Article rotating assembly
AssigneeRiverwood International Corporation
InventorsJeffrey A. Lashyro, Robert J. Bitner
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An article rotating assembly and process for rotating articles to a predetermined orientation on a moving conveyor. The assembly comprises movable article control structures and cooperating vertical motion and rotational motion assemblies which are synchronized with the conveyor. Each article control structure is constructed and arranged for vertical and rotational movement above the moving conveyor and is controlled by cam follower and guide track structures to engage and rotate articles on the moving conveyor to a predetermined orientation.
Claims18
An article rotating assembly for rotating articles to a predetermined position on a moving conveyor comprising:
- a) a frame structure with a pair of vertically disposed rotatable shafts each having a sprocket mounted at the top and bottom thereof, an upper and lower continuous chain for engaging said sprockets and synchronized drive means;
- b) a first continuous cam guide structure mounted to said frame adjacent and being generally peripheral to said upper continuous chain and further having outwardly and inwardly sloping sections at predetermined locations along its path;
- c) a second continuous cam guide structure mounted to said frame and being generally in a parallel plane to said first cam guide structure and further having downwardly and upwardly sloping sections at predetermined locations along its path;
- and
- d) article engaging means further comprising:
- i. at least one vertical flight shaft connected between said upper and lower continuous chains;
- ii. an upper rotating block structure connected to at least one flight shaft and having a first cam follower extending therefrom and positioned for movement in said first cam guide structure and further having a keyed bore vertically extending thereinto;
- iii. an elongated piston shaft having a sliding block structure constructed and arranged for slidingly engaging at least one said vertical flight shaft, said sliding block structure further having a second cam follower mounted thereto for movement in said second cam guide structure;
- and
- iv. a product control structure connected at the bottom of said elongated piston shaft, said piston shaft having a keyed upper end portion for slidingly and matingly engaging said keyed bore in said upper block structure, said product control structure being positioned for vertical movement above the moving conveyor, whereby the downward movement of said product control structure results from said second cam follower movement in said second cam guide structure and whereby the rotation of said upper rotating block structure results from said first cam follower movement in said first cam guide structure to provide for the downward movement and rotation of articles on the moving conveyor by said product control structure.
The article rotating assembly of claim wherein said second continuous cam guide structure is a rail structure having a parallel rail configuration portion and wherein said parallel rail portion has shut-off means for disengaging said second cam follower responsive to excessive pressure on the downward movement on said product control structure.
In an article conveyance assembly having conveyance means, an article rotating assembly comprising:
- a) article engaging means,
- b) vertical motion means operative on said article engaging means, and
- c) rotational motion means operative on said article engaging means, said rotational motion means comprising a first cam track and cam roller assembly and said vertical motion means comprising a second cam track and cam roller assembly, said second cam track having derailment means activatable at a predetermined resistance force on said article engaging means, said vertical and rotational motion means being synchronized with said conveyance means.
In an article conveyance assembly having conveyance means, an article rotating assembly comprising:
- a) a frame structure,
- b) a pair of driven endless chains disposed in generally parallel planes within said frame structure,
- c) article engaging means,
- d) vertical motion means, including a lower cam track, operative on said article engaging means,
- e) rotational motion means, including an upper cam track, operative on said article engaging means, said vertical and rotational motion means being synchronized with said conveyance means,
- f) vertically disposed flight shafts connected between said chains,
- g) an upper rotating block having a vertically extending splined interior aperture and a first cam roller attached thereto, said upper rotating block being connected to said flight shaft, and
- h) a sliding block structure constructed and arranged for vertical movement with respect to said flight shafts and having a second cam roller attached thereto and further having a piston shaft coupled thereto, said piston shaft having a splined upper end portion for slidingly engaging said splined interior of said upper rotating block, said article engaging means being mounted at a bottom end of said position shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.