US3373664A

US3373664A - Apparatus for producing cross-bottom valve bags

Info

Publication number: US3373664A
Application number: US342744A
Authority: US
Inventors: Brockmuller Friedrich Franz
Original assignee: Windmoeller and Hoelscher KG
Current assignee: Windmoeller and Hoelscher KG
Priority date: 1963-02-22
Filing date: 1964-02-05
Publication date: 1968-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 1985-03-19
Also published as: DE1187907B

Description

March 19, 1968 F. F. BROCKMULLER APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CROSS-BOTTOM VALVE BAGS Filed Feb. 5, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 7 Jnvenlqr' FRIEDRICH FRANZ BROCKMULLER March 19, 1968 A F. F. aRocKMULLE 3,373,664

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CROSSBOTTOM VALVE BAGS Filed Feb. 5, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.3

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Jnvenfgr FRIEDRICH FRANZ BROCKMULLER Mm (f /(6 hi6 ATTor'ney APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING CROSS-BOTTOM VALVE BAGS FRIEDRICH FRANZ BROCKMULLER madhm ATTorhey United States Patent C 3,373,664 APPARATUS FOR PRODUCENG CRGSS-BGTTQM VALVE BAGS Friedrich Franz Brockrniiller, Lengerich, Westphalia, Germany, assignor to Windmcller & Holscher, Lengerich, Westphalia, Germany Filed Feb. 5, 1964, er. No. 342,744 Claims priority, application Germany, Feb. 22, 1963, W 33,959 14 Claims. (Cl. 93-8) ABSTRACT (BF THE DISCLOSURE In an apparatus for producing cross-bottom valve bags, which includes at least one tube-forming device and at least a pair of bottom-laying devices which are disposed laterally with respect to the tube-forming device, and in which the tubes are transported via a pair of superposed conveyor belts from the tube-forming device onto delivery tables where a predetermined number of them are stacked into bundles, an improved transfer system for stacking the tubes and transferring bundles of tubes to the pair of bottom laying devices, which comprises a pair of transfer devices each of which includes two delivery tables disposed at approximately right angles to one another which are mounted in a frame which is rockable about a vertical axis through the angle enclosed between them, and each of which is adapted to cooperate with one of the two superposed conveyor belts. A first one of the two delivery tables is thus positioned at the beginning of an operating cycle, underneath one of the superposed conveyor belts which transports tubes from the tube-forming device, and is rearwardly inclined so that it can receive a predetermined number of tubes from the tube-forming device. Thereafter this first one delivery table is pivoted by pivoting means into a horizontal plane and the two tables are rocked through an angle of approximately 90 so that the first delivery table is positioned over a conveyor belt for transporting the bundle of tubes to one of the pair of bottom-laying devices, whereas the other delivery table is now positioned underneath the conveyor belt which transports tubes from the tube-forming device, for receiving a predetermined number of tubes therefrom. Each of the delivery tables includes means for selectively releasing a bundle of tubes when it is positioned over the conveyor belt for transporting the bundle of tubes to one of the pair of bottom-laying devices.

The invention relates to an apparatus for producing cross-bottom valve bags, comprising a tube-forming device and a bottom-laying device, in which at the end of the tube-forming device there is or are provided one or more pivotable delivery tables by means of which the bundles of tube pieces formed on them and standing rearwardly inclined are tipped forwards on to horizontal transport devices which are disposed transversely of the tubeforming device and which feed the bundles of tube pieces to the bottom-laying device.

On a device of this kind, it is, for the purpose of reducing the space required by the entire plane and avoiding the formation of wasted space when a plurality of such plants are installed, already known that at the end of the tube-forming device there are disposed, parallel to the axis extending lengthwise of said device, conveyor belts, one on the right and one on the left, which receive transversely and transport the bundles of tube pieces, while at the end of the conveyor belts the bottom-laying device, preferably consisting of two bottom-laying ma chines, is likewise disposed parallel to the axis extending lengthwise of the tube-forming device.

On this known device the tube pieces coming from the tube-forming device are fed to delivery tables which form portions of transfer devices and which, for the purpose of transferring to the conveyor belts, a bundle at a time, the pieces assembled on them into loose bundles of tube pieces, are first rocked forwards into a horizontal position, whereupon with simultaneous rotation through they are moved sideways to a point above one of the conveyor belts leading to the bottom-laying device and then lowered in the direction of the conveyor belt in order to release the bundle of tube pieces. The transfer devices provided for this purpose are however expensive and work relatively slowly.

The object of the present invention is to provide transfer devices which are less expensive and work more simply, so that in particular more time will be available in accordance with the working rhythm for depositing the bundles of tube pieces on to the conveyor belt or belts, whereby in the end an increase in the speed of production of the entire plant will be achieved. To this end the invention consists in that each of the transfer devices has two delivery tables disposed at least approximately at right-angles to one another, said tables being in each case rockable by means of a common rocking element through the angle enclosed between them, about a vertical axis, while the rearwardly inclined delivery tables are each held on a correspondingly inclined frame which together with the delivery table is rockable through the angle of inclination into a horizontal plane, and each delivery table is divided and adapted to move in relation to the frame in such a manner that the bundle of tube pieces can be lowered downwards.

A number of embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 shows a cording to the invention,

FIGURE 2 a section on the line II-II in FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 a view of a transfer device in the direction of the arrow Ill in FIGURE 2, on a larger scale, and

FIGURE 4 a plan view of another form of construction of an apparatus according to the invention.

From a diagrammatically indicated tube-drawing machine 1 (FIGURE 1) in which a plurality of paper Webs are converted into multi-layer tube pieces 2, the tube pieces pass either on to a conveyor belt 3 or on to a conveyor belt 4 depending on the position of a known separator (not illustrated). The conveyor belt 3 transports the tube pieces 2 supplied to it to a delivery table 5 or 6, while the conveyor belt 4 delivers the tube pieces 2 supplied to it to a delivery table 7 or 8. The tube pieces are collected on the delivery tables, and a determined number of them are in each case passed first to the conveyor belt 4 (see FIGURES 1 and 2) and then to the conveyor belt 3 by the known separator.

The delivery tables 5 and 6 are parts of a transfer devide 9 according to the invention, and the delivery tables 7 and 8 are parts of a corresponding transfer device 10. Each transfer device 9, It comprises two rocking

arms

13, 14 and 15, 16 respectively, which are offset by 90 in relation to one another, are rockable through 90 about a

common axis

11 and 12 respectively, and the free ends of which are forked.

Each delivery table 5-8 is formed of a divided plate, the

halves

5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, of which are held by their sides facing away from one another rockably on members of a

frame

17, 18, 19 or 20 respectively. Each frame is associated with one of the rocking arms and rotatably mounted on the forked end of the rocking arm by means of tWo lateral pivots forming the rocking axis of the movable parts. The two plate halves ground plan of an apparatus acof each delivery table are held in their closed position by a locking bolt 21. The locking bolt can for example be drawn back electromagnetically against the action of a spring, so that the table plate halves can open up into the position shown in chain-dotted lines in FIGURE 3.

The delivery tables 5 and 8 transfer to a conveyor belt 24 the tube pieces collected on them into loose bundles of

tube pieces

22 and 23 respectively, while the delivery tables 6 and 7 transfer to a conveyor belt 27 the loose bundles of

tube pieces

25 and 26 respectively. The conveyor belt 24 feeds the bundles of

tube pieces

22 and 23 to a bottom-laying machine 28 and the conveyor belt 27 feeds the bundles of

tube pieces

25 and 26 to a bottom-laying machine 29.

The apparatus for holding and rocking each

frame

17, 18, 19, 20 with the respective table 5, 6, 7 or 8 comprises a pneumatic cylinder 30 which is mounted for pivoting about a horizontal axis on a carrier 31 which in turn is fastened on one leg of the forked end of the rocking

arm

13, 14, 15 or 16 respectively. In each pneumatic cylinder a double action piston is slidably mounted, while its piston rod 32 is articulated to the free end of a lever 33. The lever 33 is fastened on one (34) of the pivots of the frame, which is extended outwards. Through the sliding of the pistons into the pneumatic cylinder the frames with the delivery table can be rocked out of their inclined position through the angle of inclination into a horizontal plane, and conversely brought back into their inclined positions.

The transfer devices 9, 10, each of which comprises two rocking

arms

13, 14 and 15, 16 respectively, are rocked through 90 about their

rocking axes

11 and 12 respectively by means of a

gear motor

35 and 36 respectively (see FIGURE 2), which drives a gearwheel 37 fastened 0n the

rocking axes

11 and 12 respectively.

While, as already explained, the table plate halves are opened out through the drawing back of the locking bolt 21, the closing of the table halves of each delivery table 5, 6, 7, '8 is effected through a device which will be described below with reference to FIGURE 3. Each table half is mounted by means of pivots in members of the frame, of which the one lying at the front in FIGURE 3 in each case carries a lever 38. For the purpose of closing each table half a

pneumatic cylinder

39 and 40 respectively is provided, which is mounted pivotally on the frame. In each cylinder a double action piston is slidably mounted. The piston rods 41 carry at their free ends a draw member 42 which has a slot 43. At its free end each lever 38 carries a guide bolt 44 projecting into or through the slot 43, said bolt being for example constructed as a screw bolt and adapted to be pushed from outside through the slot and screwed into a threaded hole in the lever.

When the tube pieces are stacked on the delivery table, the piston rods 41 and the levers 38 assume the position shown in FIGURE 3. After the tipping of the frame into the horizontal position, followed by the rocking of the transfer device through 90, whereby the delivery tables carrying a bundle of tube pieces arrive above the

conveyor belt

24 or 27, the locking bolt 21 is drawn back in order to transfer the bundle of tube pieces, so that the table halves open up by the action of gravity (see table halves shown in chain-dotted lines in FIGURE 3). Through the opening of the table halves by 90, the levers 38 are likewise rocked through 90, so that the guide bolts 44 now lie at the outer end of the slots 43. For the purpose of closing the table halves, compressed air is passed into the outer working chambers of the

pneumatic cylinders

39, 40, whereby the pistons are moved inwards and the guide bolts are moved by the draw members 42. On closing, the table halves press back the locking bolt 21, which has returned immediately into its locking position after the release of the table halves, by striking against its bottom wedge-shaped surface. Through the action of a spring, the locking bolt is then immediately brought back into its locking position. The pistons in the pneumatic cylinders 39, 49, and thus also the piston rods and the draw members, also return to the position shown in FIGURE 3 after the closing of the table halves through the introduction of compressed air into the other working chambers of the

cylinders

39, 46.

Each

frame

17, 18, 19, 26 also carries two

lateral guide bars

45, 46 and a holding bar 47 (see in particular FIGURE 3), which for the purpose of adaptation to different dimensions of the tube pieces are adapted to be adjustably fastened to the frame by means of screws.

The apparatus works as follows: the tube pieces 2, which are first fed from the tube-drawing machine 1 t0 the conveyor belt 4, are deposited on the delivery table 7. After the desired number of tube pieces has been fed to the conveyor belt 4, the following tube pieces are fed to the conveyor belt 3 through the switching-over of the separator, a delivery table ready to receive tube pieces being in position at the end of said conveyor belt at the moment of the arrival of the first tube piece. While tube pieces are still being fed to the delivery table 7, delivery table 8 is transferring to the conveyor belt 24 a loose bundle of tube pieces lying on it. When the feeding of tube pieces to the delivery table 7 is completed, the transfer device It) is rocked through so that the delivery table 7 now lies above the conveyor belt 27, while the delivery table 8 stands ready to receive tube pieces in front of the conveyor belt 4. Before the transfer device is rocked, the delivery table 7 carrying a bundle of tube pieces is rocked into a horizontal plane, and after the rocking of the transfer device the empty delivery table is rocked back into its inclined receiving position. The tube pieces 2 fed once again to the conveyor belt 4 after the switching over of the separator are now stacked into a loose bundle of tube pieces on the delivery table 8. While the tube pieces are being fed to the delivery table 8, the delivery table 7 is transferring the bundle of tube pieces lying on it to the conveyor belt 27, and thereupon the transfer device it? is rocked back by 90 so that the delivery table 7 again assumes the receiving position. The working cycle is then repeated in the manner described. The mode of operation of the transfer device 9 with the delivery tables 5 and 6 corresponds to the operation of the transfer device 19 with the delivery tables 7 and S which has just been described.

In the embodiment illustrated, the

conveyor belts

24, 27 are driven intermittently in such a manner that the bundles of

tube pieces

22, 23 and 25, 26 respectively are stacked in an olfset arrangement. A long drying time for the longitudinal glued seams of the tube pieces is thus provided. It is naturally equally possible to drive the

conveyor belts

24, 27 in accordance with individual requirements in such a manner that the bundles of tube pieces are deposited thereon only in one layer or in more than two layers.

Another advantageous embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGURE 4 and described below.

As in the case of the first embodiment, the tube pieces arrive from the tube-drawing machine either on the conveyor belt 3 or on the conveyor belt 4. Each conveyor belt is associated at its delivery end with a

transfer device

50 and 51 respectively, each having two delivery tables 52, 53 and 54, 55 respectively. The construction and operation of the transfer devices correspond to those of the transfer devices 9 and 10 in the first embodiment.

In contrast to the first embodiment however, three bottom-laying

machines

56, 57, 58 are now provided, which are disposed side by side in such a manner that the middle machine lies in the longitudinal axis of the tube-drawing machine and the other two parallel thereto. The output of the tube-drawing machine can in fact easily be increased to such an extent that it can feed three bottom-laying machines working at least approximately at maximum output. In order to effect the feeding of the three bottom-laying machines uniformly and with the least possible expense, the two conveyor belts 59, 60 receiving the loose bundles of tube pieces from the transfer devices are not disposed exactly parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube-drawing machine as in the other embodiment, but diverge slightly in such a manner that their delivery ends are at an equal or substantially equal distance from two bottom-laying machines to be fed by the conveyor belt. The offsetting of the two delivery tables of each transfer device from one another exceeds 90 by the amount of the angle between the longitudinal axis of each conveyor belt and the longitudinal axis of the tube-drawing machine.

In further development of the principle of the invention, the apparatus may be supplemented by a tube-drawing machine and two-bottom laying machines 65, 66 as shown in chain-dotted lines on the right-hand side in FIGURE 4. Whereas, when this addition is not made, two-thirds of the bundles of tube pieces delivered on to the conveyor belt 59 are transferred in the direction of the arrow 61 to the bottom-laying machine 56 and onethird in the direction of the arrow 62 to the bottom-laying machine 57, and accordingly two-thirds of the bundles of tube pieces delivered on to the conveyor belt 60 are transferred in the direction of the arrow 63 to the bottomlaying machine 58 and one-third in the direction of the arrow 64 to the bottom-laying machine 57, when this addition is made four-fifths of the bundles of tube pieces delivered on to the conveyor belt 59 are transferred to the bottom-laying machine 56 and one-fifth to the bottomlaying machine 57, while the conveyor belt 60 delivers three-fifths of the bundles of tube pieces transported to the bottom-laying machine 57 and two-fifths to the bottom-laying machine 58. Similarly, the bottom-laying machine 58 and the supplementary bottom-laying machines 65, 66 are fed by the supplementary conveyor belts 67 and 68 with the corresponding number of bundles of tube pieces.

The pneumatic and electric power sources for the various components of the transfer device of this invention as well as their controls, switches and connections are known and have therefore not been illustrated.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for producing cross-bottom valve bags, comprising a tube-forming device working by the longitudinal delivery method and a bottom-laying device working by the transverse delivery method, in which multilayer paper tube portions are fed from the tube-forming device to the bottom-laying device with the formation of bundles of tube pieces at the outlet of the tube-forming device, while at the end of the tube-forming device pivotable delivery tables are provided which form parts of transfer devices and which transfer the bundles of tube pieces formed on them and standing rearwardly inclined to horizontal transport devices which feed the bundles of tube pieces to the bottom-laying device, while at the end of the tube-forming device there are disposed, one on the right and one on the left, said horizontal transport devices transversely receiving and transporting the bundles of tube pieces, and at the end of said horizontal transport devices the bottom-laying device, preferably consisting of two bottom-laying machines, is disposed parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube-forming device wherein each of the transfer devices comprises two delivery tables disposed at least approximately at right angles to one another and a rocking element for commonly rocking the delivery tables of each transfer device about a vertical axis through the angle enclosed between them, and wherein the rearwardly inclined delivery tables are each held on a correspondingly inclined frame comprising pivoting means for pivoting each frame together with its delivery table through the angle of inclination into a horizontal plane, each delivery table being divided and adapted to move in relation to the frame in such a manner that a bundle of tube pieces can be lowered downwards.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each rocking element has two rocking arms which are joined fast together and the free ends of which are forked, and that each frame is mounted, in or approximately in the axis of gravity of the parts to be rocked, on the free forked end of one of the rocking arms.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each transfer device is rockable by means of a gear motor through a gearwheel fastened on the rocking axis.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each delivery table has two table plate halves and the two table plate halves of each delivery table are mounted by their sides facing away from one another to be rockable on the appertaining frame in such a manner that the table plate halves can open out in the downward direction.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the table plate halves are held in their closed position by means of a locking bolt.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein for the purpose of closing the table plate halves a crank is associated with each of them.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the crank is connected to the piston rod of a double action piston slidable in a pneumatic cylinder which is rockable about an axis extending parallel to the axis of rotation of the crank.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the crank carries at its free end a guide bolt which engages in a slot in a draw member at the free end of the piston rod, and that the length of the slot is so dimensioned and the crank and the pneumatic device are so adjusted in relation to one another that on the opening up of the table plate halves the guide bolt can move freely in the slot.

9. Apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the table plate halves of the delivery table are held on the frame to be slidable outwards in opposite directions.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein three bottom-laying machines are provided, which are disposed side by side in such a manner that the middle machine lies in the longitudinal axis of the tube-forming device and the other two lie parallel thereto.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the transport devices in each case feed bundles of tube pieces not only to a lateral bottom-laying machine but also to the middle bottom-laying machine and are disposed to diverge in such a manner that their delivery ends are at the same or substantially the same distance from two bottom-laying machines to be fed through the transport device.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the angle enclosed between the two delivery tables of each transfer device is greater than by the angle between the longitudinal axis of each transport device and the longitudinal axis of the tube-forming device.

13. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in addition a tube-forming device with two transfer devices and two transport devices and also two bottom-laying machines are provided, and that the additional transport device lying opposite the first tube-forming device feeds to the bottom-laying machine lying opposite the first additional bottom-laying machine preferably half of the bundles of tube pieces to be processed by said bottom-laying machine.

14. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each frame carries two lateral guide bars and a holding bar which for the purpose of adaptation to different tube piece dimensions are fastened adjustably on the appertaining frame by means of screws or the like.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,334,384 11/1943 Cohen 198-31 X 2,730,302 1/1956 Roberts 9393 3,291,010 12/1966 Williamson 9393 BERNARD STICKNEY, Primary Examiner.