IE59785B1 - Apparatus for converting a wide flow stream of articles into a single row flow - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for converting a wide slow-flowing stream of articles e.g. bottles into a faster-moving single row flow comprises input conveyors 22 providing multiple lanes and incorporating a horizontal bend obliquely across which extends an outer guide rail 32 which, with the assistance of an inner guide rail 35, steers the articles on to a faster-moving single-lane conveyor 26 extending round and between two discs 24, 25 and serving to drive the discs. A guide rail 40 forming a continuation of guide rail 35 guides the bottles about disc 25. Apertures permitting the escape of bottles which have fallen over are formed in the lower parts of guide rails 35 and 40.

Description

This invention relates to apparatus for converting a wide flow stream of articles into a single row flow, and has particularly useful but not exclusive application in an apparatus for bringing together bottles or the like approaching slowly in a wide stream on one or more multi-lane, endlessly circulating conveyor belts along a guide rail mounted on one side into a fast flowing, 1 pressureless , closed row of bottles.

When industrial bottle filling began, transportation of the bottles did not represent any particular problem. The filling plant output was still low, so that a one-lane bottle transporter sufficed.

With growing filling plant capacity, however, it became necessary to install multi-lane conveyor belts between the machines. Many of the machines require a one-lane, gap-free row of bottles for the processing thereof, even with high outputs. The multi-lane groups of bottles must therefore be brought together into a single continuous row of bottles. This is true, for example, of filling machines, labelling machines, unscrewing machines, sorting machines, and also for inspection machines and measuring and testing apparatuses, such as filling level control devices.

It is known to accelerate a wide stream of bottles approaching slowly on a multi-lane conveyor belt until they are arranged in single file by a more or less high pressure on the group of bottles, which pushes the bottle stream together between two guide rails. The pressure is built up by considerable bottle congestion in conjunction with the fast running conveyor belts.

This known bottle junction has the disadvantage, however, that the comparatively high pressure t^hich builds up leads not only to scratched bottles, but also to a very high level of noise due to the bottles knocking, rubbing and jostling against each other.

Furthermore5 a so called pressureless bottle junction is known, in which the bottles approaching * slowly in a wide stream are brought together without pressure along only one guide rail mounted on one side into a fast-flowing, closed bottle row. This bottle junction operates with the use of a microprocessor corresponding to the requirements of the machine connected downstream, whose drive serves as the control drive. Although this known bottle junction leads to a reduction in the degree of scratching of the bottles and in the noise nuisance, it has proved to be very expensive.

To avoid the above-mentioned disadvantages and to achieve singling of the bottles or the like approaching in a wide stream with comparatively little expense, it is proposed according to German Patent No. 3500660 that the multi-lane conveyor have a bend of approximately 90 degrees at its one end area, that the guide rail be arranged in the area of the bend, that next to the multi-lane conveyor in the area of the bend a first disc be arranged rotatably, that the first disc have associated with it a second, likewise rotatably arranged disc and that the second disc be wound round over at least half its circumference by a single-lane conveyor.

This is directed through between the two discs. The unilateral guide rail extends curvedly over the first disc to its edge. The second disc is likewise equipped with a guide rail which is associated with the singlelane conveyor directed around said disc. By means of this construction the provision of a single line of bottles or the like from a flow approaching in a wide v ! stream is achieved in an extraordinarily simple manner, » by the different conveying speeds of the individual lanes resulting from the bend in the multi-lane conveyor. These different conveying speeds of the individual lanes lead to a separation of the approaching bottles, the bottles arranged in one row being directed onto rotating first disc by the guide rail mounted on one side in the bend area, on which disc the bottles lie 5 against the guide rail as a result of the centrifugal speed and are directed onto the adjacent second rotating disc. As the second disc is surrounded over at least half its circumference by a one-lane conveyor, the bottles are passed on by the centrifugal force generated 10 by this disc onto the one-lane conveyor and transported close together in single file to a further processing machine. Depending on the mounting of the one-lane conveyor, i.e. if it extends between the two rotating discs, by far the greatest number of the bottles already 15 formed into a single line by the first disc arrive directly on the one-lane conveyor, so that only a small number are still passed thereonto by the second disc.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for converting a flow of articles travelling in a wide stream into a single row flow, comprising input conveyor means for carrying said wide stream which input conveyor means includes a portion extending in a horizontal bend, first and second discs rotating about respective vertical axes, a second conveyor extending in succession about a major portion of the periphery of the first disc, between the discs and about a major portion of the periphery of the second disc and arranged to drive the two discs» and guide means extending obliquely across said input conveyor means in said bend and in the same directional sense as said bend, so as to guide the articles on to the second conveyor.

