EP0001196B1 - Device for the automatic control of a filling apparatus for receptacles - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to filling machines, and more particularly a device for sequential selection and weighing of the containers filled on the filling machine, cooperating selectively with the filling stations of this machine, in order to control and possibly correct the quantities of product. distributed in containers.

The present invention also relates to a device for sequential selection of filled containers, for monitoring the quantities of products dispensed and for correcting these quantities as a function of a reference value.

The present invention relates more specifically, although in a nonlimiting manner, rotary filling machines of the type with weight or volume metering.

Multi-station rotary filling machines, by weight dosing, generally comprise a rotating carousel mainly comprising a tank for the filling product, provided with filling heads, and weighing stations placed below these heads and functionally connected to the latter .

In operation, the containers to be filled are introduced continuously onto the weighing stations where they trigger the opening of the filling heads and, when the required weight of product has flowed from the tank into the containers, the weighing station emits a signal which causes the closure of the head with which it cooperates. The full container is then evacuated to a closing and closing carousel.

The weight of the product in the container must be legally within a certain range around a predetermined value, and it is important that the manufacturer carrying out the packaging regularly checks the conformity of his equipment with these legal requirements.

• - on prélève en sortie du carrousel un nombre de récipients successifs remplis égal au nombre des postes de la machine et l'on identifie ces récipients par rapport au poste dont ils proviennent ;
• - on pèse sur une balance de comparaison externe les récipients remplis ainsi prélevés ;
• - on répète éventuellement quelques instants plus tard ces opérations ;
• - on détermine et on relève l'écart moyen de pesée par rapport à la plage autorisée ; et
• - on ajoute ou l'on retire des masses tarées sur les postes de pesage pour corriger le ou les postes qui se révèlent distribuer des quantités de produits à l'extérieur de la plage requise.

Control is usually carried out as follows:

• - a number of successive filled containers equal to the number of machine stations are taken out of the carousel and these containers are identified with respect to the station from which they come;
• - the filled containers thus withdrawn are weighed on an external comparison balance;
• - these operations may be repeated a few moments later;
• - the average weighing deviation from the authorized range is determined and noted; and
• - adding or removing tared masses on the weighing stations to correct the station or stations which prove to be distributing quantities of products outside the required range.

All of these manual operations, simple to perform, do not involve stopping the machine and only require a local external action (adding or removing tared masses).

However, if, with such an apparatus, it is necessary to package different products, or if the capacity or the type of containers to be filled changes on the same packaging line, these control operations must be carried out at each of these changes.

In addition, for commonly used minimum rates, for example of the order of 7,000 one-liter containers per hour, almost 100 receptacles per minute are dispensed from the filling carousel, or nearly 2 receptacles per second. If the packaging rate is increased to double or triple this value, as is frequently the case today, or if the containers are smaller (for example packaging in the form of half liters), and therefore filled faster, the output rate of the containers from the machine is such that the operator experiences serious difficulties in carrying out the control as described above.

If, finally, the problems of cadence and change of packaging on the same chain are combined, monitoring can turn out to be an excessively long and delicate task, risking the operation costs of such an installation.

• a) d'effectuer automatiquement la pesée de comparaison des récipients remplis sur chaque poste ;
• b) de fournir une indication de l'écart mesuré, si écart il y a ;
• c) d'agir directement sur le ou les postes de pesage considéré(s) provoquant l'écart constaté ; et
• d) de répéter la pesée après correction à fin de contrôle.

It has therefore proved desirable to provide a filling machine, of the type described above, with a means allowing:

• a) automatically perform the comparison weighing of the filled receptacles on each station;
• b) provide an indication of the difference measured, if there is a difference;
• c) acting directly on the weighing station (s) considered causing the observed deviation; and
• d) repeat the weighing after correction at the end of the check.

A description can be found of a type of multi-station filler with metering by weight to which the present invention is applicable by referring to document FR-A-2,168,696 in the name of the applicant, which is cited here for reference, which concerns only a weight metering filling carousel without automatic control device for filling stations.

It is further described in British patent GB-A-1,107,658 a container filling installation comprising: 4 filling stations in line, the containers being associated in groups of 4 to be filled simultaneously at the filling stations, then passing successively through a weighing station on the linear path for transferring the receptacles, means for locating the receptacles of each group, and correlation means making it possible to carry out the control and, optionally, the adjustment, of the various filling, depending on the check weighings carried out.

