US2750024A

US2750024A - Bottle handling machine

Info

Publication number: US2750024A
Application number: US272443A
Authority: US
Inventors: Samuel J Gurewitz
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-02-19
Filing date: 1952-02-19
Publication date: 1956-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 1973-06-12

Description

June 12, 1956 s. J. GuREwlTz BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19. 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 fl Il INVENToR. Jamal] flrra/l/Z June 12, 1956 s. .1. GuREwl-rz BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19. 1952 INVENTOR. Jamal] f [furla/(fz BY S. J. GUREWITZ BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE June l2, 1956 4 Shee 11s-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 19. 1952 m mm INVENTOR. J'afm/ f fmreu/fz BY June l2, 1956 s. J. GUREwlTz BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE Filed Feb. 19, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JVENToR. Bdmul .f [fuffa/72 =E w l@ United States Patent -O BOTTLE HANDLING MACHINE Samuel l1'. Gurewitz, Flushing, N. Y. Application February 19, 1952, Serial No. 272,443

7 Claims. (Cl. 198-69) The present invention relates to a machine for handling bottles and more particularly to a machine for use in grocery stores to receive empty returned bottles at one location and transfer them to a remote location.

Nowadays large quantities of bottled soda Water, beer, sofa drinks and the like are sold and in most instances customers pay a deposit for use of the bottles, which is refunded when the bottles are returned. The returned empty bottles are shipped back to bottlers for Washing and subsequent reuse. Receiving and handling these returned bottles and refunding of deposits on them is a troublesome problem to the seller, particularly where the seller is a large super market which may have in the neighborhood of 2,000 empty bottles returned in a single day.

It has been customary for large grocery stores to have a designated clerk receive the bottles, placethem in large movable bins, refund the deposit, and at intervals move the bins to a location adjacent receiving cartons and transfer bottles from the bins into cartons, carry the cartons to a basement or some other remote location, and empty the cartons by sorting the bottles into appropriate cases. The bins take up much space which could be utilized for displaying goods orV for accommodating customers, they are unsightly, and they tend to attract insects due to the few drops of liquid which usually remain in the emptied bottles and which spill out into the bins. Some stores have attempted to minimize the problem by designating certain days on which bottles may be returned, and refusing to accept the. emptied bottles at other times. This is annoying to customers as it is frequently an inconvenience to return the bottles only on designated days. lf the customer dose not recall the designated day and brings the bottles in at some other time only to be informed that they mustbe taken home again and returned another time, the customer is frequently so annoyed that he may cease patronizing the particular store and take his business elsewhere. All in all, the problem is a troublesome one which is becoming more so as increasing quantities of. bottle goods aresold.

The present invention aims to overcome the above and other diliiculties byV providing a new and improved machine adapted to receive returned bottles at some convenient location and move them to a remote accumulating location, where they are spread out for ready sorting, all with minimum or no bottle breakage.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved bottle handling machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved machine for handling and moving bottles with minimum or no breakage.

Another object of the invention is to provide an irnproved bottle handling machine which retainslbottlesin oriented arrangement during handling thereof.

Another object of the inventionis to provide an improved bottle handling machine for transferring bottles .rapidly fromtone location toa. remote locationbutwhich ICC `2 restrains 'the bottles during transfer'so that theyv do not crash into; preceding bottles being transferred.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bottle handling machine which automaticalvly ceases operation when filled to desired capacity or in the event of bottle jamming.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved bottle handling machine which embodies relatively simple drive means.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide an improved bottle handling machine of relatively sturdy construction, which requires little orno maintenance over relatively long periods of time.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or Will be indicated in the appended claims, and various .advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevational view showing a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view showing the lower portion of the machine illustrated in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in section and partly broken away, showing the lower portion of the machine illustrated in Figs..l and 2;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4 4 of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing lower portions of the machine illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2;

-Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 2 and showing portions of the drive mechanism illustrated in Figs. 1 5;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing portions of means for sustaining the endless belt illustrated in. Figs. 2 and 5;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of an electrical hook-up which may be used with the present machine.

Described generally, 'the present machine comprises (Figs. l and 2) a generally upright portion 1 with movable receptacles 2 for holding bottles and lowering theml from an upper level, a laterally extending portion 4 with projec- 'itions 5 at intervals along its length for moving the bottles to a drum 7 but which projections restrain the bottles so that succeeding ones cannot crash forward into preceding bottles, bottle guiding and jam-preventing means 20 intermediate the upright and

lateral portions

1 and 4, and mechanism S balancing the lateral portion 4 for tilting about an inner end ,10 so that its outer end 11 may move up away from the drum bottom or platform 14 as the vdrum becomes lled with' bottles.

A driving motor19 connects with the upright portion l, with* the lateral portion 4 and `with the drum 7 so as to operate them in synchronism with each other. The guide and jam-preventing means 20 and the balancing mechanism 8 under the lateral portion V4 connect with switch means 22 to stopthe driving motor 19 in the event of a jam in the machine orwhen the drum 7 has been filled with bottles to anappropriate level. The machine and its operation will now be described in greater detail.

As shown the-upright-portion 1 of the machine com- .prises a pairof horizontally spaced,j parallel, endless roller chains 25 thatpass aroundalower sprocket 26 .and

upper sprocket Z7 carried by

shafts

28 and 29, respectively. The chains are contained within and guided by spaced channel or

angle members

30 and 31 of a generally upright framework 32. The framework may be secured in any suitable manner, for example by bracket means 33, to a foundation or supporting structure 35. The

sprocket shafts

28, 29 may be carried by plate members 37 (Fig. 3). The supporting structure 35 may be of generally rectangular shape and rest at its lower end on a floor or any other suitable platform.

Cross brackets 40 secured to and extending between the roller chains 25, at spaced intervals along their lengths, carry the receptacles or buckets 2. The receptacles are substantially U-shaped in cross section and are preferably secured adjacent the mid portions of one side or leg thereof to the cross brackets 40. As the endless roller chains turn about their lower and upper supporting sprockets 26 and 2'7 they carry with them the cross brackets and receptacles 2. As shown the chains are adapted to rotate in counterclockwise direction.

Bottles may be placed into upwardly facing receptacles through an aperture 41 provided in a protective casing 42. A door 43 may be provided for opening and closing the aperture 4l, and this door may be operatively connected with an electric switch 48 so that when the door is opened the switch is automatically operated to start the drive motor i9 to rotate the endless chains 25 and move the receptacles through a closed path. It is not essential that the door 43 be connected with the operating switch 48 as the latter may be operated by hand whenever it is desired to start or stop movement of the endless chains 25 and travel of receptacles past the aperture 4l.

Mounting the receptacles 2 adjacent the mid portions of their inner sides is very desirable as this gives a roll out of bottles as the receptacles pass around the lower sprocket. Mounting the receptacles adjacent upper or lower ends of one of their inner sides is not as desirable for such tends to toss or flip bottles out of the receptacles and thereby cause bottle breakage. Breakage is minimized by mounting the receptacles adjacent their mid point, as shown, so that bottles may roll gently out without being thrown due to the action of the receptacles in passing around the lower sprocket 26.

Rotation of the endless chains 25 with the supported receptacles 2 is achieved by the drive motor 19 through the intermediation of a pulley 50, belt 51, pulley 52, speed reducer 54, sprocket 55, drive chain 56, sprocket 57, shaft 58, sprocket 59, chain 62 and sprocket 63 secured to the shaft 2d which carried the lower sprockets 26. The drive motor may be of about one-third horsepower and turn at about 1725 revolutions per minute; it may also embody heat controlling means for stopping it in the event of overheating for any reason.

The guide moans 20 intermediate the upper and lateral portions l and 4 of the machine directs bottles toward a. discharge end of the lateral portion and prevents the bottles from bouncing rearwardly off the lateral portion. The importance of this guide means will be further brought out subsequent to the following description of the lateral portion 4.

The lateral portion 4 which places bottles in the rotating drum 7 comprises an endless belt 65 which passes around horizontally spaced rollers 67 and 68, the front or outer roller 67 being carried adjacent the outer end of a supporting framework 7i). Projections or cleats 5 provided at spaced intervals along the length of the conveyor 65 receive bottles between them, hold bottles against rolling into each other, and assist in moving them from a location adjacent the upright portion 1 of the machine to the drum 7. Framework 70 may tilt about rod 71.

The projections or cleats retain bottles with their longitudinal axes substantially parallel to the lengths of the receptacles 2 so that they do not twist about and project under succeeding receptacles 2 which are lowering bottles. Hence the danger of breaking bottles on the belt 65 by bottles moving onto an underlying bottle on the endless belt is minimized or prevented. In addition, the belt projections 5 hold belt bottles so that they pass into the drum 7 in sidewise relationship, instead of bottom-first or head-first, which would be objectionable as it would tend to deliver conccntratcc bumps against bottles already in the drum so as to break the bottles. Minimizing breakage is most troublesome with bottles that have been in use for some time and become covered with small weakening scratches. Upwardly projecting side walls 77; of the framework 70 prevent bottles sliding oil' the side edges of the belt 65.

lt will be noted that the upper portions of the projections 5 are rounded so that there is minimum danger of jamming against a bottle or a hand of an operator during belt movement. As the belt 65 travels around the front pulley o? the outwardly projecting parts 5 pass through slots 7e in neoprene or rubber wiper sheet 75, glued or otherwise secured in position, that minimizes the possibility ot' bottle caps or dirt getting down into a casing 77 or jamming between the front roller 67 and a projecting guide plate 69.

The guide plate 69 preferably has its free edge 69a extending at an angle across the width of conveyor 65 so that bottles may "ease down, instead of dropping abruptly ofi` a straight edge parallel with the bottle axes. With the inclined edge 69a part of a bottle starts to move oif the plate 69 and down toward the platform i4 while other portions of the bottle are still resting against the plate 69. The outer corner portion 73 of plate 69 is curved upwardly away from platform 14 and hence guides bottles toward the inclined edge 69a.

The easing off action is further enhanced by the retarding guide lingers 88 shown in Fig. 2. Preferably a plurality of flexibly mounted metal strips 88, having at their undersurfaces rubber layers 90 and terminating at their free ends adjacent the inclined edge 69a of the guide plate 69 are carried by a supporting framework 91 and project into the path of movement of bottles on the endless belt 65. These flexible mounted fingers serve to hold back one bottle until a succeeding bottle cornes into contact with and pushes the rst bottle gently off the guide plate 69. As a result bottles are urged forward and down along the inclined plate edge 69a. This construction minimizes bottles being impelled forwardly so vigorously as to crash with breaking force against bottles already in the rotating drum 7.

The lower outer end of casing 77 is normally close to platform 14 of an empty drum, but is shown spaced above it for clarity of illustration.

An adjustable set screw 78 may be provided at each side of the frame 70 to provide for varying the tautness of the belt 65. The set screws are threaded through projecting bosses 80 carried by the framework and abut against the end portions of adjustable members 8l which carry the shaft that supports the front pulley 67. One or more locking bolts 83 may be provided for clamping the adjusting member 81 in desired position.

The casing or housing 77 which extends about thc lower and front portions of the front roller 67 has smoothly curving or rounded exterior surfaces so that during rotation of the drum 7 bottles therein and rotating therewith do not hit any abrupt surfaces and block drum rotation. Instead, bottles in the drum slide freely under the enclosing housing 77, which of course rests at its underside against bottles in the drum 7. Caps, dirt, etc. may leave casing 77 through openings 79, these openings being small enough that a bottle neck is not able to enter them and thereby cause breakage of bottles or machine parts.

To further minimize jamming of bottles against thc leading side of the horizontal machine portion 4 and to facilitate lifting thereof as the drum revolves, a curved lifter plate 82 is secured to the leading side of the horizontal portion 4. This lifter plate projects outward laterally and is curved upwardly at its rear portion. As the drum revolves with layersofbottles therein,bottles which may project above others and might normally strike against the side of the horizontal portion 4, `slide in under the upwardly curvedrportiontof thelifterplate'82 and urge itupwardly. As thelifter plate issecuredto the horizontalportion 4 it thus lifts the latterupwardly about its axis of rotation 71. The lifter plate 82 may. have :any lengthalong the-horizontal portion4 and may project laterally any suitable distance.

The lower flight ofthe .belt 65 is maintained close to the upper ight in order to conserve space and facilitate the belt clearing the upper edgeofthe Vdrumside `wall 9. As shown more particularly in Figs..2, 7 and i8, the lower flight passes up over spaced guide members 85 which carry supporting rollersy 87 at spaced intervals alongfthe lengths thereof. Utilizing spaced guidemembers 85 with the rollers 87 along theirlengths'minimizes friction or drag which would occur if the lowertlight were to'rnerely slide along a guidingsurface. Such` .drag wouldimpose an ob jectionable load on theV drive motor and interfere with operation ofthe machine due to the fact thatexposed surfaces of the belt '65 become, after being in use for a period of time, sticky or gummy due to drops of syrup orliquid which fall on the belt=from bottles being transferred. With the present constructionthelower ilight ofthe belt moves along the spaced supporting rollers 87, the only contact with the fguide strips 85being at the location where the beltpasses from inclined to generally horizontal position; the area of this. guide surface is notfsufficient however to impair movement Vof the belt as the majority of the belt undersurfaceis free of contact on either the supporting rollers 87 or supporting-strips85, due to the spaces 84 between the guide strips 85.

The belt 65 may be driven'bya roller 68 secured to the rotatable shaft 58, this-beingthe same shaft which carries the sprockets57 and `58 throughV which the motor 19 drives the roller chains25. v-Hence la commonmotor drives the belt 65 in synchronism withthe 'chains '25 and their receptacles.

The guide means 20 intermediate`

theuprightrand lateral portions

1 and 4 of the machine extends crosswise ofi them and directs bottles voutwardly toward the direction of travel of the Vbelt 65. When bottles rollout of the recetpacles 2 onto the upper surface ofthe belt 65 they tend to bounce and the guide means 20. prevents them from bounc. ing off the back endV of the belt 65 andfalso tends to retain them with their longitudinal -axes parallel to the longitudinal axes of the-holding receptacles 12, along which the bottles lie. In this Way bottles. on 'the belt-65 are maintained in parallel orientation with the receptacles '2 by both` the guide means 20'and the cleat projections 5,'and belt travel moves bottles out from beneath the upright chains 25 and any bottles being released from the receptacles 2.

lf for some reason a bottle should' jam/inthe area intermediate a lowermost receptacle 2, the i rear end of the lateral portion 4, and the guidevmeans A20, the latter may tilt rearwardly about a support 93 inV opposition to spring 94, so that a cam surface J96 on a projection 97 presses against a roller 100 carried by a reciprocable bar j 161. The bar 101 is guided by pins 102 extending through a slot 103 and moves downwardly in opposition to spring 166. Upon suiiicient ldownward .movementof the bar 101 it tilts-a lever member 108 secured to a rotatable shaft 110 of a suitable electric switch 22. YThis movement of the lever 108 and switch 'shaft 110 operates the switch and the latter in turn stops the drive motor `19. The machine remains in this condition until the jammed bottle is removed from the machine. A movablev plate 112 (Fig. l) may be provided on the supporting framework or casing of the machine to facilitate inserting a`hand to a position for clearing the jam.

As previously mentioned in connection with the general description of themachine,-thev lateralportion4'with belt 65 is tiltably mounted so that its outermost end may E .anism 8 connected therewith.

Ymove up andl down. When the drum 7 is empty the outer .endfof'the belt is positionedat or adjacent the surface `of thebottle'receiving platformf14. -As the drum iills with vbottles the:la-teraldportiontE gradually elevates due to the fact that bottles in the drum press the lateral portion upiwardlyabout the inner end 10.

-ported on shaft121,.:anddepending Varm 123 rotatably secured to 4the lever12ll at an opposite side of the fulcrum shaft 121 from which depends arm 118. The weight 1'14 is such that-it tends to balance the. laterally extending portion 4 of the machine in any position inwhich it-is .adjusted `and henceibottles `building'up at the insideof the drum 7 do not have to lift any excessive weight which might cause bottle. breakage. A stoppin 129 maybe car vried by the depending arm 123 to limit the extent of downward movement ofthis arm-and-hence the extent of upward movement of the lateral portion of the machine. A

vguide11'oller'131 may'beprovidedfto guide the arm123 duringf movement.

eThe adjusting screwf125 may be threaded'through Va bracket 126 so as to engage an underside of the support- Vingffran-iework Y--tolimit thelowermost position ofthe lateral j portion y4.

