FR2464901A1 - TRANSPORT DEVICE FOR CHOCOLATE TABLETS DERIVED FOLLOWING TRANSPORT DIRECTION AT VARIABLE DISTANCES - Google Patents

Abstract

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

Description

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  The invention relates to a transport device for chocolate tablets driven in the direction of

  transport at varying distances, including a strip of

  on which the tablets are molded and which, cyclically, is stopped or is driven at a pre-

  determined, and an evacuation band, whose speed is con-

  aunt and predetermined according to the length of two tablet-

  the value of the distance to be respected between these

tablets and output flow.

  The molding of chocolate bars is usually done in molds that contain two sets of chocolate bars arranged side by side. In the transport direction,

  the chocolate bars are at a reciprocal distance deter-

  which is predetermined by the dimensions of the mold.

  The distance, which exists between several of these molds according to the direction of transport, is greater than the distance

previously indicated.

  In order to be able to mechanically pack chocolate bars, after molding, in a packaging plant, it is necessary that the tablets are always at the same

  distance from each other in the direction of transport.

  The obtaining of this constant distance was achieved until now by a control corresponding to speeds of the molding strip and the evacuation strip. A disadvantage is that the constant distance has to be established

  between the tablets on the evacuation tape is still clear-

  always higher than the most important of the two distances mentioned above and which corresponds to the reciprocal distance of the different molds. This leads to a correspondingly large necessary length between the location, where the chocolate bars are extracted into molds, and

  the location where we finally get the constant distance.

  The important need for installation is a

  deny very important. Moreover the technical complexity is

  also relatively high, especially since the order is sufficiently

  the speed of the bands can only be obtained by means of technical aids corresponding

great complexity.

  The present invention aims to provide a transport device of the type indicated above

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  such as the need in place following the direction of transport and the technical expense for obtaining the constant distance

  can be reduced significantly.

  To solve this problem it is proposed according to the invention, for a transport device of the type indicated above, that the distance to be established between the chocolate bars is equal to the maximum distance between these tablets on the molding strip, an intermediate band and a compensation band are downstream of the molding strip,

  that the length of the intermediate band corresponds to the length

  of a chocolate bar - and at the distance to be

  established and that the intermediate band and the compensation band

  can be reduced to speeds which are included

  thickness of the molding tape and that of the evacuation tape.

  Therefore, with the aid of a transport device made according to the invention, it is possible to limit the constant distance to be established between the chocolate bars at the maximum distance between them on the molding strip. . The need for space required following the

  transport direction is therefore significantly reduced.

  Another advantage obtained thanks to the invention lies in the

  that all bands, if they are not

  in the course of the cycle, need not be

  contrails which at two prescribed speeds fixed. On -ob-

  thus, important simplifications for the

dragging and control.

  Hereinafter will be described some advantageous embodiments of the invention, one of which is that the length of the compensation band corresponds approximately to the length of a chocolate bar. This means that the length of the compensation band can reach a value within the range of values of + 20% of the length of a

Tablet.

  In addition, according to the invention, it is proposed that two neighboring strips circulate respectively at the same speed, as long as elements of the same chocolate bar are on these two strips. Similarly, it is advantageous for the precision of the passage of the chocolate bars, that the molding strip is stopped at the instant when the empty interval, which corresponds to the smallest distance between two

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  chocolate bars, lies above the junction point.

  between the molding strip and the intermediate strip.

  In connection with the predetermination of the speeds

  it is proposed according to the invention that, with or after the stop of the molding strip, the strip

  intermediate is driven at the evacuation speed.

  In addition, according to the invention, in the case of two chocolate bars succeeding one behind the other at the smallest distance, the anterior tablet passes the speed of evacuation of the intermediate band to the strip. compensation, while the passage of the posterior tablet is effected between these bands, when the latter possess the

speed of the evacuation band.

  In addition, it is good according to the invention that after the passage of the first chocolate bar on the evacuation band the speed of the compensation band

  to that of the molding strip and that the tape

  compensation is circulating at this speed until the

  posterior tablet is located entirely on the compensation strip

  tion, and that the compensation band is then again

  brought back to the evacuation speed.

  As already mentioned, the invention also allows

  It is particularly advantageous to simplify the various drive systems of the belts. At this

  subject, it is advantageous, in accordance with the invention, for the trainer to

  all the belts is made by means of a central drive shaft, from which drive rollers provided on the different drive shafts of the belts,

  are driven according to a fixed transmission ratio. The trans-

  This mission of forces can be carried out here appropriately by means of a chain. Fixed transmission ratios are

  chosen according to the two training speeds involved.

  An advantageous embodiment of the training system

  ment is obtained in accordance with the invention when a coupling

  The freewheel is mounted between the drive wheel and a drive shaft of the intermediate band and the drive device of the compensation band. Both cylinders are driven at different speeds

  during a process of passage or compensation. The accouple-

  Freewheeling can be used to drive the device shaft

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  driving the intermediate band or the device

  compensation band, at a given moment,

  higher molding speed, without having to deactivate

  fully couple the drive wheel, driven at the lower evacuation speed, from the drive shaft.

  At this. subject, it is furthermore proposed, in accordance with the

  in addition to interposing between the freewheel coupling of the compensation band and the drive shaft of the latter, a clutch system which does not make the

  change to the higher speed of the molding strip than when

  that no chocolate bar is on the com

  thought, and that this clutch system can be operated at

  means of a detector that explores the position of a sign-

  the product is produced in synchronism with the work cycle.

  The transition from one speed to another should in principle

  only when no tablet is on the tape.

  flabbergasted. This can be guaranteed through the use of the clutch system, as indicated above, with simple means.

  By way of example, we have described below and illustrated

  in the accompanying drawings a preferred embodiment

of the subject of the invention.

  Figure 1 is a diagram of the last part of a

  forming strip, the intermediate band, the compression band

  thought and the first part of the evacuation band as well

  than respective driving devices.

  FIG. 2 is a plan view of the device of the FIG.

gure 1.

  FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of the device

  tif of the intermediate band and the compensation band.

  Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating a process of

  wise and compensation at different times of a work cycle. Chocolate bars that are at a distance

  relatively low one behind the other per couple,

  according to the representation of FIG. 4, are transported

  at a given speed.on a molding strip 10. The tablet-

  chocolate bars of the previous row are designated by the

  11, while those of the posterior row are

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  12 The distance between them and the two immediately following rows of chocolate bars on the

  molding strip 10 is significantly larger than the disc

  separating the two chocolate bars 11 and 12 from one and the same pair. This is because the molding of

  tablets are made in molds each containing two

chocolate bars.

  The molding strip 10 is driven at a predetermined speed.

  undermined. But it can also be temporarily stopped at

during a cycle of operation.

  Downstream of the molding strip 10 is an intermediate strip 13, the length of which is approximately twice that of a chocolate bar. Intermediate band 13 is

  driven by a cylinder 14 while being kept at the necessary voltage.

  required by a pressure roller 15.

  Downstream of the intermediate band 13 is arranged again

  a compensation band 16, which is driven by a cy-

  17. The compensation band 16 is maintained under

  as appropriate, by means of a pressure roller 18.

  Then comes as the fourth band, a band of evacuation

  tion 19 which passes over two pressure or guide rollers 20

  and which is driven by a cylinder 21.

  The intermediate band 13, the compensation band 16 and the evacuation band 19 are driven by a driving mechanism 22, so that the cylinder 21 of

  the evacuation belt 19 rotates continuously at a constant speed

  evacuation aunt. This speed is less than that of the molding strip 10. To achieve the transmission of forces on

uses strings 26, 32 and 33.

  Hereinafter, the drive system of the cylinder 14 for the intermediate band 13 and the cylinder 17 for the compensation band 16 are described, with particular reference to

in Figure 3.

  The cylinder 14 has a drive shaft 24, which is

  trailed, via a double chain wheel 25, by

  the drive mechanism 22 at the speed of the evaluation band

  This transmission of forces is effected by means of a chain 26. However, by means of another chain 23 and a double chain wheel 28, it is also possible to switch to the top speed of the transmission. molding strip on the drive shaft 24,

  as long as this band circulates and is not stopped. A coupling

  Freewheeling 29, not shown here in detail, operates

  in such a way that the rotational speed of the drive shaft

  24 or the speed of the cylinder 14 corresponds at least to the speed of the evacuation band, when precisely the band of

  molding 10 is not driven to the. higher speed of entral-

  ment. The cylinder 17 of the compensation band 16 has a drive shaft 30 which can be driven, by means of a double chain wheel 31 and a chain 32, by the cylinder

  14, at the speed of the evacuation belt 19. The speed of the

  30 can be synchronized, by means of a chain 27 and-of a chain wheel 34, to the speed more

large of the molding strip 10.

  Likewise, the drive shaft 30 is associated with an

  freewheel coupling 35, not shown in detail, and which is constituted in such a way that the drive shaft

  turn at least at the slower speed of the evacuation

  However, the freewheeling effect appears

  compared to this speed of training as soon as the system of

  dragging is connected to the higher speed of the band of

molding 10.

  This is done using a clutch system 36,

  electromagnetically operated. As soon as the latter is

  bored, the transmission of forces by the chain 27 acts and the shaft

  drive turns correspondingly faster.

  The mode of operation is explained in detail below.

  description of the described transport device, with reference to

Figure 4.

  In FIG. 4, four different moments are represented

  of a work cycle or compensation process, the

  fourth representation corresponding again to the first. The time required for a work cycle is here supposed to be

t = 27r.

  At the beginning of a work cycle, corresponding to t = 0, the molding strip 10 has been stopped, after it has previously passed the first row or row of tablets

  of chocolate on the intermediate strip 13 flowing to the same vi-

  hostess. At this time the compensation band 16, on which is still the posterior row of chocolate bars 12 of the pair of previous chocolate bars, moves at the evacuation speed, that is to say at the same speed that the band

  19. The transfer of posterior tablets of

  colat 12 on the evacuation band 19 is imminent.

  After a first quarter of the work cycle, as the

  the second representation, the molding strip 10 is still at a standstill, while the intermediate band 13 has driven the prior chocolate bars 11 to bring them just in front of the compensation band 16. At this time, the intermediate band

  13, the compensation band 16 and the evacuation band 19

  at the same speed, namely at the speed of the band of

  19. At this speed, the chocolate bars 12,

  still on the compensation band 16 at the present time

  described earlier in the work cycle, were transferred to the

evacuation band 19.

  The third representation corresponds to the middle moment of a work cycle. The molding strip 10 is still

  at rest, while the speed of the other bands is unchanged.

  The chocolate bars 11, still on the intermediate band 13 at the moment which has been described above, have

  in the meantime transferred to the compensation band 16.

  The fourth representation corresponds to the moment when the work cycle was three-quarters. The molding strip 10 continues to circulate and the intermediate strip 13 is

  switched to the higher speed of the molding strip. By con-

  the subsequent chocolate bars 12 which are

  previously used on the molding strip 10, are

  on the intermediate band 13, while the band of

  Step 10 has already transported the previous chocolate bars 11 a next pair of rows of tablets to the vicinity of the transfer zone. After the compensation band 16

  transferred on the evacuation belt 19 the tablets of choco-

  the former 11 still on the compensation band

  At the previous instant, the passage of the compensation band 16 to the higher speed of the molding strip is now occurring. This shifting must be carried out until the chocolate bars 12 still on the intermediate band 13 have reached the transfer zone. The chocolate bars 12 and 11 located on the evacuation strip

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  19 have now acquired, in relation to each other, the

  predetermined uniform reciprocal distance.

  The fifth representation finally corresponds to the first

  Mière. Meanwhile, two rows of two chocolate bars 11 and 12 have come from the molding strip 10 to the strip

evacuation 19.

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Claims (10)

  1. Transport device for chocolate tablets   latching in the transport direction at varying distances, of the type having a molding strip which, cyclically, is stopped or is driven at a pre-determined speed.   determined, an evacuation band whose speed is predetermined   constant value, depending on the length of two tablets, the value of the distance to be maintained between these tablets and the output rate, characterized in that the distance to be established between the tablets (11, 12 ) is equal to the maximum distance between them on the molding strip (10), - that downstream of the molding strip (10) is an intermediate strip (13) and a   compensation band (16), that the length of the intermediate band   diaire (13) corresponds to the length of a shelf (11) and the distance to be established and -the intermediate band (13) and the compensation band (16) can move at speeds-included-between the speed of the band   molding (10) and that of the evacuation band (19).   2. Transport device according to claim 1,   characterized in that the length of the compensation strip   (16) corresponds at least approximately to the length a chocolate bar (11).   3. Transport device according to one of the claims   1 or 2, characterized in that two adjacent strips (10, 13, 16, 19) circulate respectively at the same speed as parts of the same chocolate bar (11, 12). are on these two bands.   4. Transport device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that   molding (10) is stopped at the moment when the empty space cor-   laying at the smallest distance between two shelves (11, 12), lies above the zone of passage between the   molding (10) and the intermediate band (13).   5. Transport device according to any one of   claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at or   after stopping the molding strip (10), the intermediate strip   (13) is driven at the evacuation rate.   6. Transport device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that in the case   of two shelves (11, 12) succeeding each other at the shortest distance, the front shelf (11) is transferred, at the speed   from the intermediate strip (13) to the evacuation strip   tion (16), while the transfer of the posterior shelf between these bands (13, 16) takes place when these latter pos-   the speed of the molding strip (10).   7. Transport device according to any one of   Claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that   from the front table (11) to the evacuation strip (19), the compensation strip (16) changes to the speed of the molding strip (10) and travels at this speed as long as the tablet   posterior (12) is located entirely on the compensation band   tion (16), and the compensation band (16) is then brought back at the evacuation speed.   8. Transport device according to any one of the claims   1 to 7, characterized in that the drive of all the belts (10, 13, 16, 19) takes place via a central drive shaft via a drive mechanism. drive (22) from which drive wheels   (25, 28, 31, 34), provided on the different shafts of training   (24, 30) of the bands, are driven in a ratio of fixed transmission.   9. Transport device according to Claim 8, characterized in that between the drive wheel (25, 28   31, 34) and a drive shaft (24, 30) of the drive system   the intermediate band and the drive system of the   the compensation band are interleaved respectively with ac- freewheeling couplings (29, 35).   Transport device according to Claim 9, characterized in that between the freewheel coupling (35) of the compensating strip (16) and the drive shaft   (30) driving this strip (16) is additionally mounted a system   clutch plate (36) which makes it possible to operate the passage at the higher speed of the molding strip - (10) only   when no tablet (11, 12) is on the tape   thought (16), and the clutch system (36) can be   born by means of a detector that explores the position of an organ   signaling system in synchronism with the cycle of vail.