BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Field of the invention
[0001] The invention relates to a device for dispensing substances, comprising a support
in which there are a number of vertically placed storage cylinders, which are provided
with an outlet at the bottom, as well as a means of dosing for taking measured quantities
of the substances from the storage cylinders and a drive unit for moving the support
and the means of dosing with respect to each other, in which there is a screw spindle
near the outlet in each storage cylinder, and in which the means of dosing comprises
an additional drive unit for driving the screw spindles, which additional drive unit
can be coupled to each screw spindle in turn. In particular, the invention relates
to a device for dispensing precise amounts of various powders or granular substances,
such as grain, flour, spices and all other non-liquid substances, which are used in
production processes in the food or non-food industries.
Prior art
[0002] Such a device is known from the French patent application no. 2.582.912. The screw
spindles are situated here in horizontal sections of the tube at the outlets on the
underside of the storage cylinders and can be coupled to a stationary electric motor
set up next to the storage cylinders, which is a part of the means of dosing. The
support is here a disc to which the storage cylinders are attached. This disc is a
part of a carousel and is rotated by the drive unit, as a result of which each storage
cylinder can cooperate in turn with the means of dosing.
Summary of the invention
[0003] An objective of the invention is to provide a device of the type described in the
preamble in which precise amounts of different powders can be dispensed and which
takes up less floor area than the known device. To this end, the device according
to the invention is characterized in that each storage cylinder's outlet is a vertical
section of the tube in which the screw spindle in this storage cylinder is situated.
By placing the outlet and the screw spindle under the storage cylinder, there are
not any parts which protrude beyond the storage cylinder as seen from above as a result
of which the device according to the invention takes up less floor area than the known
device.
[0004] By making the diameter of the outlet and/or the screw spindle's pitch small, it is
possible to make a precise dosing. In this way dosing of the powders from the storage
cylinders can be done in a simple way.
[0005] A favourable coupling of the screw spindles to the additional drive unit is obtained
by an embodiment of the device according to the invention, in which there is a vertical
bar in each storage cylinder, which is coupled at its lower end to the screw spindle's
top, and at its upper end is situated near the storage cylinder's top and is provided
with a means of coupling for coupling to the additional drive unit. The additional
drive unit comprises, for example, one half of a coupling that can move downwards
and can be coupled to the other half of the coupling situated on the screw spindle
in the storage cylinder below. The additional drive unit can therefore be situated
in this embodiment above the storage cylinder as a result of which it takes up no
extra floor area, as is the case with the known device.
[0006] Preferably, there is a stirring device on the bars in order to prevent the powder
in the cylinders from clodding.
[0007] In order to make a dosing even more precise, the means of dosing comprises an electronic
scales, which is situated with the additional drive under the storage cylinder on
the support.
[0008] Still a further embodiment of the device according to the invention is characterized
in that the means of dosing also comprises a control unit that is coupled to the electronic
scales and to the additional means of driving. Because of this, dosing of the powders
desired can be carried out automatically.
[0009] The device can be executed in such a way that the support is in a fixed position
and the means of dosing can move with respect to the support. However, it is preferable
that the support can move and that the means of dosing is in a fixed position.
[0010] The support can be a support that moves in a straight line, however, in order to
save space, it is preferably a part of a carousel. In this case, the support preferably
comprises a disc that is provided with openings in its periphery through which the
storage cylinders protrude, in which each storage cylinder is provided with a flange
that rests on the disc and is fastened to the disc by one bolt or pin. Through this
construction, the storage cylinders can easily be put in and taken out of the carousel.
[0011] Preferably, in this embodiment there are wheels under the disc for supporting it.
Brief description of the drawings
[0012] The invention will be elucidated more fully below on the basis of drawings in which
embodiments of the device according to the invention are shown. In these drawings:
Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of the device according to the invention in a perspective
view;
Figure 2 is a vertical cross-section of the device shown in figure 1;
Figure 3 is a horizontal cross-section of the device shown in figure 1; and
Figure 4 shows a second embodiment of the device according to the invention in a perspective
view.
Detailed description of the drawings
[0013] In figures 1, 2 and 3 a first embodiment of the device for dispensing substances
according to the method is shown in a perspective view, a vertical cross-section and
a horizontal cross-section respectively. The device 1 has a carousel 3 in which there
are a number of vertically placed storage cylinders 5. The carousel 3 has a support
for carrying the storage cylinders 5. This support is a disc 7 that is provided with
openings 9 in its periphery, through which the storage cylinders protrude. Each storage
cylinder 5 is provided with a flange 11 that rests on the disc 7 and is fastened by
one bolt 13 to that disc. There are wheels 14 under the disc 7 that are attached to
a frame 15 and which support the disc 7. In order to rotate the carousel 3, the device
1 has a drive unit 17, which is an electric motor with a reduction gearbox.
[0014] The device has a means of dosing for taking precise quantities of the substances
from the storage cylinders 5. This means of dosing can cooperate with the screw spindles
19 situated in the storage cylinders 5. These screw spindles 19 are situated in a
section of the tube 21 of the storage cylinders 5, which is also the outlet of the
storage cylinders. The screw spindles 19 are attached to bars 23, which at their upper
ends protrude beyond the tops of the storage cylinders 5 and are provided with a means
of coupling 25 (shown schematically).
[0015] In order to prevent arching of the powder in the storage cylinders 5, a stirring
device 31 is attached to the bar 23.
[0016] The means ofdosing has an additional drive unit 27, which is also an electric motor
with a reduction gearbox and which is in a stationary position with respect to the
carousel 3 for driving the screw spindles 19. By rotating the disc 7 each storage
cylinder 5 can be brought under the additional drive unit 27. The additional drive
unit 27 also has a means of coupling 29 (shown schematically) for cooperating with
the means of coupling 25 of the bars 23. Known coupling devices can be selected for
the means of coupling 25 and 29, for example, a disc with two holes in it on the one
coupling and an additional disc with two pins on the other that can be inserted in
the holes. The additional drive unit 27 can move vertically and thus can be coupled
to and uncoupled from a bar.
[0017] The means of dosing, furthermore, has an electronic scales 33, which is situated
under the carousel 3 straight under the additional drive unit 27 and which is coupled
to a control unit 35, which is also a part of the means of dosing. The control unit
35 is in turn coupled to the additional means of driving 27.
[0018] The control unit 3 5 can be provided with data concerning which powders are desired
and what quantities of each of them. The control unit then brings consecutively the
storage cylinders 5 in which the powders desired are situated one by one above the
scales 33 and sends the additional drive unit 27 downwards in order to couple to the
bar 23 of the storage cylinder 5 concerned. The screw spindle 19 is then rotated slowly
and the processed powder falls onto the scales 33 and its weight is measured until
the quantity desired has been obtained.
[0019] In figure 4 a second embodiment of the device 41 according to the invention is shown.
Here, the support 43 is an elongated plate that is provided with openings in which
the storage cylinders 45 are placed in the same way as in the first embodiment. The
support 43 in this embodiment can be moved by a drive unit 47 in a straight line (see
arrow 49) with respect to the means of dosing. The means of dosing in this embodiment
is also made up of an additional drive unit 51, an electronic scales 53 and a control
unit 55. In the same way as in the first embodiment, the additional drive unit 51
can also be coupled to a means of coupling 57 that is connected to the screw spindles
in the storage cylinders 45.
[0020] Although in the above the invention is explained on the basis of the drawings, it
should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments shown in
the drawings. The invention also extends to all embodiments deviating from the embodiments
shown in the drawings within the context defined by the claims. Thus, for example,
it is also possible to make the additional drive unit in such a way that it can move
horizontally in order to couple to a bar, for example, should the coupling be obtained
by meshing two gear wheels.
1. Device for dispensing substances, comprising a support in which there are a number
of vertically placed storage cylinders, which are provided with an outlet at the bottom,
as well as a means of dosing for taking measured quantities of the substances from
the storage cylinders and a drive unit for moving the support and the means of dosing
with respect to each other, in which there is a screw spindle near the outlet in each
storage cylinder, and in which the means of dosing comprises an additional drive unit
for driving the screw spindles, which additional drive unit can be coupled to each
screw spindle in turn, characterized in that the outlet of each storage cylinder is a vertical section of the tube in which the
screw spindle in this storage cylinder is situated.
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that there is a vertical bar situated in each storage cylinder, which is coupled at its
lower end to the top of the screw spindle and the upper end of which is situated near
the top of the storage cylinder and is provided with a means of coupling for coupling
to the additional drive unit.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that a stirring device is attached to the bar.
4. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means of dosing, furthermore, comprises an electronic scales that is situated
with the additional drive under the storage cylinder on the support.
5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the means of dosing also comprises a control unit that is coupled to an electronic
scales and to the additional means of driving.
6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support can move and the means of dosing is in a fixed position.
7. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support is a part of a carousel.
8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the support comprises a disc that is provided with openings in its periphery through
which the storage cylinders protrude, in which each storage cylinder is provided with
a flange that rests on the disc and is fastened to the disc by one bolt or pin.
9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that there are wheels under the disc for supporting it.