GB1147750A - Container feed apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,147,750. Endless conveyers. FMC CORP. 18 Dec., 1967 [5 Jan., 1967], No. 57438/67. Heading B8A. Spaced lines of containers C are formed from a steady input on an endless conveyer 12, by the action of a slower running endless conveyer 16, the spaced lines of containers C being then moved successively into the path of a feed means 40 (Fig. 8) which causes them to be displaced laterally. The conveyer 16 comprises a laterally spaced pair of chains which carry two longitudinally spaced series 30, 31, of rubber pads (33), (Fig. 3, not shown) each of which stands proud above the supporting surface of the conveyer 12. Thus as the leading pad of one of the two series 30, 31, reaches the beginning of its operative horizontal run (Fig. 4), the first container to be engaged is slowed down, and succeeding containers progressively back-up behind it. A gap is thus formed between these containers and those preceding the first container to be slowed down, since the latter are being conveyed by the faster conveyer 12. When the trailing end of the pad series 30 (or 31) reaches the end of the horizontal run (Fig. 4) the leading end of the other pad series 31 (or 30) is just reaching the beginning of the run (Fig. 4). The pad series 31 thus permits the remainder of the backed up containers to be conveyed again by the conveyer 12 and thus to become spaced from those backing up behind the leading container engaged by the pad series 31. The spaced series now on the conveyer 12 downstream from the conveyer 16 is deflected by a rotary member 43 into a pocket 40A of a transfer reel 40 (Figs. 7 and 8). The latter feeds an endless conveyer 41. The conveyers 12 and 16 are driven by gearing from a drive shaft 26 from which further gearing provides the drive for the member 43, the reel 40, and the conveyer 41.