GB2395701A - Outfeed mechanism for an article inspection machine - Google Patents

Abstract

An outfeed mechanism for an article inspection machine comprises a support member 76 to be secured to an overhead structure of the inspection machine, a pair of pulley assemblies, a servomotor for driving the assemblies, apparatus for suspending the pulley assemblies from the support member, and apparatus for suspending the servomotor from the support member. The outfeed mechanism is securable at a location which will permit the association of the mechanism with a linear conveyor without the need for dismantling the mechanism. The mechanism may further comprise a stripper mechanism 72 mounted on one of the pulley assemblies.

Description

GB 2395701 A continuation (74) Agent and/or Address for Service: Baron &

Warren 19 South End, Kensington, LONDON, We 5BU, United Kingdom

239570 1

OUTFEED MECHANISM FOR AN INSPECTION MACHINE

The present invention relates to inspection machines such as glass container inspection machines, and more particularly to such machines which use star wheel conveyors. 5 A conventional way of inspecting bottles which are being carried along a linear conveyor is to utilize a star wheel conveyor to remove the bottles from the linear conveyor, displace the bottles through a number of inspection stations, and then restore the inspected bottles 10 to the linear conveyor.

An infeed mechanism which properly spaces the bottles is associated with the linear conveyor on the infeed side, and an out feed mechanism is associated with the linear conveyor on the outfeed side. Conventionally, either the 15 linear conveyor or the inspection machine has to be taken apart to establish the desired relationship between the infeed and outfeed mechanisms and the linear conveyor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an outfeed mechanism for an article inspection machine, such 20 as a glass container inspection machine having a star wheel feeder, which can be operationally located relative to the linear conveyor without taking the outfeed mechanism apart.

From one aspect, the invention provides an outfeed mechanism for an article inspection machine as defined in 25 claim 1.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a presently preferred embodiment incorporating the principles of the

invention, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a glass container inspection machine incorporating an outfeed mechanism made in accordance with the teachings of the 5 present invention; Figure 2 is a front perspective view of the frame for the glass container inspection machine shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the infeed mechanism of the glass container inspection machine shown in Figure 10 1; Figure 4 is a top view of the outfeed mechanism of the glass container inspection machine shown in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a side cross sectional view of the outfeed support and positioning mechanism; 15 Figure 6 is a perspective view of one of the belt feeder assemblies of the outfeed mechanism shown in Figure 4; Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of one of the pick-off assemblies of the outfeed mechanism shown in 20 Figures 4 and 5, Figure 8 is a perspective view of the belt feeder drive for the outfeed mechanism shown in Figures 4 and 5, and Figure 9 is a perspective view of a stripper assembly 25 of the outfeed mechanism shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a glass container inspection machine 10 which has a tubular framework 12. A transparent front cover 14 closes the front of the machine. Defining the top work surface of the

l machine is a table 16 comprising a plate which is secured to the tubular frame. A shaft (not shown), to which upper 18 and lower 20 star wheels are clamped, is rotatably mounted on this table and extends downwardly through a hole 5 in this plate where it is connected to a servo motor (also not shown) which can index the star wheels from position to position. An opening is defined in the back of the machine which, in this view, is defined by a horizontal top tube 10 22, a vertical front tube 24 and a horizontal bottom tube 26 which is continued by the top surface of vertical leg member 28. A dotted volume or box 30 schematically shows the cross section of a linear conveyor which delivers bottles to the star wheel assembly and removes them from 15 the machine when they are redeposited onto the conveyor.

Above the linear conveyor are an infeed mechanism 32 (Figure 3) and an outfeed mechanism 34 (Figure 4). As shown, the inspection machine can be placed in position relative to the linear conveyor without altering the linear 20 conveyor or the inspection machine.

Figure 2 illustrates the tubular housing on to which the table 16 has been placed, and additionally shows a top mounting plate 36 of the infeed mechanism and a mounting bracket 38 of the outfeed mechanism secured to a cross bar 25 40 which interconnects the horizontal top tube 22, at the right side of the machine with the same tube 23, at the left of the machine.

The infeed mechanism is shown in Figure 3. A timing cam 50, which engages each bottle and defines the

appropriate spacing for the bottles to be picked up by the star wheel assembly 18, 20, i.e. synchronizes the bottles with the star wheel assembly, is rotatably supported between two downwardly projecting brackets 52,53 of a box 5 like frame 54. Mounted on the frame is a servomotor 56 which drives the timing cam via a suitable belt drive located in a casing 57. The box-like frame is supported for vertical displacement on two depending hangers 58 which are secured to a cross bracket 59 and can be adjusted 10 vertically by releasing clamps 60 and turning adjustment screw 62 which interconnects a top wall 63 of the boxlike frame and the cross bracket 59, to displace slots 61 (only one shown) relative to the clamps. Similarly, the timing cam can be adjusted in and out by releasing clamps 64 and 15 turning adjusting screw 65 (the cross bracket 59 has a pair of front to back elongated slots (not shown) which permit relative displacement between the cross bracket and the top mounting plate 36).

