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:
Jun. 14, 1994
Filed:
Dec. 29, 1992
Richard H VanderMeer, Loveland, CO (US);
Donald J Simkowski, Loveland, CO (US);
Goldco Industries, Inc., Loveland, CO (US);
Abstract
A device is disclosed that utilizes a fluid (normally air) to effect nested alignment of articles having a circular cross-section (such as cans used to package beverages and the like). A conveying section that includes a dead plate and a fluid conveyor provides articles in a mass flow to an aligning section having guides therein spaced a sufficient distance to form guideways through which articles are fluid driven in single file toward a discharge end having an adjacently positioned staging section that also includes a fluid conveyor. The guides, other than a center guide, have first and second portions that are angled with respect to one another, and fluid injected into the sections through apertures in a base plate providing section bottoms urges the articles into a plurality of adjacent rows of aligned articles at the staging section with the articles of each adjacent row offset from one another to effect nesting of the articles. Readily removable section top units preclude upward movement of the articles, and nested and aligned articles discharged from the staging area are provided to a palletizer or like apparatus.