GB2103169A

GB2103169A - Barrier for objects in a processing machine

Info

Publication number: GB2103169A
Application number: GB08222321A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Rudolf Zodrow
Original assignee: Jagenberg Werke AG
Current assignee: Jagenberg Werke AG
Priority date: 1981-08-06
Filing date: 1982-08-03
Publication date: 1983-02-16
Also published as: DE3131135C1; IT8222678A0; FR2510977A1; GB2103169B; FR2510977B1; IT1153149B; IT8222678A1

Abstract

Bottles, square or triangular in sections, are separated by a worm conveyor operating in synchronism with a labelling machine by a distance which is equal to the spacing of the inlet drum of the labelling machine. As shown, the worm conveyor (2,3: 8- 11) forming the barrier may comprise two sections, whereof the first section (2; 8, 10) in the conveying direction can be disconnected from the synchronous drive (7; 13, 14) in a rotary position outside the transfer position at the intersection point and can be connected to the synchronous drive (7; 13, 14) in a rotary position with aligned transition of the worm threads at the intersection point. Alternatively, where the worm conveyor has such a large division that immediately after the transfer of a bottle the next object is located outside the transfer region the worm conveyor (21) can be disconnected from and connected to the synchronous drive solely in rotary positions between the completed acceptance of one bottle and the acceptance of the next bottle which has not yet begun. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Barrier for objects in a processing machine The invention relates to a barrier for objects, such as bottles, supplied in a row by way of a worm conveyor to a bottle-processing machine, in particular a labelling machine, which objects are separated by the worm conveyor operating in synchronism with the processing machine by a distance which is equal to the spacing of the directly following bottle-processing machine, in particular of its inlet drum.

In order to ensure trouble-free operation of a processing machine, the throughput capacity of the processing machine is controlled depending on the quantity of objects at the inlet of the machine and at the outlet of the machine. The quantity of objects is thus scanned by so-called accumulation sensors. If the accumulation sensor ascertains an accumulation at the outlet of the processing machine, it sends a signal to the control device for reducing the capacity, in order that the accumulation at the outlet of the machine does not increase due to further bottles being supplied. If the reduction in the capacity of the labelling machine is insufficient to keep the accumulation below a critical value, then by way of addition, a barrier at the inlet of the labelling machine can be introduced.In this case, only the bottles still located behind the barrier in the region of the worm and labelling machine reach the outlet of the machine. On the other hand, the corresponding accumulation sensor at the inlet of the machine sends a signal to the control device to reduce the capacity, if insufficient objects have accumulated. Solely when sufficient objects have accumulated, is an uninterrupted row of bottles able to form, in which the objects support each other mutually and in this way they are prevented from lying transversely. Also, the accumulation sensor at the inlet can not only influence the capacity of the labelling machine, but also control the barrier.

The known barrier consists of a ratchet able to swing into the conveying path of the objects or of a ratchet wheel which can be locked. Both types of barrier make it possible to hold back the objects. It is a pre-requisite for their trouble-free operation that the line formed by the objects has no level, closed sides. Level sides of this type exist for example with shaped bottles, such as fourcornered bottles, but not with round bottles. The barrier may engage positively in the row of bottles formed by round bottles. In addition to this restricted possibility of use for the known barriers, a further drawback of these barriers consists in that after clearing the conveying path, the first object does not arrive in the thread of the worm conveyor, but encounters the vertex of the worm conveyor and is thus crushed.

It is the object of the invention to provide a barrier for objects, such as bottles, in particular shaped bottles, which can be used universally for objects of all types and with which there is no danger that after releasing the barrier, the objects are crushed by the worm conveyor.

This object is achieved according to the invention due to the fact that the worm conveyor forming the barrier consists of two sections, whereof the first section in the conveying direction can be disconnected from the synchronous drive, in a rotary position outside the transfer position at the intersection point and can be connected to the synchronous drive in a rotary position with aligned transition of the worm threads at the intersection point.

The barrier according to the invention can be used for all formats of object, since it is effective in a region in which the objects are engaged positively. The definite guidance of the objects in the region of the worm with the disconnection and connection of the first section of the worm conveyor in the correct rotary position also ensures that no object is crushed by the worm.

Finally, it is an advantage that the bottle barrier is located directly in front of the bottle-processing machine, so that when it is necessary to block the passage of bottles, only a few bottles still enter the bottle-processing machine.

On account of a last section of the worm conveyor always operating in synchronism with the directly following bottle-processing machine, in particular the inlet drum, no problems occur even with a small spacing and/or large bottles (at least two bottles are engaged simultaneously positively by the worm and the inlet drum). The last section of the worm conveyor is always run empty.

The barrier is easy to produce as regards construction. The two worm sections are preferably located on the same drive shaft. A single-revolution clutch with a brake can be provided as the coupling for the first section of the worm conveyor. The brake prevents running-on of the section after disengagement. One thus always obtains a definite non-critical rotary position for the second section.

In order to be able to separate objects, such as shaped bottles, with closed side faces in the row, two worms arranged opposite each other, driven in synchronism and having a double thread can be provided with such a variable, radial pitch in at least one of the two threads of each worm that a relative displacement of the objects with respect to each other and at right angles to the conveying direction, if necessary with subsequent return movement, takes place. In this embodiment, both worms consist of two sections with opposed intersection points.

The solution according to the invention of the two-part worm can be used both for a large, but also for a small spacing. However, if the bottleprocessing machine is designed for a large spacing, then a barrier can be produced with simple means. This alternative solution is characterised in that in the transfer region to the bottle-processing machine, the worm conveyor forming the barrier has such a large division that until directly after the transfer of an object from the worm conveyor to the bottle-processing machine, the next object conveyed by the worm conveyor to the transfer region is located outside the transfer region and that the worm conveyor can be disconnected from and connected to the synchronous drive solely in rotary positions between the completed acceptance of one object and the acceptance of the next object which has not yet begun.In this solution it is also ensured that blocking the conveyance of objects is possible without any problems in the transfer region. However, since this solution presupposes a large division, it can only be used to a limited extent if no further measures are taken. Further measures of this type consist in that in the region of the worm conveyor, the conveying path of the objects is located on the side of a line remote from the bottle-processing machine, which line extends parallel to the axis of the worm conveyor and is tangential to the conveying path of the objects in the bottle-processing machine and that the support face of the worm thread in the transfer region has a radial height increasing in the conveying direction, on account of which the objects are transferred to the bottle-processing machine with a component of movement directed towards the bottle-processing machine.

In this embodiment, even with a smaller spacing, no collisions occur. The objects arrive in positive engagement with the locations of the inlet drum later than in the case of a tangential entry of the objects into the inlet drum. In addition, this solution has the further advantage that a collision-free transfer of shaped bottles is possible even when the worm conveyor is not stationary.

The invention is described in detail hereafter with reference to the drawings showing two embodiments diagrammatically and in which: Figure 1 shows a two-part worm conveyor with a cut-away portion of an inlet drum of a bottle-processing machine for four-cornered bottles in plan view, Figure 2 shows a two-part worm conveyor with the inlet drum of a bottle-processing machine for three-cornered bottles in plan view and Figure 3 shows a single part worm conveyor with the inlet drum of a bottle-processing machine for four-cornered bottles in plan view.

Four-cornered bottles 1 are conveyed upright and in a continuous single row into the conveying region of a worm conveyor consisting of two sections 2, 3. The bottles 1 are thus supported by a slide bar 4 on the side remote from the worm conveyor 2, 3. On the side of the worm conveyor 2, 3, the bottles 1 lie in the thread of the worm 2, 3; Since the worm 2,3 has a pitch increasing in the conveying direction, as they are conveyed in the direction of an inlet drum 5 of the bottleprocessing machine, the bottles 1 are separated by a distance. This distance is so great that it corresponds to the spacing of the compartment 6 of the inlet drum 5. Since the worm 2,3 and the inlet drum 5 are driven in synchronism, the bottles 1 separated by a distance are transferred in synchronism to the compartments 6.

The two sections 2,3 of the worm are arranged on a common drive shaft 7. Whereas the second section 3 is seated in a non-rotary manner on the drive shaft 7 driven in synchronism with the inlet drum 5 and the remainder of the processing machine, a single-revolution clutch (not shown) is located between the drive shaft 7 and the first section 2 of the worm conveyor. Clutches of this type are known per se. It is characteristic of this clutch that it can only connect the first section 2 of the drive shaft 7 in a pre-determined rotary position of the first section 2 with respect to the second section 3. It is thus achieved that after connecting the first section 2 to the drive shaft 7, aligned transition at the intersection point between the two sections 2,3 occurs.As with a single-part worm, the bottle 1 is then transferred from the first section 2 to the second section 3. It is possible, but not necessary, that the pitch of the worm increases further at the intersection point and/or thereafter.

With desired blocking of the barrier, in order that the first section 2 is not stopped exactly at the instant when a bottle 1 is located at the intersection point, it is ensured for example in an electrical manner that a command for disengagement can only be effective outside the region in which the section 2 at the intersection point is not located in the transfer position for the bottle 1.

A brake which is not shown ensures that at the time of disengagement, the first section 2 is stopped immediately. It is thus ensured that no further object arrives in the region of the intersection point.

The embodiment of figure 2 differs from that of figure 1 only insofar that two opposed worms are provided, which each consist of two sections 8 to 11 and are suitable for conveying three-cornered bottles. For this purpose, both worm conveyors 8,9 and 10,11 are constructed with two threads, in order to be able to engage the three-cornered bottle 12 on the one hand on one side face and on the other hand on one edge.In this case also, the two sections 8,9,10,1 1 are respectively located on a common drive shaft 13,14, which are driven in synchronism with an inlet drum 15, a transfer drum 1 6 and a bottle-processing machine 1 7. In this case, the receiving locations of the inlet drum 1 5 are not constructed as compartments, but as rotary tables 1 8 with associated heads (not shown), between which the bottles received are clamped. The bottles 12 are rotated on these rotary tables, in which case the rotary position is ascertained by sensors 19, which act on the rotary control of the rotary tables 1 8 so that the bottles received in different rotary positions ultimately assume the same rotary position.

Finaily, an accumulation sensor 20 is located at the inlet of the worms 8 to 11, which sensor controls the bottle-processing machine 1 7 and the clutches of the worms.

Owing to their two worm threads and the varying radial height, the two worms 8 to 11 have the effect that the bottles of the row of bottles arriving with closed sides are displaced with respect to each other at right angles to the conveying direction so that engagement surfaces for conveying the bottles 12 are provided for the worm. The bottles 12 are thus moved so that their centre points come to lie on a line which is tangential with respect to the inlet drum 1 5.

The principle of separation with two opposed worms may naturally be used with bottles of a different format, for example four-cornered bottles.

In the embodiment illustrated in figure 3, a single-part worm 21 is provided, which is driven in synchronism with the inlet drum of a bottleprocessing machine (not shown) and transfers four-cornered bottles 24 in synchronism into the compartments 23 of the inlet drum 22. Provided between a drive shaft 25 (shown in broken line) of the worm conveyor 21 and the worm conveyor 21 is a single-revolution clutch with a brake (not shown), which allows engagement and disengagement solely in certain rotary positions of the worm 21. Rotary positions of this type are those in which the object 26 engaged by the inlet drum 22 is no longer engaged positively by the worm conveyor 21 and the next object 27 still engaged positively by the worm conveyor 21 is not yet located in the transfer region, in which it is also engaged positively by the inlet drum 22.In the position illustrated in figure 3, these conditions are fulfilled, so that in this position the worm conveyor 25 can be disengaged from the synchronous drive. As shown in the drawing, with a single-part worm, in which the centre line 28 of the conveying path of the objects in the region of the worm conveyor 21 is tangential to the circular conveying path 29 of the objects in the region of the inlet drum 22, this presupposes a relatively large spacing.

In a single-part worm conveyor acting as a barrier, this spacing can be reduced if the conveying path of the objects 24 is shifted away from the inlet drum 22. In this case, it is above all necessary that in the transfer region, the support face 30, which has a constant radial height over the length of the worm conveyor 21, has an increasing radial height. On account of this this increasing radial height, the shift of the objects with respect to the inlet drum 22 in the remaining conveying region of the worm conveyor 21, must be cancelled.

Claims

1. Barrier for objects, such as bottles, supplied in one row by way of a worm conveyor to a bottle-processing machine, in particular a labelling machine, which objects-are separated by the worm conveyor operating in synchronism with the processing machine by a distance which is equal to the spacing of the directly following bottle-processing machine, in particular of its inlet drum, wherein the worm conveyor forming the barrier comprises two sections, whereof the first section in the conveying direction can be disconnected from the synchronous drive in a rotary position outside the transfer position at the intersection point and can be connected to the synchronous drive in a rotary position with aligned transition of the worm threads at the intersection point.

2. Barrier according to claim 1, wherein the two worm sections are arranged on the same drive shaft.

3. Barrier according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a single-revolution clutch with a brake is provided as the coupling for the first section of the worm conveyor.

4. Barrier according to any one of claims 1 to 3 for objects, such as shaped bottles, wherein two worms arranged opposite each other, driven in synchronism and having a double thread are provided with such a variable, radial pitch in at least one of the two threads of each worm that a relative displacement of the objects with respect to each other and at right angles to the conveying direction, possibly with a subsequent return movement, takes place, and both worms comprise of two sections with opposed intersection points.

5. Barrier for objects, such as bottles, supplied in one row by way of a worm conveyor to a bottle-processing machine, in particular a labelling machine, which objects are separated by the worm conveyor operating in synchronism with the processing machine by a distance which is equal to the spacing of the directly following bottle-processing machine, in particular of its inlet drum, wherein in the region for transfer to the bottle-processing machine, the worm conveyor forming the barrier has such a large division that until immediately after the transfer of an object from the worm conveyor to the bottle-processing machine, the next object conveyed by the worm conveyor to the transfer region is located outside the transfer region, and the worm conveyor can be disconnected from and connected to the synchronous drive solely in rotary positions between the completed acceptance of one object and the acceptance of the next object which has not yet begun.

6. Barrier according to claim 5, wherein the conveying path of the objects in the region of the worm conveyor is located on the side of a line remote from the bottle-processing machine, which line extends parallel to the axis of the worm conveyor and is tangential to the conveying path of the objects in the bottle-processing machine, and in the transfer region, the support face of the worm thread has a radial height increasing in the conveying direction, on account of which the objects are transferred to the bottle-processing machine with a component of movement directed.

towards the bottle-processing machine.

7. Barrier for objects, such as bottles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.