IES73193B2

IES73193B2 - Handling beverage bottles

Info

Publication number: IES73193B2
Authority: IE
Inventors: Thomas Harney
Original assignee: Thomas Harney
Priority date: 1996-12-20
Filing date: 1996-12-20
Publication date: 1997-05-07
Also published as: GB2320484A; IES73194B2; IE960922A1; GB2320484B; IES73192B2; GB9702158D0

Abstract

Filled and capped beverage bottle 30 of the type having an elongate shape in transverse cross-section, are passed on an endless conveyor via a labelling station and an orienting station to a packing station. Labels 60 are stuck to one larger side so as to have free ends 61. These are then applied to the shorter sides e.g. by blade-type brushes 65, 66 preferably as the bottles are orientated. The orientating mechanism comprises two driver elements e.g. endless belts (68, 69, Fig 7) gripping the bottle neck and operated at different speeds. Thereafter the bottles are preferably stopped with a mechanism having an extension leg (82, Figs 9-11) having a length equivalent to the number of bottles it is desired to pack before being shifted transversely to a bottle assembly station. Preferably, empty bottles are filled with e.g. beverage syrup from a holding tank (16, Figs 2 and 3) and thereafter capped (45, Fig 5) whilst being clamped (e.g. by belts 50, Fig 5). Preferably the surface of the belt is lubricated by spraying water thereon using an inclined bottle (41, Fig 4).

Description

Handling beverage bottles The invention relates to a method and apparatus for filling and handling beverage bottles.

To optimise production efficiency it is essential that beverage bottles are filled and handled at every stage of the production process at as high a speed as possible. It is particularly important to present the bottles in a correct desired orientation at every stage of the production process. If the production efficiency is not optimised manual intervention is required with increased operating costs and potential equipment downtime.

According to the invention, there is provided apparatus for assembling a desired number of labelled beverage bottles in a desired packing orientation comprising:an elongate conveyor along which the bottles are led; an extension leg having a stop means against which a leading bottle is engaged, the extension leg having a length corresponding to a desired number of bottles; and means for shifting the extension leg transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor to shift the desired number of bottles from the conveyor to an adjacent bottle assembly station.

Preferably, the stop means comprises a stop arm extending transversely of the extension arm. In a preferred arrangement the means for shifting the extension leg transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor comprises a ram means. Most preferably in this case, the bottles are of the type having an elongate - 2 shape in transverse cross section, the bottle having a pair of elongate side wall means and a pair of shorter side wall means extending between the elongate side wall means .

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of beverage preparation steps in the method of the invention; Fig. 1A is a schematic transverse cross sectional view of a bottle shape used in the method of the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of a holding tank and a cleaning tank used in the method of the invention; Fig. 3 is an end, partially cross-sectional view of the holding tank of Fig. 2; Figs. 4A and 4B are respectively perspective and side views of a conveyor lubricating step in the method of the invention; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of capping apparatus used in the method of the invention; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the capping apparatus of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of bottle orientating apparatus used in the method of the invention; Fig. 8 is a plan view of a bottle turning apparatus of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a bottle shifting apparatus used in the method of the invention; and Figs. 10 and 11 are plan views of the bottle shifting apparatus of Fig. 9, in use.

Referring to the drawings and initially to Fig. 1 thereof a batch of beverage syrup is prepared from the following typical formulation :- Fructose Syrup 337 litres Pectin 2.025 Kg Citric Acid Anhydrous 19 Kg Orange Base 121 litres Aspartame 0.675 Kg Saccharin 1.620 Kg Ascorbic Acid 0.454 Kg Sodium Benzoate 1.247 Kg Sodium Metabisulphate 0.584 Kg Sodium Carboxymethylcellulose 4.320 Kg Orange Emulsion 1.35 litres Water to 2700 litres Mains water is passed through an activated carbon filter 2, a bag filter 3 and an ultra violet filter 4 to provide highly pure water for beverage processing. Using the purified water a carboxymethylcellulose premixture is prepared in a first premix tank 5 and a citric acid premixture is prepared in a second premix tank 6. The pre-mixtures are pumped forward by a pump 8 through a flowmeter 9 to one of two main tanks 10,11. In the main tanks 10,11 the beverage syrup mixture is made up from the various ingredients including the fructose syrup which is stored in liquid form in a fructose syrup tank 12 and delivered into the main tanks 10,11 through a pump 13 and flowmeter 14. From the main tanks 10,11 the beverage syrup is pumped forward by a pump 15 to a main holding tank 16 which is sized to hold the equivalent of the contents of both main tanks 10,11.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3 the holding tank 16 is mounted on a stand 17 for gravity feed to a filling machine. The tank 16 is fitted with an agitator 18 to maintain the beverage syrup mixed. To clean the holding tank 16 between batch processing, for example from one flavour to another, the tank 16 is fitted with spray balls 19 to which a cleaning solution is delivered from a storage container 20 by a circulating pump 21 along a recirculating line 22.

