Container feeding apparatus for washers

Claim 2

In apparatus for feeding containers from a haphazard source into a plurality of side-by-side rows, the improvement of a plurality of guide members arranged in side-by-side relation and extending horizontally from container receiving ends toward container discharge ends, the receiving ends of certain of said guide members being extended further toward the container source of supply than other adjacent guide members, container feeding movement control means carried on said certain guide members in position to define openings with adjacent guide members of a size to allow no more than two adjacent containers to pass simultaneously, said container movement control means includes first plow devices having angularly formed container engaging surfaces , said first devices being longitudinally movable on said certain guide members, and other plow devices having angularly formed container engaging faces, said other plows being detachable from others of said guide members, conveyor means movable below said guide members to support and feed containers between said guide members and through said openings, whereby said control means and adjacent guide members are rendered effective to form the containers into rows, prime mover means operatively connected to said conveyor means, and control means for said prime mover operative periodically to reverse the operation of said prime mover and drive said conveyor reversely to its feed direction to reduce the pressure of the containers adjacent the receiving ends of said guide members.

Claim 3

In apparatus for feeding containers from a haphazard source into a plurality of side-by-side rows, each row being a single file alignment of containers, the improvement with a plurality of table-top conveyors constituting a common wide platform for supporting the containers during feeding movement between receiving and discharge ends of a plurality of container file alignment guides arranged in spaced side-by-side relation across the width of the conveyor platform, first guide means thereof having ends extending farthest toward said conveyor receiving end, second guide means thereof having ends extending least farthest toward said conveyor receiving end, and third guide means thereof having ends extending toward said conveyor receiving end a distance intermediate the extending said first and second guide means, each of said third guide means being grouped with and disposed between a pair of said second guide means and said first guide means being located at each side of a group of second and third guide means, adjustable container flow controlling plow devices carried on the extendeD ends of each first guide means and removable plow devices carried on the extended ends of each third guide means, said adjustable and removable plow devices cooperating with each other to form limited size entrance passages for container flow into and between said respective guide means, reversible prime mover means operatively connected to said conveyors to effect container feeding flow into and between said guide means, and prime mover reversing means periodically reversing said conveyors to back the containers away from said guide means and effect a change in the feeding movement of the containers, whereby the plow devices and conveyor reversals combine to inhibit containers bridging across the extended ends of said guide means.

Claim 4

In apparatus for feeding containers from a haphazard source into a plurality of side-by-side rows, each row being a single file alignment of containers, the improvement with a plurality of table-top conveyors constituting a common wide platform for supporting the containers during feeding movement between receiving and discharge ends of a plurality of container file alignment guides arranged in spaced side-by-side relation across the width of the conveyor platform, first guide means thereof having ends extending farthest toward said conveyor receiving end, second guide means thereof having ends extending least farthest toward said conveyor receiving end, and third guide means thereof having ends extending toward said conveyor receiving end a distance intermediate the extending said first and second guide means, each of said third guide means being grouped with and disposed between a pair of said second guide means and said first guide means being located at each side of a group of second and third guide means, adjustable container flow controlling plow devices carried on the extendeD ends of each first guide means and removable plow devices carried on the extended ends of each third guide means, said adjustable and removable plow devices cooperating with each other to form limited size entrance passages for container flow into and between said respective guide means, reversible prime mover means operatively connected to said conveyors to effect container feeding flow into and between said guide means, and prime mover reversing means periodically reversing said conveyors to back the containers away from said guide means and effect a change in the feeding movement of the containers, whereby the plow devices and conveyor reversals combine to inhibit containers bridging across the extended ends of said guide means.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said adjustable plow devices divert containers from flowing straight into the adjacent spaces between said guides, said adjustable plow devices having means thereon angled toward but spaced from the leading edges of said second and third guide means a predetermined distance calculated to inhibit bridging and jamming of the containers adjacent the leading edges of said guide members.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plow devices adjacent said third guide members are removable to change the distance said leading edges of said third guide members extend toward the source of containers, and means effecting movement of said plow devices adjacent the leading edge of said first guide means, the movement of said last mentioned plow devices and the removability of said removable plow devices selectively determining the distance between said guide means to match changes in the size of containers received between said guide means.

Claim 7

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said plow devices adjacent the leading edges of said first guide members are movable together and slide relative to the leading edges of said first guide members, and means is provided to secure said movable plow device in selected moved positions.