| 摘要 |
<p>Improved apparatus to align and convey a plurality of essentially cylindrical shaped articles (14), each having a radial enlargement adjacent to one end thereof comprising in combination a pair of conveyor belts (46,48) each arranged in closed loop configuration with inner and outer races (50,52), the inner races (50) of the belts (46,48) being in parallel alignment with a space therebetween to allow the passage of the articles (14) therethrough except for their enlargements so that movement of the belts (46,48) will align and convey the articles (14) with the articles (14) suspended from the belts (46,48) by their enlargements; drive means (58) to move the belts (46,48) with their inner races (50) moving in a common direction along a path of travel from an upstream input end to a downstream output end; and hopper (40) means spanning the input end of the belts (46,48) for receiving articles (14) to be aligned and conveyed, the hopper (40) having side faces angled downwardly to a space parallel with the path of travel and spaced a distance to allow the passage of articles (14) into the space between the conveyor belts (46,48) whereby movement of the conveyor belts (46,48) will reorient and align the articles (14) so that their enlargements are supported by the belts (46,48) with the remainder thereof depending from the belts. <IMAGE></p> |