Patent US-A-3,073,400 further describes a filling system of the metering type volumetric comprising, at a stationary place of the filling carousel, a weighing scale over which all the filled containers pass successively, to possibly correct the quantities of products delivered by the filling station (s).

In one or other of these documents, each filled container is weighed, which therefore limits the production rate and, in the British patent. somewhat complicated and delicate additional means must be provided to establish the correlation with the various filling stations.

It is precisely an object of the present invention to provide an automatic control device for a filling installation providing for sampling and weighing in a sequential manner containers filled at the various filling stations, so as to carry out a scanning distributed in the time of the different filling stations, without having to successively weigh all the filled containers, thereby allowing a considerable increase in the rates and also facilitating the operations of adjusting the different filling stations.

To do this, the present invention relates to a device according to claim 1.

It is precisely an object of the present invention to remedy the control problem mentioned above, by providing for a multi-station filler a means of sequential selection of the filled containers, of control and correction of the quantities of products distributed in the filled containers. compared to a reference value.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which automatically corrects the adjustment of the device or devices distributing the quantity of product to the containers to be filled.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which automatically corrects the adjustment of a dispensing station as a function of the difference observed in a predetermined number of containers filled by this station with respect to a determined weight range.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a weighing means in a weight metering filling installation, the calibration of which can be adjusted automatically.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a volumetric filling means the calibration of which can be adjusted automatically.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for correcting the adjustment which performs constant positive or negative incremental corrections to the calibration of a weighing means for each electrical pulse generated by the control means.

A filling machine according to the present invention (shown in FIG. 1) comprises, in a manner known per se, at least one filling carousel, generally referenced 10, and a transfer carousel, generally referenced 20. The containers 100, filled on the carousel filling a measured quantity of product, are taken up at the outlet of the filling carousel 10 by the transfer carousel 20, the latter being driven in synchronism with the filling carousel. This transfer carousel 20 has on its periphery a number of stations, all of which, except one, are simple receptacles 21 for the containers. The total number of stations of the transfer carousel is, according to the present invention, first with the number of filling / weighing stations of the filling carousel 10, from which it follows that the stations 21 of the transfer carousel receive containers distributed from sequentially from the filling carousel 10. A station 22 among the n ₁ stations of the transfer carousel comprises a weighing device which can be of any suitable type and which thus performs a weighing of the successive containers which it receives.

According to one aspect of the present invention concerning more particularly the metering by weight, the station 22 of the transfer carousel thus equipped with a weighing device, emits a signal when the weight of a container 100 exceeds more or less a value or a predetermined range. The signal is sent to a device capable of acting on the offending weighing station of the filling carousel 10 in order to correct the setting and thus obtain the quantity of product delivered to the containers by this station, either by suite, included in the required range, i.e. complies with legal requirements.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the signal sent for a station is memorized and the correction order is only sent to the taring correction device of the filling station (s) considered, only when a predetermined number of dosing errors of the same sign, that is to say more or less than a value for a given range, have been noted and stored. This prevents untimely corrections from being made in the event that a factor linked to the weighing station itself or to parameters likely to influence the quantity of product dispensed would vary momentarily but not repetitively (for example sudden fluctuation the level of the product in the filling tank, filling a filling spout, etc.).

• - par comparaison à une plage de poids déterminée en fonction d'une part déterminée correspondant à la valeur nominale requise ; par exemple sur un poids de 1 000 g d'eau ou un litre d'eau, la plage de comparaison sera de plus ou moins 10 g, et le dispositif de contrôle du carrousel- de transfert effectuera une simple comparaison;
• - par mesure des valeurs absolues maximales et minimales de poids, par exemple 1 010 et 990 g, de sorte que le dispositif de contrôle du poste du carrousel de transfert effectuera alors une pesée véritable.

The weighing device fitted to the transfer station, transmits, as mentioned above, image signals of the observed weight of the successive containers that it receives. The signals are stored and can be analyzed, in accordance with the present invention according to several modes, namely, for example:

• - by comparison with a weight range determined on the basis of a determined portion corresponding to the required nominal value; for example on a weight of 1000 g of water or a liter of water, the comparison range will be more or less 10 g, and the device for controlling the carrou transfer sel will perform a simple comparison;
• - by measuring the absolute maximum and minimum weight values, for example 1010 and 990 g, so that the control device of the transfer carousel station will then carry out a true weighing.

In either case, the signals transmitted will be stored and analyzed either with respect to thresholds corresponding to the maximum and minimum weight limit values, or with respect to a predetermined standard deviation of weight. In the latter case, the control device will be provided with a standard deviation calculation means capable of producing signals for any calculated standard deviation greater than a given threshold and making it possible to actuate the taring correction device of the balance. weighing system to act on the offending station (s).

Finally, the control device, whether it follows one or the other correction mode, can be connected parallel to a printer in order to provide the user with a permanent record of the measurements made. In addition, the device can, if, after correction, the required weight could not be reached, order the machine to stop and display the number of the defective filling station to allow immediate identification.

Such a device therefore makes it possible, with a single comparison balance, distinct from the filling carousel, and therefore placed in a less hostile environment than the filling stations, to individually control each metering device of the filling carousel so as either to correct it. the calibration when the fluctuations fall within the adjustment range of these dosing scales, that is to alert the operator and stop the machine when at least one of the filling stations proves to be seriously faulty, regardless of the rate of machine work or the quantities of product to be packaged.

• - la figure 1 représente de façon schématique en perspective un carrousel de dosage pondéral équipé du dispositif de correction automatique selon la présente invention ;
• - la figure 2 est une vue en perspective d'un poste de pesage du carrousel de remplissage de la figure 1 ;
• - la figure 3 est une vue en perspective schématique d'une balance de pesage représentée sur la figure 2 ;
• - la figure 4 représente un mode de réalisation du dispositif de correction de la balance de la figure 3 ;
• - la figure 5 représente de façon schématique un mode de réalisation de la balance de comparaison du carrousel de transfert ;
• - la fioure 6 reorésente de facon schématique un premier mode de réalisation du dispositif de correction automatique selon la présente invention ;
• - la figure 7 représente de façon schématique, en vue en plan, l'implantation des éléments principaux constitutifs du dispositif représenté sur la figure 6 ;
• - la figure 8 représente de façon schématique un second mode de réalisation du dispositif de correction automatique selon la présente invention ;
• - la figure 9 représente de façon schématique, partiellement sous forme de schéma-blocs, un troisième mode de réalisation du dispositif de correction automatique selon la présente invention ;
• - la figure 10 représente de façon schématique, en perspective, un poste de remplissage d'un carrousel de remplissage volumétrique équipé du dispositif de correction de tarage selon la présente invention ; et
• - la figure 11 représente en coupe longitudinale, un autre mode de réalisation d'un dispositif de remplissage volumétrique à correction de tarage automatique selon la présente invention.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following description of an embodiment, given by way of illustration but in no way limiting, made in relation to the appended drawings, in which:

• - Figure 1 shows schematically in perspective a weight metering carousel equipped with the automatic correction device according to the present invention;
• - Figure 2 is a perspective view of a weighing station of the filling carousel of Figure 1;
• - Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a weighing scale shown in Figure 2;
• - Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the balance correction device of Figure 3;
• - Figure 5 shows schematically an embodiment of the comparison balance of the transfer carousel;
• - The fioure 6 schematically represents a first embodiment of the automatic correction device according to the present invention;
• - Figure 7 shows schematically, in plan view, the location of the main components of the device shown in Figure 6;
• - Figure 8 shows schematically a second embodiment of the automatic correction device according to the present invention;
• - Figure 9 shows schematically, partially in the form of block diagrams, a third embodiment of the automatic correction device according to the present invention;
• - Figure 10 shows schematically, in perspective, a filling station of a volumetric filling carousel equipped with the taring correction device according to the present invention; and
• - Figure 11 shows in longitudinal section, another embodiment of a volumetric filling device with automatic taring correction according to the present invention.

The installation shown in FIG. 1 comprises a linear pallet conveyor, generally referenced 1 ensuring the transport of the empty containers to the filling carousel 10 and also the conveying of the filled containers after their transit through the transfer carousel 20 for the purpose of subsequent treatments.

The containers 100 are removed from the conveyor 1 and transferred to the weighing plates 11, carried by the turntable 12 of the filling carousel, by a rotating star 2 cooperating with a guide blade 3 disposed above the conveyor 1. The containers 100 thus come into position under the filling spouts 13 located under the constant level liquid tank 14. The filling spouts 13 are preferably, but not necessarily, of the type with magnetic actuation.

