US3599391A

US3599391A - Automatic container ejector apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3599391A
Application number: US11635A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert J Allen; Philip C Martin; Jack M Neumayer
Original assignee: Ex-Cell-O Corp
Current assignee: ELOTRADE AG A SWISS CORP
Priority date: 1970-02-16
Filing date: 1970-02-16
Publication date: 1971-08-17
Anticipated expiration: 1988-08-17

Abstract

An automatic container ejector apparatus for use with a continuous motion packaging machine which erects, fills and closes containers. The ejector apparatus permits the operator to remove a carton or container for inspecting the container bottom for quality control purposes without stopping the machine. The automatic ejector apparatus includes a swingably mounted ejector arm means which is adapted to be selectively swung inward across the path of a container being moved from a bottom forming machine to a filling machine and for swinging outwardly to eject the selected container. An operating linkage means is provided for interconnecting the operation of the ejector arm means with the rotary movement of a rotary transfer unit for transferring the containers from the bottom forming machine to the filling machine. A control means is provided for selective operation of the ejector arm means.

Description

United States Patent Appl. Nov 11,635

Filed Feb. 16, 1970 Patented Aug. 17, 1971 Assignee Ex-Cell-O Corporation Detroit, Mich.

AUTOMATIC CONTAINER EJECTOR APPARATUS 7 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

3,120,089 2/l964 Monroe etal.

ABSTRACT: An automatic container ejector apparatus for use with a continuous motion packaging machine which erects, fills and closes containers. The ejector apparatus permits the operator to remove a carton or container for inspecting the container bottom for quality control purposes without stopping the machine. The automatic ejector apparatus includes a swingably mounted ejector arm means which is adapted to be selectively swung inward across the path of a container being moved from a bottom forming machine to a filling machine and for swinging outwardly to eject the selected container. An operating linkage means is provided for interconnecting the operation of the ejector arm means with the rotary movement of a rotary transfer unit for transferring the containers from the bottom forming machine to the filling machine. A control means is provided for selective operation of the ejector arm means.

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SHEET 2 OF 5 PATENTEDAUGI'IISH 3.599391 sum 3 or 5 P/V/Z/P C. MART/N Y uflor M. Mid/"A767? ATTORNEYS PATENTED-msu 7 an SHEET UF 5 INVENTORS AOEZAT J. AZZf/V BY P/l/Z/P C. MART/A JACK/H. NIH/P714767? ATTORNEYS AUTOMATIC CONTAINER EJECTOR APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to continuous motion packaging machines for erecting, filling and closing containers, and more particularly, to a novel and improved automatic container ejector apparatus for use with a rotary transfer unit which conveys containers from a container bottom forming machine to a container filling machine.

Continuous motion machines for erecting, filling and closing containers are well known in the art, however, a disadvantage in the use of the prior art machines of this type, is that it is necessary for an operator to stop a machine when checking containers to see if the bottom forming machine is properly forming the bottoms of the containers. On the other hand, the operator could try to pull a container from the machine when it is operating, but this is against good safety practices and is not advantageous. The stopping of a continuous motion machine of this type is a disadvantage because it involves lost production and machine downtime.

In view of the foregoing, it is an important object of the present invention to provide an automatic container ejector apparatus for a continuous motion container fabricating machine which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages of the container bottom inspection practices which are inherent with the use of the prior art continuous motion container fabricating machines.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automatic container ejector apparatus which is efficient in operation and may be easily adapted to a continuous motion container erecting, filling and closing machine so as to permit an operator to selectively check the bottom forming efficiency of a particular station on a container bottom forming machine, and to eject selective containers one at a time or to eject a run of containers. The ejector apparatus of the present invention is adapted to be operated in a timed relationship with a rotary transfer unit which transfers containers from a continuous motion container bottom forming machine to a container filling machine.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a novel automatic container ejector apparatus for use with a continuous motion packaging machine for erecting, filling and closing containers, and which packaging machine includes a rotary transfer unit for transferring the containers from a container bottom forming machine to a container filling machine, the ejector apparatus including, a rotary cam means operatively carried by said rotary transfer unit for rotation therewith, a swingably mounted ejector arm means pivotally mounted adjacent the rotary transfer unit, an operating linkage means connected to said ejector arm means and being operated by said rotary cam means for swinging said ejector arm means in one direction to engage a container being transferred by said rotary transfer unit, and for swinging said ejector means in the opposite direction to eject said container from said rotary transfer unit, and means for selectively engaging said operating linkage means with said cam means and for disengaging said linking means from said cam means. The swingably mounted ejector arm means is adapted to form a part of the conveyor guide rails of the rotary transfer unit when the ejector apparatus is not is not in use.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be. apparent from the following detailed description, appended claims, and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a side elevational view of an illustrative container erecting, filling and closing machine provided with an automatic container ejector apparatus made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the illustrative machine of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, horizontal view of the container ejector apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 3-3 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal section view of the container ejector apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 4-4 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, broken, elevational view, partly in section, with parts removed, of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4, taken along the 5-5 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, broken, horizontal section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 5, taken along the line 6-6 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary, elevational section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4, taken along the line 7-7 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, elevation section view of the structure illustrated in FIG. 4, taken along the line 8-8 thereof, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is an illustrative electric control circuit for the automatic container ejector apparatus of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The automatic container ejector apparatus of the present invention is particularly adapted for ejecting from a bottom forming machine cartons or containers of the type shown in US Pat. Nos. 3,120,333, 3,185,375, and 3,185,376. For a complete description of a container which may be ejected by the ejector apparatus of the present invention, reference may be had to the aforementioned patents.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the numeral 10 generally designates a conventional continuous motion packaging machine for erecting, filling and closing containers. The packaging machine 10 includes a containers loader magazine generally indicated by the numeral 11 which is adapted to supply flat folded tubular container blanks to a rotary feeder apparatus generally indicated by the numeral 12. The container blanks are successively withdrawn by the rotary feeder apparatus 12, erected into open ended tubular form and loaded onto a continuously rotating bottom forming apparatus generally indicated by the numeral 13 which heats, folds and seals the container bottom closure. After being transferred by the rotary transfer unit 14 and filled by the rotary turret filler 15, the filled and partially completed containers, open at the top, are presented by the rotary transfer unit 16 to a rotary heating and top sealing turret 17. The filled and sealed containers are then conveyed by the rotary transfer unit 18 and delivered to a conveyor generally indicated by the numeral 19. The aforementioned machine elements are operatively mounted on a common machine base 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the numeral 23 designates the turret which carries the rotary transfer unit 14 and which also drives the usual container top prebreaker apparatus. The automatic ejector apparatus of the present invention is adapted to coact with the container top prebreaker apparatus so that the containers 32 may be ejected without conflicting with the top prebreaker action. The turret 23 is operatively supported by a vertical drive shaft 24 which is adapted to be rotated by any suitable means, as by the same main power means for driving the other parts of the packaging machine 10. The turret 23 supports a plurality of container transfer members 25, and in the illustrative embodiment, there are five such container transfer members which coincide with the five top prebreaker stations.

' As shown in FIG. 5, the container transfer members 25 each include an upper horizontal arm 26 which is integrally connected to a vertical integral flange 27 that is secured by any suitable means, as by machine bolts 28, to the turret 23. The container transfer members 25 further include a lower arm which is integral with a vertical flange 30 that is connected by suitable machine bolts 31 to the turret 23. As shown in FIGS.

5 and 6, the container transfer members 25 are adapted to engage a container 32 and transfer it in a circular path from a pair of spaced apart horizontal conveyor or transfer rails 33. As shown in FIG. 5, the conveyor rails 33 are fixedly mounted on a support arm 34 which is integrally attached to a vertical support member 35. The support member 35 is provided with a support base 36 which is seated on the machine base and attached thereto by a plurality of suitable machine bolts 37. As shown in FIG. 4, the rotary transfer unit 14 includes a curved upper container guide rail 38, and a lower container guide rail 39 as shown in FIG. 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the ejector apparatus vertical shaft 41 is rotatably mounted adjacent its upper end by a suitable bushing 42 in the vertical support member 35. The shaft 41 projects upwardly from the support member 35 through a sleeve 43 and a thrust washer 44 and into a bore 45 formed in an ejector arm support member 46. The shaft 41 is retained in the support member 46 by a suitable tapered pin 51. As shown in FIG. 5, the ejector arm support member 46 supports a pair of vertically spaced apart upper and lower ejector rails or

arms

47 and 49, respectively. The upper ejector rail 47 is secured to the upper end of the support member 46 by a plurality of suitable machine bolts 48. The lower ejector rail 49 is secured to the lower end of the support member 46 by a plurality of suitable machine bolts 50. As shown in FIG. 5, the shaft 41 extends downwardly into the machine base 20 and is rotatably supported by a lower bearing means 53 which is retained by a retainer screw 54 in a support bracket 55. The support bracket 55 is secured to a portion 57 of the machine base 20 by machine bolts 56.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a crank 58 has a bifurcated end which is secured by the bolt 59 to the lower end of the shaft 41. A stop lug 60 extends outwardly from the bifurcated end of the crank 58 and is adapted to engage an adjustable stop member 61 which is carried on a threaded shaft that is threadably mounted in a flange 63 carried by the support member 55. As shown in FIG. 6, a second stop member 61 is spaced apart in a horizontal plane from the first stop members 61 and is also threadably mounted in the flange 63. The stop members 61 are adapted to be locked in adjusted positions by the lock nuts 62 and they operate to limit the rotatable movement ofthe crank 58.

As shown in FIG. 5, the crank 58 is provided with a yoke end 64 to which is pivotally mounted a clevis member 66 by a pivot pin 65. A rod 67 has one end threadably mounted in the clevis member 66 and is locked in an adjusted position by a lock nut 68. As shown in FIG. 4, the other end of the rod 67 is threadably mounted in a second clevis member 71 and locked in position by a locknut 72. As shown in FIG. 5, the clevis member 71 is pivotally connected by a pivot pin 75 to the yoke end 73 ofa crank 74. As shown in FIG. 4, the crank 74 is pivotally supported by a pivot pin 76 on one end of a fixed horizontal support plate 77. The plate 77 is supported in a fixed position on the lower end of a machine standard or post 78 which is carried by the machine base 20. As best seen in FIG. 5, the upwardly extended support member 79 is formed on the crank 74 at the end opposite to the pivot pin 75. A cam roller' 80 is rotatably supported on the upper end of the support member 79 by a suitable headed shaft 81 which has the lower end thereof threadably mounted in the support member 79.

As shown in FIG. 4, the cam roller 80 is adapted to be engaged by the two-part, five-lobe cam 82 which is attached by a plurality of machine bolts 86 to a support plate 85. As shown in FIG. 5, the support plate 85 is secured by any suitable means to the rotatable turret shaft 24. The cam 82 is provided with five lobes 83 and five recesses or valleys between these lobes which are formed by the inwardly inclined surfaces 84. The cam roller 80 is normally held off of the cam 82 in an inoperative position by the following described structure.

As shown in FIG. 4, an air cylinder generally indicated by the numeral 87 has a bifurcated end (FIG. 7) pivotally attached by a pivot pin 88 to an anchor plate 89 that is secured by machine bolts 91 to a support arm on the machine base 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the air cylinder 87 is provided with a cylinder rod 92 that extends outwardly from the other end. The cylinder rod 92 has its outer end threadably mounted in a clevis member 94 and secured in place by a lock nut 93. The clevis 94 is pivotally attached by a suitable pin 95 to the crank 74 at a position between the pivot pins 75 and 76. The air cylinder 87 is a double-acting air cylinder which is air operated in both directions. As shown in FIG. 4, the air cylinder 87 is provided with a suitable two-way solenoid operated flow control valve 110 which is spring operated in one direction and solenoid operated in the other direction, and which functions to normally permit a flow of air under pressure, as for example, 90 psi. to enter the piston end of the air cylinder 87 so as to normally force the rod 92 outwardly and pivot the crank 74 in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4 to hold the cam roller 80 off of the cam 82. The rod end of the cylinder 87 has admitted thereto at all times air under pressure through a suitable flow regulator 114 so as to maintain an air cushion of approximately 30 psi. on the rod end of the cylinder 87. The higher pressure on the piston end of the cylinder 87 overcomes the air cushion pressure to hold the cam 80 in an inoperative position so as not to contact the cam 82 until an ejection action is called for by the operator.

As shown in FIG. 4, an ejector rail limit switch 95 is carried in a fixed position on a switch support plate 101 which is suitably secured to the fixed plate 77. The limit switch 96 is provided with an operating arm and roller 97 which is adapted to be engaged by the crank 74 for timing the movements of the ejector rails 47 and 49 at the correct time in operation with the top prebreaker mechanism. Limit switch 96 is a normally closed switch so that when the switch is actuated the contact is broken and the

rails

47 and 49 are in their normal guiding position.

As shown in FIG. 4, an ejector timing limit switch 98 is also carried by the support plate 101 and it is provided with an operating arm and roller 99 which is adapted to be selectively engaged by the cams 100 which are formed by both heads of bolts threadably mounted in the cam 82 at the leading endsof the lobes 83.

FIG. 9 illustrates a schematic electrical electrical control circuit for interconnecting timing limit switches 96 and 98 with the operation of the solenoid operated flow control valve 110. Numerals 102 and 103 indicate leads which would be connected to a suitable source of electrical power. The solenoid operated valve 110 is adapted to be energized by operation of carton eject pushbutton switch 105 which is interconnected between the leads 102 and 103 by the'leads 104, 106, 107, 109, and 111, junction 108 and the ejector timing limit switch 98. The ejector rail limit switch 96 is also interconnected between the lead 102 and the junction 108 by the leads 112 and 113.

OPERATION The automatic container ejector apparatus of the present invention is provided to permit the operator of the packaging machine 10 to check the container or carton bottoms at periodic times, as for example, every hours or so. The packaging machine 10 does not have to be shut down to remove a container. As is seen from the aforedescribed structure, the ejector apparatus is timed and operated to insure that a container can be ejected without stopping the machine and causing machine downtime and lost production. The pushbutton eject switch 105 may be mounted in a convenient position on the machine 10, as for example, on the control panel shown on the machine in FIG. 1. When the pushbutton switch 105 is depressed, the solenoid operated valve 110 is operated to dump the high pressure from the piston end of the cylinder 87 to permit the lower pressure air at the cylinder end to automatically move the piston rod 92 inwardly of the cylinder 87, thereby causing the lever 74 to be swung counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 4, and to bring the cam roller 80 into operative contact with the outer periphery of the timing cam 82. As the cam 82 rotates in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4, the cam roller 82 will drop into the valley or recess formed by the surfaces 84 so as to move the crank 74 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4. This last mentioned action causes the rod 67 to pivot the crank 58 in a clockwise direction around the shaft 41 to cause the

ejector arms

47 and 49 to be moved in a clockwise direction to a position whereby as the cam 82 continues rotation the cam 80 is engaged by the next lobe 83 to move the

cranks

74 and 58 in the opposite direction and swing the

ejector arms

47 and 49 in a counterclockwise direction to eject a container 32 outwardly onto a suitable platforms as 115 which is shown in FIG. 5. It will be seen that the ejector arms nonnally function as a part of the transfer unit guide rails. The operator can remove one container 32 by a single depression of the pushbutton switch 105, or he can remove a run of containers by keeping the pushbutton switch 105 depressed until the desired number of cartons or containers have been ejected.

It will be seen that the automatic ejector apparatus of the present invention permits a packaging machine operator to make a periodic check of the containers to make sure that the bottoms are being properly made by the bottom-forming machine 13. The operator can also maintain a visible check on the containers and eject predetermined containers which appear to be defective. lt is also possible to maintain a quality control inspection on the containers being formed by a certain mandrel on the bottom-forming machine 13. The bottomforming machine 13 has a plurality of mandrels and each of them are marked. With the ejector apparatus of the present invention, the operator can accurately eject containers from a predetermined mandrel for quality control inspection of the container bottoms coming off of that mandrel.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to modification, variation and change.

What we claim is:

l. in combination with a continuous motion packaging machine for erecting, filling and closing containers and which is provided with a container bottom forming machine, a container filling machine and a rotary transfer unit for transferring cartons from the bottom-forming machine to the filling machine, said rotary transfer unit having container conveyor guide rails, an automatic container ejector apparatus comprismg:

a. a rotary cam means operatively carried by said rotary transfer unit for rotation therewith;

b. a swingably mounted ejector arm means pivotally mounted adjacent said rotary transfer unit;

0. an operating linkage means connected to said ejector arm means and being operated by said rotary cam means for swinging said ejector arm means in one direction to engage a container being transferred by said rotary transfer unit, and for swinging said ejector means in the opposite direction to eject said container from said rotary transfer unit; and,

d. means for selectively engaging said operating linkage means with said cam means and for disengaging said linkage means from said cam means.

2. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a. said pivotally ejector arm means is fixed on a shaft pivotally mounted on said packaging machine;

b. said operating linkage means includes,

1. a first crank having one end attached to said shaft,

2. a linkage rod having one end attached to the other end of said first crank,

3. a second crank pivotally mounted on said packaging machine,

4. said linkage rod having the other end attached to one end of said second crank,

. a cam roller operatively mounted on the other end of said second crank for operative engagement with said rotary cam means, and,

6. said means for selectively engaging and disengaging said linkage means to said cam means is pivotally connected to said second crank at a point between the pivot mounting point of the second crank, and the end to which linkage arm is attached.

3. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein, said means for selectively engaging said operating linkage with said cam means and for disengaging said linkage means from said cam means comprises:

a. a fluid operated cylinder having a cylinder rod connected to said second crank;

b. means for continuously admitting a fluid under a low pressure to one end of said cylinder for moving said cylinder rod inwardly to a position to engage said cam roller with said cam means; and,

c. means for admitting a fluid under a high pressure to the other end of said cylinder for moving said cylinder rod outwardly to a position to disengage said cam roller with said cam means in opposition to said low pressure, and for exhausting said high pressure fluid from said other end of the cylinder to allow the low pressure fluid to move the cylinder rod inwardly.

4. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein:

a. said means for admitting fluid under high pressure to the other end of said cylinder comprises a solenoid operated flow control valve.

5. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 4, including:

a. timing control means for timing the operation of said ejector control arm means with said rotary transfer unit.

6. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein:

a. said cam means comprises a rotary cam having a plurality of lobes and valleys therebetween equal to the number of stations on said rotary transfer unit.

7. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein:

a. said ejector arm means comprises a pair of vertically spaced apart guide rail portions that form a part of the rotary transfer conveyor guide rails during normal operation of the rotary transfer unit.

Claims

1. In combination with a continuous motion packaging machine for erecting, filling and closing containers and which is provided with a container bottom forming machine, a container filling machine and a rotary transfer unit for transferring cartons from the bottom-forming machine to the filling machine, said rotary transfer unit having container conveyor guide rails, an automatic container ejector apparatus comprising: a. a rotary cam means operatively carried by said rotary transfer unit for rotation therewith; b. a swingably mounted ejector arm means pivotally mounted adjacent said rotary transfer unit; c. an operating linkage means connected to said ejector arm means and being operated by said rotary cam means for swinging said ejector arm means in one direction to engage a container being transferred by said rotary transfer unit, and for swinging said ejector means in the opposite direction to eject said container from said rotary transfer unit; and, d. means for selectively engaging said operating linkage means with said cam means and for disengaging said linkage means from said cam means.

2. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said pivotally ejector arm means is fixed on a shaft pivotally mounted on said packaging machine; b. said operating linkage means includes,

2. a linkage rod having one end attached to the other end of said first crank,

3. a second crank pivotally mounted on said packaging machine,

3. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein, said means for selectively engaging said operating linkage with said cam means and for disengaging said linkage means from said cam means comprises: a. a fluid operated cylinder having a cylinder rod connected to said second crank; b. means for continuously admitting a fluid under a low pressure to one end of said cylinder for moving said cylinder rod inwardly to a position to engage said cam roller with said cam means; and, c. means for admitting a fluid under a high pressure to the other end of said cylinder for moving said cylinder rod outwardly to a position to disengage said cam roller with said cam means in opposition to said low pressure, and for exhausting said high pressure fluid from said other end of the cylinder to allow the low pressure fluid to move the cylinder rod inwardly.

4. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein: a. said means for admitting fluid under high pressure to the other end of said cylinder comprises a solenoid operated flow control valve.

5. a cam roller operatively mounted on the other end of said second crank for operative engagement with said rotary cam means, and,

5. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 4, including: a. timing control means for timing the operation of said ejector control arm means with said rotary transfer unit.

6. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: a. said cam means comprises a rotary cam having a plurality of lobes and valleys therebetween equal to the number of stations on said rotary transfer unit.

7. The automatic container ejector apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein: a. said ejector arm means comprises a pair of vertically spaced apart guide rail portions that form a part of the rotary transfer conveyor guide rails during normal operation of the rotary transfer unit.