EP2830951A1 - Automated loader with cone horn - Google Patents
Automated loader with cone hornInfo
- Publication number
- EP2830951A1 EP2830951A1 EP20130770016 EP13770016A EP2830951A1 EP 2830951 A1 EP2830951 A1 EP 2830951A1 EP 20130770016 EP20130770016 EP 20130770016 EP 13770016 A EP13770016 A EP 13770016A EP 2830951 A1 EP2830951 A1 EP 2830951A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- automated loader
- plates
- ram
- loader
- automated
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
- B65B25/06—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products
- B65B25/064—Packaging slices or specially-shaped pieces of meat, cheese, or other plastic or tacky products of poultry
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B37/00—Supplying or feeding fluent-solid, plastic, or liquid material, or loose masses of small articles, to be packaged
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B35/00—Supplying, feeding, arranging or orientating articles to be packaged
- B65B35/10—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles
- B65B35/20—Feeding, e.g. conveying, single articles by reciprocating or oscillatory pushers
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B39/00—Nozzles, funnels or guides for introducing articles or materials into containers or wrappers
- B65B39/02—Expansible or contractible nozzles, funnels, or guides
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B5/00—Packaging individual articles in containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, jars
- B65B5/04—Packaging single articles
- B65B5/045—Packaging single articles in bags
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B65/00—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details
- B65B65/06—Details peculiar to packaging machines and not otherwise provided for; Arrangements of such details coated or treated with anti-friction or anti-sticking materials, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to a device for loading material on an automated loader,
- the invention relates more specifically to a device for moving material into a bag, casing, or net, especially if there is a high coefficient of friction between the material to be loaded and the material of the bag, casing, or netting.
- a typical plastic bag 20 as shown in elevation view in FIG. 1, has a bottom panel 22 and a top panel 24, joined at three edges by heat, ultrasonic welding, or other means. Bottom panel 22 extends slightly farther than top sheet 24 due to extended portion 26, A perforation line 28 defines the border between bottom panel 22 and extended portion 26.
- Plastic bag 20 is typically made of polyethylene film and may have three to ten percent ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as a stretch agent.
- EVA ethylene vinyl acetate
- Two apertures 30 are punched in extended portion 26.
- a stack 32 of bags 20a, 20b, 20c, etc, is connected by a wicket 34, as shown in FIG. 2,
- material such as a dressed chicken is loaded into top bag 20a and perforation line 28 separates, leaving the dressed chicken encased in bottom panel 22 and top panel 24.
- Extended portion 26 remains with stack 32 and is disposed of when stack 32 is depleted. Extended portion 26 is therefore waste,
- an air nozzle initially opens the top bag 20a.
- Top bag 20a is pulled over the pair of horns, or the horns are inserted into top bag 20a, The horns are separated such as by rotation in a plane, to stretch top bag 20a open, or the horns are separated by axial rotation to stretch top bag 20a open, in either case, top bag 20a has to be opened enough to be pulled over the horns or to receive the horns.
- a ram then pushes poultry, such as a whole dressed chicken, into stretched-open top bag 20a.
- the ram continues to push the chicken through the horns, in some cases using a hooker pusher like the one described in United States Patent No. 7,178.310, Poly-strelch Bagger System with Hocking Pusher, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- a hooker pusher like the one described in United States Patent No. 7,178.310, Poly-strelch Bagger System with Hocking Pusher, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
- chicken baggers have a marketing incentive to bag the chickens in a dry state. Similar concerns apply to other material that is bagged in a similar manner.
- An improved automated loader has a cone horn to prevent or minimize contact between the chicken and the bag,
- the loader has a loading tube and the tube has a cone horn comprising a plurali ty of plates configured to form a cone, each one of the plurality of plates attached to the proximal end of the loading tube by a spring-loaded hinge, each hinge biased radially inward.
- FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a plastic bag used in automated loading operations.
- FIG, 2 is a perspective view of a stack of the plastic bags of FIG. 1.
- FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the loader of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is another side perspective view of the loader of FIG. 3.
- FIG. 5 a view of a dimpled steel as used in an embodiment of the invention.
- FIGS. 6 and 7 are views of other dimpled steel as used in an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the loading tube of the loader of FIG. 3.
- FIG. 9 is a diagrammatic view of dual cylinder system of an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG . 10 is a diagrammatic front view of the dual cylinder system of FIG. 8,
- FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic side view of a ram carriage and a portion of the loader tube as used in an embodiment of the present invention.
- the present invention can also be used on loaders for bagging and/or netting whole poultry, cut-up poultry, or whole muscle meat products, on other applications in which a material is enclosed in a casing, bag, or netting, such as sealants, adhesives, and explosives, or for any other application in which a bag must be opened in order to insert material to be bagged,
- Loader 40 comprises in pertinent part a frame 42, a loading tube 44, a dual cylinder ram system 46, a bag carriage assembly 48, and a cone horn 50 . ..
- Loading tube 44 Is a hollow cylinder mounted to frame 42 and configured to receive a whole dressed chicken 60.
- loading tube 44 is about 480 mm in diameter, in order to accommodate large birds such as turkeys.
- Loading tube 44 has a cutout 62 at its distal end 64, in order to receive poultry from the side, as by conveyor belt, roller tray, or other conveyance, or by manual placement.
- Proximal end 66 of loading tube 44 is connected to cone horn 50.
- Cone horn 50 comprises a plurality of plates 70 forming a cone pointing away from loading tube 44,
- plates 70 there are three or more plates 70, but two can. be used as well,
- Plates 70 are connected to loading tube 44 by spring-loaded hinges 72 which are 2013/033838 biased radially inward. When pushed from, inside loading tube 44, plates 70 spring outward: when pressure is released, plates 70 return to their inward position. Plates 70 are preferably formed so that, when in the biased position, they generally form the shape of a cone.
- plates 70 are somewhat curved but can be fiat as well.
- Tube 44, plates 70, and hinges 72 are preferably made of stainless steel.
- Plates 70 are more preferably made of highly polished stainless steel, even more preferably dimpled, highly polished stainless steel, with the dimples or textures on the inner surface of plates 70.
- the dimpled or textured stainless steel is diamond-shaped textured stainless steel, such as HS Item Number R813000041 , available from McNichols Co., Tampa, Florida, or type 4. L, available from Mechanical Metals, Newtown, Pennsylvania.
- a representative diamond-shaped texture is shown schematically in FIG, 5, Other textures can be used as well, such as the ones shown, by way of example and not by way of limitation, in FIGS. 6 and 7.
- all plates 70 have dimpled inner surfaces, but a cone horn 50 could have dimpled steel on fewer than ail plates 70,
- pl ates 70 are coated on the inner surface with a slippery synthetic substance.
- the substance is a thermoplastic polymer, preferably poiytetrafluoroethylene, most preferably one of the materials sold under the brand name Teflon® by E, I. du Pont de Nemours and Company or its affiliates. Any other slippery substance can be used as well.
- a slippery synthetic substance will permit bagging of dry poultry, Nevertheless, the apparatus can also be used with wet. poultry and therefore will be more useful to users than an apparatus that can only be used with one or the other.
- ail plates 70 have coated inner surfaces, but a cone horn 50 could have coated inner surfaces on fewer than all plates 70.
- plates 70 are made of steel dimpled on the inner surface and the inner surface is also coated with a slippery synthetic substance as described above.
- tube 44 is formed of dimpled steel, with the dimples or textures on the inner surface of tube 44. Additionally, tube 44 can have its inner surface coated with the slippery substance described above. Moreover, tube 44 can be formed of dimpled sttel, with the dimples or textures on the inner surface and the inner surface also being coated with a slipper synthetic substance as described above.
- Dual cylinder ram system 46 is preferably a pair of dual-action air-operated cylinders, a first ramming cylinder 76 and a second hocking cylinder 78 mounted on frame 42.
- a conventional ra n using a single air-actuated cylinder, could be used but for faster operation, a pair of air cylinders 76, 78 is preferred in order to have hocking capability.
- dual cylinder ram system 46 comprises ramming cylinder 76 and second hocking cylinder 78 mounted on a ram carriage 80, which is mounted on an electrically-powered conveyor belt 82, which is mounted on frame 42.
- a compressed air supply 84 either directly from an air compressor or from a plant compressed air supply, operate either the single cylinder or dual cylinders 76, 78.
- Beit 82 preferably is powered by electrical motor 83,
- Bag carriage assembly 48 is preferably as described in the '310 patent or the '636 publication.
- a stack 32 of bags 20a, 20b, 20c, etc. is mounted to hag carriage assembly 48 and secured thereon by wicket 34.
- Bag carriage assembly 48 is located as the proximal end 84 of frame 42. Bag carriage 48 raises to present top bag 20a adjacent cone horn 50.
- An air nozzle 86 directs a stream of compressed air at the lip 88 formed where top panel 24 to top bag 20a terminates, slightly opening lip 88, Bag carriage assembly 48 then moves inside frame 42, pulling top bag 20a over cone horn 50.
- bag carriage assembly 48 When a chicken is placed in cutout 62, bag carriage assembly 48 operates to pull top bag 20a over cone horn 50.
- Ram system 46 begins io actuate, prompted either manually or by an electronic or analog controller, shown in FIG. 3 as a wireless electronic controller. Cylinder 76 strokes forward, so that ram head 90 on first ramming cyiinder 76 encounters chicken 60 and begins to push chicken 60 through tube 44.
- chicken 60 arrives at proximal end 66, chicken 60 begins to push plates 70 outward, further stretching top bag 20a.
- second hocking cylinder 78 actuates and strokes forward.
- the hocking head 92 on second hocking cyiinder 78 encounters the legs 94 of chicken 60 and hocks them.
- chicken 60 is pushed against the bottom of top bag 20a and through cone hone 50, As chicken 60 clears cone horn 50, top bag 20a collapses about chicken 60, Now-bagged chicken 60 is taken away, manually or by a conveyor belt, roller tray, or similar conveyance, for further processing, such as weighing and clipping.
- Both air cylinders 76, 78 retract and plates 70 return to their biased positions, reforming the cone shape of cone horn 50. Loading tube 44 is now ready to receive another chicken.
- dual cylinder system 46 further comprises a ram carriage 80 mounted on an electrically-powered conveyor belt 82, as shown in FIG. 11.
- Conveyor belt 82 is powered by motor 83.
- Dual cylinder system 46 as described above is mounted on ram carriage 80,
- bag carriage assembly 48 When a chicken is placed in cutout 62, bag carriage assembly 48 operates to pull top bag 20a over cone horn 50.
- Belt conveyor 82 rotates to move rain carriage 80 moves from a first position, remote from loading tube 44, to a second position adjacent, loading tube 44. This movement begins to push chicken 60 through loading tube 44 as rani head 90 on first ramming cylinder 76 encounters chicken 60,
- first ramming cylinder 76 actuates, continuing to push chicken 60 through loading tube 44 and into cone horn 50, As chicken 60 moves into cone horn 50, plates 70 are pushed outward, further stretching top bag 20a.
- second hocking cylinder 78 actuates.
- the hocking head 92 on second hocking cylinder 78 encounters the legs 94 of chicken 60 and hocks them.
- second hocking cylinder 78 continues to actuate, chicken 60 is pushed against the bottom of top bag 20a and through cone hone 50.
- top bag 20a collapses about chicken 60.
- Now- bagged chicken 60 is taken away, manually or by a conveyor belt, roller tray, or similar conveyance, for further processing, such as weighing and clipping,
- Bag carriage assembly 48 returns to its first position, both air cylinders 76,78 retract, and ram carriage assembly 80 returns to its first position. Plates 70 return to their biased positions, reforming the cone shape of cone horn 50. Loading tube 44 is now ready to recei ve another chicken.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Package Closures (AREA)
- Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)
- Containers And Plastic Fillers For Packaging (AREA)
Abstract
Description
Claims
Applications Claiming Priority (5)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201261615412P | 2012-03-26 | 2012-03-26 | |
US201261619733P | 2012-04-03 | 2012-04-03 | |
US201261624720P | 2012-04-16 | 2012-04-16 | |
US13/833,535 US20130247512A1 (en) | 2012-03-26 | 2013-03-15 | Automated loader with cone horn |
PCT/US2013/033838 WO2013148650A1 (en) | 2012-03-26 | 2013-03-26 | Automated loader with cone horn |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP2830951A1 true EP2830951A1 (en) | 2015-02-04 |
EP2830951A4 EP2830951A4 (en) | 2015-11-18 |
Family
ID=49210484
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP13770016.7A Withdrawn EP2830951A4 (en) | 2012-03-26 | 2013-03-26 | Automated loader with cone horn |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20130247512A1 (en) |
EP (1) | EP2830951A4 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112014023819A2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2011119923A2 (en) * | 2010-03-26 | 2011-09-29 | Tipper Tie, Inc. | Multiple station automated bagger systems, associated devices and related methods |
US9446873B2 (en) * | 2012-04-16 | 2016-09-20 | Precitec Corp. | Poultry loader with alignment mechanism |
KR101638029B1 (en) * | 2015-12-28 | 2016-07-11 | 주식회사 풍산 | Automatic pouch machine of ammunition carton |
Family Cites Families (26)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2770084A (en) * | 1954-03-30 | 1956-11-13 | Manuel L Ruderman | Device for expanding bags for filling |
US2901875A (en) * | 1955-02-17 | 1959-09-01 | Milprint Inc | Apparatus for packaging commodities |
US2946166A (en) * | 1956-07-05 | 1960-07-26 | Continental Can Co | Poultry packaging machine and method |
US2885850A (en) * | 1956-12-10 | 1959-05-12 | Barker Poultry Equipment Compa | Commodity packaging machine |
US2955941A (en) * | 1957-09-25 | 1960-10-11 | Milprint Inc | Method of packaging food commodities for merchandising purposes |
US3011297A (en) * | 1957-11-27 | 1961-12-05 | Continental Can Co | Poultry stuffing horn |
US3945171A (en) * | 1975-01-20 | 1976-03-23 | James W. Marietta, Jr. | Food packaging apparatus |
US4015402A (en) * | 1976-02-19 | 1977-04-05 | W. R. Grace & Co. | Apparatus and method for loading block-like articles into a receptacle |
US4028775A (en) * | 1976-05-04 | 1977-06-14 | Union Carbide Corporation | Apparatus for inserting a sizing disc into a tubular casing |
NL164818C (en) * | 1977-03-10 | 1983-10-17 | Stork Pmt | Device for packing slaughtered poultry in a bagged package. |
US4157003A (en) * | 1978-01-30 | 1979-06-05 | Firma Geflugelschlachterei Gebr. Stolle | Machine for a continuous commercially packing of slaughtered fowl |
US4352263A (en) * | 1979-07-26 | 1982-10-05 | Star Packaging Corporation | Method of packaging fowl within stretch bags |
NL8002379A (en) * | 1980-04-24 | 1981-11-16 | Meyn Pieter | DEVICE FOR PACKAGING POULTRY IN PLASTIC BAGS. |
NL8102374A (en) * | 1981-05-14 | 1982-12-01 | Moba Holding Barneveld Bv | DEVICE FOR PACKING A BIRD. |
US4706440A (en) * | 1986-12-09 | 1987-11-17 | Precision Automation Co., Inc. | Method and apparatus for packaging expansile articles |
US5782056A (en) * | 1994-01-18 | 1998-07-21 | Delaware Capital Formation, Inc. | Packaging apparatus for removing a product from a continuously moving conveyor and sealing said product in a bag with a closure |
CA2180955C (en) * | 1994-01-18 | 2000-01-11 | Dennis J. May | An apparatus for packaging fowl and other products |
US5692360A (en) * | 1995-01-13 | 1997-12-02 | W. R. Grace & Co.-Conn. | System and method for packaging products |
US5988348A (en) * | 1996-06-28 | 1999-11-23 | Coinstar, Inc. | Coin discrimination apparatus and method |
US7178310B2 (en) * | 2001-01-16 | 2007-02-20 | Poly-Clip System Corp. | Poly-stretch bagger system with hocking pusher |
US20050072118A1 (en) * | 2003-10-03 | 2005-04-07 | Griggs Samuel D. | Netting chutes with ribbed flooring for manual and/or automated clipping packaging apparatus |
US6976346B2 (en) * | 2003-06-12 | 2005-12-20 | Delaware Capital Formation, Inc. | Automatic netting packaging machine |
US7430839B2 (en) * | 2004-10-04 | 2008-10-07 | Tipper Tie, Inc. | Embossed netting chutes for manual and/or automated clipping packaging apparatus |
JP5011767B2 (en) * | 2006-03-16 | 2012-08-29 | 株式会社湯山製作所 | Drug bagging device |
US8938935B2 (en) * | 2006-07-28 | 2015-01-27 | Poly-Clip System Corp. | Two-in-one bagger |
US9617021B2 (en) * | 2012-03-23 | 2017-04-11 | Langston Companies, Inc. | Apparatus for bagging a bale and method of bagging such bale |
-
2013
- 2013-03-15 US US13/833,535 patent/US20130247512A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2013-03-26 EP EP13770016.7A patent/EP2830951A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2013-03-26 BR BR112014023819A patent/BR112014023819A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP2830951A4 (en) | 2015-11-18 |
US20130247512A1 (en) | 2013-09-26 |
BR112014023819A2 (en) | 2017-07-18 |
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Legal Events
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DAX | Request for extension of the european patent (deleted) | ||
RA4 | Supplementary search report drawn up and despatched (corrected) |
Effective date: 20151015 |
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RIC1 | Information provided on ipc code assigned before grant |
Ipc: B65B 35/20 20060101ALI20151009BHEP Ipc: B65B 65/06 20060101ALI20151009BHEP Ipc: B65B 39/02 20060101ALI20151009BHEP Ipc: B65B 65/00 20060101ALI20151009BHEP Ipc: B65B 5/04 20060101AFI20151009BHEP Ipc: B65B 25/06 20060101ALI20151009BHEP |
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STAA | Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent |
Free format text: STATUS: THE APPLICATION IS DEEMED TO BE WITHDRAWN |
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18D | Application deemed to be withdrawn |
Effective date: 20160514 |