U.S. patent number 3,878,909 [Application Number 05/313,618] was granted by the patent office on 1975-04-22 for packaging apparatus.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Hobart Corporation. Invention is credited to Fritz F. Treiber.
United States Patent |
3,878,909 |
Treiber |
April 22, 1975 |
Packaging apparatus
Abstract
Packaging apparatus for conveying freshly wrapped packages to a
weighing scale, computing the price of the weighed package,
printing a label with the computed price and applying the printed
label to the weighed package. The main carriage for moving the
packages through the apparatus is actuated by a cam and linkage
mechanism which imparts a translational movement to the carriage so
that indexing through the machine is accomplished by a series of
lifting, carrying and depositing movements. The conveyor which
loads the packages into the apparatus has a series of package
actuated limit switches associated therewith which act in
conjunction with a limit switch associated with the drive shaft of
the indexing carriage so that the loading conveyor is actuated only
when a package is present on the conveyor and the carriage is in
position to receive the package from the conveyor. Another limit
switch controlled by the drive shaft delays the transfer of
information from the computer associated with the system to the
printing mechanism until the package to be labelled is in the
proper position for labelling. A main cam mounted on the drive
shaft not only provides vertical and horizontal indexing movement
to the carriage but also lifts and lowers the labelling head,
operates a bellows for alternately applying suction and an air
blast to a label carried by the labelling head and operates a
pressure roller positioned downstream of the labelling head to
apply pressure to the freshly applied label. Normally, all of the
three main sections of the apparatus are enclosed in a guard
tunnel, including the weighing section, and in this regard the
guard tunnel for the weighing section is attached directly to the
scale platform so that if an article too large to be conveyed
through the tunnel is to be weighed and labelled it may be placed
on top of the tunnel and the labelling accomplished
semi-automatically. In order to provide positive control of a
printed label as it is conveyed from the printer to the labelling
head a series of endless belts are provided which not only
positively engage the labels and convey them to the labelling head
but impart a series of corrugations in a label to stiffen it and
facilitate its insertion into the labelling head.
Inventors: |
Treiber; Fritz F. (Centerville,
OH) |
Assignee: |
Hobart Corporation (Troy,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
26765880 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/313,618 |
Filed: |
December 11, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
|
|
81716 |
Oct 19, 1970 |
3732966 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
177/145;
177/253 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01G
13/003 (20130101); B65C 9/46 (20130101); G01G
19/00 (20130101); B65B 35/20 (20130101); B65C
1/021 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B65B
35/20 (20060101); B65B 35/00 (20060101); B65C
1/00 (20060101); B65C 9/46 (20060101); B65C
1/02 (20060101); G01G 19/00 (20060101); G01G
13/00 (20060101); G01g 019/00 (); G01g
021/22 () |
Field of
Search: |
;177/52,145,243,253,262 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Miller, Jr.; George H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Biebel, French & Bugg
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 81,716, filed Oct. 19,
1970, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,966.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus of the type described comprising:
a. means for weighing an article,
b. a weight responsive platform on said weighing means,
c. first article receiving means mounted on said platform,
d. second article receiving means mounted on and movable with said
platform and extending in spaced relationship above said first
article receiving means, and
e. means for lifting an article to be weighed from a position
remove from said first article receiving means and placing it on
said first article receiving means beneath said second article
receiving means.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
a. said second article receiving means comprises a tunnel-like
cover mounted on and movable with said platform.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
a. said first article receiving means comprises a plurality of
spaced upstanding article receiving ribs mounted on said
platform.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said lifting means
comprises:
a. means interleaved with said upstanding ribs for lifting an
article and placing it on said upstanding ribs.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:
a. said second article receiving means comprises a tunnel-like
cover mounted on and movable with said platform and extending in
spaced relationship to the upper surface of said upstanding ribs.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the packaging of items such as meat, produce and other super
market items it is conventional to provide equipment which conveys
a freshly wrapped package to a weighing scale, computes the price
of the item in accordance with its measured weight, prints a label
with the computed price and then applys the printed label to the
weighed package. For example, U.S. Pats. Nos. 3,323,634; 3,339,706;
3,353,653; and 3,394,792 all disclose apparatus of this general
type.
In most prior art packaging apparatus, however, the package is
usually conveyed by either sliding it or rolling it through the
machine with all of the various drive and indexing mechanism
powered by a variety of cams, switches, and the like. The fact that
the packages are usually slid upon the weighing station will to
some extent decrease the possible speed obtainable with apparatus
of this type. Thus, the sliding of the package onto the scale will
tend to set up vibrations which must be allowed to dampen out
before an accurate weight measurement can be taken. Additionally,
particularly with heavier items, it is difficult to control
accurately the force necessary to slide the packages through the
machine so that the packages often over-shoot their mark or require
additional stop mechanism.
It will also be noted that a continuing source of difficulty in
machines of this type is the proper feeding of the articles to be
labelled through the machine one item at a time and the need to
maintain the articles properly spaced and accurately positioned at
each of the stations through the machine. Thus, despite intensive
development efforts in this area it will be seen that a need still
exists for high speed apparatus for expeditously conveying and
indexing packages through packaging apparatus of this type.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention the main carrier for
transferring packages through the apparatus comprises a series of
elongated bars which are mounted for translational movement so that
each individual package is picked up at the loading end of the
machine and indexed in a series of intermittent steps from a
loading end to a scale, from the scale to a positioning station and
thence past a label application station. A computor associated with
the scale and a printer computes a price for the article in
accordance with its measured weight and transmits the information
to the printer. Upon receipt of a triggering signal the printer
prints the computed price on a label and conveying mechanism
conveys the label to a labelling head. A series of positioning
rollers then position the article to be labelled so that when it is
indexed to the labelling station it is properly positioned with
respect to the labelling head.
Since the packages are positively lifted and carried from station
to station there is no necessity of attempting to slide the
packages through the system, thereby permitting much faster
operating speeds since, in depositing the package on the scale of
the weighing station, the time necessary to allow vibrations to
dampen is appreciably shorned. It will also be apparent that there
is no danger in packages over-shooting their mark while they are
being carried through the machine by the indexing carriage.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention the loading
conveyor is controlled by a series of limit switches mounted on the
conveyor and a second limit switch actuated by the main drive
shaft. A package moving onto the loading conveyor trips the limit
switches and, if the indexing carriage is in the proper position to
receive a package, the loading conveyor is activated and loads a
package onto a fast moving conveyor which acts to space the
packages from each other and deposit the packages onto the indexing
carriage. At this point the packages are picked up and moved
through the machine in a series of intermittent steps as described
above.
A third limit switch actuated by the main drive shaft controls the
release of information from the computer to the printing head so
that the transfer of this information is delayed until the package
weighed is indexed to a position downstream of the weighing
station. Immediately downstream of the weighing station the
positioning rollers drive a package received from the weighing
station against a stop to positively position it so that when the
indexing carriage moves the package to the label applying station
it is correctly positioned with respect to the labelling head.
To provide the accuracy necessary with a high speed machine of this
type a series of endless belts are provided which positively engage
a printed label and convey it from the printing head to the
labelling head. As the label is so conveyed the endless belts
cooperate with grooves formed in a guide chute to form a series of
corrugations in the label to stiffen it and facilitate its
insertion into the labelling head. Positioned downstream of the
labelling head is a pressure roller which contacts the freshly
applied label and presses it securely onto the package.
It should also be noted that the pressure roller, the labelling
head, the endless belts for conveying the label from the printer to
the labelling head, the drive for the positioning rollers, the
drive for the indexing carriage, and the drive for the spacing and
loading conveyors are all taken from a common main drive shaft. In
this way, not only are the various actuating mechanism simplified
but they may be automatically syncronized with respect to each
other for synchonous movement of a package through the machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 of the drawings is a front elevational view of packaging
apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevational view of a portion of the
structure of FIG. 1 with parts broken away for clarity;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure of FIG.
3;
FIG. 5 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present
invention;
FIG. 6 is a rear elevational view of one end of the apparatus;
FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the downstream end of the
apparatus;
FIG. 8 is an elevational view showing translational movement of the
indexing carriage;
FIG. 9 is a circuit diagram showing diagramatically, the control
interlocked for the loading conveyor;
FIG. 10 is a partial elevational view showing a modified form of
the invention; and
FIG. 11 is another partial elevational view showing another
modification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
With reference initially to FIG. 1 of the drawings, it will be seen
that packaging apparatus in accordance with the present invention
comprises, essentially, a loading and spacing station 10, a
weighing station 12 and a label printing and applying station 14.
Feeding and removing conveyors 16 and 18, respectively, of
conventional construction may also be provided for delivering
packages to the apparatus of the present invention and removing
them therefrom. Each of the three stations is provided with a
tunnel like cover as at 20, 22 and 24, and packages delivered by
the feed conveyor 16 are properly positioned and spaced in the
loading station 10, weighed at the weighing station 12, and then
carried to the printing and labelling station 14. A computer 26
computes the price of the article being weighed, based upon its
weight and some predetermined price per unit of weight, and stores
this information for future use. Thereafter, this information is
transferred to the printer 28 which prints the computed price and
usually the weight and price per unit of weight on the label. A
conveyor 30 then conveys the printed label from the printer 28 to a
labelling head for application to the weighed package. The labelled
package is then ejected from the printing and labelling station to
the receiving conveyor 18 for movement to some desired
location.
Turning now to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5 of the drawings, it will be seen
that the loading station 10 includes a pair of spaced, parallel
rollers 32 and 34, suitably grooved to receive a plurality of
endless belts 36, with the upper and lower horizontal reaches of
the belts 36 extending in substantially coplanar, spaced, parallel
relationship to each other to provide, collectively, a loading
conveyor. Immediately downstream of the loading conveyor a spacing
conveyor is defined by a plurality of endless belts 38 received in
complimentary grooves formed in a drive roller 40 and a plurality
of pulleys 42 with the upper and lower horizontal reaches of the
belts 38 positioned is substantially coplaner, spaced, parallel
relationship to each other. A pair of support rods 44 and 46 carry
a plurality of spaced parallel gusset plates 48 each of which
journal the pullys 42 and a series of idler rollers 50, while at
their downstream ends the plates 48 mount a series of spaced
parallel package receiving bars 52.
The weighing station 12, in addition to appropriate measuring
equipment which may be of conventional construction, includes a
weight responsive platform 54 bearing a plurality of spaced
parallel upstanding ribs 56. The ribs 56 are thus in a position in
which they can receive a package on the discontinuous surface
formed by their upper portions and transmit the weight of the
package to the weighing platform 54.
Immediately downstream of the weighing station 12 a positioning
conveyor is defined by a series of spaced parallel rollers 58
positioned in substantial alignment with the upstanding ribs 56 and
provided adjacent their upstream ends with a plurality of pulleys
60. Supporting plates 62 of inverted L-shape, as seen in FIG. 3,
are mounted at the station 14 by means of spaced supporting rods 64
and 66 passing through the distal ends of the supporting plates 62.
Each of the plates 62 carries, adjacent the upstream ends thereof,
a pair of bearing brackets 68 in which the rollers 58 are
journalled. The rollers 58 are driven, by means to be described
below, in a direction such as to convey an article placed thereon
toward the rail 70 which thus froms a positioning stop.
From the above it will be seen that the downstream 30 ends of the
endless belts 38, the rollers 50, bars 52, upstanding ribs 56,
rollers 58 and supports bars 62 therefore, together defined a
series of parallel, uniformly spaced slots extending from adjacent
the upstream end of the apparatus to the downstream end thereof. In
these slots so defined are positioned a series of spaced, parallel,
elongated bars 72, each carrying a plurality of upstanding package
engaging fingers 74 mounted at regular intervals thereon and in
substantial alignment with each other. The bars 72 collectively
define an indexing carriage for transfering packages through the
packaging apparatus of the present invention in a series of
intermittent steps to be described in detail below.
The outermost bars 72' of the indexing carriage are each provided
with a pair of downwardly depending bracket plates 76. Each of the
plates 76, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 7 of the drawings, journal a
pair of rollers 78 and 80 with the rollers 80 being flanged, as at
82, to confine an elongated bar 84 therebetween, while the
corresponding bar 86 on the opposite side of the apparatus is
merely restrained against movement in directions perpendicular to
the axis of rotation of the roller 78. Elongated connecting bars 88
extend through all of the bars 72 and, together with spacers 90,
maintain the spaced relationship between each of the bars 72.
A pair of links 92 and 94 are pivotally attached to each of the
bars 84 and the lower ends of the links 92 are also attached to
freely turning stub shafts 96 journalled in opposite sides of the
apparatus. The lower ends of the links 94 are fixed to a through
shaft 98 and this shaft is also fixed to an actuating arm 100
rotatably mounting a cam follower 102. Cam follower 102 rides on
the surface of the cam 104, which is in turn fixed to the drive
shaft 106 for rotation therewith.
As best seen in FIG. 3 of the drawings, a motor 108 is mounted in
the vicinity of the weighing station and through a variable speed
pulley arrangement 110 drives a gear box 112 having a power
take-off shaft 114 associated therewith. Shaft 114 carries a double
sprocket about which are trained the drive chains 116 and 118.
Chain 116, as also seen in FIG. 6 of the drawings, is also trained
about a drive sprocket 120 which is fixed to the shaft 106. Chain
116 is also contacted intermediate its length by a tensioning
sprocket 122.
It will thus be seen that power from the motor 108 is transmitted
to the main drive shaft 106 which in turn rotates the cam 104
causing the cam follower 102 and the actuating arm 100 to which it
is attached to pivot upwardly and downwardly about the pivot shaft
98. Since the links 94 are fixed to the shaft 98 this same rocking
pivotal motion is transferred to the links 94, causing the bars 86
to move upwardly and to the left, as seen in FIG. 3 of the
drawings, and downwardly and to the right. Since the bars 86 are
maintained in parallel relationship to the bars 72 of the indexing
carriage, movement of the bars 86 in a manner described above will
cause the bars 72 to move upwardly and downwardly as the vertical
components of the pivotal movement of the links 92 and 94 are
transmitted thereto.
It will also be seen in FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 of the drawings, that a
shaft 124 is journalled adjacent the downstream end of the
apparatus and has fixed thereto an arm member 126 which, together
with a rod 128 pivotally attached thereto and to the cam 104, form
an interconnecting linkage between the cam 104 and the shaft 124.
Also fixed to the shaft 124 is arm 130 carrying a roller 132
received in a slot 134 formed in a bracket 136 attached to and
depending downwardly from the approximate center of the indexing
carriage. With this arrangement it will be seen that rotation of
the drive shaft 106 and thus, the cam 104, is transmitted via the
interconnecting linkage 126-128 to the shaft 124 to impart an
oscillating pivotal motion thereto.
This motion is in turn transferred to the arm 130 which, through
the roller 132 mounted thereon and the slot 134 formed in the
bracket 136, transfers the horizontal component of this motion to
the indexing carriage to cause it to move in an upstream and
downstream direction as indicated by the arrows 138 in FIG. 3 of
the drawings. The combination of these two motions, of course,
result in the indexing carriage moving upward in a vertical
direction as it moves upstream toward the loading station of the
apparatus thence, downwardly in a vertical direction as the
carriage return towards the downstream end of the apparatus.
As noted above, information computed by the computer 26 is
transmitted to the printer 78 which prints a label with the
computed price and delivers the printed label to the conveying
mechanism 30, see FIG. 3 of the drawings. At this point the label
is engaged between a series of endless belts 140 trained about a
series of pulleys 142 and the bottom surface of a chute 144. The
bottom surface of the chute 144 is provided with a series of
grooves therein corresponding in number to the belts 140 and in
which the belts 140 are received. A second series of endless belts
146 are trained, together with the belts 140 about a drive pulley
148 so that as a label leaves the lower end of the chute 144 it is
gripped between opposing reaches of the endless belts 140 and 146.
