Patent GB-1196709-A (GB)
Title: Conveying and Supporting Mechanism.
IPC: B65B59/00
Filed: 1968-09-27
Abstract: 1,196,709. Endless conveyers; feeding sheets; packaging. CONTINENTAL CAN CO. Inc. 27 Sept., 1968 [27 Sept., 1967], No. 46079/68. Headings B8A, B8C and B8R. A conveying and supporting mechanism comprises means 4 for supporting a group of articles C during their movement along a predetermined path, means 45 above the supporting means 40 for conveying the articles C along the path, the supporting means 40 including a plurality of supporting elements 210 each of which is adapted to underlyingly support an associated one of said articles C, and is spaced a predetermined centre line distance from adjacent elements 210 as measured along the path, the conveying means including pusher means 215 normally disposed adjacent a trailing one of the articles C for contacting the trailing article C and thereby pushingly convey the group of articles C along the predetermined path, means for moving the supporting and conveying means at substantially similar speeds, and means for adjusting the position of the pusher means 215 relative to the supporting elements 210 along the path, whereby different sized articles C and/or numbers of articles C can be conveyed in groups by the mechanism. Each group of articles C is transfered from delivery conveyers 26, 27 by endless members 29, 31 (Fig. 3), each carrying article spacing members 32. Unstacking carton blanks.-Each group is wrapped in a wrapper drawn by suction gripper assemblies 80, 80 (Figs. 2a and 4), from a reservoir of wrapper blanks B. The framework supporting the blanks is adjustable in directions parallel with, and transverse to, the direction of conveyance. Each gripper assembly 80 is actuated by rotation of a cam 113 on a shaft forming part of the drive to the endless members 29, 31, and the supporting means 45 and conveying means 40. Each gripper assembly 80 has suction gripper elements 86, 87, and is pivotally connected to a link 95 (Fig. 8), itself pivotally connected to the upper end of a member 93. The lower end of the latter is guided for movement in a fixed vertical slot 105 (Fig. 2a), and the member 93 is connected at 110 to a bell-crank 109 carrying a follower 112 of the cam 113. The gripper assembly 80 is connected by a spring 101 to the member 93 affording a lost-motion action. The gripper assembly 80 carries a post 89 having a notch adapted to engage the edge of the blank, and a projection 88. The latter causes the blank to bend and thereby separate from the blank immediately above (Fig. 18, not shown) so as to avoid a double feed. Wrapping groups of the articles.-The apertures of the blank are guided into engagement with the necks of the group of containers C as the blank is drawn down by the gripper heads 80, by the successive action of guide rails 120, 121, 122, rollers 124, 125, 126, and guide surfaces 127, 128, and a leaf spring 131. The sides of the blank are folded down by rotating members 135 (Figs. 1 and 2b), and further pressing down of the blank into the right shape is effected by driven rollers 142, 143 and 144, and rotating indenting blades 150, 151. Means 50 (Fig. 3) interlocks the closure panels of the package. Conveying the wrapped groups of articles.- Each package is supported by two series of groups 205 of supporting elements 206-209 (Fig. 16), carried by endless chains 160, 161. The packages are conveyed by the action of the pushers 215 carried by endlsss chains 162, 163. The chains 161 and 163 are driven by respective drive sprockets 174, 178 (Fig. 3), on a common drive shaft 182. The sprocket 174 is rigidly keyed to the shaft 182 (Fig. 12, not shown) and the sprocket 178 can be angularly adjusted relative to the sprocket 174 and fixedly clamped thereto, by the action of bolts (201) and arcuate adjustment slots (201) Thus the phase of the chains 161 and 163 can be adjusted, and a similar arrangement applies to the chains 160 and 162. Further adjustment of the support elements can be obtained by reversing their mounting on the associated conveyer chain 160, 161, due to the assymetric position of the portion 210 of each element. Each pusher 215 is mounted so as to be able to tilt (Fig. 13b) if it is tending to enter at an incorrect position relative to the gaps between the articles. This is provided by the action of an inclined slot 221 for the mounting pin of the pusher.