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US3363394A - Apparatus for collating articles - Google Patents

Apparatus for collating articles Download PDF

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Publication number
US3363394A
US3363394A US485804A US48580465A US3363394A US 3363394 A US3363394 A US 3363394A US 485804 A US485804 A US 485804A US 48580465 A US48580465 A US 48580465A US 3363394 A US3363394 A US 3363394A
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United States
Prior art keywords
carriage
articles
supporting base
pusher member
row
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US485804A
Inventor
George H Rainbow
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Crown Packaging UK Ltd
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Metal Box PLC
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Publication date
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
    • B65B5/10—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles
    • B65B5/106—Filling containers or receptacles progressively or in stages by introducing successive articles, or layers of articles by pushers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
    • B65B35/30—Arranging and feeding articles in groups
    • B65B35/40—Arranging and feeding articles in groups by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/06—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines
    • B65G47/08—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding
    • B65G47/084—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding grouping articles in a predetermined 2-dimensional pattern
    • B65G47/088—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from a single group of articles arranged in orderly pattern, e.g. workpieces in magazines spacing or grouping the articles during feeding grouping articles in a predetermined 2-dimensional pattern cylindrical articles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74—Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/82—Rotary or reciprocating members for direct action on articles or materials, e.g. pushers, rakes, shovels
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G2201/00—Indexing codes relating to handling devices, e.g. conveyors, characterised by the type of product or load being conveyed or handled
    • B65G2201/02—Articles
    • B65G2201/0235—Containers
    • B65G2201/0244—Bottles

Definitions

  • Supporting bases of the kind above-mentioned are usually open-topped trays and the articles are retained in position in the trays by a covering of transparent synthetic organic thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, which is applied and secured to the trays by a process known as shrink wrapping.
  • Shrink wrapping is a relatively cheap form of packaging which is popular because the articles are visible but are hygenically protected until the wrapping is opened.
  • the wrapping material which covers the containers has no rigidity until it is cold, following shrinking thereof onto a tray, and for this reason it is preferred to position the articles on supporting bases which not only position the articles for the shrink wrapping process but also give strength to the finished package.
  • the problem when using trays as referred to above for articles to be contained in a shrink wrapped package is to effect automatic filling of the trays by dropping the articles in rows into the trays and it is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of performing this function when using a supporting base as mentioned above.
  • a first pusher member is operable to push rows of articles from a conveyor over a stationary plate and to deliver the articles row-by-row into locations provided on a supporting base initially positioned beneath said plate on a carriage movable over guides therefor and biassed towards the starting position thereof, said carriage being movable away from the starting position by rows of articles delivered by the pusher member from said plate, and a second pusher member is movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with said plate.
  • the supporting bases to be filled may be housed in a vertical magazine including means to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine and on movement of the second pusher member to move a loaded supporting base ofi? the carriage a container feeding member may be movable with the second pusher member to move the uppermost supporting base out of the magazine and on to said carriage for movement thereby into position beneath said plate.
  • the means for urging the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine may comprise a platform biassed towards the top of the magazine and guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine.
  • the platform may be biassed upwards by a weight connected with the platform by a flexible connecting element passed around a freely rotatable roller located at a position near the top of the magazine.
  • the carriage may be biassed to the starting position thereof by a weight co-operating with a dash-pot to con trol the rate of return of the carriage to the starting position thereof.
  • Movements of the first and second pusher members may be initiated by first and second switch devices connected therewith and actuated respectively by the leading article of a row fed by the conveyor into position for delivery by the first pusher member and by the loaded supporting base reaching the position thereof from which it is moved by the second pusher member.
  • the pusher members may be actuated by fluid-pressure operated devices.
  • the first pusher member may be operable to deliver one row of articles at a time to a supporting base.
  • FIG. 1 is a section on line A-A, FIG. 2, of apparatus according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a top plan of FIG. 1,
  • FIG. 3 is a top plan illustrating the position of parts at the beginning of a cycle of operation of the apparatus
  • FIGS. 4 to 6 are diagrammatic sections on line B-B
  • FIG. 2 and illustrate the mode of operation of the apparatus
  • FIG. 7 is a top plan of a form of supporting base to be loaded by the apparatus.
  • the articles to be collated are shown as cans 1.
  • the articles are to be collated on supporting bases 2 which may be as shown in FIG. 7 and provided with rim elements 2a arranged to locate the cans 1 in rows.
  • the supporting base shown in FIG. 7 is arranged to receive twelve cans and to locate them in three rows each of four cans. It will, however, be understood that a supporting base may be arranged to receive and locate a greater or a lesser number of cans as desired.
  • the cans 1 are moved to the collating position by an endless conveyor 3, FIG. 2, the cans being moved in close succession by the conveyor to a position at which the leading can engages and operates a first switch device 4 connectedin suitable manner, not shown, with an actuating device 5 for a first pusher member 6.
  • the actuating device is a fluid-operated device, for example a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.
  • the switch device 4 on engagement thereof by the leading can, operates the actuating device 5 which in turn causes operation of the first pusher member 6 and causes the pusher member to move a row of four cans ofi the conveyor 3 and across a stationary plate 7, FIGS. 3 to 5, and to deliver the row of cans in a row into the appropriate locations therefor on a supporting base 2.
  • a wing 6a, FIGS. 2 and 3, on the pusher member 6 prevents further feeding of cans by the conveyor 3 until the pusher member 6 is restored to the starting position thereof.
  • the supporting base 2 is initially positioned beneath the plate 7, being supported on a carriage 8 provided with rollers 9, FIGS. 4 to 6, which permit movement of the carriage over guides 10 on which the rollers 9 run.
  • the carriage 8 supports the supporting base with the top thereof in close proximity with the underside of the plate 7.
  • the carriage 8 is biased to the starting position thereof by a weight 11, FIGS. 4 to 6, which co-operates with a dash-pot 12 to control the rate of return of the carriage to the starting position thereof.
  • the weight 11 is connected with the carriage 8 by a flexible element such as a chain or cable 13.
  • Supporting bases 2 which are to be filled are housed as a stack in a vertical magazine 14, FIG. 1, which includes means to urge the supporting biases towards the top of the magazine.
  • the means to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine comprises a platform 15 biassed towards the top of the magazine by a weight 16 connected with the platform by a flexible connecting element such as a chain or cable 17.
  • the platform is guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine by rollers 18 which run in a channel member 19.
  • Supporting bases are fed from the top of the magazine one at a time as described below.
  • a supporting base When a supporting base has had the full complement of cans delivered thereto by the first pusher member 6, it is engaged by a second pusher member 20, FIGS. 1 to 3, which moves the loaded supporting base off the carriage 8 and into a shrink wrapping machine 21, of known construction, indicated in broken lines in FIGS. 1, Q and 3.
  • the second pusher member 20 is movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member 6 and, like the first pusher member, is actuated by a fluid-pressure operated device 22, for example a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. Operation of the device 22 is initiated by a second switch device 23, FIGS. 4 to 6, when the carriage 8 reaches the position thereof, FIG. 6, at which the loaded supporting base is to be removed therefrom and fed to the shrink wrapping machine 21.
  • the second pusher member 20 has secured thereto, for movement therewith, a supporting base feeding member 24, FIGS. 1 to 3, which is operable to move the uppermost supporting base from the top of the magazine 14 and on to the carriage 8 for movement by the carriage into position beneath the plate 7.
  • the feeding member 24 is provided with a trailing tail piece 25, which restrains the next succeeding supporting base until the feeding member 24 has returned to the starting position thereof when said next supporting base is moved upwards by the platform 15 in preparation for feeding by the member 24 on the next forward movement of the second pusher member 20.
  • the carriage 8 At the commencement of a collating operation, the carriage 8, with an empty supporting base thereon, is retained in position, FIG. 3, beneath the plate 7 by a projection 26 which is upstanding from the carriage and is engaged with the forward edge 27 of plate 7.
  • the first pusher actuating device 5 and the actuating device 22 are fully retracted, as are the pusher members 6 and 20.
  • the switch 4 is so timed that it will not operate until the second pusher member 20 and the carriage 8 are in the positions thereof shown in FIG. 3.
  • the projection 26 As the first row of cans is moved across plate 7 by the first pusher member 6 the projection 26 is engaged by the cans thus moving carriage 8 until the row of cans tilt over the edge 26 of plate 7 and drop as a row on to the supporting base carried by the carriage, FIG. 4.
  • the row of cans is then engaged with the edge 26 of plate 7 to constrain the carriage against movement thereof towards its starting position.
  • the second row of cans is delivered by the first pusher member 6 it engages the row of cans already delivered to the supporting base and so effects further movement of the carriage to a position at which the second row of cans is delivered on to the supporting base, FIG. 4.
  • the third, and, in the embodiment being described, last, row of cans is then similarly delivered to the supporting base.
  • the row of cans moved by the first pusher member 6 is supported on both sides, at the rear by the pusher member 6 and at the front by the projection 26 or by the preceding row of cans, and the pusher member 6 operates with sufiicient power and speed to force the carriage 8 a short distance greater than the exact diameter of the cans.
