US2722357A - Mixing and dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 1, 1955 A. E. WHITECAR MIXING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1953 INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WHITECAR ATTORNEYS Nov. 1, 1955 A. E. WHITECAR 2,722,357

MIXING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 5, 1955. 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALTEN E. WHITEOAR WM 7-75 ATTORNEYS I32 I34 H4 United States Patent 2,722,357 NHXING AND DISPENSING APPARATUS Alten E. Whitecar, Westville, N. 1., assignor to Smith,

Kline & French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application June 5, 1953, Serial No. 359,678 4 Claims. (Cl. 22640) This invention relates to mixing and dispensing apparatus.

The apparatus in accordance with this invention has particular utility where capsules, or the like, are to be filled with a plurality of different ingredients, for example, a mixture of different powders or a mixture of pellets containing different materials or having different coatings. It will be appreciated, of course, that the apparatus in accordance with this invention has general utility for the mixing and delivery of a plurality of solid ingredients in admixture.

It is the broad object of this invention to provide apparatus for mixing and delivering a plurality of ingredients.

It is a further object of this invention to provide apparatus having means for thoroughly admixing a plurality of ingredients in bulk and having means for directing and controlling the rate of delivery of the mixed ingredients.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent on reading the description in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:

Figure l is an exploded view of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the structure of Figure 1 shown in conjunction with a capsule filling table.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on the plane indicated by the line 55 of Figure 6.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the structure of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a developed plan view showing the interior construction of the cylindrical body member of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a section taken on the plane indicated by the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Since the principal utility of the apparatus in accordance with this invention is in connection with filling capsules, an embodiment of the invention will be described herein for purposes of illustration as applied to the filling of capsules.

As shown in Figure 1, the numeral 10 designates a cylindrical body suitably fabricated of any sheet material, such as metal. The body 10 is closed at the rear end 12 and open at the front 14. It is rotatably mounted on four rollers 16, 18, and 22. The rollers 16 and 18 are rotatably mounted directly on yoke shaped members 24 and 26, respectively. Rollers 20 and 22 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 28, which in turn is rotatably journaled on the yoke members 24 and 26. A pipe frame 25 supports the yoke 24 from the floor while yoke 26 is mounted on a capsule filling table 27.

A pinion is secured to shaft 28 near the rear end 12 of the body member 10. The pinion 30 is positioned adjacent to and in engagement with a ring gear 34, secured to the outer surface of the body 10. A disc 30 secured to gear 30 engages a groove 34 in gear 34 to prevent axial movement of body 10. A sprocket gear 36 is alsosecured to the shaft 28. Thus, when sprocket 36 is rotated, the pinion 30 is rotated, driving ring gear 34, thus rotating body 10 to perform the blending and mixing to be described.

Body 10 is provided with an opening 40, which is covered by a rectangular, arcuately shaped door 42, hingedly mounted at 44 and conforming to the general tubular contour of body member 10. Several latch members 46 are provided to hold door 42 shut while the device is in operation. Opening 40 serves as a loading port wherein a variety of different types or sizes of pellets may be deposited to be mixed or blended and subsequentlyfed from the front of body 10 onto a capsule filling table 27.

Within body 10 is a bulkhead 50 which divides the body 10 into forward and rear compartments 52 and 54, respectively. The construction within the compartments 52 and 54 is best seen by reference to Figure 7. The forward compartment 52 is provided with four angularly shaped baflles 53, which extend axially within said compartment and are secured to the inner wall of body 10. A plurality of feeder strips 55 are secured between the baflies 53. Feeder strips 55 are segmental spiral blades located circumferentially within said body 10.

In compartment 54 are located three equally spaced longitudinal baffles 57 which, like the baffles 53, are angularly shaped strips secured to the inner wall of body 10. One leg of each bafile 57, therefore, projects inwardly radially.

The bulkhead 50 and its attendant structure occupy the space indicated by the dimension lines of the zone Z as shown in Figure 7.

Bulkhead 50 has two arcuate oppositely disposed openings 56. A boss 58 is welded to the rear side of bulkhead 50 at its center and a hole 60 through it forms one bearing for valve stem 62. A second bearing 64 for said valve stem is located on a cross member 66 secured to the forward open end of body 10. Supported on the valve stem 62 is a valve plate 70 of substantially circular shape, but having two opposed large semicircular indents 72. At its center a boss 74 is secured to its forward side. An opening 76 is provided in boss 74 through which the valve stem 62 passes. A slot 78 is cut in the forward end of boss 74. A pin 80, secured in valve stem 62, engages said slot 78, causing the valve plate 70 to rotate with valve stem 62.

A collar 82 is secured to valve stem 62. A spring 84 is compressed between the forward cross member 66 and the collar 82, thus pushing the valve stem rearwardly biasing valve plate 70 against the bulkhead 50. An operating handle 86 is secured to the forward end of valve stem 62, which projects beyond the cross member 66.

A small tab 90 is bent backward from a corner of the valve plate '70 and projects through one of the arcuate openings 56 in bulkhead 50 to serve as a limit stop at the fully open and fully closed position of the valve.

A funnel 91 is located at the forward end 14 of body 10. Funnel 91 has an arcuate channel shaped member 92 which fits around the lower periphery of body 10. A down spout 94 is centrally located at the bottom of member 92 and a skirt 96 is fastened to the forward flange of member 92. A small angular clip 98 (see Figures 1 and 2) is fastened at the rear of downspout 94 and has secured thereto an operating bar 100. Bar 100 is made of two parts, a front flat member 102 and a rear circular rod 104, which are welded together at 106. The operating bar 100 is slidably supported in the yoke shaped members 24 and 26.

Referring further to the means for rotating body 10 and particularly referring to Figures 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8, sprocket 36 is driven by a chain from drive sprocket 112 at the rear of a control housing 114. The control housing 114 contains a clutch mechanism 116 and a train of reduction gears 113 (see Figure 5). The drive sprocket 112 is secured to a stub shaft 120 (Figure 5) which has secured to it a gear 122 of reduction gears 118. Gear 122 is driven by a gear 124 rotatably supported on control housing 114. Gear 124 is driven by a pinion 126 secured to a stub shaft 128 which also has secured thereto a gear 130. Gear 130 is driven by a pinion 132 which 3 is secured to a shaft 134 journalled in control housing 114. Also secured to shaft 134 is a bevel gear 136 which meshes with a bevel gear 138 secured to the driven shaft 140 of clutch 116.

The clutch 116 is shown in detail in Figure 8. Splined to the lower end of shaft 140 is the jaw clutch element 142. It is biased downwardly by compression spring 144. A cam element 146, rotatably mounted on shaft 140, provides means for raising or lowering clutch element 142 by means of the cam follower 148 which engages cam surface 150 of cam element 146. An operating handle 152 is secured to the upper part of cam element 146 providing means to rotate it through about 30 and thus engage clutch 116.

It will be seen in Figure 8 that a movement of handle 152 will rotate cam surface 150 causing the rise or descent of cam follower 148, bringing clutch element 142 into or out of engagement with a jaw clutch element secured to a continuously rotated drive shaft 162. Shaft 162 forms part of the drive mechanism within capsule filling table 27, as will be further described.

Also secured to the cam element 146 is an arm having an outwardly projecting finger 172. A link 174 is pivotally connected at 176 to the outer end offinger 172. The opposite end of link 174 is pivotally connected at 177 to the fiat portion 102 of operating bar 100. Movement of the handle 152 serves to engage and disengage clutch 116 and simultaneously moves funnel 91 into and out of operating position.

Figure 2 illustrates the machine in its operating position having the funnel 91 moved forward over a rotatable capsule holder H, well known to the art. A pad 27, mounted immediately in back of funnel 91, supports yoke member 26. When funnel 91 is retracted the bottom opening of downspout 94 passes over pad 27', thus sealing downspout 94.

The table 27 and its attendant drive mechanism 180 may be of any suitable type already used for filling capsules. A simplified one shown in Figures 2 and 6 comprises a drive motor 182 and a speed reducing gear box 184. A shaft 186 from said gear box rotates a drive disc 188, which is provided with a drive pin at the outer periphery of its upper surface. Drive pin 190 is adapted to engage an inwardly projecting lug H on the capsule holder H.

A sprocket 200 is secured to shaft 186 and by means of chain 202 drives a sprocket 204 on the bottom of clutch shaft 162.

The machine is operated in the following manner.

Through the opening 40 desired quantities of various sizes or types of pellets are deposited into the chamber 54 of body 10. After closing and locking door 42, the chamber 54 is sealed off by adjusting the valve 70 to its fully closed position, by means of handle 86. Engagement of clutch 116 will then cause a rotation of the body 10 through the reduction gears 118, sprocket chain 110 and the main drive gears 30 and 34. The bafile members 57 within chamber 54 will then produce an initial mixing and blending of the pellets.

With the clutch 116 disengaged, valve 70 may then be opened any desirable amount. At this stage a capsule holder H may be positioned on disc 188 to be driven by pin 190. The control handle 152 is again moved engaging clutch 116. The pellets in chamber 54 will spill forward through openings 56 in bulkhead 50 into the forward chamber 52. Here the pellets are advanced by the segmental feeder strips 55 toward the funnel 91. They are further mixed and blended by the baffie members 53 until they finally spill out the forward end 14 of body 10 into funnel 91.

Movement of operating arm 152 to engage the clutch 116 simultaneously advances said funnel 91 over the capsule holder H by means of finger 172, pivotal link 174 and bar 100. Thus, downspout 94 is clearedfrom pad 27' and releases pellets over capsule holder H. In this position the funnel is adapted to receive pellets from body 10. Skirt 96 acts to catch any pellets which drip out when the funnel is in the retracted position.

By this means the pellets are being mixed and blended while being fed to capsules in capsule holder H and the rate of feed is readily controllable by means of the adjustable valve member 70.

It is not desired to be limited except as set forth in the following claims, the above description being by way of illustration only.

What is claimed is:

1. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a cylindrical member having an open end and a closed end, a bulkhead between said open and closed ends separating the cylindrical member into two compartments, a valve in said bulkhead, baffie means secured between the bulkhead and the closed end of the cylindrical member, second baffie means secured between the bulkhead and the open end of said cylindrical member, feeder strips secured between the bulkhead and the open end of said cylindrical member, means to rotate said cylindrical member about its axis including a clutch, a funnel mounted for reciprocation in the direction of the axis of said cylindrical member and adapted to receive discharge from the open end of said cylindrical member, a pad mounted below said funnel and control means adapted to actuate said clutch and said funnel to place the funnel over the pad on disengaging the clutch to block the discharge end of the funnel and free of the pad on engaging the clutch.

2. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a cylindrical member having an open end and a closed end, a bulkhead between said open and closed ends separating the cylindrical member into two compartments, a valve in said bulkhead, bafile means secured between the bulkhead and the closed end of the cylindrical member, second baffle means secured between the bulkhead and the open end of said cylindrical member, feeder strips secured between the bulkhead and the open end of said cylindrical member, a funnel adapted to receive the discharge from the open end of said cylindrical member, a rotatable capsule holder positioned below the discharge end of said funnel, means to rotate said capsule holder and said cylindrical member, and control means to selectively block flow from said funnel and simultaneously stop the rotation of the capsule holder and cylindrical member.

3. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a mixing drum having an open end and a closed end, means to rotate said drum about its axis including a clutch, a funnel mounted for reciprocation in the direction of the axis of said drum and adapted to receive discharge from the open end of said drum, a pad mounted below said funnel and control means adapted to actuate said clutch and said funnel to place the funnel over the pad on disengaging the clutchto block the discharge end of the funnel and to place the funnel free of the pad on engaging the clutch.

4. A mixing and dispensing device comprising a rotating mixing drum having an open end and a closed end, a funnel adapted to receive discharge from the open end of said drum, a rotating capsule holder positioned below the discharge end of said funnel, a pad mounted below the discharge end of said funnel and adjacent said capsule holder, and control means to selectively engage the discharge end of said funnel and said pad and simultaneously stop the rotation of the capsule holder and drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 794,069 Anglund July 4, 1905 1,108,523 Sexton Aug. 25, 1914 1,373,521 Neller Apr. 5, .1921 2,492,792 Ford ...J Dec. 27, 1949 2,501,566 Hill Mar. 21, 1950 2,530,403 Seaman Nov. 21, 1950

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