Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~RUNECKER, KINKELDEY, STOCKMAIR & PARTNER ~pVALTE
EUf~t7PeAN P/I~EI~IT a~TOi~N~vS
A GRU~I'CKER, DIPL I~ O
DR. H. KINKELDE~', DI~L
DR. W. STOC~M~IR. C~IPL IN13 ~e ~ ~C~T~C~
DR. K. SCI IUMANN. ~PL`~ 5
P H JAKOE3, DIPL I~IG
DR. G. BEZOLD, DIF'L C~EM
W. M~lSTEl~. DIPL ~
H. HILGERS~ DIPL I'-G
DR~ H~ ME:YER-PLATH. D11L`II`IG
A EHNOLD, Dll'L`II~10
T SCHUSTER~ DIDL '~YS
l~R~ W. LANGHOFF, DIF~-P~S
OR K GOLD~ACH, Dll'L I~
M. ~UFENANGER, DIPL WG
G. KLITZSC~, DIPL I~G
W 8000 MUNCHEN 22
MAXIM)~ANSTRASS~ 58
~R ZEICI II~ DUF~ REF U~ISER ZEIC~E~OIJR ~EF DArUM/D~r6
An Outfitting Machine for Treating Vessels
DEBCRIP~ION
The present invention refers to an outfitting machine for
treating vessels in accordance with the generic clause of
claim 1.
It is known that, for applying outfitting material to ves-
sels, these vessels are pushed onto a rotary plate, which is
secured to a rotatively driven rotary table of an outfitting
machine, the rotary plate, which is rotatably supported on
said rotary table, being controlled by means of a roller
with the aid of a guiding groove or a tooth curve, which is
normally arranged in a stationary manner below the rotary
: table and which includes a specific rotation program
determined by the shape and the extension of said guiding
groove or tooth curve. In particular in the case of bottles
having a special shape or also in the case of costly out-
fits, which are frequently used for alcoholic drinks,
:
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various rotation programs, i.e. cams, are required so as to
be able to perform special movements upon transferring the
outfitting material and also upon applying the brushes
and/or the pressure exerting elements. It is, for example,
known that in the case of vessles having different diameters
in the trunk and neck sections or a conical surface, the
rotary plate can be caused to rotate in a direction opposite
to the direction of rotation of the rotary table at the
moment of label transfer, whereas in other cases the vessel
is driven in a direction corresponding to the direction of
rotation o~ the rotary table at the moment of label transfer
so as to be a~le to transfer labels of maximum length to
cylindrical surfaces. When standard outfits are used, the
vessel can also pass through the transfer station, in which
the label is applied, without rotating itself, i.e. in a
stationary condition. The shape of the vessel and the re-
spective outfit will also determine the extension of the
brush- and pressure-element application path in the area
after the outfitting station. In this area, the problems in
question have hitherto been managed by providing the cam of
a machine with an adequate section for each intended type of
vessel and type of outfit, respectively; the brush-applying
elements, sponge rollers, etc. were placed at this section,
whereas the other sections were passed without being used.
This structural design shows the disadvantage that, due to
the universal rotation program, the diameters of the ne-
cessary cam and, consequently, of the rotary table had to be
substantially larger than the diameters used in the case of
a machine which was specially constructed for only one spe-
cific type of vessel or type of outfit.
This applies e.g. to German-Offenlegungsschrift 33 07 662,
which describes a labelling machine for enwinding vessels
with a label extending all around the vessel. In the case of
this machine, the labelling operation is carried out by
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removing a label from a label box by rolling a vessel, which
has applied glue to its surface, over the foremost label in
said label box. In order to be able to guarantee a slipfree
rolling contact in the course of this process, the cam
causing the rolling movement of the vessel will have to be
specially adapted to the diameter of the vessel which is to
be dealt with at the moment in question. In the case of this
known labelling machine, adequate sections for the various
shapes of vessels are provided in the cam below the rotary
table, and the a~aptation is carried out by displacing the
label box, i.e. the label box is placed at the cam section
associated with the respective shape of the vessel.
Furthermore, German-Offenlegungsschrift 33 23 919 already
discloses a structural design in the case of which two com-
plete guiding grooves, which can include different rotation
programs, are provided below the rotary table for the pur-
pose of controlling a rotary plate. This structural design
is disadvantageous insofar as, for the purpose of changing
over the rotation program, each rotary plate with its con-
trol means, which is provided with a lever carrying a rol-
ler, has to be released from the rotary table individually
and by hand, whereupon it has to be raised and introduced
into the second guiding groove. Rapid change-over of an
outfitting machine from one type of vessel or outfit to a
different type of vessel or outfit is hardly pos~ible in the
case of this structural design, particularly since the
guiding grooves are dimensioned very accuarately so as to
avoid undesirable backlash so that especially the reintro-
duction of the rollers will be problematical and may cause
damage in the case of inappropriate handling. Moreover, dirt
may penetrate into the guiding groove when the rotary plate
is raised from the rotary table.
German-Utility Model 87 08 031.1 shows a machine whose
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guiding groove is equipped with controllable switches so
that the rollers can selectively move along various branches
of the guiding groove in sections. This solution is disad-
vantageous insofar as the switches are susceptible to wear
and insofar as, due to the joints existing in the guiding
groove in the area of a switch, the rollers will be subjec-
ted to heavy wear. Moreover, in cases in which the switch
control fails, the whole machine may be damaged severely.
The present invention is based on the task of providing an
outfitting machine for treating vessels of different shapes
and/or outfits, which permits a user-friendly, rapid adapta-
tion of the rotary plate control when the machine is changed
over ~rom o~e type of vesse~ or outfit to a different one,
with a plurality of individual, inaependently devisable ro-
tation programs being available in the case of said machine.
This task is solved by the features disclosed in the
characterizing clause of claim 1.
In view of the fact that, in accordance with the present
invention, a plurality of cams including a complete,
individual rotation program is provided, and in view of the
fact that control members whose number corresponds to the
number of cams are provided for each rotary plate, said
control members cooperating permanently with said cams and
being adapted to be selectively brought into driving
engagement with the rotary plate, the structrual design of
the individual cams can, to a large extent, be chosen
independently of that of the respective other cams, and,
when the machine is in operation, a simple change-over from
one rotation program to a different one can be effected in a
very comfortable manner.
Another advantageous aspect is the thus possible compact,
2 ~ 7
space-saving structural design of a rotary table for
outfitting machines used for treating a great variety of
vessels. For selectively changing over the control members
any suitable controllable clutch can be used. It is, for
example, possible to use claw clutches supported on the
rotary plate shafts such that they are adapted t~ be dis-
placed in the axial direction, sliding gears or draw-key
clutches which are integrated in the rotary plate shafts.
In addition to clutch elements of the positive-engagement
type, it is also possible to provide clutch elements of the
frictional-engagement type, provided that it can be guaran-
teed that no inadmissible deviations caused by slip will
occur while the rotation program is being performed. This
can be guaranteed by sufficiently high contact forces acting
on the friction surfaces of the clutch.
Particularly simple and rapid handling of the clutches in
the case of change-over will be possible, when these
clutches are adapted to be centrally actuated in common and
at the same time. Pneumatic, hydraulic, electric or magnetic
actuating means, which merely require a ring system with
only one central supply and actuating means, will be spe-
cially suitable for this purpose.
A structural design of a rotary table provided with aeveral
rotary plates and individually, i.e. independently, actuable
clutches offers the advantage that, when specific switching
points are passed during a revolution of the rotary table,
alternate change-over between the control members from one
cam to another one will be possible, if necessary. It is
thus also imaginable to make neighbouring rotary plates~
execute different rotation programs so as to accomplish, for
example, an alignment of vessels in groups before said
vessels reach the exit of the outfitting machine. This can
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be advantageous with regard to the subsequent packing
process.
The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to
special cams, but can ~e realized in the case of practically
all types ~f cams, e.g. tooth curves ~r guiding gr~o~es,
which are kn~wn in connection with labelling machines. It
is, for example, possible to provide below the rotary table
two tooth curves, which are arranged one below the other and
each of which is engaged by one star wheel tipped with
rollers per cam and rotary plate, i.e. in the case of two
cams two star wheels tipped with rollers per rotary plate,
which can be supported in a freely rotatable manner on the
rotary plate shaft one below the other and displaced with
respect to each other. 8y means of a clutch, which is
secured against rotation but axially displaceable on the
rotary plate shaft, a rotary connection between the rotary
plate shaft and one of the two star whèels tipped with
rollers can selectively be established via an associated
actuating means. This type of structural design would be
particularly advantageous for outfitting vessels of dif-
ferent diameters with labels extending all around the ves-
sel .
In the same way, it is, however, also possible to combine
cams of different structural designs with one another, e.g.
a tooth curve with a star wheel tipped with rollers and
below said tooth curve a guiding groove with a lever car-
rying a roller, so that a rotary plate can selectively be
driven such that it will carry out a rotating or an oscil-
latlng movement in accordance with a respective program.
In the following, two embodiments will bedescribed on the
ba~is of the figures, in which
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7 2 ~
Fig. 1 shows a top view of an outfitting machine without
the top of said machine,
Fig. 2 shows a vertical section through the outer ring of
the rotary table in Fig. 1,
Fig. 3 shows a horizontal section through part of the
rotary table along the line A-B in Fig. 2,
Fig. 4 shows a vertical section through the ring of a
rotary table according to a second embodiment,
Fig. 5 shows a horizontal section through part of the
rotary table along the line C-D in Fig. 4, and
Fig. 6 shows a horizontal section through the rotary
plate shaft in Fig. 4 in the disengaged condition.
As clearly shown in Fig. 1, the vessels 45 which are to be
fitted out and which are supplied by a conveyor belt are
first spaced apart to match the spacing of the outfitting
machine, and then they are pushed into the right position on
a rotary table 2, which supports rotary plates 6, by means
of a feeder 1 constr~cted as a rotating star. Before an
incoming vessel 45 is released from the feeder 1, said ves-
sel will be fixed axially between the rotary plate 6 re-
ceiving the vessel bottom and a centering bell, which is
controlled by means of a cam and which is lowered onto the
vessel head from above. For this purpose, the centering
bells are normally secured to an upper part, which is not
shown in Fig. 1, at the adequate position relative to the
rotary plates, said upper part rotating synchronously with
the rotary table. Immediately afterwards, a first oufitting
station 23 provides the vessel e.g. with a trunk label and a
8 ~ ~ 5 9 ~ ~ Y~
tin foil for the neck of the bottle. Subsequently, the ves-
sel passes through a channel where brushes and rollers are
applied thereto, said channel being equipped with stationary
brushes 4 and sponge rollers 5, which are excha~geably ar-
ranged at the circumference of the rotary table 2. Just as
guide sectors and other format-dependent parts of the
machine, these brush and pressure-applying elements will be
exchanged, when there is a change of vessels or a change of
outfits. Adequately adapted rotation proqrams for the rotary
plate 6 will have to be available in these areas. This
applies in the same way to a second outfitting station 24,
where e.g. a back label can additionally be applied, which,
on its way to the unloading unit 3, is again brushed on or
pressed on by means of brushes 4 and sponge rollers 5. The
vessel provided with the labels is transferred from the
rotary table 2 to an unloading belt by means of an unloading
unit 3 cooperating with a guide sector 25, and in the course
of this process a finishing treatment of the tinfoil by
means of rotating brushes or the like can additionally be
carried out.
A first embodiment of a control means for driving a rotary
plate 6 is shown in Fig. 2.
