GB1276361A - Apparatus for conveying elongated root vegetables aligned in single file - Google Patents

Abstract

1276361 Conveyers; orientating articles SORTEX BRETTEN Ltd 14 May 1969 [16 Feb 1968] 24578/69 Divided out of 1273972 Headings B8A and B8S Carrots and like tapered vegetables to be orientated for delivery to a topping machine, not shown, are delivered singly from a rotary table 33 on to an endless conveyer 36 with a plurality of transverse rollers 37 arranged between a pair of endless chains 38 whereby on rotation of the rollers, on their movement over a stationary plate 40, the carrots are caused to be orientated in a direction transverse of the direction of conveyance and in the gaps between the rollers 37. The conveyer 36 discharges the carrots on to a horizontal or inclined plate 41 across which the carrots roll to be received on a pair of endless wires 31 in the crown, that is heavy end, leading disposition. Disposed on opposite sides of the wires 31 are a pair of endless belts 44, 44a and a pair of wires or the like 43, 43a arranged to form a trough with increasing inclination of the sides in the direction of conveyance. The carrots are fed to the table 33 from a hopper (46), Fig. 3 (not shown), by an elevator (47) comprising a scraper conveyer extending inside the hopper and feeding the carrots to an endless belt which in turn feeds them to an endless conveyer (52) of similar construction to the conveyer (36) which arranges the carrots singly for feeding to the table (33). Alternatively the conveyer may directly feed the conveyer (36), as may the elevator (47). The elevator may feed a plurality of conveyers and may have openings (55) in the support base (50) to allow discharge at different levels. In a further embodiment, Fig. 5 (not shown), a vibratory conveyer (18) is disposed between the elevator (47) and a rotary table (19) to arrange the carrots in longitudinal alignment, the table (19) acting to turn the carrots through 90 degrees for feeding to the conveyer 36. In a further embodiment, Fig. 7 (not shown) carrots are fed to the upper end of a pair of parallel inclined rollers (57) rotating in opposite directions and on passage along the rollers become longitudinally arranged in the gap between said rollers. In a still further embodiment, Fig. 10 (not shown) a series of fixed guides (66) with angled faces 72 are arranged alternately with movable guides (68) connected to a swinging beam (69) such that the carrots are step-wise advanced with successive movements of the guides (68) to become transversely arranged for feeding to the conveyer 36.