Package making – Methods – Group forming of contents into a unit
Patent
1996-07-29
1999-12-28
Moon, Daniel B.
Package making
Methods
Group forming of contents into a unit
53542, B65B 3530
Patent
active
060064994
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for packaging article goods forming a stack.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The Finnish patent 87438 discloses an apparatus which utilizes a count object (article) for packaging envelopes in batches of a certain size, the count object (article) being pushed out at fixed spaces when feeding the envelopes into a continuous stack advancing on a conveyor and having the envelopes in a vertical plane. This type of apparatus is also known from the U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,775. The principle in these solutions is the use of a special detector for detecting the arrival of the count object in a separation zone, followed by pushing an elongated separator element through the entire width of the stack transversely to the stack advancing direction for separating from the leading end of the stack a stack portion of a certain size, which is pushed aside for further processing in the operation of packaging the same.
A gap is formed by means of the separator element preferably between the counting object and the leading end of a stack in front of it. In order to separate this stack portion to form a distinctly detached unit, the separator element must produce a sufficiently clear gap. The prior art solutions have employed separator elements which penetrate into a stack through its entire width. In addition, the Finnish patent 87438 discloses a solution in which the separator element is further divided into two horizontal blades for supporting the stack both in the upper and lower part. This ensures that the stack portion remains well separated as the conveyor pushes a continuous stack into the separation zone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to introduce a novel type of apparatus capable of providing equally good separation without having to provide respective elements with movement ranges that would be as long as those used before. In order to achieve this object, in an apparatus of the present invention the displacer device, which is adapted to carry out the separation, is provided with a special gripper adapted to hold on to the protruding edge of the count object. This provides a firm grip of the stack and, thus, the separator element can produce a distinct separation between the stacks. This is a relatively expedient way of producing a sufficiently distinct separation point at the other edge of the stack so that a pusher element located alongside this edge is able to displace the thus separated stack portion aside. At the same time, the gripper holding on to the count object ensures that the count object and the following objects in the stack do not come along.
The invention will now be described in more detail with reference made to the accompanying drawings, in which
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)
FIG. 1 shows the apparatus from above,
FIG. 2 shows the present invention apparatus from the direction of a pusher element,
FIG. 3 shows the apparatus from the incoming direction of a conveyor, and
FIG. 4 shows a separator element and a gripper in more detail from above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)
The illustrated apparatus comprises a conveyor 1, such as a belt conveyor advancing e.g. at a table top level A (FIG. 2). The conveyor is supplied with article goods, comprising flexible thin articles, generally paper goods, into a continuous stack P in such a manner that the individual articles form a stack resting against the conveyor and having the articles in a vertical plane. For example, in a fabrication apparatus for envelopes, in reference to which the invention will be described hereinbelow, one object or specimen 2 is pushed at fixed spaces to form a count object article protruding from the stack for a subsequent sorting operation. The feeding apparatus for effecting this is prior known and, in this respect, reference is made e.g. to the Finnish patent 87438 and U.S. Pat. No. 3562775.
The conveyor 1 terminates upstream of a displacement area which can be an extension of the same table that the ad
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Ramo Jouni
Suokas Jouni
Jomet Oy
Moon Daniel B.
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