Abstract:
The invention concerns a device and a process for automatic feeding of a treatment facility with sausages ( 12 ) with a release station ( 10 ) continuously providing sausages ( 12 ) and a conveyor device ( 18 ) for transporting the sausages ( 12 ) from the release station ( 10 ) to a feed station ( 20 ). For an automated operation with high through-put, it is proposed that the conveyor device ( 18 ) includes a number of conveyor bands ( 16 ) branching via at least one branch point ( 14 ) for the provision of parallel sausage columns ( 56 ) to the feed station ( 20 ).

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention concerns a device and a process for the automatic supplying or provisioning of a processing station with sausages or the like charge or feed materials, in which a release station continuously provides sausages and a conveyor device transports the sausages from the release station to a feed station.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    In the manufacture of sausage products it is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,354,230 to hang sausages in the form of joined sausage strings over smoke sticks on hook devices of a chain conveyor and to transfer these to a subsequent processing station for example for cooking, smoking and cooling. It is considered to be a disadvantage therein, that the sausages must be prepared in the string form and transported, which incurs besides the high labor investment also difficulties during the transfer between individual conveyors.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Beginning therewith it is the task of the present invention to supply sausages or other consumer goods automatically with high through-put and substantially without interruption to a treatment station.  
           [0006]    For the solution to this task there is proposed a device and a process for automatic feeding of a treatment facility with sausages ( 12 ) with a release station ( 10 ) continuously providing sausages ( 12 ) and a conveyor device ( 18 ) for transporting the sausages ( 12 ) from the release station ( 10 ) to a feed station ( 20 ). For an automated operation with high through-put, it is proposed that the conveyor device ( 18 ) includes a number of conveyor bands ( 16 ) branching via at least one branch point ( 14 ) for the provision of parallel sausage columns ( 56 ) to the feed station ( 20 ).  
           [0007]    The task is solved with respect to the apparatus therein, that the conveyor device includes a plurality of conveyor bands branching via at least one distribution branch or switch point or diverter for the parallel provisioning of sausage columns at the feed station. As a result of the branching it is possible to divide or fragment a continuous conveyor material stream into individual strands or, as the case may be, columns, and subsequently to prepare these in parallel conveyor branches, so that sufficient transition time is provided in order to supply a treatment station and, in particular, a basket conveyor.  
           [0008]    According to one particularly preferred embodiment of the invention at least one conveyor band includes at least one band segment which transitions from a flat cross-section into a V-shaped cross section band segment in a central area for orienting or directing the sausages in the transport direction. Thereby, those errors in directional distribution or alignment during feeding-in or distributing the material being conveyed are reliably prevented, which during further transfer result in a disruption of the entire facility, in that diagonally oriented sausages are imparted a force for orientation in a transport direction on the basis of the changing conveyor band geometry. This can be preferably achieved thereby, that at least one conveyor band includes an upper leader or strand between the V-shaped middle segment and flat end segments, said upper leader or strand varying in its flank pitch or rise or inclination or taper. A further improvement is achieved thereby, that at least one conveyor band formed as the centering band includes two band bands running parallel, guided horizontally over a segment and preferably in a central segment tilted V-shaped relative to each other.  
           [0009]    A particularly high through-put can be achieved when the conveyor bands connect the depository station with the supply station in the manner of a tree or branch structure with multiple transition or delivery points.  
           [0010]    In order to make possible a transport with as little damage as possible, it is of advantage when the distribution branches include a blow jet acted upon by compressed air and oriented transverse to the transport direction of the entering sausages, for transferring sausages between two further conveying conveyor bands. In order to act upon the sausages with compressed air over the largest possible effect or area, it is advantageous, when the blow jets have a longitudinal emission slit oriented for blowing against the longitudinal surface of the entering sausages.  
           [0011]    In order to have a substantially problem-free direction-changing by means of the blow jets, it is advantageous, when air directing sheet metal is provided on the distribution branches for redirecting compressed air between a blowing direction oriented transverse to the transport direction of the sausage and a blowing direction running in the transport direction.  
           [0012]    Preferably the sausages are selectively distributable via the distribution branches from an incoming conveyor band onto either a continuous conveyor band or a branching-off conveyor band. Therein the deviating conveyor band can exhibit a vertical band for directing or guiding the detoured sausages sideways, in order to provide for a quieting-down of the stream of goods. A further advantageous embodiment envisions that the continuous conveyor band includes a band start segment which lies flat and is preferably higher than the branching-off conveyor band.  
           [0013]    The band geometry can be simply adapted in that the conveyor bands respectively exhibit two individual bands running next to each other with sideways separation.  
           [0014]    Basically it is also possible, for the directing of the conveyed goods in the transport direction, that the individual bands are driven with transport speeds which are different from each other.  
           [0015]    In order to make possible an automated operation, it is advantageous to provide a light barrier or light shutter which can be tripped by sausages transported upon one of the conveyor bands. Therein it is advantageous when, prior to the distribution branching points, and in certain cases at the end of the further conveying conveyor band, respectively one light barrier is provided which can be triggered by the there-through passing sausages, and when the distribution branches are controllable by means of a control unit depending upon the output signals of the light barriers.  
           [0016]    In order to control the distribution of the sausages into columns, a counter is connected downstream of the light barrier for determination of a predetermined number of sausages transported in a row. Alternatively, it is possible to determine a predetermined column length of sausages transported in a row, and to employ a timing mechanism trigerable by the light barriers.  
           [0017]    It is advantageous in the case of a disturbance and in particular in the case of a jam in a conveyor branch to have a blow-out station for the sideways discharging of sausages from the concerned conveyor using compressed air.  
           [0018]    For influencing the length of the column and for controlling the deflection, in particular for an optimal supplying of conveyor baskets, it is advantageous when the opposing distances and/or the transfer duration of the sequential transported sausages are adjustable via a conveyor band which, as a buffer band, is changeable in its transport speed.  
           [0019]    Advantageously, in the area of the supply station, there are arranged conveyor bands which can be braked to a standstill for readying respectively individual sausage columns preferably parallel to each other. Thereby the sausage columns can respectively be transferred through one associated transfer unit to abasket conveyor running through the processing facility.  
           [0020]    A further advantageous embodiment envisions that the transfer movement of the transfer unit is controllable via a drive device, in particular control signals taken from a chain drive of the basket conveyor. Thereby the synchronization is simplified and, in particular, registry errors on the basis of a possible movement tolerance of the individual conveyor baskets is avoided.  
           [0021]    A further improvement is achieved thereby, that the sausage columns can respectively be bumped by a pusher or bumper from a conveyor band sideways into conveyor baskets guided thereby, and that the bumper pushers are moveable back and forth by means of an electro-motor driven eccentric drive.  
           [0022]    In respect to the process, the task of the invention is solved thereby, that the sausages are subdivided via a plurality of branching band conveyors over at least one distribution branch and column-wise are furnished at the supply station.  
           [0023]    A further variation of the invention envisions that the sausages during the transport are oriented or directed in the transport direction by passing through conveyor band sections varying in flank pitch and forming a trough or cradle shaped conveyor band. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0024]    In the following the invention will be described in greater detail on the basis of the illustrative embodiment shown in schematic manner in the drawings. There is shown  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 1 an arrangement for automatic supplying a processing station with sausages in side view;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 two branching conveyor bands of the device according to FIG. 1 in an enlarged side view;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 3 a branch point according to FIG. 2 with branch off point in top view;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 a branch point in cross-section perpendicular to the transport direction;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 a V-shaped central segment of a conveyor band in cross-sections;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIGS. 6 through 8 a supply station for supplying conveyor baskets passing through the processing facility in side view, top view and a vertical section. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0031]    The arrangement illustrated in the drawing makes possible the supplying of a continuously working processing facility in particular for cooking, smoking and cooling of sausages. It is comprised essentially of a deposit or release station  10  for sausages  12  and a conveyor device  18  comprising multiple conveyor bands  16  branching over distribution branch points  14  for the column-wise transport of the sausages from the release station to a supply or feeding installation  20 . The conveyor bands  16  thereby connect the feed station  10  with formation of a tree or branchlike branched conveyor band structure with multiple transfer points to the feed station  20 .  
         [0032]    As can best be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the conveyor bands  16  respectively comprise two individual bands  22 , which are driven by means of motor  28  to cycle spaced apart sideways from each other over redirection rollers  24  and drive rollers  26  in a not shown band framework. The sausages  12  are distributed via the distribution branch points  14  from an inlet or feed band conveyor  30  selectively to an aligned continuous conveyor band  32  or a (sideways) deviating or as the case may be branched off band conveyor  34 . For this purpose, at the branch points  14  there are respectively provided blow jets  36  acted upon by high pressure, which are oriented horizontally transverse to the transport direction of the sausages  12 . In order to form a high pressure impulse, the blow jets  36  are provided with a longitudinally extending flat outlet slit  38  acting against the longitudinal side of the incoming sausages  12 .  
         [0033]    The blow jets  36  are provided on the side beside the through-going conveyor band  32  and blow transverse over this band start-segment towards the branching off conveyor bands  34 . The latter are provided with a diagonally oriented impingement sheet metal  40  and a flow redirecting sheet metal  42  tilted slightly from the horizontal and forming a covering, in order to redirect the air stream in the transport direction (FIGS. 3, 4). For the reliable transmission of the sausages  12  the band start point  44  of the through going conveyor band  32  is oriented flat and lies higher than the horizontal band  34  of the branching off conveyor band  34 . A further improvement is achieved thereby, that the branching off conveyor band  34  includes a vertical band  48  guiding the redirected sausages  12  sideways.  
         [0034]    As can particularly be seen from FIG. 5, for centering the sausages  12  in the therefore provided conveyor bands  16  a V-shaped center segment  50  is formed by the individual bands  22  guided over a cradle-shaped support framework  52 . By the varying flank pitch beginning from the flat band start  44 , diagonal sausages  12  are given an impulse, which leads to a centering in the band center and orientation in the transport direction. Such centering bands are provided in the deposit station  10  and also all branches, whereby the through-going conveyor band  32  and a further conveyor  32 ′, connected to the branching conveyor band  34  are appropriately designed.  
         [0035]    In order to control the transport process and particularly the distribution points  14 , light barriers or shutters  54  which can be triggered by the passing transported sausages  12  are provided at the end areas of the conveyor bands  16 , of which the output signals are supplied to a not-shown control unit or, as the case may be, control computer. Therewith it is also possible, besides controlling deviation or detours, in the case of a jam or tie-up, to activate a not shown blow-off station for the sideways blowing off of the sausages  12  from a conveyor band  16 . This can occur above all my means of the recognition of a jam or tie-up by light barriers  54 , so that the transport over the not impacted (tied-up) conveyor paths can continue to be maintained active.  
         [0036]    For forming of sausage columns  56  the control computer includes a counter mechanism, which after determining a predetermined number of sausages  12  transported past the light barrier  54  in sequence, causes redirection at an appropriate redirection point  14 . Alternative to this, it is also possible to determine the length of a sausage column  56  by a timer started by a light barrier  54 , wherein after passage of a time interval likewise a distribution branch point  14  is switched.  
         [0037]    In order to be able to change the spacing of the sausages  12  transported in columns, in each conveyor branch a conveyor band  16  is provided as a buffer band  58 , which can be operated with differing or variable transport speed.  
         [0038]    Connected to the buffer band  58  there is provided, downstream from each buffer band  58 , in the area of the feed station  20 , conveyor bands which can be braked until they stand still as transfer conveyors  60 . In order to guarantee a secure or reliable in-feed to this area, the starting segment is respectively flanked by two bands  62  running about vertical redirection rollers (FIGS. 6, 7).  
         [0039]    The transfer conveyors  60  oriented parallel to each other define thus the transfer points at which the sausage columns prepared in a not shown processing facility are brought to a continuous basket conveyor  64 . As can be seen from FIGS. 7 and 8, the basket conveyor  64  includes a number of longitudinally extending conveyor baskets  66  which are C-shaped in cross-section, which at their ends are carried parallel to each other via conveyor chains  70  guided on chain wheels  68 .  
         [0040]    At each transfer conveyor  60  one transfer unit  70  is provided, which essentially is comprised of an eccentric drive  74  driven by an electric motor  72  and a bumper or pusher  78  coupled therewith and going back and forth via a knuckle lever rod  76 .  
         [0041]    During the operation of the above described conveyor system sausage strands extruded at the release station  10  are divided at a cutting wheel  80  and the thus formed individual sausages  12  are continuously deposited in a row upon a first conveyor band  16 . At the subsequent branch point  14  there occurs then by appropriate redirection or deflection a column-wise distribution of the sausages  12 , of which the column length is again halved at the second branching in the respective conveyor branch. Any misdirection or mis-orientation of the sausages  12  at the transfer points of the conveyor bands  16  are corrected by the V-shaped band segment  50  in the course of the further transport. The synchronization of the transfer of the simultaneously conveyed prepared sausage columns  56  can occur thereby, that the motor  72  of the driver  72 ,  74  of the pusher  78  is driven depending upon control signals which are taken from the chain drive  68 ,  70  by means of suitable detection elements.  
         [0042]    Essentially the inventive conveyor system is also employable by the processing of other piece-meal consumables such for example poultry.