US2630202A

US2630202A - Material transfer mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2630202A
Application number: US76262A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter E Saxe
Original assignee: CONVEYOR Co Inc
Current assignee: CONVEYOR Co Inc; CONVEYOR COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1949-02-14
Filing date: 1949-02-14
Publication date: 1953-03-03
Anticipated expiration: 1970-03-03

Description

March 3, 1953 w- E, SAXE MATERIAL. TRANSFER MECHANISM 2 Sl-IEETS--Sl-IEET l Filed Feb. 14, 1949 March 3, 1953 w. E. sAxE MATERIAL TRANSFER MECHANISM 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Feb. 14, 1949 [IIN HH HIIIIIH'l-l Patented Mar. 3, 1953 MATERIAL TRANSFER MECHANISM Walter E. Saxe, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to The Conveyor Company, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 14, 1949, Serial No. 76,262l

(Cl. ISS-20) 8 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyors and more particularly to a conveyor assembly of the type which is adapted to convey a plurality of articles through a treating zone and then to a packing zone in a continuous cycle.

In order 'to clearly illustrate its manner of construction and Inode of operation I describe my invention as being embodied in a carrot washing and packing machine but it is, of course, obvious that my invention may be applied to other devices adapted to be utilized to treat a Wide variety of other articles.

'When carrots are brought to the packing sheds from the held their surfaces are usually covered with earth and muck so that it is necessary to wash the carrots in order that they may be sui'- ficiently clean to be packed in the shipping crates in which they are shipped to market. It is conventional practice to dump the carrots in one end of a washing trough through which they are conveyed by different expedients and from which they are subsequently removed and placed upon a packing conveyor. Packers who Stand along the length of the conveyor subsequently take the carrots therefrom and pack them in crates for shipment. Usually, the trough for washing the carrots and the .packing conveyor are arranged in end-to-end relationship and it is thus necessary to provide a packing shed of sufncient length to accommodate the Washing trough and the packing conveyor .when conventional arrangements are utilized.

It is, therefore, a primary object of my invention to provide an apparatus adapted for the washing and subsequent packing of carrots Which is designed to be accommodated in a packing shed of much less length than is customarily possible. I achieve this desired end by placing the Washing conveyor of my invention in side-by-side relationship with the packing conveyor and thus permit the length of the packing shed to be reduced by an amount equivalent to the length of the washing conveyor.

When carrots are cleaned and packed by the use of conventional apparatus it frequently happens that a substantial portion of the carrots issuing from the Washing tank and deposited upon the packing conveyor are not suiiiciently vclean and it is thus necessary to remove such insufciently clean carrots from the packing conveyor and deposit them in a pile for subsequent re- Washing in the washing tank.` Naturally, such practices result in the excessive and sometimes careless handling of the vegetables and a large number of culls must be discarded.

Itis another object of my inventiontoprovide a washing and packing conveyor apparatus for carrots or similar vegetables which is adapted to handle the produce in a continuous cycle. In other words, when carrots which have not been suiiiciently clean are deposited on the packing conveyor they may bev left thereon by the packers and automatically refed into the washing conveyor at the end of the packing operation. In this manner, the excessive handling of the carrots and the careless dumping and throwing of the carrots into bins or on the door of the packing shed are eliminated and the cull percentage is substantially reduced.

Occasionally, when conventional washing and packing conveyors are utilized, the packers are not able to keep up with the flow of vegetables issuing from the washing conveyor and it is necessary to let the produce remain on the conveyor to the end thereof and be deposited upon the floor of the packing shed. When a slack period occurs a packer is assigned to pack this superfluous product.

1t is an additional object of my invention to provide a Washing and packing apparatus of the aforementioned type which is adapted to recycle by-passed produce in order that the produce may be packed from the packing conveyor when an overload condition ceases to exist.

Of course, by placing both the washing and packing conveyors in side-by-side relationship it is possible to deliver the produce from 'the field to the same end of the shed from which the packed produce is removed. in other words, the necessity for providing loading gates at both ends of the packing shed or for excessive handling of the pro duce is eliminated.

The placing of the Washing conveyor adjacent the packing conveyor of my invention necessitates the provision of means adapted to 'transfer the produce from one conveyor to the other.

A further object of my invention is the provision ofV transfer means adapted to be positioned at eitheror bothy ends of the apparatus above described and to carry the produce from the discharging end of one conveyor to the receiving end of the other conveyor.

