Apparatus for sorting containers for liquids
First Claim
1. Apparatus for sorting containers according to an optically discernible characteristic comprising main conveyor means for carrying containers along a path through a recognition station and to a separating station, at least two exits from said conveyor means, each exit being for containers having assigned characteristics, director means associated with each exit and operable to direct a container from said conveyor means to its associated exit;
- optical detector means disposed at said recognition station and generating a signal related to the characteristics of a container passing that detector means, a memory unit storing data related to container characteristics, comparator means comparing signals generated by said detector means with data of said memory unit and control means responsive to said comparator for operating selected ones of said director means to direct a container to an appropriate exit, means for retarding containers delivered to said exit from said main conveyor means and wherein said retarding means comprises at least two parallel conveyors and means causing containers to move progressively from one of said conveyors to an adjacent conveyor said adjacent conveyor moving at a lesser speed than said one conveyor.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for sorting containers such as bottles according to their shape, size or color in which there is a conveyor along which the containers pass with a plurality of exits. Container recognition apparatus is provided which controls means to direct the different containers to selected ones of the exits.
31 Citations
18 Claims
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1. Apparatus for sorting containers according to an optically discernible characteristic comprising main conveyor means for carrying containers along a path through a recognition station and to a separating station, at least two exits from said conveyor means, each exit being for containers having assigned characteristics, director means associated with each exit and operable to direct a container from said conveyor means to its associated exit;
- optical detector means disposed at said recognition station and generating a signal related to the characteristics of a container passing that detector means, a memory unit storing data related to container characteristics, comparator means comparing signals generated by said detector means with data of said memory unit and control means responsive to said comparator for operating selected ones of said director means to direct a container to an appropriate exit, means for retarding containers delivered to said exit from said main conveyor means and wherein said retarding means comprises at least two parallel conveyors and means causing containers to move progressively from one of said conveyors to an adjacent conveyor said adjacent conveyor moving at a lesser speed than said one conveyor.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. Apparatus for sorting containers according to an optically discernible characteristic comprising main conveyor means for carrying containers along a path through a recognition station and to a separating station, at least two exits from said conveyor means, each exit being for containers having assigned characteristics, director means associated with each exit and operable to direct a container from said conveyor means to its associated exit;
- optical detector means disposed at said recognition station and generating a signal related to the characteristics of a container passing that detector means, a memory unit storing data related to container characteristics, comparator means comparing signals generated by said detector means with data of said memory unit and control means responsive to said comparator for operating selected ones of said director means to direct a container to an appropriate exit;
a container receiving station including a conveyor along which containers exit said receiving station singly at a first speed, an accelerator station receiving containers at said first speed and accelerating them for delivery to said main conveyor means at a second, greater speed, thus to increase the spacing between said containers, means for retarding containers delivered to said exit from said main conveyor means and wherein said retarding means comprises at least two parallel conveyors and means causing containers to move progressively from one of said conveyors to an adjacent conveyor said adjacent conveyor moving at a lesser speed than said one conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (14)
- optical detector means disposed at said recognition station and generating a signal related to the characteristics of a container passing that detector means, a memory unit storing data related to container characteristics, comparator means comparing signals generated by said detector means with data of said memory unit and control means responsive to said comparator for operating selected ones of said director means to direct a container to an appropriate exit;
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15. Apparatus for sorting containers according to an optically discernible characteristic comprising main conveyor means for carrying containers along a path through a recognition station and to a separating station, at least two exits from said conveyor means, each exit being for containers having assigned characteristics, director means associated with each exit and operable to direct a container from said conveyor means to its associated exit;
- optical detector means disposed at said recognition station and generating a signal related to the characteristics of a container passing that detector means, a memory unit storing data related to container characteristics, comparator means comparing signals generated by said detector means with data of said memory unit and control means responsive to said comparator for operating selected ones of said director means to direct a container to an appropriate exit, means for retarding containers delivered to said exit from said main conveyor means and wherein said retarding means comprises a number of curved guide elements said guide elements comprising a belt conveyor and means for driving that belt conveyor at uniform angular velocity.
- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
Specification