Article infeed gate and control therefor

Abstract

There is disclosed apparatus for feeding articles, such as bottles, for example, to a machine and includes a conveyor advancing articles past a gate member and into an infeed worm which times and spaces the articles properly for introduction to the machine. The articles are accumulated upstream of the worm on the conveyor and the accumulation detected by a sensor means. The gate is extendable across the conveyor to close and arrest the bottles when an insufficient supply accumulation is sensed. When a sufficient article accumulation occurs, the sensor means enables the gate to retract or open. The opening of the gate is timed by a first proximity switch in circuit with the sensor means so that articles which first pass the gate will be synchronized with the worm and enter it smoothly. If and when articles are in short supply, the sensor means signals to close the gate for again accumulating them. The timing of closing the gate is achieved by a second proximity switch which closes the gate between articles and avoids striking them.