U.S. patent number 3,650,566 [Application Number 04/869,026] was granted by the patent office on 1972-03-21 for machine for arranging cans in position.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Aluminum Company of America. Invention is credited to John E. Brock, Richard G. Lee, Max L. Panzer, Allen K. Schleicher.
United States Patent |
3,650,566 |
Lee , et al. |
March 21, 1972 |
MACHINE FOR ARRANGING CANS IN POSITION
Abstract
A machine for arranging cans or comparable objects in position
has a first conveyor frictionally supporting round cans from the
bottom. The first conveyor forms the bottom wall of a tunnel a side
wall of which is a second, faster conveyor having partition walls
extending partly across the tunnel and defining can receiving
pockets. The tunnel is partly evacuated and air flows in through
the tunnel portal. A can on the first conveyor, advancing at
random, arrives at the portal and when opposite an advancing
partition substantially blocks air ingress. Differential air
pressure on the can accelerates the can toward the next advanced
pocket. Movement of the accelerated can reduces air pressure and
affects the air flow so as to tend to hold the can in registry with
the pocket. As the can advances, it is also moved laterally into
the pocket by transverse air flow or by a converging tunnel wall or
both. The pocketed can emerges from the tunnel to the atmosphere in
an appropriate position.
Inventors: |
Lee; Richard G. (Carmel Valley,
CA), Schleicher; Allen K. (Carmel, CA), Panzer; Max
L. (Pebble Beach, CA), Brock; John E. (Pebble Beach,
CA) |
Assignee: |
Aluminum Company of America
(Pittsburgh, PA)
|
Family
ID: |
25352800 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/869,026 |
Filed: |
October 24, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/456; 198/493;
198/458; 198/803.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G
47/31 (20130101); B65B 35/243 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
35/00 (20060101); B65B 35/24 (20060101); B65G
47/31 (20060101); B60t 013/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;198/162,164,22,34,210,179 ;302/11,12,13,19,2 ;214/1BS,309 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Forlenza; Gerald M.
Assistant Examiner: Forsberg; Jerold M.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A machine for arranging cans in position comprising a frame,
means for supporting a can on said frame, means on said frame
defining a portal disposed in a plane and having an opening
slightly larger than the outline of said can, means for
establishing a current of air through said portal in a
predetermined direction from the upstream side thereof to the
downstream side thereof, means on said frame on the downstream side
of said portal establishing for said can a predetermined capture
location moving in said direction, and means for moving said can on
the upstream side of said portal into a position in said current of
air wherein said can is accelerated in said predetermined direction
by said current of air to move through said portal onto the
downstream side thereof substantially into registry with said
predetermined moving capture location, one boundary of said portal
being defined by the portion in said plane of a member having an
undulatory surface extending in a direction generally normal to
said plane and defining a can capture pocket generated by a line
element moving always parallel to said plane and to said one
boundary, and means for moving said member relative to said frame
in a direction normal to said plane.
2. A machine as in claim 1, in which one boundary of said portal is
defined by the portion in said plane of said can supporting means
and said can moving means and in which said can supporting means
and said can moving means is a conveyor adapted frictionally to
engage a can and is adapted to advance in said predetermined
direction.
3. A machine as in claim 1 in which said means for establishing
said capture location moving in said direction includes back walls
extending generally normal to the plane of said portal and
partition walls disposed generally parallel to the plane of said
portal and adapted to lie close to a side of said can, said
partition walls being spaced apart in a direction normal to the
plane of said portal to define pockets adapted to receive said
can.
4. A machine as in claim 1 in which said means defining said portal
includes a wall having a surface downstream of said portal
converging transversely of said predetermined direction and toward
said capture location.
5. A machine as in claim 1 in which said means for moving said
member advances said member in said predetermined direction at a
predetermined rate and in which said can supporting means and said
can moving means is a conveyor frictionally engaging said can and
advancing said can in said predetermined direction at a rate slower
than said predetermined rate.
6. A machine for arranging cans in position comprising a frame, a
substantial enclosure on said frame defined on the bottom by a
smooth conveyor belt adapted to supported a can thereon, defined on
one side by a conveyor having can capturing pockets therein,
defined on the other side by a wall converging toward said one
side, and defined on the top by a plate terminating at a
predetermined location and with said conveyor belt, said conveyor
and said wall establishing a portal having substantially the
outline of a can passing therethrough, means for subjecting said
enclosure to a subatmospheric pressure, and
7. A machine as in claim 6 in which said conveyor advances faster
than a can on said conveyor belt.
8. A machine for arranging cans in position comprising a friction
belt adapted to advance a can at a predetermined rate, a pocket
conveyor having can capturing pockets therein, means for mounting
said friction belt and said pocket conveyor to operate in
juxtaposed substantially parallel paths, means for driving said
friction belt and said pocket conveyor in the same direction and
with said pocket conveyor advancing faster than said predetermined
rate, and means operating in response to the presence of a can at a
predetermined location on said friction belt for accelerating said
can into a position advancing in registry with a pocket on said
pocket conveyor.
