Egg orienting apparatus

Abstract: An egg orienting apparatus for orienting the smaller ends of eggs in a predetermined position. The eggs are supplied to the apparatus on rotating rollers (3) of a roller conveyor (2). At one of the reversing wheels (30) of the conveyor, means are arranged which enable an egg to be lifted relative to one of a pair of egg carrying rollers. According to the invention, at one of the reversing wheels (30) means are arranged consisting of pushing members (6) which can be moved faster than the conveyor (2). The pushing members are arranged approximately at the level of the reversing wheel. Further, lifting means (31) are arranged which release the egg (1) from one of a pair of rollers (3), so that the egg is enabled to rotate while being supported by the other carrying roller and the lifting means.

Description: This invention relates to an egg orienting apparatus in which the smaller ends of eggs are oriented in a predetermined position, the eggs being supplied to this apparatus on rotating rollers of a roller conveyor comprising reversing wheels at one of which means are arranged which enable an egg to be lifted relative to one of a pair of egg carrying rollers. Such an apparatus is for instance disclosed in U.S. Patent Specifications Nos. 3,370,692 and 4,750,316. These patent specifications show a conveyor, adjacent one end of which is arranged a mill comprising wings for cooperation with a resilient element arranged opposite therefrom, in such a manner that the wings of the mill allow the articles, such as eggs, to pass one by one, sliding along the oppositely arranged resilient element and subsequently falling into a receptacle or the like of known design, whence the eggs are conveyed further to a receiving element arranged therebelow. The preamble of claim 1 is based on the prior art according to US-A-3 370 692. A disadvantage of the known apparatuses is that a proper positioning of the eggs requires that the centre-to-centre distance between adjacent rows be considerable, taking into account the largest possible length of the articles to be processed, such as eggs in the present case. Further, a proper positioning of the eggs is not always ensured because an egg must find its own way. The object of the present invention is to remove these disadvantages. This object is attained by the apparatus according to claim 1. These pushing elements may be part of the wings of a mill or rotating discs which may or may not be flexible. In further elaboration of the invention, the eggs that have been oriented lengthwise on the top track of the conveyor can be transferred to spoon-shaped elements which convert the direction of movement of the products into a substantially vertical direction. In that case, the spoon-shaped elements can be part of the wings of a mill, which transfer the articles to a further, substantially vertically movable conveyor. In that case, the axis of rotation of the mill can coincide with the centre of one of the top reversing wheels of the vertical conveying means. According to another embodiment of the invention, the eggs that have been oriented lengthwise in the top track of the conveyor can be transferred via a chute to a second roller conveyor whose axis is laterally offset in the direction of movement relatively to the axis of the feed roller track, so that the eggs are received laterally of the axis on one of the ascending sidewalls of the rollers and are tilted on one side into the horizontal position. For guiding the eggs along the chute in a controlled manner, a mill can be mounted at the transition, the wings of the mill supporting the eggs in the chute. To clarify the invention, some embodiments of the egg orienting apparatus will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic longitudinal section of a part of an orienting apparatus according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken on line III-III of Fig. 1; Fig. 4a is a part of a side elevation similar to Fig. 1 during orientation of an egg; Fig. 4b is a view similar to Fig. 4A at a different time during orientation; Fig 5A is a top plan view and Fig. 5B is a longitudinal section of an embodiment comprising rotating discs; and Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of another embodiment of the egg orienting apparatus. Referring to the drawing, there is shown an egg orienting apparatus designed for conveying and orienting eggs, comprising a conveyor 2 fitted with rollers 3 which in a known manner have a concave shape such that the diameter thereof increases from the middle towards the periphery thereof. The conveyor 2 is passed over reversing wheels 30 of which one is shown in this case. Further, provided on the shafts for the rollers 3 are members comprising pinions which can cooperate with pinions arranged adjacent the top track of the conveyor 2, so that a continuous rotation of the rollers is ensured. Mounted adjacent the reversing wheel 30 on the shaft 32 thereof is a "star" 33. Provided at the free end of each arm of the star is a lifting member 31 adapted to lift each egg or other article that is being supplied by the rollers, and release it from the roller 3 in question. Arranged above the conveyor is a mill 4 having wings 5 with ends or pushing members 6 moving at a higher speed than the conveyor 2. In the embodiment shown, the mill comprises two wings 6 extending on opposite sides, each comprising ends 6. As will appear from the drawing (see Fig. 2 in particular), the wings of the mill 4 are so arranged that upon rotation thereof the smaller end of an incorrectly disposed egg will be pushed in the proper direction, its longitudinal axis oriented in the direction of transport. The rotation of the egg is facilitated by a raised, knife-edged portion 40 of the lifting member 31, as shown in particular in Fig. 3. An alternative design of such a knife-edged portion is shown in Figs 5A and 5B. Each egg will thus have its longitudinal axis oriented in the direction of travel of the conveyor, more particularly, its smaller end pointing in the direction of transport. In this way it is ensured that each egg will be in a predetermined position just before its transfer. Further, the apparatus is so designed that both large and small eggs can be processed with it, as can be clearly seen from Figs 3, 4A, and 4B. Downstream of and in alignment with the conveyor 2, a mill may be arranged comprising wings 7 and a mill shaft 8. The mill shaft 8 may also serve as a shaft for a reversing wheel (not shown) of a conveyor chain 9, the details of which are described in applicant's pending application EP-A-0 512 651 (published 11.11.92). This conveyor chain serves for further conveying articles such as eggs to a following processing station. Figs 5A and 5B show an embodiment in which the pushing means comprise rotating discs 42 which may be of flexible design and have cutaway parts 43 of segment shape or similar shape. Further, the rollers 3 are formed with a cylindrical middle portion 44 which during rotation thereof will move an egg in the direction of its smaller end. This cylindrical portion can be made of a material of a relatively low coefficient of friction relative to the surface of the egg. The embodiment shown in Fig. 6 is a construction of which the right-hand part essentially corresponds entirely with the construction described with reference to Figs 1-4 and will therefore not be described in detail here. By contrast, the left-hand part of the apparatus of Fig. 6 does not comprise a vertical conveyor as in the apparatus of Figs 1-5, but comprises a second conveyor, likewise extending substantially horizontally, carrying the eggs in oriented position, i.e., the longitudinal axis of the eggs is oriented transversely to the direction of transport and the smaller ends of the eggs all point to one side. To ensure that the eggs are disposed in a centered position on the rollers indicated at 34 and maintained in that position, each roller 34 comprises two small annular raised portions 37, 38. As the drive of the rollers and the various chains is effected in a known manner, the respective drive elements involved are not shown for the sake of clarity.

Claims: An egg orienting apparatus, comprising an endless roller conveyor (2) having two reversing wheels (30) each of the eggs (1) to be orientated being supported on a pair of consecutive rotatable rollers (3) of said conveyor (2) lifting means (31, 33) provided at the reversing wheel (30) located at delivery end of said conveyor (2), said lifting means (31, 33) being capable of lifting an egg (1) from one of a pair of egg supporting rollers (3) said lifting means (31) cooperating with egg guiding means (4-6), capable of turning the lengthwise axis of an egg (1) over about 90 degrees, characterized in that said egg guiding means (4-6) comprise egg pushing members (5, 6) consisting of two parallelly arranged rotatable wings (5) of a mill (4), the wings (5) being rotatable in the spaced apart travelling planes of the smaller end portions of the eggs (1) supported on said conveyor (2), the end portions (6) of said wings (5) being driven at a peripheral velocity which is greater than the travelling speed of said conveyor (2). An egg orienting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the rotatable wings (5) are made of a flexible material. An egg orienting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the lifting means (30, 31) comprise a knife-edged raised portion (40), extending between a pair of egg supporting rollers (3). An egg orienting apparatus as claimed in claim 1, the rotable rollers (3) of the conveyor (2) having a concave shape, the middle portion (44) of each roller (3) being substantially cylindrical, characterized in that said middle portion (44) has a low coefficient of friction relative to the shell of an egg to be oriented.

Inventors: ARENDS WILLEM CORNELIS MARIA, HESSELINK JOHAN HENDRIK, TEMMING LEONARDUS JOHANNES, ARENDS, WILLEM CORNELIS MARIA, HESSELINK, JOHAN HENDRIK, TEMMING, LEONARDUS JOHANNES
Applicants: FOOD PROCESSING SYSTEMS, FPS FOOD PROCESSING SYSTEMS B.V.
Application year: 1992
Main classification: B65B23
IPC codes: B65G47, B65B23