Continuous circular motion case packing and depacking apparatus and method

An apparatus and method for continuously transferring articles from a pickup station to a release station using a circular, continuously rotating turret is disclosed which includes a plurality of transfer arms carried in a circular motion wherein pickup heads carried by the transfer arms are converted from the circular motion to a straight-line motion during pick up of the articles to provide a case packing machine having high speed and reliable operation. In accordance with the general aspects of the invention, a first conveyor is disclosed for conveying the articles to a pickup station and a second conveyor is provided for delivering the articles away from a release station. One of the first and second conveyors includes an arcuate conveyor section disposed below a congruent path of the pickup heads. At least one of the pickup and release stations is advantageously located over the arcuate conveyor section whereby high speed operation requiring only a small amount of machine floor space is provided. When utilized as a case packing machine, both the pickup heads and grid heads, which define a plurality of guides through which the articles are released at the case packing station, are moved in a translatory motion during article pick up.