US1190235A - Can-feeding mechanism. - Google Patents

Description

C. H. AYARS.

CAN FEEDING MECHANISM. I APPLICATION FILED 1AN.30, 1914. 1,190,235. Patented July 4,1916.

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CAN FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-30,1914.

Patented July 4, 1916.

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q Vi Mmoogo 1) STATES PATENT oEEIcE.

CHARLES H. AYARS, 0F SALEM, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 AYARS MACHINE COMPANY, OF SALEM, NEW JERSEY A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CAN-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 30, 1914. Serial No. 815,396.

make use of cans having one end entirely closed and the other entirely open, while others use cans one end of which is closed and the other end is provided with a head with a central filling opening through which the material is filled into the can. The former, or entirely open-end cans, are troublesome to handle in bringing them into position to be filled because they must be upright during filling, and they are generally rolled on their side through a chute toward the filling machine, which requires them to be transferred and turned on their ends. In many instances it is desirable to drop the empty cans vertically into position to be fed into the filler, but if the cans are entirely open at one end they are liable to telescope if fed end-on-end through a Vertical chute and thereby give considerable annoyance.

The present invention therefore has for its object to provide an improved can-feed for can filling machines which will handle cans having one end entirely open or partly open and which'will enable the cans to be rolled on their sides in the desirable way and then turn said cans onto their ends with the filling end uppermost.

One practical application of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

trates in side elevation, a portion of. a can-- filling machine and the improved can-feed and righting mechanism. 'Fig. 3, shows an enlarged side elevation" of the can-feed and righting mechanism. Fig.4, illustrates thesame 111 top plan and onan enlarged scale. Fig. 5, shows an enlarged verticalcross-section through the feed and righting mecha- Patented. July 4., 1916. Z

nism, as taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 6, is a similar view as though taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1.

While the improved can-feeding and righting mechanism may be employed in filling mechanisms of various forms, I have elected to show the'same in connection with a filling mechanism like that shown and described in U. S. Patent 944,354 granted to me December 21st, 1909, wherein the material to be packed is placed in a main hopper, 7, from which it is intermittently fed in suitable quantities and deposited into traveling hoppers, 8, which successively pass the main hopper. Below the traveling hoppers there is a table, 9, and an endless series of can-engaging arms, 10, travel below and at the same speed as the hoppers, 8, so as to receive the cans fed to the filling mechanism and convey them while in register with the discharge-ends of the traveling hoppers so as to receive the measured material from the latter hoppers while the cans and hoppers are both in motion.

In my said prior patent the cans are fed end-on-end because one end of the cans therein employed is entirely closed and the other end has a head with a filling opening. In my present invention however, I prefer to utilize a vertical chute, 11, but of such size and shape as to receive the cans horiz ontally, or on their sides. To do this I provide a horizontal conveyer table, 12, which is suitably sustained at one side of the filling machine proper, and at one end of which there are two vertically-extending legs or supports, 13, on which the vertical chute, 11, is sustained in a somewhat elevated position; The table, 12, has a central longitudinal guide groove, 14, in which the upper stretch of an endless belt or chain-conveyer, 15, travels. -At opposite ends, the table has sprockets, 16,, and, 17, respectively,--the former to guide and direct the endless conveyer into the groove, 14, and the latter to guide said conveyer as it leaves said groove. A driving sprocket, 18, is driven from a shaft, 19, of the filler mechanism and imparts an endless conveying motion to the conveyer. The .conveyer is provided with a series of can-engaging arms,'20, which extend vertically as they are drawn over the table and push the emptycans along as they advanca- On the outer side, the conveyer table has an upwardly-extending guide wall,

21., whose forward end, 22, inclines upslightly overhang orproject over the cylin dric wall of the can-body as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5. As the guide-rail extends away from the vertical hopper it gradually stra-ightens andfinally becomes vertical.

By referring to Fig. 4, of the drawing it Will be noted that theouter guide Wall, 21, does not extend parallel ,with theconveyer and the guide groove, 14, in the table, but approaches and nears the said conveyer and groove as it recedes from the vertlcal feed chute.

4 and 6 of the drawings, that for a portion of its length, the upper surface of the table, 12, has a beveled edge, 27 ,at opposite sides of the guide groove, 14, and conveyer. The

purpose of these beveled surfaces is to per mit the edge of the can, when turning from the horizontal to the vertical position to readily pass over the groove and conveyer Without catching on said edges, as can be seen best in Fig. 6, of the drawing.

At the inner end of the guide-rail, 23, there is provided a vertical shaft, 28,. on which a rotary can-feed device, 29, is mounted. In the present instance this feed device consists of a head having a plurality of arms 30, which swing through a circular path and project over the end of conveyer table, 12. The revolution of these arms is so timed as to insure that an arm will swing across the table and conveyer, 15, between each two can-pusher arms, 20, of the conveyer, so as to engage the cans just as the conveyer arms,- 20, disengage them and feed them around through a guide-way, 31, and push one can at a time onto the table, 9, of the filling machine and in the path of one of the can-engaging arms, 10, as shown in Fig. 1.

In operation, the empty cans, 32, are pref+ erably rolled from a source of supply and turned into the vertical chute, 11, while, being maintained on their cylindric walls. The lowermost can will rest on the table, 12, between two conveyer arms, 20, so that as the conveyer travels the arm behind said lowermost can will push and roll the latter from beneath the vertical stack of cans, When the cans are deposited on the table, 12, the open'orv partly open ends will face outward, and as the arms, 20,-push the cans forward, rolling them while doing so, the

It will also be noted by referring a) Figs.

- open or filling ends will ride up onto the inclined forward end, 22, of the guide wall, 21, while the closed end, 24, will roll in contact with the tilted end, 25, of the elevated guide rail, 23, at the inner side of the table. As the cans are rolled forward, their filling ends will be elevated more and more by the guide wall, 21, and the closed ends, 24, will as to make room for the arms, 30, of the rotary feed device to swing behind them without striking the conveyer arms, 20, and as the latter arms disengage the cans the arms, 30, sweep them into and around the curved guide-way, 31. In practice, it has been found desirable to have a can last fed remain in the end of guide-way, 31, until the next can is fed around, which latter can will engage said last fed canand push it onto the table, 9, of the filling machine.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patenti 1. n a can-feeding and-righting mechanism the combination with a chute, of a conveyer moving in a straight line from beneath the chute, said conveyer to receive empty cans on their sides; means for actuating the conveyer and means at one side and independent of the convever for righting the cans asthey are advanced with the conveyer.

'2. In a can-feeding. and righting mechanism the combination with a flexible conveyer moving in a straight line to receive empty cans on their sides, of stationary means at one side and independent of the conveyer for raising one end of each can in succession and stationary means at the other side and'independent of the conveyer for engagingthe other end of each can while the first-named end is being raised.

3. In a can-feeding and righting mechanism the combination with a flexible straight conveyer to receive empty cans on their sides, of stationary means independent of and at one side of the flexible conveyer for engaging and gradually raising one end of each can as it advances and stationary means also independent of and at the opposite side of the flexible conveyer for engaging the other end of each can while its first-named end is'being raised. Y

4. In a can-feeding-and righting mechanism the combination with a horizontal table to receive empty cans on their sides, of a flexible conveyer extending longitudinally of the table and depressed with respect to the latter; can-engaging arms attached to and carried by the conveyer and projecting above the table and means for engaging and turning one end of each can uppermost as the cans are moved over the table by the said arms.

5. In a can-feeding and righting mechanism the combination with a horizontal table to receive empty cans on their sides, of a flexible conveyer extending longitudinally of the table and depressed with respect to the latter; can-engaging arms attached to and carried by the flexible conveyer and projecting above the table; an inclined guide wall extending longitudinally at one side of the conveyer for engaging and turning one end of the cans uppermost as they are moved longitudinally over the table, and means at the opposite side of the flexible conveyer for engaging the other ends of the cans.

6. In a can-feeding and righting mechanism the combination with a horizontal table to receive empty cans on their sides and having a longitudinal passage for a conveyer and also provided with beveled surfaces at opposite sides of the passage, of a conveyer movable through the table passage and between said beveled surfaces and means for turning. the cans from their sides and onto their ends as they pass the beveled surfaces.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

r CHARLES H. AYARS.

Witnesses:

O. N. Vio'roR, MARY D. BANKS.

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