IL46388A - Means to guide a layer of objects into a box - Google Patents

Abstract

To pack objects into a box, a pickup head equipped with multiple vacuum cups picks up a layer of the objects and descends into the box. The box is initially positioned in an approximately correct position relative to the path of descent of the pickup head and as the pickup head approaches the top of the box, four guide panels snap into engagement with the four inner walls, respectively, of the box for four purposes: (1) to position the box precisely correctly relative to the path of descent of the pickup head; (2) to crowd the layer of objects on the pickup head together to conform to the dimensions of the box; (3) to guide the pickup head into the box; and (4) to serve as guards to prevent damage to the descending objects by the rim of the box. [US3928942A]

Description

MEANS TO GUIDE A LAYER OF OBJECTS INTO A BOX _ BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ■ [|fi^ ' This invention 'relates ■ to an automatic apparatus for packing fruit into successive boxes and, more particularly, relates to the type of apparatus that is disclosed in the Riddington ' U. S. '· Patent No. 3,590,551 entitled AUTOMATIC APPARATUS FOR PACKING ARTICLES IN BOXES, which patent is. hereby incorporated into the "1' present disclosure by reference.

In packing oranges, for example, into a box for shipment, ": the alternate layers partially nest together and therefore the ■ alternate layers are of two different ■ complementary patterns which' are formed at two different supply stations on opposite sides of the packing station. In the Riddington disclosure, a\ left pickup head equipped with a plurality of vacuum cups' picks ■ . up layers of fruit from the left- supply station for deposit in . ■< ' the box and an alternate right pickup head picks up layers from > the right supply station for. deposit in the box. ·· With special reference to the packing of oranges in boxes, ,. . a long standing troublesome problem encountered in designing an ' .. automatic fruit packing apparatus ofthis general. type arises 1 from the fact that the oranges of a layer in a box must be crowded together for safe shipment, it being desirable tha the'! oranges, be pressed together to such extent as to create slight ' distortion of the fruit. The layers that are formed at the I supply stations are not sufficiently compact, and moreover, whenj a pickup head lifts a layer of oranges from a supply station, j the layer spreads slightly before the layer reaches the box and ■ the slightly expanded layer may even exceed the dimensions of the interior of the box. The problem is not only to contract the ' slightly expanded layer that is carried by a descending .pickup' ' · · - head, but also to keep the rim of the box from damaging the ,' ' . peripheral fruit of the layer. i ' In the Riddington disclosure, a tapered rectangular chute, ., is- placed close to the rim of the box to solve this problem. '·'·,'' The upper entrance of the chute is of a cross sectional area " . , sufficient to admit the slightly · loose, layer on the descending pickup head and the lower end of the chute is narrowed to : . slightly less than the dimensions of the rim of a" ox.

One disadvantage of employing such a tapered chute is that'] it creates the problem of insuring that the bo Is accurately '■' aligned with the chute. If the box is even slightly out. of . j alignment with the tapered chute, the peripheral fruit of the ' ! _ ' descending layer may be damaged by being forced against the rim ; of the box. Another drawback is that the peripheral fruit of ·. the descending layer necessarily rubs against the inner surface " of the tapered chute with increased pressure as the layer of fruit descends. It has been found that such friction may ' ·'■ . rupture oil cells in the skin of the fruit to result in subsequent . deterioration of the fruit before the fruit reaches the consumer..

The present invention; is' di'rected to a new solution for:the I problem of guiding a descending layer of fruit into a box and simultaneously slightly contracting .the layer to the dimensions :; of the box. ' ; ; ■ ' ·· .;/ "·· "··'·;' .' ' ' · SUMMARY OP THE INVENTION ' . · " '· '. ' ■ - . . . ' ' ■ ' ■ · ■ " ' . ! ' ,ί . ■ ■ .1 Instead of employing any type of fixed guide means at the ;! rim of a box at thepacking station, the present Invention provides a set of four dynamic guide panels corresponding to the. fou inner walls of the box with the four guide panels supported and ' controlled by four corresponding actuating mechanisms. As a ii . ; . - : loaded pickup head descends towards the .top of the box, ' the, four ; .. guide panels are at poised positions above the box in the path - of descent of the layer of' fruit, with each guide panel over- ^:' hanging a corresponding wall of the box and inclined downward '··' towards the interior of the box. i , When the peripheral fruit, of the descending layer of fruit · · Impinges on the poised guide panels, the guide panels initially ; ', capability of the four guide panels. Sensing' means in- the'" form 1 of switches . that respond to the movement of a box into the packing station are operative to prevent descent of the pickup head .! towards the box if the delivered position of the box is beyond.-the correction capability of the, guide-panels. ' ;; The features and advantages of the invention may be under,-; ! stood from the following detailed descriptio together with' the accompanying drawings. ' ' ; · '· ·. j • . BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS . .' ·';..

' In the drawings, which are -to be regarded as merel ·,' '. illustrative': Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an automat ic . packing .j apparatus incorporating the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, portions of the apparatus being broken away to >. show concealed parts; '' Fig. 2 is .a fragmentary plan view showing the packing1 ; ' '·· ' station and the two supply stations on opposite sides thereof; i Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section take.n along the' -, ! longitudinal center line of a box at a packing station and showing; a -pickup head with a layer of fruit thereon descending towards- ij the box; Fig. 4 is a section taken alon the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; . if Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the set of four guide' ■·; ." panels with the guide panels at their lower upright positions; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken. along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 showing a panel, at. its lower upright, position in engagement with the inner rim of a box; Fig. 7 Is a fragmentary sectiona 1 view .similar to Fig.; 6 i .: '. showing the guide panel at its alternate elevated poised position.; Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken . along- he line 8-8 of Figj 5 showing the rear face of- a guide panel;:and , . . . · :"■ '. - i 1 Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but on a smaller scale ' 1 . panel to a retracted position in the event the head plate catches r,. on the lower lip of the guide panel. '·;!. · DESCRIPTION OP THE SELECTED ' .. EMBODIMENT OF THE . INVENTION 5 Fig. 1 shows a packing station represented by a box, generall ,: designated B, which has been delivered to the packing station by1;;"' a conveyor that is generally designated C. Fruit F, in this instance oranges, are packed in. the box B in alternate layers that are of complementary patterns to enable them to partially 10 nest together and therefore the apparatus provides two, separate j supply stations comprising a ' left supply station S-l and a right supply station S-2. The left station forms the -fruit into what ;i ■ may be termed a left pattern and the right station forms the" : fruit into what may be termed' a right pattern; : the. two patterns- 15 ;- : being shown in Fig. 2. .· · ; ; ' j ■ l' To pack the two patterns of fruit into the box B alternately, . , the apparatus provides a left pickup head P-1 to pick up layers ' , . of fruit at the supply station S-l and a. right pickup head P-2 .!'■ . . . to pick up layers of fruit at the right supply station S-2. The ' 20 two pickup, heads extend downward from a carriage 10 which is >'.: largely concealed behind a panel 12 in Fig.. 1. The oarriage is . i automa ically reciprocated between a. left position shown in Fig. '1 · > r : ■ ■ ■ Ί· . - " I where the left pickup head P-1 is poised over the left supply i station S-l and the right pickup head P-2, is poised over the i . ;■ 25·' .'■ packing stat'ion,. and an alternate positioni t■o the rig■·ht■'.w■·.her■e.' t;he ■■' pickup head P-1 is poised over the packing stationand the right ! \· pickup head P-2 is poised over the right supply station S-2. ·',.■' .■ When the two pickup heads are at their left positions shown, .' in Fig. 1, the left pickup head P-1 desoends to pick up a layer: ; " 3.0 ' of fruit from the left supply station S-l and simultaneously the. : ... right pickup head P-2 descends to deposit a layer of fruit -in ; ;» ;■■ '' the box B. In like manner, when the two pickup heads are at ·,. r their right positions the left pickup head P-1 desoends to deposit :· head P-2 descends to pick up a. layer of fruit at the right s.upp · station S-2 . ' :· '··!'.!..· ,. ' ;· ·■. ·' . ■ ' - ; '' ' ί' Each of the two pickup' heads is mounted on a corresponding ; . pair of guide rods 14 which extend through guide sleeves (not shown) on the carriage 10. and each of the pickup heads is '■■ reciprocated vertically by a corresponding air cylinder 15 . ; ■ - 1 The construction of a pickup head is. est shown in Figl; 3 where the pickup head is connected to the lower ends of the ' corresponding guide rods 14 and is also connected to a piston ·. rod 16 that extends downward from the corresponding air cylinder 15 . ' Fig. 3 also shows how: the structure of a pickup head includes a head plate l8 that carries on its underside a set of vacuum cups 20 with the vacuum cups arranged in a pattern that c rres- .' ;. ponds to the pattern of the fruit at the corresponding supply . station S-l or S-2. An automatic control system makes or breaks ' ' the vacuums In the vacuum cups' as required for picking up fruit j at a supply station or for releasing fruit in a box B. ,: > i The conveyor C has a. pair of spaced parallel conveyor chains · . ·· .. ' 22 shown in Figs. 1 , 3 and 4 which are. interconnected by. spaced · pusher bars 24 which, push the successive boxes to the packing '!.' station. As shown in Fig. '4, when a box reaches the packing ·' . \. station the pusher bar 24 that propels the box encounters an operating arm 25 of a stop switch 26 to stop the conveyor and j, - ; subsequently the conveyor is again activated to move a new empty| . box to the packing station and to move the filled box put. of; the! packing station onto a discharge conveyor; that is generally ·' ' j . designated 27 in Fig. 3 . ' ., ■. ' The apparatus as described to this point is identical with/ the apparatus disclosed in the above mentioned Riddington patent'.' : The improvement provided by the present invention comprises a : i · i set of four guide panels G which guide the successive layers of ' fruit on the pickup heads into a box. at the packing station . ' .· j f ' In this particular example of the invention, eaoh of the ' sections to permit vertical expansion and contraction of the ..boxCfc as required for confining different volumes of fruit. .A bottom: i section 28 of the box has four flaps which are glued together to form a double thickness bottom wall 30.. An upper box section j 32 which is bottomless and which, is slidingly mounted in the. . ■! bottom section 28 has two outwardly extending end flaps 34 shown!, in Fig. 3 and has two longitudinal outwardly extending side '.flaps -35 shown in Fig. 4 . ■ ■ ; - :!'·· ; ! In a manner well known in: the art, each of the boxes B.is initially elevated to space the bottom wall 30 of the box above.-, the platform 36 of the packing! sta tio.n as shown in Fi'g 3. , For ': this purpose, as shown in Fig. 4 , each of the side flaps 35 ' , ': encounters a corresponding fixed rod 38 which is supported by '■ , J suitable brackets 40 and which is inclined upward . to. lift each flap against a corresponding fixed upper rod 42. The first j . layer of fruit that is deposited in the elevated box by a pickup!' head pushes against the bottom wall 36 of the box to shift the i i ' bottom wall from the elevated position shown in Fig. 3 to . the j lower position shown in Fig. 4 where the bottom wall of the box ;j rests on the platform 36 of the packing station. Thus, each of j the successive boxes is expanded. at the start of each packing cycle . .' . ,·."· .' \ ·' ■'. ·■·, '· .

