An adjustable star wheel conveyor for containers of circular and non-circular section

Abstract: The art field is that of conveying systems for containers (13), more especially containers (13) of circular or near-circular section; in a star wheel (8, 10, 19) typical of the type used to guide and convey bottles (13), use is made of a radially adjustable push rod (8) to distance the container from the centre of the wheel according to its diameter, in conjunction with an essentially circular guide (11), also adjustable, providing external restraint.

Description: The present invention relates to an adjustable star wheel conveyor for containers of circular and non-circular cross section. The prior art describes various types of systems and machines incorporating a plurality of star wheels serving to carry and guide containers into and from machines at entry and exit points, and in some instances through intermediate paths. Star wheel conveyors consist substantially of a disk which is rotatable about a centre axis and exhibiting an external profile shaped to afford a succession of sockets or recesses (appearing as semicircles with the convex side directed inwardly) designed to match the outer shape of the containers destined to be guided and conveyed by the wheel. One drawback experienced with conventional star wheel design is that a change in size, and more particularly a change in diameter of the containers handled by a given machine in production, dictates removal of the star wheels currently fitted and replacement with others of size and shape to match the new diameter; in consequence, the manufacturer sustains a notable loss of time and a significant cost, with machinery forced to a standstill, as well as being obliged to keep a stock of change wheels and guides. From EP-A-0 355 971 which constitutes a prior art in accordance with Article 54(3)EPC is known an hand-off apparatus having an upper and a lower disk, pushrods, an external adjustable guide, and positioning means comprising a cam follower which engages a cam slot that is formed in the upper surface of the lower disk. The configuration is such that when the lower disk is rotated relative to the upper disk, the pushrods effect a positioning to adjust the apparatus in accordance with the size of articles to be conveyed. The positioning means and the means to adjust the guide's position are rather complicated and do not permit to maintain in an easy manner the path (the so called "pitch circle") of the articles. The pushrods do not ensure a perfect conduction of the containers along their path because they are in contact with the containers only laterally and in the back and so they do not prevent a forward sliding of the container. The external guide is a one-piece guide, unable to ensure a good precision in the adjustment both in the inlet and in the outlet areas. DE-A-3143511 shows another device wherein the positioning means are similar to a pair of scissors, whose arms are fulcrated and can increase (or decrease) the opening for a container or for a bottle. Also in this case the positioning means are rather complicate and do not consent a great precision in guiding the articles along their path in the conveyor. The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawback outlined above, and more especially, in the event of a change in the size of production container, to allow of adapting star wheels swiftly and simply to accommodate the new size, and in particular a new diameter, without any need for replacement, and without modifying the path (or the so called "pitch circle") of the container. The stated object is comprehensively realized by an adjustable star wheel conveyor as defined in independent claims 1 of two different sets of claims, each set nominating different contracting states. The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: fig 1 illustrates a part of the star wheel, viewed in perspective; fig 2 shows the push rod positioning mechanism in a view from above; fig 3 illustrates the guide adjustment mechanism in a longitudinal section through the axis of a relative handwheel. With reference to the drawings, 1 denotes a pinion keyed to a shaft denoted 3 and meshed with a gear 2 carrying a plurality of pivots 6, each connected by way of a rod 5 and a second pivot 7 to a push rod 8 engaging a corresponding container 13. The single push rod 8 is capable of traversing in a radial direction, guided between two side walls 21, the walls in turn positioned between two disks 9 and 9a, each affording a plurality of recesses 10 distributed around its periphery, which constitute the star conveyor wheel. The two disks 9 and 9a, associated rigidly one with another, and both with the gear 2, are power driven and rotatable about a common axis denoted 22. 4 denotes a handwheel rigidly associated with the shaft 3 and serving to adjust the position of the push rods. Thus arranged, the pinion 1, gear 2, handwheel 4, rods 5, pivots 6-7 and side walls 21 combine in constituting means by which to position the push rods 8. 11 denotes a circular guide located externally of the containers 13, embodied in four divisions each of one quarter circumference and comprising a top section 11a and a bottom section 11b interconnected by a plate 16; the paired sections afford slots 12 at one end serving to accommodate a pin 14, and are linked at the remaining end to the adjacent pair of sections by way of an arrangement that comprises a plate 19 and two pins 20, one insertable in each pair of sections 11a-11b. 15 denotes a handwheel associated with the link plate 19 (see fig 3), which engages in a threaded support 18 rigidly associated with the frame 17 of the star wheel and provides the means by which the guide 11 is adjusted for position. The handwheel 15, support 18 and link plate 19 combine to constitute adjustment means. Operation of the star wheel will now be described. When the need arises to change to a different size of container in production, the operator will turn the push rod positioning handwheel 4 right or left to place the rods respectively nearer to or farther from the guide; similarly, the guide handwheel 15 is rotated right or left to set the sections 11a and 11b respectively closer to or farther from the container and thus adapt the assembly to the new diameter. To obtain greater precision of the adjustment, i.e. better adaptation of the star wheel to different diameters of container, the circular guide could incorporate a greater number of divisions, operated by a greater number of handwheels than is required for the four divisions of the example illustrated; similarly, use might be made of an automatic system to adjust the handwheels when adapting to different diameters.

