Out-liner for the transformation of a single line of moving products into a plurality of rows

Abstract: Out-liner for the transformation of a single line (1a) of moving products (2), such as bottles, pots, and the like, into a plurality of rows (4a) comprising a transition area (3) with a number of conveyor tracks (5) located in a common plane (9) with the supply track (1) and the tracks (4) for discharging said products (2). said plane (9) declining downward from the inner side of a curved section (11) in particular containing the conveyor tracks (5) of the transition area (3).

Description: Out-liner for the transformation of a single line of moving products into a plurality of rows. The invention relates to an out-liner for the transformation of a single line of moving products, such as bottles, pots, tins and the like, into a plurality of rows, moving at a lower speed, wherein in the transition area a number of conveyor tracks,the width of which agrees substantially with the widthof the products, are positioned parallel beside each other and with the top faces located in a common plane and the speeds of a number of the conveyor tracks, located immediately next to the single line of products, decrease stepwise and means being available above the conveyor tracks to distribute the products gradually over a number of conveyor tracks running with the equal smallest speed. Such an out-liner has as an object to discharge bottles or similar products, supplied in particular in a single line and, for example coming from a filling and/or labelling apparatus, in a larger number of lines beside each other. This may be necessary for example in connection with the construction of the next apparatus, for example a pasteurizing apparatus, or to achieve a larger spread between the products, for example to allow the applied labels to dry. Up to now, however, no out-liners are known which operate in a satisfactory manner, that is with hardly any collisions between the containers, which collisions may result in a mostly not allowable noise level and/or damage of the products. The invention provides an out-liner, which is characterized in that the conveyor track transporting the single line of products, is located at the inner side of a curved section, which curved section, in particular, contains the conveyor tracks in the transition area and wherein the plane, in which the upper faces of the conveyor tracks are located is declining downward from the inner side, as seen in the direction transverse to the direction of movement of the products, a product guide being present beside the supplied single line of products and at the outer side of the curved section, said guide extending from the relevant conveyor track gradually towards the lower side of the inclination and continuing beside the plurality of lines of moving products, a second product guide being located at the other side of the single line of products and extending over the curved section into a downward declined section merging into a section running parallel with the conveyor tracks by which the plurality of lines of products are discharged, means being present to control the speed of the advancing line of products and the transverse inclination of the conveyor tracks. Preferably a provision will be made that the angle of the inclination of the conveyor tracks in the transition area is between 50 and 250. The product guides will consist in particular of at least one guiding profile, present at a vertically adjustable distance above the plane of the conveyor tracks. By doing this the device can be adjusted for various products as it is desirable to support the products at about the height of their centre of gravity. Further the product guides will preferably be horizontally adjustable for adjustmentof the device to the width of the conveyed products. In particular it may be provided that the product guides are automatically adjustable in horizontal and vertical directions, so that on change of products moving over the conveyor tracks the adjustment of the product guides can take place in an easy manner. Further collecting channels can be provided at the lower side of the conveyor tracks to collect overturned products. So overturned products, if any, will not hamper the movement of other products. According to the invention in particular the conveyor tracks will be composed of conveyor chains. The construction of a device according to the invention may be such, that the conveyor tracks are driven by means of a single motor. According to an embodiment of the invention, the control means will consist of sensors positioned along the conveyor tracks for observing the joining of the products moving in line, the signals of said sensors being processed in a control unit governing the speed and the transverse gradient of the conveyor tracks in the transition area. The control unit herein may be a programmed PLC or a microprocessor. The invention will now be elucidated by means of an embodiment, shown in the drawing, in which: Fig. 1 shows a top view of an out-liner according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows a cross-section along the line Il-Il of fig. 1. The device shown in the drawing comprises a supply track 1 consisting of a single conveyor chain over which a single line la of containers 2, for example bottles, are transported in a vertical position. This single line la is transformed into a plurality of lines 4a by means of the device 3, said lines 4a being discharged by means of the conveyor chains 4. Between the supply conveyor chain 1 and the discharge conveyor chains 4 a number of transition tracks 5 are located. These tracks 5 are driven at mutually differing speeds in such a manner that a gradual transition is obtained between the speed of the chain 1 and the speed of the chains 4, so that the containers 2 will be transported gradually at a lower speed. Various guiding rods, such as the rods 6, 7 and 8 are provided for guiding the products. In order to transfer the products 2 from the track 1 to the tracks 4 as gradually as possible and with as little as possible collisions, the common top plane 9, wherein the tracks l, 4 and 5 are located, has an inclined position, as appears in particular from Fig. 2. The inclination of the plane 9 is such, that it declines downward from the single track 1. The angle of inclination a may be between 5 and 250. As appears from Fig. 1 the discharge direction of the plurality of lines 4a of products 2 is transverse to the supply direction of the single line la, in such a manner that the tracks 4 and 5 extend over a curved section 11. As in this the centrifugal force and the force of gravity are acting in the same direction, they will reinforce each other, which may be favourable if the containers slide with difficulty, while a too large inclination of the various tracks would increase the risk of overturning of the products. The various tracks 1, 4 and 5 can be driven by means of a common motor, of course transmissions being used to move a track with the desired speed. To that end, for example, use may be made of chain wheels with an adapted diameter and which are mounted on a common shaft driven by the motor. As observed above, the guiding rods 6, 7 and 8 will be adjustable in horizontal and vertical directions, at least in part, so that the device can be adapted to products with different width or diameter and with a different height. It is actually desirable to support the products at about the height of the centre of gravity, while in particular the guiding rods 7 will be at such a level that overturned products may pass underneath them to get to the collecting channels 10 beside the conveyor tracks. Many modifications are possible within the scope of the invention. Thus, for example, the speeds of the various chains, in particular of the discharge chains 3, may be chosen such that bottles supplied closely together over track 1 are spread from each other, while on the other hand it is also possible to bring the bottles closer together if they are supplied wide apart from each other.

Claims: CLAIMS: 1. Out-liner for the transformation of a single line (la) of moving products (2) such as bottles, pots, tins and the like, into a plurality of rows (4a), moving at a lower speed, wherein in the transition area (3) a number of conveyor tracks (5), the width of which agrees substantially with the width of the products (2), are positioned parallel beside each other and with the top faces located in a common plane (9) and the speeds of a number of the conveyor tracks (5), located immedia tely next to the single line (la) of products, decrease stepwise and means being available above the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5) to distribute the products (2) gradually over a number of conveyor tracks (4) running with the equal smallest speed, characterized in that the conveyor track (1) transporting the single line of products (2), is located at the inner side of a curved section (11), which curved section (ill), in parti cular, contains the conveyor tracks in the transistion area and wherein the plane (9) in which the upper faces of the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5) are located is declining downward from the inner side, as seen in the direction transverse to the direction of movement of the products (2), a product guide (7) being present beside the supplied single line (1) of products and at the outer side of the curved section (11), said guide (7) extending from the relevant conveyor track (1) gradually towards the lower side of the inclination and continuing beside the plurality of lines (4a) of moving products (2), a second product guide (6) being located at the other side of the single line (la) of products (2) and extending over the curved section (11) into a down ward declined section (6a), merging into a section (6b) running parallel with the conveyor tracks (4) by which the plurality of lines (4a) of products (2) are dis charged, means being present to control the speed of the advancing line (la) of products (2) and the transverse inclination (a) of the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5). 2. Out-liner according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle of the inclination (a) of the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5) in the transition area (3) is between 50 and 250. 3. Out-liner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the product guides (6, 7) consist in particular of at least one guiding profile, present at a vertically adjustable distance above the plane (9) of the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5). 4. Out-liner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the product guides (6,7) are horizontally adjustable for adjusment of the device to the width of the conveyed products (2). 5. Out-liner according to claim 4, characterized in that said product guides (6, 7, 8) are automatically adjustable in horizontal and vertical directions. 6. Out-liner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that collecting channels (10) are provided at the lower side of the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5) to collect overturned products. 7. Out-liner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5) are driven by means of a single motor. 8. Out-liner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control means consists of sensors positioned along the conveyor tracks (1, 4, 5) for observing the joining of the products (2) moving in line, the signals of said sensors being processed in a control unit governing the speed and the transverse gradient (a) of the conveyor tracks (5) in the transition area (3). 9. Out-liner according to claim 8, characterized in that said control unit is a programmed PLC or a microprocessor.

Inventors: VAN UITERT JOHANNES HENDRIKUS, VAN UITERT, JOHANNES HENDRIKUS
Applicants: UITERT SPEC MASCHF VAN, SPECIAAL-MACHINEFABRIEK J.H. VAN UITERT B.V.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: B65G47