US3554357A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mechanical handling apparatus
Assignee: Molins Machine Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1967-12-08
•
Granted: 1971-01-12
•
Expires: 1987-12-08
Abstract
Abstract A conveyor system for transferring cigarettes in trays from tray-fillers supplied by cigarette-making machines to trayunloaders supplying cigarette-packing machines and for returning empty trays to the tray-fillers having an endless continuously moving overhead conveyor track carrying a series of hoists for supporting carriers for the trays, wherein the forward and return reaches of the conveyor are interconnected by cross-conveyors to enable any empty trays in the forward reach to be transferred to the return reach and any filled trays in the return reach to be transferred to the forward reach. The tray loads of cigarettes are handled by various means for exchanging the trays between an overhead continuously moving conveyor and stations where the trays are filled and unloaded which means includes hooks to support the trays on the conveyor in carriers which hooks are automatically released by movement of the carriers off the conveyor and secured by movement of the carriers back to the conveyor.
Inventors
- 👤 Desmond Walter Molins
- 👤 Tom Rowlands
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 13:28
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/35; A24C5/352
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, a plurality of carriages mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an output point for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriages and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station, releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, and control means operative so that said hoist means which has set down a carrier at the input point of a handling station picks up a carrier from the output point of said handling station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, a plurality of carriages mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an output point for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriages and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station, releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, and control means operative so that said hoist means which has set down a carrier at the input point of a handling station picks up a carrier from the output point of said handling station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said releasable securing means comprises a coupling having parts integral with both said carriage and a carrier for holding the carrier against downward and horizontal movement, said coupling being releasable by imparting upward movement to the carrier part relative to the carriage part and lockable by imparting to the coupling parts relative horizontal movement to one another.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said hoist means comprises a transfer member supported on the carriage to assist in locking the coupling and arranged to engage the carrier part in advance of the engagement of the carriage part therewith to provide a connection between the carrier and the carriage prior to the securing together of the coupling parts.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
98 words
A conveyor system comprising an endless conveyor extending between at least one goods-loading station and at least one goods-unloading station and having a forward reach for the transmission of goods-laden containers from the loading station to the unloading station and a return reach for the transmission of empty containers in the opposite direction, and interchange means interconnecting the two reaches, said interchange means comprising means to convey goods-laden containers in the return reach to the forward reach bypassing the loading station and to convey empty containers in the forward reach to the return reach bypassing the unloading station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
98 words
A conveyor system comprising an endless conveyor extending between at least one goods-loading station and at least one goods-unloading station and having a forward reach for the transmission of goods-laden containers from the loading station to the unloading station and a return reach for the transmission of empty containers in the opposite direction, and interchange means interconnecting the two reaches, said interchange means comprising means to convey goods-laden containers in the return reach to the forward reach bypassing the loading station and to convey empty containers in the forward reach to the return reach bypassing the unloading station.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 wherein the interchange means is provided with means for storing containers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 wherein the interchange means is provided with means for storing and conveying separately goods-laden and empty containers respectively.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 wherein the interchange means comprises a first transfer station at the forward reach having on-loading means to receive laden containers from the conveyor and having off-loading means for the discharge of empty containers to the conveyor, a second transfer station at the return reach having on-loading means to receive empty containers from the conveyor and off-loading means for the discharge of laden containers.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
38 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 comprising a plurality of goods-loading and goods-unloading stations, means to supply different types of goods to the goods-loading stations and means to sort the goods into types at the goods-unloading stations.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
A conveyor system according to claim 8 comprising carriers for the goods having adjustable coding means, means to set the coding means according to the nature of the goods at the goods-loading stations and means responsive to the set coding to select the carriers according to their coding at the gOods-unloading stations.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
85 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 wherein the conveyor comprises a number of hoists for supporting carriers for the goods, said hoists being mounted for travelling continuously along an overhead closed path, and each on-loading and off-loading station has an input and an output point disposed beneath the conveyor and spaced therealong, and has a receiving device and an elevating transfer device respectively to assist in lowering carriers from the conveyor to the station and in raising them from the station to the conveyor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
36 words
A conveyor system according to claim 10 comprising means for automatically releasing and lowering a carrier from a hoist to a station and for raising and securing a further carrier from that station to the hoist.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
73 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 for use in conveying cigarettes from cigarette-making machines to cigarette-packing machines wherein said containers are designed for carrying trays of cigarettes on the conveyor, said goods-loading station comprises a tray-filling machine, supplied with cigarettes from a cigarette-making machine, to feed said trays, and said goods-unloading station comprises a tray unloading machine to receive trays from each goods-unloading station and to feed cigarettes to a cigarette-packing machine.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
37 words
A conveyor system according to claim 4 further comprising control means to regulate the quantity of goods in the interchange means relative to the rate of supply and demand therefor at said loading and unloading stations respectively.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
