Patent ID: 6227348
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
Method for separating a series of container bodies which are transported on a first conveyor means into at least two separate series of container bodies, in which at least one second conveyor means operated at substantially the same speed as the first conveyor means is made to pass close to the first conveyor means along a section of conveyor path and then to diverge therefrom, such that the conveying plane of one conveyor means does not coincide with the conveying plane of the other conveyor means at least in said section of conveyor path, and by means of a controllable application of force individual bodies are transferred from the first conveyor means to the second conveyor means, on which said bodies are held and are successively removed from the series by the divergence of the path of the second conveyor means from the first conveyor means, the first conveyor means being formed by a first conveyor belt extending in a straight line in the region of separation, characterized in that the bodies are held on the first conveyor belt by permanent magnets or mechanically, in that the second conveyor means is formed by a second conveyor belt behind which a plurality of electromagnets or permanent magnets are arranged one after the other in the conveying direction, and in that the electromagnets are actuated by a control unit so that the force tending to hold the bodies on the first conveyor belt is overcome or so that the bodies are transferred to the permanent magnets of the second conveyor belt by controlled application of mechanical force so that the holding force of the first conveyor belt is overcome, thereby causing individual bodies to be transferred to the second conveyor belt.