US2620608A - Conveyer mechanism for wrapping machines and the like - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 9, 1952 J. w. SMITH 2,620,508

CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING. V

MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed May 2, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

I B; EMF' ATTORNEY Dec. 9, 1952 M Jlw. SMITH CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1947 TORNEY Dec. 9, 1952 J. w. SMITH 2,520,608 CONVEYER MECHANISM FOR WRAPPING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed May 2, 1947 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORN EY' INVENTOR.

Patented Dec. 9, 195 2 oo VE YER MECHANISM FOR wharpmo John W. Smith, Battle Creek, Mich, assignor to Ba t e Creek Br ad W apping Mach n Cornea liattle Creek hee fieatiee May 2, 1947, Serial Na 4 2 9 Gia ie- 1 This invention relates to improvements in conveyormechanisms for wrapping machines and thelike. I L

i The principal objects of this invention are:

First, to provide mechanism for lifting a quantity of articles tob'e' wrappedon a bottom supporting panel vertically from atcontinuously advancing conveyor upwardly "through a Wrapper feed table to 'an upper wrapper and transfer station where the folding and wrapping of the package may be completed.

Second, to provide elevator mechanism for transferring a quantity of articles from or to a continuously advancing conveyorin which the t i l s o bott m pahelsmavbe e pt hueuel ad an e to a Wra p n statio With u inte mitte t st n an vstar in i he naeha e h eh elew' down th thaeh ae i l able t e led he etae eif t p ovid wra ng m hani m b m an of whi h a umh ro le may be aut .matically packaged and. w appe a flat sup.- p tin pane liminat n the ne d for more e pe e si e wal d cant. O he ob e t and ad... t stes pertain n to t e d a ls an ec nomies o t e inven ion wil be apparent from the followin descr pti n a d claims.

The drawings, of which there are three sheets, illustrate a preferred form of my elevator mechanism as applied to a machine for wrapping several cookies in a package.

Fig. 1 is a, fragmentary vertical longitudinally cross sectional view through the wrapping machine taken-along the broken line l-| in Fig. 3 and showing .the elevator in lowered position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational .view partially broken away in cross section of the operating cams and linkage for actuating my elevator and illustrating the successive positions of the elevator in dotted lines.

Fig; .3 .is a fragmentary plan view, partially broken away, of my elevator mechanism with the wrapper feed-"and folding mechanism removed frorn'the'top'thereof to' clearly illustrate the elevator and it'srelationshipto the conveyor for advancing the food packages.

In the wrapping of vfoodfarticles, particularly baked goods, it'has been the. practice'to' provide a loading conveyor 'havinglaterally and longitudinally adjustable flights of loading pockets in which arelplacedibottom panels of-light cardboard for supporting'theibakedgoodsj'and upon which the baked goods are placed either auto,- matically or by hand asjthey: come'fromthe a in ovens... The baked goods-and bo tom panels are thenadvanced by the l ad n canveyor to an elevatin station where m ch n sm is ro ided for liftin the b ttom: pan l with th aked goods thereon v r i l y u ward throu an opening in a wra per f ed tab e s that th packa e s presse upward y underneath a pi of wrappi paper: The pack e and wra e are r se u w l throug an o e ing in a Wr pp g bl n su a fash th the Wra per is folded downwardly over the sides of the package and transfer mechanism is provided a ove the w app n ta l for f ld n thee ds. f the wrapper about the package and transferring the package ofijof the elevator in such'a fashion as to fold the bottom of the wrapper across the bottom of the package.= In previous machines it has been nec ssary o operate the. loadin po veyor. intermittently so that the pockets will be stopped over the elevator "position during the time in which the elevator is lifting each pack- ,ageand returning. to its lowered position. This practice has beensatisfactory'when wrapping such articles as bread and cakes of a solid nature but has proved unsatisfactory'when wrapping a series of cookies in which the cookies are loosely stacked on the bottom panel because the intermittent starting and stopping of the loading conveyor results in'the stacks of cookies being jiggled and toppled from the bottom panel. It'has therefore been necessary to use more expensive side walledfboxes for packaging cookies. .By'me'ans of my elevatormeichanismthe loading conveyor may be operated smoothly and continuously eliminating thetendency' for the stacks of cookies .to' befltop pledand dislodgedflThis permits the use of inexpensive rlatwbojttom panels to'support the cookies on the loading conveyor.

As illustrated in thedrawings; my Wrapping mach ne is prov dedzivith a pair of suitable s am m mbers i w ich support across their top the Wrapper feed ta le i2 havin the .aperture'EB 3 formed therein through which the package of cookies is to be raised. The wrapping table is indicated at 4 vertically above the wrapper feed table and is provided with an elevator opening 5 directly above the opening in the wrapper feed table. Folding and transferring mechanism is conventionally illustrated by the dotted lines at 6 for folding the wrapper around the package and transferring the package from the elevator.

The ends of the side frame members I carry a motor support I on which the driving motor 8 is mounted. The motor is belt connected to a pulley on the driving shaft 9 journaled in the side frame members and the shaft 9 is provided with a pinion H) (see Fig. 3) for driving a gear II on the jack shaft |2. The jack shaft l2 is provided with a bevel gear |3 driving a mating bevel gear on the lay shaft |4 journaled in brackets on the forward side frame member. The lay shaft I4 is provided with a second bevel gear l5 driving a mating bevel gear on the driven shaft l6 which is also journaled in the side frame members and which extends beyond each side of the side frame members. The driven shaft I6 is provided with a sprocket and chain drive to the conveyor shaft I8 from which the loading conveyor chains H! are operated. The loading conveyor is of a. design familiar to the wrapping machine art being provided with inner and outer chains carrying forward pocket members and rear pocket members 2| forming flights of loading pockets.

Journaled in the side frame members to the left of the driven shaft l6 as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3 is a rock shaft 22 having a bifurcated crank arm 23 secured thereto underneath the center of the loading conveyor. The crank arm 23 is pivotally connected to an upper elevator arm 24 and the rear end of the rock shaft 22 is provided with a second crank arm 25 (see Figs. 2 and 3) carrying a cam roller 26. The cam roller 26 is engaged in and actuated by the cam groove 27 formed on the inside of a cam wheel 28 secured to the rear end of the driven shaft l6. (See Figs. 2 and 3.)

It will thus be seen that as the driven shaft l6 and cam wheel 28 are rotated by the lay shaft, the loading conveyor will be advanced and the crank arm 25 will actuate the rock shaft 22 and crank arm 23 to oscillate the elevator arm 24 according to the contour of the cam groove 27.

Positioned below the rock shaft 22 and journaled between the forward side frame members and a bracket 29 secured to the rear side frame is a second rock shaft 30 having a lower elevator arm 3| secured thereto underneath the upper elevator arm 24. The forward end of the rock shaft 30 is provided with a crank arm 32 carrying the cam roller 33 and the cam roller is positioned in a cam groove 34 formed on the inside of a second cam wheel 35 carried on the forward end of the driven shaft I6. Thus as the upper rock shaft 22 and elevator arm are oscillated as previously described the lower rock shaft 36 and elevator arm 3| will simultaneously be oscillated by movement of the cam roller 33 in the cam groove 34.

The right or free ends of the elevator arms 24 and 3| are pivotally connected to an elevator bar 36 having an upwardly extending portion 31 to the upper end of which is attached a bracket 38 defining a transversely extending, upwardly opening T slot 39. The T slot is arranged to receive a, mating T block 40 secured to the underside of the flanged elevator table 4|.

As is most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 the cam groove 21 in the rear cam wheel 28 is provided with a substantially constant radially advanced portion 42 throughout half of its circumference and connected at its ends to an irregular radially recessed portion 43. Thus as the cam wheel 28 and driven shaft l6 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, the cam roller 26 and crank arm 25 will maintain the upper rock snart 1n the substantially constant position throughout half of the rotation of the driven shart and will then rapidly advance the upper elevator arm 24 longitudinally in the direction of travel of the loading conveyor l9 and less rapidly return the upper arm to the retracted position shown by the full lines in Fig. 1.

Simultaneously with the motion of the upper elevator arm just described, the cam slot 34 in the forward cam wheel 35 will actuate the cam roller 33 from a substantially constant radially advanced portion at 44 through a rapidly retracting portion 45 and advancing portion 46. Motion of the cam roller through this cam groove will rapidly depress the lower elevator arm 3| while traversing the retracting portion 45 of the groove. The advancing portion 46 will raise the elevator bar 36 and the constant portion 44 will hold the elevator in raised position during the functioning of the transfer mechanism 6. The recessed portion 43 of the cam groove 21'? is angularly disposed with respect to the retracting portion 45 of the cam groove 34 so as to retract the upper elevator arm during the time when the elevator and lower elevator arm are in lowered position. This retracts the elevator horizontally to register with the next succeeding pocket on the loading conveyor. Vertical motion of the elevator bar is thus supplied principally by the lower elevator arm and rock shaft while horizontal guiding motion to the upper end of the elevator bar and the elevator is supplied by the upper elevator arm 24. It will be appreciated that the cam contoursillustrated have been designed to function in the particular wrapping machine shown having a particular spacing between the loading conveyor and the wrapping table and operating through elevator'arms of the particu lar length shown. Obviously cam grooves of different contour could be devised to impart the desired motion to the elevator bar and elevator where a different vertical travel of the elevator was desired or where a different length of elevator arms was employed. The function of the cam grooves 21 and 34 is to direct the motion of the elevator 4| upwardly as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2 through an initial position of the loading pocket illustrated by dotted lines at 41 and to return the elevator to its lowered position in time to pass through a final position of the loading pocket illustrated at 48 as the loading conveyor is continuously advanced.

It should be understood that While I have described my elevator mechanism in connection with a cookie or food wrapping machine, I do not intend to so limit its use within the terms of my claims. The elevator mechanism is equally effective for the Wrapping of various types of articles and eliminates the objectionable starting and stopping of the loading conveyor which causes vibration and mechanical trouble in the conveyor and its associated machinery. Another advantage of my elevator is that it eliminates sliding parts which may become sticky and jammed from particles falling from the objects being loaded, The'elevator may further be -s ems used to trafnsfer articlestdor from: acontinuously moving; conveyor in an citcumstancebesides a wrapping-operation where, such a, transfer is desirable. g i i I have thus illustrated and described a highly practical-commercial embodiment of my elevator mechanism and have not attempted to illustrate other modified forms thereofz'as it is believed that such minor changes asv are necessary to adapt the mechanism to specialized. circumstances will readily be understood by persons skilled in the wrapping machin'e art.

Having thus described my: invention, what I claim: as, new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-is: v

1; In combination with a,wrappingmachine having aconveyor with Work; advancing flights thereon and wrapping mechanism positioned above: saidconveyor, said conveyor having; its working: reach disposed generally horizontally, said flights having openings iirthe bottoms thereof, elevator mechanism for lifting articles-carried by successive flights of said-conveyor to said wrapping mechanism comprising, a generally vertical elevator bar having an elevator plate thereon smaller than said" openings and adapted to bepassed through saidifiights, a lower elevator arm having-one end pivotally connected. to said bar, an upper elevator arm having one end pivotally connected to said bar at a point spaced from said first arm, a lower rock shaft secured to the other end of said lower arm, an upper rock shaft having a crank arm thereon, said crank arm being pivotally connected to the other end of said upper elevator arm, a cam shaft having a pair of rotary cams thereon, an actuating arm secured to said lower rock shaft and engageable with one of said cams to actuate said lower rock shaft to raise and lower said bar, another actuator arm secured to said upper rock shaft and engageable with the other of said cams to actuate said upper elevator arm to advance and retract said elevator bar means for continuously driving said conveyor, and means for driving said cam shaft in timed relation to the speed of the continuously driven conveyor.

2. In combination with a wrapping machine having a conveyor with Work advancing flights and wrapping mechanism positioned above said conveyor, said conveyor having its Working reach disposed generally horizontally, said flights having openings in the bottoms thereof, elevator mechanism for lifting successive articles from said conveyor flights to said wrapping mechanism comprising, a generally vertical elevator bar having an elevator plate thereon smaller than said openings and adapted to be passed through said flights, a first elevator arm having one end pivotally connected to said bar, a second elevator arm having one end pivotally connected to said bar at a point spaced from said first arm, a first rock shaft secured to the other end of said first arm, a second rock shaft having a crank arm thereon, said crank arm being pivotally connected to the other end of said second elevator arm, a cam shaft having a pair of rotary cams thereon, an actuating arm secured to said first rock shaft and engageable with one of said cams to actuate said first rock shaft to raise and lower said bar, another actuator arm secured to said second rock shaft and engageable with the other of said cams to actuate said second elevator arm to advance and retract said elevator bar means for continuously driving said conveyor, and means for driving said cam shaft in timedrelation to-the speed. of the continuously driven conveyor.

l3; In combination with a. wrapping: machine having a conveyor and wrapping mechanism positloned thereabove, said conveyor having. a seri'es of open bottom article holding pockets positionedl 'therealong, mechanism for transferring articles from. said conveyor to said wrapping 'mechanism com-prising,v a driven shaftarranged tofdrive said conveyor continuous?- ly, a pair of, cam. wheels carried on the ends of saiddriyenshaft: an'd-eachdefining a cam groove, said grooves being of. differentcontour, an upper rock shaft having a crank arm thereon with a roller arrangedto beactuated by one, ofisaid cam grooves, asecond crank armonsaid upper rock shaft positioned. underneath said conveyor, an upper elevator arm. pivotally. connected to said second, crank arm,fa, second rock shaft positioned below said. firstrock shaft,,a third crank arm on said second rock. shaft and having a cam roller arranged to be actuated by the other of said cam grooves, a lower elevator arm secured to said second? rock shaft, an elevator bar pivotally connected tothe ends of said elevator armsatpoints spaced along said, bar, said. bar extending up wardly above said upper elevator arm, and an elevator member. carried on. the. upper endof said elevator, bar, said. cam groovesbeing, arranged to actuate said elevatorbar to move said elevator upwardly through a pocket of said conveyor to a delivery position at said wrapping mechanism and downwardly through said pocket to a lowered position of said elevator while said pocket is continuously advancing and retract said elevator to a starting position under a succeeding pocket on said conveyor.

4. In combination with a Wrapping machine having a conveyor and wrapping mechanism positioned thereabove, said conveyor having a series of open bottom article holding pockets positioned therealong, mechanism for transferring articles from said conveyor to said wrapping mechanism comprising, a cam shaft, a pair of cam members carried on said driven shaft and each defining a cam groove, a first rock shaft having a crank arm thereon with a follower arranged in one of said cam grooves, a second crank arm on said first rock shaft positioned underneath said conveyor, a first elevator arm pivotally connected to said second crank arm, a second rock shaft, a third crank arm on said second rock shaft and having a cam follower arranged in the other of said cam grooves, a second elevator arm secured to said second rock shaft, an elevator bar pivotally connected to the ends of said elevator arms at points spaced along said bar, said bar extending upwardly above said elevator arms, and an elevator member carried on the upper end of said elevator bar, said cam grooves being arranged to actuate said elevator bar to lift said elevator upwardly through a pocket of said conveyor to said wrapping mechanism and downwardly through said pocket to a retracted position of said elevator while said pocket is continuously advancing, means for continuously driving said conveyor, and means for driving said cam shaft in timed relation to the speed of the continuously driven conveyor.

5. In combination with a wrapping machine having a loading conveyor and wrapping mechanism positioned thereabove, said conveyor having a series of open bottom article holding pockets positioned therealong, mechanism for transferring articles from said conveyor to said wrapping mechanism comprising, upper and lower elevator arms, an elevator bar pivotally connected to said elevator arms, a rock shaft secured to one end of one of said arms for imparting oscillating rotary motion thereto, a second rock shaft having a crank thereon pivotally connected to the other of said arms for imparting oscillating motion thereto parallel to said conveyor, means for continuously driving said conveyor, and cam members driven in timed relationship to said loading conveyor for actuating said rock shafts to raise and lower said elevator bar through each pocket of said loading conveyor as said conveyor is advanced.

6. In a wrapping machine, the combination with wrapping means, of a feed conveyor disposed in a plane below the wrapping meansand having a plurality of uniformly spaced article holders having openings for the passage of an elevator therethrough, an elevator for transferring articles to be Wrapped from said feed conveyor to said wrapping means, means for vertically reciprocating said elevator through said openings from a point below the feed conveyor to delivery position relative to said wrapping means, means for continuously driving said conveyor, and means for simultaneously horizontally reciprocating said elevator in the vertical plane of the path of travel of said feed conveyor synchronized with the travel thereof and with the vertical reciprocation of said elevator whereby the elevator successively passes through the article holders t transfer articles therefrom to said wrapping means.

JOHN W. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th( file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,330,639 Leumann Feb. 10, 1924 1,636,429 Olson July 19, 192' 1,726,418 Aldrich et a1. Aug. 27, 1925 1,979,207 Milmore Oct. 30, 1934 2,208,776 Sandberg July 23, 194( 2,243,633 Jones May 27, 1941 2,304,399 Clark Dec. 8, 1942 2,339,866 Lyon Jan. 25, 194. 2,407,313 Malhiot Sept. 10, 194( 2,553,871 Sandberg May 22, 1951 2,567,405 Sandberg Sept. 11, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 374,75 Great Britain June 16, 1932

Images