CA1164899A

CA1164899A - Apparatus for transferring metallic objects between conveyors

Info

Publication number: CA1164899A
Application number: CA000362334A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Charles S. Ochs; Josef Faber
Original assignee: Anchor Hocking LLC
Current assignee: Anchor Hocking LLC
Priority date: 1979-10-15
Filing date: 1980-10-14
Publication date: 1984-04-03
Also published as: BE885703A; JPS56127514A; GB2062568B; IT8049893A0; AU6327480A; DE3038960A1; GB2062568A; IT8049893A1; FR2467156B1; AU535426B2; IT1188957B; NL8005656A; FR2467156A1

Abstract

APPARATUS FOR TRANSFERRING METALLIC OBJECTS
BETWEEN CONVEYORS

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A transfer means is described which transfers a group of metallic articles such as closure covers or the like from a first conveyor moving in one direction at one speed to a second conveyor moving in a different direction at a different speed. The transfer means includes a magnetic pickup for engaging the articles on the one conveyor and a speed and direction adjusting means for adjusting the article speed and direction to that of the second conveyor.

Description

1 ~64~99 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to means for transferring a group of articles in an article manufacturing operation from one conveyor to another. More particularly, it relates to a means for efficiently and effectively transferring articles from a straight line conveyor moving at one speed in one direction to a row conveyor moving in a differing direction and at a differing speed.

In the manufacture of metallic objects including closure caps and the like, certain steps in the manufacture require a transfer of the articles from one conveyor to another. Such transfers have previously been accomplished, for example, by physically engaging the articles with guides or plungers or other transfer means to push or guide the articles from one conveyor to the other. Certain articles are transferred only with considerable difficulty by these prior devices, and in particular, relatively flat articles are not effectively transferred by known apparatus. Additionally, present transfer devices do not handle articles with wet or uncured gaskets or coatings on their surfaces without damaging them. A closure cover which is relatively flat and which also has a ring-like gasket on its upper surface and which is normally transferred during cap manufacturing from a single line conveyor to an oven row conveyor while the gasket is still liquid is illustrated, for example, in United States Patent No. 3,913,771 dated October 21, 1975.
The transfer apparatus of the present invention provides for an effective and rapid transfer of such articles from one conveyor to another and particularly from single I ~ 64~99 line conveyors to row-type conveyors.
This transfer is made by the improved apparatus of the present invention by a means which magnetically engages and lifts a group of articles from one conveyor and which then moves them to the second conveyor along a path and at a velocity which matches that of the articles receiving conveyor.
More particularly, the invention provides an improved transfer apparatus for transferring a row of spacsd magnetically engageable articles from a straight line conveyor to a row con-veyor comprising the combination of: elongated means for mov-ably supporting a plurality of spaced electromagnets shaped and positioned to engage central portions of the articles; a plurality of electromagnets mounted in spaced positions on said supporting means; said electromagnets having an article engaging surface smaller than that of said article; means for mounting said electromagnet supporting means for movement on a generally circular closed path extending from one conveyor to the other;
means for driving said electromagnet supporting means along said path including means for moving it at the speed of and in the ~0 direction of said straight line conveyor when above said straight line conveyor and at the speed of and in the direction of said row conveyor when above said row conveyor; said driving means comprising a plurality of cranks operatively coupled to said electromagnet support means and a drive means for said cranks including a drive motor and a velocity variator for changing the crank speed to periodically adjust the speed of said magnet supporting means between the speed of said straight line cvn-veyor and the speed of said row conveyor; and circuit means including a timer coupled to said drive motor for energizing said electromagnets for the portion of the path of the support-ing means from said straight line conveyor to said row conveyor for lifting said articles from the straight line conveyor and ~ ~ 64~99 depositing them on said row conveyor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specifica-tion, wherein:
FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of article transfer apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the transfer apparatus of FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical elevational view partially cut away of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.
FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the transfer apparatus illustrating the transfer of the articles from the straight line conveyor to a row conveyor.
FIGURE 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating the transfer of articles from the straight line conveyor to the row conveyor.

.,. .~
`~ .i 1 3 64~99 FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front elevational view illust:rating the magnetic pickup means in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the electrical circuit for the transfer apparatus.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
_ EMBODIMENT

The transfer apparatus 1 will first be described generally with particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, In these figures a single line conveyor 2 is illustrated carrying a row of metal closure cap covers 3 with uncured plastic gaskets 4, The conveyor 2 carries the covers 3 to a transfer position adjacent to a curing oven 5 having a wide row conveyor 6. The cap covers 3 are transferred by the mechanism of the present invention from the single line conveyor 2 in rows 7 onto the more slowly moving row conveyor 6 for the gasket curing oven 5. The row conveyor 6 moves relatively slowly so that each of the covers 3 thereon is subjected for a sufficient curing period to the oven curing temperature. In order to feed an adequate supply of the cap covers 3 to the row conveyor 6 from the single line conveyor 2, it is necessary for the single line conveyor 2 to move more rapidly than the row conveyor 6, The transfer means of the present invention periodically moves a group of the cap covers 3 from the end of the single line conveyor 2 to a position on the row conveyor 6 where the cap covers 3 form a lateral row across the conveyor 6, ~n ~ t 64~99 order that this transfer may be made with continuously running convey~ors, the transfer apparatus engages a group of cap covers 3, moving at a given speed on the single line conveyor

2 in one direction and transports these cap covers 3 to the row conveyor 6 where they are moved in a differing direction and at a slower speed. The transfer operation is performed by a magnet support bar 8 mounting a plurality of spaced magnets 9 with one magnet 9 provided for each cap cover 3, The electro-magnetic magnets 9 are energi7ed under the control of a rototimer 10 coupled to the transfer mechanism to lift the cap covers 3 from the single line conveyor 2 at the desired position and to thereafter release them as a row 7 on the row conveyor 6. The magnet support bar 8 for the magnets 9 is mounted on a pair of rotating crank arms 11 on bearings 12 which move the magnet support bar 8 from a position over the single line conveyor 2, as illustrated in FIG, 1, to a position over the row conveyor 6 as illustrated in dash-dot lines in FIGS. 1 and 5. The movement of the magnet support bar 8 is synchronized with the conveyor 2 movement by using a common drive and in addition, its path of movement and speed are controlled by the cran~ arms 11 as will be described more fully below, to provide the necessary changes in the magnet 9 speed and direction of movement for smooth transfers, The cap covers3 on the conveyor 2 are equally spaced having been fed onto the conveyor 2 by a spacing star wheel or other spacing means at the cover compound applying or other cover processing machine.
The transfer apparatus 1 is supported over the two conveyors 2 and 6 on a support frame~ including vertical support posts 13 and a horizontal support member 14. The two cranks 11 are mounted on the lower outpu. shafts of a pair of _6_ ~ ~ ~4~1~9 right angle drives 15 attached to the lateral support member 14, The opposite ends of the magnet support har 8 are rotatably attached by bearings 12 to the ends of the cranks 11 and the several electro-magnets 9 are equally spaced along the length of the magnet support bar 8, The drive power for the transfer apparatus is taken from the drive system for the single line conveyor to provide for their operating in synchronizm. A drive box coupled to the conveyor system is illustrated at 16 in FIG. l having an output shaft 17 and chain drive 18 coupled to a right angle drive l9 mounted on the transfer support member 14. The drive 19 may include a speed adjustment means for obtaining the desired synchronization further described below. The output 20 of the right angle drive 19 is coupled to the input 21 of a Ferguson velocity variator 22. The velocity variator 22 is a commercially available device which provides for predetermined and differing rotational speeds for its output 23. In particular, the variator 22 drive is adjusted so that one complete turn provides for one full turn of the magnet support bar crank arms ll. The output 23 speed corresponding to the general position shown for the magnet bar 8 in FIG. l, causes the crank ends 11 to be moved at a rate equal to that of the single line conveyor 2 rate. Additionally, the arrangement illustrated for the two right angle drives 15 and their interconnected cranks 11, causes the magnet support bar 8 to move generally in the same direction as that of the single line conveyor 2 at the article pickup position. A coupling shaft 24 operatively connects the two right angle drives 15.

At this portion of the transfer cycle, the electrical system for the transfer apparatus as described below, is energized so that each of the individual magnets 9 is also I ~ 64~9~

energized and engages and lifts a closure cover 3 f-~m the single line conveyor 2, When the magnet s~pport bar 8 has reached the cap cover 3 release position, shown in dash-dot lines in FIGS. 1 and 5, the individ~al magnets 9 are de-energized causing the covers 3 to be deposited as a row onto the moving row conveyor 6.

THE DRIVING AND TIMING MEANS FOR THE
TRANSFER APPARATUS

As already indicated, a principal portion of the transfer apparatus 1 comprises the individual transfer magnets 9 mounted on a row along-a magnet support bar 8 which is in turn mounted on the two rotating cranks 11, The cranks 11 are driven from the right angle drive boxes 15 which are powered through the Ferguson velocity variator 22, The Ferguson variator 22 has a constant speed input 21 coupled to the drive system for the conveyor 2, It includes an internal speed adjusting means which provides for the outer ends of the rotating cranks arms 11 to be moved at about the single line conveyor 2 speed when the cranks 11 are in the solid pickup position of FIG. 1, The variator 22 is set for reducing _-the speed of movement of the crank arm 11 ends and the interconnected electro-magnets 9 to the speed of conveyor 6 as the magnet support bar 8 is carried to a position above the row conveyor 6 as illustrated in dash-dot lines in FIGS, 1 and 5, The remaining portion of crank rotation 11 is not critical and is done at a convenient speed so that the magnet support bar 8 and the cranks 11 make one complete revolution in the time required for the single line conveyor 2 to present a new row of caps at the pickup position below the magnet support bar 8, and also so that the magnets 9 are moving at the conveyor 2 speed at the pickup position.

Thus, the variator 22 is arranged so that when coupled to the two rotating cranks 11, the cranks make one complete revolution in the time period in which the straight line con-veyor 2 moves another group of covers beneath the magnets 9 pickup position. Additionally, the variator 22 is adjusted so that the cranks 11 while moving through the pickup position illustrated in FIG. 1, are moving the magnets 9 at the same rate as the stngle line conveyor 2. During about the next 90 of crank arm rotation, the variator 22 is set to decelerate the magnets 9 so that they move over the row conveyor 6 at the row conveyor rate at the release point illustrated in dash-dot lines in FIGS. 1 and 5. For the remaining 270 return rotation of the cranks 11, they are accelerated at a convenient rate so that they again reach the rate of the single line conveyor 2 as they reach the pickup position, THE TIMER CIRCUIT FOR THE
MAGNETIC PIC~UP

A preferred timing device for controlling the magnetic pickup circuit is the rototimer 10, This is an electric switch I 1 6~99 including a cam operated contact 26 (FIG, 7) for ener~i~ing the magnets 9 between the pickup position at the single line conveyor 2 and the release position above the row conveyor 6, The cam 27 of the rototimer 10 is synchronized with the crank 11 motion by being mechanically coupled to the drive shaft 24 connecting the right angle crank drives 15 by gears 28 and 29, FIG, 7 illustrates a preferred embodiment of the magnet control and energizing circuit 30. It is coupled to a regular 115 volt power supply 31 with a suitable switch 32, fuse 33, and ~ndicator lamp 34, The alternating current input is converted to a 24 volt DC power supply by a rectifier 35, All of the magnets 9 are connected in parallel between DC
power lines 36 and 37 which are connected to the rectifier 35 through a relay device 38. The relay device 38 has two -positions under the control of the rototimer 10. For the normally open position of the rototimer contact 26, as illustrated, the two contacts 39 and 40 of the relay device 38 connect the DC power to the magnets 9 through a voltage reducing resistor 41 in a reverse direction to insure that the magnets are de-energized at a reduced voltage in a cover release mode~ The rototimer cam 27 is adjusted to set this contact 26 position when the magnet support arm 8 reaches the release position above the row conveyor 6, The rototimer 10 contact 26 remains in this open position until the magnets 9 have been moved on the support bar 8 to the solid line position illustrated in FIG~ 1 above the single line conveyor 2 where the covers

3 are picked up~ At this position the rototimer contact 26 is closed moving the relay device 38 contacts 39 and 40 to the dash-dot position illustrated in FIG~ 7 where the full 24 volt DC voltaqe is placed across the magnets 9 in a direction to I .1 64~g9 energize them for picking up the metal articles or covers 3, The rototimer contact 26 and the relay aevice 38 remain in this position until the magnets 9 on the support bar are moved the additional approximately 90 to a release point illustrated in dash-dot lines in FIGS 1 and 5 The rototimer contact 26 is now reopened to de-energize the magnets 9 and to release the covers 3 as the magnet support bar 8 moves on through another transfer cycle~

It will be seen that an improved transfer means has been provided with special characteristics which insure a smooth transfer of metallic articles between two conveyors not readily transferred by present transfer devices, In particular, the transfer device provides for suitable changes in the speed and in the direction of the articles transferred, The transfer apparatus also permits a transfer of articles having easily damaged portions such as uncured or liquid gaskets or similar softer portions which would he damaged by presently known transfer devices. ~hese improved results are obtained in a reliable and relatively simple transfer apparatus useful for operation at relatively high speeds such as 300 or more articles per minute.
As various changes may be made in the form, con-struction and arrangement of the parts herein without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An improved transfer apparatus for transferring a row of spaced magnetically engageable articles from a straight line conveyor to a row conveyor comprising the combination of:
elongated means for movably supporting a plurality of spaced electromagnets shaped and positioned to engage central portions of the articles;
a plurality of electromagnets mounted in spaced positions on said supporting means;
said electromagnets having an article engaging surface smaller than that of said article;
means for mounting said electromagnet supporting means for movement on a generally circular closed path extending from one conveyor to the other;
means for driving said electromagnet supporting means along said path including means for moving it at the speed of and in the direction of said straight line conveyor when above said straight line conveyor and at the speed of and in the direction of said row conveyor when above said row conveyor;
said driving means comprising a plurality of cranks operatively coupled to said electromagnet support means and a drive means for said cranks including a drive motor and a velocity variator for changing the crank speed to periodically adjust the speed of said magnet supporting means between the speed of said straight line conveyor and the speed of said row conveyor; and circuit means including a timer coupled to said drive motor for energizing said electromagnets for the portion of the path of the supporting means from said straight line conveyor to said row conveyor for lifting said articles from the straight line conveyor and depositing them on said row conveyor.

2. The transfer means as claimed in claim 1 in which said circuit means comprises means for periodically reversing the current flow through said electromagnets.

3. The transfer means as claimed in claim 2 in which the current flow in a demagnetizing direction is a fraction of the magnetizing current flow.

4. The transfer means as claimed in claim 1 in which said timer is set for energizing said electromagnets when they are centered over articles on the straight line conveyor.