FR2741040A1 - METHOD FOR PLACING NAILS ON BOTTLES, AUTOMATIC MACHINE FOR CARRYING OUT THIS METHOD, STACKING OF NAILS FOR SUPPLYING THIS MACHINE, METHOD AND MACHINE FOR MAKING SAID STACK - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a machine for automatically placing straps on bottles or the like. A stack of webs in the flattened state is formed, the lower ends of the wires of two neighboring webs (6) are joined together to ensure mechanical continuity of the various webs constituting the stack; the lower meshes of each of the clisses are successively removed so as to produce an opening giving access to the interior of each clisse; a mandrel (17) is successively engaged in each clisse so as to give the clisse concerned substantially the shape of the bottle (19a) on which it is to be placed; the mandrel (17) is extracted from the clisse (16); a bottle (19a) is engaged in the clisse thus shaped; the bottle thus coated with the web is rotated around its axis with respect to the lower part of the threads of the web to bind the latter together by twisting and to apply the web against the surface of the bottle; and the lower parts of the wires which protrude below the link thus obtained are cut.

Description

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  The subject of the present invention is a method for placing sides on bottles, as well as an automatic machine for placing

this process.

  It also relates to a stack of sides to feed this machine, as well as a method and a machine for making said stack. We know that the sides are objects generally in the form of sleeves constituted by nets with large meshes which are placed on containers such as bottles, either to ensure the

  security of their content, either for decoration purposes.

  These sides are most often made up of wires

  metal of small diameter and are therefore easily deformable.

  Automatic machines are already known for making the fishplates which make it possible to unwind fine metal wires around suitably arranged studs and in certain places, to link these two wires to

  two by twisting them together to form stitches.

  The sides are usually placed on the bottles manually or using partially automatic machines which

  require a large workforce.

  The present invention makes it possible to carry out at a rapid rate the installation of sides on bottles in a fully automatic manner and with an extremely reduced workforce which has only the task

  monitoring the proper functioning of the machine.

  The sides thus placed can be either of the type which completely covers the bottle by resting on the upper part of the neck, or of the type in which the upper part of the bottle

  protruding upwards passing through a mesh of the rail.

  The subject of the present invention is a process for automatically placing covers made up of metallic wires or the like on bottles or similar containers, a process which is characterized by the fact that: a stack of covers is made in a flattened state whose lower ends of the son of two neighboring sides are joined together to ensure mechanical continuity of the different sides constituting the stack; the lower meshes of each of the sides are successively removed so as to produce an opening giving access to the interior of each side; a mandrel is successively engaged in each streak through the opening thus obtained so as to give the streak concerned substantially the shape of a bottle on which it is to be placed; the mandrel is extracted from the rail;

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  a bottle is engaged in the rail thus formed; the bottle thus coated with the rail is pivoted about its axis with respect to the lower part of the wires of the rail to twist the latter together and apply the rail against the surface of the bottle; and we cut the parts of the wires that protrude below

of the link thus obtained.

  In a particular embodiment of the invention, the displacement of the sides is controlled by gripping members such as hooks which grip the wires which interconnect the lower ends of the different sides and which bring each side successively into the various positions that the latter must occupy by immobilizing it in the position where it must be shaped by the mandrel, then in the position in which the bottle is engaged in

inside the fence.

  According to the invention, it is advantageous to give the ribs a horizontal rectilinear displacement, while the mandrel, which is normally located below the ribs, is moved upwards to

  go into the top that is above it and shape it.

  Similarly, it is advantageous to cause the bottles to move along a path parallel to the movement of the sides, but being located at a lower level by a distance greater than the height of the bottles, and to immobilize the bottle which must receive the splint to then move it laterally until it is below the splint previously formed by the mandrel, then causing the lifting of the bottle to engage it inside the splint. It is also advantageous, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, to then grasp the neck of the bottle fitted with the rail using a gripping device, for example pneumatic, which makes it possible to on the one hand to hold the bottle and on the other hand to put the latter in rotation around its vertical axis while gathering the lower part of the wires of the rail towards the axis of the bottle, while the latter is lowered so as to make a connection by

  twisting of the lower ends of the wires of the nail.

  According to the invention, it is also advantageous, after having cut the wires below their connection point to release the bottle, to lower the bottle to its initial level and to move it laterally to cause it to be evacuated parallel to the path of the

  clisse but on the opposite side to that by which it arrived.

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  In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, and to increase the production capacity of the machine, it is advantageous to use a plurality of mandrels to simultaneously form a plurality of ribs, this which then makes it possible to simultaneously engage a plurality of bottles in the thus preformed sides, with the result of increasing the rate of work in a way

  roughly proportional to the number of mandrels used.

  The present invention also relates to a machine

  automatic to implement the method according to the invention.

