FR2567904A1 - Universal rack which can be employed for the production of wines by the Champagne method - Google Patents

Abstract

The use of this rack permits the mechanical and economical carrying out of all the stages needed for the treatment of wines, from the bottling stage to the last stage of final packaging. The racks are carried individually on conveyor belts; outside the lines they are transported in blocks of several tens of racks, by means of a conventional lift conveyor without the use of a pallet; on the lines, the racks are tilted by means of turnstiles 9, 10, 11 which make it possible to obtain the position of the bottles which is needed for the following treatment; the racks are filled or emptied by means of an apparatus which covers or uncovers the batch of bottles entering a rack. According to the invention, the problem of all the mechanical carrying is solved in all respects, and therefore all the movements or mechanical handling can be actuated by an automatic control system and synchronised with all the operations on the lines for the production of wines by the Champagne method.

Description

The subject of the invention is a Universal Locker which can be used for the preparation of Wines according to the Method
Champenoise.

The use of this Locker, easily allows the mechanical and economic realization of all the phases necessary for the development of Wines, it eliminates the degrading and very expensive work of many manual handling stations of the bottles, during the bottling phases "Printing up to that of the final packaging; after removing the tray containing the boxes for housing the
Bottles, it can be used to transport grapes during the Harvest.

In general the Method used for the Development of
Wines, has five phases;
1st Phase - Bottling or Draw Line.

 2nd Phase - Second fermentation and Aging.

 3rd Phase - Passage at the Desk.

4th Phase - Freezing - Disgorging - Final capping
5th Phase - Final packaging
Depending on the state of mechanization of these phases, we can estimate from 7 to 9 manual handling stations.

 According to the invention the problem of all transfers or various mechanical riddling operations of the bottles is solved without exception at all levels.

 The description and the drawings shown make it possible to follow the progress of the Bottle Racks, during the Wine Making, and to note that the total mechanization is achievable without difficulty and eliminates the labor stations used for this purpose.

Equipment and Locker Route
1 - Universal Locker
2 - Riddling during the 2nd fermentation
30- Final Agitation or Riddling of Bottles
40- Locker Tipping Device, Filling
or Emptying Lockers
50- Tray of Lockers 10 - Universal Locker, is composed of two elements, one of parallelepiped shape as represented by 1 PL I / 7; by (it praises the Plateau des Cases it can be used for the transport of Grapes during the Harvest; and of a second parallelepiped element, in the form of a plateau as shown in fig.

1 and 2 PL 2/7. This element is made up of Cases 7, in which each Bottle is housed with the neck down; the thickness of this tray may not exceed five centimeters. This second element is fixed and blocked inside and about five centimeters from the upper part of the first element as shown in PL 3/7. These two elements form the Universal Locker.

This Locker has five closed sides, and a sixth free; on two sides of Locker 1, two holes 3 allow hands to be taken for manual handling of the Locker, on two sides of Locker 1, as shown in 2 PL 1/7, four holes are provided to allow the grip of the
Robot required for mechanical handling of Lockers. In
In the lower part 4 of the vertical walls and 5 of the bottom of the container PL 3/7, holes are provided for the free circulation of the liquid during the freezing of the neck of the bottles.

The Bottles are housed in Boxes 7, of cylindrical shape, with a slight play, the neck at the bottom, the end of which is housed in a notch 8; the assembly ensures good stability of the bottles and their easy release when filling or mechanically emptying the racks.

 On the conveyor belts, the Lockers are channeled individually, the transport of the Locker Blocks is ensured by means of a conventional lifting device either for storage or various transfers, or the installation directly and their removal in the special stirring devices. .

