[1]United Sta, tes Patent Office 3@056@489 3,056,489 QUALITY GRADING UINIT FOR EGG HANDLING MACHINES Harold L Mumma, Riverside, Calif., assignor to FMC Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Original application E@ce. 28, 1953, Ser. No. 400,466, now Pateiit No. 2,895,274, dated July 21, 1959. Divided and this application May 15, 1959, Ser. No. 813,394 5 Claims. (Cl. 198-232) The present invention relates to machines for handling eg@s, and rpore particularly to a quality grading unit for an eghandling machine. Th@, application is a division of my copending applicais tion, U.S. Serial No. 400,466, fil,-d December 28, 1953, for a Machine For Handling Eggs. An object of the present invention is to provide a feed chute that is adapted to receive eggs with their main axes disposed transversely thereto and which is operable to advance eggs deposited thereonto to desired points of delivery while maintainin.- them in the defined axial position. Another object is to provide an improved article feed chute. Another object is to provide an improved quality grading ui-i-' t for egg handling machines. Anoth-@r object is to provide a quality gradin.- unit wherein the transfer of eggs from a quality feed chute to a conveyor is controlled by the advancement of the conveyor. Another object is to provide a quality grad-ing unit wherein the quality feed chute transfers eggs to a conveyor wlien the conveyor has a vacant cup for receiving an egg. These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of the accompanyin- dranvings which illustrate a preferred embodir.qent thereof and wherein: FIG. I is a schematic plan view of an egg handling machine incorporatin- therein the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schen-iatic side elevation of the machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a scheinatic side elevation of the same machine viewed from the opposite side. FIG. 4 is a fragtnentary schematic perspective iuustrating mechanical power trains employed in the machine si-@own in FIG. 1. FIG. 5 is a perspective of one of the candling stations included in the machine shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a section through the feed elevator of the candling station illustrated in FIG. 5 taken along lines 6-6 thereof. FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective of a poj-tio@i oithe candling station illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 is a perspective of the candling station illustrated in FIG. 5 as viewed from a point rearwardly of, and below, said candling station. FIG. 9 is a fragmentary perspective of one of the several feed racks comprised in each candling station. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the feed rack illustrated in FIG.9. FIGS. 11 and 12 are vertical longitudinal sections throu,-h the feed rack illustrated in FIG. 10 taken along lines 11-12 thereof and iuustrating consecutive operational positions of said feed rack. FIG. 13 is a transverse section through the feed rack iilustrated in -t-@1G. 9 taken along line 13-13 of FIG. 10. FIG. 14 is a fragmentary section through said feed rack taken along line 14--@' 4 of FIG. IO. FIG. 15 is an elevational detail view iflustrating a part Pa,lented Oct. 2, 1962 2 of the feed rack structure as viewed in the direction of 'Lhe arrows 15-15 associated with FIG. IO. F'LG. 16 is a section through the feed elevator comprised in each candling station, taken along line 16-16 of FIG. 6. FIG. i7 is a fragmentary perspective of one of the egg supportin.- ci-ips carried by the feed elevators of themaciiiiie. in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 is illustrated an egg handling io machire that comprises six candling stations 150 individually identified by the reference numerals 151, 152, 153, 154, 155 and 156. Every one of said stations is provided with a platform 157 upon which the candler receives cases or crates with e.-gs from an inclined roffer conveyor 1 5 153. At every one of said stations, an operator examines ihe e,-,-s for extemal appearance, views them against a torch 159 (FIG. 5) to deterniine their internal condition and places those found acceptable upon one of eight s-aperposed rac or chutes 160 (FIG. 5), individually 20 icientified by t'@le suffix letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g, and h, accordin,@ to their individtial quality, while depositing eggs that are broken, excessively dirty, or otherwise unfit for human consumption iiito cardboard containers (not shown) placed upon trays 162 that are supported in 25 candelabrum fashion at the right end of the racks 160 as viewed in FIG. 5. At each candliiig station the eight superposed racks or chutes 160 are arranged to deliver eggs d-eposited thereinto onto cups 164 upon the rising run 166 (FIGS. 5 and 'O 6) of an elevator 163, and whenever an egg passes from o the eiid of a rack or chute 160 into a cup 164, it actuates a mechanisr@l that re,@isters the quality of the egg, as represented by the rack onto which it was deposited by the candler, upon a rotary control device 170 (FIGS. I 35 and 4) termed the rnemory belt that operates within a cabinet indicatcd at 172 in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. Said rnemory belt is divided into a multitude of consecutive horizontally extendin,@ strip-shaped sectors 175 (FIG. 4), and every one of the cups 164 on the rising runs of the 4:0 six elevators 168 comprised in the machine is represented by a sector 175 of the memory belt. The memory belt 170 turns in t;med relation with the elevators 168, and @vLen an e.-g passes from one of the eight racks 160 of a candling station onto a cup 164 of the particular elevator 45 associated with said candling statioia, the hereinbefore mentioned re.-istr,,ition mechanism sets an element supported Lipon tlae sector 175 of the mei-nory belt that corresponds to fne particular elevator cup, in a manner indicative of the quality as represented by the chute or 50 rack from which the egg was delivered onto the cup, Every one of the six elevators 168 is arranged to deliver the eggs it receives from its associated racks or chute 160 to a respertive one of six weighing mechanisms collec55 tively identified by the reference numeral 180 (FIG. 1) upon which the eggs are weighed and which is arranged to activate mechanism that registers the weight group to Nvhich a particular e,-g belongs in the same sector 1175 of the memory belt that previously recorded the quali'Ly of said egg. 60 From the weighin- mechanism of the six. candling stations, the eggs are del'ivered by means of a lowering mechanism (not shown) onto a coriamon single file conveyor 185 (FIGS. 1-4) that carries an endless sequence of egg 35 retainin@ buckets 186 (FIG. 4), and which operates at six times the speed of the elevators 168 and is timed in stich a ma-@iner relative to said elevators and the associated weighing and egg lowering mechanisms that its consecutive buckets may carry away all eggs supplied from 70 the six elevators by the eg.- lowering mechanism without dan.- er t-hat more than one egg may be deposited into one and the same bucket.
[2]3 The conveyor 185 conducts the eggs through an oiling station 189 (FIGS. 1-3) wherein eggs of selected quality and weight combinations are subjected to an oil spray under controlfrom the memory belt 170 to preserve their freshness. Thereafter said conveyor 185 extends over eighteen co-iisecutive packing stations 190 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3), each proiided with a container supply r@,iag-azine (not shown) and as it carries the eg.-s consecutively to said packing stations, it distributes eggs of the same preselected weight and quality combinations uiider control from the memory belt 170 at predetermined ones of said stations into suitable cardiboard containers delivered by feed conveyors (not shown) from the magazines into positions underneath the distribtiting conveyor, such that ,said containers will receive only eg,@s of the same preselected wei,-Iit and quality group. After a cardboard container has been filled in the described manner with eggs of the same qual-ity and weight -roup, it is disc'xiar.-ed onto a take-off ramp 193 (FIGS. I and 2) from where an attendant may transfer it onto a suitable take-off conveyor 194 or 195 (FIG. 1) depending on its size, while means enter into operation that deliver a fresh cardboard container from the ma.-azine into eg.- receiving position below the distributing conveyor 185. Each of the candling stations 150 (FIG. 5) is equipped with the electrical torch 159 against which the operator exan-iines the eggs to determine their quality. The elevator 168 (FIG. 6) of each candling station comprises an endless sprocket chain 206 trained abotit an upper drive sprocket 208 (FIG. 4) and a lower idler sproclcet 210 ivith ,its rising run disposed in a reclining plane and supported upon the center one of three ledges 211 (FIG. 7) formed alon.- the upper edge of a reclining plank 212 (FIGS. 7 and 16) that is suitably supported from the adjacent wall 214 of a cabinet 216 which houses the hereinbefore mentioned weighing mechanism 180. The upper end of the plank 212 carries, rotatably mounted therein, the drive shaft 21,8 (FIG. 6) for the sprocket 208, while the idler shaft 220 for sprocicet 210 is suitablyjournalled in the lower end of said plank. Rigidly supported from the plank 212 at the side thereof remote,from the cabinet 216, by means of gusset brackets 222 (FIGS. 6 and 8), is thesupporting frame 224 (FIG. 7) for the eient siiperposed chi-ites or racks 160 of each candlir,g station. Said frame comprises two transversely spaced reclining bars 226a and 226b (FIGS. 7 and 8) that are rigidly conneeted by upper,and lower brace bars 228 and 230, respectively, as best shown in FIG. 8. The upper ed-.Cs of the reclin@ing frame bars 226a and 226b are provided with eight superposed rectangular notches, as shown at 232 in FIGS. 7 and 8, to support eight superposed cliannels 234 of rouglily U-shaped cross section that are secured to said bars by means of screw bolts 236. Rigidly secured to the ou-Ler vertical wall 238 of each channel 234 is an angle bar 240 (FIGS. 7 and 13) that forms an outer vertical wall 242 which is spaced from and extends parallel to the outer vertical wall 238 of channel 234 so that a corridor 244 of U-shaped cross section is formed between said vertical walls as best shown in FIG. 13. The upper edges 246 and 248 (FIG. 9) of the walls 238 and 242, respectively, are arranged to decline slightly toward the ascending run of the elevator 168 and in this manner form a rack that acts as a chute in that eg,-s pl,aced thereon with their main axes disposed transversely to said upper edges will slide OF TOII toward the ascending run of the elevator 168. Said edges 2,@-@6 and 248, however, are arranged t(> form a sequence of gently slanting slopes 250 each followed by a relatively steep protuberance or hump 252 (FIGS. 7 and 9) with the slopes and humps of both said edges in alignment with each other in a direction transversely of the walls 234 and 240, and with a last hump 252, formed by each of said edges, located directly at the left-most ends of the walls 238 and 242. Hence, an egg placed upon the rack formed by the edges 246 and 248 will slide (>r roll down the first of the 3,056,489 4. slopes 250,and come to rest against the iirst of the humps 252, as shown in FIG. 1 1. Means are provided in accordance with the invention that may be operated to raise eggs bearing against the hti-rnps 252 over said humps, so that they may slide down the succeeding slopes 250 until they will eventually pass from the racks over the last humps thereof onto an empty etip on the rising run of the elevator 168. For this purpose, another channel 256 of Ushaped cross section is lo arranged within the corridor 244 formed between the vertical walls 233 and 242 (FIGS. 9 and 13). Said channel 256 is pivotally supported fron-i the, vertioal walls 238 and 242 near the outer ends thereof by means of a removable pivot pin 258, as best shown in FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 13, 15 and the upper edges 260 and 262 of vertical walls 264 and 266 of said inner channel form a sequence of transversely aligned protuberances or humps 268 and gently slanting slopes 270, with said humps 268 located a limited distance in front of the humps 252 formed by the vertical 20 rack walls 233 and 242, as best shown in FIG. 11, and with each of the side walls 264 and 266 of said inner channel 256 arranged to terminate with a gently descending slope 271 at its left-most end in alignment with the terminal hu@-nps 2,52 of the rack walls 238 and 242 (P-IGS. 25 7, 9, 11 and 12). Normally the hu-@iips 269 of the inner ch-,Lnnel 256 are located below the lowest point of the descendin,@ slopes 250 formed by the rack walls 238 and 242, as shown in FIG. 11, so that they will not interfere with the passage 30 of an eg, down said slopes 250 to the lowest points 25@t thereof dii-ectly in froiit of ia succeediig hump 252, but rneans are provided in accordance with the invent,on that inay oscillate the inner channel 256 cyclicall@y abo-cit its pivot pin 253 so that their humps 268 ue periodically 35 raised above the level of the sticeceding hurnl)s 252 formed by the outer rack walls 233 and 242 and in this manner lift any eggs that may at the moment be positioned in the depressions 254 of said rack walls 238 and 242 above the humps 252 (FIG. 12) so that they may roll down 40 the succeediiig slopes 250 formed by the rack walls. For this purpose, the drive shaft ZIS of the elev@ator 168 carries a cam 272 (FIG. 8) that has two diametrically opposite peaks 2:-i3 and which enga.-es a roller 274 that is pivoted to an actuating bar 276 whose slotted upper end 45 '@79 is slidably engaged over the outwardly projecting er@d of the drive shaft 218. Said bar 276 is slidably received iii slotted glide blo'eks 280 and 282 that are suitably supported from the braces 228 and 230 of the hereinbefore described frame 224. A SpTing 234 tensioned between 50 the lower end of the bar 276 and the lower guide block 232 urges said bar with its roller 274 constaiitjy into operative engagement with the coitour of the c@am 2-, 2 so that said bar is continuously reciprocated between an upper - and a lower position as lon- as the elevator 168 is 55 in operation. Adjustably lriounted in said bar 276 opposite each of the channels 234 supported ftom frarne 224 @are eight actuating studs 286, one for each of the eight egg lifting channels 256 comprised in each candling station. Every one of said studs overlies the free end 287 60 (FIG. 13) o-F a lever 288 that extends through and is pivotally supported from the forked lower end 289 of a mouiiting block 290 secured to the rear wall 291 of its respective rack channel Z34 (FIG. 9). Said lever 288 projects with its opposite end 292 through a suitable C)5 aperture 294 provided in said rear wall 291, -and carries within the channel 234 a rod 296 extending in a direction parallel to the channel (FIGS. 13 and 14). The end of said rod 296 remote from the risin, run of the eleva@Lor 168 is turned upwards to form an actuatiig hook 298 that 70 engages normally the uilder side of aii arm 300. Said arm is secured to the bottom wall 301 of the egg liftiiig channel 256 and projects through aTi aperture 302 in the outer wall 238 of the channel 234, as best shown ir, FIG. 9. 75 A si-iitable spring 304 tensioned between a stud 306
[3]3,056,489 5 rigidly supported from the mountirig block 290 and the free end 237 of the lever 288 (FIGS. 8, 9 and 13) constantly urges said free end i@@.to en,-agement with its actuating stud 286 on the reciprocatin.- bar Z76, and when its roller 274 encounters one of the peaks 273 of the aforementioned cam 272 on the elevator drive shaft 218, said lever 283 is swun- in counterclockwise direction, is viewed in FIGS. 9 and 13, a.-ainst the ur.-ency of sprin.304. This raises the end 292 of the lever 298 within the channel 234 and causes the hook 298 formed by the rod 296 to lift the arm 3@10. 'ne arm 300 ir, iii-ii rais,,s th-, e@-g liftin.- channel 266 froni the position shown i-.i FIG. I 1 to the position shown in FIG. 12. WheTi the cha@-inel 256 is raised in the described manner, the humps 263 formed by its side wall lift any eg.-s that r-nay be sealed in the depressions 254 of the, rack walls 233 and 2,@12 above the humps 252 of said rack walls, as showii in FIG. 12, so that said eggs will readily iiegotiate said huiiirs 252, and after the ii-iner channel 256 has returiied to its lower posi',ion below the level of the rack walls-whicil occurs under the force of spring 304 as soon as the roller 274 of bar 276 has negotiated one of the peaks 2-j3 of cam 272 on the elevator drive shaft-the e,.s lifted over the humps 252 may roll into 'Llic suc,-eeding depressions 254 formed by the rack walls. As the eg.- lifting channel 256 is alternately raised and lowered relative to the eg.- supporti-@l.- ed@-es of the rack walls 238 and 242, eggs deposited onto said rack walls no-otiate successively hupip after hump 252. In this manner, the eggs advance toward the ascend:ii, ru-,, of the elevator 160 to be eventually delivered i@ito one o.'L the cups 164 supported from the elevator (FIG. 7) alid as they come intermittently against, and are halted by, two transversely ali,-ned humps their a,,,es are contin,,ially placed into transverse relation relative to the chute formed by the rack walls 238 and 242. The cups 164 are provided along the circumference olth-. elevator chain 206 at intervals equal to the distaiices between consectitive ones of the superposed racks 160 (FIGS, 5 a@id 7) and each con-iprise two bar-shap-.d s-,ipporting members 3-@'6a and 31-6b that are covered with rubber pads 317 and which extend transversely of the elevator chain and are spaced from each other in a direction longitudinally of said chain. Said members 316a and 316b are bent to form a sharow V, as best sliown ii FIG. 7, so as to retain an eg.