US1611822A - Bottle-case-loading machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 21 1926.

' 1,611,822 C.DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE Fi edvAugust 24. 1925 8' Sheets- Sheet 1 Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,822

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C. DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE Filed August 24, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 4r Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,822

' c. DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE Filed August 24, 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jinnivn' $v/0s H 1 Dem 21,1926. L61L822 C.DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE File August 1925 '8 heets-Sheet 6 azrzaspuk swims:

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C. DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE Fil Angus?v 1925 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,822

. c. DULCHE BOTTLE CASE LOADING MACHINE Filed ust 24, 1925 8 heets-Sheet a Patented Dec. 21', 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,611,822 PATENT OFFICE.

CARLOS DULCHE, 01 L08 ANGELES', CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF THIRTY-THREE PER CENT TO JORGE VERA-ESTANOL, SIXTEEN AND ONE-HALF PER CENT TO JUAN B. CASTELAZO, JR., AND SIXTEEN AND ONE-HALF PER CENT TO FRANCISCO CAS- TELAZO, ALL OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

BOTTLE-CASE-LOADING MACHINE.

Application filed August 24, 1925. Serial No. 52,125.

My invent-ion is a bottle case loading machine particularly adapted to load milk or other types of bottles into a case for delivcry or shipping.

My invention comprises a comprehensive machine for feeding bottles over a case, retaining the bottles elevated at a high level until a sufiicicnt number are grouped together in a basket type holder to fill the case and then automatically dropping the bottles into the case. The bottles are retarded in their drop so that they may not be broken, cracked or injure the case. The cases are automatically fed to the machine directly below the bottle holding basket and after being filled are automatically discharged from the machine.

Described and outlined more fully the machine has a bottle feeding belt or apron with a series of distributing passages with mechanism to distribute the bottles sidewise to a plurality of passages from a substantially single entrance. The bottle holding basket has a series of segmental hinged tracks to support the bottles so that they may be passed beyond the apron to a position above the case, the bottles being pressed along by succeeding bottles shoving them into position. lhe bottles cannot drop into the case until the bottle holding basket is completely filled when an electric circuit is established releasing a trigger which allows the tracks to swing downwardly and drop the bottles through a contracted resilient chute.

The empty cases are fed intermittently to the machine by a high cross conveyor on to a balanced table. This table becomes depressed when the bottles are loaded therein and is immediately carried out of the machine on an endless belt type of conveyor. I show an electric drive for the. intermittent cross conveyor having an electric motor therefor with a circuit breaker so arranged to break the circuit when a case is in position'to be loaded and thus stop the moveholding basket having spaces for a plurality of bottles in accordance with the size of the case. andthe number of bottles to be placed therein in accordance with the particular trade, retaining the bottles in the basket until it is completely filled and then automatically dropping the bottles through restricted chutes into the bottle cases. The objects also include restraining the bottles from being fed into the basket until the bottles are released from the basket to drop into the bottle cases and the tracks are again in the original position. A further object is in the automatic feeding of cases to and away from the machine.

My invention will be more readily understoodv from the following description considered in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the entire machine in the direction of the arrow 1 of Fig. 2, showing the feeding apron with the distributor for passing the bottles into different passages, the dumping bottlebasket and the in and out conveyors.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. 1, showingthe feeding-in conveyor in section.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation showing the discharge end of the machine taken in the direction 6f the arrow 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4; is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows 4, showing especially the bottle holding basket, the restricted chutes for the bottles, the balanced table for the cases and the feeding-out conveyor.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line 55 of Fig. 2, showing in particular the table for receiving the cases at the high level, holding them in position and the endless belt type conveyor for carrying the loaded cases out of the machine.

Fig. 6 is a vertical longitudinal section in part side elvation, similar to Fig. 4, showing a filled case being discharged by the feedingout conveyor.

