US1576429A - Can conveyer - Google Patents

Description

March 9 1926. 1,576,429

F.0.HUTTGN CAN CON'VEYER iled Feb. l2, i923 3 Sheets-ShefrA 1 .gl Y o O HT; :i E1 r o o o I| Il 1| H l, x o

L- all March 9 F.l O. HUTTON GAN GONVEYER Filed Feb. l2, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTY'S. Q

Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

UNITED STATES FRANK OLINGER HUTTON, OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA.

CAN CONVEYER.

Application led February 12, 1923.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, FRANK OnINGnn I-IU'r- TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sacramento, county of Sacramento, and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Can Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to can conveyers for use in connection with exhausters, cookers, coolers, etc.

In a prior Patent, No. 1,393,288, issued to me October 11th, 1921, I show a combined exhauster and cooker having horizontally arranged tortuous canways. In the exha-uster section the cans are introduced at the center of the spiral canway and hence the conveyer has to be arranged above or below said canways. The cans going into the exhauster are, of course, unsealed and provision must be made for transferring the open cans from the feed conveyor to the canway. It is to this transfer mechanism that the present invention relates.

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the construction and operation of conveying and transferring mechanism of the character mentioned.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 shows a vertical, sectional, central view of a portion of the can exhauster equipped with conveying mechanism embodying one form of my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a vertical sectional view of the transfer mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in plan section disclosing the mechanism for shifting the cans onto and ofi of the transfer mechanism.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, I show al box or casing 10 fitted with spiral guides 11 forming canways. Below the guides are concentric rings 12 to support and propel the cans, said rings being carried on radially disposed drive shafts 13. Leading into the box beneath the rings 12 and terminating near the innermost ring is a feed conveyer 14.

Disposed at the center of the box within the innermost ring is a transfer mechanism for moving the cans from the feed conveyer on to the innermost ring. This mechanism comprises a lower plate 15 journaled upon an inclined axle 16 supported in a bracket 17 fixed to the floor of the exhaust box. This bottom plate has a ring gear 19 meshing with a bevel pinion 2O on a countershaft 21.

Serial No. 618,557.

Fixed to the axle 16 by means of an arm 2la is an offset and inclined sleeve 22 which forms a bearing for a spindle 23, said spindle carrying an upper plate 24 which is disposed parallel with the bottom plate l5, and has its center in vertical alignment therewith. Between the upper and lower plates at suitable intervals on the periphery thereof are arranged vertically disposed can holders each consisting of an open-sided frame 25 having at its lower end a stem 26 terminating in a bail 27, which bail is seated in a socket 28 carried by the lower plate. A stem 29 is formed on the upper end of the can holder and extends through an opening in the upper plate. The point of connection of the stem 29 with the upper plate and the point of connection of the stem 26 with the lower plate are arranged at equal distances from the center or axis of rotation of the respective plates, and hence the can holders will be maintained in upright position throughout their path of travel, inasmuch as the centers of rotation of said plates are in vertical alignment. The top plate 24 is driven by the bottom plate 15 through suit able gearing 31, said gearing preferably including a spur gear rigid with the plate 15 and meshing with an idler spur gear, which idler spur gear in turn meshes with a spur gear rigid with the spindle 23.

A preferred driving arrangement for the transferI mechanism consists of a shaft 30 arranged below the transfer mechanism, said shaft being connected by gears 32 to the countershaft 21 and also having suitable driving connections 33 with the radial shafts 13 as well as with the feed conveyer 14.

In the operation of the device the two plates 15 and 24, being connected together by the can holders, will rotate in unison, the lower plate moving about its axle 16 and the upper plate about the sleeve 23. Both plates being inclined and having vertically disposed can holders arranged between them, a can will be received by a holder in its lowermost position and carried in upright position to the opposite side where it will be deposited on the innermost ring of the spiral canways.

This same mechanism obviously can be used for lowering cans from one conveyor to another.

It will be seen that one of the plates constitutes a supporting and driving member while the other serves merely to maintain the can holders in upright position. The extent of offset of the spindle 23 bears such a relation to the degree of inclination of the two plates as to bring the centers of rotation of the two plates into vertical alignment and thus permit the can holders, when connected to said plates at equal distances from said centers, to remain in upright position throughout their path of travel.

The present invention insures a uniform travel of the open cans from one elevation to another and dispenses with the cam tracks employed by me in the prior patent above mentioned.

Various changes in the construction and arrangement of the several parts herein shown and described may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: y

1. In combination with a horizontally disposed tortuous canway and feed conveyer extending into juxtaposition of the innermost canway and in a different plane therefrom and means to transfer cans from the feed conveyer on to the innermost canway comprising parallel upper and lower rotatable members inclined from the horizontal and having their centers of rotation in substantial vertical alignment, and vertically disposed can holders arranged between said members at the outer ends thereof.

2. Mechanism for conveying cans from one elevation to another comprising parallel upper and lower rotatable members inclined from the horizontal and having their centers of rotation in substantial vertical alignment, and vertically disposed can holders arranged between said members at the outer ends thereof.

3. Mechanism for conveying cans from one elevation to another comprising parallel upper and lower rotatable members arranged on an incline, inclined axles for said members so offset as to bring the centers of rotation of said members into substantial vertical alignment, and can holders arranged between said members and connected thereto at equal distances from said centers of rotation.

4. Mechanism for conveying cans from one elevation to another comprising parallel upper and lower rotatable members arranged on an incline, offset axles for v,said members inclined so as to bring the centers of said members into substantial vertical alignment, vertically disposed can holders arranged between said holders and a pivotal connection between each of said members and the can holder located at equal distances from the centers of rotation of the said members.

5. Mechanism for conveying cans from one elevation to another comprising parallel upper and lower rotatable members arranged on an incline, with their centers of rotation in vertical alignment, vertically disposed can holders arranged between said holders, a ball and socket connection between one of said members and the can holder and a pivotal connection between the other one of said members and the can holder.

FRANK OLINGER HUTTON.

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