System, Apparatus, and Method for Conveying a Plurality of Containers

• Main Authors: KELLEY PAUL V, KOHLER DAVID A
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.01.2010
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS,e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES,DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; CONVEYING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGINGARTICLES OR MATERIALS; PACKAGES; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS; SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS; STORING; TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING ORTIPPING; TRANSPORTING; UNPACKING

A system, apparatus, and method for conveying a plurality of deformable containers for rotary apparatuses. The system can include a conveyor apparatus, an in-feed apparatus, and a rotary apparatus. The in-feed apparatus can be configured to receive the containers from the conveyor apparatus, and may include a first feed screw and a second feed screw. The rotary apparatus can be configured to receive the plurality of filled and sealed containers after the in-feed apparatus. The in-feed apparatus also may be configured to create space between adjacent ones of the filled and sealed containers, with the first and second feed screws acting on the containers to create the spacing between the containers. The space created between adjacent ones of the filled and sealed containers may be for receipt by said rotary apparatus. The first feed screw may be configured to be positioned substantially directly above the containers, and the second feed screw may be positioned so as to act on the sidewall of the plurality of sealed and filled containers.