Packaging machine for packaging bottles/cans into preformed cartons comprising a carton conveyor, an article infeed conveyor and a carton sealing compression assembly unit comprising endless belts on opposite sides biased against cartons to accommodate variations in carton width

摘要

An article packaging machine 11 comprises a frame, carton conveyor means mounted to the frame defining a carton path, an infeed conveyor assembly on one side of the carton path having an infeed end and a discharge end, a compression assembly mounted adjacent the discharge end, and means for yieldably biasing flights of first and second moving endless belts 26, 27 of the compression assembly toward each other substantially along the entire lengths of the flights for accommodating carton-to-carton variances in the distance between opposed ends of the cartons as the cartons move between the flights. The compression assembly maintains the cartons along a fixed centreline as the cartons travel the lengths of the flights along the carton path. Each flight of the endless belts has a front surface facing the carton path and a back surface opposite the front surface. The means for yieldably biasing the flights comprises a first upstanding bracket 32 having a first upstanding backer plate 34 positioned to bear against the back surface of one of the flights and a second bracket having a second upstanding backer plate positioned to bear against the back surface of the other end of the flights. Linear bearings 36 movably mount the brackets to the frame for relative movement towards and away from each other. Biasing means 38 yieldably bias the brackets towards each other. An alignment rib on the back surface of each flight and a corresponding aligned groove extend along each of the backer plates, the ribs riding in the grooves to maintain the flights in vertical alignment.