EP0267863B1 - Machine for automatically packaging bottles in individual jackets - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for automatically packing bottles (3) in individual jackets (7), more particularly intended to be integrated into a bottling line (1), comprising means (2) for withdrawing bottles (3) on the said bottling line (1) and for driving bottles (3) individually in a vertical position until they are in line with a station (15) for insertion, by means of dropping due to gravity, into a previously shaped individual jacket (7), means (6) for withdrawing and shaping the said individual jackets (7), means (5) for bringing the said shaped jackets (7) individually to the insertion station (15) and then discharging them after filling and means (39 to 55) for closing the jacket as it is discharged from the insertion station. - Application to the packaging of bottles in individual jackets. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a machine intended to be integrated into a bottling line and to allow the insertion of the bottles into individual cases shaped, filled, then closed completely automatically.

By GB-A-2,049,608 there is known an automatic bottle holing installation comprising a first barrel picking one by one the bottles brought by a conveyor and placing them on a circular carousel with two floors where they receive, at the lower floor, an enveloping interior trim, then lifted to the upper floor to be introduced into a case by the bottom thereof. After which, the filled cases are transferred by a second barrel to an evacuation conveyor completely separate from the bottle supply conveyor.

However, such an installation has a number of drawbacks. It is relatively complex, bulky and not very flexible to use. It has its own upstream and downstream conveying circuit and is only used to supply the installation, the upstream and downstream conveyors also being at two different levels.

The invention aims to provide a simpler, more compact, more flexible packaging machine and in particular designed to connect at will to an existing conveyor chain with reinsertion or not on the latter of the bottles.

To this end, the invention relates to an automatic packaging machine for bottles in individual cases, comprising a sampling barrel on the bottling and drive chain one by one of the bottles to an insertion station in an individual case previously shaped, means for removing and shaping said individual cases, means for bringing said formed cases one by one said insertion station and then evacuate them after filling and means for closing the case filled during its evacuation from the insertion station, characterized in that said barrel is supplied by a movable bypass gaulotte capable of being connected to the conveyor of the bottling line, said barrel being mounted movable in rotation about a vertical axis, step by step, with a view to bringing each bottle vertically in line with an individual case previously shaped, in that the means to take and shape the individual cases, bring them, trained, to said insertion station, then evacuate them after filling, are constituted by a suction cup system driven by a jack horizontal picking up the cases stored in the folded state, forcing them to pass through a shaper and placing them in a vertical position between two studs of a horizontal endless conveyor system placed under said barrel, the latter being driven in rotation not at not, as well as said conveyor system and in synchronism with it, in that said conveyor system consists of two superimposed horizontal endless belts, each provided with spaced pairs of facing studs capable of receiving a case between them in shape, the spacing between studs of each pair being adjustable, said conveying system being, moreover, provided, at its downstream part, with a jack ejector pushing each case packed on an evacuation system.

The closing means of the stuffed case are constituted for example by fixed or movable members for folding the legs, forming and closing the flap of the case, arranged at the top and above said conveying system, downstream of the insertion station.

After closing the cases, they are either transferred to a conveyor towards a shipping station, or reintegrated on the bottling line from which the bottles originate, using an appropriate device made up an elevator and appropriate jack and chute transfer systems.

Such a machine makes it possible to condition individual bottles, in particular taken from existing bottling lines, in individual cases, without any human intervention, except to replenish the case store, and without any impact on the normal rates of said chains.

• Figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation latérale d'une machine conforme à l'invention ;
• Figure 2 est une vue de dessus de la machine de la figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 est une vue en coupe suivant la ligne III-III du poste de mise en forme des étuis de la machine de la figure 2 ;
• Figure 4 est une coupe suivant la ligne IV-IV de la machine de la figure 2 ;
• Figure 5 est une vue de dessus plus détaillée du poste de mise en forme des étuis et de leur positionnement sur le système de convoyage horizontal ;
• Figure 6 est une vue en élévation latérale plus détaillée du barillet et du système de convoyage horizontal associé au barillet ;
• Figure 7 est une vue de gauche du système de convoyage et de l'ascenseur associé de la machine de la figure 2 ;
• Figure 8 est un schéma illustrant les moyens de fermeture des deux pattes latérales des étuis ;
• Figure 9 est un schéma illustrant les moyens de précassage de la patte de rabat des étuis, et
• Figures 10 et 11 représentent des moyens de fermeture du rabat des étuis.

Other characteristics and advantages will emerge from the description which follows of an embodiment of the machine according to the invention, description given by way of example only and with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• Figure 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a machine according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a top view of the machine of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a sectional view along line III-III of the station for shaping the cases of the machine of Figure 2;
• Figure 4 is a section along line IV-IV of the machine of Figure 2;
• Figure 5 is a more detailed top view of the case shaping station and their positioning on the horizontal conveying system;
• Figure 6 is a more detailed side elevational view of the barrel and the horizontal conveying system associated with the barrel;
• Figure 7 is a left view of the conveyor system and the associated elevator of the machine of Figure 2;
• Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the means for closing the two lateral tabs of the cases;
• FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the means for pre-pressing the flap tab of the cases, and
• Figures 10 and 11 show means for closing the flap of the cases.

FIGS. 1 to 4 schematically and in principle represent a machine according to the invention arranged next to a conventional bottling line symbolized at 1 in FIG. 2.

The machine comprises a barrel 2 for withdrawing the bottles 3 brought in by the conveyor of the chain 1 and diverted therefrom by a bypass chute 4. The barrel 2 is disposed at the height of the chain 1 and above a horizontal conveyor 5 provided, at one of its ends, with a sampling station 6 and shaping one by one of the individual cases 7, in this case boxes with automatic bottom, stored in the vertically folded state in a store 8.

The station 6 is arranged so as to bring the box formed, after passing through a ski shaper 9, between two studs 10 and 11 of two series of studs integral with two endless horizontal belts 12 and 13 constituting said conveyor 5.

The barrel 2 drives the bottles 3, which slide on a fixed horizontal plate 14, on a rotation by a certain angle up to the vertical line of a station designated by the general reference 15, for inserting the bottles each in a case 7 formed, conveyed by the belts 12 and 13 in synchronism with the rotation of the barrel 2. The bottles 3 are held on the plate 14 in contact with the barrel 2 using a railing 14a (FIG. 3) fixed at the periphery of the plate 14.

At the other end of the conveyor 5 is arranged an evacuation station, designated by the general reference 16, and consisting of a vertical elevator 17 disposed opposite a horizontal jack 18 for transferring each packed case 7 on the elevator.

Each case is then pushed by a horizontal cylinder 19 on a chute 20 lateral to the conveyor 5 and disposed at the height of the chain 1. Finally, each case is taken up from the chute 20, by a horizontal cylinder 21 perpendicular to the chain 1 and pushed on the latter via a chute 22.

Along and above the conveyor 5, between the bottle insertion station (15) and the discharge station 16, are arranged means suitable for closing the tabs and flap of the case 7 which has just been packed, these means being shown in more detail in Figures 8 to 11 and described below.

Figures 5 to 7 show in more detail various parts of the machine shown diagrammatically in Figures 1 to 4.

The station 6 for shaping and positioning of the cases 7 on the conveyor 5 comprises (FIG. 5) a horizontal jack 23 disposed between the two belts 12 and 13. The rod of the jack comprises suction cups 24 coming to take charge of the first folded case 7 of the magazine 8. On returning from the piston, the box 7 is formed by the skis 9, in the known manner, and, at the end of the withdrawal stroke of the cylinder rod, the shaped box 7 re poses on a fixed horizontal sheet 25, between two pairs of drive studs 10 and 11, one in the upper part of the case (belt 12) and the other in the lower part (belt 13).

The spacing between two pads 10 and 11 can be adapted to cases of different widths thanks to removable wedges 26 fixed for example on the pads 11.

FIG. 6 represents the drive structure in synchronism and step by step, of the barrel 2 and of the conveyor 5.

The barrel 2 consists of two superimposed scalloped discs, wedged on a vertical drive shaft 27 passing through the fixed horizontal plate 14 on which the bottles 3 driven by the barrel 2 slide.

The plate 14 is level with the bottom of the chute 4 and the chain conveyor 1. The plate 14 is interrupted directly above the insertion station 15 to allow the bottle to fall by gravity into the case in below.

The shaft 27 is driven from a motor 28 fixed to the frame 29 of the machine, which motor also drives, at one end of the conveyor 5, a vertical shaft 30 for driving pulleys 31 carrying the belts 12 and 13.

The conveyor 5 is mounted between two fixed horizontal plates, one, 32, upper, and the other, 25, lower, supporting the filled cases 7. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 7, the cases 7 do not rest not directly on the lower plate 25, but, indirectly, by means of a sheet metal strip 33, with interposition, between the latter and the plate 25, of an elastic lining 34 intended to absorb the shock of the bottles in case back at the insertion station 15.

Figure 7 shows in more detail the evacuation station 16 with its elevator 17 consisting of an endless belt 35 provided with lifting pallets 36 located at a distance from each other.

When one of the pallets 36 is at the level of the sheet 33, the jack 18 pushes the case 7 opposite said pallet, by means of pushers 37 mounted at the end of the rod of the jack 18. The elevator 17 one step ahead, that is to say that the pallet 36 loaded with the case 7 is brought into the high position shown at 36ʹ in FIG. 7.

The frame of the elevator is integral with the frame 29 and the endless belt 35 is controlled step by step in synchronism with the step-by-step movement of the conveyor 5 and the barrel 2. For this purpose, one of the drums of the elevator is driven by an indexing system 38 formed by shafts, pulleys and belts, itself driven by the motor 28.

In the high position 36 position of the loaded pallet, the jack 19 (parallel to the axes of the drive drums of the belt 35 of the elevator 17) pushes the case 7ʹ on the chute 20 (FIG. 2) then on the chute 22 where the cases are taken up by the jack 21 to be reinserted on the chain 1. Guiding sheets or skis are of course provided on the chutes as well as at the right of transfers between the conveyor 5 and the elevator 17 and between the latter and the chute 20.

The cylinders 23, 18, 19 and 21 are of course synchronized with the movements of the conveyor 5 and the elevator 17.

Figures 8 to 11 illustrate the means for closing the case 7 once filled.

These means comprise a fixed horizontal ski 39 for closing the upstream tab 40 of the case (FIG. 8), disposed above the trajectory of the cases, a lever 41 articulated around a fixed horizontal axis 42 orthogonal to the trajectory cases 7 and moved by a jack 43 in order to close the downstream tab, or second tab 44 of the case, and (FIG. 9) a system for pre-pressing the tab 45 of the flap 46.

This system comprises a lever 47 arranged at the height of the lever 41, articulated around a horizontal fixed axis 48 parallel to the path of the cases 7, and moved by a vertical jack 49 so as to fold inward the tab 45 relative to to the flap 46, held substantially vertically by two skis 50. The latter ensure the guiding of said flap 46 between the means (39, 41) for closing the tabs and the lever 47.

The pre-crushing system is completed immediately downstream by a device (Figures 10 and 11) for closing the flap 46 with its pre-cracked tab 45.

This device comprises, on the one hand, a lever 51 provided at its end with fingers 52, articulated around a fixed axis 53 parallel to said axis 48 and moved by a vertical jack 54 and, on the other hand, a guide fork arcuate 55, between the fingers of which pass the fingers 52 of the lever 51, intended to guide the flap 46 in its closed position. It should be noted that the lower edge 55a of the fork is slightly offset in the direction of the case 7 and slightly overhangs the edge of the latter in order to facilitate the insertion of the tab 45.

The bypass chute 4 is removable or retractable laterally to the chain 1 so that it can operate at any time with or without the machine according to the invention.

In the embodiment described, the filled cases are reintegrated on the chain 1 but we could just as easily not do it and eject the cases fitted with the conveyor 5 on an appropriate conveying system bringing the cases to a grouping and shipping station for example.

The machine is fully automatic and requires no labor except possibly to supply the store 8 with automatic bottom boxes. In FIG. 3, it should be noted that the magazine 8 has a curved shape to take account of the fact that the cases 7 in the folded state have in the lower part, at the bottom, an excess thickness thus compensated by the curved part of said store.

The speed of the machine is obviously adjustable and can be adapted to that of chain 1.

Finally, the invention is not limited to the embodiment shown and described above but on the contrary covers all variants within the framework defined by the claims, in particular as regards the structure and arrangement of the station 6 for shaping the cases, the conveyor 5 and the elevator 17 as well as those for removing and bringing the bottles 3 to the station for inserting and closing the case after removing the bottles.

Claims (6)

1. Machine for the automatic packing of bottles (3) into individual boxes (7), comprising a turret (2) for taking bottles from the bottling line (1) and carrying them one by one to a station (15) for inserting them into previously formed individual boxes (7), means (6) for picking up and forming said individual boxes (7), means (5) for taking the said formed boxes (7) one by one to the said insertion station (15) and then discharging them after filling, and means (39 to 55) for closing the filled box whilst it is being discharged from the insertion station, characterised in that the said turret (2) is fed by a movable diversion chute (4) capable of being connected to the conveyor on the bottling line (1), the said turret being mounted so as to be movable in rotation about a vertical axis, step by step, for the purpose of bringing each bottle level with a previously formed individual box (7), in that the means for picking up and forming the individual boxes (7), taking them, formed, to the said insertion station (15), and then discharging them after filling, consist of a suction cup system moved by a horizontal actuator (23) picking up the boxes stored in a folded state, forcing them to pass through a former (9) and placing them in a vertical position between two studs (10, 11) on a horizontal endless conveying system (5) arranged underneath the said turret (2), the latter being driven step by step in rotation, like the said conveying system (5) and synchronised with the latter, in that the said conveying system (5) is formed by two horizontal endless belts (12, 13) one above the other, each fitted with pairs of studs spaced apart, opposite each other (10, 11), capable of receiving between them a formed box (7), the distance between the studs of each pair being adjustable, the said conveying system (5) being in addition fitted at its downstream end with an actuator ejector (18) pushing each filled box (7) onto a discharge system.
2. Machine according to claim 1, characterised in that it incorporates means (14) for temporarily fixing the bottles (3) to the turret (2) during insertion (15), formed by a fixed horizontal supporting plate (14) on which the bottles (3) driven by the turret slide, the said plate being discontinuous level with the said insertion station (15), and by a circular rail (14a) arranged at the periphery of the said plate (14).
3. Machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the means of closing the filled box are formed by fixed or movable devices (39 to 55) for folding the tabs (40, 44), forming and closing the box flap (46), arranged at the top part above the said conveying system (5), downstream of the insertion station (15).
4. Machine according to claim 3, characterised in that the said closing means are formed by a fixed runner (39) for folding the first tab (40), a retractable lever (41) for folding the second tab (44) and a system for pre-scoring the tab (45) on the flap (46) and inserting the latter in the box (7).
5. Machine according to claim 4, characterised in that the said pre-scoring and insertion system comprises a pair of runners (50) for the vertical guiding of the flap (46), a lever (47) for pre-scoring the tab (45) on the flap and, immediately downstream of the latter, a lever (51) for folding the flap, interacting with a curved guide fork (55), the lever and the fork being arranged opposite each other on each side of the path of the boxes on the said conveyor (5).
6. Machine according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the said discharge system comprises an elevator (17) and an actuator ejector (19) at the top part of the elevator, pushing the boxes onto a device (20, 21, 22) for returning the packaged bottles to the bottling line (1).

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