Patent GB-1225367-A (GB)
Title: Conveyor plant for containers
IPC: A24C5/352
Filed: 1968-03-25
Abstract: 1,225,367. Endless conveyers; lift trucks. HAUNI-WERKE KORBER & CO. K.G. 25 March, 1968 [25 March, 1967], No. 14170/68. Headings B8A and B8H. A cigarette packing machine 83 receives filled trays 89 at an upper tray station and delivers empty trays to a lower tray station 92. The filled trays are delivered by carriers 88 of an overhead conveyer 84 to a forked transfer platform 252. A system of limit switches in a control circuit (Fig. 11, not shown) causes the following sequence of events: A motor 239 rotates an arm 249 on which the platform 252 is mounted so that the trays are picked up from the carrier 88, the arm continuing to rotate until it is in the position shown in dotdash lines in Fig. 4a. A chain 61 (Fig. 3) is arranged to form a parallel motion mechanism to maintain the platform 252 (52 in Fig. 3) level. A motor 254 then rotates the platform 252 to the position shown in Fig. 5b. A further motor 228 causes the carrier to descend to the level of the runway 91 (Fig. 5b). At the end of this movement, interaction between a pin 64 (Fig. 3) and a member 73 causes movement of the parallel motion linkage chain 61 to bring the platform 252 from angled to horizontal position. As the platform 252 reaches the level of the station 92, a motor 96 acting via a rack 109, causes arms 98 to extend to the position shown in Fig. 5b, and then retract so as to draw the trays into the machine 83. The platform 252 descends to the station 91, where it receives the empty tray (Figs. 6a and 6b, not shown). The trays are then lifted to the level of the conveyer 84, and the platform is tilted to its angled position (Fig. 7a, not shown) to be picked up by a conveyer carrier 88. The transfer mechanism may be movable on rails (9) (Fig. 1, not shown) by a motor (16). Instead of being at upper and lower levels, the input and output of the machine 83 may be side-by-side (Fig. 8, not shown). The chain conveyer.-Each carrier 88 of the conveyer 84 is supported by a hook 146 which is pivoted at 144 to a conveyer trolley 136. The latter is secured by pivots 139, 141 to a conveyer chain 142. The hook 146 has a slot 148 for engaging the upper end of the carrier 88. When the latter is unloaded it is urged by a spring 151 into the position shown in full lines. Under the load of the trays it is positioned as shown in dot-dash lines. A member 156 rigid with the trolley 136 is adapted to engage a member 181 at a transfer station. This operates a relay (185d) (Fig. 13, not shown) and completes one of two parallel circuits to the motor 239. The platform 252 is thus rotated (at a station where empty trays are waiting), into line with the conveyer so that the carrier 88 picks up the trays. The hook is lowered by weight of the trays into the dot-dash position (Fig. 10). The arm 153 is now in a position to engage a lever 82 at a station needing empty trays. An electromagnet 176 (Fig. 9, and Fig. 13, not shown) is energized by the parallel circuit (Fig. 13) and this sets a pin 159 on the trolley 136 into a position in which it is able to engage a switch operating arm 174 at the tray-needing station. The trolley has its movement guided at a transfer station by a plate 164 which engages guide wheels 169, 171.