Apparatus for moving and orienting bottles.

摘要

Bottle handling apparatus receives bottles from a dispenser to a first transport region (34) between two parallel conveyor belts (such as 38) which grip the bottle between them. The bottles are arranged in a random sequence of top-leading and top-trailing bottles. Bottles are transferred from the first transport region (34) to a second transport region (36) in the form of two further parallel conveyor belts (such as 86) overlapping and located beneath the first transport region. The belts in the second transport region grip the bottles more firmly than those in the first transport region, taking over control of the bottles and accelerating them away from the first transport region. From the second transparent region the bottles are delivered to a discharge wheel (32). In the transition zone between the first and second transport regions means are provided for changing the disposition of top-leading bottles to a top-trailing disposition, while not interfering with the position of bottles already in the top-trailing position. In one embodiment the means includes a hook (158) engaging the open leading end and holding the bottle so that the bottle pivots around the hook under the action of the belts to reverse the disposition of the bottles. In a second embodiment the bottle is engaged by cam surfaces which have the effect of turning any bottles in top-end leading disposition to an top-end trailing disposition.