Patent US3834515A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3834515A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rapid action article transfer apparatus
Assignee: SPX Technologies Inc
•
Filing: 1972-09-28
•
Granted: 1974-09-10
•
Expires: 1992-09-28
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for rapidly transferring successively deposited groups of material such as sliced food product from a platform such as a scale platform to a conveyor or the like. The platform is provided with a plurality of slots to accommodate the fingers of a pickup platen which moves upwardly to pick up material on the platform and after pickup moves laterally away from the platform to deposit the material at a remote location on a downward stroke. After depositing the material the platen moves back toward the platform for the next pickup and thus travels in a repetitive pattern resembling a parallelogram for each pickup of material. A stop member is provided to move with the platen and prevent the material from jumping off the platen during pickup and lateral movement away from said platform.
Inventors
- 👤 M Bajcar
- 👤 G Wallace
- 👤 J Linehan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 09:19
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/52; B65G25/00; B65G25/02; B65G2207/00; B65G2207/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for rapidly transferring successively deposited groups of sliced material from a platform having an upper support surface and having parallel slots extending inwardly from an edge of said platform, comprising a platen having a plurality of parallel fingers adapted to move upwardly through said slots to elevate a group of slices from said platform, a stop member positioned above said platen to engage the uppermost of said slices to limit upward travel of said group as said group is elevated, means supporting said platen for movement toward and away from said stop member to hold and release said slices, and means for laterally moving said platen toward and away from said platform between a pickup position adjacent said platform and a laterally spaced released position remote from said platform on a linear advancing stroke away from said release position toward said pickup position while in a lower plane located below said support surface of said platform and on a linear return stroke in an opposite direction while in an upper plane parallel to said lower plane and located above said support surface of said platform, and means for reciprocating said stop member in a plane parallel to said planes and located above said platen.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
205 words
Apparatus for rapidly transferring successively deposited groups of sliced material from a platform having an upper support surface and having parallel slots extending inwardly from an edge of said platform, comprising a platen having a plurality of parallel fingers adapted to move upwardly through said slots to elevate a group of slices from said platform, a stop member positioned above said platen to engage the uppermost of said slices to limit upward travel of said group as said group is elevated, means supporting said platen for movement toward and away from said stop member to hold and release said slices, and means for laterally moving said platen toward and away from said platform between a pickup position adjacent said platform and a laterally spaced released position remote from said platform on a linear advancing stroke away from said release position toward said pickup position while in a lower plane located below said support surface of said platform and on a linear return stroke in an opposite direction while in an upper plane parallel to said lower plane and located above said support surface of said platform, and means for reciprocating said stop member in a plane parallel to said planes and located above said platen.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus of claim 2 including a conveyor having parallel upper belt runs spaced apart to permit said fingers to move between said runs and positioned to receive a group of slices deposited by said platen on said belt runs, said supporting means including means for lowering said platen to a level below said belt runs to release said group onto said conveyor upon movement away from said platform.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said lowering means includes cam and follower means for moving said platen downwardly upon movement away from said platform.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including means operatively interconnecting said supportng means and said moving means for lifting said platen from said lower to said upper level to elevate a group of slices from said platform at the beginning of a return stroke.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 including means operatively interconnecting said support means and said moving means for lowering said platen to deposit a group of slices on said upper belt runs at the end of a return stroke.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said platen is moved on a path defining a parallelogram extending between said platform and said belt runs for transferring said groups of slices from the former to the latter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
70 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said moving means includes a carriage mounted for reciprocal movement at a level spaced from said loweR and upper level of said advancing stroke of said platen, said supporting means including pairs of support links pivotally interconnecting said platen and said carriage to provide adjustably vertical and horizontal spacing therebetween and means for reciprocally moving said platen to change said vertical and horizontal spacing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
60 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said means for reciprocally moving said platen comprises an arm pivotal about an axis and having an outer end movable on an arc between positions extending toward and away from said platen, means interconnecting the outer end of said arm and said platen and means oscillating said arm in opposite directions about said axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the planes in which said platen is moved and the plane in which said stop member is reciprocated are horizontal.
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) | 1977-09-09 | 1978-03-11 | 1978-09-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-09 | 1982-03-11 | 1982-09-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-09 | 1986-03-11 | 1986-09-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |