US2586586A

US2586586A - Vial filler

Info

Publication number: US2586586A
Application number: US3766A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dan D Washburn; Wayne L Elder
Original assignee: Cutter Laboratories Inc
Current assignee: Bayer Corp
Priority date: 1948-01-22
Filing date: 1948-01-22
Publication date: 1952-02-19
Anticipated expiration: 1969-02-19

Description

Feb. 19, 1952 D. D. WASHBURN ET AL 2,586586 VIAL FILLER Filed Jan. 22. 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 www D. D. WASHBURN ETA Feb. 19, 1952 Filed Jan. 22, 1948 Feb. 19, 1952 D. D. wAsHBURN ET AL 2,586,586

VIAL FIL-LER Filed Jan. 22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 19, 1952 D. D. WASI-:BURN E-rAL 2,586,586

VIAL FILLER Filed Jan. 22, 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Feb. 19, 1952 VIAL FILLER Dan D. Washburn, El Cerrito, and Wayne L. Elder, Richmond, Calif., assignors. to Cutter Laboratories, Berkeley, Calif., a corporation of California Application January 22, 1948, Serial No. 3,766,

3 Claims.

through parallel runways formed thereon until their further progress is arrested by a trans- Verse barrier. Vertically reciprocable plungers extending through the runways then turn the tablets over the barriers onto forwardly and latterally declining deector plates which serve to upend the tablets and to guide them into narrower and forwardly declining channels converging at their lower ends into a transverse trough. Arranged for reciprocation within the trough is a loading rod by means of which the row of contiguous tablets accommodated within the trough can be pushed into the open end of a vial located adjacent to and in alignment with the trough.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing will be set forth at length in the following description where that form of the invention which has been selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification is outlined in full. In said drawings, one form of the invention is shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such form, since the invention as set forth in the claims, may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a filling and countting machine embodying the objects of our invenion.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the vibrating tray which constitutes one ofy the elements of our machine.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the declining channels or runways to which the tablets are delivered from the vibrating tray.

Fig, 4 is a vertical section taken on the section line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig, 5 is a vertical section taken on the section line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. .6 is a vertical section taken on the section line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on the-section line 1--1 0f Fig. 1.

Fig. .8 is a section taken on the section line 8-8 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 9 is a section taken on the section line 9-9 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section taken on the section line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary front end elevation of the structure shown in section in Fig. l0.

The machine as shown in these various figures includes a base or table I supported on legs 2. Bolted to, and extending across the table I are a pair of opposed parallel channels 3 and 4 and welded to these channels are va twin set of spring retainers 5. Seated in each of the retainers 5 is a coil spring 6, and mounted on these springs, side by side, is a pair of vibrators 'I of standard construction driven by individual electric motors 8. Fastened to each of the vibrators 'I is a bracket 9, and mounted on each of these brackets is a tray II including an upstanding rear wall I2, upstanding side walls I3, and an open forward end I4. Fastened to the floor of each tray II are a series of longitudinally extending, transversely spaced partitions I5 defining a number of runways I6. As clearly indicated in Fig. 2, the partitions I5 extend from the forward open end I4 of each tray to a point somewhat short of the rear end thereof. The width of the runways I6 should be slightly greater than the diameter of tablets on which the machine is designed to operate, and preferably every alternate partition should be shorter than the intermediate partitions so as to form a runway entrance I'I for the tablets delivered to the rear ends of the trays. Fastened to, and eX- tending transversely across each tray at a point adjacent its forward end is a bar or barrier I8. Formed in the oor of each of the trays II immediately to the rear of its barrier IB and within the confines of channels I6 are drilled holes I9.

Fastened to the table I in vertical alignment with the rowof holes I9 is a pair of opposed bearing brackets 2|, and journaled inv these brackets is a driven shaft 22. Fixed to the shaft 22 is a gear 23 arranged to mesh with a worm 24,

vthe worm '24 being fastened to a vertical shaft 25 journaled at its upper end in a bracket 26, which in turn is mounted on the table I. The lower end of the shaft 25 is operatively associated with and driven by a variable speed electric motor 2`I supported from the table I. Fastened to the shaft 22 over the longitudinal center line of each of the two trays I l, is a flanged cam 2 8 arranged to engage a roller 29.

