Patent GB-1220939-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to packaging machines
Inventor: KNOPP HENRY JOSEPH
IPC: B65B5/10
Filed: 1967-05-31
Abstract: 1,220,939. Packaging layers. H. J. KNOPP. 30 Aug., 1968 [31 May, 1967], No. 25143/67. Heading B8C. Bags of sweets or potato crisps are sequentially frictionally conveyed on to a horizontal delivery platform 14 above a carton 15 into which a layer of bags is then deposited by removing the platform from beneath the bags, either by a downward pivoting or an outward sliding movement. The bags may be fed to the frictional conveyer in a horizontal rectilinear path as shown, or a 90 degree path, or from above or simultaneously from one or more directions. Successive layers of bags may be deposited into the carton 15. General arrangement.-In the preferred embodiment, the bags are transported by a vibratory conveyer 11, comprising a coplanar pair of adjustable tension endless belts (19) or rows of rollers, the supports (18) whereof are vibrated by rotary eccentrics (20), Figs. 3 and 4 (not shown), provided with side guides (19A, 19B), and then by a pair of faster running conveyer belts 12 to spaced-apart and continuously driven conveying rollers 25 of a transfer station 13 at which they are arrested by guides 19C, 19D. The rollers 25 are mounted on a platform 26 which, when a predetermined number of bags have been detected at the transfer station 13 by photo-electric or electronic means, is lowered against the action of compression springs by magnetic, hydraulic, or pneumatic means, so that the bags are lowered on to a series of continuously rotating endless bands 29, between the rollers 25, which after the guide 19D has pivoted into a horizontal position, transfer the bags on to the platform 14 which comprises two sets of driven rollers 35 which are each cantilevered to a side member whereby each set is simultaneously pivotable against torsion springs, by magnetic, hydraulic or pneumatic means, so that each set of the rollers 35 pivots downwardly through 90 degrees to permit the bags to fall into the cartons 15. Fingers may be provided between the rollers 35 to raise stationary bags above the rollers 35 to prevent compression thereof. A device may be provided for rejecting imperfect or imperfectly filled bags and for deflecting bags off the conveyer 12 in the absence of a carton 15 to be filled. Delivery platform guides.-The bags are arrested on the platform 14 by a stop-plate 60 which is inwardly displaceable, together with guides 61, 62 and 63, to position the bags with respect to a carton. In one embodiment, Fig, 11 (not shown), the guides 60, 61 and 62 are inwardly displaced by a pneumatic actuator (69) which acts through a spring-loaded wire (65) to rotate bell-crank levers (64) connected to the guides. The guide (63) is releasably clamped to a fixed tube (73) and is connected to the actuator by a spring-loaded wire which passes around a pulley mounted on the guide 63 whereby it is rotated by the actuator to a vertical position, from a horizontal position permitting the bags to pass therebeneath, and after releasing the clamp, is inwardly dispaced along the tube (73). In the alternative Fig. 13 arrangement, the guides 60, 61, 62 are inwardly displaced by a centrally disposed pneumatic actuator acting, through spring-loaded wires, on members 74 to which the guides are mounted and which slide on rods 80. The guide 63 is connected to a similar slide member 74A by lost motion and directly to its actuating wire whereby the guide 63 is initially rotated from a horizontal to a vertical position, via a rack- and-pinion interconnection 82 to its guide 74A. The ends of guides 60 and 63 slide in slots 61a in guides 61 and 62. Transfer platform guide.-The guide 19D is pivoted from the vertical to its horizontal position by a rack-and-pinion interconnection 87, 86 to the platform 26 which carries the rollers 25. Carton delivery.-The cartons 15 may be delivered rectilinearly to beneath platform 14 but, in the preferred embodiment, they are located on a vertically adjustable turntable 43 which is incrementally rotated by frictional drive from rollers 45, 46 rotated from a motor 44. The rollers 45, 46 are mounted on a pivoted base 47 which is loaded against the table 43 by a spring 48 whereby, when roller 45 enters a locating recess 49 around the turntable, the drive is disconnected by the roller 45 engaging idler rollers 50 and roller 46 being pivoted out of contact with the turntable 43, the drive being re-energized when the base 47 is pivoted against the spring 48 by a magnetic actuator 51. Alternatively, the turntable, which may also comprise four arms each carrying a carton supporting platform, may be rotated by respective actuating rotating and holding air cylinders. The bags may be assisted into the cartons by a vertically reciprocable hydraulically actuated pusher plate, not shown, and similarly actuated pusher plates may effect delivery from the transfer stage 13. The apparatus may be programmed, e.g. by photoelectric cells, for filling compartmented cartons.