U.S. patent application number 09/976269 was filed with the patent office on 2003-04-17 for magazine for feeding flattened containers to a filling machine.
Invention is credited to Quadalti, Cesare.
Application Number | 20030071408 09/976269 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25523940 |
Filed Date | 2003-04-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030071408 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Quadalti, Cesare |
April 17, 2003 |
MAGAZINE FOR FEEDING FLATTENED CONTAINERS TO A FILLING MACHINE
Abstract
The composite magazine having a high autonomy, for the feeding
to a filling or packaging machine of pre-formed and flattened cases
or containers, is of the type comprising at least a main magazine
(MP1), suitably inclined with respect to the horizontal, in which
the containers are piled up and which is provided on the lower end
with retainer means (35) and with means (36) to extract cyclically
a container and to feed it to the operating means of the packaging
machine. The main magazine is realised with an extensive length and
with a long upper portion which upon command can be opened and
closed downwardly, below the same main magazine there being
provided an ancillary magazine (MA1) which initially is in a
substantially horizontal position, in order to be easily supplied
with a pile of containers which the same magazine supports with end
supports (25, 26) and with a bottom plane (12) which leaves
uncovered lateral portions of the bottom of the pile which results
laterally and superiorly free. Means are provided which permit that
when the extensive upper portion of the main magazine is emptied of
the containers, the said portion of the main magazine is opened
downwardly and means are provided to raise up the ancillary
magazine, so that same inserts its pile of containers in the said
main magazine which in phase sequence closes itself to retain the
same pile, while the ancillary magazine returns in the low position
for the repetition of a new working cycle.
Inventors: |
Quadalti, Cesare; (Faenza,
IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LARSON & TAYLOR, PLC
1199 NORTH FAIRFAX STREET
SUITE 900
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Family ID: |
25523940 |
Appl. No.: |
09/976269 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
271/145 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 1/263 20130101;
B65H 1/30 20130101; B65H 2403/531 20130101; B65H 2701/1764
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
271/145 |
International
Class: |
B65H 001/00 |
Claims
1) Composite magazine having a high autonomy, for the feeding to a
filling or packaging machine of pre-formed and flattened cases or
containers, hereinafter briefly called containers, of the type
comprising at least a main magazine (MP1), suitably inclined with
respect to the horizontal, in which the containers are piled up and
which is provided on the lower end with retainer means (35) and
with means (36) to extract cyclically a container and to feed it to
the operating means of the packaging machine, characterised by the
fact that the said main magazine is realised with an extensive
length and with a long upper portion which upon command can be
opened and closed downwardly, below the same main magazine there
being provided an ancillary magazine (MA1) which initially is in a
substantially horizontal position, in order to be easily supplied
with a pile of containers which the same magazine supports with end
supports (25, 26) and with a bottom plane (12) which leaves
uncovered lateral portions of the bottom of the pile which results
laterally and superiorly free, means being provided which permit
that when the extensive upper portion of the main magazine is
emptied of the containers, the said portion of the main magazine is
opened downwardly and means are provided to raise up the ancillary
magazine, so that same inserts its pile of containers in the said
main magazine which in phase sequence closes itself to retain the
same pile, while the ancillary magazine returns in the low position
for the repetition of a new working cycle.
2) Magazine according to claim 1, in which the inferior guides (1')
of the portion of the main magazine which must be cyclically
supplied with containers, are fixed upon respective section bars
(6) which at least at their ends carry fixed levers (7) in their
turn fixed upon a shaft (8) which is parallel to said section bars
and which by its ends is supported rotatably by the annular
structures (2, 2') which support at the ends the remaining guides
(1) of the main magazine, at least one of the said levers being
provided with an extension arm (107) beyond the fulcrum shaft,
connected with means which upon command bring said section bars
with the guides (1') to a reciprocally close position or closure
position of the bottom of said of portion of magazine, or in the
spaced apart position or aperture position of the bottom of the
said magazine.
3) Magazine according to claim 2, in which the oscillating means of
the fulcrum shafts (8) of the inferior mobile guides (1') of the
main magazine, are constituted by fluid pressure jacks (9), or of
the electromechanical type, with screw and nut-screw.
4) Magazine according to claim 3, in which the inferior mobile
guides (1') of the main magazine, when in the closing position of
the said magazine, terminate beyond the inferior and fixed guides
(1") of the same main magazine and are coplanar to said guides, in
order to ensure continuity of support of the containers during the
travel form the first to the second bottom guides.
5) Magazine according to claim 4, in which at least the lower
lateral and fixed guides (1'") of the portion of the main magazine
which cyclically is fed with containers, may be provided with
longitudinal fins (11) downwardly oriented and diverging, in order
to form inlet guides that facilitate the inlet of the pile of
containers into the same portion of magazine.
6) Magazine according to claim 5, characterised by the fact that
according to an embodiment the lateral guides (1, 1'") of the
portion of the main magazine which is cyclically fed with a pile of
containers, instead of being fixed can be connected to a suitable
extension of the oscillating structure (6) which carries the bottom
guides (1") of the same portion of magazine and which is assembled
upon a fulcrum shaft (8) placed at a level which is the same or
which is superior to the one of upper lateral guides, the whole in
such a manner that said portion of magazine can be opened and
closed cyclically not only in the inferior portion but also in the
lateral portion, in order to allow the inlet of the pile of
containers into the main magazine, without interferences between
the same containers and the said lateral guides.
7) Magazine according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that it
can comprise, if necessary, on the sides of the portion of the main
magazine which is cyclically fed with a pile of containers,
motorised conveyers (34) arranged to be moved away or to be moved
near from or to the sides of the pile cyclically fed, firstly by to
not interfere with said pile during the supply phase and then to
interfere with the same pile once the supply has taken place, in
order to control the downward shift of the same pile and to avoid
an excessive pressure upon the bottom container of the main
magazine, so that this latter can be easily pulled out and fed to
the filling machine.
8) Magazine according to claim 7, in which the motorised conveyers
(34) which control the downward movement of the pile of containers
cyclically fed to the main magazine, are assembled upon
fulcrum-oscillating structures (37) parallel to the guides (1) of
the same magazine, if necessary upon the same structures which
carry the bottom guides (1") and the movable lateral guides (1,
1'") of the same main magazine, as in variant of the claim 6.
9) Magazine according to claim 1, in which the ancillary magazine
(MA1) is assembled upon a suitable support structure which has the
possibility to oscillate upon at least an axis which is horizontal
and orthogonal with respect to the same ancillary magazine and with
respect to the main magazine (MP1).
10) Composite magazine according to claim 1, in which the ancillary
magazine (MA1) is assembled with levers (13, 14) upon a fixed
support structure (21, 121), in such a manner that it is formed an
articulated quadrilateral structure, connected with an oscillation
actuator, for example a fluid pressure or electromechanical jack
(23), which upon command carry the plane (12) of the same main
magazine from a slightly inclined position with respect to the
horizontal position, suitable to supply the magazine with the pile
of containers, to the raised position for the insertion of the same
pile of containers into the main magazine (MP1).
11) Magazine according to claim 1, in which the loading plane (12)
of the ancillary magazine is provided with projecting head boards
(25, 26), of which the one supporting the weight of the pile of
containers during the phase of supply of the main magazine is
movable to disappear and for this purpose is for example fixed upon
a slide (27) which runs upon a perpendicular guide (28, 29), placed
inferiorly with respect to said loading plane and upon which is
fixed a jack (30) connected with a rod to said slide, the whole in
such a manner that once the insertion of the pile of containers in
the main magazine has taken place, said head board (25) which
results placed under the same pile, is withdrawn in correct phase
below the loading platform of the ancillary magazine, so as to not
interfere with the same pile of containers when the ancillary
magazine is lowered in the rest and new supply position.
12) Magazine according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that
at least upon one side of the main magazine (MA1), when the same is
in the low supply position, there is provided parallelly a vertical
and fixed wall (31), suitable as reference mark for the support of
one end of the containers placed on the edge and piled upon the
loading plane (12) of said magazine, so that the same containers
result aligned and projecting with the same length from said
loading plane and result in the better condition for the subsequent
insertion without interference in the main magazine.
13) Magazine according to claim 1, characterised by the fact that
it is placed inside a box (32) with lateral doors (132) controlled
by safety sensors which activate the working cycle of the same
composite magazine only if the said doors are closed.
Description
DESCRIPTION
[0001] The invention refers to the filling or packaging machines
for solid or liquid goods inside pre-formed cardboard cases or
containers, hereinafter called with the generic term containers,
which arrive from the paper industry with a tubular and flattened
shape, so that they can be fed in great quantity piles in vertical
magazines, or, more frequently with an inclination of about
45-60.degree. with respect to the horizontal, in order to be more
long and more ample and positioned more low and so that they can be
more easily fed by an operator with respect to the firstly used
vertical magazines. The present tendency is that to realise
magazines having a great length so that they can contain a great
quantity of containers, but said magazines result with their
terminal portion at a considerable distance from the ground and are
hardly achievable by the operator which cyclically must supply
them, also because often the said magazines are arranged in pairs
and side by side, in order to raise the working autonomy of the
packaging machine.
[0002] The technical problem that actually is found in the
packaging machines with manual re-filling magazines is therefore of
double aspect and consists, on one side, in the discomfort for the
operator to execute the re-filling operation and, on the other
side, in the difficulty for only one operator to supply the
magazines of more packaging machines placed in the same working
environment and simultaneously operating.
[0003] The invention intends to resolve these problems with the
following idea of solution. Under the inclined and traditional
magazine, called main magazine, which can be structured with a
great length and consequently with a great autonomy, there is
mounted an ancillary magazine initially in a position almost
horizontal to be easily re-filled with containers. The ancillary
magazine is such that it can support a pile of containers by its
ends and by a portion of the lower or bottom side, so that this
side results with the free lateral portions and in such a manner
that the same pile results free both laterally and at the top. The
main magazine is realised with an upper portion having a length
proportional to the length of the ancillary magazine, which upon
control may open and close itself downwardly. When the said upper
portion of the main magazine is emptied of the containers, the same
is opened and it is effected the upward movement of the ancillary
magazine, to insert its pile of containers in the main magazine
that subsequently is closed again to retain the same pile of
containers and to allow to the ancillary magazine to return empty
in the low position, for repeating a new working cycle.
[0004] The advantages arising from this solution can be summarised
in this manner. Easy cyclic feeding of the containers to the
ancillary magazine which in the phase of loading is at man-height
and in an almost horizontal position. The feeding of the containers
to the ancillary magazine can be effected during the long time
interval which passes from the filling of the main magazine until
the substantial emptying of said magazine, so that an operator has
a lot of time in order to feed several simultaneously operating
packaging machines. The autonomy of the composite magazine
according to the invention is now given from the sum of the
capability of the main magazine and the capability of the ancillary
magazine. The presence of the ancillary magazine does not
substantially modify the overall plan dimensions of the main
magazine, because the first one can be substantially placed under
the second.
[0005] Further features of the invention, and the advantages
deriving therefrom, will appear better evident from the following
description of a preferred embodiment of same made with reference
to the figures of the attached sheets of drawings, in which:
[0006] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of the composite magazine,
with the ancillary magazine in the two working positions;
[0007] FIGS. 2 and 3 are views respectively in plan from the top
and in frontal elevation of the composite magazine with the
ancillary magazine in the two working positions;
[0008] FIG. 4 shows details of the main magazine in the phase of
grasping of the containers from the ancillary magazine in raised
position, taken along the section line IV-IV of FIG. 1;
[0009] FIG. 5 is a schematic and top view of the ancillary magazine
inserted into the main magazine, the whole taken along the section
line V-V of FIG. 4.
[0010] The referred drawings show the example of two main magazines
arranged side by side, with the ancillary magazine evidenced in the
two different working positions. It is to be understood that the
improvements referred to must be intended as protected also for the
composite magazine of simple type, that is formed by only a main
magazine with the relative ancillary magazine.
[0011] In the figures, with MP1 and MP2 there are indicated the
main magazines, inclined, which differ from the magazines of the
known type for a superior length and therefore for the reason of
having the upper end at a high distance from the ground. Each main
magazine is a tubular structure formed by longitudinal guides 1,
for example steel rods, which support and guide inferiorly,
superiorly and laterally the pile P of containers, and which are,
in their turn supported at the ends by means of transversal
structures 2, 2' of annular type (FIGS. 4 and 5), the lower one 2'
of which is fixed to the frame 3 of the packaging machine and is
connected to the other structure by means of beams 4 fixed (in
their turn) to the frame 3 by means of tie rods 5. According to the
invention, the long portion of each main magazine which is
comprised between the transversal structures 2, 2', has at least
the inferior guides 1' which, upon command can be opened like a
door, that is in such a manner that they can pass from the position
shown in FIG. 4 with a continuous line to the one shown with dotted
line and vice versa, in order to open and close inferiorly the same
portion of the main magazine. From the FIGS. 1 and 4 is pointed out
that the guides 1' are welded for example onto respective "L"
shaped section bars 6, which carry fixed at their ends the levers 7
in their turn fixed upon a shaft 8 parallel to the section bar 6,
and supported rotatably at the ends by means of support 2, 2'.
[0012] At least one of the levers 7 prosecutes beyond the fulcrum
shaft 8 with a shaft 107 articulated to the rod of a jack 9 which
is articulated at 10 to the near support 2. All the jacks of the
apparatus referred to can be of the fluid pressure type or of the
electromechanical screw-nut screw type. The jacks 9, if they are of
the fluid pressure type, are preferably of the simple effect type
and normally extended, in such a manner to maintain the guides 1
normally in closing position of the main magazine.
[0013] From FIG. 5 it can be noted that the lower movable guides 1'
terminate beyond the inferior fixed guides 1' in order to ensure
continuity of the support to the containers during the displacement
from 1' to 1". The initial end of the guides 1" is shaped so as to
favour the reception, for example with a suitable downward
bending.
[0014] At least the lateral inferior guides 1'" of each main
magazine can be provided with longitudinal and continuous fins 11
downwardly oriented and in such directions diverging between them,
in order to form a reception zone which facilitates the inlet of
the pile of containers cyclically fed into the same main magazine,
as mentioned further on.
[0015] For and under each main magazine, is provided a respective
ancillary magazine MA1 and MA2 which comprises a flat surface plane
12 having a width for example substantially equal to the distance
which passes between the lower fixed guides 1" of the main magazine
(FIG. 5) and having a length a little inferior to the length of the
inferior movable guides 1', such plane 12 being connected to motion
means to any suitable kind which consent to pass from a low and
substantially horizontal position, as indicated in FIG. 1 with
dotted line, to a raised position which contemplates said plan
inserted in the lower portion of the relative main magazine,
immediately upwardly, complanarly and with a longitudinal alignment
with the inferior and fixed guides 1".
[0016] According to a preferred embodiment, the motion means 20 of
the plane 12 are constituted by an articulate quadrilateral which
comprises a lever 13 and a pair of levers 14 articulated in 15 and
16 to end appendices 17 and 18 of the same plane 12 and articulated
in 19 and 20 to a raised position 121 of a basement 21 which is
bearing onto the ground and to which is articulated in 22 the body
the body of a jack 23, in its turn articulated to the rod at 24 to
the intermediate portion of the pair of levers 14. It is to be
understood that the movements of the plane 12 can be effected with
different means than the articulated quadrilateral, for example
with direct articulation of said plane to the main magazine or to
the frame 3 of the packaging machine, even if the utilisation of
the articulated quadrilateral system is preferred because it
eliminates the limitations that can derive from the overall
dimensions of the frame of the packaging machine and because it
allows to have the plan 12, when it is in the low position,
opportunely out from the plan overall dimensions of the main
magazine, so that the latter does not hinder the operator which
provides for the cyclic feeding of the containers.
[0017] The plane 12 carries, at a right angle, upon the end
farthest to the articulation system, a fixed and upwardly oriented
head board 25, while on the other end it carries a head board 26,
parallel to the previous one but which in a different manner can be
withdrawn upon command below the plan 12. For this purpose the
board 26 is mounted upon a slide 27 (FIGS. 1 and 3) slidable upon a
guide 28, fixed to an appendix 29 under the plan 12 and upon which
is fixed the body of an actuator 30 of said slide, for example the
body of a jack.
[0018] When the plane 12 is in the low position, the same is
preferably arranged with a light inclination with respect to the
horizontal position and the board 26 is in the high position, so
that the operator can arrange against this one the packages of
containers P put on their edge upon the plane 12, until they
constitute a pile that results enough compressed between the head
boards 26 and 25.
[0019] Laterally to the plane 12 it is foreseen a vertical and
parallel plane 31, fixed, for example, to the frame 21, against
which bear the containers piled in the ancillary magazine, so that
the same containers result projecting with the same length from the
plan 12 and with their sides opportunely aligned.
[0020] From FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 it can be seen that the ancillary
magazines are preferably placed inside a box 32 which comprises
partially also the main magazines and which is laterally provided
with doors 132 controlled by microswitches which activate the
working of the apparatus only when the same doors are closed. Once
the ancillary magazine is filled in the low position and once the
doors 132 are closed, when in the main magazine the containers come
to interest only the inferior fixed guides 1", a sensor 33 (FIG. 1)
detects this condition and actuates the following steps of work.
The inferior and mobile guides 1' of the main magazine are opened
as shown with dotted line in FIG. 4 and the plane 12 of the
ancillary magazine is raised as shown in FIG. 4 and as shown with
continuous line in FIG. 1.
[0021] Successively the guides 1' return in the active position
indicated with continuous line in FIG. 4, in order to support the
new pile of containers inserted in the main magazine, then the
movable board 26 is moved downwardly and the plane 12 is carried
back empty in the low position for the repetition of a new working
cycle.
[0022] In order to avoid dead times during the working phase, it
can be provided that after the ancillary magazine is filled with
containers and after the closure of the doors 132 of the box 32,
the filled ancillary magazine raises up and conveniently gets near
to the main magazine, in order to reduce the times of the next
supply travel of this latter magazine.
[0023] If the main magazine is realised with a considerable length,
in the portion of same which is interested by the mobile guides 1',
there can be laterally provided motorised conveyers 34 (FIG. 3)
which operate with friction on the sides of the pile of containers,
in order to feed progressively the same containers upon the fixed
guides 1", so that it is avoided an excessive thrust on the bottom
container that cyclically must be extracted from the head retainers
35 of the main magazine, by means of the suction cups 36 which are
provided for the cyclical insertion of the same container inside
the packaging machine. The conveyers 34 are for example provided
with the possibility to oscillate upon fulcrums 37, in order to be
spaced during the phase of insertion of the pile of containers in
the main magazine, so that they not interfere with these latter.
The actuation means of the conveyers 34 are not shown in the
drawings, because they are conceivable and easily realisable by
persons skilled in the art.
[0024] Several variants and modifications can be referred, for
example, to the utilisation of different means from those described
for the operation of the movable guides 1', that could be, in a
different manner, derive their motion from the movement of the
plane 12, for example by means of suitable cams. Other variants can
be referred to the fact that in the portion of the main magazine
cyclically fed by containers, also the lateral guides are movable,
in addition to the bottom guides 1', to avoid undesired
interferences of the pile of containers with the same lateral
guides. For this purpose, the lateral guides could be, for example,
combined with the oscillating structure which provides for the
movements of the conveyers 34.
* * * * *