GB701410A - Improvements in conveyors - Google Patents

Abstract

701,410. Endless conveyers. ROSE BROS. (GAINSBOROUGH) Ltd. Aug. 21, 1952 [Sept. 7, 1951 ; Oct. 18, 1951], Nos. 21145/51 and 24296/51. Class 78 (1) [Also in Group XVII] In a conveyer particularly for use in packing and wrapping machinery, a series of pairs of pushing elements are arranged at intervals, each adapted to accommodate an article, the rear element of each pair being movably mounted and adapted to be moved at a given station out of engagement with the article being pushed by that element so as to allow that article to remain stationary at the station until it is engaged by the forward element of the next succeeding pair. Figs. 1, 2, 3 show the application to the packaging of ice cream wherein cartons are fed from a stack (not shown) inwhich they are contained in collapsed form, towards the conveyer which feeds them along a platform 13 towards a filling station 14. During such movement the closures at the bases of the cartons 11 are formed by known folding'devices co-operating with the platform 13 and similar folding devices operate after the cartons have been filled to form closures at the tops of the cartons, the filled cartons being finally delivered to a further conveyer for treatment such as final freezing. The conveyer is formed by a pair of composite chains 16 each consisting of a pair of vertically spaced chains 23 with members 24 for supporting sets of elements 19, 20, 21 spaced to accommodate a carton. The elements 19, 21 are pivotally mounted about a vertical axis on the member 24 and are formed with rear projecting arms carrying rollers 33, 29 respectively, engaging a cam track 31. This track is normally parallel to the path of movement of the cartons, but divides to form separate tracks 34, 36 for the elements 21, 19 in the vicinity of the station 14. A movable portion 37 of the track operates in synchronism with the movement of the elements to cause these to enter their tracks 34, 36 at the appropriate turns to cause their pivotal movements. Cartons are first engaged between the elements 21 20 and moved along the platform 13. As they approach the station 14, the elements 19 are pivoted forwardly by the tracks 36 to clear a previously fed carton remaining for the time being at rest at the filling station, and, when the carton reaches the station, the elements 21 are pivoted rearwardly clear of the carton so as to leave the carton stationary below the filling nozzle 39 of the filling device 38. The nozzle 39 is then moved downwardly into the stationary carton to deliver a charge and then upwardly to a position just clear of the top of the carton. During this time the next succeeding carton has been moved into close proximity to the stationary one which is then moved forward by the element 20 of the oncoming set. During the movement of the succeeding carton from this point into register with the nozzle 39 the two cartons are moved together below the nozzle. In the meantime the elements 19 are pivoted rearwardly to meet the forward face of the carton moving away from the nozzle 39 so that the carton is contained between elements 19, 20, thereby ensuring that no tipping of the carton occurs.