Patent GB-1250272-A (GB)
IPC: B65B25/02
Filed: 1969-01-23
Abstract: 1,250,272. Packaging articles loosely in containers. J. A. DE GREEF. 23 Jan., 1969 [14 Feb., 1968], No. 3833/69. Heading B8C. A device for filling a case 4 with agricultural products comprises a frame 1 a carrier 3 for receiving the case during filling, the carrier during the filling operation being adapted to be moved by the increasing weight of the contents of the case against the action of a compensator from an initial position to a final position the carrier being coupled to the compensator by means of a flexible member which extends over the curve of a curved member, the curve increasing in radius so that the moment of force applied to the carrier by the compensator and the curved member acting together increases as the case becomes filled to enable the case to be filled evenly. In the device shown the carrier is fixed to a shaft 2 which is carried by the frame 1 and in the initial position the carrier is disposed so that the case 4 has its bottom 20 vertically disposed whereas in the filled position the carrier swings so that the bottom of the case is nearly horizontal. The curved member 5 is carried by a shaft 47 and is coupled to the shaft 2 by a chain transmission so that while the carrier 3 swings through an angle of about 80 degrees the curved member 5 swings through an angle of about 250 degrees. The flexible member is a chain 7 and in the construction shown a counterweight is used which is attached to one end of the chain. The carrier is also connected to the frame via a damper 13 which has no effect during the filling operation but controls the return movement of the carrier to its initial position. The products to be packed in the case are supplied to the case by a belt 16 which is carried on rollers in a frame 14 which is pivotally attached by ears 15 to the frame 1; the frame 14 also carries a pair of rollers 40 which bear on the shaft 2 to support the free end portion of the frame 14. The products to be packed are supplied to the belt 16 by a shoot 17 and their movement is controlled to some degree by a strip 18 of rubber which is disposed above the belt 16 and which engages the products and helps to guide them into the case. When the end 21 of the curved member passes the position in which it is horizontally aligned with the axis of the shaft 47 the moment of force applied to the carrier 3 decreases instead of increases and for the final part of its movement towards the substantially horizontal position the case and carrier move quickly; this causes a latch bolt 22 to engage a projection 23 of the carrier againstthe bias of a counterweight 25. The bolt in its engaging movement operates a switch 26 which switches off an electric motor 27 which drives the supply belt 16 via gearing 28 and switches on a driving motor (not shown) of a belt conveyer 29. Empty cases are disposed on the conveyer 29 and are taken along by drivers 30; the end case on the conveyer 29 engages the case which has been filled and pushes it on to a constantly driven delivery belt (32); to enable this to be done the front and rear of the carrier 3 are open although the rear has two spring loaded supports which support the case when the carrier is vertical but which are pushed out of the way by the empty case; they swing back into the supporting position when the empty case is on the carrier. The driver 30 after it has pushed the empty case on to the carrier operates a switch 35 which switches on an electromagnet 36 for releasing the bolt 22; the switch 35 also switches off the driving motor of the conveyer 29. When the bolt 22 has released the carrier the counterweight 9 causes the carrier 3 to move with the empty case to the initial position in which the bottom of the case is vertical. The movement of the case to the vertical position switches on the motor 27 for the supply belt 16 via a switch (37). The fresh case is then filled. In a modification the empty cases can be moved by hand instead of by a conveyer. The effective length of the curved member can be adjusted to allow for packing cases of different lengths; this is achieved by forming the member in two parts one part (43) being carried by a pivoted arm, the arm being connected by means of a link with the other part of the member 5, the link having a slot (41) and the arm having a screw which passes through the slot the arm being fastened in its adjusted position by a wing nut. The other part (44) of the member 5 can also be adjusted in relation to the shaft 47 since it is pivotally connected to an arm (48) carried by the shaft and its position is determined by a screw (49) passing through a nut fixed to the shaft. Additional members (45) can also be added to the counterweight 9 if desired. When a spring is substituted for the counterweight the curvature of the member 5 is varied so that the radius increases less from one end to the other than with the member 5 used for a counterweight in view of the increase in tension of the spring with increasing length.