EP0787538A1

EP0787538A1 - A pusher for operating gripping pliers or the like in a rinsing machine

Info

Publication number: EP0787538A1
Application number: EP97830005A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Pusineri
Original assignee: OFFICINE AVE SpA; Ave SpA
Current assignee: OFFICINE AVE SpA; Ave SpA
Priority date: 1996-02-01
Filing date: 1997-01-14
Publication date: 1997-08-06
Also published as: MY117292A; JP3044158U; IT241282Y1; ITVR960003U1

Abstract

The present invention refers to a particular device which is able to absorb all the mechanical stresses due to the use of a cam as actuating element for opening and closing pliers in a bottle rinsing machine or the like.

In general the present device consists of a hollow cylinder (4) which is arranged in axis and/or parallel with the axis of symmetry of pliers (2). A piston or pushing element (5) slides in the inner chamber of the cylinder and is arranged in antagonism with a spring (6). The piston or pushing element (5) is provided with a pivot (7) carrying a roll (8) or the like which may be intercepted by an actuating cam.

The piston (5) exerts an axial force on a sliding block (3) which is protected by a backing plate (9). In this way, the piston (5) provokes an opening of the gripping pliers in a cushioned manner.

The two jaws of the pliers (2) are interested by the action of antifriction washers which improve the opening of the jaws. In addition, the jaws comprise an auxiliary spring (12).

Description

The present invention refers to a pusher for operating gripping pliers or the like in a rinsing machine. The rinsing machine in question is preferably a bottle rinsing machine or a machine for rinsing other containers showing a similar shape.
As it is known, the rinsing machines or machines for treating and cleansing bottles consist in general of a rotating roundabout the peripheral part of which is provided with pliers which grasp the bottles from a zone of introduction, hold them upturned during the treatment and release them in a zone of collection from which the bottles are taken for the subsequent phases such as the filling phase.
Moreover, it is known that the said gripping pliers comprise in general two jaws which are pivoted specularly in respect to their axis of symmetry. The jaws may be opened or closed to grip or release the bottles by means of a sliding block drive system which turns the rectilinear motion imparted by a cam into the angular motion of the jaws.
In the said system the cam exerted a thrust function directly on the sliding block arranged on the gripping device formed by the pliers. However, the said system involved some inconveniences such as the inconveniences due to a certain wear of the mechanical parts and to the impossibility of cushioning the movements and there were possible anomalous thrusts and excessive or insufficient tensions for a correct grasp of each single bottle.
The aim of the present invention is to eliminate the above described inconveniences and further consequent inconveniences and in particular to conceive and carry out a particular device which is able to absorb all the mechanical stresses due to the use of a cam as actuating element for opening and closing the bottle gripping units in a rinsing machine or the like.
Within the said general aim, the present invention proposes further that the wear of the sliding thrust block may be eliminated or at least reduced. At the same time, any mechanical deformation is prevented in the whole gripping pliers.
All the said particular aims, advantages and functions are reached according to the present invention by a pusher- damper for actuating gripping pliers or the like which are arranged in a rinsing machine, such a device being preferably interposed between a pressure pad of gripping pliers and the relative actuating cam, characterized by the fact of consisting of a hollow cylinder which is arranged in axis and/or parallel with the axis of symmetry of the pliers, a piston or pushing element slides in the inner chamber of the cylinder and is arranged in antagonism with a spring , the piston or pushing element is provided with a pivot carrying a roll or the like which may be intercepted by an actuating cam; the front part of the said piston or pusher protrudes from a suitable opening which is provided on the cylinder head and may be connected with the said pressure pad so as to turn the rotatory or transversal movement of the said cam into a linear movement of the pressure pad itself to permit the opening and/or closing of the pliers; the said pressure pad being provided with a cover plate positioned at the thrust part of the said pusher;
in addition, there are means for lowering the friction between the opening elements of the pliers and elastic means for stabilizing and facilitating the return of the jaws to the pliers; the damping action of the said thrust may be adjusted by interchanging different types of spring in the device. Further features and details of the present invention will be better understood from the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention itself, which embodiment is given as an example not limiting the invention in the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of the pushing device-damper according to the invention as a whole;
Fig. 2 shows a schematic plan view of the invention;
Figures 3 and 4 show schematic views showing the components and movements of the gripping pliers.

With reference to the accompanying figures, number 1 denotes a pushing-damping device on the whole according to the present invention. The device in question is arranged at gripping double-jaw pliers 2 equipped with a sliding block or pressure pad 3.
In general, the pusher-damper 2 consists of a cylinder 4 which comprises an inner slide chamber in which a piston or pushing element 5 slides and is arranged in antagonism with a spring 6.
The unit cylinder-piston is arranged on the axis of symmetry of the gripping pliers or parallel to the pliers.
A pivot 7 is vertically pivoted in the rear part of the piston 5 and is able to support and rotate a roll 8.
The fore part of the piston 5 projects from an opening obtained in the cylinder head and pushes the pressure pad 3.
As it can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the pressure pad 3 is equipped with a backing plate 9 which is arranged and fixed on the rear part of the pressure pad. The backing plate 9 is made of a high-resistance metallic material and increases the resistance of the pressure pad against the thrust stresses impressed by the piston 5.
The roll 8 is interested by a transversal thrust which is impressed by a cam (known and not represented). The roll 8 absorbs such a thrust and transmits the same to the piston 5 which is constrained in the cylinder 4 which acts as a guide.
The piston 5 in its turn exerts an axial force on the pressure pad 3, which is protected by the backing plate 9, and provokes the opening of the gripping pliers 2.
The above described device may be compared with a mechanical damper since the piston and the cylinder are coupled in such a way that the spring arranged in the inner part of the cylinder brakes the opening speed of the device and permits the device to return to the rest phase.
The same function of the spring 6 may be accomplished also in a pneumatic way. In fact, according to a possible variant the piston may be realized as an airtight piston and calibrated holes 10 may be made in the cylinder.
The damping action of the described mechanical and/or pneumatic device may be adjusted by interchanging different types of spring in the device itself or by dimensioning the calibrated holes 10 in a suitable manner.
Accordingly, the described device is apt to the following purposes:

a - Damping all the mechanical shocks directed on the mechanism of the pliers, there being a more evident advantage when the pliers are mounted in rinsing machines showing considerable sizes and speeds;
b - Avoiding a wear of the pressure pad of the pliers and the remarkable burden of replacing the pad itself;
c - Avoiding that the pliers undergo side blows due to the action of the opening cam. In fact, the pliers mechanism is opened according to the present invention through a mechanical action which is perfectly in axis with the opening mechanism of the pliers;
d - Avoiding that the said side shocks may provoke in the long run permanent mechanical deformations of the pliers and/or breakages of the same;
e - Absorbing all the effort due to the friction of the opening cam on the roll since the roll itself absorbs perfectly the side shocks impressed by the opening cam, the wear being much lower than the wear in a direct action cam-pad.

Advantageously, both jaws of the pliers 2 show two contrivances which make the functionality of the pliers easier.
The first contrivance consists of anti-friction washers 11 which are arranged on pivots which provoke the opening thrust of the jaws, such washers permitting a better advancing and an easier guided opening action.
The second contrivance consists of an auxiliary spring 12 which keeps both jaws in their respective positions during all their operative phases and improves the functionality of the jaws since this contrivance eliminates any possible clearances or the small slacks of the jaws.
The present pusher-damper has been described and represented according to the preferred solution. However, there may be variants which are technically equivalent to the described mechanical parts and components and are to be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

A pusher-damper device (1) for actuating gripping pliers in a rinsing machine or the like, which device is placed preferably between a pressure pad (3) of gripping pliers (2) and a relative actuating cam, characterized by the fact of consisting of a hollow cylinder (4) which is placed in axis and/or parallel to the axis of symmetrie of the pliers, in the inner slide chamber of the cylinder a piston (5) or pushing element slides and is arranged in antagonism with a spring (6), the piston (5) is provided at the rear part with a pivot (7) carrying a roll (8) or the like which is interested by an actuating cam.
A pusher-damper device as claimed in the foregoing claim, characterized by the fact that the fore projecting part of the said piston (5) or pusher is connected with the said pressure pad (3) which is provided with a backing plate (9) so as to turn the rotatory or transverse movement of the said cam into a linear movement of the pad to permit the pliers (2) to be opended or closed.
A pusher-damper device as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that the damping action of the said pusher-damper device (1) may be adjusted by interchanging in the device itself different types of spring (6).
A pusher-damper device as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that according to a possible variant the said piston (5) may be a pneumatic piston and its regulation may be accomplished by calibrating the opening of suitable holes (10) which are obtained along the chamber of the cylinder (4) in particular positions.
A pusher-damper device as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that the pivots provoking the thrust of both jaws of the pliers may be equipped with anti-friction washers (11) or the like.
A pusher-damper device as claimed in the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that an auxiliary spring (12) may be placed between the two jaws of the pliers (2), such a spring being able to keep both jaws in their positions during all their operative phases.