US1892627A - Salter - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 27, 1932. P. E. PEARSON SALTER Filed May 1, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet Lil INVENTOR P401. 5.

ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 27, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAUL E. PEARSON, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO CONTINENTAL CAN COM- PANY, INC., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK SALTER Application filed May 1, 1930. Serial No. 449,035.

This invention relates to salters, and it has reference in particular to machines designed for use in a canning line for dispensing meas ured amounts of salt into the cans as they are advanced in succession to the filling machines. v

Heretofore, machines for the above purpose have been used in operative connection with can conveyers, as is the machine in the present instance, and the salt dispensing valves of the machines have been timed to operate at regular intervals in accordance with the movement of the conveyer. While such machines to a certain extent have been satisfactory, there has been the undesirable results of spilling and wasting salt in the event that the cans became out of time, or when the delivery of cans. by the conveyer became irregular or exhausted, since no satisfactory provision has heretofore been made to positively time, or stop the cans to receive the-salt, or has any means been provlded to cause the discharging of salt to be discontinued in the event no can is present on the conveyer to receive it. In other words, the salter, as heretofore used, was operated to deliver certain amounts of salt at regular intervals and this result took place so long as the machine was in operation and regardless of whether or not'cans were in position to receive the salt.

In view of the above undesirable results of machines as heretofore used, it has been the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism whereby the movement of the cans to the machlne is accurately timed in accordance with the actuation of the salt dispensing valve so that no salt is wasted by reason of the can pass- 40 ing the valve too soon or too slow, since it is manifest that unless the cans are accurately timed in accordance with the action of the dispensing device "much salt can be wasted.

It is also an object to-provide for temporarily stopping each can beneath the discharge valve eration as soon as the can supply is resumed.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provision of a salter in which a Worm shaft is employed to time the delivery of the cans to the salt receiving position and to then hold them there during the salt dispensing operation of the valve. Also to provide for driving the valve through.

a clutch connection, and to provide a release lever normally held in inoperative position by cans in the line, but which operates incident to the absence of a can in the line to release the clutch so that no salt will be delivered at that time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a salt dispensing valve of novel construction.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details of construction, and in the combination of parts, and in their mode of operation, as will hereinafter be described.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a salter embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a top or plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail through the salt hopper illustrating the construction of the dispensing valve.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section transversely of the machine, through the salt hopper and dispensing valve.-

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of the clutch mechanism which provides the driving connection for the salt dispensing valve; this view taken on line 55 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 66 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the timing worm which times the delivery of cans to the salter.

Referring more in detail to the drawings,-

In a preferred form of construction, the present machine comprises a horizontally disposed base or frame structure which is supported at suitable height by end frames, or legs 2-2; these being bolted to the frame and are braced by a connecting cross bar, or rod 3. Mounted at one end of the frame 1 is a transverse shaft 4 revolubly supported in bearings 5-5, and equipped at its outer end with a belt wheel 6 through which it may be driven. A sliding clutch 7 is keyed on the shaft 4'and is adjustable, by means of a hand lever 8, into and from locked relation with clutch jaws 6 formed on the hub of the belt wheel to throw the machine into or out of gear. The hand lever 8 is pivotally supported at its lower end by means of a bolt 9 mounted in a bracket 9' that is fixed to the main frame, and connection between the lever and the clutch collar 7 is provided by a pin 8' fixed in the lever and extended into the encircling groove 7 of the collar.

At the end of the frame 1, opposite that which carries the shaft '4, is a transverse shaft 10 revolubly mounted in suitable bearings, as at 10, and a pair of conveyer chain belts 11-11, in spaced relation, operate about the sprocket wheels 12 and 13 that are fixed on the shaft 4 and 10 respectively. The top runs of the two conveyer belts are contained in guide grooves 15 in the top wall of the frame 1, and they serve as means on which the cans 16 are moved through the machine and past the salter. Sprocket wheels 17 and 18 are fixed on the shafts 4 and 10 respectively and they carry conveyer chain belts 19 and 20, see Figure 2, whereby the cans may be brought to and taken away from the machine. The two parallel conveyer belts 1111 are advanced incident to rotation of the shaft 4 and they drive the shaft 10, which through mechanism presently described, drives the salt dispensing valve mechanism.

Mounted on the frame 1 along one side of and parallel with the conveyer chains, is a timing worm shaft 24. This is revolubly mounted at its ends in bearings 25 and 26. One end of the worm shaft is equipped with a beveled, driving ear 27 which meshes with and is driven by a veled gear 28; the latter gear being mounted on a driven shaft 29 that is disposed directly above the shaft 10, and is supported by a bearing 30; the bearing 30 being su ported by a bracket 31 that is fixed t0 the rame 1. Spur gears 32 and 33 are fixed in mesh on the shafts 24 and 10 respectively, so that the worm shaft is rotated in accordance with the advance movement of the conveyer belts 11-11.

The cans 16, which are delivered by belt 20 onto the conveyer belts 11-11, are urged against the spiral thread of the worm shaft by an outwardly yieldable pressure shoe 34. This shoe is pivotally mounted by a bolt 35, and it is urged against the cans by pressure thereagainst of a counterweight 36. The worm 1n the present instance advances slower than the conveyer belts and therefore it acts to retard the advance movement of the cans. In this way, the worm serves to positively time the delivery of the cans to the salt receiving position.

The salter mechanism consists of a container 40 that is supported by a bracket 41 adjustably fixed to the base frame 1 so that the salter mechanism may be raised or lowered to suit the height of the cans that are being passed through the machine. The salt container is of hopper-like form and at the base is provided with a discharge opening 42 beneath which is a delivery spout 43 through which salt is delivered to the cans as they pass successively beneath the device.

The means for measuring and dispensing the salt consist of a disc valve 45 that is rotatably fitted within a circular portion at the base of the hopper. This disk is provided with a drive shaft 46 that extends outwardly from the housing through a bearing 47, and at its outer end is equipped with a gear 48 which is driven by a spur gear 49 earned on a shaft 50, and which, in turn, is revolubly mounted in a. bearing 51 formed integral with the side plate of the hopper. A sprocket 52 is fixed on the outer end of shaft 50 in alinement with a similar sprocket 53 on the end of the shaft 10, and a drive belt 54 extends about these sprockets to provide a driving connection between the salter and shaft 10. Formed diametrically of the discharge valve, is a channel 56 in which a slide 57 is fitted. The slide is of a somewhat shorter length than the diameter of the valve, as is shown in Fig. 3, and it has two studs 58 and 59 extended therefrom into a cam opening 60 in a circular plate 61 that is fixed, as shown best in Figure 1, to the face of the hopper.

The function of the cam plate and the studs is to produce a back and forth sliding action of the slide asthe disc valve revolves so that certain measured amounts of salt will be taken into the upper end of the channel when the parts are in position as in Fig. 3, then when this end of the channel has been rotated to a position over the discharge spout, the

.slide will be actuated downwardly to discharge the salt and by this movement to open the upper end of the channel to receive the charge for the next can.

There is also provided an agitator and acker 65 on the inner end of the shaft 50.

his consists of a plurality of radially directed fingers which rotate with the shaft to keep the salt stirred up and in loose condition.

One of the principal features of the present machine resides in the details of con-- struction of the timing worm whereby the cans are held in position directly below the dispensing valve spout 43 during the period of time that the valve is discharging. This is accomplished by extending the thread of the worm directly about the worm shaft at the proper place, as indicated at in F igures 1, 2 and 6. It will be noted that the thread 65 leads spirally along the worm shaft up to this position and is then extended dlrectly about the shaft for approximately one hundred eighty degrees and then tapers off in a spiral direction. This portion 65' of the thread is in a plane at right angle to the shaft and positively stops the advance movement of the cans directly beneath the discharge valve and retains them stationary during the period that thesalt is being dispensed. By this provision, much salt is saved as ordinarily the movement of the can is not interrupted and the salt is discharged while the can is passing, and incidentally, much salt is spilled onto the can edges and to the outside of the can.

Another feature of the present invention resides in the means for preventing delivery of salt in the event no can is on the conveyer to receive it. It is to be observed that the salt dispensing valve is operated through a driving connection with the shaft 10. This construction comprises the sprocket belt 54 and the sprocket wheel 53 that is driven by the shaft 10. The sprocket wheel 53, in this instance, is revolubly mounted on the shaft but is driven through the medium of a looking pawl that is pivotally mounted by a pin 71 on a drum 72 that is fixed on the shaft 10, as shown best in Figures 5 and 6. A small spring 73 is attached to the drum and to the pawl and this normally holds the inner end of the pawl in driving contact with a shoulder 75 formed on the hub portion of the sprocket wheel. The opposite end of the pawl extends outwardly from the drum, as in Fig. 5. So long as this connection is provided, the shaft 10 operates to drive the sprocket 53 and this, through the belt and gears previously described, rotates the salt dispensing valve. Pivotally mounted on a stud supported by a bracket 81 from the side of the frame 1, as shown in Figures 1 and 7, is a lever 85 having an elongated end portion extended into the path of travel of cans delivered to the salter, and having a short opposite end disposed directly above the drum which carries the pawl 70 but normallyout of the path of rotative movement of the pawl. A spring 86 is attached to the per to receive material therefrom, a worm-L lever to draw the longer end portion thereof inwardly into the path of movement of the cans 16. The presence of cans on the conveyer operates to retain the lever at such position that its shorter end portion does not come in contact with the outer, extended end of the locking pawl 70, but in the event that a can is absent from the conveyer, the spring 86 pulls the lever inwardly thereby causing its shorter end portion to swing outwardly, as shown at 85 in dotted lines in- Figure 2, so that it directly overlies the ath of the pawl and when the outer end 0 the pawl engages therewith, its inner end is thereby released from driving connection with the hub of the sprocket wheel 53, and the driving connection with the salter is thereby temporarily disconnected, and no, salt is dispensed. As soon as the can supply on the conveyer again is resumed, the lever 85 is actuated outwardly and this releases the shorter end from the pawl and causes the pawl to again engage the shoulder 75 and operation of the salt dispensing valve to be resumed. 5 90 It is to be understood that the various gears and sprockets employed in the driving connections are so arranged that the movement of the cans is positively timed in accordance with the rotative movement of the dispensingfi valve and the salt is dispensed exactly at the proper time to prevent any possible waste.

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

1. A machine of the character described, comprising a material containing hopper, a continuously moving conveyer by which cans are delivered in succession beneath the hopshaft adjacent the conveyer and operable to space the cans and to time their dehvery to and from receiving pos tion, a dispensing valve in the hopper operable in synchronism with the worm shaft to deliver measuredi amounts of material to each can while in receiving position, a driving means for the valve mechanism including a releasable connection, and means operable incident to the absence of cans in regular order of delivery 11 to the hopper to actuate the releasable connection to temporarily discontinue actuation of the valve mechanism. 3

2. A machine of the character described, comprising a material containing hopper, a; conveyer belt on which cans are delivered in succession beneath the hopper to receive material therefrom, a worm shaft associated with the conveyer whereby the cans are timed in their delivery to and from receiving posi-L. tion, a dispensing valve in the hopper operable to deliver measured amounts of material therefrom to the cans while in receiving positions, means for rotating the worm shaft, means synchronized therewith for actuatingii1130 the valve in synchronism with the worm shaft including a continuously revolving shaft, a revoluble element operatively connected with the valve and having a clutch shoulder, and a releasable clutch pawl mounted on the shaft and normally engageable with the shoulder to effect a driving connection with the revoluble element for actuating the valve, a pivoted lever extended into the path of delivery of cans to the machine and normally held in inactive position by the cans, and a spring for moving the said lever incident to the absence of a can in regular order into posit on to engage with and release the clutch pawl to preclude actuation of the dispensing valve.

3. In a machine of the character described, a hopper provided with a discharge opening, a dispensing valve for controlling the delivery of material through the opening; said valve comprising a disc revoluble in the opening and provided at one side with a transverse channel, the opposite ends of which are successively presented to the interior of the hopper and to the discharge opening as the disc revolves, a slide fitted in the channel and which is of shorter length than the channel, a cam plate fixed to the hopper to overlie the slide and having an opening provided with a cam surface, means on the slide engaging the cam surface to effect reciprocal action of the slide as the disc revolves to permit the intaking of material from the hopper into the channel ends as they move through the hopper and to effect the ejection of the material as the channel ends pass the discharge opening.

4. A salt dispensing machine, comprising a hopper having a discharge opening, a conveyer for delivering cans in succession to the hopper, a worm shaft operable to time the delivery of cans to and from the hopper and valve mechanism synchronized with the timing means for controlling the delivery of salt from the hopper to the cans, said dispensing valve comprising a revoluble disc within the opening provided with a transverse channel, a slide fitted in the channel, a cam mounted on the hopper, a cam follower on the slide whereby the latter is caused to reciprocate incident to rotation of the disc to permit the intaking of measured amounts of salt into the channel ends as they revolve through the hopper and to effect the discharge of these measured amounts to the cans.

5. In combination, a hopper having a dispensing valve, a continuously moving conveyer belt operating beneath the valve and on which cans may be placed promiscuously for delivery beneath the dispensing valve to receive material from the hopper, a continuously rotating timing screw operable to space and time the cans as delivered on the belt to the dispensing valve and for temporarily checking the advance movement of each can, without removing it from the belt, when in

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