TITLE: APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING AND CONVEYING ARTICLES

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] In many article handling and conveying operations, it is necessary to sort or separate the articles for conveying in a single file or seriatim along a conveyor, or placed on a conveyor seriatim. Certain improvements in apparatus for conveying articles single file are the subject of copending patent application publication no. US 2006/0037838A1, as well as US Patents 5,474,493 and 5,740,899, the subject matter of all of which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The apparatus of the foregoing patents and patent application publication are advantageous for many article separating and singulating applications. However, in certain product or article processing operations, the product may be a somewhat pliable, lumpy mass of soft texture, such as poultry carcasses or parts thereof. Such products are often somewhat difficult to separate from each other and to be spaced apart single file on a conveyor or on further processing equipment. The soft, somewhat sticky and pliable mass of such articles has, heretofore, rendered somewhat inefficient prior art article separating and processing equipment. However, the present invention overcomes problems associated with prior art apparatus, as will be appreciated from reading the summary and detailed description which follows.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention provides an apparatus for separating and placing articles, preferably spaced apart, in a single file or seriatim on a conveyor or for treatment by other processing equipment or in connection with certain process steps. In particular, the apparatus of the present invention is advantageous for processing and separating articles of somewhat pliable mass and texture, such as poultry carcasses, for example, and/or parts thereof.

[0004] In accordance with one important aspect of the present invention, an apparatus is provided which has multiple stages of separation of products or articles to facilitate placing such articles in a single file or seriatim for conveyance by a conveyor associated with the apparatus or other equipment which is adapted to receive the articles in a single file or row or spaced apart one after another along a line.

[0005] In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a pliable mass type article separation and singulation apparatus is provided which includes a first separation stage comprising a gravity slide plate for feeding articles somewhat separated and single filed toward a second stage of separation which transfers the articles to a third stage and which third stage may be operable through a timing mechanism to place the articles on a conveyor or on a further piece of equipment in a single file or spaced apart side-by-side, one after another. The first stage of separation includes a gravity powered surface or plate which is set at an acute angle to the horizontal and is provided with adjustable guide rails or guide plates which provide respective side by side channels which provide separation and feeding of the articles toward a second stage separator.

[0006] The second stage separator is preferably a rotary drum having spaced apart sets of product engaging members, such as lines or hooks projecting radially from the drum and spaced apart sufficiently to engage articles received from the channels of the gravity feed and separation plate. A third stage separating mechanism or unit is characterized by a container having spaced apart article receiving compartments aligned with the sets of tines or hooks and including a series of side-by-side gates or doors which are operated in timed relation to release the separated product units or articles from the respective compartments onto a conveyor or additional piece of equipment which will support the articles in a single file or in alignment with each other generally along a line and, preferably, spaced apart predetermined distances from each other.

[0007] Accordingly, the apparatus of the invention relies on gravity for a major portion of the separation and transfer operations and at least partially through all three stages of separation and singulation. The apparatus is adapted to be constructed of conventional materials used for food processing equipment, is easily maintained and cleaned and having a minimum of motor operated components.

[0008] Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention, together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009J FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

[0010] FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

[0011] FIGURE 3 is a front elevation view of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2; and

[0012] FIGURE 4 is a detail section view in somewhat schematic form and taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0013] In the description which follows like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawings may not be to scale and certain features may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form in the interest of clarity and conciseness.

10014] Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, there is illustrated an apparatus in accordance with the invention and generally designated by the numeral 10. The apparatus 10 includes a frame 12 characterized by two sets of spaced apart upstanding column members 14 and 16, which are interconnected by elongated brace members 18 and 20 and also by lateral brace members 22 and 24. The column members 14 and 16 may be configured to include, at their lower ends, height adjustment mechanism 26 interconnecting the column members with suitable adjustable feet 28.

