US3822031A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Container-orienting apparatus
Assignee: Pneumatic Scale Corp
•
Filing: 1972-10-10
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Granted: 1974-07-02
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Expires: 1992-10-10
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for orienting elongated containers such as plastic bottles or other elongated articles. The bottles are deposited into the apparatus in a horizontal position from an intake chute without regard for the direction of the open or closed ends of the bottles and provision is made for standing upright successive bottles with their open ends up for delivery in a line to subsequent container cleaning or filling machines.
Inventors
- 👤 W Sterling
- 👤 R Vergobbi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 03:38
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/22; B65G47/24; B65G47/248; B65G47/252; B65G2201/00; B65G2201/02; B65G2201/0235; B65G2201/0244
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 36
Claim 1
Independent Claim
319 words
Container-orienting apparatus comprising a platform, means supported for movement along a predetermined path over the platform, said means containing uniformly spaced pockets open at the top, bottom and one end into which containers are adapted to be deposited in prone positions and to be supported therein by the underlying platform, means for moving the first means relative to the platform to present successive pockets above the platform, means for automatically depositing containers into the successive pockets at said place of presentation, a rail situated beyond the platform in the direction of movement of the first means and along the path of movement, said rail having a narrow upper edge at the level of the platform and being situated substantially midway between the ends of the pockets, said first means operating to move the containers successively from the platform onto the rail to a straddling position thereon such that the heavier ends of the containers drop downwardly through the open lower sides of the pockets to one side or the other of the rail depending upon the orientation of the container at the time of deposit and so that the lighter ends project upwardly through the open sides of the pockets, a support below the rail onto which the lower enDs of the containers drop, guides on the support operating on the containers moved therealong progressively to erect the containers so that they stand upright, said rail terminating at a predetermined distance beyond the platform and said guides converging beyond the end of the rail to form the containers into single file, said guides extending away from the path of movement of the first means and at its place of departure displacing the containers from the open ends of the pockets, and a conveyor situated below the guides in the plane of the support for receiving the containers displaced from the open ends of the pockets and conveying them away.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
319 words
Container-orienting apparatus comprising a platform, means supported for movement along a predetermined path over the platform, said means containing uniformly spaced pockets open at the top, bottom and one end into which containers are adapted to be deposited in prone positions and to be supported therein by the underlying platform, means for moving the first means relative to the platform to present successive pockets above the platform, means for automatically depositing containers into the successive pockets at said place of presentation, a rail situated beyond the platform in the direction of movement of the first means and along the path of movement, said rail having a narrow upper edge at the level of the platform and being situated substantially midway between the ends of the pockets, said first means operating to move the containers successively from the platform onto the rail to a straddling position thereon such that the heavier ends of the containers drop downwardly through the open lower sides of the pockets to one side or the other of the rail depending upon the orientation of the container at the time of deposit and so that the lighter ends project upwardly through the open sides of the pockets, a support below the rail onto which the lower enDs of the containers drop, guides on the support operating on the containers moved therealong progressively to erect the containers so that they stand upright, said rail terminating at a predetermined distance beyond the platform and said guides converging beyond the end of the rail to form the containers into single file, said guides extending away from the path of movement of the first means and at its place of departure displacing the containers from the open ends of the pockets, and a conveyor situated below the guides in the plane of the support for receiving the containers displaced from the open ends of the pockets and conveying them away.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
Container-orienting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guides form in conjunction with the rail two paths and beyond the rail a single path and there is means at the junction of the two paths with the one path to transfer the containers from said two paths to the one path.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein there is a pivotally mounted gate at the end of the rail movable from one guide to the other.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for moving the containers along the support continues to move the containers along said one path onto the conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means for holding the containers within the pockets until they are moved onto the rail.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein there are air jets located beyond the means for holding the containers in the pockets.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for depositing the containers in the openings in said first means is situated above said platform in the path of movement of the openings, and there is means yieldably engaged with said first means at the side moving away from said means for depositing containers in the openings for holding the containers down within said openings until they are moved onto the rail.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are fingers supported above the first means in positions to engage the opposite ends of the containers as they are moved onto the rail operable to apply downward pressure on the opposite ends of the containers such that the ends last to be engaged by said fingers are depressed.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the air jets are located beyond said fingers.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
Container-orienting apparatus according to claim 1, comprising means situated at opposite sides of the rail beyond the place of deposit operable by engagement with the heavier ends of the containers to assist in depressing the heavier ends downwardly into engagement with said support.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
12 words
Container-orienting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said last-named are air jets.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pockets have opposed spaced parallel sides comprising leading and trailing sides with respect to the direction of movement of the conveyor, the vertical depths of which are substantially equal to the thickness of the containers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the trailing sides of the pockets in the conveyor in respect to the direction of movement of the conveyor are beveled.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
314 words
Container-orienting apparatus comprising a platform, a rotary conveyor containing peripherally spaced radial pockets open at the top, bottom and outer ends, into which containers are adapted to be deposited in prone positions and to be supported therein by the underlying platform, means supporting the rotor for movement of the pockets along a predetermined circular path above the platform, means for automatically depositing containers in the successive pockets as they are presented to the platform, a rail situated below the rotary conveyor, said rail extending acurately around the axis of the rotary conveyor between the imaginary circle defined by the loci of movement of the inner and outer ends of said radially disposed pockets, means for effecting rotation of said rotary conveyor relative to the Platform and rail to move the containers onto and along the rail in straddling positions such that the heavier ends of the containers drop downwardly through the open lower sides of the pockets to one side or the other of the rail depending upon the orientation of the containers at the time of deposit and such that the lighter ends project upwardly through the open top sides, a support below the rail onto which the lower ends of the containers drop to be supported thereby in upwardly inclined positions leaning against the rail, said rotary conveyor being operable to move the containers along said support, and means on the support for progressively erecting the containers and arranging them in a single file as they are moved therealong comprising guides at opposite sides of the rail which converge in the direction of movement of the containers, said guides in conjunction with the rail providing the two paths, one at each side of the rail and beyond the rail a single path, and means at the end of the rail for transferring the containers from the two paths to the one path.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
314 words
Container-orienting apparatus comprising a platform, a rotary conveyor containing peripherally spaced radial pockets open at the top, bottom and outer ends, into which containers are adapted to be deposited in prone positions and to be supported therein by the underlying platform, means supporting the rotor for movement of the pockets along a predetermined circular path above the platform, means for automatically depositing containers in the successive pockets as they are presented to the platform, a rail situated below the rotary conveyor, said rail extending acurately around the axis of the rotary conveyor between the imaginary circle defined by the loci of movement of the inner and outer ends of said radially disposed pockets, means for effecting rotation of said rotary conveyor relative to the Platform and rail to move the containers onto and along the rail in straddling positions such that the heavier ends of the containers drop downwardly through the open lower sides of the pockets to one side or the other of the rail depending upon the orientation of the containers at the time of deposit and such that the lighter ends project upwardly through the open top sides, a support below the rail onto which the lower ends of the containers drop to be supported thereby in upwardly inclined positions leaning against the rail, said rotary conveyor being operable to move the containers along said support, and means on the support for progressively erecting the containers and arranging them in a single file as they are moved therealong comprising guides at opposite sides of the rail which converge in the direction of movement of the containers, said guides in conjunction with the rail providing the two paths, one at each side of the rail and beyond the rail a single path, and means at the end of the rail for transferring the containers from the two paths to the one path.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the pockets in the conveyor are of a vertical depth substantially equal to the thickness of the containers.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
255 words
Container-orienting apparatus comprising a platform, means supported for movement along a predetermined path over the platform, said means containing uniformly spaced pockets open at the top, bottom and one end into which containers are adapted to be deposited in prone positions, and to be supported therein by the platform, means for moving the first means relative to the platform to present successive pockets above the platform, means above the platform for supporting a plurality of containers above the first means for deposit one at a time into the pockets in the first means as the pockets are moved into position above the platform, a rail situated beyond the platform in the direction of movement onto which the containers occupying the pockets are moved, said rail being adapted to support the containers intermediate their ends and to allow the containers to drop downwardly through the pockets and the other end extending upwardly through the pockets, at one side or the other of the rail depending upon the disposition of the heavier ends of the containers at the time they are deposited in the pockets, a support below the rail onto which the lower ends of the containers drop, and guide means on the support situated along the path of movement of the pockets operable to erect the containers as they travel along the support by progressively displacing said lower ends of the containers toward the rail, said guide means converging beyond the terminal end of the rail so as to arrange the containers in single file.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
255 words
