US2416381A - Machine for stacking drinking cups - Google Patents

Description

Y Feb. 25, 1947. I E. CONTl 2,416,381

MACHINE FOR STACKING DRINKING CUPS Original Filed Oct.- 6, 1942 4. Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR.

Eu ene C onzz' BY j AT T ORJVZYS Feb. 25, 1947. E, CONT 2,416,381

MACHINE FOR STACKING DRINKING CUPS Original Filed Och-6, 1942 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR Eu ewe Coniz BY I Feb. 25, 1947.

E. coN'n MACHINE FOR STACKING DRINKING CUPS Original Filed 001:. 6, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 E ene Coni BY aim,

INVENTOR y Feb. 25, 1947.

E. .CONTI Original Filed Oct. 6, 1942 4.Sheets Sheet 4 INVENTOR- a ene Contzfi ATTORNE g l WW9 Patented Feb. 25, 1947 a u I 2,416,381 1 Y MACHINE FOR STACKING DRINKING ours Eugene Conti, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor to Herz Manufacturing Corporation, a corporaj. Y tionof New York Original application October, 6, 1942, Serial No.- 463,357. 'Dividedi and this 'application'June 3, I

t '1944, .Serial'NoL 538591 ."I'he-sub ject matter .of,this ;application is divided out of'my co-pending application Serial No. 463,357,fi1ed'October6, 1942.

This invention relates to, a, mechanismv for f soiaiins (01.214-6 end. This ro1ler cooperates with stacking drinkingcupslof the vopen mouth type .Y which cups may be made of paper or somesfuncthe cup and to exert pressure on the flap so tl'iat', qn y quivalent-material, a 7 it is sealed. andthe bottom-of. the up 10sed Al j t of the-invention resides in the pro- The rollers ll l function to grip the cup between visionof amechan-ism for and method of, stackthem. v ru 8 f rmd cups in= such manner 10' Beyond the rollers U1. which feed the come t hestack will lie in a rectilinear, positionI rilet'ed cups from the turret are two horizontal, rather than in a curvilinear position to" accompairs of suitably driven spaced vertically arrangedj D h the advantageous results hereinafter pointpulleys I16 and I ll, around thepulleysjof which ed'out- V j pair's cooperating, belts I I8 and H9 arearranged A further object-qfthe invention is to provide so that their adjacent horizontal reaches I29 lie a mechanism for, and method of, positively movin contact and moveinl the same direction, 1. e. mg the cups from .a forming jmachine to their away from the rollers H l and. at substantially StaCked p0SitiQn S.; ':;"y V a the-samespeed This movement of courseis Otherv objects of -the invention willflappear as caused by driving'the pulleys of the upper horithis S ription progresses and it is therefore un- 20 zontal pair H5 in a. counterclockwise direction a necessary tohere State themindeta-il. and the pulleysof the lower horizontaljpair ill In th'edra wings. v 1. f i in a clockwise direction by a suitablemechanism; Figure 1 is a perspectiverview of one of the cups. -As the completed cup is fed by the rollers Ill of the type to which this invention is directed. forwardly the leading edge taken up by the Fi ure 2 is ayiew of several cf, the cups stacked. reaches fl o t b l sa th WP isied t wa d. Figure 3 i a sectional View of the stacking thedelivery endofjthe machine, being vcarried mechanism, f v a L Y t y betweenthe reaches lZlJQof the belts with the l i ure 4 is a v'ertical sectional, view ofJthe-l e e 1iv l i vlQ t' i stacking ni m-l r thesereaches and with thehase orbottom of the Eigure cfi -is a yertic'alsectional view tak jat. cup formin the leading edge w v .s right an l s to Figure 3; and t L I A cu v o itioning mechanism is locate yon v-F'igure 61s a sectional view taken on line 6-4; .1 the ends ofthe belts an and is ad d of. Figure 5. a a; 1 .l l to receive the'cupsjfroin these belts. This mechjI 1 -i .my b 'colpen'ding application. anism is illustrated in Figures 3, 4 5 and 6 Ity i a disclosed themethod and mechanis includes a stationary support-HI (seeFigures 4 forming cups of the type to which this inventi n "and. 5), having an opening I 22 therein through isdirected, and whileitfis unneces a h which the cups areadap'ted to pass. An os c1l illustrate and. describe that. mechanism it is; at ng delivery dl l m i the 9-: pointed out that ftlie forming"mechanis' f0r plort l2! and is heldin placeby a rihe lfl. This; a s he cups when'formed'dirctly and posi- 40"de1ivery head comprises a base port on and an tively'to the stacking mechanism, as will later extending reduced neck port on 525. The base; be described; v u. r i provided with, an annular Portion I26 which is Reference is now made t th drawings.) su'pii'ortd in the upport i2 l on suitable bearing After each' ot thecups has been partly form surface so that it' may beioscillated. The base that, is, with its longitudinal edges sealed tois also provided withja circular recess-at I21" ether and the bottom flap has had adhesive apwhich isflared a t l 23. A dditionally the base and j plied to itjthe bottom flap is ready t b fold d neck portions are provided'with s1ots.l2 :9 and l 30 Over so that the adhesive williadhere to the body that extend "at rig l'1t angles to each other, as eithe'cup and closeits bottom. .This closing is, shown in Figure 12 and extend completely a'ccomplished by a 'pair of pressure rollers 1| I, through the base and. the neck portion longitudb; theupper of which is spring mounted and capabl nally. "The slots 1 29" and 1'30 inthe base portion of vertical moiienfent ahd'the lower of which'is of the delivery head are enlargedas at I (see d'rivenby suitable inea j finot shownii These Figure 5) to receive the expanded edges of the rollers'arecarrid by. an 'angu1arf1evet:lI2 pivoted cupjth'e expansion of, whichis due to the fact at H3 and which carries'a' roller I on its'lower that'i'lhe lateral edges; as indicated in -Figure 2,

