U.S. patent application number 13/088122 was filed with the patent office on 2011-10-20 for device and arrangement for filling processing stations.
Invention is credited to Wolfgang FASS, Andreas Henke.
Application Number | 20110253257 13/088122 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40822560 |
Filed Date | 2011-10-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110253257 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
FASS; Wolfgang ; et
al. |
October 20, 2011 |
DEVICE AND ARRANGEMENT FOR FILLING PROCESSING STATIONS
Abstract
A device for filling processing stations (16) with a pumpable
working material guarantees a permanent and sufficient supply of
working material to the processing station with the lowest possible
expense and greatest possible cleanliness. The device includes a
transfer chamber (42) assigned to a central tank (55) for the
working material. The transfer chamber (42) is assigned to a
processing station (16), in such a way that the working material
can be fed at first from the central tank (55) into the transfer
chamber (42) and from there to the processing station (16). An
arrangement is also provided that includes such a device.
Inventors: |
FASS; Wolfgang; (Bremen,
DE) ; Henke; Andreas; (Bremen, DE) |
Family ID: |
40822560 |
Appl. No.: |
13/088122 |
Filed: |
April 15, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
141/100 ;
222/251 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65D 90/64 20130101;
G01F 11/34 20130101; G01F 13/00 20130101; B65D 90/66 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
141/100 ;
222/251 |
International
Class: |
B65B 3/04 20060101
B65B003/04 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 16, 2010 |
EP |
EP 10 160 122.7 |
Claims
1. A device for filling processing stations with a pourable working
material from a central tank for the working material, the device
comprising: a transfer chamber associated with the central tank,
said transfer chamber being operatively connected to a processing
station such that the working material is first conveyed from the
central tank into said transfer chamber and from said transfer
chamber to the processing station, said transfer chamber having a
bottom with a sump and with a bottom surface deepening in the
manner of a funnel towards said sump.
2. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said sump comprises
a blind hole leading to a discharge opening, said blind hole having
a dimension corresponding approximately to an internal diameter of
said discharge opening.
3. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a
pressurizing means with a pressurizing nozzle or a venturi nozzle
directed towards said discharge opening, said nozzle pressurizing
means being arranged in said transfer chamber.
4. A device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a
pressurizing means with a pressurizing nozzle or a venturi nozzle
directed towards said discharge opening, said pressurizing means
being arranged in said transfer chamber.
5. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a ball
valve for closing the transfer chamber with respect to the central
tank, said ball valve having a closing means that is open towards
said transfer chamber even in a closed position.
6. A device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a ball
valve for closing the transfer chamber with respect to the central
tank, said ball valve having a closing means that is open towards
said transfer chamber even in a closed position.
7. A device in accordance with claim 3, further comprising a ball
valve for closing the transfer chamber with respect to the central
tank, said ball valve having a closing means that is open towards
said transfer chamber even in a closed position.
8. An arrangement for filling processing stations with a pumpable
working material, the arrangement comprising: a central tank for
the working material; a plurality of processing stations each with
a tank; a plurality of feed lines, each of the feed lines being
associated with one of said processing stations for feeding the
working material to said one of said processing stations; and a
device for filling said processing stations, the device comprising
a transfer chamber associated with said central tank, said transfer
chamber being operatively connected to at least one of said
processing stations such that the working material is first
conveyed from said central tank into said transfer chamber and from
said transfer chamber to said at least one of said processing
stations, said transfer chamber having a bottom with a sump and
with a bottom surface deepening in the manner of a funnel towards
said sump whereby the working material is conveyed from the
transfer chamber at first into a pressure separation means for
pressure reduction and from said pressure separation means into
said tank of said at least one of said processing stations in an
unpressurized manner.
9. An arrangement in accordance claim 8, wherein said device for
filling said processing stations includes at least another transfer
chamber to provide two or more transfer chambers associated with
said central tank, whereby one of each of said plurality of
processing stations is respectively assigned to one of said
transfer chambers.
10. An arrangement in accordance with claim 8, wherein two or more
of said processing stations are assigned to said transfer chamber,
whereby said transfer chamber is always connected to one of said
processing station by means of one or more switches.
11. An arrangement in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sump
comprises a blind hole leading to a discharge opening, said blind
hole having a dimension corresponding approximately to an internal
diameter of said discharge opening.
12. An arrangement in accordance with claim 8, wherein said device
for filling said processing stations further comprises a
pressurizing means with a pressurizing nozzle or a venturi nozzle
directed towards said discharge opening, said pressurizing means
being arranged in said transfer chamber.
13. An arrangement in accordance with claim 8, wherein said device
for filling said processing stations further comprises a ball valve
for closing the transfer chamber with respect to said central tank,
said ball valve having a closing means that is open towards said
transfer chamber even in a closed position.
14. An arrangement for filling processing stations with a flowable
working material, the arrangement comprising: a processing station
with a processing station tank; a central tank for the working
material; a device for filling said processing station, the device
comprising a transfer chamber connected with said central tank; and
a feed line arrangement between said transfer chamber and said
processing station, said transfer chamber being operatively
connected to said processing station via said feed line arrangement
whereby the working material is first conveyed from said central
tank into said transfer chamber and subsequently conveyed from said
transfer chamber to said processing station, said transfer chamber
having a bottom with a sump and with a bottom funnel surface
funneling working material towards said sump.
15. An arrangement for filling processing stations according to
claim 14, further comprising pressurized fluid separation means,
wherein: said device for filling said processing station further
comprises pressurizing means for pressurized fluid transfer of the
working material from said transfer chamber through at least a
portion of the feed line arrangement toward said processing
station; and the working material is conveyed from the transfer
chamber at first into said pressurized fluid separation means for
pressure reduction and from said pressurized fluid separation means
into said processing station tank in an unpressurized manner.
16. An arrangement for filling processing stations according to
claim 15, further comprising another processing station with a
processing station tank to provide a plurality of processing
stations, wherein: said feed line arrangement comprises a plurality
of feed lines associated with said processing stations for feeding
the working material to said processing stations from said transfer
chamber.
17. An arrangement in accordance claim 16, wherein said device for
filling said processing stations includes at least another transfer
chamber to provide two or more transfer chambers associated with
said central tank, whereby one of each of said plurality of
processing stations is respectively assigned to an associated one
of said transfer chambers.
18. An arrangement in accordance with claim 16, wherein two or more
of said processing stations are assigned to said transfer chamber,
whereby said transfer chamber is always connected to one of said
processing station by means of one or more switches associated with
said feed line arrangement.
19. An arrangement in accordance with claim 15, wherein: said sump
comprises a blind hole leading to a discharge opening, said blind
hole having a dimension corresponding approximately to an internal
diameter of said discharge opening; and said pressurizing means
comprises a pressurized nozzle or a venturi nozzle connected to a
pressurized fluid source and directed towards said discharge
opening, said pressurized nozzle or said venturi nozzle being
arranged in said transfer chamber.
20. An arrangement in accordance with claim 14, wherein said device
for filling said processing stations further comprises a ball valve
for closing the transfer chamber with respect to said central tank,
said ball valve having a closing means that allows the working
material in said ball valve to flow to said transfer chamber even
in a closed position of said ball valve.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119 of European Patent Application EP 10 160 122.7
filed Apr. 16, 2011, the entire contents of which are incorporated
herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention pertains to a device for filling
processing stations with a pumpable working material (operating
substance). The present invention pertains, furthermore, to an
arrangement for filling processing stations with a pumpable working
material, with a central tank for the working material and with two
or more processing stations and a feed line for feeding the working
material to one of the processing stations.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Even though the present invention is suitable for all
pumpable working materials, i.e., bulk materials, gel-like or pasty
substances or liquids, a concrete application of the present
invention is the preparation of hot-melt adhesives for a
heat-sealing means, for example, in packaging machines. The
heat-sealing means is thus a processing station in this case. The
hot-melt adhesive is provided as bulk material, especially in the
form of granular material, also designated as pellets, and is
usually stored in tanks directly at the heat-sealing means. Each
heat-sealing means has its own tank with a corresponding capacity,
into which the granular material is filled. The drawback in this
case is that the environment of the tank is very hot, such that the
personnel may be burned while filling the tank. Moreover, in the
case of high-performance heat-sealing means, the tank has to be
refilled very frequently, which requires a corresponding workforce.
There is also the risk that sufficient granular material is not
present in the tank, which may lead to defects in the bond and to
production rejects as well as to production losses. Furthermore, it
occurs that granular material is spilled during the refilling of
the tank and the environment becomes contaminated with it. It
should be taken into consideration here that spilled material is
always also mixed with dust because of abrasion, which contaminates
the environment as well. Moreover, spilled granular material may
come into contact with hot parts of the heat-sealing means and then
melt. The heat-sealing means is further contaminated as a result of
this. This is always undesirable. Contaminations are especially of
special concern in packaging machines for food.
[0004] To avoid these drawbacks, in practice the granular material
was already prepared in drums and the tank of the heat-sealing
means was refilled from the drum via a corresponding refill line.
Exactly one tank is assigned to each drum in this case. The
workforce is reduced here, since the drum has a greater capacity
than the tank. However, the personnel must still always monitor
that the drums are replaced in a timely manner. Moreover, the
conveying track, via which the granular material is conveyed, is
highly limited in this variant, such that drums have to be set up
close to the respective heat-sealing means. These drum locations
are often not easily accessible sites. Moreover, it has been shown
in practice that the granular material easily becomes lumpy in the
drums.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The arrangement according to the present invention includes
a device with a transfer chamber that is assigned to a central tank
for the working material. the transfer tank of the invention may be
provided in a combination with features according to DE 20 2009 005
561 U1 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The transfer chamber is assigned to the processing station, in such
a way that the working material can be conveyed at first from the
central tank into the transfer chamber and from there to the
processing station.
[0006] By the working material at first transferring from the
central tank to a transfer chamber, i.e., a preportioning of the
working material is performed so to speak, greater conveying paths
can also be accommodated. For this reason, the central tank may be
arranged at an easily accessible site as well, such that it can be
refilled in a simple manner. Therefore and because of a greater
capacity, the central tank can be refilled almost free from
contaminations and arranged at a distance from the processing
stations, i.e., mainly the heat-sealing stations, such that the
risk of injury, especially the risk of getting burned, is avoided.
Contaminations that may still possibly occur involve contaminants
that pass at a distance from the processing station and can be
easily removed. In this case exactly one processing station may be
present that is supplied from the central tank. However, the
present invention is mainly intended for supplying a plurality of
the processing stations, including a heat-sealing means according
to the above example, from a common central tank with the working
material, granular material of the hot-melt adhesive. In this way,
only one more central tank needs to be monitored, as a result of
which the operating cost is considerably reduced.
[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an
effective transfer chamber for an arrangement for supplying
processing stations with pumpable substances, and especially for
processing stations according to DE 20 2009 005 561 U1.
[0008] For this purpose, a bottom surface deepening towards a sump
in a funnel-like manner is provided at the bottom of the transfer
chamber. The sump may be provided in the center in the bottom of
the transfer chamber, but also off-center, for example, laterally.
The sump should be embodied as a blind hole and have a diameter
that corresponds approximately to the internal diameter of the
discharge opening or of the feed tube. Also, as a result of this,
the working material can be easily blown out of the transfer
chamber. Conveying tracks (paths) of about 100 m and a height
difference of up to 25 m can be overcome with such an equipped
pilot plant. This alternative embodiment of the transfer chamber is
also conceivable independent of the device and arrangement
according to the present invention.
[0009] The transfer chamber can be closed upwards towards the
central tank by means of a ball valve. As a closing means, such
ball valves have a ball provided with a passage hole. If this ball
is brought into its closed position, the granular material remains
behind in the passage hole, which then becomes lumpy already at
room temperature and consequently clogs the passage hole even in
the open position. To avoid this, provisions are made according to
a variant that the closing means is also open towards the transfer
chamber even in the closed position. As a result of this, granular
material remaining behind in the closing means can always flow out
into the transfer chamber and thus not clog the closing means.
[0010] According to the arrangement according to the present
invention, two or more transfer chambers may be assigned to the
central tank, whereby a processing station is respectively assigned
to each transfer chamber. This may result in that a particular line
for the working material is always guided to a particular
processing station from each of the transfer chambers. Thus, there
is a star-shaped connection of the processing stations to the
central tank. However, it is also conceivable that the central tank
is provided with only one transfer chamber, to which two or more
processing stations are then assigned. In this case, the transfer
chamber is connected to a concrete processing station by means of
switches in the line, respectively, such that only one concrete
line is always switched between the transfer chamber and the
respective processing station. This variant may be designated as a
tree structure, in which, starting from the transfer chamber the
trunk, a plurality of branchings arise. Of course, in the tree
structure it is also possible to assign two or more transfer
chambers to the central tank, such that an own tree structure then
starts from each transfer chamber. It is also conceivable to
provide transverse connections under the individual tree
structures, such that, as an option, two processing stations
arranged within the one tree structure may also at the same time be
supplied with working material, if this should be necessary. As
already indicated above, it is important only that at each point in
time only one entirely particular path from one of the transfer
chambers is always switched to an entirely defined processing
station for the working material. In the simplest case, this can be
embodied by a ring line that starts from a transfer chamber and
ends in another transfer chamber. Then, a line from the processing
station to be filled is always switched to the transfer chamber
placed next to it--once around to the right and once around to the
left, such that two processing stations can always be filled at the
same time.
