Combined ejector-gate means for rotatable table of an article counter-stacker
AssigneeCutler-Hammer, Inc.
InventorsArthur F. Allison, Dennis C. Christopherson, Byron L. Mays, Reginald A. Reed
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An oscillating stack receiving table carries thereon a pair of cooperating chain driven ejector assemblies which function in their "at rest" position as gates to stabilize the stack of articles during rotation of the table and which are operable to sweep across the table when the latter is "at rest" to eject the stack of articles from the table onto associated take-away conveyor apparatus.
Claims13
In an apparatus for conveying, counting and stacking articles having an input conveyor for delivering articles in a lapped stream, counting means for counting articles passing a point in said input conveyor, stacking means at the output end of said conveyor for stacking said articles one upon another and a table for receiving said stack of articles from said stacking means, the combination comprising:
- vertical guide means mounted on said table for engaging opposite edges of said articles in said stack;
- ejector means mounted on said table and positioned for engagement with the ends of said articles in said stack at at least one unguided end of said stack;
- means operable to drive said ejector means across said table to eject said stack of articles therefrom;
- and
- means operable to rotate said table, said guide means and said ejector means through one-half revolution and to restrain said ejector means against movement relative to said table during rotation thereof, whereby said guide means and said ejector means cooperate to provide vertical support to said stack during table rotation.
In an apparatus for conveying, counting and stacking articles, said apparatus comprising an input conveyor for delivering articles in a lapped stream, counting means for counting said articles passing a point in said input conveyor, stacking means at the output end of said conveyor for receiving said articles one upon another, indexing means for said stacking means for intercepting said stream at a predetermined article as determined by said counting means to cause following articles to stack upon a succeeding station of said stacking means and to deposit the stack of articles formed on the original stacking station upon a stack receiving table, the combination comprising:
- vertical guide means mounted on said table engaging the opposite edges of said articles in a stack deposited on said table;
- means mounting said table for rotation about a vertical axis through the center of said stack receiving portion;
- first drive means operable upon completion of a selected indexing operation of said stacking means to rotate said table through one-half revolution;
- ejector means mounted on said table, said ejector means comprising a pair of endless chain mechanisms mounted on opposite sides of said table and each having at least one vertical bar member thereon positioned at an end of the stack receiving portion of said table for guiding engagement with the ends of said articles in a stack deposited on said table;
- and
- second drive means operable upon another selected indexing operation of said stacking means to move said vertical bar members in unison longitudinally across said table to eject said stack of articles therefrom, said second drive means being inoperative during operation of said first drive means to maintain said vertical bar members fixed with respect to said table, thereby to cooperate with said vertical guide means to provide vertical support to said stack of articles during table rotation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.