Article metering device and method of metering articles

An article metering device for use with an article handling and packaging system, the article handling and packaging system having an endless feed conveyor moving along a path of travel, an endless take-away conveyor positioned downstream of the feed conveyor, and an endless infeed conveyor positioned downstream of the take-away conveyor and extending toward a packaging machine, and a plurality of articles to be packaged carried on the feed conveyor, said metering device comprising:

• a framework positioned along the path of travel with respect to the feed conveyor and the take-away conveyor, said framework having a first end, a spaced second end, and a pair of spaced and parallel side frame members extending between the ends of said framework;
• a plurality of elongate carrier members extending between said side frame members, said carrier members being carried in spaced series on a drive means for moving said carrier members along an elongate and endless path extending between the first and second ends of said framework;
• said drive means comprising:
• a rotatable drive shaft and a spaced parallel idler shaft each supported on said framework;
• a pair of spaced drive sprockets affixed to said drive shaft and a pair of spaced idler sprockets mounted on said idler shaft;
• a pair of spaced endless drive chains passed about a respective one of said drive sprockets and said idler sprockets and extending between the first and second ends of said framework;
• and
• a drive motor for rotating said drive shaft;
• wherein each of said carrier members is removably affixed to each of said drive chains and is carried thereby along said endless path between the first and second ends of said framework;
• at least one article engagement member carried on each respective said carrier member, each said at least one article engagement member being constructed and arranged to fall from a first retracted position through the force of gravity into a second extended article engaging position spaced above the take-away conveyor in said article engaging position;
• and
• an elongate wear strip spaced above the feed conveyor and extending partially along the path of travel with respect to the first end of said framework, said wear strip being sized and shaped to receive said at least one article engagement member thereon as the respective ones of said carrier members successively pass about the drive sprockets along said endless path so that said wear strip supports each said at least one article engagement member thereon as it is moved along the path of travel, whereupon said at least one article engagement member then falls off of a downstream end of said wear strip and into said article engaging position.

An article metering device for use with an article handling and packaging system, the handling and packaging system having a frame, an endless feed conveyor supported on the frame, a plurality of articles carried on the feed conveyor along a path of travel toward an endless downstream take-away conveyor also supported on the frame, and an endless downstream infeed conveyor extending toward a packaging machine for packaging the articles thereby, said article metering device comprising:

• an elongate framework having a first end and a spaced second end, said framework being supported on the frame of the packaging system with respect to the downstream end of the feed conveyor and the upstream end of the take-away conveyor;
• an elongate drive shaft rotatably supported on said framework, and a pair of spaced parallel drive sprockets affixed to said drive shaft;
• a spaced parallel idler shaft supported on said framework, and a pair of spaced parallel idler sprockets rotatably mounted to said idler shaft;
• drive means for rotating said drive shaft;
• a pair of spaced parallel and endless drive chains passed about a respective one of said drive sprockets and said idler sprockets and extending between the first and second ends of said framework along an endless path;
• a plurality of elongate carrier members fastened in spaced series to said pair of drive chains and extending the length of said drive chains;
• at least one article engagement member carried on each respective one of said carrier members, each said at least one article engagement member being pivotally carried on its respective carrier member in a first retracted position as the carrier member moves from the second end toward the first end of the framework, and being constructed and arranged to then fall into a second extended article engaging position through the force of gravity as said carrier member passes about the drive sprockets and moves from the first end toward the second end of the framework;
• and
• at least one guide positioned with respect to the first end of said framework, said at least one guide having an arcuate surface defined thereon, said arcuate surface being sized and shaped to receive said at least one article engagement member thereon and to control the radial velocity thereof as the respective ones of said carrier members are carried on said drive chains about said drive sprockets while moving from the first end toward the second end of said framework.

An article metering device for use with an article handling and packaging system, the handling and packaging system having a frame, an endless feed conveyor supported on the frame, a plurality of articles carried on the feed conveyor along a path of travel toward an endless downstream take-away conveyor also supported on the frame, and an endless downstream infeed conveyor extending toward a packaging machine for packaging the articles thereby, said article metering device comprising:

• an elongate framework having a first end and a spaced second end, said framework being supported on the frame of the packaging system with respect to the downstream end of the feed conveyor and the upstream end of the take-away conveyor;
• an elongate drive shaft rotatably supported on said framework, and a pair of spaced parallel drive sprockets affixed to said drive shaft;
• a spaced parallel idler shaft supported on said framework, and a pair of spaced parallel idler sprockets rotatably mounted to said idler shaft;
• drive means for rotating said drive shaft;
• a pair of spaced parallel and endless drive chains passed about a respective one of said drive sprockets and said idler sprockets and extending between the first and second ends of said framework along an endless path;
• a plurality of elongate carrier members fastened in spaced series to said pair of drive chains and extending the length of said drive chains;
• at least one article engagement member carried on each respective one of said carrier members, each said at least one article engagement member being pivotally carried on its respective carrier member in a first retracted position as the carrier member moves from the second end toward the first end of the framework, and being constructed and arranged to then fall into a second extended article engaging position through the force of gravity as said carrier member passes about the drive sprockets and moves from the first end toward the second end of the framework;
• and
• at least one elongate wear strip positioned with respect to the first end of said framework and extending at least partially in the direction of the path of travel, said at least one wear strip being sized and shaped to receive said at least one article engagement member thereon as the respective carrier members are carried on said drive chains about said drive sprockets, and to support said at least one article engagement member thereon as the respective article engagement members move in the direction of the path of travel until such time that each respective article engagement member falls off of a downstream end of said wear strip downwardly into said article engaging position.