Patent GB-1305209-A (GB)
IPC: B65B1/36
Filed: 1970-01-27
Abstract: 1305209 Packaging machines; endless conveyers SOLBERN CORP 27 Jan 1970 [27 Jan 1969] 3933/70 Headings B8A and B8C An apparatus for filling containers 99 with predetermined amounts of material 61 comprises buckets 142 which are filled with the material whilst being agitated to settle the same at a receiving station 41, and which are then carried to a discharge station 40 at which the bucket-bottoms open and engage in the containers 99 to hold the same in registry during discharge of the material 61 into the containers 99. The buckets 142 are mounted on an endless chain 143 guided in a track 150 and entrained around a driven sprocket 163 and a sprocket 160. Each bucket has two hinged bottom doors 144, 145 held in the closed position by a track 170 on which they seat. The receiving station 41, 40 (Figs. 1, 2) comprises a rotatable drum 43 through which the buckets 142 pass. The drum 43 has an open mesh jacket 52 through which air from nozzles 303 is directed to prevent the build up of material 61 in the drum. As shown in Fig. 12, rake mechanisms 200 are carried by the drum, each mechanism comprising a fixed rake 200a and a movable rake 206 mounted on a rotatable shaft 204. The shaft 204 also supports a lever arm 208 carrying a roller 212 which follows a control track 210 so that, as the drum rotates, the rakes 200a, 206 are brought together to pick up material and are then separated to drop the material into the buckets 142. During filling a motor driven eccentric 153 causes a slider crank 157 to reciprocate and periodically engage the chain track 150 to agitate the same and hence the buckets 142. Excess material in the buckets 142 is removed by a substantially horizontal rotating blade 305. As the filled buckets 142 leave the receiving station 41 any remaining excess material and material bridging the space between adjacent buckets 142 is removed by means of a resilient pressure roller 82, or by means of a rotary blade (220, Fig. 10, not shown) which also reciprocates in the direction of movement of the buckets to prevent contact therewith. The track 170 which holds the bucket doors 144, 145, closed terminates at the discharge station 40 so that the doors open and braces 188, 189 carried thereby into a container 99. Empty containers 99 are fed to the discharge station 40 on a conveyer 164 comprising chain driven pushers 168, and filled containers are pushed by the buckets 142 down an inclined portion 172 of the conveyer 164 to a second conveyer 174 which carries the filled containers 99 away. The discharge of material into the containers 99 is assisted by air from nozzles 301, 306. After discharge, the buckets 142 are carried to the sprocket 163 which pivotally supports a number of guide arms 184, Fig. 6, carrying spools 186 which ride on an endless spool track 187. The track 170 recommences at the sprocket 163 so that as a bucket 142 is carried round the sprocket 163 the door 144 reaches an upwardly sloping portion 190 of the track 170 and commences to close. At the same time the door 145 is partially closed by a guide arm 184 travelling over an upwardly sloping portion 191 of the spool track 187. The door 145 is completely closed on further closing of the door 144 which places the brace 188 below the door 145, the guide arm 184 being urged against a downwardly sloping portion 192 of the spool track 187 by a supplementary spool track 193. (For Figs. 6 and 12 see next page.)