Patent GB-1288584-A (GB)
IPC: B65B35/46
Filed: 1969-11-20
Abstract: 1288584 Separating and dispensing discrete articles; such as pills H LIST 20 Nov 1969 [20 Nov 1968] 56889/69 Heading B8C Apparatus for separating and dispensing measured quantities of discrete small articles such as pills &c., comprises a skeleton filling drum which is formed of front and back plates 1, 2, and ring-shaped divider ribs 3 which are spaced by cross ribs 4 to define interior compartments 5 each dimensioned to receive a single discrete article and having inclined surfaces to guide the article thereinto, the articles being delivered to the lower interior part of the drum by means of a vibratable supply slide 18 provided with distribution vanes 19. The bottom and top portions of the drum are exteriorly and interiorly covered by mantles 7, 8 respectively the mantle 8 having ridges 8,1 which fit between the divider ribs 3. To accommodate capsules of elongated form the divider ribs 4 can be of sawtooth cross-section, or arranged at an angle of 45 degrees with respect to the diameter of the drum. The drum, supported on rollers 23, 23, is driven by a motor 25 through a belt 24 in a clockwise direction, the articles, e.g. pills, filling all of the compartments 5 which are removed, a row at a time, as each row meets a transverse slot 71 in the outer shell 7. The pills fall through a funnel 12 into bottles 13 moved in synchronism with the drum in accordance with the number of compartments in any row, complete removal of all the pills being ensured by a wheel 14. Photo-electric sensors 9, 10 check if each row is full of articles, any empty compartment 5 causing a flap 83 to open so that the pills in the particular row fall back into the supply. Faulty pills are detected by a roller 41 which has projections 42 which fail to lift each imperfect pill to actuate a switch plate 43, so that all the pills in that row are ejected by a mechanism 45. In an alternative arrangement, Fig. 20, not shown, a number of rollers (48) carried by a pivotal arm (49) are spring-urged upwardly towards each compartment. A funnel (61), Fig. 24, not shown, has a control flap (62) which determines whether ejected pills by the flap (83), or the pusher (45) are returned back to the drum or to a reject collector. Instead of completely emptying a row of pills supplementary article feeding stations such as 51, Fig. 18, can be arranged one for each row across the drum. Figs. 21-23, not shown, illustrate different embodiments of supplementary feeding arrangements. The inspection devices are synchronized with the feeding arrangements for the containers 13 or with the speed of rotation of the drum. An axially slidable wall (56), Fig. 24, not shown, can control the width of loading area. Suction holes 72 are provided in the bottom shell 7 for cleaning purposes, both shells 7, 8 preferably being removable to provide access to the drum. In a modification of the supply arrangement, Figs. 12, 13, not shown, a hopper (30) has a number of funnels (31) the terminals (33) of which are axially adjustable and preferably made of resilient material. In a different supply arrangement, Figs. 14-16, not shown, the pills are supplied to the interior of the drum (21) over a horizontal transport web (34) to an inclined slide (35) which terminates in a pivoted flap (36) with a counterweight (37). When material on the flap exceeds a certain weight the flap (36) pivots downwards and energizes a contact (38) which stops the transport web (34).