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EP 0 442 244 A1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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Date of publication: |
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21.08.1991 Bulletin 1991/34 |
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Date of filing: 12.02.1990 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC)5: B65B 21/24 |
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE CH DE ES FR GB GR IT LI LU NL SE |
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Applicant: SPINI Srl |
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I-50050 Gambassi Terme (Firenze) (IT) |
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Inventor: |
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- Vincenzo, Spini
I-50050 Gambassi Terme (IT)
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Representative: Sassatelli, Franco T., Dr. |
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c/o INIP
5, via Ruggi I-40137 Bologna I-40137 Bologna (IT) |
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Wickering plant for empty glass bottles |
(57) When the head (12) has laid the glue on the bottom (3), the manipulator takes the
bottle (1) from the belt conveyor (2) and brings it on the bottom (3). In a further
stop station, an arm (16) brings a cord end (18), with a raising movement, to be crossed
on the bottle neck and, while the glueing heads (20) fix a portion of the cord, a
length of this one can be cut by means of shear (21). An additional manipulator (22)
with pliers (23) puts the dress (24), already fitted by hand, in tension and a system
of springs (25), by means of the piston (26), allows the lower part of the assembly
in operation to reach a bell (27). A plug (28) is foreseen which, by means of a piston
(29), drags the dress as well as a binding device to complete the operation.
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[0001] The invention device refers to a plant on an advancing line for wickering empty glass
bottles, particularly the traditional "Tuscan flasks". These flasks can be wickered
in different ways with the present methodologies, by laying at first a small tress
on the neck of the glass container with a catching part, if any, the end of which,
in lower crossed position, are kept under pressure by a dress consisting of ribbon
like elements in lacutrine herd or other, and composed at the upper end of a collar
to be fitted in succession. The disposition of the dress is allowed by the above collar
which stops its descent on the initial part of the truncated-cone container. A bottom
is then introduced from below into the dress and brings it down on the container bottom,
and the unit is blocked by means of a plug fitted into an annular mouth which, in
interposition, drags the end part of the dress. The processing can be completed by
means of a transversal binding which solidarily integrates the components of the bottom.
A quite original containing means is thus obtained called "Tuscan flask", absolutely
original and highly efficient, in which particularly its wickering gives a bottom
which avoids upsetting, with smooth contact. Everywhere well known as a prestigious
container of the typical Tuscan wine, to be still known as such, this container must
maintain its peculiar individualizing fetures, while the heavy problem remains of
reducing the excessive production costs, and of transforming this production from
an handcraftsman base into an industrial one. Starting from this point of view, the
invention system carries out a plant with three automatic manufacturing stations and
other ones with manual work which, by means of new operative methodologies, allows
to consistently reduce the technical operation times, while the composite features
of the finished goods still remain the same.
[0002] Substantially, the operative cycle foresees that the bottles 1 arrive on the belt
conveyor 2, while the bottoms 3 reach on the belt conveyor 4. By means of the linear
actuator 5, the above mentioned bottom 3 reaches the cup 7, on line 6, which is carried
on an advancing line with couple of jack chain 8, in a second station where a glueing
device is in operation which consists of a fixed part 9, this last part lets the sledge
11 with head 12 advance on guides 10. The said head 12 puts the glue on three points
of bottom 3. Subsequently, the manipulator 13 takes the first bottle 1 by means of
pliers 14 and brings it on bottom 3, thus performing glueing by contact. The complex
thus formed of bottle 1 with bottom 3 reaches the third station. Bottle 1 and its
bottom 3 are here blocked by the sinking pusher 15 which thus restrains the complex
of the cup 7 arrived in station. An arm 16, with a motor assembly 17, holding a cord
18, turns in elevation and, while still holding the cord by means of pliers 19, lays
it on the bottle neck 1. Two glueing counterposed heads 20 then intervene to fasten
the two ends of a cord length 18 on the container 1, the length of the cord being
determined by means of the shear 21. A sequence oh half-treated bottles 1 in cups
7 thus results on the advancing line 8. In a fourth station, an operator then fits
a dress on the bottle neck whick, while sinking, is stopped in position by means of
its collar thus covering the sticked terminals of the cord 18. In the subsequent fifth
station, the bottle set are taken away from the cups 7 by a manipulator 22 by means
of as many pliers 23, which form a right angle, and the dress 24 is put in tension
by a set of springs 25 while sinking through piston 26 which pushes the assembly in
working into a bell 27. This bell puts the dress streaks into conversion to allow
them to be dragged in interposition in the subsequent phase for introducing a plug
28 performed by a piston 29. Then the multiplier 22 is still turned by 90° and brings
the above mentioned manufacturing set into a sixth binding section. In this section,
a rotating arm 30, coming out from the central positioning assembly 31 of the cord
32, which is kept back by pliers 33, performs two rotations on the binding plane and
then stops on pliers 34 which perform knotting while a knife 35 determines the length
of the used cord completing wickering. The manipulator 22 then still turns by 90°
and lets down the set of wickered bottles on a belt conveyor 36. In order to adjust
the containing means in first station to the sizes of the bottles during the operation
is foreseen, as a counterpost of cup 7, a portable cup 37 which is put in position
by means of a bayonet base. For adjustment, the means is detached, the support turned
by 180° and again blocked in position. In particular, the operation for fitting the
cord 18 on the bottle neck 1 by pasting the ends of the counterposed glueing ends
20 by carrying out a solidarily operating positioning, allows to speed up the fitting
phase of the dress in the fourth station as well as the analogous positioning type
as carried out for the bottom 3, allows to hasten the working phases for the bottom.
[0003] An execution form of a plant on an advancing line for wickering the "Tuscan flask"
is illustrated, in a merely schematic way, in the drawings of the tables 1, 2, 3,
4 and 5. With reference to these tables, fig. 1 of table 1 is the view of the operational
compartment of the first station. In table 2, fig. 2 is the view of the operative
compartment in the second station. Fig. 3 in table 3 is the view of the operative
compartment in the third station. Fig. 4 in table 4 is the view of the advancing line
to show the feeding system of the bottles 1 and of the bottom 3. Fig. 5 is the view
of the manipulator 22 with the pliers device 23. Fig. 6 is the view of the manipulator
22 enabling the operations by means of 90°-phase-deplacements in succession. In table
5, fig. 7 is the view of a bottle with fitted tract cord 18. Fig. 8 is a view of the
same bottle like the one of fig. 7 with the dress 24 fitted on it. Fig. 9 shows the
arrival of the bell 27 working assembly on the bottom which approaches the end part
of the dress. Fig. 10 is the view of the longitudinal section of the same fig. 9 with
linear actuator 29 which ha put into the plug 28 from below and blocked it thus in
position. Fig. 11 is a particular of bottom binding phase, which thus completes the
operations.
[0004] The plant can be carried out in different ways, and components can be foreseen to
be used differently according to the specific features of the plant to carry out,
as well as the bottles to wicker. The plant can also be integrated in different ways
with means and devices of different kinds according to the requirements.
1. Wichering plant for empty glass bottles, characterized by the fact that the arrival
of the bottles (1) on the belt conveyor (2) is foressen while the bottoms (3) reach
the belt conveyor (4). By means of the linear actuator (5), these bottoms arrive on
line (6) in a cup (7) transported on an advancing line of couple of jack chain (8)
in a second station, where a glueing device is in operation which consists of a fixed
part (9) to let advance, on guides (10), the sledge (11) which bears the head (12).
This head fits the glue on three points of the bottom (3). By means of pliers (14)
a manipulator (13) catches the first bottle (1) at the head from the transporting
line (2) and brings it on the bottom (3) to be glued by contact. The complex thus
formed of bottle (1) with its bottom (3) then reaches the third station. Here the
bottle (1) with its bottom (3) is blocked by a sinking pusher (15) which restrains
the assembly on the cup (7) arrived in station. An arm (16) with motor assembly (17),
which restrains a cord (18), turns in elevation and, while keeping the same cord retained
by pliers (19), lets it on the bottle (1) neck. Two counterposed pasting head (20)
then intervene which glue the two cord ends (18) on the container (1), the cord length
being determined by shear (21). On teh advancing line (8), a sequence of half-treated
bottles (1) thus results in the cups (7). In the fourth station, an operator fits
a dress on the neck of the bottle which sinks and stops in position by means of its
collar, thus covering the end pasted on the cord length (18). In the subsequent fifth
station, the set of bottles are taken away from the cups (7) with a manipulator (22)
by means of as many pliers (23), dephased by 90°, and dress (24) is put in tension
by a system of springs (25) sinking by means of a piston (26) which pushes the working
assembly into a bell (27). This last one brings the dress stripes in conversion to
allow them to be dragges in interposition in the subsesquent phase for introducing
a plug (28) operated by a piston (29). The manipulator (22) then still turn by 90°
and brings the above set of assemblies in the sixth binding station. In this station,
a turning arm (30) getting out from the central positioning assembly (31) of the cord
(32) kept back by pliers (33), performs two rotations on the binding plane and stops
on pliers (34) to be knotted, while a knife (35) determines the length of the used
cord and completes the strawing operation. The manipulator (22) then still turns by
90° and lets down the set of wickered bottles on a belt conveyor (36).
2. Wickering plant for empty glass bottles, as per claim 1), characterized by the fact
that in order to suit the containing means to the sizes of the bottles still in treatment
in the first station, an additional cup (37) is put to check cup (7) by means of a
bayonet base. For adjustment, the means is detached, the support turned by 180°, and
once again blocked in position.