CH615871A5 - Process for the filling and gassing of pourable materials to be packaged and apparatus for carrying out the process - Google Patents

Abstract

Low-oxygen packs (6), for example for tea, are produced. The still opened packs (6) advancing in steps along a conveyor band (23) are first cleared of air or oxygen by the supply of inert gas by means of a pregassing device. The loose material is then introduced from metering containers (1-4), and while it is running in it is gassed via lines (40, 41) by means of a gassing device (28). Inert gas is fed once again to the filled packs (6) by a post-gassing device (29) before they are closed. The feed lines (11-14) of the filling devices and the carrier (46) having the hollow needles (45) of the post-gassing device (29) are moved along together with the packs in the course of a step of the conveyor band (23). The time during which the individual packs are scavenged with inert gas can thus be lengthened, without impairing the performance of the apparatus. <IMAGE>

Description

** WARNING ** beginning of DESC field could overlap end of CLMS **.

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A process for filling and gassing bulk goods to be packaged, in which the bulk goods are filled in counterflow from a measuring container into a gradually conveyed packaging container, a protective gas is flushed through them and the filled packaging container is also sealed before it is sealed airtight Shielding gas is rinsed, characterized in that countercurrent purging is carried out simultaneously in at least two deformable guide devices 1-14), which lead from at least two measuring containers (1-4) to the incrementally conveyed packaging containers (61, 63, 66, 68) and one include end portion (14) moved forward or backward in synchronism with the same; and that the final rinsing is carried out simultaneously via at least two filled packaging containers (612-6l5) via a deformable line element (29) and subsequent end parts (45) which are also moved synchronously, both the duration of the countercurrent rinsing and that of the final rinsing each being the sum of the downtime and exceeds the movement time of a step.

2. Device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least two measuring containers (1-4) each containing an automatic balance, to which deformable guide devices (11-14) are connected. to which gassing devices (28) are assigned, through which protective gas can be supplied to a lower part (14) of the guide devices; that these lower parts (14) are jointly movable backwards and forwards above a row of holders (22) which move the packaging containers (6) in a stepwise forward manner; that a post-gassing device (29) is provided, which has a horizontal plate (46) equipped with at least two vertical hollow needles (45), which in a vertical longitudinal plane above filled packaging containers has a periodically synchronized translation movement along the steps along a closed curve (47) executes such that the hollow needles are inserted into the contents of these containers (612-615) and follow them at least one step; and that all said gassing devices (28, 29) have shut-off devices (38, 42) which are each open during the said period.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the deformable guide devices each have a swivel funnel 1) which is connected via a bellows (13) to a filling funnel (14) which is provided at its lower end with a controllable flap (15) is; that the filling funnels are fastened on a common carriage (17) which is moved forwards and backwards step by step and that the flaps are closed when the latter moves backwards.

4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that two pairs of measuring containers (1-4) are provided and that the carriage (17) carries out two forward and two backward steps.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the horizontal plate (46) of the post-gassing device (29) is equipped with four hollow needles (45) and is driven by an articulated mechanism (49) which has two identical angular levers (50) mounted in a fixed position coupled to each other at the ends of their respective lever arms by horizontal links (53, 56), of which the upper (56) is articulated to the plate (46) via two identical connecting rods (57).

The production of low oxygen packs, especially for tea or the like, is known, e.g. from the Swiss patent specification 583 116. In an effort to increase the performance of the devices previously used for this purpose, with the sparing use of protective gas and the highest possible quality of the packs, a method for filling and gassing bulk goods to be packaged was developed.

In this method, as already known, the bulk material is flushed through by a counterflow of a protective gas while it is being filled from a measuring container into a packaging container that is conveyed step by step. Furthermore, the filled packaging container is rinsed with protective gas before being sealed airtight. The invention is based on the finding that, in the known methods, both the countercurrent rinsing and the rinsing take place only during a very short time interval which is at most as long as the time during which a storage container stands still with each step, and from that Recognition that an extension of the rinsing time must have a very advantageous effect on the method. Accordingly, the method according to the invention is characterized in that the countercurrent rinsing is carried out simultaneously in at least two deformable guide devices which lead from at least two measuring containers to the gradually conveyed packaging containers and an end portion moved back and forth in synchronism with the same; and that the final rinse is carried out simultaneously via at least two filled packaging containers via a deformable line element and subsequent end parts which are also moved synchronously, both the duration of the countercurrent rinse and that of the final rinse each exceeding the sum of the downtime and the movement time of one step.

