Assembling, Gathering, And Stacking Coins Or Similar Disclike Articles Patents (Class 53/532)
  • Patent number: 5329749
    Abstract: A tablet encapsulator deposits a predetermined number of tablets into each of a plurality of hard gelatin capsules. A tablet holding block has second guide holes for holding the predetermined number of tablets. A tablet carrier is reciprocated for a number of times equal to the predetermined number of tablets during a capsule filling sequence so that with each reciprocation, each of the second guide holes receives a single tablet until the predetermined number of tablets is received in each of the second guide holes. A shutter normally prevents the tablets from entering first guide holes in a first tablet guide shoot and intermittently permits the predetermined number of tablets to pass through each of the first guide holes and enter each of the capsules through their openings in synchronism with intermittent motion of a capsule holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 19, 1994
    Assignee: Japan Elanco Company Limited
    Inventors: Taizo Yamamoto, Hirokazu Konishi
  • Patent number: 5279096
    Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic packing system including a station at which a serial stream of articles are placed into stacks (one on top of another) or groups and discharged into a transversely moving tray-type package, or the like. The system includes a conveyor belt for transporting the articles, one by one, while they lie in a horizontal plane. The articles are transferred by another conveyor to a station at the end of the conveyor where the articles are stopped by protruding pins, picked up by a vacuum holding device, transferred by lever mechanisms and carried to a loading station where the articles are dropped one upon another in a stacked manner until an appropriate group has accumulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 18, 1994
    Assignee: Machine Builders and Design Inc.
    Inventor: Herman D. Mims
  • Patent number: 5256029
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming article groups from flat articles includes a belt conveyor for advancing thereon an article column formed of individual, flat-lying articles; a sensor supported above the conveyor surface for sensing the presence of articles on the conveyor surface; a series of article grippers situated downstream of the sensor as viewed in the direction of advance; a mechanism for shifting the grippers from above the conveyor surface to a position laterally of the conveyor surface; a group-forming device including a plurality of containers and a mechanism for positioning the containers at a location in which the articles are released by the grippers and are deposited into the containers to form stacks of superposed articles therein. The mechanism moves the containers stepwise downwardly during the stacking operation. There is further provided a control apparatus having an input connected to the sensor for receiving signals therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1993
    Assignee: SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft
    Inventor: Rene Fluck
  • Patent number: 5211674
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for packaging a plurality of tape rolls of uniform diameter, each having a central core of uniform diameter a plurality of which are carried by a mandrel. The apparatus and method provides means for removing the aforesaid mandrel and for transferring the tape rolls thereafter to a conveyor which moves each roll seriatim into a magazine for stacking therein. The stacking apparatus provides means for lifting each tape in the magazine one tape width and for supporting and maintaining the lifted tape until the next tape conveyed into the magazine has also been lifted and supported and so on to create a prescribed stack. Thereafter the stack, or plurality of stacks created in the magazine can be lifted upon mandrels inserted into the core diameters of each stack, moved and inserted into cartons for shipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Phoenix Enterprise Associates, Ltd.
