US3729888A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Machine for transferring molded chocolate products from their shaping molds to packing boxes
Assignee: —
•
Filing: 1971-05-10
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Granted: 1973-05-01
•
Expires: 1991-05-10
Abstract
Abstract A machine for transferring molded chocolate products from their shaping molds to packing boxes, of the type designed to operate between a first conveyor band or the like whereon the molds, coming from the molding plant, are continuously fed, and a second conveyor band or the like, located parallel to, and at the level of said bands. The second band feeds the empty packing boxes. The machine comprises two sets of pneumatically operated, similar members, designed to take-up and to lay down, respectively, the chocolate products only, to which products oppositely directed swinging motions through 90* are imparted in respect of a vertical middle plane, whereby to bring said sets from their horizontal position, above of related conveyor bands, to a vertical position wherein they are confronted with each other, a vacuum distribution being timed in such a manner that the chocolate products are taken-up from the molds, coming from the molding plant on the related conveyor band, by one set of members, then transferred to the other set of members while both sets are confronted with each other, and finally laid down, overturned through 180*, into the packing boxes conveyed by the second band, or directly on to the second band to be conveyed to wrapping equipment.
Inventors
No inventors recorded.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:17
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B35/00; B65B35/30; B65B35/36; B65B35/38; B65B35/10; B65B35/16; B65B35/18; B65B5/00; B65B5/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
273 words
A machine for transferring molded choclate products from their shaping molds to packing boxes, said machine being of a type designed to operate between a first conveyor band wherein molds, coming from a molding plant, are continuously fed, and a second conveyor band, said machine being located at the level of said bands, said second band feeding empty packing boxes, said machine comprising: a. two sets of pneumatically operated similar members for taKing-up and laying-down choclate products, respectively, b. means imparting to said sets of members oppositely directed swinging movement through 90* in respect of a vertical plane midway between the conveyor bands, said means being arranged to swing said sets of members from horizontal downwardly facing positions above related conveyor bands to confronting vertical positions, and c. vacuum distribution means timed to render the taking-up set of members effective and the laying-down set of members ineffective to hold said chocolate products from the time said taking-up set of members is in horizontal downwardly facing position until said taking-up set of members is in confronting position and to render said laying-down set of members effective and said taking-up set of members ineffective from the time said laying-down set of members is in confronting position until said laying-down set of members is in horizontal downwardly facing position so that said chocolate products are lifted from the mold by said taking-up set of members, confronted by the set of laying-down members, transferred to said set of laying-down members and finally laid down, overturned by 180*, into packing boxes conveyed by the second band, or directly onto the second band to be converted to wrapping equipment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
273 words
A machine for transferring molded choclate products from their shaping molds to packing boxes, said machine being of a type designed to operate between a first conveyor band wherein molds, coming from a molding plant, are continuously fed, and a second conveyor band, said machine being located at the level of said bands, said second band feeding empty packing boxes, said machine comprising: a. two sets of pneumatically operated similar members for taKing-up and laying-down choclate products, respectively, b. means imparting to said sets of members oppositely directed swinging movement through 90* in respect of a vertical plane midway between the conveyor bands, said means being arranged to swing said sets of members from horizontal downwardly facing positions above related conveyor bands to confronting vertical positions, and c. vacuum distribution means timed to render the taking-up set of members effective and the laying-down set of members ineffective to hold said chocolate products from the time said taking-up set of members is in horizontal downwardly facing position until said taking-up set of members is in confronting position and to render said laying-down set of members effective and said taking-up set of members ineffective from the time said laying-down set of members is in confronting position until said laying-down set of members is in horizontal downwardly facing position so that said chocolate products are lifted from the mold by said taking-up set of members, confronted by the set of laying-down members, transferred to said set of laying-down members and finally laid down, overturned by 180*, into packing boxes conveyed by the second band, or directly onto the second band to be converted to wrapping equipment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein means is included to synchronize the movement imparting means for both sets of members with the conveyor bands in a manner such that the time taken by the transfer operation is equal to the time required to bring the next mold below the set of taking-up members and the next empty box, when boxes are utilized, below the set of laying-down members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
144 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein the movement imparting means includes two toothed sectors in mesh with one another, horizontal shafts located between and parallel to the conveyor bands, one sector being keyed to one shaft and the other sector being keyed to the other shaft, arms, a different arm being fastened to each sector, means pivotally connecting the free end of each arm with a different set of members for rotation about an axis extending through the center of gravity of such set, rods, each rod pendularly hanging from an overhead support and slidingly engaging a different set of members, said movement imparting means by reciprocating rotation of said sectors, said arms and said centers of gravity of said sets through 90* in opposite directions moving said sets along circular paths, while each set is simultaneously turned about said axis through 90*.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
A machine according to claim 2, wherein reciprocating rotary motion is imparted to one of the shafts having keyed thereto a toothed sector in mesh with an opposite toothed sector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein each set includes suckers consisting of tubular, funnel-like projections extending from a common chamber, and wherein means further is included alternately connecting said chambers with a vacuum source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A machine according to claim 5, wherein each set includes an interchangeable plate from which the suckers extend, whereby to permit adjustment of the number and arrangement of suckers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
A machine according to claim 1, wherein the sets of members include penumatically controlled suckers and wherein means is provided to shift the relative relationship of the suckers in the set of laying-down members, in a plane, between an arrangement in confronting position matching the arrangement of the suckers in the taking-up set of members and another preselected arrangement whereby to rearrange the suckers of the laying-down set of members in their downwardly facing position in any preselected pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
169 words
A machine according to claim 7, wherein the sucker shifting means includes two rows of round rods, lying in planes perpendicular and very near to one another, with said rods near one another at their crossing points, a sucker carrying cubic block fitted to the rods at each crosSing point, each said block having two through bores oriented in the same direction as the two rods that extend therethrough, whereby to allow each block to be moved along either rod in order to enable the crossing points of a net-like structure formed by the blocks and also the suckers to be shifted nearer to or further away from one another, a rod-supporting frame, two combs on each frame, said combs being formed with oriented inclined slots in which the ends of the rods are guided, said slots being so inclined that upon movement of the combs relative to the rods in a direction perpendicular to the planes of said rods, different positioning of the cubic blocks will be obtained.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
A machine according to claim 8, wherein a cylinder-piston unit is included to move the combs relative to the rods, the rods being connected to the piston rod and the combs being connected to the cylinder and to the stationary frame of the machine.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
83 words
A machine according to claim 9, wherein a yoke is provided which is fast to the cylinder, the yoke being rigidly connected to the centers of opposite sides of a movable comb-carrying frame, a bar associated with the rod, said bar extending in the same direction as the yoke, and a stationary comb-carrying frame, relative movement of said frames caused by relative movement of the cylinder and bar shifting the rods and concomitantly the relative positions of the cubic blocks in a plane.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3300945A
Cited
US3374600A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-04-30 | 1976-10-30 | 1977-05-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-04-30 | 1980-10-30 | 1981-05-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-04-30 | 1984-10-30 | 1985-05-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |