Gravity fed type two-drum rectifying and rotary printing system
OwnerE. Michael Ackleyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus is disclosed which transports and rectifies objects, such as pharmaceutical capsules, and prints appropriate indicia on the objects. The apparatus comprises a two-drum system, the first drum being used to shift objects from a radial to a longitudinal position, and then to reorient some of the capsules so that, when the capsules are delivered to a second drum, the cam drum, all capsules are pointing in the same direction. The system takes advantage of gravity for rectification. Spin printing means are provided to print indicia on the rectified objects, as the objects travel along the periphery of the cam drum. A process for operating the apparatus is disclosed.
Claims18
Apparatus for transporting and orienting objects having telescoping cap and body portions, said apparatus comprising:
- means for supplying objects having telescoping cap and body portions in random orientation;
- transfer drum means having a plurality of pockets which receive said objects for delivering said objects to a delivery point, each of said pockets having a radial portion and a longitudinal portion disposed in the direction of movement of said transfer drum means;
- rectifying means positioned adjacent a portion of said transfer drum means for restricting radially outward movement of said objects from said pockets and for orienting said objects in the same disposition at said delivery point, said rectifying means including a slotted section extending to said delivery point and having an open ended slot which has its open end at said delivery point and is aligned with said longitudinal portions of said pockets, said slot having a width larger than the body portions of said objects and smaller than the cap portions of said objects whereby said objects are oriented by permitting only said body portions to extend through said slot;
- and carrier means for receiving said objects from said transfer drum means at said delivery point.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.