US3777453A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Intermediate conveyor system for use with bagging and cartoning machines
Assignee: FR Hesser Maschinenfabrik AG
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Filing: 1972-09-26
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Granted: 1973-12-11
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Expires: 1992-09-26
Abstract
Abstract An intermediate conveyor system which transports filled and closed bags from an intermittently operated conveyor of a bagging machine to a continuously operated conveyor of a cartoning machine. The conveyor of the bagging machine delivers two rows of bags which are located in two vertical planes, and the conveyor of the cartoning machine has a single row of horizontal troughshaped receptacles. The intermediate conveyor system has a removing unit with two turntables each carrying two pivotable arms having suction heads. The arms of one turntable remove bags from one of the rows and the arms of the other turntable remove bags from the other row. Each freshly removed bag is turned through 180* and is deposited into one of a series of continuously driven containers for transport into a receptacle of the conveyor in the cartoning machine. A rear wall of the each container is movable between an upright position in which it receives a bag and a horizontal position in which it deposits a bag into an empty receptacle. The containers carry and cooperate with tools serving to reduce the dimensions of bags not later than on transfer of bags into the receptacles.
Inventors
- 👤 H Zimmermann
- 👤 H Kielwein
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 18:12
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B35/00; B65B35/30; B65B35/54
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
153 words
In a production line, a combination comprising a first conveyor arranged to transport at least one row of bags or analogous commodities along at least one first path; a second conveyor spaced apart from said first conveyor and having a series of receptacles each arranged to receive at least one commodity; and an intermediate conveyor system disposed between said first and second conveyors and including a receiving unit having retaining means for accepting commodities from said first conveyor and transmission means for changing the orientation of the thus loaded retaining means through an angle exceeding 90 degrees, and a transporting unit having a plurality of containers arranged to travel along a further path extending from said receiving unit to said second conveyor, said containers being arranged to accept commodities from loaded retaining means subsequent to said change in orientation of said retaining means and to transport the thus accepted commodities toward said receptacles.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
153 words
In a production line, a combination comprising a first conveyor arranged to transport at least one row of bags or analogous commodities along at least one first path; a second conveyor spaced apart from said first conveyor and having a series of receptacles each arranged to receive at least one commodity; and an intermediate conveyor system disposed between said first and second conveyors and including a receiving unit having retaining means for accepting commodities from said first conveyor and transmission means for changing the orientation of the thus loaded retaining means through an angle exceeding 90 degrees, and a transporting unit having a plurality of containers arranged to travel along a further path extending from said receiving unit to said second conveyor, said containers being arranged to accept commodities from loaded retaining means subsequent to said change in orientation of said retaining means and to transport the thus accepted commodities toward said receptacles.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said first conveyor comprises a plurality of clamping means for said commodities and means for moving said clamping means in stepwise fashion, said second conveyor comprising means for continuously moving said receptacles at a predetermined speed.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
69 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said first conveyor is arranged to transport several parallel rows of commodities along several discrete first paths, said retaining means comprising at least one discrete retaining element for each of said rows and said transmission means including a discrete transmission for each of said retaining elements, each of said retaining elements being arranged to accept commodities from the respective first path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A combination as defined in claim 3, wherein said receiving unit further comprises a continuously driven turntable for each of said retaining elements and each of said discrete transmissions comprises means for pivoting said retaining elements relative to said turntables during predetermined stages of each revolution of said turntables.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
75 words
A combination as defined in claim 4, wherein said means for pivoting said retaining elements comprises cam means arranged to move the respective retaining elements substantially at right angles to the respective first paths immediately prior and immediately after acceptance of commodities by said retaining elements and to move the respective retaining elements along arcuate paths during acceptance of commodities by said containers, said further path being at least substantially tangential to said arcuate paths.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said containers comprises a portion which is movable between a first position in which it accepts a commodity from said retaining means and a second position in which it transfers a commodity to one of said receptacles, said intermediate conveyor system further comprising means for moving said portions of successive containers between said first and second positions in predetermined portions of said further path.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said container portions is pivotable between said first and second positions, said means for moving said container portions comprising stationary cam means adjacent to said further path and follower means provided on said container portions and arranged to track said cam means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
69 words
A combination as defined in claim 6, wherein each of said container portions is provided with movable holding means, said intermediate conveyor system further comprising means for engaging said holding means with the commodities on the respective container portions in the first position of said container portions and for disengaging said holding means from the commodities in the respective container portions in the second positions of said container portions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A combination as defined in claim 8, wherein said holding means comprises spring-biased holding elements pivotably mounted on the respective container portions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
49 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, further comprising conditioning means arranged to fold selected portions of commodities in said containers, said conditioning means comprising folding means adjacent to said further path and actuatable to effect at least partial folding of said selected portions of commodities in successive containers.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A combination as defined in claim 10, wherein said conditioning means further comprises second folding means provided on each of said containers and actuatable to complete the folding of said selected portions of commodities in the respective containers.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A combination as defined in claim 11, wherein each of said second folding means comprises a holding element movably mounted on the respective container and means for moving said holding elements relative to the respective containers during travel of said containers along predetermined portions of said further path.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said containers are arranged to deliver commodities into said receptacles, said containers and said receptacles comprising portions which cooperate during delivery of commodities into the receptacles to reduce the dimensions of commodities.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
A combination as defined in claim 13, wherein said portions of said containers include movable walls which are insertable into said receptacles, said portions of said receptacles including additional walls spaced apart by a distance less than the corresponding dimension of a commodity in a receptacle whereby said walls cooperate to deform the commodities during introduction into said receptacles.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said retaining means comprises at least one pair of relatively movable suction heads.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said second conveyor defines for said receptacles an additional path which is parallel to said first and further paths.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
88 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said containers comprises a pair of side walls which are located in planes normal to said further path and a third wall movable relative to said side walls between an upright position and an inclined position, said third wall having platform means for supporting commodities which are delivered by said retaining means in the upright position of the respective third wall and for allowing gravitational descent of a commodity in the inclined position of the respective third wall.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said first conveyor forms part of a bagging machine and said second conveyor forms part of a cartoning machine.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said receptacles are substantially horizontal troughs and said transporting unit comprises means for moving successive loaded containers into positions of overlap with successive empty receptacles.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
51 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said commodities are filled and closed bags each having a plurality of mutually inclined marginal portions, said intermediate conveyor system comprising means for folding at least one marginal portion of each closed bag not later than on entry of bags into said receptacles.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
A combination as defined in claim 20, wherein the bags moving along said first path and along portions of said further path are located in vertical planes and the bags are located in horizontal planes not later than on transfer onto said second conveyor.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said first path is spaced apart from and parallel with said further path, said receiving unit being disposed between said first path and said further path.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
34 words
A combination as defined in claim 22, wherein said transmission means is arranged to turn said retaining means through about 180 degrees during transfer of commodities from said first path into said further path.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3191748A
Cited
US3592003A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-10 | 1977-06-11 | 1977-12-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-10 | 1981-06-11 | 1981-12-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-10 | 1985-06-11 | 1985-12-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |