Conveyors: power-driven – Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit – System includes a rotating or endless carrier with a load...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-27
2001-12-04
Noland, Kenneth W. (Department: 3651)
Conveyors: power-driven
Conveyor system for moving a specific load as a separate unit
System includes a rotating or endless carrier with a load...
C271S020000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325201
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to apparatus for handling blanks or other sheets, and particularly to apparatus for separating and conveying sheet-like blanks stored in a stack.
Various types of prior art blank feeding apparatus are known, in which blanks can be picked from a stack before being passed to a carton forming apparatus (for example). Generally, it is convenient to pick the blanks from the bottom of the stack, so that the magazine or feed box containing the stack of blanks can be easily filled from the top.
One aspect of the present invention provides apparatus for handling blanks comprising a magazine for receiving a stack of blanks and including means for supporting the stack, endless conveyor means for receiving successive lowermost blanks from the stack, said conveyor means including at least one blank pick-up device arranged to receive and convey blanks from the stack, and support means carried by the endless conveyor means for at least partly supporting the stack between pick-up operations of said pick-up device.
In a preferred arrangement the endless conveyor means is driven continuously, and may carry a plurality of spaced pick-up devices between which are arranged a plurality of spaced support members. The endless conveyor means may comprise a rotary member rotatable about an axis, which is parallel to a plane in which the lowermost blank of the stack extends. Each pick-up device may include an arm pivoted about an axis parallel to this axis and control means may be provided for controlling the angular position of the arm as the rotary member rotates about the axis. In this way, the arm may be arranged to reciprocate about its pivot axis so that a peripheral arcuate surface for receiving a blank performs a rolling action relative to the stack so as to receive a lowermost blank.
The support members may include arcuate surfaces at least approximately coaxial with the axis of said rotary member and arranged to engage successive lowermost blanks in the stack. The support members and pick-up devices may be so disposed as to allow a support member to engage the stack during a pick-up operation, i.e. as a blank is being withdrawn by a pick-up device the next blank is already being supported by the following support member.
A further aspect of the invention provides apparatus for handling blanks comprising a magazine for receiving a stack of blanks and including means for supporting the stack, endless conveyor means for receiving successive lowermost blanks from the stack, said conveyor means including at least one blank pick-up device arranged to receive and convey blanks from the stack, wherein said endless conveyor means comprises a rotary member rotatable about an axis and said pick-up device includes an arm pivoted about an axis parallel to said axis, and control means for controlling the angular position of the arm as said rotary member rotates about said axis.
Preferably each arm is arranged to reciprocate about its pivot axis, e.g. so as to pivot in the region of the magazine from a forward position to a rearward position, thereby providing a rolling action against the base of the stack. This pivotal motion of each arm may be achieved by a cam and follower arrangement, although it may also be achieved, for example, by suitable crank operated drive linkages. In a preferred arrangement a pivotable follower means is engaged with a fixed cam track: the follower means may be independently pivoted to the arm.
A still further aspect of the invention provides apparatus for handling blanks comprising a magazine for receiving a stack of blanks and including means for supporting the stack, endless conveyor means for receiving successive lowermost blanks from the stack, said conveyor means including at least one blank pick-up device arranged to receive and convey blanks from the stack, said supporting means including means for supporting opposed edges of the lowermost blank of the stack including retractable elements respectively at the leading and trailing edges of a lowermost blank, and means for sequentially retracting said elements in synchronism with movement of the pick-up device to receive said lowermost blank.
The supports for the opposed edges of the stack may comprise respective pivotally mounted support fingers at the leading and trailing edges of the lowermost blank, which are arranged to be successively retracted, as the blank is removed from the bottom of the stack, by a further cam drive mechanism.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5080341 (1992-01-01), Luthy
patent: 2110963 (1971-03-01), None
patent: 0 267 365 (1987-06-01), None
patent: 0 405 107 A1 (1990-05-01), None
Bailey Thomas William
Cleall Andrew John
Hill Brian
Antonelli Terry Stout & Kraus LLP
Molins PLC
Noland Kenneth W.
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