Method and apparatus for dividing articles

Claim 2

Apparatus for dividing articles supported on a conveyor, comprising: two elongated movable arms extending in the direction of travel of the conveyor from each side of the conveyor in converging relationship with the more adjacent ends of the arms being nominally spaced apart a distance sufficient to permit passage of articles therebetween, means for moving the arms in unison between positions in which it is desired to permit passage of the articles, and means to decrease the spacing between the ends of the arms to a distance insufficient to permit passage of articles therebetween while the arms are being moved between the positions, whereby the articles are formed into columns at the positions whereat passage is desired and precluded from passage between the arms until the arms are at such positions.

Claim 3

Apparatus for forming divided columns of randomly spaced glassware articles carried on a conveyor belt, comprising: two movably supported arms extending in a plane parallel to that of the conveyor belt from each side of the conveyor belt in a conveying relationship in the direction of travel of the conveyor, means for biasing the more adjacent ends of the arms into a spaced-apart relationship with the included space being a distance insufficient to permit passage of the glassware articles therebetween, and means for alternatively locating the arms in one of the two positions corresponding to the desired spacing laterally of the glassware articles on the conveyor belt including means for overcoming the biasing means when the arms are in such positions, whereby the means to overcome the biasing means increases the spacing between the ends of the arms and permits passage of articles therebetween in the desired positions.

Claim 4

Apparatus for forming divided columns of randomly spaced glassware articles carried on a conveyor belt, comprising: two movably supported arms extending in a plane parallel to that of the conveyor belt from each side of the conveyor belt in a conveying relationship in the direction of travel of the conveyor, means for biasing the more adjacent ends of the arms into a spaced-apart relationship with the included space being a distance insufficient to permit passage of the glassware articles therebetween, and means for alternatively locating the arms in one of the two positions corresponding to the desired spacing laterally of the glassware articles on the conveyor belt including means for overcoming the biasing means when the arms are in such positions, whereby the means to overcome the biasing means increases the spacing between the ends of the arms and permits passage of articles therebetween in the desired positions.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein the biasing means is a spring in tension operably connected between the arms and the means to overcome the biasing means comprise a stop positioned to abut against and terminate movement of the movement means of only one of the arms while the other of the arms is moved further by overcoming the spring tension thereby increasing the spacing between the arms.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of the arms is secured to a rotatable, vertical shaft mounted adjacent the side of the conveyor with each of the shafts having members protruding therefrom vertically spaced from said arms in a plane parallel to the arms, and wherein the stop is positioned between the members to selectively and alternatively abut one of the members, the spring being attached between the members to maintain them in a biased adjacent relationship.

Claim 7

Apparatus for forming randomly spaced glassware articles carried and supported on a conveyor belt, comprising: a support, two vertical shafts adjacent each side of the conveyor belt and attached movably to the support, two elongated arms one each of which is attached to each of the vertical shafts and both extending in a converging relationship above and in a plane parallel to the plane of the conveyor belt, a positioning member attached to each of the shafts at a position spaced along the shaft from the arm and extending in a converging relationship similar to that of the arm, a spring connected to each of said members to bias them in an adjacent relationship, a projection included between the members, means for moving the projection transversely of the conveyor belt in an engaging relationship with at least one of the members, a stop member located between the members to engage one of the members upon significant travel of the projection, whereby the projection, when moved to one extreme or the other by the movement means, bears against one of the members while the other is precluded from further movement by the stop thereby causing the spring to extend between the members and, accordingly, rotation of the shaft by each of the members, to cause the arms to be spaced for passage of glassware articles therebetween in selective positions.

Claim 8

Apparatus for forming randomly spaced glassware articles carried and supported on a conveyor belt, comprising: a support, two vertical shafts adjacent each side of the conveyor belt and attached movably to the support, two elongated arms one each of which is attached to each of the vertical shafts and both extending in a converging relationship above and in a plane parallel to the plane of the conveyor belt, a positioning member attached to each of the shafts at a position spaced along the shaft from the arm and extending in a converging relationship similar to that of the arm, a spring connected to each of said members to bias them in an adjacent relationship, a projection included between the members, means for moving the projection transversely of the conveyor belt in an engaging relationship with at least one of the members, a stop member located between the members to engage one of the members upon significant travel of the projection, whereby the projection, when moved to one extreme or the other by the movement means, bears against one of the members while the other is precluded from further movement by the stop thereby causing the spring to extend between the members and, accordingly, rotation of the shaft by each of the members, to cause the arms to be spaced for passage of glassware articles therebetween in selective positions.