The Locker Blocks are formed by tapping them against each other without the help of a pallet as shown in 9 fig. 1 PL 4/7 with the Bottles in the horizontal position and 9 figQPL 4/7 with the Bottles in the position
Vertical; the Lockers are handled by a Robot, including the four claws, inserted in the four holes 2 reserved in the Lockers on the wall PL 1/7 allowing sufficient grip,
The robust constitution of the Racks allows the Blocks to be stacked on several levels, without any risk. 20 Riddling during the 2nd fermentation - the bottles are picked up manually, from the zontainers, to be stored on slats in the Cellars. 2nd fermentation, they are stirred several times to reconstitute the deposit formed, in a different place; according to the invention in the event that the blocks are dScomposed for storage, the bottles can remain flat in the racks; it is the entire Locker which is tilted by 1/4 of a turn, as many times as it is deemed necessary, which allows the handling of 23 Bottles g each operation; in the case where the Block of Lockers can be kept in storage, these will be superimposed on each other by placing, between each, hollow longitudinal members, forming sleeves, in which the forks will be threaded to handle the Blocks; by means of a conventional elevator fitted with a vertical platform swinging to the right or to the left, it is possible. tilt the entire block by 1/4 of a turn, always keeping the
Horizontal bottles; this solution would allow riddling of 1,656 Bottles at each operation.

30 Final agitation or riddling of the Bottles this operation is carried out mainly manually, by means of wooden desks, according to the invention it is carried out by means of an apparatus into which the Block of
Lockers with bottles in a horizontal position, it rests on side rails and can be blocked by means of jacks; the operation of the series of devices is programmed, and the Bottles undergo all the operations necessary to obtain the chosen riddling; when the operation is finished, the Block of Lockers, whose Bottles are in a vertical position, on a point, can be stored, or. placed at the foot of the Freezer container.

40 Locker Tipping Device during the routing of the Bottles on the Conveyor Belts, they are tilted to be placed in the desired position.

These scales are carried out by means of the Lockers filled beforehand; they are tilted in Turnstiles with the devices shown in Fig. 1-2-3-4- PL 6/7; when the scale is double as shown in fig.4 PL 6/7, it is made by means of the Tourniquet 10, which rotates 1/4 of a turn for each scale; Locker 1 is held by a hanger 11 with a tightening at point 12 ', made with an oscillating suction cup rotating freely, to ensure the movements of the
Locker during the ripple it performs, this device is driven by a carriage 13, which runs on the Rails 14, wavy, to follow the curves that operate the Locker during the Rocking. Both 1 / 4 turns performed, the Bottles of Locker 1, at the start were in the vertical position with the neck down, they are found, after having undergone the two
Bascules, in the vertical position with the neck at the top, the Locker continues its journey with the bottom in the upper part, which allows it to be removed in the station along 1 ',
The line having released the Locker at point 12, automatically returns to the rear at point 12 ', to resume the next Locker.

 The different Bascule stations will be equipped with the same device, either that it performs one or two -Tips, and which are performed in one direction or the other, as shown in fig. 1-2-3- FI 6/7. In the case of scales for: wheat, the fourteen pallets of the Tourniquet are provided with a backrest 15, forming a springboard, to facilitate the tilting but especially the start. The entire system works by means of Hydraulic or Pneumatic Cylinders, according to a programming synchronized with the entire Chain.

Filling or Emptying the Lockers - the filling of the Lockers schematically 1 fig. 1 PL 4/7 or fig. 1 PL 5/7, the details of which are shown in PI 7/7, is carried out by means of a conveyor belt 18 in alternating rows of 4 to 5 Bottles as shown in 19 guided and kept in good position by means of the slides 20; the RoulBaax21 drive the conveyor belt 18; the apparatus 16 operates according to the principle of pincers in scissors "or, as a variant, with a suction cup placed on the outside face of the bottom of the rack, it makes it possible to fix the lockers 1 by means of lateral clamps, ripe with hydraulic energy or Pneumatic, the apparatus 16is moved to 22, also moved, by means of energy
Hydraulic or Pneumatic, the pliers 23 release the
Locker 1, which falls vertically in the direction of the arrow
B. it is guided at the top by three closed faces, and at the bottom by two parallel faces 24, slightly inclined; the
Bottles 19 are impaled in Locker 1, by means of Boxes 25, represented in the upper part, and 26 represented in the Lower part.

The Lockers are supplied by the Carpet
Transporter 27, driven by the bearings 28. The carpet slightly inclined, the lockers circulate alone, under their own thrust and are stopped when stopped29.

50 - Tray routing - it is carried out in five phases, with the example of Racks of 23 Bottles, and Blocks of 72 Racks, around which all manipulations are mechanized and controlled according to a programmed automatic device.

 1st Phase - Bottling - Drafting.

Empty Bottles are mechanically placed on the Mat
Conveyor according to conventional means as shown in fig. I PL 4/7, the Bottles are capped and capped in 17; they are channeled in groups of 23 Bottles, which allows them to be styled in 1; these Lockers are tilted and the Bottles are in a horizontal position in 1 '.FL 4/7. Fig 1
A Robot takes these Lockers, racks them without the help of a palette, for constite.r / the example taken, a Block of 72 Lockers, as shown in 9 fig. 1 PL 4/7, with the Bottles in the Horizontal position.

2nd Phase - Second fermentation - Aging the blocks are transported and stored in the Cellars; the
Blocks can be dissociated and the Lockers arranged against the walls; in both cases the riddling operation during this phase can be carried out as indicated above 3rd Phase - Passage on "Agitator" desk
Aging completed, the Blocks are resumed, with the
Bottles in Horizontal position, as shown in 9 fig. 1 PL 4/7, to be placed in the appliances
agitator ", the agitation finished the Bottles, after this operation, from their Horizontal position at the inlet, are found at the end of the operation in the Vertical position with
the neck at the bottom, as shown in 9 fig. 2 PL4 / 7.

The blocks are picked up and dropped off at the bottom of the Bac de
freezing as shown 9 fig. 2 PL-4/7.

 4th Phase - Freezing - Disgorging - Definitive corking The Bottle Racks are taken from Block 9 fig.

2 PL 4/7, using the Robot, and placed on the chain which
crosses the freezer tray 30; the Col des Bouteilles in
Bottom, soak and freeze during the journey in this tank; the
the dapôts are blocked in the ice cap; to the
exit of the Bac, as shown 31, the lockers are taken
and returned twice as shown 32, to obtain the
Vertical bottles with the neck at the top; the
Lockers, as shown in 1 ', are removed, the Bottles
the liberated undergo the disgorgement phases, such as
shown 33 fig. 1 PL 5/7, those of the final stopper 34;
the bottles are capped by the Lockers in 1, they are
switched to 35 and taken up by the Robot for training
Blocks 9 PL 5/7.

5th Phase - Final packaging Blocks 9 PL 5/7, are placed at the foot of the chain
Definitive packaging, the Robots take over the Lockers and
place them on the chain, where they are tilted at 36, the Col
in the upper part as shown in 36, the Lockers will be
removed in 1 'and the Free Bottles will be subject to the Condition
definitive

Claims (12)

- CLAIMS  1) - Universal locker for the production of wines according to the Champenoise method, characterized by its two-part composition; the Locker only, which can be used to transport the Grapes; and the tray, which, adjusted on the Locker, allows to store the Bottles for their transport and manual and mechanical handling necessary during the transfers on the different channels for the elaboration of Wines according to the Champenoise Method.  2) - Universal locker for the production of wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to claim 1, characterized, Dar seizures of the hand allowing manual handling and - - - - my, nut? Ntion taken grittes by a Robot, allowing the

 mechanical tion to compose or decompose the Locker Blocks  3) - Universal Locker for the production of Wines according to according to 4 me7; noae unampenolse, e revenaication 1, caracserlue, "ni; r ;; that the bottom of the Locker, and the bottom of the four vertical walls have fitted holes for the free circulation of the refrigerated liquid, during the Freezing phase of the bottle necks, in the Freezer Bin.  40 - Universal locker for the production of Wines according to the Champenoise Method, and according to Claim 1, characterized in that the Locker comprises a movable block of round Cases, and reserved notches in the bottom of the Locker, ensuring the housing and the maintenance of the Bottles in good position of stability, the neck below; the position of the Round Cases and the notches at the bottom of the Locker, which have lateral play, allowing the bottles, when they are in a horizontal position, to always lean towards the bottom of the Locker, thus avoiding the drop of Bottles out of the Locker, the bottom ass is not protected, this side of the locker is always free.  5) - Universal locker for the production of wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to Claim 1, characterized in that the smooth racks on their five sides have four reserved holes on the two perpendicular faces, in which the claws of a robot are supported, for moving the racks mept , necessary to compose or decompose the Locker Blocks  6) - Universal locker for the production of wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to Claims 1-2-5-, characterized in that the Blocks easily formed with the Lockers with smooth walls and adequate dimensions allow for a well-adjusted, compact, resistant and stable set; these blocks are menutentionés without the assistance of pallet, with Classic transpoeteurs-elevateurs having side or vertical forks, they can be stacked on several levels; and be handled in the Special agitator's box during the "Passage on Desk ".  7) - Universal locker for the production of Wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to Claims 1 and 6, characterized in that the Locker Block is easily put in place or removed from the "Agitator" device by blocking or unblocking the Fixing cylinders, to obtain the best conditions agitation or riddling of the Bottles according to a pre-established program, and for a very large number of Bottles at each operation.  8) - Universal Locker for the production of Wines according to Champagne Methane, and according to Claims 1 and 6, characterized, in that the Locker Block can be tilted entirely, for primary riddling during the 2nd fermentation , by means of a conventional elevator fitted with a vertical plate oscillating to the right or to the left, the forks of which will be threaded into the hollow beams placed between each block; this solution makes it possible to tilt the Blocks by 1/4 of a turn, as many times as necessary, and thus to stir a very large number of Bottles at each operation.  9) - Universal locker for the production of Wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to Claims 1 and 6, characterized in that the Block can be broken down in the Cellars, the Lockers stored against the walls and the Bottles always in the horizontal position, the Lockers can be tilted manually to execute the primary riddling during the 2nd fermentation in the cellars, and this, the number of times it is necessary in one direction or 1'8ure.  10) - Universal locker for the production of wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to Claims 1-2, characterized in that it comprises "Turnstiles" equipment, provided with an axis with four Pallets, on which the Lockers are channeled; each I / 4 turn of the Tourniquet allows the tilting of the Locker in order to mechanically obtain the overturning of the Bottles in the necessary position, to compose or decompose the Locker Blocks, or free the Lockers from the Bottles from Freezing; when the Lockers will have to be tilted twice following, the pallets have the particularity of being provided with a backsplash, used as a springboard, which facilitates the offset and the tilting of the Locker.  11) - Universal locker for the production of wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to Claims 1-2-7-, characterized in that the Bascules, by means of the Tourniquet, are  r supplemented by a device guided by means of / garlic positioned vertically above the Tourniquet, in which it circulates, while carrying out the undulating movements of the Locker, far away from the Bascule; the Locker is held by means of an articulated hanger, having at the grip ends, lateral suction cups, fixing the Locker, provided with a mobile device, which rotates following the Rocker movements of the Locker.  12) - Universal locker for the production of Wines according to the Champenoise method, and according to Claims 1-2, characterized, in that it comprises an apparatus which allows the filling and the mechanical emptying of the Lockers, by styling or disheveling the batch of 3 Bottles entering a Locker, this apparatus is supplemented by a trasporteur which releases the Lockers as and when they are emptied, or vice versa, feed an Lockers say this device for their filling.  13) - Universal Locker for 11 Wines production according to the Champenoise method, and according to the Claims taken as a whole, characterized in that all the devices without exception, allowing all mechanical movements or handling, can be actuated by a programmed automatic control system, which can be synchronized with all operations required on the Production Pussies Wines according to the Champenoise Method, from the bottling phase to the final packaging