Abstract:
A sorter sorts discrete bruisable articles, such as pieces of fruit like applies, with minimum bruising. A continuous conveyor chain has a number of discrete article supporting elements connected to it for linear movement with it, and for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the chain. At various stations along the chain a self-singulating section is provided in which the articles are singulated onto the supporting elements, a weighing section (or like property determining section) is provided after the self-singulating section, and a discharge section is provided at which the articles are discharged depending upon the weight sensed in the weighing section. The same chain supporting elements may continue through a second self-singulating section, a second weighing section, and a second discharge section. The supporting elements comprise plastic cups defining a shallow depresssion on a top face, e.g. a conically shaped depression with sidewalls making an angle of about 20.degree.-30.degree. with respect to the horizontal. The discharge section comprises a rail and a stationary cam having an upwardly angled cam surface located above the rail, and vertically spaced from the rail a distance slightly greater than the thickness of a pin extending from the cup. An electromagnet, or related mechanism, selectively deflects the pin so as to engage the angled cam surface to thereby ride up the cam surface and discharge the article carried by the cup.
Abstract:
Distributive feeding apparatus for separating a plurality of articles fed to a receiving part (12) to a plurality of separated lanes has a bar conveyor (11) comprising two chains (103) with bars (104) extending therebetween and carrier elements (105) slidably mounted on the bars (104). Guide rails (106) are provided below the carrying run of the conveyor and are engaged by lugs (1055) provided on each carrying element (105). During advancement of the conveyor with articles on the carrying surfaces (1051) of the elements (105), the elements (105) are gradually slid apart, guided by the rails (106), so that the elements are directed along each lane so as to feed carried articles in those lanes for further processing.
Abstract:
An apparatus is provided for automatically denesting an article from a stack of nested articles. The apparatus includes a frame supporting the stack of articles in an elevated downwardly inclined position relative to a conveyor unit defining a substantially horizontal plane. Adjustably mounted on the frame for controlled movement along a path inclined upwardly towards the lower end article of the supported stack is a carrier unit. Carried on the carrier unit are elements adjustable independently of the unit between operative and inoperative modes. When the carrier unit approaches the upper limit of its upward movement along the path, the elements carried thereby are adjusted to an operative mode and frictionally engage the lowermost article of the stack and cause the latter to be denested from the stack as the carrier unit commences its downward movement along the path. The elements are adjusted to an inoperative mode when the carrier unit has moved downwardly a predetermined distance along the path thereby releasing the denested article onto the conveyor unit. When the carrier unit assumes a normal rest position, it is disposed beneath the horizontal plane.
Abstract:
A method of processing a first type of product and a second type of product in a common chamber, by passing of a first type of product into the chamber and causing it to dwell for a predetermined first dwell time, and then passing a batch of a second type of product into the chamber and causing it to dwell for a predetermined second dwell time different from the first dwell time.
Abstract:
A conveyor system of a unique configuration is designed for conveying relatively small, light weight articles, such as agricultural products particularly fruits and the like, by feeding them in alignment in the travelling direction of the conveyor and at random spacing. A sorting zone is provided for sorting these articles during the conveying process. An information read-out device which is provided either at a feeding device before the entrance point of the conveyor or at a point before the sorting zone produces sorting signals in synchronism with the travel of the articles. The articles are sorted and discharged in response to the signals by dropping them to lower side places. The conveying upper surface of the conveyor consists of slat-like receiving plates spaced at a small pitch measuring only a quarter or fifth or thereabout of the size of articles to be processed. Each of the slat-like receiving plates is horizontally carried by an engaging mechanism, which disengages from the slat-like receiving plate to drop and discharge the article thereon by tilting the plate downward close to a perpendicular posture at a predetermined sorting point.
Abstract:
A belt conveyer and a conveying system using a belt conveyer. The system is designed to convey articles around curves and between vertically and horizontally spaced locations. The belt used in the system has a central substantially inextensible flexible spine and an upper load carrying portion supported by the spine. The load carrying portion has a plurality of ribs and a plurality of pleats interposed between the ribs. The ribs provide rigidity for the belt and limit movement of articles with respect to the belt, while the pleats provide longitudinal extension and contraction of side edges when the belt is following a curved path. The distance between top edges of the pleats and top edges of the ribs increases from outer edges of the belt towards the center so that top edges of the pleats are generally V shaped and conveyed articles and juices and liquids exuded from the conveyed articles tend to be conveyed in a central region of the belt.
Abstract:
An implement to be used by a fruit picker person to gently deposit the fruits in a box, directly from climbed positions near the box, irrespective of the level of fruits in the box, with easy and readily removal from among the fruits when the box has been filled, and with readily disconnectable components for convenient assembly and dessassembly in the orchard. This fruit picking implement comprises a support fitting onto a conventional orchard box, a frame removably mountable on the support, a hanger bracket removably connecting to the frame, fruit braking shelves pivotally attached to the hanger bracket, and a flexible tube having one end hooking to the belt of one fruit picker person and having another end entering into a whirling eductor overlying the uppermost shelf to gently drop fruits successively onto that uppermost shelf and dropping of the fruits serially through the vertically spaced apart shelves.
Abstract:
An apparatus for orienting halved fruit with the cut sides thereof facing downwardly includes a longitudinally extending vibrating table which is inclined slightly downwardly from the receiving end to the discharge end. The table is provided with longitudinally extending opposed side walls, with a bottom extending therebetween to define a channel along which the fruit translates. In the first receiving section of the apparatus, the bottom is inclined laterally toward one side as well as longitudinally. In the second section, contiguous with the first, a channel is formed in the one side wall to engage the upwardly facing cut faces of the fruit. In a third section, a trough narrower than the width of the fruit is formed in the bottom wall generally adjacent to the lower edge of the one side, the channel of the second section directing the fruit into the trough. The trough widens and deepens with increasing distance along the vibrating table, forming a V shaped trough which is bilaterally symmetrical. The lower end of the table includes a rectangular trough portion having a substantially flat bottom. A central spine protrudes upwardly along the midline of the rectangular trough portion to engage the longitudinal groove in the fruit formed by the coring operation. The rectangular trough portion includes laterally inclined surfaces spaced on alternate sides therealong to cause the fruit to traverse the midline and engage the spine.
Abstract:
Elongated components such as piston pins may be sequentially fed at an entrance point onto a conveyor connected to a distant discharge point. The conveyor includes a pair of guides so spaced to allow the pins to fit loosely therebetween and a stop plate which limits downward movement of the pins. An elongated drive plate having a top edge positioned between the guides and below the pins is rotated in an elliptical-like pattern so that the top edge lifts the pins from the stop plate, moves the pins forward and then re-engages the pins with the stop plate at a point forward of the point of initial lifting. The pins thus may be conveniently stepped between the entrance point and the discharge point as well as accumulated and stored if such is required. The conveyor may include sorting sections to separate the pins into different groups having equal diameters where pins of varying diameters have been inadvertently mixed.
Abstract:
A storage bin for plural articles, such as citrus fruit, comprises a housing having an opening at the upper extremity thereof for gravity feeding the articles into the housing. The bin includes a downwardly sloped baffle in the housing for breaking the fall of the article to prevent damage to the articles, the baffle formed of plural, parallel steps, each step being spaced from adjacent steps a distance which permits the articles to pass there between in order to fill the void underneath the baffle.