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:
Oct. 14, 1986
Filed:
Mar. 26, 1984
Robert G Hartness, Greer, SC (US);
Other;
Abstract
Apparatus for automatically aligning and feeding articles upright on an article loading machine between spacer rails to form lanes of articles such as bottles aligned in a row is disclosed. The apparatus includes a pivoting chute (A) which pivots to and fro across a conveyor (32) to feed articles (34) intermittently into the parallel lanes (24, 26, 28, 30) defined by spacer rails (14, 16, 18, 20, 22) over the conveyor. The pivoting guide chute includes an inlet (38) which receives bottles already conveyed in a single row. The guide chute includes an outlet (39) where a releasable feed mechanism (C) holds the bottle as the chute mechanism swings from one lane to the next and then releases a predetermined number of bottles at the entrance end (24a, 26a, 28a, 30a) of each lane. Serially connected air cylinders (120, 122, 124) provide a stepwise indexing of the chute means fron one lane to the next for dispensing of the bottles. The opening and closing of the feed mechanism is controlled by air cylinders (100, 102, 106).