US3732969A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article group-segregating mechanism
Assignee: Formost Packaging Machines Inc
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Filing: 1970-12-14
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Granted: 1973-05-15
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Expires: 1990-12-14
Abstract
Abstract Articles from which a group is to be segregated are fed in two parallel rows alongside each other until such rows are stopped by clamping means actuated by engagement of the end of the group to be segregated with a stop. Adjacent arms of counterrotating rotors lift the group of articles to be segregated from the infeed path to a parallel discharge path along which a pusher moves to push the segregated article group to a bagging station for bagging. Upon transfer of the segregated article group from the feed path to the discharge path the clamping means are released so that feed of articles from the feed section to the segregating section is resumed.
Inventors
- 👤 A Formo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 04:47
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B35/00; B65B35/30; B65B35/46
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
197 words
Article-handling mechanism comprising feed means for moving a series of articles along a feed path in a predetermined direction, discharge means for moving articles successively along a discharge path elevationally separated from such feed path in a direction substantially parallel to such predetermined direction, two sets of shelves, two shelf-supporting means disposed at opposite sides, respectively, of the feed path and the discharge path supporting each shelf of said respective sets in cantilever fashion by one edge for disposition of cooperating shelves of the two sets in coplanar relationship in vertical registration with the feed path and the discharge path, and with the edges of said cooperating shelves adjacent to each other, the shelf edges adjacent to the feed path and the shelf edges adjacent to the discharge path being unobstructed by said shelf-supporting means, and moving means shifting said shelf-supporting means conjointly to move shelves of said two sets elevationally through the adjacent end portion of the feed path transversely of the direction of movement of articles along the feed path to transfer articles elevationally from the feed path to the discharge path for movement from the shelves along the discharge path by said discharge means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
197 words
Article-handling mechanism comprising feed means for moving a series of articles along a feed path in a predetermined direction, discharge means for moving articles successively along a discharge path elevationally separated from such feed path in a direction substantially parallel to such predetermined direction, two sets of shelves, two shelf-supporting means disposed at opposite sides, respectively, of the feed path and the discharge path supporting each shelf of said respective sets in cantilever fashion by one edge for disposition of cooperating shelves of the two sets in coplanar relationship in vertical registration with the feed path and the discharge path, and with the edges of said cooperating shelves adjacent to each other, the shelf edges adjacent to the feed path and the shelf edges adjacent to the discharge path being unobstructed by said shelf-supporting means, and moving means shifting said shelf-supporting means conjointly to move shelves of said two sets elevationally through the adjacent end portion of the feed path transversely of the direction of movement of articles along the feed path to transfer articles elevationally from the feed path to the discharge path for movement from the shelves along the discharge path by said discharge means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The mechanism defined in claim 1, in which the shelf-supporting means includes two rotors disposed in side-by-side relationship and rotatable in opposite directions respectively about axes disposed parallel to the feed path and the discharge path, said rotors having cooperating arms forming the shelves.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
138 words
Article group-segregating mechanism comprising feed means for moving two rows of articles in side-by-side relationship along a feed path, discharge means for moving pairs of articles from such two rows successively along a discharge path offset elevationally from such feed path, group-segregating means operable to receive a plurality of articles from the feed path and including two rotors disposed in side-by-side relationship, rotatable in opposite directions respectively about axes disposed parallel to and alongside the feed path and having arms engageable with a plurality of articles of a segregated group in both of such rows, and means turning said group-segregating rotors always unidirectionally to clear the feed path by transferring such plurality of articles from each row as a group from such feed path to such discharge path for movement along the discharge path by said discharge means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
138 words
Article group-segregating mechanism comprising feed means for moving two rows of articles in side-by-side relationship along a feed path, discharge means for moving pairs of articles from such two rows successively along a discharge path offset elevationally from such feed path, group-segregating means operable to receive a plurality of articles from the feed path and including two rotors disposed in side-by-side relationship, rotatable in opposite directions respectively about axes disposed parallel to and alongside the feed path and having arms engageable with a plurality of articles of a segregated group in both of such rows, and means turning said group-segregating rotors always unidirectionally to clear the feed path by transferring such plurality of articles from each row as a group from such feed path to such discharge path for movement along the discharge path by said discharge means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
134 words
Article group-segregating mechanism comprising feed means for moving a plurality of articles along a feed path, discharge means for moving groups of articles successively along a discharge path offset from such feed path, group-segregating means operable to receive a plurality of articles from the feed path, means for driving said feed means to move continuously, clamping means engageable with articles being moved by said feed means at the feed side of such plurality of articles for restraining movement of the articles following such plurality of articles by said feed means to said group-segregating means, and means moving said group-segregating means always unidirectionally to clear the feed path by transferring such plurality of articles as a group from such feed path to such discharge path for movement along the discharge path by said discharge means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
134 words
Article group-segregating mechanism comprising feed means for moving a plurality of articles along a feed path, discharge means for moving groups of articles successively along a discharge path offset from such feed path, group-segregating means operable to receive a plurality of articles from the feed path, means for driving said feed means to move continuously, clamping means engageable with articles being moved by said feed means at the feed side of such plurality of articles for restraining movement of the articles following such plurality of articles by said feed means to said group-segregating means, and means moving said group-segregating means always unidirectionally to clear the feed path by transferring such plurality of articles as a group from such feed path to such discharge path for movement along the discharge path by said discharge means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
125 words
Article group-segregating mechanism comprising feed means for moving a plurality of articles along a feed path, discharge means for moving groups of articles successively along a discharge path offset from such feed path, group-segregating means operable to receive a plurality of articles from the feed path, means moving said group-segregating means always unidirectionally to clear the feed path by transferring such plurality of articles as a group from such feed path to such discharge path for movement along the discharge path by said discharge means, and clamping means engageable with articles moved by said feed means toward said group-segregating means for shifting such articles a short distance away from said group-segregating means and thereafter restraining movement of such articles during movement of said group-segregating means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
125 words
Article group-segregating mechanism comprising feed means for moving a plurality of articles along a feed path, discharge means for moving groups of articles successively along a discharge path offset from such feed path, group-segregating means operable to receive a plurality of articles from the feed path, means moving said group-segregating means always unidirectionally to clear the feed path by transferring such plurality of articles as a group from such feed path to such discharge path for movement along the discharge path by said discharge means, and clamping means engageable with articles moved by said feed means toward said group-segregating means for shifting such articles a short distance away from said group-segregating means and thereafter restraining movement of such articles during movement of said group-segregating means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-14 | 1976-11-13 | 1977-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-14 | 1980-11-13 | 1981-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-14 | 1984-11-13 | 1985-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |