Feeding method and apparatus for containers
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorAlfred W. Kinney
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The flow of containers along a first conveyor providing a supply of unfilled containers to a filling machine is interrupted, with containers from the first conveyor being transferred to a second conveyor which, in turn, supplies containers to a filling machine. Each time a container is delivered from the secondary conveyor into the filling machine an additional container is transferred from the first conveyor to the secondary conveyor. Timing of containers entering the secondary conveyor is controlled to avoid interference with dispensing apparatus placing containers into the filling machine.
Claims18
Apparatus for feeding unfilled containers comprising:
- first conveyor means for providing a supply of containers having uniformly oriented open tops to a transfer station;
- container release means located at said transfer station for permitting a container to pass said transfer station in response to receipt of a container advance signal by an actuation means operably connected to said container release means;
- second conveyor means for accepting a container which has passed said transfer station and delivering said container to a container dispensing station;
- container dispensing means located at said container dispensing station for orienting each container arriving at said container dispensing station and releasing each container;
- and
- signal generating means for delivering said container advance signal to said container release actuation means in timed relationship with the operation of said container dispensing means.
A method of feeding unfilled containers comprising:
- providing unfilled containers having uniformly oriented open tops to a transfer station;
- releasing one container from said transfer station each time an actuation signal is generated;
- conveying the containers released from said transfer station to a dispensing station;
- releasing one container at a time from said dispensing station;
- and
- generating an actuation signal in conjunction with the release of each container from said dispensing station.
A method of feeding unfilled containers, said method comprising:
- providing unfilled, non-nestable, substantially cylindrical containers, each having an annular rim around the top thereof, to a transfer station;
- releasing one container from said transfer station each time an actuation signal is generated;
- conveying containers released from said transfer station to a dispensing station;
- engaging the annular rim of a container arriving at said dispensing station with a plurality of worm gear means;
- rotating said worm gear means to release the thus engaged container onto a conveyor;
- receiving the annular rim of the succeeding container by said plurality of worm gear means;
- maintaining a preselected number of said unfilled containers being conveyed from said transfer station to said dispensing station in contact with and resting upon the unfilled container at said dispensing station during the release of the container onto said conveyor;
- and
- operating a switch in synchronization with the rotation of said worm gear means to generate said actuation signal when said worm gear means are in a preselected position, said preselected position being timed to prevent disturbance with the release of a container from said dispensing station by the release of a container from said transfer station.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.