Referring to Fig. 4 elongate bottles 30 are delivered along a conveyor 32 in an upright orientation. As illustrated particularly in Fig. 1A, the bottle 30 is of the type having an elongate shape in transverse crosssection having a substantially flat base 32 and an upper filling neck 33. A bottle 30 comprises a pair of elongate side walls 35,36 and a pair of shorter side walls 37,38 extending between the longer side walls 35,36.

The upper bottle receiving surface of the conveyor 32 is lubricated by spraying water from a supply 40 over the surface of the conveyor 32 in a substantially continuous manner. In this case the water is distributed over the surface of the conveyor 32 by spraying the water through an inclined empty bottle 41 having a lower water outlet 42 through which the water is distributed onto the conveyor 32.

Empty bottles 30 are first filled with the beverage syrup from the holding tank 16 through a filling machine. The filled bottles 30 are then capped using a capping apparatus as illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. The presence of a filled bottle is first sensed and a cap 45 is applied. The bottle 30 is clamped during capping between two pairs of clamping belts 50 which grip the bottle 30 as illustrated to maintain it in an upright configuration on the conveyor 32 as it is capped. The clamping belts 50 are trained over guide wheels 53 and the clamping pressure is adjustable using belt adjusters 54 which are movable to adjust the position and tension of the belts 50,51 as required. In this way the bottle 30 is efficiently capped as it is delivered by the conveyor 32 through the capping station.

After capping, a label 60 is applied to the bottle 30 from a supply reel 64 in response to the presence of a bottle 30 as detected by a sensor 79. The label 60 is applied to an elongate side wall 35 of the bottle 30 and includes side portions 61 which extend sidewardly beyond the width of the elongate side wall 35. Referring to Figs. 7 and 8 the side portions 61 are applied to the shorter side walls 37,38 of the bottle 30 by wiper blades provided by brushes 65,66 which wipe the side portions 61 onto the side walls 37,38 as the bottle 30 is delivered through the bottle orientating station by the conveyor 32. To turn the bottle 30 into a desired orientation the neck 33 of the bottle 30 is gripped between first and second driver elements provided by drive belts 68,69 which are driven by separate motors 70,71 at different speeds. The position of the drive belts 68,69 is adjustable in three dimensions using various adjusters to align, position and adjust the pressure applied by the belts 68,69 to optimise the turning of the bottle 30 as it passes through the orientating station as illustrated in the various positions in Fig. 8.

Referring to Figs. 9 to 11 a desired number (in this case four) of labelled bottles 30 in a desired packing orientation are counted at an outlet end of the conveyor 32 by a counter 80. A first group of four bottles is assembled by engaging a leading bottle against a stop arm 81 fitted on an extension leg 82 operable by a ram 83. When four bottles 30 have been assembled along the leg 82 the ram 83 is operated to shift the first group of bottles 30 from the conveyor 32 to a packing station 85. In a similar manner, second and subsequently third groups of four bottles 30 are first assembled and then shifted to the packing station 85. The groups of labelled filled bottles may then be readily packaged in correct packing orientation.

The invention provides an optimised method for filling and handling beverage bottles with maximum operating efficiency, minimum manual intervention and maximum conveyor line speed.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in construction and detail.

Claims

1. Apparatus for assembling a desired number of labelled beverage bottles in a desired packing orientation comprising: an elongate conveyor along which the bottles are led; an extension leg having a stop means against which a leading bottle is engaged, the extension leg having a length corresponding to a desired number of bottles; and means for shifting the extension leg transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor to shift the desired number of bottles from the conveyor to an adjacent bottle assembly station.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the stop means comprises a stop arm extending transversely of the extension leg.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the means for shifting the extension leg transversely with respect to the direction of travel of the conveyor comprises a ram means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the bottles are of the type having an elongate shape in transverse cross section, the bottle having a pair of elongate side wall means and a pair of shorter side wall means extending between the elongate side wall means.

5. Apparatus for assembling a desired number of labelled beverage bottles in a desired packaging orientation substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs 9 to 11 hereof. CRUICKSHANK & CO.