Abstract Article-positioning apparatus including a conveyor operable to support the undersides of a plurality of articles and convey them in succession along a path and an article turning arm which may be swung between an operative position extending into a portion of the path, and an inoperative position spaced outwardly from the path. In its operative position, the turning arm frictionally engages and holds an upright side, or corner portion, of an article to produce rotation of the article about the held portion as remainder portions of the article are conveyed in a downstream direction by the conveyor. The end of the arm which projects into the path of the conveyor curves in a downstream direction permitting an article to release smoothly therefrom and continue on the path of the conveyor after it has been turned to a desired position. An elongate lifting member projects in an upstream direction from the turning arm and is operable to lift a corner portion of the article adjacent the turning arm from the conveyor to aid in holding such corner portion while remainder portions of the article are rotated thereabout as moved in a downstream direction along the conveyor.
Article positioning apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to support the undersides of a plurality of articles and convey them in succession along a path, said conveyor including a pair of adjacent, substantially parallel, laterally spaced rollers having upper surfaces which define a portion of the conveyor support for articles carried thereover, and article turning means adjacent said conveyor including an elongate arm projecting laterally into a side of the path along which articles are carried by said conveyor for frictionally engaging and holding an upright side portion of an article to produce rotation of the same about the portion engaged as remainder portions of the article are conveyed along said path and an elongate lifting member secured at one of its ends to said arm and projecting in an upstream direction therefrom over the downstream roller in said pair of rollers in said conveyor and curving downwardly in a region adjacent its opposite end to terminate between said rollers and below the level of the upper surfaces of the roller to present an upper, article-engaging surface, which on progressing away from said arm inclines downwardly from an elevation above the elevation of the article support surface of the conveyor to an elevation below the elevation of the conveyor, said lifting member being operable to raise a portion of the article adjacent said arm from the conveyor with remainder portions of the article remaining supported on the conveYor.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
237 words
Article positioning apparatus comprising a conveyor operable to support the undersides of a plurality of articles and convey them in succession along a path, said conveyor including a pair of adjacent, substantially parallel, laterally spaced rollers having upper surfaces which define a portion of the conveyor support for articles carried thereover, and article turning means adjacent said conveyor including an elongate arm projecting laterally into a side of the path along which articles are carried by said conveyor for frictionally engaging and holding an upright side portion of an article to produce rotation of the same about the portion engaged as remainder portions of the article are conveyed along said path and an elongate lifting member secured at one of its ends to said arm and projecting in an upstream direction therefrom over the downstream roller in said pair of rollers in said conveyor and curving downwardly in a region adjacent its opposite end to terminate between said rollers and below the level of the upper surfaces of the roller to present an upper, article-engaging surface, which on progressing away from said arm inclines downwardly from an elevation above the elevation of the article support surface of the conveyor to an elevation below the elevation of the conveyor, said lifting member being operable to raise a portion of the article adjacent said arm from the conveyor with remainder portions of the article remaining supported on the conveYor.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said arm is mounted for shifting between a first position extending into the path of an article carried on said conveyor and a second position spaced outwardly from the path of an article on the conveyor and which further comprises operator means operatively connected to said arm for producing such shifting.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
42 words
The apparatus of claim 2, which further comprises pivot means mounting said arm for swinging between its said first and second positions, and said operator means comprises an extensible-contractible ram operatively connected to said arm for swinging said arm between said positions.