US3747786A

US3747786A - Apparatus for extracting and feeding tubes to a machine for filling the tubes with a suitable material

Info

Publication number: US3747786A
Application number: US00178558A
Authority: US
Inventors: A Reichert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-09-08
Filing date: 1971-09-08
Publication date: 1973-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 1990-07-24
Also published as: CA972774A

Abstract

A method and apparatus for extracting empty collapsible carton tubes from a transport receptacle in which a transfer assembly is so arranged as to be raised and lowered in operative relation to the receptacle while extractor fingers carried by the assembly are effectively inserted into the tubes upon the lowering of the assembly relative to the receptacle. The extractor fingers include pressure-applying means selectively operable in a positive sense to seize the tubes, the tubes being thereupon withdrawn from the receptacle upon the assembly being vertically raised in relation thereto with the tubes being thereafter projected onto a feeder platform upon the assembly being angularly adjusted to a position extending ninety degrees to the vertical relation. In the latter adjusted position, the tubes carried by the extractor fingers extend horizontally onto a feeder platform so that upon operation of the pressure-applying means in an opposite negative sense, the tubes are released from the extractor fingers and projected onto the feeder platform by subsequent operation of means for stripping the tubes from the extractor fingers, with the stripping means upon completion of the stripping action being thereafter retracted from the feeder platform and out of contacting engagement with the tubes so as to permit a sweeper device to effectively force the tubes along the feeder platform and into a chute for supplying the tubes to a machine for filling the tubes with a suitable dispensible material. Further cooperating in timed relation with the foregoing operation of the transfer assembly is a stepper mechanism for advancing the receptacle in a step relation to the extraction operation of the extractor fingers so that succeeding rows of tubes in the receptacle may be effectively extracted in succession by the foregoing operation of the extractor fingers.

Description

United States Patent 1 Reichert APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING AND FEEDING TUBES TO A MACHINE FOR FILLING THE TUBES WITH A SUITABLE MATERIAL [76] Inventor: August Reichert, 29 Berwyn PL,

Glen Rock, NJ.

[22] Filed: Sept. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 178,558

[52] US. Cl..... 214/309, 214/1 BD [51] Int. Cl B65b 21/02 [58] Field of Search 214/309, 1 BD; 141/168, 171

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,741,381 4/1956 Bezien 214/309 3,120,770 2/1964 Hoyt 214/1 B X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 528,503 7/1956 Canada 214/309 Primary Examiner- -Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-George F. Abraham Attorney-Thomas E. Tate [5 7] ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for extracting empty collapsible carton tubes from a transport receptacle in which a transfer assembly is so arranged as to be raised and lowered in operative relation to the receptacle while July 24, 1973 extractor fingers carried by the assembly are effectively inserted into the tubes upon the lowering of the assembly relative to the receptacle. The extractor fingers include pressure-applying means selectively operable in a positive sense to seize the tubes, the tubes being thereupon withdrawn from the receptacle upon the assembly being vertically raised in relation thereto with the tubes being thereafter projected onto a feeder platform upon the assembly being angularly adjusted to a position extending ninety degrees to the vertical relation. In the latter adjusted position, the tubes carried by the extractor fingers extend horizontally onto a feeder platform so that upon operation of the pressureapplying means in an opposite negative sense, the tubes are released from the extractor fiingers and projected onto the feeder platform by subsequent operation of means for stripping the tubes from the extractor fingers, with the stripping means upon completion of the stripping action being thereafter retracted from the feeder platform and out of contacting engagement with the tubes so as to permit a sweeper device to effectively force the tubes along the feeder platform and into a chute for supplying the tubes to a machine for filling the tubes with a suitable dispensible material. Further cooperating in timed relation with the foregoing operation of the transfer assembly is a stepper mechanism for advancing the receptacle in a step relation to the extraction operation of the extractor fingers so that succeeding rows of tubes in the receptacle may be effectively extracted in succession by the foregoing operation of the extractor fingers.

9 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures July 24, 1.973

United States Patent [1 1 Reichert PATENTED 2 75 SHEEI 1 0F 7 INVENTOR.

AUGUST RE ICHERT Attorney PATENTED L 2 4 75 SHEU 3 0f 7 T tll J l j llllll INVENTOR.

AUGUST RE ICH ERT Attorney Pmminm 7 3.747.786

INVENTOR- AUGUST RE I'C H E RT PATENTEDJULZMQH SHEET 8 0F 7 INVENTOR.

AUGUST REICHERT 7 fljma.

Attornev PATENTED JUL 24 SIEEI'HIF? INVENTOR.

AUGUST REICH ERT BY Attorney APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING AND FEEDING TUBES TO A MACHINE FOR FILLING THE TUBES WITH A SUITABLE MATERIAL CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION AND PATENTS The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for extracting collapsible carton tubes from a transport receptacle and feeding the extracted tubes to a chute or hopper of a mechanism for supplying the tubes to tube holders in a tube filling line.

The hopper may be of a type including a mechanism cooperating therewith to periodically position a tube supplied from the hopper into a holder in the tube filling line, as disclosed in my copending United States application Ser. No. 210,748 filed Dec. 22, 1971.

The tube holders provided in the aforesaid tube filling line may be of the type disclosed in my U.S. Pats. No. 2,574,157 and No. 3,147,018.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention is in the field of high speed tube filling apparatus and methods and is specifically directed to an improved method and apparatus for extracting empty collapsible carton tubes from a transport receptacle and feeding such tubes to a machine for filling the tubes with dispensible materials of a wide range of viscosities, such as tooth paste, shaving cream, paints and food pastes, as well as other materials of suitable types well known in the art.

