US2679342A - Tablet counting and bottling machine - Google Patents

Description

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May 25, 1954 J. FRADENBURGH TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE.

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TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE Filed May 12, 1949 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 m4: mm

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Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TABLET COUNTING AND BOTTLING MACHINE sachusetts Application May 12, 1949, Serial No. 92,918

8 Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for loading containers with determined quantities of more or less uniform articles and objects of a general rounded, globular or disk-like form such as tablets, pills, wafers and the like. While the containers may be other than bottles and the goods may be of various types, the apparatus of the invention will for convenience be referred to generally as a tablet counting and bottling machine.

The invention aims to provide an improved automatic machine of the class described, adapted to convey tablets from a supply mass, individually segregate them to the desired number and place the selected quantity in containers or bottles successively presented in multiples and forwarded after filling, all with avoidance of crushing and with minimum opportunity for objectionable injury to the articles. In numerous respects this invention improves upon that of U. S. Patent No. 2,284,975 to Homer, dated June 2, 1942.

In the drawings illustrating one embodiment of the invention by Way of example:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine as a whole;

Fig. 2 is a corresponding right side elevation of the Fig. 1 machine;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation with parts in section of the upper portion of the machine, upon a larger scale illustrating the tablet supply hopper and the tablet conveying, selecting, counting and loading means.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section corresponding to Fig. 3 taken substantially centrally thereof;

Fig. 5 shows in plan the base assembly including the main drive mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation, partly in section corresponding to Fig. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 respectively are a plan view and a side elevation of the bottle conveyor;

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional detail on the line 8-9 of Fig. 7;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 illustrate the transfer means for the filled containers or bottles, Fig. 10 being a plan View, Fig. 11 a vertical cross-section and Fig. 12 a partial side elevation;

Fig. 13 is a timing diagram showing the operational relation of the several mechanisms; and

Fig. 14 illustrates certain cams and clutchcontrolling fingers.

The article delivery and container advancing apparatus as a whole comprises a plurality of coordinated and synchronized sub-assemblies mutually operating to present accurately filled containers in rapid succession. In general the apparatus includes a basal frame and housing I, Figs. 1, 2 and 5, containing main drive and control devices and presenting above it a longitudinal table 53 along which the containers herein shown as bottle C are advanced in rows intermittently to a filling station S. There each container of the given row receives a determined number of the articles. Each filled container row is then advanced beyond the filling station while simultaneously the next empty row of containers C is presented thereat. The filled containers are thereafter transferred to a delivery station which may comprise a further conveying device taking them to any subsequent operation such as closing, packaging or the like.

The main support I further presents above the container handling table 53 a frame and housing 5 for an upper assembly at which the tablets or other articles T (Fig. 3) are supplied in a random mass, conveyed in appropriate quantity for individual orienting, and then counted and fed into the appropriate container. Principal elements of this article-presenting under assembly, noting particularly Figs. 3 and 4, include a supply hopper 33, an underlying article conveyor 34 conducting quantities of the articles to a positioner or agitator means herein comprising a continuously rotating uni-directional agitator roll 39, together with feed chutes 45 and single-article counters 49. This upper assembly whereby selected counts of the articles T are loaded into the containers C is correlated with container feed mechanism and container transfer mechanism, all to be more fully described.

Referring first to the base assembly and the drive and counter mechanism thereof, noting particularly Figs. 5 and 6 together with Figs. 1 and 2, power is supplied by a variable speed main drive shown as a motor l3 transmitting at l3 to a speed reducer unit [4 having a drive gear 55 at the output end. This gear [5 actuates two clutch units designated generally at A and B respectively, the drive gear I5 meshing with a gear 16 fast with the continuously moving part of clutch A, and the gear IS in turn meshing with a similar gear I! fast on the continuous or input part of clutch B. Turning with the gear I? is a pinion i'lb meshing with a larger gear l8 fast on a shaft I9 journalled in suitable brackets on the base or frame I and having fixed at the opposite end an intermediate pinion 29. The latter in turn meshes with a larger gear 2| on a stud 22 paralleling the shaft i9 and supported on the frame or suitable brackets thereon.

The stud 22 also provides bearing support for a pair of rotary cams 23 and 25 (see also Fig. 14) arranged to turn with the gear 2i. As seen plan in Fig. 5 and in end view in Fig. 6, the earns 23 and 24 are respectively associated with rock shafts 25 and 26, one for each of the clutch units A and B and whereby the latter are rendered transmissively operative or inoperative at appropriate intervals. The cam '23 tracks against a cam roll 27 and the cam 24 similarly operates with a cam roll 28 on roll-carrier arms 2-1", 23"

adjustably fixed respectively on the rock shafts 25 and 26. The latter also have thereon adjacent the respective clutches A and B clutch operating fingers 29 and 30 cooperating with the respective clutch plates whereby the clutch output shafts 3| and 32 are actively clutched or unclutched so as to drive or to remain at rest at the proper times. As seen in Fig. 5, also Fig. 1, the selectively driven clutch shafts 3i and 32 extend at opposite ends of the laterally aligned clutch units A and B. The cams 23, 24 have a determined speed ratio with respect to the clutches A, B, as for example 1 to 5 and. the drive is so arranged that one revolution of the cams, which turn in synchrony, corresponds to one operating cycle for the machine.

The cams 23 and 24 are shaped, proportioned and. arranged to provide for one controlled shaft, herein the shaft 3! of clutch A, a plurality of revolutions followed by a halt period during which the controlled shaft 32. of the other unit, herein clutch B, is caused to turn. In the illustrated embodiment the relation may for example be such that the shaft 3| of clutch A makes. four revolutions and then rests while the shaft 32 of clutch B. makes one revolution and thereby completes one machine cycle.

Referring particularly to Fig. 14 it will be seen that the rise of cam 23 extends for something over two-thirds of the periphery, herein for slightly more than 250 of are. As this rise comes under the cam roller Z'i' the shaft 25 is rocked to carry the clutch operating finger 29- back out of engagement with the control member or clutch plate of clutch A and thereby permitting engagement of this clutch. The cam roller 2! drops olf the cam rise 23 after three. revolutions of clutch A and its shaft 3!, allowing the finger 29 to re-engage. the edge of the clutch plate in readiness to latch and unclutch the shaft 3! at the end of the fourth revolution thereof. In timed sequence the other cam roll 28 is met by a rise 24?]. of cam 24, having a relatively short angular extent. Motion is thereby imparted to rock shaft 26 to shift the operating finger 33 of clutch B away from the clutch plate of the latter and effecting clutch engagement. Shortly thereafter the cam roll 28 rides off the present rise 23c rendering the operating finger 30. so as to have latching engagement with the plate of clutch B and unclutch the latter and its shaft. 32 at the end of one revolution thereof, thereby completing one machine cycle.

Turning now to the upper assembly and the article segregating, counting and delivering mechanism thereof, Figs. 1, 2 and particularly 3 and i, the upper frame and housing 5 comprises at the top thereof a hopper 33 previously mentioned having downwardly inclined walls defining an appropriately restricted outlet 33'. The tablets or other articles T are dropped in an indiscriminate mass into this hopper. From it they pass via exit 33 ontoa generally horizontal belt conveyor 34. The upper run of this article conveyor desirably is supported as at 34' at the article-receiving region below the hopper.

This article conveyor 34 is driven intermittently by operating connections herein including a ratchet mechanism 35 having an adjustable operating crank 36 driven through gearing connection from the shaft 3| of clutch A.. The volume of articles and the rate of presentation thereof from the hopper is governed by this intermittently moving conveyor. Excess articles are restrained by adjustable means overlying the conveyor 34 beyond the hopper exit 33'. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4 such means comprises a downwardly directed brush 3! of a width to extend across the conveyor belt 34 and hung on arms 31a demountably fixed on an adjusting shaft 311; mounted on the upper assembly frame 5. This shaft has fixed at one end outside the frame a slotted yoke 3T0 adjustably held by a threaded stud and whereby the brush supporting shaft 3'") may be adjustably turned to raise or lower the operative position of the brush element 31.

Beyond the conveyor 34 the articles are deposited onto and passed down along an inclined guide or plate 33 and onto a continuously rotating agitator or orienting roll 39 the rotation of which is contra to the downward advancing movement of the articles received. from the guide 38, as indicated by the small arrow on Fig. 4. As viewed in said figure the direction of rotation of the agitator roll is clockwise. This agitator roll 39 having a horizontal axis is disposed with its periphery adjacent and in predetermined spaced relation to a vertical plate herein. shown as a glass or other transparent window 63 defining one wall for a plurality of feed chutes to which the articles are directed. The opposite or inner wall for this feed area is defined by a back plate 44 extending downwardly from a position closely adjacent the agitator roll 39. The upper portion of the feed space between the two plates, designated at 4| in Fig. 4, is not laterally subdivided but is proportioned to receive the articles or tablets only in a vertical position with the main faces flatwise and paralleling the plates 43, M. The spacing between the agitator roll 39 and the outer plate or window 3'3 also affords just enough clearance to position the tablets inv the described manner, as they are oriented by the reversely and continuously rotating orienting roll 39.

In the illustrated embodiment the orienting roll 39 is driven in the one direction as described by a motor as in the upper assembly housing 5 and operating through a reduction unit 40a and gear train designated generally at 40b, best seen at the left in Fig. 3. This gear train terminates in a pinion 430 on the projecting end of the shaft 39a of the orienting roll 39 whereby during operation of the motor the roll is rotated always in the direction counter to the downward advance of the tablets T along the inclined guide 38.

Below the orienting roll 39 and the top space 4! between. the window plate 43 and. back plate 44 the relatively narrow vertical space defined between said plates is divided into a series of vertical channels or chutes 46 between divider walls or guide plates 31, Fig. 3. One such chute 46 is provided for each of the maximum number of containers C in a row thereof which is to be filled in one operation. At the entrances to the chutes 45 oscillatory means is provided to assist in entering the tablets T in single vertical lines or stacks into the several chutes 46. Said means comprises a series of agitator disks 42, one between each two adjacent chutes 46 and so arranged that an edge portion of one agitator disk is operatively disposed at least at one side of each chute. 'I'he agitator disks 42 which may have a knurled or other tablet-engaging edge formation energize the tablets adequately to prevent jamming or bridging at the chute entrances. The several agitator disks 42, as best seen in Fig. 4, are carried on short shafts 42a journalled in the upper portion of the back plate i4 and in a bracket 42b on the latter. Oscillation is imparted to said shafts by pinions 42c thereon meshing with a drive rack 45 slidably supported on the bracket 42b and reciprocated by a pitman and crank device 55a, Fig. 3. The latter is driven from one of the elements of the gear train 401) previously mentioned.

In each chute 45 the tablets T descend in a single continuous line to a counting mechanism. As best seen in Figs. 3 and 4 such means comprises for each chute a rotary segregating or counter element 48 illustrated as a star-like disk or wheel. Pockets between the teeth thereof are appropriately shaped each to receive and to advance one single article or tablet T along an arcuate path defined by the peripheral portion of the respective counter 43 and a conformant guide Wall 48 within which the counter is rotated in the advancing direction, noting the arrows on Fig. 3.

The several rotary counters Q8 are driven through a variable gearing unit designated generally at 50 at the right in Fig. 3 and seen also in Fig. 4, this unit serving also to actuate the crank and ratchet mechanism 35, 36 for the conveyor belt 34 previously described. It is driven through a vertical shaft 3m, see also Figs. 5 and 6 having at the lower end a pinion 3|?) meshing with gear 3E0 fast on the output shaft 3! of the clutch A. A gear 56a at the upper end of the shaft Sla drives a small gear 55b fast on the same shaft with a larger gear 550. The latter meshes with a change gear 58d engaging an intermediate gear Elie having coaxial with it a drive gear 59/. The latter meshes with the initial gear 48a of a series thereof on the respective shafts of the counters 66. As evident on Fig. 3 the counters 48 and the respective gears therefor are for compactness arranged at two levels and the drive is from the first gear 45a on one level to the adjacent gear 430; of the other level and so on through the series. In this instance the counters 48 turn oppositely in the two levels or banks thereof, and the counter pockets are oppositely arranged, as clearly seen at the lower right in Fig. 3.

Below the counters 48 the tablets T pass through further channels or chutes ita: including lower or delivery portions 48x appropriately inclined to direct each line of the individually counted tablets to the corresponding bottle or container C in the given row thereof then at the filling station E. In the present example each row of containers C is illustrated as comprising ten bottles or the like, there being a like number of the counters and presenting chutes to accommodate the maximum number of containers in a row. Obviously a greater or less number of counters and chutes may be provided according to the multiple of containers desired to be handled in one counting and filling operation.

The vertical shaft Sic furnishing the drive for the counters (and for the intermitting belt conveyor described) may also serve to operate a corn tainer vibrating mechanism, Figs. 3 and l. As shown this comprises a reciprocating bar 52 with lateral fingers 52a projecting between and engageable with the upper portions of the containers so as to shake them during filling, insuring adequate receiving space and distribution of the counted load of tablets for the given bottle. The shaker bar 52, which is slidably guided at the rear of the delivery chutes 46x has a pin and slot connection 522) at one end thereof receiving oscillatory actuation from an eccentric or cam 52m on the shaft 31a.

It will be understood that the tablet conveying, distributing, counting and supplying action as above described takes place during that major portion of each machine cycle during which the clutch A is engaged for a number of revolutions, four in the disclosed example. At the completion of this major portion of the total machine cycle the conveyor and counter elements of the described tablet supplying mechanism are halted, also if desired the orienting roll 39 and the agitator disks 62 by suitable switch control (not shown) for the motor 48, and the container feed mechanism is thereupon activated.

As already noted, the containers or bottles 0 are advanced in successive rows along the table 53, each row in turn being halted at the filling station S below the row of feed chutes 46. For convenient reference that end of the machine at which the containers are supplied to the table, manually or otherwise, is herein called the front, toward which the feed chute window 43 faces, namely that portion facing the viewer in Figs. 1 and 3, and shown at the left on Figs. 2, 4, 5, 7 and 8.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the latter on sheet 1, the successive rows of bottles 0 pass from the front of the machine and along the table 53 from left to right in said Figs. '7 and 8. channel defined between a series of adjustable separator bars 54. The outer bars 5% are adjustably set at opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of the table 53 as appropriate for the opposite end units in each row of bottles. Correct spacing between bottles in the given row is maintained by the intermediate bars 54 which desirably are flexible strips having the front ends held in blocks 54 laterally adjustable along a cross bar 54", Fig. 7. Each row of bottles is advanced by one of the series of pusher bars 55 extending across the table above the channel strips 54. Conveyor chains 56, one along each side of the table 53 support the pusher means 55 through upright attaching fingers 51; see Fig. 8.

At the front and rear ends the conveyor chains 56 pass around sprockets 58, the front sprockets being fast on an idler shaft 59 rotatably and adjustably mounted on the table 53. The rear chain sprockets are fast on a drive shaft 60, at the right in Figs. 7 and 8, having fixed at one end a drive sprocket 6|, at the upper right in Fig. '7. As seen in Figs. 1, 5, 6, 10 and 11 the sprocket 6| is driven by a chain 62 extending downwardly and around a sprocket 63 on a short shaft 64 mounted in the lower housing portion of the machine adjacent the output shaft 32 of clutch B. The latter drives said lower sprocket 63 through suitable gearing 65.

It will be understood that the several bottleforwarding members or pusher bars 55 of the series are spaced along the conveyor chains 56 so that each intermittent movement of the chains as controlled by clutch B will move an approaching row of bottles G into the filling station S Each bottle is guided along a below the chutes 46, Fig. 4, with the individual bottles vertically aligned with a corresponding chute of the series. At the same time the row of filled bottles previously at the station S are further advanced beyond the latter. In Fi '7 and 8, also Fig. 9, but one pusher 55 is shown while in Fig. 4 a succession of them is seen in cross-section, extending from a location prior to the filling or tablet-delivering station S and beyond it to or toward the location at which the rows of filled bottles are transferred out from the bottle conveyor mechanism.

The intermittent advance of the bottle conveyor mechanism as stated occurs during the minor portion of the total machine operating cycle during which the clutch B is engaged for one revolution. Following each step by the bottle conveyor the clutch B as explained is disengaged. The bottle conveyor then is halted for the larger portion of the machine cycle during which the clutch A is operative and the filling action takes place, and also the transferring of a filled row of bottles out from the bottle conveyor.

The transfer mechanism for the successive rows of loaded bottles arriving intermittently at the rear portion of the loading table 53 is indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 and in more detail in Figs. 10, 11 and 12. As illustrated it moves the loaded bottles laterally off from the table 53, delivering them to one or the other side of the machine, preferably to another conveyor such as 90 for advancing to a cartoning station or other operations. Merely by Way of example delivery is shown herein as toward the right as viewed from the front of the machine on the figures noted. On Fig. 7 the location of this loadedbottle transfer mechanism designated as a whole by the numeral 10 is represented by a broken line and associated numeral 10.

This filled-bottle transfer mechanism it is operated through a vertical shaft H seen in section at the upper right in Fig. and appearing also in Figs. 1, 2, 6, 10, 11 and 12; The lower end of the shaft H, Figs. 5 and 6, has fixed on it'a gear 12 meshing with a pinion 1 2a on a countershaft 13. A sprocket 14 on said shaft 13 is driven by a chain 15 passing around a corresponding sprocket !4 on the output shaft 3| of clutch A. Thus the transfer drive shaft H is actuated during the periods when the clutch A is operatively engaged, simultaneously with a tablet filling operation or a portion thereof.

The upper end of the transfer drive shaft ll carries a horizontal sprocket 76, Figs. to 12, cooperating with a similar sprocket 16 at the opposite side of the machine, herein at the left, Figs. 1, 10 and 11. The transfer conveyor shown in. the form of a chain 80 passes around this sprocket pair l6, l6 and has a number of equally spaced bottle-engaging elements or fingers of which three are shown in the present example at 80A, 80B and 800. Each includes a horizontal portion 8| attached to and projecting horizontally from the transfer chain 80 and an adjustable vertical portion 82 for pushing contact with the end bottle of a row. The transfer chain 80 and the several pusher elements 80A, B and C thereon are guided and aligned as by guides 84 extending transversely of the machine. A protective hood 85 desirably covers the transfer mechanism, likewise the intermittent bottle-feeding mechanism is shieldingly enclosed at the front and sides as indicated at 55x on Fig. 2.

The described gearing and drive arrangement is such that during the operation of clutch A for the four revolutions thereof as already described the several fingers 80A, 80B and 800 travel for a distance equal to the spacing be-- tween them, in this instance one-third the length of the conveyor chain 30. Thus for each transfer operation one finger, for example the finger 88A in the transfer starting position at the lower left, Figs. 10 and 11, will be moved laterally across the table 53 toward the right in said figures, thereby removing one row of the filled bottles and passing them to a delivery station as herein represented by the lateral extension 83 of the main table 53. During each operation of the transfer mechanism, once for each complete cycle of the machine, it will be understood that the next finger of the series 80A, 80B, 80C arrives at the operative position, that occupied by finger 88A in Figs. 10 and 11, in readiness to handle the next presented row of filled bottles. From the delivery station 83 the filled containers or bottles C may be taken manually but preferably pass automatically to further conveying means advancing them for closure, cartoning or other operations. Such conveyor is indicated general- 13, at 9% Figs. 10-12, running between guides SI and including a drive sprocket 92 which may be driven from shaft 'H in time with the transfer conveyor 88 as by suitable gearing 93.

From the foregoing description in connection with the drawings it will be apparent that the apparatus of the invention is adapted to receive tablets from an indiscriminately arranged mass in the hopper 33 and to advance them in controLed quantity to a continuously rotating orienting means by which the tablets are disposed in the feedin area ii in coplanar relation as though ina sheet. This sheet of tablets at the space H is then subdivided into single tablet columns to which the tablets are delivered by the agitator elements 42. The individual tablets of each column are counted off and advanced by the single-article counters 48 and passed along via the terminal delivery chute portions Mix, a: to the row of empty containers C previously presented at the filling station. In the illustrated example the machine is shown as equipped with ten delivery chutes and counters whereby one row of ten bottles C may be filled simultaneously.

It will be understood that the number of containers per filling row may be varied and in any given machine less than the total number of chutes available and of container presenting channels upon the feed table may be employed when so desired.

It is also desirable that the machine have capacity for making change in the count of articles or tablets to be filled into the given container. The number of tablets passed on by each counter 48 during a machine cycle is determined by the number of revolutions per cycle by the counters. For example, in the drawings, noting particularly Fig. 3, the five-pocket star-form counters. each handle five tablets per revolution. Hence if they are to count out fifty tablets into a bottle 0 they should revolve ten times during an operating cycle. To change the tablet count to give any number up to say onehundred-fifty per counter per machine cycle it is necessary merely to install the appropriate change gears 50d, 50c thereby to increase or decrease the drive ratio for the several counter elements. Such gearing change is readily effected as evident on Fig. 3, the intermediate gear 5801 being readily adjustable by reason of the arcuately slotted bracket and slide bolt mounting therefor whereby it may be shifted about the axis of the larger gear 500.

The capacity of the machine for regulation of the tablet count is further increased in the illustrated example by variation in the cam ratio with respect to the drive clutches A and B. The mechanism has been described by way of example as affording a ratio of 1 to as between the cams and clutches, one revolution of the cams representing one operating cycle for the machine, clutch A being active during fourfifths of the machine cycle and clutch B during the remaining one-fifth cycle. In accordance with the invention the machine is adapted to afford double any count obtainable by means of the variable control mechanism and the previously mentioned 1 to 5 cam ratio. upper right portion of Fig. 5, such doubling effeet is had through the medium of the change gearing afforded by the pinion and gear pair 25, 2| while still utilizing the same cams and cam positions. By substituting appropriate change gears supplied for the purpose at the noted gear location 29, 2| such that the cam ratio is shifted to be 1 to 12, that is, reducing the speed of the cams relative to the clutches A and B, it is possible to double the number of revolutions for output shaft 3! of clutch A while still leaving the output shaft 32 of clutch B to be revolved but once during the machine cycle.

This will be apparent from a consideration of the cams 23, 24, noting particularly Fig. 1d and the timing diagram of Fig. 13. In the latter one machine cycle is represented, under the l to 5 cam to clutch ratio at the lower portion of the diagram, and under the count doubling 1 to 12 ratio at the upper portion in said Fig. 13. The active and inactive periods of cam 24 and clutch B are indicated by the horizontal line just above the middle of Fig. 13 while the corresponding periods for cam 23 and clutch A are shown by the next lower line.

Referring first to the lower portion of Fig. 13, and the earlier described 1 to 5 operating ratio, the active period for the clutch A represented by the raised portion of the cam 23 carries on past three revolutions and effects disengagement of the clutch at the end of four revolutions during which the filling operation and also the transfer operation for the filled bottles take place. Thereupon the cam 24 is momentarily active to engage clutch B for the ensuing one revolution during which the feeding of an empty row of bottles and the advancing of the previously filled row occur. Now comparing this with the 1 to 12 ratio timing indicated by the upper line in Fig. 13, it will be seen that during the active period of cam 23 and clutch A eight revolutions thereof occur during which the tablet feeding and the filled bottle transfer operations are carried out. During this period two of the fingers of the transfer conveyor 80, Figs. and 11, will pass the transfer point. The first finger, for example, finger 80A will carry off the row of filled bottles there presented. The next finger 800 will merely follow through the empty space at which no further bottles are yet presented during the one machine operation. Upon disengagement of clutch A after the eight revolutions of its output shaft 3| as controlled by cam 23 a pause occurs, of approximately one-twelfth of the cycle in this instance, whereupon cam 24, represented by the second line in Fig. 13, becomes active and engages clutch B. Then during the following onetwelfth portion of the cycle, numbered ID in the Referring to the r top line of Fig. 13, the bottle feed mechanism is actuated to advance a row of empty bottles to the filling station on table 53 and to present a previously filled row of bottles to the transfer station at the transfer mechanism 80. Clutch B thereupon disengages and after another pause of approximately one-twelfth of the cycle the total machine cycle will be completed and in readiness to repeat.

It will be understood that my invention, either as to method or apparatus, is not limited to the exemplary steps or embodiments herein illustrated or described, and I set forth its scope in my following claims:

1. Apparatus for automatically presenting and count-filling containers with tablets and like articles, comprising in combination with a supporting base, a table defining a filling station for a row of individual containers, means to ad Vance successive rows of empty containers to said station and of filled containers from the station, and a tablet presenting mechanism above the table including a hopper for a random supply of tablets, a conveyor below and receiving tablets from the hopper, a plurality of chute channels, one for each container of a row thereof, leading downwardly to a filling point above each stationed container, said channels each adapted to receive a single stack of the tablets in upright position therein, orienting and agitating means for receiving tablets from the conveyor and effecting entry thereof into the respective chute channels, rotary means associated with each channel for individually counting and passing a selected number of tablets to the containers, and driving and control mechanism for starting, operating and'halting the tablet presenting mechanism and thereupon starting, operating and halting the container advancing means in an automatically repeating cycle.

