GB987680A - Improvements in or relating to a tray manipulating device for article handling means - Google Patents

Abstract

987,680. Endless conveyers; packaging machines. AMERICAN MACHINE & FOUNDRY CO. Jan. 4, 1963 [Oct. 12, 1961], No. 36728/61. Headings B8A, B8C and B8S. A tray handling means for a cigarette handling apparatus comprises a magazine formed by walls 6, 8 which guide the trays stacked therein, two dog carrying endless chain conveyers 4 arranged to accept each first tray in succession from the magazine and to move it to a cigarette receiving position and further move it to a disposition on rails 40. The trays which are substantially U-shaped have their attitude controlled by a rail 14 engaging the trays at 16, 36 and a back frame of the apparatus engaging the trays at 10, 34. The trays are fed under gravity from the magazine when an arm 12 is pivoted about a point 18 by means of an arm 20 actuated by a cam 22 mounted on the shaft 23 of one of the conveyers 4. Further rotation of the cam 22 returns the arm 12 to its original position having allowed the lowermost tray 32 to be carried downwards on a pair of dogs 2. Once clear of the rail 14, this tray swings into a vertical position on the dogs 2 and is conveyed to the cigarette receiving point. The movement of the conveyers 4 is controlled by means responsive to the height of cigarettes in the tray. Upon filling, the tray is lowered on to the rails 40 where it is discharged from the line of the conveyers by means of pushers 30 operated by an arm 28 incorporating a roller 26 which engages a second cam 24 on the shaft 23. A pair of spring catches 42 are provided to hold the descending tray vertical. A further pair of spring catches 44 are provided alongside the rails 40 to prevent discharged trays from travelling back into the line of the conveyers 4. Each dog 2 may be pivoted on a centrally situated stud, Fig. 9 (not shown) and provided with a slot which abuts a tongue provided at the face of the stud. Specification 975,017 is referred to.