US4386490A — Apparatus for collating, cutting and packing food…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 247 words

Apparatus for packing a plurality of elongated, cylindrical articles into containers comprising in combination: means for accumulating said articles for transfer to a moving cup assembly mounted on an endless conveyor said means including a chute-like area having upper and lower portions, conveyor means for bringing a plurality of said articles in parallel, axially aligned relationship to the upper portion of said chute-like area, metering means positioned between said upper and lower portions to cause a separation between adjacent articles as they move from the upper to the lower portion of said chute-like area; an endless conveyor positioned adjacent to the lower portion of said chute-like area with a cup assembly secured to said conveyor, said assembly being adapted to hold a plurality of said articles and being at least partially open when immediately adjacent to the lower portion of said chute-like area to receive said articles; sweep means positioned between said accumulating means and said endless conveyor for transferring said articles into said cup assembly, said sweep means being rotatable at a variable velocity with the end portion thereof extending into the lower portion of said chute-like area whereby rotation of said sweep means periodically engages an article to effect the transfer of a plurality of said articles into said cup assembly, the velocity of said sweep means being increased when said cup assembly is immediately adjacent the lower portion of said chute area; and means for transferring articles from said cup assembly to a container.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 247 words

Apparatus for packing a plurality of elongated, cylindrical articles into containers comprising in combination: means for accumulating said articles for transfer to a moving cup assembly mounted on an endless conveyor said means including a chute-like area having upper and lower portions, conveyor means for bringing a plurality of said articles in parallel, axially aligned relationship to the upper portion of said chute-like area, metering means positioned between said upper and lower portions to cause a separation between adjacent articles as they move from the upper to the lower portion of said chute-like area; an endless conveyor positioned adjacent to the lower portion of said chute-like area with a cup assembly secured to said conveyor, said assembly being adapted to hold a plurality of said articles and being at least partially open when immediately adjacent to the lower portion of said chute-like area to receive said articles; sweep means positioned between said accumulating means and said endless conveyor for transferring said articles into said cup assembly, said sweep means being rotatable at a variable velocity with the end portion thereof extending into the lower portion of said chute-like area whereby rotation of said sweep means periodically engages an article to effect the transfer of a plurality of said articles into said cup assembly, the velocity of said sweep means being increased when said cup assembly is immediately adjacent the lower portion of said chute area; and means for transferring articles from said cup assembly to a container.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 115 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said endless conveyor positioned adjacent to the lower portion of said chute area includes a head sprocket and a tail sprocket, an endless chain engaged about said sprockets, said head sprocket being positioned immediately adjacent to said lower portion of the chute area, and wherein a plurality of cup assemblies are transversely mounted to said chain and in longitudinally spaced relationship to each other and wherein each cup assembly includes a pair of generally circular shaped cup halves articularly mounted to said chain, said cup halves being normally together to form a generally cylindrical shaped receptacle but openable as said assembly passes about said sprockets to receive said articles.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 51 words

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for transferring articles from said cup assembly to a container comprises a pusher assembly in registry with said cup assembly and mounted transversely thereto, said pusher assembly being mounted to an endless conveyor and movable at the same speed as said cup assembly.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 45 words

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said pusher assembly comprises a housing, a push rod slidably mounted within said housing, a piston mounted at one end of said push rod, and a cam follower mounted to said push rod and riding in a cam track.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 40 words

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the path of said cam track is such that longitudinal movement of said cup assembly and pusher assembly causes said push rod and piston to move transversely toward the interior of said cup assembly.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cup assembly includes a plurality of said cylindrical shaped receptacles mounted in side-by-side relationship on said chain.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 12 words

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each of said receptacles is tapered.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein a space is provided between each of said receptacles.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 70 words

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cup assembly includes a plurality of cylindrical shaped receptacles mounted in side-by-side relationship and wherein a space is provided between said receptacles and wherein the path of said cam track is such that longitudinal movement of said cup assembly and pusher assembly cause said push rod and piston to move transversely through the interior of each of said receptacles of said cup assembly.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 41 words

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein each of said receptacles contains articles of a predetermined length and wherein the path of said cam track is such that transverse movement of said piston is stopped for a time period between successive receptacles.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 53 words

The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the path of said cam track is such that the movement of said push rod and piston is reversed for a distance after said piston has moved through the interior of the first receptacle of said cup assembly prior to continuing its movement through the next receptacle.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 42 words

The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said sweep means comprises a series of finger-like projections transversely mounted on a shaft wherein said shaft is connected to a drive means so as to cause said shaft to rotate at a continuously varying velocity.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 15 words

The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said drive means includes a pair of eliptical gears.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 21 words

The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said gears have a velocity and displacement ratio of from about 2:1 to about 1.5:1.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 28 words

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein for each one revolution of said shaft on which are mounted finger-like projections the shaft of said head sprocket travels 1/3 revolution.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1986-06-06	1986-12-06	1987-06-07	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1990-06-06	1990-12-06	1991-06-07	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1994-06-06	1994-12-06	1995-06-07	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Apparatus for collating, cutting and packing food products

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