Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
255 words
A packaging line including a first conveyor (17) for carrying at equally spaced pitches a series of locations (2) to be filled, and a second conveyor (15) for carrying spaced products (a, b, c, d, e) to be packaged, characterised by a transfer conveyor (16) to transfer products from the second conveyor (15) to the first conveyor (17), the transfer conveyor (16) including means (20) to match its movement with that of either the first (17) or the second conveyor (15), a first detector (Dl) adjacent the downstream end of the second conveyor (15) for detecting the presence of a product (a, b, c, d, e) adjacent the downstream end of the second conveyor (15), a second detector (D2) for detecting the presence of a product (a, b, c, d, e) on the transfer conveyor (16), and control means to control the means to match the movement of the transfer conveyor (16) with that of either the first (17) or the second (15) conveyor so that the second (15) and transfer (16) conveyors move together to move a first product (a) from adjacent the first detector (Dl) onto the transfer conveyor (16), the transfer conveyor (16) being stopped when the first product (a) reaches the second detector (D2) and the first conveyor (17) being stopped when a second product (b) reaches the first detector (Dl), the control means subsequently moving the transfer conveyor (16) together with the first conveyor (17) to feed the first product (a) into a location (2) on the first conveyor (17).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
255 words
A packaging line including a first conveyor (17) for carrying at equally spaced pitches a series of locations (2) to be filled, and a second conveyor (15) for carrying spaced products (a, b, c, d, e) to be packaged, characterised by a transfer conveyor (16) to transfer products from the second conveyor (15) to the first conveyor (17), the transfer conveyor (16) including means (20) to match its movement with that of either the first (17) or the second conveyor (15), a first detector (Dl) adjacent the downstream end of the second conveyor (15) for detecting the presence of a product (a, b, c, d, e) adjacent the downstream end of the second conveyor (15), a second detector (D2) for detecting the presence of a product (a, b, c, d, e) on the transfer conveyor (16), and control means to control the means to match the movement of the transfer conveyor (16) with that of either the first (17) or the second (15) conveyor so that the second (15) and transfer (16) conveyors move together to move a first product (a) from adjacent the first detector (Dl) onto the transfer conveyor (16), the transfer conveyor (16) being stopped when the first product (a) reaches the second detector (D2) and the first conveyor (17) being stopped when a second product (b) reaches the first detector (Dl), the control means subsequently moving the transfer conveyor (16) together with the first conveyor (17) to feed the first product (a) into a location (2) on the first conveyor (17).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
218 words
A packaging line according to claim 1, in which the transfer conveyor (16) accommodates two or more products (a, b, c, d, e) to be packaged and transfers these two or more products (a, b, c, d, e) during each transfer operation, and which includes a third detector (D3) located at the downstream end of the transfer conveyor (16) for detecting the presence of a product (a, c, e) 3 djacent the downstream end of the transfer conveyor (16), and in which the control means is arranged so that after the transfer conveyor (16) has been stopped when the first product (a) reaches the second detector (D2) and the first conveyor (17) has been stopped after the second product (b) reaches the first detector (Dl), the second (15) and transfer (16) conveyors again move together to move the second product (b) from adjacent the first detector (Dl) onto the transfer conveyor (16) and to stop the transfer conveyor (16) when the first product (a) reaches the third detector (D3), the second conveyor (17) then being stopped when a third product (c) reaches the first detector (Dl), the control means subsequently moving the transfer conveyor (16) together with the first conveyor (17) to feed the first (a) and second (b) product into locations (2) on the first conveyor (17).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
A packaging line according to claim 1 or 2, in which the transfer conveyor (16) has its own separate and independent drive and is coupled to the first (17) and second (15) conveyors by electronic, pneumatic or hydraulic couplers to ensure that the transfer conveyor (16) runs at precisely the same speed as either the first (14) or second (15) conveyor.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
92 words
A packaging line according to claim 1 or 2, in which the transfer conveyor (16) is a free running conveyor and the means to match the movement of the transfer conveyor (16) with that of either the first (17) or the second (15) conveyor includes a pair of clutches (20) coupling the transfer conveyor (16) to a drive (26, 25) of the first (17) and second (15) conveyors so that the transfer conveyor (16) is directly mechanically coupled through the clutches (20) to either the first (17) or the second (15) conveyor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
A packaging line according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the first conveyor (17) forms part of a vacuum packaging machine (18).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
44 words
A packaging line according to any one of the preceding claims, which also includes a product accumulator (14) upstream of the second conveyor (15) to enable the feed of products along the second conveyor (15) to be substantially independent of the supply of products.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
A packaging line for packaging sliced meats comprising a packaging line according to claim 6, in combination with a slicing machine (10) upstream of the product accumulator (14).