US2205338A - Continuous loaf feeding and timing device - Google Patents

Description

J1me 18,1940. R. J. BEUTEL CONTINUOUS LOAF FEEDING AND TIHING DEVICE Filed April 8, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 I INVENTOR ROBERT JVBEUTEL June 18, 1940. J, BEUTEL CONTINUOUS LOAF FEEDING AND TIMING DEVICE Filed April 8, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 N v NW ww mm B 8 Q J L Q Q E @Q K. E M Y ww/J J Q NW Q Wm M Q Q Q Q am Mr m w% A .J M mm Q 5 m mm RY I |1|II B w E. [-i..- l I v ww w. 3 mm Q .Q\ Q a Q a. w R 11 \i x J |I\ x1 N In w N a RN ww N k \w m GE mw AN AN a ha q @E 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 June 18, 1940. R. J. BEUTEL GON'IINUOUS LOAF FEEDING AND TIIING DEVICE Filed April 8, 1938 T m Q U m3 W \J 8 June 18, 1940. R. J. BEUTEL CONTINUOUS LOAF FEEDING AND TIMING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ROBERT J. BEUTEL III/I,

ATTORNEY Filed April 8, 1938 FIG. 6

Patented June 18, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS LOAF FEEDING AND TIMING DEVICE Application April s, 1938, Serial No. 200,938

12 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine of the nature of a bread slicer, especially tosuch a machine intended for use in conjunction with a machine for wrapping the sliced loaves, and

5 more particularly to the provision of means by which the operation of the slicing mechanism is so co-ordinated with that of the wrapping mechanism as to assure the uniform delivery to the wrapping mechanism of a stream of loaves n responding accurately to the demand of the wrapping mechanism.

An object of the present invention is to provide improved sensing devices to furnish a reliable indication of any irregularity in the ar- 1.) rival of sliced loaves at the station where they are to be transferred from the slicer to the takeon element of the wrapping mechanism, and to provide means responding automatically to such indications of irregularity to correct the discon- 20 formity and restore the normal regularity of operation without requiring volitional control or special attention by the operator.

In pursuance of the foregoing general object of the invention, an object of ancillary character 25 is to provide electrically operating switch devices in circuit with a solenoid by which the feeding of the loaves both before and after the slicing operation is controlled and so arranged that upon occurence of any 'disconformity in the 30 timing of the loaf-arrival at the outbound conveyor, when coming from the slicer mechanism, as for example when the loaf advances too rapidly, or is late in arrival, one or more of the conveyors will be incapacitated, and will be rehabili- 35 tated at the lapse of a suitable interval, adequate to permit correction of the disconformity.

Other objects and features of the invention will appear as the description of the particular physical embodiment selected for illustration 4O progresses.

In the accompanying drawings, like characters of reference have been applied to corresponding parts throughout the several views which make up the drawings, in which:

45 Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation showing the driving means of a bread slicing machine;

Fig. 2 is a continued side elevation of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional end elevation of the planetary gearing and variable speed mechanism;

50 Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of Fig. 2; and a Fig. 6 is a plan view taken from the line 3-6 55 of Fig. 5.

(Cl. 146l53) In the now-preferred embodiment of the invention selected for illustrationand description, the part designated generally by the reference character I is the infeedconveyor of a brcad-slicing machine, and cooperates with the intermediate conveyor I to lead the loaves of bread to a slicer mechanism whose reciprocating slicer knives |2, Fig. 1, are driven by any suitable means not shown, said conveyors being driven by a motor g. 3, in conjunction with a vari-speed motor pulley I4, having the characteristics hereinafter set forth. Pulley l4 mounted on motor shaft |5, by means of a V-belt |6.drives a pulley Figs.

1 and 4, secured to one end of a shaft I8 which is mounted on roller bearings 9 provided in housing 20. A worm 2|, which may be integral with shaft I8, meshes witha worm wheel 22 loosely mounted on shaft 23 and imparts motionto planetary gearing to be hereinafter described.

Shaft 23 atone end is mounted in a bearing 24 of housing 20 and its other end is supported by a bearing 25 of housing cover 26 enclosing the planetary gearing. Housing 20 has extending hubs 21, Fig. 4, providing means for suspending said housing from the rods 28 which are sup- 25 ported by the side frames 29 and 30 of the machine.

