US 12,247,357 B2
Tie plate dispenser and method therefore
Coty T. Coots, Shepherdsville, KY (US)
Assigned to B & B Metals, Inc., Shepherdsville, KY (US)
Filed by B & B Metals, Inc., Shephersville, KY (US)
Filed on Dec. 22, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/394,338.
Application 18/394,338 is a continuation of application No. 18/069,869, filed on Dec. 21, 2022, granted, now 11,885,074.
Application 18/069,869 is a continuation of application No. 16/910,918, filed on Jun. 24, 2020, granted, now 11,578,464, issued on Feb. 14, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0125054 A1, Apr. 18, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. E01B 29/32 (2006.01); B65G 15/12 (2006.01); B65G 43/08 (2006.01); B65G 47/14 (2006.01); B65G 47/244 (2006.01)
CPC E01B 29/32 (2013.01) [B65G 15/12 (2013.01); B65G 43/08 (2013.01); B65G 47/1485 (2013.01); B65G 47/244 (2013.01); B65G 2201/02 (2013.01); B65G 2203/042 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tie plate dispenser, comprising:
a conveyor having a frame defined by one or more structural elements, and a plurality of rollers;
said plurality of rollers capable of moving a plurality of tie plates from a first position to a second position along said conveyor;
at least one magnet disposed at or near an end of said plurality of rollers and capable of magnetically sequentially engaging each tie plate of said plurality of tie plates as said each tie plate reaches a position of said conveyor adjacent to said at least one magnet;
said plurality of tie plates are individually selectively released to fall from said at least one magnet to a location below said tie plate dispenser;
an arm which is actuatable between a first position and a second position, wherein one of said first position or said second position is in a path that said each tie plate falls when selectively released from said at least one magnet;
wherein said one of said first position or said second position causes said arm to engage each said tie plate along said path that each said tie plate falls.