The present invention relates generally to a device for moving material from one location to another. The invention relations more specifically to an automated device for loading material into a bag, net, or tube. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved ramming mechanism for loading material into a bag, net, or tube.
Ramming mechanisms are conventionally used to move materials from one location to another. A ram is used in automated loaders, such as, for example, the automated poultry loader described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,178,310, Poly-stretch Bagger System with Hocking Pusher, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein. A whole dressed bird, such as a chicken, is presented adjacent two horns. The two horns move inside a plastic bag and hold the bag open while a ram forward strokes to push the chicken into the bag. The ram continues its forward stroke to push the now-bagged chicken through the space between the horns for the next processing step, such as clipping of the bag. The ram then reverse stroke to return to its original location.
Conventional rams use air cylinders to power the forward and reverse strokes. Air cylinders are easy to build and maintain and plant air supplies are common. Modern air cylinders use air actuation for both the forward stroke and the reverse stroke. These types of air cylinders, however, are slow, as it takes time to fill each cylinder with air. Some air cylinders use a spring for the reverse stroke and these types are slow as well. Additionally, the longer the length of a stroke, the more wear there is on the air cylinder and the more maintenance problems that result.
A faster ramming mechanism is attractive to manufacturers who have to move material from one place to another, in particular but not limited to those manufacturers who wish to move material into a bag, tube, and/or net. Additionally, devices that allow for the use of an air cylinder operating over a shorter distance will be attractive to these same users. The present invention addresses some of the issues of the prior art.
A ramming mechanism moves material from one location to another. A ram carriage is mounted on a belt conveyor and moves from a first location to a second location. An air cylinder is mounted on the ram carriage and a piston arm strokes in forward and reverse directions.
The organization and manner of the structure and operation of the invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals identify like elements in which:
While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there is shown in the drawings, and herein will be described in detail, specific embodiments with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that as illustrated and described herein. The embodiments of the present invention will be described as part of an automated ramming mechanism to be incorporated in an automated poultry loader. The present invention, however, can also be used on loaders for bagging and/or netting whole poultry, cut-up poultry, or whole muscle meat products, on other applications in which a material is enclosed in a casing, bag, or netting, such as sealants, adhesives, and explosives, or for any other application in which a ramming mechanism is needed to move material from a first position to a second position.
A conventional poultry loader 20 as known in the prior art is shown in perspective view in
A similar loader 120 known in the art is shown in schematic plan view in
The preferred embodiment of the present invention is a ramming mechanism 50 that replaces ram 40 in the above-described loader 20, replaces ram 140 in the above-described loader 120, or is used to any situation to move material from one location to another. Ramming mechanism 50 is shown in perspective view in
Belt assembly 54 has a rear pulley 62, a forward pulley 64, and a belt 66. Preferably, forward pulley 64 is a drive pulley and rear pulley 62 is an idler pulley, but the drive could be on rear pulley 62 or on both pulleys 62, 64. Both pulleys 62, 64 are mounted to frame 26 by conventional means, such as axle mounts. While two pulleys 62, 64 are shown and described, more than two pulleys can be provided, in addition, non-driven pulleys or rollers (not shown) can be provided between pulleys 62, 64.
Belt 66 is a continuous loop made of rubber, plastic, metal or plastic mesh, or similar belt-type material, and rotates about pulleys 62, 64. The axle mounts can either be outboard of belt 66 or there can be two belts 66, with axle mounts between each belt. Forward drive pulley 64 is powered by an electric motor 68, such as a servo motor, which is itself mounted to frame 26. Motor 68 is coupled to controller 42, either by control wires or wirelessly.
Ram carriage 52 is affixed to belt 66 and is movable with belt 66. Motor 68 operates in a first direction to rotate belt 66 to move ram carriage 52 from a first position, remote from horns 22, 24, as shown in
Tail pusher 58 is a flat, elongated member mounted at its end distal to horns 22, 24 to the side of ram carriage 52 facing horns 22, 24. Tail pusher 58 has a dovetail cutout 70 in its end proximal to horns 22, 24, as shown in
Ram cylinder 56 is also affixed to ram carriage 52 and moves with ram carriage 52. Ram cylinder 56 is a conventional double-acting pneumatic cylinder, connected by plastic tubing 72 to a plant compressed air supply 74. Ram cylinder 56 has a cylinder body 76, a piston head 78, and a piston arm 80 connected to piston head 78. Piston head 78 and piston arm 80 are moveable within cylinder body 76. Ram cylinder 56 is shown in schematic view in
For food-loading operations, it is preferable that as many components of ramming mechanism 50 as possible be made of stainless steel.
