US 11,724,843 B2
Apparatus and methods for transferring continuously moving articles to continuously moving packages with intervening article grouping and group pitch adjustment
Robert M. Kalany, Florence, KY (US); Anthony B. Salvato, Cincinnati, OH (US); Matthew R. Lukes, Edgewood, KY (US); and Jerome Brugger, Melbourne, KY (US)
Assigned to R.A Jones & Co., Covington, KY (US)
Filed by R.A Jones & Co., Covington, KY (US)
Filed on Apr. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/227,731.
Application 17/227,731 is a division of application No. 15/341,462, filed on Nov. 2, 2016, granted, now 11,001,400.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/280,901, filed on Jan. 20, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2021/0229847 A1, Jul. 29, 2021
Int. Cl. B65B 35/36 (2006.01); B65G 47/91 (2006.01); B65B 35/38 (2006.01); B65B 57/14 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 15/00 (2006.01); B65B 21/18 (2006.01); B65B 21/20 (2006.01); B65G 47/90 (2006.01); B65B 57/10 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B65B 5/06 (2006.01); B65B 5/10 (2006.01); B65B 35/58 (2006.01); B65B 43/42 (2006.01); B65B 65/02 (2006.01)
CPC B65B 35/36 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0093 (2013.01); B25J 9/1687 (2013.01); B25J 15/0061 (2013.01); B65B 5/06 (2013.01); B65B 5/105 (2013.01); B65B 21/18 (2013.01); B65B 21/20 (2013.01); B65B 35/38 (2013.01); B65B 35/58 (2013.01); B65B 43/42 (2013.01); B65B 57/10 (2013.01); B65B 57/14 (2013.01); B65G 47/905 (2013.01); B65G 47/907 (2013.01); B65G 47/918 (2013.01); B65B 65/02 (2013.01); B65B 2220/18 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Transfer apparatus for transferring incoming articles at one pitch on an article supply conveyor and in groups to containers on another conveyor at a different pitch, and comprising:
at least one article supply conveyor conveying articles at one pitch in a machine direction;
at least one container conveyor conveying containers at another pitch in one direction;
an end-of-arm tool moveable operationally between said conveyors but not itself moveable in said machine direction;
article grippers that are carried by respective carriages directly mounted on an elongated member of said end-of-arm tool for movement there along, wherein said article grippers move independently with respect to each other and move in said machine direction, and wherein said elongated member is immoveable in said end-of-arm tool in said machine direction; and
linear motors driving said grippers independently along said end-of-arm tool in said machine direction at said one pitch for picking the articles from said article supply conveyor, and advancing pitch adjusted article groups for placement in containers at said other pitch on said container conveyor.