Patent GB-1463396-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for counting and packaging can ends
IPC: B65B35/18
Filed: 1974-03-22
Abstract: 1463396 Stacking and packing can ends FLEETWOOD SYSTEMS Inc 22 March 1974 [16 April 1973] 12955/74 Heading B8C Can end handling apparatus 10 capable of receiving a continuous stream of can ends and automatically counting and separating from said stream a stack of ends of a prescribed number posed in facewise stacked relation for delivery, e.g. to a packing station, comprises an elongate guide means 13 for receiving said can ends; a receiving station 11 proximate the forward end portion of said guide means, and including means for delivering can ends to said guide means in stacked facewise engagement; means 12 for advancing said can ends longitudinally of the guide means; monitoring means 14 responsive to said can ends and providing a count as to the number of can ends passing a predesignated location; and separator means 18, 21 operatively connected to said monitoring means and capable of isolating a counted stack of can ends from the continuous stream of can ends such that the downstream portions of the stack of can ends are disposed longitudinally of said separator means and the engaged counted stack. As shown, can ends, supplied end-to-end in a shoot 51, Fig. 4, are urged by an evacuating blower system 48, Fig. 1, in side-by-side stacked relationship into a receiving station 11 through which they are advanced by a pair of driven wheels 12, 12 to a monitoring station 14 which includes a counting mechanism comprising a pair of opposed notched wheels 53, 53, which co-operate with the can ends and separate them, the shaft 56 of one of the wheels carrying a counting wheel 103 which co-operates with a light beam detector 108, 109, Fig. 8, to pass pulses to a control circuit, not shown, the mechanism providing a gap 16, in the stream of can ends. Each can end is drawn across the gap 16 by the evacuating system 48 into a restacking chamber 46 the slight delay as the counted can ends pass the gap 16 enabling a separating arm 18, actuated by a motor 70, Fig. 3, controlled by the counting mechanism, to be pivoted downwardly behind the last of a counted stack of can ends. The latter are urged through the chamber 46 by a pair of wheels 52, 52, which, in conjunction with the wheels 12, 12, are driven by a motor 99 and a chain mechanism 97, Fig. 3, the wheels in each pair 12, 12 and 52, 52 being spring urged towards each other. As further can ends are drawn into the chamber 46 to build up a succeeding counted stack against the arm 18 the latter maintains the can ends, building up in front of it, erect in the chamber 46 as it is simultaneously urged, progressively rearwardly, by the oncoming can ends, against the action of a spring 68 on a carriage 21 upon which the arm 18, carried by a rod 63 and a pair of spring-urged arms 62, 62, Fig. 11, is pivotally mounted. After a desired number of can ends have been stacked in the chamber 46 an arm 75 on the rod 63 engages a switch 74 to energize a motor 30 which, by means of a chain 32, moves the carriage 21 rearwardly so that the arm 18 pushes the counted stack of can ends along the guide trough 13 towards the bagging station 28. The arm 18 remains pivoted downwardly in its operative position due to a cam wheel 72 which is connected to one of the spring-loaded arms 62 and which rolls along the upper surface of a horizontal cam track 73 and over a spring-loaded door 80 in the track 73, Fig. 15, to deposit the counted stack in a pivotally mounted end section 38 of the trough 13 and activate a switch 41. The latter causes the carriage 21 to return to its initial position ready to transport the can ends being formed in the succeeding stack, the roller 72 passing through the open door 80, Fig. 14, so that the arm 18 is returned to its inoperative, upper position. Simultaneously the trough section 38 is pivoted by an actuator 42, Fig. 1, to dump the counted can ends into an adjacent trough section 39, Fig. 2, which has a horn 34, over which a bag end is placed by an operator 37 who then pushes the stack of can ends through the horn 34 and into the bag. In a modification, Figs. 19-22, a machine 125 which is capable of complete, automatic can end handling, counting and bagging the initial stacking at station 128, counting and restacking at station 129 and transporting by a mechanism 131 along a trough 126 is achieved generally as described for apparatus 10, the pusher arm (170), Fig. 24, not shown, however not being spring-loaded in the direction of movement of the stack of can ends as described for the apparatus 10. The machine 125 has a second transporting mechanism 130 which takes over from the first mechanism 131 as the latter reaches the end of its rearward movement a push rod 138 dropping behind the stack 137 to push it further along the trough 126 to a bagging station 127. An inspection station 132, which is located between the receiving station 128 and the monitoring means 129, includes means for rotating the can ends about the longitudinal axis of the stack so that an operator can check and remove faulty ends. Prior to the actuation of the second transport mechanism 130 a bag (139) is withdrawn by suction cups (263), Fig. 29, not shown, from a bag magazine (127), and a horn member (230) with resilient fingers (130a) and coaxially mounted on the trough (126) is moved downstream into the open end of the bag (139), Fig. 28, not shown, the second transport mechanism then being retracted to its initial position where the push rod 138 is retracted upwardly into its inoperative position. The filled bag, closed by a mechanism 140, is then transferred to a carriage assembly 133 where it is rotated from a horizontal, to a vertical position and then transported to a storage unit 134 where the bags are arranged vertically for stacking by an operator on to pallets for shipment to a user. The term stacked applies to can ends in facewise engagement disposed vertically as well as horizontally.