  • the pusher member 6 then retracts rapidly thus permitting the cans to drop, without tilting, on to their locations on the supporting base 2.
  • This arrangement is of particular advantage when the articles have irregular outlines, or have projections, for example as on beaded cans or heavily embossed glassware.
  • the second switch device 23 is operated to initiate operation of the second pusher member 20 which, as described above, moves the loaded supporting base off the carriage 8 and into the shrink wrapping machine 21, at the same time feeding a further empty supporting base from the magazine 14 on to the carriage 8.
  • the second pusher member has returned sufficiently to permit movement thereof the carriage 8, with the empty supporting base located thereon, is returned by the Weight 11, under control of dash-pot 12, to the starting positon thereof in which the supporting base is located under the plate 7 and the projection 26 is engaged with the edge 27 of plate 7, and the cycle of operations starts again.
  • the first pusher member 6 is arranged to deliver the rows of cans one at a time to a supporting base but, if desired, the first pusher member 6 may effect full loading of a supporting base during only one forward movement of the pusher member, in which case the conveyor 3 is arranged to feed the cans in three side-by-side rows for removal by the pusher member 6.
  • a dropping dog 28, FIG. 1 is provided to ensure that the supporting base and the cans move together during the final forward movement of the first pusher member 6 when this member is arranged to deliver one row of cans at a time to the container.
  • the dog 28 is raised on the return movement of the pusher member 6 to pass over the next empty supporting base.
  • a ratchet device may be provided on the lower side of carriage 8 to hold the carriage at the position to which the first pusher member 6 has moved the carriage until the next stroke of the pusher member when the ratchet again engages to hold the carriage in the next position thereof to which it is moved by a row of articles.
  • the ratchet releases the carriage when the supporting base thereon is fully loaded and the carriage is, at this point, held in position by the trailing edge of the second pusher member 20 until the second pusher member is retracted when the carriage returns to the position thereof shown in FIG. 3 under the influence of the dash-pot 12 and weight 11.
  • dash-pot and weight control device rather than a spring or other biassing means because the inertia of the dashpot ensures that the carriage moves comparatively slowly to rest against the edge 27 of the plate '7 after it has been forced against the biassing means by the first pusher member 6.
  • articles other than cans may be collated by apparatus as described therein, for example the articles may be jars, packages, tennis balls, or apples.
  • the supporting bases may be formed from doublecorrugated board compressed over a part of the surface thereof to form the rim elements 2a, or the supporting bases may be made of any other suitable material such, for example, as thermoplastic material or aluminum foil.
  • Apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the articles in rows comprising a stationary plate, a conveyor operable to move articles on to the stationary plate for collation on the supporting base, a carriage initially positioned in part beneath said stationary plate, guides over which the carriage is movable to and from said initial position thereof, biasing means co-operating with said carriage to urge the carriage towards said initial position thereof, a first pusher member operable to push rows of articles from the stationary plate on to a supporting base positioned on the carriage to receive the first row of articles and to cause the articles of each row after the first to engage the articles of the preceding row positioned on said base and so move the carriage away from the initial position thereof, and a second pusher member movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with the stationary plate.
  • Apparatus according to claim 1 including a vertical magazine arranged to house supporting bases, means operable to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine, and a supporting base feeding member movable with said second pusher member and operable While the second pusher member is moving a loaded supporting base off the carriage to move the uppermost supporting base out of the magazine and on to said carriage for movement thereby into position beneath the stationary plate.
  • Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the means for urging the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine comprises a platform biased towards the top of the magazine and guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine.
  • Apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the articles in rows comprising a stationary plate, a conveyor operable to move articles on to the stationary plate for collation on the supporting base, a carriage initially positioned in part beneath said stationary plate, guides over which the carriage is movable to and from said initial position thereof, biassing means co-operating with said carriage to urge the carriage towards said initial position thereof, said biassing means including a weight connected to the carriage and housed in a dashpot to control the rate of return of the carriage to said initial position thereof, a first pusher member operable to push rows of articles from the stationary plate on to a supporting base positioned on the carriage to receive the first row of articles and to cause the articles of each row after the first to engage the articles of the preceding row positioned on said base and so move the carriage away from the initial position thereof, and a second pusher member movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with the stationary
  • Apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the articles in rows comprising a stationary plate, a conveyor operable to move articles on to the stationary plate for collation on the supporting base, a carriage initially positioned in part beneath said stationary plate, guides over which the carriage is movable to and from said initial position thereof, biassing means co-operating with said carriage to urge the carriage towards said initial position thereof, a fluid-pressure operated first pusher member operable to push rows of articles from the stationary plate on to a supporting base positioned on the carriage to receive the first row of articles and to cause the articles of each row after the first to engage the articles of the preceding row positioned on said base and so move the carriage away from the initial position thereof, and a fluid-pressure operated second pusher member movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with the stationary plate.
