GB2203402A

GB2203402A - Apparatus for turning commodities which perform a translatory movement

Info

Publication number: GB2203402A
Application number: GB08809005A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alfred Besemann
Original assignee: ECH Will GmbH and Co
Current assignee: ECH Will GmbH and Co
Priority date: 1987-04-15
Filing date: 1988-04-15
Publication date: 1988-10-19
Also published as: GB8809005D0; DE3712812A1; JPS63277114A

Description

1 - APPARATUS FOR TURNING COMt,,01)1'PTI:1S WilIC11 PERFORM A TRANSLATORY

MOVEMENT The invention relates to anparatus for transporting a succession of commodities, such as C 22034o2 stacks of paper sheets and the like. 14ore particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for turning successive commodities of a series of commodities which are in the process of performing a translatory movement. Still more particularly, the invention relates to improvements in apparatus for turning successive commoditi.es of a.series of commodities which advance along a given path and remain in such path in the course of the turning operation.

It is often necessary tochange the orientation of commodities during treatment in a production line, for example, in order to take advantage of the space which is available in a particular plant. Thus, the space which is available for installation of a production line may be such that the commodities which are treated at a plurality of successive stations can advance in a first direction during travel toward and through one or more stations but must thereafter advance in a different direction (particularly at right angles to the first direction) in order to reach and to advance beyond the remaining treating station or stations. Furthermore, the nature of treatment at successive stations may be such that a commodity which leaves a first station must change its orientation (e.g., by being turned through a selected angle about a substantially vertical axis) during transport from the first to the second station.

Still further, it is often necessary to change the orientation of successive commodities of a short or long series of commodities between successive stations in a production line in order to ensure that the commodities can be properly treated by tools which 11 2 operate at successive stations, e.q., that two first parallel sides of a block-shaped commodity can be proiDerlv trimmed at a first station and two additional parallel sides of such commodity can be properly 5 trimmed at the next station or stations.

The improved apparatus serves to turn (particularly through approximately 90 degrees) successive commodities which advance in a predetermined direction along a first path (e.g., along a substantially - 4 horizontal path). The apparatus comprises a plurality of spaced-apart rotary or turnable supports, and conveyor means for circulating the supports along a second path having a portion which is adjacent a predetermined portion of the first path and wherein the supports advance in the predetermined direction so that successive oncoming supports accept and turn successive oncoming commodities while the supports advance along the predetermined portion of the first Dath. The second path is or can be an endless path having an elongated upper stretch which is adjacent the predetermined portion of the first path. The supports are preferably turnable about discrete axes which extend substantially at right angles to the aforementioned portions of the first and second paths. The apparatus can be used with particular advantage to turn substantially block-shaped commodities, such as stacks of overlapping palper sheets or the like. As mentioned above, the supports are preferably designed to turn the commodities thereon through substantially 90 degrees.

The supports can constitute deformable (especially flexible) turntables each of which preferably includes a flexible carrier or base and at least one cushion on the base. The cushions define supporting surfaces for the corllmiodities, and such surfaces are preferably provided with grooves which are flanked by the material of the respective cushions and at least some of which extend in the predetermined direction, at least when the supports approach the upstream end and are about to leave the downstream end of the predetermined portion of the first Path. The latter includes a second portion which is located upstream. and a third portion which is located downstream of the predetermined portion. The apparatus 4 can further comprise means for stripping the commodities off the supporting surfaces of the respective supports between the predeternined and third portions of the first path so that the freshly turned commodities leave the respective supports and are free to advance along the third portion of the first path. The stripping means enters the grooves in the supporting surfaces of successive supports between the predetermined and third portions of the first path.. Additional stripping means can be placed between the second and predetermined portions of the first path to enter the grooves in the supporting surfaces of the oncoming supports and to thus facilitate the transfer of commodities from the second portion of the first path onto the oncomin4j supports. As mentioned above, the grooves in the supporting surfaces can be flanked by the cushions of the respective supports.

The endless second path includes a first convex portion inmediately upstream and a second convex portion immediately downstream of that portion which is adjacent the predetermined portion of the first path. Such apparatus can further include means for deforming successive supports during travel along the convex portions of the second path, and the deforming means preferably includes cooperating magnets provided on the supports and adjacent the convex portions of the second path. This ensures that the supports are properly oriented relative to the second and third portions of the first path and this also facilitates the task of the respective stripping means in ensuring predictable transfer of oncoming commodities onto successive supports as well as predictable transfer of turned commodities from the supports into the third portion of the first path.

The means for turning successive supports during travel along the predetermined portion of the first path can comprise followers which are eccentric relative to the res pective supports and a cam which is adjacent the predetermined portion of the first path and defines for successive followers an arcuate track wherein the followers advance while the respective supports carry commodities and advance along the predetermined portion of the first path. Each turning means can comprise a-crank arm one end of which is affixed to the corresponding support and the other end of which carries the respective follower.

The apparatus further comprises means for supplying conmoditieb into and for advancing the commodities along and to the predetermined portion of the first path. Such supplying means can comprise a first conveyor having means which ensure that successive commodities advance to the predetermined portion of the first path at intervals such that each commodity encounters an oncoming support. To this end, the first conveyor can comprise or constitute an endless conveyor having spaced apart stops or other suitable abutment means whose mutual spacing corresponds to that of the supports in the second path. The supplying means can comprise an additional conveyor which serves to advance commodities to the first conveyor, and means for driving the additional and first conveyors in such a way that the speed of the additional conveyor exceeds the speed of the first conveyor.

The conveyor means for the supports can include two endless chains and transversely extending holders which are provided between and move with the chains and each of which turnably mounts a support.

Each support can have a substantially circular outlinei, and the supporting surfaces of the supports are preferably horizontal or nearly horizontal during travel along the predetermined portion of the first path.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The improved apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and its mode of operation, together with additional features and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon perusal of the following detailed description of certain specific embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawing.

- 8 FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of an apparatus which embodies one form of the invention; FIG. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus which is shown in FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view of the apparatus.

t 9 - The apparatus which is shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 serves to turn successive commodities 1 in the form of paper stacks while such stacks advance along an elongated horizontal or nearly horizontal path in the direction of arrows 2. The means for actually turning the stacks 1 about axes (4) extending at right angles to the path of translatory movement of the stacks includes a set of six equidistant supports 3 in the form of circular turntables mounted on and movable along an endless second path by an endless chain conveyor 6 having two endless chains 7 disposed in parallel vertical planes. The arrangement is such that each stack 1 is turned through 90 degrees while advancing along a predetermined elongated portion of the horizontal path, namely from a second portion which is defined by three endless belt conveyors 41, 44, 42 into a third portion which defined by an endless removing conveyor 39. A portion of the endless path which is defined by the conveyor 6 is adjacent the predetermined (intermediate) portion of the path of movement of successive stacks 1 in the direction of arrows 2. The axes 4 are nornal to the planes of the sheets (e.g., paper sheets) of which the stacks 1 are assenbled at a station preceding the conveyor 41. The mutual spacing of axes 4 of neighboring turntables 3 on the conveyor 6 is shown at t.

The chains 7 of the conveyor 6 for the turntables 3 are trained over sprocket wheels 8 two of which are shown in FIG. 3 and which are rotatable about horizontal axes. The chains 7 carry transversely extending holders 9 in the form of crossbeams each of which rotatably supports a turntable 3. The marginal Fortions of the holders 9'ae guided in the grooves of elongated horizontal guide rails 11 which are adjacent the predetermined portion of the path for the stacks 1 and cooperate with the holders 9 to ensure that the upper sides (supporting surfaces) of the turntables 3 are maintained in a common horizontal plane during travel of the respective turntables along the path for the stacks 1.

The means 12 for rotating or tuning the turntables 3 about the respective axes 4 derive motion from the conveyor 6, i.e., such turning or rotating means 12 are operative to turn the turntables 1 3 through 90 degrees only when the conveyor 6 is in motion to move the upper reaches of the chains 7 and the holders 9 between such upper reaches in the direction which is indicated by the arrows 2. The turning means 12 comprises a shaft 13 for each of the turntables 3, a crank arn, 16 at the inner end of each shaft 13, a roller follower 14 at the free end of each crank arm 16, and a single stationary cam 17 which defines an arcuate track for successive roller followers 14 when the conveyor 6 is in motion. Each shaft 13 is rotatably journalled in the respective holder 9 andis non-rotatably connected with the respective turntable 3 at the outer side of the holder.

The inner end portions of the shafts 13 carry the corresponding crank arms 16. The cam 17 is mounted in the frame of the improved apparatus, the same as the guide rails 11, the shafts 21 for the pairs of sprocket wheels 8 and several other component parts of the apparatus.

The endless path which is defined by the conveyor 6 for the turntables 3 comprises two convex portions one of which is located downstream of the conveyor 42 and the other of which is located upstream of the conveyor 39. Such convex portions of the endless path are defined by two drum-shaped deflecting or deforming members 18 and 19. The drum-shaped member 19 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3; it is mounted on the shaft 21 for the respective sprocket wheels 8 and carrie s a set of magnets 37 cooperating with magnetizable inserts 36 of the turntables 3 so as to deform the adjacent turntables during travel along the respective convex portions of the endless path. The shaft 21 of FIG. 3 is driven by a pulley 22 which, in turn, is rotated by an endless toothed belt 23. The other pulley for the belt 23 is mounted on the output element of a variable- speed transmission 27 forming part of a driving unit 24. The latter further comprises a motor 26 which can change the speed ratio of the transmission 27. The input element of the transmission 27 is a main drive shaft 28 which receives motion from the main prime mover 29 of the apparatus. The main prime mover 29 can transmi torque to all or nearly all parts.of an entire Production line (e.g., a line which forms stacks of paper sheets and includes means for wrapping the stacks as well asfor confining wrapped stacks in boxes or other suitable receptacles) which includes the apparatus of FIGS. 1 to 3.

Each turntable comprises a circular flexible base or carrier 32 for a deformable cushion 31. Each cushion 31 is formed with grooves 33, namely with one or more first parallel grooves and one or more second parallel grooves extending at right angles to the first grooves. This can be readily seen in FT G. 2. One pair of grooves 33 is parallel with the direction of advancement of stacks 1 along their path (arrow 2) whenever the respective turntable 3 travels with the upper reaches of the chains 7. The purpose of the grooves 33 is to receive a pair of stripping fingers I1 - 12 34 on a platform 52 which is adjacent the upstream end of the predetermined central portion of the horizontal path for the stacks 1, and a pair of stripping fingers 34 on a platform 53 at the downstream end of such predetermined portion of the horizontal path. The stripping fingers 34 upstream of the conveyor 6 facilitate the transfer of lowermost sheets of successive stacks 1 from the conveyor 42 onto the oncoming turntables 3, and the stripping fingers 34 downstream of the conveyor 6 facilitate separation of the lowermost sheets of successive (freshly turned) stacks 1 from the respective cushions 31 and the transfer of the thus separated stacks 1 onto the conveyor 39. The aforementioned magnetizable inserts 36 (e.g., stips of sheet metal) can be embedded in the cushions 31 of the respective turntables 3 and are magnetized and attracted by the adjacent magnets 37 on or adjacent the deflecting or deforming members 18, 19 durinig travel of turntables 3 along the convex portions of their respective paths. The magnetic means 36, 37 cooperate to ensure,that the turntables 3 are flexed during travel along the members 18, 19 so that successive increments of an oncoming turntable 3 move into the horizontal central portion of the path for the stacks 1 in the region of the upstream stripping fingers 34 and that successive increments of an oncoming turntable 3 are bent while leaving the horizontal upper reach of the conveyor 6.

The conveyor 39 includes several endless belts 38 and serves to accept successive stacks 1 each of which has been turned through 90 degrees during travel with the respective turntable 3. For example, the conveyor 39 can transport stacks 1 to a further processing station such as a wrapping, packing or combined wrapping and packing station.

The conveyor 41 is driven at a speed which exceeds the speed of the conveyor 44 and receives motion from the main drive shaft 28, i.e., from the prime mover 29. The shaft 28 drives an endless toothed belt 46 which, in turn, drives the input element of a variable-speed transmission 48 whose speed ratio can be altered by a motor 47. The output element of the transmission 48 drives a first endless belt 49 for the conveyors 41, 42 and a second endless belt 51 for the conveyor 44. The latter is provided with stops or abutments 43 serving to be engaged by the front sides of the adjacent stacks 1. The conveyor 42 delivers successive stacks 1 into the range of the conveyor 6 in such a way that each stack is deposited on the supporting surface of an oncoming turntable 3. The mutual spacing of stops 43 on the conveyor 44 is or can be identical to that (t) of the axes 4 of neighboring turntables 3 on the conveyor 6.

The operation of the improved apparatus is as follows:

The conveyor 41 supplies a series of successive stacks 1 at a relatively high speed, and the foremost stack of such series engages the nearest stops 43 of the conveyor 44. The latter advances the foremost stack 1 of the series at a lower speed and delivers it onto the upper reach of the conveyor 42 which advances the stack over the platform 52 and onto-the oncoming turntable 3, namely onto the turntable which progressively flattens out as its successive increments advance beyond the range of the magnets 37 at the drum 18. At such time, the adjacent stripping fingers 34 extend into the aligned pair of grooves 33 in such turntable to I- 14 facilitate the transfer of the stack 1 onto the supporting surface which is defined by the respective cushions 31. The stops 43 serve as a means for changing the orientation of stacks 1 (if necessary) to thus ensure that each stack reaches the conveyor 42 in a predetermined orientation which guarantees that the turning operation during travel with one of the turntables 3 will result in proper orientation of the stacks which reach the conveyor 39. The stripping fingers 34 on the platform 52 ensure that the oncoming turntable 3 flattens out in a predictable fashion and advances beneath the oncoming stack 1 to ensure a highly predictable and reproducible transfer of the stack onto the turntable before the latter begins to turn as a result of travel of the respective roller follower 14 along the track which is defined by the stationary cam 17. The speed of movement of turntables 3 with the conveyor 6 matches or closely approximates the speed of movement of stacks 1 with the conveyor 42.

The turntable 3 which carries a freshly turned stack 1 then reaches the drum 19 and begins to undergo deformation under the action of the respective magnets 37 while the adjacent stripping fingers 34 extend into two of its grooves 33 and promote predictable and gentle transfer of the turned stack 1 onto the belts 38 of the conveyor 39. It will be noted that the grooves 33 which receive the stripping fingers 34 on the platform 52 are turned through 90 degrees with reference to the grooves 33 which receive the stripping fingers 34 on the platform 53, i.e., immediately upstream of the removing conveyor 39.

It is clear that the rotating or turning means 12 can be designed to turn successive turntables 3 through an angle which is greater or smaller than 90 degrees. Moreover, it is not absolutely necessary 1 I- 11 - is - that the means 12 for rotating the turntables 3 about their respective axes 4 be operative only when the conveyor 6 is in motion, i.e., it is possible to provide other types of turning means such as a toothed rack which is adjacent the upper-reach of the conveyor 6 and can rotate pinions on the lower end portions of successive shafts 13. It is further possible to provide a separate motor for each shaft 13 or to provide a single motor and a motion transmitting connection between such single motor and successive shafts 13.

An important advantage of the improved apparatus is that the stacks 1 or other bulky or compact commodities can be turned through a desired angle in a highly predictable fashion, at a high frequency and without risking a deformation of the stacks, i.e., a shifting of superimposed sheets relative to each other. Moreover, the lowermost sheets of the stacks 1 are treated gently during transfer ^40 onto as well as during transfer off the cushions 31 of the respective turntables 3. The apparatus can operate properly without any clamping means for the stacks, namely without clamping means which are used in conventional turning apparatus to bear against the upper side of the stack which is in the process of changing its orientation through a selected angle. Furthermore, the turntables 3 are simple, lightweight and inexpensive, and each such turntable can constitute a one-piece body which can be rapidly affixed to or rapidly separated from the conveyor 6. The apparatus can be used with advantage for the manipulation of stacks which are assembled of paper sheets, of metallic or plastic foils, of cardboard panels, of cardboard panels alternating with piles of paper sheets and/or of many other types of sheet-like material.

16 - Each stack can be assembled of a relatively large or a relatively small number of sheets or panels; in fact, the term "stack" is intended-to embrace n sheets wherein n is a whole nunber including one.

Flexible turntables 3 exhibit the important advantage that they can be caused to gradually underlie the oncoming stacks 1 in the region of the platform 52 and to become gradually separated from the undersides of freshly turned stacks in the region of the platform, 53. This reduces the likelihood of abrupt impingement of marginal portions of turntables 3 against the undersides of the stacks 1 and possible defacing of and/orother damage to the stacks, or at least to the lowermost sheets or panels of the stacks. However, even an abrupt impingement of a flexible turntable against an oncoming stack cannot cause any appreciable damage because the undersides of the stacks are contacted by the cushions 31. Such cushions can be made of foam rubber or-of any other suitable readily deformable elastic material.

The.grooves 33 and stripping fingers 34 constitute optional but desirable and advantageous features of the improved apparatus. They ensure shockfree (gradual) transfer of stacks 1 onto and gradual separation of stacks from the turntables.

The magnetic means 36, 37 can be replaced with other suitable means for causing deformation of turntables 3 during travel along the two convex portions of their paths. For example, the turntables 3 can be provided with followers which track cam grooves extending along arcs of approximately 180 degrees during travel of turntables 3 from the upper toward the lower reaches of the chains 7 and vice versa.

The speed of the conveyor 41 preferably - 17 exceeds the speed of the conveyor 44 by a value which suffices that the front sides of successive stacks 1 are propelled against the respective stops 43 with a force which is necessary to guarantee adequate orientation or reorientation of oncoming stacks 1 preparatory to delivery of such stacks onto the conveyor 42 and thence onto the oncoming turntables 3.

1 11 18 - Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of my contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.

19 -

Claims

CLAIMS:- 1. Apparatus for turning successive commodities which advance in a predetermined direction along a first path, comprising a plurality of spaced-apart rotary support; and conveyor means for circulating saidsupports along a second path having a portion adjacent a predetermined portion of said first path so that successive oncoming supports accept and turn successive oncoming commodities.

1

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said supports are turntables which are turnallble about axes extending substantially at right angles to said portions of said paths.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 for turning substantially block-shaped commodities, particularly stacks of overlapping sheets, further comprising means for turning the supports and the commodities thereon through substantially 90 degrees.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said supports include deformable turntables.

6 21 -

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said supports includes a turntable having a flexible base and at least one cushion on said base.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first path includes a second portion upstream and a third portion downstream of said predetermined portion, each of said supports having a supporting surface arranged to carry a commodity along said predetermined portion of said first path and to lo. simultaneously turn such commodity, said supporting surfaces having grooves extending in said direction when the respective supports approach said third portion of said first path, and further comprising means for stripping commodities off successive support between said predetermined and third portions of said first path so that the thus stripped commodities enter the third portion of said first path, said stripping means entering the grooves of successive oncoming supports between the predetermined and third portions 20 of said first path.

S A

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein each of said supports has cushions flanking the respective grooves and defining the respective. supporting surfaces.

8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said first path has a second portion upstream of said predetermined portion and further comprising means for advancing commodities along said second portion of said first path, each of said supports having a supporting surface arranged to carry a commodity along said predetermined portion of said first path and to simultaneously turn such commodity, said supporting surfaces having grooves extending in said direction when the respective supports approach said predetermined portion of said first path and further comprising stripping means arranged to enter the grooves of successive oncoming supporting surfaces between the second and predetermined portions of said first path to facilitate the transfer of commodities onto the oncoming supporting surfaces.

1 Z_-

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of said supports has cushions flanking the respective grooves and defining the respective supporting surfaces..

::m

10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of said supports includes a &eformable turntable and said second path is an endless path having a first convex portion upstream and a second convex portion downstream of the predetermined portion of said first path, and further comprising means for deforming the turntables during travel along said convex portions, said deforming means comprising cooperating magnet means provided on said turntables and adjacent said convex portions.

11. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising means for turning successive supports in said portion of said second path, each of said turning means including a follower which is eccentric with reference to the respective axis and is secured to the corresponding support, and a cam defining for the followers an arcuate track wherein the followers advance while the respective supports move along said portion of the second path.

- 24

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said turning means further comprises a crank arm for each of said supports, said crank arms being affixed to the respective supports and carrying the respective 5 followers.

X

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said. supports are spaced apart from each other by predetermined distances and further comprising means for supplying commodities into and for advancing the commodities along and to said predetermined portion of said first path, said supplying means comprising a first conveyor having means for advancing successive commodities to said predetermined portion of said first path at intervals such that each commodity encounters an oncoming support.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said first conveyor includes an endless.cQnveyor having spaced apart stops for the commodities in said first path, the mutual spacing of said stops corresponding to the mutual spacing of said supports.

k

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said supplying means further comprises an additional conveyor arranged to advance commodities to said first conveyor and means for respectively driving said additional conveyor and said first conveyor at a higher first and at a lower second speed.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conveyor means comprises endless chains disposed in two parallel planes and transversely extending holders provided between said chains, said supports being mounted on said holders.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said supports has a substantially circular outline and a supporting surface which is substantially horizontal in said portion of said second path.

18. Apparatus for turning successive commodities which advance in a predetermined direction along a first path, substantially as herein described with reference to the acc-6mpanying draw- ings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66,71 High Holborn, London WC1R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from The Patent Office, SLles Branch, St Mary Gray, Orpington, Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Multiplex tecbzUques ltd, St Mary Gray, Kent. Con. 1187.