WO2010004263A1

WO2010004263A1 - Control system for a glass bottle breaking machine

Info

Publication number: WO2010004263A1
Application number: PCT/GB2009/001664
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher John Waldron
Original assignee: In-Q-Bator Limited
Priority date: 2008-07-09
Filing date: 2009-07-02
Publication date: 2010-01-14

Abstract

A control system (43) for a glass bottle breaking machine (10) controls a motor (42) for driving a bottle breaking means (14) such that power to the motor (42) is switched off only after blocking means (24, 25, 26) has been activated to prevent passage of bottles from an inlet (21) to the breaking means (14) and after all of the bottles contained within the breaking means (14) have been broken to cullet and the cullet has passed to a collection bin (16). This reduces the possibility of fragments of glass remaining within the machine (10) when the bin (16) is removed and the fragments causing the breaking means (14) to become jammed and failing to restart when required.

Description

Control System for a Glass Bottle Breaking Machine

This invention relates to a control system for a glass bottle breaking machine and to a glass bottle breaking machine including such a system.

In general, glass bottle breaking machines comprise four main features: an inlet through which bottles are deposited into the machine; an electric motor driven mechanism for breaking the bottles down to cullet; a collection station for locating a bin for receiving the cullet; and a control system that ensures safe and convenient operation of the machine. An example of such a machine is described and illustrated in US 3,938,745.

When such machines are used in bars and restaurants, it is essential for health and safety reasons that the machines are safe to use. Furthermore, it is preferable that such machines are simple and easy to use. This is because it is common in the hospitality industry for there to be a high turnover of staff and for the staff to have limited training. In consequence, minimal reliance should be placed on the machine operator and the control system should control the machine such that it does not operate when the collection bin is not present or when it is full.

However, a problem with this is that, when the collection bin becomes full during operation of the machine and the motor is immediately immobilised, there will be fragments of broken bottles remaining within the bottle breaking mechanism and these are likely to become dislodged by the process of removing the collection bin for emptying and not be safely collected within the bin. Additionally, if not passing through to the collection bin, the presence of the fragments in the mechanism can increase the likelihood of the mechanism becoming jammed and failing to restart when required.

In WO 2004/067179 there is described and illustrated a glass bottle breaking machine which includes a control system that immobilises the motor if the collection bin is not present or if the weight of cullet in the collection bin exceeds a predetermined magnitude. However, another feature of that control system is that the motor is mobilised only when a lid of the machine is closed and is not immobilised if the collection bin becomes full during a bottle breaking cycle. In effect, therefore, bottles are contained and smashed in batches. In contrast, glass bottle breaking machines of the type described and illustrated in US 3,938,745 are continuous feed machines and, with such machines, bottles are not contained and smashed in batches and there is no point at which the process can be automatically suspended without leaving cullet within the bottle breaking means. Therefore, the operator is relied upon to stop feeding bottles into the machine when the collection bin becomes full and to allow time for the smashing of bottles already within the machine to be completed before emptying the collection bin.

According to the present invention there is provided control system for a glass bottle breaking machine, the machine including an inlet, blocking means for closing off the inlet and switch means for controlling operation of the motor driven bottle breaking mechanism characterised in that the control system controls operation of the switch means and the blocking means such mat power to the motor is switched off only after the blocking means has been activated to prevent passage of bottles from the inlet to the breaking means and after all of the bottles contained in the breaking means have been broken down to cullet and the cullet has passed to the collection station.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic vertical cross-section of one embodiment of a glass bottle breaking machine including a control system in accordance with the present invention,

FIGURE 2a is a diagrammatic elevation of an embodiment of a stepper mechanism for the machine shown in Figure 1 ,

FIGURE 2b is a diagrammatic cross section of the mechanism shown in Figure 2a,

FIGURE 3 is a block diagram of the control system of the machine shown in Figure 1,

FIGURE 4a is a diagrammatic elevation of another embodiment of a stepper mechanism for the machine shown in Figures 1 and 3,

FIGURE 4b is a diagrammatic cross section of the mechanism shown in Figure 4a, FIGURE 5a is a diagrammatic elevation of another embodiment of a stepper mechanism for the machine shown in Figures 1 and 3, and

FIGURE 5b is a diagrammatic cross section of the mechanism shown in Figure 5a.

Referring now to Figures 1, 2a and 2b of the drawings, there is shown one embodiment of a glass bottle breaking machine 10 including a control system 43 in accordance with the present invention, the machine 10 comprising a rectangular frame 11; a casing 12, at least partially- enclosing the frame 11 and providing an inlet 13; a bottle breaking mechanism 14, located below the inlet 13; and a collection station 15, located below the mechanism 14, for receiving a collection bin 16.

The frame 11 has mounted thereon a cylindrical housing 17, which extends partly into the inlet 13 and an outer surface of which is provided with an outwardly protruding, longitudinally extending flange 18 by means of which the housing 17 is hinged to an upper transverse surface of the frame 11, as shown at 19, the outer surface of the housing 17 also being provided with an opposite facing flange 20 for seating on an upper, parallel, transverse surface of the frame 11. The housing 17 is provided with an upper loading aperture 21 and a lower dispensing aperture 22. End walls of the housing 17, one of which is shown at 23, have journalled therein opposite end portions of a shaft 24 whereby the shaft 24 is rotatable in the housing 17 on a central longitudinal axis thereof coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of the housing 17. An end portion 25 of the shaft 24 is formed, in transverse cross section, as an equilateral triangle with the flat surfaces extending at 120 degrees one to another. The shaft 24 has rigidly secured thereto three radially and longitudinally extending panels 26 which are spaced equi-distant one from another in a circumferential direction of the shaft 24, thereby providing three segmental compartments 27 of equal volume each sufficient to accommodate up to eight standard wine bottles.

The machine 10 is provided with a bar 28 which extends at right angles to the central longitudinal axis of the shaft 24, the bar 28 being of rectangular transverse cross section and one end portion of which is pivotally connected to the frame 11, as shown at 29. The bar 28 is located so as to abut with the end portion 25 of the shaft 24 and an end portion of the bar 28 remote from the pivot 29 is provided with a laterally extending stud 30 to which is anchored one end portion of a helical extension spring 31 the remote end portion of which is anchored to the frame 11, as shown at 32. The frame 11 has mounted thereon a solenoid 33 which is located such that, when energised, the armature 34 thereof engages with an under-surface of the bar 28 and prevents pivotal movement of the bar 28 relative to the pivot 29.

The configuration is such that the panels 26 extend at 120 degrees one to another in a circumferential direction of the shaft 24 and the upper loading aperture 21 and the lower dispensing aperture 22 are located such that, when one of the compartments 27 is in register with the upper loading aperture 21, the adjacent compartment 27 ahead in the direction of rotation of the shaft 24 is in register with the lower dispensing aperture 22. Also, the configuration is such that, when a compartment 27 is full of bottles and assuming that the solenoid 33 is not operated, the weight of the bottles overcomes the restraint exercised by the spring 31 sufficient for the shaft 24 to turn to the extent that one flat surface of the end portion 25 of the shaft 24 moves away from engagement with the bar 28 and is replaced by the succeeding flat surface as the compartment 27 containing the bottles moves downwardly in register with the lower dispensing aperture 22 and the bottles are discharged therethrough to the bottle breaking mechanism 14. The load having now been removed, the bias of the spring 31 now acts to restore a force urging the bar 28 against the succeeding flat surface of the end portion 25 of the shaft 24 thereby restraining further rotative movement of the shaft 24 and ensuring that the succeeding compartment 27 remains in register with the upper loading aperture 21 until the weight of the bottles subsequently received therein is, again, sufficient to overcome the restraint of the spring 31 , at which instant the process is repeated. The configuration is, therefore, a self-stepping mechanism which operates independently of any intervention by a machine operator.

In effect, therefore, the machine 10 is a continuous feed machine. Furthermore, access to the inside of the machine 10 is blocked off by the presence of the housing 17 occupying the inlet 13 and the angle subtended between each panel 26 and each adjacent panel 26 is such that there is never any passageway through from the upper loading aperture 21 to the bottle breaking mechanism 14, as a consequence of which escape of odours and glass dust is eliminated or reduced to a minimum.

Preferably, the bottle breaking mechanism 14 is of the kind described and illustrated in WO 2004/067179 and WO 2007/060394. The collection station 15 is provided with a weighing mechanism 35 comprising a rectangular tray 36, for receiving the collection bin 16, one edge of the tray 36 being pivotaUy attached to the frame 11, as shown at 37, and opposite corners of the tray 36 each being pivotaUy connected to a corresponding end portion of a link 38 of a corresponding one of a pair of lever systems extending on either side of the collection station 15. An opposite end portion of each link 38 is pivotally connected to a corresponding balance arm 39 of each corresponding lever system, each balance arm 39 being pivotally connected to the frame 11, as indicated at 40, intermediate its ends. Each balance arm 39 has mounted thereon, at an end portion thereof remote from the corresponding link 38, a corresponding one of a pair of weights 41.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, the bottle breaking mechanism 14 is driven by an electric motor 42 and operation of the motor is controlled by the Control System (43) which includes the Locking Solenoid (33); a Collection Bin Present Sensor (44), which is located on the frame 11 adjacent a marginal edge of the tray 36 remote from the hinged edge 37 thereof and which is activated when contacted by the collection bin 16 when the bin is fully positioned on the tray 36; a Collection Bin Full Switch (45) which is located on the frame 11 adjacent one of the balance arms 39 and which is activated when engaged by a stud 45a on the corresponding balance arm 39 as the arm 39 pivots relative to the corresponding pivot 40 as a result of the weight of the collection bin 16 and its contents exceeding the force of the counterbalance weight 41; and a Bottle Feeder Active port for receiving a signal when the shaft 24 turns on its central longitudinal axis. The Control System receives input via a Motor Current Sensor and provides Motor Control of power to the motor via a Motor Power SSR (solid state relay).

When power is supplied to the machine 10, the Control System identifies by reference to the Collection Bin Present Sensor and the Collection Bin Full Switch whether the collection bin 16 is in place and is not full and the Control System operates the Locking Solenoid if either condition is not met, i.e. the Locking Solenoid is operated to prevent pivoting of the bar 28 and, thereby, preventing passage of bottles to the breaking mechanism 14.

Assuming that both conditions are met, when the compartment 27 adjacent the upper loading aperture 21 becomes full of bottles and the weight of the bottles causes the shaft 24 to turn in an anti-clockwise direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft 24, when viewed in Figure 1, due to the turning moment about the axis overcoming the restraint provided by the spring 31 and permitting the shaft to turn through 120 degrees of arc, the movement is detected by a Bottle Feeder Active signal supplied to the Control System and the Control System thus switches power to the motor 42. Effectively, the motor is powered up before the bottles discharged through the lower discharge aperture 22 reach the bottle breaking mechanism 14. The risk of jamming occurring is thus reduced to a τniτn^'ττmm. The Locking Solenoid remains inactive and the process can be repeated. The motor 42 continues to run and the bottles are smashed by the bottle breaking mechanism 14 and the resulting cullet falls into the collection bin 16.

If bottles cease to be deposited through the upper loading aperture 21, the Motor Current Sensor will detect that the motor 42 is no longer under load and the Control System will react by cutting power to the motor 42 and the motor will shut down, the indication that the motor is no longer under load also being indication that all of the cullet will have passed through the breaking mechanism 14.

When the collection bin 16 becomes full of cullet, the Collection Bin Full Switch will be activated and will signal the Control System to activate the Locking Solenoid, the effect of which is that the bar 28 will be prevented from pivoting; the shaft 24 will be prevented from turning thereby blocking passage of any further bottles through to the breaking mechanism 14. However, power to the motor 42 is cut only after the Motor Current Sensor has detected that the motor 42 is not under load thereby ensuring that all of the cullet contained within the breaking mechanism has passed to the collection bin 16 before the motor is switched off.

The collection bin 16 is then removed, emptied and then re-inserted into the collection station 15 and the Locking Solenoid is released when the collection bin 16 is, once more, in place in the collection station 15.

Instead of providing the machine 10 with a Motor Current Sensor as described above, the Control System may be provided with a timer (not shown), triggered by the Bottle Feeder Active signal, which would operate for a predetermined period the effect of which would be that all of the cullet will have passed to the collection bin 16 before power is cut to the motor 42. The timer is re-triggered each time the Bottle Feeder Active signal is supplied to the Control System. It will be appreciated that, in the event of jamming occurring or for any other reason, such as for cleaning the interior of the machine 10, the housing 17 may be pivoted at the hinge 19 to open access to the interior of the machine 10 through the inlet 13.

It will also be appreciated that, although the machine 10 described above has three compartments 27, which is considered optimal, more than three compartments 27 may be provided. For example, the machine 10 may be provided with four such compartments, in which case the end portion 25 of the shaft 24 would be provided with four flat surfaces instead of three.

Referring now to Figures 4a and 4b of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a diagrammatic representation of an alternative stepper mechanism for use in the machine 10. This is a lever operated system that is similar to that shown in Figures 2a and 2b except that the bar 28 is extended outwardly beyond an adjacent face of the casing 12 to provide a handle 46. In this embodiment, turning of the shaft 24, due to weight of bottles deposited into a compartment 27, can only occur when an operator lifts the handle 46, thereby releasing the shaft 24 from abutment with the bar 28. The embodiment would be used in situations were an operator would prefer to control feed of bottles into the machine 10.

Referring now to Figures 5a and 5b of the accompanying drawings, there is shown a diagrammatic representation of another alternative stepper mechanism for use in the machine 10. This is an electrically operated mechanism which is similar to that shown in Figures 2a and 2b except that the solenoid 47 is electrically controlled to move the bar 28 rather than to prevent it from moving, as with the solenoid 33. The solenoid 47 would be controlled by the Control System by means of a switch (not shown) operated by the machine operator when the operator has loaded bottles into a compartment 27 and wishes to advance to a succeeding compartment 27 so as to fill that compartment with bottles. However, if the Control System identifies by reference to the Collection Bin Present Sensor that the collection bin 16 is not in place or by reference to the Collection Bin Full Switch that the collection bin 16 is full , the signal for operating the solenoid 47 is overridden and there would be no rotative motion of the shaft 24.

Claims

1. A control system (43) for a glass bottle breaking machine (10) including an inlet (21) through which to deposit bottles into the machine (10), breaking means (14) for breaking the bottles to cullet and a collection station (16) for receiving the cullet, the breaking means (14) being driven by an electric motor (42) and the control system (43) controlling operation of the motor (42) and including means (45) for generating a signal when the amount of cullet received at the collection station (16) exceeds a predetermined magnitude and controlling operation of switch means (SSR) for switching off power to the motor (42) in response to the signal and the machine (10) being provided with blocking means (24 to 34) for closing off the inlet (21) characterised in that the control system (43) controls operation of the switch means (SSR) and the blocking means (24 to 34) such that power to the motor (42) is switched off only after the blocking means (24 to 34) has been activated to prevent passage of bottles from the inlet (21) to the breaking means (14) and after all of the bottles contained in the breaking means (14) have been broken to cullet and the cullet has passed to the collection station (16).

2. A system (43) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that operation of the switch means (SSR) is controlled in accordance with load of the motor (42) whereby the switch means (SSR) is operable when the motor current reduces to that when it is free running.

3. A system (43) as claimed in claim 1 characterised in that there is included a timer adapted to delay operation of the switch means (SSR) for a predetermined interval after generation of the signal irrespective of whether the blocking means (24 to 34) has been operated.

4. A glass bottle breaking machine (10) including a control system (43) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the blocking means (24 to 34) includes a rotative member (24, 26) located between the inlet (21) and the breaking means (14), the rotative member (24,26) comprising a shaft (24) mounted for rotation on a central longitudinal axis thereof and a plurality of spacer means (26) extending radially outwardly of the shaft (24) and spaced one from another circumferentially of the shaft (24) so as to provide a series of segmental compartments (27) extending circumferentially of the shaft (24), the arrangement heing such that, as the rotative member (24, 26) rotates, the compartments (27) successively register with the inlet (21) and bottles deposited through the inlet (21) are transferred to the breaking means (14) in batches.

5. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 4 characterised in that the blocking means (14) also includes a bar (28) mounted for pivotal movement and resilient means (31) for restraining such pivotal movement and a portion (25) of the shaft (24) is formed with a plurality of flat surfaces which successively engage with a bar (28) on rotation of the shaft (24) so as thereby to control operation of the rotative member (24, 26).

6. A machine (10) as claimed in claim 5 characterised in that there is provided electrically operable means (33, 47) for controlling movement of the bar (28) such electrically operable means (33, 47) being operable under control of the control system (43).

7. A machine (10) as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 characterised in that the machine (10) includes a frame (11) and the rotative member (24, 26) is contained within a housing (17) that is pivotally connected to the frame (11).

8. A machine (10) as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 characterised in that there are three segmental compartments (27).