[0001] The invention relates to a device for controlled lowering and discharging of at least
one object., provided with a dischargeable retaining member for the object, a lowering
device for moving up and down the retaining member and an opening device for letting
the retaining member discharge. Such a device has been described in the United States
Patent Specification 3,973,.667 to Jellema et al.
[0002] With such a device it is possible to lower objects gently to a level where they can
be discharged safely into a packing means, with in case of eggs or other vulnerable
or breakable objects the advantage of a minimum falling height and a minimum shock.
[0003] With such a known device, however, a difficulty may arise because it has to be suitable
for filling quite different packages. Specially with eggs it is important that the
height of the package may vary. This generates the problem that in the highest position
of the retaining member also the highest package must be able to move along below
the retaining member in order to bring a new pocket of the package below the retaining
member, whereas with low packages mostly the level at which the objects finally lay
in the package is rather low. This means that XXXX a device of this type, which is
suitable for high packages, with use for low packages has an undesired high falling
height.
[0004] The invention aims to eliminate this difficulty and to provide a device which in
principle is suitable for packages of different heights. This yields important economical
advantage because more and more types of packages are used and it has to be possible
for an automatic packing machine for instance to fill all current packages.
[0005] Accordingly the invention provided that the vertical distance over which the lowering
device causes the retaining member to move is adjustable.
[0006] A simple adjusting mechanism, which in principle can be served from a greater distance,
even mechanically, so that operation at the outside of an automatic machine, which
often is rather large, is possible, consist in that the lowering device is provided
with a driving member adapted to carry out a predetermined stroke and by means of
a system of pivotable rods is connected to said retaining member, at least one rod
having an adjustable work arm length.
[0007] A further embodiment hereof exists in that said rod is a lever pivotable about a
fixed pivot point, which lever is connected to said driving member for being pivoted
by it, said lever being further connected to a second rod by means of a connection
having a pin at the one side and a slit in which the pin protrudes at the other side.
[0008] An elaboration of the above embodiment, which has the advantage that adjustment of
the device does not change the starting level of the retaining member consists in
that the slit is fixedly located with respect to the lever and has the shape of a
circle arc, said second rod being pivotably connected to a further rod in a point
that almost coincides with the centre of the circle of said arc.
[0009] With the invention it is further important that discharge of the retaining member
always occurs at the lower end of its movement, even when the length of this movement
has been changed by the adjustment. Accordingly a further elaboration of the invention
provides that the opening device is movable up and down together with the retaining
member and is activated by a rod that is horizontally or nearly horizontally oriented
and is movable in a mainly horizontal direction. By reason of this the mutual shift
in vertical direction of the driving member and the driven member of the discharge
device has hardly any influence on the time the retaining member discharges.
[0010] A good mutual match of the vertical movement of the retaining member and its discharge,
also with differing vertical strokes, is according to a further elaboration of the
invention attained by providing that the lowering device and the opening device are
driven by mutually coupled cams or eccentres.
[0011] The device according the mentioned United States Patent Specification 3,973,667 is
also provided with a number of retaining members located in a row, which retaining
members are shiftably mounted in the direction of the row and are coupled to each
other, means being present to displace at least one retaining member lengthwise in
the row with the up and down movement.
[0012] This allows to induce a horizontal displacement in order to adapt the distance between
the retaining members in the row to different distances between the receiving locations
for the objects in the packages. Because the invention aims to adapt the device to
different packages it will be clear that in such circumstances also adaption in horizontal
direction may be necessary. Accordingly the invention preferably provides in this
instance that the coupling between adjacent retaining members is elastical and the
displacement means is adjustable to adjust the displacement to be imparted to the
said one retaining member.
[0013] The adjustment of the movement of the retaining members in the row can according
to a further elaboration of the invention easily be realized by providing that the
displacement means is provided with a fixed control cam and an adjustable cam, which
cams are not movable with the lowering means and a cam follower member cooperating
with both cams.
[0014] Herewith the adjustable cam may lift the cam follow member from the fixed cam, so
that it is possible to give the fixed cam a work region covering the maximum displacement
of the related retaining member and by bringing the adjustable cam in the corresponding
position to restrict this displacement. Herewith it is pointed to the fact, that the
horizontal movement of the retaining members occurs over relatively small distances,
so that it is allowable without more to carry out such a partial horizontal displacement
of the retaining members in only part of the vertical movement of these retaining
members.
[0015] In the following the invention is elucidated on hand of the drawing in which:
Figure 1 shows partly in cross-section an end view of a device according the invention,
Figure 2 is a side view of figure 1,
Figure 3 is an end view, corresponding to figure 1 but in an other position of the
device,
Figure 4 is a side view corresponding to figure 2 but in the.-position of figure 3
of the device,
Figure 5 schematically shows a plan view.
[0016] In figure 1 reference 1 indicates a frame that is movable up and down. In this frame
shafts 2 are mounted, which on their term serve as bearing means for retaining members.
These retaining members each consist of two sets of fingers 3, wherewith one set of
these fingers on each of the shafts 2 is positioned opposite another and two sets
form a retaining member.
[0017] These retaining members have at their part that is located outside the shafts 2 an
arm 4 with at its end a counter weight 5. Further a beam 6 can work on the arms 4
of the fingers 3 to tilt them in such a way, that the fingers 3 move outward and away
from each other wherewith the counter weight 5 is lifted.
[0018] The beams 6 are supported by bbcks 53 which also have been mounted to shafts 2.
[0019] Reference 7 indicates a guide mounted to frame 1 at
[0020] The vertical movement of frame 1 is deduced from an eccentric 8, the accentre wheel
of which is mounted on a shaft 23. The eccentric rod 9 is at 10 pivotably connected
to an arm 11, which to the right has a fixed pivot point and to the left a partly
circular slit 12. Into this slit a pin 13 protrudes which is fixedly connected to
a rod 14. Reference 15 indicates an adjustment member that by displacement in its
longitudinal direction determines the location where the pin 13 protrudes into slit
12. The rod 14 is connected to a further rod 16, the connection point forming the
centre of the circle through the middle of slit 12 and remains almost in this centre
when the arm 11 is pivoted. The further rod 16 is by means of a fixed connection non
pivotably connected to a shaft 18, which supports non pivotably arms 19 which via
pins 20 are connected to arms 21 connected to a support rod 22 for the frame 1. When
the shaft 23 rotates over one revolution the arm 11 by reason of its coupling with
eccentric 8 pivots to and fro, which pivot movement via 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
and 22 is transmitted to frame 1 in the form of a vertical movement. The length of
the vertical stroke is determined by the location of pin 13 in slit 12. In the highest
position of the frame 1, which has been shown in fig. 1, movement of pin 13 in slit
12 does not influence the height position of this frame.
[0021] The shaft 23 is driven by an one-revolution-coupling with a decoupling disc 24 and
a continuously driven part 25. The disc 24 cooperates with a pawl which, when it in
the way shown in figure 1 with a stop member 55 engages a protrusion 56 prevents the
shaft 23, that is coupled to said disc, to rotate. The coupling is a spring band clutch
which, when the disc 24 is liberated by retracting pawl 26, realizes a coupling between
the driven part 25 and the shaft 23. Such clutches are well known, When the disc 24
has carried out a complete revolution the protrusion 56 engages again the stop member
55 and the shaft 23 is again brought to a stand still.
[0022] On the shaft 23 further a cam 27 is mounted that cooperates with a cam follower 30
that is mounted to an arm 29, which at its lower side at 28 has a fixed pivot point.
At its upper side this arm is at 31 connected to a link 32 that at its other side
is connected to a cam disc 34 freely rotatably mounted to shaft 22. This cam disc
is provided with two control slits 36 in which follow pins 35 protrude, which are
connected to hooked arms 37 that can pivot about shafts 38 which are fixedly mounted
in the frame that is movable in vertical direction. At their ends the hooked arms
37 are by means of pivot connections connected to links 40 which cooperate with the
blocks 53 to cause the activation beams 6 to pivot about shafts 2 for letting the
retaining members 3 discharge.
[0023] In the frame 1 that is movable up and down further two arms 42 are mounted to a shaft
41, mounted in said frame. With the arms 42 a transverse rod 43 is connected which
at an end supports a cam follower 44 which can cooperate with a fixed control cam
45. Each arm 42 is at its upper end connected to a link 47, which by means of a pivot
connection 46 is connected to a shift member 48 connected to the next one of a number
of sleeves 49. Between these sleeves springs 50 are present. The fingers 3 of the
retaining members are pivotably mounted to said sleeves 49 which each are provided
with a collar 51 fixing the fingers in axial direction.
[0024] If now the cam follower 44 moves along cam 45 the arm 42 pivots about shaft 41, so
that the location of the retaining member fingers 3 on the shaft 2 is modified, wherewith,
however, the distance between successive retaining members is the same, because of
the identity of the springs 50.
[0025] When a complete mutual movement of the retaining members is not wanted, a stepped
member 52 with different heights 52' and 52" is mounted to the frame 1 and suchlike
adjusted that the rod 43 comes on one of the steps 52' or 52" for restricting the
axial shift of the fingers 3.
[0026] The working of the described device is the following: :
When a control pulse im imparted to pawl 26 the shaft 23 carries out one revolution,
by reason of which the eccentric 8 moves the frame 1 downward and up again.
[0027] By the rotation of shaft 23 also. via cam 27, cam follower 30, cam disc 34 and hooked
arms 37 discharge of the retaining members is brought about. Therewith adjustment
of member 15 by shifting it lengthwise will see to it, that the vertical stroke carried
out by the frame 1 can be adjusted, wherewith, however, always the time at which the
retaining members discharge is in the lowermost part of their movement.
[0028] In the same time the vertical movement of the frame 1 is used to move the cam follower
44 along the fixed cam 45 in order to cause an axial shift of the retaining members
3. The axial shift can be limited by cooperation between the stepped member 52 and
the member 43.
[0029] The described device has the advantage that the objects can always be lowered in
a controlled way unto a desired lowest level, so that adaption to different heights
of packages is possible. If therewith also the distance between the object in a row
differs the vertical movement of the frame is used to generate a shifting movement
of the retaining members on their shafts. By means of an additional cam, which is
adjustable, a limitation of this shift can be realized, dependent on the desired axial
shift.
[0030] The shown device further in essence is provided with a vertically non movable part
57, which via a mounting rod 58 supports sheets 59 to which the cams 45 are mounted,
and the frame 1 that by means of links 21 and the shaft 22 can be moved vertically,
wherewith the cam follower 44 runs over the cam 45. The vertical stroke is adjustable
with the adjustment member 15 and the horizontal shift of the fingers 3 by displacement
of cam 52. Discharge of the retaining members formed by the fingers 3 occurs in the
lowermost position of frame 1 with each position of the adjustment member 15. The
highest position of frame 1 is independent from adjustment member 15 so that feeding
objects to the retaining members formed by the fingers 3 is not influenced by the
position of adjustment member 15.
1. Device for controlled lowering and discharging of at least one object, provided
with a dischargeable retaining member (2,3) for the object, a lowering device (11,
14, 16, 18-22) for moving up and down the retaining mamber and an opening device (34-40,
53) for letting the retaining member discharge,
characterized in
that the vertical distance over which the lowering device causes the retaining member
to move is adjustable.
2. Device according to claim 1,
characterized in
that the lowering device is provided with a driving member (9) adapted to carry out
a predetermined stroke and by means of a system of pivotable rods (11, 14, 16) is
connected to said retaining member (2, 3), at least one rod (11) having ad adjustable
work arm length.
3. Device according to claim 2,
characterized in
that said rod (11) is a lever pivotable about a fixed pivot point, which lever is
connected to said driving member (9) for being pivoted by it, said lever being further
connected to a second rod (14) by means of a connection having a pin (13) at the one
side and aslit (12) in which the pin protrudes at the other side.
4. Device according to claim 3,
characterized in
that the slit (12) is fixedly located with respect to the lever (11) and has the shape
of a circle arc, said second rod (14) being pivotably connected to a further rod (16)in
a point that almost coincides with the centre of the circle of said arc.
5. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in
the opening device (34-40, 53) is movable up and down together with the retaining
member (2, 3) and is activated by a rod (32) that is horizontally or nearly horizontally
oriented and is movable in a mainly horizontal direction.
6. Device according to claim 5,
characterized in
that the lowering device and the opening device are driven by mutually coupled cams
or eccentres (27, 8).
7. Device according to any of the preceding claims, provided with a number of retaining
members (3) located in a row, which retaining members are shiftable mounted in the
direction of the row and are coupled to each other, means (41-50, 52, 52', 52") being
present to displace at least one retaining member lengthwise in the row with the up
and down movement,
characterized in
that the coupling (50) between adjacent retaining members is elastical and the displacement
means (52) is adjustable to adjust the displacement to be imparted to the said one
retaining member.
8. Device according to claim 7,
characterized in
that the displacement means is provided with a fixed control cam (4j) and an adjustable cam (52), which cams are not movable with the lowering means
and a cam follower member (44) cooperating with both cams.
9. Device according to any of the preceding claims,
characterized in
that the up and down movement is adjustable with a fixed un er level and a adjustable
lower level.