Patent Publication Number: US-2013247511-A1

Title: Automated loader

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/615,412, filed on Mar. 26, 2012, and from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/618,020, filed Mar. 30, 2012, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a device for moving material from one location to another. The invention relations more specifically to an automated device for loading material into a bag, net, or tube. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved ramming mechanism for loading material into a bag, net, or tube. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ramming mechanisms are conventionally used to move materials from one location to another. A ram is used in automated loaders, such as, for example, the automated poultry loader described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,310, Poly-stretch Bagger System with Hocking Pusher, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein. A whole dressed bird, such as a chicken, is presented adjacent two horns. The two horns move inside a plastic bag and hold the bag open while a ram forward strokes to push the chicken into the bag. The ram continues its forward stroke to push the now-bagged chicken through the space between the horns for the next processing step, such as clipping of the bag. The ram then reverse stroke to return to its original location. 
     Conventional rams use air cylinders to power the forward and reverse strokes. Air cylinders are easy to build and maintain and plant air supplies are common. Modern air cylinders use air actuation for both the forward stroke and the reverse stroke. These types of air cylinders, however, are slow, as it takes time to fill each cylinder with air. Some air cylinders use a spring for the reverse stroke and these types are slow as well. Additionally, the longer the length of a stroke, the more wear there is on the air cylinder and the more maintenance problems that result. 
     A faster ramming mechanism is attractive to manufacturers who have to move material from one place to another, in particular but not limited to those manufacturers who wish to move material into a bag, tube, and/or net. Additionally, devices that allow for the use of an air cylinder operating over a shorter distance will be attractive to these same users. The present invention addresses some of the issues of the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A ramming mechanism moves material from one location to another. A ram carriage is mounted on a belt conveyor and moves from a first location to a second location. An air cylinder is mounted on the ram carriage and a piston arm strokes in forward and reverse directions. 
    
    
     
       A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an automated loader as known in the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan schematic view of another automated loader as known in the prior art. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of the preferred embodiment of the automated loader of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an elevation view of the automated loader of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is another elevation view of the automated loader of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is another elevation view of the automated loader of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is another elevation view of the automated loader of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 8A  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the ram cylinder of the automated loader of  FIG. 4  in a retracted position. 
         FIG. 8B  is a schematic view of an embodiment of the ram cylinder of the automated loader of  FIG. 4  in an extended position. 
         FIG. 9  is an elevation schematic view of the automated loader of another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is another view of the automated loader of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is another view of the automated loader of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 12  is another view of the automated loader of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 13  is another view of the automated loader of  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. The embodiments of the present invention will be described as part of an automated ramming mechanism to be incorporated in an automated poultry loader. The present invention, however, can also be used on loaders for bagging and/or netting whole poultry, cut-up poultry, or whole muscle meat products, on other applications in which a material is enclosed in a casing, bag, or netting, such as sealants, adhesives, and explosives, or for any other application in which a ramming mechanism is needed to move material from a first position to a second position. 
     A conventional poultry loader  20  as known in the prior art is shown in perspective view in  FIG. 1 . Loader  20  comprises in pertinent part a pair of horns  22 ,  24  mounted on a frame  26 . A bag carriage assembly  28  is configured to slide under frame  26 . A chicken  30  is presented between a first end  32  of horns  22 ,  24 , either by manual placement or by automated delivery, such as by a conveyor belt. A stack of bags  34  is mounted to carriage assembly  28  and secured thereon by a wicket  36 . An air blast slightly opens the top bag  34 , enough to permit entry of horns  22 ,  24 . Carriage assembly  28  slides under frame  26 , pulling top bag  34  over horns  22 ,  24 . Horn control mechanism  38  rotates horns  22 ,  24  to stretch bag  34 . Ram  40 , which is mounted on frame  26 , forward strokes to push chicken  30  into bag  34 , then continues to forward stroke to push chicken  30  against the bottom of bag  34 , causing the now bagged-chicken  30  to move through horns  22 ,  24 , causing bag  30  to tighten around chicken  30  as the combination bag-and-chicken come off horns  22 ,  24 . Ram  40  reverse strokes to its first position and waits for another chicken  30  to be delivered. Controller  42  is an analogue or digital controller that controls operation of the various moving parts of loader  20  in proper sequence. 
