Blocking slide Unit of a Feed and Sorting Device for Packaging Machines

Abstract

A feed and sorting device for tablets has a number of vertically extending filling tubes for tablets and a blocking slide unit for temporarily blocking the filling tubes. The blocking slide unit includes a base plate with first through-openings for the filling tubes, an upper retaining plate with second through-openings for the filling tubes, and a lower retaining plate with third through-openings for the filling tubes. The base plate is between the upper and lower retaining plates, and the first, second and third through-openings are at least partially aligned to allow the filling tubes to pass therethrough. Each blocking finger is supported in a receiving portion on the base plate and is secured thereto by the upper and lower retaining plates. Each blocking finger is assigned to one of the filling tubes, and the receiving portions are formed as recesses which, in a vertical direction, pass through the base plate.

1 . A feed and sorting device for tablets, capsules or dragees, comprising:
 a number of vertically extending filling tubes, each tube having a guiding channel for tablets, capsules or dragees; and   a blocking slide unit for temporarily blocking the guiding channels of the filling tubes, the blocking slide unit comprising:
 a base plate with first through-openings for the filling tubes; 
 an upper retaining plate with second through-openings for the filling tubes; 
 a lower retaining plate with third through-openings for the filling tubes, wherein the base plate is arranged between the upper retaining plate and the lower retaining plate, and wherein the first, second and third through-openings are at least partially aligned in order to allow the filling tubes to pass through first, second and third through-openings; and 
 a plurality of blocking fingers, each finger being assigned to one of the filling tubes, wherein the base plate further comprises a plurality of receiving portions being formed as recesses which, in a vertical direction, pass all the way through the base plate, and the blocking fingers are supported in receiving portions and secured therein by upper and lower retaining plates. 
   
   
   
       2 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of receiving portions for the blocking fingers is connected to one of the first through-openings in the base plate. 
   
   
       3 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 2  wherein each of the plurality of receiving portions for the blocking fingers includes a narrowed section at an end where the receiving portion connects to the first through-opening. 
   
   
       4 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 1  wherein the blocking fingers are formed of a solid material. 
   
   
       5 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 4  wherein the solid material is steel, aluminum or plastic. 
   
   
       6 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 4  wherein the blocking fingers include a soft coating. 
   
   
       7 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 6  wherein the soft coating is a silicone coating. 
   
   
       8 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 1  wherein the blocking fingers are formed of a soft material. 
   
   
       9 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 8  wherein the soft material is silicone. 
   
   
       10 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 1  wherein the base plate is formed of a plurality of partial base plates. 
   
   
       11 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 1  wherein at least one fastening means for attaching the upper retaining plate to the base plate is arranged on the base plate. 
   
   
       12 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 11  wherein the fastening means includes a locking projection, and wherein a locking and release opening is formed in the upper retaining plate assigned to the locking projection in such a way that, by shifting the base plate relative to the upper retaining plate, the upper retaining plate is either detachable from the base plate or lockable on the base plate. 
   
   
       13 . The feed and sorting device of  claim 1  wherein the blocking slide unit includes an upper and a lower base plate arranged parallel to each other such that the through-openings of the upper and lower base plates are at least partially aligned with each other.