Automatic feeding apparatus
US4473180A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 24, 1982 |
| Grant date | Sep 25, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 24, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB65G59/067
- WIPO fieldHandling
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A stick hopper box has a floor and dividers mounted on the floor defining vertical guide channels for stacks of single rows of wieners. A plunger assembly includes individual plungers for expelling the lowermost wiener from the several guide channels into aligned clamps of a wiener clamping mechanism. A stick hopper for round sticks includes a box and transversely spaced dividers defining vertical guide channels for stacks of single sticks, the stick hopper guide channels being aligned with the wiener hopper guide channels and wiener clamps. A push rod mechanism, including individual push rods for each stick hopper guide channel, expels the sticks from the channel and inserts the sticks into wieners clamped in the wiener clamping mechanism. A conveyor of transport devices may move in a transverse path between the stick hopper and the wiener clamping mechanism, engaging the projecting sticks of the assembled wieners and sticks, and transporting the assembled wieners and sticks away from the apparatus as released by the clamping mechanism. A stick feeding mechanism feeds sticks directly from a shipping carton into the stick hopper.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.