Patent ID: 6748983
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: B67C

Abstract:
A bottle conveyor system comprising:a chain having a horizontal stretch extending in a transport direction and carrying lower pins spaced apart in the direction and extending upward in the stretch; means for displacing the chain in steps through a station and for stopping the chain in the station; respective pairs of plates having vertically throughgoing holes each fitted to a respective one of the pins and confronting cutouts together forming seats shaped to fit complementarily around necks of bottles; a pair of supports in the station above the chain having respective downwardly projecting upper pins movable generally in the transport direction between a transfer position aligned with respective lower pins of the chain stopped in the station and a spread position; actuator means for raising the plates in the station in the transfer position of the upper pins and thereby sliding the holes of the plates in the station from the lower pins onto the upper pins; and means for spreading the supports and upper pins apart into the spread position when the plates are on the upper pins and thereby opening up the seat of the plates on the upper pins, whereby a bottle can be fitted to or taken out of the seat when it is thus opened up, and for closing the supports and upper pins together into the transfer position when the plates are on the upper pins to close the cutouts around a bottle positioned between them.