The containers 100 thus filled and weighed on the plates 11 (in a way which will be explained later) are taken up by a transfer star 4 cooperating with a guide blade 15. However, instead of being transferred back to the conveyor 1 , or to a second filling carousel arranged in parallel with the first filling carousel 10, the containers conveyed by the transfer star are transferred to a transfer carousel 20 rotating in synchronism with the transfer star and having on its periphery a plurality of receptacle receiving stations 21, one of these stations consisting of a tray 22, a comparison scale 220. The number or stations of the transfer carousel including all of the stationary stations 21 and the scale 220 is, as mentioned above, first with the number n of positions 11 on the filling carousel. The containers having .transited by the transfer carousel 20 are taken up by a terminal transfer star 6 cooperating with a guide blade 7 to be retransferred res on the conveyor 1 to subsequent treatment stations.

One of the weighing stations 11 of the filling carousel 10 is shown in more detail in FIG. 2 with a container 100 in the filling position below a filling spout 13. The weighing station consists of a weighing plate 110 connected by a rod 111 to a balance, generally referenced 112, disposed below the turntable 12 of the filling carousel. The trays 110 are adapted to the packaging that they must receive and in particular comprise a retaining and positioning member 113 of the container on the tray. The scale 112 comprises a device for comparing and transmitting signals 114 controlling the actuating device 115 of the filling head 13, in particular, when the volume of liquid corresponding to a determined weight has been introduced into the container 100. calibration weights 116 can be placed on the weighing pan 110 depending on the containers to be filled and the quantities of liquid required.

There is shown in Figure 3 an embodiment of a weighing scale 112 shown in Figure 2. The rod 111 forms at its lower part a double stirrup 117 and 118 in which revolve respectively a connecting rod 119 and a rod forming a beam 120, the latter also rotating in a fixed frame element 121 so as to form a deformable parallelogram structure. On one end of the rod 120 is mounted a mass 122 forming the counterweight of the balance. The opposite end of the rod 120 is connected by a spring 123 to a connecting rod 124 mounted in an articulated manner by one of its ends on a fixed upright 125 secured to the chassis of the scale and in an articulated manner by its other end to a vertical link 126, itself connected by its lower end to a threaded rod 127 passing through a boss 128 of a plate 129 secured to the frame 121 and the upright 125. The lower end of the threaded rod 127 is screwed into a tapped hole in a pulley 130 mounted so as to be able to rotate, for example by means of a bearing (not shown), on the plate 129. It is understood that with such an arrangement, a rotation of the pulley 130 will result in a vertical displacement of the threaded rod 127 allowing, through the link 124 and the spring 123, to correct the calibration of the balance for a counterweight 122 of given mass, the mass of this counterweight 122 preferably being close to the nomi value required to fill the containers.

Thus, by providing articulated rails 131 and 131 'on either side of the circular path 132 of the pulleys 130 during the rotation of the filling carousel and by selectively moving the rails 131 or 131' in a position where the pulleys 130 can be in rolling contact with one or the other of these rails, by simple adhesion, during their circular path, the pulleys 130, in contact with one of the rails, will rotate around their own axis thus modifying the calibration of the scale 112.

The rails are articulated by one of their ends 132 or 132 'and have a determined length so that the correction obtained during the rolling of a pulley 130 on one of its rails corresponds substantially to the half-stroke of the balance 112. Thus, for 1000 g containers, a balance 112 can be provided, the sensitivity of which is plus or minus 2 g, the unit correction effected by the rails 131 and 131 'then being determined to correspond to a variation of 2 g of the taring of the balance. The rails can be moved by means of hydraulic, pneumatic or electric cylinders 133 and 133 ', connected to an adequate power source (not shown) and controlled by devices 134 and 134' connected by lines 135 and 135 'to the device control implemented as a function of the signals emitted by the comparison balance 220 on the transfer carousel 20.

FIG. 5 shows an embodiment of the comparison balance 220 equipping the transfer carousel 20. In the embodiment shown, this comparison balance 220 is presented in a similar manner to the weighing scales 112 shown in the figures 3, the plate 22 flush with the upper part of the carousel 20 being integral with a rod 23 extending below the plate 5 of the carousel 20 and extending by a block forming a stirrup 24 in which revolve respectively a link 27 and a beam 28 also journalling in a stirrup structure 26 extending by a support element 25 made integral with the plate 5 of the transfer carousel. Comparison balance 220 differs from weighing scales in that the beam is made stable, the counterweight 30 having a center of gravity 31 slightly offset from the axes of swivel 32, 32 'of the beam 28 in the stirrups 24 and 26. The beam is extended by an end portion 29 carrying a blade 33 projecting radially relative to the axis of the plate 5 of the carousel and capable, in doing so, of passing during the rotation of the transfer carousel between proximity detectors 34 and 34 'fixedly mounted on the installation frame and capable of sending control signals via lines 35 and 35', for example, via amplifier adapters, to the control devices 134 and 134 'of the actuating members 133 and 133' of the correction device 60 for the weighing scales of the weighing carousel.

In this way, the position of the proximity detectors 34 and 34 ′ and the calibration of the balance 220 being determined to correspond to a given weight range, for example the legally required tolerances, an overshoot within or beyond the margin required will result in a correction control signal in one direction or the other by incremental values of the weighing scale (s) which prove to be out of tolerance.

We have represented schematically on the Figure 6, an embodiment of the automatic correction device according to the present invention. In this figure, as well as in the following figures, the elements already identified in the previous figures bear the same reference numbers. In this FIG. 6, a weighing-dosing scale 112 has been shown in the position of cooperation with a correction device 60 of the type of that represented in FIG. 4. In the same way, the comparison balance 220 mounted on the platform 5 of the transfer carousel 20 is shown in the corresponding balance control position 112, that is to say, for a balance of the type shown in FIG. 5, with the blade 33 passing between the detectors 34 and 34 ', the transmission lines of signals 35 and 35' being merged in line 350 connected to the input of the correction device 60.

An embodiment of the correction device 60 and of the check weighing detection zone defined by the detectors 34, 34 ′ is shown in FIG. 7. The comparison weighing zone is advantageously located in front of the resumption of the receptacles by the terminal transfer star 6, and the correction device 60 is advantageously placed downstream from the transfer star 4 to allow correction of the taring of the weighing-dosing scales, these being empty, before receipt of the next container to be filled. As seen in Figure 7, the mechanical drive chain allowing a synchronous rotation of the tray 12 of the filling carousel, the transfer star 4 and the tray 5 of the transfer carousel establishes a geometric correlation between the position of the comparison weighing detection station at 34, 34 'and the correction device 60 so that each comparison weighing detected by the detectors 34, 34' makes it possible to transmit by line 350 a correction control signal to the correction 60 to the balance of the carousel 10 from which the container originating at the time considered on the comparison balance 220 originates.

Each balance 112 of the filling carousel is thus successively controlled by the comparison balance, owing to the fact that the number of stations on the two carousels are prime between them. The number of stations in the transfer carousel is determined, in addition to this essential characteristic of being prime with the number of stations in the filling carousel, as a function of the operating rates of the installation to allow a comparison weighing to be carried out, and correlatively if necessary, a correction of the weighing-dosing balance according to a determined periodicity, the higher the number of positions of the transfer carousel, the greater the time interval between two comparison-correction weighings, ie corresponding to a greater scrolling of bottles. This arrangement therefore makes it possible to introduce, in a continuous control and correction mode, a selective periodicity of the steps for correcting the various balances. Preferably, for a filling carousel with 24 stations, the number of stations in the transfer carousel will be equal to 23.

In Figure 7, there is shown in more detail the connection between the line 350 from the detector 34 or 34 'and the correction device 60 of the rail and cylinder type shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, the cylinders 133, 133 'are connected to a source of pressurized fluid 180 via solenoid valves 134 and 134' whose input lines 135 and 135 'are connected to line 350 so as to transform the amplified electrical signals by a suitable amplifier device 351, in pressure variations, the jacks 133, 133 ′ can be single acting with elastic return or double acting.

To prevent the comparison balance 220 from causing correction signals to be emitted when no container is on the pan 22 of the balance, the device according to the present invention also contains a container presence detector 50 constituted for example by an optical detector or by a mechanical contact, capable of inhibiting by a validation device 51 the transmission of the signals coming from the comparison balance 220, the device 51 possibly being constituted for example of an OR gate. The detector device 50 is advantageously located upstream from the comparison weighing signal sampling station 34, 34 ′.

In the same way, so that the correction information is only transmitted in the case where the weighing-dosing balance of the filling carousel considered is unsaturated, and capable of admitting a taring correction, i.e. - essentially saying whose plague is not in abutment in one direction or another, a control device 70 is also provided for detecting the operating positions of the sensitive organs of the scales.

