Patent GB-1029661-A (GB)
Title: Egg packer
IPC: A01K43/00
Filed: 1965-01-21
Abstract: 1,029,661. Packaging-machines; endless conveyers. BARKER POULTRY EQUIPMENT CO. Jan. 21, 1965 [Feb. 12, 1964], No. 2771/65. Headings B8A and B8C. Apparatus for handling eggs comprises an orientating device, means to accumulate the articles, fed in by a conveyer, upstream of the device and means to control the feed pressure of articles advancing to the accumulator to prevent pile-ups and breakages. As described, re-circulating conveyers on either side of the infeed conveyer carry back articles for deflection on to the infeed conveyer further upstream so that infeed need not cease when the rest of the machine stops to permit rectification of a fault. The apparatus described is combined with means for packaging eggs in containers and is adjustable for different container sizes. General arrangement (Figs. la, 2).-The machine packages eggs, candled and graded by known means, the various grades being each fed to their separate packaging stations (Fig. 1, not shown). At these stations, eggs enter on a belt 138 and are distributed by an oscillating agitator and deflectors on to an accumulator belt 104. They enter pockets in a star-wheel 106 and are fed to orientating moans 112 which carries them, large end first, to rows of grippers on packer means 120 which places the eggs, a row at a time into egg flats or cartons 204 on a conveyer 122. The filled containers then pass to exit conveyers 126, 128, 130, according to the positioning of a pivotable conveyer 124. In the event that excessive eggs pile up round the belt 104, they are re-circulated by return belts 302, 304. Switches contacted by the eggs and cartons &c. control the egg and carton feed. The conveyer 122 moves continuously but with fast and slow movements as required by the distances between rows in the cartons &c. and those between the cartons themselves. The filled containers pass to hand packing stations (Fig. 1, not shown). Infeed and accumulating arrangements and star wheel, Figs. 1a, 2, 3, 8.-Eggs entering on the belt 138 are initially deflected by a fixed plate 320 and then spread by a member 354, 356, 358 oscillating horizontally just above belt level. Fixed plates 321 and vertically reciprocating plates 322, 324 with egg " jostling " extensions 462, 464, and dividers 108, Fig. 1a, moving with the plates 322, 324, direct the eggs into the star wheel pockets. Each pocket is formed by four coaxial star wheels varying in shape to cradle the egg and has a switch operating feeler 512 which ensures rotation of the wheel only when the pockets are filled. The wheel drive means is arranged to properly position the wheel if stopped, to receive the eggs. Provided the star wheel is continuously filled, the machine operation is continuous. Orientating and packing means, Figs. 1a, 12, 16.-Eggs are discharged from the star-wheel into pockets on a chain conveyer 600 formed by angle strips 616 and rollers 620. Individual eggs of a row are separated by longitudinal strips 626, Fig. la, and positive rotation of the rollers spins the eggs during transit so that they move transversely until their small ends abut the strips. Feelers 638 cause stoppage of the orientating packing means if, say, two eggs are deposited in the same pocket and channel. The strips then converge and spring deflectors 628, 630 turn the eggs to travel large end foremost through the converging channels to the packing means. The eggs fall from the conveyer pockets into fixed supports 650 from which they are swept by arms 850 on a rotating shaft 842, the inclination of the arms being changed during movement of each egg so as to reduce shock. Bows of gripper jaws 830, 832 are mounted on conveyer chains and are opened and closed by cam means to receive eggs from the supports 650 and deposit them in the cartons. After having closed on an egg, the jaws open slightly to permit it to settle, resilient means 836 being provided to cushion it. Spring fingers 654, 656, 872 locate and guide the eggs during passage between the orientating and the packing means. Switch arms 651 stop the orientating and packing means in the event of an egg being missing. Carton or egg flat feed, Figs. 1a, 2, 27, 28.- The containers are advanced along spaced plates 1100, 1102 by conveyer dogs 1114, the plates being hinged at their downstream ends and being raisable by linkage 1130, 1134, 1138 for different container heights. The conveyer is driven from a shaft 164 through reduction means 904, 908, 930, 932, Fig. 29 (not shown), by a shaft 192, the shaft having fast on it a ratchet 934 driven by a pawl on the pulley 932 of the reduction means. In order to produce the faster conveyer movement necessary to move away a filled container and feed in an empty one, overriding means in the form of eccentric operated pawls 986, 988 oscillated by the shaft 164 engage teeth on a ratchet wheel 984 on the shaft 192 after predetermined numbers of revolutions of the shaft 164. Fingers on a shaft 998 are manually operable to disenable the pawls and permit another similar overriding means (Fig. 29) to operate, when cartons are used instead of flats. Idlers 911, 913 on a manually adjustable arm 917, Fig. 2, act on the conveyer drive chain 194 to alter the carton feed timing relative to the packing means. Switch arms (not shown) detect missing containers to halt the packing and orientating means.