SHUFFLE FEEDER FOR SINGULATING ARTICLES

Abstract: A shuffle feeder (10) of the type having interleaved flight members (29, 30, 37, 38, 46, 47) which are driven in alternative reciprocating motion to progress articles (16) resting thereon in a forward direction and in alignment and single-file order along pathways formed by divider strips (57, 58) which serve also to support the flight members. The feeder (10) includes a first shuffle feeder section (11) specifically adapted to align the articles in bulk form followed by a second shuffle feed section (12) specifically adapted to bulk singulate into lanes the already aligned articles. From the second section (12) a discharge section (14) receives the lanes of bulk aligned articles and advances the articles in single file order to a discharge chute (66).

Description: Description Shuffle Feeder For Singulating Articles Technical Field This invention relates to shuffle feeders of the type that align elongated articles and arrange the articles in advancing rows so they can be packaged or further processed. Background Art In shuffle feeders, elongated articles are received in bulk random form and progressed along the leading edges of shuffle flights for alignment along the same axis. Additionally some shuffle feeders are adapted to both align and feed the articles in single-file order, usually for the purpose of depositing the articles onto a conveyor in a predetermined spaced relationship. In designing previous shuffle feeders it has long been recognized that the distance between shuffle feed members of the same flight must be greater than the length of the article being aligned. In other words the article being aligned must be shorter than the distance between adjacent shuffle feed members of the same flight. The reason for this design criteria is that the article can bridge across the span between members of the same flight and remain in that position instead of being turned to extend normal to the direction of movement so as to be advanced along the shuffle feeder. If the article is too short to bridge the gap between adjacent shuffle feed members of the same set, then such action cannot take place. However in order to make the flights such that the spacing between adjacent flight members is longer than the article length, the flight stroke i.e., the distance the flight members are reciprocated, must be lengthened OMPI ( thereby slowing the speed of actuation of the shuffle feeder. Naturally this slowing effect is greater the longer the article being aligned. As a result there has been a definite limit on the speed at which shuffle feeders can advance and align articles. Previous shuffle feeders also were limited in width because of the necessity for structural * rigidity in the shuffle feed members. If such width limitations were not present, the slower acting feeders could in some cases have been made satisfactory by making them wider. However, the necessity for interleaving the flight members requires close tolerances therebetween. Thus only flight members of limited length could be used heretofore because of the tendency to flex and sag. In accordance with the present invention a fast-acting shuffle feeder is provided by dividing the aligning and singulating functions of the feeder serially along the path of the article. Additionally a structure is pro¬ vided having improved rigidity such that a much wider feeder can be made without encountering the difficulties of sagging or deflection of the flight members. Disclosure of Invention A shuffle feed apparatus for aligning and singulating elongated articles comprising a first shuffle feed section for receiving the articles in bulk random form 'with this first section acting only to align the articles. Subsequent sections are provided for receiving and singu¬ lating the aligned articles first in bulk form and then in singular form along predetermined pathways. The divider strips forming the singulating pathways serve the secondary purpose of providing a rigid flight structure allowing for wider shuffle feeders capable of handling larger quantities of articles. Brief Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is a side view of a shuffle feed apparatus embodying the present invention; FIG. 2 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing a portion of the shuffle feed flights; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shuffle feed flights shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 shows the discharge end of the shuffle feed apparatus for depositing the articles onto the conveyor; and FIG. 6 is a top view of the structure shown in FIG. 5. Description of the Invention Shown in the drawings is a shuffle feed apparatus 10 comprising a receiving section 11, an intermediate section 12 and a discharge section 14. These shuffle feed sections are supported on a single frame 15 and serve to receive breadsticks 16 or other types of elongated articles in bulk form for the purpose of align- ment and singulation so that the sticks can be deposited into pockets 17 formed by a conveyor 18 riding through a channel 19 formed in the transfer member 20. The con¬ veyor 18 is driven by the shaft 21 rotated by a chain 22 acting through a sprocket 24. The transfer member serves to transport the breadsticks to a subsequent machine (not shown) for packaging. In this instance the breadsticks are loaded three at a time into the channel and pushed along by the conveyor for packaging. The receiving section 11 of the shuffle feed apparatus comprises a first pair of side frame members 25 and a second pair of side frame members 26. The side frame members 25 are suspended on the supporting links 27 while the side frame members 26 are suspended by the supporting links 28. Such supports maintain the side frame members in parallel relationship for back and forth reciprocating action. Connecting the side frame members 25 are a set of first flight members 29 extending in parallel spaced relationship. Similarly a second set of shuffle feed members 30 connect the side frames 26. These shuffle feed members are interleaved so as to form a shuffle feed structure. For driving the shuffle feed side frame members, a pair of drive links 31 and 32 are connected to respective eccentrics 34 and 35 which are rotated by a shaft 36. This shaft is rotated by a drive motor (not shown) such that the pairs of side frame members are caused to move in a reciprocating motion in alternating directions for movement of the shuffle feed members in the manner well- known in the art. A more complete description of the operation of such a shuffle feed apparatus can be obtained by reference to U.S. Patent 3,543,928, entitled: Shuffle Feed Sizing Mechanism and issued on December 1, 1970, with Chester Green as inventor and assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. A second or intermediate shuffle feed structure 12 is formed by the side frame extensions 25A and 26A. These side frame members move in unison with the sup¬ porting side frame members 25 and 26 and support there- between second and third shufϊle feed flights comprising shuffle feed members 37 and 38. The discharge shuffle feed section 14 comprises pairs of side frame members 40 and 41. The side frame member 40 is supported by a pair of pivotal support rods 44 fixed to each side while the side frame members 41 are supported by a pair of pivotal support rods 45 mounted on each side. These rods are pivotally connected to the frame 15 such that the side frame members can be moved in reciprocating or swinging motion. Connecting these pairs of side frame members are shuffle feed O PI r meiribers 46 and 47 which interleave to form a shuffle feed structure in the manner previously described. This discharge shuffle feed section is driven by the drive rods 49 and 50 connecting with eccentrics 51 and 52 supported and driven by the shaft 54. The shaft 54 is turned by the sprocket 55 driven by the drive motor 56 acting through the drive chain 53. In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus is provided for both aligning and singu- lating elongated articles in a quick and efficient manner. To accomplish this purpose, the receiving shuffle feed section 11 is made for bulk alignment of the articles, the intermediate section 12 maintains the articles in alignment and separates the bulk articles along predetermined lanes, and the discharge section 14 singulates the articles into single-file order along predetermined lanes. Thus the receiving shuffle feed section in being slower in operation to prevent bridging serves only to advance the articles in bulk form for alignment, the intermediate section advances the articles in bulk form while shifting the articles into lanes and the faster acting shorter stroke discharge section serves to singulate the aligned articles while acceler¬ ating the movement of the articles to accommodate the bulk feeding rates of the preceding receiving and inter¬ mediate feed sections. The intermediate section 12 thus is constructed to be driven by the same drive mechanism and side frames as the receiving section 11 but is offset vertically downward so as to facilitate the lengthwise shifting of the articles into lanes. Thus the intermediate section includes lane dividers 57 which include beveled knife-edge tops extending above the shuffle feed flights to deflect the elongated articles into one of the parallel extending lanes formed by these dividers. OMPI Λ. WIPO → . The articles are progressed in bulk since the thickness of the flight members will accommodate a plurality of articles as in the first or receiving section 11. The discharge section 14 comprises the fifth and sixth interleaved flights and incorporates a multi¬ plicity of lane dividers 58. These flights are of a thickness to progress the articles one at a time, therefore the articles in addition to being aligned and formed into lanes are now singulated. A separate drive assembly is provided for this discharge section serving to drive the flights at a greater speed. As with the intermediate section, the articles are received in aligned form and therefore bridging is not a factor. As a result, this flight stroke can be reduced to a length less than the length of the articles. The reduction in stroke allows the shuffle feeder to operate on a shorter stroke and progress the product at a faster velocity as is necessary since the intermediate section feeds the aligned articles in bulk and along lanes to the discharge section. In this manner, the shuffle feeder comprising the receiving, intermediate and dis¬ charge sections is capable of handling a greater bulk of product than prior feeders erf similar size while aligning and singulating the articles in an effective manner. In accordance with another feature of the invention the lane dividers 57 and 58 shown in FIG. 2 are used not only to divide the feeder into the individual lanes for singulating the articles, but also for strengthening the flight so as to make a more rigid structure. In the past, the width of such shuffle feeders has been limited by the beam strength of the flight members. Thus in handling smaller diameter articles in which the flight members must be of a thinner cross-section, the length of the flight members has been limited thereby reducing the throughput of the overall feeder apparatus. OMP - As shown in FIG. 3, flight members 37 are supported between the side frame members 25A and the flight members 38 are supported between the side frame exten¬ sions 26A. The lane dividers 57 are fixed to the flight members 38 by bolts 59 extending up through the flight members and threaded into the adjacent lane divider. The lane dividers include a slotted portion 60 to provide room for movement of the adjacent flight members 37. The flight member 38 can also include a slot 61 to inter- lock with the lane divider. Thus each lane divider 57 serves to lock together and stiffen the flight members 38. An additional strengthening member 64 is also fixed to the flight members 37 from the underneath side of the flight as βhown in FIGS. 3 and 4. These strengthening members are fixed in position by passing bolts 65 through openings in the flight member and into this strengthening member. It has been found that utilization of lane dividers of this design especially has increased the beam strength of the flight members to prevent sag and de¬ flexion thereby allowing for smooth acting and wider shuffle feed apparatus without the previous disadvantages of interference between the "flight members due to rubbing and contact between adjacent members. Frequently it is desired to group the product or articles for packaging. In the instance shown it is desired to load three breadsticks 16 into each pocket of the conveyor 17 for transportation to a packaging apparatus (not shown) . For this purpose there is provided at the receiving end of the discharge section 14 a loading device comprising a fixed guide 66 and a movable guide 67 which together form a pocket 68 into which the