US3866388A

US3866388A - Roll-boxing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3866388A
Application number: US432608A
Authority: US
Inventors: Iii Herman J Koehler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1974-01-11
Filing date: 1974-01-11
Publication date: 1975-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 1992-02-18
Also published as: GB1456158A; FR2257496B3; JPS50101192A; BE814096A; FR2257496A1; DE2419445A1; CA1006849A

Abstract

Roll boxing apparatus comprising a continuously driven endless conveyor having upper and lower generally horizontally traveling flights and means affixed thereto providing individual rollreceiving pockets having open mouths which open downwardly throughout the length of the lower traveling flight, means for supplying a predetermined number of the rolls to be boxed in oneat-a-time sequence to the conveyor pockets, roll accumulating means disposed below and in position to be traversed by said lower horizontally traveling flight, said roll accumulating means receiving rolls falling thereto by gravity from the downwardly opening conveyor pockets and being operable to accumulate same in a plurality of vertical rows, each of a preselected small number of rolls and which are progressively formed until the predetermined number of rolls to be boxed have been accumulated, and power-actuated pusher means responsive to the predetermined number of rolls to be boxed having been so accumulated to push same in unison laterally through and from the accumulating means into a box positioned to receive and of a size as to be completely filled by said accumulation of rolls.

Description

United States Patent Koehler, III

[ Feb. 18, 1975 ROLL-BOXING APPARATUS [76] Inventor: Herman J. Koehler, Ill, 64 Broad St., Elizabeth, NJ. 07201 [22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1974 [211 Appl. No.: 432,608

[52] US. Cl 53/59 R, 53/l64, 53/236 [51] Int. Cl B65b 57/20, B65b 35/50 [58] Field of Search 53/59 R, 152,153,164, 53/159, 236

[56} References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,535,880 12/1950 Tomkins 53/164 X 3,089,297 5/l963 Craig ct al. 53/164 X Primary Examiner-Travis S. McGehee Attorney, Agent, or FirmJ. Harold Kilcoyne [57} ABSTRACT Roll boxing apparatus comprising a continuously o ooo oooooooo o driven endless conveyor having upper and lower generally horizontally traveling flights and means affixed thereto providing individual roll-receiving pockets having open mouths which open downwardly throughout the length of the lower traveling flight, means for supplying a predetermined number of the rolls to be boxed in one-at-a-time sequence to the conveyor pockets, roll accumulating means disposed below and in position to be traversed by said lower horizontally traveling flight, said roll accumulating means receiving rolls falling thereto by gravity from the downwardly opening conveyor pockets and being operable to accumulate same in a plurality of vertical rows, each of a preselected small number of rolls and which are progressively formed until the predetermined number of rolls to be boxed have been accumulated, and poweractuated pusher means responsive to the predetermined number of rolls to be boxed having been so accumulated to push same in unison laterally through and from the accumulating means into a box positioned to receive and of a size as to be completely filled by said accumulation of rolls.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures l4 o 15 I00 o 52 0 l0 0 0 Q 6 0 j 50o.(50bl o o o o lOb 0 0 o o O o o o o o 0 0 o o o o O 0 0 0 I6 64 e2 s2 s4 s 54 32!: I l i 32a so 34 L300 PATENTED F581 8 5 SHEET 10F 4 com em wn 0mm vm T g 8 8 2 O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O 0 QO 0 O o D 30mg 00 0 0- Q Q mm 0 O 0 ll! 0 E O N E C C a N. u