  This machine is characterized by the fact that it comprises in combination: a device for continuous supply of combs supporting a stack of combs joined together by the lower ends of their wires so as to form a continuous assembly; a device for separating the sides to separate the latter from one another by deforming the lower ends of their wires, in order to produce an opening therein; a device for driving the sides comprising gripping members which grip the wires joining the lower parts of two neighboring sides to hold and move them during their shaping and their positioning on bottles; a mandrel placed below and in the axis of a joint, said mandrel comprising a device which allows it to be raised to be engaged inside the joint in order to shape it, then d 'be lowered to be released from the rail thus formed; a control device which makes it possible to immobilize the cage in the position where it can receive the mandrel and to move the cage thus formed to bring it into the position where it can receive the bottle which it has to coat; a device for receiving the bottles to be coated with covers and for positioning the bottle which is to receive the cover by bringing it below the cover previously shaped, said device making it possible to lift the bottle to engage it in the cover, the bottle neck protruding above the rail; a gripping device arranged above the bottle making it possible to grasp the neck of the bottle so as to hold it and to rotate it, while the lower ends of the strands of the streak continue to be held by its device d 'drive so as to twist together all the lower parts of the wires of the joint; a device for cutting the lower part of the wires of the rail below this connection; and a device for receiving the bottle thus provided with its

  squares, and lower it enough to be able to evacuate it.

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  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the device for continuous supply of ribs consists of three bars passing through the meshes of the stack of ribs, these bars being arranged horizontally, one at the top. and two others at the bottom of the sides, said bars being held alternately by two groups of gripping members arranged, a first in the vicinity of the supply end of the bars and a second

noticeably towards their middle.

  In this way, by holding the bars by the second group of gripping members, it is possible to introduce a stack of ribs by the front end of the bars, since the gripping members of the

first group are open.

  It then suffices to close the gripping members of the second group and to open those of the first to be able to supply the machine with

sides.

  It is understood that by holding the bars alternately by the gripping members of each group, it is possible to engage successively the stacks of sides which are necessary, without

  interrupt the operation of the machine.

  It suffices to manually subject the lower ends of the wires of the last strand of the last stack to those of the

  son of the first streak of the next stack.

  The spacing of the neighboring sides which are in the stacked state is advantageously carried out according to the invention using a spacer device which is constituted by the combination of an offset to the exterior of the end of each of the two lower rods and of two additional rods which are slightly inclined upwards, and are arranged between the ends of the two lower rods, which has the effect of slowing the movement of the ribs and open their lower parts, the neighboring sides being joined together by two wires

  which are substantially perpendicular to the stacking plane.

  According to the invention, the device for driving the sides is advantageously constituted by two endless chains arranged parallel to one another, on either side of the sides and rotating

  around two pairs of coaxial cogwheels.

  Each chain carries, at distances slightly greater than the diameter of the bottles on which the sides are to be placed, gripping members which grip the wires which join the lower parts of two neighboring sides and which hold them so as to

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  ensure the displacement of the sides which are necessary to set up

  implements the different phases of the process.

  In a preferred embodiment, the gripping members are constituted by tilting hooks, the spouts of which engage behind the wires which they have to grip, these hooks then being tilted outwards by a cam so as to ensure a effective maintenance of

  wires which join the lower parts of the sides.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the various successive movements which are necessary to ensure the operation of the machine are ensured using pneumatic cylinders

controlled by a PLC.

  According to the invention, it is advantageous to use as a device for gripping the neck of the bottles a pneumatic device constituted by a cap provided with an elastic internal wall which engages on the neck of the bottle while maintaining the latter thanks to the air

  tablet which is injected around the elastic wall.

  Such a gripping device easily adapts to

different forms of bottlenecks.

  According to the invention, it is advantageous to use a member which brings the wires of the rail located below the bottle towards the center of the latter, while the bottle is slightly lowered by rotating it on it. even, so as to facilitate the realization of

  the twist connection of the lower ends of the wires of the rail.

  This device can advantageously consist of a wire arranged horizontally in a plane located between the bottom of the bottle and the gripping members of the sides. This wire of which at least one end is held by an elastic means such as a spring is pushed back towards

  the axis of the bottle during the rotation of the latter.

  In a preferred embodiment, the device for severing the lower part of the fence wires consists of a shear driven in a reciprocating movement by a jack, for example pneumatic, which brings the shears into the cutting position of the lower part of the fence after the wire connection has been made and which removes the shears after the sectioning, each blade being articulated on a rod provided with a limit stop which causes the

  closing of the blades to carry out the shearing.

  The present invention also relates to a stack of flattened sides usable for implementing the method described above, characterized in that two superimposed sides are connected

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  to each other by the lower ends of the son of their neighboring plies. The present invention also relates to a method for producing said stacking of ribs, characterized in that: alternately two types of ribs are manufactured which differ in the flattened state only by the fact that the path of the wires of the the top ply of a strand of the first type is identical to the path of the wires of the bottom ply of the other strand of the second type, the lower ends of the strand wires being offset from one another; that the sides thus formed are superimposed by alternating their types and that one alternately twists one in two of the ends of the wires of the

sides which are superimposed.

  In a preferred embodiment of the invention, on each of the ends of the comb wires which must be joined together, two neighboring rings are produced in which pins can be engaged, making it possible to position and manipulate the combs for bring them together so

to constitute the stack.

  The present invention finally relates to a machine for automatically carrying out the stacking of sides previously described, by connecting two by two the lower ends of the wires of two adjacent sides superimposed, characterized in that it comprises in combination: a manipulator provided lugs capable of being engaged in rings made on the ends of the wires of the rail to bring the latter successively to its different work stations; a shear for cutting the ends of the comb wires beyond said rings; a torsion device comprising rotating lugs capable of engaging in the end rings of the wires of two superimposed fishplates and of rotating them coaxially to ensure their connection; a device for alternately rotating all the even pins and all the odd pins during the assembly of the successive sides; and a separation device engaging between the ends of the even and odd wires of the fishplates for

separate them from each other.

  In order to better understand the invention, we will now describe an embodiment taken as a non-limiting example

and shown in the drawing.

  In this drawing: FIG. 1 represents a schematic elevation view of an embodiment of a machine for placing the sides according to the invention,

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  - Figure 2 is a schematic top view corresponding to Figure 1, - Figure 3 is a sectional view along III-III of Figure 1, - Figure 4 is a schematic perspective view of the upper gripping members and lower of Figure 3 in the open position, - Figure 5 is a perspective view of the device

  supply of sides and the drive device for the latter.

  - Figure 6 is a schematic top view showing a movable brush device for holding in position the sides which have

  been shaped by the mandrels.

  - Figure 7 is a partial sectional view along the right part VIIVII of Figure 6 schematically showing a device for

  recovery of the lower parts of the ribs after their cutting.

  - Figure 8 is an elevational view of a variant of the mandrels.

  - Figure 9 is a schematic top view of the member which brings the lower part of the joint wires towards the axis of the bottle as well as the shears which section these wires below their connection point, - the figures 10 and 11 are partial views of two types of fishplates which constitute a pair, - Figure 12 is a schematic top view of the automatic machine for stacking the fishplates, - Figure 13 is a perspective view of the head of the keyboard manipulator of the machine of FIG. 9, - FIG. 13A is a partial perspective view of the head manipulator of FIG. 10 showing the position of the joint below this head, - FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the part of the machine which makes the connection between the different sides of the stack, and - Figures 15 to 24 are schematic elevation views showing the successive positions of the different parts during the connection

  two neighboring sides to form the stack.

  Schematically shown in Figures 1 and 2, the continuous feed device 1 of the sides, the device 2 of

  separation of the sides as well as the device 3 for driving the sides.

  The feed device 1 is constituted, in the embodiment described, by an upper bar 4 and by two bars

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  lower 5, arranged at the same level but slightly spaced from each other. The respective positions of bars 4 and 5 are visible on the

  Figure 3 which is a sectional view along III-III of Figure 1.

  We also see in Figures 1, 2, and 3 a first group of gripping members 7 which allow to grasp the bars 4 and 5

substantially in the middle.

  We also see in these figures a second group of gripping members 8 which make it possible to grip the bars 4 and 5 in the vicinity of their left end by which the introduction of the stacks of

sides 6.

  Schematically shown in Figure 3 the gripping members 8 which are each constituted by a pair of pliers 9a, 9b which, by an appropriate device, for example using jacks, can be pivoted between two positions, namely a gripping position shown in solid lines and a release position shown in

broken line.

  The pivoting of the two grippers 9 of each gripping device is synchronized so that the maintenance of a bar 4 or 5 is always carried out in the same position, that is to say with the axis

  longitudinal 4a, 5a of the bar which is fixed in space.

  In the embodiment described, the upper clamps 9a have a forked end so as to be applied tangentially to

  two generators of the bars 4, 5.

  The lower clamps are provided with a lug 9c with rounded conical end which comes to rest in a conical cavity 9d

  performed in the corresponding bar 4.5.

  This ensures precise positioning of the bars 4, 5 also

  much in rotation than longitudinally.

  There is shown in Figure 4 a perspective view of the gripping device where we see how the double clamps 9 ', 9 "which grip the upper bar 4 are offset from the double clamps 9"', 9 "" which grip a lower bar 5, which avoids interference of the gripper trajectories and ensures the maintenance of the bars 4

and 5 over a greater distance.

  We understand under these conditions that we can easily achieve a continuous supply of ribs by operating as follows: We open the clamps of the gripping members 8 which are arranged on the left of Figure 1, while maintaining the bars 4 and 5 in

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  closing the clamps 9 of the gripping members 7 which are located in the middle of the bars which are consequently held in their position. It is then possible to load a stack 6 of ribs by threading the left ends of the bars 4 and 5 in the meshes of the stack of ribs. After having pushed back the stack of sides between the gripping members 7 and 8, the grippers of the gripping members 8 are tilted, which hold the bars by their left end and it suffices to open the grippers of the gripping members 7 to allow the displacement of the fishplates to the right for their introduction into

the active part of the machine.

