US1773654A

US1773654A - Bottle-handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1773654A
Application number: US325809A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edwin E Van Cleaf
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1928-12-13
Filing date: 1928-12-13
Publication date: 1930-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1947-08-19

Description

E. E.' VAN 'cu-:AF

o'r'TLE HANDLING APPARATUS Filed nec. l13.. 192e Augy19, 1930. E. E. VAN cLEAF 1,773,654 BOTTLE HNDLING APPARATUS Filed nep. 1s, 1928 v s sheds-sheet 2 ATTORNEY Aus 19, 1930. E; x/AN @LEAF 1,173,654

o'rTLE HANDLING-APPARATUS Filed Dac. 13, 1928 3 ASheets-Sheet 3 hlli um!!! ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 19, 1930 1 UNITED STATES EDWIN E; VAN CLEAF, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN BOTTLE-HANDLING APPARATUS Application led December 13,` 1928. Serial No. 325,809.

This invention relates'to certain novel improvements in blpttle handling apparatus and has for its principal object the provision of an improved construction of this character which will be highly efficient in use and economical in manufacture.

The salient object of my invention is to provide a bottle handling apparatus which will be arranged in a manner such that bottles reloceived from a filling and capping machine will be inserted into cases adapted to receive the same.

Another object'of my invention is to arrange al mechanism of the above named character in a manner., such that the bottles received will be inserted into the case with their necks extended in a downwardly direction.

Another object of the invention is to arrange the mechanism in a manner such that after a case has been filled the case will be caused to move from the machine in order that anew case maybe inserted into position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

l The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, showing the preferred form of construction and in which: V

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a mechav nism constructed in' accordance with my in- Fig. 2 is a side view of the device looking in the opposite direction from Fig. 1; 'l

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

A Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 on Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an elevational detail view of a cam member employed in the device;

y Fig. 6 is a fragmental detail view depicting the connection v between the cam member shown in Fig. 5 and the parts to be operated thereby; Y

Fig. 7 is a. perspective detail View of the bottle receiving member;

Fig. 8 is a sectional detail View taken substantially on the line 8-8 on Fig. 5'; Fig. 9 is a fragmental detail view depicting the case receiving platform and the conveyer intended to be associated therewith; and

Fig. 1() is a detail view of a star wheel and cam member employed in the device.

In the accomplanying drawingswherein I have illustrated a preferred form of construction for my device 10 and 11 indicate the side frames of the construction which in the present instances are formed so as to be substantially triangular. A shaft 12 extends between the upwardly disposed apices of the triangular members 10'and11 and has an enlarged portion at one end thereof so as to be properly retained in position. Mounted on the Shaft 12 intermediate -`the end members 10 and 11 is my limproved bottle receiving member `which is generically indicated by 14'.

The bottle receiving member 14 is very clearly illustrated in Fig. 7 andby referring to this figure it may be seen that this bottle receiving member comprises two parallelly extending partitions 15 and 16. Extending upwardly from the partition 15 intermediate the ends thereof are partition members 17 and 18 which are spaced apart and which co-operate with the partition 15 to define a compartment19. Partition members 2O and 21 extend outwardly from the partition member 16 and are spaced apart and co-,operate with the partition 16 to define a compartment 22. Disposed between the partitions 15 and 16 are partition members 23 and 24 which are aligned with the partitions 17 and 2() and y18 and 21 respectively and the partition 23 cooperates with the partitions 15 and 16 to define a compartment 25 and the partition 24 co-operates with the partitions 15 andv 16 to define a compartment 26. It is therefore apparent that four compartments are defined which are indicated by 19, 25', 22 and 26 and these vcompartments are preferably disposed at a ninety degree angle with respect to each other. Strengthening braces are provided at the ends of the partitions and extend between the partitions defining the bottle receiving compartments. The edge of these braces are rounded so that the cross sectional outline of the member 14 is substantially circular.

