Patent ID: 9604790
Date: 2017-03-28
CPC Classifications: B65G

Claim:
1. A device for singulation of used beverage containers received in bulk into individual objects, where the used beverage containers have different shapes and sizes including a first size and a second size, which second size is larger than the first size, the device comprising: a rotating surface adapted to receive a plurality of said containers and distribute them towards its periphery; a conveyor at least partly encircling said rotating surface and adapted to receive said used beverage containers from said rotating surface and transport them away from the rotating surface, the conveyor having an inner edge, an outer edge and a supporting surface which extends between the inner and outer edges; and an outer wall along the outer edge of the conveyor at least along the part of the conveyor that encircles the rotating surface, whereby the conveyor is arranged between the outer wall and the rotating surface; wherein said conveyor gradually ascends such that it is lower than or substantially at the same level as the rotating surface in a first section, allowing said used beverage containers to leave the rotating surface and enter the conveyor in the first section, and such that it is at a higher level than the rotating surface in a second section, a peripheral barrier is arranged along the periphery of said rotating surface to prevent the used beverage containers from leaving the rotating surface in said second section; and said conveyor in at least a part of said second section is made so narrow that said containers are only able to remain on the conveyor if they are transported one by one and aligned with the direction of movement on the conveyor, and that otherwise they will fall back onto the rotating surface or onto or a conveyor leading back to the rotating surface, wherein a guiding device is attached to the outer wall above the conveyor in said second section above the conveyor, and has a guiding edge adapted to force objects that are standing on the conveyor inwards toward the rotating surface until they fall off the conveyor, wherein a distance between the guiding edge of the guiding device and the supporting surface of the conveyor increases in the intended direction of movement of the conveyor, the increase being between 0.1 and 40 degrees, the distance being measured along an axis that is substantially perpendicular to the width of the conveyor and to the intended direction of movement of the conveyor.