Patent GB-1039795-A (GB)
Title: Machine for handling eggs
IPC: B65B23/02
Filed: 1963-09-23
Abstract: 1,039,795. Egg transferring apparatus; packaging-machines. FMC CORPORATION. Sept. 23, 1963 [Sept. 28, 1962], No. 37245/63. Headings B8A, B8C and B8H. [Also in Divisions Al and F4] An egg processing machine comprises a pick-up station receiving flats of eggs, an egg discharge station and a transfer mechanism comprising egg gripping means mounted for reciprocating movement from a position above the pick-up station to a position above the discharge station for the transference of eggs therebetween. In Fig. 1 flats F of eggs manually placed on an endless pusher bar conveyer 22 which moves intermittently to place one flat at a time under the vacuum operated gripping means of the transfer device 25 where the eggs are lifted and transferred to an endless roller conveyer 28. The latter carries the eggs through a washer 30, a drier 32 and over a candling light 34, after which the good eggs are transferred to a conveyer 36 which delivers the eggs for weighing and cartoning. The conveyer 22 is pivotally mounted upstream of the pick up station such that at the latter, a stationary flat of eggs is raised to the vacuum head 170, Fig. 5, which is also then stationary. The lift mechanism for the conveyer 22 comprises a cam-operated spring-loaded arrangement 108, 111, 98, Fig. 5, pivotally coupled to the underside of the conveyer 22, and egg flat clamping plates 125, 126 the moving one 126 of which is operated during elevation of the conveyer by a spring 133 and lever 130, 127 to engage the flat. A fixed rod 136 engages the lever 130 to open the clamp on the down motion of the conveyer 22. The egg transfer device 25 which is supported in cantilever fashion and angled in a downstream direction over the roller conveyer 28 and the egg flat conveyer 22 comprises the vacuum head 170 reciprocable along a frame 150 by an actuator rod 171. The latter has its remote end coupled between two endless chains 174 which together with the egg flat conveyer 22 is intermittently driven through a cam-operated clutch. A carriage 205, Fig. 8 (not shown), of the vacuum head 170 has grooves which run during reciprocation of the head, along tracks 208, 209, Fig. 5, secured to the base of the frame 150. The actual egg pick-up head comprising a valve body 221 and a vacuum manifold 222, is movable vertically relative to the carriage 205, being carried by a rod 225 and yoke 231. A roller 240 at the top of the yoke 231 runs along a cam rod 241 to raise and lower the pick-up head during its travel between the egg flat conveyer 22 and the roller conveyer 28, the chains 174 moving in anticlockwise direction in Fig. 5. During the reverse travel the actuator rod 171 pivots about a pin 202 on the vacuum head 170 to lift the yoke 231 and roller 240 out of engagement with the cam rod 241. The supply and release of vacuum via tubes 288 to the manifold 222 is controlled by a valve rod 300 which is actuated along a distribution tube 292 by adjustable stops 306, 308. The vacuum manifold 222 comprises six tubes 270, each connected to one of the vacuum supply tubes 288 and incorporating five egg supporting members 276 which each incorporate a rubber vacuum cup 284. Each cup 284 comprises a moulded rubber section having a lower spherical egg-receiving recess and an upper spherical recess in which is housed a coil spring abutting at its upper end, the supporting member 276 to which the moulding is attached. Upon gripping an egg, the lower spherical section and a superposed annular section of the moulding are sucked up against the spring into the upper recess. The roller conveyer 28 mounted on a frame 324, 325, 326, comprises a pair of fixed longitudinal chain tracks 327, on which run endless chains 331, 332, and three fixed support tracks 328 for cylindrical portions 340 of the conveyer 28. Mounted rotatably between the chains 331, 332 are a plurality of rubber rolls of hour glass configurations co-operating to form pockets into which the eggs are deposited by the gripper head, and rotatably driven along the upper run of the conveyer, by the tracks 328. The eggs are then conveyed through the washer 30 where they are sprayed with water and brushed, Figs. 14, 15 (not shown). The eggs next pass through the drier 32 wherein air is sucked through the layer of eggs over the candling light, drawn over the eggs again upstream of the light and then blown back through the egg layer further upstream still. After candling the eggs are moved to the end of the roller conveyer 28 where they are discharged under the control of a cam-actuated release mechanism 525, Fig. 17. At this discharge end, the arms of star wheels rotatably mounted beneath the roller conveyer engage the eggs to lift them out of their pockets. The path of the eggs from their pockets is connected by a bar 528 mounted on arms 530 and being in position P1. As the bar 528 is moved forwardly and raised to position P2, the row of ejected eggs are deposited into caps 533 of the conveyer 36. The bar then returns to position P1 via positions P3, P4. The orbital path of the bar 528 is effected by a linkage 540 creating the horizontal motion and linkage 541 creating the vertical motion. The linkages 540, 541 comprise levers 550, 575 pivoted at 551, 576 and incorporating roller followers 555, 579 in spring- loaded engagement with cams 568, 580. The levers 550, 575 are pivotally coupled to the arms 530 by two flat bars 558, control lever 547 and link 587.