Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
21~282~ : ~
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to improvements in
apparatus for transporting objects, and more particularly
to improvements in apparatus which can be utilized with
advantage for the transport of containers e.g., along a
predetermined path in a cleaning machine. Still more
particularly, the invention relates to improvements in
apparatus which can be utilized with advantage for the
transport of heavier, lighter, smaller, larger, shorter or
longer bottles through one or more machines wherein the
bottles are washed and/or otherwise cleaned prior to
initial filling or prior to refilling with hydraulic fluids
(such as beverages) or other flowable substances.
Many types of bottles which are to be filled or
refilled with flowable substances are provided with neck-
shaped end portions having external profiles, e.g., in the
form of circumferentially complete collars. Heretofore
known apparatus for the transport of such containers
(hereinafter called bottles for short) are not entirely
satisfactory, mainly because they cannot reliably engage
and hold the neck-shaped end portions for transport through
one or more machines wherein the bottles are to be
subjected to thorough cleaning including mechanical
engagement by bristles or the like as well as impingement
of streams or jets of a cleaning and/or disinfecting fluid.
It is already known to transport bottles by an
endless conveyor which includes carriers for bottles and is
equipped with holders serving to engage the necks of
bottles preparatory to and during transport through a
cleaning machine. A cleaning machine can be designed to
spray liquids onto the bottles, to immerse the bottles in
bodies of liquid, and/or to mechanically rub the bottles
with bristles or the like in order to remove impurities
from the internal and/or external surfaces of the bottles,
either prior to initial filling with a beverage or the like
210~2~
or preparatory to renewed filling of previously used
bottles. The treatment can involve removal of remnants of
previous contents of reusable bottles, removal of labels,
removal of adhesives which are used to secure labels and/or
others. A bottle which is to be transported through a
cleaning machine of the above outlined character can be
advanced in upright position, i.e., with the neck
constituting the upper end, or in inverted position with
the bottom end wall constituting or forming part of the
upper end. The orientation of bottles during transport
through the cleaning machine depends on the nature of
treatments preparatory to filling or refilling of the
cleaned bottles.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,060,035 granted December 18, 1962
to Schwarz et al. for "Article handling apparatus"
discloses an endless conveyor which is provided with means
for automatically removing bottles from receptacles in the
form of boxes, cases or crates. The patented apparatus is
designed to engage the bottles which are properly oriented
in the respective receptacles as well as bottles whose
orientation departs from the desired or optimum
orientation. The patentees propose to hold the bottles by
tong action with pairs of rigid pivotably mounted fingers
without the addition of any external spring or other
forces. The bottles are held by the fingers with a force
equal to the weight of a bottle. This might be
satisfactory for withdrawal of bottles from a crate or case
but is not sufficiently reliable during vigorous and
intensive cleaning of bottles preparatory to initial
filling or preparatory to renewed filling with liquids or
other flowable substances.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,778 granted August 16, 1988
to Feddersen et al. for "Easily changeable gripping head
for blow-molding pallet assembly" discloses sets of four
springs in the form of split rings which are used to
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2 l ~282~3
releasably grip plastic preforms adjacent to external - -
collars at the externally threaded end portions of -~
preforms. The object of the patented invention of -
Feddersen et al. is to ensure rapid convertibility of the
apparatus for the transport of different types of preforms.
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21~2825
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a
simple, compact and inexpensive apparatus which can
reliably engage, hold and transport bottles and/or
analogous containers, particularly through a washing or
cleaning machine and/or through a filling machine.
Another object of the invention is to provide the
apparatus with novel and improved means for reliably but
readily separably coupling containers to a conveyor which
transports the containers along a selected path, e.g.,
through a cleaning machine and/or through a filling
machine.
A further object of the invention is to provide
the apparatus with novel and improved means for disengaging
or separating treated bottles from the coupling means.
An additional object of the invention is to
provide a novel and improved method of securing containers
to and of disengaging containers from an endless conveyor.
Still another object of the invention is to
provide an apparatus which can be installed in existing
bottle filling, cleaning and like machines as a superior
substitute f~r heretofore known and used apparatus.
A further object of the invention is to provide
an apparatus which can readily accept and reliably
transport heavier, lighter, larger, smaller, longer,
shorter, standard or specially designed bottles or
analogous containers.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
bottle cleaning and/or filling machine which embodies a
transporting apparatus of the above outlined character.
An additional object of the invention is to
provide the above outlined apparatus with novel and
improved means for supplying untreated containers to an
endless conveyor.
Still another object of the invention is to
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provide the above outlined apparatus with novel and
improved means for accepting treated bottles from the
endless conveyor.
A further object of the invention is to provide -
S a novel and improved combination of means for coupling
containers to an endless conveyor and means for
deactivating the coupling means when the treatment of the
containers is completed.
An additional object of the invention is to ;~
provide novel and improved conveyors for use in the above
outlined apparatus. ~ ~
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1 0282~
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is embodied in an apparatus for
transporting containers of the type having a substantially
neck-shaped end portion which is provided with an external
S profile, especially for transporting bottles having necks
provided with external collars and necessitating conveying
through a cleaning machine prior to refilling with a
carbonated, non-carbonated, alcoholic, non-alcoholic or
other beverage or any other liquid or flowable substance.
The improved apparatus comprises a conveyor (e.g., an
endless chain conveyor), at least one carrier on the
conveyor, and at least one device for releasably coupling
a container to the at least one carrier. The at least one
coupling device comprises a set of holders (e.g., a pair of
holders) which are provided on the at least one carrier and
define an expandible and contractible passage which -- in
the expanded condition -- permits entry and evacuation of
the end portion of a container. At least one of the
holders is resiliently deformable and tends to assume a
retaining position in which the passage is contracted or
narrowed and the holders engage the external profile of the
end portion of a container in the passage to thereby couple
the container to the at least one carrier. The improved
apparatus further comprises means for separating or
disengaging the holders from the external profile to permit
evacuation (e.g., by gravity) of the end portion of a
container from the passage. The separating means comprises
means (e.g., in the form of wedges) for directly engaging
and deforming the at least one holder away from the
retaining position.
The conveyor preferably defines for the at least
one carrier an endless (circular, oval or otherwise
configurated) path, and the at least one coupling device
can include a plurality of resiliently deformable holders
each of which tends to assume a retaining position.
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The app~ratus can comprise a plurality of
carriers on the conveyor and at least one coupling device
on each carrier
The means for directly engaging and deforming can
comprise at least one substantially wedge-like separating
member and means for moving the separating member relative
to the holders of the respective coupling device.
The holders of each coupling device can comprise
a pair of resilient prongs, fingers or arms each of which
preferably tends to assume the retaining position and each
of which is overlapped by the external profile (such as the
aforementioned collar-shaped external profile) of an end
portion of a container in the passage. The prongs of each
pair of resilient prongs are or can be inclined relative to
each other, at least in their retaining positions. Each
such prong can contain, or can consist of, a resilient
metallic sheet material.
Each carrier preferably includes spaced-apart
walls which at least partially surround the respective
passage or passages and each of which has an opening for
one of the prongs or for one prong of each of two or more
pairs of prongs on the respective carrier. Each prong can
include or constitute a leaf spring having a bent portion
(e.g., a bent terminal portion) which is engageable with
the external profile of an end portion of a container in
the respective passage.
Each carrier can be provided with a socket (e.g.,
in the form of a substantially circular opening) for
partial reception of an end portion of the container in a
passage of such carrier. If the carrier supports two or
more coupling devices, it is provided with two or more
sockets, one for each coupling device. Each carrier can
further comprise at least one aperture which is adjacent
the socket, and the means for directly engaging and
deforming the holders which maintain the end portion of a
21~82~
container in the adjacent socket is preferably movable in
the at least one aperture into engagement with the adjacent
holder. The at least one aperture can include or
constitute a slot.
