Article retarding device for case loading machine
OwnerThomas S. Hartnessinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article retarding device for use with a grid set of a case loading machine for breaking the fall of articles as they are dropped through the grid set into a case. The grid set includes a trip-bar assembly which is shifted to drop the articles. Positioned below the trip-bar assembly are a plurality of pivotally supported downwardly extending fingers carried in the form of a matrix which guide the articles into the case as they are being loaded. A camming mechanism selectively forces the fingers of respective passages to the center of the passages for breaking the fall of articles into the case. Means is provided for retracting the camming mechanism to a second position so that the articles can be gently loaded into the case.
Claims5
An article retarding device for use with a grid set forming part of a case loader, said grid set including a plurality of elongated spaced members being spaced apart sufficiently for allowing said articles to pass therebetween, guide members spaced along said elongated spaced members defining square passages through which said articles pass for loading into a case carried below said grid set, said guide members including elongated downwardly extending rigid fingers pivotally attached adjacent the corners of said passages with the lower ends thereof extending downwardly below said spaced members, and rear surfaces of said fingers intersecting at a right angle, said article retaining device comprising:
- cam means carried adjacent said finger;
- said cam means including:
- (i) a plurality of spaced elongated arms each extending adjacent a respective group of downwardly extending fingers, and
- (ii) right angle longitudinally spaced caming surfaces each projecting outwardly from said arms towards a respective finger,
- means for placing said cam means in a first position wherein said right angle caming surfaces engage the rear surfaces of a respective finger forcing said fingers towards the center of said respective passages for stopping the downward movement of said articles as said articles are dropped through said passages when said trip bar assembly is shifted, and
- means for retracting said cam means to a second position allowing said fingers to be retracted back into the corners of said passages permitting said articles to drop into said case.
An article retarding device for use with a grid set for breaking the fall of articles as they are dropped through said grid set into a case, said grid set including a trip-bar assembly onto which said articles are fed, means for shifting said trip-bar assembly for dropping said articles towards said case carried therebelow, a plurality of pivotally supported downwardly extending fingers carried in the form of a matrix below said trip-bar assembly, said downwardly extending fingers being arranged so that there is a finger in each corner of a passage through which said articles drop when being loaded into said case, said article retarding device comprising:
- cam means carried adjacent said fingers;
- means for placing said cam means in a first position in engagement with said fingers forcing said fingers diagonally towards the center of said respective passages wherein four equally spaced fingers engage said article for stopping the downward movement of said articles as said articles are dropped through said passages when said trip-bar assembly is shifted;
- and
- means for retracting said cam means to a second position allowing said fingers to be retracted back into the corners of said passages permitting said articles to drop into said case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.