US2732112A

US2732112A - Container

Info

Publication number: US2732112A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1956-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1973-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1956 A. L. CONRAD 2,732,112

CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheefi l A W l l Q Q I \N I UHHIHWNN Fqfiw a] miimmmw Q, K) '7 ii; I W

El 5E BY fl/len L. Conrad 51/444; 1 WM AT'mNNEYs Q & l INVENTOh Jan. 24, 1956 A. L. CONRAD 2,732,112

' CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 24, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 ELN\ 3 3* u N s n N N [I '3 INVENTOR A/ /erz Z. 6272mm;

BY 527% #W% ATTORNEYS Jan. 24. 1956 A. CONRAD CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed Sept. 24, 1953 A//en l. Conrad EMM Y MW ATTORNEYS United States Patent CONTAINER FILLING APPARATUS 7 Allen L. Conrad, New Iberia, La. Application September 24, 1953, Serial No. 382,161

13 Claims. (Cl. 226-48) This invention relates to container filling apparatus and more particularly to apparatus adapted forcibly to move material from a tray or equivalent support, receptacle or the like into an open-end container and/or to move such a container, after being filled, onto a receiving table, slab or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the class referred to which is of improved and simple construction, and which may be worked effectively by operators not necessarily having any specialized training, skill, or mechanical aptitude.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of the character stated including a novel pushing or filling member and operating mechanism therefor, characterized by safeguarding against entanglement of the pushing or filling member with a container during a filling operation or during a return stroke of the member following a filling operation.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of apparatus embodying the invention, the parts being shown in the positions which they occupy when material has been deposited upon a filler tray and before the pushing mechanism has been operated to force the material into a container and/ or to move the filled container from the tray;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing in full lines the parts in the positions corresponding to those shown in Figures 1 and 2, and showing in dotted lines the positions of certain of the parts at the end of a pushing or filling stroke;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but showing in full lines the parts after a container has been filled and moved away from the pushing apparatus just prior to the commencement of a return stroke of the pushing member; 1

Figure 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of parts of the pushing mechanism showing a pushing member or plate approaching the end of its return stroke;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of parts of. the pushing mechanism, showing the pushing member or plate being returned to its vertical position at the end of a return stroke; and

Figure 7 is a top plan view of the pusher plate shown in the horizontal position which it occupies when it is being moved on a return stroke, a part of a connecting rod also being shown.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated as including a base structure comprising a frame generally designated A which may be constructed of any suitable materials and elements. The frame is provided with a top wall or slab 1, a front end wall 2, a rear end wall 3, and a horizontal mechanism cover 4 which extends from the bottom of the rear wall 3. Side walls 5,

5 also are attached to the base structure. Rollers 6 attached to the bottom of the frame A are provided for enabling the apparatus to be moved from place to place in a packing or filling room.

Supported on the frame A is a filling or loading tray B having a bottom 8 located horizontally and spaced above the slab 1. The tray includes side walls 9, 9 and is open at its front or right hand end as viewed in the drawings. The side walls 9, 9 have their front and upper corners tapered as indicated at 10. The rear of the tray may be open except for two

flanges

11, 11 which extend vertically along the rear edges of the side walls and project inwardly towards the center of the tray.

The front part of the tray B is supported in the manner of a cantilever beam so as to be spaced above the top wall or slab 1 of the frame A and so as to be unobstructed marginally, thereby enabling an open-end container D to register with or to be fitted over the front end of the tray as shown in full lines in Figure 3. In use, the tray B is filled or loaded with material, such for example, as relatively small bags of coffee, rice or the like, and the material or bag load C on the tray is then pushed toward the right into the container D which has been fitted over the front or right hand end of the tray.

Apparatus for pushing the material from the tray into ,the container D comprises a plate member E equipped with brackets 12 which extend rearwardly or to the left from the plate E when the latter is in a vertical position. A pin 13 extending through the brackets 12 at a point horizontally spaced or offset from the center of gravity of the plate E pivotally connects the plate to a connecting rod 14, the rear end of which is pivoted at 15 to a flat part 16 at the upper end of an operating lever 17 which extends upwardly from the bottom of the frame through a slot in the mechanism cover 4- and between

guard rails

18, 18. The lower end of the operating lever 17 is pivoted at 19 on a bearing bracket 20 secured to the base A.

The lever 17 may be operated manually, but preferably is operated by power driven means. In the form shown, a suitable power driven means is shown as including a hydraulic cylinder 21 secured to the base A and having reciprocable therein a piston (not shown) connected to a piston rod 22. The outer end of the rod 22 is provided or formed with a clevis 23 which is pivoted at 24 to the lever 17 by means of a slot 25 in a plate as secured to the lever 17. The arrangement is such that the piston and piston rod 22 may be reciprocated in a straight line to effect rocking movements of the operating lever 17.

Operating fluid under pressure is supplied to opposite ends of the cylinder 21 by a pump 27 driven by an electric motor 28, fluid being directed alternatively to opposite ends of the cylinder 21 by a valve mechanism 29 connected to opposite ends of the cylinder by conduits or

pipes

30 and 31. The valve mechanism, which is not illustrated in detail, but which may be of any known or suitable kind, may be operated by a foot pedal 32 and a linkage 33. A switch 34 may be provided for starting and stopping the motor 28.

When the operating mechanism moves the pusher plate E to the right from the position shown in full lines in Figure 3 to the position shown in dotted lines in this figure, the container D with the bags or material C therein will drop onto the slab 1. In order to prevent the plate E from descending so as not to clear the bottom of the tray B when the plate is moved on a return stroke, a guide roller 35 is pivoted on a bracket 36 carried by the connecting rod 14 and is adapted to rest upon the bottom of the tray after a pushing or filling stroke has been completed and the filled container has been manually moved away from the pusher plate E as shown in Figure 4. Also, when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 4 with the filled container B having been manually slid or moved to the right on the slab 1 so as to free the plate E, the latter will swing to a horizontal position because of the location of the pivot 13 at a point spaced or offset horizontally from the center of gravity of the plate E. Consequently, the plate B being in a horizontal position and being held above the bottom of the tray B by the guide roller 35, the connecting rod 14 and plate E may be moved on the return stroke without interference of the plate E With the tray B. In order to facilitate withdrawal of the plate E from the open end portion of the container D, and entry of the plate E while in a horizontal position into the tray or between the tray sides 9, 9, it is preferred that the stiffening flange 37 surrounding the plate be tapered along its sides as at 38, 38 so as to converge downwardly and inwardly when the plate is in a vertical plane.

Operation In operation, any materials, bags, or articles C to be filled into a container are placed on the tray B as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The container D is then pulled over the front end part of the tray and the material or articles thereon as shown in full lines in Figure 3. In this figure the bag or container D is shown as being positioned so as to encompass almost the entire tray and the material thereon, but if desired it will be sufficient merely to have the open end portion, say about one-third of the length of the container, surrounding the front end of the tray and the material thereon.

The container D having been positioned as explained above, the foot treadle 32 is operated to admit fluid under pressure through the conduit 31 into the cylinder 21 so as to move the piston rod 22 to the right, thereby rocking the operating lever 17 clockwise and moving the connecting rod 14 and pusher plate E to the right. The rightward movement of the plate E will push the bags or material C against the bottom of the container D so as to force the filled container to the right of the tray B and permit the filled container to drop onto the receiving slab 1. The parts will then be in the positions indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3. When a return stroke is to be performed the treadle 32 is released so as to admit fluid under pressure through the conduit 30 into the right end of the cylinder 21 to move the piston and the piston rod 22 toward the left so as to rock the operating lever 17 counterclockwise. This will pull the connecting rod 14 and the pusher plate E toward the left. At this time the guide roller 35 will be in contact with the bottom of the tray B so as to hold the pusher plate E at a level higher than the level at which it travels during a pushing stroke, and the pushing plate E will have swung to the horizontal position shown in Figure 4. Consequently, when the pusher plate E is moved on a return stroke it will not engage the bottom of the tray, and the tapered or converging

side portions

33, 38 of the plate B will facilitate entry of the plate between the sides Q, 9 of the tray. Furthermore, the converging

side portions

38, 38 of the plate will enable the latter to be withdrawn from the mouth of the container D without becoming caught in the sides of the container. When, during the latter part of a return stroke, the pusher plate E and connecting rod 14 reach the positions shown in Figure 5, the guide roller 35 will become disengaged from the bottom of the tray B so as to permit the plate E to drop to the position shown in Figure in which it rests upon the bottom of the tray B. Upon further leftward movement of the parts to the positions shown in Figure 6, the bottom edge of the plate E which is then leading in the return movement will engage the restoring flanges 11 extending inwardly from the sides of the tray, which will cause the plate E to be tipped back or restored to its vertical position as shown in Figure '3. The parts will all have then returned to their starting positions,

and another loading or filling operation can be accomplished in the manner described above.

