US3528211A - Method and apparatus for automatically packing confections - Google Patents

Description

Sept; 15, 1970 Fla! KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING CONFECTIONS Filed m 28, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 R KADRU KAWASAKI,

Inventor y Halal P Attorney 5 Sept. 15,1970

KAORU KAWASAKI METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING OONFEGTIONS Filed June 28, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Mmiu KAWASAR! A TL e N 1E2 va 32 .v N ADHH i {:1 r m m .T I HUI (N I a I .(g r f A 2 1 Q Q A, Q f

lnoenlor B wmmm A Home y S l 1979 KAQRU KAWASAKI I 3, A

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING CONFECTIONS Filed June 28, 1968 L 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 KAORLI KAWASAKI,

lnvenlo r s wwmki PM A Home y S p 15, 1979 KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING GONFECTIONS Filed June 28, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 A ADRU KAWASAKI,

lnuenlor l llto rney S Sept. 15, 1970 KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING CONF'ECTIONS Filed June 28, 1968 7 Shecs-Sheet a FIG. 6

K-AORU 'KAwAsAKi,

' Invnlor s mwvtlmw,

Allor ney 5 3,528,211 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING CONFEGTIONS 4 Filed'June 28, 1968 KAORU KAWASAKI Sept. 15 1970 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG/3 1 KAOQU KAWASAKI,

Inventor By I '4 AltorneyS Se t. 15, 1970 KAORU KAWASAKI 3,528,211

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY PACKING ,CONFEGTIONS I Filed June 28, 1968 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 KADQU KAWASAKI lrwenlor B AMWM 1;!

g, Attorneys United States Patent US. Cl. 53-23 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method and apparatus for automatically packing confections with base sheets of paper. The packing operation comprises transferring orderly arranged confections from fiat plates onto a conveyor belt, dividing the confections in transit on the belt into packing units, delivering each unit of confections and each base sheet respectively into each of confection receiving members and base sheet carriers advancing on endless chains, transferring the confections from each of the receiving members onto the respective base sheets after the flaps of the sheets have been unfolded, and sending out the packed confections onto a chute for further packaging operation.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for automatically packing confections such as chocolates. The packing operation to be carried out under the present invention comprises full-automatically placing on base sheets of paper or into cases to be used as wrappings a desired number of small confections like chocolates each having an edge of approximately /8 inch, retaining the confections by bent flaps of the base sheets or of the cases against possible displacement therefrom, and sending out these confections for the subsequent step of packaging.

At present, commercially available are packs of chocolate about the size of conventional slab chocolates each including a suitable number of chocolate pieces having an edge of about inch and retained on a base sheet or in a case. However, in case such chocolate pieces are arranged and placed on the base sheets in respective manual operations, the packaging work carried out results in extremely poor eificiency, a principal factor of cost increase. This is by no means desirable when considered from the viewpoint of food sanitation.

A principal object of the present invention is to develop a method in which, for packing confections such as abovementioned chocolates in groups of a desired number of pieces, the confections are placed onto wrapper base sheets in a full-automatic and highly efficient operation, the confections being prevented from possible displacement therefrom by the flaps of the base sheets, thereby effecting cost reduction in packing this type of confections and insuring a desirable packing operation from the viewpoint of food sanitation.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packing apparatus for carrying out the above described method by which a suitable number of confections are placed onto each of packing base sheets in full-automatic and highly efficient operation, the confections being retained thereon by bent flaps of the base sheets, and thereice after being sent forward to the subsequent step of packaging. In more detailed description, the object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for holding the confections on the base sheets of paper Without damaging the shape of such confections which are in themselves sticky and yet brittle.

The present invention comprises a frame box for containing square or rectangular plates piled in layers each carrying in orderly arrangement a predetermined number of confections such as chocolates of uniform size, means for receiving from under the frame box the lowermost of the plates one by one with the confections retained thereon and carrying each of the plates forward from the lowermost position of the frame box, means for transferring the confections on the plates sent out to the front of the frame box onto an endless conveyor belt without disturbing the arrangement, means for dividing the confections into packing groups of a desired number while the confections still in the above-mentioned arrangement are being advanced toward a direction, means for transferring the divided confections from the delivery end of the endless conveyor belt into each confection receiving member, means in operative relationship therewith for successively supplying onto each base sheet carrier the lowermost of the base sheets piled up in a base paper container, means for conveying each of the con fection receiving members and base sheet carriers in the same direction, unfolding during the conveying operation the base sheet on the respective carriers so as to receive the confections and bending desired portions, means for delivering the confections from the respective confection receiving members onto each of the base sheets ready for receiving the same, and means for bending a portion of each confection-loaded base sheet to prevent the confections from dropping and directing the confection-loaded base sheets to a chute.

Other object and detailed construction of the present invention will become apparent from an embodiment of the invention to be hereinafter described.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an example of the apparatus embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the gearing therein being shown in imaginary line;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear view in section showing the frame box portion, illustrated in the left-hand portion of FIG. 2, for placing therein chocolate carrying plates;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation showing the apparatus in FIG. 2 as seen from the left side thereof;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view in section taken on the transverse line AA in FIG. 1 showing an endless conveyor belt;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged plan view of the portion B in FIG. 1, namely of mechanism for sending out the divided confections from the endless conveyor belt and another mechanism for delivering base sheets from a base sheet container;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged front view of the portion shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view taken along the transverse line CC in FIG. 1 showing a mechanism for unfolding the base sheets;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view showing the relationship between a chocolate receiving member and a base 3 sheet carrier which are disposed in the right-hand portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 10 is a view of the parts shown in FIG. 9 as seen from the side (from the left in FIG. 1);

FIG. 11 is a rear view of the base sheet carrier taken along the line D--'D in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a cross sectional view taken along the line EE in FIG. 10 showing the chocolate receiving member and chocolate pusher;

FIG. 13 is a plan view on an enlarged scale showing a guide member for raising and bending a flap;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged front view of the same;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged side elevation of the same;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing chocolate pieces as molded by a chocolate manufacturing apparatus and placed on the carrying plate in orderly arrangement;

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing a packing base sheet for chocolate as it is folded; and

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a desired nurnber of chocolate pieces (i.e. twelve pieces in this figure) as they are placed and retained on the packing base sheet in the final step of the operation under the present invention.

In the embodiment illustrated, there is shown a packing apparatus by which twelve chocolate pieces b formed in desired size are arranged in two rows each comprising six pieces and retained on a wrapper base sheet a of rectangular shape having flaps a a a and a along the peripheral edges thereof as shown in FIG. 18.

For the packing operation, forty-eight chocolate pieces 12 are placed on a fiat chocolate carrying plate exactly as they were molded by a chocolate manufacturing apparatus, the chocolates being orderly arranged in six ranks and eight files.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the plates c carrying the chocolate pieces b in the arrangement described above are placed in layers in a frame box 1 which is disposed upright in the backward left portion of a main frame 2 and across a pair of guide rails 3 provided transversely in the left-hand portion of the main frame 2. The chocolate carrying plates c are placed in the frame box 1 in such manner that each of the eight files of the orderly arranged chocolate pieces b thereon is disposed transversely of the main frame 2 and in parallel to the guide rails 3.

The plates 0 piled up in layers in the frame box 1 are placed therein so that the right and left margins of the lowermost plate c may respectively be received by the edges of supporting members 4, the edges extending inwardly from the right and left sides of the frame box 1, the lowermost plate 0 thereby being positioned slightly above the surface level of the guide rails 3. This supporting position is so determined that it is higher than the level of the rail surface by a distance slightly more than the thickness of the plate 0 plus the height of the chocolate pieces b thereon.

The supporting members 4 disposed in the left and right side portions of the frame box 1 have respective legs 5 which are pivotally supported by pivots 6 mounted on the main frame 2, each of said supporting legs 5 being provided with protrusions 7a and 7b spaced apart respectively in the upper and lower positions relative to the pivot 6. Being positioned in facing relation with protrusions 9 of a vertical travel frame 8 installed in the main frame 2, the protrusions 7a and 7b are alternately brought into contact with the protrusions 9 in the upper and lower limits of the vertical movement of the vertical travel frame 8 thereby permitting the edge portions of the supporting members 4 to project from or into the frame box 1. Also mounted on the legs 5 are restoring springs 10 which serve to force the edge portions of the supporting members 4 to project inwardly of the frame box 1. The height of the upper ends 8a of the vertical travel frame 8 is such that the ends may reach the bottom surface of the lowermost plate 0 in the frame box 1 when brought to the upper limit of the upward movement, whereby upon the protrusions 9 during the upward movement causing the edge portions of the supporting members 4 to project outwardly from the frame box 1 and release the opposite margins of the plate 0, the plate 0 is allowed to rest on the upper ends 8a and is brought down with the downward movement of the frame 8 to be placed on the guide rails 3.

In the lower portion of the vertical travel frame 8 is provided an operating rod 8b. A roller in the end portion of the rod is kept in contact with the upper surface of the end of a cam lever 11. The base portion of the cam lever 11 is pivotally mounted on an axis 2a supported on the main frame 2. By means of a restoring spring 15 acting on the vertical travel frame 8, a cam roller 14 rotatably mounted on the cam lever 11 is pressed against and brought in contact with the peripheral surface of a disc cam 13 mounted on a cam shaft 12.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, when the cam shaft 12 is rotated together With the disc cam 13 in the direction indicated by the arrow, the cam lever 11 is pivotally moved upward as it is brought into contact with the radially jutting out portion of the disc cam 13, and the vertical travel frame 8 is therefore pushed up by the end portion of the lever. With this upward movement of the frame 8, the protrusions 9 therein contacting with the lower protrusions 7b of the legs 5 are raised to get detached therefrom and brought into pressing contact with the upper protrusions 7a thereby forcing the legs 5 to move pivotally against the restoring spring 10 to get the edge portions of the supporting members 4 outwardly retracted from the inside of the frame box 1. Accordingly, the opposite margins of the plate 0 supported by the edges of the supporting members 4 are released therefrom to be received by the upper ends 8a of the frame 8 now elevated to a position beneath the plate 0. Upon further rotation of the disc cam 13, the cam roller 14 is brought down to a lower position along the disc cam 13, so that the cam lever 11, urged by the restoring spring 15, is set in downward pivotal movement thereby permitting the vertical travel frame 8 to descend together with the plate 0 on the upper ends 8a, and simultaneously therewith, the protrusions 9 of the frame 8 are released from the upper protrusions 7a. By the resiliency of the restoring spring 10, the edges of the supporting members 4 are now urged into the frame box 1 to a position above the upper surface of the opposite margins of the plate c which is supported by the upper ends 8a of the frame 8 and under the bottom surface of the margins of another plate 0 overlying the above mentioned plate c. The plate c on the upper ends of the vertical travel frame 8 is placed on the guide rails 3. As the frame 8 is further moved down, the upper ends 8a are detached from the under surface of the plate 0 and the protrusions 9 are brought into contact with the lower protrusions 7b. On the other hand, the plate c overlying the plate 0 on the guide rails 3 is prevented from descending, the right and left margins thereof being supported by the edges of the supporting members 4 with a slight clearance formed between the chocolate pieces 12 on the plate c placed on the guide rails 3 and the overlying plate c. In this manner, the plates 0 within the frame box 1 are, from the lowermost position, carried down one by one onto the guide rails 3 disposed thereunder to be thereafter carried out to a position in front of the frame box 1 by means of a device below described.

Behind the plate c placed on the guide rails 3 and carrying the chocolate pieces b is a travelling member 17 which is adapted to move forward or backward along guide frames 16 disposed behind the frame box 1 (see FIGS. 1 to 4). Upon the plate c being placed on the guide rails 3, the travelling member 17 is advanced to push the rows or orderly arranged chocolate pieces b on the plate c and move them slightly forward thereby releasing the chocolate pieces I) from sticking engagement with the plate 0.

Through a link 22, an operating rod 21 pivotally connected as at 21a to an arm 2d on the main frame 2 and further through a link 20, the travelling member 17 is connected to a cam lever 19 which is connected at a pivot 20 to an end of an arm 2b extending from the main frame 2. On the cam lever 19 is mounted a rotatable cam roller 19a which, by means of a restoring spring 19b provided in an end portion of the lever, is kept in contact with the peripheral surface of a disc cam 18. The disc cam 18 is mounted on the previously mentioned cam shaft 12 and is rotatable coaxially with the aforementioned disc cam 13. Thus, the forward or backward movement of the travelling member 17 can be effected by the rotation of the disc cam 18 in operative relationship with the upward or downward movement of the vertical travel frame 8.

Below the frame box 1 are positioned pushing members 24 adapted to be moved along the guide rails 3 toward the front of the main frame 2 by means of endless chains 23 provided under the guide rails 3. Guided by the rails 3, the plate 0 carrying the chocolate pieces b which are free of the sticking engagement therewith is sent forward from under the frame box 1 by the pushing member 24. The pushing members 24 are disposed on the endless chains 23 with a predetermined space between adjacent members which corresponds to the transfer space of the plates 6 to be delivered onto the guide rails 3 from the frame box 1. The endless chains 23 are trained around sprockets 25a and 26a on sprocket shafts 25 and 26 supported on the main frame 2, the sprockets shaft 25 being adapted to be driven by a sprocket 27 on the cam shaft 12 through a chain 28 which is in driving relation to the sprockets 27, 29 and 30. Thus, the pushing members 24 are adapted to be driven together with the endless chains 23.

The arranged chocolate pieces b on the plate 0 pushed forward to the front of the main frame is prevented, in the vicinity of the front portion of the main frame 2, from further advancing by means of a stop bar 31 provided across the guide rails 3, so that after the front row of the chocolate pieces b contacts with the stop bar 31, only the plate 0 is pushed gradually toward the forward ends of the guide rails 3 by the pushing member 24. Upon the front row of the chocolate pieces b abutting the stop bar 31, a regulating rod 34 disposed in front of the frame box 1 comes down behind the rear end row of the chocolate pieces b and adjusts the spaces among ranks of the chocolate pieces b which are detained by the stop bar 31.

The regulating rod 34 extends across the guide rails 3 in front of the frame box with the opposite ends thereof supported by pivotal arms 33. While the chocolate pieces b are in transit below the regulating rod 34, the rod is held to a desired elevated position as shown in FIG. 4, the pivotal arms 33 being supported by pivots 32 on the main frame 2 in pivotally movable manner. Through a connecting rod 37, the pivotal arm 33 is linked to a cam lever 36 whose base portion is pivotally supported on an axis 2a. The cam lever 36 has a cam roller 36a in contact with a disc cam 34 mounted on the cam shaft 12 and adapted to be rotated integrally with the disc earns 13 and 18 as previously mentioned. Thus, in conformity with the peripheral shape of the disc cam 35, the pivotal arm 33 is set in pivotal movement to permit the regulating rod 34 to move up and down as aforementioned. Since all of the earns 13, 18 and 35 are mounted on the cam shaft 12 which is operatively connected to the endless chains 23 for sending the plate 0 forward along the guide rails 3, all of the movements described above can be effected without the slightest error.

Directly above the group of chocolate pieces b in orderly arrangement which are prevented from advancing by the stop bar 31 are six holding rods 38 equidistantly spaced apart in parallel and extending toward the right of the main frame 2 for preventing the chocolate pieces b from being raised up off the plate c due to the forward movement of the plate 0. Since the chocolate pieces 11 are arranged in eight files along the guide rails 3 and in six ranks as previously stated, the six holding rods 38 are disposed along the ranks and equidistantly spaced apart in parallel so as to be respectively positioned over each of the chocolate pieces 12.

Before the plate c leaves the under surface of the group of chocolates, the chocolate pieces b, prevented from advancing by the stop bar 31 and kept from moving up off the plate 0 by the holding rods 38, are transferred onto an endless conveyor belt 47 by a discharge member 40 conducted by endless chains 39 positioned above the detained chocolates, said discharge members 40 being adapted to move in the direction in which the holding rods 38 extend, i.e. toward the right of the main frame 2, the endless conveyor belt 47 being provided on the right side of the guide rails 3 and adapted to move rightward of the main frame 2. The discharge members 40 are mounted on the endless chains 39 in predetermined spaced relationship. The endless chains 39 are trained around sprockets 41a and 42a on the sprocket shafts 41 and 42 which are rotatably supported by brackets 22 on the main frame 2. The sprocket shaft 41 is operatively connected in a sprocket-chain relationship as at 44 to a drive shaft 43 which is rotatably supported by a bracket 2 on the main frame 2. The speed of the chains 39 is previously so adjusted that the chocolate pieces b, prevented from advancing as aforementioned, may entirely be transferred onto the belt 47 by the discharge member 40 before the plate c leaves the under surface of the chocolate pieces b, namely while the plate 0 still carries the chocolate pieces thereon. At the same time, as will be later described, the chains 39 are adapted to be driven in operative relationship with the rotation of the cam shaft 12.

On the right side of the guide rails 3 is a guide plate (or bridge plate) 5a through which, when the transferring operation is to be made, the chocolate pieces 12 may be conducted onto the endless conveyor belt 47.

As illustrated in detail in FIG. 5, the endless conveyor belt 47 comprises a large number of idle rollers 46 disposed in parallel between two parallel endless chains 45 which are adapted to advance toward the right of the main frame 2, the axes of the idle rollers 46 being normal to the advancing direction of the conveyor belt 47. The idle rollers 46 are free to rotate independently of the advancing speed of the endless conveyor belt 47. The endless chains 45 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) are trained around sprockets 48a and 49a on sprocket shafts 48 and 49 on the main frame 2. The upper surface of the endless conveyor belt 47 is disposed under the holding rods 38, and between the upper surface and the rods there is a space which serves as a passage for the chocolates b. When driven toward the right of the main frame 2, the endless conveyor belt 47 carries the chocolate pieces b exactly as they are arranged. During an operation in which the arranged chocolate pieces b are transferred by the discharge member 40 from the plate C onto the endless conveyor belt 47, the holding rods 38 serve to prevent the chocolates b from being raised up off the plate 0 or off the guide plate 3a. The rods 38 also keep the rested on the endless conveyor belt 47. Furthermore as illustrated, each of the discharge members 40 is provided with cut-out portions 40a for the holding rods 38 to get into to insure a smooth discharge operation. A sprocket shaft 49 for driving the endless conveyor belt 47 is operatively connected in sprocket-chain relationship as at 51 to a drive shaft 50 rotatably mounted on the main frame 2 (see FIG. 2). Thus, the chocolate pieces b transferred onto the endless conveyor belt 47 in seriatim are led toward the right of the main frame 2 in rows of six pieces facing toward the advancing direction of the belt, each of the rows being in contact with the adjacent ones.

Intermediately along the path of the endless conveyor belt 47 and in raised position transverse to the same is disposed a dividing roller 52 mounted on an axis 53 rotatably supported by a bracket 2g on the main frame 2. The dividing roller 52 is provided in the circumferential outer surface thereof with dividing members 54 for dividing six-piece rows of chocolates b into groups of two rows (i.e. twelve pieces). The dividing members 54 are circumferentially equidistantly spaced apart and the edges of the members 54 are adapted to be brought close to the surface of the endless conveyor belt 47 during the rotation of the dividing roller 52. In the dividing members 54 are formed cut-out portions 54a for the holding rods 38 to get into during the rotation so that the edge portions of the dividing members 54 may be positioned below the holding rods 38.

Being operatively connected in sprocket-chain relation as at 56 to a drive shaft 55 rotatably mounted on the main frame 2, the dividing roller 52 is adapted to be rotated in the direction indicated in FIG. 2. The speed of rotation given to the axis 53 of the roller is such that the circumferential speed thereof may be slightly lower than the advancing speed of the endless conveyor belt 47. Accordingly, it will be seen that the arranged chocolate pieces b to be carried forward on the endless conveyor belt 47 are temporarily prevented from advancing by the dividing member 54 of the dividing roller 52 which is positioned proximate to the upper surface of the endless conveyor belt 47, foremost two rows of chocolate pieces b (twelve pieces) being caught between the two adjacent dividing members 54 to be thereafter delivered successively to the right side of the dividing roller 52. In the meantime, the following chocolate pieces b positioned on the left of the dividing roller 52 are halted on the endless conveyor belt 47. (Since the endless conveyor belt 47, as previously mentioned, comprises idle rollers 46 provided on the endless chains 45, the chocolate pieces b can be halted on the endless conveyor belt 47.) On the right side of the dividing roller 52, the two rows of chocolate pieces b sent out by the dividing roller 52 are carried forward a suitable space ahead of the following two rows to be sent out by the dividing roller 52, because the former rows are conveyed by the endless conveyor belt 47 moving at a rate higher than the circumferential speed of the dividing rollers 52. That is to say, the arranged chocolate pieces b are grouped by the dividing roller 52 into packing units (each comprising twelve pieces in the present embodiment) on the endless conveyor belt 47.

The orderly arranged chocolate pieces b grouped into each packing unit are transferred one unit after another from the delivery end of the endless conveyor belt 47 through a guide plate (or bridge plate) 58 into each chocolate receiving member 59 by means of a pushing member 57 which is adapted to repeatedly perform downward advancing movement and upward retreating movement in operative relationship with the advancing speed of the endless conveyor belt 47 In the right-hand portion of the main frame 2 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) there are provided sprockets 60a and 61a respectively mounted on the opposite ends of sprocket shafts 60 and 61 which are transversely mounted on the main frame 2. Around the sprockets 60a and 61a are disposed two parallel endless chains 62 which are spanned with holding members 63 fixed thereto in equidistantly spaced relationship over the entire periphery of the chains. On each of the holding members 63 are mounted the chocolate receiving member 59 and a base sheet carrier 64, the former being positioned on the front side of the main frame 2 and on the right of the endless conveyor belt 47, the latter on the rear side of the main frame 2. The chocolate receiving member 59 is adapted to be movable toward or away from the base sheet carrier 64.

Each of the chocolate receiving members 59 is formed in the shape of trough for receiving the twelve chocolate pieces b (see FIGS. 8 to 12). A sliding leg 59a of the member 59 is slidably fitted into a guide 63a with a cam roller 59b attached to the protruding end of the sliding leg 59a. The receiving member 59 is always pulled by a pulling spring 59c toward the right as viewed in FIG. 10, i.e. toward the front of the main frame 2. Into the troughlike portion of the chocolate receiving member 59 extends a chocolate pusher 65 serving to transfer the chocolate pieces b on the troughlike portion onto a base sheet a on the base sheet carrier 64. Each of the chocolate pushers 65 has a supporting frame 65a externally fitted to the holding member 63 in slidable manner, and a sliding foot 65b which is fixed to the supporting frame 65a is also slidably inserted into a guide groove 63b in the holding member 63. In the bottom surface of the supporting frame is attached a cam roller 650.

On the other hand, each of the base sheet carriers 64 is, as illustrated, shaped in the form of a trough with a side wall slightly inclined inward so as to receive the aforementioned base sheet a therein. By means of a hinge 640, the side wall 64a on the left-hand side of the main frame 2 is hinged to the bottom plate 64b of the base sheet carrier 64 in foldable manner. The side wall 64a is also provided with an actuating arm 64c having a roller 64d at the end.

The endless chains 62 for driving the holding member 63 toward the right of the main frame 2 are driven by the sprockets 61a on the shaft 61 which are operatively connected in sprocket-chain relationship as at 66 to the drive shaft 50 rotatably supported on the main frame 2. (The holding members on the lower run of the chains 62 advancing in the reverse direction are not shown in FIG. 2.) The drive shaft 50 is adapted to be rotated in gearmeshing relationship as at 70 by a drive shaft 69 which is driven by a motor 67 through a speed reducing gear unit 68. The drive shaft 69 is also operatively connected in a sprocket-chain relationship as at 71 to a drive shaft 72, which drives the previously mentioned cam shaft 12 in operative relationship of bevel gears 73 and which is operatively connected in sprocket-chain relation as at 74 to the aforementioned drive shaft 43. In resembling manner through sprocket-chain relationship as at 93, the drive shaft 72 is also adapted to drive a drive shaft 55.

Near the end proximate to the sprocket 60a of the endless chains 62 providing the holding members 63 is disposed a base sheet container 75 facing the path of the base sheet carrier 64. Filed up in the container 75 are the base sheets a with flaps a a a and a folded as shown in FIG. 17. On the left side of the container 75 and behind the aforementioned dividing roller 52 there is disposed a slider 77 slidably fitted into a guide member 76 on the main frame 2. The slider 77 is joined by a connecting rod 79 to a pin 78a eccentrically provided on and projecting from a rotary disc cam 78 fixedly mounted on the drive shaft 43 on the main frame 2 (see FIGS. 6 and 7). When the cam 78 is rotated in the directioin of an arrow in the figure, the slider 77 is brought into a travelling movement toward and away from the container 75, whereupon a pushing plate 80 forwardly extending from the slider 77 delivers into the troughlike portion of each base sheet carrier 64 the lowermost of the base sheets a in the container 75 one by one, said base sheet carrier 64 being mounted on the holding member 63 on the endless chains 62.

Above the slider 77 is disposed a vertical travel member 81 with a leg 81a inserted into a vertical hole of the slider 77 in vertically slidable manner. A spring 82 is interposed between the slider 77 and the travel member 81 for pressing the latter upward. On an axis 83a in the upper end of a bracket 2h on the main frame 2 is pivotally mounted a guiding rod 83 which operates in scalelike movement. The under surface of a right portion of the rod 83 is kept in contact with a roller 81b which is mounted on the upper end of the leg 81a. A cam roller 830, provided at the left end of the operating portion 83b, is in contact with the peripheral surface 78b of the rotary disc cam 78. By means of a connecting arm 810, the vertical travel member 81 is connected to a pushing member 57 which is positioned above the delivery end portion (i.e. on the right of the dividing roller 52) of the endless conveyor belt 47. Accordingly, the pushing member 57, accompanied by the vertical travel member 81 which moves forward and rearward together with the slider 77, moves forward and rearward along the direction of the transfer operation of the endless conveyor belt 47. In the forward (i.e. rightward) movement, the cam roller 830 on the guiding rod 83 contacts with the elevated position on the periphery 78b of the disc cam 78 and the leg 81a is therefore pushed down by the guiding rod 83. The vertical travel member is now lowered to bring the pushing member 57 to a position close to the upper surface of the endless conveyor belt 47, with the result that the pushing member pushes the two rows of chocolate pieces b which have been separated by the dividing roller 52 from the following pieces and delivers them from the forward end of the endless conveyor belt 47 through the guide plate 58 into the troughlike portion of the chocolate receiving member 59 mounted on the holding member 63 on the endless chains 62. On the other hand in the backward movement (i.e. leftward travel), the cam roller 83c is brought in contact with the low position on the peripheral surface 78b to permit the right hand portion of the guiding rod 83, together with the vertical travel member 81, to be pushed up by the spring 82. The pushing member 57 in turn is raised up to be moved away from the endless conveyor belt 47. Through the repeated descending forward movement and ascending backward movement performed by the pushing member 57, the chocolate pieces b divided and set forth by the dividing roller 52 are, in successive manner, discharged into each of the chocolate receiving members 59.

Since the pushing plate 80 and the pushing member 57, through the reciprocating movement of the slider 77, simultaneously perform forward and backward movement, each base sheet a sent out by the pushing plate 80 from the container 75 and each two rows of chocolate pieces b pushed out by the pushing member 57 are respectively delivered onto the base sheet carrier 64 and chocolate receiving member 59 on the holding member \1 63 which has been raised up, when the sheet and chocolate are to be delivered, to a position above the sprockets 60a by being conducted by the endless chains 62 along the sprockets 60a.

The moment when the base sheet carrier 64, through the above-mentioned movement, is about to receive the base sheet a, the side wall 64a on the receiving side (i.e. the wall on the left as viewed from the front of the main frame 2) is opened into nearly horizontal position on the hinge 64c by the actuating arm 64a and due to the weight of the roller 64d to thereby facilitate the delivery operation. Upon the completion of the base sheet supplying operation, the roller 64d, as shown in FIG. 11, runs against the end portion 84a of a rail 84 secured to the main frame 2 to start raising the side wall 64a, and as the endless chains 62 move rightward (i.e. leftward in FIG. 11), the roller 64d runs onto the rail 84 causing the side wall 64a to rise up as illustrated in the dotted line, so that the base sheet a is retained on the bottom plate 64d against possible displacement therefrom.

In the path of the travel of the holding member 63, carrying chocolate pieces b and a base sheet a respectively in the receiving member 19 and carrier 64 and adapted to advance toward the right of the main frame on the endless chains 62, there are intermediately disposed rotary hooks 85b and 86b which are positioned above the opposite end flaps a and a of the base sheet a resting on the base sheet carrier 64. The rotary hooks 85b and 86b are mounted on shafts '85 and 86 which are driven in directions opposite to each other by the shaft 87 in gear-meshing relationship as at 85a and 86a, the shaft 87 being adapted to be intermediately driven in the sprocket-chain relationship as at 51 by the drive shaft 50 for driving the endless conveyor belt 47. The rotary hooks are therefore driven in the direction shown by arrows in FIG. 8 and in the course of rotation the tips of the hooks catch the opposite end flaps a and a of the base sheet a to get them raised and further laid open on the opposite side as illustrated in imaginary line, thus unfolding the flaps a and a Being fixed to the advanced holding members 63, the chocolate receiving members 59 advance together with the base sheet carriers 64 toward the right of the main frame 2. While the unfolding operation is being provided to the base sheet a on the base sheet carrier 64, the chocolate receiving member 59 reaches the position where a stationary trapezium cam 88 is mounted on the main frame 2, whereupon the cam roller 59b on the forward end of the sliding leg 59a is brought into contact with the stationary cam 88. The chocolate receiving member 59 is now moved along the shape of the cam 88. Along the guide 63a of the holding member 63 and against the action of the pulling spring 59c, the receiving member 59 is pushed toward the base sheet carrier 64 (see FIGS. 1, 9 and 10) with the extending end margin positioned above the unfolded flap a of the base sheet a, and further pushed over the bottom surface of the base sheet a, the receiving member 59 is inserted between the bottom surface and the side flaps a and a thereby allowing the side flaps a and 11 to rise up along the side Walls of the base sheet carrier 64, whereupon the advancing movement is brought to a halt.

On the other hand, due to the forward movement of the holding member 63, the chocolate pusher 65, which is fitted to the holding member 63 by means of the sup porting frame 65a and sliding foot 65b and extending into the trough-like portion of the chocolate receiving member 59, begins, simultaneously with the above described movement of the chocolate piece receiving member 59, to move along a stationary triangular cam 89 on the main frame 2 toward the base sheet carrier 64, the cam roller 65c downwardly protruding from the sliding foot 65b being brought into contact with the triangular cam 89. Upon the receiving member 59 finishing advancing toward the base sheet carrier 64, the chocolate pusher 65 pushes forward and transfers the chocolate pieces b from the trough-like portion of the receiving member 59 onto the base sheet a.

"Furthermore, upon the completion of the unfolding operation for the opposite flaps a and a of the base sheet a by the rotary hooks b and 86b previously mentioned, the rear end flap a of the base sheet a, with the rightward travel of the holding member 63, is brought into contact with and urged to the raised position along a guide path 90 which is provided on the main frame 2 along the path of the movement of the flap a so as to prevent the chocolate pieces b from being pushed too far beyond the rear end flap portion and dropped from the base sheet a when they are to be transferred from the receiving member 59 onto the base sheet a.

Upon the completion of chocolate piece delivery onto the base sheet a by the chocolate pusher 65, the cam roller 59b of the receiving member 59 is released from the stationary trapezium cam 88, whereupon the chocolate receiving member 59 is by the pulling spring 59c placed back to the original position on the holding member 63. Simultaneously with this, the chocolate pusher 65 is also returned to the original position by the cam roller 650 being guided by a guide 89a disposed along the stationary triangular cam 89.

After the returning movement of the chocolate receiving member 59 is completed and while that of the chocolate pusher 65 is being carried out, the front end flap a of the base sheet a is led into a guide passage 91a of a guide member 91 (see FIGS. 13, 14 and 15) fixedly mounted on the main frame 2 in the path of the flap a While conducted through the guide passage, the flap a is raised to the position along the end portions of the chocolates b as illustrated in FIG. 18.

In the manner described above, each packing unit of twelve chocolate pieces b is placed and retained on the base sheet a as shown in FIG. 18, and the chocolates are then discharged successively onto a chute 92 which is joined to the delivery end of the endless chains 62. Thus the packing operation provided by the present invention is completed. In the subsequent step, an external packaging operation Will be given to the base sheets a.