breadsticks can fall from the discharge section. The guide 67 is pivotally mounted on a pin or shaft 69 so that the bottom pivots in the direction OMPI of the arrow 70. Normally the guide member is in the position shown in FIG. 5 because of the drive linkage 71 being spring-loaded by a spring 72 maintaining this drive linkage to the left position in the housing 74. Connected to the end of the link 71 is a cam follower 75 which rides against a cam 76. The cam 76 is driven by a gear 77 meshing with a second gear 78 rotating on the shaft 79. This shaft is driven by the chain 80 extending around the sprocket 81 and a sprocket 82 driven by the chain 84 shown in FIG. 1. The cam 76 is driven at a ratio of three to one relative to the speed of the sprocket 81 since for every three advances of the discharge section of the shuffle feeder it is desired to open the guide 67 and allow three breadsticks to drop into the pocket 19 of the conveyor 17. Of course the driving of the conveyor is timed such that the conveyor pushing members are spaced to each side of the bread¬ sticks so that they drop into an empty pocket. Thus in the manner shown there is provided a shuffle feed structure for aligning and singulating elongated articles and having a greater throughput due to the separating of the alignment and singulating functions in the shuffle feeder. Additionally the use of the lane divider strips in strengthening the flight members allows for wider shuffle feed structures which also increases the potential throughput of the apparatus. OMPI ' ii ' O

Claims: Claims 1. A shuffle feed apparatus for aligning and progressing articles comprising: a pair of first side frame members positioned in spaced parallel relationship; a plurality of first shuffle feed members connected between said first side frame members in spaced parallel relationship for movement in unison there¬ with; a pair of second side frame members with one positioned adjacent to and parallel to each first side frame member; a plurality of second shuffle feed members connected between said second side frame members in spaced parallel relationship for movement in unison between said first shuffle feed members; drive means connected to said first and second frame members for effecting alternate parallel reciprocating motion of said shuffle feed members to provide a valley-to-valley progressing action for articles supported on the feed members; characterized by including at least one dividing strip fixed to said first shuffle feed members at a position intermediate said first side frame members to strengthen said first shuffle feed members while forming parallel pathways along said shuffle feed members to align said articles in single file order. 2. A shuffle feed apparatus as defined in Claim 1 including a strengthening member fixed to the second shuffle feed members at a position intermediate said second side frame members. OMPI 3. A shuffle feed apparatus for feeding articles in aligned single-file order, comprising: a first shuffle feed structure comprising first and second flights of shuffle feed members in spaced parallel and interleaved relationship; means to support and effect alternate parallel reciprocating motion of said first and second flights of shuffle feed members to advance articles supported thereon; a second shuffle feed structure comprising third and fourth flights of shuffle feed members in spaced parallel and interleaved relationship; means to support and effect alternate parallel re¬ ciprocating motion of said third and fourth flights of shuffle feed members to advance articles supported thereon; said second shuffle feed structure being positioned to receive aligned articles from said first shuffle feed structure; . said second shuffle feed structure being divided into parallel paths separated by divider strips so as to guide said aligned articles received into single file order; a third shuffle feed structure comprising fifth and sixth flights of shuffle feed members in spaced parallel and an interleaved relationship; said third shuffle feed structure being divided into parallel paths separated by divider strips so as to guide said aligned articles received from the second shuffle feed structure along predetermined lanes; characterized by said shuffle feed members of said first, second, third and fourth flights being of sufficient thickness to advance a plurality of arti¬ cles simultaneously while said shuffle feed members of said fifth and sixth flights are of a thickness .OMPI to advance said articles one at a time; and means driving said third shuffle feed structure to effect faster reciprocating action of said fifth and sixth flights than the flights of said first 5 and second shuffle feed structures whereby said articles emerge from said shuffle feed apparatus in aligned single file order. 4. A shuffle feed structure as defined in Claim 3 wherein the distance between adjacent flight members 10 of the first and second flights is greater than the length of the articles. 5. A shuffle feed structure as defined in Claim 3 wherein said divider strips are fixed to shuffle feed members of the same flights to strengthen said 15 flights. 6. The method of aligning and singulating articles having an elongated axis, comprising the steps of: feeding the articles in bulk form into a first shuffle feed apparatus for aligning all the articles 20 to extend with the elongated axis normal to the direction of advancement while advancing the articles along a predetermined path in bulk form; feeding the articles to a second shuffle feed appa¬ ratus for advancing and " maintaining the articles with 25 the elongated axis normal to the direction of advance¬ ment while advancing the articles along a plurality of predetermined paths in bulk form with each said path being slightly wider than the length of the articles; and 30 characterized by feeding the articles to a third shuffle feed apparatus for advancing the articles along predetermined paths being slightly wider than the length of the articles and for advancing the articles singularly so the articles are in an aligned ' 35 and singulated attitude when discharged from the OMPI »._„ IPO third shuffle feed apparatus. 7. The method as defined in Claim 6 wherein the articles are advanced by the third shuffle feed structure at a higher speed than are the first and second shuffle feed structures.

Inventors: CRAWFORD L
Applicants: CRAWFORD L, MAGNUSON ENG INC
Application year: 1980
Main classification: B65G25
IPC codes: B65G25, B65G47