Apparatus for unscrambling containers
First Claim
1. An apparatus for successively unscrambling a population of containers, comprising:
- an in-feed station for receiving containers randomly arranged into one of at least two possible longitudinal orientations;
a plurality of container handling stations in a spaced apart relationship movable along a common path of travel for transporting individual containers from said in-feed station to an output station and for altering the longitudinal orientation of selected containers during transport between said stations, each container handling station including;
a) a first container engaging member;
b) a second container engaging member movable relative said first container engaging member along a predetermined path of travel between an extended position and a retracted position, in said extended position said second container engaging member clamping a container against said first container engaging member, in said retracted position said second container engaging member being spaced from said first container engaging member by a distance sufficient to release the container from the container handling station; and
c) rotating means for rotating said container engaging members when said second container engaging member is in said extended position about an axis extending generally along said predetermined path of travel in order to alter the longitudinal orientation of the container held by said container engaging members,an inspection station along said common path of travel for sensing the longitudinal orientation of individual containers transported along said common path of travel, the rotating means of said container engaging members being responsive to an output condition of said inspection station to rotate selected ones of the containers to a predetermined longitudinal orientation, whereby the containers released at said output station have a uniform longitudinal orientation.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for unscrambling a population of containers. The apparatus comprises an in-feed guide supplying containers in a random neck-leading and neck-trailing orientations to a carousel rotating about a horizontal axis. The carousel supports a plurality of container handling stations that transport individual containers from the in-feed guide to an output station, typically a conveyor belt. During the transport between the in-feed guide and the conveyor belt the container handling stations alter the longitudinal orientation of selected containers so that all the containers dispensed on the conveyor belt acquire a uniform longitudinal orientation.
29 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for successively unscrambling a population of containers, comprising:
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an in-feed station for receiving containers randomly arranged into one of at least two possible longitudinal orientations; a plurality of container handling stations in a spaced apart relationship movable along a common path of travel for transporting individual containers from said in-feed station to an output station and for altering the longitudinal orientation of selected containers during transport between said stations, each container handling station including; a) a first container engaging member; b) a second container engaging member movable relative said first container engaging member along a predetermined path of travel between an extended position and a retracted position, in said extended position said second container engaging member clamping a container against said first container engaging member, in said retracted position said second container engaging member being spaced from said first container engaging member by a distance sufficient to release the container from the container handling station; and c) rotating means for rotating said container engaging members when said second container engaging member is in said extended position about an axis extending generally along said predetermined path of travel in order to alter the longitudinal orientation of the container held by said container engaging members, an inspection station along said common path of travel for sensing the longitudinal orientation of individual containers transported along said common path of travel, the rotating means of said container engaging members being responsive to an output condition of said inspection station to rotate selected ones of the containers to a predetermined longitudinal orientation, whereby the containers released at said output station have a uniform longitudinal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 19)
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16. An apparatus for unscrambling a population of containers, comprising:
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an in-feed guide for directing along a predetermined path of travel containers randomly arranged into one of at least two possible longitudinal orientations; a plurality of container handling stations in a spaced apart relationship movable along a common path of travel for transporting individual containers from said in-feed guide to an output station, each container handling station includes a pair of container engaging members capable of assuming either one of an opened condition and a closed condition, in said closed condition said container engaging members being in a close relationship for clamping a container therebetween, in said opened condition said container engaging members being separated by a distance sufficient to release the container from said container handling station, said in-feed guide extending between the container engaging members of respective container handling stations when the container handling stations register with said in-feed guide, whereby allowing the container handling stations to successfully grasp and remove containers from said guide by timed actuation of the respective container engaging members toward the closed condition, said container engaging members constituting means for altering the longitudinal orientation of selected containers during transport between said stations; and an inspection station along said common path of travel for sensing the longitudinal orientation of individual containers transported along said common path of travel, the container engaging members of said container handling stations being responsive to an output condition of said inspection station to place selected ones of the containers in a predetermined longitudinal orientation, whereby the containers released at said output station acquire an uniform longitudinal orientation. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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Specification