Apparatus for grouping of packages

An apparatus for grouping packages, composed of a horizontal delivery device for conveying individual packages in sequence, and a vertical conveyor device disposed for receiving the individual packages from the horizontal delivery device, conveying the individual packages vertically and arranging the individual packages in groups for transfer to a horizontal output device. The vertical conveyor device is composed of two parallel-extending endless belts and a plurality of parallel rows of brushes carried by each belt and disposed for engaging each individual package received by the vertical conveyor device from below and supporting each individual package as it is being conveyed vertically.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to an apparatus for grouping of block-shaped 
packages, in particular apparatus having horizontal transfer belts 
followed by a vertical conveyor device from which the groups of packages 
are transferred to a horizontal output belt. 
Packages intended for sale, such as blockshaped cardboard packages filled 
with a product, must often be combined into groups by the product 
manufacturer, so that they can be shipped and later stored; the packages 
in each group are then held together by suitable additional packaging 
means, for instance by sleeve-like cardboard bands or coverings of 
shrink-wrap film. The problem, in terms of the packaging technology, is 
accordingly to combine the packages, which as a rule arrive singly, into 
groups of packages; that is, a given number of packages must be stacked on 
or adjacent one another. 
In known apparatuses, this is accomplished by delivering the individual 
packages successively to a vertical conveyor apparatus, which stacks the 
individual packages on one another. When the desired number of packages in 
a package group is attained, the group of packages is then taken by this 
vertical conveyor apparatus to output belts or similar devices for further 
processing, for instance for being banded together. 
Vertical conveyor apparatuses of this type comprise a drum, for example, 
with receiving devices on its circumference, which receive the packages at 
the top of the drum and group them at a lower level. These conveyor 
apparatuses are structurally complicated, and the number of packages that 
can be grouped together per unit of time is limited. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a structurally simple 
conveyor apparatus, with which the conveying speed and thus the number of 
packages that can be grouped per unit of time can be increased. 
The above and other objects are achieved, according to the invention, by an 
apparatus for grouping packages, comprising: horizontal delivery means for 
conveying individual packages in sequence; and vertical conveyor means 
disposed for receiving the individual packages from the horizontal 
delivery means, conveying the individual packages vertically and arranging 
the individual packages in groups for transfer to a horizontal output 
device, wherein the vertical conveyor means comprise two 
parallel-extending endless belts and a plurality of parallel rows of 
brushes carried by each belt and disposed for engaging each individual 
package received by the vertical conveyor means from below and supporting 
each individual package as it is being conveyed vertically. 
Further features of the invention will be described below. 
One exemplary embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention will 
now be described in further detail with reference to the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The vertical conveyor apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-3 comprises two continuous 
brush belts 30, 31 traveling parallel to one another, the belts delimiting 
a conveyor chute in which the packages 50 are held by rows of brushes 40 
carried by belts 30 and 31 and are transported downwardly. The conveyor 
chute is formed by the belt reaches which face one another and brushes 40 
are mounted such that, in the region of the conveyor chute, the brushes 40 
on each belt face the other belt. Brush belts 30, 31 are guided at their 
upper and lower ends over corresponding rollers 30A, 30B and 31A, 31B, 
respectively, and belts 30 and 31 are driven in synchronism via a drive 
chain 37 by a motor 38. Drive chain 37 engages one roller of each belt and 
is guided by suitable rollers, e.g. deflection rollers, not shown in 
detail, such that rollers 30A, 30B, 31A and 31B all rotate at the same 
speed and belts 30 and 31 advance at the same speed. 
As shown in FIG. 3, brush belts 30, 31 have, on the outer surfaces, brushes 
40A, . . . 40E and 41A, . . . , 42A . . . and so forth, disposed 
equidistantly from one another in rows and columns. The spacing between 
the two brush belts 30 and 31 is adjustable, and this spacing is adjusted 
so that the lateral spacing L between each package 50 to be conveyed and 
each belt 30,31 is sufficiently shorter than the length T of the brushes 
to assure that the intrinsic elasticity or retaining force of one 
horizontal row of brushes (in FIG. 3, the brush row 40D, 41D, 42D, . . . 
), together with the intrinsic elasticity or retaining force of the 
opposed brush row on the other belt, will enable those two rows of brushes 
to support the weight of a package 50. On the other hand, the brushes are 
made elastic enough that the "trapped" brushes, i.e. those which contact 
the sides of a package 50, (in FIG. 3, these are the brushes in rows B and 
C) can deflect laterally. 
Thus the brush row D in FIG. 3, in its entirety, virtually forms a 
supporting bottom for the package 50, while, in contrast, the laterally 
deflected brushes in rows B and C exert a certain centering effect, 
keeping the spacing L of the package 50 from the two lateral brush belts 
approximately the same. 
Reverting to FIG. 1, an upper transfer belt 10A and a lower transfer belt 
10B are disposed at the upper end of brush belts 30, 31, and between 
transfer belts 10A and 10B, the packages 50 can be delivered to the brush 
conveyors horizontally at high speed; the chute formed by brush belts 30 
and 31 can be provided, in the region facing transfer belts 10A, 10B, with 
suitable stop devices (not shown) in order to put the packages 50 into a 
defined horizontal position. 
Located at the lower end of the chute formed by brush belts 30, 31 is a 
bottom plate 32, which is at the same level as the upper reach of a lower 
output belt 20B, which in turn serves to carry away the package groups 60, 
formed of a predetermined number of packages 50. An upper output belt 20A, 
which is adjustable in height, bears upon the carried-away package groups 
60 and keeps the packages 50 together in each group 60 until the 
aforementioned additional packaging apparatuses, for example for banding 
each group 60, can assure that each package group will stay together as a 
unit. 
At the side of the brush belts 30, 31 located opposite the two output belts 
20A, 20B, a pusher 33 is provided, which is insertable horizontally by a 
drive unit 33A, for example a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder, into the 
lower region of the chute formed by brush belts 30 and 31, to such a depth 
that the package groups 60 that have been formed are engaged by the two 
following output belts 20A and 20B and carried onward. 
Light barriers are provided for controlling the various processes. One 
light barrier 34, disposed directly above bottom plate 32, checks whether 
a package 50 is resting on bottom plate 32. A further light barrier 35, 
which is adjustable in height, checks whether the desired stack height, 
and hence the desired number of packages 50 forming one package group 60, 
has been attained, and controls drive unit 33A of pusher 33. 
Finally, at approximately the midpoint of the height of the two brush belts 
30 and 31, a further light barrier 36 is provided, which stops the motor 
38 (and if necessary the drive for transfer belts 10A, 10B) in the event 
of a malfunction, and in particular if there is a backup of packages in 
the conveyor chute. 
The described apparatus functions as follows: 
The packages 50 conveyed in succession by transfer belts 10A, 10B are 
"shot" into the entry region of the chute formed by brush belts 30, 31, 
where, as described above, each successive package comes to rest on one of 
the horizontal brush rows of each belt 30,31 and is conveyed downwardly in 
the chute. Packages 50 are then deposited successively on top of one 
another on bottom plate 32, until the desired stack height and hence the 
desired number of packages 50 forming one package group 60 has been 
attained. Light barrier 35, which is adjusted to this height, reports this 
condition to drive unit 33A of pusher 33, whereupon pusher 33 is extended 
into the chute and pushes the completed package group 60 onto output belt 
20B. 
Depending on the conveyor speed, it may be necessary to interrupt the 
conveying operation until such time as pusher 33 has been returned to its 
original position. However, it is also possible to utilize the 
horizontally extending upper portion of pusher 33 as an "intermediate 
bottom plate" for temporary storage of the packages 50 conveyed from 
above, which packages will subsequently be set down together, pre-grouped 
as it were, onto bottom plate 32 once pusher 33 has been retracted again. 
It will be appreciated that in order for light barriers 35 and 36 to 
perform their intended functions, each must be associated with suitable 
time monitoring circuitry to distinguish between short duration light beam 
interruptions resulting from passage of each individual package during 
normal operations and longer duration interruptions indicating the 
condition to be sensed. 
While the description above shows particular embodiments of the present 
invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made 
without departing from the spirit thereof. The pending claims are intended 
to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit 
of the present invention. 
The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore to be considered in all 
respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention 
being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing 
description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of 
equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.