GB1585440A

GB1585440A - Apparatus for feeding ojects from a conveyor

Info

Publication number: GB1585440A
Application number: GB19901/78A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1977-05-24
Filing date: 1978-05-16
Publication date: 1981-03-04
Also published as: IT7823730A0; FR2391939A1; NL7805648A; FR2391939B1; DE2822823A1; IT1095515B; JPS5417266A

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR FEEDING OBJECTS FROM A CONVEYOR (71) I, KARL ERIK INGEMAR ERIKSSON, a Swedish subject, of Box 6001, S-700 06 Orebro, Sweden, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for use in conjunction with quality control equipment comprising a plurality of inspection stations and means for rejecting objects detected as faulty by said inspection stations, the apparatus being arranged to feed a series of objects, for example glass bottles, from a conveyor, to advance the objects step by step through the plurality of inspection stations, and to return objects to the conveyor.The invention particularly relates to an apparatus which is able to guide the objects from the conveyor through the inspection stations and, subsequent to the objects being inspected, either to return only faultless objects to the conveyor, or to return all of the objects to the conveyor, depending on whether the rejection means is located upstream of the point at which objects are returned to the conveyor.

In the manufacture of, for example, glass containers, the containers when finished are checked for faults. For example, the containers, which may be glass bottles, must be checked with respect to the thickness of the glass, to ensure that they are not cracked or irregularly formed, and with respect to their roundness. The bottles are inspected automatically at respective inspection stations arranged along an inspection path. In order that the bottles can be inspected at the same rate as they are produced, the inspection operations must be carried out very rapidly and the time taken for the bottles to move between the different inspection stations must be as small as practicable. Desirably, it should be possible to inspect at least 200 to 300 bottles per minute.This places very high requirements on the means by which the bottles are advanced through the inspection stations and it should be possible to accelerate and slow down the bottles quickly without the bottles being broken and whilst the necessary precision with which they need be fed to the stations is maintained. Another requirement is that the bottles should be capable of being removed from a line or conveyor passing directly from a bottle manufacturing machine, prior to inspecting the bottles, and preferably that only accepted bottles are later replaced on the conveyor.

The inspection apparatus should preferably occupy the shortest practicable length of the conveyor and should be capable of being placed in connection therewith without becoming an actual part thereof, so that one inspection apparatus can readily be exchanged for another in the event of a breakdown, or, for example, can be readily moved to another position along said conveyor. The importance of being able to move or replace the inspection apparatus rapidly and simply will be perceived when it is understood that a breakdown of 5 minutes at an advancing speed of e.g. 300 bottles per minute results in a queue of 1500 bottles. As a result of the aforementioned high speeds at which the bottles are advanced, and for reasons of space, the apparatus should be as compact as practicable in order to reduce the mass of the movable components.

In my Swedish Patent Specification No.

360332, an apparatus is disclosed for indexing objects along a path having inspection stations arranged therealong. Although this apparatus permits the objects to be inspected at a high inspection rate, it has the disadvantage that it can not readily or practically be connected to a conveyor leading from a manufacturing machine without dividing the conveyor into a section upstream of and a section downstream of the inspection apparatus. Such a division is undesirable for several reasons. U.S. Patent Specification No. 3,710,937 describes an inspection apparatus which comprises feed screws which are obliquely positioned relative to the conveyor and which are intended to feed the objects from the conveyor and to return said objects thereto.The means by which these screws are driven and the manner in which they are journalled is such, however, as to make it impossible for the apparatus to be readily placed adjacent a conveyor or to be readily removed therefrom. Further, the feed screws are adapted to transfer the glass containers to an intermittently driven rotatable feed arrangement, hereinafter referred to as a rotatable table. Because the table must be quickly accelerated and retarded, since it is only intermittently rotated, and because the glass containers are engaged by dogging means in an abrupt manner, such an apparatus cannot be used for the inspection of objects which are conveyed at the speeds envisaged in this present Specification.

U.S. Patent Specification No. 2,357,799 describes an apparatus for indexing a series of objects between a number of stations successively in opposite directions along two parallel paths by means of an elongate carrier arranged between said paths and a dogging device projecting outwardly substantially perpendicularly to said paths. Although such an apparatus permits a high feed rate, according to said Patent Specification transfer from the end of one path to the beginning of the other path is effected by means of an intermittently driven rotatable table, with all the limitations inherent in such a table. Neither can this apparatus be arranged to operate in conjunction with a conveyor leading from a manufacturing machine without requiring the conveyor to be divided.Further, the apparatus is not suited for operation in conjunction with feed screws since, inter alia, the aforementioned carrier does not incorporate any dogging devices adapted to stop the objects at exact discharge positions at the end of each path.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for feeding a series of objects from a conveyor and gently advancing said objects at high speed step by step through a number of inspection stations before returning objects to said conveyor.

To this end, according to this invention, such an apparatus comprises feed means which has a continuous drive and co-operates with a feeding mechanism for feeding the objects step by step between the inspection stations, the apparatus being adapted to be placed adjacent the conveyor to receive objects from the conveyor and said feed means being arranged synchronously and accurately to feed the objects to a receiving position, and to feed objects from a dispatch position, of the step by step feeding mechanism, wherein said step by step feeding mechanism is arranged to feed objects in opposite directions along two parallel paths and for this purpose comprises an elongate carrier arranged between the paths, dogging means projecting outwardly from the carrier substantially perpendicularly to the paths, and means for moving the carrier with a continuous to and fro movement around a closed path in a manner such that during one part of the movement in one direction the dogging means are caused to move objects located in one of the two parallel paths through one step in the one direction and during another part of the movement in an opposite direction are caused to move objects located in the other of the two parallel paths through one step in the opposite direction, the apparatus further comprising transfer means having a continuous drive for transferring the objects from the end of the one of the two parallel paths to the beginning of the other of the two parallel paths.

An apparatus in accordance with the invention can be readily placed adjacent, preferably obliquely to, a conveyor and be readily and simply replaced by another apparatus should the one originally placed break down. Further, by means of the combination of a continuously driven feeding mechanism, which permits very rapid and gentle handling of the objects, with the aforementioned continuously driven feed means, it is possible to construct an inspection apparatus which has a number of important advantages over previously known apparatus.

Preferably, the feed means are placed on the same side of the flow of objects as is the carrier provided with the dogging means and the feed means project freely over the main production line conveyor or over a conveyor which forms a part of the apparatus and is arranged to be placed adjacent and parallel to the main conveyor. The feed means are preferably driven at their inner ends from a common shaft.

The transfer means for transferring the objects from the end of one of the two parallel paths along a transverse path to the beginning of the other of the two parallel paths may comprise a dogging means carried by the carrier and extending substantially parallel to the two parallel paths. In this case a pair of feed screws is preferably used for transferring the objects from the one of the two parallel paths to the transverse path and from the transverse path to the beginning of the other of the two parallel paths.

Alternatively the transfer means may, instead, be in the form of a rotatable table arrangement which is driven continuously and synchronously with the step by step feeding mechanism. The table arrangement is provided with compartments conforming to the objects to be inspected and, during rotation of the table, is arranged to feed the objects along an arcuate path which connects the end of the one of the two parallel paths to the beginning of the other of the two parallel paths. The arcuate path is outwardly delimited by at least one arcuate guide strip arranged to co-operate with the objects.

By means of such an arrangement the objects can be engaged immediately at the end of the one of the two parallel paths and be transferred to the beginning of the other of the two paths without any intermediate coupling consisting of conveyor screws or the like. Because the rotatable table is driven continuously, the table need not be rapidly accelerated or retarded. Further, the table will subject the objects to very gentle acceleration and retardation forces, which greatly reduces the risk of the objects being damaged.

The aforementioned compartments are preferably arranged in pairs such that the receipt and dispatch of objects by the compartments takes place simultaneously. It is preferred that each of the aforementioned compartments is defined by substantially parallel side walls, which in accordance with one embodiment of the invention comprise pairs of parallel dogging arms.

When the feed means comprises feed screws it is preferred that the screws should be adjustable in position both in the axial and the transverse directions. For this purpose the screws can be hollow and a drive shaft may pass therethrough. This shaft is driven at the one end and is displaceably connected to the screw at the opposite end.

Conveniently, the carrier at the end of each of the two parallel paths comprises a dogging device which is solely adapted to stop or to slow down the objects at the associated discharge position, from which position the objects are advanced further, by means of a feed screw. The dogging devices may be telescopically adjustable in length.

