US3883422A — Silverware feeder construction

Claim 1

Independent Claim 157 words

In a construction for sorting spoons wherein the bowls of the spoons are of different sizes, the improvement comprising a sorter bed, said sorter bed defining a plurality of spaced parallel grooves, loading means for depositing spoons on said bed, means associated with the bed for moving spoons along the bed and including at least one opening defined at the bottom of one of said grooves whereby said spoons can pass through said sorter bed, said opening being dimensioned so that the handles of the spoons will pass through the sorter bed with the spoon bowls suspending the spoons on the bed, a first portion of said opening dimensioned to permit the passage of smaller bowl spoons through the opening, and including a second portion of said opening, said second portion defining wing sections adapted to receive bowl edges of larger bowl spoons whereby the larger bowl spoons drop through said sorter bed at said second portion.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 157 words

In a construction for sorting spoons wherein the bowls of the spoons are of different sizes, the improvement comprising a sorter bed, said sorter bed defining a plurality of spaced parallel grooves, loading means for depositing spoons on said bed, means associated with the bed for moving spoons along the bed and including at least one opening defined at the bottom of one of said grooves whereby said spoons can pass through said sorter bed, said opening being dimensioned so that the handles of the spoons will pass through the sorter bed with the spoon bowls suspending the spoons on the bed, a first portion of said opening dimensioned to permit the passage of smaller bowl spoons through the opening, and including a second portion of said opening, said second portion defining wing sections adapted to receive bowl edges of larger bowl spoons whereby the larger bowl spoons drop through said sorter bed at said second portion.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 34 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said second portion comprises two wing sections in the form of narrow slots radiating angularly outwardly from a center point on each side of said opening.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 14 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said slots define a V-shaped configuration.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 71 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said opening defines a third portion preceding said first portion, said third portion being dimensioned to receive the wide handle portions of knives whereby knife handles situated over said third portion tilt downwardly and pass through said opening, and including a fourth portion of said opening preceding said third portion, said fourth portion being dimensioned for the passage of forks through said opening.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 168 words

A sorting apparatus for silverware including a conveyor bed for transporting the silverware from one location to another, the improvement wherein said conveyor bed comprises at least two sections, each of said sections comprising an extrusion including at least two integrally formed V-shaped troughs extending side-by-side between the side edges of the extrusion, one of said side edges including an elongated portion extending substantially above the remainder of the associated section to thereby form a barrier wall, said sections being secured together at side edges thereof, securing of the sections at the side edges defining said barrier walls providing a high wall at the center of the bed, rib portions extending downwardly from the underside of said bed, at least some of said rib portions providing means for mounting of the bed, and openings defined by said bed for the passage of silverware, pairs of said ribs being positioned beneath said openings in closely spaced apart relationship to define a channel for engaging silverware extending through the openings.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 168 words

A sorting apparatus for silverware including a conveyor bed for transporting the silverware from one location to another, the improvement wherein said conveyor bed comprises at least two sections, each of said sections comprising an extrusion including at least two integrally formed V-shaped troughs extending side-by-side between the side edges of the extrusion, one of said side edges including an elongated portion extending substantially above the remainder of the associated section to thereby form a barrier wall, said sections being secured together at side edges thereof, securing of the sections at the side edges defining said barrier walls providing a high wall at the center of the bed, rib portions extending downwardly from the underside of said bed, at least some of said rib portions providing means for mounting of the bed, and openings defined by said bed for the passage of silverware, pairs of said ribs being positioned beneath said openings in closely spaced apart relationship to define a channel for engaging silverware extending through the openings.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 including a vibrator associated with the mounting means for the bed to provide for movement of silverware along the bed.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a method for handling silverware comprising a first bed for supporting the silverware, vibrator means for moving the silverware along the length of the beD, and a discharge position on the bed whereby the silverware drops from the bed, and at least one additional bed and associated vibrator means positioned beneath the first bed, the improvement comprising the steps of operating the vibrator means for said second bed to move silverware along the length of said second bed at a rate faster than the movement of silverware along said first bed whereby the silverware on said second bed is spread more thinly over the bed surface than the silverware on the first bed, and including the step of providing means on said second bed for dividing the silverware into different types, and collecting the respective types at separate locations.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 140 words

