Patents Represented by Attorney John B. Phillipe
  • Patent number: 5429651
    Abstract: A pusher mechanism of an IS transfers a plurality of glass bottles onto a conveyor belt by rotating the bottles through an arc to align the bottles with the conveyor belt while simultaneously linearly moving the bottles at a converging acute angle toward the conveyor belt. The combined rotational and linear movements effectively lengthen the radius of curvature of the path of the bottles and increases the speed of the bottles onto the conveyor belt. The centrifugal force applied to the bottles is limited or reduced to allow the bottles to be more quickly moved onto the conveyor belt without introducing instabilities in the bottles. Other horizontal and vertical movements may be applied. A nozzle may be positioned to deliver a flow of air against the bottles to counteract instabilities. A take-out mechanism used with the pusher mechanism rotates the bottles at an acute angle to the conveyor belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: I.M.T.E.C. Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Bolin