U.S. patent number 3,833,111 [Application Number 05/353,749] was granted by the patent office on 1974-09-03 for container-orienting apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Pneumatic Scale Corporation. Invention is credited to Walter S. Sterling, Robert W. Vergobbi.
United States Patent |
3,833,111 |
Sterling , et al. |
September 3, 1974 |
CONTAINER-ORIENTING APPARATUS
Abstract
Apparatus for receiving containers from a mass of containers and
disposing them with their open ends upright comprising a rotor
containing regularly spaced pockets peripherally thereof for
movement along a predetermined circular path within which the
containers are deposited in prone positions for movement along said
path onto a straddle rail. The pockets are open at the top and
bottom so that containers deposited in the pockets when moved onto
the rail are allowed to tilt downwardly within the pockets to
upright positions and to be conducted along the path and marshalled
in single line for further processing. The rotor is rotated
continuously to present each pocket to a predetermined position for
filling and there is a platform beneath the rotor which constitutes
a bottom for the pocket at that position and a power-operable,
reciprocably mounted presser foot supported above the rotor at said
position for thrusting containers into the pockets in timed
relation with the arrival of the pockets at said position. A
receiver is supported above the rotor to which the containers are
supplied in succession and the reciprocable presser foot is
arranged to eject containers from the receiver into the
pockets.
Inventors: |
Sterling; Walter S. (Quincy,
MA), Vergobbi; Robert W. (Braintree, MA) |
Assignee: |
Pneumatic Scale Corporation
(Quincy, MA)
|
Family
ID: |
23390407 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/353,749 |
Filed: |
April 23, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
198/400; 198/380;
221/172 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65G
47/252 (20130101); B65G 2201/0244 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65G
47/24 (20060101); B65G 47/252 (20060101); B65g
047/24 () |
Field of
Search: |
;198/209,24,33AC
;221/172,268,278 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Schacher; Richard A.
Assistant Examiner: Thomson; Richard K.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Dike, Bronstein, Roberts &
Cushman
Claims
We claim:
1. Container orienting apparatus comprising a conveyor containing
regularly spaced pockets for receiving containers in prone
positions, a magazine for receiving containers, to be deposited
into successive pockets, said magazine having a container receiving
chamber for receiving a container in a prone position, said chamber
having a bottom opening and ends, one of which is open, means
supporting the magazine with its bottom opening above, close to the
path along which the pockets travel and oriented as are the pockets
in the conveyor, a platform supported below the conveyor and
magazine and close to the underside of the conveyor, said platform
providing a bottom for the open lower side of each pocket at it
travels by the lower open end of the magazine, a rail situated
below the conveyor beyond said platform in the direction of
movement, said rail following the course of the pockets and having
an upper edge substantially flush with the surface of the platform
onto which the conveyor slides a container occupying a pocket for
tilting of the heavier end of the container downwardly through the
bottom opening, a support below the rail onto which the downwardly
tilting end of the container drops and is supported in an upwardly
inclined position leaning against the rail, a ram, means supporting
the ram above the magazine for movement downwardly therein through
the lower open end to thrust a container from the magazine into the
pocket therebelow into engagement with the platform, said ram being
supported substantially mid-way between the ends of the chamber so
that there is room for a container from a supply of containers to
be moved part-way into the chamber as the ram moves downwardly
therein for thrusting the container downwardly into a pocket, said
ram being constructed to permit the container to be moved the
remainder of the way into the chamber while the ram is being
re-tracted, an inclined track connected at one end to the open end
of the chamber and at its other end to a hopper through which
containers are guided into the chamber, jets supported along the
track for driving containers along the track into the chamber,
means for continuously driving the conveyor and power operated
means operable in timed relation to the movement of the successive
pockets into registration with the lower end of the chamber to
effect reciprocation of the ram in timed relation to presentation
of pockets to the lower end of the chamber to thrust containers
from the chamber into said pockets.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means adjustably
supporting the jets for heightwise movement with respect to the
track.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the chamber of the
magazine is of substantially the same configuration and size as
pockets in the conveyor such that when a pocket is in registration
with the lower open end of a chamber a container moved downwardly
therefrom is guided into the pockets therebelow.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the receiver has spaced
parallel sides, the distance between which corresponds
substantially to the width of the container.
5. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the chamber has a top
member parallel to the conveyor situated above the conveyor a
distance sufficient to permit a container to move from the track
into the chamber with a clearance between the top member and the
top side of the container.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein there is means
adjustably supporting the outer end of the top member to dispose
the top member at an angle of inclination corresponding to that of
the container.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pockets are open at
their outer ends and there is an end member fixed to the platform
opposite the path of movement of the open ends of the pockets in a
position to close the open ends of the pockets at said
position.
8. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ram comprises a
presser foot reciprocably supported above the chamber for movement
downwardly into the chamber to force a container from the chamber
and upwardly to permit the succeeding container to occupy the
chamber and means pivotally mounting the presser foot for
displacement by the succeeding container as it enters the
chamber.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein there is means for
restoring the presser foot to its undisplaced vertical position
upon upward movement thereof.
10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ram comprises a
cylinder, a rod extending from the cylinder and a presser foot
pivotally mounted to the lower end of the rod.
11. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor is a rotor
containing peripherally thereof, said pockets, and wherein the
chamber is supported above the rotor radially with respect to its
axis of rotation with its ends in vertical alignment with the path
of travel of the ends of the pockets.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein there is a part
mounted on the platform at the periphery of the rotary conveyor in
a position to close the open ends of the pockets as they move
across the platform.
13. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the platform extends
beyond the lower open end of the chamber in the direction of
movement of conveyor by an amount at least equal to the distance
between the leading side of one pocket and the trailing sides of
the succeeding pocket.
14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there is a valve
assembly for supplying pressure to the power-operable means, a
valve actuator arranged adjacent the path of movement of the
conveyor, and cam members on the conveyor at intervals
corresponding to the spacing of the pockets for initiating
operation of the power-operable means in time relation to the
arrival of pockets at said position.
15. Apparatus according to claim 14, comprising means for
supporting the valve assembly for adjustment relative to the
pockets on the conveyor.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In our pending application Ser. No. 295,972, filed Oct. 10, 1972,
there is shown a container-orienting apparatus having a rotary
conveyor peripherally of which there are uniformly spaced pockets
for receiving containers for moving containers deposited in the
pockets onto a straddle rail where they are permitted to drop down
to one side or the other depending upon which is the heavier end to
positions in which the tops are uppermost and for movement
thereafter along to a place of convergence where they are aligned
in single file for further processing. In the aforesaid application
the containers are deposited in the successive pockets in timed
relation to the movement of the pockets to a predetermined position
for receiving containers by devices in which gravity and the
pressure of air jets are relied upon to insert the containers into
the pockets and so such apparatus is limited in its speed of
operation. The purpose of this invention is to provide a machine
which is designed to operate at a much higher speed than that
possible with the aforesaid machine and to provide a machine which
is dependable, easy to maintain and economical to manufacture.
SUMMARY
As herein illustrated, the machine comprises a conveyor containing
a plurality of spaced pockets movable along a predetermined path,
the pockets being open at the top and bottom, a support adjacent
the bottom side at a predetermined position along the path which
forms a bottom of the pocket above it at said place and means above
the conveyor at said place for depositing a container in the pocket
at said place. The conveyor is driven continuously to advance
successive pockets across the support above a rail or track on
which the container becomes straddled and drops down to one side or
the other depending upon the heavier end with its open end up
whereupon the righted containers are aligned in single file for
further processing. The containers are deposited in the successive
pockets by means above the conveyor at the place of the support
which is reciprocably mounted for movement in a direction
perpendicular to the pocket above the support to force a container
downwardly into the pocket. There is a receiver also above the
conveyor to which containers are delivered in succession with the
aid of air jets to position the leading container below the
reciprocable means and operation of the latter is timed with the
movement of the conveyor to cause a container to be expelled from
the receiver into the pocket at the moment of arrival of the pocket
in the aforesaid position. The conveyor in the preferred form is a
rotor around which the pockets are distributed in a circle. The
means for expelling the containers from the receiver into the
pocket is a presser foot reciprocal by a power-operated
cylinder.
The invention will now be described in greater detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a fragmentary portion of the rotor of the
machine of this invention at the place of loading containers into
the pockets peripherally of the rotor, omitting the means for
delivering the containers to this position;
FIG. 2 is an elevation taken along a line 2--2 of FIG. 1 with parts
in section showing the means for delivering containers to the place
for loading into the pockets and the means for inserting the
containers into the pockets;
FIG. 3 is an elevation taken from the right-hand side of FIG. 2;
and
FIG. 4 diagrammatically illustrates the control for timing the
operation of the means for inserting the containers into the
pockets with the arrival of the pockets at the place for receiving
them.
Referring to the drawings (FIG. 1) there is shown a portion of a
rotor 10 in the form of a circular table containing peripherally
thereof at uniformly spaced intervals radially disposed pockets 12
of a size and configuration which in this instance is substantially
rectangular to receive containers C deposited therein on a side
with either end toward the center of the rotor. The pockets 12 are
open at the top, bottom and outer ends and are of a depth to
receive the containers resting on a side, as shown in FIG. 3 with
the upper and lower sides of the container extending above and
below the top and bottom surfaces of the rotor by small
amounts.
The rotor is mounted on a pedestal (not shown) for rotation about a
vertical axis in the direction of the arrow (FIG. 1) and is
designed to move containers which are deposited in the pockets onto
a straddle rail T which extends arcuately about the center of
rotation of the rotor and which is located substantially midway
between the inner and outer ends of the pockets so that the
containers drop down within the pockets at one side or the other of
the rail, depending upon which is the heavier end to upwardly
inclined positions within the pockets resting against the rail. As
the rotor continues to carry the containers about the axis of
rotation guide rails G--G diagrammatically illustrated in FIGS. 2
and 4 in combination with the rail T set the containers up on their
lower ends with their open ends uppermost and combine the
containers to form a single file for discharge and further
processing. The details of construction of the straddle rail T,
guide rails G--G and the drive means for effecting rotation of the
rotor are all disclosed in the aforesaid pending application to
which reference may be had and hence need not be described in
further detail herein.
The rotor 10 is driven continuously to move the pockets along a
predetermined path to a place of deposit for deposit of containers
therein. At the place of deposit, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there
is mounted on the machine frame below the rotor a platform support
14, the upper surface 16 of which is parallel to the lower side of
the rotor and spaced therefrom so as to form a bottom for the
pocket at this position and to support a container illustrated at C
with its lower side in engagement therewith and with its upper side
projecting slightly above the open top of the pocket. The platform
14 extends beyond the place of deposit of the containers at each
side. In the aforesaid application the containers were deposited in
the pockets as they were moved into a position above the platform
with the aid of gravity and pressure supplied from jets of air.
According to this invention deposit of the containers into the
pockets is accomplished mechanically with the aid of a reciprocably
mounted member which is supported above the rotor in a position to
force a container supported in a receiver above the rotor
downwardly into the pocket of the rotor which is in position for
receiving a container at that moment. The reciprocably mounted
member comprises a presser foot 30 (FIG. 2) supported on a pin 32
at the lower end of a coupling 34 threaded onto the lower end of a
piston rod 36 extending downwardly from a cylinder 38. The cylinder
38 is bolted to a shelf plate 40 containing an opening 43 through
which the piston rod extends, fastened in a horizontal position
above the rotor to the upper ends of spaced supports 42--42, the
lower ends of which are secured by angle bracket members 44--44 to
the base of the machine. Pressure supplied to the cylinder 38 will
reciprocate the rod and hence the presser foot 30 perpendicularly
with reference to the top of the rotor.
The receiver 46 is mounted on the supports 42--42 in a horizontal
position above and parallel to the rotor and between the rotor and
the reciprocably mounted presser foot 30 and comprises a pair of
horizontally disposed, spaced parallel bars 48--48 (FIG. 1)
extending forwardly from the vertical edges of the supports 42--42,
a bar 50 mounted between the inner ends of the bars 48--48 and
spaced parallel bars 52--52 bolted at their inner ends to the upper
side of the bar 50 and extending rearwardly between the supports
42--42. The distance between the bars 48--48 corresponds
substantially to the width of the container and the distance
between the bars 52--52 and the top of the rotor is such that only
one container can occupy the space defined by the bars 48--48, the
end bar 50 and the top bars 52--52 when resting on a container
within the pocket with a clearance between the top side of the
container and the bottom side of the bars 52--52.
The outer side 50a of the bar 50 of the receiver coincides
substantially with the inner end 12a of the bars 48--48 coincide
substantially with the inner sides of the long sides 12b--12b of
the pockets in the rotor.
The outer end of the receiver is open and containers are delivered
thereto in succession by a track R (FIG. 2) comprised of
horizontally disposed lower, upper and side rails 54, 56 and 57--57
supported in alignment with the open end of the receiver, the lower
rails being situated at a level corresponding substantially to the
top side of a container occupying a pocket and resting upon the
platform below the pocket and the upper rail being substantially at
a level of the lower sides of the bars 52--52. The containers are
delivered to the track from a random mass of containers so that
either end may be the leading end as the containers are propelled
along the track to the receiver by gravity and/or air pressure.
