GB814369A - Improvements in or relating to the feeding of articles in wrapping machines - Google Patents

Abstract

814,369. Feeding articles to wrapping mechanism. ROSE BROS. (GAINSBOROUGH) Ltd. April, 30, 1957 [May 3, 1956], No. 13641/56. Class 94(1). [Also in Group XXX] A machine in which articles are transferred in succession from pockets in an intermittently rotatable feed wheel to wrapping mechanism, comprises an intermittently-rotatable auxiliary feed disc formed with a plurality of generally radial rows of pockets corresponding in shape to those of the feed wheel and receiving articles from a bulk supply, the pockets having a radial pitch corresponding to the circumferential spacing of the pockets in the feed wheel and being so disposed that each radial row moves into register with a corresponding circumferential series in the feed wheel at a transfer station to allow a series of articles to pass from the pockets of the disc to those of the feed wheel while the wheel and disc are stationary, the disc and wheel being driven in timed relationship to cause the wheel to move a series of steps corresponding in number to the number of pockets in each radial row in the disc for each stepwise movement of the disc to bring a radial row of pockets to the transfer position. Sweets 14 are deposited on the surface of a disc 19 by an electro-magnetic vibrator 26 controlled by a feeler 27, and fed into pockets 21 in the disc by cooperating guides and brushes 31, 32 and 33 as described in Specification 729,223. The pockets 21 are arranged in radially-spaced pairs forming two circumferential rows, and the disc overlaps a feed wheel 11 formed with a circumferential series of pockets 12 spaced apart by a distance corresponding to the radial spacing of the pockets 21. The wheel 11 is rotated two steps each corresponding to the circumferential spacing of its pockets for each step of movement of the disc, so that successive pairs of pockets 21 are brought into register with two underlying pockets 12 at a transfer station 22 after each alternate movement of the wheel. The sweets are retained in the pockets 21 by an underlying support 24 which terminates adjacent the periphery of the wheel 11 so that they fall into the pockets 12 at the station 22. They are then supported by rails 23 until a reciprocating pusher 16 transfers them in succession to a wrapping- wheel 17. The transfer of sweets from the pockets 21 to the pockets 12 may be assisted by a reciprocating pusher or pushers.