Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGRO~ND OF TIIE INV~NTION:
The present invention relates generally to improvement
in the sterilization processing system for the can-sealed
products.
It is generally the practice that the so-called batch
type sterilization process is applied in use for the steri-
lization of the sealed products from -the general limitation
in the throughput of such sterilizing system, in which the
sealed products are arranged in a stacked relationship for
a collective processing to be conducted on the lot by lot
basis. Typical prior art approaches to such a processing
system are disclosed, for instance, in the Canadian Patent
Application No. 411,616, the U.S. Patent Serial No. 413,254,
etc. These systems are directed in common to the provision
of the sterilization process system adaptable to the retort
pouches, in which a series of pouches are arranged in an
aligned relationship on a tray, which is stacked one upon
another on a pallet for the purpose of transportation and
sterilization process to Eollow in the line of process.
It is to be noted that since it is generally difficult in
practice to have such pouches self-supported in positioning
unlike the canned products, and since they are susceptible
to damages when handling piece by piece, it would then be
essential to handle by way of tray with the series of
pouches mounted thereon. Also, as the conveyance of such
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1~i4&00C)
pouches is generally practiced in a separated relationship
from each other by using the conveyor in contrast to the case
of the canned products that can usually be carried in the state
"crammed" to the full on the conveyor, it is of the
characteristic such that they may be arranged in regular
alignment with each other with a relative ease.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWIN
Figure 1 is a general schematic view showing in explana-
tion the sterilization process system for the can-sealed products
of conventional construction;
Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view showing the
general appearance of the canned products in a stacked state;
Figure 3 is a general view showing the general lay-
out of the canned product sterilization process system with the
carrying baskets being in the start-up position by way of a
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line IV-IV in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a plan view seen in the direction shown
by the arrow V in Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line VI-VI i.n Figure 4;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line VII-VII in Figure 4;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line VIII-VIII in Figure 4;
:~24~! 0~)
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line IX-IX in Figure 8;
Figure 10 is a top plan view showing the unloader unit;
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along -the
line XI-XI in Figure 10; and
Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 are general views showing
the states of operation of the sterilization process system of
the invention, which differ in operation from Figure 3.
Now, further to the conventional processing system for
the can-sealed products, there are shown certain typical examples
by way of Figures 1 and 2, which will be helpful to the better
understanding of the present invention to be described hereinafter.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings accompanying
herewith, there is shown a supply conveyor designated at the refer-
ence numeral 1 which is adapted to supply a series of can-sealed
products designated at 2 to a stacking machine at 3, this stacking
machine 3 being adapted to stack a re~uired number of can-sealed
products 2 in a specified number of stages or layer, and there is
shown in Figure 2 the general appearance of a stack of canned
products stacked in aligned position by using the stacking machine
3. This drawing figure shows a typical example of the plurality of
canned products 2 stacked one upon another on a ground platform
4, equipped with carrying wheels not shown for running in engage-
ment along the tracking rails required, in a specified
number of stages through a plurality of
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partition panels 5.
~ lso, shown is a sterilizer unit o~ batch-operation
type designated at the reference numeral 6, the sterilizer
Ullit 6 being designed to store a group of loaded carrier
trucks 7a upon which the can-sealed products 2 are stacked
in the specified form and perform the specified sterilization
process by using a high-temperature and high-pressure water
or water vapor, and then cool-off the sterilized products with
cooling water or the like, thereafter opening a door 8 so as
to discharge them piece by piece onto the rotary table 9.
There is provided an unloading machine designated at 10
which is adapted to unload the sterilized can-sealed products
2 from a series of stack-loading trucks 7b, and which
operates, in contrast to the stacking machine 3, to unload
the products 2 finished with the sterilizing process to
a specified form of stacking, with which a single series of
or a plurality of series of sterilized products 2 are carried
out by way of the carrying conveyor.
