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. 23, 1991
Filed:
Feb. 06, 1989
Wayne Lutzke, Plymouth, WI (US);
Nigrelli Systems, Inc., Kiel, WI (US);
Abstract
An automatic case accumulator accumulates and discharges cases in conjunction with a bottle filling line. Mother cases must be accumulated when a filling run is started until filled bottles are ready to be repacked into cases associated with later-filled bottles. At the end of the filling run, the mother cases are discharged to the packing machine to be loaded with the last filled bottles. The case accumulator comprises a vertically oriented frame with chains and sprockets for holding and moving a plurality of shelves. The shelves have respective bases that are in vertical alignment with portions of a number of cases that overhang a case conveyor. Raising a shelf under the case overhaning portions lifts the cases from the conveyor. Pivotable fingers on the next higher consecutive shelf are located inside the cases to prevent the cases from tipping off the shelf bases. Case stops block case downstream transportation by the conveyor while the shelves are moving vertically to accumulate or discharge the cases.