FR3049286A1 - STACKING BOX SUITABLE FOR BOTTLES OF LOW THICKNESS - Google Patents

Abstract

This member (54) is intended to be attached to a bottle reaming box (12), comprising a tip wall (14) formed by a profiled plate (27) in regular slots (28) so as to define straight grooves (30) parallel to a first direction X, each groove (30) being delimited by a pair of opposite edges (32) parallel to the first direction X intended to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck (22) ( 12) to immobilize this neck (22) parallel to a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and to the axis of the bottle (12). It comprises at least one pair of opposing stops (56) and is intended to be attached to the riddling box so that the pair of opposing stops (56) extend into a groove (30) of the profiled plate (27). ) in order to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck (22) to immobilize the neck (22) parallel to the first direction X.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of bottles riddling crates, more particularly glass wine bottles for sparkling wine produced in the traditional method.

Riddling is a step in the preparation of sparkling wines intended to eliminate the sediments contained in the wine. This step allows the wine to be more transparent and avoids the formation of a deposit at the bottom of the bottles.

During this step, the bottles are slowly rotated about their axis in one direction and the other. Simultaneously with this rotation, the bottles are gradually straightened from a horizontal position, lying down, to a vertical position, usually called "on tip". This process makes it possible to collect all the sediments suspended in the wine in the neck of the bottles. The riddling is followed by a disgorging stage, the purpose of which is to evacuate the sediments from the bottlenecks.

The riddling movement of the bottles can be done manually or perhaps automated and controlled by machines. Automation of this step greatly reduces the time it takes. Indeed, manual riddling can last about a month and a half, while when automated, it only takes about seven days.

To collect a large number of bottles and rotate them simultaneously, it is known to use a device called riddling crate. In this type of box, one can have a large number of bottles so that they all have the same orientation. Thus, by coupling the riddling box to automatic displacement means it is possible to rotate all the bottles simply by changing the orientation of the riddling box. To perform riddling, the crate is attached to a riddling device, also called stirrer. This stirrer rotates the entire body to reroute all the bottles at the same time.

The riddling crates are usually of generally parallelepipedal shape and include six walls for retaining the bottles in the box. All the bottles are placed one on the other, staggered, on several layers. The riddling crates of this type may contain around 500 bottles.

More particularly, in a stirring box, one of the walls is in contact with the open end of the neck of the bottles. This wall is generally formed by a profiled metal slotted plate, comprising parallel grooves in which are housed the necks of the bottles. These grooves, cooperating with the ends of the necks, immobilize them in a direction parallel to this wall and perpendicular to the grooves.

The other walls of the box are fixed or removable, as the case may be. The positions of the removable walls are sometimes adjustable.

However, for several years, we limit the weight of glass bottles by reducing the thickness of their wall. This reduction in thickness results in a reduction in the outside diameter of the barrel of the bottles. This reduction of the diameter has the consequence that if one uses a riddling box adapted to old bottles, of high barrel diameter, there appear gaps between the walls in contact with the barrels of the bottles and the bottles themselves. During the progressive recovery of the body during riddling, it happens that some bottles slide on the bottom of the groove in which the end of their neck is housed. This sliding is in a second direction parallel to the slotted profiled plate and perpendicular to the direction of immobilization of the grooves. In other words, this sliding is along the grooves in this wall. Now it seems very expensive to replace all rowing crates adapted to old bottles, high barrel diameter, by boxes adapted to the new dimensions of lightweight bottles. The purpose of the invention is in particular to remedy sliding of the necks of bottles on the crenellated profiled plate in this second direction, while retaining riddling crates adapted to old bottles of high barrel diameter. For this purpose, the subject of the invention is a member intended to be attached to a bottle reaming box, comprising a tip wall formed by a profiled plate in regular slots so as to define rectilinear grooves parallel to a first direction X , each groove being delimited by a pair of opposite edges parallel to the first direction X intended to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck to immobilize the neck parallel to a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and to the axis of the bottle, characterized in that it comprises at least one pair of opposite stops, and in that it is intended to be attached to the riddling box so that the pair of opposite stops extends in a groove of the profiled plate in order to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck to immobilize this neck parallel to the In the first direction X. The immobilization locally of certain bottles makes it possible to prevent the sliding of the neck of these. However, it has been observed that the sliding of many passes can be avoided by preventing the slipping of only part of these passes. The local immobilization of some passes thus makes it possible, in certain cases, to prevent the sliding of the necks of all the bottles contained in the riddling box.

According to other optional features corresponding to different embodiments of the invention: the member comprises several pairs of abutments, these pairs being disposed in line or in staggered rows; the organ consists essentially of polymer; the organ consists essentially of metal; the member is essentially made of sheet metal, the pair of abutments being formed by a pair of folded tabs of the sheet; the pair of stops is formed by a pair of bosses. The invention also relates to a bottle riddling crate, comprising a tip wall formed by a profiled plate in regular crenellations so as to define rectilinear grooves parallel to a first direction X, each groove being delimited by a pair of edges opposed parallel to the first direction X intended to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck to immobilize the neck parallel to a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and the axis of the bottle, characterized in that it comprises at least one insert member according to the invention on the profiled plate.

According to other optional features corresponding to different embodiments of the riddling box: the riddling box comprises two members attached to the profiled plate, intended to cooperate, considering the box normally filled with the maximum number of bottles it may contain, at least with the two bottles furthest apart from each other cooperating with the same reference groove, this reference groove being one of the two grooves farthest from each other according to the second direction Y; - The riddling box comprises four side walls, all adjacent to the tip wall, intended to cooperate with barrels of bottles to retain them in the box, and a bottom wall, intended to cooperate with the bottoms of bottles; one of the lateral walls is a removable wall, this removable wall being the lateral wall parallel to the direction X closest to the reference groove; the removable wall is provided with two sub-walls, one of the sub-walls being removable from the body independently of the other sub-wall; - The side walls comprise bars or wires for participating in the positioning of bottles in the box to retain them in the box; - The slotted profiled plate is made of sheet metal or polymer. The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a bottle riddling crate, in which there is provided a box comprising a tip wall formed by a profiled plate in regular slots so as to delimit rectilinear grooves parallel to a first X direction, each groove being delimited by a pair of opposite edges parallel to the first direction X intended to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck to immobilize the neck parallel to a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and to the cylinder axis, characterized in that at least one member having at least one pair of opposed abutments is mounted on the profiled plate, so that these abutments extend in a groove of the profiled plate. , in order to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck to immobilize this neck parallel to the first direction X.

According to another optional feature corresponding to an embodiment of the manufacturing method of a stirring box according to the invention is reported on the profiled plate member by at least one step selected from riveting, gluing, welding and screwing. The invention will be better understood on reading the following description given solely by way of nonlimiting example and with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a crate of riddling suitable for old champagne bottles, of high barrel diameter, not comprising a body according to the invention; - Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a removable wall of the riddling crate shown in Figure 1; - Figure 3 is a perspective view of a riddling crate according to a first embodiment of the invention on which some removable walls are not shown and on which some bottles are shown, the body being in its loading position ; - Figure 4 is a sectional view, along a plane parallel to the axis of the bottles, the riddling box illustrated in Figure 3, filled with the maximum number of bottles, no insert member according to the invention being shown on this view; FIG. 5 is a view of detail IV of FIG. 3; - Figure 6 is a perspective view of a body attached to the body according to the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in particular in Figure 3; - Figure 7 is a partial view, in section, of the riddling crate of Figure 3 in its position placing the bottles on tip; - Figure 8 is a perspective view of a riddling crate according to a second embodiment of the invention on which some removable walls are not shown; - Figure 9 is a perspective view of the riddling crate of Figure 8 on which the bottles are shown, the box being in its position placing the bottles on tip; FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a member attached to the body according to the second embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9.

FIG. 1 shows a reaming box 10 adapted to old bottles of high barrel diameter, not including an insert member according to the invention. This box 10 may of course contain bottles 12 of smaller outer diameter than old bottles through an insert member which will be described later.

More specifically, the riddling box 10 is a box of generally parallelepiped shape provided with six walls 14, 16, 17, 18 of generally rectangular shapes. This box is intended to contain for example more than 500 glass bottles 12 containing sparkling wine.

Each bottle 12, visible in particular in Figures 4, 5 and 7, is formed by a glass wall 20 defining an inside and an outside. This glass wall 20 is generally of revolution and is open at an end called neck 22. The opposite end is called bottom 24 of the bottle 12. The middle part of the bottle 12, connecting the neck 22 and the bottom 24, is called barrel 26.

During riddling, each bottle 12 is filled with wine. The open end of the neck 22 of the bottles 12 is closed by a member usually called "bidule" (not shown) held by a capsule (not shown) crimped on the collar ring 22, intended to capture the deposits in the wine in accordance with a conventional method.

When the stirring box 10 is filled with bottles 12, these bottles 12 are staggered in several layers. The set of bottles 12 is generally retained by the different walls 14,16,17,18 of the riddling box 10. The bottles 12 are oriented in the same direction and in the same direction.

The riddling box 10 has, more particularly: - four side walls 16, 17 intended to cooperate with the barrels 26 of the bottles 12 adjacent to these side walls 16, 17, - a tip wall 14 intended to cooperate with the open end collars 22 of the bottles 12 adjacent to this tip wall 14, - a bottom wall 18 intended to cooperate with the bottoms 24 of the bottles 12 adjacent to this bottom wall 18.

Each of these walls 14, 16, 17, 18 is delimited by four sides arranged in a rectangle.

The tip wall 14 comprises a plate 27 profiled in regular slots 28 delimiting rectilinear grooves 30 parallel to a first direction X. Each groove 30 is delimited by a pair of opposite edges 32 parallel to the first direction X. These grooves 30 are intended to cooperate with the outlet end of necks 22 of bottles to immobilize them in a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and to the axis of the bottles 12. This profiled plate 27 is made of sheet metal. Alternatively, this profiled plate 27 may consist essentially of polymer.

The side walls 16, 17 are divided into three fixed walls 16 and a removable wall 17. Each of these walls 16, 17 on one side adjacent one of the sides of the tip wall 14, so that each side of the tip wall 14 is adjacent to one and only one side wall 16, 17.

The three fixed walls 16 comprise metal bars 34 and rectilinear metal wires 36 assembled according to methods known to those skilled in the art, in particular by welding. The metal wires 36 of the fixed side walls 16 are intended to cooperate with the drums 26 of the bottles 12 so as to retain them in the riddling box 10.

The removable side wall 17 is, when assembled on the riddling box 10, connected to two fixed side walls 16. This removable side wall 17 comprises two distinct sub-walls 17A, 17B. As can be seen in considering Figures 1 and 2, each of these two sub-walls 17A, 17B is provided with two connecting members 40 cooperating with the slots 42 formed in bars 44 of the two adjacent fixed side walls 16. One of the sub-walls 17A is provided with two link arms 46 intended to be nested in holes 48 of the other sub-wall 17B, so as to link the two sub-walls 17A, 17B between them. The sub-wall 17B carrying the holes 48 is provided with two arms 50 plies intended to cooperate with a groove 30 of the tip wall 14.

The bottom wall 18 is a removable wall, each side of which is adjacent to one of the side walls 16, 17, so that this bottom wall 18 forms the sixth face of a parallelepiped whose five other faces are the five other walls 14, 16, 17. This bottom wall 18 comprises a mesh 52 formed in particular by straight metal son. The fastening means of this removable bottom wall 18 to the rest of the body are known to those skilled in the art.

Figure 3 illustrates a riddling box 10 provided with four inserts 54 according to a first embodiment of the invention. This riddling box 10 is a body similar to the body shown in Figure 1 equipped with four inserts 54 of which only two are shown in particular in Figure 3. An insert member 54 is shown isolated in Figure 6.

The connecting members 40 of the two sub-walls 17A, 17B and the slots 42 of the side walls 16 are configured so that when they are assembled, the removable lateral wall 17 comes to rest on bottles placed in the box 10. L assembly of the sub-wall 16B on the body 10 is done by placing, on the one hand, the free ends of the two folded arms 50 in contact with the bottom of the groove 30 of the profiled plate 27 closest to this sub 16B, and on the other hand, the connecting members 40 of the sub-wall 16B in the corresponding slot 42. During this assembly, the sub-wall 16B pivots slightly about the imaginary axis passing through the free ends of the two folded arms 50 in contact with the profiled plate 27 to bear against the barrels 26 of adjacent bottles 12 at this sub-wall 16B. However, when the barrels of bottles have a small diameter, the sub-wall 16B does not come into contact with the barrels 26 of the bottles 12 whose necks 22 cooperate with the groove 30 of the profiled plate 27 closest to this sub- wall 16B. There remains therefore a clearance J (see FIG. 4) between the sub-wall 16B and the barrels of the bottles whose necks cooperate with the groove 30 of the profiled plate 27 closest to this sub-wall 16B. However, thanks to the inserts 54, it avoids a slippage of bottles 12 due to this game.

Each member 54, visible in FIG. 6, comprises two pairs of abutments 56, formed by folded tabs 58. As a variant, the attached members 54 may bear only one or more pairs of abutments 56, arranged in line. or staggered. These two pairs of stops 56 are interconnected by a flat base 60. Riveting holes 62 are formed in the flat base 60. The members 54 are attached to the profiled plate 27 by riveting with rivets 64. These rivets 64 extend through riveting holes (not shown in the figures) of the profiled plate 27.

The members 54 are positioned, as can be seen in Figures 5 and 7, on the profiled plate 27 so that their tabs 58 extend into grooves 30 of the profiled plate 27. An insert member 54 is positioned at each end of the two grooves 30 closest to the removable wall 17, so that when the box 10 is normally filled with the maximum number of bottles 12 that it can contain, each member 54 cooperates with a pair of bottles 12 adjacent cooperating with the same groove 30. A pair of bottles 12 cooperating with an insert member 54 comprises one of the two bottles 12 furthest apart from each other cooperating with the same groove 30.

Each pair of stops 56 carried by the attached members 54 cooperates with the open end of necks 22 of bottles 12. The pairs of stops 56 immobilize the neck 22 of a bottle 12 parallel to the first direction X.

It is observed that the local immobilization of certain necks by the reported members 54 such as those illustrated makes it possible to prevent the sliding of the necks of all the bottles contained in the riddling box. One could possibly only immobilize the two open ends of the two necks 22 of the two bottles furthest apart from each other, cooperating with the groove 30 closest to the sub-wall 16B.

To manufacture a box 10 according to the invention, first of all, a box 10, such as that represented in FIG. 1, is provided, comprising the tip wall 14 formed by the profiled plate 27 in regular slots 28 so as to delimit the straight grooves 30 parallel to the first direction X. The opposite edges of each groove 30 are intended to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck 22 to immobilize the neck 22 parallel to the second direction Y.

Then, there is reported on the profiled plate 27 at least one member 54 having at least one pair of stops 56 opposite, so that these stops 56 extend in a groove 30 of the profiled plate 27, in order to cooperate with the open end of a neck 22 bottle 12 to immobilize the neck 22 parallel to the first direction X. More particularly, is drilled in the profiled plate 27 of the riddling box 10 provided the riveting holes. Then, the profiled plate 27 rivets the attached members 54.

Alternatively, the members 54 and the profiled plate 27 may be assembled by screwing, gluing or welding.

In the first embodiment, each insert member 54 is made of metal. Specifically, each member 54 is formed from a sheet in which the base 60 and the tabs 58 are cut, these tongues 58 are then folded.

Below will be described, with reference to FIGS. 8 to 10, a riddling box 10 provided with attached members 54 according to a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, elements similar to those of the preceding figures are designated by identical references.

In this embodiment, the inserts 54 are polymer plates 66 equipped with pairs of bosses 68 forming the pairs of stops 56. These plates 66 have a suitable shape (crenellated profile) to match the shape of the profiled plate 27 For this purpose, they are provided with grooves 70.

In this embodiment, two inserts 54 are attached, for example by riveting, to the profiled plate 27. Each member 54 includes six pairs of stops 56 arranged in three rows, staggered. The two members 54 are intended to cooperate with pairs of bottles 12 located at both ends of the three grooves 30 closest to the removable side wall 17. The invention is not limited to the embodiments presented and other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art. In particular, it is possible to use only one member that cooperates with the groove closest to the removable wall and immobilizes the two farthest bottles cooperating with this groove.

