US2758767A

US2758767A - Vibrator mechanism for bag filling and closing machine

Info

Publication number: US2758767A
Application number: US357152A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas E Piazze
Original assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Current assignee: Continental Can Co Inc
Priority date: 1949-03-12
Filing date: 1953-05-25
Publication date: 1956-08-14
Anticipated expiration: 1973-08-14

Description

Aug. 14, 1956 T. E. PzAzzE 2,758,767

VIBRATOR MECHANISM FOR BAG FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Original Filed March 12, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6d /2 a 4 I K] 2 ';/W 23 24 125 62 fl/ JNVENTOR? BY WM 9* M T. E. PIAZZE 2,758,767

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14, 1956 VIBRATOR MECHANISM FOR BAG FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Original Filed March 12, 1949 IN V EN TOR.

United States Patent VIBRATOR MECHANISM FOR BAG FILLING AND CLOSING MACHINE Thomas E. Piazze, Mount Vernon, Ohio, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application March 12, 1949, Serial No. 81,154,

now Patent No. 2,676,443, dated April 27, 1954. Divided and this application May 25, 1953', Serial No. 357,152

9 Claims. (Cl. 226-72) This invention relates to mechanism for forming a container from pliable sheet material, for filling the container with merchandise and for closing and sealing the container and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a vibrator device adapted to be incorporated in the mechanism to settle the merchandise in the container while it is being filled.

The application is a division of copending application Serial No. 81,154, filed March 12, 1949, now Patent No. 2,676,443, dated April 27, 1954.

It is an object of the invention to provide in a machine having a conveyor provided with pocket forming mandrels for receiving successive opened-top tubular containers of pliable material from a container fabricating machine and means for intermittently moving the conveyor to position the containers at successive stations for filling, closing, and sealing the containers, a vibrator mechanism associated with the conveyor at the filling station and operative on the mandrels while they are stopped beneath the filling mechanism for vibrating the containers positioned therein during the filling operation to settle the merchandise with which the container is be: ing filled.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a machine of the type described wherein mechandise containers are carried on a conveyor to a filling station and positioned beneath the filling apparatus for receiving a charge of merchandise therein, a vibrator mechanism which comprises a frame pivotally mounted adjacent the filling station of the machine and having the free end thereof slidably connected with the conveyor in which the containers are carried, an independently driven rotatable shaft mounted at the free end of the vibrator frame and having weight means thereon which upon rotation of the shaft vibrates the frame.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the mechanism which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a filling and closing machine extending beneath a filling mechanism and having a vibrator mechanism incorporated therein which embodies the principal features of the invention and which is operative to vibrate the conveyor on which the containers are positioned;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, to an enlarged scale, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 taken on the opposite side 2,758,767 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a portion of a machine for filling and closing a container which extends beneath a filling funnel or charge measuring device, the latter being adapted to deposit in the container, when it is positioned beneath the same, a charge of merchandise. The filling and closing machine comprises upright frame members 12 and 13 at the upper edges of which longitudinally extending side frame bars 16 and 17 are supported in transversely spaced relation. A mandrel carrying conveyor which comprises spaced side chains 23 is supported on sprockets 24 which are secured in transversely spaced relation on transverse shaft 26. The shaft 26 is journaled in the side frame members 12 and 13 at one end thereof. It carries at one end gear 52 which is connected in driving relation with gear 58 on the end of the transverse drive shaft 59. Shaft 59 carries at the other or far side of the machine in Fig. 1 the driven element 60 of a Geneva mechanism. The driving element 61 is mounted on the transverse shaft 62 which is connected by gears 63 and 64 with drive shaft 65, the latter being connected with a source of power, as shown in parent application Serial No. 81,154. The conveyor chains 23 carry spaced pairs of cross rods 29 which support a plurality of container supporting mandrels 30 for movement along the longitudinal center line of the machine.

The container carrying and supporting conveyor is intermittently operated by the drive mechanism described in such a manner that it will bring the mandrels 30 successively to a point at the receiving end of the machine where :an empty container is deposited in the pocket forming members 55 of the mandrel and thereafter to a filling station where the container is upright with the open end of the container beneath a charge measuring and filling mechanism indicated at 98. The drive mechanism is described in detail in the parent application Serial No. 81,154.

The vibrating mechanism which operates on the mandrel 30 through the mandrel carrying cross bars 29 and carrying chains 23 while the container is being filled comprises a pair of channel-shaped side members each provided with an inwardly directed recess 101 through which the chains 23 travel. The recess 101 is approximately the same width or depth as the rollers 102 which are provided on the end of the mandrel carrying cross bars 29. The channel-shaped members 100 are mounted on the forward ends 103 of laterally spaced side frame members 104 of a vibrating frame. The side frame members 104 are pivotally mounted at the rearward end on a transverse drive shaft 105.

The drive shaft 105 extends transversely of the ma 1 extending outwardly of main frame member 12. The

ranged on opposite sides of the frame.

shaft 108 is provided with a pulley 109 which is con nected by a suitable belt 110 with a continuously operating motor supported on the main frame of the machine as shown in application Serial No. 81,154.

A friction pulley 112 is mounted on the shaft 105 and is connected by means of a belt 113 with :a pulley 114 secured on a cross shaft 115 which is journaled between the side frame members 104 of the vibrating frame adjacent the forward end thereof. The shaft 115 is provided with pairs of oppositely disposed weights 116 ar- Rotation of the shaft 115 causes the frame to be vibrated by the action of centrifugal force on the revolving weights 116. The side arms 104 being pivoted about the shaft 105 cause the members 100 to vibrate in the vertical direction.

A limited movement of each of the members 100 is permitted within the space provided between a lower bumper plate 117 on the cross frame member 92 and an adjustable upper bumper member 118. Each of the bumper members 118 is mounted on the bottom end of an adjustable threaded post 119 depending from the end of a supporting arm 120. The arms 1% are pivotally mounted on pins 121 which are journaled in blocks 122 and attached to the main frame members 16' and 17, respectively. Each arm 120 is provided with an integral depending arm 123 (Fig. 3) pivotally connected at 124 to .a link 125 which extends longitudinally of the machine. The links 125 are pivotally connected at the other end at 126 to arms 127 which are secured to the transversely extending shaft 128. The shaft 128 is journaled in the side frame members 12 and 13 with one end extending at the rear side of the machine and provided with an arm 129. The arm 129 carries at its free end a downwardly projecting pin 130 engaging in an aperture 131 in a projecting bracket 132 attached to the side frame member 13 and carrying a compression spring 133 tending to urge the arm 12.9 in the upward direction. The arm 129 is limited in its upward movement by a stop pin 134 which is adjustably mounted in bracket 13S secured on the frame member 13. The shaft 128 is extended at its other end (Fig. 2) and provided with an arm 136 carrying on its free end a cam roller 137 which engages a cam 138 on the driven shaft 139, the latter being driven from the drive shaft 65 by appropriate gearing (not shown).

Configuration of the cam 138 is such that the vibrating mechanism is permitted to operate on the container receiving mandrel 30 at the filling station during the time which the container is being filled with the commodity and for a short interval thereafter. When the cam roller 137 is resting on the high point of the cam 138 the arm 136 positions the shaft 128 to hold the upper bumper members 118 in lowered position through the connecting arms 127, links 125 and

arms

123 and 120. When held in the lowered position the upper bumpers 118 in turn hold the side members 100 against the lower bumpers 117 (Fig. 6) and prevent their movement. When the cam roller 137 is resting on the low point of the cam 138 the upper bumper members 118 are held in a raised position by operation of the spring 133 operating on the arm 129 and the side members 100 are freed for a limited vertical movement between the bumpers 1'17 and 118. The shaft 115 is constantly rotated by the drive belts 110 and 113 which connect with the driving motor and the side members 100, when they are free to move, are vibrated by the action of the centrifugal force on the rapidly rotating counterweights 116. The adjustable posts 119 which carry the upper bumper members 118 permit adjustment on both sides of the machine to insure that both members 100 are permitted to vibrate the same amount. The stop pin member 134 is adjustable to control the swing of the vibrator frame by varying in a single operation the space between the upper bumper members 118 and the lower bumper members 117. The stop member 134 is located outside the main frame of the machine where it is readily accessible for adjustment while the machine is in operation.

