EP0078256A1 - Procede et appareil d'orientation de materiaux - Google Patents

Procede et appareil d'orientation de materiaux

Info

Publication number
EP0078256A1
EP0078256A1 EP19810901638 EP81901638A EP0078256A1 EP 0078256 A1 EP0078256 A1 EP 0078256A1 EP 19810901638 EP19810901638 EP 19810901638 EP 81901638 A EP81901638 A EP 81901638A EP 0078256 A1 EP0078256 A1 EP 0078256A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
capsules
capsule
pocket
longitudinally
pockets
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19810901638
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
E. Michael Ackley
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0078256A1 publication Critical patent/EP0078256A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/02—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors
    • B65G47/04—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles
    • B65G47/12—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles
    • B65G47/14—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding
    • B65G47/1407—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl
    • B65G47/1442—Devices for feeding articles or materials to conveyors for feeding articles from disorderly-arranged article piles or from loose assemblages of articles arranging or orientating the articles by mechanical or pneumatic means during feeding the articles being fed from a container, e.g. a bowl by means of movement of the bottom or a part of the wall of the container
    • B65G47/1471—Movement in one direction, substantially outwards
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00—Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/22—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors
    • B65G47/24—Devices influencing the relative position or the attitude of articles during transit by conveyors orientating the articles
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
    • A61J3/00—Devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms
    • A61J3/007—Marking tablets or the like
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
    • A61J—CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
    • A61J3/00—Devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms
    • A61J3/07—Devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms into the form of capsules or similar small containers for oral use
    • A61J3/071—Devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms into the form of capsules or similar small containers for oral use into the form of telescopically engaged two-piece capsules
    • A61J3/074—Filling capsules; Related operations

Definitions

  • This application relates generally to the field of capsule orienting apparatus and more particularly, is directe to a multi-drum type of capsule orientation or rectification apparatus including a plurality of tangentially registered pockets which function with exteriorly positioned air jet guides and other means to uniformly orient randomly fed capsules.
  • the capsules generally consist of bodies of predetermined size and configuration to hold the medicinal and other compounds and caps which are telescopically arranged over the bodies to retain the filled material therewithin.
  • indicia over the surface of the capsule, for example the name of the manufacturer or the name or batch number of the material packaged within the capsule or other information required by the Food and Drug Administration or other agencies.
  • This can be done by "spin printing" an elongated indicia on the capsule or by printing the capsule in another suitable manner.
  • Spin printing is accomplished by causing the capsule to spin about its axis as the indicia is imprinted upon the surface of the capsule.
  • the capsules may be uniformly oriented or rectfied prior to reaching the imprinting station while the capsules ca be uniformly rotated during the imprinting operation. The rotation occurs in a manner which allows rotation of the capsule without substantial slippage between the imprinting head and the capsule surface whereby a sharp, precise, printed indicia can be produced on each capsule as it passes through the imprinting station.
  • the present apparatus represents an improvement over the prior art capsule orientation machines for. many reasons, e.g. more versatile, greater efficiency and for other reasons as will become apparent from the further description. It provides a reliable, automatic and rapidly functioning device capable of rapidly and uniformly orienting a plurality of randomly fed capsules.
  • capsules comprising a body and a telescopically arranged cap are loaded from a supply hopper individually into a plurality of peripheral cavities or pockets which are provided about the periphery of a feed drum.
  • Each of the pockets is similarly formed and is characterized by a radially extending portion an a communicating longitudinally or circumferentially extending portion.
  • the capsules are fed from the hopper and may be randomly received in the feed drum pockets, but preferably, th capsules are fed in radial orientation to the radially directe portion. In other of the pockets, the capsules may be in longitudinal orientation within the circumferentially directed portion.
  • Either the body or the cap may be positioned radiall inwardly within the radial portions of the pockets and either the body or the cap may be positioned in the leading or forwar position within the longitudinal portions of the pockets in view of the random feeding from the hopper.
  • the capsule are randomly positioned each in one pocket either in the longitudinal or radial pockets, which are at a 90° angle with respect to each other in one single plane.
  • a vacuum chest is located immediately adjacent the inner surface of the feed drum if it is desired t assit the postioning of the capsule in the pocket in radial position.
  • a brush means which may be rotating is positioned downstream from the feed hopper and is positioned in tangentia arrangement with the feed drum.
  • a capsule which falls into the longitudinal cavity will not fit into it because of the radially seated capsule, may, however, partialy be in the longitudinal cavity.
  • the brush means assists to dislodge any- such longitudinal capsules.
  • the pockets hav their cavity occupied by either a longitudinally or radially
  • the position of the brush and vacuum means may be interchanged, so that the vacuum chest will assi in positioning all radially oriented capsules.
  • the apparatus includes a sizing block and back guide circumferentially arranged in overlying relationship to the feed drum downstream of the vacuum and brush means when these are used.
  • the sizing block and back guide means comprises a circumferential channel or slot of sufficient size to receive the capsule body in rotary, sliding engagement therewithin and of insufficient size to permit the capsule cap to enter and rotatably slide therewithin.
  • the sizing block and back guide means further comprises an air jet oriented to direct a jet stream of air upon each respective pocket as the pocket is rotated beneath the air jet.
  • the air jet operates to lift the radially seated capsule upwardly on an air cushion to bring it out of the cavity.
  • the air jet impinges on the longitudinal cavity, then streams into the radial cavity to create the necessary uplift pressure.
  • the capsules which had randomly been positioned withi the radial portion of the pocket with the cap radially inwardl (or downwardly) positioned and the body radially outwardly (or upwardly) positioned are urged upwardly or radially outwardly until the outward portion of the body enters the arcuate slot.
  • the sizing block and back guide means then act to retain the capsule so pivoted in the longitudinall aligned position as the feed drum is rotated.
  • the capsules which are longitudinally aligned are travelling with
  • a transfer drum of similar configuration to the feed drum is tangentially arranged and is rotatably driven in synchronism with the feed drum whereby the pockets in the transfer drum are tangentially brought into register with the pockets in the feed drum as the feed drum and the transfer dru are rotated in synchronism.
  • the capsules remain in the same plane, i.e., radially, but they are inverted in the transfer.
  • the pockets of the apparatus described herein need not, and are not configured as the pockets of sai patents which include a generally radially-directed pocket, a generally longitudinally-directed pocket, and a generally transversely-directed pocket.
  • the pocket herein described need an angularly sloping bottom surface as describe in said patent.
  • an important object of that patent and others designated above is to dispose the capsule in a position well suited for direct spin printing, i.e., the transverse position relative the direction of the machine travel.
  • the machine in accordance with the invention can in one of its embodiment also dispose the capsule in a position best suited for spin printing.
  • a second or lower back guide circumferentially overfits the transfer drum and is similarly equipped with an air jet means.
  • those capsules that are already longitudinally positioned in the longitudinal portion will be traversed through the lowe back guide without further orientation with the body portion leading and the cap trailing.
  • those capsules which are radially positioned within the radially directed portions of the feed drum pockets, i.e. the capsules with their cap now radially inwardly positioned will be acted upon by the air jet.
  • the air jet thus assists to raise the capsule cap porti out of the pocket and to introduce the body into the arcuate space defined between the surface of the transfer drum and the back guide.
  • the air jet acts to longitudinally align such capsules in the longitudinal portions of the pockets with the body portion leading and the cap trailing.
  • the air operates in cooperation with the rotary movement of the drum and the occasional frictional engagement of the capsule with the inner portion of the back guide as the drum rotates and t pivoting movement of the capsule about the inside shoulder of the pocket.
  • each capsule will be similarly oriented after handling by the feed drum and the transfer drum whereb each capsule is positioned within the longitudinally extending portion of the pocket with the body in leading orientation and with the cap in trailing position.
  • a second vacuum chest may be provided to assist in th positioning of the capsules in this second drum.
  • the apparatus of the invention provides in the operations which follows several alternatives for handling or processing the capsule.
  • the capsules can be transferred to a suitable conveyor means without changing the direction of the capsule, i.e. it will be longitudinally aligned or there is provided means for turning the capsule to a transverse positio at right angle with the line of travel of the conveyor to read each capsule for spin printing station.
  • It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel capsule rectification apparatus comprising a feed drum and a tangential transfer drum, a back guide means provided in association with each drum and an air jet means associated with each drum wherein at least some of the capsul transported by the feed drum are longitudinally oriented by t feed drum air jet means and whereby the remaining capsules ar longitudinally oriented by the air jet streams associated wit the transfer drum.
  • It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel capsule rectification apparatus which includes a first feed drum which picks up capsules from a hopper in random arrangement, first orientation means to selectively rectify some of the capsules in the feed drum to a longitudina position with respect to the path of movement, transfer means to transfer longitudinally oriented capsules from the first feed drum to second transfer drum in longitudinal alignment, said transfer means further transferring radially oriented capsules from the first feed drum to the second transfer drum in radial alignment, second orientation means to longitudinall orient the remaining of said capsules in the second transfer drum from where they are deposited onto a conveyor means for further processing.
  • the capsules may be so deposited on the conveyor means in a position ideally adapted for "spin printing” or for printing the capsules positioned in longitudinal orientation with the direction of travel, rather than the capsules being positioned with their axes at approximately right angles to the path of travel, as i the case for spin printing.
  • It is another object of the present invention * to provide a novel capsule rectification apparatus comprising a hopper containing a large number of capsules in random arrangement and first and second rotary drum means and first and second guide means including air jets, all of which are adapted to sort out and orient the capsules so that they are uniformly spaced apart about the second drum means in longitudinal orientation with the capsule body forwardly positioned and with the capsule caps rearwardly positioned relative to the direction of the travel.
  • It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel capsule rectification apparatus comprising a first feed drum, said drum including a plurality of pockets each having a radially directed portion and a longitudinally directed portion, a first capsule orientation means associated with the feed drum to longitudinally orient at least some of the capsules contained within the pockets, a transfer drum in tangential arrangement and synchronized movement with the feed drum, the transfer drum comprising a plurality of similar pockets each having a radially directed portion and a longitudinally directed portion, a first capsule orientation means associated with the feed drum to longitudinally orient a least some of the capsules contained within the pockets, a transfer drum in tangential arrangement and synchronized movement with the feed drum, the transfer drum comprising a plurality of similar pockets each having a radially directed
  • a second orientation means associated with the transfer drum whereby a capsules not longitudinally oriented by the first orientation means will be oriented in the transfer drum pocket by the second orientation means.
  • Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • Fig. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.
  • Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, cross sectional view looking from line 3-3 on Fig. 1.
  • Fig. 4 is a partial, enlarged, side elevational view of a modified embodiment of the invention.
  • OMPI Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in Fig. 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.
  • Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a spin-printing station.
  • a capsule rectification apparatus designated 10 which comprises generally a hopper means 12, a rotary brush means 14 a feed drum means 16 and a transfer drum means 18, all of whic cooperate to rectify a plurality of randomly oriented capsules 20 for deposit upon a conveyor means 22 in a preselected, rectified arrangement for printing or marking.
  • the hopper means 12 is mounted in stationary relationship upon a suitable support (not shown) and includes an inclined bottom 24 which terminates at a capsule opening 26 to facilitate feeding the capsules 20 one at a time to the dru means 16. As shown, the angle of inclination of the hopper bottom 24 is designed to radially align the bottom whereby the individual capsules will be radially fed toward the feed drum means 16. However, a hopper may be used from which the capsules . will be fed not only radially but also deposited in a longitudinal position in the- cavity.
  • the feed drum means 16 comprises generally a feed " drum 28 which is rotated in the direction of the arrow 30 by its associated shaft 32 in known manner.
  • a similarly configured transfer drum 34 rotates in substantially tangential relationship below the feed drum 28 in the direction of the arrow 36 upon rotation of its affixed shaft in 38.
  • the shafts 32, 38, and their respectively affixed drums 28, 34 are rotated in synchronism by a motor and drive apparatus (not shown) in a suitable manner well known to those skilled in the art.
  • the feed drum 28 and transfer drum 34 are similar in construction and are each provided with a pluraltiy of equally spaced, peripherally positioned, uniformly configured, capsule receiving pockets or depressions 40, 42. While a single peripheral row of pockets 40, 42 in each of the drums 28, 34 is illustrated, it will be appreciated that other similar rows can be transversely arranged about the peripheries of the respective feed drum 28 and transfer drum 34 to similarly feed and rectify simultaneously greater numbers of capsules 20, if so desired.
  • the feed drum pockets 40 and the transfer drum pockets 42 are substantially identical in that both pockets comprise a radially extending portion " 44 and a .communicating, ⁇ longitudinally " extending portion " 46,which portions are'defined” " one from the other by an intermediate shoulder-, 48. " .
  • -the pockets in the respective- drums- can differ from each other. Fo " r- instance, , while there is a need- for- shoulder 48 or equivalent means to assist_in the- ivoting " of the. ' - ' - , capsule, in- the -feed drum, there.
  • the radially- extending portions 44 and longitudinally extending portions 26 of the feed dru - p ⁇ ckets 40 and transfer drum pockets.42 are sized -and configured to receive and retain one of the capsules 20.
  • the capsules can be conventional in configuration and comprise a generally cylindrical body 50 with a generally cylindrical cap 52 in overfitting, telescopic arrangement.
  • the diameter of the cap 52 is slightly greater than the diameter of the capsule body 50 and " it is this difference in size that is utilized for capsule rectification purposes in the manner hereinafter more fully described.
  • a plurality of randomly oriented capsules 20 feed along the inclined bottom 24 of the hopper means 12 through the opening 46 and one capsule individually enters each of the pockets 40 as the feed drum 28 is rotated in direction of the arrow 30.
  • the capsules 20 will " be presented to the feed drum 28-in generally radial orientation and will, be received within the radially extending - " portions 44 in an upright position with the respective bodies 50 positioned radially outwardly from the respective bodies 50, capsules fed to the hopper are initially in haphazard or random orientation.
  • a vacuum chest 112 is positioned and functions as described hereinafter.
  • a rotary brush means 14 is positioned arcuately downstream from the hopper means 12 and is rotated by its shaf 54 in the direction of the arrow 56 to assist in sweeping out and away any capsules 20 that might be lying in a generally longitudinal position partially overlapping with a capsule in the radial position and to assit in sweeping any longitudinal oriented capsules into a radial position within its associated radially extending cavity portion 44, when that cavity is free
  • feed drum means 16 further comprises an arcuate sizing block and back guide 58 which is positioned in circumferentially overlying relationship to the feed drum 28 a the lower quadrant thereof.
  • the sizing block and back guide 58 is provided with an arcuate slot 60 which extends in length over one or more of the spaced peripherally outwardly from the surface of the feed drum 28 to define an aligning space 66 therebetween, which space is less in width than the diameter of the body 50 of a capsule 20.
  • Th block and back guide 58 can be positioned anywhere against the feed drum in the space downstream the hopper and upstream the transfer point from one to the other drum.
  • the length of the slot is a matter of judicious choice: when the rotational speed of the drum is comparatively fast, the slot preferably will extend over a plurality of pockets; desirably it will be shorter when the speed is lower. it is evident that the invention contemplates such slots or space to be of any length as may be desired.
  • an air jet 62 is suitably supported and positioned to direct a radial air stream through an opening 64, provided in the guide
  • the capsule cap 52 is radially inwardly positioned within the radially extending pocket portion 44.
  • the capsule body 50 is radially inwardly positioned within the radially extending pocket portion 44.
  • the air jet stream upon application of a jet of air from the air jet 62 through the opening 64, the air jet stream will impinge directly upon the pocket portions 46, 44 as the feed drum 28 i rotated.
  • the directed air stream extends radially inwardly to the bottom of the radially extending pocket portion 44 where i turns and by applying forces against the bottom of the capsule tends to urge the capsule 20 radially outwardly.
  • the width of the slot 60 is just sufficient to admit the body 50 of the capsule 20 in rotary, sliding engagement therewithin.
  • this capsule is oriented within th radially extending portion 44 in a position with the capsule body 50' extending radially downwardly and with the capsule ca 52' extending radially outwardly. Accordingly, when the jet o air from the air jet 62 is directed into the bottom of the pocket 40 in a manner to impinge upwardly upon the capsule 20' to force the capsule upwardly and radially outwardly from the pocket 40, the cap 52' will be urged toward engagement with th marginal edges 68, 70 which define the arcuate slot 60.
  • the width of the slot 60 i fabricated less than the diameter of the cap portion 52' and the marginal edges 68, 70, which define the slot 60 act to prevent the entrance of the capsule cap portion 52' into the slot 60.
  • the capsule 20 cannot ris to pivot about the shoulder 48 and so will remain oriented within the pocket 40 in a radially directed positioned with the capsule body 50' positioned downwardly within the radially extending pocket portion 44.
  • the air stream from the air jet 62 cannot urge the capsule 20' into its longitudinally aligned position within the longitudinally extending portion 44.
  • the interior surface 72 of the guide 58 will act to maintain the capsule 20' in its radially extended position.
  • the capsules 20 are rotated past the air jet 62, the capsules 20 approach the interface 74 between the feed drum 28 and the transfer drum 34 in either a longitudinally oriented position with the capsule body 50
  • CMPI leading as indicated at 76 or in radially oriented position with the capsule body 50 extending radially inwardly as indicated at 78.
  • the distance from the face of the guide 58 facing the drum may be adjusting the guide; likewise the width of slot 60 can be constructed to admit different sized capsules, i.e. of different diameters.
  • a stationary vacuum chest 112 which is located immediately adjacent to the inner surface of feed drum means 16 to aid in seating the capsules 20 within the respective feed drum pocket 40 as the capsules are fed from the hopper means 12.
  • the vacuum within the chest 112 is communicated with the individua pockets 40 through small holes or conduits as the pockets are rotated past the chest upon rotation of the feed drum means 16 in the direction indicated by the arrow 30.
  • a conduit 116 interconnects the vacuum chest 112 with a known vacuum source, which may be introduced immediately adjacent to the feed drum shaft 32.
  • the vacuum chest is provided as a further aid, but is not a requirement, to assist in seating such capsules.
  • an air chest 118 immediately adjacent to the inner surface of the feed drum means 16.
  • a conduit 120 communicates the interior of the air chest 118 with a known source of air, whic source may be introduced immediately adjacent to the feed drum shaft 32 in any suitable, known manner.
  • the air means assist in the transfer of the capsules from one drum to the other by creating a back pressure on the bott of the capsule to assist in dislodging it.
  • the transfer drum means 18 can be equippp with a vacuum chest 122 with intercommunicating vacuum condui 124 to aid in the capsule transfer and with an air chest 126 with intercommunicating air conduit 128 for clean out purpose
  • the air chest 126 preferably is angularly spaced fro vacuum chest 122 and is located below the horizontal in a position rotatively beyond the station of capsule discharge upon the conveyor means 22. This vacuum chest also is not necessary to the operation and for the machinery of the invention.
  • transfer drum 34 is configured similarly to feed drum 28 and includes a plurality of similarly positioned, circumferentially spaced pockets 42 which are rotated into registry beneath the feed drum pockets 40 as the transfer drum 34 is rotated in synchronism in the direction of the arrow 36.
  • the pockets need not be identical with those in the feed drum.
  • the transfer drum means 18 includes an arcuate back guide 58' whic includes an air jet 62' and an air jet opening 64'.
  • the guide interior surface 72 defines an aligning space 66' between the back guide 58" and the outer periphery of the transfer drum 34.
  • the air jet 62' directs a stream of air through the opening 64' and into the bottom of each pocket 44 as the transfer drum 34- is rotated.
  • Those capsules wherein the capsule body 50 has been radially positioned or oriented at transfer will be acted upon by the air stream.
  • OMPI feed drum 28 will be longitudinally oriented by the function the transfer drum means 18 at the lower, transfer drum 34.
  • T aligning space 66' defined between the periphery of the transfer drum 34 and the radially inward surface 72' of the guide 58' cams downwardly and serves to maintain the capsules 20 in their longitudinaly oriented position with the respectiv capsule bodies 50 extending forwardly and the respective capsule caps 52 extending rearwardly relative to the direction of travel.
  • the lower back guide 58' terminates at its lower extremity in one or more side shoes, 86, 88 each of which is suitably aligned with a row of transfer drum pockets 42 to receive in sliding arrangement the rectified capsules 20 as indicated.
  • side shoes, 86, 88 each of which is suitably aligned with a row of transfer drum pockets 42 to receive in sliding arrangement the rectified capsules 20 as indicated.
  • pluralities of rows of peripherally spaced pockets 40, 42 will be provided in spaced arrangement along the peripheries of the feed drum 28 and the transfer dru 34 whereby a greater number of capsules 20 can be simultaneously and automatically rectified by providing increased multiples of pockets, 40, 42.
  • an additional side shoe 88 should be provided for each such additional row of circumferential pockets (not illustrated) .
  • the conveyor means 22 comprises a plurality of interconnected links, three of which are indicated at 93, 94, 96. Each of the links upwardly carries a spin pocket means 98 which spin pocket means is transversely aligned to receive capsules 20 from each of the side shoes 86, 88 as indicated.
  • each side shoe 86, 88 terminates in an arcuate bend 100 at the guide terminus 90 which bend is contacted by the capsule body 50 in a manner to turn each capsule as indicated by the arrow 102.
  • the capsules drop upon the spin pocket means 98 a an angle to the direction of travel of the capsules 20 within pockets 42 of the transfer drum 34 as generally indicated by the arrows 104, 104'.
  • Each spin pocket means 98 comprises an inclined surf 106 which slopes downwardly toward the spin pocket 108 opposi the direction of travel indicated by the arrows 92, 92'.
  • Eac inclined surface 106 terminates rearwardly in a transverse sp pocket 108 of suitable size to receive and retain a capsule 2 therewithin in a manner to facilitate rotation of the capsule within the spin pocket 108 during the spin printing operation.