An additional object ,of my invention is the provision or transfer means adapted tto transfer produce from the discharging end of one conveyor and to deposit it upon the receiving end o an oppositely moving conveyor.

A further object of my invention is the pro'- vision of transfer means adapted to transfer produce between the ends of oppositely moving conveyors which is constituted by a rotating table, a portion of Whose periphery is adapted to inter- 3 sect the longitudinal path of the conveyors with which it is associated to permit articles conveyed upon one conveyor to be deposited upon said table and to permit such deposited articles to be discharged therefrom onto the adjacent conveyor.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of transfer means of the aforementioned type which has associated therewith discharging means adapted to facilitate the discharge therefrom of articles deposited thereupon.

Another object of my invention is the provision of discharging means adapted to be associated with said table which is mounted upon an elongated wiper arm adapted to support said discharging means in close proximity to the surface of said table. An associated object of my invention is the provision of discharging means mounted upon said wiper which is designed to move radially of said table to cause the outward movement of articles deposited thereupon.

An additional object of my invention is the provision of an apparatus of the aforementioned character which is simple in construction and arrangement and which may be manufactured and operated at moderate cost.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will be made apparent by the following specification and the accompanying drawings, which are for the purpose of illustration only, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a washing and packing apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an additional side elevational View of the washing conveyor of my invention;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the broken line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, top plan view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view taken on the broken line E-B of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, and especially to Fig. 1 thereof, I show a carrot washing and packing apparatus I8 which includes a washing conveyor I2 and a packing conveyor I3 arranged in side-by-side relationship with said Washing conveyor. Disposed at opposite ends of the washing conveyor I2 and packing conveyor I3 are transfer means I5 and I6 which are adapted to convey, respectively, material from the discharging end of the packing conveyor I3 to the receiving end of the washing conveyor I2 and from the discharging end of the washing conveyor I2 to the receiving end of the packing conveyor I3. It should be noted that the receiving end of the washing conveyor I2 is positioned adjacent the discharging end of the packing conveyor f3 While the discharging end of the washing conveyor I2 is positioned adjacent the receiving end of the packing conveyor I3. A supply chute I'I positioned adjacent the receiving end of the washing conveyor I2 is adapted to supply produce thereto for washing.

The washing conveyor I2 includes an elongated tank I8 which is adapted to be supplied with a continuous flow of a washing fluid, such as water, and which is equipped with an elongated, endless conveyor belt I9 supported upon and moved over guide rollers 20 which are adapted to be actuated by a source of power, such as an electric motor 22. The belt I9, as viewed in Figs. l and 3 of the drawings. moves to the right from the receiving end of the washing conveyor I2 to the discharging end thereof and is preferably formed of a wire mesh.

The packing conveyor includes an elongated endless belt 24 which is mounted in a frame 25 and is rotated upon rollers 2B by means of an electric motor 2l. The belt 24 of the packing conveyor I3 moves to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and it is thus evident that the directions of movement of the belts I9 and 24 are opposite to each other while the longitudinal axes of said movement are parallel to each other.

The elongated tank IB of the washing conveyor I2 is provided at its receiving end with discharge openings 29 which are adapted to permit washing fluid from the tank I8 to be discharged from the interior thereof. The tank I8 is provided with an upwardly inclined bottom 3) in the region of its discharging end and a spray booth 3I adapted to wash the washing fluid from the surface of the carrots is positioned adjacent said discharging end. A conduit 32 provides a supply of water sufficient to supply spray nozzles, not shown, within the interior of the spray booth 3|. Disposed adjacent the spray booth 3I is a supercooler booth 34 in which carrots carried upon the belt I9 may be cooled by means of chilled water from a conduit 35 which is sprayed by means of spray nozzles, not shown, within the interior of the super-cooler booth 34 upon the surface of the carrots as they pass therethrough in order to lower the temperature of the carrots prior to their being packed in the refrigerated cars in which they are shipped to market.

The flow of water through the conduits 32 and 35 which are associated respectively with the spray booth 3| and the super-cooler booth 34 is usually sufficient to provide the washing fluid necessary in the washing portion of the tank I8. It should be noted here that the flow of fluid in the washing tank I8 is to the left, as viewed in Fig. 3 of the drawings and is contrary to the direction of movement of the belt I9. Thus, as the carrots are carried through the tank I8 by means of the belt I9 they encounter progressively cleaner and cleaner washing fluid. In order to facilitate the flow of washing fluid through the bunches of carrots which are carried upon the surface of the belt I3 it is desirable that the belt I9 be made in the form of a mesh in order that the fluid flow therethrough may be materially increased and in order that the drainage therefrom in the discharging end of the washing conveyor will be as great as possible. It is also desirable that the belt 24 of the packing conveyor I3 be formed of a mesh similar to that of the belt I8 of the washing conveyor I3 in order that the drainage process initiated in the discharging end of the washing conveyor I2 be continued through the packing process.

As the carrots are carried to the right in the tank I8 by means of the belt I9 the earth and other foreign matter with which they are encrusted is washed away by the flowing action of the washing fluid and Settles to the bottom of the tank I8. To prevent the accumulation of excessive amounts of foreign matter and muck in the bottom of the tank I8 the washing conveyor I2 is provided with mud rakes 3l which are adapted to be reciprocated adjacent the bottom of the tank I8 to urge the mud deposited therein to move with the now of fluid being discharged from the discharge openings 28.

The transfer means I5 of my invention includes a circular table 40 which is positioned adljacent the discharging end of the packing ccnveyor i3 and the receiving end of thc washing conveyor i2 and rotates in a counterclockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1, and the transfer means It includes a circular table i2 which also rotates in a counterclockwise direction and is positioned adjacent the discharging end of the washing conveyor i2 and the receiving end of the packing conveyor i3. Since the details of construction and the manner of actuation of the transfer means I and it are essentially similar, it will be suilicient to describe the construction and mode of operation of the transfer means ii and similar reference characters to those utilized to describe the elements of the transfer means i5 will be applied to similar' elements utilized in the transfer means it. However, it should be noted that the table :it of the transfer means i5 rotates below the discharging end of the packing conveyor i3 and above the receiving end of the washing conveyor i2 while the table d2 of the transfer means rotates below the discharging end of the washing conveyor I2 and above the receiving end of the packing conveyor i3.

The rotating table as best shown in Fig. e, of the transfer means i5 is mounted upon a tubular, vertical standard ifi which is disposed adjacent the receiving end of the washing conveyor i2 and the discharging end of the packing conveyor i3 and which is provided with a base [i5 adapted to serve as adequate floating therefor. Housed within the interior of the tubular, vertical standard iii is an upwardly extending vertical shaft il upon the upper end of which the table lil is mounted by means of a tubular collar it which is secured to the center of the table :le through the intermediary of gussets [i9 on the under side thereof. The tubular collar i8 in the center of the table di! is keyed or otherwise amxed to the shaft t1 in order that the rotation of the shaft el will cause the concomitant rotation of the table lill. Keyed to an intermediate portion of the shaft ril, as by means of apin 5t, is a bevel gear 5l which is adapted to be driven by means of a pinion 52 mounted on the inner end of a drive shaft 53, the rotation of which is induced by means of sprockets et and chains d5 which provide a power transmission means from the electric motor 2i which also serves to move the belt 2li of the packing conveyor i3.

Thus, when the electric motor 2i is actuated it causes the movement of the sprockets 54 and the chains 55 and the rotation of the drive shaft, pinion combination E53-52 and the concomitant movement of the bevel gear 5i and the shaft 41 to cause the rotary movement in a horizontal plane of the table til of the transfer means l5. .lt should be noted that as the table it is rotated by the aforementioned driving means its path of rotation in a horizontal plane intersects the longitudinal axes of movement of both the belt i9 of the washing conveyor l2 and the belt 2li of the packing conveyor I3. rlhus, carrots which are left upon the surface of the belt 2d of the packing conveyor i3 because they have not been sufficiently cleansed or because they have been bypassed due to an overload condition upon the conveyor, be deposited from the discharging end of the packing conveyor i3 upon the surface of the rotating table lill and carried thereby to a point overhanging the surface of the conveyor belt i9 of the washing conveyor l2, whence they may be deposited upon said belt it. The rotary table l2 of the transfer .means It is ac.-

tuated the same manner by substantially identical mechanism and in its rotary, counterclockwise path the rotary table 122 passes under the discharging and of the washing conveyor i2 to receive from the conveyor belt I9 thereof a continuous flow of cleansed carrots which it is adapted to carry to a point above the receiving end of the conveyor belt 24 of the packing conveyor i3 to deposit said carrots thereupon. Of course, as the rotary table it of the transfer means i5 rotates, additional amounts of carrots to be cleansed are deposited from the chute l'i onto the belt I9. By juxtaposing the receiving end of the washing conveyor iii and the discharging end of the packing conveyor i3 it is possible both to discharge unwashed carrots and to receive packed carrots at the same end of the apparatus, thus eliminating the necessity for providing truck loading means at both ends of the apparatus.

