US2876929A - Feeding mechanism for crackers or the like - Google Patents

Description

March 10,1959 D. F. BREMNER, JR 2,876,929

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CRACKERS OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEYS March 1959 D. F. BREMNER, JR 2,876,929

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CRACKERS OR THE' LIKE Filed Dec. 7, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet '2 INVENTOR 74 v DAVID E BREMNERJJR. BY

07M) 7% 3 I F G. 2 v M ATTORNEYS March 1959 D. F. BREMNER, JR 2,87 2

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CRACKE'RS OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 7', 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIGS - I NVENTOR DAVID E BREMNERQJR.

ATTORNEYS March 10,1959 D. F. BREMNER, JR 2,876,929

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR- CRACKERS OR'THE LIKE,

Filed Dec. 7, 1955 5 Sheet s-Sh eet 5 EJECTOR MOVEMENT CARRIAGE MOVEMENT PLATFORM MOVEMENT RELATING TO CARRIAGE MOVEMENT OR I PPER PEN OPERATION TIME I NVENTOR DAVID E BREMNER;JR. BY 7 I (9% 7k H I ATTORNEYS FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CRACKERS OR THE LIKE David F. Bremuer, Jun, Louisville, Ky. Application December 7, 1955, Serial No. 551,641 3 Qlaims. (Cl. 221-207) This invention relates to a mechanism for feeding fiat articles, such as crackers, cookies or the like.

One principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved mechanism for feeding crackers or the like from a magazine or other source of supply in small stacks or batches, each of which will contain a predetermined number of the crackers.

Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism that will feed counted stacks of crackers or the like so that the stacks may subsequently be wrapped individually for packaging and shipment.

A further object is to provide a new and improved cracker feeding mechanism of the foregoing character which may be adjusted to insure accurate count and to vary the count in the stacks delivered by the mechanism.

it is another object to provide a new and improved cracker feeding mechanism of the foregoing character which may be operated at high speed yet will handle the crackers gently and without substantial breakage.

A further object is to provide such a new and imroved cracker feeding mechanism which is dependable and effective in operation, yet is reasonably simple in construction and low in cost.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the following description, taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a cracker feeding mechanism constituting an illustrative embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a right side elevational view mechanism shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the mechanism.

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary, partly diagrammatic front elevational views showing portions of the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a graphical diagram indicating the sequence of certain operations in the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 7 is another fragmentary front elevational sectional View showing another portion of the feeding mechanism.

The drawings illustrate a mechanism 10 adapted to feed fiat articles, such as crackers or cookies, in individual stacks containing a predetermined number of the articles. The stacks of crackers or the like delivered by the mechanism 10 may subsequently be wrapped individually for packaging and shipment. The wrapping may be accomplished manually or by means of a suitable wrapping mechanism (not shown).

The cracker feeding mechanism 16) is actually dual in construction, in that it embodies twin feeders 12 and 14 for delivering two stacks of crackers simultaneously. In all material respects, the two feeders 12 and 14 are identical in construction. Accordingly, most of the following detailed description will be directed to the front feeder 12.

To hold a supply of crackers or other flat articles, the feeder 12 is equipped with a magazine 16 adapted to receive the crackers in an elongated vertical stack.

of the feeding atent- 2,876,929 Patented Mar. 10, 1959 2 It will be understood that the crackers are adapted to descend by gravity through the magazine 16 and to emerge from the lower end of the magazine through an opening 18.

For the purpose of supporting the lower end of the elongated stack of crackers in the magazine 16, the feeder 12 is provided with a supporting member or platform 28 located below the lower end of the magazine 16 and underneath the discharge opening 18 of the magazine. In this instance, the platform comprises a plurality of spaced, substantially parallel and horizontal rods 22 having downwardly bent rear portions 24 mounted rigidly on a supporting horizontal bar 26;. To provide for vertical reciprocating movement of the platform 20, the bar 26 is mounted on a downwardly extending vertically slidable bar 28.

Initially, the platform 20. is moved downwardly by an amount corresponding to the desired height of the individual stacks of crackers to be counted out and delivered by the feeding mechanism 10. The downward movement of the platform 20 lowers the entire stack of crackers in the magazine 16 by a corresponding amount. Such downward movement of the platform 20 might be effected in various ways, but, in this instance, the downward movement is brought about by means of a cam 30 (Figs. 1 and 4). It will be seen that the cam 30 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 32 supported for bodily movement by a swingable carriage 34. As illustrated, the carriage 34 simply comprises a pair of arms 36 which are pivoted on a shaft 38 and are connected rigidly together by means of a crossbar 4d. The cam shaft 32 is journalled between the arms 36. In this instance, the shaft 38 constitutes the main drive shaft for the feeding mechanism It). The shaft 38 may be rotated continuously by means of any suitable motor or other source of power (not shown). A chain drive 42 is connected between the shafts 38 and 32 to provide for continuous rotation of the, cam 30.

