Device for conveying and arranging cylindrical elements, such as bottles, in a row

• US 7,086,520 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2005
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marchesini Group S.p.A.
• Original Assignee: Marchesini Group S.p.A.
• Inventors: Monte, Giuseppe
• Primary Examiner(s): DILLON JR, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US11/248,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081442A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 198/444, 198/453, 198/455
• US Class Current: 198/444
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2201/0244 Bottles
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 47/682 from a single conveyor lane consisting of one conveyor or several adjacent conveyors

Abstract

A device for transporting and arranging cylindrical elements in a row has a first conveying belt, operated by first motor means to pull a plurality of cylindrical elements in a feeding direction. A second conveying belt is situated in cascade with respect to the first conveying belt and is operated continuously for receiving and transporting the plurality of cylindrical elements in a direction concordant with the feeding direction. Canalization means are fastened to an upper run of the second conveying belt for intercepting and for guiding the cylindrical elements, being transported on the second conveying belt, in a discharge direction up to an outlet channel, situated on one side thereof. Sensor means are connected with the first motor means and detect the presence of at least one cylindrical element in a selected section of the second conveying belt. The sensor means deactivate the first motor means, after a first time interval, subsequent to detection, and activate them, after a second time interval, when no cylindrical elements are detected in the selected section.

Claims

1. A device for transporting and arranging cylindrical elements, in a row, including:

a first conveying belt, operated in a feeding direction by first motor means to pull a plurality of cylindrical elements disposed on an upper run of said first conveying belt, up to a corresponding outlet section of said first conveying belt

a second conveying belt, having an upper run, downstream of and colinear with the first conveying belt, with interposition of a spline, for restoring the continuity between the upper runs of said first conveying belt and second conveying belt, said second conveying belt being operated continuously and receiving said plurality of cylindrical elements from the outlet section of said first conveying belt for transporting said cylindrical elements in the feeding direction, on an upper run of said second conveying belt;

canalization means, fastened at the upper run of said second conveying belt for intercepting said cylindrical elements being transported on said second conveying belt and for guiding them, in a row and in a discharge direction, from an intermediate section of the second conveying belt to an outlet channel, situated on one side;

of the second conveying belt

sensor means, connected to said first motor means for detecting the presence of at least one of said cylindrical elements in a prefixed section of said second conveying belt, as well as for deactivating said first motor means, after a first time interval, subsequent to said cylindrical element being detected, and for activating said first motor means, after a second time interval, when no cylindrical elements are detected in said section.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said intermediate section is transversal with respect to the feeding direction.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said second time interval is zero.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the speed reached by said first conveying belt, is higher than the speed of said second conveying belt.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the speed of said second conveying belt is kept constant.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical elements are bottles.