Apparatus and method for handling returnable bottles Handling systems of returnable bottles are known in the art, in which systems a returnable bottle can be dropped from a shop space above to a store space under- neath through a separate dropping pipe. Such apparatus designs are known in the art in which the space underneath is provided with a rotating brush means, wherewith the returnable bottle can be moved from the space underneath forward onto a separate belt conveyor. In addition to being used as a transfer means, the rotating brush means also serves as a retarding means in dropping the returnable bottle, thus lessening the bumping of the bottle against the location underneath.

Also known in the art are retarding mechanisms in the dropping pipe, such as retarding wheels, with the aid of which the dropping motion of the bottle falling down in the dropping pipe is retarded. Also damping materials in underneath locations are known in the art. For a damping material, such as expanded plastic may serve as an example.

However, the above state-of-art apparatus designs do not provide sufficient reliability in handling a returnable bottle. The risk is the breaking of the bottle and consequently, an interruption in the operation of the entire mechanism. Neither are the apparatus designs of the present invention appropriate for use in all instances to be connected directly to a returnable bottle automation because their handling speeds are not sufficient.

However, the apparatus designs known in the art have not sufficently enough been able to dampen the dropping of the bottle. A consequence thereof has been breaking of bottles.

In the present application, an enhancement is proposed for the problems above. As taught by the invention, a novel handling apparatus for returnable bottles has been formed, with which the returnable bottle can be dropped from a space above to a space underneath via a dropping pipe. As taught by the invention, the dropping pipe is disposed to be in oblique position relative to the vertical direction, and such dropping pipe is advantageously used which comprises straight walls and an angle therebetween, so that the returnable bottle can be guided to pass via both walls and furthermore, with the aid of gravity to be depressed at a downward angle in the dropping space. As taught by the invention, the dropping pipe is provided with a retarding mechanism, and furthermore, the end of the dropping pipe is provided with a separate turning unit, wherewith the returnable bottle is turned into vertical position while on top of the transfer belt. Advantageously, the turning unit is a means provided with straight sides and an angle therebetween, so that the walls have been positioned to be in the conveyance direction of the conveyor in the manner in the fashion that when the belt is turned on, the walls support the returnable bottle upon the belt and prevent it from being overturning. Preferably, separate support means, such as support gates, are used in conjunction with the turning unit, with the aid of which the returnable bottle is pressed tightly against a corner in the turning unit.

The compatibility of the operation of the retarding mechanism, the turning unit and feeding means above the dropping pipe of returnable bottles has been secured by using a light source detector system, with which the entry of a bottle dropped in the station is detected, and further, its dropping to the conjunction with the turning unit.

Advantageously, two light source detector means are used: the first ones at the mouth of the dropping pipe and the two other means in conjunction with the turning unit.

The apparatus of the invention and the method in handling returnable bottles are characterized in what is presented in the claims.

The invention is described below, reference being made to certain advantageous embodiments of the invention depicted in the figures of the drawings, whereto, however, the invention is not intended to be exclusively restricted.

In Figure 1A, the apparatus of the invention is presented as a lateral image, and on the basis of Fig. 1A, an advantageous use of the means of the invention is described for moving returnable bottles from a shop space above to a store space underneath.

Figure 1B shows the apparatus in the direction of arrow Kl in Figure 1A.

Figure 1C shows an exchanger in conjunction with the inlet pipe, disposed to move the end of the inlet pipe into alternative positions to be in conjunction with two different dropping pipes.

Figure 2A presents the apparatus of the invention in lateral view.

Figure 2B presents the apparatus of Figure 2A in the direction of arrow K2 in Figure 2A.

Figure 3A demonstrates the retarding mechanism in the dropping pipe.

Figure 3B shows section I-I in Figure 3A.

Figure 4A presents a lower turning unit in conjunction with the bottle handling apparatus of the invention, the turning unit being turned into vertical position while supported by its joint.

Figure 4B shows section II-II in Figure 4A.

Figure 4C presents guidance of a beam of light for detecting a returnable bottle dropped through the apertures in the wall structure as in Figure 4A in conjunction with the turning unit 20.

Figure 1A presents a general image of the apparatus of the invention, in which from a shop space El above, returnable bottles are dropped to a store space E2 underneath with the aid of the apparatus 10 of the invention. The shop space E1 above com- prises advantageously a returnable bottle automation P receiving returnable bottles, from the transfer belt H1 of which a returnable bottle is transferred into an inlet pipe 11 and therethrough into a dropping pipe l3al or 13a2. The dropping pipes 13a1, 13a2 have been placed next to one another, and in addition, they have been positioned, concerning the longitudinal axes, relative to vertical direction Y1, in oblique angle a. From the inlet pipe 11 the returnable bottle is guided with the aid of an exchanger 12 either into the dropping pipe 13a1 or the dropping pipe 13a2.

Figure 1B shows the apparatus design of Figure 1A when viewed in direction of arrow K1 of Figure 1A. In Figure 1B, an alternative position of the inlet pipe 11 is shown in broken lines. The exchanger 12 moves the end 11 a of the inlet pipe 11 into alternative positions to be either in conjunction with the dropping pipe 13a1 or the dropping pipe 13a2. The other alternative position of the end 1 la of the inlet pipe 11 is marked with broken lines. The transfer distance is marked with S.

Figure 1C shows the exchanger 12 in principle image.

The exchanger 12 comprises a compressed-air cylinder 12a1 and a piston 12b1 therein, whereto the body 12c1 has been mounted. An inlet pipe 11 has been further joined to the body 12c1, being moved with the aid of the piston 12b1 sidewise into either end position of the cylinder 12a1, in which the dropping pipe 13a1 or 13a2 is located. The cylinder 12a1 comprises a magnet detector 12d1 in its conjunction, detecting the locations of the piston l2bl and the location of the end lla of the inlet pipe 11 connected thereto.

Figure 2A displays the apparatus 10 of the invention in lateral view. The exchanger 12 has been disposed to the inlet pipe 11 and it has been arranged to move the end of the inlet pipe 11 to be alternatively in conjunction with either the dropping pipe 13a1 or the other dropping pipe 13a2 adjacent thereto as shown in the figure. Via the

dropping pipe l3al, 13a2 the returnable bottle is moved further to be in conjunction with the lower turning apparatus 20.

Each dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2 comprises equivalent arrangements in handling returnable bottles. The dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2 comprises a retarding mechanism 15 moved with an actuator 16, preferably with a cylinder means. A response part 17 is connected to the shaft 16a of the cylinder means 16, being movable in the dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2 to be in the way of the bottle to retard and to stop its dropping. The cylinder 16 is advantageously a pneumatic cylinder wherewith sufficient damping is achieved. Within the scope of the invention, an embodiment is also conceivable, with the aid of which merely the dropping of the bottle is retarded with the retarding mechanism 15. The retarding mechanism 15 can therefore stop either entirely the dropping movement of the bottle or merely to retard it.

The end of the dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2 is provided with a turning unit 20, compris- ing an actuator 23 for turning the turning unit 20 supported by a joint 22 from an oblique position receiving the bottle into vertical position upon the belt H1.

Figure 2B shows the apparatus of Figure 2A in the direction of arrow K2. As shown in the figure, both the dropping pipe 13a1 and 13a2 are preferably made of square cross-sections in a corner D of which the returnable bottle is placed on the strength of gravity. A pipe with round cross-section may also be used. A beam of light from a light source 14a1 is directed via a mirror 14b1 to a detector 14c 1 and back to the adjacency of the light source 14a1, and the entry of the bottle in the dropping pipe 13a1 is detected. The pipes l3al and 13a2 are provided with two adjacent detection means. Respectively, the entry of a bottle in the dropping pipe 13a2 into the conjunction of the dropping pipe is detected. A beam of light is directed via the apertures f 1, f2 of the dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2. Instead of a detection means based on a beam of light, also other detectors such as ultrasonic detectors can be used.

Figure 3A displays a retarding mechanism 15 in the dropping pipe 13a1, being moved with an actuator 16, advantageously with a cylinder means. On the shaft 16a

of the cylinder means 16, a mobile response part 17 is joined, which can be made to close transversely the dropping route in the dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2. Each dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2 comprises a separate retarding mechanism 15 for the returnable bottle dropped therethrough. The response part 17 has been articulated to turn in a joint 17a1 and the cylinder 16 has been articulated with a joint 16b1 in the cylinder shaft to the response part 17 and from the cylinder body with a joint 16 to the mechanism body R.

Figure 3B shows section I-I in Figure 3A. In the presentation of the figure, the response part 17 is in a position receiving a bottle and damping its dropping. With the aid of the response part 17 the dropping of the bottle can be stopped entirely.

Figure 4A shows a turning unit 20 at the end of the dropping pipe. The ends of each dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2 are provided with individual turning units 20, turned with an actuator 23 supported by joint 22, preferably with a pneumatic cylinder. The turning unit may also be another actuator, for instance an electric solenoid. Hence, the turning unit 20 can be positioned with the actuator 23 into vertical position and back into oblique position relative to vertical level; in angle a, which is the same as the angle of bevel of the dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2. In the oblique position, said position corresponding to the position of the dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2, the turning unit 20 receives a returned bottle from the dropping pipe l3al or 13a2. Using the actuator 23, the bottle dropped on the belt H1 is raised into vertical position. The body of the turning unit 20 comprises walls 21a1, 21a2 being at 90° to each other, so that the returnable bottle is placed in a corner D between the walls on the strength of gravity when it is dropped from the dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2 upon the turning unit 20. The turning unit 20 is then turned into vertical position with the actuator 21.

As shown in Figure 4A, gates 24a1, 24a2 movable with actuators 25a1, 25a2, advan- tageously with pneumatic cylinders, are provided to be in conjunction with walls 21a1, 21a2, said gates being made to close the space between the walls 21a1, 21a2 and to direct the returnable bottle into a corner D between the walls 21a1, 21a2 when the

returnable bottle was dropped into the dropping space F between the walls 21a1, 21a2. Each gate 24a1, 24a2 is driven by an actuator of its own 25a1 or 25a2.

The actuator 23 is advantageously also a cylinder means articulated from the cylinder body 23a1 with a joint O1 on the machine frame R and from the cylinder shaft 23a2 articulated with a joint 02 onto the walls 21a1, 21a2. For actuator 23, also an electric solenoid may be used.

As shown in Figure 4B, the space F between the walls 20a1, 20a2 opens in the movement direction Ll of the upper conveyor of the belt H1. Thereby, when the belt is set on, the returnable bottle is supported effectively on the walls 21a1, 21a2 in the corner D therebetween. The cylinder body 25b1 of the actuator 25 has been articu- lated at a joint C1 on the apparatus body 21 al, 21 a2, and the end of the piston shaft 25b2 of the actuator 25a1 at a joint C2 to the intermediate shaft j connected to the gate 24a 1. The gate 24a1 has been articulated at a joint C3 to the wall 21 a 1. Respect- ively, the attachment arrangement and the actuator arrangement of the other support gate 24a2 is identical.

In addition, Figure 4C shows the damping unit 26 underneath the belt H1. Advan- tageously, the damping unit 26 is made of expanded plastic.

Figure 4C shows the bottle detection equipment in association with the turning unit 20. A beam of light is sent from a light source 27a to a mirror 27b. The beam of light reflected from the mirror 27b is received with a detector 27c. The beam of light has been made to pass through the plate apertures f3, f4, as demonstrated in Figure 4C. After the returnable bottle has been detected, the exchanger 12 can thereafter be guided via the central unit so that it moves the inlet pipe 11 to be in association with the other dropping pipe 13a1, 13a2.