Method and device for conveying articles

Abstract

In transferring and conveying an article between rotation conveyance bodies, the rotation conveyance bodies (1, 2) are placed so as to have a prescribed gap between pitch circles thereof, and the article is conveyed along a transition curve whose curvature continuously varies from the pitch circle curvature of a rotation conveyance body (1) before the transfer to the pitch circle curvature of a rotation conveyance body (2) after the transfer between both the pitch circles, whereby the article is transferred and conveyed with acceleration smoothly varying and without a change in the distance between the axes of the rotation conveyance bodies.

Claims

1. A method for conveying an article, comprising the steps of: transferring the article between rotation conveyance bodies, the rotation conveyance bodies having a prescribed gap between pitch circles thereof; and conveying the article along a transition curve having a curvature that continuously varies from a first pitch circle curvature of one of the rotation conveyance bodies before transfer to a second pitch circle curvature of another one of the rotation conveyance bodies, wherein said conveying of the article between the rotation conveyance bodies is along a conveyance guide having a guide surface assuming an offset transition curve obtained by offsetting the transition curve, one of the conveyance bodies having a reduced pitch circle radius without a change in positions of axes of virtual rotation conveyance bodies that transfer the article with pitch circles thereof contacting each other, said conveying is at a conveyance speed between the rotation conveyance bodies that continuously varies from a peripheral speed of the one of the rotation conveyance bodies before the transfer to a peripheral speed of the another one of the rotation conveyance bodies after the transfer, and a ratio between angular speeds of the one of the rotation conveyance bodies before the transfer and the another one of the rotation conveyance bodies after the transfer is equal to a ratio between inverse numbers of the number of pockets of the respective rotation conveyance bodies.

2. The method for conveying the article according to claim 1, wherein circular pitches between adjacent pockets of the rotation conveyance bodies are different from each other.

3. The method for conveying the article according to claim 1, wherein the transition curve is represented by any of curves c.sub.1 to c.sub.4 calculated by any of following mathematical formulae 1 to 4: $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_1\left(s\right)=\left[\frac{1}{}{}_0^{.Math.s}\cos \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d,\frac{1}{}{}_0^{.Math.s}\sin \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d\right]& \left[\mathrm{Math}.1\right]\end{array}$ (where s represents a length of a curve, and is determined by a length of a transition curve and a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_2\left(s\right)=\left\{{}_0^s\cos \left[\frac{{}^{n+1}}{R.Math.s_R^n\left(n+1\right)}\right]d,{}_0^s\sin \left[\frac{{}^{n+1}}{R.Math.s_R^n\left(n+1\right)}\right]d\right\}& \left[\mathrm{Math}.2\right]\end{array}$ (where it is defined that a curvature of a transition curve changes by a following function $=\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\left(\frac{s}{s_R}\right)}^n$ where s represents a length of a curve, S.sub.R represents a length of a transition curve, R represents a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body, and n represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_3\left(t\right)=\left[\frac{}{}{}_0^t\cos \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d,\frac{1}{}{}_0^t\sin \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d\right]& \left[\mathrm{Math}.3\right]\end{array}$ (where represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature, and t and are determined by a length of a transition curve and a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_4\left(s\right)=\left({}_0^s\cos \left\{{}_0^{}\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]d\right\}d,{}_0^s\sin \left\{{}_0^{}\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]d\right\}d\right)& \mathrm{Math}.4]\end{array}$ (where it is defined that a curvature of a transition curve changes by a following function $=\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{s}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]$ where s represents a length of a curve (parameter), S.sub.R represents a length of a transition curve, R represents a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body, and n represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature).