[0015] Apparatus 10 includes a first article separation stage or unit, generally designated by the numeral 30, and characterized by a generally flat, rectangular support and article slide plate 32 supported between the column members 14 and 16 and disposed at an acute angle to the horizontal, preferably about 45°. Separation and conveyor unit 30 also includes spaced apart sets of upstanding guide plates 34, 36, 38 and 40, FIGURES 2 and 3, which arc disposed upstanding from the surface 32a of slide plate 32 and are adjustable laterally to provide downwardly extending variable width and somewhat tapered channels 34a, 36a, 38a and 40a, respectively. For example, the plates 34 are preferably spaced apart farther at their

upper ends 34b than at their lower ends 34c. The sets of plates 36, 38 and 40 may be laterally adjustably positioned with respect to each other to provide somewhat of a funneling action as articles are disposed on the plate 32 at its upper end 32b, and slide toward lower end 32c, sec FIGURES 1 through 3.

[0016] Articles may be conveyed to the first separator unit or stage 30 by various means, not shown, including a conveyor or a suitable bulk dispensing apparatus. Separator plate 32 is preferably formed of very low friction stainless steel having a surface finish sufficient, together with its inclination to the horizontal, to provide unrestricted sliding movement of articles from the entrance portions of the sets of guide plates 34, 36, 38 and 40, which would be the upper ends 34b, 36b, 38b and 40b of the respective plates so that as articles slide down the separator plate 32, they lend to move singulatcd toward a second separator stage, generally designated by the numeral 44. Separator unit or stage 44 comprises a rotatable cylindrical drum or cylinder 46 mounted for rotation on suitable spaced apart bearings 48 by way of a central shaft 50 of the drum. Shaft 50 is operable to be drivcnly connected to suitable motor means, not shown, for rotating drum 46 in a clockwise direction, that is in the direction of arrow 51, viewing FIGURE 1.

[0017] Viewing FIGURE 4 also, drum 46 is provided with circumferentially and axially and equally spaced apart sets of article engaging members comprising radially projecting tines 53, each set including three tines equally spaced, as shown in FIGURE 4, particularly, and projecting radially from a generally smooth cylindrical surface 46a of drum 46. Tines 53, each include respective hook portions 54 which project normal to the main body 53a of the tines themselves, as indicated in FIGURE 4. Hook portions 54 are preferably tapered and of sufficient length such as to positively engage a pliable article, such as a poultry carcass, each indicated by numeral 57 in FIGURE 4. Accordingly, as the drum 46 rotates in the direction of arrow 51 , FIGURES 1 and 4, about the central longitudinal axis of the shaft 50, the drum engages an article, such as carcass 57, and conveys the carcass around to a position generally horizontal wherein gravity will release the carcass to be deposited into a receptacle or compartment comprising part of a third separation and singulation stage of the apparatus 10, and generally designated by the numeral 60. As shown in FIGURE 4, the separator and conveyor plate 32 is provided with plural notches 32d, one shown, which provide clearance for the tines 53, 54 as the drum 46 rotates. A set of three circumferentially spaced tines 53,

54 is provided on drum or cylinder 46 generally centered with respect to the channels 34a, 36a, 38a and 40a provided by the respective sets of guide plates 34, 36, 38 and 40, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 3. The four respective sets of tines 53 are preferably aligned with each other in the same manner as indicated for the set of tines shown in FIGURE 4.

[0018J Referring further to the drawing figures, the third separation and singulation unit or stage 60 is characterized by a generally rectangular elongated box-like frame or container 62 having spaced apart longitudinal sidewalls 63 and 64, a longitudinal intermediate wall 64a, FIGURE 4, transverse end walls 65 and 66 and transverse intermediate partitions 67, 68 and 69, FIGURES 2 and 3, defining article receiving compartments 70a, 70b, 70c and 7Od. Container or frame 62 is supported on frame 12 generally adjacent and below drum 46 by spaced apart brackets 62a connected to a frame member 20, FIGURES 2 and 3. Compartments 70a, 70b, 70c and 7Od are aligned, generally, with each set of tines 53, as shown in the drawings. As the drum 46 rotates with articles 57 engaged with the tines 53, 54, the articles are deposited into the respective compartments 70a, 70b, 70c and 7Od once the drum rotates to a position where a tine 53 is generally horizontal and the hook portion 54 is pointing downwardly, viewing FIGURE 4. Accordingly, articles 57 will be released by gravity forces to fall into a compartment, such as the compartment 70a, viewing FIGURE 4. As articles 57 descend down separator plate 32 guided by the sets of guide plates 34, 36, 38 and 40, the articles are separated for singulation by the rotatable dram 46 and its spaced apart sets of radially projecting tines 53 whereby the articles 57 are then deposited in the respective compartments 70a, 70b, 70c and 7Od of the third separator unit or stage 60.

(0019) Viewing FIGURES 1 and 3, the apparatus 10 is typically positioned adjacent means for receiving separated and singulated articles which are disposed along a line, one after the other. By way of example only, such apparatus to be placed adjacent the apparatus 10 could comprise an endless conveyor belt 72, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 3, and operated to traverse in the direction of arrow 73, FIGURE 3, with respect to the upper run 72a of the conveyor. Third separator stage 60 is provided with suitable closures associated with the frame 62 and comprising slidable gates or doors 74 forming bottom closures for the respective compartments 70a, 70b, 70c and 7Od, FIGURES 3 and 4. Each of the gates or closures 74 is connected to a suitable actuator, such as a pneumatic piston and cylinder type actuator 77, sec FIGURES 3 and 4. As shown in FIGURE 4, by example, each actuator 77 is

mounted on container or frame 62 by bracket means 79 and is connected to a closure 74 by a bracket 77a connected to a piston rod 77b of the respective actuator. Each closure 74 is suitably mounted on container or frame 62 for reciprocal sliding movement by its actuator 77. Thus, actuators 77 are operable to move the closures 74 from the positions shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 to alternate positions to allow an article 57 disposed on the closure and in a compartment defined in part by the respective closure to fall through the opening so created by movement of the closure and on to further means for handling the article, such as the conveyor 72.

[0020] By operating the closures 74 to move to "open" the bottom sides of the compartments 70a, 70b, 70c and 7Od in timed relationship to each other, articles 57 are placed in a line in single file or seriatim and also suitably separated from each other on conveyor run 72a, for example, thanks to timing the movement of the closures 74. Timing the rate of rotation of drum 46 and the actuation of closures 74 may also determine the spacing of articles on conveyor 72. Should an article 57 tend to move with a closure 74 as it is transferred laterally from the position shown in FIGURE 4 to an alternate position, partition or wall 64a, FIGURE 4, defining in part the respective article receiving compartments, will engage the article to assure that it falls by gravity onto the conveyor 72. Upon actuation to release an article 57, a closure 74 is returned to the position shown in FIGURE 4 promptly for receiving the next article to be conveyed thereto by the second separator and conveyor stage 44.

[0021J The construction and operation of the apparatus 10 is believed to be understandable to one of ordinary skill in the art based on the foregoing description. Conventional engineering materials may be used to fabricate the apparatus 10 in accordance with the requirements of the process industry utilizing the apparatus. Those skilled in the art will also recognize that the second separation and conveyor stage 44 comprising the drum 46 may take on various configurations. For example, the drum may be configured in other ways to allow a product or article to be adhered to the drum for conveyance from a point of reception from the first stage to a point for deposition to the third stage. The drum 46 might comprise radially projecting plates spaced apart one from the other or the drum could be replaced by a belt-like structure disposed around a sprocket turning on a shaft or a spoked rotary mechanism that will provide for an article to lie on the spokes but to be released by the force of gravity as the mechanism rotates to a position which would allow the article to be placed in the compartments of the

third stage 60.

[0022J Those skilled in the art will also recognize that other articles may be conveyed, separated and single filed by the apparatus 10, that is, articles other than soft and pliable masses such as poultry carcasses or parts thereof. However, the apparatus 10 is particularly useful for conveying somewhat pliant, pierceable masses which tend to stick to each other and otherwise are relatively difficult to separate and singulate. Thanks to the apparatus 10, this longstanding problem has been overcome.

[0023] Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will also recognize that various substitutions and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended claims.