Method and apparatus for high speed plastic container unscrambling

A high speed unscrambling means, comprising

• a) a first conveyor means for placement of containers, a first sensing means, a container alignment means;
• b) said first sensing means, placed in conjunction with said first conveyor means, wherein
• said first sensing means serves to detect whether a container is coming in;
• and,
• said first sensing means activates said container alignment means when a container is coming in with a container's narrow end leading;
• c) said container alignment means, wherein
• said container alignment means is attached to said first conveyor means;
• said container alignment means further comprising a first electrical rotational means;
• said first electrical rotational means have a first rotational axis;
• said container alignment means further comprises of a plurality of hooking means placed on said first rotational axis and capable of picking up containers when containers are coming in with containers' narrow ends leading and rotating those containers;
• d) said first sensing means upon detection of a container communicate with said first electrical rotational means;
• e) a second conveyor means, for placement of containers, attached after said first conveyor means and said container alignment means, a second sensing means, a container orienting means;
• f) said second sensing means, placed in conjunction with said second conveyor means, wherein
• wherein said second sensing means serves to detect whether a container is coming in and if a container is coming in said second sensing means initiates rotation of said second electrical rotational means and rotation of said container orienting means;
• g) said container orienting means, wherein
• said container orienting means is attached to said second conveyor means;
• said container orienting means further comprising a second electrical rotational means;
• said second electrical rotational means have a second rotational axis;
• wherein said plurality of pocketing means is equally spaced apart on said second rotational axis of said second electrical rotational means;
• h) said second sensing means upon detection of a container communicate with said second electrical rotational means.

A method of high speed unscrambling of containers, comprising the steps of:

• a) placing containers on a first conveyor means;
• b) moving said containers through a first sensing means, placed in conjunction with said first conveyor means;
• c) aligning said containers using a container alignment means, wherein
• said container alignment means is attached to said first conveyor means;
• said container alignment means further comprises a first electrical rotational means;
• said first electrical rotational means have a first rotational axis;
• d) detecting said containers with said first sensing means and communicating with said first electrical rotational means;
• e) picking up containers with a hook means when containers are coming in with containers' narrow ends forward and rotating with those containers;
• f) placing containers on a second conveyor means, wherein said second conveyor means is attached after said first conveyor means and said container alignment means;
• g) moving containers through a second sensing means, placed in conjunction with said second conveyor means;
• h) orienting containers using a container orienting means, wherein
• said container orienting means is attached to said second conveyor means;
• said container orienting means further comprising a second electrical rotational means;
• said second electrical rotational means have a second rotational axis;
• and
• i) sensing containers with said second sensing means and communicating with said second electrical rotational means.

A method of high speed unscrambling of containers, comprising the steps of:

• a) placing containers on a first conveyor means;
• b) moving counters through a first sensing means, placed in conjunction with said first conveyor means;
• c) aligning containers using a container alignment means, wherein
• said container alignment means is attached to said first conveyor means;
• said container alignment means further comprises a first electrical rotational means;
• said first electrical rotational means have a first rotational axis;
• d) detecting containers with said first sensing means and communicating with said first electrical rotational means;
• e) placing containers on a second conveyor means, wherein said second conveyor means is attached after said first conveyor means and said container alignment means;
• f) moving containers through a second sensing means, placed in conjunction with said second conveyor means;
• g) orienting containers using a container orienting means, wherein
• said container orienting means is attached to said second conveyor means;
• said container orienting means further comprising a second electrical rotational means;
• said second electrical rotational means having a second rotational axis with a plurality of pocketing means coupled to and spaced about said second rotational axis and picking up containers when containers are in a pocket means of said plurality of pocket means with containers' base ends leading, by rotating containers to a standing position about said second rotational axis;
• h) sensing containers with said second sensing means and communicating with said second electrical rotational means.