4. A device for conveying an article between rotation conveyance bodies, the device comprising: a transferring-side rotation conveyance body having pockets at even intervals at an outer peripheral part thereof; a transferred-side rotation conveyance body having pockets at even intervals at an outer peripheral part thereof, the transferring-side rotation conveyance body and the transferred-side rotation conveyance body having a prescribed gap between pitch circles thereof; and a conveyance guide guiding conveyance of the article along a prescribed track between the transferring-side rotation conveyance body and the transferred-side rotation conveyance body, the conveyance guide having a guide surface having a shape of an offset transition curve obtained by offsetting a transition curve with a curvature that continuously varies from a first pitch circle curvature of the transferring-side rotation conveyance body before transfer to a second pitch circle curvature of the transferred-side rotation conveyance body after the transfer, wherein one of the transferring-side rotation conveyance body and the transferred-side rotation conveyance body has a reduced pitch circle radius without a change in positions of axes of virtual rotation conveyance bodies that transfer the article with pitch circles thereof contacting each other, a conveyance speed between the rotation conveyance bodies continuously varies from a peripheral speed of the transferring-side rotation conveyance body before the transfer to a peripheral speed of the transferred-side rotation conveyance body after the transfer, and a ratio between angular speeds of the transferring-side rotation conveyance body and the transferred-side rotation conveyance body is equal to a ratio between inverse numbers of the number of pockets of the respective rotation conveyance bodies.

5. The device for conveying the article according to claim 4, wherein the transition curve is represented by any of curves c.sub.1 to c.sub.4 calculated by any of following mathematical formulae 1 to 4 $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_1\left(s\right)=\left[\frac{1}{}{}_0^{.Math.s}\cos \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d,\frac{1}{}{}_0^{.Math.s}\sin \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d\right]& \left[\mathrm{Math}.1\right]\end{array}$ (where s represents a length of a curve, and is determined by a length of a transition curve and a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_2\left(s\right)=\left\{{}_0^s\cos \left[\frac{{}^{n+1}}{R.Math.s_R^n\left(n+1\right)}\right]d,{}_0^s\sin \left[\frac{{}^{n+1}}{R.Math.s_R^n\left(n+1\right)}\right]d\right\}& \left[\mathrm{Math}.2\right]\end{array}$ (where, it is defined that a curvature of a transition curve changes by a following function $=\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\left(\frac{s}{s_R}\right)}^n$ where s represents a length of a curve, S.sub.R represents a length of a transition curve, R represents a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body, and n represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_3\left(t\right)=\left[\frac{}{}{}_0^t\cos \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d,\frac{1}{}{}_0^t\sin \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d\right]& \left[\mathrm{Math}.3\right]\end{array}$ (where represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature, and t and are determined by a length of a transition curve and a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_4\left(s\right)=\left({}_0^s\cos \left\{{}_0^{}\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]d\right\}d,{}_0^s\sin \left\{{}_0^{}\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]d\right\}d\right)& \left[\mathrm{Math}.4\right]\end{array}$ (where, it is defined that a curvature of a transition curve changes by a following function $=\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{s}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]$ where s represents a length of a curve (parameter), S.sub.R represents a length of a transition curve, R represents a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body, and n represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature).

6. The device for conveying the article according to claim 5, wherein the pockets of the rotation conveyance bodies form article guide parts of which arc-shaped opening ends protrude outward from corresponding pitch circles, and the article guide parts and the pockets are shaped so as to come in contact with the article conveyed at the conveyance speed continuously varying from the peripheral speed of the transferring-side rotation conveyance body before the transfer to a peripheral speed of the transferred-side rotation conveyance body after the transfer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A-1C is a schematic diagram showing an embodiment of a method and a device for conveying articles of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the flow of can bodies when the present invention is applied to a can-body seamer.

(3) FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a variation in the curvature of the track curve of the conveyed articles and a variation in conveyance speed in the embodiment of the present invention.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(4) 1 Seaming turret (Rotation conveyance body) 2 Discharge turret (Rotation conveyance body) 3,4 Pocket 5 Discharge conveyor 6 Outer guide 7 Inner guide 10 Forward-movement conveyor 11 Cover feed turret 20 Cover can 25 Can body R.sub.1 Pitch circle radius of seaming turret R.sub.2 Pitch circle radius of discharge turret R.sub.20 Pitch circle radius of conventional discharge turret

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

(5) Hereinafter, based on the drawings, a description will be given in detail of a method and a device for conveying articles in which the articles are transferred and conveyed from circle conveyance to circle conveyance between rotation conveyance bodies according to the present invention.

(6) FIG. 1A-1C shows an embodiment in which the present invention is applied to the transfer part between a seaming turret (half-mold turret) 1 and a discharge turret 2 of a can seamer, the seaming turret 1 seaming and sealing can covers after a content is filled in cylindrical can bodies, the discharge turret 2 discharging the can bodies having been subjected to the filling and sealing processes. The basic configuration of the can seamer is the same as a conventional one, and the can bodies in which a content such as a beverage is filled by a filler are conveyed by a forward-movement conveyor 10 as shown in FIG. 2 in flowing the can bodies with the can seamer. Next, the can bodies are transferred to the seaming turret 1 after can covers 20 are laid over the can bodies by a cover feed turret 11 and seamed while being held in pockets 3 of the seaming turret 1 and conveyed along a circular orbit. After that, the can bodies 25 with their can covers seamed are transferred from the seaming turret 1 to the discharge turret 2, moved along a circular orbit while being held in pockets 4 of the discharge turret 2, and transferred to the discharge conveyor 5 to be conveyed to a next process.

(7) In order to allow the cans to be transferred between the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 rotating each other, such a can seamer is conventionally configured such that the pitch circles of the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 contact each other, the peripheral speeds of the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 are made coincident with each other, and the ratio between the rotation angular speeds of the respective turrets is equal to the ratio between the inverse numbers of the number of the pockets of the respective turrets.

(8) Here, consideration is given to a case in which an article is transferred and conveyed from a turret having a pitch circle radius R.sub.1 to a turret having a pitch circle radius R.sub.20. When the number of the pockets of the respective turrets is represented as p.sub.1 or p.sub.2, an angular speed .sub.2 of a turret on a downstream side is represented as .sub.2=(p.sub.1/p.sub.2) .sub.1 when the angular speed of a turret on an upstream side is represented as .sub.1. Accordingly, when the pitch circle radius after the transfer in the related art in which the article is conveyed with the pitch circles of the circle-conveyance turrets contacting each other is represented as R.sub.20, the relationship between a conveyance speed v.sub.1 of the turret on the upstream side and a conveyance speed v.sub.2 of the turret on the downstream side for conveying the article is represented as v.sub.1=v.sub.2=R.sub.1.Math..sub.1=R.sub.20.Math..sub.2.

(9) In order to solve the above problems in the circle-conveyance transfer between the conventional turrets, the present invention is configured such that the pitch-circle peripheral speeds of the respective turrets are made different from each other and v.sub.2 is made smaller than v.sub.1.

(10) That is, since the pitch circle radius after the transfer is set at R.sub.2 smaller than R.sub.20 by R, v.sub.2 becomes smaller than v.sub.1, i.e., v.sub.2=R.sub.2.Math..sub.2<R.sub.20.Math..sub.2.

(11) Further, in order to achieve the above configuration, the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 are placed to be spaced away from each other so as to have a prescribed gap between the pitch circles of their circle conveyance. As described above, between the turrets placed to be spaced away from each other so as to have a prescribed gap between them, (1) the conveyed body (can body) is conveyed along a curve whose curvature continuously varies by a conveyance guide to continuously vary (centrifugal) acceleration applied to the conveyed body (can body), and (2) the conveyance speed is continuously decelerated from v.sub.1 to v.sub.2 to continuously vary acceleration (in a conveyance direction).

