US3310157A - Deflector - Google Patents

Description

March 21, 1967 R. c. CLARK 3,310,157

DEFLECTOR Original Filed Nov. 1. 1962 INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. CLARK Y M WfM ATTORNEY! United States Patent 3,310,157 DEFLECTOR Robert C. Clark, Asheville, N.C., assignor to Engineering Associates Incorporated, Asheville, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Original application Nov. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 234,956, now Patent No. 3,186,448, dated June 1, 1965. Divided and this application Apr. 2, 1965, Ser. No. 445,166 4 Claims. (Cl. 198-68) This invention relates to a deflector for alternately diverting the flow of material in one of two opposite directions and is particularly suitable for use in apparatus such as disclosed in my copending United States application, Ser. No. 234,956, filed Nov. 1, 1962, now Patent No. 3,186,448, and entitled, Method and Apparatus for Filling and Packing Containers; the present application being a division of the latter.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel deflector that is highly effective and eflicient in operation while having a rugged and economical construction which will provide dependable service over long periods of continuous use.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a deflector of the aforedescn'bed type that is not adversely affected in its operation by the weight of material being deflected.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such a deflector which is also capable of dividing the flow of material by simultaneously diverting portions of the flow in opposite directions.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with certain portions broken away and others shown in section, of a system incorporating a deflector embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the deflector included in the system of FIG. 1 but with the deflector shown in an alternate position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a deflector generally designated 18', embodying the present invention, is shown for illustrative purposes only as being included in apparatus for filling and packing a pair of horizontally spaced containers 12 and 12L with fibrous material such as tobacco. In the shown apparatus, the tobacco is initially placed on a feed conveyer 14 which deposits the tobacco on deflector 18' which in turn alternately diverts the tobacco in opposite lateral directions below conveyer 14.

Situated below deflector 18' to receive the deflected tobacco are a pair of delivery conveyers 16 and 16L which convey the tobacco to associated shields 30 and 30L coaxially mounted on chargers 24 and 24L which in turn are mounted on containers 12 and 12L respectively. Tobacco deposited into shields 30 and 30L is uniformly distributed by conical distributors 32 and 32L which are movable between extended and retracted positions over and to one side of the chargers respectively. After a predetermined amount of tobacco is introduced into the containers 12, 12L, the associated distributor is actuated into a retracted position as illustrated in phantom lines in FIG. 1 to permit a pressing plunger or ram 22, 22L to descend into the container to pack the same to a desired density. In the shown apparatus While one container 12, 12L is being packed by pressing plunger 22, 22L, the other container is being filled with tobacco through means of the feed conveyer 14, deflector 18', and one of the delivery conveyers 16, 16L. When the desired weight of tobacco is introduced into the container being filled,

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the deflector 18 is actuated to divert the incoming flow of tobacco to the opposite station where the container which was previously packed has been removed and replaced by another container to be filled.

Except for deflector 18' the present invention is not particularly concerned with the aforegoing method and apparatus for filling and packing the containers and therefore further description in this regard is believed unnecessary. However, a more detailed description of this method and apparatus may be obtained from my copending application identified above.

In accordance with the present invention, deflector 18' comprises a'pair of preferably planar sections 18a and 18b suitably hinged about a pin 20 for independent pivotable movement about pin 20. Pin 20 is suitably supported in housing 10 in a horizontal fixed position, and deflector sections 18a and 18b are constructed and mounted to pin 20 such that they are capable of falling under their own weight about pin 20. In the shown embodiment deflector sections 18a and 18b are pivotable between gravity-obtained positions against associated stops 21, 21L and actuated positions spaced from associated stops 21, 21L. Stops 21 and 21L in the specific embodiment are formed separately and are suitably supported by housing 10 in the proper fixed position shown as being below pivot pin 20 and equally spaced on opposite sides thereof.

In order to alternately actuate deflector sections 18a and 18b into positions spaced from their associated stops 21 and 21L, an oscillatable lever 17 is suitably mounted for rotation about a rod 19. In the shown embodiment one end of lever 17 is positioned to alternately engage the underside of deflector sections to pivot the same away from their associated stops 21, 21L into a raised position for switching the direction of the flow of material. Moreover, lever 17 with its free end also serves to support deflector sections 18a, 18b in their raised positions. Actuation of lever 17 in opposite directions may be accomplished in any suitable manner.

