US3220604A - Apparatus for separating and positioning flat objects at a packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 30, 1965 P. LUGINBUHL 3,220,604 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND POSITIONING FLAT OBJECTS AT A PACKAGING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 5 1962 Nov. 30, 1965 P. LUGINBUHL 3,220,604

APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND POSITIONING FLAT OBJECTS AT A PACKAGING MACHINE Filed July 5. 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 6 M 3,220,604 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND POSITION- ING FLAT OBJECTS AT A PACKAGING MA- CHINE Pierre Luginbiihl, Neuhausen am Rheinfal], Switzerland,

assignor to Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft, Neuhausen am Rheinfall, Switzerland Filed July 5, 1962, Ser. No. 207,629 Claims priority, application Switzerland, July 17, 1961, 8,370/ 61 7 Claims. (Cl. 2219) The present invention broadly relates to an improved device for handling objects, preferably relatively flat objects and, more specifically, relates to an improved apparatus for separating and positioning flat objects which travel in a continuous or uninterrupted row to a packaging machine.

It is thus an important object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for quickly and reliably separating and positioning objects advancing in a continuous row.

Another important object of the present invention is the provision of improved apparatus for handling articles in an efiicient manner, which apparatus is relatively simple in construction, highly reliable in performance, and economical to manufacture.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide improved means for separating articles supported in a continuous row upon an oscillating or reciprocating support surface, including means actuated by the advancing articles for raising at least one or more of such articles from said support surface to permit separation of the forwardmost article from said continuous row of articles, as well as means for transporting the forwardmost separated article into position for subsequent handling thereof.

Still another important object of the present invention is the provision of improved apparatus for separating and positioning articles travelling in a continuous row to a packaging machine for example, wherein separation of such articles and further transport thereof is carried out in dependence upon the work cycle of the packaging apparatus.

The apparatus of the present invention in a preferred constructional form, is manifested in the provision of a reciprocating or oscillating plate member which is disposed along a guideway and is adapted to advance objects in the direction of feed, and by an arm member which is pivotable about a horizontal axis in rhythm with the work cycle of a packaging machine, with said arm member being provided with means capable of undertaking pivotable or swivelable movement to engage recesses provided in the oscillating plate member to raise the objects from the surface of the oscillating plate member. There is further provided control means which are actuated by the incoming objects which control the movement of the arm member, as well as transport means which seize or grasp the object which momentarily influences the control means and further conveys such object.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed description and specific -examples,while indicating preferred embodiments of the 3,220,604 Patented Nov. 30, 1965 invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of a side view of a device of the type described and constructed according to the present invention, partly in section, and taken along the lines I-I of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1 depicting such device in another operating position;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the device depicted in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines IVIV of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lines VV of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings the articles which are to be handled, and in the illustrated embodiment are shown by way of illustration as tablets or block-form objects 1, for example, are fed onto an oscillating or reciprocating plate member 3 by means of a conveyer or by falling within a guideway 2. The reciprocating plate member 3 is displaceably mounted along the length of the guideway 2. A suitable actuating arrangement such as the lever system 4, 5 permits the plate member 3 to be moved to and fro in a reciprocatory manner, and indeed such plate member is relatively gently accelerated in a direction of the arrow A, although at the end of its stroke it is curtly braked and returned. The time for the return stroke of the reciprocating plate member is so calculated, that the plate member is returned before the objects which have been set into movement during the feed or advancing stroke have completed their path of travel. Thus, the return stroke of the reciprocating plate member 3 is carried out quicker than the feed stroke thereof. In this manner there is accomplished the result that the articles 1 which lie on the plate member 3 during the braking and return movement of the plate member glide in the direction of arrow A, that is to say, in the direction of feed and are further conveyed in an uninterrupted or continuous row. Suitable drive means 411, for example a pneumatic drive motor, are operatively connected with the lever system 4, 5 for imparting to the plate member 3 such desired oscillating or reciprocating motion.

The reciprocating plate member 3 exhibits a pair of recesses 6 into which extend two tongue members 7. As can be best seen by inspecting FIGURE 4, the tongue members 7 are operatively connected to a sleeve or hub member 8 arranged laterally of the reciprocating plate member 3 and which is pivotable about a shaft member 9. Additionally, an arm member 10 is secured to the hub member 8 and carries at its forwardmost end a shaft member 11, about which a locking plate 12 is pivotable. This locking plate 12 carries an extended portion or nose 12:: which cooperates with an abutment member 13. .A tens-ion spring 14 is provided which continually strives to pull the locking plate 12 and its nose member 12a into the position shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1, in which the nose member 12a lies against the abutment member 13 and prevents a pivoting of the arm member 10 from the position shown in FIGURE 1 into that illustrated in FIGURE 2. However, it is to be appreciated that the spring 14 is adjusted or dimensioned in such a manner that the articles which strike the locking plate 12 are able to pivot this locking plate out of its locking position, into a release position as shown in full lines in FIGURE 1. In this position of the locking plate 12,. the arm member is able to unobstructedly pivot about the shaft member 9.

The arm member 10, when it is not in its blocked position, is pivoted back and forth between the positions illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 in accordance with the working cycle of the packaging machine by suitable means known to the art and here not shown. Further, the arm member 10 carries a guide plate which overcomes the tendency of the incoming or advancing articles to pile up or pyramid on top of one another in superimposed or layer formation. Adjacent and downstream of guide plate 15 there is arranged a further abutment plate 15a which also prevents pyramiding of articles on top of the forwardmost article In adjacent the locking plate 12, particularly when the tongue members 7 are in the position shown in FIGURE 2.

Additionally, suitable transport means are provided which in the desired form shown, are constructed as a movable conveyer fork 16 which is provided with two entraining means 16a, 16b which extend into the recesses 6. This conveyer fork 16 is moved in rhythm with the operating cycle of the packaging machine via suitable means 160. As illustrated in FIGURE 2 suitably curved guide rails are adapted to guide the conveyor fork 16 vertically during its reciprocation imparted thereto by the actuating mechanism 160, FIGURE 3, through the path of travel 17. Thus, the conveyer fork 16 is moved by means of an appropriate drive unit 16c (FIG- URE 3) from its illustrated end position of FIGURE 1 to the left of the drawing, while simultaneously undergoing a lowering movement so that its entrainment means 16a passes below the article In which rests against the locking plate 12 and thereafter is again raised. At the same time the arm member 10 pivots upwardly into the position shown in FIGURE 2, whereby the tongue members 7 raise one or more articles which lie directly behind the forwardmost article 1a. The entrainment means 16a of the conveyer fork 16 then displaces the article 1a towards the right into the position indicated by article 1b, whereupon the conveyer fork 16 again lowers after. reaching the end of its forward stroke and is again displaced towards the left of the drawing. During the subsequent stroke of the conveyer fork 16, the article 1b is pushed onto a plunger or push rod 18 by means of the entrainment means 16b, and this article now assumes the position indicated by article 1c. During the return movement of the conveyer fork 16 the push rod 18 is momentarily raised out of the position shown in FIGURE 1, into the position shown in FIGURE 2. In this position of the push rod 18 the article 1c is grasped by suitable conveyer or transport means (not shown) and directed to a further working station of the packaging machine.

Thus, the arm member 10, the conveyer fork 16 and the push rod 18 are adapted to be driven in working rhythm with the packaging machine by the actuating mechanism 160. The conveyer fork 16 is, however, preferably so constructed that it will move to the right when the arm member 10 is being lowered. If desired, other mechanisms can be provided for actuating the arm 10 and fork 16 by providing a suitable linkage or lever system between the arm member 10 and the conveyer fork 16. If the arm member 10 is then locked by the locking plate 12 and extension member 12a, in a manner as previously described, then the conveyer fork 16 is also in its rest position. Since the arm member 10 can only undertake a pivotable movement when an article is sit uated against the locking plate 12, there is thus positively insured that during each working stroke of the apparatus an article will be fed ontov the push rod 18.

Having thus described the present invention what is desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

1. Apparatus for separating and positioning of fiat articles which are advanced in a continuous row to a packaging machine, comprising a movable support member provided with recess means and adapted to support and displace articles in a supply direction along a guideway, an arm member mounted for pivotable movement about a horizontal axis in rhythm with the operating cycle of a packaging machine, tongue means operatively connected with said arm member for movement into said recess means to raise articles from the surface of said support member, stop control means actuated by said advancing articles for permitting upward movement of the arm member, and reciprocating transport means movable beneath said tongue means during the raising of said arm member and control means and permitting the transport means to engage and further convey articles.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, including drive means operable for imparting to said support member a reciprocatory movement, such that said support member undergoes a gentle acceleration in said supply direction of the articles and then an abrupt braking movement.

3. A device for separating and positioning articles moving in a continuous row, comprising a plate member mounted for reciprocatory movement and defining a support surface for articles, means for reciprocating said plate member, means pivotably mounted to cooperate with said plate member and the articles carried thereon which in one position thereof removes articles away from said support surface, means for oscillating said pivotally mounted means, stop means cooperating with said pivotably mounted means actuatable by said articles for permitting pivotable movement of said pivotably mounted means into said one position, and transport fork means movable beneath said pivotally mounted means during the raising of said pivotally mounted means to said one position for separating and removing the forwardmost article of said continuous row of articles.

4. A device for separating and positioning articles moving in a continuous row, comprising a plate member mounted for reciprocatory movement and defining a support surface for articles, means operatively connected with said plate member for reciprocating said plate member, said plate member being provided with recess means, arm means pivotably mounted to cooperate with said plate member and the articles carried thereon, said arm means including tongue means which in one position of said arm means moves into said recess means and removes articles away from said support surface, means for oscillating said arm means, control means cooperating with said pivotably mounted arm means actuatable by said articles for permitting pivotable movement of said pivtoably mounted arm means into said one position, and transport means movable beneath said tongue means during the raising of said arm means to said one position and for separating and removing the forwardmost article of said continuous row of articles.

5. A device for separating and positioning articles moving in a continuous row, comprising a plate member mounted for reciprocatory movement and defining a support surface for articles, drive means operatively connected with said plate member for reciprocating said plate member, said plate member being provided with recess means, arm means pivotably mounted adjacent the end of said plate member to cooperate with said plate member and the articles carried thereon, said arm means being provided with tongue means which in one position of said arm means moves into said recess means and removes articles away from said support surface, control means cooperating with said pivotably mounted means actuatable by a forwardmost article of said continuous row of articles for permitting pivotable movement of said pivotably mounted arm means into. said one position, said control means and said arm means being positioned such that said tongue means only raise articles situated rearwardly of said forwardmost article, and transport means movable beneath said tongue means during the raising of said arm means to said one position for separating and removing said forwardmost article of said continuous row of articles.

6. A device for separating and positioning articles moving in a continuous row according to claim 5, wherein said transport means are constructed as a substantially U-shaped conveyer fork having upright entrainment means between which an article is seized.

7. A device for separating and positioning articles moving in a continuous row according to claim 5, where- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1951 Sticelber 19821 3/1960 Hallam 198-21 LOUIS J. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD A. SROKA, RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND POSITIONING OF FLAT ARTICLES WHICH ARE ADVANCED IN A CONTINUOUS TOW TO A PACKAGING MACHINE, COMPRISING A MOVABLE SUPPORT MEMBER PROVIDED WITH RECESS MEANS AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT AND DISPLACE ARTICLES IN A SUPPLY DIRECTION ALONG A GUIDEWAY, AN ARM MEMBER MOUNTED FOR PIVOTABLE MOVEMENT ABOUT A HORIZONTAL AXIS IN RHYTHM WITH THE OPERATING CYCLE OF A PACKAGING MACHINE, TONGUE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID ARM MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT INTO SAID RECESS MEANS TO RAISE ARTICLES FROM THE SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORT MEMBER, STOP CONTROL MEANS ACTUATED BY SAID ADVANCING ARTICLES FOR PERMITTING UPWARD MOVEMENT OF THE ARM MEMBER, AND RECIPROCATING TRANSPORT MEANS MOVABLE BENEATH SAID TONGUE MEANS DURING THE RAISING OF SAID ARM MEMBER AND CONTROL MEANS AND PERMITTING THE TRANSPORT MEANS TO ENGAGE AND FURTHER CONVEY ARTICLES.

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