GB2210293A

GB2210293A - Apparatus to separate metallic bodies from non-metallic comminuted materials

Info

Publication number: GB2210293A
Application number: GB8822757A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Auton Juan Jose Rius
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1987-09-28
Filing date: 1988-09-28
Publication date: 1989-06-07
Also published as: GB8822757D0; IT8867853A0; FR2620952A1; IT1223853B; BE1001102A6; ES2008238A6

Abstract

The apparatus (e.g. for separating metallic bodies from comminuted glass) comprises a frame (1, 2, 5) supporting a pair of horizontal bars (3, 4) upon which is guided a crosshead (6). The crosshead carries a vertical arm (9) which is vertically displaceable and carries at its lower end a gripper (10). Actuators (11, 12, 13, 14) are provided for moving the gripper (10), the arm (9) and the crosshead (6) and which are controlled by solenoid valves (16, 17, 18, 19), microswitches (20, 23) and timer means. Motion of gripper actuators (11, 12) is initiated via time delay means by a metal detector placed upstream of the apparatus adjacent to a conveyor carrying material beneath the gripper 10. The other actuators are operated in turn via the microswitches, solenoid valves and timer means in order to carry out a gripping cycle. <IMAGE>

Description

APPARATUS TO SEPARATE METALLIC BODIES FROM NON-METALLIC COMMINUTED MATERIALS The invention relates to an apparatus to separate metallic bodies from non-metallic comminuted materials, for example comminuted glass.

In the recovery or re-cycling of glass it is necessary to comminute the containers or other material to be dealt with, parts of which may comprise metallic elements such as for example, closure caps. In the treatment of the comminuted glass it is necessary to eliminate all the metallic elements or bodies therein. This job until now has been carried out by hand, using a number of operators positioned alongside the conveyors carrying comminuted glass, resulting in high labour costs.

The object of this invention is to provide an apparatus making it possible to separate the metallic bodies from the non-metallic comminuted materials, such as glass, safely, automatically, quickly, and with a considerable reduction in labour, only requiring an operator to watch and control the apparatus.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus to separate metallic bodies from non-metallic comminuted materials carried by a conveyor, and comprising: a structure comprising a frame on which is disposed a guide for a horizontally displaceable crosshead carrying a vertically displaceable arm provided with a gripper; an actuator to displace the arm, one or more actuators for opening and closing the gripper; the crosshead being also connected to another actuator for displacement along the guide.

The apparatus of the invention is connected in use to be activated by means of a metal detector which is placed adjacent to the conveyor carrying comminuted material, e.g.

glass, upstream thereof, so that the apparatus can be actuated to grip and lift metallic bodies from the conveyor.

The actuators are preferably hydraulic or pneumatic and each may be controlled by a solenoid valve. The first valve may be activated by the above mentioned metal detector through a timer. The other actuators may be activated by limit switches, e.g. microswitches, and timers.

An embodiment of the invention is described hereafter by way of example and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front elevation of an apparatus according to the invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the figure 1 apparatus.

Figure 3 is a side view of the figure 1 apparatus.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus comprises a structure that includes two vertical frame members 1 and 2, between which are disposed two horizontal bars, 3 and 4, and an upper frame member 5.

Bars 3 and 4 make up guides for a crosshead comprising a cylindrical sleeve 6 slidably mounted upon bar 4. This sleeve 6 has radially attached to its ends a vertical guide arm 7 and a horizontal arm 8 respectively. The guide arm 7 has at its upper end an upwardly opening notch embracing bar 3. The horizontal arm 8 carries at its end remote from the sleeve 6 a mounting plate for a vertically extending, vertically displaceable arm 9. This arm carries at its lower end grippers 10 and two hydraulic or pneumatic actuators 11 and 12 for closing and opening the gripper 10.

The upper end of the arm 9 is connected to the mounting plate by a pneumatic or hydraulic actuator 13 so as to be vertically displaceable thereby.

A fourth pneumatic or hydraulic actuator 14 is used to displace the sleeve 6 along bar 4. For this purpose actuator 14 extends between the guide arm 7 of sleeve 6 and a fixed plate 15 attached to the frame of the apparatus and which also serves as an end stop for sleeve 6 in its travel along bar 4.

Upon upper frame member 5 are mounted four solenoid valves 16, 17, 18 and 19, operatively connected to control the pressure medium supplied to the actuators 11, 12, 13 and 14.