The guide means comprises inner and outer guide rails. In one advantageous construction according to the invention, the outer guide rail, when viewed in the conveying direction, is curved, crosses the input conveyor at the bottle junction and merges tangentially into the guide rail on the outside of the plate chain in the run-in area of the first disc,, so that gapless direction of the bottles or the like is guaranteed» The inner guide rail, when viewed in the conveying directionj crosses the input conveyor and extends tangentially above the first disc in its run-in area, so that the bottles are also guided faultlessly on the inside, if they have not already been aligned in single file on the second conveyor.

The inner guide rail is equipped in its portion over the first disc, when viewed in the conveying directionj with a congestion switch which effects a switching-off of the input conveyor if congestion should develop in the area of the first disc.

The outer guide rail extends advantageously as far as the run-in area of the second disc so that the bottles or the like already standing in a row on the second conveyor are guided faultlessly.

The inner guide rail extends from the first disc about the second disc, so that in this area also secure guidance is ensured. To this end the inner guide rail extends over an angular range of approximately 90 degrees of the second disc.

According to another feature of the invention, the inner guide rail where it extends over the first disc and/or the outer guide rail where it extends in the runin area of the second disc have at their lower parts apertures whose height and breadth are larger than the outer diameter and height of the bottles. Should a bottle fall over, it falls through one or other of these apertures, so that the flow of the bottles standing in a row is not impaired. Between and underneath the two discs a receiver is provided for bottles or the like which have fallen over, which receiver is arranged running downwards at an incline, so that the bottles falling through guide rail apertures arrive in the receiver and are conveyed away to their discharge.

This design allows comparatively simple construction, as the provision of a separate conveyor directed through the two discs is no longer needed. Furthermore, additional drive means are no longer needed, as the two discs are set in rotation by the plate chain associated with them.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention is 1° explained in more detail with the aid of the drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a plan view of an apparatus according to the invention and Figure 2 shows a section along the line A - B of Figure 1.

Reference numeral 21 designates six two-lane, endlessly circulating conveyors, on which a broad stream of bottles (not shown in any more detail) is conveyed to the bottle junction. Three two-lane conveyors 22 and a single-lane conveyor 26 are arranged to run parallel to the downstream end parts of conveyors 21 and, just downstream of the downstream ends of conveyors 21, extend in horizontal bends 23 of approximately 90 degrees. In the region of the bends 23 in the conveyors 22 there is arranged a first rotary disc 24, with which there is associated a second rotary disc 25.

The single-lane conveyor 26 is adjacent the first disc 24 and extends around at least half of the circumference of disc 24, and is then directed around the second disc 25. The conveyor 26 has a rectilinear run 27 between the two discs 24, 25. The two discs 24, 25 are driven by the conveyor 26 winding around the major parts of their circumferences, and rotate in opposite directions, as shown by the arrow 28.

Downstream of the conveyor 26 there is arranged another endlessly circulating single lane conveyor 29, over which, in the conventional manner, the bottles in single file are transported away in a pressureless, closed bottle row at a comparatively high speed.

The conveyors 21 have guide rails 30, 31 on both their longitudinal edges, so that the bottles being transported are prevented from falling off. The rails 30, 31 merge into guide rails 32, 33, which cross the input conveyors 22 substantially obliquely. In this connection, the guide rail 32 is curved and merges tangentially with a guide rail 34 on the outside of the conveyor 26, while the guide rail 33 joins the first disc 24 approximately tangentially and is connected to guide rail 35, which is mounted fixedly directly above the disc.

The guide rail 34 of conveyor 26 extends as far as the run-in area of the second disc 25.

The guide rail 35 of the first disc 24 merges into a guide rail 40 associates with conveyor 26. The guide rail 40 of conveyor 26 extends over an angular range of approximately 90 degrees about the axis of the second disc 25.

Between the two discs 24, 25 and below them a receiver 37 is provided for bottles or the like which have fallen over and is inclined.

As shown in Figure 2, the discs 24, 25 are supported rotatably on vertical shafts 38, which are arranged with their lower ends in the frame 39 of the apparatus.

The manner of operation of the illustrated apparatus is as follows.

The bottles conveyed along the conveyors 21 are turned by the curved guide rail 32 and arrive on the input conveyors 22 of the bottle junction. The individual conveyors 22 have different curve speeds, which, in conjunction with the curved guide rail 32 on Υ the one side and the substantially rectilinear guide rail 33 on the other side, leads to the separation of the approaching bottles into a single line so that they are conveyed to the one-lane conveyor 26 and possibly to the outer area of the first disc 24. Through the action of the centrifugal force which arises, the bottles are pushed outwards on the conveyor 26, so that they lie against its guide rail 34, which extends beyond the run-in area of the second disc 25. The bottles are formed in a single line practically by the time they reach the discharge area of the first disc 24 and they are transported away by the faster running output conveyor 29 arranged downstream.

If a bottle falls over in the area of the first disc 24, It Is ejected through the aperture (not shown for the sake of simplicity) provided at the bottom of the guide rail 35 of the plate 24 and falls into the receiver 37 as indicated by the reference numeral 39 in Figure 1. If one of the bottles falls over when it has reached as far as the rectilinear section 27 of the plate chain 25, or even the run-in area of the second disc 25, the horizontal bottle is pushed outwards as a result of the centrifugal forces arising and passes through the aperture at the bottom of the guide rail 40 of the plate chain 26 Into the receiver 37, as Indicated by the reference numeral 41.

The discs 24, 25 have no drive means of their own, but rather are set in rotary motion In opposite directions by the movement of the conveyor 26 extending around them.

The illustrated apparatus enables not only rotationally symmetrical bottles to be formed into a single line but also those of any shape, for example of oval or polygonal cross sections. It is especially possible, by means of this apparatus, to form for example glasses and mugs into a single line.

Claims (11)

1. Apparatus for converting a flow of articles travelling in a wide stream into a single row flow, comprising input conveyor means for carrying said wide stream which input conveyor means includes a portion extending in a horizontal bend, first and second discs rotating about respective vertical axes, a second conveyor extending in succession about a major portion of the periphery of the first disc, between the discs and about a major portion of the periphery of the second disc and arranged to drive the two discs, and guide means extending obliquely across said input conveyor means in said bend and in the same directional sense as said bend, so as to guide the articles on to the second conveyor.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the guide means comprises inner and outer guide rails which are convergent in the direction of movement of the input and second conveyors, the outer guide rail, when viewed in the conveying direction, being curved, crossing the input conveyor and extending to the outside of the second conveyor in the run-in area of the first disc.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the inner guide rail when viewed in the conveying direction, crosses the input conveyor extends generally tangentially of the first disc in its run-in area, and extends across the first disc in a curved path terminating in the run-in area of the second disc.

4. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer guide rail extends about the outer side of the second conveyor, where it ,,, moves about the first disc, said outer guide rail terminating in the run-in area of the second disc. j..

5. An apparatus according to any one of the ia preceding claims wherein a further guide rail forming a continuation of said inner guide rail extends along the radially outer side of the second conveyor where it extends about the second disc.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said further guide rail extends over an angular range of approximately 90 degrees of the second disc.

7. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an aperture is formed in the bottom portion of the downstream end of the inner guide rail and/or of the bottom portion of the further guide rail for allowing the escape of articles which have fallen over.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a receiver is provided between and below the two discs for articles which have fallen over.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the receiver has an inclined bottom wall.

10. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the inner guide rail is equipped in its downstream end area with a congestion switch.

11. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.