  • Apparatus according to claim 6, including first and second switch devices connected with said fluid-pressure operated first and second pusher members and positioned respectively for actuation by the leading article of a roW delivered by said conveyor on to the stationary plate and by a loaded supporting base reaching the position thereof from which it is moved by the second pusher member.
  • Apparatus according to claim 7, including a vertical magazine arranged to house supporting bases, means operable to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine, and a supporting base feeding member movable with said second pusher member and operable while the second pusher member is moving a loaded supporting base off the carriage to move the uppermost sup porting base out of the magazine and on to said carriage for movement thereby into position beneath the stationary plate.
  • Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the means for urging the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine comprises a platform biased towards the top of the magazine and guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine.
  • Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the platform is biased upwards by a weight connected with the platform by a flexible connecting element passed around a freely rotatable roller located at a position near the top of the magazine.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
  • Special Conveying (AREA)

Description

Jan. 16, 1968 G. H RAINBOW I APPARATUS FOR COLLATING ARTI CLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.
Inventor GEORGE H. RAzuBoW K v 1 a I Attorney Jan. 16, 1968 G. H. RAINBOW 3,363,394
' APPARATUS FOR COLLATING ARTICLES Filed Sept. 8,. 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 V v Q lfive nlor eese-E H. RAiNB By r, v M
A ttorney Jan. 16, 1968 G. H. RAINBOW APPARATUS FOR COLLATING ARTICLES Filed Sept. 8, 1965 3 Sheets-$heet 5 Inventor G RGE H. RAINBOW By 2 v 4 a Altorneys United States Patent 3,363,394 APPARATUS FOR COLLATING ARTICLES George H. Rainbow, Gerrards Cross, England, assignor to The Metal Box Company Limited, London, England, a British company Filed Sept. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 485,804 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Sept. 8, 1964, 36,768/64 Claims. (Cl. 5361) This invention relates to apparatus for collating articles, and in particular to apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the articles in rows on the supporting base.
Supporting bases of the kind above-mentioned are usually open-topped trays and the articles are retained in position in the trays by a covering of transparent synthetic organic thermoplastic material, such as polyethylene, which is applied and secured to the trays by a process known as shrink wrapping. Shrink wrapping is a relatively cheap form of packaging which is popular because the articles are visible but are hygenically protected until the wrapping is opened. The wrapping material which covers the containers has no rigidity until it is cold, following shrinking thereof onto a tray, and for this reason it is preferred to position the articles on supporting bases which not only position the articles for the shrink wrapping process but also give strength to the finished package.
The problem when using trays as referred to above for articles to be contained in a shrink wrapped package is to effect automatic filling of the trays by dropping the articles in rows into the trays and it is the object of the present invention to provide an apparatus capable of performing this function when using a supporting base as mentioned above.
According to the invention there is provided apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the article in rows, wherein a first pusher member is operable to push rows of articles from a conveyor over a stationary plate and to deliver the articles row-by-row into locations provided on a supporting base initially positioned beneath said plate on a carriage movable over guides therefor and biassed towards the starting position thereof, said carriage being movable away from the starting position by rows of articles delivered by the pusher member from said plate, and a second pusher member is movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with said plate.
The supporting bases to be filled may be housed in a vertical magazine including means to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine and on movement of the second pusher member to move a loaded supporting base ofi? the carriage a container feeding member may be movable with the second pusher member to move the uppermost supporting base out of the magazine and on to said carriage for movement thereby into position beneath said plate. The means for urging the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine may comprise a platform biassed towards the top of the magazine and guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine. The platform may be biassed upwards by a weight connected with the platform by a flexible connecting element passed around a freely rotatable roller located at a position near the top of the magazine.
The carriage may be biassed to the starting position thereof by a weight co-operating with a dash-pot to con trol the rate of return of the carriage to the starting position thereof.
Movements of the first and second pusher members may be initiated by first and second switch devices connected therewith and actuated respectively by the leading article of a row fed by the conveyor into position for delivery by the first pusher member and by the loaded supporting base reaching the position thereof from which it is moved by the second pusher member.
The pusher members may be actuated by fluid-pressure operated devices.
The first pusher member may be operable to deliver one row of articles at a time to a supporting base.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a section on line A-A, FIG. 2, of apparatus according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a top plan of FIG. 1,
FIG. 3 is a top plan illustrating the position of parts at the beginning of a cycle of operation of the apparatus,
FIGS. 4 to 6 are diagrammatic sections on line B-B,
FIG. 2 and illustrate the mode of operation of the apparatus, and
FIG. 7 is a top plan of a form of supporting base to be loaded by the apparatus.
Referring to the drawings, the articles to be collated are shown as cans 1. The articles are to be collated on supporting bases 2 which may be as shown in FIG. 7 and provided with rim elements 2a arranged to locate the cans 1 in rows. The supporting base shown in FIG. 7 is arranged to receive twelve cans and to locate them in three rows each of four cans. It will, however, be understood that a supporting base may be arranged to receive and locate a greater or a lesser number of cans as desired.
The cans 1 are moved to the collating position by an endless conveyor 3, FIG. 2, the cans being moved in close succession by the conveyor to a position at which the leading can engages and operates a first switch device 4 connectedin suitable manner, not shown, with an actuating device 5 for a first pusher member 6. As shown in the drawings the actuating device is a fluid-operated device, for example a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder.
The switch device 4, on engagement thereof by the leading can, operates the actuating device 5 which in turn causes operation of the first pusher member 6 and causes the pusher member to move a row of four cans ofi the conveyor 3 and across a stationary plate 7, FIGS. 3 to 5, and to deliver the row of cans in a row into the appropriate locations therefor on a supporting base 2. A wing 6a, FIGS. 2 and 3, on the pusher member 6 prevents further feeding of cans by the conveyor 3 until the pusher member 6 is restored to the starting position thereof.
The supporting base 2 is initially positioned beneath the plate 7, being supported on a carriage 8 provided with rollers 9, FIGS. 4 to 6, which permit movement of the carriage over guides 10 on which the rollers 9 run. The carriage 8 supports the supporting base with the top thereof in close proximity with the underside of the plate 7. The carriage 8 is biased to the starting position thereof by a weight 11, FIGS. 4 to 6, which co-operates with a dash-pot 12 to control the rate of return of the carriage to the starting position thereof. The weight 11 is connected with the carriage 8 by a flexible element such as a chain or cable 13.
Supporting bases 2 which are to be filled are housed as a stack in a vertical magazine 14, FIG. 1, which includes means to urge the supporting biases towards the top of the magazine. As shown in the drawings, the means to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine comprises a platform 15 biassed towards the top of the magazine by a weight 16 connected with the platform by a flexible connecting element such as a chain or cable 17. The platform is guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine by rollers 18 which run in a channel member 19. Supporting bases are fed from the top of the magazine one at a time as described below.
When a supporting base has had the full complement of cans delivered thereto by the first pusher member 6, it is engaged by a second pusher member 20, FIGS. 1 to 3, which moves the loaded supporting base off the carriage 8 and into a shrink wrapping machine 21, of known construction, indicated in broken lines in FIGS. 1, Q and 3. The second pusher member 20 is movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member 6 and, like the first pusher member, is actuated by a fluid-pressure operated device 22, for example a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder. Operation of the device 22 is initiated by a second switch device 23, FIGS. 4 to 6, when the carriage 8 reaches the position thereof, FIG. 6, at which the loaded supporting base is to be removed therefrom and fed to the shrink wrapping machine 21.
The second pusher member 20 has secured thereto, for movement therewith, a supporting base feeding member 24, FIGS. 1 to 3, which is operable to move the uppermost supporting base from the top of the magazine 14 and on to the carriage 8 for movement by the carriage into position beneath the plate 7. The feeding member 24 is provided with a trailing tail piece 25, which restrains the next succeeding supporting base until the feeding member 24 has returned to the starting position thereof when said next supporting base is moved upwards by the platform 15 in preparation for feeding by the member 24 on the next forward movement of the second pusher member 20.
