US3416675A

US3416675A - Machine for automatically packing things in overlying tiers

Info

Publication number: US3416675A
Application number: US591461A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dardaine Edgar Jean Marcel; Berry Jean-Luc
Original assignee: EP Remy et Cie SARL
Current assignee: EP Remy et Cie SARL
Priority date: 1966-01-04
Filing date: 1966-11-02
Publication date: 1968-12-17
Anticipated expiration: 1985-12-17
Also published as: FR1473973A

Description

Dec. 17, 1968 J, DARDAlNE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. 2, 1966 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 /N VENTORS EDGAR JEAN MARCEL DQRDAINE 'JE4N Lac 552R Y Dec. 17, 1968 J DARDAlNE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. 2, 1966 15 Shecs-Sheet 2 Eve/m c/EAN MARCEZ [hem/we dew/v -Luc 5ERR\/ Dec. 17, 1968 J DARDAlNE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Nov. 2, 1966 wow mom

9* mix I now IN v5 NT'ORS E0642 (JEfl/Y MHRCEL Demo/NE 17, 1968 E. J.- M. DARDAINE ET AL MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed NOV. 2. 1966 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 m/ VEA/TORS EDGAR JEAN M02051. DqFwAm E L/EHN L uc BEER y 5) A 770 NEYS Dec. 17, 1968 E. M. DARDAINE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. 2, 1966 l5 Sheets-Sheet 5 305a NE I 345 34 fl Ens/2;? JEA MARCEL DARDA/NE JEAN A uc BERRY Dec. 17, 1968 E. .1. M. DARDAINE ET AL 3,415,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. 2, 1966 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 fpc-mn J54 MnRc EL DARDfl/A/E E/QN lac BERRY Dec. 17, 1968 J. M. DARDAINE ET L 15 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Nov. 2, 1966 unmllmumfllfl iy yyyg WVENTORS Even? JEAN MA'RCEL DHRDfl/NE ATTNEvs JEAN L uc BERRY i 4L. 1 1 J f. 1 i l a, s w -FL l l r L. z. u o. 8v .w D

.. .3 i E- ROW E. J. M. DARDAINE ET AL 3,416,675

Dec. 17, 1968 MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. '2, 1966 15 Sheets-Sheet 8 Dec. 17, 1965- JUAEDAINE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY- PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. 2. 1966 15 Sheets-Sheet 9 08-09 ffi wow fl l 14 O n PDEEUDDBFfi 8w I. 5 w mafia DEDDUUUDDDDD DUEUUDUBDUDU UQUUUDDUUDU 1968 E. J. M. DARDAlN ETAL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS 15 Sheets-Sheet 10 Filed Nov. 2, 1966 08 0M? UUDUUDDUUUDD UDDDDDUUUUUU UUUUUDDUUUUD INVENTOQS EDGAR Jen/v MARCEI. Damon/NE JEfl/V'LUCBERRY Dec. 17, 1968 E. J. M. DARDAINE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS 15 Sheets-Sheet 11 Filed Nov. 2. 1966 /N VENTURE 000 A00 moo Eve/m JEAN M4RCEL DARDAINE cJE/QN" L uc BERRY Dec. 17, 1958 J, M DARDAINE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. 2. 1966 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 0 10 609d 6090 g g/ 2090 EDGAR JEAN MARcEL .DflRDfl/NE JEAN *Luc BERRY D86. 17, 1958 J M DARDAINE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS l5 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed Nov. 2, 1966 INVENTORS Eve/we JEAN MARCEL .DflRDA/NE Arm/Mays JEAN-Luc BERRY Dec. 17, 1968 E. J. M. DARDAlNE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS Filed Nov. 2, 1966 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTDRS EDGAR JEAN MARCEL DARDAINE JeA/v. uc BERRY Dec. 17, 1963 I J, QARDNNE ET AL 3,416,675

MACHINE FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING THINGS IN OVERLYING TIERS l5 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed NOV. 2. 1966 a BY M 0 ATTZNEYS.

United States Patent 4,816 39 Claims. (Cl. 214-164) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A machine for automatically selecting, stacking in overlying relationship and then packing articles such as pots of yogurt and the like, comprising in combination an arranging device receiving the pots and like articles all lying on a same level and aligned in a number of parallel rows, said arranging device comprising means for driving said rows of pots in translation and selecting among these rows a constant number of pots so as to deliver them in groups containing a same number of pots; a rotary distributor receiving the groups of pots delivered by the arranging device and comprising means for collecting these groups of pots on a constant level and carrying them to different levels, and a device receiving the groups of pots delivered by the rotary device and comprising means for superposing said groups of pots so as to form a set of pots comprising a plurality of overlying rows of pots, said arranging device and rotary distributor being driven in synchronism by a common driving mechanism in order to continuously perform the successive automatic driving steps of the pots.

The present invention essentially relates to a machine for automatically selecting, stacking and then packing things such as pots of yogurt, jars of jam, parcels of biscuits, etc.

Some products, in particular the pots of yogurt, are often presented or displayed to the customers, mainly in the so-called self-service shops or stores, not separately, but by groups or sets of four to six pots and even more. These pots are packed in a small bag or box made from cardboard or plastic material, forming a kind of tunnel open at both of its side ends and provided, at its upper portion, with a handle enabling to take easily hold thereof. The pots are arranged in these small bags or boxes into overlying rows or tiers, for example in two rows of two pots or two rows of three pots, in order to give the packing a shape or formation as compact as possible.

The manufacturers who supply these shops or stores are therefore compelled to deliver their pots of yogurt ready for sale, that is placed in the small bags in question as mentioned hereinabove.

Now, the pots of yogurt are coming out from the filling machines on belt conveyors on which they are arranged in any number of rows, all of the pots being of course located at the same level.

When the pots concerned are made of plastic material, the filling machine receives the plastic material in the form of plane, generally square sheets or foils; these sheets pass prior to the filling operation into forming or shaping dies wherein they are deformed by suction so to present a number of hollows or recesses adapted to receive the yogurt or the like. After filling up of the hollows or recesses, the sheet is automatically cut along its parts which have not been deformed, so as to provide a corresponding number of pots of yogurt, independent from each other. In general, the dies are adapted to form, in such a square sheet, nine hollows which of course yield nine pots arranged or distributed in three rows of three pots. The operation being performed continuously, the pots are coming out from the machine in three continuous rows.

The means presently used in the industry to place these pots, which therefore always present themselves at the same level and in any number of rows, but generally in three rows, into the small bags which will be put up for sale later on, merely consists in instructing employees to grasp by hand a number of pots, four pots for instance, for placing them into a small bag upon superposing them two by two for example, then to introduce the small bag, still by hand, into a closing machine which automatically seals both of its upper edges against each other. Such a manual operating step involves considerable costs and breaks off the automatic process of handling pots.

The object of the present invention is to dispense with these manual operations, and therefore, to provide a machine capable of effecting, in an entirely automatic manner, the positioning of the pots within the small bags. This machine should be adapted to the existing or available filling machines, that is it should be capable of receiving any number of rows of pots and of delivering small bags comprising any number of pots arranged in superposed rows. These machines should in particular be adapted to receive pots arranged into three rows such as they are delivered by a great number of existing filling machines and to deliver them in packed condition within small bags mostly containing four pots, superposed two by two, as required by the sale shops, or stores.

The machine according to the invention is characterized in that it comprises in combination: an arranging device receiving the pots or the like all located at the same level and aligned in a number of parallel rows, for example in three rows, this arranging device comprising means for carrying along or driving said rows of pots in translation and selecting, among these rows, a constant number of pots so as to deliver them in groups containing an equal number of pots, for example two pots; a rotary distributor receiving the groups of pots delivered by the arranging device and comprising means for collecting, packing or gathering up or recovering these groups of pots at a constant level and for bringing them to different levels, for example to two different levels; a conditioning device receiving the groups of pots delivered by the rotary distributor as well as packings adapted to contain them, these packings being in the form of pockets with two walls and being delivered in a fiat position, said conditioning device comprising means for superposing said groups of pots so as to form a pot unit or assembly comprising a plurality of rows of superimposed pots, for example a set of four pots comprising two rows of two superposed pots, means for carrying along or driving these sets or assemblies of pots thus formed towards an inserting member adapted to introduce them into a packing, means to open each aforesaid packing each time a set of pots is brought forward thereto so as to enable the penetration of said inserting member and means for driving or carrying along each packing filled with pots towards a closing or sealing station; the arranging device, the rotary distributor and the conditioning device being driven in synchronism by a common driving mechanism with a view to continuously carry out the successive steps of automatically packing the pots.

It is readily appreciated that the machine may be supplied or fed by filling systems of conventional type, while delivering these pot-s under conditions required for offering them for sale, since the conveyor-selector is adapted to select, among ,the three rows of pots which are presented thereto, two potsl only which it delivers at regular intervals to the rotary distributor and to the conditioning device that are provided for superposing and packing these groups of two pots.

According to a characteristic feature of the invention, the arranging device may comprise a conveyor-selector with which is associated a transfer member located at the delivery or outgoing end of said conveyor-selector for the pots or the like, said transfer member receiving each group of pots delivered by the conveyor-selector and comprising guiding means in extension of said conveyorselector and means for driving or carrying along in translation said groups of pots along said guiding means.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the aforesaid arranging device comprises in combination means for distributing the pots or the like in groups comprising a same number of pots disposed in the same manner, directional means for directing each group towards a guiding member and driving means for driving or carrying each group along said guiding member and for delivering it to the rotary distributor.

The arranging device according to this alternative embodiment is advantageous in that it positively guides the groups of pots up to the rotary device, thereby enabling to obtain a strictly continuous motion of these pots, hence a very big rate of flow.

Other features of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of example only:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the top of the machine according to the invention, this machine being provided with an arranging device according to a first form of embodiment comprising a conveyor-selector and a transfer member;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section taken along the line 11-11 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the machine shown in FIGURE 1, seen from the side of the conveyorselector of said arranging device;

FIGURE 4 is an elevation of the machine of FIGURE 1, as viewed from the side of the conditioning device;

FIGURE 5 is a partial view showing the cams controlling the advance of the rows of pots on the conveyorselector;

FIGURE 6 is a partial elevational view of the machine of FIGURE 1, as viewed from the side of said conveyorselector and more particularly showing the transfer member;

FIGURE 7 is a section through the rotary distributor, passing through the axis of the plate or drum;

FIGURE 8 is a partial section taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a partial elevational view of the machine of FIGURE 1, as seen from the side of the conditioning device; this view more particularly showing the means for inserting the pots of yogurt into the packings;

FIGURE 10 is a partial elevational view corresponding to FIGURE 9 and showing the distributor for small packing bags;

FIGURE 11 is a partial view of the distributor of FIG- URE 10 showing the retaining mechanism for the packings as seen from above;

FIGURE 12 shows the mechanism for opening the packings;

FIGURE 13 is a perspective view of a small bag as delivered by the machine, that is comprising four pots of yogurt disposed into two rows of two superposed pots;

FIGURES 14a to 14d diagrammatically show how the pots travel along the conveyor-selector, are driven or carried along by the rotary distributor and arrive, in overlying rows, at the conditioning device, the machine being assumed to be viewed from above;

FIGURES 15a to 15d also are diagrammatic showings corresponding to that of the preceding FIGURES 14a to 14d, the machine being assumed to be seen in elevation, in order to make apparent the vertical movement of the rotary distributor;

FIGURE 16a shows a bottom view of an arranging device according to an alternative form of embodiment the directional means of which are positioned to make one of its strainers, passageways of channels communicate with the guiding member, this arranging device being usable instead of the conveyor-selector and of the transfer member shown in FIGURES 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6;

FIGURE 16b is a partial view of the arranging device of FIGURE 16a, the directional means being positioned to make a second strainer, passageway or channel communicate with said guiding member;

FIGURE 160 is a partial view of the arranging device of FIGURE 16a, the directional means being positioned to make the third strainer, passageway or channel communicate with said guiding member;

FIGURE 17 is a section taken along the line XVII XVII of FIGURE 16a showing the position of the pots with respect to the paddle or vane chains and to the guide ramps in the corresponding portion of the conveyors;

FIGURE 18 is a section taken along the line XVIII-- XVIII of FIGURE 16a, showing the position of the pots with respect to the paddle or vane chains and to the guiding ramps of the corresponding portion of the conveyor;

FIGURE 19 is an elevational partially sectional view of the selector device consisting of rotary drum provided with radial fingers;

FIGURE 20 shows the drum of FIGURE 19 viewed from the left, only one quarter of this drum having been shown in order to simplify the drawing;

FIGURE 21 diagrammatically shows one of the sets of fingers of the drum in engagement with the pots;

FIGURE 22 is a plan view for driving or moving the pots along the guiding member;

FIGURE 23 is a section taken along the line XXIII- )OGII of FIGURE 22;

FIGURE 24 is a partial sectional view of said directional means;

FIGURE 25 diagrammatically shows the kinematic driving chain of the arranging device according to said alternative form of embodiment as well as further devices forming the packing machine according to the invention;

FIGURE 26 shows an adjustable coupling device enabling to effect a synchronous driving of the arranging device by the general drive motor.

According to the form of embodiment shown in FIG- URES 1 to 15 of the drawings, the machine according to the invention, essentially comprises as is more particularly shown in FIGURE 1:

An arranging device itself consisting of a conveyorselector which receives pots of yogurt P or the like, arranged in three parallel rows and delivered in the direction F by an automatic filling machine (not shown) and drives or moves them in the same direction according to an intermittent translative motion and of a transfer member 200 following this conveyor-selector and aligned with this latter, this transfer member receiving the pots delivered by the conveyor-selector and pushing them in translation in the same direction F A rotary distributor 300 following the transfer member and the axis of rotation of which is substantially lying in the medial plane of the conveyor-selector and of the transfer member, that is in the medial or central plane of the path of the pots, this distributor driving or carrying along according to a rotary movement in the direction F the pots it receives from the conveyor-selector through the medium of the transfer member and bringing them up to different levels;

A conditioning device 400 which follows the rotary distributor and is lying in parallel relation to the conveyorselector and to the transfer device on the one hand and in tangential relation to the rotary distributor on the other hand, this conditioning device driving, carrying along or moving, in the direction F opposite to F the pots delivered by the rotary distributor in order to cause them to enter small bags and bringing the small bags filled with pots always in the direction F to a machine 500, known per se, which folds back one over the other and seals to each other the upper flanges or edges of said small bags.

(A) ARRANGING DEVICE (FIRST EMBODIMENT) (a) Conveyor-selector The conveyor-selector comprises a framework consisting of a frame of generally rectangular shape, 101, supported on feet or stands 102 and on which is mounted a belt conveyor consisting here of a paddle chain 103 which runs over two supporting rolls one of which is mounted on a drive shaft 104 located at that end of the frame 101 which corresponds to the delivery or outlet of the conveyor-selector, whereas the other is mounted on a loose shaft 105, lying at the other end of the frame 101. The drive shaft 104 is uniformly rotated by means of a sprocket wheel 106, mounted on one of its ends and operatively connected, through the medium of a sprocket chain 107, to a sprocket wheel 108 keyed to an intermediate drive shaft 109 one sprocket wheel of which is operatively connected to the general drive motor of the installation as will be explained hereinafter.

The conveyor-selector is provided, at its upper part, with two beams or cross-members 111, integral with standards, posts or uprights 112 secured to the frame 101. Two parallel cam carrying shafts 113 and 114, comprising each one a set of three

cams

115a, 115b, 1150 and 116a, 116b, 1160, respectively, are rotatably mounted at both ends of the beams 111.

The shaft 113 is provided with a sprocket wheel 117 operatively connected through the medium of a sprocket chain 118 to a sprocket wheel 119 keyed to the intermediate drive shaft 109. The shafts 113 and 114 are integral with each other in rotation owing to a transmission chain 121 which passes over their

respective sprocket wheels

120 and 122.

Above the paddle chain 103 is mounted a system for intermittently driving or carrying away the three rows of pots. This system consists of three pairs of slideways 123a, 1231; and 1230 formed each one by two structural channel sections the open faces or flanges of which are confronting each other and are separated by a spacing slightly greater than the width of the upper edge of the pots, so that when these latter are caused to move between said slideways, their upper edge moves between the flanges of the structural sections. Both structural sections of a same pair of slideways are secured at their both ends on clevis 124a, 124b, 1240 and 125a, 125b, 125a having the shape of an inverted channel. Each clevis carries at its upper part a bracket or the like 126a, 126b, 126a and 127a, 127b, 127C, respectively, each bracket resting on one of the cams of the shaft 113 and of the shaft 114. Each pair of slideways forms, together with both clevis which are associated therewith, a rigid assembly or unit which rests, through the medium of the aforesaid brackets, on one of the cams of each one of the sets of cams, and therefore, follows the vertical upward and downward displacements imparted thereto by these two cams during their rotation. Two locking bars 129 engaged in slots or notches 130 of the beams 111 prevent the pairs of slideways from being moved in longitudinal translation.

Each set of cams, provided at each one of the ends of the conveyor-selector, comprises, as may be seen on FIG- URE 5, which shows the cams mounted on the shaft 113, three identical cams, such as a, 1151), 1150, having each one two flat parts such as 115a-1 and 115a-2, forming therebetween an angle of about 60 and connected to each other by two portions having a rounded profile, such as 115a-3 and 115a-4. The three cams of a same set are staggered or set off with respect to each other by so that for a rotation of 360 of the cam-carrying shaft, there are three positions staggered or offset by 120 with respect to each other, for each one of which the flat parts of two cams lie in a same horizontal plane.

Both sets of cams carried by the shafts 113 and 114 are strictly identical as to their shape and to their respective orientations and both carns which support a same pair of slideways, such as the

cams

115a and 116a for instance, are aligned. It results therefrom that when both sets of cams are rotating in synchronism, owing to their operative connection through the sprocket chain 121, the pairs of slideways will alternately and regularly move, during a rotation of 360, to a high position and to a low position, one pair of slideways being in a high position, while the two others are in a low position.

The size of the cams and/ or the size of the clevis to which the slideways are secured are depending upon the height of the pots P and are such that when a slideway is in the low position, the pots rest on the paddle chain 103 and are therefore carried away in translation by the latter, the structural sections then assuming no function or at the most a guiding function, whereas in the high position on the contrary the pots are lifted above the paddle chain and rest through their upper edges or flanges onto both lower flanges of the slideways, so that in this case, the pots cannot be carried away by the paddle chain.

It is seen that owing to this device, the three rows of pots advance or move forward, not homogeneously but intermittently, two rows of pots simultaneously advancing whereas the third row remains stationary. Moreover, the travel and stop periods are the same for the three rows so that the conveyor-selector uniformly delivers two by two the pots it selects by turns among the three rows of pots.

The conveyor-selector further comprises means for periodically locking and releasing the pots, these means consisting of an L-shaped retractable stop provided at its outgoing or delivery end and secured on two arms or the like 131 integral with a shaft 132 pivotally mounted on pillars or uprights 133, integral with the beams 111. The stop 130 may assume two positions: a low position (shown in solid lines on FIGURE 6), in which it engages the path of travel of the pots P and therefore stops or blocks the latter, and a lifted position (shown in dashed and dotted lines on FIGURE 6) in which it is disengaged from this path and therefore enables the pots to pass. The stop 130 is actuated for oscillation or swinging motion by a cam 135, secured onto the cam-carrying shaft 113 and formed with three peaks or apexes 135a, 135b, 1350, uniformly distributed on its periphery. This earn 135 acts upon a cranked or bent lever or the like 136, integral with the arms 131, through the medium of a cam bowl, roller or follower or the like 137, integral with said lever. A return or drawback spring 138, secured on the one hand to the end of the lever 136 and on the other hand, to the frame of the conveyor-selector, returns said lever back to its high or upper position which corresponds to the low position of the stop 130.

It may be seen that when the cam-carrying shaft 113 rotates about itself, the cam 135 causes the stop 130 to be retracted three times during a rotation of 360, thus periodically releasing, disengaging or freeing the pots fed by the conveyor-selector. Owing to its angular or L- shape, the lower bend 130a of the stop 130, while letting the pots pass, remains in engagement with the upper face of these latter and the stop immediately drops back again as soon as a transverse row of pots has left the slideways of the conveyor-selector in order to move into the transfer device and thus stops the next transverse row of pots. It is for this purpose that the peaks or apexes 135a, 135b and 1350 of the cam 135 were given a steep profile 135a1, 135b-1, 1350-1, which enables the immediate falling back of the stop 130 as soon as the lower part of the latter is no longer in contact with the top or upper face of the pots.

(b) Transfer member The transfer member comprises a framework essentially consisting of a rigid frame 201, in extension of the frame 101 of the conveyor-selector, this frame carrying at its upper part two cross-members 202 supported by standards or uprights 203 integral with the frame 201, these cross-members 202 being in extension of the beams 111 of the conveyor-selector.

The transfer member comprises means for guiding the pots which consist of three pairs of rails or the like, 204a, 204b, 2040 (see FIGURE 1) which are in extension of the slideways 123a, 123b, 1230 of the conveyor-selector but lying at a level substantially lower than these latter, so that the pots are passing from the slideways to the rails when the stop 130 retracts thereby falling down by an amount corresponding to this difference between levels. To assist the passage of the pots moved, driven or carried along by the paddle-chain as soon as the stop 130 retracts for enabling their forward movement, guiding ramps such as 2050, are provided which are formed with a portion such as 20512-1 sloping with an angle of about 45 and with a horizontal portion such as 20542-2 (FIGURE 6).

The transfer member also comprises means for moving or carrying the pots along the rails 2040, 204b, 2040. On each one of both of the cross-members 202 are mounted two identical sprocket chains 206, each one of which meshes with two

sprocket wheels

207 and 208. Both sprocket wheels 207 are keyed to the same shaft 209, whereas both sprocket wheels 208 are keyed to a same shaft 210. The shaft 210 comprises in addition a sprocket pinion 211, operatively connected through a sprocket chain 212 to a sprocket pinion 140 keyed to the shaft 104 which is driven by the drive motor of the installation as previously described.

The pots which arrived on the rails 204a, 204b, 2040 are moved or carried in translation along these rails owing to a horizontal push-bar or the like 215 (see in particular FIGURE 6) extending substantially to the whole width of the transfer member and carried by two supports 216 secured to two arms 217. The arms 217 are secured at their upper part at 218 to the sprocket chains 206 and comprise at their lower part elongated slots or holes 21.9 in which is engaged a guide rod or bar 220 secured to two vertical posts or struts 221 depending from the framework 201.

It is seen that when the sprocket chains 206 are driven or moved by the general drive motor of the system, they carry with them the arms 217 guided at their lower part by the bar 219, so that the push or thrust bar 215 performs a cyclic motion of translation as shown in dashes and dots at B on FIGURE 6 during which movement it moves or carries along the pots while describing the upper portion of its path of travel.

(B) ROTARY DISTRIBUTOR The rotary distributor 300 essentially comprises a framework or base 301 supported on legs 302, and upon which is mounted a rotary plate or drum 303 having the shape of a flattened circular cylinder carrying on its periphery four shelves or

racks

3040, 304b, 3040, 304d adapted to receive the pots pushed by the bar 215 of the transfer device when they move past the rails 204a, 204b, 2040 of said transfer device. These shelves or racks are provided at their upper part taken in the direction of rotation of the plate or drum, with raised edges or flanges 305a, 3051;, 3050, 305d.

The four shelves or racks are uniformly distributed on the periphery of the cylindrical plate or drum 303, that is they are angularly spaced from each other by but they are staggered or offset in height with respect to each other; two diametrically opposite shelves or racks such as 304a and 3040, forming a pair of shelves or racks, are both at the same level, and likewise the shelves or racks 3041) and 304d which form a second pair of shelves or racks are both at the same level, but the pair of shelves 304a-3040 exhibits with respect to the pair of shelves 30412-30411. a difference of levels equal to the half height of a pot, that is a difference of level of H 2, if H denotes the height of the pots P. In the case shown, the pair of shelves 304a304c is at a higher level (by H/2) than the pair 304b304d.

The shelves are given a slightly sloping position towards the axis of the plate or drum so as to compensate for the effect of the centrifugal force upon the pots.

The framework 301, as shown in particular on FIG- URE 7, carries the general drive motor of the system 306 which drives, through the medium of a belt 307, a motor-variator set 308, which drives in turn, through the medium of a belt 309, a first worm-gear reducer 310. The speed-reduction gear 310 comprises a first output shaft 311 to which is keyed a sprocket pinion 312 which through. the medium of a transmission sprocket chain 313, drives the sprocket pinion 314 of a second reducinggear 315 the output 316 of which is used to drive the conditioning device, as will be seen later on.

The reducing-gear 310 comprises a second output shaft 317 to which is keyed a sprocket pinion 318 which through the medium of the transmission sprocket chain 319 and of the sprocket wheel rotates the intermediate transmission shaft 109.

The shaft 317 also drives through the medium of a box-coupling 320, a counter or bevel gear 321 comprising two

output shafts

322 and 323 arranged at right angles to each other, the reduction ratio being such that the shaft 322 effects one rotation of 360 while the shaft 323 effects a rotation of 180 only.

The plate or drum 303 is secured to a sleeve, bushing or the like 325 carried itself by a rotary shaft 326. The sleeve 325 is made integral in rotation with the shaft 326 through a key 327 driven on or fitted in both, the aforesaid shaft 326 and a ring-shaped part 328 integral with the sleeve 325.

, The shaft 326 is slidably mounted at its lower part, in a bearing, car or the like 330 and is supported, through the medium of a thrust block 331, by a clevis 332 provided at its upper part or top with a rod, stem or shank 333, engaged or fitted through the medium of the bushings 334, into a bore or recess 335 of the shaft 326. The clevis 332 carries a rotary cam fol-lower, bowl or roller 337 which bears against a cam 338 keyed to the shaft 322 of the reducing gear 321.

The profile of the cam 338 (see FIGURE 8) is designed to impart to the aforesaid shaft and therefore to the plate or drum 303 supported by this shaft, an alternative upwand and downward motion. A spring 340, arranged in coaxial relationship with the shaft and hearing by its upper or top end against a stop, collar or the like 341, integral with the aforesaid annular member 328 and by its lower or bottom end against a stop means or the like 342, rotatably mounted on a stationary bearing 343 integral with a stationary casing or housing 344 which is integral with the framework 301.

The function of the spring 340 is to enable a vertical movement of translation of the plate or drum 303 with suitable resilient relationship, while avoiding any sudden motion of this plate or drum likely to throw the pots on the shelves out of balance. This spring is actually compressed during the downward motion of the plate or drum so that it slows down with downward motion and stores energy which it gives back during the upward motion.

The shaft 326 comprises for being driven in rotation a pinion 345 meshing with a pinion 346 keyed to the shaft 323. Both pinions 345 and 346 are arranged within the casing or oil-pan 344. The pinion 346 has a height or thickness much greater than that of the pinion 345 so as to remain in meshing engagement therewith in spite of its vertical movement of translation.

The dimensions of the cam 338 are designed so that the displacement in the vertical direction of the plate or drum be equal to H/2, this displacement being carried out alternatively upwards and downwards, and each 360- rotation of the cam 338 causing an upward motion of the plate or drum (and therefore of the shelves or racks) by a distance of H/2, then a downward motion of the plate or drum (hence of the shelves) by the amount H 2. Since on the other hand the shaft 322 rotates twice as fast as the shaft 323 or in other words the cam 338 effects a 720-rotation when the plate or drum carries out a 360-rotation, it results therefrom that the plate or drum carries out the following displacements in the vertical direction: a rise by T 2, a downward displacement by H 2, a rise by H 2, a downward displacement by H /2.

Since each shelf or rack is designed to receive two pots each time it moves past the rails of the transfer device, it is obvious that all the shelves or racks must be at the same level when they move past said transfer device. To this end, it would be sufficient to key or adjust the cam 338 on its shaft in such a manner that the plate or drum be in the low position when a high shelf (304a or 304c) is in front of the transfer device and on the contrary, in the high position when a low shelf (30417 or 304a) lies in front of the transfer device, since the difference between the high position and the low position of the plate or drum corresponds to the difference between the levels of both pairs of shelves or racks.

(C) CONDITIONING DEVICE The conditioning device 400 essentially comprises a framework 401 consisting of a frame having a generally ractangular shape, supported on the one hand by legs 402 and bearing on the other hand on the framework 301 of the rotary distributor. It is disposed substantially in tangential relation to the plate or drum 303 of the rotary distributor, so that the pots pass from the transfer device to the conditioning device after having effected a 270- rotation. Since the plate or drum 303 carries the four shelves angularly spaced by 90 with respect to each other, it results therefrom that when a shelf of one pair of shelves moves past the transfer device to receive there two pots, a shelf of the other pair of shelves moves in front of the conditioning device to discharge or deliver there the pots it has previously received itself from the transfer device.

It is immediately apparent that when a high shelf such as 304a, arrives in front of the transfer device, a low shelf such as 304d arrives in front of the conditioning device and vice versa. On the other hand, it has been stated that the plate or drum 303 effects, at each complete rotation, two upward motions and two downward motions and the cycle of the rotary and translative displacements of the plate or drum is such that it is lowered by H/Z when a high shelf such as 304:: has to move past the transfer device, and it is lifted by H 2 when a low shelf such as 304d has to move past this transfer device. It immediately results therefrom when referring to the transfer device that the plate or drum is lifted by H/2 just before a high shelf passes in front of the conditioning device and that it is lowered by H/Z just before a low shelf passes in front of the conditioning device, so that both groups of pots delivered by both successive shelves arrive at the conditioning device at two different levels spaced by a distance H which precisely corresponds to the height of a pot.

The conditioning device comprises means for superposing the pots thus delivered at two dilferent levels by the rotary distributor, these means consisting of two pairs of identical

overlying rails

403 and 404 vertically spaced from each other by a distance equal to or very slightly greater than the height H of a pot. These pairs of rails are disposed so as to enable the pots lying on the shelves to move therebetween in order to collect or pick them up when they pass. The rails 403 receive the pots brought by the high shelves whereas the lower rails 404 receive the pots brought by the low shelves. The pairs of

rail

403 and 404 are arranged in such a manner that the high shelves pass above the pair of rails 404 and the low shelves pass below the pair of rails 404. It results therefrom that the pots immediately engage from above by their upper edges both rails adapted to receive them and they are pushed over a certain length along these rails by the rear raised edges or flanges 305a, 3051;, etc. of the shelves or racks, and this as long as these raised edges or flanges continue to engage the space comprised between both pairs of homologous rails.

The conditioning device further comprises an inserting member adapted to introduce all of the pots thus conveyed to the

rails

403 and 404 into the packings. This inserting device consists of a container or the like 406 having a general parallelepipedic shape open at both of its ends as well as at its upper part or top. This container comprises a relatively narrow forward or front portion 406a the width of which is substantially greater than twice the width of a pot and a rear or back portion 406]; substantially wider, this rear or back portion being designed to encompass the

rails

403 and 404.

The container 406 is mounted on a plate 407 itself slidably mounted on guiding bars 408 and extending in parallel relation to the

rails

403 and 404. This plate 407 is moved in translation on the one hand by a spring 409 which tends to move it from the left to the right (when referring to FIGURE 4) and on the other hand by a swinging arm 410 to which it is connected through the medium of a road or link 411. The arm 410 is itself moved according to a swinging motion by a cam 412 against which it bears through the medium of a cam follower or roller 413 (see FIGURE 3). The cam 412 is rotated by the general drive motor 306 through the medium of the reducing-gear 315, of its output shaft 316, of a rotary transmission shaft 415, of a counter or bevel gear 416 having two outputs in the input shaft 417 of which is connected to said rotary transmission shaft 415 through the medium of a Cardan joint 418, the cam 412 being mounted on one of the output shafts of the counter or bevel gear. The cam 412 is keyed to the aforesaid out put shaft in such a manner that the plate 407 and hence the container 406 effect a movement of translation from the right to the left, then a movement of translation from the left to the right each time the plate drum 303 effects a -rotation. The container is adapted to assume two end positions, one at the left wherein its rear portion 406 encompasses the

rails

403 and 404 and in which it receives the pots which are moved in translation by a bar 420 to be described hereinafter, this position being shown in solid lines on FIGURE 9 and an end position at the right wherein it is engaged into a small bag S, this position being shown in dashed and dotted lines on FIGURE 9.

The front or forward portion 406a of the container 406 is provided inside with two pairs of guides 483, 484 lying on the same level as the

rails

403 and 404 and coming in extension of these latter when the container assumes the position shown in solid lines on FIGURE 9. The conditioning device further comprises means for pushing the sets of pots present on the

rails

403 and 404 in order to introduce them within the container 406 when this latter is in its end position at the left, that is in the position wherein its rear or back portion 406]; embraces the right hand end of the

rails

403 and 404. These means consist of a vertical bar or the like 420 adapted to be inserted between the

rails

403 and 404 behind the set of pots carried by these rails and to cause this set of pots to slide from the left to the right so that they may engage the guides 483, 484 which are in extension of the

rails

403, 404 and provided in the forward or front portion