Divider system
AssigneeMorrison Timing Screw Co.
InventorsNick Lynn Wilson, Mark Burk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A divider system for diverting objects from an infeed lane into one or more discharge lanes includes a dividing screw set, a discharge screw set, and a diverting mechanism. The dividing screw set conveys a sequence of objects to an output end of the screw set where the objects are divided by rotation of the dividing screw set and outputted alternately to first and second discharge screws of the discharge screw set to form a first series of objects conveyed by the first discharge screw and a second series of objects conveyed by the second discharge screw. The divider system includes a diverting mechanism which can be selectively actuated to divert objects from one discharge screw to the other discharge screw to form a diverted group.
Claims20
A divider system operable to divide a sequence of objects into a first series of objects and a second series of objects, the divider system comprising:
- a first dividing screw;
- a second dividing screw;
- a first discharge screw;
- a second discharge screw;
- wherein each of the first dividing screw, the second dividing screw, the first discharge screw, and the second discharge screw is discrete;
- a first screw set comprising the first dividing screw and the second dividing screw;
- wherein the first dividing screw includes an output end defining a first dividing pocket;
- wherein the second dividing screw includes an output end defining a second dividing pocket;
- wherein the first and second dividing screws are rotatably mounted to define a dividing channel therebetween;
- wherein the first and second dividing screws are rotatable to receive and convey a sequence of objects through the dividing channel to the respective output ends of the first and second dividing screws;
- wherein the objects of the sequence of objects are divided by rotation of the first screw set and received alternately into the first dividing pocket and the second dividing pocket;
- a second screw set comprising the first discharge screw and the second discharge screw;
- wherein the first and second discharge screws are rotatably mounted to define a discharge channel therebetween;
- wherein the objects received into the first dividing pocket are outputted from the first dividing pocket and received by the first discharge screw to form a first series of objects;
- and
- wherein the objects received into the second dividing pocket are outputted from the second dividing pocket and received by the second discharge screw to form a second series of objects.
A method of dividing a sequence of objects into a first series of objects and a second series of objects, the method comprising:
- providing:
- a first dividing screw;
- a second dividing screw;
- a first discharge screw;
- a second discharge screw;
- wherein each of the first dividing screw, the second dividing screw, the first discharge screw, and the second discharge screw is discrete;
- a first screw set comprising the first dividing screw and the second dividing screw;
- wherein:
- the first dividing screw includes an output end defining a first dividing pocket;
- the second dividing screw includes an output end defining a second dividing pocket;
- the first and second dividing screws are rotatably mounted to define a dividing channel therebetween;
- the first and second dividing screws are rotatable to receive and convey a sequence of objects through the dividing channel to the respective output ends of the first and second dividing screws;
- rotating the first and second dividing screws to receive and convey the sequence of objects through the dividing channel such that the objects of the sequence of objects are divided by rotation of the first screw set and received alternately into the first dividing pocket and the second dividing pocket;
- providing a second screw set comprising the first discharge screw and the second discharge screw;
- wherein the first and second discharge screws are rotatably mounted to define a discharge channel therebetween;
- outputting each of the objects received into the first dividing pocket from the first dividing pocket to the first discharge screw;
- conveying a first series of objects via the first discharge screw, wherein the first series of objects comprise the objects outputted to the first discharge screw from the first dividing pocket;
- outputting each of the objects received into the second dividing pocket from the second dividing pocket to the second discharge screw;
- and
- conveying a second series of objects via the second discharge screw, wherein the second series of objects comprise the objects outputted to the second discharge screw from the second dividing pocket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.