VMounted on the table I are two coplanar pairs of transversely spaced upstanding brackets 3l, and fastened to the upper end of each of these brackets is a sleeve 32. Slidably disposed in each of these sleeves is a rod 33 (see Fig. 4) and welded to and across each pair of rods 33 is a shaft 34, each pair of rods 33 and shaft 34 forming an inverted U-shaped frame. Fastened to the lower end of each of the rods 33 is a tting 35 formed at its lower end with a hole, and fastened to and across each pair of fittings 35 by means of these holes is a shaft 36. Journaled on the shaft 36 is one of the rollers 29 previously referred to, and which is actuated by its associated cam 28. Welded to each of the shafts 34 are a number of blocks 31 (see Figs. 1, 4 and 10) and fastened to the upper ends thereof are pusher bars or plungers 38 arranged to reciprocate through the holes I9 formed in the trays il. The upper ends of the pushers are rearwardly inclined, and upon the upward movement of the pushers, serve to turn the overlying tablets over the barriers I8. Surrounding each of the rods 33 between the sleeves 32 and fittings 35 is a coil spring 39 functioning to bias the shafts 36 downwardly to thereby maintain the rollers 29 always in positive engagement with their associated cams 28.

As best shown in Figs, 2, lll and l1, the forward ends of the runways I6 terminate opposed pairs of downwardly and laterally declining deector plates 4I serving to upend the tablets passing thereover and -to direct them into aligned, forwardly converging and declining channels to be later described.

Fastened to the rear face of the channel 3 are a pair of opstanding brackets 42, there being I' one such bracket lying in the vertical plane, including the longitudinal center line of each of the trays Il. Welded to the upper end of each of the brackets 42 is a forwardly inclined 'arm 43. Welded to the outer end of each of the arms 43 and forming a T therewith is a transverse rod 44. Pivoted to each of these rods by ears 45 is a tablet hopper generally designated by the reference numeral 46, provided with a false bottom 41 and formed with an inlet opening 48, with a discharge opening 49 and with an opening 5I in its false bottom for establishing communication between the compartment 52 formed above it and the passageway 53 formed below it. Welded to the forward corner of each hopper is a deecting plate 53 overlying but spaced from the discharge opening 49. Bridging the space between the two hoppers 46, and welded to their adjacent sides, is a clip 511 and welded to this clip is a rearwardly extending spring retaining finger or rod 55. Fastened to the lower rear corner of one of the hoppers i6 is an ear 56, and pivoted thereto is a rod 51. Fastened to the outer end of the finger 55 is the upper end of a coil spring 58, the lower end thereof being clamped to the rod 51 to thereby resiliently hold both hoppers in their normal non-dispensing position. Pivoted to the lower end of the rod 51 is the rear end of a rst class lever 59, the lever 59 being hinged intermediate its ends to a cross-member 6I' supported by the base I. The forward end of the lever 59 serves as a pedal, the depression of which.operates to upset the hoppers 4B to their dispensing positions, the forward ends thereof being located immediately above the rear ends of the trays II.

l Mounted on the forward end of the base I 1s a forwardly declining fabricated frame generally designated by the reference numeral 62. Supported on the rear portion of this frame iS a plate 63, and fastened thereon are a number of opstanding walls 64, forming a series of paired, forwardly converging channels 65. The rear ends 66 of the channels 65 underlie the forward ends of the runways i6 and are slightly divergent. The forward ends of the channels 65 are oontiguous to each other, and the width of the channels throughout their entire length except their flared rear ends, should be only slightly greater than the depth of the tablets on which the machine is designed to operate.

Mounted on the frame 52 in abutment with the plate 63 is a block 6'! (see Fig. 6) provided on its upper surface with channels 58 forming continuations of the channels 65, and of the same width. The upper ends of the channels 68 are formed with notches 66, each of a sufficient length to permit a tablet to fall therethrough. Fastened to the frame 62 immediately beneath the notches 69 is a chute 1I, the lower end of which is arranged to communicate with a container for receiving any tablets that may vfall through the notches 63S and which occurs when the channels 68 are completely filled. When the upper end of any channel 68 contains no tablet, the next oncoming tablet simply jumps the notch 69. Extending transversely across the lower end of the block 61 in open communication with the channels 68 is a trough 'I2 for the reception of the tablets which roll down the channels 68. Fastened on either side of the block in alignment with the trough 12 are bearing plates 'I3 and "I4, the plate 'i4 being provided with a laterally extending sleeve 15. Arranged to slide through the plate 13, trough 12, plate 14 and sleeve 15 is a vial loading rod or pusher 16 formed on one side thereof with a lon-I gitudinally extending groove 11 of predetermined length, and at one end with an operating knob 16a. Disposed in a radial hole 18 formed in the sleeve 15 'and receivable in the groove 11 is' a. spring-loaded ball 18a serving to limit the stroke of the loading rod 16. Fastened to or formed integral with the plate 13 is a semicircular vial supporting channel 19 disposed coaxially with the loading rod 16.

Mounted on the forward face of the base I is a control panel 3| including switches 82 to which the lines 83 from the motors 8 are connected, preferably and conventionally through suitable rheostats, and to which the leads 84 from the motors 21 are connected, and also including controls 85 for the above mentioned rheostats.