In a method for handling silverware comprising a first bed for supporting the silverware, vibrator means for moving the silverware along the length of the beD, and a discharge position on the bed whereby the silverware drops from the bed, and at least one additional bed and associated vibrator means positioned beneath the first bed, the improvement comprising the steps of operating the vibrator means for said second bed to move silverware along the length of said second bed at a rate faster than the movement of silverware along said first bed whereby the silverware on said second bed is spread more thinly over the bed surface than the silverware on the first bed, and including the step of providing means on said second bed for dividing the silverware into different types, and collecting the respective types at separate locations.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 158 words

In an apparatus for feeding and sorting silverware wherein the silverware is delivered in bulk amounts to a collecting hopper, and a sorting bed for receiving the silverware, said sorting bed including a plurality of parallel grooves spaced apart over the width of the bed, the improvement comprising a plate defining an impact surface interposed in the path of movement of the silverware from the hopper to the sorting bed, said silverware falling onto said surface and spreading substantially evenly over said surface, a conveyor bed supporting said plate, and vibrator means connected to said conveyor bed for moving the silverware off said plate and onto said conveyor bed, said conveyor bed extending to said sorting bed whereby said vibrator means delivers silverware from said conveyor bed to said sorting bed, said plate, conveyor bed and sorting bed being of substantially coextensive width whereby silverware is delivered in substantially even amounts to the grooves of said sorting bed.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 158 words

In an apparatus for feeding and sorting silverware wherein the silverware is delivered in bulk amounts to a collecting hopper, and a sorting bed for receiving the silverware, said sorting bed including a plurality of parallel grooves spaced apart over the width of the bed, the improvement comprising a plate defining an impact surface interposed in the path of movement of the silverware from the hopper to the sorting bed, said silverware falling onto said surface and spreading substantially evenly over said surface, a conveyor bed supporting said plate, and vibrator means connected to said conveyor bed for moving the silverware off said plate and onto said conveyor bed, said conveyor bed extending to said sorting bed whereby said vibrator means delivers silverware from said conveyor bed to said sorting bed, said plate, conveyor bed and sorting bed being of substantially coextensive width whereby silverware is delivered in substantially even amounts to the grooves of said sorting bed.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 41 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said conveyor bed defines spaced, parallel grooves substantially aligned with the grooves of said sorting bed whereby the silverware is passed between respective aligned grooves of said sorting bed and said conveyor bed.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 138 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 8 wherein said sorting bed includes means for sorting spoons when the bowls of spoons on the sorting bed are of different sizes, said sorting means including at least one opening defined at the bottom of one of said grooves whereby said spoons can pass through said sorting bed, said opening being dimensioned so that the handles of the spoons will pass through the sorting bed with the spoon bowls suspending the spoons on the bed, a first portion of said opening being dimensioned to permit the passage of smaller bowl spoons through the opening, and including a second portion of said opening, said second portion defining wing sections adapted to receive bowl edges of larger bowl spoons whereby the larger bowl spoons drop through said sorting bed at said second portion.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 34 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said second portion comprises two wing sections in the form of narrow slots radiating angularly outwardly from a center point on each side of said opening.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 14 words

An apparatus in accordance witn claim 11 wherein said slots define a V-shaped configuration.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 71 words

An apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said opening defines a third portion preceding said first portion, said third portion being dimensioned to receive the wide handle portions of knives whereby knife handles situated over said third portion tilt downwardly and pass through said opening, and including a fourth portion of said opening preceding said third portion, said fourth portion being dimensioned for the passage of forks through said opening.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-05-12	1978-11-11	1979-05-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-05-12	1982-11-11	1983-05-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-05-12	1986-11-11	1987-05-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Silverware feeder construction

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