2. Container filling apparatus for tablets and the like comprising a frame, a longitudinal table of a width for a plurality of lines of containers in transverse rows and defining a filling station. feed means simultaneously and intermittently to move an empty container row into and a filled row out beyond the filling station to a transfer zone, tablet counting delivery means at the filling station and acting in the interim between moves of the container feed means to deposit a selected number of tablets in each container of each empty row presented thereat, said delivery means including single tablet stack supporting chutes positioned each to overlie a container and rotary means in said chutes segregating individually and passing said tablets, and container transfer means acting during operation of the tablet counting and delivering means to move the leading filled container row at the transfer zone away from the feed means.

3. Container filling apparatus according to claim 2 including means whereby the ratio of active time of the tablet counting delivery means may be varied relative to that of the container feed means thereby to alter the tablet filling count per container.

4. Container filling apparatus according to claim 2 including a drive clutch for the container feed means and a second drive clutch for the tablet counting delivery means and the transfer means, and unison-driven timing cams respectively controlling the drive clutches, one rotation of the cams defining an operating cycle comprising one movement of the container feed means followed by one movement of the tablet 11 counting delivery means and the transfer means.

5. Container filling apparatus according to claim 4 including change gears for driving the cams at one speed ratio relative to the drive clutches to give a selected tablet count per cycle and at another speed ratio to double said count per cycle, the transfer means in the latter instance acting to move out a filled row of containers during the first part of the cycle and moving empty during the following part.

6. Container filling apparatus for tablets and the like comprising a supporting frame, a hopper for a mass of tablets, a plurality of transversely aligned vertical chutes for single stacks of tablets, intermittent conveyor means receiving tablets from the hopper and advancing rough quantities thereof to the chutes, an orienting roll and antibridging means at the entrance end of the chutes, a filling station at the exit end of the chutes, and in each chute an intermittently actuated rotary counter device having peripheral pockets for individual tablets whereby to count and pass to the filling station a selected number of tablets determined by the number of rotations per actuation of the counter device.

7. Apparatus for automatically presenting and count-filling containers with tablets and like articles, comprising in combination with a supporting base, a table defining a filling station for containers presented thereat; supporting means above the filling station for an indiscriminate mass of the tablets; feed means periodically receiving from the mass controlled lesser quantities of tablets and advancing them along a r path; orienting means in the feed path taking the tablets from said feed means and sub-dividing said quantity into constantly maintained single-file tablet columns; delivery chutes for directing the advance of such columns; rotary means associated with each chute for individually counting and passing from the single-file 12 column thereof a positive selected number of tablets to a container at the filling station; and drive means for intermittently cycling the rotary means in accordance with the selected tablet count.

8. Container filling apparatus for tablets and the like, comprising a hopper for an indiscriminate mass of the tablets and gravity feed means advancing intermittently along an inclined path a controlled quantity of the tablets from such mass; means in said path for ordering the tablets into a coplanar sheet; a plurality of supply chutes of single tablet width leading from said path to a container filling area; means associated with the several chutes dividing such tablet sheet into single tablet columns for orderly entry into each chute; a movable counter element at the base of the tablet column in each chute picking off singly therefrom and passing for delivery to a container a selected number of the tablets; and counter element drive means intermittently cycling the same in accordance with the selected tablet count.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,115,758 Whitton Nov. 3, 1914 1,383,623 Groves July 5, 1921 1,626,375 Alexanderson Apr. 26, 1927 2,149,461 Mundy Mar. 7, 1939 2,219,827 Kimball et a1 Oct. 29, 1940 2,236,890 Bower et a1. Apr. 1, 1941 2,284,975 Horner June 2, 1942 85 2,307,415 Malhiot Jan. 5, 1943 2,467,995 Schlechter Apr. 19, 1949 2,509,069 Mrachek May 23, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS '4 Number Country Date 527,756 Great Britain Oct. 15, 1940

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