The four guide panels G are carried by four' corresponding., j -mechanisms, designated M in various figures of the drawings, .and! the four mechanisms M are mounted on a support plate 44 which," "7-as shown in Fig. 4, is attached to fixed frame members 45 of- ; the apparatus by suitable angular brackets ' 46'. The support . ' ; " * f ' plate 44 has a rectangular opening 48 which is' positioned above the box a the packing station and is slightly larger in area '■ than the interior of the box to provide clearance for the operation, of the guide panels G. " . '!.',■ Each of the mechanisms M includes a transverse base casting' · 50 which is of angular cross section as shown . in Fig!. 6 with two O Fig. 8 , . the outer ends of the two lower arms 62 are connected,' to the guide panel by individual pivot pins 80 tha t are mounted ·,· in- reinforcing ribs' 82 on the back of the guide panel and the ' " outer ends of the two upper arms 64 are plvotally' connected to ■ 'the guide panel by a single pivot rod 84 that extends through ribs of the guide panel. Thus, the guide panel G functions, in effect, as an articulated link in an assembly of articulated^ links that includes the pair of toggle arms 70 and 72. :' · r ■ ' . · ' f " -' ' The limit position of the guide panel shown in Fig. 6 is ! determined" by abutment of the undersides of the two lower arms' : 62 against corresponding stop shoulders on the outer faces of ,; J the two end wings 52 of the base casting 50. As best shown in .! Fig. 9> such a stop shoulder, which is indicated at 108 , is ■ : ."; formed by a projection on the outer face of the corresponding . j end wing of the base casting, the thickness of the end wing . i- ' ~\ beirig increased to form the projection. The other limit, position of the panel shown in Fig. 7 is determined by the position of ' ; the . nut 100 on the end of the piston rod 94. ilt' is apparent [ ■ that the nut 100 may be adjusted to adjust the poised position' of the corresponding guide panel.

