Patent GB-777268-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the handling of biscuits or the like laminar articles
IPC: B65G47/08
Filed: 1954-11-13
Abstract: 777,268. Packaging apparatus. VICARS, Ltd., T. & T., EATON, J. and COULSON, R. A. Oct. 26, 1955 [Nov. 13, 1954], No. 32955/54. Class 94(1). [Also in Group XXX] Biscuits or similar flat articles which are fed in closely packed upstanding formation on an initial conveyer 1 are transferred by a pivoted plate 3 to either of two batching conveyers one of which is adapted for manual batching while the other comprises two co-operating endless bands 2, 4 so actuated that articles delivered in a continuous stream to the first band 2 are transferred on to the second band 4 in batches of predetermined dimensions. The band 4 is driven intermittently in timed relation with an automatic packing machine to deliver a batch to the machine with each movement. The delivery end of belt 2 passes around a knife edge 5 which is oscillated in the horizontal plane longitudinally of belt 4 in timed relation with the intermittent movements of the latter and with an amplitude equal to half the length of a batch, so that during rearward movement of the knife edge which is at the same speed as the band 2 but in the opposite direction a batch of articles is delivered to the belt 4 which at this time is moving at twice the speed of belt 2, while during forward movement of the knife edge, also at the same speed as band 2 but now in the same direction, the band 4 is stationary and no articles are transferred. In view of the relative speeds of the bands 2 and 4 and the knife edge during backward movement each delivered batch is spread over one and a half times the length the same number of articles occupied on band 2. This is rectified during the forward stroke of the knife edge by the engagement of the loop of belt passing around the knife edge with the rearmost article of a transferred batch to push the rear articles in the batch towards the front ones and thereby consolidate the batch. The other batching conveyer is comprised by a continuation 1a of conveyer 1 beyond deflecting rollers associated with the plate 3 and articles are automatically diverted by the plate 3 to it if the automatic packing machine is stopped by the energization of a solenoid 6 in response to stopping of the machine, which lowers plate 3. During normal operation of the packing machine a solenoid 7 is energized and solenoid 6 is de-energized to maintain plate 3 in its upper position. Plate 3 comprises two portions 3a, 3b the latter being slidable longitudinally with respect to the former under control of a roller 15 engaging a cam track 14. The operating linkage from the solenoids 6, 7 is connected by a link 9 to the outer portion 3b of the plate. In order to prevent biscuits already on the inclined portion of band 2 from slipping backwards when plate 3 is lowered fingers 22 pivoted at 21 extend over the biscuits and are normally held away from the biscuits by the engagement of spindle 16 of roller 15 with a bell crank 17 linked to the fingers, release of the bell crank upon lowering of plate 3 causing the fingers to be lowered onto the biscuits by a spring 24.