GB2030124A

GB2030124A - Device for feeding objects one by one in succession

Info

Publication number: GB2030124A
Application number: GB7920325A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Koyo Jidoki Co Ltd; Koyo Automatic Machine Co Ltd
Current assignee: Koyo Jidoki Co Ltd; Koyo Automatic Machine Co Ltd
Priority date: 1978-09-27
Filing date: 1979-06-12
Publication date: 1980-04-02
Also published as: FR2437360B1; JPS5550019U; JPS5732980Y2; DE2919398A1; GB2030124B; FR2437360A1

Abstract

A device for feeding objects one by one in succession comprises a turntable 1 for receiving the objects A in groups, a guide 11, which extends at least partly around the periphery of the turntable 1 and, in operation, guides the objects A in single file from the turntable 1 at a discharge position at the periphery of the turntable, and an agitating spring 35 which is mounted above the surface of the turntable 1, and, in operation, holds the groups of objects A on the turntable 1 in a position upstream of the discharge position and allows the objects A to be moved by the turntable one by one along the guide 11 to the discharge position. In order to ensure that the objects upstream of the agitating spring are separated from each other and fed forwards one by one by the turntable, the agitating spring 35 is oscillated to and fro by a multi-lobe cam 2 which rotates with the turntable and oscillates the agitating spring 35 to and fro a number of times during each revolution of the turntable 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Device for feeding objects one by one in succession In apparatus for sticking labels on bottles or other containers and in apparatus for wrapping sweets or other articles, it is necessary for the containers or other articles to be fed through the apparatus one by one in succession. A similar requirement for feeding objects one by one in succession also occurs for many other purposes.

One kind of device for this purpose comprises a turntable for receiving the objects in groups, a guide which extends at least partly around the periphery of the turntable and, in operation, guides the objects in single file from the turntable at a discharge position at the periphery, and an agitating spring which is mounted above the surface of the turntable, and, in operation, holds the group of objects on the turntable in a position upstream of the discharge position in relation to the direction of rotation of the turntable and allows the objects to be moved by the turntable one by one along the guide to the discharge position.

In existing devices of the kind just described, the agitating spring is moved by a pin which is fixed eccentrically on the turntable and accordingly the spring makes only one oscillatory movement for each revolution of the turntable. Provided that the number of objects deposited on the turntable in each group is quite small and provided that nearly all one group of objects is allowed to leave the turntable before another group of objects is deposited, the existing form of the device of the kind described operates quite satisfactorily.However, it is common that the operator of the device places too large a number of objects on the turntable in a single group or deposits a number of groups successively on the turntable before the preceding objects have been discharged from the turntable and, when this happens, a large number of these objects congregate upstream of the agitating spring and tend to jam together so that the objects are no longer able to be fed in single file between the end of the spring and the guide as the turntable rotates.

If, in order to overcome this problem the gap between the end of the spring and the guide is increased in width, there is a tendency for more than one object to pass through the gap at once so that the objects no longer remain in single file and some at least of the objects will pass through the gap without being in contact with the guide around the periphery of the turntable and they are not therefore guided to the discharge position as the turntable rotates.

Further, in order to increase the rate at which the device feeds the objects, it is necessary to increase the speed of rotation of the turntable, but this increase in speed tends to accentuate the tendency for the objects to jam in the gap between the end of the agitating spring and the guide. When the objects are tall in relation to the area of their bases, for example if the objects are bottles, and the objects jam against the agitating spring, the spring tends to be bent and then springs back again and so knocks over the bottles. If this happens, the device can no longer operate to feed the bottles in single file in the required upright position.

The aim of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages of conventional devices of the kind described and to construct a device of the kind described in such a way that it can be operated more smoothly and continuously than can the existing devices and can maintain a larger throughput of objects.

To this end, according to this invention, in a device of the kind described, the agitating spring is mounted on a first arm which is pivotally mounted to enable it to oscillate about a fixed axis, a second pivotally mounted arm, which is spaced further above the turntable than the first arm, is connected to the first arm so that the two arms osillate together, and a cam rotates with the turntable and engages a cam follower on the second arm to oscillate the arms and hence the agitating spring, the cam being shaped so that the arms and the spring make a number of oscillations for each revolution of the turntable.

Preferably the cam has several lobes, for example, six, so that the arms and the cam oscillate to and fro six times during each revolution of the turntable. Of course, the number of lobes may be larger or smaller than six provided that there are at least two.

Preferably the two arms are each fixed at one end to a common shaft which is rotatably mounted and then the leaf spring is fixed to the other end of the first arm and the cam follower, which is preferably in the form of a roller, is mounted on the other end of the second arm.

An example of a device in accordance with the invention, and also, for the purposes of comparison, an example of a conventional device of the kind described, will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic plan view of the device in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view from one side of part of the device in accordance with the invention; Figure 3 is a side view partly in section of part of the device in accordance with the invention; Figure 4 is a plan view of the second arm of the device in accordance with the invention showing a modification; Figure 5 is a side view partly in section of a part of the device in accordance with the invention showing another modification; and, Figure 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of the conventional device of the kind described.

The conventional device shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings comprises a turntable a, on which a vertical pin b is fixed in a eccentric position. A sleeve C is freely rotatably mounted on the pin b and an agitating leaf spring d has one end fixed to the sleeve c.

The spring d projects from the sleeve c towards the periphery of the turntable a and is held in this position by a fixed support e which bears against one side of the spring d.

The support e is on the downstream side of the spring dsince the turntable a rotates about its centre in a counter-clockwise direction. A guide fsurrounds the periphery of the turntable a and leads to a tangential discharge passageway.

As the turntable a rotates, the pin b, being eccentric, acts as a crank and moves the spring dtowards and away from the part of the guide wall fadjacent the support e and also oscillates the spring dto and fro about its point of contact with the support e.

Since the pin b makes only one rotation for each complete revolution of the turntable a, the spring d makes only one to and fro oscillatory movement for each revolution of the turntable.

When a large number of bottles, for example, are placed on the turntable a to the left of the spring das seen in Fig. 6, and the turntable a is rotated counter-clockwise, the bottles are guided by the spring dtowards the periphery of the turntable a and are moved along the guide wall fas the turntable rotates.

The bottles pass through the gap between the end of the spring dand the guide wall funtil they reach the discharge passageway as shown along which they move in single file onto a conveyor by which they are carried one by one and still in single file to another part of the apparatus for sticking labels onto the bottles.

The motion of the spring d breaks up any conglomeration of the bottles upstream of the spring so that the bottles pass one by one through the gap between the end of the spring dand the guide wall f, but if an excessive number of bottles collect upstream of the spring d, they may then jam and the single to and fro movement of the spring d in each revolution of the turntable a may be insufficient to dislodge the bottles and cause them to be fed singly as required.

The device in accordance with the invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings comprises a turntable 1 surrounded by a guide wall 11 with a discharge passage similar to the turntable a and the guide wall fof the convention device as shown in Fig. 6.

As shown in Fig. 3, the underside of the turntable 1 is connected to the driving shaft of a motor M by which the turntable is rotated at a pre-set speed.

A pillar 21 is fixed to the centre of the upper side of the turntable 1 and a can 2 is fixed to the top of the pillar 21. In the illustrated example, the cam 2 is symmetrical as seen in plan and has six curved lobes with troughs between them. Instead of the symmetrical cam shown, an asymmetrical cam may be used to produce a varying motion of the agitating spring.

Againg as shown in Fig. 3, a ring 22 loosely surrounds the pillar 21 and has a guide strip 23 (shown also in Fig. 1) projecting from it.

A fixed supporting arm 3 projects inwards above the periphery of the turntable 1 and the inner end of the supporting arm 3 carries a rotatable shaft 31 which extends vertically downwards from the supporting arm 3. A first arm 33 is fixed to the bottom of the shaft 31 and a second arm 32 is fixed to the middle of the shaft 31. The free end of the second arm 32 is fitted with a cam follower roller 34 which engages with the periphery of the cam 2 and a leaf agitating spring 35 projects from the free end of the first arm 33.

The agitating spring 35 is formed of relatively springy steel strip and is so arranged that its free end is spaced from the guide wall 11 to form a gap through which bottles A on the turntable 1 can pass one at a time as the turntable 1 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction.

The tension spring 36 acts between the second arm 32 and the supporting arm 3 to hold the roller 34 in contact with the cam 2.

As the cam 2 rotates with the turntable 1, the arm 32 is oscillated to and fro and performs six cycles of oscillation during each full revolution of the turntable 1. The oscillation of the arm 32 is transmitted by the shaft 31 to the arm 33 and thence to the agitating spring 35. The oscillation of the agitating spring 35 effectively breaks up a conglomeration of bottles on the upstream side of the spring 35 and ensures that the bottles are moved by the rotation of the turntable 1 one by one in succession around the inside of the guide wall 11 to the discharge passage as shown in Fig. 1.

As the bottles are fed one by one in succession through the discharge passage, an operator places further groups of bottles on the turntable in a position upstream from the agitator spring 35 and these bottles are all moved by the rotation of the turntable 1 into contact with each other immediately on the upstream side of the spring 35 as shown in Fig. 1. However, the repeated oscillatory movement of the spring 35 in a direction different from that in which the bottles are being guided by the guide wall 11 ensures that the bottles are fed from the group in which they are in contact with each other one at a time through the gap between the free end 35 a of the spring 35 and the inside of the guide wall 11.This continued feeding is ensured because the bottles are subjected to frequent movements in two directions and this ensures that the bottles are separated from each other effectively.

Since the group of bottles are subjected to movements several times during each revolution of the turntable 1, and these movements are in a direction different from that of the movement of the turntable, the relative posi tions between the bottles are readily varied so that they are freed from each other and are smoothly and successively fed to the dis charge passage.

The bottles can be fed smoothly and contin uously even if they are placed in a large group on the turntable and it is not necessary to rotate the turntable at such a high speed to maintain a continuous feed of the bottles as is necessary in the conventional device shown in Fig. 6.

Since the bottles are smoothly separated from each other there is no risk of the leaf spring striking the bottles in such a way that they are broken or toppled over on the turnta ble 1.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the second arm 32 is divided into two parts which are pivotally connected together by a pin 32 a and the two parts are arranged so that they can pivot relatively to each other in one -direction only and are biased in an opposite direction relatively to each other by a spring 32 b. With this arrangement, if the bottles build up into a large mass on the upstream side of the spring 35, and thus exert an excessive force on the spring 35 and the arm 33 owing to the movement of the turntable 1, this force can be absorbed by the spring 32 b which allows the two parts of the arm 32 to pivot relatively to each other and this avoids any damage to the device or to the bottles.

In the second modification shown in Fig. 5, the second arm 32, instead of being formed integrally with the shaft 31, is rotatably mounted on the shaft 31 and is clamped in position by a clamping screw 31 a. The provision of the clamping screw 31 a enables the angle between the arms 32 and 33 to be adjusted. As a result, the distance between the free end 35 a of the leaf spring 35 and the guide wall 11 can be adjusted.

Claims

1. A device for feeding objects one by one in succession, the device comprising a turntable for receiving the objects in groups, a guide which extends at least partly around the periphery of the turntable and, in operation, guides the objects in single file from the turntable at a discharge position at the periphery, and an agitating spring which is mounted above the surface of the turntable and, in operation, holds the groups of objects on the turntable in a position upstream of the discharge position in relation to the direction of rotation of the turntable and allows the objects to be moved by the turntable one by one along the guide to the discharge position, wherein the agitating spring is mounted on a first arm which is pivotally mounted to enable it to oscillate about a fixed axis, a second pivotally mounted arm, which is spaced further above the turntable than the first arm, is connected to the first arm so that the two arms oscillate together, and a cam rotates with the turntable and engages a cam follower on the second arm to oscillate the arms and hence the agitating spring, the cam being shaped so that the arms and the spring make a number of oscillations for each revolution of the turntable.

2. A device according to Claim 1, in which the two arms are each fixed at one end to a common shaft which is rotatably mounted, the leaf spring being fixed to the other end of the first arm and the cam follower being mounted on the other end of the second arm.

3. A device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the cam follower is a roller.

4. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the cam has six or more lobes.

5. A device according to any one of the preceding Claims, in which the second arm is in two parts which are pivotally connected together, and are able to pivot relatively to each other in only one direction.

6. A device according to Claim 1 substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, or Fig. 4, or Fig. 5, of the accompanying drawings.