EP0521930B1 - Equipping machine for treating vessels - Google Patents

Abstract

An equipping machine for treating vessels of different shape and/or equipment has a revolving table with at least one equipping station followed by marking and pressing elements on its periphery. The revolving table (2) has rotary plates (6) each with an associated positioning element (7) which co-operates selectively with one or more non-rotating radial cams (8, 9, 10) axially offset along the axis (11) of the revolving table. For change-over from one form of vessel or equipment to another, the positioning element (7) associated with the rotary plate (6) and/or the radial cams can be adjusted relative to each other.

Description

The invention relates to an equipment machine for treating vessels according to the preamble of claim 1.

It is common to push equipment onto vessels on a rotary table that is attached to a rotating rotary table of an equipment machine, the rotary table rotatably mounted on the rotary table being controlled by means of a cam roller by a groove curve, which is usually fixed under the rotary table is arranged and contains a specific turning program determined by the course of the groove curve. Especially with molded bottles or complex equipment, as is often the case with spirits, various turning programs, ie grooved curves, are required in order to be able to perform special movements when transferring the equipment and also when painting and / or pressing. It is known, for example, to carry out a rotation of the turntable opposite to the direction of rotation of the turntable in the case of tubes with different diameters on the trunk and neck area or conical surface at the moment of label transfer, while in other cases the container is again driven in the same direction in the direction of rotation of the turntable during label transfer is passed to the longest possible labels on cylindrical surfaces to be able to. With standard equipment, the vessel can also pass the transfer station while it is stationary. The shape of the vessel and the equipment also determine the course of the painting and pressing section after the equipment station. In this area it has so far been possible to make use of the fact that the groove curve contains a corresponding section for each type of vessel or equipment to be processed, on which the brushing bodies, sponge rollers etc. are placed, while the other sections are passed through unused. This construction has the disadvantage that the required groove curve and thus the turntable turn out to be considerably larger than in the case of a machine designed for only one specific type of vessel or equipment because of the universal turning program.

Furthermore, from DE-A-33 23 919, which forms the prior art of the preamble of claim 1, a construction has already become known in which two complete groove curves, which can contain different turning programs, are provided under the turntable for controlling a turntable . A disadvantage of this design is the fact that to switch from one turning program to the other, each turntable with its control device having a roller lever must be individually released from the turntable by hand, raised and inserted into the second groove curve. A quick conversion of an equipment machine from one type of vessel or equipment to a different version is hardly possible with this design, especially since the groove curves are very precisely designed to avoid play, so that the re-introduction of the cam rollers is particularly problematic, with improper handling can damage the groove curve. In addition, dirt can get into the groove curve when the turntable is lifted off the turntable.

DE-U-87 08 031.1 shows a machine whose groove curve is equipped with controllable switches, so that the cam rollers can pass through different branches of the groove curve in sections. A disadvantage of this solution is the susceptibility to wear of the turnouts and, due to the joints in the groove curve at this point, the high wear of the cam rollers. In addition, if the turnout control fails, both the groove curves and the turntable control can be seriously damaged.

In addition, in the case of both known devices, the design freedom of the turning program compared to a machine with only one groove curve is naturally very limited due to the limited space available due to the adjacent arrangement of the groove curves. The maximum swivel angle available to the roller lever cannot be used to the same extent in two adjacent curves as in the case of only one roughly central groove curve.

The invention has for its object to provide an equipment machine for the treatment of vessels with different shapes and / or equipment, which enables a user-friendly adaptation of the turntable control when changing the machine from one type of vessel or equipment to another, several individual, turning programs that can be designed independently of one another should be available.

This object is achieved by the features specified in the characterizing part of claim 1.