There is seen a tracking rail at 12a, which is adapted
to convey a vacant or unloaded truck 7c from the unloading
machine 10 over to the loading machine 3. Also, there are
provided other rails 12b, 12c for the similar purpose between
the stacking machine 3 and the sterilizer unit 6, and between
the sterilizer unit 6 and the unloading machine 10, respect-
ively. Each of these rails 12b, 12c is specifically designed
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for guiding the carrier trucks 7a, 7b to the desired operat-
ing positions, respectively.
The conventional sterilization process system noted
above is generally arranged in practice such that there are
provided a desired number of vacant trucks 7c, the vacant
trucks 7c being sent to the stacking machine 3, the loaded
trucks 7a being gathered in the leading pool on the tracking
rail 12b provided between the stacking machine 3 and the
sterilizer unit 6. Also, it is arranged that the generally
known stacking machine 3 and the unloading machine 10 can be
made available to use with the due combination with the pool
arrangement of the sterilized product stack carrying trucks
7b Oll the rail 12c extending between the sterilizer unit 6
and the unloading machine 10, and that the track runs of
the vacant trucks 7c and the stack carrying trucks 7a, 7b
and the loading and unloading operations with the sterilizer
unit 6 can then be automated in practical operation. It is
however known that this sterilization process system cannot
be exempted from the following drawbacks and inconveniences
encountered in the actual operation.
Regardless of the practical employment of the human
labor or automated system for the loading and unloading
operations of the canned products in the line of steriliza-
tion process, it is inevitable that it takes substantial
time of period for the carrying trucks 7a, 7b to load into
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and unload ~rom the sterilizer unit 6 prior to and after
the sterilizatioll process, respectively, consequently
resulting in a substantial reduction in the throughput or
productivity of the entire line of can-sealed products
production. In coping with this problem, it has been
essential in practice to have an increased processing capacity
of the sterilizer unit 6 for attaining a correspondingly
increased throughput of the entire production line, accord-
ingly.
Furthermore, according to the practical sterilization
process of the can-sealed products, it is absolutely
necessary that any confusion of a group of sterilized products
and a group of unsterilized products be prevented from
occurring in the flow of process line. In the conventional
arrangement of sterilization process, however, it is essential
that there is provided a certain apparatus for preventing
the grouping of such two parties from being confused with
each other, in consideration that the rails 12b and 12c for
guiding the carrier trucks 7a and 7b are connected in line
with each other, which would necessarily turn out to be
costly in money and technique required therefor.
Also, it is encountered in the practice of steriliza-
tion operation that the sterilizer Ullit 6 would possibly fail
in operation, or that the utility facilities in operative
connection with the sterilizer unit 6 would turn to be put
~ _ _
o
in trouble, and thell it is required to carry the canned
products undergoing the sterilization process out of the
sterilizer unit 6 without delay. In consideration of the
countermeasure for such possible failures, it is necessary
that the rail 12b be designed to be long enough in extension,
wllich would then bring such an undesired result that the
overall extension of the rail 12c would eventually have
to be elongated to an undue extent accordingly to the balance
in the general lay-out of the rails 12a through 12c after all.
On the other hand, there is a general trend to have
a compound construction of the general lay-out of the sterili-
zation process line in the case that there are provided
a plurality of sterilization units. In addition, according
to the conventional arrangement of the process line as
typically shown in FIG. 1, the supply of the partition
panels 5 from the unloading machine 10 to the stacking
machine 3 is generally conducted by way of the human hands
(at least two men3, and also there are required some more
personnel at and about the rotary table 9, thus requiring at
least six men in total in the ordinary practice~
~UMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
In this respect, therefore, the present invention is
proposed to practice in pursuit of due solution to such
drawbacks and inconveniences of the conventional canned
product sterilization process system as noted above, and
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is essentiall.y directed in an attempt to the provision of an
improved calnned product s-terilization process system, whereby
the carry-in and carry-out time of period of the carrying
baskets with respect to the sterilizer unit in the line of
sterilization process can efficiently be cut short, the possibili-
ty of confusion in the grouping or separation of sterilized
and unsterilized products can e~entually be eliminated, the
general lay-out of the entire line of sterilization process may
well be simplified, thus contributing to a substantial curtail-
ment of the personnel required in the sterilizing line operation,
and thus making the automated non-attendance operation of the
entire sterilization line possible in practice, accordingly.
According to a broad aspect of the invention there is
provided a sterilization system for canned products comprising:
a supply conveyor for supplying canned products;
a layer conveyor having an input end adjacent said supply
conveyor for receiving canned products therefrom and an output
end for discharging a layer of canned products;
layer stopping means positioned adjacent said layer conveyor
intermediate said input and output ends thereof for stopping a
layer of canned products on said layer conveyor;
first panel lifting means at said output end of said
layer conveyor for receiving a partition panel at a horizontal
level of said output end;
a basket conveyor having a basket unloading posi-tion and
an opposite basket loading position, said basket loading position
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being at said first panel lifting means, said basket conveyor
receiving a basket having an open bottom at said basket
loading position with a top of the basket being below the
horizontal level of said output end of said layer conveyor,
the basket conveyor operating to move baskets from said basket
unloading position to said basket loading position;
a product loader having a front stop and a rear stop
for holding a layer of canned products therebetween;
second panel lifting means next to said first panel lifting
means, said second panel lifting means being for receiving
a stack of partition panels;
panel suction means for engaging a partition panel in a
stack of panels on said second panel lifting means and for
conveying the panel onto said first panel lifting means; truck
means connected to said panel suction means and said product
loader for alternately moving a layer of products held between
said front and rear stops of sai.d product loader onto a panel
on said first panel lifting means, and moving said panel suc-tion
means to place a panel on the layer of products after said first
lifting means has lowered the layer of products into a baske-t at
said basket loading position,
so that a stack of alternating layers of canned products and
partition panels is formed in the basket at said basket
loading position;
a first basket pool conveyor having an input end for
receiving a basket loaded with panels and canned products from
said basket loading position, said first basket pool conveyor
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having an output end for discharging baskets loaded with
panels and canned products;
at least one sterilization unit having an input ena
adjacent said output end of said first basket pooling conveyor,
said sterillzation unit having an output end for discharging
baskets containing panels and sterilized canned products;
a second basket pool conveyor at said output end of said
sterilization unit, said second basket pool conveyor having an
output end adjacent said basket unloading position of said
basket conveyor for discharging baskets with panels and s-terili-
zed products onto said basket conveyor at said basket unloading
position;
unloading means at said basket unloading position for
unloading alternate panels and layers of sterilized products
from a basket at said basket unloading position;
a discharge conveyor for receiving sterilized canned
products from said unloading means; and
a panel conveyor for receiving panels from said unloading
means and conveying said panels onto said second panel lifting
means;
said supply, layer, basket, first basket pool, ~econd
basket pool and panel conveyors all extending substantially
horizontally and said sterilizing unit ex-tending substantially
horizontally.
The objects, principle, property and details of the
present invention wi:Ll, as well as benefits attainable therefrom,
become more apparent from the fo]lowing detailed description
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by way of a preferred embodiment of the invention, when read
in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention will now be explained by way of
a preferred embodiment thereof as adapted in practice to
the line of sterilization process for the can-sealed products
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(hereinafter, referred to as "canned products") taking
the reference to the drawings attached herewith. Now,
referring specifically to FIG. 3, there is shown a product
supply conveyor designated at the reference numeral 21,
which is connected in operative relationship with the filling
and sealing unit not shown, and which is adapted to supply
the canned products designated at 22 to a loading unit at
23. The loading unit 23 comprises, as principal components,
a layer conveyor 24, a layer stopper 25, a product loader 26
and the like, which is adapted to load a required number of
stages of canned products 22 supplled from a supply conveyor
21 into position of a carrying basket 28, each stage includ-
ing a specified number of canned products, as typically
shown in FIG. ~, by aid of partition panels 27, and to carry
thus-loaded baskets toward the due position to be relayed
onto a basket pool conveyor 29 as shown in FIG. 3.