It will also bc evident that the provision of a constant cycle of movement between the washing and packing conveyors permits improperly or insufciently cleansed carrots to be readily returned to the washing bath and also permits excessive amounts of carrots which cannot be coped with by the packers to be passed through the cycle once again and thus eliminates the piling up of carrots at the end of the packing conveyor.

In order to properly deposit the carrots carried on the surface of the rotating table iii upon the surface of the conveyor belt i9 the table iii has associated therewith an elongated wiper arm 523 which includes a frame 6l adapted to support discharging means 62 which is designed to discharge the carrots, onto the surface of the table iii at a point above the surface of the conveyor belt is of the washing conveyor I2.

The upper end of the shaft A." protrudes beyond the upper end of the collar 48 and has mounted thereupon another tubular collar ed which is provided with an annular flange e5 at its lower end adapted to seat upon the upper end of the tubular collar lit. The upper, tubular collar ed serves as a mounting means for the inner end of the elongated wiper arm 6U in a manner which will be described in greater detail below.

The elongated wiper arm 6i) and the frame Si thereof include inner and outer end plates 66 and ESB which are joined to each other by means of telescoping arms il and l2. The telescoping arms 'ii and 'i2 include outer tubular members i5, the ends of which are mounted in the inner end plates et and inner rods Tal, the outer ends of which are mounted in the outer end plate 68 and the inner ends of which are adapted to be moved within the tubular members i3 to adjust the spatial relationship of the outer end plate t5 with respect to the inner end plate (it for a purpose which will be described in greater detail below. Provided within the bores of the tubular members i3 and abutting on the inner ends of the rod members i@ are compression springs 'lil the other ends of which are seated upon adjusting blocks 'il mounted in the ends of the tubular members 'i3 which blocks are adapted to be moved inwardly in respect to the bores of the tubular members 'i3 by means of adjusting screws 'i8 to adjust the force exerted by the ends of the springs 'i6 against the ends of the rods lli. In this manner, the outer end plate Eli may be adjusted in respect to the inner end plate te of the frame Si for a purpose which will be described in greater detail below.

A vertical bore '3Q is formed in the inner end plate Vtf, intermediate its ends and is adapted to the lower end of which is received in the upper end of the upper collar 64 and which is adapted to contact the upper end of the shaft 41. An adjusting screw 85 threadedly engaging the upper end of the vertical bore 8U in the inner' end plate 66 is adapted to contact the upper end of the mounting spindle 8|. Thus, when the adjusting screw 85 is threaded into the bore 86 of the end plate 6E the end plate 68 is vertically raised in reference to the upper end of the mounting spindle 8| and when the adjusting screw 85 is threaded out of the bore 80 of the end plate 86, the end plate 96 is vertically lowered in respect to the end of the mounting spindle 8 I. In this manner, vertical adjustment means adapted to raise or lower the inner end of the frame 6| of the wiper arm Ell is provided for a purpose which will be described in greater detail below.

The outer end plate 58 is provided with a vertical bore 81 which is adapted to receive the upper end of a depending spindle 88 which, in turn, has mounted thereupon a depending pulley 89 upon which is trained a flexible, endless belt 9i) which constitutes the discharging means 62 of my invention. Mounted upon the upper sleeve 64 is an inner pulley 9| upon which the endless belt 9B is trained. Supported upon the outer tubular members 'I3 adjacent the outer end of the frame 6I is a bed plate 93 which is adapted to support an electric motor 94 which constitutes the power source for the actuation of the endless belt 90. A sprocket 95 is mounted on the shaft of the motor 94 and is adapted to cause the rotation of a sprocket 96 on the pulley 89 through the intermediary of a chain 9'! trained thereupon.

