Carrier element for a hydrastatic cooker

Claim 1

A device for conveying containers along a looped path in the treatment space of a thermal treatment apparatus and traversing a charging and discharging station outside of the treatment space, comprising a pair of spaced endless chains each comprising a plurality of links pivotally interconnected by pivot pins having portions thereof protruding outwardly of their respective chains, a plurality of carrier elements to receive containers to be treated disposed at regular intervals between said chains, each carrier element comprising two parallel carriers positioned in mirror-symmetrical relation to each other, each carrier having a substantially polygonal cross section, and a mounting plate on each end of said carrier element, each said mounting plate being attached to the protruding portions of a pair of successive pivot pins on a said endless chain.

Claim 2

A device for conveying containers along a looped path in the treatment space of a thermal treatment apparatus and traversing a charging and discharging station outside of the treatment space, comprising a pair of spaced endless chains each comprising a plurality of links pivotally interconnected by pivot pins having portions thereof protruding outwardly of their respective chains, a plurality of carrier elements to receive containers to be treated disposed at regular intervals between said chains, each carrier element comprising two parallel carriers positioned in mirror-symmetrical relation to each other, each carrier having a substantially polygonal cross section, and a mounting plate on each end of said carrier element, each said mounting plate being attached to the protruding portions of a pair of successive pivot pins on a said endless chain.

Claim 10

A method for loading a device for the thermal treatment of articles, like container packed wares, comprising a treatment space and an endless conveyor which, within this space, follows a looped path and, outside said space, traverse a charging and discharging station, said conveyor consisting of one or more chains provided with equidistantly spaced carrier elements for the articles to be treated, each carrier element being composed of two mirror-symmetrical carriers, comprising the steps of advancing a plurality of articles axially in an almost continuous row, periodically seizing and retaining temporarily one article from the row, in order to obtain an interval with respect to the last retained article, such that advancing articles are held at two axially spaced locations, situated close after another-- as seen in the direction of movement-- the time different between seizing successive articles being smaller than the time lapse in which an article moves from the first to the second location and advancing the preceding group of articles in a row into a carrier.

Claim 11

A method for loading a device for the thermal treatment of articles, like container packed wares, comprising a treatment space and an endless conveyor which, within this space, follows a looped path and, outside said space, traverse a charging and discharging station, said conveyor consisting of one or more chains provided with equidistantly spaced carrier elements for the articles to be treated, each carrier element being composed of two mirror-symmetrical carriers, comprising the steps of advancing a plurality of articles axially in an almost continuous row, periodically seizing and retaining temporarily one article from the row, in order to obtain an interval with respect to the last retained article, such that advancing articles are held at two axially spaced locations, situated close after another-- as seen in the direction of movement-- the time different between seizing successive articles being smaller than the time lapse in which an article moves from the first to the second location and advancing the preceding group of articles in a row into a carrier.

Claim 12

A device for loading an apparatus for the thermal treatment of articles by supplying cans to step-wise moving carriers, comprising means defining at least one advancing feed path for the articles and a stop member at each path for temporarily holding an article advanced on the path concerned, the stop member consisting of two pairs of clamping jaws and each pair being provided with an operating member, regulating means being disposed for periodically activating the operating members of the clamping jaws at a difference in time which is less than the time lapse in which an article moves between said pairs of jaws, a movable abutment is spaced past the clamping jaws as seen in the direction of movement, and a pusher member is periodically movable into the space between the clamping jaws and the abutment, while the pusher member can only enter this space after the last pair of clamping jaws has been activated to hold an article.

Claim 13

A device for loading an apparatus for the thermal treatment of articles by supplying cans to step-wise moving carriers, comprising means defining at least one advancing feed path for the articles and a stop member at each path for temporarily holding an article advanced on the path concerned, the stop member consisting of two pairs of clamping jaws and each pair being provided with an operating member, regulating means being disposed for periodically activating the operating members of the clamping jaws at a difference in time which is less than the time lapse in which an article moves between said pairs of jaws, a movable abutment is spaced past the clamping jaws as seen in the direction of movement, and a pusher member is periodically movable into the space between the clamping jaws and the abutment, while the pusher member can only enter this space after the last pair of clamping jaws has been activated to hold an article.