GB2276070A - A method for producing packages - Google Patents

Abstract

Tea leaves from different sources are delivered from containers (2, 3) to a conveyor(s) which delivers the leaves to one of a number of blending drums (15, 16). If the second drum (16) is selected an inlet (30) to the first drum (15) is closed by a ram (32) operating a valving member (31). An outlet (50) from the blending drum (15) is closed by a closure plate (51) which is moved by a ram (70) acting on a cranked bar (72) against the biasing of a spring (78). Blended tea is discharged from the drum (15, 16) into a mobile hopper (19) which delivers the tea to a hopper of a tea packaging machine. The tea is packaged by forming and filling tea bags, delivering a predetermined number of tea bags, into a carton, wrapping the carton and delivering a plurality of cartons to a marshalling area having a number of carton inlet lines and a single carton outlet line. <IMAGE>

Description

"A Method for Producing Packages" The invention relates to a method for producing packages, particularly of leaf or granular like materials, especially tea.

The production of packages of tea such as tea bags on a large scale is well known and developed. Tea bag making machines are in use which package tea into bags at very high speeds. While in some cases there are problems with the reliability of the tea bag making machines the major production and quality difficulties relate to efficient and effective methods of providing desired quantities of desired blends of tea for packaging into tea bags to the high speed machines and in marshalling the output from the number of tea bag making machines to ensure that the machines operate to as near to full capacity as possible.

For good consistent quality of tea bags it is also essential that the tea blend delivered to the tea bag making machines is a high quality consistent blend.

This invention is directed towards providing a method for producing packages of tea and the like to meet these objectives.

According to the invention there is provided a method for producing packages of tea comprising the steps of: delivering quantities of different types of tea from supply containers to an intake of a feed conveyor, passing the tea through a magnet to remove metallic particles, sieving the tea to remove foreign bodies, closing the outlet valving member of a blending drum, moving an internal chute in the blending drum from a delivery position for delivery of tea from the drum to a blending position, opening an inlet valving member to the blending drum, delivering the tea into the blending drum, rotating the blending drum to blend the tea, moving the internal chute to the delivery position for delivery of tea to the outlet of the blending drum, opening the outlet valving member of the blending drum, collecting the blended tea from the blending drum, and filling the blended tea into packages.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the internal chute is mounted on a shaft and the chute is moved between the delivery and blending positions by rotating the shaft, the shaft being rotated by operation of an actuating means and a chute operating mechanism to which the actuating means is connected.

Preferably the shaft is rotated by operation of an actuating means comprising a ram.

In a preferred arrangement the chute operating mechanism comprises a pinion wheel mounted on the shaft and a rack connected to the actuating means, translational movement of the actuating means being converted by the rack and pinion into rotational movement of the shaft to move the internal chute between the blending and delivery positions.

Preferably the outlet valving member is mounted on the shaft and is moved along the shaft between the open and closed positions by an outlet valving member operating mechanism.

Typically the valving member comprises an outlet valve plate which is placed between a closed position in register with the drum outlet and an open position out of register with the drum outlet.

Preferably the outlet valving member opening mechanism moves the outlet valve plate substantially linearally between the open and closed positions.

In a preferred arrangement the outlet valving member operating mechanism includes a slide bar on the shaft and ram pivotally connected to the slide bar for movement between the open and closed positions.

In an other embodiment to the invention the method includes the steps prior to the delivery of tea of selecting one of a number of blending drums to which the tea is to be delivered from a common supply header, and closing the inlet valving member of one drum and opening the inlet valving member of the drum to which the tea is to be delivered.

In this arrangement preferably tea is delivered to the drums from a common supply though separate drum inlet chutes having recycle outlets and the method includes the step of closing off a drum inlet and directing tea into the recycle outlet of the chute associated with the closed drum inlet.

Preferably tea is directed to the recycle outlet of the chute by a recycle flap which is moved by a recycle flap operating mechanism from a first position closing off the recycle outlet to a second position in which the recycle outlet is opened.

In a preferred arrangement the recycle flap opening mechanism comprises an actuating means such as a ram and a connecting mechanism between the ram and the recycle flap, the flap being movable between the first and second positions on operation of the ram.

In a preferred embodiment to the invention, blended tea from the collecting drum is collected in collecting hoppers which are mounted on a chassis for movement between the blending drum, and delivery hoppers to tea packaging machines.

Preferably each collecting hopper chassis is provided with wheels for movement from one location to another.

Most preferably each collecting hopper chassis includes fork lift truck tine receiving means for movement of the collecting hopper by a fork lift truck or the like.

In one aspect of the invention the tea is packaged into tea bags and the method includes the steps of: forming tea bags and delivering tea into the tea bags, delivering a predetermined number of tea bags into a carton, wrapping the carton, delivering a plurality of cartons from a number of different tea bag making machines to a common marshalling area having a number of carton inlet lines and a single carton outlet line, delivering the cartons through the marshalling area in a controlled manner.

Preferably the tea bag cartons are marshalled by: sensing the presence of a carton at predetermined positions on the inlet lines, delivering a carton from one opened inlet line through the marshalling area while preventing the delivery of cartons from other inlet lines through the marshalling area, and when no cartons are detected at the predetermined points on the opened inlet lines, preventing further delivery from that inlet line and allowing the delay of cartons from another inlet line in a desired sequence.

In a preferred arrangement the movement of cartons through the marshalling area is prevented by engaging stop means against leading cartons on the inlet lines.

The invention also provides packages of tea especially packages of tea bags or packages of loose tea whenever produced by the method of the invention.

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a method of producing packages of tea according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of tea intake apparatus and supply containers used in the method of the invention; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating the operation of the intake apparatus of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a side, partially cross-sectional view of an inlet side of a blending drum used in the method of the invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an outlet end of the blending drum used in the method of the invention; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation in the method of the invention of part of the apparatus of Fig. 4; ; Fig. 7 is an end view of the apparatus of Fig. 6 in operation; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of an internal blending drum chute used in the method of the invention; Figs. 9 and 10 are illustrations of further steps in the method of the invention; Fig. 11 is the diagrammatic plan view of a marshalling step in the method of the invention; and Figs. 12 and 13 are respectively plan and end views of marshalling apparatus used in the method of the invention.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1 thereof there is illustrated a method for producing packages of tea according to the invention. The method is described below particularly for producing tea bags and the like, however it will be appreciated that the majority of steps in the method may also be applied to producing packages of loose tea or the like.

Tea leaves are delivered from various sources of supply either in tea chests 2 or sacks 3. A desired blend is produced by delivering measured quantities of different types and grades of tea from the containers 2, 3 to an intake apparatus 4 to a conveyor 5 as will be apparent particularly from Figs 2 and 3. The intake apparatus 4 includes a flexible strip curtain 6 and a hood 7 through which tea dust is drawn by a fan (not shown) to an extractor duct 8. The tea leaves are delivered by the conveyor 5 to a magnet 10 which removes any metal particles for disposal on line 11 and the tea is then delivered to a sieve 13 which removes foreign bodies to a disposal line 14.The sieved tea is then delivered by the conveyor 5 to one of a number of blending drums 15, 16 in which the tea is blended and then delivered into mobile collecting hoppers 19, 20 which are moved above a grating 25 including a magnet for removing any fine particles of metal dust from the tea. Tea from the mobile hoppers 19, 20 is then supplied to one of a plurality of, in this case three, tea bag making machines 26A, 26B, 26C each of which has an outlet line 27A, 27B, 27C respectively which each deliver cartons containing a predetermined number of tea bags to a marshalling area 30 which controls the flow of cartons of tea bags along a single outlet 31 to a carton wrapping station 32.

In more detail and referring now to Fig. 4 tea is blended in one of the drums 15,16 as selected by an operator. In the event that the second drum 16 is selected an inlet 30 to the first drum 15 is closed by a ram 32 operating a valving member 31. To avoid leakage of tea into a drum inlet chute 35 of the drum 15, chute 35 is provided with an opening 36 to a tea recycle line, the opening 36 being closable by a closure plate 38 which is movable by a ram 39 between an open position illustrated by full lines in Fig. 4 and a closed position illustrated by interrupted lines in Fig. 4. The ram 39 in pivotally mounted to a mounting lug 40 fixed to a mounting plate 41.

Referring in particular to Figs. 5 to 8 an outlet 50 from the blending drum 15 is closed by an outlet valve closure plate 51 which is movable, as will be described in more detail below, from the open position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 6 to the closed position illustrated by interrupted lines in Fig. 6.

An internal chute 60 is provided adjacent to the outlet 50 and is fixed to a shaft 61 which extends through the outlet opening 50 and the valve closure plate 51. The chute 60 is movable from a delivery position illustrated by full lines in Fig. 6, in which it assists in directing tea from the drum into the outlet 50, to a blending position illustrated by interrupted lines in Fig. 6 in which it defines a baffle to assist in blending of the tea in the drum 15. Actuating means for moving the chute 60 from the delivery to the blending positions in this case comprises a ram 65 connected to an operating mechanism comprising a rack 66 which is moved linearally by the ram 65 to rotate a pinion wheel 67 fixed to the extension of the shaft 61.When it is desired to move the chute 60, the ram 65 is operated which moves the rack 66, rotating the pinion 67, and hence the shaft 61 and chute 60 into the desired position. This operation is best illustrated in Fig. 7.

Actuating means for controlling the movement of the outlet valve plate 51 between the open and closed positions comprises an outlet valve operating ram 70 pivotally connected at 71 to an operating mechanism comprising a cranked bar 72 which is pivotally mounted at 73 between a pair of guide bars 74 and terminates in a yoke 75 connected by a pin 75 to a sleeve 77. The sleeve 77 is slidably movable along the shaft 61 against the biasing of a spring 78 and a bushing 80. To move the outlet valve plate 51 into the closed position the ram 70 is actuated which pivots the cranked bar 72 and moves the sleeve 77 along the shaft 61 against the biasing of the spring 78 to urge the valve plate 51 into the closed position illustrated by interrupted lines in Fig. 6.The position of the cranked bar and other elements of the mechanism are illustrated by interrupted lines in Fig. 6 in the closed position. To move the valve plate 51 to the open position the ram 70 is retracted and the plate 51 moves to the open position under the biasing of the spring 78.

In the course of delivery of tea from the conveyor 5 into the drum 15 the recycle valve flap operating ram 39 is extended to move the flap 38 into the closed position illustrated in Fig. 6 preventing delivery of tea into the recycle line 37. The inlet valve plate 31 is then opened by operating the inlet valve operating ram 32. The rams 65 and 70 are operated as described above to move the chute 60 into the blending position and to move the closure plate 51 to a closed position. The inlet valve member 31 is then closed by operating the ram 32 and the drum 15 is rotated as required to blend the tea. When blending is complete the ram 65 is first operated to rotate the chute 60 into the delivery position illustrated by full lines in Fig. 6. The ram 70 is then operated to move the outlet valve plate 51 into the open position also illustrated by full lines in Fig. 6.The drum is then gently rotated to deliver tea through the outlet 50 to a delivery chute 85 into a conveyor 86 for delivery into a desired mobile hopper 19.

The mobile hopper 19 is mounted on a chassis including wheels 90 and mounting points 91 for receiving the tines of a fork lift truck 92 or the like for ease of transporting the hopper 19 to a desired one of a plurality of outlets 95 to a hopper of a tea packaging machine such as a tea bag making machine. Magnetized bars 96 extend across the outlet 95 for removal of any metal particles.

The automatic tea bag forming and packaging machines draw blended tea from the inlet hoppers, as required, and manufacture tea bags at high speed, a desired number of tea bags being placed in a carton by the machine.

Individual cartons are then wrapped. For maximum output a number of different tea bag making machines 26 deliver cartons of tea bags onto a plurality of outlet lines 27 to a marshalling area 30 which is shown in more detail in Figs. 12 and 13. Cartons 97A, 97B, 97C moving along the conveyors 27A, 27B and 27C respectively are sensed by individual sensors 98A, 98B, 98C for each line. When a sensor 98 detects a carton arriving at the inlet location to the marshalling area 30 a signal is sent to a controller which, if the carton 97 is the first to arrive at the marshalling station 30, automatically allows the carton to pass freely through the marshalling station 30 while preventing cartons arriving to the marshalling station 30 along the other inlet lines 27 from moving through the marshalling station.Cartons 97 are retained in the marshalling area by side stops 99 operated by respective rams 100 in response to a signal from the controller to engage the carton and retain it in position until the controller activates the ram 100 to release the stops 99 and allows the carton to pass through the marshalling area. In the particular case illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13 a series of cartons 97A have arrived at the marshalling area 30 along the inlet line 27A and the sensor 98A has detected the presence of the cartons 97A and sent a signal to the controller which has operated the ram 100A to release the stops 99A. This allows a carton 97A to pass through the marshalling area and activates the rams lOOC, lOOB to push stops 99C, 99B inwardly against any cartons 97B, 97C arriving at the marshalling station along the lines 27B, 27C.This continues until all of the cartons 97A arriving along the inlet line 27A have cleared the marshalling area 30. At that stage, the first of the cartons 97B, 97C on the other lines to be detected by the respective sensors 98B, 98C on the inlet lines 27B, 27C causes the controller to operate the rams allowing cartons, in this case cartons 97C arriving on the line 27C, to pass through the marshalling station while preventing any further cartons arriving along lines 27A or 27B moving through the marshalling area. In this way, the output from separate teabag manufacturing machines is controlled to provide a flow of cartons to the wrapping station 32 in a highly efficient and cost effective manner.

