Apparatus for taking out and aligning articles transported thereto

An apparatus for taking out articles, which are delivered thereto in a manner such that the articles are held on heads arranged around a rotating body rotating within a vertical plane, and aligning the articles in contact with one another, comprising:

• a transfer drum and a takeout drum arranged diametrically adjacent to each other and rotatable synchronously in opposite directions within a vertical plane;
• a transfer arm located at the peripheral portion of the transfer drum and rockable within the vertical plane and a takeout arm located at the peripheral portion of the takeout drum and rockable within the vertical plane, the transfer arm and the takeout arm being adapted to rock so as to face each other as the arms pass by a peripheral region in which the drums are situated close to each other, whereby the articles are moved straight upward in a manner such that the articles are held by means of the transfer arm and the takeout arm;
• a takeout conveyor mechanism extending upward from the peripheral region in which the transfer drum and the takeout drum are situated close to each other, the articles moved upward by means of the transfer arm and the takeout arm being transferred to the takeout conveyor mechanism so that the articles are transported upward while being decelerated by the conveyor mechanism;
• and
• an aligning mechanism provided at the upper end portion of the takeout conveyor mechanism, the aligning mechanism receiving the articles decelerated by the conveyor mechanism and aligning the articles in contact with one another.