This control device 70 can be constituted, as shown in FIG. 3, by two proximity detectors 71 and 71 ′ fixedly mounted on the chassis of the machine and detecting the position of a blade 73 secured to the link 126 of the balance 112 and projecting radially from the latter, the position of the blade 73 giving a representation of the position of the beam 120 relative to its equilibrium position. The control device 70 can advantageously be connected to a display and alarm device 710 indicating that at least one of the scales of the filling carousel is out of service so as to allow a visual inspection of these scales with a view to their delivery. in state.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 differs from the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 in that an identification is made of the various scales of the filling carousels, this identification allowing visual identification of the nonoperative or saturated controlled scales. speak device 70 is a corresponding inhibition of the correction signals from the comparison weighing station. The identification of a particular weighing station among the various weighing stations of the filling carousel is carried out for example by means of a detection device 80 cooperating with locating means 81 carried by the plate 12 of the carousel or by any element rotating in synchronism with it. The identification and location signals can be obtained directly in binary form by providing in the detector device 80 a battery of cells analyzing optical marks 81 representing a pure binary coding for each balance of the filling carousel. For example, in the case of a carousel with 24 stations, 6 cells will be used, the coding being for example carried out by means of 6 holes, one of the holes being used, for resetting the counter of a demultiplexing device 82 This demultiplexing device 82 controls a display device 83 comprising two rows of lamps 84, each row comprising a number of lamps corresponding to the number of stations in the filling carousel 12, ie twice 24 in the example considered, each lamp of a row being assigned to a particular weighing-dosing station so that the extinction of a lamp of a row indicates the saturation of a weighing-dosing balance in one direction or another, thus allowing direct, manual intervention on the balance in question, or even its replacement.

In addition to the frequency of control and intervention on each of the scales of the filling carousel, it may be advantageous, in order not to systematically take into account detected errors attributable to temporary and non-repetitive phenomena, to provide for monitoring of the errors detected for each individual balance of the filling carousel, that is to say to put in memory the error signals, or in this case correction signals, and to transmit a correction signal only after observation of the consistency of the errors detected in one direction or another.

There is shown schematically in Figure 9 a control chain for the implementation of the correction method mentioned above. In the embodiment shown, between the weighing comparison / error detection unit 220 and the correction device 60 is interposed a set of electronic logic making it possible to control the successive presence of n error or correction signals for a same balance, in order to transmit a correction signal accordingly when n successive error signals of the same direction have been observed and not to transmit the correction signal otherwise.

The electronic logic assembly essentially comprises an addressable memory 150 comprising at least as many lines as there are weighing stations on the filling carousel, a counter 160 with n positions and a validation unit 170. The data output 810 of the detector d identification and identification 80 is connected, in addition to the demultiplexing device 82, to the address input lines 15 _i of the memory 150 whose output 15 ₂ is connected to line 350 coming from the comparison weighing device 220 and connected to the counter input 16 ₁ of the counter 160. The counter output 16 ₂ is connected to the data input 17 ₁ of the validation unit 170 and looped back to the reset input 16 ₃ of the counter 160 The data output 17 ₂ of the validation unit 170 is connected to the data input 15 ₃ of the memory 150, the line addressing command output 17 ₃ of the validation unit 170 being connected to the 'address entry for boxes of a line 15 ₂ of memory 150 The data output “n 17 ₄ is connected to the correction device 60 of the scales 112 of the filling carousel.

In this way, for each balance of the filling carousel, the correction device 60 will only be actuated after n error signals of the same direction have been recorded in the counter 160. In practice, for example, n = 3 in order to obtain an appropriate frequency of interventions on the dosing scales in the event of repetitive errors.

FIG. 9 also shows a display and identification device 85 supplementing the display and identification device 83, constituted, similarly to the latter, of two rows of lamps 84 ', and connected to lines 810 and 171. In this way, the display and identification device 85 makes it possible to identify the balance (s) of the filling carousel subject to correction, that is to say having repetitive weighing errors , for example for their inspection or control.

