Patent US3568816A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3568816A
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Multiple feed and discharge system and method
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1968-12-19
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Granted: 1971-03-09
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Expires: 1988-12-19
Abstract
Abstract Mechanism for feeding at least two distinguishable groups of filled containers into the carriers of a processing conveyor by transferring rows of one of the group of containers into spaced ones of the carriers at one feed station and feeding containers of a distinguishable group of containers into other ones of the carriers at a second feed station that is remote from the first feed station. After processing the containers, all of the rows of containers are discharged from the carriers at a single discharge station and are thereafter segregated into their original groups. The processing conveyor has I-beam carriers thereon and is trained around pairs of small diameter sprockets at each feed station and at the discharge station so as to open the I-beam carriers sufficiently to accommodate a large size range of containers.
Inventors
- 👤 Warren S Smith
- 👤 Adil A Mughannam
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 06:18
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B2/00; A23B2/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
A multiple feed and discharge system for a cooker including a cooking chamber, an endless processing conveyor movable through said cooking chamber, a plurality of articulating carriers on said conveyor, means defining a plurality of spaced feed stations along said conveyor; each feed station including means for guiding the processing conveyor around a relatively small radius curve for widely opening said carriers, each feed station being spaced from the next adjacent feed station a distance greater than the diameter of said small radius curve, and means at each feed station for deflecting rows of containers into selected ones of the empty carriers; said selected carriers equal to the number of feed stations so that all carriers are filled; a stationary arcuate guide plate disposed below and closely adjacent to the path of movement of the processing conveyor at each feed station except the initial feed station for precluding containers fed into the carriers at the initial feed station from gravitating out of the carriers at other feed stations; and means for discharging the rows of containers from the carriers after passing through the cooking chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
A multiple feed and discharge system for a cooker including a cooking chamber, an endless processing conveyor movable through said cooking chamber, a plurality of articulating carriers on said conveyor, means defining a plurality of spaced feed stations along said conveyor; each feed station including means for guiding the processing conveyor around a relatively small radius curve for widely opening said carriers, each feed station being spaced from the next adjacent feed station a distance greater than the diameter of said small radius curve, and means at each feed station for deflecting rows of containers into selected ones of the empty carriers; said selected carriers equal to the number of feed stations so that all carriers are filled; a stationary arcuate guide plate disposed below and closely adjacent to the path of movement of the processing conveyor at each feed station except the initial feed station for precluding containers fed into the carriers at the initial feed station from gravitating out of the carriers at other feed stations; and means for discharging the rows of containers from the carriers after passing through the cooking chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
88 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carriers each include a web with a narrow retaining flange on one end and a wide retaining flange on the other end, the space between adjacent narrow flanges defining a mouth, said mouth of the carriers opening sufficiently to allow passage of a container therethrough that will just clear the mouth when the conveyor is moving around said small radius and will engage both container retaining flanges of two adjacent carriers when the conveyor is moving along a linear path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said discharge means includes means for guiding the processing conveyor around a relatively small radius curve, means for releasing all rows of containers from their carriers at a common point, and means for controlling the point of discharge of the rows of containers released from the carriers.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein two feed stations are provided and wherein rows of first containers are deflected into alternate carriers at one feed station and rows of distinguishable second containers are deflected into the remaining carriers at the other feed station.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
85 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said carriers are of the I-beam type, each carrier including a web with a short flange on one end and a long flange on the other end, the radius of curvature of said curves being effective to separate the short flanges a distance sufficient to prevent passage therebetween of a row of containers having a diameter which contacts the webs and the short and long flanges of adjacent carriers when the carriers are moving along a linear path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the processing conveyor includes a pair of spaced chains defined by a plurality of elongated links pivoted together, and wherein the radius of curvature of the processing conveyor at the feed and discharge stations is such as to cause the a longitudinal axes of adjacent links to deflect 45* from each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processing conveyor includes a pair of spaced chains defined by a plurality of elongated links pivoted together, and wherein the radius of curvature of the processing conveyor at the feed and discharge stations is such as to cause the longitudinal axes of adjacent links to deflect 45* from each other.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of feeding rows of containers into and discharging rows of containers from articulating carriers of a driven processing conveyor comprising the steps of moving the conveyor along a predetermined path including first and second arcuate portions of small diameter spaced apart a distance in excess of the radius of said arcuate portions, the diameter of said arcuate portions being small enough to open the carriers an amount sufficient to pass containers into carriers of a size sufficient to preclude movement of the containers within their supporting carriers either laterally or longitudinally relative to the path of movement of the carriers when the carriers are moving along a linear path, deflecting rows of first containers into spaced ones of said carriers at said first arcuate portion, retaining said rows of first containers in said spaced ones of said carriers from gravitational discharge when the lower portion of said spaced ones of said carriers are opened in response to movement around the lower portion of said second arcuate portion, deflecting rows of second containers into other carriers at said second arcuate portion, and consecutively discharging all of said rows of containers from the carriers at a common point after completing movement of the carries carriers around a major portion of said path.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
212 words
A method of feeding rows of containers into and discharging rows of containers from articulating carriers of a driven processing conveyor comprising the steps of moving the conveyor along a predetermined path including first and second arcuate portions of small diameter spaced apart a distance in excess of the radius of said arcuate portions, the diameter of said arcuate portions being small enough to open the carriers an amount sufficient to pass containers into carriers of a size sufficient to preclude movement of the containers within their supporting carriers either laterally or longitudinally relative to the path of movement of the carriers when the carriers are moving along a linear path, deflecting rows of first containers into spaced ones of said carriers at said first arcuate portion, retaining said rows of first containers in said spaced ones of said carriers from gravitational discharge when the lower portion of said spaced ones of said carriers are opened in response to movement around the lower portion of said second arcuate portion, deflecting rows of second containers into other carriers at said second arcuate portion, and consecutively discharging all of said rows of containers from the carriers at a common point after completing movement of the carries carriers around a major portion of said path.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-03-08 | 1974-09-07 | 1975-03-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-03-08 | 1978-09-07 | 1979-03-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-03-08 | 1982-09-07 | 1983-03-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |