US2366515A - Apparatus for handling and heating containers - Google Patents

Description

Jan 2, 1945 w. GLADFELTER ETAL 2,366,515

4 APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND HEATING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. s. 1940 e sheets-sheet 1 y/.7. EN NJ wa. .0.. Q o o .o o o o G o o Oo o @AKM o MAN mw I If l L. .m N Nw\ Fc QNN\NN Jan. 2, 1945 w. x. GLADFELTER Enr. 2,366,515

APPARATUS NOR HANDLING AND HEATING CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3, 1940 Jan. 2, 1945. w. lLfGLADELEjRfEfqAL `2,366,515

APPARATUS 'FOB v HANDLING AND EATING CQNTAINERS e sheets-sheet s Filed .AugQ g l3, *1940 U? fr km2, 1945- w. :..GLADFELTER Erm.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND HEATING' CONTAINERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 44 Filed Aug. 3, 1940 g mma/tow.

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Jan- 2, 1945 w. a. GLADFELTr-:R Erm. 2,366,515

APPARATUS F03 HANDLING AND HEATING CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 4s, 1940 e sneets-sneet 5 Jan 2,1945 w. l. GLADFELTER l-:rAL 5 2,366,515

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING AND HEATING CONTAINERS,

Filed Aug. s, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 l 3 rwmbw L GZadjel/'eg 2,

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f Patented Jan. 2, 1945 l ascesi;

APPARATUS non HANDLING AND i i HEATING ooNTAINERs i n Wilde rclaareuer ana william A. schmidt, rml.-

adelphia, Pa., assignors -toGrownCnrk Seal Company, Inc., Baltimore, Md., a `corporation ci New York Application August s, 1940, serial Ndssoprc 15 oiaims. (ci. leaf-27) present invention relates to apparatus for handling, coating and treating articles of man u- Afarsturdsuch as` containers. More particularly,

the invention provides apparatus for `coating ^`,with wax or the :like the interiors of metallic` containers, such as beer cans.

In the manufacture of beer` cans and similar containers, the containers are lined with a waxlike coating material to prevent contact of the contents of the containers with the metallic :walls thereof. It is of paramount importance that the lining be continuous and of uniform thickness. It yis also` important that the continuous lining be relatively thinfor the sake o f economy, yet `cover all portions of the interior surface ofthe `con lcylindrical tainer. `With .containers having bodies, conicalrupper ends and lbottom end membersdouble-scanned to the bottom ends, it is dei sirable to have an excess .of coating material at the bottom along the line of the double-seam, to make certain that theseam iswsealed against the entrance of beer or` the like into the folds of the seam."` i `It is also of importance to prevent the coating material from running or spreading t onto the pouringlip or the neck of the container, since wax at these pointspresents an unattractive, messy appearance and retards sale of the pack aged goods.

It is an object cf` the inventionto provide improved means for handling, coating and treating a line of containers so'as to provide a uniform. continuous, relatively thin coating of `wax-,like

material on the interior surfacesthereof, Itis a further object of theginvention to provide im- `reduced scale,` taken AFiureZ.

for inverting and reverting i them? `and for transfer-ring them from one apparatusto the next.

Other and further objects and` advantages of vthe invention wil-1 be apparent `from a considera-` tionof the following description ofthe specic l embodiment of` the `invention shown in the accompanying drawings, in which? Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan apparatus as a whole. y f

`Figure 2 is an enlarged planview, somewhat diagrammatic in character and `with certainparts removed for the sake of clarity, Vshowing an infeed transfer table and inverting mechanism. ,i 1 1 Figure `3 is a fragmentary, vertical section, on `a Figure i is asimilar vertical section, with certain parts `added and others omitted, takenon line 4-,4,nIFigure2.` f u i Figure 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical section illustrating the transfer of containers ,to the preheating` oven conveyor. i

Figure 6 is a vertical lsection throughthe `pref `heating oven.` 1

proved means for settling the wax into thedoubleseams at thebottom ends of the containers and Otherpbject of the invention is to sohandle 1 the containers as to prevent the Wax froinrunning over onto the pouring lip or the neck of .tl-.1e`

containers,

. A further .object .of the invention is to preheat .the containers to a desired degree, to prevent pre- :nature cooling and hardening or rhewaxjanq toi facilitate thecoatingoithe surfaces ofthe contenders with the not `liquid wax-'like material.

It isafurther .object of the invention tofpro-` `vide improvedmea'ns for draining the excess wax thinnest.

i to provide slight excess adjacent thereto. An-

, .50 fronirthe interior of the containers s0 as to pre, ducev a uniform coating Iof desired, controlled A further object et trein-ventiel; is to prende improved means for handlms aline `of containers.

Figure '1 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the oven `conveyor chains. `Figure 8 is avertical section take-out mechanism. i Figure `.9 a Vfragmentaryplan `view of the apparatus shown in Figure 8.

Figure ll'iis a detail section showing the drive for the dial 0f Figures 8 and 9. f i i Figure 11 is a vertical longitudinal section at the entrance end of the wax settling oven, and

Figure 12 General description Although net @mined i@ auch use, thi-'apparams of` the` present intenti@ is adapted te coat with wax, the interiors of drawn seamlessl containers of the type shown inthe pending application of CallesonV `et al., `Serial *Nof 334,876, illed May. 13, 1,940. A line of suehvcontainers l5,

having cylindrical; side ,walls is, t ,conical upper ends il, terminating` in 'necks having crown `finishes I9 at their upper ends and `bottom end members 2li double-.teamed to theirl bottom ends, are `sc indiictel by grav-ity down a chute `2i, as shown in Figure 1i and- .2- The imtaiilers` are transffl-J,llfd` 'by `a Nerticallydisnosed 4 dial `22 to' a piuraiuypf uiting brackets '2s .cameaby a `einem 24 trained about a pluralityofsprockets hereinalfierdeimedltiririer"their` movementm the `View of the` substantially mime auf adjacent fheidisl charge` end. of the wax` drain oven, showing the .i

is a vertical transverse section through that oven.

machine 3|, where the containers are transferredy to holders associated with the latter machine.

The details of construction of the'inside waxing machine 3| are not -shown and described herein, since a machine of the type `Shown in the appli.y

cation of Goebel and Rau, Serial No. 151,158, filed July 2, 1937, may be employed, preferably in thev modified form shown in the application of Gladfelter and Duhan, Serial No. 348,306, led July having a sprocket 60 on its lower end, driven as hereinafter explained.

Each container receiving pocket 50 has a 4plurality of magnetitc plugs 6| associated therewith,

to hold the containers in the pockets as the dial l rotates to bring the containers to the lowermostv position,l above ,the tiltablevbrackets23, referred to above. AppropriateA stripper' devices, not

shown, cause the containers at this position toV be transferred from the pockets 56 to the pockets associated with the brackets 23, the latter having magnetic plugs 62 associated therewith to facilitate the transfer and to hold the containers in'the'pocketswhen the brackets assume a verti- 29, 1940. Reference is made to those applications for a complete disclosure of a suitable inside coat'- ing machine which may be used with the `shown in detail herein.

, At the discharge station 32 ofl the coating machine 3|, the coated cans are picked up by holders 33 associated 'with a conveyor chain l34 which leads them around a sprocket 35 into the entrance end 36 of a Vwax drain oven 31. lThe containers move through thisfov'en", around a sprocket (not Y devices shown) at the vother end thereof and pass out through the discharge opening 38 to a discharge position 39, where they are released from the holders 33 and rfall by gravity to an inclined position intor peripheral pocketsassociated with an outfeed dialMJ,` the latter being mounted for rotation on an inclined plane. i

The containers are carried around to the lowermost point in the path of movement of the dial 40 and are ejected from the pockets thereof and received in the'entrance end of a twister'l. The twister is inclined downwardly, so that the containersroll or slide under theinfluence of gravity therealong.` During this movement, they are moved from an inclined, neck-down position', as shown at the bottom of Figure 8, to a vertical,

cal position, asfhereinafter explained.

