Denester synchronizer apparatus and method

Claim 2

In combination with container assembly apparatus for joining vertically aligned, thermoplastic container sections; apparatus for feeding thermoplastic container sections in vertical alignment to said container assembly apparatus comprising: frame support means; means on said frame support means for moving a first plurality of vertical stacks of nested container sections in a path of travel; first denesting means for successively, individually denesting, the lowermost container sections from the stacks and discharging them at a first discharging station; transfer means on said frame support means including means for moving the denested container sections downstream to a second container section discharging station; means on said frame support means for moving a second plurality of vertical stacks of nested container sections in a path of travel; second denesting means for successively, individually denesting the lowermost container sections from the second plurality of stacks and discharging them at said second discharging station in juxtaposed relation with the container sections moved thereto from the first discharging station; and control circuit means adapted to be connected to a source of power including: first control means connected in circuit with said first denesting means for initiating, and for interrupting, the denesting and discharge of container sections by said first denesting means; and second control means connected in circuit with said second denesting means for initiating, and for interrupting, the denesting and discharge of container sections by said second denesting means including means for delaying the initial discharge of a container section by said second denesting means at said second discharging station until said first denesting means discharges an initial container section at said first station and the container section initially discharged at said first discharging station is at said second station so that the container sections initially discharged at said first and second discharging station are in juxtaposed relation and means for continuing the discharge of container sections at said second station until the discharging of container sections at said first discharging station is completed and the finally released container section at said first station is at said second discharging station so that the container sections finally released at the first and second discharging stations travel in juxtaposed relation; said transfer means including means for moving the juxtaposEd container sections downstream of said second station to the container assembly apparatus.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said control circuit means includes a plurality of switching means sequentially actuated when said stacks move in said paths of travel to control the denesting of the container sections by said second denesting means and means movable in a path in timed relation with the movement of said second denesting means for sequentially actuating said switching means.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first and second denesting means each includes sets of stack supporting denester jaws movable between container gripping positions gripping the lowermost container sctions in the stacks and spread positions permitting the stacks to free-fall; said control circuit means including a plurality of switching means sequentially actuated when said stacks move in said paths of travel, and means responsive to the actuation of said switching means for momentarily causing the jaws supporting successive stacks to sequentially move to said spread positions to permit the stacks supported thereby to free-fall and for immediately causing the jaws to return to said container section gripping positions; said means for delaying the initial discharge including means connected in said control circuit means for delaying the separation of the jaws of the second denesting means for a predetermined time after a set of jaws on said first denesting means is initially opened and continuing the sequential opening and closing of jaws of said second stack of container sections for a predetermined time after a final set of jaws on the first denesting means has been closed.

Claim 5

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said first and second denesting means includes a plurality of separable, stack support members, movable between positions supporting opposing edge portions of the lowermost container sections of the stacks supported thereby, to prevent free-fall of the stacks and spread positions permitting the stacks to free-fall; said first and second control means includes first and second operating means movable between inoperative and operative positions for successively momentarily causing the support members in successive stack support means of said first and second container section denesting means, respectively, to successively spread and successively permit the lowermost container sections of the successive stacks to free-fall between the associated support members and for immediately causing said support members to return to said support positions to receive the also descending next lowermost container sections; said first and second control means including first and second drive means for moving said first and second operating means to said operative positions to cause the successive release of the lowermost container sections from successive stacks at said first and second discharge station, respectively, when said first and second container section denesting means respectively move in said paths, and for moving said first and second operating means to said inoperative positions to prevent the release of container sections by said first and second container section denesting means; said second control means including means precluding movement of said second operating means to said operative position for a predetermined time after said first operating means is moved to said operative position so that the container section initially discharged by said first denesting means at said one discharge station is moved downstream to said second discharge station to be juxtaposed with a container section initially discharged at said second station; said second control means including means preventing movement of said second operating means to said inoperative position for a predetermined time after said first operating means is moved to said inoperative position so that the container section finally released by said first denesting means has been moveD downstream to said other discharge station to be juxtaposed with the container section finally discharged by said second container denesting section means.

Claim 6

The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said first and second control means includes first, second, and third electrical circuit switching means movable between opened and closed positions, and actuating means movable in an endless path of travel in timed relation with movement of said stacks in said paths for sequentially actuating said switching means.

Claim 7

The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said first and second control means includes first, second and third openable and closable switch means sequentially movable between open and closed positions when said first and second denesting means move in said endless paths, means connected in said control circuit means and responsive to said first switch means being moved to said closed position to cause said first operating means to be moved to said operative position causing the stack support members on said first supply means to be sequentially moved to said open positions; means, connected in said control circuit, and responsive to said second switch means being moved to said closed position a predetermined time after said first switch is moved to said closed position, to cause said second operating means to be moved to said operative position, and the stack support members on said second denesting means to be sequentially moved to said open position only a predetermined time after said first operating means is moved to said operative position.

Claim 8

The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said first and second control means includes further switch means operable to interrupt power to said first drive means to return said first operating means to said inoperative position, and means is connected in circuit with said third switch means for causing said second operating means to be moved to said inoperative position only a predetermined time after said first operating means is returned to said inoperative position.

Claim 9

The combination set forth in claim 6 wherein said stack support means on at least one of said denesting means includes a plurality of vacuum applying means movable in an endless path, and including suction cup means vertically movable between raised positions gripping the lowermost container sections supported by said support members and lowered positions to strip the lowermost container sections from the stacks, and means connected in said control circuit means for reducing the vacuum forces applied by said suction means, when said first and second operating means are in said inoperative positions, to an amount insufficient to enable said suction cup means to withdraw container sections downwardly past said support members but sufficient to grip already withdrawn container sections.

Claim 10

The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for delaying the initial discharge of a container section comprises means for delaying the denesting of the initial container section by said second denesting means from said second plurality of stacks for a predetermined time after the initial container section is denested by said first denesting means; and said means for continuing the discharge of container sections comprises means for continuing the denesting of container sections by said second plurality of stacks for a predetermined time after the final container section is denested by said first denesting means.

Claim 11

In combination with apparatus for joining axially aligned, container sections to form a container, apparatus for supplying upper and lower, vertically aligned container sections to the joining apparatus including: first container section supply means, having a supply of upper container sections associated therewith, for individually, successively dispensing said upper container sections at a discharge station; second container section supply means, having a supply of lower container sections associated thereWith, for individually, successively dispensing said lower container sections at a discharge station; first transfer means disposed interjacent said first and second container section means, for sequentially receiving said dispensed container sections discharged by one of said container section supply means at one of said discharge stations, moving them downstream to be juxtaposed with container sections discharged by the other container section supply means at the other of said discharge stations and delivering the juxtaposed container sections to said joining apparatus in vertical alignment; control circuit means adapted to be connected to a source of power; means connected in said control circuit means for synchronizing the release of container sections by said first and second container section supply means in timed relation including means for operating said one container section supply means to successively dispense a line of container sections to said one station; and means connected in said control circuit means for preventing said other container section supply means from dispensing container sections to said transfer means until the container section initially dispensed by said one supply means is at said other discharge station so that the container sections initially dispensed by said first and second container section supply means travel to said joining apparatus in juxtaposed relation and for causing said other container section supply means to continue successively releasing container sections until the container section finally released by said one container supply means is at said other discharge station so that the container sections finally released by said first and second container supply means travel to said joining apparatus in juxtaposed relation.

Claim 12

In combination with apparatus for joining axially aligned, container sections to form a container, apparatus for supplying upper and lower, vertically aligned container sections to the joining apparatus including: first container section supply means, having a supply of upper container sections associated therewith, for individually, successively dispensing said upper container sections at a discharge station; second container section supply means, having a supply of lower container sections associated thereWith, for individually, successively dispensing said lower container sections at a discharge station; first transfer means disposed interjacent said first and second container section means, for sequentially receiving said dispensed container sections discharged by one of said container section supply means at one of said discharge stations, moving them downstream to be juxtaposed with container sections discharged by the other container section supply means at the other of said discharge stations and delivering the juxtaposed container sections to said joining apparatus in vertical alignment; control circuit means adapted to be connected to a source of power; means connected in said control circuit means for synchronizing the release of container sections by said first and second container section supply means in timed relation including means for operating said one container section supply means to successively dispense a line of container sections to said one station; and means connected in said control circuit means for preventing said other container section supply means from dispensing container sections to said transfer means until the container section initially dispensed by said one supply means is at said other discharge station so that the container sections initially dispensed by said first and second container section supply means travel to said joining apparatus in juxtaposed relation and for causing said other container section supply means to continue successively releasing container sections until the container section finally released by said one container supply means is at said other discharge station so that the container sections finally released by said first and second container supply means travel to said joining apparatus in juxtaposed relation.

Claim 13

In combination with container assembly apparatus for joining vertically aligned, thermoplastic container sections; apparatus for feeding thermoplastic container sections in vertical alignment to said container assembly apparatus comprising: frame support means; means on said frame support means for moving a first plurality of vertical stacks of nested container sections in a path of travel; first denesting means for successively, individually denesting, the lowermost container sections from the stacks and discharging them at a first discharging station; transfer means on said frame support means including means for moving the denested container sections downstream to a second container section discharging station; means on said frame support means for moving a second plurality of vertical stacks of nested container sections in a path of travel; second denesting means for successively, individually denesting the lowermost container sections from the second plurality of stacks and discharging them at said second discharging station in juxtaposed relation with the container sections moved thereto from the first discharging station; and control circuit means adapted to be connected to a source of power including: first control means connected in circuit with said first denesting means for initiating and interrupting the denesting of container sections by said first denesting means; and second control means connected in circuit with said second denesting means for initiating and interrupting the denesting of container sections by said second denesting means including means for delaying the initial denesting operation of said second denesting means for a predetermined time after a container section is initially denested so that the container section initially denested by said first denesting means is at said second station when the container section initially denested by said second denesting means is discharged at said second station and the container sections initially denested by said first and second denesting means travel in juxtaposed relation and means for continuing the denesting operation of said second denesting meanS for a predetermined time after the denesting operation by said first denesting means is completed so that the container section finally released at said first discharging station is at said second discharging station when the finally denested container section from said second plurality of stacks is discharged at said second station and the container sections finally released at the discharging stations travel in juxtaposed relation; said transfer means including means for moving the juxtaposed container sections downstream of said second station for further processing.

Claim 14

In combination with container assembly apparatus for joining vertically aligned, thermoplastic container sections; apparatus for feeding thermoplastic container sections in vertical alignment to said container assembly apparatus comprising: frame support means; means on said frame support means for moving a first plurality of vertical stacks of nested container sections in a path of travel; first denesting means for successively, individually denesting, the lowermost container sections from the stacks and discharging them at a first discharging station; transfer means on said frame support means including means for moving the denested container sections downstream to a second container section discharging station; means on said frame support means for moving a second plurality of vertical stacks of nested container sections in a path of travel; second denesting means for successively, individually denesting the lowermost container sections from the second plurality of stacks and discharging them at said second discharging station in juxtaposed relation with the container sections moved thereto from the first discharging station; and control circuit means adapted to be connected to a source of power including: first control means connected in circuit with said first denesting means for initiating and interrupting the denesting of container sections by said first denesting means; and second control means connected in circuit with said second denesting means for initiating and interrupting the denesting of container sections by said second denesting means including means for delaying the initial denesting operation of said second denesting means for a predetermined time after a container section is initially denested so that the container section initially denested by said first denesting means is at said second station when the container section initially denested by said second denesting means is discharged at said second station and the container sections initially denested by said first and second denesting means travel in juxtaposed relation and means for continuing the denesting operation of said second denesting meanS for a predetermined time after the denesting operation by said first denesting means is completed so that the container section finally released at said first discharging station is at said second discharging station when the finally denested container section from said second plurality of stacks is discharged at said second station and the container sections finally released at the discharging stations travel in juxtaposed relation; said transfer means including means for moving the juxtaposed container sections downstream of said second station for further processing.

Claim 15

The apparatus set forth in claim 11 including container sealing means for moving said containers assembled by said container assembly apparatus, in timed relation with the movement of said first and second pluralities of stacks and for sealing the upper ends of the containers as they are being moved; said first and second control means includes first, second, and third electrical circuit switching means, and actuating means carried by said sealing means for movement therewith for sequentially actuating said first, second and third switch means to sequentially operate said first and second denesting means.

Claim 18

The method set forth in claim 13 wherein the delay in discharging is accomplished by delaying the denesting of the initial container section from said second plurality of stacks for a predetermined time after the denesting of the initial container section from said first plurality of stacks.

Claim 19

The method set forth in claim 13 wherein the denesting of each stack is accomplished by supporting the lowermost container section in each stack and successively releasing the lowermost container section and permitting the stack to descend, supporting the next lowermost also descending container section and permitting the lowermost container section to free-fall; said second mentioned denesting step being accomplished by preventing the denesting of the initial container section for a predetermined time after the denesting of the initial container section from said first plurality of stacks is accomplished so that the container sections released at said first and second discharge stations are juxtaposed.