US2332791A - Container handling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 26, 1943. H. EIGANTZER 2,332,791

CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 iii-[hm INVENTOR flbzuarzz auge? BY wa k ATTORNEY Oct. 26, 1943. H. a GANTZER 2,332,791

CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed July 26, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m\ El k BY K? 1 z ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 26, 1943 T OFFICE 2,332,791 CONTAINER HANDLING PPARATUS Howard E. Gantzer, Kenmore,

Y., assignor to Consolidated Packaging Machinery Corporation, Buffalo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application July 26, 1941, Serial No. 404,807

' 6 Claims. (01. 198-34) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in feeding mechanisms and particularly seeks to provide a novel timing wheel usable in conjunction with the feed-in conveyor of a container capping machine or the like.

Normally, capping machines include a rotary turret provided with a plurality of capping chucks which are adapted to apply caps to containers presented thereto in properly timed relation. In effecting the feedof the containers to the chucks of the rotary turret,xitis known to employ devices associated with the main feed-in conveyor which are effective to cause the formation of a solid line of containers behind such timing device and to permit each successively presented leading container of the solid line of containers to be moved into engagement with a capping chuck. It is obvious that these timing devices must be operated in perfect synchronization with the rotation of the capping turret in order that containers may be properly registered therewith, and that the timing devices must also be operated at an effective linear speed somewhat less than the linear speed of the feed-in conveyor.

Prior known forms of timing devices which have been designed to perform this function include the ordinary star wheel which normally comprises merely a rotatable disk provided with a plurality ofradially disposed; pockets, each of which is so shaped and sized as to closely em-l brace a container which is to be projected into engagement with the capping elements. This solid type of star wheel has proven to be unsatisfactory for use in conjunction with certain types of containers for several reasons. It has been observed that whenevera solid type of star wheel is employed in controlling the feed of containers having elongated rectangular cross sections, the containers are apt to be mishandled or-damaged. This is particularly, true in those instances where lithographed or similarly finished containers are fed between the guide rails of the feed-in conveyor with the greater dimension extending parallel with the axis of the conveyor. In such cases, it has been found that the container controlling forces exerted by the solid type star wheel are initially applied to the corners of the containers at arather sharp angle with respect to the path of travel. This results in the jamming or pressing of one corner of the container against the back rail of the conveyor guide rails and tends to cause the entire container to assume a canted position on the conveyor. Such [action further results in an increase of the force requiredto properlycontrol the container since the frictional drag against the guide rails is obviously increased. It is also quite likely that the increased frictional drag between the container and the guide rails will remove or mar portions of the external finish of the containers and thus render the same unsuitable for retail merchandising.

A container feed timingdevice constructed in accordance with this invention overcomes the difiiculties heretofore presented in connection with the use of certain prior known forms of timing wheels throughthe provision of a timing wheel having a plurality of radially disposed container engaging fingers which are radially movablefduring the time in which they are actively engaged with the containers so that the ends of the f ngers assume nearly a straightline path of travel and thereby substantially avoid the application of oif-line forces to the containers, v

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a timingwh'eel for use in conjunction with the main feed of a container capping machine or the like which is capable of effectively and uniformly controlling the feed of containers presented thereto. A

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of-the character stated which includes a. plurality of generally radially disposed ,fingers movablysupported upon a rotary disk for radial movement relative thereto.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of. the character stated in which the radially extending fingersnormally project substantially'beyond the periphery of the disk'upon which theyvare mounted andin which means are provided for progressively retracting each of said fingers as-itis brought into overlapping relation with respectto the feed conveyor and to then project each finger to its normally extended position as itceases to overlap the feed conveyor whereby the end portion of each such finger will follow a substantially straight line path of travel duringthe time it overlaps the feed conveyor.

Anotherobject of this invention is to provide a devic'eof the character stated in which the fingers are cam projected and spring retracted.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated which includes means for varying the time at which the projective andretractive movements of the fingers relative to the disk may be effected. l

Another object of this invention is to provide a devicelof the character stated which is simple a timing device constructed in accordance with this invention is associated;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the timing wheel" per se and illustrates the relative position thereof with respect to the feed conveyor of the 'assov ciated capping machine; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertica Y section taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the inven- 7 tion as illustrated is embodied in a container capping machine including a main supporting frame A, a rotary capping assembly generally indicated at B, intermediate transfer means C and a main or feed-in conveyor D including the usual guide rails and adapted to move and support a line of containers E. c 7

A timing wheel 5 is carried adjacentthe'icon- 'veyor D through the medium of a mounting bracket generally indicated at 6 and is adapted to be driven from the intermediate :transfer means C through driving connections generally indicated at "I. It should be noted that the mounting bracket and the driving connections are not herein illustrated in detail but are fully illustrated anddescribed in my copending application, Serial No. 388,947, filed April 17,.1941, now Patent No. 2,304,905Qissued December 15, 1942. vThe driven mechanisms include a vertically disposed shaft 8 journalled in the mounting bracket 6 and having its upper end projecting thereabove. A disk 9 having a depending hub I is rigidly affixed to the projecting portion of the shaft 8 for rotation therewith. The upper face of the disk is providedwith a plurality of radially disposed slots adapted to slidably receive a plurality of container engaging fingers II. The Outer ends of the fingers are provided with double concave nose portions I2' which extend upwardly abovethe top face of the disk 9 to thereby provide inwardly disposed abutment or cam faces I3. A disk cam I4 having a cam face I is freely carried by the shaft 8 and overlies the rotary disk 9 and the fingers I- I associated therewith so that the abutment faces I3 of the fingers are disposed in opposed relation to the cam face I5. The underside of the disk cam I4 isprovided with an annular groove I6. Each finger i I is provided with an upstanding stud I'I locatedintermediate its ends. ,An endless coil spring I8 encircles the stud I1 and constantly tends to retract the fingers towards the center of the disk 9 thereby maintaining the abutment'faces I3 of the fingers in contact with the cam face I5. Itshould be noted that the stud I1 and the associated coil spring I8 are collectively received by the groove IB of the disk cam. Thecam face I5 isprovided with a fiattened portion or low area I9 which is effective 'to permit a movement of retraction of each finger followed by'a movement of projection thereof back to the normal fully projected position. It is obvious that in order to effect the radial movement of the fingers in'this manner the disk cam IAmust be maintained stationary, and the disk 9 and its associated fingers rotated relative thereto. 'To this end, a link has one end pivotally connected to the disk cam I4 as by a bolt 2I and its other end connected to suitable position varying means (not shown) which may be any conventional structure for adjustably supporting the end of a member. Normally, the disk cam I4 is positioned with the low portion I9 f the cam face disposed symmetrically with respect to the normal extending from the axis of the conveyor D as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings in order that the straight line movement of the noses I2 of the fingers will be substantially parallel to the path of travel of the containers. Obviously this may be varied by changing the contour of the low portion I9 of the cam face or by varying the position of the disk cam as a whole through the link 23.

In operation the main feed conveyor D advances a line of containers for presentation to the intermediate transfer devices C of the capping machine. As the leading container approaches the timing wheel assembly 5, one edge will be engaged by the nose portion I2 of a finger II. At this time the abutment I3 of the finger I I is approaching the fiat portion I9 of the cam face and thereupon begins its retractive movement towards the center of the disk 9 under the influence of the spring I8. This retractive movement continues/until the lowest point of the cam faceportion I9 is reached and is then followed by a-movement of projection until its fully projected position is again reached. The effect of this movementof retraction followed by the movement of projection is to cause the nose portion I2 of the finger to follow a substantially straight line path of travel during the time the'nose portion is actively engaged with the container. Thus; the. forces exerted by the finger are transmitted to the container in directions which are substantially parallel to the path of travel of-the container and consequently, any tendency towards canting of the container out of parallelism with the axis of the conveyor and any tendency of the container to heavily engage the guide rails of the conveyor is minimized. In the operation of the timing wheel constructed in accordance with this invention, it should be noted that the speeds between the timing wheel and the feed-in conveyor D maybe variously related. Thus, in certain types of installations the conveyor D may be operated at a linear speed greater than the peripheral speed of the timing wheel. In such instances the nose portions I2 of the fingers will first engage the leading edge of each successively presented leading container and thus retard the speed thereof and effect the formation of a solid line of containers behind the leading container. Continued rotation of the timing wheel will bring the nose portion I2 of the next succeeding finger into engagement with the trailing edge ofthe leading container thus effecting the insertion of such succeeding nose portion between the leading container and the next succeeding container. Obviously, after the first engaged finger has become disengaged from the leading edge of the container, the container will be free to reassume the speed of the conveyor and will consequently become properly spaced from the following container. In the instances where the linear speed of the conveyor D is less than the peripheral speed of the timing wheel, the nose portion I2 of a finger will first engage the trailing edge of the leading container and will impel the container along the conveyor upon which it is supported to thereby spacethe leading container from the next succeeding containerin the proper 2,332,791 ,rn'anner; Continued rotation of" the timing wheel will cause the nose portion of the next succeeding finger toengage the trailing edge of the next succeeding container to thus effect its proper spacing from the line of containers following therebehind. Thus, it is obvious-that a timing wheel constructed in accordance with this invention is not dependent upon any fixed speed relation with respect to the feed-in conveyor' but is effoctive to properly space the con-- tainers of a line of containers through relatively wide ranges of feed operation.

Thus-it will 'beseen that the herein disclosed invention provides a novel container feed timing wheel having a plurality of radially disposed container engaging fingers which are radially movable during the time in which they are actively engaged with the containers so that the ends of the fingers assume nearly a straight line path of travel to thereby substantially avoid the application of off-line forces to the containers in which the fingers are cam projected and spring retracted and which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is of course to be understood that certain details of arrangement and proportions of parts may be variously modified without exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Container handling apparatus comprising a conveyor driven at a predetermined linear speed and frictionally. engaging a series of containers to tend to advance said containers at the linear speedof said conveyor, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending radially movable fingers mounted thereon and projectible into the path of said containers in a position intermediate the ends of said conveyor, means for rotating said timing wheel so that the efiective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the linear speed of said conveyor whereby to cause said containers to form a solid line and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line at the linear speed of said conveyor while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bring said containers into predetermined spaced relationship upon said conveyor and means for moving said fingers radially of said timing wheel.

2. Container handling apparatus comprising a conveyor driven at a predetermined linear speed and frictionally engaging a series of containers to tend to advance said containers in a straight line path of travel at the linear speed of said conveyor, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending radially movable fingers mounted thereon and projectible into the path of said containers in a position intermediate the ends of said conveyor, means for rotating said timing wheel so that the eiTective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the linear speed of said conveyor whereby to cause said containers to form a solid line and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in the said solid line at the linear speed of said conveyor while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bring said containers into predetermined spaced relationship upon said conveyor, and means for causing the ends of said fingers to assume nearly a straight line path of travel during the time they are projected into the path of said containers.

3-. Container hand-ling apparatus comprising a conveyor driven at a predetermined linear speed and frictionally engaging a series of. containers to tendto advance said containers ina straight line path of travel at thelinearspeed of saidconv eyer, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending radially movable fingers mounted thereon and projectiblointo the path of said containers in'a position intermediate the ends of said conveyer; means for rotating said timing wheel so that the eiioctive peripheral speedof said fingers is less than the linear speed of said" conveyor whereby to cause said containers to form a solid line and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line at the linear speed of said conveyor while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bring said containers into predetermined spaced relationship upon said conveyor, means effective to maintain said fingers at the outermost limit of radial movement during a portion of each revolution of said wheel and to permit a radial retractive movement of each finger during a portion of each revolution of said wheel, and means for radially retracting each finger when permitted by said position maintaining means whereby the ends of said fingers will be caused to assume nearly a straight line path of travel during the time they are projected into the path of said containers.

4. In a container handling apparatus, the

combination of: means for advancing a series of containers; and means for bringing said containers into predetermined spaced relationship While continuing to be advanced by said advancingmoans comprising, a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending radially movable fingers mounted thereon and projoctible into the path of said containers, means for rotating said timing wheel so that the efiective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the linear speed of said advancing means whereby to cause said containers to form a solid line and to release each successively presented loading container in said solid line for advancement at the linear speed of said advancing means while retarding the remaining containers and means for moving said fingers radially of said timing wheel.

5. In a container handling apparatus, the combination of means for advancing a series of containers in a straight line path of travel; and means for bringing said containers into predetermined spaced relationship while continuing to be advanced by said advancing means comprising, a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending radially movable fingers mounted thereon and projectible into the path of said containers, means for rotating said timing wheel so that the eifective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the linear speed of said advancing means whereby to cause said containers to form a solid line and to release each successively presented leading container in said solid line for advancement at the linear speed of said advancing means while retarding the remaining containers, and means for causing the ends of said fingers to assume nearly a straight line path of travel during the time they are projected into the path of said containers.

6. In a container handling apparatus, the combination of: means for advancing a series of containers in a straight line path of travel; and means for bringing said containers into predeterminedspaced relationship while continuing to be advanced by said advancing means comprising, a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending radially movable fingers mounted thereon and projectible into the path of said containers, means for rotating said timing wheel so that the efiective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the linear speed of said advancing means whereby to cause said containers to form a solid line and to release each successively presented leading container in said solid line for advancement at the linear speed of saidadvancing means while retarding the remaining containers, means effective to maintain nearly a straight line path of travel during the time they are projected into the path of said containers.

HOWARD E. GANTZER.

Images