(12) In FIG. 1A, the distance between axes O.sub.1 and O.sub.2 of the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 serving as rotation conveyance bodies is the same as the distance between the axes of the conventional turrets placed with their pitch circles contacting each other. Further, in the embodiment, the pitch circle of the discharge turret 2 is set to have the radius R.sub.2 smaller than the conventional pitch circle radius R.sub.20. That is, as the combination of a virtual seaming turret and a virtual discharge turret that transfer a can body from circle conveyance to circle conveyance with the pitch circles of both rotation conveyance bodies contacting each other, the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 are configured such that the pitch circle radius of the discharge turret 2 serving as one rotation conveyance body is small and the circular pitches (arc pitches) between the adjacent pockets of the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 are different from each other without changing the positions of the axes of the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2.

(13) In FIG. 1A, PC.sub.20 represents the pitch circle of the conventional discharge turret having the pitch circle radius R.sub.20, and PC represents the pitch circle of the discharge turret 2 having the pitch circle radius R.sub.2 of the embodiment. Further, in the embodiment, a track curve traced by the can body conveyed between the circle-conveyance turrets has a curvature continuously varying from a pitch circle curvature 1/R.sub.1 of circle conveyance before the transfer to a pitch circle curvature 1/R.sub.2 of circle conveyance after the transfer. In addition, the conveyance speed of the can body 25 conveyed between the circle conveyance and the circle conveyance continuously varies from the peripheral speed v.sub.1 of the circle conveyance before the transfer to the peripheral speed v.sub.2 of the circle conveyance after the transfer.

(14) In order to reliably and continuously vary the curvature of the track curve from the pitch circle curvature 1/R.sub.1 of the circle conveyance before the transfer to the pitch circle curvature 1/R.sub.2 of the circle conveyance after the transfer in the transfer section between the turrets, an outer guide 6 and an inner guide 7 whose guide surface has the shape of an offset transition curve varying at the same curvature are placed along the transfer part.

(15) Further, as a transition curve whose curvature continuously varies, a curve known as a clothoid curve whose curvature changes in proportion to the length of the curve and three types of curves as shown in Patent Literature 3 can be applied. The curves described in Patent Literature 3 have been invented and raised by the present inventor as connection curves used to transfer a container from a circular orbit to a linear orbit in a filler, but have been applied to the present invention with attention paid to the fact that the curves are also applicable to a transition curve from a circular orbit to a circular orbit.

(16) As such a transition curve, any of the four types of curves c.sub.1, c.sub.2, c.sub.3, and c.sub.4, each of which is shown in FIG. 3 and will be described below, is employed in the embodiment. All these curves are curves that continuously varying from the curvature 1/R.sub.1 of the turret 1 to the curvature 1/R.sub.2 of the turret 2, the curvature continuously varying from a positive value to a negative value without bending in mid course. However, the curves c.sub.1, c.sub.2, c.sub.3, and c.sub.4, each of which will be described below, show a section in which the curvature of the turret changes from 1/R.sub.1 to zero. For a section in which the curvature of the turret changes from zero to 1/R.sub.2, the curve in which the curvature of the turret changes from 1/R.sub.1 to zero can be used by replacing R.sub.2 with R.sub.1. Accordingly, R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 will be simply described as a curvature radius R of the turret.

(17) The transition curve c.sub.1 is calculated by mathematical formula 1.

(18) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_1\left(s\right)=\left[\frac{1}{}{}_0^{.Math.s}\cos \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right),\frac{1}{}{}_0^{.Math.s}\sin \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d\right]& \left[\mathrm{Math}.1\right]\end{array}$

(19) Here, s represents a length of a curve. Note that a parameter is determined by a length s.sub.R of a transition curve and a pitch circle radius R of a rotation conveyance body.

(20) $=\frac{1}{\sqrt{s_R.Math.R}}$

(21) Further, the transition curve c2 is calculated by

(22) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_2\left(s\right)=\left\{{}_0^s\cos \left[\frac{{}^{n+1}}{R.Math.s_R^n\left(n+1\right)}\right]d,{}_0^s\sin \left[\frac{{}^{n+1}}{R.Math.s_R^n\left(n+1\right)}\right]d\right\}& \left[\mathrm{Math}.2\right]\end{array}$

(23) Here, it is defined that a curvature of a transition curve changes by the following function.