Suitably j'ournaledl in the device is a shaft member 27 which has arranged thereon exteriorly of the frame member a power receiving member 28 which in the present 1nstance is in the form'of a. gear which `is intended-to receive power from a pinion mounted on the shaft of a motor, these last named mechanisms not being shown inl the drawing as it is to be understood that any suitable power supplying arrangement might be providedas for example a belt and pulley structure. Mounted on theouter face of the gear 28 is a pin member 29. Mounted on the shaft 27 exteriorly of the gear 28 is a cam member 30which has a depression 31 .formed in the periphery thereof that is adapted to be aligned with the pin 29. Mounted on the outer end of the shaft .12 is a star wheel 32 which comprises circular portions 33 on the periphery thereof that are adapted to bear. on the periphery of the member 31 and arranged intermediate the circular portions 33 are slots 34 which extend radially into said star wheel 32.

The gear 28 is intended to .be rotated in a counterclockwise direction therefore when the pinion 29 moves into position such that passage into one of the slots is possible," it being apparent that at this time the depression 31 vwill be aligned with the projecting .portions of the curved surface 33, said pin will travel through said slot and impart movement in a clockwise direction to the star wheel 32 which willimpart a similarly directed movement to the shaft 12 and therefore to the member 14.

' My improved device is intended to be -as-` sociated with a bottling and capping machine or with a. capping machine either of which machines include a delivery conveyer that is embryonically illustrated in Fig. 3 and indicated by 35. At the upper end portion of the side frame 11 a substantially circular member 36 is provided which has a cut away portion 37. `The conveyer 35 is adapted to be Extending valigned with the lower edge 38 of the cut away portion -37 and therefore afterthe bottles are delivered from the capping -machine along the conveyer they will be forced over the edge 38 into one ofthe compartments inthe member 14. in the present instance the compartment 19 being disposed at such a position.

At the upper end of the side frame 10 a substantiall between the

circular portions

36 and 39 is a substantially cylindrical wall Y member 40 which will be described more fully hereinafter. The bottles are fed yinto the compartment 19 ina manner well understood in the art. Then when the hereintofore men-V tloned movement is imparted to the star wheel 32 the compartment 19 will be moved from the position A in Fig. 4 into the position B and as soon .as the bottles start their movement they will engage the .inner surface of the cylindrical member 40 and will thus be recircular member 39 is provided.`

tained in thc compartment 19. This movement of-the star wheel 32 will next move the compartment 26 into the position A in order that said compartmentwill receive the bottles fed over the portion 38 from the conveyer 35. It ,is to be understood that the operation of my machine will be synchronized with the operation of the capping machine in order that the hereintofore mentioned movement of the member 14 will occur ata time when a predetermined number of bottles have been moved into the compartment in the posi tion A..

After the star wheel 34 has been moved so as to move the compartment 19 from the position A to the position B and afterthe compartment 26 in the position A has been filled with bottles the star wheel 32 will again be moved and therefore the compartment 19 will move into the position C on Fig. 4 and `slide blocks 45 are mounted. A bar 43 extends between the blocks 45 below the platform 42 in spaced relation thereto. A shaft 77 extends between the blocks and through the platform 42 and pivotally connects the platform to the blocks. A bar 45a extends between the sides of the platform below the shaft 77 and a stop 46tt depends from the bar 45". The stop 46a engages the bar 43 and serves to limit pivotal movement of the platform 42 about the shaft 77. A spring-46 ex' tends between the rear end of the platform 42 and one of the blocks 45 as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4. This spring 46 serves'to act on the platform to urge the same into pivotal movement about the shaft 77 which is limited by the stop 46 and in this manner the platform 42 is normally held in horizontal position. 4 I

A guide member 48 is provided which is i' supported on rollers and other suitable meclianisms from the side members 10 and 11 for movement transversely of said side members. The guide member 48 is provided withtransversely extending partitions 49 which divide spaces 50, there being an equal number of these spaces as there are transverse rows of bottle receiving openings in the case 41 -into which `rows of openings the necksof the bottles are adapted to be inserted. Extending between the partitionsv 49v are partitions 51 which divide the spaces 50 into a plurality. of compartments or guideways of a number 'equal to the number of bottles which the the arms 62B.

member 14 receives in each of the compartments defined therein.

At the start of the operation the first of the transverse rows is aligned with. the position C.v They will move fromthe opening 19 through the guideways defined by the partitions 49 and 51 and they will thus be guided into the first row of openings in the case 41. The bottles will .be inserted into the case with their necks projecting downwardly as they will automatically assume this position by travel around the member 40 lwhich they disengage just prior to their movement into the position 0. In order to advance the second row of spaces 50 into alignment with the position C I provide the following mechanisms. A c

A shaft 52 is journaled in the side frames 10 and 11 and a star wheel 53 is mounted thereonwhich has circular portions 54 on the Y periphery thereof that are adapted to bear against thesurface ofthe cam wheel 30. Radial openlngs 55 are provided in the star wheel 54 which are substantially similar to the openings 34. As the gear Wheel 38 rotates in a counter-clockwise direction the pin 29 will enter into one of the slots 55 that is disposed in the proper position and a quarter turn movement will be imparted to the star wheel. 53. The cutaway portion 31 von the cam will move into position to permit clearance of the higher portions of the curved surfaces 54. It is apparent from the foregoing due to the counter-clockwise direction of rotation of the gear 28 the star wheel 53 will have a quarter turn movement imparted thereto in a counter-clockwise direction prior to the time that such movement is impartedr to the star wheel 32.

-Mounted on the opposite end of the shaft 52 from that carrying the star wheel 53 is a cam 56 which has a cam groove 57 provided therein in which the cam follower 58 is adapted to travel. Formed on the forward end of the guide member 48 are projections` 59 .which have links 60^pivotally connected thereto. A shaft 6'0a is mounted in the proecting portions 61'a as clearly illustrated in 1g. 1. Depending from the shaft 60 are arms 62a and the free ends of the links 60 are pivotally connected to the free ends of The shaft 60 has. an arm 61 connected to the end portion thereof arv ranged in juxtaposition to the cam 56 and the'follower 58 isconnectedto the free end of the arm 61. It is apparent that the quarter turn step-by-step movement imparted to the starrwheel 53 will impart a similar movement to the shaft 52 and, therefore, to the cam 56. Due to the disposition of the follower 58 in the cam groove 57 this movement will be imparted through the arm 61 to the shaft 60 andthence throu h thev arms 62" and the links- 60 to the mem er 48 which will move the member 48 in a manner such that the second of the.ope11,ingsd50 willv .an sucesbe aligned with the position sive movements imparted to the cam will properly position lsuccessive of the open-v ings 50. v

Extending into the frame defined by the side braces 10 and 11 is a conveyer member 62 which is preferably arranged so as to slope downwardly, and which terminates below on: end of the latform 42 when inthe described position. t is intended that when the case 41 has been lled to capacity that the platform y p 42 be tilted into alignment with the conveyer.

62 in order that the case 41 will move by gravity from the platform 42 onto the conveyer 62, it being that the upwardly disposed ends thereof will be disposed below theA lower edge of the guide member 48. This tilting of the platform is accomplished in the following manner.

Associated with the star wheel 53 on the shaft 52 is a cam member 63. A substantially so' i understood that the bottles lwill pass into the case 41 a distance suflicient L-shaped link structure 64 is provided which includes an armo65 that extends vertically up past the shaft 52 and which is pivotally connected on the lug 61". An -arm 66 completes the structure 64 and is carried by' brackets 66a. An arm 68 extends substantially parallel to the arm 65. To the lower lend of the arm 68 I pivotally connect one end of anY arm 69 as indicated at 70. The arms 66 and 68 are interconnected by a spring 78 and the arms 6 6 and 65 are interconnected by the spring and lug structure 67. A U-shaped bracket on the arm 66 surrounds the arm 68 and the sprin 78 holds these parts together. The spring 67 holds arm 65 in engagement with cam 63. The arm 69 is pivotally connected to the slide'block 45 as vindicated at 71 and the arm 69 is also pivotally mounted as indicated at 72. On the free end of the arm 69 I provide a weight member 73. An arm '74 similar to the arm 69 is provided on the opposite side of the machine and a weight 75 is mounted on this arm. The arm 74 is pivotally mounted as indicated by 76 and is.

'pivotallyeonnected to the slide block 45 on with bottles. l

' At the timev the guide member 48 is positioned so as to guide the bottles into the last row of openings in the case and after this action ,has been completed the pin 29 will engage the-projection 79 and move the arm 68 ownwardly and obviously inwardly until disengagement takes place as above set forth. Downw'ard movement of the arm 68 will impart downward movement to the block since the arm 69 will be pivoted about apsupport therefor and, therefore, at the same time the arm 7 4 will be pivoted downwardly. This downwardmovement imparted to the blocks lo 45 moves the platform 42 downwardly and after moving a predetermined distance the platform 42 engages the stop 80 which is lsupported from the shaft which provide the pivotal connections 72 and 76. Upon engageu ment with the stop the forward end of the platform will be tilted into alignment with the conveyer 62 and the filled cases are, therefore, passed down the conveyer 62. The conveyer 62 and platformV 42 are preferably of o the roller type construction so as to facilitate this movement of the full case.' The weights 73 and 7 5 counterbalance the weight of a full case and, therefore, when the case moves from the platform 42 these Weights will act through u the arm connected to them to reposition the platform 42. Prior to this time the cam 56 will have been actuated so as to retract guide 48 to its first position. A new case will have been slid into position below the guide mem- U0 ber 48 from the supply conveyer 81 and the parts will againvbe in position to repeat the hereintofore described operation.

lWhile I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification, without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Havingthus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: L

1. In a device of the'character stated, a frame member, a member in said frame member having a plurality of compartments provided therein adapted to receive articles when in a predetermined position, means for imparting a step-by-step movement to said member-whereby to move said compartments from a. receiving position to a delivery position, means for retaining said articles in said compartments during said movement, means for supporting a receptacle adapted to receive said articles, means for guiding said articles from saidcompartments into said receptacle, means for imparting step-by-step movement to said guiding means whereby different portions of said receptacle may be moved into position below said articles delivery position, 4said last named means being adapted to reposition said guiding means `said receptacle has been filled for causing said after said receptacle has been filled and discharged from said device.

2. In a device of the character stated, a frame member, a member in said frame member having a plurality of compartments provided therein adapted to receive articles when in a predetermined position, means for imparting a step-by-step movement to said` member whereby to move said compartments from a receiving position to a delivery posir tion, means for retaining said articles in said d compartments during said movement, means for supporting a receptacle adapted to receive said articles, means'for guiding said articles from said compartments into said receptacle, means for imparting step-by-step movement to said guiding means whereby diii'erent'portions of said receptacle may be moved into position below said articles delivery position, said last named means being adapted to reposition said guiding means after said receptacle has been filled Vand discharged from said device, means adapted to act on said receptacle supporting means after 9o receptacle to move from receiving position.

3. In a device of the character stated, a frame structure, a member having'a plurality of compartments-provided therein adapted to receive articles, means for imparting step-by-step movement to said member, means for actuating said last named means, means for supporting a receptacle, means for guiding articlesfrom said compartments into said receptacle, means for imparting a step-by-step movement to said guiding means adaptedto be .actuated by the same means for actuating said first named step-by-step movementimparting means.

4. In adevice of the character stated, a frame structure, amember having a plurality of compartments provided therein adapted to receive articles, means for imparting step-by-step movement to said member, means l for actuating said last named means,means for supporting a-receptacle, means for. guiding articles from said compartments into said receptacle, means for imparting a step-bystep movement to said guiding means adapted to be actuated by the same means for actuating said first named step-by-step movement imparting means, and means for causing said receptacle to move from said device when filled with articles from said compartments, said last named means being adapted to be actuated by said actuating means.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

EDWIN E. VAN CLEAF.