Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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1 Field of the Invention
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This invention relates in ~eneral ~o automatic pro-
cessin~ and p~ckaging of ~oods and more particularly to a con- I :
veyor packaging apparatus for high speed packing sf frozen
confections in containers~
~ackground of the Invention
Automated systems have been developed for the pro-
. cessing of various types of frozen confections in assembly line
fashion to produce a~tomatically, and at relatively high speed,
frozen confections for the consumer market. Such apparatus
includes, for example, various types of ice cream extruders,
sticking machines, slicing machines and chill tunnels, all
arranged to provide for assembly line processing in which ice
I cream or other frozen confection is extruded or shaped, frozen
; and enrobed with chocolate coating and even top decorated with
candy or additional frozen chocolate or the like. Machines of
this type are described, for example, in U.5. Patents 3,857,252; ~ :~
3,822,623; and 3,761,213. Such processing lines provide for
. substantially continuous operation with an uninterrupted output
20 flow of completed confections. 1-
One frozen confection which has recently found response
in the retail consumer market is a small, perhaps one inch by one
i. half inch by one h~lf, size confection formed of ice cream with
I chocolate coating and top decorationq For retail consumption
j, these bite size pieces are packaged in cartons These cartons
'j have included most us~ally an array of eigh~ or ten confection
~ Ai1
pieces or a three by four compartmented array of confection
pieces. Typically the carton may be fomed from blown extuded
Il plastic~ The compIeted conection pieces pass through a con-
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1 ! tinu~u6 assembly line process which $s initiated at an extruder
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; in which i~e crea~ i~ e~truded and ~liced into small pieces onto
¦ ~onveyor e~rying plates, ~hich transport the soft iee cream
! pieces through a freezing tunnel for carefully controlled dwell
times to freeze the pieces to appropriate hardness. After
leaving this initial freezing tunnel~ the frozen ice cream pieces
are passed through a chocolate enrober which completely coats
e~ch piece with chocolate and the pieces then are passed thro~gh
an auxiliary chill tunnel to harden the chocolate coating. The
final stage in the processing invovles conveying the now frozen
chocolate covered pieces under a top decorator to provide for top
decoration, for example, by forming wiggly chocolate lines or
decorative confection lines on the top sur~ace. In this final
stage the rectangular confections are, of necessity, aligned with
i their long axis parallel to the direction of movement of the con-
veyor. In a typical configuration there are four columns of con-
fection arriving at the end of the top decorating stage of the
, assembly.
j Since this confection manufacturing process is essen-
tially continuous, it i8 necessary that all of these processing
stages, as well as any subsequent stages, have the capacity of
handling the confections at the same production rate. A high
production rate is, of course, advantageous and the production
for bite size frozen confection pieces is typically 600 pieces
¦ per minute emerging from the end of the conveyor line at the top
~! decorator ~tage.
~ The finished confections are packed in rectilin~r
¦ arrays in the previously mentioned carton~. At the present time
¦l this is acc~mplished in a manual pro~ess employing fifteen or
30 1 i
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1 ', mcre packers ~t the ena of the as~embly line to pack in~o cartons
! the ~ix hundred conf~ctions per ~invt~ c~ming off the assembly
¦ line. Such an expenditure of labor ~on-~titutes a subs~antial
cost component in the overall pricing of the co~fections.
The present invention is directed to apparatus for
automatically conveying and packing frozen conf2ction pieces into
rectilinear arrays in a container (e.g., a carton including a
~onfecti~n tray~ suitable for retail distribution. The apparatus
is designed to operate at high speed wi~h a minimum of operator
involvem2nt. Provision is made for isolating the initial manu-
facturing ~tages of the production process from the packaging
process so that any interruption in hte packaging process does
not back up the entire assembly line of the confection manufac- i
turing process itself. Ad~itionally, provisions have been
included to enable replacement of high wear components, without '
extensive disassembly of the apparatus.
Summary of the Invention
Broadly speaking, the present invention provides an
apparatus for automatically packing individual frozen confection
20i pieces into rectilinear arrays within containers. Confection
pieces are received rom the output of a confection production
apparatus which provides on a continuous basis a number, typi-
cally four, of parallel columns of the confection pieces at rela- I
tively high speeds. The packaging apparatus of the lnvention
, includes at its input a parallel series of hiyh speed conveyor li
I belts, each operating within a railed lane, with the lanes
¦ generally aligned with the output columns from the confec~lon
production machi~eO The input to the packaging machine may be
, taken directly fro~ the outpu~ o~ the confection processing line,
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1 i' or there ~ay be included an intermediate conveyor link to
,, transport ~he individual con~ectio~ pieces from the production
!i apparatus to the p~ckag3ng apparatus- ~his latter arrangement is
advantageous when the intermediate conveyor linlc is arranged so
that it can interrupt the flow of confectioll pieces and divert
them to a collection dump in the event of di5ruption of the
packaging process. Such a dumpable intermediate conveyor link
insures that an interruption of the packaging process does not
back up the confection production procéss throughout that produc-
tion assembly, particularly where the process is a continuousone.
,
In the packaging machine of this invention, each of the
high speed confection product conveyors is carried in a lane
across a thin flat deck to terminate at a stop position, or
loading location, with the stop position for each of the lanes
being displaced from one another in the direction of movement of
the conveyors. The individua} confection pieces emanating from
each of teh columns of the confection production machine are
j carried by each high speed conveyor to the stop point where they
! accumulate or queue within the lane, one closely fitting behind
the other in the direction of movement of the conveyor. The con- ¦
! veyor belt has a low friction ~pper surface so that when the con- ¦
; fection pieces reach the lane stop, the belt slides beneath them
allowing the columns of confections to deadhead without damaging
the bottom surface of the confection pieces themselves.
A second convey4r f7r carrying cartons to be packed
~with the confections passes underneath the product conveyor lanes
at right angles to their direction of travel. This second con-
veyor carries a number, typically four, of par~llel lanes o~ car-
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1 , tons arranged with their interior rows (~hich may in some cases
! ~e defined by compart~en~ divi~ers~ parallel to the direction of
!; travel o~ the high speed confection Ianes. As each individual
~ i ,
carton reaches a position beneath the edge of one of the high
speed confection lanes, it is moment~rily stopped while a mecha-
.,
nical actuator is stroked to ConYey a preselected number of con-
fection pieces from the termination stop position of that
individual lane to a position overlying the empty compartment of
the carton moving at right angles to it, from which position it
is lowered into the carton. Each carton is then moved forward
again a fixed distance to position another empty space beneath
the confection loading position. The confection-filled cartons
are then furthe~ transported by the carton conveyor to a point
where a paddle apparatus, operating generally transverse to the
direction of travel of the carton conveyor, rakes the illed car
tons from this conveyor into an output chute.
As will be described in greater detail below in connec-
tion with the description of a preferred embodiment, a number of
advantages can be achieved for this machine, in terms of
! simplifying the mechanical actions and the timing, if the spacing
between cartons proceedign ser~ally along the carton conveyor is
made equal to an integral multile of the spacings between centers
of the rows of confection within the compartments of the cartons
themselves. Additional advantages may be achieved when the
6pacing between the high-speed confection lanes is also made
¦l equal to an integral multiple of thi~ center spacing be~ween con- ¦
¦~ fections within the cartonsO It should be noted that the~
¦I multiple can be different for the spacing between the high speed
¦i confection lanes and for the spacing between the cartons as they
1 are proceeding alon~ the car~on conveyor. For example, the
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1 I multiple ~ight be a ~actor of one between 6erial Cart~fn pOSitions
on the carton co~veyor and ~e ~ d~fferent mu~t~ple, ~or example,
two for the spacing ~etween the high peed confection lanes.
The particular advantage which derive~ from this care-
ful spacing arrangement is that individual loading heads or ele-
ments for ejecting the confections from each lane onto ~he
underlying carton may be actuated simultaneously by a single
actuating mechanism. By programming selective inhibition of
individual loading elements so that they do not convey ~he con-
fections from their respective lane on a given stroke, theapparatus can provide for the elimination Of the loading function
when the gap between cartons underlies ~ partic~lar confection
lane termination position.
