Abstract: The present invention is directed to a high-speed container unscrambler. The invention comprises of an apparatus for alignment, orientation of containers and sets of conveyor belts between which the containers are placed. The alignment mechanism has a photo eye that detects a presence of a container and a servomotor that is activated by the photo eye. The servomotor has a three hook arm mounted to it, which serves to lift the containers by their leading end when they are coming with a neck leading position. When containers are coming in with a base leading position, the hook does not engage the containers and the containers are passing by without engagement. The containers are released between the conveyor belts aligned in the same position and move towards an orientation mechanism, which places the containers in an all-standing position. The orientation mechanism comprises of a photo eye, which detects a presence of a container, and a servomotor, that is activated by the photo eye.

Abstract: A receiving frame, mounted on a horizontal platform includes a sub-frame that is tiltable, with respect to the platform, and has an elevator and elevator platform on its rear wall. The receiving frame receives a stack of tiers of plastic containers on a pallet. The pallet is positioned on the elevator platform. The sub-frame tilts 30 degrees off the vertical, out the open back of the receiving frame. A cover and tier sheet gripping device is provided, located above the top of the sub-frame, for securing and removing the top cover and tier sheets from the stack of tiers on the pallet, on the elevator platform. With the sub-frame tilted at 30 degrees off vertical, the elevator incrementally lifts its platform so that the base of the containers in the top tier and adjacent the rear wall of the sub-frame are at level with the top of the rear wall.

Abstract: A carrier container having sides, ends and a bottom defining an open face holding chamber, is provided for loading a stack of tiers loaded on a pallet into the holding chamber. The stack of tiers comprises a plurality of tier sheets, each supporting a plurality of products aligned in groups on each tier. The tier sheets are disposed vertically, defining a stack. The stack is positioned on and secured to the pallet. Loading of the stack of tiers and pallet into the holding chamber is accomplished with the holding chamber in a vertical orientation. After loading the stack of tiers and pallet into the holding chamber the carrier container is rotated from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, securing the stack of tiers and pallet in the holding chamber. Each of the tier sheets is removed from the stack destroying the stack and displacing the products from the stack, the products retained in the holding chamber.

Abstract: A hopper with two sets of parallel sides and a bottom, connected at ninety degree angles forms a rectangular shell. An opening in one of the sides, remote from the bottom, forms a dispensing port. An internal liner is connected, at one of its ends to the side in which the opening is located, at a location just below the opening. The liner extends down the one side, across the bottom and up the side opposite the one side. The liner supports bulk material stored in the hopper. A liner take-up mechanism is positioned over the side opposite the side in which the dispensing port is mounted. The liner is secured to the liner take-up mechanism. The liner take-up mechanism is operated to reduce the length of the liner positioned in the rectangular shell, thereby lifting the bulk material supported by the liner.

Abstract: Bottles are moved along a conveyor between a pair of spaced belts while lying on their sides, and may be in neck leading or base leading orientation. Each bottle is detected individually to determine its orientation. Signals, corresponding to the orientation of the bottle detected are sent to a selector switch which sets up bottle stand up apparatus to act upon the detected bottle. For base leading oriented bottles a bottle trip is positioned in the path of the bottle and, working in coordination with the pair of spaced belts, acts upon the bottle causing the bottle to pivot on itself into a standing position, on its base. For neck leading oriented bottles the bottle trip is removed from the path of the bottle and the bottle makes contact with a rotating wheel which, working in coordination with the pair of spaced belts, acts upon the bottle causing the bottle to arc about itself into a standing position, on its base.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for the alignment of bottles, which apparatus has no moving parts, and includes an assembly of trough and slide surface. The trough is substantially parallel to the major axis of the bottles. The bottles descend the assembly under the influence of gravity. Bottles which are aligned proceed as directed by the trough whereas non-aligned bottles are diverted away from the trough.

Abstract: The present invention discloses an apparatus for stand-up orientation of bottles, which apparatus has a minimum of moving parts, and includes an assembly of side gripping belts substantially parallel to a stand-up chute. The belts are driven at speeds commensurate with the bottles speed while coming from an alignment chute under the influence of gravity. In order to accomplish the stand-up orientation of the bottles, the assembly of belts is adjustable relative to the stand-up chute. The apparatus further consists of means to deliver bottles to the alignment chute and means to remove bottles which have been stood up.

Abstract: A pair of spaced and aligned driven bottle aligning belts is disposed to each side of a bottle feed path for coaction with bottles having necks, to facilitate movement of said bottles while on their sides and being fed along the feed path. The pairs of belts on each side of said feed path approach each other, in the direction of bottle feed, so as to narrow the feed path; and by doing so to align the bottles for subsequent processing. Pairs of spaced rails are disposed downstream in said feed path and to each side thereof to receive the aligned bottles as they exit the bottle aligning belts to maintain the bottles in aligned relationship until the bottles are fed into a twister which up-ends the bottles and directs them further along the feed path to work stations where they are cleaned, filled, capped, and otherwise processed. Suitable drive belts are provided for feeding the bottles along said feed path, with appropriate drives and controls to facilitate operation thereof.

Abstract: A cleaning mechanism for conveyors and items being transported on conveyors including an endless belt of rug material which contacts the surface of a conveyor or the bottoms of articles being transported thereon to clean them. The mechanism includes a nozzle which is positioned to spray water or water and solvent or solvent onto the endless belt to clean and moisten the belt. A squeegee roller is provided downstream of the nozzle to remove excess liquid so that the desired amount of water remains on the belt. The squeegee roller is spring biased against the belt to remove the excess liquid and also to apply tension to the belt so that the belt is sufficiently taut to perform the cleaning function. The cleaning mechanism can be placed alongside the conveyor to clean the bottom of the articles being transported by the conveyor.