×

Vacuum combiner

  • US 5,311,979 A
  • Filed: 01/29/1993
  • Issued: 05/17/1994
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1993
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
Patent Images

1. A process for merging a randomly arranged multiple width mass of containers to a narrower stream of the containers as the containers are moved along a processing path comprising the steps of:

  • operating at least two laterally adjacent and parallel surface conveyors at progressively greater effective surface speeds;

    delivering the containers in a randomly arranged mass to an upstream end of a slower operating conveyor surface;

    guiding the containers through a progressively constricted path laterally across the surface conveyors progressively from the slower operating conveyors to the faster operating conveyor;

    applying a substantially uniform level of vacuum across the width of each conveyor surface with the level of vacuum increased from the slower operating conveyor to the faster operating conveyor from beneath the surface conveyors to the containers moving on the surface conveyors as the containers are guided laterally across the surface conveyors;

    so that the faster operating conveyor with the greater amount of vacuum therebeneath tends to pull the containers off the slower operating conveyor with the lessor amount of vacuum therebeneath onto the faster operating conveyor.

View all claims
  • 1 Assignment
Timeline View
Assignment View
    ×
    ×