GB2050981A - Apparatus for orientating articles during transit on a conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for arranging triangular cross-section bottles into a predetermined orientation is described (Figure 1B) using a conveyor 48 for feeding randomly orientated bottles in single file, a gate 52 for deflecting the bottles to one side or the other of the conveyor, and a deflector 56 or/and 58 which is contacted by the bottles causing them to turn during conveyor movement until a flat side of the bottle contacts the guide. Where, as shown, the bottles are to be arranged for close packing, the direction of movement of the gate is controlled so that alternate bottles contact the deflector 56 and the intermediate bottles contact deflector 58, to give a final orientation of the bottles as shown at 12, 14, 16. In practice, as shown a number of rows of bottles, e.g. four, are so formed into compact sets for packing, e.g. in groups of 12, into a box. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Mechanical handling apparatus This invention relates to mechanical handling apparatus for use in the packing of objects into boxes and the like. The invention is concerned with objects which have a particular shape such that they require to be arranged in a particularway in orderto fit the required quantity into the box of given dimensions.

It is known to feed bottles in upright position along a conveyor in a single file, for example from a bottling station, and to provide a swinging gate which automatically deflects successive bottles into two parallel files, and (for example) to repeat that operation so that four files of bottles are in parallel relation, using counters and displaceable barriers so that single sets of twelve bottles (three in each file) are closed up ready for transfer as a unit into a box, or for encapsulation in a container. This known apparatus works well with conventional circular bottles where the orientation is immaterial.

The problem is to enable non-circular objects to be treated in generally the same way, but with the additional step of orientation, so that they can be packed into a container of minimum size, and moreover avoid the necessity of inter-object partitions in the container.

In accordance with the invention considered broadly, orientating apparatus comprises conveyor means, a first guide channel arranged to receive randomly orientated objects on the conveyor, a gate adapted sharply to deflect the travelling objects laterally in at least one direction on the conveyor, and a guide surface extending at one side of the conveyor for deflecting the objects more slowly and in the reverse direction to that imparted by the gate.

The sharp deflection will take the object against the guide surface (or at least to a position on the conveyor where continued onward travel will take the object against the guide surface) and effectively the object will turn angularly during its slow deflection until there is a maximum resistance to turning.

Thus, if the articles are elliptical, they will turn until the major axis of the ellipse is generally parallel to the guide surface. Hence, if such apparatus is combined with the known apparatus referred to, sets of the elliptical objects can be built up with all of the objects aligned so that their major axes (in each file) are generally co-linear, and parallel to those in the other files.

In accordance with a narrower expression of the invention, the gate provided in the orientating apparatus is arranged to swing, and guide surfaces are provided on both sides of the conveyor, so that objects may be deflected in either of the two lateral directions, and this enables objects which are symmetrical about only one axis (for example triangular) to be orientated in either of two (mirror image) positions according to whether the gate deflection was to left or right. Preferably the gate is associated with control circuitry to enable a particular direction of deflection and hence orientation to be achieved as required.

One presently preferred embodiment ofthe invention is now more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1A shows a portion of a conveyor and file forming apparatus, in plan view, Figure 1 B shows an orientation apparatus which extends from the file forming apparatus; Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same showing set transfer apparatus.

The apparatus shown in the drawings is intended for use with bottles which are generally triangular in cross-section, and which are to be packed in sets of twelve, namely in four files each containing three bottles, and with the bottles orientated as generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 (Figure 1B) so that the first bottle 12 in one file has the same orientation as the final bottle 16 in that file, and this isthe reverse orientation to that of the bottle 14 in the same file; two files are thus arranged, and the alternative files have the reverse arrangement with first and third bottles 18 and 22 in the same orientation as bottle 14, and the intermediate bottle 20 in the same orientation as bottles 12 and 16. Such an arrangement occupies the minimum space.

Turning now to Figure 1A, a first conveyor 24 carries the bottles 26 in random orientation and in the direction of the arrow 28, between a pair of fixed side guides 30 which terminate at a swinging gate 32 which is associated with a sensor so as to cause the gate to move from the full line position of the figure to the chain dot line position of the figure after each bottle has passed through the gate, whereby the bottles are fed onwards in equal numbers along two parallel conveyors 34, 36. This arrangement is substantially duplicated along the right hand portion of Figure 1 A so that four files are conveyed by belts 38 to 44 in generally parallel relationship with equal numbers of bottles on each belt.

Turning now to Figure 1 B, each of the four con veyortracks carrying separate files extends past a corresponding pair of spring loaded barriers 46 to transfer the bottles to final feed conveyors 48 which may operate at a substantially faster linear speed than the first conveyors so as to increase the separation of the bottles in each file. Associated with each file is a sensor 50 connected to logic controls operating a corresponding swinging gate 52. In this arrangement, where each set 10 is to be identical, the logic arranges thatthe swinging gates are in the full line position of Figure 1 B for the first and third bottles which pass over the sensor, in the same position for the fourth and sixth and soon, and in the chain dot position for the other bottles.Hence, the said first and third bottles are displaced laterally in the direction of the arrow 54 when the gates are in the full line position and in the opposite direction when the gates are in the chain dot line position.

Extending along the final feed conveyors are slow deflectors 56, 58 in pairs (one pair to each file) and these converge along the length of the final feed conveyor towards parallel portions 60,62. A bottle such as 64 after deflection by the gate 52 contacts the slow deflector 56, and due to the tendency of the conveyor to carry the bottle forward in a straight line, but due to the action of the slow deflector, the bottle tends to turn angularly until there is maximum resistance to turning which is when one of the relatively flat three sides of the bottle lies parallel to the effective deflector.Hence bottles which contact the deflector 56 arrive between the parallel portions 60 and 62 in the orientation of the bottles 66, whereas bottles which are oppositely deflected and contact the deflectors 58 arrive in the position ofthe bottle 68.

The apparatus is provided with appropriate counters such as 70 and barriers 72,74 which can be operated when a complete set (in this case of twelve) bottles has been built up, with three in each file, and then the files are closed together and the unit of twelve bottles is transferred for example by clamp means such as 76 in Figure 2 ready for boxing or encapsulation.

It will be appreciated that if the objects have symmetry about two axes, for example the elliptical cross-section above mentioned, or substantially square bottles, the gate 52 need need not swing and only the slow deflector 56 (and not the one 58) need be provided, or if provided, need not be operational during such time as the apparatus is used with such objects.

Claims (5)

1. Orientating apparatus comprising conveyor means, a first guide channel arranged to receive randomly orientated objects on the conveyor, a gate adapted sharply to deflect the travelling objects laterally in at least one direction on the conveyor, and a guide surface extending at one side of the conveyor for deflecting the objects more slowly and in the reverse direction to that imparted by the gate.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the said guide surfaces are provided on both lateral sides of the conveyor and the gate is arranged to swing for sharply deflecting objects on the conveyor towards either of said surfaces.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the gate is associated with control circuitry enabling the orientation of successive objects to be arranged according to a predetermined pattern.

4. Mechanical apparatus comprising a conveyor with a swinging gate for automatically deflecting successive objects fed by the conveyor into at least two parallel files, and associated with sets of apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3 corresponding to each of said files.

5. File forming and orientating apparatus substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.