DEVICE FOR DISTRIBUTING IRREGULAR SIZE AND SHAPE OBJECTS ONE BY ONE

Abstract

The device allows for the individual distribution of loose objects. It comprises vibrating chutes, conveyor belts, and detection systems connected to automated mechanisms that dispense objects one by one to a requesting machine. The invention can be used to supply irregularly shaped objects to weighing, counting, sorting, and other machines.

Description

In main patent no. 8605667, a device for distributing irregularly shaped objects one by one, comprising conveyor belts, is described. The device is characterized in that the belts are fed by an inclined vibrating chute including a sensor that regulates its filling, and in that the vibrating chute has the same or a similar direction to the conveyor belts. This device is further characterized by the existence of a movable flap designed to prevent the objects from moving at the end of the last conveyor belt, and by the presence of a sensor near the movable flap, which stops the belts when no object is requested by the machine to be fed by the device of the invention. Such a vibrating chute device ensures correct alignment of objects and deposits them onto conveyor belts in such a way that the device efficiently distributes them one by one. If the device for distributing objects one by one does well meet the set goal, experience has shown that some objects of very different size or weight from the set of objects to be distributed may not be perfectly aligned and the distribution of objects may no longer be satisfactory. This addition aims at an improvement to the device described in the main patent and provides a solution for the cases mentioned. A first improvement located upstream of the conveyor belts comprises two successive vibrating chutes, inclined at an angle of 10 to 400 degrees, placed in series, such that the first receives a certain quantity of objects to be distributed by the device and ensures pre-alignment of the objects The second improves alignment. In one variant, the two vibrating chutes are replaced by a rotating assembly consisting of one or more cylinders inclined at an angle of 100 to 400, having or not asperities inside and whose length of the assembly is sufficient so that the objects entering in bulk into the first cylinder or into the single cylinder come out aligned. A second improvement is characterized by the addition to the device of the main patent of a sensor placed on the machine to be fed which controls the delivery of an object, for example at each passage of a bucket of this machine if it has one or at each signal emitted by it. A third improvement is characterized by the addition of a lifting system comprising a hopper and discharging small quantities of objects into the device of the main patent. This lifting system may include a conveyor belt equipped or not with notches or bars. In a first embodiment, the objects placed loose in the hopper 1 of the elevator 2 fall into the first chute 3. A detection system 4 controls the stopping of the elevator 2 when it passes a notch or a bar 5 in the case of an elevator with such a bar. In the case of a different type of elevator, a timer can replace the function of the sensor. When the second chute 6, which vibrates continuously, is empty, a detection system 7 triggers the vibration of chute 3. This vibration causes pre-aligned objects to descend into chute 6. If an object is present, the detection system 7 stops the vibration of chute 3, thus halting the descent of objects into chute 6. In another embodiment, chute 6 may include a second detection system 8 to refine the filling of chute 6. Chute 3 includes an object detection system. If it does not detect any objects, it commands the elevator 2 to advance until objects arrive in chute 3. These chutes are mechanically independent and are inclined at angles between 100 and 400. The objects contained in chute 6 descend, finishing aligning themselves on conveyor belt 10. The latter, receiving the objects, leads them to the second belt 12, whose speed of advance is greater than that of belt 10, which makes it easier to space the objects. A detection system 13 controls the stopping of the conveyor belts when no object is requested by the machine to be fed by the invention. A movable flap 14, by its own weight, holds the objects in place when the belts stop. A sensor 15, located on the object-feeding machine, controls the advance of the belts, and therefore the distribution of an object, via a signal from this machine. The belts stop again when an object is presented in front of the sensor 13. They only restart if the sensor receives a new signal. In another variant, the 2 vibrating chutes can be replaced by one or more cylinders inclined at an angle 16 between 100 and 400, driven by a rotary motion such that the objects poured by the elevator 2 descend into the cylinder(s) 17 and 18 and align themselves there. In the case of an embodiment with at least 2 consecutive cylinders 17 and 18, cylinder 18 includes a detection system 19 which, when it no longer detects any objects, controls the arrival of objects in cylinder 18 by rotating cylinder 17 and also the starting of the elevator 2 which is also equipped with detector 4. The elevator thus advances step by step. Cylinder 18 is continuously rotated, cylinder 17 is set to rotate when detection system 19 does not detect any objects. In all embodiments, all sensors or detection systems can be connected to the programmed pilot system ensuring the relay functions of the detection systems. The device that is the subject of the invention can be used in all cases where it is necessary to distribute objects one by one, placed in bulk in sorting, weighing, counting machines, etc. It can be used in all sectors of activity such as those concerning vegetables, fish, shellfish, etc.

Claims

DEMANDS 1) A device according to any one of the claims of the main patent, characterized in that it comprises, upstream of the conveyor belts: a) at least 2 inclined vibrating chutes without significant discontinuity between them, b) at least one object detection device using a vibrating chute, c) a detection device for regulating the operation of the system for supplying objects to be distributed by the object device, of the invention 2) Device according to claim 1, wherein the vibrating chutes have an inclination 9 between 10 and 400 3) Device according to claims 1 and 2, wherein the vibration of the chute 3 is controlled via the detection device 7 of the chute 6. 4) Device according to claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the vibration of the chute 3 is controlled via the detection devices 7 and 8 of the chute 6. 5) Device according to claim 1 in which the detection system 11 of the vibrating chute 3 controls the starting of the supply system 2 for objects of the device which is the subject of the invention. 6) Device according to claim 1 and 5 in which the detection device 4 allows the supply system 2 to advance step by step with objects of the device subject to 1-' invention. 7) Device according to claims 1 and 6, wherein the chutes 3 and 6 are replaced by 1 or more rotating cylinders without significant discontinuity between them. 8) Device according to claims 1, 6 and 7 in which the rotating cylinder(s) have an inclination 16 between 10 and 400. 9) Device according to claims 1, 6, 7 and 8 in which the rotation of cylinder 17 is controlled by means of a detection system located between cylinders 17 and 18.