member 37 in timed relation to the advance of the double row of bottles so as to deposit successive blanks in properly aligned relation on the top of a group of bottles while the bottles are supported on the bottom plate 30 beneath the

auger members

25 and 26 and are advancing to a point near the discharge end of the auger assembly 14, where advance of each group of bottles and its associated blank W is taken over by a bottom conveyor 38 which supports the assemblies while they are advanced through the folding mechanism 18. The conveyor 38 comprises a pair of endless traveling chains 40, 40' (FIGS. 1 and 5) moving in parallel, vertical planes and having co-operating, longitudinally spaced lugs 42 for engaging the trailing bottles of successive assemblies. The

chains

40, 40 are carried on pairs of end sprockets 43 and 44 which are axially spaced on

parallel cross shafts

45 and 46. One of the shafts 46 is driven by a suitable drive connection with the main drive for the machine, or other suitable power source, so as to advance the bottle and blank assemblies as they are discharged by the auger members. The spaced lugs 42 thereon engage each successive group of the bottles as they are discharged by the

augers

25 and 26. The assemblies are advanced between parallel

side guide plates

47, 47 to pair of laterally spaced,

folding blades

50 and 50 which are mounted in axially spaced relation on a cross shaft 52. The panel or blank fold down blades 50 and 50' are driven by a sprocket and chain connection 53 with a suitable drive mechanism. The blades 50 and 50' are rotated in spaced vertical planes to fold down opposite end portions of the blanks W on the fold lines I and J. As the assemblies are advanced by the bottom supporting

conveyor chains

40, 40 to a point beyond the

blades

50 and 50 the advance of the assemblies is taken over by the side chain assembly 20. The

side guide members

47, 47 terminate just beyond the

folding blades

50 and 50 and also the center bottle separating bar or rail 24, allowing the two groups of bottles of each assembly to come together with the folded down ends of the blank W being laid against the outside faces of the bottles by guide rails 54 and 54' (FIGS. 1 and 2) extending along opposite sides of the path of advance thereof.

The side chain assembly 20 comprises laterally spaced,

endless chains

56 and 56 moving on opposite sides of the path of advance of the bottle and blank assemblies and in horizontal planes. The

chains

56 and 56 have cooperating bottle engaging lugs 57, 57' thereon which are spaced to engage the trailing bottles of each assembly as the assemblies advance between parallel opposed runs thereof. The

chains

56 and 56 are mounted on end supporting sprockets, only the sprockets 60,61 and 60', 61' at the trailing ends being shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The sprockets 60, 61 and 60', 61 are mounted on

vertical shafts

62, 63 and 62, 63 and a like arrangement is provided at the leading ends of the chains so as to bring the opposed runs into properly spaced relation. The

chains

56, 56. are driven by suitable connection with the machine drive mechanism and timed so as to space the assemblies a sufficient distance apart for proper operation of the mechanism 22 for closing and connecting the bottom wall forming panels M and N.

A top panel hold down mechanism 65 (FIG. 1) is provided which comprises an endless chain 66 mounted for movement in a vertical plane above the path of the assemblies. The chain 66 is mounted on end sprockets 67, only one of which is illustrated in FIG. 1, which are supported in parallel cross rods 68, with the leading cross rod being driven by suitable connection with the main drive of the machine for other suitable power source. The chain 66 carries small cross rods or pressure bars 70 in spaced pairs and the bottom run of the chain 66 is guided by bar 71 so that the pairs of bars 70 engage and press on the top panel E of the partially folded blanks W as the bottle and blank assemblies move onto the bottom panel closing mechanism 22. The bottom panel closing and locking and latching mechanism 22 may be the construction disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,857, granted June 6, 1961 to Henry Ganz.

The various traveling elements of the machine are driven in a suitable manner, which may be by means of a power drive arrangement of the character which is illustrated schematically in FIG. 9. A drive motor 72 has its output shaft connected by a drive belt and pulley arrangement 73 with a speed control assembly 74 which is in turn connected by chain and sprocket drive connection 75 with a cross shaft 76 which constitutes the main drive shaft. The bottle infeed conveyor 12 has the leading ends of the conveyor chains carried on sprockets 77 on a cross shaft 78 extending beneath the

screw members

25, 26. The cross shaft 78 has a sprocket 83 connected by chain 84 with sprocket 85 on a cross shaft 86 above the entrance end of the

screw members

25, 26. The cross shaft 86 has a pair of sprockets 87 on which the leading ends of the chains for the feed chain assembly 35 are carried. A sprocket 88 on the shaft 78 is connected by chain 90 with a sprocket 92 on the main drive shaft 76. The

sprockets

33 and 34 on the

screws

25 and 26 are connected by

drive chains

93 and 94 with output sprockets 95 and 96 on right

angle drive assemblies

97 and 98 which drive assemblies have

input sprockets

100 and 102 connected by chains 103 and 104 with sprockets 105 and 106 on vertically disposed shafts 107 and 108. The lower ends of the shafts 107 and 108 are connected in driven relation with the main power shaft 76 by means of gear and pinion connections 110 and 111. The shaft 46, driving the conveyor 38, carries a sprocket 112 which is connected by chain 113 with a sprocket 113 on the main drive shaft 76. The shaft 52 on which the folder blades 50, 50' are mounted has the sprocket 53 connected by chain 114 with a sprocket 115 on the main drive shaft 76. The shaft 52 carries a sprocket 1 16 which is connected by chain 117 with a sprocket 118 on the cross shaft 68 for driving the chains 66 of the top panel hold down mechanism 65.. The vertically disposed shafts 62 and Q2. driving the side chain assembly 20. carry bottom. sprockets .120and 122 which are connected' by

chains

123 and 124 withsprockets'125 and 126 on the vertical shafts 107 and -108, Chain and sprocket and gear ratios are, of c,ourse,selected to provide the desired speed for the ;various elements and proper synchronization where needed.

The operation of the machine will be understood from the foregoing description. The bottles B enter the machine onthe double line conveyor 12 where they are in abutting relation with the longest cross sectional dimension in the direction of travel. Due to the relatively narrow-and curved leading and trailing bottle faces they may be overlapped in some degree. The bottles enter between the

parallel auger members

25, 26 and their'advance is taken over by the spiral blades 31, 32 on the auger members. The bottles are spaced uniformly and the blades, co-operating with the separating bar 24',engage the bottles near the leading and trailing faces or edges so that each bottle is held by a tripod engagement in predetermined orientation and successive groups of the bottles are uniformly arranged so as to accept in proper alignment the apertured blank W. As the bottles are advanced successive blanks W are deposited by blank feeding mechanism 16 on successive groups of bottles. The auger or spiral screw mechanism 14 delivers the bottle and blank assemblies to the fold down mechanism 18 which wipes down the ends of the blanks while the assemblies advance on the conveyor 40. At the delivery end of conveyor 40 the assemblies are transferred to the chain assembly 20 which spaces the assemblies and advances them through the bottom panel closing, locking and latching mechanism 22 where the wrapping is completed.

' We claim:

1. In a packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound blank of foldable sheet material a group of articles having the general shape of bottles in double row arrangement, said articles each being characterized by an upwardly extending tubular neck portion and a body configuration having a generally oval cross section with transversely curved vertical edge portions connecting relatively flat side portions and said blank having article neck receiving apertures in a double row arrangement in a top wall forming panel with the'apertures in transversely aligned pairs, an infeed conveyor for advancing two lines of the articles to *an'assoc'iated apparatus for uniformly positioning and holding. the articles in uniformly spaced, double lines with pairs thereof transversely aligned, which positioning apparatus includes laterally spaced, parallel auger members having co-operating spiral grooves in which the articles are received, and which constitute means formed to orient the articles so that the long axis thereof extends parallel to the axes of the auger members and the flat side portions thereof face in a direction transversely of the path of advance thereof andto space the articles uniformly and hold them with the neck portions in double row'arrangement corresponding to the aperture arrangement of the apertures in the blank, and an overhead blank feeding-mechanism, for depositing blanks-onto successive groups of a predetermined number of articles, while the-articles are advanced by said auger members, andmeans fo driving the auger members and the blank feeding mechanism in timed relation for deposit of the blanks on the suc cessive groups .of articles while the articles are held by said auger members in oriented and aligned position so that said neck portions are received in the apertures in said blanks.

2. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said auger members have spiral blades with a predetermined pitch dimension which is such that said blades will engage the articles at longitudinally spaced points which are adjacent the leading and trailing edge faces of the articles.

3. A packaging machine as set forth in claim' 1 wherein there is a relatively this separating plate disposed in a vertical plane between said auger members and between the lines of articles and wherein said auger members are of a diameter and have article engaging spiral blades with a predetermined pitch dimension which is such that said blades will engage the outer side faces of each article at two longitudinally spaced points while the innermost side face of each articles is urged against said separating plate thereby providing a tripod support for holding each article as it is advanced in uniformly spaced relation and for positioning the articles for deposit of blanks with the neck portions spaced so as to be received in the apertures in the blanks.