The outfeed mechanism is illustrated in Figures 4 - 9.

20 In operation, the bottle is carried along a curved path by the clockwise rotation of the star wheel feeder (one segment 69 of the upper star wheel 18 is shown) until it reaches a position where it comes into contact with a first pick-off assembly having one or more elastomer faced belts 25 70 which are moving with one or more pick-off wheels 71, as the pick-off wheels rotate in a counter-clockwise mode. The elastomer faced belts, alone or in concert with the indexing star wheels, will act to roll a bottle along one or more strippers 72 until the bottle engages a second

pick-off assembly also having a set (one or more) of elastomer faced belts 70 which are moving with a corresponding number of pick-off wheels 71 rotating in the clockwise direction. At this point the bottle is trapped 5 between the elastomeric belts which will move the bottle in the direction of conveyor movement. Belt speed is selected so that the bottles can be released onto the moving conveyor in synchronism with the conveyor. As bottles exit the belts, they will be guided by outfeed guide assemblies 10 74,75.

The support and positioning components for the outfeed assembly include (a) a tubular support or tube 76 (Figs.4 and 5) which is secured to a forward cross bar 40 (Fig.2) via the mounting bracket 38 and to a parallel rear cross 15 bar 381 via a bolt 77 which extends through a hole in the tubular support, through a hole in the rear cross bar 381 and into a conventional tubular channel connector 78, (b) a first mounting plate 79 which is bolted to the tubular support 76, (c) a second mounting plate 80 which may be 20 moved along the axis of the tubular support 76, (d) a crank 81 which is used to rotate a center distance - adjusting screw 82, (e) a nut 83, fixed to the second mounting plate 80 which moves when the crank is operated, (f) a pair of guides 84 with outwardly projecting flanges 841 (Fig.6) for 25 riding on the inner bottom surface of the tubular support and a downwardly projecting key 842 for riding in the linearly extending groove (not shown) in the bottom wall of the tubular support, and (g) a pair of thumbscrew 87-

operated clamping levers 85 (see also Fig. 5) which act in

concert to clamp the second mounting plate 80 to the tubular support.

In operation, the thumbscrew is loosened so that the second mounting plate 80 can be moved along the tubular 5 support. Loosening the thumbscrew allows the clamping levers to move. As these levers move, screws 86 which pass through the second mounting plate 80 and are anchored in the guides 84 also move, releasing the clamping force provided by the outward projecting flanges of the guides.

10 The crank handle is then turned, thereby rotating the center distance adjusting screw. The rotation of the screw acts on the threads in the nut 83 to cause the second mounting plate to move along the long axis of the tubular support 76. The thumbscrew 87 can be tightened to maintain 15 the second mounting plate at its desired location.

There are a pair of belt feeder assemblies (Figures 6 and 8) each including a component mount plate 79,80, a bearing mount tube 88 which is clamped in the component mount plate and which in turn supports a pair of outfeed 20 belt drive bearings (not shown), an outfeed belt drive shaft 89, supported by the pair of outfeed drive bearings, on which are mounted a belt drive pulley 90 and an elongated driven pulley 91, one or more of the elastomer faced belts 70, an idler pulley assembly 92, and a pick-off 25 wheel shaft 93 which is clamped in the component mount plate and which in turn supports a pick-off wheel assembly 94. The pick-off wheel assembly (Figure 7) includes a hinged frame 95, a pick-off wheel bearing 96, a pick-off wheel 71, and a belt tensioning idler pulley assembly 98.

The pick-off wheel assemblies 94 are positioned on the pick-off wheel support shaft 93 at a height appropriate to position the elastomer faced belts correctly, rotated until the belts are tensioned and then clamped to maintain this 5 tension.

A belt feeder drive (Fig.8), which drives both belt feeder assemblies, includes a servo motor 111, a speed reducing gear 112, a drive motor mounting plate 113, a timing belt pulley 114, a timing belt 99, a wide timing 10 pulley 100, a serpentine timing belt-tensioning plate 102 which supports a pair of idler pulley assemblies 92 and a serpentine belt 101. During belt feeder drive setup, the serpentine belt 101 is roughly positioned on its pulleys.

The serpentine timing belt-tensioning plate 102, which is 15 interconnected with the tubular support 76 through an axial slot 761, can be moved towards the conveyor end of the tubular support 76 to tension the belt and secured in position with a screw 762. The drive motor mounting plate 113 is moved away from the conveyor end of the tubular 20 support until the timing belt 99 is appropriately tensioned. Then, three screws 103 (two shown) are tightened to fix the position of the drive motor mounting plate.

The stripper assembly (Fig. 9) includes a stripper mount clamp 104, a stripper 72, a stripper mount plate 106 25 which is secured to the stripper and which has a number of elongated slots 108, and hex cap screws 105 which pass through these slots into threaded holes in the stripper mount clamp to fix the stripper in a desired position. The

stripper assemblies are mounted on, for example keyed to, the idler pulley support shaft 93 (Figure 6).

The infeed and/or outfeed mechanisms or modules described herein are not restricted to handling glass 5 containers such as bottles, but may be used or adapted to handle other types of containers, or other objects, or may be used in combination with apparatus or machines other than inspection machines.

Claims (10)

1. An outfeed mechanism for an article inspection machine, comprising a support member to be secured to an overhead structure, 5 a pair of idler pulley/timing pulley assemblies, a servomotor for driving said assemblies, means for suspending said pair of idler pulley/timing pulley assemblies from said support member, 10 and means for suspending said servomotor from said support member so that said outfeed mechanism is securable at a location which will permit the association of the outfeed mechanism with a linear conveyor without 15 dismantling the outfeed mechanism.

2. An outfeed mechanism according to claim 1, which further comprises a stripper mechanism and means for mounting said stripper mechanism on one of said idler 20 pulley/timing pulley assemblies.

3. An outfeed mechanism according to claim 2, for an article inspection machine which will receive articles to be inspected from a linear conveyor via an infeed 25 mechanism, remove the articles from the conveyor with a star wheel feeder for inspection and replace the articles on the conveyor with the outfeed mechanism, wherein said stripper mechanism is operable to strip articles from the star wheel feeder and guide them between the idler 30 pulley/timing pulley assemblies, and said idler pulley/timing pulley assemblies are operable to engage

articles fed thereto from the stripper mechanism and transfer them to the linear conveyor in synchronism with the conveyor.

5

4. An outfeed mechanism substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 to 9 of the accompanying drawings.

5. A glass container inspection machine provided with 10 an outfeed mechanism according to any of claims 1 to 4.

6. A glass container inspection machine, comprising a machine frame having a generally horizontal upper portion, a generally horizontal lower portion, and a 15 generally vertical portion interconnecting the generally horizontal upper and lower portions for defining a rear, side- to-side, stepped-in configuration for defining a volume into which a linear conveyor can be located by displacing the inspection machine frame rearwardly, 20 an infeed mechanism suspended from said generally horizontal upper portion above the linear conveyor when the frame is displaced rearwardly to locate the linear conveyor in the volume, and an out feed mechanism suspended from said generally 25 horizontal upper portion above the linear conveyor when the frame is displaced rearwardly to locate the linear conveyor in the volume.

7. A glass container inspection machine according to 30 claim 6, wherein said infeed mechanism comprises

a timing cam, a first frame for rotatably supporting said timing cam, a servomotor supported by said first frame, 5 transmission means supported by said first frame for transferring the output of said servomotor to the rotatable timing cam, a second frame for supporting said first frame for relative vertical displacement, 10 a mounting plate secured to said generally horizontal upper portion, and means for interconnecting said second frame and said mounting plate for relative horizontal displacement transverse to the linear conveyor.

8. A glass container inspection machine according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said outfeed mechanism comprises a support member secured to said horizontal portion, 20 a pair of idler pulley/timing pulley assemblies, a servomotor, and means for suspending said pair of idler pulley/timing pulley assemblies from said support member, and 25 means for suspending said servomotor from said support member.

9. A glass container inspection machine according to claim 8, wherein said outfeed mechanism further comprises 30 a stripper mechanism and means for mounting said stripper

mechanism on one of said idler pulley/timing pulley assemblies.

10. An infeed mechanism for a glass container inspection machine which will receive containers from a 5 linear conveyor, space the containers with the infeed mechanism, remove the containers from the conveyor with a star wheel feeder for inspection and replace; the containers on the conveyor with an outfeed mechanism and which has a support to which the infeed mechanism can be 10 secured, comprising a timing cam, frame means for supporting said timing cam at the bottom thereof including a first box like frame for rotatably 15 supporting said timing cam at the bottom thereof, a servomotor secured to and within said box like frame, vertically extending transmission means supported by said first box like frame for transferring 20 the output of said servomotor downwardly to the rotatable timing cam, a second frame, above said timing cam for supporting said first frame for relative vertical displacement, 25 a mounting plate located vertically about said second frame, and means for interconnecting said second frame and said mounting plate for relative horizontal displacement transverse to the linear conveyor, 30 so that said infeed mechanism can be mounted

by securing the mounting plate to a machine frame with the infeed mechanism above the linear conveyor.