9. A machine for arranging cans in position comprising a frame, an
elongated means on said frame for supporting a can and defining the
bottom of a planar portal disposed transversely of said supporting
means, a wall on said frame extending along said supporting means
and defining a side of said portal, a cover on said frame extending
over said supporting means and along said wall and defining the top
of said portal, a member on said frame extending substantially
parallel to said wall, said member having an undulatory surface
providing a can pocket facing said wall and defining the other side
of said portal, means on said frame for moving said member parallel
to itself whereby the size of said portal is varied in accordance
with the variation in said undulatory surface, and means on said
frame for flowing air through said portal in a direction
substantially normal to the plane thereof.
10. A machine as in claim 9 in which said wall on the downstream
side of said portal extends diagonally across at least part of said
supporting means.
11. A machine as in claim 10 in which said wall extends diagonally
across said supporting means into a location close to the side of a
can in said can pocket.
Description
There are many environments in which it is desired to handle a
number of cans, either empty or full, at a relatively high speed.
The purpose may be making, processing, labeling, filling or the
like. To accomplish many of these functions, it is necessary to
have the can related or positioned in a certain way. Furthermore,
it is desirable to handle the cans at a relatively rapid rate and
to prevent them from being damaged or injured in the machinery, or
from having any previously applied labels battered or destroyed.
There is a particular requirement for taking cans that arrive at
random, either in close juxtaposition or at random spacing or at
random time and presenting them to later processing machinery in an
orderly fashion with the cans each in a predetermined spaced or
selected position.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a machine
for arranging cans in which the cans are handled quickly, although
gently, and without damage, either to themselves or to the
surrounding mechanism.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will
accept cans arriving at random times or in random positions or both
and then arrange the cans so that they proceed in predetermined or
known positions for further work.
A further object of the invention is to avoid back pressure on a
line of arriving cans and in general to provide an improved machine
for arranging cans.
Other objects together with the foregoing are attained in the
embodiments of the invention described in the accompanying
description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which:
FIG. 1 is a plan, somewhat diagrammatic, of one form of machine for
arranging cans pursuant to the invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the
line 2--2 of FIG. 1 but drawn to an enlarged scale;
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a portion of a mechanism similar to
that shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a diagram similar to that in FIG. 3 but showing an
alternate form of a device; and
FIG. 5 is a cross section, the plane of which is indicated by the
line 5--5 of FIG. 4.
While the machine for arranging cans, pursuant to our invention,
can be embodied in a large number of different ways, it has
successfully been incorporated in the forms indicated herein. The
cans, for illustration only, are shown as generally circular
cylindrical bodies having the usual proportions of cans customarily
now in use but other shapes are acceptable.
Such cans are illustrated only for purposes of explanation, since
cans of other configurations can also be equally well handled in
the machine. Furthermore, while there issue of the term "cans"
herein, the intent is also to include other objects, such as
bottles and containers which have characteristics sufficiently like
those of the customary circular cylindrical cans, so that they can
be handled in the present mechanism.
Pursuant to the invention, there is provided a main frame 6
supported from the floor in any convenient way. Mounted on the
frame 6 is a runway 7 affording a support for a first conveyor 8.
This includes a conveyor chain 9 (FIG. 2) having thereon a
plurality of cross-plates 11 designed to support and frictionally
engage the bottom of cans 12 resting thereupon. The first conveyor
8 has a straight portion and is of a width substantially greater
than the can diameter. Cans passing into the device are directed
along one side of the conveyor by a pair of guides 13 and 14. Cans
arrive at random on the conveyor and are frictionally advanced at a
predetermined rate in the direction of the arrow 16 (FIG. 1).
A pair of upright shafts 18 and 19 are arranged on the frame 6 at a
convenient distance apart and parallel to each other. Each of the
shafts carries a pair of sprocket wheels 21 and 22. Around the
pairs of wheels are trained link chains 23 and 24 having thereon
cross cleats 26 all included in a second conveyor 27. The cleats
are fastened to both of the chains 23 and 24 so that each of the
cleats is upright. Each cleat has a back wall 28 and an outstanding
partition wall 29 extending substantially at a right angle to the
back wall 28. The partition walls 29 define between them a
plurality of pockets 31 each of a size readily to receive one of
the cans 12.
The second conveyor 27 is arranged on the frame 6 so that it has a
straight portion extending along the straight portion of the first
conveyor 8. In fact, the first conveyor 8 and the second conveyor
27 respectively define the bottom and one side of a tunnel,
generally designated 32. The tunnel is also bounded by an opposite
side wall 33 in a block 34 supported on the frame 6 and closed by a
cover plate 36. The end margin 37 of the cover plate lies in a
transverse plane intersecting the conveyors 8 and 27 as well as the
block wall 33 and thus demarks a tunnel entrance portal 38. The
tunnel communicates with a chamber 39 joined to a duct 41 extending
to a source of subatmospheric pressure indicated by the arrow 42 in
FIG. 2. The interior of the tunnel is operated at less than
atmospheric pressure and because of the lower pressure within the
tunnel there is an inflow through the portal 38.