It is arranged that the layer conveyor 24 is adapted in
operation to continuously carry the canned products 22 fed
by the supply conveyor 21, after having rotated these
products as a unit by 90 degrees by way of the rotating
guide or the like not shown, toward a product loader 26.
There is provided the layer stopper 25, which co~prises,
as typically shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, side frames 32, 33
seen fixed in position on right and left main frames 30, 31,
a gate 34 secured upon the side frames 32, 33 and extending
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across the layer conveyor 24, a pneumatlc cylinder 35 and
guide shafts 36 mounted upon the gate 34, and a stopper plate
37 extending across the layer conveyor 24 and adapted to
come in contact with the top of the series of canned pxoducts
carried along with the conveyor 24 so as to have them stopped
in travelling motion thereon.
The pneumatic cylinder 35 is secured with its rod sec-
tion to the plate 38 to which the angle braces 39, 39 are
fixed in position by using locking bolts 40. The guide shafts
36 are slidably held by way of guide bearings 41 secured upon
the gate 34, with the angle braces 39, 39 being fixed rigidly
at its lower end by using the bolts 40, similar to the
pneumatic cylinder 35 noted above. At the opposite ends
of the stopper plate 37 there are secured guide shafts 42,
respectively, the guide shafts 42 being introduced slidably
into guide bearings 44 fixed to a channel bar 43, this
channel bar 43 constructed extending in a loosely mounted
relationship between the angle braces 39, 39 in such a manner
that it may abut a plate 38 in close contact relationship
therewith. Also, there are seen introduced compression
springs 45 at the lower ends of the guide bearings 44, which
are adjustable with their urging forces rendered upon the
canned products 22 by way of the stopper plate 37 by securing
or unscrewing nuts 46.
The product loader 26 comprises, as shown in FIG. 5,
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a carriage frame 49 supported by way of wheels 48 at four
points adapted to run along a pair of rails 47 which is in
integrity with the above mentioned side frames 32, 33, a
truck 50 constructed integrally with the carrier frame 49,
a pneumatic cylinder 51 adapted to cause the truck 50 to be
travelled back and forth, a rear stopper 52 mounted on the
carriage frame 49, a lifter 53 for loading the canned products
22 in a stacked position by aid of the partition panels 27,
and the like. There is mounted as a unit a bracket 54 by
way of welding or otherwise on the carrier frame 49 as
typically shown in FIG. 7, with the other end of the bracket
54 being fixed rigidly to the truck 50.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, a block 55 is fixed securely
to the lower end of the carrier frame 49 by way of an angle
56 in such a manner~that the canned products 22 may be
stored in position of a recessed portion 57. The truck 50
is constructed to bind a channel bar 59 together with the
bracket 54 and the plate 58, with four wheels 60 mounted
rotatably on the side of the channel bar 59 for travelling
motion along a pair of guide rails 62, 63 disposed in the
inside of a guide rail frame 61. There is provided a base
bracket 64, secured integrally with the guide rail frame 61
and together with a bracket 65 integral with the side frame
33 by using lock bolts 66, etc.
The pneumatic cylinder 51 is operatively connected to
12~6000
the end of the truck 50 in such a manner that the truck 50
is caused to travel in reciprocating motion with a stroke
of "L" as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. The rear stopper 52 is
comprised of bearings 67 positioned rigidly on the carrier
frame 49, a shaft 68 journaled rotatably by the bearings 67,
arms 69 fixed rigidly on the shaft 68, a plate 70 fixed
securely to the arms 69 for abutting against the back of
! the canned product 22, and a pneumatic cylinder 71 connected
operatively to the shaft 68 through a linkage mechanism so
that it causesthe arms 69 in the direction shown by the arrow
"P" as viewed in FIG. 4.
