CA1237104A - Apparatus and method for segregating counted slugs of flats - Google Patents
Apparatus and method for segregating counted slugs of flatsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1237104A CA1237104A CA000464925A CA464925A CA1237104A CA 1237104 A CA1237104 A CA 1237104A CA 000464925 A CA000464925 A CA 000464925A CA 464925 A CA464925 A CA 464925A CA 1237104 A CA1237104 A CA 1237104A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- apron
- carriage
- flat articles
- path
- roller
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H33/00—Forming counted batches in delivery pile or stream of articles
- B65H33/06—Forming counted batches in delivery pile or stream of articles by displacing articles to define batches
- B65H33/10—Displacing the end articles of a batch
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H29/00—Delivering or advancing articles from machines; Advancing articles to or into piles
- B65H29/66—Advancing articles in overlapping streams
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H31/00—Pile receivers
- B65H31/30—Arrangements for removing completed piles
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H33/00—Forming counted batches in delivery pile or stream of articles
- B65H33/02—Forming counted batches in delivery pile or stream of articles by moving a blade or like member into the pile
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
- B65H2301/30—Orientation, displacement, position of the handled material
- B65H2301/32—Orientation of handled material
- B65H2301/321—Standing on edge
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
- B65H2301/00—Handling processes for sheets or webs
- B65H2301/40—Type of handling process
- B65H2301/42—Piling, depiling, handling piles
- B65H2301/421—Forming a pile
- B65H2301/4214—Forming a pile of articles on edge
- B65H2301/42144—Forming a pile of articles on edge by erecting articles from horizontal transport flushing with the supporting surface of the pile
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Folding Of Thin Sheet-Like Materials, Special Discharging Devices, And Others (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE INVENTION
An apparatus for handling a plurality of flat, collapsed, folded paper boxes which have been produced on a high speed, folder-gluer, delivered in shingled formation onto the advancing apron of a stacker, counted into slugs of about fifty each and must be packed into cases for shipment. To enable an operator to grasp individual and successive lifts of the flats between her hands and remove them for packing, the apparatus includes a secondary apron traveling at less speed than the stacker apron to raise the shingled flats upstanding on edge, hold down belts to prevent misalignment and a transversely movable segregation rod mounted on a carriage movable horizontally alongside the path of the flats. The carriage has one-way clutch rollers so that the rod will hold back the leading flat but the carriage will roll freely back to the next slug. Speed reduction mechanism may be used to advance the carriage at less speed than the apron to compress the line of flats when edge stacking is desirable or necessary.
An apparatus for handling a plurality of flat, collapsed, folded paper boxes which have been produced on a high speed, folder-gluer, delivered in shingled formation onto the advancing apron of a stacker, counted into slugs of about fifty each and must be packed into cases for shipment. To enable an operator to grasp individual and successive lifts of the flats between her hands and remove them for packing, the apparatus includes a secondary apron traveling at less speed than the stacker apron to raise the shingled flats upstanding on edge, hold down belts to prevent misalignment and a transversely movable segregation rod mounted on a carriage movable horizontally alongside the path of the flats. The carriage has one-way clutch rollers so that the rod will hold back the leading flat but the carriage will roll freely back to the next slug. Speed reduction mechanism may be used to advance the carriage at less speed than the apron to compress the line of flats when edge stacking is desirable or necessary.
Description
1;~37~
AC~GROUND OF THF. INV~.NrION
In the folcllng paper box machine art, :Eolder-gluers are wel:l known to prodLIce flat folded boxes, called "flats" herein, at high speed Erom flat blanks, by folding and gluing the flaps, tabs and panels thereof and deliver-ing the adhered, collapsed flats to the upper stretch of the endless apron of a stacker. At the exit end of the stacker, it has been the custom for several employees to seek to keep up with the production of the folde:r-g].uer by repeatedly manually removing successive individual "packets" or "l:iEts"
and carrying them over to empty packing cases for deposit one layer, or several LO layers, to the case, IVhen the flats are shingled and recumbent, with, for exa.mple, each fiftieth flat counted and projecting slightly from the :Line of flats, it will be understood that the operator must place the hand under the flat at the point she believes she can easily carry, raise the flats to up-stand on lower edge, compress the lift and try to bodily transport it to an empty case without dropping it on the floor. This continual manual lifting is not only arduous, but if a lift is dropped the stacker continues delivering flats until the entire line may have to be stopped~
In United States Patent 3,811,549 to Pressig May 21, lJ7~ an apparatus for handling collapsed boxes is disclosed in which a sled and skates with a brake is located in front of the leading box to advance therewith up to a fixed barrier and the segregation element is a plate poised above the path to descend downwardly across the entire path of the flats.
~ ith a fixed stop of this device covering the entire leading flat and the segregation element covering the entire trailing flat, it would be difficult for an operator to grasp the packet, lift or slug between her hands and slide it further along the path. An unillustrated ram is apparently intended to move the captive packet sidewise of the path.
' ~l237~ 4 SUMMARY OF T~IS INVENTION
This invention is directed to an apparatus and method for handling flats, which will enable a sing]e operator -to move from a case packer to the stacker, grasp a slug of counted :Elats between her hands, slide the slug in the direction of advance of the flats onto a transfer table and into an empty case, and return to grasp the next successive counted slug and repeat the cycle.
The invention provides count divider apparatus for segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles being advanced in a horizontal path on the apron of a stacker, while upstanding on the edges thereof, said apparatus comprising: guide means associated with said stacker and including a guide extending horizontally in parallelism with said path; a carriage, mounted to move horizontally along said guide in parallelism with said path; roller means, including at least one roller on said carriage in rolling contact with the apron of said stacker; one-way clutch means, forming part of said roller means for said carriage to advance only as fast as said apron, but per-mitting free rolling of said carriage relative to said apron; and a segregation element, mounted on said carriage to move in and out of said path, said element normally extending into said path, in front of the leading flat article in each cuccessive, individual slug thereby to support said flat articles in upstanding position, but being retractable out of said path for reinsertion at a pre-determined position.