Fig. 7 is an end elevation partially in section similar to Fig. 3, showing the mechanism operated by the dumping basket tracks on release of the holding latch by the electrically controlled electro-magnet operated tracks in their bottle carrying position, with by the bottles, dropping the bottles into a case. This figure IS on an enlarged scale from Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross section in a vertical plane on the line 88 of Fig. 1 in the direction of the arrows, showing the bottle basket with the bottle supporting the bottle restrainers in their retracted position allowing feeding of the bottles and also showing the resilient chutes for dropping the bottles.

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section similar to Fig. 8 showing the bottle basket at the moment of dropping the bottles and with the bottle restrainer set to block the feeding of bottles.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electric circuit established by the filling of the bottle basket with the bottles and in icating an electro-magnet controlling the track controlling latch in its locked position. r

Fig. 11 is a detail of the circuit breaker controlling the electric motor for operating the feeding-in conveyor, showing the automatic setting of the switch but not the making of the circuit, that is with the circuit open on the lowering of the case table.

Fi 12 is a detail similar to Fig. 11, showing t e making of the-circuit by the rise of the balanced case table.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the machine is housed in a framel, having base longitudinal bars 2, intermediate bars 3, top rails 4, front posts 5, intermediate posts 6, rear posts 7 back leg 8 and cross grid 9 and front bar 10. These are preferably formed into either a east, side frames suitably connected and braced together or by structural bars secured together to form a solid machine frame.

The bottle feeding and distributing mechanism is constructed substantially as fol lows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 1. An endless conveying belt or apron 11 is mounted on the driving roller 12, and idler roller 13, positioned crosswise in the frame so that the upper surface of the belt passes above a belt supporting web 14 built into the frame transversely of the belt or apron. The belt travels in the direction of the arrow indicated adjacent thereto in Fig; 4 and is driven b the belt 15 operating over a ulley 16 on the shaft 17 of the driving roller 12, the said belt being operated by a drive pulley 18 mounted on a transverse shaft 19 as will be hereafter set forth.

A series of guide rails 20 are positioned longitudinally of the machine, being attached to the front bar 10 and the stop bar 21 at the back of the machine above the top of the frame so that the rails extend forwardly over the belt as indicated in Fig. 4. The outer rails are drawn inward in a plurality of curves 22, formin the straight guide rails 23 at their forwar end, thereb making a feeding-in throat 24 at the forward end of the machine over the belt. The machine is constructed with four passages 7 25 between the guide rails 20 so that four rows of bottles will be fed over the cases and the central rail has a diverting nose 26 formed by spreading the guide rail located in the central position of the machine. This 75 nose has a pivoted deflecting finger 27 having a spreading .base 28 and secured to the nose by the pivotpin 29. The ends of the intermediate guiderails 30 have similar deflecting fingers on their forward ends to so shift the bottles on each side of the saidrails between the outer rails 20 and the mid position rail 31.

The manner of operation of the feeding apron and distributing passages is substant- 8B ially as follows :The bottles may be fed by any type of mechanism into the machine to enter the throat 24:. If the deflecting finger 27 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the bottles will be fed to the opposite passage and engage in the spreading base 28 swinging the finger in the opposite direction. The bottles will then be engaged by the deflecting fingers on .the ends of the intermediate guide rails 30 and deflected either to the left or to the right according to the position of the finger to locate the bottles in the several passages between the guide rails. It will thus be seen that the bottles enterin through the throat are alternately deflected left and right and that these bottles are likewise again deflected, each bottle in an alternate direction so that the bottle basket will be uniformly filled.

The bottle holding and dumping basket is constructed substantially as follows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 4, 7, 8 and 9. As above described, the longitudinal guide rails 20,30 and 31 are extended to the stop bar 21, forming a bottle holding basket designated generally by the numeral 32. The outside rails 20 are provided with recesses' 33 formed in sections with lugs 34= therebetween, said lugs having bushings 35 through which may be inserted lengthwise the rock shafts 36. The intermediate guide rails 30 have depending lugs with bushings 35 therethrough in which are located similar rock shafts 36. These rock shafts have a series of tracks 38 formed of angular plates with a wearing strip 39 extending upwardly. These tracks are shown secured to the rock shafts 36 by pins 40.

