BE534437A - - Google Patents

Description

       

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   The present invention relates to machines for handling eggs. It relates more especially to machines which facilitate the distribution of eggs received from producers into classification groups according to their quality and weight, and the packaging of eggs of the same classification group in cartons or boxes serving on shipment to distributors and consumers.



   From the point of view of weight, the eggs received from the producers are generally divided into different categories of weight, from very large eggs, called in America "Jumbos, through sizes called" Extra large "," Large, “Medium” and “Small” up to very small eggs generally referred to as “Pee-Wees.” To classify eggs according to their quality one examines their external appearance and internal condition.

   In examining their external appearance, color, shape, irregularities in the condition of the shells and their degree of cleanliness are taken into account, and to establish their internal condition, they are examined against a source of light, operation known as "candling" which allows experienced candlesticks to determine their freshness, the shape of the yolk and the presence of internal impurities, eg sango stains For example, eggs can be divided into eight different qualities depending on their exterior appearance and interior condition, namely:

   
Checked
AA (all colors)
White
Slightly dirty
B (all colors)
Very dirty
A-brown
A-cream
In these classifications, the letters AA, A and B indicate the degree of freshness and the absence of internal impurities and other irregularities, and the term "checked" indicates that the shell of the egg is cracked but the membrane internal is still intact and the egg does not sink.



   Eggs of different weight classes are rarely packed together, but eggs of different colors and even slightly different degrees of freshness are often packed in the same container or box. Regional consumer preferences, supply conditions and market regulations determine the standards for grouping and packing in the same cartons or boxes, eggs of different colors and / or different degrees of freshness. , and these conditions may vary, so that it may be necessary to group different qualities from one day to another or at least at different times of the seasono
Until now,

   an egg packer had to familiarize himself every day with the particular combinations of quality and weight to be packed together, surround himself with as many boxes as there were groups of different quality / weight combinations, candle the eggs, weigh them on a scale, and then distribute them in the appropriate boxes according to the combinations of weight and quality o The mental process involved for a correct distribution of the eggs according to quality and weight on the base of standards which can vary from day to day is considerable. CI% is why purely manual sorting and dispatching is not only slow, but also has errors because the viewer gets tired quite quickly.



   The object of the present invention is to provide: an apparatus making it possible to distribute the eggs into classifications of

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 quality and weight according to pre-determined standards, without requiring more effort from the operator than determining quality by candling and examining the external condition of the eggs; an apparatus of the aforementioned type in which the standards determining the distribution can be varied at will without increasing the work of the operator; an egg handling device grouping the eggs after they have been candled and separated according to their external appearance and internal quality according to specific quality and weight standards and packing them in different boxes according to the standards to which they correspond;

   an air-cooled candle light of simple construction; a feed slide capable of receiving eggs with their main axes arranged transversely to the slide and capable of advancing the eggs deposited therein to determined exit points, while maintaining them in a defined axial position; weighing eggs, with safe and rapid action; a transfer mechanism capable of receiving an egg at a higher plane and passing it to a lower plane without subjecting it to things or vibrations which could break its shell; a mechanism transfer device capable of receiving an egg in a first point with its axis in a horizontal position and passing it through a second point with its axis in a vertical position;

   a transporter capable of receiving, transporting and removing a line of eggs with minimal risk of breakage; a member for supporting the eggs, on the conveyor, which can receive eggs from above and safely transport them along the conveyor and which can drop them at selected points on this conveyor; a device capable of locating the rows of individual pockets of multi-row egg cartons in the egg receiving position relative to a feeding conveyor supporting eggs and successively advancing the rows of pockets of the carton into the receiving position eggs relative to the transporter each time a previous row of bags has been filled with eggs by that transporter;

   a device for damping the fall of an egg released from a support member of the aforementioned type to prevent breakage of the egg; a selectively operative mechanism to package the eggs in cartons of different size and capacity; a device for recording the quality of eggs brought on a conveyor from feed slides representing different quality categories; a device recording the quality and weight of each egg moving on a determined path of the conveyor;

   a controller recording the quality and weight of each egg fed on a conveyor path from feed tracks representing different grades of eggs and also the weight of any egg moving on that conveyor path and finally ensuring the evacuation of eggs belonging to a determined combination of quality and weight, at identical points of this conveyor path;

   

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 a rotary control device for carriers supporting eggs of the aforementioned type, comprising the members which can be brought into working position representing different qualities and weight of an egg and acting in working position to initiate the operation of a mechanism capable of dropping eggs belonging to a determined combination of quality and weight, from this transporter, at determined points; an arrangement for rotary actuators of the aforementioned type bringing determining members into the active position even when the rotary actuator is moving at high speed;

   an arrangement for passing eggs of a predetermined quality and weight combination from a conveyor supporting a queue of eggs to consecutive points on the conveyor separated by intervals different from the intervals between consecutive eggs on the conveyor; a device covering with a film of oil individual eggs selected from a line of eggs moving on a conveyor; a device for spreading a small amount of oil deposited at one end of an egg in a thin film over the entire surface of the egg;

   a mechanism which applies identifying marks to individual eggs in a queue of eggs regardless of variations in the size of individual pods in the queue
These objects of the invention and others will become apparent from the following description, made with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and in which
Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of the complete machine for handling eggs according to the invention,
Figo 2 is a schematic side elevation of the machine shown in figo la
Fig.

   3 is a schematic side elevation of the same machine seen from the side opposite to fig. 20
Figso4A and 4B are respectively the left half and the right half of a partial schematic perspective view showing the lines of mechanical parts of the machine of the invention.



   Figs. 5A, 5B and 5C and 5D, are consecutive parts of the electrical diagram of the machine shown in figs. 1, 2 and 3.



   Figo 6 is a perspective view of one of the candling stations of the machine.



   Fig 7 is a section of the feeding elevator of the candling station shown in figo 6 along line 7-7 of figo 60
Figo 8 is a partial perspective view on a larger scale of part of the candling station shown in figo 60
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the candling station shown in FIG. 6, seen from behind and from below of the mirage station.



   Fig. 10 is a partial perspective view of one of the feed shelves of each mirage station. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the feed shelf shown in FIG. 100 Figso 12 and 13 are vertical longitudinal sections of the radius

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 power supply shown on the figure They taken along lines 12-13 and showing consecutive positions of this rack.



   Fig. 14 is a cross section of the feed radius shown in FIG. 10 taken along line 14-14 of FIG. 11.



   Figo 15 is a partial section of this same feed radius along line 15-15 of fig. 11.



   Fig 16 is a detail elevational view showing part of the feed spokes in the direction of arrows 16-16 of Fig 11.



     Figo 17 is a vertical section of the mirage lamp of each mirageo station
Figo 18 is a perspective view of the elements of the candling lamp in the disassembled state.



   Fig. 19 is a section through the feed elevator of each candling station, taken along line 19-19 of fig 7.



   Figo 20 is a partial perspective view of one of the egg-supporting troughs carried by the feed elevators of the machine.



   Fig. 21 is a partial perspective view of the upper end of a feed elevator and the adjoining weighing mechanism.
Rod 22 is a partial side elevational view of the egg-laying mechanism associated with each mirageo station
Fig. 23 is a partial plan view of the egg weighing mechanism.



   Figo 24 is a vertical section of the egg weighing mechanism taken along line 24-24 of fig. 23.



   Figo 25 is a horizontal section of the egg weighing mechanism taken along line 25p25 of fig. 24.



   Fig 26 is an end elevational view of the egg weighing mechanism taken in the direction of arrows 26-26 in Fig. 220 Figso 27 is a vertical cross section of the egg weighing mechanism taken along line 27- 27 of fig. 22 and in the direction opposite to FIG. 26.



   Fig. 28 is a partial perspective view on a larger scale of the egg weighing mechanism.



   Figo 29 is a partial perspective view of the six contacts forming part of each egg weighing mechanism and of the mechanism which controls them.
Figo 30 is a partial perspective view of the contact control mechanism shown in fig. 29, in disassembled state.



   Figo 31 is a partial elevational view of the elements of the control mechanism.



   Figs. 32 and 33 are perspective detail views of the elements of the weighing mechanism shown in various operating positions.



   Fig. 34 is a detail view showing part of the mechanism shown in Figs.32 and 33, seen from a point in front of this mechanism.



     Figso 35 and 36 are partial vertical sections of the mechanism

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 weighing machine showing different operating positions of the mechanism controlling the contacts shown in figs. 29930 and 31.



   Figo 37 is a horizontal section taken along line 37-37 of Fig 27 and showing the transfer arm drive mechanism passing the eggs from the feed elevator over the weighing mechanism and up to the other end of this mechanism.



   Figo 38 is a vertical voupe of fig 37 along line 38-38.



   Fig. 39 is an enlarged perspective view of an egg marking device associated with each weighing mechanism.



   Fig. 40 is a partial perspective view of a mechanism which individually lowers the eggs from the weighing mechanism onto a conveyor located below it and hereafter referred to as the distribution conveyor.



   Fig. 41 is a side elevational view of the egg lowering mechanism with part of the distribution conveyor shown in longitudinal vertical section.



   Figs. 42A, 42B, 42C, 42D, 42E and 42F are schematic side elevational views of the egg lowering mechanism illustrating six consecutive phases of operation.
Fig 43 is a partial section taken on line 43-43 of FIG. 42E, showing part of the drive train between the distribution conveyor and the feed elevator of the corresponding candling station.



     Figo 44 is another partial section, similar to Figo 43, showing a subsequent part of the drive train between the distribution conveyor and the feed elevator of each candling station.



   Figs. 45 and 46 are partial vertical sections taken along line 45-46 of fig. 43 and showing different operating positions of a coupling interposed in the drive train between the distribution conveyor and the elevator d '' supply of each candling station
Figo 47 is a partial perspective view of one of the egg-supporting cups mounted on the distribution conveyor.



   Fig. 48 is a schematic perspective view of an oiling station crossed by the distribution conveyor carrying the eggs in the buckets.



   Fig. 48A is a perspective view showing an oiling station, partly in section.



   Figo 49 is a perspective view of an air distributor forming part of the oiling station shown in Figo 48.



   Figo 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55 and 56 are enlarged perspective views of air nozzles provided on these distributors, in the appropriate order
Fig. 57 is a perspective view of eighteen packing stations attached to the final strand of the distribution conveyor.
Fig. 58 is a cross-sectional vertical view of the dispatch conveyor taken along line 58-58 of Fig. 1 to the first of the eighteen packing stations.

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   Fig. 59 is a perspective view of one of the packing stations.



   Fig. 60 is a perspective view of an egg carton handled by the packing station shown in FIG. 59.



   Fig. 61 is a partial perspective view of a cardboard grid and its associated bottom plate, also handled by the packing station shown in FIG. 59.



   Fig. 62 is a plan view of the packing station without the box feed magazine.



   Fig. 63 is a longitudinal vertical section through a packing station and the lower part of its carton magazine taken along line 63-63 of FIG. 62.



   Fig. 64 shows the upper part of the store of figo 63
Figo 65 is a longitudinal vertical section of a packing station similar to Fig 63, but taken along line 65-65 of Fig. 62 in a direction opposite to FIG. 630. Fig 66 is a vertical coape of a packing station along line 66-66 of Fig 65.



   Fig. 67 is another vertical section of a packing station taken along line 67-6? of fig. 65 and in the opposite direction to fig 66
Figo 68 is a partial perspective view of pushers mounted on the box feed conveyor of each packing station.



   Fig. 69 is a partial perspective view showing how the packing station feed conveyor can be adjusted to use either cardboard boxes or cardboard screens.



   Figures 70 and 71 are partial vertical sectional views of the mechanism shown in fig. 69. showing consecutive operating positions of this mechanism.



   Fig. 72 is a schematic perspective view showing the electrical circuits of each packing station and the mechanical parts which they control.



   Figs. 73 and 74 are simplified diagrams of the circuit shown in FIG. 72 illustrating different operating positions of this arrangement.



   Fig. 75 is a partial perspective view in disassembled state of the control cams of the contacts forming part of the circuit arrangement shown in figs 72, 73, and 740
Fig. 76 is a partial perspective view showing the control mechanism of the case feed conveyor of each packing station.



   Fig. 77 is a detail view showing the mechanism associated with the mechanical gear train of each of the case feed conveyors.



   Figo 78 is a perspective view of a battery of six solenoids for releasing the eggs provided along the distribution conveyor at each of the eighteen packing stations.



   Figo 79 is a partial cross sectional view taken along the line 79-79 of Figo 780

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Fig. 80 is a detail view showing part of the mechanism shown in Fig. 79 in another operating position.



   Figo 81 is a partial longitudinal section of the final strand of the distribution conveyor along line 81-81 of fig. 79.



   Figs. 82A, 82B and 820 are schematic detail views showing consecutive operating weights of the mechanisms illustrated in FIG. 81.



   Figs. 83A, 83B, 83C and 83D are schematic cross sections of a packaging station similar to Fig 63 showing consecutive phases of operation of this packaging station.



   Fig. 84 is a perspective view of a rotary control mechanism hereinafter referred to as the memory belt on which the quality and weight of the eggs introduced into the machine are recorded and which in turn controls the release of the eggs from the distribution conveyor to pre-determined packing stations located on the final strand of this conveyor.



   Figs. 85A and 85B are upper and lower portions, respectively, of an elevation view of the memory belt taken from the quality and weight recording side.



   Figs. 86A and 86B are upper and lower portions, respectively, of an elevational view of the memory belt taken from the side opposite to FIG. 85A and freeze 85B.



   Figs. 87A and 87B are upper and lower portions, respectively, of a transverse vertical section of the memory belt taken along line 87-87 of Figs. 85A and 85Bo
Figs. 88A, 88B and 880 are the upper, middle and lower parts respectively of an axial vertical section of the memory belt, taken along the line 88-88 of figs 87A and 87B,
Fig. 89 is a partial perspective view in disassembled state of part of the memory belt.
Fig. 90 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a recording post forming part of the memory belt and hereinafter referred to as a memory post.



   Fig. 91 is a partial perspective view of one of the solenoids positioned on the recording side of the memory belt to energize the memory studs.



   Fig. 92 is a plan view, partly in section, of two solenoids of the type shown in Fig. 91 showing how they act on the memory pins.



   Figs. 93A, 93B, 93C and 93D are views showing how a solenoid of the type shown in Fig. 91 acts on a tenon of the memory belt.



   Fig. 94 is a perspective view of a contact operable by the tenons of the memory belt.



   Fig 95 is a plan view of two contacts, of the type shown in Fig 94, in relation to the tenons of the memory belt.



   Figs. 96A, 96B, 96c and 96D are consecutive views showing how a contact of the type shown in figs. 94 and 95 is controlled by the tenons of the memory belt.

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   Figo97 is a perspective view of another contact controllable by the tenons of the memory belt, mounted in the electrical control circuit of the oiling station shown in figo 48.



   Figo 98 is a perspective view of another contact operable by the tenons of the memory belt to initiate operations resulting in the release of an egg from the distribution conveyor.



   Figo 99 is a partial perspective view of cams intended to return the memory studs to the neutral position. 100A and 100B are the two consecutive halves of a schematic development of the control structure surrounding the memory belt. .



   Figo 101 is a partial perspective view of a secondary control mechanism associated with and controlled by the memory belt and serving to determine the exact point of release of the egg from the repertory carrier.



   Fig 102 is a partial perspective view similar to FIG.



  101 showing the lower end of the mechanism shown in FIG. 101.



   Figo 103 is a horizontal section taken on line 103-103 of Figo 88A.



     Figo 104 is a partial detail view showing an element of the mechanism shown in figso 101 and 103 in the direction indicated by arrows 104-104 of fig. 1030
Fig 105 is a partial horizontal section of the mechanism shown in Fig 104 taken along line 105-105 of Fig 104.



   Figs. 106A, 106B, 106C, 106D, 106E, 106F, 106G and 106H are schematic views of the mechanism shown in figo103 showing eight consecutive phases of operation of this mechanism.



   Fig 107 is a circuit diagram showing how the eggs fed to the candling stations of the machine of the invention can be counted in predetermined combinations of quality and weight.



  GENERAL PROVISION OF THE MACHINE.-
With reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings comprises if candling stations 150 individually identified by reference numerals 151, 152 153, 154, 155 and 1560 Each One of these stations includes a platform 157 on which the candler receives crates or boxes of eggs from an unannounced roller conveyor 158.

   At each of these stations, an attendant examines the eggs externally, sights them against a lamp 159 (freeze 6) to determine their internal condition, and places the acceptable eggs on one of the six individually identified stacked shelves or slides 160. by the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h according to their individual quality. while he deposits the eggs which are broken, excessively dirty or unfit for human consumption in cardboard containers (not shown) placed on trays 162, mounted like candelabra on the right side of the shelves 160 in fig. 6.



   At each candling station, the eight superimposed rays 160 can pass the eggs which are deposited therein in bowls 164 mounted on the ascending strand 166 (figs. 6 and 7) of an elevator 168, and each time a egg passes from the end of a shelf or slide 160 into a bowl 164,

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 it operates a mechanism which registers the quality of the egg represented by the ray on which it has been placed by the candler, on a rotary control device 170 (figo 84), called up by the memory belt and which operates inside a safe indicated at 172 in figs.



   1, 2, 3 and 84. This memory belt is divided into several consecutive sectors;) in the form of horizontal bands 176 (figso 85A, 85Be 86A, 86B and 89), and each of the cups 164 of the ascending strands of the six risers
168 of the machine is represented by a sector 175 of the memory belt o Memory belt 170 rotates in synchronism with the elevators
168 and when an egg passes from one of eight spokes 160 of a viewing station to a bowl 164 of the particular elevator associated with that station, the aforementioned registration mechanism places a mounted member on the sector 175 of the memory belt corresponding to the elevator cup in a manner indicating, the quality represented by the spoke or slide,

   where the egg came from when it fell into the bowl.



   Each of the six elevators 168 can pass the eggs which it receives from the shelves or slides 160 which are associated with it over one of the six weighing mechanisms collectively designated by the reference numeral 180 (freeze. 21 and 40) on which the eggs are. weighed and which control mechanisms recording the category of weight to which a certain egg belongs on the same sector 175 ie the memory belt which has already recorded the quality of the egg.



   From the weighing mechanism of the six candling stations, the eggs pass through a lowering mechanism 182 (fig. 21 and 40) on a common single-file conveyor 185 and carrying an endless series of buckets retaining the eggs 186 and which operates six times faster than elevators 168 and is adjusted relative to these elevators and the egg weighing and lowering mechanisms so that consecutive buckets can drive all the eggs fed by the six elevators of the lowering mechanisms eggs 182, without more than one egg being able to be placed in the same cup.



  The conveyor 185 leads the eggs to an oiling station 188 (figs. 1, 2, 4A and 48) where the eggs of a combination of a determined quality and weight are subjected to an oil spray under control of the belt. memory 170 to preserve their freshness. Then, the conveyor 185 extends over eighteen consecutive packing stations 190 (figs. 1, 2, 3 and 57) each provided with a container store 191 (fig. .



  59) and as it drives the eggs to these packing stations dispenses the eggs of a preselected combination of weight and quality, under control of memory belt 170, to either of the these stations in suitable cardboard containers brought by feed conveyors 192 (fig. 59) from the trays 191 into positions below the distribution conveyor, so that these containers only receive eggs belonging to the same group pre-selected weight and quality. When a cardboard container was. filled in this way with eggs of the same group of quality and weight, it passes over an exit ramp 193, from where an attendant can.

   transfer to a suitable outlet 194 or 195, depending on its size (figs.



  57 and 58), while devices come into action to bring a new cardboard container from magazine 191 into the position for receiving the eggs below the distribution conveyor 1850 MIRAGE STATIONS .---
In Fig. 7, each of the candling stations 150 is equipped with an electric lamp 159 against which the operator examines the eggs to determine their quality, as noted above. This lamp is preferred-

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   It is of the air-cooled type and includes an electric bulb 195 which fits into a socket 196 (fig. 17 and 18).

   The socket 196 is in turn placed in another socket 197 which is wider than the socket 196 so as to provide an annular passage 198 between the exterior face of the interior socket and the interior face of the exterior secket, as can be seen in the figure 170 The outer socket is mounted on an annular rod 199 and its interior part communicates with the interior of this rod, which rises obliquely from the frame of the machine at a point lower than the lower grade spoke 160. L The bulb 195 is embedded in a tubular housing 200 supported by the outer socket 197, its central axis extending horizontally towards the operator of the candling station.



  The posterior end of the tubular circle is closed as in the drawing, while its anterior end is open and covered with a ring 201 of elastic material, for example of suitable plastic material, to protect the eggs that the error. could accidentally come into contact with the housing during 1 candling operation. This ring 201 can also be used to retain the usual lens 202 in front of the bulb 195 in the housing 200 as on the pin 17.

   A suitable source of air pressure (not shown) can be connected to the lower end of the tubular rod 199 by a pipe 203 (pin 9) for cooling air currents to rise through it. hollow interior of rod 199 and annular passage 198 between sockets 196 and 197, and enter Housing 200 to sweep bulb 195 and exit through a suitable opening 204 from housing under 1 bulb,
With reference to figs.

   4A, 6, 7 and 8, the elevator 168 of each candling station comprises an endless chain 206 passing over an upper drive sprocket 208 and over a lower freewheel 210, the upward side of the chain being disposed in a inclined plane and supported on the median entablature of three entablatures 211 formed on the upper edge of an inclined panel 212 (figs. 8 and 19) suitably supported by the adjacent wall 214 of a box 216 enclosing the weighing mechanism 18 already mentioned. The upper end of the panel 212 carries the drive shaft 218 for the toothed wheel 208, while the idle shaft 220 for the toothed wheel 210 rotates in the lower end of the panel.



   The support frame 224 of the eight slides or spokes 160 of each candling station is rigidly supported by the panel 212 on the side opposite the box 216 by gusset supports 222 (Figs. 7 and 9). This frame comprises two inclined, transversely spaced bars 226a and 226b which are rigidly connected by upper and lower struts 228 and 230, respectively, as can best be seen in FIG. 9. The upper edges of the inclined bars of the frame 226a and 226b are hollowed out by eight superimposed rectangular notches, as can be seen at 232 in figs 8 'and 9, to support eight superimposed sections 234 having approximately the transverse shape. of a U, fixed on these bars by bolts 236.

   An angle bar 240 is rigidly mounted on the exterior vertical wall 238 of each section 234 and forms an exterior vertical wall 242, spaced from the exterior vertical wall 238 of the section 234 and parallel thereto, so as to form a corridor 244 with a transverse U-shape between the vertical walls, as best seen in FIG. 14.



   The upper edges 246 and 248 (figo 10) of the walls 238 and 242 respectively are slightly inclined towards the upward leg of the elevator 168 and in this way form a radius which serves as a slide, since the eggs which are placed there, with their main axes arranged transversely at the upper edges, slide or roll towards the ascending strand

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 of the elevator 168.

   Edges 246 and 248 form a series of gentle slopes
250 each followed by a relatively sharp boss 252 (figs. 8 and 10), the slopes and bosses of the two edges being in alignment with one another in a direction transverse to the walls 234 and 240, and at least one bump 252 formed by each of the edges being located directly at the left ends of the walls 238 --t 2420 Therefore, an egg placed on the spoke formed by the edges 246 and 248 slides or rolls along the first of the slopes 250 and comes s' press against the first of the bosses 252, as in figo 120
Means are provided according to the invention for raising the eggs leaning against the bosses 252 and making them pass over these bosses,

   so that they can slide down the successive slopes 250 until they finally pass rays over the last bumps in an empty cup of the riser of the elevator 1680 To this end, another profile 256 with a transverse U-shape is placed in the corridor 244 formed between the vertical walls 238 and 242 (fig. 14).

   This profile
256 is pivotally mounted on the vertical walls 238 and 242 near their outer ends by a removable pivot 258, as can be seen in particular in figs. 10, 11, 12 and 14, and the upper edges 260 and 262 of the walls verticals 264 and 266 of the inner channel form a series of transversely aligned bosses 268 and gentle slopes 270, the bosses 268 both placed at a limited distance in front of the bosses 25 formed by the vertical walls of the spokes 238 and 242, as shown. sees better on the freeze
12, and each of the side walls 264 and 266 of the inner profile 256 terminating in a gentle slope 271 at its left end in alignment with the terminal bosses 252 of the walls 238 and 242 of the spokes (figs. 8, 10
12 and 13).



   Normally, the bosses 268 of the inner channel 256 are placed below the lowest point of the slopes 250 formed by the walls 238 and 242 of the spokes, as can be seen in fig 12, so that they do not assume at passage of a descending egg along this slope
250 to reach the lowest points 254, immediately in front of the next boss 252, but devices are provided according to the invention to oscillate the inner profile 256 in cycles around its pivot point 258 to periodically raise the bosses 268 to above the level of the successive bosses 252 formed by the outer walls 238 and 242 of the spoke and in this way lift the eggs which could be found at this moment in the depressions 254 of the walls 238 and 242 of the spoke above the bosses 252 (freeze 13)

   so as to make them roll along the following slopes 250 formed by the walls of the spokes.



   To this end, the motor shaft 218 of the elevator 168 carries a cam 272 (figo 9) which has two diametrically opposed vertices 273 and which engages a roller 274 pivoting on a control bar 276 whose split upper end 278 slides on the outwardly projecting end of the control shaft 218. The bar 276 slides in the split-guide blocks 280 and 282, advantageously supported by the spacers 228 and 230 of the frame 224 described above. A spring 284 tensioned between the lower end of the bar 276 and the lower guide block 282 pushes this bar and its roller 274 constantly in engagement with the profile of the cam 272, so that the bar is continuously driven in a back and forth movement -Comes between an upper position and a lower position while the elevator 168 is operating.

   Eight control studs 286, one for each of the eight egg-lifting profiles 256 that each candling station includes, are adjustable in the bar 256 opposite each of the profiles 234 supported by the frame 2240 Each of these studs sits above the free end 287 of a lever 288 which extends through

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 the inner forked end 289 of a mounting block 290 mounted on the rear wall 291 of the corresponding section 234 of the spoke (figo 10) and pivots on this end 289.

   This lever 288 passes at its opposite end 292 through a suitable opening 294 provided in the rear wall 291 and carries inside the profile 234 a rod 296 extending parallel to the profile (figs. 14 and 15). The end of the rod 296 opposite the upward leg of the elevator 168 is turned upward to form a hook 298 which normally engages the underside of an arm 300. This arm is attached to the bottom wall 301 of the elevator. profile 256 lifting the eggs and exits through an opening 302 in the outer wall 238 of the profile 234, as can be seen in fig 11.



   A spring 304 tensioned between a tenon 306 rigidly mounted on the block 290 and the free end 287 of the lever 288 (fig. 9, 10 and 14) constantly presses this free end into engagement with the control tenon 286 of the reciprocating bar. - comes 276, and when the roller 274 meets one of the vertices 273 of the cam 272 of the control shaft of the elevator 218, this lever 288 swings in an anti-clockwise direction, as in figso 10 and 13 against the spring 3040 This has the effect of raising the end 292 of the lever 288 in the profile 234 and the hook 298 formed on the rod 296 then raises the arm 300.

   The arm 300 in turn raises the profile --e lifting the eggs 256 from the position shown in FIG. 12 in the position of Fig. 13. When the profile 256 is raised in this way, the bosses 268 formed on its side wall lifts the eggs which are possibly lodged in the depressions 254 of the walls 238 and 242 of the shelf above the shelves. bosses 252 of these walls, as on the pin 13, and the eggs easily pass over the bosses 252;

   when the inner profile 256 has returned to its lower position below the level of the walls of the spoke - which occurs under the effect of the spring 304 as soon as the roller 274 of the bar 276 has passed one of the vertices 273 of the cam 272 of the elevator drive shaft - the eggs which have passed over the bosses 252 may roll into the following depressions 254 formed by the walls of the spoke.,
As the profile 256 serving to lift the eggs is alternately raised and lowered relative to the edges of the walls 238 and 242 of the shelf supporting the eggs, the eggs deposited on these shelves pass successively over all the bosses 2520 of this way, the eggs advance to the upward strand of elevator 168,

   in order to be finally brought into one of the cups 164 supported by the elevator (pin 8) and as they come intermittently against two transversely aligned bosses 252 and are stopped by them, their axes are continuously placed transversely to the slide formed by the radius walls 238 and 242
The cups 164 are placed on the circumference of the elevator chain 206 at intervals equal to the distance between two consecutive spokes 160 (fig. 6 and 8) and each comprise two support members in the form of bars 316a and 316b covered with rubber buffers 317 and extending transversely to the elevator chain,

   spaced apart longitudinally relative to the chain. These elements 316a and 316b are; curves to form a shallow V as can be seen in fig.



  80 in order to retain an egg which is deposited there On the side adjacent to the box 216, already mentioned and opposite the ends of the spokes 160, the elements 316a and 316b are fixed to a reinforcing bar 318 and connected by this bar (fies. 19 and 20), said bar 318 forming a downwardly directed rod or foot 319, fixed on a tenon 320 projecting from a tubular bearing 321 and being able to rotate in this bearing. This bearing is in turn fixed to the wedge

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 Left interior of a T-shaped mounting plate 322 whose crossbar 323 is rigidly connected to two transversely aligned links 324a and 324b of the elevator chain 206.

   The rod 319 carries an ear 325, and a spring 326 stretched between this ear and a tenon 327, provided at the right end of the transverse bar 323, resiliently maintains the ear 325 against a stop ear 328 fixed on the middle bar 329 of the T-mounting plate 322 and in this way maintains the bowl in the raised position, shown in figo 20, as it moves on the upward leg of the elevator 1680
As the lifting of the eggs effected by all the interior profiles 256 is controlled by a cam 272 mounted on the shaft 218 which drives the elevator 168,

   the upward movement releasing the eggs from these inner channels can be easily synchronized to occur at any given time relative to the progress of the bowls on the upward leg of the elevator so that the end bosses 268 of the inner channels 256 are raised. the eggs lying in the last depressions 254 of the comb walls 238 and 242 as the elevator cups 164 move in line with the ends of the eight superposed shelves 160, so that any egg brought in above the last bosses 252 of any radius, rolls laterally on the V-shaped support members 316a and 316b of an elevator cup (figo 8).



   So that no bowl can receive more than one egg passing beyond the ends of the eight superimposed spokes 160, devices are provided according to the invention for switching off the drive trains of the sections 56 lifting the eggs individually each time that 'a bowl filled with an egg coincides with a particular radius
With reference to figs 10 and 15, the bar 296 inside the profile 234, the curved inner end of which 298 is encbssous of the arm 300 of the profile lifting the eggs 256 and supporting it,

   can lie in an opening 293 provided at the end 292 of the lever 288 and its opposite end 299 is pivotally mounted on the arm 330 directed downwardly of a lever 331 of angled form This lever is fixed on a transverse pin practically horizontal 332 which extends through the outer wall 238 of the profile 234 and can rotate in this wall below the level of the profile 256 lifting the eggs (figso 8 and II) 0 Near the elevator 168, the wall bottom 301 of the profile and also the bottom wall formed by the angle iron 240 terminate near the ends of their side walls, and at an intermediate point of, - these side walls below the lower zone of the profiles 256 and 240,

   the pin 232 is turned over to form an arm 333 directed radially and protruding at an acute angle into the space defined by the egg support members 316a and 316b of the bowls 164 of the upstroke of the elevator 1680 Therefore, when a empty bowl approaches one of the feeding shelves for the eggs, these support members 316a and 316b overlap this arm 333 (fig. 8) and pass without exerting any effect on it.

   The control mechanism of the set advancement profile 256 therefore continues to oscillate this profile in the manner described above, so that the eggs which could rest against the last set of bosses 252 on the spoke 240 are raised above these bogs and roll on the cup coinciding with the profile of the spoke.

   However, if a cup carrying an egg approaches a particular ray, the egg of this cup comes to rest again against the arm 333 before the cup coincides with the ray o This egg presses the arm 333 and causes it to yield in the direction of the hands of a watch, seen in fig. 8, which causes the angled lever 331 to tilt counterclockwise on figo 10 and the lower arm 330 of this lever attracts the inner end 298 in the form of a

  <Desc / Clms Page number 14>

 hook of the bar 296 and 1 'moves laterally from the control arm 300 of the profile 256 lifting the eggs, as shown in FIG. 15. In this way, the driving train of control cam 272 (fig.

   9) at the egg-lifting profile 256 (freeze 10) is interrupted and the egg-lifting profile stops and consequently any egg which may rest against the last set of bosses of the considered ray remains on this ray. . Once the egg-bearing bowl has passed the end of the decommissioned feed shelf, the weight of the substantially horizontal arm 334, of the elbow lever 331 returns this lever to its normal position in which the inner end 298 hook-shaped already. sliding bar 296 is again in an operating relationship with the arm 200 of the profile 256 lifting the eggs,

   unless another bowl carrying an egg follows the first and again disables the egg advancement mechanism on the shelf as described above
The portion 335 of the wall 238 of the channel within which the spindle 332 turns is preferably folded laterally in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the upward leg of the elevator (Figs. 8 and 10). Therefore, the pins 332 are all arranged exactly perpendicular to the path of the elevator bowls and the arcs which their control arms describe are entirely in the oblique plane in which the eggs are raised and are therefore controlled. at most by The slightest contact with an egg.



   To keep the rotating arms 333 in the position where they pass obliquely on the path of the eggs and to prevent them from falling below this position, the bearings 336 in which the pins 332 rotate and which are fixed in the laterally folded part 335 of the wall 238 of the profile (figs. 12 and 13), carry a stop arm in the form of a bar 337 which extends below the radially directed control arm 333 and against which this control arm can rest in the inactive position.



   Inside the outer wall 238 of the egg-supporting channel 234, below the level of the egg-lifting channel 256 and near its outlet end is a rotating spindle 338 which extends through the egg-supporting channel. inner wall of the profile. 234 and carries at its end, near the outer surface of the inner wall of the mounting profile, an arm 339 controlling the contact, as illustrated in Figs. 10 and 16.

   By rotation in the direction of clockwise, seen in figs. 10 and 16, this cam controls the arm 340 of a normally open contact 341 which is in the supply circuit of a solenoid 342 (figs. 5A and 5B, 85A, 85B, 87A and 87B) placed near the memory belt 170 already mentioned, in figs.

   5A and 5B, the two contacts 341 and the solenoids 342 are individually identified by the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h corresponding to the spokes 160 with which the contacts 341 are associated. Between the slots d 'end 271 of the profile 256 lifting the eggs, the pin 338 carries a pair of radially directed arms 347 and 349 which pass through the open ends of the angle iron 24G and the profile 256 on either side of the walls 264 and 266 of the profiled and parallel to these walls and above the arm 333 of the spoke disabling mechanism, as can be seen in figs 10, 11, 12 and 130 When an egg rolls over the last bosses 252 the supply radius on a cup which is placed in coincidence with this radius,

   it lowers the arms 347 and 349 as in fig. 13, and these arms swing cam 339 rapidly in the clockwise direction in Figs. 10 and 16 and momentarily close in this way the contact 341 associated with this spoke. By closing the contact 341, the corresponding solenoid 342 is energized and puts in

  <Desc / Clms Page number 15>

 service on the memory belt 170 a member indicating the quality of the egg represented by the radius 160 with which the contact 341 is associated in a manner described in more detail in the remainder of the memory.



   WEIGHING MECHANISM.-
At the moment a cup 164 of the upward leg of the elevator
168 reached the somr. and of its course, an ear 344 turned laterally at the lower end of the support rod 319 of each cup (figs.



   8 and 20) comes into contact with a cam flange 345 fixed to the adjacent side wall 215 of the weighing mechanism (figo 21). This has the effect of tilting the cup on its pivot 320 in a counterclockwise direction, as in FIG. 21, against the action of the spring 326 already mentioned. Consequently, any egg on the bowl rolls or slides sideways on a platform 346 of the weighing mechanism 180.



   To ensure the return of a tilted bowl 164 to the raised position after it has passed an egg over the weighing platform 346 and passed that platform, a fixed projection 343 may be placed in the path. an ear 319a fixed to the lower end of the rod 319 of each of the cups 163 (fig 21.)
Platform 346 may be formed of a shallow concave plate about an axis extending in a vertical plane parallel to the vertical plane defined by endless chains 206 of elevator 168 and is resiliently held at a level. upper determined in advance to be able to lower under the weight of an egg which is placed therein so as to maintain its horizontal arrangement during this lowering movement.

   To this end, the platform is fixed to the horizontal arm 348 of a support 350 (fig. 24 and 28) comprising a bar 352 descending vertically and projections 354a, 354b and 356a, 356b in the form of a tree, projecting laterally from the upper and lower end of this bar, on either side of the bar; protrusions are supported with the possibility of rotation by two superbalanced joints in parallelograms 358 and 360 (fig 22). The upper parallelogram 358 is formed by two parallel arms 362a and 362b pivoting by their posterior ends on the structure 364 of the cha # sis of the weighing mechanism, as can be seen at 366 in fig. 28.

   The front ends of the arms 362a and 362b carry pivot bearings 368, the inwardly directed points 370 of which engage in cavities formed at the ends of the projections 354a and 354b respectively The lower parallelogram 360 is formed of a U-bar 372, the ends of which pivot on the structure 364 below the pivot points 366 of the arms 362a and 362b as can be seen at 374 in fig 28. Near the link arm 376 of the U-bar 372, the arms parallel 378a and 378b of this bar carry despaliers 380 whose inwardly directed points 382 engage in cavities provided in the ends of the lower projections 356a and 356b respectively, as shown in Fig. 28.

   A pair of vertically arranged coil springs 384a and 384b hooked at their lower ends to the lower shaft-shaped projections 356a and 356b of the carrier 350 extend upward through a span / a suitable opening 386 in the upper portion 388 of the support. structure 364 and are supported at their upper ends by this upper part of structure 364 so as to resiliently hold platform 346 in a predetermined elevated position from which it can be lowered to low levels. - lower veax according to the weight of an egg which is deposited there.



   To compensate for the effects of temperature changes on the accuracy of the weighing mechanism, the upper ends of the springs

  <Desc / Clms Page number 16>

 384a and 384b can be fixed to the ends of bimetallic tongues 390 wound around tenons 392 which protrude inwards from the side wings 394a and 394b, formed by the upper part 388 of the structure 364 (fig. 22, 23 and 24) . and hooked onto these studs 3920 When the temperature rises, which tends to soften the springs, the ends of the bimetallic tabs 390 bend upwards, so as to increase the tension of the springs and when the temperature rises. lowers, which tends to harden the springs, the ends of these bands lower so as to decrease the tension of the springs.



   To control the passage of an egg from a tilted bowl of elevator 168 onto platform 346 of the weighing mechanism and for removing it from this platform without delay as soon as the weighing mechanism has been reached. - dyes a position of balance representing the weight of the egg, transfer arms 396a and 396b can rise in 1 -space between the elevator 168 of the platform 346 higher than an egg sliding off a tilted bowl and can rotate in an arc of large radius above this platform.

   In this way, arms 396a and 396b control the speed with which an egg can roll or slide from a tilted bowl on platform 346 and remove the previous egg from the platform at the appropriate time when phase mechanics of the weighing operation is completed
With reference to Figs. 22 24 and 27, in the particular form of egg weighing mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings, the transfer arms 396a and 396b are supported at diametrically opposed points of an endless chain 398, and laterally extend beyond this chain. which passes over a toothed wheel 400 and a combined guide and tension system for the chain 402 (figo 34).

   This chain guide and tensioning system comprises a fixed segment 404 bolted to a vertical mounting plate 406 rigidly supported by the structure 364 of the weighing mechanism in front of the platform 346, as can be seen in Figs. 22 and 24. The fixed segment 404 has an arc-shaped cavity 407 inside which is located the driving toothed wheel 400 (figo 38.) This driving toothed wheel is mounted on a hub whose axis is parallel to the center longitudinal line of platform 346 (fig. 24) and which protrudes through a cavity 410 in mounting plate 406 and is appropriately supported by fixed segment 404 of tension system 402.

   The chain guide and tension system 402 also includes another segment 412 comprising a tenon 414 which attacks a corresponding mortise 416 formed at the end face 418 of the fixed segment 404 on the side opposite the wheel 400 (figso 37 and 38). This second segment 412 is supported by the fixed segment 404 and can describe limited movement relative to this segment.

   To this end, the arcuate guide face of the chain of this second segment may comprise an area of cavities 420a and 420b inside which are placed the heads 422a and 422b of the bolts 424a and 424b respectively which extend with clearance. through smooth openings in the movable segment 412 and engage with their free threaded ends 426a and 426b correspondingly threaded openings 428a and 428b provided in the end face 418 of the fixed segment Springs 430a and 430b wound around bolts 424a and 424b respectively in the radially open outer parts 432a and 432b of the openings 428a and

  428b rest against the adjacent face of movable segment 412 thereby moving away from this segment 412 of fixed segment 404 to an extent limited by the adjustable position of heads 422a and 422b of bolts 424a and 424b respectively.



  In this way, the chain passing over the two segments and over the driving wheel 400 is always properly tensioned. To avoid any displacement of the movable segment relative to the fixed segment in the direction of

  <Desc / Clms Page number 17>

 their tenon 414 and their mortise 416 respectively, a guide tenon
434 can be placed without play at its opposite ends in axially aligned guide holes 436 and 438 respectively, formed in the end walls facing the segments, as can be seen in FIG.



   380
So that the transfer arms 396a and 396b can pass so close to the platform 346 that a small egg cannot be crushed between these arms and the platform, the edge of the platform facing the element - Vateur 168 can be formed of fingers as shown at 440 in FIGS.



   22, 23, 24 and 25 and the inwardly directed faces of the transfer arms are also provided with fingers so that the fingers 442 of the latter pass through the spaces between the fingers 440 of the former as on figs 23 and 250
To record the result of the weighing operations, the weighing mechanism of the present invention comprises, for example, six normally open contacts 444 (figs 5A and 5B) which correspond to six different weight ranges and which are individually identified by the letters j. , k, 1, m, n, and o whenever necessary in the following description to facilitate understanding of the operation of the machine.

   Each time an egg is brought onto platform 346, a device intervenes to close one of these contacts depending on the level to which the platform has been lowered by the weight of the egg. Each of the six contacts 444 is mounted in the circuit supplying a solenoid 445 also identified by one of the letters j, k, 1, m, n, and o and closed, can energize the corresponding solenoid placed near the memory belt 170 in order to move on this belt an organ representing the weight of the egg which determined the closure of the particular contact 4440
With reference to figs. 28 and 29, these contacts 444 can be arranged in two superimposed rows 446 and 448 of three contacts each and are all supported 1 "inside a rectangular frame 450,

   the three upper contacts being arranged in an inverted position and laterally displaced relative to the three contacts of the lower row so that the outwardly curved ends 452 of the control arms 454 of the six contacts 444 are practically juxtaposed, the arcuate ends of control of the upper contact arms being only very slightly higher than those of the lower contact arms as can be seen in figs 24 and 29. At their lower ends, the side bars 456a and 456¯b of the frame rectangular 450 are fixed on a transverse block 458 which can rotate on a transverse shaft 460 supported by the structure 364 already mentioned.



   To close the appropriate contact 444 by lowering the platform by an egg brought to this platform, - the platform support 350 carries above and behind its upper projections 354a and 354b a bar transverse 462 and six screws 466 aligned with the control arms 454 of the six contacts 444 transversely to the weighing mechanism are placed in six threaded openings 464 (figs. 35 and 36), distributed transversely at equal distances and extending vertically in the cross bar 462 Each of the screws 466 carries at its lower end a control disc 468.

   The disks 468 are individually identified by the Patterns j, k, -Le m, n, and 0 respectively, corresponding to the contacts 444 with which they cooperate and are located in six planes, each lower than the previous one, corresponding to six different heights. - to which the platform 346 can be lowered by an egg brought on it according to its weight. In the preferred form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the discs 468 are divided into two

  <Desc / Clms Page number 18>

 staggered rows each comprising three disks placed lower and lower, as can be seen in FIG.

   31, the uppermost disc 468 i of the upper offset row facing the control arm of the left contact 444 of the upper row of contacts 446, this contact representing the highest weight range, and the disc the uppermost 468 of the lower offset row being disposed below the lower disc 468 1 of the upper offset row and in front of the control arm of the left contact 444m of the lower row of contacts, this contact representing the "medium" weight range.

   The lower disc 468 ° of the lower offset row is disposed opposite the far right contact 4440 of the lower row of contacts, representing the lightest weight range, generally referred to as "Pee Wee".



   Between each disc 468 and the control arm of the corresponding contact is a feeler finger 470 whose flat posterior edge 472 rests against the arcuate end 452 of the corresponding contact arm (figo 29) and all the feeler fingers 470 of the mechanism can rotate by their lower ends on a common transverse shaft 474 (fig 30), the opposite ends of which are mounted in side projections directed upwards 476a and 476b of block 458 (figo 28)

   spacer walls 478 formed by block 458 and protruding upwardly keeping spacer fingers 470 in proper position in alignment with corresponding contact arms 4540 A transverse stop bar 479 may be placed in the projections side 476a and 476b and the spacer walls 478 opposite the feeler fingers 470 near their lower ends, but above the level of the axis 474, as in Figs.

   24, 28 and 30, to limit the forward movement of these fingers on the axis 4740 The front edges 480 of the feeler fingers 470 form noses 482 which lie in a common horizontal plane disposed between a limiting distance below the level of the lower disc 4780 when the weighing mechanism is in the rest position, that is to say without any eggs on the platform 346.



   Means are provided according to the invention for bringing the frame 450 closer to the contacts 444 and the feeling fingers 470 to the discs 468 as soon as an egg has been brought onto the platform 346 and this platform has reached a lowered position. equilibrium representing the weight of the egg placed therein, which brings one of the six discs 468 approximately at the same level as the noses of the fingers 4700 To this end, two substantially horizontal bars 484a and 484b are fixed on the transverse block 458 and protrude forward on either side of the rod 352 of the support 350 (figo 28).

   At their free ends, these bars, carry a triangular plate 485 (fig. 22, 24 and 26), and, pivoting on the edge of this plate, a roller 486 follows the edge of a cam 487 formed by the drive hub already mentioned 408 of the sprocket wheel 400 which drives the chain 398 of the transfer arms 396a and 396bc Whenever an egg is placed on the platform 346 under the control of one of the transfer arms and is about to be removed of this platform, the cam 487 has on its periphery a projection 488 (figo 26) on the roller 486 which lowers the free ends of the bars 484a and 484b and in this way causes the frame 450 to tilt over the shaft 460 in direction affixed to that of clockwise, as in fig. 22, 24 and 28,

   center a call spring 489 stretched between the upper bar 490 of the rectangular frame 450 and the structure 3640 Consequently, one of the horizontally aligned noses 482 of the fingers 470 is placed against the corresponding disc 468 depending on the degree of lowering of the support 350 under the weight of an egg placed on the platform, and as the frame 450 continues to tilt counterclockwise under the force of the control cam 487, the finger 470 whose nose has entered

  <Desc / Clms Page number 19>

 in contact with the corresponding disc 468,

       swings backwards on its axis 474 relative to the other fingers whose noses pass above or below the respective discs as the case may be and also relative to the contacts 444 supported in the frame 4500 Consequently, the rear edge 472 of the finger 470 rests against the arcuate end 452 of the control arm 454 of the corresponding contact 444 and this contact closes.



   The vertical distance between the consecutive discs 468 must be less than the vertical thickness of the feeler noses 482 of the fingers 470 to prevent, by bringing the weighing support 350 and the frame 450 supporting the contact closer together, all the noses pass above or below the corresponding disks 468, which would not close any of the contacts 444 and allow an egg to pass through the weighing mechanism without its weight being recorded on the memory belt.

   On the other hand, by separating the consecutive iisques 468 by a distance less than the vertical thickness of the noses 482, there is created the risk that two adjacent noses could be simultaneously attacked by the corresponding disks and that two weights are thus recorded. on the memory belt if the weight of an egg is at the limit between the weight ranges represented by the two neighboring discs o To avoid these double recordings, all the weight contacts 444 are connected in series so (figso 5A and 5B) that each comtact representing a higher weight range is part, in the open position,

   of the circuit supplying the weight recording solenoid representing the immediately lower weight range o In this way, each time two adjacent noses 482 are attacked by the corresponding discs 468 during the approach of the support 350 and the frame 450 supporting the contacts, the closing contact 444 which represents the highest weight range, while it energizes the corresponding weight recorder solenoid 445, interrupts the circuit supplying the solenoid 445 representing the next lower weight range and thus prevents the energization of this solenoid although the control contact 444 of the latter solenoid may in fact be closed.

   We can therefore only have one record for an egg located at the limit between two consecutive weight categories.
Another source of abnormal functioning of the written weighing mechanism is the fact that when engaging the contact noses 482 with the corresponding weight discs 468, the fingers 470 are pushed back on the axis 474 while the frame 450 supporting the contacts approaches the fixed support 350 of the disks.

   The rotational movement of a finger 470 driven by a disc 468 causes its nose 482 to descend a little lower. Therefore, in the case where the nose of a control finger is simply attacked by a disc which is not s' is lowered to the level of the upper edge of this nose under the weight of an egg on the platform 36, it can be done, when the control finger 470 is pushed backwards and operates the contact 444, that its nose passes lower and thus disengages itself from the control disc, thus reopening the contact 444 in question before the weighing operation is completed o This can cause = a double recording of the weight on the memory belt because when this weight contact is open,

   it no longer interrupts the circuit supplying the solenoid of 445 recording the weight corresponding to the immediately lower category and if the control contact; 444 of this lower category solenoid is precisely closed by engagement of the nose of the corresponding control finger 470 with its disc 468, this solenoid is energized as soon as the nose of the control finger of the first weighing contact is released from its disc.

   To avoid these defects, means, described in more detail below, drop all the discs 468 to a somewhat lower level, from the position shown in figo 32 to the position shown in figo 33, immediately below.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 20>

   immediately after the leading edges of the noses 482 have arrived in the plane determined by the anterior points of the peripheral edges of the weighing discs o In this way, -on disc 468 which would have attacked only the upper edge of the nose 482 which cooperates with it is brought into lasting contact with this nose,

   contact which cannot be interrupted by the subsequent descent of the nose to a slightly lower level by a rotational movement of the finger'470 around the axis 4740 To prevent this downward movement of the discs 468 from being able to support the disc representing the category of immediately greater weight on the nose of the finger controlling the contact associated with it, the upper edge of each nose is concave, as can be seen at 503 on figs 35 and 36 and the lower face of each weighing disc 468 presents a coniaue concavity as in 504 on the same figso 35 and 36.



  Consequently, the lowering of the weighing discs 468 has no effect on the ratio between a disc and a nose which it had not previously attacked, because when this lowering occurs the edge of the weighing disc is placed in the upper concave edge 503 of the nose and the tip of the nose attacks the concave cavity 504 of the underside of the disc
As an additional safeguard against double weight registrations originating from successive energies of two recording solenoids, a normally open contact 491 is connected in series to all six recording contacts 444 and their corresponding solenoids 445 (figso 5A and 5B)

   and the counterclockwise movement of the structure supporting the contacts can close contact 491 for a very brief moment only, so it is only during this very brief moment that all recording solenoids can be energized, whatever the position of the corresponding control contacts 444.

   In the form of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the contact 491 can be mounted on the already mentioned platform 406 of the weighing mechanism and can comprise a control arm 495 with a roller 497 cyclically engaged by a bead 499 formed on the hub 408, already decree, of the wheel 400 which constitutes the cam 487 which controls the relative approximation of the weighing contacts 444 and the discs 468 controlling the contactsso The rotational position of this bead 499 on the hub 408 relative to the projection 488 of the cam 487 is chosen so that this bead attacks the roller 497 and closes the contact 491 each time the projection of the cam 487 has completely lowered the lever arms 484a and 484b and brought the weight contacts 444 as close as possible. and the discs 468 which control them (figo 26).

   



   Since the machine of the invention must be able to operate without interruption during the constant progress of an egg from the feed elevator to the packaging mechanism, the weighing mechanism described above must be able to weigh the eggs in. rapid succession as they pass from the elevator to the weighing platform and from the weighing platform to the distribution conveyor.

   In order to reduce the time interval necessary for the actual weighing operation without sacrificing the certainty of the results, means are provided according to the invention for rapidly damping the oscillations of the platform caused by the weight. deposition of an egg To this end, the transverse bar 376 of the lower parallelogram 360 carries an arm 494 directed forward (figs. 22 and 24), and a plate 496 made of a material which conducts the egg. electricity, is attached to the anterior end of this arm and preferably has an arched shape ,, This plate extends in the space between the poles 498a and 498b of an electromagnet 500 in the form of a horseshoe (figo 27) supported by structure 364 below the actual weighing mechanism,

   the coils of which are dammed at 502 in figs. 22 and 24. The magnetic field established between the poles of the magnet 500 oppose the movement of any part which conducts electricity in a direction transverse to its lines of force and in this way the oscillations of the platform. form 346 and

  <Desc / Clms Page number 21>

 structure which supports it are quickly stopped.

   Immediately after, the frame 450 with the contacts 444 and the fingers 470 which control them approaches the discs 468 in the manner described above to close the contact 444 whose weighing disc 468 is in alignment with the nose 482 of the finger contact, and for an egg to be placed on the platform
346 must not remain on this platform until the operation of calibrating the discs and closing the contacts is completed, and can be removed as soon as the oscillations of platform 346 have stopped, device intervene at the time of relative reconciliation of contacts
444 and discs 468 to first slightly lower all the weighing discs 468 in order to obtain, as described above, a lasting engagement,

   between the nose which is dry to it and the weighing disc 468 which is placed approximately at its level and to then block the support 350 of the discs in the lowered position until the 1st contact closing operation is completed .



   The device for performing these operations comprises a U-shaped support 505 pivoting on an axis 506 at intermediate points of its parallel branches 505a from the top 388 'of the structure 364 of the weighing mechanism, as shown in FIG. can see it in particular in FIG.



  28. An apron of elastic material, for example of steel, the conformation of which is shown in fig. 34 is supported with mata- .ion capability by a transverse bar 507 held between the branches at points situated between the axis. 506 and the middle bar 505b of the support 505.

   By moving the frame 450 supporting the contacts towards the disc support 350, a coil spring 520 (figo 28) wound around a screw 521 and anchored in this screw, which is adjustably mounted in the side bar 456a of the frame 450 , comes into contact with a segment 522 projecting sideways from the apron 509 and presses a segment directed downwards 517 of this apron;

  , covered with an anti-friction material 517a against a plate 519 fixed to the surface of the cross bar 462 in which the rods 466 of the weighing discs 468 are placed. Mounted in a nearly horizontal profile 510 and fixed to the upper bar 590 of the frame 450 supporting the contacts, a spring 512 extends to the central bar 505b of the U-shaped support 505 and forms an upwardly arched cam end 5130 By continuing movement of the frame 450 supporting the contacts upward. support of the discs 350, the arcuate end 513 attacks a contact edge formed by a tenon 514 welded to the upper face of the central bar 505b of the support 505,

   lowering this support in a clockwise direction from the position shown in figo 32 to the position shown in fig. 33, against the action of return springs 525 interposed between the free ends of the branches 505a and the upper part 388 of the structure 364. The engagement by friction previously established between the segment: 517 of the apron and the plate 519 requires the support of the discs 350 to participate in the limited downward movement of the apron 509, originating from the clockwise rotational movement of the support 505 on the axis 5060 In this way, the discs 468 lower to a slightly lower level which can ensure the full engagement of a disc with the feeler nose as explained below and illustrated in fig. 33.

   Continuing the rotation of the frame 450 supporting the contacts towards the support 350 to actuate one or the other weight register contact whose feeler nose of the control finger is engaged by a weight disc, a continuous pressure of the spring to coil 520 on deck 509 and hence segment 517 of deck against plate 519 securely holds disc support 350 at this lower level until the contact closure operation is complete.

     As a result, the egg on platform 346 can be removed from

  <Desc / Clms Page number 22>

 this platform very soon after it has been placed there and the described control of the corresponding coid contact 444 is in fact effected as the egg passes from the platform to the distribution conveyor and while Another egg from the feed elevator can be fed onto the weighing mechanism.

   To ensure the release of the apron 509 from the plate 519 when the contact closing operation is completed and to prevent any interference of this apron with the support structure of the weighing platform, a spring 518 pushes the apron 509 in. counterclockwise compe on the figures. 32 and 33, to an extent limited by the contact of the central bar 505b of the U-shaped support 505 with a stop lug 516 fixed to the apron.



   As indicated above, the particular form of the egg weighing mechanism shown in the accompanying drawings comprises six discs 468 arranged at lower and lower levels and each capable of being attacked by one or the other of the feeler noses 482 of the six fingers 470 controlling the contacts, all of these noses being placed in a common horizontal plane at a level lower than that of the lowest disc when no egg is on the platform 346.

   When a small egg is brought onto the platform, the platform 41 and its support 350 are lowered to a limited extent which can bring the lowest of the discs 468, i.e. the far right disc 4680 in figs. 30 and 31, approximately at the level of the feeler noses 482. Consequently, only the contact 4440 opposite this lower disc, that is to say the extreme right contact of the lower row of contacts 448, is closed by movement of the frame 450 towards the support 350, while all the other disks are placed above the noses which cooperate with them and are therefore unable to close their respective contacts.

   The extreme right contact can by closing control a solenoid 4450 (figs. 5A and 5B) placed in such a way relative to the memory belt 170 to move an element of this belt from the neutral position to the active position. representing the smallest weight category intended for the machine of the invention, If a heavier egg: 'is placed on the platform 3469 the support of the platform 350 is lowered a little lower, to a level which can for example bring the central disc 468n of the lower row of discs to the same level as the feeling noses of the fingers 470. In this way, by relative approximation of the discs and the feeling fingers, the central contact 444n of the lower row of con - tact is controlled, as shown in figs. 29 and 30.

   The contact when closed can energize a solenoid 4450 placed in such a way relative to the memory belt that it moves an element on it representing the weight class called "Small" o Thus, as heavier eggs are placed on the platform and as this platform is lowered to lower and lower levels, lower and lower disks are placed in the active position in front of the control fingers of the corresponding contacts and as their Respective contacts 444i and 4440 are individually closed by relative approximation of all disks and all contacts, solenoids 445j and 4450 are individually energized to move items on the memory belt representing increasingly heavy ranges of weight ,

   the upper disc 468 1. of the upper row of discs being able to attack the feeler nose of the extreme left control finger when it is lowered to the level of the feeler noses by an egg of maximum size. Contact 444j which can be closed by this extreme left feeler finger can energize a solenoid 445j which moves by excitation an element of the memory belt representing "jumbo" size eggs as will be explained in more detail below. .



    EGG MARKING MECHANISM

  <Desc / Clms Page number 23>

 
A mechanism 540 which marks each egg passing from the platform onto the egg lowering mechanism 182, with a symbol in invisible ink allowing an inspector to find the candler who classified the eggs by quality (figs . 21, 22, 23 and 39,) is resiliently held above the platform 346 of each weighing mechanism of the machine of the invention.

   This marking mechanism 540 comprises a printing wheel 541 pivoting on the hooked end 542a of a rod in the form of a resilient metal bar 542 attached to the middle bar 543a of an inverted U-shaped support 543 ,, The branches 543b of this U-shaped support allow it to be mounted on a fixed horizontal shaft 544 which protrudes from the mounting plate 406 of the weighing mechanism and is fixed on it (figs 22 and 24). An L-shaped stop lug 545 attached to the end of the shaft 544 engages the rod 542 of the printing wheel 541 from below and thereby maintains this wheel in the position shown in FIG.



   39 in which its printing edge 541a comes into contact with the smaller eggs passing over the weighing mechanism and from which it can rise elastically whenever it encounters a larger egg On an upper sector of its periphery,

   the printing wheel 541 comes into contact with an ink roller 546 pivoting on the hooked end 547a of another rod 5470 The last rod 547 is mounted on the central bar 548a of another U-shaped support 548 of which the branches 548b are also mounted so as to rotate on the shaft 5440 The arrangement described allows the printing wheel 541 and the storm rollers 546 to be tilted around the shaft 544 from the working position shown in the pin 39 to an inactive position determined by the engagement of one of the branches 548b of the U-shaped support 548 with a stop projection 549a projecting laterally from a block 549

  mounted on 1 fixed shaft 5440 EGG LOWERING MECHANISM.-
The transfer arms 396a and 396b already described sweep an egg lying on the formal weighing platform 346 and pass it through a transfer bridge 550 on one of the transfer cups 552 of the already mentioned mechanism 182 which lowers the eggs from the level of this transfer bridge up to the level of the distribution conveyor 185 and drops them successively into appropriate buckets 186 of this conveyor.



   The transfer bridge 550 may be in the form of a horizontal plate 554 mounted on the stationary segment 404 of the structure 402 serving to tension the chain near its inner edge, and a little below the level of the platform. -Weighing form 346 in upper position (figso 25, 27 and 40). Near the inner edge of platform 346, deck plate 554 is folded downward as at 556 in Fig. 27 to present a flat surface to an egg which is swept from the platform by one of the arms. 396a and 396b, and thus avoid contact of the egg with sharp edges regardless of the height to which the egg may have lowered the platform.

   The opposite side of plate 554 includes. fingers as the edge of the egg receiving side of the weighing platform, so that the transfer arms can protrude this opposite side with the fingers of their inner faces engaged between fingers 558 of the dupont plate, and sweep thus the platform 346 and the transfer bridge 550 close enough so that small eggs cannot be crushed between the arms and the platform or the transfer bridge respectively.
The cups 552 of the egg lowering mechanism 182 are roughly shaped like a transplanter divided into two unequal segments 552a and 552b by a longitudinal cavity, as can be seen in Figs.



  21, 40 and 43, the smaller segment 552b being placed on the side of the mechanism

  <Desc / Clms Page number 24>

 In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the mechanism 182 comprises two of these civets in the form of a transplanter 552,
 EMI24.1
 separately identified by reference numerals 552 'and 552'a and both supported to rotate about d1, - n horizontal axis from a position in which the cups are near the transfer bridge 550 to a position in which they are located above an aligned bucket 186 of the distribution conveyor 185 passing below (fig.

   41). To this end, the two cups 552 are attached to short arms 562 rotatable on a common horizontal shaft 564 which laterally protrudes from the midpoint of a base plate 566 (pin 21). Having approximately the shape of a
 EMI24.2
 double-edged ax blade, as can be seen in fig. 41.

   This base plate 566 is fixed diametrically on a toothed wheel 568 fixed in its turn on a horizontal tubular shaft 570 (pin 43) and attacking the upper strand 572 against the endless chains 574a and 574b of the conveyor. distributor 1850 The tubular arter 570 of the toothed wheel turns on
 EMI24.3
 a pair of ball bearings 56¯a and 576bu interposed between the cylindrical inner surface of the shaft 570 and the outer surface of a shaft
 EMI24.4
 fixed 578 which pea,

   also be tubular and which is adjustably held in the side wall 580 of a cabinet 582 enclosing a clutch
 EMI24.5
 584 by which the already described elevator 168 is connected to the wheel 568 and therefore to the distribution conveyor 185 driving this wheel.



   While the machine is running, the. distribution conveyor 185 rotates toothed wheel 568 clockwise in FIG. 41, its lower segment moving in the same direction as the upper strand of the distribution conveyor which lies below.

   To force the transfer cups 552 of particle
 EMI24.6
 Per the described movement of the toothed wheel 568, these cups are connected to the base plate 566 by articulation trains 5860 The propelling action of these articulation trains is regulated by a fixed cam 588.
 EMI24.7
 way that the cups 552 lose;

  , rt their movement around the shaft 564 arrives in a horizontal position near the transfer pon-6 550 and in alignment with the latter for a time sufficient for the passage of an egg from the plate -adjacent weighing form 346 and transfer bridge 550 on the concave surfaces holding the eggs can be
 EMI24.8
 kill with precision and for q ua pair of retaining fingers 590a and 590b moving at the same time as the gear wheel 568, can close on an egg deposited in a bowl before it lowers from the defined horizontal position in a lower position in which the egg can slide or roll from the transfer cup in a direction radial to the gear
With reference to fig.

   43, the cam disc 588 is mounted on the end of a horizontal shaft 592 which sits inside the already mentioned tubular shaft 578 which supports the ball bearings 576a and 576b of the shaft 570 of the toothed wheel, and the articulation train 586 between each of the transplanter-shaped transfer cups 552 and the base element 566 comprises an articulation 594 (figs21 and 41) pivoting at one of its ends on the transfer element. base 566 near the edge of it
 EMI24.9
 at a point opposite to the bowl that this train of articulations must propel.

   Near its opposite end the articulation 594 carries a roller 596 maintained in contact with the edge of the fixed cam disc 588 by a pair of springs 598 stretched between intermediate points 600 of this articulation and the points 602 on 1 base member 566. One end of another hinge 604 pivots on that opposite end of hinge 594 near roller 596, and the opposite end of hinge 604 pivots on the end of the short arm. 562 to which the transfer cup 552 is attached.

   The retaining fingers 590a and 590b are fixed on a tenon 606 projecting from the side

  <Desc / Clms Page number 25>

 side of the base member 566 in its middle region at a point behind the corresponding transfer cup These fingers are formed by two elongated spring leaves transversely spaced, the free ends of which are bent downwards as in 608 in figs. 21 and 41 and which are sufficiently spaced from their respective cups in the position shown in the upper quadrants of figs. 21, 41 and 42A.

   so as not to present any obstacle to the passage of an egg from the 550 bridge over the cuvetteo
When the toothed wheel 568 and therefore the base member 566 rotate clockwise in figs 41 and 42A, during operation of the machine, the articulation train 586 and therefore the cups of transfer 552 participate in this movement by the pivot assembly 595 between the first joint 594 and the base member 5660 However, when a transfer cup 552 reaches a position close to the transfer bridge 550 and a little below it ci, three o'clock position shown in figs 41 and 42A, the edge of the fixed cam 588, by contact with the roller 596,

   further spreads the pivot 605 between the two articulations of the central axis of the rotational movement represented by the central axis of the toothed wheel 568. Consequently, the advance of the base member 566 in the direction of the needles d 'a watch on
 EMI25.1
 figs. 41 and 42A gradually bends the knee formed by the joints 594 and 04. as can be seen in three consecutive stages on its f2gs 42B, 42C and 42D9 so that the transfer cup 552 remains in the three o'clock position, nearly of the transfer bridge, although the toothed wheel 568 and the base member 566 moving the joint continue to rotate in a clockwise direction.

   An egg therefore has time to be moved by one of the transfer arms 396 of the bridge 550 on the transfer bowl in alignment 5520
As the 552 'transfer bowl moves in the
 EMI25.2
 described, the retaining fingers 590au and 590bu belonging to this cuvette and which are rigidly mounted on the base member 566 and move with it, as described above rattraliednt the cuvette while the egg is deposited therein (figso 42A, 42B and 42C) and finally close over the egg to retain it in the bowl while the roller 596 on the articulation 586 approaches its position of maximum separation from the central axis of the toothed wheel (fig. .

   42D), and the progressive folding of the knee joint 594/604 slows down to a degree where it can no longer compensate for the rotary advance of pivot 595 with the base member moving the joint 566, and in this way, the bowl 552 resumes its rotational movement.
 EMI25.3
 tation and sVab & 1e below the level of the transfer bridge, as shown in figs 42E and 42F. When the bowl begins to leave the horizontal position shown in figso 42A and 42D, the arms da re-
 EMI25.4
 Holding 590au and 590 retain any egg deposited in the bowl and allow it to slide radially out of the bowl as in 42E.

   In addition, a domed guard 609 may be provided near the orbit of the transfer basins 502, along their lower right quadrant in Figo 41, to
 EMI25.5
 bring back into the bowl and under the corresponding fingers 590a and 590lue the eggs which could escape their catcho This guard can be advantageously mounted on the structure of the frame of the weighing mechanism, as on
 EMI25.6
 figs- 23 and 250
Cam 588 is shaped to retain the knee joint in the folded position shown in fig 42E,

   so as to maintain
 EMI25.7
 the bowl and elastic fingers 590a and 59cul in position holding the egg until the transfer bowl 552 approaches its six o'clock position and its pointed end aligns with a cup 186 on the upper arm of the distribution conveyor 185, advancing

  <Desc / Clms Page number 26>

 continuously, as shown in fig 42F. At this point, the diameter of the cam begins to decrease and as the roller 596 of the hinge 594 is constantly pressed into engagement with the profile of the cam 588 by the springs 598, these springs force the hinge 594/604 to s 'to open.

   This opening movement of the toggle joint increases the rotary advance of the cup 552 and causes this cup to move clockwise on figsg 41 and 42F, faster than the member. rotary base 566 for supporting the retaining fingers 590. As a result, the bowl 552 and the retaining fingers 590 move apart when they reach the six o'clock position and allow an egg held between them to move. escape and fall into a bucket 186 lying in line with the repair conveyor, as in figso 41 and 42F.

   In order for an egg to fall smoothly from transfer bowl 552, the decrease in diameter of cam 588 is first gradual, as shown in the lower right quadrant of figs 41 and 42A to 42F, but increases rapidly on the next sector of the edge of the cam, that is to say the edge of the cam appearing in the lower left quadrant of the above-mentioned figures, so that the cup and the spring fingers associated with it can resume their position wide open shown in Fig. 42A as the bowl again reaches its egg receiving position near transfer bridge 550 where it receives another egg, as described above.



   The transfer mechanism and the distribution conveyor must work in synchronism so that a transfer bowl reaching the position shown in Fig. 42F always finds an aligned bucket in the distribution conveyor and as noted above. , the toothed wheel 568 of the transfer mechanism is therefore driven directly by the distribution conveyor attacking the upper strand of one of the chains of this conveyor as illustrated in figs21, 41 and 43.



   As already noted, the tubular shaft 570 of the toothed wheel 568 is used to drive the feed elevator to the corresponding candling station and the weighing mechanism associated with that station from the distribution conveyor and synchronously with this conveyor, and for this purpose carries a ratchet wheel 620 (pin 45) constituting the driven side of the coupling 584 already mentioned This wheel carries a single tooth 621 normally attacked by the hook-shaped head 622 of a pawl 623.

   This pawl pivots on the neighboring radial wall 624 of a lip 625 (figo 43) mounted on a toothed wheel 626 rotating on the tubular shaft 570 and constituting the driven side of the coupling 584. A spring 627 compressed between the rear edge of the head 622 of the pawl and a horizontal portion 628 of the lip 625 which extends above the pawl pushes the latter into the engagement position defined with the single tooth 621 of the wheel 620, as on the pin 45, and in which the driving force of 1 tubular shaft 570 is transmitted to the toothed wheel 6260
In turn, the toothed wheel 626 is connected by a chain 630 to another toothed wheel 631 mounted on a countershaft 632 disposed below the tubular shaft 570 of the lowering toothed wheel 568, as can be seen. see it in fig.

   440 This last shaft 632 rotates in the box 582 and the box 216 of the weighing mechanism 180 and carries at a point located further than the outer wall of the latter box 216 a toothed wheel 633 (figs. 7 and 9) connected by a endless chain 634 with one toothed wheel 635 mounted on the drive shaft 218 of the elevator 1680 Also supported by the countershaft 632 at a point lower than the weighing mechanism, a bevel gear 636 drives another gear conical 637 supported with the ability to rotate by the walls of the enclosure 216 A toothed wheel 638 is

  <Desc / Clms Page number 27>

 is keyed on the bevel pinion 637 (figo 4A) and is connected by another endless cbapnee 640 (figo 44)

   to a toothed wheel 641 mounted on the drive hub 408 which carries the control cam 487 which ensures the relative approximation of the frame 450 supporting the weighing contacts and of the structure 350 supporting the weighing discs Whenever the Coupling 584 is engaged, the feed elevator and the weighing mechanism of the corresponding candling station operate in synchronism with each other and with the distribution conveyor.



   To disengage coupling 584 and thereby stop the feed elevator and weighing mechanism of a particular candling station, while the distribution conveyor continues to operate, end 642 of click 623 carries a cam arc 644 'which rocks with the pawl around the axis of the tubular shaft 570 as long as the head 622 of the pawl is in contact with the single tooth 621 of the wheel 620 under the influence of the spring 6270 A device is provided to push the cam arc 644 in a radial direction towards the central axis of rotation of 1 tubular drive shaft 570 and thus disengage the head 622 of the pawl from the single tooth 621 of the wheel 620 to interrupt the drive relation between the tubular shaft 578 and the toothed wheel 626.

   To this end, a one-arm lever 645 pivots on one of the walls of the coupling box 582, as can be seen at 646 in FIG. 41 and is normally found below the circular orbit of the cam arc 644, as in fig. 45. When this lever 645 is raised to the position shown in fig. 46 where it intersects the orbit of rotation of end 642 at the pawl, the cam arc 644 of that end hits the top edge of lever 645 and causes pawl 623 to swing in the opposite direction of:

  clockwise around its pivot, which has the effect of disengaging its head 622 from the tooth 621 of the wheel 6200 Therefore, the drive relation between the tubular shaft 570 and the toothed wheel 626 is interrupted and the latter stops rotating, thus stopping the feed elevator and the weighing mechanism, DISTRIBUTION CONVEYOR.
The distribution conveyor 185 includes a pair of transversely spaced parallel endless chains 574a and 574b which pass through the rear end of the conveyor on a pair of idle sprockets 651a and 651b respectively, mounted on a common cross shaft 652 which can rotate in. the machine frame near the cabinet 172 of the memory belt 170 (figo 4A).

   A first horizontal part of the upper strand 653 of the distribution conveyor passes near the boxes 216 of the six weighing mechanisms 180 of the machine, one of these chains engages the toothed wheels 568 of the lowering mechanisms 182 which are associated with the weighing mechanisms 180 described above Beyond the last of the weighing mechanisms, the chains of the distribution conveyor pass and rotate downwards around a pair of free toothed wheels 654a and 654b so as to form a short descending strand 6550 The end The lower end of this downward strand is determined by another pair of free sprockets 656a and 656b, the lower segments of which engage the chains from above.

   Beyond this last pair of toothed wheels, the upper strand of the distribution conveyor resumes its horizontal position and passes over the cardboard feed conveyors 192 of the eighteen juxtaposed packing stations 1900 After the As the last of the packing stations, the two chains are driven downward on a pair of sprockets 657a and 657b mounted on a common drive shaft 658 rotatable in the machine frame.

   This shaft 658 is driven by an electric motor 659 disposed below the conveyor chains by the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 28>

 means of an endless chain 660 which transmits 1 "rotational energy of the motor to a toothed wheel 662 wedged on the shaft 6580 Below the drive toothed wheels 657a and 657b the chains of the distribution conveyor pass
 EMI28.1
 feels around another pair of toothed wheels 663a and 663b j and after forming a horizontal strand 6649 rise under another pair of free toothed wheels 665a and 665b at the lower segments of the first
 EMI28.2
 free toothed wheels 65la and 651¯b at the output end of the conveyor,

   then resume the horizontal arrangement above another series of free toothed wheels 666a and 666b which maintains them at the level defined to enter into engagement with the lower segments of the free toothed wheels 651a and 651bo
The 186 cups supporting the eggs are held between the chains.
 EMI28.3
 nes 57 4au and 574b in an endless series These scoops have the form of open ended, downwardly converging shells which can receive and support eggs by their diverging upper ends and which can drop these eggs by their ends lower in pre-determined poihts of the upper strand of the distribution conveyor.

   At this
 EMI28.4
 Finally, each of the cups 186 is formed of two segments having the shape of semi-cylindrical shells 667 and 668 opposed to each other by their concave surfaces (fig. 47). Near their side edges and near their upper ends, each of the shells includes tubular bosses
 EMI28.5
 outwardly directed 669 669bu and 670a, 67 or respectively, inside which rotate transversely aligned elongate pivots 671
 EMI28.6
 of the two chains 5? 4a and 574b respectively. Between two consecutive buckets, the parallel chains of the distribution conveyor can be connected
 EMI28.7
 by spacers 672, as in the drawing.

   The bosses 669j and 670bu on the right side of the bucket segments, seen in the direction of movement of the distribution carrier, carry gear segments 673 and 674, and the
 EMI28.8
  , anterior component of 6H gears of each cup forms a control nose 3.ig ver. top 675 dzirz the anterior surface tilts backwards, as in 676. A suitable spring 677 stretched between points
 EMI28.9
 of these segments 673 and 674 below the bosses 669a and 670b, press the semi-cylindrical shells of each bucket in the closed position shown in figs, 41 and 47, in which they suitably support an egg fed by their divergent upper ends.

   Near the top run of the distribution conveyor 185, at each of the eighteen packing stations of the exemplary embodiment of the invention are batteries of six solenoids 680 each of which is individually identified by reference numbers 681
 EMI28.10
 to 686 (figo 78) Each of the s (lenoids, once excited, can momentarily project an entablature 687 on the path of the noses 675 of the segments 673 of the buckets 186 as they pass over the packing stations ( (Figs. 58, 78 and 79) At the moment when the anterior edge inclined towards the rear 676 of a nose 675 on the segment 673 of a bucket 186 comes into contact with such an entablature 687 in a protruding position,

   it forces this segment 673 to turn clockwise on figs. 41 and 47 against the action of spring 677. The movement dans.le Tens of the needles of a world
 EMI28.11
 being of the anterior segment 673 moves the driven segment 674 in gear with it in an anti-clockwise direction and consequently the lower ends of the two semi-cylindrical shells 667 and 668 are forced to move apart, as in figo 81, and therefore can no longer support the egg so that any egg in the cup at this time falls through its open lower end into a suitable container below.



  OILING STATION.-
When the top strand of the distribution conveyor has protruded

  <Desc / Clms Page number 29>

 the last of the weighing mechanisms 180 (figo 4A) and the lowering mechanisms 182 associated with it, and before it descends on the free sprockets 654a and 654b following its downward stroke 655 to the level from its terminal strand, it drives the eggs received from the lowering mechanisms below a spray nozzle 705 (fig. 4A and 48) serving to direct a brief spray of oil on these selected eggs held in the pockets to maintain their freshness With reference to figo 48, a pump 706 running continuously and driven by an electric motor 707,

   sucks oil from a suitable reservoir 708 and passes it through a pipe 709 to the nozzle 705. This pipe passes successively through a filter 710, a heater 711 controlled by a manually adjustable thermostat 712 and a normally closed valve
713 which can be quickly opened by energizing a solenoid 713a controlled by the memory belt already mentioned, depending on whether an egg passing under the nozzle 705 is to be covered with an oil film or not.

   So that the pump 706 can continue to operate when the valve 713 is closed, a shunt duct 714 opening at a point in the duct 709 intermediate between the pump 706 and the filter 710 returns the flow of the pump through a relief valve. decompression 715 in tank 7080
The oiling nozzle 705 may have the form of a horizontal tube 717 disposed transversely above and across the conveyor and closed by end faces 718a and 718b, and comprises along its sector directed towards the bottom, several openings of spraying 720 (figo 48A)

  o
So that the quantity of oil sprayed on a selected egg passing under the nozzle 705 can be spread over the entire surface of the egg the strand 655 tilted downwards from the distribution conveyor and also a small initial part of the strand horizontal neighbor of this conveyor can be flanked on one side by an air distributor 725 (figo 49)

   provided with a series of short conduits 726 projecting laterally across the aforementioned strands of the conveyor towards their center line o These conduits carry nozzles 727-733 which direct continuous currents of air in turn against the top and the sides of the eggs passing below them to chase away the oil deposited on the tops of the eggs along the sides and towards the downward directed ends of the eggs
With reference to figso 50-56, the first three nozzles 727, 728 and 729 are formed of curved tubes 735, the first pierced on its outer face with a central opening (not visible)

   directing a thin stream of air vertically against the upper surface of the eggs passing below The tube section of the second nozzle 728 is pierced with two such openings which are slightly displaced in opposite directions from the center line and which direct two slightly inclined jets of air towards points transversely spaced on the upper surface of the eggs which pass below o The curved tube section of the third nozzle 729 is pierced with three openings 736, one in the center and two on each side, as on figo 526 The fourth nozzle 730 is formed from a bent-tube section 737 the open lower end of which is pinched to form a narrow slit from which a ribbon of air directed downwardly emerges along one side. of the egg passing under him,

   and the fifth nozzle 731 is the symmetrical opposite of nozzle 730 and directs a ribbon of air downward along the other side of the eggs. Nozzles 732 and 733 are identical in construction and each constitute a combination of nozzles 730 and 731 since they direct ribbons of air from both sides to the lateral areas of the eggs moving on the distribution conveyor at sides. - souso These air currents consecutively directed by the nozzles 727-733 described against the top and sides of the eggs on the re-conveyor

  <Desc / Clms Page number 30>

 partition have the effect of spreading the small quantity of oil deposited on the top of certain chosen eggs in an extremely thin film over the entire surface of these eggs.

   The distributor 725 is supplied with pressurized air by a flexible hose 740 connected to an air compressor 741 which is driven by an electric motor 742 continuously operated through a belt 7430.
To increase the efficiency of the air jets directed at the eggs on the distribution conveyor and to prevent oil from splashing the surrounding space, the falling strand and an initial part of the end of the conveyor are covered. distributing an elongated tunnel-shaped housing 744, and an elongated tray 745 is placed below the aforementioned strands of the conveyor;

     as in fig. 48 to prevent excess oil from falling on the floor of the room where the machine of the invention is installed
To prevent the jets of air described from establishing an oil saturated atmosphere in the space between tray 745 and housing 744, which atmosphere could cover with an oil film eggs which should not be treated in this manner, a pair of fans 746a and 746b, continuously driven by a common motor 747 placed between them, evacuates the space inside the housing and passes the evacuated atmosphere into an oil condenser unit 748 where the oil is collected before c allowing air to escape into the outside atmosphere and from which the recovered oil can be returned through a pipe 749 to the oil tank 708.



  PACKING STATIONS.-
After having transported the eggs contained in the cups 186 by the oiling station 188, the upper strand 572 of the distribution conveyor 185 passes over eighteen juxtaposed packing stations 190 as indicated above Each of these stations packaging includes a magazine 191 for holding a stack of stacked egg containers and each of these stations can place containers from the corresponding magazine in turn in the egg receiving position below the top strand of the distribution conveyor. so that the eggs of a predetermined weight and quality combination exiting the buckets of the distribution conveyor under control of the memory belt can fall into successive pockets of this container;

   when a row of pockets has been filled with eggs, devices intervene to advance the container a limited distance so that its next row of pockets arrives in the position for receiving the eggs below the distribution conveyor; each time all successive rows of pockets of a particular container have been filled with eggs, each packing station ejects the filled container onto an exit ramp 193 and places a new container from the store with its first row of pockets in position for receiving your eggs below the upper strand of the distribution conveyor
With reference to figs 59, 62, 63 and 65,

   each of the packing stations 190 includes a container feed conveyor 192 passing under the magazine 191 and to a point below the upper run 572 of the distribution conveyor 1850 In the particular form of the invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, the feed conveyor 192 is formed of three parallel transversely spaced horizontal bars 751a, 751b and 751c rigidly supported by the opposing ends 752, and 753 of a rectangular base frame 754.

   Along these bars the egg receptacles placed on them are pushed by push- pins 755 supported at equal intervals by two endless chains 756a and

  <Desc / Clms Page number 31>

 
 EMI31.1
 756bo These chains run on a pair of toothed wheels 757a and 757¯b and on a pair of toothed wheels 758a and 758b mounted on cross shafts 759 and 760 respectively, which can rotate in the side walls 762a and 762b of the base frame near burs opposite ends so that
 EMI31.2
 the upper strands of the chains extend parallel to the bars 7551a and 751c and very close below them,

   the pushers supported by these chains projecting in the position of propulsion of the containers between the bars and above the level of these bars The magazine 191 supplying the containers is mounted on flanges bent outwards 766a and 766b provided along the upper edges of sidewalls 762a and 762b of frame 54, and preferably has a construction such that it can be
 EMI31.3
 selectively adjusted to poorly hold and deliver either cartons 767 of the type comprising two rows of six pockets as in figo60, or cardboard grids 768 forming six consecutive rows of xix pockets and resting loosely on the base plates 769 as on figo 61.

   Containers of the latter type, filled with eggs, are placed one above the other in crates in order to pack large numbers of eggs for transport to consumers o For simplicity, they are
 EMI31.4
 will simply call in the following cardboard grids 770.



  * With reference to figures. 59e 63, 64 and 65, each container store is formed by a pair of vertical rear bars and trans-
 EMI31.5
 -ersally spaced 774a and 7744b constituting the rear wall of the store and rigidly attached to a transverse and vertical mounting plate 776 bolted along these side edges on a pair of uprights 778a and 778bo These uprights are bolted in turn on the brades folded outwards 766a and 766b of the side walls 762a and 762b of the frame
 EMI31.6
 base 754 already mentioned Mounted on the rear bars 7744a and 774b at different vertical levels are upper and lower frame bars 780 and 782 respectively, rectangular in shape,

   to which are rigidly fixed pairs of lateral vertical bars 784a
 EMI31.7
 786a and 7 $ qb, 786b forming the side walls of the magazine The front wall of the magazine is formed by a fourth pair of spaced vertical bars 788a and 788b supported in such a way by the front bars 790 and 792 of the frames 780 and 782 respectively, that they can be selectively brought from the position shown;

   in solid lines on figso 63 and 64 where they delimit a magazine for two-row cartons 767 at the position shown in dotted lines in figso 63 and 64, where they delimit a magazine of an appropriate size to hold the grids of six-row box 7700 For this purpose, transverse swivel bars 794 and 796 are supported so that
 EMI31.8
 turn in the side parts 798¯a, 798b and 8ooa j 800b of the frames 780 and 782 respectively, near the front parts 790 and 792 of these frames-
 EMI31.9
 sis, and pairs of side arms 802a, 802b and 804a, 804bu are firmly mounted on these swivel bars and extend inwardly of the frames.



   Spacers 806 and 888 are fixed in the free ends of these
 EMI31.10
 arms and can rotate in the parallel arms 810a, 820b and 812a, 812b of U-shaped supports 814 and 816, of which the link bars 818 and 820 are fixed on the front bars 788a and 788b respectively, at different vertical levels separated from the same vertical distance as the frames 780 and 7820 Springs 822 wound around the upper swivel bar 794 and fixed to this bar resting against the front edge 790 of the upper frame 780, push the support structure described in the lower position shown in dotted lines in figs.

   63 and 64, position in which. ' the stop ears 824a and 824b provided on the front bars 788a and 788b respectively, press against the swivel bars 79 and 796 and in which the front bars

  <Desc / Clms Page number 32>

 delimit a magazine for cardboard grids 7700 From this position, the support structure can be raised on the swivel bars 794 and 796 in the position shown in solid lines in figs 63,

   64 and 65 in which the front bars 788a and 788b define a magazine of suitable size to receive a stack of two-row cartons 767 and in which a transverse spring bolt 826 slides in open ears 828a and 828b provided on the bars between the upper stop ears 824a and 824b and the upper U-shaped support 814, slides on one of the side parts of the upper frame 780 and in this way prevents the support structure from returning to its lower position under the effect of its own weight and under the influence of the springs 822.
 EMI32.1
 



  Overlapping pairs of fingers 830a, 830b and 832ae 832b are supported by the posts (8¯a 778b near the lower ends of the posterior sidebars 7844a and 784b and form a holding mechanism 833 capable of retaining a stack of boxes 767 in the magazine when this magazine is adjusted to its narrowest position and can release the cartons from the stack, so that they fall individually on the conveyor.
 EMI32.2
 carrying the boxes below.

   These fingers 830as 830b and 832 ÉLj 832b hang from a pair of superimposed axes $ 3ás, 834b and 836as 836b which can rotate in the montr-3 778a and 778b and provided with bent tips 838 j 8g8b and 840a 8.0'arspect.vementg which reach ; normally inside the magazine at vertically spaced levels at a distance approximately equal to the depth of a carton, so that a stack of cartons can be established in the magazine with the lower fingers 838a and 838b attacking the spoke. wedge-shaped middle groove 841 (figo 60) of the bottom carton of the stack and the upper fingers 840a and 840b attacking the wedge-shaped middle groove of the penultimate carton in the stack.

   Devices according to the invention can be energized to quickly remove the lower fingers 838a and 838b from the magazine first, so as to release the lower carton from the magazine while all other cartons are retained in the magazine.
 EMI32.3
 by the upper fingers 840a and 840 j then the upper fingers so that by releasing the lower carton on the conveyor located below and returning the lower fingers to their position for retaining the boxes of the stack of boxes above of the upper fingers is lowered on the lower fingers, the upper fingers then returning to place themselves under the cardboard which then occupies the penultimate position in the remaining stack.

   With reference to figso 66, 67 and 72, the mounting plate ver-
 EMI32.4
 ticale 776 carries on its outer face a soénôiàe 842 whose frame 844 normally projecting, pivots by a vertical rod 846 on the end of an arm 848 directed inward and fixed on the end
 EMI32.5
 protruding posterior axis 83Q.b of the lower right finger 830b this axis 834b being able to rotate in the upright 778, È,

   as described above An intermediate piece 852 rotates the other upwardly directed arm 854 on the arm 834b and connects it to the end of an arm directed toward the arm 856 attached to the rearward protruding end of the arm. tree 834a of the lower finger
 EMI32.6
 left laughing 830as this shaft being mounted so as to rotate in the post 7? 8¯a9 as described above When the solenoid 842 is energized, the withdrawal of its frame 844 causes the shaft 8344b of the lower right finger 830b to tilt direction: counterclockwise, seen on ìgsé 66 and 72, and in this way swings the lower right finger out of the magazine.



  The rotation of the shaft 834b has the effect, through the intermediate part 852, of rotating the shaft 834a of the lower left finger in a clockwise direction, on figso 66 and 72, so that this finger comes out of the shop.



  When solenoid 842 is turned off, a spring 858 tensioned between a stud 860 protruding from the mounting plate 776 and the intermediate piece

  <Desc / Clms Page number 33>

 852 returns the two fingers 830a and 830b immediately to their inwardly projecting position retaining the cartons.
 EMI33.1
 



  To operate the sunériew.rs 832au and 832bu fingers, the mounting plate 776 carries another solenoid 862 whose normally upwardly projecting frame 864 is connected to a joint 866 with an inwardly directed arm 868 fixed on the projecting end of the axis 836a which carries the upper left finger 832a and which can rotate in the upright 778a as explained above. A second arm 872 directed towards the
 EMI33.2
 arm on the axis 836au pivots by an intermediate piece 874 on the end of an arm directed upwards 876 fixed on the axis 836b which carries the finger
 EMI33.3
 upper right 832b and which can rotate in the 77lob post, as described above.

   The energization of the solenoid 862 therefore has the effect of withdrawing the tips of the two upper fingers 832a and 832b from inside the magazine.
 EMI33.4
 like energizing solenoid 842, for the effect of removing the two lower fingers @ - from the magazine, and by de-energizing solenoid 862 a spring 878 stretched between a stud 880 protruding from the mounting plate 776 and a suitable point of the intermediate piece 874, returns the two upper fingers 832a and 832b immediately to their inward protruding position, retaining the cartonso
Appropriate energization of both solenoids 842 and 862 to operate the upper and lower case retaining fingers in the desired order and at the desired time is controlled in a manner described.
 EMI33.5
 more fully thereafter,

   by a cam disc 882 (fridge 75) wedged on the transverse shaft 759 of the cardboard feed conveyor.



   Anytime the magazine is set to handle the racks
 EMI33.6
 of cardboard 770e the retaining fingers 830a '830 and 832a, 832b are permanently put out of service by appropriate manipulation of a mechanism
 EMI33.7
 contact 884 (Figures 72, 73 and 74) serving to maintain the two solenoids 842 and 862 in a constant state of excitation in which the fingers are permanently separated from the magazine The manipulation of this contact mechanism 884 also returns in position service another stop mechanism 886 at the bottom of the store, a mechanism capable of retaining the cardboard grids 770 in the store and capable of releasing a bottom plate 769 and the grille 768 which completes it,

   individually to pass over the infeed conveyor below this stop or retainer mechanism 886 is permanently out of service as long as the magazine is set to handle double-row cartons as described above, and is based on the same principle as the already described case retaining mechanism comprising an upper pair and a lower pair of retaining fingers. It therefore comprises a pair of inwardly turned upper retaining flanges 888a and 888b corresponding to the tips of the upper fingers of the retaining mechanism 833 and formed at the lower ends.
 EMI33.8
 plates 890au and 890b respectively.

   These plates are firmly mounted at their upper edges on horizontal pins 892a and 892b which pivot between the uprights 778as 778b, already described, and another pair of uprights 894a, 894b which rise from the described flanges 766a and 766b of the chassis. base, at points in front of the side bars 786a and 786b res-
 EMI33.9
 pectively from the magazine (figso 59, 66 and 67) 0 Another pair of axles 896a and 896¯b also rotating between the uprights 778¯a 89q.a and 778¯b, 894b respectively, each carrying at its front ends and posterior dangling arms 898a., 900a and 898 900bye and the lower ends of these arms bear below the level of the flanges turned inwards of the plates $ 90a,

   and 890 j angles 902a and 902b provided with substantially horizontal and inwardly facing straps 904a and 904b which correspond to the tips of the lower fingers of the retaining mechanism 8330 The lower left axis 896a carries at its rearward end a

  <Desc / Clms Page number 34>

 
 EMI34.1
 arm 906 directed downwards of which 1 "free end pivots by an intermediate part 908 on an arm directed upwards 910 mounted on the lower right axis 896bd An arm directed towards the interest # 94 is also mounted on this axis and swivels by a joint 916 on vertical frame 918 and normally protrudes upwards from a solenoid 920 supported by the several times mentioned mounting plate 776 o The end protrudes towards the rear of the axle upper right 892b carries one arm upwards 922

  which pivots by an intermediate piece 924 on a downwardly directed arm 926, mounted on the rearward projecting end of the upper axle
 EMI34.2
 left 892ao Also mounted on this axis 8gea, an inwardly directed arm 930 pivots by a vertical part 932 on the upward projecting frame 934 of another soléid 936 supported by mounting plate 776.



  When the magazine is set from a position where it receives cardboard screens 770, the two superp. Pairs:; ... 6s of bres8a, 888b and 904a, 904b protrude inside the magazine under the influence of springs 938 and 940 respectively, stretched between the pieces = 1.itermal (924 and 908 and suitable tenons 942 and 944 protruding from the rear of the mounting plate 7760 When these flanges 888a, 888b and 904a, 904b are in position
 EMI34.3
 projecting inwards, the lower pair of flanges 94a, 904b supports the lower bottom plate in the magazine, while the upper pair of flanges 888a,

       888b enters the stack of cardboard grids
 EMI34.4
 superimposed below the first-last bottom plate of the stack. To ensure that the top pair of flanges 888a and 888b can sit safely under the penultimate bottom plate 769 of the stack, the vertical distance between the top and bottom retaining flanges in the position shown in fig 6- is slightly lower than the pro-
 EMI34.5
 total founder of a bottom plate supporting our cardboard grid and so that the upper set of retaining flanges 888a and 888b can close under the penultimate bottom plate of the stack without crushing the last cardboard grid 768 in the stack ., the inner edges of these flanges behave
 EMI34.6
 tent of the 946 cavities corresponding:

   at the scillie ends 947 of the transverse walls of the cardboard grids (pin 61) so that only the tabs 948 formed between the adjacent cavities 946 of the edges of the flanges
 EMI34.7
 888a and 888b are placed under 12avent-last bottom plate of the stack o When a cardboard grid is to be released from the magazine, the solenoid 920 of the lower set of retaining clamps 904a and 904b is first energized, this which removes its frame 928 for a brief time and pushes the lower retaining clamps away from the magazine.

   The lower bottom plate and its cardboard grid then lower onto the infeed conveyor located below while the upper retaining flanges 888a and 888b
 EMI34.8
 prevent the rest of the bottom plates and the aarlon grids of the magazine from following the movement of the aforementioned plate.

   When the lower clearance of the carton retaining flanges returns to its inwardly projecting position by spring 940 by de-energizing solenoid 920, solenoid 936 is rapidly energized, which pushes the upper flanges apart.
 EMI34.9
 retaining cartons 888a and 88b, and allows the remaining stack of stacked cardboard grills from the magazine to lower onto the lower set of renenae v4 and Q04b flanges; by de-energizing this last solenoid of 936, the upper set of retaining flanges of cartons 888a and 888b closes and is placed with its tabs 948 below the penultimate bottom plate without the magazine, so that the mechanism returns to its starting position ready for another cycle of operations.



   So that the penultimate bottom plate and its cardboard grid are exactly centered relative to the magazine, so that by spreading the upper retaining flanges they can lower freely onto the lower set of retaining flanges for the short time where the top flanges return to their inward projecting position the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 35>

 last flanges 888a and 888b have longitudinal centering flanges
 EMI35.1
 950au and 950'b, as shown in fig 67.



  Each of the pushers 755 of the carton feed conveyor is formed of pairs of profile sections 54a and 954'b, mounted in juxtaposition on either side of the central bar supporting the cartons 751b on a tubular rod. horizontal communfl 956 (figo 68). This rod rotates by journals 958 protruding inwardly from transversely aligned links 960a and 960b of the conveyor chains (fbgs 66 and 67).

   When pushers 755 move on the upper strand of
 EMI35.2
 Conveyor lines, they are positively brought and then maintained in a rotational position on the journals 958 in which their attack face 962 extends first in a strongly inclined plane, then in a plane.
 EMI35.3
 substantially vertical, as in figso e3 and 65o To this end, the tubular rod 956 of each pusher 755 carries at one of its ends an arm 964 directed towards the rear and provided with a roller 966 and when the pusher turns around the rear toothed wheels 757a and 757b of the conveyor chains, the roller 966 on the arm 964 first engages the outer edge of a circular cam disc 968 mounted on the rear shaft 759 of the conveyor,

   then the top embroidery 970 of a bar-shaped cam flange 972 suitably supported by the adjacent side wall 762b of the base frame 7540 The periphery of the disc 968 and the initial portion of the twist 970 are at a selected level to maintain the pushers in position
 EMI35.4
 inclined towards the rear, as in 974 on figso 83A, 83B, 83C and 83D in which they guide a cardboard or a cardboard grid fallen from the magazine on
 EMI35.5
 the guide bars 751 751b and 851a in the space in front of the pushrods.

   But immediately below the magazine, the cam flange 970 forms a slight rise 76 which can rotate the pushers from the rearwardly tilted position to the raised position shown at 978 in figs 63 and 83A to 83D, in which their leading faces 962 lie practically in a vertical plane and press against the posterior wall of a cardboard or cardboard grid placed in front of them.
So that the control arm 864 can always drag behind the corresponding pusher and so that its roller 66 is suitably
 EMI35.6
 tackled by the cam 4iue 968 when a pusher approaches and rises behind this disc on the return strand of the conveyor,

   the rotation of the tubular rods 956 of the pushers on their journals 958 is limited to one
 EMI35.7
 very narrow arch. For this purpose, 1% opposite end of each mounting rod 956 is provided with a disc 980 (figs. 68 and 79). having a cut-out sector 982 whose side edges attack a tenon 984, supported by the chain link immediately preceding 960a, and protruding inward from this link.

   the rotation of each tubular rod 956 on these journals 958 is limited to the cut sector arc 982 of the disc 9800
The lower portion 986 of the trailing face 988 of each pusher 755 extends parallel to its leading face 962 and all of the pushers of the conveyor are spaced longitudinally on the conveyor by a distance such that the pockets 985 formed between the trailing face of a previous push-button and the leading face of the next push-button, exactly receive a cardboard grid 7700 To facilitate the introduction of a cardboard grid that has fallen from the magazine into the pockets thus formed, the upper part
 EMI35.8
 upper 990 of the ridge face 988 of each pusher is preferably inclined as in 'figs.

   68 and 79
Devices are provided according to the invention for appropriately shortening the pockets formed between successive pushers, when a packing station is set to handle cartons from the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 36>

 
 EMI36.1
 type at <? them arranged as in fig.60 For this purpose, the chains 756a and 756b of. cardboard feed conveyor carry between two consecutive pushers 755 a cardboard retainer 992 normally lowered in
 EMI36.2
 below the surface of the guide bars' 5a, 751b and 751-ci when the packing station is used for cardboard screens but can be raised to the cardboard retaining position above the level of the cardboard bars. guidance when the packing station is handling double row cartons.



   With reference to figs 59, 69 and 79, each retaining element
 EMI36.3
 is formed of a pair of channel sections 994a and 99Lb fixed in juxtaposition on either side of the central bar supporting the cartons 751b on a common horizontal tubular bar 996. This bar 996 rotates on journals 958 which protrude towards the 'inside from links
 EMI36.4
 tfanaversally aligned 960a and 960b of conveyor chains 756a and 56a As they move along the upper strand of the feed conveyor,

   these channel sections 994a and 9944b nobly fall below the level of guide bars 75P¯aa 751'b and 51¯c under their own weight to an extent limited by the width of a cavity 998 provided in the outer edge 1000 of a fork-shaped stopper 1002 fixed
 EMI36.5
 on the tubular mounting bar 996 5th each retaining e14àeùb 992 and coming with its rotation limiting finger 1004 against a stopper '005 which protrudes inward from a trailing link 960a of the
 EMI36.6
 neighboring conveyor chain 756a,

   as on the fridge 69 To raise the retaining members 992 from their resting position to a position located above the guide bars 151 151b and'5¯cy so as to delimit pockets 1006 on the conveyor. suitable for receiving and retaining double-row cartons of the type shown in fig.



  60, a cam flange 1008 extending longitudinally relative to, conveying below the upper strand of its chain 756¯a (fie, -. 65) and near the side wall of the frame 762a passes from the laterally position in-
 EMI36.7
 clined shown on g9 69 in a raised vertical position shown on figs 66 and 71, in which its upper edge attacks a roller 1010,

   pivoting on a rib 1012 fixed on the underside of the profile segment 994a at its outer edge This cam flange 1008 is fixed on two arms 1014 and 1016 which rotate on a horizontal shaft 1018 which extends longitudinally with respect to the side walls 762a of the Chas-
 EMI36.8
 sis base 754 and is supported by these walls (figs. 69, 70, 71 eut779).

   The arm 1014 is part of an elbow lever 1020 (fig. 69) of which 1 other arm 1022 passes through a vertical slot 1024 in the side wall 762a and
 EMI36.9
 carries a swivel rod 1026;. its outer end This rod extends upwardly through a slot 1028 in the outwardly folded flange 766a of the side wall 762a and carries at its upper end.
 EMI36.10
 above a control disc or button 103 JP! "" '1:' limit the downward rotation of the case flange 1008 on the horizontal shaft 10189 the control rod 1026 forms a protruding stop shoulder, J: - the exterior 1032 near its interior end, the upper edge of which is wider than the slot 1028.

   This shoulder is therefore placed against the underside of
 EMI36.11
 the flange 766 is when the cam edge 1008 falls under the effect of its own weight in a clockwise direction, as in figs. 69, 70 and 7le and positively limits in this way the downward movement of this cam flange.



   Above stop shoulder 1032, control rod 1026 forms an outwardly sloping cam flange 1034 which terminates a short distance before control disc 1030 in a sharply recessed shoulder 1036 less wide than slot 1028 in flange 766a.

   When he wishes to bring the retainers 992 on the upper strand of the transport

  <Desc / Clms Page number 37>

 
 EMI37.1
 When feeding the cartons to their service position forming pockets for the conveyor to handle double row cartons of the type shown in fig 60, the operator pushes button 1030 until shoulder 1036 s' lowers through and below the slot 1028 of the 766ao flange Then it swings the rod 1026 out
 EMI37.2
 on its pivot of the arm 1022 of the elbow lever 1020, so that when it releases the button 1030, the shoulder 1036 is placed under the outer edge of the flange 766a and maintains the rod 1026 in the lowered position,

   the edge of the cam 1008 being raised to the working position against the weight of this cam edge. To resiliently maintain the rod in the lowered and outwardly inclined position, a spring 1038 may be wound around the upper end of the rod 1026 between the button 1030 and a disc pierced with an opening 1040 which sits in the middle. above the upper end of the rod and rests normally against the shoulder 10360
When the rod 1026 is lowered as described, the elbow lever 1020 rotates counterclockwise as in figs 69 and 70, which brings the upper edge of the cam flange 1008 up against it. a plurality of downwardly inclined cam flanges 1042 formed by the ribs 1012, serving to support the rollers 1010 of the various members
 EMI37.3
 strand retainer 992.

   This has the effect of raising the retainers of the upper run of the conveyor 192 gradually in a clockwise direction, as in figs 69 and 79, until the cam flange occupies the vertical position shown in figs. 66 and 71
 EMI37.4
 in which its upper edge is engaged by rollers 1010. With the rollers thus engaged, all retainers 992 of the box feed conveyor 192 swing into the service position as they move along the horizontal run. top of the conveyor, and are held in this position over the entire length of the strand (figs. 63 and 65).



  In this service position, they have a substantially green surface.
 EMI37.5
 tical 1044 formed by the trailing walls of the leading surface 962 of the pushers 755 immediately following them on the conveyor and the distance between these vertical surfaces of the trailing walls of retainers in service position and the walls of attack of the following immediate pushers - meatus is exactly sufficient, to receive and hold a two-row carton, as shown in figo 790
To prevent cartons or cardboard grids from accidentally jumping out of pockets 985 and 1006 formed between pushers
 EMI37.6
 consecutive or> consecutive push buttons and retainers respectively,

   when the former push them along guide bars 751A9 751b and 751.9 the leading face of each pusher section may form a transverse cavity 1046 along its upper end and in these cavities rotate about an eccentric axis of the sleeves cylindrical 1048 the outer surfaces of which are preferably covered with a suitable plastic 1050, as can be seen in the figure
 EMI37.7
 79.

   The '#> nàhOnSay1indrical 1048 of the two pusher sections are placed by their inner surfaces on transverse pins 1052 and are fixed on these pins, which can rotate in bearings 1054a
 EMI37.8
 and 1054b, held in the upper ends of the pusher sections, as can be seen in Fig. 68, the arrangement being such that the top end of the trailing wall 988 of each pusher section maintains
 EMI37.9
 positively the sleeves 1048 on pins 1052 in position cb rotation in which they protrude only very slightly from the anterior surface 962 of the pusher, as on the pin 79.

   Therefore, a cardboard box or a cardboard grid that has fallen into the pocket in front of the pusher can easily
 EMI37.10
 slide with its posterior wall downwards beyond the projecting segments of the cylindrical sleeves 1048, but when the direction of movement

  <Desc / Clms Page number 38>

 
 EMI38.1
 of. üM "t, j, {i or the, gr.iLLe of cardboard, is reversed;

  , its friction engagement with the surfaces of the sleeves 1048 tends to rotate these sleeves on the% rocks 1052 in the opposite direction of the needle? of a watch, as on freeze 79, which has the effect of making the sleeves protrude more on the leading face of the pusher and lock sections! in this way the
 EMI38.2
 upward movement of the cardboard or cardboard frame For the same purpose, a plastic tab 1056 may be provided along the upper end of the vertical face 1044 formed by the trailing wall of each retainer 992 , as shown in fig 79.
 EMI38.3
 



  During practical operation of the described packing stations the conveyor chains 56 and 56 are at rest intermittently, with one of the pushers 755 of their upper strands initially in a position substantially in vertical alignment with the rear bars.
 EMI38.4
 4a and 77 of the box store 191 (freeze 83A).

   In this position, the data surface 962 of the pusher is slightly inlined backwards because of the engagement of its roller 966 with the part; bottom of the cam flange 929 as explained above and shown in figure 8389 so that the leading surface of the jsusher is used to guide a cardboard or a cardboard grid fallen from the magazine into the appropriate pocket formed between the pusher and the previous pusher or retainer, as appropriate.
 EMI38.5
 



  30rsqu. canton where a cardboard grid fell from the magazine onto the guide bars 5a, 751b and 75? in the pocket formed in front of the pusher and conation that the back row of punches of the cardboard box or the cardboard grid attacked by the pusher preo6c nit is completely filled with eggs coming from the distribution conveyor l35p of the devices intervene to advance the chains tanspo = .euses with their upper strands moving towards the distribution conveyor an appropriate distance to bring the new carton or the new carton grid with its row of front pockets in vertical alignment on the conveyor
 EMI38.6
 distribution, must be pushed, -, The cardboard box or cardboard grid that the previous pusher moves forward out of reach of the distribution conveyor (figs. 830 and 83D)

  oWhen the first row of pockets in the carton or
 EMI38.7
 the cardboard grid has been filled with eggs from the distribution conveyor the conveyor chains advance again, an appropriate distance to place the immediately next row of cardboard pockets or the cardboard grid, under the conveyor distribution.

   If the packing station is set to handle cardboard racks of the type having six successive rows of pockets, as in Fig. 6, this process is repeated five times. Either way, whenever a 755 pusher is
 EMI38.8
 near moving the final row of a carton or a carton grid in line with the distribution conveyor, the appropriate magazine stop mechanism 833 or 886 as appropriate drops a carton or a carton grid in front of the pusher immediately following 755, which at this time is in vertical alignment with the posterior bars of the
 EMI38.9
 store (freeze 83B)

  e and when the last row of pockets of the cardboard box Or the cardboard grid in question first has been filled
 EMI38.10
 of eggs (figo 83C) the conveyor chains advance again to move the first carton or the first carton grid past the distribution conveyor while placing the new container with its first row of pockets in the receiving position eggs below the
 EMI38.11
 distribution conveyor (fig.

   83D) e In order for the conveyor chains to function as de-
 EMI38.12
 Written, a chain 1058 (fig 4B) applies the rotational energy of a constantly rotating electric motor 1060 to a toothed wheel 1062 mounted on a shaft 1064 extending below the base frames of the various packing stations of the machine, in a direction parallel to the end strand

  <Desc / Clms Page number 39>

 dispatch carrier mine.

   This shaft carries a number of toothed wheels 1066, one for each of the packing stations of the machine, and each of these toothed wheels 1066 is connected by an endless chain 1068 to a toothed wheel 1070 (figo 59) wedged on a shaft section 1072 rotating in the side wall 762a of the base frame 754 of a packing station at a point between the shafts 759 and 760 of the conveyor and the upper and lower legs of the chains conveyors
756a and 756b (figs. 62 and 63). In this base frame 754 the 1972 shaft section carries the drive disc 1074 of a friction clutch.
1076 of a suitable model.

   The driven discs 1078 of this coupling are keyed to an axially aligned shaft section 1080 rotatable in the opposite side wall 762b of the base frame On the last shaft section is a toothed wheel 1082 connected by a chain without end
1086 to another toothed wheel 1088 wedged on the shaft 760 which carries the drive wheels 758a and 758b of the conveyor chains 756a and 756b.



   During practical operation of the packing station, the driven discs 1078 of the friction clutch 1076 are resiliently pressed into engagement with the drive disc 1074 by suitable springs shown at 1890 in Fig. 62. The rotation of the driven shaft section 1080 is prevented by engaging a locking pawl 1092 with a tooth formed on the edge of a locking ratchet 1094 @ random on the driven shaft section, so that the chains Conveyors remain stationary despite the continuous rotation of motor 1060. Locking pawl 1092 rotates on a stud 1096 projecting laterally from a vertical mounting shelf 1098 supported by side wall 762b of base frame 754 (Fig 76).

   The nose 1100 of the locking pawl 1092 is resiliently held in the locked position by a tenon 1102 which slides into a cylindrical sleeve 1104 attached to a mounting plate 1106 and which is projected out of the sleeve and against the upper edge of the shank 1108 the locking pawl by a helical spring 1110 disposed in the sleeve 1104 above the tenon 1102.

   Bour pull out the nose of the ratchet locking pawl whenever it is necessary to operate the conveyor chains and advance a carton or a cardboard grid for the purpose described above, the shank 1108 of the ratchet swivels at its end via a short piece 1112 on the downward facing frame 1114 of a solenoid 1116 supported by a suitable bracket 1118 bolted in turn to the mounting plate 1106.

   Whenever a carton or cardboard grid needs to advance to present a new row of egg pockets to the dispatch conveyor, solenoid 1116 is energized under the control of a secondary memory mechanism associated with the timing belt. memory and controlled by the latter in a manner described in more detail below, and at the moment when this solenoid withdraws its frame 1114, the pawl 1092 switches in an anti-clockwise direction, as on fig. 76, against the action of the spring pin 1102 and withdraws its nose 1100 from the tooth of the ratchet in which it was located.

   Therefore, the friction clutch 1076 can transmit the rotational energy of the shaft section 1072 through the shaft section 1080 to the conveyor chains and these chains advance a distance determined by the duration. excitation of solenoid 1116 by the length of the back of the tooth which was attacked by the ez of the clicker
The edge of ratchet 1094 forms six consecutive teeth 1121, 1122, 1123, 1124, 1125 and 1126.

   Five of these teeth, 1122, 1123, 1124, 1125 and 1126 are backs of equal angular width corresponding to the intermittent feeds of the conveyor necessary to place the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth rows of pockets of a cardboard grid in position for receiving the eggs under the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 40>

   distribution while the last tooth 1121 has a significantly wider spine to advance the next cardboard grid to the desired position so that the first row is in line with the distribution conveyor o The arrangement is such as when the last short tooth 1126 is attacked by the pawl 1092,

   one of the pushers 755 holds the penultimate row of pockets of a cardboard or cardboard grid below the distribution conveyor and the next push-button 755 is aligned with the posterior bars of the magazine so that the pocket formed immediately in front of this pusher can receive a cardboard box or a cardboard grid from this store (figo 83B). Then when that pocket received a cardboard grid, assuming the magazine had been set to handle car-ion grids, and after the fifth row of the previous cardboard grid had been filled with eggs from the carrier distribution, the secondary memory mechanism energizes solenoid 1116, which removes latch 1092 from ratchet tooth 1126.

   As a result, the shaft section 1080 can rotate and advance the case feed conveyor until the nose 1100 of the locking pawl 1092 comes to the rear of the tooth 1126 by de-energizing the box. solenoid 116 and places itself against the next tooth 1121, which brings the conveyor to a sudden stop, the last row of pockets of the cardboard grid being vertically aligned below the distribution conveyor (Figo 830) 0 Then, when the last row of pockets in the cardboard grid have been filled with eggs, the secondary memory mechanism energizes solenoid 1116 again, causing latch 1092 to pull away from behind tooth 1121 with long back of rocheto As a result ,

   the carton feed conveyor can advance a greater distance, which places the first row of pockets of the next carton grid in vertical alignment below the distribution conveyor (Fig 83D) e When this first row of pockets has been filled with eggs, the solenoid is energized again for a short time, which determines the distance of the pawl nose coming from behind ratchet tooth 1122 and allows the carrier to move forward again d 'a short distance, which places the second row of pockets of the second cardboard grid in vertical alignment on the distribution conveyor.

   This process is repeated each time a row of pockets is filled with eggs until the last of the rows of pockets in the cardboard grid comes to place behind the distribution conveyor and at this point the pawl 1092 attacks. again the first tooth 1121 of the ratchet which is distinguished from the others by its elongated back. At this point, another cardboard grid and its bottom plate has lowered into the pocket formed in front of the next pusher, which marks the beginning of a new cycle of operation of the case feed mechanism.



   The operation of the carton feed mechanism is analogous when the packing station is set to handle double row cartons, but with this difference that after a carton has been fed into a pocket 1006 formed between a carton. pusher and the immediately preceding retainer in the raised position, and when the last row of pockets of a preceding carton has been filled with eggs from the distribution conveyor, the solenoid 1116 is energized in a manner described in detail further for a longer time, so that the nose of the locking pawl 1092 stays away from the edge of the ratchet 1094 until not only the extended back tooth 1121 but also the four immediately following teeth 1122, 1123, 1124 and 1125,

     pass the pawl and it attacks the sixth tooth 1126 Caci allows the conveyor to advance until the first row of pockets of this second box which corresponds to the fifth row of pockets of a cardboard grid - is find below the distribution conveyor and bring the next pocket

  <Desc / Clms Page number 41>

 
1006 from the conveyor below the magazine to receive a third carton When the first row of pockets of the second carton has been filled with eggs from the dispatch conveyor, under the control of the secondary memory mechanism, this mechanism energizes for a short moment the solenoid 1116 and withdraws the pawl 1092 from the sixth tooth 1126 of the ratchet and determines the re-engagement of this pawl with the first tooth 1121,

   which has the effect of placing the last row of pockets of the second carton under the distribution conveyor. After this last row of the second carton has been filled with eggs, solenoid 1116 is energized again for a longer time to bring the third carton and its first row of pockets into vertical alignment below the distribution conveyor, while the car + on filled passes on the exit ramp 193 as previously described.



   Any slack in the endless chain traction strand
1086 which transmits the rotational energy of the shaft section 1080 to the toothed wheel 1088 set on the motor shaft 760 of the conveyor chains can cause these chains to receive the weight of the conveyor mechanism too suddenly when the locking pawl 1092 releases the control ratchet 1094 and allows the shaft section 1080 to be driven by the motor 1060 and the friction clutch 1076 This will subject the chain 1086 to excessive stress which could reduce seriously its service life, but could also start the conveyor with such abruptness that the eggs in the cartons or the cardboard screens placed on the conveyor could be damaged.

   Means are provided according to the invention to automatically compensate for any difference in tension between the pulling strand and the pulled strand of the chain 1086 transmitting the energy. With reference to figso 63 and 77, the two strands of chain 1086 come into contact with shoes having the shape of semi-circular segments 1128 and 1130 respectively, mounted to pivot ridges at the upper and lower ends of a ver- tical 1132 at a chosen distance from each other so that their arcuate guide surfaces, placed opposite each other, maintain endless chain 1086 at all times in a suitably tensioned condition.

   At its lower end, bar 1132 pivots at the end of an arm 1134, the opposite end of which pivots at a level intermediate between the upper strand and the lower strand of chain 1086 on a block 1136 fixed on the side wall 762b of the base frame 754 (figo 62) o By a point 1138 located between its ends, the arm 1134 pivots on the end directed downwards 1140 of a piston 1142 forming part of a dashpot 1144 ivotant to turn on the side wall 762b of the base frame 7540 When releasing the locking pawl 1092 from the ratchet 1094 releases the shaft section 1080 and allows it to quickly turn clockwise,

   as in figo 63, the sudden pull exerted on the lower strand of chain 1086 would normally have the effect of tensioning this chain, if it were slack, and would then suddenly apply all the force of toothed wheel 1082 mounted on the section from shaft 1080 to gear 1088 mounted on the drive shaft of conveyor 760.

   Thanks to the arrangement described, the tension of the lower end of the chain 1086 is counterbalanced by the dashpot 1144 because the liquid in this dashpot below the piston 1142 opposes the lowering of the arm 1134 serving to support the segrent of lower guide 1130o The energy of rotation of toothed wheel 1082 is thus applied to toothed wheel 1088, as gradually as it is developed, the entire load of the conveyor to be driven being therefore imposed on this wheel from the start and two cogwheels begin to rotate substantially together ,, On the other hand, when the locking pawl 1092 re-engages the control ratchet 1094 and the rotation of the shaft section 1080 and the cogwheel 1082 it carries stop suddenly,

   

  <Desc / Clms Page number 42>

 
 EMI42.1
 the arrangement described prevents the transporter from stopping suddenly as soon as it would if the top or entrained strand of chain 1086 could tension immediately under the effect of the inertia of the moving parts of the transporter. arrangement described, the necessary upward movement of the arm 1134 supporting the upper guide disc 1128 is slowed down by the liquid contained in the dashpct:

     1144 above the piston
 EMI42.2
 1142 liquid which can only flow out gradually into the space below the piston The upper strand of the chain 1086 can only be stretched gradually under the inertia of the moving elements of the conveyor, and the conveyor can therefore continue to move. travel a very limited distance before coming to a complete stop;

   as the upper chain strand 1086 tightens against the braking force of the dashpot the concomitant upward movement of the arm 1134 raises the lower chain strand by the guide segment 1130 and in this way prevents the formation of unwanted slack on the chain. the chain pull strand, so that when the pawl 1092 is moved away from the ratchet 1094 again, the advancement of the box feed conveyor can gradually restart
 EMI42.3
 When the feed conveyor 92 of a particular packing station has placed a carton or cardboard grid with one of its rows of pockets directly below the top strand of the carrier.
 EMI42.4
 repw ition tor,

   the six solenoids 680 of the solenoid battery associated with the CL8Ue packing station near the conveyor strand, operate successively under control of the secondary memory device by switching through the solenoid at the downstream end of the battery to open the bucket 186 which, passing over the distribution conveyor, contains an egg of the chosen quality and weight combination to be packed in the
 EMI42.5
 cardboard or the cardboard yYille which goes underneath The six solenoids 680 of each of the batteries 678 are fixed to the horizontal flange 1150 of an L-profile 1151 fixed to the machine frame by several extensions
 EMI42.6
 1153 (fig 58).



  Each of the solenoids 680 comprises a coil 1154 whose axis
 EMI42.7
 is disposed horizontally and extends parallel to the box feed conveyor 192 and transversely nor ± distribution conveyor 185, and each of these coils is wound around the metering bar.
 EMI42.8
 diane of a U-shaped iron frame 1155, dcn-c the parallel branches 1156a and lls6b extend upward and form inclined upper surfaces 1157a and 1157b which diverge from the distribution conveyor.

   A bar-shaped frame 1162 (Figo 79) folded over to present two adjacent surfaces 1163a and 1163b cooperating above the upper surfaces inclined to and from the core branahs 1156a and 1156b respectively and parallel to these surfaces. upper pivots on the roof 1158 of a casing 1160 (figo 78) surrounding each solenoid, through the
 EMI42.9
 diary of a portion of joints 116ta and 1161bu The anterior end 1165 of each frame 1162 extends to the adjacent chain of the distribution conveyor 185 and above it and bears at its underside
 EMI42.10
 the control panel 687 already marked.

   A spring 1166 stretched between a tenon 1167 on the upper surface of the armature 1162 and an appropriate point "168 on the roof 1158 of the casing 1160, spreads: t:; '3.J." Normally mature towards 1. rear from the branches of the core 1155 to an extent determined by the contact of the rear joint 1161b with a stop lug 1170 hanging from the ceiling 1158 of the casing 1160 at the posterior end
 EMI42.11
 frame 1162 with its inclined surfaces 1163a and .63b spaced apart from the upper surfaces 1157a and 1157b of the branches of the core.

   In this position the control rim 687 is withdrawn from the path of the noses 675 formed on the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 43>

 drive gear segments 673 associated with each bucket 186 of the distribution conveyor 1859 as described above and the pivots 1171a and
 EMI43.1
 1171b of the lower ends of the joints 1161ja and 1161¯b with the movable armature l162, exceed the lowest points of their orbitgi and are placed behind the vertical planes determined by the central axes àe ± yivots 1172¯a and 1172b of their ends higher relative to the fixed roof 1158 of the casing 1160, as in figo 79. By energizing a solenoid 680, the core 1155 attracts the armature 1162 against the action of the spring 1166,

   tilting it forward with the joints 1161a
 EMI43.2
 and 116īb passing through their lowest positions, to an extent determined by the engagement of a stop lug 1173 attached to the tail of the frame with the outer face of the posterior limb 1156b of the core, as on fig. 80.

   In this position, the pivots 1171a and 1171b at the lower ends of the joints 1161a and 1161b are placed further forward than the vertical planes determined by their pivots 1172a and 1172b with the roof of the casing 1160, planes which determine their
 EMI43.3
 These are lower, and the flange 687 at the anterior end of the armâtes 1162 protrudes on the path of the noses 6'5 formed on the ge @ ft4às of drive gears 67 of the buckets 186 of the conveyor, as one see it in 1175 in fig.

   780 Consequently, the nose 675 of the bucket which approaches the protruding rim 687 comes to be placed against this rim 687 and is
 EMI43.4
 pushed back as by a cam, (1175 on figo78) which has the effect of, Opening it and dropping 1 egg in the pocket of a cardboard box or
 EMI43.5
 cardboard grid, as in figo81
Because of the position of the support pivots 1171, and 1171b of the frame 1162 forward and above the lowest points of their orbits and the fact that the control noses of the conveyor buckets are arranged to attack the cam edges projecting from below,

   these cam edges once attacked by the control nose cannot
 EMI43.6
 return to their retracted position before that nose has completely passed them o As a result, any bucket whose nose has contacted a protruding rim is fully open and remains open with certainty for a period of time sufficient to drop its egg safely, even if the rim control solenoid was prematurely de-energized.



   As the distribution conveyor 185 is continuously in motion and moves relatively quickly, an egg exiting from the bucket 186 by energizing one of the solenoids 680 as described above, does not fall.
 EMI43.7
 not of the bucket in a straight line but forms a gbolic trajectory, indicated in 1177 in fig. 810 The position of the flanges 687 is relative to the conveyor 192 of the cartons or the cardboard screens, is therefore such that they attack the segments of The gears 673 of the buckets before these come to a position vertically aligned with the pockets presented to them by the cartons or cardboard screens on the conveyor belt.
 EMI43.8
 me in figs 82A.

   Therefore, the trajectory of an egg falling from a moving bucket leads it directly into the appropriate pocket as in figso 82B and 82Co
To reduce the horizontal momentum of eggs falling from the distribution conveyor and prevent their breakage by too strong a shock of an egg descending against an egg already deposited in a pocket adjacent to the egg container, transverse spring leaves 1178 slightly concaves fixed on an elongated bar 1180 in vertical planes situated slightly in front of the vertical planes defined by the downstream walls of the pockets of the carton.



  This bar 1180 is supported by the machine frame below the upper strand of the distribution conveyor, near its lower side, as in figo 79. In this way, when the eggs fall from the buckets

  <Desc / Clms Page number 44>

 
 EMI44.1
 ? 8N along the path described lez they come into contact with the concave faces of the leaf springs 1178, which absorb their horizontal momentum and direct them smoothly into the appropriate pockets below, as in figs. 81 and 82B.
 EMI44.2
 



  To cushion the fall of the eggs falling from the cups 186 and protect them from breakage by too sudden an impact with the bottom and / or the side walls of the cardboard box or the cardboard grid, two parallel coil springs 1182a and 1182b extending longitudinally with respect to the distribution conveyor below the level of the buckets 186 (fig. 81) are tensioned
 EMI44.3
 between supports 1184 and 1186, attached to bar 1180 on either side of each battery of solenoids 680.

   These springs are spaced transversely to the distribution conveyor a distance slightly less than the maximum width of the smallest eggs handled by the ma-
 EMI44.4
 china and are supported in pairs of openings 1188a and II88¯b provided in the deflector plates 1178 already mentioned (fig 79) 0 These openings
 EMI44.5
 Tures I188¯a and 1188b have an elongated shape in the horizontal direction, as in the drawings, so that the springs can give way laterally and collide with each other whenever an egg falls on them.

   An egg fell
 EMI44.6
 banat a bucket on the p-rxt springs therefore pass between these springs and reach the pocket of the cardboard box or the cardboard grid with a speed significantly slower than the speed he would have acquired if he had could
 EMI44.7
 , mber freely from the entire distance between the distribution carrier? ; cardboard or cardboard grid, placed on the feed conveyor.
 EMI44.8
 



  It remains to be rejaarcuei, that to facilitate the passage of the cardboard boxes or cardboard grids filled with the infeed conveyor 192 from a packing station on the exit ramp 193, sets of three driven rollers 1190, a set per packing station, can be arranged to pass with their upper segments through appropriate slots 1192 in the base plate 1194 of the ramp, as in figsa -57 and 58. All
 EMI44.9
 Rolls 1190 of the inventive machine can be mounted on a command-horizontal horizontal shaft 1196, extending along the front ends of the base frames of the eighteen packing stations.

   This control shaft can be driven by the 1060 motor at the end of the ma-
 EMI44.10
 7.n and carries for this purpose a toothed wheel 1198 (fig. 4B) around which passes the same endless chain 1058 which drives the common control shaft 1064 of the eighteen cardboard feed conveyors 192 of the ma -
 EMI44.11
 china of'inventiond TEL0IR3o 'DEVICE
As stated above, the machine of the invention comprises a rotary controller 170 in the form of an endless belt and which may be called the memory belt.

   The peripheral surface of
 EMI44.12
 this belt is mmivized into a multitude of consecutive sectors 175 in the form of a strip, representing each egg brought to one or the other of the six candling stations 150 from the moment they pass from one: ... 'feed 160 on a cup 164 of an elevator and
 EMI44.13
 until they approach a selected packing station along the end strand of the distribution conveyor 185. Whenever an egg moves from a feeding bay 160 to a candling station 150, its downstream tee indicated by the radius on which it was placed by the mirrors is recorded on sector 175 of the memory belt corresponding to the
 EMI44.14
 particular cuvette of the elevator at this time.

   This sector continues to represent the particular egg -aa <H that it passes from the elevator to the weighing mechanism 180, then to the distribution conveyor 185 and

  <Desc / Clms Page number 45>

 that it moves along the upper strand of this distribution conveyor and registers the weight of the egg in a sector of its rotational orbit corresponding to the location of the weighing mechanism and causes the exit
 EMI45.1
 of 1 distribution conveyor in a sector of its orbit of rotation corresponding to the situation, of one of the eighteen packing stations where eggs of a particular quality and weight must be
 EMI45.2
 reunited. ^. in the same cardboard box or a cardboard grid mummy.

   It will be understood that the memory belt 170 must rotate in synchronism with the elevators 168, the weighing mechanisms 180 and the distribution conveyor 1859 the initial sectors of its rotational orbit corresponding to the locations of the elevator cups 164, near supply shelves 160 and weighing stations 180, the intermediate sectors of its rotation orbit corresponding to the hall station 188, and the last
 EMI45.3
 sectors of its rotational orbit corresponding to the eighteen packing stations associated with the end strand of the distribution conveyor 1850 With reference to figs.

   87A, 87B, 88A, 88B and 88C, the memory belt comprises a pair of transversely spaced and vertically disposed endless chains 1220a and 1220b passing over an upper pair
 EMI45.4
 and a lower pair of sprockets 1222a and 122¯b and 1224a, 1224bu, respectively, mounted on common cross shafts 1225 and 1226.

   The individual vertical rins of these chains extend between bars of
 EMI45.5
 midage 12279 1228 and 1229, 1230 respectively, advantageously supported 2 & ds opposite side panels, 832¯a and 1232b of the already mentioned box 1720 The two shafts 1225 and 1226 turn in the side panels 1232a and 1232b and an endless series of many narrow profiles enU 1233, the open ends of which are directed outwards, are supported by the parallel chains and between these chains. These profiles represent the 175 sectors recording the quality and weight of the memory belt.



  In the particular form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, these profiles 1233 are combined in packs of three superimposed profiles since the ends of their adjacent side flanges 1234 are placed detachably in the spaces between the assembly blocks 1236 of a cross section resembling 4 a trident, as can be seen
 EMI45.6
 in fig. 89. These blocks are fixed in turn on the inner links 1238a and 1238b respectively, of the chains 1220a and 1220b at points midway between these links, for example by threaded bolts 1240.

   From the inside of each of the U-shaped sections 1233 protrude eighteen tenons distributed at equal distances 1242 to the peripheral surface of the memory belt established by the outer edges of the U-shaped sections, the tenons of consecutive etan profiles aligned in a longitudinal direction with respect to the memory belt to form eighteen parallel endless rows 1243e These studs can be metal or a durable plastic such as nylono A 1 inside the profiles 1233,

   the superimposed tenons 1242 of three profiles combined in one pack can rotate on a common pivot 1244 and on each side of each tenon is provided a button 1246a and 12441 respectively mounted on the side flanges 1234 of the U-profiles near their outer edges .

   Buttons 1246a and 1246b limit the rotational movement of each stud 1242 on its pivot 1244 from a position in which its outwardly projecting end rests against the left button 1246b to a position in which
 EMI45.7
 this end rests against the right-hand button 1246 @ these two positions being represented on figso8g and 92 To hold the tenons 1242 elastically in one or the other of the positions described, their inner ends are preferably tubular, as in fig. 90,

     and contain a coil spring 1248 pressing a spherical bead 1250 out of the tenon and into engagement with a wear strip 1252 covering the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 46>

 bottom of each of the U-shaped profiles 1233, as can be seen in figso89 and 92
As already noted, the U-sections 1233 correspond to the quality and weight recording sectors 175 of the memory belt, each egg passing through the machine being represented by one of these sections and the eighteen tenons 1242 pivoting on each of the profiles 1233 provide the means of recording the quality and the weight of each egg represented by a particular profile In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings,

   the first eight tenons 1242 of each of the bars, counted from the left of figs 85A and 85B, and individually identified by the suffixes a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h, are used for represent the eight categories of different qualities between which candling stations distribute the eggs at candling stations, i.e. the far left row of tenons 1243a corresponds to the lower radius of candling stations, on which candling stations place the eggs ;; tired '? checked' ?, as shown in fig6 'and the eighth row of
 EMI46.1
 grons 1243h corresponds to the upper radius of each candling station on which the candles place all the cream-quality eggs.

   Furthermore, in the particular form of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the anons of the tenth to the fifteenth row of tenons, individually identified by the suffixes jk 19 m5 n and o respectively, are used - j? represent the six different weight categories among which. "" .:

  > 180 weighing mechanisms can distribute the eggs, the 1242µ studs in the tenth row of 1243 studs corresponding to the weight range
 EMI46.2
 the highest called 'Jumbos' and the studs 12420 in the fifteenth row of studs 1243g corresponding to the lightest weight range, called npeeweesU In the operation of the machine described by way of example in detail hereafter, the other rows of tenons, namely the ninth, the sixteenth, the seventeenth and the eighteenth rows of tenons identified
 EMI46.3
 individually by the suffixes -i p cl and r respectively,

   remain inactiveo They can however be used to represent additional weight ranges and / or quality categories if it is necessary to distinguish between more than six weight ranges and / or more than eight quality categories
With reference to figs. 89 and 92, the tenons 1242 inclined to the left, as in these figures, are in the neutral or inactive position.

   When tilted to the right, they assume a position in which they can close contacts 1255 and 1257 respectively (Figsa 5C and 5D), contacts which, when closed, determine an appropriately synchronized excitation of certain solenoids. opening of cups 680, associated with packing stations 1900 To move the register posts
 EMI46.4
 ment of quality and weight 1242a to 1242h and 1242 to 12420 respectively, from the neutral position to the active position, the aforementioned solenoids 342a to 342h and 445i to 445Q (figso 5A and 5B)

   are provided near the memory belt in sectors of its orbit of rotation corresponding to the eight
 EMI46.5
 supply spokes 160¯a to 160h and to the six weight recording contacts 444i to 4440 of each of the six candling stations 150 of the machine of the invention.

   When they are energized these solenoids move a tenon in the profile 1233 passing in front of them at this moment, depending on the quality represented by a particular supply radius 160, and another tenon, depending on the result of an operation of particular weighing, from its neutral position tilted to the left to its active position tilted to the right o
The solenoids 342 and 445 can be of any suitable shape and can include a coil 1262 placed with play around the middle bar 1264 of an E-frame 1266 pivoting by its horizontal bar internally.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 47>

 1268 on the opposite side walls 1270a and 1270b of a casing 1272 by a pivot 1274 (Figs. 91 and 92).

   This envelope 1272 encloses the coil 1262 and part of the frame 1266, but the posterior bar
1276 of each E-frame 1266 protrudes through an elongated slot 1278 provided in a side wall 1280 of the casing. At its free end, the posterior bar 1276 of the E-frame 1266 carries an arched control lug 1282 capable of attacking the protruding ends of the memory pins.
1242.



   To mount solenoids 342 and 445 in an appropriate position relative to weight and grade recording studs 1242 of memory belt 170, a grid 1284 is provided with eighteen vertical bars 1286, one for each of the rows. endless studs 1243a to 1243r of the memory belt, along the downward strand 1288 of this belt, which is the strand in front of the candling and wrapping stations in the particular form of the invention shown in the attached drawings The solenoids 342 and 4) are fixed on the edges 186 in a horizontal position by a hook 1290 provided at the inner end of their envelopes 1272 and which is placed on the inner edge of a bar 1286,

   and by a side shoulder 1292 formed at the opposite end of the casing, which sits on the outer edge of bar 1286 and is held in place by a set screw 1294 as can be seen in fig. 92 . A spring 1296 interposed between the free end of the exterior horizontal bar 1268 of the E-frame 1266 of the adjacent bottom 1298 of the casing 1272 keeps the frame in the tilted out position, shown on the left side of figa 92, in which its control ear 1282 moves to the left without coming into contact with the tenons 1242 of a row of tenons 1243 By energizing the winding 1262,

   the middle bar 1264 of the frame 1266 is for a moment drawn deeper inside the winding against the influence of the spring 12960 This has the effect of tilting the ear 1282 clockwise of a watch on figo 92 and make it take the position shown on the right side of this figure 92, where it moves the tenon which passes at this time and makes it take the active position inclined to the right.



   In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the distribution conveyor must handle the eggs from six candling stations 151-156 respectively. In order for this conveyor to receive an uninterrupted supply of eggs from the six candling stations without danger that more than one egg can be fed into a single bucket, the distribution conveyor must advance six times faster than the elevators. Feed 168 and their associated weighing and lowering mechanisms 180 and 182 respectively. Therefore, when an egg is fed from a particular lowering device into a bucket 186 of the distribution conveyor,

   five buckets of the same distribution conveyor pass under the lowering device before this lowering device is again able to introduce another egg into the distribution conveyor, this egg then placing itself in the lowering device. ninth pocket following the particular cup which received the first egg from the lowering device.

   The eggs from a particular candling station therefore only fall into one in six of the distribution conveyor cups, the other five buckets remaining available to receive the eggs from the five successive candling stations o The candling stations are therefore separated one of the other by a distance smaller or larger by one cup than a multiple of six cups, so that the cup immediately following the one which has just received an egg from the first candling station cannot receive a egg that from the second candling station and that the third

  <Desc / Clms Page number 48>

 
 EMI48.1
 candling brand can only introduce the eggs into the second wells following those which received eggs from the first, and so on,

   the fifth buckets behind the buckets of the first candling station being able to receive eggs from the sixth candling station. In this way the distribution conveyor-can at all times receive-the total output of the six candling stations, even if the elevators are working at full capacity, and it is not possible to insert more than one egg into a particular cup On the memory belt 170, eggs from a particular candling station are therefore shown by sections 1233 spaced a distance equal to five sections, In other words, if a first egg advancing on 1 feed elevator 168 of a candling station is
 EMI48.2
 represented mnr a first p:

  - threaded on the memory belt, profiled which can be assigned from No. 1, an egg in the immediately following bowl 164 of the same feed elevator is shown on the training belt
 EMI48.3
 moire by the sixth section following 1% first or section n07, while the five intermediate sections represent eggs which can be brought on the distribution conveyor by the five candling stations
 EMI48.4
 restanteso All the buckets p9bées by the distribution conveyor can therefore be considered as forming successive groups of six buckets
 EMI48.5
 consecutive each, the first goae-c of each of these groups being able to receive eggs from the first candling station, the second cup of each of these groups, the eggs of the second candling station and so on.

   
 EMI48.6
 P- "ocr-sequent, the memory belt can also be thought of as taking consecutive groups of six consecutive profiles 1233 each, the first profile of each of these groups serving to represent an egg.
 EMI48.7
 placed on the first feed elevator and the second, the third., the fourth, the Century and the sixth threads of each group that can represent Gwenés eggs on the = elevators of the second, the third, fourth, fifth and sixth -station-:

     mi- mage respectively, in 1-order stated
 EMI48.8
 Assuming that an egg classified as "-checked" is brought from the lower radius 160a of the first candling station to the feed elevator 168 of that candling station, and passing from this ray over an aligned bowl 164 of the feed elevator, this egg operates the described contact arms 347, 349 at the exit end of the spoke,
 EMI48.9
 so, quickly close contact 34¯a associated with this spoke, closing this contact briefly energizes a solenoid placed near the row
 EMI48.10
 of studs 1243¯a in a seoteur- of the orbit of rotation '9 the memory belt,

   through which passes at this time the particular section 1233 which must represent this egg throughout its journey through the machine. Therefore, a solenoid 342a is mounted on the far left mounting bar.
 EMI48.11
 1286 near its upper end (fig-85A) near a sector of the rotational or- bite of the memory belt identified by the numeral 1 on figo 100A, which schematically represents a development of the structures accompanying the peripheral surface of the memory belt along its descending strand
Suppose now that the particular elevator cup which corresponds to the profile 1233 of the considered memory belt does not re-
 EMI48.12
 there is not an egg of the lower ray 160la,

   but receives an egg of the immediately superior ray 160¯b on which are placed all the eggs of the quality AAo In this case, the contact closure 341b associated with the second ray
 EMI48.13
 160¯b from the bottom of the first candling station must be arranged to energize a solenoid placed near the row of lugs 1243b of the memory belt in the next sector of the orbit of rotation of this belt corresponding to the second quality ray of the first

  <Desc / Clms Page number 49>

 candling station, As the memory belt moves in synchronism with the distribution conveyor,

   so that in a determined time the number of profiles 1233 on the memory belt passing through a fixed point is equal to the number of buckets 186 on the distribution conveyor not-
 EMI49.1
 , jump paa? 'a' 'pbintfix6 during' the same 'interval of time and eommerce.tras- pmrtenr of distribution tifm-, A1> la.oe six times faster than <, the 4lAv4te = s of the power supply.

   .5at, n of m1rakē1àaseeonBèbar assembly 128E counted spo & e .a g.! $. 6.anügo5Aputnp62u13oËROdes.¯ 42above% second row of studs 1243b (freeze 85A) into a cordite sector of rotation of the memory belt , further forward by a distance equal to the vertical width of six consecutive sections 1233, sector identified under n 7 on the fig 100Ao The third, the fourth, the fifth, the sixth
 EMI49.2
 me, the seventh and eighth mounting bar 1286 carry solenoids 3d? ¯c, 342dy 342leu 342¯f 342èt '-2¯h on sectors 13, 19, 25, 31 and 37 2CQ respectively of the orbit of rotation of the memory belt, as also shown in figo100ào
From the top of elevator 168 of the first candling station,

   an egg whose quality has been registered by the excitation of one of the aforementioned quality solenoids 342 passes over the weighing station and thence over the lowering mechanism into the first bucket of a group of six consecutive buckets carried by the dispatch carrier.

   When this egg is pulled out of the weighing platform, one of the six weight contacts
 EMI49.3
 444J., 444k, 4441, 444m, 444n and 444: of the weighing mechanism 180 is closed depending on the level to which the weighing platform has lowered. As described above, each of the six weighing contacts can by closing
 EMI49.4
 energize a corresponding solenoid 445à, -445k, <4451,, 44521y 445nez or 4450 respectively (fig. 5A) supported by a mounting bar 1286 near the rows of studs 12431, 124'3k, 12431, 1243m, 1243jan. or 1243o. respectively, in a common sector 55 corresponding to the situation of the eggs in their transport state from the weighing platform to the lowering mechanism at the time when the corresponding weight contacts 444 are closed.



   In the particular form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the point where the eggs exit the distribution conveyor of the second candling station 152 is moved away from the point where the eggs of the first candling station 151 are brought onto the side. this distribution conveyor by a distance equal to twenty-three consecutive buckets, that is to say a multiple of six minus one. Therefore, the eggs brought from the second candling station 152 always fall into a next im-
 EMI49.5
 immediately the premb% r bucket of each of the aforementioned groups of six consecutive cups.

   In this way, the solenoid 342. energized by the eggs passing from the lower radius 160a of the second candling station 152 to move a memory post in the row of posts 1243a representing the "verified" quality is held by the mounting bar d. 'far left 1286 on sector 24 of the memory belt rotation orbit, as in figo 100A, and solenoids 342b through 342h which correspond to the seven upper spokes 160b through 160h of the second candling station are mounted on the seven adjacent bars 1286 in sectors 30, 3642, 48, 54, 60 and 66 respectively of the orbit of the memory belt,

   while the solenoids
 EMI49.6
 weight records 4451 to ..Q.6¯o controlled by the second weighing station are supported by mounting bars 1286 on sector 78.



   By analogy, the quality recording solenoids of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth candling station 153, 154, 155 and
156 respectively, start at sectors 47, 70, 93 and 116 respectively of the orbit of the memory belt and the weight recording solenoids associated with them are mounted in sectors 101, 124, 147
 EMI49.7
 and 170 respectively, as indicated by the letters VGS on figo 100Ao

  <Desc / Clms Page number 50>

 
As the memory belt rotates in synchronism with the distribution conveyor9 it moves relatively site, since the distribution conveyor moves six times faster than the eggs in the candling and weighing stations.

   the period during which the tenons 1242 of the profiles 1233 of the memory belt are immediately
 EMI50.1
 in front of the various recording solenoids of quality and weight, is very short. In addition, the period of time that the quality and weight recording solenoids are energized is also very short, because each time an egg passes from one of the 160 spokes over a bowl of the aligned elevator. 164, contacts
 EMI50.2
 of quality 341 to the exibility of these shelves are closed only for a very short time and the exact .ma, t of their closing depends on the behavior of the individual eggs passing over the arms controlling the contact 347,

     3490 Devices are provided to increase the period during which the tenons 1242 of the memory belt 170 and the shift solenoids
 EMI50.3
 cementing of 3 studs remain in working relation to prevent a recording solenoid from being energized without moving the stud which it must bring into the activated position. For this purpose, the parallel vertical bars 1286 of the grid 1284 can be move in limited diameter orbits in synchronization with the advancement of the memory belt to
 EMI50.4
 that the quality recording solenoids and the weight supported by;

  es' barras, can move a limited distance with the profiles ..21,3 to which they may have to move the tenons
With reference to figso 85A and 85B, all mounting bars 1286 near the downstream strand of the memory belt are connected at their upper ends by two stacked vertical pairs of inter-
 EMI50.5
 rods 1304a, 1304b and 13o6a, 1306b and at their lower ends by two additional pairs of spacers 1308a, 1308, and 1310a, 1310b, spacer nozzles 1312 being interposed between the adjacent mounting bars to keep them at the appropriate distance one from the other.



  The top two pairs of spacers are held in two blocks
 EMI50.6
 vertical and transversely offset mounting 1314au and 1314b which in turn can rotate around a transverse shaft 1316 whose ends
 EMI50.7
 opposites are held in eccentric disks 13? 8a and 1318b, respectively, at angularly aligned eccentric points. These disks are in turn attached to rotatable shafts 1320a and 1320b.
 EMI50.8
 of the already mentioned side panels 1232a and 1232bu of the cabinet 172 containing the memory belt.

   Likewise, the two pairs of spacers 1308a, 1308b and I3 'Oa, 1310b at the lower end of the mounting bars 1286 are secured in two transversely spaced vertical mounting blocks.
 EMI50.9
 1322a and 132¯b which can rotate on a transverse shaft 1324 whose opposite ends are held in crank discs 1326a and 1326b at eccentric points, angularly aligned with these discs.
 EMI50.10
 These discs are mounted 1E =, r turn on short shafts 1328a and 1328b which can rotate in side panels 1232a and 1232b of memory belt cabinet 172 near these lower ends.

   Attached to the outwardly protruding ends to the right of short shafts 1320b and 1328b., As in figs 88A and 88C sprockets 1330 and 1332 respectively engage sprockets 1334 and 1336 attached to the upper and lower ends of a shaft vertical 1337 rotatable in the adjacent side panel of the memory belt case in any suitable manner
To operate bars 1286 in proper relation to the memory belt and move the memory belt in desired synchronism with the distribution conveyor, memory belt and
 EMI50.11
 eccentric discs 13 $ ag 13c8b and 1326a, 1326b are directly driven

  <Desc / Clms Page number 51>

 by the distribution transporter, With reference to fig 4A,

   shaft 652 already mentioned ;, at 1 trailing end of the distribution conveyor which
 EMI51.1
 supports: the toothed s 651a and 651b of the conveyor, also supports a small toothed wheel 1338 connected by an endless chain 1340 to another toothed wheel 1342 fixed on the end projecting outwards
 EMI51.2
 a cross shaft 1344 rotating in the side panels 1% 32a and 1232b of the memory belt box 172.

   Another cogwheel 1346 is also mounted on the shaft near cogwheel 1338 and another endless chain 1348 connects this last wheel 1346 to another wheel 1350 attached to the outwardly projecting end of the shaft. engine 1225 which carries the upper toothed wheels of the memory belt 1222a,

     and 1222b. The 1344 cross shaft has a 1352 bevel gear near the outer face of the outer side panel 1232b of the memory belt case o This 1352 bevel gear engages another 1354 bevel gear attached to the top end of a rotating 1356 vertical shaft in
 EMI51.3
 the side panel .232¯b of the memory belt box at three points vertically separated by suitable brackets 1358, 1360 and .362 (Figs.

   88A, 88B and 88C> o This vertical shaft 1356 carries a toothed wheel 1364 connected by an endless chain 1366 to a small toothed wheel 1368 and
 EMI51.4
 his last toothed wheel 1368 is fixed on the vertical shaft 1337 which carries the bevel gears 1334 and 1336 which drive the shafts 1320b
 EMI51.5
 t 1328b.



   As each of the quality and weight recording solenoids supported by the mounting bars 1286 is intended to cooperate with one in six profile 1233 of the memory belt corresponding to the candling station by which it can be energized as explained above, the rotary motion of the mounting bars 1286 provided by the crank discs 1318a 1318b, and 1326a, 1326b should not advance the recording quality and weight solenoids only once during the
 EMI51.6
 Passage of the six profiles 1233 ap 13 memory belt in close proximity to this belt, and like all six candling stations 150 that comprise the machine and the weighing mechanisms 180 associated with them,

   little-
 EMI51.7
 wind run in phase alignment, the written approximation of the mounting bars and the memory belt downlink places the quality and weight recording solenoids of each of the six stations
 EMI51.8
 candling at the appropriate moment in operative relation to the corresponding profiles of the memory belt.

   The described drive train can therefore rotate the bars supporting the solenoids 1286
 EMI51.9
 in urfiqrbite, the circumference of which is approximately equal to the composite width of six consecutive profiles, of the memory belt, at a speed giving the active ends of the solenoids which these bars support, a peripheral speed approximately equal to the peripheral speed of descendant memory studs 1242, or a little greater than the speed of stop studs.

   Therefore, when a channel 1233 approaches a row of solenoids 342 or 445 which must move one of its studs 1242 by energizing a solenoid, the mounting bars 1286 bring the solenoids closer to the belt by lowering them as on fig 93A, where the tenon which is to be moved by the solenoid is shown in black.



  In this way, while the channel 1233 which supports the tenon in question arrives at the level of the solenoid, and the tenon and the solenoid come into operating contact, the channel and the solenoid descend together a limited distance while the tenon and the solenoid remain in operating contact as in figs 93B and 93Ce During the duration of the common descent, the excitation of the solenoid reliably moves the appropriate tenon from the rest position to the active position and then, while the profile in question continues to descend with one of its tenons

  <Desc / Clms Page number 52>

 in active position,

   following the rotation of the mounting bars 1286 moves away from the belt d Memory recording solenoids along
 EMI52.1
 of the lower quadrants of their orbit of rotationg as in fig 93D.



   When the profiles of the downstream strand of the memory belt have lowered below sector 170 of their orbit (Figo 100A) and provided the machine is operating at full capacity, all of these profiles represent eggs moving on the distribution conveyor the quality and weight of which are recorded on the profiles by two of the memory pins in each of the profiles, pins brought into the active position, one of the pins representing the quality and the other the weight of the egg.
 EMI52.2
 When the eggs "> He! ' The distribution conveyor moves closer to the oil nozzle and the profiles 1233 which represent them pass through the Lac-11q L81 of 1 or quoted rotation of the memory belt (Fig.



  100A). Fourteen contacts 13? 2au to 1372h j and i372, to 1372, juxtaposed and normally open, one for each of the eight rows of tenons representing the quality and for ohl16üné desiramg6eà 'of tenons representing% this weight are supported by a fixed profile- transverse 1370 in this. seataúrc6 Fig. t35B). These cÓnt.aë-tsasonl1Írmés. unStmrA marnant. each time quxn.-gn. of active posit1an memory goes below cl2eux.



     With reference to figs. 85B and 87B, the fixed channel 1370 is adjustably attached by its opposite ends to the outer vertical guide bars 1230 on the descent side of the endless chains 1220a and 1220b and the contacts 1372 are attached to the long bars 1374 of the L-brackets 1376 (Figo 97) which are bolted by the short bars 1378 on the inside face of the channel 1370 and which protrude between the rotating mounting bars 1286 very close to the periphery of the memory belt.

   The control arms 1380 of each of the contacts are above one end 1382 of a lever 1384 which turns on a knob 1386 projecting laterally from the long bar 1374 of the bracket
 EMI52.3
 .375 and the opposite free end 1388: of this lever protrudes on the vertical path of advancement of the tenons in the active position of the particular row of tenons with which the contact 1372 is associated. Therefore,
 EMI52.4
 each time a tenon in the active position passes through the sector .8 of its orbit of rotation, it presses on the free end 1388P of the lever 1384 and causes it to tilt counterclockwise,
 EMI52.5
 as in figa 9 by raising by its opposite end 1382 the arm 1380 of the contact, which has the effect of closing the contact 1372.

   A stopper 1390 supported by the long bar 1374 of the bracket 1376 may be disposed below the inner end 1382 of the control lever 1384, as in fig. 87, to prevent accidental release of control arm 1380 and control lever 1384.
 EMI52.6
 



  Connected in series to each of these fourteen contacts 1372¯a to li72J! and 1372i at 1¯'-72¯o is a manually adjustable 1392 normally open contact (Fig. 48). The eight pairs of contacts connected in series 1372/1392 associated with the rows of tenons 1243a to 12431 which represent the quality, are connected in parallel 1 to each other, and the six pairs of contacts
 EMI52.7
 connected in series 1372/1392 associated with the rows of tenons 1243i to 12430 which represent the weight, are also connected in parallel to one another.



  The two sets of pairs of contacts connected in parallel 1372/1392 thus established are in turn connected in series to the circuit supplying the solenoid 713a, controlling the normally closed control valve 723 which controls the supply of oil to the nozzle. oil 705. Therefore
 EMI52.8
 Whenever it is desired to oil eggs of a particular weight and quality combination, the operator simply closes the manually adjustable 1392 contact, mounted in series with the control contacts of the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 53>

 memory studs 13729 opposite the rows of studs representing the selected quality and weight.

   In this way, whenever an egg of the chosen weight and quality approaches the oiling nozzle 705, the active tenons 1242 of the profile 1233 which represents it on the memory belt, quickly close. passing through the fixed profile 1370, a contact
1372 in the set of parallel connected contacts representing the quality and another contact 1372 in the set of parallel connected contacts representing the weight! and since the manually operated contact 1392 in series with the contacts controlled by the tenons was previously closed, a momentary closure of this last contact ensured by the active tenons,

   closes the circuit feeding the solenoid controlling the oil supply 713a for the short time that the stud-activated contacts 1372 remain closed, which determines a brief energization of the solenoid. When energized, this solenoid opens the control valve 713 of the oil supply line 709 and a jet of oil is directed at the upper end of the egg at the exact moment it passes below the nozzle of the egg. oiling 705.



   Then, as the egg moves on the downward strand of the distribution conveyor9 the air nozzles 727-733 push out the small amount of oil deposited on the top of the egg first on its upper surface. , then along its sides, so that the whole egg is covered with a thin film of oil which slows the evaporation of the liquid it contains t favors in this way maintaining its freshness.



   When the dispatch conveyor has passed the eggs through the oiling station, it passes them through the eighteen consecutive packing stations 190. As an egg approaches and passes the first packing station. by a point situated at a predetermined distance, in front of the end had of this packing dation, a distance equal to the length of six consecutive cups in the form of the invention which will be described the profile 1233 which represents it passes through the sector 226 of its rotational orbit (Figo 100B) located at the rear or on the rising side of the memory belt (freeze 100B) o If the first packing station has to pack eggs belonging for example to the quality A Brown and of small size,

   normally open contacts 1394 are supported near the upstroke of the memory belt in this sector 226 above the rows of studs 1243 ± and 1243n representing grade A Brown and the small size respectively, so that they are temporally. rement closed by tenons of these rows which were previously brought into the active position (Figs. 86B and 100B).

   These contacts are constructed in a similar fashion to the 1372 oil control contacts, shown in figo 97, but are attached to 1397 clamps (figo 98) rather than lo-shaped brackets. 1397 clamps can be slid over some bars of a group of bars fastened vertically and transversely spaced 1398 and bolted to those bars which have the same construction as the rotating mounting bars 1286 near the descending strand of the memory belt. These 1398 bars extend along the eighteen rows of tenons of the memory belt and are mounted on several vertically spaced crossbars 1400 (fig. 87B) where they are held in an appropriate position transversely spaced apart by nozzles. spacer 1402 (figo 86B).

   The bars 1400 are in turn held by their opposite ends in vertical rails 1404 sliding in guide channels 1406 attached to the side panels 1232a and 1232b of the memory belt case. In these guide profiles, the rails 1404 can be fixed in a vertically adjusted position by screws 1408o The clamps 1397 of the contacts 1396 are removably fixed on the mounting bars 1398, in any suitable way, for example by the screws 1410 (Figo 86B).

  <Desc / Clms Page number 54>

 



   As soon as a profile 1233 whose memory pins 1242g and 1242n are inclined in the active position, passes under the already mentioned contacts 1394, held above the rows of memory pins 1343 ± and 12430, which indicates that an egg of quality A Brown and of small size approaches the first packing station, these contacts - identified as 1394 ± and 1394 respectively, on pin 5C - are closed for a short time and set in motion a mechanism releasing the 'egg from its bucket to the first packing station at the exact moment when this egg passes over an empty bag of a cardboard box or a cardboard grid, held above the distribution conveyor of this packing station .

   If the row of pockets of this cardboard or cardboard grid is still completely empty, this mechanism drops the egg from the distribution conveyor into the pocket at the downstream end of the row of pockets and the following eggs from the same. combination of weight and quality on the distribution conveyor, successively fall into the remaining five pockets, in direction amonto
As the consecutive pockets of the rows of pockets of the cardboard or of the cardboard grid of the aforementioned type, are closer together than the consecutive buckets supporting the eggs on the distribution conveyor,

   the release of successive eggs of the selected quality and weight combination of the distribution conveyor must be effected at points on that conveyor corresponding to points in the memory belt ro-cation orbit which are in fact located between consecutive sectors of the orbit shown on the 100Bo freeze For this reason, each time an egg reaches a predetermined point higher than the downstream side of the packing station where it is to fall, by a distance approximately equal to the total length of six consecutive buckets,

   channel 1233 which represents it on the memory belt records this egg on a secondary or auxiliary memory device 1412 individual at each packing station and operating in synchronism with the dispatch conveyor and memory belt. From that moment, it is this secondary memory device 1412 which represents the egg and which functions to release it from the distribution conveyor at the desired moment when it passes over the cardboard box or the cardboard grid according to the number of eggs which may have already been deposited in the row of pockets in the alignment.



   Returning to figs. 86A, 86B and 100B, the eighteen juxtaposed packing stations of the machine of the invention each have a width equal to the total length of six consecutive buckets of the distribution conveyor and the sectors of the orbit of rotation of the memory belt in which the eighteen auxiliary memory devices of the machine of the invention ensure the control of an egg to be released from the distribution conveyor to the corresponding packing station, thus are sectors 226, 232, 238 and so on,

   sector 328 marking the point where the auxiliary memory device associated with the last packing station ensures control of the eggs to be packed at this last station Supported on the mounting bars 1398 of each of the sectors at the same time. above the rows of pins 1243 which represent the weight and quality of the eggs to be packaged in these particular packing stations are normally open contacts 1394, of a construction described above. As already noted, the first of the eighteen packing stations must receive eggs of the quality A Brown and of small size,

   and therefore the 1398 mounting bars have a 1394 ± contact above the row of studs 1243g and a 1394a contact above the row of studs 1243n in sector 226 of the memory belt rotation orbit . In other packing stations,

  <Desc / Clms Page number 55>

 it is possible to want to pack all the eggs of a certain quality, whatever their size, in cartons or cardboard screens, or to pack eggs of different qualities and / or of different sizes.

   Therefore the second packing station can for example handle eggs classified as "heavily soiled" regardless of their size, therefore a 1394f contact is supported by the sixth mounting bar 1398 from the right, as on Figo 86B, in sector 232 of the 'memory belt rotation orbit, above the row of studs 1243f which represents the very dirty grade. "In another example, the fifth station may have to process grade eggs AA, A White, A lightly soiled, A Brown and A Cream, size "Peewee". Therefore, in sector 250 of the gold @ ite of the memory belt corresponding to the fifth station of packaging, contacts 1394b, 1394c,

     1394 1394 and 1394h are mounted on 1398 bars above the stud rows 1243b, 1243c, 1243d, 1243 ± and 1243h., Respectively, and a contact 13940 is supported above the stud row 124300 In another example again, it may be desirable to pack eggs of "Verified" and "B" grade, and Jumbo, Extra Coarse and Coarse sizes at the thirteenth packing station and therefore, the 1394a and 1394e contacts are placed at the. above the first and fifth rows of studs 1243a and 1243rd respectively, counted from the right of pin 84 and contacts 1394j, 1394k and 13941 above the tenth,

   of the eleventh and the second row of studs 1243j, 1243k and 12431 respectively, in the sector 298 of the orbit of the memory belt, the sector corresponding to the thirteenth packing station ,,
As noted above, all 1394 contacts are normally open and are closed for an instant when they encounter active position studs 1242 in the corresponding rows of studs on the continuously operating memory belt o In each of the ten -eight consecutive packing stations, the 1394 contacts which represent the quality are all connected in parallel with each other provided there is more than one in each sector as is the case in the aforementioned sectors 250 and 298 (Figs. 5C and 5D),

   and similarly the 1394 contacts of each of the eighteen sectors which represent the weight are all connected in parallel if there is more than one, as is the case for sec- -leur 298 (Fig. 5D) o The quality and weight contacts in each of the sectors are connected in series and form part of circuit 1414 supplying a solenoid 1415 (figso 5C 5D, 101 and 103).

   By excitation, this solenoid 1415 moves a memory pin 1416 in the secondary memory device 1412 corresponding to the packing station represented by the particular sector of the primary orbit of the memory belt in which it is located. find the contacts of quality and weight 139 "4 determining its excitation To excite a solenoid 1415, it is enough that in all sectors except sector 232 of the memory belt orbit which corresponds to the packing station n 2, at least one of the 1394 quality contacts and one of the 1394 weight contacts of the motor circuit, are simultaneously closed, which only occurs when an egg which has both the desired quality and the desired weight , approaches a packing station.

   In the unique case of Packing Station # 2 where all eggs classified as 'heavily soiled' must be packed together regardless of weight, the circuit feeding solenoid 1415 only needs one contact. grade 1394 co-operating with the row of studs 1243f which represent the 'heavily soiled' grade and do not need weight contacts. The solenoid 1415 associated with the packing station n 2 is therefore energized each time a section 1233 having a tenon 1242f in the active position, exceeds the single contact 1394f whatever the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 56>

 position of the 1242j to 1242o weight registration pins of the profile.



   Whenever a solenoid 1415 has been energized and has moved a secondary memory stud 1416 in the secondary memory device 1412 and brought it into the active position, it is that displaced secondary memory stud 1416 that represents the egg. in question instead of the profile 1233 of the memory belt which had determined the excitation of the solenoid 1415 effecting the displacement of the tenono With reference to figso 101, 102 and 103, the eighteen secondary memory devices 1412 that comprise the form of the invention shown in the drawings, are all mounted on the previously mentioned vertical shaft 1356 and driven by this shaft, which rotates on the outer side panel 1232b of the memory belt case 172 in three vertically separate sockets 1358,

   1360 and 1362 respectively. As already noted, this shaft is driven by the distribution conveyor by a bevel gear 1354 mounted at its upper end and which engages another bevel gear 1352 attached to the projecting end of the transverse shaft 1344 pulled out by the distribution conveyor and which in turn drives the memory belt 170 One upper pair and one pair: -: lower vertically spaced mounting discs 1418a, 1418b and 1420a, 1420b (figs. 88A., 88B and 88C) are rotatable with the vertical shaft 1356 and each include eight slots distributed at equal angular distances and disposed radially 1422 (Figs. 101 and 103).

   Eight vertically arranged profiles 1424 are placed in these angularly aligned slots 14 of the 'pair'; upper and lower pair of mounting discs and these profiles have practically the same construction as the horizontal profiles 1233 which make up the memory belt 170, but are shorter than the latter = In these profiles eighteen memory pins 1416 rotate. , vertically spaced apart, one for each of the eighteen packing stations which comprise the form of the invention shown in the drawings.

   These tenons 1416 can have the same construction and can be made of the same material as the primary mépoire tenons 1242, already described, and the rotation of these tenons around their pivots 1426 is positively limited by buttons 1428a and 1428b mounted in the side flanges 1430 of the profiles above and below the tenons, as in fig. 101.



   Below each of the eighteen circular rows 1431 of the secondary memory studs 1416 formed by the studs protruding from the channels 1424 at equal height are base plates 1432, approximately in the shape of a horseshoe, which embrace the rotor 1433 formed by the superimposed profiles 1424, as in figo 1010 These plates can be supported at their ends by two vertical rods 1434a and 1434b held in the already mentioned supports 1358, 1360 and 13620
A semicircular row of six Geneva stops 1441, 1442, 1443, 1444, 14445 and 1446 (fig 103)

   is placed along the inner edge of each of the eighteen horseshoe plates 1432 to be driven by the tenons of the rows of aligned circular tenons 14310 Each of these Geneva stops has six notches 1447 distributed at equal angular distances and corresponding to the six solenoids 681 to 686 causing the exit of the eggs at each packing station;

     these notches can be engaged by the protruding ends of the secondary memory tenons 1416 in the circular row of tenons in alignment 1431, when these tenons are in the active position o Each Geneva stop has a tubular rod 1448 which rotates on a tenon vertical 1449 which rises from a common U-shaped mounting plate 1450 held in an adjustable manner on

  <Desc / Clms Page number 57>

 the horseshoe plate 1432o Along the outer periphery of the semi-circle formed by the six Geneva stops of each horseshoe plate 1432 are six contacts 1451, 1452, 1453 1454, 1455 and 1456 which are mounted in the individual circuits (figs.

   5C and 5D) feeding the six solenoids 680 opening the buckets and arranged near the distribution conveyor at the packing station with which is associated a particular secondary memory device. These contacts 1451 to 1456 are bolted to the U-shaped mounting plate 1450 and their condition is determined by cams 1458 formed on the pins 1448 of the Geneva stops, depending on the rotational position of these stops. The edges of these cams each have a single depression 1460, as in the drawing, and as long as a roller
1462 provided on the control arm 1464 of each of the contacts, moves on the circular profile 1466 of the associated cam, the contact is maintained in the open position, but closes when the roller falls into this depression 1460.



   During the operation of the machine, the rotor 1433 formed by the vertical profiles 1424 rotates counterclockwise, as in figo 103, in synchronism with the distribution conveyor 185 and the memory belt. 170, so that in any given time the number of secondary memory studs 1416 which exceed a determined fixed point is the same as that of the buckets 186 on the distribution conveyor and that of the profiles 1233 on the belt. from memory.

   During a rotation of this rotor 1433, the tenons 1416 protruding from the profiles' 1424 pass without effect above the corresponding rows 1431 of the geneva stops as long as they are in the inactive position inclined upwards, a position determined by their engagement with the upper limit buttons 1328a. Mounted on each iron plate at ckeval 1432, in front of the first stop in Geneva,

     1441 a solenoid already mentioned 1415 can be energized by closing at least one contact of quality 1394a to 1394h and at least one contact of weight 13941 to 13940 in the sector of the orbit of the memory belt corresponding to the station of particular packaging where the secondary memory device which will be described controls the exit of the eggs from the distribution conveyor o Solenoids 1415 are similar to solenoids 1260 and are supported by the oscillating grid 1284 near the descending strand of the memory belt , but the control ends of their reinforcements 1468 are preferably formed in the manner of the transverse bar of a T, as in 1470, in figso 101 and 103.

   In a solenoid 1415 in the de-energized state, this crossbar 1470 is placed one. * little above the level of the circular row 1435 of the secondary memory tenons 1416 to which the solenoid is associated as on figo lolo By excitation of the solenoid 1415, coinciding with the passage of a secondary memory tenon, the crossbar 1470 of its frame presses on the passing tenon and makes it take the active position inclined downwards, in which, continuing to turn, it attacks successively and advances each of the six Geneva stops on the iron plate adjacent horse 1432, of limited quantity.



   The six Geneva stops, on each of the horseshoe plates 1432 are set in a position of rotation relatively to each other so that the depressions 1460 in the cams 1458 of the consecutive stops counted in reverse to from the last stop 1446, be delayed by quantities of rotation equal to the quantities of rotation by which the stops advance when they are attacked by a post of secondary memory o Initially, that is to say before '' an egg has fallen into any pocket of the row of pockets of a cardboard box or a cardboard grid held below the dispatch conveyor at the corresponding packing station, the Geneva stops are in the position

  <Desc / Clms Page number 58>

 shown in fig.

   L06A, where the sixth Geneva stop, that is to say the stop 1446 last engaged by a secondary memory pin 1416 1 lowered state, is in a rotational position such that the depression 1460 of its cam 1458 is located directly in front of the roller 1462 of the contact 1456 which is associated with it, which contact closes the circuit supplying the last solenoid 686 of the set of solenoids opening the buckets 680 on the downstream side of the packing station.

   In this manner, each time the solenoid 1415 lowers a secondary memory post 1416 indicating that an egg of the combination of quality and weight to be packaged in that particular packing station is approaching that station on the distribution transporter, the consecutive engagement of this lowered tenon 1416 with the consecutive Geneva stops 1441 to 1446, advances all the stops of a limited quantity which remains without effect on the contacts 1451 to 1455 associated with the first five stops of ganève 1441 at 1445, respectively, but quickly drops the roller 1462 of the sixth contact 1456 into the depression 1460 of the cam of the sixth Geneva stop 1446, as in fig.

     106Bo This has the effect of temporarily closing contact 1456, and therefore ;, the last solenoid 686 of the battery of solenoids 680 are used to open the buckets, that is to say the solenoid on the downstream side a of the battery 678, is excited and causes its frame to protrude on the path of the noses 675 formed on the segments of gears 673 of the buckets 186 of the conveyor at the exact moment when the bucket carrying the egg which has started The sequence of operations described is close to this solenoid, since the tenons 1416 of the secondary memory device advance in synchronism with the buckets of the distribution conveyor, therefore,

   this egg falls into the last pocket of the row of pockets offered to the distribution conveyor in the packaging station considered
As has already been noted, the passage of the secondary memory pin 1416 in the lowered position in front of the Geneva stop not only advanced the last Geneva stop 1446, but also each of the previous stops 1441 to 1445 of the same amount, so that it is now the fifth Geneva stop 1445 which maintains the depression 1460 of its cam 1458 immediately in front of the roller 1462 of the contact 1455 which is associated with it Therefore, when the solenoid 1415 activating the tenon is again excited by passing a section 1233 through the sector 226 of the memory belt orbit,

   profile whose tenons 1242 are in the desired position to close the circuit supplying the solenoid, and another secondary memory tenon 1416 is lowered this tenon advancing all the Geneva stops by an equal amount of rotation, made to close by the fifth Geneva stop 1445 the corresponding contact 1455 (freeze 106C) which determines the excitation of the fifth solenoid 685 in the battery of solenoids 680 opening the buckets which corresponds to the series of Geneva stops considered.



   As can best be seen in fig 103, the fifth Geneva stop 1445 is separated from the sixth Geneva stop 1446 by an angular space smaller than the angular space between two consecutive secondary memory posts 1416, in a measure equal to the ratio between the linear interval between the points forming the centers of the pockets of the boxes receiving the eggs and 1 linear interval between the points forming the centers of the consecutive buckets on the distribution conveyor.

   Measured in angular distance, the fifth Geneva stop 1445 is therefore closer to the sixth and last Geneva stop 1446 than are two consecutive tenons 1416, and the second tenon 1416 in the lowered state must therefore travel a distance. longer distance from the point corresponding to the sector of the orbit of the memory belt in which the described series of operations was initiated and to the fifth Geneva stop 1445 than the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 59>

 distance which corresponds to the linear dimension of five consecutive buckets on the distribution conveyor.



   Consequently, the egg-carrying bucket which initiated the series of operations which caused the lowering of the secondary mediate post 1416 moves a distance slightly greater than five buckets from the point on the distribution conveyor where the profile 1233 which represents it on the memory belt 170 has passed it the control of the egg, until its representative pin 1416 of the secondary memory device energizes the fifth solenoid the opening buckets 685 via the fifth Geneva stop 1445.

   The bucket therefore reaches this solenoid at the exact moment when its armature protrudes on the path of the nose 675 of the gear segment 673 and consequently the second egg of the desired quality and weight falls into the fifth pocket of the carton. which is the second pocket counted from the downstream side of the packing station.



   As solenoid 1415 lowers further secondary memory studs 1416 indicating that other eggs of the selected quality and weight combination have arrived along the length of the six buckets from the downstream end of the station. packaging, the Geneva judgments' 1441 to 1446 consecutively advance additional quantities, which determines the successive closure of the fourth, third, second and first contacts 1454, 1453, 1452 and 1451 respectively, as shown in figso 106D, 106E, 106F and 106G, with excitation of the fourth, third, second and first opening solenoids of the buckets 684, 683, 682 and 681 which open the successive buckets 186 when these bring eggs of the quality and the weights chosen above the fourth, third,

   the second and first pockets of the carton, counted from the upstream side of the distribution conveyor. In this way, all the pockets of the row of pockets of a carton placed below the conveyor are successively filled with eggs of the chosen weight and quality category.



   To prevent one of the Geneva stops from going too far during its rotation, the rod 1448 of each of these Geneva stops can form, below the cam 1458 controlling the contact, a hexagonal locking cam 1472, one side for each control notches 1447 from the edge of the stopper, and a ratchet arm 1474. pivoting on the U-plate 1450 near each gear is resiliently held against the edge of this locking cam 1472 by a coil spring 1476, as shown in fig 105.



   To avoid any malfunction of the mechanism described, the solenoids moving the studs 1415 which they include must be energized at the exact moment that a vertical row of secondary memory studs 1416 passes in front of them, because a premature energization of a solenoid 1415 determines the inefficient passage of the T-bar of its frame 1468, under the tenon that it should have lowered, To exactly synchronize the excitation of solenoids 1415 with the passage of the vertical rows of tenons, a main contact 1478 is connected in series with solenoids 1415 (Figs.

   5C, 5D and 102) and the position of this main contact is controlled by a cam 1480 formed by two superimposed and relatively adjustable cam discs 1482a and 14 2b mounted on the main shaft 1356 of the secondary memory mechanism, so that the main contact 1478 is normally open, but can close for a short time the instant a vertical row of tenons pass through the superimposed solenoids 1415 on the eighteen superimposed horseshoe plates 1432 of the machine of the 'invention.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 60>

 



   With reference to fig. 1029 This main contact 1478 is mounted on an annular base plate 1484 which surrounds the shaft 1356 near its lower end and includes a driver lever 1486 rotatable about a vertical journal 1488. This lever has a tail end at - jerked by a conductive spring 1490 which presses a nose with two jaws 1492 in contact with the ends of two parallel and adjustable contact bolts 1494a and 1494b. On the side opposite the spring 1490, the lever tail end 1486 engages the profile of a cam 1480 at a point angularly aligned with the T-bars 1470 of the eighteen solenoids 1415 used to move the tenons.

   The edge of the cam 1480 has a series of evenly spaced cavities 1496 - in angular alignment with the row of vertical tenons 1416. When the tail end of the contact lever 1486 is attacked by the lobes 1498 formed between two consecutive cavities 1496 in the edge of the cam 1480, the contact 1478 is kept open, but when this end falls into the cavities 1496 under the influence of the spring 1490, which is the case when a row of tenons passes in front of the reinforcements 1468 of the eighteen superimposed solenoids 1415,

   contact 1478 is momentarily closed. Only then can one of the solenoids 1415 be energized by passing the profiles 1233 of the memory belt with the appropriate quality and weight setting through the corresponding sectors memory belt orbit o
To precisely synchronize the operation of oiling individual eggs already described so that a jet of oil coming from the de-oiling nozzle is limited to 1 egg for which it is intended, a main contact
1500 can be connected in series to the circuit feeding the salenoid 713a which controls the valve 713 for the spray nozzle 705 (figo 48).

   This contact 1500 can be supported by the underside of the same annular plate 1484 on which is mounted the main contact 1478 of the tenon adjustment solenoids 1415, and can be controlled by a cam 1502, similar to the cam 1480 and also mounted on the main shaft 1356 of the secondary memory device, retort can be seen in figo 1020
Returning to the operation of the secondary memory device,

   when all six contacts 1451 to 1456 in the eighteen auxiliary memory mechanisms 1412 have been consecutively closed in a direction opposite to the stated order and when all six pockets of a row of pockets presented to the distribution conveyor in one particular packing slalom have been filled with eggs of the correct weight and quality, the carton or cardboard grid that forms this row of pockets must be moved so that a next row of pockets is below the trans- distribution carrier before another egg of the appropriate weight and quality is released from that carrier under control of the secondary memory mechanism.

   the devices are therefore provided according to the invention, to advance the cardboard box or the cardboard grid of the distribution conveyor and place a new row of pockets under this conveyor, each time an egg has fallen into the last pocket of the row previous pocket, which is the pocket on the upstream side of the packing station The release of the egg which fell into the last pocket was effected by engaging a lowered secondary memory post 1416 with the first stop de Genève 1441 in the series of six Geneva stops, engagement which determined a temporary closure of contact 1451 which energizes the first solenoid 681 of the opening solenoids of the buckets 680, near the distribution conveyor in the packing station considered.



  After having rotated this first Geneva stop 441 (Fig. 106G) the lowered pin 1416 attacks and consecutively rotates all the Geneva stops 1442 to 1446, as explained above, The advance of one degree of the second Geneva stop -1442 by this post of memory 1416 brings depression 1460

  <Desc / Clms Page number 61>

 of the cam 1458 of this stopper 1442 past the arcuate control end 1504 of another normally open contact 1506 (Figo 106H) to close it for a short time.

   Each of the U-shaped plates 1450 carries one of these contacts 1506 between the first and the second contacts releasing the eggs 1451 and 1452, respectively, as can be seen in figs. 101 and 103, and each of these contacts 1506 is in the circuit feeding a relay 1508 (Figso 72 and 74) fixed on the mounting plate 776 already described, at the rear of the cardboard magazine of the station. packaging where the secondary memory device controls the exit of the eggs from the dispatch conveyor By energization, this relay 1508 determines the closing of a retainer contact 1510 which keeps it in the energized state, even after the contact 1506 has returned to the open position.

   The energizing of the relay 1508 also closes another contact 1512 in the circuit supplying the solenoid 1116 controlling the ratchet + already described. As a result, the solenoid 1116 is energized and moves the locking pawl 1092 away from the ratchet 1094, allowing that ratchet to follow the rotational force of the driven side of the friction clutch 1076. The box feed conveyor therefore begins to advance and drive the row of pockets filled with a cardboard box or cardboard grid past the distribution conveyor by advancing an immediately following row of pockets in the receiving position of the doccous eggs of this carrier.



   To limit the advance of the conveyor to the distance required 'for.', Place the next row of pockets of a cardboard grid or the first row of rocks of a subsequent cardboard grid in the egg receiving position below the distribution conveyor, assuming that a particular packing station has been set up to process cardboard screens, a normally closed contact 1514 is interposed in the motor circuit of the already mentioned relay 1508 (Fig. 72, 74 and 75) oThe position of this contact
1514 depends on a cam 1516 attached to the shaft of the conveyor 759 near one side of the cam 882 serving to release the magazine This cam 1516 is a two cycle cam, and carries two sets of six consecutive lobes 1518, d 'a reduced angular width o Each of the sx

   lobes 1518 can, by engagement with a roller 1520 on the control arm 1522 of the contact 1514 (Figs. 72,
74 and 75) switch this contact from the normally closed position to the open position. Therefore, when during the advancement of the conveyor, the roller 1520 on the contact arm 1522 meets a lobe 1518 on the cam 1516, the contact 1514 is open, which determines the switching off of the relias 1508 and therefore the opening of the retaining centact 1510 and of the control contact 1512 in the circuit supplying the solenoid 1116 releasing the ratchet.

   Therefore, the solenoid releasing the ratchet is deenergized, allowing the nose of the locking pawl
1092 to land on the edge of the ratchet 1094 and attack its next tooth, which prevents It from turning further and stops the conveyor, the roller
1520 on the contact arm 1522 attacking the depression 1524 of the cam
1516 beyond the lobe 1518 which ensured the opening of the contact 1514. Consequently, the contact 1514 is again closed and the described mechanism can begin another cycle of operations initiated by the energization of the relay 1508.



   The depressions 1524 which separate the consecutive lobes of each set of cam lobes 1516 have a limited angular width corresponding to the advance of the feed conveyor necessary to bring a next row of pockets into alignment with the distribution conveyor, while that the depressions 1526 between each of the two consecutive sets of lobes have a greater angular width corresponding to the advance of the feed conveyor necessary to bring the first row of a new cardboard grid into alignment with the repair conveyor. tition.

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   Whenever the fourth row of pockets of a cardboard grid has been filled with eggs and the mechanism described above brought the fifth row of pockets from the cardboard grid below the distribution conveyor, it is time for a new cardboard grid falls from the magazine onto the feed conveyor. To this end, the already mentioned cam 882 is mounted on the shaft of the conveyor 759 in a position of rotation such that two diametrically opposed lobes 1532 of this cam are in angular alignment with the depressions 1524 between the fifth and the sixth lobe 1518 of the two sets of lobes provided on the edge of the cam 1516 9 as on figso 72 and 75.

   In this way, each time a fifth lobe 1518 on the cam 1516 has passed the roller 1520 on the contact arm 1522, indicating that the einquien row of a cardboard grid is filled with eggs, by the conveyor distribution, one of the lobes 1532 of the cam 882 drives a roller 1534 provided on the arm 1536 of a two-way contact 1538 (figo 73), which brings'. this contact from a position in which it closes a circuit energizing the control solenoid 936 of the upper pair of the cardboard retaining brackets 888A and 888b to a position in which it interrupts the latter circuit and closes a circuit through the control solenoid 920 of the lower retaining brackets. of the cardboard grids 904a and 904b, therefore,

   the upper brrdes 888a and 888b are projected into the magazine and fit under [, 'penultimate cardboard grid of the stack inside this magazine, while the lower retaining clips 904a and 904b are removed for than. the last shelf of the magazine can fall on the feed conveyor 192 in front of one of its pushers 755 (figo 83B).

   When the fifth row of pockets of the previous cardboard grid has been filled with eggs from the distribution conveyor and the secondary memory pin 1416 which released an egg in the last pocket of that row of pockets closes the contact 1506 and energizes relay 1508, the resulting energization of solenoid 1116 removes locking pawl 1002 from sixth tooth 1126 of ratchet 1094, allowing the conveyor to advance a sufficient distance to place the last row of , pockets of the previous cardboard grid below the distribution conveyor (Figo 83C).

   The rotation of the conveyor shaft 759 brings the lobe 1532 of the magazine control cam 882 past the roller 1534 of the contact 1538 (Fig. 73) allowing this contact to return from the position in which it energized the control solenoid 920 of the lower retainer brackets of the cardboard grids, in the position in which it energizes the control solenoid 936 of the upper grill retainers. Consequently, the lower brackets of the retainer of the flange return to their initial position in which they are projected inside the magazine,

   while the upper grid retaining clips are removed from the magazine and allow the stack of stacked cardboard screens in the magazine to fall onto the lower grid retaining clips (Figo 83C). As a result, the rack release mechanism at the bottom of the magazine is returned to its original position where it can feed the other carton rack onto the feed conveyor. As the sixth row of pockets of a cardboard grid fills with eggs from the distribution conveyor, the roller 1520 on the advancing contact arm 1522 of the conveyor 1514 is directly behind the sixth lobe of the conveyor. cam 1516 and in front of a large depression 1526 in the edge of this cam.

   Consequently, when an egg has been deposited in the last pocket of the sixth row of pockets and the secondary memory post 1416 which ensures the release of this last egg from the distribution conveyor closes the contact 1506 , the resulting advance of the carton feed conveyor 192 is significantly longer than in the previous five cases and places the new carton grid with its first row in the receiving position.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 63>

 eggs below the distribution conveyor, while advancing the filled cardboard grid in the zone of influence of the driven transport rollers 1190 which separate it from the packing stations and place it on the exit ramp 193 ( Figo 83D).



   During this operation, the two solenoids 842 and 862 which control the position of the retaining fingers of the cartons 830a, 830b and 832a, 832b, respectively, are kept in the energized state to render the fingers inoperative by keeping them in a position. away from the store. Whenever a packing station has to handle two-row cartons instead of six-row cardboard racks, the magazine is set to the position shown in solid lines in Figs. 63 and 64, as previously described, and the control lever 1026 on the side of the packing station is manipulated in the manner already explained to raise the box retainers 992 above the chains. 756a and 756b conveyors in working position.

   Further, the already mentioned contact mechanism 884 is manipulated by a control arm 1542 which rotates a bar-shaped cam 1540 (Fig. 66) which passes five two-way contacts 1544, 1545, 1546, 1547 and 1548. respectively (Fig. 72) from a position in which they establish electrical circuits allowing the operations already described for the release of the cardboard grids from the magazine and for the intermittent advance of these cardboard grids on the feed conveyor, to a position in which they establish circuitry allowing proper control of the carton release fingers and in which the intermittent feed conveyor advances are changed for double row cartons.



   With reference to figs 72, 73 and 74, the contacts 1544 and 1545 are brought from the position shown in fig 73 where they subject the energization of the solenoids 920 and 936 for the control of the retenting flanges of the cardboard screens. the position of the contact 1538 controlled by the cam, at a position where these solenoids 920 and 936 are permanently energized so that the retaining flanges are permanently removed from the magazine (Figo 72). Vice versa, the contacts 1546 and 1547 are brought from the position shown in figo 73 where they keep the control solenoids 842 and 862 of the cardboard retaining fingers in a state of permanent excitation, to a position (Figo 72) in which they subject the excitation of these solenoids 842 and 862 to the position of contact 1538 controlled by the cam.

   Further, manipulation of the bar-shaped cam 1540 moves a fifth contact 1548 from the position shown in FIG. 74 where the excitation of the relay 1508 can be interrupted by the opening of the normally closed relay 1514 whose position depends on the twelve lobes 1518 of the cam 1516 to a position in which the excitation of circlais
1508 can be interrupted by opening a normally closed contact 1554 whose position is determined by another cam 1556 also mounted on the shaft of the conveyor 759 mentioned several times (Figs.

   72, 74 and 75) o This 1556 cam operates in a similar fashion to the 1516 cam but instead of having two sets of six lobes 1518 each, it includes two sets of two lobes 1558 each in angular alignment on the fifth and sixth lobes of the cam 1516 and corresponds to the two rows of pockets formed pal lescartons of the type shown in figo 60, and while these two lobes 1558 are separated from each other by a depression 1559 of an angular width equal to the depressions 1524 which separate the lobes 1518 from the two sets of lobes of the cam 1516, the depression 1562 between the two sets of lobes 1558 of the cam 1556 is much larger than the corresponding depression 1526 on the cam 1516, and extends , in ;

  besides a difference equal to the depression 1526, over a distance corresponding to the total angular width of the first four lobes 1518 of each set of

  <Desc / Clms Page number 64>

 cam lebes 1516.,
In this way, each time that the roller 1564 on the contact arm 1566 (Fig. 74) has passed a second lobe 1558 over the cam 1556 which corresponds to a sixth lobe 1518 on the cam 1516, and found in front of a depression.

   1562 of this cam 1556, the closing of the contact 1506 on the secondary memory device of a row of boxes of the type shown in fig. 60, determines the energization of the locking solenoid 1116 and therefore the movement of the carrier. feeding cartons 192 as described in connection with cam 1516, but solenoid 1116 remains energized, and the conveyor continues to advance until cam 1556 has rotated by an equal angular width to a depression 1526 and four lobes il-518 of the cam 1516.

   Therefore, the box feed conveyor 192 advances a distance equal to the interval between two cardboard grids on the conveyor 192 plus the total width of four consecutive rows of pockets, which places the first row of pockets on the conveyor 192. 'a carton of the type shown in fig. 60 in the egg-receiving position, below the upper strand of the distribution conveyor. Then, as soon as the conveyor 192 stops with the roller 1564 of the contact arm 566 1554 in the depression 1560 entered the two lobes of a set of lobes on the cam 1556,

   one of the lobes on cam 882 which is in argular alignment with depression 1520 between the fifth and sixth obes of cam 1516 and therefore with depression 1559 between gremmer and secord lobe 1558 on cam 882, operates contact 1538 and close a path; conductor by solenoid 842 for the lower fingers of the case retainer to the case magazine while opening a conductive path previously closed by solenoid 862 for the upper fingers of the retainer.

   As a result, the lower fingers are removed from the magazine, allowing a carton to fall onto the feed conveyor when the first row of pockets from the previous carton is filled with eggs ;; while the upper fingers of the retaining mechanism protrude inside the magazine to block the descent of the other cartons from the magazine Then when the first row of pockets of the carton has been filled with eggs and the conveyor moves forward again by closing the contact 1506 on the second memory device by the secondary memory pin 1416 which releases the last egg in the pocket on the upstream side of the packing station, the groin 1532 on the cam 882 exceeds the arm of the contact 1536,

   which allows contact 1538 to return to its initial position in which it opens the circuit supplying the solenoid 862 and closes ... conductive path passing through the solenoid 842: This returns the magazine box retaining mechanism to its initial position in which it is ready for a new cycle of operations as soon as the otter lobe 1532 on the cam 882 moves the arm 1536 from the contact 1538.



   To ensure that the lower fingers of the retaining cases 730a and 830b of the case retaining mechanism are not certainly pulled away from the lower case in the magazine before the upper fingers 832a and 832b have moved under the penultimate case, a normally open contact 1570 (Figs. 72 and 73) is mounted in series in the circuit supplying solenoid 842 of the lower fingers, and the solenoid 862 of the upper fingers can close this contact whenever it is in the rest state A to this end, this contact 1570 is fixed on the mounting nlaaue 776 (Fig. 66) and an arm 1571 fixed on the intermediate part 874 of the,

  drive train of the solenoid 862 can bear against the roller 1573 of this contact and maintains the contact in the closed position as long as the solenoid 862 remains de-energized. Each time the solenoid 862 is energized, which means that the upper fingers are withdrawn from the magazine, the arm 1571 is moved away from the drive roller 1573 of the contact 1570 and this contact is opened and interrupts the circuit feeding the magazine.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 65>

 solenoid 842 of the lower fingers, so that the latter solenoid cannot be energized and the lower fingers remain in the cardboard retaining position.

   As soon as the upper solenoid 862 is de-energized under the action of the cam 882 in the manner described above and allows the upper fingers to go beyond the shop the concomitant movement of the intermediate piece 874 brings the arm 1571 against the roller 1573 to the contact 1570 and closes this contact) which places the solenoid 842 circuit of the lower fingers in the state desired for excitation and allows excitation to these lower fingers.



   Returning to the secondary memory device, when the secondary memory stud 1416 which a. 1 i berried the last egg or sixth egg in the last pocket of a row of pockets has passed the second Geneva stop
1442 where he initiated the operations described above to place- another row of pockets under the distribution conveyor, he goes through all the remaining Geneva stops 1443-1446 by advancing them by amounts of rotation corresponding to the distance angular between two consecutive notches and, passing in front of the sixth Geneva stop 1446, brings the latter back to the initial position shown in fig 106A,

   wherein the depression 1460 operating the contact of the cam 1458 is directly opposite the control roller 1462 of the contact 1456 for the solenoid 686 releasing the sixth egg. In this way, the engagement of the sixth Geneva stop by a tenon Subsequent memory 1416 in the lowered position determines the release by the release solenoid 686 of the sixth egg from a first egg in the next row of pockets offered to the distribution conveyor in the respective packing station.

   Thus, when another egg of the appropriate weight and quality approaches the considered packing station and energizes the solenoid 1415 moving the enons and corresponding to that station, the secondary memory post 141 6 lowered by energizing this station. solenoid must travel to the 16th Geneva stop 1446 before energizing an egg release solenoid.

   The next egg released from the distribution conveyor to the particular packing station falls into the sixth pocket on the downstream side of a new row of pockets which has meanwhile been brought under the distribution conveyor By the fact that one row of pockets receives its last egg from the dispatch conveyor on the upstream side of the packing station and the next egg of the same combination of quality and weight which is the first egg to fall in the next row of pockets, falls into the pocket on the downstream side of the packing station,

   sufficient time is reserved for operations which bring a new row of cartons to egg reception positions below the distribution conveyor even if the next egg which must leave the distribution conveyor by the packaging station in question immediately follows the egg that had been introduced into the last pocket of the previous row of pockets.



   When a profile 1233 of the memory belt has passed through all sectors 226 to 331 inclusive of the eighteen packing stations of the machine, and has initiated the release of an egg which it represents in one of these stations packaging as described above, all memory pins activated on this profile must be returned to neutral position before the profile can go up on the upper sprockets 1222a and 1222b of the memory belt on its strand descending, so that the profile can be ready to register the quality and weight of another egg introduced into the machine passing over the descending strand of the memory belt.

   To this end, a cross bar 1567 is bolted to the opposite ends of the outer guide bars 1227 of the riser of the memory belt above the level of the vertical mounting bars 1398 (Figs. 84, 86A and 87A) and plates

  <Desc / Clms Page number 66>

 slightly inclined cam 1568 shown in fig.

   99 are held by this bar 1567 near each of the rows of studs 1243 of the memory strap and can engage the heads of all activated studs 1242 and gradually bring them to neutral as they pass these plates. Therefore, whenever a profile 1233 has passed the bar 1567,

     all of its 1242 quality and weight registration posts are in neutral position and ready to re-register the quality and weight of an egg fed into the machine
Likewise, when a secondary memory post 1412 in the lowered state has consecutively exceeded and operates the six Geneva stops 1441 to 1446 it must be returned to its neutral position so that it can again represent a passing egg. of the distribution conveyor in the packaging station considered represented by the same six Geneva stops.

   For this purpose, upwardly inclined cam plates 1569 are provided at the rear end of the rotor formed by the vertical channels 1424, near each circular row 1431 of memory studs 1412 = Thus, when a lowered stud has passed the sixth Geneva stop 1446, and slips over the inforieure end of a cam plate 1569 and as it continues its rotational stroke it is returned to the neutral or ineffective position.



  * @CMPTEURS. -
While the wholesaler uses the machine of the invention to divide the eggs purchased from producers into a predetermined variety of combinations of different quality and weight and sold at different prices for presentation to consumers, he pays himself. even egg producers following quality and fish standards which may differ entirely from the standards for sorting eggs by machine.



   "So that a wholesaler can quickly determine the sums due to the different egg producers, sets of counters are associated with each of the candling stations of the machine and each of these sets of counters can be set to count the eggs. a combination of quality and determined weight brought to a particular candling station, regardless of the quality and weight standards on which the machine is based to distribute the eggs - For this purpose, the rotating grid 1284 which carries the quality and weight recording solenoids 342 and 446 near the downstroke of memory belt 170, carries for each of the six candling stations eight normally open contacts 1572 individually identified by the suffixes' a, b, c, d , e, f, g.

   and h, corresponding to the qualities recorded on the curve 170, at the same level as the weight recording solenoids 445 of the particular candling station to which the counters are associated (Fig 100A). The contacts 1572 close when an activated pin 1242 exceeds them and are similar in construction to the contacts already described 1372 and 1394 (figs.



  97 and 98) which operate when closed by memory pins activated to initiate operations resulting in the exit of an egg from the distribution-ion conveyor into a carton or a cardboard grid offered to this conveyor in a distribution station. 'determined packaging. With reference to pin 94, contacts 1572 are mounted on clamps 1574 which engage the vertical bars 1286 of the rotating grid 1284, at the same level as the four weight recording solenoids 445, and like the 1572 contacts are mounted on rotating bars while 1372 and 1394 contacts are mounted on fixed bars. earlier control levers 1576 have rounded lips 1578 at the tenons of the memory belt instead of straight edges like contacts 1372 and 1394.

   

  <Desc / Clms Page number 67>

 



   By closing ;, due to the passage of a memory pin in the active position, contacts 1572 energize relays 1580 (Fig 107) individually identified by the letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h , respectively, corresponding to the contacts 1572 which control them. In addition, each of the weight contacts 444 of the weighing mechanism of a particular candling station can by closing energize not only a corresponding weight recording solenoid 445, as explained above, but also one of the relays. a set of six 1582 relays individually identified by the letters j, k; 1, m, n and o corresponding to the contact of weight which can determine its excitation.

   Each time an egg passes through the weighing mechanism of a candling station, the corresponding row of studs on the memory belt passes through the sector of the memory belt's orbit of rotation in which! it enters into an operating relationship with the recording solenoid ie weight 445 of this particular candling station, and when this occurs one of the relays 1580 is energized by closing its contact 1572 by the quality pin in the active position of this row, and one of the relays 1582 is energized by operation of the weighing mechanism and by subsequent closing of one of the weight contacts 444.

   Each time a relay 1580 and a relay 1582 are energized in the manner described, a direct path for current 1584 is completed and energizes a counter of a series of servart counters to count the eggs of a quality completion. and of predetermined weight, for which the wholesaler gets the same price to the producers. Simultaneous excitation of one of the relata 1580 and 1582 can also operate a tetalizer which shortens all the eggs which pass through a particular candling station, whatever their type. weight or quality.

   To this end, each of the relays 1580a to 1580h can energize a battery 1586 of six contacts, one for each of the different weights that can be stored on the memory belt, and each of the relays 1582j to 1582o can energize a battery. 1588 of eight contacts, one for each of the eight different qualities that can be stored on the memory belt.



  In fig. 107, the contact batteries 1586 and 1588 are individually identified by the suffixes a through h and j through o respectively, corresponding to the suffixes of the relays 1580 and 1582 with which they are associated.



   Regardless of the number of combinations of different quality and weight among which the eggs may be divided by the machine of the invention to be presented to consumers, the egg wholesaler who buys the eggs from the producer and uses the machine of the invention. invention to divide them into definite combinations of weight and quality, seldom pays more than eight different prices. The form of the invention shown in the drawings by way of example therefore comprises eight counters which represent eight different purchase prices and which are symbolized by eight windings 1591 to 1598 on the pin 107 and are controlled by eight relays 1611 to 1618 respectively.

   In addition the machine has eight contact panels 1601 to 1608 which can be manipulated so that one of the counters 1591 to 1598 has a combination or more combinations of weight or quality.



  To this end, each of the six contacts of each bank of contacts 1586 which can be closed by energizing one of the eight quality relays 1580 is connected to one of the eight contacts of each of the six banks of contacts 1588 which can be closed by excitation one of the six 1582 weight relays. Whenever eggs belonging to a particular combination of quality and weight are to be counted by a particular counter, the path of the electric current passing through a contact of the controlled 1586 battery by relay 1580 which represents the particular quality and by a contact of the battery of contacts 1588 controlled by relay 1582 which represents the particular weight,

   is connected to the particular contact panel leading to the control relays el6ll, 1612, 1613, 1614,

  <Desc / Clms Page number 68>

 1615, 1616, 1617 or 1618 which governs the particular counter which has to deal with this combination of quality and weight. For example, the wholesaler may have to pay a price represented by counter 1596 for grade A eggs White and medium in size.

   In this case, in the 1588'm weight contact bank which can be closed by the 1582 relay energized by the medium eggs, the particular contact terminal connected to the contact of the 1586c grade contact bank which can be closed by relay 1580c which is energized by an active memory stud 1242c representing quality A White - is placed in contact panel 1606 and one of the control relay terminals 1616 of the sixth counter 1596 is also pressed in the same panel.

   Suppose now that a row of studs 1242 representing eggs processed in the first viewing station 151 passes through sector 55 (figo LOOA) of the memory belt's orbit of rotation, the sector corresponding to the location of the weighing mechanism of the first candling station on the path of advance of an egg brought to the elevator 168 of this first candling station. Suppose also that the third stud 1242C of this row of studs is in the active position indicating that the egg it represents has been classified as A White. ”Therefore, contact 1572C is closed and relay 1580c is energized, which closes all six contacts of the 1586c contact bank.



  Suppose also that the particular egg considered is of medium size. As soon as the egg passes through the weighing mechanism of the first candling, the 444m weight contact is closed and the 445m weight registration solenoid is energized to move the 1242m post in the memory post row. passing through sector 51 of the memory belt orbit at this time Closing the weight contact 444m does not serve only to energize the weight recording solenoid 445m; it also energizes for a short time @e relay 1582m which closes the eight contacts of the battery of contacts 1588m.

   In this way, the six contacts 1586c associated with the relay 1580c and the eight contacts 1588m associated with the relay 1582m are closed at the same time, as in fig. 107.



  As a result, a direct current path is established through one of six contacts closed by relay 1580c and one of eight contacts closed by relay 1582m, and this path passes through contact panel 1606 to control relay 1616 of the sixth meter. 1596 The energization of the control relay 1616 closes a contact 1616 'which establishes a direct current path through the winding 1596 of the counter which is to count all eggs of a price equal to the price of quality A white eggs and of medium size.

   Any other combination of weight and grade can be counted by the same counter by connecting the potential current path through contacts 1586 and 1588 which represent the chosen weight and grade respectively, to the sixth contact panel-1606. For the sake of clarity, the diagram shown in figo 107 shows only two of these connections among all the possible connections, namely those that we have examined above, in which the eggs of quality A White, and of medium size are counted by the sixth counter 1596 and which is represented in solid lines, and another indicated in dotted lines and allowing the same sixth counter 1596 to count eggs of quality A Cream and of medium size.



   In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the relays 1580 and 1582 of the six candling stations and the contact batteries associated with them 1586 and 1588 and the contact panels 1601 to 1608 are mounted. on six stacked shelves 1621 to 1626 respectively, provided in an annex 1628 of the box 172 of the memory belt (freeze 84), while the control relays of the counters 1611 to 1618 and the counters 1591 to 1598 are located in the corresponding candling stations under a suitable cover 1630 (Pig.6).

  <Desc / Clms Page number 69>

 
 EMI69.1
 



  'F ",, - 1l que: e 1'lo'! 1bre total, - '02 ..... fB pe:> SSl1I1;: 0' .. 11 a particular meter station can be counted, each 1i ,, "'2 1h,', t rel21. control of the meters 1611 to 1618 is connected in series with another relay 1634 (Freeze! 071 so that this relay -'134 is energized each time one of the eight control relays of the meters is supplied with current. The relay 1634 controls a normally open contact 1635 in the circuit supplying a totalizer represented by a winding 1636 in Fig. 107. Totalizer 1636 is therefore 3 energized each time one of the counters is energized and therefore records the number. total of eggs passing through a particular mirroring station.

   In the form of the invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the totalizer 1636 is placed under the same cover 1630 which houses the various counters of each candling station.



   Each of the counters 1591 to 1598 can be fitted with a suitable printing mechanism, also housed under the cover 1630o In the
 EMI69.2
 sch5ma represented on ip frigo 107, the printing mechanisms are represented by eight t SO, control inputs 1641 to 1648. These solenoids can be excited by manipulating a contact at b,; tiLtori-pushbutton 1650 placed on the right of each candling station, as in fig.
 EMI69.3
 dark, this pushbutton is: -; ", current flow through a relay '3 command 6; 2 which makes" tL' .... rm a normally open contact 1654. orsq '"' .f drmé" ca r'l) n t.EtC 1654: 'ta'b 11 t the passage of current by all ..1 -.: .. 0', l ': -'. rr, pr; ",," ;: "'ùr. 1641 to 1648.

   Thus, by pressing the push-button. ' I, u-i.: 0: -: - ,; cúr can determine at any time how many eggs .j, 4i û¯ J.an.3 -: '-: 1. , t: 0n due particular mirage belong to the different groups of priil p: = v 9t ¯; ra ,. "J,) H eight counters 1591 to 1598th FOavCT..ONNFJNT o ==
Although the description of the machine of the invention given above essentially follows the sequence of consecutive operating phases and
 EMI69.4
 that these operations have been fully described with the mechanisms which make up the machine;

  , fl can be useful, in order to understand the operation of the machine, to follow an egg in its path through the machine from the moment when the candler places it on a 160-quality ray until the moment when it falls. of the distribution conveyor 185 in a
 EMI69.5
 tone or cardboard grid at one of the eighteen packing stations 1900
To start the machine, the motor 659 below the front of the distribution conveyor 185 is set in motion.
 EMI69.6
 which has the effect of ertrainer.

   s distribution transpoitear, the elevators L68 of the six candling stations, the profiles next to the lifting of the eggs 256 of the feeding spokes 160th the entent hub 408 of the weighing mechanism which always makes the cam ensuring the approximation cyclic weight contacts 444 and discs 468 controlling these contacts, the chain 398 operating the transfer arms 396a and 396b, the lowering mechanisms 182 which pass the eggs from the weighing mechanism onto the distribution conveyor 185, the primary memory belt 170 and devices for
 EMI69.7
 auxiliary memory 1412n At the same time, the motor io60 (Fig. 4B) is started, which here applies mechanical force to the feeder 92 of the eighteen packing stations;

  However, without moving any ch9r., these carriers since the locking pawls 1092 of each of these stations engage the ratchets 1094 and therefore block any advance of these carriers under the influence of the 1060o engine. Finally, it may be desirable to put running the motor 707 which operates the pump 706 of the oiling station, the motor 742 which controls the air compressor 741 and the motor 747 which drives the suction fans 746a and 746b of this station.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 70>

 



   Suppose now that a candler from the first candling station places an egg on the third ray 160 from the bottom, which: indicates that he found the egg to be quality A White. Without eggs in the bowls 164 of the upstroke of the feed elevator 168 of the first candling station, the inner profiles 256 of the feed bay on which the candler has placed the egg, are in a state of continuous oscillation, which advances the egg above the consecutive bumps of the upper edges supporting the eggs 246 and 248 of the walls of the comb 238 and 242,

     until the egg finally rolls over a bowl of the feed elevator 16A which comes to rest at the end of the shelf at the exact moment when the egg passes over the last bumps of the edges 246 and 248, By moving above these last bumps, the egg lowers the contact arms 347, 349 (Figo 13) which closes the normally open contact 341c for a short time (Fig 5A) associated with this rayo Closing contact 341c energizes the solenoid of. quality 342c mounted on the oscillating grid 1284 in front of sector 13 (Figg. 10A);

  The memory belt rotates orbit near its descending strand at the exact moment that this grid brings all of the solenoids 342 mounted on it closer to the recording side of the memory belt. The control lever projecting from the solenoid 342c therefore passes the third tenon
242c of -a transverse row of memory studs passing at this moment tar the sector 13 of the orbit of the memory belt from the inactive position to the activated position Hence this transverse row of studs 1242 represents the egg considered during its movement through the machine and the inclination of the third tenon 1242c indicates that the egg belongs to quality A White From the upper end of the elevator 168,

   the egg passes over weighing platform 346 where one of the continuously circulating transfer arms 396a or 396b regulates the speed of passage.Now suppose the egg lowers the weighing platform to one degree or the fourth disc 468m counted from the top stabilizes at the level of the feeler nose 482 of the finger 470 controlling the contacta which indicates that the egg belongs to the weight group called "medium".

   Then, while the single protrusion of the continuously rotating cam 487 moves all of the weight contacts 444 and their fingers 470 to the weight discs 468, the weight recording contact 444m is closed and energized. a solenoid for recording the weight 445m in sector 55 of the memory belt orbit -sector corresponding to the weighing mechanism of the first candling station- at the exact moment when the transverse row of memory studs 1242 representing the egg under consideration passes through this sector and as the swing gate 1284 shifts the quality and weight recording solenoids in close proximity to the downstream strand of the memory belt.

   Excitation of solenoid 445m brings the 1242m- 'weight recording stud of this stud row from the neutral position to the active position, and therefore this stud row now registers both quality and weight. weight of the egg by the fact that its third and thirteenth tenon are tilted to the right, seen from a point in front of the descending strand of the memory strap, indicating that the egg is of grade A White and to the middle weight class.



   Closing the 444m weight contact again energizes the 1582m counter control relay as the inclined quality recording stud 1242c passes through sector 55 of the belt orbit. memory closes contact 1572c of oscillating gate 1284 and energizes the control relay of counter 1580c. In this way one of the counters 1591 to 1598 and the totalizer 1636 of the first candling station are controlled as described above.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 71>

 
 EMI71.1
 



  While one of the arms of 11 é: /. NSi0rt of the i ,, 5c-anisiyie of weighing sweeps the egg from the weighing platform into one of the transplanter-shaped civets 552 of the diabalssew3nt mechanism, it- between fit. contact with the impression wheel 541 of the egg marking mechanism and receives a mark characteristic of the first candling station The lowering mechanism then passes the egg into the cup 186 of the distribution conveyor 185, which drives the The egg past the next ciriq candling stations at a speed six times the speed of its movement through the candling station to the oiling station and through that station.



   Immediately before an egg passes below the oil nozzle 7059 the row of pins representing it on the memory belt passes through sector 181 of the memory belt orbit (Fig 100A) beyond , of a row of normally open contacts 1372 supported by the transverse profile 1370 (Fig, 85B) and the inclined tenons 1242c and 1242m close two of these contacts for a moment, namely the contacts 1372c
 EMI71.2
 at 1372m respectively, If the manually adjustable contacts i392¯e and 1392m associated with the contacts? 3'2¯c:

  t '372¯m are closed at this moment, which indicates that it is necessary to oil the eggs of quality A White and of average weight, the closing of the contacts 1372a and 1? 2 by the active tenons 1242c and z for The effect of momentarily closing the circuit supplying the control solenoid 713a which adjusts the supply valve 713 of the oil nozzle 705. This valve therefore opens and a small quantity of oil is pressed against it. upper end of the egg passing under the nozzle 705, pu .. spread in a thin film over the entire surface of the egg, while the latter passes through the jets of air directed against its surface by the nozzles 727 to 733 (Figso 48 to 56).



   The continuously operating distribution conveyor then drags the egg to the packing stations 190 while the memory post which represents it rises along the upstroke of the belt past the various 1394 normally open contacts attached near the ascending strand of the memory belt on the fixed bars 1398 (Figso 86A and 86B) and representing the various packing stations (Figso 5C and 5).

   In the machine setup shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, eggs of grade A white and medium size must be packed in the tenth packing station and therefore the 1398 mounting bars carry in the package. sector 280 of the orbit of rotation (the memory belt (Figo 100B) a 1394c contact adjacent to the longitudinal row of studs 1243c which represents grade A Cream and a 1394m contact adjacent to the row of 1243m studs which represents the size
 EMI71.3
 average.

   As the row of studs representing the slider egg passes through sector 281 of the memory belt orbit, active studs 1242c and 1242m close contacts 1394c and 1394m for a short time,
 EMI71.4
 which causes the energization of the solenoid 14J.) (Fig. 5D) associated with the tenth secondary memory device 1412 The energization of this solenoid 1415 lowers a secondary memory pin 1416 (Figs.

   101 and 103) in the
 EMI71.5
 tenth secondary memory device, and brings it into the active position, and now it is this lowered memory pin 1416 of tenth secondary memory device 1412 that represents the egg as it travels through the tenth packing station.
The shaft 1356 rotates the active tenon 1416 in synchronism with the advancement of 1 egg towards and beyond the tenth packing station and while this tenon passes the six consecutive Geneva stops 1441 to 1446 of the tenth packing station. secondary memory, it advances each of these stops by a small amount of rotation.

   According to the number of eggs
 EMI71.6
 previously released from the transpor'tanrde distribution 185 in a row of cardboard pockets or a cardboard grid presented to the transporter in

  <Desc / Clms Page number 72>

 the tenth packing station; the rotation of one of the six Geneva stops produced by this activated memory stud 1416 determines the closing of the associated contact 1450 and the energization of the corresponding solenoid in the battery of six solenoids 680 which flanks the dispatch conveyor in the tenth station of 'packaging.:

  The excitation of a solenoid 680 causes its control rim 687 to protrude on the path of the nose 675 of the cup 186 which carries the considered egg, which opens this cup and lets the egg fall into an empty pocket of the cardboard or of the cardboard grid on the infeed conveyor 192 of the tenth packing station.



   Assuming the cardboard pocket into which the egg fell as described on the last of the row of pockets, i.e. the pocket on the upstream side of the packing station, the same active memory pin 1416 which determined the release of the egg from the distribution transporter by rotating the first Geneva stop 1441 by an amount ie limited rotation,

   closes contact 1506 by rotating the stop
Geneva according to 1442 Closing contact 1506 moves the feed conveyor forward a distance equal to the width of a row of pockets or an appropriate distance to bring in a new box or a new grid cardboard box with its first row of pockets in the egg-receiving position below the distribution conveyor, as explained above.



   When the secondary memory pin 1416 which represents the considered egg has passed through the six Geneva stops 1441 to 1446, it meets the return cam 1560 (Fig. 103) which raises it to the inactive position, so that it can be activated again by energizing solenoid 1415 each time another A Cream quality egg; and of medium size approaches the tenth packing station on the dispatch conveyor.

   Likewise, the inclined posts 1242c and 1242m of the transverse row of primary memory posts 1242 which initially represented 1 eggs meet the idler cams 1568 (figo99) near the upper end of the ascending strand of the memory belt. (figs. 86A and 87A) and are therefore returned to the neutral position so that that particular row of posts can record the quality and weight of another egg deposited in the first candling station.


    

Claims (1)

Although the invention has been described in one embodiment, it will be understood that it is not limited to the construction details illustrated and described and may be departed from without departing from the scope of the invention. The machine of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described has been specially developed and is used for processing eggs, but a machine comprising the principles of the invention can be usefully employed for sorting other objects as well, for example example avocados, lemons or other valuable fruits CLAIMS 1.- Machine for sorting objects, especially eggs, characterized in that it comprises a device for transporting jets of different qualities consecutively on a predetermined path, a device being operable to release objects of the same quality from the conveyor at selected points of this path of devices at these selected points to bring containers into position for receiving objects below the transport device 2.- Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it <Desc / Clms Page number 73> comprises a device for weighing the objects passing on the predetermined path, the output device being operable to drop the objects from the transport device at selected points according to their weight determined by the weighing device 3.- Machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a feeding device for feeding objects of different qualities onto the transport device and a device for weighing these objects passing on the determined path of advance the output device being able to be actuated to drop The objects of a chosen combination of quality and weight, at fixed points along the predetermined path. 4.- Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the object feed iispositif is arranged in an initial part of the Grajet, the weighing device on this path and the output device in a following part of the path. 5.- Machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the output device drops the objects of the transport device at separate points on a part of the path, the device for placing the containers being individual. at these separate points 6.- Machine according to either of claims 1 to 5, trerized in that the transport device comprises a conveyor, and the output device ensures the exit of consecutive objects from the conveyor into a container in equidistant points along the carrier 7.- Machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the device for placing the containers can bring a container having a row of pockets with this row of pockets in the position for receiving objects below the transport device, and the scrthe device ensures the exit of objects chosen from the transport device in the pockets of the. container. 8.- Machine according to one; or the other of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that -The device for placing the containers can bring a container presenting a series of rows of pockets successively with its rows of consecutive pockets in the position for receiving objects below the device transport device, and the exit device ensures the exit of certain objects from the transport device at consecutive points spaced apart longitudinally with respect to this transport device by a distance equal to the distance between the pockets in the rows of po- from the container. 90- Machine according to one or the other of the preceding claims, cai ctérisée in that the output device ensures the output of selected objects .. from the transport device in a determined sector in advance of the path and took it out; a determined number of advancing objects chosen at consecutive points separated by equal distances from this sector in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the objects on the transport device. 10.- Machine according to claim 7 or 8 and 9 characterized in that the object exit device ensures the exit of consecutive chosen objects from the transport device at consecutive points of the sector corresponding to the pockets of the row of pockets. container upstream starting at a point above the pocket on the downstream side of the row of pockets. 11.- Machine according to either of claims 1 to 10, <Desc / Clms Page number 74> characterized in that it comprises a luminous bulb, a tubular housing surrounding this bulb, a lens disposed in this housing in front of the bulb and a device for introducing pressurized air into the housing around the bulb. 12.- Machine according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises an annular member of elastic material covering the edge of this housing in front of the ampoule. 13.- Machine according to claim 12, characterized in that it comprises a first socket supporting the bulb, a second socket surrounding the first and forming an annular passage with this first socket, the housing being in communication with the annular passage. and the air introducing device passing air into the housing through the annular passage. 14.- Machine according to claim 13, characterized in that the housing is open at one end and closed at the other, the lens being located in the housing near its open end and the housing having an air outlet opening between its closed end and the lens 15.- Machine according to one or the other of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that it comprises a feed slide comprising - member forming two parallel edges transversely spaced apart to support the objects, of a inclination of such a nature as to cause an object placed on them to advance with its principal axis transverse to the slide from the highest end to the lowest end, bosses transversely aligned at the lower ends of these edges to block the descent of an object placed thereon and a device capable of passing an object leaning against the bosses above the bosses. 16. Machine according to Claim 15, characterized in that it comprises a pair of transversely spaced support bars presenting the support edges, the device for lifting the objects operating in cycles to lift a series of. objects on these edges individually above the bosses o 17.- Machine according to claim 16, characterized in that the support bars form a series of slopes transversely aligned with an inclination such as to cause an object placed on them to roll towards the lowest points of these bars. its main axis extending transversely to the barso 180- Machine according to claims 16 or 17, characterized in that another bar is disposed between the pair of bars supporting the objects and forming bosses at points in the region of the lower points of the slopes formed by the bars supporting the objects, and a device oscillates the bar. a lower position in which these bosses are under the slopes, at a position in which these bosses are sufficiently raised to lift an object on the bars supporting the object and to pass it over the bosses. 190- Machine according to claim 18, characterized in that it comprises a device putting the oscillating device out of working state. 20.- Machine according to claim 17, characterized in that a second pair of parallel bars is arranged between the first bars and forms bosses at points situated in the region of the lower points of the slopes formed by the first bars, and a device made <Desc / Clms Page number 75> I oscillated these second tubs from a position in which their bosses are below the slopes to a position in which their bosses are high enough to lift a jet on the first bars and pass it over the bosses. 21.- Machine according to either of claims 15 to 20, characterized in that it comprises a station comprising a second trough conveyor capable of receiving and supporting individual objects, several feed slides formed of pairs of transversely spaced bars capable of bringing the objects placed on them onto the troughs. of this second conveyor on a device moving this second conveyor forward the device for lifting the objects operating in synchronism with the advancement of this second conveyor and a device made active by the presence of an object in a bowl of a conveyor approaching one of the feed slides to temporarily disable the control device of the device lifting the objects. 22. Machine according to one or the other of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that it comprises a marking mechanism for objects moving on the determined path of advance, this mechanism comprising a wheel of printing and nautical yielding devices carrying that printing wheel so that it can rotate about a horizontal axis extending transversely to the path and above that path to a distance less than the diameter of the smaller one objects '' moving on this path. 23.- Machine according to claim 22, characterized in that it comprises an inking wheel and a device yielding elastically upwardly supporting this inking wheel with its periphery resting on an upper segment of the printing wheel. 24.- Machine according to either of claims 21 to 23, characterized in that it comprises a device for weighing objects comprising the two carriers already mentioned supporting objects in a single file and making them advance in synchronism with each other, a mechanism for weighing the objects interposed between the two conveyors and a device for passing the objects from the second conveyor through the weighing mechanism on the first conveyor, this transfer mechanism comprising an endless chain rotating in synchronism with the conveyor and carrying a number of arms advancing the objects and extending transversely to the path of the object on the weighing mechanism. 25.- Machine according to claim 24, characterized in that the weighing mechanism comprises a platform interposed between two adjacent sectors of the conveyors, the arms advancing the objects being able to rotate in elliptical orbits around the platform. weighed in the space between the second transporter and the platform and the space between the platform and the first transporter in the order listed. 26.- Machine according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that it comprises a device for recording the weight rotating in synchronism with the two conveyors and the transfer device, consecutive sectors of its surface corresponding to consecutive objects transported by the carriers, and a device responsive to the actuation of this weighing mechanism by objects passing from the second transporter to the first transporter to record the weight of the objects in corresponding sectors of the weight recording device. 27.- Machine according to claim 26 characterized in that <Desc / Clms Page number 76> it comprises a device resiliently holding the platform in an elevated position so as to enable it to be lowered elastically to lower levels, this device comprising a temperature-sensitive compensation system, a control device a contact moving with the platform, several normally open contacts which can, by closing, operating various weight indicating elements and comprising control arms facing the device and a device operating by depositing an object on the platform to bring this device and these control arms closer together to actuate the device by one of the arms following the level to which an object deposited on the platform has lowered this platform. 280 Machine according to any one of claims 25 to 27, characterized in that it comprises several discs controlling the contacts placed at different relative levels and moving with the platform, these discs having concave lower surfaces and an equal number of normally open contacts capable, by closing, of operating various weight indicating elements and comprising control arms facing the discs, control fingers which can rotate between the discs and the arms, formed control noses at a common horizontal level on the edges of the fingers opposite the discs, these noses having concave lower edges and a device operating by depositing an object on a platform to bring the discs and the contacts together and to determine the centact of one of the noses and of the corresponding disc and consequently the operation of the contact arm associated by the opposite edge of the finger mounted on the enez entered into contacta 29.- Machine according to claim 28, characterized in that it comprises a device which can operate in coincidence with an initial phase of the relative approximation of the discs and the contacts to lower these discs by a limited distance below the level determined by the deposition of the 'object on the platform * e. 30.- Machine according to claim 29, characterized in that the device for lowering the discs also blocks the discs in the lowered position. 31.- Machine according to unecoul'autre of claims 25 to 30, characterized in that it comprises a cyclic device for bringing an object on the platform and making it out, and in series = with the aforementioned contacts an equal number of solenoids capable of recording by excitation different consecutive weight ranges on a weight recording instrument, in series with the individual solenoids. 320- Machine according to either of claims 6 to 31, characterized in that it comprises buckets supporting the objects for the first transporter, these buckets being formed of a pair of concave shell sections, a device to support these shell sections and allow them to rotate about horizontal axes; and a device resiliently pressing the shell sections into a rotational position in which their lower ends come together so as to support an object by their concave interior surfaces. 330- Machine according to claim 32, characterized in that it comprises a device capable of rotating the shell sections about their axes in a direction opposite to the action of the elastic device, so as to separate their lower ends. 34.- Machine according to either of claims 32 or 33, characterized 'in that the first conveyor comprises a pair of chains <Desc / Clms Page number 77> EMI77.1 parallel transversely spaced apart, pairs of concave shell sections being rotatably supported by these chains, their concave surfaces facing each other, and spaced gear segments. socket forming part of the hulls to couple them and. rotate them in syn- EMI77.2 chronism '-' in reverse 35.- Machine according to claim 34, characterized in that a nose is formed on the leading segment of the aforementioned segments and there is provided a device for advancing the chains and a device at a fixed point along the chains which can protrude on the path of the nose so EMI77.3 rotating the godetensens drive gear segment opposite to the influence of the spring device in order to move the lower ends of the shell sections apart. 360- Machine according to claim 35, characterized in that EMI77.4 the device determining the rotation of a drive segment comprises a solenoid. d '1 L p. 7. The mature can by excitation of the solenoid exceed on the path of the nose and rotate the leading segment of the bucket, and there is provided a device for momentarily energizing this solenoid and an ispositif supporting the 'reinforcement to keep it protruding by engagement EMI77.5 u nose of the bucket even after the solenoid has ceased to be excited. 'o- Machine according to claim 36, characterized in that: - =. ':: 0.' El1úid comprises and surrounds a magnetic part having a portion ifc '"7" its. inclined upper surface, the reinforcement extending in substantially 1,;, ",,. : e horizontalame "l-: 'It above the inclined upper surface of the part with its control end protruding from its upper edge, the frame forming an inclined surface corresponding to the inclined upper surface of the part, an arm supporting the frame by means of a pivot at a point above the upper surface, an elastic device pushing the frame into a position where its inclined surface is spaced from the inclined upper surface of the magnetic part, its support arm being angularly displaced from the upper position in a direction opposite to the control end of the armature and a device capable of operating the solenoid and determining the traotion of the armature by the magnetic part to bring the armature into a position where its surface EMI77.6 inclined is near the inclined upper surface of the magnetic piece, the support arm of which is angularly moved from its upper position in the direction of the control end of the arm. 38.- Machine according to claim 37, characterized in that the magnetic part comprises a pair of vertical arms with inclined upper surfaces and a horizontal spacer, the solenoid being placed EMI77.7 around the spacer, the substantially "horizontal frame being disposed above the upper ends of the arms, its control end projecting the upper edge of one of the arms and the device bringing the frame into a position where the inclined surfaces are spaced apart from the inclined upper surfaces of the arms in a direction opposite to the control end comprising a spring ,, 39.- Machine according to either of claims 32 to 38 characterized in that it comprises a device for damping the fall of the object released by the bucket. 40.- Machine according to claim 39, characterized in that the device for damping the fall comprises a pair of parallel coil springs extending below the first conveyor at the exit points, these coil springs being separated one by one. on the other by a distance less than the width of the smallest object in the bucket., <Desc / Clms Page number 78> 41.- Machine according to either of claims 24 to 40, characterized in that the first conveyor advances the objects with their main axes oriented vertically, the second conveyor advances the objects with their main axes oriented horizontally and the transfer device receives the objects, with their main axes oriented horizontally, of the second conveyor and passes them over the first conveyor by modifying the position of their main axes from horizontal to vertical. 42.- Machine according to claim 41, characterized in that the first conveyor advances the objects in a direction transverse to the second conveyor, their main axes being oriented vertically and at a level lower than the second conveyor and the device of transfer receives objects with their main axes arranged horizontally at the level of the second conveyor and lowers them at the level of the transport device. 43.- Machine according to one or the other of claims 24 to 42, characterized in that the transfer device comprises a mechanism for lowering the objects (the upper level to a lower level, comprising a rotating shaft arranged horizontally, a device for rotating this shaft, a base plate mounted so to be rotated with the barrel, an object support member supported with play by this shaft to have around it, a toggle joint connecting this object support member to the base plate and a cam device can vary the distance between the joint of 1 toggle joint and the central axis of the shaft during its rotation, so as to modify the speed of rotation given to the support member of the object by the base plate through the articulation, the cam device being shaped so as to slow the advance of the member support of the object at the three o'clock point of its rotational orbit. 44.- Machine according to claim 43, characterized in that 1, member retaining the object is fixed on the base plate at a point located behind the member supporting the object, the cam device slowing the advance of the 'member supporting the object, until the member holding the object reaches the effective position of retaining the object relative to the member supporting the object, and accelerating the rotation of the supporting member the object to make it exceed the rotary advance of the retaining member dd the object at about six o'clock in its orbit of rotation, so as to separate these members and allow an object held between them to fall between these organs. 450- Machine according to claim 44, characterized in that the member supporting the object has the form of a transplanter with longitudinal slot 46.- Machine according to claim 44, characterized in that the member retaining the object comprises a pair of resilient fingers transversely spaced apart. 470- Machine according to either of claims 43 to 46, characterized in that the device rotating the shaft comprises a toothed wheel driving one of the chains of the conveyors carrying the object, the base plate being mounted from way to turn with the toothed wheel 48.- Machine according to either of claims 1 to 47, characterized in that it comprises a device for oiling the objects comprising a nozzle above the transport device at an initial point of the determined path in advance, to direct an oil spray <Desc / Clms Page number 79> on the objects advancing on the transport device and a device for directing a jet of air on the objects at a consecutive point of the predetermined path. 49.- Machine according to claim 48, characterized in that the nozzle is selectively adjustable to direct a jet of oil on certain objects advancing on the transport device. 500- Machine according to claim 49, characterized in that an enclosure covers the oiling device, the nozzle directs the oil spray on the upper end of the object and the blower device directs the air jets successively on the upper part and the side parts of the object, a device being provided for sucking the air out of the enclosure. 51.- Machine according to either of Claims 1 to 50, characterized in that it comprises a recording device comprising an endless belt and transverse rows of tenons pivoting on the belt in sectors. of the peripheral surface thereof so that they can be individually adjusted from a rest position to an active position, the individual tenons of the rows of consecutive tenons being aligned longitudinally with respect to the periphery of the belt to form longitudinal rows of tenons. 52.- Machine according to claim 51, characterized in that it comprises a device for rotating the endless belt, a support structure rotating near a strand of the belt along its peripheral surface and outside of this surface, solenoids held by this support structure facing the rows of tenons and being able by excitation to actuate a control member capable of moving a tenon on the belt from the rest position to the active position, and a device making it oscillate the support structure in synchronism with the advancement of the belt so that these solenoids move periodically with the belt 53.- Machine according to claim 52, characterized in that the endless belt comprises two parallel strands, the rows of tenons extending parallel to the axes of rotation of the belt and a second support structure provided near the other strand of the belt along its peripheral surface and outwardly thereof carries contacts facing the rows tenons so that the passage of the tenons in the active position can actuate them. 54.- Machine according to either of claims 51 to 53, characterized in that the endless belt comprises a pair of endless chains, a series of sections supported by these chains and between these chains with their concave faces directed outwards and tenons arranged in the profiles and pivoting on the side walls thereof so as to protrude over a limited distance from the peripheral surface of the belt defined by the outer edges of the profiles 55.- Machine according to claim 54, characterized in that rotation limiting stops are provided on either side of the tenons and mounted in the side walls of the profiles. 560- Machine according to either of claims 51 to 55, characterized in that it comprises a device for moving the tenons of the recording device which comprises an excitation coil, an armature disposed transversely near to one end of this coil, this armature pivoting by one of its ends and carrying a median projection which can protrude inside the coil, an oi-ielle acting on the <Desc / Clms Page number 80> tenants at the other end of the frame and a device pushing the frame with its median projection out of the winding. 57.- Machine according to claim 56, characterized in that the frame is E-shaped and pivots via its lower bar, the middle bar protrudes inside the coil and the upper bar carries a pick acting on the tenons. 580- Machine according to either of claims 51 to 56, characterized in that it comprises a contact which can be controlled by the studs, this contact comprising an elongated control arm having a free end, a pivoting ear presenting its head to the tenensl of the recording device; the tail of this ear being above the free end of the control arm, and a rotation limiter stop preventing the release of this tail from the free end of the control arm 59.- Machine according to claim 58, characterized in that the ear has a curved surface convex to the studs of the recording device o 60.- Machine according to either of Claims 2 to 59, characterized in that it comprises a magazine for cartons selectively adjustable to contain cartons of different sizes, this store comprising rigid elements determining a end wall and two side walls and elements defining the other end wall, capable of pivoting from a position separated from the first end wall to a position close to this first wall 61.- Machine according to claim 60, characterized in that the cardboard magazine comprises a rectangular frame large enough to embrace the largest boxes to be stacked in the magazine, the aforementioned rigid elements being connected to this frame by three sides, and the other end wall pivots on the frame to move from a lowered position adjacent to the opposite side of the frame to a raised position spaced apart from the opposite side of the frame. 62.- Machine according to: claims 60 or 61, characterized in that it comprises releasable members retaining the pivoting wall in the raised position. 63.- Machine according to either of claims 11 or 62, characterized in that it comprises an arm on which the other end wall of the frame pivots to pass from the lowered position to the position. upper, a spring device pushing the other end wall into the lower position and a spring bolt mounted on the other end wall and slidable on a side bar of the frame when the other wall is 'end is in the upper position} so as to retain it in the upper position 64.- Machine according to any one of claims 60.63 in which the magazine can handle cardboard grids resting on cardboard plates, characterized in that the magazine comprises a pair of members supported at the lower ends of opposite walls of the magazine to move from a position in which they protrude inside the magazine and support a lower cardboard plate contained in the magazine. sin to a position where they are withdrawn from the magazine, another pair of members supported some distance above the first pair and being able to move from a position in which they are withdrawn from the magazine to a position in which they are protrude inside the store, and a device which protrudes the upper organs inside the magazine and removes the lower organs? from the store to drop <Desc / Clms Page number 81> the last cardboard plate and the cardboard grid which rests on it out of the magazine while retaining the remaining stack of cardboard plates and cardboard grids in the magazine, and then being able to return the lower parts to position in protrusion inward and pull the upper members away from the interior of the magazine to retain the remaining stack of cardboard plates and cardboard grids on the lower members. 65.- Machine according to claim 64, characterized in that the other pair of members is supported above the first members, at a distance slightly less than the total depth of a cardboard plate, and the cardboard grid that she supports 66.- Machine follows claim 65, characterized in that the upper members have flanges directed inwards, said flanges having at their inner edges cavities, corresponding to the projecting edges of the partitions of the cardboard grids and capable of receiving protruding edges 67.- Maohine according to one or the other d.es claims 1 to 66, characterized in that it comprises a cardboard feed conveyor comprising a pair of chines forming a substantially horizontal strand, these support bars for the cartons extending longitudinally and above this horizontal bri of the transportear and the pushers of the supported cartons; = these chains at intervals suitable for receiving a carton between them. 68.- Machine according to claim 67, characterized in that the chains are of the endless type and the pushers pivot on the chains, devices being provided to raise the pushers above the bars during movement on '' 03 cardboard feed conveyor strand. 69.- Machine according to claims 67 or 68, characterized in that the pushers comprise: '+ being a front wall able to come into contact with a cardboard box and pushing it and a device on this front wall allowing the descent of a cardboard box brought in front of a pusher and opposing the ascent ,,. 70.- Machine according to claim 69, characterized in that the front wall is substantially vertical, and the device allowing the downward passage of a carton comprises a cylindrical element whose axis is horizontal and parallel to the front wall, a device being provided to make this element pivot at the upper end of the vertical wall about an eccentric axis parallel to its own axis. 'Il.- Machine according to claim 70, characterized in that the cylindrical element pivots in a cavity close to the upper end of the anterior wall so that in its equilibrium position a sector of its cylindrical surface protrudes at the anterior surface of the wall. 72.- Machine according to claim 71; characterized in that the cylindrical element is a plastic tube. 73.- Machine according to one or the other of claims 67 to 72, characterized in that the upper ends of the pushers form a surface inclined towards the rear. 74.- Machine according to either of claims 67 to 73, characterized in that the pushers are supported by the chain at intervals defining pockets of dimensions suitable for receiving large-sized boxes, organs limiting pockets normally out of service, being supported on the chain at points: mr. between the pushers and an adjustable device being provided to bring these <Desc / Clms Page number 82> pocket limiters in the pocket limit active position, 75.- Machine according to claim 74, characterized in that the pushers take an active position when they move along a horizontal strand of the conveyor chains, the members limiting the pockets pivoting on the chains and being arranged below pushers when these move along the horizontal end of the chains, cam devices for the pocket limiting members able to pass from a rest position in which they allow these pocket limiting members to change to the state resting on the horizontal strand, to an active position in which they tilt the pocket limiting members into the active position limiting the pockets relative to the pushers. 76.- Machine according to claim 75, characterized in that it comprises a device locking the cam device in the active position. 77.- Machine according to either of claims 67 to 76, in which the cardboard feed conveyor is located below the store, characterized in that it comprises a device having = Day effect, when the pushers move closer to the magazine, to adjust these pushers in a position where their pushing surface is inclined backwards. 78.- Machine according to 1 or 1 other of claims 67 to 77, characterized in that the pushers are raised in a position where their thrust surface is substantially vertical while they pass under the magazine 79.- Machine according to either of claims 2 to 78, characterized in that it comprises an arrangement preventing the brine drawn from an endless transmission belt of the cardboard feed conveyor from slackening when this belt is abruptly stopped and absorbing the sudden shock imposed on the pulling strand of the belt when the belt is suddenly started, this arrangement comprising guide shoes coming into contact with the opposite strands of the belt at their outer peripheries, a common bar carrying these shoes at a distance less than the distance between the strands of the belts if they were stretched and an elastic device opposing the movement of these shoes transversely to the strands of the belt 80.- Machine according to claim 79, characterized in that the elastic device comprises a brass pivoting on a fixed base and supporting in turn by a pivot the aforementioned common bar, a pivoting dash-priort on a fixed base with its piston pivotally mounted on the arm to oppose the pivoting movement of the braso 81.- Machine according to claims 79 or 80, characterized in that the shoes are semi-circular blocks 820- Machine according to any one of claims 67 to 31, characterized in that it comprises a device operating intermittently to advance the cardboard feed conveyor so as to place the rows of pockets of a case placed on this conveyor consecutively in the position for receiving the objects below of the first conveyor supporting the buckets and of a device responsive to the output of a predetermined number of objects of the first conveyor supporting the buckets to activate the advancement device of the feed conveyor and place a row following pockets in position for receiving objects below the first conveyor carrying the buckets. <Desc / Clms Page number 83> EMI83.1 83e- Machine suvan ". Andendïeatïon 829 characterized ep that it comprises a device acting after a predetermined number of interventions of the advancement device of the feed conveyor so that the magazine releases a container and places it on the conveyor food 84.- Machine according to claim 83, characterized in that it comprises a device intervening during the placement of an object in the last pocket of the last row of pockets of a container on the feed conveyor to advance this. feed conveyor at a distance sufficient to place the first row of pockets of a subsequent container in the object receiving position below the first conveyor supporting the buckets. EMI83.2 850- Machine according to 1 uniol another of claims 67 to 84, characterized in that it comprises a rotary shaft for the feed conveyor ae containers a drive train on this shaft comprising a coupling, a continuously rotating motor and can apply EMI83.3 a rotational energy at the tooth side effects this coupling, a device normally having the effect of preventing the transmission of this rotational energy from the drive side to the driven side of the coupling to keep the feed conveyor stationary. receptacles, an electrical control device capable, by excitation, to switch on the device preventing this transmission of energy and a cam device on the shaft of the container supply conveyor to interrupt the circuit supplying this shutdown device and consequently limit the advancement of the conveyor. feeding the containers at a suitable distance to place a next row of pockets of the container in the position for receiving the objects under the first conveyor 86.- Machine according to claim 85, characterized in that EMI83.4 that it comprises a device reacting to the output of a determined number of objects in advance of the first conveyor in order to energize the switch-off device and to advance the conveyor for feeding the containers and - its additional cam device on this tree, acting by a rotational advance determined in advance of the shaft to excite the EMI83.5 container dispenser device. 87 c- Machine according to Iliine or other of claims 85 or 86, characterized in that it conigeilune ratchet wheel mounted on the shaft of the cardboard feed conveyor, this ratchet wheel having as many teeth as 'there are rows of pockets in the containers, all of these teeth except one being spaced from the immediately following tooth by an angular distance corresponding to the width of the rows of pockets in a longitudinal direction with respect to the advancement of the conveyor d the cartons being fed and the remaining tooth being spaced from the next tooth by an angular distance corresponding to the distance between the last row of pockets of a container of the container feed conveyor and the first row of pockets of a next container on the conveyor feeding receptacles, and a device which normally has the effect of engaging the ratchet wheel to block its rotation but which can temporarily release it 88.- Machine according to claim 87, characterized in that it comprises a locking pawl and an elastic device pressing this pawl into engagement with the ratchet roae to block its rotationg and a device operating after release of a number of 'objects of the device carrying the objects corresponding to the number of <Desc / Clms Page number 84> each row of pockets to temporarily move the pawl away from the ratchet wheel. 89.- Machine according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprisesa rotary primary control device rotating in synchronism with 1 advancement of the objects on the transport device, consecutive sectors of its periphery corresponding to consecutive objects moving. on this transport device, members of the consecutive sectors of the primary control device which can be selectively orientated to represent different qualities of objects, several slides being able to receive objects of different qualities and make them pass over the transport device in a trivial part of the determined route advances, a device associated with each of these slides and reacting to the passage of an object from a slide over the transport device to bring members of a corresponding sector of the control device into a position indicating the quality of the object represented by the slide from which it has passed on the transport device, several mechanisms at points distributed over the end part of the path determined in advance, which can place containers for objects forming a series of rows of pockets and each comprising several pockets in the position for receiving the babies relative to the device for transporting the objects, batteries of devices having the effect of releasing objects moving on the device transported these batteries being placed near the transport device to each of the feeding mechanisms of the containers, a number of auxiliary control devices for each of the mechanisms supply of the receptacles moving in synchronism with the primary control device to determine the order of intervention of the various individual devices for releasing the various batteries, and of the adjustable devices provided in the sectors of the orbit of rotation of this primary control device corresponding to the receptacle feed mechanisms and of type, in response to the passage of a sector of the control mechanism carrying determined quality tiadications, to be excited by the auxiliary control device of a selected receptacle feeding mechanism the device ensuring the release of the objects above an empty bag of the container presented to the transport device in this chosen container feed mechanism 90.- Machine according to claim 89, characterized in that it comprises a weighing device interposed on the path determined in advance at a point located further than the slides, and a device responsive to the actuation of this weighing device by passing an object over it to place members of the sector corresponding to the control mechanism in a manner characteristic of the group of weights to which this object belongs, the individual devices causing the release in the batteries of these devices being aligned with the individual pockets of the rows of pockets of the receptacles on the feeding mechanisms of the receptacles and the aforesaid adjustable devices initiating, by passage of a sector of the control mechanism bearing indications of quality and determined weights, the efficient operation of the auxiliary control device of a selected container feeding mechanism 91.- Machine according to either of claims 89 or 90, characterized in that it comprises a control device for determining the sequence of interventions by the devices ensuring the individual release of the objects which can, by bringing an object closer to the transport device and the selected selector, determine the excitation of a device releasing the object above an empty pocket of the container presented to the transport device. <Desc / Clms Page number 85> 92.- Machine according to claim 91, characterized in that EMI85.1 the control device comprises a rotor, -qne "" circular tongue of tenons supported on this totor, a device causing the rotor to rotate with its tenons in synchronism with the advancement of the members on the conveyor, a certain number of Geneva stops equal the number of control devices mounted in such a way as to be able to rotate in an arc around the rotoro and in such a way that the cavities of the peripheries of the Geneva stops can EMI85.2 be driven by the tenons of the rotor, normally cp1s contacts associated with each of the Geneva stops, these contacts being able, by closing, to close circuits exciting the devices releasing the objects and devices on the Geneva stops being able to close these contacts. 93.- Machine followed the claim 92, characterized in that the Geneva stops have as many peripheral cavities as there are devices for releasing the objects, and the angular interval between two consecutive Geneva stops relative to 1 axis of the rotor differs from EMI85.3 the angular difference between two consecutive tenons of the rotor in a measure equal to the ratio between the linear distance between consecutive devices for releasing the objects and the linear distance between consecutive members for supporting the objects. EMI85.4 94a Machine according to] A claim 939 characterized in that? the includes a device to move the tenons from the sub position to the active position 95.- Machine according to any one of claims 6 to 94, EMI85.5 characterized in that it cor 1renaj, U: \ 13 series of solenoids close to a determined sector of the first window, each of these energized solenoids being able to act on an individual support member of an object passing at this moment to release the object which it supports and a mechanism of order real EMI85.6 sliding movement of objects chosen by the first transporter to excite the release solenoids in a predetermined order, a mechanism comprising tenons advancing in synchronism with the members supporting the objects0QuprAmier transporter and able to pass from a respos position to an active position9 a certain number of Geneva stops, one for each of the solenoids, which can turn close to the path of the tenons, so that their peripheral cavities can be driven by these tenons, a normally open contact placed near each stop in Geneva and capable of, EMI85.7 by its fenmeturey close a circuit supplying adenoids, a device provided for the Geneva stops and being able to close the contacts which are associated with them and thus excite an output slenoid of an object and a device which can by bringing together d 'a member supporting an object of selected quality and the sector determined in advance passr the tenon corresponding to the member supporting this object from the rest position to the active position. 960- Machine according to claim 95, characterized in that the Geneva stops are separated by intervals corresponding to the spaces between the solenoids, each Geneva stop having as many cavities. EMI85.8 peripheral tees that there are solenoids in the series of solenoids, and the contact closure device provided on these Geneva stops being mounted at angularly displaced points from the Geneva stops. In appendix: 62 drawings.