GB2029361A

GB2029361A - Assembling Tins in Plastics Carriers

Info

Publication number: GB2029361A
Application number: GB7835920A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: PLASTIK METALLVERPACKUNG GmbH
Current assignee: PLASTIK METALLVERPACKUNG GmbH
Priority date: 1978-09-07
Filing date: 1978-09-07
Publication date: 1980-03-19

Abstract

A method is provided for assembling tins (1), each provided with a beaded rim, in rim-retention openings of a resilient plastics carrier (2). A row of tins (1) is fed to a pressing region, interstitial means (5) are introduced to engage the tins (1) therebetween and the tins (1) are pressed consecutively and singly into the carrier (2) by presser means (6). The interstitial means comprises a chain, which engages between successive tins under control of a cam rail 4 and which has pressers 6 operable under control of a second cam rail 12 to successively push the cans into the carrier. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Assembling Self-Supporting Articles in a Carrier The present invention relates to the assembling of self-supporting articles, each provided with a beaded rim, in resilient plastics carrier means provided with retaining means disposed to retain an article by its rim.

On pressing self-supporting articles, for example tins for preserves, into prefabricated carriers with retaining means, radial forces must be overcome, which lead to deformations of the retaining means. Thereby, the retaining means can often not perform the function allocated to them, namely holding fast the part of a tin pressed in the carrier for example at the beaded rim of the article. The danger of such deformation becomes greater when several tins are arranged beside one another in one plane and are pressed simultaneously into correspondingly neighbouring retaining means of a frame.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of assembling self-supporting articles, each provided with a beaded rim, in resilient plastics carrier means provided with retaining means disposed to retain an article by its rim, the method comprising feeding a row of the articles to a pressing region, introducing interstitial means to engage the articles therebetween and pressing the articles singly and consecutively into the carrier means by presser means.

The carrier means, the interstitial means and the presser means may be fed together with the articles to the pressing region.

The interstitial means may be introduced to at most two thirds of a dimension of the article in the direction of introduction.

The carrier means may be fed along with the articles by means comprising a conveyor belt by which the articles being pressed are supported.

The rows of articles side by side may be fed to the pressing region, the articles being pressed alternately from each row in the same direction.

Each of two rows of the articles may be fed to a respective pressing region, respective interstitial means may be introduced between the articles in each row, and the articles may be pressed towards one another into respective retainer means each disposed at opposite sides of the carrier means.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for performing the method as defined above, comprising interstitial means arranged to be introduced between the articles, presser means to press each article of a row of articles consecutively into carrier means, a first cam rail to provide a camming effect for introducing the interstitial means between articles, a second cam rail to provide a camming effect for pressing the articles into the carrier means and means for simultaneously feeding to the pressing region the carrier means, the interstitial means and the presser means for the row of articles, wherein the first cam rail comprises a first portion for introducing the interstitial means between the articles, a flat second portion to maintain the interstitial means between the articles by a constant distance in the direction of introduction and a third portion over the length of which the interstitial means in operation retract from between the articles, and wherein the second rail comprises a first portion which is substantially within the range of the second portion of the first cam rail and which is preceded in the feed direction by a second portion for pressing the articles into the carrier means, the second portion extending over a length corresponding to a dimension of each article.

The first portion of the second rail may be flat and extend over a distance approximately corresponding to a dimension of one to two articles taken in the feed direction.

The distance between the first and second portions of the first cam rail in the direction of introduction of the interstitial means may approximately correspond to two thirds of a dimension of an article in the direction of introduction of the interstitial means.

The distance between the first and second portion of the second cam rail in the direction of introduction of the interstitial means may approximately correspond to a dimension of the retaining portion of each article in the direction of introduction of the interstitial means.

The interstitial means and the presser means may be provided with roller means engaging a respective one of the cam rails.

The apparatus may comprise a conveyor belt so disposed as to in operation supportably engage and guide the carrier means.

The apparatus. may be adapted to be used with carrier means provided with respective retaining means each disposed at opposite sides of the carrier means, the apparatus comprising means for feeding each of two rows of the articles to a respective pressing region, respective interstitial means for each row of the articles and respective pressing means for each row of the articles, the pressing means being arranged to press the articles towards one another into the respectively oppositely disposed retaining means.

The presser means may be arranged to press the articles in a substantially vertical direction.

The presser means may be arranged to press the articles in a substantially horizontal direction.

The apparatus may be adapted to be used with two rows of articles disposed side by side, the apparatus comprising for each row respective interstitial means, presser means and first and second cam rails, the first portion of each second cam rail being separated in the feed direction by a distance approximately corresponding to a dimension of an article in the feed direction.

The interstitial means may comprise shaped core elements. Simultaneous charging of two carrier receiving means, lying tangentiaily against each other cannot occur. The changes of permanent deformation of the retaining means is reduced to a minimum.

The presser means may comprise die elements.

The interstitial means so position the articles relative to the carrier means that undesirable deformation of the carrier means does not occur.

Good alignment of the articles results when the profile of the interstitial means is matched to the contour of the outer surface of the articles. By having the first portion of the second cam rail rise over a relatively short travel, particularly over a distance of less than the width of one article, through somewhat more than the depth of the retaining means of the carrier means, the articles with their beaded rims are pressed singly and consecutively into the carrier means. After the pressing operation and at about the same time as the withdrawal of the pressing means, the interstitial means may be withdrawn through appropriate shaping of the first cam rail. The articles inserted into the carrier means can be transferred from the feed means to transport means which guides them to a collecting point or packaging station.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows an apparatus with a vertical arrangement of tins and side-by-side charging of carriers, Fig. 2 shows a section along lines Il-lI of Fig.

1, Fig. 3 shows an apparatus with a horizontal arrangement of tins and means arranged to both sides of the carriers for the insertion of the tins, into the carriers, Fig. 4 shows in plan view, an empty carrier, and Fig. 5 shows a carrier in section along line V V of Fig. 4 with an inserted tin.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for the assembling of a plurality of tins 1 with beaded edges in a carrier 2 of resilient plastics material, the tins, arranged in one or more rows, are transferred to a chain which runs in the direction of arrow 3. The chain comprises interstitial means in the form of shaped cores 5 controlled through a first cam rail 4 for the positioning of the tins 1 in such a manner that the shaped cores 5 (with a vertical arrangement of the tins) penetrate past the bases of the tins between the tins standing in rows up to, for example, two thirds of the height of the tins. The profile of the shaped cores 5 is matched to the contour of the tins. Furthermore, the chain comprises pressing means in the form of press dies 6 or impression elements under each tin base for pressing the tins 1 into the carriers 2.

The control of the press dies 6 can take place through a second cam rail 7. Provided as a counter-support for the pressing-in process is an upper belt 8 guided over rollers 9.

The first cam rail 4, which is provided for the actuation of the shaped cores 5, has a plateau 10.

Through this plateau, the shaped cores 5 are gradually pushed into the spaces between the tins 1 before the start of the pressing-in process. The shaped cores 5 can run over rollers 11 on the cam rail 4. The shaped cores are matched to the contour of the sides of the tins. The space between individual tins to be inserted into separate carriers 2 may be greater than within the groups of tins allocated to the same carrier.

Consequently, the shaped cores 5a are thicker than the cores 5.

The second cam rail provided for the control of the press dies 6 has a hump 12 in the region thereof corresponding to the end of the plateau 10 of the first cam rail 4, the height of the hump relative to the normal level of the second cam rail 7 just sufficing to advance the press dies 6 for the pressing of the tins 1 into the carriers 2. The staggered pressing-in of the tins is attained by the hump 12 rising out of the normal level of the second cam rail 7 over a distance, which in particular at most has a length equivalent to the diameter of a single tin. Also the press dies 6 can be guided on rollers 13 on the cam rail 7.When carriers are to be equipped with two or more rows of tins lying beside one another, the humps 12 controlling the corresponding press dies 6 can be displaced relative to one another in the direction of the arrow 3, particularly through about the width of one tin.

Fig. 3 shows an embodiment with a respective transport chain allocated to the oppositely lying faces of the carriers 2. The transport chains are so constructed symmetrically to one another that the tins 1 positioned by the shaped cores 5 are pressed simultaneously at 14 into individual frames, lying exactly opposite one another, of the respective carrier 2. In this embodiment, in which the tins may lie horizontally at both sides of the carrier, the pressing-in of the tins can take place without the use of a special countersupport because the curve rails 4 and 7 have a respective plateau 10 or a respective hump 12 at places or regions lying exactly opposite one another. The two parts of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3 are constructed exactly the same as the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 shows in plan view a carrier 2 to be equipped. A section along the line V-V of Fig. 4 is shown in Fig. 5. In the latter figure, it is shown how the tins 1 can be inserted into the carrier 2.

The frame of the carrier 2 comprises ring-shaped mounts a retaining means 1 5, the inner wall of which is adapted to a beaded rim 1 6 of the tins 1.

Bridges 1 7 are provided at the points, at which the ring-shaped mounts 1 5 lie against one another.

A tin 1 before insertion and a tin 1 after insertion into the mount 1 5 of the carrier 2, corresponding to position 14 of Fig. 3, are shown in Fig. 5. During the pressing of the tins 1 into the carrier 2, the outer rims of the mounts 1 5 are temporarily deformed. Since the tins are pressed into the mounts 1 5 singly one after the other and positioned exactly (with the aid of the shaped cores 5) with respect to the plane of the carrier, a lateral deviation of the mounts can occur during the pressing-in, so that permanent deformation is not to be feared. A tin is pressed into the carrier 2 only when a preceding tin 1 sits firmly in the carrier and the mount 15 which may comprise resilient plastics material has laid itseif around the beaded edge 1 6 of the tin.

Claims

1. A method of assembling self-supporting articles, each provided with a beaded rim, in resilient plastics carrier means provided with retaining means disposed to retain an article by its rim, the method comprising feeding a row of the articles to a pressing region, introducing interstitial means to engage the articles therebetween and pressing the articles singly and consecutively into the carrier means by presser means.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the carrier means, the interstitial means and the presser means are fed together with the articles to the pressing region.

3. A method as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, the interstitial means being introduced to at most two thirds of a dimension of the article in the direction of introduction.

4. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the carrier means being fed along with the articles by means comprising a conveyor belt against which the articles being pressed are supported.

5. A method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein two rows of articles side by side are fed to the pressing region and the articles are pressed alternately from each row in the same direction.

6. A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising feeding each of two rows of the articles to a respective pressing region, introducing respective interstitial means between the articles in each row, and pressing the articles towards one another into respective retainer means each disposed at opposite sides of the carrier means.

7. A method of assembling articles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of assembling articles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

9. An apparatus for performing the method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising interstitial means arranged to be introduced between the articles, presser means to press each article of a row of articles consecutively into carrier means, a first cam rail to provide a camming effect for introducing the interstitial means between articles, a second cam rail to provide a camming effect for pressing the articles into the carrier means and means for simultaneously feeding to the pressing region the carrier means, the interstitial means and the presser means for the row of articles, wherein the first cam rail comprises a first portion for introducing the interstitial means between the articles, a flat second portion to maintain the interstitial means between the articles by a constant distance in the direction of introductiori and a third portion over the length of which the interstitial means in operation retract from between the articles, and wherein the second rail comprises a first portion which is substantially within the range of the second portion of the first cam rail and which is preceded in the feed direction by a second portion for pressing the articles into the carrier means, the second portion extending over a length corresponding to a dimension of each article.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first portion of the second rail is flat and extends over a distance approximately corresponding to a dimension of one to two articles taken in the feed direction.

11. An apparatus as claimed in either claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the distance between the first and second portions of the first cam rail in the direction of introduction of the interstitial means approximately corresponds to two thirds of a dimension of an article in the direction of introduction of the interstitial means.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein the distance between the first and second portion of the second cam rail in the direction of introduction of the interstitial means approximately corresponds to a dimension of the retaining portion of each article jn the direction of introduction of the interstitial means.

13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 12, wherein the interstitial means and the presser means are provided with roiler means engaging a respective one of the cam rails.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13, comprising a conveyor belt so disposed as to in operation supportably engage and guide the carrier means.

1 5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 13, adapted to be used with carrier means provided with respective retaining means disposed at each of opposite sides of the carrier means, the apparatus comprising means for feeding each of two rows of the articles to a respective pressing region, respective interstitial means for each row of the articles and respective pressing means for each row of the articles, the pressing means being arranged to press the articles towards one another into the respectively oppositely disposed retaining means.

1 6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15, the presser means being arranged to press the articles in a substantially vertical direction.

1 7. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 15, the presser means being arranged to press the articles in a substantially horizontal direction.

18. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 17, adapted to be used with two rows of articles disposed side by side, the apparatus comprising for each row respective interstitial means, presser means and first and second cam rails. the first portion of each second cam rail being separated in the feed direction by a distance approximately corresponding to a dimension of an article in the feed direction.

19. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 18, wherein the interstitial means comprises shaped core elements.

20. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 19, wherein the presser means comprises die elements.

21. An apparatus for assembling articles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.

22. An apparatus for assembling articles, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3, Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 of the accompanying drawings.