A series of bridging plates 41 are secured to the upper edge of the front bar 10 and extend close to the belt 11 as it passes over the driving roller 12. These plates carry the bottles from the belt to the tracks 38. Narrow cross bars 42 are secured across the frame of the machine and carry rings 43 Kit ' occupy the position shownin having spring wires 44.- attached thereto forming a resilient contracted chute 45 bethe outside guide rails 20 and interme ate guide rails 30. These stop sprin s normally i'g. 8 being 1261181011611, to retract to such position.- Depressions 48 are formed in these rails so that the fingers 46 may swing therein when the tracks are in their upper or carrying position shown in Fig. 8. a

The rock shafts and hence the dumping tracks are controlled substantially as follows:

their lower ends to the latch bar.

Having reference particularly to Figs. 1,

.3, 4, 7 and. 10, a cam 49 is secured to the end of each rock shaft, preferably in an adjustable manner. being held in position by-a set screw 5() and as the tracks are illustrated as dropping .in different directions of movement, the cams face in opposite directions. A latch bar 51 is supported'from standards 52 secured to the cross grid 9 by means of adjustable links 53 pivoted at 54 to the tops of the standards and swivelly connectednat e pivot pins are preferably readily removable so that the links the be accurately adjusted in length by threa ing one into-0r out of the other in the manner of turnbuckles. Tension springs 56 are-positioned between the pin 55 and the cross grid '9 normally drawing downwardly on the latch bar and thereby pressing the cams 49 into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, thereby holding the tracks 38 in their horizontal position as shown in Figs. 1 and 8, so that the bottles may be fed into the basket through the medium of the apron 11 causing the following bottles to press the leading bottles forward.

The electric trip mechanism to dump the bottles is constructed substantially as fol lows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 4 and 10':-A latch hook '57 is secured to the back face of the latch bar 51 and is engaged by a hooked head 58 mounted on the armature59, of an electro-magnet 60, whichlatter is supported in a housing 61 mounted on the cross grid 9. A series of push button switches 62 are mounted on the front face of the'stop bar 21 in position to be engaged by the bottles as they are pressed into the ma.- chine.

The electric circuit is shown particularly in Fig. 10 and is constructed as follows Electric leads 63 form a circuit from the source of power 64 through the electro-magnet 60 and through each of the switches of the push button type 62.- These switches are all m series-so that itianece'ssa for'them all'to be eased-berm the circuit is established. Therefore the bottles' must bepressed completely and ti htly'into the bottle hold-' ing basket 32 so t at jthere will be as many bottles as there are chutes 45 and as are required to",fill the case, and moreover, the

bottles will be properly centered. When the bottles in the difierent passages 25 press their individual push button to establish the circuit, the electro-magnet is energized with drawing the armature and hook 58, thereby releasing the latch hook 57 and allowing the bottles to drop, moving the tracks from the position shown in Fig; 8 to that shown in ig. 9 and shifting the cams 49 from the position shown in Fig.3 to that of Fig. 7. Thebottles are thus dumped into 'a case and in the rocking movement of the rock bars the stopping fingers 46 are moved, from the position shown in Fig. 8 to that shown in the stop springs 47 Fig. 9, thus thrustin across the bridging plates 41 and thus preventing the bottles being filled into the bottle holding basket.

When the bottles have been dropped into the case the springs 56 draw the latch bar 51 downwardly and rock the cams 49 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to that shown in Fig. 3, in which operation-the latch book 57 and the hookedhead 58 become engaged due to a compression spring 65 pressing the armature of the electro-magnet forwardly. Thus the tracks are locked to permit. feeding of the bottles and there is no barrier in their way.

The mechanism for feeding the cases into the machine is constructed substantially as follows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 :A conveyor frame 66 has an outside pair of legs 67 secured to the floor of the building and a bracket 68 secured to the side of the main machine frame preferably to the posts 6 and 7. A series of rollers 69 are mounted in the frame 66 on each side thereof and are freely rotatable and conveniently placed whereby an attendant may place empty cases thereon. Sprocket gear wheels 70 are journaled preferably by having shafts 71 and 7 2journaled respectively to the legs 67 and the bracket- 68. A sprocket chain 73 having feeding pins 74 are operated by the sprocket wheels to feed the empty cases into the machine as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3. The driving mechanism is hereafter described in detail.

' The balanced table for supporting the empty case and in lowering it to the feeding- .out conveyor is copst'ructed' substantially as follows, having reference particularly to 'rails are connected by a drop brace 78 connected from one side to the other in order to hold the side panels rigid, one in regard to the other causing uniform motion thereof. Inwardly extending arms 79 and 80 are attached to the side rails and extend close to the centrally ositioned out-feeding conveyor hereafter escribed. Guide plates 81 are pivotally connected to the arms 79 as indicated at 82 and have rearwardly projecting shanks 83.

A pair of lever arms 84 and 85 are pivoted by means of pivot pins 86 on brackets 87 secured to the intermediate bars 3 of the main frame of the machine. The lever arms 84 have counter-weight arms 88 connected therewith with counter-weights 89 adjustably mounted thereon by means of set screws or similar devices. A link 90 connects the two lever arms 84 and 85 and on the pintles 91 carries rollers 92 which bear on the un der-surface of the side rails 76 of the table 75, thereby always tending to elevate the table.

The out-feeding conveyor is constructed substantially as follows, having reference particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6:A main shaft 93 is mounted in the frame and is shown journalled at the top of the back leg 8 where it joins the intermediate bars 3. This shaft carries the main pulley 94 through which a drive is carried to the machine operating the sprocket gear wheel 95, and by means of the sprocket chain 96 the driven sprocket gear 97 fixed on the transverse shaft 19; As formerly mentioned the drive is continued by the belt 15 operating the pulley 16 which in its turn transmits motion to the apron 11.

The sprocket chain 96 carries a series of projections 98 which project upwardly through a slot 99 in a plate 100, which plate is supported by a pair of brackets 101 on the fixed rod 102 extending transversely across the frame. The plate thereby serves as a support for the boxes of filled bottles after the table 75 has been depressed by the weight of the filled bottles. The shanks 83 of the guide plates 81 contact with the rod 102 and thereby release the guide plates from the edge of the box or case as shown in Fig. 6 so that the move ment of the sprocket chain 96 in the direction of the arrow moves the filled case out o l? the machine.

The electrical control and motor drive for the feeding-in mechanism is constructed substantially as follows, having reference par-- ticularly to Figs. 2, 3, 5, 11 and 12 :-An electric circuit breaker designated general ly by the numeral 103 shown particularly in Figs. 3, 11 and 12 has a fixed insulating plate 104 secured to a bracket 105 which is carried by-a longitudinal brace 106 secured between the intermediate posts 6 and the rear post 7 on the opposite side of the machine from the feeding-in conveyor. 'The bracket 105 carries a pair of lugs 107 to which is pivoted a switch lever 108 having an outstanding projection 109 on one side of the pivotal point and a plug contact 110 mounted on the other end on an insulating plate 111. A spring 112 is tensioned to normall establish an electric circuit between t e socket members 113 and 114, the member 113 having a binding post 115 connected to a lead wire 116. The other lead wire of the circuit 117 "is connected to a binding post 118 having a cap 119 on the same side of the insulating plate 104. A strut 120 is secured to the balanced table 75, being attached to the side anels 76 on the opposite side from the fee ing-in conveyor and carries an insulating strip 121 at its upper end with a coducting bridging bar 122 which is adapted when in its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 12 to bridge the space between the socket member 114 and the cap 119 and in such position establish an electric current which will operate the electric motor.

