	US 7,536,842 B2
	Machine and a method for filling box-like containers with articles arranged side by side and vertically
Francesco Ponti, Cerbara-Citta'di Castello (Italy)
Assigned to C.M.C. S.r.l., Cerbara-Citta'di Castello (Perugia) (Italy)
Appl. No. 11/815,634 PCT Filed Feb. 16, 2006, PCT No. PCT/IB2006/000307 § 371(c)(1), (2), (4) Date Aug. 06, 2007, PCT Pub. No. WO2006/087622, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 24, 2006.
Claims priority of application No. BO2005A0077 (IT), filed on Feb. 17, 2005.
Prior Publication US 2008/0141619 A1, Jun. 19, 2008
Int. Cl. B65B 5/10 (2006.01); B65B 35/30 (2006.01); B65B 39/12 (2006.01); B65G 47/26 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 53—475 [53/158; 53/248; 53/251; 198/418; 198/431]

11 Claims

1. A method for filling a series of box-like containers with articles arranged side by side and vertically, the method comprising:

providing an article feeding apparatus (2) and first means (5) for supporting and moving box-like containers

placing said article feeding apparatus (2) in a position corresponding to a first box-like container (4), belonging to the series of the box-like containers;

inserting the articles (10) supplied by the article feeding apparatus (2) into a first box-like container (4), in a vertical orientation, in step relation with the movement of the first box-like container in a container feeding direction (G), until a prefixed filling condition of the first box-like container (4) is achieved;

stopping the feeding of the articles (10) by the article feeding apparatus (2);

removing said article feeding apparatus (2) from the first box-like container (4) and moving at least said first box-like container (4) and a second box-like container (6), belonging to the series of box-like containers and adjacent to the first box-like container (4) in a feeding direction (G), using the first supporting and moving means (5);

placing the article feeding apparatus (2) in a position corresponding to the second box-like container (6);

providing a first dwelling station (15), situated in cascade with respect to the first supporting means (5);

providing a second dwelling station (16), situated beside the first dwelling station (15);

providing first pushing means (17), connected to said first dwelling station (15), for transferring the box-like containers, belonging to the series of box-like containers, from said first dwelling station (15) to said second dwelling station (16);

providing second support and moving means (18) for supporting and moving the series of box-like containers in a feeding direction (F), substantially opposite to said article feeding direction (G), and having an initial section adjacent to the second dwelling station (16);

operating second pushing means (19), connected to said second dwelling station (16), in step relation with an activation of said first pushing means (17) for transferring the box-like containers, belonging to the series of box-like containers, from said second dwelling station (16) onto said second support and moving means (18).