As described above, the present invention comprises steps of full-automatically transferring a predetermined number of chocolate pieces from the flat plates onto the endless conveyor belt, the chocolates being placed on said plates in orderly arrangement just as they were molded by a manufacturing apparatus, dividing the chocolates into each packing unit of a desired number during transference on the endless conveyor belt, delivering the divided chocolate pieces into the chocolate receiving members while supplying base sheets one by one from the base sheet container into the base sheet carriers, advancing the chocolate receiving members and base sheet carriers in the same direction with the former directed toward the latter, and transferring during the advancement movement the chocolate pieces from chocolate receiving members onto the base sheets on the carriers. In accordance with the present invention, all of these steps can be carried out full-automatically in reliable and rapid operations.

Needless to say, it is to be understood that as apparent from the description above the foregoing embodiment, with modification of the details of the structure, can be made applicable to packing operations of various confections other than chocolates without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A method for automatically packing confections comprising steps of placing flat plates carrying confections thereon in a frame box in layers which is mounted on a main frame, each of said plates carrying a predetermined number of the confections in orderly arrangement; sending out the lowermost of said plates in seriatim to a specified position; transferring the confections on the plates onto an endless conveyor belt by a discharge means while the orderly arrangement of the confections being maintained, said discharge means being positioned above the specified position and operating in a direction normal to the direction in which said plates are sent out; dividing the arranged confections being carried forward on said endless conveyor belt into suitably spaced apart packing units each comprising a predetermined number of confections by means of dividing members equidistantly spaced apart on a dividing roller, said dividing roller being provided above the upper surface of said endless conveyor belt and adapted to be rotated at a circumferential speed lower than the advancing speed of said endless conveyor belt; transferring successively each of the packing units of the confections from said endless conveyor belt into each confection receiving member on respective holding members by a pushing member performing repeated downward advancing movement and upward retreating movement at the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt, said holding members being continuously driven in the same direction as and in operative relationship with said endless conveyor belt; supplying successively the lowermost of base sheets from a container into each base sheet carrier by a pushing plate operatively connected to said pushing member, said base sheet carrier and said confection receiving member being directed toward each other on each of said holding members, said base sheets being piled up in said container with peripheral flaps thereof folded, said container being disposed beside the path of said endless conveyor belt; moving each unit of the divided confections and each of said base sheets simultaneously in the same direction while unfolding the front and rear flaps of said base sheet and raising the rear flap; bringing simultaneously therewith the end of said each confection receiving member to a position above each of said unfolded base sheets over the front flap thereof raising the side flaps thereof; delivering the confections from each of said confection receiving members onto each of said base sheets; returning each of said confection receiving members and thereafter raising the front flaps of said each sheet to thereby retain the confections on said base sheet.

2. An apparatus for automatically packing confections comprising a frame box disposed across the rear portion of a pair of guide rails and receiving therein in piled layers flat plates each carrying a predetermined number of orderly arranged group of confections, said guide rails being disposed on the upper surface of an end portion of a main frame transversely therewith; means positioned under said frame box for receiving the lowermost of said plates carrying confections one by one and carrying down each plate onto the guide rail surfaces; means for sending out each of said plates on guide rail surfaces to the front of said frame box along the guide rails; a discharge means for transferring the confections arranged on said each plate and reaching a predetermined position from said plate onto an endless conveyor belt which is advancing from the side of said guide rails toward the longitudinal direction of the main frame, the confections being so transferred while maintaining the arrangement; a dividing means for dividing the arranged confections on said endless belt into packing units each comprising a predetermined number of confections by dividing members equidistantly spaced apart on the circumferential surface thereof, said dividing means being located intermediately of the path of the progress of the arranged confections which move together with and rest on said endless conveyor belt, said dividing means being adapted to rotate toward the advancing direction of said endless conveyor belt at a circumferential speed lower than the advancing speed of said endless conveyor belt; simultaneous delivery means of confections and base sheets for transferring each packing unit of confections from said endless conveyor belt into each of confection receiving members and for pushing out simultaneously with the transference of the confections and in the same direction the lowermost of said base sheets one by one from a container into each of base sheet carriers, said confection receiving member and base sheet carrier being directed toward each other on respective holding members mounted on endless chains at the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt and adapted to be moved with and in the same direction as said chains, said container containing a pile of said base sheets with the peripheral flaps thereof folded and being disposed beside the path of said endless conveyor belt; and means for unfolding the front and rear flaps of said base sheets, raising the rear flaps during the progress of said base sheet carriers, thereafter advancing said confection receiving members toward said base sheet carriers, delivering the confections from each of said confection receiving members onto each of said base sheets, returning said confection receiving members, raising the front flaps of said base sheets and sending out the packed confections onto a chute.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for successively carrying down the lowermost of said plates onto the guide rail surfaces comprises supporting members having legs supported by pivots mounted on the main frame and adapted to be pivotally reciprocally movable so as to allow the edges thereof to project into and out of said frame box, said edges being adapted to support at a suitable position above the guide rails the opposite side margins of said lowermost plate and to be released from the side margins of said plate, a first disc cam mounted on a cam shaft on said main frame, and a vertical travel frame adapted to be actuated by said disc cam into upward and downward movement to allow the upper ends thereof to move above and below said guide rails, said travel frame being adapted in the upper limit of the upward movement to receive the bottom surface of said lowermost plate which has been released from the edges of said supporting members and during the downward movement to place said plate on the guide rail surfaces, said supporting members having in the upper and lower portions of the legs relative to the pivots protrusions to be associated with the protrusions formed in said vertical travel frame for effecting supporting and releasing of the side margins of said plate by said supporting members.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for sending out confection carrying plate on the guide rail surfaces to the predetermined position in front of said frame box comprises a second disc cam mounted on a cam shaft, a travelling member adapted to be actuated by said second disc cam into forward and backward movement at the predetermined time and serving to slightly move forward the arranged confections on said plates thereby releasing the confections from the sticking engagement therewith, said travelling member being positioned behind said frame box,. pushing members for said confection carrying plates which members are mounted in predetermined space apart relationship on endless chains driven by the cam shaft in sprocket-chain driving relationship therewith, said pushing members being positioned under said frame box and along the guide rails and adapted to be driven from the rear portion of the main frame toward the front, and a stop bar mounted in the front portion of the main frame and disposed across said guide rails for stopping only the arranged eonfections on said confection carrying plates at a predetermined position.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said discharged means for transferring the arranged group of confections onto said endless conveyor belt provided beside said guide rails, the confections having been carried up to the predetermined position in front of the frame box on the confection carrying plates and being halted by a stop bar, comprises a third cam on a cam shaft. pivotal arms supported on pivots on the main frame and adapted to be actuated by said disc cam into pivotal movement at the predetermined time, a regulating rod mounted on the end of said pivotal arm and adapted to be brought down behind the rear end row of the arranged confections when they are stopped by said stop bar, said regulating rod being disposed in front of said frame box and above said guide rails transversely thereof, a suitable number of holding rods disposed in equidistantly spaced apart relationship above the halted arranged confections and extending over said endless conveyor belt and trans versely of said guide rails for preventing the confections from being raised up off said plates, discharge members mounted on endless chains in equidistantly space apart relationship and adapted to be driven toward the extending direction of said holding rods, said endless chains being operatively connected in sprocket-chain relationship to a drive shaft on the main frame and also operatively associated with the rotation of said cam shaft, and a guide plate spanning the side portion of said guide rails and said endless conveyor belt.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said dividing means for dividing the arranged confections advancing on said endless conveyor belt into the packing units comprises said endless conveyor belt having two parallel endless chains extending from the side of said guide rails toward the longitudinal direction of the main frame and a number of parallel idle rollers supported between and on said two endless chains, the extending portions of holding rods located in a desired elevated position above said endless conveyor belt, and a dividing roller disposed intermediately across said endless conveyor belt and having dividing members provided with edges adapted to be brought close to the upper surface of said conveyor belt, said dividing members being formed equidistantly spaced apart relationship on the circumferential surface of said roller.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for transferring the divided confections on said endless conveyor belt from the delivery end of said belt into each of said confection receiving members and for supplying simultaneously therewith and in the same direction each of said base sheets from said container into each of said base sheet carrier comprises a container for receiving in layers a number of said confection packing base sheets with peripheral flaps thereof folded, said container being disposed on the main frame behind the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt in upright position and facing toward the path of said base sheet carriers, a rotary disc cam positioned behind said container and mounted on a drive shaft on the main frame, a slider connected by a connecting rod to a pin eccentrically fixed to said rotary disc cam and adapted to be moved toward and away from said container by the rotation of said rotary disc cam, a pushing plate successively supplying the lowermost of said base sheets from said container into each of said base sheet carriers through the forward movement of said slider, said pushing plate being adapted to be pushed out forwardly of said slider, a vertical travel member slidably mounted on said slider with an interposing spring and adapted to perform forward and backward movement together with said slider, a guiding rod adapted to be actuated into scalelike movement with one end thereof kept in contact with the peripheral surface of said rotary disc cam and the other end thereof in contact with the upper end of said vertical travel member so as to bring in accordance with the level of the peripheral surface of said rotary disc earn the vertical travel member into downward movement during the advancing movement thereof and into upward movement during the backward movement, a pushing member for delivering each packing unit of the confections in transit on said endless conveyor belt into each of said confection receiving members simultaneously with the advancing downward movement of said vertical travel member, said pushing member being fixed to the forward end of a connect ng arm secured to said vertical travel member and positioned above the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt transversely to the conveying direction of the same, and a guide plate for guiding confections from the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt into each of said confection receiving members when the confections are transferred thereinto by said pushing member.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means for transferring the confections from each of said confection receiving members onto each of said base sheets so as to retain the confections thereon while moving said confection receiving member and base sheet carrier simultaneously in the same direction and for sending out the base sheets retaining confections from the delivery end onto a chute comprises two parallel endless chains disposed at the delivery end of said endless conveyor belt in operatively connected relationship therewith and driven in the same direction as said endless conveyor belt, holding members mounted on and between said two endless chains in equidistantly spaced relationship over the entire peripheries of said parallel endless chains, confection receiving members of the troughlike shape mounted respectively on said holding members in slidable manner, pushers for respectively delivering confections from each of said confection receiving members onto each of said base sheets directed toward said confection receiving member, each of said pushers extending into the troughlike portion of each of said confection receiving members and mounted slidably on each of said holding members, a stationary trapezium cam mounted on the main frame along one side of the path of said confection receiving members for guiding the sliding movement of said confection receiving members, a stationary triangular cam mounted on the main frame in the path of said pushers for guiding the sliding movement of said pushers, base sheet carriers mounted respectively on each of said holding members for receiving each of said base sheets supplied from said container, said base sheet carrier and said confection receiving member being directed toward each other, rotary hooks mounted above the path of the opposite end flaps of said base sheets on said base sheet carriers and adapted to be rotated so as to unfold the front and rear end flaps of the base sheets to horizontal position, a stationary guide plate disposed in the path of the unfolded rear flaps of the base sheets and adapted to raise the rear flaps, and a stationary guide member positioned proximate to the end portion of the path of the front flaps of the base sheets for raising the front flaps.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,864,216 12/1958 Long et al. 53123 3,129,546 4/1964 Redmond 53--123 XR 3,183,642 5/1965 Tindall 53-123 XR THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner H. A. KILBY, JR., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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