US3832823A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tray and pad interleaving apparatus
Assignee: Cellu Products Co Inc
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Filing: 1973-07-30
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Granted: 1974-09-03
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Expires: 1993-07-30
Abstract
Abstract In accordance with this invention, single absorbent pads are interleaved between adjacent food packaging trays of the type used in packing and displaying chickens and the like. The trays are in nested condition and are moved along an upwardly inclined first guide chute and in a substantially vertical position to an interleaving station. The trays leaving the interleaving station are in nested condition and are moved along a downwardly inclined second guide chute to provide a substantially V-shaped opening at the interleaving station and between the leading tray of the approaching group and the trailing tray of the leaving group of trays so that the upper ends of these trays are separated and moved out of their nesting relationship. An absorbent pad is fed in a substantially vertical position and into the V-shaped opening prior to the movement of each tray through the interleaving station so that an absorbent pad is interleaved between the successive trays leaving the interleaving station.
Inventors
- 👤 G Currie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 09:19
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B61/00; B65B61/20; B65B61/207
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays, said apparatus comprising a. means for moving a line of nested trays along a predetermined path of travel and past an interleaving station, b. means for successively moving the leading tray out of nesting relationship with the remaining trays at the interleaving station to form an opening therebetween, c. means for successively inserting absorbent pads into the opening formed between the trays, and d. means operating in timed relationship to said means (b) for successively returning the trays to nested relationship as they leave the interleaving station and with the absorbent pads therebetween.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays, said apparatus comprising a. means for moving a line of nested trays along a predetermined path of travel and past an interleaving station, b. means for successively moving the leading tray out of nesting relationship with the remaining trays at the interleaving station to form an opening therebetween, c. means for successively inserting absorbent pads into the opening formed between the trays, and d. means operating in timed relationship to said means (b) for successively returning the trays to nested relationship as they leave the interleaving station and with the absorbent pads therebetween.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
191 words
An apparatus for interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays, said apparatus comprising a. means for supporting and moving the trays along in a substantially vertical position and past an interleaving station, said support means being inclined upwardly to the interleaving station and being inclined downwardly from the interleaving station so that the group of trays approaching and the group of trays leaving the interleaving station are inclined in opposite directions to provide a substantially V-shaped opening at the interleaving station and between the two groups of trays, b. means for successively moving the leading tray of the approaching group to become the trailing tray of the leaving group, c. means supporting a stack of horizontally positioned absorbent pads above the interleaving station, and d. means operating in timed relationship to said means (b) for successively removing the lower pad of the stack and positioning the same in a substantially vertical position in the V-shaped opening prior to the successive movement of each leading tray of the approaching group to become the trailing tray of the leaving group so that an absorbent pad is interleaved between successive trays leaving the interleaving station.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
191 words
An apparatus for interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays, said apparatus comprising a. means for supporting and moving the trays along in a substantially vertical position and past an interleaving station, said support means being inclined upwardly to the interleaving station and being inclined downwardly from the interleaving station so that the group of trays approaching and the group of trays leaving the interleaving station are inclined in opposite directions to provide a substantially V-shaped opening at the interleaving station and between the two groups of trays, b. means for successively moving the leading tray of the approaching group to become the trailing tray of the leaving group, c. means supporting a stack of horizontally positioned absorbent pads above the interleaving station, and d. means operating in timed relationship to said means (b) for successively removing the lower pad of the stack and positioning the same in a substantially vertical position in the V-shaped opening prior to the successive movement of each leading tray of the approaching group to become the trailing tray of the leaving group so that an absorbent pad is interleaved between successive trays leaving the interleaving station.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each of said means (a) through (d) is provided on each side of said apparatus to simultaneously interleave absorbent pads between successive trays moving along in parallel rows of trays at each side of said apparatus, and including a single drive motor supplying motion to each of said means at each side of said apparatus.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to claim 3 including clutch means interposed between said single drive motor and said interleaving means at each side of said apparatus, said clutch means each being independently operable so that the interleaving operation at one side of the apparatus may be stopped while the interleaving operation at the other side of the apparatus may continue.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means (a) comprises a first tray guiding chute inclined upwardly to the interleaving station, and a second tray guiding chute spaced from said first chute and inclined downwardly from the interleaving station.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
174 words
An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means (b) comprises a notched rocking shaft positioned between said first and second tray guiding chutes and engaging the lower edges of successive trays for moving the same from the approaching group to the leaving group, rotatable release means positioned at the upper edge of the leading tray of the approaching group and being operable to maintain the leading tray in inclined position, said release means being rotated in timed relationship to rocking movement of said rocking shaft to release the upper edge of the leading tray as the lower edge is moved by said rocking shaft, resiliently supported fingers engageable with opposite sides of the leading tray and intermediate the upper and lower ends, and means for reciprocating said fingers in timed relationship to rotation of said release means and to movement of said rocking shaft, said fingers being operable to successively move the leading tray of the approaching group of trays across the Interleaving station to become the trailing tray of the leaving group.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
99 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said means for reciprocating said fingers includes an operating arm supported adjacent each side of the interleaving station and supporting said fingers on the upper ends thereof, a rocking drive shaft supporting the lower ends of said operating arms, a lever arm fixed at one end on said rocking drive shaft and having a slotted lower end, a drive pin in the slotted lower end of said lever arm, and a rotating wheel supporting said drive pin in off-center relationship to impart reciprocation to said lever arm with rotation of said wheel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 6 including locking means engageable with the upper rear edge portion of the trailing tray of the leaving group for holding the upper portion in position when the leading tray of the approaching group is moved through the interleaving station to become the trailing tray of the leaving group.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means (c) includes an open frame substantially vertically extending chute adapted to maintain absorbent pads in substantially vertical alignment above the interleaving station, and a support plate extending across the lower rear portion of said chute for supporting the lowermost pad of the stack and leaving the forward end free.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said means (d) comprises a pair of spaced apart feed wheels supported for rotation beneath said chute, a guide plate spaced from said feed wheels and fixed at its upper end on the lower portion of said vertically extending chute, and pad gripping means supported on said feed wheels for frictionally engaging and removing the lowermost pad from the stack and directing it vertically into the V-shaped opening between the two groups of trays at the interleaving station.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
94 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said pad gripping means comprises a serrated feed shoe supported between said feed wheels a cam wheel fixed between said feed wheels and being operable to raise said feed shoe beyond the periphery of said feed wheels as said feed shoe passes beneath said stack of absorbent pads for engaging and withdrawing the lowermost absorbent pad from the stack, said cam wheel being operable to withdraw said feed shoe between said feed wheels as the absorbent pad is moved to a substantially vertical position to release the same.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays comprising the steps of a. moving a line of nested trays along a predetermined path of travel and past an interleaving station, b. successively moving the leading tray out of nesting relationship with the remaining trays at the interleaving station to form an opening therebetween, c. successively inserting absorbent pads into the opening formed between the trays, and d. successively returning the trays to nested relationship as they leave the interleaving station and with the abosrbent pads therebetween.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
87 words
A method of interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays comprising the steps of a. moving a line of nested trays along a predetermined path of travel and past an interleaving station, b. successively moving the leading tray out of nesting relationship with the remaining trays at the interleaving station to form an opening therebetween, c. successively inserting absorbent pads into the opening formed between the trays, and d. successively returning the trays to nested relationship as they leave the interleaving station and with the abosrbent pads therebetween.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 12 including moving one side of the leading tray out of nesting relationship while maintaining the other side of the leading tray in at least partially nested condition to form a substantially V-shaped opening therebetween.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
90 words
A method according to claim 13 wherein the line of nested trays are moved along a substantially horizontal path of travel, the upper side of the leading tray is moved out of nested condition and the lower side of the leading tray remains in nested condition with the next tray, and the absorbent pad is dropped in a substantially vertical position into the opening so that the lower end of the absorbent pad engages the nested lower portions of the adjacent trays to limit downward movement of the absorbent pad.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays comprising the steps of a. moving a group of nested trays along an upwardly inclined path with the trays being pErpendicular to the upwardly inclined path, b. successively moving the upper end of the leading tray of the upwardly inclined group of trays out of nested position with the next tray and to a position perpendicular to a downwardly inclined path to provide a substantially V-shaped opening between the moved tray and the remaining trays of the group moving along the upwardly inclined path and to form a group of nested trays moving along the downwardly inclined path, and c. positioning an absorbent pad in a substantially vertical position in the V-shaped opening following each successive movement of the leading tray of the upwardly inclined group of trays to interleave a single absorbent pad between the nested trays moving along the downwardly inclined path.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
153 words
A method of interleaving absorbent pads between adjacent trays comprising the steps of a. moving a group of nested trays along an upwardly inclined path with the trays being pErpendicular to the upwardly inclined path, b. successively moving the upper end of the leading tray of the upwardly inclined group of trays out of nested position with the next tray and to a position perpendicular to a downwardly inclined path to provide a substantially V-shaped opening between the moved tray and the remaining trays of the group moving along the upwardly inclined path and to form a group of nested trays moving along the downwardly inclined path, and c. positioning an absorbent pad in a substantially vertical position in the V-shaped opening following each successive movement of the leading tray of the upwardly inclined group of trays to interleave a single absorbent pad between the nested trays moving along the downwardly inclined path.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-02 | 1978-03-04 | 1978-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-02 | 1982-03-04 | 1982-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-02 | 1986-03-04 | 1986-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |