Continuously moving apparatus for uniformly orienting bottles

Claim 2

Apparatus for handling bottles and the like having a neck extending from a shoulder thereof, said apparatus comprising a. a pair of conveyor belts spaced apart in face-to-face relationship to grip and convey bottles delivered therebetween, b. means for delivering bottles between said belts, c. means for guiding said bottles along a longitudinal path substantially parallel to the direction of belt travel with the bottles longitudinally oriented but with the necks thereof indiscriminateLy leading or trailing, d. fixture means positioned in the path of bottles traveling along said longitudinal path for rotating the bottles while gripped between said belts, e. said fixture means including a pin extending laterally of the belts for engaging and entering the necks of neck-leading bottles so that such bottles are rotated through an angle greater than 90* to base-leading conditions and for engaging the bases of base-leading bottles so that such bottles are rotated to extend across the belts with the necks thereof laterally beyond the lateral position of rotated neck-leading bottles, f. and abutment means spaced transversely across said belts from said pin in position to clear the bases of formerly neckleading bottles as rotated by said pin but to engage the necks of formerly base-leading bottles as rotated to extend across the belts and rotate such bottles to base-leading conditions as they pass thereby.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 including guide means positioned between said conveyor belts downstream of said fixture means and abutment means for guiding bottles passing thereby in base-leading conditions to substantially the same lateral level of said belts.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said fixture means includes a shoulder member adjacent said pin on the downstream side thereof for limiting entry of the pin into the neck of a neck-leading bottle to a non-locking position.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said fixture means includes an abutment spaced upstream of said pin for engaging the outer portion of the base of a base-leading bottle and initiate rotation thereof into contact with the head of said pin.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 in which said fixture means includes a shoulder member adjacent said pin on the downstream side thereof for limiting entry of the pin into the neck of a neck-leading bottle to a non-locking position, and an abutment spaced upstream of the pin for engaging the outer portion of the base of a base-leading bottle and initiate rotation thereof into contact with the head of said pin.

Claim 7

Apparatus for handling bottles and the like having a neck extending from a shoulder thereof, said apparatus comprising a. a pair of conveyor belts moving generally horizontally in side-by-side generally vertical planes and spaced apart to grip and convey bottles delivered therebetween, b. means for delivering bottles between said belts in generally longitudinal orientation in the direction of belt travel but with the necks thereof indiscriminately leading or trailing, c. guide means for guiding said bottles along a longitudinal path substantially parallel to the direction of belt travel, d. fixture means position in the path of bottles traveling along said longitudinal path for rotating the bottles while gripped between said belts, e. said fixture means including a pin extending laterally of the belts for engaging and entering the necks of neck-leading bottles so that such bottles are rotated through an angle greater than 90* to base-leading conditions and for engaging the bases of base-leading bottles so that such bottles are rotated to extend across the belts with the necks thereof laterally beyond the lateral position of rotated neck-leading bottles, f. abutment means spaced transversely across said belts from said pin in position to clear the bases of formerly neck-leading bottles as rotated by said pin but to engage the necks of formerly base-leading bottles as rotated to extend across the belts and rotate such bottles to base-leading conditions as they pass thereby, g. said fixture means including a shoulder member adjacent said pin on the downstream side thereof for limiting entry of the pin into the neck of a neck-leading bottle to a non-locking position, and an abutment spaced upstream of the pin for engaging the outer portion of the base of a base-leading bottle and initiate rotation thereof into contact with the head of tHe pin, h. guIde means positioned between said conveYor belts downstream of said fixture means and abutment means for guiding bottles passing thereby in base-leading conditions to substantially the same lateral level of said belts, i. and erecting means for receiving bottles from the last-mentioned guide means and erecting them neck upward.

Claim 8

Apparatus for handling bottles and the like having a neck extending from a shoulder thereof, said apparatus comprising a. a pair of conveyor belts moving generally horizontally in side-by-side generally vertical planes and spaced apart to grip and convey bottles delivered therebetween, b. means for delivering bottles between said belts in generally longitudinal orientation in the direction of belt travel but with the necks thereof indiscriminately leading or trailing, c. guide means for guiding said bottles along a longitudinal path substantially parallel to the direction of belt travel, d. fixture means position in the path of bottles traveling along said longitudinal path for rotating the bottles while gripped between said belts, e. said fixture means including a pin extending laterally of the belts for engaging and entering the necks of neck-leading bottles so that such bottles are rotated through an angle greater than 90* to base-leading conditions and for engaging the bases of base-leading bottles so that such bottles are rotated to extend across the belts with the necks thereof laterally beyond the lateral position of rotated neck-leading bottles, f. abutment means spaced transversely across said belts from said pin in position to clear the bases of formerly neck-leading bottles as rotated by said pin but to engage the necks of formerly base-leading bottles as rotated to extend across the belts and rotate such bottles to base-leading conditions as they pass thereby, g. said fixture means including a shoulder member adjacent said pin on the downstream side thereof for limiting entry of the pin into the neck of a neck-leading bottle to a non-locking position, and an abutment spaced upstream of the pin for engaging the outer portion of the base of a base-leading bottle and initiate rotation thereof into contact with the head of tHe pin, h. guIde means positioned between said conveYor belts downstream of said fixture means and abutment means for guiding bottles passing thereby in base-leading conditions to substantially the same lateral level of said belts, i. and erecting means for receiving bottles from the last-mentioned guide means and erecting them neck upward.