So that the invention will be more readily understood and further features thereof made apparent some examples of apparatus in accordance with the invention for use in feeding bottles will now be described with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inspection unit incorporating feed apparatus in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of one example of the feed apparatus; Figure 3 illustrates mechanism for driving the various components of the feed apparatus shown in Figure 2; Figures 4--7 illustrate a feed cycle for the apparatus shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Figures 8 and 9 are plan views of a modified arrangement, forming part of the apparatus, for transferring the objects between the parallel paths;; Figure 10 illustrates schematically how the length of dogging arms forming part of the apparatus can be telescopically changed; Figure 11 illustrates pressing means arranged at each station; Figures 12 and 13 illustrate how the pressing means shown in Figure 11 are automatically adapted to bottles of different diameters; Figure 14 illustrates how the distances between the dogging arms can be regulated from one end of a carrier forming part of the apparatus; Figure 15 illustrates an arrangement for changing the distance between the dogging arms in the arrangement illustrated in Figures 8 and 9; Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 2, but illustrating a portion of another example of the apparatus; Figures 17 and 18 illustrate how the screws forming part of the apparatus can be adapted to bottles of different diameters; and, Figure 19 illustrates alternative feed means in the apparatus of Figures 17 and 18.

The inspection unit illustrated in Figure 1 comprises a feed arrangement according to the invention carried by a pillar-like structure 1. In the illustrated embodiment, the various means (not shown) for inspecting glass bottles 2 are located at the upper part 3 of the carrying structure. Certain inspection functions of these inspection devices, however, may require them to be arranged on one side of the bottles or beneath the same.

The inspection devices may be manufactured as readily exchangeable unit of plug-in type and optical fibres may be used for transmitting light to the various devices from a central light source, for instance placed in the upper part 3. Since the inspection devices do not form any part of the present invention, however, these inspection devices have not been shown, for the sake of simplicity. The invention relates to the mechanical feeding of bottles from a production line or conveyor 4 through a number of inspection stations and back to the continuously moving conveyor 4. The bottles may be removed from and returned to the conveyor 4 by means of continuously driven feed screws 5 and 6, respectively, while the bottles are advanced stepwise between the inspection stations by means of a continually driven indexing mechanism comprising a carrier 7 having transverse dogging devices 8.

As will be seen from Figure 1, the inspection apparatus in its entirety can be made extremely compactly in the form of a simple, movable unit which when used need only be placed adjacent a conveyor 4 for inspecting containers, such as the bottles 2, advanced thereon. Thus, when placing the apparatus in position it is only necessary for part of the side walls of the conveyor to be dropped down or moved to one side. The apparatus can readily be replaced by another if the first should break down and one and the same apparatus can be used with different manufacturing lines at different points of time.

One very important characteristic of the apparatus according to the invention is thus that it can be placed completely freely on one side of a conveyor without it being necessary to divide the conveyor or without requiring such connection as would make a quick exchange of the apparatus difficult or impossible.

Figure 2 illustrates how the conveyor screws 5 and 6, when the apparatus is positioned adjacent a conveyor 4, may extend in over the conveyor for removing the bottles 2 therefrom and for returning said bottles thereto. To this end the conveyor screws 5 and 6 are journalled at their outer ends in stirrup-like members 9 and 10, respectively, thereby excluding the necessity of supporting the screws by means which surround the conveyor 4. Arranged by the side of the screws 5 and 6 are slide paths 11 and 12, respectively, on which the bottles 2 are advanced by means of the continuously rotating screws. The paths 11 and 12 can be adjusted to the level of the conveyor 4.At their inner ends the slide paths 11 and 12 merge with two parallel slide paths 13 and 14, along which the bottles are advanced stepwise by means of a continually driven advancing mechanism comprising carrier 7 and transversal dogging means 8. The bottles 2 will be advanced in opposite directions along the two parallel paths 13 and 14. The bottles are transferred from the terminal end of one of said paths 13 to the commencement end of the other path 14 by means of a transversal slide path 15 and two short continuously driven feed screws 16 and 17, respectively.

The apparatus illustrated in Figure 2 comprises five inspection stations, two along each of the parallel paths 13 and 14 and one adjacent the transversal path 15. In each inspection station respective bottles 2 are pressed against a support surface which, with respect to the four inspection stations arranged along said parallel paths, comprise means 18 which cause the bottles to rotate.

Those bottles which, when inspected, exhibit faults are rejected in a known manner before reaching the conveyor 4, by means of a plunger device 19.

