[0001] The present invention relates to a sorting line for ceramic products, particularly
tiles, with modular packaging station.
[0002] Sorting lines are used mainly in the ceramics industry to sort the quality of the
finished products, constituted by tiles in the specific case, and to then route them
to packaging.
[0003] Conventional lines essentially consist of an elongated frame along which a tile conveyance
line runs, specifically in the upper part; said tiles arrive from a sorting table,
where one or more operators apply coded markings to the surfaces of the passing tiles
with writing means whose strokes can be detected by adapted readers arranged along
the conveyance line.
[0004] Proximate to the readers there are provided stations for stacking the tiles, which
are separated one another according to the classification produced by the sorting
performed upstream.
[0005] Each station is capable of forming a stack which, once it has been completed with
a preset number of tiles, is deposited on a second conveyor arranged in the lower
part of said frame and conveys said tiles to the final station for so-called wraparound
packaging.
[0006] In conventional lines, the final station is an integral part of the lines and is
rigidly supported by the same frame that constitutes the main framework of the line.
[0007] This means that each line can be used for packaging only one type of product, so
that when it is necessary to change the packaging it is necessary to either purchase
a second line built specifically for the new requirement or to provide a sort of parallel
line which merges into a second twin station which has different packaging characteristics.
[0008] In the first case, the costs to be sustained double, while in the second case they
increase significantly, besides requiring a considerable availability of space at
the site where the line is used.
[0009] Another problem of conventional lines is the fact that maintenance on the packaging
machine is highly troublesome, owing to difficulty in accessing the elements that
compose it, and that it is necessary to stop the entire line during the maintenance.
Since one of the lines is capable of producing a turnover equal to a few million lire/hour,
it is necessary to minimize any stoppage.
[0010] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned problems of the
conventional art, providing a sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles,
with modular packaging station which allows to have multiple types of packaging available
for a single line.
[0011] Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a sorting line
for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station which allows
to avoid interrupting the operation of said line for maintenance, facilitates the
maintenance and furthermore does not require more space than required for simple conventional
lines.
[0012] This aim and object and others which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved
by a sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging
station, composed of a main frame which supports a plurality of stacking stations
served by a tile feeder line which cooperates with a plurality of means for extracting
said tiles from said conveyance line, and for depositing the formed stacks on a second
lower conveyor to send them to a final packaging station, characterized in that said
final packaging station is mounted on an independent modular frame which is rotatably/detachably
articulated, by articulation means, to the end of said main frame, to which it is
connected without discontinuities by means of adapted elements.
[0013] Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent
from the description of a preferred embodiment of a sorting line for ceramic products,
particularly tiles, with modular packaging station, illustrated only by way of non-limitative
example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a reduced-scale side view of a sorting line for ceramic products, particularly
tiles, with modular packaging station, according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a schematic top view of the region for the connection between the modular
packaging station and the end portion of the sorting line;
Figure 3 is another enlarged-scale top view of the elements for mutually coupling
the modular packaging station and the end portion of the sorting line in a possible
embodiment of the invention;
Figure 4 is an enlarged-scale side view of the region for joining said end portion
of the sorting line and the modular packaging station.
[0014] With particular reference to the above figures, the reference numeral 1 generally
designates a sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles.
[0015] The line 1 is composed of a main frame 2 which supports a plurality of stacking stations,
designated by the reference numerals 3, 4, 5, and 6 in the drawings, which are served
by a tile feeder line 7. The line 7 cooperates with a plurality of means 8 for extracting
the tiles from the line 7 for conveying and depositing the formed stacks onto a second
conveyor 9 which is lower than, and parallel to, the conveyor 7 and is provided in
order to send the formed stacks to a final packaging station 10.
[0016] The packaging station is mounted on an independent modular frame 11 which is rotatably
and, if necessary, detachably articulated, by articulation means 12, to the end of
the main frame 2, to which it can be locked without discontinuities by means of corresponding
elements 13.
[0017] In the preferred embodiment, the independent frame 11 is articulated to the main
frame 2 so as to rotate on a horizontal plane about a vertical axis designated by
A; however, as an alternative, it may also be articulated so as to swing with respect
to the main frame 2, i.e., rotate about a horizontal axis which lies transversely
to the advancement direction of the stacks of tiles.
[0018] The articulation means 12 are composed of at least one vertical pivot 14 which coincides
with the axis A and is mounted on a vertical side 2a of the main frame 2.
[0019] The elements 13 for coupling the independent frame 11 to the main frame 2 are constituted
by a hook 15 for latch coupling which can be set manually or automatically and is
arranged on the side 2b of the frame 2 which lies opposite to the vertical pivot 14
with respect to the longitudinal axis B.
[0020] The hook 15 is articulated, so that it can rotate, to the main frame 2 in contrast
with elastic return means 16 and engages a corresponding tooth 17 correspondingly
associated with the independent frame 11, which is also provided with a set of flanges
18 for the universal coupling of packaging machines of different kinds and, if necessary,
of wheels to allow its movement on the supporting surface.
[0021] The operation of the invention is immediately apparent from the above description.
The independent frame 11 is normally coupled to the end of the main frame 2, is essentially
monolithic therewith and is retained axially by means of the pivot 14 on one side
and by means of the hook 15, which engages the tooth 17, on the other side.
[0022] In this configuration, there is no discontinuity between the modular station 11 and
the main frame 2, and the stacks of tiles formed in the stations 3, 4, 5 and 6 arrive,
by means of the lower conveyor 9, at the packaging station 10, where they are packaged,
already divided by grade.
[0023] The station 10 is provided with flanges 18 for the universal coupling of different
kinds of packaging machine: this allows in practice to replace said packaging machines
with others which have different characteristics. Such replacement is performed by
releasing the hook 15 from the tooth 17 and by rotating the independent frame 11 about
one edge, as shown in thin lines in figure 2, easily accessing the inside of the station
10.
[0024] In order to work even better, it is also possible to fully separate the independent
frame 11 from the main frame 2, disengaging the pivot 14 from the corresponding rotation
seat. This further allows to optionally provide both a plurality of independent frames
11, each of which is already provided with a different packaging machine, in order
to have available a range which is ready for use according to the product to be packaged,
and, more simply, one or more reserve packaging machines in case of maintenance, in
any case reducing, in both cases, the expensive downtimes of the sorting line strictly
to the minimum required for the replacements.
[0025] It has thus been found that the described invention achieves the intended aim and
objects.
[0026] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of modifications and variations, all
of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.
[0027] Moreover, all the details may be replaced with other technically equivalent elements.
[0028] In the practical execution of the invention, the materials used, as well as the shapes
and the dimensions, may be any according to the requirements without thereby abandoning
the protective scope of the claims that follow.
[0029] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs,
those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility
of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect
on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference
signs.
1. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station,
composed of a main frame which supports a plurality of stacking stations which are
served by a tile feeder line which cooperates with a plurality of means for extracting
said tiles from said feeder line, and for depositing the formed stacks on a second
lower conveyor to send them to a final packaging station, characterized in that said
final packaging station is mounted on an independent modular frame which is rotatably/detachably
articulated, by articulation means, to the end of said main frame, to which it is
connected without discontinuities by means of corresponding elements.
2. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station
according to claim 1, characterized in that said independent frame is articulated
to said main frame and rotates on a horizontal plane about a vertical axis.
3. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station
according to claim 1, characterized in that said independent frame is articulated
to said main frame so as to be able to swing and rotates about a horizontal axis which
lies transversely to the direction of advancement of the stacks of tiles.
4. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station
according to claim 2, characterized in that said articulation means are composed of
at least one vertical pivot which coincides with said axis and is eccentrically associated
on a vertical side of said main frame, said independent frame being adapted to rotate
about a vertical axis with respect to said main frame.
5. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station
according to claim 4, characterized in that said elements for coupling the independent
frame to the main frame are constituted by a latch-type closure element which can
be set manually/automatically and is arranged on the opposite side with respect to
said vertical pivot.
6. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station
according to claim 5, characterized in that said latch element is composed of a hook
which is rotatably articulated to said main frame in contrast with elastic return
means and engages a corresponding tooth which is correspondingly associated with said
independent frame.
7. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station
according to claim 6, characterized in that said independent frame is provided with
flanges for the universal coupling of packaging machines of different kinds.
8. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station,
according to claim 6, characterized in that said independent frame can be equipped
with wheeled means for translatory motion on the ground.
9. A sorting line for ceramic products, particularly tiles, with modular packaging station
according to claim 6, characterized in that said independent frame is fully detachable
from said main frame.