     A similar loader  120  known in the art is shown in schematic plan view in  FIG. 2 . Loader  120  comprises in pertinent part a pair of horns  122 ,  124  mounted on a frame  126 . A bag carriage assembly  128  is configured to slide under frame  126 . A chicken  130  is presented between horns  122 ,  124  and adjacent ram  140 , either by manual placement or by automated delivery, such as by a conveyor belt. A stack of bags  134  is mounted to carriage assembly  128  and secured thereon by a wicket  136 . An air blast slightly opens the top bag  134 , enough to permit entry of horns  122 ,  124 . Carriage assembly  128  slides under frame  126 , pulling top bag  134  over horns  122 ,  124 . Horn control mechanism  138  moves horns  122 ,  124  laterally to stretch bag  134 . Ram  140 , which is mounted on loader  28 , forward strokes to push chicken  130  into bag  134 , then continues to forward stroke to push chicken  130  against the bottom of bag  134 , causing the now bagged-chicken  130  to move through horns  122 ,  124 , causing bag  130  to tighten around chicken  130  as the combination bag-and-chicken come off horns  122 ,  124 . Ram  140  reverse strokes to its first position and waits for another chicken  130  to be delivered. Controller  142  is an analogue or digital controller that controls operation of the various moving parts of loader  120  in proper sequence. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a ramming mechanism  50  that replaces ram  40  in the above-described loader  20 , replaces ram  140  in the above-described loader  120 , or is used to any situation to move material from one location to another. Ramming mechanism  50  is shown in perspective view in  FIG. 3  and in schematic, elevation view, as attached to an automated loader  20 , in  FIGS. 4 through 7 . Ramming mechanism  50  comprises a ram carriage  52 , a belt assembly  54 , a ram cylinder  56 , a tail pusher  58 , and a hocking pusher  60 . 
     Belt assembly  54  has a rear pulley  62 , a forward pulley  64 , and a belt  66 . Preferably, forward pulley  64  is a drive pulley and rear pulley  62  is an idler pulley, but the drive could be on rear pulley  62  or on both pulleys  62 ,  64 . Both pulleys  62 ,  64  are mounted to frame  26  by conventional means, such as axle mounts. While two pulleys  62 ,  64  are shown and described, more than two pulleys can be provided, in addition, non-driven pulleys or rollers (not shown) can be provided between pulleys  62 ,  64 . 
     Belt  66  is a continuous loop made of rubber, plastic, metal or plastic mesh, or similar belt-type material, and rotates about pulleys  62 ,  64 . The axle mounts can either be outboard of belt  66  or there can be two belts  66 , with axle mounts between each belt. Forward drive pulley  64  is powered by an electric motor  68 , such as a servo motor, which is itself mounted to frame  26 . Motor  68  is coupled to controller  42 , either by control wires or wirelessly. 
     Ram carriage  52  is affixed to belt  66  and is movable with belt  66 . Motor  68  operates in a first direction to rotate belt  66  to move ram carriage  52  from a first position, remote from horns  22 ,  24 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , to a second position, adjacent horns  22 ,  24 , as shown in  FIGS. 7 through 9 . Motor  68  operates in second direction to rotate belt  66  to move ram carriage  52  back to the first position shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     Tail pusher  58  is a flat, elongated member mounted at its end distal to horns  22 ,  24  to the side of ram carriage  52  facing horns  22 ,  24 . Tail pusher  58  has a dovetail cutout  70  in its end proximal to horns  22 ,  24 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Ram cylinder  56  is also affixed to ram carriage  52  and moves with ram carriage  52 . Ram cylinder  56  is a conventional double-acting pneumatic cylinder, connected by plastic tubing  72  to a plant compressed air supply  74 . Ram cylinder  56  has a cylinder body  76 , a piston head  78 , and a piston arm  80  connected to piston head  78 . Piston head  78  and piston arm  80  are moveable within cylinder body  76 . Ram cylinder  56  is shown in schematic view in  FIG. 8A  in a retracted position (and connected via tubing  72  to air supply  74 ) and in  FIG. 8B  in an extended position. Preferably, a hocking pusher  60  is mounted to the end of piston arm  78 . Hocking pusher  60  is preferably a grabber assembly as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,310. 
     For food-loading operations, it is preferable that as many components of ramming mechanism  50  as possible be made of stainless steel. 
