Patent DE2103303B2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3837469A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Product orienting apparatus for packaging
Assignee: Dake Corp
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Filing: 1973-04-09
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Granted: 1974-09-24
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Expires: 1993-04-09
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for conveying and orienting elongated articles in preparation for packaging comprising multiple sections adapted to successively linearly space and longitudinally align in columns a plurality of said articles after they are received randomly in the first of said sections. The sections are aligned rectilinearly and comprise a surge tank and elevating conveyor; a reciprocating, vibratory conveyor which segregates the articles into columns; a conveyor having endless belts with generally Vshaped cross sections; and a final conveyor having endless flat belts, the last three conveyors being located at successively lower levels. The sections are driven at successively faster speeds to facilitate the linear spacing of the articles.
Inventors
- 👤 L Kihnke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 07:46
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/22; B65G47/24; B65G47/244; A; A23; A23N; A23N15/00; B65B; B65B57/00; B65B57/10; B65B57/14; B65G47/02; B65G47/04; B65G47/12; B65G47/14; B65G47/1407; B65G47/1442; B65G47/1471
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
352 words
Apparatus for conveying and orienting elongated articles in preparation for packaging coMprising means for successively transferring such articles along a path including means for receiving and holding a plurality of said elongated articles in a randomly oriented fashion: oscillating means for linearly spacing and orienting said elongated articles, means for depositing said elongated articles from said receiving and holding means on said oscillating means at a predetermined speed; said oscillating means including a vibratory conveyor having an article-support and transferring pan and means for imparting an oscillatory vibration of said pan for movement of said elongated articles therealong; said pan including means for randomly receiving, segregating, spacing, and aligning said elongated articles in at least a pair of discrete, linearly oriented columns of flow, said depositing means having means for feeding elongated articles onto said oscillating means at locations along at least said pair of said columns, said aligning means on said pan including means for aligning said elongated articles in each of said columns with the longitudinal axes of said articles being generally parallel to the direction of movement of said articles on said pan; and additional conveyor means for linearly spacing and orienting said articles, said additional conveyor means being positioned to receive said elongated articles from said oscillating means and including means for conveying elongated articles in tandem in at least one column, and means for merging articles from both of said columns in said pair into a single column in which said articles are generally in tandem and aligned with their longitudinal axes generally parallel to the direction of movement on the additional conveyor means and for maintaining said articles in such a column whereby the elongated articles are fed onto the one column of said additional conveying means to maintain an approximately constant volume of flow in said column on said additional conveying means; and means for controlling said oscillating means and said additional conveyor means to operate at speeds successively faster than said depositing means for successively spacing said elongated articles longitudinally apart as they pass from one portion of the conveying apparatus to the next.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
352 words
Apparatus for conveying and orienting elongated articles in preparation for packaging coMprising means for successively transferring such articles along a path including means for receiving and holding a plurality of said elongated articles in a randomly oriented fashion: oscillating means for linearly spacing and orienting said elongated articles, means for depositing said elongated articles from said receiving and holding means on said oscillating means at a predetermined speed; said oscillating means including a vibratory conveyor having an article-support and transferring pan and means for imparting an oscillatory vibration of said pan for movement of said elongated articles therealong; said pan including means for randomly receiving, segregating, spacing, and aligning said elongated articles in at least a pair of discrete, linearly oriented columns of flow, said depositing means having means for feeding elongated articles onto said oscillating means at locations along at least said pair of said columns, said aligning means on said pan including means for aligning said elongated articles in each of said columns with the longitudinal axes of said articles being generally parallel to the direction of movement of said articles on said pan; and additional conveyor means for linearly spacing and orienting said articles, said additional conveyor means being positioned to receive said elongated articles from said oscillating means and including means for conveying elongated articles in tandem in at least one column, and means for merging articles from both of said columns in said pair into a single column in which said articles are generally in tandem and aligned with their longitudinal axes generally parallel to the direction of movement on the additional conveyor means and for maintaining said articles in such a column whereby the elongated articles are fed onto the one column of said additional conveying means to maintain an approximately constant volume of flow in said column on said additional conveying means; and means for controlling said oscillating means and said additional conveyor means to operate at speeds successively faster than said depositing means for successively spacing said elongated articles longitudinally apart as they pass from one portion of the conveying apparatus to the next.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for depositing said articles on said oscillating means includes elevator means for elevating said articles from said receiving and holding means and dropping said articles on said reciprocating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said article support and transferring pan is located at a vertical level generally intermediate the level of the uppermost portion of said elevator means and the level of said additional conveyor means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pan includes a plurality of substantially parallel corrugations extending in the direction of flow of said articles over said support pan; sid corrugations having inclined walls defining troughs extending parallel to each other for guiding the flow of articles on said pan to provide said columns of flow on said support pan.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said additional conveyor means includes two endless conveyor sections, the first section being positioned to receive said articles from said support pan and the second being positioned to receive said articles from said first section; said first section being located at a vertical level intermediate the level of said support pan and the level of the second of said endless conveyor sections.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said elevator means, support pan, and said two endless conveyor sections are arranged linearly for successively receiving said articles; said controlling means including means for controlling said means for elevating and dropping said articles on said oscillating means to operate at the slowest speed and said second endless conveyor section to operate at the highest speed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
134 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said means for receiving and holding said articles and said eLevator means comprise a liquid-tight tank having sides, a floor, a partition spaced above said floor, at least one vertically inclined, endless conveyor extending from a position adjacent said partition over an upper edge of said sides and having a plurality of substantially horizontal supports for engaging and supporting said elongated articles, and means for circulating liquid over said partition, through said conveyor and back between said partition and floor in a closed path within said tank; whereby said tank is adapted to receive a plurality of said elongated articles in liquid, and said circulating means circulate said liquid such that said articles are forced against said conveyor for elevation out of said tank via said horizontal supports.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support pan extends at a downward angle between said means for depositing said articles on said oscillating means and said additional conveyor means; said pan including an end adjacent said additional conveyor means which is the vertically lowest portion of said pan.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The apparatus of claim 1 which is adapted to transfer said articles into an article-packaging apparatus, said additional conveyor means including means for diverting and preventing a flow of articles along said conveyor from being transferred into such an article-packaging apparatus in response to a predetermined condition of the packaging apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
91 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said additional conveyor means comprises an endless conveyor means including at least two endless conveyor sections, the second of said endless conveyor sections being positioned to receive said elongated articles from the first of said endless conveyor sections and being adapted to transfer said articles into an article-packaging apparatus; said second endless conveyor section including said means for diverting and preventing a flow of articles along said conveyor from being transferred into an article-packaging apparatus in response to a predetermined condition of said packaging apparatus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
126 words
The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said additional conveyor means comprises an endless conveyor means including at least two endless conveyor sections, the first of said sections including said means for conveying elongated articles in tandem which includes at least one endless belt having a V-shaped cross section and means for supporting and driving said belt in a closed path; said belt being adapted to linearly orient a continuous flow of said elongated articles in tandem in a column; said column of linearly oriented articles being deposited in said tandem orientation by said belt on the second of said endless conveyor sections; said second conveyor section including means for maintaining said articles in said tandem alignment and for depositing said aligned articles into a packaging apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
69 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for conveying said elongated articles in tandem comprises an endless conveyor means including at least one endless belt having a V-shaped cross section and means for supporting and driving said belt in a closed path; said belt adapted to receive, merge, and linearly orient a continuous flow of said elongated articles from said pair of columns in tandem in a column.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
74 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said means for merging and maintaining said articles in tandem in a column include a supporting pan having a V-shaped cross-sectional area beneath said belt along at least a portion of said closed path; means for spraying a lubricating liquid between said belt and said supporting pan; and means for raising and lowering said pan with respect to said belt for adjustment of the tension on said belt.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
272 words
Apparatus for conveying and orienting elongated articles for packaging wherein a plurality of said articles are longitudinally spaced apart and oriented with respect to their longitudinal axes in preparation for packaging by transferring said articles through successive conveying sectiOns arranged rectilinearly; said apparatus comprising a first section including a tank for holding and receiving a plurality of said articles in a randomly oriented fashion; a first conveyor in said tank for transporting said articles out of said tank and randomly depositing said articles on another conveyor; and means for circulating a liquid through said conveyor to force said articles onto said first conveyor; a second section arranged to receive articles from said first conveyor, said second section including an oscillating, vibratory conveyor having a corrugated support pan adapted to segregate said articles into discrete, parallel columns, each corrugation in said pan defining one of said columns, wherein said articles are arranged in tandem with their their longitudinal axes aligned generally parallel to the direction of movement of said articles on said pan; a third section arranged to receive articles from said oscillating, vibratory conveyor and including a plurality of channels each having a generally V-shaped cross section, an endless belt in each of said channels for carrying said articles through said channels, and means for supporting and driving said belt in a closed path; each pair of corrugations defining said columns on said oscillating vibratory conveyor including means for feeding one channel and belt on said third section; and means for merging the articles flowing in each of said pairs of corrugations defining said discrete columns into single columns on said belt.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
272 words
Apparatus for conveying and orienting elongated articles for packaging wherein a plurality of said articles are longitudinally spaced apart and oriented with respect to their longitudinal axes in preparation for packaging by transferring said articles through successive conveying sectiOns arranged rectilinearly; said apparatus comprising a first section including a tank for holding and receiving a plurality of said articles in a randomly oriented fashion; a first conveyor in said tank for transporting said articles out of said tank and randomly depositing said articles on another conveyor; and means for circulating a liquid through said conveyor to force said articles onto said first conveyor; a second section arranged to receive articles from said first conveyor, said second section including an oscillating, vibratory conveyor having a corrugated support pan adapted to segregate said articles into discrete, parallel columns, each corrugation in said pan defining one of said columns, wherein said articles are arranged in tandem with their their longitudinal axes aligned generally parallel to the direction of movement of said articles on said pan; a third section arranged to receive articles from said oscillating, vibratory conveyor and including a plurality of channels each having a generally V-shaped cross section, an endless belt in each of said channels for carrying said articles through said channels, and means for supporting and driving said belt in a closed path; each pair of corrugations defining said columns on said oscillating vibratory conveyor including means for feeding one channel and belt on said third section; and means for merging the articles flowing in each of said pairs of corrugations defining said discrete columns into single columns on said belt.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
40 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said second and third sections are each located at a vertical level below the next preceding section such that said articles cascade downwardly from one section to the next as they are conveyed therealong.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first section includes means for driving said first conveyor at a predetermined speed; said second and third sections including means for conveying said articles at successively faster speeds whereby the longitudinal spacing between said articles is successively increased as said articles are conveyed from section to section.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
180 words
The apparatus of claim 16 wherein said tank includes three of said conveyors arranged generally parallel to and side by side with one another, each of said conveyors in said tank adapted to feed articles from said tank to one set of corrugations on said support pan; said support pan including three sets of corrugations spaced side by side, each set of corrugations including two pairs of side-by-side, parallel corrugations, and a divider member between each of said sets and on the outside edge of each of said corrugations on the outside edges of said pan, said dividers adapted to prevent articles from one set from spilling into another of said sets or off said pan; said third section including a V-shaped channel having an endless belt in alignment with each pair of said corrugations; each of said pairs of corrugations feeding said articles to the channel and belt associated therewith whereby the aligned and oriented flow on each of said sets and in each of said channels is maintained relatively constant and equivalent to the remaining sets and channels.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
194 words
The apparatus of claim 14 including a fourth section arranged rectilinearly with said third section and adapted to deposit said column of articles in an article packaging apparatus positioned adjacent the end of said fourth section; said fourth section including a plurality of channels thereon; each of said channels receiving one of said columns of articles from one of said channels and belts on said third section in a corresponding column in tandem arrangement thereon; and including an endless belt and means for maintaining said articles in a column in said tandem arrangement on said endless belt; means for supporting and driving said belts in closed paths; and means for selectively diverting and preventing said columns of articles from being deposited in such a packaging apparatus in response to a predetermined coNdition of said packaging apparatus; said fourth section being positioned at a level generally below said level of said third section such that said articles cascade from said third to said fourth section; said fourth section belt-supporting and driving means driving said belts at a speed faster than that of said third section whereby the linear spacing between said articles is further increased.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said V-shaped channel includes an endless belt having a V-shaped cross section; said supporting means including a V-shaped pan beneath said belt for maintaining the belt in its V-shaped configuration.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
143 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said receiving and holding means comprises a tank, said depositing means including at least one endless conveyor for lifting said articles from said tank; said support pan including at least four side-by-side parallel corrugations defining two pairs of discrete columns of flow; said lifting conveyor depositing said articles randomly on said four corrugations; said means for conveying said articles in tandem including at least two, parallel channels having generally V-shaped cross sections and endless conveyor belts supported in each of said channels, means for supporting said belts for movement in closed paths and means for causing the two columns of flow from each of said pairs of corrugations to merge into and be carried on the belt in one of said channels in a single column in which the articles are also maintained in a tandem arrangement.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
174 words
The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said tank includes three of said lifting conveyors arranged parallel and side by side with one another; said support pan including three sets of corrugations; dividing means for dividing said sets of corrugations on said pan from one another and for preventing articles lifted and deposited in one of said sets of corrugations on said pan by one of said lifting conveyors from spilling over into another of said sets of corrugations; each of said sets including at least two pairs of said parallel corrugations; said means for conveying said a articles in tandem including one of said V-shaped channels with an endless conveyor belt for each of said pairs of parallel corrugations and means for causing the two columns of flow from each of said pairs to merge into a single column on the conveyor belt in one of said V-shaped channels whereby the aligned and oriented flow of articles along each of said sets and on each of said V-belts is maintained relatively constant and equivalent.
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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) | 1977-09-23 | 1978-03-25 | 1978-09-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-23 | 1982-03-25 | 1982-09-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-23 | 1986-03-25 | 1986-09-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |