Apparatus for handling articles
AssigneeMGS Machine Corporation
InventorsMel J. Bahr, Timothy A. Bahr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to a hold-back device for use with a magazine of an article-handling apparatus. The hold-back device includes a frame defining a feed gap through which articles from the magazine are fed. A plurality of threaded members are threadingly mounted in threaded openings defined by the frame. The threaded members have distal ends adapted to extend into the feed gap to hold back the articles held by the magazine. By threading the threaded members in or out of the frame, the distal ends of the threaded members can be set to desired positions in the feed gap.
Claims13
A hold-back device for use with a magazine of an article-handling apparatus, the hold-back device comprising:
- a frame structure defining a feed gap, the frame structure including a first surface facing the feed gap and a second surface facing away from the feed gap, and the frame structure defining a first threaded opening extending from the first to the second surface;
- mounting structure adapted to mount the frame structure on the article-handling apparatus such that articles held by the magazine can be fed through the feed gap of the frame structure;
- a first threaded member threadingly mounted in the first threaded opening of the frame structure and including a distal end adapted to extend from the first surface into the feed gap, the first threaded member being rotatable within the first threaded opening such that the distal end of the first threaded member can be adjusted to a desired position so as to hold back the articles that are held by the magazine;
- a first knob fixedly connected to a proximal end of the first threaded member for rotating the first threaded member;
- and
- a second knob threadingly mounted on the first threaded member between the first knob and the second surface of the frame structure, wherein the second knob is adapted to engage the second surface of the frame structure to retain the first threaded member at the desired position.
An apparatus for handling articles comprising:
- a magazine assembly for holding the articles, the magazine assembly including left and right mounting posts, the mounting posts being located adjacent to a mouth of the magazine assembly and being spaced-apart a first distance;
- a feed apparatus for individually removing the articles from the magazine assembly;
- and
- a hold-back device adapted to be mounted on the mounting posts of the magazine assembly, the hold-back device including;
- a frame structure defining a feed gap through which the articles can be fed when the hold-back device is mounted on the magazine assembly;
- at least one hold-back member projecting from the frame structure into the feed gap, the at least one hold-back member being arranged and configured to retain articles at the mouth of the magazine assembly when the hold-back device is mounted on the magazine assembly;
- and
- left and right mounting brackets which are connected to the frame structure, the left mounting bracket defining a first pair of co-axially aligned holes that are spaced substantially the first distance from a second pair of co-axially aligned holes defined by the right mounting bracket, the first and second pairs of co-axially aligned holes being substantially the same size as the mounting posts, wherein the hold-back device can be mounted on the magazine assembly without the use of a tool by concurrently sliding the left mounting post through the first pair of co-axially aligned holes, and the right mounting post through the second pair of co-axially aligned holes.
A hold-back device configured to be mounted at a mouth of a magazine of an article-handling apparatus, the magazine having a hold-back device receiving means, the hold-back device comprising:
- a frame structure defining a feed gap;
- a hold-back structure projecting from the frame structure into the feed gap, the hold-back structure being adapted for engaging articles that are fed through the feed gap of the frame structure;
- and
- mounting structure extending from the frame structure, the mounting structure being constructed and arranged to allow the frame structure to be removed from the magazine without requiring the aid of tools, and the mounting structure including means for slidably engaging the mounting structure with the receiving means of the magazine allowing multiple hold back devices having varying preset hold back structure sizes to be efficiently interchanged at the mouth of the magazine to accommodate articles of varying size.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.