Alignment and packaging unit for eggs

Claim 1

An alignment and packaging unit for eggs comprising: i. an alignment device for aligning the eggs in their orientations, said device including a first passage extending from an inlet opening and a second passage extending towards an outlet opening, an alignment passage interposed between said first and second passages and having a reversing plane situated at the end of said firSt passage and towards the end of said second passage, movable support rolls mounted in said three passages for supporting said eggs in a nipping way from the underside, said support rolls performing axial revolution from the inlet side to ahead of said reversing plane, said support rolls being formed with recessed seats at the one end part of their periphery, said seats being positioned in said second passage and alignment passage; ii. a device for placing a predetermined number of eggs in a row, comprising an operating rod of a microswitch for counting the number of eggs aligned in their orientation by the alignment device and delivered from the outlet end thereof, a number of saucers arranged in a line at fixed intervals and movable intermittently by the distance between adjacent saucers by operation of the microswitch, said saucers receiving eggs one by one so that a predetermined number of eggs are placed in the correct orientation on the predetermined number of saucers; and iii. a packaging device for the predetermined number of eggs comprising movable blades mounted on top of said saucers and adapted for electrical actuation upon placement of a predetermined number of eggs on said saucers, vertically movable guide plates operable in gear with the movement of said blades adapted for pushing eggs forwards from the saucers for guiding the acute ends of the eggs, and an egg container placed to the lower front side of said saucers and having a number of recesses.