Claims (15)

claims 1. Body (54) to be attached to a bottle reaming box (12), comprising a tip wall (14) formed by a profiled plate (27) in regular slots (28) so as to define straight grooves (30) parallel to a first direction X, each groove (30) being delimited by a pair of opposite edges (32) parallel to the first direction X intended to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck (22) ( 12) to immobilize this neck (22) parallel to a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and to the axis of the bottle (12), characterized in that it comprises at least one pair of stops (56) opposite , and in that it is intended to be attached to the stirring box so that the pair of opposite stops (56) extends into a groove (30) of the profiled plate (27) in order to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck (22) (12) ) to immobilize this neck (22) parallel to the first direction X. 2. Body (54) according to the preceding claim, comprising several pairs of stops (56), these pairs being arranged in line or staggered. 3. Body (54) according to any one of the preceding claims, consisting essentially of polymer. 4. Body (54) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, consisting essentially of metal. 5. Body (54) according to claim 4, essentially sheet metal, wherein the pair of stops (56) being formed by a pair of tongues (58) bent of the sheet. The member (54) of any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pair of abutments (56) is formed by a pair of bosses (68). 7. Riddling crate (10) of bottles (12), comprising a tip wall (14) formed by a profiled plate (27) in regular slots (28) so as to define rectilinear grooves (30) parallel to a first direction X, each groove (30) being delimited by a pair of opposite edges (32) parallel to the first direction X intended to cooperate with the open end of a neck (22) of bottle (12) to immobilize the neck ( 22) parallel to a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and to the axis of the bottle (12), characterized in that it comprises at least one member (54) according to any preceding claim reported on the profiled plate (27). 8. Riddling crate (10) according to claim 7, comprising two members (54) on the profiled plate (27), intended to cooperate, considering the box (10) normally filled with the number of bottles (12) maximum qu it can contain, at least with the two bottles (12) farthest from each other cooperating with one and the same reference groove (30), this reference groove (30) being one of the two grooves ( 30) farthest from each other in the second direction Y. 9. Riddling crate (10) according to claim 7 or 8, comprising four side walls (16, 17), all adjacent to the tip wall (14), intended to cooperate with barrels (26) of bottles (12). to retain them in the box (10), and a bottom wall (18) for cooperating with bottoms (24) of bottles (10). 10. Riddling box (10) according to claims 8 and 9 taken together, wherein one of the side walls (16, 17) is a removable wall (17), this removable wall (17) being the side wall (16). , 17) parallel to the X direction nearest to the reference groove (30). 11. riddling box (10) according to claim 10, wherein the removable wall (17) is provided with two sub-walls (17A, 17B), one of the sub-walls (17B) can be removed from the body independently of the other sub-wall (17A). The stirring box (10) according to claim 9, wherein the side walls (16, 17) comprise metal bars (34) or wires (36) for participating in the positioning of bottles (12) in the box (10). ) to hold them in the box (10). 13. Riddling crate (10) according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the profiled slab (27) is made of sheet metal or polymer. 14. A method of manufacturing a riddling crate (10) of bottle (12), wherein there is provided a box (10) comprising a tip wall (14) formed by a profiled plate (27) crenellated (28) in order to define straight grooves (30) parallel to a first direction X, each groove (30) being delimited by a pair of opposite edges (32) parallel to the first direction X intended to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck (22) for immobilizing said neck (22) parallel to a second direction Y perpendicular to the first direction X and to the axis of the bottle (12), characterized in that it is reported on the profiled plate (27) at least one member (54) having at least one pair of opposed stops (56) so that these stops (56) extend into a groove (30) of the profiled plate (27) so as to to be able to cooperate with the open end of a bottle neck (22) lle (12) to immobilize this neck (22) parallel to the first direction X. 15. A method of manufacturing a riddling crate (10) according to claim 14, wherein is reported on the profiled plate (27) the member (54) by at least one step selected from the riveting, gluing, the welding and screwing.