Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION-FIELD OF APPLICATION
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This invention relates to bottle orientation units; and more
particularly to bottle orientation units disposed for coaction
with bottles, being conveyed along a particular path, to sense the
orientation of such bottles and to rotate particular ones of said
bottles so that all such bottles are similarly oriented.
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IBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION-DESCRl~TION OF T~IE PRIOR ART
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¦ It is most important at cer~ain stages in the processing of
¦bottled commodities ~such as beverages, ~leach, detergents, and
¦the like) that all bottles be similarly oriented. Such similar
¦orientation may be so that all bottle handles are pointed in t}e
¦sa~e direction; or so that all f~ont labels appear on the same
¦side of the bottles as they move along the conveyor, and con-
¦sequently so that all back labels are likewi6e disposed.
¦ The need for said similar orientation may be required for a
¦further step in the processing of the bottles; such as labeling
¦or packaging thereof. The requirement to similarly orient see~s--
¦to arise due to processing steps earlier on the procedure durin~
which only so~e of the bottles bec~me dis-oriented, or hecause
¦ the bottles were randomly placed into the processing procedure
¦ initially without regard to orientation.
~ he orientation of bottles by human operators is a most tir~
consuming process. It requires that the operator be alert and
I quick; especially if the bottle conveying line is moving along a~
l a rapid pace. In fact most bottle conveyor lines today move so
20 ¦ quickly that hu~an operators cannot act quick enough to insure
that all bottles after a particular point will, in fact,~be
similarly oriented. This problem is not cured by utilizing more
l people since there is a practical limit as to how many people car.
¦ be placed along a bottle line without unduly lengthening same.
¦ Existing bottle orienting equipment has likewise failed to
¦ satisfy the requirement that all bottles be similarly oriented
¦ after a particular conveyor line location; or in doing so either
¦ slow down the line speed and output, or requires use of highly
c~mplex and costly eq~ pment.
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SU1~1~RY OF T~IE I~VENTION
It is therefore an object of this inventi~n to provide a new
and improved orientation unit.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and
improved bottle orientation l~nit.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a
bottle orientation unit which acts upon each bottle r,oving along
a bottle line to turn some bottles through 180 of rotation, but
not all such bottles.
It is yet still another object of this invention to provide a
bottle orientation unit which imparts a turning torque to bottles
moving along a bottle line without imparting a change to the
forward speed of the bottles.
It is yet still a further objec~ of this invention to provide
a bottle orientation unit which senses the orientation of all
bottles moving along a bottle line to determine the orientation
thereof against a particular criteria; and which triggers a re-
orientation of any bottlès which do not correspond to the cri-
teria considered to represent proper orientation.
This invention involves bottle orientation; and contemplates
imparting a torque to the nec~s of bottles moving along a con-
veyor line in such a manner that only a rotative torque is applied
to the bottle and no forward speed change or gradient is imparted
to the bottle during the process. Each bottle has a rotative
torque applied to it, but due to a gate unit, the bottle path is
restricted in width at a particular location to prevent some
bottles from turning; while allowed to become wider at said loca-
tion to allow selected bottles to be rotated 180. Appropriate
sensing devices, suitably interconnected, are employed to operate
the gate.
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Thus, the present invention provides a bottle
orien~ation unit: comprising bottle feed means for moving bottles
of predetermined con~iguration alony a predetermined path; orien-
tation sensing means for sensing a predetermined characterist.ic
of each bottle indicative of the bottles orientation as each bottle
moves along the predetermined path; a bottle turning station located
along the predetermined path; bottle turning means disposed for
coaction with the neck of each bottle as the bottle passes through
the bottle turning station and coacting with the bottle neck to
apply a torque to each bottle tending to rotate the bottle about
a predetermined axis of rotation; gate means, disposed at the
bottle turning station, and operative between a ~irst condition
wherein the predetermined path at the turning station is of a
configuration and size to permit passage of a bottle there through
but so as to prevent rotation of a bottle about the predetermined
axis of rotation, and a second condition wherein the predetermined
path at the turning station is of a configuration and size to
permit passage of a bottle therethrough but so as to permit ro-
tation of a bottle about the predetermined axis of rotation; and
control circuit means responsive to the or.ientation sensing means
and ~or controlling the gate means to operate the gate means and
control disposition of the gate means to either the first condition
i or the second condition to thereby determine whether a bottle will,
or will not, be rotated by the bottle turning means about the
predetermined axis of rotation as the bottle proceeds through the
26 tu~ning station.