167 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, at least one carriage mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an outpoint for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriage and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station and releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, said hoist means comprising at least one transfer device arranged to support the carrier and to pivot about an axis transverse to the conveyor for the purpose of guiding the carrier in its movement between the conveyor and the handling station, and said transfer means comprising transfer members mounted for pivotal movement about a point which is stationary relative to the carriage and including means to engage a carrier supported on said carriage.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
167 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, at least one carriage mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an outpoint for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriage and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station and releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, said hoist means comprising at least one transfer device arranged to support the carrier and to pivot about an axis transverse to the conveyor for the purpose of guiding the carrier in its movement between the conveyor and the handling station, and said transfer means comprising transfer members mounted for pivotal movement about a point which is stationary relative to the carriage and including means to engage a carrier supported on said carriage.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the hoist means derives its power from the movement of the carriage along the conveyor.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the hoist means comprises a friction wheel mounted on the carriage and cams positioned relative to the handling station to engage the wheel and cause it to rotate as the hoist means advances along the conveyor and connecting means to connect the friction wheel to the carrier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 16 wherein the connecting means includes a member secured to the friction wheel to rotate therewith and supporting a part of the releasable securing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the hoist means includes a winch operatively connected with the friction wheel and wherein the securing means comprises a coupling carried on a line wound on the winch.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the transfer members comprise arms formed at their ends to be engageable with the carriers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein switch means is provided operable by carriers for controlling the power means.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to claim 14 comprising transmission means to connect the power means to the transfer members such that for a part of their cycle of movement the transfer members can be advanced other than by the power means and the motion lost in the transmisSion means.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
209 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, a plurality of carriages mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an output point for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriages and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station, releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, and control means operative so that said hoist means which has set down a carrier at the input point of a handling station picks up a carrier from the output point of said handling station, said hoist means comprising two transfer devices arranged to support the carriers, each said transfer device being pivotable about an axis transverse to the conveyor for the purpose of guiding the carriers in their movement between the conveyor and the handling station, one of said transfer devices being operate between the conveyor and the input point of the handling station and the other of said transfer devices being operative between the conveyor and the output point of the handling station.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
209 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, a plurality of carriages mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an output point for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriages and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station, releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, and control means operative so that said hoist means which has set down a carrier at the input point of a handling station picks up a carrier from the output point of said handling station, said hoist means comprising two transfer devices arranged to support the carriers, each said transfer device being pivotable about an axis transverse to the conveyor for the purpose of guiding the carriers in their movement between the conveyor and the handling station, one of said transfer devices being operate between the conveyor and the input point of the handling station and the other of said transfer devices being operative between the conveyor and the output point of the handling station.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein first transfer members are provided juxtaposed to the input point and movable to a first position to intercept and effect removal from the conveyor of the next carrier and wherein the control means includes a first device responsive to the presence of a carrier at the output point to effect movement of the transfer members to said first position.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein the carriers are each provided with coding means and wherein the control means includes a selector device response to the carrier codings to time the movement of the transfer members to select a desired carrier.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus according to claim 23 wherein second transfer members are provided juxtaposed to the output point to be movable to a second position with a carrier to intercept the next empty carriage and effect loading of the carrier on to that carriage and wherein the control means includes a second device responsive to the movement towards the output point of an empty carriage that has unloaded its carrier at the input point to effect movement of the second transfer members to said second position.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
95 words
Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein the second device comprises a switch having a striker and actuated by vertical movement of the striker disposed relative to the conveyor between the input and output points, the transfer member being arranged to pass over the striker when the carriage is supporting a carrier, to pass under the striker when the carriage is empty, having arrived empty at the input point, and to actuate the striker by swinging from an upper to a lower position when the carriage is empty, having delivered a carrier at the input point.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
117 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, a plurality of carriages mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an output point for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriages and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station, releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, and means for automatically causing said hoist means to lower and release a carrier and raise a further carrier at said handling station.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
117 words
Mechanical handling apparatus in which loaded and unloaded carriers are exchanged and transported, comprising an overhead conveyor, a plurality of carriages mounted for continuous travel along said conveyor, at least one handling station having an input point and an output point for the carriers positioned below the line of travel of the carriages and spaced therealong, hoist means to lower and raise the carriers between the carriage and the handling station, releasable securing means for securing a carrier to said carriage, said securing means being releasable upon lowering a carrier to said handling station, and means for automatically causing said hoist means to lower and release a carrier and raise a further carrier at said handling station.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2821146A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-01-11 | 1974-07-13 | 1975-01-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-01-11 | 1978-07-13 | 1979-01-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-01-11 | 1982-07-13 | 1983-01-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |