US3794154A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Article group assembly and forwarding conveyor for wrapping machines
Assignee: Franklin Electric Subsidiaries Inc
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Filing: 1972-12-01
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Granted: 1974-02-26
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Expires: 1992-12-01
Abstract
Abstract Parallel feed conveyors deliver side by side rows of articles to side by side accelerating conveyors. The accelerating conveyors deliver groups of articles transversely across parallel side by side wrapping machine conveyors having package advancing flights in the plane of both conveyors and transversely across the end of the accelerating conveyors. The accelerating conveyors have two different speed drive connections, and adjustable cycle dividing switches driven at the same frequency as the cycle of the advancing flights of the wrapping machine conveyors function to engage the high speed drive to the accelerating conveyors during a fraction only of each package advancing cycle. The dividing switches also function to momentarily close article stop gates between the feed conveyors and the accelerating conveyors at about the beginning of each cycle of the machine. Adjustable clutch connections permit two speed operation of the in-feeding conveyors and continuous lower speed drive of the accelerating conveyors, for collecting and wrapping half or fractional size groups of articles from the lead articles in the parallel feed conveyors. Longitudinal adjustment of the accelerating conveyors to accommodate the smaller packages is provided.
Inventors
- 👤 R Holt
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 05:23
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/22; B65G47/26; B65G47/30; B65G47/31; B65B; B65B35/00; B65B35/30; B65B35/44; B65G47/02; B65G47/04; B65G47/06; B65G47/08; B65G47/084; B65G47/086
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
356 words
Article feeding apparatus in combination with the feed conveyor of a wrapping machine having spaced successively advanced package advancing flights, comprising A. an article accelerating conveyor having its delivery end arranged adjacent the side of said feed conveyor and in transversely extending relation thereto, B. a supply conveyor having its delivery end arranged in generally aligned article transferring relation to the receiving end of said accelerating conveyor, C. said accelerating conveyor and said supply conveyor each being arranged to advance articles in two parallel columns and each having belts movable in slidable relation to articles thereon when motion of the articles therewith is obstructed, D. common drive means connected to simultaneously drive all said conveyors and divided into: a. a first branch drive connected to advance successive flights of said feed conveyor at a constant speed, b. a second branch drive connectable to drive said supply conveyor at a first lineal rate, c. a third branch drive connectable to drive said supply conveyor at a second lineal rate approximately double said first lineal rate, d. a fourth branch drive connectable to drive said accelerating conveyor at a third lineal rate approximately equal to said second rate, e. a fifth branch drive connectable to drive said accelerating conveyor at a fourth lineal speed approximately twice said third lineal rate, E. gate means swingable across the path of articles entering onto said accelerating conveyor and including actuating means to advance and retract the gate means, F. first adjustable switch means driven from said common drive means at a repeating cycle equal to the frequency of advance of the flights on said feed conveyor, G. said first switch means being connected to the actuating means of said gate means to advance and retract said gate means during each cycle of advance of said flights, H. and second adjustable switch means driven from said common drive means at the same repeating cycle as said first switch means, I. said second switch means being connectable to engage said fifth branch drive to the exclusion of said fourth branch drive during a fraction only of the cycle of said second switch means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
356 words
Article feeding apparatus in combination with the feed conveyor of a wrapping machine having spaced successively advanced package advancing flights, comprising A. an article accelerating conveyor having its delivery end arranged adjacent the side of said feed conveyor and in transversely extending relation thereto, B. a supply conveyor having its delivery end arranged in generally aligned article transferring relation to the receiving end of said accelerating conveyor, C. said accelerating conveyor and said supply conveyor each being arranged to advance articles in two parallel columns and each having belts movable in slidable relation to articles thereon when motion of the articles therewith is obstructed, D. common drive means connected to simultaneously drive all said conveyors and divided into: a. a first branch drive connected to advance successive flights of said feed conveyor at a constant speed, b. a second branch drive connectable to drive said supply conveyor at a first lineal rate, c. a third branch drive connectable to drive said supply conveyor at a second lineal rate approximately double said first lineal rate, d. a fourth branch drive connectable to drive said accelerating conveyor at a third lineal rate approximately equal to said second rate, e. a fifth branch drive connectable to drive said accelerating conveyor at a fourth lineal speed approximately twice said third lineal rate, E. gate means swingable across the path of articles entering onto said accelerating conveyor and including actuating means to advance and retract the gate means, F. first adjustable switch means driven from said common drive means at a repeating cycle equal to the frequency of advance of the flights on said feed conveyor, G. said first switch means being connected to the actuating means of said gate means to advance and retract said gate means during each cycle of advance of said flights, H. and second adjustable switch means driven from said common drive means at the same repeating cycle as said first switch means, I. said second switch means being connectable to engage said fifth branch drive to the exclusion of said fourth branch drive during a fraction only of the cycle of said second switch means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
Article feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said article accelerating conveyor includes vertically spaced parallel upper and lower belts adapted to receive articles therebetween and each driven at the same speeds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
Article feeding apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the uppermost of said belts is adjustable longitudinally to project its rear end partially over the way of said in-feeding conveyor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
63 words
Article feeding apparatus as defined in claim 3 in which there is: a manually operable clutch to selectively engage said second branch drive or said third branch drive, and a manually operable switch arranged in series with said second switch means to selectively interrupt said second switch means and prevent engagement with said fifth branch drive throughout the cycle of said switch means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
Article feeding apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which: said fourth branch drive includes an overrunning clutch, and said fifth branch drive includes a magnetic clutch, the disengageable output side of which drives through the overrun part of said fourth branch drive.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
Article feeding apparatus as defined in claim 5 in which said second branch drive and said third branch drive include a manually operable clutch arranged to selectively engage the driven part of said overrunning clutch and the driven part of said magnetic clutch.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
295 words
In combination with an in-feeding conveyor to a wrapping machine, said conveyor having a double width way and successively advanced article advancing flights, and a double way article supply conveyor arranged to deliver transversely toward said in-feeding conveyor, article group forming apparatus comprising: A. a double way accelerating conveyor arranged in end to end receiving relation from said supply conveyor and with its outlet end arranged in generally co-planar abutted cross feeding relation to the way of said in-feeding conveyor, B. a first drive shaft driven in timed relation to the cycle of advance of the flights of said infeeding conveyor, C. a control shaft connected to drive said accelerating conveyor and having a pair of driven pulleys thereon, a. a first of said driven pulleys being drivingly connectable to said control shaft by an overrunning clutch and adapted to be overrun by the control shaft, b. the second of said driven pulleys being connectable to said control shaft by an electrically actuated clutch, c. a third pulley freely rotatable on said control shaft adapted to be selectively and mechanically connected alternatively to either of said first and second driven pulleys, D. a first belt connecting said third pulley to said pulley conveyor, E. a low speed drive connection between said first drive shaft and said first driven pulley, F. a high speed drive connection between said first drive shaft and said second driven pulley, G. first electrical switch means cyclically driven in timed relation to said article advancing flights and adjustable within the cycle of the flights, a. said first switch means being electrically connected to actuate said electrically actuated clutch, H. and selectively operable second switch means connected in series with said first switch means to prevent operation of said electrically actuated clutch.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
295 words
In combination with an in-feeding conveyor to a wrapping machine, said conveyor having a double width way and successively advanced article advancing flights, and a double way article supply conveyor arranged to deliver transversely toward said in-feeding conveyor, article group forming apparatus comprising: A. a double way accelerating conveyor arranged in end to end receiving relation from said supply conveyor and with its outlet end arranged in generally co-planar abutted cross feeding relation to the way of said in-feeding conveyor, B. a first drive shaft driven in timed relation to the cycle of advance of the flights of said infeeding conveyor, C. a control shaft connected to drive said accelerating conveyor and having a pair of driven pulleys thereon, a. a first of said driven pulleys being drivingly connectable to said control shaft by an overrunning clutch and adapted to be overrun by the control shaft, b. the second of said driven pulleys being connectable to said control shaft by an electrically actuated clutch, c. a third pulley freely rotatable on said control shaft adapted to be selectively and mechanically connected alternatively to either of said first and second driven pulleys, D. a first belt connecting said third pulley to said pulley conveyor, E. a low speed drive connection between said first drive shaft and said first driven pulley, F. a high speed drive connection between said first drive shaft and said second driven pulley, G. first electrical switch means cyclically driven in timed relation to said article advancing flights and adjustable within the cycle of the flights, a. said first switch means being electrically connected to actuate said electrically actuated clutch, H. and selectively operable second switch means connected in series with said first switch means to prevent operation of said electrically actuated clutch.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination as defined in claim 7 in which said accelerating conveyor includes vertically spaced upper and lower belts adapted to grip and advance articles therebetween.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
68 words
The combination as defined in claim 7 in which there are further: I. gate means movable between open and closed article stopping position between the adjacent ends of said supply conveyor and said accelerating conveyor, J. and operating means cyclically and adjustably driven in timed relation to said article advancing flights and connected to open and close said gates once during each cycle of advance of said flights.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
The combination as defined in claim 9 in which said operating means for opening and closing said gates include second electrical switch means cyclically driven in timed relation to said flights and adjustable in the cycle thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
63 words
The combination as defined in claim 10 in which said accelerating conveyor includes vertically spaced upper and lower belts adapted to receive and advance articles therebetween, K. and means to longitudinally adjust the rear end of the upper of said belts between a forward position in clearing relation alongside of said in-feeding way and a rearwardly extending position partially overlying said in-feeding way.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
The combination as defined in claim 9 in which the high speed drive of clause F is about twice the speed of the low speed drive of clause E.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
GB1029379A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-25 | 1977-08-27 | 1978-02-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-25 | 1981-08-27 | 1982-02-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-25 | 1985-08-27 | 1986-02-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |