Cannon Equipment Company

Cannon Equipment LLC

Imi Cornelius, Inc.

The Cornelius Company

Mark R Rosa

Alexander Vigdorovich

Steven A Rahman

James E Kovacs

Patrick J Geraghty

Robert P Sweet

William E McIntosh

Mark H Sickman

William C Tigner

Douglas Levine

Hugh I Myers

Scott Peder Opsahl

Gregory Lawrence Nordling

Steven Allen Rahman

An apparatus is for conveying cases from an upstream end to one of a first downstream end and a second downstream end. The apparatus includes a conveyor and a diverter assembly that receives the case and dispenses the case toward the first downstream end or the second downstream end. The diverter assembly is pivotable to thereby direct the case toward the first downstream end or the second downstream end, and the diverter assembly is configured to clamp the case to thereby stop conveyance of the case as the diverter assembly pivots and also pivot the case to clear an obstruction presented by an adjacent conveyor.

Apparatuses for conveying and diverting cases

Various continuous chain conveyors, parts for same (e.g., chain guides, chain drives, etc.), packaging and handling equipment and systems and related methods are disclosed herein. In one form, a chain conveyor comprising a primary continuous chain having a first portion configured to carry objects along a path and a return portion, a motor operably coupled to the primary continuous chain so as to induce movement of the chain, a first sprocket engaging the return portion of the primary continuous chain, wherein movement of the return portion causes the first sprocket to rotate, a second sprocket coupled to the first sprocket by a drive shaft, wherein rotation of the first sprocket causes the second sprocket to rotate, and an auxiliary chain operably coupled to the second sprocket such that rotation of the second sprocket causes movement of the auxiliary chain.

Return chain drive and related methods

An automated pallet checker system for checking the structural integrity of a pallet includes a conveyor arrangement mounted on a framework and operable to convey the pallet to be checked through an in-feed station and a lift station connected to the in-feed station. The in-feed station is configured to check the pallet for a presence or absence of pallet bottom cross boards as the pallet is carried on the conveyor arrangement. The lift station is also configured to check for obstructions depending from the pallet bottom cross boards, and missing material in leading and trailing edges of the pallet top cross boards during a lifting movement of the pallet in the lift station. A controller is operatively connected to the conveyor arrangement, the in-feed station and the lift station, and is responsive to signals generated in the in-feed station and the lift station to determine whether the pallet being checked in the in-feed station and the lift station is acceptable or unacceptable.

Pallet checker

The present invention comprises a cart loading machine that provides for improved operating efficiencies, and includes a cart loading station, an infeed conveyor, a pattern forming area, a carrier sheet and wiping mechanism, and a fork loading apparatus. The cart loading station includes a framework defining a cart loading position and a cart waiting position. With the carrier in its extended position having carried a fully formed pattern to the cart loading position, a wiping mechanism is extended from beneath the carrier plate to contact the bundles as they sit on the carrier so that when the carrier moves back to its retracted position, the bundles are blocked and stripped therefrom. The wiping mechanism is then retracted below the carrier to permit the loading of a subsequent pattern of bundles thereon. This wiping mechanism eliminates the need for an overhanging blocking mechanism thereby permitting more efficient loader design and easier access to the pattern forming and bundle stripping areas.

Cart loader and method of loading

An apparatus and method for automatically loading successive layers of similarly shaped objects, such as newspaper bundles and the like, into wheeled carts. The bundles are first delivered at a controlled rate from a source thereof to a device that arranges and delivers the objects in organized groups to an initial loading position. The organized group is then moved onto a carrier from the loading position. The carrier then moves from its loading position to a position within the wheeled cart. A blocking plate serves to prevent the objects from moving with the carrier as it move back to its initial loading position wherein the objects are deposited in the cart. The cart is held on a lift and is first moved to a top loading position for receiving the first layer of bundles and subsequently lowered the needed amount for receiving successive layers of bundles. An electronic control provides for the coordinated control of the systems of the present invention so that the cart can be automatically and quickly filled with layers of the organized bundles.

Cart loading machine

A bi-directional ratchet conveyor is shown including a carrier bar slideably mounted centrally of a frame and operated by a power cylinder. The carrier bar has a first plurality of gravity dogs pivotally secured along a first side thereof, and a second plurality of gravity dogs secured along a second side thereof oriented in an opposite direction from the first plurality of gravity dogs. Dog operating rods are slideably secured to each side of the carrier bar for independently operating the first and second plurality of dogs between active and neutral positions. Each dog operating rod is operated by a separate pneumatic cylinder. When the first plurality of dogs are maintained in an active position, the second plurality of dogs are maintained in a neutral position, thereby providing for movement of goods in one direction along the conveyor through repeated extension and retraction of the power cylinder. Conversely, when the second plurality of dogs are maintained in an active position, and the first plurality of dogs are maintained in a neutral position, the products are moveable in the opposite direction along the conveyor.

Accumulating ratchet conveyor

Bi-directional ratchet conveyor

A newspaper bundle handling system is shown and includes a bundle arranging and loading apparatus for arranging and loading successive layers of newspaper bundles on a wheeled cart. The present invention also includes a conveying mechanism for conveying empty carts to the loading apparatus and for subsequently conveying loaded carts away from the loading apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Inver Grove Heights, MN, United States of America

Mark R Rosa