Apparatus for orienting articles having an enlarged end

An apparatus for orienting randomly arranged articles having an enlarged end, such as large caliber ammunition or the like, so that all of the articles are facing in the same direction. The apparatus senses the direction in which the articles are facing and passes all of the articles facing one direction, while inverting the articles facing in the opposite direction so that all of the articles discharged from the apparatus are facing in the same direction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates generally to article handling apparatus and 
is embodied particularly in an apparatus for orienting randomly arranged 
articles having an enlarged end, such as large caliber rounds of 
ammunition, which are normally supplied to the apparatus with their 
longitudinal axes in generally parallel relationship. The apparatus 
determines the direction in which the articles are facing and inverts all 
of the articles facing in one direction so that all of the articles which 
are discharged from the apparatus are facing in the same direction. 
In one embodiment of the invention the articles are placed in openings on a 
rotary table having a plurality of rotating disks which are selectively 
rotated when an article carried thereby is facing in one direction so that 
all of the articles are discharged from the same discharge station, and in 
another embodiment the articles facing in one direction are discharged 
from a first discharge station, while the articles facing in the other 
direction are charged from a second discharge station. Additionally 
apparatus is provided for removing packing material or dunnage from the 
articles after the articles have been discharged from the orienting 
apparatus. 
It is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus for orienting 
randomly arranged tapered articles or articles having an enlarged end, 
such as ammunition or the like, so that all of the articles are facing in 
the same direction with their longitudinal axes being in generally 
parallel relationship with each other. 
Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for orienting 
randomly arranged articles having an enlarged end which includes a 
rotating table having a plurality of rotatable disks which are selectively 
rotated depending upon the direction in which the articles carried thereby 
are facing so that the articles are discharged from the apparatus at a 
discharge station with all of the articles facing in the same direction. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for orienting 
randomly arranged articles having an enlarged end in which the articles 
facing in one direction are discharged at a first discharge station and 
articles facing in the opposite direction are discharged from a second 
discharge station located substantially diametrically opposite the first 
discharge station, and the first and second discharge stations are joined 
to each other so that all of the articles being discharged from the 
apparatus are facing in the same direction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With continued reference to the drawings, a plurality of articles 20 having 
an enlarged end, such as relatively large tapered round of ammunition 
having a caliber of approximately 20 mm to 40 mm, normally are transported 
in an ammunition box 21 having a removable cover or lid 22. Each of the 
rounds of ammunition includes a casing which is circular in cross-section 
and has a projectile extending outwardly from one end. The projectile is 
smaller in cross-section than the casing so that the overall configuration 
is tapered from a large end to a small end. Ordinarily when large rounds 
of ammunition are being transported, a protective or dunnage sleeve 23 is 
placed over the projectile, however, the outer diameter of such sleeve is 
smaller than the butt end of the casing of the round so that the overall 
configuration remains tapered from end to end. Ordinarily the articles or 
rounds of ammunition 20 are packed in alternate directions with the 
longitudinal axes being generally parallel with each other in such a 
manner that the small end of one article is located contiguous to the 
large ends of adjacent articles. By alternating the facing directions, a 
plurality of relatively straight layers or tiers may be stacked within the 
box 21. 
Usually when the rounds are removed from the box 21 and placed in a ready 
armament system, such rounds are removed one at a time after which the 
dunnage sleeve 23 is manually removed and the round is manually placed 
within an ammunition belt of conventional construction with the 
projectiles all facing in the same direction. Due to the increased fire 
power of military aircraft, the weapons which use the rounds of ammunition 
are capable of firing up to 4,000 rounds per minute and therefore the 
armament system of the aircraft has been enlarged to receive a large 
number of rounds. After a substantial number of rounds have been fired and 
the aircraft returns to its base for refueling and rearming, it is 
desirable to rearm the aircraft as rapidly as possible and in order to do 
this the manual removing of the protective sleeve and orienting the rounds 
are objectionable due to the time required. 
The apparatus of the present invention is adapted to receive boxes filled 
with rounds of ammunition or other articles having an enlarged end in 
which a portion of the articles are facing in one direction, while other 
articles are facing in the opposite direction and the longitudinal axes of 
such articles are generally parallel with each other. The articles are 
discharged from the box or container into a hopper from which they are 
randomly removed one at a time and are fed to an orienting table where the 
articles which are facing in one direction are moved to a discharge 
station, while the articles facing in the opposite direction are inverted 
before they are discharged so that all of the articles are facing in the 
same direction. 
With particular reference to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the apparatus of the 
present invention is illustrated for use with the orienting of rounds of 
ammunition, however, it is noted that the orienting portion of the 
apparatus could be used for other articles. The boxes or containers 21 
which are filled with rounds of ammunition are transported to an 
ammunition depot or the like where such boxes are placed on conveyor 24 
with the cover or lid 22 uppermost. The conveyor 24 is of conventional 
construction and the boxes may be moved along the same by gravity or the 
conveyor may be selectively driven. The conveyor 24 moves the boxes one at 
a time to a position adjacent to an inverting mechanism 25 after which the 
cover or lid 22 is removed from the box. If desired a selectively operated 
stop (not shown) could be located adjacent to the end of the conveyor to 
stop the box in a fixed position until the cover is removed. 
After the cover has been removed, the box is moved from the conveyor 24 
into a receptacle 26 having a frame 27 on which first and second plates 28 
and 29, respectively, are mounted. One end of the frame is open to receive 
the box 21, while the other end may be provided with a rotatable latch 30 
to retain the box within the receptacle. The receptacle 26 is connected by 
pivots 31 to the upper end of a support or stand 32 with the receptacle 
being located on one side of the support, while a counterweight 33 is 
attached to the receptacle 26 and extends to the opposite side of the 
support. When a box has been inserted into the receptacle, the receptacle 
is rotated about the pivots 31 to the opposite side of the support 32 in 
which position the receptacle engages a stop plate 34 forming a part of a 
hopper 35. 
When the receptacle is rotated about the pivots 31, the box 21 is inverted 
so that the open side of the box and the rounds of ammunition or other 
articles carried within such box are supported by the first plate 28. In 
this position the latch 30 is rotated to open position and the box is 
moved lengthwise from the receptacle 26 to a position overlying the hopper 
35 so that the articles contained in the box are discharged into the 
hopper. The hopper includes a pair of supporting guide tracks 36 (only one 
of which is shown) to facilitate movement of the box 21 to a position 
above the hopper so that the shells are discharged into the hopper. 
The hopper includes a pair of inclined walls 38 the lower ends of which are 
connected to arcuate walls 39 defining a chamber in which a drum 40 is 
rotatably mounted. The drum 40 includes a plurality of longitudinally 
extending grooves 41 around its periphery and each of such grooves is of a 
size to receive one of the articles 20 which are located within the hopper 
35. The drum 40 is fixed to a shaft 42 which is driven in any desired 
manner (not shown) so that the articles are individually removed from the 
hopper. A chute or magazine 43, of a length to receive several rounds of 
ammunition in stacked relationship, is located below the drum 40 so that 
articles located within the grooves of the drum fall by gravity into the 
magazine 43 as the drum rotates past such magazine. 
The bottom of the magazine 43 is open and is disposed closely adjacent to 
an orienting table 44 including a fixed lower plate 45 and a rotatable 
upper plate 46. The upper plate 46 is spaced above the lower plate 45 a 
relatively short distance and is supported thereon by a plurality of 
rollers 47 (FIG. 5) which may be mounted in any desired manner, such as by 
brackets 48. As illustrated, the upper plate 46 is rotated by a drive 
shaft 49 which in turn is driven by any convenient source of power (not 
shown). However, it is contemplated that the upper plate 46 could be 
driven in any other conventional manner, such as gearing, belts or the 
like. 
The upper plate 46 is provided with a plurality of bores 50 located on a 
bolt circle near the outer periphery of the upper plate and each of such 
bores is connected to a counterbore 51 by a shoulder 52. A rotatable disk 
53 having a reduced neck 54 is rotatably supported by the shoulder 52 with 
the neck located in the bore 50 and the disk located in the counterbore 
51. A spur gear 55 having interrupted peripheral teeth 56 is secured to 
the neck 54 and such gear is of a diameter larger than the bore 50 so that 
the disk and neck cannot move vertically. As illustrated best in FIG. 2, 
the spur gear 55 has a pair of opposed peripheral flat portions 57 which 
have a radius slightly less than the radius of the root circle of the gear 
teeth 56 and such flat portions usually are disposed generally normal to a 
radial line on the upper plate 46 which extends through the center of the 
rotatable disk 53. In order to retain the gear 55 in this position, the 
neck 54 is provided with a pair of diametrically disposed recesses 58 
(FIG. 4) one of which receives a detent pin 59 slidably mounted in a 
recess 60 which extends inwardly from the periphery of the upper plate 46. 
A spring or other resilient member 61 normally urges the detent pin 59 
into engagement with the neck 54 and into the recesses 58. 
With particular reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, a segmental gear 64 having 
outwardly disposed teeth 65 is mounted on the lower plate 45 in any 
desired manner, as by screws or the like, and such segmental gear is 
positioned so that the teeth 65 selectively mesh with the teeth 56 of the 
spur gear 55 and cause the disk 53 to be rotated substantially 
180.degree.. The disk 53, neck 54 and gear 55 are provided with an axial 
slot 66 of a size to receive a round of ammunition or other article. As 
shown best in FIG. 6, the round of ammunition rests on the lower plate 45 
and the butt end of the round extends above the upper plate 46, while the 
smaller end of the round is disposed within the slot 66. A sensor or 
contact finger 67 is mounted on a fixed support 68 and is in closely 
spaced relationship with the upper plate 46. At least a portion of the 
sensor is located in a position to overlie one end of the slot 66 so as to 
engage the butt end of the round of ammunition 20 when such butt end is 
disposed radially inwardly of the slot 66. 
As the upper plate 46 rotates, the inwardly disposed butt end of the round 
of ammunition 20 engages the sensor 67 and causes initial rotation of the 
disk 53 and spur gear 55 so that upon continued rotation of the upper 
plate 46 the teeth 56 of the spur gear mesh with the teeth 65 of the 
segmental gear 64 and cause the disk 53, neck 54 and spur gear 55 to 
rotate substantially 180.degree. until the flat portion 57 of the opposite 
side of the spur gear is in facing relationship with the teeth of the 
segmental gear 64. In this position the detent pin 59 enters the recess 58 
and holds the gear 55 against further rotation since the teeth 56 no 
longer mesh with the teeth 65 of the segmental gear. 
It is apparent that a projectile within the slot 66 which is facing in the 
direction opposite that of FIG. 6 will not be rotated since the dunnage or 
protective sleeve 23 is located below the upper surface of the upper plate 
46 and will not engage the sensor 67. Since the flat portion 57 of the 
spur gear 55 is facing the segmental gear 64, the gear teeth do not mesh 
and no rotation occurs. 
At some point after the spur gear 55 has passed the segmental gear 64, a 
radially disposed discharge slot 69 of approximately the same size as the 
slot 66 extends through the fixed lower plate 45 of the orienting table 
and communicates with a chute or magazine 70 (FIG. 8), which preferably is 
of a length to accommodate several articles or rounds of ammunition. At 
this time all of the rounds of ammunition are facing in the same direction 
and are discharged one at a time onto article carrying elements 71 of a 
conveyor 72. Each of the elements 71 is provided with an arcuate wedge 
(not shown) of a size to receive the extractor groove of the round of 
ammunition 20 to substantially prevent axial movement of the round on the 
conveyor 72. The conveyor moves the rounds of ammunition away from the 
orienting table 44 to a dunnage removal apparatus 73. 
With particular reference to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, the dunnage removal 
apparatus 73 includes a base member 74 mounted on the fixed frame of the 
orienting table 44 or the fixed structure in any desired manner, as by 
bolts or the like. A rocker arm 75 is pivotally mounted intermediate its 
ends to the base member 74 by a bolt 76 which functions as a pivot and the 
rocker arm is spaced from the base member 74 by a sleeve or spacer 77. A 
bolt 78 is attached to the rocker arm 75 adjacent the front end thereof 
and such bolt functions as an axle for a temple roll 79 of conventional 
construction. A spacer 80 is disposed between the rocker arm 75 and one 
end of the temple roll 79 to locate the temple roll in a position to 
engage the dunnage or protective sleeve 23 of the round of ammunition or 
other article 20. 
The temple roll 79 includes a plurality of disks 81 each of which is 
provided with a multiplicity of radially disposed outwardly extending 
piercing points. As shown best in FIG. 11, each of the disks 81 is 
disposed at an angle less than 90.degree. to the axis of the bolt 78 and 
is freely rotatably mounted thereon. The temple roll disks 81 are 
positioned so that the upstream edge is closer to the rocker arm 75 than 
the downstream edge for a purpose which will be described later. 
The opposite end of the rocker arm 75 is connected by a spring or other 
resilient member 82 to a post 83 carried by the base member 74 to urge the 
temple roll 79 downwardly into engagement with the dunnage 23. In order to 
limit downward movement of the temple roll, a stop 84 is carried by the 
rocker arm and is positioned to engage the base member 74 when the temple 
roll is in the desired lowermost position. Preferably a plurality of 
rocker arms 75 are mounted in spaced relationship to each other on the 
base member 74 so that the dunnage or protective sleeve 23 will 
sequentially engage several temple rolls. 
As the conveyor 72 moves the articles along, the dunnage (which normally is 
a cardboard or other relatively soft cylinder) engages the piercing points 
on the disks 81 of the first temple roll and causes such disks to rotate 
as the articles pass under the temple roll. The piercing points of the 
disks penetrate the dunnage and since the temple roll disks 81 are at an 
angle to the longitudinal axis of the temple roll, as well as at an angle 
to the direction of movement of the rounds of ammunition and the dunnage 
carried thereby, the penetrating points force the dunnage sleeve away from 
frictional gripping engagement with the article or round of ammunition 20 
for a short distance until the dunnage sleeve disengages itself from the 
piercing points. Thereafter the dunnage sleeve engages the second and 
sequential temple rolls and is moved further away from the casing of the 
ammunition. 
After the dunnage sleeve has been loosened and moved partially away from 
the casing of the round of ammunition, the inner end of the dunnage 
engages a cam 85 which is curved away from the casing of the ammunition so 
that continued movement of the conveyor 72 causes the cam 85 to completely 
remove the dunnage sleeve from the round of ammunition. Thereafter the 
conveyor 72 carries the rounds of ammunition to any desired location. 
With particular reference to FIGS. 12-16, another embodiment of the 
orienting apparatus is provided and includes an orienting table 90 having 
a fixed lower plate 91 and a rotatable upper plate 92 which is driven in 
any desired manner, as by a drive shaft 49. The upper plate 92 is provided 
with a plurality of spaced radial slots 93 located adjacent to the 
periphery of the upper plate and each of such slots is of a size to 
receive a round of ammunition or other article 20 from the magazine 43. As 
in the previous embodiment, the butt end of the round of ammunition or 
other article extends above the upper surface of the upper plate 92, while 
the dunnage sleeve 23 is located below such upper surface. Adjacent to the 
magazine 43, the lower plate 91 is provided with a first discharge opening 
94 which communicates with a chute 95 leading to a discharge magazine 70. 
A second discharge opening 96 is provided in the lower plate 91 in a 
position substantially opposite the first discharge opening 94. The second 
discharge opening communicates with a chut 97 which leads to the first 
chute 95 just prior to the magazine 70 so that rounds of ammunition 
passing through the second chute are discharged into the first chute or if 
desired the second chute could discharge rounds of ammunition or other 
articles 20 directly into the discharge magazine 70. 
In order to orient the articles, the first discharge opening 94 normally is 
covered by a trapdoor 98 which is rotatably mounted about the drive shaft 
49. A spring or other resilient member 99 has one end connected to the 
trapdoor 98 and the opposite end is connected to a post 100 carried by the 
lower plate 91 in a position to urge the trapdoor 98 against a stop 101 
located adjacent to the leading edge of the first discharge opening 94. 
The trapdoor 98 includes a sensor or contact finger 102 which extends 
upwardly and inwardly to a position overlying the upper plate 92. 
When a round of ammunition is placed in one of the slots 93 with the butt 
end outermost, as illustrated in the upper portion of FIG. 14, rotation of 
the upper plate 92 causes the round of ammunition to roll along the fixed 
lower plate 91 until the butt end of the ammunition engages the sensor 
102. Since the butt end cannot pass under the sensor, the round of 
ammunition forces the trapdoor 98 to swing as the round of ammunition is 
moved by the upper plate 92 to expose the first discharge opening 94 and 
permit the round of ammunition to fall by gravity therethrough. As soon as 
the article falls through the first discharge opening 94, the spring 99 
returns the trapdoor 98 to a position against the stop 101 to close the 
first discharge opening. 
If the article is located within the slot 93 with the butt end innermost, 
as illustrated on the left in FIG. 14, the smaller end of the article 
passes under the sensor 102 and rolls across the trapdoor 98. The article 
remains within the slot 93 until it reaches the second discharge opening 
96 at the opposite side of the orienting table at which time the article 
falls by gravity through the second discharge opening into the chute 97 
and slides into the magazine 70. It is noted that the rotation of the 
upper plate 92 is timed so that an article sliding down the second chute 
97 does not fall on top of an article being discharged through the first 
chute 95 from the first discharge opening. 
In the operation of the device, a box 21 containing a plurality of articles 
having an enlarged end, such as rounds of ammunition, are fed into the 
inverting mechanism 25 where the box is inverted so that the open top is 
lowermost after which the box is moved to a position overlying the hopper 
35 to discharge the articles into the hopper. Articles are removed from 
the hopper one at a time by the drum 40 and are discharged into the 
magazine 43. Within the magazine the articles are supported by the upper 
surface of the upper plate 46 or 92 until such articles are discharged one 
at a time into the slots 66 or 93 whch extend through the upper plate. The 
sensor 67 or 102 senses the direction in which the article is facing and 
cooperates with the rotary plate to cause all of the articles to face in 
the same direction when the articles are discharged from the orienting 
table through a discharge chute 70, 94 or 96. 
In the first embodiment the cooperation between the sensor and the rotating 
upper plate causes a disk in the upper plate to be partially rotated so 
that the gear teeth 56 engage the teeth 65 of the segmental gear 64 to 
rotate the article 180.degree. when the article is facing one direction. 
If the article is facing in the opposite direction, no rotation occurs and 
therefore all of the articles are facing in the same direction at the time 
that they are discharged through the discharge slot 69. 
In the second embodiment, articles which are facing in one direction are 
sensed by the sensor 102 immediately after leaving the magazine 43 and 
rotation of the upper plate causes the article to open the trapdoor 98 and 
discharge the article through the first discharge chute 95 to the magazine 
70. When the article is facing in the opposite direction, the sensor does 
not open the trapdoor and the rotating table carries the article around to 
the opposite side of the orienting table where the article is discharged 
through the second discharge opening 96 and chute 97 so that the article 
falls by gravity into the magazine 70. 
From the magazine 70 the articles are placed one at a time into the 
conveyor elements 71 so that the conveyor 72 carries the articles or 
rounds of ammunition to a dunnage removal apparatus 73 which automatically 
removes the dunnage therefrom as the conveyor 72 moves the ammunition 
along a relatively straight path of travel.