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US 4,360,101 AGranted
Case feed control for article handling apparatus
AssigneeA-T-O Inc.
InventorsRobert W. McGill, Michael E. Winiasz
Life of this patent
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AssigneeA-T-O Inc.
InventorsRobert W. McGill, Michael E. Winiasz
Estimating the term…
An article casing or uncasing apparatus having a conveyor for moving cases through a fixed course wherein a driven case supply conveyor deposits cases onto a driven supply conveyor that has an axially extending opening therein, a driven star wheel positioned in such axial opening parallel to the longitudinal axis of the same and having teeth that protrude upwardly from the case supply conveyor as the star wheel is rotated, the supply conveyor and star wheel being driven in the same direction at upper portions thereof but with the supply conveyor being driven at a faster linear speed than the star wheel or the case supply conveyor to urge the leading end of input cases into engagement with a tooth of the star wheel which retards downstream movement of the case for timed release of a case by continuing drive of the conveyor and star wheel for controlled downstream delivery of individual cases in the apparatus for further processing therein. The cases are individually deposited onto a case transport conveyor and are spaced longitudinally from each other on such conveyor by timed release by the star wheel.
Article uncasing and casing apparatus including a driven endless case feed means, a driven case supply conveyor means having an axial extending opening therein and an upper course for receiving cases from said case feed means and moving them downstream of the apparatus, and a driven endless case transport conveyor for engaging cases released by said case supply conveyor means and moving them along a fixed upper course for article processing action, the improvement comprising a driven star wheel positioned in said opening of said supply conveyor means parallel to a longitudinal axis of the same and rotating in a course to have each tooth project above the surface of said supply conveyor means for a portion of its path of movement;
An article casing and/or uncasing apparatus, including a frame means, an endless driven article engaging and transfer conveyor moving around a fixed course lying in and defining a vertical plane and a driven endless case transport conveyor for engaging cases and moving them along a fixed upper course under a portion of the course of said transfer conveyor, the improvement comprising said case transport conveyor having a horizontal upper course, a driven endless case feed means, a driven case supply conveyor having an axially extending opening intermediate its lateral margins and an upper course for receiving cases from said feed means and moving them downstream of the apparatus, a driven star wheel positioned in said opening of said supply conveyor parallel to the longitudinal axis of the same but with the teeth on the star wheel on rotation being adapted to project above the surface of said supply conveyor;
A method of controlling the feeding of cases for bottles and similar articles comprising moving a stream of longitudinally abutted cases along a fixed path to a control area, increasing the speed of movement of a leading case at the control area, raising the trailing end of the leading case at such control area, retarding the speed of movement of the case first following said leading case until the leading case is advanced and spaced from the following case and, initially retarding the speed of movement of said leading case at the control area without stopping such case and then releasing the leading case for increased speed movement.
A method of controlling the feeding of cases for bottles and similar articles comprising moving a stream of longitudinally abutted cases along a fixed path to a control area, increasing the speed of movement of a leading case at the control area, raising the trailing end of the leading case at such control area, retarding the speed of movement of the case first following said leading case until the leading case is advanced and spaced from the following case and,
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.