GB2364984A

GB2364984A - Sliced loaf de-nester

Info

Publication number: GB2364984A
Application number: GB0112005A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert Earl Doe; Brian Clifford Sanders
Original assignee: ARIANA DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: ARIANA DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 2000-05-17
Filing date: 2001-05-17
Publication date: 2002-02-13
Also published as: GB0112005D0; GB0011875D0

Abstract

A sliced loaf de-nester comprises a first conveyor 1 for conveying a sliced loaf and a unit for arresting and vertically dislodging the leading slice S of the loaf when it reaches a predetermined position beyond the end of the first conveyor. In use, the upright dislodged slice is transferred to a flat position on a second conveyor 8. Another sliced loaf de-nester comprises a feed mechanism operable such that the upright end slice passes over a plate 3 to abut stop members 4, 5. A beater arrangement 6 is provided so as to act upon the end slice when stop member 5 is removed, thereby causing the slice to move downwards and engage with the second conveyor upon which it is transported in a horizontal orientation. A method of separating and conveying an end slice of a sliced loaf is also disclosed.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> SLICED LOAF DE-NESTER The invention relates to a sliced loaf de-nester.

A sliced loaf de-nester is required if an automated sandwich making line is to be reliably fed with slices of bread in a horizontal orientation and following each other in close succession along a conveyor ready to be spread with butter and have sandwich filling placed thereon. Since a loaf of freshly baked bread is not a rigid article there is some variation between the thicknesses of adjacent slices when the loaf is sliced and also some variation in width and heiaht. This makes it difficult to register feeding devices with the successive slices of a sliced loaf and reliably to de- nest the slices and feed them in succession onto a conveyor.

According to the invention, means to feed a sliced loaf along a generally horizontal support with the slices in a generally vertical orientation to a de- nesting station; a plate which is at a different vertical level to the horizontal support; stop means located adjacent the plate; a beater arrangement, and a second conveyor, the feed means being operable such that the end slice of the loaf passes over the plate to abut the stop means as the loaf approaches the de-nesting

station and upon de-nesting being demanded, the stop means is removed and the beater arrangement acts on the front face of the end slice to drive it downwardly so that the bottom face of the slice is bought into engagement with the second conveyor so that the bottom end of the slice is carried forwardly to move the slice into a horizontal orientation as it is conveyed.

Advantageously the plate incorporates a ramp to raise the slice and a drop off edge which allows the slice to move dowr@wardly as it exits the plate. Preferably an upper stop for the slice, after having stopped the slice, moves forwardly to improve the engagement of the front face of the slice with the beater arrangement. Preferably the beater arrangement comprises a rotary lobed member with a high friction members thereon. Advantageously the stop means for the bottom of the slice is pneumatically controlled such that having stopped the slice, they can fall forwards between the strands of the second conveyor.

The means which feeds sliced loaves, which loaves have had their end crusts removed, to the plate, preferably incorporates a no-bread sensor such that operation of the de-nester ceases if the bread left in the magazine to be de-nested falls below a predetermined lower limit. The feed means preferably comprises belting with a slippery surface such that it can apply a

forward feeding force to the stacked slices but, when the stacked slices are stopped, can slip thereunder. The second conveyor however advantageously has a relatively rough surface such that slices of bread lying thereon are fed by the belt of the second conveyor without slippage.

The stacked slices on the feed means are advantageously impelled forwardly by follow-ups provided behind them and to which the feed means applies a feeding force. The width of the magazine fed by feed means is advantageously adjustable.

A crumb catching tray is advantageously provided beneath the beater arrangement and it has been discovered that the beater effectively de-crumbs the front face of the slice being de-nested, and this is a considerable advantage since the front face subsequently forms the upper face of the slice fed on the second conveyor and having such face de-crumbed is of assistance to the operation of butter spreading machines used in sandwich lines.

The belts in the feed means and the second conveyor are advantageously of a T-section, the stem of the T projecting downwardly from the upper pass of the conveyor and being engaged in a locating groove in feed and idler rollers to maintain spacing between the belts which allows crumbs to fall through the belts.

It will be seen that in the de-nester of the invention, only the front face and the bottom face of each slice in the de-nesting position is engaged and the de-nester can therefore tolerate quite wide variations in dimensions of the slice as regards width, height and thickness, certainly within the tolerances likely to be encountered in commercially produced sliced loaves.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a sliced loaf de-nester apparatus for separating and conveying a slice at an end of a sliced loaf, the apparatus including: a first conveyor for conveying the sliced loaf endwise in a first generally horizontal direction; means for arresting and vertically dislodging the leading slice when that reaches a predetermined position beyond the end of the first conveyor; means for controlling the first conveyor so that pressure on the dislodged slice from the following portion of the loaf is relieved; a second conveyor leading downstream from the first conveyor, and means for transferring the upright dislodged slice to a flat position on the second conveyor.

The controlling means may substantially separate the leading slice from the rest of the loaf by moving the rest of the loaf in a direction substantially opposite to the first generally horizontal direction.

The apparatus may further include movable stop means for abutting the leading slice for holding it in position temporarily after separation. The leading slice may first be conveyed to a lower level than the rest of the loaf and may then be conveyed to a higher level. The means for transferring may include means for driving the leading slice from the stop means to the second conveyor. The drive means may include a rotary beater. The drive means may include a pushing plate.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of separating and conveying a slice at an end of a sliced loaf, the method including steps of: conveying the sliced loaf endwise in a first generally horizontal direction; arresting and vertically dislodging the leading slice when it reaches a predetermined position; relieving the pressure on the dislodged slice from the following portion of the loaf; transferring the upright dislodged slice to be conveyed in a flat position.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing which is a schematic side view of a middle portion of a sliced bread de-nester according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing, loaves (not shown) of sliced bread are unwrapped, have their end crusts

removed and rejected and are placed lengthwise on a first conveyor 1 which moves in a direction shown by arrow A, the loaves being placed between side guides 2, (only one of which is visible) with the spacing between the side guides 2 being adjustable preferably by a rotatable handle (not shown). Preferably several loaves can be placed on the conveyor 1, arranged one behind another, and they are transported forwardly in the direction A by the conveyor 1 with the bottom edges of the slices of the loaves at a first level B. A plate 3 extending across the width of the conveyor 1 has fingers 3a at the lefthand side, as view in the drawing, which extends between bands of the conveyor 1 and has an upper surface at a level C. As the slices pass off the conveyor 1 onto the plate 3, they sink so that the bottom edge of each moves from the level B to the level C. This tends to produce a separating force between successive slices. A forward portion 3b of the plate 3 slopes upwardly so that its free edge is substantially at a level D and a slice of bread pressed along the sloping portion 3b is accordingly raised upwardly. As the rear edge of a slice of bread S in a position indicated by dotted lines passes forward of the free edge of the plate 3, the forward face of the slice abuts an upper stop 4 at an upper position and at a lower position abuts stop fingers 5. A middle portion of the forward face of the slice S abuts a beater roller 6

which is rotatable in a direction indicated by arrow E and has three lobes each with high friction rubber hands 7 extending thereover.

In the position S, the slice is located above a second conveyor 8 which has an upper surface moving in the direction shown by arrow F. The stop fingers 5 are mounted on a plate 9 which is pivotable about a pivot 10 so that the stop fingers 5 can be moved from the position shown as indicated by arrow G and subsequently restored back to the position shown.

The upper surface of the conveyor 1 is a very low friction surface such that little conveying force is applied to the bread thereon but the bread is advanced so that the slice S is in position against the stop 4 and the fingers 5.

When a downstream sensor (not shown) demands conveying of a slice by the conveyor 8 in the direction F, several actions occur substantially simultaneously. Thus the conveyor 1 is stopped and momentarily reversed relieving the rear face of the slice S of the pressure of the following bread. The stop 4 is moved forwardly due to its mounting on a piston or solenoid arrangement 11. The plate 9 is released for movement about the pivot 10 so that the stop fingers 5 fall away between the bands of the conveyor 8 and a motor (not shown) is energised to drive the beater roll 6, as indicated by the arrow E, thereby to drive the slice in the position

S downwardly, as indicated by arrow I, so that the lower edge of the slice abuts the conveyor 8 which is moving in the direction F so that the bottom of the slice is carried away to the right as viewed in the drawing. Advantageously a pusher plate 12 simultaneously moves down onto the top edge of the slice to ensure intimate contact is made between the lower edge of the slice and the conveyor belt 8. The slice S curves from the position shown while being driven by the beater roll 6 until it lies flat upon the conveyor 8 and is carried away in that orientation to be utilised at another location, such as in an automatic sandwich making line.

Thus as a slice moves along the conveyor 1 it is successively subjected to movements in which firstly it moves down from the level B to the level C, secondly it moves upwardly to the level D, thirdly it is stopped by the stop fingers 5 and the top stop 4, fourthly it is driven down onto the conveyor 8 by the beater roll 6 and pusher plate 12 and, fifthly it is conveyed away by the conveyor 8. When stopped in the position S (shown in dotted lines in the drawing), it is relieved of pressure by reverse movement of the conveyor 1, forward movement of the stop 4 and forward movement of the fingers 5 before it is driven downwardly by the beater roll 6 and the force of gravity.

Preferably the plate 3 is mounted by means which permit adjustment of the spacing between the free edge

of the plate 3 and the stop fingers 5 for compensation for different thicknesses of sliced bread to be de- nested.

Safety devices and sensors may be provided to stop operation when the magazine constituted by the conveyor 1 is empty and to prevent operation if any outside objects, such as an operator's hand, project into the operating zone.

Thus the de-nester advantageously works on demand with an intermittent action, control of the moving parts can be by any suitable means but since it i5 concerned with food machinery, the movements will norma1Iy be electrically or pneumatically powered.

Claims

Claims 1. A sliced loaf de-nester apparatus for separating and conveying a slice at an end of a sliced loaf, the apparatus comprising: a first conveyor for conveying the sliced loaf endwise in a first generally horizontal direction; means for arresting and vertically dislodging the leading slice when that reaches a predetermined position beyond the end of the first conveyor; means for controlling the first conveyor so that pressure on the dislodged slice from the following portion of the loaf is relieved; a second conveyor leading downstream from the first conveyor, and means for transferring the upright dislodged slice to a flat position on the second conveyor.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the controlling means substantially separates the leading slice from the rest of the loaf by moving the rest of the loaf in a direction substantially opposite to the first generally horizontal direction.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein the means for arresting includes a movable stop means abutting the leading slice for holding it in position temporarily after separation.
4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the leading slice is first conveyed to a lower level

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than the rest of the loaf and is then conveyed to a higher level.
5. Apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4, wherein the means for transferring to the second conveyor includes means for driving the leading slice from the stop means to the second conveyor.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the drive means includes a rotary beater.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the drive means includes a pushing plate.
8. A method of separating and conveying a slice at an end of a sliced loaf, the method including steps of: conveying the sliced loaf endwise in a first generally horizontal direction; arresting and vertically dislodging the leading slice when it reaches a predetermined position; relieving the pressure on the dislodged slice from the following portion of the loaf; transferring the upright dislodged slice to be conveyed in a flat position.
9. A method according to Claim 8, wherein the step of relieving the pressure includes moving the rest of the loaf in a direction substantially opposite to the first generally horizontal direction.
10. A sliced loaf de-nester comprising:

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means to feed a sliced loaf along a generally horizontal support with the slices in a generally vertical orientation to a de-nesting station; a plate which is at a different vertical level to the horizontal support; stop means located adjacent the plate; a beater arrangement, and a second conveyor, the feed means being operable such that the end slice of the loaf passes over the plate to abut the stop means as the loaf approaches the de-nesting station and upon de-nesting being demanded, the stop means is removed and the beater arrangement acts on the front face of the end slice to drive it downwardly so that the bottom face of the slice is bought into engagement with the second conveyor so that the bottom end of the slice is carried forwardly to move the slice into a horizontal orientation as it is conveyed.
11. A sliced loaf de-nester according to Claim 10, wherein the plate incorporates a ramp to raise the slice and a drop-off edge which allows the slice to move downwardly as it exits the plate.
12. A sliced loaf de-nester according to Claim 10 or Claim 11, having an upper stop for the slice which, after having stopped the slice, moves to improve the

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engagement of the front face of the slice with the beater arrangement.
13. A sliced loaf de-nester according to Claim 12, wherein the beater arrangement comprises a rotary lobed member with high friction members thereon.
14. A sliced loaf de-nester according to any one of Claims 10 to 13, wherein the stop means for the slice is pneumatically controlled such that having stopped the slice, they can fall forwards between the belts of the second conveyor.
15. A sliced loaf de-nester according to any one of Claims 10 to 14, wherein feed means incorporates a no bread sensor such that operation of the de-nester ceases if there the bread left in the magazine to be de-nested is lower than a predetermined lower limit.
16. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 10 to 15, wherein the feed means comprises belting with a slippery surface such that it can apply a forward feeding force to the stacked slices but, when the stacked slices are stopped, can slip thereunder.
17. A sliced loaf de-nester according to any one of Claims 10 to 16, wherein the second conveyor has a relatively rough surface such that slices of bread lying thereon are fed by the belt of the second conveyor without slippage.
18. A sliced loaf de-nester according to any one of Claims 10 to 17 wherein the stacked slices on the feed

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means are advantageously impelled forwardly by follow- ups provided behind them and to which the feed means applies a feeding force.
19. A sliced loaf de-nester according to any one of Claims 10 to 18, wherein the width of the magazine fed by the feed means is adjustable.
20. A sliced loaf de-nester according to any one of Claims 10 to 19, wherein a crumb catching tray is provided beneath the beater arrangement.
21. A sliced loaf de-nester according to any one of Claims 10 to 20, wherein the belts in the feed means and the second conveyor are of a T-section, the stem of the T projecting downwardly from the upper part of the conveyor and being engaged in a locating groove in feed and idler rollers to maintain spacing between the belts which allows crumbs to fall through the belts.