The chain 24 carries a plurality of vertically disposed plates 65 to which the brackets 23 are pivotally mountedI at 66. At the other end of each bracket, there is a roller 61 in engagement with a guide rail 63 which has an upwardly disposed portion 68a, adapted'to support the brackets in horizontal position, a downwardly Vinclined por tion 68h which permits the bracketsto swing downwardly under the influence ofgravityto a vertical position and another inclined portion 68o which again raises the brackets to their horizontal position. At the transfer position, hereinafter explained and as shown in Figure 5, the rollers',

61 are guided in a Xed upwardly facing channel member 69. i Y, l

The chain 24 is trained about four horizontally disposed sprockets 1|), 1|, 12, 13, mounted on vertically disposed shafts 10'-'13-, respectively. f The shafts 10, 10' are supported and journalledfor rotation in horizontally disposed bridge members 14,'15 having their ends supported upon rods' 16,111 carried in turnby end brackets 18, 13, cenneck-up position, asV shown in Figure' 111'" At the discharge end of'thetwister, the upright containers are deposited upon the upper flight of a conveyor 42 trained for movement througha wax settling oven 43, During their passage through this oven, a portion of the wax on the side walls i of the containers ows downwardly under the inuence of gravity to provide a'slight lexcess adjacent the double-seam at the bottom of'the container, to effectivelyseal the same. Also, the waX on the side walls and the inner surfaces` of the necks l1 has an opportunity to distribute itself evenly. The containers are delivered at the discharge end 45 of the settling oven 43 to any appropriate transfer device or conveyor which carries them through a cooling flight to a packing station or the' like, where thel containers may be placed in shipping cartons or otherwise disyposedof.

"-line under the influence of gravity down achute 2|. At the lower end of the chute, the containers Aare depcfisited, one by one. in the pocketsj of -the Vertically'disposed infeed dial 22, mounted for rotation on a shaft 5|," jou'rnalledvn bearings 52, 53 carried by the upper ends of vertically disposed shaftsl 54, 55, supported at their lower ends upon an appropriateba'se 56 (Figure 3)'.` Rotation is imparted to the shaft 5| by spur 4gears 51, 58, lthe latter being fast upon astub shaft 59 trally supported upon posts 80, 8| carried bythe base 59. A sprocket chain 82 is trained about a sprocket on the lower end of the stub shaft 1,0' and about the sprocket 6D, to drive the shaft 59 and the vertically disposed dial 22. i

The shaft 13 (Figures 2 and 4) for the sprocket 13 extends` downwardly through a, `transverse bracket 83 and is connected by a coupling 84 to alvertical shaft 85 journalled in bearings 86, 86 carried by a framemember 81. A gear.88 on the shaft 85 is in mesh with-a gear 89 on a stub shaft having a gear 9| on its other end, in mesh with a gear 92 on a main drive shaft $3. Hence, the sprocket 13 is positively. driven and, in turn, through the chain ,24, drives the sprockets 1|l, 1|, 12 and, through the `chain 82, the infeed dia122.

Stub shaft 12 for the sprocket 12 is vjoui-nailed in a bracket 95, the brackets 83` and 95 being supported by vertical posts 96,` 91 and being interconnected by rods 98, 99 and a transverse bridge |00. y n f i From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the chain 24 andthe infeed dial 22 are driven in unison, so that, as 'each pocket 55 in the dial approaches the discharge position, a bracket 23 is in position to receive a container therefrom. As the chain movesaround and approaches the preheating oven chain 26, thebrackets 23 move downwardly to the vertical position shown'f'ip Figure 5 and the containers are transferred vto 'the holders 25 associated with the chain 26,*as

hereinafter explained. Y

` The preheatzng oven and conveyor conveyor portion, opposite the infeed'dial and As shown in Figures 5, 6

container inverting table. The conveyor chai-n 26 is trained. about` `an exterlorly disposed sprocket 29 and, atV the other end of theoven;

about an interiorly` disposed sprocket, notshown. The transfer of containers from the brackets `23 tothe holders 25 is effected between the positions |05 and I 06,\where vthe brackets and holders move along parallel paths `with their respective chains 24,20. i i and '1, alternate links ofi the chain 26 carry upwardly and `downwardly projecting flange members |01, |08, to which are lsecured the holders 25,4 integralwithbrackets havingupper and lower blocks |09, secured by screwsto the flanges |01, |08. Each vlower 1 `block `is extendedy downwardly to `provide aper-` turedbosses- Ill, carrying ,ashaft ||2 and a supporting roller 3, riding upon a track ||4 o associated with angle members ||5 and having Side guide stripsll associatedtherewith. The

upper block |93 of the bracket is extended upwardly to provide a vertically` disposed sleeve portion |l1 carrying a vertical shaft l |8 upon which a horizontally disposed guide' roller IIB is journalled, the roller being` disposed within a bythe oven framework. The` sleeve portion ||1 isivshaped to provide a horizontalbore |.2|, in

` which a `pivoted pin |22 for a can holding 'clamp |23` is mounted, the clamp being urged down-` wardly into clamping relation by a leaf spring |24 disposedunder the Atail |25of the clamp. As shown `in Figure 6, the angleiron base |15 iorgthe .track ||4 extends longitudinally of the .oven beneath both nights ofthe conveyor chain i 26 and is supported -by transverse members |215,

, supported by hangers |21, secured tothe upper transverse frame members |2181of the oven framei work. i

`The oven comprises insulated bottom ,and side wallsl30, 3| supported upon a framework |32 andreinforced internally by verticalside frame members |33 andthe upper, transverse members |28 which support ,the lower tracks ||4,`as pre,-

` viously described, as Well as the guide channels the latter being securedto the lower flanges `of `,angle members |34. i A removable, insulated cover |30', made in sectionsto facilitate access to the oven, closes the `upper end thereof.

`The -oven is preferably maintained at `the de-v sired elevatedtemperature by heated air conducted thereinto by a conduit |35, having a plurality of openings -in thelside walls thereof.

e Meanszfor` adjusting `the sizeof the openings at various points throughout the length of theoven are provided. A-s shown in Figure 6 longitudi- `nallypextending `closure plates |31, which may takethe form of angle irons connected bytrans .verse members |30, are adapted to` be raised. and lowered by pins |30 threaded in nuts |40, Welded to `the .transverse mem-bers' |38, v.and vextending downwardly through Sleeves `Il!! in` the floor of 'the oven..` Collars 1.42y 101.1 the pins ,139, prevent relative longitudinal movementoi the pins and gtlle,iloor` of the conduit |35.` Hence, when the pins are rotated the closure plates |31 are raised or lowered relative 'to the conduit |35, to control H the delivery of heated air from the openings `|3i f inthe conduit to theinterior of the oven. e Asshown in Figure `'1, the clamps |23are provided with downwardly` projectii'ig,` arcuate ribs adapted to engage the doublefseam 20 of the containers I5. lThetail |25 of each clamp is provided with an outwardly facing `groove 1146, `adapted to engage the` undersurface `of-a stationary cam,v |41,'-adjaoent thewdlscharge and transfer positions; As Ythe holders 2,5 rapip roaeli the brackets 23, theclamp |23 is in the raised position shown in` dottedllines in Figure `5, as a i result of the action-of a lowered portion of the cam |41.` As the holders and bracketsmovle 'togethen a raised portionpf the cam |421 is en-` clamped firmly against the holders 25. Hence,

downwardly facing guide `channel |20, carried ,i

countered thereby enabling thefspring |24 to urge the clamps downwardly tothe full line `position shown in Figure 5, wl'iereupon` the containers are as the brackets movevaway` from ,the` holders, the containers are removed therefrom and travel i with the holders into and through the preheating oven, beingtsupported as shown inFigure 6. l

`At the position 30, wherethe containers are The wdr drain oven, conveyorand takeout` o means i As ,stated above, tnecontainers are transferred f fromthe wax coating machine 3|1 to the holders 33V associated with the wax drain oven conveyor l i ble-seams 20 ofthe containers `in thepockets |50 chain 34 at point 3,2 *(Feure ,11) Sineihe holders `33 associated with the chain 34 `are substantially identical to the holders 2 5 carried by the. preheeier hailll,f they nood not" be further.