The rods 23 support loosely mounted across bars 3| and 32 which are spaced by a tie plate 33. The bars 3| and 32, at their base, are pro- '3 vided with T slots 34 adapted to receive T bolts 35 which support plate 33, said'plate having extending feet 36 which carry the motor 3. In this manner the motor l3 and pulley M may be moved in and out to line-up the drive with pul- 3 ley l1 and, when correctly set, the position is maintained by tightening nuts 31. The cross bar 3|, midway of its length, is provided with a threaded aperture 38 receiving a spindle 39 having a handwheel 40, thus providing means for moving the bars 3| and 32 back and forth on rods 28, and consequently the motor l3 and pulley M. The movement of the motor and pulley with respect to the pulley changes the speed of the latter by means to be presently described.

The vari-speed motor pulley I4 may be of the type procurable in the market under the name Reeves and which, in the form herein illustrated, consists of two opposing cone-faced disks, one stationary, laterally, and the other sliding and which includes an adjustable compression spring, (not shown) all of which is self-contained and may be mounted on any standard motor shaft. When the motor is at the position nearest to the driven shaft N3, the V-belt l6 assumes the largest arc of contact or diameter formed by the disks, and the maximum speed is obtained on the driven pulley.

By turning the speed control hand wheel 40, the motor is moved away from the driven pulley, causing the V-belt to assume a smaller arc of contact or diameter between the disks, the sliding disk moving laterally, but held in positive contact with the V-belt by means of the compression spring, and thus the speed of the driven pulley is reduced.

When the motor is moved to the position farthest away from the driven shaft, the V-belt assumes the smallest dlameter and the minimum speed is obtained on the driven pulley I1.

A table 4| supported by the side frames 23 and 30, is provided with an elongated slot 42, Fig. 3, permitting movement of an indicator 43 secured to the bar 3|. Table H at its slotted portion may be provided'with graduated markings furnishing'to the operator anindication which enables him to adjust the speed of the infeed belt with respect to that of the outbound belt which in turn is synchronized with the wrapping machine. I

When the desired speed of the slicer is obtained, the speed adjusting spindle 33 becomes automatically locked in position by means of a spring tensioned ball 44 engaging in one of a number of depressions 45 provided in a collar 46 secured to said spindle.

The worm wheel 22, Figs. 3 and 4, is interlocked with a gear 50, also loose on shaft 23, and which meshes with a gear 5| interlocked with a planet gear 52, the latter being inmesh with a Y sun gear 53 keyed onshaft 23. Gears 5| and 52 are loosely mounted on a stud 54 supported by an arm 55 also loose on shaft 23, having a hub 56 rotatably mounted in bearing 25,of housing cover 26. The hub 56 of planet arm 55 is interlocked with a ratchet wheel 51, free on shaft 23. A pawl 58 (Figs. 1 and 3) adapted to engage ratchet wheel 51, is operated by a solenoid 53 carried by a bracket 60 supported on rods 28. The operation of the solenoid is controlled in part by connections from a feeler plate indicated at C, Figs. 5 and 6, which operates one of three switches included in series with two other switches, in a control circuit to be herein described, the act of making or breaking the circuit causing the solenoid to move the pawl 58, in or out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 51, as will be hereinafter set forth more at length.

The pawl 58 is pivotally mounted on a stud 6| supported at the lower end of arms 62 and 63v suspended from the bracket -50, and is normally held in engagement with ratchet wheel 51 by a tension spring 64 having one end anchored to a spring post.65 on the pawl and its other end anchored to a spring post (not shown) provided on arm 62. V Y

When the pawl 58 is in engagement with ratchet wheel 51, the latter and its co-acting arm 55 are held from turning, permitting the worm 2| to transmit motion to its wormwheel 22 and gears 50, 5| and 52, whereby gear 52 drives sun gear 53, imparting motion to shaft 23 and its afiixed sprocket 66. The turning of sprocket I56 drives a chain 61 running over the sprockets 58 and 63, Fig. 1, thereby driving the pulleys 10 and H and their respective conveyor belts I0 and II. Pulley10 is mounted on a shaft 12 and pulley H is mounted on a shaft 13 having a gear 14 meshing with a gear 15 mounted on a shaft 16. Shaft 16 is also provided with a sprocket 11 driving a chain 18 running over a sprocket 13 on shaft 80, the latter having a pulley 8| driving a top tension belt 82 running over a pulley 83 on a shaft 84 supported by an adjustable bracket 85. Bracket 85 is adjustable to provide means for conforming the tension to the different heights of loaves to be sliced.

