Abstract:
A link of a conveyor chain, connectable to similar links comprising a main base body with two shoulders, which protrude upward from the ends of the transverse sides of the main base body and are parallel to the direction of advancement of the chain. Ends of a pair of first and second shafts are associated with the pair of shoulders, first rollers being rotatably associated with the shafts. Second rollers are associated on the pair of first and second shafts, have a smaller diameter than the first rollers, and are supported in a loading condition by first supporting elements, activatable under load and protruding from the main base body. The link further comprises a slider, supported by at least one pair of second supporting elements, protruding from the main base body and has free ends supported on the base body.
Abstract:
An apparatus for orienting a spheroidal container comprising a spheroidal body and a neck portion and the method for using the same, the apparatus comprising a container feeder, a channel having a longitudinal gap and arranged for receiving the spheroidal containers from the container feeder and operative to orient the spheroidal containers in an upside down orientation with the body supported by the channel and the neck portion extending below the spheroidal body and into the longitudinal gap; and a twister for receiving the spheroidal containers in the upside down orientation and inverting the spheroidal containers. An apparatus for packaging a beverage in a spheroidal container and the method for using the same, comprising the apparatus for orienting a spherical container and further comprising a filler for receiving the spheroidal containers and filling the spheroidal containers with the beverage, and a sealer for sealing the beverage in the spheroidal containers.
Abstract:
An article conveying device (1) comprising a star wheel (2) having a plurality of gripping devices (3) mounted on the circumference thereof, a rotary drive shaft (8), a hub (10) coupling the wheel (2) to the drive shaft (8), said conveying device (1) being characterized in that it comprises adjustable fastening devices (22) for coupling the star wheel (2) to the hub (10), each fastening device (22) comprising a drift bolt (23) including a body (24) having a threaded portion (25) screwed into a hole (26) provided in the hub (10), said body (24) protruding from an upper face (28) of the hub (10), a head (34) protruding from a lower face (31) of the hub (10), a central bore (30), a washer (36) interposed between the head (34) of the drift bolt (23) and the lower face (31) of the hub (10), said washer (36) having a predetermined thickness (T3), whereby the starwheel (2) rests on an upper face (40) of the drift bolt (23) with a predetermined clearance (C) with respect of the hub (10), a bolt (37) mounted in the bore (30), said bolt (37) having a threaded portion (38) protruding from the drift bolt (23) and screwed into a hole (39) provided in the wheel (2), thereby fastening the wheel (2) to the hub (10).
Abstract:
The invention relates to a method and a device which are used for the plasma treatment of work pieces. Said work piece is inserted into an at least partially evacuatable chamber of a treatment station (3) and the work piece is positioned inside the treatment station of retaining elements. At least one operating agent is at least partially impinged upon by a transporting device (44) which is displaced together with the treatment station on a closed and rotating transport path.
Abstract:
A system for metering articles (C) includes staging conveyor (16) and a transfer conveyor (26) extending along a conveyor path. The transfer conveyor (26) has at least two independent sets of conveying elements (44, 48). The system also includes a supply unit and a control unit (40). A first set of conveying elements (44) is held stationary at the loading zone while a first group of articles is supplied from the staging conveyor to the loading zone. Thereafter, the first group of articles (C) is moved to the exit point. The control unit also controls a second set of conveying elements (48) such that after the first group of articles is moved from the loading zone, the second set (48) is held stationary at the loading zone while a second group of articles is transferred from the staging conveyor to the loading zone.
Abstract:
This invention concerns a method and a corresponding apparatus for ordered supply of containers to an automatic machine, comprising following operating stages: preliminarily freely supplying containers into a plurality of trays borne by a first conveyor belt with vertical axis, in such a way as to create a single layer of loosely arranged containers in the trays with the longitudinal axis thereof oriented horizontally; subsequently detecting a position of each container of the single layer in the corresponding tray; picking up each container situated in the tray and subsequently releasing the container at a mouth of a relative inclined channel which is shaped such as to guide the container onto a corresponding underlying housing of a fixed plane, with the container resiting with a longitudinal axis thereof vertically arranged; subsequently translating a plurality of containers resting in the housings towards corresponding facing seatings associated to a second conveyor belt having a vertical axis; and finally supplying the containers which are positioned in the seatings of the second conveyor belt to an associated machine.
Abstract:
A bottle inspection machine is disclosed which has a starwheel feeder and an outfeed mechanism for receiving bottles from the starwheel feeder. The outfeed mechanism has an inner belt conveyor which has a pickoff wheel adjacent the starwheel feeder and a second wheel. At least one drive belt is supported by the pickoff and second wheels for defining a linear outfeed belt portion. The outfeed mechanism also has an outer serpentine belt conveyor which has an idler wheel located radially inwardly from the pick off wheel which defines an opening for receiving a bottle displaced by the starwheel feeder and a third wheel. At least one flexible serpentine belt is supported by the idler and third wheels which are located to define a location where a bottle will be discharged from the outfeed mechanism. The serpentine belt is sufficiently flexible so that a bottle displaced into the opening between the pickoff and idler wheels will be conveyed by the serpentine and inner belts with the serpentine belt changing its configuration as the bottle is conveyed to the discharge location.
Abstract:
Product is conveyed as a continuous stream by a meter conveyor (12) unto a transfer plate (32) and a transfer device (42). The transfer device (42) is movable between a retracted position and an extended position extending over a sweep conveyor (22). In a preferred form, the transfer device (42) is in the form of a thin piece of flexible material and is moved in the conveying direction from the retracted position to the extended position by engaging with the sweep conveyor (22) and is moved to the retracted position by being wrapped around a rotated roller (46). Product is transferred from the transfer device (42) to the sweep conveyor (22) as the transfer device (42) moves from the extended position to the retracted position and is engaged by a metering bar (52ba, 52ca) which controls the product on the sweep conveyor (22) until the product group leaves the transfer device (42). With nested product, the leading edge of the transfer device (42) is scalloped to represent the product bottom leading edge.
Abstract:
A device having a holder for holding a container such as a bottle of a size and with a second other holder for holding a container such as a bottle of another size. In addition, a method for loading a device with containers such as bottles, whereby the containers of one size are placed in a first holder and the containers of another size are placed in a second other holder to allow easy adjustment to a different size of container without requiring any time-consuming retooling work.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a machine for orienting and aligning articles, of the type that comprises: orientation cavities which can move along a closed path and which are equipped with an upper inlet for loading articles and an open base through which the articles can pass, a plurality of aligning conduits which are disposed below the orientation cavities, means for temporarily supporting the articles in the orientation cavities and for dropping same into the conduits, and support and/or end stop elements in each of the orientation cavities. In addition, each of the cavities comprises several seats or housings at different positions for receiving a first support and/or end stop element of the aforementioned support and/or end stop elements and retaining means for retaining said first support and/or end stop element in any of the seats or housings.