At the commencement of a collating operation, the carriage 8, with an empty supporting base thereon, is retained in position, FIG. 3, beneath the plate 7 by a projection 26 which is upstanding from the carriage and is engaged with the forward edge 27 of plate 7. At this time the first pusher actuating device 5 and the actuating device 22 are fully retracted, as are the pusher members 6 and 20. The switch 4 is so timed that it will not operate until the second pusher member 20 and the carriage 8 are in the positions thereof shown in FIG. 3. As the first row of cans is moved across plate 7 by the first pusher member 6 the projection 26 is engaged by the cans thus moving carriage 8 until the row of cans tilt over the edge 26 of plate 7 and drop as a row on to the supporting base carried by the carriage, FIG. 4. The row of cans is then engaged with the edge 26 of plate 7 to constrain the carriage against movement thereof towards its starting position. As the second row of cans is delivered by the first pusher member 6 it engages the row of cans already delivered to the supporting base and so effects further movement of the carriage to a position at which the second row of cans is delivered on to the supporting base, FIG. 4. The third, and, in the embodiment being described, last, row of cans is then similarly delivered to the supporting base. The row of cans moved by the first pusher member 6 is supported on both sides, at the rear by the pusher member 6 and at the front by the projection 26 or by the preceding row of cans, and the pusher member 6 operates with sufiicient power and speed to force the carriage 8 a short distance greater than the exact diameter of the cans. The pusher member 6 then retracts rapidly thus permitting the cans to drop, without tilting, on to their locations on the supporting base 2. This arrangement is of particular advantage when the articles have irregular outlines, or have projections, for example as on beaded cans or heavily embossed glassware. When the last row is in position on the supporting base 2, FIG. 6, the second switch device 23 is operated to initiate operation of the second pusher member 20 which, as described above, moves the loaded supporting base off the carriage 8 and into the shrink wrapping machine 21, at the same time feeding a further empty supporting base from the magazine 14 on to the carriage 8. When the second pusher member has returned sufficiently to permit movement thereof the carriage 8, with the empty supporting base located thereon, is returned by the Weight 11, under control of dash-pot 12, to the starting positon thereof in which the supporting base is located under the plate 7 and the projection 26 is engaged with the edge 27 of plate 7, and the cycle of operations starts again.
As shown in the drawings, the first pusher member 6 is arranged to deliver the rows of cans one at a time to a supporting base but, if desired, the first pusher member 6 may effect full loading of a supporting base during only one forward movement of the pusher member, in which case the conveyor 3 is arranged to feed the cans in three side-by-side rows for removal by the pusher member 6.
When, as shown in FIG. 7, the supporting base has a discontinuous rim, a dropping dog 28, FIG. 1, is provided to ensure that the supporting base and the cans move together during the final forward movement of the first pusher member 6 when this member is arranged to deliver one row of cans at a time to the container. The dog 28 is raised on the return movement of the pusher member 6 to pass over the next empty supporting base.
To enable the articles to fall freely when the articles being collated are irregular articles, or are rimmed articles such as cans, a ratchet device, not shown, may be provided on the lower side of carriage 8 to hold the carriage at the position to which the first pusher member 6 has moved the carriage until the next stroke of the pusher member when the ratchet again engages to hold the carriage in the next position thereof to which it is moved by a row of articles. The ratchet releases the carriage when the supporting base thereon is fully loaded and the carriage is, at this point, held in position by the trailing edge of the second pusher member 20 until the second pusher member is retracted when the carriage returns to the position thereof shown in FIG. 3 under the influence of the dash-pot 12 and weight 11. It is preferred to use a dash-pot and weight control device rather than a spring or other biassing means because the inertia of the dashpot ensures that the carriage moves comparatively slowly to rest against the edge 27 of the plate '7 after it has been forced against the biassing means by the first pusher member 6.
It will be understood that articles other than cans may be collated by apparatus as described therein, for example the articles may be jars, packages, tennis balls, or apples.
The supporting bases may be formed from doublecorrugated board compressed over a part of the surface thereof to form the rim elements 2a, or the supporting bases may be made of any other suitable material such, for example, as thermoplastic material or aluminum foil.
The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. Apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the articles in rows, comprising a stationary plate, a conveyor operable to move articles on to the stationary plate for collation on the supporting base, a carriage initially positioned in part beneath said stationary plate, guides over which the carriage is movable to and from said initial position thereof, biasing means co-operating with said carriage to urge the carriage towards said initial position thereof, a first pusher member operable to push rows of articles from the stationary plate on to a supporting base positioned on the carriage to receive the first row of articles and to cause the articles of each row after the first to engage the articles of the preceding row positioned on said base and so move the carriage away from the initial position thereof, and a second pusher member movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with the stationary plate.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including a vertical magazine arranged to house supporting bases, means operable to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine, and a supporting base feeding member movable with said second pusher member and operable While the second pusher member is moving a loaded supporting base off the carriage to move the uppermost supporting base out of the magazine and on to said carriage for movement thereby into position beneath the stationary plate.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for urging the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine comprises a platform biased towards the top of the magazine and guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine.
4. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the platform is biased upwards by a weight connected with the platform by a flexible connecting element passed around a freely rotatable roller located at a position near the top of the magazine.
5. Apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the articles in rows, comprising a stationary plate, a conveyor operable to move articles on to the stationary plate for collation on the supporting base, a carriage initially positioned in part beneath said stationary plate, guides over which the carriage is movable to and from said initial position thereof, biassing means co-operating with said carriage to urge the carriage towards said initial position thereof, said biassing means including a weight connected to the carriage and housed in a dashpot to control the rate of return of the carriage to said initial position thereof, a first pusher member operable to push rows of articles from the stationary plate on to a supporting base positioned on the carriage to receive the first row of articles and to cause the articles of each row after the first to engage the articles of the preceding row positioned on said base and so move the carriage away from the initial position thereof, and a second pusher member movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with the stationary plate.
6. Apparatus for collating articles on a supporting base designed to locate the articles in rows, comprising a stationary plate, a conveyor operable to move articles on to the stationary plate for collation on the supporting base, a carriage initially positioned in part beneath said stationary plate, guides over which the carriage is movable to and from said initial position thereof, biassing means co-operating with said carriage to urge the carriage towards said initial position thereof, a fluid-pressure operated first pusher member operable to push rows of articles from the stationary plate on to a supporting base positioned on the carriage to receive the first row of articles and to cause the articles of each row after the first to engage the articles of the preceding row positioned on said base and so move the carriage away from the initial position thereof, and a fluid-pressure operated second pusher member movable in a direction at right angles to the direction of movement of the first pusher member to move a loaded supporting base off the carriage and out of alignment with the stationary plate.
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, including first and second switch devices connected with said fluid-pressure operated first and second pusher members and positioned respectively for actuation by the leading article of a roW delivered by said conveyor on to the stationary plate and by a loaded supporting base reaching the position thereof from which it is moved by the second pusher member.
8. Apparatus according to claim 7, including a vertical magazine arranged to house supporting bases, means operable to urge the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine, and a supporting base feeding member movable with said second pusher member and operable while the second pusher member is moving a loaded supporting base off the carriage to move the uppermost sup porting base out of the magazine and on to said carriage for movement thereby into position beneath the stationary plate.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the means for urging the supporting bases towards the top of the magazine comprises a platform biased towards the top of the magazine and guided for movement lengthwise of the magazine.
10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the platform is biased upwards by a weight connected with the platform by a flexible connecting element passed around a freely rotatable roller located at a position near the top of the magazine.
No references cited.
TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner,

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR COLLATING ARTICLES ON A SUPPORTING BASE DESIGNED TO LOCATE THE ARTICLES IN ROWS, COMPRISING A STATIONARY PLATE, A CONVEYOR OPERABLE TO MOVE ARTICLES ON TO THE STATIONARY PLATE FOR COLLATION ON THE SUPPORTING BASE, A CARRIAGE INITIALLY POSITIONED IN PART BENEATH SAID STATIONARY PLATE, GUIDES OVER WHICH THE CARRIAGE IS MOVABL TO AND FROM SAID INITIAL POSITION THEREOF, BIASING MEANS CO-OPERATING WITH SAID CARRIAGE TO URGE THE CARRIAGE TOWARDS SAID INITIAL POSITION THEREOF, A FIRST PUSHER MEMBER OPERABLE TO PUSH ROWS OF ARTICLES FROM THE STATIONARY PLATE ON TO A SUPPORTING BASE POSITIONED ON THE CARRIAGE TO RECEIVE THE FIRST ROW OF ARTICLES AND TO CAUSE THE ARTICLES OF EACH ROW AFTER THE FIRST TO ENGAGE THE ARTICLES OF THE PRECEDING ROW POSITIONED ON SAID BASE AND SO MOVE THE CARRIAGE AWAY FROM THE INITIAL POSITION THEREOF, AND A SECOND PUSHER MEMBER MOVABLE IN A DIRECTION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE FIRST PUSHER MEMBER TO MOVE A LOADED SUPPORTING BASE OFF THE CARRIAGE AND OUT OF ALIGNMENT WITH THE STATIONARY PLATE.
US485804A 1964-09-08 1965-09-08 Apparatus for collating articles Expired - Lifetime US3363394A (en)

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GB36768/64A GB1055611A (en) 1964-09-08 1964-09-08 Improvements in or relating to apparatus for loading articles in rows on a supporting base

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DE (1) DE1269937B (en)
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US4291519A (en) * 1980-05-30 1981-09-29 Daniel Johnson Bottle carton filling machine
EP0163091A1 (en) * 1984-04-16 1985-12-04 AB Tetra Pak Device for packaging objects
US6164045A (en) * 1998-05-18 2000-12-26 Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co.) Device for packaging groups of (Individual) packages
CN102941939A (en) * 2012-12-07 2013-02-27 江苏中鹏新材料股份有限公司 Epoxy molding compound finished product container loader
US20130243558A1 (en) * 2012-03-14 2013-09-19 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for transferring article layers between adjacent modules
CN103803108A (en) * 2014-02-27 2014-05-21 无锡创达电子有限公司 Automatic arranging and packaging method of epoxy molding compound pie-shaped forming materials
NL2009988C2 (en) * 2012-12-14 2014-06-17 Hoppmann B V DEVICE AND METHOD FOR POSITIONING A NUMBER OF BOTTLES ON A HOLDER.
