DEVICE FOR ARRANGING LYING OBJECTS INTO A ROW OF UPRIGHT OBJECTS

Abstract: A device for arranging objects fed in horizontally, such as filled bags, in the form of a row of contiguous upright objects comprises a rotor (3) with a number of pockets (4) which are connected to each other by projections, and supply and discharge conveyor means. The discharge conveyor means comprise at least one belt conveyor (5), the belts of which are guided over two deflection pulleys, at least one of which is bearing-mounted in such a way that the axis thereof substantially coincides with the axis of the rotor.

Description: DEVICE FOR ARRANGING LYING OBJECTS INTO A ROW OF UPRIGHT OBJECTS The invention relates to a device for arranging objects fed in horizontally, such as filled bags, in the form of a row. The object of the present invention is to design such a device so that the objects can be discharged in a compact row standing upright. According to the invention, the device mentioned in the preamble to this end comprises: a rotor with a number of pockets distributed with equal angular spacing around the circumference and projections extending between the pockets, the diameter of which projections - viewed in the direction of rotation - decreases gradually and at the position of a pocket increases with a jump, supply conveyor means for taking the objects in a horizontal position into the pockets, and discharge conveyor means for discharging the objects in a row in an upright position and grouped, which discharge conveyor means comprise a conveyor with a number of endless belts, each guided around two deflection pulleys, one of which is bearing-mounted in such a way that its axis substantially coincides with the axis of the rotor. The angular spacing between the pockets is preferably 90°, and the rotor consists of two wheels fitted on a common shaft, while the belts of the belt conveyor extend both between the discs of the rotor and on either side of the rotor. The supply conveyor for the objects can extend until it is between the wheels of the rotor. In order to ensure that the upright objects do not slide away, a band conveyor which has a conveyor surface with a high coefficient of friction can connect to the belt conveyor. The device can be regulated and controlled in a simple manner by making use of two sensors: a first sensor which establishes whether an object is entering a pocket and starts the drive motor for the rotor and that for the discharge belt conveyor, and a second sensor which establishes whether the rotor is approaching a rotation of 90°, stops the drive motor for the rotor, starts the motor for the belt conveyor and the discharge conveyor and makes the belt conveyor and the discharge conveyor move over the thickness of an object. The invention will now be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures, in which an exemplary embodiment is shown. Figure 1 shows a side view of the device. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the device. Figure 3 shows a more or less diagrammatic view of a part of the device. The device shown serves to arrange irregularly supplied bags (or other objects) filled with material, such as potato crisps, in the form of a row of contiguous upright bags. The device comprises an upward slanting supply conveyor 1 for the horizontal bags, a horizontal supply conveyor 2 which connects at its supply end to the discharge end of the conveyor 1 , a rotor 3 with four pockets 4 which have a mutual angular spacing of 90° relative to the axis of the rotor, discharge conveyor means in the form of a belt conveyor 5, the belts of which are guided around two deflection pulleys 6 and 7, and a discharge conveyor 8, the conveyor surface of which has a high coefficient of friction. Extending between each pair of pockets 4 is a projection, the diameter of which - viewed in the direction of rotation of the rotor - decreases gradually and at the position of a pocket increases with a jump. There are therefore four projections. The rotor 3 consists of two wheels 3 a and 3b driven on a common shaft. Between these wheels 3 a, 3b extend three belts of the belt conveyor 5, and three belts of the belt conveyor 5 also extend on the outside of each of the wheels 3 a and 3b. There are therefore in total nine belts. The common drive motor for the supply conveyors 1 and 2 is indicated by 9, the drive means for the rotor by 10, and the common drive means for the discharge conveyors 5 and 8 by 11. The transmissions between the motors and the deflection drive pulleys or the rotor 3 consist of straps, belts or chains. The four pockets 4 in the rotor 3 are provided with strips 12 running according to the line of contact of the rotor. Above the conveyor 2 is a sensor 13, which establishes whether a bag supplied by the conveyor 2 is entering a pocket 4 of the rotor 3 and gives a signal to the motor 10 to start the rotation of the rotor. A sensor 14 is placed near the rotor shaft, which sensor establishes whether the rotating rotor is reaching or approaching a position in which the rotor has made a rotation of 90°. The rotor motor 10 is brought to a standstill by means of a signal from the sensor 14, and the motor 11 is started and stopped in such a way that the movement of the upright bags takes place over the thickness thereof. What is important for the invention is that the axis of the deflection pulley 6 of the belt conveyor 5 substantially coincides with the axis of the rotor 3, so that the deflection pulley 6 rotates freely about the shaft of the rotor 3, and it is also ensured by means of the belt conveyor 5 that the belts can take over the bags fed in at the level of the axis of the rotor 3 of a pocket 4 and can support them with only small spaces between them over the entire width of the bags. The rotor 3 rotates discontinuously through an angle of 90° (or if there is a different number of pockets, through a different angle) and the discharge conveyors 5 and 8 move discontinuously over the thickness of a bag.

Claims: Claims 1. Device for arranging objects fed in horizontally, such as filled bags, in the form of a row of contiguous upright objects, comprising: a rotor (3) with a number of pockets (4) distributed with equal angular spacing around the circumference and projections extending between the pockets (4), the diameter of which projections - viewed in the direction of rotation - decreases gradually and at the position of a pocket increases with a jump, supply conveyor means (2) for taking the objects in a horizontal position into the pockets (4), and discharge conveyor means (5, 8) for discharging the objects in a row in an upright position and grouped, which discharge conveyor means comprise a conveyor (5) with a number of endless belts, each guided around two deflection pulleys (6, 7), one of which is bearing-mounted in such a way that its axis substantially coincides with the axis of the rotor (3). 2. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the rotor (3) consists of two wheels (3a, 3b) fitted on a common shaft, and the belts of the belt conveyor (5) extend both between the wheels (3a, 3b) of the rotor (3) and on either side of the rotor (3). 3. Device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the supply conveyor (2) extends until it is between the wheels (3a, 3b) of the rotor (3). 4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a band conveyor (8) which has a conveyor surface with a high coefficient of friction connects to the belt conveyor (5). 5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a first sensor (13) which establishes whether an object is entering a pocket (4) and starts the drive motor (10) for the rotor (3), and a second sensor (14) which establishes whether the rotor (3) is approaching an angle of rotation corresponding to the angular spacing between the pockets, stops the drive motor (10) for the rotor (3) and starts the motor (11) for the belt conveyor (5) and the discharge conveyor (8), in such a way that the belt conveyor (5) and the discharge conveyor (8) transport the objects over substantially the thickness of an object. 6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the angular spacing between the pockets is 90°.

Inventors: PRAKKEN BOUWE, PRAKKEN, BOUWE
Applicants: PRAKKEN BOUWE, PRAKKEN, BOUWE
Application year: 1998
Main classification: B65G47
IPC codes: B65G47