PATENTEB FEB l 8l975 SHEET 2 [IF 4 PATENTED 81975 3. 866,388

- v SHEEI 3 0F 4 j 5 V I 60 58 I i /58b PATENTEI] FEB] 8 I975 saw u or 4 1 ROLL-BOXING APPARATUS This invention relates to improvements in roll boxing apparatus and more particularly to improved, highly effective and practical apparatus for accumulating rolls of coins, tokens and various other articles of commerce packaged in cylindrical or roll-form wrappers or tubes generally similar to rolls of coins, in multiple verticalrow arrangement, with the vertical rows thereof being formed progressively until the number of rolls predetermined to be the number to fill a box have been so accumulated, and thereupon for pushing, in unison, the so-accumulated rows of rolls from the accumulating means and into a box, carton or like container of a size as to be completely filled thereby.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Although having much broader application, the present apparatus was developed for and hence will be described hereinafter as applied to the boxing of a predetermined number of coin rolls, i.e. coins of a particular denomination wrapped in roll form either in paper or plastic wrappers by commercial fully automatic or semi-automatic wrapping machines, for subsequent storage and/or delivery of said rolls.

While the patent literature is replete with showings of apparatus for collecting and arranging in horizontal layers for subsequent boxing thereof, small cylindrical objects or articles of commerce such as cigars, cigarettes, etc., there appears to be a paucity of patents and/or printed literature dealing expressly with the handling, i.e. accumulating, of coin rolls preliminary to boxing same and thereupon depositing the accumulation of rolls in a box or carton for subsequent storage and/or delivery thereof. More particularly, only one prior patent having to do with such coil-roll boxing subject-matter is known to the present applicant and here again the horizontal layering principle is relied upon; that is to say, horizontal layers of a preselected small number of coin rolls per layer are pushed by rightangularly disposed ram means along right-angular paths of travel, being ultimately deposited in a carton or the like by the action of one of said ram means. Obviously, such a coinroll boxing apparatus leaves much to be desired in terms of practical, dependable, and fast-acting coil-roll boxing apparatus.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the above in mind, the present invention contemplates and has for an over-riding objective that of providing simplified, practical and dependable apparatus for boxing rolls of coins, tokens, etc., which is characterized by novel roll-accumulating means.

A more specific object of the invention is the provision of coin-roll boxing apparatus which departs from the horizontal roll- (or like cylindrical article) layering principle relied upon by the prior art and instead accumulates a predetermined number of the rolls to be boxed coming from a source of supply thereof in oneat-a-time sequence in a plurality of discrete, side-byside vertical rows which are progressively formed.

Yet another object of the invention is that of providing coin-roll boxing apparatus of a character enabling ready sight verification of the number of coin rolls deposited in a box or carton, thus eliminating the costly weighing operation heretofore practiced to verify roll count.

Further objects of the invention are those of providing coin-roll boxing apparatus capable of accumulating and boxing coin rolls at exceedingly high speeds, for example, up to 120 rolls per min.; which is characterized by its durability and dependability in operation; and which additionally is notable for its versatility in handling rolls of coins of different denominations.

The above and other objects and advantages of the improved roll-boxing apparatus of the invention will appear from the following detailed description, in which reference is had to the accompanying illustrative drawing figures wherein FIG. I is a front elevation of coin-roll boxing apparatus according to the invention, as viewed from a central, slightly elevated vantage point;

FIG. 2 is a broken-away perspective view looking onto a preferred roll-supply and gating means which supplies the predetermined number of rolls to be boxed in one-at-a-time sequence to the roll accumulating means;

. FIG. 3 is a view in top plan of the roll-accumulating means;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of roll boxing apparatus of the invention intended to illustrate its versatility in han dling rolls of US. coins of the different denominations; and

FIG. 5 is a view in top plan of a box filled with the predetermined number of coin rolls arranged according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing figures in detail, reference numeral 10, FIGS. 1 and 4, generally designates a conveyor trained over horizontally spaced sprockets l2, 14, one of which illustratively the sprocket 14 is powered as by an electric motor, the conveyor thus being characterized by generally horizontal upper and lower runs or flights 10a, 10b.

The conveyor 10 mounts, so as to extend outwardly from and generally at right angles to its outer face or side, a plurality of outwardly projecting pins or lugs 16 which are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the rolls of coin or the like to be boxed, said pins or lugs thus forming with the outer-side surface of the conveyor a plurality of open-mouth pockets which open upwardly for the length of the upper conveyor flight 10a, generally sidewardly throughout the descending arc of the conveyor-length portion traveling over the sprocket l4 and downwardly throughout the length of the lower run or flight 10b of the conveyor.

Disposed directly beneath the aforesaid conveyorsprocket assembly is a roll accumulating means generally designated 20, whose function is to accumulate preliminary to boxing thereof the exact number of coin rolls which will fill a box or carton of a particular size arranged in a plurality of discrete vertical rows and with each row containing a preselected small number of the coin rolls and said discrete rows being progressively formed by coin rolls falling by gravity from the open-mouth pockets of the lower flight of the conveyor as the latter traverses said accumulating means.

Illustratively, the aforesaid roll-accumulating means comprises a generally horizontally disposed bottom plate 30, generally

vertical end plates

32a, 32b afflxed thereto and extending upwardly therefrom, and vertical divider plates 34 also affixed to and extending upwardly from said bottom plate and which serve to divide the space between the

end plates

32a, 32b into a preselected number of open-top, side-by-side disposed roll-receiving spaces or compartments, each of width as to freely receive rolls of coins of the particular denomination then being handled, and further having vertical height which is substantially equal to the sum of the diameters of a preselected number of coin rolls, for example five, to be disposed in vertical row formation.

It is also a feature of the improved accumulating means of the invention that the height of the aforesaid end and

divider plates

32a, 32b and 34 is such that'their upper edges extend to and terminate in a common plane which is spaced downwardly from the plane traversed by the lowermost edges of the pins or lugs 16 of the conveyor lower flight as the latter traverses the accumulating means, a distance which is appreciably less than the diameter of one of the coin rolls then being handled. Such arrangement and spacing of parts assures that, as each vertical roll-receiving space or compartment is filled by coin rolls depositing therein by gravity, following coin rolls will be propelled by the pusher pins or lugs 16 to positions overlying the next following spaces or compartments until they too are progressively filled.

From the description up to this point, it will be appreciated that responsive to coin rolls being supplied to the open-mouth pockets of the conveyor, either prior to the latter negotiating the downwardly descending arcuate path defined by the right-half of the sprocket 14; or, in any case, to the open-mouth pockets of the conveyor lower flight as said flight begins its traversing movement across the accumulating means, said coin rolls will fall by gravity from said pockets and arrange themselves in a plurality of discrete vertical rows in the open-top compartments of the accumulating means, and further said rows will be progressively formed until the predetermined number of coin rolls feeding thereto has been exhausted.

Means for supplying the predetermined number of rolls as will completely fill a carton or box in a controlled, one-at-a-time sequence to the advancing action of the conveyor and its lugs 16 is provided, such illustratively comprising a so-called zig-zag hopper 40 to which wrapped rolls are delivered and which in turn feeds said rolls to a star wheel (or turret)-type gating device 46 controlled by a counting circuit which operates to feed the predetermined number of rolls to the conveyor.

To insure that said rolls reach the afore described accumulating means with their end faces aligned, i.e. disposed in the same vertical plane, upper and lower sets of rod-

form side rails

48a, 48b and 50a, 50b, having curvatures corresponding generally to the curvatures of the descending arcs of the star wheel 46 and the conveyorportion 100 are provided, the side rails of each said pair being spaced apart laterally so as to be operable to crowd i.e. shift in axial direction as may be required, the pocketed rolls as they travel throughout the length of said arcs to lateral positions in which their end faces are in substantial vertical-plane alignment. Means are also provided for in effect closing the normally open mouths of the conveyor pockets, thereby guarding against rolls depositing in the higher-level pockets of the upper flight 10a of the conveyor at or near the end of said flight from prematurely falling or rolling therefrom by gravity, as the conveyor moves throughout the descending-arc portion 100 of its travel. Illustratively said means comprises two or more rods 52 having curvature corresponding to that of said descending-arc portion 10c but which are fixed in position just outwardly of the curved path traversed by the outermost ends or tips of the pocket-forming lugs 16. Said rods 52 also serve the important function of directing the pocketed rolls onto a fixed, generally horizontally disposed shelf member 54 positioned at a level as insures that said rolls will deposit in the open-mouth pockets of the lower conveyor flight 10b.

According to a further feature of the invention. means responding to a predetermined number of rolls known or calculated in advance to be the number thereof which will completely fill a box or carton of a particular size which have accumulated in progressively formed vertical rows in the accumulating means in the manner previously described, is rendered operable automatically to push in unison said rows of rolls in direction of their axes laterally through and from the accumulating means and thence into a carton or box positioned to receive same through its open top and which further is of a size and depth as to be completely filled by said accumulation of rolls. More particularly and again referring to FIG. 3, said means illustratively comprises a reciprocable push rod 56 mounting at its forward end a right angularly disposed cross head 58 shown to be fashioned in two

parts

58a, 58b. The more forward wider cross head part 58b mounts so as to extend forwardly therefrom a plurality of vertical push blades 62, one for each of the vertical row-forming compartments of the accumulating means and each terminating in a right-angularly disposed push head 64 having height and width substantially equal to the height and width of the said compartments. Normally, said push heads 64 extend a small distance into the spaces between the vertical dividers 34 which define the row-forming compartments of the accumulating means, and thus they serve as compartment inner-side walls.

As indicated by the double-headed arrow associated therewith (FIG. 3) the aforesaid rod 56 is poweractuable in forward and reverse directions by means such as an air cylinder or a linear electric motor (not shown) which is activated responsive to the predetermined number of rolls having been accumulated in vertical-row arrangement and when so activated drives the

headed push blades

62, 64 in unison throughout their forward or working strokes, thereby pushing all rolls of the vertical rows in the direction of their axes laterally through and from the accumulating means and into a box or carton B positioned as shown in broken lines, FIG. 3, through the open top thereof.

As illustratively shown in FIG. 1, the

vertical end members

32a, 32b of the accumulating means may be extended forwardly well beyond the plane of the forward edges of the vertical dividers 34 of said means, and an extension plate 30a is shown to be affixed to the front edge of the accumulator base plate 30 so as to project forwardly therefrom, said extended portions provided as aforesaid serving as guide means for the rows of rolls during their axial movement from the accumulating means into the box or carton, and also as a means for properly positioning said box or carton for the reception of the rows of rolls.

According to another feature which may be incorporated in to coin-roll boxing apparatus of the invention and which imparts a remarkable degree of versatility thereto in terms of its capability in handling rolls of coin of the many different denominations, for example 1, 5, 10, 25, cents etc. in US. coins, roll accumulating and pusher means individual to each denomination and means for interchanging same one for another are provided, such in recognition of the fact that, whereas the conveyor and open-mouth pockets thereof have the capability of receiving and advancing to the accumulating means rolls of coins of all the various conventional denominations, for maximum effectiveness both said accumulating means and the pusher means which operates to push the rows of rolls axially through and from the same should be tailored so to speak, i.e. sized as to the width and height of both the compartments of the accumulating means and the push heads 64 of the pusher means, to the particular denomination of the coins of the rolls being handled at any one time.

More particularly and as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 4, an accumulating means suited to a coin-roll denomination being handled is shown to be demountably suspended from dowels or studs 72, 74 affixed to and projecting outwardly from the

end plates

32a, 32b of said accumulating means and which project into and fit closely in holes 72a, 74a respectively provided in a depending flange 54a formed integral with the aforementioned shelf member 54 and a corresponding depending flange 76a of an adjustable-position angled bracket 76, whose lateral position is determined by the overall width of the particular accumulating means then mounted between the depending

flanges

54a, 76a, and in which lateral position the bracket 76 is temporarily secured to a fixed frame part of the apparatus by means of a cap screw 78 operable along a longitudinal adjustment slot 78a provided in an upwardly extending, short-height bracket flange 82, the said cap screw and slot being operable similar to a conventional pin-andslot adjusting means.