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Other objects, fcatures, and advantages of the invention in
¦its details of construction and arrangement of parts will be seen
¦from the above, from the following description of the pre~erred .
. . ¦embodiinent when considered with the drawings and from the appended ¦clai~.s.
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IBRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
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¦ In the drawing:
¦ FIG. l is a perspective showing of a bottle conveyor in-
¦cluding a bottle orientation unit incorporating the instant in-
¦vention;
¦ FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bottle conveyor and orien-
tation unit of FIG. l with parts cut away to better show details
¦ thereof;
. ¦ FIG. 3 lS a front elevational showing of the bottle con-
¦ veyor and orientation unit of FIG. 2; 1
¦ FIG. 4 is a side elevational showing of the bottle conve~or
¦ and orientation unit of FIG. 3; and :
¦ FIG. 5 is a schematic electrical circuit diagram for the
¦ conveyor and orientation unit of FIGS. 1-4. . .
¦ DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERREU E-~1BODI~lENT
¦ For convenience the invention will be described as applied to
¦ conveyor and orientation unit which moves plastic bottles along a
.. ¦ predetermined path and; which incorporates a numbe~ of photocell
¦ sensing units to sense the position of the neck of the bottle, and
¦ the orientation of the bottle due to tbe position of the handle or
front label on the bottle. Various belts and pulleys facilitate
r,)ovement of the bottle onto a main conveyor and to and through a
¦¦ t=rrli=y statlon,~here n e~centrically mol~nled and intermittently ¦
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. driven wheel operates a gate to position sanle for the bottle
orientation process. It should be understood, nevertheless, that
without departing from the scope of this invention: that the
bottles may be g].ass or other non-plastic material; that the
sensing can be accomplished by other then photocells; that ~ea-
tures other then the bottles neck, handle or ].abel may be sensed;
that the criteria for similar orientation can be other then the
disposition of the bottles handle or a front labeI; that other
means for moving the bottle along the line may be e~ployed; and
that the gate may be operated by a piston, solenoid or other suit-
. able mechanism.
With reference to FIG. 1 there is generally shown at 10 a
bottle orientation unit: including a main frame assembly 12
(FIGS. 2 and 3) upon which is mounted a main bottle conveyor
. assembly 14 (FIGS. 2 and 4) disposed on frame assembly 12 to
receive bottles 16 (FIG. l) fro~ an infeed conveyor assembly 1~
(FIGS. 2 and 3) and for moving bottles 16 to and through a bottle
turning assembly 20, disposed on main frame assemoly 12 proximate
a bottle turning station 22.
An infeed conveyor assembly mounting bracket 30 ~FIGS. 2 and
: 3) is secured by suitable means to main frame asse~lbly 12 and
forms~the support for a deadplate 32 over which bottles 16 slide
. due to the action of infeed belts 34 and 36 of infeed transport
. assembly 38. Belt 34 is disposed about an idler pulley 40
carried by an arm 42 mounted to bracket 30; and is driven by a . .
- drive pulley 44 secured to the end of an infeed drive shaft 46
also suitably carried by bracket 30. The input power to drive
shaft 46 is derived fro~. a belt 50 (FIG. 31 of an infeed conveyor
power takeoff assembly 52; which, in turn, is driven by a belt
54 from a suitable motor 56 di posed upon a motor base 58 dis-
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¦posed in main fra~e assembl.y 12. Belt 36 is ].ikewise disposed
. ¦about an i~dler pulley 60 (FIG. 2) carried by an arm 62 mounted to
; ¦bracket 30; and is driven by a drive pulley 64 secured to the end
¦of an infe,ed drive shaft 66 also suitably carried by bracket 30.
¦Drive shaft 66 is, in turn, driven from infeed conveyor power
¦takeoff asseinbly 52 in a manner similar to that for drive shaft
¦46 of belt 34. A belt back-up unit 68 (FIG. 2) including a pair
¦of arms 70 is movably positioned on bracl~et 30 for coaction with
¦belt 34 to provide for adjustment of the spacing between belts
¦34 and 36. Such adjustment is facilitated by for~ing each arm 70
¦with an elongated slot 72 through which securing means such as
¦bolts 74 are passed to attach arms 70, and units 68, to bracke~
130- Similarly a belt back-up unit 76, including a pair of arrns
¦78, is movably positioned on bracket 30 for coaction with belt 36
¦ to provide for the adjustment of the spacing between belts 34
and 36. Elongated slots ~0 are formed in each ar~ 78 to recei~e
¦ bolts 82 in order to allow for the adjustment of arms 78, and u~it
76. '
I Main bottle conveyor assembly 14 includes a conventional .
l chain conveyor 90 (FIGS. 2 and 4) suitably interconnected to motor
. I 56 to receive its power therefrom, and disposed totravel across
a bedplate 92 (FIG. 4) of :~ain frame assembly 12. A bottle hold
down belt ,100 (FIGS. 2 and 4~ is suitably carried by main frame
. ¦ 12 to be positioned above chain conveyor 90 a distance corres- .
. 25 ¦ ponding to the height of bottles 16, so as to lightly press
bottles 16 a,gainst chain conveyor 90 ~o insure stability of
¦ . ¦ bottles 16j while passing through bottle turning station 22, as
¦ will be heireinafter explained. A pair of idler p~lleys 102, 104
¦ are rotata'bly carried by arr,ls 106 disposed on a sub-frame assem- .
¦ bly 108 mounted to main frame 12 and suitably support belt 100
¦ for coa~tion with bottles 16. ~
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Sub-frame asseobly 108 also fixedly positions a bottle tur~-
ing pad 120 (FIGS. 2 and 4), of bottle turning assernbly 20, in op-
posing and spaced ~elationship at bottle turning station 22
with a bottle turning belt unit 122 of assembly 20. Bottle tur~-
ing unit 122 includes a plurality of idler pulleys 129, 126, 122,
and 130 and a drive pulley 132 about which a turning belt 134 is
disposed. Pulleys 124 and 126 are suitably car~ied by stub
shafts 140, 142 suitably supported by sub-~rame 108. Pulleys
128, 130 are carried by stub sha~ts 144, 146, which are in turn
carried by a mounting plate 148 adjustably disposed on sub-
fra~e 108 through slots 150 and bolts 152 to facilitate adjust-
ment of the spacing between turning belt 134 and pad 120. A
drive shaft 160 interconnects pulley 132 to a turning belt power
take off unit 162 which is, in turn, driven from motor 56.
Also disposed at bottle turning station 22, for co-operaticn
with pad l20 and belt unit 122 but spaced at a lower level with
respect thereto, is a turning gate mechanism 180(FIGS. 2 & 4) of
bottle turning assembly 20. Gate mechanism 180 is carried by a
mounting plate 181 and includes a gate 182, slidably disposed in
a pair of spaced rails 184, 186 for movement between a re-
tractea position as shown in full lines in FIG. 2 and a ~orward
position as shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 2 for purposes to be
hereinafter explained. An actuating arm lE8 is rotatably pinned
at 190 to the body of yate 182, and is rotatably pinned at 192
to an output wheel l9g of a clutch/brake unit 196 (FIG. 3).
. Clutch/brake unit 196 is of conventionally available type and is
secured in position on a mounting bracket 200 carried by main
fra~e 12. The input drive to clutch/brake unit 196 is through a
belt 202driven from a pulley 20~ of a clutch/brake power take-of~
206 which, iD turn, receives its drive from motor 56.
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A metal flay 220 (FIG, 2) is carried by wheel 19~ in align-
¦ ment with a pair of spaced proximity s~titches 222, 224 of con-
¦ ventional configuration and which are electrically interconnected
¦ into a control circuit for purposes and as will be hereinafter
¦ described.
¦ Mounting plate 181, for gate unit 180, is secured to main
¦ frarne 12 through an arm 230 and bolt 232. Arm 230 is formed with
¦ an elongated slot 23~ to facilitate adjustable positioniny of
¦ plate 181 and thereby gate unit 180.