When the spacing between th~ high speed confection
lanes is also an integral multiple Of the center spacing of the I 't
confections within the cartons it ensures that when a compartment
in one carton is positioned to receive an ejected confection from
one high speed lane, cartons on the other rows of the carton con-
veyor will be positioned such that either a compartment will be20 il precisely located to reCeive a confection from another lane or
I; Will be preci5ely positioned so that there is the center of a
" between cartons gap in the reCeiving position at the time of
, stroke actuation of the pusher mechanisms. SuCh a spacing
arrangement provides, then, that the loading mechanisms for all
four high speed lanes are in fixed phase relation with 811 four
columns of the carton conveyor~
¦¦ Brief Description of the Drawings
I! Fig. 1 is an il~ustra~ion in perspective view of a
I packa~ing apparatus cons~ructed in aecl~rdas~ce wi~h the principles ¦
30 I of this invention;
07_ 1
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1 1 Figs. 2 and 3 are plan views of a portion oP the
apparatu~ of F~
~ ig~ 4 is a per~pective vie~ of t~e belt conveyor
system employed in the apparatus of Fig. ~;
Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the element of Fig,
6 taken along line 5-5;
Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a loadin~
head element of the apparatus of Pig. 1;
Fig. 7 is a plan view of a portion of the actuating
mechanism of the apparatus of Fig. l;
Fig. 8 is a per~pective view of the actuating and
control mechanisms Por the loading head elements of Fig. 6:
Figs. 8a, 8b and 8c are plan views and timing diagrams
~f the cams illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8;
Figs. 9(a) t~rough 9(f) illustrate the sequential
actions of the loading head element of Fig. 6;
Fig. 10 illustrates the switching cam configuration for i
the apparatus of Fig~ l;
, Fig. 11 is a plan view of the arm actuating and
20i' latching me~hanism of the apparatus of Fig. l;
~; Figs. 12 and 13 are schematic illu~trations of cir- ¦
¦¦ cuitry employed in the apparatus of Fig. 1 and
Figs~ ~, 15, 16 and 17 are views o a conveyor link ¦
included in the appa~atus ~f ~ig. 1: ~nd
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1 I Figs~ 18 and 1~ are views of the index drive mechanism
for the transp~rt c~nveyor ~f Flg. 1.
Description of Preferred Embodiments
. General
Fig. 1 is an illustration in perspective view of the
packaging apparatus of this invention. The apparatus includes a
container transport conveyor 11, consisting of a series of
parallel rows of container pockets moving on a chain driven
endless conveyor drive from a container loading platfor~ 21
passing under a confection loading sub-assembly 6, thence to a
container removal mechanism 14 and then returning to the loading
platform 21. A high ~peed confection product conveyor system 12
i8 located just above the plane of the containers carried on the
container transport conveyor. The product conveyor system 12
consists of a series of high speed conveyor lanes 23, 24, 25, and
26 oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel of the con-
tainer transport conveyor 11, each lane incl~ding an endless belt
for carrying individual confection pieces from the output of the
confection production apparatus towards respective lane ter-
mination positions, 15, 16, 17, and 18. Termination position 15
is located so that three confection pièces in the loading posi-
, tion adjacent to it are directly aligned over one column of the
container transport conveyor 11 and each of the remaining product
, conveyor lanes i~ displaced across the transport conveyor 11 so
i' that its lane ter~ination loading position is directly aligned
¦ with a row of containers ~topped beneath ito
o~ated just above the plane of the high speed conveYor I
~¦ deck i~ a loading head assembly 31 for, moving the three confec- !
¦l tion pie~es in each lane'& terminating position from ~he product
1~ i
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1 l, dec~ 22 to a position above a co~partment of the container
l! stopped beneath it on the contalner transport convey~r 11, and ',
¦' then to lower the confection pieces into that compartment. For
, each lane termination ~oading position there is a pusher arm 30
,: pivoted at the top and carrying a loading h~ead 31 at its lower
end. The motion o~ the pusher arm 30 is controlled at a first
mechanis~ deck 35 which is positioned vertically intermediate the
product deck at the plane of the high speed transport conveyors
12 and the second mechanism deck 34 supporting the top of the
individual pusher arms 30. Each loading head 31 includes
clamping and ejecting mechanisms which are controlled at the
second mechanism dec~.
In operation the individual compartmented containers
are loaded onto the container transport conveyor 11 at the
loading platform 21 and are then carried in an interrnittent flow !
operation underneath the loading assembly 6. Since the high
speed conveyor 12 is operated at considerably higher speeds than ~
the transport conveyor 11, several confections are positioned at I
each lane termination loading position quickly enough so that as
l each row of each of the containers is stopped underneath the
loading assembly, it is filled with confections from each of the
lane termination loading positions.
'. I
The loaded containers are then further transported
until they reach the container removal device 14. This latter
¦¦ unit consists of a conveyor carrying ~ series of paddles 39 which
mov~ at an angle with respect to the direction of motion,~f the
container transport conveyor and 6erve to sweep the individual
containers from their pockets toward ~n output chute 40, where
~ th y can be re~o~ed for shipment or the Ii~e. ~ typical r~te of
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1 ~.produc~ion of frozen ~onfections from a confecti~n product ¦
assembly line is 6ao pieces per minute, with the 600 pieces
arranged in four lanes~ In the present ~pparatus three confec- ¦
tion pieces are loaded ~imultaneously into each container at each
of four container columns so that twelve confection pieces are I ,~
loaded at a time. The se~uencing of the pusher-loading asse~bly,
the high speed conveyor movement, the container transport con-
veyor movement and the container removal device are all synchro-
nized by means of a sensing and control syf~tem which is not
10 explicitly shown in this figure. Each of the sub-assembly
systems de~cribed will be discussed in greater detail below.
Conveyors - Generally
i Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen that
the individual confections are transported to a loading position
along product conveyor tracks 23-26, which begin and end at
staggered locations along the direction of travel of the confec-
tions, so that the path leng~hs along each lane are e~ual.
Immediately below the staggered lane termination positions is
disposed the carton conveyor 11, constructed and arranged (as
20~ describ2d in further detail below~ to intermittently transport
parallel columns of confection cartons in a direction perpen- ¦
: dicular to the direction of movement of the confection conveyors. ¦
,; As above described, the general operation of this
! system is that a 6eries of four separate loading heads ~not
illustrated in Figures 2 and 3 are actuated sim~ltaneously, and
in timed sequence with the movement of the carton conveyor 11, to
carry a plurality of confections from each of the staggered
loading points, 1~ through lB, o~t over a ~topped carton so that
¦the confections ~i~ be lDwered into appropriate locations in the
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1 li carton A~ can ~e apprec~ated, ~he tr~nsfer di~tance from the
¦, confections int~ the carton shou~d ~e kept at a minimum. For
i! this reason, the pro~uct deck 22, definin~ plane of the prod~ct
conveying tracks 23-26 over which the confection conveying belts
110-116 travel, is a very thin te.g. 1/8 inch thick) sheet of
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. metal (e.g. aluminum). The carton conveyor 11, and the cartons
conveyed thereby, are spaced c}osely adjacent the underneath sur-
face of that sheet metal deck so that the transfer distance of
the confections from the loading locations into the cartons is
o kept to a minimum.
The conveyor belts 110, 112, 114, and 116 that deliver
the individual confections to each of the loading locations 15
through 18 are operated at speeds that assure a que~e of confec-
tions at each of the loading locations so that ther~ will always
be sufficient confections to fill the momentarily stopped cartons
on the carton conveyor 11. As described in further detall below,
a photoelectric sensing system is incorporated into each loading
head as a further assurance that there are sufficient confections :
at the loadin~ location to fill an entire row of the associated
carton on ~he carton conveyor at the appropriate time. If at any
; loadin~ point, there is not a full charge of confections, the
1 loading head operation is inhibited so that no confections are
! delivered to that particular row of that particular carton. The
i absence of an entire row of confections in a carton is easily
jj discernable by inspectors af~er the filled cartons leave the
jl apparatus.
Down ~tream along the carton conveyor 11 from the
loading ~o~ations 15 through 1~ there is provided a rake off
I ~eYice ~ for remov~ng filled carton~ from the carton conveyor 11
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1 I and delivering the~ ~o chute ~0 via which they leave the car-
I toninq apparatus~ The rake off device 14 is itself a conveyor
~,j having a conveyor chain ~upporting a 6eries of paddles 3~. The
, paddles are driven at an angle with respect to the carton con-
veyor and have a component of motion in the sa~e direction as the
carton conveyor and a component of motion transversely across the
carton conveyor. The component of velocity in the direction of
the carton conveyor is equal to the velocity of the carton con-
veyor. The rake off conveyor 14 is driven in timed relationship
with the carton conveyor 11 such that each paddle of the rake off
conveyor will sweep a single transverse row of cartons from the
multiple-column carton conveyor and deposit those cartons onto
! the chute 15.
Carton Conveyor
Referring more particularly to the carton conveyor 11
it will be seen that the conveyor comprises a series of slats
144, carried on a conveyor chain 145 each slat supporting four
spaced apart compartments having leading ribs 146, trailing ribs
148, and floors 149 into which a carton 150 is manually placed
-, upstream of the confection loading locations. A guide device 152
disposed above the cartoning conveyor immediately preceeding the
loading locations forces the cartons 150 downwardly and rear- I
wardly to precisely position each carton on the floor 149 of its
compartment and against the trailing rib 148. Such precise posi-
j tioning i important to achieve proper timing of the ejection of
¦I confections from the loading locations in order to drop properlY
I¦ into the desired location~ of each individual carton 150.
¦I Dividers 151 assure horizontal alignment of the cartons.
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j ~5 i8 further evident fro~ ~ig~re 2, there is a uniform ¦
I, and ~reci~e spacin~ between adjacent carton-carxying ~la~s 144.
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l!j It as preferred tha~ thi~ spacing be such that the distance bet
ween the last row of confec~ions ~n a given carton ~50 and the
first row of confections in the next car~on on the carton con-
veyor be an integral multiple of the inter-row spacing within a
carton. With this arrangement, the loading hlead inhibit system
(described elsewhere herein) can selectively inhibit each loading
heat operation at suitable times to prevent ejection of confec-
tions when there is no empty carton row disposed therebelow to
receive the confections. In the preferred embodiment
lD illustrated, each carton has three rows with a center-to-center
spacing of "Al' and the spacing between slats 144 is such that
there is a separation of ~2A" between the center of last row of a
given carton and the center of the first row of the next carton.
With this arran~ement, therefore, every fourth stroXe of each
loading head will be inhibited in order to accommodate the
between-cartons gap while achieving the desired filling of car-
tons with confections.
The conveyor chain 145 is driven through an indexing
drive mechanism, illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19, from a synchro-
20 nous motor drive ~not shown), to provide a precisely timed move-
ment. The high speed conveyor 12 may be driven fro~ any
convenient drive source. As will be described hereafter, various
other elements of the system are driven from the same synchronous~
~ motor drive as the carton conveyor 11.
I $he rake off conveyor 14, is driven at a controlled
peed ratio from the ~arton conveyor 11 drive, the speed ratio
being determined by the angle of motion of the rake of conveyor
with respect to ~he direction of travel of the carton conveyor.
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1 ~' Pr~duct Conveyor System
~he con~ection product c~nveyor lZ o~ the cartoning
! apparatus includes four separate parallel conYeying tracks 23 26,
each track disposed intermediate confection guide rails 108.
Each of the four ~eparate tracks defines a run of one of the four
; conveyor belts 110, 112, 114, 116, best seen in the somewhat
schematic illustration of Figure 4O As is evident from Figures 1
through 4, the tracks corresponding to the four conveyor belts
are of equal length but terminate at staggered positions, 15
through 18. This staggered arrangement of the confection con-
. veyor tracks leads to an efficient and high speed transfer of the
; confections from the product conveyors into cartons supported on ;
the carton conveyor which moves in a direction perpendicular to
that of the confection product conveyors.
The confection conveylng tracks 23-26 are disposed
intermediate a series of rollers 118 about which all conveyor
belts are trained and a series of staggered pulleys 120a-120d~
The remainder of each conveyor belt tr~k is a return path
designed to facilitate the removal and replacement of belts 110,
112, 114, and 116 without major disassembly of the cartoning
apparatus. A further constraint on the return path for conveyor
belt is that each of the belts 110-116 has a low friction ~e.g.,
,, polytetrafluoroethylene) coating on its upper surface in the con-~
j, veyor tra~k where the confections are actually conveyedO The
¦~ return path must be ~uch that thi~ low friction .urface will
¦ always be facing up for ea~h of the belts llC, 112, 114, ~nd 116
as they traverse the con~eying track segmen~s 23-26. "'
After leavlng the pulleys l~Oa-12~, the belts have an
i upward run perpen~icuiarly aw~y from the carton conveyor 11.
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1 ~ Four series o pulleys 122a-122d, 124a 124d, 126a-126d, and 128a-
. 128d de~ine a path portion that includes two ~0 tllts ~clockwise
in the directi~n of belt travel) o~ the plane of the belts in
order to reach a ~eries of pulleys ~30a-130d spaced apart both
laterally and vertically from the ~onfectic)n conveying track
segments 23-26. This arrangement frees the ~pace above the con-
: veying track segments 23-26 for the equipment necessary to
operate the mechanis~ that actually transfers the c~nfections
from the conveyor belts 110, 112, 114, and 116 to the cartons.
The belt trac~s intermediate the pulleys 130a-130d and a spaced
apart roller 132 include a drive roller 134, which is coated with
a material having a high coefficient of friction and which is
driven by a motor s~fficient to impart conveyor belt speeds
substantlally greater than those of either the dump conveyor or
the carton conveyor tboth described elsewhere herein). Two
series of pulleys 136a-136d and 138a-138d are provided adjacent
the drive roller 134 in positions to insure belt contact with the
drive roller over at least 180 of the drive roller circum-
ference. The pulleys 138a-138d are spring loaded toward pulleys
136a-136d to maintain suitable tension in the individual conveyor
, belts.
; The final portion of the conveyor belt return path from
the roller 132 to the roller 118 is via two series of pulleys
140a-140d and 142a-142d. A 90 tilt of each conveyor (el~ckwise
in the direction of travel) occurs between the roller 132 and the
respective pulley 140a-140d and between the respectîve pulley
142a-142d and the initial pulley 1~8.
A~ will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the
li c~nfecti~n convey~r arran~ement a~ described immediately above
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1 pr~vides a conveyor return path that dses no~ interfere with
!l other portiDns of the ~rtonin~ apparatus (e~g ~ the carton
: !l conveyor~; provides for the nonstick cbnveyor surface to be
facing upwardly during the conveyoring track portions 23-26; pro-¦
! vides for an open space vertically above the track portions 23-26
... .. .
~, to facilitate placement of other apparatus at that location; and
, permits the removal and replacement of conveyor belts 110-116
witho~t major disassembly of a packaging apparatus (e.g., without
disassembly or moement of the carton conveyor).
Since there is a req~irement that the conveyor belts
must slide under the confections carried on these, when the con-
fections are q~eued at the lane terminates portion then the belts;
1~ themselves cannot have any perturbation in their upper surface.
. .
A perturbation such as a seam required to join a belt together on
replacement would scuff the under~ide of the confection pieces
making them an unacceptable product. Accordingly these conveyor
belts must be endless and therefor require a pulley system, such
as shown in Fig. 4, which allows new endless belts to be mounted
without disassembly.
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I Loading Station Assembly
.
As discussed previously, the general organization of
the packaging apparatus involves a lower product deck 22, a first
mechanism deck 35, a second mechanism deck 34 and a top deck 33.
' The operation of the loading heads, 31 which transfer qroups of
¦ confections pieces from the queue at the loading ~ta~ion into a
~arton positioned b~neath it involves the lower three dec~s 22,
35 and 34O In general term~, each of the four confection loading
mechanisms includes an arm 30 that carries a loading head 31 at
the product deck level. The arm 3~ is pivotally supported for
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~L~31~ Z~i~
1 small angle s~inginq ~o~i~n at the deck 34, and is moved by an
, actuating ~echanism ~upported at the ~irst ~ech~nism deck 35.
Since the four ar~s 30a, 30b, ~Oc, and 3~d are identical in
construction and operation, a single arm will be described in
detail.
The arm 30 is trunnioned at the second mechanism deck
34 for movement in a plane perpendicular to the direction of
motion of the confection product conveyor 12 and parallel to the .
direction of motion of the carton conveyor 11. The actuating and
timing system, mounted on the mechanism decX 35, is described in
detail hereafter. The actual loading head 31, carried by the arm
30 is disposed adjacent to the product deck 22 at the loading
location (as best seen in Figs. 5 and 6~.
~ Referring to those figures, it will be seen that the
j }oading head 31 defines 2 generally ~U-shaped" channel for
receiving a plurality of confections 153. The channel is defined
by a pair of lateral elements 154 and 156 and an end element 158.
The depth of the channel is chosen, relative to the length of the
~: confections 153 such that the number of confections that will fit
into a row of a carton 150 will be the same as the n~mber of con-
fections that fit in the ~U-shaped" channel of the loading head
31. In one typical carton configuration this number is three.
j; ~he lateral member 154 is supported by a vertical tube 30 and the
1. lateral portion 156 is supported by a second tube section 502.
i The end element 158 is secured to the lateral portions to provide
a stop member allowing ~he confections 153 to accumulate ~o that
a charge of three oonfections is within the loading head 31~ !
Preferably, the ~urface 1~8A i~ ~rmed of a nonstick ~ateria} ~ !
I facilitate the sliding of the chocolate-enrobed confections 1~3
I re~atiYe thereto.
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1 ~he light sources 302 are mounted ~n member 156.
i Similarly the 1iqht sensors 306 are supported within the lateral
!' element 154 in aliqn~ent with the light ~ources 302. Openings
166 in the lateral elements 156 and 154 as well as in gripping
elements 503 and 505 permit light to travel from the sources 302
.~, !
to the sensors 306. The positioning of the light source/light
sensor pairs is such that a series of properly positioned confec-
tions 153 will interrupt the light bea~s and thus the output of
. the photosensors 306 can be used as an indication that the
loading head is full of confections and there~y permit the
loading operation to continue, or conversely, will indicate that
the loading head 31 is not completely filled 80 that the inhibit
mechanism can be operated to prevent actuati,on of the loading
head.
Based upon a timlng cam and an actuator device at the
first mechanism de~k level 35, the arm 30 is stroked to traverse
a one inch lateral movement at the time an empty row of a carton
is substantially below the edge of the product deck 22. TKe cam
is designed such that a dwell of the loading head 31 in the
extended location is provided in order to permit the confections
153 to be ejected from the loading head. The timing and
, actuation mechanism then returns the loading head to the con-
figuration illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6.
, If, at the time when actuation of a given loading head
¦,31 should occur, any light emitter 302 and light sensor 306 pair
I! detects the absence of a confec~ion at the 2ppropriate loc~tion,
¦ithe ~ignal generated i6 employed las discussed below) to inhibit
!~ the stro~e ~ ~}~e lo~ding head 3~.
1, j .
30 jl !
-19- :
~3~3~;`Z~
1 The ~pper sur~ace of the high speed conveyor 110 is
i coated with a low friction~ nonstic~ material such that the con-
¦~ veyor can move rela~ive to the ~tationary confections 153 that
~re queued up behind the deadhead abutment face 158a. As a
series of three confections 153 is transpozted laterally by the
loading head 31 for depositing in a carton, the next confection
in line will abut the end face 168 of the lateral element 154.
Upon return of the loading head to the config~ration of Figs. 5
and 6, the queue of confections 153 will aclvance ~nder the
influence of the conveyor 110 until the fir~t confection of the
~ueue abuts the face 158a, thereby returning the situation to
. that depicted in Fig. 5.
Still referring to Fig. 5, it will be seen that a pair
' of guide rails 108 are disposed along the lateral edges of the
j. conveyor 110 upstream o~ the loading head 31. An end face 108a
of the guide rai} 108 is spaced apart from the opposed end face
156a of lateral member 156 and from the trailing edge 153a of the '
trailing confection in the loading head, in order that ~he
trailing confection will not inadvertently contact the rail 108
- as the confection fs transferred into the carton, and disrupt the
loading operation. Furthermore, the face lOBa is provided with a
rounded corner 108b to further guarantee against a confection
getting caught on structure of the rdil 108 and preventing proper ¦
loading into the carton.
I The details of the elements of loading head 31 are
¦ shown in Fi~s. 5 and 6, while the control and actuating mechanism
for these elements is shown in Figs 7 and 8. Fig. 9 is an .
illustration of the ~equential operation of the loading head 31
I in trans~rring c~nfection pieces from the high speed conveyor ¦
¦ into e~pty co~par~ments of the cartons.
¦ . !
-20-
3L:L3~5~ :
1 ! ~ith reference to ~igs. 5 and 6 each of the loading
¦ heads 31 i~ carried on a pusher ~r~ ~ube 3~, which is suspended
from a pivot point at ~he second mechanism deck 34. The arm 30
; includes second tube members 50~ and these tube members carry on
them movable elements, generally referred to as grippers and
... .
strippers. The function of the gripper el-ements is to grip three
confection pieces 153 at a time at the lane termination point and
carry them, as arm 30 is stroked, from the loading platform 2~ to
a position over the compartment of the empty container adjacent
to the lane termination position, and then to lower the confec-
', tion pieces to a position iust above the container compartment
itself. At this point in the sequence the stripper elements are
actuated to eject the confection pieces from the gripper elements
and deposit then into the container compartment itself. The
pusher arm 30 is then ~troked back to its original position ',
overlying the lane terminatlon point.
Each gripper element is formed of, a generally rec-
tangular plate 503 s~pported at the bottom of the tube 30 and
extending in a horizontal directiun a distance slightly more than
the length of three confection pieces, and at the bottom of the
other tube 502 there is located a second plate 505, generally
î parallel to plate 503, but ~egmented lengthwise into three inde-
,,pendent pieces 505A, 505B, and 505C. Each of these segmented
,plates is independently spring loaded in the direction of the
first plate 503, by individual spring elements 506A, 506B, 506C.
~his arrangement permits each of the individual confection pieces
~t the lane termination points to be gripped, allowing for some
ariation ln the t~ickness of the confection piece itself.
~!
¦, Since, ~s i~ illustrated in Pig, 9, ~he gripper ele-
ILent~ are r~uired ~o ~ove not only in a direction toward and
11
Il -21-
1 l, away from each otherv ~u~ o in ~ Yertlcal direction along the
axis of the Sube 30 and 502, both the long plate 5~3 and the
.' segmented plate 505 are su~porte~ fro~ co~lar pieces 508 and 509,
. which are slidably pos~tioned on the tubes 30, the vertical posi-
tion of these collar elements, and hence the vertical position of
' the gripping plates being controlled by control rods 514 and 514a
which are actuated by a mechanism which, as will be discu~sed
below, is located on the upper or second mechanism deck 34.
The action of the individual spring elements 506 provi-
. des a component of force and motion for the indlvidual segmented
plate elements 505 in the direction of the longer plate elements
503. The limit of travel of the segmented plate elements 505 in
this direction is established by means of a stop element
including an adjustable screw 524, and block face S25 which is
formed as the inner portion of the collar 508. As is most
clearly illustrated in Fig. 9, the gripper plates 503 and SOS are
spread apart in the lane termination loading position by virtue
of the edge of the product deck 22 bearing against the inner por-
tions of the segmented plates 505, thereby allowing sufficient
clearance for the confection pieces 153 to pass between the
longer plate ~03 and each of the individual segments 505A, 505B,
' and 505C. ~ -
The ~tripper elements are formed of a set of ejection
~ plates 517 and 519~ located adjacent to the gripper elements.
jlThe single ejection plate 517 extending the length of three con- ¦
fection pieces is ~lidably retained above the inner face Q~ the
gripper element 503. The segmented ejection plate 519 (having .
three porti~s 519h, 519B and 519C corresponding to 6imilar
1! segments of the gripper plate 5~5) is positioned above ~he inner
ll
2-
I faces of the ~e~entfi of plate 5V50 These ejeetion plates 517
¦¦ and 519 are arranged to ~ove vertically in relationship to both
!! the fixed tube element~ 30 and 502 ~nd to the corresponding
Il gripper elements 503 and 505. The vertic~l movement of the :~
Ij stripper elements is controlled by actuating rods 515 and 515a,
.. ~ I ..
also operated from the second mechanism deck 34.
~ he ~equence of the movement of the gripper and
'I. stripper elements is most clearly illustrated in the sequential
~ series of Fig. 9. The entire loading head 31 is initially posi- I
10 , tioned over the lane termination position of its corresponding 'i
lane with the jaws of the gripper elements maintained in an open
position by the interaction of the edge of the product deck 22
, with the segmented gripper plates 505, thereby allowing confec-
, tion pieces 153 to pass between the opposing faces of the gripper
¦ elements (Fig. 9a). As will be described in more detail below
the entire sequential operation is timed by a series of cams on
the first and second mechanism decks operating in conjunction
i with tbe circuit elements illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 as above
I~ stated. When an appropriate point is reached in the equence,
, the pusher arm 30 is stroked outwardly, provided thst the photo-
cell sensors provide an output indication that there are three
confection pieces aligned behind the deadhead at the termination ¦
point of ~he lane. This stroking action allows the gripper ele- ¦
ments 503 and S05 to grip the confection pieces, because the
segmented plate 505 is now urged by the spring against the con-
fection pieces, since it is no longer being stopped by the edge
cf the product plate 22. Arm 30 swings the loading head 3i into
a position ~ust above the compartment of the container compart-
ment to be filled ~Fig. 9b~. The containers are moved on the
container tr~nsp~rt ~onveyor ~1 in intermittent motion, such that
-23-
3~
1 ~he con~ey~r ~ps m~n~r21y ~ith a ~ompartm~nt ~iacent to and
!~ below the edge of the prod~ct deck 22 at each lane termi~ation
~! position.
. 1
! Once the loading head 31 is positioned above the com-
partment of the container 150, the gripper elements 503 and 505
and the stripper elements 517 and Sl9 are moved in unison down-
wardly toward the container 150 so th~t the confection pieces 153
. are now poised just above the compartment itself (Fig. 9c). At
this point in the sequence, the stripper elements 517 and 5~9 are
independen~ly moved downwardly relative to the gripper e:Lements
593 and 505, forcing the confection pieces from the gripper ele-
ments and ejecting them into the compartment of the container
. be}ow (Fig.9d). Once this is accomplished, first the gripper
elements 503 and 505 move the stripper elements upward while ele-
ments 517 and 519 remain down to insure positive stripping (Fig.
9e). Then the stripper elements are retracted back into their
original upper position, and the pusher ar~ 30 is swung back into
its original position preparatory to receiving the next set of
confection pieces tFig. 9f).
The sequence of the above ~otions is controlled by a
series of three cams, which operate cam ollowers and push rods.
