Automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like

Claim 2

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, a casing, an article loading and arranging section in said casing, an article feed inlet leading into said article loading and arranging section, an article dispensing section located beneath said article loading and arranging section, a plurality of guiding and aligning walls in said loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming the bottom wall of said article loading and arranging section and separating the same from said article dispensing section, and automatic means for articulating at least one of said guiding and aligning walls and said trapdoor and adapted to load and collate the articles received from said article feed inlet in a downward position in said article loading and arranging section and for automatically opening said trapdoor for releasing the completed load of assembled and collated articles in their downward positions into said article dispensing section for their automatic disposal in their assembled and collated positions downwardly into bags and other closures.

Claim 3

The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that the articles being loaded and collated in said article loading and arranging section and their expulsion therefrom into the article dispensing section for their further disposal self-effect the contact and timing control for the operation of the automatic means for articulating said guide and aligning walls and said trapdoor.

Claim 4

The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that guiding and aligning walls are suspending into the article loading aNd arranging section and at least one wall thereof is adapted to be oscillated therein from an off-horizontal position to a downward position and vice versa.

Claim 5

The device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that at least one of said guiding and aligning walls is pivotally mounted to said article loading and arranging section for oscillating movement and provided with a counterweight for maintaining a guiding and aligning wall in its article receiving position, the position of which is adapted to be upset upon an article being fed onto said guiding and aligning wall and causing the same to be oscillated downwardly to a vertical position and permitting the lower end of the article to engage with said trapdoor and to abut an adjacent vertical wall of said loading and arranging section and thereby locking and isolating the article in an upright position therewithin.

Claim 6

The device as claimed in claim 3, characterized by the fact that, upon the completion of the vertical loading and aligning of the articles into said loading and arranging section, the said articles being adapted to self-effect the control and timing of the operating means and causing said trapdoor to be opened and to self-eject themselves in their assembled and collated positions into the dispensing section for automatic disposal into bags and other closures in their original vertical assembled and aligned positions.

Claim 7

The device as claimed in claim 3, characterized by the fact that said guiding and aligning walls in their article receiving positions are adapted to have their receiving end portions overlapping one another and to automatically disengage themselves from one another upon receiving their individual article load and to oscillate, through the weight of said load, to vertical positions and effect the setting up of the articles into vertical and aligning positions in said article loading and arranging section.

Claim 8

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, a casing having opposing side walls and opposing end walls, an article loading and arranging section in said casing and confined by said opposing side walls and end walls, a transverse partition secured to two of said opposing walls and completing the vertical confines of said article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming the bottom wall of said article and arranging section, an article feed inlet leading into said article loading and arranging section, a dispensing section located below said loading and arranging section and in alignment with the trapdoor thereof, a plurality of guiding and aligning walls in said article loading and arranging section, at least one of said guiding and aligning walls being pivotally mounted in said loading and arranging section and adapted to be oscillated from an article receiving position to a downward position upon receiving and being engaged by an article, means for automatically returning said guiding and aligning wall to its receiving position upon release of the completed article load from said loading and arranging section into said dispensing section, and means for automatically opening and closing said trapdoor.

Claim 9

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, a casing having opposing side walls and opposing end walls, an article loading and arranging section in said casing and confined by said opposing side walls and end walls, a transverse partition secured to two of said opposing walls and completing the vertical confines of said article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming the bottom wall of said article and arranging section, an article feed inlet leading into said article loading and arranging section, a dispensing section located below said loading and arranging section and in alignment with the trapdoor thereof, a plurality of guiding and aligning walls in said article loading and arranging section, at least one of said guiding and aligning walls being pivotally mounted in said loading and arranging section and adapted to be oscillated from an article receiving position to a downward position upon receiving and being engaged by an article, means for automatically returning said guiding and aligning wall to its receiving position upon release of the completed article load from said loading and arranging section into said dispensing section, and means for automatically opening and closing said trapdoor.

Claim 10

The device as claimed in claim 7, characterized by the fact that an air cylinder operated by fluid power has a plunger rod which is connected to said trapdoor for opening and closing the same.

