Patent GB-1305210-A (GB)
IPC: B65B39/14
Filed: 1970-01-27
Abstract: 1305210 Packing machines; endless conveyers SOLBERN CORP 27 Jan 1970 3934/70 Headings B8A and B8C A machine for filling containers 70 with predetermined amounts of material 59 comprises buckets 44 which are filled with the material at a receiving station 32 whilst being agitated to settle the material therein, and are transferred to a discharge station 31 where the buckets 44 are inverted to deposit the material in the containers which are conveyed in synchronism with the receptacles by a conveyer 33. The buckets 44 are pivoted by means of arms 60 to supports 46 carried by an endless chain 61 trained around sprockets 112, and each bucket 44 has a pair of spools 47 which engage each side of an endless guide bar 48 and so control the attitude of the bucket 44. At the receiving station 32, Fig. 7, the guide bar 48 is situated above the endless chain 61 so that the buckets are held in an upright position. The buckets 44 pass through a rotatable drum 68 having stationary end, plates which support a distribution plate 42a. Rakes 42 in the drum carry material 59 over the plate 42a so that the material drops into the buckets 44. The buckets 44 are agitated during filling by means of levers 96 secured to a portion 94 of the guide bar 48 which is flexibly secured at 93 to the remainder of the guide bar. The levers 96 are carried by a shaft 95 secured to a further lever 98 in turn pivotably connected to an arm 99 connected to an eccentric drive 100. Thus, rotation of the eccentric drive 100 causes the guide bar portion 94, and hence the buckets 44, to be rocked from side to side. Material overhanging the sides of the buckets 44 is directed back into the buckets by air or steam from nozzles 63a at the outlet end of the drum 68. Any remaining material hanging over the buckets or material bridging the space between buckets 44 is cut off by a resilient pressure roller (63, Fig. 2, not shown) situated just outside the drum 68. The filled buckets 44 are then carried round the sprocket 112 to the discharge station 31, the buckets being tilted outwardly slightly to negotiate the curve at the sprocket.  At the discharge station 31 the guide bar 48 slopes downwardly to below the endless chain 61 and the buckets are thus inverted, premature discharge of the material being prevented by a guard 67. The containers 70 are delivered to the discharge station 31 by a chain conveyer 87a. The synchronizing conveyer comprises an endless chain 72 carrying blocks 73 each having a slot 83 which engages with an aligning bar 84. Each block 73 rotatably supports two shafts 76, 77 having intermeshed gears 74, 75 thereon and supporting respective blades 78, 79. The shaft 77 has an extension arm 81 which carries a follower 80 spring biased to an upward position so that the blades 78, 79 are horizontal. When the chain 72 has moved the blocks 73 into alignment with the aligning bar 84 the followers 80 are urged downwardly by a cam 82, and thus the blades 78, 79 are pivoted to a vertical position in which they engage in the containers 70 and urge the containers together and into registry with the buckets 44. The material 59 is then guided into the containers by baffles 122, 122a and by the blades 78, 79. During the discharge the buckets 44 and the containers 70 may be agitated by the mechanism shown in Fig. 18: eccentrics 130, 131 reciprocate a rod 132 and a connector arm 138. The rod 132 is pivotally connected to an arm 134 pivotally connected to a shaft 135 which extends through a hanger 136 which supports a track 137 carrying the conveyer chain 61. The arm 134 is also connected by a bracket 143 to a portion 114 of the guide bar 48 so that rotation of the eccentrics causes rocking of the buckets 44. The connector arm 138 is pivotally connected to a yoke 140 which imparts rocking motion to the containers 70.