Thus it can be seen that the discharging means 62 of the wiper arm 60, as constituted by the endless belt 90, is rotated by means of the electric motor 94 and the transmission means constituted by the

sprockets

95 and 96 and the chain 9'! in a path which is substantially radial of the axis of rotation of the table 40. It is also clear that the wiper arm 6E! is mounted concentrically with the table 4I) and extends radially in respect to the axis of rotation thereof. However, to insure the complete discharge of carrots borne upon the surface of the table 4D the wiper arm and the belt 9D extend beyond the circumference of the table and overhang the surface of the conveyor belt I9 of the washing conveyor I2. When the belt is trained upon the surface of the pulleys 89 and 9| the tension of .the belt may be adjusted by means of the adjusting screws 18 which will serve to adjust the tension of the compression springs 'I6 inside the tubular members 'I3 and thus determine the force with which the rod members '4 will be extended outwardly from the bores of the tubular members 13. When the belt has been properly tensioned it is then possible to adjust the inner end thereof in respect to the surface of the table by adjusting the adjusting screw 85 in reference to the end of the mounting spindle 8| in the manner described above. Additional adjusting means adapted to adjust the outer end of the belt 90 in reference to the surface of the table 40 are also provided and will be described below.

Secured to the end of a horizontal bracket 99 which is mounted on the tubular member 13 of one of the telescoping arms 'II is an elongated belt guide IBI which is disposed inwardly of the belt 80 where the belt 90 is brought into contact with the carrots as they are carried by the table 40. The belt guide I| prevents the inward deflection of the belt 9|) and thus eliminates the possibility that the belt 90 may be bowed inwardly and the edge thereof raised a sufficient distance to permit carrots to be wedged between the lower edge of the belt 90 and the surface of the table 48. Thus, when the carrots are carried into contact with the surface of the belt 90 by the table 4Q the frictional Contact of the surface of the belt 9i) therewith causes them to be carried across the surface of the table radially and to be dropped upon the surface of the conveyor beit I9 of the washing conveyor I2. In this manner the piling up of carrots adjacent the wiper arm is eliminated and the discharging means of the wiper arm permits the piling up to be substantially controlled. This is an important feature of my invention.

From the foregoing it is obvious that the wiper arm 6U and its associated discharging means 62 are rotatably mounted upon the mounting spindle 8| in the upper collar 54 so that the radial position of the wiper arm 69 in reference to the surface of the table 40 may be adjusted to cause the ends of the wiper arm 60 and the discharging means 62 to adopt a variety of positions with respect to the surface of the conveyor belt I9 which runs thereunder. To permit such radial adjustment and to serve to maintain the wiper arm 6i) in a predetermined adjusted position there is provided radial adjusting means I i12 which includes upper and lower brackets |93 mounted on the side of the frame 25 of the packing conveyor I3 and adapted to support a tubular standard |04 which is designed to receive a support rod |65 upon the upper end of which is mounted a rectangular block |96. The rectangular block |66 has a horizontal bore |91 formed therein which is adapted to receive the end of a positioning arm |08, the other end of which is received in a block |99 mounted adjacent the outer end of the wiper arm Si] upon a cross piece III). The block |89 is provided with an adjusting screw III which contacts the periphery of the positioning arm |08 which passes through the block IS and which is adapted to secure the end of the positioning arm |98 in a predetermined position. Therefore, by releasing the adjusting screw I I I in the block IG 9 and by moving the wiper arm 65 in reference to the end of the positioning arm |99 the end of the wiper arm 66 may be radially moved in reference to the surface of the table 4! and the conveyor belt I9 into a variety of diiierent positions. When a position of adjustment has been chosen the adjusting screw may be driven into contact with the surface of the positioning arm |08 to rigidly lock the wiper arm GG against movement in reference to the surface of the table 40.

The adjusting means I is provided with height adjustment means II2 for the outer end of the wiper arm which is adapted to cooperate with the adjusting screw on the inner end of the wiper arm Si) to vertically adjust the lower edge of the belt in reference to the surface of the table it'. The height adjusting means I I2 includes an adjusting screw I I3 threaded into the lower end of the tubular standard |94 and connected to an adjusting block Id which is adapted to contact the lower end of the support rod |65 which bears upon the upper end of the rectangular block |66. When the adjusting screw II 3 is screwed upwardly into the end of the tubular standard |94 it carries the adjusting block I I4 upwardly with it against the lower end of the support rod |05 thus vertically lifting the rectangular block 406 and simultaneously carrying upward the positioning arm 198, which, in turn, carries upward the block |09 mounted on its outer end and thus raises the outer end of the wiper arm 69. Therefore, inner and outer vertical adjusting means are provided for both the inner and outer' ends of the wiper arm 66 to properly adjust the lower edge of the belt 30 with reference to the surface of the table 40.

