US3074594A - Rimmed-plate dispenser - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 22, 1963 I w. E. CHEELEY 3,074,594

RIMMEDQPLATE DISPENSER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 'Fil ed Dec. 19, 1957 INVENTOR. WILLIAM E. CHEELEY ATTORNEYS ,as conveyers, filling machines, etc.

United States Patent 3,074,594 RIMMED-PLATE DISPENSER William E. Cheeley, Louisville, Ky., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 19, 1957, Ser. No. 703,885 17 Claims. (Cl. 22193) This invention relates to a dispenser for dispensing or serially dropping the lowest receptacle, such as an aluminum foil plate, from one or more stacks of similar receptacles.

The dispenser, in the preferred embodiment, is mounted on a large base plate, and incorporates one or more of the following features: The main power transfer unit is carried by the base plate. The dispenser can be mounted over or adjacent many types of machines, such It can be powered by the motor of the machine with which it is used. It can be stopped and started independently of the machine from which the power is taken. It incorporates design features which allows interchangeable finger plates, or sub-base plates, for dispensing receptacles of different shapes and/or sizes.

The fingers which support and release the bottom receptacle from a stack of like receptacles, in the preferred embodiment, incorporate one or more of the following features. The fingers can be manually adjusted to accept different vertical thicknesses of receptacle rims or beads. The fingers automatically adjust themselves 2 to the usual production tolerance variations of rim bead diameter or vertical thickness in a given stack of like receptacles. The fingers are shaped to minimize or eliminate damage to the containers, should any production tolerance variations exceed the automatic adjustment corner of the lowest receptacle accidentally slips past the adjacent finger, the other three fingers maintain the remaining receptacles of the stack in proper alignment, thus preventing dislocation of a large number of corners of receptacles immediately above.

More specifically, an object of this invention is to provide a plurality of fin-ger supporting levers oscillatable adjacent the opening through which the receptacles are dropped, these levers extending toward the edge of the opening, and each lever having a pair of vertically and laterally spaced fingers alternately engaging and supporting rims of the receptacles, the vertical spacing of the fingers being substantially equal to the vertical thickness of the rims, one of the fingers being vertically yieldable to compensate for the usual production tolerance variations in the thickness of the rims of the receptacles.

Another object of this invention is to provide a finger supporting lever construction for use with a machine of the character described which has a finger support plate with a knife-like finger extending over the edge of the opening through which the receptacles are dropped, together with a second finger support plate resiliently supported adjacent the first finger support plate which has a second knife-like finger extending over the edge of the opening and being laterally and vertically spaced from the first knife-like finger.

Another object of this invention is to provide a supporting lever construction which has two knife-like fingers for alternately supporting the lowest receptacle in the "ice stack and in which the vertical spacing fingers may be manually adjusted in an efiicient manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide a dispenser mounted on a large base plate with part of the actuating mechanism mounted thereon, and receiving a plurality of sub-base plates being removable and interchangeable with other sub-base plates.

Another object of this invention is to provide a machine of the character above referred to in which vertical rods of different lengths are supported adjacent the opening through which the receptacles are dropped for guiding the receptacles through said openings.

Further objects of this invention will become apparent as the description proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portion of a machine embodying this invention.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation taken from the lower left corner of FIG. 1 in the direction indicated by line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation taken from the upper left corner of FIG. 1 in the direction indicated by the line 3-3- of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the lever constructions and other elements around one of the openings through which the receptacles are dropped, and showing only the lower two receptacles of the usual stack.

FIG. 5 is a view similar .to FIG. 4, showing a subsequent step in the operation of the machine.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIGS. 4 and 5, showing a further step in the operation of the machine.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged plan View of one of the lever constructions.

FIG. 8 is a cross-section taken along the line 88 of FIG. 7, with portions of the main base plate and subbase plate added.

FIG. 9 is a cross-section along line 99 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-section along line 10-10 of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 is a view in perspective of a sector cut off from the end of the lever constructions shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the lower knife-like finger of FIG. 11, with parts broken away.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the upper finger of FIG. 11, with a part broken away.

FIGS. 14l6 are diagrammatic views showing the automatic adjustment of the fingers for slightly diiferent rims.

Referring first mainly to FIGS. 1 and 2 the machine includes a relatively large base plate 20 having a relatively large sub-base plate receiving opening 22, in which a plurality of sub-base plates or finger plates or bed plates 24 are supported by a flange construction 22a (FIG. 8). The base plate 20 and sub-base plates 24 comprise a support of the machine of this invention.

Each of the sub-base plates 24 has a receptacle dropping opening 26, through which the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles is dropped serially upon the conveyer 28, which moves transversely to the main base plate 20, as indicated by the arrow 29. The receptacles serially drop through the openings 26 and are carried by the conveyor 28 in rows, as indicated at 30 in FIG. 1

A plurality of long vertical rods 32 (FIGS. 4-6) and shorter vertical rods 34 are supported adjacent the openings 26 on the sub-base plates 24 to guide the stacks of receptacles to the openings 26, from which they are dropped serially by the operation of the lever constructions or receptacle removers 36, which extend toward the openings 26. The rods 32 and 34 comprise receptacle stack receivers. The oscillations of these lever constructions 36 drop the lowest receptacles from each stack in a manner to be more fully described.

amuse The upper ends of the shorter rods 34 are slanted or rounded, as indicated at 3411, properly to align the receptacles in the stack as they descend to the lower level where the short rods 34 are located.

A pair of longitudinally oscillatable bars 38 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 8) are supponted on the large base plate 20 by means-of the bearing blocks 39 which are bolted or otherwise secured at the ends of the base plate 20 and at other suitable intervals, if desired, to prevent lateral movement of the bars 38. These bars are longitudinally oscillated by the connecting rods 43a and the adjustable eccentrics 4t rotated by the shaft 41, which is driven by the chain 42 (FIG. 3) below the plate 29. If desired, the gearing 43 may be driven by the shaft 43a by a chain 43b passing over the sprocket wheel 43c and powered by the motor, not shown, which drives the conveyer 28. The gears 43 drive the shaft 43d which is loosely connected to the aligned shaft 43c. The recep tacle dropping operations are coordinated with the lateral travel of the belt 28, properly to distribute the receptacles in rows on the belt 28. If desired, clutch 45, operated by lever 45a, may be provided between the loosely connected shafts 43d and 43a. The shaft 43e has the sprocket wheel 43 engaging the chain 42 which in turn drives the sprocket wheel 43g on shaft 41 to enable the conveyer belt 28 to be driven while the receptacle dropping mechanism operates or is idle, depending on the position of lever or handle 45a.

The receptacle supporting lever constructions 36 are more particularly shown in FIGS. 7-16. A main lever 44 swings about a fulcrum pin 46 which is threadedly mounted at 46:: on the sub-base plate 24. The pin 46 is surrounded by the bearing or bushing 47, which is engaged at its upper end by the head 46a and the lower end of which engages the washer or spacer 47a. The bearing 47 has an enlarged central belt 471:, the upper shoulder of which engages the lever 44, and the lower shoulder of which engages the upper surface of a lower finger support plate 48, while the lower thin portion of bearing 47 passes through the plate 48. The finger support plate 48 is connected at its other end to the main lever 44 by means of the fiat headed pin 50, which is surrounded by the spacing sleeve 52 and is threadedly connected to the plate 48 at 54. This construction, together with the Washer 47;: and sleeve 47, surrounding pin 46, rigidly secure the plate 48 in spaced relation to the main lever 44. Alower, or first, knife-like finger 60 is secured to, or is integral with, the plate 48 and extends from the end of the plate over the edge of the opening 26 (FIG. 1) over which it oscillates. The finger 60 has a downward taper at 61 (FIGS. 11, 12, 14-16) which allows the finger 60 to wedge itself above the lower receptacle of the stack to force it downwardly through opening 26 in a manner further to be described.

A second, or intermediate, finger support plate 62, which is an upper plate with respect to the lower or first plate 48, is resiliently and pivotally supported intermediate the plate 48 and the lever 44. To this end, the "compression springs 64, 6-5 and 66 are placed in recesses 67 and 68 in the plate 48 upwardly to urge the plate 62 toward the lever 44. A pivotal ball bearing 70 is placed between the plate 62 and the lever 44in recesses 72 and 74. A screw 76 is threaded through the plate 44 and its tapered lower end presses against the top surface of the plate 62. A locking spring 80 engages the top surface of lever 44 and the lower face of the head 76a of screw 76 and prevents screw 76 from turning from its selected position. By this construction, the plate 62 is resiliently and pivotally mounted in an eflicient and facile manner. The machine may be adjusted for receptacle rims of widely differently vertical widths by manipulation of screw 76.

A second, or upper finger 82 is connected to, or is int'egral with the plate 62. It has a downwardly. and upwardly tapered edge 82a and 82b (-FIG. 13) and 'is 4 rounded at its leading edge at 830 (FIG. 11) to enable it temporarily to adjust itself to the slightly varying thicknesses of the rims of the receptacles, which is inherent in high quantity production. Finger 82 is also shaped to wedge itself gently between adjacent rim, of the receptacles.

The screw 76 is used manually to adjust the knifelike fingers 60 and 82 for widely different thicknesses of rims, as when different width rims are ordered or received. The springs 64, 65 and 66 permit the finger 82, and its supporting plate 62, to adjust automatically upwardly or downwardly for small production tolerance variations in the bead thickness in a given stack of substantially like receptacles.

The end 86 of the lever 44 is provided with a slot 87 (FIGS. 7 and 8) which receives the head 88 of the screw 89 which threadedly engages the tapped opening 90 in the sliding block 91 which surrounds the oscillating bar 38. The end of screw 9%) engages the fiat top 93 formed in the upper part of bar 38. This construction oscillates the lever 44 and the lever construction attached thereto, as the blocks 91 slide back and forth over the upper surface of the ridge 20a of the base plate 20. These blocks 91 also support the intermediate portion of the bar 38 above the base 20.

Thus, by merely lifting either or both sub-base plates 24 vertically upwardly, the levers 44 secured to the respective sub-base plate 24 are freely detached from the vertically disposed drive pins 88 through the enlarged slots 87 of the levers 44. In this manner, the sub-lbase plates 24 and attached levers 44 can be readily removed from the base 20 and interchanged as desired without the necessity of unfastening or fastening time consuming connections.

Referring to FIG. 4, only the lowest receptacle 94 and the next to the lowest receptacle 95 of a stack of receptacles are shown to permit a clearer disclosure, it being understood that the stack may extend upwardly between the rods 32 and 34 to an indefinite height, limited by the length of rods 32. The lowest receptacle 94 has a rim or bead 94a and the receptacle 95 has a rim or head -5a. These rims form the inter-groove 96 into which the upper knife-like fingers 82 will pass as the lever constructions 36 oscillate from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 5. When the levers reach the position shown in FIG. 5, the lower fingers 6%) have moved out from under the rim 94a, and the pan 94 has dropped and disappeared through the opening 26, which is slightly larger than the horizontal extent of rims 94a, 95a, etc., of the receptacles. The rim 95a, in FIG. 5, now rests on the upper fingers 82 which now support the entire stack. As the lever constructions 36 move to the position shown in FIG. 6, the upper fingers 82 are moving out from under the rim 95a, and this movement eventually will drop the rim 95a onto the lower fingers 60 when the levers 36 return to the original position shown in FIG. 4. The reverse movement from FIG. 5

to FIG. 4 does not drop any receptacle through the open-- FIG. 6 also indicates how a deformity in any one receptacle is prevented from disarranging a large number of receptacles in the stack. The rim 95a is shown slightly deformed at 97. The upper right finger 82 may press the rim inwardly at 917, but the other three fingers pass under the rim 95a and support the receptacle 95, and the stack above it (not shown), so the next receptacle will be properly received and supported by all four fingers 66 when the levers return to the position of FIG. 4.

