US2304905A - Container handling apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec; 15, 1942.

H. E. GANT ZER CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1941 INVENTOR $70471 6277 if? v 5 ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1942. H. E GANTZER 2,304,905

CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS Filed April 17, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR ]15wara,l76m7er W AQ ATTORNEY I Patented Dec. 15 1942 CONTAINER HANDLING APPARATUS Howard E. Gantzer, Kenmore, N. Y., assignor to Consolidated Packaging Machinery Corporation, Bufialo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 17, 1941, Serial No. 388,947 12' Claims. (01. 198-34) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in feeding mechanisms and particularly seeks to provide a novel timing wheel usable in conjunction with the feed-in conveyer of a container capping machine or the like.

Normally, capping machines include a rotary turret provided with a plurality of capping chucks which are adapted to apply caps to containers presented thereto in properly timed relation. In efiecting the feed of the containers to the chucks of the rotary turret, it is known to employ devices associated with the main feed-in conveyer which are effective to cause the formation of a solid line of containers behind such timing devices and to permit each successively presented leading container of the solid line of containers to be moved into engagement with a capping chuck. It is obvious that these timing devices must be operated in perfect synchronization with the rotation of the capping turret in order that containers may be properly registered therewith, and that the timing devices, in order to effect the formation of a solid line of containers therebehind, must also be operated at an eifective linear speed somewhat less than the linear speed of the feed-in conveyer. Thus the operative speeds of the turret, feed-in conveyer, and timing device are definitely correlated.

Prior known forms of timing devices which have been designed to perform this function include the ordinary star wheel which normally comprises merely a rotatable disk provided with a plurality of radially disposed pockets, each of which is so shaped and sized as to closely embrace a container which is to be projected into engagement with the capping elements. This solid type of star wheel has proven to be unsatisfactory for use in conjunction with certain types of containers for several reasons. One reason for dissatisfaction with solid star wheels has resulted from the observation that whenever a container capping machine employs a solid star wheel designed for use with only a single size of container, the installed star wheel must be removed and another one of the proper size must be substituted therefor in order to accommodate containers having different dimensions from those for which the machine was originally set up. Obviously, this entails a loss of time in the operation of the machine and in shifting from one size of container to another. Further, since even containers which are supposed to be of a uniform size do present dimensional variations Within limits of tolerance, it is necessary that the pocket size of the solid type star wheel be sufficiently increased to accommodate such variations in dimensions. In such cases where the pockets are made oversized in this matter, the containers obviously do not fit snugly therein andthere is an increasing tendency towards unnecessary noise.

A container feed timing device constructed in accordance with this invention overcomes the difiiculties heretofore presented in connection with the use of certain prior known forms of timing devices.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a timing wheel for use in conjunction with the main feed conveyer of a container capping machine or the like which is capable of effectively controlling the feed of containers having a relatively wide range of dimensional variations.

It is another object of this invention to provide a device of the character stated which is self-adjustingto conform to the container di mension which is parallel to the axis of the main conveyer.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated which includes a plurality of generally radially disposed fingers pivotally supported at their inner ends upon a rotary disk, each adjacent pair of fingers being relatively movable by engagement with a container to thereby define a container receiving recess adapted to effect the feed control of the container from the timing device to the capping elements of the associated mechanisms.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated in which the relative movement between each pair of adjacently disposed fingers permits variations in the defined limits of the container receiving recesses to thereby render the timing device effective without change for use in connection with containers of different sizes.

Another object of this invention is to provide a timing device ofthe character stated in which means are provided for positively varying the normal distance between each pair of adjacently disposed fingers While still permitting relative movement therebetween in order to accommodate dimensionally variable containers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the nature of which will become more apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings, the accompanying detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat fragmentary elevational view of a container capping machine with which a timing device constructed in accordance with this invention is associated;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the timing wheel and illustrates the positions of one pair of container engaging fingers while they are engaged Fig. 5 is a top plan view .of a modified form.

of timing wheel constructed in accordance with this invention; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to that shown in Fig. 5 but showing a differently adjusted position of the fingers.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention as illustrated is embodied in a container capping machine including a main supporting frame A, a rotary capping assembly generally indicated at B, intermediate transfer means 0, and a main or feed-in conveyer D adapted to move and support a line of containers E.

