Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G11/00—Chutes
  • B65G11/20—Auxiliary devices, e.g. for deflecting, controlling speed of, or agitating articles or solids
  • B65G11/203—Auxiliary devices, e.g. for deflecting, controlling speed of, or agitating articles or solids for articles

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for vertical transporting of bottles, wherein on leaving a vertical guide passage, the bottles are permitted to strike with the bottoms thereof against a shock-absorbent material in a receiving station, and thereafter are conveyed in controlled manner away from the receiving station.
• the apparatus includes a guide passage having a velocity control unit that projects into said passage to effect controlled reduction of the velocity of the bottle within the passage, preventing the bottle from reaching the receiving station at too high velocity.
• the receiving station in this case is a rotating plate or a conveyor belt having a shock-absorbent coating, and having an ejector mechanism.
• the present invention thus aims to overcome the disadvantages associated with previous solutions, where one form or another of braking for the bottle has taken place before it reaches any shock-absorbent material.
• the method according to the invention is characterized in that the bottle is sent in a free fall until it reaches said shock-absorbent material, that a pick-up chamber is formed in the extension of the passage, and that the chamber is opened after the bottles have landed on said material, the opening being done by rotating a first wall section of the chamber into the area of the chamber thereby to push the bottle out of the area and away from the receiving station, while a second wall section of the chamber is simultaneously rotated to the side of the horizontal path of movement for the bottle.
• the apparatus is, according to the invention, characterized primarily in that ' a pick-up chamber for the bottles is provided in the extension of the vertical passage, the area of said chamber being defined by two movable walls, that one of the two walls is provided with means to enable rotation into said area and the pushing of the bottles out of the area, and that the second of the two walls is adapted for simultaneous rotation away from the area and the horizontal path of movement for the bottle.
• the first wall is adjacent a third wall
• the third wall is adapted to coact with a fourth wall, said means for rotating the first wall being adapted to simultaneously rotate the third wall, and the third and fourth wall together forming a bottle pick-up chamber in the area where said first and second walls previously formed a corresponding pick-up chamber.
• the second and the fourth wall respectively, to be impelled by means of a control cam, connected with, respectively, the first and the third wall, and a cam follower on, respectively, the second and the fourth wall.
• first and the third wall each with a circular arc shaped cross-section where, for example, the circular arc extends over an angle of 180°.
• the second and fourth wall may be designed with a cross-section having a first short, straight section and a second longer, arc shaped section.
• the rotional movement of the second and fourth walls will also be influenced by a spring which provides for the return movement of the wall.
• the shock-absorbent material will be arranged in a special manner and will have such properties as to ensure that the impact from the bottle is 'absorbed effectively and rapidly without the bottle undergoing excessive hopping before coming to rest on the shock-absorbent material.
• the shock-absorbent material be rigidly supported by a mass having substantially greater weight than the weight of the bottle received after a vertical, free-falling movement. This means that the impact made by • the bottle on the shock- absorbent material is absorbed in an effective manner.
• the shock-absorbent material may consist of a pad containing a fluid, e.g., a gel material.
• the shock-absorbent material may consist of a foam rubber material having partially open pores and filled with a material of high viscosity, e.g., oil.
• the shock-absorbent material may be a foam rubber material, e.g., neoprene rubber, having partially closed cells and having a hard surface.
• the material may be of such a nature that it is also capable of absorbing a liquid, e.g., oil, and retaining said liquid for a long period of time.
• Fig. 1 is a schematic illustration of the apparatus according to the invention
• fig. 2 shows the apparatus, according to the invention, in a specific embodiment form, viewed from the front
• fig. 3 shows the apparatus in fig. 2 viewed from above and partially from the rear
• fig. 4 shows the apparatus viewed from above in connec ⁇ tion with the reception of the bottles
• fig. 5 shows the apparatus viewed from the front in the situation indicated by fig. 4
• fig. 6 shows the apparatus according to the invention, viewed in perspective from above, where the movable parts of the apparatus are in an intermediate position between two bottle pick-up positions
• fig. 7 is a schematic illustration of the mechanical/ electrical construction of the apparatus, according to the invention
• fig. 8 illustrates the construction of the shock- absorbent material
• fig. 9 and 10 illustrate alternative, non-limitative embodiments of shock-absorbent material, according to the invention.
• Figure 1 shows how bottle 1 is sent through a vertical guide passage 2, e.g., a tube of plastic, down to a receiving station 3, where bottle 1 lands in a pick-up chamber on a shock-absorbent material 5. After bottle 1 is picked up by receiving station 3, it is to be conveyed away from the receiving station.
• a vertical guide passage 2 e.g., a tube of plastic
• Pick-up chamber 4 as indicated by fig. 1, is bounded by a first wall 6 and a second wall 7.
• the first wall 6 is connected with a cam 8, which engages with cam follower 9 attached to the second wall 7.
• the rotational force of the second wall 7 is actuated by a spring 10, and the movement of wall 7 in a direction toward the first wall 6 is limited by a stop means, preferably a chain or equivalent means 11.
• Wall 6 is attached to a support piece 12, and it will be apparent from fig. 1 that said cam 8 is attached along part of its length to this support piece.
• Adjacent on said first wall is arranged a third wall 13, which is also attached to said support piece 12, 'said third wall 13 also being connected thereby with cam 8.
• a fourth wall 14 cooperates with the third wall 13 to form a pick-up chamber when support piece 12 together with walls 6,13 and cam 8 are rotated such that walls 13 and 14 assume a position which forms the mirror image of the position of walls 6,7 on fig. 1.
• the fourth wall 14 has a cam follower 15 that engages with cam 8 to control the rotational movement of wall 14 during rotation of unit 6, 8, 12 and 13.
• the rotation of the latter unit is carried out with the aid of a motor 16 (also indicated by reference M2).
• Motor 6 drives said unit via a coupling 17,18 consisting of, for example, a gear belt and a toothed wheel together with a revolving shaft 19.
• a detector 20 may be arranged in associa ⁇ tion with the guide passage.
• This detector may be of any suitable type whatsoever such as, for example, optical.
• baffles 21 and 22 indicated schematically by broken lines in fig. 1.
• the apparatus is mounted here in a frame 23.
• Vertical guide passage 2 is held in position at the lower end by a fastening bracket 24, the mounting of which oh frame 23 is best indicated by fig. 3.
• Fig. 3 shows In more detail the mode of operation of cam 8 and, for example, cam follower 15, here in the form of a wheel.
• Cam follower 15 glides along cam 8, and since the cam follower is rotatably secured to the fourth wall 14, the movement of wall 14 will be controlled by the interaction of cam 8 and cam follower 15 when motor 16 actuates rotation of unit 6,8,12,13, as explained in connection with fig. 1.
• the bottle pick-up chamber situated below vertical guide passage 2 is made up of wall sections 6,7 and the bottom of the shock-absorbent material 5, as is, moreover, also indicated on fig. 1.
• FIG. 4 and 5 the apparatus according to the invention is shown in connection with the reception of bottles.
• Reference numeral 1' designates the bottle that is first received by the apparatus
• reference numeral 1" designates bottle no. 2 received by the apparatus
• reference numeral 1"' designates the last bottle to arrive.
• the bottle pick-up chamber is formed by walls 13,14. On fig. 4, these are barely visible.
• wall 6 has pushed bottle 1" out of the receiving station before pick-up chamber 4 was formed by wall sections 13,14.
• the first bottle 1' to be received stands in a position corresponding to that for bottle 1".
• Bottle 1"' has just been received in the pick-up chamber 4 , and the unit consisting of wall 6, cam 8, support piece 12 and wall 13 will then be moved toward the right, viewed from above as in fig. 4, whereby bottle 1"' will be moved out in the same direction that bottle 1' was moved. With this movement, bottle 1"' will thus push against bottle 1', and bottle 1' will thereby be pushed further out on a collection table 25.
• Collection table 25 should here be understood to be any form of conveyor that can conduct the bottles rapidly away from receiving station 3. On fig. 5 bottle 1"' can barely be glimpsed.
• fig. 6 the apparatus according to the invention is shown in an intermediate position where the unit is in the process of moving from one bottle pick-up position to another bottle pick-up position, formed respectively by walls 6,7 and 13,14, in cooperation with the shock-absorbing material 5. It is clearly apparent from fig. 6 how cam followers 9,15 interac with cam 8 to enable a controlled movement of walls 7,13, respectively, when the unit consisting of wall 6, cam 8, support piece 12 and wall 14 is rotated with the aid of drive unit 16-19.
• FIG. 7 the operational structure of the apparatus according to the invention is illustrated.
• Vertical guide passage 2 is appropriately provided with an opening 2' for the reception of a bottle 1.
• Detector 20 registers when the bottle passes into vertical guide passage 2 just before it reaches receiving station 3. This causes a registration signal to be sent via line 26 to a combined control and power supply unit 27.
• Power supply unit 27 supplies drive unit 16,17,18 (also designated as Ml) with electric current.
• a time delay unit 28 which via line 29 has registered the signal from detector 20 and actuates driving of motor 16 only after a predetermined time delay ⁇ . This ensures that the bottle has reached the shock-absorbent material 5 and has come to rest.
• the rotational movement of motor 16 can be registered with the aid of feedback line 30 which signals when motor 16 has reached its terminal position, i.e., has shoved bottle 1 out of the pick-up area, thereby forming a new pick-up chamber 4.
• the power supply from unit 27 via lines 31 and 32 can thereby be interrupted, assuming the motor is not provided with a end of movement swi ' tch.
• I receiving station 3 is not ready to receive a new bottle, an this is registered by unit 27, the movement of a bottle pas an additional detector 34 will cause a signal to be sent t unit 27 via line 35, which causes unit 27 via line 36 to sto the conveying belt or conveyor 33 by stopping motor 37 (als indicated on fig. 7 by reference M2) until receiving statio 3 is ready to receive the next bottle, signalled via line 30, whereafter unit 27 again starts motor 37 via line 36.
• the force with which the bottle strikes the shock-absorbent cover 5 is determined by the weight of the bottle together with its height of fall. It is therefore important that this force be absorbed effectively without damage to the bottle and without considerable hopping by the bottle in the pick-up chamber.
• the shock-absorbent material 5 be supported by a rigid structure 38 directly connected with a mass 39, which is great relative to the mass of the bottle and, for that matter, the force exerted by the bottle against the shock- absorbent material '5.
• the mass 39 may be, for example, a concrete floor on which the apparatus according to the present invention is mounted; or, in the event that the floor on which the apparatus is mounted is a light wooden floor, said mass may constitute a weight, e.g., a block of metal or concrete.
• the support structure shown in fig. 8 may have any form whatsoever; thus the one shown in fig 8. does not constitute any limitation for the concept of the invention.
• shock-absorbent material consists of a shock-absorbent material 5 in the form of a pad having an upper layer 40 and a lower layer 41, together with an intermediate layer 42.
• the upper and lower layer 40,41 may be of elastic material
• the intermediate layer is made up of a fluid, e.g. , a gel material.
• the shock-absorbent material may be a foam rubber material 42, e.g., of neoprene rubber, with partially closed cells and having hard surfaces 40,41.
• the material may be of such a nature that it is capable of absorbing a liquid, e.g., oil, and retaining it for a long period of time.
• the shock-absorbent material may consist of a foam rubber material 43 having partially open pores and filled with a material having high viscosity, e.g., oil.
• baffles or guide plates 21,22 would not necessarily be a required factor in order to be able to guide the received bottles in an efficient manner out of the receiving station. With a suitable design for a receiving table, conveyor, or the like, such plates 21,22 could even be regarded as unnecessary.

Landscapes

• Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
• Specific Conveyance Elements (AREA)
• Vending Machines For Individual Products (AREA)
• Sorting Of Articles (AREA)
• Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)

Priority Applications (5)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19893894

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Cited By (1)

Families Citing this family (2)

Citations (3)

• 1991
  • 1991-02-19 NO NO910660A patent/NO176791C/no unknown
• 1992
  • 1992-02-19 AT AT0900992A patent/AT402049B/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1992-02-19 DE DE4290428T patent/DE4290428T1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1992-02-19 WO PCT/NO1992/000028 patent/WO1992014666A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1992-02-19 AU AU13405/92A patent/AU1340592A/en not_active Abandoned
• 1993
  • 1993-08-16 DK DK093493A patent/DK93493A/da not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1993-08-16 SE SE9302641A patent/SE504753C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1993-08-18 FI FI933639A patent/FI102471B1/fi active

Patent Citations (3)

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