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:
Aug. 02, 1994
Filed:
Nov. 13, 1991
Heinz Schmeisser, Greenfield, WI (US);
James A Franz, West Bend, WI (US);
Other;
Abstract
An apparatus for accumulating blanks into stacks and transferring the stacks into a welder hopper of a can former/welder includes an arrangement of side-by-side blank accumulating pockets at an output of a slitter. The side-by-side arrangement is movable to adjacent an indexing and storage station and a pusher to push the stacks from the side-by-side arrangement to the indexing and storage station is provided. The indexing and storage station moves in an indexed fashion to align each stack individually with a single stack receiving station, where single stacks are received from the indexing and storage station. The stack in the single stack receiving station is blocked, lifted and rotated for engagement by an overhead gripper of a gantry assembly which moves the stack to the welder hopper when needed.