a camll5 onta drivenshaft 102. When the cup reaches aposi tion in alignment withthe space. betweenthe] roller lllQthe leverql I2 oscillates toward the bottom of the cupto'fol'd theflap onthe body of intermesh with teeth I33 on the delivery head. This quadrant: is pivoted atl34 and-its oscillating.

movement is caused and controlled bya cam I35." which cooperates with a roller I36 on the quadrant and a spring I31 which holds the roller I36 in engagement with the cam I35.. Thus looking at Figure 5, the quadrant will be moved to the left by the cam I which will rotate the delivery head in a clockwise direction. The quadrant will be moved in the opposite direction to rotate the delivery head in a counterclockwise direction when the cam I35 moves to assume. the: position;

shown in Figure 5, under the influence of the traili'ng edge I40 lying beyond the face of the. ring I24. 7 From this-position Kit is fedinto the position. L by a. mechanism, which will later be described and beyond this position into the receiyer MI in which it isstacked with other cups. Referringnowto the. mechanism which movesthe cups from the position. J to the positionK' and directing attention to Figure 3', this, mechanism includes a, bell crank I42 which is ivoted on astationary pivot. at I43... On one arm, of. the bell cranka roller I44. is mounted; which roller rides. upon and cooperates with a'cam I45 onthe shaft I391 0n the. end of the other arm of, the bell. crank a. cup advancing, finger I46; is'.- ivoted at I41; This. pivotal connection is. such that. frictiona 1, pressure. will. always be exerted. on. the ad.- vancing; finger I46. to. maintain it. inthe. various. positions into. which it. is moved. A pivoted. arm. I48 which is. pivoted on a stationary pivot. [43 is provided with. acam I50, connected. with. a. rod.

I51; This Irod carries afroller I52 which. rides. upon and cooperates witha cam I53 0n theshait. I-39- to move the lever I'48- about. its pivot I49.v

I have described one. advancing finger I46. and

one lever I48 but. it. will be. seen. from Figure. 4

that there are twosuch advancing fingers I46 and. two. such levers I48.

' are preferably not creased but simply rolled and therefore of rounded circumferential contour. This deivery head is rotated or oscillated by -means of a quadrant gear I32 the teeth of which it is obvious that the toe portions I54 of the advancing fingers I46 must be moved out of the line of travel of the succeeding cup in order to'prevent their engagementwith the leading edge of the cup and their interference with the advance of the cup. As the advancing-fingers: I146. are moved rearwardly by the counterclockwise movement of the end of the lever I42 to which the advancing fingers are pivoted, pins I 55 on the advancing fingers I46 engage the cams I on the levers 8:40. As the fingers continue to move to a retracted position the cooperating pins I and cams I50 depress the toe portions I54 of the advanci'ng fingers I46 to positions out of the path" of movemeht'of the advancing cup.

