System and method for reorienting flat articles
AssigneeLockhead Martin Corporation
InventorsEdward Engarto, Robert J. Felice, Patrick J. Fitzgibbons, Drew D. Havholm
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method reorients flat articles in a serial stream, by receiving a horizontally moving, serial input stream of substantially vertically oriented flat articles each having a downwardly oriented primary edge, laterally diverting the flat articles in the serial input stream alternately between a pair of separate paths, impeding horizontal movement of each flat article in each separate path, accelerating each flat article with impeded horizontal movement in the direction of its primary edge, and delivering substantially horizontally oriented flat articles from each separate path.
Claims20
A system for reorienting flat articles in a serial stream, comprising:
- a conveyor mechanism including,
- a input path adapted for receiving a horizontally moving, serial input stream of substantially vertically oriented flat articles each having a downwardly oriented primary edge,
- a pair of separate output paths, and
- a diverter adapted for laterally directing the flat articles in the input path alternately between the separate output paths;
- a separate pocket coupled to each separate output path of the conveyor mechanism and adapted for impeding horizontal movement of each flat article and for positively engaging and accelerating each flat article in the direction of its said primary edge;
- and
- a separate channel coupled to each said pocket and adapted to deliver substantially horizontally oriented flat articles from each said pocket.
A system for reorienting flat articles in a serial stream, comprising:
- a conveyor mechanism including,
- a input path adapted for receiving a horizontally moving, serial input stream of substantially vertically oriented flat articles each having a downwardly oriented primary edge,
- a pair of separate output paths, and
- a diverter gate located for laterally directing the flat articles in the input path alternately between the separate output paths;
- a separate pocket coupled to each said separate output path of the conveyor mechanism and including a fixed member located to block horizontal movement of the flat articles and a drive mechanism located to pressure flat articles on opposing sides and to accelerate flat articles in the direction of their said primary edge;
- and
- a separate channel extending from each pocket and located to deliver flat articles with a substantially horizontal orientation.
A method for reorienting flat articles in a serial stream, comprising:
- receiving a horizontally moving serial input stream of substantially vertically oriented, flat articles each having a downwardly oriented primary edge;
- laterally diverting the flat articles in the serial input stream, alternately between a pair of separate paths;
- impeding horizontal movement of each flat article in each separate path;
- positively engaging and accelerating each flat article with impeded horizontal movement into movement in the direction of its primary edge;
- and
- delivering flat articles from each separate path with substantially horizontal orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.