In FIG. 6, shown is a partition panel suction apparatus
designated at 72, which is adapted to pick up a partition
panel 27 piece by piece by sucking function from a lifter 73
(see FIG. 4), upon which a plurality of partition panels 27
are stacked one upon another, and shift thus-picked-up panel
toward the carrier frame 49 by the stroke "L" of the pneumatic
cylinder 51, thereafter releasing the partition panel 27
down upon the canned products 22 aligned on the commonly known
lifter 53 for lifting motions within the carrier basket 28.
There is provided a bracket 75 mounting six sucking discs
74 disposed shiftably depending downwardly at an adjustable
interval, and which is suspended operatively from a pneumatic
cylinder 77 through a plate 76 in such a manner that it can
adjustably be shifted in the vertical directions as shown
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by the arrow "Q". There is also shown a pair of guide shafts
78 secured rigidly at their lower ends to the plate 76 and
extending slidably through guide bearings 80 fixed upon
a support bracket 79. The support bracket 79, having the
pneumatic cylinder 77 and the guide bearings 80 mounted
securely thereon, is fixed rigidly upon the truck 50 by way
of bolts 81 and the like.
There is shown a corner transfer conveyor 82, which is
adapted to turn the basket 28 containing a stack of unsteri-
lized canned products 22 (hereinafter, referred to as "theunsterilized can containing basket 28a"), carried along with
the basket pool conveyor 29, by 90 degrees in turning motion
by aid of rotating rollers driven by means not shown. Also
shown is a transfer conveyor 83, which is adapted to carry
the unsterilized can containing basket 28a noted above, which
has been carried along by a carrying conveyor 84, into
sterilization processers 85b and 85c.
A basket pool conveyor 86 is adapted to convey sterilized
can containing baskets 28b through the sterilization process
at a sterilization processers 85 by aid of the corner transfer
conveyor 82, the carrying conveyor 84, the transfer conveyor
83, etc., and have thus conveyed baskets 28b held temporarily
in the pool prior to the entrance to an unloading unit 87,
thereafter carrying the sterilized can containing baskets
28b in the downstream of an unloading unit 90. Also, the
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unloading unit 87 is located in the generally symmetrical
relationship with the loading unit 23, and operates to handle
the sterilized can containing basket 28b carried along with
the basket pool conveyor 86 in such a manner that the parti-
tion panels 27 are picked up and delivered by another parti-
tion panel suction apparatus 88 over to the partition panel
suction apparatus 72 through the partition panel supply
conveyor 89, and that the canned products 22 are discharged
onto the discharging conveyor 91 by function of an unloading
unit 90, and also that the vacant or unloaded baskets 28 are
departed away to the product loader 26 noted above by way of
a basket conveyor 92, respectively.
As the partition panel suction apparatus 88 is of the
identical construction with that of the partition panel
suction apparatus 72 noted above, the same reference numeral
may be used in the following descriptionO This treatment
shall apply to other like components involved hereinafter,
accordingly. The partition panel 27 is lifted upwardly at
the position A shown in FIG. 10 by function of the suction
discs 74 from the sterilized can containing basket 28b which
has been carried toward the unloading unit 90 from the basket
pool conveyor 86. After having shifted to the position B by
operating the pneumatic cylinder 51, the partition panel 27
is discharged onto the partition panel supply conveyor 89
(which is placed in the solid-crossing relationship with
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respect to the basket pool conveyor 86 so that it may not
interfere with the shlfting motion of the sterilized can
containing basket 28b during operation.).
It is noted that the substantial difference between
the unloading unit 90 and the product loader 26 resides in
the aspect such that there is employed a front stopper 93 in
place of the rear stopper 52 and the block 55 is replaced
with a pusher bar 94, and also that the layer stopper 25 is
omitted in construction. As shown in FIG. 11, there is
provided the front stopper designated at 93, which is
constructed in such a manner that an arm 95 fixed around the
shaft 68 may be rotated in the direction shown by the arrow
"R". The pusher bar 94 is fixed rigidly to the lower part
of the carrier frame 49, so that it can come to abut the
backs of the canned products 22, when they approach during
the conveyance. Also, there is seen a discharging conveyor
96, which is adapted to convey the canned products 22
finished with the sterilization process into the subsequent
steps of processing in the line.
Next, referring to the operation of the present canned
product sterilization process system, the canned products
22 delivered from the filling and sealing equipment not
shown to the layer conveyor 24 through the supply conveyor
21 are now transferred toward the product loader 26, while
being realigned to a specified width of arrangement during
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the conveyance with a closely crammed relationship with each
other. After passing the series of canned products aligned
in one layer or stage of the general appearance shown in
FIG. 2, the stopper plate 37 is caused to be lowered into
due position by function of the pneumatic cylinder 35 of
the layer stopper 25 so that it may come to urge and stop
the leading line of canned products 22 in the following lot
as schematically shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. ~.
At this moment, the product loader 26 is located at the
position C, FIG. 10, working to stop the leading line of
canned products 22 while progressing along with the layer
conveyor 24 with the block 55, and operating the pneumatic
cylinder 71 so as to cause the arms 69 to turn in the clock-
wise direction for holding the group of canned products 22
in sandwiched relationship with the block 55, accordingly.
In the following step, as the pneumatic cylinder 51 is
actuated, the product loader 26 is caused to shift with one
stack or stage of canned products 22 toward the position A
(there is provided a can guide panel not shown between the
product loader 26 and the layer conveyor 24). On the other
hand, the vacant or unloaded basket 28 delivered to the
position A from the basket conveyor 92 is placed onto
sprockets 97 as shown in FIG. 4, and as the ground panel 98
is lifted at the level of the partition panel 27a by func-
tion of the lifter 53 (see FIG. 4) at this moment, the one
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stage of canned products 22 is now ready to be transferredonto the ground panel 98, thereafter the arms 69 are caused
to be rotated in the counterclockwise direction so as to
release these canned products, and then the lifter 53 is
lowered to position by the pitch "H" ready for the subse-
quent steps. While the product loader 26 is located at
the position A, or with the partition panel suction apparatus
72 staying in the position B, the pneumatic cylinder 77 is
operated so as to cause the suction discs 74 to be lowered
upon a partition panel 27 to engage in sucking function
therewith, then turning back -to the position shown by the
two-dot chain line in FIG. 4.
Next, by actuating the pneumatic cylinder 51, the
product loader 26 is shifted from the position A to the
position C, thereby holding the one stage of canned products
22 in sandwiched relationship, and concurrently, the parti-
tion panel suction apparatus 72 functions to pick-up a sheet
of partition panel 27 by suction and deliver the same from
the position B to the position A, where it releases the par-
tition panel 27 upon the canned products 22 arranged on theground panel 98.
Repeating the working cycle noted above, the carrying
basket 28 is duly filled up with the required number of
stages of canned products 22, thereafter to be delivered to
the basket pool conveyor 29. Subsequently, a series of
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vacant baskets 28 (shown by solid-line squares and dotted-
line squares) are filled in sequence with a required number
of stages of canned products 22 and then delivered into the
three sterilization processers 85a through 85c, which is
generally shown in FIG. 12. (In the drawing figures, a square
with a quarter diagonal line in it shows the one in the load-
ing step; the one with one and a quarter diagonal lines
showing it in the sterilizing state in the processing line.)
In FIG. 13, there is shown the state that the loaded
basket 28 in the sterilization processer 85a is completed
with its sterilization process. (a dotted-line square with
two diagonal lines in it shows the one completed with the
sterilization process) Now, in FIG. 14, there is shown the
state that the sterilized can containing baskets 28b in the
sterilization processer 85a are carried to the basket pool
conveyor 86 through the corner transfer conveyor 82 and
the carrier conveyor 84, while delivering the unsterilized
can containing baskets 28a into the sterilization processer
85a.
Now, referring to the sterilization processers 85b and
85c, the same sequence of processing is performed as in the
sterilization processer 85a, thus resulting in the arrange-
ment of backets as shown in FIG. 15. The difference from
FIG. 12 is the aspect that the sterilized can containing
baskets 28b are being delivered to the unloading unit 87,
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in contrast to the vacant or unloaded baskets 28.
Next, the reference is made to the unloading procedure
of the sterilized can containing basket 28b. In the first
place, the sterilized can containing baskets 28b carried
along with the basket pool conveyor 86 into the position
under the unloading unit 90, or into the position A are then
subjected to the handling with which the sterilized canned
products 22 are raised upwardly to the position shown by
the two-dot chain line in FIG. 11 by way of the lifter 53.
At this moment, the pneumatic cylinder 71 is operated to
rotate the arm 95 clockwise into the solid-line position
as viewed in FIG. 11, thereafter the pneumatic cylinder 51
functioning to cause the carriage frame 49 of the unloading
unit 90 to be shifted from the position A to the position C,
and then the highest stage of canned products 22 is subjected
to the urging force of the pusher bar 94 so as to be dis-
charged through the can guide plate not shown to the dis-
charging conveyor 91, then causing the arm 95 to be rotated
counterclockwise by the actuation of the pneumatic cylinder
51, and then delivered to the subsequent handling procedure
in the processing line by way of the discharging conveyor 96.
When the carriage frame 49 of the unloading unit 90 is
in the position C, the partition panel suction apparatus 88
remains in the position A, operating the pneumatic cylinder
77 to cause the suction discs 74 to be lowered so as to
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engage the partition panel 27 by sucking function. Next,
the pneumatic cylinder 51 is then actuated so that the parti-
tion panel suction apparatus 88 is shifted from the position
A to the position B, and the carriage frame 49 of the unload-
ing unit 90 from the position C to the position A, respec-
tively, where the partition panel suction apparatus 88
functions to release the partition panel 27 onto the parti-
tion panel supply conveyor 89 so that a plurality of parti-
tion panels 27 may be stacked upon the lifter 73 on the
part of the loading unit 23, and at the same time, the
unloading unit 90 functions in the same sequence of operations
as noted above.
In accordance with the repetition of the same working
cycles as stated hereinbefore, it is noted that the sterilized
canned products 22 are eventually delivered over to the
discharging conveyor 91, the partition panels 27 being
delivered over to the partition panel supply conveyor 89,
the vacant baskets 28 delivered to the product loader 26
through the basket conveyor 92, respectively.
As fully explained in detail herein by way of the pre-
ferred embodiment of the present invention, it is to be noted
that the overall period of time required for the delivery of
the series of baskets into and out of the sterilization
processers 85 can be curtailed substantially by virtue of
the employment of the "first-in, first out" process with
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the entrance and the exit for the baskets with respect to
the sterilization processers provided separately from each
other, accordingly. Also, it is notable that there is no
longer left any fear of confusion of the sterilized and
unsterilized groups of canned products, by virtue of the
arrangement that there is no operative connection between
the conveyors for the unsterilized and sterilized can
baskets. Furthermore, according to the advantage of auto-
mated supply and removal procedures for the partition panels,
there can be effected an optimalized control on the current
quantity of baskets put in the pool before and after the
sterilization processers in the processing line to an as
small as possible number, thereby resulting in an as simple
as possible lay-out of the processing line. In addition,
there is attained a substantial curtailment of the personnel
for attendance at the processing line, or even a non-
attendance operation is feasible in practice, by virtue of
the employment of the automation in the supply and removal
procedures of the partition panels, accordingly.
While the present invention was fully explained
hereinbefore by way of the preferred embodiment thereof,
it is to be understood that the present invention is not
intended to be restricted to the details of the specific
construction shown in the preferred embodiment, but to the
contrary, many changes ancl modifications may be made in
~2'~
the foregoing teachings without any restriction thereto
and without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
It is also to be understood that the appended claims
are intended to cover all of such generic and specific
features particular to the invention as disclosed herein
and all statements relating to the scope of the invention,
which as a matter of language might be said to fall there-
under.
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