Abstract Method is disclosed for handling articles such as metal discs for closures of the two-piece type which are stamped and formed and then fed sealing face down to a conveyor belt. At first transfer zone, each disc or lid is pulled up against lower pass of second conveyor belt by a magnet. The lids are retained in contact with the belt by a magnetic pulley to swing up through arc to upper pass of belt. Lids are then conveyed to treating zone where gasket material is applied as lids are rotated and transported arcuately. The lids are picked up sequentially by magnetism or vacuum from coating table by radial arms on a carousel and transferred to upper pass of a next conveyor. At next transfer zone, lids are picked up sequentially by individual magnets on lower pass of next conveyor and moved to next transfer zone where they are released in groups to form transverse rows on wide conveyor belt. Lids are conveyed through curing station on to wide conveyor belt and realigned from transverse rows to fore and aft single file by a diverter. The lids are then transferred and fed sequentially to assembly zone by a next conveyor. Closure bands are also fed sequentially to assembly zone and combined with lids to produce assembled two-piece closures. Lids may alternatively be fed to different assembly zone where they are packed in sets for shipping. One-piece closures with integral lid and flange may be formed and processed in same manner.
A method of sequentially removing articles from peripherally spaced stations on a table rotating in a horizontal plane and transferring them to the adjacent end of a longitudinally extending conveyor, comprising: repeatedly moving a carrier between a point overlying the circumferential path of said stations and the adjacent end of said conveyor; timing the carrier to arrive at said point simultaneously with the arrival of an article at said point; applying a lifting force to said article to remove it from its station; carrying the article under the influence of said lifting force to said conveyor; depositing said article on said conveyor; and applying a maintaining force to articles on said conveyor to maintain the same thereon.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
117 words
A method of sequentially removing articles from peripherally spaced stations on a table rotating in a horizontal plane and transferring them to the adjacent end of a longitudinally extending conveyor, comprising: repeatedly moving a carrier between a point overlying the circumferential path of said stations and the adjacent end of said conveyor; timing the carrier to arrive at said point simultaneously with the arrival of an article at said point; applying a lifting force to said article to remove it from its station; carrying the article under the influence of said lifting force to said conveyor; depositing said article on said conveyor; and applying a maintaining force to articles on said conveyor to maintain the same thereon.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, the lifting force being applied by establishing a zone of reduced pressure at the carrier and subjecting the article to said reduced pressure to raise it into contact with the carrier.