GB858465A - Means for positioning cans uniformly on a conveyor bell or band - Google Patents

Abstract

858,465. Endless conveyers. ATKRON Inc. July 28, 1958, No. 24235/58. Class 78 (1). [Also in Group XXXV] In a conveyer for cans wherein the cans C are fed by an endless belt 10 on which the cans have their axes parallel to the belt 10 but are arranged indiscriminately with either open or closed ends leading, the cans are turned while being conveyed by a further endless belt 22 to a position at right-angles to their former direction in such a way that all their open ends point the same way by a combination of a magnetic drum 23 around which the belt 22 passes, and a pair of air jets 42, 43 located one in front of and one behind the axis of the drum 23. The drum 23 comprises a pair of non-magnetic end castings 30, 31 between which are arranged two annular polepieces 34, 35 and a non-magnetic shell 38 containing a number of permanent bar magnets 37 having their north poles N in engagement with polepiece 34 and their south poles S in engagement with polepiece 35. The cans are transferred from the belt 10 to the belt 22 by a pair of endless belts 15 of segmented construction supported on a plate 16 and travelling at a slower speed than the belt 22 so that the cans are spaced on the belt 22. The belts 14 are arranged to deposit the cans to one side of belt 22 where they are retained by a magnet 29 below the belt so as to be in line with one of the polepieces of drum 23. Upon reaching the drum 23 the transverse magnetic field causes the cans to pivot about their closed ends whether this is in front or behind and present their open ends laterally towards the opposite side of the belt, being assisted in this pivoting by one or other of the air jets 42, 43 according to whether the open or closed end of a can is pointing forwards, respectively. After being thus orientated, the cans pass around the drum 23 and are received in a delivery channel 45 where they are propelled away from the drum 23 by the lower run of belt 23. In a modification (not shown), the drum 23 is replaced by a stainless steel rotating cylinder within which arcuate stationary polepieces and transverse magnets are arranged, so that the magnetic field is restricted to the turning area.