Patent GB-980963-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to can handling
Inventor: RAINBOW GEORGE HENRY
IPC: A23L3/00
Filed: 1962-09-27
Abstract: 980,963. Can handling. METAL BOX CO. Ltd. Aug. 16, 1963 [Sept. 27, 1962], No. 36771/62. Heading A2D. [Also in Division E2] A retort crate, Fig. 5, for cans 7 has a crate spindle 1 connectable at one end with a driving spindle (not shown), a base plate 2, Fig. 6, a flange 5 rotatable with the crate spindle for determining the lowermost position of the base plate when the crate spindle is vertical, and a number of can separator plates 6 which are each provided with a peripheral flange 10 extending from the underside of the plate towards the base plate and are applicable in succession to the other end of the crate spindle. The crate spindle is of rectangular, preferably square, cross-section, and the base plate and can separator plates have bosses 4, 9, of like cross-section permitting rotation with and sliding movement along the spindle. The crate spindle has apertures 21 whereby when the loaded crate is housed in a retort, steam can pass from the spindle between the cans loaded on the crate. During the loading and emptying of the crate, the lifting hook 12 is replaced by a separator plate magazine 13, Fig. 14, held in position on the pin 11 of the crate by a retaining pawl 69. Rotation of a handle 17 causes a sprung pawl 16, Fig. 3, to release the lowermost separator plate 6 on to the spindle and in the ensuing contra-rotation of the handle the next succeeding separator plate is released by a catch 15 for axial movement into engagement with the pawl. Alternatively, the handle depresses a rod upon which release cams 62, 62a, Fig. 15, are mounted, and pairs of pawls 16 and of catches 15 are actuated against springs 66, 65 respectively, by cam followers (not shown). In loading or emptying a crate, the crate spindle and its associated base plate and separator plates held by the magazine, are rotated by a vertical shaft 22, Fig. 7, while a support 25 for the base plate, loaded cans and separator plates is raised or lowered by a hydraulic motor 34 into positions in which the base plate or a separator plate (as appropriate) is in a can dispensing position. The spindle 1 is retained in proper relation with spindle 22 by either a latch 44 engaging a peripheral groove in the spindle 1 or a sprung, pivoted latch, Fig. 20 (not shown), urged against the flange 5. Cans may be guided on to the base plate or a separator plate by fixed tangential guides in cooperation with a stationary arcuate deflector, Fig. 10 (not shown), or by a guide channel 36, Fig. 8, pivoted at 40 and normally urged towards the crate spindle by a spring 42. The cans may be emptied off the base plate and separator plates either by the deflector 48a of Fig. 19, which is rockable about its pivot 73 by a link 74 connected to the piston rod 75 of an hydraulic cylinder 76, or by a deflector 48, Fig. 12, fitted with a sweeper bar 50 and mounted on rollers 51 running along a fixed guide 52; cans deposited on the dead plate 49 are moved by succeeding cans on to a conveyer 53 and are jostled into single row formation by a flexible guide rail 56 attached by springs 57 to a bar 58 rocked by a rotatable eccentric device 60.