VALENTE, Bartolomeo (Via Papa Giovanni XXIII 10, Gattatico, I-42043, IT)
CATELLI, Roberto (Via Togliatti 8, Parma, I-43100, IT)
VALENTE, Bartolomeo (Via Papa Giovanni XXIII 10, Gattatico, I-42043, IT)
CLAIMS
1. A chain conveyor (1) having a moving chain (3) equipped with cleats (2) to withdraw containers (4) and feed them to a rotary seamer (7) in a substantially horizontal plane of conveyance, characterised in that said moving or actuating chain (3) is positioned on an inclined plane relative to the plane of conveyance but not orthogonal thereto.
2. Conveyor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said chain (3) is positioned on a plane inclined by 5 í 30 degrees relative to a vertical plane parallel to the direction of conveyance.
3. Conveyor as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the cleats (2) are associated to the actuating chain (3) in overhang relative to said inclined plane, to withdraw the containers (4) and feed them to the seamer (7) driving them on a support element (12). 4. Conveyor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cleats (2) are associated to the actuating chain (3) at a predetermined distance from each other, for driving the containers (4) positioning them at said predetermined distance from each other.
5. Conveyor as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein the cleats (2) are inclined relative to the actuating chain (3) such as to be positioned on a horizontal plane, when they move integrally with the chain (3) to feed the seamer (7).
6. Conveyor as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one bevel gear transmitting motion to the actuating chain (3). 7. Conveyor as claimed in any one of the previous claims, wherein at least one of the cleats (2) is integral with a projection (15), said projection being slidably inserted into a groove (16) when the cleat (2) moves to feed the seamer (7).
8. A rotary seamer of containers (4) provided with a conveyor (1) for feeding the containers (4) in a substantially horizontal plane of conveyance, characterised in that said conveyor (1) is a chain conveyor provided with cleats (2) as claimed in any of the previous claims. |
CONVEYOR CHAIN EQUIPPED WITH CLEATS
TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND ART. The present invention relates to a conveyor chain equipped with cleats to draw containers and feed them to a rotary seamer in a substantially horizontal conveyance plane.
Conveyor chains equipped with cleats (hereafter called cleated conveyors) are widely used in the field of seamers, especially to draw containers output by a filling machines (in a withdrawal site) and transfer them to be fed to the seamer (in a machining site).
In the present description, the term "cleats" shall be used to indicate a plurality of thrusters or driving fingers fastened to the conveyor chain. In practice, the conveyor is integrated in the seamer and it interacts with a rotating seaming turret, feeding it; at the same time, the conveyor interacts with a filling machine, to withdraw the containers from the filling machine and transfer them to be fed to the seaming turret. The need for interaction both with the seaming turret and with the filling machine entails some difficulties in combining the conveyor both with the seaming turret and with the filling machine. Currently, seamer manufacturers adopt two types of conveyor: the one with vertical chain and the one with horizontal chain; however, both solutions have some disadvantages.
In the first case, which is the traditional and more widely used one, the chain is positioned vertically and all its components work and are lubricated optimally, for the loads are borne by the rollers supporting the
chain.
The disadvantage of this solution is that the cleats have such size as to complicate in the first place the construction of the seaming turret (especially its lower portion) and in the second place to limit the possibility of combination between seamer and filling machine.
In this configuration, the cleat is often in interference with the carrousel of the filling machine, complicating the combination with the seamer. In this light, it should be noted that the filling machine has an accentuated lower size, relative to the position in which the container is situated when it has to be drawn by the conveyor.
For the same reason, the construction of the turret, which is provided with a member (plate-lifting piston) that increases its size, becomes complicated; in practice, the cleat must be made to pass under the plate- lifting piston). Moreover, this configuration does not facilitate maintenance on the conveyor, because, for example, several components need to be disassembled to replace the chain.
In the second case, the chain is positioned horizontally (and it is double) to overcome the problems of the traditional configuration with regard to the construction of the seaming turret and the possibility of combination (with the seaming turret and with the filling machine. With this solution, the cleats (during their move from the seamer to the filling machine) are outside the sizes both of the seamer and of the filling machine; however, the chain works in non-optimal fashion because the loads are not borne by the rollers supporting the chain but by the links of
the chain itself.
Moreover, this arrangement of the chain is not optimal with regard to its lubrication, because grease tends to fall downwards, leaving the upper rollers of the chain less lubricated. Another disadvantage of this solution is the greater resistance to the driving of the chain because the links and not the rollers work on the chain guides: the rollers roll, whilst the links slide. Therefore, while on one hand this solution considerably improves the combination possibility, on the other hand entails greater wear to the components.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION.
The object of the present invention is to eliminate the aforesaid drawbacks and to make available a conveyor chain equipped with cleats to draw containers and feed them to a rotary seamer in particularly efficient fashion during the withdrawal and feeding steps and at the same time advantageously with regard to the maintenance and wear of the conveyor itself.
Said object is folly achieved by the seamer of the present invention, which is characterised by the content of the appended claims and in particular in that said actuation chain is positioned on an inclined plane relative to the transport plane, but not orthogonal thereto. Therefore, the teachings of the present invention provide for placing the chain in oblique position (i.e. neither horizontal nor vertical) to solve the problems with the size of the cleats and component wear. Moreover, to provide more stability to the oblique chain, so that it does
not drop from its guides, the cleats are constructed such that a part of them always remains within a guide. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
This and other characteristics shall become more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, illustrated purely by way of non limiting example in the accompanying drawing tables, in which:
- figure 1 shows a top view of a conveyor according to the present invention, interacting with a seamer and a filling machine; - figure 2 shows a view, sectioned in the withdrawal site, of the conveyor of figure 1;
- figure 3 shows an enlargement of the detail A of figure 2;
- figure 4 shows a view, sectioned in the feeding site, of the conveyor of figure 1. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION.
In the figures, the reference number 1 designates a conveyor according to the present invention. The conveyor 1 is provided with a plurality of cleats 2 associated to a chain 3 and able to interact with containers 4 to draw them in a withdrawal site 5 and transfer them to a processing site 6 of a seamer 7.
In the illustrated example, in the withdrawal site 5 the conveyor receives the containers 4 from a carrousel 8 of a filling machine 9. Therefore, the conveyor 1 with cleats 2 draws the containers 4 output by pans 10 of the machine 9 and conveys them in the seamer 7, putting them in phase with pans 11 of the seamer 7 through the cleats 2.
For this purpose, the cleats 2 are mounted on the chain 3 of the conveyor 1 at a predetermined distance between them, called conveyor pitch, which is in phase with that of the pans 11 of the seamer 7. The conveyor 1 further comprises a support element 12, whereon slide the containers 4 driven by the cleats 2. Said support element comprises for example a slide defining a substantially horizontal upper surface. Therefore, the containers 4 are moved in a substantially horizontal plane of conveyance. Said horizontal plane of conveyance defines a plane of connection / junction between the pans 10 of the filling machine 9 and the pans 11 of the seamer 7, constituting a bearing base for the containers driven by the cleats 2.
The chain 3, originally, is positioned on a plane that is inclined both relative to the plane of conveyance and relative to a vertical plane. Preferably, the chain 3 is inclined by about 10 degrees relative to a vertical plane and anyway said inclination is between 5 and 30 degrees. It should be noted that the chain 3 is originally driven by a sprocket mounted on a pivot of an angular transmission with bevel gears. Said sprocket mounted on a pivot of an angular transmission with bevel gears constitutes means 13 for driving the chain 3. The cleats 2 are fastened to the chain 3 in such a way as to extend in overhang relative to the chain. The cleats are inclined relative to the chain 3, such as to be positioned horizontally, during their motion from the withdrawal site 5 to the processing site 6, i.e. when they act on the containers 4 to drive them. The conveyor 1 further comprises a guide 14, preferably made of plastic
material, whereon slides the portion of chain 3 positioned superiorly and which moves in the direction of feeding (i.e. from the withdrawal site to the processing site).
The cleats 2 are originally made integral to a projection 15 (which in the illustrated example is defined by the cleats themselves) slidably inserted into a groove 16 defined by the guide 14. This advantageously enables to enhance the strength of the conveyor, causing the mechanical stresses applied to the cleats 2 to be mostly discharged on the guide 15 (or on a fixed frame), rather than on the links of the chain 3. It should be noted that the chain 3 is inclined such that said portion of chain 3 positioned superiorly extends towards the filling machine 9, i.e. approaching a site of origin of the containers to be withdrawn.
The fact that the chain 3 is inclined is particularly advantageous. Thanks to said inclination, the cleats 2 of the chain 3 are in position of non interference with the filling machine 9 and with the seamer 7, during their return movement, from the processing site to the withdrawal site
(i.e. in a segment of chain 3 positioned inferiorly).
Figures 2 and 4 show, in dashed line, cleats 2 in the positions they would assume relative to the filling machine 9 and to the seamer 7, respectively, if trie chain 3 were not inclined (i.e. if it were vertical). As is readily apparent, the cleats 2, in this case, would be in position of interference, this entailing for example a rearward motion of the chain 3 and an increase in the length of the cleats.
The present invention also relates to a rotary seamer comprising the conveyor described above.
In this light, it should be noted that the conveyor 1 is integrated in the seamer or, alternatively, it constitutes a separate apparatus.
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