CA1196039A - Method and an arrangement for the feeding of objects - Google Patents
Method and an arrangement for the feeding of objectsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1196039A CA1196039A CA000394513A CA394513A CA1196039A CA 1196039 A CA1196039 A CA 1196039A CA 000394513 A CA000394513 A CA 000394513A CA 394513 A CA394513 A CA 394513A CA 1196039 A CA1196039 A CA 1196039A
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- Prior art keywords
- conveyor
- accordance
- speed
- feeding apparatus
- feeding
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- Structure Of Belt Conveyors (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT
A method and an arrangement for the feeding or transfer of objects from a first to a second conveyor, the latter being driven at a higher constant speed than the firstnamed conveyor.
In such a transfer of objects between conveyors equipped with drivers, damage to the objects is avoided if these are given a temporary increase in speed at the moment of transfer. The increase in speed is brought about in that the driving element of the first conveyor is tipped forward directly before the transfer in the direction of movement of the conveyor, so that the total speed of the object at the moment of transfer sub-stantially corresponds to the speed of the second conveyor.
A method and an arrangement for the feeding or transfer of objects from a first to a second conveyor, the latter being driven at a higher constant speed than the firstnamed conveyor.
In such a transfer of objects between conveyors equipped with drivers, damage to the objects is avoided if these are given a temporary increase in speed at the moment of transfer. The increase in speed is brought about in that the driving element of the first conveyor is tipped forward directly before the transfer in the direction of movement of the conveyor, so that the total speed of the object at the moment of transfer sub-stantially corresponds to the speed of the second conveyor.
Description
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The present inven-tion rela-tes to a method of t.rans-erring with successive increases of speed an object from a first conveyor driven at constant speed to a second conveyor driven at a higher constant speed.
The invention also relates to a feeding apparatus for objects delivered at regulax intervals, comprising a first conveyor with an endless conveyor belt having projecting driving elements positioned at xegular intervals, and a sec-10 ond conveyor.
In the packaging industry, for example, frequentlymore or less finished packing containers are moved between different processing machine~ or processing stati.ons by means of conveyors. To ensure an accurate coordination of the packing containers moved forward in relation to the subsequent prscessing machine, the conveyors are often provided with d.riving elements which make possible the feeding of the pack-ing containers at predetermined intervals. In the transfer of packing containers from a slower to a faster conveyor it has been found difficult to prevent the feeding elements of the faster conveyor from damaging or deforming the packing con-tainers, especially when the speed difference between the con-veyors is great or when the packing containers are not yet finished.
The present invention provides a method by means of which, in the packaging industry as well as in other fields, objects can be fed or transferred from a first relatively slowly moving conveyor to a second relatively fast moving con-veyor without the object being deformed or damaged and without more comprehensive, complicated and expensive technical solu-tions having to be adopted.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for transferring with a successive increase of speed, A
of an object from a first conveyor driven at constant speed to a second conveyor driven at a hlyher constant speed in which the object i5 fed by means of a driving element posi tioned on the conveyor belt of the first conveyor which at the end of the active portion of the first conveyor i5 tipped forward so as to impart to the object an increase of speed before the feeding is taken over by the second conveyox. In this manner the object fed by the driving elernents of the first conveyor will be accelerat:ed to a higher speed than the basic speed of the conveyor immediately before -the object is transferred to and is driven by the driving elements of the second, faster conveyor. In this way the speed difference between the object and second conveyor is appreciably diminished 50 that the transfer can take place without jerks or impacts causing damage to the object.
In a preferred embodiment of the method in accordance with invention the forward tipping of the driving element is effected by causing the conveying track to change its direction of movement.
In a further preferred embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention the speed of the first conveyor plus the additional speed caused by the driving element give a combined speed which substantiaIly corresponds to the speed of the second conveyor.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for the execution of the method in accordance with the invention.
In particular, the present invention provides a feeding arrangement within which individual objects can be transferred from a first relatively slow conveyor to a second, faster con-veyor without being damaged, deformed or detrimentally affected in some other way.
The present inven-tion rela-tes to a method of t.rans-erring with successive increases of speed an object from a first conveyor driven at constant speed to a second conveyor driven at a higher constant speed.
The invention also relates to a feeding apparatus for objects delivered at regulax intervals, comprising a first conveyor with an endless conveyor belt having projecting driving elements positioned at xegular intervals, and a sec-10 ond conveyor.
In the packaging industry, for example, frequentlymore or less finished packing containers are moved between different processing machine~ or processing stati.ons by means of conveyors. To ensure an accurate coordination of the packing containers moved forward in relation to the subsequent prscessing machine, the conveyors are often provided with d.riving elements which make possible the feeding of the pack-ing containers at predetermined intervals. In the transfer of packing containers from a slower to a faster conveyor it has been found difficult to prevent the feeding elements of the faster conveyor from damaging or deforming the packing con-tainers, especially when the speed difference between the con-veyors is great or when the packing containers are not yet finished.
The present invention provides a method by means of which, in the packaging industry as well as in other fields, objects can be fed or transferred from a first relatively slowly moving conveyor to a second relatively fast moving con-veyor without the object being deformed or damaged and without more comprehensive, complicated and expensive technical solu-tions having to be adopted.
According to the present invention there is provided a method for transferring with a successive increase of speed, A
of an object from a first conveyor driven at constant speed to a second conveyor driven at a hlyher constant speed in which the object i5 fed by means of a driving element posi tioned on the conveyor belt of the first conveyor which at the end of the active portion of the first conveyor i5 tipped forward so as to impart to the object an increase of speed before the feeding is taken over by the second conveyox. In this manner the object fed by the driving elernents of the first conveyor will be accelerat:ed to a higher speed than the basic speed of the conveyor immediately before -the object is transferred to and is driven by the driving elements of the second, faster conveyor. In this way the speed difference between the object and second conveyor is appreciably diminished 50 that the transfer can take place without jerks or impacts causing damage to the object.
In a preferred embodiment of the method in accordance with invention the forward tipping of the driving element is effected by causing the conveying track to change its direction of movement.
In a further preferred embodiment of the method in accordance with the invention the speed of the first conveyor plus the additional speed caused by the driving element give a combined speed which substantiaIly corresponds to the speed of the second conveyor.
The present invention also provides an apparatus for the execution of the method in accordance with the invention.
In particular, the present invention provides a feeding arrangement within which individual objects can be transferred from a first relatively slow conveyor to a second, faster con-veyor without being damaged, deformed or detrimentally affected in some other way.
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Thus, the present in~entl~n provides a feeding arr-angemen-t o~ the abov~mentioned type which is of a simple and reliable design and which can readily be combined with known Eeedlng arrangements.
In accordance with the invention the feeding arrange-ment compxises a first conveyor with an endless conveyor belt which i5 provided with projecting driving elements positioned at regular in~ervals, and a second conveyor, the first con-veyor comprising devices adapted for changing the orientation of the driving elements in relation to the direction of move-ment of the active portion of the conveyor. This makes it pos~ible, through a change in the orientation of the driving elements, to impart to the conveyed objects a speed during part of their movement along the active portion of the conveyor which differs from the actual speed of the conveyor. A con-veyed object can be given a higher speed, for example, at the end of the active portion of the conveyor by forward tipping of the driving elements in the direction of movement, which can be made use of, for example, for imparting to the object a total speed which corresponds to the speed of the subsequent conveyor.
The present invention will be further illustrated by way of the accompanying schematic drawing, in which:-FIGURE 1 is a side view of a feeding arrangement in ; accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 2 is a side view of a part of the feeding arrange-ment in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
For the sake of clarity, only the details necessary for understanding the invention have been included.
The feeding arran~ement shown in Figure 1 comprises a - 3 ~
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first conveyor 1 and a second con~eyor 2 which extend sub-stantially in the same direction, but are displaced in respect of one ano-ther, so that the front end of -the second conveyor is substantially adjacent to the tail end of the first con-veyor. The structure of the -two conveyors 1 and 2 is con-ventional and each of the conveyors thus comprises its end-less conveyor belt 3 and 4 which comprises one or more chains, straps or the like. The conveyor belts 3 and 4 in each of th* conveyors 1 and 2 run over conventional end pulleys 5 and 6 and 7 and 8, respectively. One pulley in each conveyor is driven at cons~ant speed by an lelectric motor (not shown) or other conventional driving unit. The direction of movement of the conveyor 1 is indicated by means of an arrow 9, and the direction of movement of the conveyor 2 is indicated by lS an arrow 10.
The conveyor belts 3 and 4 of the first as well as of the second conveyor include projecting driving elements 11 and 12, respectively positioned at regular intervals. The 2Q driving elements 11 and 12 are of elongated shape and are substantially at right angles to the surface of the conveyor belt 3 and 4. Each driving element 11 and 12 :
: 25 - 3a -~t3~jl4~
comprises one or more plates or bars which are positioned at i.ntervals over par-ts of the total width of -the conveyor belt 3 and 4. The plates or bars forming the driving element 11 are laterally displaced in relation to the bars or pla-tes of the driving element 12, which makes it possible for the driving elements to engage and to pass each other without obstruction in the area where the conveyors 1 and 2 meet one another, which will be subsequently explained in detail.
Each driving element 11 on the conveyor belt 3 or each in-dividual unit included in the driving element 11 is provi.ded at the outer end of its front side, seen in the direct.ion of feed, with a curved or convex contact surface 13. The length of the driving element l.l, that is to say -the per-pendicular distance between the conveyor belt and the ou-ter-most end or contact surface of the dri.ving elemen-t in the preferred embodiment of the arrangement in accordance with the invention is greater than the radius of the end pulley 6. More particularly, it is preferred, for reasons which will be explained hereinafter in more detail, that the driving element 11 should be 1 to 3 times longer than the radius of the end pulley 6.
The abovementioned relation between the length of tne driving element 11 and the radius of the end pulley 6 is dictated by the circumstances that the rear end pulley of the conveyor 1, that is to say the end pulley 6 situa-ted at the tail end of the active portion of the conveyor, not only acts as a conventional end pulley, but also serves as a device for changing the orientatio~ of the driving ele-ment 11 in relation to the direction of movement of the active portion of the conveyor. This change of orientation is in particular a tipping forward of the driving element 11 in the direction of movement of the conveyor, which momentarily influences the conveyed object so that a higher speed is imparted to the object than that of the conveyor , :,., .,. ~.
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bel-t. Xt has been found -t.hat optimum function can be ob-tained iE -the relation of the length of the driving element 11 to the radius of the end pulley 6 is as stated, that is to say if it is 1 to 3 -times greater than the radius.
At the front end of the Eirst conveyor (to the left in Fig. 1) can be seen a delivery chute 1~ for the objects 15 which are to be conveyed by means of -the feeding arrangement in accordance with the invention. The del:ivery chute 14 is arranged so that i.ts tail end lies direc-tly adjacent -the starting end of the active upper por-tion of the first conveyor and is provided in the said end with cutouts 16 which make it possible for the driving elements 11 to pass the tail end of the delivery chute 14 without being obstructed. The shape and the positioning of the cutouts 16 will be adapted, of course, to the shape and positioning o~ the driving elements 11 on the conveyor belt 3. At the opposite end or tail end of the first conveyor tto the right in the Figure) a device comprising a feeding out surface 17 is present which is situated directly adja-~ cent the tail end of the active portion of the first con-; veyor and is provided, similarly to the delivery chute 1~, with cutouts 18 to permit an unhindered passage of the 25 driving elements 11 of the conveyor belt 3. The feeding out surface 17 is a direct continuation of the upper, active portion of the first conveyor 1, and the second conveyor 2 extends substantially paral:Lel with the extension of the first conveyor 1 as well as with the feeding out system 17, the distance between the active portions of the conveyors 1 and 2 facing each other being equal to, or slightly greater than, the length of the driving elements 11.
The preferred embodiment of the feeding arrange-ment in accordance with the invention shown in ~igure 1 and the manner in which it is applied will now be described - 5 ~
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in greater detail. In this context thet~ethod and the appara-tus are shown and described as used isl the packaging industry and more particularly in the manufacture of packing containers for fluid contents, where the arrangement is used for the transfer of partly finished packing containers from a first machine`part to a second machi.ne part. In doing this it is desirable to increase during the transfer the distance between the packing containers fed out i.n rapid succession from the first machine part, so as to facilitate the feeding into the subsequent machine part. The second conveyor is then operated at practically twice the speed as the first conveyor and the apparatus woxks in the following manner.
I'he partly formed packing containers or objects 15 are delivered t.o the conveyor 1 via the delivery chute 14 OlltO which they are fed out from the first machine part.
The objects 15 slide ~ `7t~
down -the chute l~ under gravity to s ~ ~ ~e end ~f ~le dq~e d~e-~o the diminishing ~lope of the chute 14. r~'hen the conve~c~ belt 3 of the conveyor 1 is driven in the direction indicate~ by means of the arrow 9, one of the driving elements 11, fitted at re~ular interv~ls alon5 the conveyor belt 3 engages the rear end of the packing container or object 15 ~nd drive the object onto the active portion Or the co~veyor 1, Due to the cutout 16 in the tail end of the delivery chute, the driving eler-ent 11 can pass the chute 14 freely a~d engage ~ith the object 15~
The object 15 is then moved at a conctant speed along the upper, active portion of the coveyor whic:~ ~ay be of the re~uired length. ';,hen the conveyed obj~ct 15 approaches the tail end of the conveyor 1 (to the right in Fig. 1), it is to be trans-fe-red to the second conveyor 2 which subsequently takes over the driving and at ~pproximately twice the speed of conveyor 1 moves the object to the second processing machine. S~nce the packin~ containers are not yet finished9 they are easily damaged and the transfer between the conveyors working at different speeds therefore has to take place without a~rupt increases in ~peed~ jerks or impacts on engagement between the driving elements 12 of the second conveyor moved forward at a relatively high ~peed and the packin~ co~tainer~ This i9 prevented in accordance with the in-vention in that the driving element of the first conveyor at the end of the first conveyor is ~ipped forward so that an increase of speed i~ imparted to the object 15 directly before the feeding is taken over by ths second conveyor ~ In the preferred embodiment ~hown~ the re-orientation or tipping forward of the actual driving element 11 is brought about in that the con~eyor belt 3 is made to change direction of movement when it approache~ the end pulley 6, The outer end or contact surface 13 of the driving element 11 will thus be given additional speed ~hich, together with the basic speed of the conveyor~ will accelerate the moved object 15 90 that ~hen it i9 ~o~ed out onto the feeding out ~urface 17, posi-tioned in the ext~nsion of the active portion of conveyor 1, it has a linear speed ~hich substantially corre3ponds to the linear speed of the second conveyorO ~he ~peed of the object 15 over the eeding out surface 17 can be adaptQd to the apeed of the second conveyor -through adjustmen-t of -the length of the driving element in rela-tion to -the radius of the end pulley 6. The principle is that a driving element 11 of a greater length or an end pulley 6 of a smaller diameter impart a greater in-crease of linear speed -to the objec-t. In practice, however, the possible increase of speed is limited by the capacity o-F
the object 15~to endure the acceleration, and it has been Found appropriate in the case of packing con-tainers to select a length of driving element which is 1 to 3 times greater than the radius of the end pulley 6. During the transport of the object along the plane part of the active portion of the conveyor -the driving element 11 will usually extend above -the upper limiting surface of the object so that when -the driving element is moved along the periphery of the end pulley 6 it slides downwards along the rear limiting surface oF the~object 15~
seen in the direction oF movement, at the same time as the object is accelerated to a speed which is approximately twice as great as the linear speed of the conveyor 1, that is to say a speed which substantially corresponds to the linear speed of the conveyor 2. Immediately before the contact surFace 13 of the driving element 11 leaves the rear surFace of the ob3ect 15 and passes down through the cutout 18 in the feeding out surface 17, the driving element 12 of the conveyor belt 4 will come to rest against the object 15 and take over the fur-ther movement of the object along the feeding out surface 17.
; The feeding out surFace 17 terminates in a feeding in pocket (not shown) in the subsequent processing machine, to which the packing containers of objects are thus fed at substantially twice as long intervals as when they are fed out from the first processing machine.
The preFerred embodiment of the method and apparatusin accordance with the invention makes it possible without complicated and expensive mechanical structures gently to accelerate a conveyed object during the movement from a first conveyor of relatively low speed to a second conveyor oF higher speed. In practice this has been found to be Pe~j~D~
reaclily applicable and the arrangelnent has been proved to Function well in practical trials.
Since in the embodimen-t oF the appara-tus in accor-dance with the invention described above the end pulley 6 is used as the device which con-trols the change of orien-ta-tion of the driving element, the tipping of the driving elements must ~take place at a part of the conveyor which is provided with a pulley, that is to say usually at the two ends oF the conveyor. If a temporary accelera-tion or retardation of an object moved on the conveyor is to take place in an area oF the conveyor which does not pass over an end pulley, this may be achieved by means oF a second embodiment of the arrangment in accordance with the invention which is illustrated in Figure 2.
In Figure 2 only one conveyor 1~ is shown, corresponding to the conveyor 1 in Figure 1. Other par-ts of the arrangement may be of the same design as in Figure 1 and are not described in greater detail. Like the conveyor 1, the conveyor 18 comprises two end pulleys 19, 20 over which passes an endless conveyor belt 21. The conveyor belt 21, like -the conveyor belt 3 in Figure 1, may be in the form of a chain, for example, which carries driving elements 22 fitted at a regular pitch. The driving elements 22 are in the form of fingers or arms which are attached to the conveyor belt 21 so that they can swivel about axles 23 which are parallel to one another and parallel to the axes of rotation of the end pulleys 19 and 2~. Each driving element 22 is provided with an arm or control part 24 extending on the opposite side of the axle or the conveyor belt 21 which at its end has a roller 25. During the movement of the conveyor belt the rollers 25 run along a cam 26 which extends along the whole length of the belt 21. The distance between the cam 26 and the conveyor belt 21 is constant, except For the part of the active portion of the conveyor belt 21, where the orientation of the driving element 22 in relation -to -the direct-ion o-f movelnent o-f -the conveyor belt is to be changed. Within -the said area -the cam 26 and the conveyor bel-t 21 draw nearer towards each other, so that the driving elements 22 are -tipped forward by the rollers 25 and con-trol parts 2~ running alony the cam 26 in the direction of movement of -the conveyor. As a result the required increase of the speed of movement of the conveyed object 15 and the subsequent working rnoment are obtained, e.g. the trans-fer of the object lS to a faster conveyor can take place without hindrance.
- 8a -~ ~,~ 9~
Although the apparatus described in Figure 2 is of a more complicated and hence somewhat more expensive design, it offers certain advantages over the apparatus shown in Figure 1, which advantages under cer-tain circum-stances can make up for -the disadvantages conditioned by the construction. Thus, for example, -the temporary accelera-tion of the conveyed objects may take place at any desired part of the whole length of the conveyor. During the acceleration and the total final speed of the object can be controlled very accurately, and independently of such factors as the diameter of the end pul.leys, and it is also possible to provide a nega-tive acceleration of the objects, should -this be desired.
A feeding apparatus in accordance with the in-vention can be combined, of course, with a number of dif-ferent types of conveyors, and it is also possible to orientate the conveyors in a different manner to that shown in the Figures. The two conveyors in Figure 1 may be arranged sequentially in the same plane, for example, the feeding out surface 17 being omitted and the end pulleys 6 and 7 of the two conveyors partly engaging in one another, which can be solved simply in that either the end pulley 6 or the end pulley 7 is in the form of two separate pulleys situated at some distance from each other. Naturally, in this case the conveyor passing over these pulleys must be in the form of two conveyor belts or chains running next to one another.
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Thus, the present in~entl~n provides a feeding arr-angemen-t o~ the abov~mentioned type which is of a simple and reliable design and which can readily be combined with known Eeedlng arrangements.
In accordance with the invention the feeding arrange-ment compxises a first conveyor with an endless conveyor belt which i5 provided with projecting driving elements positioned at regular in~ervals, and a second conveyor, the first con-veyor comprising devices adapted for changing the orientation of the driving elements in relation to the direction of move-ment of the active portion of the conveyor. This makes it pos~ible, through a change in the orientation of the driving elements, to impart to the conveyed objects a speed during part of their movement along the active portion of the conveyor which differs from the actual speed of the conveyor. A con-veyed object can be given a higher speed, for example, at the end of the active portion of the conveyor by forward tipping of the driving elements in the direction of movement, which can be made use of, for example, for imparting to the object a total speed which corresponds to the speed of the subsequent conveyor.
The present invention will be further illustrated by way of the accompanying schematic drawing, in which:-FIGURE 1 is a side view of a feeding arrangement in ; accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention; and FIGURE 2 is a side view of a part of the feeding arrange-ment in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.
For the sake of clarity, only the details necessary for understanding the invention have been included.
The feeding arran~ement shown in Figure 1 comprises a - 3 ~
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first conveyor 1 and a second con~eyor 2 which extend sub-stantially in the same direction, but are displaced in respect of one ano-ther, so that the front end of -the second conveyor is substantially adjacent to the tail end of the first con-veyor. The structure of the -two conveyors 1 and 2 is con-ventional and each of the conveyors thus comprises its end-less conveyor belt 3 and 4 which comprises one or more chains, straps or the like. The conveyor belts 3 and 4 in each of th* conveyors 1 and 2 run over conventional end pulleys 5 and 6 and 7 and 8, respectively. One pulley in each conveyor is driven at cons~ant speed by an lelectric motor (not shown) or other conventional driving unit. The direction of movement of the conveyor 1 is indicated by means of an arrow 9, and the direction of movement of the conveyor 2 is indicated by lS an arrow 10.
The conveyor belts 3 and 4 of the first as well as of the second conveyor include projecting driving elements 11 and 12, respectively positioned at regular intervals. The 2Q driving elements 11 and 12 are of elongated shape and are substantially at right angles to the surface of the conveyor belt 3 and 4. Each driving element 11 and 12 :
: 25 - 3a -~t3~jl4~
comprises one or more plates or bars which are positioned at i.ntervals over par-ts of the total width of -the conveyor belt 3 and 4. The plates or bars forming the driving element 11 are laterally displaced in relation to the bars or pla-tes of the driving element 12, which makes it possible for the driving elements to engage and to pass each other without obstruction in the area where the conveyors 1 and 2 meet one another, which will be subsequently explained in detail.
Each driving element 11 on the conveyor belt 3 or each in-dividual unit included in the driving element 11 is provi.ded at the outer end of its front side, seen in the direct.ion of feed, with a curved or convex contact surface 13. The length of the driving element l.l, that is to say -the per-pendicular distance between the conveyor belt and the ou-ter-most end or contact surface of the dri.ving elemen-t in the preferred embodiment of the arrangement in accordance with the invention is greater than the radius of the end pulley 6. More particularly, it is preferred, for reasons which will be explained hereinafter in more detail, that the driving element 11 should be 1 to 3 times longer than the radius of the end pulley 6.
The abovementioned relation between the length of tne driving element 11 and the radius of the end pulley 6 is dictated by the circumstances that the rear end pulley of the conveyor 1, that is to say the end pulley 6 situa-ted at the tail end of the active portion of the conveyor, not only acts as a conventional end pulley, but also serves as a device for changing the orientatio~ of the driving ele-ment 11 in relation to the direction of movement of the active portion of the conveyor. This change of orientation is in particular a tipping forward of the driving element 11 in the direction of movement of the conveyor, which momentarily influences the conveyed object so that a higher speed is imparted to the object than that of the conveyor , :,., .,. ~.
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bel-t. Xt has been found -t.hat optimum function can be ob-tained iE -the relation of the length of the driving element 11 to the radius of the end pulley 6 is as stated, that is to say if it is 1 to 3 -times greater than the radius.
At the front end of the Eirst conveyor (to the left in Fig. 1) can be seen a delivery chute 1~ for the objects 15 which are to be conveyed by means of -the feeding arrangement in accordance with the invention. The del:ivery chute 14 is arranged so that i.ts tail end lies direc-tly adjacent -the starting end of the active upper por-tion of the first conveyor and is provided in the said end with cutouts 16 which make it possible for the driving elements 11 to pass the tail end of the delivery chute 14 without being obstructed. The shape and the positioning of the cutouts 16 will be adapted, of course, to the shape and positioning o~ the driving elements 11 on the conveyor belt 3. At the opposite end or tail end of the first conveyor tto the right in the Figure) a device comprising a feeding out surface 17 is present which is situated directly adja-~ cent the tail end of the active portion of the first con-; veyor and is provided, similarly to the delivery chute 1~, with cutouts 18 to permit an unhindered passage of the 25 driving elements 11 of the conveyor belt 3. The feeding out surface 17 is a direct continuation of the upper, active portion of the first conveyor 1, and the second conveyor 2 extends substantially paral:Lel with the extension of the first conveyor 1 as well as with the feeding out system 17, the distance between the active portions of the conveyors 1 and 2 facing each other being equal to, or slightly greater than, the length of the driving elements 11.
The preferred embodiment of the feeding arrange-ment in accordance with the invention shown in ~igure 1 and the manner in which it is applied will now be described - 5 ~
:~:L~
in greater detail. In this context thet~ethod and the appara-tus are shown and described as used isl the packaging industry and more particularly in the manufacture of packing containers for fluid contents, where the arrangement is used for the transfer of partly finished packing containers from a first machine`part to a second machi.ne part. In doing this it is desirable to increase during the transfer the distance between the packing containers fed out i.n rapid succession from the first machine part, so as to facilitate the feeding into the subsequent machine part. The second conveyor is then operated at practically twice the speed as the first conveyor and the apparatus woxks in the following manner.
I'he partly formed packing containers or objects 15 are delivered t.o the conveyor 1 via the delivery chute 14 OlltO which they are fed out from the first machine part.
The objects 15 slide ~ `7t~
down -the chute l~ under gravity to s ~ ~ ~e end ~f ~le dq~e d~e-~o the diminishing ~lope of the chute 14. r~'hen the conve~c~ belt 3 of the conveyor 1 is driven in the direction indicate~ by means of the arrow 9, one of the driving elements 11, fitted at re~ular interv~ls alon5 the conveyor belt 3 engages the rear end of the packing container or object 15 ~nd drive the object onto the active portion Or the co~veyor 1, Due to the cutout 16 in the tail end of the delivery chute, the driving eler-ent 11 can pass the chute 14 freely a~d engage ~ith the object 15~
The object 15 is then moved at a conctant speed along the upper, active portion of the coveyor whic:~ ~ay be of the re~uired length. ';,hen the conveyed obj~ct 15 approaches the tail end of the conveyor 1 (to the right in Fig. 1), it is to be trans-fe-red to the second conveyor 2 which subsequently takes over the driving and at ~pproximately twice the speed of conveyor 1 moves the object to the second processing machine. S~nce the packin~ containers are not yet finished9 they are easily damaged and the transfer between the conveyors working at different speeds therefore has to take place without a~rupt increases in ~peed~ jerks or impacts on engagement between the driving elements 12 of the second conveyor moved forward at a relatively high ~peed and the packin~ co~tainer~ This i9 prevented in accordance with the in-vention in that the driving element of the first conveyor at the end of the first conveyor is ~ipped forward so that an increase of speed i~ imparted to the object 15 directly before the feeding is taken over by ths second conveyor ~ In the preferred embodiment ~hown~ the re-orientation or tipping forward of the actual driving element 11 is brought about in that the con~eyor belt 3 is made to change direction of movement when it approache~ the end pulley 6, The outer end or contact surface 13 of the driving element 11 will thus be given additional speed ~hich, together with the basic speed of the conveyor~ will accelerate the moved object 15 90 that ~hen it i9 ~o~ed out onto the feeding out ~urface 17, posi-tioned in the ext~nsion of the active portion of conveyor 1, it has a linear speed ~hich substantially corre3ponds to the linear speed of the second conveyorO ~he ~peed of the object 15 over the eeding out surface 17 can be adaptQd to the apeed of the second conveyor -through adjustmen-t of -the length of the driving element in rela-tion to -the radius of the end pulley 6. The principle is that a driving element 11 of a greater length or an end pulley 6 of a smaller diameter impart a greater in-crease of linear speed -to the objec-t. In practice, however, the possible increase of speed is limited by the capacity o-F
the object 15~to endure the acceleration, and it has been Found appropriate in the case of packing con-tainers to select a length of driving element which is 1 to 3 times greater than the radius of the end pulley 6. During the transport of the object along the plane part of the active portion of the conveyor -the driving element 11 will usually extend above -the upper limiting surface of the object so that when -the driving element is moved along the periphery of the end pulley 6 it slides downwards along the rear limiting surface oF the~object 15~
seen in the direction oF movement, at the same time as the object is accelerated to a speed which is approximately twice as great as the linear speed of the conveyor 1, that is to say a speed which substantially corresponds to the linear speed of the conveyor 2. Immediately before the contact surFace 13 of the driving element 11 leaves the rear surFace of the ob3ect 15 and passes down through the cutout 18 in the feeding out surface 17, the driving element 12 of the conveyor belt 4 will come to rest against the object 15 and take over the fur-ther movement of the object along the feeding out surface 17.
; The feeding out surFace 17 terminates in a feeding in pocket (not shown) in the subsequent processing machine, to which the packing containers of objects are thus fed at substantially twice as long intervals as when they are fed out from the first processing machine.
The preFerred embodiment of the method and apparatusin accordance with the invention makes it possible without complicated and expensive mechanical structures gently to accelerate a conveyed object during the movement from a first conveyor of relatively low speed to a second conveyor oF higher speed. In practice this has been found to be Pe~j~D~
reaclily applicable and the arrangelnent has been proved to Function well in practical trials.
Since in the embodimen-t oF the appara-tus in accor-dance with the invention described above the end pulley 6 is used as the device which con-trols the change of orien-ta-tion of the driving element, the tipping of the driving elements must ~take place at a part of the conveyor which is provided with a pulley, that is to say usually at the two ends oF the conveyor. If a temporary accelera-tion or retardation of an object moved on the conveyor is to take place in an area oF the conveyor which does not pass over an end pulley, this may be achieved by means oF a second embodiment of the arrangment in accordance with the invention which is illustrated in Figure 2.
In Figure 2 only one conveyor 1~ is shown, corresponding to the conveyor 1 in Figure 1. Other par-ts of the arrangement may be of the same design as in Figure 1 and are not described in greater detail. Like the conveyor 1, the conveyor 18 comprises two end pulleys 19, 20 over which passes an endless conveyor belt 21. The conveyor belt 21, like -the conveyor belt 3 in Figure 1, may be in the form of a chain, for example, which carries driving elements 22 fitted at a regular pitch. The driving elements 22 are in the form of fingers or arms which are attached to the conveyor belt 21 so that they can swivel about axles 23 which are parallel to one another and parallel to the axes of rotation of the end pulleys 19 and 2~. Each driving element 22 is provided with an arm or control part 24 extending on the opposite side of the axle or the conveyor belt 21 which at its end has a roller 25. During the movement of the conveyor belt the rollers 25 run along a cam 26 which extends along the whole length of the belt 21. The distance between the cam 26 and the conveyor belt 21 is constant, except For the part of the active portion of the conveyor belt 21, where the orientation of the driving element 22 in relation -to -the direct-ion o-f movelnent o-f -the conveyor belt is to be changed. Within -the said area -the cam 26 and the conveyor bel-t 21 draw nearer towards each other, so that the driving elements 22 are -tipped forward by the rollers 25 and con-trol parts 2~ running alony the cam 26 in the direction of movement of -the conveyor. As a result the required increase of the speed of movement of the conveyed object 15 and the subsequent working rnoment are obtained, e.g. the trans-fer of the object lS to a faster conveyor can take place without hindrance.
- 8a -~ ~,~ 9~
Although the apparatus described in Figure 2 is of a more complicated and hence somewhat more expensive design, it offers certain advantages over the apparatus shown in Figure 1, which advantages under cer-tain circum-stances can make up for -the disadvantages conditioned by the construction. Thus, for example, -the temporary accelera-tion of the conveyed objects may take place at any desired part of the whole length of the conveyor. During the acceleration and the total final speed of the object can be controlled very accurately, and independently of such factors as the diameter of the end pul.leys, and it is also possible to provide a nega-tive acceleration of the objects, should -this be desired.
A feeding apparatus in accordance with the in-vention can be combined, of course, with a number of dif-ferent types of conveyors, and it is also possible to orientate the conveyors in a different manner to that shown in the Figures. The two conveyors in Figure 1 may be arranged sequentially in the same plane, for example, the feeding out surface 17 being omitted and the end pulleys 6 and 7 of the two conveyors partly engaging in one another, which can be solved simply in that either the end pulley 6 or the end pulley 7 is in the form of two separate pulleys situated at some distance from each other. Naturally, in this case the conveyor passing over these pulleys must be in the form of two conveyor belts or chains running next to one another.
g
Claims (16)
1. A method of transferring with a successive increase of speed an object from a first conveyor driven at constant speed to a second conveyor driven at a higher constant speed, in which the object is fed by means of a driving element on the con-veyor belt of the first conveyor which at the end of the active portion of the first conveyor is tipped forward so as to impart to the object an increase of speed before the feed-ing is taken over by the second conveyor.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1, in which the forward tipping of the driving element is effected by causing the conveyor belt to change its direction of movement.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1 or 2, in which the speed of the first conveyor plus the additional speed caused by the driving element give a combined speed which substantially corresponds to the speed of the second conveyor.
4. A feeding apparatus for use in transferring an object from a first conveyor to a second conveyor with a successive increase of speed, comprising a first conveyor with an endless conveyor belt having an active portion which belt is provided with projecting driving elements, positioned at regular intervals, and a second conveyor, the first conveyor comprising devices adapted for changing the orientation of the driving elements in relation to the direction of movement of the active portion of the conveyor.
5. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which said device is located at the tail end of the active portion of the active portion of the conveyor.
6. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 5, in which said device is an end pulley.
7. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 6, in which the length of the driving element is greater than the radius of the end pulley.
8. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 6, in which the length of the driving element is 1 to 3 times greater than the radius of the end pulley.
9. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which said device is a cam.
10. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 9, in which the driving elements are swivellably attached to the conveyor belt.
11. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 4, 5 or 6, in which the active portion of the second conveyor extends substantially in the main direction of the first con-veyor.
12. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 4, 5 or 6, in which the second conveyor is provided with driving elements.
13. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 4, 5 or 6, in which the second conveyor is adapted to be driven at substantially twice the speed as the first conveyor.
14. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 4, in which the tail end of the active portion of the first con-veyor is situated directly adjacent a feeding out surface which is provided with cutouts for the driving elements.
15. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 14, in which the second conveyor extends substantially parallel with the extension of the first conveyor and the feeding out surface, the distance between the active portions of the conveyors facing one another being equal to or slightly greater than the length of the driving elements.
16. A feeding apparatus in accordance with claim 4, 5 or 6, in which each driving element at the outer end of its front side, seen in the direction of feeding, has a curved or concave contact surface.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000394513A CA1196039A (en) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-01-20 | Method and an arrangement for the feeding of objects |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000394513A CA1196039A (en) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-01-20 | Method and an arrangement for the feeding of objects |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1196039A true CA1196039A (en) | 1985-10-29 |
Family
ID=4121860
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000394513A Expired CA1196039A (en) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-01-20 | Method and an arrangement for the feeding of objects |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1196039A (en) |
-
1982
- 1982-01-20 CA CA000394513A patent/CA1196039A/en not_active Expired
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| MKEX | Expiry |