FR2480716A2 - Glass bottle handling machine - transfers bottles from first container to transverse container using vertical lifting device - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine is designed to remove glass containers lined uo on a continuously moving conveyor after cooling down. The glass containers can be selectively transferred from a first horizontal conveyor (2) to a second conveyor moving above the first and transverse to it. The second conveyor (6) consists of two drive belts which rotate round plates guided on mainly horizontally extending axes and the lower ends of which are held in guides and extend parallel and adjoining to each other. The drive belts can be moved towards or away from each other so that the articles moved in a high position are gripped and are released after being moved away to a sideways position.

Description

The present addition relates to improvements made to the handling device forming the subject of the main patent and used for the selective transfer of articles from a first horizontal conveyor to a second horizontal conveyor arranged above and transversely to the first conveyor.

 It will be recalled that in such a device the second conveyor is constituted by two drive belts winding around pulleys of substantially horizontal axN and the lower strands of which are substantially parallel, adjacent, and held in guides capable of being brought together. or discarded so as either to grab the articles brought up or to release them after having evacuated sideways. Such a device comprises a plurality of gripping members fixed on a horizontal beam spanning the first conveyor and which can be vertically translated between the level of the articles placed on the first conveyor and the level of the lower strands of the belts of the second conveyor.

 The present invention relates to a handling device of this type, which is also capable of imparting articles to a rotational movement on themselves, which movement may possibly be combined with horizontal and vertical transfer movements. To this end, the belts of the second conveyor can be driven at will by suitable motor means, in the same direction or in opposite directions, at the same speed or at different speeds.

Thus, when the belts are driven in the same direction at the same speed, the articles, gripped by the lower strands of the belts, are translated horizontally. If they are driven in opposite directions, the articles rotate on themselves, without moving horizontally in the case where the speeds of the belts are equal, and with a simultaneous horizontal translation if these speeds are different.

 According to another characteristic of the invention, the second conveyor is movable vertically, so that the movements of translation and rotation of the articles can be carried out at the same time as a movement of descent or ascent. It is understood that in this case, the second conveyor can directly take care of the articles on the first conveyor. The beam and the gripping members therefore become unnecessary and can be eliminated.

The device according to the invention can be used in all cases where the articles, moving along a path where they undergo different treatments, must rotate on themselves, and move horizontally and / or vertically.

 One application of this device is that of the surface treatment of an object, for example by spraying paint or by soaking the object in a coating bath.

This is the case for example when it is a question of causing reserves of carburizing and carbonitriding on all or part of parts to be treated, such as shafts of gearboxes. The second conveyor is then arranged longitudinally so as to present the objects it supports, successively to the various treatment stations.

 Thus, in this particular example of application, if the reserves of carburizing and carbonitriding are obtained by spraying, the transfer is made continuously with rotation of the parts. As explained above, this movement is obtained by rotating the drive belts in opposite directions and at different speeds.

In the case where said reserves are obtained by soaking in a bath, then drying, the tracking of the pieces is done by a clocked cycle comprising the following phases:
a) transfer of the parts to the level of the bath, this movement being obtained by rotating the two rings in the same direction and at the same speed,
b) stopping of the parts, then setting in rotation with simultaneous descent of the parts into the bath, this movement being obtained by rotating the belts in opposite directions and by lowering the entire conveying means,
c) reassembly and transfer of the parts to the drying station.

The loading and unloading of the parts can be carried out either manually or automatically at the ends of the conveying means,
Advantageously, the belts will be made of a material having good resistance to the physical, chemical or mechanical conditions prevailing at the various treatment stations which they pass through.

Claims (2)

 1.- Device for handling articles, according to one of claims 1, 2 and 6 to 9 of the main patent, of the type in which the second conveyor is constituted by two drive belts winding around pulleys axoesensibly horizontarpt and the lower strands of which are substantially parallel and are held in guides capable of being brought together or apart so as to grip the articles to entrain them or to place them on a support, characterized in that said belts can be trained to will in the same direction or in opposite directions, at the same speed or at different speeds.  2.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that said second conveyor is movable vertically.