The cam 200 which controls the stroking of arm 30 is located on
, the first mechanism deck 35, wh;le the cams 610 and 611
! controlling the operation of the stripper and gripper elements
j are located on the upper mechanism deck ~4.
Pusher Arm Actuation and Inhibit Mechanism
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the act~ation mechanism ¦
providing the ~tro~e mo~ement to each of the individual pusher
I arms 30aJ 3~b, 30c, and ~0d. The purpose of the mechanism is to
I -24-
~3~
1 stroke the ar~s simu~taneous~y forwar~ in the direction of the
carton conveyor 11 movement each time that the carton conveyor
l'mechanis~ has advanced the cartons one carton row width, A. In
-the present embodimentt th~ distance that the loading head 31 is
to move is 7/3th of an inch. Since the head 31 is carried on the ;
end of arm 30 pivoted at the top to the second mechanism deck 34,
; and since the actuating mechanism 220 is locatedat the first
mechanism deck 35, approximately halfway down the length of that
arm then the actuating stroke itself need only be 7/16th of an
¦ 10 inch. The actuating mechanism is formed of a light weight
generally rectangular frame 220 made up of two aluminum angles
221 and 222 and two aluminum tubes 226 and 228 contain linear
anti-friction bearings 212a, 212b, 214a, and 214b. This frame
traverses linearly on hardened steel rods 213 which ~re supported
on the product deck 35 by mounting block~ 241a, 251b, 252a, and
252b. The frame member 220 is urged forward in the direction of
movement of the arms 30 by the force of a tension coil spring 210
attached at the rear to the frame 220 and at its front end to the
mechanism deck 35. The position of the frame member 220 is
' controlled by the rotary position of cam 200 interacting with cam
follower 216/ which ls carried on cross member 227 fixed across
the rectangular frame member 220. The cam 200 is itself carried
on shaft 2~1 which is supported at one end in pillow block 256
and driven at the other end by the main mechanical drive. As
¦ will be explained in more detail below in the section on
i~equencing and timing, ~haft ~01 is driven in ~uch a relationship
¦with the carton conveyor indexing drive that cam 200 ro~ates 360
¦during the time that the carton conveyor is stopped.
The cam follower 216 in~eracts with the shape of the
Ica~ 2~0r as illustr~ted in Fig~ 8A, 80 that at rotational posi-
, 1, .
~ I -2~-
1 !.tion 0 the foll~wer 216 falls of the cam surface allowin~ the
spring to urg~ the ~rame 220 rapidly ~orward in the direction of
movement of the carton conveyor. At a rotational position of
approximately 35 the follower 216 i~ in corltact with the cam 200
urface which is shaped so that it maintains the frame 220 in its
forward position for a stroXe dwell time sufficiently long to
allow the confection to be ejected from the loading head 31 to
the underlying compartment in the container~ At the end of this
period, which occurs after approximately another 75 of rotation
of the cam 200, the cam curface is shaped to commence movement
of the frame 220 in the opposite direction restoring it to its
original rest position after approximately 185 degrees of rota-
tion from its starting point, a position which it continues to
occupy through the remainder of the cam rotation cycle until it
is urged forward again at 0 to commence the following cycle.
The motion of the rectangular frame 220 is coupled to
the individual carrier arms 30at 30b, 30c, 30d through a series
of pusher elements 230, 232, 234, and 238 respectively. Each of
these pusher elements is compl$antly coupled to the frame 220 by
20 , means of relatively 6tiff compre5sion springs 246 and collars
247. Since the placement of each of the load carrier arms 30 is
staggered ~orresponding to the ~taggered position o~ the loading
positions 15, 16, 17 and 18, then each of the pusher elements
:230, 232, 234 and 238 differ in length. In order to facili~ate
the support ~f the ~hortest pusher element 238, and to prevent
interference between ~he fron portion of frame member 220 and ~l
the arm 30d, this short pusher element 238 is supported on`a
!separate carrying member 242.
j ~or e~cb cycle ~f the cam 200, then, the frame 220
Imoves rapialy f~r~r~ 7~16th ~f an ~nch wit~ the pu~her elementS
I -2S-
i
' 1~3t'`~51~
. .
1 ¦ 230, 232, 234, ~3~ also ~imultaneously strok~ng forward this same
; distance. After a ~hort dwell time at this forward position the i
frame 220 i~ retracted back to its original position where it
remains until commencement of the next cycle. By positioning of
; the cam 200 on the shaft 201, the phase relationship between the
... ..
forward stroking movement of the frame 220, the stopping of the
cartons below the loading stations at the product deck, and the
operation of the grippers and strippers, can be related so that
each confection piece ejected from the product deck loading sta-
tions 15, 16, 17, and 18 wlll be deposited directly into the
center of the appropriate row in the underlying carton. Exact
phasing of this relationship is preset at rest.
Fig~re 7 shows a detail in plan view at the first
mechanism deck level 35 of the carrier arm 30a, including the
detail of the connection between it and the pusher element 246.
Also included in the view of Fi~. 7 is an inhibit latching
mechanism 270.
As indicated in the drawing, Fig. 7, the load head
carrying arm 30a moves forward and back at each stroke in a slot
259 in the first mechanism deck 35. Just above the height of the
first mechanism deck 35, there is affixed to the load carrying
arm 30a a split blocX 258. The pusher element 246 passes through
. a collar 262 which is fixed to pivot pin 261. The pivot pin 261
" extends throuqh a hole 264 drilled in the front of the split
liblock 258 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of movement sf i
jlthe arm 30a. The pusher element 246 i5 coupled to the collar 262
Iby means of a relatively stiff compression spring 266, which
: llrests against retaining collar 267 fastened to the pusher ele-
~ent. When the pusher ele~ent 246 i8 stroked forward, and when
: 30 i
Il -27-
i! '
1 I latch ~echani~ 270 i~ not engaged ~llowing Eree movement of the
¦ arm 30a, the motion ~f pus~er ele~ent 246 cou~led thr~ugh the
! ~pring 266 carries the split block 258 and henee the arm 30a f~r- !
ward, rotation of the pivot pin 251 allowing for the slight
arcuate movement of the arm 30a which is pivoted above at the
.. , i
second mechanism deck 34. It should be noted that the mass of
the confection pieces, the loadinq head 31 and the carrier arm
30a is quite small, so that unless the arm 30a movement is posi-
tively inhibited it will move with the motion of p~sher element
246.
As previously indicated, each of the load head carrying ;
arms 30ar 30b, 30c, and 30d have associated with it inhibit latch
mechani~m5 270a, 270b, 270c, and 270d. Eac~ of these inhibit
latch mechani~ms may be selectively operated 80 that, in the
energized position, they inhibit the motion of the associated
carrier arm 30 from a forward stroke. When such an inhibit
action takes place, the corresponding pusher element, for
example, pusher element 246 in the case of arm 30a, moves forward
compressing ~pring 266 without producing any forward motion of
l~the arm 30a and its associated split block 258.
!: The operation of the inhibit latch mechanism, will now
be described in conjunction with the arm and in terms of the
' latch mechanism 270a. The basic ele~ent of the latch mechanism
! 270a ~s an electrically operated air valve 271~ such as that sold !
i by SRINNER under a designation solenoid opera~ed normally closed
~3-way valve. Such valves provide fo~ a pneumatically operated
¦ ~ylinder stroke in respon-~e to a received electrical 6ignal.
Referring to Fi~ure 11, the inhibit latch mechaniEm 27~a is shown I `
Iwith it~ la~ching e~emen~ 27~ i~ the forward engaged position in
¦ 2B~
Il I
2~
i: :
1 I which it latches with the front edge of a hardened ~teel latching
! block 275 attached ~o the ~plit bl~ck 2~8. In this position for- j
ward moYement of the carrier arm 3~a i~ restrained. The
actuating mechanism o~ this latch includes a piston head 276
6troked by the action of ~he air valve 271. A hardened ball 277
on the front of piston head 276 is maintained in intimate contact
with a wear plate 27B on latch pivot arm 280, which carries the
latching element 274. A spring 282 connected between the latch
; pivot arm 280 and the housing of the air valve 271 urges the
latch pivot arm 280 toward the piston head 276. Thus, in the
normal, unactuated, position, the latch element pivot arm 280 i5
, retracted by the action of this spring away from the engaged
position and latch element 274 is clear o~ stop element 275 on
! block 25~, permitting free movement of the carrier arm 30a.
Hardened stop 285 allow~ for precise adjustment o the stroke of
latch element 274 relative to latching block 275.
In summary, then, each time the cam 200 strokes the
frame 220 forward, the pusher elements stroke forward their asso-
ciated carrier arms 30 unless a~ electrical inhibit signal has
been transmitted to the corresponding air valve, thereby engayina
the inhibit }atch element to prevent forward motion of the con-
verted carrier arm. The basis for selective inhibition of the
j carrier arm movements and the programming of it is described
'~ below in connection with the timing and sequence controls.
