Machine for automatically positioning and feeding containers

Machine for automatically orienting containers, such as plastic bottles, comprising:

• a main hopper for receiving a plurality of randomly positioned containers;
• a side wall on said main hopper;
• a bottom in said main hopper having a peripheral portion spaced from said side wall to provide a space through which containers on said bottom can pass;
• container holder support means having a peripheral portion and supported below said hopper for movement of said peripheral portion thereof in a path adjacent said peripheral portion of said bottom;
• means for driving said container holder support means in said path;
• container holder means mounted on said container holder support means for movement therewith and forming recesses for receiving and holding the containers in a lying position from said peripheral portion of said bottom;
• discharge openings in said container holder means for allowing the containers to pass therethrough;
• container support shelf means extending below said holders for supporting the containers in a lying position in said receiving recesses during movement of said container holder means;
• a discharge section in said support shelf means for discontinuing support of the containers at a predetermined location so that containers in said container holder means pass through said openings at said discharge section;
• tilting means on said container holder means engaging one part of each container for tilting the container into a predetermined position as the container passes through said openings at said discharge section;
• chute means mounted below and movable with said discharge openings for receiving, orientating and guiding containers passing through said discharge openings into a predetermined position, each chute means having a lower exit portion;
• a lateral aperture in said side wall container holder means in a curved area preceding said discharge section and adapted for ejection therethrough by centrifugal force containers incorrectly positioned on said container holder means;
• an external recovering hopper in communication with said lateral aperture for receiving containers ejected through said lateral aperture;
• and
• conveyor means on said external recovering hopper for recycling containers therein by transferring containers from said recovering hopper into the loading area of said main hopper.