US2726779A - Inverting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 13, 1955 H. M. KENDALL 2,726,779

INVERTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet l IIIHII;

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Dec. 13, 1955 H. M. KENDALL INVERTING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 4, 1952 INVENTOR. HAROLD M. KENDALL Dec. 13, 1955 H. M. KENDALL 2,726,779

INVERTING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 4, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 d [L o T INVENTOR.

& HAROLD M. KENDALL United States Patent Ch 2,726,779 Fatented Dec. 13, 1955 INVERHNG APPARATUS Harold M. Kendall, Potsdam, N. Y., assignor to Nordica A. Kendall, Potsdam, N. Y.

Application February 4, 1952, Serial No. 269,761

4 Ciaims. (Ci. 214-312) My invention relates to new and improved mechanism for handling and inverting receptacles. Without limitation thereto, the invention relates particularly to handling and inverting cans which are filled with milk, in order to dump the milk into a receiving tank and then to deliver the empty cans to an auxiliary machine, such as a can-washing machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide an addition to the mechanism which is shown in my applica tion Serial Number 114,046, filed in the United States Patent Office on September 3. 1949, now Pat. #1609316.

Numerous additional objects and features and advantages of my invention are disclosed in the annexed description and drawings, which illustrate a preferred em bodiment thereof.

Fig. l is a top plan view of the improved machine, which diagrammatically shows the auxiliary machine M, which may be the can-washing machine shown in my application Serial No. 114,046;

Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view, on a larger scale than Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section, partially in elevation, on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective detail view of the rotary can inverter;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respective transverse sections, partially in elevation, on the lines 5-5, 6-6, and 7-7 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal elevation on the line 8-8 of Fig. l.

Feeding mechanism for feeding cans to inverter unit 18 and for feeding cans away from washing machine 11 Fig. 1 includes the block representation of a washing machine M for washing the emptied cans. Anterior said washing machine M, the cans are inverted and emptied, and the inverted and empty cans are fed to said washing machine. An endless chain 4 is used to feed the upright cans to the inverter, and to feed the washe cans away from the exit platform 2 of the washing machine M.

Fig. 1 shows a vertical and transverse sprocket 6, which is fixed to a horizontal and longitudinal shaft 33; a vertical and transverse sprocket 9, which is fixed to a horizontal and longitudinal shaft 24; a vertical and longitudinal sprocket 14, which is turnably connected to yoke 59, so that sprocket 14 is turnable about a transverse axis relative to said yoke; a vertical and longitudinal sprocket 11, which is fixed to horizontal and transverse shaft 79; and a horizontal sprocket 8, which is fixed to a vertical shaft 80. These shafts are turnable in bearings of the frame of the machine.

Said chain 4 has a top run 3 and a bottom run 7. Said top run 3 and said bottom run 7 are vertically alined. Apart of the representation of top run 3 is'omitte'd in Fig. l,- in order to show a part of the bottom run 7. Said top run 3 is moved in the direction of the arrows which are shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2.

Said chain 4 has respective bights which mesh with these sprockets 8, 6, 9, 14 and 11.

For convenience, the top and bottom runs 3 and 7 are described, beginning at sprocket 8. Between sprockets 8 and 6, the chain 4 has straight and vertically alined portions of the runs 3 and 7, which form a vertical bight which meshes with sprocket 6. At the sprocket 8, the top and bottom runs 3 and 7 of chain 4 have respective superposed horizontal bights which respectively mesh with sprocket 8. This horizontal bight of bottom run 7 is shown in Fig. 1. These top and bottom runs 3 and 7 form a vertical bight which meshes with sprocket 9 Said top run 3 has a curved run-portion 10, part of which is .shown in broken lines in Fig. 1. This top run-portion 10 begins at the top of sprocket 9 and extends to the top of sprocket 11 and is joined to a lower run-portion 12 of the lower run 7, by means of a vertical bight which meshes with sprocket 11. This lower run-portion 12 extends to the bottom of sprocket 14, at which said lower run-portion 12 is joined to top run 3 by a vertical bight which meshes with sprocket 14. From the top of sprocket 14, the run 3 extends in the shape shown in Fig. 1, back to its top horizontal bight at sprocket 8. Additional conventional horizontal guide-sprockets, not shown, similar to the horizontal sprocket 8, are provided for guiding the runs 3 and 7 in the shape shown in Fig. 1.

As shown in Fig. 5, the chain 4 consists of a number of channel-shaped links. These links are pivotally connected to each other in the usual manner. These links are supported slidably upon channel-shaped guide tracks 5, which are fixed to cross-bars of the frame F of the machine.

This chain 4 is driven continuously.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 8, a gear 78 is fixed to the shaft 79 of sprocket 14. Said gear 78 meshes with a lower gear 77, which is fixed to a shaft 22a. One end of a crank arm 33a is fixed to shaft 22a. The right end of a link 34a is pivotally connected to the free end of crank arm 33a. Fig. 1 shows a transverse and horizontal rock shaft 50, which is the main shaft of the machine. This main rock shaft 50 is continuously oscillated at constant frequency, by any suitable drive means. The left end of link 34a is pivotally connected to a crank arm, not shown, which is fixed to main rock shaft 50, so that gear 77 is rotated continuously in the same direction by the oscillation of main shaft 50. The gear 78 is thus continuously rotated in the same direction to actuate belt 4 continuously.

Fig. 1 shows a loading station 15 at the front of the machine. The filled cans C are placed in upright position upon the top run 3 at loading station 15 or at any other part of top run 3 anterior the inverter.

Fig. 1 also shows an unloading station 16 of the top run 3. The inverted and washed cans C may be removed from top run 3 at station 16, or at any other part of top run 3 which succeeds the washing machine M.

The cans C have only frictional contact with the chain 4. Hence, if the movement of a can or cans C on top run 3 is stopped, the chain 4 can slip relative to the can or cans C.

As previously noted, the sprocket 14'is turnably connected to a yoke 59.

As shown in Fig. l, the right end of a horizontal and longitudinal rod 64) is turnably connected to the left end of yoke 59. Rod 66 can turn around its horizontal and longitudinal axis relative to yoke 59. The member 61, which has a longitudinal and threaded bore, is fixed-to any stationary part of the machine. An externally threaded part of the turnable rod 60 extends through said threaded bore of member 61. The external thread of rod 60 engages the internal thread of the bore of member 61. The left end of rod 60 has an offset handle 62. By turning handle 62,

in each can.

Means for slidably supporting the cans while they are on top run 3 The chain 4 is preferably used only to feed the cans C frictionally without taking up the weight of said cans.

' As shown in Fig. 5, vertical and transversely spaced rails or bars B are fixed to cross-bars Ba which are fixed to the frame F of the machine. 7

When a can C is on top run 3, the bottom of said can C rests slidably on said fixed rails B. As shown in Fig. 3, the bottom of each can has a vertical recess, so that each can C has a bottom circular edge wall.

Fig. also shows a track or bar T which is fixed to frame F. As shown in Fig. 1, there are two such bars T.

'The bottom rim of each can C which is on top run 3 rests slidably on bars B, whose transverse spacing is less than the transverse spacing between the companion tracks or bars T. The transverse distance between the tracks or bars T is slightly greater than the diameters of the cans C. It is optional and preferable to provide a sufficient transverse space between the tracks or bars T, so that when a can C is moved by top run 3 of chain 4, said can C is 22 is turned from its inlet or receiving position to its inverting position.

The inverter takes up and inverts a filled can and dumps its contents into a large storage tank, not shown, while the platform 22 is turned through an angle of 180 from its receiving position to its final dumping position. The shaft 23 is continuously turned in the same direction.

Hence each face of the platform 22 has the same parts. Thus, the respective ends of platform 22 are provided with oppositely disposed hooks 27 and 27a. As shown in Fig. 6, the respective faces of platform 22 also have respective can-supports 28 and 2811, which engage the can at the inner end of its neck. These hooks 27 and 27a and the can- supports 28 and 28a provide end holding means for the cans.

As also shown in Fig. 6, the respective faces of platform 22 also have corresponding advancing or tilting levers 37 and 37a, whose function is later described, and

corresponding respective intermediate side flanges 75 and 75a. These intermediate flanges 75 and 75a abut or are close to the cans which are handled on platform 22. V

A part of the representation of flange 75 has been 1 omitted from Fig. 4. These intermediate flanges 75 and slightly tilted from the vertical position, so that the bottom circular rim .of can C contacts with only one of the rails B and with only one of the bars T.

The top horizontal surface of run 3 is optionally and preferably slightly above the smooth and planar and hori- V zontal tops of the supporting rails B, in order to maintain each can C tilted from the vertical position, while the can is on top run 3.

Means for rejecting bad milk anterior the inverter unit 18 As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the bar T which is adjacent the top run-portion 10 is provided with a gate G anterior the inverter unit 18. 7

As best shown in Fig. 2, said gate G comprises rods 20 and 20a, which are connected by bars 19 and 19a. The

bar 20 is connected by pivot 21 to the adjacent fixed bar T.

Figs. 1 and 2 show an inspection and rejection station 17 anterior the inverter unit 18. An attendant at station 17 removes the covers of the can C and inspects the milk The covers are not replaced on the cans.

If a can of milk is to be rejected, the attendant opens the gate G and transfers the rejected can to the top run-portion 10, so that the rejected can can be removed from top run 3.

The inverter unit 18 This inverter unit comprises a planar platform 22,

which has side planar flanges 25 and 26 and intermediate flanges 75 and 75a which are perpendicular to the plane of platform 22. These flanges.25 and 26 are located in respective planes which are perpendicular to platform 22 and which are transverse'to the axis of shaft 23 of platform 22. The intermediate flanges 75 and 75a are in a common plane, which is parallel to the planes of flanges 25 and 26. Said platform 22 is fixed to said shaft 23 which, as previously noted, is turnable in bearings of the frame F. Said shaft 23 has an end 23a. Said shaft 23 is directly above the shaft 24 of sprocket 9.

As shown in Fig. 3, the flange 25 is disc-shaped, so that it has a circular periphery. Said flange 25 is symmetrical relative to platform 22. The center of flange 25 is on the axis of the inverter shaft 23.

As best shown in Fig. 6, the other flange 26 has a noncircular periphery, and said periphery has convex edges 26a and 26b. These convex edges 26a and 26b are disposed symmetrically relative to platform 22. The center of flange 26 is on the axis of shaft 23.

Each can is located between side flange 26 and the respeetive intermediate flange 75 or 75a, while the platform 75a are respectively of equal length at each side of shaft 23, as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig.3, a gear 29 is fixed to the shaft 23, and said gear 29 meshes with. a gear 30 which is fixed to shaft 24 of sprocket 9. As viewed in Fig. 3, shaft 24 is turned clockwise and shaft 23 and the platform 22' are turned counter-clockwise.

As previously noted, the sprocket 9, which is continu ously rotated by chain 4, is fixed to shaft 24, so that the platform 22 is rotated continuously and at a constant or substantially constant angular velocity.

Fig. 3 shows the initial receiving position a, in which a can is initially received by platform 22. At'this time, the plane of platform 22 is substantially parallel to the longirudinal or vertical axis of the can-which is in position a. For convenience, it is assumed that the face of platform 22 which has hook 27 and can-support 28 and internal flange 75 is the receiving face in Fig. 3.

When a can is initially received in position a, the angle hook 27 is located below and forwardly of the neck support 28.

Said hook 27 releasably engages rim of the can. 7 j

The platform 22 and the received can are then turned in unison, so that said can and said platform are turned successively through positions It and d. The dumping of the milk begins as soon as the can has been sufficiently inverted. The position a' is that inverted position of the can, into which it is turned in unison with platform 22. The corresponding position of platform 22 is its'outlet position. I

Referring to Fig. 6, when the respective. can and the, inverted platform 22 are in the inverter d position, the can is sharply forwardly tilted by a tiltiugmovementrelathe bottom circular tive to platform 22, in the direction of rotation of .platgravity.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show the fixed inlet platform 1 of.

the auxiliary washing machine M,'to which the inverted empty cans are successively transferred from the inverter, as later described. The cans are thus transferred in a direction parallel to the axis, of shaft 23. This inlet. platform 1 comprises a seriesof spaced and parallel bars Fm. As shown in Fig. 2, two of these bars Fm have front extensions or front bars and 36.

As shown in Fig. 6, when a can is in position d, the

circular rim of its open mouth abuts or is close to bar 35. The rim of the mouth of the can turnably abuts bar 35 while the can is turnably and sharply advanced by tilting from position d to outlet position e, by means of the quick tilting and emptying stroke of lever 37 or 370.

The lever 37 is optionally planar. This lever 37 is turnably connected by a pivot 38 to the respective part of flange 26. Said body of lever 37 extends through a slot in flange 26. The normal position of lever 37, in which it is parallel to platform 22, is shown in full lines in Fig. 5. Said lever 37 is biased to said normal position by gravity or by a spring. Said lever 37 has a tall, 39 which is shorter than lever 37. This tail 39 is rigid with lever 37. As shown in Fig. 2, a roll 40 is turnably connected to frame F. When the platform 22 and can C are in position a, the tail 39 strikes or is about to strike roll 40, thus very rapidly turning lever 37 around its pivot 38, as platform 22 is rotated, and tilting the can C very rapidly to position e, in which the can C clears and is Spaced from the angle hook 27, so that the can C does not prevent the further continuous turning of platform 22 7 When thus sharply tilted from position d to position e,

the can is guided between the side flange 26 and the internal flange 75.

As previously noted, the can may be vertical or substantially vertical in position e, to which it is tilted by the lever 37, forwardly relative to platform 22. The can is then supported by the neck support 28, and it may also abut the member 75.

Means for transferring the can from run 3 to the platform of inverter unit 18 As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, driven transfer rolls 34 are fixed to shaft 33 of sprocket 6, which is driven by chain 4. As shown in Fig. 2, idler rolls 31 are fixed to idler shaft 32, which is turnably mounted in frame F.

These driven rolls 34 transfer the can from run 3 to platform 22 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of shaft 23. 'The speed of feeding movement of rolls 34 may be the same as the speed of feeding movement of chain 4. The idler rolls 31 serve as rotatable guide supports for the transferred can, during said transfer.

Means for stopping the movement of the cans anterior the inverter unit 18, in order to feed the cans one by one to, the platform 22 Normally, a can is fed to platform 22 and a can is ejected from platform 22 while it turns through an angle of 180, so that the inverter unit 18 normally operates continuously.

The frictional feed of the cans C by chain 4 to the inverter unit 18 is temporarily stopped, while chain 4 slips relative to the stopped cans C, in order to supply the cans one by one to platform 22.

Fig. 3 shows one of a pair of stops 63. These stops 63 are alined, as shown in Fig. 2.

Each stop 63 is fixed to a respective lever 64, which is pivoted at 65 to frame F. Said levers 64 are fixed to a connecting cross-bar 66.

As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, said cross-bar 66 has an extension, which overlies a lever 67, which is pivoted at 68. Lever 67 may be thus turnably mounted by member 68 on idler shaft 32, or lever 67 can be pivotally connected at 68 to the frame F.

Fig. 3 shows the stops 63 in their raised stop positions, in which they engage the interior cylindrical face of the bottom recess of the can which is directly anterior platform 22, thus stopping the feedin of said can until the inverter platform 22 is ready to receive it. If stops 63 engage the outer cylindrical face of the respective can which is directly anterior the platform, such can is held against movement to inverter platform 22, until said inverter platform has turned 180.

The normal position of lever 67 is shown in full lines in Fig. 3. Lever 67 is maintained yieldingly in said n01- mal position by gravity or by a conventional biasing spring. The normal positions of levers 64 are shown in full lines in Fig. 3. The. biasing force of lever 67 maintains lever 64 yieldingly in said full-line positions, in which stops 63 are in the normal stop positions shown in Fig. 3.

As shown in Fig. 3, the outer vertical and planar face of flange 25 of platform. 22 has curved cam strips 69, which have forward ends 69a.

When an end 69a of a face cam 69 strikes lever 67, said lever 67 is turned clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3, to shift said lever 67 temporarily to the broken line position shown in Fig. 3, so that levers 64 are temporarily shifted to their release broken-line positions of Fig. 3, in which stops 63 are sufliciently depressed'to clear the can C. The steps 63 are held in their upper or operating stop positions, until a can has been transferred from inverter platform 22 to the inlet platform 1 of the washing machine M.

Manually controlled means are also provided for stop ping the frictional feed of the cans to the inverter platform 22, whenever desired.

As shown in Fig. 5, a manually operable lever 70 is pivoted at 71 to the frame F. Said lever 70 has a cam nose 72. As shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 5, the extension of cross-bar 66 has a pin 73. When lever 70 is turned counter-clockwise manually from its position of Fig. 5, its cam nose 72 engages pin 73, thus raising pin 73 from its normal broken-line position of Fig. 3 to its upper fullline position, in which the stops 63 are held in stop positions.

M'eans for transferring an inverted and emptied can from platform 22 to inlet platform 1 of machine M This inlet platform 1 is fixed. to the frame F.

Figs. 2 and 3 show a transfer rod 41, which has a branch 4111 which is slid-able in sleeves 42 which are fixed to a carriage 43. This transfer rod 41 is slidable in a di rection which is parallel to the axis of shaft 23. This direction is lateral relative to the rotating path of platform 22. Said transfer arm 41 has a hook-shaped end 41b, whose shape is shown in Fig. 3. When a can is held inverted, its inverted mouth is positioned so that the end 4111 is adjacent said inverted mouth, as shown in Fig. 7. The rod 41 transfers the respective can from position e, to. position f which is shown in Fig. 2. v

In order to transfer the inverted can from position f into the machine M, the carriage 43 is also provided with conventional one-way feed pawls 44, which are piv oted by pivots 45 to carriage 43. The conventional actuating bar 47 is connected by pivots 48 to pawls 44 in order to turn said pawls 44 relative to carriage 43. Stops 46 are fixed to carriage 43, in order to limit the turning movement of pawls 44 relative to carriage 43 in one direction. There are two sets of such feed pawls. Only one set is shown.

While the can is transferred from platform 22 to inlet platform 1, the circular rim of the mouth of the can rests upon bar 35 and said rim turnably or slidably abuts bar 36, as shown in Fig. 6. A guide bar Ga, which is fixed to the frame of the machine, also abuts and guides the can C while it is thus transferred. Said guide bar Ga has the curved shape shown in Fig. 2, so that the can is turned to the upright position while it is being transferred, if the can is tilted relative to the vertical position in position e.

Fig. 7 shows a rod 49 which is fixed to the main rock shaft 50. This rod has a pin 53 which is located in a slot 52 of a head 51. This head 51 is fixed to the branch 41a of rod 41. Said head 51 is shifted between its fullline and broken-line positions of Fig. 7. When head 51 is in its full-line position, the hook end 41b is external to and directly adjacent the mouth of the can, which is then in position e. When head 51 is in its broken-line position, the can 'is on the inlet platform 1, in the'positionf of Fig. 2...