A rotary plate 6 is rotatably supported on the housing of
the rotary table 2, which is adapted to be rotatively driven
by a machine drive. The rotary plate shaft 8, which is con-
nected to the rotary plate 6 such that it is secured against
rotation relative thereto, carries a first gear 9 and below
said first gear 9, in axially spaced relationship therewith,
a second gear 10. Both gears 9 and 10 are supported on the
rotary plate shaft 8 in a freely rotatable manner, and they
are secured against displacement in the axial direction. The
9 2~59~
sides of the gears 9 and 10 which face each other have ar-
ranged thereon pinlike claws 11, which can selectively be
brought into engagement with the holes 12 of the switching
ring 13 provided between the two gears 9 and 10. For this
purpose, the switching ring 13 is guided on teeth 14 on the
rotary plate shaft 8 such that it is secured against rota-
tion relative thereto, but still axially displaceable. The
switching ring 13 is actuated by a selector fork 15, which
has pins 16 secured thereto, said pins 16 engaging an an-
nular groove 17 which is provided on the switching ring 13
for this purpose.
The embodiment of a rotary plate control means shown in Fig.
2 comprises two radially juxtaposed guiding grooves 18 and
19 formed in a sta- tionary guiding groove carrier 7. The
shape of the guiding grooves 18 and 19 is traced by rollers
20. The roller 20 engaging the radially outer guiding groove
18 is connected to a first toothed segment 21 such that it
is secured against rotation relative thereto; said first
toothed segment 21 is supported in a freely pivotable manner
on a bearing neck 26, which is secured to the rotary table 2
and which rotates therewith, and is in mesh with the upper
gear 9, whereas the roller 20 engaging the radially inner
guiding groove 19 is connected to a second toothed segment
22, which is in mesh with the lower gear 10. Just as said
first toothed segment 21, said second toothed segment 22 is
pivotably supported on a bearing neck 26 secured to the
rotary table 2.
Depending on the selected pitch diameters on the gears 9 and
10 and the toothed segments 21 and 22, a sufficiently high
transmission ratio can be achieved so that only comparati-
vely small pivoting angles of the toothed segments are
necessary for controlling the rotary plate 6. The space
required for the guiding grooves 18 and 19 can thus be re-
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duced in the radial direction.
The actuating means required for axially displacing theswitching ring 13 along the rotary plate shaft 8 is shown
more clearly in Fig. 3. The selector fork 15 is fastened to
a selector shaft 27 such that it is secured against rotation
relative thereto, said selector shaft 27 being pivotably
supported in the radially outer housing wall 28 of the
rotary table 2 and carrying a lever with a roller 29 at its
end projecting outwards beyond the rotary table 2. By means
of a curve element ~not shown), which is arranged in the
circulatory path of the lever equipped with the roller 29,
each rotary plate 6 can selectively be brought into positive
engagement with one of the two gears 9 or 10 and, conse-
quently, with the guiding grooves 18 and 19 by displacing
the switching ring 13.
Fig. 2 shows the switching ring 13 in an intermediate posi-
tion during a change-over operation; at the m~ment shown,
none of the pinlike claws 11 is in engagement with the holes
12 of the switching ring 13. Deviating from this embodiment,
the length of the claws can also be dimensioned such that,
in the course of a change-over operation, the claws of one
gear will not be released until the opposite claws of the
second gear have come into contact with the switching ring
13 so that the rotary plate 6 cannot carry out undefined
rotary motions at any time. In order to achieve this, it
will be necessary that the guiding grooves 18 and 19 have a
section in which the claws 11 are in axial alignment with
each other for changing over the switching ring 13.
~eviating from Fig. 3, it will also be possible to fasten
the switching rings 13 of all rotary plates 6 of a rotary
table 2 to one common, e.g. annular support body, so that
all rotary plates 6 can be changed over simultaneously by
2 ~ rJl
actuating the common support body. In this case, it would,
however, be necessary to construct either the claws 11 or
the switching rings 13 such that they yield in the axial
direction so as to permit the claws 11, which are not yet in
alignment with the holes 12 at the moment of changing over,
to snap in.
Fig. 4 to 6 show a second em~odiment of a rotary plate
control means. In the case of this embodiment, the cams 30
and 31 are arranged one below the other and in axially
displaced relationship with each other. Each of the two cams
30 and 31 is traced by two rollers 32, which are jointly
secured to a carrier means 33 and 34, respectively, such
that they are freely rotatable. The carrier means 33 is
secured to an internally toothed ring 35 and the carrier
means 34 is secured to an internally toothed ring 36
positioned below said carrier means 34. Both internally
toothed rings 35 and 36 are pivotably supported on the
rotary plate shaft 37, which is, in turn, rotatably sup-
ported by the rotary table 2. When the machine is in opera-
tion, the internally toothed rings cannot be displaced
axially with respect to the rotary plate shaft 37.
