Container transfer device having a variable geometry guide wheel

A container transfer device of the type in which the containers (12) are transferred on a path in an arc of circle around a central axis (A1) of the transfer device (10), of the type in which the device has at least one support wheel (20) and one guide wheel (24) that are driven in the same rotational movement around the axis (A1) of the device, and of the type in which the guide wheel (24) has, at its periphery, guide slots (28) that are made as radial cavities with respect to an outer envelope circle of the guide wheel (24), and the dimensions of which are adapted to the size of the containers (12) to be transferred, wherein:

• the guide wheel (24) has means for varying the size of the guide slots (28) so that they can be adapted to the size of the containers (12) to be transferred;
• and
• the guide wheel (24) has means for preventing the containers from being inserted into false guide slots (42) arranged between the guide slots (28),
• wherein the support wheel (20) is a wheel that is suitable for picking up the containers (12) at their open end (14), and in that the guide wheel (24) cooperates with the body of the containers, and
• further comprising a second guide wheel (26) that is designed to cooperate with the bottom of the containers (12), and in that said second wheel (26) is adjustable in height and has a funnel-shaped contact surface against which the bottom of the containers (12) rests radially toward the exterior.

A container transfer device, of the type in which the containers (12) are transferred on a path in an arc of circle around a central axis (A1) of the transfer device (10), of the type in which the device has at least one support wheel (20) and one guide wheel (24) that are driven in the same rotational movement around the axis (A1) of the device, and of the type in which the guide wheel (24) has, at its periphery, guide slots (28) that are made as radial cavities with respect to an outer envelope circle of the guide wheel (24), and the dimensions of which are adapted to the size of the containers (12) to be transferred, wherein:

• the guide wheel (24) has means for varying the size of the guide slots (28) so that they can be adapted to the size of the containers (12) to be transferred;
• the guide wheel (24) has two superposed concentric plates (30, 32), each plate being provided with a series of teeth (34, 36) projecting radially outward, each tooth (34, 36) having a left edge and a right edge, in that the width of each guide slot (28) of the guide wheel (24) is delimited by the left edge (38) of a tooth (34) of a first (30) of the two plates and by the right edge (40) of a tooth (36) of the second (32) of the two plates, and in that, by varying the relative angular position of the two plates (30, 32) around their axis (A1), the width of all of the guide slots (28) of the guide wheel (24) is varied simultaneously;
• and
• each of the teeth (34, 36) of the two plates (30, 32) has two tensioners (44) that are placed, one at the head of the tooth, the other at the foot of the tooth, and which are arranged along the edge (38, 40) of the tooth that serves to delimit a guide slot (28), and in that the guide wheel (24) has a belt (46) that is stretched on the tensioners (44) so as to appreciably follow the envelope circle between two guide slots (28).

A container transfer device, of the type in which the containers (12) are transferred on a path in an arc of circle around a central axis (A1) of the transfer device (10), of the type in which the device has at least one support wheel (20) and one guide wheel (24) that are driven in the same rotational movement around the axis (A1) of the device, and of the type in which the guide wheel (24) has, at its periphery, guide slots (28) that are made as radial cavities with respect to an outer envelope circle of the guide wheel (24), and the dimensions of which are adapted to the size of the containers (12) to be transferred, wherein:

• the guide wheel (24) has means for varying the size of the guide slots (28) so that they can be adapted to the size of the containers (12) to be transferred;
• the support wheel (20) is a wheel that is suitable for picking up the containers (12) at their open end (14), and in that the guide wheel (24) cooperates with the body of the containers;
• and
• the transfer device further comprises a second guide wheel (26) that is designed to cooperate with the bottom of the containers (12), and in that said second wheel (26) is adjustable in height and has a funnel-shaped contact surface against which the bottom of the containers (12) rests radially toward the exterior.