As will be seen from Figure 3, the feed screws 5 and 6 are driven from a common shaft 20 which also drives a further shaft 22 via a belt 21. Each of the shafts 20 and 22 is firmly connected to a respective crank arm 23 and 24, respectively, said crank arms being pivotally mounted to the carrier 7 at their other ends, see Figure 2. Thus, when the shafts 20 and 22 rotate the crank arms 23 and 24 will cause the carrier 7 and the dogging devices 8 to execute a continual parallel movement in a closed path, the dogging devices during one half of a movement cycle moving bottles 2 located on one path through one step in one direction and during the other half of the cycle move the bottles located on the other path through one step in an opposite direction, as will be described in more detail hereinafter.The shaft 22 drives a shaft 25 via an angle-transmission device, which shaft 25 in turn drives the short feed screws 16 and 17 via a belt 26. The shaft 22 also drives a further shaft 28 via a belt 27. On each of the shafts 22 and 28 there is arranged a camming curve 29 and 30, respectively, these camming curves being used to guide the pressing means located in respective inspection stations. All of the aforedescribed movements are accurately synchronized, since they originate from one and the same source, namely the driven shaft 20. The rotation-generating means 18 in the inspection stations along the parallel paths 13 and 14 is driven by a separate motor 32 via a belt 31.

As will be perceived from the aforegoing, the invention permits the construction of an extremely compact apparatus, which is extremely convenient since, inter alia, it will only block a small part of the length of the conveyor. One of the most important advantages afforded hereby, however, is that the mass of the movable components can be minimized, thereby ensuring that the bottles are handled gently and that the risk of damage to the machine in the event of an abrupt stop is reduced. The fact that the bottles are fed by the machine on two sides thereof by means of the dogging devices 8 projecting out in both directions from the carrier 7 means that only approximately half the number of bottles are dogged during each part of the working cycle, which results in a lower and substantially constant load on the motor.

In order to make it possible to adapt the apparatus to bottles of different height both the advancing device and the inspection devices can be raised and lowered relatively to slide paths 13 and 14.

Advancement of the bottles between the inspection stations along the two parallel paths 13 and 14 is effected, in accordance with the above, with the aid of the carrier 7 and the transverse dogging devices 8 carried thereby, said carrier executing a continuous parallel movement in a closed path. For the purpose of advancing the bottles stepwise along the transverse path 15, the carrier 7 is also provided with a dogging device 33 which protrudes in the longitudinal direction of said carrier. The mode of operation of the advancing mechanism will be described hereinafter with reference to Figures 4--7 of the drawings, said Figures illustrating the inner part of the advancing mechanism in different positions during a working cycle.

Figure 4 illustrates that position in which the carrier 7 with the dogging devices 8 and 33 lies nearest the conveyor 4, i.e. the same position as that shown in Figure 2. In this position of the carrier, the crank arms 23 and 24 are in line with the carrier 7. The carrier 7 and the dogging devices 8 and 33 are rotated from the position shown in Figure 4 counterclockwise in an arcuate path, wherewith after moving through one quarter of a revolution they take the position shown in Figure 5. The bottles 2 located on the slide path 13 have then been fed forward on half step from a respective inspection station, while the bottles located on the slided path 14 remain in the stations. The feed screws 16 and 17 have also moved the bottles in contact therewith through a corresponding distance. After rotating a further 90 , the position shown in Figure 6 is reached.The bottles 2 on the path 13 have then been advanced a further half step so that the leading bottle is now in contact with the feed screw 16 and the others have arrived at a forward station. Simultaneously herewith the dogging devices 33 projecting out in the longitudinal direction of the carrier have moved the bottles on the transverse path 15 one half step. The bottles on the path 14 remain in the original stations.

Figure 7 illustrates the position after the carrier 7 and the dogging devices 8 and 33 have been rotated a further 90 , the bottles on the path 14 having been removed one half step from respective inspecting stations and will reach the station lying in front of said respective inspection station subsequently being rotated a further 90 , whereupon a complete working cycle will have been completed. The bottles on the transverse path 15 have now completed their movement step.

During the last mentioned two intervals, the bottles on the path 13 remain in respective inspection station.

It is possible to achieve very high feed rates with a bottle-advancing arrangement according to the above, since, among other things, the carrier 7 with the dogging devices 8 and 33 and the feed screws 5, 6, 16 and 17 are driven continuously and both engagement of the bottles 2 and the release thereof take place successively. As beforementioned, it is necessary, however to reduce dimensions as much as possible and therewith the mass of the dogging devices, in order to reduce the risk of damage to the machine if one of the bottles should be greatly deformed. This is achieved in accordance with the invention by the fact that the bottles are fed in and out by means of feed screws 5 and 6, respectively, the inner ends of which are located very close to one another.In order that the bottles shall be fed to the feed screws 16, 17 and 6 in a precise manner it is of great importance that the carrier 7 is provided with a further dogging device adjacent to each of the screws, the purpose of this dogging device being only to slow the bottles down and to stop them in the exact intake position of respective feed screws. The pitch of the feed screws may be constant or may vary along their length. For example, the pitch of the feed screws 16 and 17 may decrease in the feed direction and may be zero at the inner end thereof.

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate an alternative arrangement for transferring the bottles 2 from the terminal end of the path 13 to the commencement of the path 14, said arrangement comprising a roatable table-like device 51. The table 51 is provided with a multiplicity of compartments adapted to the bottles 2, each of said compartments being defined in the illustrated embodiment by a front and a rear holder arm 52 and 53, respectively, of which the front arm is preferably shorter than the rear arm. The table is driven continuously and synchronously with the carrier 7 provided with the dogging devices 8 via a drive belt 54, see Figure 8. Although the table 51 is driven synchronously with the carrier 7, it may have a non-linear rotational speed, meaning that the speed varies in a predetermined manner during a working cycle.

As will be best seen from Figure 9, the dogging arms 52 and 53 of the table 51 gently catch bottles advanced to the end of path 13, and accelerate said bottles, as the table rotates, and transfer them to the commencement of the path 14 via an arcuate slide path 55, which path is defined outwardly by at least one arcuate guide strip 56 intended to co-act with the bottles 2 in the guidance thereof. The path 55 is also preferably provided with an arcuate guide strip 57 along its inner edge, said guide strip enabling the bottles 2 to be gently braked before they are discharged at the commencement of the path 14. Thus a table 51 of the type described enables the bottles to be transferred gently and quickly from the terminal end to the commencement end of the two parallel paths of the advancing arrangement.

The number of bottle-dogging compartments of the table 51 can vary, although the compartments shall be arranged in pairs such that the seizure and release of the bottles takes place simultaneously. In the illustrated embodiment the table is provided with four compartments, although it is, for example, also possible to use eight compartments. The compartments can be formed in the manner desired, the illustrated embodiment, however, comprising pairs of parallel dogging arms which, because of its simplicity, is a preferred embodiment. Preferably, the depth of respective compartments coincides substantially with the diameter of the bottles.

The dogging arms 52 and 53 lie in a plane which is different from that in which the dogging arms 8 and the carrier 7 are arranged.

If, for some reason, space is limited, for example because of the feed screws or the bottle-inspection equipment, the dogging arms may be of telescopic construction, as indicated in Figures 47. It will be seen from Figure 5 and 7 that the transverse dogging arms 8 are adapted to be collapsed when passing an associated inspection station. To this end, the dogging arms may be constructed in the manner illustrated in Figure 10. The dogging arms 8 of the embodiment illustrated in this Figure are telescopically collapsible, a spring 34 normally holding the dogging arms in an extended position.Mounted on the underside of the dogging arms are engagement means 35 which when a dogging arm moves out towards an associated slide path 13, 14, 15 or 55 during rotation of said arm, engages the inner sidewall of said path in a manner to collapse the dogging arm, so that it freely passes any obstacle which may be present.

Figure 11 illustrates those means used for pressing the bottles 2 against intended support surfaces in respective inspection stations. As will be seen, the means for the four stations located along the parallel slide paths 13 and 14 are guided from the cam curve 30 arranged on the shaft 28, while corresponding means for the station arranged adjacent the transverse slide path 15 are guided by the cam curve 29 arranged on the shaft 22. The pressing means, however, are substantially identical to one another, and hence only one pair of means guided by the first mentioned cam curve 30 will be described.

It will be seen from Figure 11 that the continuously driven cam curve 30 acts on a sloping part of an angle arm 36 associated with each pair of inspection stations, the two ends of which angle arm are pivotally mounted on two links 37 and 38, respectively, which are non-rotatably connected at their other ends with associated pressing arms 39 and 40, respectively. The connection point between each pair of said links 37 and 38 and pressing arms 39 and 40 is connected, via a link connection comprising two arms 41 and 42 and 43 and 44, respectively, with a block 45 and 46, respectively, displaceable along a rod, said blocks being biased by means of a spring 47 and 48, respectively.

The block 46 is connected with a further pressing arm 40' via link arms 43', 44'. The same also applies to the block 45. When the cam curve 30 is rotated, the angle arm 36 will move reciprocatingly, parallel to the slide paths 13 and 14 of the arrangement, which means that the blocks 45 and 46 and the pressing arms 39 and 39' and 40 and 40', respectively, will be pivoted either towards or away from a bottle located at a respective station, depending upon the direction in which the angle arm 36 moves. In the position illustrated in Figure 11, the pressing arms in the stations along the path 13 are in engagement with associated bottles, while the bottles on the path 14 are free from corresponding pressing arms.

The pressing means according to the above can be automatically adapted to bottles 2 of different diameters, as illustrated in Figures 12 and 13. The only difference is, in this respect, that the cam curves 29 and 30 will work further out or further in on the sloping path of the associated angle arm, depending upon the diameter of the bottle. Thus, as the inner ends of the pressing arms 39, 39' and 40, 40' can be connected to the side walls of the slide paths, the only adjustment which need be made in this respect is that said side walls must be adjusted to the diameter of the actual bottle.

When the diameter of the bottles changes, however, the distance between the dogging arms 8 and 33 must be adjusted. As will be seen from Figure 14, for the purpose of adjusting the arm 8, there is arranged in the carrier 7 a screw 49 which is in screw engagement with each dogging arm 8. The direction of the thread, however, is reversed from dogging arm to dogging arm, which means that when the screws are rotated they will either move towards or away from each other, depending upon the direction in which the screw is turned. Thus, this enables the distance between adjacent arms to be readily changed in exact conformity, in one single operation, from one end of the carrier 7. The arms 33 may also be adjusted in a corresponding manner.

Figure 15 illustrates how the mutual distance between each pair of dogging arms 52 and 53 of the rotatable table 51 can be adjusted, in a similar manner, by turning a single screw 58 which is connected with corresponding screws along the other side edges of the table via angle drives 59, 60 and 61. These screws are arranged and function in the same way as those screws described with reference to Figure 14 and hence reguire no further description.

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a portion of an other embodiment of the feed arrangement wherein the feed screws 5 and 6 extend in over a conveyor 62 forming a part of the feed arrangement.

When the bottles 2 are transferred from the line conveyor 4 to the screw 5 and from the screw 6 to the line conveyor 4, respectively, they have to pass the conveyor 62. During the passage of the conveyor 62 the bottles are guided by guide means 63 and 64, respec tively.

Figures 17 and 18 illustrate how the feed screws 5 and 6 can be constructed in order to be adjustable to bottles of different diameters. The screws 5 and 6 are provided with an axial bore having a greater diameter than the diameter of a drive shaft 65 driven from the common shaft 20, see Figure 3. At the remote end of shaft 65 it is connected to the hollow screw 5 or 6 by means of a ball-shaped joint 66. The joint 66 is unrotable fixed to shaft 65 and screw 5 or 6 but can slide along the shaft.

At the opposite end shaft 65 is journalled in bearings 67 which can be moved together with the screw 5 or 6 in the axial direction of shaft 65 as indicated by the arrows A and B, respectively. The movements of the bearings 67 and screw 5 or 6 are caused by turning a screw 68 which passes through a fixed threaded sleeve 69. Besides the movements of the bearings 67 and screw 5 or 6 in the axial direction turning of the screw 68 will also result in a displacement of said elements in the transverse direction of the shaft 65.

By displacing the screws 5 and 6 both axially and transversally and moving the guide strips 70 relatively to the screws 5 and 6 the device can be adapted so that bottles 2 regardless of their diameter are left and gripped by the screws 5 and 6, respectively, in positions in which the centre axis of respective bottles is in an predetermined position. This is required in connection with a feed mechanism of the type comprising a carrier 7 and dogging devices 8. If the screws can not be adjusted they have to be replaced when the diameter of the bottles is changed.

In Figure 19 the feed screws 5 and 6 have been replaced by a feed conveyor or chain 71 forming a closed loop in that it passes over three wheels 72, 73 and 74. The two outer wheels 72 and 73 are free running, whereas the inner wheel 74 is driven from the shaft 20. The chain 71 comprises a plurality of pivotally connected sections 75 of different lengths which cooperate to form object advancing compartments. In stead to a chain the sections 75 can be attached to a belt or the like.

This type of feed means is especially suited for small bottles and may readily be adapted to bottles of different diameters by adjusting the distance between the sections 75 and the guide strips of the slide paths 11 and 12.

Although it is advantageous to use a single chain loop for feeding bottles both from and to the conveyor 4 a separate loop can be used in stead of each of the feed screws 5 and 6 in Figure 2.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiments, but can be modified within the scope of the following claims.

Thus, the holder arms can be arranged to be urged against the bottles by the cam curve and to be drawn out of engagement therewith by means of the spring. Further, as illustrated in Figure 11, a strip-shaped member 50 may be arranged to be moved in dependence upon rotation of the camming curve 29, so as to form a varying extension of the side walls of the slide path 13 and 14. The slide paths 11 and 12 may be replaced by short conveyors. Two or more dogging means may be stacked above each other to cooperate with the bottles at different heights. A rotatable table or the like may be placed between the feed means and the arrangement for feeding the objects between the inspection stations.

The expression "obliquely placed" used above with regard to the feed means and the arrangement for feeding the objects stepwise between the inspection stations merely means that said means shall form an angle with the main conveyor.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. An apparatus for feeding a series of objects, for example glass bottles, from a conveyor, advancing said objects step by step through a plurality of inspection stations, and then returning objects to said conveyor, the apparatus comprising feed means which has a continuous drive and co-operates with a feeding mechanism for feeding the objects step by step between the inspection stations, the apparatus being adapted to be placed adjacent the conveyor to receive objects from the conveyor and said feed means being arranged synchronously and accurately to feed the objects to a receiving position, and to feed the objects from a dispatch position, of the step by step feeding mechanism, wherein said step by step feeding mechanism is arranged to feed objects in opposite directions along two parallel paths and for this purpose comprises an elongate carrier arranged between the paths, dogging means projecting outwardly from the carrier substantially perpendicularly to the paths, and means for moving the carrier with a continuous to and fro movement around a closed path in a manner such that during one part of the movement in one direction the dogging means are caused to move objects located in one of the two parallel paths through one step in the one direction and during another part of the movement in an opposite direction are caused to move objects located in the other of the two parallel paths through one step in the opposite direction, the apparatus further comprising transfer means having a continuous drive for transferring the objects from the end of the one of the two parallel paths to the beginning of the other of the two parallel paths.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the step by step feeding mechanism is obliquely placed with respect to the conveyor.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. tively. Figures 17 and 18 illustrate how the feed screws 5 and 6 can be constructed in order to be adjustable to bottles of different diameters. The screws 5 and 6 are provided with an axial bore having a greater diameter than the diameter of a drive shaft 65 driven from the common shaft 20, see Figure 3. At the remote end of shaft 65 it is connected to the hollow screw 5 or 6 by means of a ball-shaped joint 66. The joint 66 is unrotable fixed to shaft 65 and screw 5 or 6 but can slide along the shaft. At the opposite end shaft 65 is journalled in bearings 67 which can be moved together with the screw 5 or 6 in the axial direction of shaft 65 as indicated by the arrows A and B, respectively. The movements of the bearings 67 and screw 5 or 6 are caused by turning a screw 68 which passes through a fixed threaded sleeve 69. Besides the movements of the bearings 67 and screw 5 or 6 in the axial direction turning of the screw 68 will also result in a displacement of said elements in the transverse direction of the shaft 65. By displacing the screws 5 and 6 both axially and transversally and moving the guide strips 70 relatively to the screws 5 and 6 the device can be adapted so that bottles 2 regardless of their diameter are left and gripped by the screws 5 and 6, respectively, in positions in which the centre axis of respective bottles is in an predetermined position. This is required in connection with a feed mechanism of the type comprising a carrier 7 and dogging devices 8. If the screws can not be adjusted they have to be replaced when the diameter of the bottles is changed. In Figure 19 the feed screws 5 and 6 have been replaced by a feed conveyor or chain 71 forming a closed loop in that it passes over three wheels 72, 73 and 74. The two outer wheels 72 and 73 are free running, whereas the inner wheel 74 is driven from the shaft 20. The chain 71 comprises a plurality of pivotally connected sections 75 of different lengths which cooperate to form object advancing compartments. In stead to a chain the sections 75 can be attached to a belt or the like. This type of feed means is especially suited for small bottles and may readily be adapted to bottles of different diameters by adjusting the distance between the sections 75 and the guide strips of the slide paths 11 and 12. Although it is advantageous to use a single chain loop for feeding bottles both from and to the conveyor 4 a separate loop can be used in stead of each of the feed screws 5 and 6 in Figure 2. The invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiments, but can be modified within the scope of the following claims. Thus, the holder arms can be arranged to be urged against the bottles by the cam curve and to be drawn out of engagement therewith by means of the spring. Further, as illustrated in Figure 11, a strip-shaped member 50 may be arranged to be moved in dependence upon rotation of the camming curve 29, so as to form a varying extension of the side walls of the slide path 13 and 14. The slide paths 11 and 12 may be replaced by short conveyors. Two or more dogging means may be stacked above each other to cooperate with the bottles at different heights. A rotatable table or the like may be placed between the feed means and the arrangement for feeding the objects between the inspection stations. The expression "obliquely placed" used above with regard to the feed means and the arrangement for feeding the objects stepwise between the inspection stations merely means that said means shall form an angle with the main conveyor. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An apparatus for feeding a series of objects, for example glass bottles, from a conveyor, advancing said objects step by step through a plurality of inspection stations, and then returning objects to said conveyor, the apparatus comprising feed means which has a continuous drive and co-operates with a feeding mechanism for feeding the objects step by step between the inspection stations, the apparatus being adapted to be placed adjacent the conveyor to receive objects from the conveyor and said feed means being arranged synchronously and accurately to feed the objects to a receiving position, and to feed the objects from a dispatch position, of the step by step feeding mechanism, wherein said step by step feeding mechanism is arranged to feed objects in opposite directions along two parallel paths and for this purpose comprises an elongate carrier arranged between the paths, dogging means projecting outwardly from the carrier substantially perpendicularly to the paths, and means for moving the carrier with a continuous to and fro movement around a closed path in a manner such that during one part of the movement in one direction the dogging means are caused to move objects located in one of the two parallel paths through one step in the one direction and during another part of the movement in an opposite direction are caused to move objects located in the other of the two parallel paths through one step in the opposite direction, the apparatus further comprising transfer means having a continuous drive for transferring the objects from the end of the one of the two parallel paths to the beginning of the other of the two parallel paths.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or

