Patent GB-739685-A (GB)
Title: An improved apparatus for the automatic orientation and nesting of hollow conical bodies into one another
IPC: B65G47/14
Filed: 1954-04-22
Abstract: 739,685. Orientating and nesting hollow conical bodies; conveyers and shoots. BRUUN, O. J. April 22, 1954, No. 11653/54. Class 78 (1). Apparatus for the automatic orientation and nesting of hollow conical bodies, closed at one end, into one another comprises a conveyer, such as an endless band conveyer, on to one end of which the bodies are fed, with their orientation fortuitous, and then conveyed to the other end of the conveyer, and means to be engaged by said bodies as they are conveyed so as to orientate said bodies longitudinally of the conveyer with their closed ends forwards, said conveyer delivering the bodies on to a channel so that each succeeding body is nested into the preceding one at the commencement of said channel, and a nested stack is thereby produced along the channel. As shown, conical bodies 4 are guided by a funnel 3 on to one end of a V-shaped channel 1 and are conveyed to a channel 2 by the inner runs of a pair of endless belts 5 extending along the opposite sides of the channel 1. The bodies pass under rods 6 which are secured to the walls of the channel 1 and are so dimensioned that the bodies can pass only if they are lying horizontally along the channel, some with their closed end forwards and others with their open end forwards. To ensure that all will finally have their closed end forwards, a standard 7 is mounted on one wall of the channel 1 having a resilient leaf-spring 8 extending downwards with its lower end bent towards the approaching bodies. A body with its closed end forwards rides past the spring 8, but a body with its open end forwards has its rim engaged by the spring and as it continues to be moved by the bands 5 it will first be tilted upwardly until it is vertical and then tilted backwards until it falls into the channel 1 with its closed end forwards and its whole body clear of the spring. The bands 5 stop just short of the channel 2 so that the first body 4 will stop at the commencement of the channel 2. When the second body arrives, it will nest in the first, and the third will nest in the second. A stack of nested bodies may thus be formed and as each body is added, the forward end of the stack is pushed a little further along the channel 2. A barrier 9 is adjustably mounted along the channel 2 at a point depending on the length of stack required and when the closed end of the last body 4 reaches the barrier, the hingedly mounted wall 2a of the channel 2 is tilted over and the stack rolls down this wall to a tray 10. Each band 5 runs on a pair of pulleys 11, 12 supported in bearings 13 mounted on the outer surface of the walls of the channel 1. These pulleys are secured on spindles 16 coupled together by bevel gears 17, one of the spindles carrying a pulley 18 which is driven through belt gearing 20, 21 and a gear-box 19 by a prime mover'15. The wall 2a is tilted automatically at intervals of the running of the bands 5 by an arm 23 connected to the plunger 24 of a cylinder 25 supplied by a pipe 26 which is periodically connected by a valve, actuated from the gear-box 19, to a pipe 27 connected to a source of compressed air.