A handle applicator includes controller that receives signals concerning marks on an endless band. The controller controls a contact body to be between a release position, in which a handle applicator is freely driven and a drawing position, in which the contact body contacts the endless band of material prior to its being cut to form the handle. The contact body moves along a continuum of positions between the release position and the drawing position based on actual position data indicative of actual positions of position markings on the handle.

A carrier for a plurality of containers includes an upper web having a plurality of upper web apertures, each for receiving a chime and a neck of one of the containers therethrough. Each upper web aperture has a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof. Each tab is configured for bending upward when contacting the chime of one of the containers. A lower web has a plurality of lower web apertures, each for receiving a body of one of the containers therethrough. A side web connects the upper web with the lower web, and may be formed together with the upper web and the lower web as a single piece, or into two separate portions that may be adhered or otherwise fastened together.

A system for forming retained container groups from an arrayed container group (ACG) via application of an adapted retainer blank to the ACG is generally provided. The system is advantageously characterized by a container conveyance apparatus for conveying arrayed container groups, a supply of retainer blanks from which retainer blanks are dispensable, and a processing station characterized by a segment of the container conveyance apparatus, a die block, for receipt of a dispensed retainer blank from the supply of retainer blanks, and a robotic arm equipped with an end of arm tool (EOAT). The robotic arm is operable so as to selectively position the EOAT within the processing station, the EOAT positionable for urged engagement of a dispensed retainer blank received upon the die block so as to form and secure an adapted retainer blank, the robotic arm thereafter positionable to register the secured adapted retainer blank with a conveyed ACG conveyed on the segment of the container conveyance apparatus of the processing station, the robotic arm further positionable to apply the secured adapted retainer blank to the registered conveyed ACG to thereby form at least two retained container group packs from the registered conveyed ACG.

A system for packaging two or more containers with a paperboard carrier having two or more apertures. Each aperture has a plurality of tabs formed at an inside edge thereof that bend upward when contacting a lower edge of a chime of one of the containers. The system includes a platen having apertures for pressing the carrier down uniformly onto the containers and carrier supports configured for maintaining the carrier in a flat configuration as the platen presses the carrier onto the containers substantially simultaneously. Some embodiments of the system include a manual applicator, while other embodiments include a semi-automatic apparatus that utilize linear actuators to facilitate loading the carriers and applying the carriers to a group of containers. Methods of use are also disclosed.

A high-speed automated ring carrier applicator system and methods of using the same are provided. The applicator system is operable to be loaded with a magazine of ring carriers and individually apply them to a plurality of individual containers for beverages, food, pharmaceuticals, or other goods. The ring carriers may include a plurality of full or partial apertures (e.g., 2 to 12, or other numbers of apertures), each with a neck-engaging locking mechanism to receive and hold a container.

Holding system (2) for a row (3) of individual pots (4), intended to facilitate shelving of a row of individual pots that are aligned in a longitudinal direction (X), with the pots (4) being of the type that has a bottom wall (5), a side wall (6) that is closed on itself, and a collar (8) at one end (4a, 4b) of the pot. The system includes a pot-holding assembly (10), extending in a longitudinal direction (X), and including a large number of gripping surfaces (12) that can exert a support on the collars (8) of the pots (4) of a row of individual pots, a large number of gripping counter-surfaces (13) that can exert a counter-support on the pots (4) of the row of individual pots such that the pots are sandwiched and held between the gripping surfaces (12) and the gripping counter-surfaces (13) of the pot-holding assembly.

A method is described for making a pack of smoking products having an ordered group of packets containing smoking products and positioned in contact with each other, wherein the group of packets has a closed lateral surface around a theoretical axis of the group of packets, which delimits two opposite surfaces of the group of packets, each of which surfaces is defined by the set of homologous surfaces of all the packets. The method includes unwinding from a reel at least one adhesive tape and applying it to the closed lateral surface and completely around the latter, to hold the packets of the group together solely by means of the at least one adhesive tape.

A conveyor system for grouping containers includes a first track including a first plurality of lugs, each lug having a respective gripper coupled thereto configured to drive containers along the first track and a second track configured to move a second plurality of lugs wherein each of the lugs is coupled to a respective gripper configured to receive containers from the first track, and move the containers along the second track wherein the grippers of the second track contact the container while the gripper of the first track contacts the container.

An apparatus for coupling one or more can carriers to a plurality of cans is disclosed herein. The apparatus may include rails for guiding the cans as the cans move through the apparatus. Push members may be moved into the space between the rails to push the cans through the apparatus towards a member and at least one roller. The member (e.g., a hopper) may position a can carrier above the cans. The at least one roller may be positioned to provide a downward force on the can carrier to attach the can carrier to the top of the cans as the cans are moved past the at least one roller by the push members.

A packaging device (1) for articles, such as beverage containers and the like, is disclosed. The packaging device (1) comprises at least one transport device (3) for articles and at least one manipulator. By the at least one transport device, articles can be moved into a working area of the at least one manipulator. The at least one manipulator can apply a respective outer packaging from above to articles moving into its working area within the context of a first packaging process and/or can place articles from above onto a respective outer packaging within the context of the first packaging process. In addition, a second packaging process is provided for the packaging device (1), which second packaging process comprises a lateral insertion of articles into a respective outer packaging not provided for in the first packaging process.