(24) 0$=\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\left(\frac{s}{s_R}\right)}^n$

(25) Here, s represents a length of a curve, s.sub.R represents a length of a transition curve, R represents a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body, and n represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature.

(26) The transition curve c3 is represented by mathematical formula 3.

(27) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_3\left(t\right)=\left[\frac{}{}{}_0^t\cos \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d,\frac{1}{}{}_0^t\sin \left(\frac{{}^2}{2}\right)d\right]& \left[\mathrm{Math}.3\right]\end{array}$

(28) Here, represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature, and a length s of a curve is calculated by mathematical formula 3-1.

(29) $\begin{array}{cc}s\left(t\right)={}_0^t\sqrt{{}^2{\cos }^2\left(\frac{{}^2{}^2}{2}\right)+{\sin }^2\left(\frac{{}^2{}^2}{2}\right)}d& \left[\mathrm{Math}.3\text{-}1\right]\end{array}$

(30) Further, a curvature of a curve is calculated by mathematical formula 3-2.

(31) $\begin{array}{cc}\left(t\right)=\frac{2\sqrt{2}{}^{2}t}{{\left[{}^2+1+\left({}^2-1\right)\cos \left({}^2{t}^2\right)\right]}^{\frac{3}{2}}}& \left[\mathrm{Math}.3\text{-}2\right]\end{array}$

(32) From mathematical formulae 3-1 and 3-2, parameters t and can be determined based on a length of a transition curve and a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body relative to any value of a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature. Accordingly, the transition curve c.sub.3 can be calculated by mathematical formula 3.

(33) The transition curve c.sub.4 is represented by mathematical formula 4.

(34) $\begin{array}{cc}{c}_4\left(s\right)=\left({}_0^s\cos \left\{{}_0^{}\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]\right\},{}_0^s\sin \left\{{}_0^{}\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]d\right\}\right)& \mathrm{Math}.4]\end{array}$

(35) Here, it is defined that a curvature of a transition curve changes by the following function.

(36) $=\frac{1}{R}.Math.{\sin }^2\left[\frac{}{2}{\left(\frac{s}{s_R}\right)}^n\right]$

(37) Here, s represents a length of a curve (parameter), s.sub.R represents a length of a transition curve, R represents a pitch circle radius of a rotation conveyance body, and n represents a parameter showing a degree of change in curvature.

(38) FIG. 3(a) shows a change in curvature relative to a length along a curve when each of the above transition curves c.sub.1 to c.sub.4 is applied to a transition track for the transfer from the circular orbit to the circular orbit between the seaming turret 1 having the pitch circle radius R.sub.1 and the discharge turret 2 having the pitch circle radius R.sub.2, and FIG. 3 (b) shows a speed diagram in which the speed at that time continuously varies.

(39) In the embodiment, the seaming turret 1 and the discharge turret 2 are placed as in the related art such that a distance L between the axes O.sub.1 and O.sub.2 of the turrets satisfies L=R.sub.1+R.sub.20 when the pitch circle radius of the seaming turret 1 is represented as R.sub.1 and the pitch circle radius of the discharge turret 2 is represented as R.sub.20. Further, the outer guide 6 and the inner guide 7, each of which has a guide surface formed by an offset transition curve obtained by offsetting a transition curve to move the axis of the can body from the seaming turret 1 to the discharge turret 2 along any of the above transition tracks according to the size of the article, are placed such that a gap K relative to a diameter D (pocket fitting position) of the can body satisfies KD. Note that the outer guide 6 and the inner guide 7 are placed along both sides of the transition track in the embodiment, but are not necessarily placed on both sides. It is also possible to place the guide only on one of the sides or place the inner guide only at a half part of the transition track and the outer guide only at another half part of the transition track.

