Insertion machine with improved insert track
First Claim
1. An insertion machine comprising:
- a hopper wherein a plurality of items are storable;
an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packaging medium;
a conveyor extending from proximate said hopper to said insertion station for carrying an item fed thereon along a direction of conveyor travel from said hopper to said insertion station;
means for feeding an item from said hopper toward said conveyor wherein said feeding means grasps a front edge of an item proximate an imaginary line that extends from the front edge of said item to a rear edge thereofmeans for directing a fed insert toward said conveyor, said directing means comprising four item contactable members, said directing means being configured to pivot through a range of travel about an axis which is essentially parallel to the direction of conveyor travel so that during a portion of said range of travel two of said item-contactable members contact said item on each side of said imaginary lie to direct said item toward said conveyor.
14 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An insert track (30) of an insertion machine comprises a continuous elastomer belt (32) which travels over a horizontal plate (101) and proximate a plurality of insert station hoppers (52H-57H). The plate (101) has an upper surface (103) formed from an ultra high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene. The plate (101) is sandwiched in a friction fit between the insertion machine frame (100) and a track front edge guide (105). The plate carries a track rear edge guide (104). In its friction fit the plate (101) is slidable for selectively changing the width of the track from the track front edge guide (105) to the track rear edge guide (104). The track front edge guide (105) has a bridge member (112) connected thereto proximate each insert station (52-57). Each bridge member (112) extends above and across the width of the belt (32). Each bridge member (112) has a drag strip (113) suspendedly connected thereto proximate the midpoint of the belt (32). Each drag strip (113) has an axis of elongation which is parallel to the direction of travel of the belt (32). From its connection to its branch member (112), each drag strip (113) curves downwardly to gently ride on the belt (32). In addition to a feeder (60), each insert station has a pair of knockdown arms (126A), 126B) which direct an item released by the feeder (60) onto the belt (32). Each knock-down arm (126) has a pair of bristled brushes (132, 134) secured to a distal end thereof. The knock-down arms (126) are pivotable about an axis (121). The axis (121) about which the knock-down arms (126) oscillate is intermediate the hoppers (52H-57H) and the belt (32).
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. An insertion machine comprising:
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a hopper wherein a plurality of items are storable; an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packaging medium; a conveyor extending from proximate said hopper to said insertion station for carrying an item fed thereon along a direction of conveyor travel from said hopper to said insertion station; means for feeding an item from said hopper toward said conveyor wherein said feeding means grasps a front edge of an item proximate an imaginary line that extends from the front edge of said item to a rear edge thereof means for directing a fed insert toward said conveyor, said directing means comprising four item contactable members, said directing means being configured to pivot through a range of travel about an axis which is essentially parallel to the direction of conveyor travel so that during a portion of said range of travel two of said item-contactable members contact said item on each side of said imaginary lie to direct said item toward said conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. An insertion machine comprising:
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a hopper wherein a plurality of items are storable; an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packaging medium; a conveyor extending from proximate said hopper to said insertion station for carrying an item fed thereon from said hopper to said insertion station; means for feeding an item from said hopper toward said conveyor; and
,means for directing a fed insert toward said conveyor, said directing means being configured to pivot through a range of travel about an axis so that at least a portion of said directing means contacts said item during a portion of said range of travel in a manner to direct said item toward said conveyor, said axis about which said directing means is pivotable being intermediate said hopper and said conveyor, wherein said directing means comprises two arms, each of said arms being pivotable about said axis, and wherein each of said arms have bristled brushes secured to two discontinuous locations on an underside thereof, said bristles being oriented to direct an item to said conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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6. A method of feeding an item from a hopper of an insertion machine onto a conveyor which travels from proximate said hopper to an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packing medium, said item having a front edge, a rear edge, and upstream and downstream edges with respect to the direction of travel of said conveyor, said method comprising the steps of:
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extracting said item from said hopper by gripping said front edge thereof proximate an imaginary line that extends from the front edge of said item to said rear edge thereof; oscillating gripping means by which said item is extracted from said hopper to a location proximate said conveyor so that said item moves essentially transverse to the direction of conveyor travel during said oscillation; releasing said gripping means when aid item is proximate said conveyor; and
,directing said item toward said conveyor by pivoting four item-contactable members of directing means about an axis in a manner whereby two of said item-contactable members contact said item on each side of said imaginary line, said axis being essentially parallel to the direction of conveyor travel.
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7. An insertion machine comprising:
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a hopper wherein a plurality of items are storable; an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packaging medium; a conveyor extending from proximate said hopper to said insertion station for carrying an item fed thereon along a direction of conveyor travel from said hopper to said insertion station; means for feeding an item from said hopper toward said conveyor, said feeding means having jaw members which extract an item from said hopper in a manner whereby during said feeding said item moves essentially transverse to the direction of conveyor travel; and
,means for directing a fed insert toward said conveyor, said directing means being configured to pivot through a range of travel about an axis so that said directing means contacts said item during a portion of said range of travel in a manner to direct said item toward said conveyor and to counteract the tendency of edges of said item to deform about said feeding means as said item is deposited on said conveyor, said axis about which said directing means is pivotable being essentially parallel to the direction of conveyor travel and intermediate said hopper and said conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An insertion machine comprising:
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a hopper wherein a plurality of items are storable; an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packaging medium; a conveyor extending from proximate said hopper to said insertion station for carrying an item fed thereon along a direction of conveyor travel from said hopper to said insertion station; means for feeding an item from said hopper toward said conveyor, said feeding means having jaw members which extract an item from said hopper in a manner whereby during said feeding said item moves essentially transverse to the direction of conveyor travel; and
,means for directing a fed insert toward said conveyor, said direction means having two arms which pivot through a range of travel about an axis essentially parallel to the direction of conveyor travel so that said two arms of said directing means contacting said item during a portion of said range of travel in a manner to direct said item toward said conveyor and to counteract the tendency of edges of said item to deform about said feeding means as said item is deposited on said conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of feeding an item from a hopper of an insertion machine onto a conveyor which travels from proximate said hopper to an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packing medium, said item having a front edge, a rear edge, and upstream and downstream edges with respect to the direction of travel of said conveyor, said method comprising the steps of:
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extracting said item from said hopper by gripping said front edge thereof between two jaw members; oscillating gripping means by which said item is extracted from said hopper to a location proximate said conveyor so that said item moves essentially transverse to the direction of conveyor travel during said oscillation; releasing said item from said jaw members when said item is proximate said conveyor; and
,using an item-contactable portion of directing means to direct said item toward said conveyor in a manner to counteract the tendency of edges of said item to deform about said jaw members, said directing means being pivoted about an axis which is intermediate said hopper and said conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A method of feeding an item from a hopper of an insertion machine onto a conveyor which travels from proximate said hopper to an insertion station whereat items are inserted into a packing medium, said item having a front edge, a rear edge, and upstream and downstream edges with respect to the direction of travel of said conveyor, said method comprising the steps of:
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extracting said item from said hopper by gripping said front edge thereof between two jaw members; oscillating gripping means by which said item is extracted from said hopper to a location proximate said conveyor so that said item moves essentially transverse to the direction of conveyor travel during said oscillation; releasing said item from said jaw members when said item is proximate said conveyor; and
,directing said item toward said conveyor by pivoting two arms of directing means about an axis which is essentially parallel to the direction of conveyor travel, said two arms contacting portions of said item in a manner to counteract the tendency of edges of said item to deform about said jaw members as said item is released onto said conveyor. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24)
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Specification