    Inventors: Clayton C. Cooper, III, David R. Gordon, William B. Drobish
  • Patent number: 5186599
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming groups of flat, face-to-face stacked items includes a conveyor belt for receiving the items in a flat-lying orientation; a motor for driving the conveyor belt to advance the items disposed thereon in a conveying direction; a sensor disposed above the conveyor belt for determining a position of individual items on the conveyor belt; a plurality of group-forming chambers; a plurality of serially disposed gripping units situated downstream of the sensor as viewed in the conveying direction for grasping the items advanced on the conveyor belt and for introducing the items into the group-forming chambers; and a control device having an input connected to the sensor and outputs connected to the gripping units for controlling the gripping units as a function of signals applied to the control device by the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1993
    Assignee: Sig Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft
    Inventor: Rene Fluck
  • Patent number: 5175980
    Abstract: An apparatus for packaging articles, such as can ends, in a sleeve drawn from a roll of continuous sleeve material is described. Means are disclosed for feeding the can ends to a packaging location, for segregating the can ends into package-size groups and for inserting the groups into the sleeves. The machine further includes means for feeding the sleeve material to the packaging location, means for retaining the sleeve material at the packaging location and means for clamping and severing the sleeve material to form an individual sleeve. Means for forming and sealing end-flaps on the contents containing sleeve is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1993
    Assignee: Sardee Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne T. Chiappe, Larry R. Ambrose, Donald P. Dalmon, Bernard R. Juskie, Raymond E. Godwin
  • Patent number: 5155978
    Abstract: A coin wrapping machine having a pair of stacking drums rotatable in opposite directions, spiral coin support guides formed on the pair of stacking drums for supporting coins by their upper faces and stacking coins and a plurality of wrapping rollers for wrapping the thus stacked coins, the coin wrapping machine further including a plurality of pressurized air blowers which are disposed in such a manner that a blowing opening of each pressurized air blower faces a portion between the wrapping rollers and are adapted to blow pressurized air toward a leading edge of a wrapping paper. The thus constituted coin wrapping machine can be made considerably compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1992
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenkichi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 5142847
    Abstract: A coin wrapping machine having a pair of stacking drums rotatable in opposite directions, spiral coin support guides formed on the pair of stacking drums for supporting coins by their upper faces and stacking coins and a pair of wrapping rollers for wrapping the thus stacked coins, the coin wrapping machine being constituted so that the stacking drums are hollow and one of the wrapping rollers is disposed in each stacking drum in such a manner that a part thereof projects from an opening formed on a periphery of the stacking drum and that when coins are being wrapped, the coins can be held by the wrapping rollers and a driven roller disposed upstream of the pair of wrapping rollers with respect to the coin transportation direction. The thus constituted coin wrapping machine can be made considerably compact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1992
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenkichi Watanabe, Hideshi Sentoku
  • Patent number: 5135435
    Abstract: A coin transporting and stacking mechanism transports coins between two endless belts which form a coin transporting channel. The coins are gripped on diametrically opposed edges by the counter-rotating belts, and securely held as they travel towards the coin ejecting end of the channel. The coin ejecting end moves vertically to stack ejected coins one on top of the other to form a coin stack suitable for automtic wrapping. The mechanism is capable of transporting and stacking coins in a relatively small space due the movable, flexible transporting channel. Moreover, the mechanism requires fewer parts than conventional coin transporting and stacking systems to enhance reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1992
    Assignee: Cummins-Allison Corp.
    Inventor: James M. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 5119617
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Fleetwood Systems Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew E. Mojden, Wallace W. Mojden, Robert E. Darr, Richard P. Hoinacki
  • Patent number: 5095684
    Abstract: Cookies (30) of uniform but irregularly shaped perimeter are received from the cookie oven in a horizontal as-baked attitude onto a first surface conveyor (19). As the cookies are passed to successive surface conveyors 920) and (21) operating at successively decreased velocities, the cookies are raised to an edge standing attitude abutting one another. Laser detecting means (24-26) are positioned above the conveyors (19-21), and measure the height of the edge stacked cookies and adjust this height by varying the speed of the successive conveyors (19, 20 and 21). A counting means (28) at the discharge end of conveyor (21) counts out a predetermined number of cookies to be placed upon the loader (16) for loading into a cookie tray (104), and a pair of separator blades (42, 43) separates these cookies on the loader from the cookies remaining on surface conveyor (21). A cookie tray (104) is positioned under the loader (16) by a cookie tray conveyor (18).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1992
    Assignee: Food Machinery Sales, Inc.
    Inventors: William D. Walker, Charles T. Haley, Daniel W. Pruett
  • Patent number: 5069019
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for conveying, classifying, and packing goods is disclosed. The goods move on a plurality of lanes to containers for packing. The goods move on conveyors to classifiers where goods outside a predetermined specification are discarded. Goods which meet the specifications move to a counter and retainer. A predetermined number of goods moves to a stacker in a cycle. The stacker moves within a set of spindles configured to receive the goods there between. A controller counts the number of goods stacked in the set of spindles. When a full count is reached the spindles rotate and the goods are placed into a box which is positioned proximate the spindles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1991
    Inventor: Lloyd E. Lodewegen
  • Patent number: 5021027
    Abstract: A coin counter comprises a longitudinal tubular member or a cylinder of a semicircular cross section and has a large longitudinal slot directed from the top opening to a closed bottom surface. The cylindrical member has graduations on the side thereof indicative of the height of various stacks of coins. One uses the member to scoop up similar coins and to capture the same inside the confines of the member whereby the graduations on the surface of the member define the exact height of a stack of coins and therefore the exact amount of a stack of coins. The device can further be used to assist in wrapping coins of the same denominations after being gathered by the coin counter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 4, 1991
    Inventor: John D. Bremer
  • Patent number: 5018338
    Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for transfer of workpieces such as stacks of sliced sausage from a band conveyor into the cavities of a molded package, the latter being advanced transversely of the movement of the band conveyor. The device utilizes a system of stems protruding between the bands of the band conveyor to raise the product upwardly from the band conveyor, whereupon a shuttle engages two workpieces by two finger systems having spring-loaded transverse fingers moving transversely of the movement of the band conveyor. The stems are then lowered below the level of the band conveyor. The shuttle is shifted to a position above the particular packaging cavities, whereupon a plunger strikes each workpiece in a downward direction, whereby the spring-loaded, normally generally horizontal fingers of the finger systems are forced to swing downwardly into open position to allow discharge of the workpieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 28, 1991
    Assignee: Thurne Engineering Co., Limited
    Inventors: Paul Jurchuk, David Hooper, Alan Staff, Hans Sitt
  • Patent number: 5016420
    Abstract: Disclosed is a machine for packaging articles, such as can ends, in a sleeve drawn from a roll of continuous sleeve material. Means are disclosed for feeding the can ends to a packaging location, for segregating the can ends into package-size groups and for inserting the groups into the sleeves. The machine further includes means for feeding the sleeve material to the packaging location, means for retaining the sleeve material at the packaging location and means for heating and severing the sleeve material to form an individual sleeve. Means for forming and sealing end-flaps on the contents containing sleeve is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: May 21, 1991
    Assignee: Sardee Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Wayne T. Chiappe, Larry R. Ambrose, Donald P. Dalmon, Bernard R. Juskie, Raymond E. Godwin
  • Patent number: 5010715
    Abstract: A method of supplying stacks of flat articles to a packing machine comprises the following steps: charging receptacles in a dosing device with articles to obtain in each receptacle an article stack shorter and lighter than a predetermined weight and length; advancing some of the charged receptacles to a standby station and some of the charged receptacles to a fine dosing device; and charging the receptacles in the fine dosing device with articles until the predetermined weight and length are substantially reached. The charging step in the fine dosing device includes the step of transferring articles from a receptacle dwelling in the standby station to a receptacle dwelling in the fine dosing device. Thereafter, the receptacles are advanced from the fine dosing device to the packing machine. The empty receptacles are advanced from the packing machine and the standby station to the dosing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1991
    Assignee: SIG Schweizerische-Industrie-Gesellschaft
    Inventor: Rene Fluck
  • Patent number: 5005340
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1991
    Assignee: Fleetwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew E. Mojden
  • Patent number: 5002516
    Abstract: A coin wrapping machine which discriminates genuineness, denomination, etc. of coins, counts the monetary amount of the coins, sorts them out by denomination and wraps them in a desired order in separate denominations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1991
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenkichi Watanabe, Hideshi Sentoku, Takayoshi Asaoka
  • Patent number: 4992075
    Abstract: A coin stacking apparatus for a coin handling machine including a pair of stacking drums, outer peripheries thereof being formed with spiral guides which extend in the opposite directions to each other and in phase and a pulse motor for intermittently rotating the pair of stacking drums so that the spiral guides are intermittently lowered, the coin stacking apparatus being intended to enable the spiral guides to support and stack coins on an upper face thereof, the coin stacking apparatus further including a controller for outputting pulse signals to the pulse motor, thereby to drive it, a reference data memory for storing reference signals to be output from the controller to the pulse motor in accordance with coin denominations and a coin detector provided above the pair of stacking drums for detecting whether or not the coin is accommodated between the pair of stacking drums by detecting whether or not the coin contacts the coin detector, the controller outputting a correction pulse signal to the pulse moto
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 12, 1991
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 4979357
    Abstract: A detecting apparatus for detecting discrepancy in number of stacked coins provided for a coin wrapping machine including wrapping rollers for winding a wrapping film having a larger width than the height of stacked coins around stacked coins of a predetermined number so that there remain crimp regions crimpable above and below the stacked coins and an upper crimp claw and a lower crimp claw movable in the vertical direction, the upper crimp claw and the lower crimp claw being for crimping the crimp regions of the wrapping film by being moved toward each other and holding the stacked coins therebetween, the detecting apparatus for detecting discrepancy in number of stacked coins further including an upper arm for supporting the upper crimp claw, a lower arm for supporting the lower crimp claw, a rack extending vertically and fixed to one of the upper arm and the lower arm, a pinion rotatably mounted on the other of the upper and lower arms and engageable with the rack, an absolute type rotary encoder connecte
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1990
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuyuki Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 4955794
    Abstract: A stacking apparatus for forming groups of face-to-face contacting flat items comprises a supply conveyor for advancing a column of serially arranged, flat-lying items; a stack-forming unit situated in a charging station and arranged for sequentially receiving the items from the supply conveyor; a plurality of stacking containers for acommodating a stack of the items; an arrangement for positioning an empty stacking container in the charging station; a stop arranged in the charging station for arresting each item in the stack-forming unit upon delivery by the supply conveyor; an intermittent drive for causing the stack-forming unit to cyclically deposit an item in the stacking container to form an article stack therein; and a sensor which generates a signal indicating a presence of an item to be deposited by the stack-forming unit and which is situated upstream of the stack-forming unit. The signal is applied to the intermittent drive for actuating the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft
    Inventor: Rene Fluck
  • Patent number: 4951448
    Abstract: This invention refers to a mechanism for the production of rolls of coins, with a feeding track for horizontal coins. A tilting station is provided to put the coin into an upright position, and a wrapping station is provided to form rolls of coins out of the stacks of vertical coins.In order to increase the amount of coins to be gathered into stacks of coins and wrapped as rolls of coins, per time unit, and in order to reduce the size of the mechanism the invention provides a tilting station consisting of two parallel tracks which connect to a feeding track. The parallel tracks are spaced a distance from each other which is slightly less than the diameter of the coins. A coin retainer is provided with an angled surface spanning the transportation direction of the coins. The coin retainer is mounted so that it can be swivelled against the transportation direction of the coins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: F. Zimmermann & Co.
    Inventor: Werner Schmechel
  • Patent number: 4949532
    Abstract: This invention relates to a coin packaging device. More particularly, it relates to a coin packaging device in which coins despatched in the prone state change their position to the upstanding state and in which a coin stack comprised of coins in an intimately contacted aligned upright state is transferred to a packaging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Assignees: Musashi Engineering Kabushiki Kaisha, Ueda Japan Radio Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sachio Fujimagari, Seiji Mizusaki, Noboru Nishizawa
  • Patent number: 4950203
    Abstract: A coin counter and wrapper loading device comprising multiple, inclined, semicircular coin-holding troughs connected by trough separator members, and attached to a trough holding frame. The troughs have a closed lower end, and an open upper end, a hollow ring guide being positioned at the latter end having flexible speculum fingers extending therefrom, outwardly from said troughs and parallel thereto. If desired, the guide rings may be detachably connected with the device, as for example, by insertion into a collar member attached to said troughs, or to the frame holding them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 21, 1990
    Inventor: James Tomaiko
  • Patent number: 4942718
    Abstract: The process according to the invention relates to the packaging of lids cut out in a press combined with a stacker. According to the process, the guide rods of a delivery magazine are covered by a substantially cylindrical casing which simultaneously surrounds the stacked lids while at the same time immobilizing the stack transversely to itself with a slight clearance therebetween, the casing comprising support means for resting on the moving supports at the bottom of the stack of lids and stop means for retaining the bottom of the stack borne by the casing. The retaining means are optionally completed by one or more associated retaining means. The stack of lids covered in this way is then removed from the delivery magazine and the casing is sealed with caps which offer an added measure of protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 24, 1990
    Assignee: Cebal
    Inventors: Michel Courtois, Jacques Fillon
  • Patent number: 4930289
    Abstract: A machine for packing tablets into tubes, the machine comprising a filling station (6), a conveyor (2) with pushers to feed tubes intermittently to the filling station and, after filling, to carry the filled tubes away from the station. The filling station (6) includes at least three parallel, rotating rollers (7) arranged to be brought into contact with and rotate at least two tubes closed at one end, the rotating rollers having a specified inclination to the horizontal plane so that the open end of the tube is at a higher level than the closed end, at least two inclined chutes to transfer tablets from a tablet-making machine to the empty tubes, and one supply magazine connected to each supply chute, to raise the tablets to an upright position and transfer them from chute to tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Gordic Trading AB
    Inventors: Gosta Fransson, Charles Gorder
  • Patent number: 4920730
    Abstract: A coin wrapping apparatus for automatically piling coins in a specified number and wrapping a pile of coins in wrapping comprising a pair of main rollers, a proper number of guide rollers, and a belt passed over these rollers and bent at a portion thereof between the pair of main rollers into a curved shape to form a coin holding means as its main part which constitutes a coin piling unit so as to make it possible to attain coin piling function by a simpler structure. A coin piling and wrapping unit for piling and wrapping coins is constructed using the main part which can perform piling and wrapping in the same section and can be moved into and from the main body of the coin wrapping apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: Nihon Kinsen Kikai Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Inoue, Shuji Nakanishi, Yoshiaki Uemizo
  • Patent number: 4921398
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming consecutive groups of face-to-face stacked, flat articles includes an input conveyor for advancing the articles arranged in a flat-lying orientation and in a column of indeterminate length; a downwardly curving track arranged for receiving the articles from the input conveyor; a stock-forming device arranged for performing stacking steps by consecutively taking articles from the track and moving each article onto a trough into a face-to-face engagement with an outermost article of a group being under formation on the trough. There is provided a stepping motor connected to the stack-forming device for operating it in steps; a sensor arranged upstream of the stack-forming device responds to a passage of each article on the track. The sensor is connected to the stepping motor to operate it when the sensor responds. When the group has reached a predetermined number of articles or length, a mechanism discharges the group from the trough into a receptacle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Assignee: SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft
    Inventor: Rene Fluck
  • Patent number: 4897984
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a coin handling apparatus for coin receiving and coin wrapping operations. A coin receiving apparatus of the present invention is provided with a safe means in which coins received in the apparatus are stored after the total value of the coins has been calculated. The apparatus is also provided with a transfer means for taking out the coins stored in the safe means. In another aspect of the present invention, a coin receiving and wrapping apparatus is provided having both coin receiving and wrapping operations functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1990
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideshi Sentoku, Takayoshi Asaoka
  • Patent number: 4896481
    Abstract: A coin receiving and wrapping machine comprising upper hopper for receiving coins, discriminating sensor for discriminating denominations of coins to introduce a predetermined denomination of coins to be wrapped to one direction and coins other than the predetermined coins to another direction, accumulating section for receiving said predetermined denomination of coins to accumulate them, wrapping section provided downward of said accumulating section for wrapping said predetermined denomination of coins in the form of a coin stack, holding section removably mounted on said machine for temporarily holding the coins from the discriminating section other than said predetermined denomination of coins, selecting box removably mounted on said machine and positioned downward of said holding means for receiving the coins from the holding section and for discharging the coins from the holding means, lower hopper located at the lower portion of the machine for receiving said coins from the selecting box and coins from
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1990
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideshi Sentoku, Takayoshi Asaoka
  • Patent number: 4895487
    Abstract: A conveying system having an input end receiving flat, generally disc-shaped articles in a flat-lying orientation and arranged in at least one column of indefinite length and an output end discharging the articles in consecutive article groups wherein each group being formed of a number of face-to-face stacked articles. The conveying system includes a plurality of separate, individual pallets for receiving and supporting the article groups; a stacking device arranged for forming the groups and charging the pallets therewith; an article removal device arranged for emptying the pallets and discharging the article groups removed from the pallets; a first conveyor for advancing charged pallets from the stacking device to the article removal device; a second conveyor for returning empty pallets from the article removal device to the stacking device; and lateral guides extending along the first conveyor for guiding and retaining the pallets thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1990
    Assignee: SIG Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft
    Inventor: Rene Fluck
  • Patent number: 4848059
    Abstract: The apparatus for packing cylindrical stacks of a plurality of disk-like workpieces, particularly covers, positioned beside each other with equal numbers of workpieces, in a jacket made of wrapping paper has at least one receiving trough for the stacks and clamping rails movable laterally into a raised position and raisable and lowerable as well as movable toward each other associated with it for transferring the stack into a wrapping station provided laterally beside the receiving trough with drivable supporting rollers for the stack. At least one pressing roll running parallel to the supporting rollers is lowerable in the wrapping station to the stack and a longitudinally movable carriage is provided with a pressure-limiting contacting member for pressing the stack against a fixed support. A carriage-mounted cutter for cutting away the edge of the paper wrapped around the stack is located on the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: Schmalbach-Lubeca AG
    Inventors: Jurgen Muller, Eberhard Halle
  • Patent number: 4832655
    Abstract: A coin stacking apparatus comprises a coin passageway for conveying coins edge-wise, one at a time, and delivering them horizontally. A stacking station is provided for receiving the coins delivered from the forward end of the coin passageway to stack them therein. The stacking station comprises a pair of coin stacking drums each of which has on its outer periphery a ridge providing a support surface for supporting the bottom face of each of the coins delivered from the coin passageway. The ridges on the coin stacking drums are arranged in phase and in the opposite orientations. Each of the ridges is of a spiral configuration raised forwardly in the direction of coin conveyance. A drive mechanism is provided to rotate each of the coin stacking drums in such a direction that the coin support surface of the ridges is inclined downwardly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1989
    Assignee: Laurel Bank Machines Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tomonari Sakurai
  • Patent number: 4782645
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for packaging a number of disc-like information recording media each having a hole at its center portion. The disc-like information recording media are collected with the holes thereof being aligned with each other to form a cylindrical assembly with a through-hole, and an elongated member is inserted into the through-hole and a pair of collars are set on the elongated member from both ends thereof so as to fix the cylindrical assembly with respect to the elongated member. Thereafter, the cylindrical assembly is wrapped by a shrinkable material and encased in a container comprising upper and lower halves each having at least one assembly-receiving portion with a configuration substantially equal in dimension to the semicylindrical half portion of the cylindrical assembly. The container has an engaging arrangement comprising L-shaped extending portions and L-shaped shelf portions so that the upper and lower halves are stably coupled to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1987
    Date of Patent: November 8, 1988
    Assignee: Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yukitoshi Tajima, Hiromitsu Sakamoto, Nagisa Horiguchi
  • Patent number: 4776149
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for packaging a row of covers placed coaxially of one another in a sheet of packaging material, comprising successively in the packaging direction: a feed station for the row of covers; a wrapping station for wrapping said row of covers in said sheet; a folding station for folding end wall and longitudinal fold edges of the sheet wrapped around the row of covers; and adhesive station for adhering fold edges to the packaging; and transport means for transporting the row of covers, which is characterized in that the folding station comprises gripping means gripping onto the wrapped packaging material from outside, which means hold the packaging material away from the row of covers during forming of the longitudinal fold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1988
    Assignee: Thomassen & Drijver-Verblifa NV
    Inventor: Gerrit H. F. Ter Horst
  • Patent number: 4768328
    Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic tray packer system including a station at which a serial stream of incoming articles are stacked, separated into groups and discharged to a transversely moving tray-type package. The tray packer includes a conveyor belt for transporting the articles, one by one, while they lie substantially in a first plane, and a nose roller for decelerating the articles transported by the conveyor belt. The articles pass over the nose roller and partially rotate and drop along a slide. A flipper mechanism further rotates the articles and propels them one by one against a stack of previously propelled articles. A separator member first defines a downstream end of the stack, and then moves via cams, along an endless closed path, to define the upstream end of the stack and a downstream end of a next stack. A backup member replaces the separator member at the upstream end of the stack.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Machine Builders and Design
    Inventor: Herman D. Mims
  • Patent number: 4748798
    Abstract: An apparatus for automatically loading one or more kinds of nuclear fuel pellets in fuel cladding tubes for producing nuclear fuel rods comprises at least one pellet transporting tray transferred from a tray stacking unit and provided with a plurality of grooves on which the fuel pellets are mounted, at least one pellet aligning tray provided with a groove selectively connected with one of the grooves of the pellet transporting tray at one end of the aligning tray, and a fuel cladding tube supporting device located in the vicinity of the other end of the aligning tray and adapted to support a number of fuel cladding tubes so that a selected one fuel cladding tube is operatively connected to the aligning tray. The fuel pellets are transferred from the transporting tray into the aligning tray by means of a pushing device and the row of the pellets transferred on the groove of the aligning tray is moved forwardly until it abuts against a stopping mechanism located in association with the aligning tray.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1988
    Assignee: Japan Nuclear Fuel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Udaka, Kenji Umezu, Takasi Sekine, Tatsumo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 4744201
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for staging a plurality of products into a grouping of a desired number of the products having a given center-to-center spacing therebetween. The staging assembly includes an endless track that indexes in order to feed, without gaps, a desired number of products thereonto, which endless track off-feeds in a generally constant manner in order to provide, in association with the takeaway speed of a receiving conveyor, the desired center-to-center spacing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1988
    Assignee: Oscar Mayer
    Inventors: Robert V. Total, Timothy G. Mally
  • Patent number: 4742669
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1986
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1988
    Assignee: Fleetwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew E. Mojden
  • Patent number: 4741720
    Abstract: Three simply constructed plastic tubes form a time saving coin wrapping system. The first component is a clear plastic base used for holding a stack of similar coins. The second component is a transfer tube made of a resilient split plastic rolled sheet. This transfer tube is inserted down around the coins while in the base. Finally, a third component, a resilient plastic casing which holds a paper coin wrapper, is inserted in the top of the transfer tube. The entire assembly is inverted. The coins can now be removed neatly wrapped in the paper coin wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 3, 1988
    Inventor: Steve P. Vargo
  • Patent number: 4736570
    Abstract: Cookies (15) are carried in random spaced series on a surface belt conveyor (11) toward the delivery end of the conveyor. The cookies are diverted by diverter (18) to one side of the conveyor until a predetermined number of the cookies has been counted, whereupon the diverter diverts the cookies to the opposite side of the conveyor. The group of cookies on one side of the surface conveyor moves downwardly about the delivery end of the conveyor belt, between the overhead conveyor belts (25) and (26), so as to change the cookies from a horizontal attitude to an edge standing attitude, and the groups of cookies are received in edge standing attitude in the receptacles (58) or (59). The receptacles progressively move outwardly beneath the delivery end of the surface conveyor as the cookies are counted by photocells (28) or (29), and air nozzles (65) or (66) direct a stream of air toward the last received cookie to hold the cookie in an edge standing attitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1988
    Assignee: Food Machinery Sales, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Hardage, Charles T. Haley, William D. Walker
  • Patent number: 4718218
    Abstract: A coin wrapping mechanism for wrapping rolls of coins comprises a coin stacking system for forming a coin stack containing a predetermined number of coins; vertical and lateral supporting members for supporting the coin stack for rotation about its axis; a driven roll with a resilient surface for rotating the coin stack about its axis while pressing a wrapping material against the coin stack, the wrapping material having a coating of a pressure-sensitive, releasable adhesive on the side facing the coin stack so that the adhesive adheres to, and is wound around, the coin stack; and an ejector for removing the coin stack from the wrapping station after the desired length of wrapping material has been wound around the coins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1985
    Date of Patent: January 12, 1988
    Assignee: Ristvedt-Johnson, Inc.
    Inventor: Victor G. Ristvedt
  • Patent number: 4712356
    Abstract: Cookies 20 having irregularly shaped upper surfaces are received in an as-baked, horizontal attitude from the cookie oven first on a slick top belt conveyor 10, then on an edge abutment belt conveyor 11, where the cookies are delivered in edge abutment relationship to a timing belt 12. The timing belt delivers the cookies to cookie loading wheel 14 which reorients each cookie in series from the as-baked, horizontal attitude to an edge standing attitude and aligns each cookie with the preceeding cookie in the cell 56 or 57 of a turret 15. Once the cookies have been properly aligned in an edge standing attitude, the cookies are urged by the loading wheel into the cell, and after a predetermined number of cookies have been properly loaded, the turret is inverted so as to drop the cookies into an awaiting cookie tray 65.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1987
    Assignee: Food Machinery Sales, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy W. Hardage, Charles T. Haley, William D. Walker
  • Patent number: 4700533
    Abstract: Several troughs, each having an open end and a closed end, are formed into a body. Each trough is sized to receive and stack a predetermined number of coins of a selected denomination. A movable member, coupled to the body, detachably holds several tube type wrappers. In response to movement in one direction, the movable member closes the open end of each trough. In response to movement of the movable member in the opposite direction each wrapper is aligned with a respective trough. As the body is tilted, the stack is guided into the wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1987
    Inventor: Frank L. Green
  • Patent number: 4669252
    Abstract: A manual coin counting and packaging apparatus for quickly measuring the predetermined number of coins necessary to fill a paper coin roll wrapper of any denomination and for inserting the coins into the coin roll wrapper. The apparatus includes a transparent counting sleeve with indicia marking the proper height for a stack of, for example, pennies, nickels, and dimes. A packaging sleeve is also provided which includes a fixed diameter opening which can attach to the counting sleeve, and a variable diameter opening which can be easily inserted into a paper coin wrapper of any denomination. With the packaging sleeve completely inserted into the coin wrapper, the force of gravity may be employed to shift the coins out of the sleeve and into the paper wrapper as the sleeve is lifted out of the wrapper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Inventor: Wallace F. Steinhilber
  • Patent number: 4590743
    Abstract: Cookies (18) and the like are moved in a horizontal, as-baked attitude from an oven and are automatically loaded in edge standing attitude in the semicylindrical cavities of a tray (146). The cookies are received in series from the cooling belt (19) that leads away from the oven onto a slick top belt, then moved in sequence to a backlog belt conveyor (22), to a timing belt conveyor (24), to a pin conveyor (12), to a loading wheel (13) and into a loading cell (106) of a turret. The slick top belt operates at approximately the same speed as the cooling belt leading away from the oven, and the backlog belt operates at a slower speed as necessary than the slick top belt so as to accumulate the cookies in edge-to-edge relationship. When the supply of cookies on the backlog belt has accumulated to the point where they are backing up on the slick top belt, the operational speed of the system is increased so that the speed of operation matches the operation of the oven.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1986
    Assignee: Food Machinery Sales, Inc.
    Inventor: Timothy W. Hardage
  • Patent number: 4537550
    Abstract: Apparatus for supplying a stack of can ends or the like to a downstream processing unit is provided. The apparatus comprises a transport system having a trough for accumulating, in stacked array, can ends delivered from an upstream source. Transport clamp means engage at least some of the stacked, accumulated can ends, and a transport drive moves the clamp means and can ends along the trough to a transfer station. The transfer system includes a pocket for supporting a stack of can ends transported thereinto by the transport means. A transfer clamp means engages at least some of the upstream can ends inserted into the pocket. A shelf is inserted into the pocket bottom for supporting the stack of can ends in the pocket when the transfer clamp means are withdrawn. The stack of can ends supported on the shelf can then be transferred to a carousel-type rotory infeed unit, or to a bagging machine, or to some other sort of downstream processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 27, 1985
    Assignee: Fleetwood Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Wallace W. Mojden, Robert E. Darr
  • Patent number: 4442652
    Abstract: End closures for cans fed horizontally at given intervals at a high speed are shifted in direction, one after another, to be substantially perpendicular to a support passage extending substantially horizontally, received separately by the passage rapidly and positively, and lotted out when a predetermined number has been reached by the pieces received. Each lot thus compacted to a solid cylinderical form is put into an elongate paper bag, and the open end of the bag is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Daiwa Can Company, Limited
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Wakamatsu, Haruo Tsuwano
  • Patent number: 4442654
    Abstract: End closures for cans fed horizontally at given intervals at a high speed are shifted in direction, one after another, to be substantially perpendicular to a support passage extending substantially horizontally, received separately by the passage rapidly and positively, and lotted out when a predetermined number has been reached by the pieces received. Each lot thus compacted to a solid cylinderical form is put into an elongate paper bag, and the open end of the bag is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 17, 1984
    Assignee: Daiwa Can Company, Limited
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Wakamatsu, Haruo Tsuwano
  • Patent number: 4417435
    Abstract: End closures for cans fed horizontally at given intervals at a high speed are shifted in direction, one after another, to be substantially perpendicular to a support passage extending substantially horizontally, received separately by the passage rapidly and positively, and lotted out when a predetermined number has been reached by the pieces received. Each lot thus compacted to a solid cylinderical form is put into an elongate paper bag, and the open end of the bag is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1980
    Date of Patent: November 29, 1983
    Assignee: Daiwa Can Company
    Inventors: Atsuyuki Wakamatsu, Haruo Tsuwano