Patent US3878665A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3878665A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Bottle packing installation
Assignee: Chandon Handels GmbH
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Filing: 1974-03-06
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Granted: 1975-04-22
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Expires: 1994-03-06
Abstract
Abstract Bottles are located in cradles on a bottle conveyor in a manner such that the bodies of alternate bottles are nested between the necks of adjoining bottles. A case conveyor parallel to the bottle conveyor moves open-topped cases in spaced relationship to a filling position at which two sets of gripper means movable above the conveyors are operable each to remove a predetermined number of nested bottles from the bottle conveyor and to deposit them as layers in cases. One set of gripper means deposits a first layer in a case and the other set deposits a second layer on top of the first layer following movement of a case from a first to a second layer receiving position.
Inventors
- 👤 Jean Couten
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 12:32
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65B; B65B21/00; B65B21/02; B65B21/14; B65B21/18; B65B21/025
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
129 words
An installation for packing bottles lying side-by-side and top to bottom in cases, comprising a case conveyor operable to move open-topped cases in succession in predetermined spaced relation, transporter means operable to move bottles lying on their sides in side-by-side top to bottom relationship with the bodies of alternate bottles nested between the necks of adjoining bottles, a machine operable to overturn upright bottles and dispose them in said side-by-side relationship on the transporter means, an upright bottle conveyor operable to deliver upright bottles in two paths to opposite sides of the bottle overturning machine, and a case filling head operable to remove from the transporting device a predetermined number of successive recumbent bottles and to deposit the bottles as a layer in a case on the case conveyor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
129 words
An installation for packing bottles lying side-by-side and top to bottom in cases, comprising a case conveyor operable to move open-topped cases in succession in predetermined spaced relation, transporter means operable to move bottles lying on their sides in side-by-side top to bottom relationship with the bodies of alternate bottles nested between the necks of adjoining bottles, a machine operable to overturn upright bottles and dispose them in said side-by-side relationship on the transporter means, an upright bottle conveyor operable to deliver upright bottles in two paths to opposite sides of the bottle overturning machine, and a case filling head operable to remove from the transporting device a predetermined number of successive recumbent bottles and to deposit the bottles as a layer in a case on the case conveyor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
129 words
An installation for packing bottles lying side-by-side and top to bottom in cases, comprising a case conveyor operable to move open-topped cases in succession in predetermined spaced relation, transporter means operable to move bottles lying on their sides in side-by-side top to bottom relationship with the bodies of alternate bottles nested between the necks of adjoining bottles, a machine operable to overturn upright bottles and dispose them in said side-by-side relationship on the transporter means, an upright bottle conveyor operable to deliver upright bottles in two paths to opposite sides of the bottle overturning machine, and a case filling head operable to remove from the transporting device a predetermined number of successive recumbent bottles and to deposit the bottles as a layer in a case on the case conveyor.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
129 words
An installation for packing bottles lying side-by-side and top to bottom in cases, comprising a case conveyor operable to move open-topped cases in succession in predetermined spaced relation, transporter means operable to move bottles lying on their sides in side-by-side top to bottom relationship with the bodies of alternate bottles nested between the necks of adjoining bottles, a machine operable to overturn upright bottles and dispose them in said side-by-side relationship on the transporter means, an upright bottle conveyor operable to deliver upright bottles in two paths to opposite sides of the bottle overturning machine, and a case filling head operable to remove from the transporting device a predetermined number of successive recumbent bottles and to deposit the bottles as a layer in a case on the case conveyor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
An installation according to claim 1, including a discharge unit to which filled cases are delivered by the case conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
73 words
An installation according to claim 1, wherein the transporter device comprises an endless conveyor which supports a succession of concave cradles and which extends parallel to the case conveyor, wherein horizontal slide guides extend transversely above the succession of cradles and the case conveyor, and wherein the filling head is movable along said slide guides between two positions one of which is above the cradles, and the other is above the case conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
135 words
An installation according to claim 3, wherein the filling head comprises a cross-member guided by the horizontal slide guides, guide bearings carried at the free ends of the cross-member, vertical columns mounted in the guide bearings to be displaceable in a vertical direction, two plates fixed below the cross-member respectively one to the bottom ends of each of the vertical columns, bottle gripping means depending from each plate and disposed in a staggered arrangement on each plate to correspond with the relative positions of nested bottles carried by said cradles, the spacing between the plates and the gripping means from one end to the other of the cross-member being such that the gripping means correspond to two groups of nested bottles carried by the cradles and to two separate cases carried by the case conveyor.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
An installation according to claim 4, wherein the case conveyor is provided with equidistant frames arranged to support cases, the spacing of the frames being equal to the spacing of said plates, wherein the spacing of the cradles is such that nested bottles carried thereby occupy a minimum volume, and wherein the distance between the plates is a multiple of the space occupied by a number of recumbent bottles corresponding to a layer to be deposited in a case.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An installation according to claim 4, wherein the gripping means for each plate comprise grippers arranged to open in a downward direction with controlled opening and closing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
An installation according to claim 5, wherein the gripping means for each plate comprise grippers arranged to open in a downward direction with controlled opening and closing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
75 words
An installation according to claim 7, wherein each gripper comprises two parts mounted for pivotal movement about a horizontal pivot supported by and extending from the bottom face of a plate, said two parts of the gripper each including a concave jaw anD in extension of the jaw an operating branch which extends through an aperture provided in the plate and is disposed between two opposed jacks secured to the upper face of the plate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
An installation according to claim 8, wherein the concave part of each jaw of the grippers reproduces in the form of a depression one half of a length of a neck of a bottle.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
93 words
An installation according to claim 9, wherein said jacks each comprise a cylinder, a piston having one end projecting out of the cylinder and applied against an operating branch of a gripper part, and means connecting each cylinder to a system of fluid under pressure provided at the opposite end of the cylinder to the projecting part of the piston and operable in a manner such that the two jacks associated with the branches of each gripper are fed in succession with fluid under pressure in order to open and close the gripper.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2069926A
Cited
US3802154A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-04-21 | 1978-10-21 | 1979-04-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-04-21 | 1982-10-21 | 1983-04-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-04-21 | 1986-10-21 | 1987-04-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |