GB2029789A

GB2029789A - Article Depositing Apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2029789A
Application number: GB7930094A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: KOMBINET FORTSCHRITT LAND MASC
Current assignee: KOMBINET FORTSCHRITT LAND MASC
Priority date: 1978-08-30
Filing date: 1979-08-30
Publication date: 1980-03-26
Also published as: NL180802C; DD138501B1; NL7906128A; ATA497079A; CH640390A5; DE2928657A1; AT367976B; GB2029789B; NL180802B; DE2928657C2; DD138501A1

Abstract

An article depositing apparatus comprises an endless conveyor belt (2) disposed to form mutually facing substantially co-planar belt loops each lapped around a respective one of two rolls (8, 9) defining a gap therebetween for the removal of the articles. The rolls are mounted to a slide (10) displaceable to displace the gap longitudinally of the belt in a first direction through circulatable chain means (15, 15) drivably connectible to first drive means (16, 18, 19, 20, 21) to permit the articles to fall from the belt onto receiving means (14) and thereafter in a second direction opposite to the first direction through the circulatable chain means (15, 15) drivably connectible to second drive means (22, 23, 24, 25). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Depositing Apparatus The present invention relates to a depositing apparatus for depositing inter alia dough products from a movable removal belt onto fixed or movable product carriers such as baking boards or baking trays, removal frames and tilting frames, suspension devices, conveyor belts and the like disposed therebelow.

DD-PS 45335 discloses an apparatus in which for the purpose of depositing dough products on baking trays or the like, a continuously moving endless removal belt conducted around return rolls is provided. The removal belt furtermore travels around two intermediately disposed drive rolls, the belt return roll of a belt length compensating slide positively guided by a chain drive in the machine frame beneath and, above, a depositing roll at constant level guided by a chain hoist.

DE-PS 1,199,713 discloses an apparatus in which the drop distance of dough products when being placed upon a transporting means situated beneath is reduced to a minimum, in order to maintain an approximately uniform position.

Instead of the depositing roll a tongue is provided on the drive means required for its forward and return movement, the tongue being capable of oscillating up and down to a limited extent in the manner of a rocker about a horizontal, transverse axis. The tongue has at its rear end, a counter-weight so balanced that its forward end is slightly over-seighted. The limiting of the upward and downward inovement of the tongue is achieved by means of a roller oscillating between two stop bars.

The common disadvantage of the known depositing apparatuses is that the supplying of the dough products is always established in one direction of conveying and thus the depositing operation can take place only at one end so that, for example, a depositing device for settling down the dough products must be uniquely associated with each part production line, comprising essentially a dough dividing and kneading machine, a spreader belt and a shaping device.

Apart from the large area required, the technical and economic expense increases nonlinearly when the known depositing apparatuses are used in processing lines of increased performance, especially for the production of bread rolls and the like, where in practice two dough dividing and kneading machines standing approximately parallel to each other are disposed, each having a 3 to 6-row dough products discharge.Associated with this discharge is the spreader belt and shaping device for each, the individual conveyor belts of which are formed on the delivery side as stepped belts, the return rolls of each of which are constituted of one of the two depositing devices disposed transversely to the direction of conveying of the production line and one after the other, these devices depositing the dough products in a predetermined sequence, synchronized in groups at intervals, onto fixed or moving surfaces of the fermenting apparatus disposed thereafter.

Taking into account the continuous drive of all line production devices from one main shaft and the supplying of the dough products from the preceding machines at left and right, two identical depositing devices are inevitably disposed alongside each other, either conveying and removing in opposite directions-in which the case the main shaft drives one of the devices directly and the other via a complicated reverse gear--or they are arranged to convey and remove in the same direction, so that the main shaft does indeed drive both the depositing devices directly, but to suit the direction of feed which now is only possible from one side, an additional single conveyor belt must be disposed above one of the depositing apparatuses.Not only is this technically expensive, but as a result of the additional drop height the dough products become displaced from their positions in an undesirable manner.

A further disadvantage arises from the fundamental use of a pole-changing electric motor for the removing and return motions of the depositing roll, as is apparent for instance from DE-AS 1,244,085, the motor reversals of which result in losses of energy and time, which are still further increased by the necessary stopping of the motor for fixing the end positions of the depositing roll.

According to the present invention there is provided an article depositing apparatus comprising an endless conveyor belt disposed to form mutually facing substantially co-planar belt loops each lapped around a respective one of the two rolls defining a cap therebetween for the removal of the articles, the rolls being mounted to a slide displaceable to displace the gap longitudinally of the belt in a first direction through circulatable chain means drivably connectible to first drive means to permit the articles to fall from the belt onto receiving means and thereafter in a second direction opposite to the first direction through the circulatable chain means drivably connectible to the second drive means.

The present invention will now be more particularly explained by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatic side view of a depositing apparatus in a feed of dough products from the right, Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the depositing apparatus, and Fig. 3 shows diagrammatically in plan view a depositing apparatus interconnected between two preceding part production lines in plan.

Referring to Fig. 1 and 2, a depositing apparatus for dough products comprises a machine frame 1, in which an endless removal belt 2 wraps around the two drive rolls 3, 4 with a tensioning roll 6 loaded by a weight 5 between them. The remaining required guiding of the removal belt 2 is provided by several freely rotatable belt deflector rolls 7, although the forward and rear, mutually opposed, tongueforming loop ends of the selectable conveying direction 2a, 2b each wrap around a respective freely rotatable depositing roll 8, 9. These rolls are journalled in a rail-guided depositing slide 10 in such a manner that depositing roll 8 is stationary and depositing roll 9 is displaceable in the conveying plane by spindles (not shown) for the purpose of correcting the belt run.The continuous drive of the removal belt 2 is provided in each case from a preceding part production line or a processing line (not shown) via an intermediate gear 11, which is coupled by chain drives 12, 13 to the drive rolls 3, 4. Beneath the depositing slide 10 and transversely to the direction of depositing, dough products carriers are disposed in the form of suspension devices or racks 14. Endless control chains 1 5, 1 5', attached to each side of the depositing slide 10, wrap around the chain wheels 16, 16' and 17, 17' of two separate drives for the reciprocating movement.The drive for the removal movement of the depositing slide 10 comprises an electric motor 18, which can be drivingly connected via a chain drive 1 9 and an electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 20 to chain wheels 16, 16' keyed to a shaft 21. The drive for the return movement in conveying direction 2a comprises an additional electric motor 22, which can be drivingly connected via a chain drive 23 and an electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 24 to the chain wheels 1 7, 1 7' keyed to a shaft 25. An additional electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 26 is also disposed on the shaft 25 for fixing the end position, in that its coupling casing 26' forms one unit with the machine frame 1.The electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 26 is controlled in conjunction with the dough products carrier by means of an induction switch (not shown). For controlling the electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 24,26, the shaft 21 is drivingly connected via a reduction chain drive 27 to a switching shaft 28, on which are mounted angularly adjustable switching tongues 29, 30, which generate switching pulses at the induction switches 29', 30' mounted on the machine frame 1. The length of the depositing range 2' is determined by the angular setting of the switching tongues 29, 30 relative to one another and, to permit correction of the depositing range 2', should not exceed about 2700.

A feeder belt 31 of the preceding plant is shown for the dough products 32 intended for conveying direction 2a. As shown in Fig. 3, the depositing apparatus is disposed between two stationary part production lines, each comprising a continuous dough dividing and kneading machine with a spreader belt 33, 33' and a shaping station 34, 34' their feeder belts 31, ' both adjoining without contact the removal belt 2 mounted in the machine frame 1. Transversely to the combination of two part production lines, the racks 14 of the dough products carrier are disposed.This combination of two part production lines is not uniquely associated with the embodiment shown, but may also be produced, if space requires, by the part production lines being disposed transversely to the removal belt 2, that is alongside each other in the direction of conveying of the racks 14, by using so-called stepped belts at the discharge side of the shaping stations 34, 34'.

The continuous drive of the removal belt 2 is achieved by the main drive shaft 35, 35' of each part production line being equipped with an electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 36, 36' respectively, one component of the clutch being mounted on the corresponding shaft stump of the intermediate gear 11. The switching arrangement is such as to ensure that only one of the electromagnetic multiple-disc clutches 36, 36' can form the driving connection at one time.

The method of operation is as follows: The continuous drive for the removal belt 2 is provided in conveying direction 2a by the main drive shaft 35 of one part production line via the intermediate gear 11, by means of the chain drive 12, 13 to the drive rolls 3, 4. The depositing slide 10, provided with the depositing rolls 8, 9 is here situated, as a consequence of the switched-on electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 26, in the braked end position, whereas the driving connection of the two separate drives is interrupted by means of the electromagnetic multiple-disc clutches 20, 24. Independently thereof, the electric motors 1 8, 22 revolve with their associated chain drives 1 9, 23, idling in the constant direction of rotation shown.The dough products 32 are supplied via a feeder belt 31 to the removal belt 2 and pass into the depositing range 2'. When the dough products 32 have reached the depositing roll 9, an induction switch (not shown) automatically triggers in coincidence with the rack 14 the removal operation, by switching off the electromagnetic clutch 26 and switching on the electromagnetic clutch 20. As a result the drive is applied by means of the shaft 21, firstly via the chain wheels 1 6, 1 6' and control chains 1 5, 1 5' to the depositing slide 10, so that this slide is pulled back in the predetermined depositing range 2' and the dough products 32 are deposited into the rack 14 situated below. Secondly, the rotational movement of the shaft 21 is transmitted via the chain drive 27 and switching shaft 28 to the switching tongues 29, 30. When the switching tongue 30 reaches the induction switch 30', the removal operation is terminated and the generated switching pulse is simultaneously transmitted to switch off the electromagnetic clutch 20 and to switch on the electromagnetic clutch 24. Thus the driving connection between electric motor 18 and shaft 21 is interrupted and the electric motor 22 transmits its opposite direction of rotation to the shaft 25, which on the one hand advances the depositing slide 10 in conveying direction 2a via the chain wheels 17, 17' and control chains 1 5, 1 5', and on the other hand, via the shaft 21 and chain drive 27, rotates the switching shaft 28 back.When the switching tongue 29 has reached the induction switch 29', then simultaneously the depositing slide 10 has again reached its end position and the generated switching pulse is immediately transmitted to switch off the electromagnetic clutch 24 and switch on the electromagnetic clutch 26. Thus the driving connection between electric motor 22 and shaft 25 is likewise interrupted and the depositing slide 10 is held in the braked position by the electromagnetic muiti-disc clutch 26. This continues until the dough products 32 supplied on the removal belt 2 have reached the depositing roll 9 and the induction switch (not shown) again triggers the removal operation.The aforementioned method of operation is to be applied completely to the production flow illustrated in the conveying direction 2a of Fig. 3, until a programme-dependent change in product becomes necessary without delay in conveying direction 2b. This requires a reversal of the individual working sequences and thus the automatic changing of the end limiting position of the depositing slide 10 in the opposite direction within the depositing range 2'.

This is achieved by a change-over switch (not shown) which is mounted for example on the central switching cabinet of the two part production lines. The change-over switch transposes the pulse function of the induction switches 29', 30' and simultaneously causes the disengagement of the electromagnetic multipledisc clutch 36 and the engagement of the electromagnetic multiple-disc clutch 36'.

The dough products 32 are now supplied via the feeder belt 31' to the removal belt 2 and pass into the depositing range 2'. When they have reached the depositing roll 8, the electromagnetic clutch 26 is switched off and the electromagnetic clutch 24 switched on for the removal operation.

As a result the depositing slide is pulled back and the dough products 32 are deposited on the rack 14. Simultaneously the rotational movement is transmitted to the switching shaft 28. When the switching tongue 29 reaches the induction switch 29' the removal operation is terminated and the switching pulse generated is transmitted simultaneously to switch off the electromagnetic clutch 24 and switch on the electromagnetic clutch 20. The depositing slide 10 reverses in the direction of conveying 2b to its end position, is braked when the switching tongue 30 reaches the induction switch 30' and the generated switching pulse has switched off electromagnetic clutch 20 and switched on electromagnetic clutch 26 to fix the end position.

Claims

1. An article depositing apparatus comprising an endless conveyor belt disposed to form mutually facing substantially co-planar belt loops each lapped around a respective one of two rolls defining a gap therebetween for the removal of the articles, the rolls being mounted to a slide displaceable to displace the gap longitudinally of the belt in a first direction through circulatable chain means drivably connectible to first drive means to permit the articles to fall from the belt onto receiving means and thereafter in a second direction opposite to the first direction through the circulatable chain means drivably connectible to second drive means.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, whrein the receiving means comprises a rotatable rack.

3. An apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, comprising further article processing means adjacent at least one of the loops and arranged to convey the articles to the loops.

4. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the rolls is displaceable relative to the slide longitudinally of the belt.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second drive means each comprises a respective electric motor coupled through a respective drive chain to a respective multipledisc clutch, each being arranged to transmit torque in a respective one of two mutually opposite directions of relation.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising electro-mechanical means to vary the extent of displacement of the gap.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electro-mechanical means comprises a switching shaft provided with switching tongues angularly adjustable relative to each other to set the extent of the displacement of the gap, and stationary induction switches actuable by the tongues to start and stop the displacement of the gap.

8. An article depositing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.