System for transporting containers for use with an apparatus to process containers such as a tablet filling monoblock

• US 5,713,180 A
• Filed: 12/30/1994
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nova Packaging Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: H G Kalish Incorporated
• Inventors: Lewis, Graham L.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOON, DANIEL B
• Application Number:
  US08/366,437
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 53/237, 53/240, 53/249, 53/253, 53/272, 53/276, 53/277, 53/278, 53/279, 53/280, 53/281, 53/282, 53/283, 53/287, 53/308, 53/313, 53/317, 53/501, 141/144, 141/145, 141/168, 141/170, 141/178, 198/346.2, 198/480.1, 198/852
• US Class Current: 53/253
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 43/50 using rotary tables or turrets B65B43/46 takes precedence

Abstract

A system for transporting containers in serial order through container-processing stations, such as filling and capping stations. The transporting system comprises a revolving turret defining a plurality of container receiving pockets in a spaced apart relationship for serially advancing containers from one processing station to another along a generally arcuate path. Each pocket is configured to accept and release a container along predetermined ingress and egress directions respectively. An endless conveyor supplies unprocessed containers to the revolving turret and also removes the processed containers therefrom. The conveyor defines infeed and outfeed runs advancing containers along the ingress and egress directions respectively of pockets registering with the infeed and outfeed runs, whereby movement of the conveyor causes a forwardmost, unprocessed container on the infeed run to enter a pocket registering with the infeed run and also causes the outfeed run to extract a processed container from a pocket registering therewith. The infeed and the outfeed runs are substantially in a non-coaxial condition to extend the effective sector of the revolving turret substantially beyond 180°. The conveyor also includes an intermediate segment beneath the revolving turret, interconnecting the infeed and the outfeed runs for maintaining the continuity of the conveyor. A drive system rotates the turret and advances the conveyor. The invention also extends to a container processing apparatus, such as a tablet filling monoblock, utilizing the novel container transporting system.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing containers, comprising:

a system for transporting containers in serial order, said system including;

a) a revolving turret defining a plurality of container-receiving pockets in a spaced apart relationship for serially advancing containers along a generally arcuate path;

b) a conveyor for supplying unprocessed containers to said revolving turret and for removing processed containers therefrom, said conveyor defining an infeed run for feeding containers to said revolving turret and an outfeed run to convey containers away from said revolving turret, said runs being in a substantially non-coaxial condition thereby said arcuate path has an angle substantially in excess of 180°

, whereby movement of said conveyor causes a forwardmost, unprocessed container on said infeed run to enter a pocket registering with said infeed run and also causes said outfeed run to extract a processed container from a pocket registering therewith, said conveyor further including an intermediate segment, beneath a portion of said revolving turret other than a portion including said container receiving pockets, interconnecting said infeed and outfeed runs for maintaining the continuity of said conveyor therebetween, said revolving turret constituting means for disengaging a given container from said infeed run in order to advance the container along said arcuate path, said revolving turret also constituting means for engaging the container on said outfeed run when the container reaches an end of said arcuate path; and

container-processing stations along said arcuate path, said stations processing containers advanced by said revolving turret in a consecutive order.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said infeed and outfeed runs and said intermediate segment form part of a common loop formed by said conveyor.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor comprises slats capable of relative co-planar movement.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said container processing stations comprise means for counting tablets, means for depositing a predetermined number of tablets in containers advanced by said revolving turret and means for sealing filled containers.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said container processing stations comprise means for counting tablets, means for depositing a predetermined number of tablets in containers advanced by said revolving turret and means for sealing filled containers.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said arcuate path and said common loop only overlap at two positions.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein said conveyor comprises an endless conveyor.