US3601240A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Device for aligning and disposing according to their longer dimension articles incoming in an unordered row
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-02-03
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Granted: 1971-08-24
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Expires: 1990-02-03
Abstract
Abstract The device aligns a large number of randomly spaced articles being fed continuously or discontinuously along a wide or narrow front. An intermittently operating conveyor transfers a group of randomly spaced articles to a second continuous conveyor, on which the articles can be moved forward only on consent of a barrier which retains said articles upon the second conveyor and lets them free to proceed only one after the other, towards a movable guide which directs them in a row to a last conveyor which aligns and orients them definitely.
Inventors
- 👤 Antonio Dominici
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 20:04
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/52; B65G47/68; B65G47/682; B65B; B65B35/00; B65B35/56; B65G2047/685; B65G2047/687
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
151 words
A device for aligning and orienting articles, comprising: a continuously operating conveyor receiving said articles in batches from an intermittently operating feed conveyor; spacedapart, movable barrier means forming gaps interposed between them, moving transversally in front of said continuous conveyor and obstructing it during the transfer of one batch from said intermittent conveyor to said continuous conveyor, said gaps moving transversally across the width of said continuous conveyor once said transfer is completed, to permit the articles of said batch to pass in single succession through said gaps; first movable guide means behind said barriers on said continuous conveyor and placed at an angle to its motion, to space apart the articles arriving through said gaps; check means to preliminarily orient said articles with their longer dimension parallel to their direction of travel; additional orienting means to accurately orient said articles in said direction and convey them to an output channel.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
151 words
A device for aligning and orienting articles, comprising: a continuously operating conveyor receiving said articles in batches from an intermittently operating feed conveyor; spacedapart, movable barrier means forming gaps interposed between them, moving transversally in front of said continuous conveyor and obstructing it during the transfer of one batch from said intermittent conveyor to said continuous conveyor, said gaps moving transversally across the width of said continuous conveyor once said transfer is completed, to permit the articles of said batch to pass in single succession through said gaps; first movable guide means behind said barriers on said continuous conveyor and placed at an angle to its motion, to space apart the articles arriving through said gaps; check means to preliminarily orient said articles with their longer dimension parallel to their direction of travel; additional orienting means to accurately orient said articles in said direction and convey them to an output channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the barriers are positioned at a right angle to said continuous conveyor means, at a distance fRom its inlet end such as to leave, between said end and said barrier, a space just sufficient to contain one front row of articles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein behind said first guide means positioned obliquely to said continuous conveyor means is a second continuous belt conveyor, moving in a plane perpendicular to the latter at a speed higher than the speed component of said continuous conveyor which is parallel to said guide means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said additional orienting means comprises a third conveyor moving in a plane parallel to said first guide means; a fourth belt conveyor, parallel to it and spaced therefrom at a distance shorter than the longest side of said articles and moving at a speed higher than said third belt conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 1, where the check means for preliminary orienting the articles is an oscillating arm adjustably positioned along said first guide means, to form therewith a passage approximating the shorter side of said articles.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
A device according to claim 1, whose drive mechanism comprises a drive shaft, a cam keyed to said drive shaft and actuating, through an oscillating lever, an arm coupled to said lever and actuating, at each oscillation, a ratchet assembly, thereby controlling the stepwise rotation of a drum imparting the motion to said intermittently acting conveyor; a pulley on said drive shaft, transmitting its motion to the drums driving all continuous belt conveyors and the barriers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the barriers are formed by a series of vertical stops carried by an endless track, the length of said series equaling the width of the frontal row of articles carried by said intermittent conveyor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
A device according to claim 7, wherein the speed ratio between the intermittent conveyor and the endless track is such that the time employed by the barrier and the successive gap to move across, the width of the continuous conveyor equals the time intercurring between two successive strokes of the intermittent conveyor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the barrier comprises transversal surfaces which are motionless with respect to said continuous conveyor and form between themselves a gap which is movable across the width of said continuous conveyor by varying the respective lengths of said surfaces.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
61 words
A device according to claim 9, wherein said surfaces are formed by a strip, whose two ends are fastened to stationary parts of the device and the gap is formed by passing said strip or ribbon around and over two vertical spaced apart rollers, said rollers being rigid with the carriage which is reciprocable throughout the width of said continuous conveyor.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A device according to claim 10, wherein said carriage is reciprocated by an endless chain actuated by a common mechanism, said carriage stopping at both ends of its travel or stroke during the inoperative rotation of said cam.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
53 words
A device according to claim 11, wherein the speed of said carriage, in its travel from the end of stroke which is nearer to said first guide means, towards the end which is farther away from the latter, is approximately one half the speed of translation of said carriage during the other stroke.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
42 words
A device according to claim 11, wherein the chain controlling the carriage carries two grooves of plates placed in such a manner as to back the rear surface of that part of the ribbon which is obstructing the path of said carticles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
54 words
A device according to claim 10, wherein the carriage, in addition to said vertical rollers, also carries two rollers rotating around horizontal axes lying above said rollers, the strip being passed around said vertical rollers and around said rollers rotating on horizontal axes, to leave free the gap formed between said two vertical rollers.
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) | 1974-08-23 | 1975-02-22 | 1975-08-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-23 | 1979-02-22 | 1979-08-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-23 | 1983-02-22 | 1983-08-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |