GB2191166A

GB2191166A - Apparatus for the transfer of sweets

Info

Publication number: GB2191166A
Application number: GB08712715A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wolfgang Girndt; Heinz Lauerbach; Albrecht Rohrdanz
Original assignee: Nagema VEB
Current assignee: Nagema VEB
Priority date: 1986-06-04
Filing date: 1987-05-29
Publication date: 1987-12-09
Anticipated expiration: 2007-05-29
Also published as: DD249681A1; GB2191166B; IT1205960B; DE3713332C2; DE3713332A1; IT8747929A0; GB8712715D0

Description

GB 2 191 166 A 1 SPECIFICATION such wrapping apparatuses are concerned,

difficulties have also arisen with regard to the Apparatus for the transfer of sweets transferof sweets from thefeeder chain to the packing head grippers. It proved necessaryto The invention relatesto an apparatus forthetransfer 70 provide in the sweetcarriers mounted on thefeeder of sweets and consisting of a gripper and wrapping chain controlled pistons which, in the synchronous wheel rotating at a constantspeed and provided with zone of feederchain and packing head grippers, pivotable holding elements, in addition to which pushed the sweet out of the sweet carrier and latterthere are also plungers for transferring sweets introduced it between the packing head grippers. In from the gripperto the wrapping wheel. 75 consequence, the packaging efficiency of the Already known are apparatus of thistype in which machine is adversely affected andthe necessary the carriers of the packaging assemblies orthe technical cost increased. Furthermore, chain grippers of a gripper and wrapping wheel are during guidance systems, as already stated, are subjectto conveyance and during the folding processes high wear and tear as well astending to stretch and maintained in a constantly steady movement,the 80 to sufferthe functional breakdowns which this cresttracks of the carriers of the packaging creates and aretherefore notsuitablefor high-output assemblies orthe grippers of the gripperand machines.

wrapping wheel passing through one anotherand An object of the invention isto develop a transfer the gripperjaws being offset bygO'in respectof one apparatuswhich makes it possible also for plastically another. 85 deformabie articles such as, forexample, Such solutions are disclosed in DE-PS 606 423 and soft-centred caramels, chewing gum and the like DD-PS 124621. (hereinafter referred to as "sweets") to be packaged The disadvantage of these apparatuses lies in the under high-output conditions with a high level of factthat when the sweets are changed from the functional reliability, low structural costs and with carrier of one packaging assemblyto the carrier of 90 full safeguardsto quality.

the other packaging assembly orwhen they are The problem on which the invention is based lies changed from the gripper of the gripperwheel tothe in transferring the sweets picked up from the gripper of thewrapping wheel, byvirtue of thefact grippers of the gripperwheel tothe wrapping wheel thatthe gripperjaws are offset by90'1n respect of togetherwith the wrapper and without changing the one another,the plastically deformable articles (e.g. 95 clampingface.

soft-centred caramels) which are cutfrom a According to the invention, this is achieved in that composition rod, are held atthe cut surfaces which the grippers on the gripper wheel which are are sticky and in most cases uneven. Furthermore, in provided with plungers and the grippers on the the case of elongated articles there is a considerable wrapping wheel which are provided with plungers risk of the objects being kinked or mis-shapen. 100 are so disposed that in the transfer zone they are Another disadvantage is the factthatthe mutually coaxial ly juxtaposed and are at a distancefrom each penetrating cresttracks of the carriers or grippers other,the plungers of the grippers of the gripper impedethefree ends of thewrappers when the wheel which are provided with pockets andthe U-shaped fold is made so that f u rther folding plungers of the grippers of the wrapping wheel sequences are adversely affected. 105 being constructed as part of the connecting rods of a Furthermore, apparatuses are known in which four-bar linkage, the grippers being pivotally sweets are transferred from the grippers of one mounted on the spindle of the crank of the four-bar chain, in the region where two chains are close to linkage. Between the plungers of the grippers of the each other, to the grippers of the otherchain,the gripperwheel and the plungers of the grippers of the cresttracks of the grippers likewise being mutually 110 wrapping wheel there is a constant gap during penetrating, the holding jaw members also being transfer in the transfer area. The pockets which are offset by 90'. Such a solution is disclosed in DE-OS constructed as grooves and which are located on the 29 24 407. This arrangement is not suitablefor effective side of the plungers are slightly larger in soft-centred caramels since the articles are gripped their length and slightly smaller in their depth than overtheir length and deformation can occur. 115 the length and width respectively of the sweets. The Furthermore, byvirtue of the considerable wear and solution according to the invention entails negligible tear, stretching and the impossibility of structural cost yet permits of perfectfolding and encapsulation, chain guide systems are not suitable wrapping operatio ns in the case of goods of a soft for high-output machines. consistency (soft-centred caramels, chewing gum, DE-PS 23 29 534 discloses another apparatusfor 120 etc.) underconditions of high output.

the continuous wrapping of sweets. This apparatus It is intended to explain the invention in greater consists of a packaging head with gripper and detail hereinafterwith referenceto an embodiment folding means which revolve in a closed path, a shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

sweet loading plate, a feeder chain incorporated Figure 1 shows the disposition of gripperwheel between the latter and the packaging head and 125 and wrapping wheel; guided in the plane of rotation thereof and fitted with Figure2 shows the pattern of movement in the sweets carriers, and a wrapping material feed transferzone; working in the same plane asthefeeder chain and Figure3 is a detailed view of thetransfer which allows the wrapping material to run between mechanism, and the feeder chain and the packaging head. Where 130 Figure 4 shows a plunger with a sweet in the 2 GB 2 191 166 A 2 transfer position. wrapping wheel 2, the pairs of grippers 3,3'and 4,4' The apparatus consists essentially of the gripper are pivoted aboutthe spindle 5,5'by the cam wheel 1 and the wrapping wheel 2 on which are followers 11, 1 Virunning on the cam plate 12,12'.

respectively disposed the grippers 3 and 4 or Xand The radial movement of the plungers 6,W is thereby 4'for transporting the sweets B. The grippers 3,3' 70 achieved by having the cam followers 13,13'run on and 4,4'are pivotally mounted on the spindle 5,5' the cam plate 14,14'and the opening and and have on the gripperwheel 1 plungers 6 provided respectively closing of the pairs of grippers 3,3'and with pockets Wand on the wrapping wheel 2 4,4'are effected bythe cam follower 15,11Wrunning plungers 6' which are constructed as part of the on the cam plate 16,16'. The transferred sweets B are connecting rods 7,7'of a four-bar linkage. The 75 passed on to the discharge zone 23 in known fourbar linkage consists of the cranks 8,8', manner.

connecting rods 7,7'and swinging arm 9, W. Parallel

Claims

with the grippers 3 is also the packaging medium CLAIMS tongs 10. Disposed

on the grippers 3,3'and 4,4'is the cam follower 11, 1 Vresting on the curved path of 80 1. Apparatus forthe transfer of sweets and the cam plate 12,12'. The cam follower 13,13' consisting of a gripper and wrapping wheel rotating mounted on the crank 8,8' rests on the curved path at a constant speed and provided with pivotable on the cam plate 14,14'and the cam follower 15,15' holding elements, in addition to which latterthere disposed on the grippers 3,3', 4,4'rests on the are also plungers fortransferring sweets from the curved path of the cam plate 16,16'. Feeding of the 85 gripperto the wrapping wheel, characterised in that packaging medium P occurs upstream of the folding the grippers (3,4) on the gripperwheel (1) which are plate 17 of the gripperwheel 1. The packaging provided with plungers (6) and the grippers (X, 4') medium feed system comprises pull-off rollers 18 on the wrapping wheel (2) which are providedwith and 19 and packaging medium cutter20. The plungers (W) are so disposed that in thetransferzone maximum proximity of the grippers 3,3'and 4,4'of 90 they are coaxial ly juxtaposed and are at a distance the gripperwheel 1 and of thewrapping wheel 2 from each other, the plungers (6) of the grippers (3,4) represents the transfer zone. Also disposed on the of the gripperwheel (1) which are provided with packaging head 2 isthefoiding plate 22which pockets W) and the plungers (6") of the grippers 0, extends from the end of the transfer zone 21 to the 4') of the wrapping wheel (2) being constructed as start of the delivery zone 23. 95 part of the connecting rods (7,7') of a four-bar The apparatus functions in the following manner: linkage, the grippers (3, 3% 4,4') being pivotally the sweets B separated from a rod are pushed into mounted on the spindle (5,5') of the cranks (8,8') of and clamped bythe opened grippers 3,4 of the the four-bar linkage.

synchronously rotating gripperwheel 1. The sweets
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised Bare thus enclosed by the clamping faces of the 100 in that a constant distance exists between the grippers 3,4 and the pocket Wof the plunger& plungers (6) of the grippers (3,4) of the gripperwheel During rotation of the gripperwheel 1, the packaging (1) and the plungers (W) of the grippers (X, 4') of the medium P passes between the gripper 3 and the wrapping wheel (2) during transfer in the transfer packaging medium tongs 10. As this happens, the zone (21).

packaging medium tongs 10 draw closeto the 105
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterised gripper 3 and the packaging medium cutter 20firmly in that the pockets (W) which are constructed as clamping the packaging medium Pat the moment of grooves are constructed on the effective side of the separation from the web of packaging material. plungers (6) and are slightly greater in their length Upstream of the transferzone 21, the grippers 3,4 of and slightly smaller in their depth than the length the gripperwheel 1 and the grippers 3% 4'of the 110 and respectively width of the sweets.

wrapping wheel 2 are so pivoted aboutthe spindle 5,
4. Apparatus for the transfer of sweets as claimed Wthat they are coaxial ly opposite one another. The in Claim 1 substantially as described with reference plungers W of the wrapping wheel 2 are moved up to to the accompanying drawings.

the sweets B which are present in the pockets Wof the plungers 6 while atthe same time the packaging medium P is released bythe packaging medium Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by Croydon Printing Company (11 K) Ltd, 10187, D8991685.

tongs 10,the grippers 3,4 being opened. Asthe Published by The Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A l AY, plungers 6 disposed on the gripperwheel 1 are from which copies maybe obtained.

extended in a radial direction,to run back in synchronism with the oppositely disposed plungers W of the wrapping wheel 2, sweets B aretransferred from the grippers 3,4 of the gripperwheel 1 tothe grippers X4'of thewrapping wheel 2. Atthe same time, the packaging medium isfolded over in a U-shape. This process is shown in Figure 2,the middle of the sweets B describing during thetransfer process in thetransferzone 21 the curve 24which is shown. During thetransfer process of the sweets B with packaging medium Pfrom the grippers 3,4of the gripperwheel 1 to the grippers X, 4'of the