US3539074A - Article-dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1932 Scottetalm. 2,337,033 12/1943 Davies......... 2,632

United States Patent William H. Eburn, Jr. Westport; Joseph H. Miller, Old Greenwich, Connecticut 21 Appl.No. 772,662

[72] Inventors XXXXXX 363333 535555 QQDRRQ 111111 222222 222222 ,681 3/1953 Newcomer 2,735,578 2/1956 Woodruff........ 2,864,532 12/1958 Gabriel sen 3,064,857 11/1962 [22] Filed Nov. 1, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 10, 1970 73} Assignee Automation and Product Development Corporation Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Attorney- Robert E. Corb ABSTRACT: Apparatus for automatically dispensing singly and in rapid succession, preferably rectilinear articles such as cartons. The dispenser includes a holder for several stacked rows of articles, a pusher for shifting the bottom row laterally to a dispensing shelf, another pusher for moving the row lengthwise to dispense the articles one at a time from the end of the shelf and a gate at the end of the shelf adapted to restrain the articles and actuate a counter.

Darien, Connecticut a corporation of Connecticut [54] ARTICLE-DISPENSING APPARATUS 15 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[51] Int. [50] Field of Search...

Patented Nov. 10, 1970 JOSEPH H. MILLER WILLIAMNH.EENBTUORN JR.

V S BYMQWZA ATTORNEY Patented Nbv. 10, 1970 1 I 3,539,074

,FIG.2

JOSEPH H. MILLER WILLIAM H. EBURN JR.

INVENTORS ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1970 Sheet 3 015 JOSEPH H. MILLER WILLIAM H. EBURN JR MINVENTORS BYWKQM ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 10, 1970 3,539,074

Sheet 4 of 5 WILLIAM NVENTORS BY 6. M

ATTORNEY 34 JOSEPH H. Ml ER H. 'EbuRN JR.

ARTlCLE-DKSPENSING APPARATUS Article-dispensing apparatus of the type embodying the present invention is especially adapted for use in warehousing systems in which specified numbers of different articles are assembled or collected together to fill a particular order. Each particular type of article is dispensed from a dispensing unit or station which may be located, along with a number of similar dispensing units, adjacent a moving conveyor. As a designated order zone of the conveyor passes a dispensing unit, that unit discharges the requisite number of the articles with which it is charged, onto the zone of the conveyor and thus and order consisting of designated numbers of particular articles is assembled on the order zone of the conveyor which carries it to a loading or packaging station.

In many types of warehousing operations of this type, the articles to be dispensed are rectilinear, usually in the form of a box, package or other form of outer wrapper for a product, so that all of the articles of a particular type are of the same, regular shape and size and can be arranged in orderly, contiguous, close-packed, rectilinear arrays such as rows and columns. in addition to being able to handle and dispense rectilinear articles arranged as described, the dispensing apparatus of the invention should have additional advantageous characteristics. For example, it is contemplated that a large number of such dispensers may be located side-by-side along a conveyor belt so that the area occupied by each dispenser should be as small as possible. Not only should the dispenser be capable of handling articles over a range of sizes and shapes and be easily and readily adjusted for a particular article, but it may be necessary to shift the locations of certain article dispensers, thus making important that the dispensers be portable-preferably by hand-and easily put on and taken off the conveyor line.

Equally, if not more importantly, the dispenser must be capable of dispensing a large number of articles, singly and in very rapid succession while counting the articles dispensed and terminating its operation when a designated number of articles have been dispensed. This also requires that the dispenser be constructed in a manner such that it can be loaded with a supply of the articles easily and rapidly.

The provision of an article dispenser possessing the foregoing enumerated characteristics and advantages constitutes an object of the present invention.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts, which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FiG. 1 is a perspective view of an article-dispensing apparatus according to the invention shown with exterior cover portions removed;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 shown partially in section for clarity of illustration;

FlG. 3 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 2;

' FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3; and

FIGS. 5 and 6 are perspective views of a loading fixture designed for use with the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, the article dispenser of the invention includes a chassis or frame comprising parallel end plates 10 and 12, joined to one another by a lower crossmember 14 and a pair of shelves l6 and 18 about which more will be said hereinafter. End plate 12 includes an upwardly extending section 20 and both end plates are formed with a pair of parallel slots 22 located above shelf 16 and aligned with slots 22 in the opposite end plate. The end plates are shaped such that when the lower (straight) edges thereof are disposed in a horizontal plane; shelves 16 and 18 will be inclined to the left (viewing FIG. 2) and extended section 20 of end plate 12 will also be inclined to the left (viewing FlG. 2) of vertical. A lateral guide plate 24 is engaged between end plates 111 and 12 and extends upwardly and to the left from shelf 16 generally perpendicular to shelf 16. Guide plate 24 includes flanges 26 provided with tapped holes for receiving bolts 28 engaged in slots 22 and adapted, when tightened, to hold the guide plates in place, yet permitting adjustment of the position of the guide plate 2d as will be described. Shelf 16 includes a lower step-29 along the edge closest shelf 18 and lying in the same plane as shelf 18, the latter lying in a plane parallel with and beneath the plane of shelf 16.

The dispensing apparatus is designed to hold a large number of rectilinear articles designated 30, for example, pressboard boxes or cartons. Articles 31) are aligned in contiguous relation in rows stacked one upon the other on shelf 16 and supported on adjacent sides by section 20 of end plate 12 and guide plate 24 due to the inclination (to the left) of shelf 16 and guide plate 24. "in order to insure that the stack (of rows) of articles will lean against and be supported by end plate 12. and section 20 thereof, the dispenser is designed to be operatively mounted with the ends of the shelves nearest end plate 10 higher than the opposite ends of the shelves. A typical mounting system is illustrated in FIG. 1 as comprising a pair of inclined tracks 32 having T-shaped cross sections for engagement in T-shuped slots 34 in end plates 10 and 12. A plurality of pairs of tracks 32 may be provided along the side of a conveyor belt for mounting dispensing units, and a handle 36 may be provided on end plate 11) to facilitate carrying the dispenser and sliding it on and off the tracks.

In the operation of the dispenser, rows of articles 30 are stacked on shelf 16 and the lowest or bottom row is moved laterally onto shelf 18 and step 29 from which the articles are dispensed, one at a time, by movement of the articles toward the end of shelf 18st end plate 12. Accordingly, the apparatus includes means for shifting the bottom row from the higher to the lower. shelf together with means for restraining the row above the bottom row against lateral motion due to friction with the bottom row. The means for shifting the bottom row include a pusher bar 38 extending between end plates 10 and 12, engaged in arcuate slots 40 in the end plates and connected at its end outside of end plates 10 and 12 to arms 42 mounted on a shaft 44 pivotally mounted near its ends on the lower portions of end plates 10 and 12. Pusher bar 38 is designed to perform two functions, namely, engage and move all the articles which comprise the bottom row while supporting the remaining rows of articles during return movement of the pusher bar. in order to perform this latter function, the bar 38 has a width at least equal to half the width of shelf 16 and for the former purpose, ismounted for movement of its leading edge (right-hand viewing FIG. 2) between shelf 16 and guide plate 24 from near one (the left) edge of shelf 16 to at least the opposite edge (right) of the shelf at step 29.

The dispensing apparatus is operated by a single source of power such as an electric motor 46 mounted on crossmember l4 and coupled through a conventional transmission to a cam 48 engaged with a cam follower 50 mounted on an arm 52 on shaft 44 for pivoting the shaft (in a clockwise direction viewing MG. 2) so as tomove pusher plate 38 and shift a row of articles from shelf 16 to shelf 18. A torsion spring 54 coiled around shaft and connected at its ends to crossmember 14 and arm 52 is provided for retaining the cam follower against the cam and returning pusher bar 38 to its initial position.

The aforementioned means for retaining the next-to-thebottom row of articles against lateral motion comprise a support bracket 56 mounted on end plate 12 above shelf 18 and extending to a position closely adjacent end plate 10. Bracket 56 is mounted so that its position can be adjusted upwardly and downwardly to accommodate articles of differing heights and for this purpose, includes tapped holes for receiving bolts 60 engaged in a slot 62 in end plate 12. Bracket 51' includes a guide portion 64 having a surface-facing guide plate 24, located substantially parallel with guide plate 24 and the edge of shelf 16 at step 29 and spaced slightly inwardly toward the guide plate from the edge of the shelf. The adjustable mounting of the guide plate and the bracket provide for spacing the opposed surfaces of the guide plate and guide portion 64 by a distance approximately equal to a dimension (e.g., length) of the articles being dispensed while locating guide portion 641 in position to engage the next-to-the-bottom row of articles while permitting the bottom row to move laterally beneath the guide portion. The guide portion of bracket 56 also includes an inclined portion for guiding any misaligned articles into alignment between the guide portion and guide plate 24 as a row is being lowered by bar 38.

Articles arranged in a row on shelf 18 and step 29 are dispensed one at a time from the end of the shelf (and step) at end plate 12 by moving the row lengthwise toward the end of the shelf. During this movement, the edge or corner, designated 66, of shelf 16 at step 29 functions as a guide for maintaining the articles inalignment, and end plate 12 is formed with an opening 68 allowing the articles to be moved to and beyond the end of shelf 18 and step 29. Opening 68 is at least as wide as the combined widths of shelf 18 and step 29 and has a height exceeding the height of the tallest article that the apparatus is adapted to dispense.

Means are provided for engaging the end article of a row supported on the shelf and step adjacent end plate and moving the row toward the end of the shelf through opening 68. In the form shown, these means comprise a pair of generally L-shaped pushers 70 each including a vertical or upright member 72 and a transverse or crossmember 74, mounted at equally spaced intervals on an endless chain 76 having a length exceeding twice the length of shelf 18. Shelf l8 and step 29 are spaced apart to provide a gap within which a span or length of chain 76 is supported on two idler sprockets 78 and 80 located underlying the gap between the shelf and step near the opposite ends thereof. Each pusher 70 is adapted to extend through the gap with crossmember 74 of the pusher supported on opposite sides of the gap on shelf 11] and step 29. Crossmember 74 is preferably of a length such that it extends to a point more than half the distance from edge 66 to the outer edge of shelf 18 and thereby extends to at least the middle of the longest article that can be dispensed while upright member 72 is designed to extend at least to the middle of the tallest article that can be dispensed. This construction is designed to prevent the application of a turning moment to the articles that might tend to twist or overturn them. Both the upright and transverse members are relatively narrow for reasons that will appear hereinafter.

Each pusher 70 is adapted to be moved from a position outside of end plate 10 through an opening 82 in the end plate lengthwise of shelf 18 and step 29 through opening 68, thence downwardly and through an opening 84 in end plate 12 beneath the shelf and step through opening 82 to its initial position. it being desirable that the pusher be in an upright position before initially engaging the end article, sprocket 78 is mounted exterior of end plate 10 and spaced outwardly therefrom, and whereas it is important that the pusher, as rapidly as possible, get out of the way of a row of articles being moved into dispensing position as soon as the last article of the previous rows is advanced (dispensed) beyond the end of the shelf and track, sprocket 80 is mounted inside end plate 12 so that the pusher will drop down out of the way immediately as the last ofa row of articles is dispensed.

The means for driving chain 76 and pushers 70 mounted thereon comprise a drive sprocket 86 which may be keyed to the same shaft as cam 48 or driven through a separate transmission by motor 46. Thus, chain 76 being more than twice as long as the shelves and rows of articles supported thereon, and the spacing, along the chain, between pushers exceeding the length of a row of articles, there will be a dwell period between movement of one pusher from the end of shelf 18 and the movement of the other pusher onto shelf 18 at the other end. This dwell period provides time for the cam to operate pusher plate 38 and move another row of articles into position to be dispensed. Moreover, both of these operations, that is. lateral and lengthwise movements of the rows of articles, are accurately coordinated since the driving forces for both come from the same motor if not the same shaft, the speed of which can be varied without altering the relative timing. The lateral movement of a row of articles into dispensing position can be accomplished in a relatively short time such that the dispensing operation is essentially continuous and uninterrupted.

Gate means are provided within opening 611 in end plate 12 for resisting or inhibiting the movement of articles through the opening beyond the end of the shelf on which they are supported, and also operating a counter or other device such as a switch, providing a count of the number of articles dispensed during a dispensing sequence. A specified number of articles can be dispensed in rapid succession during a dispensing sequence by providing a motor 46 of the type adapted to start and come up to full speed and to stop in a very short interval (almost instantaneously), and/or a clutch-brake, facilitated by a low inertia system enabling the pusher (dispensing) to be stopped after the last of a specified number of articles has been dispensed and before another article can be dispensed. Since the shelves are inclined (e.g., about 15") toward opening 68, the gate means perform the additional function of preventing articles from sliding from the end of shelf 18 through the opening without being pushed.

In the form shown, these gate means comprise a plurality of fingers 90 each mounted at one end on a shaft 92, in turn pivotally mounted on bracket 56, and extending outwardly and downwardly through opening 68 in position to engage an article at approximately a angle as the article passes through the opening. Fingers 90 are spaced apart to permit upright sections 72 of pushers 70 to pass between them and a plurality of fingers are provided to insure engagement of an articlc regardless of its size (length) and are biased downwardly to a closed position (shown in FIG. 3) by a torsion spring 94. A stop is provided to limit the downward movement of the fingers beyond the "closed" position thereof in which they extend outwardly and downwardly at approximately a 45 angle with respect to shelf 18 and end plate 12.

A preferred form of counting means is shown as comprising an electrical switch 96 mounted on bracket 56 and including a plunger 98 engaged with a radial projection 100 on shaft 92. Switch 96 may be of the type adapted to produce an electrical pulse or signal in response to depression of plunger 98 due to the downward movement of fingers 90, which occurs only when an article is dispensed. This arrangement precludes a false signal that an article has been dispensed since the fingers can only move downwardly after an article has passed beyond the end edge of shelf 18 and has, in fact, been propelled downwardly by the action of the spring biased fingers.

An inclined chute 102 is provided on end plate 12 for guiding dispensed articles to wherever they are to go such as onto a conveyor belt and the chute is provided with an opening 104 to permit the passage of pushcrs 70. So that the articles will not get caught in opening 104, the size of opening 104 ls' minimized and for this reason the upright and crossmembers 72 and 74 of the pushers are made as narrow 118 possible consistent with having the strength required to move the articles.

In an alternative embodiment of the dispensing apparatus, a plate or panel may be provided in place of lingers 90, having as a cross section, essentially the same configuration as the fingers and adapted to function in the same manner. Such a panel would be provided with an opening to permit the passage of upright member 72 of a pusher 70.

Although the gate means, i.e., fingers 90, may be operative to prevent articles from sliding through opening 68, it may be desirable to provide a second gate across the opening to further insure that the articles will not fall or slide therethrough, particularly should it become necessary to shift or carry the dispenser while loaded with articles. A second gate or door 1116 is shown pivotally mounted on the outside of end plate 12 above opening 68 in the end plate and suspended swing open to allow the passage of an article being moved by a 5 pusher 70. The gate is formed with openings 112 which allow fingers 90 to extend through opening 68 and operate without interference from gate 106 and a generally L-shaped opening 114 to permit the unhampered movement of pushers 70.

Reference is now made to FIGS. 5 and 6 wherein there is shown a fixture for loading articles to be dispensed into the apparatus of the invention, especially designed to provide for rapid and convenient loading to permit continuous uninterrupted operation of the dispenser. The loading fixture. designated 130, comprises a base plate 132 having a flange 134 on one side, a handle 136 on an adjoining side and a post 138 providing an additional handle. The loading fixture is designed to accept articles supplied in cartons and transferred to the loading fixture by inverting the cartons on the horizontally positioned base plate, lifting off the carton and then shifting the fixture so that the base plate is in a generally vertical plane with the articles arranged in rows supported on flange 134. A side plate 140 is slidably mounted on flange 134 for moving the stacked rows of articles relative to the base plate and flange from the end of the flange furthest from handle 136. In use, the loaded loading fixture is positioned with base plate 132 against guide plate 24 and flange 134 resting on the upper row of articles in the dispenser. The handle 136 is then gripped and the base plate withdrawn from end plate 12 while the articles are retained in place against the end plate by side plate 140 which is held stationary with the aid ofa handle 142.

it is evident that the dispensing apparatus disclosed herein is capable of dispensing singly and in rapid succession, a selected number of rectilinear articles of a range of sizes and shapes, that it will do so reliably and continuously so long as it is kept loaded with articles, and that loading of articles into the apparatus while the apparatus is in operation can be performed easily and expeditiously. Moreover,'the construction of the dispensing apparatus is relatively simple, comprising a minimum of easily fabricated and readily assembled components and compact such that the apparatus is portable and occupies a minimum area, being only slightly longer than a row of articles to be dispensed and only a little wider than twice the combined widths of two rows of articles.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for dispensing articles singly and in rapid succession comprising, in combination:

holding means for supporting a multiplicity of articles aligned in rows arranged in stacked relation;

guide means adjacent said holding means for supporting a row of said articles in alignment while permitting lateral movement of said row;

first pusher means for engaging said articles comprising the bottom row of articles and moving said bottom row laterally onto said guide means;

gate means located at one end of said guide means and biased into a closed position in which said gate means oppose the movement of an end article in said row supported by said guide means beyond said end of said guide means, said gate means being movable to an open position by and in response to engagement with said end article during dispensing movement of said end article beyond said end of said guide means;

second pusher means for engaging said article at the opposite end of said row and moving said row lengthwise relative to said guide means toward said end thereof and said gate means; and

signaling means coupled with said gate means for producing a signal indicating the dispensing of an article in response to movement of said gate means between said open and closed positions thereof.

2. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 1 wherein said guide means include a shelf inclined toward one side and toward said one end and means along said one side of said shelf for aligning and guiding said articles supported on said shelf.

3. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 2 wherein said holding means include a second shelf having one side located adjacent and above the first-mentioned shelf and inclined away from the latter and upstanding means spaced from said one side of said second shelf for supporting said rows of said articles .in stacked relation on said second shelf.

4. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 3 including retaining means extending across said one end of said first-mentioned shelf and the adjacent end of said second shelf and including an opening at said one end of said first-mentione d shelf through which said articles are movable, and wherein said gate means extend downwardly across said openmg. 1

5. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 1 wherein said guide means include a shelf and means along one side of said shelf for aligning and guiding articles supported on said shelf, and said gate means include a gate member pivotally mounted above one end of said shelf and extending downwardly across the path of movement of said articles along said shelf toward said one end thereof.

6. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 5 including a second gate located across said one end of said shelf and mounted for movement independently of said gate member in response to engagement by tm article being dispensed, said second gate including an opening through which said gate member extends and is free to move.

7. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 5 wherein the height of said gate means above said shelf is adjustable to permit articles of different heights to pass beneath said gate means while opening said gate.

8. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 7 wherein said gate member is pivotally mounted and is biased downwardly toward said one end of said shelf into said closed position and said signaling means are responsive to the downward movement of said gate member into said closed position.

9. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim wherein said second pusher means include a pair of pusher members and carrier means for moving each of said pusher members above said shelf toward said one end of said shelf from an initial position at the opposite end of said shelf in engagement with said article at said opposite end of a row on said shelf while simultaneously returning the other of said pusher members to said initial position.

10. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 9 including drive means for operating said carrier means and simultaneously operating said first pusher means to move a row of said articles onto said shelf during the interval between movement of one of said pusher members beyond said one end of said shelf and movement of the other of said pusher members into said initial position.

11. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 9 wherein said carrier means comprise an endless carrier member including a section exceeding the length of said shelf supported for movement beneath and generally parallel with said shelf, toward said one end thereof, said carrier member being more than twice as long as said shelf and said pusher members being mounted on said carrier member and evenly spaced by half the length of said carrier member.

12. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 11 including drive means for moving said carrier member and simultaneously actuating said first pusher means to move said bottom row of articles laterally onto said shelf during the interval between movement of one of said pusher members beyond said oneend of said shelf and movement of the other of said carrier members into said initial position at said opposite end of said shelf.

13. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim 1 wherein said holding means comprise a first shelf for supporting stacked rows of said articles, said first pusher means include a pusher plate at least equal in length to said shelf, having a width at least half the width of said shelf and being mounted for movement of a leading edge of said plate from an initial position adjacent one side of said shelf in engagement with said articles comprising said bottom row of articles toward said guide means to at least the opposite side of said shelf, said pusher plate being adapted to support the remainder of said rows of articles during return movement to said initial position.

14. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim l3 including horizontally adjustable support means for supporting said stacked articles with ends thereof in substantial nlignment with one another and closely adjacent said one side of said shelf, and vertically adjustable restralning means for engaging the next row of articles immedlately'ahove said bottom row to prevent lateral motion of said next row during movement of said bottom row.

15. Apparatus for dispensing articles as defined in claim l4

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