Abstract: An apparatus for moving a series of disk-like articles, such as can ends. The apparatus includes an article moving assembly, an article counting system and an article separating assembly. The article moving assembly includes an adjustment assembly for adjusting the article moving assembly to accommodate a range of can end diameters moving through a path of travel. The can end counting system includes a sensor which detects the rotation of a component of the can end moving assembly. The sensor is coupled to a control device which receives sensing information from the sensor to determine the number of can ends passing through the end moving assembly. The separator assembly includes a blade attached to an actuation assembly. The blade is inserted a sufficient distance to contact an edge portion of an article and the actuation assembly moves the contacted group of articles by moving the blade.

Abstract: An article hold-up assembly for use with an article handling apparatus to maintain at least one article defining a trailing end of a group of articles in an abutting orientation with a group as the group is moved by a conveyor along an elongated lane. The article handling apparatus includes an elongated lane defining an axis of elongation for merging a finite series of articles defining a group of articles with a generally continuous series of articles defining an outfeed stream of articles. The article handling apparatus includes a conveyor for moving articles through at least a portion of the lane. The article hold-up assembly includes an air supply device, a plenum chamber communicating with the air supply device, and a plurality of apertures in the plenum chamber. The air supply device provides positive air flow into the plenum chamber. The plenum chamber and the apertures therein are positioned spaced away from the axis of elongation.

Abstract: A discharge apparatus for an article handling system receives a group of articles in a facewise stacked condition and delivering the group of articles to an outfeed apparatus wherein the articles are arranged in a continuous flow. The discharge apparatus comprises a first stage station wherein groups of articles are received; an elongate discharge station having an incoming end and an outgoing end, the outgoing end being adjacent an outfeed apparatus, and the incoming end being spaced apart from the first stage station. An article carrying lane extends from the first stage station through the discharge station. A shuttle is bidirectionally movable between the first stage station and the discharge station for transporting a group of articles along the article carrying lane from the first stage station to the discharge station and returning to the first stage station to receive a subsequent group of articles.

Abstract: A self-contained pick-and-place apparatus for respectively engaging and releasing an elongate group of stacked articles such as an elongate stack of nested can ends comprises an elongate pivot shaft defining a longitudinal axis, a pair of elongated gripping members for surroundingly engaging the articles, and pivot arms coupled with the gripping members and mounted to the pivot shaft for bidirectional pivotal motion about the longitudinal axis for thereby moving the gripping members respectively toward and away from each other. The pivot arms are biased to pivot in a direction for moving the gripping members toward each other. One or more cams are supported by the pivot shaft for movement between a pivot arm open position and a pivot arm closed position.

Abstract: An article handling method is provided for receiving articles such as can ends or the like, or similarly shaped disk-like articles supplied in elongate stacks from a first location, for loading the stacks of articles into trays for selectively storing the same for subsequent use and for unloading the stacks of articles from trays for transport to a second location so as to compensate for differences between a rate of supply of articles at a first location and a rate of demand for articles at a second location.

Abstract: A rotary oven conveyor apparatus is provided for receiving a continuous flow of articles such as can ends and for conveying the articles in an on-edge, spaced apart condition for a selectable predetermined period of time, to facilitate a treatment such as oven curing of a coating previously applied to the articles. The rotary oven conveyor comprises an enlarged wheel structure defining an axis and having a diameter many times the cross-sectional dimensions of the articles and mounted for rotation about its axis. A drive rotates the wheel structure about its axis. An article-receiving area is defined about an outer periphery of the wheel structure and is configured for partially surroundingly recieving the articles.

Abstract: A discharge apparatus for an article handling system receives a group of articles in a facewise stacked condition and delivers the group of articles to an outfeed apparatus wherein the articles are arranged in a continuous flow. The discharge apparatus comprises a first stage station wherein groups of articles are received; an elongate discharge station having an incoming end and an outgoing end, the outgoing end being adjacent an outfeed apparatus, and the incoming end being spaced apart from the first stage station. An article carrying lane extends from the first stage station through the discharge station. A shuttle is bidirectionally movable between the first stage station and the discharge station for transporting a group of articles along the article carrying lane from the first stage station to the discharge station and returning to the first stage station to receive a subsequent group of articles.

Abstract: An infeed apparatus for an article handling system includes an infeed lane for guiding a flow of articles in a facewise nested condition. A separating station is located along the infeed lane for receiving the flow of articles and a separating device located adjacent the separating station separates the articles into groups of articles of a predetermined length. A shuttle receives a group of articles from the separating device and transports the group of articles to an infeed station located along the infeed lane at a location remote from the separating station. A trailing end hold-up engages a trailing end of a group of articles in the infeed station to permit the shuttle to return to the separating station to receive a subsequent group of articles.

Abstract: Article hold up apparatus is provided for use with an elongate lane for transporting a plurality of articles received in a facewise nested condition from a first location at one end of the lane along the lane until a leading end of the articles reaches an opposite end of the lane, for retaining a leading one of the articles in a substantially coaxial facewise nested orientation with respect to the others of the articles for thereby retaining the articles being transported along the lane substantially in a facewise nested condition. The article hold up apparatus comprises air directing structure extending substantially the length of the elongate lane for directing air in a direction generally opposite a direction of travel of the articles along the lane.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling and packaging articles such as can ends is capable of receiving a continuous flow of articles and automatically delivering groups of articles of a prescribed number, disposed in a nested condition, to a packaging station. The apparatus comprises a plurality of generally parallel elongate lanes for simultaneously handling articles, one of the lanes being articles to the packaging station. A transport aligned for delivering arrangement linearly advances articles along at least the one aligned lane toward the packaging station. A pick-and-place device is selectively movable between positions in alignment with each of the lanes for selectively transferring articles to the one aligned lane from the other lanes. A control apparatus controls a predetermined sequence of operation of the transport arrangement and of the pick-and-place device for providing a substantially continuous supply of articles to the packaging station.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in an article handling apparatus capable of receiving a continuous flow of articles such as can ends and automatically counting and separating a stack of articles of a prescribed number disposed in a facewise stacked relation for delivery to a packing station or the like. The apparatus comprises an elongate trough for handling a plurality of can ends in stacked, facewise engagement, a counting arrangement for counting the number of can ends passing a predesignated location up to a predetermined number, and a mechanism for separating this predetermined number from the flow of articles upon the counting thereof and transporting the articles from said counting station.

Abstract: A can end counting system comprises an elongate trough-like member for receiving and guiding a plurality of can ends in a substantially upright, nested condition. The trough-like member defines a longitudinal axis and has an entrance end and an exit end relative to the direction of travel of can ends therethrough. A pusher is provided adjacent the entrance end of the trough-like member for pushing the can ends therealong. A resisting apparatus is located along the trough-like member for engaging the can ends in a fashion for maintaining a controlled degree of resistance of the can ends relative to the pusher so as to maintain the can ends in the desired upright and nested condition as they travel through the trough-like member.

Abstract: A scroll strip conveyor system comprises a conveyor belt for carrying a series of relatively flat scroll strips thereon in a flat, edge-to-edge spaced apart condition. An inspection station is located along the conveyor for inspecting the scroll strips to identify rejects. An ejector is provided for ejecting the rejects from the conveyor belt. A hopper feed apparatus is located at a terminal end of the conveyor belt for receiving the scroll strips therefrom one by one in an edge-to-edge condition and for redirecting the scroll strips into a parallel surface-to-surface spaced apart condition to be stacked in flat, surface-to-surface abutting condition in a hopper.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for supplying can ends or the like to a downstream processing unit, such as a rotary carousel feeder unit or the like comprises a generally horizontal trough section for accumulating in stacked array can ends delivered from an upstream source. A transfer pocket is disposed generally vertically above and to one end of the trough section for receiving a quantity of can ends in stacked array from the trough section. An intermediate transition chute of generally arcuate configuration extends upwardly from the trough section to the transfer pocket to interconnect the two. A transport arrangement is provided for separating out and driving a quantity of the stacked accumulated ends in the trough section along the trough section and through the arcuate chute and further into the transfer pocket. A retaining arrangement is provided for maintaining the quantity of stacked ends in the vertically disposed transfer pocket upon retraction of the transport arrangement.

Abstract: A reversed can end ejector system is provided for detecting and ejecting a can end in reverse orientation with respect to a moving stack of otherwise similarly aligned and nested can ends. This system comprises an optical detection apparatus including a light-emitting portion for emitting light in a direction toward the path of travel and a light-detecting portion located adjacent said path of travel. The optical detection apparatus is responsive to one of the presence or absence of light incidence upon its light-detecting portion for producing a control signal. An ejector is movable relative to the stack for contacting and ejecting a reversed can end therefrom and an actuator is coupled with the ejector and responsive to the control signal for driving the ejector in a direction for contacting and ejecting the reversed can end from the stack.

Abstract: Article hold up apparatus is provided for use with an elongate lane for transporting a plurality of articles received in a facewise nested condition from a first location at one end of the lane along the lane until a leading end of the articles reaches an opposite end of the lane, for retaining a leading one of the articles in a substantially coaxial facewise nested orientation with respect to the others of the articles for thereby retaining the articles being transported along the lane substantially in a facewise nested condition. The article hold up apparatus comprises air directing structure extending substantially the length of the elongate lane for directing air in a direction generally opposite a direction of travel of the articles along the lane.