US2983088A

US2983088A - Packaging machine

Info

Publication number: US2983088A
Application number: US629956A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert L Stoeckel; Carl T Zimmermann
Original assignee: United States Steel Corp
Current assignee: United States Steel Corp
Priority date: 1956-12-21
Filing date: 1956-12-21
Publication date: 1961-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1978-05-09

Description

M y 1961 A. L. STOECKEL ETAL 2, 83,088

PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 21, 1956 IN VE N 70/?5 ALBERT L. STOEC/(EL and CARL 7. Z/MMERMA/VN Byf amdzd the/r Aftorpey.

y 1961 A. L. STOECKEL ETAL 2,983,088

PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1956 y 1961 A. L. STOECKEL ETAL 2,983,088

PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 21, 1956 INVENTORS M m N m am m K .r EMA m m S fi n. T. T mm Am y 1961 A. L. STOECKEL ETAL 2,983,088

PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 21, 1956 km mm \m W fi E ALBERT L. STOEC/(E'L and CARL 7T Z/MMERMANN the/r Af/omey.

A. L. STOECKEL ET AL 2, 83,088

May 9, 1961 PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 21, 1956 /N VE N TOR May 9, 1961 A. STOECKEL ET AL 2, 83,088

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Dec. 21, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 //vv/ vr0/?s A LEE/P7 L. STOECKEL and CARL r. Z/MMERMA/VN a? /5' 2'0 y M their Altar/my.

y 9, 1961 A. L. STOECKEL ET AL 2,983,088

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed Dec.

8 Sheets-Sheet 7 8 7 04 RL 7. Z/MMERMA NM their Attorney. I

May 9, 1961 A. L. STOECKEL ETAL 2, 83,088

PACKAGING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Dec. 21, 1956 INVENTORS ALBERT L. STOEC/(EL and CARL 7'. Z/MMERMA/V/V Mei! A/Iorney.

United States Patent Qfihce 2,983,088 Patented May 9, 1961 PACKAGIN G MACHINE Albert L. Stoeckel, Euclid, and Carl T. Zimmermann, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignors to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 21, 1956, Ser. No. 629,956

11 Claims. (Cl. 53-59) This invention relates to an improved machine for packaging weighed quantities of loose articles, such as nails.

Our machine is an improvement over machines of the type shown in Ransohotf Patent No. 2,753,977, dated July 10, 1956. Such machines include essentially an elevated supply hopper which receives articles from an outside source, a vibrating conveyor pan into which articles discharge from said hopper, an automatic weighing scale which has a hopper for receiving articles from said pan, another vibrating conveyor pan into which articles discharge from the scale hopper, and a shaker mechanism for positioning a container to receive articles from the latter pan, plus the necessary drive means and controls. Conventionally the first conveyor pan feeds articles rapidly to the scale hopper until the scale registers a definite weight approaching the ultimate weight sought, Whereafter to insure accuracy this pan slowly dribbles the remaining articles needed to make the ultimate weight. As explained in the Ransohoif patent, one problem encountered in such machines is that articles tend to entangle and form self-sustaining masses diflicult to break. Such masses formed ahead of the scale cause difficulties in dribbling articles slowly into the scale hopper and in achieving accurate weight. Masses formed beyond the scale cause difficulties in producing a compact package or even prevent articles from entering the container.

An object of our invention is to provide a machine for packaging loose articles tending to entangle, which machine includes improved means for preventing articles from entangling, both between the supply hopper and the scale and between the scale and the container.

A further object is to provide a machine of the foregoing type in which the conveying means between the scale hopper and container are equipped with means both for preventing articles from entangling and for orienting articles in substantial parallelism, thus minimizing the size of container needed to ticles.

A further object is to provide a machine of the foregoing type which has two vibrating conveyors in series between the scale hopper and the container, the first being equipped with a rake wheel for leveling the articles and restricting their flow to the second, the second being equipped with partitions for orienting the articles in parallelism.

A further object is to provide a machine of the foregoing type equipped with retractable separators adapted to be inserted into a container for maintaining parallelism of articles after they enter the container, thus achieving maximum compactness within the container.

A further object is to provide a machine of the foregoing type which has a semi-automatic control, that is, in which an operator need only insert a container, press a dump button to feed articles into the container, and a stop button when feeding is complete to eject the loaded container.