Characterized in that the control cams are arranged axially offset from one another in the direction of the turntable axis, the control cams and / or the control member assigned to the turntable being adjustable relative to one another, the design options of the individual control cams are largely unlimited, regardless of the neighboring ones. In addition, the range of motion available to the control member of the turntable can be fully exhausted with each individual control cam, so that it is not necessary to choose too large a transmission ratio between the cam roller of the control member and the turntable shaft. This means that the play on the turntable, which is increased by the translation and originates from the control cam, can be kept within reasonable limits.

To change from one vessel and / or equipment form to another, either the control element of each turntable can be fastened to the turntable in an axially adjustable manner, while the control cams are designed to be stationary or vice versa. The latter possibility allows a relatively simple constructive implementation. For this purpose, the control cams can be arranged offset from one another under the turntable parallel to its rotary plane, in such a way that either control cams can optionally be brought into the circumferential plane of the control members and locked in this position. A common fastening of all control cams on a single support body, which is axially displaceable to the axis of rotation of the turntable, is particularly favorable. A particularly compact design results if the control cams are each designed in the form of a disk which has a defined outer contour. The panes can on be attached to a support body which is mounted displaceably along the bearing column of the turntable and is secured against rotation, for example by a spring groove connection.

In such an embodiment, the control members assigned to the turntables can be firmly mounted on the underside of the turntable. To change the turning program, the control elements must be able to be brought into a position which allows the control cams to be shifted. For this purpose, all technical elements are suitable, which are able to disengage the control members from the control curve and to put them back on after the control curve has been adjusted; such as. pneumatic cylinders. This can be achieved particularly easily, for example, in that the control cams have a matching maximum outer diameter and the control members then maintain their position when this position is reached.

Since, when using a control curve with only one outer contour, the cam roller of the control element is pressed against the control curve by a spring element, the control element can be mechanically locked, for example, when the maximum outer diameter of the control curve is reached. If all the control elements attached to the turntable are held in this way, a control curve having a different rotation program can be brought into the rotating plane of the control elements without any problems. By releasing the lock, the cam rollers of the control elements can in turn attach themselves to the control cam. A special locking mechanism can be dispensed with if a gas spring that can be vented is used as the spring element for loading the cam roller. It is sufficient here during one circulation of the Vent all gas springs on the turntable so that the control members with their cam rollers automatically stop in the maximum position specified by the control cam. After adjusting the control cams, the gas springs can be pressurized again to apply the cam rollers to the control curve. The connection of all gas springs by means of a ring line is particularly favorable, so that a single connection for pressure supply via a rotary distributor is sufficient.

The control member of the turntable which scans the control cam by means of a cam roller can be designed, for example, as a roller lever. Instead of this, the power transmission from the cam roller to the turntable shaft can also take place via a push rod designed as a toothed rack with a gear mechanism which converts the lifting movement into a rotating movement. This constructive measure allows the control cams to be made relatively compact even in the case of larger, more powerful machines, while the distance to the turntable shaft is bridged by appropriately dimensioned push rods. In addition, a translation corresponding to the requirements can take place in a known manner between the cam roller and the drive shaft of the turntable. This is often necessary especially in the case of equipment machines for vessels with high-quality equipment, since with these vessels to be processed it is often necessary to be able to rotate the turntable in both directions by more than 360 degrees. The tappet, which is designed as a toothed rack, can be attached in a simple manner to the underside of the turntable, oriented radially to the turntable axis, and rotates with it during operation. A cylindrical cavity serving as a gas chamber can be advantageously integrated into the toothed rack, into which a fixed piston rod engages, by means of the corresponding Hollow holes can be fed from the outside via a ring line of compressed gas for pressing the rack and thus the cam roller against the control cam. Instead of this, the use of a spiral spring would also be possible.

An even greater freedom of design for the execution of the control curves is obtained if the gas spring loading the cam roller is designed as a double-acting cylinder, which presses the cam roller against the outer contour of a control curve in normal operation and brings the cam roller into a position that is spaced as far apart from the control curve as possible can, so that the control curves do not necessarily have to have a common, matching maximum outer diameter.

The support body, which is displaceably guided along the bearing column of the turntable and accommodates the control cams, can be actuated by a pivot lever which is articulated on the machine table, its position being fixable by an adjustable stop body having a plurality of corresponding stop surfaces.

The invention can also be with a positive control for both directions of rotation of the turntable, e.g. by means of a control curve with two interacting contours, so that spring elements for pressing the cam rollers against only one existing curve contour can be dispensed with.

By using two toothed racks opposite each other in parallel with their toothing, each with its own cam roller, it is possible to achieve positive rotation in both directions of rotation. However, two rotating superimposed programs would belong to each turning program Control cams are required, the outer contours of which must be of opposite design, such that the two racks, each of which cooperates with a control cam, perform an opposite thrust movement, which is converted into a rotary movement by a gear arranged between the two racks and engaging in their teeth. The gear can be attached directly to the turntable drive shaft.

In the described embodiment, the control curves are expediently rigidly attached, the control elements, i. H. the cam rollers, however adjustable. For this purpose, the control cams have a corresponding area, advantageously between the vessel outlet and inlet, in which the superimposed outer contours and the cam rollers are aligned, so that the cam rollers can be displaced relative to the control cams when passing through this section.

The cam rollers can be moved, for example, by means of a controllable cam piece arranged in a fixed manner on the circumference of the turntable in the circumferential plane of the cam rollers. This means that the control elements can be optionally assigned to different control curves while the machine is running, which enables the simultaneous processing of vessels with different equipment in one equipment machine.

In the case of equipment machines with a large number of turntables and thus inevitably large turntable diameters, on the other hand, it is cheaper to arrange the control cams directly below the rotating area of the turntables. In principle, there is again the possibility of creating a control curve with only one contour per turning program either on the radially inner one or to arrange the radially outer side of the orbit of the cam rollers and to apply them non-positively by means of a spring element, or to provide a control cam with two contours per turning program for the positive guidance of the cam rollers.

The latter possibility can be realized in a simple manner with fixed control cams lying one above the other and adjustable control members, the control cams comprising a corresponding area in which the control members or the cam rollers can be moved in the manner described above.

So that a power transmission to the turntable drive shaft can take place in spite of the different types of curves, the contours of the control cams arranged on both sides of the orbit are sufficiently large that the turntable drive shafts or the shafts carrying the cam rollers are collision-free during an entire revolution can reach through to the lowest control curve through a common annular cavity. For simultaneous scanning of the contours of the control curves running on both sides of the orbit, two cam rollers attached to a carrier at a distance from one another are expedient for each turntable. This carrier is pivotally mounted and drivingly connected to the turntable drive shaft. To set a different turning program, the carrier can be moved relative to the control cams.

Two exemplary embodiments are described below with reference to the figures.

Fig. 1

eine Draufsicht auf eine Ausstattungsmaschine ohne deren Oberteil,

Fig. 2

einen senkrechten Schnitt durch einen Drehtisch,

Fig. 3

einen von der Unterseite des Drehtisches aus dargestellten Drehtellerantrieb,

Fig. 4

einen Schnitt durch den in Fig. 3 dargestellten Drehtellerantrieb,

Fig. 5

einen senkrechten Schnitt durch einen Teil eines Drehtisches nach einem zweiten Ausführungsbeispiel und

Fig. 6

einen horizontalen Schnitt durch einen Drehtisch nach Fig 5.

Show it:

Fig. 1

a plan view of an equipment machine without the upper part,

Fig. 2

a vertical section through a turntable,

Fig. 3

a turntable drive shown from the underside of the turntable,

Fig. 4

3 shows a section through the turntable drive shown in FIG. 3,

Fig. 5

a vertical section through part of a turntable according to a second embodiment and

Fig. 6

a horizontal section through a turntable according to FIG. 5.

As can be clearly seen in FIG. 1, the vessels 45 to be delivered, which are to be supplied by a conveyor belt, are first pulled apart onto the machine division and are pushed onto a rotary table 6 carrying a rotary table 6 by a feed conveyor 1 designed as a rotating star. Even before an incoming vessel 45 is released by the feed conveyor 1, the vessel is axially clamped between the turntable 6 receiving the vessel bottom and a centering bell controlled by a curve and lowered from above onto the vessel head. For this purpose, the centering bells are usually in the correct position relative to the turntables on an upper part which rotates synchronously with the turntable and is not shown in FIG. 1 attached. Immediately afterwards, the vessel receives, for example, a body label and a tinfoil film for the bottle neck through a first equipment station 23. Then the vessel passes through a brushing and rolling channel, with fixed brushes 4 and sponge rollers 5, which are arranged interchangeably on the periphery of the turntable 2. These painting and pressing elements as well as guide arches and other parts of the machine are exchanged when changing containers or changing the equipment, ie these elements are put together individually. Correspondingly adapted turning programs for the turntable 6 must be available in this area. Then, for example, a back label can be handed over to a second equipment station 24, which in turn can be painted or pressed on by brushes 4 and sponge rollers 5 on the way to the conveyor 3. The vessel is discharged from the turntable 2 onto a conveyor belt by means of a conveyor 3 cooperating with a guide bend 25, while a final treatment of the tinfoil film by rotating brushes etc. can be carried out during this process.

The control device producing the rotation of the turntable 6 is shown schematically in FIG. 2. The turntable 2 is connected in terms of drive to the revolving center column 26, which is rotatably mounted in the bearing column 13 which is fixed on the machine table 27. The center column 26 extends into the area, not shown, below the machine table 27, where the drive motor and the corresponding force transmission elements are placed.

On the lateral surface of the bearing column 13, a support body 12 is guided axially displaceably, which is secured against rotation by a tongue and groove connection, not shown. On the support body 12, three control cams 8, 9 and 10 are axially offset in the direction of the turntable axis 11 parallel to the revolving plane of the turntable 2, i. H. rigidly attached to each other. Furthermore, the support body 12 can be axially moved by hand on a pivot lever 21 on the bearing column 13. For this purpose, the pivot lever 21 is rotatably fastened with its radially inner end to the support body 12 and articulated approximately in the center on a bearing pin 28 fixed to the frame. The height-related position of the support body 12 and thus of the control cams 8, 9 and 10 is determined by a stop body 22 fastened to the bearing column 13, on which the support body 12 is supported. The stop body 22 has an adjustable screw for each control cam, which forms the stop surface for the support body 12. The required stop surface can be brought into position by lifting the support body 12 by turning the stop body by rotating the stop body. As a result, each of the control cams 8, 9, 10 can, if necessary, be brought into the constant revolving plane of the control members 7 assigned to the turntables 6. The structure of the control elements 7 can be seen better in FIGS. 3 and 4.

In Fig. 3, a control member 7 is shown viewed from the underside of the table. The cam roller 14, which scans the control cam 10, is rotatably attached to a displaceably mounted toothed rack which is aligned radially with respect to the rotary table axis 11 and at the end thereof which points towards the rotary table axis.

The rack 15, see FIG. 4, is mounted in a sliding guide 29 fastened to the underside of the turntable 2, the toothing of the rack 15 reaching out through a lateral slot of the sliding guide 29 and cooperating with the toothing of a gear transmission 16. In order to ensure an exact engagement of the toothings, both the toothed rack 15 on the outside and the sliding guide 29 on the inside have a non-circular, preferably rectangular, cross section. The gear mechanism 16 comprises the gearwheel 30 fastened to the drive shaft 17 of the turntable 6 and the step gearwheel 31 which produces the frictional connection to the rack 15 and which has two toothings lying in one plane with different pitch circles, which have a translation between the rack 15 and the gearwheel 30 form. For this purpose, the step gear 31 is rotatably mounted on a bolt 32 fastened to the turntable 2.

Since the control cam 10 shown in FIG. 3 has only one outer contour, the cam roller 14 must be pressed against the outer contour by spring force. In the exemplary embodiment, the spring force is applied by a gas spring 18 integrated into the rack 15. In the end of the toothed rack 15 opposite the cam roller 14, a blind hole 33 extends into which a piston 34 sealingly engages, which is rigidly attached to the housing of the sliding guide 29. Through the through hole 35 in the piston 34 there is a connecting channel between the ring line 36 connecting all the adjacent pistons and the cavity formed by the blind hole 33 and the bottom of the piston 34 in the rack 15. The ring line 36 has a connection, not shown, to a reservoir with below Gas under pressure. In operation, only leakage losses through the ring line 36 essentially have to be compensated for.

If the equipment machine is to be changed over to a different turning program, the connection between the reservoir and the ring line 36 is first interrupted by a corresponding valve and the ring line is opened to the atmosphere. Then the turntable 2 is completely rotated once by the machine drive when the vessel supply is blocked, so that all cam rollers 14 assume a common outer position in accordance with the maximum curve elevation and maintain this position due to the ventilation of the ring line 36 and the friction.

All three control cams 8, 9, 10 have a matching maximum diameter. This enables a problem-free adjustment of the control cams, which is carried out by lifting the support body 12 by means of the swivel lever 21, rotating the stop body 22 and then lowering the support body 12 to the set stop surface. By reconnecting the ring line 36 to the reservoir containing compressed gas, all the cam rollers 14 are placed against the outer contour of the newly set control cam.

The turntable 2 shown in Fig. 2 can be closed on its underside by a cover, not shown, so that no dirt can penetrate into the gear and an oil circulation lubrication can be used.

In the second exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the rotary table 6 mounted in the rotary table 2 is positively controlled by two contour surfaces per control curve. As a result, a spring element for pressing the cam rollers 14 as in the previously described exemplary embodiment can be dispensed with. The form-fitting control is particularly advantageous for equipment machines in the upper performance range due to the higher operational reliability.

Similar to a conventional labeling machine, the control cams 8, 9, 10 controlling the rotary movement of the turntable 6 are arranged fixedly below the orbit of the turntable 6. However, in the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 5, three different control cams 8, 9, 10 are arranged rigidly one below the other, i. H. they are not adjustable in height and secured against twisting. In contrast to conventional machines, however, two cam rollers 14 fastened at a distance from one another to a carrier 37 are provided for each turntable, wherein the cam rollers 14 can be arranged in front or behind with respect to the pivot axis of the carrier 37.

The distance between the two cam rollers 14 and the contours of a control cam is dimensioned such that all superimposed control cams 8, 9, 10 form an annular cavity which is at least slightly larger than the sliding sleeve 38 carrying the carrier 37 and the cam rollers 14, the axially displaceable but non-rotatably mounted on the intermediate shaft 39. The. Intermediate shaft 39 is rotatably mounted at a fixed height on the underside of the turntable and carries at its upper end a toothed segment 40 which meshes with the gearwheel 30 of the drive shaft 17 of the turntable 6. For torque transmission from the sliding sleeve 38 to the intermediate shaft 39, both are provided with a polygonal profile.

The sliding sleeve 38 has at its upper end an annular groove in which a fork 41 engages, which in turn on one in Turntable housing rotatably mounted control shaft 42 is attached. The control shaft 42 carries at its end projecting radially outward from the housing of the turntable 2 a roller lever 43 with which the fork 41 can be used to move the cam rollers 14 into a region of the control cams 8, 9, 10 in which the contours of the Control curves 8, 9, 10 match, that is, they are aligned. This area expediently lies between the discharge conveyor 3 and the feed conveyor 1. Here, a fixed, specifically controllable actuating device for adjusting the roller lever 43 can be arranged. A spring-loaded ball lock 44 is provided so that the roller lever 43 maintains its set position during one revolution.

Claims (26)

1. Fitting machine for the treatment of vessels of different shape and/or with different fitting, in particular bottles, with an input conveyor, a rotationally drivable turntable with at least one fitting station arranged at the circumference thereof with subsequent brush-on and press-on elements and an output conveyor, wherein the turntable comprises at least one rotatably mounted revolving plate with an associated control member which cooperates with a non-rotatably mounted control cam and wherein at least two differnt control cams (8, 9, 10) are provided, each comprising a complete revolving programme for the revolving plate (6), for one revolution of the turntable (2), characterisedin that the control cams (8, 9, 10) are axially offset in the direction of the turntable axis (11) and in that, for conversion from one form of vessel and/or fitting to another, the control member (7) associated with the revolving plate (6) and/or the control cams (8, 9, 10) are displaceable relative to each other.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) are arranged one below the other under the turntable (2), offset and parallel to the plane of rotation thereof.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that each control cam (8, 9, 10) can be brought into the plane of rotation of the control members (7) selectively and locked in this position.
4. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) are mounted axially slidably relative to the turntable axis (11).
5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) are mounted jointly on a supporting body (12).
6. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) are arranged on the radially inner side of the path of rotation of the control members (7).
7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the supporting body (12) is mounted slidably on the bearing column (13) of the turntable (2).
8. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) are in each case constructed as a disc with a predefined outer contour.
9. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) have a corresponding maximum outside diameter.
10. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the control member (7) includes a cam roller (14) and a transmission mechanism.
11. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterised in that the transmission mechanism comprises a rack (15) which is guided on the lower side of the turntable (2) and aligned radially with the turntable axis (11) and which carries a cam roller (14) at its end directed towards the centre.
12. Apparatus according to claim 11, characterised in that the rack (15) acts via a gear mechanism (16) on the drive shaft (17) of the revolving plate (6).
13. Apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 12, characterised in that the cam roller (14) is biased by means of a spring element against the outer contour of the associated control cam (8, 9, 10).
14. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the spring element is constructed as a flat spiral spring.
15. Apparatus according to claim 13, characterised in that the spring element is constructed as a gas spring (18).
16. Apparatus according to claim 15, characterised in that the gas springs (18) are connected to each other by a ring pipe (36) which can be connected to a pressurised reservoir.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16, characterised in that the ring pipe (36) can be evacuated.
18. Apparatus according to any of claims 8 to 17, characterised in that the outer contour of all the control cams (8, 9, 10) reaches its maximum corresponding distance from the turntable axis (11) preferably in the region between bottle outlet and inlet.
19. Apparatus according to any of claims 10 to 18, characterised in that the cam rollers (14) can be locked at their maximum distance from the turntable axis (11).
20. Apparatus according to claims 15 and 16, characterised in that the gas spring (18) is constructed as a double-acting cylinder, wherein the latter during normal operation biases the cam roller (14) against the outer contour of a control cam (8, 9, 10) and for conversion moves the cam roller (14) into a position at a distance from the control cam (8, 9, 10).
21. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterised in that the position of the supporting body (12) can be adjusted by a pivot lever (21) linked to the machine table (27) and fixed by an adjustable stop body (22) with corresponding stop faces.
22. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the control members (7), or at least the parts thereof cooperating with the control cam (8, 9, 10), for conversion can be brought out of contact with the control cam (8, 9, 10).
23. Apparatus according to either of claims 1 or 2, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) are arranged stationarily in the region of rotation of the cam rollers (14).
24. Apparatus according to claim 23, characterised in that the control cams (8, 9, 10) have a common section with corresponding cam shape, in which the contours of the control cams (8, 9, 10) are aligned.
25. Apparatus according to any of claims 1, 2, 23 or 24, characterised in that the control members (7) or at least the cam rollers (14) thereof are mounted on the turntable (2) for displacement relative to the control cams (8, 9, 10).
26. Apparatus according to claim 24 or 25, characterised in that displacement of the cam rollers (14) takes place by a controllable actuating device placed on the section with corresponding cam shape.

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