The timing devices which are constructed in accordance with this "invention are associated with the feed-in conveyer D and positioned slightly ahead of the intermediate transfer or container presenting devices (2. These timing devices include a mounting bracket 5 extended forwardly from beneath the conveyer-D. The forwardly projecting end of the bracket 5 is provided with a boss 6 adapted to rotatably support a vertically extending shaft 7. The lower end of the shaft 1 is opera-tively connected with the intermediate container presenting devices C through the medium of chain and gear connections generally indicated at 8. A forwardly extending bracket 9 is secured to the front face of the conveyer D and includes a sleeve portion I adapted to receive the upper end of the shaft 1. A two-part mounting bracket is adapted to rotatably support'the timing wheel and includes an upper'portion ll pivotally carried by the upper end of the shaft l and a lower portion l2 pivotally carried by the shaft l and dis-posed beneath the sleeve Ill of the bracket 9. The lower bracket portion I2 is prevented from sliding downwardly along the shaft 1 by a pinion gear [3 which is rigidly afiixed to the-shaft. The pinion i3 is disposed in meshing engagement with a spur gear [4 carried by the lower end of a vertically extending shaft [5 which extends upwardly through the upper and lower portions H and i2 comprising the timing wheel mounting bracket. An arbor I6 is keyed to the upper projecting end of the shaft iii. A timing wheel or disk ll having an upwardly extending hub I8 is rigidly supported on the arbor i6 and is provided with a plurality- 0f radially disposed fingers l9 pivotally connected to the disk as by upstanding studs 26. A plurality of abutment studs 2| are disposed adjacent the periphery of the disk I! and are associated with the respective fingers l9 and serve to limit the pivotal movement that the fingers may be permitted'to partake. Each finger I9 is provided with a shor-t upstanding post 22- adapted to receive one end of a tension spring 23, the other end. of which is connected to the pivot stud Efiof the next adjacent finger Hi to thereby constantly urge the fingers towards contact with the abutment studs 2 I. V

The upper bracket portion H is provided with a depending lug 2 3. A tensionspring 25 extends between the outer end of the lug 2t and the adjacent portion. of the guide wall of the conveyer D and tends to constantly pivot the timing disk I! and its associated mechanism towards the conveyer about the shaft 1 as a center. An adjusting screw 26 is provided for limiting and regulating the closeness of the timing disk relative to the adjacent portion of the conveyer.

In operation, the timing wheel is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 and at a speed which is perfectly synchronized with the rotative speed of the intermediate container presenting mechanism C as well as the speed of the capping assembly B. In order that the timing wheel may function in the manner desired, it is necessary that the feed-in conveyer D be moved from left to right as viewed in Figs. 2 and 3 and at a linear speed somewhat in excess of the effective linear speed of the timing wheel. Thus, as the conveyer advances a series of containers E towards engagement with a finger IQ of the timing wheel, the leading face of the first presented container will engage the trailing face of the finger 19. It is obvious that since the effective speed of movement of the finger 19 is less than the linear speed of the conveyer, the container will constantly press against the finger and will be retarded thereby. As rotative movement of the timing wheel continues, the next following finger 19 will engage the adjacent face of the container in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3 and will be displaced in a counter-clockwise direction about its pivot stud 20 as illustrated in Fig. 2. As this second finger I'9- approaches the trailing face or trailing corner of the container, the tapered nose portion of the finger will become engaged with the corner of the next following container. At this time, the finger l9 which has engaged the leading face of the first container will have been displaced out of engagement therewith and consequently, the retarded action thereby will have ceased and the conveyer D will move the container more rapidly and effect the desired spacing between that container and the next succeeding container. As the spaced container is thus moved more rapidly by the conveyer D, the following finger i9 which has engaged the succeeding container will be permitted to move in a clockwise direction about its pivot stud 20 until it abuts its associated abutment stud 2| and the. container controlling operations then continue in the manner described in connection with the first mentioned container.