[0011] According to a variant of the arrangement according to the
present invention, provisions are made that the working material is
fed from the transfer chamber at first to a means for separating
the pressurizing means, i.e., for example, compressed air, and is
conveyed from there in an unpressurized manner into the tank of the
processing station. In the prior-art process mentioned in the
introduction, in which the granular material of the hot-melt
adhesive was conveyed from the drum by means of compressed air into
the tank of the processing station, this also led to a cooling of
the heat-sealing means. As a result of this, the heat-sealing means
was partly cooled below the melting point of the hot-melt adhesive,
which led to disturbances in the operating sequence. Since,
according to the present variant, the compressed air is already
separated beforehand and the working material flows into the tank
in an unpressurized manner, this risk is avoided.
[0012] The present invention is explained in detail below based on
an exemplary embodiment shown in the drawing. The various features
of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its
operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive
matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are
illustrated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] In the drawings:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic lateral view showing an adhesive
supply according to DE 20 2009 005 561 U1;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a top view showing a transfer chamber with the
features of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view showing the transfer
chamber according to FIG. 2 taken in plane XI-XI;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing a transfer chamber with the
transfer chamber being according to FIG. 2;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a schematic lateral view showing another exemplary
embodiment with a transfer chamber according to FIG. 2 for an
arrangement with the features of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a ventilating means for
the arrangement according to FIG. 5; and
[0020] FIG. 7 is a perspective top view showing a cover for a
working material tank of a processing station.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Referring to the drawings in particular, the arrangement
shown in FIG. 1 includes a central tank 10 with transfer cartridges
11 arranged under the central tank. Central tank 10 is mounted on
columns 12 by means of vibration dampers 13 on a basic frame 14.
Furthermore, a control box 15 for controlling the device is
assigned to the central tank 10.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows, as representative of a random number of
processing stations, a processing station, in particular a
heat-sealing means 16. A working material, a granular material of a
hot-melt adhesive in the present case, is fed by means of a feed
line 17 at first to a ventilating means 18, the significance of
which will still be explained further below. This ventilating means
18 is located above the heat-sealing means 16, specifically above a
tank of same, so that the working material can flow in an
unpressurized manner from the ventilating means 18 into the tank of
the heat-sealing means 16. The feed line 17 is connected to the
transfer cartridge 11 via a feed tube 28.
[0023] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a transfer chamber 42 according to the
invention, which replaces the transfer cartridge 11 in the
arrangement according to FIG. 1. This transfer chamber 42 is
embodied as a cylindrical, specifically a circular cylindrical,
hollow body. The transfer chamber 42 has a bottom 43, which forms a
bottom surface 44, which deepens towards the center in a
funnel-like manner and then passes over into a central sump 45,
embodied as a blind hole in the present case. The transfer chamber
42 is closed by a cover 46, which has a screw socket 47, at the
top, i.e., at an end opposite the bottom 43. In the present case,
the screw socket 47 is provided with a male thread 48 on its
outside, but may, in addition or as an alternative, also be
embodied with a nut on its inside. Furthermore, screw socket 47 has
a passage hole 49, which communicates with the internal cavity of
the transfer chamber 42.
[0024] A ball valve 50, which has for this purpose a nut 51
communicating with the male thread 48 of the screw socket 47, is
screwed onto the screw socket 47. If the screw socket 47 should
have a female thread, the ball valve 50 is, of course, provided
with a corresponding male thread. All other prior-art connecting
techniques, for example, a bayonet catch between the transfer
chamber 41 and ball valve 50, are also possible. Otherwise, the
ball valve is embodied in the commercially available manner and is
actuated via a motor actuation means 52.
[0025] At the bottom 43 of the transfer chamber 42 is arranged a
discharge tube 53, which communicates with a pressurizing means in
the form of a compressed air nozzle 54, with pressurized air
source, which is arranged in the sump 45 of the bottom 43. The
compressed air nozzle 54 may be designed as a venturi nozzle and
protrudes with its opening up to into the discharge tube 53. The
end 59 visible in FIG. 2 within the sump 45 bends and extends
downwards and communicates with a compressed air connection. The
diameter of the sump 45 is approximately and preferably exactly as
large as the internal diameter of the discharge tube 53.
[0026] FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of a central tank 55, which is
equipped with the transfer chambers 42. In the bottom 58 of the
central tank 55 there is provided a number of openings 57, to which
the transfer chambers 42 can be connected via the ball valves 50.
Furthermore, a vibrating means 60, with which this central tank 55
is also equipped.
[0027] In the variant according to FIGS. 2 to 4 as well, the
transfer chamber 42 is filled with a volume of the granular
material, which corresponds to the volume that can be accommodated
by the tank of the heat-sealing station 16. For this purpose, the
ball valve 50 is opened in a time-controlled manner or via
corresponding filling level sensors in the transfer chamber 42,
until the respective filling level in the transfer chamber 42 is
reached and the ball valve 50 is then closed again. Now, a
pressurizing means is sent to the compressed air nozzle 54. The
duration of the pressure surge is again measured in a
time-controlled manner, so that the transfer chamber 42 is
completely emptied and the granular material is fed to the tank of
the heat-sealing station 16. Due to the pressure surge the granular
material, as described above based on the transfer chambers 42, is
conveyed from the transfer chamber 42. In this case, the flow in
the transfer chamber 42 is facilitated (the material breaks down)
because of the special shape of the bottom 43 in the transfer
chamber 42, so that the granular material is accelerated at a high
speed. In a pilot arrangement equipped with this transfer chamber
42, the granular material could be conveyed a distance of
approximately 100 m, and a height difference of 25 m could be
overcome.
[0028] Ordinary ball valves have a ball provided with a passage
hole as closing means. It has been shown that granular material may
remain behind (in the valve) when the ball valve is closed.
Therefore, in the present case, the ball valve 50 is provided with
a ball, which is provided with an opening, which is open towards
the transfer chamber 42 even in the closed position of the ball
valve, such that the granular material can always flow from the
ball into the transfer chamber 42. For this, the ball can be
provided with a corresponding groove or be embodied as a shell.
[0029] The device according to the present invention and
arrangement according to the present invention were described above
based on the example of supplying heat-sealing means with
heat-sealing granular material, i.e., a bulk material. However, the
present invention is suitable for all pumpable working materials,
i.e., not only for bulk materials, but also for gel-like or pasty
substances and liquids. The device according to the present
invention and arrangement according to the present invention are
also suitable for any other type of processing stations as
heat-sealing means.
[0030] Furthermore, according to the above exemplary embodiments,
exactly one transfer chamber 42 is always assigned to each
processing station (heat-sealing station 16). As an alternative, it
is also possible to assign two or more transfer chambers 42 to a
processing station 16. This may be sensible in very fast running
processing stations 16 with only a small tank, since then the tank
is refilled from one of the transfer chambers 42 from the central
tank 10. In this case, an own (dedicated) or a common ventilating
means 18 may also be assigned to each transfer chamber 42 depending
on the needs. It is also possible that two or more processing
stations 16 are assigned to a transfer chamber 42, which are then
assigned by means of switches to the transfer chamber 42. It is
important only that only one processing station 16 is always
presently assigned to the transfer chamber 42. Such an arrangement
is shown in FIG. 5, which is based on the central tank 55 according
to FIG. 4 and has the transfer chamber 42 from FIGS. 2 and 3 as a
transfer chamber. Specifically, two transfer chambers 42 are shown.
Of course, the central tank 55 may also be provided with only one
transfer chamber 42 or even three or more transfer chambers 42.
[0031] At first a main pipeline 61, which branches into two main
branches 63 and 64 at a first switch 62, starts from the transfer
chamber 42. The switch 62 is, like all other switches still to be
described further below as well, embodied as a three-two-way ball
valve. That is, a total of three lines are assigned to the ball
valve, whereby in the present case one inflow and two outflows are
provided, respectively, and in particular in the case of switch 62
the main pipeline as inflow and the main branches 63 and 64 as
outflow.
[0032] The main branch 63 ends at another switch 65.1, from which a
branch line 66.1 branches off at an outflow. This in turn opens out
in a switch 65.2, one outflow of which ends at a branch line 66.2.