A labelling head 151, which may be of conventional construction, is
positioned to receive the printed labels from the opposed reaches
of the belts 140 and 146 and, in a manner to be described, apply
the label to a package positioned therebeneath.
With continued reference to FIG. 3 of the drawings, it will be seen
that the drive pulley 148 is mounted on a shaft 150 which also
carries a sprocket 152 about which is trained a chain 154. Chain
154 extends from the sprocket 152 about a second sprocket 156
mounted on the main drive shaft 106 and a turning roller 158. Thus,
the drive for the pulley 148 is also derived from the main drive
shaft 106. Chain 154 is also trained about a sprocket 160 mounted
on a through shaft 162. Shaft 162 is suitably grooved to receive a
series of endless belts 164, each of which is given a half turn and
slipped over the pulleys 60 driving the rollers 58. In this manner,
the main drive shaft 106 is also utilized to turn the rollers 58
for positioning packages in the printing and labelling station of
the apparatus.
A pair of brackets 166 are mounted on the rear wall of the
apparatus of the present invention and form a slideway for a
lifting bar 170. Bar 170 has a roller 172 journalled intermediate
its ends and in contact with the actuating arm 100 so that the
pivotal rocking movement of the arm 100, as described above, is
also transmitted to the labelling head 151 to cause it to raise and
lower into contact with a package positioned therebeneath. Suitable
interlock structure is also provided, as shown at 174, for insuring
that the labelling head 150 does not contact a package unless it
has received a label from the printer 28. This structure, however,
does not form part of the present invention.
Immediately downstream of the labelling head 150 a pressure roller
176 is rotatably mounted on an arm 178 pivoted adjacent one end
thereof, as at 180, to a side wall of the printing and labelling
station and having pivotally attached thereto intermediate its ends
a depending link 182. Link 182 is slotted, as at 184, and receives
a continuation of the shaft 186 interconnecting members 126 and
128. Thus, it will be seen that rotation of the cam 104 is
transmitted to the pressure roller 176 to cause it to contact a
label and press it firmly against the package to which it is
applied in synchronism with the actuation of the labelling head
150.
While of conventional construction, it may be noted that a bellows
190 may be provided, actuated by a bellows arm 192 attached to the
cross shaft 124 and in fluid communication with the labelling head
150. Thus, rocking movement of the shaft 124 will cause alternating
suction and air blast to be directed through the labelling head to
first cause a label to be adhered thereto and then blown away from
the labelling head into contact with the package being
labelled.
As noted above, the shaft 114 of the gear box 112 also has trained
thereabout a chain 118. This chain is directed toward the upstream
end of the packaging apparatus and, after passing about suitable
turning and tensioning rollers 194 and 196, respectively, is
trained about a drive sprocket 198 fixed to the shaft 200. Shaft
200, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 5 of the drawings, also carries
sprockets 202 and 204. Sprocket 202 has trained thereabout a chain
206 which is also trained about a sprocket 208 fixed to the shaft
210 upon which the grooved roller 40 is mounted to impart
rotational movement thereto. Sprocket 204 may be selectively
energized by means of the clutch 212 so that rotation of the shaft
200 may be selectively transmitted to the sprocket 204, the chain
214 trained thereabout, and a sprocket 216 mounted on the same
shaft 218 as the roller 34.
A series of detectors 220, as best seen in FIGS. 3 through 5 of the
drawings, are positioned, one intermediate each adjacent pair of
endless belts 36. The detector means, through appropriate linkage,
serve to actuate a limit switch 222 to that the presence or absence
of a package on the loading conveyor formed by the belts 36 is
detected by the detector 220. As seen in FIG. 7 of the drawings, a
second detector in the form of a limit switch 224, is positioned
opposite the main drive shaft 106 and in a position to be contacted
by a member 226 projecting outwardly from the shaft 106 upon each
revolution thereof. Switches 222 and 224 are interlocked through
suitable circuitry, as shown somewhat schematically in FIG. 9 of
the drawings, to provide selective operation of the clutch 212, and
hence, the loading conveyor formed by the endless belts 36.
