Patent GB-1453887-A (GB)
Title: Apparatur for loading tea bags into cartons
IPC: B65B5/06
Filed: 1974-03-13
Abstract: 1453887 Tea bag packaging machines: endless, rotary, and reciprocable conveyers DELAMERE & WILLIAMS CO Ltd 13 March 1974 [13 March 1973] 11221/74 Headings B8C and B8A Packaging.-A device for packaging two parallel rows of tea bags into an open ended carton, the ends of which are subsequently glued shut, comprises a rotor 10 rotatable about a horizontal axis between a pair of guiding members 18a and 18b and having a pair of diametrically oppositely mounted buckets 48 open at each end. Rows of bags are fed into the upper bucket by a first reciprocating conveyer comprising a pair of pusher members 84 and 105 which linearly reciprocate over a support 104. Bags are fed in columns of predetermined number to the pusher members by a selector conveyer 12a having bag pushing fingers 126 pivotable by cams 136 to separate sets of columns to enable pusher member 84 to be inserted between them. During movement of the bags into the upper bucket a spring mounting arrangement of the frontpusher member 105 causes the columns to be slightly compressed. A divider card, located between the columns is inserted from a magazine into the bucket by a suction device controlled by a cam 288 and mounted on the first reciprocating conveyer. After receiving the columns and the card the upper bucket is transferred by a 180 rotation of the rotor to the lower position, in which position it is vibrated by vibrators 60 and during which movement the pusher members of the first reciprocating conveyer are withdrawn in readiness for the next columns of bags. The bags are removed from the inverted bucket, into an open ended carton conveyed to the receiving position by a flighted conveyer, by a second reciprocable conveyer 16 comprising a pair of cylinder actuated members 167, 168. During initial removal of the bags the member 167 is reciprocated to apply a pulsing compacting pressure to the bags and during the final phase of removal member 167 moves smoothly but at a speed faster than member 168 to apply a constant compacting pressure. Finally the filled carton is removed between guides which prevent the bags from falling out to an end closing and gluing station. Selector conveyer.-The bags are fed to the pusher members 84, 105 and support 104 by a pair of chains 122 having pivotable selector fingers 126. At the forward end of the conveyer, the selector fingers are pivoted forwardly by leaf spring cams 136 to separate the foremost columns from the ones behind to facilitate insertion of the member 84. Reciprocating conveyers.-The first conveyer comprises a carriage 69 reciprocable by air cylinder 94 along rods 68. At its rear end the carriage carries a pusher member 84 carried by a block 82 vertically reciprocable by air cylinder 90 along a guide 74. At its front end the carriage carries a pusher member 105 on a bracket 108 which is biased by a spring 116 part way to a collar 114. The spring facilitates the application of a small compacting pressure to the bags. The second conveyer comprises first and second members 167, 168 movable in synchrony by air cylinders. Rotor.-The rotor comprises a pair of buckets 48 mounted upon a framework 20 keyed to a horizontal shaft 22 rotated by a belt drive at one end. Each bucket is open ended and has an upper centrally slotted wall and a bottom wall with central upstanding walls 54 between which the lower edges of the divider cards are retained by pairs of leaf springs (not shown). Pivotable plastics arms (not shown) are located over the slot in the upper wall to prevent the cards falling and during inversion of the bucket. Each bucket carries a vibrator 60 actuated only in the inverted position.