US3557933A

US3557933A - Article spotting device

Info

Publication number: US3557933A
Application number: US744581A
Authority: US
Inventors: Clifford D Sopher
Original assignee: General Methods Corp
Current assignee: General Methods Corp
Priority date: 1968-07-12
Filing date: 1968-07-12
Publication date: 1971-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1988-01-26

Abstract

A bottle-spotting device which rotates a bottle about its vertical longitudinal axis as it is conveyed along a conveyor path and engages a spot on the bottle to precisely orient that bottle. Friction rails on one side of the conveyor path cooperate with pusher elements mounted on a pair of endless chains on the opposite side of the conveyor path to impart rotation to the bottle. A bottle-spotting lug is mounted on one of the endless chains and is adapted to engage the spot on the bottle and stop rotation once the bottle has rotated to the desired position. A star wheel is used to feed the bottles into the spotting device at a metered rate. A switching circuit is provided for starting the spotting operation only when a predetermined number of bottles are ready for a spotting operation.

Description

ate

[72] Inventor Clifford D. Sopher 2,880,845 4/1959 Carter 198/33(R2) Peoria, Ill. 2,911,089 11/1959 Carter 198/33(R2) [21] Appl. No. 744,581 3,119,482 1/1964 Ganz 198/33(R2) [22] Flled July 1968 Primary Examiner-Edward A. Sroka [45] patnled 1971 AttorneyMolinare, Allegretti, Newitt & Witcoff [731 Assignees General Methods Corporation a corporation of Illinois; Fleming-Potter Company, Inc. a corporation of Illinois ABSTRACT: A bottle-spotting device which rotates a bottle [54] ARTICLE SPOTTING DEVICE about its vertical (iongitudinal axis as it is conlveyed along a 29 Claims, 13 Drawing Figs conveyor path an engages a spot on the bott e to precisely orient that bottle. Friction rails on one side of the conveyor U.S. cooperate pusher eleme t t d on a p i f 198/171 endless chains on the opposite side of the conveyor path to im- [51 Int. Cl ..B65g 19/02, pan rotation to the 1 A bottle spotting lug is mounted on 47/24 one of the endless chains and is adapted to engage the spot on [50] Field of Search 198/33(R2), h bottle and stop rotation once the bottle has rotated to the 171, 34 desired position. A star wheel is used to feed the bottles into the spotting device at a metered rate. A switching circuit is [5 6] References cued provided for starting the spotting operation only when a UNITED STATES PATENTS predetermined number of bottles are ready for a spotting 2,843,252 7/1958 Eddison l98/33(R2) operation.

7 48 .50 28 l a 1 12a 'J3Q T\ 124 131 21c 1 120 22 t I i 26E 19 21b PATENTEU JAN 2 6 I97! 1596M MWWZZM ARTICLE SPOTTING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an improved article-spotting device and more particularly to a bottle-spotting device wherein bottle drive means and spot-sensing and engaging means are included on the same side of the conveyor path.

Mechanisms for rotating and orienting a bottle or similar article having a spot thereon are widely used, for example, in the wine and liquor industry. Such devices, more commonly called spotters, are preferably adapted to align a bottle or article in a precise manner by engaging a spot on the bottle or article with a lug. The spot is merely a protrusion or indentation, for example, molded in a glass bottle. The lug is thus adapted to engage the spot whenever the bottle is rotated to a position where the spot and the lug can engage.

Preferably spotters perform their orientation operation on an article, such as a bottle, as the article is being transported in a rectilinear path by a conveyor. A continuous in-line operation is preferable because assembly line methods are used to fill and label articles at rates of more then 300 per minute. An intermittent operation would slow the rate of production of an entire line.

There have been developed various spotters or spotting mechanisms which space articles and orient them so that, for example, a labeling operation can be performed uniformly on all of the articles. Thus, a labeled secondary capsule closure, which fits over the sealed top end of a bottle, may need to be oriented in relation to the bottle so that the written material on the label faces in a desired direction on the bottle. In other words, the written matter of labels on the body of the bottle and the capsule closure often must be properly aligned. Another example of an operation requiring orientation of the bottles is the application of tax stamps. These stamps should be applied over the bottle cap and neck so that they will not interfere with or cover up the writing on a capsule closure.

Several devices have heretofore been developed for the purpose of spotting articles such as bottles so that oriented labeling or other operations may be performed on them. For example Carter U.S. Pat. No. 2,9l 1,089 shows a spotter in which a worm or helical screw is positioned at one side of a conveyor path to drive the bottles along the conveyor path and simultaneously cause the bottles to rotate about their longitudinal axis. A moving lug chain runs along the conveyor path opposite the worm. As the bottles spin, a spot on the bottle engages the lug chain and holds the bottlev in a nonrotatable position. Capstack U.S. Pat. No. 2,706,03l discloses another type of bottle-spotting device wherein the bottle-driving means and the spotting lug are also placed on opposite sides of the moving conveyor and cooperate to spot the bottle.

Carter U.S. Pat. No. 2,825,442 shows still another orienting arrangement utilizing two endless belts positioned on opposite sides of a conveyor run. Magnusson U.S. Pat. No. 2,293,553

shows one further orienting arrangement wherein the bottle spotting lug is positioned on one side of the conveyor and bottle-rotating drive means are located on the opposite side of the conveyor. In the Magnusson device the bottle must stop for the spotting operation since the spotter is an intermittently operative device.

Of these devices, of course, the one of Magnusson is the least useful for modern day assembly line methods since it is an intermittent device. The remaining spotting devices, while being in-line devices which operate on moving bottles, are rather bulky and do not have mobility for movement from one operating station to another. Moreover, it is inherent in the construction of the remaining devices that labels may be torn off, scuffed or marked by the driving means which moves the bottles along the conveyor path. This is especially true when the labels are fresh and the label glue is still wet. The spotter of the present invention successfully overcomes these disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In the principle aspect the present invention comprises an article-spotting device for continuously transporting articles in a forward direction along the conveyor path and means for sensing and engaging the spot on each of the articles. Both the means for driving and the means for sensing and engaging the article are positioned on the same side of the conveyor path. In addition, means for providing torque to each of the articles about their longitudinal axes is also provided. In this manner the article will be carried along a path and spin until the spot is sensed and engaged and a labeling operation or the like is performed on the article.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide an improved article-spotting device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an article-spotting device wherein the article drive means and the spot-sensing and engaging means are positioned on the same side of the conveyor.

