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:
Mar. 01, 2005
Filed:
Apr. 05, 2001
Robert Mann Bradbury, Powhatan, VA (US);
William Albert Cupp, Aylett, VA (US);
Michael Kent, Aylesbury, GB;
Paul Malcolm Meade, Richmond, VA (US);
Dirk Pruessmann, Glen Allen, VA (US);
William Joseph Schreier, Jr., Richmond, VA (US);
Philip Neil Theurer, Glen Allen, VA (US);
Clive William Watson, Croizer, VA (US);
Robert Mann Bradbury, Powhatan, VA (US);
William Albert Cupp, Aylett, VA (US);
Michael Kent, Aylesbury, GB;
Paul Malcolm Meade, Richmond, VA (US);
Dirk Pruessmann, Glen Allen, VA (US);
William Joseph Schreier, Jr., Richmond, VA (US);
Philip Neil Theurer, Glen Allen, VA (US);
Clive William Watson, Croizer, VA (US);
Molins Plc, Milton Keynes, GB;
Abstract
A tray unloader for rod-like articles of the tobacco industry includes a horizontally-movable, slidable carriage supporting an independently-driven tray inverting carrier arranged to pick up an upright full tray from a receiving position and invert it during movement to an unloading position. In the unloading position articles are received directly over opposed horizontal bands having a delivery channel between confronting ends and defining the initial level at which articles are received over most of the width of the tray. Downstream of the channel is a conveyor which operates at a relatively high rate during a first phase of unloading for each tray and at a reduced rate during a second phase, so as to allow controlled emptying of the tray and establishment of the residual level of articles in the channel after completion of unloading of each tray.