2. Description of the Prior Art Heretofore there has been provided tube filling apparatus, such as illustrated by the automatic tube filling line GA-2 shown in a bulletin identified as GAD2- l069-E of Arenco***Arenco AB Machinery Division of the Swedish Match Group and bearing a notation Printed in Sweden. In such tube filling line GA-2, the tube holders may be of a type described in my aforesaid U.S. Pats. No. 2,574,157 and No. 3,147,018.

As distinguished from such automatic tube filling line and tube holders, the present invention is directed to a method and apparatus for extracting collapsible tubes from a transport receptacle and feeding the extracted tubes to a chute or hopper. The hopper may be of a type including a mechanism cooperating therewith, as described in my aforesaid copending United States application Ser. No. 210,748, which mechanism is so arranged as to periodically position a tube supplied from the hopper into a holder in the tube filling line.

The tube extracting and feeding apparatus and method of the present invention are comprised of a transfer assembly carrying a plurality of extractor fingers and operable by a first control means in a first step of the method to lower the transfer assembly in relation to the receptacle to an extreme lowered position in which the extractor fingers are effectively inserted into tubes carried by the receptacle. A second control means is thereafter effective in a second step of the method to cause pressure-applying means of the extractor fingers to be operated in a positive sense to seize the tubes. The first control means is thereupon operable in a third step of the method to raise the transfer assembly in relation to the receptacle to an extreme upper position causing the extractor fingers to be raised vertically to a position whereby the seized tubes are extracted out of the receptacle. Upon the extracted carton tubes being thus raised clear of the box, a third control means is rendered effective in a fourth step of the method to angularly position the transfer assembly and thereby the extractor fingers to a ninety degree angular adjusted position relative to the previously raised vertical position of the extractor fingers. Following the third step of the method, the first control means is operative in a fifth step of the method to lower the transfer assembly to a position intermediate the aforementioned extreme upper and lower positions. In this intermediate position, the extractor fingers are so positioned that the tubes seized thereby, following the fourth step of the method, project in parallel relation to a surface of a feeder platform and partially onto the surface of a feeder platform preparatory to the tubes being stripped from the extractor fingers. At this time, the second control means is rendered effective in a sixth step of the method to cause the pressure-applying means of the extractor fingers to become operative in an opposite negative sense to release the tubes previously seized by the extractor fingers. Upon such release of the seized carton tubes, a fourth control means is rendered effective in a seventh step of the method to actuate a comb-like member in a sense to cause teeth of the comb-like member to engage the released tubes and strip such tubes from the extractor fingers and cause the tubes then held freely on the fingers to be moved off the fingers and onto the surface of the feeder platform. Thereafter, in an eighth step of the method, the fourth control means is rendered effective to actuate the comblike member in a reverse direction and back off the surface of the feeder platform. Next, a ninth step of the method is effected by a fifth control means being rendered effective to actuate a sweeper plate to force the tubes along the surface of the feeder platform and into a chute for supplying the tubes to a machine for filling the carton tubes with a suitable material. Finally, and as an additional step of the method, there is provided a stepper mechanism for advancing the transport receptacle in a step relation to the extraction operation of the fingers of the transfer assembly so that succeeding rows of tubes in the receptacle may be effectively extracted.

The prior art does not teach or suggest the steps of the present method, the provision of means for effecting the extraction and feeding of the tubes to a tube filling machine, or the concept of a transfer assembly including extractor fingers providing the double function of extracting tubes from a transport receptacle by the lowering and raising of the transfer assembly in relation to the receptacle and, thereafter, through the pivotal adjustment of the transfer assembly, to effect transfer of the extracted tubes to a surface of a feeder platform and thereby to a mechanism for supplying the tubes to a tube filling machine. 1

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention contemplates a method and apparatus for extracting empty collapsible tubes from a transport receptacle and feeding the tubes to a machine for filling the tubes with a suitable dispensible material, and, more particularly, the provision of a transfer assembly carrying extractor fingers operable in one predetermined position to extract the tubes from the transport receptacle and effective in another predetermined position of the transfer assembly to deliver the tubes to a surface of a feeder platform for supplying the tubes to the machine for filling the tubes.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved method and apparatus for readily and expeditiously extracting empty collapsible tubes or the like from a transport receptacle and feeding the extracted tubes to a chute or hopper of a mechanism for supplying the tubes to tube holders in a tube filling line.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the character stated that is completely automatic and does not require human handling or contact with the collapsible tubes during any stage of operation, thereby avoiding any possibility of contamination of the tubes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide, in automatic apparatus of the type stated, means for advancing the tube transport receptacle in successive equidistant steps in relation to the tube extracting operation in which the distance of each step corresponds to the spacing of tube rows in the receptacle so that the extractor fingers may be effectively advanced from the first row of tubes in the receptacle to the last row of tubes, and whereby the succeeding rows of carton tubes in the receptacle may be effectively extracted.

A further object of this invention is to provide a transfer assembly including a plurality of extractor fingers arranged to withdraw one row of carton tubes at a time from the transport receptacle or box and deliver them to a feeder surface of a tube filling machine.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a transfer assembly having the double function of removing rows of carton tubes from a transport receptacle or box and transporting the extracted tubes to a feeder surface of an automatic tube filling machine in which the tubes are placed on the feeder surface in a horizontal position by rotation of the transfer assembly through 90 from the vertical extracted position of the tubes.

These and other objects, together with the advantages of the invention, are manifest from the following description in terms of the embodiment thereof which is shown in the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals indicate corresponding parts in the several views:

FIG. I is a perspective view of a typical transport receptacle or box carrying collapsible carton tubes to which the invention may be applied, which receptacle or box has been partially emptied in the application of the method and apparatus of the present invention in the extraction of such tubes;

FIG. 2 is a view in front elevation of an apparatus embodying the present invention shown at a point in the cycle of operation when the carton tubes have just been turned to a horizontal position and with the dot-dash outline showing a point in the cycle of operation during which the carton tubes have had an upward extraction movement imparted thereto, shortly after withdrawal of the extracted carton tubes from the transport receptacle or box;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG; 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational view of the transfer assembly of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 with fragments of the extractor fingers being illustrated;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational view, partially in section, of one of the extractor fingers of FIG. 5 taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an elevational section view taken along the line 77 of FIG. 6 and illustrating a carton tube in a position in relation to an extractor finger before the seizure thereof;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 illustrating the effect of the application of fluid pressure or compressed air to the control piston of the extractor finger for effecting the seizure mode of operation;

FIG. 9 is an elevational section view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 8 and illustrating the seizure of a carton tube, a portion of the tube being shown in section;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged plan view of a cam plate and controlling cam surfaces for three cam followers and control follower arms; a first of the control follower arms for effecting the raising and lowering of the transfer assembly relative to the transport receptacle or box illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3; a second control follower arm to effect the angular positioning of the transfer assembly and the extractor fingers thereof for delivering extracted carton tubes to a surface of a feeder platform for a tube filling machine; and a third cam surface for periodically actuating a third control arm to render effective a stepper mechanism for advancing the transport receptacle carrying the carton tubes in step relation to the extraction operation of the extractor fingers;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, sectional view taken on line Illl of FIG. 10 and illustrating the relationship of the cam followers to congruent portions of the controlling cam surfaces provided in the cam of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged plan view of another of the control cam plates of FIGS. 2 and 3 and illustrating the controlling cam surfaces of such cam plate, one of the controlling cam surfaces being shown in relation to a controlling switch arm of a switch to selectively effect seizure and release of carton tubes by operation of the pressure-applying means of the extractor fingers, and the other controlling cam surface or channel being shown in cooperative relation with a control follower arm for effecting operation of means for stripping the carton tubes from the extractor fingers upon release of the pressure-applying means;

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram illustrating a congruent action of the controlling cam surface of the cam plate of FIG. 10 on the first and second control arms of the transfer assembly of FIGS. 2 and 3 at the moment when the extracttor fingers of the transfer assembly are at their lowermost position relative to the transport receptacle or box and projecting into the carton tubes preparatory to extraction of the tubes from the receptacle;

FIG. 14 is similar to FIG. 13 but provides a composite diagrammatic view depicting two successive positions of operation of the controlling cam surfaces of FIG. 10, illustrating at the left the extractor finger at the uppermost position with an extracted carton tube in the vertical position, while at the right of this view there is shown the other of the two composite successive positions of operation in which the extractor finger at the intermediate adjusted position of elevation is shown turned to the horizontal position preparatory to the carton tube being stripped from the extractor finger by operation of the comb-like member or stripper plate of FIG. 3 for transference of the tube to the surface of the feeder platform;

FIG. is a composite diagrammatic view illustrating two successive positions of operation of the stripper plate shown in FIG. 3 effected by the action of the other controlling cam surface or channel of the cam plate, shown in FIG. 12, to impart to the stripper plate, shown in the upper rest position of this view, an action to free the carton tube from the extractor finger, as shown in the lower position of this view, and effective upon an extractor finger being in the aforenoted horizontal position for supplying the carton tube to the surface of the feeder platform by such operation of the stripper plate of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 16 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken on line l6l6 of FIG. 15 so as to illustrate the cooperative action of the stripper plate or comb-like member of FIG. 3 in relation to the carton tubes carried by the extractor fingers.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring initially to FIGS. 2 and 3, the apparatus illustrated therein is shown at a point of tube removal in agreement with FIG. 1, that is, the transport receptacle or box 30 of FIG. 1 is shown half empty, the collapsible tubes 31 seen above the receptacle 30 in FIGS. 2 and 3 having been extracted from the sixth row of the receptacle.

The transport receptacle 30 has an open top and is compartmented to carry multiple rows of empty tubes 31. As shown in FIG. 1, receptacle 30 is divided into twelve rows of eight compartments of like size and adapted to carry corresponding tubes 31.

As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus of the present invention may include a frame 2 having a platform 4 supported on

side walls

6 and 8, a front wall 10 (broken away) and a rear wall 12. Another platform 14 is supported on pillars l6 and 18. Vertically extending guide means or slide rods secured to platform 4 are rendered rigid at their upper extremities by a cross member 22 (FIG. 3) affixed to the frame 2. An enclosure 24 mounted on platform 4 prevents accidental contact with operating linkage passing through this platform, as hereinafter explained. Two

rails

26 and 28 guide transport receptacle 30 which may carry conventional type collapsible tubes 31, as illustrated in FIG. 1. Rail 26 is turned out at its entry end 27, as shown in FIG. 4, to avoid hang-up at the point of direction change, where it joins a lateral rail 32, while rail 28 continues back to a lateral rail 34. The transport receptacle 30 is fed to the apparatus with its longer sides in slidable contacting relation between

rails

32 and 34, as shown by FIGS. 3 and 4. Receptacle 30, without turning, changes its direction of travel and moves separately between

rails

26 and 28, as may be best seen from FIG. 4. The emptied receptacle 30 moves off the apparatus at the front wall 10.

