METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING A PLASTIC BODY ON TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE

Abstract: In a method for placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body (1) on a support (3), the body (1) is received by a means arranged immediately above the support (3). Then, the means (8) is opened, and the thus released body (1) is moved by gravity onto the support (3). Then, the means (8) is closed to receive another body (1'). A device for implementing the method comprises a means (8) which has a first half in the form of an openable flap (10). When the flap (10) is opened, the body (1) is released, and moved by gravity onto the support (3).

Description: METHOD AND DEVICE FOR TRANSFERRING A PLASTIC BODY ON TO A SUPPORTING SURFACE. The present invention relates to a method and a device for transferring a body onto a support, in parti¬ cular for placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body on a support in such a manner that the desired shape is imparted to the body during this opera¬ tion. The inventive device is especially suitable for use between a dough-moulding means and a freezer or an oven, in which case the easily deformable and plastically mould¬ able bodies are elongate, bendable and preferably cylin¬ drical pieces of dough. One embodiment of the inventive device is particular- ly suitable as a sorting machine, especially when changing from a broad conveyor to a narrow one, in which case ran¬ domly placed products are oriented and uniformly placed on the narrow conveyor. US-A-1,929,919, SE-US-342,543, US-A-3,860,105, FI-B- 62,205 and CH-A5-571,310, among others, disclose devices for transferring such bodies onto supports. A general problem within this area is the fact that the bodies after first having been moulded must keep their shape during transport between a dough-moulding machine and, for instance, a freezer or an oven. The consistency of the bodies makes it extremely difficult to transfer them from e.g. one conveyor onto another without at the same time ruining their shape. None of the " above-mentioned specifications provides a satisfactory solution to these problems, and instead fur- ther difficulties of a different nature are encountered. • One object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a method and a device for gently placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body on a support. Another object of the invention is to impart the desired shape to the bodies during this operation. Further, the inventive device must have a high trans¬ fer capacity which is dependent on and controlled by the number of products discharged by the product-making machine. According to the invention, these and other objects are achieved by a method for placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body on a support, said method being characterised by the steps of receiving said body in a trough-shaped moulding means disposed immediately above the area where said body is to be placed; opening said trough-shaped means .to release said body so as to move by gravity onto the support; and closing said trough-shaped means. To achieve these objects and carry out the inventive method, the invention provides a device for placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body on a sup¬ port, said device being characterised by a trough-shaped means adapted to initially receive said body, and having a first half in the form of an openable flap as well as being disposed immediately above the area where said body is to be placed, said body moving by gravity onto the sup¬ port after the flap has been opened. Advantageous embodiments and improvements of the invention are stated in the subclaims. For instance, detectors sensing the presence of a body may be arranged, in which case a control unit operates the opening and closing of the trough-shaped means in response to signals generated by the detectors. The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment, which.will be described in more detail below, of the inventive device for placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body on a support. In the drawings Fig. 1 is a side view of the inventive device which here is intended to transfer bodies from a conveyor on a first level onto a conveyor on a second level, Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a wall or flap of the inventive device, and Figs. 3a-f are schematic side views illustrating dif ferent sequences of the transfer operation. Fig. 1 shows a number of bodies 1 of dough supported by an upper, first conveyor 2 or a lower, second conveyor 3. The conveyors 2 and 3 are substantially horizontal, an the second conveyor 3 is located at a distance from and below the first conveyor 2. In this case, the bodies 1 ar elongate, bendable loaves of bread having a diameter of about 30 mm and a length of about 700 mm. The first con¬ veyor 2, optionally connected to a product-moulding machine (not shown), has a feeding direction, indicated b an arrow 4, which goes away from the moulding machine and coincides with the feeding direction of the second con¬ veyor 3, indicated by an arrow 5. The second conveyor may be connected to a freezer or an oven (not shown), in whic case the feeding directions 4 and 5 are at right angles t the longitudinal axis of the bodies 1. Preferably, both conveyors have the same, constant feeding rate. The secon conveyor 3 is so arranged underneath the first conveyor 2 that a terminal roller 6 of the second conveyor 3 facing away from the freezer or oven is located at a distance from and below a terminal roller 7 of the first conveyor 2 facing away from the moulding machine, the longitudinal axes of the terminal rollers 6 and 7 being parallel and located in a-common vertical plane. A means 8, which is arranged between the two con¬ veyors 2 and 3, ϊs intended to receive a body 1 which, at the terminal roller 7 -, drops from the first conveyor 2, and to place bodies which in this case are completely straight on the second conveyor 3. In the embodiment described herein, the means 8 main¬ ly consists of two flaps 9 and 10 which are movable side- ways, and preferably have the shape shown in Fig. 2. The flaps 9 and 10 are arranged transversely of the feeding directions 4 and 5 of the conveyors and form, in a first position shown in Figs. 1, 3a and 3b, an elongate, V-shaped trough substantially closed towards the second conveyor and having a length corresponding to that of th products to be transferred. By means of hinges 11 and 12 the upper ends of the flaps 9 and 10 are connected to rigid machine elements. The hinges 11 and 12 form pivot pins 13 and 14 for the flaps 9 and 10. The pivot pins 13 and 14 are substantially parallel to the longitudinal ax of the terminal rollers 6 and 7. As mentioned above, the flaps 9 and 10 can take up a closed first position, in which their lower -ends meet or at least are situated in close vicinity to one another. In this position, a body 1 is received and com¬ pletely straightened. In a second position, the lower ends of the flaps 9 and 10 are situated at a distance from one another, i.e. an opening in the trough is form¬ ed immediately above the second conveyor 3, and this opening allows the body 1 to pass, i.e. the body is placed on the second conveyor 3. For reasons to be explained further below, the drop between the trough-shaped means 8 and the second conveyo 3 can be very short. Thus, any deformation of the body 1 is effectively prevented. To enable operation of the first flap 9, the latter is equipped with an attachment 15 which in turn is con¬ nected to an operating means 17, here a remote-controlled pneumatic or hydraulic piston-cylinder unit, the piston 1 being connected to the attachment 15 and the cylinder 18 being fixed to a machine element. As will be apparent from the following description o the second flap 10, it is preferred, albeit not strictly necessary, that the first flap 9 is movable, i.e. can be turned aside, to obtain the desired technical effect. As mentioned above, it is absolutely necessary to reduce the drop d as much as possible in order to preserv the shape of the body 1. Since the flap 10 is arranged in front of the body 1, as seen in the direction of movement of said body on the lower conveyor 3 and since the lower end of the flap also in the open position of the trough- shaped means is situated immediately above the second con veyor 3, the second flap 10 must have several degrees of freedom and not only be p otable about the pin 14. In the embodiment of Fig. 1, the flap 10 is therefor provided with a substantially horizontal strut 19, one en of which is fixed to the upper part of the flap 10, in th immediate vicinity of the hinge 12, and which extends in the feeding direction 5 of the conveyor 3. An attachment 20 extending upwardly in vertical direction is fixedly connected to the strut 19 and movably connected to an ope¬ rating means 22, which here is a remote-controlled, pneu¬ matic or hydraulic piston-cylinder unit having a piston 21, which is connected to the attachment 20, and a cylin¬ der 23, which is articulated to a member 24 which, in ver¬ tical direction, is displaceable within a downwardly open sleeve 26, a part of the member 24 being connected to the hinge 12. Between the displaceable member 24 and the inner top surface of the sleeve, there is arranged yet another operating means 25 which also may be a remote-controlled, pneumatic or hydraulic piston-cylinder unit having a pis¬ ton 27 which is articulated to the displaceable member 24 in the immediate vicinity of the point of attachment of the cylinder 23, the cylinder 28 associated with the pis¬ ton 27 being movably connected to the inner top surface of the sleeve. The reasons for making such an arrangement will be apparent from the following description. Fig. 2 illustrates a preferred cross-section of the flap 9, which also is applicable to the flap 10 with which the flap 9 has a symmetrical relationship. The profile of the flap 9 is formed of an upper, concave portion 29 in the form of a circular arc having a radius r. and an angle . The lower end of the portion 29 passes into a lower, convex portion 30 in the form of a circular arc having a radius T-, and an angle β . When transferring loaves of bread of the above dimensions, it is preferred that r. = r 2 = 65 mm, α = 45°, and β = 15°. This design of the flaps 9, 10 ensures gentle handl¬ ing of the bodies of dough dropping from the first con- veyor 2 at the terminal roller 7, since the concave, first portion 29 of the flaps 9 and 10 forms a roll-down surface for the bodies 1. Further, the design of the flaps 9 and 10 ensures that the body 1 is gently placed on the second conveyor 3, and also that bent bodies, if any, are straightened. before being placed on the conveyor connected to the freezer or the oven. To control opening and closing of the flaps 9 and 10, a detector 31 is arranged straight above the trough-shaped means 8 and another detector 32 is arranged above the second conveyor 3, at a distance from the trough-shaped means 8. Signals depending on the position of the body 1 are generated by the detectors 31 and 32 and supplied to a central or control unit actuating, in response to these signals, the operating means 17, 22 and 25 to control opening and closing of the flaps 9 and 10. The function of the inventive device will be describ¬ ed in the following with reference to Figs. 3a-f, where like numerals refer to like parts. Fig. 3a shows an elongate bendable body 1 at the end 7 of the first conveyor 2 facing away from the moulding machine. The trough-shaped means is closed, i.e. the operating means 17, 22 and 25 are in a first position in which the flaps 9 and 10 are closed, and the hinges 11 and 12 of the flaps 9 and 10 are situated on the same level. As shown in Fig. 3a, the « lower ends of the flaps 9, 10 do not contact one another, but the narrow opening thus form¬ ed 'in the bottom of the trough-shaped means is smaller than the diameter of the body 1, and said body is thus received and maintained in the trough-shaped means 8. This is shown in Fig. 3b. The distance d between the lower end of the through-shaped means and the second conveyor 3 is no more than 10-15 mm, i.e. much less than the diameter of the body 1. The conveyors 2 and 3 preferably have the same, constant feeding rate of 3 m/min. The body 1 received by the trough-shaped means 8 is straightened, and remains between the lower portions 30 of the flaps 9, 10. The detector 31 * senses the presence of a body 1 in the trough-shaped means 8, and generates a signal which is supplied to the control unit. After a given stabilisation time, the control unit actuates the operating means 17 and 22, and the trough-shaped means 8 is opened by pivoting the flaps 9 and 10 about the pivot pins 13 and 1 * 4. The rapid opening operation and the design of the lower por¬ tions 30 of the flaps 9 and 10 prevent all damage to the soft body 1 which falls but a short distance onto the second conveyor 3. It should be observed that the flaps 9 and 10 need not open at the same speed, but the respective speeds may be chosen independently of one another and as a function of the product. The flap 9 at the terminal rol¬ lers 6, 7 may even be immobile, and serve as a roll-down or sliding surface. However, it is not sufficient to open the flaps 9 and 10 (or, as the case may be, only the flap 10), since the flap 10 also in its open position prevents a body 1 placed on the conveyor 3 from passing, owing to the short dis- tance d to the second conveyor 3. Therefore, the operating means 25 is actuated simultaneously with the operating means 17, 22 or a certain time after these means have been actuated. By actuating " the operating means 25, the displaceable member 24, and consequent * ly also the flap 10 and the ope- rating means 22 connected to said member 24, are displaced upwardly in vertical direction, the displacement stretch being chosen in such a manner that a space is formed between the lower edge of the flap 10 and the second con- veyor 3 that exceeds the diameter of the body 1. This position is illustrated in Fig. 3d. The continuous movement of the conveyor 3 causes the body 1 to pass under the raised flap 10 which still is open. When the body has passed the critical area under¬ neath the flap 10, it is sensed by the second detector 32 which generates a signal which is supplied to the control unit. In response to this signal, the control unit actuates the operating means 17 and 22, resulting in that the flaps 9 and 10 take up their first-mentioned, closed position. This is illustrated in Fig. 3e. After or simultaneous with this operation, also the operating means 25 is actuated, and the displaceable mem¬ ber, and consequently also the flap 10 and the means 22 operating said flap, are displaced downwardly to the ini¬ tial position for receiving the next body 1' delivered by the first conveyor 2. This position, which is illustrated in Fig. 3f, corresponds to that shown in Fig. 3a. It will be appreciated by the expert that a detector may also be arranged above the first conveyor 2 to sense the positions of the bodies 1 on the first conveyor. Sig- nals generated by this detector may be used for control¬ ling the feeding rate of the first conveyor 2 in such a manner that this is adapted to that of the second conveyor 3, as well as to the feeding-out rate of the moulding machine. This feature is especially useful when changing from a broad conveyor to a narrow one, as well as when the products are batchwise pretreated in, for instance, a blancher or a deep-fryer. Furthermore, it should be pointed out that the invention may also be used for other types of products, and that the means 8 may be given a shape corresponding to the desired shape of the product. Also, the support 3 need not be a conveyor, but may consist of an inclined plane, in which case the body placed on the support is removed by the action of gravity. Moreover, the feeding to the transfer means may be carried out in any optional manner, i.e. the conveyor 2 is only one of many conceivable means therefor. It is to be under¬ stood that all amendments and modifications within the scope of the inventive idea are embraced by the protectiv scope afforded by the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A method for placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body on a support with the aid of a means (8) arranged above the area where said body is to be placed, said body being moved by gravity onto the support (3) upon opening of said means (8) which comprises two halves in the form of flaps (9, 10) which are pivotable about pivot pins (13, 14) parallel to the support (3), whereby a trough is formed, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by the steps of arranging at least one flap (10) to be movable also in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support (3), and controlling the movements of the flaps (9, 10) as a function of signals generated by detectors (31, 32) and depending on the position of said body. 2. A device for placing an easily deformable and plastically mouldable body (1) on a support (3) with the aid of a means (8) which comprises two halves in the form of openable flaps (9, 10) and is arrranged immediately above the area where said body (1) is to be placed, said body (1) being moved by gravity onto the support (3) upon opening of said means (8), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that a distance (d) between the lower edges of the flaps (9, 10) and the support (3) is smaller than the diameter of said body (1), and that the flap (10) forming the first half of said means (8) is movable also in a direc- tion substantially perpendicular to the support (3) to allow said body (1) to pass underneath the lower edge of the flap (10). 3. The device of claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s ¬ e d by operating means (17, 22) for opening and closing the flaps (9, 10), said operating means being actuated by a control unit. 4. The device of claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i s ¬ e d in that the means (22) for operating the first flap (10) is connected to a displaceably mounted member (24), and that said member (24), and consequently also the flap (10) and the means (22) operating the flap (10), are dis¬ placed in a direction substantially perpendicular to the support (3) by actuation of an operating means (25) dis¬ posed between said member (24) and a point of attachment of the device. 5. The device of any one of claims 2-4, c h a ¬ r a c t e r i s e d in that the halves or flaps (9, 10) of said means (8) are symmetrical in relation to a cross- section formed by an upper, concave portion (29) which merges into a lower, convex portion (30), thus ensuring gentle handling and moulding of said body (1). 6. The device of claim 4 or 5, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i s e d in that a detector (31) disposed above said means (8) and a detector (32) disposed above the support (3) outside the pivot range of the flap (10) generate signals which depend on the position of said body and are supplied to a central or control unit actuating, in response to said signals, the operating means (17, 22, 25) to control the movements of the flaps (9, 10). 7. The device of any one of claims 2-6, c h a - r a c t e r i s e d in that the support (3) is a conveyor associated with a freezer or an oven, and that the operat¬ ing means (17, 22, 25) are pneumatic or hydraulic piston- cylinder units.

Inventors: DUPORTAIL ALAIN, DUPORTAIL, ALAIN
Applicants: FRIGOSCANDIA FOOD PROCESS SYST, FRIGOSCANDIA FOOD PROCESS SYSTEMS AB
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A21C9
IPC codes: A21C9