JPH0447141Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] "Industrial Application Field" The present invention relates to a container conveyance device that conveys a container while holding the container at the front and back in the conveyance direction between a pair of holders.

"Prior Art" Conventionally, this type of container conveying device has a first sprocket and a second sprocket provided on a drive shaft,
a first endless chain that is stretched around the first sprocket and runs in circulation; a second endless chain that is stretched around the second sprocket and runs in circulation in parallel with the first endless chain at the same speed; A first holder provided on the first endless chain to hold the front side of the container in the conveyance direction; and a second holder provided in the second endless chain to hold the rear side of the container in the conveyance direction.
A device is known that is equipped with a holder and an interval adjustment mechanism that adjusts the interval between the first holder and the second holder in the conveyance direction (Utility Model Publication No.
14861, Special Publication No. 52-49629).

"Problem to be solved by the invention" However, in the conventional container conveying device having the above configuration, when adjusting the distance between the pair of holders to match the size of the container, only one of the holders is used. Therefore, after adjusting the interval between the holders to match the changed size, the center position of the container held by the holders may shift. I was getting used to it.

Therefore, for example, when the container transport device is a transport device that transports containers to a line-type filling device that fills containers with filling liquid, the filling nozzles of the filling device are arranged at a predetermined pitch, so that As described above, if the center position of the container shifts when adjusting the interval between the holders, there is a possibility that the filling nozzle cannot be inserted into the container.

"Means for Solving the Problem" In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides the first sprocket and the second sprocket, each of which has the spacing adjustment mechanism rotatably attached to the drive shaft;
A first gear fixed to the first sprocket, a second gear fixed to the second sprocket, a rotating shaft rotatably supported on the shaft of the drive shaft, and the rotating shaft is connected to the first gear and the second sprocket. a gear mechanism that is interlocked with a second gear and rotates the first sprocket and the second sprocket by the same amount in opposite directions in accordance with the rotation of the rotation shaft; a worm wheel connected to the rotation shaft; and a worm wheel connected to the rotation shaft; a worm gear rotatably supported on a shaft and meshed with the worm wheel, and the worm gear and the worm wheel transmit the rotation of the worm gear to the worm wheel, and the rotation of the worm wheel is not transmitted to the worm gear. This is what I did.

"Operation" According to the above configuration, by rotating the worm gear of the interval adjustment mechanism, the worm wheel,
The first sprocket and the second sprocket can be rotated by the same amount in opposite directions through the rotating shaft, the gear mechanism, and the first gear and the second gear. Second
The distance between the holders can be changed by moving the holders by the same amount in opposite directions to prevent the center position of the article from shifting.

Moreover, at that time, the rotation of the worm wheel is not transmitted to the worm gear, so after rotating the worm gear and temporarily determining the distance between the first holder and the second holder, the worm gear is held so that it does not rotate. Even if the first holder and the second holder are not kept in place, the distance between the first holder and the second holder does not change, and therefore the adjustment work can be performed extremely smoothly.

``Embodiment'' The present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiment. In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 and 1' are endless chains arranged parallel to each other, and both endless chains 1,
1' are kept in the same phase and run at the same speed.

A large number of base plates 2 are installed between both endless chains 1 and 1' at regular intervals, and a first holder 4 for holding the rear side of the container 3 in the transport direction is installed on each base plate 2. With the container 3 placed on the base plate 2 and the rear surface of the container 3 held by the first holder 4, the container 3 can be transported.

At the center position of the pair of endless chains 1, 1',
An endless chain 5 is provided which runs parallel to the endless chains 1 and 1' at the same speed, and brackets 6 are attached to the endless chain 5 at the same intervals as the base plates 2.

A shaft 7 is horizontally supported on each bracket 6 so as to be perpendicular to the transport direction of the endless chain 5, and the container 3 is held between a pair of arms 8 fixed to both ends of the shaft 7.
A second holder 9 is provided for holding the front side in the transport direction. Further, a torque spring 10 is provided between the bracket 6 and the arm 8, and the torque spring 10 urges the second holder 9 toward the first holder 4, so that the second holder 9 and the second holder 9 are connected to each other. The container 3 can be held between the first holder 4 and the container 3.

On the other hand, a cam member 1 has a cam follower 11 attached to the lower end of one of the pair of arms 8, and the cam follower 11 is fixed to the machine frame 12.
3, the second holder 9 can be swung in a direction away from the first holder 4 against the torque spring 10.

Next, FIG. 4 shows the pair of endless chains 1,
1' and the endless chain 5 to adjust the distance between the pair of holders 4 and 9 according to the size of the container 3 to be held.

In the figure, reference numeral 15 denotes a hollow drive shaft rotatably supported on the machine frame 12. A gear 16 is fixed to the left end of the drive shaft 15, and a drive gear 17 is rotationally driven by a motor (not shown). It meshes with the

Three sprockets 18, 18', 19 are rotatably supported on the outer periphery of the drive shaft 15 at required intervals, and the pair of endless chains 1, 1 are mounted on the outer pair of sprockets 18, 18'. 'of,
An intermediate endless chain 5 is wrapped around the intermediate sprocket 19, respectively.

A rotary shaft 20 is rotatably supported on the shaft portion of the hollow drive shaft 15, one end of which projects outside the left end of the drive shaft 15, and a worm wheel 21 is fixed to the projecting end. is meshed with a worm gear 22 rotatably supported on the left end surface of the gear 16. At this time, when the worm gear 22 is rotated, the worm wheel 21
However, even if an attempt is made to rotate the worm wheel 21, the worm gear 22 is prevented from rotating.

In a normal state, the rotation of the gear 16 causes the worm gear 22 to rotate together with the gear 16, and at the same time, the worm wheel 21 meshing with the worm gear 22 also rotates together, so that the drive shaft 15 and the rotating shaft are rotated. 20 so that they rotate together.

Further, the drive shaft 15 is provided with a shaft between the sprockets 18 and 19 and between the sprockets 18' and 19.
A cylindrical portion 23, 23' facing radially outward is integrally provided between each cylindrical portion 2 and 9.
Rotating shafts 24, 24' are rotatably supported on the shaft portions 3, 23'. Bevel gears 25, 25' are attached to the radially inner ends of the rotating shafts 24, 24', respectively, and mesh with bevel gears 26, 26' attached to the rotating shaft 20.

Also, bevel gears 27, 27' are attached to the radially outer ends of each of the rotating shafts 24, 24', and one bevel gear 27 is meshed with a bevel gear 28 provided on the sprocket 18, while the other Bevel gear 2
7' meshes with a bevel gear 28' provided on the sprocket 18' and a bevel gear 29 provided on the sprocket 19.

In the above configuration, when the cam follower 11 is engaged with the cam member 13, the distance between the pair of holders 4 and 9 is widened, so the container 3 is held between the holders 4 and 9 in this state. It is clear that it can be supplied or discharged.

When the cam follower 11 crosses the cam member 13 and is disengaged with the container 3 being supplied between the holders 4 and 9, the second holder 9 is moved by the elastic force of the torque spring 10. It is swung toward the first holder 4, and the container 3 is held between the holders 4 and 9. Therefore, container 3
is placed on the base plate 2, held by a pair of holders 4 and 9, and transported in a stable state.

Next, when it is necessary to change the distance between the pair of holders 4 and 9 in order to convey a large or small container, rotating the worm gear 22 in the required direction will cause the worm gear to mesh with the worm gear 22 to change. The rotating shaft 20 is rotated in a desired direction with respect to the drive shaft 15 via the wheel 21, and the rotation is caused by the bevel gears 26, 26', the bevel gears 25, 25', and the rotating shaft 2.
4, 24' to bevel gears 27, 27'.

When the bevel gear 27' is rotated, the sprockets 18' and 19 that mesh with it rotate by a predetermined amount in opposite directions, and at the same time, the sprocket 18 that meshes with the bevel gear 27 rotates with respect to the sprocket 1.
It rotates by the same amount in the same direction as 8'. the result,
The endless chains 1, 1' and 5 are displaced in opposite directions so that the distance between the holders 4 and 9 changes.

At this time, both the holders 4 and 9 are displaced by the same amount in opposite directions, so even if the size of the container 3 changes, when the container 3 is held between the holders 4 and 9, the center of the container The position remains constant.

"Effect of the invention" As described above, according to the invention, by rotating the worm gear that constitutes the interval adjustment mechanism, the first sprocket and the second sprocket are connected to each other through the worm wheel, the gear mechanism, and the first gear and the second gear. Since the second sprocket and the second sprocket can be rotated by the same amount in opposite directions, it is possible to very easily move the first holder and the second holder by the same amount in opposite directions. The distance between both holders can be changed while preventing the center position of the article from shifting.

Moreover, when changing, the rotation of the worm wheel is not transmitted to the worm gear, so after rotating the worm gear and temporarily determining the distance between the first holder and the second holder, the worm gear is held so that it does not rotate. The first holder and the second
The effect is that the distance between the holder and the holder does not change, and therefore the adjustment work can be performed extremely smoothly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of the present invention;
The figure is a plan view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the - line in FIG. 2, and FIG. . 1, 1'...first endless chain, 3...container, 4
...First holder, 5...Second endless chain, 9...
Second holder, 10...Torque spring, 11...
...Cam follower, 13...Cam member, 14...Space adjustment mechanism, 15...Drive shaft, 18, 18'...
1st sprocket, 19...2nd sprocket,
21... Worm wheel, 22... Worm gear, 28, 28'... First gear, 29... Second gear, 25-27, 25'-27'... Gear.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A first sprocket provided on a drive shaft is connected to a second sprocket, a first endless chain is connected to the first sprocket and runs in circulation, and a first endless chain is connected to the second sprocket. a second endless chain that circulates in parallel with the first endless chain at the same speed as the first endless chain; a first holder that is provided on the first endless chain and holds the front side of the container in the transport direction; A container conveyance device comprising: a second holder provided in the chain to hold the rear side of the container in the conveyance direction; and an interval adjustment mechanism that adjusts the interval between the first holder and the second holder in the conveyance direction. wherein the spacing adjustment mechanism is comprised of the first sprocket and second sprocket, each of which is rotatably attached to the drive shaft; a first gear fixed to the first sprocket; and a second gear fixed to the second sprocket. and a rotating shaft rotatably supported on the shaft portion of the drive shaft, and the rotating shaft is interlocked with the first gear and the second gear, and the first sprocket and the second sprocket are connected in accordance with the rotation of the rotating shaft. a gear mechanism that rotates the sprocket by the same amount in opposite directions, a worm wheel connected to the rotating shaft, and a worm gear rotatably supported on the drive shaft and meshed with the worm wheel, The container conveyance device is characterized in that the worm gear and the worm wheel transmit rotation of the worm gear to the worm wheel, but do not transmit rotation of the worm wheel to the worm gear.