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a volumetric filling device adapted to allow a correction of the filling value after comparison weighing by means of a correction device 60 similar to the corresponding device of the previous embodiments. As is known, in a volumetric filling device, the quantity of material distributed in a container is determined by volume, said volume corresponding, under pressure and temperature conditions considered at a given weight at the end of the chain. In the embodiment shown, the volumetric filling device (a single copy of which is illustrated in relation to the plate 12 of the filling carousel) consists of a displacement piston pump sliding in a cylinder liner 230, the chamber d suction and compression defined in this jacket being selectively connected to the liquid tank 14 by a pipe 231 and a ball valve 232 comprising a key 233 whose rotation in the opening and closing directions is successively controlled by cam means 234 and 234 'fixedly mounted on the installation chassis, on the circular path keys 232 of the various positive displacement pumps so as to first allow the filling of the pump chamber by gravity and, in a second step, close the conduit 231 to allow the piston of the pump to discharge the liquid being in said chamber by a filling pipe 236 below which are successively arranged the containers 100 to be filled.

The movement of the piston is controlled in synchronism with the actuation of the key 233 of the ball valve 232 by a roller device 237 secured to the lower end of the piston rod 238 and cooperating successively with a control ramp 239, causing the compression movement of the piston, and a return ramp 240, causing the piston to return to the chamber. The nominal calibration of the volume to be delivered by the pump is obtained for example by adjusting the relative positioning of the roller control device 237 with respect to the abutment cylinder head 241 of the positive displacement pump.

For the implementation of the correction of the calibration of each dispensing device according to the present invention, the internal volume of the pump can be modified within a certain range by causing a relative longitudinal displacement of the jacket 230 relative to the cylinder head 241. For do this, and according to the embodiment shown, the jacket 230 is mounted so as to slide in leaktight manner between the cylinder head 241 and the base 242 made integral with the plate 12 of the carousel by support elements 243, the cylinder head 241 being rendered integral with the base 242 by means of bracing columns 244. The longitudinal displacement of the sleeve 230 is obtained by an angular relative displacement of the sleeve 230 relative to the base 242, complementary ramp means being provided on the cooperating parts of the jacket 230 and the base 242. The angular movement is obtained by a bieiiette 245 mounted in an articulated manner on the one hand on an ear 246 integral with the sleeve 230 and on the other hand on a nut 247 crossed by a threaded rod 248 secured to a roller 249 journalling in a tab 250 projecting radially relative to the base 242 and secured to the latter, the nut 247 having a tab 251 sliding in a slot 252 of tab 250. Thus, analogously to the correction mode described in relation to FIGS. 3 and 4, during the rotation of the filling carousel, and according to the commanded position of the rails 131 and 131 ', a rotation of the roller 249 will cause a linear displacement of the nut 247 causing a relative rotation of the jacket 230 relative to the base 242 and therefore a controlled variation of the internal volume of the positive displacement pump around the nominal setting value.

FIG. 11 shows schematically another embodiment of a volumetric pump with controllable calibration for implementing the method according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the stroke control device 237 comprises rollers 254 and 255, at least one of which is mounted so as to be able to move axially relative to the rod 238 of the piston. The roller 254, cooperating with the return ramp 240, journals in a support block 256, integral with the rod 238. The roller 255, cooperating with the discharge control ramp 239, journals in a support block 257, mounted sliding on the rod 238 and comprising a threaded bore 258, in which is mounted a threaded rod 259, journalled in bearing elements 260 and 261, integral with the rod 238. The lower end of the threaded rod 259 is integral with a roller 262 capable of cooperating, during the rotation of the filling carousel, with a correction device 60 identical to that shown in FIG. 4. With this arrangement, and in a similar manner to the calibration correction described in relation to FIGS. 3 and 4 , a rotation of the roller 262 controlled by the rails 131 and 131 'causes, via the support block 257, a relative displacement of the roller 255 relative to the rod 238, and will determine, due to the fixity of the ramp 239 , a variation in the volume of the liquid discharged around the display value, the piston rod 238 being guided in rotation by a stud 263 sliding in a groove 264 formed in the base 242 of the filling cylinder. Similarly, to refine the correction range, the roller 254 can also be mounted mobile and displaceable relative to the piston rod 238 in the manner of the roller 255.

It will be understood that the control and correction chains represented in FIGS. 6 to 9 apply in an identical manner to the installations represented in FIGS. 10 and 11.

Similarly, in the case of volumetric filling devices of the vane pump type whose calibration is carried out by determining the number of relative rotations of the rotor, the control pulses of the rotor drive motor can be corrected by the pulses from the comparison weighing device 220 according to one of the control chains represented in FIGS. 7 to 9.

Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments, it is not limited thereto but is on the contrary subject to modifications and variants which will appear to those skilled in the art. In particular, the control and correction device can only be made operational in normal operation of the filling installation, that is to say outside the start-up or shutdown periods and changeover periods. diet. Likewise, in place and places of the comparison weighing device with all-or-nothing operation, it is possible to be able to use this device with an electronic balance providing an analog electrical output and therefore, consequently, to add to the chain of correction control a standard deviation calculating unit for producing information signals in the event of a finding of a calculated standard deviation greater than a threshold given. Outputs can also be provided to connect the installation to a printer in order to provide the user with either a direct permanent record of the measurements made, or, with the addition of large-capacity memories, on a call signal, a state of the weighings of the different stations of the filling carousel. It may also be useful to separate the filling carousel and the transfer-comparison carousel for reasons of geographic location, to completely remove the transfer carousel from the environment of the filling carousel, or, conversely, to confine the filling carousel in a closed chamber, for example for the packaging of dangerous, volatile or sterile products. In this case, the transfer device between the two carousels can include any installations guaranteeing chain synchronism, such as transfer screws, cleat chains or belts or bucket conveyors, making it possible to separate and isolate the transfer carousel of the filling carousel.

Claims (13)

1. Device for the automatic control of a filling apparatus for receptacles (100), comprising at least one filling runabout (10) with n filling stations, each provided with a filling device (13) for the receptacles, n being either superior or equal to 2, a conveying device (4, 20) for successively recovering all the receptacles filled at the filling runabout, a controlling weighing station on the path of the receptacles thus recovered, and comparison means associated to the controlling weighing station, characterized in that it comprises a conveying runabout (20) having n₁ stations, comprising a n_i-1 stationary stations and a controlling weighing station, located downwards the conveying device on purpose to be fed by the latter, the numbers n₁ and n being uncom- mensurable numbers, the filling runabout (10), the conveying runabout (4) and the conveying device (4, 20) being moved in synchronism, and means (6) for recovering the receptacles from the conveying runabout.

2. Automatic control device according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveying device (4, 20) comprises at least one conveying star (4) located in line between the filling runabout (10) and the conveying runabout (20) and cooperating with the latter, these members being synchronously rotated.

3. Automatic control device according to claim 1 and claim 2, characterized in that the controlling weighing station of the conveying runabout (20) is provided with scales means (220) able to periodically cooperate, when the conveying runabout (20) is rotatably driven, with sensing units stationary with respect to the conveying runabout and forming the comparison means for weighing the filled receptacles (100).

4. Automatic control device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further comprises means (60) for individually correcting the filling devices at the different filling stations of the filling runabout.

5. Automatic control device according to claim 4, characterized in that the correcting means (20) comprise mechanically actuable units which are mounted on a frame structure stationary with respect to the filling runabout (10) and able to cooperate with the gauge adjusting members for the devices of the filling runabout when the latter is rotatably actuated.

6. Automatic control device according to claim 5, applied to a weighing dosage filling plant, each filling station comprising weighing and dosage scales (112), characterized in that the gauge adjusting members comprise mechanical means for modifying the balance of the beam of the weighing and dosage scales (112) of the filling runabout (10).

7. Automatic control device according to claim 6, characterized in that the mechanical means comprise a wheel (130) able to cooperate with actuable linked rods (131, 131') belonging to the correcting means.

8. Automatic control device according to claim 5, applied to a volume dosage filling plant, characterized in that it comprises means cooperating with the correcting means (60) on purpose to modify the volume distributed by the filling devices.

9. Automatic control device according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises mechanical means for varying the internal dosage capacity of the volumetric pumps equipping the filling devices, these mechanical means being able to cooperate with the mechanical correction means, when the filling runabout is rotatably driven.

10. Automatic control device according to claim 9, characterized in that said volume variation mechanical means comprise at least a wheel able to cooperate with actuable linked rods belonging to the correction means.

11. Automatic control device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that it comprises display and identification means for the various stations in the filling runabout, associated to comparison means at the weighing control station of the conveying runabout.

12. Automatic control device according to any of the previous claims, characterized in that the weighing control station in the conveying runabout comprises mechanical scales, the comparison means comprising means for detecting the position of the beam of said scales.

13. Automatic control device according to any of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the weighing control station in the conveying runabout comprises an electronic balance, electronic comparison means treating the electric signal coming from said balance.

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