GB1222762A - Bakery product stacking method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,222,762. Stacking bakery units. J. B. SCHMIDT, A. S. SCHMIDT JR., H. A. MAURER, N. S. MURPHY, B. L. HERRICK, F. M. IRVING JR., [trading as ALTO CO.]. 22 May, 1969 [27 May, 1968], No. 26108/69. Heading B8C. A method of arranging bakery product units comprises marshalling plural product units in two discrete rows releasing and advancing leading product units in the two rows, moving the product units in one row diagonally toward and over companion moving products in the other row until pairs of product units in the two rows are substantially in superposed relation, and then advancing the superposed pairs of product units while retaining their superposed relation and causing them to move gradually into stacked relation while still being moved. At a marshalling station 29, at the intake end of the apparatus, products, e.g. clusters of hamburger rolls, fed forwardly in two rows on two laterally spaced groups of endless conveyer belts 35 which are relatively slack, can have their movement arrested by two grids 40, 41 which are vertically adjustable above the groups 35 and which are independently lowered by piston and cylinder units to clamp the product rolls against stiff rods 39 located between and below the belts 35 while the latter slide harmlessly under the rolls. The units 43 are vertically adjustable to accommodate rolls of different product thicknesses. Pairs of guide bars 53, 53 and 54, 54 delimit the sides of the groups of conveyer belts 35, the spacing between each pair of bars being adjustable by means of transverse screw shafts 56, 57. Rapid infeed mechanism, which advances laterally spaced pairs of products away from the marshalling station in timed relation with the clamping grids, comprises vertically aligned pairs of relatively large rollers (72, 69) and (73, 69<SP>11</SP>), Fig. 6, not shown, the lower rollers (69<SP>1</SP>, 69<SP>11</SP>) comprising segments to provide clearance for the belts (35) and all of the rollers being provided with a thick outer layer of compressible material such as foam rubber. The rollers (72, 73) are vertically adjustable and are driven in opposite directions by power derived from a main motor 76. Turn-over mechanism for inverting the rolls passing along the left-hand conveyer system comprises a pair of side frames 93, Figs. 10, 11, which are suspended from bars 92 carried at their ends in crossheads 88 which are vertically shiftable by screw-shafts 89 along pairs of vertical guide bars 87 secured to vertical support plates 86 fixed to the frame of the machine. The mechanism, which can be manually moved along the bars 92 for location over either group of conveyers, comprises a pair parallel plates 94 which form a passage 95 and which are secured at each side to the inner race 97 of a large ball bearing 98 whose outer race is secured in the corresponding side frame 93. A pusher 99 is accommodated in the passage 95 and is guided for movement therein, from one end to the other, by guide rods 100 secured to the internal races 97 of the two bearings. A drive chain 102, having an upper horizontal run and a lower substantially semi-circular run, is located at each side of the mechanism, engages three sprocket wheels 104, and is connected at 103 with the pusher plate 99, one of the shafts 92 being connected to the main drive to transfer, through sprocket gears 108, 106 and associated chains 107, movement to the chains 102 so that the pusher bar 99 constantly moves in a D-shaped path. The pusher bar 99 moves only on its horizontal run in the passage 95, having no movement therein on the lower semicircular path while the passage 95, and the product unit 117 within it, are turned upside down. The turn-over mechanism, working in phase with the rapid infeed mechanism, successively accepts pairs of rolls, inverts them, and then delivers them to a downstream conveyer 127. Conveyer sections (118) (Fig. 9, not shown) can be raised and lowered independently to bridge the gap between either conveyer bed 35 and the downstream conveyers 127 or 128. The conveyer 127, which slopes downwardly, terminates over the rear ends of stationary horizontal bars 131 having slots between them, and the conveyer 128 slopes upwardly toward the rear intake of a diagonal generally troughlike crossover conveyer 33 which is vertically adjustable at its forward end. Plural flights 142 connected at their sides to endless chains 143 engaging guide sprockets 144, carry forwardly projecting blades 145 and sweep the roll clusters diagonally across the base-plate 132 of the cross-over conveyers to deliver them on top of the rolls on the spaced bars 131 which extend to the discharge end of the apparatus framework. A slotted intake ramp 141 at the rear of the plate 132 co-operates with the conveyer belts 128, slots 150 in a forward extensions of the plate 132 being in vertical alignment with the slots between the bars 131. The chains 143 are driven through a diagonal drive shaft and sprocket mechanism (151), Fig. 14 (not shown). Transverse rows of pusher fingers 154, which are adapted to project upwardly through the slots 150 and the slots between the bars 131 to move the products to the discharge end of the apparatus, are carried by cross bars 155 connected at their ends to endless chains 156 situated at opposite sides of the bars 131, the upper runs of the chains being in two levels and their driving mechanism being properly timed with that of the cross-over mechanism. The fingers 154 are maintained erect by a third endless chain 160 which is located outwardly of the outboard chain 156 and offset rearwardly thereof, erecting links 166 for the fingers 154 interconnecting the chains 156, 160. As the superposed product units pass beyond the slotted end 149 of the plate 132 strong jets of air from nozzles, located at both levels of the product unit, transfer each of the latter across the bars 131 to align them against a plate 169 where they move forward along the bars 131 for discharge. In a modification, Fig. 18 (not shown), of the apparatus, at the inlet side of the turn-over apparatus 31, the rapid inlet rollers are arranged closer to the turn-over mechanism and the lower infeed roller is formed as a continuous cylindrical surface.