It is obvious that a timing device constructed in accordance with this invention is not confined to uses in connection with the controlling of feed movements of rectangularly cross-sectioned con tainers but maybe employed with equal facility in connection with containers having oval, round or other non-rectangular. cross-sectional shapes.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawing there is illustrated a modified form of the invention in which a disk 2'! is keyed to the vertical shaft l5 through the medium of an upstanding sleeve hub 28. The disk 21 is provided with a plurality of upstanding abutment studs 29 disposed adjacent its periphery. A disk 39 of lesser diameter than the disk 21 is superposed on thedisk 21 andis adjustably maintained in fixed position relative thereto through the medium of an'upstanding sleeve hub 3! concentrically disposed with respect to the hub 28 and 'releasably secured thereto as by a set screw 32. A plurality of radially extending fingers 33 is disposed between each pair of abutment studs 29 and. have their inner ends .pivotally secured to the disk 30 asbypivot studs 35. The inner end of each finger 33 may be undercut anamount equal to the thickness to the disk 30 in order that the central portions of the fingers may rest upon the surface of the lower disk 21.

The operation of this modified form of timing device is identical with that described in connection with the form illustrated in Figs. 2 to 4, inclusive. However, when it is found desirable to adjust the spacing between the projecting ends of each adjacent pair of fingers 33 and to retract them so that they will not project as far into the path of the conveyer D,,the set screw 32 may be released and th disk 30 may be rotated relative to th disk 21 to thereby shift the positions of the pivot studs 34 relative to the abutment studs 29 as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Thus, by rotating the disk 30 relative to the disk 27, the desired overall adjustment of the fingers 33 may be easily effected. However, even in the adjusted position the fingers 33 are free to pivot about the studs 34 within the angular limits defined by each pair of abutment studs 29 and the timing device as a whole will be able to function in the manner above described. While for the purposes of illustration the modification shown in Figs. and 6 does not include the springs for biasing the fingers 33 against the respective abutment studs, it is obvious that the springs may be employed if it is desirable.

Thus, it will be seen that the herein described invention provides a novel timing wheel for use in connection with the feed-in conveyer of container capping machines or the like which is effective to cause the proper spacing of a line of containers prior to engagement thereof with the operative elements of the associated machine; which is self-adjusting to conform to the container dimension which is parallel to the axis of the main conveyer; which may be employed in connection with containers of different sizes without the necessity for any structural change; in which means are provided for positively varying the normal distance between and radial projection of each pair of adjacently disposed fingers while still permitting relative movement therebetween; and which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

It is of course to be understood that certain details of arrangement and proportions of parts may be variously modified without exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of freely movable horizontally disposed radially extending fingers projectable into the path of said containers and pivotally connected at their inner ends to said timing wheel, means for limiting the pivotal movementof said fingers with respect to said timing wheel, and means for rotating said timing wheel so that the eifective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the linear speed of said advancing means whereby to cause said containersto form a solid line and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line-while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bring said successively advancedleading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

2. Container I handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers projectable into the path of said containers and being supported on and pivotally connected at their inner ends to said timing wheel, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting the pivotal movement thereof with respect to said timing wheel, means for biasing each said finger against one of said movement limiting devices, and means for rotating said timing wheel so that the effective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected into the path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement of ach successively presented leading container in said solid line while retarding th remaining containers to thereby bring said successively advanced leading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

3. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending fingers projectable into the path of said containers and pivotally connected at their inner ends to said timing wheel, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting the pivotal movement thereof with respect to said timing wheel, means for relatively adjusting the pivots of said fingers and said movement limiting devices for varying the normal spacing between adjacent fingers, and means for rotating said timing wheel so that the eifective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the Speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected into the path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bring said successively advanced leading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

4. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending fingers projectable into the path of said containers and pivotally connected at their inner ends to said timing wheel, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting the pivotal movement thereof with v respect to said timing wheel, means for biasing each said finger against one of said movement limiting devices, means for relatively adjusting the pivots of said fingers and said movement limiting devices for varying the normal spacing between adjacent fingers, and means for rotating said timing wheelso that the effective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected into the path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line while retarding the remaining containers to thereby bring said successively advanced leading con tainers into predetermined spaced relationship.

5. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably mounted thereon and projectable into the path of said containers, adjacent fingers being relatively movable by engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of said container, and

means :for rotating said timing wheel so that the effective peripheral speed of said fingers less than the speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected into the path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading c'ontainer in said solid line to thereby bring said successively advanced leading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

6. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably supported thereon and p-rojectable into the path of said containers, adjacent fingers being relatively movable by engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of said container, means located on each side of each finger for limiting the relative movement therebetween, and means for rotating said timing wheel so that the effective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected into the path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line to thereby bring said successively advanced leading container into predetermined spaced relationship.

7. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing Wheel having a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably mounted thereon and ,projectable into the path of said containers, ad-

jacent fingers being relatively movable by engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of said container, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting the relative movement therebetween, means for biasing each said finger against one of said movement limiting devices to thereby assure the uniform projection of said fingers into the path of said containers, and means for rotating said timing wheel so that the efiective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to causesaid fingers to be successively projected into the path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line to thereby bring said successively advanced leading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

8. Container handling apparatus comprising means for advancing a series of containers, timing means including a timing wheel having a plurality of radially extending fingers movably mounted thereon and projectable into the path of said containers, adjacent fingers being relatively movable by'engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of said containers, devices located on each side of each finger for limiting the relative movement therebetween, means for biasing each said finger against one of said movement limiting devices to thereby assure the uniform projection of said fingers into the path of said containers, means for varying the normal spacing between said angers while still permitting relative movement tnerebaween to thereby adapt said timing wheel for use with adi-fie'rent range of container sizes, and means for -rotating said timing wheel so that the effective peripheral speed of said fingers is less than the speed of advance of said advancing means whereby to cause said fingers to be successively projected into the path of said containers to thereby effect the formation of a solid line of containers and to permit the advancement of each successively presented leading container in said solid line to thereby bring said successively advanced leading containers into predetermined spaced relationship.

9. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection with container handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers movably supported thereon, adjacent fingers being capable of relative movement upon engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of such container, and devices carried by said wheel on each side of each said finger for limiting the relative movement therebetween.

10. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection with container handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers carried thereby and pivotally connected thereto at their inner ends, adjacent fingers being capable of relative movement upon engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of such container, and devices carried by said wheel on each side of each said finger for limiting the relative movement the'rebe'tween.

11. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection with container handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers carried thereby and pivotally connected thereto at their inner ends, adjacent fingers being capable of relative movement upon engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of such container, devices carried by said wheel on each side of each said finger for limiting the relative movement therebetween, and means for biasing each said fingers against one of said movement limiting devices.

12. A container-engaging timing device for use in connection with container handling apparatus comprising, a supporting wheel, a plurality of horizontally disposed radially extending fingers carried thereby and pivotally connected thereto at their inner ends, adjacent fingers being capable of relative movement upon engagement with a container to automatically conform the spacing therebetween to the span of such container, devices carried by said wheel on each side of each said finger for limiting the relative movement therebetween, means for biasing each said finger against one of said movement limiting devices, and means for relatively adjusting the pivots of said fingers and said movement limiting devices for varying the normal spacing between each pair of fingers.

HOWARD E. GANTZER.

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