Apparatus and method for transferring articles of the fish and meat processing industry to a predetermined end position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020102155-A1
Application number	US-201916573425-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 17, 2019
Priority date	Sep 27, 2018
Publication date	Apr 2, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus and method, configured for transferring articles of the fish and meat processing industry in a predetermined end position, including a continuous conveying device with a plurality of transport sections for individually receiving the articles and movable in the conveying direction, which transport sections comprise in the conveying position a transport element pair forming two article support surfaces. Each transport element is configured to be controllably pivotable about axles, running in the edge region of the respective transport section, so that the articles ( 10 ) are transferred to the predetermined end position, under the effect of gravity, in a plane lying below the conveying plane by controlled pivoting of both transport elements while retaining the article orientation or by controlled pivoting of one of the respective transport elements of one of the respective transport element pairs while changing the article orientation.

First claim

1 . Apparatus configured for transferring articles ( 10 ) of the fish and meat processing industry to a predetermined end position ( 11 ), comprising
a circulating continuous conveying device ( 12 ) designed to convey the articles in a conveying plane ( 13 ) with a plurality of transport sections ( 18 ), which are configured for individually receiving the articles ( 10 ) and designed to be movable in the conveying direction ( 14 ), wherein each of the transport sections ( 18 ) comprises in the conveying position a transport element pair ( 20 ) forming two article support surfaces ( 19 ) and each transport element ( 22 , 23 ) of the transport element pair ( 20 ) is configured in each case to be controllably pivotable about axles ( 24 , 25 ), running in the edge region ( 21 ) of the respective transport section ( 18 ), in such a manner that the articles ( 10 ) are transferred into the predetermined end position ( 11 ) in at least one transfer region ( 26 ) under the effect of gravity in a plane lying below the conveying plane ( 13 ) by either controlled pivoting of both transport elements ( 22 , 23 ) of one of the respective transport element pairs ( 20 ) using a control device while retaining the article orientation, or they are transferred into the predetermined end position ( 11 ) by controlled pivoting of one of the respective transport elements ( 22 , 23 ) of one of the respective transport element pairs ( 20 ) while changing the article orientation.

2 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport elements ( 22 , 23 ) of the transport element pairs ( 20 ) are each inclined towards the centre ( 29 ) of the respective transport section ( 18 ) in the conveying position in such a manner that the article support surfaces ( 19 ) each form a receiving trough ( 30 ) for one of the articles ( 10 ).

3 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the continuous conveying device ( 12 ) comprises two circulating drive belts ( 32 ) arranged parallel to each other and extending in the conveying direction ( 14 ), between which the transport elements ( 22 , 23 ) are pivotably arranged about the axles ( 24 , 25 ) running in the edge region ( 21 ) of the respective transport section ( 18 ).

4 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the continuous conveying device ( 12 ) comprises two guide elements ( 34 ) each extending in the conveying direction ( 14 ) and arranged in parallel below the drive belts ( 32 ) which guide elements are configured for sliding guidance of deflecting elements ( 35 ) arranged on the transport elements ( 22 , 23 ).

5 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the deflecting elements ( 35 ) are each arranged on the transport elements ( 22 , 23 ) of one of the transport element pairs ( 20 ) on opposing guiding sides ( 37 , 38 ) of the transport elements ( 22 , 23 ).

6 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the guide elements ( 34 ) each comprise a stationary guide rail ( 39 ) and, in the at least one transfer region ( 26 ), at least one adjustment element ( 40 ) which is designed to be controllably movable by the control device and which is configured to guide the deflecting elements ( 35 ) slidingly in a guiding position and to enable guidance of the deflecting elements ( 35 ) in a deflecting position.

7 . Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the adjustment elements ( 40 ) have at least one guide surface ( 41 ) which is configured to be controllably pivotable by the control device about an axis of rotation ( 42 ) running in the conveying direction ( 14 ).

8 . Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the adjustment elements ( 40 ) are formed in the manner of a cross in the cross-section containing the axis of rotation ( 42 ).

9 . Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport elements ( 22 , 23 ) are formed in the manner of a grid.

10 . Apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the axles running in the edge regions ( 21 ) of the respective transport section ( 18 ) of one each of the transport elements ( 22 , 23 ) of one of the transport element pairs ( 20 ) are rod-shaped and are arranged on both sides of the drive belts ( 32 ) by pivot bearings.

11 . Apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the deflecting elements ( 35 ) are rod-shaped.

12 . Apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein for controlling the adjustment elements ( 40 ), the control device is operatively connected in each case to a drive unit ( 44 ), wherein the drive unit ( 44 ) comprises a controllable actuator ( 45 ) for producing a transverse movement and a conversion unit ( 46 ) configured to convert the transverse movement into at least one rotational movement, said conversion unit being configured to pivot the at least one guide surface ( 41 ) of the adjustment element ( 40 ) about the axis of rotation ( 42 ).

13 . Apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the conversion unit ( 46 ) comprises two curve control parts ( 47 ), wherein a first curve control part ( 47 a ) is arranged on the actuator ( 45 ) and a second curve control part ( 47 b ) is arranged on the adjustment element ( 40 ), wherein the curve control parts ( 47 a , 47 b ) have correspondingly formed cam pairs ( 50 , 51 ) directed towards each other.

14 . Apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein a first of the cam pairs ( 50 ) is configured to convert the transverse movement of the actuator ( 45 ) into a rotational movement of the second curve control part ( 47 b ) relative to the first curve control part ( 47 a ) and a second of the cam pairs ( 51 ) is configured to transfer the transverse movement of the actuator ( 45 ) to the second curve control part ( 47 b ) in the operating direction ( 54 ) of the actuator ( 45 ).

15 . Apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the adjustment element ( 40 ) is spring-tensioned so as to be axially displaceable against the operating direction ( 54 ) of the actuator ( 45 ) by a spring element ( 52 ) and an axial bearing ( 53 ), such that in the guiding position the adjustment element ( 40 ) is in the idle position in respect of its axial position, while in the deflecting position the adjustment element ( 40 ) is in a released position in respect of its axial position.

16 . Apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein a first control crown ( 55 ) is arranged on the adjustment element ( 40 ), which first control crown is configured in the idle position with form-fitting engagement in a stationary second control crown ( 56 ) for locking the rotation of the first control crown ( 55 ), and wherein the control crowns ( 55 , 56 ) are further configured to assume a non-form-fitting state in the released position.

17 . Method for transferring articles of the fish and meat processing industry to a predetermined end position, comprising wherein:
conveying of the articles ( 10 ) in a conveying plane ( 13 ) by a circulating continuous conveying device ( 12 ) with a plurality of transport sections ( 18 ) which are configured for individually receiving the articles ( 10 ) in a conveying direction ( 14 ), wherein each of the transport sections ( 18 ) comprises in the conveying position a transport element pair ( 20 ) forming two article support surfaces ( 19 ) and each transport element ( 22 , 23 ) of the transport element pair ( 20 ) is configured in each case to be controllably pivotable about axles ( 24 , 25 ) running in the edge region ( 21 ) of the respective transport section ( 18 ), optional controlled transfer of the articles ( 10 ) under the effect of gravity into the predetermined end position ( 11 ) in at least one transfer region ( 26 ) in a plane lying bel

Assignees

• Nordischer Maschinenbau

Inventors

• Jacobsen Ulf
• Dalgaard-Nielsen Ib Verner

Classifications

• B65G47/66 Primary

  Fixed platforms or combs, e.g. bridges between conveyors · CPC title

• A22C29/023

  Conveying, feeding or aligning shellfish · CPC title

• A22C25/08

  Holding, guiding, or conveying fish before, during or after its preparation (A22C25/06 takes precedence){; Devices for sizing fish; Automatically adapting conveyors or processing machines to the measured size (transport in general B65G)} · CPC title

• A22C17/0093

  Handling, transporting or packaging pieces of meat · CPC title

• A22C21/0053

  Transferring or conveying devices for poultry · CPC title