The invention also provides count divider apparatus for segregating- a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles being advanced in a horizontal path on t:he _ ~_ B
o~
primary apron of a stacker at a predetermined speed in shingled formation, said apparatus comprising: a secondary stacker having a secondary apron in continuation of said primary stacker apron, and arranged to advance said Ela-t articles at a speed less than the speed of said primary apron to raise said flat articles from shingled formation to upstanding edge supported formation; a hold down belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of said flat articles in contaet with the upper edges of said flat articles as they are so raised to maintain alignment thereof; a movable carriage mounted on said secondary stacker to advance alongside the leading control slug of flat articles, with said secondary apron, and parallel to said path; a segregation rod mounted on said carriage for horizontal movement between a position outside the path of said flat articles to a position in front of said path, mid-way of the height of the leading flat article of said leading counted slug to support the same against forward tilt;
and means for enabling retraction of said movable carriage, in a direction opposite to the direetion of advance of said secondary apron, to permit insertion of said rod in front of the leading flat artiele of the next suceessive slug of said flat artieles.
The invention further provides eount divider apparatus for segregating a eounted slug of flat artieles from a plurality of sueh flat artieles being advaneed in a path on the apron of a stacker at a predetermined speed in shingled formation, said apparatus comprising: an endless elongated, alignment belt, trained around sheaves mounted above said apron, said belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advanee of said shingled flat articles with a first portion extending longitudinally at a spaced - 2a -:lL237~
uniform distance above said apron and a second portion inclining upwardly and forwardly to a level substan-tlally equal to the height of an erected fla-t article, said lower stretch advancing at greater speed than -the speed of said apron and riding on the upper edges of said fla-t articles to raise them from shingled to erect position, and a movable wheeled carriage mounted to roll alongside said path, said carriage having a segregation rod mounted to move horizontally in and out of the path of the leading slug of said flat articles to maintain its erect positior and having a one-way clutch on a wheel thereof to allow the carriage to advance as fast as the apron but permit free reverse rolling thereof.
~ he invention still further provides count divider apparatus of the type having a plurality of flat articles advancing along a stacker apron in an elongated zone in which said flat articles are in upstanding, close-packed, counted slugs, supported on their lower edges, characterized by: elongated alignment belt means extending longitudinally above said apron, in a zone in advance of said first mentioned zone, said means including at least one endless belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of the flat articles shingled on said apron and in con-tact with the upper edges of said flat articles, said lower stretch having a plurality of spaced transverse ridges thereon, having an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion for lifting said shingled flat articles to upstanding, erected position and having means for advancing said stretch at a greater relative speed than the speed of said apron.
From another aspect, the invention provides the method of segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of - 2b -B
~237~
such Elat articles advanclng in shingled forma-tion along a horizon-tal path at a predetermined speed supported on a primary stacker apron, having of a secondary stacker apron, a movable carriage, and a segregation member on the carriage, said method comprising the steps of: positioning said secondary apron in extension of said primary apron and advancing said secondary apron at slower speed than the speed of said primary apron to raise said shingl.ed flat articles into upstanding posi-tion resting cn the lower edges thereof; advancing said carriage at a predetermined speed, along~
side the leading counted slug on said secondary apron in a path parallel to the path of said flat articles path, and with said member extending into the path of said flat articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article therein; and periodically retracting said member out of said path, retracting said carriage and member back to the next successive counted slug on said secondary apron and inserting said member transversely into the path of said fl.at articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article in said next successive slug of counted flat articles.
In one disclosed embodiment, alongside the secondary apron there i.s a guide in the form of a straight horizontal rod, parallel to the path of the flats, there being a carriage movable forwardly and rearwardly thereon by the contact of grooved rollers.
Posts upstanding from the said carriage support a bracket which in turn supports a push rod, movable horizontally into, and out of, the path of the leading flat in the leading counted slug to engage it about mid-height. A one-way clutch in a roller which engages the secondary apron enables the carriage and rod to be advanced by the B
~237~
flats and apron, while preven-ted from :Eorward fall by the push rod.
When the operator places her left hand on the leadiny flat she can withdraw the push rod, move the carriage in -the direc-tion of retraction, - 2d -B
: ..
. .
~237~
reinsert it in a predetermined position such as in front o:E the next suc cessive counted slug and :insert her right hand with the rod to grasp and slide the slug forwardly o:E:E the apron.
In another embodiment the roller in contact with the apron is in driving contact with a second roller in contact with the horizontal stacker platform through a one-way clutch and a speed reduction mechanism or drive train. Thus, the carriage advances at a predetermined speed such as one-third the speed of the apron to compress the flats after they have been edge stacked from longitudinal to lateral.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the carriage of the invention along-side a secondary stacker apron;
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;
Figure 3 is an end elevation from the front ~hereof with the roller in half section;
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 o~ another embodiment;
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 of the embodiment sh.own in Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 of the embodiment shown in Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view on a reduced scale show-ing the secondary apron, hold down means, carriage and rod of the invention.
Figure 8 is a side elevation view;
Figure 8A is a side elevation view of the belt;
Figure 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view similar to Figure 7 showing the continuous stacker apron.
~23~7~
DESCRIPTION OP A PREPERRED FMBODIMF~T
As best shown in Pigure 7, the primary apron 21, of the stacker 22, receives the folded and glued collapsed boxes of trays, such as 23, called "flats" herein, from the folder-gluer, not shown, and advances them in straight line, shingled formation, along the horizontal path 24. In this invention, a secondary stacker 25, is provided with a secondary stacker apron 26, in straight line extension of apron 21, along path 24, the apron 25, being driven by the drive oE apron 21, not shown, at a speed less than the predetermined speed of the primary apron 21.
As the lower edge 27 of each successive individual flat 23, drops into the apron nip 28, formed between end roll 29, of apron 21, and entrance roll 31 of apron 25, to encounter the slower moving secondary apron 26, the upper edge 32 of each flat 23, rises in an arc as shown until the flat is upstanding on its lower edge 27.
Preferably, a hold down belt 33, trained around hold down rolls 34, and 35, is provided to exert a downward force on the upper edges 32, of each flat 23, and maintain them in alignment while holding them down, The hold down belt is driven by the drive of apron 21, in a well known manner, and its lower stretch 36, advances at a grea~er speed than the predetermined speed of the apron 21, to assist in frictionally raising the flats to upstanding, edge supported position.
The conventional folder-gluer includes mechanism which automatically kicks out every fiftieth flat, such as at 37, 38, and 39, laterally si.dewise from the shingled line 41 of flats to provide a visual count of indivi.dual and successive slugs of flats, each precounted to fit in a packing case when slightly compressed lengthwise. Each individual and successive slug 42, 43 ~23~
or 44 may be precounted into any number oE Elats 23, clesired, the number Eifty being selected hereill:Eor convenience oE description, it being understood that each run o:E flats may be as small as folded toothbrush boxes to as large as game boxes.
The size and overlaps of such boxes make considerable difference in the ability of an operator to carry a "lift" thereof without dropping the lift on the floor so that in the prior art several trips and lifts may be required to constitute a single counted slug forming a single layer in a packing case.
In this invention, however, the slug is slidably supported all the way to the packing case so that an operator can grasp the leading flat 45 with the left hand, the trailing flat 46, of the endmost counted slug with the right hand and slide it forwardly along the horizontal path 24, and into the case, as an integral unit with no danger of dropping the slug.
The count divider apparatus 47, of the invention includes the guide means 48, which extends alongside the secondary stacker apron 26, in paral-lelism with the horizontal path 24, of the line 41 of flats 23, advancing along the path on the apron. Preferably, guide means 48, is an elongated guide or rod 49 attached at each opposite end by clamp blocks such as 51 and 52, to an existing take up piece 53, of the secondary stacker 25, to extend parallel thereto at a spaced distance laterally therefrom.
The rod 4~, thus forms a track for two pairs 54 and 55, of grooved track rolls 56, 57, 58, and 59, mounted under the horizontal elongated plate 61, of the carriage, or side car 62, so that the carriage 62 will move horizontally along the guide 49, in parallelism with path 24.
As best shown in Figure 1, the carriage plate 61, is provided with a pair of laterally extending, longitudinally spaced apart slots 63 and 64, ~;23~7~
for clamps 65 and 66, so that the plate 61, can be moved laterally to desired locations relative to apron 26 to accommodate flats of variows dimens:ions while still being guided on rod 49.
~ pair of longitudinally spaced apart, upstanding posts 67 and 68 are provided on elongated plate 61, each having a split clamp 69 or 7:l thereon, tightenable by a handle 72 or 73, for adjustment at a preferred heigh-t above plate 61, which is usually about mid-height of the upstanding leading flat 45. The split clamps 69 and 71 support the longitudinally extending member 74, tightenable therein by clamp handle 75, and carrying the yoke, or bracket 76, for laterally slidable or pivotable push rod or member 77, with its point-ed terminal end 78. The push rod 77 is a segregation element, mounted on carriage 62, to move transversely and horizontally in and out of path 24, and normally extending into the path in front of the leading flat 45, in each successive, individual slug at about mid-height to support and Elats i.n up-standing position while not interfering with manual grasping of the slug.
Roller means 79, is provided on carriage 62, in the form of at least one roller 81, journalled at 82, to an integral inner wall 83, upstand-ing from plate 61, and having a friction face 84 in rolling contact with secondary apron 26. Preferably, a second roller 85, is provided also similar to roller 81. The face 84, is preferably of rubber and preferably a weight 86, is provided to assure a firm contact of roller to apron.
One-way clutch means 87, forms part of roller means 79, and includes at least one one-way clutch 88, built-in to roller 81, and preferably a similar one-way clutch 89, built-in to roller 85 (Figure 1). The one-way clutch means 87, permits the leading flat 45, to bear against the push rod 77, without advancing the rod, or carriage 62, relative to the apron 26, ~;237~4 thereby malntaining the leading slug 42, upri.ght ready for grasping by the operator. Ilowever, when the operator places the left hancl on the leacling Elat, -tlle push rod can be retractecl horizontally, the carrlage will rc)ll freely in the direction of retraction toward the next successive slug, and the push rod can have its point inserted at the fifty first flat to hold it upright while the operator slides the endmost slug forwardly along path 24, and into a packing case, Thus, the one-way clutches permit the carriage to retract freely on the apron, but prevents advance of the carriage on the apron~
The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6 is similar to the preferred embodiment of Figures l, 2 and 3, except that the roller means 79 includes a second roller 91, in rolling contact with the horizontal, elongated, portion 92, of the stacker platform 93, which extends under the secondary apron 26, for supporting the apron against sag. The second roller 91, has a friction face 94, and is journalled at 95, in a longitudinally extending slot 96, in a lever 97, pivoted on a lateral:ly extending shaft 98, The friction face 84 of roller 81, is in rolling contact with secondary apron 26, and is fast on shaft 98, Speed reduction mechani.sm 99, is provided in the form of the sheave lOl driven by shaft 98, and in driving contact with the second roller 91, through a one-way clutch 102, the sheave lOl being of predetermined less diameter than the diameter of roller 81.
Thus, the adva-nce of the apron 26, at a predetermined speed, rotates the roller 81, at that speed which in turn rotates the second roller 91, for example, at one-third speed so that the carriage and push rod hold back and compress the line of flats 41, on the secondary apron, as well as ho:Lding the leading flat upstanding on lower edge 27.
~3'7~
The compression of the flats 23 in the line of flats ~1, is some-times necessary when the flats being run on the folder gluer are narrow and elongated such as tooth brush boxes 103, such boxes being advanced along the paper line of the folding and gluing zones while extending longitudinally thereof, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 7. When such flats 103, reach the stacker they must be turned by a turning plow 104, to extend laterally and transversely of the stacker apron as at 105, in order to be shingled in a manageable manner for handling and packing. Having been so turned by the edge stacker, or plow, 104, the resulting line of flats is loosely packed and a slug to fit a case would be incapable of grasp by an operator as too long.
It is for that reason that the apparatus and method of the invention includes the step of slowing down the advance of the flats relative co the speed of the apron to compress the line of flats into manageable, slugs, easily handled by an operator as a bodily, transportable, slidable Ullit, As shown in Figure 8 the preferred form of hold down belt 33 is at least one elongated alignment belt 106 trained around sheaves 107, 108 and 109 and having tension control sheaves 113, 114 and 115. Alignment belt 106 includes a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of the shingled flats on primary apron 21 with a first portion at a spaced uniform distance above the level of primary apron 21 and a second portion inclining upwardly and forwardly to a level substantially equal to the height of an erected flat upstanding on its lower edge on secondary apron 26. An endless belt 110 trained around sheaves 111 and 112 is also provided with its lower stretch in contact with the upper edges of the shingled flats. The inclined portion of alignment belt 106 raises the upper edges of the shingled flats as the slower running secondary apron 26 slows the advance of the lower edges thereby - ~ ~
, ~23~
raising the flats to upstanding, erect position as shown. The belt nip 119 between the primary apron 21 and the secondary apron 26 assists :in plvoting the flats upright, As shown in Figure 8A, the belt 106 is formed of an inner layer of fabric such as can~as 117 and an outer layer of rubber-like material 118, the outer layer having a plurality of spaced trans~erse rlbs~ ridges or knobs to increase the contact with the upper edges of the flats.
Figure 9 is similar to Figure 7 except that it shows that a conti-nuous stacker apron 123 can be used with the edge stacker, or plow 10~ rather than a primary and secondary apron separated by a hip.
AC~GROUND OF THF. INV~.NrION
In the folcllng paper box machine art, :Eolder-gluers are wel:l known to prodLIce flat folded boxes, called "flats" herein, at high speed Erom flat blanks, by folding and gluing the flaps, tabs and panels thereof and deliver-ing the adhered, collapsed flats to the upper stretch of the endless apron of a stacker. At the exit end of the stacker, it has been the custom for several employees to seek to keep up with the production of the folde:r-g].uer by repeatedly manually removing successive individual "packets" or "l:iEts"
and carrying them over to empty packing cases for deposit one layer, or several LO layers, to the case, IVhen the flats are shingled and recumbent, with, for exa.mple, each fiftieth flat counted and projecting slightly from the :Line of flats, it will be understood that the operator must place the hand under the flat at the point she believes she can easily carry, raise the flats to up-stand on lower edge, compress the lift and try to bodily transport it to an empty case without dropping it on the floor. This continual manual lifting is not only arduous, but if a lift is dropped the stacker continues delivering flats until the entire line may have to be stopped~
In United States Patent 3,811,549 to Pressig May 21, lJ7~ an apparatus for handling collapsed boxes is disclosed in which a sled and skates with a brake is located in front of the leading box to advance therewith up to a fixed barrier and the segregation element is a plate poised above the path to descend downwardly across the entire path of the flats.
~ ith a fixed stop of this device covering the entire leading flat and the segregation element covering the entire trailing flat, it would be difficult for an operator to grasp the packet, lift or slug between her hands and slide it further along the path. An unillustrated ram is apparently intended to move the captive packet sidewise of the path.
' ~l237~ 4 SUMMARY OF T~IS INVENTION
This invention is directed to an apparatus and method for handling flats, which will enable a sing]e operator -to move from a case packer to the stacker, grasp a slug of counted :Elats between her hands, slide the slug in the direction of advance of the flats onto a transfer table and into an empty case, and return to grasp the next successive counted slug and repeat the cycle.
The invention provides count divider apparatus for segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles being advanced in a horizontal path on the apron of a stacker, while upstanding on the edges thereof, said apparatus comprising: guide means associated with said stacker and including a guide extending horizontally in parallelism with said path; a carriage, mounted to move horizontally along said guide in parallelism with said path; roller means, including at least one roller on said carriage in rolling contact with the apron of said stacker; one-way clutch means, forming part of said roller means for said carriage to advance only as fast as said apron, but per-mitting free rolling of said carriage relative to said apron; and a segregation element, mounted on said carriage to move in and out of said path, said element normally extending into said path, in front of the leading flat article in each cuccessive, individual slug thereby to support said flat articles in upstanding position, but being retractable out of said path for reinsertion at a pre-determined position.
The invention also provides count divider apparatus for segregating- a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles being advanced in a horizontal path on t:he _ ~_ B
o~
primary apron of a stacker at a predetermined speed in shingled formation, said apparatus comprising: a secondary stacker having a secondary apron in continuation of said primary stacker apron, and arranged to advance said Ela-t articles at a speed less than the speed of said primary apron to raise said flat articles from shingled formation to upstanding edge supported formation; a hold down belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of said flat articles in contaet with the upper edges of said flat articles as they are so raised to maintain alignment thereof; a movable carriage mounted on said secondary stacker to advance alongside the leading control slug of flat articles, with said secondary apron, and parallel to said path; a segregation rod mounted on said carriage for horizontal movement between a position outside the path of said flat articles to a position in front of said path, mid-way of the height of the leading flat article of said leading counted slug to support the same against forward tilt;
and means for enabling retraction of said movable carriage, in a direction opposite to the direetion of advance of said secondary apron, to permit insertion of said rod in front of the leading flat artiele of the next suceessive slug of said flat artieles.
The invention further provides eount divider apparatus for segregating a eounted slug of flat artieles from a plurality of sueh flat artieles being advaneed in a path on the apron of a stacker at a predetermined speed in shingled formation, said apparatus comprising: an endless elongated, alignment belt, trained around sheaves mounted above said apron, said belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advanee of said shingled flat articles with a first portion extending longitudinally at a spaced - 2a -:lL237~
uniform distance above said apron and a second portion inclining upwardly and forwardly to a level substan-tlally equal to the height of an erected fla-t article, said lower stretch advancing at greater speed than -the speed of said apron and riding on the upper edges of said fla-t articles to raise them from shingled to erect position, and a movable wheeled carriage mounted to roll alongside said path, said carriage having a segregation rod mounted to move horizontally in and out of the path of the leading slug of said flat articles to maintain its erect positior and having a one-way clutch on a wheel thereof to allow the carriage to advance as fast as the apron but permit free reverse rolling thereof.
~ he invention still further provides count divider apparatus of the type having a plurality of flat articles advancing along a stacker apron in an elongated zone in which said flat articles are in upstanding, close-packed, counted slugs, supported on their lower edges, characterized by: elongated alignment belt means extending longitudinally above said apron, in a zone in advance of said first mentioned zone, said means including at least one endless belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of the flat articles shingled on said apron and in con-tact with the upper edges of said flat articles, said lower stretch having a plurality of spaced transverse ridges thereon, having an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion for lifting said shingled flat articles to upstanding, erected position and having means for advancing said stretch at a greater relative speed than the speed of said apron.
From another aspect, the invention provides the method of segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of - 2b -B
~237~
such Elat articles advanclng in shingled forma-tion along a horizon-tal path at a predetermined speed supported on a primary stacker apron, having of a secondary stacker apron, a movable carriage, and a segregation member on the carriage, said method comprising the steps of: positioning said secondary apron in extension of said primary apron and advancing said secondary apron at slower speed than the speed of said primary apron to raise said shingl.ed flat articles into upstanding posi-tion resting cn the lower edges thereof; advancing said carriage at a predetermined speed, along~
side the leading counted slug on said secondary apron in a path parallel to the path of said flat articles path, and with said member extending into the path of said flat articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article therein; and periodically retracting said member out of said path, retracting said carriage and member back to the next successive counted slug on said secondary apron and inserting said member transversely into the path of said fl.at articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article in said next successive slug of counted flat articles.
In one disclosed embodiment, alongside the secondary apron there i.s a guide in the form of a straight horizontal rod, parallel to the path of the flats, there being a carriage movable forwardly and rearwardly thereon by the contact of grooved rollers.
Posts upstanding from the said carriage support a bracket which in turn supports a push rod, movable horizontally into, and out of, the path of the leading flat in the leading counted slug to engage it about mid-height. A one-way clutch in a roller which engages the secondary apron enables the carriage and rod to be advanced by the B
~237~
flats and apron, while preven-ted from :Eorward fall by the push rod.
When the operator places her left hand on the leadiny flat she can withdraw the push rod, move the carriage in -the direc-tion of retraction, - 2d -B
: ..
. .
~237~
reinsert it in a predetermined position such as in front o:E the next suc cessive counted slug and :insert her right hand with the rod to grasp and slide the slug forwardly o:E:E the apron.
In another embodiment the roller in contact with the apron is in driving contact with a second roller in contact with the horizontal stacker platform through a one-way clutch and a speed reduction mechanism or drive train. Thus, the carriage advances at a predetermined speed such as one-third the speed of the apron to compress the flats after they have been edge stacked from longitudinal to lateral.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the carriage of the invention along-side a secondary stacker apron;
Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;
Figure 3 is an end elevation from the front ~hereof with the roller in half section;
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 o~ another embodiment;
Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 of the embodiment sh.own in Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 of the embodiment shown in Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a diagrammatic perspective view on a reduced scale show-ing the secondary apron, hold down means, carriage and rod of the invention.
Figure 8 is a side elevation view;
Figure 8A is a side elevation view of the belt;
Figure 9 is a diagrammatic perspective view similar to Figure 7 showing the continuous stacker apron.
~23~7~
DESCRIPTION OP A PREPERRED FMBODIMF~T
As best shown in Pigure 7, the primary apron 21, of the stacker 22, receives the folded and glued collapsed boxes of trays, such as 23, called "flats" herein, from the folder-gluer, not shown, and advances them in straight line, shingled formation, along the horizontal path 24. In this invention, a secondary stacker 25, is provided with a secondary stacker apron 26, in straight line extension of apron 21, along path 24, the apron 25, being driven by the drive oE apron 21, not shown, at a speed less than the predetermined speed of the primary apron 21.
As the lower edge 27 of each successive individual flat 23, drops into the apron nip 28, formed between end roll 29, of apron 21, and entrance roll 31 of apron 25, to encounter the slower moving secondary apron 26, the upper edge 32 of each flat 23, rises in an arc as shown until the flat is upstanding on its lower edge 27.
Preferably, a hold down belt 33, trained around hold down rolls 34, and 35, is provided to exert a downward force on the upper edges 32, of each flat 23, and maintain them in alignment while holding them down, The hold down belt is driven by the drive of apron 21, in a well known manner, and its lower stretch 36, advances at a grea~er speed than the predetermined speed of the apron 21, to assist in frictionally raising the flats to upstanding, edge supported position.
The conventional folder-gluer includes mechanism which automatically kicks out every fiftieth flat, such as at 37, 38, and 39, laterally si.dewise from the shingled line 41 of flats to provide a visual count of indivi.dual and successive slugs of flats, each precounted to fit in a packing case when slightly compressed lengthwise. Each individual and successive slug 42, 43 ~23~
or 44 may be precounted into any number oE Elats 23, clesired, the number Eifty being selected hereill:Eor convenience oE description, it being understood that each run o:E flats may be as small as folded toothbrush boxes to as large as game boxes.
The size and overlaps of such boxes make considerable difference in the ability of an operator to carry a "lift" thereof without dropping the lift on the floor so that in the prior art several trips and lifts may be required to constitute a single counted slug forming a single layer in a packing case.
In this invention, however, the slug is slidably supported all the way to the packing case so that an operator can grasp the leading flat 45 with the left hand, the trailing flat 46, of the endmost counted slug with the right hand and slide it forwardly along the horizontal path 24, and into the case, as an integral unit with no danger of dropping the slug.
The count divider apparatus 47, of the invention includes the guide means 48, which extends alongside the secondary stacker apron 26, in paral-lelism with the horizontal path 24, of the line 41 of flats 23, advancing along the path on the apron. Preferably, guide means 48, is an elongated guide or rod 49 attached at each opposite end by clamp blocks such as 51 and 52, to an existing take up piece 53, of the secondary stacker 25, to extend parallel thereto at a spaced distance laterally therefrom.
The rod 4~, thus forms a track for two pairs 54 and 55, of grooved track rolls 56, 57, 58, and 59, mounted under the horizontal elongated plate 61, of the carriage, or side car 62, so that the carriage 62 will move horizontally along the guide 49, in parallelism with path 24.
As best shown in Figure 1, the carriage plate 61, is provided with a pair of laterally extending, longitudinally spaced apart slots 63 and 64, ~;23~7~
for clamps 65 and 66, so that the plate 61, can be moved laterally to desired locations relative to apron 26 to accommodate flats of variows dimens:ions while still being guided on rod 49.
~ pair of longitudinally spaced apart, upstanding posts 67 and 68 are provided on elongated plate 61, each having a split clamp 69 or 7:l thereon, tightenable by a handle 72 or 73, for adjustment at a preferred heigh-t above plate 61, which is usually about mid-height of the upstanding leading flat 45. The split clamps 69 and 71 support the longitudinally extending member 74, tightenable therein by clamp handle 75, and carrying the yoke, or bracket 76, for laterally slidable or pivotable push rod or member 77, with its point-ed terminal end 78. The push rod 77 is a segregation element, mounted on carriage 62, to move transversely and horizontally in and out of path 24, and normally extending into the path in front of the leading flat 45, in each successive, individual slug at about mid-height to support and Elats i.n up-standing position while not interfering with manual grasping of the slug.
Roller means 79, is provided on carriage 62, in the form of at least one roller 81, journalled at 82, to an integral inner wall 83, upstand-ing from plate 61, and having a friction face 84 in rolling contact with secondary apron 26. Preferably, a second roller 85, is provided also similar to roller 81. The face 84, is preferably of rubber and preferably a weight 86, is provided to assure a firm contact of roller to apron.
One-way clutch means 87, forms part of roller means 79, and includes at least one one-way clutch 88, built-in to roller 81, and preferably a similar one-way clutch 89, built-in to roller 85 (Figure 1). The one-way clutch means 87, permits the leading flat 45, to bear against the push rod 77, without advancing the rod, or carriage 62, relative to the apron 26, ~;237~4 thereby malntaining the leading slug 42, upri.ght ready for grasping by the operator. Ilowever, when the operator places the left hancl on the leacling Elat, -tlle push rod can be retractecl horizontally, the carrlage will rc)ll freely in the direction of retraction toward the next successive slug, and the push rod can have its point inserted at the fifty first flat to hold it upright while the operator slides the endmost slug forwardly along path 24, and into a packing case, Thus, the one-way clutches permit the carriage to retract freely on the apron, but prevents advance of the carriage on the apron~
The embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4, 5, and 6 is similar to the preferred embodiment of Figures l, 2 and 3, except that the roller means 79 includes a second roller 91, in rolling contact with the horizontal, elongated, portion 92, of the stacker platform 93, which extends under the secondary apron 26, for supporting the apron against sag. The second roller 91, has a friction face 94, and is journalled at 95, in a longitudinally extending slot 96, in a lever 97, pivoted on a lateral:ly extending shaft 98, The friction face 84 of roller 81, is in rolling contact with secondary apron 26, and is fast on shaft 98, Speed reduction mechani.sm 99, is provided in the form of the sheave lOl driven by shaft 98, and in driving contact with the second roller 91, through a one-way clutch 102, the sheave lOl being of predetermined less diameter than the diameter of roller 81.
Thus, the adva-nce of the apron 26, at a predetermined speed, rotates the roller 81, at that speed which in turn rotates the second roller 91, for example, at one-third speed so that the carriage and push rod hold back and compress the line of flats 41, on the secondary apron, as well as ho:Lding the leading flat upstanding on lower edge 27.
~3'7~
The compression of the flats 23 in the line of flats ~1, is some-times necessary when the flats being run on the folder gluer are narrow and elongated such as tooth brush boxes 103, such boxes being advanced along the paper line of the folding and gluing zones while extending longitudinally thereof, as shown diagrammatically in Figure 7. When such flats 103, reach the stacker they must be turned by a turning plow 104, to extend laterally and transversely of the stacker apron as at 105, in order to be shingled in a manageable manner for handling and packing. Having been so turned by the edge stacker, or plow, 104, the resulting line of flats is loosely packed and a slug to fit a case would be incapable of grasp by an operator as too long.
It is for that reason that the apparatus and method of the invention includes the step of slowing down the advance of the flats relative co the speed of the apron to compress the line of flats into manageable, slugs, easily handled by an operator as a bodily, transportable, slidable Ullit, As shown in Figure 8 the preferred form of hold down belt 33 is at least one elongated alignment belt 106 trained around sheaves 107, 108 and 109 and having tension control sheaves 113, 114 and 115. Alignment belt 106 includes a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of the shingled flats on primary apron 21 with a first portion at a spaced uniform distance above the level of primary apron 21 and a second portion inclining upwardly and forwardly to a level substantially equal to the height of an erected flat upstanding on its lower edge on secondary apron 26. An endless belt 110 trained around sheaves 111 and 112 is also provided with its lower stretch in contact with the upper edges of the shingled flats. The inclined portion of alignment belt 106 raises the upper edges of the shingled flats as the slower running secondary apron 26 slows the advance of the lower edges thereby - ~ ~
, ~23~
raising the flats to upstanding, erect position as shown. The belt nip 119 between the primary apron 21 and the secondary apron 26 assists :in plvoting the flats upright, As shown in Figure 8A, the belt 106 is formed of an inner layer of fabric such as can~as 117 and an outer layer of rubber-like material 118, the outer layer having a plurality of spaced trans~erse rlbs~ ridges or knobs to increase the contact with the upper edges of the flats.
Figure 9 is similar to Figure 7 except that it shows that a conti-nuous stacker apron 123 can be used with the edge stacker, or plow 10~ rather than a primary and secondary apron separated by a hip.
Claims (15)
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Count divider apparatus for segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles being advanced in a horizontal path on the apron of a stacker, while upstanding on the edges thereof, said apparatus comprising:
guide means associated with said stacker and including a guide extending horizontally in parallelism with said path;
a carriage, mounted to move horizontally along said guide in parallelism with said path;
roller means, including at least one roller on said carriage in rolling contact with the apron of said stacker;
one-way clutch means, forming part of said roller means for said carriage to advance only as fast as said apron, but per-mitting free rolling of said carriage relative to said apron;
and a segregation element, mounted on said carriage to move in and out of said path, said element normally extending into said path, in front of the leading flat article in each successive, individual slug thereby to support said flat articles in upstanding position, but being retractable out of said path for reinsertion at a predetermined position.
guide means associated with said stacker and including a guide extending horizontally in parallelism with said path;
a carriage, mounted to move horizontally along said guide in parallelism with said path;
roller means, including at least one roller on said carriage in rolling contact with the apron of said stacker;
one-way clutch means, forming part of said roller means for said carriage to advance only as fast as said apron, but per-mitting free rolling of said carriage relative to said apron;
and a segregation element, mounted on said carriage to move in and out of said path, said element normally extending into said path, in front of the leading flat article in each successive, individual slug thereby to support said flat articles in upstanding position, but being retractable out of said path for reinsertion at a predetermined position.
2. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein:
said guide, of said guide means, is an elongated rod, affixed to said stacker at a spaced distance alongside said stacker apron;
and said carriage includes two pairs of grooved wheels, the wheels of each pair rolling, each on an opposite side of said rod;
whereby said guide forms a horizontal, track for said carriage.
said guide, of said guide means, is an elongated rod, affixed to said stacker at a spaced distance alongside said stacker apron;
and said carriage includes two pairs of grooved wheels, the wheels of each pair rolling, each on an opposite side of said rod;
whereby said guide forms a horizontal, track for said carriage.
3. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein:
said carriage includes an elongated plate;
a pair of longitudinally spaced posts upstanding from said plate, a longitudinally extending member supported by clamps, each adjustable in height on one of said posts, said member having a forward end, a bracket extending horizontally at the forward end of said member, in a direction normal to said path, and said segregation element being slidable transversely of said path, in said bracket.
said carriage includes an elongated plate;
a pair of longitudinally spaced posts upstanding from said plate, a longitudinally extending member supported by clamps, each adjustable in height on one of said posts, said member having a forward end, a bracket extending horizontally at the forward end of said member, in a direction normal to said path, and said segregation element being slidable transversely of said path, in said bracket.
4. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein:
at least one said roller of said roller means is in roll-ing contact with said apron, but includes built-in, said one-way clutch means so that said roller will not revolve in a forwardly angular direction and cause said carriage to advance only with said apron, but said roller will revolve in a reverse angular direction to permit said carriage to be freely rolled in the oppo-site direction of the said apron.
at least one said roller of said roller means is in roll-ing contact with said apron, but includes built-in, said one-way clutch means so that said roller will not revolve in a forwardly angular direction and cause said carriage to advance only with said apron, but said roller will revolve in a reverse angular direction to permit said carriage to be freely rolled in the oppo-site direction of the said apron.
5. Apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein:
said roller means includes said one roller and a second roller, the second roller being in rolling contact with a horizon-tal elongated platform extending in parallelism with said path, and there being speed reduction mechanism connecting said one roller and said second roller so that said one roller is rotated by said apron at the speed thereof, but rotates said second roller at a lesser speed on said platform to cause said carriage and its segregation element to compress the flat articles in the slugs advancing on said apron.
said roller means includes said one roller and a second roller, the second roller being in rolling contact with a horizon-tal elongated platform extending in parallelism with said path, and there being speed reduction mechanism connecting said one roller and said second roller so that said one roller is rotated by said apron at the speed thereof, but rotates said second roller at a lesser speed on said platform to cause said carriage and its segregation element to compress the flat articles in the slugs advancing on said apron.
6. Count divider apparatus for segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles being advanced in a horizontal path on the primary apron of a stacker at a pre-determined speed in shingled formation, said apparatus comprising:
a secondary stacker having a secondary apron in continua-tion of said primary stacker apron, and arranged to advance said flat articles at a speed less than the speed of said primary apron to raise said flat articles from shingled formation to upstanding edge supported formation;
a hold down belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of said flat articles in contact with the upper edges of said flat articles as they are so raised to maintain align-ment thereof;
a movable carriage mounted on said secondary stacker to advance alongside the leading counted slug of flat articles, with said secondary apron, and parallel to said path;
a segregation rod mounted on said carriage for horizontal movement between a position outside the path of said flat articles to a position in front of said path, mid-way of the height of the leading flat article of said leading counted slug to support the same against forward tilt;
and means for enabling retraction of said movable carriage, in a direction opposite to the direction of advance of said secon-dary apron, to permit insertion of said rod in front of the leading flat article of the next successive slug of said flat articles.
a secondary stacker having a secondary apron in continua-tion of said primary stacker apron, and arranged to advance said flat articles at a speed less than the speed of said primary apron to raise said flat articles from shingled formation to upstanding edge supported formation;
a hold down belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of said flat articles in contact with the upper edges of said flat articles as they are so raised to maintain align-ment thereof;
a movable carriage mounted on said secondary stacker to advance alongside the leading counted slug of flat articles, with said secondary apron, and parallel to said path;
a segregation rod mounted on said carriage for horizontal movement between a position outside the path of said flat articles to a position in front of said path, mid-way of the height of the leading flat article of said leading counted slug to support the same against forward tilt;
and means for enabling retraction of said movable carriage, in a direction opposite to the direction of advance of said secon-dary apron, to permit insertion of said rod in front of the leading flat article of the next successive slug of said flat articles.
7. Count divider apparatus, as specified in claim 6 wherein:
said movable carriage includes at least one roller in contact with said secondary apron and having a one-way clutch which prevents roller movement of said carriage in the direction of advance, but permits roller movement of said carriage in the direc-tion of retraction on said apron.
said movable carriage includes at least one roller in contact with said secondary apron and having a one-way clutch which prevents roller movement of said carriage in the direction of advance, but permits roller movement of said carriage in the direc-tion of retraction on said apron.
8. Count divider apparatus as specified in claim 6 wherein:
said movable carriage is operably connected to said secondary apron by the friction contact of at least one friction faced roller; and said retraction enabling means is a one-way clutch built-in to said roller, said roller being freely rotatable relative to said secondary apron when the carriage is reverse but being locked against rotation relative to said secondary apron when said carriage is urged forwardly relative to said apron by said leading slug.
said movable carriage is operably connected to said secondary apron by the friction contact of at least one friction faced roller; and said retraction enabling means is a one-way clutch built-in to said roller, said roller being freely rotatable relative to said secondary apron when the carriage is reverse but being locked against rotation relative to said secondary apron when said carriage is urged forwardly relative to said apron by said leading slug.
9. The method of segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles advancing in shingled forma-tion along a horizontal path at a predetermined speed supported on a primary stacker apron, having of a secondary stacker apron, a movable carriage, and a segregation member on the carriage, said method comprising the steps of:
positioning said secondary apron in extension of said primary apron and advancing said secondary apron at slower speed than the speed of said primary apron to raise said shingled flat articles into upstanding position resting on the lower edges thereof;
advancing said carriage at a predetermined speed, along-side the leading counted slug on said secondary apron in a path parallel to the path of said flat articles path, and with said mem-ber extending into the path of said flat articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article therein;
and periodically retracting said member out of said path, retracting said carriage and member back to the next successive counted slug on said secondary apron and inserting said member transversely into the path of said flat articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article in said next successive slug of counted flat articles.
positioning said secondary apron in extension of said primary apron and advancing said secondary apron at slower speed than the speed of said primary apron to raise said shingled flat articles into upstanding position resting on the lower edges thereof;
advancing said carriage at a predetermined speed, along-side the leading counted slug on said secondary apron in a path parallel to the path of said flat articles path, and with said mem-ber extending into the path of said flat articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article therein;
and periodically retracting said member out of said path, retracting said carriage and member back to the next successive counted slug on said secondary apron and inserting said member transversely into the path of said flat articles in contact with about mid-height of the leading flat article in said next successive slug of counted flat articles.
10. A method as specified in claim 9: plus the step of holding down the upper edges of said flat articles by a downward force advancing with said flat articles, at the junction of said primary and secondary aprons to maintain align-ment thereof as the flat articles are gradually raised upright from shingled relation.
11. A method as specified in claim 9: plus the step of edge stacking flat articles shingled longitu-dinally into flat articles shingled laterally on said secondary apron; and the step of advancing said carriage at a speed less than the predetermined speed of said secondary apron, to compress said laterally shingled flat articles into a more compact alignment of counted slugs.
12. Count divider apparatus for segregating a counted slug of flat articles from a plurality of such flat articles being advanced in a path on the apron of a stacker at a predetermined speed in shingled formation, said apparatus comprising:
an endless elongated, alignment belt, trained around sheaves mounted above said apron, said belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of said shingled flat articles with a first portion extending longitudinally at a spaced uniform distance above said apron and a second portion inclining upwardly and forwardly to a level substantially equal to the height of an erected flat article, said lower stretch advancing at greater speed than the speed of said apron and riding on the upper edges of said flat articles to raise them from shingled to erect position, and a movable wheeled carriage mounted to roll alongside said path, said carriage having a segregation rod mounted to move hori-zontally in and out of the path of the leading slug of said flat articles to maintain its erect position and having a one-way clutch on a wheel thereof to allow the carriage to advance as fast as the apron but permit free reverse rolling thereof.
an endless elongated, alignment belt, trained around sheaves mounted above said apron, said belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of said shingled flat articles with a first portion extending longitudinally at a spaced uniform distance above said apron and a second portion inclining upwardly and forwardly to a level substantially equal to the height of an erected flat article, said lower stretch advancing at greater speed than the speed of said apron and riding on the upper edges of said flat articles to raise them from shingled to erect position, and a movable wheeled carriage mounted to roll alongside said path, said carriage having a segregation rod mounted to move hori-zontally in and out of the path of the leading slug of said flat articles to maintain its erect position and having a one-way clutch on a wheel thereof to allow the carriage to advance as fast as the apron but permit free reverse rolling thereof.
13. Apparatus as specified in claim 12 wherein:
the lower stretch of said alignment belt includes a plurality of spaced, transversely extending, ribs or ridges for engaging and lifting up the upper edges of said shingled flat articles.
the lower stretch of said alignment belt includes a plurality of spaced, transversely extending, ribs or ridges for engaging and lifting up the upper edges of said shingled flat articles.
14. Apparatus as specified in claim 12 where:
said stacker apron is divided into a primary apron advanc-ing at a predetermined speed under the first portion of said align-ment belt and a secondary apron advancing at a lesser speed, under the second portion of said alignment belt, said secondary apron slowing the advance of the lower edges of the shingled flat articles on said aprons as said alignment belt engages the upper edges there-of and raises said flat articles from shingled to erect position upstanding substantially verticlaly on said secondary apron.
said stacker apron is divided into a primary apron advanc-ing at a predetermined speed under the first portion of said align-ment belt and a secondary apron advancing at a lesser speed, under the second portion of said alignment belt, said secondary apron slowing the advance of the lower edges of the shingled flat articles on said aprons as said alignment belt engages the upper edges there-of and raises said flat articles from shingled to erect position upstanding substantially verticlaly on said secondary apron.
15. Count divider apparatus of the type having a plurality of flat articles advancing along a stacker apron in an elongated zone in which said flat articles are in upstanding, close-packed, counted slugs, supported on their lower edges, characterized by:
elongated alignment belt means extending longitudinally above said apron, in a zone in advance of said first mentioned zone, said means including at least one endless belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of the flat articles shingled on said apron and in contact with the upper edges of said flat articles, said lower stretch having a plurality of spaced transverse ridges thereon, having an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion for lifting said shingled flat articles to upstanding, erected position and having means for advancing said stretch at a greater relative speed than the speed of said apron.
elongated alignment belt means extending longitudinally above said apron, in a zone in advance of said first mentioned zone, said means including at least one endless belt having a lower stretch advancing in the direction of advance of the flat articles shingled on said apron and in contact with the upper edges of said flat articles, said lower stretch having a plurality of spaced transverse ridges thereon, having an upwardly and forwardly inclined portion for lifting said shingled flat articles to upstanding, erected position and having means for advancing said stretch at a greater relative speed than the speed of said apron.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US60979184A | 1984-05-14 | 1984-05-14 | |
| US06/609,791 | 1984-05-14 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1237104A true CA1237104A (en) | 1988-05-24 |
Family
ID=24442347
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000464925A Expired CA1237104A (en) | 1984-05-14 | 1984-10-09 | Apparatus and method for segregating counted slugs of flats |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0162167B1 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1237104A (en) |
| DE (1) | DE3478854D1 (en) |
Family Cites Families (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2778638A (en) * | 1950-06-23 | 1957-01-22 | Hall Telephone Accessories Ltd | Apparatus for stacking letters and like articles |
| US3236162A (en) * | 1964-02-07 | 1966-02-22 | Ferag Fehr & Reist A G | Delivery apparatus for the products of a rotary press |
| DE2251108C3 (en) * | 1972-10-18 | 1985-04-25 | Jagenberg-Werke AG, 4000 Düsseldorf | Device for transferring flat workpieces conveyed in flake form, in particular tubular folding box blanks, from a flaked longitudinal position into a flaked transverse position |
| US3811549A (en) * | 1973-05-10 | 1974-05-21 | Bobst Fils Sa J | Apparatus for handling a flow of boxes |
| US3865365A (en) * | 1973-08-17 | 1975-02-11 | Ibm | Apparatus and method for unloading mail stackers |
| CH588994A5 (en) * | 1975-02-21 | 1977-06-30 | Bobst Fils Sa J | |
| DE2517369B1 (en) * | 1975-04-19 | 1976-08-12 | Licentia Gmbh | Stacking device for letters and similar conveyed goods |
| US4214744A (en) * | 1978-06-08 | 1980-07-29 | Molins Machine Company, Inc. | Snubbing apparatus |
| CH646395A5 (en) * | 1980-04-10 | 1984-11-30 | Ferag Ag | METHOD FOR MANIPULATING PRINTED PRODUCTS AND MEANS AND DEVICE FOR IMPLEMENTING THE SAME. |
| EP0049718A1 (en) * | 1980-10-15 | 1982-04-21 | BELL TELEPHONE MANUFACTURING COMPANY Naamloze Vennootschap | Flat article stacking and tray loading apparatus |
| US4707970A (en) * | 1984-02-27 | 1987-11-24 | International Paper Box Machine Co. | Apparatus for packaging box flats |
-
1984
- 1984-09-18 DE DE8484306353T patent/DE3478854D1/en not_active Expired
- 1984-09-18 EP EP84306353A patent/EP0162167B1/en not_active Expired
- 1984-10-09 CA CA000464925A patent/CA1237104A/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE3478854D1 (en) | 1989-08-10 |
| EP0162167B1 (en) | 1989-07-05 |
| EP0162167A2 (en) | 1985-11-27 |
| EP0162167A3 (en) | 1986-07-02 |
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