The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 26, 1977
Filed:
Feb. 23, 1976
Robert Leland Frenkel, Englewood, CO (US);
Peter Vischer, Golden, CO (US);
James Allen Gulka, Arvada, CO (US);
Coors Container Company, Golden, CO (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for separating a generally rectangular array of containers into a single file line of similarly oriented single file containers. The array is comprised of a plurality of rectangular containers, some having transverse orientations and some having longitudinal orientations. The method of the invention includes advancing all the containers of the array into a number of lines of advancing containers, turning the containers with transverse orientations to longitudinal orientations, and converging the various transversely spaced and longitudinally oriented containers into a single file line of longitudinally oriented containers. The apparatus for practicing the invention may include a number of successive conveyor stations each having various conveyor means such as belts or rollers which sequentially advance the containers generally in a longitudinal path of movement. The conveyor means separates the containers into a number of multiple generally parallel separate paths of movement and changes the orientation of certain ones of the containers to subsequently effect a common orientation of all the containers. The conveyor means also combines the commonly oriented containers in the separate paths of movement into one row in a single path of movement wherein all the containers are in a commonly oriented relationship.