APPARATUS FOR ALIGNING AND SUPPLYING SHORT CYLINDRICAL FOOD PRODUCTS

摘要

A base to control the inclination of an object from the vertical is formed by wrapping around two rolls a plurality of transfer belts so that the transfer belts rise diagonally in the forward direction and in parallel with one another in the same plane, each of which transfer belts has a posture control groove, in which cylindrical food products aligned lengthwise in the belt-moving direction are dropped and held, and each of which transfer belts is connected to speed-controllable driving units. A device for leveling the upper cylindrical food products among the cylindrical food products carried in an irregular heap onto the inclination control base is provided so as to be opposed to the upper surface of the control floor. A structure for guiding and aligning the cylindrical food products on the respective transfer belts is joined to the upper discharge end of the inclination control base. This structure is provided with retractable stoppers which the cylindrical food products abut at their respective front ends so as to be aligned with one another in the lateral direction, and sensors adapted to detect the cylindrical food products on the food product guiding and aligning structure and control, if the food products are not on the structure, the driving units for the purpose of moving at a high speed the transfer belts which are connected to the same structure. A means for supplying the aligned cylindrical food products onto trays consists of discharge guides each of which has a cross-sectional shape similar to that of the cylindrical food products, and channel type grooves each of which slidingly contacts the lower and left and right side surfaces of the food products; and a transfer body having members abutting the upper surfaces of the cylindrical food products in the discharge guides, and backing members abutting the rear ends of the cylindrical food products, and adapted to be moved along the discharge guides. The trays are moved and positioned at the openings at the terminal ends of the discharge guides.