Vibratory belt separator for blow-molded parts

An apparatus for effecting separation of a mixture of parts, such as blow-molded plastic parts, comprising:

• a housing means;
• elongated separator belt means movably mounted on said housing means for effecting separation of a mixture of parts by permitting first parts to fall therethrough while supporting second parts and transporting them to a discharge location;
• said separator belt means including at least five endless belts movably supported on said housing, said belts being of substantially circular cross section and having elongated upper belt reaches which extend approximately horizontally of the housing means, said upper belt reaches extending in approximately parallel and adjacent side-by-side relationship and being provided with small but uniform predetermined clearance spaces between adjacent pairs of said belts for permitting said first parts to pass downwardly between said adjacent belts;
• drive means for moving said belts relative to said housing means and for causing one belt of each adjacent pair to move at a speed which is slightly greater than the speed of the other belt of said adjacent pair, said drive means including drive pulley means engaging said belts adjacent one end thereof, said drive pulley means including first and second drive pulleys of different diameters;
• and
• end idler pulley means supportingly engaging said plurality of belts adjacent the other end thereof for causing the upper reaches of said plurality of belts to extend approximately horizontally of said housing means, said end idler pulley means including a plurality of individual end idler pulleys which are individually rotatably supported about a common axis and are disposed for supportive engagement with a respective one of said belts, each adjacent pair of said end idler pulleys being provided with exterior belt-engaging profiles which cause the upper reach of one of the belts of each adjacent pair to be cyclically vertically vibrated in an up-and-down manner so as to be moved vertically relative to the upper reach of the adjacent belt of said pair.

An apparatus for effecting separation of a mixture of parts, such as blow-molded plastic parts, comprising:

• a housing means;
• elongated separator belt means movably mounted on said housing means for effecting separation of a mixture of parts by permitting first parts to fall therethrough while supporting second parts and transporting them to a discharge location;
• said separator belt means including at least five endless belts movable supported on said housing, said belts being of substantially circular cross section and having elongated upper belt reaches which extend approximately horizontally of the housing means, said upper belt reaches extending in approximately parallel and adjacent side-by-side relationship and being provided with small but uniform predetermined clearance spaces between adjacent pairs of said belts for permitting said first parts to pass downwardly between said adjacent belts;
• drive means for moving said belts relative to said housing means and for causing one belt of each adjacent pair to move at a speed which is slightly greater than the speed of the other belt of said pair, said drive means including drive pulley means engaging said belts adjacent one end thereof, said drive pulley means including first and second drive pulleys of different diameters;
• and
• end idler pulley means supportingly engaging said plurality of belts adjacent the other end thereof for causing the upper reaches of said plurality of belts to extend approximately horizontally of said housing means, said end idler pulley means including a plurality of individual end idler pulleys which are individually rotatably supported about a common axis and are disposed for supportive engagement with a respective one of said belts;
• and
• vibratory means disposed in engagement with alternate belts of said plurality for effecting cyclic vertical displacement of the upper reaches of the alternate belts, said vibratory means being formed as an integral part of alternate ones of said end idler pulleys with the alternate end idler pulleys being provided with a surrounding belt-engaging profile which is noncircular relative to its rotational axis for causing cyclic vertical displacement of the upper reach of the respective belt, the intermediate belts being free of vertically imposed vibration.