Apparatus for bundling by strapping PET bottles or similar containers

Abstract

An apparatus for strapping bundles of PET bottles, cans, jars or similar containers arranged on four operating levels includes two horizontal strapping machines.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for bundling, by strapping, PET bottles or other containers comprising:
 a feed conveyor belt for feeding a series of containers to a forming station of ordered groups of containers, each ordered group comprising a predetermined number of the containers with an arrangement relative to the feed conveyor, the forming station being provided at a first intermediate level; and   a transfer conveyor for transferring a succession of said ordered groups to a strapping station provided at a second intermediate level, a discharge conveyor for unloading said ordered groups in succession being provided at a lower level than said second intermediate level,   wherein the forming station provides stationary sequencers of the containers on a predetermined number of rows of the containers parallel and oriented in a forward direction of said feed conveyor, an end-stop wall for the containers being provided in a front position with regard to a direction of movement of said feed conveyor,   wherein a shape of said end-stop wall corresponds to a predetermined relative arrangement of the containers on a front face of the ordered groups of the containers, and   wherein the transfer conveyor is provided at a higher level than said forming station, said higher level being spaced from a level of the forming station to an extent at least corresponding to a height of the containers or greater; and   a lifting assembly provided in the forming station, the lifting assembly being for the containers of a group formed of the containers from the first intermediate level of said forming station to an upper level of the transfer conveyor,   wherein the transfer conveyor unloads in succession the ordered groups of the containers in a descent station in which the containers are transferred by vertical translation, by gravity, in the strapping station to the second intermediate level, and from the second intermediate level the containers are transferred by a vertically movable support to the lower level of the discharge conveyor.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the second intermediate level is spaced from said first intermediate level by a distance equal to a height of the containers, and wherein a intermediate passage station is provided between the descent station leaving the transfer conveyor and an intermediate passage of the strapping station, which is at the first intermediate level of the forming station, and in which a group of the containers is supported by the containers of the group of the containers in the strapping station and the containers of the group in said intermediate passage station support the containers of the group of the containers in the descent station. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the containers of the group formed in the forming station are spaced apart from rows of the containers oriented in a forward direction of the forming station, and wherein the containers of each group are compacted together in a cross direction to the forward direction by a container compactor having opposing lateral pressors provided along a path of the transfer conveyor. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein, upstream of the container compactor of each group of the containers, there is a station for dispensing/spraying an adhesive substance on at least one or more areas of mutual contact of the containers of each group in a compacted together condition. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least two strapping machines are provided, which are spaced vertically from each other or in a containers axis direction in order to arrange corresponding straps in points axially spaced from each other. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the forming station and/or at an entrance to the transfer conveyor, there is provided a shaped forming wall of a rear side of the group of the containers corresponding to a predetermined order and a predetermined position relative to the containers of the group in correspondence with the said rear side. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the stationary sequencers of the containers on several adjacent and parallel rows of the containers provided in the forming station are composed of a plurality of dividing walls of the rows, said walls being oriented in a forward direction of the containers and parallel to vertical axes of the containers, and wherein the walls have a predetermined thickness for a lateral spacing to a predetermined extent of the rows of the containers between the walls. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one additional vertically oriented strapping machine is provided for application of a vertical strap, oriented in a plane parallel to the containers axes. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the group of the containers in the strapping station is supported by a conveyor belt which can be raised to a level of said strapping station and lowered to a lower level of the discharge conveyor, said lower level being lower than the level of the strapping station to an extent corresponding to the height of the containers, and wherein, at the level of the strapping station, a removable support of the group of the containers is provided. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein said adhesive substance is a glue, a paint, a coating, an external finishing substance of the containers, or a combination thereof, and wherein the adhesive substance is applied to at least some areas or on an entire surface of the containers. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein an advancement end-stop switch wall operating as a template, end-stop surfaces, and a rear shaped positioning wall are constituted by independent shaped elements, axially actuated according to a motion of the containers that are incoming, by a mechanized or electrically operated system, so as to make a size of the group of the containers adjustable to a predetermined size before lifting.