  It is understood that when there is only a limited number of sides left, it suffices to close the pliers of the gripping members 7 to hold the bars in their center and to open the pliers of the gripping members 8 in order to be able to engage a new stacking of sides on

  bars, then proceed as described above.

  It only remains to ensure continuity between the two stacks by manually linking the lower ends of the wires of the last streak of the stack in use with those of the wires of

  the first slide of the new stack.

  We see in Figures 1 and 2 how a mode of

  realization of the device for spacing the sides together.

  For this, the lower bars 5 are offset outward at 5a, while additional bars 10 are arranged between the spaced apart parts 5a of the bars 5 while making an angle towards

  the top, as seen in Figure 1.

  This device has the effect, when the ribs are pulled to the right as will be explained later, on the one hand to slow down the displacement of the ribs by causing a widening of their lower meshes which have to be placed on the parts 5a, and which must overcome the upper end of the two bars 10, and on the other hand to open the lower end of the sides which are arranged vertically with their upper part still flattened, their lower periphery being substantially in the form of a rectangle, two neighboring sides being joined by twisted wires between them 12 which can be grasped by the gripping members 13 of the drive device.

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  In the embodiment described, this drive device consists of two endless chains 14 which rotate around two

pairs of coaxial pinions 15.

  As will be explained later, the drive device comprises hooks which engage around the wires 12 and which thus drive the sides to allow them to be placed on the bottles. The device which is shown in the drawing makes it possible to place two sides simultaneously on a group of two bottles, but it goes without saying that according to the invention it is possible to simultaneously treat any number of bottles, which is a function of the capacity of production that

  one wishes to confer on the machine.

  As soon as the first two sides have been taken over by the drive device which has just been described, they are immobilized in the positions represented at 16 in FIG. 2, where they are located above two mandrels 17 which are normally located below the chain 14 but which can be moved vertically upwards to engage inside the two sides to give them a shape which corresponds substantially to that of the bottles on which these sides

must be asked.

  The two mandrels 17 are then brought back to their low position, and the drive device moves so as to bring the sides 16 thus formed into the position 18 of FIG. 2 in which

  two bottles can be inserted inside the two sides.

  For this, a conveyor chain brings from the left a series

  of bottles 19 as can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.

  The movement of these bottles is controlled by a helical feed screw 20 which positions the first two bottles

  19a between the face of the two sides 18 which have been shaped.

  A device shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2 by a dashed line frame 21 makes it possible to move the bottles 19a for the

  bring coaxially below the sides 18 which have been shaped.

  This device 21 also makes it possible to lift the two bottles 19a to engage them inside the sides 18, until their neck protrudes through the upper central orifice of the

sides 18.

  A gripping device 22 constituted for example by a cap having an elastic interior wall inflatable by air - it 2741040 compressed is lowered to come to engage on the necks of the bottles

  19a and attach to it when it is pressurized.

  Each cap 22 is integral with a rotary drive device 23 and it is mounted so that it can be raised and lowered as will be indicated below. As soon as the caps 22 are fixed on the necks of the bottles 19a, they cause the latter to rotate by lowering them slightly while lower parts of the wires of the joint are linked between

them by the effect of rotation.

  In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous to allow the bottles to descend slightly by lowering the caps 22, while the lower ends of the wires of the rail are brought back towards the axis of the bottle, way to promote their

twist connection.

  This displacement towards the axis of the bottle of the part of the joint wires which is located between the base of the bottle and the organs of

  gripping can be obtained by various means.

  We have, for example, shown in Figure 6, how a frame 34 open at one end can be moved horizontally below the bottle 18 towards the axis of the latter, as shown

by the double arrow 35.

  A flexible cable 36 fixed by one end to a first branch 34a of the frame 34 rotates around a roller 37 pivoting on the end of the second branch 34b while being pulled at its other end by a

spring 38 secured to frame 34.

  The position of the cable 36 has been shown in dashed line at the moment when it bears on the lower ends of the comb wires to push them towards the axis of the bottle 18 and thus allow them to be linked by

  torsion thanks to the rotation of the latter. Only one of these devices has been represented in FIG. 6, but it goes from

  Of course there are as many as there are bottles to be treated simultaneously. When the caps of the gripping devices have imposed a sufficient number of turns on the bottle 18, they immobilize it and with the aid of a cutting device of any type, the lower ends of the wires of the joint are cut out below their point of connection. There is shown in Figure 6 a schematic top view of the

  mandrels 17 and bottles 19b during the installation of the sides.

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  To maintain the sides which have been shaped by the mandrels 17 in vertical position, there are available in this preferred embodiment two endless bands 70 which are located in the vicinity of the upper part of the body of the bottles and which rotate around the wheels 71 at the same speed as the forward speed of the bottles. These strips are provided with substantially rigid bristles 72, at the

way of a brush.

  During the movement to the right of these strips 70 and of the ribs which are shaped by the mandrels, the wires of the ribs engage between the bristles 72 as soon as the mandrels are retracted downwards, so that the ribs are found held vertically which greatly facilitates the engagement of the neck of the bottles in the holes provided for

  this effect at the top of the sides.

  FIG. 7 schematically represents a device constituted by two rollers 73 and 74 which pinch between them the remaining part 75 of the stack of combs so as to send it, for example, to a

container 76.

  FIG. 8 represents a variant of the mandrel 17 which is produced in two parts 17a and 17b to allow a good positioning of the upper orifice of the rail through which the neck of the bottle must be engaged when the rail does not cover the upper end of

the bottle.

  To this end, the mandrel has an orifice 17c at the upper part of its main body 17a while a punch 17b can be lowered at the end of the forming operation to engage in the orifice 17c, thus perfectly calibrating the hole of the fence in which

  must engage the neck of the bottle.

  Such a device must of course not be used with

  sides which come to rest on the top of the neck of the bottle.

  There is shown in the upper part of Figure 9 a preferred embodiment of the cutting device according to the invention which comprises a shear whose blades 39 are articulated at 40 on

  the end of the piston of a pneumatic cylinder 41.

  Each blade 39 is controlled by being articulated on a rod 42

  sliding in supports 43 and 44.

  Each rod 42 has its stroke limited perpendicular to the path

fishplates by two stops.

  The right shear is shown on its way to

  the axis of the bottle 18, its movement being provided by the piston 41.

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  When the stops 46 come into contact with the support 44, as is the case for the left shears, the blades which are already engaged on either side of the fishplate wires previously linked at 47 close under the traction of the rods 42 and thus cause the sectioning of the wires below the connection. The jack 41 then moves the shears back until the

  stops 45 come into contact with support 43.

  It can therefore be seen that the supports 43, 44 and the stops 45, 46 have the function of controlling the closing and opening of the blades 39 of the

  shears, which allows a simple and inexpensive construction.

  The caps are then lowered to rest the bottles thus provided with their sides on the transfer device 21 which brings the bottles back to their original level and moves them laterally

  to bring them on the conveyor chain 24 which evacuates them.

  We find in the perspective view of Figure 5 the bars 4, and 10 of the supply device for fishplates as well as the chains 14 of the

  nail drive device.

  In this embodiment, the hooking members of the joint wires which are arranged at regular intervals on the chains 14 each consist of a support block 25 secured to a link in the chain and on which a hook 26 is articulated constantly. pushed back by a spring so that, at rest, this hook 26 is disposed in a substantially horizontal manner, the spout 27 of the hook 26 being directed upwards

  when the support block 25 is on the upper strand of the chain 14.

  The support block 25 also supports a stop 28 by

  by means of two slightly flexible rods 29.

  The stop 28 has at its upper part a slot 30 which

  opens into a trapezoidal notch 31.

  The hook 26 with its beak 27 as well as the stop 28, have shapes such that when the hook 26 is tilted around the axis which connects it to the support block 25, the body of the hook 26 engages in

  the trapezoidal notch, while its beak 27 engages in the slot 30.

  A cam-shaped wall 32 is disposed on each side between the chains 14 so that when the latter are rotated, the hook 26 bears on the inclined end 32a of the plate 32, which has the effect of rotate the hook 26 to bring it to bear against the internal walls of the trapezoidal notch 31 of the stop 28 thereby maintaining the wire of the joint which has been caught in the beak of the hook

during the tilting of the latter.

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  FIG. 5 shows the right-hand gripping members which each hold a wire connecting two neighboring sides with

  their tilted hook, the spout 27 of which can be seen engaged in the slot 30.

  Given the flexibility of the rods 29 which connect the stop 28 to the support block 25, the wire which connects the two neighboring sides is

  retained by the hook while being able to slide longitudinally.

  Such sliding, which is useful for good engagement of the ribs on the drive device, however, may prevent the rotation of the rib when the neck of the bottle is put in place.

  rotation by the pneumatic cap.

  To avoid this drawback, in each stop position of the drive device for the fishplates, a pneumatic cylinder 33 is provided which, when the drive device is stopped, strongly applies the stop 28 against the plate 32, which causes jamming of the splicing wire between the body 26 of the hook and the trapezoidal surfaces of the notch 21

of stop 28.

  In this way, the sealing wire can not slide longitudinally, both during the introduction of the mandrel for its shaping, than during the introduction of the bottle for fixing the

clicks on the bottle.

  There are shown in Figures 10 and 11 the two types of sides which are joined successively to each other to achieve a

stacking according to the invention.

  Only the lower parts of the sides have been shown.

  It can be seen that the four lower ends of the wires of each streak have two contiguous rings 48 and 49 to serve their purpose.

  handling as will be explained later.

  It can also be seen that the two types of sides of Figures 10 and 11 differ from each other only in that in the side of Figure 10, the even ends B and D of the wires belong to the upper ply of the strands while the odd ends A and C of the wires belong to the lower ply of the streak, while in the streak of Figure 11 it is the odd ends A and C which belong to the upper ply and the even ends B and D who belong to the

lower tablecloth.

  This difference is in particular visible at the apparent crossing points of the threads of the two layers which are surrounded by circles. s15 - 2741040 It is clear that thanks to this characteristic, it is possible to carry out a stack of sides alternately of different types which are successively connected to each other by the even wires (B, D) and the wires

  odd (A, C) of two neighboring sides.

  FIGS. 12, 13, 13A and 14 show an embodiment of a machine according to the invention for making the stacks of fishplates. We see in Figure 12 a schematic top view of this machine which comprises: a manipulator 50 sliding on the slides 51 in the direction of the double arrow 52; a shear 53 arranged at a fixed station; a torsion device 54 provided with rotating lugs 55; and a separation device 56 provided with two groups of blades 57 and 58 which can each be moved in the direction of the double arrow 59 to engage on or between the wires of the sides. A fixed protective plate 59a is placed in front of the blades 57, 58 The torsion device 54 as well as the separation device 56 are mounted so that they can be raised or lowered

  simultaneously, for example using a jack.

  The manipulator 50 comprises a head provided with fixed lugs 60 directed downwards and tilting lugs 61 mounted on an arm 62 which pivots about an axis 63 on the action of a pneumatic cylinder 64, so that the tilting lugs 61 can be placed either in the position of

  FIG. 10, either next to and at the same level as the lugs 60.

  A machine for making the sides of known type makes it possible to successively place a side of each of the types described above and represented in FIGS. 10 and 11 below the plate 65 where it is held, on the one hand by the fact that the rings 48, 49 located at the ends of the wires A, B, C and D are engaged on the lugs 60, 61 (the latter being folded down) and on the other hand, by rods of

  support 66 which are arranged below the plate 65.

  Figure 13A corresponds to Figure 13 after removal of all

  the organs which are above the rail 67.

  It can be seen in this FIG. 13A how the rail 67 is thus supported by the rods 66 and the pins 60. For the sake of clarity the tilting pins 61 are supposed to be raised in the position of the

  Figure 10, but they are actually engaged in the rings 49.

  All the pins 60, 61 thus being engaged in the corresponding orifices 48 and 49 of the rail, the manipulator 50 can be moved according to the double arrow 52 of FIG. 12 to bring the ends of the

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  wires A, B, C and D under the blade of the shears 53 which

  sections at a determined distance beyond the rings 49.

  According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the movable blade of the shears 53 comprises a pressing counterblade which maintains in position the wires of the splint, before and during their cutting. The tilting lugs 61 are then raised while the wires of the joint are held by the pressing blade. Then the moving blade of the

shears 53 is raised.

  To explain the operation of the machine, it is assumed that, i0 as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the ends A and C of the joint wires are engaged by their rings 49 on the corresponding rotating lugs 55 while the ends B and D are joined to the other sides which constitute the stack, of which FIG. 14 represents only the upper side, this stack being represented schematically in FIGS. 15 and following by a series of horizontal lines located in

  below the ends B and D of the bottom rail.

  As can be seen in FIG. 15, the blade 58 maintains the stack of sides already made down, the ends A and C of the last layer being engaged by their rings 49 on the odd lugs 55, while its ends B and D connected to the stack are kept below

blade 58.

  The manipulator 50 has just brought in a new slide, the ends A ', B', C 'and D' of which have their rings 49 located above the

lugs 55.

  The assembly constituted by the blades 57 and 58 and by the rotating lugs 55, rises in the position of FIG. 16 by causing the engagement on the lugs 55 of the rings 49 of the ends A ', B', C 'and D'

of the new slide.

  The blade 57 is then moved to the left, as shown in

* Figure 17, to keep the rings 49 engaged on the lugs 55.

  We rotate the odd pins by several turns to make the connection of the ends A and A 'on the one hand, and C and C' on the other hand, which joins the new fence to the upper fence of the stack already formed , and we stop the odd pins towards the bottom like this

is shown in figure 18.

  The blade 58 is then moved to the right, as shown in

Figure 19.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the odd ejection plates 68 are lowered which push the ends A, A 'and C, C'

- 17 - 2741040

  when they have been linked together, bringing them to a level located in

underside of blade 58.

  The blade 58 is then brought to the left, as shown in FIG. 21, and the odd ejection plates 68 are raised to their initial position while the odd ends A, A ′ and C, C ′ of the last two sides which have been linked together are kept on the

  above the stack of sides as shown in FIG. 22.

  The assembly constituted by the manipulator 50, the blades 57 and 58 as well as the rotating lugs 55 are then lowered so as to be placed in the

position of figure 23.

  As shown in FIG. 24, the knife 57 is brought back to the right while the manipulator 50 brings a new splice, the lower ply of which is that which has the pair ends B ", D" which will be assembled with the pair ends B 'and Of the fence

  previous by renewing the operations which have just been described.

  We note that, as indicated above, we assemble

  successively different types of sides to form the stack.

  To take into account the fact that the ends of the tablecloth at the bottom of the first layer of the stack and the ends of the tablecloth at the top of the last layer of stack should not be twisted, (because they must remain free to allow manual assembly of two stacks), when processing the first and last fishplates, the rotating lugs corresponding to the ends which are not to be assembled by the

  machine so that these pins become inactive.

  We see that the invention allows a simple and quick way to automatically place the sides on the bottles, without intervention

  other than that necessary for monitoring the machine.

  The machine for making stacks of fishcombs which has just been described is advantageously coupled with an automatic machine of known type which makes it possible to produce the two types of fishcombs in accordance with the invention alternately and to successively place each fishcomb on the

manipulator that has been described.

  A programmable controller preferably ensures synchronism

  between the manufacture of the rails and their stacking.

  It is understood that the embodiment which has been described above has no limiting character and that it can receive any desirable modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

- 18 - 2741040

  In particular, it is clear that the drive device for

  sides can be made differently.

  Likewise, the devices which cause the displacement of the mandrels and of the bottles can be produced in a different way insofar as they provide the desired kinematics.

- 19 - 2741040

Claims (30)

  1. A method for automatically placing sides made of metallic or similar wires on bottles or similar containers, characterized in that: a stack of sides is made in a flattened state, the lower ends of the wires of two neighboring sides (6) are joined together to ensure mechanical continuity of the different sides constituting the stack; the lower meshes of each of the sides are successively removed so as to produce an opening giving access to the interior of each side; a mandrel (17) is successively engaged in each rail through the opening thus obtained so as to give the rail concerned substantially the shape of the bottle (19a) on which it is to be placed; the mandrel (17) is extracted from the rail (16); a bottle (19a) is engaged in the rail thus formed; the bottle thus coated with the rail is pivoted about its axis with respect to the lower part of the wires of the rail to twist the latter together and apply the rail against the surface of the bottle; and we cut the parts   lower wires that protrude below the link thus obtained.   2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the displacement of the sides is controlled by gripping members (13) such as hooks (26) which engage around the wires which connect the lower ends to each other. different sides and which bring each side successively in the various positions which it must occupy by immobilizing it in the position where it must be shaped by the mandrel (17) and in the position in which the bottle (19a)   is engaged inside the rail.   3. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the sides are given a horizontal rectilinear displacement.   4. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that the mandrel (17) is engaged in the axis of the slides (16) from the bottom.   5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized in that the bottles are made to move along a path parallel to the displacement of the sides but at a lower level by a distance greater than the height of the bottles; that the bottle which immobilizes the splint is immobilized; then move it laterally until it is below the previously formed rail - 20 - 2741040   by the mandrel; and then cause the bottle to rise   to engage it inside the rail.   6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that the neck of the bottle provided with the projection (18) is grasped by means of a gripping device (22), for example pneumatic, which makes it possible to grasp the bottle by communicating to it a rotation which ensures the bonding of the wires of the rail below the bottle. 7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that by putting the bottle in rotation, one brings back towards its axis the wires of the joint which are below the bottle while lowering slightly the latter.   8. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that after having cut the wires of the rail below their connection point, the bottle is brought back to its level   initial and we move it laterally to be evacuated.   9. Method according to any one of the preceding claims,   characterized by the fact that several chucks (17) are engaged simultaneously in the corresponding sides then that the same number of   bottles in the sides thus previously formed.   10. Machine for automatic installation of sides on bottles   according to the method of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that it   comprises in combination: a continuous supply device (1) for ribs (6) supporting a stack of ribs joined together by the lower ends of their wires so as to form a continuous assembly; a separation device (2) for the sides to separate the latter from one another by deforming the lower ends of their wires so as to form an opening therein; a drive device (3) for the ribs comprising hooking members (13) which grip the wires joining the lower parts of two neighboring ribs to hold and move them during their shaping and their positioning on the bottles ; a mandrel (17) disposed below and in the axis of a joint, said mandrel comprising a device which allows it to be raised to be engaged inside the joint (16) in order to to shape and then to be lowered to be released from the rail thus shaped; a control device which makes it possible to immobilize the cage in the position where it can receive the mandrel and move the cage thus formed to bring it into a position where it can receive the bottle which it has to coat; a device (20,21) for receiving the bottles to be coated - 21 - 2741040   of the sides and for positioning the bottle (19a) which is to receive the side (18) by bringing it below the previously formed side, said device making it possible to lift the bottle to engage it in the side; a gripping device (22) disposed above the bottle making it possible to grip the neck of the bottle, so as to drive it in rotation, while the lower ends of the wires of the stringer continue to be held by the device d 'drive (3) so as to link together by twisting all the lower parts of the wires of the joint; a device for cutting the lower part of the wires of the rail below this connection; and a device for receiving the bottle thus provided with its cover and lowering it sufficiently   to be able to move it laterally and evacuate it.   11. Machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the device for continuous supply of ribs consists of three bars (4,5) passing through the meshes of the stack of ribs (6), these bars being arranged horizontally, one (4) at the top, and two others (5) at the bottom of the sides, said bars being held alternately by two groups (7,8) of gripping members arranged, the first (8 ) near the end   supply bars, and the second (7) substantially towards their middle.   12. Machine according to claim 11, characterized in that the end of the two lower bars (5) located on the side of the supply of ribs are offset towards the outside (5a) while two additional rods (10) are arranged between the ends of two   lower rods (5) being slightly inclined upwards.   13. Machine according to any one of claims 10 to 12,   characterized by the fact that the drive device (3) consists of two endless chains (14) arranged parallel to each other on either side of the fishplates and rotating around two pairs of wheels coaxial teeth (15).   14. Machine according to claim 13, characterized in that each chain carries at distances slightly greater than the diameter of the bottles on which the sides are to be placed, gripping members (13) which grip the wires which join the lower parts of two neighboring fishplates and which hold them to ensure the displacement of the fishplates which are necessary to implement the different stages of the process.   15. Machine according to claims 13 and 14, characterized by the   the fact that the gripping members (13) consist of hooks - 22 - 2741040   tilting (26), the spouts (27) of which engage behind the wires which they must grasp, these hooks then being tilted outwards by a cam (32) so as to ensure effective retention of the wires which   join the lower parts of the sides.   16. Machine according to any one of claims 10 to 15,   characterized by the fact that it comprises a device (34) for bringing the lower parts of the joint wires towards the axis of the bottle (47) for their connection, constituted for example by a deformable wire (36) subjected to the action of a spring (38).   17. Machine according to any one of claims 10 to 16,   characterized by the fact that it comprises a device for severing the lower part of the joint wires, constituted by a shear, the two blades (39) of which are articulated at the end (40) of the piston of a jack (41) which cooperates with stops (43,44,45,46) to control both the movement of the shears towards its operating position and the opening   and closing the blades (39) of the shears.   18. Machine according to any one of claims 10 to 17,   characterized by the fact that it comprises a pair of endless bands (70) provided with bristles (72) to hold the ribs in position after the chucks have formed them.   19. Machine according to any one of claims 10 to 18,   characterized by the fact that it comprises a drive device, for example with rollers (73,74) for bringing the part into a receptacle (76)   lower sides after their cutting.   20. Machine according to any one of claims 10 to 19,   characterized in that the mandrels (17) have an upper part (17b) movable to form the upper orifice of the rail by   which the neck of the bottle must be introduced.   21. Stacking of flattened sides usable for processing   the method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized by   the fact that two neighboring fishplates are connected to each other by the   lower ends of some of the strands that compose them.   22. Stacking of sides according to claim 21, characterized in that the sides are alternately of two different types which are distinguished by the fact that the lower layer of a layer of the first type (fig.10) is identical to the layer upper side of the second type (fig. 11). 23. Clisse intended to carry out a stacking according to one of the   Claims 21 and 22, characterized in that it comprises two - 23 - 2741040   rings (48,49) at the end (A, B, C, D) of its wires for handling. 24. A method for producing a stack of ribs according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that two types of ribs are produced alternately (fig. 10, fig.11) which differ in the flattened state only by the fact that the path of the threads of the top ply of one strand of the first type is identical to the path of the threads of the bottom ply of the other strand of the second type, the lower ends of the strand wires being offset one by relation to the other; that the sides thus formed are superimposed by alternating their type; and that one alternately twists one in two of   ends of the joint wires which are superimposed.   25. Machine for automatically carrying out the process according to claim 24, characterized in that it comprises in combination: a manipulator (50) provided with lugs (60,61) capable of being engaged in the rings (48,49) made on the ends of the wires of the rail to bring the latter successively to the different work stations; a shear (53) for cutting the ends of the joint wires beyond said rings; a torsion device comprising rotating lugs (55) capable of engaging in the end rings (49) of the wires of two superimposed fishplates and of rotating them coaxially to ensure their connection; a device for alternately rotating all the even pins and all the odd pins during the assembly of the successive sides; and a separation device (58) which engages between the even and odd ends of the sides to separate them from each other. 26. Machine according to claim 25, characterized in that the manipulator (50) comprises a head provided with fixed lugs (60) directed downwards and tilting lugs (61) which can be placed either next to the lugs fixed (60) being also directed downwards,   either by being clear of the vicinity of the latter.   27. machine according to any one of claims 25 and 26,   characterized by the fact that it comprises a shear (53) provided with a counter-blade which maintains in position the strands of struts before and during their sectioning.   28. Machine according to any one of claims 25 to 27,   characterized in that the rotating lugs (55) can be rotated independently by actuating either the lugs of even rank, or - 24 - 2741040   the lugs of odd rank, said lugs can be immobilized, either in   position facing up, or in position facing down.   29. Machine according to any one of claims 25 to 28,   characterized by the fact that the separation device consists of movable blades which make it possible to maintain the wires in position   of fishplates on the pins when handling the fishplate.   30. Machine according to any one of claims 25 to 29,   characterized by the fact that it includes ejection plates (68) which can come to bear on the top of the ends of the comb wires   between their two rings (48,49) to release them from the lugs (55).