AU611058B2 - Method and apparatus for aligning elongated articles - Google Patents

Description

1.-25 1.4 f11.6 U68L9SI1L ZAXMAnis bdouw u 1 04 BlepXo ZAXMAflsNdoNW1NrIH0JDa1g V.Ld Ot 11111 j .2ll 5 111_4 11 e Ii I *a- S F Ref: 107876 FORM 8 4 COMMONWEALTH OAUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE: Class Int Class Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: Name and Address of Applicant: ,o Address for Service: 0 00 Package Machinery Company 24 West Street Stafford Springs Connecticut 06076 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia Complete Specification for the invention entitled: Method and Apparatus for Aligning Elongated Articles o o I o The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us 5845/5 I eah:6805D iI

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METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING ELONGATED ARTICLES TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to a packaging method and apparatus and more particularly to a method and apparatus for aligning elongated articles such as french fries.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 4 44 0 00 0 0 4 F o 04 o 4 600 404 0004 0 04 00 0 00 4 S44 00 4 0 4C Packaging techniques for bulk materials are well known in the art. However, specific problems are presented when packaging those articles, such as french fries, which are elongated. Conventional packaging techniques result in random placement of the articles in the container and yield packaging costs which are increased due to the larger volume needed to otherwise package the same amount of articles if those articles were aligned. In addition, a greater area is required for shipping and handling which further increase cost.

As hand alignment of elongated articles is not feasible, several machines have been developed which align the articles prior to packaging. U.S. Patent No. 4,586,313 discloses a method and apparatus for packaging elongated pieces characterized by a horizontal, planar series of pans in which french fries or other articles are moved from pan to pan and aligned with their longitudinal axis parallel to one another by the action of a plurality of vibrators. As the individual pieces are aligned, they fall into a weighing bucket which has an electronically controlled iL bQP KETr. IUJluu eah:4 6290 2 retention flap that will provide the aligned french fries into a bagging machine when a full charge is received.

U.S. Patent No. 4,514,959 discloses another method and apparatus for aligning and packaging elongated articles. This device aligns the articles in two steps. Initially, the randomly oriented articles, such as french fries, are horizontally provided on a vibrating conveyor. At a distal end of the conveyor, there are a number of channels which receive the advancing french fries. The channels are configured so that the articles must advance with their elongated dimension parallel to the channel length.

These channels are positioned at a preselected angle with respect to a discharge chute. When the french fry is presented to the end of the channel towards the discharge chute it is turned further to be parallel with the length of the discharge chute. The french fries will then drop S through the chute into a weighing device and on to a bagging machine.

,4'1,5 It would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus for aligning a charge of elongated articles at increased speeds and with simplified components at a lower cost. The present invention is drawn towards such a 0 10 4 method ar' apparatus.

0 C°0 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate the above disadvantages.

o There is disclosed herein an apparatus for aligning a charge of 0 elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine, said apparatus S having a bucket for receiving the charge and a means for discharging said 0 -,25 aligned charge to the bagging machine; said apparatus comprising a conveyor 1)0 means having a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiver bucket at a first conveyor o position, said conveyor means being adapted for advancing said charge portion on said flights to a conveyor second position with the elongated articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; and a collector bucket for receiving said aligned charge portions at said conveyor means second position and storing said received portions in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis.

Te3re is further disclosed herein an apparatus for receiving and aligning elongated articles and having a means for discharging said articles in response to a command signal; said apparatus comprising a WA L1 41

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0AETOFC A-nm 3 conveyor means having a plurality of spaced flights each of which are adapted to receive selected articles at a conveyor means first position, said conveyor means being adapted for conveying the articles to a second position and aligning the selected articles with the elongated dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; a collector bucket for receiving said conveyed articles at said conveyor means second position and storing said articles in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis.

There is further disclosed herein a system for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine, said system including a plurality of alignment devices, each device including a bucket for receiving the charge, a conveyor means having a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiving bucket at a first conveyor position, said conveyor means being adapted for 15 advancing said charge portion on said flights to a conveyor second position with the articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension oo thereof aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said 0 4 4 0o00 flights, a collector bucket for receiving the aligned charge in a selected 0 o°o time period and maintaining said received charge in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis, a means for selectively discharging the aligned stored charge; wherein said devices are configured in an array, said array having a first position for receiving the charge and a second position for S discharging the charge into the bagging machine and further comprising a 0 o0 0- o means for repetitively advancing each of said devices between said first o 25 and second array positions in a time period approximately equal to said oo a So collector time period.

There is further disclosed herein an apparatus for aligning charges o 40, of elongated articles before presentation to a receiving chute en route to a bagging machine, said apparatus having a plurality of alignment devices configured in an array, each device including a bucket for receiving the charge, a conveyor means having a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said bucket at a first conveyor position, said conveyor means being adapted for advancing said charge position on said flights to a second conveyor position with the articles of said charge portion having the elongate dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights, a collector bucket for receiving the aligned charge in a selected time period and maintaining said

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S"r 27 sL 4 received charge in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis; a means for selectively discharging the aligned stored charge; said apparatus comprising a hopper means for providing a sequence of charges and a means configured with each of said devices for repetitively moving said hopper means between said first and second conveyor positions in a time period approximately equal to said collector bucket time period, thereby allowing said received charge to be aligned and stored in said collector bucket before discharge to the bagging machine.

There is further disclosed herein a method for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine comprising the steps of receiving the charge in a bucket having a conveyor means with a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiving bucket at a first conveyor position; advancing said charge portion on said flights to a conveyor second position with the articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; providing said aligned charge portions to a collector bucket at said conveyor means second position and storing said received portions in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis; and discharging said charge to the bagging machine when said collector bucket has received all of said charge.

There is further disclosed herein a method for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine comprising the steps of: configuring a plurality of alignment devices in an array, said array having a first position for receiving the charge and a second position for discharging the charge into the bagging machine, each device receiving the charge in a bucket having a conveyor means with a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiver bucket at a first conveyor position; advancing said charge portion on said flights to a conveyor second position with the elongated articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension thereof aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; providing the aligned charge in a collector bucket during a selected time period and maintaining said received charge in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis; selectively discharging the aligned and stored charge; and repetitively advancing each of said devices between said first and second array positions in a time period approximately equal to said collector time period.

I~ I 4A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred form of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a sectioned illustration showing a portion of an alignment apparatus provided according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a simplified sectioned illustration showing an alternative embodiment of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a top illustration of an alignment system for elongated articles including the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a first illustration of a portion of an alternative alignment system provided according to the present invention.

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o Z 1 4r 0 Li .4 0 00 0 0 00 4 i 4s4 Fig. 5 is a simplfied illustration of a second alternative alignment apparatus including conveyor and collector bucket vibratory mechanisms provided according to the present inventon.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to Fig. 1, there is illustrated in section an alignment apparatus provided according to the present invention. The apparatus 18 includes a hopper or a bucket 12 which receives a charge from holding bucket 14.

In a preferred embodiment, the charge is formed from scales 16 before presentation to bucket 14.

The charge is comprised of a plurality of elongated articles such as french fries. The unaligned articles are deposited in the hopper at random. A number of articles which comprise a portion of the charge are received on an endless belt 18 which comprises part of a conveyor 20. The conveyor includes a conventional belt driving mechanism 25 that includes a motor z6 and a reduction element 27 for driving belt 18. The belt is characterized by a number of spaced flights 22 that extend outward from the belt and which receive the individual articles 24. The conveyor is preferably positioned within the hopper 12 such that individual articles are directly received onto the conveyor flights. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the conveyor is configured against or as part of the bucket wall to ensure that all of the articles deposited in the bucket are received by the conveyor.

It is important to note that the conveyor belt should be configured at an acute angle 29 with respect to the vertical in order for the articles to be aligned on the conveyor flights. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the angle is approximately 40 degrees. For certain articles it may be preferable for the conveyor to comprise a vibrating belt.

4 to 4 00 d Oo a 0 04 00 Q o oo 00 0 00 0 0 0 0 6 4 4 t S The individual flights extend approximately the width of the conveyor belt. The flights should not extend outward from the conveyor belt so far as to encompass the height of two of the elongated articles. For french fries having a height of approximately 3/8 inches it is preferable that the height of the individual flights extend no more than 1/2 inch off of the conveyor belt. If the flight height is too great it is possible for misaligned articles to be presented to the collector. The spacing between flights is also of importance. In general, the closer the flights are spaced the greater the speed in which the articles of a charge will be aligned. Moreover, close spacing also improves the alignment capability of the apparatus, since there is less of a chance far a broken or mangled article to advance to the collector bucket. For the french fries described above, the flights can be spaced three inches apart, although a two inch spacing is preferable.

The aligned articles exit the conveyor-hopper assembly and are presented to a collector bucket 28 characterized by negative draft. That is, the width of the i 7 bucket is slightly greater at the bottom 30 than at the top 32 to prevent the articles from sticking when dropped. The speed of the conveyor belt is preferably such that the articles free-fall into the collector bucket.

The collector bucket will only present the aligned charge to a bagging machine 34 when all of the aligned charge portions are received by the collector bucket, a condition determined in a known manner, such as by an elapsed time period. The bagging machine 34 receives the aligned articles in a formed plastic pouch 36 which is vibrated by a vibrator 38. During article discharge, the collector bucket is swung about pivot 40. Note that the collector bucket and receiving bucket or hopper comprise "rigidized" materials in the preferred embodiment to prevent the articles from sticking to the interior of both buckets.

In a first alternative apparatus 44 the collector o O o0 bucket 46 may discharge the articles to a vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) bagging machine 48 of the type known 0044 0 in the art. For the apparatus 44, the aligned charge is discharged by means of a mechanism 58, that controls the 44 't operation of bucket doors 51.

Referring now to Fig. 3, there is illustrated in top view a portion of an alignment system 52 provided according to the present invention. The alignment system 52 comprises a plurality of alignment apparatus 54, each preferably being an apparatus 10 of Fig. 1. Each apparatus is configured in an array on an indexing table 56. The ar- Ff tC r G ii 0:

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ray is characterized by two positions. In position 58, each apparatus receives a charge from a conventional scale or bucket (not shown). The apparatus is then indexed about the table in a time period which is selected to be greater than or equal to the time needed for a conveyor in an individual apparatus to align the articles in the corresponding alignment bucket.

Once the table has indexed to position 60, the contents of the collector bucket containing the aligned articles is discharged to pouch 62. The pouch receives the aligned charge and then is itself indexed along towards a packaging machine 64 of a known type.

Similarly, although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes, omissions and additions thereto may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. As shown schematically in Fig. 4, an alternative alignment system 66 comprises a moving chute 68 that provides charges of elongated articles to a fixed array of alignment device and ultimately to chute 72 en route to a conventional bagging machine (not shown). Although shown and described hereinabove with respect to an apparatus that receives a preweighed charge of articles, those skilled in the art will note that the present invention is readily adapted to those devices which align elongated articles prior to weighing.

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9 Referring now to Fig. 5, there is shown a partial illustration of a second alternative alignment apparatus 74 including conveyor and collector bucket vibratory mechanisms provided according to the present invention.

The second alternative alignment apparatus 74 is similar to the apparatus 18 detailed with respect to Fig. i, and further comprises a vibratory mechanism 76 configured with the endless belt 18 for imparting a vibratory motion to the flights on the belt. The action of the mechanism 76 serves to accelerate the alignment of the articles on the flights r If and increase the packaged product density.

lThe mechanism 76 is comprised of a "star" wheel 0 i 0 cam 78 and two mechanical link arms 80 and 82. The star o JO Ooo wheel is bolted to an end of a rotation shaft 84 shaft of 0 oQ an upper pulley in the conveyor mechanism and derives its rotation from this shaft. The rotation of the star wheel oo causes a single blade impeller 86 to be urged against the oo 000 underside of the belt such that the articles on the belt 0 00o Doc* tend to fall across the width of the belt in and aligned oooO 0o with the flights.

Secondly, collector bucket 88 is moved up and 04 down with a jarring motion, causing the articles to settle It in the bucket. The collector bucket 88 is supported by four flexible supports 90 which permit this motion. This auxiliary vibratory action tends to remove voids between the stored articles prior to delivery to a packaging machine (not shown). The frequency of the vibration imparted by the mechanism 76 should be approximately ibetween 50 and 400 Hz. Although shown in Fig. 5 to vibrate the entire collector bucket, those skilled in the art will note that other embodiments are contemplated by the present invention, including those wherein only a portion of the collector bucket, such as the door 51 are moved.

Similarly, the present invention contemplates vibratory mechanisms such as a motor and eccentric cam which vibrate the endless belt or the collector bucket or both.

The vibratory mechanisms described hereinabove allow an alignment apparatus provided according to the r present invention to be operated at higher rates of speed fat than would otherwise be possible. Prior to the present go tC invention, it was thought that vibration would have a o Qq rooo negative effect on the effectiveness alignment apparatus 0 since it was thought that vibration would shake off a large number of the articles from the conveyor and that vibration 0 9 o would otherwise be ineffective in enhancing collector o 00 o 0o0 bucket discharge speed due to the weight of the stored articles in the collector bucket. However, a vibratory 0 0 1 mechanism provided by the present invention provides a significant improvement in article alignment speed with a 0m 0t 0 minimal increase in cost.

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Claims (22)

1. An apparatus for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine, said apparatus having a bucket for receiving the charge and a means for discharging said aligned charge to the bagging machine; said apparatus comprising a conveyor means having a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiver bucket at a first conveyor position, said conveyor means being adapted for advancing said charge portion on said flights to a conveyor second position with the elongated articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; and a collector bucket for receiving said aligned charge portions at said conveyor means second position and storing said "eceived portions in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless belt having said flights configured thereon, said flights advancing from said conveyor means first position to an elevated conveyor means second position such that said conveyor belt forms an acute angle with respect to a vertical plane.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flights are spaced along said conveyor means by an amount less than the length of the elongated articles.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flights extend outward from the conveyor means by an amount less than or equal to the height of the elongated articles. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said conveyor belt speed is S adjusted so that the articles free-fall into said collector bucket. S6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said conveyor belt is configured within said receiving bucket.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said discharging means further comprises a piston for displacing the closed bottom end of said collector bucket towards a bagging machine having a formed plastic pouch.

8. An apparatus for receiving and aligning elongated articles and having a means for discharging said articles in response to a command signal; said apparatus comprising a conveyor means having a plurality of spaced flights each of which are adapted to receive selected articles at a .,RAZmen Sconveyor means first position, said conveyor means being adapted for conveying the articles to a second position and aligning the selected A C S/27141 5845/5 p- EEIm mm"um imm I- r; 1 nu-1U i~B911~LI-- 12 articles with the elongated dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; a collector bucket for receiving said conveyed articles at said conveyor means second position and storing said articles in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis.

9. A system for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine, said system including a plurality of alignment devices, each device including a bucket for receiving the charge, a conveyor means having a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiving bucket at a first conveyor position, said conveyor means being adapted for advancing said charge portion on said flights to a conveyor second position with the articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension thereof aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights, a collector bucket for receiving the aligned charge in a selected time period and maintaining said received charge in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis, a means for selectively discharging the aligned stored charge; wherein said devices are configured in an array, said array having a first position for receiving the charge and a second position for a discharging the charge into the bagging machine and further comprising a means for repetitively advancing each of said devices between said first and second array positions in a tiie period approximately equal to said collector time period. The system of claim 9 further comprising an indexing table receiving said alignment device array on a surface thereof, said indexing table moving said alignment devices between said first and second device o a 0o0 positions.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein said device conveyor means o0 comprises an endless belt having said flights configured thereon, said '3 0 flights advancing from said conveyor means first position to an elevated conveyor means second position such that said conveyor means belt forms an o0 acute angle with respect to a vertical plane. o o

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said flights are spaced along said conveyor means by an amount less than the length of the elongated articles.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein said flights extend outward from the conveyor means belt by an amount less than or equal to the height of T/the elongated articles. 9. ~s .4 0P 27141 13

14. The system of claim 11 wherein said conveyor belt speed is adjusted so that the articles free-fall into said collector bucket. The system of claim 11 wherein said conveyor belt is configured within said receiving bucket.

16. An apparatus for aligning charges of elongated articles before presentation to a receiving chute en route to a bagging machine, said apparatus having a plurality of alignment devices configured in an array, each device including a bucket for receiving the charge, a conveyor means having a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said bucket at a first conveyor position, said conveyor means being adapted for advancing said charge position on said flights to a second conveyor position with the articles of said charge portion having the elongate dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights, a collector bucket for receiving the aligned charge in a selected time period and maintaining said received charge in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis; a means for selectively discharging the aligned stored charge; said apparatus comprising a hopper means for providing a sequence of charges and a means configured with each of said devices for repetitively moving said hopper means between said first and second conveyor positions in a time period approximately equal to said collector bucket time period, thereby allowing said received charge to be aligned and stored in said collector bucket before discharge to the bagging machine.

17. A method for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine comprising the steps of receiving the charge in a bucket having a conveyor means with a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiving bucket at a first conveyor position; advancing said charge portion on said flights to a conveyor second position with the articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension thereof substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; providing said aligned charge portions to a collector bucket at said conveyor means second position and storing said received portions in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis; and discharging said charge to the bagging machine when said collector bucket has received all of said charge.

18. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a means for imparting vibratory motion to said elongated articles. TMS/27141 14

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said vibratory means comprises an eccentric cam configured with said endless belt. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said vibratory means includes a star wheel affixed to a conveyor means rotating shaft and a rod mechanism for cooperating with said star wheel including a first rod for engaging an outer -perimeter surface of said star wheel and a second rod having an impeller affixed to a first and thereof for contacting said endless belt with a second end configured to contact an outer wall of said collector bucket, said first rod engaging a portion of said second rod so as to impart thereto a reciprocating motion in accordance with the rotation of said star wheel.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said vibratory means comprises an eccentric cam and motor configured with said collector bucket.

22. The system of claim 9 further comprising a means for imparting vibratory motion to said elongated articles. 0 23. The system of claim 22 wherein said vibratory means comprises an 0 11 eccentric cam configured with said endless belt. Q0 a24. The system of claim 22 wherein said vibratory means includes a o star wheel affixed to a conveyor means rotating shaft and a rod mechanism o for cooperating with said star wheel including a first rod for engaging an 0 0 outer perimeter surface of said star wheel and a second rod having an impeller affixed to a first end thereof for contacting said endless belt with a second end configured to contact an outer wall of said collector bucket, said first rod engaging a portion of said second rod so as to .oo impart thereto a reciprocating motion in accordance with the rotation of 0 0 S said star wheel. ,O 4

25. The system of claim 21 wherein said vibratory means comprises an 0oo, eccentric cam and motor configured with said collector bucket.

26. A method for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine comprising the steps of: configuring a plurality of alignment devices in an array, said array having a first position for receiving the charge and a second position for discharging the charge into the bagging machine, each device receiving the charge in a bucket having a conveyor means with a plurality of spaced flights each adapted to receive a portion of the charge from said receiver bucket at a first conveyor position; advancing said charge portion on said flights to a TMS/27141 J- In~ p- SRA p1S/271 mr I j j 0 15 conveyor second position with the elongated articles of said charge portion having the elongated dimension thereof aligned substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said flights; providing the aligned charge in a collector bucket during a selected time period and maintaining said received charge in alignment with said flight longitudinal axis; selectively discharging the aligned and stored charge; and repetitively advancing each of said devices between said first and second array positions in a time period approximately equal to said collector time period.

27. An apparatus for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

28. An apparatus for receiving an aligning elongated articles and having a means for discharging said articles in response to a command signal, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

29. A system for aligning a charge of elongated articles before presentation to a bagging machine, the system being substantially as 0 hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. "o°o 30. An apparatus for aligning charges of elongated articles before 0o.. presentation to a receiving chute en route to a bagging machine, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. .DATED this SEVENTH day of MARCH 1991 0 a o a Package Machinery Company o oa Patent Attorneys for the Applicant O SPRUSON FERGUSON TMS/27141