In the assembly comprising the horizontal arm 8 and vertical arm 9 are mounted two micro switches 20 and 21. A third microswitch 23 is mounted upon vertical frame member 2.

The apparatus structure also comprises a headstock 24 to mount the apparatus next to the comminuted glass conveyor.

The operation of the apparatus of the invention is as follows: when an operatively associated metal detector senses the presence of a metallic body, it is activated and sends a signal to a time delay unit, adjusted in dependence upon the distance from the metal detector to the apparatus and the speed of the conveyor, so as to deliver an output signal when the metallic body passes proximate to the gripper 10.

The gripper 10 is opened when the solenoid valve 16 is activated by a signal received from a timer activated by the output signal from the time delay unit of the metal detector.

Upon opening of the gripper 10 by the solenoid valve 16 and the pneumatic or hydraulic actuators 11 and 12 the microswitch 20 is activated, starting a second timer, duly setting in operation the solenoid valve 17 to operate actuator 13, for vertically downwards displacement of the gripper 10. Upon the arm being extended and the gripper 10 being in the open position, the gripper 10 is closed and the arm is brought back, operating the microswitch 21, activating a timer which in turn actuates the solenoid valve 18 to operate the actuator 14, thus securing a lateral motion of the gripper 10 and vertical arm 9.

Once the actuator 14 has carried out its total run towards microswitch 23 the microswitch 23 is activated, starting a timer governing the solenoid valve 19 and thus setting in motion the actuators 11 and 12 to open the gripper 10, releasing the metal previously gripped and going back to their resting position 14. Operation of microswitch 23 also returns actuator 14 to its rest position. Upon reaching this point, the apparatus is ready to carry out a new full operation.

Each motion of the apparatus may be timed according to the working needs and conditions.

Using the apparatus of the invention, upon detecting a metallic body, its extraction is made, separating it from the comminuted glass which is carried by the conveyor, the body being deposited in a conduit or area ready for such purpose. The apparatus carries out the several actions and motions without intervention by operators just the presence of an operator being necessary in order to visually monitor the operation of and indicators for each motion, in order to avoid output stopping. Such operator will be placed infront of a desk or console in which the different controls are centralized, such as starter switches and power controls as well as optical indicators, push buttons for each circuit, potentiometers, etc.

Although an embodiment of the invention is specifically described above with reference to the drawings, the invention is not limited to the particular features thereof, which may be changed within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. Apparatus to separate metallic bodies from non-metallic comminuted materials carried by a conveyor, and comprising: a structure comprising a frame on which is disposed a guide for a horizontally displaceable crosshead carrying a vertically displaceable arm provided with a gripper; an actuator to displace the arm, one or more actuators for opening and closing the gripper; the crosshead being also connected to another actuator for displacement along the guide and wherein the apparatus is connected in use to be activated by a metal detector adjacent the conveyor upstream of the apparatus, whereby the apparatus can be actuated to grip and lift metallic bodies from the conveyor.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the guide comprises two horizontal bars, along which the crosshead is displaceable.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said crosshead comprises a sleeve slidable on one of the horizontal bars and having radially attached thereto a vertical guide arm guided by the other horizontal bar and a horizontal arm which has mounted at its end remote from the sleeve the arm displaceable in the vertical direction.

4. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the vertically displaceable arm is disposed vertically and has mounted at its lower end the gripper, and is connected by its upper end to the actuator for its vertical displacement, which actuator is mounted upon the crosshead; the gripper actuators being mounted on the vertically displaceable arm.

5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 - 4 wherein said gripper actuators are controlled by said metal detector and the crosshead and vertical arm actuators are controlled by microswitches and timers.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the actuators are pneumatic or hydraulic actuators, the apparatus comprising a first microswitch mounted on the vertically displaceable arm to be activated at the end of the stroke of the actuators closing the gripper, operating a timer and a solenoid valve controlling the vertically displaceable arm actuator which actuator operates at the end of its stroke a second microswitch activating a second timer and solenoid valve controlling the crosshead actuator, which actuator in turn operates at the end of its stroke a third microswitch operating a timer and solenoid valve controlling the gripper actuators to open the gripper and returning the crosshead actuator to its rest position.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the crosshead actuator is connected between the crosshead and a plate fixed to the frame of the apparatus, which acts as an end stop for the crosshead in its travel along the guide.

8. Apparatus for separating metallic bodies from nonmetallic comminuted materials substantially as described with reference to and/or as shown in the drawings.