The release of pawl 58 from ratchet wheel 51 results in the incapacitation of the driving means to the belts I0, II and 82, for while the worm 2| drives worm wheel 22 and gears 50, 5| and 52, the latter travel around the now stationary sun gear 53 so that the arm 55 and its interlocked ratchet wheel 51 merely revolve idly about the stationary shaft 23,thus no motion will be transmitted to sprocket 66 and its driven members.

The loaves of bread to be sliced are placed on the horizontal conveyor I0 which advances them on to the inclined conveyor II leading to the reciprocating slicer knives I2 of the slicer unit. The leading loaf is pushed through the knives I2 by the following loaves and passes over the bridge 30, Figs. 1, 2 and 5 into the path of the conveyor flights 3|, Fig. 5, which propel the sliced loaves in timed relation, to a wrapping machine (not shown) by means to'be presently described.

The conveyor chains 33, Figs. 5 and 6, are provided at spaced intervals with special links having extending lugs 34 adapted to receive and support the flights 3|. The front and rear chains 33 run over intermittently driven sprockets 35 and 36 respectively, and over idler sprockets 31 mounted on a shaft 38 supported by the side frames 33 and I00. Sprockets 35 and 96 are secured to the ends of a sleeve IOI provided with bushings I02 having a running fit upon, and to be turned by, a continuously rotating shaft I03 driven by any suitable means from a wrapping machine, not shown. Shaft I03 is supported in bearings (not shown) of the outer side frames 33 and I00 of the slicing machine.

The hub of sprocket! 35'carries a pin I04 adapted to be engaged and driven by a spring tensioned pawl I05 fulcrumed on a stud I06 of a driving arm I01 secured on shaft I03. The drive I04--I05 remains engaged as long as a continuous and properly timed flow of loaves issue from the slicer, but when an interruption occurs, the drive will be automatically disengaged, stopping the rotation of sprockets 35 and 36 and consequently the travel of conveyor chains 33. The disengagement of the drive is desirably accomplished by means of a roller I08, carried by a trip arm I03, which will project into the path of the pawl I05 ready to engage the inclined portion IIO of the same, when an interruption occurs in the continuous flow of the loaves, thereby tripping said pawl and releasing it from pin I04.

The arm I03 is secured to one end of a pivot shaft III mounted on trunnions ,I I2, one of which is supported by the frame 33, Fig. 6, and the other'carried by a plate II3 suspended from one of the support bars II4. Bars II 4 are secured to tie bars I I5 and I I6 (Fig. 5), being square in cross-section. and turned at their endsto, fit suitablehubs provided on the frames 33 and I00 (notshown). The bar 5 supports a U-shaped bracket -II1 having legs H8 and H9 providing means for securing the same to said bar. members H8 and H3 are provided with trunnions I carrying a comparatively short pivot shaft III carrying a fixed arm II2 connecting to a trip arm I23. Arm I23 terminates in a' link I24 connecting to an arm I25 secured to pivot shaft III, and arm I25 carries a stud I26 equipped The with an adjustable counter-weight I21 which tends to normally retain the trip arm I23 in its up-position.

The bars II4 support a table I30 and an adjustable plate I 3|, U-shaped in cross-section and partly overlying the table I30. A Ushaped bridge plate I32, also supported by bars H4, is mounted so as to allow a clearance for a sliding fit of plate I34; Plate I3I supports a hinge I33 connecting to an inclined trip plate I34 equipped with a roller I35 adapted to depress trip arm I23. Plate I 3I is provided with a rectangular opening I36 permitting up and down movement of the plate I34. Plate I3I is also provided with elongated slots I31 permitting lateral movement of said plate and its attached trip plate I34, thus providing means for setting the trip plate to accommodate the different sizes of loaves, and when correctly set the plate may be locked in position by screws I30.

At the start of a run, the plate I3I is adjusted so that the loaves issuing from the slicer will depress plate I34 when they are approximately one inch clear of the bridge 90, Fig. 5. The descent of plate I34, acts, by means of roller I35, to depress thetrip arm I23, the final oneeighth inch of travel of the latter closing the circuit of a normally open Microswitch I40. The descent of arm I23 also lifts the arm I09 and its roller I08 out of the path of the pawl I05, thereby permitting the pawl to engage pin I04 and drive the conveyor chains 93 during the next cycle of shaft I03.