- deposited thereonto. At the s;de adjacent the hereinbefore mentioned cabipet 216 and lernote from the ends of the racks 160, the members 316a and 316b are ri@idly secured to, and connect.-d b Y, a brace bar 313 (FIGS. 7, 16 and 17) that forms a downwardly directed stem or foot 319 which is rigidly secured to a pivot stud 32@',' that projects j'roiu and is rotatably received in a tubular bearin@ 321. Said bearin- in turn is firmly secured to the left inner corner of a T-shaped mountin.- plate 322 -@vhose cross bar 323 is rigidly connected to two transversely ali,-ned links 324a and 324b of the elevator chain 206. The stem 319 carries an ear 325, and a spring 326 tei-isioned between said ear and a stud 327 provided oii the right end of the cross bar 323 yieldably holds said ear 325 against a stop lug 323 secured to the center bar 329 of the@ T-shaped mounting plate 322, and in this manner rnaintains the cup in the upri,@ht position illustrated in FIG. 17 when it travels alon,@ the rising riin of the elevator 163. -g lifting performance of all the inner cha - Sirice the e n r@els 256 is controlled by the cam 272 that is mounted upon the shaft 218 which drives the elevator 168, the egg releasing up,,,vard movement of said inner channels may readily be timed to occur in such relation to the advance of the cups on the rising run of the elevator that the terminal humps 268 of said inner channels 256 ,vill raise eggs lying in the last depressions 254 of the rack walls 23'0 and 242 at a time when the cups 164 on the elevator move into registry with the ends of the eight stip-.rposed racks 160 so that any egg raised over the 6 last humps 252 in any one of the racks will roll laterally onto the V-shaped supportinmernbers 316a and 316b of a cup on said elevator (FIG. 7). In order that no cup may receive more than one egg, as it moves past the ends of the eight superposed racks 160, means are provided in accordance with the inverition that disable the actuating trains of the egg lifting channels 256 individually whenever a cup filled with an egg moves into registry with a particular rack. lo Havin.- reference to FIGS. 9 and 14, the rod 296, within the chan-.icl 234, whose hooked inner end 298 lies below and supports the arm 300 of the eg.- lifting channel 256, is arran,-ed to slide within an aperture 293 provided in the end 292 of lever 288 and its opposite end 299 is 1.5 pivotally connected to the downwardly directed arm 330 of a lever 331 of bell crank shape. Said lever is firmly mounted upon a substantially horizontally disposed transverse spindle 332 that e,-tends through and is rotatably stipported in the outer wall 238 of channel 234 below 20 the level of the egg lifting channel 256 (F-TGS. 7 and 10). Adjacent the elevator 168, the bottom wall 301 of said chann-,l and also the bottom waR formed by the angle bar 240 terminate short of the ends of their side walls, and at a point intermediate of said side walls below the 25 open bottom area of the channels 256 and 240, the spindle 332 is turned to form a radially directed arm 333 that projects at a sli,-ht angle into the space defined by and belween the e.@@ supportin- members 316a and 316b of the cups 164 on the ascending run of the elevator 168. 30 Therefore, -,vhen an empty cup approaches one of the described egg feedin.- racks, its supporting members 316a and 316b will straddle said arm 333 (FIG. 7) and will pass without effect thereon. The herei@ibefore described act,-,atin.- mechanis@n for the egg-advancing channel 256 35 will, therefore, continue to oscillate said channel in the nianner described hereinbefore so that any eg.@ that might lean against the last set of humps 252 on the rack channel 240 will be lifted above said humps and roll onto the cup as it moves into registry with said rack channel. 40 However, if a cup with an e.-a lying thereon approaches a particular rack, the e.-g on said cup will come against the arm 333 before the ctip moves into registry with the rack. Said egg will fbrce the arm 333 to yield in clockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 7, which swings the 45 bell crank 331 in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIG. 9, causing its lower arm 330 to pull the hookshaped inner end 293 of the rod 296 laterally away from the actuating arm 300 of the e.@g lifting cliannel 256, as illustratcd in FIG. 14. Thus, the power train from the 50 actuating cam 272 (FIG. 8) to the egg lifting channel 256 (FIG. 9) is interrtipted and said e.-,- lifting chaiinel will come to a standstill, and as a result thereof any egg that may rest a.-ainst the last set of humps on the particular feed rack will remain on said rack. Once tho 55 cup with an eg,@ lying thereon has risen above the end of the disabled feed rack, however, the weight of the substantially horizontally directed upper arm 334 of th-, b-,Il crank 331 restores said crank to its normal pos,.tioii 60 wherein the hook-shaped inner end 298 of the slidin.rod 296 is again in operative relation to the arm 360 of the egg lifting channel 256, unless another cup with an egg lying thereon should follow the first cup and again disable the egg advancing mechanism of the rack in the 65 same manner as previously described. T'he portion 335 of the channel waU 238 within whicl@i the spindle 332 is rotatably supported is preferably bent laterally into a plane parallel to the plane defined by the ascending run of the elevator (FIGS. 7 and 9). Thus, 70 the spindles 332 will all be disposed accurately at right angles to the path of advance of the elevator cups and the operational arcs of their actuating arms will lie entirely within the oblique plane along which the e-gs are elevated and wifl, therefore, be actuated to the fullest 75 possible extent upon slightest contact with an egg. To iraintain the rotatable arms 333 in their proper
[4]7 position wherein they project obliquely into th-. path of the eggs and to avoid that they drop below said position, the bearings 336 within which the spindles 332 are arranged to turn and v@hich are rigidly secured in the above d,-scribed laterally bent portion 335 of the channel wall 5 238 (FIGS. 11 and 12) carry a stop arm in the form of a rod 337 that extends below the radially directed actuating arm 333 and a-ainst which said actuating arm may rest when in idle position. Likewise supported within the outer wall 233 of the 10 e,-g sl-ipporting channel 234 below the level of the egg lifting channel 256 and near the discharge end thereof is a rotary spindle 338 that extends through the inner wall of the mounting channel 234 and carries upon its end, adjacent the outer face of said inner mounting chan15 nel wall, a switch actuatin- cam 339 as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 15. Upon rotation in clockwise direction, as viewed in said FIGS. 9 and 15, said cam is arranged to aeluate the arm 340 of a normally open switch 341 that lies in the power circuit of a solenoid (not shown) 20 located adjacent the hereinbefore mentioned memory belt 170. As described in detail in my aforementioned application, both the switches 341 and the solenoids are individually identified by the sufiix letters a, b, c, d, e, f, g ar@d h corresponding to the racks 160 with which the 25 switches 341 are associated. Interm.-diat-,ly the end slopes 271 of the egg liftin- chanilel 256, the spindle 339 is provided with a pair of radially directed actuating arms 347 and 349 that protrude through the open bottom areas of angle bar 240 and channel 256, respectively, at 30 either side of and in a direction parallel to the channel walls 264 and 266 and above the arm 333 of the rack disabling mechanism, as best shown in FIGS. 9, 1 0, 11 and 12. VVhen an egg rolls over the last humps 252 of the feed rack onto a cup m-oving into registry therewith, it ?.5 depresses the arms 347 and 349, as shown in FIG. 12, which swin-s the cam 339 briefly in clockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 9 and 15, and in this manner momentarily closes the particular switch 341 associated with the 'Leed rack. Upon closure, said switch 341 energizes 40 the corresponding solenoid which activates, on the memory belt 170, a member indicative of the egg quality represented by the particular rack 160 with which the switch 34.1 is associated in a manner described in greater 4,5 detail in my abovementioned opening application. lvhile the machine of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings and as described in the specification was specifically defined, and is employed for processing eggs, it will be understood that a machine embodying 0 the principles of the invention may also be usefully em0 ployed in connection with other articles, such as avocados, lemons, or other highly priced fruit. It will be understood that modifications and - variations of the embodiments of the invention disclosed herein may '55 be resorted to witl-iout departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims. Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by
