Device with changeable holders for gripping and
carrying containers
Technical field
The invention relates to a device with changeable holders for gripping and carrying containers during their transportation for filling and/or closing which finds application in machinery and equipment, mostly, but not only, of the food-processing industry.
Background of the invention
A device is known for gripping and carrying containers during their transportation when filling and/or closing them. This device consists of a driven carrier, whic is a cylindrical body mounted to a rotary column, and symmetrically along the periphery of this cylindrical body, there are many arcuate sections formed and there is a changeable holder mounted onto each one of them. The holder is a complex, multiple-part body, whose basic elements comprise a gripping device made of two jaws, movable in a horizontal plane and operated by a cam and a support member mounted above them, onto which the neck ring of the relevant container is set. The jaws and the support member are arranged successively on a central stepped axis which also serves them as an axis of rotation and said axis is secured at its lower end by means of a bolt. The jaws have a shape equidistant to that portion of the container which they encompass. Mounted by bolts to each of the jaws, underneath, there are supplementary changeable fasteners shaped equidistantly to the portion of the container which they encompass.
When filling of containers with a shape other than the preceding one is to be done, the entire holder - the gripping device with the two moveable jaws, the support member, the central stepped axis - should be changed by means of additional tools. (EP 1712496)
A disadvantage of this known device is its complicated structure and limited functionality because it is intended only to carry containers by their
necks, i.e. for containers which have a specially formed grip ring around their neck area. On the other hand, the structure of the known device does not allow for fast change of the holders (formats) of the containers and also, it is performed with the use of additional tools and devices.
Summary of the invention
An aim of this invention is to design a device with changeable holders for gripping and carrying containers, which allows for a quick change of the holders (formats) of the containers.
This aim is achieved by means of a device with changeable holders for gripping and carrying containers which consists of one or more cylindrical carriers, each of them mounted movably and detachably to a rotary column, for example, a closing one. Symmetrically along the periphery of each carrier, there are many arcuate sections formed and there is a changeable holder mounted onto each one of them, whose elements are shaped equidistantly to the portion of the container which they encompass.
According to the invention concept, under the lower carrier and parallel to it, there is a supporting circular platform, whereon the bottoms of the containers (bottles) are rested. The supporting platform is also mounted movably and detachably to the closing column.
Laterally, placed at some distance around each carrier, in one plane with it, there is an arcuate lateral limiter that keeps the bottles pressed to the carrier.
There is a circular opening formed between the central circular opening for the closing column and each of the arcuate sections of the carrier. Inside this circular opening there is a centering sleeve placed.
Each changeable holder has a stepped shape similar to that of a parallelepiped whose front higher part is positioned outwardly of the peripheral portion and is shaped equidistantly to this portion of the container which it encompasses. The rear part of the holder is an arcuate section tightly mounted to and encompassing part of the outer surface of its
corresponding adjacent centering sleeve. In the rear lower part of the holder, symmetrically on both sides of the arcuate section - there are two longitudinal cylindrical and laterally cut stepped openings, so that the top of each longitudinal cylindrical opening is with a diameter larger than the diameter of the lower part. Each holder is movably mounted to the carrier by means of spring-loaded cylindrical pins placed in openings made in the carrier, so that the head of each pin is under the carrier, and there is a cylindrical spring sleeved on the pin between the pin head and the bottom surface of the carrier. The bottom of each cylindrical pin also has a cylindrical shape and a diameter larger than the diameter of the body of the cylindrical pin, with the bottom of each pin being placed in the larger opening formed in the holder laterally to the arcuate section which encompasses the centering sleeve. Thus, by means of the spring-loaded pins, the holders are pressed to the carrier and they provide for a reliable and accurate fixation of the containers.
On the bottoms of each pair of cylindrical pins, at some distance from the higher front portion of each holder, are set plates movably connected to the bottoms of the cylindrical pins. In the middle of each plate, a longitudinal, laterally open slot is formed, wherein a mounting pin with a cylindrical stepped shape is placed when changing the holders, so that upon dismantling, the upper portion of the mounting pin abuts against the plate and the thinner cylindrical portion of the mounting pin is set into the longitudinal slot made in the plate- According to one embodiment of the invention, the holders are arranged one over the other in two or more parallel rows of carriers.
Moreover, the carriers are movable vertically along the height on the column, which is directly dependent on the size of the containers. For example, this is achieved by preliminary forming of channels, located along the height of the rotary column. These channels should be parallel to each other and set apart from one another depending on the shape of the containers.
This invention allows also for other embodiments. For example, it is possible that the holders grip and carry the containers only by their
bottoms; only by their necks, by means of the specialized ring under the neck of each container; as well as in a combined manner, by simultaneously gripping and carrying the containers by the necks and bottoms thereof. In these cases, it is allowable for the holders of different carriers to have a different structure and shape.
The advantages of this invention are manifested in the simplified design of the device which allows for simultaneous fast and reliable change of the holders (formats) of the containers.
Brief description of the drawings
An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In Figure 1, in axonometric projection, the device with changeable holders for gripping and carrying containers is shown;
Fig. 2 - is a view in axonometric projection of the carrier of the device;
Fig. 3 - is a half-view and a half-section view of the carrier of the device;
Fig. 4 - is a top view of the carrier;
Fig. 5 - is a view of an embodiment of the device with two rows of holders.
Detailed description of invention
The device with changeable holders for gripping and carrying containers comprises one or more carriers, with each carrier 1 (Fig. 1) being mounted movably and detachably to the main drive shaft (not shown in the figure) of a certain column, a closing column in this case. Attaching the carrier 1 to the main drive shaft is carried out in the known mechanical ways - for example, by means of screws, bolts, plunger locking screws and this is not a subject of this invention.
Under the carrier 1 and parallel to it, a circular platform 2 is mounted, whereupon the bottoms of the containers (bottles) 3 rest. In this case, the
supporting platform 2, as well as the carrier 1, is fixed rigidly and detachably to the main drive shaft of the closing column.
Laterally, at some distance around the carrier 1, in the same plane with it, a lateral arcuate limiter 4 is placed, which keeps the bottles 3 pressed to the carrier 1. The arcuate lateral limiter 4 is firmly rested on support columns, which are attached, for example, to the foundation of the closing column (not shown in the accompanying figure).
The carrier 1 is a cylindrical body with a central circular opening for the drive shaft formed inside of it. Symmetrically along the periphery of the carrier 1, there are many arcuate sections cut, and between each arcuately cut peripheral section and the central circular opening for the drive shaft, there is a circular opening formed. In each of these openings, a centering sleeve 5 is placed - Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4.
On each arcuately cut peripheral section of the carrier 1, a changeable volume holder 6 is mounted. The volume holder 6 has a two-step shape similar to the shape of a parallelepiped. Its front higher part (the one which is positioned outwardly of the arcuately cut peripheral portion of the carrier 1) is shaped equidistantly to that portion of the container 3 (in this case, a bottle) which it encompasses - Fig. 5. The rear part of the volume holder 6 is an arcuate section tightly mounted to and encompassing part of the outer surface of its corresponding adjacent centering sleeve 5.
In the rear, lower part of the holder 6, symmetrically on both sides of the arcuate section, there are two longitudinal cylindrical and laterally cut stepped openings formed, so that the top of each longitudinal cylindrical opening is with a diameter larger than the diameter of the lower part - Fig . 3.
Each holder 6 is mounted movably to the carrier 1 by means of spring- loaded and inverted cylindrical pins 7, placed in openings made in the carrier 1 , so that the head of each pin 7 is under the carrier 1 and between it and the bottom surface of the carrier 1 there is a cylindrical spring 8, sleeved on the body of the pin 7. The bottom 9 of each cylindrical pin 7 also has a cylindrical shape and a diameter larger than the diameter of the
body of the cylindrical pin 7. The bottom 9 of each cylindrical pin 7 is set in the larger opening, which is formed in the holder 6, laterally of the arcuate section encompassing the centering sleeve 5. Thus, by means of their bottoms 9, the pins 7 press the holders 6 to the carrier 1, owing to which the holders 6 provide a reliable and accurate fixation of the containers 3.
At the bottom 9 of each cylindrical pin 7, there is a threaded opening made. On the bottoms 9 of each pair of cylindrical pins 7, at some distance from the higher front part of each holder 6, plates 10 are set. The plates 10 are connected to the bottoms 9 of the cylindrical pins 7 by means of screws. In the middle of each plate 10, there is a longitudinal, laterally open slot made. When it is necessary to change the holders 6, a mounting pin 11 is placed into this slot, said pin having a stepped cylindrical shape, so that the bottom of the mounting pin 1 1 abuts against the plate 10, and the thinner cylindrical part of the mounting pin 11 is set into the longitudinal slot made in the plate 10.
"When filling of containers with another shape is to be carried out and this shape is different from the previous ones, it is necessary to change the holders 6. This is done in the following way:
- the mounting pin 11 is placed into the opening of the plate 10;
- by means of the mounting pin 11, the plate 10 is pulled vertically upwards until the pins 7 release the holder 6;
- the holder 6 is pulled horizontally, after which
- the new holder is mounted; the shape of its front part corresponds to the shape of the new container.
In this way, when changing the containers to be filled, a fast and reliable change of the holders is done without the use of additional tools. The device is applicable in machines where guiding the containers (bottles) is done by their necks and/or by the bottoms of the bottles.
Fig. 5 shows an embodiment of the invention where two rows of holders 6 are used, said holders being arranged parallel one above the other and placed at some distance one above the other in two rows of carriers 1. In this case, the upper row of holders 6 grips the containers 3 by their necks
and the lower row of holders 6 - along the walls of the containers 3 grips them near their bottoms. With very large and specific containers 3, it is possible to use also more than two rows of holder carriers 1 , parallel to each other, with holders 6. In this embodiment, the carriers 1 are movable along the height of the column, depending on the dimensions of the containers 3. For example, this is achieved by parallel channels (not shown in the accompanying figures) preHminarily formed in the rotary column, which are located along its height and set at a distance from one another, depending on the shape of the containers.
The holders 6 can be in different shapes, depending on which portion of the container 3 they encompass.
This invention allows also other embodiments. For example, the holders 6 can grip and carry the containers 3 only by their bottoms; only by their necks, by means of the specialized ring under the screw area of the neck of each container; as well as in a combined manner, by simultaneously gripping and carrying the containers 3 by the necks and bottoms thereof. In these cases, it is allowable for the holders 6 of the different carriers to have a different structure and shape.