US3799322A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Grid feeder
Assignee: KALAMAZOO Manufacturing Co
•
Filing: 1972-05-22
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Granted: 1974-03-26
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Expires: 1992-05-22
Abstract
Abstract A grid feeder device for storage battery grids or plates comprises a pivotally oscillating bellcrank-like member and associated grid stop means and grid guiding means which, with pickup disks, are interposed between input and output conveyors. The input conveyor consists of a pair of continuously orbiting endless flexible conveying elements or chains upon which a plurality of grids are supported in substantially vertical orientation, the continuous movement of the conveying elements tending to maintain such grids closely packed together and for urging the leading or forward several of the grids onto a support edge of the oscillating member when the latter is in its lower and rearwardmost position and against an abutment thereon. The support edge of the oscillating member periodically moves forwardly and upwardly carrying the several grids therewith and moving the forwardmost one of the grids into the path of a tooth on the rotating pickup disk, which rotates in synchronism with the oscillating member. The grid stop means limit the forward movement of the forwardmost grid so that only that grid is picked up by the tooth on the rotating pickup disk. As the forwardmost grid is lifted from the support edge of the oscillating member by the rotating pickup disk, the grid guiding means urges same firmly against the surface of the pickup disk above the tooth thereon and the support edge of the oscillating member returns downwardly and rearwardly to its original position for receiving an additional grid or grids from the input conveyor to repeat the above mentioned cycle of operation. In the meantime, the rotating disk transfers the aforementioned forwardmost grid to the output conveyor, the speed of the output conveyor being adjusted with respect to the speed of the rotating disk and oscillating member so that grids will be placed on the output conveyor in a horizontal and close spaced condition to allow further operations to be carried out thereon, such as a grid pasting operation.
Inventors
- 👤 Linder R Van
- 👤 Linder B Van
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 08:42
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G17/00; B65G17/06; B65G17/063; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/84; B65G47/846; H; H01; H01M; H01M4/00; H01M4/02; H01M4/14; H01M4/16; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; wherein the input conveyor means comprises an endless input conveyor having a substantially horizontal upper reach for supporting a plurality of articles and means for moving the upper reach at the first speed direction, the pickup means comprises a shaft for rotatably supporting a disc, the shaft being vertically located adjacent the plane of the upper reach of the input conveyor, the orbit of teeth on said disc being located near the forward end of the upper conveyor reach, an oscillating member and said disc being disposed in parallel but spaced planes, the oscillating member and input conveyor means defining parallel but spaced planes, the oscillating member further including means engageable therewith for oscillating the oscillating member between the first and second limiting positions.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
193 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; wherein the input conveyor means comprises an endless input conveyor having a substantially horizontal upper reach for supporting a plurality of articles and means for moving the upper reach at the first speed direction, the pickup means comprises a shaft for rotatably supporting a disc, the shaft being vertically located adjacent the plane of the upper reach of the input conveyor, the orbit of teeth on said disc being located near the forward end of the upper conveyor reach, an oscillating member and said disc being disposed in parallel but spaced planes, the oscillating member and input conveyor means defining parallel but spaced planes, the oscillating member further including means engageable therewith for oscillating the oscillating member between the first and second limiting positions.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
149 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relatioN; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; an output conveyor, the output conveyor being located on the opposite side of the pickup means from the input conveyor means and guide means, the pickup means comprising a peripherally toothed rotating disc adapting to remove an article from the oscillating means and place same on the output conveyor, the output conveyor being of the endless type and having a plurality of upstanding lugs thereon for engaging articles delivered thereto by the disc and moving same away from the disc.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
149 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relatioN; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; an output conveyor, the output conveyor being located on the opposite side of the pickup means from the input conveyor means and guide means, the pickup means comprising a peripherally toothed rotating disc adapting to remove an article from the oscillating means and place same on the output conveyor, the output conveyor being of the endless type and having a plurality of upstanding lugs thereon for engaging articles delivered thereto by the disc and moving same away from the disc.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
A device as defined in claim 2 including means for synchronizing forward movement of the lugs on the output conveyor with rotation of the disc teeth in such manner that as an article is being deposited on the output conveyor it is engaged by a lug thereof and moved out of the path of the advancing tooth of the disc which previously supported the article on the disc.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
136 words
A device as defined in claim 3 wherein each tooth on the disc has its leading edge in part defined by a notch in the periphery of the disc, the portion of the articles engaged by the disc being laterally extending ears, such ears lying in the trailing end of the notch and against the leading edge of the tooth as the article is moved from the oscillating means and shifting along the notch to rest upon the leading edge thereof as the article nears the output conveyor, the article ear being positively prevented from advancing along the periphery of the disc by the leading edge of the notch until deposited on the output conveyor and engaged by a lug thereof so as to maintain a constant and preselected spacing between articles on the output conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
115 words
A device as defined in claim 3 wherein the output conveyor comprises first and second endless conveyors each having upstanding lugs fixed thereto, the lug on the first conveyor leading a lug on the second conveyor by a distance exceeding the forward-rearward spacing of portions of the article engageable by the first conveyor lug and second conveyor lug, the first conveyor lug moving an article away from the pickup means in a forward direction and disengaging the article at the forward end of the first conveyor, the second conveyor lug engaging the article there-after and shifting the article off the output conveyor means, output means being provided for receiving the article from the output conveyor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
A device as defined in claim 5 including a guide element adapted for supporting and trailing the edge of the article in the main portion of its travel on the pickup means and as it is deposited on the output conveyor and further including holddown means above the output conveyor for preventing movement of the articles off therefrom.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
162 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof, the guide means including an orifice member engageable with said articles and actuating means for shifting the orifice member toward said path to firmly locate said articles on said inboard portion of said pickup means, in which the pickup means includes a tooth upon which said article can be supported for movement along said path, said tooth being movable along said path, and means limiting the travel of said orifice member for causing said orifice member to positively locate said article at the root of said tooth and inboard of the tooth tip.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
162 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof, the guide means including an orifice member engageable with said articles and actuating means for shifting the orifice member toward said path to firmly locate said articles on said inboard portion of said pickup means, in which the pickup means includes a tooth upon which said article can be supported for movement along said path, said tooth being movable along said path, and means limiting the travel of said orifice member for causing said orifice member to positively locate said article at the root of said tooth and inboard of the tooth tip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
45 words
A devicE as defined in claim 7 in which the pickup means includes teeth and the actuating means includes plural means for moving the orifice member back and forth in synchronism with presentation of successive teeth of the pickup means moving along said path therepast.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
144 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positivley and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof, the guide means including an orifice member engageable with said articles and actuating means for shifting the orifice member toward said path to firmly locate said articles on said inboard portion of said pickup means, said orifice member comprising means defining a slot into which an article is moved, said means defining said slot being spaced to positively prevent more than a selected number of articles at a time from being moved into such slot.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
144 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positivley and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof, the guide means including an orifice member engageable with said articles and actuating means for shifting the orifice member toward said path to firmly locate said articles on said inboard portion of said pickup means, said orifice member comprising means defining a slot into which an article is moved, said means defining said slot being spaced to positively prevent more than a selected number of articles at a time from being moved into such slot.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
129 words
A device as defined in claim 9 in which said pickup means comprises a rotatable disc and a tooth fixed on the periphery of said disc, said slot being substantially tangential to the path described by said tooth as said disc rotates and being movable with said orifice member into one limiting position in the path of the root of said tooth and being movable to a further limiting position substantially remote from said disc, whereby rotation of said disc and tooth past said orifice member enables the latter to position an article located in said slot at said root of said tooth, continued rotation of said disc causing said tooth to carry said article out of said slot and away from the orifice member and input conveyor means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A device as defined in claim 9 in which said slot is sized to receive only one article at a time and including means for lifting said article into said slot.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
85 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; oscillating means for shifting articles from the input conveyor means into adjacency with said guide means.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
85 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; oscillating means for shifting articles from the input conveyor means into adjacency with said guide means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
116 words
A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the pickup means comprises a tooth on the periphery of a rotatable disc, and including means supporting the disc for rotation in fixed location for causing the tooth to follow a circular orbit past a limiting position of the oscillating means, the means for moving the oscillating member comprising a rotatable shaft having an eccentric and means on the oscillating member for engaging the eccentric whereby rotation of the eccentric causes pivotal oscillation of the oscillating member, and including means synchronizing the rotation of the disc and the eccentric in a manner that the disc rotates one tooth past the input means per oscillations of the oscillating member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
94 words
A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the pickup means comprises a rotatable disc having a radially outwardly extending tooth on the periphery thereof and a notch in the periphery at the leading edge of the tooth, whereby articles may be picked up from the oscillating means by the tip of the tooth and thereafter shifted along the leading edge of the tooth into the notch for preventing accidental dislodgement of the article from the tooth while causing the tooth to pick up only one article at a time from the oscillating means.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
165 words
A device as defined in claim 12 in which said guide means disposed adjacent the pickup means and the oscillating means for assiSting the pickup means in removing an article from the oscillating means, the guide means including an orifice for receiving a portion of the article as such article leaves the oscillating means, the article being removed from the oscillating means by the tip of a tooth on the pickup means, the orifice comprising a slot substantially alignable with the path of the tooth tip, mounting means allowing movement of the orifice toward the pickup means for urging an article in the orifice along the leading edge of the tooth away from the tip thereof and toward the root thereof to insure secure carrying of the article by the pickup means and motor means for shifting the orifice toward and away from the pickup means in synchronism with engagement of successively presented teeth of the pickup means with successive articles on the oscillating means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
188 words
A device as defined in claim 15, wherein the orifice is defined by a pair of spaced elements supported for forward rearward reciprocation along the line of travel of articles on the input conveyor means and above the path of the oscillating means and adjacent the rearward edge of the pickup means, the pickup means comprising a peripherally toothed disc, a tooth of the disc having its leading edge at least partially defined by a notch in the disc sized for receiving a portion of the article, the spaced orifice defining elements being shiftable between rearward and forward positions, the rearward position corresponding to the path of the article as it is moved by the tip of the tooth off the oscillating means, the forward position corresponding to the location of the article when seated in the notch, means for moving the orifice defining elements in synchronism of rotation of the disc so that the orifice is located in the rearward position for receiving the article and after the article is located within the orifice shifting to the forward position for seating the article firmly in the notch.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
133 words
A device as defined in claim 16 including means supporting the orifice defining elements and a stop block carried by such means, the stop block being located forwardly of the path of the tip of the tooth by a distance corresponding to the thickness of the article for preventing forward movement of the article therebeyond prior to engagement thereof by the tip of the tooth on the disc, the forward one of the orifice defining elements being located closely adjacent and above the stop block, the forward edge of the orifice being located in alignment with the rearward face of the stop block when the orifice is in its rear position, the orifice shifting to its forward position only after the article has been moved upwardly past the stop block by the tooth.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
207 words
A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the guide means includes a mounting plate positioned adjacent the input conveyor means and oscillating means and arranged for adjustment along the path of articles moving on the input conveyor means, a first upstanding arm pivoted on the mounting plate for movement toward and away from the pickup means, a second upstanding arm adjustably pivoted on the first arm to enable variation of the angle between the first and second arms, means for limiting rearward movement of the first arm away from the pickup means, first and second substantially L-shaped orifice members respectively carried by the first and second pivot arms and extending transversely therefrom and toward the path of teeth on the movable pickup means, the free ends of the L-shaped members defining substantially coplanar elements spaced for defining an orifice, a linkage system connected to one of the arms, the arms being pivotally oscillated in synchronism with movement of teeth on the pickup means toward the orifice in such manner that the orifice is in a rearward position as such a tooth raises an article upwardly thereinto and thereafter is shifted to a forward position for urging the article inwardly along the tooth toward the root thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
66 words
A device as defined in claim 12 in whiCh said input conveyor means, pickup means, and guide means each comprise a laterally spaced pair of members, said oscillating means including a laterally spaced pair of oscillating members, the spacing of the members of each pair being less than the width of the articles so that each article is suspended between successive pairs in a selected sequence.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
32 words
A device as defined in claim 12 in which said oscillating means includes a lifting surface which lifts at least one leading article away from the stack on said input conveyor means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
86 words
A device as defined in claim 20 in which said pickup means includes a tooth movable along said path for lifting an article from said lifting surface of said oscillating means and transferring said article toward an output mechanism while tilting said article, said guide means including an orifice member for moving the article to a location at the root of said tooth and away from the tip thereof, movement of said tooth along said path lifting said article through and away from said orifice member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
86 words
A device as defined in claim 20 in which said lifting surface has a first limiting position substantially level with said input conveyor means and enabling said input conveyor means to slide at least one article onto said grid lifting surface and including means for shifting said oscillating means so that said lifting surface locates in a second limiting position adjacent said guide means and inaccesible from the input conveyor means for locating said leading article adjacent said guide means while separating same from said stack.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
124 words
A device as defined in claim 22 in which said second limiting position of said lifting surface locates said leading article in the path of the tip of said tooth of said pickup means whereby the tooth tip tends to pick up only the leading article from said lifting surface, in which said guide means in one position of movement lies in the path of said tooth tip and includes a slot aligned with said tooth tip path whereby the leading article is carried by the tooth tip from said lifting surface and into said slot, said guide means including means defining said slot and positively interfering with movement of articles other than said leading article of said lifting surface and into said slot.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
16 words
A device as defined in claim 11 in which said articles are substantially platelike battery elements.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
197 words
A device as defined in claim 12 wherein the oscillating means has a support leg, a drive leg and pivot means for pivotally supporting said oscillating means, said drive leg extending substantially horizontally and said support leg extending substantially vertically, an article support edge atop said support leg and substantially paralleling said drive leg, and including a stop adjacent the support surface and facing articles on such support edge, said oscillating means being movable past said stop, said stop being engageable by articles on said support edge, said pickup means comprising a movable member having a tooth movable substantially upwardly past said stop and oscillating means, said tooth having a leading edge which partially overlaps said stop by less than half the thickness of one of said articles, said guide means being disposed above said support edge and having first and second slot defining members adapted for receiving therebetween an article raised by said tooth from said support edge and including means for causing said slot defining members to shift an article along the leading edge of the tooth away from the free tooth end and into firmly supported engagement with the perimeter of the movable member.
Claim 31
Independent Claim
128 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and Reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; fixed stop means near said pickup means for positively stopping advancing movement of articles toward said path at a point at least near said path, said guide means having a first limiting position in alignment with said fixed stop means to enable articles to be shifted from abutment with said fixed stop means into engagement with said guide means.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
128 words
A device for feeding articles, comprising: input conveyor means for feeding articles in stacked relation; pickup means movable in a path past the input conveyor means for moving articles away from the stack; guide means near said input conveyor means for selectively receiving articles of said stack and movable across said path for causing said pickup means to positively and Reliably receive said articles at an inboard portion thereof; fixed stop means near said pickup means for positively stopping advancing movement of articles toward said path at a point at least near said path, said guide means having a first limiting position in alignment with said fixed stop means to enable articles to be shifted from abutment with said fixed stop means into engagement with said guide means.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
95 words
A device as defined in claim 26 in which said guide means has a second limiting position in alignment with said path, said pickup means including a tooth of length exceeding the thickness of the article, said guide means including actuating means for causing same to shift an article from a location adjacent the path of the tip of said tooth to a location on the path on the root of said tooth, so as to insure reliable engagement of the article by the pickup means and thereby transferring of the article by the tooth.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2611470A
Cited
US3057453A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-03-25 | 1977-09-24 | 1978-03-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-03-25 | 1981-09-24 | 1982-03-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-03-25 | 1985-09-24 | 1986-03-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |