GB1024305A - Improvements in or relating to packaging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,024,305. Forming batches of articles; feeding articles. ROSE BROS. (GAINSBOROUGH) Ltd. Dec. 6, 1962 [Dec. 14, 1961], No. 44718/61. Headings B8C and B8S. Apparatus for forming regular batches of articles comprises a conveyer 14 and driven bands 19, Fig. 6, not shown, feeding several files of articles 11 towards a collection station whereat the leading article in each file enters a slot 25 of a rotary member 22, the members 22 then being rotated through 90 degrees by a rack-andpinion mechanism 27, 28 and the articles drop into shoots 13 of a hopper 12, Fig. 3, a bar 38 having semi-circular grooves with apertures 40 retain the articles in members 22 until the full 90 degrees rotation has been completed; a series of ejectors 41 on bracket 42 and moved by a parallel linkage, descends to force out any article remaining in members 22. Normally with the hopper full, the bottom article is held from a support 47 trappers 52, Fig. 4, and the ejectors 41 push the articles down so that the bottom ones fall on to support 47. The ejectors 41 and members 22 can be immobilized to allow a build up of the files of articles, by moving a sprag 54, Fig. 4, through handle 61 so that a lug 58 engages a latch 63 on the parallel linkage 44 for moving bracket 42, and a further lug 64 is moved into the path of an extension 66 of an arm 33 to hold a roller on the arm away from a cam which normally produces movement of the rack and pinion mechanism controlling members 22. Successive batches of articles are moved off the support 47 by a pusher having two relatively movable parts 67, 68, Fig. 5, provided with tines 69 corresponding to the number of shoots 13; the parts are mounted on bars 71, 82 mounted between rollers 72 and 83 for reciprocation under the control of arms 76, 86, respectively. Both parts 67, 68 are moved in unison to move articles 11 against a stop 91 away from the hopper, a pair of members 99 then move inwards to move the articles into close juxtaposition; the members 99 and stop 91 are then withdrawn and the lower pusher part 67 moves the batch of articles into a waiting pocket 109 of an intermittently moving conveyer 111 for transfer to a wrapping machine. All the moving parts of the apparatus are driven from a main shaft through chains and sprockets and/or cams and followers.