After thetoe portions have reached a position beyond the. trailing edge of the cup when it lies in the. position J tailiportions I 56 on the advancingiffingers I45 engage abutments I51 so that the continued and final movement of the lever I42 causes the fingers I46 to move in a counterclockwise direction in Figure 6 to again 'movethe toe portions I54 up behind; the trailing edge of .the cup in the position J1 The cycle is then completed and the cup which at this-time occupies the position J i'stherrv advanced to the de livery head.

In order that the cup'may beremoved' 'from the delivery head 7 into a receiver and'there stacked I'have provided a delivery plate I58 (see Figures 4' and 5)' which isprovided' with twoarms at I59 that are adapted to lie behind the trailing edge of the cup when it is in theposition K so that the cup maybe movedtothe receiver z y by these arms.

This delivery plate is rigidly mounted on a slide I 59" which is adapted to beqreci'procated' in the frame by the following mechanism. The slide carries a roller I60 (see Figure 6)" with which a bell crank I 6I pivoted at I62 cooperates; A

- camroller I63 is mounted on this bell crankand i 'move the delivery plate I58 from a, position adiag" When the'c'up'is in the position J in Figure 4.

the toes I54 of the. advancing fingers. I46 lie behind: the: trailing edge of thecup, as illustrated in Figure 4, andin the. position shown in Figure The. rotation of the cam I45 rocks the bell crank lever I42 about its pivot I43 (see FigureB).

to' move the: end. at. the.- bell. crank lever, that carrice the; advancing. finger; in a. clockwise direction. This movement carrie withit. the advancing; fingers and the. toe portions I54 of. the advancing fingers; engaging thetrailing. edge of the cup, push the. cup v into the position K (see. Fig

:ur 4).. The pushing of the cupbeyond the. base of; the delivery head into thi-sposition K. is made possible because of the. presence of the. recess I 21 into; which; the; toe portions: of the advancing fingers move.

While one cup is. being moved from the. position to-the position K another cupisbeing advanced to; the position -I- by the belts, H6 and 1. t9, so that.

. slot I 29, free.

cooperates with a'cam I64". The contact between the end of the bell crank I6I and the. roller I60 i maintained by"a.spring- F65 and the contact betweenthe camroller I62 and the cam [64: is maintained by a spring I66. Thus the cam [64 acts through the lever I61 and the roller I60 to cent the base of the delivery" head to. and beyond the position shown in Figure 4 of thegdrawing. As the cam rotates, howeventhe, spri'ng166- returns the delivery plate from the position shown'. in Figure 4 to the initial position described; which position is illustrated in Figure 4. in construction lines and is designated by the reference character M; Thus the movement of the delivery" plate I58 underthe influence ofthe cam I64 movesthecup toward the'receiver and thismovee ment', beingrapi'd, as: the cup' leaves the reduced. neck portion I25, of. the delivery head the. cup.

is kicked into the receiver and stacked or nestedi.

with other cups that have receiver.

It is here pointed.

previously reached, the;

position shown in Figure. 5... thus covering the. ends of the slot I,3.0"b.ut leaving the horizontal is tied.

After the; cup. reaches.- the position see F-i ure, 4?, where. it lie horizontally in the. sl0t,I.29..

(see Figure 5;), the quadrant I32 rotates. thed'e-I. liyeiy. head in a clockwise. direction so. that the..

out'that when a cup isbein'g moved into the'd'elivery head, the arms 159. 0% the delivery plate lie in thedotted zonstruction line position. shownv in Figure 4 and in the- 7 It. isinto this slot 129 that. the'cup I30 in Figure 5. This partial rotation of thedelivery head carries the cup; with it sothat the cup is moved from a horizontal position to a vertical position and the arm I59 of the delivery gl plate I58 lies ,behindthe trailing edge of the cup sothat when the delivery plate is 'advancedithe cup will be pushed forwardly to the receiver;

oAs hasbeen pointed out, the overlappin'gedges of..the wings and 6. of;the' cup, that is to say, thellongitudinal seam ,0fithe cuplies between the belts H8 and H9 so that it is fed to the delivery head substantially coaxial with the head and with the seam downwardly.

Looking at Figure 5, when the slot 129 with the cup therein is moved to the vertical position, the seam of the cup will lie to the left of the vertical and in this position the cup is moved into the receiver. When, however, the delivery head with the next cup positioned therein is rotated in the opposite direction the cup, which is received by the slot I30 when it is in its horizontal position, is moved with the delivery head so that the seam of the cup lies to the right of the vertical and in this position it is moved into the stack and nested.

Thus the seams on the alternate cups will be on the opposite sides of the stack and the stack will therefore, and because of this alternate arrangement of the seams, assume a rectilinear rather than a curvilinear condition from which flow the advantages which have been heretofore pointed out.

In the drawings I have illustrated the cup as having the seam extending longitudinally or lengthwise th reof and parallel with the lengthwise axis of the cup. However, I wish it to be understood that when I refer to a longitudinal seam I am not confining myself to one that extends parallel to the lengthwise axis of the cup for indeed it may extend at an angle to the axis and even then not completely from the top to the bottom'of the cup. The invention in some of it phases is still applicable to and contemplates the formation and stacking of the cup which has its seam extending more nearly cross- Wise than lengthwise of the cup.

While I have illustrated and described a particular machine as embodying one phase of my invention, and also detailed steps of the method, it is to be understood that I do not wish. to be limited to the construction of the particular machine disclosed and described or to the detailed method except in so far as this is necessitated by the claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a cup forming machine including means for forming a series of cups each having a seam extending longitudinally on one side thereof, the combination of a cup stack receiver, means for positively moving the cups in succession into stacked nested relation in said receiver'with. the seams of alternate cups on opposite sides of the stack, means for positively delivering said series of cups into position to be engaged and moved by said cup moving means, said cup moving means including a, rotatable head having cup re ceiving slots arranged in angular relation to each other, and passing longitudinally therethrough, means for rotating said head alternately in op posite directions to vary the angular position of successive cups carried thereby, and means operating after each rotation of said head for moving the "successive cups positively'from sai'd hea'ci" to form a stack of cups in said receiven- 2. In a cup forming machine including means for forming a series-of cupseach having a seam extending longitudinally on one side thereof, the combination of a cup stack receiver, means for positively'm'oving' the cups in succession *into stacked nested relation in said receiver'with the" seams of alternate cups on oppositesides of the stack, means for positively delivering "said series of cups-into position to-beengaged and moved by said cup, moving means-, said cup moving means including a rotatable he'ad having slots arranged in"angular relation "to eachothenand passing longitudinally therethrough to receive the cups' from-the delivery means, means for rotating said head alternately in opposite directions to vary the angular position of successive cups carried thereby so that the position of their seams is reversed in the receiver and to bring said cups into position to be delivered from said head, and

means for thereafter moving the successive cups positively to form a stack in said receiver, said last mentioned means including a reciprocable delivery member having arms adapted to engage the trailing ends of the successive cups as the latter are in said delivery position.

3. In a cup forming machine including means for forming a seriesof cups each having a seam extending longitudinally on one side thereof, the combination of a cup stack receiver, means for positively moving the cups into stacked nested relation in said receiver with the seams of alternate Guns On opposite sides of the stack, means for positively delivering said series of cups into position to be engaged and moved by said cup moving means, said cup moving means including a rotatable head having slots arranged in angular relation to each other, and passing longitudinally therethrough to receive the cups from the cup delivering means, means for rotating said head alternately in opposite directions to positively move the successive cups carried thereby into delivering position and so that'the position of their seams is reversed, and means for thereafter moving the successive cups positively to form a stack in said receiver, said last mentioned means including a reciprocable delivery member having arms adapted to engage the trailing ends of the successive cups when in delivery position said delivery means being actuated to move the successive cups into said rotatable head to such a degreethat the trailing end of each successive cup lies beyond the starting position of -the arms of said delivery member whereby said rotatable head may be rotated without the said arms interfering with the cup carried thereby.

4. In cup stacking mechanism for use with cup forming machines, or the like, which produce cups having a seam extending longitudinally on one side thereof, the combination'of a cup stack receiver, means for feeding .cups one after another and with said seam uniformly arranged in the same relation thereto, a rotatable cup holder having one end positioned and adapted to receive cups from said feeding means, means for alternately rotating said cup holder first in one direction and then in the opposite direction to change the angular position of cups delivered successively to said receiving end thereof, and means movable in relation to said rotatable cup holder toward said receiver and into engagement with a ents-nae 1 cupsdisposed? om opposite sides or. the resulting" stack of cups. t i

5; In- =cup' stacking mechanismfor usev with eup cups having a'seam extending longitudinally on 1 oneside thereof", the combination of a cup stack forming machines, or the like, which. produce receiver, a rotatable cup holder having, intersect- L in the other of said slots is; being moved toward said cup stack receiver, and means for" rotating EUGENE CON'ITI.

: ing; cup receiving and guidingslots, means for 1 feeding a cup into one of said slots. while a cup-16 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of" record mew file of this patent-T I UNIfIED STATES PATENTS

Images