US 5,308,223 AGranted

Package handling system

AssigneeBlock Drug Company, Inc.

InventorsArthur Sternheimer, Anthony Marchiano, Donald Johnson

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Disclosed is an automated system which collates (i.e. counts and assembles packages into stacks) and positions the stacks on a cartoner conveyor. The system includes an abort plate movable between a first position and a second position for supporting a stack of packages when in the first position and permitting packages to fall past the first position when in the second position; a pusher plate movable between a first package supporting position and a second position permitting packages to fall onto the abort plate when the abort plate is in the first position and further adapted to push the stack off the abort plate when the pusher plate is moved from the second to first position; and a gate movable between a first package separating position and a second position for permitting the packages to fall onto the pusher plate.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A package handling system, comprising:

an abort plate which is movable between a first position and a second position, the abort plate being adapted to support a stack of packages when the abort plate is in its first position, the abort plate being adapted to permit packages to fall past the first position when the abort plate is in its second position;
a pusher plate which is movable between a first position and a second position, the pusher plate being adapted to support packages when the pusher plate is in its first position, the pusher plate being adapted to permit packages to fall onto the abort plate when the pusher plate is in its second position and the abort plate is in its first position, the pusher plate being adapted to push the stack of packages off the abort plate when the pusher plate is moved from its second position to its first position;
and
a gate which is movable between a first position and a second position, the gate being adapted to separate packages from the stack when the gate is in its first position, the gate being adapted to permit packages to fall onto the pusher plate when the gate is in its second position and the pusher plate is in its first position.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/751,999Filed 29 Aug 1991
Granted: 3 May 1994
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

B65H 31/3009
Arrangements for removing completed piles: by dropping, e.g. removing the pile support from under the pile
B65B 35/20
Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles: by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
B65B 35/50
Arranging and feeding articles in groups: stacking one article, or group of articles, upon another before packaging
B65H 31/3081
Arrangements for removing completed piles: by acting on edge of the pile for moving it along a surface, e.g. by pushing