US 5,232,080 A · Article handling method and apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for transferring discrete articles at a receiving and packing station from a randomly supplied conveyor having articles with a plurality of characteristics to a take away conveyor having articles with only certain selected characteristics out of the plurality of characteristics. At each receiving and packing station, the articles having the selected characteristics are transferred from the supply conveyor to a collecting device to form therein a completed row of a certain number of articles. An endless transfer conveyor has a plurality of rows of article holders, each of which, at one point in its travel, is positioned to receive a completed row of articles from the collecting device. The collecting device will deliver a complete row of articles only into an empty row of holders in the transfer conveyor. The transfer conveyor then transfers a completed row of articles to containers on a take away conveyor. A receiving mechanism may be interposed between the transfer conveyor and the containers to receive and lower articles to the containers.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of transferring discrete articles from a supply conveyor to a take off conveyor, comprising the steps of:

transferring articles from the supply conveyor into article holders of a supply device which has a certain number of article holders arranged parallel to the direction of movement of the supply conveyor, until the article holders of the supply device are completed with a certain number of articles,
transferring a completed set of articles from the supply device into an empty row of article holders on a first run of an endless transfer conveyor which also has a second run extending substantially parallel to the first run, wherein the transfer conveyor has a plurality of rows of article holders, all of which rows are moveable along the first and second runs of the transfer conveyor in directions transverse to the direction of movement of the supply conveyor, and
delivering completed rows of articles from rows of article holders located along the second run of the transfer conveyor to the take off conveyor.

An apparatus for transferring discrete articles from a supply conveyor to a take off conveyor, comprising:

a supply conveyor for conveying articles in a row,
a supply device positioned adjacent the supply conveyor, said supply device having a certain number of article holders arranged parallel to the direction of movement of the supply conveyor, selected articles being transferable from the supply conveyor to the holders of the supply device, as the supply conveyor moves by the supply device,
an endless transfer conveyor positioned adjacent the supply device and having first and second generally parallel runs moveable in directions transverse to the direction of movement of the supply conveyor, said transfer conveyor having a plurality of rows of article holders extending parallel to the row of article holders of the supply device, all of the transfer conveyor rows of article holders being moveable along the first and second runs of the transfer conveyor, the first run thereof being located adjacent the supply device so that each row of article holders of the transfer conveyor is positionable, at one point in its travel, adjacent the supply device for receiving a completed number of articles therefrom and the second run being located to deliver articles to a take away conveyor, and
a take away conveyor positioned adjacent the second run of the transfer conveyor to receive articles therefrom.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Article handling method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Article handling method and apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16