It' is apparent that when a linkage mechanism shifts in •.either direction from the two .limit positions shown in Figs. .6 \ and 7, respectively, the pivot 76 of the two toggle arms 70 and 72 first approaches and then moves beyond a center line that is ■ defined by the axes of the two pivots 68 and the vertex of the ■ angular base casting 50 that seats the rounded nose of the lower 'toggle arm 72. Initial movement of the linkage' mechanism away .... from either one of its limit positions towards its other limit : position is resisted by the force of the coiled springs 78 in γ ■ ■ '■· ■ ' ' · : 1 ί the two lower toggle arms 72 up to the point where the toggle ; ·' pivot.76 crosses the described center line and then the force j { of the two coil springs urges the linkage mechanism to the other!; of its two limit positions. Thus, forcibly moving the linkage.' i i j · ' . the invention any suitable -arrangement may be employed for the I required automatic return of the guide panels jto their upper, poised positions. The presently, preferred arrangement for this i j purpose will now be described. ·. ■>'..· i Each of the four linkage mechanisms M includes a power; '' cylinder 86 that may be energized by compressed air to return the corresponding guide panel to its upper poised position. . - ■ Each power cylinder 86 is connected to a corresponding flexible 'j air line 88 and is located centrally of the panel wit . trunions j 90 at the lower end of the power cylinder journalled in a pair j - of -parallel arms 92 that are integral with the base casting 50. · j A piston rod 94 extending from, the upper end of the power ." ; ··..:. cylinder 86 is pivotally connected to a crank arm 95 that' is fixedly mounted on the previously mentioned torque shaf 65 at.. the midpoint of the torque shaft. j As shown in Fig. 5 , . the outer end of the crank arm 95 is ;; formed with two parallel arms 96 to straddle a small body 98 :j that is formed with trunions J.ournalled in the two arms. As"1. ■ I shown in Pig. 6 the piston rod 94 slidingly extends through the j| small body 98 and is screw threaded at its outer' end to receive ; ' . ■ ■ ' 'ii a nut- 10.0 that abuts the outer side of the small body. For. the;,: purpose of assembly one of the two arms of the crank arm 95 is · in the form of a separate plate 102 (Fig. 5 ) that is apertured : ·. to receive the torque shaft 65 and is removably secured to the body of the crank arm by a suitable screw j 104. · ' ' ! - . \ It is apparent that when a guide panel G is. in its lower ": : upright position shown in Fig.. 6, energization of the corresponding control cylinder 86 by compressed , air forces' the , crank ■■' ■ ·; arm 95 counterclockwise, as viewed in Fig. 6, to force the ; ·. - j ! guide panel from its lower upright position shown in' Fig." 6 ;td j . its upper poised position shown in Fig. 7. The coiled springs ·. • 78 of the two pairs of toggle arms .initially resist .and then . ' i assist the return of the guide panel to its upper poised position' For this purpose, as shown in Fig. 4, a box approaching the , packing station is confined between two opposite side walls 112 ' and 114 and, as shown in Fig. 3, three successive sensin switches ■ ■' - " ' · ! . 116, 117 and 118 are positioned adjacent the side wall 114., The'' 5 three switches have corresponding operating arms ll6a , 117a , and! Il8a that extend through corresponding windows 120 of the side j ; wall into the path of conveyance of the boxes. As heretofore -'! ; · ' stated, when a pusher bar 24 of the conveyor pushes an empty box j to the packing station, the pusher bar encounters the operating ,' 0 arm 25 of the switch 26 to stop the empty box at a position which , is intended to approximate;' the desired precise position of .the .. ' box within the given range box-positioning capability of the ■ ; i; ; guide: panels G. . j The two box confining side walls 112 and 114- of the conveyor ' 5 are intended to insure that a newly arri-ved box is centered · y : laterally within the box-positioning capability of the two guide j' , panels that cooperate with the two opposite sides of the box.' ■ The three sensing switches serve the purpose' of keeping the pickup. - heads from descending into the interior of a box if the box is- ' ;!-0 not adequately centered longitudinally relative to the path, of ;! descent of a pickup head. - i The three switches 116, 117 and 118 are in series to activate the pickup heads so that all three switches must be closed 'to- j -.

