Metering apparatus
The present invention relates to apparatus for metering at least two different fluid components for use, for example, in the production of two-component resin compounds from main base components and additive components.
Metering apparatus is known which includes a separate pump for each individual component . These prior art systems have a fixed configuration so that, even if the nature of the components of the compound needs to be varied only slightly, the entire apparatus must be reconfigured. This becomes even more important in the event of significant changes to the nature of the components to be metered.
The object of the present invention is to provide a more versatile metering apparatus than those of the prior art and which, in particular, makes it possible to change the components to be metered following a quick and simple reconfiguration operation.
This object is achieved according to the invention by providing apparatus having the characteristics claimed specifically in the following Claim 1. Preferential embodiments of the apparatus of the invention form the su ject of dependent claims .
Additional characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows, provided by way of non-limitative example with reference to the appended drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic front elevation view of apparatus according to the invention,
Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the apparatus of the invention of Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a perspective view of another detail of the apparatus of the invention of Figure 1, and
Figure 5 is a section view taken on the line V-V of Figure 3.
Apparatus for metering a plurality of different fluid components includes (see Figures 1 and 2) a fixed frame 10 and a plurality of plunger pumps 12, each of which is operable to deliver a metered quantity of a single component. The frame 10 includes a fixed lower plate 14 and a fixed upper plate 16 which is substantially rectangular and four columns 18 which interconnect respective facing corner portions of the plates 14, 16.
In a manner which is known per se, each pump 12 includes a body 20 with the plunger 22 of the pump protruding therefrom and associated intake and delivery pipes . Each pump 12 is housed in a respective seat 24 formed in the upper plate 16 of the frame 10 and having (Fig. 4) a removable wall 26 for enabling the body 20 of the pump 12 to be fitted and removed. This removable side 26 has end holes 28 through which a respective screw 30 can pass in order to fix the remaining parts of the seat 24.
Each plunger 22 (see Figures 3 and 5) has a portion 32 at its distal end with a circular section greater than the circular section of the proximal portion 34. In addition it has an intermediate portion 36 with an intermediate section, between that of the distal portion 32 and the proximal portion 34 and having two flat facetings 38 formed in diametrically opposite
positions. The distal end portion 32 of each plunger 22 includes a separate cylindrical element 40, with a through- hole 42 at the site of its longitudinal axis for the passage of a screw 44 which engages a threaded hole 46 formed in the remaining portion 48 of the distal end portion 32, which is formed in one piece with the intermediate portion 36 and the proximal portion 34.
The apparatus also includes (see Figure 1) a movable plate 50 which is substantially rectangular and has at each corner portion an associated bush 52 mounted on a respective upright 18. An actuator assembly 54 is associated with the plate 50 in order to transmit to it a reciprocating movement along a path parallel to the axis of the columns 18.
The movable plate 50 also has means (see Figures 3 and 5) for enabling it to be connected selectively to the distal end of each plunger 22. For each plunger 22, these selective connection means include a locking member 56 fixed to the face of the plate facing the body 20 of the pump 12 about a through-hole 58 formed through the plate 50 and having dimensions corresponding to those of the distal end portion 32 of the plunger 22.
In its central portion, each locking member 56 has a cavity 60 opening outwardly, extending for the entire height of the member 56 and having a first, lower portion 62 the width of which corresponds to the diameter of the hole 58 through the plate 50 and a second, upper portion 64, the width of which is between the length of the diameter of the proximal portion 34 and that of the diameter of the distal end portion 32 of the plunger 22.
Each locking member 56 also has a plurality of through-holes 66, through each of which a respective screw 68 can pass in order to engage a threaded hole 70 formed in the surface of the plate 50 facing the bodies 20 of the pumps 12.
The means for selectively connecting the distal end of each plunger 22 to the plate 50 each also include a member for selectively closing the respective through-hole 58. This member is constituted by a rod 72 with through holes 74 at each end for a respective screw 76 to pass through and engage a threaded hole 78 formed in the surface of the plate 50 facing away from the bodies 20 of the pumps 12.
During operation of the metering apparatus, each pump 12 delivers a measured quantity of one of the components of the compound which is being produced. With reference to the compounds which are required in order to manufacture certain polyurethane resins, these components would typically include two base components which are always the same - that is polyol and iso-cyanate - along with additive components, such as colourings and perfumes, for example, which vary from one specific resin to another.
In such cases, each pump 12 is allotted to delivering one of either the basic components or the additives, taking care to activate only those pumps 12 which are delivering either a basic component or an additive which is specifically necessary for the compound which is being manufactured in that instance .
This is done simply by arranging the rods 72 associated with the pumps 12 to be activated in the position in which they each close a respective through-hole 58, by tightening each
of the screws 76 in the holes 78 and ensuring that the locking members 56 remain tight about the distal ends of the plungers 22 of the associated pumps 12. In this way, the cylindrical element 40 of the distal end portion 32 of each plunger 22 - which is firmly secured to the remaining portion 48 of this latter by the screw 44 engaged in the hole 46 - is held in the though-hole 58 by the rod 72 beneath it, while the remaining portion 48 of the distal end portion 32 is blocked at the top by engagement against a horizontal shoulder 80 interposed between the two differently dimensioned portions 62, 64 of the cavity 60. In this way, the plungers 22 are securely locked to the plate 50 and follow the reciprocating motion thereof, thereby causing the body 20 of the respective pump 12 to deliver a metered quantity of the fluid component contained therein (see pump on the right in Figure 3) .
The rods 72 associated with the plungers 22 of the pumps 12 containing additives which are not required for the compound being manufactured are arranged, on the other hand, so they do not block their respective through-hole 58. This position is achieved by completely unscrewing one of the screws 76 and rotating the rod 72 relative to the other screw 76. The plunger 22 is thereby released from the plate 50 and remains stationary during reciprocating motion of this latter, thereby not transmitting any movement to the pump 12 (see pump on the left in Figure 3) .
It is therefore possible, simply by positioning the rods 72 associated with the various pumps 12 so that they either close or do not close their respective through-hole 58, to select at will which pumps are operated at any particular
time and thus to manufacture compounds requiring different components.
However, since the number of pumps 12 that can be housed in the seats 24 formed in the frame 10 is of course limited, it is possible that certain compounds will require additives not contained in the pumps 12 arranged in the frame 10. In this event, one need only replace a pump containing an additive not required for the compound to be produced with another pump 12 ready to deliver the additive which needs to be included.
This is done by first unscrewing (see Figure 4) the screws 30 in order to be able to release the side 26 from the remaining parts of the seat 24 of the respective pump 12. It is thus possible to remove the body 20. In order to release the distal portion of the plunger 22 as well, it is necessary to unscrew the screw 44, thereby disengaging the cylindrical element 40 from the remaining portion 48 of the distal end portion 32 of the plunger 22, and to loosen slightly the screws 68 fixing the locking member 56 to the plate 50. These operations are made easier by the presence of the flat facetings 38 on the intermediate-diameter portion 36 of the plunger 22, since they make it possible to lock this latter against rotation with a spanner or other similar tool. The free cylindrical element 40 can thus be removed through the bottom of the through-hole 58, while the body 20 of the pump 12 and the remaining portion of the plunger 22 can be removed through the front of the apparatus. Another pump 12 of the same structure as the one removed can then be fitted and prepared in the frame 10 to deliver the required additive by reversing the operations described above .
In sum, each pump 12 is therefore selectively releasable from the frame 10 and from the movable plate 50, thereby constituting a modular unit which is interchangeable with another pump 12 ready to deliver a different component.
Naturally, the principle of the invention remaining unchanged, manufacturing details and embodiments can vary widely from those described purely by way of non-limitative example, without departing thereby from the scope of the invention.