US3703232A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Container orienting apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-10-19
•
Granted: 1972-11-21
•
Expires: 1990-10-19
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for positioning containers upright from a disoriented pile in a hopper. A divider ramp with an inclined upper groove picks up a row of containers which orient with their major axes lengthwise of the groove. The containers slide downwardly endwise into an orienting tube which provides a pair of inclined transversely displaced surfaces spaced less than the maximum width of the containers and between which each container tumbles over upside down in upright position with its center of gravity below the axis of rotation. Each container as it tumbles once or slides down the spaced surfaces enters a pocket in a metering wheel extending between the surfaces. The wheel deposits each container in upright position into a vertical tube to a second metering wheel which deposits the container into a holder indexed therebeneath by a conveyor.
Inventors
- 👤 Stanley J Zbiegien
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:35
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B35/00; B65B35/56; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/02; B65G47/04; B65G47/12; B65G47/14; B65G47/1407; B65G47/1478; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0235; B65G2201/0261
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
235 words
A device for orienting containers having non-parallel side portions, and a base end and an upper filler neck end comprising: a support, means providing inclined gravity feed passage means comprising a tube mounted on the support in inclined position at a small acute angle to the horizontal and having an upper end inlet for receiving such containers either end first, said tube having a diameter less than the lengths of such containers, and being essentially straight said tube having an upper container-abutment surface extending from one end of the tube to the other, and said tube having a lower end outlet, said tube having a slot extending lengthwise thereof in its lower end on the bottom side thereof providing container-embracing side surfaces therebetween spaced a distance apart less than the width of the container between said side portions thereof, said side surfaces being spaced vertically from said upper abutment surface a distance less than the distance lengthwise of the container from the points of contact of the side portions of the container with said side surfaces to said upper end of the container, and said slot permitting the container to tumble over, if inverted, and engage its neck end with said upper surface and slide down in upright position upon said side surfaces while the lower portion of the container protrudes through the slot and extends below the tube, said slot extending to said outlet.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
235 words
A device for orienting containers having non-parallel side portions, and a base end and an upper filler neck end comprising: a support, means providing inclined gravity feed passage means comprising a tube mounted on the support in inclined position at a small acute angle to the horizontal and having an upper end inlet for receiving such containers either end first, said tube having a diameter less than the lengths of such containers, and being essentially straight said tube having an upper container-abutment surface extending from one end of the tube to the other, and said tube having a lower end outlet, said tube having a slot extending lengthwise thereof in its lower end on the bottom side thereof providing container-embracing side surfaces therebetween spaced a distance apart less than the width of the container between said side portions thereof, said side surfaces being spaced vertically from said upper abutment surface a distance less than the distance lengthwise of the container from the points of contact of the side portions of the container with said side surfaces to said upper end of the container, and said slot permitting the container to tumble over, if inverted, and engage its neck end with said upper surface and slide down in upright position upon said side surfaces while the lower portion of the container protrudes through the slot and extends below the tube, said slot extending to said outlet.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
235 words
A device for orienting containers having non-parallel side portions, and a base end and an upper filler neck end comprising: a support, means providing inclined gravity feed passage means comprising a tube mounted on the support in inclined position at a small acute angle to the horizontal and having an upper end inlet for receiving such containers either end first, said tube having a diameter less than the lengths of such containers, and being essentially straight said tube having an upper container-abutment surface extending from one end of the tube to the other, and said tube having a lower end outlet, said tube having a slot extending lengthwise thereof in its lower end on the bottom side thereof providing containerembracing side surfaces therebetween spaced a distance apart less than the width of the container between said side portions thereof, said side surfaces being spaced vertically from said upper abutment surface a distance less than the distance lengthwise of the container from the points of contact of the side portions of the container with said side surfaces to said upper end of the container, and said slot permitting the container to tumble over, if inverted, and engage its neck end with said upper surface and slide down in upright position upon said side surfaces while the lower portion of the container protrudes through the slot and extends below the tube, said slot extending to said outlet.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
235 words
A device for orienting containers having non-parallel side portions, and a base end and an upper filler neck end comprising: a support, means providing inclined gravity feed passage means comprising a tube mounted on the support in inclined position at a small acute angle to the horizontal and having an upper end inlet for receiving such containers either end first, said tube having a diameter less than the lengths of such containers, and being essentially straight said tube having an upper container-abutment surface extending from one end of the tube to the other, and said tube having a lower end outlet, said tube having a slot extending lengthwise thereof in its lower end on the bottom side thereof providing containerembracing side surfaces therebetween spaced a distance apart less than the width of the container between said side portions thereof, said side surfaces being spaced vertically from said upper abutment surface a distance less than the distance lengthwise of the container from the points of contact of the side portions of the container with said side surfaces to said upper end of the container, and said slot permitting the container to tumble over, if inverted, and engage its neck end with said upper surface and slide down in upright position upon said side surfaces while the lower portion of the container protrudes through the slot and extends below the tube, said slot extending to said outlet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
12 words
A device according to claim 1 and said side surfaces converging downwardly.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
The invention according to claim 2 and metering means extending through said slot having means accommodating positioning of a container entering into said slot and delivering an oriented container to associated mechanism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
The invention according to claim 3 and stop means extending into said passage means above the slot for intercepting such containers and metering the same individually to the slotted lower end of the tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention according to claim 1 and said containers being of fusiform shape and said lower surfaces embracing said container and at said slot providing an accomodation space for the end portions of the container to permit tumbling thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
106 words
The invention according to claim 1 and a hopper for receiving a plurality of containers and having bottom surfaces converging to an apex, a positioner extending from the bottom of said hopper through a passage therein and having an upper U-shaped groove inclined to a lower end toward one side wall of the hopper and operative to pick up a row of containers attendant to elevation of said positioner through said containers, said one wall having an opening therethrough positioned to register with said lower end of the groove in the elevated position of said positioner, and said upper end inlet communicating with said passage means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
The invention according to claim 1 and receptacle means for receiving said containers means for conveying container-filled receptacles along a certain path, means for tightly pressing said containers into said receptacle means and comprising an endless belt having a run overlying the container-filled receptacle means and converging with the conveyor means in a direction of movement thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The invention according to claim 7 and means for positioning said receptacle means in receiving position to the containers and comprising a wheel superposed with respect to the conveyor means and having a series of notches receiving successive receptacle means, and means indexing said wheel to position each receptacle means in position to receive a container.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
253 words
A device for orienting containers having fusiform shaped bodies with a neck at one end and a base at the other end, comprising: a support, an inclined cylindrical tube mounted on the support and having an upper end inlet for receiving such containers endwise in either upright position with the neck portion bearing against the underside of the upper portion of the tube or inverted with the base abutting the underside of said upper portion of the tube, said tube having a lower end portion providing an outlet, said lower end portion of the tube having a pair of circumferentially spaced side contact surfaces defining a slot therebetween open through said outlet and of a width less than the width of the bodies of the containers, said side contact surfaces at opposite sides of the slot adapted for contacting the body portion of the container passing therebetween, said container and tube proportioned to accommodate rotation of an inverted container by the container dropping to a positioN to clear the base end from the undersurface and said side surfaces spaced a distance from the undersurface less than the length of the container from the points of contact of the container with said surfaces to the neck in the upright position of the container and said surfaces spaced from the undersurface a distance greater than the length of an inverted container from the points of contact thereof with said surfaces and said undersurface, and said slot extending through the bottom of the tube lengthwise thereof.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
253 words
A device for orienting containers having fusiform shaped bodies with a neck at one end and a base at the other end, comprising: a support, an inclined cylindrical tube mounted on the support and having an upper end inlet for receiving such containers endwise in either upright position with the neck portion bearing against the underside of the upper portion of the tube or inverted with the base abutting the underside of said upper portion of the tube, said tube having a lower end portion providing an outlet, said lower end portion of the tube having a pair of circumferentially spaced side contact surfaces defining a slot therebetween open through said outlet and of a width less than the width of the bodies of the containers, said side contact surfaces at opposite sides of the slot adapted for contacting the body portion of the container passing therebetween, said container and tube proportioned to accommodate rotation of an inverted container by the container dropping to a positioN to clear the base end from the undersurface and said side surfaces spaced a distance from the undersurface less than the length of the container from the points of contact of the container with said surfaces to the neck in the upright position of the container and said surfaces spaced from the undersurface a distance greater than the length of an inverted container from the points of contact thereof with said surfaces and said undersurface, and said slot extending through the bottom of the tube lengthwise thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-11-21 | 1976-05-22 | 1976-11-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-11-21 | 1980-05-22 | 1980-11-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-11-21 | 1984-05-22 | 1984-11-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |