Patent GB-1118471-A (GB)
Title: Method and apparatus for attaching cans to carriers
IPC: B65B17/02
Filed: 1965-08-17
Abstract: 1,118,471. Dispensing trays; attaching carriers to cans; endless conveyers. R. A. JONES & CO. Inc. 17 Aug., 1965 [17 Aug., 1964], No. 35315/65. Headings B8A, B8C and B8S. In a machine for engaging the upper ends of cans in a plastics carrier, Fig. 49, so that the cans can be conveyed depending from the carriers, the can chimes are located in pockets 4 in the carrier by engaging first one side of a chime in a pocket and then progressively pressing the rest of the chime into position by angularly displacing the axis of the can relative to the carrier. The carriers 1 each consist of a flanged sheet having a pocket 4 for each can, a rim 5 on each pocket engaging below the can chime. Finger holes (2), Fig. 48 (not shown), assist carrying and depressions (11) enable the carriers to be secured in the machine during their engagement with the cans. Groups of cans on a conveyer 21, Fig. 2, are fed by further conveying means 22, 68 to beneath a conveyer 18 for the carriers, the latter being fed from a magazine 17 and engaged by grippers on carrier support plates on that conveyer. When a carrier is aligned above a group of cans, it is moved down into contact with the upper ends of the cans and their lower ends are moved laterally so that their upper ends engage progressively in the carrier pockets. The cans are then carried suspended from the carriers across a gap between the conveyer 22 and a discharge conveyer 23, photo-electric means causing an improperly filled carrier to be released into a shoot 451 beneath the gap. The carriers may be preheated by infra-red lamps 430. The conveyer 18 is mounted for vertical movement so that different heights of cans can be accommodated. Feeding and arranging cans.-Cans are fed by a suitable segregator (not shown) in groups of six on to the infeed conveyer 21, the cans being frictionally fed by chains (26), (27) and (28), Figs. 8, 10 (not shown), along support rods (31), (32), and located laterally by guides (34). The conveyer 21 is driven from the main drive shaft of the machine, and may also be driven independently by an auxiliary motor 54 at the start of the machine to feed the required number of cans into the machine and also during the operation of the machine if there is an insufficient supply of cans. If this occurs a switch (not shown) will be tripped to stop feed of carriers from their magazine and start the auxiliary motor working. At the end of the conveyer 21 the groups of cans are moved over guides (60), (61), (62), see also Fig. 7 (not shown), and under resiliently mounted guides (97), (98), (99) by a sweep bar system 68, into pockets (65), Fig. 29 (not shown), of can platens (64) carried on the conveyer 22. These can platens (64) have six interconnected circular recesses (65), which, in the longitudinal direc. tion, are open at (123) to the sides of the platen, the latter openings serving as receiving slots for the guide rods (60), (61), (62). Each platen is fixed against lateral movement in a central plate (110), Fig. 3 (not shown), screws (128) allowing limited vertical movement against springs (132). The central plates are in turn fixed in conveyer plates (111), carried between chains (112), (113), rollers (135) allowing limited lateral movement of the central plate relative to the conveyer plate. A roller (140), connected to the plate (110) runs in a cam track (146). Checking correct arrangement of cans.-To check that six cans 14 are present and are properly seated in the platen 64, the cans are passed under and lift the ends 187, Figs. 7, 13 (not shown), of pivoted arms (184), (185), (186). If all the cans are present, holes (193) in the arms will be aligned with a light beam of photoelectric means (190), (191). If one or more cans are absent, the beam is interrupted and the machine is shut down so that the cans can be replaced manually. The photo-electric means (190), (191) are actuated by photo-electric means (180), (181 which detect the arrival of the cans. In addition a bar (195), Fig. 7 (not shown), is provided to check that each can is properly seated. If the bar (195) is moved by a misplaced can, a switch (202) is activated to stop the machine. Feeding and positioning carriers.-The carriers 1 are supported in the magazine 17 on fingers (306), Fig. 37 (not shown), which may be raised with the stack of carriers, by a piston and cylinder (313) so that the machine may be operated, e.g. initially, without carriers being fed into it. The carriers are withdrawn by vertically reciprocating fingers (320), (321), see also Fig. 35 (not shown), which are engaged in the finger holes (2) in the lowermost carrier, lugs (314), (315), Fig. 33 (not shown), being moved to engage with the upper part of the stack of carriers, taking the weight of the stack off the lowermost carrier during its withdrawal. The fingers (320), (321) are then moved apart to engage the edges of the holes (2), and are kept apart during their downward motion until the carrier reaches a support plate (320), Fig. 37 (not shown), when the fingers are withdrawn. The carrier is then pushed along the support plate initially by the lugs (326), Figs. 37, 39 (not shown), of a conveyer 303, Fig. 2, and subsequently by the lugs (408) of a co-operating conveyer 400, Fig. 2 and Figs. 38, 40 (not shown). At the end of the support plate (302) the carrier is fed into the carrier support plate (206) on the conveyer 18. The support plate (206), (Figs. 41-47, not shown), is mounted on a conveyer plate (205), carried between chains (228) of the conveyer 18. A roller (234) rotatably fixed to the plate (206) by a yoke (235) extends through the conveyer plate and runs in a cam track 240, Fig. 26 (not shown). Each support plate (206), carries four locking fingers (251) controlled by cam tracks (249), (250) to open momentarily at the carrier receiving position. Springs (261), extending between the conveyer plate (205) and the ends of arms (247) mounted on shafts (245) carrying the fingers, bias the fingers (251) in locking position, in which their ends (255) are located in depressions 10, 11 in the carrier 1 located in corresponding depressions (256) in the plate (206). Kick-out fingers (252) are also mounted on the shaft (245) and are operated subsequently to force the filled carrier 1 out of the plate (206). Inserting cans into carriers.-As the carriers move round on to the lower stretch of the conveyer 18, the pockets 4 of the carrier come into alignment with the cans 14. The roller (234) attached to the carrier support plate (206) next engages a cam surface (431), Fig. 6 (not shown), which lowers the plate 206 and forces carrier 1 into engagement with the tops of the cans. Subsequently, the roller (140) attached to the plate (110) of conveyer 22 carrying the cans enters a generally S-shaped trackway (440), Fig. 16 (not shown), which causes the cans to be tilted so that one side of each of the upper can chimes is inserted into the pockets 4, Fig. 18 (not shown). Then as the cans are gradually tilted in the opposite direction, the chimes progressively enter into the pockets. When the cans are fully inserted, the roller (234) of the carrier support plate (206) runs off the upper cam surface (431) so that the plate (206) rises with the cans suspended from the carrier. Checking cans in carriers.-To check that all the cans have been picked up photo-electric means (449), (450), Fig. 26 (not shown), scan the exit end of the conveyer 22, a can remaining on it causing the fingers 251 locking the carrier on to the plate (206) to be opened and the incompletely filled carrier to be rejected into shoot 451. Finally, the completely filled carriers are released on to the conveyor 23.