Conveyor system

An article handling system for empty cans and the like, wherein individual cans are first isolated and singled out from a mass of moving cans for further handling in a singular fashion and at high speeds comprising the combination of can conveyor means arranged to provide a recirculating and closed path of travel for a plurality of cans, a moveable endless vacuum belt means having a portion thereof arranged at a selected angle across a given portion of the path of travel of the conveyor means for selectively and substantially continuously isolating individual cans from the mass of moving cans on the conveyor means without adversely interfering with the normal flow of said mass of moving cans and for thereafter transferring the isolated cans in single file fashion to a can discharge station located in spaced relation to the conveyor means, means for applying a vacuum to the successive can contacting portions of said belt means and for maintaining said vacuum on said can contacting portions at least until the said can contacting portions of said vacuum belt means reach the area of the discharge station, a further means for receiving cans from said vacuum belt means at said discharge station and for continuing the single file movement of the cans while moving said cans away from the discharge station and a gaseous baffle means disposed above the part of the feeding portion of the conveyor means that is located adjacent the forward part of the vacuum pickup section of the belt means that comes into initial contact with the cans so as to direct the cans toward the said forward part of the vacuum pickup section of the belt means.

An article handling system for empty cans and the like, wherein individual cans are first singled out from a recirculating mass of moving cans for further handling in a singular fashion comprising the combination of can supporting conveyor means arranged to provide a recirculating and closed path of travel for a plurality of upstanding cans, a moveable endless and pocketed vacuum belt means arranged at selected angles across given portions of the path of travel of the conveyor means that lead to and away from said belt means for selectively and substantially continuously singling out and collecting single cans from the mass of moving cans on the conveyor means without adversely interfering with the normal recirculating movement and flow of said mass of moving cans and for thereafter directly transferring the singled out and collected cans in single file fashion and in an upright condition to a can discharge station located in spaced relation to the conveyor means and provided with drop off gap and can collection means for receiving tipped over cans, means for applying a vacuum to the individual can contacting pocket portions of said belt means and for maintaining said vacuum on the individual pocket portions of said belt means at least until said individual pocket portions of said belt means clear the conveyor means and reach the area of the can discharge station and a further means for receiving cans from the said pocketed vacuum belt means at said can discharge station and for continuing the single file movement of the cans while moving said cans away from the discharge station.

An article handling system for empty cans and the like, wherein individual cans are first isolated and singled out from a recirculating mass of moving cans for further handling in a singular fashion comprising the combination of can supporting conveyor means arranged to provide a recirculating and closed path of travel for a plurality of upstanding cans, a moveable endless and pocketed vacuum belt means arranged at selected angles across given portions of the paths of travel of the conveyor means for selectively and substantially continuously isolating and collecting single cans from the mass of moving cans on the conveyor means without adversely interfering with the normal flow of said mass of moving cans and for thereafter transferring the isolated cans in single file fashion and in an upright condition to a can discharge station located in spaced relation to the conveyor means, means for applying a vacuum to the individual can contacting pocket portions of said belt means and for maintaining said vacuum on the individual pocket portions of said belt means at least until said individual pocket portions reach the area of the can discharge station, a further means for receiving cans from the said pocketed vacuum belt means at said can discharge station and for continuing the single file movement of the cans while moving said cans away from the discharge station and a gaseous baffle means disposed above the part of the feeding portion of the conveyor means that is located adjacent the forward end of the vacuum pickup section of the belt means which comes into initial contact with the cans so as to direct the cans toward the said forward end of the vacuum pickup section of the belt means.

An article handling system for empty cans and the like, wherein individual cans are first isolated and singled out from a recirculating mass of moving cans for further handling in a singular fashion comprising the combination of can supporting conveyor means arranged to provide a recirculating and closed path of travel for a plurality of upstanding cans, a moveable endless and pocketed vacuum belt means arranged at selected angles across given portions of the paths of travel of the conveyor means for selectively and substantially continuously isolating and collecting single cans from the mass of moving cans on the conveyor means without adversely interfering with the normal flow of said mass of moving cans and for thereafter transferring the isolated cans in single file fashion and in an upright condition to a can discharge station located in spaced relation to the conveyor means, means for applying a vacuum to the individual can contacting pocket portions of said belt means and for maintaining said vacuum on the individual pocket portions of said belt means at least until said individual pocket portions reach the area of the can discharge station, a futher means for receiving cans from the said pocketed vacuum belt means at said can discharge station and for continuing the single file movement of the cans while moving said cans away from the discharge station, a gaseous baffle means disposed above the part of the feeding portion of the conveyor means that is located adjacent the forward end of the vacuum pickup section of the belt means which comes into initial contact with the cans so as to direct the cans toward the said forward end of the vacuum pickup section of the belt means and means interconnecting the input end of said gaseous baffle means with the exhaust side of the means for drawing a vacuum on the vacuum belt means.

The article handling system for empty cans and the like wherein individual cans are first singled out from a recirculating mass of moving cans for further handling in a singular fashion comprising the combination of can supporting conveyor means arranged to provide a recirculating and closed path of travel for a plurality of upstanding cans, a moveable endless and pocketed vacuum belt means extending across and arranged at different selected angles to give portions of the recirculating path of travel of the conveyor means that lead to and away from said belt means for selectively and substantially continuously singling out and collecting single cans from the mass of moving upstanding cans on the conveyor means without adversely interfering with the normal recirculating movement and flow of said mass of moving cans and for thereafter directly transferring the singled out and collected cans in single file and in an upright condition to a can discharge station located in spaced relation to the conveyor means and provided with drop off and can collection means for receiving tipped over cans, means for applying a vacuum to the individual can contacting pocket portions of said belt means and for maintaining said vacuum on said belt means at least until the individual can contacting pocket portions of the belt means clear the conveyor means and reach the area of the discharge station and a cable conveyor means for receiving cans from the said pocketed vacuum belt means at said discharge station and for supporting and continuing the single file movement and upright condition of the cans while moving said cans away from the discharge station.