US3789890A

US3789890A - Rotating vessel processing machine, especially vessel filling machine

Info

Publication number: US3789890A
Application number: US00210785A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Riedel; F Zelder
Original assignee: Seitz-Werke GmbH
Current assignee: Seitz-Werke GmbH
Priority date: 1971-01-05
Filing date: 1971-12-22
Publication date: 1974-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 1991-02-05
Also published as: IT944784B; DE2100284A1; DE2100284B2; FR2119785A5; NL7115267A; ES397088A1; JPS5217465B1; GB1376949A; DE2100284C3

Abstract

A machine, especially for filling vessels in which a rotary table has circumferentially distributed vessel supports thereon. Mounted on the table for vertical movement thereon is a machine part having valve controlled filling devices to engage the vessels. A further machine part having valve actuating means is supported above the first mentioned machine part, and is also vertically moveable. Screw drives are connected to the machine parts and have drive motors with one of the motors manually controlled and with the other of the motors being controlled in response to relative movement of the machine parts so that the machine parts maintain a certain relationship relative to each other.

Description

Riedel et al.

Feb. 5, 1974 ROTATING VESSEL PROCESSING MACHINE, ESPECIALLY VESSEL FILLING MACHINE Inventors: Rudolf Riedel, Bad Kreuznach; Felix Zelder, Muenster-Sarmsheim, both of Germany Seitz-Werke G.m.b.H., Bad Kreuznach, Germany Filed: Dec. 22, 1971 Appl. No.: 210,785

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 5, 1971 Germany P 21 00 284.6

Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Walter Becker [57] ABSTRACT A machine, especially for filling vessels in which a rotary table has circumferentially distributed vessel supports thereon. Mounted on the table for vertical movement thereon is a machine part having valve controlled filling devices to engage the vessels. A further machine part having valve actuating means is supported above the first mentioned machine part, and is also vertically moveable. Screw drives are connected to the machine parts and have drive motors with one of the motors manually controlled and with the other of the motors being controlled in response to relative movement of the machine parts so that the machine parts maintain a certain relationship relative to each other.

11 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ROTATING VESSEL PROCESSING MACHINE, ESPECIALLY VESSEL FILLING MACHINE The present invention relates to a rotating vessel processing machine, especially vessel filling machine, which comprises a machine table which is stationary with regard to a vertical movement thereof and carries the lifting elements while being provided with a plurality of supporting columns concentrically arranged about the axis of rotation of the machine and provided with a screw drive each. The machine table is furthermore provided with a machine upper part resting on the machine table and equipped with valve-controlled vessel processing elements, and with holding means for supporting the control means for actuating the valves of the processing elements. The holding means are arranged on vertical supports and surrounding the machine upper part substantially along a circle while being adjustable as to height together therewith.

For purposes of processing vessels of different heights, it is in most instances necessary to adjust the machine upper part in conformity with the respective height of the vessels. It is furthermore necessary to adjust the holding means in conformity with the adjustment of the machine upper part.

With vessel processing machines of the above identified type it is known to effect the height adjustment of the annular holding means for the control means acting upon the valves of the processing elements together with the adjustment of the machine upper part which is movable upwardly and downwardly by means of a screw drive. Customarily this is effected by a fixed coupling of the holding means with the machine upper part. The holding means are individually detachably connected to the vertical supports. Roller pairs arranged on the circumference of the holding means rest against a ring flanged to the machine upper part.

With the mechanical coupling it has been found that the roller pairs which in most instances are continuously in engagement with the rotating flange ring are subjected to considerable wear. Also these roller pairs do not assure a precise and equal or corresponding adjustment as to height of the machine upper part and the holding means. In addition thereto, the previously known coupling requires the attention of the operator who each time prior to a height adjustment of the machine upper part has to disengage all connections of the holding means in order to avoid any damage to the adjusting elements. The time required in connection with these operations increases the idling time of the machine and thereby decreases the output and, above all, is therefore undesired with high output machines.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention for vessel processing machines of the above mentioned type, especailly vessel filling machines, to provide a height adjustment common to the machine upper part and the holding means. This height adjustment will, be suitable above all, for high output machines and will avoid the drawbacks of previously known devices. In particular, this will avoid a mechanical coupling between the two height adjustable machine elements.

This object and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a vessel processing machine according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a front view of the machine of FIG. 1 as seen along the line II II of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3 and 4 respectively illustrate details of the machine of FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 5 shows a control circuit for the machine according to the invention.

The rotating vessel processing machine according to the present invention is characterized primarily in that also the supports for the holding or carrier means are each provided with a screw drive and are adjustable as to height. The rotatable and simultaneously axially movable transmission elements pertaining to the screw drives for the supports as well as the rotatable and longitudinally movable transmission elements of the screw drives of the supporting columns are interconnected by intermediate shafts. While each is provided with a drive motor, the same are combined to form transmission trains with speeds respectively differing from each other. The slowly rotating transmission train is adapted either through the supports to act upon the holding means or through the supporting columns to act upon the machine upper part and together with one of these height adjustable machine elements to form a guiding drive. The fast rotating transmission train which is in engagement with the other height adjustable machine element forms a follow drive. The vessel processing machine according to the invention is furthermore characterized in that, on one hand, the motor of the guiding drive is connectable by means of a switch to a control voltage source. The guiding drive is continuously movable upwardly and downwardly and comprises control means. On the other hand, the follow drive is likewise equipped with control means which are adapted by the control means of the guiding drive to be influenced in conformity with the respective height position of the control means of the guiding drive. Thus in conformity with the respective prevailing difference in height between the machine upper part and the holding means, the motor of the follow drive is turned on and is turned off after the height adjustable machine part of the follow drive has been moved to the height range of the continuously movable machine part of the guiding drive.

In view of the primary feature of the present invention, namely to control the holding means and the machine upper part in mutual interdependence, while always one of these machine elements movable as to height follows the other to the occupied height position, a highly satisfactory automatic adjustment as to height is realized with a minimum of operating devices and electric control means.

According to the present invention, the control means associated with the guiding and follow drive comprise a switch, preferably a contact-free switch, and an actuating element for actuating the switch. The switch together with the guiding drive is adjustable as to height and comprises a contact connected into the control circuit of the motor of the follow drive. The actuating element comprises a metallic part which is adjustable together with the follow drive and which is adapted to open the switch when the machine upper part and the holding means have reached approximately the same location as to height. The same brings about the closing of the contact when the locations as to height of the machine upper part and of the holding means differ from each other.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the slowly rotating transmission train acts upon the supporting means and together therewith and with the holding means forms the guiding drive. The supporting columns operatively connected to the fast rotating transmission train-together with the machine upper part form the follow drive. The switch adjustable as to height together with the guiding drive comprises a proximity switch. The switch element adjustable with the follow drive comprises a strip-shaped metal part which is arranged within the region of the supporting means or the machine upper part opposite to the switch.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the proximity switch and the metal strip are arranged within the region of the machine upper part in the center of the machine while being located opposite to each other. The switch is arranged on a traverse or bar connected to the holding means and bridging the machine upper part. The strip is connected to a platform provided at the upper end of the machine upper part.

According to a further development of the invention, the switch for actuating the motor of the guiding drive likewise comprises a proximity switch. The same is adapted to be lifted and lowered by the guiding drive and together with the proximity switch is adapted to control the motor of the follow drive and is adapted to be controlled by a strip which is adjustable by the follow drive as to height. The switch controlling the motor of the guiding drive furthermore comprises a contact which is connected into the control circuit of the motor.

In conformity with the invention, the proximity switch for the motor of the guiding drive is likewise mounted on a traverse or bar and is arranged in the same plane with the proximity switch for the motor of the follow drive. The metal strip associated therewith expediently follows a component of the strip adapted to control the proximity switch for the follow drive. To this end, the strip common to both switches is expediently step-shaped and has a narrow surface side facing the proximity switch of the motor for the follow drive and also has a wide surface side facing the proximity switch of the motor for the guiding drive. The respective associated switch is adapted to be controlled within the region of the respective surface side.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it should be noted that FIGS. 1 and 2 show only that much of a vessel filling machine as is necessry for the understanding of the invention. More specifically, the arrangement shown in the drawings comprises a central part comprising the connections for the liquid and gas conduits. The central part 10 has a vertical axis of rotation, a machine table 12 equipped with the lifting elements 11 and stationary with regard to height, and a machine upper part which is adjustable as to height and comprises primarily a circular liquid container 13 with a plurality of valve controlled filling elements 14 connected thereto. The machine upper part 15 is connected by menas of horizontal traverses or bars 16 to an axially displaceable journal 17 of the central part 10 and by means of a plurality of vertical supporting columns 18 concentrically arranged around the central part 10 rests on the table 12. The columns 18 at the same time interconnect the upper part 15 and the table 12 for the common rotation brought about by a drive motor not shown, while the lifting elements 11 and the valve controll filling elements 14 are located opposite to each other. Each column 18 primarily comprises two telescopically interengaging and movable pipes 18a and 18b of which the inner pipe 18a is flanged to the table 12 and the outer pipe 18b guided on the inner pipe 18a is connected within the region of the liquid container 13 to a traverse 16. Each of the columns 18 has associated therewith a

screw drive

19, 20 which comprises a threaded nut 19 and a threaded spindle 20. Expediently, the nut 19 forms the stationary transmission part and is inserted into the inner pipe 18a and connected thereto. The spindle 20 guided in the nut 19 is rotatable and at the same time axially displaceable. By means of that end of the spindle 20 which protrudes from the nut 19, the spindle 20 is connected to the shaft butt of a stepdown transmission 22 which is connected to the upper cover 23 of the mantle pipe 19b.

As will be seen from FIG. 1, the threaded spindles 20 of the transmissions of nuts 19, spindle 20 are interconnected by intermediate shafts 24 through the intervention of the stepdown transmissions 22. The shafts 24 are provided expediently at the output side ofa preceding stepdown transmission 22 and at the input side of a succeeding transmission 22 with a joint 25 and interconnect the transmissions of nuts 19, spindle 20 to form a transmission train A which has a common drive motor 26 mounted on a traverse 16 and also has a common brake 27. Through the intervention of a belt drive 28, the motor 26, expediently at the first transmission location of nuts 19, spindle 20, drives the transmission train A, whereas the brake 27 acts upon the last mentioned transmission. For purposes of realizing the supporting structure of the machine upper part, there are provided additional traverses 29 which interconnect the columns 18 in a star-like manner.

FIG. 2 shows vertical supporting means 30 including a plurality thereof in mutually spaced relationship to each other surround the machine table 12 as well as the machine part 15 and respectively by means of the nonillustrated lower end thereof rest on the ground. Similar to the columns 18,which in effect are circumferentially distributed vessel supporting means also the supporting means 30 comprise two telescopically interengaging and movable pipes 30a and 30b and are provided each with a screw drive 31, 32 comprising a transmission nut 31 and a threaded spindle 32. The fixedly arranged nut 31 is mounted on the inner pipe 30a resting on the ground, whereas the rotatable and axially movable spindle 32 extends through the outer pipe 30b and has its free end connected to the shaft butt of a stepdown transmission 34 which is connected to an upper cover 35 of the mantle pipe 301;. Also in this instance, as shown in FIG. 1, the transmissions including nuts 31, spindle 32 are interconnected to form a transmission train B by means of flexible intermediate shafts 36 which extend from the output side of a stepdown transmission 34 to the input side of a succeeding stepdown transmission 34. The transmission train B has associated therewith a drive motor 37 and a brake 38.

