GB957494A - Improvements in or relating to article conveying and sorting apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

957,494. Endless conveyers; hopper discharge. CONTINENTAL CAN CO. Inc. Jan. 15, 1963, No. 1832/63. Headings B8A and B8S. An article conveyer and sorting assembly for use with metallic caps 64 comprises a storage bin 14, magnetic vertically disposed endless belt conveyers 15, 16, one relatively wide belt 15 of which conveys caps from the bin 14 to the relatively narrow second belt 16, which conveys a single row of caps to a sorting device 17, whereupon they are either accepted into a capping machine delivery shoot 18 or rejected to a shoot 19 which returns them to the bin 14. Caps 64 in a cap feeding portion of the bin 14 are attracted to the conveyer belt 15 by means of permanent magnets supported behind the belt, and are elevated up to a guide member 55 which deflects the caps transversely on to the adjacent lower end of the parallely aligned second belt 16, magnetized in the same manner. The belt 16 having a transversely adjustable guide bar thereon further elevates the single row of caps, at a higher velocity than the first belt 15, up to the sorting device 17. The latter comprises a sprung and pivoted finger 78 which engages the upstanding skirt of the caps, causing them to pivot into the shoot 18, or allows the caps with their unskirted face upstanding to pass under the finger to engage an adjustable guide 95 and be deflected into the shoot 19 for return to a cap storage portion of the bin 14. The lower end of the reject shoot 19 comprises a portion 74 which extends for reception of excess caps, under the lower end of the second belt 16 and a coplanar plate extending laterally therefrom. Removable cover plates 63, 66, 73, 75 and 76 are provided over the cap travelling area. The bin 14 which has its side walls generally downwardly convergent and its bottom wall 20 downwardly inclined towards the belt 15, is divided by an adjustable vertical wall 102 incorporating a shielded aperture. A drop gate having a locking lever 111 is provided in the bottom wall 20 of the bin. The whole apparatus is mounted on a support base frame 11 and three pairs of vertical beams 12, 13 and 24. Both belts are driven from a variable speed motor 30 and reduction gear-box 29 by means of chains 26, 33 and sprockets 27, 25, 32. The tension in the belt 15 is adjustable by means of a roller carrying lever 44 which is rotatably adjustable by means of a threaded rod 47. The tension in the belt 16 is adjustable by means of a roller 49 slidably adjustable in a track frame 51.