Thus, the upwardly projecting member 226 is positioned on the drive
shaft 106 such that switch 224 is contacted just as the indexing
carriage moves into position to receive a package from the loading
station of the machine. It will also be noted from FIG. 7 of the
drawings, that a second limit switch 228 is also mounted opposite
the drive shaft 106 and in a positon to be contacted by the
upwardly projecting member 230 mounted thereon. This switch,
through suitable circuitry, causes the information stored in the
computer 26 to be retained therein until a package being conveyed
through the apparatus has been placed at a preselected position by
the indexing carriage and at that time, the information, through
the operation of the switch 228, is transferred to the printer
which then prints the label for application to the package.
In operation, a wrapped package is delivered to the loading station
10 of the apparatus by the feed conveyor 16, which may be of the
gravity operated type. As the package P moves onto the loading
conveyor formed by the upper horizontal reaches of the endless
belts 36 it contacts a plurality of the interconnected, upstanding
detectors 220, depressing them and actuating the limit switch 222.
If the indexing carriage is in position to receive the package P on
its upstream end the limit switch 224 will be engaged by the
projection 226 mounted on the main drive shaft 106. Thus, if both
conditions are met, that is, a package is present on a loading
conveyor and the indexing carriage is in position to receive the
package, the clutch 212 will be energized, causing power to be
transmitted to the roller 34.
This will carry the package to the constatnly running spacing
conveyor formed by the endless belts 38. Belts 38 are running at a
higher rate of speed than the belts 36 and this has the effect of
spacing the packages as they move from the loading station toward
the weighing station. Packages ejected from the upper reaches of
the endless belts 38 will pass over the idler rollers 50 and stop
on the upstanding bars 52. The indexing carriage at this point is
positioned with its upstream end interleaved between the bars 52
beneath a package positioned thereon.
Movement of the indexing carriage from this position will lift a
package from the bars 52, carry it downstream and deposit it on the
upstanding ribs 56 of the weighing station. The weight of the
package is fed to the computer 26 which, based upon some
predetermined price per unit of weight, computes the total price of
the package and stores this information for delayed transmittal to
the belt 28. In the meantime the indexing carriage has moved
downwardly and in a downstream direction and thence upwardly and in
an upstream direction, at which point it lifts another package from
the bars 52, if one has been loaded thereon, transfers this new
package to the upstanding ribs 56, and simultaneously transfers the
package just weighed to the positioning conveyor formed by the
continuously rotating rollers 58.
Rollers 58 direct the package placed thereon into contact with the
upstanding rail 70, which constitutes a stop member for this
section of the apparatus. As the weighed package is transferred to
the positioning conveyor the limit switch 228 is actuated by the
projection 230 mounted on the main drive shaft 106, triggering the
computer 26 to transfer the information stored therein to the
printer 228. Printer 228 then prints the computed price upon a
label and ejects it into the upper end of the chute 144.
The continuously running belts 140 positively engage the upper
surface of the printed label and convey it downwardly towards the
pulley 148. The chute 144, as noted above, is provided with
grooves, which become deeper toward its downstream end, and in
which the belts 140 ride. This causes the label to be provided with
corrugations, so that as it is thereafter transported by the
opposing reaches of the belts 146 and 140 and directed toward the
labeling head 150, it will have been stiffened by the corrugations
to facilitate insertion into the labeling head.
During this operation the indexing carriage has once again moved
downwardly in a downstream direction and thence upwardly in an
upstream direction to lift yet another package from the bars 52.
Again, this package is transferred to the upstanding ribs 56 while
the package that was on ribs 56 is transferred to the rollers 58
and the package which had previously occupied this position is
moved downstream beneath the labeling head 151. Simultaneously with
the movement of the indexing carriage, the cam 104, through the
actuating arm 100, has allowed the labeling head to descendand
apply a printed label to the appropriate package.
From this point further cyclical movement of the indexing carriage,
as shown in FIG. 8, will cause the upstanding fingers 74 on the
downstream ends of the bars 72 to contact the package, push it
along the bars 62 beneath the pressure roller 176 and onto the
receiving conveyor 18. As this occurs, the arm 178 carrying the
pressure roller 176 is pivoted about point 180 by means of the arm
182 causing the pressure roller to descend and press the freshly
applied label securely into contact with the appropriate
package.
