GB1566175A - Transfer apparatus for tubes - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO TRANSFER APPARATUS FOR TUBES (71) We, DALMINE S.p.A., an Italian Company of Via Brera, 19, Milano, Italy, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to transfer apparatus for transferring tubes by rolling them down an inclined surface from a supply to a delivery end. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus comprising an inclined surface on which the tubes may roll through gravity, and are thus transferred, e.g. from one production line to an adjacent line.

The inclined surface may be supplied at its higher supply end, by ordinary conveyor means such as a roller conveyor, whereas at its lower delivery end, a device may be provided for temporarily stopping the tubes before discharging them to another conveying device, which can also be a roller conveyor.

Some known structures of this kind have serious disadvantages, the major one of which is the noise produced by the moving tubes. This is due to the rolling of the tubes on the inclined surface, and more particularly, to impacts between the tubes which are already stationary and stacked at the delivery end of the inclined surface and tubes which arrive one by one at the aforementioned end. The noise produced by these collisions is particularly loud in that the tubes are travelling fast when they reach the delivery end, since they are rolling freely without being slowed down. This disadvantage becomes worse when the tubes are supplied onto the inclined surface at high speed or when a number of transfer surfaces are provided and operate simultaneously.

Another disadvantage of the conventional devices is the difficulty of stabilizing the inclination of the rolling surface, since this is the only parameter which determines the speed of the tubes.

It is therefore desirable that the inclination of the rolling surface should be such that the tubes do not move down it excessively fast, but there should be no risk that they stop rolling altogether. In the former case there would be violent collisions between the tubes when they stop at the delivery end of the rolling surface, whereas in the latter case there would be disturbances to the uniform flow of production.

An object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an apparatus which overcomes or substantially eliminates the aforementioned disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a transfer apparatus arranged to con trol the movement of tubes rolled down an inclined surface from a supply end to a delivery end, the apparatus comprising said inclined surface and a plurality of abutment means arranged to move, in use, at a predetermined speed from the supply to the delivery end of said surface, each abutment means being arranged to be displaceable from an operative position in which it extends above said inclined surface and is effective to restrain a said tube in contact therewith so that the tube rolls down the inclined surface at said preselected speed, said abutment means being returnable to said operative position by return means such that the abutment means may be displaced from said operative position into an inoperative position upon encountering any obstacle resting upon said surface.

Conveniently each said return means comprises a biasing means that yieldably urges the respective abutment means into said operative position.

Preferably each said abutment means may move into an inoperative position below said inclined surface.

In a preferred embodiment, each abutment means comprises a pawl pivotally attached to conveying means movable between the supply and delivery ends of the inclined surface.

The main advantage of the apparatus is the virtual elimination of collisions between tubes at the delivery end, and consequently of the resulting noise. Since the tubes roll at the same speed as the abutment means advance, the speed is adjusted to a value such that the tubes simply approach one another.

Another advantage of the apparatus is that the rolling surface can be kept at the same inclination even when the tubes have different diameters, since the speed at which the tubes roll down the surface does not depend on their weight as in conventional devices, but on the speed of advance of the abutment means.

The aforementioned and other advantages and features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an apparatus of the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a detail side view of part of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a detailed view similar to Figure 3 but showing a part thereof in a second lowered position.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown an apparatus comprising an inclined rolling surface 1 in which a number of tubes 2 are rolled in order to convey them in the direction of arrow F from a known supply station 3 to a known outlet or delivery station 4. In the illustrated example, the supply station 3 and the outlet station 4 both comprise an ordinary roller conveyor 5, but they may comprise any other equivalent device. At the supply station 3, the tubes advance in the direction of arrow Fl, whereas in the outlet station 4 the tubes advance in the direction of arrow F2.

As in conventional devices, the rolling surface 1 comprises a number of longitudinal metal members 6 (five in the case illustrated in Figure 2), the longitudinal members being parallel to each other and supported on uprights 8 at the same angle to the level of the ground 7. The number of longitudinal members 6 varies with the length of the conveyed tubes. As shown more particularly in Figure 2, the illustrated apparatus can be used to convey tubes having a length L or 2L.

With particular reference as before to Figures 1 and 2, a plurality of abutment means in the form of pawls 8 is provided on chains 9 located at the side edges and in the central region of the rolling surface 1, the pawls moving in the direction of advance of the tubes, indicated by arrow F. To this end, the pawls 8 are carried on chains 9 driven between toothed wheels 10 and 11, the driving toothed wheels 10 being keyed to a common driving shaft 12 attached at one end to a motor 13. The motor has a known speed-varying device for adjusting the speed at which chains 9 advance.

With particular reference to Figures 3 and 4, each driving chain 9 comprises two single chains 14 between which a number of rollers 16 are secured on pivots 15, the rollers advancing by rolling on a flat part 17 of a U-section guide member 18 secured by brackets 19 to the longitudinal members 6.

The number of brackets (four in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 2) varies of course in dependence on the length of the rolling surface 1.

With particular reference to Figure 1, each guide member 18 for guiding its respective chain 9 is provided only at the upper part of the device in the region adjacent the rolling surface 1. No chain-guide is provided in the lower region of the apparatus in the region underneath the rolling surface 1, so each chain assumes a curved shape due to its weight and that of the pawls 8. Accordingly, the structure of the apparatus is made rigid in the region where the pawls 8 guide the tubes 2 as they advance along the rolling surface 1. There is no need for similar rigidity in the region underneath the plane 1 since the pawls 8 are in their inoperative position.

The operation of the pawls will now be described with particular reference to Figures 3, 4 and 5. Each pawl comprises an arm 20 secured for instance by welding to a C-shaped element 21, the two shorter sides of element 21 having semi-circular cavities therein for attaching them to a pin 22 rotatably carried by a pair of uprights 23 each of which is secured to one of the chains 14. The other end of arm 20 carries a pin 24 having a roller 25 thereon which can contact the steel tubes 2. Preferably, roller 25 is made of a material, e.g. rubber or nylon, for reducing the noise produced by contact with the tubes 2.:noise 2.

A coating element 26, likewise of rubber or nylon, for further reducing the noise due to contact with the tubes 2 is disposed into on arm 20 on the side which (in comes into con- tact with the tubes 2 when in their foldedback or lowered position (Figure 5). As shown more particularly in Figures 3 and 5, the height of the coating element 26 is such that its outer surface is at a tangent to roller 25, so that the surface of contact with tubes 2 is continuous. At the opposite end, the coating element 26 has a bevelled outer surface, to prevent it colliding with or jamming the tubes 2.

To the ends of pin 22, on the side of the axis remote from the end bearing arm 20, are secured to a pair of counter-weights 27 each comprising a metal part-circular sector.

At its tip, each counter-weight 27 has a substantially semi-circular recess which is welded to pin 22.

An abutment 28 is secured to each chain 14 near the uprights 23 and on the side of the counter-weights 27. In the illustrated example, the abutment comprises a parallelepipedal block made, e.g. of metal covered with rubber or nylon. Preferably, the abutment is located to prevent the counter-weight 27 from rotating anticlockwise beyond the position illustrated in Figure 3 in which one of its sides is perpendicular to the 'rolling plane 1.

As can been seen from Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus further includes a substantially L-shaped arm 29 for lifting and transferring the tubes 2 to the outlet station 4, an arm being operably associated with each longitudinal member 6 at its outlet end. One end of each arm 29 is secured to connecting shaft 30 which is rotated by a control lever 31 actuated by a control device such as a pneumatic piston.

The apparatus described and illustrated operates as follows: When the driving motor 13 is switched on, it rotates shaft 12, which causes each chain 9 and the pawls 8 associated therewith to advance in a direction parallel to the longitudinal members 6. The speed of rotation of the motor 13, which determines the speed of advance of the chains 9, is ad justed so that each pawl 8 travels from the top to the bottom of the rolling surface 1 simultaneously with the supply of tubes from station 3. At the start of each journey by a pawl 8 down the rolling surface 1, a tube 2 is transferred on to the rolling surface 1.The tube advances along the surface at a speed which gradually increases since, in the initial stage, it rotates freely through gravity, until it abuts against and is restrained by a roller 25 of a pawl 8 when it continues to roll forward at the same speed as pawl 8 and continues to roll at the speed allowed by roller 25.

The rollers 25 are automatically positioned, in their raised and lowered positions, together with arm 20 which is raised relative to the rolling surface 1, by return means, preferably including biassing means, in this case the counter-weights 27. When a pawl 8 moves above the driven toothed wheel 11, the weights 27 cause the pawl 8 to rotate anticlockwise and the arm 20 is raised. Since pin 22 is coplanar with the rolling surface 1, arm 20 projects above it.

The tubes 2 are gradually fed towards the outlet end where they stop and accumulate.

When a certain number of tubes 2 have been stacked at the outlet end, they are transferred by means of the arms 29 to the outlet station 4, one tube at a time.

With particular reference to Figures 1 and 5, when a pawl 8 meets the uppermost tube of a set of tubes 2 stacked at the outlet end, the tube rotates the pawl clockwise, so that its arm 20 is below the rolling surface 1 (the position illustrated in Figure 5) and is held there by the action of the following tubes until the arm reaches the region under the driving toothed wheel 10.

As can be seen from Figure 1, during their entire travel back from the driving toothed wheel 10 to the driven toothed wheel 11 the pawls 8 remain in the same position relative to chains 9, as that which they adopt when they are below the tubes 2 stacked at the outlet end 4. The pawls are held in the afore-mentioned position under the action of the counter-weights 27, which tend to rotate them clockwise but are prevented from so doing by arms 20, which in the present case engages chains 14.

It will be clear from the foregoing, that the described apparatus substantially eliminates the causes of noise, which is primarily due to collisions between the tubes at the outlet end and to rotation thereof on rolling surface 1. This is achieved by using pawls 8 to regulate the speed at which the tubes 2 roll and by providing suitable coating elements for those parts of the apparatus which makes contact with them. The elements in question are the coating elements 26 and rollers 25 together with coating elements 32 upon longitudinal members 6 which may likewise be made of rubber or nylon.

If desired, surfaces of the apparatus which do not make contact with tubes 2 may also be coated with noise-reducing material, e.g.

the counter-weights 27 and abutments 28 or the rollers 16 of chains 9.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Transfer apparatus arranged to control the movement of tubes rolled down an inclined surface from a supply end to a delivery end, the apparatus comprising said inclined surface and a plurality of abutment means arranged to move, in use, at a preselected speed from the supply to the delivery end of said surface, each abutment means being arranged to be displaceable from an operative position in which it extends above said inclined surface and is effective to restrain a said tube in contact therewith so that the tube rolls down the inclined surface at said preselected speed, said abutment means being returnable to said operative position by return means such that the abutment means may be displaced from said operative position into an inoperative position upon encountering any obstacle resting upon said surface.

2. Transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said return means comprises a biasing means that yieldingly urges the respective abutment means into said operative position.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. substantially semi-circular recess which is welded to pin 22. An abutment 28 is secured to each chain 14 near the uprights 23 and on the side of the counter-weights 27. In the illustrated example, the abutment comprises a parallelepipedal block made, e.g. of metal covered with rubber or nylon. Preferably, the abutment is located to prevent the counter-weight 27 from rotating anticlockwise beyond the position illustrated in Figure 3 in which one of its sides is perpendicular to the 'rolling plane 1. As can been seen from Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus further includes a substantially L-shaped arm 29 for lifting and transferring the tubes 2 to the outlet station 4, an arm being operably associated with each longitudinal member 6 at its outlet end. One end of each arm 29 is secured to connecting shaft 30 which is rotated by a control lever 31 actuated by a control device such as a pneumatic piston. The apparatus described and illustrated operates as follows: When the driving motor 13 is switched on, it rotates shaft 12, which causes each chain 9 and the pawls 8 associated therewith to advance in a direction parallel to the longitudinal members 6. The speed of rotation of the motor 13, which determines the speed of advance of the chains 9, is ad justed so that each pawl 8 travels from the top to the bottom of the rolling surface 1 simultaneously with the supply of tubes from station 3. At the start of each journey by a pawl 8 down the rolling surface 1, a tube 2 is transferred on to the rolling surface 1.The tube advances along the surface at a speed which gradually increases since, in the initial stage, it rotates freely through gravity, until it abuts against and is restrained by a roller 25 of a pawl 8 when it continues to roll forward at the same speed as pawl 8 and continues to roll at the speed allowed by roller 25. The rollers 25 are automatically positioned, in their raised and lowered positions, together with arm 20 which is raised relative to the rolling surface 1, by return means, preferably including biassing means, in this case the counter-weights 27. When a pawl 8 moves above the driven toothed wheel 11, the weights 27 cause the pawl 8 to rotate anticlockwise and the arm 20 is raised. Since pin 22 is coplanar with the rolling surface 1, arm 20 projects above it. The tubes 2 are gradually fed towards the outlet end where they stop and accumulate. When a certain number of tubes 2 have been stacked at the outlet end, they are transferred by means of the arms 29 to the outlet station 4, one tube at a time. With particular reference to Figures 1 and 5, when a pawl 8 meets the uppermost tube of a set of tubes 2 stacked at the outlet end, the tube rotates the pawl clockwise, so that its arm 20 is below the rolling surface 1 (the position illustrated in Figure 5) and is held there by the action of the following tubes until the arm reaches the region under the driving toothed wheel 10. As can be seen from Figure 1, during their entire travel back from the driving toothed wheel 10 to the driven toothed wheel 11 the pawls 8 remain in the same position relative to chains 9, as that which they adopt when they are below the tubes 2 stacked at the outlet end 4. The pawls are held in the afore-mentioned position under the action of the counter-weights 27, which tend to rotate them clockwise but are prevented from so doing by arms 20, which in the present case engages chains 14. It will be clear from the foregoing, that the described apparatus substantially eliminates the causes of noise, which is primarily due to collisions between the tubes at the outlet end and to rotation thereof on rolling surface 1. This is achieved by using pawls 8 to regulate the speed at which the tubes 2 roll and by providing suitable coating elements for those parts of the apparatus which makes contact with them. The elements in question are the coating elements 26 and rollers 25 together with coating elements 32 upon longitudinal members 6 which may likewise be made of rubber or nylon. If desired, surfaces of the apparatus which do not make contact with tubes 2 may also be coated with noise-reducing material, e.g. the counter-weights 27 and abutments 28 or the rollers 16 of chains 9. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Transfer apparatus arranged to control the movement of tubes rolled down an inclined surface from a supply end to a delivery end, the apparatus comprising said inclined surface and a plurality of abutment means arranged to move, in use, at a preselected speed from the supply to the delivery end of said surface, each abutment means being arranged to be displaceable from an operative position in which it extends above said inclined surface and is effective to restrain a said tube in contact therewith so that the tube rolls down the inclined surface at said preselected speed, said abutment means being returnable to said operative position by return means such that the abutment means may be displaced from said operative position into an inoperative position upon encountering any obstacle resting upon said surface.

2. Transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each said return means comprises a biasing means that yieldingly urges the respective abutment means into said operative position.

3. Transfer apparatus as claimed in claim

2 wherein each said abutment means may move into an inoperative position below said inclined surface.

4. Transfer apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein each abutment means comprises a pawl pivotally attached to conveying means movable between the supply and delivery ends of the inclined surface.

5. Transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein each pawl comprises an arm secured at one end to a pin arranged for rotation about an axis below the inclined surface and rotatably carried by uprights secured to the conveying means to which the pawls are attached.

6. Transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 5 as dependent upon claim 2 wherein the biassing means comprises at least one counter-weight secured to said pin on the side of said axis remote from the arm, the or each counter-weight being adapted to raise the arm above the inclined surface.

7. Transfer apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein a roller is disposed on that end of the arm which, in use, contacts the tubes so that the tube can roll relative to the end of the arm.

8. Transfer apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7 wherein each pawl is associated with at least one stop secured to the conveying means to retain the pawl in the operative position above the level of the inclined surface.

9. Transfer apparatus substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.