US 4,694,637 AGranted

Method and apparatus for grouping, orienting, and packing articles

AssigneeStormax International A/S

InventorsMarcus C. Bech, Ole Koster

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

In a method of grouping, orienting, and packing articles such as ice-cream cones, the cones are advanced in rows on conveyors while being grouped and oriented, and are subsequently gripped in groups by a gripping device. Through suction heads gripping their respective groups, the gripping device is adapted to situate the groups in an open packing box. To permit the process to be carried out at a relatively high speed and low noise level, the articles are initially advanced in a first advancing direction while lying directly on a first endless and continuously running conveyor. They are then received in groups by a second endless and continuously running conveyor, which lifts the cones into contact with the suction heads of the gripping device while the mutual distance of the cones is being adjusted. The transfer of the cones from the first conveyor and through the second conveyor to the gripping device is carried out without stopping the advancing movement of the cones.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A method of grouping, orienting and packing articles having a cross section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, the area of said cross section substantially decreasing towards one end of the article, seen in the longitudinal direction, and whereby the articles are advanced in rows on conveyor means, and subsequently grouped and oriented so as finally to be grouped in groups by a gripping device positioning the articles in an open packing box by means of gripping means gripping their respective articles, comprising the steps of

(a) advancing said articles (4) in a first advancing direction (3) while they are lying directly on a first endless and continuously operating conveyor (1);
(b) receiving said articles (4) in groups on a second endless and continuously operating conveyor (5);
and
(c) moving said articles (4) in a second advancing direction (45) extending substantially parallel to the moving direction of said gripping means (82, 83) of said gripping device (80) during a gripping phase of their working cycle, said second conveyor (5) adjusting the mutual spacing of said articles to the mutual spacing of said gripping means before the latter grip the articles (4) from said second conveyor (5).

1 more element

Apparatus for grouping, orienting and packing articles having a cross-section perpendicular to a longitudinal direction, comprising conveyor means advancing the articles to a gripping device gripping the articles in groups by means of gripping means and transferring said articles to an open packing, wherein said conveyor means comprise a first endless and continuously operating conveyor (1) with fixedly mounted holders (9) supporting respective articles in a subtantially mutually fixed position, and a second continuously operating conveyor (5) with means (19;

20, 21) receiving said articles in groups from said first conveyor without stopping the advancing movement thereof and moving said articles to a level where they are simultaneously gripped by the gripping means (82, 83) of the gripping device (80), and means for adjusting the mutual spacing of the articles (4) to the mutual spacing of said gripping means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.