Powered lid orientor

Claim 2

A machine for receiving a succession of skirted disk-shaped articles moving forward along a path and disposed in either a first initial face-up orientation or a second initial face-down orientation, and for placing all said articles in the same orientation, said machine comprising: A. first and second brush elements 1. having outer surface of circular cross-section and mounted for rotation about parallel axes extending transverse to said path, 2. each of which is disposed on a different side of said path to engage with said outer surface one face of each said article during the engagement by said other element with the opposed face of the same article, 3. said first brush element engaging each article along only a central portion thereof aligned with said path, and 4. said second brush element engaging each article simultaneously along two side portions thereof aligned along said path and located on different sides of said central portion, and being devoid of engagement with each article between said two side portions thereof, and B. drive means for rotating said brush elements in opposite directions to move the portion of each brush element disposed in said path forward therealong, so that the engagement of said brush elements with each article advances it forward along said path.

Claim 3

each of which is disposed on a different side of said path to engage with said outer surface one face of each said article during the engagement by said other element with the opposed face of the same article,

Claim 4

each of which is disposed on a different side of said path to engage with said outer surface one face of each said article during the engagement by said other element with the opposed face of the same article,

Claim 5

A machine as defined in claim 1 in which said drive means rotates said first brush element at a faster rate than said second brush element.

Claim 6

disposed on a second side of said path opposite said first side for engagement at said periphery thereof with said article panel only along said central portion thereof aligned along said path and

Claim 7

disposed on a second side of said path opposite said first side for engagement at said periphery thereof with said article panel only along said central portion thereof aligned along said path and

Claim 8

disposed on a first side of said path for engagement at said periphery thereof with said article panel simultaneously along two side portionS thereof aligned along said path symmetrically on different sides of a central portion of said article panel,

Claim 9

disposed on a first side of said path for engagement at said periphery thereof with said article panel simultaneously along two side portionS thereof aligned along said path symmetrically on different sides of a central portion of said article panel,

Claim 10

devoid of engagement with said article panel between said side portions thereof,

Claim 11

devoid of engagement with said article panel between said side portions thereof,

Claim 12

rotated by said drive means in the direction opposite from said first wheel element and co-acting with said first wheel element to accelerate each article and expel it toward said guide means, said second element further imparting a first rotational velocity only to expelled lids having a first initial orientation that disposes said skirt thereof toward said second side of said path, so that articles having said first initial orientation arrive at said guide means inverted to said second orientation, and said articles having said second initial orientations arrive at said guide means with said second orientation.

Claim 13

rotated by said drive means in the direction opposite from said first wheel element and co-acting with said first wheel element to accelerate each article and expel it toward said guide means, said second element further imparting a first rotational velocity only to expelled lids having a first initial orientation that disposes said skirt thereof toward said second side of said path, so that articles having said first initial orientation arrive at said guide means inverted to said second orientation, and said articles having said second initial orientations arrive at said guide means with said second orientation.

Claim 14

A machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising: A. conveyer means disposed downstream along said path from said brush elements for moving articles forward along a direction longitudinal to said path, and B. guide means disposed along said path for receiving articles advanced out of engagement with said brush elements and for delivering them to said conveyer means, said guide means having at least one orientation-guiding surface for engagement at least with articles having one of said initial orientations.

Claim 15

said first brush element engaging each article along only a central portion thereof aligned with said path, and

Claim 16

said first brush element engaging each article along only a central portion thereof aligned with said path, and

Claim 17

said second brush element engaging each article simultaneously along two side portions thereof aligned along said path and located on different sides of said central portion, and being devoid of engagement with each article between said two side portions thereof, and B. drive means for rotating said brush elements in opposite directions to move the portion of each brush element disposed in said path forward therealong, so that the engagement of said brush elements with each article advances it forward along said path.

Claim 18

said second brush element engaging each article simultaneously along two side portions thereof aligned along said path and located on different sides of said central portion, and being devoid of engagement with each article between said two side portions thereof, and B. drive means for rotating said brush elements in opposite directions to move the portion of each brush element disposed in said path forward therealong, so that the engagement of said brush elements with each article advances it forward along said path.

Claim 19

A machine as defined in claim 1 in which: A. said brush elements rotate about axes spaced apart along a direction transverse to said path at the passage of said path into engagement with said brush elements, and B. said brush elements accelerate each article forward along said path and expel it with one of two different angular velocities depending on said initial orientation thereof.

Claim 20

rotated by said drive means in a direction to move the surface thereof which engages said articles forward along said path, D. a second tubular wheel element

Claim 21

rotated by said drive means in a direction to move the surface thereof which engages said articles forward along said path, D. a second tubular wheel element

Claim 22

A machine as defined in claim 4 in which said path extends forward in a horizontal and vertically downward direction at said passage thereof into engagement with said brush elements.

Claim 23

Apparatus for placing in uniform orientation disk-like articles, each of which has a panel with at least a substantially flat outer annular portion, and has a peripheral skirt extending from said panel on one side thereof, said apparatus receiving said articles disposed in either a first initial orientation or a second initial orientation and discharging said articles with said uniform orientation forward along a path, said apparatus comprising: A. guide means for receiving airborne articles and guiding them along said path, B. rotation-producing drive means, C. a first tubular wheel element

Claim 24

Apparatus for placing in uniform orientation disk-like articles, each of which has a panel with at least a substantially flat outer annular portion, and has a peripheral skirt extending from said panel on one side thereof, said apparatus receiving said articles disposed in either a first initial orientation or a second initial orientation and discharging said articles with said uniform orientation forward along a path, said apparatus comprising: A. guide means for receiving airborne articles and guiding them along said path, B. rotation-producing drive means, C. a first tubular wheel element

Claim 25

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said drive means rotates said second wheel element more rapidly than said first wheel element.

Claim 26

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising: A. input conveyer means delivering said articles single-file to said first and second wheel elements along said path upstream from said wheel elements, and B. output means for receiving articles from said guide means and advancing them longitudinal to said path downstream from said wheel elements.

Claim 27

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said second wheel element engages said article panel simultaneously along two symmetrically spaced-apart subportions within said central portion thereof.

Claim 28

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said first wheel element is free of engagement with said article panel along said central portion thereof.

Claim 29

A powered lid orientor for orienting skirted lids and lid-like articles comprising a pair of counter-rotating wheel elements having wheel surfaces of circular cross-section and being spaced to receive between them a lid to be oriented and to engage with said wheel surfaces opposite sides of a lid as it passes between them; one wheel element engaging said lid along a central diametrical portion thereof to engage the skirt of a first lid which is oriented to project the skirt toward said one element abruptly as said lid moves beyond and out of engagement with said wheel elements; and the other wheel element engaging said lid at two side portions thereon lying along chords shorter than the diameter and substantially symmetrically spaced about said central portion, to terminate engagement with said skirt of a second lid which is oriented to project the skirt toward said other element prior to the termination of engagement of said first element with said second lid.

Claim 30

A powered lid orientor for orienting skirted lids and lid-like articles comprising a pair of counter-rotating wheel elements having wheel surfaces of circular cross-section and being spaced to receive between them a lid to be oriented and to engage with said wheel surfaces opposite sides of a lid as it passes between them; one wheel element engaging said lid along a central diametrical portion thereof to engage the skirt of a first lid which is oriented to project the skirt toward said one element abruptly as said lid moves beyond and out of engagement with said wheel elements; and the other wheel element engaging said lid at two side portions thereon lying along chords shorter than the diameter and substantially symmetrically spaced about said central portion, to terminate engagement with said skirt of a second lid which is oriented to project the skirt toward said other element prior to the termination of engagement of said first element with said second lid.

Claim 31

Apparatus for placing in uniform orientation disk-like articles each of which has a panel and a peripheral skirt extending on one side thereof beyond said panel, said apparatus receiving said articles disposed in either a first initial orientation or an inverted second initial orientation and discharging said articles with said uniform orientation forward along a path, said apparatus comprising a pair of counter-rotating article-accelerating wheel elements spaced to receive between the wheel surfaces thereof an article having one of said initial orientations and to engage opposite sides thereof thereby to accelerate said article along said path as it passes between said elements; one wheel element engaging said article at two side portions thereon which extend along chords shorter than the article diameter and are substantially symmetrically spaced about the article diAmeter, and for accelerating said article substantially uniformly along said path independent of said article orientation; and the other said wheel element engaging said article at a central portion intermediate said side portions thereof and imparting a first rotational velocity to only an article passing between said wheel elements with an initial orientation which projects said skirt thereof toward that other wheel element.

Claim 32

Apparatus for placing in uniform orientation disk-like articles each of which has a panel and a peripheral skirt extending on one side thereof beyond said panel, said apparatus receiving said articles disposed in either a first initial orientation or an inverted second initial orientation and discharging said articles with said uniform orientation forward along a path, said apparatus comprising a pair of counter-rotating article-accelerating wheel elements spaced to receive between the wheel surfaces thereof an article having one of said initial orientations and to engage opposite sides thereof thereby to accelerate said article along said path as it passes between said elements; one wheel element engaging said article at two side portions thereon which extend along chords shorter than the article diameter and are substantially symmetrically spaced about the article diAmeter, and for accelerating said article substantially uniformly along said path independent of said article orientation; and the other said wheel element engaging said article at a central portion intermediate said side portions thereof and imparting a first rotational velocity to only an article passing between said wheel elements with an initial orientation which projects said skirt thereof toward that other wheel element.