Indexing apparatus for package conveyor

Claim 2

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station where an operation is to be performed thereon, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. movable stop means having a normal position in the path of movement of the packages and against which the leading package in the line is adapted to be moved by said conveyor, c. means mounting said stop means for an initial movement through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package being moved thereagainst, said initial movement being in the same direction as movement of the package, so that upon completion of said initial movement said stop means will still be in the path of movement of the package, d. means, operable when the leading package and said stop means have been moved through said predetermined distance, to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the package, e. means for separating the leading package from the nextsucceeding package upon movement of said stop means out of the path of the package, and for moving the package to the station, and f. means to return said stop means to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 3

a demand signal is given whereupon the leading package is advanced to said station, d. electrical means for sensing the leading edge of the leading package and giving a demand signal, and e. means to return said stop means to said normal position thereof in the path of movement of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 4

a demand signal is given whereupon the leading package is advanced to said station, d. electrical means for sensing the leading edge of the leading package and giving a demand signal, and e. means to return said stop means to said normal position thereof in the path of movement of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 5

means to reciprocate said finger in timed relation with performance of operation on the package at said station, and

Claim 6

means to reciprocate said finger in timed relation with performance of operation on the package at said station, and

Claim 7

means pivotally mounting said gate for rotating movement when the leading package is moved thereagainst, c. means mounting said stop means for movement through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package being moved thereagainst, d. a reciprocable member operable when said Gate has been rotated under pressure of the leading package, to move said gate downwardly out of the path of movement of the package, e. means for separating the leading package from the next-succeeding package upon movement of said stop means out of the path of the package, and for moving the package to the station, and f. means to return said stop means to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 8

means pivotally mounting said gate for rotating movement when the leading package is moved thereagainst, c. means mounting said stop means for movement through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package being moved thereagainst, d. a reciprocable member operable when said Gate has been rotated under pressure of the leading package, to move said gate downwardly out of the path of movement of the package, e. means for separating the leading package from the next-succeeding package upon movement of said stop means out of the path of the package, and for moving the package to the station, and f. means to return said stop means to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 9

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said means to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the packages includes a cyclically operating mechanism.

Claim 10

a demand signal is given whereupon the leading packages advance to said station, said gate being movable downwardly in response to the demand signal only when it has been rotated through said predetermined distance, d. means for giving a demand signal, and e. means to return said stop means to said normal position thereof in the path of movement of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 11

a demand signal is given whereupon the leading packages advance to said station, said gate being movable downwardly in response to the demand signal only when it has been rotated through said predetermined distance, d. means for giving a demand signal, and e. means to return said stop means to said normal position thereof in the path of movement of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 12

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said movable stop means includes a gate extending above said conveyor means, and means pivotally mounting said gate for rotating movement when the leading package is moved thereagainst.

Claim 13

means on said stop means to intercept said finger and move therewith in one direction of the reciprocation thereof, e. means for separating the leading package from the next-succeeding package upon movement of said stop means out of the path of the package, and for moving the package to the station, and f. means to return said stop means to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 14

means on said stop means to intercept said finger and move therewith in one direction of the reciprocation thereof, e. means for separating the leading package from the next-succeeding package upon movement of said stop means out of the path of the package, and for moving the package to the station, and f. means to return said stop means to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 15

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said last-named means includes a yieldable member normally urging said stop means to said normal position thereof.

Claim 16

The combination of elements defined in claim 1, wherein said means to separate the leading package from the next-succeeding package includes mechanism for moving the leading package at an increased speed to the said station.

Claim 17

The combination of elements defined in claim 5, wherein said mechanism for moving the leading package at an increased speed to the said station includes at least one roller positioned in front of said stop means having friction means thereon over which the leading package is adapted to move in contact therewith, and positive drive means for driving said roller at a speed greater than the speed at which said conveyor moves the line of packages.

Claim 18

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. a movable gate member normally positioned in the path of movement of the packages on the conveyor and against which the leading package is moved by the conveyor, c. means to sense the presence of the leading edge of the leading package and to ready said gate for movement out of the path of the packages, d. means for moving said gate out of the path of movement of the leading package, and e. means to sense the presence of the trailing edge of the leading package, and operable to return said gate to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 19

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. a movable gate member normally positioned in the path of movement of the packages on the conveyor and against which the leading package is moved by the conveyor, c. means to sense the presence of the leading edge of the leading package and to ready said gate for movement out of the path of the packages, d. means for moving said gate out of the path of movement of the leading package, and e. means to sense the presence of the trailing edge of the leading package, and operable to return said gate to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package.

Claim 20

The combination of elements defined in claim 7, wherein the means recited in paragraph (c) thereof includes a pivotal mounting for said gate, whereby pressure of the leading package aGainst said gate rotates the gate to a position where actuation of the means for moving said gate out of the path of movement of the package will be effective to so move said gate.

Claim 21

The combination of elements defined in claim 7, wherein the means recited in paragraph (e) thereof includes spring-loading means for said gate urging the gate against the leading package and returning said gate to the said normal position thereof immediately upon movement of the said trailing edge past said gate.

Claim 22

The combination of elements defined in claim 7, wherein the means recited in paragraph (c) thereof includes an electrical circuit, and the means recited in paragraph (d) thereof includes a solenoid connected to said gate operable upon completion of said circuit.

Claim 23

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. stop means normally positioned in the path of movement of the packages, and against which the leading package in the line may be moved, but movable out of the said path upon demand and when a package is present, to allow the leading package to advance past said stop means to the said station, c. means operable to move said stop means out of the path of the leading package only when

Claim 24

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. stop means normally positioned in the path of movement of the packages, and against which the leading package in the line may be moved, but movable out of the said path upon demand and when a package is present, to allow the leading package to advance past said stop means to the said station, c. means operable to move said stop means out of the path of the leading package only when

Claim 25

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station where an operation is to be performed thereon, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. movable stop means having a normal position in the path of movement of the packages and against which the leading package in the line is adapted to be moved by said conveyor, c. means mounting said stop means for movement through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package being moved thereagainst, d. cyclically operating mechanism operable when the leading package and said stop means have been moved through said predetermined distance, to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the package, said cyclically operating mechanism including

Claim 26

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station where an operation is to be performed thereon, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. movable stop means having a normal position in the path of movement of the packages and against which the leading package in the line is adapted to be moved by said conveyor, c. means mounting said stop means for movement through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package being moved thereagainst, d. cyclically operating mechanism operable when the leading package and said stop means have been moved through said predetermined distance, to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the package, said cyclically operating mechanism including

Claim 27

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station where an operation is to be performed thereon, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. movable stop means having a normal position in the path of movement of the packages and against which the leading package in the line is adapted to be moved by said conveyor, said movable stop means including

Claim 28

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station where an operation is to be performed thereon, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. movable stop means having a normal position in the path of movement of the packages and against which the leading package in the line is adapted to be moved by said conveyor, said movable stop means including

Claim 29

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. a pivotally mounted gate member normally positioned in the path of movement of the packages and rotatable through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package, but movable out of the said path upon demand and when a package is present, to allow the leading package to advance past said gate to the said station, c. a reciprocable member operable to move said gate downwardly out of the path of the leading package only when

Claim 30

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. a pivotally mounted gate member normally positioned in the path of movement of the packages and rotatable through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package, but movable out of the said path upon demand and when a package is present, to allow the leading package to advance past said gate to the said station, c. a reciprocable member operable to move said gate downwardly out of the path of the leading package only when

Claim 31

The combination of elements defined in claim 14, wherein said means for giving a demand signal comprises a second reciprocable member adapted to actuate said first-named reciprocable member when said second reciprocable member moves in one direction.

Claim 32

The combination of elements defined in claim 14, wherein said means for giving a demand signal includes a solenoid connected to said reciprocable member, and an electrical circuit which, when completed, actuates said solenoid.

Claim 33

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station where an operation is to be performed thereon, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. movable stop means having a normal position in the path of movement of the packages and against which the leading package in the line is adapted to be moved by said conveyor, c. means mounting said stop means for movement through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package being moved thereagainst, d. means, operable when the leading package and said stop means have been moved through said predetermined distance, to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the package, e. means for separating the leading package from the next-succeeding package upon movement of said stop means out of the path of the package, and for moving the package to the station, f. means to return said stop means to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package, g. latch means to prevent inadvertent movement of said stop means out of the path of the packages, and h. means to render said latch means ineffective upon actuation of said means to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the packages.

Claim 34

Indexing apparatus for conveying packages one at a time from a line of packages to a station where an operation is to be performed thereon, comprising, a. conveyor means for moving packages in a direction toward the said station, b. movable stop means having a normal position in the path of movement of the packages and against which the leading package in the line is adapted to be moved by said conveyor, c. means mounting said stop means for movement through a predetermined distance under pressure of the leading package being moved thereagainst, d. means, operable when the leading package and said stop means have been moved through said predetermined distance, to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the package, e. means for separating the leading package from the next-succeeding package upon movement of said stop means out of the path of the package, and for moving the package to the station, f. means to return said stop means to the said normal position thereof in the path of the next-succeeding package, g. latch means to prevent inadvertent movement of said stop means out of the path of the packages, and h. means to render said latch means ineffective upon actuation of said means to move said stop means out of the path of movement of the packages.