This goes on with a selectable number n of switches. In a similar
manner, the second and possibly another other main branch 64 opens
out into a first switch 67.1, leads from the one first branch line
68.1 to another switch 67.2 and so forth until a selected number of
m switches 67 is reached in this case as well. The respective other
outflows of the switches 65 and 67 open out in a ventilating means
69, by means of which the compressed air used for transporting the
working material from the transfer 62 is removed. For this purpose,
the ventilating means 69 has a tube-like, cylindrical filter 70,
whose jacket surface is made of a filter material, a screen in the
simplest case. The mesh size of the screen is such that the working
material cannot pass through the screen, but the air transporting
the working material can. A funnel-like tapered section 71, which
opens out into a down pipe 72, is provided under the screen 70. The
internal diameter of the down pipe 72 is smaller than the internal
diameter of the filter 70 because of the tapered section 71. As a
result of this, the working material is easily retained in the area
of tapered section 71, is thus slowed down in its speed, without
leading to a complete clogging. Because of the easy retaining of
the working material in the area of the tapered section 71, the
compressed air escapes through the filter 70 and the working
material flows in an unpressurized manner to the processing station
16.
[0033] The tanks of the processing stations 16 are usually closed
with a cover. In the case of heat-sealing machines, the cover is
even insulated in order to minimize the escape of heat that is used
to melt the hot-melt adhesive in the tank. Also within the
framework of the present invention, the tank should therefore be
closed with a cover, as this is shown schematically by the cover 73
in FIG. 5. The cover 73 itself is shown in detail in FIG. 7. The
cover 73 has an opening (not visible in FIG. 7), through which the
working material can flow. This opening is closed by a cap 74,
which in the present case is mounted pivotably about an axis 75 at
the cover 73. Another ventilating means 76, which likewise has a
cylindrical filter 77 as a jacket, similar to the ventilating means
69, is arranged at the cap 74. The down pipe 72 is connected to
this ventilating means 76 at the top. With the cap 74 open, the
ventilating means 76 is in alignment with the opening in the cover
73, such that the working material can flow through the opening. As
soon as the tank is filled, the cap 74 is pivoted into the closed
position under elastic deformation of the down pipe 72. The cap 74
now closes the opening in the cover 73.
[0034] However, vapors may escape from the tank of the processing
station even with the cap 74 closed. To this end, a collecting
means 78, in which vapors are collected and are disposed of, for
example, once daily by cleaning the collecting means 78, is
assigned to the cap 74 in its closed position. As an alternative,
an insulating plug may possibly also be provided here, which is
charged into the opening in cover 73 with cover 73 insulated from
the underside and thus provides for a continuous insulation as much
as possible without heat bridges.
[0035] The cap 74 is actuated by a pneumatic cylinder 79 in a
manner known per se. It is understood that the main branches 63 and
64 must not themselves be connected directly via the switches 65
and 67, respectively, to processing stations 16, but can themselves
branch off into other forearms. Also, only a single main branch may
be provided, which then connects directly to the transfer chamber
42. Furthermore, it is, of course, also conceivable to mix the
different concepts of the arrangement according to FIG. 1 and FIG.
7 with one another and to assign them to the same central tank.
[0036] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown
and described in detail to illustrate the application of the
principles of the invention, it will be understood that the
invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such
principles.
TABLE-US-00001 APPENDIX List of Reference Numbers 10 Central tank
56 Bottom 11 Transfer cartridges 57 Opening 12 Column 58 Bottom 13
Vibration damper 59 End 14 Basic frame 60 Vibrating means 15
Control box 61 Main pipeline 16 Heat-sealing means 62 Switch 17
Feed line 63 Main branch 18 Ventilating means 64 Main branch 28
Feed tube 65 Switch 42 Transfer chamber 66 Branch line 43 Bottom 67
Switch 44 Bottom surface 68 Branch line 45 Sump 69 Ventilating
means 46 Cover 70 Filter 47 Screw socket 71 Tapered section 48 Male
thread 72 Down pipe 49 Passage hole 73 Cover 50 Ball valve 74 Cap
51 Female thread 75 Hinge 52 Actuating device 76 Ventilating means
53 Compressed air connection 77 Filter 54 Compressed air nozzle 78
Collecting means 55 Central tank 79 Pneumatic cylinder
* * * * *