US2210530A - Bottle ejecting and delivering mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 6, 1940. J. R. DOSTAL 2,210,530

BOTTLE- EJECTING AND DELIVER ING MEUHANISM Filed May 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F6 IHVEIl'tEII" J.R.Dc15ta1 Aug."6,1940. J. R. DOSTAL BOTTLE-EJECTING AND DELIVERING MECHANISM Filed May 15, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventmr' 'JRIImstal IIIIJIIIIIII 'll/1m Patented Aug. 6,1940 a 2,210,530 no'r'ru-i EJEcTmG AND DEIJVERING MECHANISM.

John R. Dostal. Mllwaukeeywis assignor, by direct and-meme assignments, to Sturdy-Bilt Equipment Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application May 15, 194i], Serial No. 335,281

ilClaims.

This invention appertains to bottle-washing machines, and more particularly to means for automatically receiving and carryin bottles from the machine after thewashing operation,

'52. and' is an improvement over my application Serial No. 237,872, filed Octber31; 1938, now

Patent No. 2,191,227.

One of the primary objects of my present in-.

vention is to provide means for positively holding -1G,-..andlalining a transverse row of the bottle neck the conveyor themselves. This often results in slight improper alining of the cups or sockets for the bottle necks with the ejecting plungers.

25 r -'-l,"heref ore, it isa prime object of the invention to provide transversely alined guide and holding rollers carried by the sides of the machine above theconveyor guide tracks for en-- easin the opposite sides of a conveyor flight 30 directly above the ejecting plunger-s, whereby to hold the flight properly centralized and to prevent side, play between the conveyor flight and the walls of the machine, whereby prop'er movement of the. ejector plungers through the sockets, cups,

as, "or pockets is assured.

' 'wAs pointed out in my mentioned patent, an

important feature is the formation of the ejector plup'gers, so=asto cause the tilting of the bottles toward the tra'nsfertable or cradle.. However, spite of-this novel formation of plunger, some bottles (possibly due to irregular neck formation) willtilt-in the-wrong direction. t' I t is, therefpreranotherent object of my inventionto'provlde inclined cam shoes for en.-

lii? Easing -the;conveyor. whereby tocause the con-' veyorfllght positionediabove the ejector piungers to--tilt toward the transfer-table or cradle, so that when thespeclally constructed plungers en- 1 gageand raise the bottles," the tilting and falling whereof-9n the table ,or cradle is insured.

' Likewise. in my mentioned patent, the transfer table-or cradle wasbuiltto successfully handle bottlesoflvarylng sizes(such as from twelve:

. I, punce bottleato-twenty-four or thirty-s'ix-ounce asi'bpttlesl flowever, where the bottleswere of a (or 198-20) a very small size (such as miniature or individual bottles commonly employed for grape juice, to-'' mato juice, and the like), the same would fall] off the front of the transfer table or cradle prior to the'swinging of the table or cradle. 5 A further important object; therefore, of my present invention is the provision of an adjustable member associated with the transfer table or cradle in a novel manner,'whereby the same can be'brought instantly into play when small 10 bottles are being washed, so that-these bottles can be properly held on the 'transfer cradle or table against falling oil the same.

with these and other objects in view the invention consists in the hovelconstruction, arrangement, and formation of parts, as' will be hereinafter more specifically described,-claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, top, plan view of a bottle-washing machine, illustrating the delivery end thereof, and showing my novel features incorporated therewith.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, sectional view through'the machine, taken on the line 2- of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the conveyor flight posh tioned above the ejecting plungers tilted toward the transfer table.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but showing the movement of the transfer table or cradle for positioning the bottles upright on the con veyor for carrying the bottles from the-machine. Figure '4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail,

sectional view: through-thetransfer'table or cradle, illustrating the adjustable means assoelated therewith for permitting the handling of miniature bottles-thereby. 2

Figure 5 is a detail, sectional view through the transfertable or cradle, .taken on the line 5-5 40 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows, illustrating'the means for adjustably holding the small bottle 'attachmenton the table or cradle. I r f Figure 6 is a fragmentary, detail, perspective view of the small bottle attachment per se.

Figure 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse, sectional view taken through the machine on the line I -l of Figure 1, looking in the direction oi the arrows, illustrating the means for properly. aliningand holding a conveyor; flight above the ejecting plungers. 3 Figure 8 is a detail, perspective view of one of the cam shoes'employed for tilting the conveyor flight positioned above the ejecting plungers toward the'transfer table.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter B generally indicates one form of a bottlewashing machine, and it is to be understood that the various features of my present invention are applicable to numerous types of bottle-washing vided with equidistantly spaced pockets, sockets,

or cups l5 for the reception of the necks of inverted bottles. The cups or sockets are of such a form as to allow cleansing fluid to be sprayed into the bottles by stationary nozzles as the flights travel over the nozzles.

The portion of the bottle machine illustrated constitutes the discharge end where the bottles are removed after the same have passed through the machine and have been subjected to the various cleansing operations.' The conveyor 13 can also,include guide rollers l6 for the rafls of the guide tracks 12. The endless conveyor is moved tioned adjacent the plungers chine. Pivotally connected faces of the troughs 23 are 7 described.

.the plungers l1 intermittently over the tracks, and the means for intermittently feeding the conveyor forms no part of the present invention and is well known to those skilled in'the art. Hence, the feeding means has not been illustrated and will not be At a suitable point in the machine where it is desired to remove the bottles, following the washing-operations, a plurality of transversely alined plungers l'l arenormally disposed below the top run of the conveyor, and when a flight is stopped, I are adapted to move upwardly through the sockets or cups in the flight which has been stopped directly above the same.

The plungers I! can be carried in any desired manner and can be operated in any preferred way, and a is to be understood that these plungers can be operated in the same way as shown in my patent, which means simultaneously elevates and lowers the plungers when the alined flight is at rest between its intermittent movement.

As shown in Figure 4, the upper ends of the plungers l1 are'provided with nozzles l8, which extend into the mouths of the bottles to aline the same on the plungers. The plungers are cut away on one side, as at is, so that as the necks of the bottles are elevated by the plungers above the sockets or cups IS, the bottles will tilt in the direction of the cut-away portion, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. Posil! is a bottle-trans:- fer mechanism, which can be of the same type as shown in my patent. Hence, the transfer mechanism includes a transversely extending support 20 rigidly connected with the casing of the mato the support, as at 2|, and normally resting thereon is the swinging transfer table 22. This table carries a plurality of bottle-receiving troughs 23, which are positioned in longitudinal alinement with the bottle neck receiving cups'or sockets I5. The inner preferably lined with rubber pads 24 for receiving the bottles from the plungers 11, as indicated in dotted linesin Figjtnother and with 29. Consequently, therollers 32 be seen that upon the elevation of the plunger I! the bottles will be raised from the cups or sockets of the conveyor flight, and, as the necks are released, gravity will cause the bottles to tilt and be deposited upon the transfer table 22. The table is then elevated on its pivotal connection to the position shown in Figure 3, which causes the bottles to gradually slide downwardly in the troughs onto the conveyor 25. The table carries the tilting carriage 26 for shoving the bottles against the rubber abutment wall 21. arranged along one side of the conveyor 25. The tilting carriage 23 is normally urged toward the wall 21 when the table is in its raised position by the weights 28. This tilting construction is also shown in the patent.

'In some instances, possibly due to irregularities in bottlenecks, the bottles tilt to one side or the other and do not fall into the troughs 23 of the table 22 .upon the raising of the plungers II. In accordance with my present invention, I secure upon the tracks l2 rigid cam shoes 29. These cam shoes. are arranged in transverse alinement and include front inclined approaches 30 and downwardly inclined rear faces 3|. The rearwardly inclined faces 3| are positioned in transverse alinement with the ejecting plungers I'I.

Hence, "as the flights I4 of the conveyor l3 ride up upon the cam shoes and then reach the downwardly inclined rear faces 3|, the flight resting upon the inclined rear faces 3| will tilt toward the transfer table.

' Thus, before the bottles are released from the cups or sockets I 5, the same correct tilted position, and, consequently,.upon the raising of the ejecting plungers, as shown in Figure 2, the bottles will be raised from the cups or sockets in their tilted position toward the are already in a transfer table by the shape of the upper ends of the plungers. Consequently, by providing the cam shoes 29, the correct tilting and falling of the bottles into the troughs on the transfer table is assured.

Due to play in the conveyor l3 and play between the conveyor and the tracks l2 and the side walls ID of the casing, it so happens that in some instances the flights, as they stop in their movement, will not be properly alined with the plungers ll or with the troughs on the transfer table; In order to bring about the guiding of the flights to a correct position and the holding of the flights against movement during the operation of the ejecting plungers, Iprovide guide and steadying rollers 32 on each side of the easing of the machine. These rollers 32 are disposed in a horizontal plane and are rotatably mounted upon stud bolts 33 carried by brackets 34 bolted or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the side walls In of the casing. These rollers are. arranged in transverse alinement with one the centers of the cam shoes will engage the pivot studs employed for connecting adjacent flights I! together, and as the rollers 32 engage the opposite sides of the conveyor, the flights will v Q intermittently movable conveyor provided with ingplungers I'I. Q

The bottle-washing machines have the transfer tables-so constructed as to handle bottles of varying sizes. Generally, bottles run from twelve-ounce to quart sizes and larger. The

transfer tables will effectively handle bottles of I However, where it becomes neces-- these sizes. I sary to wash miniature or small individual bottles, such as are employed by grape juice and tomate juice manufacturers, the transverse center. of such small bottles will be disposed in advance of the forward edge of the transfer table. Thus. such small bottles will be overbala-nced at their front ends,-and will fall off the transfer table.

I In accordance with my invention, I provid means 35 associated with the transfer table for supporting relatively small bottles, so that 'the transfer table can effectively handle such bottles. By referring to Figures 4 to 6, inclusive, it will be seen that such means 35 includes a plate 36,

which extends transversely across the machine at the front of the transfer table. The ends of the plate 36 carry rearwardly extending, angleshaped arms 31. The plate and the arms are adapted to slide in and out on the table, and are held in an adjusted position by means of adjustable bolts 33, which extend through'the sides of the tilting carriage 26 and through slots 39 formed in the angle-shape arms 31.

The front edge of the plate 36 carries upstanding, V-shaped, supporting guards 40. These V- shaped guards 40 are disposed directly in front of and in alinement with the V-shaped-troughs 23.

In Figure 4, a small bottle is shown in dotted lines, and in order to support this small'bottle,

the member 35 is slid forwardly so that the V- shaped supports 40 will rest under the bottle :41 necks. Obviously, then, the bottle necks and the bodies of the bottles will be supported, and the small bottles will not rock or tilt on the transfer table. During-the handlingof large ibOttlGS, the

supporting mechanism 35 can he slid in'on the transfer table against the forward edge of the tilting carriage 26. I

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided novel means for insuring the proper tilting of the bottles toward the transfer carriage or table and the proper holding of the conveyor flights relative to the ejecting plungers and the troughs on the transfer table and that I have also provided novel means for the transfer table.

permitting the handling of miniature bottles by Changes in details may be made without detion, but what I claim as new is:

1. In a bottle-washing machine including an hollo'w sockets for the reception of the necks o inverted bottles, said conveyor having-a horizontel run, a bottle-delivery-mechanism comprising,

.a delivery conveyor, a plurality of plungers, for

I projecting bottles from'the sockets, atransfer veyor'intermediate the ends of the horizontal run- 1 and adjacent the transfer mechanism for caus ing the sockets in front of the transfer mechanism to tilt towardsaid transfer mechanism, whereby upon the lifting of the bottles bythe on said transfer mechanism,

' plunger's-in the tilted sockets the bottles will mu 2. In a bottle-washing machine including an mechanism extending transversely across the conveyor, means for raising the bottles out of the bottle neck receiving means on the flights, a transfer mechanism for receiving ejected bottles anddepositing the same upon the delivering mechanism, and means for tilting the flights of the horizontal run of the conveyor intermediate the ends 'of the horizontal run towardthetransfer mechanism asthe flights come to rest in front of the transfer mechanism, whereby, upon the raising of the bottles in the tilted flights the bottles will fall on said transfer mechanism.

3. In a bottle-washing machine including an intermittently movable conveyor provided with a pluralityof pivotally connected flights having hollow sockets for the receiving necks of inverted bottles, a bottle-delivery mechanism. extending transversely across the machine, a plurality of plungers for projecting bottles from said sockets, a transfer mechanism for receiving the ejected bottles and for depositing the bottles upon the delivering mechanism, and cam shoes arranged in transverse aliner'nent disposed on opposite sides of the machine for tilting the flights toward'the transfer mechanism as the flights come to rest in front of said transfermechanism. a

4. Inla bottleashing machine including an intermittently movable conveyor provided with flights having hollow sockets for the receptionextending transversely across the conveyor,

. means for ejecting bottles from the sockets,

means for receiving the ejected bottles and for depositing the same upon the delivering mechanism, and means arranged in frontof the receiving means projecting toward and engaging the ends of a flight directly in front of the receiving means forcentering and holding the flights relative to the ejecting mechanism and the transfer mechanism as the flights come to rest in'front of the transfer mechanism.

5. In a bottle-washing machine including an intermittently movable'conveyor provided with a plurality-of pivotally connected flights having 'hollow socketsfor the reception of inverted' bottles, a bottle delivery. mechanism extending across the conveyor, a plurality of plungers for projecting bottles .from said sockets, a transfer mechanism for receiving the ejected bottles and for depositing the bottles upon the delivery mechanism', and guide and centering rollers carried by the opposite sides of the machinean'd arranged intransverse alinement; in front of the transfer mechanism'pr'ojecting towardthe sides of the conveyor and engaging the opposite sides of the conveyor' for holding a flight with its sock-- ets properly centered in front of the transfer mechanism.

6. In .a bottle-washing machine including an intermittently movable conveyor provided with a plurality of pivotaliy connected flights having hollow sockets for the; reception of inverted bottles, a bottle-delivery mechanism extending across the conveyor, a plurality of plungers for projecting bottles from said sockets, 'a transfer mechanism for receiving the ejected bottles and for depositing the bottles upon the delivery mechanism, guide and centering rollers carriedby the opposite sides of the machine and arranged in transvers alinement .for engaging the opposite sides of the conveyor for holding a flight with its sockets properly centered in front of the transfer mechanism, and means for tilting the flight centered by said rollers! -7. In a bottle-washing machine, a movable conveyor for receiving bottles being washed, a bottle-delivering mechanism extending across the conveyor, means-for ejecting bottles from the conveyor, a transfer mechanism including a table having a plurality of troughs for receiving the ejected bottles and for depositing the same upon the delivering mechanism, means on-the front of the table for engaging the necks of the bottles. and means for adjustably supporting said bottle neck-engaging means on the table.

8. In a bottle-washing machine, a movable arms engaging the opposite sides of the table,

means adjustably connecting the arms to the table, and V-shaped supports'on the front edge of the plate movable with the plate and arms toward and away from the troughs.

JOHN. R. DOSTAL.

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