claim 2, wherein said feed means are placed on the same side of the flow of objects as is the carrier provided with the dogging means.

4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the feed means comprises one feed screw for feeding the objects from the conveyor and one feed screw for returning objects to the conveyor.

5. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the feed means comprises a chain or belt comprising sections forming object advancing compartments.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the outer ends of the feed screws project freely over the conveyor, the feed screws are journalled in stirrup-like holders and are driven at their inner ends from a common shaft.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer ends of the feed means project over a conveyor forming a part of the apparatus, the conveyor being arranged to be placed adjacent and parallel to the main conveyor.

8. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier with the dogging means is moved by means of crank arms driven from a shaft which also drives the feed means.

9. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transfer means comprises dogging means carried by said carrier, said dogging means extending substantially parallel to the two parallel paths.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the step by step feeding mechanism comprises a pair of feed screws for transferring the objects from the one of the two parallel paths to the transverse path and for transferring the objects from the transverse path to the other of the two parallel paths.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer means comprises a rotatable carrier means which is driven continuously and synchronously with the step by step feeding mechanism, the carrier means being provided with compartments adapted to receive the objects and arranged to feed, upon rotation of the rotatable carrier means, the objects along an arcuate path, the arcuate path connecting the end of the one of the two parallel paths to the beginning of the other of the two parallel paths, the arcuate path being outwardly defined by at least one arcuate guide strip arranged to co-operate with the objects.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said compartments are arranged in pairs in a manner such as to receive and release said objects simultaneously.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein each of said compartments is defined by substantially parallel side walls which include a pair of parallel dogging arms.

14. An apparatus according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the speed at which the rotatable carrier means rotates varies.

15. An apparatus according to claim 4 or any one of claims 5 to 14 when dependent on claim 4, wherein the feeding means are displaceable both in the feeding direction and in a direction transverse thereto.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the feed screws are hollow, a drive shaft passes through each screw, and each of said shafts is driven at the inner end and is connected to the respective screw at the outer end in such a manner that the screw can be axially displaced along said shaft.

17. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising means for pressing the objects against support surfaces which function as rotational devices at the inspection stations, the pressing means being guided by rotating cams driven synchronously with the movement of the dogging means, and the pressing means being automatically adjustable to objects of different diameters.

18. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dogging means are telescopically adjustable in length.

19. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the carrier comprises, at the end of each of the two parallel paths, a dogging means which is intended solely to slow the objects down at associated discharge positions.

20. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising screw means for adjusting the distance between the dogging means.

21. An apparatus according to claim 1, substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 to 7 and 10 to 14 and 17 and 18, or as modified by Figures 8, 9 and 15, or Figure 16, or Figure 19 of the accompanying drawings.