EP0638501B1 - Conveying device for the further conveyance of flat objects, fed one by one - Google Patents

Abstract

The conveying device is used for the further transport of flat products (4), fed one by one, such as envelopes, printed products or workpieces, and has a drawing element (6) which circulates and is driven, to which are fastened at intervals pick-up devices (5,40) which may be filled and emptied. The pick-up devices (5,40) each have two side walls spaced apart in the conveying direction, which form a pick-up space (9) having an opening (11,49) for the products (4). The opening (11,49) can be expanded for loading. For dropping (the objects), the pick-up devices (5,40) can be moved in each case into a suspended position which exhibits a predetermined inclination, in which position the openings (11,49) point downwards and the products (4) can be dropped through the latter. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a conveying device for the further transport of individually supplied flat products such as mailing bags, printed products or workpieces, with a revolving drive element to which fastened, feedable and emptying receiving devices are fastened, the receiving devices each having two spaced apart in the conveying direction, have a receiving space with an opening for loading and discharge for the side walls forming the products.

Such devices are known, among other things, as distribution conveyors at the post office for relatively flat mailing bags, which are uneven due to the contents have an outer shape and therefore have to meet high demands in machine processing due to the necessary reliability.

EP-A-0 529 301 discloses a generic device in which the receiving devices are containers which each have an upper loading opening and a lower ejection opening and are attached laterally to a traction element. For a precise and gentle ejection of the products, devices are required below the containers at the ejection points, in which the products are brought into a suitable inclined position and conveyed down into the prepared containers. These devices require a large overall height of the device. The conveyor path is practically limited to an oval, so climbing to an upper level is hardly possible.

In a known conveyor device, a so-called AEG flat sorter, the mailing bags to be distributed, which have irregular or different external shapes due to their content, are leaned against a horizontally driven wall and moved to the individual distribution stations, where they are passed through a behind the mailing bags gripping lifting device are removed from the conveyor track and thrown into the corresponding distribution channel. The mailing bags are thereby placed in an undefined position, so that their further processing, for example reading addresses, cannot be carried out without additional effort.

The further possibility that exists to transport the mailing bags further by means of grippers represents at least a deterioration in the handling, because a different thickness distribution can lead to detection problems and / or due to the detection pressure, liability that is currently unsolvable can arise.

A generic device is also known from US-A-3 915 293, the receiving devices having a loading opening and an opposite discharge opening. The receiving devices can each be moved into a hanging position and having a predetermined inclination, in which the discharge openings point downwards and the product is discharged through this opening.

In view of these circumstances, the object of the present invention is to create a conveyor device of the type mentioned by which the disadvantages listed are largely eliminated and which ensures optimal use of space.

According to the invention, this object is achieved according to the characterizing part of claim 1.

Since the openings for the loading can be widened in the device according to the invention, the receiving devices can be considerably narrower than before and thus the gaps between them can be larger with the same distances between the receiving devices. These gaps can be so large that even comparatively narrow interior and S-curves can be driven. This ensures that the facility is spacious and therefore the required optimal use of space.

As for the drop, the receiving devices each have a hanging position and a certain inclination are movable, the products can already be brought into a position in the holding devices, from which they can slide gently into the containers presented for further transport. A space-consuming and complex intermediate station can therefore be omitted.

The device according to the invention can thus be designed to be space-consuming and in particular in two or more floors with less space being used and at least the same conveying capacity and protection of the products.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht des Beschickungsabschnittes der erfindungsgemässen Fördereinrichtung,

Fig. 2

einen Querschnitt durch die Fördereinrichtung gemäss Linie II-II in Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht des Entleerungsabschnittes der erfindungsgemässen Fördereinrichtung,

Fig. 4

einen Querschnitt durch die Fördereinrichtung gemäss Linie IV-IV in Fig. 3,

Fig. 5

eine Seitenansicht einer schematisch dargestellten Anlage mit der erfindungsgemässen Fördereinrichtung,

Fig. 6

eine Draufsicht auf die Anlage gemäss Fig. 5,

Fig. 7

eine Ansicht einer Verriegelungsvorrichtung ausser Wirkung,

Fig. 8

die Verriegelungseinrichtung gemäss Fig. 7 mit eingelegter Klinke,

Fig. 9

schematisch eine Ansicht des Beschickungsbereichs einer Variante der erfindungsgemässen Fördereinrichtung,

Fig. 10

schematisch eine Ansicht des Abwurfbereichs der Variante gemäss Fig. 9,

Fig. 11

eine teilweise geschnittene Ansicht eines Zugorgans mit einer Gliederkette und einer Schiene,

Fig. 12

eine Seitenansicht eines Gliedes der Kette gemäss Fig. 11,

Fig. 13

eine weitere Ansicht des Kettengliedes gemäss Fig. 12, und

Fig. 14

ein Längsschnitt durch das Kettenglied gemäss Fig. 12.

The invention is then explained in more detail using two exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a side view of the loading section of the conveyor device according to the invention,

Fig. 2

2 shows a cross section through the conveyor device according to line II-II in FIG. 1,

Fig. 3

a side view of the emptying section of the conveyor device according to the invention,

Fig. 4

3 shows a cross section through the conveyor device according to line IV-IV in FIG. 3,

Fig. 5

2 shows a side view of a schematically illustrated system with the conveyor device according to the invention,

Fig. 6

5 shows a plan view of the plant according to FIG. 5,

Fig. 7

a view of a locking device ineffective,

Fig. 8

7 with the latch inserted,

Fig. 9

schematically a view of the loading area of a variant of the conveyor device according to the invention,

Fig. 10

schematically a view of the discharge area of the variant according to FIG. 9,

Fig. 11

a partially sectioned view of a tension member with a link chain and a rail,

Fig. 12

11 shows a side view of a link of the chain according to FIG. 11,

Fig. 13

another view of the chain link according to FIG. 12, and

Fig. 14

12 shows a longitudinal section through the chain link according to FIG. 12.

1 shows the conveyor device 1 according to the invention in the area of the loading section 2 and a subsequent conveyor section. The flat products 4 fed on a conveyor belt 3 are conveyed into an open receiving device 5, which are attached at intervals to a rotating drive element 6 (indicated by dash-dotted lines). The loading and emptying receiving device 5 has two side walls 7, 8 spaced apart in the conveying direction, which form a receiving space 9 for the flat products 4 supplied. The side wall 7 is firmly connected to the traction element 6 and assumes a constant inclined position against the conveying direction compared to the latter. The side wall 8 is pivotally connected to the traction element 6 about a (horizontal) axis 10 extending transversely to the conveying direction, and the pivotable end of the side wall 8 in each case forms the degree of the opening 11 of the receiving space 9, which is assigned a stop plate 12 which can be pivoted back and forth. The stop plate 12 is responsible, on the one hand, for the products 4 remaining in the receiving space 9 when the latter is turned around the axis 10 on the way to the emptying section 13, and holds the products 4 in a defined position before emptying. The stop plate 12 is pivotally mounted on the opposite end of the opening 11 of the receiving space 9 by a link 14 connected to it about the axis 10, the link 14 being at closed opening 11 rests on the back of the side wall 7 which is firmly connected to the pulling element 6.

On the loading section 2, the side walls 7 firmly connected to the pulling member 6 have a horizontal position, so that the products 4 driven by the conveyor belt 3 can freely pass the upwardly protruding stop plate 12 at the right time.

It would of course be possible to steer the fixed side wall 7 into an inclined position and / or to move the stop plate 12 into the above position only after loading, for which a further control function would be necessary.

The pivotable side wall 8 is lifted on the loading section 2 from the fixed side wall 7 by the pivotable end and thereby forms an enlarged opening 11 of the receiving space.

The movements of the pivotable side walls 8 are carried out by a control lever 15, which is connected to the pivotable side wall 8 in a trailing manner and is initiated by a control cam 16. The link 14 provided with the stop plate 12 reaches the position shown by a spring force which is supported on the pulling element 6.

In the area of the loading section 2, the traction element 6 has an obliquely upward conveying direction, which then changes to a horizontal or lowering direction. After the loading section 2, the control curve 16 ends indirectly, whereupon the pivotable side wall 8 inclines against the fixed side wall 7, so as to form a closed receiving space 9 when the stop plate 12 is raised.

2 shows the handlebar 14 with the stop plate 12 and the pivotable side wall 8, which is provided with recesses to reduce its weight, both of which are arranged on the axle 10. The latter is designed as a shaft 17 and is mounted in a support 18 fastened to the tension member 6. For the sake of simplicity, an adapter 19 is provided as a connection between the tension member 6 and the support 18.

Both the pivotable side wall 8 and the handlebar 14 of the stop plate 12 are pivotally mounted on the shaft 17 in the support 18. The movable side wall 8 and the stop plate 12 are actuated by means of control levers 15, 20 which can be driven by control cams 16, 21.

Both the movable side wall 8 and the handlebar 14 or the stop plate 12 are each put into a rest position by a helical spiral spring 22, the back of the fixed side wall 7 for the handlebar 14 or the stop plate 12 and a swivel stop (not shown) a fixed element of the receiving device 5 or the pulling element 6 for the pivotable side wall 8 form a rest position. That is, in Fig. 1 is the pivotable Side wall 8 is raised against the force of a helical spiral spring 22 by the control lever 15 that has run onto the control cam 16, whereas the pivotable side wall 8 swings back under the action of spring force into its rest position, in which it forms a closed receiving space 9 with the stop plate 12. The control lever 15 is thus assigned to the pivotable side wall 8 or the control lever 20 effects the lifting movement of the handlebar 14. FIG. 2 also shows a guide channel 23 in which the traction element 6, here a conveyor chain, runs.

FIGS. 3 and 4 convey the area of the emptying of the receiving devices 5 via the receiving compartments 24 assigned to them, a conveying movement from left to right being chosen with regard to FIG. 3, so that a mirror image of this FIG 3 represents.

After the receptacles 5 have left the loading section 2 and the receptacle 9 is closed, the path leads before the receptacles 5 are emptied via a turning loop 31 to a horizontal emptying section 13, on which the receptacles 5 are driven in a retracted position, as shown in FIG. 3 shown.

A product can be provided by a control cam 21 which is assigned to each receiving compartment 24 and can be activated or deactivated 4 can be assigned to a corresponding receiving compartment 24, as a result of which a specific distribution of the products 4 can take place. The control lever 20 running onto the (laterally) connected control cam 21 for emptying a receiving device 5 triggers a lifting of the handlebar 14 from the rear of the fixed side wall 7 or a release of the receiving space 9, so that the product 4 falls into the specific receiving compartment 24 . The open position of the receiving device 5 affected by an emptying is locked by a pawl 25 inserted on the shaft 17 and unlocked after leaving the emptying section 13.

The tax-effective delivery and decommissioning of a control curve 21 is shown in FIG. 4. By means of a lever 27 actuated by a piston-cylinder unit 26, the control cam 21 is moved from the side into the path of movement of the control lever 20, which releases the opening of the receiving space 9 by removing the stop plate 12. The locking device 25, 28 provided on both sides of the pulling member 6 is due to an insufficient torsional rigidity of a locking device 25, 28 on one side. When the control lever 20 has opened, according to FIGS. 7 and 8, a pawl 25 for locking the open position of the receiving device 5 is inserted into a recess 28 on the shaft 17; the unlocking of the open position takes place after the emptying section 13 by means of an unlocking device 29 shown in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show the conveyor device 1 according to the invention within a conveyor system. Starting from the loading section 2, after having passed through a turning loop 31, the receiving devices 5 can be emptied in various ways, in particular on different levels, whereby an optimal use of an available space can take place and adjacent spaces can also be detected. After the turning loop 31, the receiving devices 5 loaded with products 4 reach an upper level O and then pass through a rear row of receiving compartments 24 and an opposite row at the same level. The traction element 6 then leaves this height and reaches the lower level U, where further receiving compartments 24 are prepared for loading as on level O. In the S-loop, the tension member 6 returns to the loading section 2 after the receiving compartments 24.

9 to 14, the receiving devices 40 each have a fixed side wall 41, a side wall 43 pivotally mounted about a horizontal axis 42 and a closure 44 with a flap 45 pivotably mounted on the side wall 43. As shown, the fixed side walls 41 are each arranged in a constant inclined position to the running direction according to arrow 46 and are preferably fixedly attached to a holding part 47 of a chain link 48 of the pulling element 6. The position of the receiving devices is thus determined by the position of the chain links 48.

On the swiveling side walls 43, a locking and swiveling device 50 is attached laterally between the axis 42 and the loading and emptying opening 49, only the front ones of which are visible in FIGS. 9 and 10. The devices 50 each have a plate 51, for example made of plastic, which is fixedly connected to the side wall 43 at two points 52 and 53 and which has a slot 54 with a latching area 54a, in which a pin 55 attached to the side wall 41 engages . The plate 51 is designed as a spring 56 between the latching area 54a and the two fastening points 52 and 53. If the pin 55 is located in the latching area 54a, as shown on the far left and right in FIG. 9, the spring 56 is tensioned and presses the side wall 43 against the side wall 41. If the plate 51 is now pivoted in the direction of the arrow 59 by means of a roller 57 attached to this and by means of a control curve 58 which is only indicated here, the plate 51 is unlocked on the pin 55 and a gap 60 between two opposite surfaces 61 and 62 of the plate 51 closed. If the roller 57 is moved further in the direction of the arrow 59, the plate 51 gives away the side wall 43 about the axis 42 until the pin 55 has reached an end 54b of the slot 54. A movement of the roller 57 in the opposite direction of the arrow 59 causes a counter-movement and finally the locking of the side wall 43 with the side wall 41. These pivoting movements of the side wall 43 are shown in FIG. 9. Seen from left to right the opening 49 projecting upward is thus widened like a mouth and finally closed again. As shown, the product 4 to be loaded is inserted obliquely from above in the direction of arrow 64 into the widened opening and placed on the inclined side wall 41. In order to keep the opening 49 as free as possible, when the side wall 43 is pivoted, the flap 45 is simultaneously pivoted away from the opening 49 in the direction of the arrow 65 about an axis 66. The flap 45 can be locked with spring-elastic latching elements 67 which are respectively laterally attached to the side wall 41.

The flap 45 can be unlocked and pivoted using a control device (not shown here). All that is needed here is a movable pin which, in one position, acts on and swings a flap 45 passing by. After loading, the flap 45 is pivoted in the direction of arrow 68 into the original position. After the side wall 43 has been pivoted back, the flap 45 is locked by the element 67, as shown on the far right in FIG. 9. The distance between the now parallel side walls 41 and 43 is comparatively small and the space between adjacent receiving devices 40 is comparatively large, which is essential for cornering. The device 50 enables the side wall 43 to be pivoted with significantly lower forces than in the embodiment explained above.

FIG. 10 shows the dropping of the products 4, as has already been described in the embodiment explained above with reference to FIG. 3. However, the side wall 43 remains locked with the side wall 41 here and is therefore not pivoted to throw off the product 4. To open the opening 49, the flap 45 is instead unlocked with a control pin, not shown here, and pivoted in the direction of the arrow 69. The product 4 is no longer held by the flap 45 and slides gently and precisely through its own weight in the direction of the arrow 70 directly into a container 24 shown in FIG. 3. The position of the product 4 is defined by the guidance of the pulling element. The optimal angle of inclination for the delivery of the products 4 can therefore be set precisely. The products 4 can then be stacked precisely and gently and gently. As a rule, there are a large number of containers 24 and thus targets into which products 4 are placed. As a result of the above-mentioned freedom of movement with comparatively narrow curves and S-curves, these goals can be arranged with the shortest possible route for the operating personnel.

The link chain 70 'shown in FIGS. 11 to 14 is considered to be particularly advantageous as the tension member. In contrast to the known chains of this type, in the link chain 70 four rollers 71 to 74 are arranged in a plane running transversely to the direction of travel and are rigidly connected to one another. The rollers 71 to 74 of a chain link 75 are thus not offset from one another in the running direction. It has been shown that this results in a better alignment of the individual links 75 and at the same time a reduction in wear can be achieved. As a result, the receiving devices 40 can move less uncontrollably.

FIG. 11 shows two rails 76 and 77 with a C-shaped cross section with plastic strips 78 fastened to them, between which the rollers 71 to 74 are guided. The upper roller 71 and the lower roller 73 are fastened on axles 79 to lateral support arms 80 and the other two rollers 72 and 74 on an axle 81 to a shoulder 82 of a body 83. The rollers 71 to 74 are arranged at one end of the body 83, while at the other end of the body 83 a bore 85 is arranged in a joint body 84 for receiving the axis 81 of the subsequent chain link 75, not shown here. On each chain link 75, a recess 85 is detachably made between the two ends of the body 83, into which a holder 47 is inserted and secured against lateral displacement. This permits simple mounting of the receiving devices 40. A receiving device 40 can thus be attached to each chain link 75. The holding devices 40 are fastened to the links 40 in such a way that the angle α shown in FIG. 10 is in the range from 20 ° to 60 ° and preferably in the range from 35 ° to 45 °. With such a fixed inclination of the receiving devices, as seen in the running direction, the dropping of the products 4 is particularly gentle and precise.

Claims (10)

1. Conveying device for the further conveyance of flat products (4) fed one by one, such as pocket envelopes, printed products or workpieces, comprising a continuously driven traction member (6) to which receiving devices (5; 40) which can be loaded and unloaded are secured at intervals, the receiving devices (5; 40) each having two side walls (7; 8; 41, 43) arranged at a distance from one another in the conveying direction and forming a receiving chamber (9) with an opening (11; 49) for loading and discharge of the products (4), characterised in that the openings (11; 49) can be expanded for loading and for discharge the receiving devices (5; 40) can each be moved into a suspended position with a predetermined inclination, in which the said openings (11; 49) point downwards and the product (4) can be discharged through this opening (11; 49).
2. Conveying device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one side wall (8; 43) is movable and preferably pivotable about an axis (10; 42) extending transversely to the conveying direction in order to expand the said opening (11; 49).
3. Conveying device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the receiving devices (40) each have a closure element (44) by means of which the opening (49) can be closed after loading.
4. Conveying device according to claim 3, characterised in that the closure element has a movable flap (45).
5. Conveying device according to claim 4, characterised in that the flap (45) can be moved away from the opening (49) for loading.
6. Conveying device according to claim 3, characterised in that the closure element (44) can be controlled for release of the opening (49) and discharge of the product (4).
7. Conveying device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that respective locking devices (50) are applied laterally to the side walls (41; 43), by means of which the opening (45) can be controllably held in an expanded and in a narrow position.
8. Conveying device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the receiving devices (5; 40) are constantly inclined relative to the conveying direction compared to the traction member (6).
9. Conveying device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the traction member (6) is a link chain and that the receiving devices (5; 40) are each secured to one link (75) of the chain.
10. Conveying device according to claim 9, characterised in that the chain links (75) each have four rollers (71 to 74) which are rigidly mounted relative to one another in a substantially non-offset manner as viewed in the running direction.

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