Patent GB-724514-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in control mechanism in or for machines for working on bottles and other like articles
Inventor: HAYCOCK GEORGE WALLACE
IPC: B65B57/16
Filed: 1951-01-01
Abstract: 724,514. Packaging-machines. HAYBAR, Ltd. March 26, 1952 [Jan. 1, 1951], No. 11/51. Class 94 (1). [Also in Group XXX] A labelling, packing or other machine for bottles or like articles which are supplied to it normally at not less than the rate at which the machine is operated to deliver the articles, is provided with a control mechanism having two operatively associated parts, one of which is driven in unison with the machine and the other of which is moved by the articles being conveyed through or to the machine, the operative association between the two parts being such that the parts remain in phase so long as the supply of articles remains adequate, but whenever a reduction in the supply of articles occurs the components become out of phase and interact so that the control mechanism stops the machine. As shown, the packing machine is of the type described in Specification 724,515, i.e. having a bottle locator consisting of bars 50 forming, e.g. three channels which is moved in steps in the direction of arrow A so that a row of e.g. four bottles received from a supply conveyer 12'is moved over a support 58 provided with holes 60 through which the bottles are subsequently lowered into a case, the locator then returning for more bottles. The bottles on supply conveyer 12 pass between guides 19 through an opening in which projects the teeth of a star wheel 16 which is the article component of the control mechanism. This star wheel is turned step-by-step by the bottles as they pass to the bottle locator in groups of four. The machine driven component which co-operates with the star wheel 16 is a lever 30, Fig. 6, whose pivot 37 is yieldably mounted by means of a yoke 38 having pins 39, 40 axially slidable and acted on by a spring 43, the lever being moved by a machine-driven cam 31 such that a slidable tongue 34 at its upper end moves in and out of each of two recesses 22, Fig. 7, in a wheel 21 secured to the shaft 21A of the star wheel 16, provided the star wheel is rotated in step by the bottles so that a recess 22 is opposite the tongue 34 at each movement of the lever 30. The star wheel 16 has eight points and there are two recesses 22 so that each group of four bottles is checked to ensure that each of the channels formed by bars 50 has a complete group of four bottles fed to it. If, e.g. the fourth bottle does not arrive at the star wheel in time the latter is not moved sufficiently to bring a recess 22 into line with the tongue 34 and consequently the tongue is stopped by the rim of wheel 21 so that upon movement of lever 30 the pivot 37 yields. The pin 40 thereupon contacts a lever 44 which opens a self-closing switch 26 to stop the motor 24 of the packing machine. Upon further bottles being supplied to the star-wheel this moves to bring the two components again into phase whereby the machine restarts. Small additional recesses 48 are preferably provided in wheel 21 so that a small head of bottles is necessary to restart the machine, the pressure of the head of bottles eventually overcoming the effect of the spring 43 pressing the tongue 34 in a recess 48. Instead of using a self-closing switch, the further supply of bottles may set a hand-start switch for handstarting of motor 24. If no further bottles are supplied to the star wheel after a complete set of four the machine still stops since the wheel 21 is only in position to receive tongue 34 when the first bottle of a set is actually passing the star wheel, i.e. in position 47. In order that star wheel 16 may act as a stop to hold back the bottles during each movement of the bottle locator to present a fresh channel to the bottles the cam wheel 31 has three humps whereby the tongue 34 enters a groove 22 each time the locator is moved, the long hump corresponding to the final movement of the filled locator over the support 58 and its return to first channel position. Guides 54, 55 and 56 co-operate with the bars 50 in marshalling the bottles over the support 58. When the locator is moved over support 58 the last bottle of a batch is in the. position 47 referred to above and the star wheel is free to turn for a short period before tongue 34 moves into the next recess 22. To prevent this a stop 59 is provided on the locator for positively holding up the bottles. In addition a pawl 71, Fig. 6, reciprocated by pegs 69 on the cam 31 through a lever 66 and connecting rod 70 is arranged to co-operate with pins 72, Figs. 6 and 7, on the wheel 21 to shift it into the out of phase position upon return of the locator so that the machine will stop in the event of no further bottles being supplied. The pins 72 are spring-loaded to prevent jamming. The star wheel is prevented from being rotated by the pawl 71 before the locator has returned to first channel position by the engagement of pins 73 on the star wheel with the stop 59. A yielding section 74 inserted in the connecting rod 70 prevents damage to the pawl when the star wheel is thus locked.