Claims: Claims for the following Contracting States : AT, BE, CH, ES, GR, LI An adjustable star wheel conveyor for containers of circular and non-circular section, comprising: a disk (9, 9a) rotatable about a centre axis (22) and exhibiting a plurality of external peripheral recesses (10) matched to the external profile of the containers guided and conveyed by the wheel, characterized, in that it comprises: two parallel disks (9,9a), a plurality of push rods (8), each impinging on a respective container (13), said push rods being installed in number equal to the number of recesses (10) and being slidable between said two parallel disks in a radial direction; positioning means by which to effect a radial displacement of the push rods (8) simultaneously and through an identical distance; an external guide (11) divisible into a plurality of sections, each affording a slot (12) in which a pin (14) is inserted which is designed to permit and limit movement of the guide according to the shape of the slot; and an adjustment means, supported by an external frame (17), by which the guide (11) is radially movable with respect to the containers in correspondance of a change of the container diameter. A star wheel conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein the positioning means comprises a handwheel (4), rigidly associated with a shaft (3) carrying a keyed pinion (1) in mesh with a gear (2) that carries a plurality of pivots (6) each of which associated by way of a connecting rod (5) and a further pivot (7) with a corresponding push rod (8). A star whell conveyor as defined in the preceding claims, wherein the adjustment means comprises at least one handwheel (15) rotatable in a threaded support (18) rigidly associated with the external frame (17) of the wheel and impinging on a link plate (19) by which adjacent sections of the guide are interconnected. A star wheel conveyor as defined in the preceding claims, wherein the link plate (19) is connected to the guide (11) by way of two pins (20), each associated with one section. A star wheel conveyor as defined in the preceding claims, wherein for each push rod (8) there is provided a pair of side walls (21) between which the push rod is guided. Claims for the following Contracting States : DE, FR, GB, NL, SE An adjustable star wheel conveyor for containers of circular and non-circular section, comprising: two parallel disks (9, 9a) rotatable about a centre axis (22) and exhibiting a plurality of external peripheral recesses (10) matched to the external profile of the containers guided and conveyed by the wheel; a plurality of push rods (8), each impinging on a respective container (13), said push rods being installed in number equal to the number of recesses (10) and being slidable between the two disks in a radial direction; positioning means by which to effect a radial displacement of the push rods (8) simultaneously and through an identical distance in such a way to keep the contact with containers of different diameters without shifting the containers from their pitch circle, wherein said positioning means comprises a handweel (4), rigidly associated with a shaft (3) carrying a keyed pinion (1) in mesh with a gear (2) that carries a plurality of pivots (6) each of which associated by way of a connecting rod (5) and a further pivot (7) with a corresponding push rod (8); an external guide (11) divisible into a plurality of sections, each affording a slot (12) in which a pin (14) is inserted which is designed to permit and limit movement of the guide according to the shape of the slot; and an adjustment means, supported by an external frame (17), by which the guide (11) is radially movable with respect to the containers in correspondance of a change of the container diameter, without shifting containers from their pitch circle. A star wheel conveyor as defined in claim 1, wherein the adjustment means comprises at least one handwheel (15) rotatable in a threaded support (18) rigidly associated with the external frame (17) of the wheel and impinging on a link plate (19) by which adjacent sections of the guide are interconnected. A star wheel conveyor as defined in the preceding claims, wherein the link plate (19) is connected to the guide (11) by way of two pins (20), each associated with one section. A star wheel conveyor as defined in the preceding claims, wherein for each push rod (8) there is provided a pair of side walls (21) between which the push rod is guided.

Inventors: TINCATI FRANCO, TINCATI, FRANCO
Applicants: SARCMI SPA, SARCMI S.P.A.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: B65G47, B67C7