The radial adjusting means |02 provided at the discharging end of the washing conveyor I2 and the receiving end of the packing conveyor and associated with the wiper 60 of the table 42 is essentially similar in construction to that associated with the table 40 and the wiper 60 with the exception that the adjusting means is oppositely mounted with the brackets |93 secured to the discharging end of the washing conveyor I2 instead of being secured to the discharging end of the packing conveyor i3. In other words, the adjusting means |92 for the wiper arm 60 of the transfer means i6 is mounted upon the tank of the Washing conveyor i2.

I thus provide by my invention a carrot washing, conveying and packing apparatus which consists of a washing conveyor disposed in sideby-side relationship with a packing conveyor and which includes transfer means disposed between the opposite ends of said conveyors adapted to transfer produce from one conveyor to the other. By providing such transfer means between said conveyors I permit the recycling of carrots which have not been properly washed or which have not been packed due to overload conditions upon the packing conveyor. The transfer means utilized in my invention includes a rotary table which rotates in a horizontal plane and whose path of rotation intersects the longitudinal paths of movement of both the washing and packing conveyors. To facilitate the removal from the surface of said table of articles deposited thereupon I provide a radially mounted wiper arm provided with radially moving discharging means adapted to urge articles from the surface of said table onto the surfaces of said conveyors.

Although I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention for the purpose of illustrating the manner of construction and mode of operation thereof it is obvious that changes, alterations and modifications may be made in the details of construction of said embodiment and I, therefore, do not desire to be limited to said details but prefer, rather, that my invention be afforded the full scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device adapted to convey and discharge a plurality of discrete articles deposited thereupon, the combination of: a circular, rotatable table mounted on and driven by a drive shaft located in the center of said table and projecting upwardly therethrough; a sleeve positioned on said drive shaft and projecting beyond the upper end thereof, the upper portion of said sleeve constituting a socket; and a Wiper arm having means receivable and rotatably adjustable in said socket secured to one end thereof, said wiper arm extending radially from the center to the peripheral edge of said table.

2. A device as dened in claim 1 in which said means receivable in said socket is constituted by an elongated spindle depending from said wiper arm.

3. In a conveyor assembly for conveying a plurality of articles through a U-shaped path, the

combination of: a rst elongated conveyor having a receiving end and a discharging end: a second elongated conveyor parallelly disposed and spaced from said first conveyor and having a receiving end adjacent the discharging end of said first conveyor; and means for transferring the articles from the discharging end of said first conveyor to the receiving end of said second conveyor, comprising a circular rotatable table disposed adjacent the discharging end of said rst conveyor and adapted to receive articles therefrom, a wiper extending radially from the center of said table toward the second conveyor, and movable discharging means carried by said Wiper adapted to urge said articles radially of said table and discharge them onto said second conveyor.

4. A conveyor system as defined in claim 3 in which said table is rotatable in a horizontal plane below said first conveyor and above said second conveyor, the path of rotation of said table intersecting the longitudinal axes of both conveyors.

5. A conveyor system as defined in claim 3 in which said wiper is rotatably mounted concentrically with said table and provided with positioning means adapted to maintain said wiper in a set position after rotation thereof With respect to said table.

6. A conveyor system as defined in claim 3 in which said discharging means includes an endless belt extending substantially ccextensively with said Wiper and movable radially of said table.

7. A conveyor system as dened in claim 6 in which said wiper includes tensioning means adapted to maintain said endless belt in a state of optimum adjustment.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination of an elongated conveyor having a receiving end and a discharging end; a circular, article-receiving table mounted on a drive shaft adjacent the receiving end of said conveyor; a wiper having an end rotatably mounted concentrically with and on the drive shaft of said ta-ble, said wiper including an endless belt extending radially of said table adapted to discharge therefrom articles deposited thereupon onto said conveyor, said wiper having automatic tensioning means adapted to maintain said belt in optimum tension during the operation of said wiper; and positioning means carried by said wiper adapted to maintain said wiper in a chosen position after said wiper has been rotated in respect to the surface of said table.

WALTER E. SAXE.

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

Germany Oct. 14, 1929