4. In a packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound blank of foldable sheet material a group of articles having the general shape of bottles in double line arrangement, said blank including a top wall forming panel with article neck receiving apertures in predetermined double row, transversely paired arrangement, said articles being characterized by a cylindrical neck portion and a body configuration having a generally oval cross section with a long axis having a dimension which is substantially greater than the dimension transverse thereto and having vertical edges between the longer sides with a transverse curvature merging into relatively flat faces on said longer sides, an infeed conveyor with means for advancing a double line of the articles in edge confronting relation to an orienting, spacing and holding means, said orienting, spacing and hold means comprising laterally spaced, parallel auger members disposed on opposite sides of a vertically extending line separating plate member, said auger members having spiral grooves in which the articles are received and which are constructed to provide spiral blades with a predetermined uniform pitch dimension and a root diameter which enables the blades to engage the articles at leading and trailing edges and hold them against said vertical plate member in uniformly oriented and spaced relation while they are advanced beneath an overhead mechanism for depositing blanks onto successive groups of a predetermined number of articles, and means for driving said auger members and said blank depositing mechanism in timed relation so as to position groups of articles with the neck portions spaced and aligned according to the spacing and alignment of the apertures in the blanks so as to enable deposit of the blanks with the neck portions extending through the apertures.

5. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said auger members have spiral blades with a uniform pitch dimension which are constructed and operated to co-operate in holding the articles in transverse paired alignment while they are advanced.

6. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 4 1 wherein said auger members have relatively thin, continuous spiral blades with a predetermined pitch di mension and root diameter which is such that said spiral blades will engage outer side faces of said articles at two longitudinally spaced points and the spacing from said vertical plate member is such that the innermost side face of each article is forced into engagement with said vertical plate member thereby providing a tripod support for holding each of the articles and for advancing them in uniformly spaced relation and with uniform positioning for deposit of blanks with said neck portions received in said apertures.

7. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spiral grooves for receiving the articles are positing mechanism.

Claims

1. In a packaging machine for enclosing in a cut and scored wraparound blank of foldable sheet material a group of articles having the general shape of bottles in double row arrangement, said articles each being characterized by an upwardly extending tubular neck portion and a body configuration having a generally oval cross section with transversely curved vertical edge portions connecting relatively flat side portions and said blank having article neck receiving apertures in a double row arrangement in a top wall forming panel with the apertures in transversely aligned pairs, an infeed conveyor for advancing two lines of the articles to an associated apparatus for uniformly positioning and holding the articles in uniformly spaced, double lines with pairs thereof transversely aligned, which positioning apparatus includes laterally spaced, parallel auger members having co-operating spiral grooves in which the articles are received, and which constitute means formed to orient the articles so that the long axis thereof extends parallel to the axes of the auger members and the flat side portions thereof face in a direction transversely of the path of advance thereof and to space the articles uniformly and hold them with the neck portions in double row arrangement corresponding to the aperture arrangement of the apertures in the blank, and an overhead blank feeding mechanism, for depositing blanks onto successive groups of a predetermined number of articles, while the articles are advanced by said auger members, and means for driving the auger members and the blank feeding mechanism in timed relation for deposit of the blanks on the successive groups of articles while the articles are held by said auger members in oriented and aligned position so that said neck portions are received in the apertures in said blanks.

3. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is a relatively this separating plate disposed in a vertical plane between said auger members and between the lines of articles and wherein said auger members are of a diameter and have article engaging spiral blades with a predetermined pitch dimension which is such that said blades will engage the outer side faces of each article at two longitudinally spaced points while the innermost side face of each articles is urged against said separating plate thereby providing a tripod support for holding each article as it is advanced in uniformly spaced relation and for positioning the articles for deposit of blanks with the neck portions spaced so as to be received in the apertures in the blanks.

6. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said auger members have relatively thin, continuous spiral blades with a predetermined pitch dimension and root diameter which is such that said spiral blades will engage outer side faces of said articles at two longitudinally spaced points and the spacing from said vertical plate member is such that the innermost side face of each article is forced into engagement with said vertical plate member thereby providing a tripod support for holding each of the articles and for advancing them in uniformly spaced relation and with uniform positioning for deposit of blanks with said neck portions received in said apertures.

7. A packaging machine as set forth in claim 4 wherein said spiral grooves for receiving the articles are formed by relatively thin, continuous spiral blades with a predetermined uniform pitch dimension, and with a uniform root diameter which enables the blades to engage the articles at two spaced points adjacent the merging areas of the leading and trailing vertical edge faces with the outermost side faces while holding the innermost side faces against said separating plate member thereby providing a triangular three point support for holding each article in uniformly spaced and positioned relation so that groups thereof are positioned for receiving properly aligned blanks from said blank depositing mechanism.