EP0382161A1 - Bottle-closing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a bottle-closing machine with a conveying section which is formed between a bottle inlet and a bottle outlet, has a conveying star (9) which can be driven cyclically in rotation about a vertical machine axis (M), and on which at least one closing station is provided with a closing head of a closing apparatus. To improve the operating convenience and permit a reduced constructional depth, the closing machine is designed so that the conveying section, when seen from the front or operator's side of the closing machine, runs in front of the machine axis (M). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a capping machine for bottles according to the preamble of claim 1.

Sealing machines of this type are known. In all known capping machines, the transport path formed by the transport star and running in a circular arc with respect to the vertical machine axis, on which the capping stations are also provided, is in the region of the rear of the capping machine, i.e. seen from the front or operator side of this machine behind the vertical machine axis. Among other things, this has disadvantages in terms of ease of use, namely in that the functional elements of the closing stations are difficult to access and the machine is particularly difficult in the area of the transport route, e.g. in the event of a bottle breakage, it is difficult to clean broken glass and contents. In addition, a relatively high overall depth cannot be avoided in the known capping machines.

The invention has for its object to show a capping machine that offers improved ease of use and can be manufactured with a small depth.

To solve this problem, a sealing machine is designed in accordance with the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

Characterized in that in the capping machine according to the invention the transport path formed by the transport star between the bottle inlet and the bottle outlet is on the operating side, that is to say seen in front of the vertical machine axis from this point of view, the functional elements of the capping stations are, for example, for checking the mode of operation and for eliminating malfunctions, but also the trans port route, in particular for cleaning purposes, is much more accessible, which significantly improves operating convenience.

In a preferred embodiment of the capping machine according to the invention, at least one capping station there is a standing surface for the bottles to be capped which can be moved up and down in the vertical direction by a lifting device. This did not move with the transport star, i.e. insofar as the stationary lifting device has at least one driving element for interacting with a control cam of a cam disc, which (cam disc) causes a vertical stroke with its control cam whenever there is a bottle to be capped at a capping station used.

If the sealing machine has, as is preferably the case, a plurality of sealing stations for different types of closure, a separate lifting device is provided for each sealing station. When selecting a type of closure specified by a certain type of bottle, the lifting device of the closing station corresponding to this type of closure is then activated, namely in that the driving element of this lifting device is brought into engagement with the control curve of the cam disc, while the driving elements of the other lifting devices are disengaged from the Control curve of the cam are. The arrangement according to the invention of the transport path formed by the transport star seen from the operator side in front of the vertical machine axis ensures that these driver elements are also easily accessible from the operator side, that is to say the operation is simplified and the operator comfort is improved.

In the closing machine according to the invention, a driven shaft is preferably provided, on which the cam disk having the control cam for the lifting elements is seated or to which this cam disk is connected in terms of drive. This driven shaft, for example by the drive a filling machine or driven by its own drive is connected in terms of drive to a drive shaft for the functional elements of a closing device of a closing station, and preferably to the functional elements of the closing device of a closing station for natural corks. The aforementioned, driven shaft preferably protrudes with a partial length over the top of the transport star and is connected with its upper end there to the drive shaft of the closing device. As a result, a particularly simple drive for the closing device in question is achieved, in particular, in spite of good accessibility, in particular also of the transport path formed between the bottle inlet and the bottle outlet.

Developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

• Fig. 1 in Seitenansicht eine Verschließmaschine von der Bedienerseite her gesehen;
• Fig. 2 in vereinfachter Detaildarstellung einen Horizontal­schnitt der Verschließmaschine in ihrem die Ver­schließstationen aufweisenden Arbeitsbereich;
• Fig. 3 in schematischer Darstellung einen Vertikalschnitt der Verschließmaschine entsprechend der Linie I-I der Fig. 2;
• Fig. 4 und 5 Vertikalschnitte der Verschließmaschine ent­sprechend den Linien II-II bzw. III-III der Fig. 2, allerdings in vereinfachter Darstellung.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures using an exemplary embodiment. Show it:

• Figure 1 seen in side view of a capping machine from the operator side.
• 2 shows a simplified detailed illustration of a horizontal section of the sealing machine in its working area which has the sealing stations;
• Fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a vertical section of the capping machine according to line II of Fig. 2;
• 4 and 5 vertical sections of the capping machine according to lines II-II and III-III of FIG. 2, but in a simplified representation.

The capping machine shown in the figures has a machine frame or a machine base 1 with an upper, horizontal table top 2, over which the actual one Sealing or working area 3 of the capping machine is formed, to which the bottles 4 are fed via a transporter 5 in the direction of arrow A and from which the bottles 4 come again after the closure to the transporter 5, which transports the bottles 4 away, such as this is indicated by the arrow B in FIG. 1.

The conveyor 5 is formed by lateral guide rails 7 and by a curved conveyor belt 8, which with its upper length, which moves in the direction of arrow A, forms a horizontal standing surface for the bottom of the upright bottles 4 and also extends beyond the working area 3 into the right part of the transporter 5 extends in FIG. 1.

A transport star 9 is provided on the work area 3 above the table top 2 and also above the horizontal transport plane, in which the upper length (upper run) of the conveyor belt 8 is located. In the embodiment shown, its star has a total of eight by an angular amount of 45 ° (division) staggered and open to the circumference pockets 10 for receiving a bottle 4 each. The transport star 9 is arranged with its axis coaxially with a vertical machine axis, ie with the central axis M of the work area 3, and in the illustration selected for FIG. 2, it is clocked about this vertical central axis M counterclockwise, ie in the direction of arrow C, ie stepwise drivable. The vertical center axis M lies in an imaginary vertical plane, which also includes the center line L of this conveyor belt 8 running in the longitudinal direction of the conveyor belt 8. In the area of the transport star 9, the upper and lower horizontal lengths of the conveyor belt 8 have a curved course such that these lengths there from the front or. Seen from the operator side, which is in the illustration chosen for FIG. 2 below, past the vertical central axis M or a shaft arrangement 11 lying coaxially with this axis, as indicated in FIG. 2 by 8 '.

Between the position 12, which forms the bottle inlet of the working area 3 and at which the upper length of the conveyor belt 8 enters the area under the transport star 9, and the position 13, which forms the bottle outlet of the working area 3 and at which the upper length of the conveyor belt 8 leaves the area below the transport star 9 again, are on the operator side of the capping machine, ie Seen from this operator side, three closing stations are formed in front of the central axis M, namely, starting from the position 12 in the direction of rotation C of the transport star 9, a closing station SV for screw or roll-on closures, a closing station NK for natural corks and a closing station KK for crown caps. These closing stations SV, NK and KK are provided at the same radial distance from the central axis M offset from one another by an angular amount which is equal to the angular distance between two successive pockets 10 or the division of the transport star 9. The latter is also driven in a clocked manner such that a pocket 10 of the transport star 9 is located at each closing station SV, NK and KK in each standstill phase of the transport star 9.

Each capping station SV, NK and KK each consists of a lifting device 14 with a bottle plate 15 provided under the transport star 9 and described in more detail below, and a capping head 16, 17 and 18 of conventional type arranged above the respective lifting device 14 and the associated bottle plate 15, known training. The closing head 16 forming the closing station SV is part of a closing device 19 for roll-on or screw closures, the closing head 17 forming the closing station NK is part of a closing device 20 for natural corks and the closing head 18 forming the closing station KK is part of a closing device 21 for crown caps. The closing devices 19, 20 and 21 also have a conventional construction and, together with their closing heads 16-18, are on a circuit board 22 mounted, which is fastened by means of several columns 23 above the table top 2 and parallel to it, but also above the transport star 9. In order to be able to adapt the closing machine to bottles 4 of different sizes, ie different heights, the plate 22 can be adjusted in the vertical direction, as indicated by the double arrow D. For this purpose, the columns 23 consist, for example, of two telescoping elements that can be moved relative to one another, special lifting elements being provided for the height adjustment. Of course, the columns 23 can already have the function of the lifting elements for the height adjustment (double arrow D) of the board 22.

Each lifting device 14, which is of the same design in all closing stations SV, NK and KK, consists of a lifting rod 24 which is arranged with its axis in the vertical direction parallel to the central axis M and can be displaced in a guide 25 on the table top 2 in the vertical direction is guided (arrow E). At its upper, above the table top 2, the lifting rod carries the associated bottle plate 15. The lower, below the table top 2 end of the lifting rod 24 is attached to the top of a sliding body 26, which in turn is guided on a guide rod 27, which with its axis is parallel to the axis of the lifting rod 24 or the central axis M. Relative to this central axis M, the guide rod 27 of each lifting device 14 is offset radially inwards relative to the lifting rod 24, i.e. the guide rod 27 is at a smaller distance from the central axis M than the associated lifting rod 24.

In the embodiment shown, the guide rods 27 are each fastened with their upper end to the underside of the table 2 and with their lower end to a frame part 28 which is connected to the table top 2 via the guide rods 27 and further holding elements 29.

The shaft arrangement 11 is formed in two parts in the embodiment shown, i.e. it consists of an outer, vertical hollow shaft 30 and an inner shaft 31 which projects over the upper and lower ends of the hollow shaft 30, has a gear wheel 32 for driving it at its lower end and is rotatable relative to the hollow shaft 30. At the upper end of the hollow shaft 30, the transport star 9 and at the lower end of the hollow shaft 30, a star wheel 33 is fastened, which forms part of a stepping gear, on its circumference has a plurality of driving elements or rollers 33 'and with these rollers 33' with a worm wheel-like drive wheel 34 cooperates. Stepper drives of this type are known. The drive wheel 34 is driven by a drive which also serves to drive the inner shaft 31 via the gear wheel 32. By appropriate course of the co-operating with the rollers 33 'screw or thread surfaces of the drive wheel 34, the continuous rotary movement of this drive wheel 34 is implemented in the stepwise or clocked movement of the transport star 9. In the embodiment shown, the stepping gear formed by the star wheel 33 and the drive wheel 34 is located below the table top 2 and is therefore protected against dirt, broken glass, etc. The bearing 35 serves to support the hollow shaft 30 in the table top 2. The inner shaft 31 is rotatably mounted in the hollow shaft 30 and in the frame part 28.

At the end of the inner shaft 31 projecting downward beyond the star wheel 32, a cam disk 36 is provided which rotates with the inner shaft 31 about the central axis M. The cam disc 36 is provided on its circular cylindrical peripheral surface with a self-contained control curve 37 in the form of a groove. The control curve 37 has a section 37 ', in which the control curve 37 extends in the region of the upper, ie the star wheel 33 facing end face of the cam plate 36, and a section 37' in which the control curve 37 faces away in the region of the lower, the star wheel 32 Front side of the cam plate 36 extends.

The inner shaft 31 is driven via the gear 32 synchronously with the hollow shaft 30 such that in each cycle of the movement of the hollow shaft 30 or the transport star 9, which (cycle) includes a movement phase and a standstill phase, the inner shaft 31 makes a full rotation and the section 37 'in the standstill phase of the transport star 9 moves past the lifting devices 14.

The sliding body 26 of each lifting device 14 has a driving element 38 which interacts with the single control curve 37. The driving element 38 is designed such that it can be engaged with the single control curve 37 or can be disengaged from this control curve 37. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed in the embodiment shown that the driving element 38 is designed as a pin and is slidably provided in the direction of its horizontal, radially extending to the central axis M longitudinal axis in the sliding body 26, as is indicated by the double arrow F, around that Bring driving element 38 into engagement or out of engagement with the control cam 37. In the practical implementation of the capping machine, a roller is provided on the driving element 38 which interacts with the control cam 37, i.e. can be brought into or out of engagement with the control cam 37.

Only when driving element 38 engages with the control cam 37, the associated lifting device 14 and its bottle plate 15 are moved from the lower lifting position shown in FIGS. 3-5 to the upper, in FIG. 3 with 15 'indicated lifting position, namely when the driver element 38 is located in section 37 'of the control curve 37.

The upper end of the inner shaft 31 protruding above the transport star 9 engages in the lower end 39, which is designed as a hollow shaft, of a shaft 40 which lies with its axis coaxially with the central axis M, is part of the closing device 20 and in this and in the circuit board 22 is rotatably mounted. The shaft 40 is used to drive the closing device 20, that is to say in particular to drive the agitator 41 there, the cork lock 42 there and the associated cork insertion device 43. In order to enable the aforementioned height adjustment of the plate 22 in the direction of the double arrow D, the inner shaft 31 and the Although shaft 40 is connected to one another in terms of drive, but axially displaceable relative to one another, for which purpose shaft 31 is provided in a known manner on its circumference with a plurality of longitudinal grooves, into which corresponding projections on lower end 39 of shaft 40 engage.

Below the transport star 9, a horizontal guide or sliding surface is provided within the conveyor area formed by this transport star, on which the closing stations SV, NK and KK are also formed, which in the embodiment shown is formed by a partially annular sliding plate 44, the upper side of which level with the horizontal transport plane of the conveyor belt 8 and also level with the top of the bottle plate 15 located in its lower stroke position. The sliding plate 44 is fastened, for example, to a guide arch 45 which surrounds the transport star 9 at its aforementioned conveying region and is held at the required distance above the table top 2. Instead of the sliding plate 44, webs 46 can also be provided between the bottle plates 15, which, together with the bottle plates 15, form the base for the bottom of the bottles 4 in the region of the transport route lying between positions 12 and 13. The use of the webs 46 instead of the sliding plate 44 has the advantage that any bottle shards fall down from the area of the transport path onto the table top 2, from which these shards can be removed more easily.

To close the bottles 4, one of the closing stations SV, NK or KK is first selected according to the type of closure required, for which purpose not only the associated closing device 19-21 is put into operation or for one such operation is prepared, but at the same time the driving element 38 of the associated lifting device 14 is brought into engagement with the single control cam 37 of the cam plate 36, while the driving elements 38 of the other two lifting devices 14 remain disengaged from the control cam 37. Each bottle 4 to be closed is transferred from the transporter 5 to the transport star 9 or into a ready pocket 10 of the transport star 9 and is further moved in a clocked manner with this transport star 9. As soon as the bottle 4 has reached the selected closing station SV, NK or KK, the lifting device 14 is moved from its lower lifting position in the vertical direction (double arrow E) into the upper lifting position when the transport star 9 is at a standstill, so that the bottle 4 with its Bottle mouth comes to rest against the corresponding closing head 16, 17 or 18 and is closed in the usual way. Following this, the lifting device 14 or its bottle plate returns to the lower lifting position, even before the next movement step of the transport star 9 takes place by a division, ie by the angular distance between two pockets 10. At the position 13, each closed bottle 4 is then transferred to the right part of the conveyor 5 in FIG. 1 or to the upper partial length of the conveyor belt 8 there.

The capping machine described initially has the advantage that all capping stations SV, NK and KK are provided on the operating side of the machine and are therefore easily accessible. This also makes it possible to easily clean the capping machine, particularly if the bottle breaks.

Another significant advantage is that the closing devices 19-21 and their closing heads 16-18 can only be adjusted in height, but can otherwise be provided in a fixed manner, and the selection of the respective type of closure in a particularly simple manner simply by activating the corresponding closing device 19-21 and the associated one Lifting device 14 takes place. By arranging the sealing stations SV, NK and KK on the operator side, ie seen from this operator side in front of the vertical central axis M, it is also possible to make the driving element 38, which is adjustable for the activation of the respective lifting device 14, easily accessible.

To ensure that the respective bottle 4 rests in the required manner with its bottle mouth against the closing head 16-18 when the bottle is closed, the lifting rod 24 is not rigid, but is designed in such a way that its length can be shortened against the action of a spring force . In the simplest case, this is achieved in that each lifting rod 24 consists of two telescopically interlocking and axially movable parts or lifting rod elements 24 'and 24', of which the upper lifting rod element 24 'carries the bottle plate 15 and the lower lifting rod element 24' is attached to the sliding body 26 and between two lifting rod elements 24 'and 24˝ at least one spring element, ie a compression spring, a gas spring or the like. Spring element acts.

In the embodiment described above, it was assumed that the three sealing stations SV, NK and KK are provided as work stations on the transport route formed between positions 12 and 13. In principle, it is also possible to provide only one closing station, or several closing stations for the same type of closure, but for different closure sizes, or other work stations, for example a closing station for a different type of closure (e.g. Alka tear-off closure or handle cork) on the aforementioned transport route, or else instead of one of the sealing stations SV, NK, KK to use such a sealing station for another type of closure. In principle, it is also possible to design a closing station in such a way that it can be converted from screw caps to crown caps, for example. Furthermore, it is also possible, for example, to provide a suction or gassing station in the direction of rotation C of the transport star 9 in front of the closing stations as a work station. which is then, for example, at the position at which the closing station SV is provided in the embodiment shown in the figures, which in this case can be combined with the closing station KK to form a common closing station for crown caps and screw closures.

The capping machine is preferably part of a combined filling and capping machine, the filler upper part 47 of which is shown in FIG. 1 with dash-dotted lines.

Claims (12)

1. Closing machine for bottles with a transport path formed between a bottle inlet and a bottle outlet, which has a transport star that can be driven in a clocked manner around a vertical machine axis and is provided on the at least one closing station with a closing head of a closing device, characterized in that the transport route is from the front - As seen from the operator side of the capping machine, runs in front of the machine axis (M). 2. Closing machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing device (20) of the at least one closing station (SV, NK, KK), which is preferably a closing station (NK) for natural corks, a vertical drive shaft (40) for its functional elements (41 , 42, 43) which is coaxial with the vertical machine axis (M). 3. Sealing machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive shaft (40) of the closing device (20) is connected to the upper end of a driven shaft (31), the axis of which is coaxial with the machine axis (M) and which has a partial length the top of the transport star (9) protrudes. 4. Capping machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the at least one capping station (SV, NK, KK) has a lifting device (14) for a up and down movable base (15) for the bottles (4), and that the lifting device (14) which is not moved along with the transport star (9) has at least one driving element (38) for engaging in a control cam (37) provided on a cam disc (36). 5. Sealing machine according to claim 3 and 4, characterized in that the cam disc (36) on the driven shaft (31) or on a shaft connected to this driven shaft is provided. 6. Sealing machine according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that in several sealing stations (SV, NK, KK) a separate lifting device (14) is provided for each sealing station, and that the driving element (38) of each lifting device is designed such that it can be brought into engagement with the control cam (37) for activating the associated lifting device and out of engagement with the control cam (37) for inactivating the associated lifting device (14). 7. Sealing machine according to claim 6, characterized in that a common control cam (37) is provided for all lifting devices (14). 8. Sealing machine according to one of claims 4-7, characterized in that the cam disc (26) is driven synchronously with the transport star (9), but continuously rotating in such a way that during each movement phase and a standstill phase including the movement of the transport star Cam (36) performs a rotary movement over a predetermined angular amount, preferably a full revolution. 9. Sealing machine according to one of claims 3-8, characterized in that the transport star (9) is provided on a hollow shaft (30) enclosing the driven shaft (31), which via a step gear (33, 34) synchronously with the driven shaft (31) is driven. 10. Sealing machine according to one of claims 1-9, characterized by a conveyor belt (8), which is passed under this in the region of the transport star (9), seen from the operator's side in an area behind the machine axis (M). 11. Closing machine according to claim 10, characterized in that the conveyor belt (8) is a curved conveyor belt, which with the horizontal central axis (L) in the transport direction (A, B) before the bottle inlet (12) lying partial length and after the bottle outlet ( 13) lying partial length is arranged in an imaginary vertical plane, which also includes the machine central axis (M). 12. Sealing machine according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that several sealing stations are formed for the same type of closure, but different closure size, on the transport path formed by the transport star (9).

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