Rotary conveyor

A rotary conveyor has a supporting shaft rotating about a respective longitudinal axis and having a top attachment end having a radial projection; a bottom platform fitted to the supporting shaft; and a circular top plate having a central opening for fitment to the top attachment end. The circular top plate also has, on its peripheral edge, a number of seats, each for receiving a container to be conveyed resting on the bottom platform. The conveyor also has fastening means for fastening the circular top plate to the supporting shaft. The fastening means include at least one clamp movable between an idle position permitting engagement of the top attachment end by the circular top plate or removal of the circular top plate from the top attachment end of the supporting shaft, and a work position to grip the circular top plate between the radial projection and the clamp. And an actuating member moves the clamp between the work position and the idle position.

The present invention relates to a rotary conveyor for transferring containers between two conveying or processing stations.

The present invention may be used in particular for producing and filling containers for liquid substances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is known, liquid substances are normally packaged using equipment designed to automatically fill a number of empty containers fed along a processing line; and the various processing units, e.g. for filling, closing, and labelling the containers, and packing a number of containers in a package suitable for transport, are connected to one another by linear or angular transfer devices.

Known angular transfer devices, or so-called rotary conveyors, comprise a rotary shaft fitted with a bottom platform; and a top disk having an orderly succession of peripheral seats, each for partly receiving a relative container resting on the bottom platform. The conveyor also comprises a fixed outer guide which, together with the peripheral edge of the top disk, defines a feed channel for the containers; and the conveyor rotates about the longitudinal axis of the rotary shaft to transfer the containers along an arc-shaped path from an input station, e.g. a linear feeder, to an output station, e.g. a filling machine.

The peripheral seats on the top disk are shaped to mate with the engaged container; and, when a change is made in the size of the containers, the top disk must be replaced with another having seats of the right size.

The top disk of known rotary conveyors is bolted to the rotary shaft and therefore awkward to change. In fact, appropriate tools and a certain amount of manual skill on the part of the fitter are required for the job to be done quickly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems encountered in the known state of the art by providing a rotary conveyor designed to eliminate the aforementioned drawbacks.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rotary conveyor enabling fast, troublefree size change, with no need for special tools.

These and other objects, which will become clear in the course of the following disclosure, are substantially achieved by a rotary conveyor as described and claimed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Number1in the accompanying drawings indicates as a whole a rotary conveyor in accordance with the present invention.

More specifically, as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2, rotary conveyor1rotates, anticlockwise inFIG. 1, about an axis Y to transfer containers2from a known processing station3, not shown in detail, into a known output conduit4along a predetermined arc-shaped path P.

Conveyor1comprises a supporting shaft5extending along a vertical longitudinal axis coincident with axis of rotation Y. Shaft5is fitted with a bottom platform6and a circular top plate7parallel to each other and perpendicular to axis of rotation Y. Circular top plate7comprises, on its peripheral edge8, a number of seats9, each for receiving a container2to be conveyed resting on bottom platform6. And, in the embodiment shown, seats9are defined by arc-shaped recesses formed in peripheral edge8and for engaging, for example, circular-section bottles.

Conveyor1preferably also comprises a fixed outer guide10extending partly about bottom platform6and top plate7, and defining a feed channel11, for containers2, extending along arc-shaped path P.

Bottom platform6is fitted integrally to a bottom portion12of supporting shaft5.

Circular top plate7is fitted removably to a top attachment end13of supporting shaft5.

More specifically, with reference toFIGS. 3,5,7and9, top attachment end13of supporting shaft5has a radial projection14; and circular top plate7has a central opening15, by which it is fitted onto top attachment end13so as to rest on radial projection14.

Fastening means16connect circular top plate7integrally to top end13of shaft5, so as to move seats9along a given circular trajectory A (FIG. 1) by rotating shaft5, and to move containers2along arc-shaped path P.

Advantageously, fastening means16comprise at least one clamp17movable between an idle position, permitting engagement of end13of shaft5by opening15in plate7or removal of plate7from end13, and a work position in which plate7is gripped between radial projection14and clamp17. In the idle position, clamp17is housed inside top end13of supporting shaft5; and, in the work position, clamp17projects radially outwards of top end13of shaft5.

Fastening means16also comprise an actuating member18for moving clamp17between the work position and the idle position.

Fastening means16preferably comprise a number of clamps17equally spaced about the longitudinal axis Y of supporting shaft5, and which, in the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings, are three in number.

Advantageously, circular plate7comprises a number of cavities19equal in number to clamps17, formed close to central opening15, and each for insertion of a respective clamp17.

More specifically, top end13of supporting shaft5is annular in shape and defined by a lateral wall20, which defines internally a housing21for clamps17.

Lateral wall20has a number of openings22equally spaced angularly about the longitudinal axis Y of supporting shaft5to permit passage of clamps17.

In the preferred embodiments shown, shaft5comprises a shank23, to which are fitted, coaxially with one another to define top end13, a cylindrical first body24fitted integrally to shank23by a screw25; a cylindrical second body26fitted to first body24by screws27; and an annular third body28connected to second body26by screws29.

Cylindrical first body24comprises a bottom portion24aresting on shank23; and a top portion24bradially larger than bottom portion24aand defining projection14on which circular top plate7rests.

Top portion24bof cylindrical first body24comprises a seat30for a flange31forming part of cylindrical second body26; and holes32, for screws27connecting cylindrical first and second bodies24,26, are formed in flange31and top portion24bof cylindrical first body24.

An annular wall33extends upwards from flange31, and has a top edge33aon which annular third body28rests and is connected. For which purpose, annular third body28and annular wall33of cylindrical second body26have holes34for housing screws29.

Openings22for the passage of clamps17are preferably formed in annular wall33.

Clamps17are parallelepiped-shaped, each moves between the idle and work position along a radial trajectory B away from or towards longitudinal axis Y, and each has one side aligned with respective radial trajectory B.

Advantageously, actuating member18of clamps17comprises a substantially cylindrical body35which is at least partly inserted in rotary manner inside housing21in top end13of supporting shaft5.

Substantially cylindrical body35has a cam surface36in contact with clamps17to move the clamps between the work and idle position by rotating substantially cylindrical body35.

For which purpose, substantially cylindrical body35has a grip portion37located outside housing21, and which is gripped manually to operate actuating member18.

More specifically, substantially cylindrical body35comprises a bottom portion38inserted inside housing21and having cam surface36; and a top portion39defining grip portion37. Top portion39has peripheral grooves40(FIGS. 4,6,8,10) for easy hand grip; and substantially cylindrical body35rotates freely about longitudinal axis Y, and is secured axially by a pin41.

In a first embodiment shown inFIGS. 3,4,5and6, each clamp17has a major dimension aligned with respective radial trajectory B, has a bottom face17aresting on an end surface26aof cylindrical second body26, and has a top face17bresting on annular third body28and detached from a bottom face42of substantially cylindrical body35. Cam surface36is defined in a channel43formed in the bottom face42of substantially cylindrical body35, and each clamp17comprises a pin44extending parallel to longitudinal axis Y and inserted and sliding inside channel43.

As shown clearly inFIGS. 4 and 6, channel43extends in a plane perpendicular to longitudinal axis Y, along an endless path about longitudinal axis Y, and towards and away from longitudinal axis Y in the form of alternating grooves and ridges equal in number to clamps17to be operated.

Cam surface36is defined by two facing lateral surfaces43a,43bof channel43, which are engaged by pin44as substantially cylindrical body35rotates.

InFIGS. 4 and 6, which show three clamps17, channel43is substantially triangular with three bevelled vertices. More specifically, at the vertices of the triangle, which correspond to positions furthest from longitudinal axis Y, portions are formed extending substantially perpendicular to the radii joining the vertices to longitudinal axis Y, and which have recesses45for receiving pins44in the work position of clamps17. Similarly, each side of the triangle has a recess46for receiving a pin44in the idle position of clamps17. Recesses45,46provide for stabilizing fastening means16in the work and idle position respectively.

In actual use, circular top plate7is positioned on the top attachment end13of shaft5by inserting annular third body28and annular wall33of cylindrical second body26through central opening15, and resting plate7on projection14.

When positioning circular plate7, clamps17are housed inside housing21in top end13of shaft5, so that, as shown inFIGS. 3 and 4, pins44of clamps17are located inside recesses46of channel43on the sides of the triangle, in the closest position to longitudinal axis Y.

When grip portion37is rotated manually 60° clockwise or anticlockwise, each pin44slides along channel43, and is forced, by inner surface43aof channel43, away from longitudinal axis Y and into a recess45at a vertex of the triangle, as shown inFIGS. 5 and 6; and clamps17are pushed along respective radial trajectories B inside cavities19in circular plate7to clamp plate7both axially and rotationally to shaft5.

Further 60° rotation in the same or opposite direction moves clamps17, pushed by outer surface43bof channel43, back into the idle position.

In a second embodiment shown inFIGS. 7,8,9and10, cam surface36is defined by a lateral wall47of cylindrical body35, and extends parallel to longitudinal axis Y; and each clamp17has a rear face17ccontacting lateral wall47of cylindrical body35.

As shown clearly inFIGS. 8 and 10, lateral wall47extends in a plane perpendicular to longitudinal axis Y, along an endless path about longitudinal axis Y, and towards and away from longitudinal axis Y in the form of alternating grooves and ridges equal in number to clamps17to be operated.

InFIGS. 8 and 10, which show three clamps17, lateral wall47is substantially triangular with three bevelled vertices. More specifically, at the vertices of the triangle, which correspond to positions furthest from longitudinal axis Y, portions are formed extending substantially perpendicular to the radii joining the vertices to longitudinal axis Y, and which have recesses48for receiving rear faces17cof clamps17in the work position of clamps17. Similarly, each side of the triangle has a recess49for receiving rear face17cof clamp17in the idle position of clamps17. Recesses48,49provide for stabilizing fastening means16in the work and idle position respectively.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, conveyor1comprises a number of elastic traction members50interposed between clamps17to pull clamps17towards one another and towards longitudinal axis Y in opposition to cam surface36. Each elastic member50is preferably a spring connecting two angularly adjacent clamps17; and elastic members for assisting the movement of clamps17may also be provided in the first embodiment.

In actual use, when positioning circular plate7, clamps17are housed inside housing21in top end13of shaft5, so that, as shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, rear faces17cof clamps17are located inside recesses49of lateral wall47on the sides of the triangle, in the closest position to longitudinal axis Y.

When grip portion37is rotated manually 60° clockwise or anticlockwise, each lateral face17cslides on lateral wall47, and is forced, in opposition to springs50, away from longitudinal axis Y and into a recess48at a vertex of the triangle, as shown inFIGS. 9 and 10; and clamps17are pushed along respective radial trajectories B inside cavities19in circular plate7to clamp plate7both axially and rotationally to shaft5.

Further 60° rotation in the same or opposite direction moves clamps17, pulled by springs50, back into the idle position.

In both the embodiments shown, cam surface36extends in a plane perpendicular to longitudinal axis Y, along an endless path about longitudinal axis Y, and towards and away from longitudinal axis Y in the form of alternating grooves and ridges equal in number to clamps17to be operated.

The present invention solves the problems encountered in the known state of the art, and achieves the objects proposed.

That is, the rotary conveyor according to the present invention permits extremely fast size change of the containers for processing, by enabling fast, easy change of the top plate with no tools required.

Moreover, the highly straightforward, practical design of the fastening means for fastening the plate to the shaft ensures reliability and low production cost.