Bottle unscrambler and loader

A uniform size bottle unscrambler and loader comprising a feeding table, a bottle receiving and transposing mechanism at one side of said table, means urging a collection of bottles, upended on said table, toward said mechanism, a bottle transporting mechanism downstream from said receiving and transposing mechanism including a series of a plurality of a predetermined number of closely-spaced bottle receptacles rigidly secured in two parallel rows, all of said receptacles being on parallel axes and each of a size to receive a single bottle, the receptacles of the second row being evenly offset to one side from the receptacles of the first row by half the spacing of said first row of receptacles, said receptacles all opening in a common plane toward said receiving and transposing mechanism, said receiving and transporting mechanism including a rotary transporting device having a plurality of rigidly connected transporting wheel structures equal in number to said predetermined number of bottle receptacles, each wheel structure having at least one set of two bottle carrier recesses opening radially outwardly and specifically spaced circumferentially so that the rotation of said wheel structure relative to the drive of said transporting mechanism will bring a first of said bottle carrier recesses opposite a first row receptacle on said transporting mechanism and bring the second of said bottle carrier recesses opposite a second row receptacle on said transporting mechanism, a bottle lifting arm mounted at the downstream edge of each of said bottle carrier recesses in position to pick up a bottle from said feeding table at each rotation of said wheel structure, a bottle stop positioned to hold each bottle as it reaches said pick-up position, and helicoidal rings rigid on said wheel structure, one on each side of each bottle intended for a first row receptacle and each such ring extending in a smooth curve to the opposite sides of each bottle intended for an offset second row receptacle upon rotation of said wheel structure through said specifically spaced circumference, said helicoidal rings being so constructed and arranged that, upon rotation, they present alternately a bottle to a first row receptacle and a bottle to a second row receptacle on said transportation mechanism.