Patent ID: 6688456
Filing Date: 2004-02-10
Classification: B65G

Abstract:
A container handling and alignment apparatus, comprising:a conveyor for supporting and moving containers from a first location to a second location downstream from said first location; means for guiding supported at an elevation above said conveyor to guide the containers in single file along each of a plurality of side-by-side lanes in a direction from said first location toward said second location; a container reorienting apparatus disposed between said first and second locations, said container reorienting apparatus comprising a frame, a pair of modular units mounted on said frame for each of said respective lanes, each of said modular units having a power driven member mounted thereon whereby each pair of said modular units provide at least one power driven respective first and second pair of counter-rotatable members spaced apart from one another in a direction transverse to the lane associated therewith and located adjacent respectively opposite sides thereof, said counter rotatable members being at an elevation above said upper surface of the conveyor at a position whereby they engage respectively selected opposite side portions of said containers while said containers move a preselected distance along their respective paths; variable speed means for driving connected respectively to said first and second counter-rotatable members of the respective pairs; and said container reorienting apparatus frame has a central open portion and means attaching respectively opposite ends of the respective modular units to said frame with the rotatable member associated therewith located at a lower elevation than said frame.