Beverage bottle filling plant with a beverage bottle labeling machine, and a cutting arrangement for a beverage bottle labeling machine

Abstract

A cutting device and method for operating a cutting device. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.

1 . A beverage bottle filling plant for filling beverage bottles with liquid, said beverage bottle filling plant comprising:
 a beverage bottle filling machine being configured and disposed to fill beverage bottles with liquid;   a first conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey beverage bottles to be filled to said beverage bottle filling machine;   said beverage bottle filling machine comprising:
 a rotor; 
 a rotatable vertical machine column; 
 said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column; 
 a plurality of beverage bottle filling elements for filling beverage bottles with liquid being disposed on the periphery of said rotor; 
 each of said plurality of beverage bottle filling elements comprising a beverage bottle carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold beverage bottles to be filled; 
 each of said plurality of beverage bottle filling elements being configured and disposed to dispense liquid into beverage bottles to be filled; 
 at least one liquid reservoir being configured to hold a supply of liquid; 
 at least one supply line being configured and disposed to connect said at least one liquid reservoir to said beverage bottle filling machine to supply liquid to said beverage bottle filling machine; 
 a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles into said beverage bottle filling machine; and 
 a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle filling machine; 
   a beverage bottle closing machine being configured and disposed to close tops of filled beverage bottles;   a second conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey filled beverage bottles from said beverage bottle filling machine to said beverage bottle closing machine;   said beverage bottle closing machine comprising:
 a rotor; 
 a rotatable vertical machine column; 
 said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column; 
 a plurality of closing devices being disposed on the periphery of said rotor; 
 each of said plurality of closing devices being configured and disposed to place closures on filled beverage bottles; 
 each of said plurality of closing devices comprising a beverage bottle carrier being configured and disposed to receive and hold filled beverage bottles; 
 a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled beverage bottles into said beverage bottle closing machine; and 
 a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled, closed beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle closing machine; 
   a beverage bottle labeling machine being configured and disposed to label filled, closed beverage bottles;   a third conveyor arrangement being configured and disposed to convey filled, closed beverage bottles from said beverage bottle closing machine to said beverage bottle labeling machine;   said beverage bottle labeling machine comprising:
 a rotor; 
 a rotatable vertical machine column; 
 said rotor being connected to said vertical machine column to permit rotation of said rotor about said vertical machine column; 
 a plurality of beverage bottle support structures being disposed on the periphery of said rotor; 
 said beverage bottle support structures being configured to support and hold filled, closed beverage bottles; 
 a first star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move filled, closed beverage bottles into said beverage bottle labeling machine; 
 a second star wheel structure being configured and disposed to move labeled beverage bottles out of said beverage bottle labeling machine; and 
 at least one beverage bottle labeling roller being configured and disposed to affix a label to the surface of a beverage bottle; and 
 a cutting arrangement being configured and disposed to cut labels from a supply of labeling material; 
   said cutting arrangement comprising:
 a cutting rotor being configured and disposed to rotate about an axis; 
 said cutting rotor comprising a first cutting element; 
 said first cutting element being disposed about the periphery of said cutting rotor and being configured to rotate with said cutting rotor; 
 said first cutting element comprising a first side and a second side; 
 said first side of said first cutting element being disposed substantially perpendicular to said second side of said first cutting element; 
 said first side and said second side intersecting and forming a cutting edge of said first cutting element; 
 a stationary element comprising a stationary second cutting element being fixedly mounted to said stationary element; 
 said second cutting element being configured and disposed to be adjustable toward said first cutting element and permit said first cutting element to sharpen said second cutting element; 
 said second cutting element comprising a first side and a second side; 
 said first side of said second cutting element being disposed substantially transverse to said second side of said second cutting element; 
 said first side and said second side intersecting and forming a cutting edge of said second cutting element; 
 said cutting edge of said second cutting element being generally a right angle or an obtuse angle; 
 said cutting edge of said second cutting element being configured and disposed to come into contact with said first cutting element to cut labels therebetween from a supply of labeling material; 
 upon said first cutting element rotating past said second cutting element, said cutting edge of said at least one first blade element and said cutting edge of said at least one second blade element being disposed to form a cutting gap or no gap upon said first cutting element contacting said second cutting element, between said cutting edge of said at least one first blade element and said cutting edge of said at least one second blade element, which cutting gap or no gap is configured to sufficiently cut labels therebetween from a supply of labeling material; 
 said first cutting element being configured to remove material from said second cutting element upon said first cutting element contacting said second cutting element upon adjustment of said second cutting element; 
 said cutting edge of said first cutting element comprising a first material, such as tool steel, hard metal, or ceramic; 
 said cutting edge of said second cutting element comprising anodized aluminum; 
 said first material being harder than said anodized aluminum; and 
 said cutting edge of said second cutting element being configured to be deformable by said cutting edge of said first cutting element, upon said cutting edge of said first cutting element contacting said cutting edge of said second cutting element. 
   
     
     
         2 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the blade element ( 5 ) that is harder at least at its cutting edge is produced, at least in the region of the cutting edge, from hardened steel, hard metal or ceramic. 
     
     
         3 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the at least one second blade element ( 7 ) is provided on the cutting device ( 1 ) so as not to rotate with the machine element ( 4 ), but so as to be adjustable relative to said machine element ( 4 ) or to a circular path of the first blade element ( 5 ). 
     
     
         4 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one second blade element ( 7 ) is provided at the periphery of another machine element ( 4   a ), which is driveable in a rotating manner about a machine axis ( 3   a ) in a manner coordinated with the one machine element ( 4 ). 
     
     
         5 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 4 , wherein the other machine element ( 4   a ) is driveable so as to rotate in a contra-rotating manner or in a contra-rotating manner relative to the one machine element ( 4 ). 
     
     
         6 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 5 , wherein the first blade element ( 5 ) and/or the second blade element ( 7 ) are realized with a planar face ( 5 . 1 ,  7 . 1 ) that forms the cutting edge ( 6 ,  8 ), said face being oriented in a plane (E), enclosing the cutting edge ( 6 ,  8 ), transversely relative to the movement of the first blade element ( 5 ) when the machine element ( 4 ) is rotating. 
     
     
         7 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 6 , wherein said cutting arrangement comprises at least two first and/or second blade elements ( 5 ,  7 ). 
     
     
         8 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 7 , wherein the cutting edge ( 6 ) of the at least one first blade element ( 5 ) is oriented with its longitudinal extension in the direction of the machine axis ( 3 ) of the one machine element ( 4 ) and, when the machine element is rotating, is moved on a circular cylinder surface enclosing said machine axis ( 3 ). 
     
     
         9 . The beverage bottle filling plant according to  claim 8 , wherein the first machine element ( 4 ) and/or the second machine element ( 4   a ) are a blade shaft or a drum-like operating element, for example a labeling drum or vacuum drum of a labeling machine. 
     
     
         10 . Cutting device, for example a cutting device of a labeling machine, said cutting device having a machine element ( 4 ) that is driven in a rotating manner about a machine axis ( 3 ) and at least one first blade element ( 5 ) that forms a first cutting edge ( 6 ) and is provided at the machine element ( 4 ), said first blade element, when the machine element ( 4 ) is rotating, interacting with a second cutting edge ( 8 ) of at least a second blade element ( 7 ) and forming a cutting gap ( 10 ), whereby the first blade element ( 5 ) or the second blade element ( 7 ), at least in the region of its cutting edge ( 6 ,  8 ), has a hardness that is greater than the hardness of the second blade element ( 7 ) or of the first blade element ( 5 ), and in that the cutting edge at the blade element with the lesser hardness is created by material removal with the cutting edge ( 6 ) of the blade element ( 5 ) that is designed to be harder and that the blade element with the lesser hardness, on account of its lesser hardness, is machinable by the at least one cutting edge of greater hardness so as to remove material or provide a machine finish, characterized in that the blade element ( 5 ) has, in the area of its cutting edge ( 6 ) a hardness which is greater than the hardness of the second blade element ( 7 ) and whereby the second blade element ( 7 ) is made of aluminum and is anodized on its surface. 
     
     
         11 . Cutting device according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the blade element ( 5 ) that is harder at least at its cutting edge is produced, at least in the region of the cutting edge, from hardened steel, hard metal or ceramic. 
     
     
         12 . Cutting device according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the at least one second blade element ( 7 ) is provided on the cutting device ( 1 ) so as not to rotate with the machine element ( 4 ), but so as to be adjustable relative to said machine element ( 4 ) or to a circular path of the first blade element ( 5 ). 
     
     
         13 . Cutting device according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the at least one second blade element ( 7 ) is provided at the periphery of another machine element ( 4   a ), which is driveable in a rotating manner about a machine axis ( 3   a ) in a manner coordinated with the one machine element ( 4 ). 
     
     
         14 . Cutting device according to  claim 13 , characterized in that the other machine element ( 4   a ) is driveable so as to rotate in a contra-rotating manner or in a contra-rotating manner relative to the one machine element ( 4 ). 
     
     
         15 . Cutting device according to  claim 14 , characterized in that the first blade element ( 5 ) and/or the second blade element ( 7 ) are realized with a planar face ( 5 . 1 ,  7 . 1 ) that forms the cutting edge ( 6 ,  8 ), said face being oriented in a plane (E), enclosing the cutting edge ( 6 ,  8 ), transversely relative to the movement of the first blade element ( 5 ) when the machine element ( 4 ) is rotating. 
     
     
         16 . Cutting device according to  claim 15 , characterized by at least two first and/or second blade elements ( 5 ,  7 ). 
     
     
         17 . Cutting device according to  claim 16 , characterized in that the cutting edge ( 6 ) of the at least one first blade element ( 5 ) is oriented with its longitudinal extension in the direction of the machine axis ( 3 ) of the one machine element ( 4 ) and, when the machine element is rotating, is moved on a circular cylinder surface enclosing said machine axis ( 3 ). 
     
     
         18 . Cutting device according to  claim 17 , characterized in that the first machine element ( 4 ) and/or the second machine element ( 4   a ) are a blade shaft or a drum-like operating element, for example a labeling drum or vacuum drum of a labeling machine.