5eq~encing and Control System
PigO 1~ is an illustration in generally diagrammaeic
form sf the timing disk arrangement which cooperates with the
circuitry schem~tically illustrated in Figures 12 and 13 to pro-
vide for sequencing ana control o~ the pacXaging apparatus. As
?~
1 I, shown in ~ig. 10, a pair of rotating disks 301 and 303 are sup-
~l ported on 6haft 30~. Shaft 3a5 is driven in fixed time relation
with the drive which drives the actuator cam shaft 201 so that
the disks 301 and 303 complete one complet~e revolution each time
cam 200 completes one 360 revolution. Disk 301 is a larger
diameter than disk 303 and includes a notch 301a within it. A
sensing element 32S i5 positioned to sense the passage of the
notch 301a. Sensor 326 includes a light emitting diode 327 posi-
tioned on one side of the disk 301 and a phototransistor 328
positioned on the opposite of the disk 30 so that, when notch
301a passes through sensor 326, light from the diode, which is
normally blocked by the disk 301 from reaching the associated
photo-transistor, passes through, turning on normally off rel~y
347. The function of this trigger signal from timing disk 301 is
to actuate all of the sensor pairs at each of the loading posi-
, tions to to determine whether or not the queue at each loading
; position is fully loaded. Accordingly, this ignal should be
produced just before the actuating stroke which occurs at the
. zero degree position on the cam 200. Thus, disk 301 would typi-
cally be set to generate its ~read" signal from sensing mechanism
i 32~ at a cam rotational posit;on of approximately 345.
The second disk 303 is somewhat smaller in diameter and
it includes a tab 303a extending fro~ its perimeter sufficiently
!i to pass through a second aensing element 330~ wi~h the tab inter--
j cepting the light beam fr~m the liyht emitting diode 331. This
beam is normally transmitted to the correspondinq phototransistor
332. The resulting loss of signal provides a reset signa~..to
¦1 open a set of contact~ unlatching any self-holding relays in the
¦I circuit which may have been actuated during the course of the
¦¦ cycl~. T~is eYent i~ ti~ed to occur ~omewhat before the ~read~ !
Ii 1.i
--30--
I ~
1 l signal ~n the operating ~ycle and w~uld therefore typically be
I set to occur at 330~ rotational position on the cam 200. It
should be noted that each o~ the disks 30l and 303 can be lnde-
! pendently adjust~d in rotational position on the spindle 305 forprecise phase and time ~ettin~
... .
As illustrated in Fig. 10, a third disk 304, is driven
through a four to one reduction drive system 307 from the spindle
305. This third disk 304 is again arranged with a cut out notch
304a within it, and has positioned around it, at approximately gO
degree intervals, four sensor elements 310, 314, 318, and 322. '.
Each of these sensor elements include a light e~itting diode and
a phototransistor with the light beam normally interrupted by the
disk 304a and providing a pulse signal only when notch 304a
passes beneath it. The purpose of disk 304 is to provide an
inhibi~ signal to each selected one of the inhibit mechanisms.
Since this disk 304 completes one revolution eYery four cycles,
it provides for inhibition of one carrier arm 30 per cycle
thereby allowing each one of the arms to skip one stroke every
four cycles, when the between cartons gap is located at the
construction lane loading position.
A schematic diagram of the circuitry of the sequence
and control system of the packaging apparatus is illustrated in
Figures 12 and 13. A power supply 380 is supplied with alter- I
' nating current voltage, typically 110 volts at one pair of ter-
. minals 380a and produces a DC QUtpUt voltage, typically S volts
¦ at a pair of DC output terminals 3BOb. The direct curren~ output
voltage is applied acro~s a genera} ladder network including all
of the Iight emitting diode element5 302 and all of the..pho-
, totransistor element~ ~6 ~f the product position sensing pairs,
-31- 1
1~ ~
3~ 0
1 ! as ~ell as the ~ensor elements which cooperate with the timin~
!, ai6ks 301r 303~ and 30~. ~hus, DC vol~age is supplied a~ross
light emitting diodes 302a throu~h 302~, which diodes are posi- !
tioned to provide three sensing beams through confection posi-
tions at the loading station 15 for lane one. Si~ilarly diodea
302d through 302f supply the light ~eams for ~he loading station
16 at lane number two, diodes 3029 through 302j provide the light
beams for the loading station 17 at lane number three, and
; finally, diode~ 302k through 302n provide the light beams for the
loading station 18 at lane number four.
; The phototransistors for lane number one are tran-
sistors 306a, 306b and 306c. These three phototransistors are
; connected in parallel and the parallel array of the three pho-
totransistors is connected ln series with relay 341 across the DC
voltage outp~t terminals 380b. An additional transistor 312 is
placed in parallel with tran~istors 396a, 306b, and 306c and has
light supplied to it from li~ht emitting diode 311~ This addi-
tional transistor is physically located within sens~r 310 on the
; skip disk 304. The circuit arrangement îs such that, if light is
received at any of the above four phototransistors, relay 341 is
energized. If this occur~ when read relay 347 is energized, the
electrically actuated air valve 390 is energized to aotuate the
inhibiting latch for the carrier arm 30a positioned above the
first lane.
il Relay 351 i6 connected between point 399, which except
for the ~hort duration reset time, carries 110 volts AC for the
duration of each cy~le, and through two sets of normally open
contacts 341c and 360 to the other side of the 110 volt line.
i Contacts 341c are closed by t~e actuation of re~ay 341 and the
-32
1~ ~13CZr-
1 l~ contacts 36~c are closed whenever the relay 347 which is actuated~
I once every cyc1e by ~he read disk 301, ~ enerqized.
!' !
' Each o f the other lanes have corresponding sets of l ~
~ relays, light sources, and phototransîstor~ to control the , :
i actuations of the inhibit latches 391 through 393 for lanes tWQ
through lane four respectively.
As illustrated in the circuit diagram of Figs. 12 and
13, normally off read relay 347, which is turned on by the
1 ~ .
passage of the cut-out in read disk 301 at 345 rotation, itself
closes contacts 347c to actuate a number of repeater relays 360
! through 363. These close contacts 360c through 363c, supplying
voltage to one s~de o the normally open contacts 341c, 342c,
343c, and 344c respectively. I~ then any of the phototransistors
, are receivlng light when read relay 347 is energized, actuating
current is supplied to the associated one of the alternatlng
current relays 351 through 354. These alternating current relays
351 through 354 provide for a self-holding feature in that they
turn on the corresponding ~et of contacts 351c, 352c, 353c and
354c maintaining themselves actuated until a reset signal opens
contacts 349c to unlatch all of these holding relays. Such an
arrangement provides that if at the time the read signal is
given, and any one of the lane position phototransistors sees
light the inhibit latching mechanism in the lane controlled by
! that sensor pair is actuated to inhibit the stroke of the carrier,
arm 30. Similarly when the ~ip disk 304 energizes a sensor the i
I corresponding inhibit latch is held on until the reset pulse
¦ ~ccur~. ¦
l The remainder of the circuitry illustrated ~n Fig. 12
¦ and 1~ proviae~ ~vr manua~ inhibition of either all of the
!
-33- `
1 i~ carrier elements 30 or, ~electivelY, any giYen one. The occasion
for operating the ma~ual in~ibitions 1~ t~ proYlde the same
number of confection pieces in the queue ~or each lane as a
backlog. ThUfi by cl~sure of contacts 311 t relay 370 is actuated
and all of the 370c contac~s are actuated, to energize each of
the air valves 390 through 393 inhibiting rlt one ti~e, all of the
stroke movements for all of the carrier arms 30. In the event
that any particular lane requires buildup of confection pieces in
' the queue then the corresponding individual one of the manually
operated closure b~ttons 374 through 376 may be actuated to
directly energize the corresponding inhibit latch, only for 50
long as the push button i5 depressed. Indicator lights 381
through 384 provide a vi~ual indication of whether or not the
particular lane, or all of the lanes, are being inhibited.
Gripper and Stripper Control Mechanism
The actuating mechanism for the gripper and stripper
element~ of the loading heads is carried on the second or upper
mechanism deck 34. Fig. 3 is a generally perspective represen-
tation of that mechanism and the manner in which it interconnects
to the control rods 514 and 515
Each of the pusher arms 30 is pivotally suspended from
the bottom of the second mechanism deck 34 and carries on it a
pivot plate member 600. Control rods 514 and 515 pass through
~learance holes in latch block 258 and slots in the plate fiO0,
and ~onnect at the second mechanism deck level to bell cranks 601i
and 604, which are pivotally supported on a mounting block 602.
I Bell crank 604 control6 the vertical motion of control rod 514
, and hence control~ the actuation of the gripper elements at the
.
I loading heads 31. Bell cran~ 601 c~ntrolæ ~he Yertical mo~'on of
i
-34-
~ ' .
s~ l
1 1¦ contro~ rod 515 and hen~e controls the actuation of the ~tripper ¦
l~ ele~ent~ in the loading he~d ~
l! l
! The stripper actuation bell crank 601 is driven by pull~
rod 603, which is ~tself pulled by T-bar 607. The gripper bell
. cranX 604 i5 driven by a pull rod 605, which is connected at its
other end to T-bar 608. The motion of the ~-bar 607 is
controlled by the action of the gripper sequencing cam 611 and
that of T-bar 608 i~ controlled by the stripper seq~encing cam
6100 ~hese two cams are mounted on shaft 620 which is borne by a
. pair of pillow blocks 621, resting on the second m~chanism deck
~ 34. The shaft 620 is driven synchronously with shaft 201 which
- drives the control cam 200 mounted on the first mechanism deck 35.
to control the stroking o the arms 30.
The arrangement for moving the T-arms 607 and 608 at
the appropriate time includes a cam follower 613 following the
rotation of gripper cam 611 and a similar cam follower (not
; shown) riding on the periphery of the stripper cam 610. The
! motion of these cam followers is tra~slated into horizontal move-
~ ment of connecting bars 616 and 618~ which pass through mounting
,
I blook 615~ Connecting bar 616 is coupled to T-bar 607 and one
end of T-bar 607 is supported by a tie bar 626 pivotally con~
nected at one end to the T-bar 607 and at the opposite to the
block carrying the follower 613 for the gripper cam 611.
~imilarly bar 618 i~ coupled to T-bar 608 and one end of T-bar
608 i8 ~upported by a ~ie bar 625 pivotally connected at one end
to it and at the opposite to the ~lock carrying the follower for
cam &10.
In operation, the rotation of the cams 610 and 611
seq~ence the ~ori zontal Qotion of the connecting rods, the bell
. l l
~3~ SO
I'
1 ¦ cranks ana hence the vertical ~otion of the control rods 514 and
, 51~ to the respe~tive gripper and ~tripper elements. Pigs. 8B
and 8C illustrate the prec~se shape of cam~s 610 and 611 and the
timing sequence of a cycle from these cams.
.
As mentioned earlier, in connection with the descrip-
' ti9n of operation o~ the sequencing of the pusher arm 30, each
pusher arm has an inh~bit mechanism to prevent its transportin~
conEections from the associated lane termination point under two
sets of circumstances~ One circumstance is when there is no car-
ton compartment adjacent to the lane termination point, but
rather there is a space between the cartons. The second cir-
cumstance is whenever the photosensors indicate that the lane
termination point i8 not ~illed with at least three confection
pieces. Under both of these circumstances the latch mechanism
1 270 prevents forward stroking motion of the arm 30, thus inhi-
biting the transfer of confection pieces from the high speed con-
veyor lane.
Whenever such an inhibit take place, it is alqo
necessary to inhibit the action of the gripper and stripper
mechanisms. This is accomplsihed by an inhibit latch mechanism
on deck 34 preventing actuation of control rods 514 and
515 whenever the associated pusher arm 30 is not stroked forward.
, This mechanism includes a crank arm 632 connected between pivot
plate 600 and latch stop plate 635. The latch stop plate 635 is
¦¦ slidably mounted in 3 pair of ~upporting blocks ~45 and, when the
¦¦ pusher ar~ 30 i~ in its normal, unstroked position, latch itop
plate 635 i~ in i~ uppermost position where it intercepts collar¦
ele~ents 63~ fastened to each of the connecting rods 603 and 605,
li preventing those ro~s fro~ ~troking f~rward. ~he collars 639
l I
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1 !' adju~t the limit of travel of the~e rods in the reverse direc- !
I tion. Whe~ an inhi~it tak~s place, ~pring~ 64 collapse to
.l accommodate the motion of the bars 607 ancl 6080 ~ension of the
spring 640 is adjusted by collar~ 641.
When~ however, pusher arm 30 is stroked forward, its
. . ~ , . .
motion rotates pivot plate 600 downwardly, thus lowering stop
plate 63~ and enabling the actuation of the connecting rods ~03
and 605, and hence of the control rods 514 and 515. The overall .
mechanism is, therefore, one in which the three cams 600, 610,
and 611 sequentially control the stroking motion of the pusher
arms 30 and the gripper and stripper elements within each load
head 31 to provide the sequence illustrated in Fig. 9 (A through
Index Drlve Mechanism
The lndex drive mechanism of the transport conveyor 11
is illustrated in Figs. 18 and 19. Fig. 18 i~ a side elevation
of the drive mechanism while Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view
taken along the line 19-19 of Fig~ 1~. The transport conveyor 11
is phased with the actuation cycl~ of the pus~her arms 30 and the
loading elements 31 ~uch that an empty compartment in one of the
. cartons 150 i5 stopped momentarily ~eside each of the lane ter-
mination loading points 15, 16 }7 ~nd 18 at the ti~e that the
; pusher arms 30 are ~troXed to initiate the transport of confec-
tion pie~es from the lane termination points ~o the cartons. The
drive mechanism, then, must be arranged to move the transport
¦¦ conveyor forward a fixed distance, equal to the separation bet-
¦¦ ween center lines of compartment~, and then ~top for a period~uffi~iently long for the confection pieces to be transferred
¦¦ from the lane termination point6 i~to the empty compartment of
30 . .l
I -37-
11 .
carto~ on the con~eyor immediately adjacent to each lane ter
! mination point.
The mechanism for this is shown in Figs. 18 and 19, The
output shaft ~50 from gear box 552 is driven by a synchronGus
motor ~not shown~ and has coupled to it an eccentric element 554,
..~
which carries a ball bearing ~53 mounted in block 555O A ~on-
necting arm 556 is fixed to the block 555 and pivotally connected
to ratchet frame 560. The ratchet frame 560 includes two
parallel plates 558 and 562 fixed to each other through bolts
564. This ratchet frame 560 is journaled on head shaft 566
through bushings 568 and on the hub of drive sprocket 572 through
bushings 574, An index wheel 576 having squ~re cutout notches
578 spaced around its periphery is rotaatably mounted on ratchet .
~rame 560 and i~ keyed to drive sprocket h~b S70 through a Xeying
pin 580.
A drive pawl 582 is pivotally mounted on ratchet frame
: 560 and spring biased toward the ratchet index wheel 576. The
drive pawl 5B2 is shaped to have its outer end fit into the
notches 578 in the index wheel 576. A back stop pawl 585 is
pivotally mounted to the assembly frame for the transport con- i
veyor 11 and is also spring biased inwardly toward the ratchet
wheel 576. The back stop pawl 585 is shaped with a squared off
outer edge and a sloped inward edge which permits the notches 378
in the inde~ wheel 576 to slide by the pawl in a clockwise direc-'
Il tion, but inhibits any movement of the index wheel in a coun- ¦
¦I terclockwise direction while this back stop pawl 585 is engaged
Il wil:h one of the 510t8 on the index wheel 576.
¦i In ~per~tion the output drive sh~ft 5~0 rotates con-
tinuously~ ther~b~ rotating the eccentric 5~4 and ~ffecting an
, ,
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i
ll i
i; . 3~L3~5~
1 ll osc~llating ~ovement of the ratchet frame 550 for each complete
~i revolution of the outeut sha~t 550. ~s a result of the
oscillating action of the ratchet frame S60, the drive pawl 582,
once engaged with one of the 6quare notches on the periphery of
, the index wheel 576, drives that index whee'l in a clock wise
direction with the clockwise oscillation motion of the ratchet
frame 560 carrying the pawl~ The bacX stop pawl 585 falls into
engage~ent with another notch at almost the end of the clockwise
mov~m.~nt of the ratchet frame 560. On the counterclockwise
oscillation of ratchet frame 560, the back stop pawl 58S engage-
ment with a notch on the index wheel 576, prevents it from
rotating counterclockwise, while the shape of the drive pawl,
allows it to rotate in a counterclockwise,direction with respect
to the index wheel 576 to fall into the next counterclockwise
notch, thus being prepared to drive the index wheel in a clock-
wise direction again on the next forward stroke of the ratchet
' frame 560.
', This arrangement thus provides for a stop, start
I indexing of the index wheel 576 and hence of the sprocket hub 570 ;
, and the head shaft 566. Head shaft 566 carries the main conveyor
' drive sprockets (not shown) to drive the main conveyor chain pro-
viding the motion for the transport conveyor 11. Rake off
' mechanism 14 is driven by sprocket 572.
!~ Dump Conveyor
j' As above indicated, there are important reasons why the
1. confection manufacturing unit mus~ be operated without interrup-
¦¦ tion~ For example, a typical manufacturing apparat~s, such as
¦! illustrated in Wight U S Patent No ~E. 29,477, involYes a
¦l freezing tunnel having within i a conveyor formed of individual
1 l plates ~hi~h suppor~ e~ruded and slice ice cr~m. ~he freezing
jl rate must be care~ully controlled such that the ice cream is suf-
~ficiently frozen at the time it exi~s the ree~ing apparatus but
not overfrozen ~uch that th~ ~tackiness", which retains the ice
cream on the plate, i~ lost.
.. , ; ~ ,
Because of considerations of the type just discussed,
it is highly desirable to continue to operate the confection
manufacturing portion of a total system even if the packaging or
cartoning portion has a breakdown or requires servicing.
Accordingly, there is a need for an effective and convenient way
of interrupting the flow of completed product to the cartoning
unit while not interfer~ng with the operation of the confection
~anufacturing unit. Aceording to one aspect of the present
invention, there is provided a ~dump conveyor~ device which is
easy to operate, facilitates re-start of the cartonng operation
without effect upon the manufacturing operation, and is itself
easily serviceable. ,
The dump conveyor unit i8 illustrated in Figs. 14
through 170 The unit comprises a series of four parallel con-
I veyors 400, 402, 404, and 406~ each itselP comprising a plurality
(e.g., three~ of endless, flexible, elongate filaments 408
trained about a series of rollers 410, 412, 414, 416, (a through
d~, 417, ~18, and 420. The system of rollers 410, 414~ 417 and
~ 420 are bearing mounted on plate 422 ~uch th~t each of these
¦I rollers has a substantially horizontal axis and the o~her en~s of
jl thece rollers are journaled in a second plate 423 ~upported by a
Il series of suppor~ rods ~25 extending between plates 42~ and pla-
¦, tes ~23. Roller ~12 i~ supported in a notch in block 424
¦1 oriented such tba~ the ~ension of the belts 408 maintains the
li
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3~5~ 1
, . ,
1 ¦, roller in ~ts pos~tion. ~oller 118 i~ similarly ~ounted. Thus
fil~ment ~2 can be easily re~oved and installed on the outside
~! of the roller system over the ~ide plate 423 which is essentially¦
cantilever supported from plate 422~ This c~nstruction facilita-
~
., tes convenient removal and replacement of the filamen~s 4080
Each of the rollers 416 a through 416d is placed in astaggered position in the direction of conveyor movement with a
displacement equal to the displacement of the lane termination
, points on the high speed conveyor 1~ so that each lane of the
dump conveyor unit terminates immediately adjacent the beginning
of the corresponding lane on the higher speed conveyor. These
rollers 416 are rotatably mounted on rods 415 which are slidably
carried in slotted plates 431. Rods 415 are positioned by a
series of collars and rods 427 extending from transverse rod 429
, which is itselE carried between sliding blocks 426. Th0 outer- I
I most positioning rods 411 and 413 are carried directly by sliding. ?
. blocks 426.
j In one presently preferred embodiment, each of the
~ fi}aments 408 consists of a flexible, but substantially not
l~ 6tretchable, endless loop of rubber often referred to in the
1 trade as an ~0-ringn.
i.
.~ ~eferring ~ore particularly to the system of rollers
410~420, in the preferred embodiment illustrated the roller 410
is a drive roller and the rollers 414 and 416 are at the same
height in order to define a run of the conveyor filaments 40B
which is substantially hori~ontal and which actually con.~.eys th2
confection rom the roller 414 (which in operation will be p1aced
adjacent the ter~inal roller of the confection manufacturin4
¦ apparatus conveyor~ to each of the rol}ers fl~ ~which in opera~
~ -41-
-I '!L13{~50
1 1 tion will ~e ~nitially located adjacent the initial roller of
l,' conveyor lane in the cartoning apparatus).
i!
The position of roller~ 416 ta through d) are shiftable
relative to the fixed supports 42~ and 423 and the fixed rollers
410, 414, 4~7 and 420 by the shifting of blocks 426 and their
cross connecting element 429, A cross-shaft 42B ss p~votally
mounted in the plates 422 and 423. The ar~s 430 which extend out
of the shaft 42B pass ~lidably through the connector blocks 432
which are pivotally connected through pins 433 to the sliding
1~ blocks 426 on each side. The ro~ary motion of the cross haft
428 is controlled by its link 435 and its connected double acting
air cylinder 436.
With the structure as described abovel in ~he normal
; operating condition the dump conveyor simply conveys four
parallel streams of confections along the conveying tracks 400,
402, ~04, and 406 as most clearly appears in Fig. 1. Tbe confec
tions are deposited on the groups of filaments 408 at the nip
between roller 414 and the terminal roller of the manufact~ring
portion of the apparatus. After traversing the run of conveyor ;
; between rollers 414 and 416, the confections are delivered to the
high speed conveyor of the cartoning apparatus at the nip between
i rollers 416 and the adjacent rollers 118 of the cartoning appara-
tus conveyor. This situation ~s shown in Figs. 14 and 15. In
~; the event of a malfunction of the cartoning apparatus~ the
. .
! p~eumatic cylinder 436 can be ac~uated to drive the movable sup-
jportQ 426 to the left as ~iewed in Figures 16 and 17, thereby
remov-ng the rollers 416 from their location immedia~ely adiacent ¦
j, the roller~ 118 of t~e carton;ng ~pparatus conveyor. The result
~ , o~ course, that the confections being conYeyed alon~ ~racks
I! !
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i
3~
1 1 400, ~D2, 40~, ~06 3re redirected, in that they fall verti~ally
as th~y reach the r~ller 4~6, ana a waste container provided
therebelow collects the produ~ thus ~ped. The degree o~ left-
ward move~ent of the support ~26 should be suffieient to provide
clearance between the rollers 416 and the cartoning apparatus to
assure that no confections will be delivered to the cartoning
apparatus while it is being remedied. Preferably, the retrac~ed
position is such that the rollers 416 are slightly to the right,
as viewed in Fig. 16, of the vertical run of fila~ents 408
extending between rollers 410 and 420. This positioning assures
that the dumped confections will not foul or otherwise interfere
with the dump conveyor mechanism.
; When it is desired to reinitiate the packaging opera~
tion, the piston and cylinder 436 is actuated in the reverse
direction to drive the supports 426 and their rollers 416 and 418
to the positions as illustrated in Figs. 14 and 15. As supports
426 carrying rod 429 and roller 418, move between their two posi-
tions as controlled by the air cylinder, essentially no change in
. filament length is encountered, likewise no slippage of the fila-
ments on any roller is required. In comparing the total belt
lengths ~hown in the two positions, Figure 1~ and Figure 16, it
can be seen that the change in belt length between rollers 414
and 416 is compensated for by a substantially equal and off-
. setting change of length between rollers 418 and 420. The length
; between rollers 416 and 418, like all other bel~ sections does
i not change. During the shifting operation, rollers 416 and 418roll in their end bearing as the length transfer is taking place.
Il As r~l~ers 416 ~ove from the dump to the operate position, the
¦l syste~. adds bel~ ~nto the horizontal run of conveyor ahead of any
; product wh~ch ha~ n~t been dumped, pr~ucing a v~id in the flow
1, '
! 43_
1~
1 ~ as rollers ~16 ~ove lnto position to feed the cartoner. T~i~
assures no confection piece ~ill ~e pinched ~5 it tries to go
~, over the ed~æ as the conveyors come together. This feature of
the dump conYeyor accordins to the present invention is highly
desirable since lt permits instantaneous ancl auto~atic reini-
tiation of ~he cartoning operationa Absent this feature, it can
be appreciated that with confections being continuously dumped
I sver the edge of rollers 41~ (at a typical rate of 600 confec-
tions per minute)~ repositioning the rollers 416 adjacent the
mating rollers of the cartoning unit would be subject to wedging
of confections between the conveyors of the dump conveyor unit ~1
and the cartoning apparatus, leading to fouling of the conveyors.
To facilitate this feature the actuation speed in changing the
conveyor configuration from the ~dump~ position to the normal
position should be rapid with respect to the running velosity of
the filaments.
The position of the rollers 416 in each of the lanes~
400 through 406 is displaced by the same distance as the d$spla-
cemen~ of the lane termination points 15 throagh 19 on the high
speed conveyor 12. This assures that after a ~dump" operation,
, the confections in each lane travel an equal distance and fill up
the queues a~ the lane termination points simultaneously.
As will be understood from the foregoing discussion,
the dump conveyor apparatus as described not only facilitates
,j rapid and efficient isolation of the cartoning apparatus and sub-
¦jsequent reinitiation of the cartoning procedure, but further
j¦fa~ilitates the convenient and ef~ieient serviciny of the dumpconveyor it~elf. Thus, as suggested above, with the cantilevered
I arrangement of r~llers and the trunnioned support of rollers 41~ ¦
-44-
.
..
!~ and 418, ~11 filaments ~0~ ~n be quickly and conveniently
. removed over the ~?late 423 o the ~ide o~ tbe app~ra'~us without
, any Jn~jor disassen~ly
,: :
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