US3899069A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rotary transfer apparatus for grouping articles
Assignee: Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft
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Filing: 1974-07-18
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Granted: 1975-08-12
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Expires: 1994-07-18
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for grouping articles has a plurality of collector pushers brought successively in a work position at the discharge end of an inlet conveyor and caused to execute a work stroke of increasing velocity in the feed direction of the inlet conveyor. Each collector pusher has a retaining edge behind which, during the work stroke, a group of articles of predetermined number is formed and a pushing edge which is normal to the retaining edge and which, during the work stroke, displaces a previously formed group of articles to an outlet conveyor in a direction transversal to the feed direction.
Inventors
- 👤 Hans Heinzer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 18:07
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/74; B65G47/84; B65G47/846; B65G47/22; B65G47/26; B65G47/30; B65G47/32
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for grouping articles, the apparatus including an inlet conveyor for carrying non-grouped articles, the inlet conveyor having a feed direction and a discharge end; and an outlet conveyor for carrying the grouped articles, comprising in combination: a. a plurality of spacedly supported collector pushers each having a pushing edge and a retaining edge normal to said pushing edge; b. means for successively bringing said collector pushers into a work position at the beginning of a work stroke in alignment with the feed direction of said inlet conveyor at the discharge end thereof; c. means for moving each collector pusher with an increasing speed in the feed direction during the work stroke of the collector pusher for forming a first group of articles of predetermined number backed up behind said retaining edge; and d. means for moving each collector pusher, during its work stroke, in a direction transverse to the feed direction for displacing, with said pushing edge, a second, previously formed group of articles onto a conveying path of said outlet conveyor.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
174 words
An apparatus for grouping articles, the apparatus including an inlet conveyor for carrying non-grouped articles, the inlet conveyor having a feed direction and a discharge end; and an outlet conveyor for carrying the grouped articles, comprising in combination: a. a plurality of spacedly supported collector pushers each having a pushing edge and a retaining edge normal to said pushing edge; b. means for successively bringing said collector pushers into a work position at the beginning of a work stroke in alignment with the feed direction of said inlet conveyor at the discharge end thereof; c. means for moving each collector pusher with an increasing speed in the feed direction during the work stroke of the collector pusher for forming a first group of articles of predetermined number backed up behind said retaining edge; and d. means for moving each collector pusher, during its work stroke, in a direction transverse to the feed direction for displacing, with said pushing edge, a second, previously formed group of articles onto a conveying path of said outlet conveyor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further including means for driving said inlet conveyor with a speed in excess of the momentary velocity of each pusher in the feed direction during the work stroke thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for moving each collector pusher, during its work stroke and return stroke, in a circular path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3, including means for displacing each collector pusher transversely to said feed direction during each return stroke.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3, including means for displacing the pushing edge and the retaining edge of each collector pusher parallel to itself during the movement in said circular path.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
69 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said means for moving each collector pusher in a circular path includes a rotary disc; means for rotating said disc; means for rotatably supporting each said collector pusher on said disc, said collector pushers being spaced from the rotational center of said disc; and means for rotating each collector pusher in a direction opposite to the rotational direction of said disc.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said means for rotating each collector pusher includes a first, stationary sprocket coaxial with said disc; second sprockets, one affixed to each collector pusher; and an endless chain meshing with said first and second sprockets.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said collector pushers are four in number.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1, including means for driving said inlet conveyor with a periodically varying speed increasing from a minimum value during substantially the entire work stroke of each collector pusher, to a maximum value and decreasing rapidly from the maximum value to the minimum value.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
103 words
An apparatus as defined in claim 1, said inlet conveyor having a side disposed adjacent said outlet conveyor; further comprising a lateral guide movably disposed along said side of said inlet conveyor; and means for moving said guide in the feed direction during at least one part of the work stroke of each said collector pusher for preventing a shift of any article of a group under formation in a dIrection transverse to said direction of feed and for moving said guide into a starting position prior to the engagement of the formed group by the pushing edge of a successive collector pusher.
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) | 1978-08-11 | 1979-02-10 | 1979-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-11 | 1983-02-10 | 1983-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-11 | 1987-02-10 | 1987-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |