FR2469648A1 - Gas cylinder seal checking and renewing device - has spring loaded seal applicator moved by hydraulic or pneumatic into engagement with cylinder tap nose - Google Patents

Abstract

The checking and renewing device, for liquified petroleum gas cylinders at the end of a filling line, has a cylindrical applicator with an applicator head contacting the nose of the tap to which the supplied circuit is connected. The applicator receives the annular seals one at a time from a distributor and fits one into a reception groove in the tap nose, if the seal is missing. The seals are fitted into place via an injection stamp sliding axially within the applicator which is itself displaced via a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder against a spring bias to bring the applicator head into contact with the tap nose. Pref. the injection stamp has an axial channel coupled to a device which measures any leakage.

Description

 The present invention relates to an apparatus for the control and / or automatic equipment of bottles such as bottles of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) or the like, especially at the end of each filling.

In general, it is known that bottles of this type are provided with a tap comprising a tubular body T, that is to say formed
on the one hand, two coaxial tubular elements, Savoirs a first element containing the control system of the valve shutter from a conventional rotary wheel, and a second element constituting the inlet duct of the tap, which comes screw on the opening of the bottle, the shutter being slidably mounted in a central chamber located at the connection between the two elements, and coming to apply, in the closed position, on an annular seat formed at the inner end of said led entry, and
on the other hand, a third tubular element constituting the nose of the valve which normally extends to the first two elements and communicates with said central chamber, this nose comprising a threaded end on which the use circuit can be screwed together; gauze
In general, the seal of such a connection was obtained conventionally by means of an elastic annular seal, for example neoprene.

 However, it turned out that such a seal did not provide sufficient security because many users; either by negligence or ignorance, failed to replace the seal when it had deteriorated after many uses, or even when it had been removed during the disassembly of the fitting.

For this reason, it has been found preferable, in most cases, to use a double-seal fitting involving
- a part of a first annular seal housed in a bore in the nose of the valve, and
- On the other hand, a conventional annular seal housed in the connecting element of the use circuit.

 The principle of such a connection will be described in more detail later, however, it suffices here to know that its structure is very close to a conventional collar connection.

 It is therefore important, in order to ensure the reliability of this double sealing system, to check during each refilling of the bottle, the presence of the aforesaid first seal and in the case where it has been found to be absent, to have a new one.

 The invention therefore firstly aims to perform automatically and continuously such verification and, if necessary, such a pose.

It proposes for this purpose an apparatus comprising, on the one hand, a device ensuring the transfer and positioning of bottles moving on a channe transfer in a check station and / or installation of joints, then, at the end of operation, the transfer of said station to said chain, and, secondly, said verification station and / or installation of a seal which comprises ::
- a distributor for delivering one by one the seals from a reserve t
an injection member comprising
- A cylindrical injection nozzle terminated by a head intended to be applied to the nose of the bottle and in which there is provided a supply port through which are introduced the seals emanating from the distributor,
an injector punch mounted axially sliding in the nozzle and which is ma by a double-acting cylinder, and
a device such as a single-acting spring return cylinder for moving the injection member so as to apply the head of the nozzle against the nose of the bottle.

 The operation of this apparatus is such that, once the bottle is properly placed (orientation) in the verification station and / or installation of the seal, in a first step, the head of the nozzle is applied against the nose of the bottle, for example under the effect of the aforesaid single-acting cylinder, then, in a second step, driven by the double-acting cylinder, the injector punch pushes the seal towards its housing in the nose of the bottle.

 Accordingly, in the case where the bottle was initially devoid of its seal, the new seal pushed by the punch is introduced into the nose of the valve.

 On the other hand, if the bottle initially had a seal, the new seal will be compressed between the initial seal and the injector punch, will remain, consequently, inside the nozzle and will be able to serve again for the following bottle.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for detecting the presence or absence of the flow limiter fitted to most bottles of
LPG for applications that do not require high gas flows.

 These flow restrictors which consist of a ball or a valve which closes more or less the passage of the tap gas according to its flow, are generally screwed into the inlet duct of the valve.

 It sometimes happens that during the period of use of the bottle which is relatively large, the flow limiter unscrews and falls into the bottle.

 It is therefore appropriate, at each filling, to check the presence and the proper functioning of such a flow restrictor.

 For this purpose, the simplest solution is to measure, after filling the bottle, the flow of the gas leaving the valve, the measurement of a large flow indicating the absence or malfunction of the flow limiter.

 The invention therefore also aims at producing an apparatus which makes it possible to automatically perform such a flow measurement and which, when this flow rate exceeds a predetermined value, emits a signal allowing the ejection of the defective bottle.

 Such apparatus therefore necessarily comprises ~~~ in a manner analogous to that previously described, on the one hand, a device ensuring the transfer and positioning of bottles moving on a transfer chain in a control station, then, in end of operation, the transfer of said station to said chain.

 The control station must also comprise a nozzle connected by a conduit to a flow measurement device and which, like the verification member and / or seal station previously described, is necessarily associated with a device actuator for bringing the nozzle head into sealing contact with the nose of the cylinder valve.

 Because of these similarities and to avoid redundancy of the various members used, the invention proposes to merge the two stations into one so that the same apparatus performs both the detection of the presence and / or the laying a seal and detecting the presence and proper operation of the flow limiter.

 Such an apparatus thus comprises, according to another characteristic of the invention, a structure identical to that of the apparatus for the detection and / or laying of a seal previously described, and in which the injector punch is provided with a axial channel connected by a conduit to a device for measuring gas flow.

 Thus, when the injector punch compresses the seal it has just introduced into the nose of the valve, or even, in the case where the bottle was initially provided with a seal, when it compresses the two seals, its channel is is connected sealingly to the outlet pipe of the valve and the flow of gas leaving the bottle can be measured.

 It should be noted that the equipment and control of LPG cylinders after filling is not limited to the detection and installation of a seal and the detection of the flow limiter.

 Indeed, once these operations have been performed, it is also necessary, in many cases, to perform the installation of a closure device such as, for example, a screw cap or a tamper-proof cap mounted waterproof on the faucet's nose.

 The object of the invention is therefore an apparatus enabling such an operation to be carried out automatically. It is clear that, like for the preceding operations, this device requires a device enabling exact positioning of the bottle in a stationary position. so that the nose of the valve is in the axis of the laying device used.

 thus for the sake of simplification, in order to automatically perform the installation of the shutter device, the invention proposes to carry out the transfer of the bottle of the detection station from the presence and / or installation of a seal and possibly the counter of the presence of the flow limiter at the shutter installation station while maintaining the same orientation of the bottle.

 Consequently, only a height positioning will remain necessary to bring the nose of the valve in the axis of the laying member of the closure device.

 The invention thus makes it possible, advantageously but not exclusively, with the aid of the same apparatus, to perform both the detection of the presence and / or the laying of a seal in the nose of the tap. of the bottle, the counter of the presence of the flow limiter, with ejection of the bottles which are lacking, and the installation of a closure member on the nose of the bottle.

Such an apparatus thus comprises, according to another characteristic of the invention, four main items namely
a) a waiting and probing station for the presence of bottles brought by the transfer chain,
b) a position where the orientation of the bottle is carried out, the detection of the presence of the seal with the laying of the seal in case of absence, in the nose of the tap and the control of the presence and good operation of the flow limiter,
c) a station for placing a closure member on the nose of the bottle,
(d) a bottle ejection station, in particular, whose orientation could not be made (in this case, the seal was not checked or installed, the limiter was not inspected and the shutter device has not been installed) and which are not equipped with a flow limiter.

The successive transfer of the bottles brought by the channe of the station a) where a probing of the presence and the stopping of the bottles is carried out, at the station b), then of the post b) with the station c), is carried out by means of a transfer cart whose purpose is double
- accelerate the passage of bottles from one station to another so as to save time in the cycle of the machine,
- transfer the bottles from item (b) to item (c), keeping the orientation that was made in item (b).

 According to another characteristic of the invention, such a transfer carriage which moves along and above the transfer channe comprises two compartments C1, C2 each equipped with a pair of controllable jaws intended to grip the bottles, these two compartments being separated by a length equal to that of the intervals between the items a), b) and c) which, moreover, are equal.

 The transfer cycle of such a transfer carriage can be stated as follows.

1) The carriage is initially arranged so that the compartment C1 is at the station a) and the compartment C2 is at the station b). After detecting a bottle B1 in station a), the jaws of compartment C1 grip the bottle.

 2) The carriage moves so that the compartment C1 is at the station b) and the compartment C2 at the station c). The bottle B1 is then taken by the search device for the orientation of the station b) while a bottle B1 arrives at the station a).

 3) The carriage comes back, jaws open so that the bottle B1 remains at the station b). The jaws of C1 then grip the bottle B2 while the jaws C2 located at the station b) take the bottle B1 without changing its orientation.

 4) The truck starts in the opposite direction bringing the bottle B2 to the station b) and the bottle B1 to the station c). The bottles B2 and B1 are then taken respectively by the device for finding the orientation of the station b) and by a gripping member forming part of the station c).

 5) The carriage returns backwards so that the compartment C1 can grip a new bottle B3, and the compartment C2, gripping the bottle B2. Meanwhile, the item c) returns to the cat transfer bottle B1, once the installation of the closing member completed.

 6) The carriage moves forward again to perform a new cycle, and the process continues at a rate synchronized to that of the scrolling bottles.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the aforesaid jaws of the transfer carriage are actuated by pneumatic double-acting cylinders controlled by a self-compensated pneumatic circuit, characterized in that
the supply of the cylinders associated with each pair of jaws, which is open, is ensured by a first distributor supplied by a first pressure source and controlled by a control circuit for opening the jaws and a closing control circuit. jaws;
the supply of said cylinders, caté closure, is provided by two respective distributors, also controlled by said control circuits of opening and closing of the jaws, these two distributors being powered by a second source of pressure of greater value than the first , and respectively connected to a capacity.

The operation of such a circuit is such that
- When opening the jaws, the opening side of the cylinders is at the pressure of the first distributor, while the closing side of these cylinders is exhausted by the other two distributors. In parallel, these two distributors put their respective source of pressure in communication with the capacities associated with them,
- When closing the jaws, the opening side of the jacks is exhausted by the first distributor, while the closing side of these jacks is connected to the respective capabilities of the other two distributors.

 This results in a centering effect which occurs through a respective balancing of the pressures in the two capacities and the two opposing cylinders.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the cylinder orientation search system involves two transverse side carriages each comprising a pneumatic motor-driven roller and a brake, these carriages being moved by jacks so that they can to grip the bottles, by their rollers, to rotate them by action of the pneumatic motors and to stop them in position when they are in the desired orientation, (the steering of said cylinders can be carried out by a self-compensating control system of the type from that previously described).

Moreover, the process of looking up and centering the presence detection member and installing a seal on the nose of the bottle involves
a single-acting cylinder for adjusting the height of the detection and / or laying assembly of a seal,
a first probe controlled by a jack acting on the body of the bottles at their curved portion,
a second actuator controlled by cylinder to ensure the position of the square pan used to screw the valve on the bottle,
- A third probe to ensure the position of the upper face of the square of the bottle said second and third sensors being slidably mounted and biased by a spring in a horizontal plane on 1 detecting member and a seal.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the device for fitting a closure member on the nose of the valve, at the third position of the apparatus is associated with a height search device for centering it in the axis of said nose, this device comprising a probe coming into lateral abutment on the valve body andD vertemente on the shoulder of the square used for screwing the valve on the bottle.

One embodiment of the invention will be described hereinafter by way of nonlimiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is an axial section of a valve equipping a conventional LPG bottle;
Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an apparatus for the control and / or automatic equipment of bottles according to the invention;
FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, connected to each other along axes A-AS BB and CC, constitute the diagram of the pneumatic control of the apparatus shown in FIG.
Figures 7 and 8 connected to each other along the axis
DD show in partial vertical section the stages 1 and 2 of positions a), b) and c) of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 9 is a partial horizontal section showing the assembly of the arms used for stopping the bottles at the station a)
FIG. 10 represents, seen from above, one of the two carriages of the centering and orienting member of the bottles at station b) stage 2;
FIG. 11 is a side view, partly in section, of a gasket detecting and laying member, with flow limiter detection, bottle orientation and search of the tap nose;
FIGS. 12 and 13 show, in bottom view (FIG. 12) and in plan view (FIG. 13), the search and orientation assembly associated with the seal detection and installation member represented in FIG. 11;
FIGS. 14 and 15 respectively show, in side view and in plan view, a nut laying device that can be used in the apparatus shown in FIG. 2 ::
Figures 16, 17, 18 and 19 are respectively
- a half cut, seen from the left,
- a view from above
- a front view, and
- A right view of the nut supply of the device shown in Figures 12 and 13.

With reference to FIG. 1, the valve of the LPG bottle comprises a tubular T-shaped body, that is to say formed:
- On the one hand, two coaxial tubular elements 1, 2, namely a first tubular element 1 enclosing the actuating system of the shutter 3 by means of a conventional rotary wheel 4, and a second element 2 serving inlet pipe, which is screwed by its thread 5 on a tapped opening provided at the top of the bottle, said shutter 3 being slidably mounted in a central chamber 6 located at the connection between the aforesaid elements 1 and 2, so as to apply, in the closed position on an annular seat 7 formed at the inner end of said element 2, and
- On the other hand, a third tubular element 8 constituting the nose of the valve, which normally extends to the elements 1 and 2 and communicates with said central chamber 6, this nose comprising a threaded end 9 on which can come to connect by screwing the connecting element 10 of the gas utilization circuit.

 It will be noted that the screwing of the tap is obtained by means of a key that engages on a square panel 2 'made on the element 2, at the base of the element 8.

 Furthermore, the inner cylindrical surface of the nose comprises a bore recess 11 forming a housing in which is disposed the seal 12 whose detection of the presence is one of the objects of the apparatus according to the invention.

 The coupling element 10 shown in FIG. 1 initially consists of an inner nut 13 intended to be screwed onto the nose of the valve.

 This nut 13 has in its rear part a bottom 14 provided. a coaxial circular opening 15 through which passes a tubular member 16 of the use circuit, such as, for example, the feed duct of a gas expander.

 This tubular element 16 is terminated by a flange 17 of outside diameter substantially equal to the inside diameter of the nut 13 and whose end face has an annular projection 18 to the outside diameter of the gasket 12.

 This coupling element further comprises an annular seal 19 disposed in the annular recess situated between the inner wall of the nut 13 and the boss 18.

 Thus, once screwed onto the nose 8 of the valve, the nut 13 exerts on the collar 17 an axial pressure which tends to compress the seal 19 on the edge of the nose 8, thus ensuring a first seal, and the seal 12, between the bore recess 11 and the boss 18, thus achieving a second seal In addition, the valve shown in Figure 1 further comprises, screwed into the tubular element 2, externally sensed a flow limiter formed for example by a tube. elastic material 20 whose outer orifice 21 is closed as a function of the gas flow rate by means of a cap 22 articulated elastically on said tube 20 t or by any other appropriate means (ball, valve, etc.) .

With reference to FIG. 2, the apparatus shown is more particularly intended to perform successively
the detection of the presence of the seal 12 placed in the nose 8 of the valve of the bottle,
- the establishment of a new seal in the absence of the seal 12,
- the detection of bottles not equipped with a flow limiter,
- The establishment of a closure member such as a cap or a capsule coming to rest on the nose 8 of the valve of the bottle, and
- the ejection of bottles not suitably equipped.

 This apparatus actually forms a kind of tunnel spanning the chain of transfer 22 of the bottles 23 at the outlet of the filling ring LPG.

For reasons of operating speed, the machine has been divided into four positions which are (in the direction of scrolling bottles):
a station 24 for waiting and detecting the bottles,
a b) position 25 for orienting, detecting the presence of the seal and possibly installing the seal 12 in the event of absence in the nose 8 of the valve, the detection of the flow limiter,
a station c) for laying the stopper or capsule,
- a station d) 27 ejection bottles
- whose orientation could not be made (in this case, the seal is not laid, the control of the flow limiter was not done and the cap or capsule were not put), and
- which are not equipped with the flow limiter.

 This ejection can also be neutralized by the operation of a key on the control panel. There is further provided a counting station cylinders ejected or not.

The equipment previously described is also divided into four stages namely
1) a first floor 28 which includes
at the station 24, a presence detection device and a device for stopping the bottles 23 brought by the channe 22,
- at stations 24, 25 and 26, a transfer carriage 29 whose purpose is double
a) accelerate the passage of bottles from one station to another, which saves time in the cycle of the machine
b) transfer the bottles from station 25 to station 26 keeping the orientation that was made at station 25,
at station 27, a system for ejecting the bottles out of the circuit,
2) a second floor 30 which comprises
at station 25, a device 31 performing
on the one hand, the bottles 23 are rotated by means of one or more rotary motors driving friction rollers, the bottle being automatically centered during this operation in order to search for the orientation, and
- on the other hand, the correction of the orientation and the locking of the rotating cylinder by means of disc brakes
at station 26, the detection of the presence of the bottle,
3) a third floor 32 that includes
at the station 25, a device 33 for looking for the orientation of the nose 8 of the valve and the height adjustment of the mobile equipment of this station, and a device for installing the seal which bears on the valve of the bottle and tries to inject a seal inside its nose 8. This injection will take place in the case where the valve is without its seal 12. In the opposite case, the injection operation is null and void. the injector retains its seal.A joint device for detecting the presence or absence of the flow restrictor 20 is attached to this seal installation device,
at the station 26, a device for finding the height of the axis of the nose of the valve and a device 34 for screwing the stopper or laying the capsule,
4) a fourth stage 35 which includes at the stations 25 and 26 dispensing devices 36, 37 seals and caps or capsules to the supply channels of the respective laying devices. These devices are equipped with safety system that lock the machine at a standstill in case of lack of supply of these parts.

 The main elements involved in each of these positions will be described in more detail below.

 The waiting station and presence detection located at the entrance of the apparatus is composed, as represented in FIGS. 8 and 9 and schematically FIG. 3, of two crank arms 40 located on either side of the transfer chain. 22 bottles 23.

Each of these arms 40 carries at one of its ends a roller 41 pivotally mounted about an axis 42 and is articulated at its other end to the fixed frame of the apparatus about an axis 43 so as to take two positions, namely
- An extended position in which it extends in part above the transfer line 22 and blocks the passage to the bottle 23, which abuts on the rollers 41, which, by their free rotation, allow to obtain a first centering, and
- A retracted position allowing a free passage of the bottle.

 This bottle is detected by means of a probe 44 (FIG. 3) which controls the opening or closing of a microvalve 45.

 The actuation of these arms is provided by two respective double-acting pneumatic cylinders 46, 47 fed by a distributor 48,49.

As represented in FIG. 3, the control of the distributors 48 and 49 is ensured by a pneumatic circuit making in particular that
on the one hand, the erased position of the arms is obtained if the non-stop hand valve 50 is requested, or else
a) if the microvalve 45 or the cycle control pusher 50 'of the station b) 25 are biased (OR circuits 51,
NO 52, OR 53);
(b) if the truck is not at station (a) 24 (NO 54, truck position detector 55, circuit
YES 55 ',', leakage circuit selector 56, circuit NO 52, circuit OR 53) s
(c) if the jaws of the C2 compartment of the trolley are not closed or if the trolley is not in the retracted position (OR circuit 57, leakage circuit selector 56, NO circuit 52, OR circuit 53)
d) if the hand valve stops scrolling 58 is not requested, and
on the other hand, the extended position of the arms is obtained if the scroll stop valve 58 is biased or (OR circuit 59) If the microvalve 45 n is not stressed, or (OR circuit 60) if the carriage is in position advanced (detector 61 of the position of the carriage).

 The carriage comprises two parallel frames 62, 63 mounted on rollers 64 with horizontal axes respectively carried by two horizontal raceways 65 located on either side of the transfer chain 22 (Figures 4, 7 and 8).

 These raceways 65 are constituted by the floor of the stage 28 (Figure 2). The lateral races of the rollers 69 on vertical axes integral with the frames 62, 63, are constituted by the vertical uprights 66 of angles.

The two frames 62, 63 are displaced by two respective cylinders 71 ', 72' associated with two distributors 71, 72 controlled so that
- The cylinders are in the retracted position if the jaws of the carriage elements C1 and C2 are not in the closed position (OR circuits 73 and NO 74);
- The cylinders are placed in the deployed position if the pusher 50 'of the cycle control station b) 25 is biased or if the arms 40 are in the erased position and-if the microvalve 45 is solicited (OR circuits 75, YES 76) , (Figure 3).

 Each frame constituting the carriage carries two jaw members 77, 78 and 79, 80, each actuated by a jack 77 ', 78', 79 'and 80'. The jaw members 77, 79 and 78, 80 being arranged face to face so as to constitute two pairs of jaws each capable of gripping a bottle, the pair of jaws 77, 79 corresponding to the compartment C1 mentioned above, while the pair of jaws 78, 80 corresponds to compartment C2.

The cylinders associated with each of these pairs of jaws are controlled by means of a self-compensated pneumatic circuit characterized by the following features:
I. First of all, the pair of jaws
77, 79:
- The supply of the cylinders 77 'and 79', opening side, is provided by a distributor 81 supplied by a pressure source for example at three bars, and which is controlled, on the one hand, by a closing control circuit 82 and, secondly, by an opening control circuit 83 of the jaws.

 - The supply of the cylinders 77 'and 79', closing side, is provided by two respective distributors 84 for 79 'and 85 for 77' also controlled by said opening and closing control circuits 82 and 83 of the jaws.

These distributors 84 and 85 are each supplied by a pressure source, for example at five bars, and are connected to a capacitor (respectively 86 and 87) in such a way that
When opening the jaws 77 and 79, the opening side of the cylinders 775 and 79 'is subjected to the pressure of three bars emanating from the distributor 81 while the closing side of these cylinders is exhausted by the distributors. 85 and 84. In parallel, these distributors 85 and 84 connect the source to five bars and the capacitors 86 and 87.

 when the jaws are closed, the opening side of the jacks 77 'and 79' is exhausted by the distributor 81, while the closing side of these jacks is connected to their respective capacitors by the distributors 85 and 84 .

As a result, the cylinders 778 and 79 'close on the bottle by moving it if necessary to obtain the balance of pressures between, on the one hand, the cylinder 77' and its capacity 87 and the cylinder 79 'and its capacity 86. The two elements 62 and 63 are thus secured by the bottle 23
The opening signal of the circuit 83 will be provided in particular if the pusher 50 'of the cycle control of the station b) 25 is not loaded and if the non-stop valve 50 is requested (gate NO 88) if (gate OR 89) the presence of the carriage in the advanced position (sensor 61) is detected and if the operations at station b) 25 are not completed (junction 61 ').

The closing signal supplied by the circuit 82 will notably be emitted if the cycle command of the station b) has been carried out (pusher 50 ') if the presence of a bottle at the station a) 24 has been detected (microvalve 45, circuit OR 51), and
If the presence of the truck has been detected at station a) 24 (detector 55),
He. With regard to the pair of jaws 78, 80
- The power of the cylinders 78 ', 80' is performed in a similar manner to the previous one.

 - The supply of the cylinders 78 'and 80' (opening side) is provided by a distributor 90 fed by a pressure source, for example at three bars and which is controlled by a closing control circuit 91 and opening 92 jaws.

 - The supply of the cylinders 78 'and 80', closing side, is ensured by respective distributors 93 and 94 commands by the circuits 91 and 92, these distributors 94 and 93 are each powered by a pressure source, by example at five bars and are connected to a capacity (respectively 95 and 96).

 The opening signal of the circuit 92 will be provided in particular if the pusher 50 'of the cycle control of the station b) 25 is not loaded and if the non-stop passage valve 50 is requested (gate NO 88), if (gate OR 89) the presence of the carriage in the advanced position (sensor 61) is detected and if the operations at station c) 26 are not completed (OR circuits 97, 98 and circuit NO 99).

 The closing signal will in particular be issued if the pusher 50 'of the cycle control of the station b) 25 is solicited, if the non-stop passage valve 50 is not solicited (gate NO 88) if the cylinders V3, V4 are actuated (OR gate 100) and if the operations at station b) are terminated (gate NO 101).

 Regarding the transfer cycle of the carriage, reference is made to the description which has been made in the preamble.

 It is recalled that once brought to the station b) 25 by the compartment C1 of the carriage (jaws 77, 79) the bottles are taken into account by a centering member and orientation (31) (Figures 2 and 10).

 This member consists of two carriages 104, 105 mounted on rollers located on either side of the transfer chain 22 and moving transversely relative thereto in a horizontal plane.

 These two carriages 104, 105 are guided during their movements by runways 107 integral with the fixed structure of the apparatus. Each of these carriages carries, at its end, on the one hand, a roller 107 'driven in rotation by a pneumatic motor 108 and, on the other hand, a roller 109 coupled to a disc brake 110.

Moreover, the movements of the carriages 104 and 105 are ensured by two respective cylinders 111 and 112 in order to obtain two positions, namely
an open position in which the carriages leave the passage to the bottles, and
a closed position in which the carriages come to grip the bottle by the rollers 107 and 109.

The actuators 111 and 112 are controlled in a manner similar to that of the jaws 77, 79 and 80, 79, that is to say by a self-compensating system.
More precisely, the supply of cylinders 111 and 112, opening side, is provided by a distributor 114 fed by a pressure source; for example two bars and which is controlled by an opening control 115 and closing 116 circuit.

 The opening command has the following characteristic: the opening signal given by the NOR gate 121 drives the impeller 121 'during 2/10 of a second, controls the distributors 117 and 118 (exhaust of the jacks 111 and 112 with a view to their retraction3 this same pilot signal 114 which supplies the cylinders li1 and 112 for the retraction, the inversion of the distributor 114 can be done because the GOOD gate 121 "is neutralized.

 At the end of the 2 / 10th of a second time, the opening signal disappears (end of the function of the impeller 121 '), the gate xW0N 121' becomes active again and inverts the distributor 114.

The chamber of the cylinders 111 and 112 empties into the atmosphere through 114. The distributors 117 and 118 remain in their positions from the beginning of the passage of the opening signal.

 The cylinders 111 and 112 are therefore free of pressure until the next closing phase.

 At the next closing, the cylinders 111 and 112 having been purged in advance, the movement of the carriages 104 and 105 will be fast, thereby saving time on the cycle of the machine.

 The supply of the cylinders 111 and 112, on the closing side, is ensured by respective distributors 117 and 118 controlled by the circuits 15 and 116.

 These distributors 117 and 118 are each powered by a pressure source, for example five bars-are connected to a capacity (respectively 119 and 120).

 The opening signal of the circuit 115 will be provided in particular if the jaws 78 and 80 are not in the open position (NO circuit 121).

 The closing signal of the circuit 116 will be provided in particular if a corresponding signal is present at the junction 61 'mentioned above, which is the case when the. carriage 62, 63 is in the advanced position (detector 61).

The process of centering, looking up and orienting bottles involves the following elements:
1) The carriages 104 and 106 with their control cylinders 111, 112, their rollers 107 driven by the pneumatic motors 108 and their rollers 109 connected to the disc brakes 110.

 2) A stop 124 controlled by a cylinder 125 acting on the body of the bottles at their bomb portion.

 3) A probe 126 controlled by a jack 127 to find the angular position of the square pan of the valve of the bottle.

 4) A probe 128 serving to ensure the position of the upper face of the pan square of the bottle, the feelers 126 and 128 being further slidably mounted in a horizontal plane on the member for detecting and applying a seal and actuated by means of a double-acting cylinder 129.

 5) A single-acting cylinder 130 for the height adjustment of 19 assembly of the detecting member and / or laying a seal.

It should be noted that the feelers 126 and 128 are substantially diametrically opposed to the nozzle 131 used for detecting and applying a seal
Using these different elements, the positioning of the bottle is as follows
In a first step, when closing the carriages, the cylinders 111 and 112 tighten and center the bottle, while the jaws 77 and 79 retract (anointing 61 ', circuit OR 89) and the carriage 62, 63 returns to position. rearward position (OR circuits 73 and NO 74) 0 Simultaneously, the pneumatic motors 107 are rotated through the distributor 132 and the cylinders 130, 129B 127 and 125 are energized and begin a process of search in height and orientation.

 The cylinder 125 provides a first height positioning and then retracts. The perfect lateral position is identified by the depression of the probe 128 and the probe 126.

The vertical abutment is in turn given by pressing on the upper shoulder of the square, this support being however compensated by antagonistic action on the underside of the piston of the cylinder 130, authorized by a non-contact sensor 133.

 A sensor 134 identifying the position of the probe 126 simultaneously causes the engines 107 to stop, the braking (brakes 109) and the admission of air into the seal fitting member.

 With reference to FIG. 11, the detecting and laying member of a seal firstly comprises a mobile hedge 140 in the shape of a U actuated at its upper part by the rod of the jack 130 and further guided at its vertical translation by a rod 141. The body of the cylinder 130 is fixed on the fixed structure of the apparatus (stage 32) and the rod 141 slides in a bearing 142 also fixed on said structure.

 This carriage carries, on the one hand, on one of its two wings, a set of laying and detecting seals 143 and, at its lower part, the feeler 124 and the jack 125 which is associated with it, and on the other hand, a positioning and height search assembly 144 comprising the probe 128 and the probe 126.

 As is apparent from FIGS. 4, 10, 11 and 13, the search and positioning assembly consists of a mobile assembly 145 slidably mounted on two horizontal parallel rods 147 integral with the mobile frame 140, and actuated by the jack 129.

 At the upper part of this movable element 145 is also slidably mounted in a horizontal plane, the probe 128 yes is retained on one side by two springs 148 and protrudes on the other side, facing the fitting assembly 143, the position of this probe 128 being detected by means of the sensor 128 '.

 The lower part of the mobile assembly 145 contains the actuator 127 actuating the probe 126 as well as the position detector 134 of this probe.

 With reference to FIGS. 5 and 11, the assembly for detecting and applying a seal consists of an injection member comprising an injection nozzle 150 terminated by a head 151 intended to be applied to the nose of the cylinder valve, and in which is provided a supply port 152 through which are introduced the seals from a distributor (not shown). Inside this nozzle 150 is slidably mounted an injector punch 153 controlled by a double-acting cylinder 154 '.

Furthermore, the nozzle is itself slidably mounted on the mobile frame 140 and its displacement is controlled by a single-acting cylinder 155 spring-loaded 156.

 This cylinder 155 serves essentially to apply the head 151 of the nozzle 150 against the nose of the valve of the bottle.

 On the other hand, the supply port 152 of the nozzle 150 can be locked by means of a latch 157 actuated by a spring-loaded cylinder 158 159, the assembly being mounted above the nozzle 156. This latch avoids the fall of the joints of the supply channel when the chassies 140 is running low.

A small latch 157a, integral with the injection head seals the joints in the supply channel 152 by the control of the NO 1652 and the valve 165 as soon as the mobile frame 140 leaves its upper exit position. the joints present in the channel 152 to be ejected by the jet of gas leaving the valve of the bottle when the injection head reaches the level thereof and before the punch begins its displacement
The injector punch 153 further comprises an axial bore 160 communicating with an internal chamber 161 of the nozzle 150 connected to the circuit of a flow measurement device.

 The pressure of the cylinder gas can thus reach, in the absence of a flow restrictor, two sensors 162 and 163 mounted in differential which memorize the future ejection of the bottle (as well as the neutralization of the installation of an organ). shutter on the nose of the bottle, etc ...), by means of an ejector disposed at the output of the apparatus and constituted by a jack 164 (Figure 6).

 The operation of this joint detection and installation assembly, which has already been discussed in the preamble, will not be described again.

 Once the installation of a seal has been performed and the presence of a limiter has been noted, the cylinders 130, 129, 127, 125, 112, 111, 154 and 155 are erased.

 The return to the rear position of the cylinder 130 whose piston requests the distributor 165 controls the translation of the carriage (input 166 of the junction 56), once the gripping of the bottle and the centering by the jaws 78 and 80 have been made. The bottle is thus brought, without any modification of its orientationlau station of installation of a seal shutter.

 The sealing station firstly comprises a pair of gripping members similar to the jaws equipping the carriage and which are arranged on either side of the raceway of the latter.

 These gripping members each comprise a jaw 168, 169 actuated by a jack 170, 171 mounted on the fixed structure of the apparatus.

 The cylinders 170, 171 are controlled by a pneumatic circuit according to a self-compensation process identical to that of the jaws 77, 78, 79 and 80, and therefore will not be described again in detail. It will be noted simply that the command opening of the cylinders 170 and 171 is provided by a distributor 175 and the closing control, by two distributors 176 and 177 associated, each with a capacity 178 and 179. The closure control of the jaws 168 and 169 does not can be carried out only after the jaws 78 and 80 have been opened and the presence of a bottle has been detected in the station c) 26 by a probe 189. Moreover, the opening of the jaws 168 and 169 which occurs when the operations performed at station c) 26 are completed, may also be obtained by soliciting a valve 181 of neutralization of station c) 26.

 With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, the device for fitting a nut on the nose of the bottle firstly comprises a mobile unit 182 that is movable in vertical translation and controlled by a single-acting jack 183 mounted on the fixed structure of the apparatus. .

 This mobile assembly 182 is constituted by a C-shaped horizontal support plate 184 bearing, on the one hand, at one of its ends, the fitting and screwing member of the nuts 185, associated with a nut distributor. , Figures 16 to 19 and, secondly, a device 186 for the vertical centering of the mobile assembly 182 on the bottle.

 The member for fitting and screwing nuts 185 more particularly comprises a carriage 187 slidably mounted on two horizontal parallel rods 188 fixed to the plate 184 by means of bearings 189. This carriage 187 is driven by a jack 190 secured to the plate 184 .

 This carriage 187 carries a pneumatic motor 191 intended to drive in rotation a nut clip 192.

The device allowing the centering of the mobile assembly 182 as well as its height adjustment includes a wedge 193 V-shaped which bears on the upper face of the square of the valve This wedge is actuated by the cylinder 194 Horizontal guidance is ensured by the slides 195th
With reference to FIGS. 15, 16, 17 and 18, the nut dispenser firstly comprises an inlet nozzle 135 of nuts from a supply and opening above a dispenser chamber 196 in the bottom of the housing. which is arranged a support V 197 on which come to arrange successively the nuts 198
The access of this distribution chamber 196 is controlled by a lock 199 actuated by a jack 200 (Figure 6) according to a process similar to that used in the previously described detection station and joint installation.

The front front face (valve side of the bottle) of the distribution chamber is delimited by a plate 202 movable in a horizontal plane, actuated by two jacks 203 spring-loaded 204 which carries a head of introduction of the nuts 205 in the nut clip 192 of nuts
The rear end face of the distribution chamber 196 is open on the housing 206 of the nut clamp 192 of the nut setting member.
Thus, in the phase following that shown in FIG. 16, the plate 202 will be driven backwards by the jacks 203 and the insertion head 205 will push, after having centered it, the nut 198 into the clamp. nut 192.

The plate 202 will then return to its initial position and the nut 198, elastically retained, will remain in the nut clamp 192.

 The nut setting member will then proceed with the installation of the nut according to the process which will be described below.

 First, under the effect of the cylinder 183, the mobile assembly 182 descends to a predetermined height, in which the nose of the bottle is substantially in the axis of the distribution chamber 196 of the distributor. This height is identified by a sensor 206 which, once urged, allows the output of the probe 193 actuated by the jack 194.

 The Vee of this probe 193 consequently comes into lateral abutment on the body of the valve and vertically on the shoulder of the square, which stop is compensated for by the action of the cylinder 183.

 The actuator 190, by its action on the carriage 187, brings the nut clamp 192 against the nose of the valve, at the same time as the pneumatic motor 191 turns, the screwing time of which is delayed by the element 208.

 At the end of screwing, the cylinders 183, 194, 190, 200 return to their rest position detected by the sensor 208 which allows the jaws 168 and 169 to be opened by the jacks 170 and 171. The bottle is thus disconnected from the apparatus and is driven by the transfer chain.

 If no ejection signal has been stored by the distributor 210, the bottle passes freely in front of the ejector (cylinder 164).

 In the opposite case (no limiter or non-orientable bottle) the distributor 210 triggers the cylinder 164 which pushes the bottle on a side track.

Claims (18)

 1. Apparatus for the control and / or the automatic equipment of bottles such as bottles of liquefied petroleum gas, which are provided, in a manner known per se, with a tap comprising a nose on which can be connected the gas utilization circuit which comprises a bore in which an annular seal is housed, characterized in that it comprises a check station and / or a seal comprising  - a distributor for delivering one by one the seals from a reserve t  an injection member comprising  a cylindrical injection nozzle terminated by a text intended to be applied on the nose of the bottle and in which is provided a supply orifice through which are introduced the seals emanating from the dispenser,  an injector punch mounted axially sliding in the nozzle and which is driven by an actuating member such as a jack, and  a device such as a jack with a single spring-return effect, for moving the injection member so as to apply the head of the nozzle against the nose of the bottle.  2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, to detect the presence of the flow restrictor which is generally equipped the bottle, the aforesaid injector punch is provided with an axial channel connected by a conduit to a measuring device. gas flow.  3. Apparatus according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises a device ensuring the transfer and positioning of the bottles scrolling on a transfer chain in the aforesaid check station and / or installation of a attached then, at the end of the operation, the transfer of the said station to the said chain  4. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims characterized in that it further comprises a station for laying a sealing device on the nose of the valve.  5. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises  a) a waiting and probing station for the presence of bottles brought by the transfer chain,  (b) a position in which the orientation of the cylinder is carried out, the presence of the gasket is detected with the installation of the gasket in the event of absence, in the nose of the valve, and the control of the presence and smooth operation of the flow limiter,  c) a station for placing a closure member on the nose of the bottle,  d) a bottle ejection station, in particular, whose orientation could not be made (in this case the seal was not checked or put down, the limiter control was not done and the device shutter has not been installed) and which are not equipped with a flow limiter.  6. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a carriage for carrying out the successive transfer of the bottles of the station a) where is carried out a probing of the presence and the stop of the bottles, the post (b) then, once the operations at item (b) are carried out from item (b) to item (c), keeping the orientation of the bottle obtained at item (b).  7. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the aforesaid transfer carriage moves over the transfer chain and comprises two compartments C1, C2 each equipped with a pair of controllable jaws for grasping the bottles, these two compartments being spaced apart by a length equal to that of the intervals between the items a), b) and c) which, moreover, are equal.  8. Apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that the transfer cycle of the aforesaid carriage is such that  1) initially the carriage is arranged so that the compartment C1 is at the station a) and the compartment C2 is at the station b) t after detection of a bottle B1 in the station a), the jaws of the compartment C1 perform gripping this bottle,  2) the carriage moves so that the compartment C1 is at the station b) and the compartment C2 at the station c); the bottle B1 is then taken by the device for finding the orientation of the station b) while a bottle B arrives at the station a),  3> the carriage returns back jaws open, so that the bottle B1 remains at the station b), the jaws of C1 then make the gripping of the bottle B2 while the jaws C2 which is at the station b) take the bottle B1 without changing its orientation,  4 D the truck starts in the opposite direction bringing the bottle B2 to the station b) and the bottle B1 to the station c); the bottles B2 and B1 are then taken respectively by the device for seeking the orientation of the station b) and by a gripping member forming part of the station c),  5) the carriage moves backwards so that the compartment C1 can grip a new bottle B3, and the compartment C2, gripping the bottle B2; in parallel, the station c) returns to the channe transfer the bottle B1, once the installation of the shutter member is completed,  6) the carriage moves forward again to perform a new cycle, and the process continues at a rate synchronized to that of the scrolling bottles.  9. Apparatus according to one of claims 7 and 82 characterized in that the aforesaid carriage comprises two parallel frames mounted on rollers with horizontal axes carried by two horizontal raceways located on either side of the transfer chain0 and in that these two frames are actuated by two respective cylinders and each carry a pair of jaws.  10 Apparatus according to one of claims 7, 8 and 9, characterized in that the said jaws are actuated by pneumatic cylinders with double effect controlled by a self-compensated pneumatic circuit.  11. Apparatus according to one of the claims? previous, characterized in that the system of research in orientation of the bottle comprises two side transverse carriages each comprising a roller driven by a pneumatic motor and a brake, these carriages being moved by cylinders so that they can come and grip the bottles by their rollers, rotate them by action of the pneumatic motors and block them in position when they are in the desired orientation.  12. Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the actuating cylinders of the aforesaid carriages are controlled by means of a self-compensated pneumatic circuit.  13. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a device for height search and centering of the presence detection member and a seal on the nose of the bottle , this device comprising  - A single-acting cylinder for adjusting the height of the detection assembly and / or installation of a seal,  a first probe controlled by a jack acting on the body of the bottles at their curved portion,  a second actuator controlled by cylinder to ensure the position of the square pan used to screw the valve on the bottle,  a third feeler for ascertaining the position of the upper face of the square pan of the bottle, said second and third feelers being slidably mounted and spring biased in a horizontal plane on the sensing and laying member of a seal.  14. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforesaid station for placing a closure member on the nose of the bottle comprises a pair of jaws for gripping the bottles arranged on either side of the trolley of the transfer carriage, these gripping members being respectively actuated by double-acting cylinders, mounted on the fixed structure of the apparatus.  15. Apparatus according to claim 14, characterized in that the said cylinders are controlled by a self-compensated pneumatic circuit.  16. Apparatus according to one of claims 10, 12 and 14, wherein said self-compensated circuit is characterized in that  the supply of the jacks associated with each pair of jaws, opening side, is provided by a first distributor fed by a first pressure source and controlled by a machoib res opening control circuit and a jaw closure control circuit  - The supply of said cylinders, closing side, is provided by two respective distributors, also controlled by said control circuits opening and closing of the jaws, these two distributors being supplied by a second source of pressure of greater value than the first , and respectively connected to a capacity,  the operation of such a circuit being such that  - When opening the jaws, the opening side of the cylinders is at the pressure of the first distributor, while the closing side of these cylinders is put out by the two other distributors: in parallel, these two distributors connect their respective source of pressure with the capabilities associated with them,  - When closing the jaws, the opening side of the cylinders is exhausted by the first distributor, while the closing side of these cylinders is connected to the respective capabilities of the other two distributors.  17. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device for fitting a closure member on the nose of the bottle comprises a mobile unit in vertical translation, controlled by a single-acting jack mounted on the fixed structure, this mobile unit consisting of a C-shaped support plate carrying, on the one hand, at one of its ends, a device for fitting the closure members associated with a distributor of these members and, on the other hand, at the other end, a device allowing the vertical centering of the mobile equipment on the bottle.  18. Apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the device for fitting the closure members comprises a carriage slidably mounted on the support plate and which is driven by a jack integral with said plate.  19. Apparatus according to claim 16, characterized in that, in the case where the aforesaid closure members consist of nuts to be screwed onto the nose of the valve of the bottle, said carriage carries a pneumatic motor intended to drive in rotation a nut pliers.  20. Apparatus according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the case where the aforesaid closure members consist of nuts, the aforesaid distributor comprises an intake nozzle of the nuts from a reserve and s' opening on top of a distribution chamber in the bottom of which is disposed a support on which come to arrange successively the nuts, in that the access of this distribution chamber is controlled by a lock actuated by a jack, in that the front end face of the distribution chamber is delimited by a plate movable in a horizontal plane, actuated by two cylinders and which carries a head of insertion of the nuts in the nut clamp of the nut-laying member and in that the rear end face of the distribution chamber is open on a housing in which the nut clamp can penetrate.