Although the invention is not limited to the particular means just described for mounting and demounting the accumulating means with respect to the conveyor 10.

it is stated that such means has been found to be workable and practical and that it provides a simple procedure for bodily dcmounting an already mounted accumulating means and for substituting therefor an accumulating means suited as to the width and height of its toll receiving and vertical-row forming compartments to the handling of rolls of coin of a different denomination than that handled by the accumulating means which it replaces.

As earlier indicated, the push heads 64 of the pusher means 56-64 for maximum effectiveness should also have height and width as to be operable through the row-forming compartments of each size of accumulating means. To provide for same, it is a further feature of the invention that the reciprocable push rod 56 is connected to its activating means, i.e. linear electric motor, via a type of connection which may be completely disabled when such is desired. Such permits of the bodily removal of one pusher means 56-64 and the substitution of another better suited and sized as to its push heads 64 to the compartments of the accumulating means substituted as aforesaid.

To summarize briefly the operation and advantages of roll-boxing apparatus of the invention, rolls of coin, tokens, etc. are supplied in one-at-a-time sequence and in predetermined number calculated to be such as to completely fill a box or carton of a particular body size and depth, to the open-mouth pockets of a continuously moving conveyor having upper and lower generally horizontal travelling flights. Upon the rolls advancing to said lower flight they fall by gravity from said open-mouth pockets to accumulating means disposed beneath the conveyor. Said accumulating means is so constructed i.e. compartmented, that it receives and arranges the rolls falling thereto as aforesaid in a succession of discrete vertical rows, each of a preselected number of rolls determined by the height of its compartments. Responsive to the predetermined number of rolls supplied to the accumulating means having been so deposited and arranged, a pusher means is activated to push all said rolls in unison and in the direction of their axes through an open side of the accumulating means and into a box or carton positioned to receive same through its open top. As indicated above, said box or carton is of a size and depth as to be completely filled by the rolls of coin deposited therein through its open top, and since said rolls are arranged (packed) in the box vertically, their ends are viewable through the open top thereof (as in FIG. 5). Accordingly, the number of coin rolls so packed in a box or carton may readily be verified merely by making a sight-count of the ends of the rolls.

It is explained that the closure-flap structure of the completely filled box or carton depicted in FIG. 5 is shown in broken lines, such for the purpose of indicating that said closure flaps are specially die-cut (as is the roll containing-body portion of said box or carton) to provide a high degree ofstrength to the side walls, bottom wall and top of the box when the latter is finally closed.

As explained in the foregoing, the invention also proposes and provides implementing means whereby rolls of coins, tokens, etc. of the different denominations may be accumulated for boxing and boxed as aforesaid, as by bodily demounting a roll accumulating and pushing means suited to one denomination and the substitution therefor of a roll-accumulating and pushing means better suited to handle i.e. accumulate and box a different denomination.

Having disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. Coin-roll boxing apparatus comprising, in combination, a continuously driven endless conveyor having upper and lower flights and incorporating means forming therewith individual roll-receiving open-mouth pockets which open downwardly throughout the length of the lower flight, means for supplying rolls to be boxed in number calculated to completely fill a box of a particular size in orderly one-at-a-time sequence to the open-mouth pockets of said lower conveyor flight from whence said rolls tend to fall by gravity, means for receiving the rolls falling from said pockets and for accumulating said rolls in a progression of discrete vertical rows, each containing a preselected small number of rolls, and power means actuable responsive to said so-supplied number of rolls having been accumulated as aforesaid for pushing same in unison from the accumulating means and into a box positioned and conditioned to receive same.

2. Roll boxing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for accumulating coin rolls as aforesaid is demountable with respect to the conveyor, thereby permitting removal of an accumulating means suited to the boxing of rolls of coin of one denomination and the substitution of accumulating means suited to the boxing of rolls of coins of other denominations.

coin rolls in unison from the accumulating means is also demountable as provides 'for a particular pusher means being removed and a pusher means better suited to the boxing of rolls of coins of other denominations being substituted.

4. Roll boxing apparatus comprising, in combination, a continuously driven endless conveyor having upper and lower flights, said conveyor having means affixed to its outer side forming therewith individual rollreceiving pockets having open mouths which open downwardly throughout at least the length of said lower flight, means for supplying rolls to be boxed predetermined number calculated to completely fill a box of a particular size in one-at-a-time sequence to the conveyor pockets, roll accumulating means mounted below and in position to be traversed by said lower conveyor flight, said roll accumulating means receiving rolls falling thereto by gravity from said downwardly opening conveyor pockets and being operative to accumulate same in side-by-side vertical rows, each comprising a smaller number of rolls than the number thereof supplied to the conveyor pockets as aforesaid and which rows are progressively formed until said number of rolls calculated to fill the box have been accumulated, and power-actuated pusher means responsive to the predetermined number of rolls having been so accumulated to push the accumulation of rolls in unison laterally through and from the accumulating means into a box positioned to receive and of a size as to be completely filled by said accumulation of rolls.

5. Roll boxing apparatus. according to claim 4, wherein said roll accumulating and pusher means are demountable with respect to the conveyor means, thereby permitting interchange of both said accumulating and pusher means according to the sizes of rolls of the different sizes and diameters.

6. Coin-roll boxing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power means is operative when actuated to push the accumulation of rolls in the direction of their axes through and from the accumulating means and thence into said box through its open top wherein the ends of the rolls are visible for roll-audit purposes.

7. Coin-roll boxing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said box is of a size and depth as to be completely filled by the accumulation of rolls pushed thereinto through the open top as aforesaid.

8. Coil-roll boxing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said accumulating means is constructed and arranged as to accumulate rolls received therein in total number which is the mathematical product of the number of rolls making up the rows times the number of rows of the progression thereof.

9. Coin-roll boxing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said roll receiving and accumulating means comprises a generally horizontally extending bottom plate and end and divider plates affixed to said bottom plate and extending uprightly therefrom and forming with said bottom plate a plurality of adjacently disposed open-sided, open-top, coin-roll receiving compartments having height slightly less than the sum of the diameters of the number of rolls receivable in each said compartment, the construction and arrangement being such that as each preceding compartment is filled by coin rolls depositing therein by gravity, said conveyor-affixed means propel following coin rolls to positions overlying the next following compartment and so on until all said compartments are filled.

Claims

3. Roll boxing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for pushing the accumulation of coin rolls in unison from the accumulating means is also demountable as provides for a particular pusher means being removed and a pusher means better suited to the boxing of rolls of coins of other denominations being substituted.

4. Roll boxing apparatus comprising, in combination, a continuously driven endless conveyor having upper and lower flights, said conveyor having means affixed to its outer side forming therewith individual roll-receiving pockets having open mouths which open downwardly throughout at least the length of said lower flight, means for supplying rolls to be boxed predetermined number calculated to completely fill a box of a particular size in one-at-a-time sequence to the conveyor pockets, roll accumulating means mounted below and in position to be traversed by said lower conveyor flight, said roll accumulating means receiving rolls falling thereto by gravity from said downwardly opening conveyor pockets and being operative to accumulate same in side-by-side vertical rows, each comprising a smaller number of rolls than the number thereof supplied to the conveyor pockets as aforesaid and which rows are progressively formed until said number of rolls calculated to fill the box have been accumulated, and power-actuated pusher means responsive to the predetermined number of rolls having been so accumulated to push the accumulation of rolls in unison laterally through and from the accumulating means into a box positioned to receive and of a size as to be completely filled by said accumulation of rolls.

5. Roll boxing apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said roll accumulatinG and pusher means are demountable with respect to the conveyor means, thereby permitting interchange of both said accumulating and pusher means according to the sizes of rolls of the different sizes and diameters.

8. Coin-roll boxing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said accumulating means is constructed and arranged as to accumulate rolls received therein in total number which is the mathematical product of the number of rolls making up the rows times the number of rows of the progression thereof.