,It is desirable that means be provided for stopping the operation of the'machine Awhen a sutlicient quantity of vbottlesrhas been received'in the drum 7. This may be .achieved by connecting ra'depending rod .128 with the balancing lever-.120, the depending rod 12S beingoperaftively connectedv with the lever `1418 of the. electric switch V35 .posited in the drum 7 the lateral portion 4 of the machine willbe 'elevated so as to rotate the lever 12% clockwise -aboutthe-mounting'lZl, which in turn iowers the arm 1128 so-thatthe latter moves the switch levertlt so as to V22. -When a vsufficient.quantity of bottles hasbeen derotate.- theswitch shaftf to open the switch and stop the motor.1=9. ,Cut-off may' be setfor-any time.

The rotatable drum'f7 comprises the'bottle supporting l platform 14 to which are secured upwardly extending side ywalls 9. rubber protective ring 12 may t over the upper endof the-wall -9so -as to cover any sharp Aedges and-thereby minimize .danger of'one injuring himself during rotation of the drum. The underside of the plat- :form14isl secured toa metal support-ing plate 134that carries. a socket member1'41 with internal bushing 142;

vthebushingnts around upright shaft V146, which serves as the axis of rotation for the drum 7. At its underside the supporting plate 134 rests against horizontally spaced rollers 135,136, 137. Preferably three rollers are utilized as this gives a three-point support which minimizes tilting ,of thedrum. The rollers may be carried on a table or l,platform 138 of suitable height secured by tie-rods 149 with the supporting framework 35.

' One of the drum supporting rollers 137 may be vdriven from the speed reducer 54 through sprocket 143, chain 144, sprocket 145, shaft147, sprocket 148, chain 149 and sprocket 150. The drive is of the friction type so that if drum rotation should be blocked for any reason the 'drivingrollerlS merelyskids along the undersurface of -matically a hook-up that may be used. As shown, a lamp '152 is connected in the'circuitto indicate when the switch 48 is closedk and thecircuit energized. A separate lamp could alsozbe provided in' the circuit, controlled inV any "suitable manner, .to indicate when, the VYdrum 7 lhas become :filled to .azcertain level, andthus indicate to anoperator 7 that it is time for him to go to the basement and empty the drum; this signal lamp could be connected with the tiltable lateral portion of the machine, which it will be recalled gradually elevates as the bottle level in the drum rlses.

While the receptacles 2 have been shown attached to the endless chains 2S so as to hold and lower bottles upon counterclockwise movement of the chains, it will be clear that the receptacles could be secured to the chains in a reverse fashion so that they would lower bottles upon clockwise rotation of the chains, the Kbottles in such event being delivered onto the upper surface of the guide means and moving there along onto the endless belt 65.

While the present machine is particularly adapted for use with stores having basements, in a one level store the upright portion 1 of the machine could be omitted and bottles placed on the lateral portion 4 for movement through a wall opening and delivery to the drum 7. Also, a plurality of lateral portions 4 or upright portions 1 could be utilized to receive bottles of different sizes and move them to the drum 7.

Operation of the machine has been described in conjunction with its structural `features and hence it is believed that a repetition of the overall operation at this point would be superfluous.

It will be seen that the present invention provides a new and improved machine for receiving bottles at one location and securely holding and moving them `without breakage and while oriented with each other, to a remotely located drum. Bottles may accumulate in the drum until such time as a clerk has an opportunity to empty the drum and sort the bottles into eases.

`All portions of the machine are driven in synchronism with each other and bottles flow in continuous fashion through the machine. As the level of bottles in the receiving drum gradually rises, the laterally extending delivery portion of the machine gradually rises so as to give minimum interference with bottles in the drum and to minimize the possibility of breaking bottles therein. Bottles are at all times delivered with a minimum drop from the end of the lateral machine portion and hence there is again minimum danger of bottle breakage. The machine is of relatively simple and sturdy construction and is adapted to stand up well with minimum inspection and maintenance over relatively long periods of time.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

l. ln a device of the class described, the combination of a rotatable bottle-receiving drum, bottle-delivery conveyor means partially overlying said drum and projecting therebeyond to a bottle-receiving location, means tilta'nly supporting said conveyor means adjacent said bottle-receiving location for movement of said overlying portion toward and away from said drum, and a bottle-supporting plate secured to said conveyor means and projecting beyond the end thereof having an outermost bottle-guiding edge inclined transversely of the conveyor means.

