GB2225967A - Apparatus for separating-out dimensionally correct articles - Google Patents

Description

- 1 APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING-OUT DIMENSIONALLY CORRECT ARTICLES The

present invention relates to apparatus for separating-out dimensionally correct articles, such as sweets,from a quantity of articles of like kind.

The stream of sweets, such as hard caramels, from a manufacturing plant consists of a mixture of sweets true in dimension and shape, sweets which are deformed or over-sized, and sweet fragments. In order to carry out wrapping of the sweets free of disturbances, the dimension ally true sweets must be separated out from the rest. To ensure that only the sweets true to dimension and shape arrive at a wrapping station of a wrapping machine, separating-out apparatus is arranged before a singling station of the wrapping machine. This apparatus essentially consists of a vibratory conveying table, which is provided at an outlet end thereof with longitudinal slots and in which webs between the slots fall away steeply inwards. An adjustable guide rail, against which the sweets can bear, is arranged above the low part of the webs. During operation of this apparatus, the dimensionally true sweets fall through the slots and are fed by way of conveying equipment arranged thereunder to the wrapping station.

The dimensionally incorrect sweets and the sweet fragments continue on through to a removal conveyor at the end of the conveying table (cf DD-WP 134 942).

-This apparatus has the disadvantage that sweets close to but deviating from the correct shape and size may wedge in the longitudinal slot, so that the separating-out process is disrupted.

In order to eliminate this disadvantage, it has been proposed to construct the longitudinal slots in the conveying table to be stepped, so that a wide slot, through which oversized sweets can drop, is present in a rearward region. A region of narrower slot width through which the dimensionally true sweets can drop, adjoins thereto. The undersized sweets and the sweet fragments run through (DD-WP 218 055).

This apparatus has the disadvantage that, due to the vibration of the conveying table,an appreciable quantity of dimensionally true sweets are lost in the region of the wide slot, as a result of which the efficiency of the entire apparatus is reduced. For this reason, the construction provided with stepped slots is not an optimum solution.

There is thus a need for enhanced effectiveness of, for example, sweet wrapping plant, in particular by more reliable separating-out of dimensionally true articles such as sweets and preventing blockages caused by wedged articles.

According to the present invention thre is provided apparatus for separating out dimensionally correct articles from a quantity of articles, the apparatus comprising a vibratory conveying table provided with a plurality of slots extending in an intended direction of conveying, means to guide articles into the slots for passage therethrough of dimensionally correct ones of the articles, and a clearing comb arranged in the region of the slots and under the table and movable along the slots with vertical and horizontal components of movement, the comb being engageable in the slots.

Preferably, the table is provided with uniform longitudinal slots and guide rails arranged in the region of the longitudinal slots. The clearing comb is movable in horizontal and vertical direction parallel- ly to the slots and engages into the slots, the comb being arranged in the region of the slots and underneath the table. The comb can be constructed as a rail which is provided with upwardly projecting 1 1 entraining members or tines and driven by way of a four-bar linkage, for example with crank rockers. An interval switch can be arranged in the drive connection to the comb. In this construction, any articles wedged in the slots are released from the wedging by the tines so that clogging is prevented. The dimensionally correct articles can be conducted to, for example, a wrapping station.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying draw ings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic sectional elevation,along the line B-B of Fig. 2, of apparatus embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the apparatus along the line A-A of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown apparatus for sepparating-out dimensionally true sweets from a heap of sweets, the apparatus comprising a vibratory conveying table 1, for example of the kind illustrated in WP 218 055, provided with longitudinal slots defining passages. In addition to guide rails 2 placed on ribs between the passages, retaining rails 3 are arranged in the passages and extend over about two-thirds the length of the passages. A sorting gap thus arises at each side of each retaining rail 3 at the start of the resp-ective passage and a spacious waste passage at the end of the passage. A clearing comb 4, which is disposed in the region of the passages and is fastened to a coupler 5 of a four-bar rocker linkage, is arranged underneath the table 1. The comb 4 is so arranged at the coupler 5 that entraining membErs 4.1 thereof are rearwardly inclined in a movement path II, so that a raising as well as pushing effect arises during performance of a clearing operation by the comb. The comb 4 is easily demountable for cleaning purposes.

In order that the sorting operation is disturbed as little as possible and due to the fact that sweets do not always wedge in the sorting gaps, the clearing comb 4 is driven at intervals. For the sake of simplicity, the comb is provided with its own drive motor (not illustrated), which is switched by way of an electrical control device. To avoid damage due to blockage of the comb movement, a slipping clutch is incorporated in the drive. ' The course of a cyclic movement of the comb 4 is illustrated by a chain-dotted line in the Fig. 1. In a position I (initial position), the comb 4 is s ituated in a rest setting (chain-dotted illustration of the four-bar linkage). According to the set time interval, the drive motor for the comb 4 is set into movement by way of the control device. The comb 4 then rises and runs along the movement path II, whereby the entraining members 4.1 run through the sorting gaps in the passages and lift up all wedged sweets. At the end of the movement path II, the comb 4 dips downwardly away from the passages and returns to the initial setting I by way of the movement path III. The dimensionally correct sweets drop through the sorting gaps into transport means disposed thereunder. Any dimensionally incorrect sweets run to the end of the retaining rails and fall through the adjoining reject passage into a reject funnel.

Claims (4)

1. CLAIMS 1. Apparatus for separting out dimensionally correct articles from

   a quantity of articles, the apparatus comprising a vibratory conveying table provided with a plurality of slots extending in an intended direction of conveying, means to guide articles into the slots for passage therethrough of dimensionally correct ones of the articles, and a clearing comb arranged in the region of the slots and under the table and movable along the slots with vertical and horizontal components of movement, the comb being engageable in the slots.
2. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the comb comprises a rail provided with upwardly projecting tines and driven by a four-bar linkage.
3. 3. Apparatus as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, comprising means to cause intermittent cyclic movement of the comb.
4. 4. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

   Published 1990atThe Patent Office, State House, 56 71 High Holborn. London WCIR4',,P Further copies mavbeobainedfroinT17iepaen.01-11-c- Sales Branch. St Mar7 Cray. Orpington. Kent BR5 3RD. Printed by Mult.;, Iex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray. Kent- Con 187 QWU5 Dranuil. Dualary '. way. urpingwn. Aent brm otw. rrintea DY Mult-plex techniques ltd. St Mary Cray. Kent- Con 187