The construction illustrated embodies the invention in a preferred form, but it is intended that the disclosure be illustrative rather than definitive. The invention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray for receiving filler material; means supporting the tray with one end thereof unobstructed marginally so as to enable the open end of a container to be fitted thereover; a pusher member mounted to move along and relatively close to the bottom of the tray during the first part of its pushing stroke for pushing filler material on said tray into a container so fitted over said tray end; means for driving said pusher member on a pushing stroke to force said filler material into said container and for driving said pusher member on a return stroke; and guide means operative during the last part of a pushing stroke of said pusher member and during the first part of a return stroke thereof for guiding said pusher member to move relatively far from the bottom of said tray as compared to the position of said pusher member during the first part of a pushing stroke and during the last part of a return stroke.

2. In a container filling apparatus, a base having a horizontal surface providing a receiving slab; a horizontal tray having an open end; means supporting said tray on said base with said tray open end spaced above said slab, said tray open end being unobstructed marginally so as to enable the open end of a container to be fitted thereover with said container extending outwardly over said slab; a pusher member mounted to move along said tray for pushing filler material thereon into a container so fitted over said tray end; means for driving said pusher member on a pushing stroke to force said filler material into said container and to move the filled container beyond said tray to enable said filled container to be dropped onto said slab, and for moving said pusher member on a return stroke; and guide means for guiding said pusher member to move at a higher level relatively to the bottom of the tray during the last part of a pushing stroke and the first part of a return stroke than during the first part of a pushing stroke and the last part of a return stroke,

3. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray for receiving filler material; means supporting the tray with one end thereof unobstructed marginally so as to enable the open end of a container to be fitted thereover; a pusher member mounted to extend vertically and to move along the tray for pushing filler material thereon into a container so fitted over said tray end; means for driving said pusher member to force said filler material into said container; and for then returning said pushing member to its starting position comprising a driving element, and means pivotally connecting said driving element to said pusher member at a point offset from the center of gravity of said pusher member for causing said pusher member to tend to swing from its vertical position into a horizontal position.

4. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray having an open end adapted to register with the open end of a container; a pusher plate mounted to move over and longitudinally of said tray for pushing filler material from said tray into a registering container; a driving element movable longitudinally of said tray for operating said pusher plate on pushing and return strokes; and means connecting said pusher plate to said driving element so as to enable said pusher plate to be disposed in a substantially vertical plane while being driven by said driving element on a pushing stroke and so as to cause said pusher plate to occupy a position in a substantially horizontal plane when being driven on a return stroke by said driving element.

5. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray having an ,open end adapted to register with the open end of a container; a pusher plate mounted to move over and longitudinally of said tray for pushing filler material from said tray into a registering container; a driving element movable longitudinally of said tray for operating said pusher plate on pushing and return strokes; and means pivotally connecting said pusher plate to said driving element to rock about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the direction of movement of said pusher plate on its pushing and return strokes and spaced horizontally from the center of gravity of said pusher plate for permitting such pusher plate to rock about said transverse axis, said pusher plate occupying a vertical position during pushing strokes when it is pushing against said material and said pusher plate being swingable by gravity to a relatively horizontal position when it starts a return stroke and is not pushing against said material.

6. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray having an open end adapted to register with the open end of a container; a pusher plate mounted to move over and longitudinally of said tray for pushing filler material from said tray into a registering container; a driving element movable longitudinally of said tray for operating said pusher plate on pushing and return strokes; means pivotally connecting said pusher plate to said driving element to rock about a horizontal pivot axis transverse to the direction of movement of said pusher plate on its pushing and return strokes and spaced horizontally from the center of gravity of said pusher plate for permitting said pusher plate to rock about said transverse axis, said pusher plate occupying a position in a substantially vertical plane during pushing strokes when it is pushing against said material and said pusher plate being swingable by gravity to a position in a substantially horizontal plane when it starts a return stroke and is not pushing against said material; and means for restoring said pusher plate to a position in a substantially vertical plane at the end of a return stroke thereof.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which the means for restoring the pusher plate to a vertical position comprises a restoring part engageable by a portion of said pusher plate which is below the pivotal axis thereof when said pusher plate is in the relatively horizontal position during a return stroke.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which said restoring part is constituted by a flange fixed with respect to said tray.

9. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray having an open end adapted to register with the open end of a container; a pusher plate mounted to move over and longitudinally of said tray for pushing filler material from said tray into a registering container; an operating lever pivoted to rock about a horizontal axis for movement of a part of said lever horizontally towards and from said tray and also vertically; a connecting rod pivoted at its opposite ends to said pusher plate and said operating lever part; and a guide member on said connecting rod engageable with said tray and cooperable with the connection between said lever part and said connecting rod during the first part of a return stroke of said pusher plate for holding the latter at a higher level than during the first part of a pushing stroke of said pusher plate.

10. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray having an open end adapted to register with the open end of a container; a pusher plate mounted to move over and longitudinally of said tray for pushing filler material from said tray into a registering container; an operating lever pivoted to rock about a horizontal axis for movement of a part of said lever horizontally towards and from said tray and also vertically; a connecting rod pivoted at one of its ends to said lever part and at the other of its ends to said pusher plate at a point oifset from the center of gravity of said pusher plate, whereby the latter may occupy a vertical position during pushing strokes when it is pushing against the material, and will swing by gravity to a relatively horizontal position when it starts a return stroke and is not pushing against said material; and a guide memher on said connecting rod engageable with said tray and cooperable with the connection between said lever part and said connecting rod during the first part of a return stroke of said pusher plate for holding the latter at a higher level than during the first part of a pushing stroke of said pusher plate.

11. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray having an open end adapted to register with the open end of a container; a pusher plate mounted to move over and longitudinally of said tray for pushing filler material from said tray into a registering container; a driving element movable longitudinally of said tray for operating said pusher plate on pushing and return strokes; means connecting said pusher plate to said driving element for enabling said pusher plate to be disposed in a substantially vertical plane during a pushing stroke when it is pushing against said material and to move to a relatively horizontal plane at the beginning of a return stroke when it is not pushing against said material; and means for guiding said pusher plate during a return stroke and when it is in said relatively horizontal plane for preventing it from contacting the bottom of said tray.

12. In a container filling apparatus, a horizontal tray for receiving filler material; means supporting the tray at one end thereof so as to leave substantially the entire length of the tray unobstructed marginally to enable a container having an open end and a closed end to be fitted over the other end of said tray and substantially enclose said tray with the closed end of said container in substantially the same plane as said other end of said tray; a pusher member mounted to move from said one end of said tray along the tray towards and beyond the other end of said tray for pushing filler material on the tray into a container so fitted over said tray; a receiving slab disposed at a lower level than said tray and extending beyond the latter in the direction of pushing movement of said pusher member; and means for driving said pusher member to force said filler material into said container and into engagement with said closed end of said container to move the filled container beyond said tray and over said slab to be dropped thereupon.

13. In a container filling apparatus, a base having a horizontal surface providing a receiving slab; a horizontal tray having an open end; means supporting said tray on said base at the end of the tray opposite said open end with said tray open end spaced above said slab, said tray being unobstructed marginally for substantially its entire length so as to enable a container having an open end and a closed end to be fitted over said open end of said tray and substantially enclose said tray with the closed end of said container in substantially the same plane as said other end of said tray; a pusher member mounted to move from said one end of said tray along the tray towards and beyond the other end of said tray for pushing filler material thereon into a container so fitted over said tray; and means for driving said pusher member to force said filler material into said container and into engagement with said closed end of said container to move the filled container beyond said tray to enable said filled .container to be dropped onto said slab.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,228,416 Drolet, Sr. June 5, 1917 1,482,063 Baer Ian. 29, 1924 1,611,268 Colby Dec. 21, 1926 2,021,338 Struve Nov. 19, 1935 2,476,475 Baum July 19, 1949 2,561,853 Glow et a1. July 24, 1951 2,568,593 Arstein Sept. 18, 1951