Thus, it will be seen that movement of a package through the
present apparatus is accomplished in a series of lifting, conveying
and depositing steps to move the package incrementally through the
machine without appreciable sliding motion. Additionally, it will
be seen that all of the driven components of the apparatus are
driven from a common main drive shaft and that the cam 104 serves,
not only to impart translational movement to the indexing carriage,
but also, through appropriate linkage and lever mechanism, to
actuate both the labeling head and the pressure roller.
With reference now to FIG. 10 of the drawings a modified embodiment
of the invention will be described. As seen in FIG. 10, modified
plates 48' are positioned intermediate the spacing conveyor formed
by the endless belts 38 and the upstanding ribs 56 of the weighing
station. Whereas, in the embodiment described above a plurality of
spaced parallel bars 52 are utilized to support packages delivered
from the loading station, in the present embodiment the bars 52 are
replaced with a like number of hook-like members 250 pivoted
intermediate the ends, as at 252 and bearing on upwardly projecting
portion 254 lying in the path of an article moving from the loading
station toward the weighing station. A spring 256 is attached at
one end to the modified plate 48' and at its opposite end to one
end of the member 250.
In the position shown in FIG. 10 of the drawings, the projections
254 will arrest movement of a package delivered by the spacing
coneyor. However, the upstream ends of the bars 72 and 72' in the
modified construction are provided with camming members 258 which
project outwardly from the sides of the bars 72 and 72' and are
engaged by cam followers 260 rotatably mounted on the hook-like
members 250 adjacent the projections 254. With the above
construction, as the indexing carriage moves downstream the lower
surfaces of the cams 258 engage the cam followers 260 and,
overcoming the tension of the springs 256, depress members 250 and
the projections 254 out of the path of an oncoming package and
allow it to be unloaded from the loading station.
Turning now to FIG. 11 of the drawings another modification of the
present invention will be described. As noted above, an air bellows
may be advantageously utilized to provide an alternative suction
and air blast to the label applying head to first cause a printed
label to be adhered thereto and then blown away thereform as the
label is brought into contact with a package. It will also be noted
that in the embodiment described above horizontal movement of the
indexing carriage is accomplished through the movement of a roller
132 riding in a slot 134 in a bracket 136 depending from the
indexing carriage.
In the present embodiment bracket 136 is replaced by a bracket 270,
also attached to the indexing carriage adjacent the center thereof
and depending downwardly therefrom. An arm 272 is fixed to the
shaft 124 and a rigid link 274 is pivotally attached to the arm 272
and to the bracket 270. In this way, oscillation of the shaft 124
is transmitted through the arm 272 and the link 274 to the indexing
carriage to provide horizontal movement thereof.
A second arm 276 is also pivoted, as at 278, in overlying
relationship to the arm 272 and has formed adjacent the lower end
thereof an arcuately shaped slot 280 receiving a pin 282 mounted on
the arm 272. A rigid link 284 is pivotally attached to the lower
end of the arm 276 and to an actuating plate 286 fixed to one
surface of a bellows 288. The opposite surface of the bellows 288
is attached in any convenient manner to a supporting structure 290
and a conduit 292 leads from the interior of the bellows to the
label applying head.
With this construction it will be apparent that the pivotal
movement of the shaft 124 will be transmitted to the apparatus 288
to cause it to expand and contract and, through the conduit 292,
alternately apply negative and possitive pressure through labeling
head. For timing purposes it will often be desirable to provide a
slight lag between the actuation of the labeling head and the
imposition of either a negative or positive pressure to a label
carried thereby. This is conveniently accomplished by means of the
lost motion connection defined by the pin 282 riding in the slot
280.
From the above it will be apparent that the present invention
provides means for efficiently and expeditiously indexing wrapped
packages through a weighing, printing and labeling apparatus with
positive indexing and a minimum of complicated drives and related
mechanism.
While the forms of apparatus herein described constitute preferred
embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited to these precise forms of apparatus, and
that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope
of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.
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