GB1372751A - Paddle wheel stacker - Google Patents

Abstract

1372751 Paddle-wheel stacking apparatus JOHN DALE Ltd 10 Jan 1972 1103/72 Heading B8C Apparatus for forming a stack of nesting articles comprises a stacking station; a plurality of guide blades 43 arranged for sequential presentation at said stacking station; stacking means arranged to urge articles to be nested to said stacking station to form a stack at least partially supported by a guide blade; sensing means for sensing the size of the stack during formation at the stacking station; and motion means for advancing said guide blade from the stacking station to present the next sequential blade thereat in response to a signal from said sensing means. As shown, a succession of tubes is fed, by integer motion, from a conveyer, not shown, to an upper, V-shaped tray 20, and synchronous motion of a cross-head 19 by a double-acting pneumatic cylinder 24 causes each tube in turn to be moved by a pusher arm 27, 28, rearwardly located on the cross-head 19, from the upper tray 30 to a similar tray, not shown, located beneath the tray 30. A forwardly located pusher arm, not shown, on the cross-head then pushes the tube from the lower tray into the channel between the blades 43, 43<SP>1</SP> and the guide plate 53 where it is held in a stacking position, adjacent the corresponding end of the channel by a brush (60), Fig. 5, not shown, until the dispensing end of a second tube is subsequently pushed into the flared opening of the first tube. The cross-head advances the two tubes until the second tube is at the stacking location. The cycle is repeated until the first tube of the stack triggers a microswitch 63 whereupon a pneumatic cylinder 64 operates the mechanism 51, 52 to rotate the paddle wheel 50 through one increment, remove the complete stack downwardly from the stacking position, and present a new channel 43, 43, 56 to the stacking location. The paddle wheel is correctly aligned in its operative positions by means of a disc 45 which is mounted on the axle of the paddle-wheel and has notches 46 which co-operate with a spring-loaded detent member 47.