Patent GB-716210-A (GB)
Title: Device for delivering in seriatim articles fed to the device abreast of each other
Inventor: JENNEY RAY SAM
IPC: B65B35/44
Filed: 1952-01-30
Abstract: 716,210. Conveyers; shoots. KELLOGG CO. Jan. 30, 1952, No. 2563/52. Class 78 (1) The delivery end of a first moving conveyer carrying articles abreast of each other is provided with means for discharging the articles in spaced series relationship upon a transversely moving conveyer disposed adjacent the delivery end of the first conveyer. As shown, Figs. 1 and 2, a suecession of transverse rows 68 of shredded wheat biscuits 70 travels along a slat conveyer consisting of metal plates carried by endless chains 4, in abutting relationship. A ramp 64 pivotally mounted on a transverse .rod 65, is provided with a plurality of channels 66 formed by tapered dividing' walls 67 and arranged to receive the respective articles in each row 68. The leading edge of the ramp normally rests on the plates of conveyer 3 but is lifted slightly to avoid jamming when passing from one plate to the next by a roller 69<SP>1</SP> on one arm of a bell crank lever 67<SP>1</SP> which is displaced by each roller 6 of the chain 4 and acts through the bell crank and a link 71<SP>1</SP> to rock the ramp 64 about the rod 65 so as to lift the leading edge over the joint between the plates. Each row of articles is pushed up the ramp 64 on to a conveyer belt 13 by a pusher device consisting of a series of push plates 47, Fig. 3, arranged to move first with the ccnveyer 3 in timed relation therewith, and then upwardly along the ramp, the plates 47 being shaped to fit the channels 66 in the ramp. For this purpose the push plates 47 are mounted on a bar 45 provided with sleeves 46 by which it is mounted for vertical movement on a pair of rods 44 formed as extensions of members 34 which in turn are pivotally mounted on a transverse horizontal axis constituted by a rod 31 journalled in bearings 32 on the machine frame. By means of cams 41 each co-operating with a roller 38 on an extension of the corresponding member 34 and further cams 55 each co-operating with a roller 54 on a lever 52 connected by a link 57 to each sleeve 46 the bar 45 and hence the push plates 47 are given the desired movements. To enable adjustment of the phase of operation of the push plates 47 a shaft 39 to which the cams 41 and 55 are secured carries a fixed pinion 86 and a free pinion 77 connected by a sleeve 79 to a sprocket 74 driven in timed relation with conveyers 3 and 13. The rotation of pinion 77 is transmitted to pinion 86 by two pinions 84, 85 secured together on a layshaft 83 mounted between a pair of plates 80, 82 rotatable about shaft 39 by mounting it on sleeve 79 and another sleeve formed on pinion 86. The phase is adjusted by rotation of plates 80, 82 by a lever 88 having a spring-loaded' pin engaging holes 90 in a quadrant. Partitions 98 forming continuations of the partitions 67 of the ramp are mounted above the surface of belt 13 to form passages 101. At the entrance to these passageways the shredded wheat biscuits are aligned with, and positioned centrally to, the passageways by vibrating fingers 123 hinged on vertical pins 124 mounted in the leading ends of the partitions 98. The fingers are alternately arranged to vibrate in opposite phase by pivotally connecting alternate ones to each of two transverse bars 120, 122, Fig. 1, longitudinally vibrated in opposite phase by an eccentric 103, Fig. 3, and bell crank 110, the eccentric being driven by a motor 102, Fig. 1. At the discharge end of the passageways 101, Figs. 1 and 9, there are provided partitions 133 forming continuations of the partitions 98 and further curved continuations 134 of the partitions 133, the latter extending over a shoot 131 to form passageways 135 therein. The lower ends of the partitions 134 are twisted flat and bent in the direction of a receiving conveyer belt 137 so that they each overlie the middle of the belt. As a rnw of biscuits approaches the top of the shoot 131, Fig. 9, they are first arrested by a stop 183 rotatably supported by a shaft 163 when said stop is in the chain line position shown. At intervals, this stop is raised by action of a cam 177, Fig. 2a, on a shaft 150 driven in timed relationship with conveyer 13 and co-operating with a roller 180 on an arm 178 secured to shaft 163, whereby the row of biscuits pass to a continuously driven roller 167 which deflects them downwardly against a plurality of stop pegs 162, one peg being provided in each passageway 135. Pegs 162 are each carried independently by a lever 157 pivoted at 156 and biased by an integral arm 158 so that a block 159 on said lever co-operates with a shaft 150 which is provided at intervals corresponding to the various levers 157 with notches 153. The notches are angularly spaced relative to one another progressively from the end corresponding to the passageway 135 which terminates most forwardly of the conveyer belt 137, the last notch being, say, 180 degrees spaced from the first notch so that the pegs are withdrawn in sequence by blocks 159 falling into the appropriate notches whereby to deposit the biscuits in spaced relationship on the conveyer belt 137, the remaining part of the rotation of shaft 150 causing the pegs to remain projected while awaiting the next batch of biscuits. The stop 183 is therefore raised to the position shown in full lines by the cam 177 during this latter half of the rotation of shaft 150. In order to allow adjustment of the phase of operation of the stop 183 and pegs 162 relative to the flow of biscuits along conveyer 13 the gearing between shaft 150 and shaft 15 of the front end supporting roller 16 of conveyer 13 includes a gear 148 carried by a plate 145 rotatable about shaft 15 so as to be disengageable from a pinion 149 on shaft 150. To ensure timed relationship between the operation of the stop members 183, 162 and the push plates 47 at the feed end of conveyer 13, the two shafts 10 and 15 of the rear and front end rollers of the conveyer are interconnected by sprocket drives 128, Fig. 1.