Each carrier can be provided with two or more
coupling devices, and such apparatus can comprise a
plurality of separating means, one for each coupling device
on a carrier. The separating means can comprise a common
mobile support for the engaging and deforming means for all
coupling devices on or at a carrier.
The endless path which is defined by the conveyor
can be a circular, oval, polygonal or any other path
wherein the at least one carrier is advanced in a
predetermined direction. The improved apparatus can
further comprise means for supplying containers to the at
least one coupling device in a first portion of the endless
path, and means for evacuating separated containers from a
second portion of the path downstream of the first portion.
Each of the supplying and evacuating means can include a
conveying unit at the respective portion of the endless
path, and each such unit can include means for contacting
the second end portions (e.g., the bottom end walls) of
containers at the respective portions of the endless path.
The supplying and evacuating means can further comprise
means for driving the respective conveying units in
synchronism with the conveyor. At least one of the
contacting means can include a spring-biased pusher or
plunger which is engageable with the second end portion of
; an adjacent container.
Each conveying unit can comprise an endless
conveying element (e.g., an endless belt or band or an
endless chain) having a preferably sloping container-
advancing stretch or reach and rails, tracks and/or other
container guiding means adjacent to such stretch or reach.
The conveying unit of the supplying means can
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21~2825
,
include the aforementioned endless conveying element and
means for driving the conveying element forwardly and
backwards to move the respective contacting means between
a plurality of spaced apart positions. Such spaced apart
positions can include a starting position in which the
neck-shaped end portion of a container which is engaged by
the respective contacting means is about to enter the
passage, and an inserting position in which the neck-shaped
end portion of a container which is engaged by the
respective contacting means is disposed in the passage.
The spaced-apart positions of the contacting means forming
part of the supplying means can include a plurality of
different starting positions, one for each of a plurality
of containers having different sizes and/or shapes.
The novel features which are considered as
characteristic of the invention are set forth in particular
in the appended claims. The improved transporting
apparatus itself, however, both as to its construction and
its mode of operation, together with additional features
and advantages thereof, will be best understood upon
perusal of the following detailed description of certain
presently preferred specific embodiments with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
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`" 210282~
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a
carrier and of an endless conveyor in a transporting
apparatus which embodies one form of the present invention;
5FIG. 2 is a plan view of that carrier portion
which is shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse
sectional view substantially as seen in the direction of
arrows from the line A-A in FIG. 1;
10FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse
sectional view substantially as seen in the direction of .
arrows from the line B-B in FIG. 2; .
FIG. 5 is a smaller-scale bottom plan view of a .
separating assembly as seen in the direction of arrow C in
FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 illustrates the details of an assembly `.'~e`-
which is used to supply containers to the carriers on the :.,.
endless conveyor; and ;.~ -
FIG. 7 is a similar view of an assembly which is ;;'~
20used to evacuate treated containers. :~
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DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown -
a portion of an elongated carrier 1 which is secured to a
conveyor 2 for advancement along an endless path extending
through a washing or cleaning machine and/or through a
filling machine, not shown. The exact construction and
mode of operation of such cleaning and/or filling machine
or machines form no part of the present invention. That
(intermediate) portion of the path which extends through
the cleaning and/or filling machine is disposed between a
first path portion adjacent a container supplying assembly
22 which is shown in FIG. 6 and a second path portion
adjacent a container removing or evacuating assembly 38
which is shown in FIG. 7. The direction of advancement of
carriers 1 along the endless path is indicated by an arrow
19 (shown in FIG. 6); the carriers advance in a direction
toward or away from the observer of FIG. 1.
The illustrated containers 3 are assumed to be
reusable bottles each of which has a substantially neck-
shaped first end portion 4 provided with an externalprofile in the form of a circumferentially complete collar
6. The other end portion of each bottle 3 is constituted
by or includes a bottom end wall which is remote from the ~;~
respective collar 6. The bottles 3 which are being
delivered by the supplying assembly 22 are assumed to
require cleaning (such as washing, removal of labels, i
removal of adhesive, sterilizing and/or other treatment or
treatments) because they were returned to the bottle
filling plant. Alternatively, such bottles can constitute
new or fresh bottles which are to be filled for the first
time and the transport from the supplying assembly 22 of
FIG. 6 to the evacuating or removing assembly 38 of FIG. 7
can involve mere rinsing, some washing and/or other
treatment preparatory to filling with a beverage or another
flowable substance.
12 ~ ~
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` `` 21028'~
The conveyor 2 carries or can carry a substantial
number of preferably equidistant elongated carriers 1 each
of which accepts or can accept an entire row of bottles 3
in such orientation that the neck-shaped end portions 4 and
their collars 6 are or can be located at the upper ends of
the respective bottles.
Each carrier 1 comprises two spaced-apart
mutually inclined walls 8 the upper end portions of which
are integral with the respective marginal portions of a
(not necessarily) horizontal platform or web having a
series of sockets 7 in the form of circular openings
dimensioned to receive the uppermost parts of the neck-
shaped end portions 4 of discrete bottles 3. The walls 8
of each carrier 1 are or can be mirror images of each other
relative to a vertical plane including the centers of the
respective sockets 7. The walls 8 of each carrier 1
converge toward each other in a direction toward the
respective platform, and each of these walls is further
provided with a series of preferably aligned elongated
slot-shaped or otherwise configurated openings 9 for
portions of discrete holders 11 in the form of fingers,
arms, prongs or tines. The illustrated holders 11 are
actually elongated leaf springs having lower portions (as
viewed in FIG. 3 or 4) riveted or otherwise reliably
affixed to the outer sides of the respective walls 8 and
inwardly bent upper portions which extend through the
respective openings 9 and into the interior of the
respective carrier 1 so that their free ends can engage the
neck-shaped upper end portion 4 of a bottle 3 between them.
The bottle 3 has been introduced into the carrier 1 from
below (by the supplying assembly 22 of FIG. 6) and, when
properly inserted and engaged, the end portion 4 of such
bottle is located in a passage (above the arrow C in FIG.
4) between the respective pair or set of holders 11. The
uppermost part of the properly inserted end portion 4
13
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~-~ 2~ 0282~ :
extends into the adjacent socket 7, and the collar 6
overlies the corresponding holders 11 (see FIG. 3 which
shows a pair or set of holders 11 in spaced-apart or
deformed condition in which the passage between them is
partly expanded namely to an extent which suffices to
ensure that the holders 11 actually engage or are closely
adjacent the end portion 4 and their tips are overlapped by
the collar 6). The bottle 3 is then centered for
predictable transport through the treating station or
stations between the assemblies 22 and 38 of FIGS. 6 and 7.
An intermediate portion of each bottle 3 (whose end portion
4 extends into and upwardly beyond the passage between a
pair or set of holders 11) can be centered by the lowermost
portions of the respective walls 8 (this can be seen in
FIGS. 3 and 4).
At least the upper portions of the pairs of
holders 11 are inclined relative to each other, at least
when such upper portions are in engagement with or are
closely adjacent an end portion 4 in the respective
passage.
The resiliency of the holders 11 is sufficiently
pronounced to ensure that their upper portions can yield in
response to introduction of an end portion 4 between them
(from below, as seen in FIG. 3) whereupon the upper
portions of the holders 11 snap back to assume the
positions which are shown in FIG. 3; this takes place at
a time when the uppermost part of the end portion 4 is
already centered by the surface surrounding the respective
socket 7.
As can be seen in the right-hand portion of FIG.
1, each carrier 1 is connected to a bracket or an analogous
support on the conveyor 2.
The improved transporting apparatus further
comprises an assembly 12 which serves as a means for
separating the upper portions of the holders 11 from the
14
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21~282~
`
end portions 4 of the respective bottles 3 so that a thus
liberated bottle can be evacuated by gravity by descending
into or onto the evacuating assembly 38 of FIG. 7. The
illustrated separating assembly 12 comprises a pair of
substantially flat wedge-like separating members 13
(hereinafter called wedges for short) for each pair of
holders 11 (see FIG. 5). The wedges 13 can enter or
penetrate deeper into the interior of the respective
carrier 1 from above through elongated slot-shaped
apertures 17 which are provided therefor in the top wall or
platform of the respective carrier 1 (see FIG. 2). The
separating wedges 13 for the holders 11 on a given carrier
1 are mounted on a common supporting means 16 here shown as
an elongated strip or bar which further serves as a means
for jointly moving all of the wedges 13 thereon into
deforming engagement with the adjacent holders 11. FIG. 4
shows one of the wedges 13 in the operative position in
which each of its two mutually inclined edge faces 18
engages the upper portion of the adjacent holder 11 and
maintains such holder in deformed condition so that the end
portion 4 of the bottle 3 can descend in the expanded or
widened passage between such holders in order to be
accepted by the evacuating assembly 38 of FIG. 7. The
directions in which the supporting means 16 of the
separating assembly 12 is movable up and down with
reference to the adjacent carrier 1 are indicated in FIG.
4 by a double-headed arrow 14. The supporting means 16 is
preferably lowered by a cam or the like in automatic
response to arrival of the corresponding carrier 1 at the
station adjacent the evacuating assembly 38. The holders
11 are or can be made of a resilient metallic sheet
material. The material of the walls 8, etc. of the
carriers 1 and/or of the separating means 12 may but need
not be somewhat resilient.
The apertures or slots 17 in the top wall or
210;28~ -
platform of each carrier 1 are disposed in pairs, and such
pairs of apertures flank the respective sockets 7. The
length of the apertures 17 can be selected in such a way
that the surfaces surrounding these apertures automatically
limit the extent of penetration of wedges 13 into the
interior of the respective carrier 1.
FIG. 3 shows the passage between the two
illustrated holders in partly or fully contracted or
narrowed condition in which the upper portions of the (not
necessarily deformed) holders ll are in optimum positions
to ensure retention of the end portion 4 of a bottle 3 in
the respective carrier 1 so that the bottle can be
transported through the station or stations between the
assemblies 22 and 38 in optimal orientation for washing,
removal of one or more labels, removal of adhesive,
sterilizing, filling and/or other treatment.
FIG. 4 shows a passage in fully or nearly fully
expanded or widened condition in which the edge faces 18 of
the illustrated wedge 13 ensure that the upper portions of
the respective pair or set of holders 11 are sufficiently
spread apart to permit gravitational descent of the end
portion 4, i.e., the width of the passage between the
holders 11 suffices to permit the collar 6 to descend
between them.
Referring in greater detail to FIG. 6, the bottle
supplying assembly 22 includes a conveying unit having at
least one endless flexible conveying element 21 (e.g., a
belt or a chain) with an upwardly sloping (left-hand) reach
or stretch which advances in the direction of arrow 23.
The means for delivering a row of bottles 3 to the
conveying element or elements 21 includes a table 24 which
can supply an entire row of bottles at a time, namely a
bottle for each pair of holders 11 on a carrier 1 which is
then located at the station adjacent the supplying assembly
22. The upwardly moving reach or stretch of the conveying
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element 21 is adjacent to elongated guiding means 27, e.g.,
in the form of pairs of parallel bars, rods, rails or
tracks which can accept successive bottles 3 from the table
24 and guide such bottles during upward movement toward the
S respective pairs or sets of holders 11 at the station above
the supplying device 22 of FIG. 6. The path which is
defined by the conveyor 2 (note the arrow 19 in FIG. 6) may
but need not slope upwardly while successive carriers 1
advance toward and past the supplying assembly 22.
The stepwise or continuous movements of the
endless conveying element 21 in the supplying assembly 22
are synchronized with the intermittent or continuous
movements of the conveyor 2 in the direction of arrow 19 in
order to ensure that the assembly 22 has ample time to
deliver a bottle 3 to each of a row of two or more pairs or
sets of holders 11 on a carrier 1 which is then located at
the station of FIG. 6. The conveying element 21 can
comprise one or more endless (toothed or toothless) belts
or one or more endless chains. A discrete conveying
element 21 can be provided for each coupling device (i.e.,
for each of two or more pairs of holders 11) on a carrier
1.
The assembly 22 further comprises means (shown at
26) for contacting the second or rear (trailing) end
portions of bottles 3 for advancement of such bottles along
the respective guiding means 27, namely from the table 24
toward engagement of the end portions 4 with the adjacent
pairs or sets of holders 11. FIG. 6 merely shows a
contacting means 26 for one of the guiding means 27. The
illustrated contacting means 26 includes a pusher or
plunger 28 which is or which can be biased by a coil spring
29 in a direction toward the external surface of the
trailing end portion (including the bottom end wall) of the
adjacent bottle 3 which is to be advanced from the table 24
to a pair of holders 11. Each spring 29 is confined in a
:
17
210282~
recess forming part of a frame or housing or cylinder of
the respective contacting means 26. The exposed surface 31
of the pusher or plunger 28 which is shown in FIG. 6 is or
can be configurated to ensure that it can engage the
normally recessed external surface of the bottom end wall
of the adjacent bottle 3.
In addition to being driven to advance in the
direction of arrow 23, the conveying element 21 of the
supplying assembly 22 is also movable counter to such
direction, and such movements are shared by the contacting
means 26. Thus, each contacting means 26 can be moved
forwardly and backwards between an inserting position 32
and a holding or starting position 33. In addition, the
conveying element 21 and the contacting means 26 are
movable to any one of a plurality of further starting
positions; four such further starting positions are shown
in FIG. 6 at 34, 35, 36 and 37. The selected starting
position depends upon the length of a series of bottles 3
which are being delivered on the table 24 and are to be
accepted by the sets or pairs of holders 11 on successive
carriers 1.
The construction of the evacuating or removing
assembly 38 of FIG. 7 is similar to that of the supplying
assembly 22 of FIG. 6. The assembly 38 also comprises a
conveying unit having at least one endless conveying
element 21 with a downwardly sloping reach or stretch which
is advanced in the direction of arrow 41 to evacuate
freshly released (treated) bottles 3 from the respective
passages, i.e., to accept bottles which have undergone one
or more treatments between the stations at the assemblies
22 and 38 and have been released by the respective sets or
pairs of holders 11 so that they can descend by gravity
along guiding means 42 corresponding to or resembling the
guiding means 27 in the assembly 22 of FIG. 6. A carrier
1 which advances toward and through the station adjacent
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the assembly 38 of FIG. 7 is caused to move in the
direction of arrow 39. The inclination of a bottle 3 which
is properly held in a carrier 1 arriving at the station
adjacent the assembly 38 is somewhat less pronounced than
the inclination of the downwardly moving reach or stretch
of each conveying element 22 forming part of the conveying
unit in the evacuating assembly 38 in FIG. 7. As already
mentioned above, the guiding means 27 and/or 42 can include
pairs of parallel elongated strips, rods, rails, tracks or
the like. A treated bottle 3 which was disengaged from the
holders 11 on the respective carrier 1 can slide downwardly
along the guiding means 42 to descend onto a platform or
onto a conveyor which can advance cleaned bottles to a
filling station or which can advance filled fresh or reused
bottles to a boxing, crating or other packing station.
The mode of operation of the improved
transporting apparatus is as follows:
The platform 24 of FIG. 6 serves to support from
below successive rows of bottles 3 which necessitate
treatment (such as cleaning and/or filling) and to guide
such bottles into the range of the contacting means 26 on
the conveying element or elements 21 of the supplying
assembly 22. The foremost bottles 3 on the platform 24
advance beyond such platform and are tilted by gravity so
as to come to rest against the adjacent guiding means 27.
The oncoming pushers 28 enter the customary recesses in the
external surfaces of bottom end walls (second end portions)
of bottles 3 which abut the respective guiding means 27,
and the pushers 28 advance such bottles to the starting
positions 34, 35, 36 or 37, depending on the length of the
bottles 3 which are being delivered by the table 24.
When a carrier 1 approaches the station adjacent
the supplying assembly 22 of FIG. 6, the drive means for
the conveying element(s) 21 of the assembly 22 receives a
signal which sets the element(s) 21 in motion (arrow 23) so
19
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:~ 2~ 02825
that the bottles 3 which abut the guiding means 27 are
lifted from the starting positions 34, 35, 36 or 37 to the
inserted positions, i.e., the neck-shaped end portions 4 of
such bottles are caused to move the upper portions of the
respective pairs or sets of holders 11 apart whereupon the
free ends of the thus deformed holders 11 move toward each
other to assume positions corresponding to those shown in
FIG. 3 so that their free ends are overlapped by the
respectiv~ external profiles or collars 6 and the bottles
3 are reliably coupled to the respective carrier 1 which is
thereupon advanced along the endless path defined by the
conveyor 2 in order to transport the bottles through one or
more treating stations on their way toward the evacuating
assembly 38 of FIG. 7. The purpose of the springs 29 is to
yield if the distance which is covered by the conveying
element(s) 21 of the assembly 22 during lifting of a row of
bottles 3 toward and (from below) into an oncoming carrier
1 is slightly more than necessary in order to properly
introduce the uppermost parts of the end portions 4 into
the respective sockets 7 of the carrier 1. As already
mentioned above, the conveyor 2 can be driven stepwise or
continuously. The upward movement of the contacting means
26 on the conveying element(s) 21 of the assembly 22 is
terminated in the inserting position(s) 32. Each element
21 is thereupon moved backwards to the position 33 in order
to extract the pusher 28 from the recess in the bottom end
wall of the adjacent (coupled) bottle 3 so that the carrier
1 is free to advance with the conveyor 2 in the direction
of arrow 19, i.e., toward the station adjacent the assembly
38 of FIG. 7. Once a carrier 1 (with a row of freshly
supplied bottles 3 depending therefrom) is advanced beyond
the assembly 22 of FIG. 6, the conveying element(s) 21 is
or are advanced in the direction of arrow 23 toward the
position or positions of readiness at the table 24 so that
they can engage the second end portions (bottom end walls)
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of the next row of bottles 3 abutting the respective
guiding means 27. The same procedure is repeated again and
again to ensure that a continuous series of rows of bottles
3 is being advanced from the station at the assembly 22
toward the station at the assembly 38.
When a carrier 1 reaches the assembly 38, the
respective separating means 12 is actuated in the
aforedescribed manner (e.g., by a fixed or movable cam) to
cause edge faces 18 of the wedges 13 to disengage the
respective sets of holders 11 from the adjacent end
portions 4 whereupon the thus released bottles 3 are free
to descend by gravity onto the pushers 28 of the contacting
means 26 forming part of the assembly 38. The conveying
element(s) 21 of the unit forming part of the assembly 38
is or are thereupon set in motion in the direction of arrow
41 whereby the bottles 3 slide along the respective guiding
means 42 to be evacuated from the machine.
An important advantage of the improved
transporting apparatus is its simplicity. Thus, the end
portion 4 of a bottle 3 can automatically expand the
respective passage to be thereupon reliably engaged by the
corresponding pair or set of holders 11 for transport along
a selected portion of the path which is defined by the
conveyor 1.
Another important advantage of the improved
apparatus is its reliability. The dimensions and the
resiliency of the holders 11 can be readily selected in
such a way that these holders can reliably engage, support
and advance larger or smaller, heavier or lighter as well
as shorter or longer containers, such as bottles 3 with
neck-shaped end portions 4 of the character shown in FIGS.
3 and 4. The coupling devices including the pairs or sets
of holders 11 are designed and mounted to take advantage of
the configuration of end portions 4 and their external
profiles (collars) 6 in order to ensure reliable coupling
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to and simple and convenient separation from the respective
carriers 1. The holders 11 can be mass-produced at a low
cost by using suitable resilient metallic sheet material.
The configuration of the carriers 1 (with walls 8, socXets
7, slot-shaped openings 9 and slot-shaped apertures 17) is
also selected with a view to simplify the mounting of the
holders 11, to permit the utilization of simple and
inexpensive holders, to permit the utilization of simple
and inexpensive separating means 12, and to ensure proper
cooperation with the supplying assembly 22 as well as with
the evacuating assembly 38.
The sockets 7 constitute an optional but
desirable and advantageous feature of the carriers 1 in
that they contribute to retention of coupled containers 3
in optimum orientation for transport through one or more
treating stations as well as reliable separation from the
respective pairs or sets of holders 11 upon arrival at the
station adjacent the evacuating assembly 38 of FIG. 7.
Though it is possible to provide discrete moving
means for each and every pair or set of wedges 13, the
provision of common moving means 16 for all wedges 13 which
are adjacent a carrier 1 is preferred at this time because
it contributes to compactness, simplicity, reliability and
lower cost of the improved transporting apparatus.
The contacting means 26 with spring-biased
pushers 28 also constitute optional but desirable and
advantageous features of the improved apparatus. The
pushers 28 can compensate for differences between the
,dimensions of bottles in a batch of bottles 3 or analogous
containers in that the springs 29 yield to an extent which
is necessary to avoid further upward movement of an end
portion 4 when its uppermost part has properly entered the
corresponding socket 7 in the respective carrier 1. The
springs 29 reduce the likelihood of damage to the carriers
1 and/or to the containers 3. These springs are designed
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to yield counter to the direction of arrow 23 in FIG. 6.
The aforementioned recesses in the second end
portions (bottom end walls) of the containers 3 need not be
provided for the specific purpose of ensuring proper
engagement with the pushers 28 at the station adjacent the
supplying assembly 22 and/or the evacuating assembly 38.
Such recesses are normally provided in plastic bottles
which are made of PET.
The selection of the aforediscussed positions 32,
33, 34, 35, 36, 37 (and, if necessary, additional
positions) constitutes a further optional but desirable and
advantageous feature of the assembly 22. This ensures
highly satisfactory coordination of movements of containers
3 toward and into engagement with the pairs or sets of
holders 11 on successive carriers 1. Furthermore, a single
assembly 22 can supply longer or shorter containers 3 with
the same degree of accuracy and facility. The exact manner
of automatically, semiautomatically and/or manually
controlling the movements of endless conveying elements
(such as 21) and of parts (such as 26) thereon between a
plurality of inserting, starting and/or other positions
forms no part of the present invention. Suitable control
means or regulating means will be designed according to
specifications and the characteristics of diverse
containers which are to be transported in the apparatus of
the present invention.
Once a container 3 is properly engaged by the
respective pair or set of holders 11 and the foremost part
of its end portion 4 extends into the respective socket 7,
such container is ready to be transported from the assembly
22 toward the assembly 38 in upright position, in inverted
position, in partly inverted (e.g., horizontal) position or
in any other orientation which is desirable and/or
necessary in order to ensure adequate treatment of
containers at one or more cleaning, filling and/or other
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2l~282~
stations. This enhances the versatility of the improved
apparatus and renders it possible to utilize such apparatus
in presently known filling, cleaning and/or other machines
for bottles or the like. Adjustments of the improved
apparatus to ensure reliable engagement, treatment,
transport and release of larger, smaller, longer, shorter,
heavier or lighter containers are simple and can be carried
out automatically, semiautomatically or manually, depending
on the desired degree of automation of the transporting
apparatus and/or upon the degree of automation of machine
or machines which is or are used to treat containers 3 on
their way from the supplying assembly 22 of FIG. 6 to the
evacuating assembly 38 of FIG. 7.
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Without further analysis, the foregoing will so
fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others
can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for
various applications without omitting features that, from
S the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential
characteristics of the generic and specific aspects of our
contribution to the art and, therefore, such adaptations
should and are intended to be comprehended within the
meaning and range of equivalence of the appended claims.
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