As Fig. 5 and 6 show in a particularly clear manner, the
internally toothed rings 35 and 36 are equipped with a
plurality of axially extending grooves 39. These grooves 39
can positively be engaged by balls 40, which are guided such
that they are radially movable in radially extending holes
of the rotary plate shaft 37. The radial position of the
balls 40 is determined by a draw key 38, which is guided in
an axially displaceable manner in an internal hole 41 of the
rotary plate shaft 37. The draw key 38 is provided with
sections having different outside diameters so that, in the
case of an axial displacement of the draw key 38, the sec-
tion having the larger outside diameter can be displaced in
~2 2~
one of the two ball planes, whereas the other ball plane has
simultaneously associated therewith a draw key section
having a smaller diameter. In Fig. 4, the section of the
draw key 38 having the larger outside diameter is located at
the lower position, and, consequently, it forces the balls
40 which are located in the plane associated with the lower
internally toothed ring 36 radially outwards so that these
balls will positively engage the grooves 39 of the internal-
ly toothed ring 36, whereby a rotary connection will be
established between the lower cam 31 and the rotary plate
shaft 37. In view of the fact that the section of the draw
key 38 associated with the balls 4G ~ the upper t~thed
ring 35 has, simultaneously, a smaller outside diameter, the
balls 40 lying in this plane are located at a radially inner
position and are not able to establish any connection
between the rotary plate shaft 37 and the internally toothed
ring 35. Hence, the internally toothed ring 35 and the
carrier means 33 associated therewith can - undisturbed by
the rotary motion of the rotary plate shaft 37 determined by
the lower cam 31 - follow their own cam 30. This will become
understandable on the basis of Fig. 6, which shows a
horizontal section through the rotary plate shaft 37 and the
internally toothed ring 35 in Fig. 4. There is no rotary
connection between the internally toothed ring 35 and the
rotary plate shaft 37.
In the case of the embodiment according to Fig. 4, the draw
key 38 is actuated pneumatically. The draw key 38 can selec-
tively be acted upon at its upper or at its lower end by
compressed air or by a vacuum and can thus be displaced
axially in the internal hole 41 of the rotary plate shaft
37. For this purpose, the rotary plate shaft 37 has
rotatably supported thereon upper and lower ring-type
distributor means 42 and 43. Each of the two ring-type
distributor means 42 and 43 has an internal paæsage 44, the
,
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13 2~9~;7
connection holes 46 integrated in the rotary plate shaft 37
leading into said internal passage 44 from the upper and
from the lower end of said internal hole 41. If an outfit-
ting machine is equipped with a source of compressed air as
well as with a vacuum source, the lower ring-type dictri-
butor means 43 can be dispensed with, since the change-over
operation can be carried out by selectively applying over-
pressure or a vacuum to a single ring-type distributor
means. One of the two ring-type distributor means 42 and 43
can also be dispensed with in cases in which one of the two
possible axial positions of the draw key 38 can be adjusted
by means of a spring ~spiral spring). In this case, an
external~y contrcl7a~1e source of compressed air or vacuum
source wil~ on~y be necessary for reaching the position in
the direction opposite to the direction in which the force
of the spring is effective.
The internal passages 44 of the upper ring-type distributor
means 42 as well as those of the lower ring-type distributor
means 43 can either be supplied individually by separate
lines, which are not shown, whereby independent, selective
change-over of the individual rotary plates will be
necessary, or they can be supplied by a ring system
combining the neighbouring ring-type distributor means of
the other rotary plates, said ring system being adapted to
be supplied and controlled centrally and permitting simul-
taneous change-over of all rotary plate control means. In
the case of both feasible embodiments, a rotary distributor
means (not shown) i8 required in the area of the hub of the
rotary table for the purpose of applying compressed air or a
vacuum.
