GB2245876A

GB2245876A - An apparatus for advancing plate-like parts

Info

Publication number: GB2245876A
Application number: GB9114256A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Dieter Krost
Original assignee: KARGES HAMMER MASCHF
Current assignee: KARGES HAMMER MASCHF
Priority date: 1990-07-07
Filing date: 1991-07-02
Publication date: 1992-01-15
Anticipated expiration: 2011-07-02
Also published as: BE1004767A6; IT1248566B; DE9010300U1; ITMI911768A0; GB9114256D0; ITMI911768A1; GB2245876B

Abstract

Apparatus for the intermittent advancing of plate-type metal parts, in particular can lids (2), has driven advancing lugs or the like which engage behind each metal part and which, after completing their advancing stroke, are steered out of the conveying path of the associated metal part, and after returning to their starting position are again steered into the conveying path, into a position engaging behind the respectively subsequent metal part. In order to improve the positioning of the parts on completion of an advancing stroke, according to the invention it is proposed that the slid away (1) comprise sections (1a) of approximately identical construction which, as seen in the advancing direction (4), lie adjoining one another and each have a slide face (5) slightly ascending in the advancing direction (4) which the subsequent slide face (5) adjoins in the manner of a saw-tooth via a vertical step (6). <IMAGE>

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR ADVANCING PLATES The present invention relates to an apparatus for advancing plates and in particular apparatus for intermittently advancing plates along a horizontally extending slideway. The plates may be plate-type metal parts, in particular can lids.

The apparatus has an approximately horizontal slideway, on which the plates lie flat, and driven advancing lugs or the like. The lugs or the like execute an advancing stroke from a starting position. In the advancing strokes the lugs or the like engage behind each plate to cause the plates to move along a conveying path. After completing their advancing stroke, the lugs or the like are steered out of the conveying path of the metal part and retun to their starting position. The lugs or the like are then again steered into the conveying path and into a position engaging behind the respective subsequent plate.

It is known to feed can lids, lying in a row one behind the other on a slideway, intermittently to, for example, a spindle drying oven. For intermittent advancing of the lids, ratchet rails are used. The ratchet rails are moved back and forth via a drive, parallel to the intended advancing direction of the lids. The ratchets secured to the ratchet rails engage behind a respective lid and advance the latter in pulsed manner. Once a front dead centre position of the rails has been reached, the ratchet rails are moved back to their starting positions, the ratchets being pulled over the edge of the lid in opposition to the advancing direction of the lid. Inevitably the lids tend to be moved in the direction opposite to their intended direction of advance. As a result the lids are brought out of the position allocated to them.

In order to eliminate such a problem, slide plates, which secure the lid in its intended position by means of strong magnets, are used for the slideway. However, such magnetic slide plates can only be used for tin metal lids. Moreover, they are expensive to manufacture and scratch the lids.

For this reason, slide plates having retaining ratchets for fixing the lids have been used. These slide plates can be used for aluminium as well as tin metal lids, but they are expensive to manufacture and their ratchets require lengthy cleaning of dirt and rubber residues. This results in undesirable stoppage times of the whole apparatus.

In order to eliminate the problems, vacuum slide plates have been used. However, such vacuum slide plates have proved themselves to be suitable only for the advancing of aluminium lids. For transporting tin metal lids, station magnets must additionally be incorporated. Consequently the apparatus is expensive to manufacture, since a large-sized and correspondingly expensive vacuum blower is necessary. Moreover the incorporation of magnets again results in the lids being scratched.

An object of the invention is to develop ar. advancing apparatus of the constructional type described at the outset which is simple in construction and gentle to the surface, and which guarantees a secure positioning oftbe metal parts or can lids on completion of each advancing stroke.

According to the invention the slideway comprises sections of approximately identical construction which, as seen in the advancing direction, lie adjoining one another and each have a slide face slightly ascending in the advancing direction which the subsequent slide face adjoins in the manner of a saw-tooth via a vertical step.

Preferably the advancing lugs are ratchets which are secured to driven ratchet rails which are arranged parallel to the slideway and in the longitudinal direction carry out a back-and-forth displacement defining the advancing stroke.

The advancing stroke corresponds preferably to the length of one section of the slideway.

In the case of pulsed advancing of the metal parts, the vertical step acts between two respective sections of the slideway as a retaining ratchet. When the metal part is advanced, after it has reached the highest point of the ascending slide. face of a section of the slideway, it falls downwards onto the slide face of the adjoining section of the slideway. During retraction of the ratchet rails, the ratchets thereof can now no longer displace the metal part or the lid from its previously adopted position.

The stepwise construction of the slideway is simple and therefore inexpensive to manufacture. The apparatus can be used for aluminium and tin metal lids. Scratch formation on the lids can be avoided. The slideway is simple to clean.

An apparatus embodying the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a side view of a portion of the apparatus; and Figure 2 shows diagrammatically a plan view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown therein is for the intermittent advancing of can lids 2. The apparatus comprises an approximately horizontal slideway 1.

The slideway 1 comprieses sections la of approximately identical construction which, as seen in the advancing direction 4, lie adjoining one another and each have a slide face 5 slightly ascending in the advancing direction 4 which the subsequent slide face 5 adjoins in the manner of a saw-tooth via a vertical step 6.

Ratchets 7 which are secured to driven ratchet rails 8 which are arranged parallel to the slideway 1 and in the longitudinal direction carry out a back-and-forth displacement 9 defining the advancing stroke. The advancing stroke corresponds approximately to the length 1 of the section la of the slideway.

The figures illustrate the ratchet rails 8 or the ratchets 7 thereof in a front dead centre position.

In use of the apparatus, the can lids 2 lie flat on the slideway 1 and are fed to a spindle drying oven 3 (indicated only diagrammatically). The ratchets 7 serve to achieve pulsed advancing of the can lids 2.

Preferred aspects of the invention may be summarized as follows: 1. Apparatus for the intermittent advancing of plate-type metal parts, in particular can lids (2), lying flat on an approximately horizontal slideway (1), having driven advancing lugs or the like winch engage behind eachmetal part and which, after completing their advancing stroke, are steered out of the conveying path of the associated metal part, and after returning to their starting position are again steered into the conveying path, into a position engaging behind the respectively subsequent metal part, characterized in that the slideway (1) comprises sections (la) of approximately identical construction which, as seen in the advancing direction (4), lie adjoining one another and each have a slide face (5) slightly ascending in the advancing direction (4) which the subsequent slide face (5) adjoins in the manner of a saw-tooth via a vertical step (6).

2. Apparatus according to Sunmary 1, characterized in that the advancing lugs are ratchets (7) which are secured to driven ratchet rails (8) which are arranged parallel to the slideway (1) and in the longitudinal direction carrying out a back-and-forth displacement (9) defining the advancing stroke.

3. Apparatus according to Summary 1 or 2, characterized in that the advancing stroke corresponds to the length (1) of one section (la) of the slideway.

Claims

1. Apparatus for advancing plates, such as lids for cans, comprising: a slideway which extends horizontally in the intended direction of advance of the plates; members for pushing the plates along the slideway; means for causing each said member repeatedly to execute a conveying stroke from an initial position, in which stroke the member can engage one such plate at the rear thereof to push the plate along the slideway, and a return stroke back to its initial position; characterized in that: the slideway comprises a row of portions each having a slide face sloping upwardly in said direction of advance at a relatively shallow angle and a face which depends downwardly at a relatively steep angle to resist movement of the plates in the direction opposite to said direction of advance.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the slideway comprises a plurality of like sections each providing one said slide face and one said steep face.

3. Apparatus according to either preceding claim, further comprising at least one rail carrying said members, said members being in the form of pawls, the at least one rail being reciprocably longitudinally movable to effect the conveying and return strokes of said members.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the length of each conveying stroke is equal to the distance between successive steep faces of the slideway.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein each said steep face is substantially vertical.

6. Apparatus for advancing plates, substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.