GB697433A - A machine for handling closures or other articles - Google Patents

Abstract

697,433. Orientating articles. ARNOLD, J. C. (Pneumatic Scale Corporation, Ltd.) Nov. 1, 1951, No. 25608/51. Class 117 [Also in Group XXX] Means for withdrawing articles such as closures, e.g. screw caps for containers, from a bulk supply in a hopper 10, arranging them in a predetermined attitude and delivering them to a shoot 20 leading to a capping machine &c. comprise a rotary inclined carrier 12, which conveys the closures from the hopper outlet to a guide 14. This guide aligns them and directs them into engagement with the bevelled edge of a rotary disc 16 which removes them from the carrier and conveys them along a stationary rail 18 Closures which are in a stable position, Fig. 4, are carried round and delivered to the shoot 20, but those which are unstable, Fig. 7, fall off on to the carrier 12 to be presented again to the guide and disc. The carrier 12 has a detachable ring 22 of friction material, e.g. cork, and is surrounded by a fixed upstanding rim 66 which extends upwards to the outlet 68 of the hopper. The size of this outlet is adjusted by moving the plate 74. The guide 14 includes a yieldable and adjustable guide rail 80 mounted on the rim and a fixed guide 82 secured to a stationary plate 60. After leaving the guide 80 the outermost closures are engaged by a curved guide 92 with a bevelled face and forced towards the line of closures formed against the guide 82. Any closures which cannot enter the line pass over the end 94 of the guide on to the ring 22 to be carried round again. The disc 16 is secured to a shaft 98 which is rotatablv mounted on a brake 102 and urged downwardly by a spring 108. The lower side of the disc is provided with a replaceable friction ring 96 which is maintained by the spring 108 in driving engagement with the metal ring 24 on which the ring 22 is mounted. The rail 18 is adjustable vertically and horizontally with respect to the disc 16 and is notched at 134, Fig 8. Correctly positioned closures will bridge the notch, but the others will engage its end and be rejected. Any closures, which lodge on the flat surface of the disc, are discharged by a guide 156. The shoot 20 comprises a bottom rail 136, a top rail 138, and side rails 140, 142 adjustably supported to accommodate different sizes of closures. The top rail 138 may be hinged at 152, 154 in order that it can be swung aside to make the shoot an open channel. Modifications are described for dealing with long or short cylindrical closures.