GB2199296A

GB2199296A - Conveying apparatus for containers

Info

Publication number: GB2199296A
Application number: GB08726861A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Werner Heckmann
Original assignee: Holstein und Kappert GmbH; Holstein und Kappert Maschinenfabrik Phonix GmbH
Current assignee: Holstein und Kappert GmbH; Holstein und Kappert Maschinenfabrik Phonix GmbH
Priority date: 1986-11-21
Filing date: 1987-11-17
Publication date: 1988-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 2007-11-17
Also published as: GB2199296B; DE3639834A1; FR2607123A1; IT8722760V0; NL8702766A; IT213081Z2; DE3639834C2; GB8726861D0; FR2607123B1

Abstract

A conveying apparatus for containers, includes a feeding means 1, a separating section 2 and a discharging means 3, the containers being separated in the region of the separating section to form a single-line order and the section or travel path intended for this purpose is formed from a plurality of conveyor belts 4 which travel adjacent one another, characterised in that the section or travel path has conveyor surfaces which ascend, extend horizontally and/or descend in the general direction of movement of the containers in such a manner that, in the region where the containers are excessively bunched-together, only the base portions of the containers are in contact with one another. The apparatus may be used in the opposite direction to convert a small number lines of containers into a larger number of lines of containers i.e. the feeding means is 3 the grouping section 2 and the discharge means 1. The belts 4 may also be inclined transversely to the conveying direction. <IMAGE>

Description

CONVEVINE; APPARATUS FOR CONTAINERS The present invention relates to a conveying apparatus for containers or other articles, including a feeding means, a separating and/or grouping section and a discharging means, the containers being separated in the region of the separating section to form a single-line order or train and/or being brought-together in the grouping section from a small number of trains to form a larger number of trains, and the section intended for this purpose is formed from a plurality of conveyor belts which travel adjacent one another.

Such conveying apparatus are employed especially in the beverage industry uhere they serve, for example, to separate bottles, which are conducted from a preceding processing machine in a plurality of trains and rearranged into a single-line train to conduct these bottles to a subsequent processing machine such as filling machines, for example. Conversely, conveying apparatus are also utilised to briny-together or form groups of bottles which are to be conveyed from a processing machine in a single-line train and fed in groups or multi-lines to a subsequent processing machine. In practice these conveying apparatus have proved satisfactory in all branches of the beverage industry because they operate with minimal noise.

However, with such conveying apparatus, especially in the transitional area from the multi-train region to the scattering or rearranging region and vice versa, it has rspeatedly been found that containers actually situated in this area are subjected to a certain amount of congestion and collide with one another, resulting in disruptions caused by bottles and-the like toppling-over and this is especially so in the case of lightweight bottles.

Based on an apparatus of tube above-described type, the invention nou seeks to prevent any accelerated or enlarged containers, such as plastics bottles and the like, from colliding with one another in such a transitional area from the multi-train region to the scattering or rearranging region and vice versa and, in particular, to exclude the possibility of any collision between resilient casing portions and/or bulging portions of such containers and to exclude the chain reaction which is associated thereuith and which affects other containers situated in the grouping section.

According to the present invention there is provided a conveying apparatus for containers, including a feeding means, a separating and/or grouping section and a dissnarsing means, the containers being separated in the region of the separating section to form a single-line order or train and/ or being brought-together in the grouping section from a small number of trains to form a larger number of trains, and the section or travel path intended for this purpose is formed from a plurality of conveyor belts uhich travel adjacent one another, characterised in that the section or travel path has conveyor surfaces which ascend, extend horizontally and/or descend in the direction of movement of the containers in such a manner that, in the region where the containers are excessively bunched-together, only the base portions of the containers are in contact with one another.

In this case, it has also proved advantageous for these conveyor surfaces to be additionally inclined in a transverse manner relative to the direction of movement of the containers.

Lihen vieued collectively, the solution according to the invention eliminates or minimizes the above-nentionea disadvantages. In the transitional area from the multitrain region to the scattering region or at other predetermined locations where it is impossible to prevent bottles from encountering one another, the bottles are placed side by side one another during conveyance because of the ascending, horizontal and/or descending surfaces in such a manner that only their base portions are in contact with one another. In this way, there is no possibility of any contact between the upper casing portions and/or belly or bulging or other projecting portions of the containers.At the same time, a chain reaction which might otherwise occur and to be then transmitted to the entire line of containers when the surface is level, is broken and effectively eliminated or minimized. When a plurality of such ascendiny or descending surfaces are provided, it is possible for self-perpetuating oscillation to be reduced considerably further.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of the conveying apparatus; and rig. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of Fig. 1 showing individual conveying surfaces.

In the drawing, the conveying apparatus is illustrated as a separating section for separating the containers which are conducted along a wide-track conveyor means. Conversely, however, with appropriate adaptations, this apparatus may be used as or is also suitable for grouping-together containers, which are disposed in a small number of trains, to form a larger number of trains. The conveying apparatus is described hereinafter as an embodiment for separating purposes but the alternative possibilities should be readily apparent to the skilled reader. Accordingly, the apparatus includes a feeding means 1, a separating section 2 and a discharging means 3.In the region of the separating section 2, the conveyor means includes a plurality of conveyor belts 4 which are disposed adjacent one another and travel relative each other at increasing speeds in their dispositions in the direction of the discharging means 3. In such arrangement, a rail 6 is provided longitudinally of the third travel path of the individual containers 5, and it is suitable as a support for the individual containers 5 during separation. Houever, it is also conceivable to place the entire separating section uniformly or inclinedly at different angles, so that, in addition to the acceleration which is always provided, it is also possible for the containers to slide in a sloping direction and hence achieve a further improvement in separation. It uill be appreciated pluralities of conveyor belts are provided.

As is apparent from ;ig. 2, the separating section includes conveying surfaces 7, 8 and 9 uhich ascend, extend horizontally and/or descend in the direction of movement of the containers 5, and which cause the containers 5 to adopt an inclined position relative to one another from each of their abutment points, so that only the desired base regions of adjacent containers can collide with one another.

The number and selection of the particular gradients or inclinations may be arbitrary and may be adapted to the corresponding properties of the containers.

Claims

1. A conveying apparatus for containers, including a feeding means, a separating and/or grouping section and a discharging means, the containers being separated in the region of the separating section to form a single-line order or train and/or being brought-together in the grouping section from a small number of trains to form a larger number of trains, and the section or travel path intended for this purpose is formed from a plurality of conveyor belts which travel adjacent one another, characterised in that the section or travel path has conveyor surfaces which ascend extend horizontally and/or descend in the direction of movement of the containers in such a manner that, in the region where the containers are excessively bunched-together, onlythe base portions of the containers are in contact with one another.

2. A conveying apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein these conveyor surfaces are additionally inclined in a transverse manner relative to the direction of conveyance of the containers.

3. A conveying apparatus constructed and arranged to operate substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.