Apparatus for unloading rod-like articles from containers
AssigneeMolins Limited
InventorGeorge Robert Bennett
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tray unloader for rod-like articles such as cigarettes or cigarette filter rods has a rotatable frame haing a pair of tray carriers arranged back to back and in 180.degree. rotational symmetry relative to a cental axis of the frame. The frame is disposed adjacent a hopper so that a tray in one carrier can unload directly into the hopper with a minimum of clearance, while the other carrier releases an empty tray and receives a full one. The frame is rotated through 180.degree. for a tray change and in order to clear the hopper during rotation the axis of rotation is lifted.
Claims16
Apparatus for unloading rod-like articles from a tray, comprising a rotatable frame member having at least two tray carriers, the frame member being rotatable about a transverse axis through said frame member to effect interchange of said tray carriers between a first position in which a full tray may be received by a carrier and a second position in which said full tray in said carrier is positioned to discharge its contents into a hopper or the like, and means for lifting said axis around which the frame member is rotatable during movement of the frame member between said first and second positions including guide means for constraining both lifting and rotation of the frame member as it is moved between said positions, said guide means preventing rotation about said axis until said lifting has started.
Apparatus for unloading rod-like articles from a tray, comprising a frame member having a pair of tray carriers mounted thereon, support means for mounting said frame member for rotation about an axis transverse thereto and extending between said tray carriers and drive means for effecting rotation of said frame member between a first position in which a full tray may be received by a carrier and a second position in which said full tray in said carrier is positioned to discharge its contents into a hopper or the like, said support means including guide means coupled to said axis for constraining movement of said axis to effect sequential lifting and then rotation and then lowering of said axis as said frame member is moved from said first position to said second position by said drive means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.