In the operation of the machine above dea scribed, the twin hoppers 46 are loaded with` tablets through their respective inlets 48 and` tablets from the hoppers are delivered through their passageways 53 and discharge openings 49 to the rear ends of their associated trays Il' by depressing the forward end of the lever 59. If then the vibrators 1 are energized, the tablets on each tray will start walking forwardly into and along the runways I5 until their further progress is arrested by the barriers i8. If at this point the motors 21 have been put into operation so as to reciprocate the pushers 38, the pushers will elevate and upset the overlying tablets, over the barriers to the forward sides thereof. Thus far then, the function of the machine has been to segregate the tablets into forwardly advancing columns and to transfer them to the forward side of the barrier at a predeternled rate. Uponreaching the forward ends of the runways I6, each tablet is upended bythe deflector plates 4I from its side to its edge, enters the flared end 66 of one of the' channels 65 in that position, and under the influence of gravity rolls down this channel' and the aligned channel 68 of the block 61 into the transverse trough 12 or into engagement with the side of the loading rod 16. In so doing, the tablet jumps the notch 69. If, however, the channel B8 is completely lled with tablets, the forward movement of the next succeeding tablet is arrested by the last tablet in this channel, thereby causing the succeeding tablet to drop through the notch into the chute 1 I. Periodically, the operator sitting in front of the machine places a vial on the supporting channel 'I9 and reciprocates the loading rod 16 so as to fill the vial with a row of tablets numerically equal to the number of channels 68 formed in the machine.

We claim:

1. A tablet aligning machine comprising: a tray provided on its upper 'face with fore and aft extending runways of a width slightly greater than the diameter of the tablets on which said machine is designed to operate, said runways ter minating at their forward ends in downwardly and laterally extending deflector plates; a forwardly declining plate extending forwardly from said tray,v said plate being provided with channels forming a continuation of said runways, but of a width slightly larger than the depth of one of said tablets and with a transverse tablet.v receiving trough at its lower end; means for vibrating said tray in the direction of its runways so as to cause tablets deposited thereon to walk forwardly through said runways; a barrier extending across said runways for arresting the forward movement of said tablet; plungers arranged to reciprocate up and down through said tray within its runways and immediately behind said barrier for turning said tablets over said barrier; and a push rod mounted in said trough and arranged to discharge a row of tablets therefrom.

2. A machine of the character described for lling a vial with tablets comprising: a base; a tray mounted on said base and having a forward open end, parallel runways formed in said tray and extending rearwardly from the forward open end thereof to a point somewhat forward of its rear end, the width of said runways being slightly greater than the diameter of said tablets; means for subjecting said tray to a fore and aft vibratory movement for causing tablets supported thereon to move forwardly thereof; a barrier extending transversely across said runways adjacent the forward ends thereof; a plunger extending upwardly through the oor of each of said runways immediately to the rear of its barrier and means for reciprocating said plungers; a, forwardly and laterally declining deflector plate mounted on the forwardend of each of said runways in longitudinal alignment therewith; forwardly declining coplanar run-- ways mounted on said base with their rear ends positioned immediately beneath and in longitudinal alignment with the runways formed in said tray, said declining runways being forwardly convergent so that their forward ends are contiguous; a trough extending transversely across and in communication with the forward ends of said declining runways; and a plunger arranged to traverse said trough.

3. A machine of the character described comprising: a base; a vibrator resiliently mounted on the rear end of said base; a substantially horizontal tray mounted on said vibrator, said tray being provided with an open forward end, with an unobstructed rear end portion and with a plurality of parallel contiguous runways extending from said unobstructed rear end portion to said open forward end, the width of each of said runways being slightly larger than the diameter of the tablets on which said machine is designed to operate; forwardly and downwardly extending tablet deflectors mounted on the forward ends of said runways for turning said tablets from their sides to their edges; a barrier extending transversely across said runways adjacent the forward ends thereof; a plunger extending through the oor of each runway immediately to the rear of its transverse barrier. the upper ends of said plungers being rearwardly inclined and arranged to upset said tablets over said barriers upon the upward stroke thereof; means for reciprocating said plungers, forwardly declining runways mounted 4on said base with their rear ends immediately beneath the forward open end of said tray in alignment with the runways, said declining runways converging at their forward ends so as to be contiguous; a trough extending transversely across the lower ends of said declining runways; and a plunger arranged to traverse said trough.

DAN D. `lWASI-IBlllN. WAYNE L. EIDER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,220,801 Varga Mar. 27, 1917 2,109,301 Nakane Feb. 22, 1938 2,405,447 Persson Aug. 6, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4 471,222 Germany Feb. 13, 1929 577,028 Germany Oct. 11, 1931