GB1480543A - Machine for forming a continuous column of articles - Google Patents

Abstract

1480543 Endless conveyers BARILLA G & R F LLI SpA 26 June 1975 [27 June 1974] 27155/75 Heading B8A Rusks 3 fed in rows on a conveyer belt (2) (Fig. 1, not shown) from an oven (not shown), pass on to a conveyer (5), the support surface of which is spread apart in the direction of conveyance. This leads to a further conveyer 15 with which guides 14 are associated for each row of the rusks 3. Transverse pins 13 (Fig. 2, not shown) are disposed at a distance equal to the thickness of a rusk above each lane at the downstream end of the conveyer 15. Each guide 14 leads into a respective shoot 16. Each of the latter feed to a respective lane of a conveyer belt 17 to which the rusks 3 are delivered each standing on end. At the downstream end of the conveyer 4, is provided a series of pivotable shoes 24, each momentarily engaging the top of a respective rusk 3. The next row downstream is also periodically arrested by a series of fingers 33. The latter and the shoes 24 are operable by the action of a single piston cylinder unit 30 to halt two respective rows of the rusks 3 as they pass over a plate 23 which overlies the end of the conveyer 17. As an alternative, two separate units 30 may be used for the shoes 24 and fingers 33. Guides 18 which separate each lane of the rusks on the conveyer 17, terminate in bristles or resilient reeds 34. The plate 23 is succeeded by a plate 35 (Fig. 5) along which each successive row of rusks is conveyed by pushers 38 carried by conveyer chains 37. A cam rail 42 projects and retracts the pushers where necessary. The continuous row of rusks thus produced is conveyed onwards between conveyer members 46 carrying bristles 47 and mounted on conveyer chains 44 of a conveyer 144. 1st Modification.-The arrangement of shoes 24 and fingers 33 are replaced by a series of fingers 103 (Fig. 8) which engage and stop one row of rusks in the shoots 16. The next lower row is stopped by inwardly movable members 109, 110. The latter are operated by the action of cam 107 (shown in Fig. 8 as displacing the members 109, 110, to an open position) which also controls by engaging a member 106, the stops 103 (in Fig. 8 just moving into the blocking position). When the members 109, 110, move outwardly, the row of rusks 3 released thereby drop on to a wheeled carriage 111 which is pushed by a camoperated pusher 116 (Fig. 6) into a position in which the rusks 3 lie between the bristles 47 of the conveyer 144. 2nd Modification (Fig. 12).- A retractable (by means of a ram 36) partitioned casing 134, and interdigitated platforms 140, alternately retractable relative to the casing 134 (by means of a ram 135), enable the columns of rusks 3 to be fed directly from the bases of the shoots 16 to the bristles 47 of the conveyer 144.