The large base plate 20, with the smaller sub-base plates 24 (FIGS. 1, 8 and 9) enable the interchange with other sub-base plates having openings and/ or levers of different size or shape for use with receptacles of other sizes and shapes. One or more of the sub-base plates 24 may be removed and replaced by such other sub-base plates as is desired. In this manner the machine may be changed from time to time for use with receptacles of different sizes and shapes. The change may include only one stack, or many stacks, as desired. Receptacles of different kinds may be placed side by side on the conveyer 28 for simultaneous packing of different commodities. Also the machine may be changed to complete new set of subplates, as desired. The adjustable eccentric 40 and the adjustable connection between the levers 44 and the bar 38, by pins 89, permit an extensive change in the machine.

The vertical manual adjustment between the fingers 60 and 8-2 by screw 76 permits variation of the machine for adaptation to rims of widely different vertical thicknesses. The automatic vertical adjustment of finger 82 by the yielding of springs 64, 65, and 66 permits slight variations to adapt the machine to operate on rims supposed to be of the same thickness, but which sometimes accidentally vary a slight amount because of production tolerances.

For example, when a new shipment of receptacles is received, the rim height may be somewhat different in the new shipment even when the same size has been ordered. The vertical adjustment by movement of the screw 76 permits a quick and facile adjustment to the new thickness.

On the other hand, the resilient mounting of the fingers 82 automatically adjusts the machine for the slight tolerance variations in the rim thickness which occur within a single stack or shipment. FIGS. 14, '15, and 16 diagrammatically illustrate the automatic adjustment (in exaggerated scale) for slight tolerance variations. FIG. 14 shows the normal operation of the fingers 82 and 60 with rims or beads of uniform vertical thickness. FIG. 15 shows a downward automatic adjustment of finger 82 to compensate for the under normal size of bead 98. FIG. 16 shows an upward automatic adjustment of finger 82 to compensate for the over size of bead 99. FIG. 14 also indicates how the downward taper 61 of finger 60 forces the displaced bead 100 and its receptacle 101 downward from the stack to insure that receptacle 101 drops properly on the conveyer 28.

In operation of the machine, a plurality of stacks of receptacle are placed over the openings 26 and are guided in their downward movement by the rods 32 and 34. The rods 34, because of their rounded ends 34a, provide the final horizontal alignment of the receptacles in the lower zone preparatory to the dropping operation. The lowermost receptacle 94 in the stack is supported during one stage of the operation (FIG. 4) by the lower fingers 60 of the lever constructions 36, which are oscillated by the bars 38. As the oscillations proceed from the position of FIG. 4 to that of FIG. 5, the lower fingers move out from under the rim Ma and the receptacle 94 drops through the opening 26, and the rim 95a rests on the upper fingers 82, as shown in FIG. 5. As the oscillation reverses to the position of FIG. 6, the rim 95a drops to the fingers 60, a distance equal to the vertical thickness of the rim 95a, or the vertical distance between the fingers 60 and 82. If there are other receptacles stacked above the receptacle 95, which is the normal condition, but which is not illustrated in the drawings for the sake of clearness, the receptacle next above the receptacle 95 will then be separated by the knife-like fingers 82 as they enter the intergroove 96 formed between the rims of the receptacles. Further movement of the lever constructions 36 causes the upper fingers 82 to enter completely into the groove 96 in the manner previously described. This operation is repeated indefinitely. The receptacles fall on the conveyer 28 and proceed in rows corresponding to the number of stacks. The receptacles on the conveyer are then filled with the desired products, such as individual dinners to be frozen for future use, etc.

The adjustable features heretofore described permit the use of different receptacles simultaneously in different stacks, and the machine may also be quickly adjusted for variations which occur in different shipments received '6 from the supplier of the receptacles. A slight deformity in any one receptacle, such as indicated at 97 in FIG. 6, does not disarrange the entire stack, as is usual in previ ous machines. Other features disclosed add to the efficiency of the machine. Thus a very efficient and adaptable dispenser is provided.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, as required by statute, other embodiments may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacles from a plurality of stacks of receptacles having inter-groove formng rims comprising: a main support including a large base plate having a large sub-base plate receiving opening surrounded by a flange construction and a plurality of sub-base plates supported within said large opening on said flange construction and individually and upwardly removable therefrom, each sub-base plate having a receptacle dropping opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims; means adjacent said receptacle dropping openings guiding said receptacles from said stacks through their respective receptacle dropping openings; a plurality of supporting lever constructions oscillatable adjacent said receptacle dropping openings, each lever construction having one end extending toward the edge of the respective receptacle dropping opening and having its other end extending over the large base plate and having a slot therein, each of said lever constructions having a main lever with intermediate fulcrum means on its respective sub-base plate; a first knifelike finger carried by each main lever over the edge of its respective receptacle dropping opening; a second knifelike finger carried by each main lever extending over the edge of its respective receptacle dropping opening and being laterally and vertically spaced from said first knifelike finger, the vertical spacing of such fingers being a distance substantially equal to the vertical thickness of said rims; an oscillatable bar supported on said large base plate and having upwardly directed pin means received in said slots of said lever constructions whereby said lever constructions can be released from said oscillatable bar by merely lifting said sub base plates vertically upwardly until said slots of said lever constructions clear said pin means; and means for oscillating said bar.

2. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through said opening; fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening; a lever horizontally and oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means and extending toward said opening; means for horizontally oscillating said lever adjacent said opening; a lower plate mounted on said fulcrum means in fixed spaced relationship to said lever; means fixedly securing said lower plate to said lever in fixed spaced relationship from said lever; an upper plate intermediate said lever and said lower plate; pivot means between said upper plate and lever; spring means between said upper plate and said lower plate rocking said upper plate about said pivot means; an adjustable screw in said lever bearing on said upper plate in oppositionto said spring means; said plates each having knife-like fingers extending over said opening and being normally spaced vertically from each other a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the rims of said receptacles and being spaced horizontally from each other a distance to drop the lowest receptacle from said stack and support the next lowest receptacle in said stack during each oscillation of said lever.

3. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles havinginter-groove forming rims comprising: a support having an opening i runs; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through said opening; a vertical fulcrum pin on said support adjacent said opening; a lever horizontally and oscillatably mounted about said fulcrum pin and extending toward said opening; means for horizontally oscillating said lever adjacent said opening; a lower plate mounted about said fulcrum pin in fixed spaced relationship to said lever; a washer and first screw fixedly securing said lower plate to said lever in fixed spaced relationship; an upper plate intermediate said lever and lower plale; a pivot between said upper plate and lever; first compression spring means between said lower plate and said upper plate rocking said upper plate about said pivct; an adjustable second screw in said lever bearing on said upper plate in opposition to said spring means; a second and weaker compression spring means between said upper and lower plates on the opposite side of said pivot from said first compression spring means, said plates each plate loosely surrounds said washer and first screw.

5. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through said opening; fulcrum means on said support I adjacent said opening; a lever horizontally and oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means and extending toward said opening; means for horizontally oscillating said lever adjacent said opening; a lower plate fixedly secured to said lever; a pivot means carried by said lever; an upper plate pivotally mounted to said pivot means between said lever and lower plate; spring means rocking said upper plate about said pivot means; an adjustable screw acting between said lever and said upper plate in opposition to said spring means; said plates each having knife-like fingers extending over said opening and being normally spaced vertically from each other a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the rims of said receptacles and being spaced horizontally from each other a distance to drop the lowest receptacle from said stack and support the next lowest receptacle in said stack during each oscillation of said lever.

6. A machine for serially dropping the lowest recep- :tacle from a stack of receptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a support having an opening vlarger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said ;rims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through said opening; a vertical fulcrum pin on said support adjacent said opening; a horizontal lever oscillatably mounted about said fulcrum pin and extending toward said opening; means for oscillating said lever about said pin adjacent said opening; a pivot means carried by said lever; a lower plate fixedly secured to said lever; an upper platepivotally secured to said pivot means of said lever; spring means biasing said upper plate; an

adjustable screw positioned between said lever and said upper plate acting in opposition to said spring means; said plates each having knife-like fingers extending over said opening and being normally spaced vertically from each other a distance substantially equal to the thickness or" the rims of said receptacles and being spaced horizontally "from each other a distance to drop the lowest receptacle from said stack and support the next lowest receptacle in "said stack during each oscillation of said lever.

7.-A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles having inter-groove .forming rims comprising: a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal perphery of said rims; means adjacent said opening guiding said recepta:les through said opening; a vertical fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening; a horizontal lever oscilatably mounted about said fulcrum means and extending toward said opening; means for oscillating said lever about said fulcrum means adjacent said opening; a lower plate connected to said lever; an upper plate connected to said lever; vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers on said plates; and means located on the upper side of said lever for adjusting the vertical distance between said plates without dismantling said plates from said lever.

8. A machine for serially dropping the lowest recepr tacle from a stack of receptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims; means adjacent said opening guiding said receptacles through said opening; an vertical fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening; a horizontal lever oscillatably mounted about said fulcrum means and extending toward said opening; means for oscillating said lever about said fulcrum means adjacent said opening; a lower plate fixedly connected to said lever; an upper plate flexibly connected to said lever; vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers on said plates; and means carried by said lever for adjusting the vertical distance between said plates.

9. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of multi-sided receptacles having intergroove forming rims comprising: means for holding said stack of multi-sided receptacles with their sides in fixed vertical planes; vertical fulcrum means substantially aligned With one of said vertical planes; a horizontal lever oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means substantially aligned with said last named plane and with one end rockable adjacent the intersection of said last named plane with another plane; a lower plate connected to said lever at said one end; upper plate connected to said lever at said one end; vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers on said plates; and means for oscillating said lever with said plates and fingers adjacent said intersection serially to release the lowest receptacle from said stack.

l0.'A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of multi-sided receptacles having intergroove forming rims comprising: means for holding said stack of multi-sided receptacles with their sides in fixed vertical planes; vertical fulcrum means substantially aligned with one of said vertical planes; a horizontal lever oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means with one end rockable adjacent the intersection of said last named plane with another plane; a lower plate fixedly connected to said lever at said one end; an upper plate flexibly connected to said lever at said one end; vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers on said plates; and means for oscillating said lever with said plates and fingers adjacent said intersection serially-to release the lowest receptacle from said stack.

11. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacles from a plurality of stacks of receptacles having inter-groove forming rims comprising: a large main base having a sub-base plate receiving opening surrounded by a flange construction for receiving a plurality of down- Wardly deposited and upwardly removable sub-bases; a plurality of downwardly deposited and upwardly removable sub-bases on said flange construction on said large main base and each having a receptacle dropping opening therein, each sub-base having a receptacle stack receiver and a bottom receptacle remover including an operating lever extending beyond said sub-base and over said main base, said levers serially dropping receptacles from said stacks through said receptacle dropping openings in said sub-base plates; an oscillatable bar on said main base under said levers; upwardly directed pin means carried by said bar; said levers having transversely disposed slot means therein respectively receiving said pin means whereby said levers can be disconnected from said bar by lifting vertically upwardly on said sub-base until said slots clear said pin means; and oscillating means to oscillate said oscillatable bar.

12. A machine according to claim 11, in which said pin means are longitudinally adjustable along said bar.

13. A machine according to claim 11, in which another set of levers extend from the other side of said sub-bases and are similarly connected to a second similar oscillatable bar Which is oscillated by said oscillating means.

14. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles having inter-groove forming rims of the same peripheral dimensions and comprising a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims, fulcrum means on said support, a lever oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means, a lower plate, means connecting said lower plate to said lever, an upper plate, means connecting said upper plate to said lever, said plates respectively having vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers for respectively spanning the rim of the lowest receptacle of said stack and for serially dropping said receptacles through said opening as said lever oscillates, said means connecting said plates to said lever automatically effecting relative movement between said plates to vary the vertical distance between said fingers to span rims of varying vertical dimensions.

15. In combination, a stack of receptacles having intergroove forming rims of the same peripheral dimensions, a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims, fulcrum means on said support, a lever oscillatably mounted on said fulcrum means, a lower plate, means connecting said lower plate to said lever, an upper plate, means connecting said upper plate to said lever, said plates respectively having vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers respectively spanning the rim of the lowerest receptacle of said stack and serially dropping said receptacles through said opening as said lever oscillates, said means connecting said plates to said lever automatically effecting relative movement between said plates to vary the vertical distance between said fingers to span rims of varying vertical dimen- SIOHS.

16. In combination, a stack of receptacles having intergroove forming rims of the same peripheral dimensions, a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims, means adjacent said opening for guiding said receptacles through said opening, fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening, a lever oscillatably mounted about said fulcrum means adjacent said opening; a lower plate, means connecting said lower plate to said lever, an upper plate, means connecting said upper plate to said lever, said plates respectively having vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers respectively spanning the rim of the lowerest receptacle and serially dropping said receptacles through said opening as said lever oscillates, said means connecting said plates to said lever automatically effecting relative movement between said plates to vary the vertical distance between said fingers to span rims of varying vertical dimen' sions.

17. A machine for serially dropping the lowest receptacle from a stack of receptacles having inter-groove forming rims of the same peripheral dimensions and comprising a support having an opening larger than the maximum horizontal periphery of said rims, fulcrum means on said support adjacent said opening, a lever oscillatably mounted about said fulcrum means adjacent said opening, a first plate, means connecting said first plate to said lever, a second plate, means pivotally connecting said second plate to said lever, said plates respectively having vertically and laterally spaced knife-like fingers respectively spanning the rim of the lowest receptacle and serially dropping said receptacles through said opening as said lever oscillates, said means pivotally connecting said second plate to said lever, causing said second plate to pivot vertically away from said first plate when a receptacle having a wide rim is received therebetween and cansing said second plate to pivot vertically toward said first plate when a receptacle having a narrow rim is received therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,091,921 Flatau Mar. 31, 1914 2,309,568 Bell Jan. 26, 1943 2,352,764 Bell July 4, 1944 2,389,905 Harriss et al. Nov. 27, 1945 2,412,441 Carson et al Dec. 10, 1946 2,518,294 Dennis et a1. Aug. 8, 1950 2,519,579 Johnson Aug. 22, 1950 2,602,556 Sheehan July 8, 1952 2,618,394 Miller Nov. 18, 1952 2,620,076 Bongiovanni Dec. 2, 1952 2,639,045 Wahl May 19, 1953 2,721,002 Smith Oct. 18, 1955 2,730,268 Moesch Jan. 10, 1956 2,858,043 Fenton et a1 Oct. 28, 1958 2,869,755 Gaudreau Jan. 20, 1959

Claims (1)

1. A MACHINE FOR SERIALLY DROPPING THE LOWEST RECEPTACLES FROM A PLURALITY OF STACKS OF RECEPTACLES HAVING INTER-GROOVE FORMING RIMS COMPRISING: A MAIN SUPPORT INCLUDING A LARGE BASE PLATE HAVING A LARGE SUB-BASE PLATE RECEIVING OPENING SURROUNDED BY A FLANGE CONSTRUCTION AND A PLURALITY OF SUB-BASE PLATES SUPPORTED WITHIN SAID LARGE OPENING ON SAID FLANGE CONSTRUCTION AND INDIVIDUALLY AND UPWARDLY REMOVABLE THEREFROM, EACH SUB-BASE PLATE HAVING A RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENING LARGER THAN THE MAXIMUM HORIZONTAL PERIPHERY OF SAID RIMS; MEANS ADJACENT SAID RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGS GUIDING SAID RECEPTACLES FROM SAID STACKS THROUGH THEIR RESPECTIVE RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGS; A PLURALITY OF SUPPORTING LEVER CONSTRUCTIONS OSCILLATABLE ADJACENT SAID RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENINGS, EACH LEVER CONSTRUCTION HAVING ONE END EXTENDING TOWARD THE EDGE OF THE RESPECTIVE RECEPTACLE DROPPING OPENING AND HAVING ITS OTHER END EXTENDING OVER THE LARGE BASE PLATE AND HAVING A SLOT THEREIN, EACH OF SAID LEVER CONSTRUCTIONS HAVING A MAIN LEVER WITH INTERMEDIATE FULCRUM MEANS ON ITS RESPECTIVE SUB-BASE PLATE; A FIRST KNIFE-

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