Substantially circular holding or carrier means 40 surround the machine upper part 15 and are connected to the mantle pipes 30b of the supports 30, preferably in the direction toward the liquid container 13. Adjustably mounted on the machine upper part 15 are control means 41 in the form of supports or protrusions which extend into the rotary path of the valves 42 of the filling elements 14. Connected to the holding means 40, expediently having an angular profile, is a horizontal traverse 43 which extends in a bridge-like manner above the machine upper part 15. As will be seen from FIG. 3, an arm 46 is connected to a platform 45 which is arranged on the axial bearing 17 of the machine upper part and which is stationary relative to the rotating upper part 15 and which surrounds the non-illustrated means for transferring electric energy from ths stationary to the rotating part of the machine. On arm 46 rests an angular holding member 47 which has its vertical leg provided with a horizontal metal strip 48. The strip 48 which expediently has a rectangular cross section, as shown in FIG. 4, is stepped and has a narrow and a wide surface side 48a and 48b in slightly spaced arrangement located opposite the proximity switches b3, b4 and b5 mounted on a supporting plate 49. The arrangement of the control means in the machine center is such that the switches b3 and b4 face the wide strip surface 48b, whereas the switch b5 faces the narrow strip surface 48a. The supporting plate 49 in turn is adjustable as to height and is arranged on a bar 50 which extends perpendicularly with regard to the traverse 43. Expediently, the vertically downwardly directed bar 50 is guided in a cutout provided at the free end of arm 46.

It is essential and required that, for instance by suitable stepping of the

stepdown transmissions

22 and 34, the screw drives respectively including nuts 19, spindles and nuts 31, spindles 32 which are connected to the trains A and B have different speeds of rotation. The slowly rotating transmission train together with the respective height adjustable machine part to which it is drivingly connected forms the guiding drive. The transmission train rotating at high speed together with the other machine part forms the follow drive. Therefore, with the particular embodiment shown it is assumed that the transmission train B has a low speed and with the supports and the holding means 40 forms the guiding drive. in contrast thereto, the transmission train A associated with the machine upper part 15 and acting upon the supporting columns 18 rotates at a higher speed and with the machine parts to which it is drivingly connected forms the follow drive. It is, of course, also possible that the transmission train A forms the guiding drive and the transmission train B forms the follow drive provided that the speed of the latter exceeds the speed of the transmission train A.

The control of the transmission trains A and B in the above mentioned arrangement is effected by the switches b3, b4, and b5 in conformity with the circuit of P16. 5, the switch b4 merely functioning as a safety switch. According to the circuit, the switches b3, b4 and 175 are each provided in a circuit S1, S2 and S4 respectively, said circuits being connected to the control voltage lines I and ii. By means of an auxiliary relay d1, the contacts b3 and b4 of the switches b3 and b4 are inserted in the circuit S3, and by means of the auxiliary relay d2 the contact b5 of switch b5 is inserted in the circuit S5. The circuit 55 furthermore comprises a contact Kd1 of the relay d1. The motor 37 of the transmission train B has associated therewith the relays C1 and C2, whereas the motor 26 of the transmission chain A has associated therewith the relays C3 and C4. The relays C1, C2, C3 and C4 are respectively arranged in a control circuit S6, S7, S8 and S9 connected to the control voltage lines I and 11. The circuit S6 comprises a further contact Kdl of the relay d1 and also a pushbutton switch bl for upward adjustment. in circuit S7 there is arranged a pushbutton switch b2 with the contact Ka'l of relay d1 and adapted to serve as a manual means for reversibly energizing the motor respectively for the second machine part. The circuit S8 comprises a contact Kd of the relay d2 and a contact K01 of the relay C1. A further contact Kd2" of relay d2 and a contact K02 of the relay C2 are provided in the circuit S9. For purposes of connecting the

motors

37 and 26 to the network, the motor relays C1, C2, C3, and C4 are provided with contacts K01, K03, and K04, respectively.

For purposes of preparing the height adjustment of the holding or carrier means and machine upper part 15, the strip 48 has its wide surface side 48b arranged opposite the switch b3 and b4 and has its narrow surface side arranged opposite the switch b5; the control voltage lines I and II are connected to the net work by a standard switch, not shown in the drawing. The thus effective switches b3 and b4 by means of the contacts b3 and b4 will close the circuit S3. As a result thereof the relay d1 is energized and closes the contact Kdl" in circuit S5, the contact Kdl in circuit S6, and the contact Kdl in circuit S7. Switch b5 which has likewise become effective, by means of its contact b5, will close the circuit S5 and energize the relay d2. As a result thereof, the previously closed contact Kd2 in circuit S8 will open, whereas the simultaneously actuated contact Kd in circuit S9 will close.

When after the just described preparation of the units a height adjustment is effected by actuation of the switches bl, the relay C1 is energized and by means of its contact K01 prepares the control circuit S8 and by means of its contact K01 connects the motor 37 to the network. Under the influence of the now driven transmission train B, the support upper parts 30b and thus the holding or carrier means 40 carry out an upward movement. If of the switches b3, b4 and b5, the switch b5 of the guiding drive (said switches b3, b4 and b5 being moved in this connection by the traverse 43), passes beyond the effective range of the narrow surface side of strip 48, the contact b5 will be opened. The disengaged relay d2 by means of its contact Kd2 close the circuit S8. The thus energized relay C3 will by means of its contact K03 will now contact the motor 26 to the network so that through the intervention of the driven transmission train A, acting upon the supporting columns 18, also the machine upper part 15 together with the strip 48 will be moved upwardly.

Inasmuch as the transmission train A of the follow drive has a higher speed than the train B of the guiding drive, the machine upper part 15 naturally will be moved upwardly faster than the holding or carrier means 40 whereby it will catch up with the latter. When in this way the narrow surface side 48b of the strip 48 comes into the range of the switch b5, the latter again will become effective and through the closed contact b5 and the furthermore maintained contact Kdl" will energize the relay d2 which latter with the opening of contact Ka'2 disengages the relay C3 from the circuit S8. The de-energized relay C3 will in its turn by means of contact K03 disengage the motor 26 from the network so that the upward movement of the machine upper part 15 with the aid of the brake 27 will be stopped immediately.

The guiding drive, further driven by the motor 37, moves the holding or carrier means 40 continuously upwardly and when reaching its predetermined height desired for a predetermined vessel height will be stopped by releasing switch bl. The described cycles will be repeated one or a plurality of times so that each time when the continuously upwardly moved switch b leaves the range of the narrow strip 48b, the motor 26 of the follow drive will be turned on and after effected follow-up movement of the follow drive to the respective height range of the guiding drive will be turned off when the thus upwardly moved narrow strip surface 48b enters the range of the switch b5.

The downward movement of the machine upper part and of the holding or carrier carrier means 40 from the above mentioned preparing position is effected by actuation of the switch b2, which latter through the maintained contact Kdl energizes the relay C2. This relay C2 by means of contact K02 will connect the motor 37 to the network so that the guiding drive becomes effective and moves the holding or carrier means 40 continuously downwardly. The contact K02 which is simultaneously actuated with the contact K02 through the maintained contact Kd2 will close the circuit S9. The thus energized relay C4 through the motor contacts K04, also will turn on the motor 26. When, with the now common downward movement of the holding or carrier means 40 and of the machine upper part 15, the strip 48, which moves downward faster with the follow drive has its narrow surface side 48b leave the range of the switch b5, the latter releases the contact b5 and de-energizes the relay d2, whereby the contact Kd2" opens. The now de-energized relay C4 by means of contact K04 causes the motor 26 to stop. The common downward movement of the holding or carrier means 40 and the machine upper part 15 is continued as soon as the switch b5 again enters the range of the narrow strip surface 48b and through the closed contact b5 energizes the relay d2 and through the contact Kd2" energizes the relay C4 which latter, by means of contact K04, turns on the motor 26. Also during the downward movement of the holding means 40 and machine upper part 15, the described cycles are repeated one or a plurality of times and the cycles are finished as soon as at the desired height adjustment the switch b2 is released.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular showing in the drawings, but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vessel filling machine; a rotatable horizontal machine table having circumferentially distributed vessel supporting means thereon, a machine upper part forming one moveable machine part and having a plurality of valve controlled filling elements thereon aligned with said vessel supporting means, circumferentially distributed first vertical screw drive means supporting said machine upper part on said table for vertical adjustment of said machine upper part, holding means forming another machine part and having valve actuating means thereon, circumferentially distributed second vertical screw drive means for vertical adjustment thereof, a first motor operatively connected to said first screw drive means, a second motor operatively connected to said second screw drive means, a first of said machine parts moving vertically more rapidly than the second thereof when the respective said motor is energized, manual means for reversibly energizing the motor for the said second machine part, and control means responsive to a predetermined amount of movement of said second machine part in the vertical direction relative to said first machine part to cause energization of the motor for said first machine part to move said first machine part in the same direction as said second machine part, said control means causing said motor for the first machine part to be deenergized when said first machine part reaches a predetermined position relative to said second machine part.

2. A vessel filling machine according to claim 1 in which said control means comprises switch means on one of said machine parts and actuating means therefor on the other of said machine parts whereby relative movement of said machine parts will actuate and release said switch means.

3. A vessel filling machine according to claim 1 in which said first machine part in said machine upper part and said second machine part is said holding means, said actuating means comprising switch means on one of said machine parts and actuating means therefor on the other of said machine parts whereby relative movement of said machine parts will actuate and release said switch means, at least one of said switch means and actuating means being vertically adjustable on the respective machine part.

4. A vessel filling machine according to claim 3 in which said switch means comprises a magnetic proximity switch and said actuating means comprises a magnetic strip, said switch and strip being supported on the respective machine parts near the center of the machine at the'top thereof.

5. A vessel filling machine according to claim 2 in which the energizing circuit for the motor connected to said second machine part includes switch means in circuit with said manual means and operable to interrupt the said energizing circuit in response to a predetermined amount of movement of said second machine part relative to said first machine part greater than the first mentioned predetermined amount of movement.

6. A vessel filling machine according to claim 3 in which said switch means comprises first magnetic proximity switch means and said actuating means comprises a magnetic strip, the energizing circuit for the motor for said second machine part including second proximity switch means also under the control of said magnetic strip.

7. A vessel filling machine according to claim 6 in which said magnetic strip comprises a wider portion influencing said second proximity switch means and a narrower portion influencing said first proximity switch means.

8. A vessel filling machine according to claim 7-in which said second proximity switch means comprises a pair of proximity switches under the control of said magnetic strip and serially arranged.

9. A vessel filling machine according to claim 1 in which each of said screw drive means comprises a nonrotatable nut and a screw rotatable therein and extending upwardly therefrom, an inner column supporting each nut and extending downwardly therefrom, and an outer column telescopically engaging each inner column and extending upwardly from the upper end thereof and connected to the respective machine part.

10. A vessel filling machine according to claim 9 which includes speed reducing means interposed between each said motor and each said screw driven thereby.

11. A vessel filling machine according to claim 10 which includes brake means operatively associated with the screws driven by each motor.

Claims

4. A vessel filling machine according to claim 3 in which said switch means comprises a magnetic proximity switch and said actuating means comprises a magnetic strip, said switch and strip being supported on the respective machine parts near the center of the machine at the top thereof.

8. A vessel filling machine according to claim 7 in which said second proximity switch means comprises a pair of proximity switches under the control of said magnetic strip and serially arranged.

9. A vessel filling machine according to claim 1 in which each of said screw drive means comprises a non-rotatable nut and a screw rotatable therein and extending upwardly therefrom, an inner column supporting each nut and extending downwardly therefrom, and an outer column telescopically engaging each inner column and extending upwardly from the upper end thereof and connected to the respective machine part.