GB2157251A - Reciprocating conveyor - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyor and indexing mechanism comprises a pair of laterally spaced skid-rails 12 along which cylindrical containers 10 such as beer kegs are to be successively moved from one station to another. The indexing mechanism comprises a set of pegs 16 for pushing the containers along the skid-rails with the pegs mounted on an upper reciprocable member 14, itself connected by bell crank linkages 20 to a lower reciprocable member 18. Fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder devices 34 and 28 are operably connected respectively to the upper and lower reciprocable members 14 and 18 for effecting indexed movement of the pegs and moving the containers in a step-by-step manner along the skid-rails. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Conveyor and indexing mechanism therefor This invention relates to a conveyor and an indexing mechanism therefor and is particularly, but not essentially, applicable to such a mechanism for the step-by-step conveying of containers along a skidrail surface.

The invention finds particular application in the movement of substantially cylindrical containers, such as beer kegs, to be moved in an upright position from station to station in a container washing and filling machine, such as, for example, a machine of the type described in our European Patent 0019405. In such a machine, beer kegs are successively moved, and held for a pre-determined time, at a succession of stations at which operations are to be performed, e.g. washing, sterilising and fill ing.

It is an object of the invention to provide a new or improved indexing mechanism for the move ment of an article from one station to another.

In accordance with the invention, there is pro vided an indexing mechanism comprising a first elongated member carrying a plurality of abutment members thereon at spaced intervals thereof, each abutment member being engageable with an arti cle to be moved successively from one station to another along a path of movement; one or more first actuating members connected to said elon gated member by a plurality of linkages for dis placing said abutment members into or out of the said path of the article to be moved; and one or more second actuating members for reciprocating the elongated member in opposing directions along the said path; whereby an article may be moved by an abutment member from one station to a next succeeding station along the said path upon reciprocation of the elongated member in one said direction when the abutment member is displaced into the said path of the article, the elon gated member may subsequently be reciprocated in an opposite said direction when the abutment member is displaced out of the said path of the ar ticle and the cycle may subsequently be repeated to move the article to succeeding stations along the said path.

The or each said first actuating member is pref erably operable to reciprocate a second elongated member disposed below said first elongated mem ber, said first and second elongated members being connected by bell-crank linkages pivoted on fixed points intermediate their ends.

Each said bell crank linkage may be connected to said first elongated member by a roller device whereby said first elongated member may be re ciprocated by the or each said second actuating member relative to said linkage. Preferably said each first elongated member is of channel section configuration receiving the roller assembly thereon connected to said linkage.

Conveniently a pair of laterally spaced apart said first elongated members are provided each carry ing a plurality of said abutment members spaced therealong; a pair of laterally spaced apart second elongated members also being provided below said first elongated members and at least two bell crank linkages interconnecting a said first elongated member to a said second elongated member.

The or each said first actuating member may be operably connected to the said second elongated member and the or each said second actuating member may be operably connected to the said first elongated member, the or each said first and second actuating member conveniently comprising a fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder device.

The indexing mechanism as described above preferably comprises part of a conveyor mechanism which may include skid-rails for supporting an article to be moved therealong by the indexing mechanism which will be disposed below the rails.

In particular, the conveyor mechanism may be provided for successively moving cylindrical containers, such as beer kegs, in an upright position from one station to another along the path defined by the skid-rails.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description given herein solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a top plan view of a conveyor incorporating an indexing mechanism in accordance with the invention; and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the conveyor and indexing mechanism shown in Figure 1.

The conveyor and indexing mechanism illustrated in the drawings is particularly suited for the movement of cylindrical containers 10 such as beer kegs (shown in chain dot outline in Figure 1) successively from one station to another along a path of movement defined by two laterally spaced apart parallel horizontally extending skid-rails 12 upon which the containers rest. Below the skid-rails 12 is disposed the indexing mechanism of the invention which comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart parallel horizontally disposed first elongated members 14 each of which carries an upwardly projecting abutment member in the form of a peg 16.The pegs 16 are spaced apart longitudinally of each respective elongated member 14 at uniform intervals, each set of pegs comprising a peg on each of the two elongated members lying on a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongated members. Each peg 16 is inclined upwardly and forwardly of the elongated member 14 in the direction of movement of the containers.

Each peg 16 comprises an L-section member and includes a stiffening web 17 as is clearly shown in Figure 2. Each web 17 is appropriately dimensioned, not only to provide a stiffening function to each associated peg 16, but also to accurately locate a container 10 between adjacent sets of pegs along the path of movement of the containers as will be referred to in more detail herein.

The indexing mechanism further includes a pair of laterally spaced apart parallel horizontally disposed second elongated members 18, each such second member 18 being disposed below and laterally offset of a first said member 14 and being connected thereto by a bell crank linkage 20 at each end of a second member 18.

Each bell crank linkage 20 is pivoted to a fixed point 22 intermediate its end at its cranked position and is pivotedly connected at 24 at its lower end to each end of the second elongated member 18.

Each first elongated member 14 is of channel section configuration providing a guideway for a roller assembly 26 carried at the upper end of each bell crank linkage 20.

A first actuating member 28 comprising a fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder device has its cylinder pivotally mounted to a fixed point 29 and its piston rod 30 operably connected to a bracket 32 fixedly secured between the two second elongated members 18. Thus, referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, retraction of the piston rod 30 will reciprocate the second elongated members 18 in a direction towards the right of the drawing thereby pivoting the bell crank linkages 20 about their fixed pivot points 22 and causing the first elongated members 14 to be moved downwardly of the skid rails 12.The degree of travel of the piston rod 30 within its cylinder is such that the pegs 16 carried by the first elongated members 14 may be displaced from their position shown in Figure 2, in which they are raised above the skid-rails 12, to a position displaced below the skid-rails upon full retraction of the piston rod 30 into its cylinder.

A pair of second actuating members 34 also comprising fluid pressure actuated pistons and cylinder devices are disposed one at each side of the indexing mechanism with the cylinders thereof pivotally mounted to fixed points 35 and the piston rods 36 thereof each connected to a bracket 38 on an associated first elongated member 14. These second actuating members 34 are thus operable to reciprocate the first elongated members 14 to gether with their pegs 16 along the path of movement defined by the skid-rails 12.In Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings the piston rods 36 are shown in their fully extended positions from which it will be appreciated that retraction of the piston rods 36 into their cylinders will reciprocate the first elongated members 14 in a direction to the right as shown in the drawings, causing each elongated member 14 to run on the rollers 26 carried at the upper ends of the bell crank linkages 20.

Thus, in operation, and starting from the position as shown in the drawings, one or each of a plurality of containers 10 resting on the skid-rails 12 may be moved to a next succeeding station by retraction of the piston rods 36 into their respective cylinders to cause the first elongated members 14 to run on their roller assemblies 26 whereby the or each container is pushed by an associated pair of pegs 16 along the skid-rail surfaces. After complete retraction of the piston rods 36 into their cylinders, the piston rod 30 of the other device is retracted thereby moving the second elongated members 18 to cause the bell crank linkages 20 to pivot and displace the pegs 16 on the first elongated members 14 to a position below the skid rail surfaces.

Subsequent extension of the piston rods 36 of the second actuating members then causes the first elongated members 14 to move to the left with the pegs 16 carried thereon still displaced to their positions below the skid-rail surfaces. Upon full extension of these piston rods 36 of the second actuating members, the piston rod 30 of the first actuating member may again be extended to reciprocate the second elongated members 18 to the left thereby rotating the bell crank linkages 20 about their fixed pivot points 22 and displacing the pegs 16 carried on the first elongated members 14 back to their positions projecting above the skidrail surfaces, i.e. back to the initial position as shown in the drawings.

The above thus constitutes one cycle of operations of the indexing mechanism whereby the containers supported on the skid-rail surfaces may be indexed successively from one station to another along the skid-rails.

It has been mentioned hereinbefore that, when the piston rod 36 is fully retracted into its cylinder, subsequent retraction of the piston rod 30 will cause the bell crank linkages 20 to pivot and displace the pegs 16 to a position below the skid rail surfaces. It should be noted that, during this retraction of the piston rod 30, the arc of movement of the pegs 16 is defined by the arc of movement of the device 34 about its fixed pivot position 35. This arcuate downward movement of the pegs 16 is important where kegs or containers having rolling bands are being indexed along the skid rails 12 because each peg 16 extends for some distance up the keg above the lower rolling band.If the pegs 16 were lowered plurely vertically, the end of each peg sliding down the keg would effectively push the keg forward for a distance equal to the depth of the rolling band thus leaving the keg displaced from its intended position. The arc of movement of the pegs 16 determined herein by the positioning of the fixed pivot point 35, ensures that the pegs 16 retract away from the container at a mean angle of some 7" or so from the vertical as the pegs 16 are lowered below the skid rail surfaces.

It should also be noted that the additional purpose of each stiffening web 17 on each peg 16 is to contain any possibility of "overshoot" of a container as the first elongated members 14 reach the end of their travel upon full retraction of the piston rod 36. At the end of such retraction, the members 14 and the pegs 16 carried thereon cease their forward movement abruptly but, since each container 10 is located loosely between four points, two points being the pushing faces of one pair of pegs 16 and the other two points being the stiffening webs 17 of the preceding set of pegs 16, "overshoot" will be prevented.

Furthermore, at the commencement of any given indexing cycle when the pegs 16 are being raised above the skid rail surfaces to their operative positions by extension of the piston rod 30, the webs 17 will give a positive displacement of any slightly misplaced container rearwards of the path of movement, so that the containers come more closely into contact with the pushing faces of the pegs 16 which will propel them along the skid rail surfaces.

Claims (10)

1. An indexing mechanism comprising a first elongated member carrying a plurality of abutment members thereon at spaced intervals thereof, each abutment member being engageable with an article to be moved successively from the station to another along a path of movement; one or more first actuating members connected to said elongated member by a plurality of linkages for displacing said abutment members into or out of the said path of the article to be moved; and one or more second actuating members for reciprocating the elongated member in opposing directions along the said path; whereby an article may be moved by an abutment member from one station to a next succeeding station along the said path upon reciprocation of the elongated member in one said direction when the abutment member is displaced into the said path of the article, the elongated member may subsequently be reciprocated in an opposite said sirection when the abutment member is displaced out of said path of the article and the cycle may subsequently be repeated to move the article to succeeding stations along the said path.

2. An indexing mechanism as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the or each said first actuating member is operable to reciprocate a second elongated member disposed below said first elongated mem ber and said first and second elongated members are connected by bell crank linkages pivoted on fixed points intermediate their ends.

3. An indexing mechanism as claimed in Claim 2 wherein each said bell crank linkage is connected to said first elongated member by a roller device whereby said first elongated member may be reciprocated by the or each said second actuating member relative to said linkage.

4. An indexing mechanism as claimed in Claim 3 wherein said first elongated member is of channel section configuration receiving a roller assembly therein connected to said linkage.

5. An indexing mechanism as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein a pair of laterally spaced apart said first elongated members are provided, each carrying a plurality of said abutment members spaced therealong; a pair of laterally spaced apart said second elongated members are provided below said first elongated members and at least two bell crank linkages interconnecting a said first elongated member to a second elongated member.

6. An indexing mechanism as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5 wherein the or each said first actuating member is operably connected to the said second elongated member and the or each said second actuating member is operably connected to the said first elongated member.

7. An indexing mechanism as claimed in any of the preceding Claims wherein the or each said first and second actuating member comprises a fluid pressure actuated piston and cylinder device.

8. A conveyor mechanism including an indexing mechanism as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims and skid-rails for supporting an article to be moved therealong by a said indexing mechanism disposed below said rails.

9. A conveyor mechanism as claimed in Claim 8 for successively moving cylindrical containers in an upright position from one station to another along the path defined by the skid rails.

10. A conveyor and indexing mechanism constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings.