Apparatus for orienting can ends

Claim 2

A process for feeding a container component into an operating station with said component being in a single angular position with respect to the direction of feed, comprising the steps of: forming at least two irregularities in a surface of said component at predetermined angular locations on said component with each of said locations being a distance from the center of said component which is different from that distance of the other; feeding said component to an orienting station with said irregularities formed thereon in randomly oriented angular positions with respect to the direction of feed; utilizing said irregularities formed on the surface of said component to orient said component to said single angular position with respect to the direction of feed; and feeding said component oriented in its single angular position with respect to the direction of feed into said operating station.

Claim 3

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 4

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 5

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, comprising the steps of: forming an irregularity in the planar surface of said article at a predetermined location on said article, said irregularity being in the form of a concave recess; bringing into contact with said article a sensor having an exterior surface in a form mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said aRticle with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 6

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, comprising the steps of: forming an irregularity in the planar surface of said article at a predetermined location on said article, said irregularity being in the form of a concave recess; bringing into contact with said article a sensor having an exterior surface in a form mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said aRticle with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 7

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other by forcing said article to drop through a predetermined distance with respect to said sensor and said rotating drive means in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said dropping of said article being used to initiate the termination of rotation of said article, and said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 8

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other by forcing said article to drop through a predetermined distance with respect to said sensor and said rotating drive means in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said dropping of said article being used to initiate the termination of rotation of said article, and said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 9

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, comprising the steps of: forming an irregularity in the planar surface of said article at a predetermined location on said article; bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other by forcing said article to drop through a predetermined distance with respect to said sensor and said rotating drive means in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said dropping of said article being used to initiate the termination of rotation of said article, and said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 10

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, comprising the steps of: forming an irregularity in the planar surface of said article at a predetermined location on said article; bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other by forcing said article to drop through a predetermined distance with respect to said sensor and said rotating drive means in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said dropping of said article being used to initiate the termination of rotation of said article, and said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 11

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at lest one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotation and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other so that the mating of said irregularity and sensor occurs simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 12

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at lest one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotation and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other so that the mating of said irregularity and sensor occurs simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 13

The process for orienting an article as defined in claim 6 wherein said step of maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article also brakes said article against a frictional means to insure the termination of rotation of said article and mating of said irregularity and sensor after moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor.

Claim 14

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, comPrising the steps of: forming an irregularity in the planar surface of said article at a predetermined location on said article; bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotation and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other so that the mating of said irregularity and sensor occurs simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 15

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, comPrising the steps of: forming an irregularity in the planar surface of said article at a predetermined location on said article; bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotation and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other so that the mating of said irregularity and sensor occurs simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 16

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other; and braking said article against a frictional means to insure the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor simultaneously with the mating of said irregularity and sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 17

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, comprising the steps of: bringing into contact with said article a sensor mateable with the irregularity on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other; and braking said article against a frictional means to insure the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor simultaneously with the mating of said irregularity and sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 18

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined single angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, comprising the steps of: forming at least two irregularities in the planar surface of said article at predetermined angular locations on said article with each of said locations being a distance from the center of said article which is different from that distance of the other; bringing into contact with said article, sensors mateable with the irregularities on said article; bringing said article into contact with rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined single angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said irregularities and sensors are respectively mated.

Claim 19

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined single angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, comprising the steps of: forming at least two irregularities in the planar surface of said article at predetermined angular locations on said article with each of said locations being a distance from the center of said article which is different from that distance of the other; bringing into contact with said article, sensors mateable with the irregularities on said article; bringing said article into contact with rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined single angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said irregularities and sensors are respectively mated.

Claim 20

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, comprising the steps of: forming at least one pair of irregularities in the planar surface of said article at predetermined angular locations on said article with said locations being at substantially equal distances from the center of said article and substantially 180* from each other; bringing into contact with said article, sensors mateable with the irregularities on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and tOward said sensors when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are mated.

Claim 21

A process for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, comprising the steps of: forming at least one pair of irregularities in the planar surface of said article at predetermined angular locations on said article with said locations being at substantially equal distances from the center of said article and substantially 180* from each other; bringing into contact with said article, sensors mateable with the irregularities on said article; bringing said article into contact with a rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and tOward said sensors when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are mated.

Claim 22

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising: a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 23

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising: a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 24

In a mechanism for orienting an article as defined in claim 12 wherein said irregularity is in the form of a concave recess and said sensor comprises a rotatable member having an exterior surface in a form mateable with said irregularity.

Claim 25

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising: a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with translational rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other by forcing said article to drop through a predetermined distance with respect to said sensor and said rotating drive means in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said dropping of said article being used to initiate the termination of rotation of said article, and said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 26

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising: a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with translational rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other by forcing said article to drop through a predetermined distance with respect to said sensor and said rotating drive means in order to cause the mating of said irregularity and sensor simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said dropping of said article being used to initiate the termination of rotation of said article, and said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 27

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising; a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and means for maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotation and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other so that the mating of said irregularity and sensor occurs simultaneously with tHe termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 28

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising; a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; and means for maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotation and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other so that the mating of said irregularity and sensor occurs simultaneously with tHe termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 29

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined annular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising: a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; a frictional means; and means for maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotating and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means, toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other, and against said frictional means to insure the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor simultaneously with the mating of said irregularity and sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 30

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined annular position, said article having at least one irregularity formed at a predetermined location on its planar surface, the combination comprising: a sensor mateable with the irregularity formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensor into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensor; a frictional means; and means for maintaining guiding pressure against said rotating article equiangularly about the periphery of said article in order to prevent translational shifting of said article during its rotating and to move said article out of contact with said rotating drive means, toward said sensor when said irregularity and sensor are in a mateable position with respect to each other, and against said frictional means to insure the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensor simultaneously with the mating of said irregularity and sensor, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position when said irregularity and sensor are mated.

Claim 31

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined signal angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, said article having at lest two irregularities formed at predetermined angular locations on said article with each of said locations being a distance from the center of said article which is different from the distance of the other the combination comprising: sensors which are simultaneously mateable with the irregularities formed on said article: a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensors into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and respective sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined single angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said irregularities and respective sensors are mated.

Claim 32

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined signal angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, said article having at lest two irregularities formed at predetermined angular locations on said article with each of said locations being a distance from the center of said article which is different from the distance of the other the combination comprising: sensors which are simultaneously mateable with the irregularities formed on said article: a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensors into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and respective sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of said article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined single angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said irregularities and respective sensors are mated.

Claim 33

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, said article having at lest one pair of irregularities formed at predetermined angular locations on said article with said locations being at substantially equal distances from the center of said article and substantially 180* from each other, the combination comprising: sensors which are displaced substantially 180* from each other and simultaneously mateable with said pair of irregularities formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensors into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of sAid article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are mated.

Claim 34

In a mechanism for orienting a substantially planar article to a predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article, said article having at lest one pair of irregularities formed at predetermined angular locations on said article with said locations being at substantially equal distances from the center of said article and substantially 180* from each other, the combination comprising: sensors which are displaced substantially 180* from each other and simultaneously mateable with said pair of irregularities formed on said article; a rotating drive means; means for bringing said sensors into contact with said article, and, thereafter, for bringing said article into contact with said rotating drive means in order to cause rotation of said article with respect to said sensors; and means for moving said article out of contact with said rotating drive means and toward said sensors when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are in mateable positions with respect to each other in order to cause the respective matings of said irregularities and sensors simultaneously with the termination of rotation of sAid article with respect to said sensors, said article being oriented at said predetermined angular position with respect to the grain direction of the material of said article when said pair of irregularities and respective sensors are mated.