A further object is to provide a machine of the forepack a given weight of argoing type which has means for shaking a container in a direction parallel to that in which articles are oriented to compact the articles and means for positively preventing side-sway of the container as it shakes.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, we have provided improved details of structure, a preferred form of which is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of our packaging machine;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine, the supply hopper and a portion of the scale-feeding conveyor pan being omitted;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view, partly broken away, of the supply hopper and scale-feeding conveyor pan taken on line IIIIII of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal vertical section of the lower portion of the machine on line IV-IV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a cross section of the machine on line VV of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a front end elevational view from the right as viewed in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section on line VIIVII of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a verticalsection on line VIII-VIII of Figure 7; and

Figure 9 is a simplified wiring diagram.

In brief, our machine comprises a rigid frame 10, a supply hopper 1 2 supported above said frame, an automatic weighing scale having a hopper 13 supported below and rearwardly of the supply hopper, and a shaking mechanism 14- adapted to position a container 15 at the lower front portion of the frame for filling with articles. A scale-feedin conveyor pan 16 is supported on the top of frame 10 for receiving articles from hopper 12 and feeding them to the scale hopper 13. A delivery-regulating conveyor pan 17 is supported within frame 10 below the scale hopper 13 for receiving articles from the latter. An article-orienting conveyor pan 18, which has upstanding longitudinal partitions 19, is supported within frame 10 forwardly of and below pan 17 for receiving articles therefrom and delivering them to the container. The

conveyor pans

16, 17 and 18 are driven by conventional

vibrating motors

16a, 17a and 18a respectively mounted on suitable supports rigid with the frame. A series of vertically movable separators 20 corresponding in number to the partitions 19 are supported at the front of frame It each in alignment with a different one of said partitions, and can be inserted into the container for maintaining article orientation therein. An ejector 21 is supported on frame 10 behind the shaker mechanism 14 for removing filled containers from the machine.

Rake wheels

22 and 23, which we consider important parts of our invention, are journaled above the

conveyor pans

16 and 17 respectively for controlling the level of articles within these pans and preventing their becoming entangled.

In more detail, the supply hopper 12 and vibrating motor 16a are mounted on a rigid frame 30 and base 31 respectively fixed to the top of frame 10 (Figure 3). Preferably these parts are arranged askew of frame 10, whereby a single elevating mechanism, not shown, supplies articles to both the machine shown and a similar adjacent machine of opposite hand. The rear portion of the hopper has an open bottom overlying the scalefeeding conveyor pan 16 whereby articles drop directly from the hopper into the pan. Preferably the upper portion of the hopper contains a fixed but vertically adjustable gate 32 to limit the depth of the layer of articles on the pan. The rake wheel 22 extends through slots in the hopper walls and is journaled on

brackets

33 and 34 on opposite sides thereof. These brackets are fixed to a shaft 35 pivoted to the hopper walls to allow vertical adjustment of the rake Wheel. The bracket 34 carries an upstanding screw-threaded rod 36 which extends through a bracket 37 fixed to the outside of the hopper wall. A nut 38 on the upper end of this rod holds

brackets

33 and 34 and the rake wheel in vertically adjusted position. Bracket 34 carries a gear motor 39 which drives the rake wheel in a direction to oppose movement of articles along pan 16. The rake wheel includes a plurality of radial spokes which both further limit the depth of the layer of articles discharging from the pan and prevent or break entanglements. The pan has upstanding longitudinal partitions 41) to guide the flow of articles and further prevent entaglements. v

A frame 45 for the scale hopper 13 is fixed to the top of frame 16 (Figure 4). The scale hopper is supported on four bell cranks 46, two on each side, suspended from the top of frame 45 on hangers 47. The inner arms of the bell cranks carry clevises 48 which are connected to eyebolts 49 fixed to a flange 50 on the hopper. A pair of hollow torsion rods 51 are connected across the outer arms of the respective bell cranks. Inwardly extending levers 52 are connected to the torsion rods 51 at one end of each rod. These levers are suspended from one end of a scale beam 53 which is fulcrurned at its mid-portion to an eyebolt 54 fixed to frame 45 (Figure 2). The other end of beam 53 is connected to the weighing mechanism of a scale 55 which is fixed to a support 56 rigid with frame 1%. The scale 55 and the parts connecting it to the scale hopper 13 are available commercially and per se not of our invention; U

hence no more detailed description is deemed necessary.

A counterweighted door 6% is hinged to the bottom of the scale hopper 13 (Figure 4). A latch 61, which has an operating solenoid 62, normally holds the door closed. When the scale registers that pan 16 has delivered to the scale hopper 13 the ultimate weight of articles for a package, it automatically completes circuits which both stop the vibrating motor 16 and also condition the solenoid 62 so that it can be energized. When this solenoid actually is energized, as hereinafter explained, it re leases the latch 61 to allow the weight of the contents of the scale hopper to open the door 60. The contents drop into pan 17, whereupon the counterweight again closes the door. The scale 55 has the further function, as known in the art, of slowing the feed rate on registering a weight of articles approaching the ultimate weight. For this purpose it operates a circuit connected to the vibrating motor 16a for slowing the rate at which this motor drives pan 16. When the articles are magnetic, pan 16 preferably is equipped with electromagnets 63 fixed to its underside beneath the outer portions. The scale can complete circuits which energize these magnets at the same time the motor is slowed, and thus limit article feeding to the central portion only of the pan.

A base 69 is fixed to the lower portion of frame 10 and carries the vibrating motor 17a and pan-supporting bracket 7% (Figure 4). The motor and bracket support the delivery-regulating conveyor pan 17 directly under the scale hopper 13. A downwardly tapered feeder chute 71 is fixed within frame 10 to guide articles as they drop from the scale hopper into the pan. The rake wheel 23 is located forwardly of the scale hopper. Its shaft extends through slots 72 in the chute walls and is journaled on

brackets

73 and 74 on opposite sides thereof (Figures 2 and These brackets are fixed to a shaft 75 pivoted with respect to the chute walls to allow vertical adjustment of the rake wheel. The bracket 74 carries an upstanding screw-threaded rod 76 which extends through a bracket 77 fixed to the outsde of the chute wall. A nut 78 on the upper end of this rod holds

brackets

73 and 74 and the rake wheel in vertically adjusted position, as indicated by a graduated scale 79 fixed to frame 10. Bracket 74- carries a gear motor 88 which drives the rake wheel'in a direction to oppose movement of articles along the conveyor pan 17. Structurally the mounting l5 7 of the rake wheel 23 is similar to that of the rake wheel 22 shown in further detail in Figure 1.

A base 81 is fixed to the lower portion of frame below and forwardly of base 69 and carries the vibrating motor 18a and a pan-supporting bracket 82 (Figure 4). The motor and bracket support the article-orienting conveyor pan 18 forwardly of and below the deliveryregulating conveyor pan 17. Side plates 83 are fixed within frame 18 and form an extension of the chute 71 for guiding articles discharging from pan 17 into pan 18. Conveniently the rearward edges of these plates can be notched to accommodate shaft 75 of the rake wheel support. Drip pans 84 are fixed to frame 10 outside plates 83 to catch any articles which inadvertently escape the conveyor pans and prevent their falling into the vibrating motors (Figures 2 and 5 The discharge end of pan 18 is located directly above a container positioned in the shaking mechanism 14 (Figure 4). The partitions 19 are formed of three plies of sheet metal, the middle ply of which is cut away at the front to provide slots 85 to accommodate the separators 28 (Figure 5).

The shaking mechanism 14 includes an open top box 86 supported on a base 87 for limited fore and aft movement under the discharge end of pan 18. The side walls of the box extend upwardly and carry a downwardly tapered loading funnel 88. The rear wall of this funnel is cut away, as indicated at 89 to receive the discharge end of pan 18. The front and rear walls of the funnel have opposed guideways 90 which receive the separators V 20. The front of the box has a hinged door 91 (Figures 6 and 7).' A door latch 92 is pivoted to the side wall ofthe box and engages a latch bar 93 fixed to the door, being normally held in engagement by a spring 94 (Figure 8). A solenoid 95 is fixed to frame 10 and has a plunger 96, which on energization of the solenoid depresses the back end of latch 92 allowing the door to open. Box 86 houses a container 15 which can be inserted manually through door 91.

To accommodate different sizes of container, a threesioed spacer 97 of U-shape in plan overlies the side and back'walls of the box, and a cooperating spacer 98 overlies the door (Figure 7). The back face of spacer 97 and front face of spacer 98 carry fixed bosses 99 which abut the box wall and door respectively and carry dowels 1% received in cooperating sockets in the box and door. Outwardly projecting latch rods 101 and bosses 102 are fixed to the front edges of spacer 97. Spacer latches 1%3 are pivoted to the side walls of the box, and the aforementioned springs 94 normally hold said latches in engagement with rods 101.. The bosses 102 abut the side walls of the box. A keeper 104 is fixed to spacer 98, projects through an opening 105 in door 91, and is engaged by a Wedge 106 slidably supported on the outside of the door (Figures 6 and 7). The

spacers

97 and 98 can be removed for replacement with spacers of different size on release of latches 103- and wedge 106.

A transverse beam 110 is fixed to the back of box 86 (Figures 2 and 8). Shaker arms 112 are connected to opposite ends of beam 110 and extend to the rear of frame 10 where they are connected to an eccentric shaft 113 journaled on said frame. Shaft 113 is driven by a motor 114 mounted thereabove on frame 10 through a belt and pulley mechanism 115. The front ends of the shaker arms are suspended from frame 10 on flexible leaf springs 116 (Figures 2. and 6). It is seen that rotation of the shaft oscillates the shaker arms 112 and thus shakes the box 86 back and forth longitudinally of the machine. To prevent undesirable side-sway of the box, flexible sway bars 117 are connected to the front portions of the shaker arms 112 and extend transversely of frame 10 and are anchored to the opposite side of said frame (Figures 2 and 5).

The separators 20 are fixed to angle irons 120 which are suspended from a vertically movable platform 121 (Figures 4 and 6). The suspension means includes a pair of upwardly extending rigid arms 122 fixed to opposite sides of the platform, and depending flexible sheets 123 of leather belting or the equivalent attached at their upper edges to said arms and at their lower edges to said angle irons. The flexible sheets allow the separators to move with the container as it shakes back and forth. A double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 124 is fixed to frame 10 above platform 121 and contains a reciprocable piston and piston rod 125 connected to the platform through a clevis 126 for raising and lowering the separators. Frame 10 carries a pair of vertically extending guide rods 127 on which the platform 12-1 rides. Preferably the frame also carries a pair of fixed upwardly tapered deflector plates 128 which receive the angle irons 120 when the separators are raised.

The ejector 21 includes a double-acting fluid pressure cylinder 130 fixed to frame 10 behind box 86 (Figure 4). The rear wall of said box and the spacer 97 contain

openings

131 and 132 respectively to accommodate the ejector. When door 91 is unlatched and shaker motor 114 stopped, cylinder 130 can be actuated to advance the ejector through the

openings

131 and 132 to push a loaded container from the box.

Figure 9 shows a simplified operating circuit for effecting semi-automatic control of the machine. No showing is made of the scale portion of the circuit, since this portion is conventional and not of our invention. Various refinements, such as indicator lights, limit switches to prevent improper operation of the machine, and emergency operating means, normally would be included in an actual circuit, but we have omitted them from this showing in the interest of simplicity. The circuit includes lines L and L connected to any suitable outside power source, and is actuated manually through Dump and Stop buttons D and S respectively.

The operator of the machine manually inserts a container 15 into the box 86 of the shaking mechanism and closes its door 91, which latches automatically. After the ultimate weight of articles accumulates in the scale hopper 13 and the scale-feeding conveyor pan 16 stops, the operator presses the Dump button, momentarily closing its three sets of normally open contacts D D and D Contacts D are connected across lines L and L in series with solenoid 62 which controls latch 61 of the door 60 on the scale hopper 13. Closing of contacts D energizes said solenoid, releases said latch, and thus allows the articles to drop into pan 17, whereupon the counterweight again closes the door to allow articles to resume feeding to the scale hopper. Contacts D are connected across lines L and L in series with a solenoid 135 which thus is energized when the contacts close. Energization of solenoid 135 shifts a four-way valve 136 to admit fluid to cylinder 124 in a direction to lower the separators 20 into the container 15.

Contacts D are connected across lines L and L in series with the winding of a relay A, which thus picks up when the contacts close. Relay A has five sets of normally open contacts A A A A and A Closing of contacts A seals in the relay around contacts D Contacts A A A and A are connected across lines L and L in series respectively with the vibrating motor 17a, the vibrating motor 18a, the rake wheel motor 80, and the shaking mechanism motor 114. Thus these motors start to operate when the relay picks up, whereupon the articles are delivered from pan 17 to the container 15, as already described.

As soon as the operator observes that all the articles are within the container, he presses the Stop button, momentarily closing its three sets of normally open contacts S S and S Contacts S are connected across lines L and L in series with the winding of a solenoid 137 which thus is energized when the contacts close. Energization of solenoid 137 returns valve 136 to its original position to admit fluid to cylinder 124 in a direction to raise the separators 20 from the container 15. For the

moment motors

17a, 18a, and 114 continue to run so that the shaking mechanism 14 compacts the articles within the container in the absence of the separators. Removal of the separators from the container leaves voids therein which are filled during this additional shaking.

Contacts S are connected across the lines L and L in series with the winding of a relay B, which thus picks up when the contacts close. Relay B has two sets of normally open contacts B and B Closing of contacts B seals in relay B around contacts S Contacts B are connwted across lines L and L in series with the winding of a time delay relay C, which thus commences to time as soon as these contacts close. Relay C has a set of normally closed contacts C in series both with contacts A which seal in relay A, and with contacts B which seal in relay B. After an interval of about 3 seconds, relay C times out and picks up, whereupon its contacts C open and drop out both relays A and B. All the contacts of relay A open and stop the

motors

17a, 18a, 80 and 114.

Contacts S are connected across the lines L and L in series with a normally closed limit switch 138 operated by door 91 on the box 86 and with the winding of a relay E, which thus picks up when these contacts close. Relay E has a set of normally open contacts E which close to seal in the relay around contacts S Contacts E also are in series with the winding of a time delay relay F, which thus commences to time as these contacts close. Relay F has two sets of normally open contacts F and F connected across lines L and L in series respectively with solenoid 95, which controls latch 92 for door 91, and with a solenoid 139, which controls a four-way spring return valve 1 40 connected to the ejector cylinder 130. After a longer interval than relay C requires or about 5 seconds, relay F times out and picks up, whereupon its contacts F and F close. Closing of contacts F energizes solenoid 95, depresses its plunger 96 and releases latch 92 so that door 91 is free to open. Closing of contacts F energizes solenoid 139 whereupon valve 140 shifts to admit fluid to cylinder in a direction to project the ejector 21 through

openings

131 and 132 into the box 86. The ejector pushes the filled container through door 91 and onto a suitable receiver, such as a roller conveyor. When the door opens fully, it engages limit switch 138 and opens this switch, whereupon relay E drops out and relay F follows on opening of contacts E The plunger 96 returns to its original position so that door 91 automatically latches when it is closed. Valve 140 returns automatically to its original position to admit fluid to cylinder 130 in the opposite direction to retract the ejector.

While a fully automatic control for the machine readily could be devised, we prefer a semi-automatic control as described. There is a noticeable variation in the time required for nails to feed from the scale hopper to the container. Therefore it is desirable to stop the conveyor pans and perform the other steps necessary to eject the filled container when an operator actually sees that feeding is complete. We have found in practice that a single operator can control two machines, being required only to insert empty cartons, close the box door, and press the buttons at the proper moment.

From the foregoing description it is seen that our invention affords a relatively simple machine for packaging articles such as nails in weighed quantities. The machine offers several improved features over previous machines with which We are familiar. For example, it incorporates means to prevent entanglements above and below the weighing scale, and then orients articles in substantial parallelism for more compact packaging.

While we have shown and described only a single embodiment of the invention, it is apparent that modifications may arise. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to assaoss the disclosure set forth but only by the scope of the appended claims.

substantial parallelism, and a shaking mechanism adapted to support a container to receive articles from said delivering means, the combination therewith of vertically movable separators, means for inserting said separators into a container supported in said shaking mechanism to maintain the articles in parallelism within the container, and flexible connectors between said inserting means and said separators to allow the separators to shake with the container.

2. In a packaging machine which includes means for delivering articles in weighed quantities and arranged in substantial parallelism, and a shaking mechanism adapted to support a container to receive articles from said delivering' means, said shaking mechanism comprising an open top box for housing the container, a door at the front of said box through which the container can be inserted and removed, motive means for shaking said container back and forth in a direction parallel to that in which articles move as they are delivered to the container, and sway bars operatively connected to said motive means to prevent sidesway of said box. 7

3. A machine as defined in claim 2 including spacers rcmovably fixed in said box for receiving the container and being replaceable with spacers of different size to accommodate different sizes of container. 4. A machine as defined in claim 2 including an ejector positioned behind said box, said box having an opening to accommodate said ejector, and a solenoid operated latch on said door whereby said ejector can enter said box and push a filled container therefrom on release of said latch.

5. A packaging machine comprising a frame, an ele vated supply hopper carried by said frame, a weighing scale carried by said frame and having a hopper, a shaking mechanism carried by said frame and having a box adapted to support a container and an access door through which the container can be inserted and removed, means carried by said frame for conveying articles from said supply hopper to said scale hopper and from said scale hopper to a container supported in said box, vertically movable separators carried by said frame and adapted to be inserted in the container, an ejector carried by said frame for pushing filled containers from said box, and a semi-automatic control including a circuit for dumping said scale hopper, starting the conveying means between the scale hopper and container, lowering said separators and operating said shaking mechanism when a predetermined Weight of articles accumulates in said scale hopper, a circuit for raising said separators when the articles have been conveyed to the container, a circuit for thereafter stopping the conveying means and shaking mechanism, and a circuit for releasing said door and operating said ejector after the shaking mechanism has stopped.

6. A machine as defined in claim 5 in which the conveying means between said scale hopper and the container includes a vibrating delivery-regulating conveyor pan into which the hopper (lumps and a vibrating article-orienting conveyor pan extending between said first named pan and the container, said machine comprising a rake wheel journaled above said first named pan and means for driving said rake Wheel in a direction counter to article movement along said pans.

7. A machine as defined in claim 5 in which said first named circuit starts said rake wheel when said pans are started and said third named circuit stops said rake wheel 7 when said pans are stopped.

8. A machine as defined in claim 5 in which said control includes a door operated limit switch for resetting said ejector.

9. In a packaging machine which includes an elevated supply hopper, a weighing scale having a hopper, a shaking mechanism adapted to support a container, a vibrating scale-feeding conveyor pan for feeding articles from said supply hopper to said scale hopper, and conveying means for feeding articles from said scale hopper to a container supported in said shaking mechanism, the combination therewith of a first rake wheel journaled above said pan for controlling the level of articles within the pan and preventing their becoming entangled between said supply hopper and said scale hopper, a second rake wheel journaled above said conveying means for controlling the level or" articles within said conveying means and preventing their becoming entangled between said scale hopper and the container, means for driving said rake wheels in a direction counter to article movement, means for orienting articles in substantial parallelism as they move along said conveying means, and vertically movable separators adapted to be inserted within a container supported in said shaking mechanism for maintaining the articles in parallelism within the container.

10. In a packaging machine which includes a scale hopper, means for feeding'articles to said hopper until a predetermined weight accumulates, and a shaking mechanism adapted to support a container, the combination therewith of a delivery-regulating vibrating conveyor pan beneath said hopper to receive articles therefrom, an article-orienting vibrating conveyor pan extending between said first named pan and a container supported in said shaking mechanism, a rake wheel journaled above said first named pan, means for driving said rake Wheel in a direction counter to article movement, upstanding partitions on said second named pan to orient the articles in substantial parallelism, and vertically movable separators adapted to be inserted within a container supported in said shaking mechanism for maintaining the articles-in parallelism within the container, said separators corresponding in number to said partitions and each being aligned with a different partition.

11. in a packaging machine which includes an elevated supply hopper, a weighing scale hopper, a shaking mechanism adapted to support a container, and a vibrating scale-feeding conveyor pan for feeding articles from said supply hopper to said scale hopper,the combination therewith of a delivery-regulating vibrating conveyor pan beneath said scale hopper to receive articles therefrom, an article-orienting vibrating conveyor pan extending between said delivery-regulating pan and a container supported in said shaking mechanism, said shaking mecha-' nism comprising an open top box for housing the container, a door at the front of said box through which the container can be inserted and removed, motive means for shaking said box back and forth in a direction parallel to that in which articles move as they are delivered to the container, and an ejector positioned behind said box, said box having an opening to accommodate said ejector whereby said ejector can enter said box and push a filled container therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,071,443 Weckerly Feb. 23, 1937 2,076,617 Cleaves Apr. 13, 1937 2,236,890 Bower et al. Apr. 1, 1941 2,256,215 Orth et al. Sept. 16, 1941 2,402,110 Yates et al. June 11, 1946 2,581,042 Otto Jan. 1, 1952 2,641,435 Petrea June 9, 1953 2,693,336 Johnson Nov. 2, 1954 2,710,712 Friedman June 14, 1955 2,749,077 Woodman June 5, 1956 2,753,977 Ransohotf July 10, 1956 2,760,318 Brenneck et al. Aug. 28, 1956 2,899,783 Otto Aug. 18, 1959 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,983,088 May 9, 1961 Albert Lo Stoeckel et al.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent. should read as "corrected below d Colgmn 7, line 68, for the claim reference numeral 5" Signed and sealed this 26th day of September 1961..

( SEA L).

Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER DAVID L. mun

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,983,088 May 9, 1961 Albert L. Stoeckel et 81. Q

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent. should read as corrected below.

d Column 7 line 68, for the claim reference numeral "5;" rea 6 Signed and sealed this 26th day of September 1961,

(SEAL). Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER v DAVID L. LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents USCOMM-DC-