As shown in Fig. 7, the rod 49 also has a slot 55. The carriage 43 has a pin 54 which extends into slot 55. Hence, after the rod 41 has transferred a can to position f, in a stroke of said rod 41 which is indicated by the distance 56 in Fig. 7, the carriage 43 engages the can in position 1 and feeds the can into the machine M by means of the pawls 44. The stroke of carriage 43 is indicated by the distance 57 in Fig. 7.

The washing machine M may be of the type shown in said application Serial No. 114,046. Said machine M has its own feeding mechanism, which finally ejects the washed and inverted can from the exit of machine M to the fixed outlet platform 2, and to the top run-portion 10 of chain '4. Such mechanism and also the conventional one-way pawls shown herein are sufiiciently disclosed in my prior application Serial No. 114,046. This mechanism includes the member 58.

The flange 26, which is adjacent the platform 1, is made sufficiently small so that the inverted can can be pushed past the respective edge 26a or 26b of said flange 26, when the can is in position e, in order to shift the can to position 1.

I have described a preferred embodiment of my invention,tbut numerous changes and omissions and additions and modifications can be made without departing from its scope. The invention also includes the sub-combinations disclosed herein.

I claim: l. Dumping mechanism for emptying a filled container by turning said filled container from an upright position to an inverted position, comprising a frame, a shaft turnable in said frame, an inverter platform which has endedg'es and side-edges, said platform being fixed to said shaft, said shaft being located intermediate said endedges, turning mechanism connected to said shaft and turning said platform continuously in a single forward turning direction, said platform having can-retaining members at its end-edges and also having side edges and side flanges, said inverter platform being turnable in said turning direction to a can-receiving position and being turnable in said turning direction from said can-receiving position to a can-inverting position in which said platform is rearwardly inclined relative to the vertical plane, a tilting lever located at each face of said platform, each lever having a body and an extension, each said lever being connected by a respective pivot to said platform, each extension extending over a respective side edge, each body being forwardly turnable relative to the respective face of said platform and in a direction away from said respective face, each lever being biased to a normal posi- 8 a tion in which its body is' in normal position relative to the respective face of said platform, an abutment member connected to said frame, saidabutment member being in the path of movement of saidextensions, said abutment member being located to be struck by a respective extension when said platform is turning forwardly from said inverting position to turn the respective body forwardly relative to the respective face of said inverter platform to a tilting position until the respective extension clears said abutment member; each tilting lever tilting a can forwardly relative to said platform on the can-retaining member which is then in the'lower position when the respective body of the respective lever is thus turned for wardly, a transfer member which is movable in a direction parallel to the axis of said' shaft, automatic mecha nisrn for reciprocating said transfer member in an idle stroke towards said platform and in a transferring stroke away from said platform, said automatic mechanism being timed to locate said transfer member at the beginning of its transferring stroke when the respective body 7 is in its tilting position, said transfer member being adjacent a respective side flange, the can being thus forwardly tilted to clear said respective side flange, said transfer member removing the inverted can past the respective.

side flange and from said platform in said transferring stroke. 1 I

2. Dumping mechanism according to claim 1, in which said dumping mechanism has an additional platform to support the mouth of the container which is being transferred. V V

V 3. Dumping mechanism according to claim 1, said dumping mechanism has an additional platform to support the mouth of the container which is being transferred and additional means to turn the container to the vertical position while it is being transferred.

4. Dumping mechanism according to claim 1, said mechanism has a friction feed for feeding filled containers continuously towards said inverter platform, stop means for stopping the movement of the filled containers, said stop means being biased to normal stop position, said inverter platform having cam means for temporarily shifting said stop means to release position.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,765,594 Lathrop et al. June 24, 1930 1,939,401 McClatchie Dec. 12, 1933 2,085,936 Wolf July 6,1937 2,119,642 McClatchie June 7, 1938 2,133,044 Rufus Oct. 11, 1938 2,473,955 Kendall June 21, 1949

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