Automatic loading apparatus

Claim 2

In an apparatus adapted to maintain a supply of articles at the infeed station of an article processor, the combination of: transport means for carrying articles forward to said infeed station; means adapted to maintain a predetermined supply of said articles at said infeed station, said supply maintaining means including means for actuating said transport means in response to a predetermined low article supply; control means adapted to assure input of an uninterrupted stream of articles to said infeed station by said transport means, said control means including shingling means adapted to arrange said articles into predetermined overlapping relationship whereby to provide said stream of articles to said infeed station; and second transport means to supply articles to said first mentioned transport means, said control means including first article sensor means for actuating said second transport means in response to a demand for articles by said first transport means; said second transport means being adapted to transport stacklike formations of said articles forward to said first transport means, said control means including second article sensor means adapted to hold said second transport means operative at least until one of said article stacks is brought forward by said second transport means to a position adjacent said first transport means whereby to ready said one stack for transfer to said first transport means upon later actuation of said second transport means.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1 in which said control means includes means adapted when actuated to bypass said control means first and second article sensor means and place said second transport means under the control of said article maintaining means when pre-shingled articles are transported forwardly to said first transport means by said second transport means whereby said first and second transport means are operated jointly in response to the demand for articles at said infeed station.

Claim 4

In an apparatus adapted to maintain the supply of articles at the infeed station of an article processor, the combination of: transport means for carrying articles forward to said infeed station wherein the discharge level of said transport means is higher than the level of said infeed station whereby said articles are stacked one atop the other by said transport means at said infeed station; control means adapted to assure input of an uninterrupted stream of articles to said infeed station by said transport means when said transport means is actuated, said control means including shingling means adapted to arrange said articles into predetermined overlapping relationship whereby to provide said stream of articles to said infeed station, said shingling means having at least one inclined shingling gate arranged to intercept articles stacked above a predetermined height on said transport means and in cooperation with said trAnsport means to displace said articles to overlapping relationship; said transport means comprising means for jogging the stack of articles at said infeed station whereby to align said articles, said jogging means including means adapted to engage the upper portions of the article stack at said infeed station; and said supply maintaining means including means for stopping said transport means in response to a predetermined maximum article supply, said predetermined low and maximum article supplies being chosen so as to facilitate contact of said transport means with the stack of articles at said infeed station and jogging said stack by said transport means.

Claim 5

In an apparatus adapted to maintain the supply of articles at the infeed station of an article processor, the combination of: transport means for carrying articles forward to said infeed station wherein the discharge level of said transport means is higher than the level of said infeed station whereby said articles are stacked one atop the other by said transport means at said infeed station; control means adapted to assure input of an uninterrupted stream of articles to said infeed station by said transport means when said transport means is actuated, said control means including shingling means adapted to arrange said articles into predetermined overlapping relationship whereby to provide said stream of articles to said infeed station, said shingling means having at least one inclined shingling gate arranged to intercept articles stacked above a predetermined height on said transport means and in cooperation with said trAnsport means to displace said articles to overlapping relationship; said transport means comprising means for jogging the stack of articles at said infeed station whereby to align said articles, said jogging means including means adapted to engage the upper portions of the article stack at said infeed station; and said supply maintaining means including means for stopping said transport means in response to a predetermined maximum article supply, said predetermined low and maximum article supplies being chosen so as to facilitate contact of said transport means with the stack of articles at said infeed station and jogging said stack by said transport means.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 3 including, means for supporting said transport means for adjusting movement toward and away from said infeed station whereby to enable said transport means to be maintained in jogging relationship with the stack of articles at said infeed station on a change in article size.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 including second transport means operatively associated with said first mentioned transport means for supplying articles to said first transport means, and means enabling said second transport means to be moved in unison with said first transport means whereby to maintain the operative relationship between said first and second transport means undisturbed.