The switch I40 is wired in series with two other Microswitches HI and I42 to the solenoid 59. Switch I4I, which is also normally open is controlled by an adjustable cam I43 which rotates only when the conveyor chains 93 are in motion. The normally closed switch I42 is controlled by a cam I44 adjustably attached to the continuously rotating shaft I03, and imparts motion to the delivery conveyor chains 93 when a load overlies the trip plate I34.

The cam I43, being adjustably attached to the clutch sprocket 95, is provided with arcuate slots allowing movement of the cam to a position so that the roller I45, on the switch lever I46, rests about one-sixteenth of an inch from the edge of the raised portion I41 of the cam. This set-up of the roller is made when the pawl I has just been disengaged from the pin I04, leaving sprocket 95 in its stationary position, the cam I43 being then clamped in position by means of bolts I48. A set screw I49, carried by lever I46, is adjusted so as to engage a leaf spring I50 of the switch I4I, opening the circuit of the same at the time the roller I45 leaves the high portion of the cam.

The cam I44, at the other end of shaft I03, is set in such relation with the cam I43, that a roller I5I on aswitch lever I52 will leave its position on the high portion I53 of cam I44 and close the circuit of switch I42 shortly after the circuit of the switch I4I has been opened. In

, this manner no current will flow to the solenoid 59, and the same remains de-energized, thereby preventing unnecessary interruptions in the loaf feeding action of the feed-in belts I0 and II during normal operation. The lever I52 is secured on a stud I55 supported by a flanged sleeve I56 carried by plate I I3, said sleeve having a threaded portion to receive a nut I51 acting to retain it in place. A collar I58, fixed on the other end of stud I55, is provided with a set screw I59 which is adapted to actuate a leaf spring I60 of switch I42, as the screw I59 sweeps around.

To regulate the action of the delivery conveyor 93 so as to handle different width loaves, the cam I43 is provided with an adjustable cam part I6I, of the same outside diameter as the high portion I41 of said cam. Insetting this adjustable cam part, the chains 93 are advanced by turning shaft I03, until one of the flights 9I passes over and clears plate I34 by approximately one-half inch. At this point, a clamp screw I62 of cam I43 is loosened, and the adjustable cam part I6I is moved until it is about to engage the roller I45, said cam then being clamped in position by tightening screw I62. It should be remembered that the plate I3I also has to be adjusted in or out for different width loaves so as to maintain the desired relation between bridge 90 and the tripping of plate I34, as hereinbefore described.

For wide loaves, the cam I6I is moved in a counterclockwise direction, shortening the period of time during which the switch I4I remains closed, and for narrow loaves the cam is moved in a clockwise direction, increasing the period of time the switch remains closed. In this manner the belts I0 and I I remain stationary for a longer or shorter period of time, depending on the setting of cams I43 and I6I. During normal operation of the machine, that is, when the loaves continue to issue from the bridge 90 in properly timed relation, the clutch I04-I05 will remain engaged and will drive the flights 9|. The loaves drop successively from the bridge, and each loaf rests momentarily until the flight engages it and propels it over the trip plate I34, depressing the same and closing switch I40. In the meantime cam surfaces I41 and I6I hold switch I4I closed and cam surface I53 holds switch I42 open. Inthis manner, there will be an interruption in the flow of current to the solenoid 59, leaving the same deenergized, whereby the pawl 58 will remain engaged with ratchet 51, permitting the planetary gearing to drive the feed-in belts I0 and II.

If a loaf should happen to issue from bridge 90 with enough speed to trip and rest on plate I34, its co-acting switch I42 will be closed and switch I4I will also be closed by means of its cam. The cam surface I53 in this case would not have had time to open its switch I42, so that all the switches will ,be closed momentarily, whereby a flow of current will reach solenoid 59, energizing the same and disengaging its pawl and ratchet arrangement. The drive of belts I0 and II will therefore remain motionless until switch I42 is again opened, whereupon the solenoid will be deenergized, permitting the pawl to engage the ratchet and thereby allowing the gearing to impart motion to the feed-in belts.

If a loaf should be improperly timed, or arrive late, the trip plate I34 will remain in its inclined position holding roller I08 in the path of pawl I05, disengaging the same from pin I04, and thus stopping the drive of the conveyor 93 during the remaining cycle of shaft I03. In the meantime, the feed-in belts I0 and II have advanced the loaves so that the leading loaf which was late, will be advanced on to trip plate I34, closing switch I40. The plate I34 in descending causes arm I09 carrying knock-out roller I08 to ascend, permitting the pawl I05 to again engage pin I04 and impart motion to the conveyor 93. In the meantime, switch MI, by means of its cam, is closed and inasmuch as cam surface I53 would not be in position to open switch I42, a flow of current will reach the solenoid, thus stopping the motion imparted to the feed-in belts I0 and II.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, a slicer mechanism, a travelway through said mechanism, an in-feed conveyor mechanism for feeding articles to be operated upon, such as loaves, in substantially continuous, contiguous succession through said slicer, means operating normally to actuate said in-feed conveyor mechanism constantly, an outbound conveyor mechanism adapted to receive, to space and to forward, sliced articles from said slicer, means operating normally to actuate said outbound conveyor mechanism constantly when said articles pass from said slicer with normal regularity, and a unitary sensing and incapacitating mechanism, including a feeler disposed in said travelway near the discharge region between the slicer mechanism and outbound conveyor mechanism and adapted to be engaged with each loaf passing said discharge region, and connections leading from said incapacitating means for the in-feed conveyor mechanism and the outbound conveyor mechanism respectively, whereby said feeler at various positions thereof causes incapacitation of one of said conveyor mechanisms independently of the other, and means to adjust said feeler bodily lengthwise of said conveyor and with relation to its associated instrumentalities to compensate for variations in loaf sizes.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a slicer mechanism, a travelway through said mechanism, an in-feed conveyor mechanism for feeding articles to be operated upon, such as loaves, in substantially continuous, contiguous succession through said slicer, means operating normally to actuate said in-feedl conveyor mechanism constantly, means to incapacitate said infeed conveyor mechanism upon occurrence of a disconformity in the regularity of travel of said articles into and through said slicer, an outbound conveyor mechanism adapted to receive, to space and to forward sliced articles from said slicer, means operating normally to actuate said outbound conveyor mechanism constantly when said articles pass from said slicer with normal regularity, means to incapacitate said outbound conveyor mechanism upon occurrence of a predetermined disconformity in said regularity last named, and a unitary sensing and incapacitating mechanism, including a feeler disposed in said travelway near the discharge region between the slicer mechanism and outbound conveyor mechanism and adapted to be engaged with each loaf passing said discharge region, and connections leading from said incapacitating means for the feed conveyor mechanism and for the outbound conveyor mechanism respectively whereby said feeler, in various positions thereof, causes incapacitation of both of said conveyor mechanisms, and at times causes incapacitation of one of said conveyor mechanisms, independently of the other, and means to adjust said feeler bodily lengthwise of said conveyor and with relation to its associated instrumentalities to compensate for variations in loaf sizes.

3. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a slicer mechanism, an articleway leading through said mechanism, in-feed and outbound conveyor devices for feeding articles, such as loaves of bread, into and away from said slicing mechanism and cooperating to advance said articles in predetermined arrangement for delivery to another mechanism, such as a loafwrapper mechanism, means to incapacitate at least one of said conveyor mechanisms upon occurrence of a predetermined disconformity in the approach of one or more of said articles to the outbound conveyor mechanism, and a sensing mechanism with connections adapted to make said incapacitating means effective upon occurrence of said disconformity, said sensing mechanism being adjustable bodily lengthwise of said conveyor to compensate for variations in loaf size, while maintaining its operative relation to the associated instrumentalities.

4. Apparatus of the class described, having the features claimed in claim 3, in which said incapacitating mechanism is common to said infeed and outbound conveyor mechanisms and includes a primary control means adapted to be actuated by said sensing mechanism device exclusively when in predetermined positions thereof, for incapacitating the in-feed conveyor mechanism, to halt delivery of articles to said slicer mechanism, and includes also an electrically operated secondary control means adapted to be actuated by said sensing mechanism exclusively when said feeler device is free from contact with any article in said articleway, said control device acting to halt operation of said outbound conveyor, said electrically operated secondary control means including flexible electrical conductors adapted to maintain the electrical circuits in the several adjustive positions of the parts.

5. Apparatus of the class described, having the features claimed in claim 3, in which said incapacitating mechanism is common to said infeed and outbound conveyor mechanism and includes a primary control means adapted to be actuated by said sensing mechanism device exclusively when in predetermined positions thereof, for incapacitating the in-feed conveyor mechanism, to halt delivery of articles to said slicer mechanism, and includes also a secondary control means adapted to be actuated by said sensing mechanism exclusively when said feeler device is free from contact with any article in said articleway, said secondary control means acting to halt operation of said outbound conveyor, said primary control means comprising an electromagnetic device included in series in a control circuit with a plurality of electric switches movable respectively to make and break said control circuit, to incapacitate said actuating mechanism for the infeed conveyor mechanism, said control circuit having electrical conductors adapted to maintain the electrical circuit in appropriate working condition in the several adjustive positions of the parts and said secondary control means including means operated in part by the conveyor ac- H tuating mechanism, and in part by complemental members connected with said sensing mechanism, to make said last-named incapacitating mechanism effective and ineffective selectively, according to the position of said primary and/or secondary control means, singly or in combination.

6. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a slicer mechanism, an articleway leading therethrough, an infeed conveyor, a loaf wrapper, an outbound conveyor leading from said slicer to said wrapper, means to incapacitate said conveyors selectively upon occurrence-of certain predetermined disconformities in the loaf-feed, a sensing mechanism with connections adapted to make said incapacitating means effective, said connections comprising an electro-magnetic device included in a control circuit with a plurality of electric control switches, a sun-and-planet differential gear system controlled by said electro-magnetic device, and acting to operate said from due engagement with said sensing mechanism, said outbound conveyor being coupled at regular cyclical intervals independently of the operation of said electro-magnetic device, and also being recoupled when said sensing mechanism senses the presence of a loaf in position for conveyal to said wrapper.

7. In a loaf feed control of the class described, in which a feeler operates at a sensing station in the path of sliced loaves passing along a travelway, from which station they are advanced to a wrapping mechanism by an outbound conveyor normally actuated in time with the wrapping mechanism, and to which travelway the unsliced loaves are fed by an inbound conveyor through a slicer, and are thence forwarded to the wrapping mechanism in spaced apart succession by flights on said outbound conveyor, said feeler being biased into said path normally, and adapted to be depressed by a superimposed sliced loaf in the travelway: mechanism including a normally closed clutch, for normally actuating said inbound conveyor an electrical control circuit including an electromagnetic device and a first electrical switch to throw out said clutch; means actuated by said feeler, when depressed by the presence of a sliced loaf to close said first switch, thereby to operate said electromagnetic device to render said clutch ineffective to drive said inbound conveyor; mechanism including another clutch device for actuating said outbound conveyor; means biased normally to couple said second clutch device, making efiective said outbound conveyor drive; a device operated by said feeler when the bias of said feeler is made effective by the absence of a sliced loaf throughout the remainder of a cycle, to render said lastnamed clutch inefiective to transmit driving power to said outbound conveyor, during a succeeding cycle.

8. In a loaf feed control of the class described, in which a feeler operates at a sensing station in the path of sliced loaves passing along a travelway, from which station they are advanced to a wrapping mechanism by an outbound conveyor normally actuated in time with the wrapping mechanism, and to which travelway the unsliced loaves are fed by an inbound conveyor through a slicer, and are thence forwarded to the wrapping mechanism in spaced apart succession by flights on said outbound conveyor, said feeler being biased into said path normally, and adapted to be depressed by a superimposed sliced loaf in the travelway: mechanism including a normally closed first clutch for normally actuating said outbound conveyor: means biased normally to a position for throwing out said first clutch cyclically; means actuated by said feeler, when depressed by a superimposed sliced loaf, to controvert said last named bias and make said first clutch efiective to drive said outbound conveyor; mechanism coordinated with the wrapping mechanism, including a second clutch device for actuating said inbound conveyor; means biased normally to throw in said second clutch device, making efiective said inbound conveyor drive; an electromagnetic device adapted to operate said second clutch device and included in an electrical control circuit with an electric switch operated by said feeler to close said control circuit through said electromagnetic device when the bias of said feeler is controverted by a superimposed loaf, thereby to throw out said second clutch, and moving to break said circuit when the bias of said feeler becomes effective in the absence of a loaf, thereby to render the second clutch effective to transmit driving power to said inbound conveyor.

9. A loaf feed control of the class described, in which a feeler operates at a sensing station in the path of sliced loaves passing along a travelway, from which station they are advanced to a wrapping mechanism by an outbound conveyor normally actuated in time with the wrapping mechanism and to which-travelway the unsliced loaves are fed by an inbound conveyor through a slicer, and are thence forwarded to the wrapping mechanism in spaced succession by flights on said outbound conveyor, said feeler being biased into said path normally, and adapted to be depressed by a superimposed sliced loaf in the travelway: said feed control being further characterized by the provision of a plate on which said feeler is mounted for adjustment bodily, lengthwise of said outbound conveyor, to compensate for variations in loaf size, and means to hold said plate in adjusted position.

