US3817423A - Apparatus for continuously rectifying two-piece hard capsules - Google Patents

Apparatus for continuously rectifying two-piece hard capsules Download PDF

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Publication number
US3817423A
US3817423A US00328184A US32818473A US3817423A US 3817423 A US3817423 A US 3817423A US 00328184 A US00328184 A US 00328184A US 32818473 A US32818473 A US 32818473A US 3817423 A US3817423 A US 3817423A
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plate
rectifying
disposed
capsules
feeding element
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Knight H Mc
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Eli Lilly and Co
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Eli Lilly and Co
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Priority to US00328184A priority Critical patent/US3817423A/en
Priority to GB151174A priority patent/GB1455662A/en
Priority to DE2403619A priority patent/DE2403619C2/de
Priority to IT19945/74A priority patent/IT1007589B/it
Priority to JP1266074A priority patent/JPS5528967B2/ja
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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
    • B65B35/56—Orientating, i.e. changing the attitude of, articles, e.g. of non-uniform cross-section

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  • This invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous high speed rectification of two-piece hard capsules. More particularly, this invention relates to a mechanism which converts randomly-oriented twopiece hard capsules to individually positioned capsules, all of which have thebody section thereof oriented in the same direction.
  • capsules comprise two pieces which are telescoped together to form an enclosed container.
  • Empty two-piece capsules are manufactured by forming each of the two pieces on a molding pin, stripping the sections therefrom, trimming the pieces t a predetermined length and joining the two pieces by pushing (telescoping) the body section into the cap section.
  • the bodysection is longer than the cap section, so that when the two sections are telescoped. together the exposed body section length is about the same as the cap section.
  • the joined empty capsules are usually introduced into the capsule filling operation in a randomlyoriented pack.
  • the randomly-oriented empty capsules are rectified to arrange all of the capsules with the body section oriented in the same direction and such rectified empty capsules are deposited in capsule receiving means, which can take many forms, and subsequently separated, filledand rejoined.
  • One of the earliest mechanisms-for rectifying twopiece hard capsules comprised a hopper for holding the empty capsules which oscillated back and forth. Stationary tubes into which said capsules were funneled cooperated with said oscillating hopper. The capsules, which were randomly-oriented with respect to the direction of the body section, were discharged from said tubes into a set of horizontally positioned fingers which through a reciprocating movement oriented the capsules so that the bodyA section was always pointed in the same direction. The oriented capsules were then deposited in a receiving means.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a means for consistently and uniformly rectifying two-piece hard capsules continuously at a rate of one-thousand and more capsules per minute, such means being adaptable and coordinatable with a plurality of continuously moving capsule receiving means.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide a means for consistently and uniformly rectifying twopiece hard capsules continuously at a rate of onethousand and more capsules per minute, such means being adaptable and coordinatable with theinvention described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,601,954.
  • an apparatus for the continuous high-speed rectification of two-piece hardv capsules can be comprised of: (a) A stationary receptacle disposed above and cooperating with a laterally reciprocating rotatable circular feeding element having a circumferential row of equispaced holes of a diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of said capsules', said feeding element serving as the bottom of said receptacle. (b) A concentrically rotatable circular bank of vertical tubes disposed immediately below the openings in said feeding element and in essentially axial alignment with said openings.
  • a first O-ring disposed in outboard slots disposed in said tubes said O-ring being diverted away from said vertical tubes at one position and disposed around an idler pulley at such position.
  • a second O-ring disposed in outboard slots disposed in said tubes below the course of said first O- ring said second O-ring being diverted away from said vertical tubes at a position from about to about from the location of the diversion from said vertical tubes of said first O-ring and disposed around an idler pulley at such position.
  • a rotatable circular rectifying-.plate connected to the lower extremities of said vertically disposed tubes, said rectifying-plate having vertical openings axially aligned with the holes in said tubes and of essentially the same diameter, said rectifying-plate having vertically disposed slots extending from the circumferential side face of said plate to said vertical openings therein, said slots having a width slightly less than the outside diameter of both the cap section and body section of saidcapsules, and said rectifying-plate further having three or more lateral circumferential slots essentially equi-spaced vertically and extending from the circumferential side face of said plate to approximately the vertical circumferential plane defined by the inboard circumference of said openings in said rectifying-plate.
  • a reorientation-bar disposed adjacent to the outside circumferential side face of said rectifying-plate, said reorientation-bar extending from a point where said second O-ring returns to the circumferential course described by the second lateral slots in said vertical tubes and at a point just above the upper face of said rectifying-plate to a point just below the bottom face of said rectifying-plate, and (i) means for moving the rectified capsules from said vertical slots in said rectifying-plate to said vertical openings in said rectifying-plate at a point just prior to a position where said rectified capsules are deposited in a receiving means for conveying to a capsule separation operation.
  • FIG. I is a partially cut away perspective view of the apparatus for the continuous high-speed rectification of two-piece hard capsules.
  • FIG. 2a is a top plan view of the mechanism which drives the reciprocating movement of the feeding element which is an integral part of the apparatus for the continuous high-speed rectification of two piece hard capsules.
  • FIG. 2b is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the mechanism which drives the reciprocating movement of the feeding element.
  • FIG. 2c is a partially cross-sectionalized perspective view of the mechanism which drives the reciprocating movement of the feeding element.
  • FIG. 3a is a partially cut-away perspective view of the rectifying element of the apparatus for the continuous high-speed rectification of two-piece hard capsules.
  • FIG. 3b is a cross-sectional perspective view of a portion of the rectifying element.
  • the apparatus for the continuous high-speed rectification of two-piece hard capsules constituting the instant invention comprises: (a) a randomly-oriented capsule receptacle 1, (b) a laterally reciprocating, rotatable randomly-oriented capsule feeding element 8 spatially disposed immediately below and cooperating body-section-down-oriented capsules from said rectifying-plate 28, and (f) means for effecting the synchronized rotation of said feeding and delivery elements and rectifying-plate.
  • the novel apparatus for the continuous high-speed rectification of two-piece hard capsules which is embodied in this invention is constituted and operates as illustrated and described hereinafter.
  • a cylindrical receptacle 1 is shown connected to a stationarily disposed cylindrical support post 3 by a radial arm 4.
  • the receptacle 1 is shown connected to support post 3 by three connecting arms. This number of arms is arbitrary and is used only to fix the position of the hopper. Any number of arms above two which would satisfactorily complete this connection would be satisfactory.
  • one of the three arms is cutaway alongwith the front of receptacle 1 in order to show the internal arrangement of the other parts which are involved in the receptacle 1 into which the randomly-oriented two-piece hard capsules are introduced.
  • the receptacle 1 is shown having an internal diameter greater than that of the feeding element 8.
  • receptacle 1 can be of any convenient size and if desired can be of the same internal diameter as the outside diameter of feeding element 8. Or, alternatively, the inside diameter of receptacle l can be substantially greater than the outside diameter of feeding element 8 and of a design wholly unlike that which is shown in FIG. 1. It is only necessary that receptacle l should be of a sufficient size to accommodate a reasonable number of randomly-oriented capsules. However, it is important that at the intersection of the top face of feeding element 8 and the bottom of receptacle l, the edge of the receptacle 1 meet the top face of the feeding element 8 at the outside diameter of the latter.
  • a cone 5 which rises from the inside circumference of the chamfered holes 9 in feeding element 8 to a position on the stationarily disposed vertical support post 3.
  • This cone S serves the purpose of directing the flow of the randomly oriented capsules down and towards said chamfered holes 9 in said feeding element 8.
  • a flexible baffle 7 is shown attached to one of the radial arms 4 which connect receptacle l to vertically disposed support post 3.
  • a simple coupling 6 connects the flexible baffle 7 to the radial arm 4.
  • the gear 11 is fixed to the vertically disposed support post 3, and dose not move.
  • the drive gear l2 which operates the eccentric c am 14 within the confines of the elongated opening 10 is connected to the eccentric cam 14 by the shaft 13.
  • Shaft 13 is rotatably disposed in an opening in the structure which supports the feeding element 8.
  • feeding element 8 rotates at the same speed as the delivery element which is comprised of a concentrically rotatable bank'of hollow tubes 15 essentially axially aligned with the holes in the feeding element 8.
  • a concentrically rotatable bank of hollow cylindrical tubes which comprises the delivery element of the subject invention.
  • the tubes in the delivery .element rotate as a unit in synchronization with the rotation of the feeding element 8.
  • the feeding element 8, turning free of said support post 3, is disposed upon, but notifixedly attached to the support structure to which the delivery element is attached.
  • the chamfered holes 9 in feeding element 8 are positioned so that they and the hollow tubes 15 of said delivery element are in essentially axial alignment.
  • the propulsion of feeding element 8 is effected by rotatably disposing one end of shaft 13, to which is attached the eccentric cam 14 which imparts the reciprocating movement to said feeding element 8 as the latter rotates, in the structure which supports said feeding and delivery elements.
  • both the feeding element 8 andthe bank of hollow tubes 15 rotate in'unison but at the same time feeding element 8 can reciprocate laterally to provide an oscillating movement which aids in the feeding of capsulesfrom receptacle l into chamfered holes 9 in feeding element 8.
  • first lateral slot 16 is disposed on the same horizontal plane around the circumference of the delivery element and are present in each lof the hollow tubes 15.
  • the randomly-oriented capsules are fed through the chamfered holes 9 in the feeding element 8 into the bankof hollow tubes 15.
  • the capsules fall by gravity down the lhollow tubes l5 until they are stopped by said flexible O-ring 17 which prevents the capsule from falling further until the delivery element reaches a point in its rotation where flexible O-ring 17 leaves said lateral slots 16 in hollow tubes l5 to go around idler pulley 19.
  • capsules which have been restrained from falling below exible O-ring 17 are free to fall further in the hollow tubes l5.
  • a rectifyingplatc plate 28 which receives the capsules from the delivery element.
  • the rectifying-plate 28 is disposed at a distance of about one and one-half capsule lengths from 'i the first lateral slots l6which are circumferentially disposed in each of the hollow tubes 15 which comprise the delivery element.
  • a second course of outboard lateral slots 2l which in turn accommodate a second flexible O-ring 20.
  • This second flexible O-ring 20 is disposed around a second idler pulley 23 disposed outboard of the circumferential row of lateral slots 21 but in the same plane therewith.
  • the idler pulley 23 is supported by a post 22, and is positioned at from about to about 160 degrees from said first idler pulley 19.
  • the capsules which have fallen below the first flexible O-ring 17 in the area where the O-ring has left the delivery element to go around the first idler pulley 19 are stopped by the second flexible O-ring 20.
  • the capsules, which have been stopped by the second flexible O-ring 20 move around in the apparatus as the rectifying plate turns, they reach a point where the second flexible O-ring 20 leaves the circumferential course of lateral slots 21 to engage the idler pulley 23. At this point the capsules are free to fall into the rectifying-plate 28.
  • the rectifying-plate 28, shown in detail in FIG. 3a receives the capsules from the delivery element.
  • the rectifying-plate 28 there are a plurality of vertical holes 29 of essentially the same inside diameter as the inside diameter of the hollow tubes 15 which deliver the randomly-oriented capsules to said rectifying-plate 28. These holes 29 cooperate with and are in communication with the hollow tubes l5 and are axially aligned therewith.
  • Extending from the outside circumferential face of rectifying plate 28 to the outboard circumference of holes 29 in rectifyingplate 28 are vertical slots 30 disposed to communicate with each of the holes 29 in rectifying plate 28.
  • These vertical slots 30 which communicate between the outside circumferential face of the rectifying plate 28 and the outboard circumference of eachof the yholes 29 in said rectifying plate are of a width that is slightly less than the outside diameter of bothvthe cap section and the body section of the two-piece capsules which are being rectified by the apparatus of this invention.
  • Stop-plate 31 covers a distance around the circumference of rectifying-plate 28 approximately equal to the distance that is consumed by the diversion of the second flexible O- ring 20 around idler pulley 23.
  • a plurality of laterally disposed circumferential slots are provided in the rectifying plate 28 extending from the outside circumferential surface of said rectifyingplate 28 to approximately the vertical circumferential plane-defined by the inboard circumference of the plurality of holes 29 disposed in said rectifying plate 28.
  • FIG. 1, FIG. 3a, and FIG. 3b these laterally disposed slots are shown as 36, 37, and 38. As a matter of construction, 3 slots are appropriate for accomplishing the purpose of the rectifying apparatus. An additional number of slots could be provided if it were so desired.
  • Positioning-plate 32 Disposed in circumferential lateral slot 37 (the middle one), and extending from a point near the inside circumference of said slot 37 to a supporting post 33 located'outboard said rectifying-plate 28, is a fixed positioning-plate 32.
  • Positioning-plate 32 is mounted so that the point at which said plate 32 is first contacted by a capsule in rectifying-plate 28 is located perpendicularly above the middle half of stop-plate 31.
  • positioning-plate 32 meets rectifying-plate 28 at an angle that is essentially tangential to the rectifyingplate at the point of meeting.
  • Positioning-plate 32 is contacted by the randomlyoriented capsules in rectifying-plate 28 and causes said capsules to be moved from holes 29 to slots 30.
  • the capsules In moving the capsules from holes 29, in which they are free to move, to the slots 30 which have a width narrower than the outside diameter of both the cap section and the body section, the capsules are restrained by the frictional contact between the capsule cap section and slot 30 in rectifyng-plate 28.
  • positioning-plate 32 continues to exert a force on the capsules and they are turned so'that the body sections of the capsules always are turned outwardly from the outside circumferential face of rectifyingplate 28.
  • the positioned capsules are carried around an arc of the movement of the rectifying-plate with those capsules in the upper portion of the rectifying-plate 28 riding above positioning-plate 32 and those capsules which are the bottom portion of rectifying-plate 28 moving below said positioning-plate 32. Capsules continue to move with the rectifying-plate until they encounter the reorienting-bar 35.
  • Reorienting-bar 35 is stationarily disposed outwardly from the rectifying-plate 28, but in a position immediately adjacent to the outside circumferential face of said rectifying-plate 28. Moreover, the reorienting-bar 35 begins at a point immediately above rectifying-plate 28 and gradually descends to a point immediately below said rectifying-plate 28. All of the time the curvature of the descending reorienting-bar 35 is esseritially the same as the curvature of the outside circumferential face of rectifying-plate 28. Reorienting-bar 35 is supported by a post 34.
  • FIGS. 3a and 3b discharging means 40 is shown as a series of freeturning wheels mounted on a post 39.
  • the free-turning wheels are partially disposed within the circumferential lateral slots 36, 37, and 38 respectively.
  • the freeturning wheels extend into said circumferential lateral slots, 36, 37 and 38, to a point approximately the distance of the depth of vertical slots 30.
  • said wheels force the capsules out of the vertical slots 30 in rectifying-plate 28 back into holes 29 in said rectifyingplate 28 at which point the capsules are again free to move. With no frictional restraints on the thus positioned capsules, the capsules are discharged by gravity into capsule receiving means where additional operations are performed.
  • FIG. 2.a, FIG. 2b, and FIG. 2c show in great detail the mechanical operation of said feeding element 8. It was discovered that in order to uniformly maintain a delivery of randomly oriented capsules to the rectifyingplate 28 at high speeds, it was necessary to provide more than a simple delivery tube. In achieving the highspeed rectification, it was found that by introducing a reciprocating movement to the rotation of the mechanism for feeding the capsules to the delivery tubes, it was possible to maintain a uniform feed rate of as high as 60 capsules per minute per delivery tube to the rectifying-plate 28.
  • the feeding element 8 can be coristructed of any suitable material, but it was found that a preferred material of construction was a simple aluminum alloy.
  • the feeding element 8 was designed to revolve in synchronization with the bank of delivery tubes 15. While a chamfered hole 9 is not considered essential for the flow of the capsules from the randomly oriented pack in the hopper to the delivery tubes, it was found that it was beneficial to construct the holes in such a manner.
  • the holes 9 through which the capsules are fed tothe delivery elements are ofa diameter slightly greater than the maximum outside diameter of the capsules which are being delivered to the rectifying-plate 28.
  • the chamfered holes 9 in feeding element 8 are in communication with and essentially axially aligned withthe bank of hollow tubes l5 of the delivery element.
  • Feeding element 8 cooperates with said delivery element as the two elements rotate in unison, and although connected they are no't disposed in a fixed stationary relationship.
  • the reciprocating movement of feeding element 8, as said element rotates, induces a greater turbulency to the stationary bed of randomly-oriented capsules and consequently aids in the free travel of individual capsules to the holes 9 in said feeding element.
  • the reciprocating movement of feeding element 8 is achieved by providing an elongated slot 10 in said feeding element 8 with an eccentric cam 14 disposed therein, the elongated axis of said slot l0 being along a radius line of said element 8.
  • the eccentric cam is rotated to move said feeding element 8 forward at a velocity greater than the entire apparatus is rotating and then as a reciprocating consequence move said element 8 backwards and consequently slow the movement of said feeding element 8 in relation to the rest of the apparatus.
  • This is accomplished by affixing a stationary gear 1l to the cylindrical support post 3 and in cooperation with said stationary gear l1 attaching a drive gear 12 to the eccentric cam 14 which allows for its revolution through 360.
  • the drive gear 12 and the eccentric cam 14 are both fixedly attached to a shaft 13.
  • Shaft 13 extends into the structure which is a support piece for both feeding element 8 and the bank of hollow tubes 15 through which the randomly-oriented capsules are delivered to the rectifying-plate 28.
  • the shaft 13 is free to rotate in said support structure.
  • shaft 13 disposed in said supportstructure provides a positioning index for feeding element 8 and maintains the essentially axial alignment between-holes 9 in said feeding element 8 and the hollow tubes 15 through which capsules are delivered to the ⁇ rectifying-plate 28.
  • Alternate means can be provided for moving the reoriented capsules from the vertical slots in rectifyingplate 28 back into the holes 29 from which the capsules are discharged from the rectifying apparatus.
  • fixed skids could be disposed in the lateral slots 36, 37 and 38 respectively in rectifying plate 28 at an acute angle to the latter, and the same purpose could be accomplished.
  • the freeturning wheels shown most definitively in FIG. 3b provided a mechanism which was uncomplicated and did not impart damage to the reoriented capsules in the movement from the vertical slots 30 to the holes 29 in rectifying-plate 28.
  • the length of the-hollow tubes l5 which serve as the delivery means for delivering the randomly-oriented capsules to the rectifying-plate 28 can be varied widely from the relative length shown in FIG. l. lt is only essential that these tubes be sufficiently long to accommodate l or more capsules between the feeding element 8 and the first flexible O-ring 17, preferably a minimum length equal to one and one-half the length of one of the capsules being rectified.
  • neither the stopplate 31 nor the positioning plate 32 need be as wide as is shown in FIG. l. lt is necessary only that these plates be provided Vto stop the capsules from dropping out of the holes 29 in said rectifying-plate 28 and accomplishingthe movement of the capsule from the holes 29 to the vertical slots 30 in said rectifying-plate 28.
  • a stationary receptacle for holding randomlyoriented two-piece hard capsules
  • a concentrically rotatable delivery element connectedly disposed immediately below said feeding element, said delivery element comprised of a plurality of vertically disposed hollow tubes cooperating and in communication with said feeding element, and means for regulating the delivery of individual capsules from said feeding element to a rectifying element.
  • the rectifying elementv tixedly disposed immediately below said delivery element comprised of a rotatable rectifying-plate.
  • said receptacle has cylindrical side walls which terminate at the bottom at the upper outer circumferential edge of the laterally reciprocating, rotatable feeding element, said cylindrical side walls being stationarily affixed to a central support post by a plurality of connecting arms.
  • a centrally disposed cone is located with the base beginning immediately above thev laterally reciprocating, rotatable feeding element, said cone having the outside circumference of its-base at the inside circumference of a plurality of chamfered holes disposed in said laterally reciprocating, rotatable feeding element, said cone being truncated and supported on the centrally disposed post to which said cylindrical walls of said receptacle are connected.
  • a flexible baffle is disposed transversely in said receptacle between said cylindrical wall and said cone, said flexible baffle being supported from one of the plurality of arms which connect said central support post with said cylindrical walls of said receptacle.
  • said laterally reciprocating, rotatable randomly-oriented-capsule feeding element which is in communication with and cooperates with said receptacle,comprises a flat plate having a plurality of holes disposed therein around the outside periphery of said plate, said holes being chamfered at the top.
  • said concentrically rotatable delivery element is comprised of a plurality of vertically disposed cylindrical hollow tubes cooperating with and in communication with the feeding element, said hollow tubes being axially aligned with said chamfered holes in said feeding element, said hollow tubes having a first circumferential course of lateral slots disposed on the outboard side thereof, said first lateral slots located at a distance from the origin of said hollow tubes equal to at least one and one-half the length of the two-piece hard capsules being rectified in said apparatus, a first outboard idler pulley located in the said circumferential plane as said first lateral slots in said hollow tubes, a first flexible O-ring disposed in said first lateral slots and around said first outboard idler pulley, a second circumferential course of lateral slots disposed in said hollow tubes, said second course of lateral slots being located at a distance from said first course of lateral slots by at least one and oriehalf the length of the capsules being rectified in said apparatus, a second idle
  • said rectifying element is comprised of a rotatable rectifying-plate, said rectifying plate being lixedly connected to the bottom end of said feeding element, said rectifying-plate further having a plurality of vertical holes communicating and cooperating with and having essentially the same inside diameter as the hollow tubes in said feeding element, said rectifying-plate also being of a thickness of slightly more than the length of the two-piece hard capsules being rectified, said rectifying-plate having vertically disposed slots extending from the outside circumferential face thereof to each of the plurality of said vertical holes therein, said vertical slots having an inside width of slightly less than the outside diameter of both the cap section and the body section of the capsules being rectified in said apparatus, said rectifyingplate further having a plurality of lateral slots equispaced from the top to the bottom of said rectifyingplate and extending from the circumferential face thereof to the inside vertical circumferential plane of the plurality of said vertical holes disposed in said rectifying-plate.
  • a stationarily disposed stop-plate is disposed immediately beneath said rectifying-plate, said stop plate extending from a point just before said second flexible O-ring leaves the second circumferential course of lateral slots in said hollow tubes to turn-around said second idler pulley, to a position just behind the point where a positioning-plate used to move the randomly-oriented capsules from said vertical holes to said vertical slots exits from the lateral circumferential slot in said rectifyingplate in which said positioning-plate is disposed.
  • a positioning-plate is disposed in the middle of three lateral circumferential slots in said rectifying plate,.said positioning-plate located so that the leading edge of said positioning-plate contacts the two-piecev hard capsules in said vertical holes in said rectifying-plate at an angle essentially tangential to said rectifying-plate at the point of contact between said positioning-plate and the capsules and continues to a point outboard of said rectifying-plate at which point said positioning-plate is stationarily connected to support post.
  • a reorientation-bar is disposed adjacent to the outer periphery of said rectifying-plate from a point just behind said positioning-plate in the direction of rotation of said rectifying-plate to a point in said direction of rotation just before the location where the reoriented capsules are discharged from said rectifying-plate ⁇ said reorientation-bar beginning at a point immediately' above the rectifying-plate and descending to a point immediately below the bottom of said rectifying-plate at which point said reorientation-bar is stationarily connected to a support post.
  • the means for discharging vertically positioned body-section-downoriented capsules fromsaid rectifying-plate comprises a plurality of free-turning wheels, said free-turning wheels disposed in the same vertical plane and supported by a stationary post, said free-turning wheels being so located that at one point the wheels extend into the circumferential lateral slots in said rectifyingplate to approximately the vertical circumferential plane defined by the outboard circumference of the plurality of vertical holes in said rectifying-plate.
  • the means for discharging vertically positioned body-section-downoriented capsules from said rectifying-plate comprises a plurality of skid bars, said skid bars being disposed within each of the circumferential lateral slots in said rectifying-plate and extending into said lateral slots to approximately the vertical circumferential plane defined by the outboard circumference of the plurality of vertical holes in said rectifying-plate, said skids exiting from said lateral slots at an acute angle to the direction of rotation of said rectifying-plate and extending to a stationarily disposed support post to which said skids are connected.
  • An apparatus for the continuous high-speed rectification of two-piece hard capsules comprising:
  • a laterally reciprocating, rotatable feeding element spatially disposed immediately below said receptacle and serving as the bottom thereof, said feeding element having a circumferential row of holes disposed therein near the periphery thereof,
  • a concentrically rotatable bank of cylindrical vertical tubes disposed immediately below and connected to and cooperating with said feeding element, said tubes matching in number the number of holes in said feeding element and circumferentially and axially aligned therewith,
  • a first idler pulley located outboard of said rotatable bank of tubes and in lateral alignment with said first course of lateral slots
  • a second idler pulley located outboard of said rotatable bank of tubes, from about to about 160 from said first idler pulley and in lateral alignment with said second course of lateral slots,
  • a stop-plate disposed immediately below said rectifying plate, covering the arc through which said second O ring is not disposed in said second course of lateral slots and extending from just outside the circumferential face to just inside the vertical circumferential plane defined by the nboard circumference of the plurality of said vertical holes in said rectifying-plate, t
  • a positioning-plate disposed in the middle of the three lateral slots in said rectifying-plate, said positioning-plate beginning near the inside circumferentialwall of said middle slot at a point located perpendicularly above the middle half of said stopplate and extending to a support post outboard of said rectifying-plate, said positioning-plate meeting said rectifying-plate at an angle that is essentially tangential thereto,
  • a reorientation-bar spatially and obliquely disposed adjacent to the circumferential face of said rectifying-plate and just to the rear of said positioningpiece hard capsules comprising:
  • said reorientation-bar extending through an arc of from about 10 to about 45 and descending from immediately above the top face to immediately below the bottom face of said rectifying-plate,
  • v. means for moving capsules which have been rectified from said vertical slots to said vertical holes in said rectifying plate just before said capsules are discharged from said apparatus.
  • a feeding element for individually removing randomly-oriented capsules from said bulk
  • l a delivery element for transporting said individual randomly-oriented capsules from said feeding element to a rectifying element
  • a flat circular plate having a plurality of holes circumferentially disposed around the periphery thereof, said plate being spatially disposed immediately-below and serving as the bottom of said receptacle,
  • an eccentric cam disposed in said elongated opening, said eccentric cam being fixedly attached to a shaft having one end rotatably disposed in a support structure common to both said feeding element and said delivery element, and

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Feeding Of Articles To Conveyors (AREA)
  • Medical Preparation Storing Or Oral Administration Devices (AREA)
  • Basic Packing Technique (AREA)
US00328184A 1973-01-31 1973-01-31 Apparatus for continuously rectifying two-piece hard capsules Expired - Lifetime US3817423A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US00328184A US3817423A (en) 1973-01-31 1973-01-31 Apparatus for continuously rectifying two-piece hard capsules
GB151174A GB1455662A (en) 1973-01-31 1974-01-11 Apparatus for continuous rectification of two-piece hard capsules
DE2403619A DE2403619C2 (de) 1973-01-31 1974-01-25 Vorrichtung zum kontinuierlichen Ausrichten zweiteiliger Hartkapseln
IT19945/74A IT1007589B (it) 1973-01-31 1974-01-29 Apparecchiatura particolarmente per l orientamento ad alta velocita di capsule dure a due pezzi
JP1266074A JPS5528967B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-01-31 1974-01-30

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US00328184A US3817423A (en) 1973-01-31 1973-01-31 Apparatus for continuously rectifying two-piece hard capsules

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US3817423A true US3817423A (en) 1974-06-18

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US (1) US3817423A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS5528967B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
DE (1) DE2403619C2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
GB (1) GB1455662A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
IT (1) IT1007589B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (29)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4128159A (en) * 1977-12-22 1978-12-05 Pataki William V Apparatus for feeding and orienting parts
US4144970A (en) * 1977-08-10 1979-03-20 Eli Lilly And Company Inspection apparatus for filled capsule
US4154329A (en) * 1976-12-28 1979-05-15 Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin "MANURHIN S.A." Mechanism for feeding and orienting elongated workpieces
US4174775A (en) * 1977-04-20 1979-11-20 Eli Lilly And Company Apparatus for continuously orienting plastic and other types of bottles
DE2944938A1 (de) * 1978-11-09 1980-05-22 Libero Facchini Kapselfuell- und -verschliessmaschine
US4205743A (en) * 1978-05-26 1980-06-03 Whitmore Henry B Conveyor feeder for candy eggs
US4427131A (en) 1978-11-09 1984-01-24 Farmatic S.R.L. Capsule orienting device, particularly for capsule-filling or processing machines
US4478118A (en) * 1982-02-25 1984-10-23 Marion Laboratories, Inc. Method for recovering the contents of filled pharmaceutical capsules
US4708233A (en) * 1983-09-30 1987-11-24 Kabushiki Kaisha Osaka Jidoki Seisakusho Method and apparatus for arranging capped capsules in a single direction
US4721230A (en) * 1986-01-24 1988-01-26 Eli Lilly And Company Capsule rectification apparatus
US4828142A (en) * 1986-01-24 1989-05-09 Eli Lilly & Company Capsule rectification apparatus
US5178256A (en) * 1991-11-06 1993-01-12 American Licorice Company Loader machine
US5564551A (en) * 1994-12-23 1996-10-15 Hoppmann Corporation Puck conveying mechanism and method
US5826696A (en) * 1994-08-11 1998-10-27 Walter Grassle Gmbh Apparatus for separating small articles
US5853077A (en) * 1994-12-23 1998-12-29 Hoppmann Corporation Article handling device, combination and methods
US6276512B1 (en) 1999-05-20 2001-08-21 Alza Corporation Methods and apparatus for uniformly orienting pharmaceutical dosage forms
US6857346B1 (en) * 2002-04-12 2005-02-22 Stevens Industries, L.L.C. Apparatus for removing the tips of tablet punches
US20090145724A1 (en) * 2007-12-05 2009-06-11 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
US20090166376A1 (en) * 2007-12-05 2009-07-02 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
US20130180827A1 (en) * 2012-01-18 2013-07-18 International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. Z O.O. Method and unit for feeding beads
CN103523273A (zh) * 2012-07-06 2014-01-22 深圳市华腾半导体设备有限公司 电子元器件传送校正同步驱动装置
US9994399B2 (en) * 2014-03-25 2018-06-12 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
US10046922B2 (en) 2014-03-25 2018-08-14 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
US10071866B2 (en) 2014-03-25 2018-09-11 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
US10138073B2 (en) 2014-03-25 2018-11-27 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
CN110525959A (zh) * 2019-09-02 2019-12-03 阜阳汇中芯自动化技术有限公司 一种瓶盖自动排列打码设备
US10569969B2 (en) 2013-02-26 2020-02-25 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
US10583979B2 (en) * 2015-10-12 2020-03-10 Carefusion Germany 326 Gmbh Storage container for drug dispensing and storage stations
RU225342U1 (ru) * 2023-11-22 2024-04-17 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Тульский государственный университет" (ТулГУ) Роторный автомат питания для подачи штучных деталей

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DE19511854A1 (de) * 1994-08-11 1996-02-15 Graessle Walter Gmbh Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Prüfen von kleinen Gegenständen

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US2786566A (en) * 1953-06-24 1957-03-26 Lilly Co Eli Capsule orienting and feeding device
US2890557A (en) * 1956-09-28 1959-06-16 Smith Kline French Lab Capsule filling machine

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US2771191A (en) * 1953-01-19 1956-11-20 Lilly Co Eli Capsule selector and rectifier mechanism
US2786566A (en) * 1953-06-24 1957-03-26 Lilly Co Eli Capsule orienting and feeding device
US2890557A (en) * 1956-09-28 1959-06-16 Smith Kline French Lab Capsule filling machine

Cited By (38)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4154329A (en) * 1976-12-28 1979-05-15 Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin "MANURHIN S.A." Mechanism for feeding and orienting elongated workpieces
US4174775A (en) * 1977-04-20 1979-11-20 Eli Lilly And Company Apparatus for continuously orienting plastic and other types of bottles
US4144970A (en) * 1977-08-10 1979-03-20 Eli Lilly And Company Inspection apparatus for filled capsule
US4128159A (en) * 1977-12-22 1978-12-05 Pataki William V Apparatus for feeding and orienting parts
US4205743A (en) * 1978-05-26 1980-06-03 Whitmore Henry B Conveyor feeder for candy eggs
DE2944938A1 (de) * 1978-11-09 1980-05-22 Libero Facchini Kapselfuell- und -verschliessmaschine
US4427131A (en) 1978-11-09 1984-01-24 Farmatic S.R.L. Capsule orienting device, particularly for capsule-filling or processing machines
US4478118A (en) * 1982-02-25 1984-10-23 Marion Laboratories, Inc. Method for recovering the contents of filled pharmaceutical capsules
US4708233A (en) * 1983-09-30 1987-11-24 Kabushiki Kaisha Osaka Jidoki Seisakusho Method and apparatus for arranging capped capsules in a single direction
US4721230A (en) * 1986-01-24 1988-01-26 Eli Lilly And Company Capsule rectification apparatus
US4828142A (en) * 1986-01-24 1989-05-09 Eli Lilly & Company Capsule rectification apparatus
US5178256A (en) * 1991-11-06 1993-01-12 American Licorice Company Loader machine
US5826696A (en) * 1994-08-11 1998-10-27 Walter Grassle Gmbh Apparatus for separating small articles
US5564551A (en) * 1994-12-23 1996-10-15 Hoppmann Corporation Puck conveying mechanism and method
US5853077A (en) * 1994-12-23 1998-12-29 Hoppmann Corporation Article handling device, combination and methods
EP0797528A4 (en) * 1994-12-23 2000-04-12 Hoppmann Corp TRANSPORT DEVICE WITH CARRIER ELEMENTS AND METHOD
US6276512B1 (en) 1999-05-20 2001-08-21 Alza Corporation Methods and apparatus for uniformly orienting pharmaceutical dosage forms
US6857346B1 (en) * 2002-04-12 2005-02-22 Stevens Industries, L.L.C. Apparatus for removing the tips of tablet punches
US20090145724A1 (en) * 2007-12-05 2009-06-11 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
US7757835B2 (en) * 2007-12-05 2010-07-20 Philip Moris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
CN101917877A (zh) * 2007-12-05 2010-12-15 菲利普莫里斯生产公司 珠粒给送器
US8381947B2 (en) * 2007-12-05 2013-02-26 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
CN101917877B (zh) * 2007-12-05 2013-06-12 菲利普莫里斯生产公司 珠粒给送器
US20090166376A1 (en) * 2007-12-05 2009-07-02 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
US20130180827A1 (en) * 2012-01-18 2013-07-18 International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. Z O.O. Method and unit for feeding beads
US8869969B2 (en) * 2012-01-18 2014-10-28 International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. Z O.O. Method and unit for feeding beads
CN103523273A (zh) * 2012-07-06 2014-01-22 深圳市华腾半导体设备有限公司 电子元器件传送校正同步驱动装置
US10569969B2 (en) 2013-02-26 2020-02-25 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
US11851285B2 (en) 2013-02-26 2023-12-26 Philip Morris Usa Inc. Bead feeder
US9994399B2 (en) * 2014-03-25 2018-06-12 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
US10138073B2 (en) 2014-03-25 2018-11-27 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
US10071866B2 (en) 2014-03-25 2018-09-11 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
US10046922B2 (en) 2014-03-25 2018-08-14 British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited Feed unit
US10583979B2 (en) * 2015-10-12 2020-03-10 Carefusion Germany 326 Gmbh Storage container for drug dispensing and storage stations
US11772878B2 (en) 2015-10-12 2023-10-03 Carefusion Germany 326 Gmbh Storage container for drug dispensing and storage stations
CN110525959A (zh) * 2019-09-02 2019-12-03 阜阳汇中芯自动化技术有限公司 一种瓶盖自动排列打码设备
CN110525959B (zh) * 2019-09-02 2021-04-30 阜阳汇中芯自动化技术有限公司 一种瓶盖自动排列打码设备
RU225342U1 (ru) * 2023-11-22 2024-04-17 Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего образования "Тульский государственный университет" (ТулГУ) Роторный автомат питания для подачи штучных деталей

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
IT1007589B (it) 1976-10-30
DE2403619A1 (de) 1974-08-08
JPS49110495A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1974-10-21
DE2403619C2 (de) 1983-09-08
GB1455662A (en) 1976-11-17
JPS5528967B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1980-07-31

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