Container-orienting apparatus comprising a platform, means supported for movement along a predetermined path over the platform, said means containing uniformly spaced pockets open at the top, bottom and one end into which containers are adapted to be deposited in prone positions, and to be supported therein by the platform, means for moving the first means relative to the platform to present successive pockets above the platform, means above the platform for supporting a plurality of containers above the first means for deposit one at a time into the pockets in the first means as the pockets are moved into position above the platform, a rail situated beyond the platform in the direction of movement onto which the containers occupying the pockets are moved, said rail being adapted to support the containers intermediate their ends and to allow the containers to drop downwardly through the pockets and the other end extending upwardly through the pockets, at one side or the other of the rail depending upon the disposition of the heavier ends of the containers at the time they are deposited in the pockets, a support below the rail onto which the lower ends of the containers drop, and guide means on the support situated along the path of movement of the pockets operable to erect the containers as they travel along the support by progressively displacing said lower ends of the containers toward the rail, said guide means converging beyond the terminal end of the rail so as to arrange the containers in single file.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
124 words
Apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the means for supporting a plurality of containers comprises a magazine open at the bottom and top and of a depth to hold a stack of containers in superposed relation, said magazine being supported above the platform with its open lower end juxtaposed with the path of movement of the pockets in the conveyor, an inclined track supported with an end adjacent the open top of the magazine through which the containers are adapted to slide into the magazine, and means at the open top of the magazine adjacent the end of the track operable to guide containers into the open end and to limit the number of containers which may enter the magazine to a predetermined number.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein there is an apron at the lower end of the magazine at the side from which the containers leave the magazine yieldably engaged with the upper side of the rotary conveyor, and wherein there are air jets situated beyond the apron in thhe direction of rotation in a position to act upon the containers as they emerge from beneath the apron onto the rail.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said last means has spaced downwardly inclined edges which apply downward pressure to tHe stack of containers in the magazine.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, comprising detector means situated on the chute operable in the absence of containers on the track in a position to slide into the magazine to stop the conveyor.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, comprising guides mounted on the chute in the path of movement of the containers along the chute toward the magazine operable by engagement therewith to stabilize flow of the containers along the chute.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 21, comprising means for adjusting the position of the guides relative to the bottom side of the chute.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, comprising means at the top of the magazone operable to assist transfer of containers from the chute into the magazine.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said last means comprises an air jet.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
107 words
Apparatus acording to claim 16, wherein the means for supporting a plurality of containers comprises a hopper open at its bottom and top and supported with its open bottom above the path of movement of the openings in the conveyor, an inclined chute supported with its lower end adjacent the open top of the hopper along which the containers are adapted to slide into the open top of the hopper, and means situated partly in the open top of the hopper operable to promote such downward sliding movement of the containers into the open top and to apply yielding pressure to the topmost container in the hopper.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein there is a detector mounted on the chute to determine the presence of containers on the chute ready to enter the hopper, said detector being operable in the absence of containers so located to stop the wheel and conveyor.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
121 words
Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said last means comprises a wheel, an arm pivotally supported at one end, means rotatably mounting the wheel at its other end, said arm being angularly movable relative to the open top of the hopper to permit the wheel to move to and from the open top, an abutment for limiting movement of the arm to a position such that the lower portion of the wheel enters the open top to an extent such that its surface is substantially tangent to the path of movement of the containers moving from the track into the hopper, a spring urging the arm against the abutment and a motor operably connected to the wheel for effecting its rotation.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 27, wherein there is means drivably connecting the motor to the wheel which slips when the traction between the wheel and container exceeds a predetermined maximum.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
51 words
Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said last means comprises a wheel and means for effecting rotation thereof in a direction such that the surface of the wheel travelling in the hopper moves in a direction to push the ends of containers entering the hopper from the chute into the hopper.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
12 words
Apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the wheel has a tractive surface.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said last means comprises a wheel, means supporting the wheel for movement toward and from the open top of the hopper, a motor for effecting rotation of the wheel, and spring means connected to said wheel support yieldably holding the wheel in a predetermined position with a portion of its surface within the open top in substantially tangential relation to the path of movement of the containers from the chute into the hopper.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein there is means limiting downward movement of the wheel.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus according to claim 31, wherein there is means limiting upward movement of the wheel.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-07-01 | 1977-12-31 | 1978-07-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-07-01 | 1981-12-31 | 1982-07-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-07-01 | 1985-12-31 | 1986-07-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |