GB1264018A - Container flow divider apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,264,018. Conveying containers. BARRY WEHMILLER CO. 14 Oct., 1969 [7 Feb., 1969], No. 50521/69. Heading B8A. Container handling apparatus comprising first conveyer means 9 for moving a stream of containers C along a predetermined path S1, second conveyer means 17 movable along a path S2 divergent relative to the first conveyer means and control means 30, 32 co-operable with the first and second conveyer means to yieldably engage every other one of the containers carried by the first conveyer means, the alternate containers in the stream being maintained in the stream by the pockets of the second conveyer means. The control means comprises upper and lower plates 30, 31, each formed with a series of circumferentially spaced pivotally mounted plates 32. The inward movement of each plate 34 is resiliently cushioned by the action of a flange 37 on the plate 32 which abuts a respective spring 40 carried on a rod 38 having an abutment 39 for the other end of the spring. The rod 38 is carried by a block 36 rigid with the plate 30. In operation, alternate containers C in carriers of the conveyer 9, are each engaged by a surface 34 of successively arriving plates 32 and is thereby pushed out into a carrier 22 of the conveyer 17. The remaining containers C on the conveyer 9 tend to be maintained in their' pockets on the conveyer 9 by the action (momentarily) of the leading sides of the carriers 22 (see container CA-2 in Fig. 1 in relation to adjacent carrier 22: of conveyer 17). As shown, the containers are supported on rails 13 in conjunction with a side guide rail G (Fig. 3). In a modification (Fig. 4, not shown) the containers may be supported on rotating corner plates at the points of transfer.