GB1206804A - Automatic device for orientating and dispensing capsules to filling or other processing stations - Google Patents

Abstract

1,206,804. Orientating capsules. E. GAMBERINI. 23 Oct., 1967 [25 Oct., 1966], No. 48144/67. Heading B8S. A capsule orientating machine comprises a hopper and discharge tubes reciprocable in the base of the hopper, the tubes conducting the capsules to orientating means from which they pass through guides to receivers in a filling conveyer. The conveyor may be a turntable and include means to remove and replace the caps of the capsules. Hopper discharge.-The apparatus is mounted for rotation on a fixed shaft 1 which has secured to its upper end a scroll cam element 7. The discharge tubes 12 are reciprocated through the base of the hopper 10 by followers 8 running in the cam groove 7b. A spring 18 in the base of each tube prevents exit of a capsule until it is deflected by a stationary cam 30. The capsule then falls into the larger end 23a of aligned keyhole slots 23 in discs 20 and comes to rest on a stationary blade 34 which extends part way round the discs' path of rotation. - Orientating.-The slots are dimensioned so that, while the portion 23a is an easy fit for the cap, the portion 23b is a light push fit for the body and a tight fit for the cap. A stationary blade 32 projects between the discs, its inner edge progressively approaching their axis of rotation. It engages each capsule in its upright position in a slot and shifts it to lie horizontally. If the cap is uppermost, the capsule rotates about the cap so that its body enters the slot part 23b in the upper disc 20. If the cap is lowermost, the capsule is rotated to lie in the lower disc slot. As each slot clears the blades, a pusher 24 on the base of each tube 12 engages the body and rotates the capsule to the vertical position with the cap uppermost while pushing it clear of the discs. The capsules fall through guide tubes 25 into holders 26b, 26d, fed earlier as units into apertures in discs 35. The bore of the holder portion 26d tapers to slightly less than the cap diameter so that the capsules remain suspended by their caps until over a suction manifold 40, when the bodies are drawn down clear of the caps to rest on a disc 37 within the portions 26b. Means (not described) then remove the holders for passage to apparatus for filling and sealing the capsules. Alternative embodiment, Fig. 4 (not shown), has circular section tubes 12 with a spring- loaded pivoted closure in lieu of the spring 18, still operated, however, by a fixed cam. The keyhole slots are arranged radially opposite to those of the first embodiment, the slots opening out to the periphery of the discs. Capsules of faulty dimensions, e.g. formed by two telescoped caps are ejected radially by a curved cam surface on each pusher.