US2484101A - Feed and discharge mechanism for container handling machines - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 11, 1949. F. w. KRUEGER FEED AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM FOR CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet l- Filed July 3, 1944 Oct. l1, 1949. F. w. KRUEGER 2,48491@ FEED AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM FOR CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINES C. il, 1949. F w KRUEGER ZS FEED AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM FOR CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINES Filed July 5, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 M a l@ 36 y? 5 e 47 44 fw 36T I .In 1- 4,5

. l y www? -I ff Patented Oct. 11, 1949 FEED AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM FOR CONTAINER HANDLING MACHINES Frank W. Krueger, Atherton, Calif., assignor to Food Machinery and Chemical Corporation, a

corporation of Delaware Application July 3, 1944, Serial No. 543,339

10 Claims.

This invention relates to handling of containers as is necessary in lling and capping these.

For operations of filling or capping containers such as cans, jars and bottles, there is commonly employed a rotary processing mechanism onto which the container is fed and from which it is delivered after the filling or capping process has been performed. In some of Ithese mechanisms the container is elevated to fill or cap this container while it is on such' a rotary mechanism and the container then lowered prior to its discharge from the mechanism.

Various devices have been offered for feeding containers to and discharging them from such a rotary mechanism and it is an object of this invention to provide an improved device for performing this function.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing object, as well as further objects and advantages, will be made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan View of an improved embodiment of the invention incorporated with a jar capper, this view being taken on the line I-I of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatical fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a development of a cam employed for vertically reciprocating lthe container carrying tables of said invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of :the jar capper shown in Fig. 1 and showing jars in different elevated positions therein.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4 and illustrating the transfer of jars from the feed runway onto the elevator tables of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a still further enlarged fragmentary elevational View taken on Ithe line 6--6 of Fig. 5 and illustrating the manner in which a jar pusher of the invention is mounted on the conveyor chain thereof.

Fig. '1 is a further enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6 and illustrating the details of said mounting.

Referring specifically to the drawings, these show a jar capper l having a frame II on which a rotor I2 is rotatably mounted on a power driven vertical shaft I3. The rotor I2 carries a series of capping heads I4 for capping containers such as jars I which are fed to and discharged from the rotor by a feed and discharge mechanism I6.

'I'he rotor I2 has a hub 20 (see Fig. 2) on which is mounted a notched jar loc-ating disc 2|, a

sprocket 22 having openings 23 therein, and an elevator unit 24.

The elevator unit provides a series of bores 25 in each of which an elevator plunger 2-6 is slideably disposed, the lower end of each plunger carrying cam following rollers 21. These ride against annular cam tracks 28 and 29 which dene a cam path 30, an elevation development of which is shown in Fig. 3. This cam path includes a low portion 3I and a high portion 32.

Each of the elevator plungers 26 has a neck which extends upwardly through one of the openings 23 in the sprocket 22 and supports a container carrying table 36 on its upper end.

The container feed and discharge mechanism I6 includes sprockets 40, 4I and 42 which lie in the same horizontal plane as the sprocket 22, and a. chain 43 is trained about these sprockets as shown in Fig. 1. This chain carries a series of jar pushers 44 which extend upwardly therefrom and travel between stationary horizontal tracks 45 flanked by guides 46 and 41 to form a jar runway 48. Any suitable delivery device such as the delivery wheel 49 shown in Fig. 1 may be, employed to deliver jars I5 onto :the runway 48 so that one jar is disposed just in advance of each of the pushers 44.

The tracks 45 are on substantially the same level as each of the tables 36 when the latter is in its lowermost position by virtue of its rollers 21 traveling in the low portion 3| of the cam path 33. These tracks 45 end, as shown in Fig. 1. .lust outside of the path followed by :the tables 36 as they rotate with the rotor I2. The jars I5 are thus fed by the pushers 44 from'the ends of the tracks 45 onto the respective tables 36 as these arrive opposite the tracks 45.

As each table 36 continues to travel with the rotor I2, the rollers 21 of this table enter the high portion 32 of the cam path 30 thereby elevating this table to introduce the jar I5 carried on that table into the capper head I4 disposed immediately thereabove. The capping operation is accomplished in about degrees of rotation of l the rotor I2 after which each table 36 is lowered -thus guided into and discharged along the chute 55 as shown in Fig. 1. 'I'he lowered tables continue with the rotor I2, thus being withdrawn from between an adjacent pair of jar pushers 44 and moved in between another pair of these jar pushers to receive another jar being fed along the tracks 45 to the rotor I2.

It is to be noted that the tables 35 and the mechanisms for elevating these never interfere with the chain 43 entering or leaving meshing relation with the sprocket 22 of the rotor I2.

Each of the jar pushers 44 has a finger 'I0 at its upper end which extends forwardly from the main body 1I of this pusher. Provided on this body below the finger 'I0 is an adjustable finger l2. The forward ends of fingers 'I0 and 12 are in the same vertical plane and are of such a length as to contact and position a jar l5 in its proper location on an adjacent elevator table 3b.

Some of the jars handled have annular recesses 'I5 about their middle and when the table 36 is being elevated or lowered it is desired to keep one of the ngers or I2 in contact with the upper and lower portions of larger diameter of the jar whenever the upper end of the jar is not centered in one of the capper heads I4. The finger I2 is separable from and adjustable vertically in any desired manner on the body 'II of the jar pusher 44 so that it will accommodate itself to various jars which vary as to the size and location of the annular recess 15. For this purpose the nger 'l2 may be secured to the body II by a screw I6 and a plurality of vertically spaced screw holes 'I'l provided in the body 'II to receive said screw.

The jar pushers 44 are adjustably mounted on the chain 43 as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Here it is seen that each pusher 44 has vertical holes 80 bored upwardly from the lower end in which are received upward extensions of chain pins 8l. The pusher 44 is held in place on these chain pins by screws 82 which permit these pushers to be readibly removed and replaced by other pushers when this is necessary to adapt the capper Il) for operation on jars of a different size or shape.

Each of the elevator tables 36 is provided with a notch 85 to accommodate the finger 12 when the table rises or is lowered past this nger.

I claim:

l. In a container feed and discharge mechanism, the combination of a rotor adapted to rotate about a vertical' axis; a sprocket provided on said rotor concentric with said axis and having openings therein spaced inwardly from the periphery thereof; an endless chain meshing with said sprocket and adapted to travel with the latter about said axis. as the rotor rotates; means including a container feed station and a container discharge station and through which said endless chain travels; a series of container elevating tables provided on said rotor; means for feeding and guiding containers from said feed station onto said tables; means for ejecting and guiding said containers from said tables to said discharge station after said containers have revolved a substantial distance with said rotor;v means on said v chain to propel containers from said feed station alongsaid feeding and guiding means onto said tables and along said electing and guiding means to said discharge station, said tables being disposed above said chain: and means on said rotor disposed inwardly from said chain and operating through said openings in said sprocket to support said tables and to elevate and lower said tables to lift said containers as they revolve with said rotor for performing an operation on said containers, and then to lower said tables and containers to operative relation with said ejecting and guiding means.

2. 'I'he combination as in claim I in which said container propelling means on said chain cooperates with means on said rotor to center said containers on said tables against movement relative thereto when the tables are moved to raised and lowered positions.

3. In a container feed and discharge mechanism, the combination of a rotor adapted to rotate about a vertical axis; a sprocket provided on said rotor concentric with said axis; an endless chain meshing lwith said sprocket and adapted to travel with the latter about said axis as the rotor rotates; means including a container feed station and a container discharge station through which said endless chain travels; a series of elevating tables provided on said rotor and disposed at all times above saidy chain; stationary means for feeding and guiding containers from said feed station onto said tables; stationary means for ejecting and guiding said/containers from said tables to said discharge station after said containers have revolved a' substantial distance with said rotor; means on said chain to propel containers fromsaid feed station along said guide means onto said tables and along said ejecting and guiding means to said discharge station; and means on said rotor for elevating and lowering said tables while the containers are carried thereon, said table elevating means being located out of the path of said chain as the latter travels into and out of meshing relation with said sprocket.

4. In a container feed and discharge mechanism, the combination of: a rotor adapted to rotate about a vertical axis; a sprocket on said rotor concentric with said axis; an endless chain meshing with said sprocket and adapted to travel with the latter about said axis as the sprocket rotates; a plurality of elevatingl tables provided on said rotor; means for reciprocating each of said tables from a lowered position at a level close above said chain to a relatively elevated position to subject a container to an operation while supported on said table; stationary means for guiding a container onto each of said tables when the latter is in lowered position; and stationary means for guiding said container from said 'table after it has been reciprocated vertically by said table, both of said stationary means for guiding containers onto and from said'tablcs being disposed above the tables when the latter are in their aforesaid lowered positions, said tables and means for reciprocating the same being located at all times out of the path of said chain as the chain travels into and out of meshing relation with said sprocket.

5. In a container feed and discharge mechanism, the combination of a rotor adapted to rotate about a vertical axis; a series of individual elevators on said rotor each of which is adapted to receive and elevate a container to perform an operation thereon and lower said container while the latter is supported `on `said elevator; a sprocket provided on said rotor concentric with said axis and beneath the lowermost position of said elevators; an endless chain meshing with said sprocket and adapted to travel therewith about said vertical axis as the rotor rotates; means on said chain extending upwardly therefrom for propelling containers onto and from said elevators, said elevators being located at all times out of the path of said chain as it travels into and out of meshing relation with said sprocket means; and means independent of said chain for supporting said containers as they are propelled towards and from said elevators as aforesaid by said upwardly extending means on said chain.

6. In a container feed and discharge mechanism, the combination of: a rotor adapted to rotate about a vertical axis; a sprocket xed concentrically on said rotor; an endless container pushing chain traveling towards, about, and away from said sprocket; a series of elevating tables provided on said rotor adjacent the pitch circle of said sprocket; means for vertically reciprocating said tables in timed'relation with the rotation of said rotor between an up position and a down position, said down position of the tables being above said sprocket; spaced pusher members xed on said chain and extending upwardly therefrom; and stationary means for supporting and guiding the containers in the path traversed by said pusher members as the same travel towards and away from said sprocket to cause said pusher members to move said containers onto and from said tables.

7. In a container feed and discharge mechanism, the combination of: a rotor adapted vto rotate about a vertical axis; a sprocket fixed concentrically on said rotor; an endless container pushing chain mounted for continuous movement towards, about, and away from said sprocket in a tortuous path of travel; a series of elevating tables provided on said rotor and entirely disposed above said sprocket; means for vertically reciprocating said tables in timed relation with the rotation of said rotor; spaced pusher members provided on said chain respectively extending between adjacent tables when traveling about said sprocket; and means independently of said chain for supporting and guiding containers in the tortuous path traversed by said pusher members as they travel towards and away from said sprocket to cause said pusher members to move said containers onto and from said tables; and means for vertically reciprocating said tables and their supported containers while the same rotate with said rotor.

8. A combination as in claim 7 wherein said tables are supported on said rotor radially inwardly from said chain to extend radially outwardly to overlie said chain.

9. A combination as in claim 7, wherein said `tables are supported radially inwardly on said rotor from said chain and overlie said chain with the pitch circle of said sprocket substantially bisecting the supporting surfaces of said tables.

10. A combination as in claim 6, in which said pusher members propel said containers onto and off of said tables while remaining in contact with the containers throughout the period that the latter rest on said tables and rotate with said rotor, said pusher members cooperating with means on said rotor to center said containers on said tables while the latter are in elevated and depressed positions.

FRANK W. KRUEGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the filc of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 798,244 Wilmore Aug. 29, 1905 1,036,778 Baker Aug. 27, 1912 1,043,066 Chilton Nov. 5, 1912 1,434,415 Taylor Nov. 7, 1922 1,860,720 Norgaard May 31, 1932 2,077,647 Stokes et al. Apr. 20, 1937 2,193,113 Podel Mar. 12, 1940

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