(40) As shown in FIG. 3, each of the curves starts with the curvature 1/R.sub.1 of the turret 1 at a position at which the transfer from the turret 1 starts, and coincides with the curvature (1/R.sub.2) of the discharge turret 2 at a position at which the transfer to the discharge turret 2 ends. Between these positions, the curvature continuously varies. As a result, centrifugal acceleration applied to the can body varies continuously and smoothly to lessen an impact. In addition, the peripheral speed v.sub.1 of the seaming turret 1 continuously decelerates to the peripheral speed v.sub.2 of the discharge turret 2 to continuously vary the acceleration in the conveyance direction.

(41) In FIG. 3(a), the vertical axis represents the curvature, and the horizontal axis represents the length of the transition track (curve). In addition, FIG. 3(b) shows a change in conveyance speed, by which to indicate that the conveyance speed v.sub.1 at the seaming turret 1 decelerates smoothly and continuously to the conveyance speed v.sub.2 at the discharge turret 2 on the transition track to transfer the can body to the discharge turret 2.

(42) Note that different transition curves can also be used between the section in which the curvature starts with the curvature 1/R.sub.1 of the turret 1 and becomes zero and the section in which the curvature starts with zero and coincides with the curvature (1/R.sub.2) of the discharge turret 2. For example, the transition curve c.sub.1 whose curvature changes in proportion to the length of the curve may be used in the section in which the curvature starts with the curvature 1/R.sub.1 of the turret 1 and becomes zero, and the transition curve c.sub.2 whose curvature changes in a curve relative to the length of the curve may be used in the section in which the curvature starts with zero and coincides with the curvature (1/R.sub.2) of the discharge turret 2.

(43) As shown in FIG. 1A, arc-shaped opening ends 15 and 16 of the pockets 4 of the discharge turret 2 can be formed to protrude outward from the pitch circle radius R.sub.2 corresponding to an amount at which the pitch circle radius R.sub.2 is smaller than the conventional pitch circle radius R.sub.20.

(44) Note that a diagram 17 in FIG. 1B shows the track of a container moving away from the pocket 3 of the seaming turret 1, and a tangential direction and a normal line direction with a pitch circle relative to the axis O.sub.1 passing through the center of the pocket 3 are represented as x.sub.H and y.sub.H, respectively. Similarly, a diagram 18 in FIG. 1C shows the track of a container moving into the pocket 4 of the discharge turret 2, a tangential direction and a normal line direction with a pitch circle relative to the axis O.sub.2 passing through the center of the pocket 4 are represented as x.sub.D and y.sub.D, respectively. Based on these directions, the shapes of the pockets and the arc-shaped opening ends of the respective turrets can be determined.

(45) Note that in the embodiment, the arc-shaped opening ends of the pockets 4 of the discharge turret 2 are formed so as to protrude from the pitch circle radius R.sub.2 in order to more reliably transfer the article, but such configuration is not limiting and the arc-shaped opening ends of the pockets 3 of the seaming turret 1 may protrude outward from the pitch circle radius, or the arc-shaped opening ends of the pockets of both turrets may protrude.

(46) As described above, the present invention makes it possible to continuously and smoothly vary acceleration applied to can bodies in the process of conveying the can bodies from a circular orbit to a circular orbit. As a result, it becomes possible to more stably convey articles such as containers than ever before in high-speed production, whereby the occurrence of problems such as deformation and scratches caused by a contact with conveyance guides or the like can be reduced. In addition, the present invention is constituted by reducing the pitch circle radius of one of turrets without changing the distance between the axes of the turrets in conventional devices for conveying articles between the turrets, and can be achieved by simply modifying existing devices or facilities.

(47) Note that the present invention is applied to the part between the seaming turret and the discharge turret of the can seamer. However, it is also possible to apply the present invention not only to the above embodiment but also to, for example, various facilities such as neckers and trimmers in lines for manufacturing can bodies or the transfer and conveyance of articles between various turrets in lines for manufacturing plastic bottles, paper containers, or the like as the transfer of the articles from a circular orbit to a circular orbit.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(48) The present invention is high in industrial applicability as a method and a device for conveying articles in which the articles are transferred from a circular orbit to a circular orbit without damaging the conveyed articles.