Method of and means for stacking moulded articles in groups

Claim 2

Means for stacking molded articles in groups on a firing carriage, comprising a first conveyor belt adapted to receive a plurality of rows of molded articles arranged side by side, means for intermittently moving the leading group of articles onto a second conveyor band in horizontal alignment with the first belt, a grouping ledge for adjusting the relative spacing of the articles on the second belt, a turn gripper for seizing the group of spaced articles, raising these articles off the conveyor belt turning them through 180*, and lowering them onto the next group of spaced articles to form a two-tier set-up and a gripping device for grasping the two-tier set-up and depositing it on a firing carRiage.

Claim 3

Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein a grouping ledge is arranged below the second conveyor band and adjustment fingers on said grouping ledge are adapted to project through the conveyor belt and adjust the spacing of the molded articles on said second belt.

Claim 4

Means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the turn gripper comprises a rectangular frame, an axle centrally mounted on said frame, and projecting with its ends beyond said frame, supports holding the ends of said axle, gripping jaws slidably mounted on the inside of said frame, and hydraulic means on said frame for opening and closing said gripping jaws.

Claim 5

Means as claimed in claim 3 wherein the turn gripper has movable intermediate tongues adapted to be pressed against the sides of the molded articles.

Claim 6

Method of stacking molded articles in groups on a firing carriage, comprising the steps of placing the articles on a plurality of rows arranged side by side on an intermittently driven first conveyor belt, transversely lining up the rows of articles, conveying a line of articles onto a continuously driven second belt in horizontal alignment with the first belt, the articles thus forming a spaced grouping on the second belt, adjusting the relative spacing of the articles on the second belt by means of adjustment fingers, seizing the group of spaced articles, raising the articles off the conveyor belt and turning them through 180* while a next group of spaced articles is lined up on the second belt, lowering the first group onto the next group and thus forming a two-tier set-up and transferring this two-tier set-up onto a firing carriage by means of another gripping device.

Claim 7

Method of stacking molded articles in groups on a firing carriage, comprising the steps of placing the articles on a plurality of rows arranged side by side on an intermittently driven first conveyor belt, transversely lining up the rows of articles, conveying a line of articles onto a continuously driven second belt in horizontal alignment with the first belt, the articles thus forming a spaced grouping on the second belt, adjusting the relative spacing of the articles on the second belt by means of adjustment fingers, seizing the group of spaced articles, raising the articles off the conveyor belt and turning them through 180* while a next group of spaced articles is lined up on the second belt, lowering the first group onto the next group and thus forming a two-tier set-up and transferring this two-tier set-up onto a firing carriage by means of another gripping device.