One further object of the present invention is to provide an article-spotting device which will not mar or tear labels already affixed to an article passing through the device.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an article-spotting device which is compact, economical to manufacture, and may be easily incorporated with existing conveyor lines and apparatus along said conveyor lines.

These and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more fully set forth in the detailed description which follows:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the detailed description which follows reference will be made to the drawings comprised of the following FIGS.:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the complete article-spotting device of the invention illustrating how articles, especially bottles, are transported along the conveyor path, fed into the spotting device, and properly oriented and spotted;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the spotting device of FIG. 1 with portions of the drive mechanism cut away so as to better illustrate the device;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plan view of the lower drive sprocket and chain;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the spot engaging lug attached to the lower drive chain and engaging a spot on a bottle;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the lower drive roller taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a front view of the spot engaging lug taken substantially along the line 6-6 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is a side cross-sectional view of the drive sprocket and star wheel taken substantially along the line 7-7 in FIG. 1',

FIG. 8 is a plan cross-sectional view of the clutch arrangement of the star wheel taken substantially along the line 8-8 in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the upper chain drive roller;

FIG. 10 is a plan cross-sectional view of the drive chain arrangement taken substantially along the line 10-10 in FIG. 2;

FIG. I] is a circuit diagram of the article feed and timing mechanism of the device;

FIG. 12 is a partial side view showing an arrangement for driving the spotter and conveyor simultaneously; and

FIG. I3 is a partial view showing the spotter in combination with a device for holding the bottles in a spotted position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The following description is directed to the spotting of cylindrically-shaped glass bottles. However, the invention is not limited to a device which spots only such bottles but it is anticipated should include apparatus for spotting any type of container having a spot thereon.

The bottles that the following detailed description contemplates are of the type having a main body portion as at it) in FIG. 2, a narrowed neck 12, a lower scruff rail 14, an upper scruff rail !6 and a top or cap 17. The scruff rails 14 and 16 serve to keep the main body portion spaced from the sides of conveyor rails as at T9, 20, 22 and 23 in FIG. 1 and from

friction rails

120 and 121 as will be described below. The conveyor side rails 19, 20, 20a, 22, 23 and 23a are supported by vertical rail support rods as at 21a, 21b, 21c and 21d which are attached to

conveyor frame members

56 and 58. The side rails 19, 20, 20a, 22, 23 and 23a serve to keep the bottles positioned vertically on a moving conveyor belt 24. Each bottle, as at I, 2, 3, 4 and 5, also has a spot 130 which will be described in further detail below.

The bottles move along a conveyor belt 24, activate a limit switch 26 and are fed into the spotting device at a metered rate by a star wheel assembly 28. Although a star wheel assembly 28 is shovm as the preferred method for feeding bottles at a metered rate to the spotting device, it is contemplated that any means for metering the rate of bottle feed into the device may be utilized. For example, an escapement mechanism or a worm drive mechanism may be utilized to feed the bottles at spaced intervals into the spotting device. In the preferred embodiment described, the star wheel assembly 28 is incor porated as an integral part of the spotting device and therefore is synchronized to operate in sequence with the spotter mechanism as will be described in greater detail below.

The bottle-driving mechanism of the spotting device is mounted on a frame 30 having an upper frame member 32, a lower frame member 34 and a pair of vertical interconnecting frame members 36 and 3B which rigidly interconnect and space the upper and

lower frame members

32 and 34. Attached at spaced intervals to the bottom side of the lower frame member 34 are left and right frame mounting blocks 40 and 42 respectively. Left and light

cylindrical mounting rods

44 and 46 respectively are inserted through corresponding openings in mounting blocks 40 and 42 respectively. The mounting

rods

44 and 46 are rigidly attached to a support frame member as at 48 and 50 respectively. Since the mounting blocks 40 and 42 are fmely slidable on the mounting

rods

44 and 46, the position of the frame 30 and thus the position of the spotting device may be adjusted in relation to the conveyor belt 24. Locking screws, as at 52 and 53 inserted through mounting block 40, are adjusted to hold the mounting block 40 in a fixed relation with mounting rod 44. A similar arrangement (not shown) is provided for mounting block 42 and rod 46.

Support frame members

48 and 50 may be part of the frame supporting the conveyor belt 24 or they may be part of a portable housing and support unit of the bottle-spotting device. For example, if

frame members

48 and 50 are permanently attached and part of the frame supporting the con veyor belt 24 then the

frame members

48 and 50 are immovable in relation to the bottle-spotting device and merely serve as members for attachment of the bottle device to the conveyor frame. On the other hand if

frame members

48 and 50 are part of the bottle-spotting unit, the unit may be positioned in relation to the conveyor belt and its supporting frame. The unit may then be locked or bolted in a fixed position in relation to the frame of the conveyor belt 24. Finally the frame 31 may be adjusted on the mounting

rods

44 and 46 to provide a fine adjustment of the spotter in relation to the conveyor belt 24. In FIG. 2 the latter described arrangement is shown wherein the spotter unit is mounted on a housing 54.

Frame members

48 and 58 are fixed to the housing 54 and also rigidly, though temporarily, attached to parallel

longitudinal frame members

56 and 58 of the frame assembly supporting conveyor belt 24.

Also, attached to lower frame member 34 are three spaced and adjustable

chain support brackets

66, 61 and 62. The chain support brackets are bolted to the lower frame member 34 and are adjustable in a direction perpendicular to the run of the conveyor belt 24. As illustrated in FIG. 1 for center chain support bracket 61, adjustment is provided by cooperation of elongated openings 63 and 64 in lower frame member 34 and bolts 65. Thus, bolts 65 may be loosened, center chain support bracket 61 moved to the desired position and bolts 65 again tightened. The remaining

support brackets

60 and 62 are constructed in the same manner.

