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:
May. 23, 1989
Filed:
May. 12, 1988
David L Anderson, Alexandria, MN (US);
James F Korkowski, Brandon, MN (US);
APV Douglas Machine Corporation, Alexandria, MN (US);
Abstract
A device (10) for metering containers (14) for use in packaging machines is disclosed as including a pin system (11) which is pivotally mounted about its drive shaft (22) relative to a conveyor (54). Pin system (11) includes a driven flexible member in the form of cross bars (16) mounted to a roller chain (18) in a generally elliptically shaped endless loop, with the pins (12) extending form the cross bars (16) and being operatively attached to cam followers (20) thereby. The elliptically shaped endless loop is supported by a cam support (24) extending between drive and idler sprockets (28, 32) for continuously changing the pitch angles of the pins (12) along a portion of the endless loop. The pin system (11) is variably positioned relative to the conveyor (54) by pivoting the pin system (11) about the drive shaft (22) such that the containers (14) initially contact the pins (12) at different segments of the endless loop portion along the cam support (24) and sprockets (28, 32) and are inserted into the windows between adjacent containers (14) to allow the device (10) to be easily and quickly changed over to meter different sized containers (14). In the preferred form, the pin system (11) is pivoted by a crank arm assembly (40, 42) which is pivoted by a worm gear drive (46, 48) rotated by a hand wheel (52).