¦ At tne end of each bottle sensing cycle ~ate mechanism 180
¦will be at restj with gate 182 in either'its forward position'or
¦ its retracted position. The position of gate 182 will be reflec-
¦ ted in the control circuit due to the coaction of metal flag 220
¦ and proximity switches 222 and 2 2 4 .
l Assumins gate 182 is in its retracted position ~as shown in
¦ full lines in FIG. 2) and is required to be in its forward posi-
¦ tion (as shown in dot-dash lines in PIG. 2) then clutch~brake unit
¦196 will be energized from said control circuit ~as will be here-
¦in after explained).- The brake portion of unit 196 will disen-
¦gage ~nd the clutch portion thereof engage to turn output wheel¦194 one-half a revolution. Since pin 192 is eccentricall~ dis-
¦~osed, tne rotation of output wheel 194 through one-half a revGlu-
; ¦tion will effeci a lnovement of arm 189 and gate 182 in the direc-
¦tion of arrow A ~FIG. 2): thus moving gate 182 to its forward
'25 ¦po's:ition. At this instance flag 220~will be sensed by proximity
~switch 224 and the clutch portion of clutch/brake unit 196 will
¦disengage and the ~rake portion thereof will re-enga~e. Therea~-
' It-~r, if it is reouired that gate 182 ~e moved from its forward '
position to its retracted position, the~brake portion of unit 1~6
` 30 will again disengage and the clutch portion will re-engage to ro-
tate output wheel 194 'another one-half a revolution. Arn~ 18~ ar.d
gate 182 will ~e drawn in the direction of arrow B unti~ ate '~2
moves into its retracted position.
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A bottle neck sensing unit 250 ~FIG. 2) comprising a conven-
tional photocell ~aechanism with a suitable light source 252 and
photocell 254 responsive to said light source, is carried by said
main ~rame assembly 12 for coaction with the bottle necks prior
to said bottles 16 arriving at said turning station 22. The unit
250 is also electrically interconnected into the control circuit
as will be he}einafter described. Sensing the bottle neck is a
good manner of providing a "sense now" or "window" pulse for
activating an orientation sensing unit 260 also carried by main
frame 12. This is so because the bottle nec~ is j~st the right
size to provide a window of proper duration to facilitate the
proper sensing of the bottle orientation.
Orientation sensing unit.260 is alsoaconventionally available
photocell type unit including a light source and a photocell
responsive to said light source. Orientation sensing unit is
carried by main frame asse~bly so as to either sense the position
of a handle for bottle 16 or a particular area or a label on
bottle 16. When sensing the handle, if the handle is one orien-
tation, the light from the light source will pass through the
handle and activate the light source~ If the handle is in the
other orientation then the light source will strike the bottle
itself and not activate the photocell. The operator may select
either orientation as the proper orientation, and as such the
other orientation will be the improper orientatïon. When sens;ng :
` . 25 orientation of a bottle that does not have a handle the arien-
. tation sensing unit can be focused on an area of the bottle la~el
or of the bottle itself which is peculiar to the bottles orienta-
tion. If the bottle is in one orientation the light sourcet as
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an example, may be set up to reflect ~ack on the photocell; while
if the bottle is in another orientation the light source is set
so as not to reflect bac~ on the photocell. Here again a selected
orientation may be the proper one ana the other one the improper
. 5 orientation. En~ossed lettering areas and srnooth or rough sur-
faces may also be selected for sensing to determine the ~ottle's
orientation.
The operation of orientation unit 10 will ~e explained in
conjunction with the schematic circuit diagram of FIG. 5. A line
cord 270 is provided for connecting a control circuit 272 to a
source of suitable power. If desired, cord 270 may either be ccn
nected to ~e source of power through a conventional plug or by di
rect connection to the power line. An on/off switch 276 is provi
ded for operators' use in turning unit 10 on and off. Appropri~t
fusing 278 is also provided in circuit 272.
When unit 10 is turned on gate 182 will either be in a for-
ward position or a retrac~ed position. If in a forward position,
flag 220 on wheel 194 will be disposed in proximity to proximity
sensor 224 which will provide an appropriate output; while if
gate 182 is in its retracted position flag 220 will be disposed
in proximity to proximity sensor 222 which will also provide an
appropriat~ output. Contr~l circuit 272 will be conditioned ac-
cordingly.
The activation of unit 10 will activate motor 56 providing
rotative power to power take-offs 52, 162 and 206. These, in
tuxn, will effect rotation of: :infeed drive belts 34, 36;
chain conveyor 9~ and ~old down belt 100; tuxning belt 134; and .
c1utch/b~a~e ~nit 196. ~o~t1es 16 placed upon deadplate 32
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are thereafter fed by belts 34, 36 to main conveyor 90 which co-
acts with hold down belt 100 to feed bottles 16 to and thro~gh
turning station 22.
When the neck of a bottle 16 passes between neck sensing
light source 252 and neck sensing photocell 254 of neck sensing
unit 250 the light will be `cut off and circuit 272 will respond
to activate orientation sensing unit 260. At this time either
handle light source 262 will be illuminating handle photocell ,64
of orientation unit 260, if the handle of bottle 16 is positioned
therebetween, or handle photocell 264 will be dark if the solid
portion of bottle 16 is therebetween. One of these conditions
~photocell 264 illuminated or photocell 264 dark) will have
previously been selected as indicative of proper orientation.
If bottle 16 is properly oriented and gate 182 lS in its
forward position the vutput from proximity sensor 224 and orien-
tation sensing unit 260 will combine and brake portion 198 of
clutch/bxake unit 196 will remain.engaged. This prevents any
movement of gate 182r and bottle 16 will pass through station 22
without being :~urned even though turning belt 134 and pad 120
are coacting to apply a rotative torque to the neck of bottle 16
as previously described.
Should a bottle 16 be in its forward position, then the olt-
puts from proximity sensor 22~ and orientation sensing unit 260
. will combine to disengage bra~e portion 198 of clutch/bral;e un~t
196 and engage clutch portion 199 thereof. Output wheel 194
will rotate one half a revolution and arm 188 will draw gate 182
in the direction of arrow B to move gate 182 to its retracted ~
~¦ position. As bottle ves lnto turning station 2- belt 134
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fro~, proximit:y sensor 22~ and orientation sensing Imit 260 will
combine to dise~gage brake portion l9g of clutch/brake unit 196
ana engage clutch portion 199 thercof Output wheel 194 will
rotate one-half a revol~tion and arm 188 will draw gate 182 in
the direction of arrow B to move gate 182 to its retractcd posi-
tion. As bottle 16 moves into turning station 22 belt 134 and
pad 120 will co-act with the neck of bottle 16 to apply a torqu~
tnereto and bottle 16 will be rotated 180 into its proper orien-
tation.
If the following bottle 16 is also improperly oriented while
gate 182 is in its retracted position the outputs from proxi~ity
sensor 222 and orientation sensing unit 260 will so indicate,
brake portion 198 of clutch/brake lnit 196 wil] remain engaged,
and that bottle 17 will also be rotated 180 into its proper or-
lS ientation. -
When a properly oriented bot~le is thereafter sensed the com-
bined outputs from proximity sensor 222 and orientation sensing
unit 260 will combine to deactivate brake portion 198 of clutch~
brake unit 196 and to activate clutch portion 199 thereof. Out-
put wheel 194 will again be rotated one-half a revolution to mo-~e
gate 182 to i-ts forward position. The bottle 16 will then pass
through turning station 16 without being turned.
It is important to note that the size of gate 182, in the
direction of bottle travel, is selected so that bottles 16 can
only turn through 180. Thereafter the width of the bottle patn
i5 restricted so that bottles 16 can not turn any more. In addl-
tion the size of pad 120 and of belt 134 i~ also selected so that
¦bottles 16 turn 1-~: more, no les-.
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¦ The operation of orientation unit 10 will thus continue ~-
¦til all bottles 16 have passed through turning station 22. Thus
¦bottles 16 leaving turning station 22 will all be properly or
¦similarly oriented and further processing thereof may be accom-
¦plisned. Such furtner processing may entail placing labels upon
¦bottles 16, or putting already labeled bottles 16 in a case for
¦future shipment.
l The components of control circuit 272 are conventionally
¦available and interconnected in a conventional manner.
I From the above description it will thus ~e seen that there
¦ has been provided a novel and improved bottle orientation appara-
tus; wnich apparatus utilizes relatively simple and inexpenSive
components and circuitrv to insure that all bottles passing from
¦ the apparatus will all be properly or similarly oriented, even .
l though some of the bottles were not so oriented when entering the
¦ apparatus.
¦ It is understood that although I have shown the preferred
form of my invention that various modifications may be made in
the details thereof without departing from the spirit as compre-
hended by the foll~w g claims.
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