10. A loaf feed control of the class described, in which a feeler operates at a sensing station in the path of sliced loaves passing along a travelway, from which station they are advanced to a wrapping mechanism by an outbound conveyor normally actuated in time with the wrapping mechanism and to which travelway the unsliced loaves are fed by an inbound conveyor through a slicer, and are thence forwarded to the wrapping mechanism in spaced succession by flights on said outbound conveyor, said feeler being biased into said path normally, and adapted to be depressed by a superimposed sliced loaf in the travelway: said feed control being further characterized by the provision of a plate adjustable bodily lengthwise of the conveyors, and on which said feeler is mounted for such bodily adjustment lengthwise of the conveyors, to compensate for variations in loaf size, and means to hold said plate in adjusted position relatively to said conveyors and in continued coordination therewith.

11. In a loaf feed control of the class described, in which a feeler operates at a sensing station in the path of sliced loaves passing along a travelway, from which station they are advanced to a wrapping mechanism by an outbound conveyor normally actuated in time with the wrapping mechanism, and to which travelway the unsliced loaves are fed by an inbound conveyor through a slicer, and are thence forwarded to the wrapping mechanism in spaced apart succession by flights on said outbound conveyor, said feeler being biased into said path normally, and adapted to be depressed by a superimposed sliced loaf in the travelway; mechanism including a normally closed first clutch for normally actuating said outbound conveyor; means biased normally to a position for throwing out said first clutch cyclically; means actuated by said feeler, when depressed by a superimposed sliced loaf, to controvert said last named bias and make said first clutch eifective to drive saidoutbound conveyor; mechanism coordinated with the wrapping mechanism, including a second clutch device for actuating said inbound conveyor; means biased normally to throw in said second clutch device, making efiective said inbound conveyor drive; an electromagnetic device adapted to operate said second clutch device and included in an electrical control circuit with an electric switch operated by said feeler to close said control (lrcuit through said electromagnetic device when the bias of said feeler is controverted by a superimposed loaf, thereby to throw out said second clutch, and moving to break said circuit when the bias of said feeler becomes effective in the absence of a loaf, thereby to render the second clutch effective to transmit driving power to said inbound conveyor; a second normally open switch included in said control circuit; and means operated cyclically whenever the outbound conveyor is in operation, to close said last-named switch, thereby to permit completion of the control circuit and stoppage of the inbound conveyor in the event that the feeler is depressed for an undue period by the presence of loaves thereon.

12. In a loaf feed control of the class described, in which a feeler operates at a sensing station in the path of sliced loaves passing along a travelway, from which station they are advanced to a wrapping mechanism by an outbound conveyor normally actuated in time with the wrapping mechanism, and to which travelway the unsliced loaves are fed by an inbound conveyor through a slicer, and are thence forwarded to the wrapping mechanism in spaced apart succession by flights on said outbound conveyor, said feeler being biased into said path normally, and adapted to be depressed by a superimposed sli'ced loaf in the travelway; mechanism including a normally closed first clutch for normally actuating said outbound conveyor; means biased normally to a position for throwing out said first clutch cyclically; means actuated by said feeler, when depressed by asuperimposed sliced loaf, to controvert said last named bias and make said first clutch effective to drive said outbound conveyor; mechanism coordinated with the wrapping mechanism, including a second clutch device for actuating said inbound conveyor; means biased normally to throw in said second clutch device, making effective said inbound conveyor drive; an electromagnetic device adapted to operate said second clutch device and included in an electrical control circuit with an electric switch operated by said feeler to close said control circuit through said electromagnetic device when the bias of said feeler is controverted by a superimposed loaf, thereby to throw out said second clutch, and moving to break said circuit when the bias of said feeler becomes effective in the absence of a loaf, thereby to render the second clutch effective to transmit driving power to said inbound conveyor; a second normally open switch included in said control circuit to interpose a cyclical element into the circuit operations, a third switch, normally closed, in the control circuit, and means to open the last-named swi cyclically to incapacitate the electromagnetic device from operating to stop the outbound conveyor when loaves are ready to be forwarded.

ROBERT J. BEUTEL.

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