     In operation, ram carriage  52  is in its first position and piston  76  and piston arm  80  are retracted within cylinder body  74 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . A dressed chicken  30  is delivered to the space  84  between ram carriage  56  and horns  22 ,  24 , either by a plant worker or by a delivery means, such as a conveyor belt. Dressed chicken  30  is placed with its severed neck facing horns  22 ,  24  and its tail facing ram carriage  52 . Controller  42  causes motor  68  to rotate belt  66  to move ram carriage  52  forward from the first position to the second position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . This movement causes tail pusher  58  to contact the tail of chicken  30  and push the tail down, and to push chicken  30  from space  84  into the space  86  between horns  22 ,  24 , where it will encounter bag  34  held on horns  22 ,  24 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Controller  42  next causes ram cylinder  56  to actuate a forward stroke, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Piston arm  80  extends toward chicken  30  and hocking pusher  60  initially contacts the legs of chicken  30 , as the tail has been pushed down. As piston arm  80  continues its forward stroke, chicken  30  is pushed between horns  22 ,  24  and fully into bag  34 , until chicken  30  encounters the bottom of bag  34 . As piston arm  80  continues its forward stroke, bag  34 , now containing chicken  30 , is pushed off horns  22 ,  24 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . Bagged chicken  30  then proceeds for further processing, such as closing bag  34  with a clip. Controller  42  then causes piston arm  80  and piston head  78  to perform a reverse stroke to retract within cylinder body  76 . At the same time, motor  68  reverses and rotates belt  66  to cause ram carriage  52  to move back to its first position. 
     Because the movement of ram carriage  52  from its first position to its second position is accomplished faster by electric motor than an air cylinder could move the same distance using pneumatic pressure, the entire operation moves more quickly. Additionally, since the distance that piston arm  80  has to move is smaller than if there was no ram carriage, a smaller air-actuated cylinder can be used, at lower expense and lower maintenance cost. 
     Ramming mechanism  50  can be used in a variety of food-loading applications, including by way of example and not by way of limitation, a bagging/netting system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,726; a bagging system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,297; a stuffer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,758; a netting machine as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,553; a rack loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,158; a breech loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,359; a hybrid filling system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,118; a bagger as described in United States Published Patent Application No. 2008/0022636 A1; and a bagger as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,097, the disclosures of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Ramming mechanism  50  can also be used in non-food applications to load material into a bag, tube, or net, or for any other application in which material must be moved from a first location to a second location. 
     Another embodiment of the present invention is a ramming mechanism  250  that replaces ram  40  in the above-described loader  20 , replaces ram  140  in the above-described loader  120 , or is used to any situation to move material from one location to another. Ramming mechanism  250  is shown in schematic, elevation view in  FIGS. 9 through 13 . Ramming mechanism  250  comprises ram carriage  252 , a belt assembly  254 , an ram cylinder  256 , a tail pusher  258 , a hocking pusher  260 , and a bottom plate assembly  200 . 
     Bottom plate assembly  200  is mounted to frame  26  and sits below belt assembly  54 . Bottom plate assembly  200  has a bottom plate air cylinder  202 , a bottom plate piston arm  204  part of bottom plate air cylinder  202 , and a bottom plate  206  connected to bottom plate piston arm. Bottom plate air cylinder  202  is a conventional air cylinder, same as or similar to ram cylinder  56  described below and illustrated in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . Bottom plate  206  is a flat, generally rectangular member preferably made of stainless steel. When bottom plate air cylinder  202  is retracted, bottom plate  206  is located in the space  84  between horns  224 ,  226  and belt assembly  254 . When controller  242  actuates bottom plate air cylinder  202  to extend bottom plate piston arm  204 , bottom plate  206  moves forward from its first position, as shown in  FIG. 9 , to its second position, inside stretched hag  32 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . In use, then, a chicken  230  placed in space  284  will be on bottom plate  206  and will be conveyed into bag  232 . 
     Belt assembly  254  has a rear pulley  262  and a forward pulley  264 . Preferably, forward pulley  262  is a drive pulley and rear pulley  262  is an idler pulley, but the drive could be on rear pulley  262  or on both pulleys  262 ,  264 . Both pulleys  262 ,  264  are mounted to frame  226  by conventional means, such as axle mounts. While two pulleys  262 ,  264  are shown and described, more than two pulleys can be provided. In addition, non-driven pulleys or rollers (not shown) can be provided between pulleys  262 ,  264 . 
     Belt  266  is a continuous loop made of rubber, plastic, metal or plastic mesh, or similar belt-type material, and rotates about pulleys  262 ,  264 . The axle mounts can either be outboard of belt  266  or there can be two belts  266 , with axle mounts between each belt. Forward drive pulley  264  is powered by an electric motor  268 , such as a servo motor, which is itself mounted to frame  226 . Motor  268  is coupled to controller  242 , either by control wires or wirelessly. 
     Ram carriage  252  is affixed to belt  266  and is movable with belt  266 . Motor  268  operates in a first direction to rotate belt  266  to move ram carriage  252  from a first position, remote from horns  222 ,  224 , as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , to a second position, adjacent horns  222 ,  224 , as shown in  FIGS. 12 through 13 . Motor  268  operates in second direction to rotate belt  266  to move ram carriage  252  back to the first position shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Tail pusher  258  is a flat, elongated member mounted at its end distal to horns  222 ,  224  to the side of ram carriage  252  facing horns  222 ,  224 . Tail pusher  258  has a dovetail cutout  270  in its end proximal to horns  222 ,  224 , same as the dovetail cutout in tail pusher  58  shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     Ram cylinder  256  is also affixed to ram carriage  252 . Ram cylinder  256  is identical to ram cylinder  56  illustrated in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . Ram cylinder  256  is a conventional double-acting pneumatic cylinder, connected by plastic tubing  72  to a plant compressed air supply  74 . Rain cylinder  256  has a cylinder body  76 , a piston head  78 , and a piston arm  80  connected to piston head  78 . Piston head  78  and piston arm  80  are moveable within cylinder body  76 . Preferably, a hocking pusher  260  is mounted to the end of piston arm  278 . Hocking pusher  260  is preferably a grabber assembly as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,310. 
     For food-loading operations, it is preferable that as many components of ramming mechanism  250  as possible be made of stainless steel. 
     In operation, ram carriage  252  is in its first position and piston  276  is retracted within cylinder body  274 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . A dressed chicken  230  is delivered to the space  284  between ram carriage  256  and horns  222 ,  224 , either by a plant worker or by a delivery means, such as a conveyor belt, and placed on bottom plate  2206 . Horns  222 ,  224  are inserted into bag  232 , preferably with the aid of an air nozzle, and rotated axially or in a plane to stretch bag  232 . Dressed chicken  230  is placed with its severed neck facing horns  222 ,  224  and its tail facing ram carriage  252 . Controller  242  first causes bottom plate air cylinder  202  to actuate to move bottom plate  206  and chicken  230  into bag  232  as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     Next, motor  268  rotates belt  266  to move ram carriage  252  forward from the first position to the second position, as shown in  FIG. 11 . This movement causes tail pusher  258  to contact the tail of chicken  230  and push the tail down. Controller  242  next causes ram cylinder  256  to actuate a forward stroke, as shown in  FIG. 12 . Piston arm  280  extends toward chicken  230  and hocking pusher  260  initially contacts the legs of chicken  230 , as the tail has been pushed down. As piston arm  280  continues its forward stroke, chicken  230  is pushed between horns  222 ,  224  and fully into bag  234 , until chicken  230  encounters the bottom of bag  234 . As piston arm  280  continues its forward stroke, bag  234 , now containing chicken  230 , is pushed off horns  222 ,  224 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . Bagged chicken  230  then proceeds for further processing, such as dosing bag  234  with a clip. Controller  242  then causes piston arm  280  to perform a reverse stroke to retract piston  278  within cylinder body  276 . At the same time, motor  268  reverses to rotate belt  266  to move ram carriage  252  back to its first position. 
     Because the movement of ram carriage  252  from its first position to its second position is accomplished faster by electric motor than an air cylinder could move the same distance using pneumatic pressure, the entire ramming operation moves more quickly. Additionally, since the distance piston arm  280  has to move is smaller than if there was no ram carriage, a smaller air actuated cylinder can be used, at lower expense and lower maintenance cost. Because chicken  230  is moved into bag  232  on bottom plate  206 , the problem of tearing the plastic of bag  232  as chicken  230  is rammed over it is ameliorated. 
     Ramming mechanism  250  can be used in a variety of food-loading applications, including by way of example and not by way of limitation, a bagging/netting system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,726; a bagging system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,297; stuffer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,758; a netting machine as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,553; a rack loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,158; breech loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,359; a hybrid filling system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,118; a bagger as described in United States Published Patent Application No. 2008/0022636 A1; and a bagger as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,097, the disclosures of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Ramming mechanism  250  can also be used in non-food applications to load material into a bag, tube, or net, or for any other application in which material must be moved from a first location to a second location. 
     While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.