US3611670A - Machine for positioning articles of circular cross-section in a protector - Google Patents

Abstract

MACHINE FOR POSITIONING AMPOULES IN A PROTECTIVE PACKAGING CONTAINER, IN WHICH A ROTARY PLATE ROTATES ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS AND HAS A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED COMPARTMENTS THEREIN. AMPOULES ARE FED ONE AT A TIME FROM A DISPENSER INTO EACH COMPARTMENT AND A PROTECTIVE PACKAGING CONTAINER IS DROPPED, AT A STATION DOWNSTREAM OF SAID DISPENDER, INTO THE COMPARTMENT TO OVERLIE THE AMPOULE. A PUSHER THEN FORCES THE

CONTAINER FULLY OVER THE AMPOULE WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY FALLS FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE COMPARTMENT.

Description

Oct. 12, 1971 BARQIN ETAL ,GILG'] MACHINE FOR POSITIONING ARTICLES OF CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION IN A PROTECTOR Filed April 1. 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lnvenfrs GEORGES BAROIN, ANDRE GUY y WMMwMM Attorneys Oct. 12, 1971 BAROlN ETAL 3,611,610

MACHINE FOR POSITIONING ARTICLES OF CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION IN A PROTECTOR Filed April 1, 1970 3 Sheets-Sheet m INVENTORS GEORGES BAROIN ANDRE GUY Attorneys Oct. 12, 1971 Filed April 1, 1970 G. BAROIN EI'AL 3,611,670 MACHINE FOR POSITIONING ARTICLES 0F CIRCULAR CROSS-SECTION IN A PROTECTOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS GEORGES BAROIN, ANDRE GUY y mm%&%,b

Attorneys United States 3,611,670 MACHINE FOR POSITIONING ARTICLES F CIR- CULAR CROSS-SECTION IN A PROTECTOR Georges Baroin and Andre Guy, Thiais, France, assignors to Rhone-Poulenc S.A., Paris, France Filed Apr. 1, 1970, Ser. No. 24,736 Claims priority, application France, Apr. 11, 1969, 6911305 Int. Cl. B65b /04, 57/10 US. Cl. 53-53 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE It is often necessary to protect fragile articles against shocks, more particularly in order to pack them individually for despatch. For example it is important to pack carefully ampoules containing pharmaceutical products.

In most cases the article to be protected is introduced manually into a protective packaging container or protector" which keeps it insulated from external shocks. The increase in industrial production rates has resulted in a need for mechanical introduction of such articles into their protectors.

Since the problem is particularly pressing in the pharmaceutical industry for packing of pharmaceutical ampoules, only this application will be discussed hereinafter, although it will be understood that what is mentioned can easily be applied by the person skilled in the art equally to other articles of circular cross-section such as bottles, electric lamps or radio valves.

According to the present invention there is provided a machine for positioning articles of circular cross-section in a protective packaging container therefor, such machine comprising a rotary plate mounted for rotation in a given direction about a substantially vertical axis, a plurality of open ended compartments in said plate, circumferentially spaced around a pitch circle centered on the vertical axis, said compartments having a diameter greater than the maximum dimension of the protective packaging container and themselves having vertical axes, movable means associated with each compartment to hold an article axially within each compartment, a peripherally slotted dispenser synchronised with rotary plate to dispense an article vertically from above into each compartment in turn, a protective packaging container dispenser assembly, located downstream of the slotted dispenser in the direction of rotation of the rotary plate, and synchronised with the rotary plate to drop a protective packaging container into each compartment in turn, to overlie an article therein, and a pusher device downstream of the dispensing assembly, in the direction of movement of the rotary plate, to push a protective packaging container fully over its associated article.

Means may also be provided for sensing the absence of an article and controlling the ejecting of the protective packaging container if the article is missing.

When it is desired to add a file or a similar object to the assembly constituted by protective packaging container and the article, the machine may also comprise an "1 atent assembly for supplying and positioning files or similar objects, the action of which is synchronised with that of the other component parts of the machine.

As the protective packaging container, one may use round-section or square-section boxes, cylindrical cases e.g. of corrugated cardboard, corrugated plastics. mate rial and more especially the containers described in US. specification No. 3,444,991.

If the article is an ampoule there may be used any type of ampoule normally used in the pharmaceutical industry, but more especially the ampoules known as bottle ampoules.

In order that the invention may be more easily understood, the following description is given, merely by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows an ampoule, protective packaging container and file suitable for assembly together in the machine of the present invention, all the components being shown in elevation;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the components of FIG. 1 in assembled relation;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view, to a reduced scale, of one embodiment of machine according to the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a section through the wheel of the machine of FIG. 3, at the location of a compartment, and shown to an enlarged scale.

In FIG. 1 there is illustrated:

(a) An ampoule A of the bottle type, although the machine according to the invention may also be used for ampoules of the double pointed end" type;

(b) A protective packaging container or protector B as described in US. specification No. 3,444,991 although the machine may be used for other types, such |as cylindrical protectors made of corrugated plastics material; and

(c) A flat file C, although this element may be omitted or may be replaced by a file of the type provided with a grip.

FIG. 2 illustrates the three components A, B and C in their finally assembled relation. It will be appreciated that the machine which is to be described is primarily for ampoules, but given suitable technical modification, any desired article, of circular cross-section, such as other types of ampoule or bottle, may have the protector of suitable design fitted thereon.

In the embodiment of machine illustrated in FIG. 3, a circular rotary plate I is rotatable, in the direction indicated by the arrow, about a vertical axis. The means for rotating the plate (not shown) are such as to index the plate around in a discontinuous manner.

Disposed in order, in the direction of rotation, is a dispenser 2 for dispensing ampoules, a dispensing assembly 3 for dispensing the protectors, a feeding device 4 for feeding files, and a pusher assembly 5 to be described in more detail later. 1

.Disposed equi-angularly on a pitch circle 6a, centered on the axis of rotation of the rotary plate 1, are a plurality of compartments 6 of circular cross-section, the diameter of these compartments being slightly greater than the maximum dimension D (FIG. 2) of the protector B. In a preferred construction this diameter is about 1.1 times the largest dimension D.

The dispenser 2 includes a box 10 having sloping lower walls 11, which feed ampoules A to a chute 12 which in turn feeds the ampoules to the slots 14 of a bevel gear shaped rotary slotted dispenser 13 which has, around a portion of its periphery, a plate 15. The front slot in the dispenser is vertical and axially aligned with the component therebeloW.

Two rollers 25, which are spaced apart by a suitable distance, can reciprocate in a rotary sense and ensure the feeding of the ampoules one at a time into the chute 12. The ampoules are then moved by the slotted dispensing chamber 13 to immediately above the upper open end of the compartments 6, the dispenser 13 being suitably synchronised with the rotation of the rotary plate 1. A suitable triangular spike (not shown) may cooperate with the convergent sides 11 of the box to assist in ensuring the ampoules are dispensed only one at a time from the box into the chute 12.

As can be seen from FIG. 4, a fixed or stationary member 27 extends around the rotary plate 1 below the lower open end of each compartment. However, immediately below the dispenser 13, a spring member, which is fixed to the frame of the machine, is located in place of this wall. This serves to absorb the shock as an ampoule drops into a compartment.

Located downstream of the dispenser 13 is the dispenser 3, which is of a vibratory type having a spiral path 16 adapted to carry the protectors or protective packag ing containers B and feed them down a slide 17 to a compartment 6 in which an ampoule has already been dispensed.

In order to allow only one protector B to be dispensed at a time, an arm 30, carried by the pusher assembly 5, executes a vertical movement with the pusher assembly 5. A pawl 31 on this arm engages in turn under successive ones of the protector sliding down the slide 17. The movement of the pawl 31 is indicated by the arrows at the lower end of the slide 17.

Referring again to FIG. 4, it will be noted that two grooves 28 are formed in the rotary plate 1 and these accommodate a pair of retractable grippers 7, the function of which is to centre the ampoules in the compartments, so that the protectors falling thereonto can slide around the upper portion of the ampoules to approximately halfway down the ampoules.

As indicated previously, downstream of this station is the station 4 for dispensing files C. This comprises a vibrating chamber provided with spiral tracks, this chamber delivering the files aligned successively with one another so that they fall down an inclined chute 19, terminating in an inclined stop which causes the files to be stored parallel to one another. A pneumatic carrying arm 20 reciprocates about a pivot point so as to pick up the files one at a time by vacuum action and introduce them into the upper end of a chute 21, the side of which carries a stop 29. Thus when the arm 20 holding a file by vacuum action, the file is stopped by the stop 29, the holding vacuum is cut and the file drops and falls via the chute 21 into the protector B between the ampoule and the protector.

Downstream of the station is the pusher assembly 5 which comprises two cylindrical pushers 8 mounted on a plate 9, the pushers again being illustrated more clearly in FIG. 4. The whole assembly 5 is vertically reciprocable by suitable means, e.g. by a cam (not shown), so that the cylindrical pushers 8, which are of a hollow configuration, push on the upper edges of the protectors to force them over the ampoules A, downward movement of the protectors being stopped by the stationary plate 27.

Also carried by the assembly 5 are two further elements 32 and 33. The element 32 includes a piston which is engageable inside a protector to detect whether or not an ampoule is present, this sensing element 32 being urged generally downwardly by a spring 34. If an ampoule is present, then the spring 34 is compressed and a micro switch 35 is operated by the stem of the sensing element 32. If this micro-switch is not operated, then a control element in the form of a solenoid 36 causes movement of a member 26, which takes the place of a portion of the fixed wall 27. Thus, if an ampoule is not present, the solenoid 36 is operated, the member 26 pivots, and the protectors slides down a reject chute 23.

The purpose of the other element 36 carried by the plate 9 is to cause the completed assembly of the protector, ampoule and file to be forced out of the compartment 6, which has no lower wall at this point, down an outlet chute 24.

During the downward movement of the pushers 8, the grippers 7 are withdrawn to facilitate forcing of the protector onto the ampoule.

It will be appreciated that the detector or sensing means can be arranged to detect other defects, such as an ampoule being obliquely positioned in a protector, so that such an assembly could be rejected as unsatisfactory.

If it is desired that no file should be introduced, the feeding means 4 can be omitted, or not caused to operate.

The actual mechanical details of the machine have not been illustrated, since these can comprise the normal parts used for such purposes. For example, the rotary plate may be driven by an electric motor, the plate advancing intermittently compartment by compartment. The various movable parts may be moved by sets of gearwheels, connecting rods and cams, and the machine may include casings, lubricating means and normal safety means used in the art.

The machine according to the invention affords the advantage of regular, reliable operation at a high rate, and requires little maintenance.

By way of example, a machine was made, as shown in FIG. 3, and was suitable for ampoules of a self-opening bottle type (therefore not requiring the introduction of a file) of 2 and 4 ml. size (diameter 11.5/15J5-height 60/65) and a protector of rectangular cross-section with holding folds, side 22/24 mm. and height 65/70 mm.

The plate 1 was made of light alloy, with a diameter of 300 mm., a thickness of 70 mm., and it had 16 compartments with a diameter of 30/ 32 mm., distributed uniformly on a pitch circle having a diameter of 252 mm., and it was advanced by of a revolution at the rate of 3 /2 revolutions per minute. The pushers were made of nylon and had a diameter of 28/30 mm. The sensing element was a steel rod with a diameter of 6 mm. with a rubber end piece. The machine was driven by a three-phase 2.20 v. A1 horsepower motor, rotating at 1,400 revolutions per minute, and provided with a reduction gear with a 1/24 ratio.

The production rate was 56 packs per minute.

We claim:

1. A machine for positioning articles of circular crosssection in a protective packaging container therefor, said machine comprising, in combination:

(a) a rotary plate mounted for rotation in a given direction about a substantially vertical axis;

(b) a plurality of open ended compartments defined in said plate, ciroumferentially spaced around a pitch circle centred on said vertical axis, said compartments having a diameter greater than that of said protective packaging containers, and having vertical axes themselves;

(c) movable means associated with each compartment, effective to hold an article axially within each compartment;

(d) a peripherally slotted dispenser synchronized with said rotary plate, effective to dispense an article vertically from above into each said compartment in turn;

(e) a protective packaging container dispensing assembly, located downstream of said slotted dispenser in the direction of rotation of said rotary plate, and synchronized with said rotary plate, effective to drop a protective packaging container into each compartment in turn to overlie an article therein; and

(f) pusher means downstream of said dispensing assembly in the direction of movement of said rotary plate, effective to push a protective packaging container fully over its associated article.

2. A machine as claimed in claim l, and further comprising a stationary member closing the lower open end of said compartments, as they move from said peripherally slotted dispenser to said pusher means.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 1, and further comprising lateral grooves communicating with said compartments, and wherein said movable means comprise grippers laterally movable in said grooves, effective to engage and centre an article in said compartments.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 2, and further comprising a movable portion in said stationary member opposite said pusher means, control means effective to move said portion to uncover the open end of a compartment thereabove, and sensing means effective to sense the absence of an article in a protective packaging container With a compartment adjacent said pusher means, said sensing means being operative to actuate said control means.

5 pusher means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2/1958 Brown 53-53 2,966,020 12/1960 Bacsak 5353 X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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