Cracker stacking and segregating apparatus

Claim 2

In a cracker stacking machine for receiving rows of crackers or the like arriving on an infeed conveyor belt, the combination of: a. Cracker transfer means including rotatable disks at the end of said infeed conveyor belt presenting dwell portions for receiving crackers one at a time from said infeed conveyor; b. Conveyor means aligned with and extending from said transfer means in a direction generally parallel to and in alignment with said infeed conveyor and having a flight portion moving away from said infeed conveyor, said conveyor means carrying buckets spaced along the length thereof; c. Coacting stacker means between said transfer means and said conveyor means operable to remoVe the crackers from the transfer means to consecutively form and position a stack of a predetermined number of crackers in the path of each bucket; and d. Second conveyor means aligned with and overlapping said flight portion of said first conveyor means and having members for engaging and removing the stacks from said buckets and advancing them to a discharge position.

Claim 3

In a cracker stacking machine for receiving rows of crackers or the like arriving on an infeed conveyor belt, the combination of: a. Cracker transfer means including rotatable disks at the end of said infeed conveyor and presenting dwell portions for receiving crackers one at a time from said infeed conveyor; b. Conveyor means above said transfer means aligned with and extending from said transfer means in a direction generally parallel to and in alignment with said infeed conveyor, said conveyor means carrying buckets spaced along the length thereof; c. Stacking means between said transfer means and said conveyor means including stacking and take-away arms extending between the discs of said cracker transfer means; d. Linkage means for operating both of said arm means; and e. Cam means for actuating said linkage means to raise and lower said arm means for successively lifting stacks of crackers into the path of said conveyor buckets when a predetermined number of crackers has been assembled in each stack.

Claim 4

In a cracker stacking machine for receiving rows of crackers or the like arriving on an infeed conveyor belt, the combination of: a. Cracker transfer means including rotatable disks at the end of said infeed conveyor and presenting dwell portions for receiving crackers one at a time from said infeed conveyor; b. Conveyor means above said transfer means aligned with and extending from said transfer means in a direction generally parallel to and in alignment with said infeed conveyor, said conveyor means carrying buckets spaced along the length thereof; c. Stacking means between said transfer means and said conveyor means including stacking and take-away arms extending between the discs of said cracker transfer means; d. Linkage means for operating both of said arm means; and e. Cam means for actuating said linkage means to raise and lower said arm means for successively lifting stacks of crackers into the path of said conveyor buckets when a predetermined number of crackers has been assembled in each stack.

Claim 5

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 1, in which: a. Said coacting stacker means includes edge guide means along which the crackers are stacked for removal from said transfer means, and b. Shoulder means in said dwell portions for lifting a cracker on the dwell portion into abutting contact with said edge guide means.

Claim 6

In a cracker stacking machine for receiving rows of crackers or the like arriving on an infeed conveyor belt, the combination of: a. Cracker transfer means including rotatable disks presenting dwell portions for receiving crackers one at a time from said infeed conveyor; b. Conveyor means including buckets; c. Coacting stacker means operable to remove the crackers from the transfer means to form a stack for each bucket; and d. Conveyor means for removing the stacks from said buckets and advancing them to a discharge position e. Said stacking means includes a stacker arm, pull and lift linkages operable for advancing, retracting, raising and lowering of said stacker arm whereby the stacker arm will provide an initial lift for a stacked group of crackers; f. A take-away arm element, pull and lift linkages operable for advancing, raising and lowering movements of said take-away arm, whereby the take-away arm will displace the stacker arm to provide a complete elevating cycle to the stack; and g. Timing cam means for coordinating the operations of said stacker and take-away arm linkages to successively position stacks of crackers for engagement by said buckets.

Claim 7

In a cracker stacking machine for receiving rows of crackers or the like arriving on an infeed conveyor belt, the combination of: a. Cracker transfer means including rotatable disks presenting dwell portions for receiving crackers one at a time from said infeed conveyor; b. Conveyor means including buckets; c. Coacting stacker means operable to remove the crackers from the transfer means to form a stack for each bucket; and d. Conveyor means for removing the stacks from said buckets and advancing them to a discharge position e. Said stacking means includes a stacker arm, pull and lift linkages operable for advancing, retracting, raising and lowering of said stacker arm whereby the stacker arm will provide an initial lift for a stacked group of crackers; f. A take-away arm element, pull and lift linkages operable for advancing, raising and lowering movements of said take-away arm, whereby the take-away arm will displace the stacker arm to provide a complete elevating cycle to the stack; and g. Timing cam means for coordinating the operations of said stacker and take-away arm linkages to successively position stacks of crackers for engagement by said buckets.