I claim:

1. In a container filling machine, a supporting frame, an endless conveyor, a plurality of pocketed mandrels mounted on said conveyor, means for moving said conveyor to position said mandrels successively at a filling station beneath a filling device, a vibrator frame pivotally mounted at one end in said supporting frame, said vibrator frame having a free end with a portion thereof extending beneath the conveyor at the filling station, means adjustably connecting the free end of the vibrator a; frame with the conveyor when a mandrel thereon is beneath said filling device, a transverse shaft journaled on the free end of said vibrator frame, an independent driving mechanism having a driving connection with said shaft for rotating said shaft, and means on said shaft for vibrating said frame about its pivot point upon rotation of said shaft.

2. In a container filling machine, a supporting frame, a movable conveyor, a pocketed mandrel mounted on said conveyor, means to move said conveyor to position said mandrel beneath a filling device, a vibrator device pivotally mounted at one end in said supporting frame with its other end extending beneath the mandrel when the mandrel is positioned beneath the filling device, means slidably connecting said end of the vibrator device with the conveyor, a shaft rotatably carried by the vibrator device adjacent said end, counterweight mechanism mounted on said shaft, and independent driving means for rotating said shaft and said counterweight mechanism to vibrate said vibrator device about its pivot point.

3. In a container filling machine, a supporting frame, an endless conveyor, pocketed mandrels mounted on said conveyor, means to operate said conveyor to position the mandrels successively beneath a filling device, a generally rectangular vibrator frame pivotally mounted at one end on said supporting frame With its other end extending beneath successive mandrels positioned beneath the filling device, channel means slidably connecting the free end of the vibrator frame with the conveyor, a pair of transverse shafts journaled in opposite ends of said vibrator frame, an independent driving mechanism for rotating said shafts, and means on the shaft at the free end of said vibrator frame for vibrating said frame about its pivot point upon rotation of said shafts.

4. In a container filling machine comprising a supporting frame having an endless conveyor mounted thereon, a plurality of pocketed mandrels mounted in spaced relation on said conveyor, means for operating said conveyor to position the mandrels successively at a filling station, and a vibrating mechanism mounted on said frame beneath said conveyor adjacent the filling station, said vibrating mechanism comprising a pivoted frame, channel members on said pivoted frame engaging portions of the conveyor, a rotatable shaft on the free end of said pivoted frame, eccentric weights mounted on said shaft, and means for independently operating said vibrating mechanism.

5. In a container filling machine, a supporting frame, an endless conveyor mounted thereon, a plurality of pocketed mandrels mounted in spaced relation on said conveyor, means for operating said conveyor to position the mandrels successively at a filling station, a vibrating mechanism mounted on said frame beneath said conveyor, said vibrating mechanism comprising side members pivoted at one end to said supporting frame, channel members on said side members receiving in sliding relation therein side portions of the conveyor, a rotatable shaft on the free end of said side members, weights eccentrically mounted on said shaft, and means for rotating said shaft independently of the operation of said conveyor.

6. In a container filling machine as recited in claim 5 and adjustable means for controlling the movement of said vibrating mechanism.

7. In a container filling machine as recited in claim 5 and cam operated means for controlling the movement of said vibrating mechanism.

8. In a container filling machine comprising a supporting frame, an endless conveyor having laterally spaced side members mounted. on said frame, a plurality of pocketed mandrels mounted in longitudinally spaced relation on said conveyor, means for operating said conveyor to position said mandrels successively at a filling station, a vibrating mechanism pivotally mounted on said frame beneath said conveyor, said vibrating mechanism having channel members encompassing the side members anism whereby said vibrating mechanism is operated in of the conveyor, a rotatable shaft on said vibrating mechtimed relation to the movement of said conveyor. anism in spaced relation to its Pivotal mounting, eccen- References Cited in the file of this patent tric weights mounted on said shaft, means for continuously rotating said shaft to reciprocate said vibrating 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS mechanism, and adjustable means for limiting the re- 767,393 Doble Aug. 16, 1904 ciprocating movement of said vibrating mechanism. 1,826,926 Cundall Oct. 13, 1931 9. In a container filling mechanism as recited in claim 2,494,584 Rouse J an. 17, 1950 8 and adjustable control means for said vibrating mech- 1 2,581,795 Howard Jan. 8, 1952