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:
Feb. 09, 1988
Filed:
Jul. 21, 1986
Thomas S Hartness, Greenville, SC (US);
E Leon Hopkins, Greenville, SC (US);
Hartness International, Greenville, SC (US);
Abstract
The invention disclosed is an apparatus for automatically aligning and feeding articles on an article loading machine between dividers to form lanes of articles. The apparatus includes a pivoting guide chute which swings back and forth across a conveyor to discharge a predetermined number of articles intermittently into parallel lanes through actuation of jaws and/or a presser bar clamp assembly. An indexing assembly for the guide chute is provided which includes a double acting pneumatic cylinder and a connecting block which is slidably mounted and connected to the piston of the double acting cylinder. The connecting block has a plurality of interconnected guide slots in its upper surface with a stop position at each end of each slot. A second pneumatic cylinder having a cam follower which slides within the guide slots, blocks and releases the cam follower at each stop and thereby frees the first cylinder to move the chute to the next lane. A full charge of compressed air is kept on the drive cylinder at all times so that quick and positive lane indexing takes place. A pivotal guide bar assembly is provided which guides an article discharged from the chute towards a lane entrance.