Near the open end of the receiver there are supported nozzles
58--58 for directing jets of air downwardly at an angle to the
upper side of the containers at a pressure such as to drive them
forcibly into the receiver into engagement of the leading end with
the outer side 50a of the bar 50 and to act on the succeeding
container to forcibly press it against the trailing end of the
container in the receiver. The nozzles 58--58 are mounted at the
lower ends of coupling pipes 60--60 adjustably supported for
vertical movement on the shelf plate 40 and connected by suitable
conductors L3--L3 to a source of air pressure. As will be observed
(FIG. 1) the bars 52--52 which extend between the supports 42--42
are connected at their rear ends to a tongue 64 which in turn is
connected by a bolt 66 to the lower end of an adjustable post 68,
the upper end of which is supported by the shelf plate 40 so as to
enable raising and lowering the bars 52--52 slightly to insure ease
of entrance of the containers into the receiver.
In the operation of the apparatus when a container enters into the
receiver 46 and a pocket 12 occupies a position for receiving a
container from the receiver the presser foot 30 is moved downwardly
and forces the container from the receiver into the pocket directly
below it. As soon as a container leaves the receiver the next
container will immediately be driven forwardly by the air jets
58--58 and in order to permit such forward movement without
interference the presser foot 30, as previously related, is
pivotally mounted at 32 so that the forward movement of the
container pivots the foot in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG.
2, about the pivot 32 to an out of the way position. The movement
of the container into the receiver will, of course, hold the
previous container which has been forced into the pocket within the
pocket while the rotor continues to rotate whereupon the portion of
the rotor between pockets will move under the container in the
receiver and hold it in this position until the next pocket arrives
below it. As the presser foot 30 is retracted by the piston rod it
is rotated to its vertical position by a cam member 68 fastened to
the underside of the shelf plate 40 by bolts 71. Actuation of the
reciprocably mounted presser foot 30 to transfer a container from
the receiver to a pocket is effected by supplying pressure to the
cylinder 38 at intervals corresponding to the spacing between
pockets. This is achieved by means of a valve V mounted on a
bracket 70 which is adjustably attached to the rotor by means of
slots 72 and bolts 74. The valve V has an actuating arm 76 pivoted
at 80, at the distal end of which there is a roller 82. A valve
actuated pin 84 is situated between the pivot 80 and distal end of
the arm 76 such that pivotal movement of the arm will depress the
pin 84 which in turn will supply air at a pressure of approximately
70 psi to the cylinder 38 from a source of air pressure 86 shown
diagrammatically in FIG. 4. Actuation of the arm 76 is effected in
timed relation to the rotation of the rotor by cam members 88
mounted on the rotor at intervals corresponding to the spacing of
the pockets. Engagement of the cam member 88 with the follower roll
82 momentarily displaces the arm 76 and depresses the valve pin 84
so as to supply a charge of 80 pounds of pressure through a line
L.sup.1 to the upper end of the cylinder 38 which will effect
downward movement of the presser foot so as to deposit a container
in the pocket. The presser foot 30 is retracted following
depression by escape of the pressure from the valve through a vent
(not shown) and a pressure of 30 pounds constantly supplied to the
lower end of the cylinder through a line L2 extending from the
lower end of the cylinder to the source of air pressure 86.
The jets 58--58 which drive the containers into the receiver are
supplied with air pressure through lines L3--L3 from the source 86,
-- pressure regulators R1--R1 being provided in the lines to
control the pressure supplied to the jets.
As the rotor moves away from the position in which the container is
deposited in a pocket the outer end of the container is retained in
the pocket while on the platform by a rail 90 (FIG. 2) having an
angularly disposed lead-in portion 92 (FIG. 1) and an arcuate
portion 94. The rail 90 is adjustably fastened to the platform by
means of slots 96 and bolts 98 for engagement with the outer end of
a container to guide it onto the rail T beyond the platform. To
further guide and control the movement of the container as the
rotor moves away from the platform there are horizontally disposed,
spaced parallel guide bars 100--100 (FIGS. 1 and 3) which extend
from one side of one of the supports 42 in the direction of
rotation of the rotor above and in spaced parallel relation to the
platform 14. The bars 100--100 are yieldably mounted by means of
bolts and springs 102, 104.
Beyond the platform where the containers are supported by the rail
T for tilting movement to drop down to either side of the rail
within the pockets there is employed in the aforesaid pending
application means for urging one end or the other downwardly
comprising nozzles 112--112, one at each side of the rail such as
shown in FIG. 4, which are supplied through conductors L4--L4 with
air pressure from the source 86 through a suitable pressure
regulator R2.
The machine as thus described provides for rapid and positive
deposit of the successive containers in the pocket unaffected by
inertia or variations in air pressure which do limit the speed of
operation of a machine in which the speed is dependent upon gravity
and/or air pressure.
It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the
purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all
modifications and equivalents falling within the scope of the
appended claims.
* * * * *