Finally, above platform 4, a bracket 36 supports a pair of spaced, parallel rods 38 (FIGS. 2 and 4) which clear the receptacle 30 and straddle a plurality of extractor fingers 37 to prevent the drag of tube partitions along with the tubes 31 during extraction. The height of the rods 38 may be adjusted in suitable slots in bracket 36 and fixed in an adjusted position by suitable fastening bolts 39.

Below platform 4, a motor and a belt or chain (not shown) drives a pulley or sprocket 40 which,as shown in FIG. 2, rotates shaft 42 carrying a pair of spaced

cam plates

44 and 46 which are affixed to shaft 42 at 43 and 45, respectively. The

cam plates

44 and 46 have cam surfaces shown in detail in FIGS. 10 and 12, as explained hereinafter. A small speed reduction motor 48 (FIG. 3) drives through a belt 50 a pulley 52 riding freely on a shaft 54 extending between bearing supports 56 and 58 affixed to the frame 2, as shown in FIG. 2. The shaft 54 is driven through a pair of friction clutches 60 in which the driving elements are attached to pulley 52 and the driven elements are attached to the shaft 54. A pair of spaced sprockets 62, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, are keyed to shaft 54 and carry continuous chains 64 around a rear pair of sprockets 66 pinned to a shaft 68 extending between a pair of bearing supports similar to 56 and 58 except that shaft 68 extends to wall 6 terminating in a gear 70, as shown in FIG. 3.

Each chain 64, as best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, carries three members 72 which pass into and out of slots 74 in platform 4 when shaft 54 is permitted to turn. Thus, upon the transport receptacle 30 being slidably positioned or urged between

rails

32 and 34 into a position limited by the rail 28, it will be seen that the receptacle will then be effectively transported in a right angular direction between the

rails

26 and 28 through the apparatus under the driving force of the members 72 projecting through the slots 74 and engaging the lower side surfaces of receptacle 30.

Shaft 54 is drivingly connected to sprockets 62 and through the chains 64 to sprockets 66 drivingly connected to gear 70. Rotation of shaft 54 is effectively restrained by a pawl 76 engaged by a selected tooth of a toothed portion 77 of a partial ratchet 78 spindled at 80 and having a non-toothed portion 79 and a gear 82 connected thereto and meshing with gear 70.

The arrangement, as shown in FIG. 3, is such that the pawl 76, being biased under suitable spring tension into engagement with the teeth of the toothed portion 77 of the partial ratchet 78, prevents rotation of the

gears

82 and 70 in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIG. 3. The pawl 76, however, is pinned to a shaft 84 carrying a cam follower 86, so that, while motor 48 continues to turn, the clutches 60 are so arranged as to slip so that the transport receptacle 30 will not be moved along the

rails

26 and 28, unless the cam follower 86 is actuated in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 3, so that pawl 76 is lifted out of locking relation with the teeth of the toothed portion 77 of the ratchet 78.

A housing 88 of a transfer assembly 90 (FIG. 4) is equipped with slide bearings 92 for guiding the transfer assembly along the vertically extending guide rods 20, as illustrated in FIG. 2. A collar 94, fixed to a shaft 96 spindled in housing 88, as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, turns at a bearing base 98 carried by thehousing 88. An arm 100 is suitably secured at one end in the collar 94 and carries laterally disposed extractor fingers 37.

Referring now to FIGS. 5 through 9, collar 94 has two

bores

104 and 106 externally connected to a pneumatic system (not shown) and providing controlling fluid pressure ports. Internally, the

bores

104 and 106 communicate respectively with

bores

108 and 110 running the length of the arm 100. Lateral bores 112 and 114 in the arm 100 communicate respectively with

bores

108 and 110 and with bores 116 and 118 in the chambered neck 120 of each extractor finger 37, as H lustrated in FIG. 6.

Chamber 122 is a cylinder in which an O-ring type piston 123 is made to move in one sense in accordance with a controlling fluid or air pressure applied to piston 123 and released at the control ports. A piston rod 125 operably positioned by the O-ring piston 123 terminates in a nose portion 124, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9. Two recesses 126 in side surfaces of the extractor finger 37 are arranged to accept leaf springs 128 which are affixed at one end portion within the respective recesses 126 by fastening screws 130. The other end portion of each of the leaf springs 128 has mounted thereon a soft rubber pad 132. A lateral bore 134 holds balls 136 which, as shown in FIG. 7, touch each other and the springs 128 without pressure or are slightly free upon the controlling fluid pressure being released at the control ports.

Further, FIG. 9 illustrates the manner in which the light leaf springs 128 provide through the pads 132 a pressure applying means for causing the extractor fingers 37 to seize the collapsible tubes 31 along the inner surfaces thereof. The leaf springs 128 may bow slightly to allow for tolerances rather than have the pads 132 apply excessive pressure at the inner surfaces of the tubes 31 which might otherwise cause damage to the tubes. A recess or channel 137 is provided along one side of each extractor finger 37 for a purpose to be described further along herein. The extractor fingers 37 are carried by the transfer assembly 90 which includes the mounting arm 100 secured at one end in the collar 94 and arranged to be readily removed from the collar 94 by the operator releasing a single fastening screw 138 in the collar 94, as shown in FIG. 5.

Directing attention now to FIGS. 2, 3, l and 12, the cam plate 44, which is best shown in FIG. 10, has a near side captive cam surface or channel 140, a far side captive cam surface or channel 142, and a free cam surface 144. As regards cam plate 46 (FIG. 12), the same has a captive cam surface or channel 146 in the far side and a free cam surface 148. Cam surfaces 140 and 142 accept, respectively,

cam followers

152 and 154 on

respective arms

156 and 158 which are pivotally mounted at 160 (FIG. 3) at one end of the arms on a bearing support 161 affixed to the frame 2. An opposite end portion of arm 156 is pivotally connected at 163 at one end of a link 162 and through the link 162 to a pivot 164 affixed to housing 88, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Thus, upon an up and down movement being imparted to the link 162 by the cam surface 140, corresponding movement is imparted to the housing 88 on the vertically extending guide rods 20. An opposite end portion of arm 158 is pivotally connected at 165 to one end of link 166 and through link 166 to a pivot 167 on a crank 168 which is mounted on shaft 96 and connected to the housing 88. Thus, an angular adjustment of the housing 88 and a corresponding adjustment of the arm 100 carried thereby may be effected by the cam surface 142 of the plate 44. This angular adjustment may be imparted through the link 166 and crank 168. Free cam surface 144 on the plate 44 is arranged to actuate the cam follower arm 86, shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 10, for freeing the hold on the receptacle drive or stepper mechanism effected by pawl 76 on the ratchet 78. (The location of the cam follower arm 86 seen in FIG. 3 is referenced angularly at 86A in FIG.

The cam surface or channel 146 in plate 46 accepts a follower 170 on an arm 172 which is pivotally connected at 173 (FIG. 15) to parallel motion linkage arms 174 pivoted at 175 on a bearing support 176 which is affixed to the frame 2. The upper end portions of the arms 174 are pivotally connected at 177 to a link 178 having an adjustable bracket 180 affixed thereto by bolts 181. The bracket 180 is arranged to support a comb-like member 182 having teeth 184 which pass through the channel or space 137 in the extractor fingers 37 (FIGS. 6-9). Thus, a tube 31 held freely and horizontally, as in FIGS. 15 and 16, will be moved off the extractor finger 37 onto the surface of the feeder platform 14 by the action of the cam surface or channel 146 in the plate 46 on the cam follower 170 and arm 172 of FIG. 12.

Furthermore, the free cam surface 148 on the plate 46 actuates a control arm 187 of a switch 188 to cause the admission of fluid under pressure to port 116 (FIG. 6) by a 4-way valve to render effective a pressureapplying means of the extractor fingers 37 for seizing the tubes 31. However, upon the cam follower arm 187 passing off the raised cam surface 148, the control switch 188 may be actuated in a sense to cause release of the fluid pressure of air, freeing the grip on the tube of the extractor finger 37. The cycles of operation of the several cam surfaces of the

plates

44 and 46 are illustrated in FIGS. 10, 12, l3, l4 and 15.

OPERATION The cam surfaces of the

respective plates

44 and 46 in relation to the respective cam followers are shown at the point when the extractor fingers 37 reach their lowermost position, at which position the extractor fingers 37 are rendered effective for seizing the tubes 31 in the transport receptacle 30. This is referenced rotationally as the zero degrees (0) position indicated by line 200 on the

plates

44 and 46 of FIGS. 10 and 12. In this 0 position, the switch 188 has just closed to effect seizure of the tubes 31 by the extractor fingers 37. During subsequent rotation of the plate 44 to the effective cam position indicated by the line 202 of FIG. 10, the cam surfaces 140 and 142 move on a circular path holding the extractor fingers 37 stationary while the tubes 31 remain seized by the extractor fingers.

From the position indicated by the line 202 to the line 203, the fingers 37 are raised so as to fully extract the seized tubes 31 from the transport receptacle 30, while upon rotation of the cam plate 44 to the position indicated by line 204, the transfer assembly rises to its highest point. At this point, the free cam surface 1 14 of the plate 44 actuates the follower arm 86 of FIG. 3 in a counterclockwise direction so that pawl 76 is moved out of engaging relation with the teeth of the ratchet 78 and friction clutches 60 of FIG. 2 thereupon become effective to drive the sprockets 62, chains 64 and the element 72 of the stepper mechanism or transport drive to advance the transport receptacle 30 in a step of a distance corresponding to that of the spacing of the tube rows, as will be further described.

From the position indicated by the line 204 to the indicator line 206 of FIG. 10, divergence of congruency of cam surfaces of

channels

140 and 142 of the plate 44 cause a simultaneous lowering of the transfer assembly 90 and an angular rotation of arm so as to cause the extractor fingers 37 to be angularly adjusted to a horizontal position while the transfer assembly 90 and the extractor fingers 37 carried thereby are lowered to a position intermediate the extreme upper and lower positions heretofore described. During the last 45 of this part of the cycle of operation, the cam surface or channel 146 of the plate 46 of FIG. 12 moves the follower 170 from the position indicated by the line 205 to the indicated position 206 so that the comb-like member 182 is positioned thereby well behind engagement with any portion of the carton tubes 31.

At this point, indicated by the line 206 of FIG. 12, the free cam surface 148 releases the cam follower arm 187 so as to actuate switch 188 in a sense to cause a release of the held fluid pressure causing the piston 123 in the extractor finger 37 to free the tubes 31 from pads 132 acting on the inner surface of the tube 31 in a gripping sense.

However, the transfer assembly 90 is held stationary from the indicated points 206 to 208 of FIG. 10 (because both cam surfaces 140 and 142 of the cam plate 44 again move in an arcuate circular path), while the cam surface 146 of FIG. 12 from the point indicated by the line 206 to the point 208 moves the comb-like plate 182 in the recessed channel 137 of the finger 37 toward the tube 31 and the teeth 184 of the comb-like plate 182 into engagement with the edge or end surface of the skirts of the tubes 31 so as to force the tubes 31 off the fingers 37.

From the point indicated by the line 208 to the point 210 of FIG. 12 there is provided a hump at the point 210 in the cam surface 146 which affects the arm 172 in such a manner that the tubes 31 are stripped from the fingers 37 and positioned completely onto the surface of the feeder platform 14. Thereafter the hump at point 210 in the cam surface or channel 146 so affects the cam follower arm 172 that the stripper plate or comb-like member 182 is slightly retracted to its normal rest position (i.e. the position effected by the circular portion of the cam surface or channel 146) as seen in FIGS. 3 and 12, so that the comb-like member is clear of the sweeper plates 220 and the tubes 31 do not catch on the comb-like member 182 as the tubes 31 are moved along the surface of the feeder platform 4 in parallel relation one to the other, as shown by FIG. 2, under the force of the sweeper plates 220 in a manner hereinafter described.

From point 208 to point 214 of FIG. 10, the cam surface or channel 142 is in the form of an arc of a circle so that no angular adjustment or movement is imparted to the crank pin 167 (FIG. 3). But the cam surface or channel 140 rises and thus crank arm 168 is turned on the crank pin 167 as a center of rotation whereupon the fingers 37 carried by the arm 100 of the transfer assembly 90 are returned once again to a vertical position. However, from th point indicated by line 214 of FIG. 10, both cam surfaces or

channels

140 and 142 are congruent causing the transfer assembly 90 to move down and back to the zero degree position indicated by line 200 of FIG. 10, so as to be preparatory for repetition of the foregoing cycle of operation.

When the free cam surface 144 of plate 44 (FIG. once again lifts pawl 76 (FIG. 3), the transport receptacle 30 is moved by one of the three driving members 72 of the stepper mechanism until the pawl 76 falls into the next ratchet tooth, stopping the transport receptacle or box 30 at a position corresponding to that to render the fingers 37 effective to extract the next row of tubes (FIG. 1). After the last row of tubes 31, the pawl 76 rides on the non-toothed portion 79 and free of any of the teeth of the toothed portion 77 of the ratchet 78 for a predetermined angular distance required to effectively position the next transport receptacle or box for extraction of its first row of tubes .31 and immediately under the extractor fingers 37.. By interchanging ratchet 78 for a different number of teeth in the toothed portion 77 in the same arcuate distance (teeth pitch will change), transport receptacles or boxes of varying capacities of tubes 31, such as 8 X 8 or 8 X 10 instead of 8 X 12, may be accommodated.

Removal of the tubes 31 from the feeder platform 14 is effected by having sweeper plates 220 carried by a belt 222 running over pulleys 224 spindled on supports 226 carried by the platform 14 of the frame 2. A suitable drive connection, not shown, is arranged to synchronize the drive of the sprocket 40 and thereby the actuation of the stripper plate 182 with that of the drive of the pulleys 224 of the sweeper plates 220 so as to avoid interference in the operation of the one with the other.

Furthermore, an angular guide plate 228 is so arranged as to serve to align the tubes 31, as shown in FIG. 2, before discharge from the feeder platform 14 to other equipment indicated at 230 such as a hopper or chute for supplying the tubes 31 to suitable automatic tube filling machine which may be of the type heretofore explained. 1

Although only one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various changes in the form and relative arrangements of the parts which will now appear obvious to those skilled in the art may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Reference is, therefore, to be had to the appended claims for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. For use with a machine of a type for filling carton tubes with a dispensible material, the combination comprising a transfer assembly, extractor finger means carried by the transfer assembly, first positioning means drivingly connected to the transfer assembly to operatively position the transfer assembly and thereby the finger means in linear senses to extract carton tubes from a transport receptacle, a feeder surface, second positioning means drivingly connected to the transfer assembly to position the transfer assembly in angular senses, control means for rendering the second positioning means effective following completion of extraction of carton tubes by the positioning of the transfer assembly and the extractor finger means in said linear senses, said second positioning means being thereupon effective to position the transfer in one of said angular senses so as to cause the extractor finger means to extend in a cooperative relation to the feeder surface, and means thereafter effective to displace the extracted carton tubes from the finger means and onto the feeder surface,, said transfer assembly including a housing, an arm carrying the extractor finger means and means to pivotally mount an end of the arm in the housing, vertically extending guide means to slidably mount the housing, the housing being operatively positioned on the guide means in said linear senses by the first positioning means being connected to the housing of the transfer assembly, the arm carrying the extractor finger means being angularly positioned in the pivoted mounting means in the housing by the second positioning means being connected to the arm of the transfer as sembly to position the arm in said angular senses, said second positioning means being effective to cause the finger means carried by the arm to be adjusted in said one angular sense from a vertically extending position to a horizontally extending position parallel to the feeder surface and in said cooperative relation therewith.

2. The combination defined by claim 1 including other means to control the extractor finger means, said other control means rendering the extractor finger means effective in one sense to seize the carton tubes in the transport receptacle upon a lowering of the vertically extending finger means in one of said linear senses to a position in the carton tubes in the transport receptacle and thereafter effect the extraction of the lastmentioned carton tubes upon a raising of the vertically extending finger means in another of said linear senses to a position out of the transport receptacle, said other control means rendering the extractor finger means effective in an opposite sense to release the seized carton tubes upon the finger means being angularly adjusted from the vertically extending position to the horizontally extending position parallel to the feeder surface.

3. The combination defined by claim 2, in which the means to displace the extracted carton tubes from the finger means include stripping means to engage the carton tubes, means drivingly connected to the stripping means and effective to actuate the stripping means into an engaging relation with the carton tubes upon the finger means being angularly adjusted from the vertically extending position to the horizontally extending position parallel to the feeder surface so as to cause the stripping means to displace the carton tubes from the extractor finger means and onto the feeder surface, said first and second positioning means being effective, upon completion of the actuation of the stripping means, to position the housing and the arm in respective linear and angular senses so as to return the transfer assembly and thereby the extractor finger means to an operative position relative to the transport receptacle preparatory to extraction of succeeding carton tubes from the transport receptacle.

4. The combination defined by claim 3 additionally including a sweeper mechanism arranged in cooperative relation with the feeder surface and driven in synchronized relation with the operation of the means to displace the carton tubes from the finger means, said sweeper mechanism being effective after the displacement of the carton tubes from the finger means to move the tubes along the feeder surface clear of the displacement means and under the force of the sweeper mechanism for supplying the carton tubes to the tube filling machine.

5. The combination defined by claim 1 additionally including other means to control the extractor finger means, the said other control means rendering the extractor finger means effective in one sense to seize the carton tubes in the transport receptacle upon the positioning of the finger means in one of said linear senses into the transport receptacle and thereby effect the extraction of the last-mentioned carton tubes upon the positioning of the finger means in another of said linear senses out of the transport receptacle, said other control means rendering the extractor finger means effective in an opposite sense to release the seized carton tubes upon the positioning of the transfer assembly by the second positioning means in said one angular sense, the means to displace the extracted carton tubes from the finger means including stripping means to engage the carton tubes, means drivingly connected to the stripping means and effective to actuate the stripping means into an engaging relation with the carton tubes upon the positioning of the transfer assembly by the second positioning means in said one angular sense so as to cause the stripping means to displace the carton tubes from the extractor finger means and onto the feeder surface, a sweeper mechanism including a sweeper plate arranged in cooperative relation with the feeder surface and driven in synchronized relation with the operation of the means to displace the carton tubes from the finger means, said sweeper plate being effective after the displacement of the carton tubes from the finger means to move the tubes along the feeder surface clear of interference with the stripping means and under the force of the driven sweeper plate for supplying the carton tubes to the tube filling machine, and, upon completion of the actuation of the stripping means, said first and second positioning means being effective to position the transfer assembly in respective linear and angular senses so as to return the transfer assembly and thereby the extractor finger means to an operative position relative to the transport receptacle preparatory to extraction of succeeding carton tubes from the transport receptacle.

6. In an apparatus of a type including an automatic line of tube holders and means for filling carton tubes carried by the holders with a dispensible material, a transport receptacle having an open top and carrying multiple rows of empty carton tubes, each of said rows including a plurality of carton tubes equal in number to the plurality of carton tubes in each other of said rows of carton tubes, and feeder surface means for supplying carton tubes to the automatic tube filling line, the improvement comprising; a transfer assembly including a plurality of extractor fingers equal in number to the number of carton tubes in each of said rows, first control means to lower from an initial raised position the transfer assembly and thereby the extractor fingers through the open top of the receptacle and into the carton tubes of one of said rows; second control means to thereupon cause the extractor fingers to seize the carton tubes, said first control means being thereafter effective to raise said transfer assembly and thereby the extractor fingers with the seized carton tubes of said one row so as to extract said one row of carton tubes through the open top of the receptacle, said first control means subsequently positioning the extractor fingers of the transfer assembly so as to transfer the seized carton tubes to the feeder surface means, said second control means at the last-mentioned position of the extractor fingers thereupon causing the extractor fingers to release the transferred carton tubes to the feeder surface means, the first control means returning the transfer assembly and extractor fingers to the initial raised position upon completion of a cycle of the extraction operation, and a stepper mechanism arranged in a driving relation with the transport receptacle, said stepper mechanism including releasable means periodically operable by the first control means after the extraction of said one row of carton tubes from the transport receptacle to permit the stepper mechanism to advance by a step action the transport receptacle in a sense and distance relative to the raised extractor fingers effective to condition a succeeding row of the carton tubes for extraction by the transfer assembly upon another corresponding cycle of the extraction operation being thereafter initiated by the first control means,, said first control means including first and second linkage means drivingly connected to said transfer assembly, cam means to operate the first and second linkage means, the first linkage means being operatively positioned by the cam means so as to linearly position the transfer assembly and the extractor fingers in vertical senses so as to lower and raise the transfer assembly relative to the open top of the receptacle to effect the extraction of the carton tubes of said one row therefrom, said second linkage means being operatively positioned by the cam means so as to subsequently position the transfer assembly and thereby the extractor fingers in a sense to effect the transfer of the seized carton tubes to the feeder surface means, the releasable means of the stepper mechanism being periodically operable by the cam means of the first control means so as to permit the stepper mechanism to advance by a step action the transport receptacle to condition the succeeding row of carton tubes carried by the transport receptacle for extraction by the transfer assembly upon another cycle of the extraction operation.

7. The improvement defined by claim 6 including stripping means to displace the extracted carton tubes from the extractor fingers, the second control means including linkage means drivingly connected to the stripping means, selectively operable means to render the extractor fingers effective in the one sense to seize the carton tubes and alternately effective in the other sense to release the seized carton tubes, the second control means also including cam means effective to operate the selectively operable means in said one and a other senses, said linkage means being operatively positioned by the cam means of the second control means so as to actuate the stripping means into an engaging relation with the carton tubes so as to cause the stripping means to displace the carton tubes from the extractor fingers immediately following the operation of the selectively operable means by the cam means of the second control means in said other sense to cause the extractor fingers to release the transferred carton tubes to the feeder surface means.

8. The improvement defined by claim 6 in which the first control means includes first and second linkage means drivingly connected to the transfer assembly, cam means to operate the first and second linkage means, the first linkage means being operatively positioned by the cam means so as to linearly position the transfer assembly and the extractor fingers in vertical senses so as to lower and raise the transfer assembly relative to the open top of the receptacle to effect the extraction of the carton tubes of said one row therethrough, said second linkage means being operatively positioned by the cam means so as to subsequently position the transfer assembly and thereby the extractor fingers in a sense to effect the transfer of the seized carton tubes to the feeder surface means, stripping means to displace the extracted carton tubes from the extractor fingers, the second control means including linkage means drivingly connected to the stripping means, selectively operable means to render the extractor fingers effective in the one sense to seize the carton tubes and alternately effective in the other sense to release the seized carton tubes, the second control means including cam means effective to operate the selectively operable means in said one and other senses, said linkage means being operatively positioned by the cam means of the second control means so as to actuate the stripping means into an engaging relation with the carton tubes so as to cause the stripping means to displace the carton tubes from the extractor fingers immediately following the operation of the selectively operable means by the cam means of the second control means in said other sense to cause the extractor fingers to release the transferred carton tubes to the feeder surface means, a sweeper mechanism including a sweeper plate arranged in cooperative relation with the feeder surface means and driven in synchronized relation with the actuation of the stripping means to displace the carton tubes from the extractor fingers, the sweeper plate being effective after the displacement of the carton tubes from the extractor fingers to move the tubes along the feeder surface means clear of interference with the stripping means and under the force of the driven sweeper plate for supplying the carton tubes to the automatic tube filling line.

9. The improvement defined by claim 6 in which the stepper mechanism comprises motor means, friction clutch means including input means driven by the motor means and output means, actuating means arranged in driving relation with the transport receptacle and operably connected to the output means, and the releasable means includes a toothed portion carried by the output means, a pawl to engage a tooth of said toothed portion to effectively restrain the output means from being driven by the motor means through the friction clutch means, the pawl of the releasable means being periodically operable by the first control means to release the engaged tooth of said tooth portion carried by the output means so as to permit the output means of the friction clutch means to be driven by the motor means so as to cause the actuating means to be periodically operable to advance by a step action the transport receptacle in the sense and distance aforesaid.

Claims

1. For use with a machine of a type for filling carton tubes with a dispensible material, the combination comprising a transfer assembly, extractor finger means carried by the transfer assembly, first positioning means drivingly connected to the transfer assembly to operatively position the transfer assembly and thereby the finger means in linear senses to extract carton tubes from a transport receptacle, a feeder surface, second positioning means drivingly connected to the transfer assembly to position the transfer assembly in angular senses, control means for rendering the second positioning means effective following completion of extraction of carton tubes by the positioning of the transfer assembly and the extractor finger means in said linear senses, said second positioning means being thereupon effective to position the transfer in one of said angular senses so as to cause the extractor finger means to extend in a cooperative relation to the feeder surface, and means thereafter effective to displace the extracted carton tubes from the finger means and onto the feeder surface,, said transfer assembly including a housing, an arm carrying the extractor finger means and means to pivotally mount an end of the arm in the housing, vertically extending guide means to slidably mount the housing, the housing being operatively positioned on the guide means in said linear senses by the first positioning means being connected to the housing of the transfer assembly, the arm carrying the extractor finger means being angularly positioned in the pivoted mounting means in the housing by the second positioning means being connected to the arm of the transfer assembly to position the arm in said angular senses, said second positioning means being effective to cause the finger means carried by the arm to be adjusted in said one angular sense from a vertically extending position to a horizontally extending position parallel to the feeder surface and in said cooperative relation therewith.

2. The combination defined by claim 1 including other means to control the extractor finger means, said other control means rendering the extractor finger means effective in one sense to seize the carton tubes in the transport receptacle upon a lowering of the vertically extending finger means in one of said linear senses to a position in the carton tubes in the transport receptacle and thereafter effect the extraction of the last-mentioned carton tubes upon a raising of the vertically extending finger means in another of said linear senses to a position out of the transport receptacle, said other control means rendering the extractor finger means effective in an opposite sense to release the seized carton tubes upon the finger means being angularly adjusted from the vertically extending position to the horizontally extending position parallel to the feeder surface.

7. The improvement defined by claim 6 including stripping means to displace the extracted carton tubes from the extractor fingers, the second control means including linkage means drivingly connected to the stripping means, selectively operable means to render the extractor fingers effective in the one sense to seize the carton tubes and alternately effective in the other sense to release the seized carton tubes, the second control means also including cam means effective to operate the selectively operable means in said one and other senses, said linkage means being operatively positioned by the cam means of the second control means so as to actuate the stripping means into an engaging relation with the carton tubes so as to cause the stripping means to displace the carton tubes from the extractor fingers immediately following the operation of the selectively operable means by the cam means of the second control means in said other sense to cause the extractor fingers to release the transferred carton tubes to the feeder surface means.