US3901375A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Package feeding and timing mechanism
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1974-02-04
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Granted: 1975-08-26
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Expires: 1994-02-04
Abstract
Abstract A file of abutting packages are delivered one by one to a spacing conveyor operating at a higher velocity to interspace the packages. Normally upright retractable pushers, on a pusher conveyor having a reach adjacent the conveying reach of the spacing conveyor, will depress under the weight of a package which overlies the pusher, but will remain upright if the pusher coincides with the space between two adjacent packages. The pusher velocity exceeds the velocity of the spacing conveyor, and the pushers are held below the plane of the conveying path of the packages at the inlet end of the pusher conveyor. Thus, when a pusher coincides with the space between two adjacent packages, it will automatically erect and push the downstream package. If a pusher temporarily underlies a package, it is depressed until it advances downstream beyond that package and will automatically erect in the next open space between two packages. The disclosure further includes an overhead impulse roller which frictionally engages each package at the downstream end of the spacing conveyor to carry them onto a discharge conveyor that projects the packages into individual trays mounted on an adjacent receiving conveyor, thus feeding and timing the initially abutting packages into the spaced trays.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert G Raque
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 10:45
CPC Classifications
B; B65; B65G; B65G47/00; B65G47/52; B65G47/22; B65G47/26; B65G47/28
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
239 words
Package feeding apparatus comprising means for feeding a file of abutting packages, conveying means comprising a plurality of endless belts for sequentially accelerating said packages from said feeding means into interspaced relation and conveying them along a given path, a pair of spaced endless chains, pushers carried by said chains to provide endless series of package pushers having an upper reach of pushers movable along said path, means mounting each of said pushers for depressible movement below said path, and means for driving said pushers at a velocity exceeding the velocity of said packages, each of said pushers not coinciding with the space between two adjacent packages being temporarily depressed by a package until the pusher advances to the next space between two packages, rollers on each pusher to facilitate relative longitudinal movement between a depressed pusher and a package moving along said path, each pusher including a side plate adjacent each chain, said pusher mounting means comprising a pivot connection between each chain and a portion of the associated side plate that is intermediate the ends of the side plate, said rollers being mounted on one end of each side plate, a weight connecting the other ends of said side plates to pivotally bias said side plates and position said rollers in pushing relation with a package, and a stop mounted on each chain and engaged with the adjacent side plate for limiting pivotal motion of said pusher.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
239 words
Package feeding apparatus comprising means for feeding a file of abutting packages, conveying means comprising a plurality of endless belts for sequentially accelerating said packages from said feeding means into interspaced relation and conveying them along a given path, a pair of spaced endless chains, pushers carried by said chains to provide endless series of package pushers having an upper reach of pushers movable along said path, means mounting each of said pushers for depressible movement below said path, and means for driving said pushers at a velocity exceeding the velocity of said packages, each of said pushers not coinciding with the space between two adjacent packages being temporarily depressed by a package until the pusher advances to the next space between two packages, rollers on each pusher to facilitate relative longitudinal movement between a depressed pusher and a package moving along said path, each pusher including a side plate adjacent each chain, said pusher mounting means comprising a pivot connection between each chain and a portion of the associated side plate that is intermediate the ends of the side plate, said rollers being mounted on one end of each side plate, a weight connecting the other ends of said side plates to pivotally bias said side plates and position said rollers in pushing relation with a package, and a stop mounted on each chain and engaged with the adjacent side plate for limiting pivotal motion of said pusher.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said chains have a substantially horizontal upper and lower reaches trained around sprockets on a common shaft at the inlet end of said package feeding apparatus, and guide means engaged by said weight for pivoting said pusher and maintaining said rollers below the plane of said conveying means until said rollers pass downstream beyond said shaft.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said pusher disengages the package upstream of the terminal end portion of said conveying means, and a driven roller frictionally engaging the upper surface of said packages to maintain driving engagement therewith after said puSher disengagement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, and a discharge conveyor having an upstream end portion underlying said driven roller, and means for driving said discharge conveyor at a velocity projecting the package from the discharge end of said discharge conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, and a receiving conveyor extending across the discharge end of said discharge conveyor, a drive train for continuously driving said receiving conveyor, said pusher chains and said conveying means, and a plurality of upwardly open trays on said receiving conveyor, successive moving trays momentarily indexing to sequentially receive the packages projected from said discharge conveyor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
209 words
Package feeding apparatus comprising means for feeding a file of abutting packages, a plurality of endless belts for sequentially accelerating said packages from said feeding means into interspaced relation and conveying them along a given path, a series of depressible package pushers movable along said path, a pair of spaced endless chains carrying said pushers; each pusher including roller means to facilitate relative longitudinal movement between a depressed pusher and a package moving along said path, each pusher comprising a side plate adjacent each chain, a pivot connection between each chain and the intermediate portion of each of the associated side plates, said roller means comprising a roller mounted on one end of each side plate, a weight connecting the other ends of associated side plates to pivotally bias said side plates and position said rollers in between adjacent packages, a stop mounted on one of said chains and engageable with the adjacent side plate for limiting pivotal motion of said pusher, and means for driving said pusher chains at a velocity differing from the velocity of said packages, each of said pushers which does not coincide with the space between two adjacent packages being temporarily depressed by a package until the pusher underlies a space between two packages.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
209 words
Package feeding apparatus comprising means for feeding a file of abutting packages, a plurality of endless belts for sequentially accelerating said packages from said feeding means into interspaced relation and conveying them along a given path, a series of depressible package pushers movable along said path, a pair of spaced endless chains carrying said pushers; each pusher including roller means to facilitate relative longitudinal movement between a depressed pusher and a package moving along said path, each pusher comprising a side plate adjacent each chain, a pivot connection between each chain and the intermediate portion of each of the associated side plates, said roller means comprising a roller mounted on one end of each side plate, a weight connecting the other ends of associated side plates to pivotally bias said side plates and position said rollers in between adjacent packages, a stop mounted on one of said chains and engageable with the adjacent side plate for limiting pivotal motion of said pusher, and means for driving said pusher chains at a velocity differing from the velocity of said packages, each of said pushers which does not coincide with the space between two adjacent packages being temporarily depressed by a package until the pusher underlies a space between two packages.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3589497A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-25 | 1979-02-24 | 1979-08-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-25 | 1983-02-24 | 1983-08-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-25 | 1987-02-24 | 1987-08-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |