Patent GB-1366721-A (GB)
Title: Article separating and dispensing apparatus
IPC: B65G47/14
Filed: 1971-11-11
Abstract: 1366721 Article separating and dispensing apparatus H LIST 11 Nov 1971 [12 Nov 1970] 52445/71 Addition to 1288584 Heading B8C Apparatus for lining up, counting, and metered dispensing of tablets, pills, capsules, and the like similarly-shaped articles for pharmaceutical purposes comprises a drum 63 which is rotatable about a horizontal axis and which has, on its outer face, rows parallel to the drum axis of article receiving compartments 68, in which, on leaving a charging device 6 the articles place themselves automatically with the aid of article aligning guide surfaces situated above the compartments 68 and having inclined upper longitudinal edges, and from which they are discharged in rows during dispensing at a discharge station, the guide surfaces for aligning the articles being formed on a separate forming grating 6 which does not rotate with the drum 63. As shown, in Figs. 1, 2, tablets 61 are fed from a charging device, Fig. 19, to the separate forming grating 6 which extends over the upward moving quadrant of the drum 63, consists of separate annular quadrants 65 spaced by transverse struts 66, is preferably made of plastics, and is pivoted at 69 to a stationary support, a detent 7, pivoted to its bottom end, having two dogs 71, 72 which ride over the cross pins 74 of the drum to vibrate the forming grating 6, the upward movement of which is limited by a stop screw 75. The upper edges of the annular quadrants 65 have one or, as shown two, tablet guiding-surfaces. The arcuate wall 76, Fig. 4, which covers the interior of the upper portion of the drum is bevelled adjacent the upper end of the grating 6 to peel back tablets reaching the wall 76. The bevel may be replaced by a separate pivoted lug (77), Fig. 5, not shown, or, by a rotary brush 78. A roller 80, Fig. 11, with projections removes the articles from the rows of compartments 68 past a counting contact 81 which operates a counting device 82 and into one of the aligned compartments of a dispensing drum 98. The latter can be controlled by the counting device 82, by counting pins 84 located on the drum, or it may be driven electrically. Jars 100 are located beneath the drum 98 to each receive a predetermined number of tablets 99. The counting pins 84 project from one end of the drum 63 and shift a counting wheel 85 one increment as they pass. If, during photoelectric checking, tablets are missing from a row of drum compartments 68 the corresponding pin 84 is pushed back into the drum by an electro-magnet (86), Fig. 18, not shown, and an ejection device is operated to discharge the incomplete row. A switch point (87), Figs. 14-16 not shown, which is adjustable relative to the counting pins 84 and which is mounted in their path shifts those pins 84 which have been retracted back into their operative positions. The inside wall 76 for the drum 63, the forming grating 62, and the roller 80 are connected to the charging device 101, Fig. 19, so that they can be removed as a single unit from the drum along a slide rail for easy replacement of components when it is desired to dispense differently sized, and shaped, articles. The drum (63) can be formed of a plurality of cylindrical segments (103) joined by end rings (165), Fig. 21 not shown, and it may be covered from above by transparent shells. The tablets are maintained at the desired level on the forming grating by two sub-adjacent light barriers (122, 123) ,Fig. 27 not shown, which regulate the supply of articles. As shown in Fig. 28 the drum 63 is releasably connected to circular tracks 125, 126 supported by rollers 124 and driven by chain gear 129 the track 125 being displaceable by adjusting a threaded spindle 132. Alternatively the drum can be driven by V-belts. To accommodate receptacles 100 of different size the drum mechanism is adjustable in height relative to a support table for the articles.