Claim 8

In a cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 4, in which: a. The operating linkages of said take-away arm, during each stacking cycle cooperate with the linkages of said stacker arm to position the latter for initial movement of said stacks.

Claim 9

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 1 in which: a. Said first conveyor means has one end thereof positioned near said stacker means and said buckets individually receive a stack of crackers in traversing said end of said first conveyor means; b. A side guide along which the buckets move for retaining the stacks therein; and c. Cam track means engagable by said buckets to position them for removal of the stacks by said stack removing conveyor means.

Claim 10

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 1 in which: a. Said buckets have an open forward face and have spaced stack engaging panels at the rear thereof; and b. Said stack removing conveyor means includes pusher blades for passage through The buckets between said panels; said stack removing conveyor being driven at a faster rate than said bucket conveyor to remove the stacks from the buckets through the open forward face thereof.

Claim 11

In a cracker stacking machine for receiving crackers or the like arranged in column formation on parallel infeed conveyor means, the combination of: a. Rotary cracker transfer disk means presenting dwell portions for receiving crackers one at a time from each of said infeed conveyor means; b. Conveyor means including buckets having rollers for alternate alignment with said infeed conveyor means, and including slide bars for mounting said buckets for lateral movement; c. Coacting stacker means operable to remove the crackers from each transfer means to provide a stack for each of said buckets; d. Cam means for integrating the buckets for travel in a single line; and e. Conveyor means for removing the cracker stack from each bucket and advancing it to a discharge position.

Claim 12

In a cracker stacking machine for receiving crackers or the like arranged in column formation on parallel infeed conveyor means, the combination of: a. Rotary cracker transfer disk means presenting dwell portions for receiving crackers one at a time from each of said infeed conveyor means; b. Conveyor means including buckets having rollers for alternate alignment with said infeed conveyor means, and including slide bars for mounting said buckets for lateral movement; c. Coacting stacker means operable to remove the crackers from each transfer means to provide a stack for each of said buckets; d. Cam means for integrating the buckets for travel in a single line; and e. Conveyor means for removing the cracker stack from each bucket and advancing it to a discharge position.

Claim 13

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 8, in which: a. A shoulder ledge forms the leading end of each dwell portion and is arranged to provide a limit abutment for each cracker fed to said dwell portion, and b. Said shoulder ledge is adapted to lift one or more pre-stacked crackers as a cracker on the adjacent dwell portion is positioned under said pre-stacked crackers.

Claim 14

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 8, in which: a. One of said coacting stacker means is disposed at the infeed end of each of said infeed conveyor means, and is operable to provide a cracker stack for each alternate bucket, and b. Said coacting stacker means includes arms, operating linkages for said arms and timing cam means for controlling said arms to successively lift stacks of crackers into the path of alternate buckets whenever a predetermined number of crackers has been assembled in each stack.

Claim 15

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 8, in which: a. Said cam means includes tracks having spaced ends disposed adjacent the discharge end of each of said infeed conveyor means adapted to be engaged by said bucket rollers for moving the buckets laterally on said slide bars, and b. Said cam means include converging and parallel sections for integrating the buckets for travel thereof in a single line.

Claim 16

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 8, in which: a. Each of said coacting stacker means includes stacker and take-away arms having forked ends extending between the disks of said cracker transfer means; b. Operating linkage means for both of said arms; and c. Cam means for actuating the linkage means for raising and lowering the stacker and take-away arms to lift stacks of crackers into the paths of said conveyor buckets when a predetermined number of crackers has been assembled in each stack.

Claim 17

A cracker stacking machine as set forth in claim 8, in which: a. Said stack removing conveyor means includes a pusher conveyor having pusher blades for passage through openings in the buckets to remove the stacks from said buckets, and b. Discharge conveyor means for moving the stacks away from the pusher blades at increased rate of travel to a discharge position.