Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting overcaps

Claim 2

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting can overcaps for placement onto cans, where each overcap is generally cylindrical in cross section, generally open at the bottom end and generally closed at the top end, of a diameter greater than the height, and constructed to have a center of gravity closer to one end than the other end, said apparatus comprising an unscrambling and orientation compartment for receiving a supply of overcaps, and unscrambling and orientation means in the compartment for engaging the overcaps at the bottom of the compartment, elevating and orienting the overcaps, and discharging the overcaps from the upper end of the compartment in a given oriented position, said unscrambling and orientation means including an upstanding slide having a lower section and an upper substantially vertical section and a set of pusher bars continually movable upwardly along the slide and in closer spaced relation therewith at the vertical section than at the lower section so as to push and lift overcaps from the compartment that are oriented such that their center of gravity is located between a pusher bar and the slide during movement along the substantially vertical section, and said slide including means for adjusting its position relative the pusher bars to accommodate overcaps of various heights.

Claim 3

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting can overcaps for placement onto cans, where each overcap is generally cylindrical in cross section, generally open at the bottom end and generally closed at the top end, of a diameter greater than the height, and constructed to have a center of gravity closer to one end than the other end, said apparatus comprising an unscrambling and orientation compartment for receiving a supply of overcaps, and unscrambling and orientation means in the compartment for engaging the overcaps at the bottom of the compartment, elevating and orienting the overcaps, and discharging the overcaps from the upper end of the compartment in a given oriented position, said unscrambling and orientation means including an upstanding slIde having a lower section and an upper substantially vertical section and a set of pusher bars continually movable upwardly along the slide and in closer spaced relation therewith at the vertical section than at the lower section so as to push and lift overcaps from the compartment that are oriented such that their center of gravity is located between a pusher bar and the slide during movement along the substantially vertical section, said slide being generally S-shaped and including means for adjusting its position relative the pusher bars to accommodate overcaps of various heights, said pusher bars extending substantially horizontally in spaced coacting relation to the slide and movable upwardly to engage and discharge from the hopper overcaps oriented to have the heavy ends slidable along the slide, and means for feeding overcaps into said compartment to generally maintain a minimum supply and prevent an oversupply, said overcap feeding means including a supply compartment for overcaps, an opening in the bottom leading to the unscrambling and orientation compartment, a gate movable between open and closed positions relative the opening, and means in the unscrambling and orientation compartment detecting the supply of overcaps therein and operating the gate to control movement of overcaps from the supply compartment to the unscrambling and orientation compartment.

Claim 4

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting can overcaps for placement onto cans, where each overcap is generally cylindrical in cross section, generally open at the bottom end and generally closed at the top end, of a diameter greater than the height, and constructed to have a center of gravity closer to one end than the other end, said apparatus comprising an unscrambling and orientation compartment for receiving a supply of overcaps, and unscrambling and orientation means in the compartment for engaging the overcaps at the bottom of the compartment, elevating and orienting the overcaps, and discharging the overcaps from the upper end of the compartment in a given oriented position, said unscrambling and orientation means including an upstanding slIde having a lower section and an upper substantially vertical section and a set of pusher bars continually movable upwardly along the slide and in closer spaced relation therewith at the vertical section than at the lower section so as to push and lift overcaps from the compartment that are oriented such that their center of gravity is located between a pusher bar and the slide during movement along the substantially vertical section, said slide being generally S-shaped and including means for adjusting its position relative the pusher bars to accommodate overcaps of various heights, said pusher bars extending substantially horizontally in spaced coacting relation to the slide and movable upwardly to engage and discharge from the hopper overcaps oriented to have the heavy ends slidable along the slide, and means for feeding overcaps into said compartment to generally maintain a minimum supply and prevent an oversupply, said overcap feeding means including a supply compartment for overcaps, an opening in the bottom leading to the unscrambling and orientation compartment, a gate movable between open and closed positions relative the opening, and means in the unscrambling and orientation compartment detecting the supply of overcaps therein and operating the gate to control movement of overcaps from the supply compartment to the unscrambling and orientation compartment.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and an inspection and reject mechanism for receiving overcaps discharged from the unscrambling and orientation compartment and returning any improperly oriented overcaps to said compartment.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said mechanism includes a mechanical sensor inspecting the height of each overcap and rejecting those resting on their sides, and fluidic sensor means inspecting the uppermost end of each overcap and rejecting those not having a given end in the upward position.

Claim 7

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting overcaps for placement onto aerosol cans, where each overcap is generally cylindrical in cross section, generally open at the bottom end and generally closed at the top end, of a diameter greater than the height, and constructed to have a center of gravity closer to the top end than the bottom end, said apparatus comprising a hopper having first and second compartments separated by a common vertical partition, a bottom wall in said first compartment inclined downwardly and toward said second compartment and extending partly into said second compartment, an opening in said vertical partition at the bottom wall, gate means for controlling the gravitational flow of overcaps from the first compartment into said second compartment, said gate means including means in the second compartment sensing the supply of overcaps therein for operating the gate and maintaining a minimum number of overcaps in said second compartment, a gate having a vertically movable crossbar, a plurality of vertical rods suspended from the crossbar and individually movable upwardly relative the crossbar to prevent damage to overcaps in the downward path of the lower ends of the rods during a closing cycle of the gate, and stationary guide means for said rods, and unscrambling and orientation means in said second compartment for engaging overcaps at the bottom thereof, orienting the overcaps, and discharging the overcaps from the upper end of said second compartment in a given oriented position, said unscrambling and orientation means including an upstanding slide having a lower section and an upper substantially vertical section and a set of pusher bars continually movable upwardly along the slide and in closer spaced relation therewith at the vertical section than at the lower section so as to push and lift overcaps from the compartment that are oriented such that their center of gravity is located between a pusher bar and the slide during movement along the substantially vertical section, said slide being generally S-shaped and said pusher bars extending sUbstantially horizontally in spaced coacting relation to the slide and movable upwardly to engage and discharge from the hopper overcaps oriented to have the top ends slidable along the slide, said pusher bars being spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of an overcap, said lower section extending generally horizontally and onto which the overcaps are gravitationally supplied, said substantially vertical section operable to dump overcaps back to the bottom of the compartment if the sides or bottom ends are riding against the slide, and an upper generally horizontal discharge section for transferring the properly oriented overcaps from the compartment.

Claim 8

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting overcaps for placement onto aerosol cans, where each overcap is generally cylindrical in cross section, generally open at the bottom end and generally closed at the top end, of a diameter greater than the height, and constructed to have a center of gravity closer to the top end than the bottom end, said apparatus comprising a hopper having first and second compartments separated by a common vertical partition, a bottom wall in said first compartment inclined downwardly and toward said second compartment and extending partly into said second compartment, an opening in said vertical partition at the bottom wall, gate means for controlling the gravitational flow of overcaps from the first compartment into said second compartment, said gate means including means in the second compartment sensing the supply of overcaps therein for operating the gate and maintaining a minimum number of overcaps in said second compartment, a gate having a vertically movable crossbar, a plurality of vertical rods suspended from the crossbar and individually movable upwardly relative the crossbar to prevent damage to overcaps in the downward path of the lower ends of the rods during a closing cycle of the gate, and stationary guide means for said rods, and unscrambling and orientation means in said second compartment for engaging overcaps at the bottom thereof, orienting the overcaps, and discharging the overcaps from the upper end of said second compartment in a given oriented position, said unscrambling and orientation means including an upstanding slide having a lower section and an upper substantially vertical section and a set of pusher bars continually movable upwardly along the slide and in closer spaced relation therewith at the vertical section than at the lower section so as to push and lift overcaps from the compartment that are oriented such that their center of gravity is located between a pusher bar and the slide during movement along the substantially vertical section, said slide being generally S-shaped and said pusher bars extending sUbstantially horizontally in spaced coacting relation to the slide and movable upwardly to engage and discharge from the hopper overcaps oriented to have the top ends slidable along the slide, said pusher bars being spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of an overcap, said lower section extending generally horizontally and onto which the overcaps are gravitationally supplied, said substantially vertical section operable to dump overcaps back to the bottom of the compartment if the sides or bottom ends are riding against the slide, and an upper generally horizontal discharge section for transferring the properly oriented overcaps from the compartment.

Claim 9

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting overcaps for placement onto aerosol cans, where each overcap is generally cylindrical in cross section, generally open at the bottom end and generally closed at the top end, of a diameter greater than the height, and constructed to have a center of gravity closer to the top end than the bottom end, said apparatus comprising a hopper having first and second compartments separated by a common vertical partition, a bottom wall in said first compartment inclined downwardly and toward said second compartment extending partly into said second compartment, an opening in said vertical partition at the bottom wall, gate means for controlling the gravitational flow of overcaps from the first compartment into said second compartment, and unscrambling and orientation means in said second compartment for engaging overcaps at the bottom thereof, orienting the overcaps, and discharging the overcaps from the upper end of said second compartment in a given oriented position, said unscrambling and orientation means including an upstanding slide having a lower section and an upper substantially vertical section and a set of pusher bars continually movable upwardly along the slide and in closer spaced relation therewith at the vertical section than at the lower section so as to push and lift overcaps from the compartment that are oriented such that their center of gravity is located between a pusher bar and the slide during movement along the substantially vertical section, said slide including means for adjusting its position relative the pusher bars to accommodate overcaps of various heights, said slide being generally S-shaped and said pusher bars extending substantially horizontally in spaced coacting relation to the slide and movable upwardly to engage and discharge from the hopper overcaps oriented to have the top ends slidable along the slide, said pusher bars being spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of an overcap, said lower section extending generally horizontally and onto which the overcaps are gravitationally supplied, said substantially vertical section operable to dump overcaps back to the bottom of the compartment if the sides or bottom ends are riding against the slide, and an upper generally horizontal discharge section for transferring the properly oriented overcaps from the compartment, and a conveyer belt at the upper end of the second compartment moving at right angles to the path of the pusher bars and being at the same level as the discharge section of the slide for receiving the oriented overcaps discharged from the slide.

Claim 10

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting overcaps for placement onto aerosol cans, where each overcap is generally cylindrical in cross section, generally open at the bottom end and generally closed at the top end, of a diameter greater than the height, and constructed to have a center of gravity closer to the top end than the bottom end, said apparatus comprising a hopper having first and second compartments separated by a common vertical partition, a bottom wall in said first compartment inclined downwardly and toward said second compartment extending partly into said second compartment, an opening in said vertical partition at the bottom wall, gate means for controlling the gravitational flow of overcaps from the first compartment into said second compartment, and unscrambling and orientation means in said second compartment for engaging overcaps at the bottom thereof, orienting the overcaps, and discharging the overcaps from the upper end of said second compartment in a given oriented position, said unscrambling and orientation means including an upstanding slide having a lower section and an upper substantially vertical section and a set of pusher bars continually movable upwardly along the slide and in closer spaced relation therewith at the vertical section than at the lower section so as to push and lift overcaps from the compartment that are oriented such that their center of gravity is located between a pusher bar and the slide during movement along the substantially vertical section, said slide including means for adjusting its position relative the pusher bars to accommodate overcaps of various heights, said slide being generally S-shaped and said pusher bars extending substantially horizontally in spaced coacting relation to the slide and movable upwardly to engage and discharge from the hopper overcaps oriented to have the top ends slidable along the slide, said pusher bars being spaced apart a distance greater than the diameter of an overcap, said lower section extending generally horizontally and onto which the overcaps are gravitationally supplied, said substantially vertical section operable to dump overcaps back to the bottom of the compartment if the sides or bottom ends are riding against the slide, and an upper generally horizontal discharge section for transferring the properly oriented overcaps from the compartment, and a conveyer belt at the upper end of the second compartment moving at right angles to the path of the pusher bars and being at the same level as the discharge section of the slide for receiving the oriented overcaps discharged from the slide.

Claim 11

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting hollow bodies having one closed end and having a center of gravity closer to one end, said apparatus comprising, a hopper for receiving a plurality of bodies in random orientation, an upstanding slide having its bottom end in the hopper and toward which the bodies gravitationally move for engagement therewith, an endless conveyer having a plurality of horizontally extending flights movable adjacent and around said slide, said slide including means adjusting its position relative the flights to accommodate hollow bodies of various heights, means causing said flights to move in a fixed spaced relation to the slide on the side facing the hopper such that the flights are spaced from the sliDe at the lower end to pick up and move along and upwardly of the slide nearly all bodies contacting the slide and spaced from the slide at the upper end closer than at the lower end such that the bodies will tumble back to the hopper unless the end closest the center of gravity engages the slide.

Claim 12

Apparatus for unscrambling and orienting hollow bodies having one closed end and having a center of gravity closer to one end, said apparatus comprising, a hopper for receiving a plurality of bodies in random orientation, an upstanding slide having its bottom end in the hopper and toward which the bodies gravitationally move for engagement therewith, an endless conveyer having a plurality of horizontally extending flights movable adjacent and around said slide, said slide including means adjusting its position relative the flights to accommodate hollow bodies of various heights, means causing said flights to move in a fixed spaced relation to the slide on the side facing the hopper such that the flights are spaced from the sliDe at the lower end to pick up and move along and upwardly of the slide nearly all bodies contacting the slide and spaced from the slide at the upper end closer than at the lower end such that the bodies will tumble back to the hopper unless the end closest the center of gravity engages the slide.