GB2040875A

GB2040875A - Load transporting pallet

Info

Publication number: GB2040875A
Application number: GB7943404A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Rationator Maschinenbau GmbH
Current assignee: Rationator Maschinenbau GmbH
Priority date: 1979-01-10
Filing date: 1979-12-17
Publication date: 1980-09-03
Also published as: NL7908955A; SE7910265L; IT8083303A0; FR2446241A1; DE2900714A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a concave pallet (3,3,4) for transporting a container by means of a conveyor band in a conveying direction between successive packaging stations adapted to receive and hold a bottom portion of the container. It is open on top to permit an upper portion of the container to project through the open top and is further open on a side in the conveying direction to permit the container to be removed from the pallet through the open side. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Pallet for transporting a container The present invention relates to a concave pallet for transporting a container by means of a conveyor band in a conveying direction between successive packaging stations in a packaging installation where a succession of containers may be sorted, filled, closed, labeled and boxed.

In packaging installations, a succession of operating stations are provided for first sorting the containers, then filling them, closing the filled containers, labeling the closed containers and placing the closed containers into boxes. In such installations, the containers must be so transported that the requisite packaging operations may be effected at each station economically and without hindrance while holding the containers securely in an erect position and suitably centered.

Conventional packaging installations of this general type provide guides in the range of the conveyor bands to prevent the containers from tilting over during transport. However, these guides cannot prevent certain containers from becoming jammed when they are moved seriatim, i.e. side-by-side, because of their rounded shapes which causes them to become wedges into each other, thus interfering with the required packaging operations. Also, the guides do not assure proper centering of the containers at each station. It has been attempted to avoid these difficulties by placing each container into pallet, and the pallets holding the containers are transported through the installation between successive packaging stations in a conveying direction.

However, this has had the disadvantage that the containers must be placed into the pallets and removed therefrom either manually or by additional mechanisms mounted in the installation. When mechanical devices are used for handling the containers, different gripping heads must be used for containers of different sizes, thus further complicating the machinery and increasing costs. Furthermore, the nature of the known pallets prevents the final operations of labeling and boxing to be performed on the containers while they are held in the pallets.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a pallet for use in a packaging installation of the indicated type, which enables all packaging operations to be carried out automatically and without removing the containers from the pallets.

The above and other objects are accomplished according to the invention with a concave pallet shaped to receive and hold a bottom portion of the container and being open on top to permit an upper portion of the container to project through the open top and being further open on a side in the conveying direction to permit the container to be removed from the pallet through the open side.

Such a concave pallet has the advantage that the container may be inserted therein and removed therefrom automatically, simply by providing guide means for moving the containers into the concave pallet and removing it therefrom through the open side. The containers may remain in the pallets along the entire conveying path in the installation, labeling of the containers through the open side being possible without interference from the pallet. Since all operations may be performed automatically, labor expenses are saved. The pallets may be made of inexpensive synthetic resin. If desired, inserts may be placed into the concave pallets to equalize height or other dimensional differences of the containers, thus assuring, for example, that all containers are filled to the same level at the filling station.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of certain now preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. lisa perspective view showing one embodiment of a concave pallet according to this invention; FIGS. 2 and 3 are like views showing two further embodiments; FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a portion of the packaging installation where the containers are automatically removed from the pallets; FIG. 5 is partial side view of FIG. 4; and FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a portion of another embodiment of a packaging installation where the containers are automatically removed from the pallets.

Referring now to the drawing, wherein like references numerals designate like parts functioning in a like manner in all figures, FIG. 1 shows a concave pallet being shaped to receive and hold a bottom portion of a container and being open on top to permit an upper portion of the container to project through the open top. The illustrated pallet is of rectangular cross section and consists of rectangular bottom wall 4 and two opposite parallel side walls 3, 3. The walls define a concavity receiving and holding the bottom container portion. In this embodiment, both sides between walls 3,3 are open.

In the embodiment of FIG. 2, the pallet of FIG. 1 is simply turned 90 from the erect position shown in FIG. l,thus producing a concave pallet consisting of two opposite parallel side walls 3,3 and a third side wall 5 interconnecting the opposite side walls. The walls again define a concavity receiving and holding the bottom container portion, this pallet being open only at one side, bottom wall 4 of the embodiment of FIG. 1 forming side wall 5.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, the pallet of FIG. 2 has been modified to add thereto bottom wall 4.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the installation comprises conveyor band 6 on which pallets 1 are moved in side-by-side relationship, the bottom portions of containers 8 being received and held in pallets las illustrated in FIG. 5, while the upper portions of the containers project through the open tops of the pallets and are suitably guided in a manner known per se and forming no part of this invention. At removal point 7, the containers are suitably guided laterally out of the open side of the pallets to a laterally adjacent conveyor band 9 while empty pallets 1 continue in the conveying direction indicated by arrow 2 on conveyor band 6. As shown in FIG. 5, conveyor band 9 is positioned a little higher than conveyor band 6 to compensate for the thickness of bottom 4 of the pallet. Where no such height compensation is needed, the two conveyor bands may be co-planar.

In the installation of FIG. 6, the pallets and containers are so guided that the containers continue on conveyor band 9 in straight alignment with conveyor band portion 6 after the containers are removed from the pallets while the empty pallets are deflected to be returned to the initial operating station. The guide shown in the drawing for removing the containers through the open sides of the pallets is reversed at the initial operating station for guiding the containers into the pallets through their open sides extending in the conveying direction.

Claims

1. Aconcave palletfortransporting a container by means of a conveyor band in a conveying direction between successive packaging stations, the pallet being shaped to receive and hold a bottom portion of the container and being open on top to permit an upper portion of the container to project the open top and being further open on a side in the conveying direction to permit the container to be removed from the pallet through the open side.

2. A concave pallet according to claim 1, being of rectangular cross section and consisting of a rectangular bottom wall and two opposite parallel side walls, the walls defining a concavity receiving and holding the bottom container portion.

3. A concave pallet according to claim 1, being of rectangular cross section and consisting of two opposite parallel side walls and a third side wall interconnecting the opposite side walls, the walls defining a concavity receiving and holding the bottom container portion.

4. The concabe pallet according to claim 3, further including a bottom wall.

5. A concave pallet for transporting a container constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.