CN105480470A (en) * 2015-11-30 2016-04-13 广东坚美铝型材厂（集团）有限公司 Full-automatic continuous feeding and discharging aluminum material packaging machine
WO2016170465A1 (en) * 2015-04-21 2016-10-27 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Device and method for transferring containers
CN107128535A (en) * 2017-05-05 2017-09-05 河海大学常州校区 Canned punch-out equipment and its method of work
WO2017163097A1 (en) * 2016-03-25 2017-09-28 Gebo Cermex Canada Inc. Transfer unit and process
US10875674B2 (en) * 2015-01-23 2020-12-29 Ishida Co., Ltd. Push-in mechanism and box packing device provided with same
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US3914921A (en) * 1974-04-10 1975-10-28 Windor Inc High speed carton casing apparatus
US4291519A (en) * 1980-05-30 1981-09-29 Daniel Johnson Bottle carton filling machine
EP0163091A1 (en) * 1984-04-16 1985-12-04 AB Tetra Pak Device for packaging objects
US6164045A (en) * 1998-05-18 2000-12-26 Focke & Co. (Gmbh & Co.) Device for packaging groups of (Individual) packages
US20130243558A1 (en) * 2012-03-14 2013-09-19 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for transferring article layers between adjacent modules
US9862552B2 (en) * 2012-03-14 2018-01-09 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Method and apparatus for transferring article layers between adjacent modules
CN102941939A (en) * 2012-12-07 2013-02-27 江苏中鹏新材料股份有限公司 Epoxy molding compound finished product container loader
NL2009988C2 (en) * 2012-12-14 2014-06-17 Hoppmann B V DEVICE AND METHOD FOR POSITIONING A NUMBER OF BOTTLES ON A HOLDER.
CN103803108A (en) * 2014-02-27 2014-05-21 无锡创达电子有限公司 Automatic arranging and packaging method of epoxy molding compound pie-shaped forming materials
US10875674B2 (en) * 2015-01-23 2020-12-29 Ishida Co., Ltd. Push-in mechanism and box packing device provided with same
WO2016170465A1 (en) * 2015-04-21 2016-10-27 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Device and method for transferring containers
US10815112B2 (en) 2015-04-21 2020-10-27 I.M.A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. Device and method for transferring containers
CN107787297B (en) * 2015-04-21 2019-11-05 I.M.A.工业机械自动装置股份公司 Device and method for transfer vessel
CN107787297A (en) * 2015-04-21 2018-03-09 I.M.A.工业机械自动装置股份公司 Apparatus and method for transfer vessel
CN105480470B (en) * 2015-11-30 2017-01-25 广东坚美铝型材厂（集团）有限公司 Full-automatic continuous feeding and discharging aluminum material packaging machine
CN105480470A (en) * 2015-11-30 2016-04-13 广东坚美铝型材厂（集团）有限公司 Full-automatic continuous feeding and discharging aluminum material packaging machine
WO2017163097A1 (en) * 2016-03-25 2017-09-28 Gebo Cermex Canada Inc. Transfer unit and process
EP3433194A4 (en) * 2016-03-25 2019-11-27 Gebo Cermex Canada Inc. TRANSFER UNIT AND METHOD
US11407543B2 (en) 2016-03-25 2022-08-09 Sidel Canada Inc. Transfer unit and process
CN107128535B (en) * 2017-05-05 2019-03-19 河海大学常州校区 Canned punch-out equipment and its working method
CN107128535A (en) * 2017-05-05 2017-09-05 河海大学常州校区 Canned punch-out equipment and its method of work
CN117048891A (en) * 2023-10-13 2023-11-14 四川威纳尔特种电子材料有限公司 Automatic bagging device and method for bonding wire coil stock
CN117048891B (en) * 2023-10-13 2023-12-19 四川威纳尔特种电子材料有限公司 Automatic bagging device and method for bonding wire coil stock

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Publication number Publication date
BE669364A (en) 1966-03-08
DE1269937B (en) 1968-06-06
GB1055611A (en) 1967-01-18
NL6511728A (en) 1966-03-09

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