Apparatus and methods for product orientation and hole healing applications

Abstract

Articles are transferred from an article supply conveyor to an article receiving conveyor while the transferring articles are selectively reoriented. When the conveyors are in parallel, a travelling article reorienting turret seeks articles following an article absence or hole on the supply conveyor and transfers the following article to a next-in-line position on the receiving conveyor to cure or avoid holes of articles on the receiving conveyor.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . An article handling apparatus including:
 an extended article supply conveyor for conveying articles disposed randomly about least three article spaces thereon;   an extended article receiving conveyor disposed operably proximate thereto;   an article transfer element operably disposed between said conveyors, rotary article carrying elements on said transfer element;   said transfer element operably movable in a path over both said conveyors;   said rotary article carrying elements operable to engage first articles on said article supply conveyor and transfer them to said article receiving conveyor;   said rotary article carrying elements being selectively rotatable to reorient said transferring first articles from an article supply orientation to a second orientation; and   said article transfer element moveable in a direction along a direction parallel to the extension of said supply conveyor and between at least said three article spaces on said article supply conveyor.   
     
     
         24 . Apparatus as in  claim 23  wherein said article transfer element is rotatable, and said rotary article carrying elements are moveable in a circular path. 
     
     
         25 . Apparatus as in  claim 24  wherein said article transfer element is moveable linearly in a path along said article supply conveyor to at least said three spaces. 
     
     
         26 . Apparatus as in  claim 25  wherein said article transfer element is operable to engage and transfer a first article on said article supply conveyor to said article receiving conveyor, and is then moveable past an article space on said article supply conveyor to a following article space on said article supply conveyor. 
     
     
         27 . Apparatus as in  claim 26  wherein said article transfer element is operable to engage a following article at a third article space and is moveable to transfer the following article to said article receiving conveyor immediately adjacent said first article on said article receiving conveyor. 
     
     
         28 . Apparatus as in  claim 27  wherein said transfer element selectively orients said following article while transferring it. 
     
     
         29 . Article handling apparatus comprising:
 a first article conveyor;   a second article conveyor parallel to said first conveyor;   a rotary turret operably moveable for operable disposition along said first article conveyor between said conveyors for engaging, selectively reorienting and transferring first articles from a first orientation on said first article conveyor to a second orientation on said second article conveyor;   said rotary turret moveable in an upstream direction along said first article conveyor for engaging and reorienting succeeding articles from upstream locations on said first article conveyor, and then moveable in an opposite direction for transferring engaged succeeding articles to positions on said second article conveyor immediately respectively following said first articles thereon.