Cup dispensing apparatus and method

Apparatus for continuously feeding cups to a station comprising conveyor means for moving a group of nested rimmed cups along a generally horizontal path;

• arcuate guide means defining an arcuate extension of said path toward said station, said guide means being movable between raised and lowered positions with respect to said path;
• a fixed rail above said movable guide means;
• a pusher arm pivoted about a fixed axis adjacent said path between first and second positions, said pusher arm having opposed pusher fingers movable towards and away from each other to grip the rim of a leading cup in said group;
• a gripper member having opposed gripper fingers movable toward and away from each other for engaging the rim of a cup adjacent the leading cup to arrest the movement of the remaining cups;
• and common drive means for (1) pivoting said pusher arm from said first position to said second position while said pusher fingers grip the rim of a leading cup to move said leading cup along said guide means while said gripper fingers arrest the movement of the remaining cups, (2) raising said arcuate guide means to grip the nested cups between said guide means and said fixed rail, (3) moving said pusher fingers and said gripper fingers away from each other to release said leading cup and said remaining cups, (4) moving said pusher arm to said first position while holding said pusher fingers away from each other, (5) continuously driving said conveyor means, (6) moving said gripper fingers and pusher fingers toward each other when said pusher arm is in the first position and lowering said guide means to grip the rims of the next cups.

Apparatus for continuously supplying nested rimmed containers to a station comprising a frame;

• driven endless conveyor means defining a generally horizontal path receiving nested containers and moving said containers along said path;
• feed means for feeding containers to said path;
• arcuate guide means on one end of said conveyor means defining an arcuate extension for said path toward said station;
• pusher means for gripping the rim of a leading container and moving said container along said guide means for deposit at said station, said pusher means including a pusher arm pivoted between first and second positions about a fixed axis below said path with a fixed pusher finger on said pusher arm adapted to engage a lower edge of the rim of a leading container and a movable pusher finger pivoted on said pusher arm between gripping and released positions;
• holding means for arresting movement of all but said leading container, said holding means including a holding arm pivoted between first and second positions about a fixed axis below said path with a fixed holding finger on said holding arm adapted to be positioned between the rims of the leading cup and the next adjacent cup, said holding arm having a movable holding finger pivoted between first and second positions and adapted to be positioned between the rims of said leading and adjacent containers;
• and drive means moving said arms, fingers and guide means in a synchronized manner and drive said conveyor means to grip the rim of a leading container with said gripping fingers and move said leading container along said guide means while holding said remaining containers with said holding fingers, release said leading container to allow said leading container to fall freely to said station;
• raise said guide means and pivot said holding finger to allow said holding fingers to be moved between a next adjacent pair of rims and pivoting the movable gripping finger to grip the rim of a next leading container.

Feeding apparatus for maintaining a continuous supply of nested cups moving along a path having means for moving said supply of nested cups along said path and means for continuously removing leading cups from said supply of nested cups;

• comprising:
• a hopper having an elongated opening at a lower end above said path and adapted to receive a plurality of groups of nested cups;
• a transfer member located in said elongated opening and supported for rotation about an axis extending generally parallel to said path;
• said transfer member having a substantially semi-cylindrical pocket normally positioned to receive a group of cups from said hopper;
• motor means connected to said transfer member;
• and sensing means for sensing a minimum number of cups along said path and actuating said motor means so that said transfer member is rotated 360.degree. to allow a group of cups to fall by gravity to said path and align said pocket for reception of a next group of cups from said hopper.

Apparaus for continuously feeding individual cups to a station comprising supply means for continuously supplying groups of nested cups having peripheral rims surrounding open ends of said cups;

• means for moving said nested cups along a generally horizontal path;
• guide means at one end of said path above said station for guiding said cups from said supply means to said station;
• pusher means engageable with the rim of the leading cup for driving said leading cup along said guide means, said pusher means having release means for releasing said leading cup at the end of said guide means to allow said leading cup to fall to said station;
• and gripper means engageable with the rim of the next cup for holding the remaining cups while said leading cup is being moved along said guide means, said gripper means including an arm pivoted about a fixed axis with respect to said path with a first finger means fixed to said arm and a second finger means movable on said arm towards and away from said first finger means for releasing said leading cup.

Apparatus for continuously feeding individual cups to a station comprising supply means for continuously supplying groups of nested cups having peripheral rims surrounding open ends of said cups;

• means for moving said nested cups along a generally horizontal path;
• guide means at one end of said path above said station for guiding said cups from said supply means to said station;
• pusher means including a pusher arm pivoted about a fixed axis adjacent said path between first and second positions with first finger means fixed to said arm below said path and second finger means mounted on said arm above said path, said second finger means being movable between first and second positions toward and away from said first finger means to grip and release said cups, said second finger means being in said first position gripping the rim of the leading cup while said pusher arm is pivoted from the first to the second position for driving said leading cup along said guide means, said second finger means being moved to said second position for releasing said leading cup at the end of said guide means to allow said leading cup to fall to said station;
• and gripper means engageable with the rim of the next cup for holding the remaining cups while said leading cup is being moved along said guide means.