Patent GB-841960-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for repositioning articles lying on a moving conveying surface
Inventor: PACKMAN PERCIVAL JAMES
IPC: A21C15/00
Filed: 1957-08-02
Abstract: 841,960. Positioning articles on endless belt conveyers. BAKER PERKINS Ltd. Aug. 1, 1958 [Aug. 2, 1957], No. 24503/57. Class 78 (1). Apparatus for automatically repositioning articles lying on a moving conveyer surface in a number of longitudinal rows comprises guide means adapted to deflect the rows of articles transversely with respect to the direction of advance of the conveying surface, if necessary, to bring the rows into a predetermined position relative to the support of the frame of said conveying surface, detecting means arranged in advance of said guide means for detecting transverse displacement in excess of a predetermined amount of one or more rows, and further means controlled by said detecting means for adjusting the position of said guide means to receive such rows of articles. The detecting means may be constructed according to any one of the following three embodiments. In one embodiment, Figs. 1 and 3, there are provided adjacent the outermost row of biscuits 1 carried by an endless conveyer belt 2, three rods 11, 12 and 13 each bent to a flat U-shape to provide straight portions 14 and end portions 16 which are pivotally mounted one above the other in side members 17, 18 on a frame 3. Microswitches 20, 21, 22, 23 are adjustably mounted on a rod 25 secured in the frame 3. Each micro-switch has an actuating member 27, the actuating members 27 of switches 20 and 21 being secured together. These actuating members contact the portions 15 of the rods 11, 12, 13 as shown, Fig. 1. The contacts of these switches are connected in a circuit including an electric motor 6 which drives a threaded shaft 7 engaging a nut 8, the nut 8 being carried on a stem 9 secured to a base plate 5 on which the conveyer belt 2 is supported. The stem 9 passes through a slot 10 in the base of the frame 3. According to the direction of the current flowing through the motor 6, the frame 3 is moved by the screw and nut 7, 8 either towards or away from the conveyer belt 2. In the normal position of the detecting means, rods 12, 13 rest on the row of biscuits 1, while rod 11 rests on the belt 2. The purpose of the rod 13 is to disable the detecting means when the supply of biscuits fails. Consequently when the portion 14 and rod 13 falls on to the conveyer belt 2, switch 23 is actuated to cut off the flow of directing current to the motor 6. Assuming there is a constant supply of biscuits, when the row of biscuits 1 moves to the left, Fig. 3, the portion 14 of the rod 12 falls on to the conveyer belt 2, and this actuates the switch 22 to supply current to the motor 6 in a direction to cause movement of the frame 3 towards the conveyer belt 2. Alternatively if the row of biscuits 1 moves to the right, Fig. 3, the portion 14 of the rod 11 is raised by the biscuits 1, this closing the switch 21 and opening switch 20, which is a safety switch, causing current to flow to the motor 6 in the opposite direction so that frame 3 is moved away from the belt 2. The movements of the frame 3 are transmitted to the guide means by an extension 31 of the shaft 7 which is pivoted to a lever 31a mounted on a shaft 30 extending longitudinally of the conveyer. In a second embodiment, Fig. 5, only two rods 11a, 12a are provided. The portions 14 of both of these rods normally contact the surface of the conveyer belt 2. When the left-hand row of biscuits 1 moves to the left the portion 14 of rod 12a is lifted by the biscuits causing contacts 22a to close. This causes current to be supplied to the motor 6a in a direction to cause the screw and nut 7, 8 to move the frame 3a, and with it the rods 11a, 12a to the right. Similarly if the rows of biscuits move to the right the row of biscuits 1e raises the portion 14 of the rod 11a, causing contacts 21a to close. This causes current to be supplied to the motor 6a in a direction to cause the screw and nut 7, 8 to move the frame 3a to the left. The frame 3a is supported by means .of wheels 32 on the base plate 5, and its movement is transmitted to a longitudinal rod 30 by the link 31 and lever 31a, as previously. In the third embodiment, Fig. 6, three rods 11b, 12b, 13b are provided as in the first embodiment. In this embodiment the rods act on pistons 47, 55, 51 of three compressed-air valves 44, 45, 46. These valves are arranged in an air supply system to a cylinder 35 pivoted to the frame 3b which carries the rods 12b, 13b, its piston rod 36 being pivoted at 37 to a bracket 38 carried by the base 5. The air supply system comprises a supply pipe 39, flowrestricting valves 40, 41, pipes 42, 43 leading to respective ends of the cylinder 35, a pipe 53 leading from the pipe 42 to the valve 46, and a pipe 49 leading from the pipe 43 to the valve 44. In the normal position of the detecting means, as shown, both ends of the cylinder 35 are vented to atmosphere through ports 58 and 50, respectively, in the valves 45 and 44. When the rod 11b is raised by the row of biscuits moving to the right, the port 50 is closed, causing air to be supplied to the right-hand end of cylinder 35, so that the frame 3b is moved to the right. When the rod 12b is lowered owing to the row of biscuits moving to the left. the port 58 is closed, causing air to be supplied to the lefthand end of cylinder 35, so that the frame 3b moves to the left. Should the supply of biscuits fail, the rod 13b is lowered, causing a port 54 in the valve 46 to be open to atmosphere, so that the left-hand end of cylinder 35 is vented to atmosphere even if the rod 12b is in raised position. The movements of the frame 3b are communicated to the shaft 30 as in the previous two embodiments. The guide means may be constructed either as described in Specification 838,230, or as follows. The frame 61 comprising side members 62 and three cross rods 63, 64, 65 is mounted by four brackets 67 on pivots 68 on the end of four levers 69, the other ends of which are pivoted at 70 to the conveyer framework. The rods 63 and 64 carry depending pieces 78 to 86 of spring wire arranged to contact biscuits not falling between the lines E to M so as to position them accurately between these lines. The rod 65 carries a series of sockets 76 which receive the ends of a series of guide plates 74a to 74i, the other ends of which are pivoted at 77 to a transverse member 73 extending across the conveyer framewoik. The frame 61 is positioned transversely with respect to the conveyor framework according to the position of the frames 3, 3a or 3b of the detecting means, through a link 71 connecting one of the brackets 67 to a lever 72 on the rod 30, the detecting means being positioned some distance in advance of the guide means. Alternatively, the frame 61 may be moved manually by a hand lever 96. A transverse member 99 is secured across the conveyer framework in advance of the frame 61, and is so positioned over the rows of biscuits as to cause any biscuits piled one on top of the other to be pushed off. Specification 769,710 also is referred to.