US3633765A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Loading and unloading apparatus
Assignee: Vickers Ruwolt Pty Ltd
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Filing: 1969-09-18
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Granted: 1972-01-11
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Expires: 1989-09-18
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for loading substantially cylindrical side filled containers onto a filler machine, including, a cradle assembly for supporting and rotating the container with its axis substantially horizontal, and sensing means for detecting the container filler hole when that hole arrives at a predetermined position. A plunger is operative to locate within the filler hole in response to a signal received from the sensing means thereby holding the container in a desired position for engagement by carrier mechanism which functions to transport the container to a filling station of the filler machine. It is an object to correctly position the container filler hole for receiving a filler spear of the filler machine before locating the container at the filling station. Preferably, the apparatus is combined with a rotary turret filler machine, and the carrier mechanism is arranged for limited movement with that turret as a container is deposited on the machine, so as to allow substantially continuous operation of the filler machine.
Inventors
- 👤 Norman J Bennett
- 👤 Robert W Haesler
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 02:54
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/22; B65G47/24; B65G47/248; B65G47/252; B67; B67C; B67C3/00; B67C3/30; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0235; B65G2201/0241; B65G2203/00; B65G2203/04; B65G2203/042
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
166 words
Loading apparatus for a substantially cylindrical container having a side filler hole, including; movable support means for receiving and supporting said container with its axis substantially horizontal when said support means is in a support position, turning means for rotating said container about its axis while mounted on the support means, sensing means operative to detect the filler hole of said container when that hole arrives at a predetermined position during said rotation, a locating member operative in response to detection of said filler hole by the sensing means to engage within the filler hole and retain the container in a loading position against further rotation by said turning means, a carrier mechanism engageable with said container and movable to carry the engaged container from the support means to a treatment station while said container remains in said loading position, and means for moving the support means into a release position when the container is engaged by the carrier mechanism for movement to the treatment station.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
166 words
Loading apparatus for a substantially cylindrical container having a side filler hole, including; movable support means for receiving and supporting said container with its axis substantially horizontal when said support means is in a support position, turning means for rotating said container about its axis while mounted on the support means, sensing means operative to detect the filler hole of said container when that hole arrives at a predetermined position during said rotation, a locating member operative in response to detection of said filler hole by the sensing means to engage within the filler hole and retain the container in a loading position against further rotation by said turning means, a carrier mechanism engageable with said container and movable to carry the engaged container from the support means to a treatment station while said container remains in said loading position, and means for moving the support means into a release position when the container is engaged by the carrier mechanism for movement to the treatment station.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
202 words
Loading apparatus for a substantially cylindrical container having a side filler hole, including; support means for receiving and supporting said container with its axis substantially horizontal and including, a cradle frame and a pair of laterally spaced rollers rotatably mounted on the cradle frame, said rollers being arranged to support the container for rotation and having their axes substantially parallel, turning means for rotating said container about its axis while mounted on the support means and including at least one of said rollers and drive means operatively connected to that roller, sensing means operative to detect the filler hole of said contaiNer when that hole arrives at a predetermined position during said rotation, a locating member operative in response to detection of said filler hole by the sensing means to engage within the filler hole and retain the container in a loading position against further rotation by said turning means, carrier mechanism engageable with said container and movable to carry the engaged container from the support means to a treatment station while in said loading position, and means for moving the support means into a release position when the container is engaged by the carrier mechanism for movement to the treatment station.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
202 words
Loading apparatus for a substantially cylindrical container having a side filler hole, including; support means for receiving and supporting said container with its axis substantially horizontal and including, a cradle frame and a pair of laterally spaced rollers rotatably mounted on the cradle frame, said rollers being arranged to support the container for rotation and having their axes substantially parallel, turning means for rotating said container about its axis while mounted on the support means and including at least one of said rollers and drive means operatively connected to that roller, sensing means operative to detect the filler hole of said contaiNer when that hole arrives at a predetermined position during said rotation, a locating member operative in response to detection of said filler hole by the sensing means to engage within the filler hole and retain the container in a loading position against further rotation by said turning means, carrier mechanism engageable with said container and movable to carry the engaged container from the support means to a treatment station while in said loading position, and means for moving the support means into a release position when the container is engaged by the carrier mechanism for movement to the treatment station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said release means includes a pivotable mounting for the cradle frame and a tilt actuator operative to move that frame about the pivotable axis of said mounting, said mounting being located adjacent one end of said rollers and having its axis extending substantially horizontal and substantially at right angles to the axes of said rollers, and said tilt actuator is connected to the cradle frame adjacent the opposite end of said rollers and is operative to move the cradle frame between a normal position in which the roller axes are substantially horizontal and a release position in which the roller axes slope downwardly from said one end of the rollers.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
199 words
Loading apparatus for a substantially cylindrical container having a side filler hole, including; support means for receiving and supporting said container with its axis substantially horizontal, turning means for rotating said container about its axis while mounted on the support means, sensing means operative to detect the filler hole of said container when that hole arrives at a predetermined position during said rotation, a locating member operative in response to detection of said filler hole by the sensing means to engage within the filler hole and retain the container in a loading position against further rotation by said turning means, said locating member including a plunger connected to a locater frame above the support means so that said container can be located on the support means beneath the plunger, said plunger being mounted for up-and-down movement relative to the locater frame and having a frustoconical nose portion at its lower end for location within said filler hole, said nose portion having a maximum diameter larger than the diameter of the filler hole, and carrier mechanism engageable with said container and movable to carry the engaged container from the support means to a treatment station while in said loading position.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
199 words
Loading apparatus for a substantially cylindrical container having a side filler hole, including; support means for receiving and supporting said container with its axis substantially horizontal, turning means for rotating said container about its axis while mounted on the support means, sensing means operative to detect the filler hole of said container when that hole arrives at a predetermined position during said rotation, a locating member operative in response to detection of said filler hole by the sensing means to engage within the filler hole and retain the container in a loading position against further rotation by said turning means, said locating member including a plunger connected to a locater frame above the support means so that said container can be located on the support means beneath the plunger, said plunger being mounted for up-and-down movement relative to the locater frame and having a frustoconical nose portion at its lower end for location within said filler hole, said nose portion having a maximum diameter larger than the diameter of the filler hole, and carrier mechanism engageable with said container and movable to carry the engaged container from the support means to a treatment station while in said loading position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein release means is provided for moving the support means into a release position when the container is engaged by the carrier mechanism for movement to the treatment station.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensing means includes an air nozzle arranged to discharge an air jet toward said container located on the support means, and pressure-sensitive means operative to actuate the locating member when the back pressure in said air jet drops below a predetermined level, the arrangement being such that the air jet back pressure is greater than said predetermined level when the jet impinges on the sidewall of said container and is below that level when the jet passes through the filler hole of said container.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the locating member includes a plunger connected to a locater frame above the support means so that said container can be located on the support means beneath the plunger, said plunger being mounted for up-and-down movement relative to the locator frame and having a frustoconical nose portion at its lower end for location within said filler hole, said nose portion having a maximum diameter larger than the diameter of the filler hole, and said air nozzle is attached to the locater frame at one side of the plunger so as to be spaced therefrom in the direction of rotation of said container, said direction of rotation being Such that the filler hole passes from beneath the air nozzle towards the plunger.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
89 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sensing means includes a photoelectric cell and a light source arranged to direct a light beam on to the outer surface of said container located on the support means to produce a reflected beam which is received by and energizes said photoelectric cell, said reflected beam not being produced when the directed light beam passes through the filler hole of said container, and said locating member is operatively connected to the sensing means to be operated upon deenergization of the photoelectric cell.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
127 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the locating member includes a plunger connected to a locater frame above the support means so that said container can be located on the support means beneath the plunger, said plunger being mounted for up-and-down movement relative to the locater frame and having a frustoconical nose portion at its lower end for location within said filler hole, said nose portion having a maximum diameter larger than the diameter of the filler hole, and said light source is attached to the locater frame at one side of the plunger so as to be spaced therefrom in the direction of rotation of said container, said direction of rotation being such that the filler hole passes from beneath the light source towards the plunger.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said carrier mechanism is supported by a support frame and includes, a carrier frame mounted on the support frame for movement relative thereto, actuation means operatively connected to the carrier frame for moving it between a container receiving position and a container discharge position, and container gripper means attached to said carrier frame for movement therewith.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
87 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said support frame straddles the support means and defines a loading passage extending between the support means and the treatment station, said carrier frame is movably supported on guide tracks which are attached to the support frame to guide the carrier frame in the direction of the loading passage, and said guide tracks are arranged so that the carrier frame is disposed above the support means in its receiving position and is located adjacent the treatment station in its discharge position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
88 words
Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said container gripper means includes a gripper frame having a pair of gripper jaws mounted thereon, a fixed one of said jaws being attached to the lower end portion of a downwardly depending leg section of the gripper frame for engagement with a side surface of said container below the axis thereof, and a movable one of said jaws being mounted for engagement with said container in opposed relationship to said fixed jaw so that the container is held between those jaws.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said movable jaw is movable relative to the gripper frame between operative and inoperative positions in a direction radially of the container under the influence of a jaw actuator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said gripper frame is connected to the carrier frame for limited up-and-down movement relative thereto to allow the container to be lifted at the discharge position of the carrier frame before being completely released by the gripper jaws.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said gripper frame is connected to the carrier frame for limited lateral movement relative thereto to allow the container to be moved laterally at the discharge position of the carrier frame before being completely released by the gripper jaws, and biasing means is connected to the gripper frame to urge it into a normal neutral position relative to the carrier frame.
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) | 1975-01-10 | 1975-07-12 | 1976-01-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-10 | 1979-07-12 | 1980-01-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-10 | 1983-07-12 | 1984-01-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |