EA036019B1 - Travel regulator for the upper clamping tool of a clipping device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to food industry, namely, to equipment designed for packaging various products in tubular or bag-like sleeve casing, in particular, in sausage production. The objective of the claimed invention is to create a regulator of travel of the upper clamping tool of the clipping device, which allows the use of clamps with different height legs and various types of shells, eliminating the asymmetrical closure of the clamps. Said objective is attained by provision of a regulator (14) of travel of the upper clamping tool (8) of the clipping device, comprising: a screw (15) with a transverse beam (16) fixed to it, the screw being connected with an additional lever (13) and, by means of a thread, with an adjusting nut (17 ); a base plate (18) and a cover (19), wherein the regulator (14) of the travel of the upper clamping tool (8) of the clipping device is equipped with a controllable linear drive configured to transmit forces directed towards the action of the workload during clipping to said screw (15) by acting on said transverse beam (16).

Description

The invention relates to the food industry, and in particular to equipment designed for packaging various products in a tubular or bag-like sleeve, in particular in the production of sausages.

The invention relates to an automatic clipper designed for automatic squeezing and sealing with clips of the H2-H21 type according to TU RB 03327523.008 of various plastic fillers in polymer, cellophane, proteinaceous and others used for mechanical clipping, sleeve casings, cutting the casing between loaves, interaction with a pumping device and, if necessary, securing the twine loop under the paperclip, applying the date of manufacture (or expiry date) by stamping the paperclip.

Such clippers generally contain a cam drive that sets the law of motion of the closing levers with clamping tools attached to them. To transmit the force action to the closing levers, for example, a simple lever or a toggle-link mechanism [1] is used.

The clippers described above typically use staples made from stamped aluminum wire tape, connected together at the ends of their legs, thus forming a common bond plane. The staples produced in this way are wound on a reel having a defined inner diameter. The reel with the required number of staples is installed on the clipper.

The free end of the chain of staples is introduced into the guide channel, through which the staple is fed to the lower clamping tool (matrix) using the feed mechanism.

The movement of the convergence of the clamping tools is performed with a shift in time, by means of a mechanical connection, which allows you to set the required law of movement. First, a paper clip is fed, laying it on the die, and the lower closing lever carrying the die is turned to the position of the instruments closing. In this position, the very first clip is installed in the corresponding socket of the matrix and is pressed by a spring-loaded clamp and a formed bundle of the shell (flagellum). While the lower clamping tool (die) remains in this position, the upper clamping tool (punch) is moved towards the lower clamping tool by rotating around the same axis.

Immediately before the clip is closed, the frontmost clip is separated from the subsequent chain of clips using the cutting elements provided on the clamping tools. At this point, the separated staple is free and pressed against the lower clamping tool only by the tension of the sheath bundle. As the clamping tools are brought closer together, the clip is deformed until the clamping tools are close to the closing end point and the clip is completely closed around the sheath bundle.

In modern conditions of using automatic clippers there is a need for clipping various types of products into various types of sleeve casings. For various types of casings, it is necessary to use different types of clips, both in terms of physical properties (material from which they are made) and geometric parameters (clip pitch, thickness, overall dimensions, etc.). When using different clips, both the size of their clamping and the opening angle of both closing levers moving relative to each other change. As a result, depending on the length of the legs of the non-deformed staple, the upper clamping tool acts on both legs non-simultaneously.

This problem is solved in the technical solution according to [2].

The clipper according to the specified patent contains a body with a clamping mechanism attached to it, made in the form of two pairs of converging shaped cheeks, a mechanism for axial pulling of the cheeks, a mechanism for feeding a paper clip into the clipping zone and a clip clamping mechanism made in the form of installed, with the possibility of movement relative to each the other between the open position and the closed position of the lower and upper clamping tools, wherein the lower clamping tool is configured to move from the open position to the closed position due to rotation around the axis, and the upper clamping tool is configured to move rectilinearly from the open position to the closed position.

As mentioned earlier, the devices described above typically use staples made of stamped aluminum wire tape, connected together at the ends of their legs, thus forming a common bond plane. The staples produced in this way are wound on a reel having a defined inner diameter. The reel with the required number of staples is installed on the clipper.

The free end of the chain of staples is introduced into the guide channel, through which the staple is fed by the staple feeder to the lower clamping tool. In this position, the very first staple is installed in the corresponding slot of the lower clamping tool and is biased with a spring-loaded clamp. The chain of staples, when unwound from the spool, has residual curvature from the winding, which leads to incorrect orientation of the staple when the lower clamping tool is installed in the stock. At the moment of separation, the paper clip is free and pressed against the lower clamping tool only due to the tension of the sheath bundle. When using casings that are strong enough, the paper clip

- 1 036019 can be partially pressed against the lower clamping tool (matrix) due to the tension of the flagella. However, if a clipper is used to clip various types of casings, the weak effect of a flagellum formed from a weaker casing on the staple can cause the paper clip to move, resulting in damage to the casing. As a result, the impact of the upper clamping tool on the legs of the staple can lead to an asymmetric closing of the staple, and this, in turn, leads to a leaky sealing of the product, which is unacceptable.

Known design of the paper clip feed mechanism [3] for clippers of this kind, in which the drive of the paper clip feed mechanism is built into the matrix drive lever and has a rigid kinematic connection with the camshaft using drive roller chains. The feeding fork of this device works synchronously with the matrix drive lever, performing useful work (feeding a paper clip to the desired step) in a certain phase of the work cycle. Feeding is carried out at the moment when the clip clamping process is completed and the matrix drive lever begins to return to its original position (lower position).

Known adverse effects.

1. At the moment of the beginning of the feeding phase, the section of the clip which is in engagement with the feeding fork and the section of the clip which is in the passage of the clip are at a relatively large angle. Each time the clip moves to the required step, the chain of clips experiences additional frictional forces as it moves along such a channel trajectory, overcoming the frictional forces caused by the bending of the clip chain. Since the clipper is used to work with different types of casings, there is a need to use staples with different geometric and mechanical properties. If you use staples with poorer mechanical properties, there is a possibility that the staple chain will stretch, and therefore, the pitch between staples may be disturbed. As a result, the conditions for engaging the feed fork and the chain of staples are violated. For this reason, the deformation of the clip occurs, and as a result, the jam of the clip in the guide channel, which can lead to malfunctions in the clipper.

2. The staple feed drive is connected to the main drive by a chain roller drive, so excess power is transmitted to the staple feed fork. When staple jams occur, the feed mechanism is subjected to increased stress, which can cause breakage of one of the staple feeder components or stretch the chain. When the drive chain is stretched, the condition of the meshing of the feed fork and the chain of staples is violated, which can lead to malfunctions of the clipper.

3. The use of a roller chain as a driving element is undesirable from the point of view of sanitization due to the difficulty of washing out all the links of the chain. Attempts to protect the chain drive drastically degrade service conditions.

To make adjustments to the size of the clip clamp (the amount of travel of the upper clamping tool - the punch), the clippers use the already known mechanism for adjusting the punch travel [4], which is the closest to the claimed mechanism.

The known design of the punch travel regulator consists of the following main units: screw, nut, cover, plate, scale.

The adjusting knob is installed in the nut hole. With the help of the wrench, the nut is rotated, which, due to the threaded connection, transmits the torque to the screw. Since the screw is fixed against rotation, an axial linear movement of the screw occurs. The size of the clip is determined by the thread pitch between the screw and nut. If the direction of thread winding is right, then when the nut is turned clockwise, the screw is lifted, the axis moves up, the punch stroke decreases, therefore, the height of the clamped paper clip increases and the clip clamping value decreases.

To allow the nut to turn by the operator's muscular force, there must be a gap between the nut and the cover. There is always a gap in the threaded connection between the screw and nut. All of these gaps negatively affect the height of the clamped paperclip. During the operation of the equipment, vibrations and shock loads are present. These loads negatively affect the threaded connection between the screw and the nut, since they lead to the unscrewing of the nut and, as a result, during operation, the height of the clamped paper clip may change.

The claimed invention solves the problem of creating a regulator of the amount of travel of the upper clamping tool of the clipper, which allows the use of clips with legs of different heights and different types of casings, eliminating asymmetric closure of the clips.

The task is in the regulator of the amount of travel of the upper clamping tool of the clipper, which contains a screw with a transverse cross member fixed to it, connected to an additional lever and by means of a thread with an adjusting nut; the base plate and the cover is solved in that the regulator of the stroke amount of the upper clamping tool of the clipper is equipped with a controlled linear drive made with the possibility of transmitting the force directed towards the action of the working load during clipping to the specified screw by acting on the specified traverse.

All linear drives used in the claimed devices are preferably made in the form of pneumatic cylinders controlled by the clipper control system.

- 2 036019

Examples of implementation of the claimed clipper, its constituent elements and the procedure for its operation are shown in the following non-limiting drawings:

fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the claimed clipper;

fig. 2 - view A in FIG. 1;

fig. 3 - staple feed mechanism in the staple feed position;

fig. 4 - area B in Fig. 3, increased;

fig. 5 - mechanism for feeding a paper clip in the position of preparation for feeding a paper clip;

fig. 6 - area B in FIG. 5, increased;

fig. 7 - regulator of the amount of travel of the upper clamping tool in the adjustment position;

fig. 8 - regulator of the amount of travel of the upper clamping tool in the fixing position;

fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a filling unit with a clipper in operation;

fig. 10 - possible positions of the clip in the case of various permanent deformations of the chain of clips after unwinding from the reel;

fig. 11 - region D in Fig. 10, increased;

fig. 12 - movement of clamping tools;

fig. 13 - the position of the clip at the beginning of the impact of the upper clamping tool;

fig. 14 - the position of the clip at the moment of contact with the cutting part of the upper clamping tool;

fig. 15 - the position of the paper clip at the time of separation;

fig. 16 - the position of the legs of the paper clip at the point of closing;

fig. 17 - clip clamp at the maximum point of the clamping tool closing.

The clipper contains a housing 1 (see Fig. 1, 2), with a clamping mechanism 2 attached to it, made in the form of two pairs of converging shaped cheeks 3 and 4 (see Fig. 9), made with the possibility of their axial pulling (axial mechanism cheeks are not shown in the drawing), a mechanism 5 for feeding a paper clip 6 (see Figs. 3-6) into the clipping zone and a clip clip mechanism 6, made in the form of installed with the possibility of movement relative to each other between the open position and the closing position of the lower clamping tool (hereinafter referred to as the matrix) 7 and the upper clamping tool (hereinafter referred to as the punch) 8.

On the surface of the punch 8 (see Fig. 11, 13-17) in the area of convergence of the legs of the paper clip 6, a centering protrusion 9 is made, made in this example with a triangular cross-section, with an apex angle directed towards the matrix 7. Shape of the cross-section The centering protrusion can be different: trapezoidal, semicircular or biconcave, the main thing is that its sides are equal and made inclined so that their intersection point is directed towards the matrix 7 for uniform folding of the legs of the paper clip 6 when clipping.

The clipper is equipped with upper curved guides 10 (see Fig. 12) for movement along them of the specified punch 8 along a radius R under the influence of a lever 11 installed on the first axis 12, made with the possibility of changing the position. The axis 12 is connected by an additional lever 13 with a regulator 14 of the stroke of the punch 8. The regulator 14 of the amount of the stroke of the punch 8 (see Fig. 7, 8) consists of a screw 15 with a transverse crosshead 16 attached to it, connected to the specified additional lever 13 and by means of a thread with adjusting nut 17; base plate 18 and cover 19. The regulator 14 of the stroke of the punch 8 is equipped with a controllable linear actuator, made in this example in the form of a pneumatic cylinder 20 with the ability to transmit the force directed towards the action of the working load during clipping to the screw 15 by acting on the crosshead 16.

The matrix 7 is made with the possibility of movement from the open position to the closed position under the influence of the matrix drive lever 21 (see FIGS. 3-6), associated with the profile cam 22 of the matrix drive. The drive of the mechanism 5 for feeding the staple 6 is equipped with a separate profile cam 23 connected to the feeding fork 24 through a lever 25 to impart a reciprocating movement to the feeding fork 24 in the vertical plane, and a controlled linear drive, in this example in the form of a pneumatic cylinder 26, controlled by the clipper control system ( not shown in the drawing), to impart a reciprocating movement on the second axis 28 through the second lever 27 to the feed fork 24. The profiles of the drive cam 23 of the mechanism 5 for feeding the paper clip 6 and the cam 22 of the drive of the die 7 are made to synchronize the movements of the die 7 and the lever 25 of the drive mechanism 5 staple feed 6.

Before the start of the working cycle, the clip clamping value (i.e. the punch stroke) is adjusted.

The regulator 14 of the stroke of the punch 8 is additionally shown in FIG. 7 and 8 in the extreme upper and extreme lower positions.

Using an adjusting knob (not shown in the drawing), which is installed in hole 29, rotate the nut 17. The linear axial movement of the nut 17 is limited by the end surfaces of the cover 19 and the base plate 18. The nut 17, due to the threaded connection, transmits the torque to the screw 15. Traverse 16 it is rigidly connected to the screw 15. Since the screw 15 is fixed from rotation by the lever 13 and the first axis 12, an axial linear movement of the screw 15 occurs. The thread pitch between the screw 15 and the nut 17 determines the size of the clip clamp. Preferred winding direction

- 3 036019 threads - right. Therefore, rotating the nut 17 clockwise, the screw 15 is lifted and, accordingly, the clamping value of the clip 6 is reduced, the axis 12 moves upward, the stroke of the punch 8 decreases, the height of the clamped clip 6 increases. By rotating the nut 17 counterclockwise, the screw 15 is lowered and the clamping value of the clip 6 is increased, the axis 12 moves downward, the stroke of the punch 8 increases, the height of the clamped clip 6 decreases.

After giving a control signal to the pneumatic cylinder 20, it transfers its force directed towards the action of the working load during clipping to the screw 15 through the cross-arm 16. As a result, the gaps in the thread between the screw 16 and the nut 17, as well as the gaps between the nut 17 and the cover 19. In this working position, the muscular strength of the operator is not enough to turn the nut 17 with the help of the wrench. There is no gap in the threaded connection between the screw 15 and the nut 17. The absence of gaps is positively reflected in the height of the clamped paper clip. Vibrations and shock loads do not affect the threaded connection between screw 15 and nut 17 and do not lead to loosening of nut 17. As a result, a change in the height of the clamped paper clip during operation is excluded.

The claimed clipper operates as shown in FIG. nine.

A sleeve 31 is put on the filling tube 30.

A braking device 32 is installed on the tube 30 with the casing 31 put on. The braking device 32 creates the required holding force of the casing 31 when it is filled with product and prevents air from entering the inside of the casing with the product (loaf 33).

Clamping of the casing 31 is performed, with the cheeks 3 and 4 of the clamping mechanism 2 approaching radially with respect to the clipped casing with the product. The casing 31 is pinched. After that, the cheeks 3 are axially displaced in the direction of the loaf 33, thereby creating a stretched flagellum 34 from the casing 31. To form the flagellum 34, the casing 31 is pulled through the cheeks 4 and the braking device 32, using the supply of the casing 31 located on the filling tube 30.

The paper clip is fed as follows (see Fig. 3-6).

The mechanism 5 for feeding the staple 6 and the lever 21 for driving the matrix are divided as two independent mechanisms, each of which is driven by its own profile of the cams 23 and 22, respectively. The engagement and disengagement of the feed fork 24 and the chain of staples 6 are carried out by synchronizing the movement of the lever 21 of the drive of the die 7 and the lever 25 of the drive of the mechanism 5 for feeding the staple 6. Mutual movement of the lever 21 of the drive of the die 7 and the lever 25 of the drive of the mechanism 5 for feeding the staple 6 is achieved by mutual matching of the control profiles of the cams 22 and 23 of these mechanisms, respectively.

The lever 21 of the matrix drive, the lever 25 of the drive of the feed mechanism 5 of the paper clip 6, as well as the clamping bar 35 have a common axis of rotation, therefore, the engagement of the feed fork 24 and the chain of clips 6 is possible at any of the angles of the path of movement of the levers 25 and 21. The feed fork 24 oscillates movement around the axis 28, ensuring the lifting of the chain of clips 6 above the matrix 7 and feeding the clip to the desired pitch H. The driving force is obtained by the fork 24 from the rotation of the eccentric shaft 36, which has an eccentricity C at an angle X °, which, in turn, is actuated through the lever 27 from the controlled pneumatic cylinder 26. The pneumatic cylinder 26 is fixed on the lever 27 of the mechanism 5 for feeding the paper clip 6 with a hinge at point P. The moment of switching on the pneumatic cylinder 26 can be corrected with a lag or ahead of the cycle time using the clipper control system (not shown in the drawing ).

When the lever 21 of the drive of the matrix 7 moves to the point of clipping (see Figs. 5, 6), the lever 25 of the drive of the mechanism 5 for feeding the paper clips 6 moves in the same direction, but with a delay. At the moment when the lever 21 carrying the matrix 7 reaches the clipping point, the feed fork 24 is completely disengaged from the chain of clips 6. The clip 6 is installed in the place necessary for clipping and is pressed by the bar 35. The bar 35 is spring-loaded with respect to the lever 21 s by means of an elastic element 37, ensuring reliable fixation of the chain of clips 6 on the clipping tool (matrix) 7. At the command of the clipper control system, the pneumatic cylinder 26 makes a reverse stroke, forcing the feed fork 24 to return to its original state (the position of engagement during feeding is shown in Fig. 6 by a dotted line) ... Thus, the synchronization of the movements of the matrix 7 and the lever 25 of the drive of the mechanism 5 for feeding the staple 6 is made so that the engagement of the feeding fork 24 and the chain of staples 6 is carried out at the end of the clipping cycle (the lever of the driver of the matrix 7 is in the lowest position (see Fig. 4)).

Fixation of the chain of staples 6 on the matrix 7 occurs on the last two staples. After the last clip is detached during clipping, the next clip remains securely fixed in its mounting position 38. When the matrix drive lever 21 is returned to the lower position (see Fig. 2), the pitch binding of the chain of clips 6, feeding fork 24 and matrices 7.

In automatic mode, the cycle is repeated many times.

The matrix 7 is made with the possibility of movement from the open position to the closed position due to rotation around the axis with a turning radius r, the punch 8 is made with the possibility of movement from the open position to the closing position along a curved path in the form of a section of a circle with a radius R, while r << R (see Figs. 1 and 12).

- 4 036019

Staples 6 are fed in the above described manner into the clipping zone (see Fig. 9) already pre-installed and fixed on the matrix 7. When the punch 8 and the matrix 7 approach each other, one staple 6 is separated from the chain of staples and simultaneously clamped around the flagellum formed from the shell 31 34. It should be noted that two staples 6 of two parallel chains are applied to the formed flagellum 34. One paper clip 6 is applied to the end of the previous loaf 33, the other - to the beginning of the next.

The punch 8 moves in the guides 10 along a curved path (see Fig. 12), acting first on the free leg of the paper clip 6 (see Fig. 13), setting in the desired position in the matrix 7 (see Fig. 14). The radius R of convergence of the punch 8 is much greater than the radius r of movement of the matrix 7, therefore, the installation of the clip 6 occurs without additional deformations of the free leg. After that, the connected leg is separated and at the same time the clamping of the free leg begins. The moment of separation of the paper clip 6 from the chain of clips and the moment of the beginning of deformation of the clip 6 are aligned. With such a simultaneous effect on both legs, there is a possibility that one of the legs can reach the clamping point earlier, due to the unequal force exerted by the punch 8 on both legs of the paper clip 6. But for the correct closure, the legs of the paper clip 6 must converge symmetrically relative to the axis of symmetry of the paper clip.

On the profile of the punch 8 at the point where the legs of the paper clip 6 should close, a centering protrusion 9 is made (see Fig. 11, 13-17), which stops the overrun of any of the legs relative to the axis of symmetry of the paper clip 6 and against which the leg of an unevenly laid paper clip rests 6, sliding it into the correct position. Further movement of the punch 8 leads to the reduction of its legs (see Figs. 13-17), symmetrical about the axis of symmetry of the clip 6, and the closing of the clip 6.

Then the separation of the flagellum 34 between the staples is carried out with a cutting knife 39 (see Fig. 9).

During the rest of the cycle, all mechanisms return to their original state. At the end of the work cycle, two staples are fed simultaneously. The clipped loaf 33 is removed from the clipping zone using an unloading chute.

Through the inside of the tube 30, the product is filled into the shell 31 for the next portion. Filling takes place using a pumping device that is not part of this technical system.

After filling the required portion, the operator starts the declared clipper in automatic mode. In this case, all the previously listed operations are cyclically performed until the entire supply of the shell 31 located on the filling tube 30 is consumed.

Thus, the task in the declared clipper was solved due to the following technical results:

the moment of separation of the clip from the chain of clips and the moment of the beginning of the deformation of the clip are aligned, while the punch moves in curved guides having a radius of curvature much larger than the radius of movement of the lower clamping tool (matrix);

on the punch profile at the point where the legs should be closed, a protrusion of the declared shape is made, which compensates for the asymmetrical placement of the clip and ensures its symmetrical closure;

eliminated gaps in the moving elements of the travel size regulator of the upper clamping tool (punch), which negatively affect the height of the compressed paper clip;

the convenience of adjusting the size of the clip clamp is provided;

the use of an independent linear drive of the staple feeder allows the necessary and sufficient force to be applied to the staple chain. If the pitch of the staples in the chain is violated for any reason, there is no possibility of failure of the staple feed mechanism due to excessive applied force.

The use of a time-controlled staple feeder allows automatic feeding of a staple several steps forward without completing a complete clipping cycle. With the help of the control system, it is possible to carry out half a work cycle and return to its original position, while the separation and deformation of the paper clip will not occur. Such an opportunity is in demand during commissioning procedures or in the case when it is necessary to advance the chain of staples several steps forward when detecting violations of the geometry of the staples without performing full working cycles (removing the defective section of the staples).

The use of pneumatic cylinders as all of these linear drives improves the sanitization conditions, as well as the conditions of service and adjustment. To adjust the staple feed step, it is enough to adjust the length of the linear actuator stem and manually control the feed fork stroke. In the already known designs with a chain drive, to check the correct pitch setting, it is necessary to perform a full working cycle, since the feed fork feeds the paper clip only at a certain point in the clipping cycle. When moving in the opposite direction, the chain of staples is fed in the opposite direction.

- 5 036019

Sources of information

1. European patent EP 1428760, publ. January 17, 2007.

2. Patent of Russia RU 2386573, publ. 20.04.2010.

3. Poly-clip website: https: //drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B1tIczVnpIbaFJDUkJVMUhubk0.

4. European patent EP 1731432, publ. 06/17/2009 (prototype).

Claims (2)

CLAIM 1. A regulator (14) of the stroke value of the upper clamping tool (8) of the clipper, comprising a screw (15) with a transverse cross member (16) fixed on it, connected to an additional lever (13) and by means of a thread with an adjusting nut (17); base plate (18) and cover (19), characterized in that the regulator (14) of the stroke of the upper clamping tool (8) of the clipper is equipped with a controllable linear actuator adapted to transmit the force directed towards the action of the working load during clipping to the specified screw (15) by acting on the indicated crosshead (16). 2. Regulator according to claim 1, characterized in that the linear drive is made in the form of a pneumatic cylinder (20) controlled by the clipper control system.