EP0256550B1 - Loading table for container handling machines - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Loading table at vessel treatment machines, in particular at vessel filling machines, preferably at bottle filling machines displaying one or more treatment stations, with a vessel inlet (1) for the vessels to be treated and a vessel outlet (4) for the treated vessels (2) as well as transport elements, which effect the vessel flow between the vessel inlet and the vessel outlet and of which at least one consists of a transport star (7, 11, 18) rotating about a vertical axis and of a securing element, wherein the transport star (7, 11, 18) in the region of a circumferential surface concentrically enclosing its rotational axis (6, 12, 19) possesses several recesses (25), which are open radially towards the circumference and display a uniform mutual spacing, for the transport of the vessels (2) along a transport section in the shape of a circular path from a transport star inlet to a transport star outlet and the securing element is arranged laterally at the transport section in the shape of a circular path and opposite the circumferential surface of the transport star (7, 11, 18), wherein the securing element is formed of at least one free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41'", 42, 42") of at least an outer belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42), which forms a closed loop and circulates endlessly over rollers (29, 31, 43, 60) provided at the machine frame (38, 44, 59), characterised thereby, that the belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) by its free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41'", 42', 42") forming the securing element lies opposite the circumferential (22; 22') of the transport star (7, 11, 18) in a direction radially towards the rotational axis (6, 12, 19) and that the circumferential surface (22; 22') is formed in such a manner that - at least when the transport star (7, 11, 18) is not loaded with vessels - the free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41', 42', 42") of the belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) by its free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41'", 42', 42") in the tautened state bears against the circumferential surface (22; 22').

Description

The invention relates to a front table on vascular treatment machines, preferably on vascular or bottle filling machines, and in this case specifically to a front table according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is common practice to use vascular treatment machines such as e.g. Filling machines, capping machines and labeling machines to provide a so-called front table or a machine area with transport elements, via which the vessels to be treated or processed are fed to the treatment station having the treatment organs of the machine or removed from this station after the treatment and removed from the machine . The front table thus forms the actual vessel inlet and the vessel outlet of the entire machine consisting of the front table and treatment station, at least two transport elements being provided on the front table for the vessel flow, one of which is used to convey the vessels to the treatment station at a predetermined machine distance or division distance by means of a conveyor belt and inlet screw feeds the vascular treatment machine and one removes the treated vessels from the treatment station and thus from the vascular treatment machine. Particularly in the case of vessel or bottle filling machines with several treatment stations, e.g. with a filling station and a closing station, it is customary to assign the front station to the closing station for the filled vessels or bottles. The front table then has at least three transport elements, namely in turn one for feeding the vessels to be filled to the vessel or bottle filling station, one in the form of a transfer element for removing the filled vessels or bottles from the vessel or bottle filling station and for transferring them to the sealing station and to a conveyor belt for removing the sealed containers or bottles from the sealing station and for transferring them, for example, to a subsequent conveyor belt which removes the containers or bottles.

In order to promote the vessels at the required machine distance or spacing and to ensure a smooth pick-up and transfer of the vessels, the above-mentioned transport elements of the front table are each designed as transport stars, each of which has several circumferentially open and evenly spaced at its circumference Has recesses (pockets) for receiving vessels. The vessels received by the recesses of the transport stars are each moved on a part-circular conveyor line by the transport stars. In order to keep the vessels in the recesses of the transport stars, a securing element is also provided on the part-circular conveyor section of each transport star, which encloses the relevant transport star on its part-circular conveyor section between the transport star inlet and the transport star outlet, the transport star inlet beginning and the transport star outlet the end the part-circular conveyor line.

In the case of front tables of a known type, these securing elements are outer guide railings or guide curves, each of which forms a stationary guide surface for the vessels which surrounds the relevant transport star on the part-circular conveyor path. In order to ensure a secure hold of the vessels in the recesses of the transport stars, the distance between the guide surface and the axis of rotation of the respective transport star must be adapted to the diameter of the vessels arranged upright in the recesses of the transport stars.

Since, for example, in beverage processing plants with the vessel treatment machines there, vessels or bottles with different sizes or with different diameters are often processed, it is necessary with these known front tables to change from one container or vessel size to another vessel size or -sort the guide railings or guide curves to the new vessel size or replace existing guide railings with other guide rails adapted to the new vessel size. This makes extensive and time-consuming conversion measures necessary.

In order to simplify the conversion of front tables of this type to different vessel sizes, it has already been proposed (DE-OS 34 32 590) to use different guide railings for different vessel sizes, but to provide common centering devices for holding these guide rails at the front table and to provide guide rails to be locked centrally by means of electrically, hydraulically, mechanically or the like actuated quick release devices. Despite a relatively complex construction, there is no need to retrofit when processing different vessel sizes.

Also known is a front table of the type mentioned at the beginning (US Pat. No. 3,957,145), which (front table) has a transport star at the vessel inlet and at the vessel outlet, the associated securing element of which is not a guide railing, but a free length of a band-shaped element, which as closed loop runs endlessly over rollers provided on the machine frame.

Through the use of the free length of the band-shaped element surrounding the respective transport star in the region of its conveying path as a securing element, vibration-free conveying of the vessels and processing of vessels of different sizes or diameters are also possible without retrofitting measures. For safe transport of the vessels, however, it is necessary that they be pressed into the recesses of the transport star by the securing element formed by the free length of the band-shaped element there are kept free of play, which is not guaranteed in the absence of vessels or gaps in the vessel flow without additional measures, ie by the band-shaped element alone.

The invention has for its object to develop a front table of the type mentioned in such a way that while maintaining its basic advantages, as many vessels as possible in the transport path of the at least one transport star are kept free of play and safely even in the event of gaps in the vessel flow.

To solve this problem, a front table is designed according to the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

Also in the front table according to the invention, the band-shaped element, which rotates synchronously with the transport star, presses the receptacles received by the transport star into the recesses of the transport star and holds them there. The band-shaped element also acts here as a tensioning strap with which the vessels are clamped in the recesses of the transport star. The required tensioning force is achieved by a tensioning device, preferably in cooperation with a certain intrinsic elasticity of the band-shaped element. Due to the fact that the length of the band-shaped element serving as a securing element lies radially to the axis of rotation of the transport star opposite a circular-cylindrical circumferential surface of this transport star and is under the influence of the clamping force, the band-shaped element can be in the absence of vessels, i.e. If there are gaps in the flow of the vessel, place it against this peripheral surface of the transport star. Even if there are gaps in the flow of vessels, the invention does not lead to malfunctions, but also in this case the vessels in the recesses of the transport star are kept free of play.

In a possible embodiment of the invention, this circular-cylindrical peripheral surface is designed such that the radius (radius) determining this peripheral surface is smaller than the radius determining the circular path of the conveying path of the transport star.

The peripheral surface is formed on a partial area of the transport star between its top and bottom, at which (partial area) the transport star has a diameter that is less than or at most equal to twice the distance that the closed side of the at least one recess facing the axis of rotation of the transport star of this axis of rotation. This design has the advantage that the circular or cylindrical peripheral surface is not interrupted by the recesses of the transport star and is also between two sections of the transport star, where it has a larger diameter, so that even if gaps suddenly appear in the vessel flow and despite the occurring or possible short-term relaxation of the band-shaped element with its length runs perfectly onto the peripheral surface of the transport star.

In a preferred embodiment, however, the circular cylindrical peripheral surface is designed such that the radius determining this peripheral surface is equal to or greater than the radius determining the circular path of the conveying path of the transport star. This embodiment has the advantage that only a relatively small clamping path is required for the tensioning device provided for tensioning the band-shaped element, in order to close the band-shaped element both in the case of vessels present in the transport star and for vessels missing in the transport star or for void gaps in the tensioned state hold. This advantage has an effect in particular if a common band-shaped element with a single tensioning device is provided for several transport stars.

The band-shaped element runs freely over the rollers, i.e. a separate drive for the band-shaped element is not provided, but this is moved by the transport star by its abutment against the vessels or against the peripheral surface of the transport star. This always results in a synchronous movement of the band-shaped element with the transport star. In particular, a relative movement between the band-shaped element and the vessels is also avoided, so that these are free of vibrations due to their clamping in the transport star and due to the lack of a relative movement between the vessels and the band-shaped element even without their own movement, i.e. can be transported around their high axes without turning. The clamping of the vessels also results in a quiet or low-noise run for the front table. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to drive the band-shaped element from the machine.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the design is such that a roller, preferably serving as a deflection roller, is provided in the area of the transport star inlet and in the area of the transport star outlet in such a way that the axes of rotation of these rollers are at a radial distance from the axis of rotation of the transport star such that at the transport star inlet and at the transport star outlet, the respective partial length of the band-shaped element lying against the roller there and facing the transport star has a radial distance from the axis of rotation of the transport star, which ensures that the vessels, in particular also the vessels with the largest diameter to be processed, are free of faults on Transport star inlet can be inserted into the recesses or removed from the recesses at the transport star outlet. It is then not necessary to adjust these roles provided at the transport star inlet and at the transport star outlet to different vessel sizes.

In order to ensure that vessels, and in particular also vessels with different diameters, are clamped securely in the at least one transport star, the star on its partially circular conveying path is replaced by a free one The length of the at least one band-shaped element is enclosed, ie the band-shaped element is not guided over rollers over this arcuate length.

In a preferred embodiment, the free length of the at least one band-shaped element forming the securing element encloses the associated transport star over an angular range greater than 90 _° , preferably over an angular range of 180 _° , ie preferably over an angular range which is also somewhat larger than the part-circular conveyor path of the transport star, so that the vessels, regardless of their respective diameter, are firmly clamped on the transport star by the length of the band-shaped element.

Developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

• Fig. 1 in schematischer Darstellung eine Draufsicht auf einen Vortisch einer Gefäß- bzw. Flaschenbehandlungsmaschine;
• Fig. 2 in Einzeldarstellung und im Querschnitt eine der als Umlenk- oder Führungsrollen dienenden und als Keilriemenscheiben ausgebildeten Rollen zur Verwendung bei dem Vortisch gemäß Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 in Einzeldarstellung und in Draufsicht eine der Spanneinrichtungen des Vortisches gemäß Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 in vergrößerter Darstellung einen Schnitt entsprechend der Linie I-I der Fig. 3;
• Fig. 5 einen Teilschnitt in einer vertikalen Schnittebene durch einen der Transportsterne des Vortisches gemäß Fig. 1 entsprechend der Schnittlinie II-11 der Fig. 1, zusammen mit einer in einer Ausnehmung dieses Transportsternes gehaltenen bzw. eingespannten Flasche;
• Fig. 6 und 7 ähnliche Darstellungen wie Fig. 1, jedoch bei zwei weiteren Ausführungsformen des Vortisches.
• Fig. 8 in ähnlicher Darstellung wie Fig. 1 eine weitere Ausführungsform des Vortisches;
• Fig. 9 einen Schnitt entsprechend der Linie 111-111 der Fig. 8;
• Fig. 10 einen Schnitt entsprechend der Linie IV-IV der Fig. 8;
• Fig. 11 einen Schnitt entsprechend der Linie V-V der Fig. 8;
• Fig. 12 in Einzeldarstellung einen als Abstandshalter dienenden Bolzen zur Verwendung bei dem Vortisch nach Fig. 8.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures using an exemplary embodiment. Show it

• Figure 1 is a schematic representation of a plan view of a front table of a vessel or bottle treatment machine.
• FIG. 2 in individual representation and in cross section one of the rollers serving as deflection or guide rollers and designed as V-belt pulleys for use in the front table according to FIG. 1;
• Fig. 3 in individual representation and in plan view one of the clamping devices of the front table according to Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a section along the line II of Fig. 3;
• 5 shows a partial section in a vertical sectional plane through one of the transport stars of the front table according to FIG. 1 according to the section line II-11 of FIG. 1, together with a bottle held or clamped in a recess of this transport star;
• 6 and 7 representations similar to FIG. 1, but in two further embodiments of the front table.
• 8 shows a further embodiment of the front table in a representation similar to FIG. 1;
• Fig. 9 is a section along the line 111-111 of Fig. 8;
• Fig. 10 is a section along the line IV-IV of Fig. 8;
• Fig. 11 is a section along the line VV of Fig. 8;
• FIG. 12 in individual representation a bolt serving as a spacer for use in the front table according to FIG. 8.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the front table has an inlet area 1 on a bottle treatment machine, which otherwise has a filling station and a closing station and is not shown in detail, at which the bottles 2 are conveyed by a conveyor, e.g. via a conveyor belt 3 in the direction of arrow A, i.e. 1, the front table and thus the bottle treatment machine are fed from the left, and an outlet area 4, at which the closed bottles 2 after the treatment (e.g. filling) from the front table to a transporter, e.g. be transferred to a conveyor belt for removing the bottles 2 in the direction of arrow B.

At the inlet area 1, at which the bottles 2 which follow one another and stand upright in the conveying direction A are brought to the required machine distance by a screw 5 provided on the side of the conveyor belt 3, there is a transport star which is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis 6 and rotates about this axis 6 7 is provided as an inlet star, to which the bottles 2 transported by the conveyor belt 3 are successively fed with the screw 5 and which carries the bottles 2 in its recesses on a partial circle of approximately 180 _° extending concentrically to the axis 6 and at the end of this circular transport path transfers the rotor of the filling station 8, which is shown only schematically, to the treatment organs, specifically at the bottle inlet 9 of this treatment station 8 or its rotor. For this purpose, the transport star 7 runs around the axis 6 in the direction of the arrow C, that is to say counterclockwise in the embodiment shown. The rotor of the filling station 8 runs around a likewise vertical axis in the direction of the arrow D, ie clockwise in the embodiment shown.

After the treatment, the upright, unsealed bottles 2 are transferred at the bottle outlet 10 to the filling station 8 or the rotors to the further transport star 11 provided there, which has the function of a transfer star and is rotatably supported about the likewise vertical axis 12 and about this axis in the direction of the Arrow E, that is, in the illustrated embodiment, driven counterclockwise. With the transport star 11, the upright bottles 2 are carried on a pitch circle concentric to the axis 12 over an angular range greater than 180 _° and, in the embodiment shown, one after the other at the inlet 13 of a closing station 14 adjoining the transport star 11 or at its closure members having the rotor passed on. The rotor of the closing station 14 is rotatably mounted about a likewise vertical axis 16 and is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction about this axis in the direction of the arrow F, ie in the embodiment shown. At the outlet 17 of the closing station 14, the upright, now closed bottles 2 are successively transferred to a further transport star 18, which has the function of an outlet star and is rotatably mounted about the vertical axis 19 and about this axis in the direction of arrow G, ie in the illustrated embodiment is driven to rotate counterclockwise. With the transport star 18, the bottles 2 are carried along a pitch circle concentric to the axis 19, ie in the embodiment shown over an angular range of approximately 180 _°, and then at the outlet area 4 of the bottle treatment machine to the one there hand over to the carrier for removing the bottles 2.

All transport stars 7, 11 and 18 are driven synchronously with the rotors of the filling station 8 and the closing station 14, whereby at least the transport stars 7, 11 and 18 have the same basic structure in principle despite their possibly different diameters, i.e. 5, each transport star 7, 11 and 18 consists, for example, of at least two circular disk-shaped elements 20 and 21, each with the same outside diameter, these circular disk-shaped elements being arranged in parallel and at a distance above one another such that the elements 20 and 21 with their surface sides are parallel to one another and with their central axis coaxially with one another and coaxially with the respective axis 6, 12 or 19. In order to keep the elements 20 and 21 at the required distance, a hub-like element 23 having a circular peripheral surface 22 'is provided between these elements, the peripheral surface of which also lies concentrically with the axis 6, 12 and 19 of the transport star in question and on the end faces of the elements 20 and 21 are attached. The hub-like element 23 has a smaller diameter than the elements 20 and 21, so that they each protrude radially beyond the circumferential surface 22 ′ with an annular region with a circular circumferential surface 22. In this area, recesses 25 are formed in the elements 20 and 21 towards the circumference or on the circumferential surface 22, which are usually provided at uniform angular intervals around the circumference of the element 20 or 21 such that each recess 25 in the the upper element 20 is arranged congruently in the vertical direction with a recess 25 in the lower element 21, and so in each case a recess 25 in the element 20 with a recess 25 in the element 21 is used for receiving a bottle 2 and for the circumference of the relevant transport star 7 , 11 and 18 forms open pocket or gap. The individual transport stars 7, 11 and 18 each have a plurality of such recesses 25, which are provided on the circumference of the transport star in question at uniform angular intervals. Furthermore, it is also possible, in particular, to design the transport stars 7, 11 and 18 in detail in a different way than described above, it is only important that each transport star in the area between the upper and lower recesses 25 or on the recesses 25th having circumferential surface between the top and the bottom of the Transportster nes has a circumferential area formed corresponding to the circumferential surface 22 'or 22 circular cylindrical and concentric to the axis of rotation of the transport star.

In order to keep the bottles 2, which are each arranged with a part of their circumferential surface in the recesses 25 of the transport stars 7, 11 and 18, in these transport stars, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 there are several, self-contained and endlessly rotating band-shaped elements in the form of V-belts 26, 27 and 28 are provided, of which the V-belt 26 is assigned to the transport star 7, the V-belt 27 to the transport star 11 and the V-belt 28 to the transport star 18. These V-belts 26, 27 and 28, which replace the usual guide curves or guide railings in transport stars, are each guided via a plurality of rollers 2 designed as V-belt pulleys and via a tensioning roller 31, also designed as a V-belt pulley and provided on a tensioning device 30, such that each is driven by a V-belt 26, 27 and 28 formed, self-contained loop is arranged in a horizontal plane, which is preferably at the height of the peripheral surface 22 of the lower element 21 or at a level approximately in the middle between the elements 20 and 21 of the relevant transport star 7 , 11 and 18 respectively. In the illustrated embodiment, all the loops formed by the V-belts 26, 27 and 28 lie in a common horizontal plane, namely at the level of the lower element 21 or the peripheral surface 22. The V-belts 26, 27 and 28 are still so over the Rollers 29 guided that the V-belt 26 with a length 26 'enclose the transport star 7 at its conveying area, the V-belt 27 with a length 27' enclose the transport star 11 at its conveying area and the V-belt 28 with a length 28 'enclose the transport star 18 at its conveying area . For the V-belts 26 and 28, three rollers 29 and a tensioning device 30 with a tensioning roller 31 are used for the deflection or guidance, and for the V-belt 27 four rollers 29 and a tensioning device 30 with a tensioning roller 31, the arrangement of these rollers in detail is made such that a roller 29 serving for deflection is provided at the inlet and outlet of each transport star 7, 11 or 18, ie the relevant V-belt 26, 27 or 28 is deflected there by 180 °. The distance between the respective peripheral area of the transport star 7, 11 or 18 facing the respective roller 29 serving as a deflection roller at the inlet or outlet of each transport star 7, 11 or 18 from the closed side or the side facing the axis of rotation of this transport star The bottom surface of the recesses 25 is larger than the maximum diameter of the bottles 2 to be treated or processed with the bottle treatment machine. The further roller 29 or the further rollers 29 and the tensioning roller 31 have an even greater radial distance from the associated transport star so that 29 bottles 2 of different sizes can be processed without making any adjustments to the band-shaped securing elements of the front table, in particular even without adjusting the rollers.

In the embodiment shown in solid lines in FIG. 5, the bottles 2 are due to the length 26 ', 27' and 28 'of the respective band-shaped element lying opposite the peripheral surface 22 of the lower element 21 and thus at a short distance above the stationary slide Surface 15, on which the bottles 2 slide with their bottom, clamped on the transport star 7, 11 or 18, whereby the clamping and thus the desired quiet transport of the bottles 2 are significantly improved.

In the embodiment shown, additional guides 24 are provided at the inlet 13 in the transport direction following the length 27 'and at the outlet 17 in the transport direction before the length 28'.

As shown in FIG. 2, each roller 29 is freely rotatably supported on a journal 32 about a vertical axis. 3 and 4 in particular, each tensioning device 30 consists of a lever 33 which carries at its free end the tensioning roller 32 which is freely rotatably supported there about a vertical axis by means of a bearing pin 34 and at its other end with a swivel bearing 35 receiving bearing sleeve 36 is provided and with this pivot bearing 35 on a bearing pin 37 is pivotable about a vertical axis. The bearing bolts 37 of the tensioning devices 30 and the bearing journals 32 of the roller 29 are provided on the upper side of support plates 39, which are fastened to the upper side of the front table or the machine housing or directly lying on them via conventional supporting bolts, not shown, for example using the there already provided for the usual guide rails. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, two such support plates 38 are provided, namely a support plate for the rollers 29 and the tensioning device 30 of the V-belt 26 as well as for the three rollers 29 of the roller 29 shown in FIG. 1 to the left of the axis 12 V-belt 27 and a support plate 38 for the rollers 29 and the tensioning device 30 of the V-belt 28 and additionally also for the tensioning device 30 and a roller 29 of the V-belt 27.

Through the use of the support plates 38, these can be preassembled with the rollers 29 and the tensioning devices 30, possibly also with the V-belts 26 and 28, and in this state can be attached to a front table, so that the assembly of the V-belts 26, 27 and 28 formed guiding and securing device is very simple and, if necessary, retrofitting vascular treatment machines already in operation with this device is possible without any problems.

Each tensioning device 30 also has a spring element 39 which is articulated at one end to the lever 33 between its two ends and at the other end to the associated support plate 38. In the embodiment shown, each spring element 39 is formed by a pneumatic cylinder, which in addition to the spring action also gives the possibility of a presetting depending on the size or the diameter of the bottles 2 processed in each case. By means of the tensioning devices 30, the V-belts 26, 27 and 28 are tensioned in such a way that their lengths 26 ', 27' and 28 'rest against the bottles 2 received by the recesses 25 of the transport stars 7, 11 and 18, respectively in the region of the circumferential side of these bottles 2 facing away from the respective axis 6, 12 or 19, so that the bottles 2 are clamped in the recesses 25. This function of the V-belts 26, 27 and 28 is independent of the diameter of the bottles 2 processed in each case, so that bottles 2 with different sizes or with different diameters can be processed without manual presetting of the front table. If there are gaps in the bottle flow, i.e. in the case of bottles missing in a transport star 7, 11 or 18, the relevant V-belt with its length 26 ', 27' or 28 'lies against the peripheral surface 22 of the lower element 21 or, in the case of the lines indicated by dash-dotted lines in FIG. 5, against the peripheral surface 22 'of the hub-like element 23, so that even with gaps in the bottle flow, proper guidance of the relevant V-belt 26, 27 or 28 around the associated transport star 7, 11 or 18 and the rollers 29 and the associated tensioning roller 31 is ensured. Since all the rollers 29 and also the tensioning rollers 31 are freely rotatable, the V-belts 26, 27 and 28 are exclusively by the transport star 7, 11 and 18 (by abutment against the bottles 2 or the peripheral surface of the elements 20, 21 and 23) emotional. Since there is therefore no relative movement between the bottles 2 and the outer securing elements formed by the lengths 26 ', 27' and 28 ', the bottles 2 are conveyed very quietly in the transport stars 7, 11 and 18 without vibration and rotation. The latter is particularly important when transferring the filled bottles 2 from the rotor of the filling station 8 to the rotor of the closing station 14. Furthermore, the use of the V-belts 26, 27 and 28 results in a particularly low-noise operation of the device.

The further embodiment shown in FIG. 6 differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 1 essentially only in that in this further embodiment, instead of the separate V-belts 26 and 27 for the transport stars 7 and 11, a common closed loop, that is, a Common, self-contained V-belt 40 is provided, which with its lengths 40 'and 40 "encloses the conveying area of the transport star 7 or the conveying area of the transport star 11, that is, the lengths 40' and 40" have the same function as the lengths 26 ' and 27 '. By using the common V-belt 40 for the transport stars 7 and 11, only a single tensioning device 30 with a larger tensioning path adapted to this function is required for both transport stars. The number of rollers 29 is also reduced to a total of four for these two transport stars, which results in a significant, constructive simplification. In this embodiment, the rollers 29, which are provided at the inlet and outlet of the transport stars 7 and 11 and serve as deflection rollers, are retained, but the V-belt 40 has been guided such that the V-belt 40 with its outside the conveying area of the transport stars 7 and 11 lying lengths between the roller 29 provided at the outlet of the transport star 7 and the Inlet of the transport star 11 provided roller 29 or angled via the tensioning roller 31 between the roller 29 provided at the inlet of the transport star 7 and the roller 29 provided at the outlet of the transport star.

Fig. 7 shows a further embodiment, which differs from the embodiment of Fig. 6 in that in this further embodiment, a common V-belt 41 is provided for the transport stars 7, 11 and 18 and with its lengths 41 'and 41 "not only how the V-belt 40 encloses the conveying areas of the transport stars 7 and 11, but also with its length 41 also the conveying area of the transport star 18. The use of the V-belt 41 results in a further design simplification in that only a single tensioning device 30 is used 1, the number of rollers 29 is reduced to eight in the embodiment according to Fig. 7. The V-belt 41 has the same course between the inlet of the transport star 7 and the outlet of the transport star 11 like the V-belt 40, but its length corresponds to that on the output ng of the transport star 11 provided roller 29 follows, guided over the tensioning roller 31 of the tensioning device 30 to the roller 29 provided at the inlet of the transport star 18 and extends from the roller 29 provided at the exit of the transport star 18 via two further rollers 29 back to the at the inlet of the Transport star 7 provided roller 29th

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, only the two transport stars 7 and 11 and the associated elements being shown in FIG. 8 for the sake of simplicity. This embodiment corresponds to the embodiment according to FIG. 6 to the extent that the self-contained and endlessly circulating band-shaped element formed by a V-belt 42 is provided jointly for both transport stars 7 and 11. The V-belt 42 encloses with its length 42 'the conveying area of the transport star 7 and with its length 42 "the conveying area of the transport star 11. At the inlet and at the outlet of the transport stars 7 and 11, a roller 43 corresponding to the roller 29 is again provided, via which the V-belt 42 is guided so that it has a length 42 "between the roller 43 at the inlet of the transport star 7 and the roller 43 at the outlet of the transport star 11 and between the roller 43 at the outlet of the transport star 7 and the roller 43 at the inlet of the transport star 11 forms a length 42 "".

In contrast to the rollers 29, the rollers 43 are not held firmly on the machine frame of the front table, but rather are provided on a plate 44 in such an adjustable manner that the distance between the axis of each roller 43 and the axis 6 or 12 of the associated transport star 7 or 11 can be changed so that this distance and thus also the distance of the V-belt 42 at the inlet and outlet of the transport stars 7 and 11 can be adapted to the respective diameter of the bottles 2 processed, ie with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 to 12, bottles 2 with very different diameters can also be processed (if necessary when the transport stars 7 and 11 are exchanged). For this setting, each roller 43 is rotatably mounted about a vertical axis at one end of a double-armed pivot lever 45, which in turn is fastened on the underside of the plate 44 between its two ends about a likewise vertical axis by means of a bearing element 46. The other end of each pivot lever 45 is connected by means of a hinge pin 47 to the one end of an intermediate lever 48 also provided under the plate 44. Two intermediate levers 48 each, namely the intermediate lever 48 in the area of the outlet of the transport star 7 and the intermediate lever 48 in the area of the inlet of the transport star 11 or the intermediate lever 48 in the area of the inlet of the transport star 7 and the intermediate lever 48 in the area of the outlet of the transport star 11 are articulated at their other end with the aid of a hinge pin 49 to a common nut thread piece 50, the axes of the hinge pins 47 and 49 being parallel to the pivot axis of the pivot lever 45 or in the vertical direction. The two nut threads 50 engage with their thread in the external thread of a threaded section 51 'or 51 "of a spindle 51, which is also provided under the plate 44 and with its axis running in the horizontal direction with one of the threaded sections 51' and 51" having partial length in the area between the two transport stars 7 and 11 extends. In the embodiment shown, the two threaded sections 51 'and 51 "are designed in opposite directions, ie one of these threaded sections has a right-hand thread and one has a left-hand thread. Furthermore, the design is such that the two intermediate levers 48, each articulated on a common nut thread piece 50 form an angle with each other that opens in the direction of the axis of the spindle 51 to the side facing away from the other nut thread piece 50.

The spindle 51, which projects with its unthreaded end over a side of the plate 44 running parallel to the length 42 "and is provided there with a turning handle 52, is rotatable on the underside of the plate 44, but is axially non-displaceably mounted on one the threadless section adjacent to the turning handle 52 with the aid of a bearing element 53 fastened to the underside of the plate 44 and having a bearing bore 54 for the spindle 51. In the bearing element 53 there is also a continuous slot 55 on one side of the bearing bore and also opening into this bearing bore 54 provided, through which the bearing element is simultaneously designed as a clamping piece, so that the spindle 51 can be clamped in the bearing element 53 by tightening a clamping screw 56 provided with a handle or secured against rotation about its axis, in order to avoid an axial displacement of the spindle 51 , 53 rings or actuators are on this on both sides of the bearing element rings 57 attached. The plate 44 is held at a distance above the upper side of the machine frame 59 by a plurality of bolt-like spacing elements 58 which run in the vertical direction. One of these spacer elements 58 is arranged such that it is cut by the spindle 51, ie a bore is provided in this spacer element 58, in which the spindle 51 is additionally supported or supported in the region of its end remote from the rotary handle 52.

Due to the described design of the threaded sections 51 'and 51 ", the nut threads 50 are moved towards each other when the spindle 51 is rotated (depending on the direction of rotation) in the sense of reducing the mutual distance or are moved apart in the sense of increasing the mutual distance, the first If the pivot levers 45 are pivoted via the intermediate levers 48 in the sense of increasing the radial distance of the rollers 43 from the axes 6 or 12 and in the second case in the sense of reducing this distance, all the pivot levers 45 at the same time the pivot lever 45 and / or intermediate lever 48 and / or by appropriate choice of the relative position that these levers have to each other, is further ensured that when turning the spindle 51 in one and in the other direction, all provided on the pivot levers 45 Rolls 43 each around the same or at least approximately move the same amount radially to the axis 6 or 12 of the associated transport star 7 or 11. This makes it possible to adjust all the rollers 53 together by rotating the single spindle 51. After each adjustment, the spindle 51 is locked using the clamping screw 56.

In order to obtain the tension required for the V-belt 42, the length 42 "" of this V-belt is guided over two tensioning rollers 60 corresponding to the tensioning rollers 31 in their function. Each tensioning roller 60 is fastened to one end of a swivel arm 61 which is fastened to a tensioning element 62 acting as a torsion spring at the other end. Each spring element 62, which, against the action of its spring force, enables the relevant pivot arm 61 to pivot about a vertical axis, is held on the plate 44 with the aid of a support arm 63.

The invention has been described above using exemplary embodiments. It goes without saying that changes and modifications are possible without departing from the inventive concept which bears the invention. For example, instead of the V-belts 26, 27, 28, 40, 41 and 42, it is also possible to use other belts or belt-like elements, e.g. To use toothed belts or to provide several V-belts or belt-like elements one above the other in the vertical direction, e.g. at the height of each element 20 and 21.

In principle, all embodiments also have the advantage that because of the very effective clamping of the bottles 2 to the transport stars 7, 11 and 18 by means of the V-belts 26, 27, 28, 40, 41 and 42 as well as other belts or belt-like elements on the sliding surface 15 these transport stars 7, 11 or 18 may be dispensed with entirely.

Claims (16)

1. Loading table at vessel treatment machines, in particular at vessel filling machines, preferably at bottle filling machines displaying one or more treatment stations, with a vessel inlet (1) for the vessels to be treated and a vessel outlet (4) for the treated vessels (2) as well as transport elements, which effect the vessel flow between the vessel inlet and the vessel outlet and of which at least one consists of a transport star (7, 11, 18) rotating about a vertical axis and of a securing element, wherein the transport star (7, 11, 18) in the region of a circumferential surface concentrically enclosing its rotational axis (6, 12, 19) possesses several recesses (25), which are open radially towards the circumference and display a uniform mutual spacing, for the transport of the vessels (2) along a transport section in the shape of a circular path from a transport star inlet to a transport star outlet and the securing element is arranged laterally at the transport section in the shape of a circular path and opposite the circumferential surface of the transport star (7, 11, 18), wherein the securing element is formed of at least one free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41"', 42, 42") of at least an outer belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42), which forms a closed loop and circulates endlessly over rollers (29, 31, 43, 60) provided at the machine frame (38, 44, 59), characterised thereby, that the belt- shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) by its free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41-, 42', 42") forming the securing element lies opposite the circumferential (22; 22') of the transport star (7, 11, 18) in a direction radially towards the rotational axis (6, 12, 19) and that the circumferential surface (22; 22') is formed in such a manner that - at least when the transport star (7, 11, 18) is not loaded with vessels - the free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41', 42', 42") of the belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) by its free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41¹11, 42', 42") in the tautened state bears against the circumferential surface (22; 22').

2. Loading table according to claim 1, characterised thereby, that the belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) is arranged by the loop formed by it in an horizontal plane extending perpendicularly to the rotational axis (6, 12, 19).

3. Loading table according to claim 1 or 2, characterised thereby, that the at least one belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) is guided to be running round freely over the rollers (29, 31).

4. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 3, characterised thereby, that at least one roller is a tautening roller (31, 60), which is provided at the machine frame (38, 44, 59) to be adjustable preferably in a direction transversely or perpendicularly to its axis (34), of a tautening equipment (30) displaying a tautening element and that the tautening element is preferably formed by a spring, for example by a torsion spring (62) or by a pneumatic cylinder (39).

5. Loading table according to one of the claims, characterised thereby, that the at least one belt- shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) consists of a material which permits an elastic change in length of the belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42).

6. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 5, characterised thereby, that a respective roller (29, 43), preferably serving as deflecting roller, is arranged in the region of the transport star inlet as well as in the region of the transport star outlet, that the rotational axes of these rollers (29, 43) display such a radial spacing from the rotational axis (6, 12, 19) of the transport star (7, 11, 18) that at the transport star inlet and at the transport star outlet, the respective partial length, which lies against the roller (29, 43) there and faces the transport star, of the belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) possesses a radial spacing from the rotational axis (6, 12, 19) of the transport star (7, 11, 18), which ensures that the vessels are respectively introduceable into the recesses (25) at the transport star inlet or removable from the recesses (25) at the transport star outlet in trouble-free manner.

7. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 6, characterised thereby, that at least two transport elements constructed as transport stars (7, 11, 18) are provided and that a separate belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28) is provided for each transport star (7,11,18) or a common belt-shaped element (40, 41, 42) is provided for at least two or all transport stars (7, 11, 18).

8. Loading table according to claim 7, characterised thereby, that three transport stars are provided, of which a first transport star (7) forms the vessel inlet of a first treatment station (8), a second transport star (11) forms a transfer star at the outlet of the first treatment station (8) and at the inlet of a second treatment station (14) and a third transport star (18) forms the vessel outlet of the second treatment station (14), and that a separate belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28) is provided for each transport star (7,11, 18) or a common belt-shaped element (40, 42) is provided for the first and the second transport star (7, 11) or for all three transport stars (7, 11, 18).

9. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterised thereby, that several rollers (29, 31, 43, 60) for the at least one belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) are borne at a common carrier plate (38, 44), which is arranged at the upper side of the machine frame of the vessel treatment machine, wherein preferably all rollers of the belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28) are borne at a common carrier plate (33, 44).

10. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 9, characterised thereby, that in the case of several transport stars (7, 11, 18), the rollers (29, 31) of the belt-shaped element (27, 40, 41) of at least one transport star (7, 11, 18) are provided on different carrier plates (18), wherein two carrier plates (38) are preferably provided in the case of three transport stars (7, 11, 18) and all rollers (29, 31) for a belt- shaped element (26, 28) of either the first or the second transport star (7, 18) as well as additionally also a part of the rollers (29, 31) for the belt-shaped element (27) of the third transport star (11) are borne at each carrier plate (38), and/or wherein two carrier plates (38) are preferably provided in the case of three transport stars (7, 11, 18) and all rollers (29, 31) of the belt-shaped element (28) associated with one transport star (18) as well as a part of the rollers (29, 31) of the belt-shaped element (40), which guided over rollers (29) at the other carrier plate (38) and common to both the other transport stars (7, 11), are borne at the other carrier plate (38), and/or two carrier plates (38) are provided in the case of three transport stars (7, 11, 18) and the rollers (29, 31) for the beltshaped element (41) common to all transport stars (7, 11, 18) are arranged on both carrier plates (38).

11. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 10, characterised thereby, that the at least one belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) is a V-belt and the rollers (29, 31, 43, 60) are V-belt pulleys.

12. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 11, characterised thereby, that the circumferential surface (22) is formed in such a manner that the radius determining the circumferential surface (22) is equal to or greater than the radius determining the course, in the shape of a circular path, of the conveying section of the transport star (7, 11, 18), wherein the radius determining the circumferential surface (22) is preferably greater by half the vessel diameter less an amount of about 5 millimetres than the radius determining the course, in the shape of a circular path, of the conveying section of the transport star (7, 11, 18).

13. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 12, characterised thereby, that the circumferential surface is formed in such a manner that it forms a circumferential surface (22'), which is free of recesses (25), for the support of the free length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41"', 42', 42") with a radius, which determines the outer circumferences of this circumferential surface and is equal to or smaller than the radius determining the course, in the shape of a circular path, of the conveying section of the transport star (7, 11, 18).

14. Loading table according to one of the claims 1 to 13, characterised thereby, that the at least one belt-shaped element (26, 27, 28, 40, 41, 42) by its length (26', 27', 28', 40', 40", 41', 41", 41"', 42', 42") forming the securing element encloses the transport star (7, 11, 18) over an angular range of more than 90_°, preferably over an angular range of at least 180°.

15. Loading table according to one of the claims 6 to 14, characterised thereby, that the radial spacing, which the axes of the rollers (43) display at the transport star inlet as well as at the transport star outlet from the rotational axis (6, 12) of the transport star (7, 11), is adjustable and namely for preference by an adjusting equipment (45, 48, 50, 51) common to the rollers (43) of at least one transport star (7, 11), wherein the rollers (43), which are provided at the transport star inlet and at the transport star outlet of two transport stars (7, 11) following one another in conveying direction of the vessels (2) through the loading table, are preferably adjustable by a common adjusting equipment (45, 48, 50, 51).

16. Loading table according to claim 15, characterised thereby, that each roller (43) provided at the transport star inlet and at the transport star outlet is fastened at a pivot arm (45), which is borne to be pivotable at a machine frame (44, 59) and which is articulatedly connected with a female screw thread member (50) preferably by way of an intermediate lever (48), that the female screw thread member (50) is arranged on a threaded portion (51', 51 ") of a spindle (51), which is borne to be rotatable, however not axially displaceable at the machine frame (44, 59), and that in the case of two female screw thread members (50) serving for the adjustment of the rollers (43) at the transport star inlet and at the transport star outlet, both are preferably provided on a common spindle (51).

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