AUTOMATIC LOADER HEADS

• US 3,637,249 A
• Filed: 06/29/1970
• Issued: 01/25/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Henry Y. Kuhl, Paul R. Kuhl
• Original Assignee: Henry Y. Kuhl, Paul R. Kuhl
• Inventors: Kuhl, Henry Y., Kuhl, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blunk, Evon C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cherry, Johnny D.
• Application Number:
  US05/050,639
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 294/64,65
• US Class Current: 294/184
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 43/00 Testing, sorting or cleaning eggs investigating or analysing eggs, e.g. by candling G01N33/08; Conveying devices for batteries A01K31/165; Pick-up devices
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/0212 Circular shape
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/0231 Special lip configurations
• CPC Class Codes: B66C 1/0243 Separate cups

Abstract

A vacuum egg-lifting device is provided with a vacuum head carrying a plurality of holding members within which tubular stems are slidably movable within predetermined limits against the action of a spring while being accurately guided by the holding members. The stems have flexible egg-engaging cups at the lower ends thereof to which a vacuum and air pressure may be applied from the vacuum head for lifting and discharging eggs from the device.

Claims

1. A vacuum egg-lifting device comprising a vacuum head, a housing member provided at its upper end with means for securing the housing member to the vacuum head, said housing member having a passage therethrough presenting an upper guiding portion of a predetermined internal diameter and a lower spring enclosing portion of a greater internal diameter, there being a radially extending shoulder at the lower end of the guiding portion facing toward the spring enclosing portion of the holding member, a stem slidably movable within the housing member and having an air passage therethrough, said stem having an upper portion which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the guiding portion of the housing member and slidably received therein, said stem having a shoulder thereon slidably movable within the spring enclosing portion of the holding member, a spring compressed between the shoulder on the housing member and the shoulder on said stem for urging said stem outward with respect to the housing member, stop means on the lower end of the housing member for limiting outward movement of the stem under the action of said spring, said stem having a lower portion projecting beyond the lower end of the housing member and having a flexible egg-engaging cup thereon, said cup having an opening therein communicating with the air passage through the stem for the passage of air from the cup through said stem and housing member to the vacuum head for applying a vacuum or air pressure to an egg engaged by said cup.

2. A vacuum egg-lifting device as defined in claim 1 wherein the air passage through the stem is of substantially smaller diameter than the passage through the holding member.

3. A vacuum egg-lifting device as defined in claim 1 wherein the shoulder on said stem is only slightly smaller than the spring enclosing portion of the housing member preventing tilting or sticking of the stem so as to aid in guiding the stem upon longitudinal movement of the stem with respect to the housing member.

4. A vacuum egg-lifting device as defined in claim 1 wherein said flexible egg-engaging cup has circumferentially spaced inwardly extending projections on the inner surface thereof for limiting the area of contact between an egg and the inner surface of the cup.

5. A vacuum egg-lifting device as defined in claim 1 wherein said vacuum head is provided with a plurality of assemblies including housing members with their stems and egg-engaging cups, and the vacuum head has a common vacuum chamber therein communicating with all of said assemblies whereas the total diameter of the air passages through all of the stems of the assembly is insufficient to prevent the lifting of eggs by a portion only of said assemblies in the absence of eggs engaging the remaining assemblies of said device.