Removal device for rod-like elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11793206-B2
Application number	US-202016860684-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 28, 2020
Priority date	Apr 29, 2019
Publication date	Oct 24, 2023
Grant date	Oct 24, 2023

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for removing a rod-like element, like a smoking rod, from a loading zone of a hanging line, wherein the rod-like element is arranged in a loading position of said loading zone, in which the rod-like element can successively be loaded with sausage-shaped products, like sausages, each of which contain a flowable filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing provided with a suspension element, like a suspension loop, through which the sausage-shaped products can be suspended on the rod-like element in the loading position. The device comprises discharge means for discharging the loaded rod-like element out of the loading zone of the hanging line in a discharge direction and transfer means being reversibly movable in a transfer direction between an engagement position in which the transfer means engage the rod-like element to be removed from the loading position, and a retracted position in which the loaded rod-like element is transferred to said discharge means. The device further comprises a drive assembly having a single drive device and transmission means for intermittently driving the discharge means in a discharge direction, and for reversibly driving the transfer means in the transfer direction between the engagement position and the retracted position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device for removing a rod-element from a loading zone of a hanging line, wherein the rod-element is arranged in a loading position of said loading zone in which the rod-element can successively be loaded with sausage-shaped products, each of which contain a flowable filling material in a tubular or bag-shaped packaging casing provided with a suspension element through which the sausage-shaped products can be suspended on the rod-element in the loading position,
the device comprises:
a discharge unit for discharging the loaded rod-element out of the loading zone of the hanging line in a discharge direction;
a transfer unit being reversibly movable in a transfer direction between an engagement position in which the transfer unit engages the rod-element to be removed from the loading position, and a retracted position in which the loaded rod-element is transferred to said discharge unit; and
a drive assembly having a single drive device and transmission assembly for intermittently driving the discharge unit in the discharge direction, and for reversibly driving the transfer unit in the transfer direction between the engagement position and the retracted position, wherein the transfer unit is reversibly moved by reversing the single drive device, and wherein the transmission assembly includes a free run for intermittently driving the discharge unit, the free run allows the discharge unit to be moved in the discharge direction when the single drive device is driven in one direction, whereas the discharge unit remains in its position during the reversal movement of the single drive device.

2. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the transfer unit includes at least one engagement element reversibly movable between an extended position and a retracted position.

3. The device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the engagement element is a spring-loaded latch.

4. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the transfer unit comprises two at least substantially identical transfer devices which engage the rod-element to be removed in the region of its ends.

5. The device according to claim 4 ,
wherein each transfer device includes a driving rack for linearly reversibly moving the transfer devices between the engagement position and the retracted position.

6. The device according to claim 4 ,
wherein the discharge unit includes two identical discharge devices supporting the loaded rod-elements in the region of their ends, and
wherein the transmission assembly includes coupling rods for synchronizing the movement of the transfer devices and the movement of the discharge devices.

7. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the discharge unit includes two identical discharge devices supporting the loaded rod-elements in the region of their ends.

8. The device according to claim 7 ,
wherein each of the discharge devices includes an at least approximately horizontally arranged chain conveyor.

9. The device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the transmission assembly includes at least one transmission stage for adapting the speed of the discharge unit to the speed of the transfer unit.

10. The device according to claim 1 ,
further comprising a clamping arrangement for securing the rod-element in the loading position.

11. The device according to claim 10 ,
wherein the clamping arrangement comprises a pusher device with a pusher drive and a pusher element.

12. The device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the pusher element is interchangeable, and has an abutment surface specific to the shape of the rod-element.

13. The device according to claim 11 ,
wherein the clamping arrangement includes a sensor device for detecting at least one position of the pusher element.

Assignees

• Poly Clip System Gmbh & Co Kg

Inventors

• Kulhei Stefan

Classifications

• A22C11/008 Primary

  Conveying sausages in horizontal position (conveying hanging sausages A22C15/001) · CPC title

• B65G65/08

  with reciprocating pick-up conveyors · CPC title

• A22C15/002 Primary

  Loops, hooks, cords for suspending single sausages; apparatus for making or conveying loops for sausages · CPC title

• A22C15/001

  Specially adapted for hanging or conveying several sausages or strips of meat · CPC title