Material handling method and apparatus therefor
AssigneeAmerican Can Company
InventorsRobert P. Smith, William S. Gillespie, Hal L. Inglis, Donald B. Hoyne
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for processing of workpieces comprising the steps of continuously transferring the workpieces to and fro among a plurality of rotating members, wherein each member carries a plurality of sets of work stations. Workpieces, such as precut tubular sleeves, and tube heads, are sealed to form containers, utilizing continuously rotating turrets and cooperating rotating members designed to produce such containers efficiently and at high rate of production.
Claims33
A method of processing work comprising the steps of providing at least two rotating members each having a plurality of work stations for receiving workpieces to be continuously processed, depositing sequentially and individually a first series of workpieces into a first set of work stations of a first rotating member, depositing sequentially and individually a second series of workpieces into a first set of work stations of a second rotating member, transferring sequentially and individually the first workpieces from said first rotating member to said second rotating member, providing timing and transfer means between said members to shift said first workpieces so that said first and second workpieces register with one another on said second rotating member facilitating an assembly of individual workpieces of each said series, transferrign and shifting said assemblies of first and second workpieces sequentially and individually from said second rotating member to a second set of work stations on said first rotating member for further processing, thereafter transferring and shifting said assemblies sequentially and individually from said first rotating member to a second set of work stations on said second rotating member and removing said assemblies sequentially and individually from said second rotating member.
A method of processing work comprising the steps of providing at least two rotating members each having a plurality of work stations for receiving workpieces to be continuously processed, depositing sequentially and individually a series of workpieces into a first set of work stations of a first rotating member for processing, transferring sequentially and individually said workpieces from said first rotating member to said second rotating member for further processing, providing timing and transfer means between said rotating members for shifting said workpieces so that said workpieces register with and are received by a first set of work stations on said second rotating member, after further processing transferring and shifting said registered workpieces sequentially and individually from said second rotating member to a second set of work stations on said first rotating member for still further processing, thereafter transferring and shifting said registered workpieces sequentially and individually from said first rotating member to a second set of work stations on said second rotating member for further processing and removing said assemblies sequentially and individually from said second rotating member.
A method of processing work comprising the steps of providing at least two rotating members each having a plurality of sets of work stations for receiving workpieces to be continuously processed, depositing sequentially and individually a series of workpieces into a first set of work stations of a first rotating member, transferring sequentially and individually said workpieces from said first rotating member to said second rotating member for further processing, providing timing and transfer means between said members for shifting said workpieces so that said workpieces register with and are received by a first set of work stations on said second rotating member, after further processing transferring and shifting said workpieces sequentially and individually to a second set of work stations on said first rotating member for additional processing, thereafter transferring and shifting said assemblies sequentially and individually to a second set of work stations on said second rotating member and thereafter transferring and shifting said workpieces to a third set of work stations on said first rotating member and transferring and shifting to a third set of work stations on said second rotating member.
A method of processing work comprising the steps of providing a plurality of rotating members each having a plurality of sets of work stations for receiving workpieces to be continuously processed, depositing sequentially and individually a series of workpieces into a first set of work stations of a first rotating member selected from said plurality of rotating members, automatically transferring and shifting sequentially and individually the workpieces from said first rotating member to a predetermined set of work stations of a second rotating member, thereafter transferring and shifting said workpieces sequentially and individually to a predetermined set of work sattions on a selected rotating members for further processing.
A method of making dispensing containers from precut tubular sleeves and preformed headpieces comprising:
- (a) continuously and sequentially feeding said precut tubular sleeves to a rotating input turret,
- (b) transferring said tubular sleeves from said input turret to a rotating primary turret having a plurality of mandrels disposed thereabout and wherein said tubular sleeves are placed on every other mandrel during the first revolutionary cycle of said primary turret,
- (c) transferring the mandrels containing said tubular sleeves from said primary turret to a secondary rotating turret wherein preformed headpieces are, continuously and in timed sequence, placed on said mandrels during the first revolutionary cycle of said secondary turret.
- (d) transferring the mandrels containing the tubular sleeves and headpieces from said secondary turret back to said primary turret wherein the tubular sleeve and the headpiece in each of said mandrels is biased in substantially contiguous relation to one another and thereafter heat sealing each headpiece to its associated tubular sleeve to form the finished container as the primary turret rotates during its second revolutionary cycle, and
- (e) transferring the finished container from said primary turret back to said secondary turret and removing the finished containers from said secondary turret during the second revolutionary cycle of said secondary turret.
An apparatus for making dispensing containers from precut tubular sleeves and preformed headpieces comprising:
- (a) a first rotating member having a plurality of work stations defined by a first set of work stations and alternately disposed second set of work stations,
- (b) means for sequentially depositing said tubular sleeves onto said first set of work stations,
- (c) means for engaging said tubular sleeves in said first set of work stations as the first rotating member rotates during its first revolutionary cycle,
- (d) means for transferring said tubular sleeve from said first rotating member to a first set of work stations in a second rotating member having a plurality of work stations defined by a first set of work stations and alternately disposed a second set of work stations,
- (e) means for depositing the preformed headpieces onto said tubular sleeves as said second rotating member rotates during its first revolutionary cycle,
- (f) means for transferring said assembled headpieces and tubular sleeves from said second rotating member for engagement onto said second work stations of said first rotating member,
- (g) means for biasing said headpieces relative to their respective associated tubular sleeves as said first rotating member rotates during its second revolutionary cycle,
- (h) heat sealing means cooperating with said first rotating member for heat sealing each headpiece to its associated tubular sleeve to form the finished containers as said first rotating member continues its second revolutionary cycle,
- (i) means for transferring said finished containers from said first rotating member for engagement into the second work stations of said second rotating member as said second rotating member rotates during its second revolutionary cycle, and,
- (j) means for disengaging said finished containers from said second rotating member as said second rotating member continues its second revolutionary cycle.
A method of making dispensing containers from precut tubular sleeves and preformed headieces comprising:
- (a) continuously and sequentially feeding said precut tubular sleeves to a rotating input turret,
- (b) transferring said tubular sleeves from said input turret to a rotating primary turret having a plurality of mandrels disposed thereabout and wherein said tubular sleeves are placed on every other mandrel during the first revolutionary cycle of said primary turret,
- (c) transferring the mandrels containing said tubular sleeves from said primary turret to a secondary rotating turret wherein preformed headpieces are, continuously and in timed sequence, placed on said mandrels during the first revolutionary cycle of said secondary turret,
- (d) transferring the mandrels containing the tubular sleeves and headpieces from said secondary turret back to said primary turret wherein the tubular sleeve and the headpiece on each of said mandrels are biased in substantially contiguous relation to one another and thereafter heat sealing each headpiece to its associated tubular sleeve to form the finished container as the primary turret rotates during its second revolutionary cycle, said heat sealing being achieved by a radio-frequency source conductively connected to a pair of spaced apart, substantially parallel stationary commutator rails disposed about said first rotating member, at least one work coil mounted on said first rotating member, a pair of commutator brushes for each working coil, each of commutator brushes being slideably mounted for movement along one of said commutator rails, means for conductively connecting each of said commutator brushes to each of said work coils, means for short circuiting the respective ends of said commutator rails, and a pair of conductive substantially parallel capacitor members separated by an insulative layer each of said capacitor members being conformally attached to a portion of said commutator rails to maintain a uniform high potential difference along said portions of the rail, and
- (e) transferring the finished container from said primary turret back to said secondary turret and removing the finished containers from said secondary turret during the second revolutionary cycle of said secondary turret.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.