GB1296572A - - Google Patents

Abstract

1296572 Feeding sheets COURTAULDS Ltd 17 Sept 1971 [18 Sept 1970] 44630/70 Heading B8R A pile of flat container ends is supported between guide pillars 3, Fig. 1, above an aperture 2 in a base plate 1 and rests on two pairs of fingers 21, while a pair of fingers 11, in a plane spaced above the plane of the fingers 21 by the thickness of a container end, or a plurality of such ends which are to be separated together from the pile, are in a retracted position. In operation, on rotation of a drive shaft 7, the fingers 11 are advanced and inserted into the pile above the end or ends to be separated, the fingers 21 are retracted to release the end or ends below the fingers 11, the fingers 21 are advanced again, and the fingers 11 are retracted to allow the pile to drop on to the fingers 21, and the cycle is repeated for each end or group of ends to be released. In one form, Figs. 4 and 5, in which the ends are made of a ferro-magnetic material, each end released is deposited on a flange 32 of one of a plurality of pockets 31 in an intermittently movable endless conveyer 30, and a magnet 45 moves upwards into contact with the lowest end before its release, and draws it down into the pocket after its release. The ends may be piled in a different orientation for release other than from the bottom, in which case a spring urges the pile in release direction.