Material or article handling – Chamber of a type utilized for a heating function and... – Charging of chamber
Patent
1995-02-09
1997-07-22
Merritt, Karen B.
Material or article handling
Chamber of a type utilized for a heating function and...
Charging of chamber
414215, 198600, 34236, B65G 4766
Patent
active
056498004
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In modern freeze-drying units, sterilization facilities (autoclaves) etc. there is the necessity of loading a plurality of containers, flasks and the like onto a support surface and, after performing the respective treatment (freeze drying, sterilization, etc.), removing these from the support surface.
The prerequisite for trouble-free transfer of the containers from the surface of the table to the support surface--or vice-versa--is the absence of any steps or reliefs on the transfer surface. But the larger the support surface, the more difficult it is to manufacture with perfectly straight, smooth edges. This is particularly true for support surfaces in freeze-drying, as these consist of several parts welded together which have cavities, through which a cooling agent and then a heating agent flow during the freeze drying process. Some unevenness arising during manufacture and/or as a result of temperature loads can therefore not be totally avoided.
A transfer table of the type mentioned at the beginning is known for ER-A-391 208. The swivelling marginal section over which the containers are moved from the surface of the transfer table to a support surface, or vice-versa is supposed to ensure trouble-free transfer of the containers. This aim cannot be realized when the front edge of the support surface is not flat or even. In spite of having a swivelling marginal section, uneven areas are formed which may even cause the containers to tip over causing damage to the containers.
The basis of the present invention is to further develop the design of a transfer table of the type mentioned above such that trouble-free transfer of the containers from the surface of the transfer table to other support surfaces is guaranteed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a device for transferring a plurality of containers, flasks or the like with the generic features of the device for transferring containers to and from at least one support surface comprising: wherein said top surface includes a hinged portion at one end which is pivotable about an axis parallel to an edge of said top surface and in which said hinged portion includes a plurality of independently pivotable tongues, each being pivotable about said axis for aligning with a corresponding edge of said at least one support surface to allow the transfer of containers between said transfer table and said at least one support surface.
In accordance with the invention this design is realized by subdividing the marginal section of the transfer table into a plurality of tongues which can independently swivel around the axis extending parallel to the edge of the transfer table. This measure makes it possible for the edge of the transfer table to be much better matched to an uneven front edge of a support surface, such that there is no longer any significant difference in height between the support surface and the transfer table surface.
Although it has been known for some time now that the swivelling edges of loading ramps for trucks have been subdivided into several sections (FR-A-15 71 566 and FR-A-24 53 781), references to the effect that transfer tables of the type in question be equipped with a plurality of tongues for the purpose of trouble-free transfer of flasks, were not contained in this far-removed prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further advantages and details of the invention are to be elucidated using the examples depicted in FIGS. 1 to 6, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a freeze-drying unit with a transfer table located in front of it;
FIG. 2 shows an enlarged view of the transfer area between the transfer table and the support surface as specified in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a top view of the transfer table of FIG. 1; and
FIGS. 4-6 show variations for the design of the transfer area.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In FIG. 1 a freeze-drying unit is now described as an example of a facility with containers being charged and/or discharged and designated 1. It includes a chamber 2, in which supp
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Hemmersbach Siegfried
May Heinz
Finn-Aqua GmbH
Merritt Karen B.
Morse Gregory A.
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