2. A device as claimed in claim l, in which there is provided a plurality of yieldable linger members above said bottle supporting plate having end portions terminating adjacent said outermost bottle-guiding edge.

3. Bottle handling means of the class described comprising a. generally upright endless lowering means, generally U-shaped receptacles secured to said upright lowering means at spaced intervals to hold and carry bottles to a lower portion, a lower endless conveyor extending generally laterally from said upright lowering means to carry said bottles to a receiving platform, means tiltably supporting said conveyor for movement of one end thereof toward and away from said receiving platform, a movable guide member at a lower end of said lowering means and adjacent a receptacle-returning side thereof, a switch and operating member' connected with said movable member to open the switch upon forcing of a bottle against the movable member by one of said receptacles, said conveyor operatively interconnected with said switch to open the switch upon tilting to a predetermined position, and driving means operatively connected with said lowering means and conveyor.

4. A bottle handling mechanism of the class described comprising generally upright endless type lowering means, substantially U-shaped receptacles secured to said upright means at spaced intervals to hold and lower bottles, endless type bottle transporting means below and disposed generally laterally of said upright means, additional means adjacent said upright means tiltably supporting one end of said transporting means for vertical movement of an outer end thereof with respect to a bottle-receiving platform, balancing means connected with said transporting means intermediate said additional means and said outer end, driving means to rotate said endless lowering and transporting means and move bottles from an upper level to a receiving platform, a switch to control said driving means, and said switch operatively interconnected with the balancing means to actuate the switch and stop the driving means upon tilting of the transporting means to a predetermined position.

5. Bottle handling means of the class described comprising a generally upright endless lowering means, generally U-shaped receptacles secured to said upright lowering means at spaced intervals to hold and carry bottles to a lower portion, a lower endles conveyor extending generally laterally from said upright lowering means to carry said bottles to a receiving platform, means tiltably supporting said conveyor for movement of one end thereof toward and away from said receiving platform, driving means operatively connected with said lowering means and said conveyor, a switch controlling said driving means, and said conveyor operatively interconnected with said switch to open said switch and stop the driving means upon tilting to a predetermined position.

6. Bottle handling means comprising a plurality of horizontally spaced generally vertical endless chains, a plurality of generally U-shaped receptacles secured to said chains at right angles thereto at spaced intervals to receive bottles when adjacent the top of the endless chains and to carry the bottles downwardly, a rotatable bottlereceiving drum adjacent a lower end of the endless chains, a conveyor extending from a position beneath the endless chains to a position overlying said bottle-receiving drum to carry the bottles from said receptacles to the bottlereceiving drum, projections secured to said conveyor at spaced intervals to maintain bottles thereon substantially at right angles to the path of the conveyor, a pivotal mounting for the end of the conveyor beneath the endless chains whereby thc opposite end of the conveyor overlying the bottle-receiving drum is free to swing toward and away from the drum in accordance with the number of bottles therein, a drive means operatively connected to said conveyor and to said endless chains to actuate them simultaneously with the speed of the conveyor set with respect to the speed of the endless chains so that said projections on the conveyor pass the bottom of the endless chains at least at the same rate as the U-shaped receptacles reach the bottom of the endless chains, and a bottle-supporting plate secured to said conveyor and projecting beyond the end thereof having an outermost bottle-guiding edge inclined transversely of the conveyor.

10 7. The bottle handling means as claimed in claim 6 in 1,081,771 Piepgras Dec. 16, 1913 which there is provided a plurality of yieldable finger 1,142,453 Olson June 8, 1915 members above said bottle-supporting plate having end 1,582,820 Hungerford Apr. 27, 1926 portions terminating adjacent said outermost bottle-guid- 1,649,304 Gray Nov. 15, 1927 ing edge. 5 1,977,732 Mattler Oct. 23, 1934 2,557,001 Kohl lune l2, 1951 References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 657,261 Abraham Sept. 4, 1900 10