The cam is operatively connected to the vertically movable platform 20 by means of suitable linkage, which, in this instance, comprises an L-shaped lever 44 pivoted on the main drive shaft 38. The freely swingable outer end of the lever 44 is pivotally connected to a depending link 46 which, in turn, is pivoted to a lug 48 mounted on a horizontal bar 50 which extends between the vertical slide bars 28 of the twin feeders 12 and 14. A roller 52 is rotatably mounted on the arm 44 to engage and follow the cam 30. The weight of the platforms 2%), the arm 44 and the linkage connected therebetwcen is effective to bias the roller 52 against the cam 30.

It will be seen from Fig. 4 that the cam 30 has a falling portion 54 of decreasing radius which is eifective to lower the platform 20. The general configuration of the cam 30 is indicated in Fig. 6 by a graph 39a having a downwardly sloping portion 54a representing the falling portion 54 of the cam.

After the desired amount of downward movement, the platform 20 is arrested. While this might be brought about in various ways, it is effected in the present instance by means of an adjustable stop 56 in the form of a screw stud threadedly mounted on the carriage 34. The threaded stop 56 is disposed underneath the arm 44 so that the arm will engage the stop. In this way, the downward movement imparted to the arm 44 by the cam 30 will be arrested by the stop 56. By adjusting the height of the stop 56, the lowered position of the arm 44 may be varied. In this way, it is possible to adjust the amount by which the elongated stack of crackers is lowered by the initial downward movement of the platform 20.

After the initial downward movement of the platform 20 has been completed, the crackers in the elongated .the main drive shaft 38.

stack supplied by the magazine 16 are engaged at a point spaced above the position of the platform. In thisway, the upper portion of the elongated stack is prevented "from moving downwardly any farther, during the remainder of the cycle of :operation, while the lower portion of 'the stack is left free for further downwardmovement. The upper portion of the stack might be engaged and supported in various ,ways, but, in this instance, :the upper portion of the stack is supported by grippers58 andv 60 adapted to engage opposite sides of thestack just above the initial position of the platform 20. In this instance, the grippers 58 and 60 take the form ofdepending swingable fingers which are carried on shafts 62 and 64, two of the fingers being mounted. on each shaft. A pad 66 of rubber or other soft, resilient material is mounted on each of the gripping fingers 58 and 60 to prevent breakage of the crackers.

It. will be understood that the gripping fingers 58 and 60 are open during the initial downward movement of the platform 20. After the platform 20 has been moved downwardly the desired distance below the lower ends or the grippers 58 and 60 the grippers are closed. Various means might be provided to open and close the grippers 58 and 60, but, in this instance, the grippers are operated by means of a cam 68 (Fig. It will be seen that the cam 68 is fixed on a rotatable shaft 70. A chain drive 72 is connected between the shaft 70 and In this way, the shaft 70 is rotated continuously.

The cam 68 is operatively connected to the grippers 58 and 60 by a suitable linkage, illustrated as including an L-shaped bell crank lever 74 swingable about a pivot 76 and having a relatively short, generally vertical arm 78 and a relatively long, generally horizontal arm 80. The pivot 76 is mounted on a stationary frame bracket 81, as shown to best advantage in Fig. 5. A roller 82 is mounted on the shorter arm 78 and is adapted to engage and follow the cam 68. A spring 84 is connected to the longer arm 80 in such a manner as to bias the lever 74 in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, and thereby hold the follower roller 82 against the cam 68.

It will be seen that a substantially vertical linkage rod 86 is pivotally connected at its lower end to the generally horizontal arm 80. The upper end of the rod 86 is pivotally connected to a generally horizontal arm .88 mounted on a shaft 90. Bevel gears 92 and 94 are employed to connect the shaft 90 to the gripper shaft 62. It will be seen from Fig. 3 that the shaft 90 extends forwardly from the arm 88 and is arranged to actuate both of the twin feeders 12 and 14. Thus, twin sets of the bevel gears 92 and 94 are employed to connect the shaft 90 to the gripper shafts 62 of the respective feeders 12 and 14.

For each of the twin feeders 12 and 14, the grippers 58 and 60 are interconnected by means of arms 96 and 98 mounted on the respective gripper shafts 62 and 64. A pin-and-slot connection 100 is provided between the ends of the arms 96 and 98 so that swinging movement of the arm 96 will result in corresponding but oppositely directed swinging movement of the arm 98. In this way the grippers 58 and 60 will move inwardly and outwardly in unison.

