Patent GB-1381707-A (GB)
Title: Batching machines
IPC: B65B25/04
Filed: 1970-12-18
Abstract: 1381707 Machine for batching articles C H BANKS 15 March 1972 [18 Dec 1970] 60381/70 Heading B8C A machine for producing batches of articles from a supply comprises a supply container 2 having a plurality of outlets, e.g. A-E, a tray 7 or tray compartment associated with each outlet for receiving an article and for tipping the article towards a delivery point P when sensors, e.g. 17 (50, Fig. 3), indicate that a predetermined number of the trays are full. The floor of the container 2 is inclined and may have a vibrating portion 5 to assist the feed of articles into intermediate channels 6. Retainers prevent feed from the channels 6 during tray tipping. The retainers may comprise rubber pads 26 depending from arms 28 connected to a common bar 29 which can pivot downwardly when a supporting crank arm 24 is lowered by a pneumatic piston 23.The retainers may also comprise brushes (63, Fig. 3) or friction pads which can be lowered on to the articles. Each outlet may be provided with a gate 36 so that the number of articles in a batch tipped from the trays may be selectively varied. The gates 36 are attached to pivotable arms 34 which can be raised or lowered by a cam shaft 39 to close selected outlets. Each arm 34 may be provided with an extension 41 for actuating the respective sensor 17 so that when the predetermined number of trays are full, all the trays can tip. The articles may pass through a holding station 31 where two or more batches from the trays 7 are assembled prior to delivery to a container 33 at the delivery point P. In normal operation, the piston-operated station door 32 opens after receiving two batches, but can open after receiving one batch if a cam 43 on the shaft 39 is engaged with a pneumatic relay switch 44. An odd number of articles may be delivered to the point P from a double batch by providing an additional tray 7 which is only tipped when this odd number is required. The trays 7 are fixed by arms 9 (60, Fig. 3), to a common rotatable rod 10 (61, Fig. 3), and are tipped by either the crank arm 24 striking a rod 25 fixed to a tray arm 9a or by a pneumatic piston (70, 71, Fig. 4), acting on the tray rod (61). The sensors may comprise pivotable arms 17 which normally close either a common or individual low pressure air nozzles 19. Immediately prior to tipping the arms 17 may be moved upwardly away from the trays to facilitate tipping. The sensors may also comprise magnetically retained arms (50, Fig. 3), fixed to bosses (51) freely rotatable between stops (52, 53), about a common shaft (54) provided with an axial bore (55) and bleed hole(s) (56) which upon deflection of the arms by the articles are closed to initiate operation of the tray tipping pneumatic piston (70, 71, Fig. 4). The individual bleed holes (56) may be replaced by a single bleed hole covered by a rod bearing held in a normally raised position by pins fixed to the sensor arms. The return of the trays is initiated when an exhaust bore (98) in a bearing of the rod (61) is closed by movement of a rod cut-out (97) past an inlet air line (95). The sensors may also comprise micro-switches or photo-cells. The articles may be apples, oranges, potatoes, golf or tennis balls. A pneumatic control circuit (Fig. 4), including restrictors (86, 94), a flip-flop valve (74) and a time delay (99) for varying the tipping rate is described for one embodiment (Fig. 3).