US3648427A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for loading frangible containers
Assignee: Newfrey LLC
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Filing: 1970-08-11
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Granted: 1972-03-14
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Expires: 1990-08-11
Abstract
Abstract A machine is disclosed for loading frangible containers, such as relatively tall glass bottles of the thin walled-non-returnablevariety, into upwardly open packing cases. The bottles are conveyed in discrete side-by-side lanes into a grid structure where they are isolated by conventional brake means associated with each lane. A frame arranged over the grid structure carries a vertically reciprocable carriage having a plurality of individual container gripping units for holding a group of containers while a bottom portion of the grid is opened. Means is provided for retracting the frame and the grid structure slightly, away from those bottles being held by the brake means so that the carriage can be lowered and the bottles passed downwardly through the open grid structure into the case. Each gripper unit comprises a hollow tubular stem portion supported from the carriage, and a lower housing portion which contains a generally U-shaped spring member having depending leg portions with laterally opposed jaws at their respective ends for engaging the neck portion of a container. Each unit also includes a rod slidably mounted in the tubular stem, and connected to the apex of each spring member so that a vertically reciprocable plate in the carriage, to which the upper ends of these rods are connected, can be moved vertically to open and close the jaws on a container.
Inventors
- 👤 John L Raudat
- 👤 Lloyd D Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:19
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B21/00; B65B21/02; B65B21/14; B65B21/18
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
309 words
In a machine for packing frangible containers in a packing case and including means for conveying containers to a pick-up station and means for conveying cases to be packed to a loading station spaced below the pick-up station, the improvement comprising a lane defining grid structure for receiving groups of the containers in a predetermined pattern, said grid structure including a laterally shifting portion movable between a first position wherein it defines a downwardly open grid and a second position wherein the grid is adapted to slidably receive the containers, a frame above said grid structure, a vertically reciprocable carriage slidably supported in said frame for movement between raised and lowered positions, a plurality of container gripping units each of which has an upstanding tubular stem and a lower hollow housing portion, a rod slidably received in each of said tubular stems, a generally CU-shaped spring member carried at the lower end of each rod, each spring member having its apex located in said housing portion and its leg portions depending from the housing, said leg portions having end portions which define container engaging jaws and intermediate portions for engaging the outer edges of downwardly open holes in the lower wall of said housing, means connecting the upper ends of said tubular stems to said carriage, means on said carriage for moving said rods between raised and lowered positions to close and open said jaws on containers located therebetween, and control means for timing movement of said carriage with said rod moving means and with said shifting grid to sequentially grip the containers at the pick-up station, open the grid, lower the carriage so that the containers are lowered into a packing case at the loading station, release the containers from the jaws, and raise the carriage to its raised position in position for receiving a subsequent container group.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
309 words
In a machine for packing frangible containers in a packing case and including means for conveying containers to a pick-up station and means for conveying cases to be packed to a loading station spaced below the pick-up station, the improvement comprising a lane defining grid structure for receiving groups of the containers in a predetermined pattern, said grid structure including a laterally shifting portion movable between a first position wherein it defines a downwardly open grid and a second position wherein the grid is adapted to slidably receive the containers, a frame above said grid structure, a vertically reciprocable carriage slidably supported in said frame for movement between raised and lowered positions, a plurality of container gripping units each of which has an upstanding tubular stem and a lower hollow housing portion, a rod slidably received in each of said tubular stems, a generally CU-shaped spring member carried at the lower end of each rod, each spring member having its apex located in said housing portion and its leg portions depending from the housing, said leg portions having end portions which define container engaging jaws and intermediate portions for engaging the outer edges of downwardly open holes in the lower wall of said housing, means connecting the upper ends of said tubular stems to said carriage, means on said carriage for moving said rods between raised and lowered positions to close and open said jaws on containers located therebetween, and control means for timing movement of said carriage with said rod moving means and with said shifting grid to sequentially grip the containers at the pick-up station, open the grid, lower the carriage so that the containers are lowered into a packing case at the loading station, release the containers from the jaws, and raise the carriage to its raised position in position for receiving a subsequent container group.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
82 words
In a machine of the type defined in claim 1 wherein said containers each have a neck portion characterized by an annular projection adjacent the upper end thereof, said combination recited in claim 1 being further characterized by each of said U-shaped spring members comprising a strip of resilient material having an apex portion and generally flat leg portions, each of said jaws comprising a projecting inwardly extending member adjacent the ends of said respective leg portions for engaging said container projection.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
72 words
In a machine of the type defined in claim 2 further characterized by adjustable stop means on the lower wall of each of said housing portions for engaging the upper end of each container as it is gripped between said jaws, said jaws moving inwardly and upwardly in response to upward movement of said rod moving means to support the container at three points as it is lowered into the packing case.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
85 words
The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means on said carriage for so moving said rods comprises a plurality of fluid motors having first portions connected to a surface on said carriage, said connecting means comprising a plate spaced from said carriage surface, said fluid motors having second portions movable with respect to said first portions and connected to said plate, said rods being connected at their upper ends to said plate for movement in response to movement of said second fluid motor portions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The combination defined in claim 1 further characterized by brake means for holding back the containers on said container conveying means, said control means including container detect switch means for generating a signal when a group of containers has moved into position in said grid structure, and said control means including means for energizing said brake means in response to said signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
The combination defined in claim 5 further characterized by means for moving said frame and said grid structure clear of said container conveying means and said brake means, said control means including means for actuating said grid and frame moving means at substantially the same time during a machine cycle when the containers are gripped.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
62 words
The combination defined in claim 2 wherein said jaws are spaced apart laterally in each of said gripping heads so that when said carriage is raised containers can be fed between each of said jaws during the formation of said subsequent container group, said carriage remaining in said raised position when said rods are raised to close said jaws on said containers.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
115 words
The combination defined in claim 7 further characterized by means for snubbing movement of said carriage as it reaches its raised position, said means for moving said carriage comprising a single action fluid cylinder which is energized by said control means to raise the carriage and de-energize to allow said carriage to be gravity biased downwardly, and counter weight means for preventing excessive inertial forces on said frame when said carriaGe reaches a predetermined stop position, said control means including limit switch means responsive to arrival of said carriage at said lower stop position to lower said rods and open said jaws to allow a slight free fall of said containers into the packing case.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2730279A
Cited
US2760316A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-03-14 | 1975-09-13 | 1976-03-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-03-14 | 1979-09-13 | 1980-03-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-03-14 | 1983-09-13 | 1984-03-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |