Apparatus and method for filling a bin

Disclosed is a method and apparatus for loading a bin with articles such as fruit. The apparatus has a filling conveyor pivotable between a position within the bin to be filled and the top of the bin. The discharge end of the filling conveyor is maintained at an offset distance from the contents of the bin. The filling conveyor carries a plurality of resilient flaps pivotally mounted at one end thereof to the filling conveyor for movement therewith. The flaps successively carry rows of the articles along an upper run from a take-up end to a discharge end, at which end the articles are dropped off of the flap. A second flap, moving along a lower run in a direction opposite to the upper run, gently catches the dropped articles, and deposits the articles in the bin. Subsequent flaps moving along the lower run then sweep the deposited articles away from the drop location and toward to other end of the bin, allowing the articles to pile up at that end. The process is repeated until the bin is filled, a sensor detecting this condition causing the flow of articles to stop, and trigger the replacement of the now full bin with an empty bin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to the field of container filling. More 
particularly, the invention pertains to methods and apparatus for bulk 
filling a dry bin with articles such as fruit and the like such that the 
articles are not bruised or damaged during the filling process. 
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
The are many examples of methods and apparatus for filling bins and 
containers. Most of these employ a conventional conveyor system, having a 
conveyor belt driven thereon, to advance the articles toward the bin. To 
decrease damage to the articles, and to make more efficient use of the 
space in the bin, the articles are commonly directed into the bin using a 
chute. 
In some of the previous apparatus the chute can be moved into the bin, to 
decrease the distance that the articles must fall. As the bin fills, the 
chute is moved to maintain the outlet of the chute relatively above the 
level of the articles collected in the bin. Alternatively, the bin may be 
moved to accomplish the same ends. This often entails pivoting the bin 
toward the chute, so that the articles pile up against a side wall of the 
bin. As the level of articles collected approaches the top of the bin, the 
bin is pivoted back towards its normal upright position. 
In some apparatus both the chute and the bin are moved. Each may be pivoted 
to achieve a layered effect in the bin. This lessens damage to the 
articles and provides for a more efficient use of the space within the 
bin. 
Other examples eliminate the chute, and direct the conventional conveyor 
belt into the bin. The bin is usually pivoted toward the conveyor to 
decrease the distance the articles must fall. Additionally, the conveyor 
may be translated into the bin. The bin may be raised or lowered to 
achieve a stacking arrangement of articles in the bin. 
There is a demonstrated need in the field of container and bin packing, 
especially in the fruit industry for a method and apparatus which permits 
articles such as fruit to be gently layered into the container or bin so 
as to prevent damage to the articles. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a method and apparatus for loading a bin 
with articles such as fruit. 
The apparatus has a filling conveyor with an uptake end and a discharge 
end. The filling conveyor is pivotable between a first position where the 
discharge end is within the bin and a second position where the discharge 
end is disposed above the top of the bin. During operation, the discharge 
end of the filling conveyor is maintained at an offset distance from the 
articles collected in the bin. The filling conveyor is moved about a first 
and a second axis spaced from, and substantially parallel to the first 
axis. An upper run and a lower run are defined between the first and 
second axes, the upper run spaced relatively above the lower run. 
The filling conveyor carries a plurality of resilient flaps pivotally 
mounted at one end thereof to the filling conveyor for movement therewith. 
The flaps are successively moved through a series of locations and 
oriented in a series of positions associated with the location of the flap 
to deliver the article to the bin, gently dispense the articles therein, 
and sweep the article into a stack of such articles collected within the 
bin. 
As each flap approaches a pickup location the flap engages a support 
surface which causes the flap to pivot into an article receiving position. 
A row of articles are fed onto the flap at the pickup location. The 
article is transported down, into the bin, as the flap moves along the 
upper run. The flap becomes disengaged from the support surface proximate 
a drop location. Without the support of the support surface the flap 
pivots, under the influence of gravity, into an article dropping position 
which causes the article to drop off of the flap. The flap is then pivoted 
into an article receiving position as it approaches a catch location, for 
catching a previously dropped article. As the flap carrying the caught 
article contacts previously dispensed articles, it is drawn out from 
between the article it is carrying and the previously deposited articles, 
whereby the carried article is gently slid off the flap and deposited into 
the pile of previously dispensed articles. The flaps sweep the previously 
dispensed articles toward one end of the bin as the flaps move along the 
lower run. 
Preferably, the flaps are used to successively carry rows of the articles 
along an upper run and into the bin, at which point the row of articles 
are dropped off of the flap. Another flap, moving along a lower run in a 
direction opposite to the upper run, gently catches the row of dropped 
articles, and deposits the row into the bin. Subsequent flaps moving along 
the lower run then sweep the deposited articles away from the drop 
location and toward to other end of the bin, allowing the articles to pile 
up at that end. The process is repeated until the bin is filled, a sensor 
detecting this condition causing the flow of articles to stop, and trigger 
the replacement of the now full bin with an empty bin.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
With reference to FIGS. 1-4, the preferred embodiment of the bin filler 10 
has a base frame 12 to which a feeding conveyor 14 is fixed and to which a 
filling conveyor 16 is pivotally mounted for movement into and out of the 
bin 20 to be filled. 
The feeding conveyor 14 is a conventional conveyor belt mechanism. The 
feeding conveyor 14 has a feeding conveyor frame 22 which supports an 
endless feeding conveyor belt 24 such that a portion of the feeding 
conveyor belt 24 forms a substantially horizontal surface for carrying 
articles 26 thereon. The feeding conveyor 14 has a receiving end 28 and a 
delivering end 30. The feeding conveyor 14 transports articles 26, such as 
fruit, from a source of the articles 26, such as a hopper, truck or 
another conveyor system (not shown), to the filling conveyor 16. The 
feeding conveyor 14 is preferably of substantially the same width as the 
filling conveyor 16 so an entire row of articles 28 may be loaded onto the 
filling conveyor 16 at one time. 
With continuing reference to FIGS. 1-4, the filling conveyor 16 has a 
filling conveyor frame 31 which includes a pair of laterally spaced frame 
arms 32, 34. The filling conveyor frame 31 is pivotally mounted proximate 
a take-up end 36 thereof to the base frame 12. A discharge end 38 is 
defined longitudinally opposed from the take-up end 36. The distance 
between the frame arms 32, 34 is determined by the width of the bin 20 to 
be filled. Preferably the outside surfaces 40, 42 of each of the frame 
arms 32, 34 respectively, will be adjacent a side wall 44, 46 
respectively, of the bin 20 when the filling conveyor 16 is pivoted into 
the bin 20. This will permit the filling conveyor 16 to deposit an entire 
row of articles 28 into the bin 20 at the same time. 
With reference to FIG. 5, at least one flexible endless member is mounted 
to the filling conveyor frame 31 for repetitive movement with respect 
thereto. In the preferred embodiment, a first and second drive belts 50, 
52 serve as the endless members. Each drive belt 50, 52 is mounted 
adjacent a respective frame arm 32, 34 for movement along an upper run 54 
from a pickup location 56 proximate the take-up end 36 to a drop location 
58 proximate the discharge end 38, then about a first axis 60 proximate 
the discharge end 38, along a lower run 62 from a catch location 64 
proximate the discharge end 38, past a depositing location 66, and toward 
the take-up end 36, and then about a second axis 68 proximate the take-up 
end 36. In the preferred embodiment, the drive belts 50, 52 are 
implemented as chain type members in driving engagement with a drive 
sprocket 70 (not shown), the drive sprocket 70 being turned by a drive 
means such as an electric motor 72. Alternatively, relatively smooth 
surfaced belts in friction engagement with the drive means, or toothed 
belts in meshing engagement with the drive means may be used. Any other 
conventional mechanism for driving a conveyor system may be successfully 
employed. 
With further reference to FIG. 5, a plurality of rigid support rods 74 are 
fixed between the respective drive belts 50, 52 for movement therewith. 
The support rods 74 are evenly distributed about the circumference of the 
drive belts 50, 52. The support rods 74 are preferably composed of steel, 
or stainless steel. In applications such as loading fruit the size of 
apples, a spacing between adjacent support rods 74 of approximately 61/4 
inches has been found to be suitable. 
With reference to FIGS. 1-4, and particular reference to FIG. 6, a flap 76 
is pivotally mounted to each of the support rods 74 for movement 
therewith. The flaps 76 are preferably rectangular in shape and have a 
front surface 78 and a rear surface 80 opposed to the front surface 78. A 
padded sleeve 82 is formed at one end of the flap 76, having a diameter 
greater than the diameter of the support rods 74. The remainder of the 
flap 76 forms the tail 84 thereof. The padded sleeve 82 is received about 
the support rod 74 for pivotally mounting the flap 76 thereto. The flaps 
76 are preferably made from a resilient material. Rubber coated cloth has 
been found to be a suitable material for making the flaps 76. The flaps 76 
should be slightly longer than the distance between adjacent support rods 
74 and should extend completely across the filling conveyor 16 from the 
inside surface 73 of one frame arm 32 to the inside surface 75 of the 
other frame arm 34. In the preferred embodiment the flaps 76 are 
approximately 61/2 inches in length and inches wide. 
With reference to FIG. 7, support surface 86 is fixed between the frame 
arms 32, 34 for supporting the flaps 76 in an article receiving position 
88. The support surface 86 is formed of a plate, preferably of steel or 
stainless steel. Opposed side edges 90, 92 of the support surface 86 are 
fixed to the inside surfaces 73, 75 of the respective frame arms 32, 34 
beneath the upper run 54 of the respective drive belts 50, 52. In the 
article receiving position 88 the tail 84 of the flap 76 is substantially 
parallel to, and displaced slightly below the upper run 54. Since the 
padded sleeve 82 of the flap 76 travels along the upper run 54, a slight 
concavity 94 is formed with respect to the rear surface 80 of the flap 76. 
The padded sleeve 82 and the support rod 74 form a barrier preventing the 
articles 26 from falling off of the flap 76 toward the discharge end 38 
while the flap 76 travels between the pickup location 56 and the drop 
location 58. The concavity 94 formed in the flap 76 prevents the articles 
26 from falling off the flaps 76 toward the take-up end 36 of the filling 
conveyor 16. 
The support surface 86 extends from before the pickup location 56 to just 
short of the drop location 58 on the upper run 54. This causes the flaps 
76 to be pivoted into the article receiving position 88 in time for 
receiving the articles 26 thereupon, and pivoted back, under the influence 
of gravity, into an article dropping position 96 in time to drop the 
article 26 at the drop location 58. 
With reference to FIG. 8, a cover 98 may be provided above the flaps 76 
along the upper run 54 from proximate the pickup location 56 to proximate 
the drop location 58. The cover 98 prevents the articles 26 from being 
jostled about, and from falling off the filling conveyor 16. Stainless 
steel sheeting has been found to be suitable material for the cover 98. 
With general reference to FIGS. 1-4, and particular reference to FIG. 9a 
and FIG. 9b, an actuator 100 is provided for pivotally moving the 
discharge end 38 of the filling conveyor 16 between a position proximate 
the bottom 102 of the bin 20 and a position spaced relatively above the 
top 104 of the bin 20. The actuator 100 may be implemented as a 
conventional hydraulic actuator, or a conventional screw type actuator. 
The actuator 100 is mounted to the frame at some point preferably spaced 
from the take-up end 36 thereof, or at the take-up end 36. 
With continuing reference to FIGS. 1-4, and particularly to FIG. 9a and 
FIG. 9b, in the preferred embodiment, the actuator 100 is incrementally 
driven to maintain an offset distance between the lower run 62 and the 
level of articles 26 collected in the bin 20. While other methods, such as 
detecting the number of articles 26 deposited into the bin 20 may be used, 
detecting the offset distance has been found to be more precise. The 
offset detector 106 is implemented as a rod 108 pivotally mounted between 
the frame arms 32, 34. A plate 110 extending between the inside surfaces 
73, 75 of the respective frame arms 32, 34 has an edge 112 fixed to the 
rod 108. The opposite edge 114 of the plate 110 is disposed slightly above 
the lower run 62 such that the plate 110 will contact any articles 26 
being carried by the flaps 76, yet will not be contacted by the flaps 76 
or support rods 74 themselves. Preferably the plate 110 is padded to 
prevent damage to the articles 26 from contact therewith. Contact with an 
article 26 causes the plate 110 and rod 108 to pivot which closes a 
normally open first microswitch 116. The closed switch condition causes 
the actuator 100 to pivot the filling conveyor 16 upward by some 
predefined increment in the conventional and well known manner. 
With particular reference to FIGS. 2-4, a bin conveyor 120 is provided for 
positioning empty bins 20 beneath the filling conveyor 16, and removing 
the bins 20 once they are filled with articles 26. A bin filled sensor 122 
is provided on the base frame 12 for detecting the filled condition and 
triggering the bin conveyor 120. The bin filled sensor 122 is implemented 
as a second microswitch 124, triggered by a triggering flange 126 on one 
of the frame arms 32, 34. The bin filled sensor 122 also causes an 
indicator light 128 to be lit each time the bin filled condition is 
detected. A bin position sensor 130 is provided for detecting the presence 
of a bin 20, and trigger the filling conveyor 16 to pivot downward into 
bin 20 whenever an empty bin 20 is received. 
With general reference to FIGS. 1-5 and particular reference to FIG. 7, in 
operation, a start switch 129 located on the control panel 131 is 
activated by the operator. The bin conveyor 120 positions an empty bin 20 
underneath the discharge end 38 of the filling conveyor 16. The bin 20 is 
detected by the bin position sensor 130 which triggers the actuator 100 to 
pivot the filling conveyor 16 downward, into the bin 20, so that the 
discharge end 38 thereof is proximate the bottom 102 of the bin 20. The 
feeding conveyor 14 and the filling conveyor 16 each being driven, the 
feeding conveyor 14 delivering articles 26 on the take-up end 36 of the 
filling conveyor 16. 
With continuing reference to FIGS. 1-5 and particular reference to FIG. 7, 
the description of the operation of the filling conveyor 16 will be 
discussed in terms of a representative first flap 132 and second flap 134. 
The other flaps 76 are simultaneously assuming positions associated with 
their respective locations 56, 58, 64, 66 which positions will be 
described in terms of the representative first and second flaps 132, 134. 
The first flap 132 is moved successively through a pickup location 54; a 
drop location 58; a catch location 64, and a depositing location 66. The 
catch location 64 is disposed relatively below the drop location 58, such 
that an article 26 dropped at the drop location 58 will intersect the 
catch location 64. 
As the first flap 132 approaches the pickup location 56, the front surface 
136 of the first flap 132 engages the support surface 86. This causes the 
first flap 132 to pivot into an article receiving position 88, the rear 
surface 138 of the first flap 132 disposed relatively above a front 
surface 136, the front and rear surfaces 136, 138 respectively, of the 
first flap 132 substantially parallel to the upper run 54. A row of 
articles 28 are placed by the feeding conveyor 14 onto the rear surface 
138 of the first flap 132. 
The first flap 132 remains in the article receiving position 88 between the 
pickup location 56 and the drop location 58. The first flap 132 comes out 
of contact with the support surface 86 at the drop location 58. The first 
flap 132 is permitted to pivot to a substantially vertical article 
dropping position 96 under the influence of gravity. This action causes 
the row of articles 28 to drop off of the first flap 132. 
The trajectory of the row of dropped articles 26 intersects with a catch 
location 64, spaced relatively below the drop location 58. As the row of 
articles 28 reach the catch location 64 the second flap 134 also reaches 
the catch location 64. Making the flaps 76 slightly longer than the space 
between adjacent support rods 74 ensures that a flap 76 will always be at 
the catch location 64 whenever the dropped articles 26 reaches that 
location 64. At this point the second flap 134 is on the lower run 62, 
which means the second flap 134 is moving in a direction opposite the 
direction it was moving on the upper run 54. The second flap 134 being 
free to pivot under the influence of gravity and its acceleration vector 
assumes an article catching position 64, in which its front surface 138 is 
above its rear surface 140. The dropped articles 26 come to rest on the 
front surface 138 of the second flap 134. 
As the second flap 134 continues along the lower run 62, the rear surface 
140 thereof eventually contacts either the bottom 102 of the bin 20 or 
articles 26 previously deposited 142 in the bin 20. The contact gives rise 
to two different actions. 
The continuing motion along the lower run 62 by the second flap 134 tends 
to sweep the previously deposited articles 142 toward an end of the bin 20 
away from the discharge end 38 of the filling conveyor 16. This sweeping 
motion creates a stack of deposited articles 142 arranged in rows 28 
across the width of the bin 20. The sweeping motion takes place between 
the catch location 64 and the end of the lower run 62. 
The contact with the previously deposited articles 142 also, tends to trap 
the second flap 134 between the row of articles 28 being carried on the 
front surface 138 of the second flap 134 and the previously deposited 
articles 142. This causes the second flap 134 to be drawn out from between 
the articles 26 being carried on the front surface 138 and the articles 
142 being contacted by the rear surface 140, causing the articles 26 
carried on the front surface 138 to be gently deposited from the second 
flap 134 and into the bin 20. This takes place in the depositing location 
66, an area between the catch location 64 and the end of the lower run 62. 
The flaps 76 are driven through the various locations 56, 58, 64, 66 and 
positions 88, 96, 98 successively. Each time an article 26 contacts the 
plate 110, the plate 110 and rod 108 pivot slightly, triggering the 
actuator 100 to raise the filling conveyor 16. When the bin 20 becomes 
full, the filling conveyor frame 30 reaches a level at which the 
triggering flange 126 operatively engages the second microswitch 124. The 
feeding conveyor 14 and filling conveyors 16 are then stopped, while the 
bin conveyor 120 removes the full bin 20 and replaces it with an empty bin 
20, at which point the process starts over. 
The distance between the upper and lower runs 54, 62 respectively, the 
length of the respective runs 54, 62, the space between adjacent support 
rods 74 and the speed at which the drive belts 50, 52 are driven may each 
be varied to achieve any desired results. Additionally, the pivoting 
motion of the filling conveyor 16 may be smooth rather than incremental if 
desired. 
In compliance with the statutes, the invention has been described in 
language more or less specific as to structural features and process 
steps. While this invention is susceptible to embodiment in different 
forms, the specification illustrates preferred embodiments of the 
invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be 
considered an exemplification of the principals of the invention, and the 
disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the particular 
embodiments described. Those with ordinary skill in the art will 
appreciate that other embodiments and variations of the invention are 
possible which employ the same inventive concepts as described above. 
Therefore, the invention is not to be limited except by the claims which 
follow.