Claim 11

The device as claimed in claim 8, characterized by the fact that a stack of outer bags is suspended in said dispensing section and located below and adjacent to said trapdoor, an air nozzle situated adjacent to said stack of bags and adapted to flow air under pressure upwardly against the top of the foremost bag of the stack and to cause the upper portion thereof to bellow open, and said trapdoor having a bag engaging lip at its front edge which is adapted to engage the open top of the outer bag for the expansion thereof as the trapdoor is being tilted downwardly in its opening operation.

Claim 12

The device as claimed in claim 7, characterized by the fact that a discharged unit is located in said dispensing section and consists of a fixed trackway situated beneath and in alignment with said trapdoor of said article loading and arranging section, a ramp formed with a bottom wall and opposing side walls and having transverse idler rolls journalled in the side walls thereof, said ramp having one end pivotally secured to said trackway, and means secured to the other end of said ramp for raising and lowering the angle position of said ramp with relation to said fixed trackway.

Claim 13

The device as claimed in claim 10, characterized by the fact that said means for raising and lowering the angle position of said ramp with relation to said fixed trackway is secured to said trapdoor and operated by the movements of said trapdoor.

Claim 14

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, an article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming a bottom wall of said loading and arranging section, a dispensing section beneath said article loading and arranging section, at least one guiding and aligning wall located within said article loading and arranging section and extending downwardly and transversely therein and terminating short of said trapdoor, said guiding and aligning wall having its lower portion pivotally secured to said loading and arranging section, and means connected to the upper portion of said guiding and aligning section for actuating the same from its pivotal position inside said loading and arranging section.

Claim 15

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, an article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming a bottom wall of said loading and arranging section, a dispensing section beneath said article loading and arranging section, at least one guiding and aligning wall located within said article loading and arranging section and extending downwardly and transversely therein and terminating short of said trapdoor, said guiding and aligning wall having its lower portion pivotally secured to said loading and arranging section, and means connected to the upper portion of said guiding and aligning section for actuating the same from its pivotal position inside said loading and arranging section.

Claim 16

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, a casing, an article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming a bottom wall of said loading and arranging section, a dispensing section below said loading and arranging section, guiding and aligning walls fixedly secured in vertical and transverse positions inside said loading and arranging section and forming therewith loading and collating compartments, a hopper leading into said loading and arranging section and having its upper portion pivotally secured to said casing and adapted to receive articles fed from an article conveyor, and means connected to the lower portion of said hopper for actuating the same into alignment position with each of said loading and collating compartments.

Claim 17

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, a casing, an article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming a bottom wall of said loading and arranging section, a dispensing section below said loading and arranging section, guiding and aligning walls fixedly secured in vertical and transverse positions inside said loading and arranging section and forming therewith loading and collating compartments, a hopper leading into said loading and arranging section and having its upper portion pivotally secured to said casing and adapted to receive articles fed from an article conveyor, and means connected to the lower portion of said hopper for actuating the same into alignment position with each of said loading and collating compartments.

Claim 18

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, an article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming a bottom wall of said loading and arranging section, a dispensing section below said loading and arranging section, an article feed inlet leading into said article loading and arranging section, guide and aligning walls fixedly secured in a vertical and transverse position inside said loading and arranging section and forming therewith loading and collating compartments, ramp walls hingedly secured to the upper portions of said guide and aligning walls, and means connected to said ramp walls and adapted to actuate said ramp walls in individual sloping and abutting positions with one another so as to form article receiving positions at the article feed inlet and their individual actuation for their alignment with their corresponding fixed guide and aligning walls for the individual automatic distribution and collation of articles into said loading and collating compartments.

Claim 19

In an automatic loading, arranging and dispensing device for articles and including containers, pouches and the like, an article loading and arranging section, a trapdoor forming a bottom wall of said loading and arranging section, a dispensing section below said loading and arranging section, an article feed inlet leading into said article loading and arranging section, guide and aligning walls fixedly secured in a vertical and transverse position inside said loading and arranging section and forming therewith loading and collating compartments, ramp walls hingedly secured to the upper portions of said guide and aligning walls, and means connected to said ramp walls and adapted to actuate said ramp walls in individual sloping and abutting positions with one another so as to form article receiving positions at the article feed inlet and their individual actuation for their alignment with their corresponding fixed guide and aligning walls for the individual automatic distribution and collation of articles into said loading and collating compartments.