Conveyor system with cooling means

A conveyor system with cooling means is provided and comprises an elongated frame defining a conveyor track. An elongated conveyor is mounted within the frame so that a portion of the conveyor extends longitudinally along the conveyor track while a suitable motor longitudinally drives the conveyor along the conveyor track in a first direction. A plurality of cooling stations are also secured at longitudinally spaced positions along the frame so that the cooling stations are longitudinally adjacent each other. Each cooling station further includes a fluid reservoir beneath the conveyor track and a spray head positioned to spray fluid down onto the conveyor track. A pump is also provided for each cooling station and has its inlet connected to the fluid reservoir for that station while its outlet is connected to the spray head at the cooling station. The novelty of the present invention, however, resides in the provision of a thermocouple for sensing the fluid temperature in a fluid reservoir upstream from the outlet end of the conveyor system and, when the temperature in the upstream reservoir exceeds a predetermined value, fluidly connecting a source of relatively cool fluid to the fluid reservoir immediately adjacent the outlet of the conveyor system. In addition, a dam is provided between adjacent reservoirs so that the addition of relatively cool fluid to the reservoir immediately adjacent the outlet end of the conveyor system forces relatively cool water over the dam and into the reservoir second from the conveyor system outlet and so on throughout the length of the conveyor track. Evaporative cooling means are also preferably associated with one or more cooling stations in order to increase the overall cooling capability of the conveyor system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
I. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates generally to conveyor systems and, more 
particularly, to a conveyor system with cooling means. 
II. Description of the Prior Art 
There are a number of previously known conveyor systems with associated 
cooling means for cooling the articles transported by the conveyor system 
from one end to its other. In particular, there have been a number of 
previously known conveyor systems for pasteurized and/or cooked foods. 
The previously known conveyor systems of this latter type have 
conventionally included an elongated frame defining an elongated track. A 
conveyor belt was mounted to the frame and along the conveyor track and, 
when longitudinally driven by a suitable motor means, moved in a first 
direction along the track from the inlet end of the conveyor system and 
toward the outlet end. The articles transported by the conveyor system are 
carried on top of the conveyor belt. 
In order to cool the articles transported by conveyor systems of this type, 
it has been the previous practice to secure a plurality of both 
longitudinally and laterally spaced water spray heads to the frame along 
the entire length of the conveyor track. The spray heads are connected to 
a suitable source of relatively cold water under pressure and spray the 
water downwardly onto the articles transported by the conveyor track and 
then collect the water after impinging upon the transported articles. This 
water is then disposed of by dumping or other conventional methods. 
There are, however, a number of disadvantages to this type of previously 
known conveyor system. One such disadvantage of this type of conveyor 
system is that the multiple spray heads are conventionally connected in 
common with each other so that all spray heads are continually operated 
regardless of need and whether or not articles are present on any given 
portion of the conveyor track. In addition, the water which is collected 
within the reservoir is disposed of even though it is still relatively 
cool with respect to the transported articles thus resulting in high water 
volume requirements. 
A still further disadvantage with this type of previously known conveyor 
system, is that it is difficult to accurately control the temperature of 
the articles exiting from the conveyor system. Accurate temperature 
control is difficult since the cool water from the water supply impinges 
upon the articles when the articles are very hot, i.e. upon entry to the 
conveyor system as well as throughout their entire travel along the 
conveyor track. Accurate temperature control, however, is important 
particularly for bottled food products in which the product must be cooled 
below 110.degree. F. in order to prevent further cooking and/or 
discoloration caused by the cooking of the goods when they are stored. 
However, it is equally important that the product not be cooled too much, 
for example below 100.degree. F., since further cooling of the product 
will cause the bottle to sweat and inhibit the labels from adhering to the 
bottles. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention provides an improved conveyor system with cooling 
means and which is particularly adapted for transporting bottled food 
products. 
In brief, the present invention comprises an elongated frame defining a 
conveyor track along its interior. An endless conveyor belt extends along 
the conveyor track within the frame while suitable motor means 
longitudinally drives the conveyor belt in a first direction along a 
conveyor track and from an inlet end and to an outlet end of the conveyor 
track. 