Attached to the

chain support brackets

60, 6! and 62 are an upper chain support 66 and a lower chain support 67. The upper and lower chain supports 66 and 67 are arranged substantially parallel to the conveyor belt 24 and serve to keep an upper and lower

bottle drive chain

68 and 70, respectively on a straight line course, parallel to the conveyor belt 24 as will be described in greater detail below.

Again referring to FIGS. l and 2, there is shown mounted on pairs of

sprockets

72 and 74, 76 and 78 attached at opposite ends of the frame 30, the upper drive chain 68 and the lower drive chain 70. The upper drive chain 68 is mounted on drive sprocket 72 and idler sprocket 74. In a similar manner the lower drive chain 70 is mounted on drive sprocket 76 and idler sprocket 78. The drive sprockets 72 and 76 are mounted on a vertical drive shaft 30 which is joumaled in bearing blocks 82 and 84 attached respectively to the upper frame member 32 and the lower frame member 34. In a similar manner

idler sprockets

74 and 78 are mounted on a shaft 86. The shaft 86 is joumaled in idler bearing blocks 92 and 94 respectively. The idler bearing blocks 92 and 94 are in turn mounted in adjustable upper and lower frame bearing

block holders

102 and 104 respectively in the manner illustrated in FIG. 2. Thus, by loosening block holder bolts 105 and sliding

block holders

102 and 104 to the desired position, the tension and length of run of the upper and

lower chains

68 and 70 may be adjusted.

In order to insure that the upper and

lower drive chains

68 and 70 are maintained at a sufficient tension there is also provided upper and lower spring

idler sprocket assemblies

106 and 107 respectively. The

assemblies

106 and 107 are mounted on a block 108 attached to lower frame member 34. The upper and lower assemblies are substantially identical in construction. Both include an idler sprocket 109 rotatably mounted on a shaft 110. The shaft T10 in turn is fixed to a shaft mounting block 111. Left and right guide rods 112 and 113 extend from the shaft mounting block ill 1 through the assembly mounting block 108. Left and right biasing springs 114 and l 15 are positioned on guide rods 112 and i 13 respectively between the shaft mounting block 111 and the assembly mounting block 108. These springs 114 and 115 act to bias the

sprocket assembly

106 and 107 into engagement with the upper or

lower drive chain

68 or 70 as the case may be. In this manner the upper and

lower drive chains

68 and 70 are as sured proper tension.

Attached to the upper drive chain 68 are bottle engaging and driving means which are more fully described below. Likewise, lower drive chain 70 includes bottle engaging and driving means and spot sensing and engaging means which are also more fully described below. The drive sprockets 72 and 76 which drive the

drive chains

68 and 70 derive their power through main drive chain 117 situated beneath the conveyor belt 24 and passing around spotter drive sprocket 118. This construction is also described more fully below by reference to the other FIGS. of the drawing.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, however, there is also shown parallel to the conveyor belt M on the side opposite the drive chain, an upper friction rail 120 and a lower friction rail 121. These rails 120 and M1 are substantially similar in construction and each is fabricated from a metal bar such as aluminum with a facing material 122 attached to the inside surface for engagement with the scruff rails 14 and 16 of the bottles. The facing material 122 is preferably leather since testing has indicated this is the best material known for operation of the device. It has also been determined that rubber is not a. desirable material for use as a facing material.

As illustrated in MG. 2 the upper friction rail 120 is adapted to coincide with the scruff rail 16 of the bottles whereas the lower friction rail 121 is adapted to engage or coincide with the lower scruff rail 14. Thus, the friction rails 120 and 121 are designed not to interfere or engage any label placed on the body of a bottle. Moreover, the friction rails 120 and 121 are separated by a distance approximately equal to the height of the body of the bottle. The area having as one dimension the space between the friction rails 120 and 121 and as the other dimension the distance approximately equal to the run of the spotting device provides an ideal position for sensing devices and/or other bottling machinery. Such additional machinery is thus positioned on the same side of the spotting device and in the same position as the friction rails 120 and 121. This area provides ample room for operations to be performed on the body 10 of the bottle once the bottle has been spotted. The fact that the bottle may be sensed and operated upon by machinery along one side of the conveyor while the bottle is simultaneously being spotted or is spotted by means on the opposite side of the conveyor belt 24 is only one important advantage and feature of the present invention.

The upper and lower friction rails 120 and 121 are also adjustable so that various sizes of bottles may be accommodated by the spotting apparatus. Provided at opposite ends of the bottle spotting device on the right and left respectively are vertical rail support members 124 and 126. These vertical sup port members 124 and 126 are attached either to the longitudinal frame member 56 or to the housing 54. In other words, the vertical support members 124 and 126 are fixed relative to the conveyor belt 24. An adjusting screw 125 fits through a threaded opening in vertical support member 124 and is threaded into upper friction rail 120. A nut 129 may be tightened against vertical support member 124 to lock adjusting screw 128 in position once proper alignment of the left end of rail 120 has been achieved. In a similar manner an adjusting screw 130 and nut 131 -'cooperate with vertical support member 126 at the opposite end of upper friction rail 120 to adjust and set the position the right-hand end of upper friction rail 120. Lower friction rail 121 has similar adjusting means.

Referring now to FIG. 3, there is shown in an enlarged plan view a portion of the lower drive chain 70 and the drive chain sprocket 76 along with the spot sensing means and bottle drive means attached to the lower chain 70.

Chain 70 is comprised of interconnecting links generally denoted by 71 and pins generally denoted by '73 with spacers generally denoted by 75. Thus, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 lower chain 70 includes upper links generally denoted by flu and lower links generally denoted by 71d connected by pin 73 and spaced by spacer 75 so that teeth of a drive sprocket may properly engage the chain '70.

Attached to the chain 70 at spaced intervals around the circumference of the chain 70 and in place of an upper and lower link 7114 and 71d and a pair of spacers 75 are roller carriers generally denoted by 135 and more specifically, as at 135a- 135c which are carriers for bottle drive rollers generally denoted by 137 and more specifically, as at 1370-137c.

A description of the roller carrier 135i and roller 1371) will serve as a description for the remaining roller carriers 135 and rollers 137 on lower chain '70. The roller carrier 1135b interconnects adjacent pins as at 730 and 73b in FiG. 3 of chain 70. Projecting from the opposite sides of the roller carrier 1.35b in a direction parallel to the conveyor run are bearing surface projections 144b and 1451;. These surface projections 1 34b and 1451; have bearing surfaces 1 86b and 14% respectively which rest against

chain spacers

75a and 75b respectively. In this manner the axis of the roller 13% is held in a substantially vibrationless position as it is translated down the path of the conveyor parallel to the belt 24L As will be observed in FIG. 3. when the roller carrier as at 135a passes over the sprocket 76, the bearing surfaces 146a, 147a are lifted away from

spacers

73c, 73d and pins 71c, 71d and do not interfere with the travel of the chain 70 over the sprocket 76. The combination of the lower chain support 67 with roller carriers 135 insures that the rollers 137 are translated along the conveyor path without wobble or vibration.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the bottle drive rollers generally denoted by 137 are cylindrical in shape and have a rubber gasket or O-ring generally denoted by 139 around the circumference to prevent abrasion and tearing of any labels on a bottle. Each roller 137 is rotatably attached to a roller carrier by means of a support bolt 140 threaded into a roller carrier 135.

Also attached to lower chain 70 are lug assemblies generally denoted by 152 and more specifically as at 152a-l52c for spotting successive bottles. FIGS. 3, 4 and 6 illustrate in greater detail bottle spotting lug assembly l52b. A description of assembly 152!) therefore serves as a description for all the spotting lug assemblies 152.

The bottle-spotting lug assembly 152b includes a pin link 15 9b which connects, respectively, the bottom ends of second and third drive chain pins 73e and 73f positioned in the direction opposite from the direction of movement of the drive chain 70. This is the minimal spacing allowable between pin link 15 8!) and roller carrier 135b since the bearing surface 146 must rest against at least the next adjacent spacer 75a in the direction opposite the rotational direction of the drive chain 76. Thus, it is contemplated that the lug assembly 15% may be positioned any desired number of chain links 71 behind the roller carrier 135b depending upon the diameter of the bottles and the rate at which the bottles are to be fed into the spotting device, for example.

Pin link 1154b has an outward extending member 158 to which is attached a spotter lug 160. Lug 160 has a spot engaging end 162 and an opposite end 164. The opposite end 164 is pivotally attached to a shaft 165 fixed in member 158. Positioned in a slot 167 in the spot-engaging end 162 is a spotter roller 169. The roller 169 is free to rotate about a fixed pin 170 extending between the sides of the slot 167. A cam shaft pin 172 extends downwardly from the spot engaging end 162. A spring 174 wraps around shaft 165 and is rigidly fixed to both the spot-engaging end 162 and the member 158. Spring 174 biases lug 160 in a clockwise direction about shaft 165 as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3. It should be noted that pin link 154b replaces a lower link 71d of the chain 70. Thus, the outward member 158, as shown in FIG. 6, lies in the same plane as the bottom link 71d of the chain 70 as shown in FIG. 5. V

A camway member 176, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, is mounted by means of a bracket member 177 to the lower frame member 34. The camway member 176 has a cam guide surface 178 which coacts with the lower end of cam shaft pin 172 to depress the lug assembly 152b in a counterclockwise direction against the biasing force of spring 174. The cam guide surface 178 terminates shortlyafter the beginning of the run along the conveyor belt 24 of the bottle-spotting device. The lug assembly 152 is depressed by means of the cam surface 178 to prevent engagement of the roller 169 with a bottle spot 180 prior to engagement of a bottle by a drive roller 137. If the lug assembly 152 does engage a spot 180 prematurely, the drive roller 137 would improperly engage a bottle probably resulting in breakage of the bottle.

'Advantageously, a camway member (not shown) may be included at the output end of the bottle spotter. Such a camway member would be similar in construction to camway member 176 and would act to depress lug assembly 152 as bottles are discharged to insure that the lug assembly would not kick" the discharging bottles. Since the lug assembly 152 accelerates when rounding upper idler sprocket 74, it may otherwise hit the discharging bottles if not depressed.

Distinct advantages arise from this lug assembly construction. First, since there is a roller 169, the spotting device may be used with a freshly affixed label still having a wet backing wherein the glue is not yet dry. The roller 169 will merely roll along the surface of the bottle and label until it engages a spot 180. The cam drive surface 178 and cam shaft pin 172 coactionalso prevent premature contact between the roller 169 and a bottle thereby also preventing ripping or tearing of a label.

As can be observed by reference to FIGS. I and 3, the lug assembly 152 is transported by the lower drive chain 70 as the chain is rotated in a clockwise direction. The lug 160 is depressed by the cam surface 178 until the appropriate time when the lug is biased outwardly into a path in which it will intersect the spot 180 on a bottle. The sequence of steps in a spotting operation is illustrated by the bottles designated by positions 1-5 in FIG. 1. It should be noted that bottle positions 1 and 3 are also designated in FIG. 3 and

bottle position

4 or 5 is designated in FIG. 4. The bottles rotate in a counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrows in the various FIGS. until the roller 169 engages the spot 180 as illustrated in FIG. 4. The bottles are then transported without further rotation by conveyor belt 24 and the spotter bottle drive rollers 137.

The upper drive chain 68 and its associated parts facilitate bottle transfer along conveyor belt 124 and are illustrated in a cross-sectional view in FIGS. 5, 7 and 9. The upper chain 68 is substantially the same as the lower drive chain 70. In a prototype model two No. 40 chains are used advantageously for the bottle spotter device of the present type which has been used for spotting one-fifth gallon, whiskey-type bottles having a 3- inch diameter. i

As illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 9, a bottle support roller 182 is pivotably mounted by means of a bolt 183 on a roller carrier 184 attached to upper chain 68. The construction of the roller carrier 184 is substantially the same as the construction of the previously described roller carrier 135. Roller 182, however, is preferably a polyethylene or plastic material which will not abrade a label.

