Package inspection and handling system

Abstract

A packaging handling system for detecting and rejecting faulty packages and for maintaining a packaging or boxing machine in operation for a specific period of time if one or the other goes down. The system comprises a plurality of photocell sensing units to detect the imperfectly formed packages and a .[.means for rejecting.]. .Iadd.pneumatic rejection device .Iaddend.the faulty packages. An accumulator is positioned in the conveyor line between the packaging machine and the boxer and will store a limited number of packages should the cartoning machine discontinue to operate and will feed a limited number of packages on the conveyor should the packaging machine become inoperative. When the system is utilized on a boxer being fed by two packers, a distribution table is also provided in the system to divide the work from one packer to both lines should the other packer cease to function.

What is claimed is: .[.1. An accumulator for use on an inter-connecting conveyor between a packaging machine and a cartoning machine comprising: 
     
        said conveyor..]. 2. The accumulator of claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.29.Iaddend., wherein said magazine includes: (a) spaced, parallel, first and second side plates;   (b) spaced, parallel, top and bottom plates disposed between said side plates, said side, top and bottom plates forming an enclosure having its ends open so that said conveyor can pass therethrough; and   (c) a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly from each side plate, said protrusions on one side plate corresponding with protrusions on the other side plate to form flights, the end of the protrusions on the side plates being spaced from one another forming a gap through which said   
     
     
        conveyor passes. 3. The accumulator of claim 2, wherein said means for varying the position of said magazine includes: (a) drive means for moving said magazine perpendicular to said conveyor; and   (b) means for controlling the operation of said drive means of said   
     
     
        magazine. 4. The accumulator of claim 3, wherein said drive means for said magazine include: (a) a threaded shaft secured to said frame and suitably journaled therein;   (b) a threaded collar secured to said magazine and threaded into said threaded shaft; and   (c) means for rotating said threaded shaft in both a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, whereby said magazine will move perpendicular   
     
     
        to said conveyor. 5. The accumulator of claim 4, wherein said means for rotating said threaded shaft include: (a) a first bevel gear secured to one end of said threaded shaft;   (b) a gear shaft journaled in said frame perpendicular to said threaded shaft;   (c) second and third bevel gears carried on said gear shaft meshing with said first bevel gear;   (d) first and second clutch means associated with said second and third bevel gears, respectively, and carried on said gear shaft; and   (e) motor means for driving said gear shaft, said first and second clutch means being energized selectively to cause said second and third bevel gears to rotate said first bevel gear in a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction. .[.6. The accumulator of claim 1, wherein said means for varying the position of said magazine includes:   (a) drive means for moving said magazine perpendicular to said conveyor; and   (b) means for controlling the operation of said drive means for said magazine..]. .[.7. The accumulator of claim 6, wherein said drive means for moving said magazine includes:   (a) a threaded shaft secured to said frame and suitably journaled therein;   (b) a threaded collar secured to said magazine and threaded into said threaded shaft; and   (c) means for rotating said threaded shaft in both a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction whereby said magazine will move perpendicular   
     
     
        to said conveyor..]. 8. The accumulator of claim .[.7.]. .Iadd.5.Iaddend., further including: (a) at least one guide shaft secured to said frame; and   (b) a guide bracket secured to said magazine, said guide bracket carrying a guide collar through which said guide shaft extends. .[.9. The accumulator of claim 6, wherein said means for controlling the operation of said drive means includes:   (a) means for detecting the full/empty status of the flights of said conveyor aligned with said conveyor and energizing said magazine drive means;   (b) means for selectively activating and de-activating the flight status detecting means; and   (c) means for de-energizing said magazine drive means at each flight..].   
     
     
        .[.0.  The accumulator of claim 9, wherein said flight status detecting means includes: (a) first and second photocell means secured to said frame at the level of said conveyor, said first photocell being located at the entrance end of said magazine and said second photocell being located at the exit end of said magazine, each photocell means detecting the presence of a package when the status of the conveyor flight is full; and   (b) a third photocell maintaining its light source and receiver unit secured to said frame at opposite ends of said magazine, whereby the line of sight of said third photocell is diagonally through the magazine along the conveyor to detect the absence of packages when the status of the conveyor flight is empty..]. .[.11. The accumulator of claim 10, wherein said means for selectively activating and de-activating the flight status detecting means includes:   (a) means for detecting the operating status of said packaging and cartoning machines;   (b) exit stop means on said conveyor near the exit end of said magazine for blocking said conveyor when said cartoning machine becomes inoperative and activating said first and second photocells of said flight status detecting means to initiate an accumulator load sequence;   (c) entrance stop means on said conveyor near the entrance end of said magazine for blocking said accumulator when said packaging machine becomes inoperative and activating said third photocell means of said flight status detecting means to initiate an accumulator unload cycle, and   (d) means for de-energizing said flight status detecting means in response   
     
     
        to the machine operating status detecting means..]. 12. The accumulator of claim .[.11.]. .Iadd.29.Iaddend., wherein said means for de-energizing said magazine drive means includes: (a) flight level photocell means having its light source and receiver units secured to said frame, said flight level photocell means being located so that the line of sight between the light source and the receiver unit corresponds to the level of said conveyor; and   (b) a flight level member secured to the side of said magazine and extending perpendicular to the line of sight of said flight level photocell means, said flight level member having a plurality of apertures, each aperture corresponding to a flight in said magazine, each flight level member passing between the light source and receiver unit of said flight level photocell, thereby selectively blocking and permitting the receiver of said flight level photocell to be energized by said light   
     
     
        source. .[.13.  A package inspection and handling system for use with a packaging machine inter-connected to a cartoning machine by a conveyor comprising: (a) means for detecting an imperfectly formed package and producing an output signal if such imperfectly formed package exists;   (b) means associated with said detecting means for receiving said output signal and rejecting said imperfectly formed package; and   (c) an accumulator means associated with said conveyor, said accumulator means having a frame, a magazine mounted for movement on said frame for receiving and storing packages from said conveyor, said conveyor passing through said magazine; and means for varying the position of said magazine with respect to said conveyor at selected times so that the packages can be removed from and deposited on said conveyor..]. .[.14. The system of claim 13, wherein said magazine includes:   (a) spaced, parallel first and second side plates;   (b) spaced, parallel top and bottom plates disposed between said side plates, said side, top and bottom plates forming an enclosure having its ends open so that said conveyor can pass therethrough; and   (c) a plurality of protrusions extending inwardly from each side plate, said protrusions on one side plate corresponding with the protrusions on the other side plate to form flights, the ends of the protrusions on the side plates being spaced from one another, forming a gap through which said conveyor passes..]. .[.15. The system of claim 14, wherein said means for varying the position of said magazine includes:   (a) drive means for moving said magazine perpendicular to said conveyor; and   (b) means for controlling the operation of said drive means for said   
     
     
        magazine..]. .[.16.  The system of claim 15, wherein said drive means for moving said magazine includes: (a) a threaded shaft secured to said frame and suitably journaled therein;   (b) a threaded collar secured to said magazine and threaded onto said threaded shaft; and   (c) means for rotating said threaded shaft in both a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction, whereby said magazine will move perpendicular to said conveyor..]. .[.17. The system of claim 16, wherein said means for rotating said threaded shaft includes:   (a) a first bevel gear secured to one end of said threaded shaft;   (b) a gear shaft journaled in said frame perpendicular to said threaded shaft;   (c) second and third bevel gears carried on said gear shaft and meshing with said first bevel gear;   (d) first and second clutch means associated with said second and third bevel gears, respectively, and carried on said gear shaft; and   (e) motor means for driving said gear shaft, said first and second clutch means being energized selectively to cause said second and third bevel gears to rotate said first bevel gear in a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction..]. .[.18. The system of claim 13, wherein said means for varying the position of said magazine includes:   (a) drive means for moving said magazine perpendicular to said conveyor; and   (b) means for controlling the operation of said drive means for said magazine..]. .[.19. The system of claim 18, wherein said drive means for moving said magazine includes:   (a) a threaded shaft secured to said frame and suitably journaled therein;   (b) a threaded collar secured to said magazine and threaded onto said threaded shaft; and   (c) means for rotating said threaded shaft in both a clockwise and counter-clockwise direction whereby said magazine will move perpendicular to said conveyor..]. .[.20. The system of claim 19, further including:   (a) at least one guide shaft secured to said frame; and   (b) a guide bracket secured to said magazine, said guide bracket carrying a guide collar through which said guide shaft extends..]. .[.21. The system of claim 18, wherein said means for controlling the operation of said drive means includes:   (a) means for detecting the full/empty status of the flight of said magazine aligned with said conveyor and energizing said magazine drive means;   (b) means for selectively activating and de-activating the flight status detecting means; and   (c) means for de-energizing said magazine drive means at each flight..]. .[.22. The system of claim 21, wherein said flight status detecting means includes:   (a) first and second photocell means secured to said frame at the level of said conveyor, said first photocell being located at the entrance end of said magazine and said second photocell being located at the exit end of said magazine, each photocell means detecting the presence of a package when the status of the conveyor flight is full; and   (b) a third photocell means having its light source and receiver unit secured to the frame at opposite ends of said magazine, whereby the line of sight of said third photocell is diagonally through the magazine along the conveyor to detect the absence of packages, when the status of the conveyor flight is empty..]. .[.23. The system of claim 22, wherein said means for selectively activating and de-activating the flight status detecting means includes:   (a) means for detecting the operating status of said packaging and cartoning machines;   (b) exit stop means on said conveyor near the exit end of said magazine for blocking said conveyor when said cartoning machine becomes inoperative and activating said first and second photocell means of said flight status detecting means to initial an accumulator load sequence;   (c) entrance stop means on said conveyor near the entrance end of said magazine for blocking said conveyor when said packaging machine becomes inoperative and activating said third photocell means of said flight status detecting means to initiate an accumulator unload cycle; and   (d) means for de-energizing said flight status detecting means in response to the machine operating status detecting means..]. .[.24. The system of claim 23, wherein said means for de-energizing said magazine drive means includes:   (a) flight level photocell means having its light source and receiver unit secured to said frame, said flight level photocell means being located so that the line of sight between the light source and the receiver unit corresponds to the level of said conveyor; and   (b) flight level member secured to the side of said magazine and extending perpendicular to the line of sight of said flight level photocell means, said level member having a plurality of apertures, each aperture corresponding to a flight in said magazine, said flight level member passing between the light source and receiver unit of said flight level photocell, thereby selectively blocking and permitting the receiver of   
     
     
        said flight level photocell to be energized by said light source..]. 25. A package inspection and handling system for use with two packaging machines connected by a first and second conveyor to a single cartoning machine comprising: (a) a means for detecting an imperfectly formed package and producing an output signal if such imperfectly formed package exists;   (b) means associated with the said detecting means for receiving said output signal and rejecting said imperfectly formed package; and   (c) accumulator means associated with said conveyors for removing and depositing packages from said conveyors at selected times; and   (d) a distribution table located between said packing machines and said cartoning machine for maintaining the cartoning machine in operation when one of the packing machines becomes inoperative by dividing the packages   
     
     
        from the remaining packing machine still in operation. 26. The system of claim 25, wherein said distribution table includes: (a) a frame;   (b) a table conveyor carried in said frame and having first and second lanes corresponding to said first and second conveyors from said packaging machine;   (c) a first and second alignment conveyor means located adjacent said first and second lanes for diverting packages from said first lane to said second lane or vice versa;   (d) means for selectively operating said first and second alignment conveyor means; and   (e) drive means for said table conveyor and said first and second alignment   
     
     
        conveyor means. 27. A distribution table for use in a package handling system in which a first and second packaging machine supply a single cartoning machine along first and second conveyors, said distribution table being located between said first and second packaging machines and said cartoning machine comprising: (a) a frame;   (b) a table conveyor carried in said frame having first and second lanes corresponding to said first and second conveyors;   (c) first and second alignment conveyors located adjacent said first and second lanes for diverting packages from said first lane to said second lane or vice versa;   (d) means for selectively operating said first and second alignment conveyor means; and   (e) drive means for said table conveyor and said first and second alignment   
     
     
        conveyor means. 28. The system of claim 27, further including at least one means for detecting a backlog on one of the conveyors between said distribution table and cartoning machine and energizing said distribution table to divert the packages from the backlog conveyor to the other conveyor. .Iadd. 29. An accumulator for use on an interconnecting conveyor between a packaging machine and a cartoning machine comprising: (a) a frame   (b) a magazine having a plurality of flights mounted for movement on said frame for receiving and storing packages from said conveyor, said conveyor passing through a part of said magazine;   (c) drive means for moving said magazine with respect to said conveyor;   (d) a flight status detecting means including a first and second sensing means adjacent to said conveyor, said first sensing means being located before the entrance end of said magazine and said second sensing means being located after the exit of said magazine, each sensing means detecting the presence of a package and said first sensing means detecting a full flight during the loading operation of said accumulator and the second sensing means determining the absence of packages indicating an empty flight during the unloading operation of said accumulator;   (e) means for selectively activating and deactivating said flight status detecting means; and   (f) means for de-energizing said drive means at each flight of said magazine. .Iaddend..Iadd. 30. The accumulator of claim 29, wherein said means for selectively activating and de-activating said flight status detecting means includes machine operating status means for detecting the operating status of said packaging and cartoning machine and providing a signal to a first stop means located after the exit of said magazine for blocking said conveyor and activating the flight status detecting means loading sequence. .Iaddend..Iadd. 31. The accumulator of claim 30, wherein said means for selectively activating and de-activating said flight status detecting means further includes a second stop means located before the entrance to said magazine for blocking said conveyor and activating said flight status detecting means unloading sequence. .Iaddend..Iadd. 32. The accumulator of claim 31, further including means for de-energizing said flight status detecting means in response to the machine operating status means. .Iaddend.