  • the side shoes 86, 88 function to turn the rectifie capsules 20 through ninety degrees and to drop the capsules upon the spin printing conveyor means 22 in the direction of the arrows 92, 92' and the incline of the surfaces 106 act to roll each capsule 20 into the respective spin printing statio in rectified orientation.
  • a spin printing apparatus which includes a reservoir 144 for a suitable marking dye or ink, transfer roll 142 and printing roll 146, which is continuously rotated as shown, in contact with the capsules 20 as they move underneath roller 146.
  • Spi printing in connection with this type of machinery is illustrated in U. S. Patent 3,871,295 which supplies the rectified capsules for spin printing only.
  • an air separator means as illustrated i Fig. 6, may be positioned as shown. Such separator is described in U.S. Patent 3,868,900.
  • the apparatus of the invention can dispose and provide the capsules so that they need not be spin-printed but rather printed or otherwise processed, when in longitudina alignment with the course of travel of the conveyor means.
  • a capsule rectification apparatus 10' wherein a bac guide 58'' is employed to guide the rectified capsules 20 toward a printing station 130 in longitudinally aligned orientation.
  • a bac guide 58'' is employed to guide the rectified capsules 20 toward a printing station 130 in longitudinally aligned orientation.
  • the device illustrated and described in conjunction with Fig. 3 for turning the capsules by 90° is not necessary since the capsules are deposited or transferred on the conveyor means without change of orientatio
  • the longitudinally aligned and rectified capsules 20 exit the capsule rectification apparatus 10* at the back guide 90' and are deposited in longitudinal alignment upon conveyor means 22'.
  • Conveyor means 22' comprises a plurality of capsule carrier bars, three of which are indicated at 132, 134, 136, interconnected by suitable links 92', 94', 96*.
  • the conveyor means 22' is provided with plurality of pocket means 98', which pocket means are longitudinally oriented and are positioned to receive and transport the longitudinally oriented, rectified capsules 20 a they are delivered at the guide terminus 90' by the transfer drum 34.
  • the longitudinally oriented capsules are then transported for further processing as may be desired, such a printing (not by spin-printing) or other marking as required.
  • the capsules may be transported by conveyor means 22, 22' for subsequent printing or packaging operations, or both, as may be desired.
  • conveyor means 22, 22' for subsequent printing or packaging operations, or both.
  • the material may have a so called cap and body portion, as is illustrated by wa of example only, but the material may have a protrusion or asperity or other means or other shape, or be of such configuration that the one end of the body will not enter into slot or space 60', thus selectively permitting the body to enter the space by one of it ends but not by the other.
  • back guide 58' can be provided with an arcuate slot (similar to 60) , like back guide 58, but that would be unnecessary since in the transfer drum there are no capsules with their enlarged portion facing upwardly.
  • arcuate slot similar to 60
  • the machinery and process of the invention has wide and numerous applications wherever capsules or similar materials are to be transported from one location to another, these materials having dissimilar ends and where it is an objective to selectively position or orient or rectify these materials as may be required for eventual further processing.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles To Conveyors (AREA)

Abstract

Appareil et procede de transport et d'orientation de materiaux qui ont des extremites dissemblables, telles que des capsules, dans une orientation et une position predeterminees. L'appareil comprend deux tambours rotatifs (16, 18) disposes tangentiellement. Chaque tambour comprend une pluralite de poches espacees a la peripherie (40, 42) dimensionnees et formees pour recevoir et porter des capsules individuelles (20). Chaque tambour est pourvu d'un jet d'air (62, 62') et d'un guide (58, 58') qui oriente certaines capsules preselectionnees (20) depuis une position radiale vers une position longitudinale avec une extremite de fuite selectionnee. Les capsules (20) sont ensuite acheminees sur une transporteuse (22) pour traitement ulterieur, telle qu'une impression, par exemple une impression rotative.
EP19810901638 1981-05-04 1981-05-04 Procede et appareil d'orientation de materiaux Withdrawn EP0078256A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1981/000587 WO1982003843A1 (fr) 1981-05-04 1981-05-04 Procede et appareil d'orientation de materiaux

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0078256A1 true EP0078256A1 (fr) 1983-05-11

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EP19810901638 Withdrawn EP0078256A1 (fr) 1981-05-04 1981-05-04 Procede et appareil d'orientation de materiaux

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WO (1) WO1982003843A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4632028A (en) * 1984-11-20 1986-12-30 Ackley E Michael Apparatus for orienting and printing capsules
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