GB758302A - Improvements in or relating to a container feeding mechanism for labelling machines and method of supplying containers thereto - Google Patents

Abstract

758,302. Conveyers. BARRY-VEHMILLER MACHINERY CO. Sept. 9, 1954 [Sept. 17, 1953], No. 26127/54. Class 78 (1). In means for feeding containers B, Fig. 1, to a labelling machine A, the containers are fed by a conveyer 37 in a disorderly manner to a position C in front of the machine from which they are directed singly by guides 33 on to endless conveyers 21 running between walls 22, 23. Means are provided for transferring periodically the leading container in each row from the conveyers 21 into the machine. Each pair of walls 22, 23 is adjustable laterally. Each guide 33, Fig. 2, comprises a curved member attached to a wall 23 and a co-operating flexible member 34 attached at 35 to the wall 22 for sliding motion thereon. The conveyer 37 consists of chains carrying flat plates and the containers are supplied to it in such numbers that at position C they accumulate and force each other into the guides 33. The containers are transferred from the conveyers 21 to conveyers 41 in the labelling machine by fingers 63, Fig. 3, mounted on swinging arms 58. These arms are mounted on a shaft 47 which is connected to a rod 52 actuated by a rotary cam device 55. The arms 58 project into the space between the walls of adjacent conveyers and the fingers 63 project through slots 60 in the walls. The fingers are carried by hubs which are mounted rotatably on the arms and are formed with projections 65 on the side remote from the fingers. These projections engage with a stop 66 at one end of an oscillation and the fingers are moved apart to take behind two containers B on adjacent conveyers, Fig. 12, and feed them to the left. As the arms swing to the right, the fingers fold towards each other by contact with a pair of containers and thus pass between them. Vertically movable pairs of pins 73, 77 are raised and lowered alternatively to pass one container at a time and to hold back the remainder. Each pin 73 has a triangular member 90 attached to its upper end which imparts a slight forward movement to each container to ensure correct engagement of the fingers with its back. Safety stop means responsive to the presence or absence of a container within the range of a swinging arm 58 is shown in Fig. 15. Each conveyer 21 has a feeler 100 pivoted below it which normally is kept depressed by the containers. The feeler is in contact with a rod 102 mounted in a block 104 attached to the reciprocating member 74. The rod 102 has a lost-motion connection with the block 104 so that it is not raised when the block moves upwards if its path is obstructed by the loaded feeler. When the feeler is not loaded, the rod 102 moves upwards carrying with it the cross-member 111. This member carries a tappet 113 which on engaging an arm 114 attached to a bar 115 rotates the latter to actuate a switch which shuts down the machine.