The motor is designated generaly by the numeral 123 drives a gear 125 on the counter-shaft 126, which latter has a gear 127 meshing with the gear 128 on the shaft 72 which drives the sprocket wheels 70 of the feeding-in conveyor sprocket chain 73. The action of the circuit breaking mechanism above described is substantially as follows :If the table 75 is in its uppermost position and no box is positioned thereon, the circuit will be established through the leads 116, post 115, socket member 113, plug 110 socket member 114, bridging plate 122, cap 119, post 118 and electric lead 117 to the electric motor, which will operate to move the feeding-in conveyor and when a case contacts with the projection 109 of the switch lever 1.08, the circuit will be broken as shown in Fig. 3 by the withdrawal of the plug 110 from the socket members 113 and 114. Thus the feeding conveyor will be brought to rest. A coil spring transmission 129 is used to transmit motion from the motor to the pinion 124 so that the abrupt stopping and starting of the motor will not cause any damage. As shown in Fig. 3, the box on the table 75 has been completely shoved over by contacting with the case on the feeding-in conveyor mechanism. Hence after a case has been filled and lowered on to the feeding-out conveyor and the table has been elevated to its uppermost position, an empty case is in position to be immediately fed forward thereon.

It will thus be seen that I- have provided a machine for loading bottles into a' case which is automatic in that the bottles are fed into the bottle holding basket, retained thereinuntil all the rows are completely and by means of the pinion 124 full when the bottles at the end of each row press against the electric switches making a series circuit which actuate the electric trip mechanism alowing the bottles to drop into an empty case. The weight of the loaded case causes the supporting table to move downwardly and the case to be removed by the out-feeding conveyor. Also on the upward movement of the table an empty case is fed into the machine by starting the electric motor is stopped sttopping such conveyor and when the case is in position the electric motor is stopped stotpping such canveyor.

My invention may be considerably changed in general construction and in specific functions to suit loading of difierent types of cases or bottles and for other purposes, without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the specification and defined in the claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework'a conveyor for feeding bottles, a bottle holding basket, means to retain bottles therein and-means actuated by the bottles after the basket is filled to drop the bottles through the bottom of the basket into a case.

2. A bottle case loading machine compising in combination a machine framing. a bottle holding basket having means for holding a plurality of rows of bottles therein, means for feeding bottles to the basket. a table positioned below the basket tot'holda case and means operated by the bottles when the basket is filed to actuate a dumping mechanism to drop the bottles into the case.

3. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 2, having in addition means to feed the bottles to-the difl'erent rows, said feeding means exerting a pressure on the bottles in the basket to operate the means actuating the dropping mechanism.

4. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework, a bottle holding basket having a plurality of dumping tracks, a conveyor apron to feed the bottles to the bottle holding basket on the said tracks, means to distribute the bottles on to the different tracks. a series of electric switches operated by the bottles to form a circuit in series when all the switches are closed, and establish an electric circuit, said circuit having an electric device there in and means to trip the track and allow dropping of the bottles through. the closing ofthe. said switches.

5. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework, a plurality of guide rails extending longitudinally of the framework forming a series of passages therebetween, a conveyor apron operating under the forward end of the passageway mounted on the stop bar, said switches being connected in series, an electrically operated trip mechanism to operate the dumpin tracks, the said apron and dumping trac rs permitting bottles to be fed into the machine to cause the bottles on the dumping tracks to operate the, electric switches to thereby drop the bottles into the case.

6. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 5, in which the dumping tracks comprise longitudinally extending shafts, track elements mounted thereon, cams on the ends of the shafts, a latch bar movably mounted and engaging the cams and an filectro-magnetic device engaging the latch 7. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 5, in which the table is supported on counter-balanced movable supporting elements adapted to lower the table when the case is filled with bottles and to elevate the table when the case is removed.

8. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 5, in which the table is mounted on counter-balanced lever arms adapted to permit the lowering of a case when filled with bottles, a feeding-out conveyor operable underneath the table, having means to engage a case when the table is lowered and feed it out of the machine, said counter-weight elevating the table when the case is removed.

9. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framing, a passageway extending longitudinally of the machine, a table, adapted to hold an empty case, a series of bottle retaining devices in the said passageway over the table, an electric switch at the end of the passageway, means to press a row of bottles in'the passageway against the electric switch and an electrically operated trip device to drop the bottles into a case on the table when the said passageway is filled with bottles over the bottle retaining means.

10. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framing, a bottle holding basket having a plurality of longitudinal passageways, a series of con nected dumping tracks in each passageway, each section of track adapted to hold a bottle, an. electric switch at the end of each passageway, said switches being connected in series, means to press the bottles lon itudinally of the passageways against tie switches and electrically operated means to actuate the dumping tracks to drop the bottles through the bottle holding basket.

11. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 10, in which the tracks comprise a plurality of shafts, track elements secured t ereon, a latch bar 0 eratively connected to the shafts and an e ectro-magnetic device to operate the latch bar when all the switches are closed to allow the dropping of the bottles through the basket. 12. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 10, in which the tracks comprise a plurality of longitudinally extending oscillatable shafts, track elements secured thereto, cams on the ends of the shafts, a latch bar movably mounted and engaging the cams, an electro-magnetic trip device to release the trip bar when all the switches are closed and means to move the trip bar to its normal position and thereby oscillate the track elements to their normal position after dropping bottles.

13. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework, a plurality of guide rails extending lengthwise of the framing and forming a plurality of parallel passageways, oscillatable shafts positioned below said guide rails, a series of plates attached to each shaft form ing tracks adapted to allow travel of bottles resting with their base on the said plates, a series of cams on the ends of the said shafts, a latch bar operatively mounted on standards secured to the framework, said latch bar bearing against the cams, a latch hook device operatively connected with the latch bar, an electro-magnetic device to operate the said latch hook device and a series of electric switches forming an electric circuit with the electro-magnetic device only when all the passageways are filled with bottles and the bottles are pressed lengthwise of said passageways.

14. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 13, having in addition a continuously moving apron adapted to convey bottles to said passageways, means to distribute bottles laterally to the passageways and' press the bottles against the switches and means operated by the movement of the tracks in dumping to restrain the bottles to stop the movement of the bottles ofi the apron.

15. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framing, means to feed empty cases into the, framing, a bottle holding basket positioned above a case when located in the framing, mezins to load bottles into the said basket, means operated bythe bottles when the basket is filled to cause the dropping of the bottles through the basket into a case and means to convey a filled case out of the machine frammg.

16. A bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framing, a feeding-in conveyor for empty cases, an

electric motor to operate said conveyor, a movable table at the end of the conveyor in the framing a bottle holding basket having a plurality of passageways positioned above the table, dumping means to retain bottles in the basket, a movable apron for feeding bottles into the basket, an electro-magnetic means operated by the bottles when all the passageways are filled, to allow dumping of the bottles 'into a case on the said table, said table being depressed by the weight of the filled case, and a continuously operating feemg-out conveyor to engage the filled case and remove it from the machine framing.

17. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 16, having in addition a circuit breaker positioned to engage a case "when fed on to the table and stop the electric motor, and means connected to the table to make an electric circuit through the circuit breaker on the upward movement of the table after discharging the filled case.

18. In a bottle case loading machine, a table adapted to support an empty case, counter-balancing means to retain the table normally in elevated position, a feeding-in conveyor having an electric motor to operate same, an electric circuit breaker positioned to be engaged by an empty case when fed on the elevated table to break the circuit and stop the motor and a bridging plate operatively connected to the table adapted to establish an electricjcircuit when the empty table is in its uppermost position and thereby start the motor to feed an empty case on the table.

19. In a bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 18, having in addition a continuously operating feeding-out conveyor located below the table, adapted to engage a filled case on the depression of the table and remove it off the table and out of the machine. y

20. In a bottle case loading machine, a machine framing, a table having a pair of spaced panels at opposite sides of the framing, a pair of counter-balancing lever arms pivotal y mounted in the frame and engaging the said panels adapted to normally hold the table in elevated position, guide rods to guide the tabletin its upward or downward movement, a feeding-out conveyor positioned in the framing below the table. guide plates pivotally connected to the table adapted to position an empty case thereon and means actuated by the lowering of the tablethrough the weight of a filled case to actuate the guide plates to release the case and means on the feeding-out conveyor to engage a case and move it out of the machine framing.

21. In a bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 20, having in addition a plate having aslot therethrough in which the feeding-out conveyor operates, said plate being positioned between the panels of the tles into adjacent passag table and adapted to receive a filled case on the depressionof the table and permit engag ing of said case by the said feeding-out conveyor.

22. A bottle case loading machine comprising in' combination a machine framework, a bottle holding basket having a plurality of passages and a series of dumping.

bottoms in each passageway, a counter-balanced movable tableto support an empty case, a conveyor to feed an empty case on the table, a feeding-out conveyor positioned below the table, electric switches at the end of each passageway and-means to press the bottles against the electric switch connected in series, to establish an electric circuit to actuate the dumping bottom of the basket and discharge the bottles into the case, the filled case causing the lowering of the table to engage the case with the feeding-out conveyor.

23. A. bottle case loading machine comprising in combination a bottle holding basket having dumping tracks adapted to drop bottles therethrough, aseries of guide rails dividing the basket into a plurality of passages, the guide rails being contracted towards each other forming a narrow entrance throat, a continuously moving apron conveyor positioned below the guide rails and pivotally mounted deflectingfingers on the ends of the guide rails ada ted to shift botes y-the movement of the apron.

24. A bottle case loading machine as claimed in claim 4, having a latch bar, cams connected to the track operatively engaging the latch bar, said latch bar being released by the electrical device and a series of springs to return the latch bar and the cams and tracks to their'normal osition.

.25. In a bottle case loa ing machine as claimed in claim 18, in which the counterbalancing means com rises a system of levers with a counter-weig t thereon, operatively connected to the table, said system of levers permitting the table-to swing downwardly when a case is filled and to swing upwardly when the case is removed fromthe table.

26. In a bottle case loading 'machine, a bottle holding basket, a-series of rings in the basket, spring wires depending from the said rings,

, tainers tracks supporting a'bottle above each ring and means to trip the tracks to allow dropping of the bottle through the rings, said bottle being retarded by the said springs.

v27. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework and a holding basket, means to retain the containers therein until said holding basket is filled with the number of containers desired and means to permit dropping ofthe bottles through the bottom of thebasket into a case.

28. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework and a holding basket, means actuated by the containers after saidholding basket is filled with the number of containers desired, to let drop said containers through the bottom of the holding basket into a case.

29. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework, a conveyor and a holding basket, means actuated by the containers to distribute automatically said containers in two or more rows as it may be desired, means to retain the containers in the holding basket until said holding basket is filled with the number of containers desired.

30. A case loading machine comprising in combination a machine framework, and a holding basket,

therein until the holding basket is filled with the number of containers desired, means actuated by the containers after the holding basket is filled with containers desired, to let ers through the bottom of into a case.

31, A case loading machine com combination a machine framewor a conveyor. and a holding basket, means actuated by the containers to distribute automatically said containers in two or more rows as it maybe desired, means to retain the containers in the holding basket until said holding basket is filled with the number of containers desired, means actuated by the containers after said holding basket is filled with the number of containers desired, to let dro said containers through the bottom of the olding basket into a case.

In' testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CARLOS DULCHE. I

the holding basket rising in the number of drop said contammeans to retain the con- 1

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