GB946253A - Cup transfer mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

946,253. Packaging cup discharge. FORGROVE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. April 2, 1962 [Feb. 9, 1961], No. 4916/61. Heading B8S. At each of several successive stations a batch of pleated cups 34 (Fig. 2) is delivered into an intermittently moving holder 10 from magazines 13. The cups may be subsequently formed for receiving chocolates and the holders 10 may be as described in Specification 874,918. In the form shown the end cup in each magazine is received by a corresponding suction head 39 mounted on a suction box 19 slidably and rotatably mounted on a pivot 54 for movement, by a crank 28, between the positions shown in full and broken lines in Fig. 2. As each cup is engaged by a suction head, forming members 40, 41 on the magazine, similar to those described in Specification 898,155, are moved by cams 47, 147 acting through springs 50 to deform the cups around the suction head to an oval shape in which they deflect leaf springs (not shown) at the sides of the cup. The cups are delivered to the holders 10 through apertures in an overlying stripper plate 55, the apertures being smaller than the cavities in the holder 10 so that the cups are clamped below the platen. The cavities in the holder 10 are filled at four successive stations in the order indicated in Fig. 1. The conveyer carrying the trays may be adjusted to feed them positively against fingers lowered adjacent each filling station to locate the trays. The fingers may be arraned so that they also serve to locate the trays laterally of the direction of movement. Valves controlling the suction heads are controlled by cams mounted either on the same shaft as the cams 47, 147 or on the rocking shaft 30. Each magazine comprises an upwardly open trough 13 within which slides a plunger 35 biased by springs 37. The magazines at any one station are of different lengths to facilitate filling. A spring in the drive to the shaft 30 prevents damage if the mechanism is overloaded.