EP0308528A1 - Device for screwing and unscrewing screw caps or such in and out of filling necks of casks, receptacles and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The device for casks, receptacles and the like is intended for screwing and unscrewing screw caps or the like (115) into the inner thread (107) or out of the outer thread (107) of a filling neck (105) which is provided with a circumferential application rim and is fixed to the upper cover plate (101) of the cask, receptacle or the like (100) in the region of an opening (102) in the said cover plate. At the same time, use is made of a centring and screwing head (120), consisting of an outer centring element (130) which can be placed on the filling neck (105), and of a spanner (140) which is arranged in the interior of said centring element, can be displaced against spring pressure, is rotatable by means of a drive device (150) and engages in the screw cap or the like (115). The device is so designed that the centring and screwing head (120), together with its drive device (150), is arranged, for the purpose of free mobility, in the space in a spring-elastic element (42) or is self-supporting on this, the spring-elastic element (42) being arranged in a laterally and/or vertically displaceable supporting frame (30). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a device for barrels, containers and the like. for screwing and unscrewing screw caps or the like. from plastics or metallic materials into the internal thread or from the internal thread of a in the area of an opening in the upper cover plate of the barrel, container and the like. Filler neck attached to the cover plate with a fill opening, the circumferential edge delimiting the upper fill opening is provided with an outer bead, which has a circumferential offset edge lying in the plane of the upper fill opening of the filler neck, against which there is a transition, for example, into the outer wall of the filler neck arcuate section adjoins, using a centering and screwing head, consisting of an outer centering element which can be placed on the filler neck and a screwdriver arranged in the interior thereof, displaceable against spring pressure, rotatable by means of a drive device and engaging in the screw cap or the like.

It is known that drums and containers which are to be filled with liquids are supplied with a screwed-on sealing cap or screw-on sealing plug, so that it is necessary to remove these sealing means and to screw them on again after filling. In order to prevent the filling material from flowing into the bunghole of the barrel and not next to it onto the barrel when the containers are being filled, the barrels to be filled are aligned in a filling device. The opening and closing of the bungholes by hand is labor-intensive.

For closing the fill opening of a barrel or the like. with the aid of a device for inserting and fastening a stopper in the filling opening, a closing device is known in which both the device for inserting the stopper and a position-determining device are arranged at a distance from one another in such a way that they are upwards and downwards and according to polar coordinates relative to one another fixed point are freely movable in a plane perpendicular to the upward and downward movement. Furthermore, in this known device a gripping device is provided to prevent the free movement of the device for inserting the plug and for determining position together, and a drive device which is suitable for the two devices for inserting the plug and for determining position when the gripping device free movement prevents moving only linearly and forcibly by a distance equal to the distance between the two devices. This locking device has very large dimensions. The construction is very complex in order to achieve sufficient strength and for precise storage of the movable components. Furthermore, the energy requirement for the operation of this locking device is very large, since when centering the entire frame on the support device must always be pivoted about an axis (DE-A-18 17 237).

According to US-A-29 83 089 a lid closing and container filling device is known which has a very complex construction and which is therefore very cumbersome to handle.

Furthermore, DE-A-22 10 753 is a device for closing containers with an eccentrically arranged pouring spout known by a drive machine that can be moved between a rest position and a working position in which a centering device carried by this drive machine engages in the periphery of the lid wall of the container, which has an eccentric pouring spout, such that a rotatable power output shaft of the drive machine is brought into and held in a position coaxial to the container by a scanning device which is held eccentrically by the shaft and is displaceable as part of the shaft by a circumference whose center lies on the container axis and whose radius is equal to the distance between the axis of the spout and the container axis, up to an engagement position with the spout, and by a closing head, which is held eccentrically by the shaft in a position coaxial to the scanning device and along its own axis between a soot helage and a working position in which an engagement with the spout takes place, is displaceable, is marked. With this device, the closing of containers with eccentric spouts is possible, the scanning of the position of the spout being carried out with a device which facilitates and accelerates this scanning, while at the same time it is intended to achieve with another device that the entire working cycle of the device is complete runs automatically In order to carry out all these functions, this known device has a large number of complicated components.

DE-A-25 40 864 is a device for attaching screw closures to the bung holes of drums with a boom movable vertically by a lifting device and pivotable about a vertical axis and with a centering device and a closing device, which can be brought in succession by pivoting the boom over the bung hole of a barrel. This device is designed in such a way that the centering device is detachably connected to the boom by means of a receiving flange and a holding tube with articulated joints for search fingers is arranged on the receiving flange, the shafts of which are guided through openings in the jacket of the holding tube and by means of an elastic ring Rubber or the like which can be held together and whose surface sections facing away from the holding tube are formed so as to be spherical to the central axis of the holding tube with guide pins arranged coaxially to the central axis of the holding tube, a centering mandrel vertically to the holding tube in the center through an opening in the receiving flange by means of a pneumatically or hydraulically acting lifting cylinder can be moved to abut the shafts of the search fingers, and in addition in the closing device a suction head for sucking the barrel lid and a screw head for screwing the barrel lid onto the thread of the are arranged on the barrel bung hole on the one end section of a receiving tube, the other end section of which is fixedly connected to a rotary drive shaft. With a device designed in this way, it should only be possible not only to put the cap on the bung hole and screw it on after filling a barrel, but without using long, complex Ge production technology winch spindles or the like to effect the required movement and power transmission processes by means of hydraulically or pneumatically acting actuators, so that large outputs can be transmitted even with small sizes.

Furthermore, from US-A-2 731 185 a plug screwing device with a centering and screwing head is known, which consists of an outer centering ring and a screw head displaceable therein against spring pressure, which is connected to a drive device via a drive shaft with angularly movable joints. In this plug-in screwing device, the centering ring is designed and profiled in such a way that when a plug is screwed into the barrel bung hole, it is supported on the upper circumferential edge of the barrel bunghole plug and must therefore be adapted to the dimensions and the diameter of the barrel bunghole connector. This centering ring cannot be used with barrel plug holes with other dimensions. In addition, the drive shaft for the screw head is provided with angularly movable joints, which consist of disc-shaped bodies arranged at the ends of the drive shaft and arranged in chamber-like bearing housings as part-ball coupling elements with an arc-shaped circumferential outer wall surface, the part-ball coupling element adjacent to the screw head being arranged via a ball bearing supported on a spring-loaded cylindrical molded body in order to also be able to perform sliding movements. The use of a drive shaft mounted on both sides by means of partial ball coupling elements requires a complex and complex design which is prone to failure and the manufacture of the plug screwdriver with small dimensions. In addition, the partial ball coupling elements cannot make large angular movements. If the bearing housing for the partial ball coupling elements is contaminated, the angular movements of the joints are severely impaired. Furthermore, a drive shaft, which has angularly movable joints only on both sides and is mounted by means of these joints, does not have a high torsional stiffness, so that twisting of the drive shaft can occur when a plug is screwed into a heavily soiled or rusted bunghole of a barrel.

Furthermore, EP-A-065180 discloses a plug-in screwing device for barrels with a centering and screwing head, consisting of an outer centering ring and a screwing head arranged in the interior thereof and displaceable against spring pressure, which is connected to a drive device via a drive shaft having angularly movable joints is. This screw-in plug device consists of a support frame with an upper support plate and a lower support plate, on which a centering plate is arranged, which is provided with a cross-shaped opening and the inner wall surface delimiting the opening tapers conically in the direction of the centering and screwing head and at the bottom into a vertical one Wall section merges, the inner diameter of the recess delimited by the wall section being larger than the diameter of the drive shaft, a correspondingly profiled molded body having an outer wall surface which tapers conically in the direction of the centering and screwing head, with the molded body on its bottom side being inserted into the opening End the on the barrel cover plate during the stopper centering and screwing process supporting centering ring and is connected to a section lying on the centering plate with a guide plate which is held on at least three guide bolts fastened to the lower supporting plate of the supporting frame in a longitudinally displaceable and pivotable manner against the pressure of springs, and wherein the drive shaft is connected to the drive device from a single one There is a shaft part and a shaft part supporting the screw head, both shaft parts being connected to one another via a double universal joint. With a stopper screwing device designed in this way, fully automatic screwing in of stoppers into the thread of the barrel bunghole socket arranged on the barrel bunghole should be possible, wherein, in addition to automatic centering, compensation should also take place at an inclined position of the stopper. Because this plug screwing device works with a centering and screwing head, which is provided with a conical centering surface, an inclination and thus tilting of the screwing plug is unavoidable, so that a perfect screwing or screwing of screwing plugs and screw caps into the thread of the barrel filler neck is not always guaranteed. If the barrel filler neck is tilted to the barrel lid plate due to damage, that is, it is bent so that the longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck does not run at right angles to the level of the barrel lid plate, then this known plug screwing device does not allow adaptation to this particular barrel filler neck position, since the centering and screwing head despite its conical shape Interior wall design can not adapt to this particular position of the barrel filler neck.

The invention solves the problem of creating a screw cap screwing and unscrewing device for barrels which not only automatically centers the screw head on the filling opening of the barrel filler neck and compensates for an inclined position of the screw cap, but also aligns itself automatically during the centering process on the longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck , even if the filler neck should be bent to the level of the drum cover plate or have an inclined position, and in which the centering and screwing head automatically returns from an inclined position to the vertical starting position and which also enables centering with high accuracy, so that screw caps can also be used a fine thread can be screwed into the thread of the filler neck with great accuracy and effortlessly.

This object is achieved by the features characterized in claim 1.

Furthermore, the invention provides an embodiment of the screw cap screwing and unscrewing device according to which the device consists of a vertical support arm which can be moved in the vertical direction and to which a support frame is connected, a guide cylinder which is guided through the support frame and a drive device on the top for the wrench, consists of a longitudinally displaceable cylindrical hollow body held in the interior of the guide cylinder with a bottom-side centering ring and a wrench arranged in the interior of the cylindrical hollow body and connected to the drive device and in the interior of the guide cylinder and the cylindrical hollow body Centering element arranged drive shaft is connected, wherein the guide cylinder in the interior of the cylindrical screws surrounding the guide cylinder is arranged compression spring, which is supported on one end on the support frame and with its other end on the freely movable guide cylinder mounted in the support frame.

Furthermore, the invention provides an embodiment of the screw cap screwing and unscrewing device, which is designed in such a way that on the vertically movable, vertical support arm as a support frame, a support bracket made of an upper, horizontal ring body and a means of preferably lateral spacer arms at a distance of this arranged, lower horizontal ring body is arranged that in the corresponding openings of the two ring bodies of the support bracket of the guide cylinder is arranged pivotably about its longitudinal axis, which is supported with a circumferential outer ring adjacent to its lower end on the lower ring body and of which the Guide cylinder surrounding cylindrical helical compression spring is applied, which is supported on the bottom on the outer ring of the guide cylinder and in the upper region on the upper ring body of the support bracket, the cylindrical helical spring between the upper ring body of the door Ag console and the outer ring of the guide cylinder is clamped in that the guide cylinder at its upper end as a drive device for the wrench is an air motor with two connections for controlling the screwing and unscrewing process or another suitable drive with a vertical drive shaft arranged in the interior of the guide cylinder for carries the wrench, which can be rotated about its vertical longitudinal axis and which is longitudinally displaceable against the pressure of a cylindrical helical compression spring and at its bottom end with the mechanical connection with the screw cap bringable wrench is provided that a cylindrical hollow body is arranged as a centering element in the interior of the guide cylinder, which is longitudinally displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the guide cylinder against the pressure of a cylindrical helical compression spring and which carries at its lower end the centering ring, the annular inner wall surface of which widens conically towards the bottom free end , wherein the conically tapering inner wall surface of the centering ring as a contact surface on the circumferential contact edge of the annular edge bead of the filler neck merges into an upper horizontal ring section, to which the inner wall surface of the cylindrical hollow body is interposed with the interposition of a step-shaped section with a vertical and a horizontal ring surface of the centering element, the interior of which for receiving and holding a screw cap on the wrench is connected by means of vacuum to a vacuum generating device is, and that the conically widening towards the end of the inner wall surface of the centering ring is dimensioned such that when the centering ring is placed on the filler neck of the barrel, container and the like. the outer bead of the filler neck is overlapped.

In such a screw cap screwing and unscrewing device, the centering and screwing head is held by means of a cylindrical helical compression spring, which surrounds the centering and screwing head, in a height-adjustable support frame in such a way that the centering and screwing head can be pivoted about its longitudinal axis in such a way that the centering and screwing head can align with its longitudinal axis on each longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck, regardless of the angular position in which the longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck is relative to the longitudinal axis of the barrel or Level of the drum cover plate is located. Due to the mounting of the centering and screwing head by means of a resilient element, in particular a cylindrical helical compression spring, the centering and screwing head is in any angular position deviating from the longitudinal axis of the filler neck or in each with the longitudinal axis deviating from the vertical at one to the lid level of the barrel, container or the like. bent filler pipe resulting position matching position can be transferred or automatically reset from any angular position into the vertical position, so that the centering and screw head can also be automatically returned from an inclined position into its vertical starting position by means of this resilient element. It is therefore always possible to align the given longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck, so that the screw cap can then be securely screwed into the thread of the barrel filler neck when alignment has been carried out on the longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck. A secure screwing of screw caps into the thread of barrel filler neck is also ensured when fine threads are used, so that the device according to the invention can in principle ultimately also be used wherever alignment and centering are required to carry out a screwing or unscrewing process is.

The exact centering on the barrel filler neck is supported by the special inner wall design of the centering ring, which represents the outer centering element of the centering and screwing head. The inner wall surface of the centering ring is aligned with the edge configuration of the barrel filler neck in the area of its filling opening, so that due to the interaction of this edge configuration with the inner wall surface configuration of the centering element, extremely precise centering not only for the screwing process, but also for the unscrewing process.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are characterized in the subclaims.

• Fig. 1 teils in Ansicht, teils in einem senkrechten Schnitt die Schraubkappenein- und -ausschraubvorrichtung,
• Fig. 2 teils in Ansicht, teils in einem senkrechten Schnitt eine vergrößerte Wiedergabe des unteren Teiles der Schraubkappenein- und -ausschraubvorrichtung,
• Fig. 3 in einem vergrößerten senkrechten Teilschnitt das Zusammenwirken des Zentrierringes der Schraubkappen­ein- und -ausschraubvorrichtung mit dem Faßfüllstutzen, und
• Fig. 4 in einer schematischen Darstellung einen Annähe­rungsschalter.

In the following the subject matter of the invention is explained in the drawings. It shows

• 1 partly in view, partly in a vertical section, the screw cap screwing and unscrewing device,
• 2 partly in view, partly in a vertical section an enlarged representation of the lower part of the screw cap screwing and unscrewing device,
• Fig. 3 in an enlarged vertical section, the interaction of the centering ring of the screw cap screwing and unscrewing device with the barrel filler neck, and
• Fig. 4 in a schematic representation of a proximity switch.

The device designated by 10 in FIG. 1 is for screwing and unscrewing threaded screw caps 115 into the thread of filler neck 105 of drums, containers or the like. 100, which are provided with bunghole filler or filler neck 105, are provided. In addition to screw caps 115, the device 10 can also be used to screw closure elements provided in a different manner, but with a thread, into barrel filler necks or to unscrew or unscrew them from barrel filler necks.

In Fig. 1, at 100, a barrel, container or the like. indicated tet, the upper cover plate 101 is provided with an opening or the bung 102. In the area of this opening 102, a filler neck 105 is arranged on the upper drum cover plate 101, the fill opening of which is designated by 106. This filler neck 105 is provided with an internal thread 107. The circumferential edge 110 delimiting the filling opening 106 has an outer annular edge bead 111, which is provided with a horizontal attachment edge 112 which lies in the plane of the filling opening 106 of the filling nozzle 105 and which is flat. This attachment edge 112 merges with the formation of an arcuate section 114 into the filler neck outer wall 113 (FIG. 3).

The closing of the filling opening 106 of the barrel filler neck 105 takes place in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 by means of a screw cap 115, which consists of plastic or another suitable metallic material and which is provided with a retracted bottom, the circumferential wall portion of the retracted Bottom is provided with an external thread 116 (Fig. 2). The screw cap design is such that the screw cap 115 can be screwed with its external thread 116 into the internal thread 107 of the filler neck 105. In order to be able to grasp the screw cap 115 for screwing in or unscrewing, which will be discussed in more detail below, the screw cap 115 has in the interior 117 formed by the retracted bottom 117 on the bottom of the screw cap 115 denoted by 118 engagement or driving elements indicated at 119, eg in the form of wing-like sections. However, differently designed screw caps or screw plugs can be screwed in and unscrewed with the device 10 if these closure elements are used are provided with an external thread and with engagement and entrainment elements in which the corresponding devices of the device 10 engage in order to be able to turn the closure element about its central axis for screwing in and unscrewing.

The screw cap screwing and unscrewing device 10 consists of a centering and screwing head 120, an outer centering element 130, a wrench 140 that can be brought into operative connection with the screw cap 115, and a drive device 150 for the wrench.

According to FIG. 1, a support frame 30 is connected to a vertical support arm 20, which can be moved vertically in the direction of arrow X by means of a drive device, not shown in the drawing, in such a way that it projects laterally from the support arm 20. However, there is also the possibility of fastening the support frame 30 to support arms 20 on both sides. The support arm 20 can also be moved in the horizontal direction.

This support frame 30 is designed as a support bracket 31. This support bracket 31 consists of an upper horizontal ring body 32 and a lower horizontal ring body 33 arranged at a distance from the ring body 32 by means of spacer arms 34 and running parallel to the ring body 32, the two central openings of the two ring bodies 32, 33 with 32a, 33a. These two openings 32a, 33a of the two ring bodies 32, 33 of the support bracket 31 correspond to one another. The diameter of the two openings 32a, 33a of the ring bodies 32, 33 can be the same; however, there is also the possibility of dimensioning the diameter of the opening 32a of the upper ring body 33 somewhat larger than the diameter 33a of the lower ring body 33.

This support bracket 31 receives the centering and screwing head 120, which - as will be described in more detail below - is pivotally or movably mounted in the support bracket 31 about its longitudinal axis, this centering and screwing head comprising a guide cylinder 40, the outer centering element 130 and the wrench 140, so that in a vertical movement of the support arm 20 with the support bracket 31, the centering and screwing head 120 also takes part in this process. The spacer arms 34, which keep the two ring bodies 32, 33 of the support bracket 31 at a distance, are fastened to the outer peripheral region of the two ring bodies 32, 33. The outer diameter of the two ring bodies 32, 33 is dimensioned the same.

In the two mutually corresponding openings 32a, 33a of the two ring bodies 32, 33 of the support bracket 31, the guide cylinder 40 is arranged, which is guided on both sides out of the plane formed by the two ring bodies 32, 33 with a section (FIGS. 1 and 2). The upper end of the guide cylinder is designated 40a, its lower end 40b and its interior 40c.

Adjacent to its lower end 40b, the guide cylinder 40 has on its outer wall surface a circumferential outer ring 41 which is designed as a support ring for a resilient element. The outer ring 41 is an integral part of the guide cylinder 40, which is designed as a cylindrical tube. The outer circumference of the outer ring 41 of the guide cylinder 40 is dimensioned such that the outer ring 41 is supported on the inner wall surface of the ring body 33 of the support bracket 31 facing the ring body 32. So that the guide cylinder 40 can be brought into any required inclined position or any required Can adjust the inclined position, the portion of the outer ring 41 of the guide cylinder 40 on the ring body 33 is formed accordingly, this configuration can be such that the outer circumferential bearing surface of the outer ring 41 is provided with an annular bead with a part-circular section, while the bearing surface for the outer ring 41 on the ring body 33 is provided with a correspondingly profiled annular recess, so that the outer ring 41 can roll off with its bead-like outer profile in the ring groove or groove-shaped recess in the ring body. Furthermore, there is the possibility of designing the ring body 33 to be resilient, so that when the ring body 33 is loaded on one side, this loaded section dodges, for example, in the direction of arrow Y, ie the ring body can bend in this area. In this embodiment, the spacer arms 34 are then also designed to be resilient, so that a change in the position of the annular body 33 in its section loaded by the guide cylinder 40 together with the spacer arms 34 relative to the rigid annular body 32 is possible.

The storage and mounting of the guide cylinder 40 in the support frame 30 takes place by means of the resilient-elastic element, which in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is designed as a cylindrical helical compression spring 42 which surrounds the guide cylinder 40 so that it is in the interior of the helical compression spring 42 is arranged. The upper end of the helical compression spring 42 is designated 42a and the lower end of the helical compression spring 42b. This helical compression spring 42 is clamped between the upper ring body 32 of the support bracket 31 and the outer ring 41 of the guide cylinder 40, in such a way that the helical compression spring 42 with its upper end 40a on the inner wall surface of the upper ring body 32 and with its lower end 42b on the outer ring 41 of the guide cylinder 40. In the support areas of the helical compression spring 42 on the annular body 32 and on the outer ring 41 of the guide cylinder 40, the annular body 32 and the outer ring 41 are correspondingly profiled so that lateral deflection of the helical compression spring 42 with its upper end 42a or with its lower end 42b is not possible is. Due to this mounting of the guide cylinder 40 by means of the helical compression spring 42 in the support bracket 31, the guide cylinder 40 and all the elements connected to it described in greater detail below can be pivoted about the longitudinal axis of the guide cylinder, i.e. the lower end of the guide cylinder 40 in the direction of the arrow X2, for example at 45 in Fig. 2 indicated pivot point pivotable or slidable.

The guide cylinder 40 carries at its upper end 40a an end plate 46 which is detachably or fixedly connected to the circumferential wall of the guide cylinder 40. The drive device 150 for the wrench 140 is arranged on this end plate 46. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the drive device is designed in a manner known per se as an air motor 50, which is provided with two connections 51, 52 for reversing the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 53 connected to the air motor 50. Air-pressure-operated motors are known in a wide variety of embodiments and can be used here as a drive device 150, although drive devices of a different design, such as, for example, electromotive drive devices or the like, are also used. , can be used.

The drive shaft 53 of the air motor 50 is guided through an opening 47 in the end plate 46 of the guide cylinder 40 and through its interior 40c. The bottom free end of the drive shaft 53 carries the wrench 140. The drive shaft is variable in length, i.e. the drive shaft is designed so that it is telescopic, which takes place in the direction of arrow X1. Furthermore, the drive shaft 53 is under the action of a cylindrical helical compression spring 56 which surrounds the drive shaft 53 in the interior region of the guide cylinder 40 and whose upper end 56a is supported on an upper cylindrical support body 54 and with its lower end 56b on a lower support ring 55, whereby the cylindrical support body 54 and the support ring 55 are arranged at a distance from one another. The drive shaft 53, which is formed in two parts in this area, can be moved together by this distance. The operation of the helical compression spring 56 will be discussed in more detail below. The direction of rotation of the drive shaft 53 is indicated by the arrow X3.

The outer centering element 130 consists of a cylindrical hollow body 60 which is open on both sides and which is arranged in the interior 40c of the guide cylinder 40 so as to be displaceable in the longitudinal direction. The dimensions of the cylindrical hollow body 60 are such that the outer wall surface of the hollow body 60 is guided on the inner wall surface of the guide cylinder 40. At 80, a stroke limitation for the cylindrical hollow body 60 is indicated, which consists of a pin arranged in the wall of the guide cylinder 40, which extends into the feed path of the cylindrical hollow body 60. The outer wall surface of the hollow body 60 is provided with a longitudinal groove 81 into which the Stroke limiting pin engages, at the same time the stroke limiting pin 80 preventing a possible twisting of the cylindrical hollow body 60 about its longitudinal axis.

This cylindrical hollow body 60 is under the action of a cylindrical helical compression spring 61, which is arranged above the hollow body 60 in the interior 40c of the guide cylinder 40, namely against the inner wall surface of the guide cylinder 40, this helical compression spring 61 having an upper end 61a on an annular Retraction 48 is supported on the upper end 40a of the guide cylinder 40, while the lower end 61b of the helical compression spring 61 is supported on the upper circumferential edge of the cylindrical hollow body 60 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

The cylindrical hollow body 60 carries a centering ring 62 at its lower end. This centering ring 62 can be designed as a special component and the like by means of screw connections. be connected to the hollow body 60. However, there is also the possibility of forming the bottom end of the cylindrical hollow body 60 like a centering ring. The annular inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62 widens conically towards the bottom free end 62a, so that the inner wall surface 63 tapers conically upwards (FIGS. 2 to 3). This inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62 is designed and dimensioned such that when the centering ring 62 is placed on the circumferential edge 110 of the barrel filler neck 105, this circumferential filler neck edge 110 is encompassed or overlapped. Furthermore, the inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62 is the configuration of the edge 110 of the filler neck 105 of a barrel, container or the like. 100 replicated. This goes from the bottom end 62a, the inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62 into a specially designed contact surface 64, which consists of an upper horizontal ring section 65 which, with the formation of a step-shaped section 66, merges into a vertical ring surface 67 and a horizontal ring surface 68 into the inner wall surface of the cylindrical hollow body 60. The interior enclosed by the centering ring 62 is indicated at 69 (FIG. 3).

The interior of the cylindrical hollow body 60 and possibly also the interior of the guide cylinder 40, since the cylindrical hollow body 60 is open on both sides, is connected to a vacuum generating device, not shown in the drawing, by means of which a vacuum is generated in the interior of the cylindrical hollow body 60 in order to be able to suck in a screw cap 150 via this vacuum in order to hold it on the wrench 140 for the screwing-in process. The wrench 140 arranged at the free end of the drive shaft 53 is designed such that the wrench 140 can engage in the engagement and driving elements 119 of the screw caps 115, so that when the wrench 140 is turned clockwise or counterclockwise, the screw cap 115 either for the screwing-in process or is taken along for the unscrewing process. The connecting piece for the connection of the vacuum generating device is arranged in the wall of the cylindrical hollow body 60 and is designated 90 in FIG. 2.

In order to monitor and control the screw-in depth and the screw-in torque for the screw caps 115, the drive shaft 53 carries a horizontal measuring disk 70 for the screw wrench 140 above the wrench 140, the distance from the measuring disk 70 to the lower end of the screw wrench sels 140 corresponds approximately to the length of the wrench 140. The outer diameter of the measuring disk 70, which assumes the position shown in FIG. 2, corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of the cylindrical hollow body 60 of the centering element 130, so that when the wrench 140 is lowered or raised, the measuring disk 70 takes part in this movement in the direction of the arrow X6.

The measuring disk 70 has on its outer circumference a number of recesses which are arranged at equal distances from one another, such as notches, grooves or depressions 71 of a different design. In the wall 60d of the cylindrical hollow body 60 of the centering element 130, a proximity switch 75 is arranged in the path of movement of the measuring disk 70, which is designed in a manner known per se and consists of an amplifier circuit 76, a resonant circuit coil 77 and a shield 78, the line profile of the structure Field is indicated at 79 (Fig. 4). This proximity switch 75 is an electronic switching element that indicates whether metal parts have approached a certain distance or not. Inductive proximity switches consist of an oscillator that supplies the primary side of a transformer with voltage. The metal parts to be detected act as a secondary side. When approaching, an eddy current is induced. This leads to an increase in the primary current, which is registered at a certain threshold. This leads to a change in the output signal. An inductive proximity switch can be used if the measuring disk 70 consists of metallic materials. However, if the measuring disk 70 consists of non-metallic materials, such as plastics, then it is advantageous if the circumference of the individual recesses 71 on the base surfaces of the measuring disk 70 plates made of metallic materials are arranged, but then also the peripheral region of the measuring disk 70 must be provided with a metallic coating. Capacitive proximity switches respond when non-metallic materials approach and are used when the measuring disk 70 is not made of metallic materials.

The proximity switch 75 is arranged in the wall of the cylindrical hollow body 60 in the area adjacent to the centering ring 62. There is also the possibility of arranging the proximity switch 75 in a longitudinally displaceable manner in the wall of the cylindrical hollow body 60, which is advantageous if screw caps 115 of different thickness are to be screwed in or unscrewed.

The measuring disk 70 in connection with the proximity switch 75 is used in such a way that when the drive device 150 is started up, the drive shaft 53 and thus also the wrench 140 are rotated. When the screw cap 115 is screwed into the thread of the barrel filler neck 105, and with simultaneous continuous lowering of the wrench 140 due to the drive shaft 53 acted upon by the helical compression spring 56, the measuring disk 70 also lowers slowly and comes into the area of the proximity switch 75, as a result of which Pulses are triggered, which are used for control purposes via corresponding devices, not shown in the drawing. At the same time, a statement is made that the screwing depth has almost been reached. The incoming pulses can, for example evaluated in a computer and used to control the screwing depth and screwing torque required. If no more pulses are given, the air motor stops automatically. The screwing torque and thus the final screwing depth is then reached. Monitoring of the screw-in torque is possible in this way.

The length of the vertical wall section 67 of the inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62, which tapers on the inside towards the end, is exactly the screw-in depth of the screw cap 115 or 5 to 10 mm.

For the resilient-elastic suspension of the guide cylinder 40 in the support bracket 31, instead of the helical compression spring 42 surrounding the guide cylinder 40, a plurality of helical compression springs, which are arranged at the same distance from one another and preferably at a distance from the circumference of the guide cylinder 40, can be provided, the upper ends of which support the upper ring body 32 of the support bracket 31 and with their lower ends on the circumferential outer ring 41 on the outer wall of the guide cylinder, so that these helical compression springs are arranged in a ring around the guide cylinder 40.

Instead of a single helical compression spring 42d or a plurality of helical compression springs arranged in a ring around the guide cylinder 40, other types of resilient-elastic elements can also be used. It is essential, however, that such elements are designed and arranged in this way is that the guide cylinder 40 in the support bracket 31 can be pivoted in such a way that the guide cylinder 40 and thus the centering and screwing head 120 can align with the respectively predefined longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck 105. For this reason, the openings 32a, 33a of the two ring bodies 32, 33 of the support bracket 31 are dimensioned such that the guide cylinder can pivot in the direction of the arrow Y1, Y2, for example at 45, provided that the centering ring 62 is not on the filler neck 105 of a barrel, container or the like. 100 is seated so as not to impair the pivotability in the direction of arrow Y2 on the bottom.

The screw cap screwing and unscrewing device 10 operates as follows:

In order to unscrew a screw cap 115 from the filler neck 105 of a barrel 100, the centering and screwing head 120 of the device 10 is brought into a position above the filler neck 105 by moving the support arm. The centering and screwing head 120 is then lowered into the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in which the centering ring 62 with its conical inner wall surface 63 engages over the peripheral edge 110 of the barrel filler neck 105, the conically running inner wall surface 63 engaging the arcuate section 114 of the edge bead 111 of the filler neck 105 comes to rest (FIG. 3). In this position of the centering ring 62, its horizontal ring section 65 rests on the contact edge 112 of the edge bead 111 of the barrel filler neck 105. Due to the corresponding and dimensioned configuration of the step-shaped section 66 of the inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62, there is a distance between the scales right ring surface 68 and the contact edge 112 of the edge bead 111 of the barrel filler neck 105, which corresponds approximately to the height indicated by H in FIG. 3. This distance H enables the screw cap 115 to be lifted when the screw cap 115 is unscrewed from the thread of the barrel filler neck 105 in such a way that when the centering and screw head 120 is raised further while simultaneously performing a rotary movement of the screw cap 115 by means of the wrench engaging in the screw cap 115 140 when the drive device 150 is started up, the screw cap 115 is unscrewed from the thread of the barrel filler neck 105. During this process, the vacuum generating device is put into operation, so that a vacuum is generated in the interior of the cylindrical hollow body 60, which holds the screw cap 115 on the wrench 140 or through the sealing surface 68 and the laterally projecting and circumferential wall surface 115a of the screw cap 115 enables (Fig. 3). This simultaneously creates a seal so that the screw cap 115 can be sucked in by means of the vacuum. This wrench 140 has a head-like design on the bottom to create a contact surface for the screw cap 115. The centering and alignment of the centering and screwing head 120 or the centering ring 62 on the circumferential edge of the barrel filler neck 105 takes place through the interaction of the inner wall surface configuration of the centering ring 62 and the configuration of the circumferential edge 110 of the barrel filling neck 105. Since the centering and screwing head 120 in With respect to its longitudinal axis, which is arranged in the support frame 30 or the support bracket 31 and is spring-loaded, the centering ring 62 is automatically aligned on the barrel filler neck 105, even if this should not assume a vertical position relative to the barrel cover plate 101 of the barrel 100. If the screw cap is lifted from the thread of the barrel filler neck 105, then the centering and screwing Head 120 returned by means of the helical compression spring 42 in its vertical starting position according to Fig.1 and 2. During the unscrewing process of the screw cap 115, the wrench 140 is operatively connected to the screw cap and is rotated by means of the drive device 150 via the drive shaft 53. If the vacuum built up by means of the vacuum generating device in the interior of the cylindrical hollow body 60 is released with the centering and screwing head 120 raised, then the screw cap 115 falls off and can be transported away. If the centering and screwing head 120 has assumed an inclined position for the unscrewing process, that is to say it has been tilted, then the centering and screwing head is automatically aligned to the vertical by means of the screw compression spring 42. The unscrewing pressure is absorbed by the helical compression spring 56 when the screw cap 115 is raised. When a screw cap 115 is screwed into the thread of a barrel filler neck 105, the helical compression spring 56 presses the wrench down with the screw cap 115 sucked in by vacuum. The force of the helical compression spring 56 is dimensioned such that the thread of the screw cap 115 and the internal thread 107 of the barrel filler neck 105 are not damaged. During the start-up of the centering and screwing head 120, the wrench 140 is rotated further in order to ensure that the screw cap 115 is also completely unscrewed from the thread of the barrel filler neck 105, ie the drive of the wrench 140 is maintained until the screw cap 115 has lifted off the barrel filler neck 105.

For screwing a screw cap 115 into one open barrel filler neck 105, for example after filling the barrel 100, the centering and screwing head 120 of the device 10 is moved into the area of the barrel filler neck 105, the cylindrical hollow body 60 with its centering ring 62 by means of the helical compression spring 61 downward in the direction of the barrel filler neck 105 is pressed. The centering ring 62 is pressed against the peripheral edge 110 of the barrel filler neck 105. The hollow body 60 also lowers with the centering ring 62, the drive shaft 53 then rotating with the wrench 140 when the drive device 150 is started up, the wrench 140 being under the tension of the helical compression spring 56. When the centering ring 62 of the circumferential edge 110 of the barrel filler neck 105 overlaps, the centering and screwing head 120 adapts to the respective position of the barrel filler neck 105, even if the longitudinal axis of the barrel filler neck 105 does not extend to the vertical. By means of the helical compression spring 61, the outer centering element 130 is pressed against the barrel filler neck 105, the ring portion 65 of the inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62 coming to rest on the attachment edge 112 of the edge bead 111 of the barrel filler neck 105 or being pressed against this annular attachment edge 112.

Before the centering and screwing head 120 is lowered onto the barrel filler neck 105, a supplied screw cap 115 has been drawn in by creating the vacuum in the interior of the hollow body 60, which screw cap is moved into the area of the barrel filler neck 105 when the centering and screwing head 120 is placed on it. By overlapping the centering ring 62 of the barrel filler neck 105, there is initially a through the conical inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62 Rough centering. The main and the fine alignment of the centering and screwing head 120 then takes place through the interaction of the specially designed contact surface 64 of the inner wall surface 63 of the centering ring 62 with the special design of the peripheral edge 110 of the barrel filler neck 105, and in particular with the attachment edge 112 of the barrel filler neck 105 (Fig.3). The lateral alignment of the centering and screwing head 120 then takes place by means of the conically tapering inner wall surface section on the circular section 114 of the circumferential edge 110 of the barrel filler neck 105, while fine-centering and. By the interaction of the mounting edge 112 with the annular surface 65 of the inner wall 63 of the centering ring 62 Matching to the filler neck 105 takes place. The vertical position to the barrel filler neck 105 is determined and defined by the vertical ring surface 69 of the inner wall 63 of the centering ring 62.

Once the centering and screwing head 120 has been aligned with the barrel filler neck 105 and its filling opening 106, the wrench 140, which is in engagement with the screw cap 115, is rotated for the screwing-in process, the screwing-in process being carried out in such a way that First of all, there is a short left turn so that the screw cap 115 engages in the beginning of the internal thread 107 of the barrel filler neck 105. Then the direction of rotation of the drive shaft 53 is changed with the wrench 140 and the screw cap 115 is then screwed into the thread of the barrel filler neck 105 by a clockwise rotation. The centering and screw head 120 with the drive device 150 is arranged for free movement in the spring 42 or suspended from it.

Claims (14)

1. Device for barrels, containers and the like. for screwing and unscrewing screw caps or the like. (115) made of plastics or metallic materials into the internal thread (107) or from the internal thread (107) in the area of an opening (102) in the upper cover plate (101) of the barrel, container and the like. (100) on the cover plate attached filler neck (105) with a filling opening (106), the upper filling opening (106) delimiting, peripheral edge (110) is provided with an outer edge bead (111), one in the plane of the upper Filling opening (106) of the filler neck (105) has a circumferential attachment edge (112) which is adjoined by an approximately circular section (114) which merges into the outer wall (113) of the filler neck, using a centering and screwing head (120) consisting of a outer centering element (130) which can be placed on the filler neck (105) and a centering element (130) which is arranged in the interior thereof and can be displaced against spring pressure, rotatable by means of a drive device (150) and the like into the screw cap. (115) engaging wrench (140), characterized in that the centering and screwing head (120) with its drive device (150) for free movement in space is arranged in a resilient-elastic element (42) or is supported on it, whereby the resilient-elastic element (42) is arranged in a laterally and / or vertically movable support frame (30). 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the centering and screw head (120) is supported against a resilient-elastic element, for example a cylindrical helical compression spring (42), which is arranged in a vertically movable support frame (30), and by means of the resilient-elastic element in each angular position deviating from the longitudinal axis of the filler neck or into each with the longitudinal axis of the filler neck deviating from the vertical at one or the like in relation to the cover plane of the barrel, container. (100) bent filler neck (105) resulting position can be transferred to the corresponding position or can be automatically reset from any angular position to the vertical position. 3. Apparatus according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the device (10) from a vertically movable, vertical support arm (20) to which the support frame (30) is connected, a guide cylinder (40) through which Carrying frame (30) is guided through and carries on the top a drive device (150) for the wrench (140), the centering element (130), which consists of a longitudinally displaceable cylindrical hollow body (60) held in the interior (43) of the guide cylinder (40) bottom-side centering ring (62), and the wrench (140), which is arranged in the interior (60c) of the cylindrical hollow body (60) and connected to the drive device (150) and in the interior (40c; 60c) of the guide cylinder (40 ) and the cylindrical hollow body (60) of the centering element (130) arranged drive shaft (53) is connected, wherein the guide cylinder (40) in the interior of the guide cylinder (40) surrounding cyli n The helical compression spring (42) is arranged, which is supported at one end (42a) on the support frame (30) and with its other end (42b) on the guide cylinder (40) which is freely movable in the support frame (30). 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that on the vertically movable, vertical support arm (20) as a support frame (30), a support bracket (31) from an upper, horizontal ring body (32) and a means of preferably lateral spacer arms (34 ) arranged at a distance from this, lower horizontal ring body (33) that in the corresponding openings (32a, 33a) of the two ring bodies (32,33) of the support bracket (31) of the guide cylinder (40) can be pivoted about its longitudinal axis is arranged, which is supported with a circumferential outer ring (41) adjacent to its lower end on the lower ring body (33) and which is acted upon by the cylindrical helical compression spring (42) surrounding the guide cylinder (40), which is located on the bottom side on the outer ring ( 41) of the guide cylinder (40) and in the upper region on the upper ring body (32) of the support bracket (31), with the cylindrical coil spring (42) between the upper en ring body (32) of the support bracket (31) and the outer ring (41) of the guide cylinder (40) is clamped in that the guide cylinder (40) at its upper end as a drive device (150) for the wrench (140) an air motor (50) With two connections (51, 52) for controlling the screwing and unscrewing process or another suitable drive with a vertical drive shaft (53) for the wrench (140) arranged in the interior (43) of the guide cylinder (40) their vertical The longitudinal axis can be rotated and is longitudinally displaceable against the pressure of a cylindrical helical compression spring (56) and is provided at its bottom end with the wrench (140) which can be mechanically connected to the screw cap (115) such that in the interior (43) of the guide cylinder (40) arranged as a centering element (130) is a cylindrical hollow body (60) which is longitudinally displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the guide cylinder against the pressure of a cylindrical helical compression spring (61) and which carries at its lower end (60b) the centering ring (62), the annular inner wall surface (63) of which widens conically towards the bottom free end (62a), the conically tapering inner wall surface (63) of the centering ring (62) as a contact surface (64) on the circumferential attachment edge (112) of the annular edge bead (111) of the filler neck ( 105) merges into an upper horizontal ring section (65), to which a step-shaped A section (66) with a vertical (67) and a horizontal ring surface (68) connects the inner wall surface (60c) of the cylindrical hollow body (60) of the centering element (130), the interior (69) of which for receiving and holding a screw cap (115) the wrench (140) is connected to a vacuum generating device by means of a vacuum, and that the inner wall surface (63) of the centering ring (62) that widens conically towards the end is dimensioned such that when the centering ring (62) is placed on the filler neck (105) the barrel, container and the like. (100) the outer edge bead (111) of the filler neck (105) is overlapped. 5. Apparatus according to claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the drive shaft (53) for the screw key (140) above the wrench (140) carries a horizontal measuring disc (40), the outer diameter of which corresponds to the inner diameter of the cylindrical hollow body (60) of the centering element (130) and which has a number of recesses arranged at equal distances from one another on its outer circumference, such as Notches, grooves and differently shaped recesses (71), and that in the wall (60d) of the cylindrical hollow body (60) of the centering element (130) in the feed and movement path of the measuring disc (70) a monitoring the screwing depth and the screwing torque and controlling proximity switch (75) is arranged. 6. The device according to claim 1 to 5, characterized in that the length of the vertical wall portion (67) of the inner wall surface (63) of the conically tapering towards the inside of its centering ring (62) corresponds to the screwing depth of the screw cap (115) or 5 is up to 10 mm. 7. Apparatus according to claim 1 to 6, characterized in that as a resilient element instead of a helical compression spring (42) surrounding the guide cylinder (40) several, arranged at equal distances from each other and preferably at a distance from the circumference of the guide cylinder (40) cylindrical Helical compression springs are arranged, which are supported with their upper ends on the upper ring body (32) of the support bracket (31) and with their lower ends on the circumferential outer ring (41) on the outer wall of the guide cylinder (40). 8. The device according to claim 1 to 7, characterized in that the drive shaft (53) for the screws key (140) for a change in length is telescopically retractable and extendable. 9. The device according to claim 1 to 8, characterized in that the proximity switch (75) for the measuring disc (70) in the lower region of the wall (60d) of the cylindrical hollow body (60) of the centering element (130) is arranged. 10. The device according to claim 1 to 8, characterized in that the proximity switch (75) in the wall (60d) of the cylindrical hollow body (60) of the centering element (130) is arranged adjustable in height. 11. The device according to claim 1 to 10, characterized in that for a rolling of the outer ring (41) of the guide cylinder (40) on the ring body (33) of the support bracket (31) during a transfer of the guide cylinder (40) from its vertical starting position in an inclined position of the outer ring (41) in the area of its surface resting on the ring body (33) has an annular bead with a partially circular or semicircular cross-sectional profile, which engages in a correspondingly designed counter-profile in the form of an annular recess or annular groove in the surface of the annular body (33) . 12. The apparatus according to claim 1 to 10, characterized in that the ring body (33) made of a resilient material, such as plastic or the like. With a bent area of the ring body (33) with one-sided loading of the ring body (33) by the Conveying the guide cylinder (40) resilience of its outer ring (41) in its horizontal starting position. 13. The apparatus according to claim 1 to 10, characterized in that the ring body (33) made of a resilient material, such as plastic or the like, with a the bent portion of the ring body (33) with one-sided loading of the ring body (33) by the guide cylinder (40) by means of its outer ring (41) in its horizontal starting position restoring resilience, and that the two ring bodies (32,33) connecting spacer arms (34) made of a resilient material, such as plastic, or another suitable Material with a resilience from a bent position to its vertical starting position. 14. The apparatus according to claim 1 to 13, characterized in that the openings (32a, 33a) of the two ring bodies (32,33) are larger compared to the outer diameter of the guide cylinder (40).

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