DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING OBJECTS FROM A SUPPLY DEVICE TO A TAKE UP DEVICE

Abstract: Device for transferring objects (12) as e.g. lumps of dough - from a supply device - to a take up conveyor (14) provided with take up members (15), said transferring device comprising an endless conveyor (1) and a sensor (18) near the discharge end (5) of this conveyor (1) to signalize an object (12) present near said end, said discharge end (5) being positioned on a slide (6) which is movable in the same direction as the conveyor (1) and in opposite direction, said end (5) being positioned above the take up conveyor (14) while this is moving in the direction opposite to the direction of movement of the transfer conveyor (1), the sensor (18) for signalizing an object (12) being mounted to the slide (6) which is provided with a second sensor (19) to signalize the spot of the take up conveyor (14) where an object (12) can be brought onto said conveyor.

Description: The invention relates to a transferring device according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a device is known by EP-A-0 063 400. In case of this known device some lumps of dough carried by a pallet are supplied till near the take up conveyor lying about at the same level as said pallet. At a fixed place above said take up conveyor a sensor is positioned by which it can be controlled whether a preceding batch of lumps of dough has passed this sensor. This being the case the transferring conveyor can be activated. The transferring conveyor as a whole is mounted in an oblique position on a slide such that the lower end of it can be moved to and fro above said pallet and said take up conveyor. For taking up some lumps of dough the lower end of the transferring conveyor is moved over the pallet by means of the slide in the direction of the take up conveyor while the conveying member of it is moved in such a direction that the lumps of dough will be brought onto it. Then the movement of the conveying member is stopped, by means of the slide the transferring conveyor is moved over a part of the take up conveyor and the direction of movement of the transferring conveyor as well as of its conveying member is changed to bring the lumps of dough onto the take up conveyor and to bring the transferring conveyor into its initial position. So each time that a batch of lumps of dough is transferred the direction of movement of the conveying member of the transferring conveyor, which itself is moving too, has to be changed and during said transferring no new batch of lumps of dough can be supplied till near the take up conveyor. Caused by this the known transferring device is combersome in construction and working and the lumps of dough cannot be continuously supplied. When further the lumps of dough are not at the same mutual distance when being supplied it is not possible to correct this when bringing them onto the take up conveyor. Now the object of the invention is to remove these disadvantages and to provide a transferring device which is more simple of construction and working and which is having a higher capacity than the known device. According to the invention this is obtained by applying the features according to the characterizing portion of claim 1. In this way it is obtained that the end of the transfer conveyor may move along with the take up conveyor or may move in the opposite direction such that an object arriving near the end of the take up conveyor can be brought on the desired spot onto the take up conveyor. In particular it will be provided, that the velocity of the transfer conveyor, the velocity of the slide in both directions and the velocity of the take up conveyor will be equal or almost equal to each other. In this way a good transfer of the objects can be assured. It can also be provided that the conveyors and the slide are driven from a common shaft. By this a simple and so cheap device is obtained. It is, however, also possible that the velocity of the slide in the direction of movement of the transfer conveyor is less than that of this conveyor. So in this case during moving slide the velocity difference between the end of the transfer conveyor and of the take up conveyor will be smaller because of which the transfer of an object will take place more gradually. According to a further embodiment of the invention still a third and fourth sensor will be provided for signalizing the two end positions of the slide. The invention is further described by reference to an embodiment, a side view of which is schematically shown in the drawing. The transfer device shown in the drawing comprises the endless conveyor 1 being shaped by a conveyor belt 2, running over the return roll 3 at the one side, driven by means of the shaft 4 and over the return roll 5 at the other side, being supported by a slide 6. The slide 6 is supported in a not further indicated way such that it is movable in the direction of the double arrow P. The movement of the slide 6 can take place by means of the gear rack 7 connected to the slide and cooperating with a gear wheel 8 mounted on a driven shaft 9. The shaft 9 can be rotated in two direction as indicated by the arrow R, so that the slide 6 can be moved in two directions as indicated by the arrow P. To have the conveyor belt 2 tensioned during the movement of the slide 6 the conveyor belt is running over a return roll 10 being supported by the slide 6 and over a return roll 11 being stationary positioned. The supply of objects 12 to the transfer conveyor 1 may take place by means of a not further described conveyor 13. The conveyors 1 and 13 are moving in the direction of the arrow S. Below the conveyor 1 the take up conveyor 14 is present which can be provided with the take up members 15. The conveyor 14 is guided over the return roll 16 being driven by means of the shaft 17. The shaft 17 is rotated in the direction of the arrow T, so that the conveyor 14 is moving in opposite direction in respect of the conveyor 1. The velocities of the conveyors 1 and 14 can be equal to each other by coupling the shafts 4 and 17. A first sensor 18 is mounted to the slide 6 for signalizing an object which is present near the return roll 5. Further the slide is carrying a second sensor 19 for signalizing a take up member 15 of the conveyor 14. Finally a third sensor 20 and a fourth sensor 21 are provided for signalizing the two end positions of the slide 6. The operation of the device is now as follows. The conveyors 1 and 14 are continuously driven. When the sensor 19 is signalizing a take up member 15 of the conveyor 14 while at that moment the sensor 18 is not signalizing an object 12, this means that the object 12 is too late. Then the slide 6 is brought into movement in the same direction as the take up conveyor 14 and is moving synchroneously with this, so that the return roll 5 is held in such a position in respect of the conveyor 14 that an arriving object 12 can be deposited in a take up member 15. When now such an object 12 is reaching the sensor 18 during said movement of the slide 6, then the slide 6 will be stopped at once or with some retardation and the object will be brought into the take up member 15. When otherwise the sensor 18 is signalizing an object 12 which so is present near the return roll 5 while at that moment the sensor 19 is not signalizing a take up member 15, this means that the object 12 is too early. Then the slide 6 is brought into movement in a direction opposite to the direction of movement T of the conveyor 14. So then the object 12 is moving towards a take up member 15 being destined for it. As soon as the sensor 19 is signalizing a take up member 15 the slide 6 will be brought to a stop and the object 12 will be supplied to the related take up member 15. When the slide 6 is moving in the same direction as the take up conveyor 14, so in the direction of the arrow T and when no object 12 is arriving near the sensor 18, then the slide 6 will be stopped in the end position by means of the sensor 20 and will remain in this position. When now an object 12 is arriving near the sensor 18 and the sensor 19 is signalizing no take up member then the slide 6 will be brought into movement in the direction of the arrow S and will remain moving in this direction till the sensor 19 is signalizing a take up member 15. At that moment the slide 6 will be stopped and the related object will be deposited in a take up member 15. When the sensor 18 is signalizing an object 12 and the sensor 19 is simultaneously signalizing a take up member, then the slide 6 will remain stationary and the object is at once deposited in the take up member.

Claims: Device for transferring objects (12), as e.g. lumps of dough, from a supply device - such as a dough dividing or rolling machine - by which the objects are irregularly delivered onto a supply conveyor (13), to a take up conveyor (14) provided with take up members (15), said transferring device comprising an endless transferring conveyor (1) which by means of a slide (6) can be moved in the same direction as the take up conveyor (14) and in the opposite direction, a sensor (19) being present to signalize where an object can be brought onto the take up conveyor (14), characterized in that the conveying belt (2) of said transferring conveyor (1) is moving in the same direction as the supply conveyor (13) and in the opposite direction to the take up conveyor (14), the transferring conveyor (1) always being present at such a distance above said take up conveyor (14) that a lump of dough may pass below it and only the end of said transferring conveyor being positioned on said slide (6), the opposite end of it being fixedly positioned near the end of the supply conveyor (13), a first sensor (18) for signalizing an object (12) on the transferring conveyor (1) being mounted on said slide (6) as well as said second sensor (19) for signalizing where an object (12) can be brought onto the take up conveyor (14). Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the velocity of the transfer conveyor (1), the velocity of the slide (6) in both directions and the velocity of the take up conveyor (14) will be equal or almost equal to each other. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the conveyors (1,14) and the slide (6) are driven from a common shaft. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the velocity of the slide (6) in the direction of movement of the transfer conveyor (1) is less than that of this conveyor (1). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a third (20) and fourth sensor (21) are provided for signalizing the two end positions of the slide (6).

Inventors: STEEGHS, MATHIJS
Applicants: WERNER & PFLEIDERER-HATON B.V.
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A21C9
IPC codes: A21C9