When this mechanism operates, the first conveyor 8 advances to the
right, in FIG. 1, at a predetermined speed, usually constant,
whereas the adjacent run of the second conveyor 27 advances through
the tunnel toward the right, in FIG. 1, at a slightly greater
speed. Cans 12 arrive at random, often close to each other or in
contact with each other on the first conveyor 8. The cans may run
exactly at the supporting conveyor speed but also may slip somewhat
and lag in speed. The leading can finally arrives at the portal 38.
As the leading can so advances, it is overtaken by the one of the
partition walls 29 which enters the portal at about the same time.
Since the partition wall extends for a substantial distance
transversely of the tunnel and since the advancing can then
occupies a large part of the remaining portal area, there is left
only a small remaining area. The interior of the tunnel is
partially evacuated so a can in the portal and substantially
alongside a partition wall is promptly subjected to low pressure on
the downstream projected area and the atmosphere acting on the
upstream projected area thereof. The portal is not completely
blocked by the partition and the can. Rather, there is a small
space left around the sides of the can so that air at a relatively
high velocity flows around the can. This rapidly flowing air tends
to act as a cushion so that the can sides and the adjacent machine
parts are held out of physical contact, thus protecting the can
surface and any label or imprinting that may be present.
As shown in FIG. 1 and as illustrated, somewhat diagrammatically,
in FIG. 3, at the portal 38 the randomly advancing, foremost can
12, as shown at the left of the figures, substantially is
positioned between an overtaking partition wall 29 and the side
wall 33. Air flowing into the tunnel 32 past the foremost can,
flows on both sides thereof as shown by the arrows 43. As the can
partially blocks the space in the portal between the passing
partition 29 and the sidewall 33, and the can is subjected to an
accelerating force due to differential air pressure, substantially
the only resisting force is the friction of the can bottom on the
plates 11 of the first conveyor 8. This is not sufficient to hold
the can in place on the plates 11 and the can begins to overtake
the partition wall 29. As the can advances through the portal and
ahead of the advancing partition wall 29 the air on the opposite
sides of the can is throttled somewhat less than before, reducing
the differential pressure and the acceleration due thereto. Some
retarding is due to friction against the conveyor 8. Also, after
the can has been accelerated through the relatively narrow aperture
or portal, partly defined by the partition wall 29, there is a
retarding force on the rear quarters of the can tending to hold the
can somewhat in alignment with the pocket 31 momentarily alongside.
This is believed to be akin to the forces that hold a ball in place
at the top of a rising fluid jet, often referred to as a Bernoulli
effect which also tends to center the can between side boundaries.
Also, there is believed to occur a force due to restricted air flow
between the side of the can and the adjacent partition 29 which
tends to pull the can into the next advanced pocket 29 and to keep
the can away from the wall 33. This force is thought to be due to
what is generally referred to as the Coanda effect.
The net result of the air flow is that as the can is briefly
accelerated from a random position, it tends to achieve a position
of equilibrium between successive partition walls 29 and opposite
to or substantially in registry with one of the pockets 31. The can
thus slides ahead of the plates 11 and tends to stay in transverse
alignment with a pocket 31. This is the indexed or desired position
of the previously random can.
As the positioned can advances under the influence of the bottom
conveyor 8 and of the passing air, the can is gradually moved
transversely into the pocket. The side wall 33 has a converging
portion 44. As the can approaches the outlet of the tunnel 32 it is
physically displaced laterally about halfway or more than halfway
into the pocket. It is preferred to bring the converging portion 44
almost into physical contact with the ends of the partition walls
29, thus forming a fairly close vacuum seal at the outlet end of
the tunnel. The cans leaving the tunnel in their individual pockets
are properly spaced and positioned for subsequent handling.
Sometimes it is preferred to arrange the vacuum mechanism with the
vacuum chamber at the side of the tunnel as shown in FIG. 4. In
this instance, the second conveyor has backwalls 46 provided with
apertures 47. These walls 46 pass by an entrance block 48 at a
portal 49 lateral vacuum chamber 51 likewise enclosed by side and
end walls 52 and appropriate top and bottom walls 53 and 54, as
shown in FIG. 5. In this instance, the air flow tends to be toward
one side of the cans through the successive pockets 56, and tends
to displace the cans into the pockets with less reliance upon the
converging portion 44.
The forces due to air flow can, of course, be the result of
operating the tunnel at atmospheric pressure and the surroundings
at above atmospheric pressure, or any arrangement that results in
the described air flow.
There is provided a mechanism effective to receive cans arriving on
a friction conveyor, disposed in a random arrangement and arriving
at random times and very often spaced quite closely together. The
cans enter individually through a portal into a tunnel under the
influence of differential air pressure by which they are subjected
to a brief accelerating force and then to retarding and positioning
due to friction and air flow forces. The can is appropriately
positioned and located by air flow so as to register with a pocket
on an adjacent conveyor, moving faster than the friction conveyor.
The can is moved into and is captured by the pocket in an
appropriate, predetermined, spaced position. The so-positioned can
is then released from the mechanism for further handling. Since the
difference in speed of the conveyors is small, the cans can arrive
at a high speed relative to the frame and nevertheless be
positioned properly without damage.
* * * * *