Patents by Inventor Stephen R. Pickenbrock

Stephen R. Pickenbrock has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 5597284
    Abstract: An assembly is provided for processing container ends received from at least two sources by loading the container ends into trays and stacking the trays. The assembly has a transport device capable of engaging sticks of container ends in a pick-up area and providing the sticks to a plurality of corresponding loading areas such that sticks from different sources are placed in different loading areas. Sticks are provided to the pick-up area by supply subassemblies which receive continuous arrays of container ends from the sources, separate the arrays into sticks, and provide the sticks to the pick-up area. The tray loading subassembly is further capable of engaging and transporting an empty tray from a stack of empty trays to the loading areas such that a stack of trays may be formed. Once the desired stack of trays is formed, a discharge subassembly transports the stack from the loading area to a discharge area for subsequent removal and transport to a desired location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Ball Corporation
    Inventors: Kenneth E. Weltlich, Howard C. Chasteen, Michael A. Shuster, Stephen R. Pickenbrock