Multi-drop container discharge system

Abstract: A multi-drop container discharge system receives frangible containers (C) from carriers (12) of an articulating hydrostatic cooker (11) and discharges the containers into carriers (45) of an intermittently driven indexing conveyor (40). Free fall of the frangible containers is minimized by first delaying free-fall from the hydrostatic cooker carriers and thereafter preventing free-fall to the bottom of the truncated V-shaped carriers of an indexing conveyor.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for discharging a row of frangible containers from between outer adjacent clamping portions of cooperating carrier members mounted on a driven endless conveyor of a hydrostatic cooker at a transfer position to an unitary carrier of an intermittently driven indexing conveyor. Such an apparatus is known from US-A-2 910 211. In this known arrangement the feeding conveyor carries a plurality of transfer cradles. Each cradle passes the lower end of a magazine and receives a container from the bottom of a stack and carries it downwardly along a declining travel path from this magazine to the feeding conveyor. In this way a gentle settling movement of the entire stack is possible to obtain complete separation of individual articles from the stack without jarring, distorting or demaging these articles. EP-A-0 297 817 discloses a system for submitting glass bottles various operational steps. In particular this system is provided for spray coating glass bottles to obtain desired decorative finish and strength characteristics while permitting reduction of glass wall thickness. A container holding device includes a spindle and a chuck mounted thereon and moveable therewith. The chuck includes jaws arranged around the spindle and engageable by a cam on the spindle. The jaws support one or more resilient O-rings for applying resilient gripping and friction holding force to the interior surface of a container telescoped over the jaws. A container loading device driven by a conveyor chain and located at the input station loads the containers onto a chain conveyer with the container holding devices located on precise centers. The loading device includes a bottle stop and timing mechanism which releases the containers for loading on a rotating dead plate without jamming or breaking containers against guide rails. US-A-3 878 932 discloses a hydrostatic cooker for rows of containers which has a discharge loop for releasing processed containers and dropping them on a continuously running conveyor. An eccentrically mounted rotatable arrester bar cooperates with a discharge lip on the cooker shell to arrest and suspend a row of containers directly above the container. Then the arrester bar is turned 90° to release the containers and drop the row for free fall directly onto a discharge conveyor. The invention is characterized by the features indicated in claim 1. An arcuate, adjustable guide cooperates to control the release of the containers from the open hydrostatic cooker bars and also cooperates with the movement of an indexing conveyor for providing a gentle multi-drop system thus preventing damage and breakage of frangible containers. Figure 1 is a vertical section taken through a discharge portion of a hydrostatic cooker and the input portion of an indexing conveyor illustrating the operation of the multi-drop container discharge system. Figure 2 is a section of a portion of one of the carriers of the indexing conveyor looking in the direction of arrows 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a perspective of a portion of two carriers of the indexing conveyor, with parts cut away and other parts shown in section. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The apparatus of the present invention comprises an endless conveyor 10 (Fig. 1) of a hydrostatic cooker 11 (only a fragment being shown) such as that disclosed in the cross-referenced Lee Patent No. 3,286,619. Containers C such as glass jars, are supported in carriers 12 connected to a pair of endless chains 14 only one being shown) of the endless conveyor 10. The conveyor 10 is trained around small diameter discharge sprockets 18 (only one being shown) secured to a shaft 20 which is driven in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrow A. As indicated in Figures 1, 2 and 3, each carrier 12 has a wide generally U-shaped, inner portion 22 and a smaller U-shaped outer portion 24 that is connected to the inner portion 22 by a web 26 that is perforated by holes 28 to permit heating and cooling fluids to flow therethrough and control the cooking and thereafter cooling of the containers while within the hydrostatic cookers 11. Each carrier 12 (Figs. 2 and 3) is connected to two endless chains 14 (only one being shown) by L-shaped connectors 30 that are rigidly connected to associated links 32 of the chain 14. Similarly, both ends of each carrier are provided with end stops 34 which are welded to arms 36 and are bolted to the associated L-shaped connectors 30 into an end portion of the web 26 of the associated carrier 12. An indexing conveyor 40 (Fig. 1) includes a pair of intermittently driven endless chains 42 (only one being shown) trained around sprocket 43 keyed to a shaft 44 and having a plurality of truncated V-shaped carrier 45 secured thereto. The indexing conveyor 40 is intermittently driven in timed relation with conveyor 10 in the direction of arrow B by means not shown. An important feature of the invention is the use of a pair of arcuate support plates 46 (Fig 1) only one being shown, which includes a pair of arcuate mounting slots 48 for adjustably accepting connectors 50. An arcuate container guide member 52 extends in excess of the full width of the carriers 12 and includes an upper stiffening member 54 and a lower discharge timing plate 56 both of which extend the full width of the carrier 12. The discharge timing plate 56 is supported on the lower end of the arcuate support plates 46 in position to intercept and prevent free fall of each row of containers C', in turn, out of the carriers 12 of the endless conveyor 10. As illustrated in Figure 1, the distance between the lower end of the discharge timing plate 56 and the lower portion of the container supporting carrier 12 restricts the distance the row of containers C will free fall out of the associated carriers 12. After the carriers 12 have moved a distance to the left (Fig. 1) greater than the diameter of the container C, the row of containers C will drop free from the conveyor 10. A back-up bar 60 includes a container contacting surface 62, a bottom wall 64 and slotted side wall 66 (only one being shown) for receiving connectors 68 which secures the back-up bar 60 in adjusted position to the side walls of the hydrostatic cooker 11. As illustrated in Figure 1, the positioning of the back-up bar 60 is such that the row of containers C'' released from the conveyor 10 are initially captured between the container contacting surface 62 and a side wall 45' of a carrier 45 of the indexing conveyor 40 and remains in that position until the indexing conveyor moves the V-shaped carrier wall 45' away from the back-up bar 60 and moves another carrier 45 into position to gently receive the next row of containers. In operation, rows of frangible containers, such as glass baby food containers, are continuously conveyed through a hydrostatic cooker for sterilization and thereafter cooling of the containers C. When each row of containers in the carrier 12 of the continuously driven endless conveyor 10 move into their open position as illustrated in Figure 1, the row to be discharged first gravitates to positions supported between a downstream carrier 12 and the discharge timing plate 56. The discharge timing plate prevents release of the row of containers until the conveyor 10 moves to the left (Fig. 1) to allow the row of containers to pass between the discharge timing plate 56 and the downstream carrier 12. The row of containers C then gravitate into the position of the row of containers C'' (Fig. 1) at which time they are momentarily captured between the container contacting surface 62 and the side wall 45' of the truncated V-shaped carrier 45. The conveyor 40 then indexes the container receiving carrier 45 to the right (Fig. 1) away from the container contacting surface 62 of the back-up bar 60 at which time the row of containers drop a short distance fully into the carriers 45. From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the multi-drop container discharge system of the present invention includes a mechanism for preventing frangible containers from freely falling from a carrier of a first continuously driven conveyor, into a carrier of an intermittently driven conveyor by momentarily restricting the movement out of the first conveyor and momentarily restricting the movement of the containers fully into the second carriers on the second conveyor.

Claims: An apparatus for discharging a row of frangible containers (C) from between outer adjacent clamping portions (24, 24) of two cooperating carrier members (12, 12) mounted on a continuously driven endless conveyor (10) of a hydrostatic cooker (11) at a transfer position to a unitary carrier (45) of an intermittently driven indexing conveyor (40), characterized by a timing plate (56) connected to the cooker (11) at the transfer position for momentarily preventing free fall of the row of containers from the outer adjacent portions (24,24) of the two cooperating carriers (12,12), a back-up bar (60) connected to the cooker (11), said back-up being spaced from said timing plate (56) and having a container contacting surface (62) cooperating with an adjacently positioned first wall (45') of the unitary carrier (45) for catching the row of containers released from the timing plate (56) therebetween, and for preventing complete entry of the row of containers into the unitary carrier (45) until the intermittent movement of the indexing conveyor (40) moves the second wall of the unitary carrier (45) past said back-up bar (60) Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by a pair of arcuate support plates (46,46) an arcuate container guide member surrounding said endless conveyor at the transfer area (52) with an upper stiffening member (54), and said timing plate (56) which is supported by said arcuate support plates (46). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the back-up bar (60) includes a slotted side wall (66) with connectors (68) for securing the back-up bar (60) in an adjusted position to the side walls of the hydrostatic cooker (11), the back-up bar (60) cooperating with the first walls (45') of the carriers (45) mounted on the indexing conveyor (40) for momentarily terminating a gravitational movement of each row of frangible containers from said endless conveyor (10). Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that each carrier member (12) comprises generally U-shaped inner (22) and outer portions (24) which are connected by a web (26), and in that said web (26) is perforated by holes (28) to permit heating and cooling fluids to flow therethrough. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that both ends of each carrier member (12) are provided with end stops (34). Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the end stops (34) are welded to arms (36) and are bolted to associated connectors (30) into an end portion of the web (26) of the associated carried member.

Inventors: CODDE CHRISTOPHER L, CODDE, CHRISTOPHER L.
Applicants: FMC CORP, FMC CORPORATION
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: B65G17, A23L3