described. .At the noinththe clamps l2`3 are snapped down uponthe bottom Seems `20` of' the containers in the. wax coating `machine and thereafter move with the wax drain oveincon-` veyQr chain. The Wax drain oven may be. similar in construction tofthe preheating oven, `with the addition, of appropriate trough means t0 receive the wai; that drains from the containers. As indicated `in Figure 8, the conveyor chain,v V3,4` is t supported upon` abeille;` members 'l5' by rollers H3' and isguided by a channel., member |20', `3,5; u

previously described.`

At the discharge point 30,"the clamps |.231'jare y raised by adownwardly projectingportion'` .of a e acampar` |41. Since theholders 33. terminate at their lower ends in frusto-conical inclined ends 33a, disposed` in engagement With the conicalends I of the containers,` when the up-endedbottoms of the oontainersare so released, they fall or tilt outwardly and downwardly under the influenceof gravity, as showninFigure 8, where .they are received in pockets |50 `in the periphery of the outfeed dial 00.,v The dial is mountedfor rotation on an; inclined: plane and is supported; `by a shaftI ,|5l, iournalled for rotation in va cas..-`

ing |52, carried by a frame |53.` Each pocket |50 has a magnetic plug |54 associated withits bottom,- to` hold tha-containers therein as they` e are rotated, to a position ,below the dial.-` The.

shaft :|51 has 'ol-pinion |55 at `its lower end,` in` a housing lss at the Iena of the casing |52 and in mesh `'with a -gear, |-51 on a drive shaft |58, whichmay be `connected to thedrive shaft 93, previously described, `.or may be driven from lthe same or an independent Vsource of` power.

,.Anrejector spring` lysupported by a@ stationary bracket e ISI, bears against the face of the dial -22 and is :positioned` 4to engage the-dou-` to `force i the containers `outwardly,therefrom and in'tothe upper endt|65 `ofthe twister 4|. i

As `a result of :the construction described,

the drained containers are released at a predetermined point in their travel with the wax drain oven conveyor chain, whereupon they fall gently by gravity through an arc of substantially 45, into the pockets of the outfeed dial. They are held inthe pockets by the magnetic plugs |54 until they are forced outwardly therefrom by the spring ejector, whereupon they swing downwardly into the twister and are carried away under the influence of gravity to the settling oven.l

The settling oven and its infeed device As shown in Figures 1, 8, 9 and 11, the twister 4| which receives the containers from the dial 40, comprises a plurality of parallel bars Ill), secured together by transversely arranged strips 1| At the entrance end of the twister, bars Illia are positioned below the side wall of the containers, while bars Ilb, Hc are disposed opposite the bottoms and neck ends thereof, respectively. These bars extend downwardly and are bent laterally, so that the bar Vlb at the discharge position (Figure 11) is below the containers while the bars Illia are at one side thereof. Hence, as the containers roll or slide down along the Abars Illia, with their bottoms engaging the bars I'Hlb, theyare uprighted, from the inverted, inclined .position represented by the upper can in Figure 8 to the position of the-lower can in that iigure and the can in Figure 11.

The bars of the twister terminate adjacent the intake end of the -conveyor 112v in the wax settling oven 43. This conveyor preferably comprises a plurality of links having plane upper surfacesvfor the reception of the lower ends of the cans, the conveyor being trained for movement through the oven with an upper active flight |15 supported upon guide rails .|16 and a lower inactive iiight |11 therebelow, supported upon av plate |18. As indicated in Figure 12, guide strips |19 are provided along the upper active iiight of the conveyor, to prevent inadvertent displacement of the containers.

The wax settling oven comprises insulated bottom and side walls |80, |8| and removable insulated cover section |82. A conduit |83 for heated air is disposed interiorly of the oven chamber and appropriate control means may be pro-v vided for the delivery of air therefrom.

During their passage through the waxsettling oven, the containers are maintained yat a sufficiently elevated temperature to enable the wax to distribute itself evenly over the interior .surfaces of thecontainers and vto collect adjacent the double-seams at the bottom thereof, to seal the same and prevent the contents of the containers gaining access to the folds of the metal in the seam.

At the discharge end. 45 of the wax settling oven, the containers are removed by any appropriate means and conveyed to the next point in the line, for instance, to a packing station.

We claim:

l. In combination, a conveyor for moving a line of hollow articles through a preheating oven prior to their delivery to a coating machine, 'said conveyor having vertically disposed article hold-V ers thereon adapted to support the articles in inverted position, an infeed conveyor trained for movement adjacent the path of` movement of the holders. a plurality of tiltable brackets carried by the infeed conveyor, means for delivering a line of horizontally disposed articles to said brackets when rin a horizontal position, means for swinging the bracketstoan inverted position as they approach the holders, and means for transferring the inverted articles to those holders.

2. In combination, a conveyor'trained for movement through a container pre-heating oven, vertically disposed article holders on the conveyor, an infeed conveyor trained for movementadjacent the path of movement of said holders, a plurality of tiltable brackets carried by the infeed conveyor for swinging movement from a horizontal to a vertical position, a vertically'disposed dial above the infeed conveyor and adapted to deliver a line of horizontally disposed articles to said brackets when in the horizontal position, means for swinging the brackets from the horizontal to a vertical position, and means for transferring the articles from said brackets when in the vertical position to said vertically disposed holders on the rst-mentioned conveyor.

3. In combination, a conveyor ,trainedl .for movement through an oven or the like, a plurality of vertically disposed article holders thereon, an inclined gravity chute down which the articles move in horizontal position, a vertically disposed article receiving dial at the discharge end of the chute having horizontally arranged peripheral pockets therein, an endless chain trained for movement on a horizontal path and having one flight disposed below the dial and another adjacent the oven conveyor, tiltable brackets carried by the chain, means maintaining the brackets in horizontalposition below the dial to receive articles therefrom, means for swinging the brackets to a vertical position and for maintaining them in that position during their movement adjacent the oven conveyor, whereby the vertically disposed articles in the brackets may be transferred to the vertically disposed holders on the conveyor.

4. Means for'handling and conveying a line of containers, comprising a conveyor trained for movement along a horizontal path and having a plurality of vertically disposed article receiving pockets, clamps adjacent the pockets adapted to hold the articles in inverted position. therein, a

gravity chute down which the articles move in horizontal position under the influence of grav` ity, a'vertically disposed dial mounted for rota. tion on a horizontal axis below said chute `and having peripheral pockets adapted to receive ar-r ticles from the chute, a conveyor having tiltable brackets mounted thereon guided for movement in horizontalposition below the dial to receive articles therefrom and for movement in vertical position parallel to and adjacent the first-mentioned conveyor, and means for moving said clamps into clamping relation to the articles in the brackets to effect transfer of the articles therefrom `to said pockets.

5. In combination, a `conveyor chain having a plurality of verticallydisposed pocket members secured thereto, clamps pivoted to the pocket members for vertical swinging movement between anoperative container-clamping position and an inoperative position, means urging the clamps downwardly to the former position, a plurality of tiltable brackets, means for moving the same in horizontal position past a container receiving sta-v tion, means for tilting the brackets to a vertical position in parallelism with the pocket members on said conveyor chain, means for moving the brackets in the latter position with the pockets, and means for-moving said clamps downwardly into clamping relation to the containers in the brackets in. the lastfmentioned position to transfer the containers from the brackets to the pocket members.. N m L or `6. .In;an apparatus ofthe class described, an endless chain trained for movement through an oven" chamber` or the `like and having portions thereof.disposedexterior-1y.` of `the chamber, a

chain supporting track in said chamber, aplurality ofrollers `carried by the chain andsup- `ported upon said track, pocket forming members carried by the chain having surfaces `adapted to engage `the side walls ofthe containers, bottom end engaging clamps carried by the members, meansv for urging the clamps downwardly to e clamp` the containers in the pocket members against said side wall engaging surfaces, infeed and outfeed stations adjacent exteriorly disposed portions of the conveyor and means forraising the clamps torelease position'adjacent said sta- 7. A conveyor fora line of containers having cylindrical side walls and bottom end members double-seamed thereto, comprising a horizontally disposed chain, vertically disposed pocket memfa bers supported at one'side of certain of the links `and having surfaces adapted to engage the container side walls, pivotally mounted bottom end engaging clamps carried by said members, and means for urging the` same downwardly to clamp `the containers against said surfaces.

8. A conveyor for a line of containers having cylindrical `side walls and bottom end members double-seamed thereto, comprising a horizontally` disposed chain, downwardly facing "rollers disposed beneath and carried by certain of thelinks journal means,` a ,y supporting `roller journalled thereon, apair of vertically disposed arcuate wings adapted to engage the side `wall of a can,

upper journal means, an upper guide roller journalled thereon, and a pivoted clamp mounted for swinging movement into engagement with the bottom end of a can toclamp the same against said wings. y

ll2. A conveyor adapted to support, in inverted position, a line of containers having cylindrical side walls and bottom end members secured thereto,.comprising a chain, upwardly zand downwardly projecting flanges adjacent one side of certain of the links of the chain `and container` carrying assemblies secured to said flanges, each assembly comprising a bracket secured to the i flanges and` having avertically disposed arcuate of said chain for supporting the same, vertically i disposed pocket members supported at one side of certain of the links and having surfaces adapted to engage the container side walls,y pivotally mounted bottom end engaging clamps carried I by said members, and means for urging the same downwardly to clamp the containers against said surfaces. f a

9. A conveyor for a line of `containers having surface on the opposite `sideof the chain adapted toengagea container `side wall,jo`urnal means at the upper andylower ends of the brackets, a

`guide roll on` the upper journal and a supporti ingrollon the lower journal, and a clamp carried e by said bracket and adapted to engage, the bottom of a container to urge the side wall thereof into engagement with'said arcuate surfaces.

13. In combination, a conveyor trained for movement along a substantially horizontal path and having holders. associated therewith for holdf` ing containers, such as" beer cans, in inverted,

neck-down position, `a .discharge station including meansfor releasing the containers from the holders and for causing them to tip laterally V therefrom, `a transfer dial mounted for rotation cylindrical side walls and` bottom end@ members i double-seamed thereto, comprising a horizontally4 disposed chain, downwardly facing rollers disposed beneath and carried by certain of the links of said] chain for supporting the same, vertically disposed `pocket members carried byV said links and having surfaces adapted to engage the container side walls, pivotally mounted bottom end `engaging clamps carried bysaid members, means for urging the same downwardly to clamp the containers against said surfaces, `and a plurality of upper guide wheels carried by said members `1 above said chain. y

. Y 10.` A conveyor for containers having cylindrical side walls and bottom end members `secured thereto, comprising la chain and'a plurality of container holding assemblies, each assembly comprising a brackethaving upper and lower blocks secured to the chain, vertically disposed, arcuate on a downwardlyand outwardly inclined plane adjacent thedischarge station and having pockets in its periphery adapted to receive the containers as they are tipped laterally from the hold-L ers, means for rotating the dial to move the containers to a position underneath the same in inclined relation, a second conveyor `below the dial, and means for stripping the `inclined containers from the dial pockets and for positioning them on thelas't-mentioned conveyor in upright position. 14.,Apparatus for handling and conveying `a line of containers, such as beer cans, comprising a chute down which the containers roll in horizontal position, a dial journalled cna horizontal axis and rotating in a vertical plane and having` horizontally disposed peripheral pockets adapted to receive the containers from the chute, a conveyor below the dial having a plurality of tiltable brackets connected thereto, means for holding the brackets in horizontal position as they pass beneath thedial to receive, containers from` the `pockets therein, a second conveyor trained for movement in` parallelism with a portion of the first-mentioned conveyor and having holders associated therewith adapted tosupport the containers in vertical, inverted, neck-down position,`

means for swinging the brackets from the horizontal position to a vertical position` and for holding them in that position as they move with said holders, whereby the containers in vertical,

urging the clamp into engagement with a con` tainer to urge the same against said surface.`-

11. A l'conveyor .adapted to move, in inverted position, afline of cans having cylindrical side `inverted position may be transferred from the` brackets to the holders.

15. A conveyor for a line of'ccntainers having cylindrical side walls, conical walls adjacent one of their ends and bottom end members double seamed to their other ends,` comprising a hori- Walls` and` ,bottom endi, members seamed thereto, said; conveyor comprising a chain` `having upwardly and` downwardly projecting flanges carried by` certain links' thereof, and can holders secured tothe flanges,` each comprising lower zontally disposed chain, vertically disposed pocket members supported by certain links of the chain and having vertically disposed surfaces adapted V to engage the container side Walls and transverse abutment surfaces positioned to prevent vertical sliding movement ofthe containers relative to the lfirst-mentioned surfaces, pivotally mounted clamps carried by the pocket members for erigaging the ends of the containers,r and means for urging the same to clamp the containers against said vertically disposed surfaces and said abut- 5 ment surfaces.

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