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Container filling machine

  • US 4,674,259 A
  • Filed: 08/20/1986
  • Issued: 06/23/1987
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1986
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A machine for filling each of a series of containers with a plurality of small discrete articles comprising a parallel series of horizontally elongated slats, means supporting said slats for closed path movement in a direction generally transverse to their length, at least some of said slats having exposed outer surfaces with a multiplicity of horizontally spaced article receiving cavities therealong, said closed path of slat movement including cavity charging and discharging stations, means at said charging station for depositing articles in said cavities, at least the outer cavity bearing surface portion of each slat being tilted by said supporting means at said discharge station for the simultaneous gravity discharge of the articles in the cavities of the slat, a first horizontally extending series of substantially vertical article guiding chutes fixed in side-by-side relationship at said discharge station and beneath the slat tilting zone such that each chute receives articles discharged from a predetermined number of cavities of each slat when the latter is tilted in an article discharging movement, each chute having an upwardly exposed inlet opening and a downwardly exposed outlet opening, a second horizontally extending series of substantially vertical article guiding chutes disposed beneath said first series of chutes to receive articles therefrom, each chute of said second series having an upwardly exposed inlet opening and a downwardly exposed outlet opening substantially smaller than its said inlet opening, means supporting said second series of chutes for simultaneous substantially horizontal movement generally transverse to the horizontal line of the series of chutes and between first and second parallel and linear positions, the inlet openings of said chutes being in communication with the outlet openings of said first series of chutes in both said first and second positions, container delivery means for transporting first and second rows of containers along parallel paths including first and second filling stations respectively beneath the first and second linear positions of said second series of chutes, and operating means for said slats, said second series of chutes and said container delivery means, said means moving said slats, chutes and delivery means in timed relationship for the alternate filling of said first and second rows of containers respectively at said first and second filling stations.

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