A plurality of independent cooling stations are longitudinally spaced along 
the conveyor track and are connected to the conveyor frame. Each cooling 
station comprises a fluid reservoir secured to the frame beneath the 
conveyor track and at least one water spray nozzle positioned to spray 
water upon articles transported by the conveyor belt. A pump has its inlet 
connected to the fluid reservoir and its outlet connected to the spray 
nozzle. Consequently, upon actuation, the fluid pump at each cooling 
station continually recirculates water from the reservoir and to the spray 
head at the cooling station. 
Each fluid reservoir is separated from the next longitudinally adjacent 
food reservoir by means of a dam. Moreover, the effective height of the 
dam decreases from the outlet end of the conveyor track and towards its 
inlet. Consequently, as the water within the reservoir at the cooling 
station adjacent the outlet end of the conveyor track exceeds a 
predetermined level, water flows into the next and immediately upstream 
fluid reservoir and so on throughout the length of the conveyor system. 
The present invention further includes means for accurately controlling the 
temperature of the bottled products as they exit from the conveyor system. 
This control means further comprises a temperature sensing means, such as 
a thermocouple, which detects the temperature of the water at a cooling 
station upstream from the outlet end of the conveyor track. When the 
temperature at this upstream station exceeds a predetermined amount, the 
temperature sensing means activates a control valve which supplies 
additional cool water from a water source and to the cooling station 
adjacent the outlet end of the conveyor track. This additional cool water 
not only provides additional cooling for the transported bottled products 
prior to their exit from the conveyor system, but in addition, causes 
relatively cool water in the reservoir adjacent the conveyor outlet to 
spill over the dam and into the next and relatively warmer reservoir and 
so on throughout the entire length of the conveyor track. Eventually, the 
very hot water in the reservoir adjacent the inlet end of the conveyor 
track overflows its dam and is disposed by a drain. However, since the 
reservoirs for the cooling stations are separated from each other and 
contain water of progressively increasing temperature from the outlet end 
of the conveyor track and towards its inlet end, the consumption of 
cooling water is greatly minimized. Moreover, the means for controlling 
the introduction of fresh and cool water to the cooling station adjacent 
the outlet end of the conveyor track provides a simple and yet totally 
effective means for accurately controlling the temperature of the bottled 
product as it exits from the conveyor track. 
The present invention further provides evaporative cooling associated with 
one or more of the cooling stations. The evaporative cooler comprises a 
fan which exhausts air and water vapor from the cooling station and 
exteriorly of the conveyor system. Evaporative cooling greatly enhances 
the cooling capability of the overall conveyor system while resulting in 
only minimal fluid loss from the system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
With reference first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the article transporting or conveyor 
system 10 according to the present invention is thereshown having an 
elongated housing 12. The housing 12 includes an upper wall 14, a bottom 
wall 16 and sidewalls 18 thus defining a substantially closed interior 20 
for the housing 12. The housing 12, however, is open on each axial end 22 
and 24. 
An elongated endless conveyor belt 26 extends longitudinally through the 
interior 20 of the housing 12 and is supported along its length by a 
plurality of rollers 28 extending transversely across and rotatably 
mounted to the housing 12. Conventional means (not shown) longitudinally 
drive the endless conveyor belt 26 through the interior 20 of the housing 
12 and from the direction of the inlet end 24 and toward the outlet end 22 
of the housing 12. The upper surface 30 of the conveyor belt 26 forms a 
movable support surface upon which articles 32 are supported and 
transported along the length and through the interior 20 of the housing 
12. 
A plurality of fluid reservoirs 34, 36, 38 and 40 are formed within the 
housing 12 and underneath the conveyor belt 30. Each fluid reservoir 
extends longitudinally along the conveyor housing 12 and the reservoirs 
are longitudinally adjacent and separated from each other by vertically 
extending wall sections or dams 44, 46, and 48. Moreover, as is best shown 
in FIG. 3, the height of the dams 44, 46, and 48 decreases from the outlet 
end 22 of the housing 12 and toward the inlet end 24 so that the height of 
the fluid reservoirs 36-40 likewise decreases from the outlet end 22 and 
to the inlet end 24 for a reason to be subsequently described. A drain 41 
maintains the fluid in the reservoir 40 adjacent the inlet end 24 at a 
predetermined level. 
The means for cooling the articles 32 as they are transported by the 
conveyor belt 30 along the interior 20 of the conveyor housing 12 is best 
shown in FIG. 1 and comprises a source 50 of cooling fluid, typically cold 
water, connected by a supply line 52 to one side of a plurality of 
strainers 54, 56, 58, and 60. Each strainer 54-60 is connected to an 
individual cooling station. 
The other side of the strainer 56 is connected by a valve 62 and fluid line 
64 to a fluid inlet 66 to the reservoir 34 adjacent the outlet end 26 of 
the conveyor housing 12. Similarly, the other side of the strainer 58 is 
fluidly connected by a valve 68 and fluid line 70 to a fluid inlet 72 to 
the fluid reservoir 38 while the other side of the strainer 60 is 
connected by valves 74 and 76 and a fluid line 78 to a fluid inlet 80 for 
the reservoir 40 adjacent the inlet end 24 of the conveyor housing 12. 
Moreover, it is to be understood that although the article handling system 
10 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as having 
four fluid reservoirs with a strainer and valve arrangement fluidly 
connected to each fluid reservoir, the conveyor system can have more or 
fewer reservoirs while remaining within the scope of the invention. 
With reference to both FIGS. 1 and 2, the cool water inlets 66, 72 and 80 
are fluidly connected to spray heads 84 which spray the fluid downwardly 
onto the top 30 of the conveyor belt 26 after which the fluid enters and 
is collected in the various fluid reservoirs. Each fluid inlet 66, 72 and 
80, however, is fluidly connected to spray heads 84 associated only with 
the associated fluid reservoir. 
Unlike the strainers 56, 58 and 60, the other side of the strainer 54 is 
connected through a normally closed solenoid actuated valve 86 and fluid 
lines 88 and 90 to a fluid inlet 92 open to the fluid reservoir 34. A 
further normally closed solenoid actuated valve 94 has one end open to the 
fluid line 88 and is fluidly connected by a fluid line 96 to a further 
fluid inlet 98 which is also open to the reservoir 34 adjacent the outlet 
end 26 of the conveyor housing. The actuation and control of the valves 94 
and 86 will be subsequently described in greater detail. 
A fluid pump arrangement is associated with each fluid reservoir for 
pumping fluid from the reservoir and into the spray heads 84 associated 
with that reservoir. More specifically, referring to FIG. 1, the inlet of 
a pump 100 is connected via a fluid filter 104 and fluid line 106 to a 
drain 108 open to the reservoir 34. The outlet from the pump 100 in turn 
is connected by a fluid line 110 and the fluid line 64 to the spray head 
84. Similarly, the inlet of a fluid pump 112 is connected via a filter 114 
and fluid line 116 to a drain 118 open to the reservoir 38. The outlet 
from the pump 112 is in turn connected via a fluid line 120 and fluid line 
70 to the spray head 84 associated with the fluid reservoir 38. 
The inlet of a further pump 120 is connected via a filter 122 and fluid 
line 124 to a drain 126 open to the reservoir 40 adjacent the inlet end 24 
of the conveyor housing 12. Unlike the previously described fluid 
circulating systems, however, the outlet of the pump 120 is fluidly 
connected by a fluid line 128 to a heat exchanger means 130 and by a fluid 
line 132 from the heat exchanger means 130 and to the spray head 84 open 
to the fluid reservoir 40 adjacent the inlet end 24 of the conveyor track. 
As will become hereinafter more clearly apparent, the fluid within the 
reservoir 40 is hotter than the fluid in the other reservoirs so that the 
additional cooling of the fluid in the reservoir 40 by the heat exchanger 
130 is preferred to minimize the consumption of the cooling fluid by the 
conveyor system 10. 
A control means 134 controls the actuation of the pump 100 for the fluid 
reservoir 34 adjacent the outlet end 26 of the conveyor housing 12 and 
also controls the actuation of the solenoid valve 86. Thus, whenever the 
pump 100 is activated, the valve 86 is opened thus permitting fluid to 
flow from the fluid source 50 and into the fluid reservoir 34 via fluid 
lines 88 and 90. 
The activation of the other solenoid valve 94, however, is controlled by 
control means 136 having a temperature sensor 138, such as a thermocouple, 
as its input control signal. The sensor 138 senses the temperature of the 
fluid in a reservoir upstream from the reservoir 34 (with respect to the 
direction of travel of the belt 26) and, when the temperature in this 
upstream reservoir exceeds a predetermined temperature, the control means 
136 opens the valve 94 to supply additional cooling fluid from source 50 
and to the reservoir 34. As shown in FIG. 1, the sensor 138 detects the 
temperature of the fluid in the reservoir 36 which is longitudinally 
adjacent the reservoir 34 although it could be any upstream reservoir. 
The operation of the conveyor system 10 will now be described. Initially, 
the valves 62, 68 and 74 are opened thus filling the reservoirs with 
fluid, typically water. When the reservoirs are sufficiently filled, the 
valves 62, 68 and 74 are closed. 
The articles 32 which are transported and cooled along and through the 
interior 20 of the conveyor housing 12 enter the housing 12 at the inlet 
end 24 in a very hot condition, typically 300.degree.-400.degree. F., and 
are longitudinally carried by the conveyor belt 26 from the inlet end 24 
and to the outlet end 26. As the articles are transported to the housing 
20, activation of the fluid circulating pumps 100, 112 and 120 will 
circulate fluid from the reservoir and to the spray heads 84 so that the 
cooling fluid impinges upon and cools the articles 32. After impinging 
upon the articles 32, the fluid is subsequently collected in the 
respective reservoirs and recirculated through the spray heads 84. 
Moreover, the circulating pumps 100, 112 and 120 can be selectively 
activated in the event that the conveyor belt is not completely filled 
with articles so that the pumps spray the cooling fluid upon the articles 
only if they are transported along that particular section of the conveyor 
housing. 
During prolonged use of the conveyor system 10 according to the present 
invention, the cooling fluid becomes heated by impinging upon the hot 
articles and, unless replenished by cooling fluid of a lower temperature, 
inadequately cools the articles 32. Moreover, since the articles 32 
transported by the conveyor belt 26 are hottest when they enter the inlet 
end 24 of the conveyor housing and coolest when they exit from the outlet 
end 26, the temperature of the water in the reservoirs increases 
proportionately from the reservoir 34 adjacent the outlet end 26 and to 
the reservoir 40 adjacent the inlet end 24. 
With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 3, activation of the pump 100 by the 
control means 134 also opens the solenoid valve 86, as has been previously 
described, and thus connects the source 50 of cooling fluid to the 
reservoir 38 via the fluid lines 88 and 90. Since the dams 44, 46 and 48 
separating the reservoirs from each other decrease in vertical height from 
the outlet end 22 into the inlet end 24, the introduction of cooling fluid 
from the source 50 into the reservoir 34 causes a like amount of cooling 
fluid to wash over the dam and so that only relatively hot water from the 
reservoir 40 adjacent the inlet end 24 of the conveyor system enters the 
drain 41 and is removed from the system 10. 
With reference to FIG. 1, in the event that additional cooling of the 
articles 32 is required, the temperature of the fluid in the reservoir 36 
becomes heated above a predetermined temperature which is sensed by the 
thermocouple 138 and fed to the control means 136. The control means 136 
then generates a signal to the solenoid valve 94 to open it and supply 
additional cooling fluid from the source 50 and to the reservoir 34. In 
this fashion, the temperature of the articles 32 can be carefully 
controlled as they exit from the conveyor system 10. 
With reference now to FIG. 2, preferably an exhaust fan 140 is open to each 
cooling station of the conveyor system 10. The exhaust fans 140 thus 
provide additional convection cooling for the articles 32 and, in this 
event, the conveyor cooling stations are preferably separated from each 
other by partitions 142. 
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the conveyor system of the present 
invention provides a novel conveyor system with cooling means in which the 
temperature of the articles as they exit from the conveyor system can be 
carefully controlled via the thermocouple sensor 138 and the solenoid 
valve 194. Moreover, since only relatively hot water from the reservoir 40 
is drained from the system, the cooling fluid, typically water, is 
efficiently employed thus minimizing consumption of the cooling water by 
the conveyor system. 
Having described my invention, however, many modifications thereto will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains without 
deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the 
appended claims.