In operation, ram carriage 52 is in its first position and piston 76 and piston arm 80 are retracted within cylinder body 74, as shown in
Controller 42 next causes ram cylinder 56 to actuate a forward stroke, as shown in
Because the movement of ram carriage 52 from its first position to its second position is accomplished faster by electric motor than an air cylinder could move the same distance using pneumatic pressure, the entire operation moves more quickly. Additionally, since the distance that piston arm 80 has to move is smaller than if there was no ram carriage, a smaller air-actuated cylinder can be used, at lower expense and lower maintenance cost.
Ramming mechanism 50 can be used in a variety of food-loading applications, including by way of example and not by way of limitation, a bagging/netting system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,726; a bagging system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,297; a stuffer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,758; a netting machine as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,553; a rack loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,158; a breech loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,359; a hybrid filling system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,118; a bagger as described in United States Published Patent Application No. 2008/0022636 A1; and a bagger as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,097, the disclosures of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Ramming mechanism 50 can also be used in non-food applications to load material into a bag, tube, or net, or for any other application in which material must be moved from a first location to a second location.
Another embodiment of the present invention is a ramming mechanism 250 that replaces ram 40 in the above-described loader 20, replaces ram 140 in the above-described loader 120, or is used to any situation to move material from one location to another. Ramming mechanism 250 is shown in schematic, elevation view in
Bottom plate assembly 200 is mounted to frame 26 and sits below belt assembly 54. Bottom plate assembly 200 has a bottom plate air cylinder 202, a bottom plate piston arm 204 part of bottom plate air cylinder 202, and a bottom plate 206 connected to bottom plate piston arm. Bottom plate air cylinder 202 is a conventional air cylinder, same as or similar to ram cylinder 56 described below and illustrated in
Belt assembly 254 has a rear pulley 262 and a forward pulley 264. Preferably, forward pulley 262 is a drive pulley and rear pulley 262 is an idler pulley, but the drive could be on rear pulley 262 or on both pulleys 262, 264. Both pulleys 262, 264 are mounted to frame 226 by conventional means, such as axle mounts. While two pulleys 262, 264 are shown and described, more than two pulleys can be provided. In addition, non-driven pulleys or rollers (not shown) can be provided between pulleys 262, 264.
Belt 266 is a continuous loop made of rubber, plastic, metal or plastic mesh, or similar belt-type material, and rotates about pulleys 262, 264. The axle mounts can either be outboard of belt 266 or there can be two belts 266, with axle mounts between each belt. Forward drive pulley 264 is powered by an electric motor 268, such as a servo motor, which is itself mounted to frame 226. Motor 268 is coupled to controller 242, either by control wires or wirelessly.
Ram carriage 252 is affixed to belt 266 and is movable with belt 266. Motor 268 operates in a first direction to rotate belt 266 to move ram carriage 252 from a first position, remote from horns 222, 224, as shown in
Tail pusher 258 is a flat, elongated member mounted at its end distal to horns 222, 224 to the side of ram carriage 252 facing horns 222, 224. Tail pusher 258 has a dovetail cutout 270 in its end proximal to horns 222, 224, same as the dovetail cutout in tail pusher 58 shown in
Ram cylinder 256 is also affixed to ram carriage 252. Ram cylinder 256 is identical to ram cylinder 56 illustrated in
For food-loading operations, it is preferable that as many components of ramming mechanism 250 as possible be made of stainless steel.
In operation, ram carriage 252 is in its first position and piston 276 is retracted within cylinder body 274, as shown in
Next, motor 268 rotates belt 266 to move ram carriage 252 forward from the first position to the second position, as shown in
Because the movement of ram carriage 252 from its first position to its second position is accomplished faster by electric motor than an air cylinder could move the same distance using pneumatic pressure, the entire ramming operation moves more quickly. Additionally, since the distance piston arm 280 has to move is smaller than if there was no ram carriage, a smaller air actuated cylinder can be used, at lower expense and lower maintenance cost. Because chicken 230 is moved into bag 232 on bottom plate 206, the problem of tearing the plastic of bag 232 as chicken 230 is rammed over it is ameliorated.
Ramming mechanism 250 can be used in a variety of food-loading applications, including by way of example and not by way of limitation, a bagging/netting system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,895,726; a bagging system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,883,297; stuffer as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,404,758; a netting machine as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,553; a rack loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,563,158; breech loader as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,284,359; a hybrid filling system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,544,118; a bagger as described in United States Published Patent Application No. 2008/0022636 A1; and a bagger as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,096,097, the disclosures of each of which is incorporated herein by reference. Ramming mechanism 250 can also be used in non-food applications to load material into a bag, tube, or net, or for any other application in which material must be moved from a first location to a second location.
While preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown and described, it is envisioned that those skilled in the art may devise various modifications of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/615,412, filed on Mar. 26, 2012, and from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/618,020, filed Mar. 30, 2012, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated by reference in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61615412 | Mar 2012 | US | |
61618020 | Mar 2012 | US |