It will be appreciated that the invention provides a method for producing packages of tea which provides high quality consistently blended tea to the input of a plurality of different tea packaging machines, on demand, so that the machines can operate to their full capacity.

In addition, in the case of cartons of teabags the output from a plurality of teabag making machines is marshalled in such a way as to ensure that the teabag making machine is operated to full capacity while effectively and efficiently marshalling the output to provide wrapped cartons of teabags ready for dispatch.

Many variations on the specific embodiments of the invention described will be readily apparent and according the invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in both construction and detail.

Claims (20)

1. A method for producing packages of tea comprising the steps of: delivering quantities of different types of tea from supply containers to an intake of a feed conveyor, passing the tea through a magnet to remove metallic particles, sieving the tea to remove foreign bodies, closing the outlet valving member of a blending drum, moving an internal chute in the blending drum from a delivery position for delivery of tea from the drum to a blending position, opening an inlet valving member to the blending drum, delivering the tea into the blending drum, rotating the blending drum to blend the tea, moving the internal chute to the delivery position for delivery of tea to the outlet of the blending drum, opening the outlet valving member of the blending drum, collecting the blended tea from the blending drum, and filling the blended tea into packages,

2.A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the internal chute is mounted on a shaft and the chute is moved between the delivery and blending positions by rotating the shaft, the shaft being rotated by operation of an actuating means and a chute operating mechanism to which the actuating means is connected.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2 wherein the shaft is rotated by operation of an actuating means comprising a ram.

4. A method as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the chute operating mechanism comprises a pinion wheel mounted on the shaft and a rack connected to the actuating means, translational movement of the actuating means being converted by the rack and pinion into rotational movement of the shaft to move the internal chute between the blending and delivery positions.

5. A method as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4 wherein the outlet valving member is mounted on the shaft and is moved along the shaft between the open and closed positions by an outlet valving member operating mechanism.

6. A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the valving member comprises an outlet valve plate which is moved between a closed position in register with the drum outlet and an open position out of register with the drum outlet.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein the outlet valving member opening mechanism moves the outlet valve plate substantially linearally between the open and closed positions.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the outlet valving member operating mechanism includes a slide bar on the shaft and a ram pivotally connected to the slide bar for movement between the open and closed positions.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding claim including the steps prior to the delivery of tea of selecting one of a number of blending drums to which the tea is to be delivered from a common supply header, and closing the inlet valving member of one drum and opening the inlet valving member of the drum to which the tea is to be delivered.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein tea is delivered to the drums from a common supply through separate drum inlet chutes having recycle outlets and the method includes the step of closing off a drum inlet and directing tea into the recycle outlet of the chute associated with the closed drum inlet.

11. A method as claimed in claim 10 wherein tea is directed to the recycle outlet of the chute by a recycle flap which is moved by a recycle flap operating mechanism from a first position closing off the recycle outlet to a second position in which the recycle outlet is opened.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein the recycle flap operating mechanism comprises an actuating means such as a ram and a connecting mechanism between the ram and the recycle flap, the flap being movable between the first and second positions on operation of the ram.

13. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein blended tea from the collecting drum is collected in collecting hoppers which are mounted on a chassis for movement between the blending drum, and delivery hoppers to tea packaging machines.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 wherein each collecting hopper chassis is provided with wheels for movement from one location to another.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 or 14 wherein each collecting hopper chassis includes fork lift truck tine receiving means for movement of the collecting hopper by a fork lift truck or the like.

16. A method as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the tea is packaged into tea bags and the method includes the step of: forming tea bags and delivering tea into the tea bags, delivering a predetermined number of tea bags into a carton, wrapping the carton, delivering a plurality of cartons from a number of different tea bag making machines to a common marshalling area having a number of carton inlet lines and a single carton outlet line, delivering the cartons through the marshalling area in a controlled manner, collecting a number of cartons, and wrapping a number of cartons together.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16 wherein the tea bag cartons are marshalled by sensing the presence of a carton at a predetermined position on the inlet lines, delivering a carton from one opened inlet line through the marshalling area while preventing the delivery of cartons from other inlet lines through the marshalling area, and when no cartons are detected at the predetermined positions on the opened inlet lines, preventing further delivery from that inlet line and allowing the delivery of cartons from another inlet line in a desired sequence.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17 wherein the movement of cartons through the marshalling area is prevented by engaging stop means against leading cartons on the inlet lines from which movement of cartons is to be prevented.

19. A method as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. Packages of tea whenever produced by a method as claimed in any preceding claim.