US3190491A - Article handling hopper - Google Patents

Description

June 22, 1965 H. W. MARANO ARTICLE HANDLING HOPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 9, 1963 q kg June 22, 1965 H. w. MARANO ARTICLE HANDLING HOPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 9, 1963 June 22, 1965 H. w. MARANO ARTICLE HANDLING HOPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 9, 1963 H. W. MARANO ARTICLE HANDLING HOPPER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 22, 1965 Filed April 9, 1965 United States Patent M 3,190,491 ARTICLE HANDLING HOPPER Herbert W. Marano, Summit, N.J., amignor to Consolidated Cigar Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 271,692 2 Claims. (Cl. 221-68) The present invention relates generally to improvements in article handling and dispensing apparatus and it relates in particular to an improved apparatus for arranging and feeding groups of articles such as cigars or the like in predetermined uniform orientation preparatory to the further handling thereof.

Many types of article handling and treating apparatus, such as packaging and wrapping machines and the like require that the articles be delivered thereto in a uniform predetermined orientation. Where the packaging machine is of the high speed type and the articles being handled are of a fragile nature, the handling, orientating and feeding of the articles to the packaging machine in a proper arrangement and orientation present many problems. These problems arise in the inspection, classification, sorting and packaging of cigars and similar articles. For an eflicient operation it is necessary that the cigars, during many phases of their handling, be accurately and rapidly orientated in predetermined groups with a minimum of hand labor or personal attendance. The absence of these conditions contribute to reductions in eificiency and a consequent increase in production costs.

It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved article handling and dispensing apparatus.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for assembling, arranging and feeding articles in a predetermined uniform orientation.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for assembling and feeding successive end-to-end groups of cigars in sideby-side parallel relationship from a bunch of said cigars.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus of the above nature characterized by its high speed, reliability, ruggedness and simplicity.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective partially exploded, fragmentary view of an orientating and feeding mechanism embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary top plan view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary side elevational view thereof, the rocker plates being illustrated in their intermediate positions; and

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 4, the rocker plates being illustrated in their opposite high-low positions.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an article handling apparatus comprising a plurality of transversely spaced longitudinally extending panels delineating a plurality of passageways and means for imparting reciprocating motions to said panels relative to said next adjacent panels.

In one form of apparatus constructed according to and embodying the present invention, there is provided a base plate having regularly transversely spaced longitudinally extending slots formed therein and front and rear walls having transversely spaced vertical slots formed therein corresponding to the slots in the base plate. The lower 3,199,491 Patented June 22, 1965 edge of the front wall is disposed above the base plate to delineate therewith a discharge opening. A vertical panel vertically slidably registers with each respective set of vertical and base slots and a pair of longitudinally aligned triangular rocker plates are associated with each pair of adjacent panels and are pivoted to the front and rear walls. Transversely spaced corners of the rocker plates are connected to opposite panels and the apices of the rocker plates along each wall are connected by a common connecting rod which is reciprocated by an adjustable crank and link mechanism to impart opposite vertical reciprocating motions to the panels. A pusher member is reciprocatable along the base plate toward and away from the discharge opening and has longitudinal slots formed therein slidably registering the panels. A longitudinally adjustable transverse panel is located between the front and rear Walls and has vertical slots slidably registering with the longitudinal panels.

Referring now to the drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the present invention, reference numeral ill generally designates the improved orientating and feed device employed in the dispensing of groups of cigar-s in side-by-side parallel relationship, the feed device it) being surmounted by an upper open backed, open topped hopper =11 aligned with a mating top opening in feed device 10 and facilitating the loading thereof. Feed device '10 includes a fiat rectangular base plate '12 having a plurality of regularly transversely spaced longitudinally extending slots 13 formed therein and terminating at points spaced from the leading and trailing edges of the plate. A pair of vertical side walls 14 project upwardly from the side borders of base plate 12 and terminate at points short of the leading edge of the base plate. Side walls 14 are provided with outwardly directed bottom flanges 14;! secured to the top face of base 12 and outwardly directed top flanges 14b which facilitate the mounting of the top hopper 11.

A front wall 16 extends between and laterally beyond side walls 114 and is aflixed to the front edges thereof. Wall 16 includes a top flange 16b coplanar with top flanges 14b of Wall 14, a forwardly directed bottom flange 17 delineating, with the opposing border of base plate 12 a transversely extending discharge opening 13. Similarly, a rear wall 19 is provided, which extends between and laterally beyond the rear edges of side walls 14, and includes a top flange 119k coplanar with top flanges 14b of side Walls 14, and a rearwardly directed bottom flange 20 which delineates, with the trailing edge of base plate 12 a transversely extending rear access opening 21. Formed in the lower section of front wall 16 are a plurality of transversely spaced, relatively wide vertical slots 22 which are substantially coplanar with corresponding base slots 13, while formed in bottom section of rear wall 19 are a plurality of transversely spaced, relatively wide vertical slots 23 arranged in longitudinal alignment with corresponding vertical slots 22 in front wall 16.

Associated with each pair of slots 22, 2'3 and extending longitudinally therebetween is a vertically reciprocating, vertical panel 24 which is provided with a depending rectangular tongue section 26 mating and vertically slidably registering with a corresponding base slot 13. Reciprocating panel 24 includes a rectangular top section 27 joined to tongue 26 by .an intermediate section 28 having front and rear inclined edges 29 and 30 respectively. Projecting longitudinally from the upper corners of each panel 24, through corresponding front and rear slots 22 [and 23, are top apertu'red ears 3%, and projecting longitudinally from the lower corners of upper section 27 of each panel, through corresponding front and rear slots 22 and 2-3, are bottom apertured ears 32. The distance between the upper edges of top cars 30 and the lower edges of bottom ears 32 is less than the height of slots 22 and 23 thereby to permit vertical movement of panels 24.

A slide block 33 is affixed to the front and to the rear edge of each reciprocating panel 24, and has a vertically extending flange 34 directed inwardly from the inner edge of block 33 into vertical sliding registry with a corresponding slot 22, 23. Laterally ofiset surfaces 36 are inwardly stepped from the upper and lower ends of the face 37 of each block 33 and these engage corresponding mating panel ears and 32 which are secured thereto by screws passing through countersunk openings formed in the ears 30 and 32 and engaging tapped bores formed in blocks 33. The assembly of the panels 24 and slide blocks 33 and their association with base slots 13 and wall slots 22 and 23 restrict panels 24 to a vertical movement. The inner faces of blocks 33 substantially slidably abut the outer faces of walls 16 and 19 thereby restricting the longitudinal movement of panels 24. A recess 38 is formed in the inner face of each block 33, and communicates with the block side face 37. A longitudinal bore 39 extends from the outer face of each block 33 into communication with recess 38 therein.

The mechanism for imparting opposite reciprocating motions to panels 24 includes a plurality of transversely aligned triangular rocker plates 40 pivoted to the outer faces of front and rear walls 16 and 19, corresponding rocker plates 40 of the respective sets being in longitudinal alignment with a pair of plates 40 being associated with each pair of adjacent panels 24. Each rocker plate 40 is of approximately equilateral configuration, having an upwardly directed apertured apex 41 and transversely spaced apertured lower corners 42. Each rocker plate 40 is swingably supported about a longitudinal axis intermediate the lower corners 42 thereof and on a vertical line intermediate a corresponding pair of slots 22, 23 by means of a pivot pin 43 projecting outwardly from and perpendicular to front and rear walls 16 and 19, and engaging a mating opening in the corresponding rocker plate 40. Rocker plates 40 are spaced from the walls 16 and 19 by spaced collars 44 engaging pins 43 between rocker plates 40 and walls 16 and 19, and the rocker plates 40 are retained on the pins 43 by means of retaining collars 46 attached to the outer ends of pins 43.

A connecting rod 47 connects the lower corners 42 of each rocker plate with a corresponding aligned slide block 33. Each rod 47 terminates at its upper end in an inwardly directed leg 48 projecting through the aperture formed in the corresponding rocker plate corner 42 and at its lower end in an inwardly directed leg 49 projecting through a respective slide block bore 39 into the recess 38. Each upper leg 48 is releasably locked in engagement with the rocker plate corner by means of collar 50 separably secured to the inner end of leg 43, and each connecting rod lower leg 49 is releasably locked in engagement with a bore 39 by a collar 51 suitably separably secured to the inner end of the leg 49 and nesting in block recess 38.

A pair of longitudinally aligned upper journal blocks 52 are afiixed to the upper confronting faces of the front and rear walls 16 and 19 immediately outside a side wall 14. Journalled to and between blocks 52 and projecting beyond front and rear walls 16 and 19 is a rocker shaft 53 having affixed to opposite ends thereof parallel rocker arms 54 disposed outside walls 16 and 19 and in alignment with corresponding sets of rocker plates 40. A pair of parallel transversely extending connecting rods 56 extend from each of rocker arms 54 along the apices 41 of a full corresponding set of rocker plates 40. The paired connecting rods 56 embrace the upper ends of rocker arms 54 and rocker plate apices 41, and are connected thereto by pins 57 engaging aligned apertures formed in the connecting rods 56 and correspondingly embraced rocker apices 41 and rocker arms 54. It is to be noted that the distance between each rocker plate pivot pin 43 and a corresponding pin 57 is equal to the transverse distance between shaft 53 and pins 57 engaging the rocker arms 54.

Afiixed to a free end of shaft 53 beyond wall 19 is a rocker arm 58 having a longitudinally extending slot 59 formed therein. A pivot pin 60 is adjustably positioned along the length of slot 59 and is selectively releasably afiixed in a preselected position by means of a nut 61 engaging a correspondingly threaded end of pivot pin 60. A lower journal block 63 is positioned on the inner face of rear wall 19, below journal block 52, and a shaft 64 is journalled in the block 63 and projects rearwardly of wall 19. A sprocket wheel 65 is afiixed to the rear end of the shaft 64 and a collar 65a is aifixed to the front end thereof to lock the shaft 64 against axial movement. An eccentric pin 67 is mounted on sprocket wheel 65, offset relative to pivot shaft 64, to define a crank pin and is connected by a link bar 68 to pin 60. A sprocket chain 69 connects wheel 65 to a suitably driven sprocket wheel. Thus, rotation of sprocket wheel 65 rocks arm 58 which in turn rocks the arms 54 by way of shaft 53. Rocking arms 54 reciprocate connecting rods 56 to correspondingly rock plates 40 in synchronism. Rocking plates 40 in turn vertically reciprocate successive panels 24 in opposite directions through connecting rods 47 and slide blocks 33. The length of the stroke of panels 24 may be adjusted by adjusting the position of pin 60 along slot 59, the closer the position of pin 60 to the rocking axis of arm 58, that is to shaft 53, the greater the amplitude of the stroke of panels 24. The reciprocation frequency of panels 24 is equal to the rotational speed of the sprocket wheel 65. In the handling of cigars, the parameters are advantageously adjusted so that the stroke of the panels 24 is between A" and l, and the frequency between 20 and 100 up and down strokes per minute.

The mechanism for advancing the bottommost group of cigars in feed device 10 through discharge opening 18 includes a plurality of transversely spaced, axially aligned rollers 70 located along the trailing edge of the base plate 12, the upper peripheries of the rollers 70 being coplanar and a short distance above the top face of base plate 12. A pusher member defining plate 71 is parallel to and overlies base plate 12 and rides along the rollers 70, pusher plate 71 projecting through trailing opening 21. Pusher plate 71 is longitudinally slidable toward and away from discharge opening 18. Formed in the leading section of the pusher plate 71 are a plurality of regularly transversely spaced longitudinal slots 72 which extend to the leading edge of the pusher plate 71 and are in longitudinal alignment with slots 13 in the base plate 12 and straddle the lower sections of the reciprocating panels 27. Slots 72 delineate longitudinally forwardly directed pusher fingers 73 which register with the bottoms of corresponding passageways delineated by adjacent panels 24 and which have their upper leading corners chamfered as at 74 to facilitate engagement of the trailing edge of the panels 24 attendant to the initial advance movement of the pusher plate 71. The trailing section 76 of the plate 71 defines a cross-piece connecting fingers 73 and is connected to any suitable reciprocating mechanism (not shown) for advancing the pusher plate 71 across the base plate 12 with the leading edge thereof substantially projecting through discharge opening 18 and for retracting the pusher plate 71 to a point with its leading edge trailing a transverse panel 77 which delineates the trailing ends of the stacked cigars in the feed device 10.

The transverse panel 7'7 is located between and is parallel to the front and rear walls 16 and 19, and is substantially coextensive therewith, having a bottom edge spaced above pusher plate 71 and a flanged top edge 77b. Transversely spaced vertical slots 78 are formed in the lower section of transverse panel 77 and slidably engage vertically reciprocating panels 24. Along each side of transverse panel 77 is located a pair of vertically spaced rearwardly directed apertured ears 79. Formed in the rear section of each side wall 14 is a pair of vertically spaced longitudinally extending slots 80 registering with corresponding ears 79. A headed slide pin 81 slidably registers with each of the slots 80 and engages and is attached to a corresponding ear 79. Thus, transverse panel 77 is adjustable with respect to the distance therebetween and wall 16 to accommodate the handling by the feed device 10 of cigars C of different lengths.

In employing the apparatus described above, the vertically extending panels 24 are reciprocated by the rotation of sprocket wheel 65 in the manner earlier described. The upper hopper 11 is loaded from the rear thereof by stacks of cigars C which are longitudinally oriented and have their ends abutting the front wall of the hopper. The cigars drop downwardly through hopper 11 into the upper section of feed device 10 and into the region of panels 24. The reciprocating panels 24 effect the entry of cigars into the passageways delineated by adjacent panels and assure the uniform arrangement of the cigars in each of the passageways as a vertical stack thereof in horizontal longitudinally extending top-to-bottom positions. As pusher plate 71 is retracted, a layer of side-by-side cigars drops rapidly onto base plate 12 and is discharged through the opening 18 by fingers 73 upon the advance of the pusher plate 71, the next bottom layer of cigars being supported by the rear section of pusher plate 71 during its advance. The reciprocating panels 24 assure the rapid delivery of successive layers of uniformly oriented cigars into the path of the pusher member 71 and inhibit any jamming of or bridging by the cigars.

While there has been described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having now described the invention what is claimed and sought to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. An article handling apparatus comprising a hopper including a base plate and front and rear walls, said front wall having a lower edge disposed above said base plate to delineate therewith a discharge opening, said front and rear walls having transversely-spaced pairs of longitudinally aligned vertical slots formed therein and said base plate having transversely-spaced longitudinally extending slots formed therein corresponding to respective pairs of said vertical slots, a longitudinally extending vertical panel slidably registering with each pair of said vertical slots and a corresponding of said longitudinal slots, an

oscillatable rocker lever associated with each pair of successive longitudinal panels for swinging about a longitudinally extending pivot axis located between said respective pairs of panels, means connecting opposite sides of said lever to corresponding of said respective pairs of panels, each of said rocker levers including a leg projecting transversely thereof from said corresponding pivot axis, and oscillating means including a transversely extending rod connected to each of said legs and a first rocker arm connected to said connector rod and a second rocker arm connected to and rockable with said first rocker arm and a rotating crank member including a crank pin and a link connecting said second rocker arm to said crank pin, and a pusher member including pusher elements registering with said passageways and longitudinally reciprocatable toward and away from said discharge opening.

2. An article handling apparatus comprising a hopper including a base plate and front and rear walls, said front wall having a lower edge disposed above said base plate to delineate therewith a discharge opening, said front and rear walls having transversely-spaced pairs of longitudinally aligned vertical slots formed therein and said base plate having transversely-spaced longitudinally extending slots formed therein corresponding to respective pairs of said vertical slots, a longitudinally extending vertical panel slidably registering with each pair of said vertical slots and a corresponding of said longitudinal slots, a pair of longitudinally aligned rocker levers associated with each pair of said longitudinal panels and mounted on said front and rear walls and engaging opposite ends of said respective longitudinal panels, said rocker levers being swingable about a corresponding longitudinal extending axis located between said respective pairs of longitudinal panels, means for oscillating said levers, and a pusher member including pusher elements registering with said passageways and longitudinally reciprocatable toward and away from said discharge opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,584,466 2/52 Kaserman 221l78 X 2,618,421 11/52 Basus 22168 X 2,822,953 2/58 Kunath 22l93 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. AN ARTICLE HANDLING APPARATUS COMPRISING A HOPPER INCLUDING A BASE PLATE AND FRONT AND REAR WALLS, SAID FRONT WALL HAVING A LOWER EDGE DISPOSED ABOVE SAID BASE PLATE TO DELINEATE THEREWITH A DISCHARGE OPENING, SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS HAVING TRANSVERSELY-SPACED PAIRS OF LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED VERTICAL SLOTS FORMED THEREIN AND SAID BASE PLATE HAVING TRANSVERSELY-SPACED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING SLOTS FORMED THEREIN CORRESPONDING TO RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF SAID VERTICAL SLOTS, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING VERTICAL PANEL SLIDABLY REGISTERING WITH EACH PAIR OF SAID VERTICAL SLOTS AND A CORRESPONDING OF SAID LONGITUDINAL SLOTS, AN OSCILLATABLE ROCKER LEVER ASSOCIATED WITH EACH PAIR OF SUCCESSIVE LONGITUDINAL PANELS FOR SWINGING ABOUT A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PIVOT AXIS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF PANELS, MEANS CONNECTING OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID LEVER TO CORRESPONDING OF SAID RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF PANELS, EACH OF SAID ROCKER LEVERS INCLUDING A LEG PROJECTING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF FROM SAID CORRESPONDING PIVOT AXIS, AND OSCILLATING MEANS INCLUDING A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING ROD CONNECTED TO SAID CONNECTOR ROD AND A SECOND ROCKER ARM CONNECTED TO SAID CONNECTOR ROD AND A SECOND ROCKER ARM CONNECTED TO AND ROCKABLE WITH SAID FIRST ROCKER ARM AND A ROTATING CRANK MEMBER INCLUDING A CRANK PIN AND A LINK CONNECTING SAID SECOND ROCKER ARM TO SAID CRANK PIN, AND A PUSHER MEMBER INCLUDING PUSHER ELEMENTS REGISTERING WITH SAID PASSAGEWAYS AND LONGITUDINALLY RECIPROCATABLE TOWARD AND AWAY FROM DISCHARGE OPENING.

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