Referring again to cross-sectional view FIG. 7, there is shown the arrangement for the connection of the drive shaft 80 and the

drive sprockets

72 and 76. The drive sprockets 72 and 76 each include a

center hub assembly

190 and 191 respectively. The

hub assemblies

190 and 191 are each constructed in the same manner thus a description of one will suffice for both. The top hub assembly 190 includes an upper hub member 192 and a lower hub member 193 which are clamped together by hexagonal head cap screws 194. The upper and

lower hub members

192 and 193 may be tightened to clamp the sprocket 72 in a fixed position therebetween. The hub assembly 190 is keyed to the shaft 80 by key 195 and locking key screw 196. Thus, the upper spotter chain can be adjusted by loosening the three hex head cap screws 194 on the upper hub assembly 190 and advancing or retarding the chain manually. Since the lower hub assembly 191 is constructed in the same manner, the lower chain 70 may be manually adjusted in the same manner.

In addition to adjustment of the separate upper and

lower chains

68 and 70, the entire spotting unit can be adjusted by loosening hex head cap screws 198 which are attached to hub assembly 199. Hub assembly 199 is constructed in the same manner as

hub assemblies

190 and 191. Thus by loosening cap screws 198 and turning the drive shaft in a clockwise direction with a wrench on the lower end 197 of the spotter drive shaft 80, the unit can be adjusted. Turning the drive shaft 80 in a clockwise direction advances the bottles. Turning it in a counterclockwise direction retards the bottles.

Referring now to FIG. 10, there is shown the drive chain arrangement for driving the star wheel metering assembly 28 and the

drive chains

68 and 70 of the bottle spotter in a synchronized fashion. Power is provided to drive chain 1 17 in a clockwise direction by drive sprocket 200 which is connected to drive shaft 201. The drive chain 117 passes over idler sprocket 204 and around the spotter drive sprocket 118 imparting a clockwise motion to the drive sprocket 118 and thus, to the upper and

lower drive chains

68 and 70. Drive chain 117 continues in its circuitous path and engages a star wheel sprocket 206 imparting a counterclockwise motion to the star wheel sprocket 206 and adjustable star wheel sprocket assembly 207. Thus a counterclockwise motion is imparted to the star wheel assembly 28 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 7. Finally, drive chain 117 passes over an adjustable tension idler sprocket 208. In a prototype model of the invention, the spotter drive sprocket 118 is a 30 tooth sprocket which, of course, is driven on the inside of drive chain 117 to obtain the clockwise motion, and the star wheel sprocket 206 is a 40 tooth sprocket and is driven on the outside of the chain 117 to obtain the counterclockwise rotation.

Referring now particularly to FIGS. 1, 7 and 8 there is shown the construction of the star wheel metering assembly 28 which feeds bottles into the spotter at a fixed rate. The star wheel assembly 28 includes an upper star wheel 29 and a lower star wheel 31. While two

star wheels

29 and 31 are shown, one star wheel is sufficient for operation of the device. The

star wheels

29 and 31 themselves are replaceable, depending upon the shape and size of the bottle being spotted. The configuration pictured in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 8 is particularly adapted for feeding cylindrical one-fifth of a gallon bottles into the spotter device. However, star wheels are available and known in the art for feeding square-shaped bottles, etc.

. Upper star wheel 29 has a cylindrical flange 210 depending downward therefrom and is connected with lower star wheel 31 by means of screws 212. Upper star wheel 29 in turn is rigidly mounted to a star wheel hub 214.

Star wheels

29 and 31 and hub 214 include a central cylindrical opening and slidably fit over a star wheel shaft 216. Theshaft 216 is rigidly connected to the adjustable star wheel sprocket assembly 207.

Shaft 216 includes a circular plate section 218. The'lower surface of plate section 218 bears against a shaft bracket 220. Shaft bracket 220 in turn is mounted on frame member 56 by means of mounting bolts 219.

Bearings

221 and 222 are provided in shaft bracket 220 for shaft 216.

A hub plate 224 is bolted to shaft plate 218 by countersunk cap screws 226 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. Hub plate 224 includes arcuate slots 228 through which the capscrews 226 are fitted and which permit the hub plate 224 to be rotationally positioned in relation to the shaft plate 218. Such positioning is necessary to provide proper synchronization between the star wheel assembly 28 and the remainder of the device. Hub plate 224 also includes four

semihemispherical indentations

229, 230, 231 and 232 spaced at intervals and at equal radial distances from the center of the hub plate 224. Hub 214 includes four cylindrical vertical shafts as at 234 and 236 in FIG. 7 which are positioned directed over indentations as at 229 and 231. Springs as at 237 and 238 are positioned in

shafts

234 and 236, respectively, to bias ball

bearing locking members

239 and 240 into their corresponding

indentations

229 and 231. A locking nut 242 is provided on the top end of the shaft 216 to prevent the ball bearings as at 239 and 240 from riding out of an indentation as the shaft 216 is turned.

Thus, when shaft 216 is being driven by drive chain 117 the

star wheels

29 and 31 are provided with torque through the clutch mechanism described above. When, however, it is desirable to prevent the

star wheels

29 and 31 from turning even though drive chain 117 is imparting power to sprocket 206, a brake rod 244 engages star wheel 29 to prevent rotation. Brake rod 244 is actuated by an air cylinder 246 which is part of a star wheel assembly control circuit which will be described below.

FIG. 1 1 schematically represents the control circuit for the star wheel assembly 28 and a brake motor 254 providing power to shaft 201. Three phase 220 volt lines 250 provide power through a starter relay 252 to the main drive motor 254. As also depicted in FIG. 11, a double-acting air cylinder 246 with brake rod 244 is positioned where it may impinge on star wheel 29. A two position, four way pilot operated solenoid valve 256 receiving air from a line source 255 is activated either by a single-pole double-throw switch 260 or a doublepole, double-throw limit switch 26. Input control power lines 258 provide control circuit power. Limit switch 26, which is also depicted in FIGS. land 2, is the limit switch which activates the control circuits and starts the bottle-spotting device.

Bottles moving on the conveyor belt 24 activate the limit switch 26 which supplies control voltage to a time delay relay 262. When the time delay relay is activated, its normally opened contacts close and remain closed after the limit switch 26 is opened, and for the period of time the timer is set. This period of time is preferably equivalent to the period of time that it takes a bottle to pass on a complete run through the spotting device. This time is approximately 3.5 secondswhen the bottle-spotting device is being used for processing bottles at a normal operating rate of approximately 100 bottles per minute for 3 inch diameter cylindrical bottles. When the normally opened contacts of the time delay relay 262 close, control voltage is supplied to the starter relay 252, which in turn supplies line voltage to the motor 254. After the motor 254 starts, a preset cam 263 that runs at a 1:1 ratio with the spotter device, causes limit switch 260 to close. This supplies control voltage to solenoid valve 256. When solenoid valve 256 opens, it supplies air from the air supply 255 to air cylinder 246, which closes, withdrawing rod 244 and allows the star wheel 29 to feed bottles through the spotter. The cam 265 is adjusted to insure that bottles feed into the spotter device between sets of rollers. This is to prevent the bottles from fouling the spotter mechanisms or from being crushed.

When limit switch 26 closes, solenoid valve 256 is reversed, which causes air cylinder 246 to open, rod 244 to extend and stop the star wheel. The motor 254 will continue to run until the time delay relay 262 runs out. When the time delay relay 262, runs out, the normally opened contacts return to their normally opened position.

A limit switch 264 is also activated by the cam 265 that runs at a 1:1 ratio with the bottle spotter. When the switch 264 is closed by the cam 265, the motor continues to run until the spotter device stops at a desirable position. A desirable position is one in which the spotter rollers are aligned to receive bottles from the star wheel 29 without crushing them. When the normally opened contacts on the time delay relay 262 are returned to open, the motor 254 will stop unless limit switch 264 is closed. Otherwise, the motor will continue to run until limit switch 264 drops off the cam 265 and returns the switch 264 to its opened position.

The control circuit of FIG. llll can operate in any one of three separate ways to effect spotting of bottles:

OPERATION PROfiEDURE NO. I

As shown in FIG. I, for example, the star wheel 29 will hold back a predetermined number of bottles. When one bottle activates the limit switch 26, one bottle is fed into the spotter device. Preferably switch 26 is placed at an integral number of bottle positions prior to assembly 28. For example, in FIG. 1 the limit switch 26 is positioned two bottle diameters prior to the star assembly 28.

After a bottle comes along the conveyor belt 24 and activates limit switch 26, the spotter device will continue to run until that bottle has passed completely through the machine. This results because the time delay relay 262 keeps the device operating for a preselected period of time. When several bottles enter the spotter device, the limit switch 26 is held closed by the bottles. Consequently the air cylinder 246 will open lifting rod 244 as described above and will remain open until the last bottle closes the limit switch 26. The spotter device will continue to run until the last bottle discharged by the star wheel 29 has passed completely through the spotter device.

OPERATION PROCEDURE No. 2

A single-pole, single-throw off-on switch is substituted in place of the limit switch 264. The time delay relay 262 is omitted. The limit switch 26 may be a single-pole doublethrow switch and is used only to activate the air valve 256. The switch 264 is used to turn the bottle conveying part of the spotter device off and on. This part of the spotter device will run continuously once turned on. Meanwhile, the star wheel 29 will hold back a predetermined number of bottles depending upon the position of limit switch 26. When one bottle activates the limit switch 26, the star wheel 29 feeds one bottle into the bottle conveying part of the spotter device. Even after the bottle leaves the bottle conveying part of the spotter device, it will continue to run. When several bottles enter the spotter device, the limit switch 26 remains held closed by the bottles. The air cylinder 246 will open and remain open until the last bottle opens the limit switch 26 and causes cylinder 246 to close which, in turn, stops star wheel 29.

Thus, the star wheel clutch mechanism described above is caused to function. Rod 244 prevents rotation of the assembly 28 while the spotter chains continue to drive the spotter rollers, etc. The ball bearings in the assembly 28, as at 239 and 240, ride up out of their hemispherical indentations 229-232 against the biasing force of the springs, as at 237 and 238, as the star wheel 29 and thus the star wheel assembly 28 is held in a fixed position. The shaft 2I6 continues to rotate but the star wheel assembly 28 itself does not.

For example, if switch 26 is placed two bottle lengths from the assembly 28 and if there are only one or two bottles which are waiting to be spotted and no others appear on the conveyor, the cylinder 246 and rod 244 will act to prevent passage of the bottles through the spotting machine. Appearance of a bottle on the line-actuating limit switch 26 will activate the assembly 28 permitting passage of one bottle into the spotter. The limit switch 26 may be moved forward or back of the position shown in FIG. I to provide for activation of the spotter to spot one or more than two bottles respectively.

OPERATION PROCEDURE No. 3

The time delay relay 262 is turned to its minimum time approximately one-tenth second. The limit switch 260, the air valve 256, and the air cylinder 246 are eliminated. The limit switch 26 may be a single-pole, single-throw limit switch since it is only necessary to activate the time delay relay 262. When one bottle activates the limit switch 26, the spotter device will run for one cycle or until that bottle passes the limit switch and thereby opens the limit switch 26. When a series of bottles activate the limit switch 26, the spotter device will continue to run until the last bottle opens the limit switch 26. With this method of operation the spotter device will always remain full of bottles and one bottle will leave the discharge end of spotter device for every bottle that activates the limit switch 26. In order to clear the machine at theend of a run, the limit switch 26 may be manually held closed until the last bottle leaves the discharge end of the spotter device.

The operation of the spotting device once bottles have been fed into it by means of the star wheel assembly 28 is perhaps best understood by again referring to FIG. I. First the spotting device must be adjusted so that the particular bottle being spotted spotted will be carried substantially along the center of the conveyor belt 24 during the spotting operation. This is accomplished by first adjusting the friction rails I20 and I2! in the manner described above. After the friction rails I20 and 121 are adjusted, then the portion of the spotting device on the opposite side of the conveyor is adjusted along the

rods

44 and 46. Proper orientation is accomplished when the spotting roller 169 of the spotting lug 162 seats against the spot 18% of the bottle and holds the spot 180 at approximately a angle to the direction of conveyor belt 24 motion. Pin links and/or 184 may be moved to position the

rollers

137 and 182, respectively, on the top and

bottom chain

68 and 70. Likewise pin link 154 of spotting lug assembly 152 on the bottom chain 70 may be positioned to accommodate variously sized bottles. In addition the length of the run can also be adjusted to accornmodate peculiarities encountered in various bottling operations.

As the bottles are fed by the star wheel assembly 28 along the conveyor the rollers I37 and 182 engage the outer cylindrical surface of the bottles. The bottom bottles 1137 act to push the bottle along the conveyor belt 24. The upper rollers 182 act tp guide the bottles as they are being pushed by the lower rollers 137. As may be observed by reference to FlG. i the bottom rollers 137 and the top rollers 182 both are tangent to a circle coincident with the circumference of the bottle being spotted. The upper rollers 182 engage the forward side of the bottle whereas the lower rollers 137 engage the trailing side of the bottles.

The bottles are caused to rotate about their vertical longitudinal axes by rolling against the friction rails I20 and 121i until the spotting lug roller H69 engages the spot 13% as described previously. Labeling operations or the like are performed on the bottles after are positioned or spotted. For example,

bottles

4 and 5 at FlG. ll may have labeling or other operations performed on them.

Once bottles have completed their spotting operation, the roller i169 disengages the bottle. Likewise rollers I37 and 182 disengage the bottle. A bottle is then carried away from the spotter by conveyor belt 24.

Referring now to FIG. 12 there is shown, in a partial side view, an alternative arrangement for driving bottles in the spotter. in this arrangement, the conveyor belt 24 is driven at the same speed that the bottle-spotting device, previously described, moves bottles on the conveyor belt 26. Thus, the bottle-spotting device and the conveyor belt 24 both serve to simultaneously transport a bottle.

As shown in FIG. 12, the shaft 80 is connected to a bevel gear 266. The bevel gear 266, in turn, meshes with a second bevel gear 267. Gear 267 is fastened to a rotatable shaft 269 which serves to drive the conveyor belt 24 at the same speed as the bottles transported by the bottle-spotting device. This particularly described embodiment is, of course, merely illustrative of many possible ways in which the speed of the conveyor belt 24 and speed of the spotting device can be synchronized. In fact, the conveyor and spotter may be driven by separate power sources, although the described embodiment is preferable because problems of synchronization are eliminated. One advantage of such synchronization is smoother operation of the entire device.

In FIG. i3, there is shown a device or means for holding bottles that have been spotted by the bottle spotter. The bottles, such as those identified by the numbers a and 7 in FIG. 13, have been spotted. They are then transported along the friction rails 12% and E21 by the spotter and the conveyor belt 24. The holding means comprises an endless belt 272 which engages the tops of the

bottles

6 and 7. The belt 272 fits around an idler pulley 273 and a drive pulley 274. The belt 272 is driven, in the direction indicated by the arrows, at the same speed as the

bottles

6 and 7 passing along the conveyor belt 24. The belt 272 intersects the bottles, as at 6 and 7, prior to discharge from the spotter to insure retention of bottle orientation.

This arrangement works best when the speed of the conveyor belt 24, the speed of the bottle-spotting device, and the speed of the upper belt 272 are all equal. Thus, as bottles are discharged from the bottle-spotting device to be carried by the conveyor belt 24, no torque forces act on the bottles because of the upper belt 272 moving at a different speed and tending to cause the bottles to tip or sway. As the bottles are trans ported along on the conveyor belt 2 3 and held in position by the upper belt 272, a guide rail 275 also insures that the belt 272 will remain fairly rigid and will not deviate from a straight line path over the conveyor belt 2 6.

The holding means just described permits placement of labels or the like on the side surfaces of bottles, as at 6 and 7, while the bottles are held in a spotted position. The use of the upper belt 272 to hold the bottles in an oriented position provides more available working space on the side surface of the bottles to attach a label or the like.

The timing mechanism for feeding bottles to the spotter, previously described, can be adjusted to provide power to drive the spotter device, the conveyor belt and the holding device for a period of time sufficiently long enough to allow a bottle to pass completely through the spotter and the holding device.

Finally, holding means similar to that described above and shown in FIG. 13 may be positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor belt 24. Such a construction would be quite similar to that shown for FIG. i3 except that endless belts would be positioned on opposite sides of the conveyor belt 24. The belts would be synchronized with each other and with the conveyor belt 24 to hold the bottles, as at 6 and 7, in a spotted position on the belt 24.

l claim:

1. An article-spotting device for transporting articles in a forward direction along an article path and for orienting said articles by coacting with a spot on each of said articles, said device comprising, in combination:

a. means for driving said articles in the forward direction along said path, said means being positioned at one side of said path, said means comprising an endless chain having a run parallel with said article path and including a plurality of spaced article-engaging means, each of said spaced article-engaging means cooperable with an article to push said article along said path;

b. means for providing torque to each of said articles about an axis substantially perpendicular to the article path such that said articles rotate about said axis prior to being spotted; and

0. means for sensing and engaging said spot on each of said articles, said means for sensing and engaging being attached to and moving simultaneously with said means for driving said articles, said means for driving and said means for sensing and engaging being positioned on the same side of said path.

2. The device of claim 1 including means for metering the spacing of articles along said path prior to engagement of articles by said means for driving.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said means for metering include a star wheel assembly for spacing and feeding articles to said spotting device.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said metering means and said means for driving are driven in synchronization from a common power source.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said metering means includes clutch means and brake means adapted to prevent said metering means from feeding articles to said spotting device.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said brake means comprises a brake for engaging said metering means and said clutch means includes a first plate connected with said metering means, a second plate fixed to said power source and spring-biased locking elements in one of said plates engaging receptacles in the other of said plates whenever said brake is released.

7. The device of claim I including control means for starting said device whenever at least one article is positioned in said article path and for stopping said device whenever at least one article is not positioned in said path.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said control means include switching means actuated by passage of a bottle along said path prior to engagement of the article by said means for drivmg.

9. The device of claim 7 including metering means for spacing said articles prior to engagement of articles by means for driving.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said control means provides power to said means for driving and for a predetermined period to time, said period of time being substantially equal to the time required for an article to pass through said spotting device along said path, said period of time being initiated by sensing of an article passing along said path by said control means.

1!. The device of claim 10 wherein said control means activates said metering means for a shorter period of time than said means for driving.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for driving comprises an endless upper chain and an endless lower chain, each chain having runs parallel to the path, said runs being substantially vertically disposed one above the other, and spaced articlelengaging means attached to each chain to cooperatively engage and move articles along said path.

13. The device of claim 1 including a chain support parallel to said path for guiding and supporting each of said chains in a substantially straight run parallel to said article path.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for providing torque include at least one friction rail parallel with said path and on the side opposite said means for sensing and engaging.

15. The device of claim 14 including first and second friction rails which are movable to engage scruff rails of an article moving along said path.

16. The device of claim 1 including means for adjusting and tensioning said chains.

17. The device of claim 1 including means for holding said articles in a spotted position upon spotting of said articles and upon discharge from said device forward forward of said device.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said means for holding said articles in a spotted position comprise an endless belt adapted to engage the tops of said articles and move in the forward direction at the same speed as said articles move along said article path.

19. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for driving said articles in a forward direction include conveyor means, said conveyor means having a speed equal to the speed equal of said means for driving said articles in a forward direction.

20. An article-spotting device for transporting articles in a forward direction along an article path and for orienting said articles by coacting with a spot on each of said articles, said device comprising, in combination:

a. means for driving said articles in the forward direction along said path, said means being positioned at one side of said path;

c. means for sensing and engaging said spot on each of said articles, said means for sensing and engaging being attached to and moving simultaneously with said means for driving said articles, said means for driving and said means for sensing and engaging being positioned on the said same side of said path, said means for sensing and engaging including lug means attached to said means for driving said articles, said lug means being biased to engage said spot whenever said means for driving positions said lug adjacent said path.

21. The device of claim 20 including means for metering the spacing of articles along said path prior to engagement of articles by said means for driving.

22. The device of claim 20 including control means for starting said device whenever at least one article is positioned in said article path and for stopping said device whenever at least one article is not positioned in said path.

23. The device of claim 20 wherein said means for providing torque include at least one friction rail parallel with said path and on the side opposite said means for sensing and engaging.

24. The device of claim 20 including means for holding said articles in a spotted position upon spotting of said article and upon discharge from said device forward of said device.

25. The device of claim 20 wherein said means for driving include at least one endless chain and said lug means are attached to one of said endless chains, such that said lugs are positioned to engage said spot.

26. The device of claim 20 wherein said lug means comprises a biased lug member having a spot engaging end and an opposite end, said opposite end being attached to said means for driving, said lug being biased about said opposite end for engagement with said spot.

27. The device of claim 26 including a roller attached to said spot engaging end of said lug, said roller adapted to roll freey on the surface of an article and enga e said s 0t.

2 The device of claim 26 including a ug gui e mounted substantially parallel to said path, and wherein said lug includes means for engaging said guide, said guide being adapted to bias said lug out of engagement with said spot.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein said guide is positioned to restrain engagement of said lug and spot at the rearward end of said path.

Claims

1. An article-spotting device for transporting articles in a forward direction along an article path and for orienting said articles by coacting with a spot on each of said articles, said device comprising, in combination: a. means for driving said articles in the forward direction along said path, said means being positioned at one side of said path, said means comprising an endless chain having a run parallel with said article path and including a plurality of spaced article-engaging means, each of said spaced articleengaging means cooperable with an article to push said article along said path; b. means for providing torque to each of said articles about an axis substantially perpendicular to the article path such that said articles rotate about said axis prior to being spotted; and c. means for sensing and engaging said spot on each of said articles, said means for sensing and engaging being attached to and moving simultaneously with said means for driving said articles, said means for driving and said means for sensing and engaging being positioned on the same side of said path.

7. The device of claim 1 including control means for starting said device whenever at least one article is positioned in said article path and for stopping said device whenever at least one article is not positioned in said path.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said control means include switching means actuated by passage of a bottle along said path prior to engagement of the article by said means for driving.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said control means activates said metering means for a shorter period of time than said means for driving.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for driving comprises an endless upper chain and an endless lower chain, each chain having runs parallel to the path, said runs being substantially vertically disposed one above the other, and spaced article-engaging means attached to each chain to cooperatively engage and move articles along said path.

20. An article-spotting device for transporting articles in a forward direction along an article path and for orienting said articles by coacting with a spot on each of said articles, said device comprising, in combination: a. means for driving said articles in the forward direction along said path, said means being positioned at one side of said path; b. means for providing torque to each of said articles about an axis substantially perpendicular to the article path such that said articles rotate about said axis prior to being spotted; and c. means for sensing and engaging said spot on each of said articles, said means for sensing and engaging being attached to and moving simultaneously with said means for driving said articles, said means for driving and said means for sensing and engaging being positioned on the said same side of said path, said means for sensing and engaging including lug means attached to said means for driving said articles, said lug means being biased to engage said spot whenever said means for driving positions said lug adjacent said path.

27. The device of claim 26 including a roller attached to said spot engaging end of said lug, said roller adapted to roll freely on the surface of an article and engage said spot.

28. The device of claim 26 including a lug guide mounted substantially parallel to said path, and wherein said lug includes means for engaging said guide, said guide being adapted to bias said lug out of engagement with said spot.