To explain operation of the deflector, let it be assumed that the deflector is in the position shown in FIG. 1 wherein tobacco is deflected on delivery conveyer 16 to be ultimately deposited in the right hand container 12. In this position of the deflector, section 18a is engaged against its stop 21L while section 1812 is supported in a raised position in line with section 18a. by lever 17. When container 12 is filled to the desired degree, actuating lever 17 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction from the position shown in FIG. 1 into the position shown in FIG. 2. An actuating lever 17 disengages from supporting contact with deflector section 1812, the latter will fall until it engages its associated stop 21L. Meanwhile, lever 17 continues to rotate in the counter-clockwise direction to engage the other deflector section 18a and pivot it upwardly away from stop 21 until deflector section 18a becomes aligned in the same plane with deflector section 18b whereupon the direction of tobacco flow is reversed to delivery conveyer 16L for ultimate discharge into container 12L.

Although deflector 18' has been described above in connection with alternate feeding of the tobacco to one of the two containers 12, 12L, it will be appreciated that the deflector 18 may be applied in another manner. For example where it is desired to have both of the containers filled at the same time, actuating lever 17 may be rotated into a neutral position where it is disengaged from both deflector sections 18a, 18b to thus cause both deflector sections to engage at the same time against their associated stops 21 and 21L. In this manner, the tobacco flow from feed conveyer 14 is simultaneously divided between conveyers 16 and 16L to feed both containers 12, 12L at the same time.

As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention covered by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A deflector for diverting flow of material from a supply means comprising; a pin member axially supported in a plane at right angles to the path of flow of material, a pair of deflector sections hingedly connected to the pin member, a pair of laterally spaced stop members disposed beneath the pin member on opposite sides of the pin member, each of the stop members being engageable by a deflector section to support the section between the pin member and stop member to divert the flow of material, and an actuating member movable to alternately move one or the other of the deflector sections out of engagement with its associated stop member to an aligned position relative to the other deflector section whereby flow of material is divided into opposite paths when both deflector sections are engaged with their associated stop members and a single path when one of the deflector sections is supported by said actuating member in alignment With the other deflector section.

2. A deflector for diverting material from a supply source comprising; a pair of deflector sections, means mounting said deflector sections for pivotal movement about a fixed generally horizontal axis, stop means for limiting pivotal movement of said sections in counter directions under the influence of gravity, and actuating References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 280,184 6/1883 Jewell 198-53 X 931,054 8/1909 Gardner 198-67 951,740 3/1910 McCracken 193-31 1,011,048 12/1911 Gardner 198-72 1,178,674 4/1916 Pletscher 193-31 1,580,176 4/1926 Stone 198-49 X 2,627,356 2/1953 Bell 198-68 X FOREIGN PATENTS 695,833 9/1940 Germany.

EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Examiner.

M. L, AIEMAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEFLECTOR FOR DIVERTING FLOW OF MATERIAL FROM A SUPPLY MEANS COMPRISING; A PIN MEMBER AXIALLY SUPPORTED IN A PLANE AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE PATH OF FLOW OF MATERIAL, A PAIR OF DEFLECTOR SECTIONS HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO THE PIN MEMBER, A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED STOP MEMBERS DISPOSED BENEATH THE PIN MEMBER ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE PIN MEMBER, EACH OF THE STOP MEMBERS BEING ENGAGEABLE BY A DEFLECTOR SECTION TO SUPPORT THE SECTION BETWEEN THE PIN MEMBER AND STOP MEMBER TO DIVERT THE FLOW OF MATERIAL, AND AN ACTUATING MEMBER MOVABLE TO ALTERNATELY MOVE ONE OR THE OTHER OF THE DEFLECTOR SECTIONS OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH ITS ASSOCIATED STOP MEMBER TO AN ALIGNED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE OTHER DEFLECTOR SECTION WHEREBY FLOW OF MATERIAL IS DIVIDED INTO OPPOSITE PATHS WHEN BOTH DEFLECTOR SECTIONS ARE ENGAGED WITH THEIR ASSOCIATED STOP MEMBERS AND A SINGLE PATH WHEN ONE OF THE DEFLECTOR SECTIONS IS SUPPORTED BY SAID ACTUATING MEMBER IN ALIGNMENT WITH THE OTHER DEFLECTOR SECTION.

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