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. 26, 1993
Filed:
Jul. 29, 1992
Rene Fluck, Schleitheim, CH;
SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft, Neuhausen am Rheinfall, CH;
Abstract
An apparatus for forming article groups from flat articles includes a belt conveyor for advancing thereon an article column formed of individual, flat-lying articles; a sensor supported above the conveyor surface for sensing the presence of articles on the conveyor surface; a series of article grippers situated downstream of the sensor as viewed in the direction of advance; a mechanism for shifting the grippers from above the conveyor surface to a position laterally of the conveyor surface; a group-forming device including a plurality of containers and a mechanism for positioning the containers at a location in which the articles are released by the grippers and are deposited into the containers to form stacks of superposed articles therein. The mechanism moves the containers stepwise downwardly during the stacking operation. There is further provided a control apparatus having an input connected to the sensor for receiving signals therefrom. The control apparatus has outputs connected to the shifting and positioning mechanisms.