GB1592244A - Apparatus for preparing slices of structural honeycomb material for the packaging of articles - Google Patents

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR PREPARING SLICES OF STRUCTURAL HONEYCOMB MATERIAL FOR THE PACKAGING OF ARTICLES (71) We, DUFAYLITE DEVELOP MENTS LIMITED, a British Company, of Cromwell Road, St. Neots, Cambridgeshire, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: In the complete specification of our patent application No. 27160/77 (Serial No.

1584257 we have described and claimed an apparatus for preparing slices of structural honeycomb material in the unexpanded state for the packaging of articles which comprises means for locating said slices in succession, expanding means operable to grip the located slices by opposite faces thereof and pull-out the slices in the expansion direction thereof to expand them to the open cellular state, a conveyor provided with means for receiving the succession of slices in, and retaining them in, the expanded state, said conveyor being operable for conveying said slices for the packing of articles therein, and transfer means for transferring the expanded slices for reception by the conveyor.

The form of the apparatus as described with reference to the drawings accompanying the said specification is fed with the slices manually or by a conventional roller drive. They require to be fed in turn to the locating means viz. the trough constituted by two identical parts 144 of which one is shown in Figure 8 of the said drawings.

An object of the present invention is to provide for mechanized feeding of the slices.

By the present invention the apparatus is provided with advancing means for advancing the slices in succession to a holding station, and means at the holding station operable to accelerate the slices in turn and thereby project them into the locating means as required.

The arrangement whereby the slices are projected, rather than conveyed, into the locating means avoids mechanical complexity in adapting the previously described apparatus.

In a preferred construction, the apparatus of the present invention has, at the holding station, a rotary member and a feeder for engaging the slices with the rotary member in turn, the arrangement being such that the slices are accelerated, and projected into the locating means, by reaction with the rotary member.

A reciprocable member is the preferred form of feeder.

The following description of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, in which description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, is given in order to illustrate the invention. In the drawings: Figure I shows the apparatus in perspective, Figure 2 is a cross-section taken at II---II of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a plan of part of the apparatus, Figure 4 shows part of Figure 3 on an enlarged scale, and Figure 5 is a perspective showing a detail.

The apparatus shown in Figures 1 to 4 has two angle guides 339 and 340 in which dividers are stacked on edge. A pressure plate 342 pushes the dividers towards the free twin rollers 349. Pressure plate 342 is carried on a wheeled trolley 343 which runs on twin carrier bars 341. The trolley is constantly biased towards the free twin rollers 349 by a wire running over a pulley to support a weight (not shown). Between the top and bottom halves of the twin rollers 349, is located a horizontal bar 351. When a divider is pressing against the twin rollers 49 it is also in contact with a horizontal bar 351.

One end of bar 351 carries a driving tooth 350 which projects from bar 351 by an amount slightly less than the thickness of one divider. A lever 355 (Figure 5) is provided which may be moved in the direction of arrows M and N, by a separate air cylinder or by a convenient link with the machine being supplied with dividers. A link 354 transmits the movement of lever 355 to horizontal bar 351. When lever 355 is moved in direction arrow M driving tooth 350 engages the divider 353 touching the free rollers 349 (Figure 3) and moves it in direction arrow K (Figure 1). The adjacent divider 352 (Figure 3) does not move because it bears on the end of angle guide 339.

The movement imparted to divider 353 (Figure 3) is sufficient to take its leading edge between the rubber covered continuously driven roller 345 and its associated nip roller 346. The nip roller 346 is carried on a swingarm assembly 347 pivoted at 348 (Figure 1) and is sprung biased towards drive roller 345, but a stop is provided (not illustrated) so that nip roller 346 never comes into contact with drive roller 345.

The gap is slightly less than the thickness of one divider. The drive roller 345 is rotating with sufficient speed to project the divider into a receiving trough on the packing machine with which it is normally used.

Lever 355 then moves back in the direction of arrow N (Figure 5) which restores driving tooth 350 to a position where it can engage the next divider.

In order that dividers of different lengths and thicknesses may be employed, adjustments are provided as follows: 1. Angle guide 340 is adjustable in direction arrows L (Figure 3).

2. Angle guide 339 is adjustable in direction arrows P (Figure 3).

3. Driving tooth 350 is adjustable both in the amount it projects from bar 351 and also in such a direction as to enable it to maintain a constant relation to angle guide 340.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus according to Claim 1 of the complete specification of our patent application No. 27160/77 (Serial No.

1584257) for preparing slices of structural honeycomb material in the unexpanded state for the packaging of articles, said apparatus having advancing means for advancing the slices in succession to a holding station, and means at the holding station operable to accelerate the slices in turn and thereby project them into the locating means as required.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 having, at the holding station, a rotary member and a feeder for engaging the slices with the rotary member in turn, the arrangement being such that the slices thus engaged are accelerated, and projected into the locating means, by reaction with the rotary member.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 in which the feeder is a reciprocable member.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. one divider. A lever 355 (Figure 5) is provided which may be moved in the direction of arrows M and N, by a separate air cylinder or by a convenient link with the machine being supplied with dividers. A link 354 transmits the movement of lever 355 to horizontal bar 351. When lever 355 is moved in direction arrow M driving tooth 350 engages the divider 353 touching the free rollers 349 (Figure 3) and moves it in direction arrow K (Figure 1). The adjacent divider 352 (Figure 3) does not move because it bears on the end of angle guide 339. The movement imparted to divider 353 (Figure 3) is sufficient to take its leading edge between the rubber covered continuously driven roller 345 and its associated nip roller 346. The nip roller 346 is carried on a swingarm assembly 347 pivoted at 348 (Figure 1) and is sprung biased towards drive roller 345, but a stop is provided (not illustrated) so that nip roller 346 never comes into contact with drive roller 345. The gap is slightly less than the thickness of one divider. The drive roller 345 is rotating with sufficient speed to project the divider into a receiving trough on the packing machine with which it is normally used. Lever 355 then moves back in the direction of arrow N (Figure 5) which restores driving tooth 350 to a position where it can engage the next divider. In order that dividers of different lengths and thicknesses may be employed, adjustments are provided as follows: 1. Angle guide 340 is adjustable in direction arrows L (Figure 3). 2. Angle guide 339 is adjustable in direction arrows P (Figure 3). 3. Driving tooth 350 is adjustable both in the amount it projects from bar 351 and also in such a direction as to enable it to maintain a constant relation to angle guide 340. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. Apparatus according to Claim 1 of the complete specification of our patent application No. 27160/77 (Serial No.

1584257) for preparing slices of structural honeycomb material in the unexpanded state for the packaging of articles, said apparatus having advancing means for advancing the slices in succession to a holding station, and means at the holding station operable to accelerate the slices in turn and thereby project them into the locating means as required.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 having, at the holding station, a rotary member and a feeder for engaging the slices with the rotary member in turn, the arrangement being such that the slices thus engaged are accelerated, and projected into the locating means, by reaction with the rotary member.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 2 in which the feeder is a reciprocable member.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 1 substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by reference to the accompanying drawings.