The invention also relates to a device for performing this method. This device is characterized by the fact that it has at least two measuring containers, each containing an automatic balance, to which deformable guide devices are connected, to which fumigation devices are assigned, through which protective gas can be supplied to a lower part of the guide device: that these lower parts can be moved forward and backward together are above a row of incrementally moving holders receiving the packaging containers; that a post-gassing device is provided which has a horizontal plate equipped with at least two vertical hollow needles, which performs a translational movement synchronized with the steps along a closed curve in a vertical longitudinal plane above filled packaging containers, such that the hollow needles enter the contents of these containers stabbed and follow them at least one step; and that all the gassing devices mentioned have shut-off devices which are each open for the duration mentioned.

An exemplary embodiment of the filling and gassing device according to the invention is shown schematically in the drawing. Show it: Figure 1 is a view of the device with partial sections. Fig. 2 is a view of part of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a transport device and Fig. 4 is a view of a hinge mechanism.

The device shown has two pairs of measuring containers 1, 2 and 3, 4, which are connected via the conveying path of a series of bulk materials 5, e.g. Tea packaging containers 6, e.g. Bags open at the top are arranged. Containers 1 to 4 contain automatic scales, of which the outlet 7 is only shown for container 4. The bottom 8 of the containers 1 to 4 has a central opening surrounded by a seal 9, on the edge of which the upper one.

formed as a ball joint 10 part of a pivotable

Funnel 11 is stored. The lower, tapered end 12 of the Swivel funnel 11 is connected by a bellows 13 to the upper end of a filling funnel 14, the lower, tapered end of which is provided with a two-leaf flap 15. An electromagnet 16 is provided to control the flap 15. According to FIG. 2, the four filling funnels 14 are fastened on a carriage 17, which is on two fixed guides 18 and 19 is displaceable in its longitudinal direction, as indicated by the double arrow A. A drive linkage 20, not shown, can e.g. at an end point 21 of the Attack slide 17.

Holders 22 which are open at the top and at the front are used to transport the containers or bags 6, the back of which is fastened to an endless chain 23 or a belt according to FIG. In the vicinity of the turning points of the chain 23, a loading device 24 or an unloading device 25 are arranged, with which, in a known manner, an empty bag is inserted into the holder 221 after each step of the chain 23, or a filled and closed bag from the holder 222 is removed. The filling funnels 14 are of course located above the holders 22 of the transport strand 26 of the endless chain 23 loaded with bags 6.

The bags 6 should not only be filled with weighed quantities of tea, but should also be freed of oxygen as far as possible, for which purpose the air otherwise contained in them by an inert gas (protective gas), e.g. Nitrogen or carbon dioxide to be replaced. 1, a pre-gassing device 27, four funnel gassing devices 28 and a post-gassing device 29 are provided.

The pre-gassing device 27 has a vertical tube 30, the lower end of which widens in the form of a funnel 3 1, which may or may not be provided with a sieve at the bottom. The tube 30 can be moved up and down in a stationary bearing (not shown), as indicated by the double arrow 32, at a point which is one (or more) steps in front of the foremost point in the transport run 26 of the holder chain 23, at which the filling of a bag 6 can begin. The upper end of the tube 30, drawn in dash-dot lines in its lowered position 301, is connected by a hose 33 to a regulating throttle 34, which is connected to an electromagnetically actuated shut-off valve 35. The valve 35 is located at the end of a gas line 36, the beginning of which is via a regulating throttle 37 is connected to a source of the inert gas, not shown.

The four funnel gassing devices 28 are connected to the gas line 36, each comprising an electrovalve 38 and a regulating throttle 39, which are connected via a hose 40 to a pipe 41 which projects downwards centrally in the interior of the filling funnel 14 and is open at the bottom. The post-gassing device 29, which is also connected to the gas line 36, comprises an electric valve 42 and a regulating throttle 43, which are connected to four vertical hollow needles 45 via a hose 44 and lines, not shown. The upper ends of the hollow needles 45 and the lines leading from the hose 44 to the same are fastened to a movable base plate 46 which periodically carries out a translational movement in the vertical longitudinal plane along a closed curve 47 which is shown for a corner point 48 of the plate 46 During translation, all points of the plate 46 move along such a curve 47, so that the plate 46 always remains horizontal and the hollow needles 45 are always aligned vertically. Although such a movement of the plate 46 can be produced in several known ways, a joint mechanism 49 which can be used particularly expediently is shown in FIG. 4.

The hinge mechanism 49 has two identical to each other Angle lever 50, which is pivotally mounted at 51 at the same height in fixed bearings. The lower ends of the obliquely downwardly projecting, longer lever arms are articulated at 52 to a horizontal coupling member 53, which in the sense of Double arrow 54 is movable back and forth. The shorter He belarme are hinged at 55 to a second coupling member 56 which is articulated by two parallel connecting rods 57 with the vertical Leg 58 of an angle piece 58, 46 is connected, the horizontal leg of the plate provided with the needles 45 46 form. A point 59 of one of the connecting rods 57 is moved back and forth in the direction of the double arrow 60 Choice of the amplitudes and phases of the link 53 and the Movements given at point 59, the desired translation according to curve 47 can be given to plate 46, as is necessary to fulfill the operation of post-gassing device 29, which will be explained later.

In order to clarify the operation of the device described, a number of bags located one on the other in holders 22 of the transport strand 26 with 61 to 635 have been identified in FIG. 1; these are at a standstill Digits S1 to S39, the mutual distance between them one Step of the chain 23 corresponds. For the sake of simplicity, it is assumed that 60 bags per minute are filled and gassed in the device, that is to say an empty bag 6 is inserted into the holder 221 every second and a filled bag is removed from the holder 222. In practice, the performance can be much higher. It is further assumed that the chain 23 takes 0.5 seconds for each step and then stops for 0.5 seconds.

In each holding time of 0.5 seconds, the tube 30 is the Pre-gassing device 27 is lowered into the empty, open-top bag 6, which is located at a location SO, and the solenoid valve 35 is opened. Gas then emerges from the outlet funnel 31 at a speed dependent on the setting of the regulating throttle 34 and displaces the majority of the air in the bag 6. In FIG. 1, it is assumed that the carriage 17 carrying the filling funnels 14 is in its position 2 is the starting position shown; the flaps 15 of the filling funnel 14 have been opened by means of the electromagnets 16 and the scales contained in the measuring containers 1 to 4 are emptied through their outlets 7 into the swivel funnel 11, and from there through the filling funnel 14 into the bags 61, 63, 66 and 6. At the same time, the protective gas is supplied to each filling funnel 14 through the associated funnel gasification device 28. The same emerges from the lower end of the central tube 41 near the funnel mouth and then flows together with the gas displaced by the bulk material 5 against the flow of the air mixture Bulk goods upwards, whereby it also takes the air entrained by the bulk goods upwards. The air-gas mixture finally escapes through an outlet opening 61 provided at the lower part of the container in question (e.g. 4).

During the next two steps of the chain 23, the carriage 17 carries out two corresponding synchronous steps by moving it forward along the guides 18 and 19, the filling funnels 14 coming successively into the layers 14 'and 14 "indicated by dash-dotted lines. The bags 61 , 63, 66 and 68 therefore remain in constant contact with the relevant measuring containers 1 to 4 during these two forward steps via the deformable line devices 10 to 14, more precisely, during three downtimes of 0.5 seconds each at points S1, S2 and S3 , and two movement times of 0.5 seconds each, from S1 to S2 and from S2 to 3, which results in a total filling time of 2.5 seconds. During the next two steps of the chain 23, the carriage 17 carries out two backward steps, during which the Flaps 15 are closed; more precisely, they remain during the two movement times of 0.5 seconds each, from S3 to S2, and from S2 to S1 and a standstill period t closed in 0.5 seconds in S2, i.e. a total of 1.5 seconds. The scales are set so that they deliver the desired filling weight in a clean time, which is less than 2.5 seconds, but preferably only slightly less, because then less air is entrained and the counterflow of the protective gas is particularly effective. The carriage 17 can also be returned to the initial position in a single step twice as large, but the flaps 15 may of course only be opened when the bags 6 have also completed the fourth step, so that nothing changes in the total filling time.

Since the filling funnels 14 come to rest in the initial position over a box 6 after every four steps, they skip three boxes 6, i.e. that e.g. the filling hopper 14 located in FIG. 1 above the box 66 comes to rest after the backward movement over the box 63, which is still empty. The distance between the two first funnels 14 is two steps, that between the second and third funnels three steps, and that between the third and fourth funnels again two steps. In this arrangement, all boxes 6 are filled, namely boxes 65, 69, 633, 637 etc. from the first Al> funnel 14, ie from the first measuring container 1, the boxes 67, 633, 635, 639 etc. from the second measuring container 2, the boxes 6 ,,, 634, 635 etc. the third measuring container 3 and the boxes 633, 6t6 etc. from the fourth measuring container 4.

The filled bags 6 are then subjected to post-gassing by means of the device 29 in order to remove the last air residues from them. 4, the four hollow needles 45 are inserted into the interior of four boxes 612 to 615, the electrovalve 42 being opened. The latter then remains open until the end of the downtime of the next chain step, for a total of about 1.5 seconds, so that the protective gas flushes through the contents of the bag. During this chain step, the plate 46 also moves forward synchronously at a constant height by one step. Then, with the electrovalve closed, the plate 46 passes through the ascending branch and the upper branch of the curve 47 in a time interval of less than 2.5 seconds, after which they is lowered again very quickly and the work cycle is repeated. The upper end of the rinsed bags 636, 637 is now each deformed with a device provided at point S ,, to form a closure, which is finally sealed airtight at point S19 by another device. These known devices are not shown.

It can be seen that numerous variants of the described device can be provided for carrying out the method according to the invention. In particular, only a pair of measuring containers 1 and 2 could be provided, the filling funnels 14 of which are then only guided one step forward and one backward by the carriage 17; in this case the bags 6 are alternatively filled from one or the other measuring container. The performance of such a device is of course correspondingly lower than that of the device described, although numerous elements such as e.g. the holders 22, the loading and unloading devices 24 and 25, the closure and sealing devices, etc. are also provided. Of course, other means than a chain or a belt 23 can also be used to move the holders 22 step by step; the downtimes of the steps do not have to be about the same as the movement times. If necessary, pre-gassing can also be dispensed with, depending on the type of bulk material and the desired quality of the packs. The devices of the type described can have a very high performance; they are reliable, economical in the use of protective gas and deliver packs of excellent quality.

Claims (5)

PATENT CLAIMS 1. A process for filling and gassing bulk goods to be packaged, in which the bulk goods are filled in counterflow from a measuring container into a gradually conveyed packaging container, a protective gas is flushed through them and the filled packaging container is also sealed before it is sealed airtight Shielding gas is rinsed, characterized in that countercurrent purging is carried out simultaneously in at least two deformable guide devices 1-14), which lead from at least two measuring containers (1-4) to the incrementally conveyed packaging containers (61, 63, 66, 68) and one include end portion (14) moved forward or backward in synchronism with the same; and that the final rinsing is carried out simultaneously via at least two filled packaging containers (612-6l5) via a deformable line element (29) and subsequent end parts (45) which are also moved synchronously, both the duration of the countercurrent rinsing and that of the final rinsing each being the sum of the downtime and exceeds the movement time of a step. 2. Device for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it has at least two measuring containers (1-4) each containing an automatic balance, to which deformable guide devices (11-14) are connected. to which gassing devices (28) are assigned, through which protective gas can be supplied to a lower part (14) of the guide devices; that these lower parts (14) are jointly movable backwards and forwards above a row of holders (22) which move the packaging containers (6) in a stepwise forward manner; that a post-gassing device (29) is provided, which has a horizontal plate (46) equipped with at least two vertical hollow needles (45), which in a vertical longitudinal plane above filled packaging containers has a periodically synchronized translation movement along the steps along a closed curve (47) executes such that the hollow needles are inserted into the contents of these containers (612-615) and follow them at least one step; and that all said gassing devices (28, 29) have shut-off devices (38, 42) which are each open during the said period. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the deformable guide devices each have a swivel funnel 1) which is connected via a bellows (13) to a filling funnel (14) which is provided at its lower end with a controllable flap (15) is; that the filling funnels are fastened on a common carriage (17) which is moved forwards and backwards step by step and that the flaps are closed when the latter moves backwards. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that two pairs of measuring containers (1-4) are provided and that the carriage (17) carries out two forward and two backward steps. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the horizontal plate (46) of the post-gassing device (29) is equipped with four hollow needles (45) and is driven by an articulated mechanism (49) which has two identical angular levers (50) mounted in a fixed position coupled to each other at the ends of their respective lever arms by horizontal links (53, 56), of which the upper (56) is articulated to the plate (46) via two identical connecting rods (57). The production of low oxygen packs, especially for tea or the like, is known, e.g. from the Swiss patent specification 583 116. In an effort to increase the performance of the devices previously used for this purpose, with the sparing use of protective gas and the highest possible quality of the packs, a method for filling and gassing bulk goods to be packaged was developed. In this method, as already known, the bulk material is flushed through by a counterflow of a protective gas while it is being filled from a measuring container into a packaging container that is conveyed step by step. Furthermore, the filled packaging container is rinsed with protective gas before being sealed airtight. The invention is based on the finding that, in the known methods, both the countercurrent rinsing and the rinsing take place only during a very short time interval which is at most as long as the time during which a storage container stands still with each step, and from that Recognition that an extension of the rinsing time must have a very advantageous effect on the method. Accordingly, the method according to the invention is characterized in that the countercurrent rinsing is carried out simultaneously in at least two deformable guide devices which lead from at least two measuring containers to the gradually conveyed packaging containers and an end portion moved back and forth in synchronism with the same; and that the final rinse is carried out simultaneously via at least two filled packaging containers via a deformable line element and subsequent end parts which are also moved synchronously, both the duration of the countercurrent rinse and that of the final rinse each exceeding the sum of the downtime and the movement time of one step. The invention also relates to a device for performing this method. This device is characterized by the fact that it has at least two measuring containers, each containing an automatic balance, to which deformable guide devices are connected, to which fumigation devices are assigned, through which protective gas can be supplied to a lower part of the guide device: that these lower parts can be moved forward and backward together are above a row of incrementally moving holders receiving the packaging containers; that a post-gassing device is provided which has a horizontal plate equipped with at least two vertical hollow needles, which performs a translational movement synchronized with the steps along a closed curve in a vertical longitudinal plane above filled packaging containers, such that the hollow needles enter the contents of these containers stabbed and follow them at least one step; and that all the gassing devices mentioned have shut-off devices which are each open for the duration mentioned. An exemplary embodiment of the filling and gassing device according to the invention is shown schematically in the drawing. Show it: Figure 1 is a view of the device with partial sections. Fig. 2 is a view of part of the device of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a transport device and Fig. 4 is a view of a hinge mechanism. The device shown has two pairs of measuring containers 1, 2 and 3, 4, which are connected via the conveying path of a series of bulk materials 5, e.g. Tea packaging containers 6, e.g. Bags open at the top are arranged. Containers 1 to 4 contain automatic scales, of which the outlet 7 is only shown for container 4. The bottom 8 of the containers 1 to 4 has a central opening surrounded by a seal 9, on the edge of which the upper one. ** WARNING ** End of CLMS field could overlap beginning of DESC **.