The action of the spring 84 is such as to bias the grippers 58 and 60 inwardly, toward their closed positions. Thus, the spring 84 tends to move the grippers against the lower end of the stack of crackers held in the magazine 16.

During the initial downward movement of the platform 20, the cam follower roller 82 engages a substantially circular, relatively high portion 102 of the cam 68. Thus, the cam 68 holds the grippers 58 and away from the stack, against the biasing action of the spring 84. After completion of the initial downward movement of the stack, the follower roller 82 traverses a falling portion 104 of the'cam 68. Thus, the cam 68 presents a decreasing radius to the roller 82 so as to permit the spring 84 to close the grippers 58 and 60. In Fig. 6, the action of the cam 68 is represented by a graph 68a. A horizontal portion 102a of the graph 68a represents the circular portion 102 of the cam 68. In like 1nanner,.a downwardly sloping. portion 104a of the graph represents the falling portion 104 of the cam.

After the grippers 58 and 60 have closed upon the stack of crackers in the magazine 16, the platform 20 is moved downwardly an additional distance to separate the portion of the stack below the grippers from the remainder of the stack supported by the grippers. This additional movement of the platform might be effected in various ways, but, in the present case, the additional downward movement is brought about by swinging the carriage 34 downwardly so as to shift the cam 30 bodily by a corresponding amount. The downward movement is imparted to the carriage 34 by means of a cam 106, which is mounted on the shaft 70. A roller 108 is mounted on the carriage 34 to engage and follow the cam 106. The weight of the carriage 34 and the platform 20 is utilized to bias the roller 108 against the cam 106.

During the initial downward movement of the platform 20 and the subsequent closing movement of the grippers 58 and 60, the carriage 34 is held in a raised position by means of a substantially circular, relatively high portion 118 of the cam 106. After the grippers 58 and 60 have closed upon the stack, the roller 108 encounters a falling portion 112 of the cam, with the result that the carriage 34 is lowered. Corresponding lowering movement is imparted to the platform 20. Accordingly, the lower portion of the stack, below the grippers 58 and 60 is moved downwardly from the upper portion of the stack, supported by the grippers. Due to the adiustment of the threaded stop 56, the small stack supported by the platform 20 contains the desired number of crackers to be fed by the mechanism 10.

The counted stack of crackers on the platform 20 is next removed from the platform. This might be done in various ways, but in this instance, the crackers are pushed off the platform 20 onto a conveyor 114 (Fig. 1) by means of an ejector 116. As illustrated, the ejector 116 comprises a plurality of substantially parallel and vertical rods 118 which are arranged to mesh with the horizontal rods 22 of the platform 20. The ejector rods 118 have forwardly bent lower end portions 120 which are fixedly mounted on a horizontal bar 122 extending across the twin feeders 12 and 14. Thus, the ejectors 116 of both feeders 12 and 14 are actuated in common by the bar 122.

To support the eiectors 116 for substantially horizontal movement, the bar 122 is connected rigidly between a pair of horizontal linkage bars 124, constituting elements of twin parallelogram linkages. Each of the linkages also comprises a pair of generally vertical arms 126 and 128 having their upper ends pivotally connected to the opposite ends of the bar 124. The parallel bars 126 and 128 are supported adjacent their lower ends on pivots 130 and 132. As shown to best advantage in Figs. 1 and 4, the pivots 130 and 132, are mounted on stationary frame brackets 131 and 133.

The ejectors 116 are actuated by means of a cam 134, which, in this instance, is provided with a cam groove or track 136 so that the cam will be double acting. A roller 138 is received in the groove 136 and is mounted on a yoke 142 having arms 144 and 146 which straddle the cam shaft 70. A pivot block 148 is pivotally mounted on the shaft 70 and is received between the arms 144 and 146 of the yoke. In this way, the yoke 142 is mounted for a combination of swinging and sliding movement with respect to the shaft 70.

It will be seen that a rod 150 is fixed at one end on the yoke 142 and is pivotally connected at its other end to the lower end of an arm 152 which is swingable about the pivot 132 and is rigidly connected to the linkage arm 128. Thus, the cam 134 is effective to swing the linkage arm 128 and thereby impart substantially horizontal reciprocating movement to the ejector 116. It will be understood that the ejector rods 118 move between the platform rods 22 so that there is never any interference between the movement of the platform and the ejector.

During the downward movement of the platform 20, the follower roller 138 rides along a substantially circular portion 154 of the cam groove 136. After the cam 106 has lowered the carriage 34 to bring the platform 20 to its lowermost position, the follower roller 138 encounters a rising portion 156 of the cam groove 136. Accordingly, the ejector 116 is advanced to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, so as to discharge the crackers from the platform 20 onto the conveyor 114. It will be understood that the conveyor 114 is efiective to carry the counted stacks of crackers to a wrapping mechanism or the like.

During the intervals in which the carriage 34 is being lowered and the ejector 116 is being advanced, the roller 52 is opposite a circular, relatively high portion 158 of the cam 30 with the result that the arm 44 remains against the stop 56. In Fig. 6, a horizontal portion 158a of the graph 30a corresponds to the circular portion 138 of the cam 30.

During the interval in which the ejector 116 is being advanced, the cam roller 108 rides along a substantially circular portion 160 of the cam 106. Accordingly, the carriage 34 remains in its lowermost position. In Fig. 6, the movement of the carriage 34 is represented by a graph 106a, having portions 110a, 112a and 160a corresponding to the portions 110, 112 and 160 of the cam 106.

After the counted stack of crackers has been ejected from the platform 20, the ejector 116 is retracted by a falling portion 162 of the cam groove 136. In Fig. 6, the movement of the ejector 116 is represented by a graph 134a having portions 154a, 156a and 162a corresponding to the portions 154, 156 and 162 of the cam 134.

Simultaneously with the retraction of the ejector 116, the carriage 34 is returned upwardly to its initial position by a rising portion 164 of the cam 106. This portion is represented by a portion 164a of the graph 106a in Fig. 6. At the same time, the platform 120 is raised to its initial position by a rising portion 166 on the cam 30. In the graph 30a of Fig. 6, the rising portion 166 of the cam 30 is represented by a portion 166a.

While the carriage 34 is being lowered and the ejector 116 is being advanced and retracted, the roller 82 rides along a circular portion 167 on the cam 68, represented at 167a in Fig. 6. After the platform 20 has been raised to its initial position and the ejector 116 has been retracted fully, the grippers 158 and 160 are opened by a rising portion 168 on the cam 68. This portion of the cam 68 is represented by a portion 168a of the graph 68a in Fig. 6. While the grippers are being opened, the cam roller 52 rides along a substantially circular, relatively high portion 170 of the cam 30, this portion being represented by a horizontal line 170a in the graph 30a of Fig. 6. During this interval, the rollers 108 and 138 ride along the circular portions 110 and 154 of the cams 106 and 134.

While the operation of the cracker feeding mechanism has already been fully described, it may be helpful to review the cycle of operation. Initially, the platform is fully raised and is supporting the lower end of the stack in the magazine 16, inasmuch as the grippers 58 and 60 are open. In the first stage of the cycle, the cam is effective to lower the platform 20 until the platform-actuating arm 44 engages the threaded stop 56 mounted on the cariage 34. Thus, the position of the stop 56 determines the amount by which the platform 20 is lowered in the initial stage of operation.

After its initial downward movement, the platform 20 pauses while the cam 68 permits the grippers 58 and 60 to close against the stack of crackers held in the magazine 16. It will be recalled that the grippers engage the stack immediately above the initial position of the platform 20. Thus, the lower portion of the stack, corresponding in height to the distance through which the platform is moved downwardly in the initial stage of the operation, is not supported by the grippers. After the grippers have been closed on the stack of crackers, the cam 106 is effective to lower the carriage 34 and thereby shift the cam 30 bodily in a downward direction. Accordingly, the platform 20 and the small stack of crackers carried thereby are lowered an additional amount.

Next, the cam 134 advances the ejector 116 and thereby pushes the crackers off the platform 20 and onto the conveyor 114. The ejector 116 is then retracted to its initial position. At the same time, the platform 20 is raised to its initial elevation, just below the grippers 158 and 160. Finally, the grippers 158 and are opened to release the stack for downward movement with the platform 20 in the next cycle of operations.

It will be recognized that the position of the adjustable stop 56 determines the exact height of the stacks of crackers counted out and delivered by the mechanism. Thus, the stop may be adjusted to insure accurate count or to vary the count.

It will be apparent that the mechanism may be operated at high speed without damaging the crackers. The meshing arrangement of the platform and ejector rods provides for simultaneous movement of the platform and the ejector without interference. Thus, both the platform and the ejector may be returned to their initial positions simultaneously.

It will be recognized that the mechanism is simple and inexpensive in construction, yet is effective and dependable in operation. A wide variety of flat articles, such as crackers, cookies and the like may be handled by the feeding mechanism.

Various modifications, alternative constructions and equivalents may be employed without departing from the truespirit and scope of the invention as exemplified in the foregoing description and defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanism for feeding crackers or the like in stacked groups of predetermined height, the combination comprising a magazine for receiving a supply of crackers or the like in an elongated stack therein, said magazine having a discharge opening for the crackers at its lower end, a platform movable vertically below said discharge opening for receiving the crackers therefrom, said platform comprising a plurality of spaced generally parallel and horizontal rods, a vertically movable carriage, a rotatable cam mounted on said carriage, a cam follower engaging said cam and connected to said platform, said cam having a portion for lowering said platform a predetermined distance to lower the elongated stack of crackers a corresponding amount, an adjustable stop on said carriage for arresting downward movement of said platform at a first elevation, gripper means disposed adjacent the lower end of said magazine and above said first elevation for engaging the crackers to prevent further downward movement of the portion of the elongated stack opposite and above said gripper means, means for opening said gripper means prior to lowering movement of said platform, means for closing said gripper means subsequent to movement of said platform to said first elevation, second rotatable cam means operatively connected to said carriage and having a portion for lowering said carriage a predetermined distance to lower said platform to a second lower elevation and thereby separate the portion of said elongated stack below said gripper means from the 'asrasab portion of said stack supported by said gripper means, an ejectorfor pushing the crackers off the platform, said ejector comprising a plurality of spaced generally parallel and vertical rods meshing with and movable between said horizontal platform rods, meanslfor advancing said ejector subsequent to lowering of said platform to said second elevation, said first cam, second cam means and last mentioned means having respective portions for simultaneously raising said platformrelative to said carriage, raising said carriage and saidplatform to their initial elevations, and retracting said ejector to its initial position. i V

2. In a mechanism for feeding articles such as crackers or the like, thecombination' comprising a magazine for receiving a supply of the articles in an elongated stack therein, aplatfortn movable generally'vertically below said magazine for receiving the crackers therefrom, a a vertically movahle carriage,"a cam mounted on said carriage and operatively connected to said platform, said cam having a portion for lowering said platform a prede termined distance to lower the elongated stack of articles a corresponding amount, an adjustable stop on said carriage for arresting downward movement of said platform at a first elevation, gripper means disposed adjacent the lower end of said magazine and above said first elevation for engaging the articles to prevent further downward movement of the portion of the elongated stack opposite and above said gripper means, means for opening said gripper means prior to lowering movement of said platform, means for closing said gripper means subsequent to movement of said platform 'to said first elevation, second cam means operatively connected to said thereima platform movable generally vertically below said magazine for receiving the crackers therefrom, a vertically movable carriage, means to actuate said platform including a cam mounted on said carriage, and means for. operatively connecting said, cam to said plat-. form, said cam having a portion for lowering said platform a predetermined distance to lower the elongated stack of articles a corresponding amount, an adjustable stop on said carriage for arresting downward movement of said platform at a first elevation, holding means disposed adjacenti the lower end of said magazine and above said firsteleva'tion for engaging the articles to prevent further downward movement of the portion of the elongated, stack above said holding means, holder actuating means" for releasing said holding means prior to lowering movement of said platform, said holder actuating means including means for activating said holding means subsequent to, movement of said platform. to said first elevation', means to actuate said carriage including second cam means, and'means for operatively connecting said second cam means to said carriage, said second cam means havinga portion for lowering said carriage a predetermined distance to lower said platform to a second lower elevation and thereby separate the portion of said elongated stack below said holding means from the portionof said stack supported by said holding means, an ejector for pushing the articles ofi the platform, ejector actuating means for advancing said ejector subsequent to lowering of said platform to said second elevation, and

carriage and having a portion for lowering said carriage a predetermined distance to lower said platform to a second lower elevation and thereby separate the portion of said elongated stack below said gripper means from the portion of said stack supported by said gripper means, an ejector for pushing the articles off the platform, means for advancing said ejector subsequent to lowering of said platform to said second elevation, said first cam, second cam means and last mentioned means having respective portions for simultaneously raising said platform relative to said carriage, raising said carriage and said platform to their initial elevations, and retracting said ejector to its initial position.

3, In a mechanism for feeding articles such as crackers or the like, the combination comprising a magazine for receiving a supply of the articles in an elongated stack means for simultaneously operating said first mentioned cam, said holder actuating means, said second cam means, and said ejector actuating means, said first cam, second cam means and ejector actuating means having respective portions for simultaneously raising said platform relative to said carriage, raising said carriage and said platform to their initial elevations, and retracting said ejector to its initial position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany Mar. 24, 1933

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