Universally adjustable star wheel

An adjustable star wheel for conveying three dimensional articles around an arcuate path, said articles having a shape, wherein the star wheel is rotatable around a central axis, and wherein the star wheel comprises:

• rotatable elements comprising at least a first rotatable element and a second rotatable element disposed in a stacked arrangement around said central axis, wherein said rotatable elements are configured to at least partially rotate around the central axis, each rotatable element having a center, a periphery, and at least one control surface for assisting in controlling a three dimensional article, said control surface being located near the periphery of the rotatable element, wherein the rotatable elements are free of grippers for gripping the articles, and the control surfaces on the rotatable elements may be arranged to form at least one pocket for the three dimensional articles,
• wherein the boundaries of the pocket are configured by at least partially rotating at least some of said rotatable elements to adjust the location of the control surfaces of the different rotatable elements to form the pocket for the three dimensional article being conveyed, and then fixing the position of the rotatable elements before rotating the star wheel, and
• a mechanism for adjusting the configuration of at least one of the pockets, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the configuration of at least one of the pockets comprises a first gear and a mating second gear, wherein the second gear is located on at least one of said rotatable elements, and the first gear is a gear that can be turned to move the gear on the at least one rotatable element.

An adjustable star wheel for conveying three dimensional articles around an arcuate path, said articles having a shape, wherein the star wheel is rotatable around a central axis, and wherein the star wheel comprises:

• rotatable elements comprising at least a first rotatable element and a second rotatable element disposed in a stacked arrangement around said central axis, wherein said rotatable elements are configured to at least partially rotate around the central axis, each rotatable element having a center, a periphery, and at least one control surface for assisting in controlling a three dimensional article, said control surface being located near the periphery of the rotatable element, wherein the control surfaces on the rotatable elements may be arranged to form at least one pocket for the three dimensional articles,
• wherein the boundaries of the pocket are configured by at least partially rotating at least some of said rotatable elements to adjust the location of the control surfaces of the different rotatable elements to form the pocket for the three dimensional article being conveyed, and then fixing the position of the rotatable elements before rotating the star wheel, and
• a mechanism for adjusting the configuration of at least one of the pockets, wherein at least two of the rotatable elements have holes therein, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the configuration of at least one of the pockets comprises a tapered element that is insertable into the holes in said at least two rotatable elements so that at least portions of the holes in said rotatable elements align to set the rotational orientation of said at least two rotatable elements to set the configuration of at least a portion of said pocket for said three dimensional article.

An adjustable star wheel for conveying three dimensional articles around an arcuate path, said articles having a shape, wherein the star wheel is rotatable around a central axis, and wherein the star wheel comprises:

• rotatable elements comprising at least a first rotatable element and a second rotatable element disposed in a stacked arrangement around said central axis, wherein said rotatable elements are configured to at least partially rotate around the central axis, each rotatable element having a center, a periphery, and at least one control surface for assisting in controlling a three dimensional article, said control surface being located near the periphery of the rotatable element, wherein the control surfaces on the rotatable elements may be arranged to form at least one pocket for the three dimensional articles,
• wherein the boundaries of the pocket are configured by at least partially rotating at least some of said rotatable elements to adjust the location of the control surfaces of the different rotatable elements to form the pocket for the three dimensional article being conveyed, and then fixing the position of the rotatable elements before rotating the star wheel, and
• a mechanism for adjusting the configuration of at least one of the pockets, wherein the at least one rotatable element has a hole therein and portions of said rotatable element define the boundary of said hole, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the configuration of at least one of the pockets comprises a key having at least one cam thereon wherein the cam is engageable with the portions of the rotatable element that forms the boundary of said hole, and when the key is inserted into said hole, the key can be turned to set the rotational orientation of said rotatable element and set the configuration of at least a portion of said pocket for said three dimensional article.