I., permit a pickup head to descend into the interior of a box at the 5 , packing station. The switches 116 and 118 are normally ^closed ■ . and the central switch 117 is normally open. The normally open . ; ·.;':'· switch 117. closes when an empty box arrives at the packing station' I ' ■ ■ - · · — ·■ ■' ' ' j. ; and if the- box is centered longitudinally within the given range ■ ! ' · the two switohes 116 and 118 remain closed. If the box does not '■ 0 : advance far enough, switch 116 is open and if the box advances too ■ ;' far, switch 118 Is open to prevent Operation of the pickup heads . · This description in specific detail of the selected embodi† ... ment of the invention will suggest' various changes, substitutions

Claims (6)

1. ,'." .-: · CLAIMS What Is olaimed is: 1. An apparatus for automatically packing layers of objects into suooessive boxes at a packing station, which 1 ' ' ■ '■·.. ·.. ■ ■ . - ·. - ' ; apparatus ^comprises a pickup head for picking up a layer of the objects and for descending briefly into the box for depositing the layer therein, a guide chute extending upward from the box and defining a zone of approach to the box, the chute bein shaped and dimensioned to peripherally outwardl surround a layer of objects on the pickup head as the layer . desoends to the box and to confine the outer objects of the layer to the inside dimensions of the box, the chute being made of separable parts movably mounted on sa id apparatus to permit the chute to be disassembled by moving the separable parts upwardly away from their lower assembled positions to poiBed positions spaced upwardly of said box and to be reassembled by restoring the parts to their lower assembled positions^ supporting means operable to disassemble the chute by moving the . upper' edges of the separable parts in different directions outwardly from the path of descent of each layer of objeotB before the layer descends to the upper ends of the parts of the ohute thereby to keep the , des.cendlng layer from encountering the upper edges of the parts of the chute, and to reassemble the chute responsive to downward movement of a descending layer of objects on the pickup head after said objeots pass the level of the upper edges of the chute.

2. An apparatus a ocording to claim 1, wherein the lower end of the assembled ohute. is capable of telescoplngl engaging the inner rim of a bo to serve as a guard to keep a descending layer of objeots from encountering the inner, rim of the box.

3. An apparatus acoordlng to claims 1 or 2, which comprises a set of guide panels inoluding at least two opposite; guide panels to cooperate with opposite Inner walls of the box, corresponding mechanisms supporting the guide panels, respectively, the corresponding mechanisms being operable to move the guide panels between said poised positions and said . , lower assembled positions, the guide panels at the poised positions overhanging corresponding walls of the box and being lnolined downward towards the interior of the box, the guide panels at the lower positions being upright and engaging corresponding inner rim portions of the box, the guide panels being operative to move from the poised positions to the lower upright positions when a layer of descending objects reaohes a level intermediate the upper and lower edges of the poised guide panels, and means for operatin the meohanlsms to return the panels from the lower upright positions to the upper poised positions when the upwardly returning; pioku'p head reaohes a level above the poised positions of the guide panels, . : ' '* '■.· . - ' i ■ - - ' ■ / · '

4. An apparatus aooordlng to claim 3* in which the set of guide panels oomprlses four guide panels corresponding,* respectively, to the four sides of the box, and corresponding supporting meohanlsms , poised positions, 13, An apparatus aooordlng to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein. he set of guide panels oomprises four guide panels inoluding two guide panels cooperative with the opposite erd walls of a box to oenter the box longitudinally relative to the intended path of desoent of a loaded pickup head and including two panels cooperative, with the . opposite side walls of the box to oenter the box laterally relative to the intended path of desoent of a loaded plokup head. 14. An apparatus aooordlng to any one of ola lms 3 to 12, -wherein eaoh of the panels Is yieldingly movable from the lower upright position to an upper retraoted position out of the path of an upwardly moving pickup head so that If a returning plokup head engages the panel at the lower upright position of the panel, the returning plokup head lifts, the panel from the lower upright position to the upper retraoted position, the panel at the upper retraoted position being gravltatlonally : biased ,o return to the lower upright position, 1

5. An apparatus aooordlng to olaim 14, wherein eaoh, o the mechanisms for a guide panel Is plvotally mounted for pivotal movement of the meohanlsm as a whole when a returning plokup head moves the corresponding panel to the upper retracted position. 1

6. An apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 15, wherein eaoh of the mechanisms that supports a guide panel Includes a pair of toggle arms operatlvely oonneoted to the guide panel and movable past oenter to a first limit position corresponding to the poised position of the panel and movable past oenter to a seoond limit position corresponding to the lower upright position of the panel, one arm of the pair of toggle arms being expanelle and including spring means to expand the toggle arm thereby yieldingly to hold the pair of toggle arms at whiohever limit position plaoed, whereby foroibly moving the pair of toggle arms from either one of the limit positions past oenter causes the pair of toggle arms to snap by spring aotlon to the other limit positions thereby to snap the guide panel to either one of the two