Apparatus for loading food for alignment with food sticks
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This invention relates to food processing equipment and more particularly to machines for sorting and aligning food and food sticks so that the stick may be inserted into the food. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Prior to the present invention it has been necessary to manually load food products so that they may have a stick either automatically or manually inserted into them. This has typically been done by using several personnel who must rapidly and accurately place the food items onto a carrying or loading device. These operators must become highly skilled through experience before they are able to perform satisfactorily. The job is very labor intensive. The job also presents some safety concerns since the operators must work quickly in and around moving mechanical equipment. 
     An example of a manual operation for loading hot dogs or food articles prior to automatic stick insertion can be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,795, April 12, 1983, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,930, Feb. 14, 1984, both to Walser and both commonly assigned to Automated Food Systems, Inc. In these patents, food articles are manually loaded into food grippers. The grippers then hold the food in position for automatic stick insertion. Once the sticks are inserted the grippers release the food and the food is conveyed to the next position for further processing. 
     The main disadvantage of the manual loading in these two patents is that it often results in empty grippers. Since an operator is required to manually load a number of food items in a relatively confined space and in a relatively short period of time, some spaces are frequently missed. 
     Thus, there is a need for an automated system that can efficiently and safely position food in proper alignment with a stick loading device and then automatically insert the stick into the food. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A hot dog loading machine of the present invention automatically loads hot dogs onto a conveyor in the proper alignment for stick insertion. A bin is used for storing quantities of the hot dogs. The bin is positioned so that the hot dogs will roll towards a hot dog conveyor belt. The conveyor belt forms the downslope end of the bin. The conveyor has sections that are in the cross-section J-shaped. As the conveyor passes through the downslope end of the bin, a hot dog is rolled by gravity into each J-shaped section. The conveyor then carries the hot dogs onto a horizontal loading section where the next sequence occurs. 
     Concurrently with the hot dog loading sequence a stick loading and positioning cycle occurs. Sticks are gravity fed from a packing case into a receiving container. A stick conveyor passes through the receiving container allowing sticks to be inserted into individual slots on the conveyor. Rotating brushes are used to ensure that excess sticks are brushed off the conveyor. 
     After the prescribed number of hot dogs have been loaded along with a matching number of sticks, the two conveyors are driven so as to align the sticks with the hot dogs. At this point a plunger device is activated by an air cylinder which pushes the sticks through a stick clamp and into the center of the hot dog. The stick clamp, now holding sticks which have been inserted into hot dogs, is conveyed away for further processing by a device such as is found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,930 to Walser, assigned to Automated Food Systems, Inc., Feb. 14, 1984. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention and for further advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the present invention including its associated devices; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the hot dog loading position showing the bin and the conveyor; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the hot dog conveyor centering sprocket; 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of a stick remover; 
     FIG. 5 is schematic perspective view of the hot dog conveyor and the stick conveyor with the drive motor in place; and 
     FIG. 6 is a flow diagram depicting the sequence of events during operation of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a block diagram depicting the sequence by which the counting means of the present invention causes the motor of the present invention to start and stop; and 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the present invention showing the orientation of the counting means. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus for loading hot dogs for alignment with sticks is generally identified by reference numeral 10. A hot dog receiving bin 12 is mounted to the apparatus 10. A continuous loop hot dog conveyor belt 14 forms end 16 of receiving bin 12. Receiving bin 12 is positioned so that bottom portion 18 slopes downward from the horizontal toward continuous loop belt 14. This slope allows a hot dog to roll by gravity toward belt 14. 
     Hot dog conveyor belt 14 can be constructed of any suitable material such as steel or plastic. In a preferred embodiment belt 14 is attached to a stainless steel link drive chain 20 (See FIG. 3). Belt 14 has J-shaped sections 22 (FIG. 2) when seen in the cross-section. As belt 14 travels in the direction of arrows 24 a hot dog 26 is rolled into J-shaped section 22. J-shaped section 22 holds hot dog 26 so that it does not fall back into bin 12. Belt 14 continues to travel in the direction of arrows 24 until the correct number of hot dogs 26 are loaded and positioned for stick insertion. 
     Once belt 14 stops for stick insertion, a hot dog clamp bar 28 is pivoted so as to place clamp fingers 30 over hot dogs 26 (See FIGS. 1 &amp; 4). An air cylinder 32 in its extended position as shown in FIGS. 1 &amp; 4 places clamp fingers 30 over hot dogs 26. In its retracted position (not shown) cylinder 32 pivots clamp bar 28 so as to place clamp fingers 30 in a substantially vertical position. Fingers 30 are placed over hot dogs 26 to hold them securely against belt 14 during the stick insertion sequence as described below. 
     As belt 14 travels along the direction of arrows 24, it passes positioning roller 34. Roller 34 is provided to ensure that each hot dog 26 is positioned properly on J-shaped section 22. 
     Concurrently with the hot dog positioning cycle a stick positioning cycle occurs. Food sticks 36 are placed in a stick receiving container 38. A conveyor system 40 passes through container 38 allowing sticks 36 to be placed in stick slots 42. Conveyor system 40 is chain driven similarly to belt 14. Rotary brushes 44 are driven by brush motor 46 to allow no more than one food stick 36 per stick slot 42. After all stick slots 42 are filled and positioned to match the hot dogs on the hot dog conveyor belt 14, the food sticks 36 are inserted into the hot dogs 26. A proximity switch (counting means) is used to count the proper number of stick slots 42. 
     A stick insertion bar 48 is attached to an air cylinder 50. Fixedly attached to bar 48 are plunger shafts 52. Opposite bar 48 is a support bar 54 which plunger shafts 52 slideably pass through. 
     Plunger shafts 52 are arranged so as to coincide with food sticks 36 and stick slots 42 when sticks 36 are ready for insertion into hot dogs 26. When hot dogs 26 and sticks 36 are properly aligned, cylinder 50 is activated. 
     When cylinder 50 is activated, bar 48 and plunger shafts 52 are pushed toward conveyor 40. When cylinder 50 is fully extended, plunger shafts 52 have pushed sticks 36 through stick clamp 56 and into hot dogs 26. 
     Belt 14 and conveyor system 40 are simultaneously driven by a common drive shaft 58. (FIG. 3 and FIG. 5). Shaft 58 is in turn powered by electric motor 60. Electric motor 60 is provided with a brake system to prevent coasting. 
     Centering drive sprocket 62 and cylinder 64 (FIG. 3) are provided to ensure hot dogs 26 and sticks 36 are properly aligned with plunger shafts 52 for stick insertion. When belt 14 is stopped for the stick insertion sequence, cylinder 64 is activated. Plunger 65 is forced between the teeth of sprocket 62 to ensure precise positioning of belt 14 and conveyor system 40. 
     The hot dogs are then cycled through a process such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,379,795 to Walser, assigned to Automated Food Systems, Inc., April 12, 1983. Occasionally, an extra stick 66 remains inserted in stick clamp 56 (FIG. 4). It is thus necessary to remove this extra stick 66 to prevent it from jamming and shutting off the machine. A stick removal bar 68 is provided to perform this function. As stick clamp 56 returns to the stick insertion position as described above, it passes bar 68. Bar 68 is provided with grooves 70 that coincide with each stick on stick clamp 56. Grooves 70 are cut so that they are deeper into bar 68 where stick 66 first encounters it and becomes less deep forming a sloping surface toward bar 68. Any remaining stick 66 will encounter groove 70 and will be slid further into and flush with stick clamp 56. As stick clamp 56 passes belt 14 the extra stick 66 will either bend or break off. When a new stick 36 is pushed through stick clamp 56, the extra stick 66 is pushed out and drops harmlessly to the floor. 
     All actions by apparatus 10 are controlled by an electrical microprocessor such as Allen-Bradley&#39;s SLC-100. The microprocessor and its related connections are installed in a control panel 80 (FIG. 1). The sequence of events as illustrated in FIG. 6 are as follows: 
     1. Motor 60 for drive belt 14 and system 40 is activated. Simultaneously, brush motor 46 is activated. 
     2. A proximity switch counts the number of food sticks retained by conveyor system 40 and generates a signal when the number of food sticks is equal to a predetermined number. This signal is received by an electronic signal processing means within the microprocessor which, upon receiving the signal, causes motor 60 to stop. 
     3. Cylinder 64 is activated to ensure proper alignment of hot dogs 26 and sticks 36 with plunger shafts 52. 
     4. Air cylinder 32 is activated to pivot clamp 30 into position to hold hot dogs 26 on belt 14. 
     5. Air cylinder 50 is activated to move plunger shafts 52 toward conveyor 40 and insert sticks 36 through stick clamp 56 and into hot dogs 26. 
     6. Simultaneously, cylinders 50 and 32 are retracted, moving plunger shafts 52 away from conveyor 40 and lifting clamp fingers 30 from hot dogs 26. 
     7. Stick clamp 56 is cycled to its next position. 
     Although the present invention has been described with respect to a specific preferred embodiment thereof, various changes and modifications may be suggested to one skilled in the art and it is intended that the present invention encompass such changes and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.